Buying the engagement ring

The most widespread of engagement traditions is the groom presenting his bride to be with a ring. Most frequently, the engagement ring is a diamond ring. Even though diamonds are the most desired by brides to be, diamonds are not the only precious stones used in engagement rings. If your choice of engagement ring is a diamond ring, be prepared to spend. The diamond jewelry retail market is a $30 billion market. Over $5 billion is spent on engagement ring in the U. S. market. To the untrained eye, most diamonds look very similar. Most people differentiate between diamonds based on size, shape, and price. A lower price usually means lower diamond quality, not necessarily a bargain. Judging diamond quality requires skill and experience, and it involves grading a ring based on a combination of characteristics such as cut, clarity, color and carat weight. The above characteristics are called the "4 Cs". A diamond's weight is measured in carats, equivalent to one fifth of a gram. Usually diamonds range from 0.25 up to several carats. Weight is only one way of valuing a diamond, color is another. Colorless diamonds are the most rare and they are the most valuable. Colored diamonds with a hint of yellow are more common and less expensive. Diamond colors are coded from D to Z. A D grade is the most valuable and Z is least valuable. Diamonds graded D-F are considered colorless and they are the most valuable. Many reputable jewelry stores do not sell K thru Z grade diamonds. The most valuable color grades: D: Absolutely colorless. The highest color grade, which is extremely rare. E: Colorless. Only minute traces of color can be detected by an expert gemologist. A rare diamond. F: Colorless. Slight color detected by an expert gemologist, but still considered a "colorless" grade. A high-quality diamond. Another essential factor determining the price of a diamond is its cut. Just like color, cut, is equally difficult to judge for the untrained eye. The grading certificate that typically comes with the diamond will give you a good idea. Independent testing laboratories, such the GIA, provide certificates with a diamond's grading from excellent to poor. A certified diamond also means a bigger price tag. The clarity of a diamond simply refers to its purity. Most diamonds have minuscule markings called "inclusions". A flawless (no inclusions) diamond is very rare and valuable, while a diamond riddled with inclusions is less expensive. Clarity is ranked from "flawless" (FL) to "imperfect" (I1 to I2). Most diamonds fall between those with very, very small inclusions (VVS1) to rocks with slightly larger inclusions (S1). If you are willing to compromise on clarity, you can expect to save. To verify a diamond's clarity, examine the laboratory certificate. If you're on a tight budget, try to stay away from the big name jewelry stores. Brand name usually comes with a larger price tag. Buying wholesale may be an option. Normally the wholesaler's core business is selling diamonds to retailers, but they also sell to the public. Because they do not advertise in the traditional methods, nor are they located in shopping malls, you have to seek them out. You will find some wholesalers listed as diamond merchants in the Yellow Pages.

Robert leroy johnson..the king of the delta blues lives on

Probably the most enigmatic Singer and Guitarist of the twentieth Century is now one of the most revered and respected of all Musicians who make up the Genre of the “Blues “. I speak of course about the wonderful Robert Leroy Johnson. Born in 1911 in Hazelhurst Mississippi, in a Deep South plantation, he, in his pitifully short life has become one of the founding Fathers of the Blues. He recorded only 36 sides over a period of a couple of months between November 1936 and June 1937 in San Antonio Texas. These remarkable recordings still bring tears to the eyes of Blues aficionados the world over and shaped the face of the music of today. The post-war Blues of Chicago owe a great debt to Robert Johnson and it is sad to think what might have been had he lived! In just a few short years he matured from a young black guitarist into a superstar of his day. The often repeated legend was perpetuated by his contemporaries that he sold his soul to the Devil in return for his amazing guitar techniques. His story is one of hardship tinged with great success in his own locality of the Delta and women were said to be rendered helpless as he sang his compositions. His death at the hand of a jealous husband at the age of twenty seven robbed the world of one of Americas finest ever Musicians and Blues artists. Years after his death in 1938, a photograph was unearthed, one of only two in existence. It shows not only his inimitable style of dress but quite remarkable slender fingers which helped him to achieve his unique mastery of the bottleneck guitar technique. He is pictured in a chalk–stripe suit which would have been somewhat overstated for a man in his position at that time. When I first saw that photograph the one thing above all else, that stood out were his beautiful long fingers that enveloped the guitar fingerboard and obviously caressed it as though it was a Woman helpless in his arms! What about his subject matter… well nothing much has changed in the passing of time; the age old, painful process of unrequited love; of restless yearnings to move on down the line to pastures new; to unfaithful liaisons; and of course much sexual innuendo . Robert Johnson’s skill as a poet of the time and place is absolutely unsurpassed in my estimation! For sure he borrowed words, phrases, and guitar licks from his peers, but moulded them into something quite unique that not only stands the test of time but has a relevance to today’s Rock music. There cannot be any Blues Band on this Planet that has not been influenced by Johnson and his music and this is a testament to the greatness of the man! The list of recordings of Johnson’s songs by modern artists is endless and forms the backbone of the resurgence of the Blues in the early sixties in Britain and continues to this day! Most of the long lasting Bands of the R, n,B revolution of 62, 63, and on into the seventies have recorded several of Roberts songs. Notable amongst these would be The Rolling Stones, John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers, Cream, The Allman Brothers Band, Led Zeppelin, Eric Clapton, Elmore James, and many more. Johnson’s songs transcribed particularly well to the new Electric guitar line-ups of the fifties and on into the sixties. Probably one of the most popular of his songs, which I can’t imagine anyone not having heard in a modern format, is of course Crossroad Blues. This song was recorded live at the Fillmore in San Francisco in 1968 by the great Eric Clapton and his two buddies, Jack Bruce on bass and stickman, Ginger Baker. This song also featured in Cream’s farewell concert at the Albert Hall in London in 1969. I doubt whether Johnson envisaged this treatment of his song when he wrote it or that his poetry would one day be the cornerstone of the Blues Revival of the Sixties. It is a poignant end to his story that the great impresario John Hammond, who later went onto sign – up a young Bob Dylan in 1962, was just too late when he searched for Robert to appear in the momentous concert at Carnegie Hall in 1938. Robert Johnson was dead but his spirit and his music will live on for ever in the hearts and minds of the lovers of the music we call THE BLUES . © Robin Piggott 2004 Key to the Highway Publications.

How to choose the right website for you

Choosing what you want your website to be isn't always as obvious as it might seem. There are so many options available to you that it really pays to take time out to think about this question before jumping in. Ask yourself what you are actually aiming for in having an online presence? Do you want a personal website, an online shop, a blog or diary style presence? Or do you want to run a forum related to your product or interest, perhaps an ezine with a back-issue website or if you are an artist, photographer or craftworker, maybe an online gallery would best promote you? To help you decide, try asking yourself these questions. Do you want to sell physical goods? Items that have to be delivered by post, such as books, toys, clothes, electrical goods etc are ideal for an ecommerce website. There are many options open to you whereby you can catalogue your items by entering them into a database. This sounds more complicated than it actually is. Most shop building software has a simple interface whereby you can enter items in obvious categories, add prices, sizes etc and postage costs. The add to basket buttons are generated for you for each item. There's a huge number of companies offering you shop solutions for your website but they don't all have the same facilities. As ever, it pays to research and find one that does everything you want it to. Most companies will offer you a free trial and I recommend that you select a company that does. You can choose to buy shopbuilding software to install on your computer, the benefit being that this is a one-off purchase and no recurring monthly payments, apart from your web hosting. Alternatively you can go for the hosted shop option. There are an enormous number of companies offering this. Advantages are that your hosting and website are integral. Everything is done online so you can even update your shop from any computer wherever you may be. These options are usually very simple to use and have good help menus. Do You want to sell downloadable goods, eg. software, music, ebooks? Downloadable products are very hot selling items on the internet. The reason is obvious and it benefits everyone involved. The buyer receives his/ her purchase immediately payment has cleared and the seller has no stock to buy, keep or deliver. Some product examples are music, images, software, templates and ebooks. Ebooks are one of the most popular downloadable products. They are very easy to produce and most people have the ability to read them from their computer screen or even print them out. "How to" books are the most popular by far as they provide answers, solutions and ideas. The internet is used by many as a research tool and people are actively looking for information and solutions to problems. If you can provide these on a popular enough niche topic, your ebook is likely to be in demand. There are several websites which offer you the facility to sell downloadable products, such as Clickbank and Payloadz. A quick google search will give you more options to explore to find the most suitable for your particular needs. Are you an artist or photographer or craftworker? Firstly, ask yourself what your purpose of having an online presence will be. For example, are you looking to have a classy online portfolio or do you want to set up an ecommerce shop where you promote the sale of your original work and prints? Can you design websites or do you have the financial means to ask someone to build one for you? Do you have sufficient I. T. skills to join one of the many online galleries that allow you to upload your work to your own gallery area on their website? Do you like the idea of being part of a larger online gallery but need someone to do all the techy things for you? There are an enormous number of online galleries now but knowing what you want to achieve will help you narrow your search significantly. Do you have a bricks and mortar shop? If your business is in the real world, think about what it is you require your website to do in order to promote or give added value to your business. Do you wish it to be simply an online information post so that people can find more about what you offer or find their way to your premises? If so, you may if that your local government will offer you a free web page or mini website on their main council site. If you want something more individual, then a simple site built with Frontpage or a webuilder is probably your best option. If money is no object, then you can hire a webdesigner and achieve something more sophisticated. Or perhaps you wish to add something extra to your business such as an online, out of hours, ordering system with home delivery. Again, unless you can pay for your site to be custom built, one of the easy web-shop builders is probably your best option. Here are some excellent ones for you to review. Do you want to sell or promote a service? For example, are you a webdesigner, childminder, photographer, plumber, tutor, dogwalker, typist, financial adviser, mobile hairdresser, decorator, gardener, acupuncturist or beautician? The list is endless. If you offer a service whether online or off you will want to reflect your professionalism in a well designed and easy to navigate website. If you are able to afford to have your website designed for you to your own specifications, then this can be a good choice as it frees up your time to get on with actually providing the service you are involved in. This is in option which many cannot afford. An alternative would be to build the website yourself. The advantages to this can really repay the time you put in. To start with, you can update your site whenever you wish, so keeping the content fresh and relevant. Software to help you do this is easily obtained. Dreamweaver and Frontpage are amongst the most popular. I find that the latter is an excellent choice for someone new to web design as it is so intuitive and easy to learn. Having built your site yourself, the only ongoing costs are the time you decide to spend on it plus your webhosting and there are some excellent deals to be had these days. If you feel uncomfortable with building sites, don't despair. There are some fabulous online website builders on offer these days. with this option, your website and hosting are all inclusive. Typically, you will be given a login area where you can select the template, ie. look and feel of your website and add images and information in a very simple step by step way. There is considerable competition amongst web hosts offering this option and for you, the consumer, this means that more added value is being tagged onto these packages all the time. Do you want to build a community website? Websites reflecting the interests of a community or group membership don't need to be sophisticated but it is an excellent idea to have one that is interactive. Being able to post questions and opinions, vote on a member poll or even post photographs will encourage members to participate more fully and can lead to new ideas and renewed enthusiasm within the group. An ideal solution might be a one page website linked to a forum. Some web hosts will offer free websites and hosting for not-for-profit groups and this is well worth looking into. Another idea is to have a community Blog. Again, these are something that permit group participation in posting plus are easy to set up and manage and many are free. Good luck with your endeavours whatever your aims! The internet is a great place to have your own voice.

