Autor: Chatten Name

Here is the basic rule of every business: you have to sell things to earn money. Salesmanship, or the art of closing a sales, therefore, is of ultimate importance for any business venture. After all, we can’t expect any earnings if we don’t make any sales.

Winning customers is essential for the success of your enterprise. And this is absolutely true for online businesses too. In fact, winning customers online has its pros and cons. The good news is that the entire world is your market, and you could potentially reach more people through the World Wide Web. The disadvantage? The Internet offers a more impersonal channel in our dealings with people, making it more difficult to gain their trust and favor.

So what can you to do then? Fear not, dear friend. As with everything else in life, you should try to accentuate the positives to compensate for the negatives. Here are 5 methods by which you could gain a good number of customers, and keep them for a long and profitable business for you and your family.

1. Always deliver quality goods or services.

There is no better vehicle for our business message than our products themselves. Consistently offering things that are more than worth our customers‘ time and money will brand us as enterprises that are committed to quality products and services. This would only serve us well in future dealings with the same clients. Additionally, this would make our clients as advertising vehicles for our business as well, as they would spread the word about the excellence of our service to people belonging to their network.

2. Always try to over-deliver.

People love receiving more than what they paid for. If you consistently give them some extras, their minds would be conditioned to trust your business for future transactions.

3. Provide bonuses.

In addition to the product you’re selling, add some more goods that would perk up the package. Do this in a manner that you will make your customers aware of the value of the bonuses if they were otherwise purchased. This would definitely increase the worth of your product, and such would make it more favorable for a successful sale. Additionally, your bonuses would foster good will with your clients, and this could go a long, long way for future orders.

4. Build relationships.

The importance of building good relationships with your customers cannot be undermined. As we’ve discussed earlier, the Internet is a rather informal venue for personal dealings. So try to humanize your approach so that your customers can relate to you as someone who is more than just a business provider, but also as a friend.

5. Make use of a mailing list.

A mailing list is an Internet marketers number one weapon. By capturing the contact details of people who may not have been interested with their current offer, they will be able to condition the same people for future sales. And this could serve their businesses well for quite a long time, as one successful sale can beget another and another after that. So invest on an excellent autoresponder service and prepare those follow-up messages well. Take good care of your subscriber base, and they will take good care of your business in return.

Winning customers is more than just luck. It entails a lot of strategizing and good planning. Retaining customers involve the same level of commitment as well. In the highly competitive world of online marketing, trust plays an integral role in achieving our goals. Try your best to win your customers‘ trust. Take care of it. And for sure, this trust would fuel good business for you for many years to come.

As the internet age advances, more and more businesses are finding new life online. The potential benefits of such a venture are great as the internet allows for access to millions of possible customers across the globe. The startup costs tend to be lower as many entrepreneurs run their online businesses from home. Unlike a physical store or office, online businesses are usually open 24hrs a day, everyday. That’s the good news. The bad news is that the success rate for startup online businesses is about 10% as 9 out of 10 online businesses simply don’t work. Getting traffic to your site can be the most difficult of tasks. There you are eager and ready, your website looks great, your merchandise or service is ready and the future seems bright. So how do you get people to come to your site? The following will give you 5 methods that will help steer you in the correct direction.

1. Search Optimization
Search optimization is the method used to allow for your website to be ranked higher as a result of a search for specific keywords or phrases by a search engine such as Google or Yahoo. Businesses will target certain keywords that are relevant to their content and place them on the homepage and/or other pages on their site. As an example we can look at the online retailer, jewelrypayless.com. They optimize words such as „silver jewelry“ or “men’s ring”, etc. When Google receives a request for one of these key words jewelrypayless.com will come up in the search results. It is, however, not as easy as this. Your site may show up on page 100 buried deep within the search result listings. In order to get listed higher more work has to be done, as described in this article. Also, the act of optimizing a site requires some knowledge of HTML which is the basic language with which websites are built. You can use an HTML editor such Dreamweaver or Frontpage to add keywords to the pages which you are optimizing.

2. Linking Strategy
Websites often reserve an area of their site dedicated to links. The page usually consists of categorized links pointing to other recommended sites. Usually, websites will exchange links for mutual benefit. The more links you have pointing to your site, the better. Links to your site(inbound) show the search engines that your site has value. The best way to go about this process is to establish good content on your site and begin targeting websites you would link to exchange links with. You can buy software to help you do this or you can manually send out link exchange invitations via email.

3. Pay Per Click
The fastest way to get traffic is through pay-per-click advertising. Essentially, every time a web surfer clicks on an ad of your creation, you will pay. The price can range from 25 cents to $2 per click depending on the popularity of the keyword or phrases you’ve chosen. Basically, your ad will pop up in an area designated for paid ads once the keyword has been searched. It is important that you understand the correct keywords for your business in order to avoid paying unnecessary fees for irrelevant keywords. The most effective and popular of the pay per click ad sponsors are Google and Overture. You can also use shopping malls such as Nextag.com, Bizrate.com or Shopping.com to advertise via pay-per-click. Make sure to set your budget and monitor the results carefully making adjustments as you go along. Pay-per-click can be unreasonably expensive if not managed carefully.

4. Affiliates
Affiliates are companies, individuals and organizations that you have established business relationships with in order to increase your exposure and sales revenue. Affiliates send traffic to your site via a link representing your business on their site. If the prospective customer should buy from you the affiliate gets a commission from the transaction. In order to use affiliates you are required to register with an affiliate program and begin recruiting affiliates to work for you. Offering a handsome commission can attract affiliates to sign up. Having a professional website that will be easy for them integrate with their own site can also peak the interests of potential affiliates. Always treat your affiliates well, paying them on time and communicating with them on a regular basis.

5. Offline Advertising
An often neglected part of marketing online businesses, offline advertising, can be an effective means by which to bring in new customers and create “word of mouth” interest in your site. Ads in magazines, newspapers, tv, radio and local publications are some of the ways through which you can promote your business. Passing out flyers or sending out postcards can also result in new business, especially if you are offering a discount in the form of an exclusive coupon code. Be creative in trying to promote your business on a grass roots level. Read books such as “Guerilla Marketing” by Jay Levinson to gain insight on how to go about marketing in a cost effective manner.

In conclusion, succeeding online can be difficult but rewarding. If you use these methods to help you in your research and application of a business and marketing strategy, along with sacrificing time and putting forth a strong effort there is a good chance that you will be successful with your online business.

When you get the offer in the mail for a 0 APR credit card, you may be tempted to throw it out, thinking that it is too good to be true. But before you toss it in the circular file, take a good look at it. There are some distinct advantages to owning one of these 0 percent interest cards that could help you in ways you don’t know yet.

1. Transfer high interest credit card balances.
If you have a credit card that you use often but can’t seem to pay off, you can transfer the balance of this card to your new 0 APR card. If you are paying twenty percent interest on another card and have stopped using it because all you can afford to pay each month is the minimum balance, this is a great option for you. You can not only pay off your other balance, but you can also get your purchasing power back.

2. Consolidate all credit card debt to one card.
For people with several credit cards that are maxed out, consolidating them all onto one 0 APR card is the perfect way to pay down the debt quickly. Instead of your monthly payment going to the interest alone, you will be able to pay on the principle for the entire 0 APR introductory period.

3. Transfer high interest rate loan balances.
If you have a car loan that is at an exorbitant interest rate, this is your chance to pay off the loan with no interest. Pay it off at the bank with the 0 APR credit card and then make your interest free payments to the card to pay off this balance.

4. Make big ticket purchases with no interest financing.
Planning to buy some furniture or an appliance? Want to buy some plane tickets to Europe? Use your 0 APR credit card to finance the purchase of these items at 0 percent interest.

5. Improve your credit.
By paying your bill on time each month and paying off balances from other cards or loans, you improve your credit score and better your chances for getting future credit offers.

Writing an effective print ad, particularly a classified advertisement, requires that you remember five essential points. Failure to implement these points correctly can cost you much in the way of time lost and a sale missed.

You’ve just cleaned out the attic and straightened up the garage. You’ve identified items you no longer need, but they certainly have a cash value to them. You could really use the money, but you don’t want to post the information on eBay. What to do? You create a classified ad!

Unlike in times past, the classified advertisement you run with your local paper will more than likely have exposure beyond the printed copy. Smart newspaper publishers, knowing the inroads that the internet has had on their businesses, now allow advertisers to have a copy of their advertisement appear online. This is important as newspaper readership is dropping rapidly as internet usage continues to climb sharply. Still, a printed copy is smart especially if the classified ad section of your local paper is popular.

When designing your ad, you need to come up with an eye grabbing title. The title you choose will help the reader decide whether they want to read more or continue scanning their eyes toward other ads.

List the item you are offering for sale predominately within the name of the title. If you have several items to sell, consider a catchy title such as, „30 Year Contents of Attic“ which will indicate to readers that you probably have antiques. If you state, „Assorted Sporting Goods“ you will attract people who are looking for a bowling ball, fishing equipment, children’s toys, etc. The key is attracting the reader and encouraging them to read your ad.

Beyond the title, the following five points will help you in your campaign:

1. Be descriptive The clearer you present what you have to offer for sale, the better your responses will be.

2. Do not abbreviate Not everyone understands what an abbreviation means. Spell it out and erase all doubt!

3. Specify the price Particularly if you are selling just one item, list the amount you want for that item.

4. Highlights I like ads that stand out. If the newspaper offers decorative symbols, characters, or fonts use them to draw the reader’s eyes to your listing.

5. Ad campaign One day listings only work for popular items. Do you believe your item will sell if you list it for just one day? If you list it longer, you can always cancel the ad. Remember to find out what the newspaper’s policy is about online ads too. Your buyer may only see the ad online.

Some newspapers will design the ad for you, if you find writing ad copy to be a difficult task. Not everyone is gifted in writing clear, concise copy. If they want your business, they should be happy to provide this service.

As with most holidays, school will use Grandparents Day as a special activity for the class. This can be especially true of preschool, where there is as much focus on social activity and every day life as there is on learning the functionalities of reading, writing, and arithmetic. However, with so many different holidays to plan activities and crafts for, you may be out of ideas for Grandparents Day. Have no fear; there is always something new and different to try.

If your preschool has a high level of parental involvement, you may have your preschoolers create family trees. While these don’t have to be long and detailed, they can trace the immediate family and the grandparents. It can also be made creative, actually drawing a tree with branches that reach to each family member.

You can also have your students create Grandparents Day “gift bags”. Make the bag as much a part of the gift as what it contains by having your students color paper lunch bags. Then, fill it with a hand-crafted greeting card for the holiday and perhaps things like a colored picture or a couple of pieces of candy.

One fun idea, if you have the time and patience, is to have the children put on a show. They could act out a scene depicting children showing respect and thanks to the elderly or even sing to their grandparents. Having these respected members of society visit the classroom could be a very special event and could make the elderly feel useful. At the same time, perhaps the children’s grandparents could visit and tell stories from their youth, read books, or even just answer questions about the “olden days”.

With signed permission slips, you may plan a field trip to a nursing home, where the children can greet the lonely elderly and wish them a happy Grandparents Day at a time when there is no one else to bring such a pleasant message to their lives.

Or, you could simply plan an arts and crafts activity that will create a cute gift for the childrens‘ grandparents on this special holiday.

Many people mistakenly believe that all home businesses will hit the ground running. Just like any other company or store, a home business requires the same things from an owner: capital investment, time, effort, diligence, interest, and so forth. More importantly, if you’re not willing to make the necessary adjustments and changes, it’s very unlikely that your home business will succeed.

5 Preparation Tips for a Successful Home Business
Are you truly committed to attaining success for your home business? If so, be prepared to make the following changes.

The main appeal of home businesses to most people is its personalized touch. Most products of home businesses are either handcrafted or homemade. These products are the result of a labor of love rather than machines. It’s what drives their prices up, and if you’re not ready to do the same for your home business – you’re going to find it very hard to market your products anywhere.

