Becoming an internet entrepreneur - tips and tricks

Hello, and congratulations on becoming an Internet Entrepreneur with your very own Web Business!!! To get you fast-tracked, we have included a vast selection of tips and tricks to make your online business a success that it deserves to be.

1) First of all, choose a domain name that is somehow related to the business you are in. For example, if you are looking for a domain name for your pillow business, you might want to try using a name like SquarePillows. com or PillowSleep. com. It is important to use a “real” domain name. Your visitors will not take your business seriously if you use a free domain name like tripod. com/squarepillows , or angelfire. com/pillowsleep . A lot of the good domain names are already spoken for, but if you are patient enough, you will search and find one that is still available. If you think that you will need more than one domain name, get that one now too, as thousands of names are taken up each day. Do a search under “Google” using “cheap domain names” as your search words. You will find some very reasonably priced domain registrars. The cheapest one that I have found so far is at GoDaddy. com. They are a full service operation offering web hosting and cheap, cheap, cheap domain registration.

2) You will need a hosting service for your domain name. The hosting service allows your domain name and all of its content to be viewed on the internet. This is easy to handle. You have basically two choices here. You can pay for the hosting service or get it for free. If money is not really a problem for you, then you may want to choose the paid version. Just do a search using “Google” with “web hosting” as your search words, and take your pick from the thousands of sites. You will find that the price charged varies wildly depending the services required. Now if you want to explore the free version…. There are a lot of free hosting companies on the internet. The problem with these free hosting companies is that they all require some sort of pop-up banner, static header or footer banner, or both, to be placed on each and every web page. These banners can contain all kinds of advertising, and some, or all of it, may not be welcome to the viewers on your web site. The free hosting option is certainly not the best one to explore. To save you time, I would recommend GoDaddy. com again for the most economical hosting of your web site.

3) Once you have your domain name and hosting service taken care of, you will probably need a way of uploading your web content to your site. Sometimes your web hosting service provider includes a site manager that allows this function. If not, then you might want to look into downloading some FTP software such as WS_FTP for example at ipswitch. com. While you are downloading software, you may also want to add WINZIP – located at WinZip. com to your download list. WINZIP allows you to “unzip” your “PillowSleep” file for example. A file is initially “zipped” to compress it for ease of downloading. To use this download zip file, you will have to “unzip” it first.

4) Your “PillowSleep” site probably needs a little more customizing. Look at other pillow sites on the internet for comparison and see what could be improved visually on your site. Does it need any flashy graphics? There are many free graphics available on the internet - just do a search with google. Once you are happy with the way your web site looks, it’s now time to focus on that fun part – html coding. Unless you are very comfortable using “html” coding, don’t touch the “html” coding on the “PillowSleep” pages at all. If you are comfortable using “hml”, then you could add things like Title, Meta Keywords, Meta Descriptions, etc., which would allow the search engines to find your web site much easier. The use of “keyword phrases” is much more useful than just using “keywords”, because it makes your web site more search specific. Go ahead and add a “Pillow” links page too. Another tip is always keep a hard copy of your web pages somewhere, either on a floppy, cd, or dvd. There are few things worse than customizing a web site and if something bad happens to your computer or hard drive, losing the web content forever.

5) At this point, you probably already have uploaded your web site and have it online. Now you need to “drive” visitors to your site. One popular way of bringing traffic to your site is to use a free link exchange or free link trading service. For the free link exchange service, you just sign up and put a little bit of code on your “Pillow” web site (this allows other Pillow web site banners to be viewed on your site and vice versa). The free link trading service is very simple also. You simply add another pillow’s link to your links page and vice versa. This trading of links increases your sites popularity greatly with the search engines. One of the most important things you can do to gain traffic is to get listed with the major search engines. Go to each search engine, or use a free service like AddMe. com and add your web site there. There is also what is called “pay-per-click” search engines where you actually pay for traffic sent to your web site. Other search engines require payment in order to get listed with them at all. “Yahoo” is one of these “pay” search engines.

6) Please be advised that is illegal to “Spam” on the internet or via e-mail. Spamming is sending unwanted e-mails or putting internet advertising material, or internet material in general where it should not be. That being said, another method of marketing and promoting your site is to add your site to casino and gambling message boards and free for all links pages. Please check to see if it is ok to post your info there first, and in which category, and anywhere else before posting there. If you “Spam”, you risk losing your internet service provider, and possibly your web host with all of your web content. It’s just not worth the trouble.

7) Another way of promoting your site is to add your web site address to your business cards, and/or make up flyers and posters. Don’t forget to get permission before you post anything anywhere. If you have other web sites, add a banner and/or link to your “Pillow” site there. Make a t-shirt with your “Pillow” graphic and web address on it (on both sides of the t-shirt) for yourself to wear. If you want, add your “Pillow” graphic logo and web address to different products like baseball caps and coffee mugs, and give them away as promotional items. Buy an ad on a bus stop, or a small classified ad in the local paper, or radio ad, etc. How about getting two of those “12 inch x 12 inch” sticky, bendable, removable, flat, “magnet ads” made up at your local printing store to put on the sides of your vehicle’s doors. When you drive around the city, every body will see your web site ad and when you get to your destination, simply take the sign off until you leave again. How about putting one of your “Pillow” flyers or small posters on the inside of your vehicle’s rear side glass areas. Just make sure it doesn’t obscure your vision. The idea is to use your creativity here.

8) I hope these pointers are of good use to you. Good luck with your online web business!!!

Sandy Johnson

TemplatesCD. com

A sweet way to make a difference

It would be a sweet reward to find a cure for pediatric cancer and other life-threatening diseases that affect children-and ice cream fans now have a way to help.

Fans of ice cream-whether it's on a stick, in a cup or on top of a cone-can visit Icecream. com to "stick up" for kids with cancer.

For every virtual frozen pop stick message sent from the site between May 15 and Dec. 31, 2006, Nestlй Ice Cream will donate 25 cents to City of Hope Cancer Center, where the money will be used for pediatric cancer research, treatment and education.

Visitors to Icecream. com are invited to write some words of inspiration, a favorite joke or simply a message of hope on a virtual frozen pop stick that will be shared with kids who are currently undergoing treatment.

At the end of the program, the number of virtual frozen pop sticks will be counted and an equivalent number of real-life frozen pop sticks will be used to construct a sculpture. A talented artist will design a kid-friendly, whimsical sculpture that will be placed at City of Hope to remind children that people throughout the country are wishing them well.

The sculpture will be erected in spring 2007 and an image of the sculpture may be placed on selected frozen treat packages to support and grow the program.

"Nestlй Ice Cream is proud to partner with City of Hope to support research and treatment programs that will benefit kids with cancer," said Maggie Hughs, senior manager, Nestlй Ice Cream. "We hope enabling ice cream fans across the nation to send a virtual message of hope will not only help this worthwhile cause, but also inspire both the sender and recipient of each message."

City of Hope is one of the world's leading research and treatment centers for cancer, diabetes, HIV/AIDS and other life-threatening diseases. Named by U. S. News & World Report as one of America's best medical centers for cancer treatment, City of Hope is a Comprehensive Cancer Center, the highest designation bestowed by the National Cancer Institute, and a founding member of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network. Founded in 1913, City of Hope is a pioneer in the fields of bone marrow transplantation and genetics.

City of Hope's scientific knowledge is shared with medical centers locally and globally, helping patients battling life-threatening diseases.

Meditate to unlock your hidden potential part 2

You can be the creator of your own manifest destiny. Through daily meditation practice and focus on changing your life for the better. In fact, you have the ability to redefine yourself in any direction you desire. The power that you can cultivate is limited only by your own imagination.

As I have mentioned earlier, this will change the lives of people who you come into frequent contact with. Therefore, you must always be kind, trustworthy, and considerate to others. You should make a change in that direction at this very moment.

Why the sudden need for character improvement? It goes hand-in-hand with using power and influence wisely. Remember Lord Acton’s saying: “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely." The power of your mind has the ability to alter reality. Therefore, this is a power that must be controlled.

How is this possible? Here is an example: If you had two identical twin boys, who haven’t eaten for two days, and you put an apple in front of them; what would they do?

Most likely, they would fight over it, and the winner would eat, most or, all of it. You and I know they should divide it equally, but each of them has really felt starvation, and that is a reality you and I do not feel at the moment. So we are not talking about imagination, but three legitimate points of view, that each becomes our own reality.

Meditation will allow your mind to see multiple points of view, without judgment. If you can see only one point of view, you haven’t meditated long enough. The best leaders, negotiators, and diplomats, know that you have to understand the opposing viewpoint, to move forward, on any issue. There is always justification, on both sides, in any conflict, but true compromise is meeting the opposition in a different reality, than you both started from.

If you had the ability to travel in the space shuttle, your view of earth, from within your space vehicle, would be much different from the person living in poverty, within a refugee camp. You could not see, or feel, that person’s pain, and each of you would have a vivid picture of life on earth.

You can meditate from a mountain top, but once you have seen the full picture, you have an obligation to help mankind, with acts of kindness. Once you have discovered how easy it is to help others, you are no longer struggling with; “who is right and who is wrong.”

Your new reality becomes, “how can I help?”

What is a tennis racket

Having the perfect tennis racket is going to be the key in your game. You do not have to have the most expensive racket, but you do need to have one that fits your body and the way you play the best. You need to make sure that you figure out what it is that you need in your racket before you go and buy the first one that you see.