Finding the best debt consolidation loan rate and common consumer mistakes

As you go about looking for a debt consolidation loan, you need to be aware of some common mistakes that oftentimes occur when it comes to looking for a debt consolidation loan and the best possible debt consolidation loan rate. In this article, you will be presented with an explanation of common mistakes that are associated with seeking a debt consolidation loan and the best debt consolidation loan rate. At the outset, one common mistake that people make when looking for the best debt consolidation loan rate is that they fail to make certain that their credit reports are in good order. You need to bear in mind the importance of making certain that your credit report does not contain inaccurate or incorrect information. The majority of credit reports today do obtain inaccurate or incorrect information. By making certain that your credit report is in order, you will be ensuring a higher credit score. A higher credit score will give you the chance to get a better debt consolidation loan rate when you do apply for a debt consolidation loan. Another of the common mistakes that people make when looking for a debt consolidation loan is failing to look around for the best debt consolidation loan rate. By shopping around and looking at different debt consolidation loan lenders, you will have the ability to get the best possible debt consolidation loan rate available on the market today. You need to know that there can be significant variations in the debt consolidation loan interest rates charged from one lender to another. By making the common mistake of failing to shop around for the best deal on debt consolidation loan rate, many people fail to connect with a lender that will be able to provide the very best possible deal when it does come to a debt consolidation loan rate. Another of the common mistakes that people make when looking for a debt consolidation loan rate is failing to take into account all of the fees and charges beyond interest that are associated with a particular debt consolidation loan. You need to consider all of costs, fees and charges associated with a debt consolidation loan. You need to read the small or the fine print. You need to make certain that you do fully understand all of your rights and obligations of a particular debt consolidation loan and debt consolidation loan rate.

Luggage warranty woes

You've just purchased new luggage for your vacation. It came with a warranty. What exactly does that mean? Do warranties vary from state to state? Does the place of purchase have any effect on the warranty? Will they do the warranty repairs? It is, of course, important to read the warranty. They differ from manufacturer to manufacturer and have different meanings for different products. Save your receipt and product tags along with your proof of purchase. Many people find it helpful to save the carton also, in case the luggage has to be sent to a repair facility or back to the manufacturer for repair. Most of the warranties do not cover ordinary wear and tear or damage by a common carrier such as the airlines or cruise ships. Many also have disclaimers against abuse or mishandling. Additionally, all external parts are vulnerable to damage on any luggage. Leather, moving parts and wheels for example will show wear with ordinary use and may need to be refurbished or replaced. This will not always be covered by the warranty. Many airlines and cruise lines also have disclaimers against claims for external parts. They may not pay for wheels or handles that need to be repaired or replaced. There are very generous warranties attached to some premium brands of luggage. Mosaic Travel Gear has a "peace of mind warranty." They offer free repair or replacement for the first three years of purchase, no matter what the damage is or who has caused the problem. Thereafter, a limited lifetime warranty will cover all manufacturing defects in material and workmanship for the life of the product. Briggs and Riley luggage is another brand with a generous no-holds-barred warranty. If their luggage is ever damaged they will fix it free of charge. You are not required to make an insurance claim or a claim against the common carrier such as the airline or cruise line. The luggage has to be returned to them for the repair. Tumi luggage has a different warranty on the zipper, fabric and bindings. This is warranted for five years. All other components are warranted for the life of the bag as long as it is with the original owner. They do, however, charge a processing fee which covers costs and return shipping. This fee is waived during the first year of purchase. Some warranty repairs are done at the place of purchase, while others must be sent back to the company. Always ask before making your purchase. Claims to a common carrier such as an airline generally have to be made within 24 hours. It's usually a good idea to look over your luggage when you receive it to be sure there is no damage. Most of the popular brands of luggage are made to withstand the rigors of travel. Just be sure to factor in the written warranty when making your purchase. Now you can start packing!

What is a youth fundraiser

When having a youth fundraiser, you need to keep the word youth in mind. Try to make it fun for them, as they will be doing most of the work. A youth fundraiser can be very profitable if done properly. You can get the funds you are looking for and provide fun for the kids that are doing it. If you can find someone to donate the space, then a carnival would be a wonderful youth fundraiser to have. A fundraising auction would also be a big hit. Both fundraisers would cost very little to get together, although you will need a lot of hands on help from the kids and the parents. You will have to organize carefully for either one of these fundraisers to go off smoothly and successfully. Make sure each person knows what is expected of him/her and what needs to be done. Then you’re on your way to lots of fun and big profits with your fundraiser for youth. A youth fundraiser carnival can be put together without much cost. You could have a fortune teller which would only take a glass ball, a table, and someone sitting there in a long dress and a scarf tied around the head. Have a ring toss table, where people can try to toss a ring around empty bottles and have small prizes for the ones that are successful. The youth will really get involved with this type of fundraiser as they enjoy acting and playing the games. Get large cardboard boxes and tape them together for a house of fun for the little ones or have a dartboard with safety tipped darts. Try a fish tank with magnetic fish in the tank and have a fishing contest, borrow a outdoor play set or a few of them and have this as rides for the kids, sell hot dogs hamburgers and drinks at your youth fundraiser these will surely be a hit with everyone. Fundraising auctions are also a neat way to have a youth fundraiser. Have the kids go through the community and collect items that people don’t need anymore. Get the youth themselves to donate any games or items that they don’t need. When you accumulate enough items you can start your fundraising auction. Set your items up in a large area and have a set time for viewing. Once the prospective buyers have seen all you have to offer, you can start your bidding. At a youth fundraising auction it is best to have a set price to start with and anything that is bought above this price is like icing on the cake. It will make it more than profitable for the amount of donations you need. These are not the only choices you have for a youth fundraiser. Have a brainstorming session and you will be surprised at the ideas the youths will come up with. Youth fundraisers can be a lot of fun.