In relation to that, home businesses must be unique. You need to dedicate a good amount of your time prior to opening up your home business in thinking of any way that would distinguish your home business from all others.

Flexibility is one of the key advantages of home businesses over its bigger rivals, and your home business has to show their ability to become flexible as well. There are various ways that a home business could be flexible where a large company wouldn’t be able to. Your home business could focus on one or multiple ways, depending on your preferences and capabilities.

It could be flexible with its payment method. Since a home business is almost always small in size, you have the opportunity to build a solid relationship with your suppliers, partners, and clients.

The strong foundation of trust between both of you allows for uncommon payment methods. Whereas any company would never dream of sending the goods first before receiving payment – you could afford to do that because you personally know your clients.

Customizing options are also a must for almost all home businesses. With bigger rivals, designs of their products are rarely customizable since they are already pre-made. Home businesses, however, can’t afford to have large stocks in inventory. Most of their products are sold on a by-order basis, but they compensate with the waiting period by allowing clients to customize certain features like the color and design of their product. This may seem like a small thing, but it truly means a lot to clients!

Home businesses more often than not find success in the Internet. It’s through the Internet that they’re able to get much needed exposure and have the chance to stand on equal ground with older and bigger rivals. It’s there that they’re able to expand in size and number.

If you want your home business to succeed, you must be willing to invest in learning how things work in the Internet. You must understand how search engine optimization (SEO) works and use it when creating your own website.

Last but not the least, always remember that home businesses start with you: at its first stages of operation, it’s important that you personally oversee your home business. Hiring help is okay, but delegating everything to them is not. The time for delegating will soon come – you don’t have to worry about that – but for now, it’s your own blood and sweat that’s going to make your home business progress.

Since its inception, the market of used cars has suddenly escalated at an unprecedented rate for the past few years. In fact, surveys show that the number of people who buy used cars is almost tripled when compared to the number of people who buy new cars.

That is why many people are enticed to buy used cars because it is gradually becoming a trend in the car buying industry.

However, it does not necessarily mean that buyers will just take the process of selecting used cars for granted. Hence, it is important to take note of the ways to check the car prior to the closure of the deal.

Therefore, for people who wish to know the different ways on checking the condition of the used car, here are some pointers:

1. Test drive

There is no better way to check the condition of the car than to do a test drive. In this way, the buyer will be able to know the actual condition of the car and its parts like the brakes, accelerator, etc.

Also, the buyer will be able to detect at once if there are some “clunks” and rattles on the used car, even if the test drive is just a short trip.

2. Personal inspection

Aside from test-driving, it is also important for the buyer to personally inspect the details of the body make-up and its condition.

In this manner, the buyer will be able to identify any signs of rusts and damages, the condition of the tires, oil leaks, etc.

3. Mileage check

Usually, an average user or driver will consume 12,000 to 15,000 miles in a year. In this way, the buyer will be able to know the approximate age of the car by looking at its mileage.

4. Mechanic check

Another way of checking the condition of a used car prior to its purchase is to seek the help of a mechanic. This may cost the buyer some charges but the money would surely be spent for a good cause. The mechanic is the best person who could instantly assess technically and professionally the condition of a certain car.

5. CARFAX Report

Knowing the history of the car is also one of the best ways to know the real condition of the car. Hence, it is important for the buyer to seek the help of CARFAX report in order to know the full details of the used car’s history.

Take the proper steps and research your purchase. Doing so will guarantee a happy car buying experience.

Replacing windows and doors is the fourth most common home-remodeling project and experts say it can dramatically reduce utility bills. Yet when it comes to choosing more energy-efficient options, consumers might be overwhelmed by the whirlwind of technology, terminology and options on the market today.

Homeowners need to be armed with accurate information in order to make the best choices about the many available options. That’s especially true as energy costs continue to climb. The Environmental Protection Agency’s Energy Star program estimates that the savings from replacing single-pane with Energy Star-qualified windows ranges from $125 to $340 a year for a typical home.

Since this is the time of year when many homeowners embark on remodeling projects, here are five basic tips for selecting the most energy efficient windows and doors for your home.

* Use Low-E glass. Select windows with Low-E glass, which controls the amount of heat transferred through the window and prevents heat loss in the winter. Jeld-Wen, a window and door manufacturer, now offers Low-E glass as a standard for its wood and clad wood windows and as an upgrade option for its vinyl windows.

* Update technology. Replace older single-pane windows with dual-pane units, which insulate the home from both cold and hot weather. Using both Low-E glass and insulating glass units will reduce home energy costs.

* Consider how they’re made. Choose doors with energy-efficient cores, sills and frames that provide a barrier to energy exchange. Dual-pane, Low-E glass helps ensure that they will be weathertight and energy efficient. For example, studies show that over time, steel doors made with polystyrene maintain energy ratings better than doors made with polyurethane.

* Understand the standards. Efficiency ratings are based on U-factor, which is the amount of heat flow through a product. The lower the U-factor, the more efficient the product. Efficiency also is measured by Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC), which indicates the ability to block heat generated by sunlight. The lower the SHGC, the better. Finally, experts evaluate Visible Light Transmission, which is the percentage of sunlight that is able to penetrate a window or door. Higher percentages mean more light will enter through the glass.

* Focus on efficiency, not bells and whistles. Manufacturers achieve efficiency in different ways. No matter what technology is employed, one of the easiest ways to identify the most energy-efficient products is to simply look for the Energy Star label.

In his book „How to Get What You Want“, Wallace D. Wattles, best known for his classic masterpiece „The Science of Getting Rich“, talks about the importance of „making constructive use of the people and things in your environment“ in getting what you want.

One way you make constructive use of the people and things in your environment is to get the help you need, when you need it.

If you spend any amount of time on the Internet, you’ll occasionally need someone’s help…

It might be help with an online purchase, technical support for a product, or some other kind of help.

Regardless of the kind of help you need…

The manner in which you ask for that help will determine the quality and the quantity of the help you receive now and in the future.

You see…

There are two ways you can ask for help online…

One is „constructive“…

The other is „destructive“.

When you ask for help in a constructive manner, you’ll get the help you need, when you need it, and you’ll „build“ a relationship that’ll keep the door open for future help.

On the other hand…

When you ask for help in a destructive manner, although you might get the help you need this time, you’ll „destroy“ any chance of a relationship and close the door to future help.

Based on the thousands of questions and support requests I’ve received and answered online, here are five powerful tips that’ll help you get the help you need, when you need it, and get it in a way that’ll leave the door wide open for future help:

Tip #1 – Don’t lead with your chin.

Leading with your chin is a great way to get knocked on your…

Well…

You fill in the blank. 🙂

The single most important thing you need to remember when you’re asking for help online, whether you’re asking by email or by filling out an online form, regardless of how angry or frustrated you might be, is that there’s a real „live“ person on the other end…

A person who has „feelings“ just like you do!

Including phrases in your first request for help like…

„Are you going to help me right now, right this minute, or are you going to give me my money back?“…

Or…

„I’m starting to think this is a scam!“…

Or…

„If I don’t hear back from you in one hour, I’m going to call my lawyer!“…

Might make you feel good, but they’ll virtually guarantee whatever help you do get right now will be minimal, at best, and your chances of getting anything other than minimal help from that person again in the future will be somewhere between slim and none.

Tip #2 – Be polite.

For some strange reason, one I’ve yet to figure out, many people seem to think the rules of simple, common courtesy don’t apply online…

Don’t you be one of them!

A request for help written in a polite tone, using „please“ and „thank you“, will, more often than not, get you a prompt and courteous reply.

Tip #3 – DON’T SHOUT!!!

Whether you know it or not, typing your request for help in all capital letters is the online equivalent of shouting in the face of the person who receives it…

And…

The liberal use of multiple exclamation marks makes your shouting even louder and more emphatic!

Question for you…

Do you like it when someone shouts in your face?

Guess what?

Neither does anyone else! 🙂

Tip #4 – Keep your request short and to the point.

Most people doing business online don’t have the time to read long, drawn out messages trying to figure out what you need, nor do they have the time to keep writing you back over and over again trying to clarify what you need.

When you ask for help online, *always* include your name, contact information, order information, specific dates, specific details, and a clear, concise description of the help or information you need.

Avoid including any information that doesn’t directly contribute to helping the person you’re asking for help to give you the exact help you need.

Tip #5 – Say thank you.

After you’ve received the help you’ve asked for, a simple „thank you!“ or „thanks, I appreciate your help!“ will go a long way towards insuring the door will be wide open the next time you need that person’s help again.

Once again…

The single most important thing you need to remember when you’re asking for help online is that there’s a real „live“ person on the other end.

Treat that person as you’d like to be treated and you’ll find as I have that, more often than not, you’ll get all the help you need, when you need it, and that person’s door will always be open to you should you need their help again.

„Content Is King“… and will remain ‚King‘ for as long as the Internet exists and is for this very reason WHY you’d be smart to build a network of these sites for yourself to profit from for years to come.

Let me ask you this… „What do most people go online for?“

If you said „INFORMATION“ – then you are absolutely right.

And besides, that IS and always will be the Internet’s primary purpose and will always be one of the main reasons why people come online to search for.

So, with that said, you should now have a good idea as to why Niche Content Sites are the way to go if you are looking to build a network of sites that will produce a nice residual income for years to come and will steadily grow over time on there own all by using other peoples content and products.

Now that you have the idea, for the rest of this article I’d like to share with you my 5 TOP reasons you should seriously think about building your own network of Niche Content Sites of your own, and then at the end will reveal to you a few examples of what kinds of Niche Content Sites you can build.

Reason #1. Search Engines absolutely love them.

If you don’t know by now Search Engines love content and what do Niche Content Sites contain? That’s right… Content.

The more content you have to offer, the more pages you’ll get listed within the search engines, which then gives you more exposure to your target audience from within the search engines and more chances for you to profit, which I’ll explain in more detail in a few minutes.

Point being, this is a great way to grow your business and give your audience what they’re looking for all at the same time, Plus… to get the Search Engine spiders to return for regular indexing.

Reason #2. Your Niche Content Sites will grow effortlessly.

Content is literally the FUEL that powers the net and even more so is one of the most effective ways to grow your own business online.

What I mean by that is there are literally thousands of content publishers out there on the web looking for places to submit their content for publication. So depending your niche, you will always have an abundance of content to continually grow your network of Niche Content Sites no matter who your target audience is.

I will also be giving you some examples of some Niche Content Sites towards the end of this article to give you some idea of what to expect.

Reason #3. The information is targeted towards your Niche.

Niche Content Sites are just as the name depicts and even more so the information inwhich they contain primarily target your target audience and feed their hunger for information.

Remember what I mentioned earlier about why people come online in the first place.

Your simply giving them what they ready want and making a profit from it at the same time which I’ll explain in more detail in the last two segments of this article.

Reason #4. Get paid for other peoples work.

With the rising popularity of Google’s Adsense program and the profits that can be made from other peoples content using Google Adsense, this gives people all the more reason to build a network of Niche Content Sites because of the residual income you can make through Google’s Adsense program.

The trick is this… the more pages you have listed, the more opportunity you have to generate BIG Google Adsense cheques, all from someone else’s work.

Pretty COOL!

Reason #5. Get paid through targeted affiliate programs.

Want to get paid between 30 – 70% again by offering targeted affiliate programs about the content within your Niche Content Sites?

That’s right, get paid for referring other peoples products that directly reflect the content inwhich your Niche Content site offers and what your target audience is looking for.

By having a Niche Content Site with targeted content, this gives you a great opportunity to help Pre-Sell your target audience to want to get more information, Information inwhich they have to ‚Pay For‘ which is where the targeted affiliate program you choose comes into play.

