Saturday, February 28, 2009

Help Your Teenager Get Organized For Back To School

You can create a better homework environment for your teenager by providing at least six feet of desk surface. The old three foot desks aren?t large enough to hold the computers, printers, cell phones and oh yes, the books, that are a daily part of your teenager?s school life. Teach them how to deal with their school papers, this skill will be used for the rest of their life.

Organizing Solutions For Teenagers Heading Back to School - Tips From a Professional Organizer

Educational tools have certainly changed in the last decade. The old three foot desks aren?t large enough to hold the computers, printers, cell phones and oh yes, the books, that are a daily part of your teenager?s school life.

Many older desks have a row of small shallow drawers and no space for hanging files. These inefficient small drawers usually become junk zones.

Create a better homework environment by providing at least six feet of desk surface. This space will accommodate a computer and leave a large open surface for book studies, homework and special projects. Make sure to leave at least 4 feet of open surface.

Keep the hard drive off of the desk surface as well as the keyboard and mouse if possible. Place the hard drive below the desk and off to the side. Use a keyboard tray. If the desk doesn?t come with a keyboard tray, purchase it separately and install it under the existing desktop.

Stagger two?three shelves above the desk opposite the computer. Shelves that are12 inches deep will fit three ring binders, dictionaries and the printer. The printer shelf will need a groove cut into the wall edge to accommodate the cables. These shelves will hold binders, textbooks and memorabilia without cluttering up the desk surface. U-shaped shelves that have side brackets built in help keep the larger books upright without the need for wobbly bookends.

Install the first shelf 8-10 inches above the desktop and the other shelves staggered above and to the sides of the centered shelf. The space below the lowest shelf will accommodate items used regularly.

If there is a telephone on the desk, mount it on the wall. If there is a cell phone, mount or place the charger off of the desk surface as well.

A small drawer for tape, scissors and pens along with a file drawer will complete the study area. Consider teaching your kids a filing system this year. This skill will be used for years.

A file drawer will help sort papers by subject. This is the perfect time to develop paper flow skills. Work with your child to create a file system that makes sense to them. Possible organizational categories for folders could be: by the subject, by the project, or simply homework completed, current projects etc. Make sure there are extra tabs and empty folders in this drawer so they can easily add new folders throughout the year.

Every summer sort through the file drawer with your child and purge the old papers to make way for new files the next school year. Developing the regular habit of purging old books and paperwork is an invaluable skill and worth the time and resistance you might encounter as you exercise this new habit.

Teach your child how to save and file warranties and manuals for all of the electronic gadgets they own. Again ? a valuable life skill to impart. Do this for your own records and lead by example. Staple the receipt into the front cover of the manual for easy access with warranty concerns.

Install a few hooks on the wall or a coat rack by the desk area to keep backpacks and other gear off the floor.

Help your teenage organize their backpack with plastic folders and small satchels for pens and discs.

There are amazing new organizational products designed specifically for school lockers. Check out all of the magnetic bins and discover all of the endless options for designing a custom locker space. Have fun shopping, you will be amazed at all of the options!


About the Author:

Kathi Burns is a syndicated columnist and the founder of AddSpaceToYourLife! A Professional Organizing and Image Agency. If you are ready to jump-start getting organized or create a new image, get your free tips now atSan Diego Professional Organizer.




Friday, February 27, 2009

2006 US Census: Cape Coral Florida Real Estate 5th Fastest City in Growth

No, there's no Starbucks here. And you won't find a regional mall or any big name bookstores either.

But according to the latest U.S. Census Bureau News report issued on June 21, 2006, Cape Coral Florida remains the ffifth-fastest growing city in the country! Owners of Cape Coral Florida real estate are rejoicing.

Why? Because Cape Coral Florida real estate values are poised to continue it?s double digit growth.

The Census report, released on June 21, 2006, said the city grew at 9.2 percent from July 1, 2004, to July 1, 2005, reaching a total population of 140,000. Almost a year later, 154,000 people live here, based on city estimates. Cape Coral also was No. 5 on the census growth chart in 2003-2004.

Florida had three cities among the 10 fastest growing in the nation: Port St. Lucie (third), Cape Coral (fifth) and Miramar (eighth).

For buyers wanting a waterfront lifestyle, Cape Coral real estate offers miles of canals to the Gulf of Mexico, and is in great demand.

Bordered on the east by the Caloosahatchee River and on the west by the Gulf of Mexico, Cape Coral Florida real estate provides thousands of waterfront property opportunities with access to the Gulf.

Founded in 1970, Cape Coral Florida?s year round temperature averages 76 degrees. Cape Coral can very well be known as the new Naples.

The second largest city in the state spanning 115 square miles, Cape Coral has been coined the ?Venice of the West? as it hosts 400 miles of canals.

Real estate buyers can take advantage of the unique Cape Coral Florida real estate opportunity by locking in at yesterday's prices. Says one local Realtor, ?Instead of saying, 'I can't afford it,' why not ask yourself 'How can I afford it?'

Cape Coral Florida real estate provides abundant lifestyle opportunities to raise a family, start a business, or get a job with one of the new companies that have also recently relocated to the area.

Cape Coral Florida is also a wonderful place to retire with some of the best golfing and boating to be found anywhere.

Considering all that Cape Coral has to offer, it's no surprise that the Cape Coral real estate market is healthy.

Whether it is the boating, fishing, golfing, restaurants, or great weather Cape Coral Florida real estate offers, this beautiful city does not seem to disappoint.

Brad Wozny is a real estate expert! Check out his his latest website on Cape Coral New Homes. There you can find lots of interesting information about what every investor raves, as the #1 place to buy lots and houses in the country! Article Submitted by That Article Guy

Thursday, February 26, 2009

Brian Culbertson Nice & Slow Smooth Jazz Music CD Review

Nice & Slow is the latest Smooth Jazz CD realeased by the highly talented piano playing Brian Culbertson who once again has delivered a brilliant collection of tracks. I?m confident Brian Culbertson fans, and Smooth Jazz fans alike will be pleased with this one.

Brian Culbertson has been a super star in the Smooth Jazz genre for quite some time now and Nice & Slow is an excellent illustration as to why.

Brian Culbertson is one of those musicians that has the ability to just bowl you over with his talent. The kind of artist it?s really a treat to be able to listen to.

This is a first rate CD, delivering a little something for everyone. I give it my highest recommendation. It?s quite simply great listening. A must buy for the Smooth Jazz fan.

My SmoothLee Bonus Pick, and the one that got Sore [...as in Stuck On REpeat is track 8, Together Tonight. This is a great track!

Nice & Slow Release Notes:

Brian Culbertson originally released Nice & Slow on Jun 05, 2001 on the Atlantic label.

CD Track List Follows:

1. Just Another Day - (featuring Herb Alpert/Jeff Lorber)
2. Get It On
3. Nice & Slow - (featuring Sherree/Trey Lorenz)
4. I Could Get Used To This - (featuring Dave Koz)
5. Without Your Love 6. Someone - (featuring Kenny Lattimore)
7. Prelude To Together Tonight
8. Together Tonight
9. All About You
10. I Wanna Know - (featuring Kirk Whalum)
11. Someone - (Bonus mix, featuring Kenny Lattimore)

Personnel includes: Brian Culbertson (trumpet, trombone, piano, Hammond B-3 organ, keyboards, bass, synthesizer); Sherree, Trey Lorenz, Kenny Lattimore (vocals); Dave Koz (soprano saxophone); Kirk Whalum, Jim Reid (tenor saxophone); Herb Alpert (trumpet); Ricky Peterson (Wurlitzer piano, Hammond B-3 organ); Jeff Lorber, Eddie Miller (Fender Rhodes piano); Steve Lu (keyboards, synthesizer); Tony Maiden (acoustic & electric guitars); G. Moe, Paul Jackson, Jr. (guitar); Michael Thompson (E-bow); Richard Patterson, Alex Al (bass); Donnell Spencer, Jr., Oscar Seaton, Jr. (drums); Lenny Castro (percussion). Producers include: Brian Culbertson, Donnell Spencer, Jr., Scott Steiner, Steve Lu, Craig Bauer. Engineers include: Brian Culbertson, Steve Lu, Scott Steiner. Digitally remastered using HDCD technology.

Get the information you want on your favorite smooth jazz songs and artists at http://www.iLoveSmoothJazz.com

Clyde Lee Dennis, a.k.a. SmoothLee is a life long music fanatic, smooth jazz in particular, and does a daily online radio show featuring smooth jazz music that can be heard at http://www.NewYorkSmoothJazzRadio.com


Wednesday, February 25, 2009

USB Memory Sticks: How They Are Useful for Students and Teachers

Students are increasingly being required to have usb memory sticks for school.? Learn how memory sticks are being used by students and teachers alike.







High school and college students often work on different computers daily to complete assignments. And high school teachers and college professors are demanding more and more professional presentations from their pupils. Many students use USB flash drives to store their work and teachers are increasingly accepting assignments submitted on USB flash drives. Why are USB flash drives (also called USB memory sticks and USB thumb drives) becoming popular for academic purposes?For Students:First, students can create personalized USB drives that copy their desktop applications and preferences from their personal computer. When they plug in their personalized flash drive, they can run programs using their settings, utilities, browser, etc. This is obviously a handy feature for students who may work on their own computer, in the computer lab, on a coffeehouse computer, and on their parents? computer all in one week. Plus, many smaller, more portable computers do not come with a DVD device, but all computers have USB ports.Second, though DVDs are less expensive, USB flash drives offer more features that are student-friendly. USB flash drives are much harder to damage. Their case protects them from damage with normal usage, unlike DVDs that require special handling to keep from accidentally rendering data stored on them unreadable. You can drop USB memory sticks without damaging the data stored. Leaving them on the hot dash of your car may warp the case, but usually does not damage the memory. Some USB pens have even survived being washed and dried in Consumer Reports? independent lab testing. Students can carry their personalized USB drives in their pockets, backpacks, or purses with little risk.Third, USB flash drives are rewriteable many more times and can hold much more data than DVDs. Since a student is usually modifying data daily, this rewrite-ability can be a benefit that overrides the cost difference. Another potential cost-override difference is the sheer memory available now on USB flash drives. Today, you can purchase 32GB USB flash drives for less than two-hundred dollars. A 32GB USB flash drive has more memory than some computers and 64GB USB flash drives are also now available.For Teachers and Professors:Teachers and professors like USB flash drives for many of the same reasons students do: durability, reliability, and memory size. They also like the versatility USB flash drives offer.Assignments are increasingly becoming multimedia presentations. When students submit these assignments on a personalized flash drive, they can include supporting PowerPoint presentations, spreadsheets, databases, Flash Media, narration, web links, research, and more along with their main assignment. This allows the teacher to assess their pupils on much more than their paper-writing abilities, which in turn, gives the students more accurate feedback.Teachers and professors are also benefitting from the portability of personalized USB drive assignments. In class, they can transfer each student?s work onto their own USB memory stick, then return the students? memory sticks immediately. Even if the teacher or professor takes all of the USB flash drives home, they can carry all of their students? assignments in their briefcase or attach?. Compare this to carrying home reams of paper each time a major assignment is due. Not only is it easier on the back, but it is obviously easier on the environment as well.Students and teachers alike are becoming fans of customized USB flash drives. They offer unparalleled portability, storage capacity, and reliability. As their price continues to drop, USB flash drives are sure to find their way onto more campuses and into more classrooms.


Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com




ABOUT THE AUTHOR


For more information on customized USB flash drives visit BespokeUSB.com.


Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Know The Pieces In Your Backgammon Set

When you are shopping for a backgammon set, it is important to know what to look for. No two backgammon sets are the same, unless they are made that way purposely, such as by the same manufacturer. Some are fancy and some are plain. Some are cheaper than others and some can be really expensive. It all depends on what you are looking for.

What is great about a backgammon set is that the board doubles as a case to carry the different pieces. The board itself can be made of several different types of materials such as magnetic, vinyl, plastic, leather, aluminum, and wood. Some backgammon sets come included in certain pieces of furniture such as an ottoman or end table. Other sets are very small with magnetic pieces for travel. With backgammon, there is something to suit every taste and a set for everyone.

Because backgammon sets vary so greatly in sizes, shapes, and materials, you can expect to pay between twenty and one-thousand dollars for a set, it all depends on how fancy or plain you want to get. Within the backgammon set itself, you will find a variety of different pieces. Again, these pieces can be made of a variety of different materials such as wood or plastic. Depending you your budget, you can buy sets that are made from the finest materials. If you are really hooked on the game, having a nice expensive set can help add to the experience of playing.

Each backgammon set comes with thirty backgammon chips. Fifteen white and fifteen black chips. Of course, this could vary as well, depending on the manufacturer; they can be of different colors such as two different shades of brown. The chips are typically made from a heavy type of plastic that feels rather nice to the touch and makes handling the pieces fun, but they can also be made from wood and other materials. Typically, most backgammon sets come with two shakers as well, one for each player. They may be of the same color or of two different colors. They too may be made out of different materials, such as wood, plastic, or even leather.

Dice are also standard with a backgammon set. This could mean two dice, which the players would have to share, or four, in which each player would have their own set. Another standard in a backgammon set is the doubling cube. The doubling cube is a six sided dice, which has the numbers 2, 4, 18, 16, 32, and 64. However, most people playing for fun avoid using the doubling cube. The doubling cube generally only comes into play when money is at stake.

So there you have it. Now you have a good idea of what pieces are involved in a backgammon set.


About the Author:

Lee Dobbins writes for http://backgammon.games-webzone.com where you can find out more about playing backgammon and backgammon sets.


Monday, February 23, 2009

Short Sales: How to Deal with Rejection

Buying houses by means of a short sale can be a great way to make significant amounts of money, but they're not for everyone. You have to find a seller who will work with you to persuade the lender to sell the home rather than allowing the foreclosure process to continue. Then you have to submit an offer that's low enough to make a profit, yet not so low as to be rejected altogether.

If a lender does reject your offer, all isn't lost. The first thing to do is to try to determine why your offer was rejected. There are many possible reasons, and if you want the sale to go through, you must job find out exactly what the lender wants in order to make the sale happen. Here are possible reasons.

First, your offer may simply have been too low, which meant the lender would be taking too big of a hit by accepting it. They also may believe they can do better once the foreclosure has been completed, or since loans are often sold to investors, it's also possible that the holder of the note wouldn't accept the loss.

Perhaps the borrower's financial difficulty wasn't stated strongly enough to make a persuasive case for a short sale. If that's the case, the lender might want to work out an alternative payment schedule with the homeowners rather than entering into a short sale.

Since most lenders will require a broker's price opinion (BPO), make sure your offer is somewhere near that figure. Otherwise, a lender will be convinced that they can do better on the open market once the foreclosure is complete.

There may be other reasons, but the number one reason short sale offers are rejected is simply because they're too low. After all, lenders are in business to make a profit, and even when appears there's no profit to be made in a particular home; they want to cut their losses as much as possible. So don't get greedy. You'll rarely be able to steal a home, but you can often get a substantially lower price than you would on the open market.

One of the best ways to avoid coming in too low is simply to ask the lender how much they hope to net from a short sale. They may not tell you, but you'll never know if you don't ask. Even if you don't get an answer in the beginning, you'll have another chance to ask before they make a counteroffer. Be courteous, but emphasize that you're really hoping to make the sale happen. Again, you may be surprised by the figure you receive, and if it's acceptable, jump on it. Don't kill your sale by being too greedy.

If your short sale offer is rejected, don't give up. Probe for more information about why your offer didn't fly and then try to satisfy whatever they ask for before making your counteroffer. You won't be stealing the home, but there's often plenty of profit to be made.

Copyright ? 2006 Jeanette J. Fisher

Learn how to fix houses for flipping or higher rent with the Design Psychology edge.

Author Jeanette Fisher teaches interior design psychology, home staging, and real estate investing.

http://www.doghousetodollhouse.com

Sunday, February 22, 2009

What Is Foreclosure?

Foreclosure ensues when the owner of the home or property is in default of making regular repayments of a loan. The borrower would not only lose the home or property in question as he/she is in breach of the mortgage agreement, but also credit-worthiness.

The loss occurs as the lender, who would be a bank or other creditor, would repossess the home or property by due process. The process could be judicial when it is called judicial foreclosure or direct take-over by the mortgagee or his agent.

Both processes involve auction, by which the lender gets his full settlement of the loan given to the original borrower. In the judicial foreclosure process, the sheriff notifies the auction as applied for by the lender. The auction takes place in the court hall, which is a matter of formality.

When the bank repossesses the property, it would be put up for sale to settle the debt. If there is any extra amount available, it would go back to the original owner.

In the direct foreclosure, the lender or his counselor gives notice to the mortgager and subsequently auctions the property. Sometimes, the owner of the home or property has to be evicted.

The buyer of the property in question would have to get a decree for possession.

The priority of the borrower, who fails to pay off the installments regularly and gets notice of foreclosure, should be to somehow stop foreclosure by banks or secured creditors with whom he/she had a mortgage or deed of trust.

In the event of foreclosure, it would be difficult for the borrower to get further loans. Numerous firms, lawyers, and counselors are available to offer assistance to the defaulter to suggest ways to ward off foreclosure.

Sometimes, the lender would be prepared to amend the mortgage deed, enabling the borrower to continue to possess the property, with changed terms of repayment.

Foreclosure is the ultimate weapon in the hands of the lender, which takes away the property and reputation of the lender.

Stop Foreclosure provides detailed information on Stop Bank Foreclosure, Stop Foreclosure, Stop Foreclosure Assistance, Stop Foreclosure Loans and more. Stop Foreclosure is affiliated with Foreclosure Listings.

Saturday, February 21, 2009

Resell a Miami Real Estate Home in Just a Few Steps

As soon as prices go up in Miami, more and more investors and even home owners decide on selling their property for a fortune so they could get yet another quality home from one of Miami?s real estates. But this is never easy. Often times, sellers want to receive lots of cash for their property, but not all of them would do anything to make sure they would get what they planned for. The market today especially in Miami real estate business, is so aggressive that?s why it is so important to have the place in proper order and in a competitive status.

Realtors classify second houses into a stated house and a on-staged house. The main difference between the two classifications in Miami is the price the buyer is willing to shell out for the property.

If the property is sold ?as is,? then the seller can name a price that maybe preferred. However, if the buyer does not see the cleanliness then money to be paid is also trimmed down from the original asking price. This is true for every blemish they see. That is why it is important to prepare the home and really clean the house to get the full price.

Better begin with cleaning the exterior part of the house. The outside of the house often gives the first impression and believe it or not, there are more than a hundred things that fail to be noticed. Keep all the tools and other equipment in the outside, especially the toys and the sweeping materials in the sidewalk organized by putting them in a storage box or the toolkits.

Show the beauty of the Miami house and take away the trashcans out of the visible areas during the tour. Make sure that the porch light are working bright for the house lighting plays a major role in making a person feel special or uneasy in a house and don?t hesitate to buy new door mats if it?s really needed.

Check the doors and the glass windows. They should be spotless. The frames should also be cleaned including the switches of lights and outlet covers. Put all the dirt and garbage away but never damp the clutter inside the closets.

Also polish the kitchen counters and see to it that there are not clutters on top as well. Hide the other appliances in an organized way especially the papers and other stuff not really meant for the kitchen.

Most importantly, make sure that all doors and windows especially the sliding ones are working smoothly. Vacuum the carpet and remove the visible stains. Replace all dirty curtains to show the view of Miami. In taking these simple steps, it is safe to assume that reselling a Miami home in one of Miami?s Real Estates will be next to a hundred per cent. Keep in mind that the property to be sold must look like it was really cared for and will need the same care from the new homeowners.

Cleo Capili

http://www.miamirealestateinc.com

Florida Real Estate Expert Cleo Capili specializes providing assistance to buyers in Florida. She guides families who would like to invest and purchase their dream home in the exciting warm paradise of the Real Estates in Florida. Her skills in negotiating and inventory to make sure that sales and experience bring out the best for each purchase sets her apart from the different common realtors in her location.

Cleo have good background in marketing, business, real estate financing, and advertising to give clients the best options when buying a Florida property. No matter what your needs are, Cleo could share her professional and interpersonal skills for outstanding results on each of your property purchase in Florida.

Friday, February 20, 2009

7 Tips to Real Estates' Agent Success: Tip Number 3 Research Your Market Plan

The real estate agent is responsible for his or her marketing expenses. Therefore, doing the research specific to the marketing plan within the strategic plan is critical to earning a positive return on investment. Time spent in constructing the marketing plan is definitely well spent. NOTE: Remember a business plan usually is financially data driven, while a strategic plan not only integrates financial data, but identifies who does what by when through specific W.H.Y. S.M.A.R.T. goals.