Something to talk about how to reach brand advocates

Opinions Wanted Word-of-mouth advertising is still one of the most effective tools a marketer can wield — consumers trust other consumers’ opinions when it comes to choosing products. For Internet marketers, the online equivalent of word-of-mouth advertising is social media and brand advocacy. Seventy-six percent of online shoppers rely on feedback from other buyers when making product purchases. For products across the spectrum — from laundry detergents to breakfast cereals — Internet users are leveraging social media to connect with other users, who ultimately affect their buying decisions. Who Brand Advocates Are and Why They Matter A recent study by Yahoo revealed that of these shoppers, a certain set — sometimes labeled “brand advocates” — tends to be very influential in shaping social trends and buying habits. “Brand advocates are a group that has always existed,” explains Edwin Wong, senior manager of market research for SearchMarketing. Yahoo. “But web 2.0 tools are giving them more of a voice and extending their circles of influence.” This small segment of the population feels that good brands are worth talking about, and goes out of their way to recommend them. Even though these brand advocates comprise a small portion of your buyers, they’re an important portion because they carry a disproportionate influence among other consumers, and have an impact on your overall brand. This kind of virtual word-of-mouth advocacy is extremely effective, with brand advocates showing a two-to-one conversion rate. Once this group is convinced of your product’s worth, they have the passion and personality to make them your most effective sales force. Connecting Point: Hot Topics To connect with your niche market’s most vocal and influential buyers, you need to find out what their flash points are, and positioning your brand accordingly. Your goal is to take your traditional product, and make it about something that means more. For instance, if you vend nutrition bars, you might market them around ideals like lifestyle, health, and weight loss, which mean a great deal more to end users than just another snack. By connecting with online groups that focus on health and dieting, you’re reaching out to your target audience. Look at your niche market’s hot topics, and adjust your marketing message to speak to those issues. Connecting Point: Portal Sites Of all Internet shoppers, brand advocates tend to do the most online research and examine the widest range of options before choosing a product or brand. During this research process, you have an excellent opportunity to engage them, by providing the most in-depth, persuasive and illustrative information possible and putting it out on as many portals as possible. Portal sites provide social media outlets for users to share their opinions and passions; they also provide marketers a very neutral ground to tell consumers why their products are superior: • There are tens of thousands of enthusiast groups looking for like-minded people who love their brands, and tens of thousands of reviews available on nearly any product. • Blogs, online groups, product review sites and forums allow advocates to find brands and products they feel passionate about. Advises Wong, “These are very knowledgeable consumers, and you really want to engage them while they’re in their research process. You need to use every available means to connect with them, because these are the people that can move product for you and move the bottom line for your brand.”

How to lower cholesterol through diet

How to lower cholesterol through your diet Although most people believe that the trend towards cutting off cholesterol in diets is brought on by the fact that the young generation is dieting themselves to death; it is not so. Limiting the body's cholesterol levels is not only for appearance's purposes but also for health reasons. Cholesterol levels in the body, when at a certain level, can cause a host of body complications and disease that can even eventually cause death. Problems like hypertension, heart disease, and diabetes come in mind. This is especially true with people who are already old and in their middle ages because of the slowing down of the bodily processes particularly the digestive system and the body's ability to convert fats to energy. This is perhaps why most older people, especially those that have weight issues, are being asked by their doctors to lessen their cholesterol intake. What is cholesterol? People have been talking about cholesterol but do they what it is and how it affects the body. Because of news about rising cases heart problems in the country, cholesterol has become an overnight antagonist. Everybody thinks that cholesterol is bad. Actually, not all cholesterol is bad for the body. In fact, our bodies need cholesterol to make bile salts. It is also a major ingredients in maintaining hormonal balance as well as in the production of Vitamin D. Things become troubled when the levels become too high that the cholesterol already clog the arteries, making it hard for the blood to flow and the heart to pump. There are two kinds of cholesterol, the good and the bad. The LDL, which is the bad kind, adhere to the arterial walls, forming plaques that eventually clog the passageway. Saturated fats and the trans fatty kind are sources of this kind of cholesterol. This is frequently found in pre-packed foods like potato snacks and canned goods. The HDL, on the other hand, can lower the levels of LDL cholesterol. This is because the good HDL helps transport the LDL cholesterol from the arterial walls back to the liver where it is excreted out. These are found in nuts and in seafood particularly fishes. People who want to lower their LDL levels are also advised to eat a lot of fruits because of the fiber that they bring to the body. Oats, cereals, and legumes are also great sources of fibers that can help combat the rise of LDL cholesterol, eventually decreasing the risk of heart disease. Factors that affect cholesterol levels Contrary to popular opinion, it is not just the diet that should be taken into consideration when dealing with high cholesterol levels. There are actually a lot of factors that affect the condition. One of these is the age and the gender. Older people are more affected by increased levels of cholesterol because of their bodies' slowing processes. Another factor is the level of physical activity. Exercise can actually help in lowering down of LDL cholesterol. Also, it can help in strengthening the body and in toning the muscles. Lowering cholesterol levels From what was mentioned above, it seems remarkably simple to lower the body's cholesterol levels… that is if one has the discipline to see it through. Just eat right and exercise regularly, avoid canned and pre-packed foods and you are on your way to lower cholesterol levels.

Internet marketing the consumer is in control

I heard someone say recently that marketing is simply an elaborate scheme to take your money by making you feel incomplete without the product being sold. It is possible that this idea matches the way many people think about marketing. However, when it comes to Internet marketing there has been a shift in focus and the tables have been turned. The focus of marketing has shifted the salesman to consumer advocate. That may sound like a conflict in terms, but the truth is marketing for the sake of improved sales often results in a decreased bottom line and a state of distrust with prospects. The truth is we’re all tired of the quintessential marketing tactics that are high pressure and insist we are incapable of leading whole and productive lives without their product and or services. We have ingrained in our minds toothpaste commercials that seem to insinuate that we will be attractive to the most beautiful people if we just used their products. We’ve seen the car commercials that seem to indicate celebrities will be our friends if we drive a certain car and we all come away feeling as if the whole idea of marketing is simply a whole lot of hype about nothing. The Internet places decision-making back in the hands of the consumer. While there are some that attempt to place a heavy marketing hand in consumer purchases most sites have to simply rely on the usefulness and quality of their product and customer service to facilitate an environment where a purchase can be considered. The dynamics of face-to-face marketing are virtually eliminated in Internet marketing. Here’s the interesting part of the scenario; when you remove the pressure all you have left is the customer and how your product can connect with an actual need they may have. If a customer conducts a search for a product or service you can be assured they already have an interest in what you have to offer. You can accentuate the positive by providing knowledge-based content that helps them understand the scope of your product or service and how it may fit their needs. The more consumer centric your business website the better. In previous marketing endeavors the idea was to disarm the consumer and rush them toward a purchase they may regret later. This is what consumers recognize as marketing. When you honestly seek to put the customer first you will likely discover a better response long-term. You may also find repeat customers and referrals. Today’s consumer expects more and will keep looking until they find it. Frankly, consumers feel empowered when they are allowed to make a knowledgeable decision about a product they have researched and feel comfortable with. Consumers can take all the time in the world with the Internet. They can bookmark your website and return to it several times if they want to in an effort to ensure they are satisfied with what they are considering. These customers will also likely visit other sites as well so make sure to present your content with as much authority, integrity and honesty as possible. This works to assure the consumer that you are not blowing the products capabilities out of proportion. With Internet marketing the consumer is in control. Ignore this truth to your peril.

Lewa wilderness trails laikipia plateau kenya

The reasons you should visit and stay at Lewa Wilderness Trails as part of your Kenya Safari Holiday are many. The situation of Wilderness Trails in the wildlife rich eastern corner of the Lewa Downs Conservancy is one of the most obvious, as wildlife viewing is almost the whole point of being on safari!! Wilderness Trails has been entertaining guests in some luxury for the past thirty years. The Lodge sleeps 16 people in eight beautifully decorated cottages with fireplaces and verandas, and it is the home of Will and Emma Craig, who are wonderful hosts. In addition there is a refreshing saltwater pool, and a clay tennis court with racquets and balls supplied. There is a stable full of horses for guests to ride. Guests can relax by the fire in Will and Emma’s cosy sitting room, and feel totally at home, and then communal eating at a large dining room table, makes meal times more like a banquet. Food and drink is included on this all inclusive ranch, and this means full board, wine and beer, plus all game drives and other activities. The food is a joy with home raised livestock, natural spring water, and a five acre organic garden as the resource for the very skilled chefs to create their masterpieces. When it comes to safari activities at Lewa Wilderness Trails, there is a totally professional guiding team to lead guests out every day, but only after customising the game drive to the needs of the guests. As a result the guests see more, and also learn a great deal about flora, fauna, animal behaviour, and importantly conservation. The history of the Lewa Conservancy is explained in detail because of its importance to threatened species. If you want to as a guest you can even go jogging with a Masai warrior, or take a camel ride, and something everyone should do, is to visit orphaned animals to see the Conservancy work at first hand Guests can also go on Bush walks with a professional tracker, using a Game Blind, visiting lewa’s ancient archaeological site, and also visiting a maasai cultural boma, where you will get an insight into their rich local traditions. There are other excursions which cost extra including an air tour of Lewa Conservancy and Mt. Kenya, including trout fishing on a high altitude lake, and a five day walking tour of Lewa and the nearby Il Ngwesi. Other excursions that can be arranged at an additional charge include: Guided tour by air of the Conservancy and Mt. Kenya with a stop for trout fishing in a high-altitude lake, and 5-Day walking safaris through Lewa and nearby Il Ngwesi Whatever you do, don’t miss Lewa Wilderness Trails on your Kenya Safari Holiday.