Now… are those 5 reasons enough for you to get started with your own network of Niche Content Sites?

Only you can answer that question.

It’s reason enough for me, and the real cool thing is you don’t have to produce any of the content yourself and you can use other peoples products to make a profit, Plus… Google Adsense.

Just imagine what a network of 30 to 50 of these sites would bring in.

I could ramble on but I think you get the picture.

Before I go though I said I would give you a few examples of what a Niche Content Site might be so here are the two I would get started with – Article Directory or a Niche Blog.

Article Directories will target Multiple Niches where as Niche Blogs will only target One.

So, you have a choice. Now, all you have to do is make a decision.

If you are looking to install a new kitchen into your home then you will find that there is a bewildering choice of free kitchen design ideas you could choose from to feed your own design plans.

Together with the bathroom the kitchen is the most important room in the house to get right in design terms.

Aside from the hall the kitchen receives the highest amount of foot traffic in the home.

Most people spend a lot of time in the kitchen, especially families and if something is not right it will bug you every time you look at it.

I recommend you spend considerable time looking for free kitchen design ideas before you approach a kitchen design store. That way you will have a much more focused idea of what you are looking for and are more likely to encourage the salesperson to offer you a special deal. They will see you as a serious prospect who has spent time creating a strong vision and knows what they require.

Design ideas can be found in many places such as house and home magazines, kitchen showrooms, diy stores, kitchen web sites and friends‘ houses.

You should be able to formulate at least two or three design ideas using these methods.

In the meantime here is a list of 5 popular kitchen styles that you can investigate to get you started:

Country Style

This style is also called early american or colonial and creates a lovely quaint farm kitchen look.

Typically the kitchen will feature open shelves, pot racks and a general feeling of being well lived in, accented by the various color schemes of the cabinetry.

Contemporary

This style has clean and simple lines. Cabinets are usually futuristic in look with no carvings or particularly ornate features.

The emphasis is on style and practical sophistication.

Shaker

This is a simple and utilitarian style that features flat panel doors, wooden countertops and brass hardware.

French Country

These are warm inviting kitchens full of wood and soft colors.

Natural materials feature strongly as do large furniture pieces with ornate carvings.

Arts and Crafts

This is becoming a popular style and features glass doors and natural wood tones that are finished in a matte sheen.

This style can be very artistic.

Finally, take into account the themes you have used in other rooms to ensure that the kitchen design you finally choose fits well into your overall scheme.

I hope that our free kitchen design ideas help you to get a good start in your project.

To get the best price for you.

1. Size: This makes a difference to the price. Think what your flags will be used for – if they are going to be used for promotion, give always etc. then low grade polyester will be perfect. Smaller sized flags will be cheaper than larger ones but select the size dependent on the purpose for the flags.

2. Quantity: This is always a major factor in price. The more you order the cheaper the flag – this is mainly due to labour costs. It’s just as quick to make 5 flags as it is 1. So when asking for a quote for 1 flag it is suggested to request 5 flags. You will be surprised at the savings you can make.

3. Colour: This is important for a custom flag price. Assume you have 3 colours – red, green and grey in your logo – if your are looking to have 10 custom flags made it would be better to have them screen printed rather than digitally printed. With screen printing there is a film for each colour and those films can be reused several times. However, digital printing is carried out by machine and results in the use of more colour. While it is cheaper to print 1 flag using the digital print method, it depends on the design and colours chosen. If your design is full colour then digital may only be the option you have.

4. Location/Material: The location of where the flag is to be flown will determine the materials best suited. Take into consideration the types of conditions your flag with endure. If you want your flag to last, there’s no point in having your flag made with lower grades of polyester if your flag will be flown in extreme weather conditions.

5. Ply: Flags can be 1ply or 3ply depending on what you need your flags to do. 1ply flags are printed on 1 side with the image bleeding through to the other side with about 90% reverse see through. A 3ply flag is virtually 2 flags printed separately and then stitched together using a middle liner to stop the see through effect.

Remember these few points – size, quantity, colour/s, location, material and ply are all important factors to be considered when requesting the best quote on the custom flags required.

When planning a trip to the Windy City, you will find there are plenty of Chicago attractions and activities to consider, including main sights, shopping opportunities, and entertaining cultural explorations. Regardless of what you planned before entering this exciting destination, you are sure to come across a variety of places to visit, which may include some of the following selections:

Navy Pier

While this attraction originally served the many freighters and water transportation on Lake Michigan in the mid-1910s, it is now recognized as one of the most well known of Chicago sights. On a daily basis, the pier features a wide range of entertainment options and interesting events. Before you even arrive at the pier, you may catch sight of the Ferris wheel, which stands 150 feet into the air. While an onsite 18-hole miniature golf course, musical carousel, and other indoor activities make a great distraction for children, adults also enjoy features of the site, such as the Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, which provides access to a 500-seat courtyard theatre.

Sears Tower

Decorating the Chicago skyline, the Sears Tower is recognized as one of the tallest buildings in the United States. As a long-standing symbol of the city, tourists often flock to this attraction to enjoy one of the best views of Chicago. When visiting the tower on a clear day, the amazing view may include up to 40 to 50 miles of sightlines that reach parts of Michigan, Indiana, and even Wisconsin.

Shedd Aquarium

Many visitors to the city really enjoy a trip to the Shedd Aquarium, where the display of marine life provides an exceptional opportunity. While an aquarium may seem like a place where only children will find pleasure, adults also encounter a delightful outing when touring one of the most popular sights in Chicago. A variety of species that hail from all over the world can be found on the premises, which present a range of ordinary creatures to the truly exotic. Popular exhibits at Shedd include piranhas, anacondas, and the Caribbean reef display.

Magnificent Mile (Michigan Ave)

If there was ever the perfect place to max out your credit cards, the Magnificent Mile, located along Michigan Avenue is situated in the great city of Chicago. Along this entertaining strip, you will find major hotels, such as the Four Seasons, Ritz Carlton, and the Conrad Hilton. The well-known Water Tower landmark is positioned on this same street, as well as a satisfying assortment of department stores and exclusive shops. Just to get an idea of the type of shopping awaiting your arrival includes the likes of retail giants such as Gucci, Coach, Chanel, Hugo Boss, Macy’s, and Tiffany & Co.

Chinatown

To explore an explosion of satisfying cultural finds, the Chicago Chinatown is the perfect place to enjoy a wide range of shops, restaurants, and neighborhood events. At any given moment, this section of the city may open to reveal exciting parades, entertaining festivals, and unique holiday celebrations. Many visitors enjoy a stop in Chinatown to get a good deal on a city-related souvenir or purchase an attractive Asian trinket. It is also the best place to savor the cuisine of the Orient.

Montana is known as one of the best places to camp. The land is full of wide open areas with plenty of wildlife and beautiful areas to explore. There are plenty of camping options to choose from.

Salmon Camp is a state park that allows visitors to camp overnight. This is a great facility for those who enjoy being outdoors but love the comforts of a hot shower as well. There are plenty of marked trails for a day of hiking. There are specified water areas for fishing and swimming, and boating docks.

The most popular camping location in all of Montana is located in Fort Smith, called Bighorn Canyon. This area offers miles of open land to camp on in your tent, RV, or you can rent a beautiful cabin. There is plenty of wildlife to observe as well as some of the biggest fish swimming in the waters there.

If you plan to camp with children consider Jellystone Park in Missoula, home of Yogi the bear himself! There is plenty of area for hiking, fishing, hunting, and exploring. There is also a ghost town with mines only a few minutes away. There are also games, crafts, and activities for children of all ages to enjoy.

Yellowstone Park is a National Park that offers camping, horseback riding, wildlife observation, and beautiful scenery. You can choose to go hiking on the various trails by foot or rent a horse to ride for the day.

Another wonderful National Park to visit in Montana is Gallatin. This National Park is located in the Western Park of Montana. Plenty of large wildlife roam the area here. You will love camping in the open spaces and listen to the different animals throughout your explorations.

Montana is the place to be if you enjoy camping. There are so many different areas to choose from. You can pick one based on location, the terrain, the wildlife, or the camping accommodations. Regardless of where you choose to camp in Montana, I am sure you will have a great time relaxing in the great outdoors.

Finding a bargain investment property on paper is only half of the process of property investment. The other half of real estate investing is going down to the property to examine the real estate investment property physically for defects either in terms of the construction and legal title and other liens that can be on the property. You do not want to spend lots of legal costs later to undo the bad lemon you bought into. This article will highlight five possible things to consider when searching for your next investment property.

Firstly, unless you find a property that is really run down and you want to tear it down to its foundations, you want to look out for properties that might have potential electrical and water piping problems. The reason why this is critical is that, wiring and water piping is usually hidden behind walls and other furniture fixtures and repairing them can be a very costly affair since you have to hack into the walls and run the piping and wiring if the problem is very serious. If you are new to property investing try to bring a electrical engineer along with you when you are doing some property inspection.

Secondly, foundation problems are usually harder to spot. When walking around the property, look for cracks appearing at the side of the house and the foundation that goes into the ground. Look for large unusual holes found at the side of the property and cracks on the exterior paint of the building. You might want to bring a civil engineer and a contractor along to figure out how much it would cost to fix the property if you suspect the repairs involved will be substantial. You can also bring them along to give a “grim estimate” to the house owner and bring down the cost of the property.

Thirdly, roofing problems can be a persistent nightmare to you and your potential tenant if you are purchasing the real estate for tenancy purposes. When inspecting the house, look around the ceiling near the windows and around the edges of the walls to look for new paint or yellow spots or cracks with water in them. Most sellers would be smart enough to eliminate the water bubbles after a heavy rain when trying to sell the property, but it is always important to figure out if there is a major leaking roof which might cost you are lot into repairing it. Use this defect to negotiate the price of the property further if you are interested in the property.

Fourthly, another reason why the investment property in question might be a bargain might be because there are legal problems associated with it. Common ones include, multiple owners that cannot agree whether to sell or not. Litigation here would be futile and you should avoid such property once you learn about it.

Another problem might be a lack of clean title. Did you know that the seller can be selling you only the building without the land or maybe there are existing tax liens on your property or some other liens that can prevent you from getting good title to the property? Spending some time chatting with a reliable real estate attorney to learn about common real estate problems in your area can save you lots of legal problems later.

Fifthly, bankruptcy of your seller or one of the part owners of your real estate may depending on the legal proceedings of your state affect your ability to transfer title quickly. Most states make it a requirement that the receiver of the bankrupt has to agree so pay careful attention to the bankruptcy legislation of your state. That being said, sometimes the banks are willing to sell you at a bargain so as to recover the bad debts quickly so do your homework before purchasing such an investment property.

In conclusion, these five pointers can be used as a starting point for you to evaluate your property investment. Spend some time to think rationally about the properties that you have seen and see if they have any of the above flaws and consider if you want to continue purchasing them and whether the costs that you may incur in fixing them will justify the discount of the property to the market value. Above all, take massive action today and pursue your property investment dreams.

– Hustle:

Generally, people who make it big have one thing in common—they are dissatisfied with the status quo. They will not take what is “common” or “expected” and let that define their lives—they move past it and excel. You must work hard and hustle.

– Character:

Someone coined the phrase, “character is what you do in the dark.” In other words, when no one is looking, will you behave differently than if someone was looking? If not, then you have character. If you are attacked, be tough—not hard. Don’t be a pushover, but be compassionate, gentle, and flexible—especially on procedure (not principle).

– Risk Taking:

This isn’t gambling, it’s a willingness to be bold, hearty, and to push forward. People who refuse to take risks are definitely going to lose. If you refuse a new promotion because you’re not confident of your skills, you will likely be passed over when a different chance arrives.

Don’t be afraid of rejection, just take it as part of life and you’ll find there’s nothing to be afraid of—especially in the word “no.” “No” is just another opportunity to find a way around an obstacle and to use creative problem-solving skills.