A tennis racket is usually made from aluminum or steel. You may also find ones that are made from other materials like plastic. It will depend on the kind and style that you want for yourself when you go shopping for the perfect racket for your game. You should shop around and test many of the rackets before you decide on a certain one.

There is usually netting at the top of the racket to hit the ball with. You will find that most tennis rackets are durable and can take a beating. They are lightweight so that you can move it around easily. If you are new to the game of tennis, you will soon learn to move the racket in all the directions that you need to in order to hit the ball and get the game won.

A tennis racket is used to hit the ball back and forth in the game of tennis. You will use this to hit the ball before the ball goes out of your designated space. You will find that the more you use your tennis racket, the better your game will be. It is not that hard to figure out the game of tennis, all you need to do is have little patience and some time to learn the game.

There are many tennis rackets that you can get for as little as ten dollars or so. You will find that if you want to get a really good one, you will only have to pay twenty or so dollars for the racket. These rackets will be made of aluminum. They will have the medium wide profile and a mid to medium oversized head. You can go to many department or sporting good stores to find the racket that would be perfect for your game.

There are many sporting goods stores that will be able to sell these tennis rackets for a really cheap price. You can get the racket that you need in most local stores. Once you learn how to play tennis, you will find that you can loose weight and have a great time at the same time. Once you get motivated, you will want to play tennis more and more as time goes on.

Business credit cards can make you money

Small business owners, more than any other credit card users, are in the best position to profit from their use of credit cards. Profit from credit cards? The idea may seem foreign, if not preposterous. However, the truth of the matter is simple: if you use your business credit card wisely and open a high yield savings account, your credit card can easily make you a few hundred dollars a month.

Let's begin by discussing the types of small business credit cards on the market. The first and often easiest for new businesses to attain are charge cards. There are a wide variety of these available from American Express' OPEN, the small business network. The first benefit of a business charge card is the zero percent interest you pay. Yes, you must pay your balance in full in each month. However, we’ll soon see how borrowing money interest free is a great thing.

OPEN credit cards, like other American Express business credit cards, allow you to earn Amex rewards points with every purchase. In general, you earn 1 point for every dollar spent. In general, a point is worth between 1/2 to 1% of purchases, depending if you want to redeem your rewards for cash (1/2% value) or retail gift certificates and travel rewards (1%).

Now let's assume your small business spends $10,000 a month. You will earn $100 in rewards from American Express. Plus, if you place that $10,000 into a high yield savings account with an interest rate of 4% or higher, you will earn over $30 a month in interest. Thus, the net earnings you will accrue by using an American Express small business credit card can easily equal $130 a month on $10,000 spending. Over the course of a year, that can add up to over $1500.

Small business credit cards with rewards provide similar profit opportunities, and fantastic short term profit opportunities, as many offer 0% interest rates for up to 6 months on purchases. For example, if you spend $10,000 the first month you have a 0% small business card, you can earn $100 in rewards, plus a very nice $200 in interest over the course of the introductory offer. When the 0% expires, you simply pay your bill in full and avoid all interest charges. You'll find your business $300 richer.

Once the 0% APR expires on a small business credit card, you will have a "grace period" of around 25 days to pay off your new purchases before interest is charged. Thus, you simply treat your credit card like a charge card, and pay your balance in full each month, allowing you to earn rewards points on every purchase you make while earning interest on the money you already spent.

Over the course of a year, a small business that uses an American Express OPEN card and spends $10,000 per month can earn the equivalent of $1200 in Amex cash, travel, or retail rewards, plus over $400 in interest. That frees up over $1600 in capital that can be used to offset the cost of travel, purchase new equipment, or simply enhance your company’s cash flow.

Using small business credit cards strategically can positively affect your company's bottom line, free up cash, and generate income through interest and rewards. With the wide range of cards on the market, it is important for each business owner to examine the interest rates, types of rewards, and fine print of small business credit cards before making a final choice. Personally, I've been a proud American Express OPEN Gold and Platinum small business cardholder for nearly two years and have nothing but praise for the company.

©2006, Credit Card Depot Inc. This article may be reprinted as long as the author’s bio and a live link to credit-card-depot. com remains intact.

How to buy perfume that right for you

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How To Buy Perfume That Right For You

Buying Perfume can be a very hard decision, especially when you buying that perfume for your friend or lover. Different people will have different choice of perfume. Also each fragrance will produce a different scent on various types of skin. Therefore, when buying perfume we need to do some good research and try it out before you make the final decision.

There are hundreds brands of perfume and thousands of scents available in the market nowadays. If you never bought any perfume before and not sure which perfume will be right for you or your friend, you should check out the Perfume Review website online like boisdejasmin. typepad. com/ or ask your friend to see which perfume is popular that most people use it. After that, you can go out to department store to try it on your skin.

Trial and testing Perfume

There are 2 ways that you can try perfume either direct on your skin or spray on the fragrance blotters. Now there is both advantage and disadvantage about these two methods of testing if you only using one method.

By testing on your skin, you will be able to know exactly how does it smell on your skin, but you can’t try out too many different types of perfume simply because all the perfume that you try after the first one will mix with the first one and you won’t get the correct smell of those fragrance.

By testing on the fragrance blotters, you can spray on different cards and write the name of that fragrance at the back of those cards. But this method of testing won’t give you exactly how it smells on your skin either.

The best way is to try on the fragrance blotters first, then choose the smell that you like and try it on your skin, that way you can get the fragrance you like and the right perfume for your skin.

Types of Perfume

There are 4 main different types of perfume. Eau De Cologne, Eau De Toilette, Eau De Parfum and Parfum. They are ranging from the least concentrate to the most concentrate and therefore the different in price.

Eau de Cologne (EDC) is the term used today to refer to a perfume solution with around a 3% compound in an oil and water base. It’s the lightest of perfumes and, therefore the least expensive.

Eau de Toilette (EDT) - is a perfume solution with a 3-8% compound in an oil and water base. It is a bit more expensive.

Eau de Parfum (EDP) is a perfume solution with a 10-15% compound.

Parfum is the highest concentration of oils, with 20-50% compound, which makes it last longer than others and the most expensive.

Size of Perfume

Perfume is packed in different sizes. In Europe and USA, perfume usually measures by Oz, in Australia or other countries we measure by ml. 1Oz is equivalent to 30ml (1Oz ~30ml). The most common size usually is 50ml, 75ml or 100ml. If you are buying the fragrance for the first time, you should buy the small bottle to try it out first. If you already wear that fragrance before and you really like it, then go ahead and purchase the big bottle because they are usually best value for money.

There is some small sample called vial on card or vial mini as well, those bottles are usually for trial. It is a good idea for you to buy those trial first to test it out before go ahead to buy a big bottle.

Where to buy Discount Perfume

Now you already know which brand, type and size of the perfume you like and best fit for you. It is time to shop around for the best price available. Nowadays, Perfume Online Stores usually sell perfume at a better price than most of department stores or retail outlet, as they don’t have to employ a lot of staff and pay the big rent in the shopping center. Perfume Online Stores also can carry a lot more varieties of brands as well as keep some hard to find perfume. You can compare the price from different Discount Perfume Stores at myshopping. com. au or buy direct at discountperfume. net. au/

Buying a right Perfume can be a very hard decision but if you do enough homework I am sure that you will find the best perfume for yourself. Next article, we will share with you on how to wear and store perfume.

This article was published using Article Submitter

Golf practice isn t important if

Golf practice can only help your game if your body can do what you ask of it on the range. Does that make sense? How often have you taken time out of your day to go to the range for golf practice only to leave more frustrated than when you did when you first got there?

Now come on…be honest! Every amateur golfer has experienced this more times than we can count.

Why is this?

Because our body can’t perform a mechanically sound swing when it is physically weak and tight. Picture the last time you hit a bucket of balls. Out of the whole bucket, how many swings really felt good, and the ball did what you wanted it to do?

I’ll bet you can count them on less than one hand. Or maybe I’m being harsh, and you can count them on less than 2 hands.

Either way, this is a common occurrence during a golf practice session.

Don’t get me wrong…golf practice is critical in improving your golf swing and overall game…but you first need to work on the “machine”, to be able to make the most out of your time during your golf practice.

Let’s look at the positive side!

You take my advice and start improving your golf specific strength and flexibility. It doesn’t take 2 hours a day in a gym to accomplish this. All of my programs, dvds and books incorporate affordable equipment that can be done in your home or even office.

The result?

The next time you plan a golf practice…it goes fantastic! You’re hitting more balls the way you want to. You’re enjoying your golf practice not getting frustrated. You even buy a new range card because you’re on a new high from such an awesome golf practice session.

That’s called Total Golf Performance!

You’ll soon be dominating your foursome and they’ll all want to know your “secret”.

Take this approach to your golf improvement and get a maximum return from your golf practice.

Duty free shopping on your travels

For those of you who frequently travel outside of the country, you may have noticed these duty free shops. They sell a variety of products from liquor, to perfume, chocolates, souvenirs, etc. Actually you will find most of them in international airports or at select shopping locations in the country of destination, quite often at big five star hotels. Items sold at duty free are free of duty in the country where the item is bought in the sense that they don’t have any value added tax added. For some there is a tax but you are given a rebate form to claim back the tax before you leave the country. This is the reason why some people especially the foreigners would want to buy items in these shops.