Hopefully by now, if you are a real estate agent, you are beginning to embrace the idea that you are a small business owner. Every successful business requires a planning attitude along with a strategic plan. Within that plan, there should be research on your market including:

  • Potential marketplace
  • Strengths and weaknesses of the competitors
  • Strengths and weaknesses of your own business which means YOU
  • Your products and services
  • Segment or niche market opportunities
  • Any competitive advantage

This market plan is a big picture and you should not become bogged down by minute details. Estimating the market place is OK. Use the Internet to research your competitors and talk to anyone who has sold or bought real estate property. Even these informal and subjective conversations will help you better understand your marketplace.

Also take an inventory of the marketing tools with your marketing toolbox:

  • Business Cards
  • Prestige Pieces e.g. Brochures
  • Referred Lead Prospecting
  • Trade Shows
  • Newspaper Advertising
  • Radio Advertising
  • Television Advertising
  • Breakfast Clubs
  • Seminars or Workshops
  • Customer Relationships Management (CRM)
  • Lead Generating Organizations
  • Advertising in a professional organization e.g. Chambers of Commerce
  • Paid Leads List
  • Marketing Assistant
  • Give-Aways

The tools within your marketing toolbox should be in alignment with your overall marketing strategies that were developed from your market research. A well developed marketing plan will enable you to spread your message to your target market and ultimately help you work smarter not harder in realizing more paid commissions.

P.S. Read 7 Tips to Real Estate Agent's Success: Tip #2 - Embrace a Planning Attitude

Leanne Hoagland-Smith quickly doubles results for her clients from individuals (small businesses owners, entrepreneurs and young people) to large organizations by creating executable strategic action plans along with the necessary business skills to pull it off. By closing the gap between today's unsatisfactory performance to tomorrow's goals, limited resources are maximized with waste including time being reduced. Please feel free to contact Leanne at 219.759.5601 or visit http://www.processspecialist.com/ and explore how she can help you.

One quick question,if you could secure one new client or breakthrough that one roadbloack holding you back from success, what would that mean to you? Then, take a risk and give a call at 219.759.5601 to experience incredible results.

Mention that you read this article and receive the complete E-Book Top 7 Tips to Real Estate Agents' Success.

P.S. If you are seeking an affordable speaker for that special event, Leanne may help fit your current speaking need.

Thursday, February 19, 2009

Decide: How To Avoid Disaster

Where do you want to be in a year? In five years? In ten years? Is what youre doing now -- the way youre living, your friends, your habits, your focus -- Are all of these things moving you in the direction of your goals? How does it look?

Are your habits the kinds of habits that the person youre going to be in two years would have? Are your friends or associates, or whatever you call the people you hang out with the types of people the you youre going to be in five years will want to know and be with?

What about the things your mind gets hung up on? Your focus. Do you even know what your focus is?

If you and I were sitting together right now (and pretend we are) What would your answer be if I asked you where youre going? What are you focused on accomplishing or achieving? You are certainly focused on something. Either consciously or your subconscious has chose something for you. Which is it in your case? Did you choose or has the world chosen for you? Have you taken 10 minutes and made a conscious decision about what the definition of your life is going to be? Thats really all it would take. In reality, even less than that. Think about it. Have you ever been so fed up with something that at one point you just decidethats it, no more. Ive had it! How long did it take you to come to that decision? The real truth is you did it in an instant. It may have taken you years to get to the point where you decided to decide but, the decision itself was made in an instant. A second. You have that same force, power and ability to get yourself moving in the direction of your choosing at any given moment if you would but decide to do so.

Dont be one who gets ten years further down the road and be left thinking, wondering, wishing you had decided to do something. Do it now. Decide.

A special note to my friends.

I appreciate you all. Thanks for putting up with me. I appreciate each one of you for allowing me to sharpen you, and even more than that Im thankful for the constant sharpening stones you are to me. You know who you are. Youre the ones I hear from one way or another each week with your Clyde, youre insane Emails and calls. Youre the ones who know and understand why I enjoy hearing that statement. Or the far to infrequent good one comments. I do what I do for you. I hope it helps. Im glad it does.

I want you to know that more and more Im feeling that its our time, yours and mine, to do something GREAT. Weve played around at these lower altitudes and attitudes long enough. Its time to step out away from the herd. Its time to fly. This past week I scribbled this note to myself its time you went out and did something GREAT. If youre in this group, this inner circle, Im glad you are. Im going to need to hear from you more than ever in these coming days and weeks as we take on this new and rising wave.

If youre not in this group what are you waiting for? Join in. Participate. We need you. What youre holding back could be the one piece of information that were all needing. I challenge you to step up and step out this week. Wade in. Let me know whats on your mind. Put it out there. We need your help. I need your help.

Its time you went out and did something great! Its time to do that thing youve been wanting and getting ready to do. Its your turn. Its your time. No more waiting.

Live some. Love some. Learn some. Everyday.

C...

About the Author:

Clyde Dennis, a.k.a. Mr. How-To has been writing and publishing Articles and Newsletters online since 1999. Clyde's company EASYHow-To Publications provides How-To information on How-To do, be or have just about anything one can imagine. For more information visit http://www.EASYHow-To.com. Email correspondence for Clyde should be sent to: cdennis at easyhow-to.com

Starting Over.Fatimah Musa

worked hard for the past 17 years. I felt I had to. I only finished high school. Without a certificate to flaunt and yet wanting to climb the corporate ladder, I dedicated my effort and time to my work. I was proud of myself. At 40 years old I had reached a managers position.

The day came when I was handed the letter. Why did the company fire me? Was I not good enough?

It was a massive blow to my ego. My questions only brought back anger. I was not resourceful and I could not see any positive meaning to it.

As I thought about it longer, I became more angry and annoyed. Then the emotions turn into fear.

What can I do now? Who would employ me? At this age and with a lack of education, how could I get another job?

I was becoming an unendurable person. My relationship, which was already on the rocks suffered further.

I was no longer the person I used to be. I complained and whined. I lost the confidence in myself. I could not see myself in any other way but a wimp.

I avoided friends and ignored and neglected my partner. There were no more constructive conversations between us. He was getting on well with her career and moving upwards.

And the more I saw him succeeding the more I felt bad about myself. I was ashamed of myself. I thought that I was not good enough for him anymore. Finally he has had it. He walked out of my life.

Not only have I lost my job. I also have lost someone whom I thought was the one for me. More resentment and self-pity came over me. I was angry with him. How could he leave me if he had loved me?

I was not only broke but also alone. I was so broke that I could not afford my own home.

The finance company repossessed my car. I had no material things left except my clothes in my luggage and a few books.

It has to take two crisis to make me wake up to my senses. I had to change immediately. That was the only choice I had.

Losing your self-confidence is bad. Losing your self-esteem is worse. Losing your self is a disaster. Until...

I decided to change...in my thinking.

I have to meet my basic need first, food and shelter. The company I went to offered lodging so I took the job that paid only a quarter of what I used to earn.

Alone and still broke...but this time I looked at what I had left.

Change does not come easy. Recovering your self-confidence and your self-esteem is an attitude and mindset that needs discipline.

You need to develop the disciplines that can boost your trust in yourself again.

Admit that you have messed up.
Whatever happened, has happened to someone else too. It is how you make out of it that matters. You either let it go and move on or wallow in self-pity. If you had taken the second option as I did, you will realize that your life would be messier than when it started.

It is not too late. Admit your mistakes, forgive yourself and move on.

Write down realistic goals.
When your self-esteem plummets, it is tough to see bright, colorful pictures of yourself smiling at your achievements. Set several realistic goals to start with. For a start, these were some of my goals...

Put on 5kg.
Lost that. I was looking very thin and gaunt for my height. I need to lift my self-image. Cut smoking to 10 cigarettes a day.
I cant afford more anyway
Read 1 hr daily.
Got to feed my mind with something positive.
Take 20minutes walk in the park a day.
I needed some fresh air and away from the cramp abode of mine. Keep a journal.
I shunned friends so at least I could use this to pour out my feelings. Record my activities.
I must make full use of my time.
Pray and meditate.
Somehow, I know I am not alone.
I worked on them and made certain that I followed the disciplines. It felt good to strike out each activity daily.

And when the good feelings enter again, I added more goals to my list. Slowly but surely, I began to feel good about myself again.

Interrupt the negative self-talks and critics.
Your self-talks will not stop and mostly they are negative and criticizing. This is a challenge especially when you are trying and working hard on yourself.

Learn to listen to them. Catch them in the act. Remove, cancel, and delete. Do whatever within your power to fight back.

Its funny how you could move away from people who criticize you. At times you can even tell them to shut their mouth up and you cant even tell your voices within to leave you alone.

You need to be aware. You must listen. Then when you hear, you could either so gently tell the voices to leave you alone.

Or, if the voices are softly whispering, tell them firmly to get out. Consciously now, speak something out loud or within yourself that you are worthy.

However and whatever you say, feed your ears and your mind with encouraging words like I love myself. Isnt it better than hearing it say over and over again how hopeless you are?

Remember and recall successful and positive experiences. If you really try, you will be able to remember a few of your success. I sat down in a elaxed mode and at first have to force myself to think of one experience that I was proud of.

Soon enough, I found out that I had quite a number of beautiful experiences.

There was a time when I was given 3 promotions in a year. I remembered the time when I sat with my friends watching the sun setting on the horizon. I recalled my first experience snorkeling and seeing the beautiful and colorful fishes under the sea... in spite of my fear of water. The day when I first saw my niece one hour after she was born When you can play back these memories and experiences, you will realize that you have had great times many times over.

Why rewind and play the sad and dis-empowering movies in your mind? Will it make you feel good?

If not discard them just as easy as throwing photographs that we do not wish to look at.

This is a minds game. We can decide what to do with our mind.

Richard Bandler stated that the brain is his favorite toy. Lets make that ours too. We have them too dont we?

Keep a journal.
This can be therapeutic. You can write down what you think and feel.

No one is going to correct your grammar. No one is going to argue about it. This is because no one is going to see it. It is yours.

Why let those words keep voicing out in your head. Write them out. Say what you want to say.