– Time Management:

We all know that one minute has 60 seconds and that one hour has 60 minutes. One day has 24 hours, and one year has 365 days. But one year also has 525,600 minutes. We don’t think about a year in such small increments, but maybe we should.

We waste minutes as if they’ll always be around, and the fact is that time wasted is time we can never get back. We might miss a deal or promotion of a lifetime by wasting just a few minutes.

Proper time management is essential as you climb to success. Continue to break goals down in to manageable chunks—do that with relation to your day and the time you’ve been given. You’ll accomplish far more this way and you won’t regret using your time wisely.

– Master Non-Verbal Communication:

It is said that our body language and facial expressions do much more communicating than our words will ever do. When the words that you speak don’t match the expressions on your face or the stance of your body, you confuse the listener and muddle your message.

Be aware that when you try to “multi-task,” you often end up short-changing something, and the last thing you want is to short-change people. Don’t try to do too much at once—your willingness to do this tells people they aren’t important, even if you’re expressing your appreciation of their work and effort.

Be aware of what message your body is sending off!

While thinking about the symptoms of menopause, it is important for you to know and understand that these symptoms differ from women to women. Certain factors like difference in diet and nutrition, general health and health care, etc all affect the way women experience menopause.

The general physical symptoms of most women approaching or experiencing menopause include:

Longer menstrual periods

For a woman who usually has short menstrual periods of, say, 4 days, this can increase to more days. When this occurs, it could be one of the symptoms that she is approaching her menopause. When you notice that this is happening to you and you are approaching your late 40s, there is nothing to worry about. Simply know that this is a symptom of menopause.

Heavier menstrual flows

Some women also notice that their menstrual flows are now heavier than usual. If this happens to you and you are sure that nothing else is wrong with you physically, then know that you could be approaching your menopause, especially if the age is right. If the age is not right, then you are not approaching menopause.

Spotting

Spotting is the situation whereby little drops of blood comes out during the time when you are supposed to be menstruating. When this occurs, it could be a sign of menopause. First, check whether you could be pregnant or not. If not, and if it continues, then it could be a sign of menopause.

Menstrual periods irregularity

There is also the tendency that you will experience general menstrual periods irregularity when you are approaching menopause. When this happens and you know nothing is wrong with you health wise, then it is a symptom of menopause.

Lack of interest in sex

Lack of interest in sex for most women in menopause occurs partly because there is now less fun when having sex. This is because as menopause happens, the estrogen levels decline, thereby making the vaginal walls less elastic and thinner. This eventually leads to pain or discomfort during sex. To solve this problem, there is the need for sufficient vaginal lubrication for women who are experiencing menopause and still want to enjoy sex with their partners.

If you’ve done all you can, but you just aren’t able to pull yourself back up financially and you feel that filing for bankruptcy is your only resort, here are some personal bankruptcy filing tips that may help you make the process a little less stressful.

When you file for bankruptcy protection you are immediately safe from creditors calls and repossessions. A creditor cannot legally contact you while your bankruptcy has been filed and after it’s been discharged they won’t have a reason to contact you since all your debt will have either been wiped out, Chapter 7, or you have a repayment plan in place, Chapter 13.

Here are the steps you will need to take:

1. Decide whether or not you will be hiring an attorney. For most people it is advisable since bankruptcy laws are complicated and different from one state to the next. If you decide to hire an attorney take the opportunity to meet with several. Make sure you ask for a fee schedule, this isn’t the same as asking them how much your case will cost, it just means you know how much they will charge per hour and what other fees you may incur.

2. Gather up copies of all three credit reports as well as a thorough listing of all your debts and assets. This will include all loans whether they are secured or unsecured, medical bills, and a complete listing of any accounts such as savings or checking that you have. Make sure to include a full listing of any investments you may have and their current value.

It’s not a good idea to leave anything out. If it is found out later you will face serious legal issues, be honest. In many states you will be allowed to keep some personal property like your home and a car. It does vary not only from state to state but also depending on how much equity you may have in your home. Many states will set limits to the amount of equity you can have in your home and still be able to keep it.

3. When gathering up your paperwork make sure to include the last few years of income tax records along with all your pay stubs for several months.

4. Once you’ve hired your attorney, have an honest conversation about what option you should choose, Chapter 7 or Chapter 13. Each form has it’s pros and cons and your attorney can help you decide which form would be best for you and your circumstances.

5. Even if you choose to hire an attorney, make sure you are as proactive during the process as possible. It’s important that you stay in close contact with your attorney to make sure there are no surprises. You should also go to all the hearings even though this can be a time consuming and stressful thing to do.

The truth is that many people will hire an attorney and just step back. That is not a good idea. Any good attorney will have dozens of clients and while you’d like to think that they have all the facts about your case readily available, the fact is that they can overlook things and forget things. It’s important that you pay close attention so you can point any oversights out to your attorney. After all, this is your life and your future on the line.

If it ever comes the time to do a personal bankruptcy filing, the tips listed above can take at least a little of the fear out of the process. You’ve heard the saying that knowledge is power, use this knowledge to help you make this difficult time a little less stressful.

It’s holiday time again and what should you get for him? He has everything, so what else could there possibly be? Don’t give up yet because there are plenty of unique ideas for the man who’s difficult to shop for.

Gift Idea For Him #1: Naming a Star in His Honor

If the man in your life is also a star in your eyes, let him know with the perfect Christmas gift idea. There are many online novelty stores, which offer star naming kits. For a set price, you can have a star named after the man in your life. The complete kits come with a certificate, a map so that he can locate his special star and other information about star naming and astronomy. You can also select a date in which the star was officially named. Maybe it’s an Anniversary or Birthday. Perhaps, it’s in honor of Christmas. The star naming service will imprint any date that you choose on the certificate. Many of the stores offer custom framing, or you can find a frame at a local department store. If he’s into astronomy, of just to let him know that you think he’s a star, this is a great gift. In addition, it’s unlikely that most people would already have a star named after them so this would be very original.

Gift Idea For Him #2: A Watch

If you want to let him know that you love it timeless, buy him a watch. It’s practical, thoughtful and carries a wonderful meaning. Slip a note inside the watch box, which reads „Time flies when I’m with you.“ Gold watches are nice and they don’t always have to be expensive. Shop around at some of the online stores and browse their huge selection of watches.

Gift Idea For Him #3: Tools

If the gentleman in your life is also the home’s handyman, consider a toolkit. There are some terrific kits, which contain hundreds of items, which are available and make wonderful Christmas gift ideas. When searching for the perfect toolkit, keep in mind what he likes to do. If he prefers to build things, look for a kit with the tools necessary for building. If he likes to repair, look for a kit with a lot of fix-it tools and spare gadgets. You know what they say – busy hands are happy hands.

Gift Idea For Him #4: Unique Sports Items

If your guy is a sports nut, consider the ultimate unique gift. Log on to his favorite team’s website and read about any construction or new projects being built for use by the team. Many times, during construction of a new facility or building, the teams will sell customized bricks to help with financing of the project. You could purchase a brick used for construction, have it engraved with his name and present a certificate to let him know that he will forever be a part of his favorite sports team. If his favorite team is building a new stadium or other brick structure, the brick would be used and forever remain as part of the facility. Talk about a homerun, this will be it! A better Christmas gift idea, for a sports fan, would be difficult to find. If he’s a race fan, check out the Auto Racing Hall of Fame & Museum in North Carolina, where you can purchase actual race-used tires from some of NASCAR’s top drivers for less than $100.00, which includes the Certificate of Authenticity.

Gift Idea For Him #5: A Gift Card

If you’ve looked all around and still can’t find the perfect gift, consider a gift card. For the man that is truly impossible to shop for, let him do the shopping for himself. Gift cards are great because they give the recipient an opportunity to buy anything in the store, as determined by the value of the gift card, without spending a dime.

Was parenting easier forty years ago?

As a mom in the new millennium, I dream about the idea of parenting in a world where streets are safe and parents can let their children run freely through the neighborhood, their bodies naturally challenged with the exercise of play.

Instead today, before the slam of the car door fades and the backpack drops on the floor, the TV is switched on and the last few hours of daylight disappear in a haze of video games and over processed snack foods.

Even the concerned, well-meaning parent can often stand helpless, wondering how to compete against marketing genius and instant gratification. Exercise and carrot sticks have a hard time competing with Xboxes, SpongeBob and potato chips.

The proof is all around us. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the health of too many North Americans is in danger because of unhealthy lifestyles. (www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/obesity)

The latest data from the National Center for Health Statistics show that 30 percent of U.S. adults 20 years of age and older – over 60 million people – are obese. The CDC reports the percentage of young people who are overweight has more than tripled since 1980.

My kids aren’t obese – why should I be concerned?

Your kids are normal, right? You are parenting just fine. But in a world where walking is limited, school P.E. programs are being cut, and cars, elevators and buses eliminate our chance to exercise naturally, we need to make a concerted effort to make physical activity part of our day and our children’s days.

Despite all the benefits of being physically active, most Americans are sedentary. (www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/obesity/contributing_factors.htm). Inactive children are likely to become inactive adults. (www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4596)

So as parents how can we get our kids moving?

„The American Heart Association recommends that children and adolescents participate in at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity every day.“

The great news is exercise comes in many forms and can be a lot of fun! With a little creativity you can easily add some fun physical activity into your parenting style.

1. Lead the way

You need to set a good example. Kids, especially younger children, naturally follow their parents. So make sure you are looking after your own health and making physical activity a priority in your life.

2. Do it together

In today’s overscheduled world, we need to make sure we are spending quality time with our children. What better way than to be active together. Since kids can’t be alone roaming the neighborhood, parents need to play with them.

3. Make it fun

Put on some music and dance. Play tag. Roller blade. Basically just play. Provide them with toys and equipment that encourage them to be active while having fun.

Bikes, scooters, hockey sticks and baseball bats will get your kids moving and active. For preschool children, ride on toys that get them exercising like pedal cars, big wheels and tricycles are always a great parenting decision.

4. Cheer them on

Create positive reinforcements with encouragement and support. Help them find sports and activities that build their self esteem. Attend their sporting events and let them know you are their biggest fan whether they win or lose.

5. Turn it off

Of course, we need to limit the time our kids watch TV and play video games. But make sure you do it in a positive way. If they are angry that you just turned off their favorite show, they might not be too excited about going out rollerblading with you.

Allow screen time during designated hours, preferably after homework is done and when physical activity is finished, like in the evening or on Saturday morning when tired parents might need to catch a few extra minutes of sleep.

Adding more physical activity into your family’s routine will help you all feel better and get you having more fun together. Most importantly, as you model a healthy lifestyle you will help instill in your children lifelong habits and healthy attitudes toward exercise and physical activity.

Many people trying to quit smoking find themselves failed. They wonder why. Their will is strong. Their commitment seems to be beyond limit. But, they fail anyway.

Actually, there are several simple steps that they forget to take. And, those steps are:

1. Get yourself prepared

Before you actually attempt to stop smoking, try and make as many changes to your smoking habits as possible. Change your brand of cigarettes, it would be better if you change them into something you dislike. Change the time of your smoking. If you do it mostly in the evening, change it into morning.

Basically, mess up anything related to smoking. Make it as uncomfortable as possible. Much of the addiction to smoking has to do with routines and habits, so even small changes can make a big difference when trying to break the habit.

2. Start a Mind Management

In this second step, you need to set your mind.

Think of yourself as a non-smoker. Erase all the memory related to your smoking habit. Keep in mind that you have never been smoking; that you don’t even know how it tastes; that you don’t have a clue whatsoever what makes a person wants to smoke.

This is an important mental step to take if you’ve made a decision to quit smoking. It’s hard to do, but it might be the key to your success in the quit-smoking attempt.