Before you buy at these duty free shops though, it is imperative for you to compare whether the merchandise here are priced way much lower than what we have at home. You will come to realize though that duty free shops in the city will give better value than those found in airports where you can expect a much higher rent. If you have the luxury of time, visit these duty free shops before you leave the country to go home.

You will notice that airport duty free shops have limited choices and selections usually targeted at higher end goods though you cannot deny the convenience the airport offers for some last minute shopping of souvenirs and gifts that may have been forgotten. This is also the avenue where you can get rid of the local currency whose amount would turn out to be immaterial if we have it changed back to dollars or our own currency.

If you do intend to spend your remaining currency in the airport duty free shop, select something like a souvenir to remind you of the country you visited.

I would strongly suggest for you to reclaim back the tax you have paid if any at the duty free office inside the airport. Usually you will be filling up a rebate form that will be provided at the duty free shop or for some the office will just require you to present all the receipts and goods that you purchased at the duty free store. You will realize that buying in these duty free shops is way much cheaper than if you purchased at other shops as long as you make a visit to the duty free office prior to your departure from the country.

Diabetes mellitus type 1 symptoms causes and treatment

Special areas in the pancreas gland, the islets of Langerhans, produce a hormone called insulin. This hormone is a protein of small size. Insulin stimulates muscle cells and other body cells to take up glucose from the blood and convert the glucose to glycogen, a kind of starch, and then store the glycogen. By need the body cells convert the glycogen to glucose and use it as fuel. In this way insulin keeps the glucose level in the blood at a normal size.

By diabetes type I the cells producing insulin are destroyed. Then less glucose is taken up from the blood into the body cells and utilized there, and glucose accumulates in the blood.

THE CAUSES AND MECHANISMS OF DIABETES TYPE I

The cause of the disease is not well known. An auto-immune response attacking the insulin producing cells in the langerhansian islets may be a cause. Virus infection may be another cause. The disease also is to some extend inherited.

When the glucose uptake into the body cells is reduced, but glucose instead accumulates in the blood, the following physiological effects occur:

-The body cells do not get enough fuel for the work they shall do.

-The molecular thickness (osmality) of the blood increases. This causes water to be pulled out from the body tissues and into the blood. The tissues thus get dried out and the urine production increases.

-The tissues begin to break down protein and fat to get energy, causing weight loss and muscular reduction.

The symptoms of diabetes type 1 are a consequence of these mechanisms.

SYMPTOMS OF DIABETES TYPE 1

The disease often starts suddenly. Often children or young people are attacked by the disease. The lack of insulin causes an increased amount of blood sugar. Early symptoms of the disease are:

-Increased urine production

-Dehydration (lack of water in the body)

-Abnormally high thirst as a consequence of increased urine production

-Dryness in the mouth

-An abnormal high appetite

-Feeling extremely tired and weak

-Weight loss, even when one eats well

-Impaired vision

If the blood sugar level is not stabilized to a normal value, there will be an accumulation of chemicals in the body called ketones, and this condition is called diabetic ketoacidosis. This serious condition can lead to coma and death. The signs of ketoacidosis are:

-Vomiting,

-Pain in the stomach

-Rapid breathing,

-High pulse rate

-Somnolence (abnormal tendency to sleep)

In the long term, diabetes type 1 can severely hurt the blood vessels in vital organs. This can further cause damage to the heart, eyes, kidneys or other body organs.

TREATMENTS OF DIABETES TYPE 1

Diabetes type 1 is treated with insulin injections. Implanting insuline cells in the pancreas is an experimental treatment. Another experimental treatment is to implant stem cells in the pancreas that can develop into new insulin producing cells.

Another important module of the treatment is regulation of the amount of sugar and fat consumed through the diet so that it fits together with the insulin-amount injected. Also regular monitoring of the blood sugar level to regulate the insulin amount is an important part of the treatment.

There are also natural products in the market that can help to normalize the blood sugar level by diabetes type 2. Those products cannot heal the disease or replace insulin injections, but they can help the body to regulate the blood sugar level. These products contain minerals that are working components of enzymes that stimulate the glucose metabolism in the body. They also contain herbs that have been used for a long time in traditional medicine to regulate the glucose level and that have proven their effects in scientific studies.

0 apr credit card is it really zero for trouble

In the financial industry, the number zero can be something that’s either totally good…or totally bad. As for 0 APR credit cards, companies are primarily cashing in people’s interest for 0% interest (pun intended). But is everything good and nothing bad about 0 APR credit cards?

The Advantages of Using a 0 APR Credit Card

Balance Transfer – You can make use of your new 0 APR credit card as a way of reducing payment for your other credit card debts. You can do this by transferring the balance of your old credit cards to the new one. Of course, make sure that you do get to pay off your debt within the allotted time!

Saving on Purchases – Of course, the most obvious benefit in having a 0 APR credit card is being able to purchase anything for zero interest. You can even opt to pay the minimum amount required for several months if you wish, just as long as you do settle your credit card bills before the promotional period ends.

The Disadvantages of Using a 0 APR Credit Card

If you’re not careful with the way you swipe your 0 APR credit card, your latest plastic money might just be your downfall.

Zero isn’t Forever – No-interest-offers don’t last forever; when the promotional period ends, your card will just be like any other credit card in which you’ll be required to pay standard interest rates once more. It could even be worse if your 0% ends up with an interest rate that’s twice as much as what you’re paying for your other credit cards.

No to Balance Transfer – You might belatedly realize that your intention of balance transfer is actually not allowed. Or, it could charge you with very high processing fees before you can be allowed to transfer the balance of your old credit card to your new one. To prevent this from happening, you should read the terms and conditions carefully before applying for a 0 interest credit card.

High Penalties – Many 0 APR cards charge you high penalties if you’re a delinquent payer. Worse, they can even cancel the zero interest offer at the slightest infraction you commit.

Uncontrollable Swiping – Many individuals, upon getting their hands on their new 0 APR credit cards, are struck with swiping fever and end up shopping more than they need and certainly more than they can afford.

Tips for Choosing and Using a 0 APR Credit Card

No credit card is perfect. You need not feel bad just because you now know the limitations and problems you might face when using a 0 APR credit card. With the right attitude, you’ll still be able to take full advantage of a 0 APR credit card without having to suffer any of its disadvantages.

READ the terms and conditions carefully. Know what its interest rate would be when the promotional period ends. Know if you’re allowed to make balance transfers and what repercussions you’d face if you unintentionally fail in paying on time.

CHOOSE the 0 APR credit card that best fits your needs and budget.

DISCIPLINE is the key to beating the temptation of overspending. If you really want to indulge yourself with your new credit card, at least make purchases that are necessary, useful, and will last for a long time.

Hope you enjoy yourself with your new credit card!

Give something different with a unique wedding shower gift

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Wedding shower gifts can be as unique as the recipient. The shower organizer should consider the personality, style and interests of the bride when planning the party. With a wedding shower theme that fits the unique qualities of the bride, shower guests will be prompted to use their imaginations to brainstorm creative gift ideas.

Love of the Outdoors

For the outdoorsy bride-to-be, organize an adventurous shower activity such as mountain biking, rock climbing or camping. Unique wedding shower gifts could include items such as a cozy tent, a sleeping bag for two, and a book on romantic outdoor getaways.

Culinary Gifts

If the bride lacks confidence in her cooking skills, why not organize her shower around a culinary theme. The shower activity may include a cooking demonstration or wine tasting event. All attendees would be asked to bring three of their favorite personal recipes, written on cards; the cards would then be presented to the bride in a special recipe box or book. Guests could bring shower gifts such as live herb-garden starts, a serving tray for breakfast in bed or a picnic basket for two.

New Homeowner Gifts

For the couple about to move into their first home, organize a home improvement shower. Gifts could include tool sets, books on household repairs or decorating tips, and lawn tools such as rakes, hoes and leaf blowers.

Honeymoon Gifts

Is the couple about to embark on a tropical honeymoon? Organize a luau shower, with leis, grass-skirted tables and inflatable palm trees. Shower gifts might include scuba lessons, snorkeling equipment, his and hers beach towels, or a gift certificate for a couples massage at their honeymoon resort.

Artistic Gifts

Don’t leave the happy couple staring at blank walls. Organize a shower where each guest brings a piece of art to decorate the newlywed home. The gifts do not necessarily need to be expensive; guests can acquire unique items from local Saturday markets or craft fairs. Shower guests may even wish to contribute a special painting or framed photograph of their own creation. Along with filling their home, the wedding shower gifts will hold special significance to the newlyweds as it will remind them of close friends and family members.

Cheap custom poker chips-how to find the highest quality to play with

If you want cheap custom poker chips, you certainly are in luck. Today, you do not have to break the bank to purchase specially made poker chips; in fact, when you do some simple research, you can find these very cheaply. Whether you want unique poker chips, six stripe poker chips, or even used clay casino poker chips, you can find these very inexpensively.

The reason for this, of course, is that with the growing demand for poker chips nowadays, there are many companies that are making these. Therefore, do to the increased competition, these firms are being forced to retail chips for cheaper prices just to stay in business.

Believe it or not, the kind of chips you get can make a big difference to the overall look and feel of your poker game. It is very hard for the game to have a truly professional feel if you are using the chap plastic poker chips. This is why so many people want to purchase the clay ones, because its the kind of chips that the pros use. as with just about an sport nowadays, people always want to use the equipment the best players are using, and poker certainly is no exception.