Help your child avoid smoking

What would you do if your son or daughter decided to start smoking? Maybe your child already smokes. Perhaps you're a smoker and hope your child won't pick up your unhealthy habit. Maybe there is no history of smoking in your family, but you fear that your child's friends might serve as a bad influence. Every day in the U. S., 1,500 kids become regular smokers, one-third of whom will die prematurely as a result. Many young people are driven to smoking through peer pressure or because they watch their parents and role models smoke. For parents who want to quit smoking to set an example for their children, or for anyone who wants to kick the habit, one company has a unique approach that it says helps smokers quit gradually. Safer Smokes Inc. ( bravosmokes) has created Bravo, a smoking cessation product made with lettuce leaves. It has all the characteristics of a tobacco cigarette with three key differences: no nicotine, no tobacco and none of the dangerous carcinogens derived from the additives found in commercial tobacco cigarettes. With Bravo, smokers still get the experience of smoking a cigarette but without most of the harmful effects of tobacco cigarettes. People who use Bravo are able to eventually cleanse their bodies of nicotine. Tobacco use is the nation's leading preventable cause of death, killing more than 400,000 people and costing more than $180 billion in health care bills and lost productivity each year. Nearly 90 percent of all smokers start the habit by age 18. Clinical studies have evidenced the relative safety of the Bravo product when compared to tobacco cigarettes.

Josh groban a bright career

Born February 27, 1981, Josh Groban was an acting student at Carnegie Mellon University when he was offered a recording contract by Warner Brothers Records. His high school years were a combination of general studies mixed with arts training. Mentored by Grammy-winning, producer and director, David Foster, Groban tasted the music business with turns at the 1999 Grammy’s and the 1999 Governor of California Inauguration. Groban’s first album, produced by Foster, was largely classically influenced. He worked with Sarah Brightman in 2000 on her La Luna Tour and was featured on her La Luna Concert DVD. Groban made some of his first national showings by appearing in many benefit performances. He appeared with such greats as Elton John, Stevie Wonder, Don Henley and Robin Williams in the Andre Agassi Grand Slam Event For Children, and in honoring Michael J. Fox at the Muhammad Ali Fight Night Foundation event. He also appeared in the 2001 Family Celebration hosted by President Bill and Hillary Clinton and producer/director David E. Kelley and actress Michelle Pfeiffer. Groban’s 2001 work with David E. Kelley led to a performance on the season finale of Ally McBeal and a role in the 2001/2002 Ally McBeal season. His 2001 self-titled debut album went double platinum within a year of its release. Since his debut, Groban has been busy in the music industry. He performed with Charlotte Church at the 2002 Winter Olympics, with Sissel Kyrkjebo at the Oslo, Norway Nobel Peace Price Concert, and in 2003 at the Vatican for a Christmas performance with music masters Lionel Ritchie and Sting. He has also performed with Celine Dion, Nick Carter, Yolanda Adams, Enrique Iglesias, and Barbara Streisand. Groban released his second album in 2003 entitled Closer and his third, Awake, in 2006. Groban continues to have a strong presence on the Billboard charts and appeals to a wide market.

Fishing in southwest florida 101

I am Captain Sean A Davis with Fish Warrior Charters and I want to give you, the reader some basic information and insight into the spectacular fishing opportunities available here in Southwest Florida. The area that is Southwest Florida begins at its northern most point in Boca Grande runs south through Pine Island Sound, Captiva, Sanibel and Fort Myers Beach to Naples and ends its southern most point in the Ten Thousand Islands. The fishing opportunities discussed in this article are practical for most of this area. Although there are many opportunities for off shore adventures, I am focusing on near shore and backcountry fishing scenes. Catching fish in Southwest Florida begins with catching bait. There are many species of baitfish available including scaled sardines, thread fin herring and pin fish just to name a few. These baits are usually caught with a cast net around area beaches, bridges or grass flats. If you are not proficient with a cast net, shrimp can be purchased from your local bait shop or marina. Shrimp can be great bait at times, but cast netting your own live bait will be much more beneficial. As far as the fishing goes, there are many types of fish available in Southwest Florida. Snook, Redfish. Speckled trout, Tarpon, Mangrove Snapper, Sheephead and Permit are several species that are targeted in the pristine waters of Southwest Florida. The tactics to catch these fish vary depending on the seasons, tidal flow and weather. Trout are a great fish to target for beginner fishermen. With Florida’s vast grass flats and passes, hooking into trout can be a good bet all year long. The grass flats around Sanibel and Captiva can be very productive. Redfish is another species caught regularly most of the year. They are not as subject to water temperatures as some of the other species. To catch Reds, you want to beat up the bushes. Fishing mangrove island shorelines at high tide is a highly effective way to catch these bruisers. Mangroves are found mostly in the Southwest Florida area. Tarpon or “Silver King”, as they are sometimes called, reign supreme in late spring and early summer beginning as early as April through the end of June. These beautiful game fish can be found cruising up the coast of Florida. It is an awesome sight to see schools of a hundred or more fishing rolling on the surface on there way to Boca Grande and points north. For these fish I use heavy spinning or conventional reels without the rods. My preferred bait is live Jumbo Threadfin Herring fished with a 6/0 circle hook. By pitching baits at rolling schools, hookups can come easy at times, but landing these spectacular fish is a whole other issue. The hookup to landing ratio of these Silver Kings in the 80lb or greater range is probably 7 to 1, but the show they put on when hooked will be burned in your memory forever. Tarpon fishing in Southwest Florida should be in everyone's "To Do list" once in their lives. If I had to pick my favorite game fish of flats fishing it would be Snook. There is no other fish that I like to fish for more than these savvy hard pulling line-siders. The best months for Snook fishing are April through nearly November. During the summer months, Snook can found along the Beautiful beaches of Southwest Florida. Live bait is the key to catching these awesome game fish. Small Snook can be easily caught by almost anyone, but it is the giant Snook that haunt my dreams at night. I consider a big Snook at the small end to be 34" or 11 lbs going to 40" and over 20 lbs. These fish will test your patience, tackle and angling skills. As you can see there are many angling opportunities her in the Southwest Florida area. All you need to do is come to Florida and witness it for yourself. Please remember, there are many regulations for keeping fish, so be sure to check local laws concerning seasons, sizes and bag limits. One of the best ways to learn first hand about tactics used to catch fish in Florida is to hire an experienced fishing guide. I have been guiding for years and would love to share some of my knowledge with you. Do not let life pass you by without fishing the flats and near shore coastal waters of Southwest Florida. Book your Fishing adventure today!!!

Dating lying hurts

To impress some one we like, we lie. Because truth may at times make us feel awkward. To make other persons feel comfortable, we lie, otherwise our date may feel embarrassed. Lying, speaking truth and keeping quiet are three positions that we can take while dating. Does lying help? Many of us give some information about ourselves that is wrong. If you are a man, you may mention a higher income figure and women may fudge about their age. Lying hurts in the long term. Let us examine more. Why do we date? Is it only for fun for a day to find out if we can find someone to partner with us for a long time? If we are looking for fun for a day, we should make this clear to our date and let them not expect anything else. Otherwise it can hurt a human being. If we are looking for a long-term relationship, every lie will ultimately get exposed. That will hurt us even more. We might be feeling very uncomfortable during a date. Is it better to say that you are enjoying yourself or to diplomatically say about the real feelings? By lying here, we are giving wrong expectations to the other person. Why does that? One can diplomatically say - I am not feeling very comfortable. Can we cut short today? Some people are liars by habit. They rarely speak the truth and lie as a matter of habit. Such people give wrong ideas to their date and hurt him or her. That is not a good way of doing things. One may not be very truthful, if something embarrassing comes up. But one can surely change the subject or keep quiet. Why lie? Lying hurts not only during dating, but also in every situation in life. A liar always feels threatened that the truth will one day get exposed. Isn't it better to keep quiet or speak truth?

Growing tomato plants from seeds

Tomato plant can be grown anywhere in the world and is thus well known as the plant in every home garden. It has been estimated that almost 90 percent of the vegetable gardeners have this crop in their garden. This is because the tomato plant requires very little attention from the gardener during the time of growth. The important elements needed for perfect growth is enough sunlight, a little patience and adequate water. Tomato is considered to be a summer crop. Select the tomato variety from the wide variety which is easily available. Always check with your neighbors, nursery professionals and other online sources to find the most dependable and disease resistant variety of tomatoes. The soil is to be prepared well before starting off with the tomato growing process. It should be mixed well with compost and well rotten manure if you are using sandy soil. Super phosphates are recognized to be the best nourishment for appropriate growth. Another balanced fertilizer would be 6:3:2 which should be mixed well with the soil before the process. It is considered as the perfect alternative in case of any short supply of manure. It is highly advisable to sow the seeds as early as possible because tomatoes take more than four months to start with the bearing process. In places where winters are cold, make sure to sow the seed in seed boxes which are sheltered during the later winter season. In frost-free place, start out with the sowing process during the late autumn or summer season. Within six weeks, the seedlings attain the height of 15centimeters and can be easily transplanted before the passing of frost. Always be very particular in the transplantation process to choose only the strongest seedlings. They should be planted during the coolest climate in the afternoon. Sprinkler can be used and spraying should be done early in the morning much the sun rises up. It is highly recommended to dust the crops with fungicides so as to prevent the formation of any kind of diseases. Appropriate fertilizers should be used to stimulate the growth of the plants. Day long sun is what the tomato plant requires for healthy growth and perfect yield. For vertical growth, always ensure to plant the crops in cages or stakes. The fruits shall be hand picked when the color changes to red. It can be then ripened by placing on any sunny windowsill so as to prevent them from being eaten by any bird or rotting on the vine. The taste of these fruits are enhanced if they are ripened in the vine, therefore a perfect balance is to be maintained between the taste as well as the ripening process.