3. Spread the Words

Tell to people dealing with you daily that you’ve quitted smoking.
By letting the people around you know that you’ve quit smoking, you will be creating an instant support group that will be there if you find yourself having trouble.

4. Keep Getting Back on Track

This is a must-know information. Most ex-smokers had to try multiple times before they ultimately quit.

But, those who finally failed were the ones who left the track when they slipped up. They decided that it was impossible and ended up smoking again.

Well, they were wrong. Many out there who were successful enough.

So, if you happen to slip up, even more than a couple of times, keep getting back on track. Trust me, one day, you’ll successfully stop smoking.

5. Change Your Lifestyle

This is the ultimate step yet the most important. There’s no way you can totally stop smoking if most of the time you hang out with a group of smokers.

I’m not telling you to leave your friends, no. Just lessen the frequency. Find a healthier group of friends that will entirely lead you to end your smoking habit for good.

If you’re certain about wanting to be a healthier person, make the decision now. Follow the steps above. Enjoy the beauty of being healthy.

Remember, never take health for granted!

Spring is here and decorating is in the air. We all love putting out fresh new looks in our homes this time of year, but have you thought recently about the outside? Often we’re so busy decorating or redecorating inside, we forget to do the same outside as well. So here are a few quick and easy outdoor decorating tips that will help spruce up the curb appeal of your home:

1. Paint: You can paint the entire house and trim, or simply touch up the trim alone… either way will make a huge impact on how your home looks to the passing public.

2. Porch or Patio: If you already have a porch or patio, simply putting new furniture out can make a wonderful difference in the presentation of your home. Alternatively, you can simply buy new cushions or covers for your existing patio furniture. Other quick patio spruce ups can be as simple as putting out a few flowering potted plants, adding gnomes or statues, or putting a small water fountain into the space.

3. Walkways: Having walkways outside your home add a cozy, homey and inviting feel to the overall outdoor presentation. Just a straight concrete walkway can be spruced up by putting a bit of garden bed edging along each side… putting small solar walkway lights on each side… or planting colorful annual flowers such as petunias on each side. If you don’t already have a walkway and want to create one, I think the prettiest are those made of stone. Add an extra decorative touch by making the walkway curve or wind a bit to your front door instead of leading straight there.

4. Yard ornaments: These can be as simple as a small bird house, a pole mounted outdoor lantern light, or even a wheelbarrow with flowers. Putting a little something extra in your yard defines you and your tastes, plus it gives your home a more unique personality that stands out from your neighbors.

5. Flowers, Plants, Vines & Bushes: Probably the most popular way to spruce up a yard quickly is to simply put out some pretty plants, bushes, vines and flowers. Annuals are great for adding dashes of color quickly, because you can usually buy them this time of year in bloom. To get continuous color and greenery, plant some perrenials too. Then once the annuals are starting to die out, you’ll have something to replace them. You’ll also have the added joy of seeing the perrenials sprout again for several years to come.

While many people perceive a New York Limousine service as a luxury reserved for the wealthy, others are embracing the concept that a New York limo can be both cost effective and practical. Indeed, there are many occasions where a limo makes more sense than other forms of transportation. Here are five:

1. Airport Transportation

With the heightened security measures at airports across the country – and especially at New York airports – it’s far too much of a hassle to drive yourself to the airport. When you have to park and drag your luggage to a shuttle and into the airport, it can add another hour to the time you have to allot for pre-boarding. Whether you’re looking for JFK airport transportation, or need a ride to LaGuardia or Newark, a limo service can be just the ticket. You can go in style in a stretch limo, or opt for the more practical Town Car. If the whole family is heading to the airport, a limo in New York can be a seven-passenger van or even a 19-passenger limo bus.

2. Weddings

A stretch limousine in New York may be standard for the bride and groom, but a limo service can also be a godsend for the bridal party and even for out of town guests. The best limo companies have worry-free wedding packages and coordinators who can ensure that everyone will get to the church (or synagogue or mosque) on time – and then to the reception and back to their hotels.

3. Tours

If you’re visiting the Big Apple and want to take in the sights, a New York limousine service can show them to you in style. Depending on the number in your party, you can use a limo, a sedan, a van, or a bus to enjoy all that New York has to offer. You can create your own itinerary, and rest assured that the driver will double as a professional tour guide. The best services provide complimentary refreshments and snacks, and even have drivers who can give tours in languages other than English.

4. Sporting Events

When you and your buddies are going to a game, the last thing you need is that hassle of driving and parking at the event. Plus, if you want to knock back a few beers, you certainly don’t want to be behind the wheel after the game. A New York limousine can take you to Yankee Stadium, Madison Square Garden, or Flushing Meadows and back again in style.

5. Business Meetings

Whether you’re in town for business, or are hosting out-of-town colleagues or potential clients, a New York limousine service can help ensure that attendees will get to your meetings on time. A good limo service has experienced drivers who are knowledgeable, discreet, and familiar with the needs of the business traveler. If needed, some limo services also have armored vehicles in their fleet.

This is just the tip of the iceberg, but rest assured that a New York limousine service isn’t only for the wealthy. There are many occasions when a limo can take the hassle out of transportation.

1. WAKE UP TO IT.

Understand that change is happening for a reason. It’s time for you to grow and evolve. Look to the change and ask “what is your purpose?” Let the answer guide you through the process. As Frank Herbert once said, “Without change, something sleeps inside us, and seldom awakens. The sleeper must awaken.”

2. FACE IT.

Moving from a “safe” place and into the unknown can be daunting. But trust in yourself and you will find a way to overcome any obstacle. “Courage is doing what you’re afraid to do. There can be no courage unless you’re scared,” said Eddie Rickenbacher. When you feel fear, it’s because the situation you are facing is important to you. So don’t shy away. Face it, and see it as a catalyst for making a fundamental shift in your life.

3. EMBRACE IT.

Change can be uncomfortable. It moves us outside the norm and into the unknown. Sometimes you’d like to stop it or slow it down. But change has its own pace. So embrace it. As Caroline Schoeder said “Some people change when they see the light, others when they feel the heat.” How much heat can you take? The question to ask yourself is “If not now…when?” It makes you think, doesn’t it?

4. COMMIT TO IT.

W.H. Murray in The Story of Everest said “Concerning all acts of initiative and creation, there is one elementary truth- that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves, too.” There is always a defining moment, a decision point, when you make the commitment to change. Once you do this, something happens. Like a line of dominos that fall naturally of its own accord, so too, do the events that unfold once the decision has been made. The key is to a) put a stake in the ground and commit to it and b) trust in the natural flow of order of life. When you’re on your true path, things happen naturally.

5. DO IT!

Destiny is not a matter of chance; it is a matter of choice. When you open yourself to change you open yourself to new opportunities, new experiences and new adventures. To stay where you are means you miss out. To stay where you are keeps you safe, but small. Embrace change with both arms, and be the creator of your own future. As Oprah says, “Not only are you responsible for your life, but doing the best at this moment puts you in the best place for the next moment.“ The key is to take the first steps. Do this without attachment to a specific outcome. Then, take a few more steps. Before you know it you’ll look back in astonishment as to how far you’ve leaped!

So step up to the plate, , take that leap of faith and make the changes you know are long overdue. And if you’d like some extra support and inspiration to stay motivated and on track, why not sign up for my free downloadable One Big Gulp! Kit, which you will find at www.onebiggulp.com. Remember, it’s your life, your choice, so live your greatest life!

If you own a website then you are certainly concerned with getting it noticed and increasing your traffic. However, you might not have a large budget for advertising or marketing and simply don’t know what to do to get your website noticed without spending a lot of money. Well, the following 5 tips will help your website attract attention without spending any money!

Tip #1 Submit to Directories
Submitting your website to directories is generally free and all you have to do is provide your website’s URL, a brief description, and then your site will be listed in the directory for people to browse. In addition, not only will people be able to browse the listings, but your site will also have more one way links pointing back to your site that will increase your rankings in the search engines.

Tip #2 Submit to Search Engines
If you want to get your site noticed then you want to make it easy on web surfers to find your site. So, submit your site to the search engines to have it indexed. Then , when people search the web for certain keywords they just might find your site and drop by to take a look.

Tip #3 Reciprocal Links
Reciprocal links are another good idea if you are interested in increasing your search engine rankings. Simply trade links with other websites and you host their link on your site and they host your link on their site. This does not take much effort or time and once you have the links you will basically have free advertising.

Tip #4 Include Your URL Everywhere
Your URL needs to be on all types of communication you use. For example, make sure your URL is included on your stationary, business cards, in all of your e-mails, and the like. When your URL is posted everywhere you will surely increase your site’s traffic.

Tip #5 Email List
You can create an email list from all the visitors that have visited your website and periodically send them updates advertising different services or specials. Make it easy to unsubscribe, too. Before you know it you will have more people visiting your site and others recommending your site as well.

There are a lot of places to visit in Puerto Rico on your trip. Most people concentrate on the main attractions on the metropolitan area of the island, here we feature 5 nice places to visit out of the way, they are worth the driving and the experience, enjoy.

Las Cuevas de Camuy National Park

This national Park features on of the largest cave systems in the world. visitors will walk into parts of the caves and explore a small part of the system. The surrounding areas feature some nature settings that make for very good views.

La Parguera, Bioluminescence Bay

Another very unique place to visit on the island. this bay has micro organisms on the water that when disturbed they „light up“ and produce a beautiful display on the water. this phenomenon happens on various places around the world, but in Puerto Rico is the only place that is guaranteed for it to happen every night.

Arecibo radar observatory

In the north par of Puerto Rico you can visit the famous radio telescope, the largest of this kind of the world. Its large receptor plate it’s larger than 12 football fields, used to spot signals from planets and in the SETI research for extraterestrial life. Inside the Observatory there are science related exibitions of different subjects to watch.

Mayaguez Zoo

Mayaguez is home to the only public zoo in the island. The zoo 2 main animal selections are the African Forest and the African Savannah. Also it features a Beautiful bird sanctuary.

Ponce Art Museum

The Ponce Art Museum has the largest art collection of the Caribbean between pictures and sculptures. Its collection have many European works such as works by Velasquez, Rubens and Rodin, and others.

Have you been reading about link building but don’t know where to start? Are you an experienced SEO specialist using the same methods you always used? Read on to find out how new linking rules will affect the future of your website.

One way links work for search positioning. There’s no doubt about it. But, have you considered that what works today may not work in the future?

One exciting aspect about search engines is that nobody really knows everything. That leaves room for webmasters who are willing to research, test, and put into practice the best search engine optimization techniques.

These five rules for one way linking can help steer you in the right direction.

Rule #1: You have to be proactive. Google considers a high quality link something you have to earn. You earn these links by partnering with sites. In order for a partnership to work, you have to develop a relationship. I think more webmasters are open to establishing vital community relationships. It takes trust and a lot of patience for these relationships builds. Focus on what you can do for someone else.

Rule #2: Keep an open mind. High PageRank still lingers in most webmasters‘ minds. But, by concentrating on high PageRank sites, we miss out on other linking opportunites. Most of us understand that PageRank doesn’t happen overnight. That’s why it’s important to seek out lower PR, high quality sites. The advantage is that these webmasters are more open to establishing partnerships.

Rule #3: Site age is a big factor. I’ve put together my owning ranking system for evaluating a site’s link „worthiness“. One big factor is site age. Any site that has been around since the late 1990s is going to have a higher „score“. These sites have weathered search engine updates, bad economies, and bad press. All else being equal, I tend to lean towards site age as the determining factor for a potential link partner.

Rule #4: Stop worrying about what you can’t contol. I get questions all the time from people wanting to know if they can re-design their sites, or link to other sites, or change hosting companies. They want to know if these activities will ruin their search engine rankings. My response is always the same: do what’s best for you and your customers. Don’t NOT do something because you’re worried it will ruin your SEO work. If you have a solid customer base, your search engine rankings won’t be as crucial. The viral aspect of the web is extremely underestimated. Search traffic is only one source of traffic.