First of all, you need to be aware that, when purchasing poker chips, you can buy them two different ways; customized or mass produced obviously, as with anything made in bulk nowadays, you can purchase these much cheaper, but you won’t have a whole lot of variety available to you. When you buy them uniquely, however, you can get them designed to match your tastes and interest. This is where custom poker chips come in.

In fact, you can get a test for how many different varieties of chips are available just by visiting a casino or watching on television. Just about every casino has their logo and name imprinted on the chips so as to distinguish tem from the chips of another casino. Also, they generally come in a wide of variety of colors as well, in addition to what the chips actually say on them.

Of course, you can either purchase customized plastic or clay poker chips. Keep in mind, the clay are obviously much nicer to play with, as they are higher quality, but also cost quite a bit more as well. Therefore, if you want to save money on custom clay poker chips, you may have to search a while to find the best.

Most times, your typical set of chips come in about 3 to 5 different colors, which include white, red, and blue. Generally speaking, the white are the cheapest, then come the red, and finally the blue chips.

Typically, if you want custom clay chips, these come as suited, super diamond, and even other varieties. Usually, these weigh about seven to eight grams, but you can purchased them a bit heavier if you are willing to spend a little more.

Usually, these are made out of a piece of metal which is put into a plastic injection, and an easy way to spot these are to simply put a magnet near a chip, which, if the metal is in there, will tend to be attracted to the magnet.

Keep in mind, if you do want to customize your poker chips without breaking the bank, you can simply put stickers on chips you already own, which prevents you from having to pay a company to customize the chips themselves. This will certainly save you a pile of cash, but again isn’t the only way to save money.

Also, you can make use of a graphics problem on a computer to manufacture a particular kind of chip that you want, and then simply print it out. Also, you can buy these from a poker store via the net.

If you do plan on DIY as far as buying the chips beforehand and then customizing them, you can buy about five hundred for around 20 to 25 cents a piece. In addition, to find cheap custom poker chips already made, you can purchase these one the net as well, and save a pile of cash.

As with most things nowadays, there is a wide variety of cheap custom poker chips being sold online, and by purchasing these here you can certainly save a lot of money. Hopefully this information will help you to make the right decision in which to purchase as quickly as possible, and also help prevent you from breaking the bank in the process.

Philadelphia schools and privatization is it a mistake

The Philadelphia schools have been contracting out (also called privatization) many schools services to for-profit businesses and nonprofit organizations for four years and are entering their fifth.

School Reform Commissioner Daniel Whelan is willing to contract out any service, operational or educational, where there are providers able to meet the Philadelphia schools criteria, according to the Philadelphia Public Schools Notebook, a nonprofit newspaper.

School Reform Commission Chair James Nevels endorses contracting in non-academic areas, because it allows educators to focus on education. The Commission has been mandated to find ways to improve the city’s failing schools, which includes contracting out education services. Nevels concedes that such services for the Philadelphia schools have been privatized.

Success of such Philadelphia schools contracts has yet to be determined. Across the nation, privatization of public school services has seen inconsistent results.

Nevels believes that all Philadelphia schools privatization contracts require close oversight, as well as periodically reevaluating where the Philadelphia schools district currently stands — is privatization working or isn’t it? Effective oversight, however, may not be easy to achieve.

Jeff Henig, professor of political science and education at Columbia University, believes that effective oversight requires strong and capable government. If the Philadelphia schools are under-funded, like many school districts across the nation, they will not have the resources to collect and monitor their own data, leaving them to rely upon the data provided by their contractors. Though, as the number of providers grows, competition generally will ensure good prices, as well as quality services. Henig notes, however, that many of the larger providers have been buying up the smaller ones, increasing their ability to control the market and the competition. Thus, Henig suggests that the Philadelphia schools should limit privatization to short-term projects where an established expertise exists, such as upgrading technology, in order to maintain leverage. He also cautions that the Philadelphia schools also should be wary of losing the capacity to provide any type of service — once they do, they are at the mercy of the providers.

Charlene Haar, president of the Education Policy Institute, disagrees. Haar notes that studies have shown that competitive markets really do work for districts like the Philadelphia schools, because businesses look at the bottom line and the quality of services. If either are ignored, another provider will get the contract.

Carol Ascher, researcher at Annenberg Institute at Brown University, raises broader concerns about public school privatization in her book, “Hard Lessons: Public schools and Privatization.” Ascher believes such outsourcing of services has had a negative effective upon public schools, citing that cheaper is not always better. She notes that many privatized and charter schools tend to hire very young teachers and have high mobility rates. Ascher further argues that low paid teachers will not necessarily work as hard as older, more experienced teachers, who have tenure and a vested interest in their schools. As to operational services, she believes the privatization tends to eliminate the inclusion of local community providers, taking jobs out of the neighborhood.

All in all, many educators agree that the Philadelphia schools serve their neighborhood, too; and higher test scores are not necessarily well served by providers outside the public sector.

Card debt consolidation

Though all of us have credit cards and credit card debt is touching alarming proportions, but the fact remains that a huge section of the population are not even aware of card debt consolidation and how the system works. And that is why many people are surprised when they hear about card debt consolidation. The system works by combining the debts from all credit cards into one that becomes a part of a new plan. What is achieved through card debt consolidation?

When there are too many cards and you have outstandings on them all, you try the perfect balance by trying to keep all of them happy by juggling the bills. This becomes risky as when you keep making a part payment for long periods of time, the interest keeps growing. Until someday the situation can go out of hand. Instead with card debt consolidation, you just have one where there is a single annual fee, processing charge, and just one creditor to repay.

Card debt consolidation is also a great time saver. Last month, I ended up paying back after the last date was gone simply because I did not have the time to go to the drop box. And this has happened more than once. Since when you do card debt consolidation you have to deal with just one company, you end up saving a lot of time in writing checks, going to the mailbox, or even paying the bills online.

There are other benefits as well. When you are consolidating all card debts into one, you are sure to benefit from lower interest rates. So if you opt for card debt consolidation, you can reduce the rate to as low as 1% even. Otherwise it can be really steep.

Being down in credit card debt can be a nasty experience with debtors always calling up to inquire about pending payments and making cold offers for balance transfer. It can become humiliating and a lot of hassles. Card debt consolidation will mean an end to all these problems. It will take you just 5 minutes to complete the application process. But make sure that you are doing it from a secured site.

Card debt consolidation will not only make your life easier but will also make economic sense. When you decide on card debt consolidation you will owe money to just one financial institution, have just a single card and will even get a better credit limit – it might even be higher than the credit limit you had of all your cards together. This is because the card company acknowledges that you are on your way to financial recovery with card debt consolidation.

Cycling legend greg lemond champions the fight against diabetes

In 1986, Greg LeMond became the first American to win the largest single annual sporting event in the world, the Tour de France. LeMond went on to taste victory again in the 1989 Tour de France, and again one month later in the 1989 World Championships. Then, as a final coup before retiring from competitive cycling, LeMond won another historic Tour de France for the third time in 1990.

LeMond's legend has always been measured by his unrivaled levels of courage and tenacity and now, 20 years after the date of his first Tour de France triumph, he has taken on an equally courageous challenge-to find a cure for diabetes.

Greg LeMond joins the American Diabetes Association (ADA) as the Honorary Chairperson for Tour de Cure, the Association's premiere annual cycling event, which raises money for diabetes research, information, advocacy and public awareness efforts. Tour de Cure takes place nationwide and is a ride-not a race-that encourages people to dust off their bicycles and join thousands of other riders who are pedaling for a cure.

"I am proud to be the Honorary Chairperson for ADA's Tour de Cure event," says LeMond. "The Tour de Cure is one powerful way for all of us to become champions in the fight against diabetes."

Nearly 21 million children and adults have diabetes, a 14 percent increase since 2003. Another 41 million people are at risk for developing type 2 diabetes. Diabetes is the fifth leading cause of death by disease in the United States.

Greg LeMond will be on hand to present the top Tour de Cure fundraisers with the Champion for Diabetes Award. Top fundraisers will also qualify to win one of several official LeMond Bicycles donated by the champion himself.

The Tour de Cure national presenting sponsor is Bristol-Myers Squibb Company. Other sponsors include Gold's Gym, Performance Bicycles, LeMond Fitness, Discovery Health Channel, and LeMond Racing Cycles-the official bicycle of the Tour de Cure.

Swimming with moby dick sans the gear

If diving and swimming with sperm whales at the frigid waters of Alaska is the epitome of stupidity, then no one is more stupid than a famed photographer from New York who just did that. And the result was tons of amazing close encounter photos with the giants of the ocean. The term ‘stupidity’ is not the word you would want to associate with the said photographs; not if you know how the snapshots were taken. And that’s where the ‘stupidity’ part comes in.

The photographer (I forgot the name of the man, so sue me), along with his crew, flew to Alaska’s city of Anchorage, rented a small fishing boat and relentlessly scanned the icy waters of the Alaskan seas for signs of the sperm whales. Now to wholly grasp the picture of the situation, sperm whales are one of the biggest animals in the world, the largest toothed animal on this planet. An adult male sperm whale can grow up to 20.5 meters (67 feet) long and can weigh on an average of 13-14 tons (12000-12000 kg). Any man with a common sense will not venture out into the open sea looking out for these creatures. And any thinking man will know that one lash of its huge tail could make the ocean floor a graveyard for any person unfortunate enough. But the photographer from New York did. So it’s either courage or foolhardy stupidity. The latter seems to be the rational choice. But it gets more stupid than that.