Learning to play with free guitar chords

Close your eyes and listen. Is there a sound more soulful and more resonant than a well-played guitar? It’s the sound of life and the sound of the soul. You can make it yours. That is, if you’re up for it. Figuring out how to read your free guitar chords? If you are teaching yourself to play the guitar, you will be reading a lot of manuals filled with diagrams and notations. Learning to read the diagrams and guitar tablature will guarantee your enjoyment of free guitar chords, which you can download anytime from online guitar sites. The daunting task should not dampen your interest because it is actually easy as long as you put your mind into it. Imagine now that you are looking at a blank diagram. The diagram will represent your guitar. The vertical lines are the 6 strings of your guitar. The horizontal lines are the frets. Do not count the last line on top. That is your guitar’s nut and nuts should be ignored, no pun intended. When dots appear on any of the horizontal lines within a fret you are instructed to use the string. The dots will have numbers to indicate which finger to use on a particular string. When the dots appear without a number inside, it appears like this: O – this means you are not going to play the string. You will also learn which finger will be 1, 2, 3, and 4. The thumb is not included in the count, but is designated as T. At first, there will be some difficulty and awkwardness with the fingers when learning your free guitar chords specially prepared for beginners’ lessons. Beginners are advised to concentrate on the chords, the strumming later. As each chord is sounded, listen carefully to the sound and get used to the feel of the chord on your fingertips. Getting the feel of free guitar chords Guitar chords are arranged according to basic chord patterns. The CAGED system represents the major chords: C, A, G, E, and D. This is introduced to prepare beginners for more complex chords. Often, later lessons will bring in the F and B chords and the chords with flats and sharps. When the lessons have finally been learned by heart, the succeeding lessons will be easier. Still, you have to consistently practice with free guitar chords to perfect your craft. When you’re downloading free guitar chords, get video demos to supplement your guitar instructions while you’re at it. By watching how the chords are played, you will be enhancing your playing style. The demonstrator also often explains away the details, and you can view the same video anytime until you have learned the tricks – like switching between chords with speed. As a beginner, you probably place one finger at a time on the strings. This will be cumbersome later when you have to switch chords fast. Make finger exercises a part of your routine to help you touch all the required strings at any given time. This exercise requires placing your fingers on the strings, lifting your fingers, and placing your fingers on the noted strings at the same time. Repetition will help you perfect the skill. Indeed, learning to play the guitar can be a lot of hard work. But then, nobody ever said it would be easy, only that it would be worth it.

The restaurant business how to win

Food is one of the basic necessities of life. You need to eat to survive. For some, it is just that – but for most of us it is more than just survival. Food is a celebration – of being alive, of taste and of our fruits of labor. Although this celebration is most of the time confined in the home kitchen, with the fast-paced world and less time that we have to cook and then to eat – the restaurants serving a wide array of delicious food are increasingly becoming the stop-over for the urbane society. In most parts of the world – the smallest snack cart to the suave seven starred restaurants – food is available for the consumer in ways that were incomprehensible even in the last century. Eat while floating in air – the hanging restaurant – or eat under water amongst the swimming sharks – how about eating aboard a tram or a train or cruise – exclusive restaurants on wheels or on water – celebrate the way that best suits your taste. The business of restaurants hence is a very lucrative option for many entrepreneurs. From small start-ups, family joints to mega food chains – restaurant business is making its mark in the consumer market. Although it seems quite simple to just walk in a restaurant, order the food, eat, pay and leave – running a restaurant and staying on the market when restaurants are mushrooming at almost all the corners of your street – is not quite easy. Starting up a restaurant and keep it running with profit needs meticulous pre-planning and management. The most important points that one should keep in mind while starting a restaurant are: The location of the restaurant - ensure that there is traffic where you are opening up the restaurant. It is not necessary that you have to open one only at the established areas. You need to identify areas that would develop soon as well. Great food, great ambience, great service – the three keys to keep customers loyal to your joint. They should not just visit once, but keep revisiting. There is no great food unless there is a reliable and regular supply chain to support it with. So before you get in to opening a restaurant, remember to invest money and effort in building up the supply chain. Once you have your restaurant all set up, in order to keep it running – remember the following: Don't over promise and under deliver! You may find a number of exotic menus available, but offer only those that your kitchen can deliver. Keep it changing, but don't forget the old! It's good to jazz up your joint once in a while – the dйcor, the menu. But remember, you'll also have loyal customers who come to your place to relish the signature dish or enjoy the old ambience. Ensure that your change does not make the most loyal customers uncomfortable. Most importantly – times change, markets go up and down – but always ensure that your customers get value for their money.

Need a loan for your home business

Very few people can afford to start a business using nothing but the money they’ve got lying around in their bank accounts. For most of us, we’re going to need to get a loan before we’d have anywhere near enough money to invest in starting up. Your Credit History. You might not have realised that your credit history was going to count here, but it does. This is where all those late credit card payments come back to bite you. The better your credit history, the more likely a bank is to lend you money, and the better the rate it offers will be. Bank Loans. Banks usually have someone whose job it is to go through applications for business loans. These people have seen a thousand business plans, and they know what they’re looking for. Take along all your plans and any other supporting material you can put together. Make sure you present yourself at your most professional. Act like the most sensible and level-headed person you’ve ever met. This is, essentially, a job interview: the bank is interviewing you and your business to try and figure out whether it would be a safe place to put their money. Remember that they’re just like every investor, lending you money with the expectation that they will get it back, plus interest. Secured Loans. Of course, you’ll probably have a much easier time persuading a bank to lend you money if you put up something of your own as collateral in case you can’t pay the debt back. Some dodgy banks would really like you to secure your business loan on your house, since they know that the failure rate of start-ups is high and they’d really like to get their hands on it. Be cautious, in case you sign your life away. It is almost never worth starting a business if you can only get secured loans – you’re tying the business’ fortunes too closely to your own. Government Loans. As part of the push to support small businesses, there are now many government bodies that will offer no-interest or low-interest loans to small businesses, a category which includes home businesses. The government lot will obviously be even more picky about your business plan, but it’s still a good option to have available to you. Even better, these loans will often come with free help and advice from the agency that issues them, as well as all sorts of booklets and leaflets telling you the technical details of getting started. Credit Cards and Overdrafts. These forms of debt are a very bad idea. Whatever you do, do not finance your business with personal debt. You’ll have to make a massive profit just to pay back your debts, and it’s unlikely that you’ll manage to both pay them off and have enough money to live. If you can’t get a loan, try to find other investors instead. Friends and Family. Friends and family can be a surprisingly good source of loans to help start businesses, especially if they’re in the same industry themselves – they’ll be more than happy to help you get a foot on the ladder. You might be able to persuade someone to give you the money at a good rate of interest, or even to act as a ‘sleeping partner’, financing half of everything while leaving you to run it all. Be aware, though, that many friendships and families have been ruined by failed businesses. I had a friend who went around raising thousands from everyone he could think of to start a magazine of his own, only for it to crash and burn by the second issue. Be warned. Keep Trying. If you get turned down for a loan, keep trying (preferably at different banks!) You should revise your business plan each time, and try to get as many people as possible to read it – the more people who see it, the more ideas and suggestions you can hear. If your credit rating is fine, then the problem has to be with the business plan: fix it, and you’re set. Good luck.

Crosses and other religious symbols

: Many people use crosses and other religious symbols to demonstrate their beliefs. The use of the cross as a religious symbol predates Christianity by many years. Early religious crosses were found in Scandinavia, where they were symbols of the god Thor. In Babylon, a cross adorned with a crescent moon symbolized a moon god, while a sun god was represented by an Assyrian cross that demonstrated the four directions the sun shines by its corners. Both earthly and celestial states are shown in Hindu crosses. The ankh is a cross topped with a loop that was used in early Egyptian religions. It was associated with Maat, the Egyptian goddess of truth. The ankh can be seen in jewelry today and is still a symbol displayed by many people. Since ancient times in Europe, the representation of a human figure on a cross has been seen. This was originally a pagan symbol related to crop fertility, but was later seen in Christian crucifixes. The first use of a cross in Christianity is believed to be on a mid-5th century Vatican sarcophagus. Today both plain religious crosses and crucifixes are symbols with great meaning to those with Christian beliefs as they represent the manner in which Jesus Christ died. Crosses can be made of many different materials, including precious metals. They are often worn on chains around the neck as jewelry. They can also be displayed in the home in the form of wall plaques or statues. When you meet someone who is wearing or displaying a cross, you will know they treasure their Christianity. Other Christian religious symbols While the cross may be the most popular symbol of Christianity, there are other well-known Christian religious symbols. One that is often seen is the fish. Normally shown as a simple outline, it was originally a pagan symbol representing the Mother Goddess. Other ancient cultures, including the Chinese, the Egyptians, the Romans, the Scandinavians and the Greeks also used the fish to represent gods in their religions. The fish symbol was acknowledged in Christianity by the requirement of eating fish on Friday, a practice that was ended fairly recently. This tradition may have arisen from the early Greek worship of the fish goddess, Aphrodite Salacia. Her followers ate fish on Friday, her sacred day. Another source of the former Christian fish eating practice may have been the Scandinavian goddess Freya. Her name is the source of the present day name for the sixth day of the week, Friday and fish was eaten in her honor. Images of angels and saints are other significant Christian religious symbols. These symbols can be seen in paintings, sculptures and jewelry. Many people believe that angels and saints can have a positive influence on different aspects of their lives and may pray to them for assistance.