Rule #5: Can you be trusted?. Having a solid client list, establishing relationships with other webmasters, provding great customer service. These activites are all based on trust. Can you be trusted to follow through? If you are trustworthy, your link building will be trustworthy. If you’re in it for the short term, like all spammers, then you can’t be trusted.

The web is wide open for those webmasters who are willing to develop relationships for the long run. In the future, one way links will be graded on trust. So, you need to ask yourself, am I trustworthy? It’s give and take. Are you willing to give before you can take?

Every business relies on effective communication with its customers. Communication doesn’t just convey information, it inspires trust, builds credibility, stimulates involvement and generates loyalty. But in today’s global, hi-tech, rapidly changing business environment, how do you ensure you’re communicating effectively?

THE BENCHMARK – FACE-TO-FACE

There’s no doubt that face-to-face communication is the most effective method for most people. Why? Because of its two-way nature. It’s about dialogue. Listeners are not passive participants. When someone talks to us, we send a continuous stream of responses back to them. Some are verbal, but many/most are not. These responses have the power to actually change the message being disseminated by the talker. What’s more, they have the power to change how other listeners‘ interpret that message. (Similarly, other listeners have the power to change your interpretation.)

Unfortunately, however, the global nature of business makes it impossible to conduct face-to-face meetings for every communication. So what are the alternatives? Specifically, what are the alternatives offered by technology?

EMAIL – THE STARTING POINT

The benefits of email are numerous and well known, and include (but are not limited to):

•Email is an excellent mechanism for distributing information to people. It is fast and cost effective.

•It is incredibly convenient – you can readily communicate across time zones.

•It provides a useful electronic paper trail.

•It can save a great deal of time because most of the fluff surrounding a phone call (the social niceties) are seen as unnecessary in email.

•It allows recipients to read and respond to messages in their own time.

•The wording, grammar and punctuation in an email can be considered and edited before finally sending.

But email does have its limitations:

•Its lack of social niceties is a double-edged sword. Without the benefit of other communication cues, it’s sometimes hard to interpret the tone of an email, and this can make some messages ambiguous.

•It isn’t ideal for critical communication. For many people, emails are not ‚real-time‘ communication. We all have that unaddressed email sitting at the bottom of the list. Because emails are so easy to ignore, they’re also easy to forget.

•Ironically, email’s dissemination effectiveness has been one of the major impediments to its communication effectiveness. It’s so easy to send emails – and they’re so anonymous – that our inboxes are now flooded with SPAM. Consequently, emails are viewed with some suspicion. It’s sometimes hard to identify legitimate emails, but it’s very easy to just hit Delete.

•Because email senders are typically geographically (and often culturally) distant from their recipients, they have no immediate visual and aural cues to help them tailor the message as they type.

But there’s no need to ‚throw out the baby with the bathwater‘. Email is an excellent solution to many communication needs. And for those it is ill-equipped to handle, there are newer, more appropriate technologies that are built for the job…

WEB 2.0 TECHNOLOGIES – THE PERFECT SUPPLEMENT

Web 2.0, a term coined by O’Reilly Media (an American media company) in 2004 refers, to a second-generation of internet-based services that let people collaborate and share information online in new ways.

Web 2.0 technologies are well defined in www.wikipaedia.org, which suggests that these sites allow the users of the sites (members) to create and share content, including exploring and discussing ideas, opinions, initiatives and issues. Web 2.0 is all about communication. It is the evolution of the internet from an endless library of static pages to an endless world of conversations. These pages can be restricted to particular individuals (eg the executive), or open to all members. The only difference is that the interaction takes place in cyberspace, and those taking part can be sitting behind a keyboard just about anywhere on the planet.

Importantly, a reader’s understanding of the message in a Web 2.0 communication is determined, not just by the publisher, but also by the responses (e.g. comments) of the audience. What’s more, the publisher’s actual message tends to be far more fluid as it, too, is informed by the responses of the audience. In other words, Web 2.0 services are far more like face-to-face conversations than any communication technology before them.

So what are these emerging technologies that we should be keeping an eye on? The two most notable are ‚Wikis‘ and ‚Blogs‘. The following definitions are from http://www.wikipedia.org, an online encyclopaedia developed as a wiki.

•Wikis – A wiki is a type of website that allows users to easily add, remove or otherwise edit and change content. This ease of interaction and operation makes a wiki an effective tool for collaborative authoring. Examples include Wikipedia (wikipedia.com) and wikiwikiweb (http://www.wikiwikiweb.com).

•Blogs – A weblog, which is usually shortened to blog, is a type of online diary or journal which allows one to voice their opinion on something. Blogs often provide commentary or news and information on a particular subject. A typical blog combines text, images, and links to other blogs, web pages, and other media. Blogs are usually text based, but they can include photographs, videos or audio (podcasting). Blogs can be presented in a way that creates a conversation between users. As an example, see the Sydney Morning Herald travel blog (http://blogs.smh.com.au/lostintransit/).

THE USES OF WEB 2.0

As with face-to-face social gatherings and forums, online get togethers attract a broad spectrum of participants eager to engage, entertain, befriend, advise and lecture.

It was reported in The Australian (Tuesday 8 August 2006) that the social computing element of Web 2.0 has recently been embraced by the US Government. The US State Department has started including blogs and other Web 2.0 concepts to deliver public information to citizens. It is also using wiki style services to improve information by permitting small expert communities to improve advisory services.

The same article advised that Australia’s leading information advisory body, the Australian Government Information Management Office, had begun experimenting with the use of blogs, wikis and other Web 2.0 technologies.

As new online social networks mushroom, they are becoming increasingly focused on niches, ideally suited to membership based organizations and the NFP sector. Examples of general public social networks include My Space (http://www.myspace.com), Classmates (http://www.classmates.com) and Bikely (bikely.com).

OTHER USEFUL TECHNOLOGIES

•SMS – Short Message Service (SMS) is a service available on most digital mobile phones (and other mobile devices, e.g. a Pocket PC, or occasionally even desktop computers) that permits the sending of short messages between mobile phones, other handheld devices and even landline telephones.

•Podcast – Podcasting is the method of distributing multimedia files, such as audio or video programs, over the internet using syndication feeds, for playback on mobile devices and personal computers.

•Webinars – Web conferencing is used to hold group meetings or live presentations over the internet. In the early years of the internet, the terms „web conferencing“ and „computer conferencing“ were often used to refer to group discussions conducted within a message board (via posted text messages), but the term has evolved to refer specifically to „live“ or „synchronous“ meetings, while the posted message variety of discussion is called a „forum“, „message board“, or „bulletin board“. A webinar is a seminar which is conducted over the World Wide Web. It is a type of web conferencing. In contrast to a Webcast, which is transmission of information in one direction only, a webinar is designed to be interactive between the presenter and audience. A webinar is ‚live‘ in the sense that information is conveyed according to an agenda, with a starting and ending time. In most cases, the presenter may speak over a standard telephone line, pointing out information being presented on screen, and the audience can respond over their own telephones, preferably a speakerphone. Whilst not necessarily considered Web 2.0, Webinars can also be a useful mechanism for information distribution and discussion amongst membership based organizations and SMS can provide important or urgent confirmations.

CONCLUSION

Email is – and will continue to be – an incredibly useful and convenient communication tool. In fact, with the emergence of new technologies that are either more direct, more immediate, or more like face-to-face communication, email is improved. As businesses supplement their email usage with other communication technologies, email will be increasingly reserved for those communications to which it is ideally suited.

At one point all of us have been trying to find ways on how to be completely acne-free. Here are some natural and not so natural acne treatments that are proven to be effective.

1. Witch Hazel Astringent

This astringent comes from the plant with the same name. It is widely spread from Nova Scotia in Canada down to Texas and Florida. Simply steam the twigs of this plant and voila! The extract you get from it serves as your astringent. Remember to cool it though. What’s good about this is that it occurs naturally and even the process it has undergone is all natural. You can be assured it is less harsh compared with commercially-produced astringents.

2. Commercially Produced Astringents

There is no doubt that astringents we can buy over-the-counter are also effective. There are lots of variants to choose from with additional ingredients that promote better skin. The only downside is it can be a little harsh because of the chemicals added to produce this formula. Use them with extra care as they can dry the skin.

3. All-Natural Treatments

Kitchen and acne are two enemies we may not be aware of. Scout your kitchen for stuff like oranges and lemons, fresh garlic and raw potatoes.

– Oranges and lemons just need to be squeezed on cotton balls. Apply the extract on affected areas and wash it after about 20 minutes.

– Fresh garlic is used much easier. Just remove its peeling and rub it on your face.

– As for raw potatoes, peel them and rub its flat surface on your face.

The natural extracts from these fruits and vegetables can help minimize the redness at the same time can clean the skin.

4. Oral Antibiotics

For severe cases, antibiotics are prescribed. These medications are orally taken to reduce the amount of bacteria inside and around skin follicles. They also decrease the exasperating chemicals that the white blood cells produce. Lastly, antibiotics diminish the concentration of the free fatty acids found in sebum, also creating an anti-inflammatory action. Consult your dermatologist for the right antibiotic and dosage.

Tetracycline is still the most commonly prescribed antibiotic for acne treatment. Most of this antibiotic should be taken on an empty stomach. Also, this shouldn’t be used by pregnant women and children under 9. Usually, the starting dose is initially 500 milligrams twice daily and is continuously taken until prescribed, or until a considerable dropping off of lesions is visible.

Erythromycin comes close second and can be prescribed to pregnant women. However, it can cause nausea and even upset stomach. Compared to tetracycline, which can only kill bacteria, Erythromycin has both anti-inflammatory and bacteria-killing properties. Also, this antibiotic needs to be taken in a food-filled tummy. You may discuss other possible antibiotics with your doctors regarding the effects and side-effects of each.

5. Topical Treatments
Externally applied creams are also proven effective for acne treatment. However, it results to drying and flaking but it is said to be the most effective treatment for severe acne. Benzoyl peroxide is one very common and effective topical acne treatment.

Hurtful memories can stifle your development and growth. How do we break through this insidious mental conditioning? How do we grow and develop beyond hurtful episodes that bury themselves in our subconscious and influence our lives? How do we change and grow so that we can live our dreams?

The first step is to break the hold of these inhibiting influences from the past. Recognize them and then either get rid of them or turn them into a positive force that pushes you ahead rather than holds you back. Identify these inhibiting memories in your life so that you control them rather than allowing them to control you. Did someone hurt your feelings? Forgive them and forget it. Move on. Did someone punish you unfairly? It’s over. It’s done. Go on.

Here are a few of the most common emotions that burrow into the subconscious and impede our growth as individuals:

Anger: This is a natural response to a perceived attack or injury. It makes energy flow. But when allowed to simmer, it depletes energy that could be used to improve your life. If you hold your anger for more than a week, it is only hurting you. Make yourself let go. Envision yourself throwing it out. Ease your mind. Transform your anger into positive motivation. Don’t get mad, get motivated.

Revenge: The first cousin of anger. It also robs you of strength in the long run. The person who has injured you has probably gone on with life; so should you. Don’t let the injury hurt you further by inhibiting your growth. Lose it or use it. Instead of saying, “I’ll get them,” say, “I’ll show them. I’LL BE SOMEBODY!”

Sadness: This is more crippling than anger because it drains you from the start, sapping your will to go on. You probably will have to let this drain away slowly at its own pace. Time heals, but if the sadness seems to linger, consciously force it out. Seek out things that make you laugh and feel positive about life. Realize that feeling sad will not change anything. Seek peace of mind as your right.

Resentment: Life is not always fair. It is unrealistic to feel any other way, and holding on to resentment is no way to fight back. Drop it and get back into the battle.