Our brave and stupid (forgive the redundancy, it’s for emphasis) photographer along with his, her, fearless crew was able to spot a pod of sperm whales. The New Yorker went to prepare his underwater camera, his anti-cold scuba suit, his swimming goggles, and his scuba fins. No breathing apparatus, no safety cage, no snorkels. Heck, no scuba gear that could spell the difference between life and death.

His plan: to capture photos while swimming with the whales in au naturelle fashion. Can it get more stupid than that?

Of course, as mentioned earlier, he came back alive with no mishap, except for some body shaking after swimming in almost sub-zero waters. He suffered no irreparable damage, which is a blessing, one should say. The photographs were sensational and majestic. The photographer? Brave and daring, yes. Stupid? HELL YEAH!

The internet and security - how to avoid the pitfalls

According to many Internet experts, Internet and security concerns are foremost on people's minds nowadays. With all of the security and Internet stories about identity theft, Internet worms, Trojan horse viruses, and spyware, everyone wants to make sure that they have the best Internet security available. The problem is that the Internet is still a fairly new technology. Even the most tech savvy of us usually don't know how it works, or how to adequately protect ourselves. In general, we are stuck taking the advice of anyone who will give it to us. We take their word about what are the best Internet and security solutions without really knowing how to investigate it ourselves. In general, we don't know where Internet security problems start, or how to fix them.

I have been researching Internet and security lately, and what I have found has surprised me. It turns out that Internet security and privacy have a lot more to do with the programs that you are running than what websites you go to. Users of Apple computers, for example, almost never get viruses. They are rarely exposed to worms, or identity theft problems provided that they adequately protect their passwords. The same goes for users of Linux. As a matter of fact, the only operating system which is routinely exposed to Internet and security threats is Windows. Anyone who uses Windows and is concerned about Internet and security Should really think about changing operating systems. It is easier to do than you might think.

The reason that Windows is such a Web security risk has a lot to do with the way that it is put together. Basically, is made to do everything for you. If you use Microsoft Mail, for example, it will automatically open files without asking you, never knowing whether or not a virus lurks inside. At every level, it is written with Internet and security concerns as an afterthought. This means that it is Completely filled with holes. When these holes are discovered, they will send out Internet and security bug fixes. Until someone is victimized, however, they usually have no idea that the programs are at risk.

Of course, Internet Web security is another problem altogether. A lot of Internet and security problems start in the computer, but other ones start with Internet transactions. E commerce security is not quite as good as a lot of the companies would have you believe. Often, passwords and financial information are stolen from Internet web sellers. No matter how good your own security is, if you buy from someone with a flawed system, you could be the victim.

How to start to make money from home with the internet

There are many different ways to make money online. Even if you do not have a product to sell , it is still possible to make money online. Read the article that follows to learn more

When it comes to make money from home on the Internet, there is no shortage of ways to do it. Of course if you have a product of your own that is the best place to start. What if you do not have a product of your own?

Here are a few ways you can sell stuff online with affiliate marketing to make money at home

Affiliate Programs. Getting paid to sell other people's products is the quickest way to get going that I have found. Affiliate marketing has been around for over 10 years now and many people look at Amazon. com as one of the first companies to sell products this way to make money from home.

You can make money at home selling leads with affiliate programs like Max Bounty. You can make money selling products. One such way is to sell information products like you would find at ClickBank.

Another thing you can do is affiliate program directories like AssociatePrograms. com or Commissions Junction where they have compiled some of the best products to sell in one place.

One way to make money from home online is to sell memberships. This can be done through both affiliate marketing as well as network marketing. Getting paid over and over for making one sale is called residual income.

Certainly network marketing also offers some great residual income for repeat business on a monthly basis. Many MLM companies will set up your customers and distributors on auto-ship and the products they order go out like clock work every month. When they do you make a commission every month just like clockwork as well.

Back to paid memberships. Products that can be accessed online and offer value to your customer are great to sell. Paid memberships fit this description. Subscriptions on how to run a home business, personal development, paid newsletters on every subject imaginable, website hosting, auto-responders, and just about anything you can think of, offer you a chance to make money at home.

Two tier programs where you get paid on the sales of people you recruit work great for paid membership programs as well. Of course network marketing falls into this category and can even be better because you can make money from home every month on the sales of a large group of people.

The key with most paid subscription programs is you make a little bit of money on every sale. The first month this may not amount to much. The second month it can be more. In a year it can be quite a lot. Kind of like compound interest if you know how that works.

Your efforts and your sales compound themselves offering you a great chance to build an income that you could walk away from in a few years.

Can you say that about your current job?

Visit my website to learn more of how you could make money online step by step and to drive more targeted traffic to your website if you have a website to sell your own or affiliate products.

Do not let the galaxy of acne products in the market to stun you

Remember, every standard acne product has a handout, explaining the salient features of the product, its ingredients and above all, a warning. No acne product is meant to cause intentional harm to anyone.

Every product in the market claims a set standard of excellence. When the market is flooded with many such products, the buyer, rather the actual person undergoing the suffering of acne, has a double responsibility. Firstly, to buy the correct product and secondly, to apply it as per the directions.

If the rules regarding the later are not adhered to properly, please note that the manufacturer has carefully worded many escape clauses for his own legal and financial safety. For, he has to protect himself first. Your protection from acne, is his secondary priority, strictly speaking. This is, however, not to doubt his intentions.

Individual constitution is a new concept for the modern mind, and acne is no exception,

The exact cause and the possible solution, will have to be well thought off by an individual, after studying the subject acne. No doubt, medication is an important part of the healing process, but most of the mistakes are committed here, if you follow them without knowing the root cause of acne. For example, wearing tight clothes is known to cause body acne by trapping sweat. In such conditions, if you take antibiotics, the result is bound to be unfavorable. It may even lead to side-effects.

The galaxy of acne products in the market may stun you. Skin exfoliation products, soaps, lotions, gels, creams and much more are readily available. Supplementation is a tricky business and is best done with professional help. It should never be considered a substitute for sound diet, environmental awareness and stress management.

Do not consider every type of acne a disease as such. It may just be a temporary condition of the skin, an irritation with a definite, fixed cycle. Let it come and go and die its natural death. Do not fear or interfere in its working.

The totality of the circumstances contributing to acne, are not known and will perhaps never be known. The environmental conditions vary and the same individual may react differently in different seasons. So it is always advisable to gain a dermatologist’s advice well before trying on to any of the acne products.

Present day nutrition benefits of contemporary day food intake

Have you ever noticed that nowadays food tastes pretty much the same, regardless of where you are in the country? In the old days that would not have been the case: the same food cooked in different houses would have a different taste. But since nowadays our foods mostly come out of cans or packets, the taste has become uniform and from the same source.

The growing self-consciousness has brought about the fact that many people today just eat the foods they believe to be good for them. They have no interest in eating foods that are necessary for their bodies, their age or their disposition.

A diversity of problems may arise from that as they grow older and more and more the body lacks essential nutrients. Sooner or later the body will turn on itself and make it obvious that things will have to change, thus limiting the ability of the person to eat whatever they want. Contemporary nutrition has nothing to do with the foods of our parents.

Vegetarians

Other people let particular reasons like health, ethics or many other reasons take control of their eating habits. They limit themselves to certain kinds of contemporary foods. They are known as vegetarians because they have freely chosen to dispense with any foods that are of an animal source, be it meat, eggs, milk etc.

There are however two angles to this vegetarian diet: from one point of view it has beneficial affects because contemporary foods have a high percentage of fat, very high in calories and low nutritional value. Vegetarian foods contain high fiber and antioxidants. On the other hand however vegetarian foods lack protein and other vital elements for growth like magnesium or calcium.

Genetically Modified Food

Genetically Modified Food or GM food is one of those evolutions in contemporary foods that is controversial to say the least. GM foods alter the genetical code so as to enhance the productivity of a certain crop or make it more resistant to diseases. They make it possible to get a mass production of a certain food product, just now where people are striving to am more individual food intake.

This fact alone is responsible for the success of vegetarian and other contemporary food nutrition. People tend to go much more for 'organic' types of food production in a reaction to the mass production of GM foods. Some people are taking it even a step further and simply replace the GM produced food with nutritional supplements, because they have more trust in the supplements than in the GM foods.

My hiking trip to glacier national park

My girlfriend and I are preparing to go on a hiking trip to Glacier National Park. We are going to do some camping along with staying at various small hotels and inns.

I have been involved with doing some aerobic exercise my whole life, either by walking or biking. When I told my husband the plans to go on a hiking trip with my friend he laughed. He does not feel either one of us will last two days. I shared this with my friend, who is in shape, but does not consistently do any aerobic exercise; she took this as a challenge.

She started looking into the best aerobic exercise to prepare for our trip. I tried calling her during our lunch breaks, but could never find her at her desk because she was out walking. Two evenings a week she went to aerobic exercise classes. I went over to her apartment and found three DVD’s on various aerobic exercise programs. The woman is obsessed. We discussed that when we first planned the trip we were going to hike for short distances each day to take in the beautiful surroundings, now she was looking at this as an aerobic exercise challenge! She told me that I better start pushing myself more to build up my strength so that I would be able to keep up with her.