Becoming a virtual assistant frequently asked questions

: What is the growth prospect of Virtual Assistant profession worldwide? The virtual assistant industry is growing by leaps and bounds. Initially there were only few Virtual assistants, but, now there are at least one million people situated globally. Virtual assistants both collectively and individually are spreading this concept and many are joining them daily. Many administrative assistants, office managers and experienced professionals have recognized Virtual assisting as an achievable and viable option for them. Why people choose to become Virtual Assistants? The reasons are many. Many people think that it is a lucrative option to earn extra income, while others consider it as an option to have a control over their destiny and some take up because they can spend more time with their family, while some take due to illness and health problems. The internet revolution has enabled people to work from home. Many people become virtual assistants due to their aspiration to earn more, due to their experience and knowledge and also due to the potential of the Virtual Assistant industry. Does any one need a business license to become a virtual assistant? It depends on where he lives. In States like Georgia, every independent contractor or Virtual assistant needs to possess a business license while other States does not require. It is better to check with the local county and state to be sure of all the legal protocols before setting up a Virtual assistant business. Is training necessary to become a Virtual assistant? It all depends on the person. Some would have got all the experience from the previous jobs, while some require to undergo training to gain confidence and knowledge to handle certain issues and tasks. As the virtual assistant industry is growing day by day, the competition and the business require to undergo a training to stay successful. How can the Virtual Assistant business marketed effectively? Virtual assistant business can either be marketed via Internet or offline. When opting the offline method, brochures, flyers, business cards, press releases, postcards, advertisements in yellow page and writing articles are very effective. Through internet, websites and online ads can be used to advertise effectively.

Digital camera rating guide

Many of us use digital cameras to take our pictures for a variety of functions and events. We need a good digital camera to take these fantastic pictures. To help us with choosing a good digital camera we can use digital camera ratings. These ratings will enable us to select the camera that will be suited for our photographic abilities. To see if we have found a reliable way to choose a digital camera we can look at digital camera buyer’s guides, or photography magazines to select the criteria that will help us. These various digital camera ratings will let us see how the different digital cameras perform in value for money, the handling of the camera, the performance of the camera and the various features that can be found. When we look at the digital camera ratings for cameras like Minolta, Nikon and Pentax we need to see the performance of these types of digital cameras in different digital camera ratings. The ratings will briefly cover the aspects of how good the optics in the digital camera of your choice is. The rating should state if you have a digital camera that will provide you with pictures that are clear and sharp. You will also need to know if you are selecting a digital camera that is good for an absolute beginner to digital photography, a semi-serious photographer, an individual who is taking pictures for as a hobby. Additionally the different digital cameras must be useable by the professional photographer. With the digital camera ratings you can also investigate how the camera’s handling is. You will need to what your selected digital cameras, like the Canon Rebel Digital XT, feels like as you take pictures in different situations. This means that you should see if there is any way to hold the camera comfortably. The digital camera ratings will inform you about the control layout. You should be able to read and understand what is on the control layout. With a digital camera rating you can also see what types of features are found on the digital camera. These various features will let you see if there is a menu system that will let you navigate through the different items that you have on your selection of digital cameras. When you look through the different digital camera ratings you should note how the exposure and the metering modes are for the various digital cameras. With this newfound knowledge of the digital camera ratings tucked under your belt, it will become easy enough for you to choose a new digital camera.

Could you send me some literature

...I love this one! The worst part is many sales people actually send it, when often it's nothing more than a polite blow off. I'll give some perspective on this request that will help you get more control of what you spend your time on and help you identify who you should really send literature to. First, let's define what literature really is and then determine the best way to use it. Literature is a marketing tool, not a selling tool! Let me repeat, literature is a marketing tool not a selling tool! What I mean by that is literature should be used to maintain awareness (leave behind after the call) or as a way to make impact quickly on a large group of people to flush out prospects (mass mailing) and create selling opportunities. Literature should not be used as a crutch in a selling situation when a prospect has shown "interest". Pulling out a piece of literature on a sales call will focus the prospects attention on the "piece" rather than on their problems. A request for literature on the telephone will often have the sales person do nothing more than "lengthen the selling cycle" by sending it and forcing an additional follow up call. As I have mentioned a request for literature is sometimes a blow off but it may be a request driven by real interest. Let's create a response that will help to "filter" out real interest from no interest. The key here is to not send literature but get more information. Try responding with: "Thanks, I'd be happy to send/get it to you, was there something specific you were trying to find out." or "There is a lot I can send you were you looking for something specific?" A "real" prospect will have a specific answer identifying what they have interest in. The "impostor" will usually respond with "nothing specific, just send what ever you have". Suddenly, by using a selling tool (question) rather than a marketing tool (literature) we might find out what they are after and have a discussion (face to face) or make an appointment (telephone call). Both of these situations have us moving the sale forward, or making an "advance". If, on the other hand, they have no specific interest at this time you could always send or leave literature as a leave behind awareness piece, aka marketing tool. Next time you get the request "send/leave literature", create a "filter" that will help you determine "prospect or time waster?" Bottom line, you'll stop wasting time and shorten your selling cycle!

Acai wears the crown of the superfoods

The acai berry is is strange in the way that only 10% of the berry is actually edible, the main reason for this is it has a large stone which takes up most of the berry. It is a dark purple berry slightly smaller than a grape, acai is more communally mixed with ice cream, meal bars and also energy drinks. The acai berry requires rapid precessing after its late harvest. The acai berry grows in the rain forests of the amazon in south america and is considered by some as being more than an organic fruit. These rain forests remain untouched by any sort of manufacturing, everything in this region is grown the way it was intended by nature and no mass production is add in any way. Pronunciation of this fruit is "ah-sigh-ee", acai, or euterpe oleracea (arecaceae) has been seen to excell in heathly attributes and greatly aids metabolism. It is highly promoted by Dr. Nicholas Perricone, a health guru and best-selling author, calling the acai a "superfood." It wasnt until the turn of the millenium when the acai berry was dicovered to be in north america and it hails from the palmberry tree. It usually grows in the amazon, the natives of this region cultivate the berry and have enjoying it health producing properties for many years now. Acai is usually consumed as a puree or in a smoothee or milk shake, this drink is more communally served on the Brazilian beaches and tropical resorts, although acai is an aquired taste, as it tastes mostly of wine wine with a hint of choclate. Acai is abundant in anthocyanins, a type of antioxidant that has been proven to combat cholesterol and free radicals, consuming acai has been proven to reduce blood related disorders and relax the blood vessels. It is also a great help in preventing arthresclerosis and is a powerful combatant of cancer. Red wine is healthy for you because of the anthocyanin content from the grapes. the Acai berry has over X30 the anthocyanin than any grape. Aside from anthocyanins, another benefit of the acai berry is an acid called aleic acid which is very good for the heart. Oleic acid also keeps a cancer-causing oncogene (this is found in many breast cancer patents) from acting up, Acai is also great for anyone who has any sort of digestive conditions. Acai is good as a dietary supplement, it is very low in fat and colestrol and yet high in fiber. These benefits are usually found in the skin, the acai skin contains nutrients such as phytosterols, vitamin C, E, manganese, chromium, copper, and even boron as well as a few others including calcium, acai contains more calcium than even milk. In recent studies have been conducted and acai has other benefits other than the ones that have been mentioned in this article such ailments would include a variety of virus's and prostate problems. It also helps improve lipoprotein metabolism and reinforces your immune system. One of the less known attributes of acai is it is said to have very powerful aphrodisiac properties, because of its revitalizing qualities. To produce this aphrodisiac, you need to mix the acai pulp with guarana another fruit grown in south america, although this is the most powerful combination the acai berry can be mixed with any fruit or mixture even milk or beer. Unfortunately now the acai berry is not found in any store in the united states this is mainly because the fruit spoils very quickly, the only way that this berry can be got is thought a frozen or pureed form. In brazil the athletes would take the berry as part of their daily diet and consider it a must for a healthy lifestyle The acai berry is small and although you can find the nutrients that it has elsewhere the difference here is that acai crams all of them into a small space, this has been considered to be a premium way to undertake a good healthy lifestyle. Other benefits of this amazing berry include greater energy, stamina, digestion and mental stimulation. Drink acai in juice or smoothie form also helps you sleep better at night. Acai also includes more proteins than an egg white, it also serves as a revitalizing agent supplying you with the energy of a speeding train, this is a good way to increase sex drive and performance.