Guilt: Guilt is another emotion that stands between you and your dreams. All of us have done things we feel bad about and regret. Things we would do differently. Many of us carry that guilt around and it keeps us from moving forward. Don’t let people put you on a guilt trip. Say to yourself when someone is putting you on the defensive, “No matter what you do or say to me, I am still a worthwhile person.”

To rid yourself of these past emotions, put them in a perspective that is positive rather than negative and thereby cut off their painful roots in your subconscious. Reinterpret the past with these methods: Get better, not bitter. Find a quiet, comfortable place. Sit back and relax. Think about something or someone who caused you pain or disappointment. Now take a mental step back from that feeling and the situation. Assess it. Did the emotions that resulted make you stronger? Did they give you determination? Can you use those memories to empower you rather than drain you? Why let them hurt you further?

1. Sport is for professionals. This idea applies only in the case of performance sports. The native qualities required for professional sportsmen (speed, skills, specific height, etc.) can only be developed, they can’t be formed by training. As long as the aim of a regular person is not performance, almost all sports can be practiced for keeping the body in a good shape. It’s all about dosing the training you chose, so that the benefits are bigger than wear and tear. Even the sports considered tough can be practiced in a ’soft‘ way (tae-bo, mini-triathlon, jogging, etc.).

2. Training is tiring. This idea is true as long as it refers to consuming all your energy (muscular and hepatic glycogen), but it doesn’t mean that training gets you into that state of exhaustion which would slow down the process of recovery of the body. Even in performance sports, the purpose is to have rather effective than exhausting training, so that the body can get the stimulation necessary to qualitative progress from one training to the next.

Even more than in other sports, in fitness the sportsman is spared overexerting. However, the training must not become ineffective. People can come to the gym tired after a work day and leave relaxed (physically and psychologically) and not more tired. This is extremely useful for people with sedentary jobs, but also for those who make physical effort at work. They could use the training by choosing a type of effort meant to compensate the one involved in their job.

3. Training takes too long. Again, this idea is true if applied to performance, which can only be obtained by working a lot. But also in this case short and very intense training or training for relaxation and recovery are often performed. In fitness, you can get to 20-minute training, working only super-series of fast exercises, which could involve, directly or indirectly, all the muscles. Anyway, regular training shouldn’t take longer than an hour and a half. Otherwise, the body will get into the catabolic faze, when the cortisone secretions ‚cannibalize‘ the muscles.

4. Any type of exercise is good for solving your problems. What’s true in this refers to some particular cases like excess of adipose tissue. This tissue can be ‚melted‘ by any kind of aerobic exercise (running, cycling, swimming) if this is continued long enough. Even in these cases it was clear that some exercises are more effective than others. There are situations when only a combination of exercises with a certain amount of each, can provide you with the results you expect. More than that, repeating the same exercise all the time can have as a consequence not only losing balance in the antagonist muscles and in the joints involved in training, but also stopping progress or even regressing.

5. You’re older? No more exercises! This is true only if we refer to extremely demanding efforts (really heavy weights, fast running, jumping, etc.). There are lots of exercises adapted to different ages. Their purpose is to keep and improve health and also to improve physical shape. The development of movement parameters for older people refers especially to muscular and cardio-vascular resistance as well as mobility of the joints. Because the final purpose of training is not preparing for a competition, the exercises can be organized gradually according to their difficulty, eliminating the risk of accidents. Because it’s based on perseverance, fitness can be adapted without problems for older people and even for people suffering from different affections specific to old age.

With rhinoplasy being the second most popular plastic surgery procedure performed in 2004 (according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons), nose surgery is moving from the realm of the rich and famous into the homes of regular people like you and me. Now that this procedure is more accessible than ever, it’s only natural that you will be exposed to a lot of information about it – some true, some doubtful, some downright false. In this article, we’ll try to address some of the most popular misconceptions surrounding rhinoplasty.

1. Every plastic surgeon can do a rhinoplasty surgery – Technically, yes. Most plastic surgeons will have rhinoplasty on their list of performed procedures. However, that doesn’t mean that every plastic surgeon can achieve good rhinoplasty results. Rhinoplasty is a challenging procedure, both from a medical and an artistic point of view. A plastic surgeon must have a thorough understanding of the internal anatomy of the nose and the workings of the respiratory system, so that the reshaped nose is not only aesthetically pleasing, but also fully functional. Since the nose is such a major factor in our face’s overall appearance, the plastic surgeon also needs to have a strong sense of artistry, to create a nose that fits beautifully with the rest of the patient’s face.

2. Rhinoplasty is motivated by vanity – Despite the widely-held belief that people get nose surgery solely for cosmetic reasons, it’s not uncommon for this procedure to correct breathing problems (e.g. a septum deviation) in addition to enhancing the appearance of the nose. At the same time, it has been established that in patients who are unhappy with the appearance of their nose, having rhinoplasty may lead to a physical and emotional transformation that will enhance their self-confidence and ultimately their quality of life. From this perspective, the effect of rhinoplasty is comparable more to a therapeutic treatment than a selfish gratification for the patient’s vanity.

3. Rhinoplasty is painful – Unlike other plastic surgery procedures like breast implants or tummy tuck, rhinoplasty is not usually painful. Most surgeons perform rhinoplasty under general anesthesia, so you will be fully asleep and will not feel a thing. After the surgery, you will have a small nose cast for 7 to 10 days, during which you will most likely feel congested, as if having a cold. The area around your nose and eyes may be swollen and bruised (especially if your nasal bones have been reshaped); however, the overall discomfort you will experience after the surgery is minimal.

4. Everyone will notice you had a nose job – If your nose requires a major change – like removing a large bump – people around you might indeed notice the difference in your nose. However, if your nose needs only a refinement of the bridge or tip, chances are the perceived change in your appearance will be less dramatic than you anticipate. After all, nobody is as intimately familiar with your facial features as you are, so making a minor change to them may not be very obvious to the outside world. Also, keep in mind that a good surgeon will avoid providing you with an “operated-looking nose”, and instead will strive to achieve a balance between your reshaped nose and the rest of your facial features, so they naturally complement each other.

5. Rhinoplasty will get you the nose of your dreams – While having rhinoplasty can dramatically improve the appearance of your nose, there are certain limitations to what a plastic surgeon can do, based on your given bone and skin structure. At the same time, there is a chance that you won’t be fully satisfied with the results of your surgery. Statistics show that between 10% and 15% of rhinoplasty surgeries require a secondary procedure, to either enhance or correct the results of the first. This is sometimes due to the nose healing and developing in ways that the surgeon cannot predict or control. In other cases, the patients’ dissatisfaction with the final results is due to poor communication with the doctor about the intended outcome of the surgery. However, this occurrence is an exception rather than the rule, since most patients report to be happier with their physical appearance after the surgery than before.

So what is the key to successfully achieving the nose of your dreams? Going back to point one – it’s carefully researching, selecting and communicating with your surgeon! How long has he or she been performing nose surgeries? What is their surgical accreditation? What does their safety record look like? Take a good luck at images of his or her rhinoplasty patients – does their reshaped nose measure up to your idea of beauty? Can you picture your own nose looking like that? If you do, the next step consists in ensuring that both you and your surgeon have a very clear understanding of what you expect your nose to look like and what is attainable from a medical point of view. Armed with good knowledge and a positive attitude, you’re on your best way to achieving a more attractive and confident YOU!

1. Get Specific
Nothing can spell out BORING quicker than bland claims that really say nothing. „My clients make more money!“ is a perfect example of poor copy that could use a little life. What happens when you change it to, „My clients increased their sales by 23.5% in the first 30 days!“ Now that is kicking! It’s specific and exciting.

Be sure that your claims sound believable, no matter how unbelievable they are. People are skeptical of „too good to be true“ claims. It’s better to tone it down, and let them be surprised when it exceeds their expectation.

2. Keep It Short and Sweet
Long paragraphs and complex sentences look too much like work to read. Yeah, readers get bored quickly and easily. Chop it up, and break it up. Don’t use paragraphs of more than 7 lines or sentences longer that 18 words. Find ways to shorten it up, and you’ll keep the readers attention.

How many long words are in your copy? Replace them with short common words to create a reader-friendly appeal. Let your copy speak to them in the language they are used to hearing. Well, if your readers don’t like to spend a lot of time reading… it pays to choose your words carefully.

3. Keep it Active
Eliminate dull passive phrases. They do little, except bore the heck out of your readers. Dig them out and replace them highly active words that will motivate the reader to get up out of his easy chair and DO something.

The call to action is the most important part of any advertisment. Call, subscribe, join, order, buy… make them hear the call loud enough that they do something – NOW.

4. Skip the Humor
In the right place, and at the right time, humor is an effective tool. Written sales copy just isn’t it. Ads are short, concise and to the point. Humor tends to get in the way and distract.

Real life stories captivate readers. They relate to them. The human interest of these stories draws the reader into the message, whereas humor distracts them for the point.

5. Us A Powerful P.S.
A P.S. can be a powerful way to emphasize your product, highlight the points of benefit, or dramatize effects of the purchase. It’s the perfect way to summarize your page.

The P.S. is most powerful on Web pages. Surfers often read the headlines and skim to the P.S. where they look to get an idea of what’s on the page, and if it’s worth their time to read it. Put some effort into making your P.S. captivating.

There is no doubt that when landscaping one wants to save money, as well as have an attractive property. Not only can landscaping help you beautify your home, but it can also provide a source of satisfying exercise in the fresh air. When you take care of your yard on your own, it is possible to save money and to improve your physical conditioning. But if the landscape turns out to look bad, then that is so much time and money wasted. However, it is possible to ensure a better-looking landscape by following a few tips that can help you take better care of your yard.

Know your soil type. Some plants thrive in soil with more acidity, and others prefer a little more alkali. Additionally, sandy soil and clay soil, as well as the presence of a loamy soil, can make a difference in what types of plants will thrive in a landscape. You should have your soil evaluated in order to determine what types of vegetation should be planted on your property. When you purchase plants that will succeed in the soil conditions present in your yard, then you make a wiser money decision, and you end up with a more attractive landscape. If there are plants that you would like to use in your soil, but the soil is not quite ideal, it is possible to improve the soil to proper conditions. You need only add mulch or peat, or to add crushed limestone or clamshells, depending upon what you hope to accomplish. As long as there is not a great difference in what you have and what you hope to achieve, it is possible to make soil adjustments to be more accommodating.

Understand how much space each of the plants need. There are some plants that require more room for their root systems than others. If you choose one plant that tends to grow everywhere, and you do not have adequate space, you will find that your other plants may be crowded out or that they may choke and die. Also, make sure you understand the spacing requirements for between plants. Many shrubs and small trees need to be planted at least three to four feet apart to have enough room to grow.

Use native plants in your landscape design. One of the most effective things you can do to ensure a good-looking yard is to make use of native plants. Find out what plants grow best in your area, and what plants are indigenous to the region. This way you will already be ahead, in that you know that the plants you choose are adapted to the climate. You will not have to struggle against natural inclinations to keep your landscape looking beautiful. If you due use non-native plants, assure yourself that they come from a place that shares a climate similar to the one in which you live.

Plan your landscape around different blooming times. Different plants bloom at various times throughout the year. If all of the plants in your landscape are at their most attractive all at the same time, then your yard will look beautiful for a few weeks each year, but quite possible ugly the rest of the year. One way to help avoid this is to choose attractive bushes and shrubs that look good green, but also have some sort flower. However, it is a good idea to stagger plants among each other. Plant tulips and crocus among later-blooming plants so that in early spring the bulbs bloom, and then when those flowers’ time is up, the next plants will be in bloom. In this way the cycle of your landscape is in keeping with the seasons, and looks attractive all year round.

Use wood chips around shrubs, bushes and trees. Wood chips can help the ground around shrubs, bushes, and trees look more attractive. Not only do the chips cover the ground (often looking better than dirt), but they also help keep in moisture, repel weeds, and provide natural food as they break down. Likewise, attractive groundcover like chicks and hens placed around trees and shrubs can make the area more interesting and pleasing to the eye.