I went home and told my husband that I feared our relaxing; get in touch with nature trip is going to turn into a triathlon. He thinks this situation is quite humorous. At least my friend is improving her health with the aerobic exercise, but I was really not planning on having to run up a hiking path. I purchased an aerobic exercise tape for my walkman and started pushing myself more. The first few walks I worked harder trying to deal with my frustrations towards my friend and husband, but as my strength improved and my lung capacity developed I found I was enjoying this higher level of aerobic exercise. When I went shopping for clothes for the trip I found that I had dropped a pant size. My clothes at home were fitting looser also. I told my husband that this was my revenge for his challenge, a whole new wardrobe. He does not mind because he thinks I look great.

As the date of our trip approaches we are getting more and more excited about going on our adventure. Both of us look and feel better since we increased our aerobic exercise. If you hear about two women racing around the hiking trials in Glacier National Park, I am one of them.

Simple tips for beautiful healthy hair

HAIR MAINTENANCE

There are a few things you can do on a regular basis that will improve the overall health and appearance of your hair, as well as a few things you can avoid. In general, here’s a few standards:

· Brush your hair: Yep, the good old fashioned hundred strokes. This stimulates blood supply to the scalp, removes dead skin cells from the scalp before they can get infected, and distributes sebum over the hair shaft for moisturizing and protection. Bend over from the waist and hang limply while doing some of the brushing. Use a natural bristle brush or other gentle brush. Be careful and don’t hurry. Better to go slow and only get 30 strokes in, than go fast and risk breaking or pulling out your hair. Get into the habit of brushing your hair thoroughly before washing it.

· Massage your scalp: Before you stop to groom and brush your hair during the day, make a point of doing a quick scalp massage first. Slip your fingers into your hair, and using just the pads of your fingers, massage in small circular motions over your scalp. Using your finger pads will keep you from breaking your hair, scratching your scalp and messing up your style too much. Then restyle, re-spray (if you use it) and go...

· Break Day: Get into the habit of giving your hair a break once a week. It is not necessary to wash your hair every day (unless you are a teenager, have a dirty job or work up a real sweat every day). If you are over the age of 20, and do not have any rashes or infections (like dandruff), give your hair a break for a whole day. Pick a day where you normally do not go out, or just do housework and run errands. Do not wash with shampoo and do not heat style. If you just feel too grubby and must do something, after brushing your hair thoroughly to distribute the sebum, simply wet your hair, apply a little daily conditioner to the ends, rinse well, and then pull back into a “wet look” ponytail or bun. Give your hair a break from shampooing once a week, and whenever possible, from blow-drying and heat styling.

· Conditioning Treatment: Unless you have very fine, limp hair, get into the habit of applying a deep conditioning treatment to your hair once a week. Deep conditioners are not the same as daily conditioners, and homemade preparations work really well. Coconut oil is especially good for hair conditioning. Brush your hair, wash it lightly, and then towel dry. Apply your deep conditioner and then wrap your head in a heated towel to open the hair cuticle and allow the conditioner to soak in. Leave for 10 minutes to half and hour. Then rinse thoroughly in warm water to remove the conditioner residue that remains, then cool water to close the hair cuticle. Rinsing your hair in cool water can be a little uncomfortable, but it can do amazing things for the appearance of your hair. It closes the hair cuticle close to the shaft, which increases shine and manageability, and helps to keep hair strong. A mixture of cool water and lemon juice is even better for shine and strength (a half of a teaspoon of lemon juice in two quarts of cool water is sufficient).

· Daily Conditioner: Get into the habit of applying a daily conditioner to hair ends every time you shampoo. This will reduce slit ends, discoloration when coloring, damage when heat styling and reduce the need for frequent trims. Use a product designed for thermal styling if you frequently blow-dry, use a curling iron or hot rollers.

· Haircuts: Get into the habit of getting your hair trimmed when it needs to be. Again, this reduces split ends and keeps excess weight off your hair (which can cause breakage). About once every 8 weeks is right for shoulder length or longer hair, once every 6 weeks for shorter styles.

· Up-Dos: Yep, that’s right – if you have long hair and want to keep it that way - put your hair up when possible. I’m not suggesting you look like an librarian every day, but one of the reasons that women grew such long beautiful hair back in the “old days” is because they wore it up all the time. The weight of your hair can stimulate the start of the telogen phase. When hair is weighed down and very long, it stops growing and falls out, or simply breaks off. Putting your hair up frequently will keep that weight off the root of the hair. You can pin it up gently with bobby pins or a banana clip when running errands, doing housework, cooking dinner, doing yard work, messing around on your computer, watching TV, etc. Now, this depends on your hair style and hair length. If you have a short hairstyle, this step is not only unnecessary – it’s impossible. However, if you have shoulder length or longer hair, and want it to be as thick and healthy looking as possible, make it a point to put it up and keep the weight off your scalp. The other upside is that it will help keep the hair out of dinner.

How to Wash Your Hair

Believe it or not, there is a right way to wash your hair. Treat it like the finest silk! If you’ve ever made the mistake of running a pair of expensive silk hose through your washing machine, you’ll know what I mean.

Here a few tips for avoid causing any excess damage to your hair while washing it:

1. Let your hair hang naturally when you wash it; either standing in the shower or with your head leaning over the bath, or in a shampoo sink. NEVER – NEVER – NEVER – pile it up on your head to wash.

2. Wet your hair with warm water (not hot) to prepare it for shampooing. Keep the pressure on the showerhead gentle enough to avoid excess water pressure on your hair.

3. Pour shampoo into the palm of your hand.

4. Work the shampoo into a lather in your hand, and apply to your scalp. Work the shampoo into your scalp all over your head by massaging with your fingertips (not your fingernails). Move fingers from one area of your head to the other by lifting the fingers and then placing them elsewhere on your head. Do NOT drag them through your hair. Remember, hair is the most vulnerable to damage and breakage when it is wet. If your hair is particularly dirty or oily, you can work the shampoo through to the ends. If your hair is very dry or processed, you may just want to wash your scalp, and let the shampoo pick up any dirt or oil on the ends as it’s rinsed out.

5. Rinse hair thoroughly with lukewarm water. Ensure that you allow it to hang naturally. You may spread it out gently with your fingertips if it’s long and needs extra help getting out the shampoo.

6. If you chose to use a rinse-out conditioner, this is the time. Unlike shampooing, apply conditioners to the ends of your hair, and if your hair is generally dry, apply the remainder on your hands gently to the roots. Repeat the rinse.

7. Towel dry gently. The new hair towel wraps are excellent, keep hair in place and aren’t heavy like a towel wrap so there’s less risk of breakage to your hair.

8. Once hair is towel-dried you can apply a leave-in conditioner.

9. ALWAYS comb wet hair with a wide-tooth comb – NEVER brush wet hair.

10. NEVER, NEVER, NEVER sleep on wet hair – it is vulnerable when wet, and can break easily as you turn on your pillow. Even if it doesn’t break, it roughs up the cuticle and makes it look dull.

11. Air dry hair whenever possible.

Texas holdem 4 betting structures explained

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Even though the United States have made it illegal to gamble online, poker keeps on gaining popularity through the different tournaments that are shown on television such as the World Series of Poker by ESPN. This created a problematic situation: while players claim that poker is not a game of chance, the US government decided that it is.

For a few weeks, panic erupted in the poker world as rumors spread like bushfires that this ban would stop all tournaments. But this proved to be untrue. In fact, because of the online gambling ban, the popularity of tournaments only increased. And in most of these tournaments, the favored game is Texas Holdem.

This article focuses on those planning to take what was once their online casino pastime to a poker tournament close by. You will need to follow some basic betting structures, and we describe these for you. Even if they seem difficult to follow, don't worry. Just practice these at home with friends and you will soon learn the flow of these wagering structures.

Note: Remember that all the games rely on a basic maximum and minimum wager, and all the betting structures should be understood accordingly. Keep in mind that each game has a set limit that is fixed before the game commences. Once begun, the limit remains unchanged until the end. Note also that the tournament organizers or the casinos are those that decide these limits.

1) Structured Wagering Limit:
This means that there are two limits you play to. During the first two rounds, you place wagers according to the lower sum, and then you start betting according to the higher amount set. When you find a game called according to two amounts such as 4/8 dollar limit, then, it means that this game will be played according to the structured wager. Another thing to remember when entering such poker games is that you can only place four wagers each round and not one more.

2) Spread Limit Wager:
Here, you are free to place wagers in a pre-set range and you don't have to place fixed bets. When you find that the limit is within a range then it means that you have found a game that will be played according to the spread limit. Examples are games which can be played between a range of twenty to a hundred dollars. Note that such games do turn out to be expensive because some might bet according to the high limit. Another variation of the spread limit bet is to have a range of four wagers. What this means is that there is a certain amount you can bet for the round before the flop, for the round on the flop, and on the round after the flop and a certain amount for the river.

3) Basic Pot Limit Bet:
In such Texas Holdem games labeled as being played according to the basic pot limit, what it means is that you can place wagers anywhere between the amount that is the big blind and the total size of the game pot. Here too, take note that games such as these can result in high cash pots.

4) No Limit Betting:
This is the one version that pulls in the high rollers from all over. Here, there is not limit at all one how much you wager or raise. Note that unless you are a high-roller or unless you have a tremendous amount of experience playing Texas Holdem at tournaments, stay clear of such games.

Car seat covers - a great way to add some personal touch to your vehicle

The use of car seat covers is one of the best ways to keep your vehicle's interior in good condition. Car seat covers are an excellent investment if you want to retain the value of your vehicle and keep it looking clean and tidy.