Care and repair of garden tools

Knowing how to properly use and maintain garden tools will increase their life, help prevent personal injury, and increase your gardening enjoyment. For example, properly uncoiling a hose will prevent you from tripping or catching your foot in the coil. The points of an upturned rake can inflict painful and sometimes serious puncture wounds when stepped on, to say nothing about the possibility of the handle flying up and striking you in the face. Tools must not be left where their edges or point may be hidden by grass, leaves, or other material. Keep your fingers away from the blades of the lawn mower: merely striking your hand against the blades can lead to a brutal injury. A small, slight crack in a wooden handle can be repaired by wrapping the handle with tape. A glass filament tape is particularly useful for such a job. Splinters in wooden handles of rakes, hoes, and shovels can be cured by sanding the surface until it becomes smooth again; this not only protects your hands, but keeps the cracks from spreading and causing the handle to break. A good way to preserve a wood handle is to apply several coats of quality varnish or to paint it. The metal parts of the tool may be painted, with a primer coat, and two coats of exterior paint. However, any metal part which goes into the ground should not be painted. Aside from preservation by paint, the tools are easier to find when their handles are of a color which makes them conspicuous if left lying on the grass: The color, therefore, should not be green or brown, but a bright contrast to the grass such as red. yellow, blue, or white. The metal edges of shovels, hoes, rakes or other garden tools may become nicked. These may be smoothed with a metal file. Any rough surfaces should be gone over with steel wool or other abrasive which is good for metal. Dents may be straightened out by hammering with a mallet. A wheelbarrow break, in the wood or metal parts, should be repaired at once. Painting the wheelbarrow helps preserve the wood. The moving parts need occasional oiling, to run smoothly. For winter storage, keep tools in a dry spot as dampness could be harmful. Wipe all tools clean of any dirt or grass before being stored. The metal parts should be coated with a mixture of petroleum jelly and light oil, to prevent rust. Caring for your garden tools will help them last year after year!

The deep sea fishing charter

Deep sea fishing is considered a sport where amateur or professional fishermen embark into the deepest parts of the water in search of a catch. The types of fish associated with the deep sea are those that live below what is called the “photic zone” of the ocean. In the deep sea, some of the oddest creatures have been known to dwell. The names given to these fish are just as fascinating, including the lanternfish, cookiecutter shark, anglerfish, and the flashlight fish. When deep sea fishing, you should keep in mind that there are several endangered varieties of fish to avoid during your adventures. Due to the high levels of commercial fishing, species like the spiny eel and the onion-eye grenadier are nearing extinction. What is a Deep Sea Fishing Charter? Deep sea fishing charters are boats ran by a company or individual that will take tourists out on the water for a fishing experience they will never forget. Depending on the time of year, the type of fish you will expect to catch varies. Checking the calendars for the area you wish to engage in deep sea fishing is recommended if this is of concern to you. When participating in a deep sea fishing charter, you can decide whether you wish to bottom fish or troll. Sometimes, both options are selected. If trolling doesn’t seem to produce the results you had hoped for, deep sea fishing charters can pull close to the reef and let you have your way with the fish in that area. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the term, trolling means that you cast a baited line in the water and wait for fish to latch on, while slowly driving the boat. If you have your mind set on catching a particular fish, you should be aware of where they reside. This means you may have to travel quite a ways to hire a deep sea fishing charter to accomplish your goal. There are deep sea fishing charters located all over the globe. Common Deep Sea Fishing Charter Options & Locations Deep sea fishing charters are available in a wide-range of locations about the United States, as well as around the world. Some of the more popular deep sea fishing charters has been established around the Florida area, such as Pensacola, Key Largo, Key West, and Tampa Bay. Additional deep sea fishing opportunities can be found in Biloxi, Mississippi; New Jersey; New Hampshire; Hawaii; Charleston, South Carolina; Orange Beach, Alabama; Cape Cod; British Columbia; and the Gulf of Mexico. More exotic destinations for deep sea fishing include Phuket; Mexico; and the Bahamas. An example of a deep sea fishing charter may include fishing for a full day, which is about 8 hours of fun. Departure times usually start at 7:30 in the morning. Sometimes, 6-hour charters and 3-hour options are available. In the Florida Keys, there is a deep sea fishing charter that offers swordfish trips, where participants leave the dock at 3 pm and return about 4:00 in the morning. The going rate for this selection is close to $1300. There is also sunrise to sunset deep sea fishing options. In Cancun, there are deep sea fishing charters that provide all-inclusive packages. While you are on the hunt for Kingfish, Barracuda, Tuna, Wahoo and Blue Marlin, you will rest assured knowing that you have obtained a boat captain, crew, fishing tackle, bait, beer, soda, water, a fishing license, as well as port fees and taxes, all through one package rate. Keep in mind, after a pleasant deep sea fishing trip, it is polite to tip the crew.

Travel money saving websites on the internet

The Internet seems to have been made for ferreting out travel savings. So many sites that offer information on hotel and transportation vendors exist that there really is a need for a way to compare these offers. And that exists too. There are several websites that will compare tours and individual transportation and hotel rates to any given destination by price and customer rating. Our site is an especially useful website that helps you to create your own travel itinerary. It allows you to store the destinations, hotels, attractions and restaurants you have uncovered and other information for your trip. It is then an easy matter to print this information out and take it with you. Custom maps and driving route plans can also be generated for your trip. Other great travel websites are Expedia, Cheap Trips and Price Line. These are websites that offer comparison shopping par excellence and their resources for discounted transportation and places to stay are vast and all encompassing. Some of these are booking agents that get vacancies from the hotels and airlines and broker them to the public. Others work by buying up a certain number of flights or hotel rooms at a bulk price and reselling them to their customers. In either case, they offer savings that the average traveler would not find on his or her own, or at least not without a considerable number of hours spent searching. Using a travel agent can sometimes represent a savings in travel. They have connections with transport companies and hotels and keep an ear to the ground for bargains. Even more likely to provide travel savings is a travel booker, who works with the airlines, car rental agencies and major hotels to turn their un-booked or under booked vacancies into real savings for the travel consumer. When looking for travel savings, don’t omit going directly to airlines’ websites for specials they may be offering. Cash in your frequent flyer club miles if you have them, don’t forget you may have been accumulating these all along through your credit card. Just 10,000 miles will get you a domestic, round trip economy class ticket. If you are short of this number, most airlines allow you to purchase miles. For a few hundred dollars you may have the transportation segment of your travel solved. This strategy also applies to hotel booking. It is possible that you can apply your airline miles to the cost of a hotel room, or your credit card companies may be offering an incentive with a partner hotel chain that will result in getting great accommodations at an equally great savings. Bear in mind that the Internet is a terrific source of travel savings and the amount you save will probably be proportionate to the amount of research you put in. But, as you leave for your holiday with the knowledge that you have saved enough to take another, or at least a long weekend, you know your hard work was well worth it.

Creative curtains and window coverings

One of the easiest and least expensive ways to transform the look of a room is to change the curtains and window coverings. Instead of using the same old curtain rod and drapes, try putting your imagination to work to see what you can come up after being inspired by the following ideas for curtains and window coverings. One of the most popular ways of making your own window coverings is to buy a designer curtain rod and pinch clips. These pinch clips grip the edge of the fabric and allow you to hang any kind of material, hemmed or unhemmed from your window. A popular look is to buy wrought iron gothic style rods and clips and attach hemmed or unhemmed sheers or a swath of plain fabric. This is a very romantic look that can also be achieved by simply attaching long white sheets, which are much cheaper than fabric from a store. You still get that billowy romantic look without the expense. Whether you use sheers or fabric this look is also very much improved by tying ribbons or ties as pullbacks to enhance the appearance of the window coverings. You can also buy curtains and window coverings that don't require any type of clip that slides along the rod. These curtains, which come in a variety of designs and fabrics, simply boast loops at their edge that allows you to thread the curtain through the rod. It would also be very simple to make your own curtain like this by attaching ribbons or fabric strips with buttons to a length of fabric. Curtains and window coverings made from specialty papers are also very popular right now. Hand made papers and rice papers make pleasing semi-transparent blinds that compliment many modern decors. These are quite expensive in most stores but it is easier than you think to make your own. All you need to do is find a store that specializes in selling handmade or specialty papers. Some of these papers are gorgeous and feature details such as glitter, leaves or threads pressed right into mesh of the paper fibers. Once you buy the paper you simply cut it into the right dimensions that will cover your window. You then string the paper on wire and attach the paper with binder clips. Keep in mind that this type of window covering is best for rooms that still need light but need privacy such as a bathroom. Another way to liven up your decor is to hang hand painted Venetian window blinds. These types of window coverings can be very expensive but you can achieve a similar look by creating a collage or painting your own. The best way to do this is simply take a stencil and spray-paint one solid design on the Venetian blinds. A stencil and a can of spray-paint can also be used to personalize simple roll down blinds with your favorite symbol as well Always remember that your curtains and window coverings define the style of your room. The more elements that are added to your installation, such as pleats, swags, valences and jabots, the more formal your room will look. The fewer elements included in the overall design of your window treatment the more simple or rustic the total effect of your curtains and window coverings will be.