And maybe laugh at some of them when you sit back and read them many months later.

Write down your activities too. How much time did you spend sleeping? What time did you get up?

What was the first thing you saw when you got up? Whom did you meet today and how long did you use your time for socializing?

How many push-ups did you do today? What ideas came to your mind today? What have you learned at work? What can you do to improve your income?

Read and listen.
When I first started out again, I did not have many friends. My weekends were quiet. There were moments when I dreaded just the thought of it.

I did not have many books to read and I did not have much money to buy them. So I spent my time at the public library.

Reading motivational and inspiration books helped me especially at those times when I was down and out.

I read and read. It has kept me inspired and my interest in other subjects has broadened.

After a while I started to listen to motivational tapes. I fed my mind. I was determined to make my life work.

Pray.
When you are down and out, and you think that no one is there for you, think again. As the saying goes, you are invisibly being watched over.

Fatimah Musa provides information, tips and quotes written to help people become aware that any future growth starts with their personal growth. You can visit Fatimah at http://www.about-personal-growth.com


Wednesday, February 18, 2009

World Traffic Safety Symposium Awards Volvo For Child Booster Cushion System

Volvo Cars? new booster cushion system is the automaker?s gateway to get the World Traffic Safety Symposium awards. The new system from the automaker is engineered to help protect children who have outgrown their toddler seats.

At the 2007 World Traffic Safety Symposium, a panel of judges from the Dept. of Transportation, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the Automobile Association of America Foundation for Traffic Safety, the National Road Safety Foundation, and the New York Police Department Traffic Safety Division awarded Volvo the first prize in the Automotive Manufacturer category for this innovative safety feature. The award stands among three other safety acknowledgements: Public Service, Media Activity and Aftermarket Product Design.

The Swedish automaker has contributed several safety milestones in the industry including the Volvo brake caliper, seat belts, and airbags among many others. The latest, so far, is the booster cushion system which is a combination of the tougher side body structure, load limiting seat belts, inflatable curtain and other reliable parts to deliver a distinctive engineering solution that ensures safety and comfy travel experience. Volvo?s innovation is the world?s first two-step integrated booster cushion. This is why it deserves to receive a prestigious international commendation.

Our goal is to help protect occupants. This award acknowledges our efforts to help protect our smallest passengers, our children, noted Thomas Broberg, the Senior Safety Advisor for the Volvo Car Corporation in Sweden. This new seat, in conjunction with our refinements in side body structure and the inflatable curtain will have a significant reduction in child injuries.

The seat belt positioning is one of the essential considerations when ensuring safety of children of different heights. Several studies have shown that proper positioning with the use of a booster cushion helps lessen abdominal injuries caused by the child slipping under the seat belt. Field data in several studies supports these findings and stresses the significance of booster seats. Studies point out that the booster be designed to hold the belt snugly across the pelvis or thighs during a frontal impact.

The overall effectiveness of booster seats is estimated as 31 percent as compared to utilizing only a seat belt and as high as 75 percent as compared to no restraint at all. Getting all children of appropriate age and size to use booster cushion delivers a potentially noteworthy safety benefit.

According to a study carried out by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 39.5 percent of the 664 children inspected in belt-positioning booster cushion were considered as critical misuse. The most common misuse was improper fitment of the shoulder belt followed by loose belt, improper fit of the lap belt and inappropriate age/fit.

We took into account the child's physical size and weight, seat belt misuse, child physiology, along with redesigning our vehicle side body structure and side impact inflatable curtain to come up with this new integrated two-step booster seat, said Broberg. There will be better fitment of our three-point seat belt, a wider age and weight range, and better attitude for the child who can now easily see outside with the added benefit of reducing driver distraction. Hopefully we will hear less often: 'Are we there yet?'

Glady Reign is a 32 year old is a consultant for an automotive firm based in Detroit, Mi. she is a native of the motor city and grew up around cars hence her expertise in the automotive field. You can visit Volvo brake caliper for more information.


Tuesday, February 17, 2009

New Mom and Research Freak Shares Her Findings

During the long months of my pregnancy, I spent HOURS researching every little thing related to my growing belly and the life within it. This included performing hundreds of Google searches, polling every friend who had children and buying all the popular books. I had to know about everything from what to eat [and NOT eat!, what labor would be like [ack!, which stroller I should get, what diapers I should buy and so on. After all, this was going to be my first baby, and I had SO many questions! I wanted to be a good parent, of course, so I set out to learn and know everything I could. Quite an undertaking!

I must say, my diligent research did [and continues to pay off. We have been thrilled with almost every purchase, especially the major ones. During those painstaking hours of Google search after Google search, it would have been very helpful to find a thorough list of recommendations, though. Therefore, I have complied all of my findings here -- in case it saves YOU some time, and you find it valuable.


Books I Recommend

The Girlfriends' Guide to Pregnancy: Or everything your doctor won't tell you
For first-time mothers-to-be, this candid, funny and very reassuring guide to pregnancy is just what the doctor ordered - or would if he/she knew about it. This book was GREAT! I would recommend it to every first time mom.....but only if you really want to know what you're in for...the whole truth and nothing but the truth! I like being prepared, and the thought of giving birth was one of my biggest fears...I'm not sure if I was more worried about the pain or humiliation of the entire ordeal! This book answered sooooo many of my questions, and since I read it early in my pregnancy, I had many months to mentally prepare for the ig day.

The Girlfriends' Guide to Toddlers
I haven't read this one yet, but if it's anything like the Guide to Pregnancy, then it will be well worth the read!

What to Expect When You're Expecting, Third Edition
I've heard mixed reviews on this book. I felt it was a worthwhile reference regardless....especially when I started having Sciatic Nerve issues in the seventh month! I think some people feel it causes problems and concerns for the new mother, and maybe it does for some. I only used it as a handy reference and didn't read the entire book.


Products I Recommend

Stroller/Carrier:
Cortina Stroller - Explorer (6495686)
Why do I recommend these products?
We checked out many different strollers/travel systems including Britax, Peg Perego and Graco. We couldn't agree on any of them! We both felt the Britax one was clunky and hard to open/close. The Graco was way too heavy, and I didn't like the handles on the Peg Perego.

During yet another shopping trip, the Chicco was recommended by a Babies R Us employee. Hallelujah! My husband and I both loved it right away! It's rugged, yet lightweight. It's easy to open and close [unlike the Britax and will stand up on its own, once closed and locked. It was very easy to assemble, looks good, cleans easily, works great....I haven't found anything I don't like about it!

Pair this great stroller with the Chicco KeyFit Car Seat. We bought these together as a travel system and purchased the second base for my husband's truck. Well worth the $350 we paid! Although my son is about to grow out of his carrier, he'll be using that stroller for years to come. And the carrier looks brand new, so I'm sure I can sell it and the two bases and recover a decent portion of the amount we paid.

Carrier Accessory:
Original BundleMe
Why do I recommend this product?
We live in Ohio where it gets rather cold during the Winter. Brrr! The BundleMe fits rather nicely in the baby carrier and is soft and toasty warm. Our baby loves it! And we don't have to put bulky coats on him or worry about comprising his safety.

Highchair:
Polly Highchair - Explorer
Why do I recommend this product?
You're going to notice a theme here.....we like Chicco products! Since we loved our stroller and carrier so much, we decided to start our quest for the perfect high chair by looking at Chicco's product. Again, it blew the others away, as far as we were concerned. Cleans up easily, reclines almost straight, has two tray liners and folds up very slim. What's not to like?

Play Yard:
Chicco Lullaby Play Yard Explorer - 6445386
Why do I recommend this product?
This is another great Chicco product! There are so many things it does. There's a flip down changing table, an activity mat, a bassinette and the play yard. It also has a night light, music and vibration. Folds up really small, so it's great for travel! We've used it on several trips to visit family.

My only recommendation or change? The mat where the baby sleeps or plays seemed rather hard to us. So, we bought a piece of memory foam at Target for about $19 and cut it down to size. We put that under the mattress and had a baby who slept very well!

Baby Carrier/Sling:
Ergo Baby Carrier
Why do I recommend this product?
Originally, we were going to get the Baby Bjorn, and I had it listed on my registry. However, a doctor friend recommended this carrier instead. I did some research [shocking, I know! and read numerous reviews -- they were all glowing. So, we went ahead and purchased this carrier versus the Baby Bjorn.

Now, although I like the carrier, I did have some trouble getting it on at first. We ordered the infant insert, and I had to read the instructions to figure out where baby was supposed to go! It was very comfortable once I got it on and adjusted the baby. And he definitely loved being so close to Mommy.

Breastfeeding Stuff:
* Boppy Bare Naked
* Medela New Pump In Style Original Breast Pump
Why do I recommend these products?
Oh boy, breastfeeding was a MAJOR challenge for me! My mother and older sister couldn't do it, so I felt I was doomed from the start. But I gave it the good, old college try and stuck with it through those first few harrowing weeks. I don't think I would have had any success without the Medela pump. And the Boppy was perfect for breastfeeding and supporting my big baby -- he was 9 lbs. 6 ozs. at birth! Although I was never able to go without supplementing with formula, I did manage to feed him at least 50% breast milk for 3+ months. To me, that was a huge success!

Good Night, Sleep Tight:

Baby Monitor:
Summer Infant # 02100, Handheld Color Video Monitor
Why do I recommend this product?
This has become one of my absolute favorite baby products! When we moved our son from our bedroom to his own room upstairs, I had a little meltdown. How could I sleep with my baby so far away??? However, with this monitor, I am able to hear and see my little boy whenever I want....something that gives me SUCH peace of mind.

As usual, I did a lot of research on this and other monitors, and the Summer monitors kept coming up as highly recommended. I thought about getting the 1.8 screen but went for the 2.5 instead. And let me tell you.....I'm glad I did.

The picture is good, the sound is good - even two floors away. I love being able to watch my baby snooze with the touch of a button. I especially enjoy listening to and watching him when he first wakes and likes to sing to his mobile. I don't know how we'd get along without our monitor! Oh, and if you have a wireless network and cordless telephones that are anything other than 900 MHz, then you'll have a nice, clear signal!

Other Bed time Products:

Calypso Mobile
As far as mobiles go, this one is great! It has lots of features and grows with baby. However, we hardly ever use it, because the ocean lights and sounds seem to actually entertain our baby and keep him awake! Luckily, the hanging fish will make great bath toys soon...