Car seat covers have many benefits and are practical as well as nice to look at. No more sticking or burning on your hot vinyl seats, or the fear of unsightly stains appearing on your upholstery. Besides protecting your car's seats from the sun and general wear and tear, you can wash them in the washing machine when they become dirty.

Car seat covers are available in a wide range of styles and fabrics, from warm and woolly to cool and comfy. Styles are available for bucket seats, as well as the back seat of your car or SUV. It is not difficult to find car seat covers which will suit all of your needs.

If you have kids who create a mess in your car, there are novelty car seat covers available in many colorful designs. For newborn babies, baby car seat covers are almost a necessity. Baby car seat covers are designed to fit over the original manufacturer's cover, providing even more support for your baby.

If you take your pet with you in your car, there are dog car seat covers which protect your car seats from dog-related problems. A shedding pet will change the appearance of your car seats forever, so using seat covers in this situation would be a must.

Car seat covers come in two main types: Universal, and Custom.

Universal car seat covers: These come in one standard size to fit most vehicle makes and models. The disadvantage of these is that they do not always provide a perfect fit.

Custom car seat covers: The great thing about custom car seat covers is that they are designed to fit every popular model of car, van or truck. These provide a much better fit, as they are designed specifically for that particular vehicle.

There are several materials used for car seat covers. These are poly cotton, and sheepskin.

Poly cotton is the most common fabric used for car seat covers. It is soft to the touch, and is also very durable.

Sheepskin car seat covers are also very common next to poly cotton. Sheepskin car seat covers are known to reduce stress, as they provide warmth and massage your back while you drive. They are also cool during hot weather. Sheepskin car seat covers can also be machine washed.

Car seat covers are an excellent way to protect your expensive car seats, or make old seats look like new. Having a set of unique car seat covers is a great way to add some personal touch to the interior of your vehicle, as well as a cost effective method to extend the life of your car's seats. Car seat covers are a great relief if you are worried about preserving the overall look of your vehicle.

Ways to pay for your next holiday away

Any time of year can be the right time to plan your next vacation-and how to pay for it. Here are some tips for saving or earning extra money to help make this year's vacation special:

• Set up a vacation "piggy bank" and contribute regularly. Make coffee at home rather than buying it on your way to work, and bank the difference. When the kids break a house rule, deduct $1 from their allowances and set it aside for vacation.

• Arrange for a portion of your paycheck to be deposited automatically into a vacation savings account. An increasing number of employers offer direct deposits that can be split among different accounts.

• Book your vacation plans early. Most experts encourage families to make reservations for flights or hotels early, before seats and rooms start to fill up and prices rise. Also, look for special summer deals that many popular destinations offer on their Web sites.

• Look for additional sources of income. For example, you could become a direct selling representative. Direct selling involves the sale of products and services in the home or workplace (think Avon or Pampered Chef). A wide variety of products and services are sold this way, from cosmetics and clothing to pet supplies and cookware.

According to Amy Robinson at the Direct Selling Association (DSA), direct selling companies sell $30 billion worth of goods and services annually.

"Direct selling is a growing business and a flexible, family-friendly way to earn extra money for a family vacation," Robinson said.

Spain casinos

The beauty and majesty of Spain's coastlines and cities have drawn in visitors from around the world for decades. Spain has an interesting culture and many great places to learn about Spanish history and society. However, tourists need a place to go when they aren't on walking tours or taking in the scenic beauty of Spanish cities. Spanish casinos and gaming facilities offer vibrant music and entertainment, fine dining and spirits, and some of the best gaming in the world. With more than 30 casinos throughout the country, Spain's casinos offer a wide range of entertainment to tourists from all over the globe.

The Spanish city of Murcia features three of the country's finest casinos. The Regency Casino la Manga Club features a cozy casino atmosphere with more than forty gaming tables and slot machines that offer a fine gaming experience for all. The Gran Casino Murcia is a bit larger than the Regency Casino with more than eighty tables and slots, but still provides a comfortable place for tourists to find entertainment and new experiences. For visitors to Murcia who want a more quiet gaming experience, the Casino Costa Calida has just about twenty tables and machines for a quick game of blackjack.

For those visiting the beautiful modern capital of Madrid, the Casino Gran Madrid mixes all the best elements of Spain's casinos. With a massive gaming area of more than 100,000 square feet, the Gran Madrid is spacious enough for the thousands of visitors who come through its doors every day. There are more than 170 slot machines that can give the gambler with the golden touch a quick payday. As well, there are twenty tables for games like roulette and blackjack that will keep casual and professional gamblers playing all day long. Those who are visiting Madrid need to stop by the Gran Madrid to get an appreciation of the casinos of Spain.

Perhaps the finest casino in Spain, however, is the Casino de Barcelona in the beautiful city of Barcelona. Once the home to the Summer Olympics, Barcelona is filled with great entertainment and cultural offerings. However, the Casino de Barcelona is a must see for visitors and gamblers. Those who visit the casino can dine at four different restaurants, including La Terrazza and Le Gourmand. As well, there are more than fifty gaming tables that allow tourists to sit down, relax, and play a hand of poker or blackjack. This casino also features video poker and slots for those interested in a quick gambling fix. With a creative modern facade and some of the best gaming in Spain, the Casino de Barcelona is a great place to be for visitors and Spaniards alike.

Cure alternative pancreatic vaccine

A new or recurrent diagnosis of Pancreatic Cancer often results in fear and confusion for patients and their family members. Understanding treatment options, accessing new and innovative therapies through clinical trials, as well as understanding the role of supportive care and complementary and alternative medicine are essential which are given at our center. We cure the disease with natural and herbal supplements which do not cause any side effects at all.

Our mission is to empower patients with no side effects at our center with the curing of the pancreatic cancer. This information is the basic or the initial information in order to provide support and hope, as well as to facilitate informed decisions.

Pancreatic cancer is one of the most serious of cancers. It develops when cancerous cells form in the tissues of your pancreas — a large organ that lies horizontally behind the lower part of your stomach. Your pancreas secretes enzymes that aid digestion and hormones that help regulate the metabolism of carbohydrates. Pancreatic cancer spreads rapidly and is seldom detected in its early stages, which is a major reason why it's a leading cause of cancer death.

Signs and symptoms may not appear until the disease is quite advanced. By that time, the cancer is likely to have spread to other parts of the body and surgical removal is no longer possible. For years, little was known about pancreatic cancer. But researchers are beginning to understand the genetic basis of the disease — knowledge that may eventually lead to new and better treatments. Just as important, you may be able to reduce your risk of pancreatic cancer with some lifestyle changes.

Cancer cells are always being created in the body. It's an ongoing process that has gone on for eons. In fact, the immune system developed components whose job it is to seek out and destroy cancer cells. It has been around as long as mankind, but the only thing is that it exploded in the recent days with the rapid growth of it. Contributing to this explosion are the huge amounts of toxins and pollutants we are exposed to, high stress lifestyles that zap the immune system, poor quality junk food that's full of pesticides, irradiated and now genetically modified, pathogens, electromagnetic stress, lights and just about anything that wasn't around 200 years ago. All these weaken the immune system, and alter the internal environment in the body to an environment that promotes the growth of cancer.

Cancer is not a mysterious disease that suddenly attacks you out of the blue, something that you can't do anything about. It has definite causes that you can correct if your body has enough time, and if you take action to change the internal environment to one that creates health, not cancer, while at the same time attacking cancerous cells and tumors by exploiting their weaknesses. Cancer tumors begin when more cancerous cells are being created than an overworked, depleted immune system can destroy.

Constant exposure to tens of thousands of manmade chemicals from birth onward, chlorinated and fluoridated water, electromagnetic radiation, pesticides and other toxins, leads to the creation of too many free radicals and excessive numbers of cancerous cells.

Alone this would be enough to raise cancer levels, but combined with an immune system weakened by a diet of refined and over processed food, mineral depleted soils, and too much exposure to artificial light at night, the immune system at some point no longer is able to keep cancer in check and it starts to grow in your body.

The risk of developing cancer of the pancreas is usually low before the age of 40, but the risk subsequently increases sharply, with most people diagnosed between their sixties and eighties. Risk factors for the development of this disease include environmental factors, medical/surgical factors, genetic factors, and occupational exposures.

· The incidence of pancreatic cancer is relatively low in individuals up to age 50, after which it increases significantly. The age group 65 - 79 has the highest incidence of cancer of the pancreas.

· Smokers develop pancreatic cancer more than twice as often as nonsmokers.

· Frequency of pancreatic cancer may be associated with high intakes of meat and fat.

· Pancreatic cancer is more common among individuals with histories of the following conditions: cirrhosis (a chronic liver disease), chronic pancreatitis, diabetes and a history of surgery to the upper digestive tract.

· Long-term exposure to certain chemicals, such as gasoline and related compounds, as well as certain insecticides, may increase the risk of developing cancer of the pancreas.

· Possibly 3% of cases of pancreatic cancer are related to genetic disorders.

The diagnosis of pancreatic cancer is usually delayed because symptoms are nonspecific. Jaundice, which causes yellowing of the skin, is present in approximately 50% of patients at the time of diagnosis and may be associated with less-advanced disease. Other symptoms include weight loss, fatigue, discomfort in the abdomen, loss of appetite, and glucose intolerance.