Are we moving back to the future sheet music

: Sheet music is hand written upon paper or printed form of musical notations. In other words, sheet music is the written representation of music. It is also known as score and is used as a guide or means to perform a piece of music. It is very helpful for a musician who is preparing for his upcoming performances. Except in the case of solo performers who need to memorize the music notes, classical musicians usually have this sheet music in their hands while they are performing. It is used to give basic indications of melodies, chord changes and arrangements in jazz music. It is a platform where a new musician can write the music down and serves as a visual record of music. Different types of sheet music includes full score, miniature score, piano score, vocal score, short score and lead sheet. In the 15th century, western music was mostly hand written and preserved as manuscripts. Later, in the 18th century, music was being printed. By 19th century and later, sheet music was available in computer readable format. Then Music OCR, software to read sheet music that could be manipulated made the process even simpler. A music notation program or score writer software is used to automate the task of writing and engraving sheet music. Such score writer allows you to input, edit or print music notes to different specifications. These score writers range from programs that can write simple programs to programs that handle complexities of orchestral music and music engraving. What is digital music sheet? Digital sheet music is very much similar to the printed version of the sheet music but it has certain advantages over the print version. It doesn’t goes out of print so it can be offered in titles that are unavailable anywhere else. These titles could be downloaded for guitars, piano, vocal, violin and other instruments. Find more information at our recommended website music-future

How to make a sizable charitable donation from your ira tax free

If you are over 70 Ѕ years old, want to make a gift for a special charitable project, but your only liquid asset is your IRA, I have good news for you. On August 17, 2006 the Pension Protection Act of 2006 (PPA 2006) was signed into law. This nearly 1,000 page piece of legislation marked the most sweeping changes to the pension arena in 30 years. Let me give you two common examples that contain problems faced by seniors solved by PPA 2006… Roger and Claire are retired. Roger spent his working career in the aerospace industry. He was more than well compensated and over the years accumulated a very large 401(k) plan. The plan grew nearly 500% during one 5 year bull market. When he retired, he rolled his 401(k) into an IRA. Other than their home, the IRA is far and away their biggest asset. For years, Roger and Claire have been supporters of the Humane Society. Their local chapter is building an entire new wing on to their kennels. Roger and Claire would love to make a significant donation—somewhere in the neighborhood of $50,000 to $100,000. Bill and Diane both worked during their entire careers. Mary taught 6th grade for 40 years. Bill was a career military officer. After his retirement, he spent another 20 years working in the private sector. Bill and Diane have more retirement plans than Carter has pills. Like Roger, Bill has a large IRA. When Bill turned 70 Ѕ, he was required to start taking the minimum required distributions each year from his IRA. But Bill and Diane don’t need the income; their other retirement income sources are more than adequate. Nevertheless, Bill must take these RMDs and pay tax on them as income. Bill and Diane have been active in their church all their married life, all 45 years of it. Their church just bought a new organ. It was a purchase of necessity inasmuch as the old (very old) organ was becoming hazardous to play. The organist had to be careful or the organ would start to smoke. So, needless to say, the church did not pay cash for the organ; the majority of it was financed. Bill and Diane would like to pay off the organ. Both Roger and Claire and Bill and Diane are warm-hearted people. Their devotion to charitable causes and their church is representative of the many people who support charitable organizations which reach out to help people. But, prior to the passage of PPA 2006, their generosity could have been thwarted by several things… 1. In both cases, their principal liquid asset was an IRA. Neither couple had other assets from which to make a gift. 2. If the large sums were withdrawn from their IRAs, they would be subject to ordinary income tax. 3. If given to a charity, rules which limit the amount that could be deducted as a charitable contribution would have to be followed. This means that they may still have to pay tax on a portion of their IRA withdrawals. But thanks to provisions in PPA 2006, Roger and Claire can make their gift to the Humane Society and Bill and Diane can pay off their church’s new organ using money from their IRAs and not pay any tax on the withdrawals. But they have to follow the rules… 1. First, you must be at least 70 Ѕ. 2. You can give up to $100,000. 3. This only applies to 2006 and 2007. 4. You can’t withdraw the money from your IRA and then give it to your charitable cause. The transfer must be made directly from the custodian of the IRA to the charity. 5. These gifts, called IRA charitable rollovers, count towards your required minimum distribution for the year. 6. IRA charitable rollovers are not permitted for gifts to donor advised funds and supporting organizations. However, there are some exceptions that apply to funds held by community foundations: scholarship, field of interest, and designated funds qualify. So the first step is to contact your intended cause to see how they are classified and whether or not the law allows an IRA charitable rollover gift. 7. The gift must be a pure gift. In other words, there can’t be any personal benefit strings attached like tickets to an event. 8. You don’t have to report the IRA charitable rollover as income. 9. However, you don’t get a charitable deduction for your gift. Sorry, you can’t have your cake and eat it too. This new law is a real winner. In these two examples, the Humane Society is able to build new kennels and a church pays off an organ they thought they were going to have to finance. The donors were able to make it happen despite the fact that the only real asset they had was an IRA. I hope this law is extended beyond 2007. But like anything new, the name of the game is to communicate what is possible. The law was put into effect in late August 2006, so that didn’t leave a lot of time for IRA charitable rollovers that year. If you, or anyone you know, has an IRA and would like to make a gift, make them aware of this new option. If you are involved in a public charity, help their planned giving officer get the word out. I do not dispense tax advice. It is imperative that you consult with your tax advisor and the charity to make sure it is qualified and that the gift is made in the proper manner.

How not to lose 10000 dollars in the casinos

: For the last several years one Saturday of each month some friends and I would get in the car and drive to Atlantic City for a night of gambling, and it has always been one of the best days of the month. We have never really been big gamblers we usually just stayed with the slots or the roulette table, until six months ago when someone decided we should learn to play poker because that’s where you can win lots of money fast. So we all started playing poker in a weekly Friday night game together till we were good enough to play in the casinos. For practice I would play Online Poker in some free multiplayer poker rooms and eventually I felt confident enough to join an online casino poker room for real money. At first I was losing hand after hand but the more hands I played the better of an understanding I was getting for the game, and every night I started making less and less mistakes and I actually started to win a few hands. After about 2 or 3 months of this we decided it was time and we all drove to the casino to play some Poker. We did ok for first timers, no one got rich but no one came home broke either. We decided that instead of our monthly trips we should start going every Saturday, and soon we would be leaving every Friday after work and coming back late Sunday night Last month we decided to join this small tournament, the buy inn was only a few hundred each and the prize was 10,000 dollars, so we all decided to go for it and to try to start making real money playing poker, and in the end it paid off, I am still not sure how but I won the poker tournament and the 10,000 dollars grand prize. Before the tournament we had all agreed that if one of us won it we would go out and have a big party with the money, but I had a much better idea I decided that I could turn this money into a much larger amount and since it was easy to win the first time it should be easy to do it again. Now from my personal experience I know that the Roulette table is a great way to double your money fast, there were many nights id have 20 dollars in my poker before leaving the casino and I would manage to double it on one spin of the roulette wheel, and now I had ten thousand dollars and could walk away with twenty thousand in just minutes. So against the advice of all my friends I looked for a roulette table where the same color had won three times in a row. Once I finally found a roulette table that had come up red 3 times in a row it I place all my winnings on black and what luck it came out red again and I nearly passed out on the casino floor. Ever since that night I have not won anything I have played. The best piece of advice I can give anyone out there is to not let winning go to your head. If you are up in the casino, go home and enjoy the money. It is important to remember that gambling in a casino or an online casino is supposed to be fun and relaxing and if it is not go read a book or something.

Photoshop video tutorials on file formats

Photoshop files themselves can’t be embedded into a web page. You will need to export your file and save it in a web-friendly format. There are three formats for web graphics: JPEGs, GIFs and PNGs. JPEG: The JPEG format (pronounced “jay-peg”), works best with photographic images or images that have more than 256 colors and gradients, such as the flowers. Images saved in JPEG format are compressed, which means that image information will actually be lost, causing the image to degrade in quality. JPEG Quality: Changing the value in the Quality drop-down box alters the level of compression for the image. Reducing the quality may result in blurring or pixelation, but too high a setting will produce a large file that will take users too long to download. A good approach is to decrease the quality value gradually until you notice the degradation of your image becoming unacceptable. A reasonable compromise will be somewhere around this point. GIF: The GIF format (pronounced “jiff” or “giff” depending on which side of the tracks you grew up) can have a maximum of 256 colors. GIF files support transparency and animation, and work best with graphics that have large areas of the same color. PNG: The PNG format (pronounced “ping”) is similar to the GIF format in that it supports transparency and works best with solid-color images, but it’s superior to the GIF format as it has the ability to support true levels of transparency for colored areas. Transparent PNGs are currently not in widespread use on the Web because older versions of Microsoft Internet Explorer do not support them; however, they’re often used in Macromedia Flash movies. PNGs can produce a better quality image at a smaller file size than can GIFs. Photoshop allows you to save an image as a PNG-8 file (which works the same way as a GIF would with 256 colors) or a PNG-24 file (which allows for millions of colors as well as variable transparency). GIF/PNG-8 Colors: Adjusting this setting reduces the number of colors used in any image. This will usually make the biggest difference in the final image. dither amount and type (No Dither, Diffusion, Pattern, Noise) This setting has nothing to do with being nervous or agitated. Dither refers to a compression technique in which the pattern of dots is varied to give the illusion of a color gradient. Changing the dither will result in a more noticeable degradation for images that involve a large number of colors blended together.

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