Halo Cotton SleepSack
Our son sleeps in one of his halo sacks almost every night. It's a good way to keep baby warm without worrying about a blanket covering their face!

Other Products We Love:

Ocean Wonders Aquarium Bouncer
This is great for putting baby to sleep or keeping him occupied while you attempt to shower, cook or balance your checkbook! The vibration usually has our son asleep within minutes. Very portable.

Prince Lionheart Bebe Pod
Now that our son is learning to sit up and control that big noggin of his, he likes to sit in his Bebe Pod seat more.

Baby's Health
Exergen Temporal Artery Thermometer
Doesn't require sticking a thermometer up baby's bum....need I say more?

You Are What You Eat:
I signed up for numerous newsletters and new baby deals....I get stuff in the mail AND in box all the time. I have tried Enfamil, Good Start and Similac with my baby. Although each baby is unique, I found that my son didn't seem to like Similac, and it made him fussy. He had some major gas with Good Start at first. But, we went ahead and finished the canister with him, and he's been fine with it ever since.

We feed him Good Start during the day and Enfamil Lipil A.R. at night. Since he's such a big baby, he seemed to need more than just formula or breast milk at night. When he wasn't old enough for solid food, the added rice starch in the Lipil A.R. seemed to be enough to get him sleeping through the night [at 11 weeks. It also helped with a minor spit-up problem he had.

Bottles:
Dr. Brown's Deluxe Wide-Neck Bottles

Once we started him on solid food, we went with Gerber. I try to find the organic versions, but they aren't always available. I have to admit that the pears are quite tasty!

So, what do I NOT like? Regardless of brand, I would not buy:

* A diaper pail - the one we used stunk no matter what, so my husband threw it out! Now, we just bring down the dirty diaper and throw it away in the outside trash can. A tiny bit of extra work, but baby's room doesn't stink anymore!
* A mirror for the car - you know, the ones you hang on the seat, so you can see the baby in their carrier. The one we had seemed really cool at first since it played music and had lights. Unfortunately, it blocked A LOT of our view out the back and side of our SUV, so the added benefit of seeing our baby wasn't worth the risk of an accident.
* Adjustable newborn wrap - I think we got the Swaddle Me. It just didn't fit our baby right, and by the time it did, he didn't want to be swaddled anymore! Stick with blankets for swaddling.
* Bottle warmer - This one probably sounds crazy, but we have barely used ours. I don't make bottles in advance, so I can always use warm water when I prepare the bottle. And I never had enough extra breast milk to freeze it. Every so often, we need to heat a bottle, and a bottle warmer comes in handy then. I wouldn't recommend spending very much on this unless you plan to prepare bottles in advance or use frozen/refrigerated breast milk. And I definitely wouldn't get the warmer for your car.
* A mobile....as cute as ours is, it was a disappointing waste of money.


In summary....no, I do NOT work for Chicco! And yes, I have purchased and tried every one of these products. And yes, I would purchase all of my recommended products again, if need be. Hope my trials and errors may assist you with making fewer errors!

Instead of making constant, frantic searches for information, you can relax, kick up your shockingly bloated feet and enjoy your journey to motherhood! Wouldn't you rather be shopping for fun maternity t-shirts or cute baby bibs instead anyway?

Christie Caronis-Gardner is mom/stepmom to three, beautiful children and wife to one wonderful husband. Her background is in Graphic/Web Design, Marketing and Communications. Be sure to check out her funny and creative gifts at got baby!.


Monday, February 16, 2009

Tips For Choosing A Buyer's Real Estate Agent

If you have ever bought a home you know how important it is to choose a good real state agent. The right agent can help you find the perfect home to match your needs. Most people, however, find it hard to look for a good agent. In this article we will explain how to find the perfect agent for your needs.

The first thing you should do when choosing your agent is to see how honest they are. Call the ethics board and make sure they haven?t done anything illegal or unethical. Getting an honest real estate agent is very crucial to making sure everything goes smoothly.

The next step is to make sure you find a real estate agent who works in your area and other areas. If you select an agent who only will deal with people in your area then it will be harder for them to find people who are selling houses.

Make sure your real estate agent is friendly. If your agent isn?t friendly not only will it ruin your time of looking around they may repulse some sellers. You need someone who has a positive attitude and believes they can find the house of your dreams.

Try to find an agent in a realty company. Even if the company is only a small one it still gives some insurance to the buyer. It also means that the agent has the proper training and connections to help in your search for the perfect home.

Lastly make sure you like your agent. While a lot of people don?t think you need to like the company of the person you work with for a successful business they are wrong. If you find your agent repulsive then it will be hard for you to successfully work with them to find a house.

Following these basic steps you should be able to find a good agent when buying a home. However, the first thing to check for will be to make sure your agent is in fact an agent. Always check to make sure they are who they say they are.

Don't think that these precautions suggest that most Realtors are dishonest. In fact, most Realtors I have dealt with were fine - but you may as well find the best!

Try the Exclusive Buyer Agency Raleigh NC - an exclusive buyers' agency with a DIFFERENCE!

Sunday, February 15, 2009

Home Buyers Does Your Agent Work For You?

As a buyer, you may be looking at many properties -- those listed with an agent as well as those sold privately, by owner. Let's say you call a real estate agency regarding a listed property you have found in MLS (multiple listing service), the newspaper, or by driving by. Traditional agencies will offer you 'buyer assistance', meaning that they will show you properties, direct you to mortgage lenders, etc., all without a contract.

The agent you meet who shows you that property will be anxious to show you other properties, of course. You begin to feel that this agent is your agent. NOT TRUE. This agent works for the agency that listed the property, and most likely is working for the seller of the property, not you. Anything you say may be carried back to the seller at any time.

Agents may call themselves many things according to state regulations. In Massachusetts, for example, the listing agent is the agent who obtained the listing from the seller. The selling agent is the agent who actually makes the sale. In order to better understand this concept, bear in mind that a real estate agency makes the most money when one of their listed properties is sold by an agent in house.

Most properties are not shown or sold by the listing agent. Although the homesellers may have spent considerable time with the listing agent discussing the fine points of their home so that they will be knowledgeable when showing it, the property will most likely be shown by agents who are totally unfamiliar with their home. Remember, whether talking about a listing agent or a selling agent, unless you have signed a contract with a buyer's agent, their allegiance is always to the seller.

As if this isn't complicated enough. using Massachusetts regulations as an example, a broker can work for both the buyer and the seller on the same property provided the broker gets the consent of both parties and provides each with a written notice of the relationship. In this case, the broker is considered a disclosed dual agent. This broker owes both the seller and buyer a duty to deal with them fairly and honestly.

In this type of agency relationship, the broker does not represent either the seller or the buyer exclusively, and neither party can expect the broker?s undivided loyalty. Realistically, it's hard to imagine that properties are not discussed over lunch or between agents sitting at the next desk. Undisclosed dual agency by a broker is illegal. The agent must present the buyer with an agency disclosure form upon first meeting to discuss a particular property.

The use of an agent becomes further complicated when the subject of seeing properties offered by owner is brought up. Unless the agent that is showing you properties is a buyer's agent, the only way he/she can get paid is to get the private seller to list the property, something that is not likely to happen. You don't need an agent to see a for sale by owner property and some sellers prefer not to negotiate with anyone but the buyer directly. If you do feel that you need representation, the one agent that has loyalty to you, the buyer, is a buyer's agent.

A buyer's agent (ie. buyer broker) represents you, the buyer, and never the seller. Some buyer brokers are known as exclusive buyer brokers/agents. Exclusive buyer brokers do not list property - period, nor are they housed in an agency that does. The buyer broker's commission, typically 3%, is generally accommodated in the selling price of the property, paid at closing. The National Association of Exclusive Buyers Agents (NAEBA - www.naeba.org) is a good resource to locate buyer's agents in your area. Buyers, remember that a buyer broker is able to show you listed properties, foreclosures, new construction, and for sale by owner properties.

A word of caution....make sure you tell the agent that you want to see ALL available properties without regard to who pays the commission. We have often heard of overly aggressive buyer's agents who will not inform their buyers about a property unless the seller agrees up front to pay their commission. This behavior is unwarranted as the buyer has already agreed to pay any commission due.

NOTE: If you are currently working with a buyer broker and you are looking at a for sale by owner property, please let the seller know up front. Don't wait until the negotiations are underway to bring in representation. It could easily kill the deal. Most sellers are very open to showing their property to you and your buyer broker - just don't assume they'll pay your agent's fees.

Liz Provo, is the publisher of Picket Fence Preview For Sale By Owner Magazine, distributed throughout Western Massachusetts and online at www.MA4salebyowner.com

Website: www.MA4salebyowner.com Phone: 413-529-2971 Email: info@ma4salebyowner.com

Permission to use this article is granted as long as the author information and website link is included.

Saturday, February 14, 2009

Real Estate Buyers Market

You must buy real estate was the battle cry last year, unfortunately this was very bad advice at the top of the market. Yet, many people believed prices would never go downward again? For those who have lived decades and followed the real estate market they know full well and good these cycles and trends come and go. It is almost a known fact and the decade-long cycles are so commonplace to real estate.

Well today it is a buyers market, which could mean you can expect more shopping, longer waits to sell your home and many more mandatory inspections with the house offers. Additionally, people will be shopping and getting much better deals and demanding much more as well. They will be expecting to pay a lot less and if you keep your price high, your home simply will not sell at all.

The housing market generally has new homes come onto the market after Labor Day and therefore there is more competition after Labor Day for sellers and more bargains for low-balling buyers. This could add a 10% increase in houses on the market and that could mean a 10-20% reduction in prices too.

What does all this mean for the economy? Well consider if you will the consumer confidence levels which are so important and the Wealth Affect; how people feel about how wealthy you feel.

If people find eroded equity they think they are poor and stop spending so much or pulling money out of their home for paying off credit cards or buying luxury type items. This means people spend less money on consumables. But one thing is for certain and that is in a buyers market - Price Rules! Consider this in 2006.

Lance Winslow - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/

Friday, February 13, 2009

Monopoly The Board Game

Monopoly is a real-estate trading game for two to eight players. Players move their piece around a board by rolling dice, the board being divided into various properties and special squares.

Players can acquire the properties, and once they have a set of related properties, improve them with houses or a hotel. When a player lands on another player's property, a rent is charged, the amount of rent being based on the whether the owner owns the whole set of related properties, whether the property has been improved with houses or a hotel, etc. Players can also sell properties to each other, and an important part of the game is striking such deals with other players.