In addition, the patient may experience pain in the abdomen and back. The pancreas may produce too much insulin, causing such symptoms as dizziness, weakness, diarrhea, chills, or muscle spasms. The patient may not even notice the gradual onset of these relatively nonspecific symptoms. The doctor may interpret them as being caused by something else. So, it is the first thing to take the right decision to cure the disease and be free from it and lead a healthy life.

Make your page titles more readable

Page titles (the text in the title bar of the browser window) and page headlines help explain the difference between two pages when seen in a list of links or even in the history menu of the browser. For example, the titles "Acme Corp. Home Page" and "Product List - Acme Corp." are much better choices for two different pages than "Acme Corp." for both pages. Even worse would be to use the all too common default title like "Designed with Adobe GoLive 4.0."

Page titles and headlines should be about four to six words long, and the first word or two should be the most important, unique, or action-oriented or convey the most information. In the previous example, "Product List - Acme Corp" wins out over "Acme Corp - Product List" for just that reason.

Choose a style and naming convention for your page titles and headlines—and stick to it. Consistency in this area will be noticed, and that's a good thing. Variations in your style will make your site look inconsistent and your business unreliable or lacking in attention to detail.

You can separate the site name from the page name in the page title with any character you want—hyphens, colons, a vertical bar, or something else—but use the same one every time. For headlines, you may choose either headline style, where only the first word is capitalized (as well as proper nouns and acronyms), or title style, where all words are capitalized. But, by all means, avoid ALL CAPS because every readability study since shortly after Gutenberg has shown ALL CAPS text to be hard to read.

Use action words and write in active voice whenever possible. For example, "We received your comment" makes a better headline on an acknowledgment page than "Your comment has been received." Also, use caution when being clever or cute: plain language works best. Even if you really think you know your customers or audience, your inside joke may be lost on many of them and especially the first-time visitors to your site.

From a search-engine-ranking and click-through perspective, the page title is one of the most important tags on your website, if not the most important. Visitors who find out about and visit your site from search engine results are a more focused breed of web surfer. They're also more skeptical and less patient than other visitors to your site. Your site will be judged by its page titles in the same way that a book will be judged by its cover.

Your page titles have to be strong enough to stand on their own because they will appear out of context in a page of search results. Like your entry in the yellow pages, page titles help to classify your site when it's listed among other similar sites in search results.

When worded correctly for the type of visitor you are seeking, page titles can boost your click-through from Google and other search engines even if you're not at the top of the rankings. In addition to or in place of a short descriptive phrase about your business, you might consider naming your key benefit, identifying a free offer, or even posing an intriguing question in your page titles.

Green furniture fad or fabulous

Enter almost any home today and you are immediately hit with a number of air-borne pollutants that you cannot even see. This occurs in any home, office or other space where furniture and fabrics are used. Over the last few years, a new method of furniture making has been occurring.

Green furniture or eco-friendly furniture is a new buzzword for a new type of furnishing product. Those who make and manufacture green are committed to producing products that are non-toxic, environmentally friendly and safe enough to eat off of without contamination.

One of the first steps to green furniture is to use wood in the construction that comes from a sustainable forest. Gone are the exotic woods found only in the few remaining rainforests, instead these woods are found in areas managed by silviculture techniques. For every tree taken, another is either planted or left to grow to full maturity.

Second, is the use of non-toxic bonding agents. Many types of glue, especially used in imported furniture, off gas formaldehydes and other air-borne chemicals into the home or surrounding area. By using non-toxic glues, green manufactures give their customers a product that can be eaten off of safely and produce no off-gasses in their homes.

The third step to green furniture is the finish. Many chemicals are used in lacquers, varnishes and other methods of finishing a furniture piece. By using FDA approved oil and water based finishes, green builders guarantee non-toxicity of the woods surfaces.

For those concerned about any of the above problems, going green in your home is the perfect solution. Green furniture may cost a bit more, but the piece of mind you receive is priceless.

It s time to select your snow blower

A snow blower is a good investment. It may possible reduce doctor’s bill by going easy on your back. There are some considerations to be thought about before you go in the market for a snow blower, (also called snow thrower in some areas).

Consider the amount of snow and the density of snow that you will have to deal with. Take into account the total number of days of snow and the inches of snow per day. Also consider if the snow is fluffy or hard when you have to deal with the snow.

Take your machine for a test drive. Some showrooms have arrangements for testing the snow blower in their back yard. Going for a demonstration gives you the feel of the machine.

+ Snow blower costs

The following discussion gives you an idea of costs involved. Remember that the costs change significantly as it is a market play that determines the cost.

A single stage machine can be purchased from $350 to $800. A two-stage machine would cost you upwards of $1000. The costs would change depending on the throw distance of each machine and capacity of the machine

+ Varieties Of Machines In Market

Apart from the obvious variety of single stage and a two-stage machine, there is the variety of drive. The gasoline powered drive and electric driven machines are available in the market. Gasoline engine driven machines are generally two stroke engines and are noisy and polluting. Electric driven machines have the disadvantage that their power is limited. They cannot be made as two-stage machine. Where the snowfall is heavy, the electric machines will not be useful as the gas machines.

+ Snow Blower Safety

Safety is an important consideration while operating a snow blower. Take following precautions while operating a snow blower.

Never allow children to operate the snow blower. Serious injuries and even amputation of hands can take place if it encounters the rotating impeller of a two-stage machine.

If the blower is electric, the normal precaution when using electricity should be taken.

When a two-stage machine is working, it is as if there is magnet for children. A powerful throw from machine creates a good visual impact. If children are present, keep them at a sufficient distance so they do not come under the snow being thrown.

Heading for dreamland

It all started when my friend, John, resigned from his previous job where he worked as a lay-out artist in a publishing house for three years due to burnout. For two long months, John considered it a long vacation of sorts and took the liberty to enjoy such freedom from the stress and anxiety brought upon by his work, not worrying about anything. For him, being jobless can be a time for unwinding and relaxing from all the hassles and bustles of having a dormant career, and a time to assess his next career move. So it was party-all-night for John, either with the gang or just by himself. Going on the third month, John felt he had enough of the fun that he decided to start applying for a job. John is a smart and sharp guy who got used to getting hired right away. More often than not, opportunities were the ones to knock at his door and run after him. However, this time, John noticed that most of his on-line applications were not getting noticed and that most job vacancies prefer people a lot younger than his age. Later on, after four months of being jobless, reality dawned on John that he was no longer as in demand as before when he was quite younger. John wasn't ready for the situation he was in. He started to have sleepless nights as well as anxiety attacks. At first, John thought that his insomnia was due to the late nights which he had gotten used as a “party animal.” But as the nights went by, John found himself tossing and turning in bed until about four or five in the morning, trying to force himself to sleep. When John developed eye bags and started experiencing migraine attacks, he decided to take over-the-counter sleeping pills.

It is most likely that John had insomnia, a sleep disorder that is characterized by an inability to get some sleep or to stay asleep for long periods of time. The most common cause of insomnia is stress. However, other conditions that can lead to insomnia are physical discomforts such as having a stuffy nose due to colds or the pain of a headache; emotional troubles like family issues or relationship problems; or even an uncomfortable sleeping environment like a room that's too hot, cold, or noisy and a bed that is too soft or to hard to sleep on. People with a sleep disorder have difficulty in concentration and are unable to work effectively. They can also experience emotional problems like depression and anxiety.

Most people experience having insomnia from time to time. But if insomnia lasts for a month or longer with no relief, it becomes chronic insomnia. People with chronic insomnia can often get help for their condition from a doctor, therapist, or other counselor.

Several over-the-counter sleeping pills are available in any pharmacy. Many of these medications contain antihistamines, which induce drowsiness by working against the central nervous system chemical histamine. Sleeping pills are most effective for an occasional sleepless night. However, the more often you take them, the less effective they become.

In the old days, herbal potions and opiate laudanum were used to induce sleep until the introduction of barbiturates in the early 1900s. Benzodiazepines entered the scene in the 1960s and succeeded by a safer class of insomnia drugs known as nonbenzodiazepine hypnotics in the 1990s.

Nowadays, sleeping pills are no longer as risky as it used to be in the past where cases of dependence and lethal overdoses were rampant. Yet, the use of sleeping pills is not recommended for people who have certain medical conditions such as liver and kidney disease. That is why it is very important to consult with your doctor before taking any medications to avoid any adverse drug interaction.

In the case of my friend, John, his insomnia was brought upon by stress and anxiety. Even when he found a new job, he still could not beat his insomnia. He still had a hard time getting sleep and it almost affected his performance at work. But his new job as a graphic artist in an advertising agency gave him a new perspective in his career. And because he was no longer feeling depressed about his situation, the feeling of anxiety began to wear off. Slowly, his sleeping cycle returned to normal and the stress gradually went away. It wasn't long before he finally stopped taking sleeping pills just to induce sleep.

If you're also having trouble getting sleep, it may be useful to consider these tips on how to get some quality shut-eye:

· Try to stick to a regular sleep schedule.

· Make sure to exercise regularly but not before bedtime.

· Refrain from taking caffeine and daytime naps.

· Keep stress under control.

·

When your best attempts to get a good night's sleep have failed, prescription or over-the-counter sleeping pills may be an option. Be sure to use them safely and only with advice from your physician. If your doctor suspects a sleep problem, he or she will look at your overall health and sleep habits. Everyone deserves a good night's sleep.