When setting up a basement bar there are some must have items you must have around or your basement bar won’t really be a bar but just a basement pretending to be. Of course, there are some extras like a jukebox and pool table that will really set the bar off. However, consider the following 5 must haves in order to set up your very own basement bar to enjoy a night with your friends, parties, game days and then add the extras when you can afford to.

Must Have #1 A Basement
This might seem obvious, but to have the best basement bar ever you really need a traditional basement. There are many benefits to this that include being on a completely different level than the rest of the house so noise won’t be transmitted and bother those above you. Of course, you can make a basement bar in whatever space you call the basement, but a true basement bar needs a basement.

Must Have #2 A Bar
Ok, obvious requirement number two is a bar. A basement bar needs a bar that is set up to serve beer and give the appearance that your basement bar is really authentic. You can buy a ready made bar, hire a carpenter to build you one, or give it a go yourself by buying the lumber and downloading step by step instructions from the Internet. As long as you have a basement and a bar your basement bar just needs some accessories.

Must Have #3 A Kegerator
A kegeraotr is a refrigerated keg that will keep your beer cold at all times and be ready to serve anytime the basement bar is open. You don’t want to have to buy six packs and litter your bar with bottled beer when you can serve beer straight from the keg. Keg beer is special and will make your basement bar even more so.

Must Have #4 A Big TV
No, you don’t have to have the biggest screen television on the market, but it will help. Buy the largest screen television you can afford for your basement bar, or one that fits the space well if your basement is really small. This will allow for great game watching like the Superbowl, Basketball National Championship, and other great games.

Must Have #5 Seating
This might seem generic, but it really is a must have for your basement bar. If your friends are joining you for a night of poker or Monday night Football they need a place to sit back and relax while drinking some of your keg beer. So, be sure to have some bar stools around the bar as well as comfy couches and chairs surrounding the TV, with your poker table nearby so there is plenty of seating wherever the action is taking place.

If you are thinking about starting to potty train your toddler, there are a few questions you should ask yourself before you begin potty training. Being well prepared for this challenging transition from diapers to potty is one of the best things you can do to make this as easy as possible on your child.

1. Is My Child Ready?
You want to start potty training at just the right time. You will know that your child is ready when he or she gets more interested in you going to the potty, tells you right away when the diaper is wet or pulls on it and seems uncomfortable with it. Give potty training a try, if your child doesn’t seem ready despite the signs, wait a few weeks and try again.

2. Am I Ready?
Just as important as your child being ready is that you are ready. Prepare yourself mentally for the transition from diaper to potty for your child. You will need a lot of patience and understanding. There are going to be resentment, tears and the occasional accident. Make sure you are prepared for this so you can stay calm and supportive for your child.

3. Do We Need A Potty Chair?
A regular toilet is very intimidating for a child. The seat is rather large and your child will have to hold on to avoid falling in. In addition “things” vanish in there when you flash – which can be a pretty scary thought for your child. Many kids are more comfortable with a potty chair at first. After a few weeks you should be able to move on to a potty seat insert that fits on your regular toilet eliminating the potty cleanup.

4. Should We Use A Potty Doll?
A potty doll is not a necessity when it comes to potty training, but can be a great tool. A potty doll will pee like an actual child and usually comes with diapers, panties and a potty chair. The doll can help tremendously during the pre-potty training phase when you are getting your child used to the idea of going in the potty instead of the diaper. You can illustrate what’s supposed to happen on the doll and let your child warm up to the idea by playing with the doll in the same fashion. When you are ready to potty train, put the doll on the potty right next to your child.

5. Should We Use Potty Training Rewards?
Before you start potty training, you should decide if you are going to use some sort of rewards as encouragement for your child, or if you will simply make your child feel great about his successes by being his cheer leader. Simple potty training rewards can include stickers, candy like a few jellybeans or M&M’s, or you can use some sort of tracking chart for bigger rewards (i.e. If you use the potty for an entire week without accident, you get a small toy). Using simple rewards can be a great potty training tool, but it isn’t by any means necessary as long as you get the message across to your child that you are proud of him.

Take a few minutes to answer these potty training questions for yourself and go over them with your spouse as well to ensure you are on the same page before you start potty training your child. It will help you give your child a clear picture of what you are both trying to accomplish and will cut down on any confusion.

Brand new movies are great! It’s so much fun standing in line at the theater, breathing in the buttery popcorn smell, giddy with anticipation when a new movie is released.

My children love watching the latest and greatest movies, but I just grin when I hear my children singing the songs I used to sing as a kid – “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” or “Tomorrow”. Hearing their little off-key renditions is the best music to my ears.

Have you introduced your children to the movies you enjoyed when you were younger?

Swiss Family Robinson (1960)
The Robinson family gets shipwrecked near an island. With hard work and togetherness, they build a majestic tree house. They are faced with many trials – wild animals, weather, and pirates, but their ingenuity carries them through. Great family values!

The Parent Trap (1961)
Twin daughters are raised not knowing about each other, each living with one parent. They unexpectedly bump into each other at summer camp, put two and two together, and work out a scheme to get their parents back together again. This movie is just plain good fun.

Mary Poppins (1964)
Mr. and Mrs. Banks are both so preoccupied with their own interests that their children, Jane and Michael are unhappy. When the magical nanny, Mary Poppins enters their lives, she brings the family closer. Between the penguin scene, the chimney sweep dance, and the magic, your children will be entranced.

The Sound of Music (1965)
The hills are alive with the sound of music. Your home will be alive with the sound of music once your kids watch this one.

Annie (1982)
Oh, how we love Annie! The music, the dancing, the wealthy Mr. Warbucks, and a happy ending. It doesn’t get much better than that!

These five movies are a must in every family library. Share the memories, and sing the tunes. It’s ok if you’re a little off-key. I won’t tell.

One of the worst fears of a bike owner is the thought of having his bike lifted. He would like to have a bike lock that cannot be broken or picked. Fortunately, there are a whole range of bike locks that are available in the market. You just need to pick the right one. Here are five locks that are quite popular:

1: ABUS Granit Extreme 59/180HB: This German brand lock is 16 mm thick and comes with the following features:
— Square parabolic shackle with a hardened steel construction for maximum resistance against bolt-cutters
— Double locking cylinder with more than a million key variations
— Runner cover to sheathe the shackle
— Sliding cover to shield keyhole from dirt.

The only disadvantage of this lock is that it large and cumbersome to carry

2. Bully U-shaped Disc Lock: This is a strong lock and is not easy to pick. Its important features are:
— Double-roller-bearing locking mechanism,
— Hardened anti-drill discs
— Eight-disc hardened steel cylinder
— Specially heat-treated alloy steel construction
— Keyhole cover to keep dirt out
— Soft plastic to cover the shackle

3. Cobralinks Cable Lock: This is tough cable lock, and not easy to break. Its important features are:
— Hardened stainless steel links covering seven strands of top-quality aircraft cable
— Available in lengths of 6, 8, 10 & 12 feet
— Diameter of ¾ and 1 inch
— 10-15 pound weight
— Rolls up to make a11 inch coil
— Three keys included with patented setup

4. Kryptonite New York Disc Lock & Fahgettaboudit Security Chain: This chain and lock combo is marketed as the ultimate motorcycle lock. The hexagonal chain links made of triple-heat-treated steel are shaped to ward off attacks from bolt-cutters, saws, chisels and hammers. They have narrow inner width that does not encourage leverage assaults.

The New York Disc Lock is no less impressive. It has a:
— Hardened half-inch steel shackle
— Disc-style cylinder
— Steel sleeve over the crossbar
— Double deadbolt locking mechanism
— Sliding dust covers

5. MasterLock Python 6-inch Adjustable Cable Lock: The makers of this lock market it as „the world’s first fully adjustable locking cable that’s always the right length“. The cable that is six foot and comprises multi-strands works is easy to use. To use it, the bike owner needs to
— insert the cable into the lock
— pull tight
— turn the key.

Your home is undoubtedly the most valuable asset for the vast majority of us and selling it will cost thousands. Using the money saving tips in this article should reduce the cost of moving home.

Estate Agent fees vary, so shopping around and don’t forget to haggle and pay one off against the other. You should aim for 1% commission, also push then to limit the tie-in period to no more than 6 weeks, this gives then enough time to sell the house, but if they can’t you can move to another agent without going “multi-agent” which will increase the fee to about 3%+, a big no-no! Ensure you get a fair valuation, never tell an estate agent what other agencies have valued your house at. They will use this to manipulate its offer, often resulting in wide distortions.

It is false economy to go for the cheapest solicitors, so get recommendations from all the estate agents you speak to and remember to ask for the name of specific people, rather than just the legal firms. Give them a call and ask what their charges are, also note whether they are they friendly, helpful, and most important efficient? Fees are negotiable so haggle! Play off each one against the other to get yourself the best service at the best price.

Selling you house privately can save thousands. One in twenty vendors are now taking the DIY route which could save you thousands. That is a massive money saving tip, but there are a couple of downsides, basically “time and effort”. You could consider newspaper advertising, flyers and signs. Newspapers usually charge per line or per word so try to keep your advert as brief as possible without making it uninteresting. The simplest way would to sell your house yourself is to use one of the many online house selling service.

Obviously it is best to sell your house when the market is strong and demand is high, so keep an eye on the local property market. Generally, the market tends to be stronger in early and late summer than the rest of the year, so aim to sell your house then. Also avoid completing with your neighbours so if there are already a few “For Sale” signs on your street, it might be better to wait a bit.

Research has shown that a poor presented house can take longer to sell and may reduce the price by thousands. So get your paint brushes out, give your home a lick of paint and finish all of those DIY jobs which are outstanding. Also talk to the estate agent about adding value to your property it maybe worth spending a bit of cash to make some more. However, be careful not to over spend, you might not get your money back, so talk all planned improvements through with your estate agent.

If you are determined to save money when selling your home, do some more research, as they say knowledge is power. Websites such as Maxxsave specialise in offering Money saving tips, a brief browse around such sites will allow you to get all the information you need to save you a ton of money.

2 years ago I left my job as a sales manager to start a home based Internet business. I had already bought a lot of books promising substantial incomes within days or at least a month.

Nothing could stop me now – I had several project up and running in no time.

First mistake to avoid is rushing into a home-based business that program that you know little or nothing about. Many people on the Internet want to make money from selling you the perfect home based business. In many cases they haven’t even tested the program themselves.

Second mistake to avoid is thinking you can go from zero to a successful Internet business in 30 days or less. I am not saying it is impossible, but most end up with a giant information overflow and no money in the pocket. You must plan for a modest income the first 3-5 months.

Produce a list of alternatives and try to identify the critical success factors and skills needed. Be realistic – you have to have some of the key skills needed it you are going to succeed.

Third mistake is quitting a program to soon. What I did and you should not repeat is thinking that it is something wrong with the program when the money doesn’t start pouring in. Often it is a question of making minor changes, measuring the effects of the changes and wait for things to start happen.

Forth mistake is starting cheating when you get desperate and low on self-esteem There are a lot of scrupulous people out there making money from guys like you who has been knocked in the first round

A lot of communities is exchanging clicks for Google AdSense. Did you really think you could get away with it? You end up getting banned from the program and excluded from one of the best home based Internet businesses you can find. Again be patient – you will succeed if you really try.

Fifth mistake to avoid is not learning the basic stuff. The basic skills for succeeding with a home-based business is to create content, attract visitors and make money from you visitors. You can buy some product and services that helps you on the way, but you must understand and be able to handle the basic stuff if you want to establish your home business and survive.

Starting a home based Internet business is like a boxing match. Be patient – work hard and smart and you will become the champ of home-based Internet marketing.