The winner of a Monopoly game, is the player who drives his competitors to bankruptcy, however, as it can sometimes take many hours to reach this point, you can calculate who is winning after a set time period, by calculating each player's total worth.

There is a considerable amount of luck in Monopoly, and a few crucial dice rolls or Chance cards, can have a major impact on the game. However, skill is also involved, particularly in negotiating with other players, and assessing which properties are likely to be most profitable to acquire and develop.

There are many versions of Monopoly, as well as theme-based editions, and editions based on various cities around the world.

The game of monopoly is published by Hasbro, under the Parker Brothers name in the United States, and the Waddingtons name in the United Kingdom. According to some estimates as many as 750 million people are believed to have placed the game since it was first patented by Charles Darrow in 1935.

Originally published at http://www.brainchallenges.com/monopoly.php - Visit this site to buy the board game or get Monopoly for your computer!

By Sunil Tanna

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Dallas Real Estate

With a little over a million residents, Dallas ranks as the second-most populated city in the state of Texas, which is the second-largest state, by area, in the United States. Dallas has a lot of interesting real estate options to offer, ranging from ranches to gated communities. Though ranches that go with the usual Texas image are still available in the Dallas county area, the city has a lot of impressive houses, apartments, and commercial property for any prospective resident.

Six districts make up the city of Dallas, which comes under the Dallas-Plano-Irving metropolitan division of the Dallas-Forth Worth-Arlington greater metropolitan area. The prominent suburbs of Dallas are Allen, Flower Mound, Colleyville, Frisco, Keller, McKinney, Plano, Southlake, and Irving, to name a few. These areas offer gated communities, golf course communities, lakefront homes, homes with acreage, horse properties, retirement communities, and commercial property. Within Dallas, the popular areas are Oak Hill, North Dallas, Casa Linda, Knox/Henderson, and downtown Dallas.

As per the U.S. Census Bureau data for 2005, the average home price in the city of Dallas is $179,920, which is only marginally higher than the national average of $173,585. However, the Dallas county area, which includes the suburbs, has a much lower average, at $125,922. The median rental price in Dallas is $328, which is considerably lower than the national median of $471. There is almost an equal share of owner-occupied and rental units in Dallas, with the former accounting for 42%, the latter 52%, and approximately 6% remaining vacant. This looks quite different from the national picture, where owner occupied, at 60%, is twice that of rental units.

Dallas area real estate comes with easy access to the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, which is the world's second-busiest airport. There are many schools and universities, like the University of Texas at Dallas, University of Dallas, and Southern Methodist University. These important aspects of this area have helped create a very vibrant real estate market in Dallas.

Dallas Real Estate provides detailed information on Dallas Real Estate, Dallas Lake Front Real Estate, Dallas Real Estate Agencies, Dallas Commercial Real Estate and more. Dallas Real Estate is affiliated with Austin Commercial Real Estates.

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Home Search Merges with Google Maps

Searching for a home online? MLS home search systems are now merging the features of real property listings with mapping features such as Google Maps.

First impressions are Wow! Why had someone not done this before? More and more services are being provided online that don't require any online registration or jump through hoops of any sort? all you have to do is click on one of many online MLS home search systems to begin your search.

Maps used to be buried several clicks away from the listings. Now, the listings are being plotted for you on Google maps first up front. You pick the area on the map you are interested in looking to buy a home and then drill down to find the house that meets your needs in those areas.

The way it works is really pretty easy ? locate an MLS Search site that features a mapping system such as Google maps for the area you are interested in purchasing property in. Different colored pins or flags indicate the city and another color pins or flags indicate the individual listing details. Hover your mouse over the pins to see how many listings are available in each town/city. Click on the pins to see the individual listings and you will be able to see the ?More Details?.

If the pins are too close together, simply change the view by clicking on ?Zoom Out? or ?Zoom In?. Click on the area of the map you are interested in looking to re-center the map.

You may find it useful to select the desired ?Search Criteria? adjacent to the map. The more information you can narrow the search down with the better. It?s best to start with a narrow search and then broaden your search to find more results.

As you select the ?Search Criteria? remember to click the ?Redraw Map? or Refresh button to automatically update the map to match your search. Clicking on the pins will instantly open a thumbnail summary of the listings. Click on the summary information for complete property details.

Although, many home search systems don?t require you to sign up, register or jump through hoops of any sort to use the MLS Home Search, alot of home search systems allow you to register for a free account so that you can keep track of your search, or get automated email alerts on new or updated listings that match your criteria.

Roman Alfaro and Randy Watson of Cowboy, REALTORS - Home and Ranch continually strive to give their clients increasingly better and much more useful tools when searching for real estate information such as the San Antonio MLS Homesearch. Visit http://www.satxproperty.com. Se habla espanol ? Agente de Bienes Raices en San Antonio.

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

New Games


NEW GAMES!!! Ecobika gaming & gambling guru just discovered them and they are excellent and addictive.


New games and this time with 2 bonus slots, launches a total of 9 new games, taking the total games available to over 250. All games showcase Microgaming's cutting edge graphics.


Get a 15% Deposit Bonus up to $1500 Free per month on Every subsequent deposit you make using NETeller, PaySpark, Click2Pay, UseMyBank and Wire Transfers.


Here's more on the new games:


Age of Discovery - This intriguing 5-Reel, 25-Payline game brings together the magic of modern gaming technology with the romance and adventure of ancient exploration to distant lands, when brave men sailed across mysterious oceans in a quest for thrills and riches...


On your initial deposit of $25, $50, $75 or $100, they will give you a 100% Match Bonus.


Dolphin Tale - It's a whale of a tale with 5 reels and a record busting 40 paylines. Bet up to 200 coins with the opportunity to get as much as 300 000 coins in return if the free spins, scatters, wilds, multipliers and extra wilds that abound in the game surface. The vividly illustrated theme revolves around the efforts of undersea cops fighting a crime wave around such deep sea dives as the Casino Wreck, Shell Motel and Deep Sea Diner.


Crazy Vegas Casino - giving away more free money than any other online casino.


Bonus Poker Deluxe - Bonus Poker Deluxe is a cleanly designed, straightforward Video Poker game played with one standard deck of 52 playing cards that is shuffled before each hand. Two things make this variant special: the double-your-money optional Gamble feature and particularly high payouts for a Four of a Kind hand combination.


Crazy Vegas Casino will give you $11 just to download the casino.


Gold Series Blackjack Vol 2 - Even more Blackjack games get the Gold Series makeover with Classic Blackjack, Vegas Single Deck Blackjack, Bonus Blackjack and Big 5 Blackjack making the grade. Outstanding new additions to the ambience include better player views, an animating chip selector, an enlarged chip tray, rollover rules and ambient background music, all enhancing the casino feel of the game.


Nutty Squirrel - This is a brand new advanced video slot - a 5 reel, 20 pay-line barrel of fun that gives you Wild and Scatter boosts, and a Nutty new free spins feature. The amusing graphics feature a whole gang of helpful little critters showing you through to some generous wins and loads of entertainment on this new game. Nutty Squirrel himself is the Wild factor in this game and although he only appears on reels 1 and 5 his substitution powers can create some truly cracking wins.


Witch Dr. - This brand new 5 reel, 20 pay-line video slot comes on the thoroughly proved and ultra smooth play offers you one of the most generous free spins features ever - up to 15 free spins during which all prizes are trebled...and more free spins can be won within the free spins feature. The Witch Doctor theme is carried scarily by crisp and colorful graphics that include the wild Witch Doctor himself and his frantic looking chicken.


Crazy Vegas Casino is offering a 100% sign up match bonus on your initial deposit of between $20 and $100. Good Luck!
About the Author

Monday, February 9, 2009

Temporary Breast Enhancers

Recent surveys indicate that women who are unsatisfied with their bust size tend to be more depressed and anxious. Even though breast enhancement serves no logical health benefit, women opt for enhancers just to feel better about themselves.

Cosmetic surgery in the form of mammoplasty or mastopexy is considered the most successful method of bust enlargement. Despite the risk of the bosom turning hard, asymmetric, striated and transparent, silicon implants form the largest percentage of aesthetic enhancements that women opt for. Most women believe that once the implant goes in, it becomes a lifelong part of the body. However, silicon shells can be removed through surgery. The cost factor involved in breast augmentation surgery deems it impossible for many to use the implants.

The most popular form of temporary breast enhancement is the bra, which works only when it is worn. Full body bras, as they are called, come in a range of designs. As the breasts begin to sink and sag with age, the best options available to women are push up bras. Under wire bras are the best known for the purpose of providing maximum shape and support. Younger women can opt for the inflatable bra that can be filled up with air or water. There is also the option of the padded bra, which contains a rigid lining of cotton, foam or sometimes, silicon. Women who have undergone surgery for breast cancer, the mastectomy bra and the amonea breast forms are comfortable choices.

Recent years have seen an array of products line the pharmacy shelves, claiming to be temporary breast enhancers. Most of these don't necessarily work and patients do better by not relying on them. The ones that can enlarge the breasts do so by allowing fluid to collect between the mammary tissues.

Breast Enhancer provides detailed information on Breast Enhancers, Breast Enhancer Resources, Silicone Breast Enhancers, Breast Enhancer Pills and more. Breast Enhancer is affiliated with Natural Breast Enlargement.


Sunday, February 8, 2009

Dog Aggression And Genetics... Plus Housebreaking A Poodle


Dear Adam:


I purchased and read your book and it as helped me immensely in a number of areas.


[To read more about the book he's referring to, please see: http://www.dogproblems.com/newvideos.htm


However there is one problem I am having with my 5 month-old Standard Poodle: I realize he is still a pup and I may be jumping the gun but I did want to check it out to make sure I am doing everything correctly. I realize dogs are different and go at their own pace, but this is unusual for me since normally I would have my dog housebroken by now. FYI he has responded well to the other training tips in your book and is well on his way to being a well trained dog. Thanks for your help.


From the day we brought him home at 9 weeks, we have been feeding him on a schedule and taking him out of the same door to his spot in a dog run. Our house has a doggie door that leads outside. Once outside we give him his command to eliminate- he goes and we praise him. He will consistently go out there once he is there and I am sure he knows this is his place to eliminate.


However he will not go outside on his own. He has had a couple accidents in the house- both when I was away and my daughter was watching him and I know that sets us back. However we have been consistent otherwise from July until now. Here are my questions:


1. How do we get him to go outside on his own? (when we take him out, he waits for us to go out first and will not go through the doggie door on his own)


[Adam responds: Just be consistent. At 5 months of age, the dog is too young to expect him to start going out on his own. I take a dog out at regular intervals until he is at least 1 year-old.


2. How do we get him to go on command when we are outside?


[Adam responds: Just like I mention in the book, repeat the phrase, Get busy, every time you go out to the elimination area, and continue saying it, as he eliminates. However, the dog (obviously) is not a robot, so we cannot expect him to eliminate on command as such every time. The most important piece of the puzzle is that the dog receives a negative association every time he tries to eliminate in the house.


3. How do we get him to go on different surfaces?


[Adam replies: I'm not sure why it would be so important to each the dog this, but you basically need to figure out when the dog needs to eliminate, and then take him to the area repeatedly until he does. But for housebreaking, I recommend you only use one area. Keep it simple for the dog: This is where I eliminate, and everywhere else, I don't. He'll figure out on his own, for example, when you travel... that it's okay to eliminate outside as long as it's on the grass.


4. How do you know when he is housebroken- just let him go and watch him? (I do not want to allow him another accident- that would set us back again)


[Adam responds: Accidents don't set you back. They are just more learning experiences and opportunities for the dog. What sets you back is not attaching the desired association with said behavior.


5. Would electronic training collars be helpful or harmful in housebreaking?


[Adam replies: Definitely not. You've got a puppy. He's still young. Be patient and be consistent.


Thanks again for your help and I will await your response.


Alfred


Dear Adam:


I know you probably get a ton of e-mails from people needing help but I hope you have time for this because I have tried to follow the videos and information as closely as possible to not ask a question you have already answered.


[To read more about the videos he's referring to, please see: http://www.dogproblems.com/newvideos.htm


I have been working with my girlfriends 30lb mix bread female dog (2 1/2 years old) for about 4 months now. Gabby has problems with aggression towards people and other dogs. She can one minute be fine with a person and the next minute go crazy snarling and biting (but she has never actually got a hold of anyone).


The dog fights are the same one minute fine the next attacking but never really drawn blood. Some of these incidents might be attributed to situational things like food or toys but put in the same situation 10 times - the reaction may only happen 1 out of 10 and sometimes the reaction happens with nothing causing it that I can tell. There is plenty more as far as detail into these events that I can go into if you need it.


We have seen improvement since starting Gabby on the loose leash training and the down stay training. The structured discipline has helped as well as setting the tone for who is in charge. But sometimes I just feel like she is totally void of knowing what is going on - it's like a switch is flipped and no amount of correction can bring her out. In addition she never seems to relax - almost like she is always afraid or needs to know everything going on - hence we hardly ever get to relax.


Like I said I am seeing improvement but it is slow going 4 months now of strict discipline is wearing on everyone and the results aren't exactly as good as I hoped. I totally believe in your training methods - I'm not questioning that - but my question for you - is it possible to have a dog that can't be trained out of aggression or does it just take a really long time?


Thank you for any and all suggestions you might have.


Phil


Dear Phil:


Thank you for the e-mail.


First, I get the impression that you're letting this dog interact and play with other dogs. This is a big o-no.


As for your question about aggression: With some dogs, aggression can be controlled but never eliminated. A lot also has to do with the temperament mix of owner and dog.


But there are always triggers.


For a dog like you've described, I would recommend using an electronic remote collar. The correction can be matched exactly to the dog's temperament, you don't need to be at all physical with the dog, and the texture/sensation of the correction tends to be more strange feeling to the dog--which creates a reak in her state. However, since it's an aggression issue--and sounds like a pretty serious one--I'm going to recommend that you work with a professional instead of trying to use the e-collar by yourself, as there is a greater possibility that you may be misreading the situation. (And I can't tell by e-mail). So, I'd prefer to error on the safe side and recommend professional supervision. Although it may take some searching to find someone who is competent.


Just remember: As long as the options for the dog are clear, the dog will not continue to do a behavior that has a negative association linked to it. When you teach her that it's a lot easier to stay calm and get the praise than it is to be aggressive and receive a negative association--you're on the path to recovery.


As for her never feeing relaxed: This is one of the problems with adopting a mix-breed from unknown genetic stock and unknown puppy imprinting. If she has poor nerves, you can use the obedience exercises to make her more tranquil, but you'll never overcome her genetics.


That's all for now, folks!
Adam
Dogproblems.com
About the Author

Saturday, February 7, 2009

Top Ten Ideas for Back to School


This time of year can take some major adjusting for you and your kid. Life goes from the peaceful, relaxing, and bummin' around (yeh, right) of summer to the hectic start of a new school year. I've compiled a list of the top ten ideas to help everyone deal with the changes in the schedules and to lessen the stress of the season. Just for grins, I've done this Dave Letterman style.


Number 10...Teachers - make an appointment within the first two weeks of school to get to know your kid's teacher(s)...this is especially important if you are not fortunate enough to be either the custodial parent or have shared parenting...it could make all the difference in the world. Tidbit of advice: when you do talk to the teacher(s), don't tell them all of the problems you have with your ex - they are smart enough to figure that out for themselves; do tell them you need to have a copy of everything that gets sent to your ex from the school and you would like weekly updates of classroom things. Also, take along enough self-addressed, stamped envelopes to leave with them so that they can send you something every week.


Number 9...Support system - when you need to be in two places at the same time, this is indispensable. Hopefully, you will find someone who is a parent of another kid in the same class. That way you can get info on school assignments and other activities. Make sure your kid knows who these people are. If someone else will be picking them up from school or an event, they will know the 'secret word' that you and your kid have come up with. When my son was young, it was 'leprechaun'. We never needed to use it, but it was ready just in case and we both felt safer because of it.


Number 8...Debrief - whether you pick up the kid from school or daycare or meet them at the house, you need to know what went on all day. You can do this when you first see them after school or during dinner. Try to gauge their moods, celebrate their small (or big) victories, discuss upcoming events and activities, listen for those difficult times they have had during the day. Also, make it a routine to check on assignments, etc. that they have hopefully given to you to see.


Number 7...Activities - Try to plan at least one day a week without any activities. We all need down time. I limit my kid's activities to two days a week which leaves time for school assignments, hanging out with friends, and just being a kid. This is difficult at times because some sports teams want to practice four nights a week and have games every weekend. While that may be fine once a kid is in junior high, I believe it has the possibility to limit a kid's overall growth when they are still in elementary school.


Number 6...Friends - Each school year can bring changes in friendships because there are different kids in classes, kids transfer in and out of schools, etc. Time has to be made for friends, whether it is play dates for younger kids, phone calls or movies when they are older.


Number 5...Play - All families are busier than we would like these days, but it is important that kids have a way to unwind after school. Your kid may enjoy playing video games, playing with neighborhood kids, working on hobbies, or have other ideas of play. Giving them 30 minutes every evening to play can make getting their homework and other responsibilities done much easier.


Number 4...Study - Having a time and place to do homework or other studies promotes discipline and an enjoyment of learning. Even if your kid doesn't have a school assignment every day, you can give them small projects to work on. Maybe it would be researching about hurricanes, helping with dinner (math skills), or having them pick a topic they want to know more about and working on that. You need to be available for them when they have questions or need help, so don't go too far. Also, be sure to look over their assignments - it will keep you informed on what they doing and you will be able to give them some constructive feedback.


Number 3...Read - Yep, the old standby, reading. There isn't a skill that is used more over a lifetime and it's important to instill good habits. So, let your kid see you reading every day and try to set aside at least 15 minutes for them to read every day. You could encourage them to carry a book in their backpack, to read in the car or on the bus, or even to read a book on CD or tape while they are doing other things.


Number 2...Hanging out - Don't over schedule your kid's week or yours. Maybe you want to order a pizza one night a week and watch a movie or maybe you could just leave time for doing nothing and then see what your kid does with it. You can learn a lot about your kid this way. They just may surprise you in what they come up with.


The Number 1 idea is to get ready...refer to 'Morning Chaos' - another article in this section. If you use the tips in it, you will be prepared for almost anything and getting ready will be a whole lot easier.


Life changes are difficult. Even though the transition from summer vacation to the school year comes every year, it doesn't make it any easier.




*****Readers of this article may copy it without the copyright owner's permission, if the author and publisher are acknowledged in the copy and the copy is used for education, not-for-profit purposes.
About the Author

~ ? Cathy Vaughan-Yanda, Sati, mykidstoo.com, 2005
~ the single mother of a totally awesome son, currently lives in Ohio. She is the owner of a small company, a writer, an illustrator, a reviewer of books, and has worked with people infected and affected with HIV/AIDS for more than fifteen years.

Friday, February 6, 2009

Wear it Up or Wear it Down?


Isn't this the question that everyone with a formal occasion wants to know about their hairstyle for the big night? While it may seem like a trivial question to most, how you wear your hair can make a big difference on your overall formal appearance. Choosing the wrong hairstyle to wear with a certain dress can make you look too over the top or make you look like you didn't pay as much attention to your hair as you should.


When it comes to choosing a formal hairstyle, the most important thing to consider is the dress that you are wearing. Take into account the cut of the dress. Is it long, cropped, off the shoulder? Or does is have plumes of fabric on the shoulders or lace around the neck? All of these are important factors when it comes to deciding whether you want to wear your hair up or leave it down.


Here are just a few basic rules of thumb to help you decide:


? Off the shoulder or strapless dresses - These types of dresses show a lot of skin on the neck and shoulders. While it may be the tendency of some to sweep the hair up and off of the neck, doing so can make your neck look too long and thin and can detract the eye from the graceful curve of your neck and soft shoulders. I'm not saying that you can't wear your hair up with this kind of dress, but if you do, choose a style that leaves a little hair hanging softly down on the neck and shoulders. This will help soften your look and direct the eye to wear it should go. It will also balance your complete look.
? Full-shouldered dresses - These dresses are the ones with the full, intricate or puffy sleeves. With this type of dress, you almost always have to wear your hair up. Leaving it down, only makes your whole style look much too busy. You should also choose a simple updo over an intricate one so that you do not end up looking like you've tried too hard. If you want the focal point to be your dress, try a simple French twist.
? Classic cut, simple gowns - These are the gowns that will really allow you to get creative with your do. You can choose just about anything. You can wear your hair up or down and style it with intricate weaving and braids or leave it simple.


So, the next time you're battling with formal hair decisions, let your dress be your guide. Doing so will allow you to create a complete look that is complimentary rather than over the top.

About the Author

Jenny is a hair expert, and the author of an incredible free minicourse, that explains how to find your unique style, how long or short you should have your hair, how to find the right hair color for you, how to find the right salon, and a lot more.


Go to http://www.hairstylevillage.com/ now and get this amazing hair minicourse - absolutely free.

Thursday, February 5, 2009

Eating Out in The Seventies

The most popular restaurants in the Seventies were places to see and to be seen in. The newly opened Langan?s Brasserie in Stratton Street, on the site of the old Coq D'Or, fitted this bill perfectly. Peter Langan, the alcoholic genius who created the restaurant, hosted preview dinners, leading up to the opening in 1976. The ambience was divine, donated fine art splattered the walls, David Hockney designed the menus, but in those days, the food was the least interesting thing about the restaurant. It was the famous clientele that attracted the caf? society in droves. On one given weeknight, you could spot deranged members of the British aristocracy, Hockney, David Bailey, Jack Nicholson, Andy Warhol, The Shah of Persia, and President Gerald Ford munching away. (Statesmen were invariably encircled by tables of their security staff). Diners scoffed bangers and mash, while viewing the restaurant's visual froth, which included socialites, top models and their entourages of fashion designers and fashionable hairdressers.

Once the restaurant opened, if provincials booked a table, thinking they could star spot, they were shoved upstairs to 'Siberia', to ogle if they so wished, Patrick Procktor?s freshly painted mural of Venice. The top table, which Peter reserved for his friends was near the entrance, next to one of the big windows in the restaurant. One of the main attractions of the restaurant was Peter himself, who thrived on being an outrageously rude court jester. He revelled in verbally attacking his adoring customers, and behaved like a sexist pig towards his women victims. Funnily enough, trapped diners regarded it an honour if Peter descended on their tables and ruined their meals.

The Sculptor Peter Schleshinger drew a lovely portrait of me in the early Seventies, and the architect who bought it in order to scare his children loaned it to Langan?s. It was shoved at the far end of the restaurant near the library on the ground floor, which gave me a legitimate excuse to ?see and be seen?, while I table hopped through the restaurant during my days as a gossip columnist. The characters in ?Frantic?, my novel about the early Seventies didn?t make a habit of going out to swanky restaurants. That?s because they were holed up in trendy cafes, modelled on the infamous Up All Night in Fulham Road, where wired partygoers used to come down from their drugs. ?One fading afternoon, in a popular Knightsbridge watering hole, Alice's pounding head lay submerged in her triple expresso coffee (she had spent a tough night at The Igloo)? is a quote from ?Frantic? which illustrates the fad for all night cafes in the early Seventies. Food didn?t seem to be so popular in those days.

The fodder was definitely the least important thing about Langan?s, although the cr?me br?l?e was divine. It was the best thing on the menu, and one needed a pickaxe to crack the crust. When I interviewed Jackie Collins re: her book ?Hollywood Wives?, we consumed cr?me br?l?e for our starter, main course and desert. And, no, we didn?t have the top table. We had the second top one!

Copyright: Frances Lynn, 2006

Frances Lynn is a professional writer and journalist. Her two novels, Frantic and Crushed are published by Eiworth Publishing at http://yourbookstore.eiworth.se/. Her musings about writing can be read at http://www.writerholic.blogspot.com/. Her personal website is http://franceslynn.org.


Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Extreme Body Modification: Implants

Implants:

the reason that I choose to start talking about implants is very simple, in my point of view they are the beginners in EBM, or using a better choice of words, they are the least invasive of the 3 base techniques. I found so many types of implants and all of them are very interesting, So I decided to write about:

Eye ball jewellery

Magnetic Implants

3d implants

Eye ball jewellery is probably one of the newest techniques of the all EBM. It was developed by ophthalmologic experts, it is an ocular Surgery that adds a decorative platinum implant inserted under a thin membrane in the eye, which holds the implant in place. Since the membrane is clear, the implant can be seen clearly against the white of the eye. There are not many shapes of ornaments offered yet, and it is a very new procedure that for now can only be done officially in Holland, the cost is around U$ 1200.So far the doctors could not find a side effect to it, what does not mean that there aren?t any. In the U.S. some States committees already approved a bill to ban it; the procedure goes more or less like the following:

? The eye is anesthetized with routine eye-drop anaesthesia medication.

? The eye is decontaminated and draped with routine techniques used in ocular surgery.

? An intra conjunctival bleb is created by injection of BSS in the most superficial conjunctive layer. The bleb may be positioned adjacent to the temporal limbus.

? With conjunctive scissors, the bleb is opened and a superficial intra conjunctival tunnel is made.

? The tunnel is checked to determine if it is wide enough to accommodate the implant.

? The device is inserted into the tunnel up to the desired final position of the implant.

? With a sponge, all excess BSS is removed from the implantation area.

? At the end of the procedure, antibiotic drops are applied onto the eye.

? Postoperative management includes antibiotic eye drops for 1-2 week(s).

? The procedure takes about 15 minutes.

So far Doctors could not find any side effect or complications caused by the implant, and hopefully they won?t find any. So keep in mind, there are very few people authorized to do this procedure, and so far it can only be realised in Holland, and even so only 2 clinics are fully authorized to do so.

Magnetic Implants:

What are they? They are small magnet implanted under your skin with the purpose to enhance your senses as if it was the acquisition of the so famous sixth sense, how it happens, by moving in response to an electromagnetic field and transferring this as sensation to the surrounding nerves.

We can divide the magnetic implants into 4 types:

Sensory: The one that supposed to give you the sixth sense

Sexual: Where the magnets are placed inside the most sensitive area or the genitalia of a couple, male and female have to get the implant, it supposed to enhance the feeling of the body parts while in movement against each other, they can also be placed in the lips.

Symbolic: is implanted but a couple to create a magnetic bond as the two people hold hands, as there are not real proves that a couple can really exchange energy thru this technique, we can take it as more discrete kind of wedding rings.

Functional: Probably not a very comfortable matter, but if you get larger magnets you would be able to pick up things such as screws and some other items, with the magnets commonly used you can?t pick up more than a paper clips, the up side of having such small magnets is that they wont affect your credit cards, hard drives, monitors, and so on.

To get the implant is also quite simple:

Small incision in the tip of the finger and opening a pocket

Create a tinny pocket to add the magnetic pellet (the magnets are about a third the size of a grain of rice)

Do the suture and bandage the finger tips (the procedure takes about half an hour to do 5 fingers)

The first few days the sensation is not very pleasant but after a week and the stitches taken off the pain goes away and in the period between 1 to 4 weeks you can start to enjoy the magnetic field moving feeling, and the benefit of this EBM is that the scars are almost invisible and if what I read is true, the feeling is quite interesting.

Because this procedure is bran new the side effects are not known yet, but the biocompatibility of neodymium, but it is considered a generally toxic irritant and moderately poisonous with documented adverse effects. In order to keep the magnet from coming in contact with the skin, it has to be coated with a sheath of biocompatible silicone, there is always the risk of ?peeled? the silicone off of the magnet, if it happens the compromised magnet should be replaced by removed and replaced by a new one.

This procedure is so very new that not even all the BM specialists are doing it; some are waiting for it to get a bit safer and better developed. Because so far risks are unknown, but once that the coating of the magnet problem is solved it will probably turn into a huge trend among people. But if you are one of those that want to get all of it first, please wait until it is proved safe.

3d implants: It is the act of placing an object under the skin to create a design on the skin?s surface, it is actually a very simple technique, an incision is made, and the implant that can be made out of many materials (titanium, soft or solid silicon, Teflon and steel, the steel variety sometimes can cause an infection, there is also the option of natural bone tissue) is inserted, you are stitched up and ready to go. Simple?.the after care apparently is simpler than the after care of a piercing. To get a 3D implant you can choose many areas of the body, forehead (the intern horns, third eye and the external horns), you can place spikes on your head, beads on your arms, legs, chest and many but many more, if you are a guy you can get your penis beaded (pearling), in many different ways.

Some of the risks of the implants are:

-Tissue Resorption: erosion of the tissue by rubbing or pressure applied against the body. Implant can bury itself into the muscles wearing down the body's natural defences; this risk can happen especially with hard materials such as Teflon and stain less steel so if you want to get it done try to use softer materials such as silicone and choose safer places to add the implants.

-Implant Rejection: Is when the implants put enough pressure on the skin above them, that it actually manage to do enough damage to surrounding tissue that the skin above the implant dies and the implant becomes exposed ,once this process begins there's not lot that can be done about it other than removing the implant.

-Pressure on Nerve and Muscle: When an implant is placed on top of muscle, nerves, or blood vessels, it has the potential to interfere with their functioning. To minimize the risk you have to be sure to tell the 3D artist if you are experiencing anything that can be related to it, this way the artist can change the positioning or the placement of the implant without harm you, in some cases the procedure has to be postponed or aborted. You should also strongly consider research about the kind of implant that you will get and the location of it so you can do it safely. There are also many other possible risks that can be associated with implants such as:

Keloids, Implant surface contamination, Implant Biocompatibility, Implant Finishing, Lidocaine Toxicity, Anaesthetic allergy, Sub dermal Shifting, Mod before Client, Needle allergy, Adrenalin Excitement, Impact damage, Hypertrophy scarring, Abscess, Boils, Cancer, Blood loss, Shock, Bloodborne Pathogens

Ok that is all for now guys, next week I will be writing about Surgical modification??And I can promise to you all that it will be a very, but a very interesting article?.Until them, go have fun and enjoy life? Yes, I?m really trying to fix my karma thing??we never know what can happen tomorrow?..

My name is Adriana and I?m the creator and developer of Wirlyhome label. I?m jewellery and clothing designer, I?ve been working in the fashion industry for the last 9 years of my life, I went to fashion school in Canada, where I lived for 10 years, and 8 of those long years I worked as a fashion designer, illustrator and forecaster. I came back to Brazil last year to open my label Wirlyhome, and now after almost 1 year of hard work the label is finally picking up and we are getting some recognition.

if you want to know more go to http://www.wirlyhome.com/