Why you should outsource your graphic design

Graphic design is a form of communicating

visually using text and images to present

information or promote a message. A graphic

designer works designing print, environmental, or

electronic forms of visual information for an

advertisement, publication, or website.

Many people consider that if they have Photoshop

and know to work on it they can be an "artist"

and create their own graphic design. However,

this is not as simple as it looks, because if you

really want to have success with your company,

book, or website, you should create a really

interesting and unique image of your business to

attract more and more clients.

This is something only a real graphic designer

can do, because he is able to decide the most

effective way of getting a message across in

print, electronic and film media using a variety

of methods as color, type, illustration,

photography. Graphic designers analyze and create

visual solutions to communication problems.

For example, if you are an author, think about

how much you work to finish a book, it is a very

good book, but try having a bad cover for it and

you will see your sales close to none. Therefore,

you will better choose a master in graphic

design; it is easier and profitable to let him do

it.

Graphic designs can have a positive impact on any

book because not only it is able to present it in

a clear, understandable, and neat format, but

also to support the message the book intends to

give to the reader.

If you have a company, in order to acquire the

best knowledge and expertise in the market that

is most suitable for a company's needs, make sure

that the objectives and the understanding of your

needs are essential as the visual effects of your

process, product, website, and the company image

can be critical to your company success.

Because of the fact that they could change the

image of the company and attract more and more

clients, many small and large companies today

outsource their graphic design needs.

Remember that the longer people stay on your

website browsing different pages, the greater is

the chance that they will do business with you.

Unless there is something compelling to make them

explore further, they will leave your website

quickly.

Therefore, you need an expert help to make it

look attractive and interesting.

Here are some reasons why you should choose a

graphic designer:

* can create an oriented design, he understands

your wishes and know how to promote your message

* they have an extensive editorial design

experience

* offers you revisions and as much concepts as

you need

* remember that not every company try to squeeze

every cent out of you; you may find a real expert

who might make a great job for you for a price

that is acceptable for you

* if you want to have success with your business,

you know that image is the most important thing

for your business

Weight give us something to shoot for

We have all seen the new Dove commercials that feature “real” women rather than the impossibly “ideal” models that are usually selected. While the Dove girls are universally attractive and fit, they also reflect different sizes and shapes, designed to represent the average American woman. Is that what we want?

Glorifying our diversity seems like a positive development which should lead to increased self-content and improved self-esteem. Comparing ourselves to the imperfect bodies displayed is supposed to lessen our self-criticism and sense of inadequacy.

Does it?

We are a race of strivers, constantly seeking to better ourselves. Self-improvement is the biggest marketing niche of the Twenty-first Century, from books and classes to online information products, magazines, and television. The gurus of our day, from Oprah, to Martha Stewart, to Dr. Phil, to Donald Trump, all entice us towards improving ourselves, our looks, our relationships, our finances, our surroundings — our whole life. We are dissatisfied with ourselves as we are because we have caught a glimpse of what we can become.

To keep us motivated in that direction, we need a vision of perfection to work towards, even if we know we’ll never quite get there.

When it comes to weight control, what will keep us riveted on our goal? To look as gorgeous as the cover models on Cosmopolitan or the chunky figures in the Dove Ads?

We don’t want to be patronized by the marketing mavens. We don’t want a subtle reminder that we need to set our sights lower or aspire to something less than excellence. We want a dream that soars, that inspires us to unbelievable heights. We want a vision to move towards, no matter how unlikely it is that we will reach that destination. So keep your condescending “Go ahead and settle for this” approach away, please.

Robert Browning suggested: “Ah, but a man’s reach should exceed his grasp, or what’s a heaven for?”

Planning food cost for retirement-how to achieve the money you need to retire comfortably on

Many people forget during their retirement planning to plan for each and every expense that will arise during their retirement. This is exactly the reason the vast majority of Americans get to their retirement years and find they don’t have enough money to retire on.

According to the Social security administration, 95% of people will not be able to retire comfortably. Unfortunately, this stat could have been alleviated by most people from some simple and thorough planning for the costs they will be faced with after retirement.

Of course, food cost is one of the biggies that most people overlook when planning this important stage. Most people get so caught up in planning for their housing, cars, and other larger expenses, they forget about this everyday, seemingly trivial expenses. Obviously, as I’m sure you are aware of now, food costs can really add up if you’re not careful.

In planning for these food costs for retirement, first of all, sit down and figure out exactly what you spend on food every week now. Now figure out how much that figure is per month, and then per year. You should already be doing this process now in keeping track of your expenses, and most people do a very poor job of tracking their expenses before retirement as well. However, that’s another story for another day.

Once you’ve gotten this figured out, now simply multiply that number by about 25 or 30 (usually safe) and you’ve got about how much money you will need for your food expenses when you retire. Of course, this number isn’t perfect, depending on how long you live once you retire. Obviously, you don’t know this, so you have to at least do what you can.

Once you know this, that’s great, but you also have to take into consideration your other expenses as well. In your retirement planning process, every expense must be accounted for; without this clarity, you can never achieve your retirement goals, whatever they may be. Unfortunately, it’s this same lack of clarity that stops most people from having enough money when they retire.

In this process, there is a lot of great retirement planning software that will make this stage much easier. Also, you might try doing a quick internet search for retirement planning calculator, and you will get up literally millions of results. There are many financial companies that will offer you these calculators for free so that you use them and hopefully get hooked on ultimately hiring that company and their services. Whether you do this or not, you can certainly still benefit from the free software available.

Now, once you know this info, you need to figure out how you plan on getting that money to live on. For most people, this will be achieved thought the stock market, whether it be mutual funds, savings bonds, foreign currency exchange, futures, or regular stock investing.

Of course, you can also invest in real estate and other assets as well. If you aren’t financially educated and don’t know how to tell a good investment from a bad one, you’ll either want to read books and educate yourself, or hire a financial advisor to tell you the best investments to put your money into. Obviously, becoming financially educated yourself is certainly preferably, because you will have the opportunity to spot investment opportunities on your own.

Remember, nobody else will ever care as much about your financial situation as you, so being able to do this is invaluable. However, the most important part at this state is to either use your own or somebody else’s expertise to help you find the top investment vehicle to help you achieve your goals.

Once you’ve done these planning food cost for retirement and other expenses steps, and decided on the right investment vehicle to get you there, you are well on your way to achieving your goals. Now it’s simply time to take action.

It s only an application away

Perhaps you are starting the process of finding the right college to attend. You want to hurry up and graduate high school and get out of the house. You picture yourself at an amazing college surrounding by new friends and having lots of fun. Hopefully that will become true for you, but before it does, there is one main thing standing in your way: an application.

Application. Just the sound of that word makes some people nervous or overwhelmed. The thought of filling out papers that attempt to sell you and your abilities sounds daunting to some. Take heart, there are a few basic things to know about the application process that will help to set your mind at ease.

Filling out an application perfectly is important, but it is not even the first thing to consider. Before you start filling one or many out, there are a few things to think about. If you are wanting to attend college there are many questions to ask yourself as the search begins. What do you hope to study? Where do you want to attend school? Does it need to be in your home town or your home state, or can it be anywhere you want to go? How much money can you and your family afford to pay for school? What size and kind of college do you hope to attend? Do you love big universities, or maybe you prefer small private college? These questions are all important to think about before you begin the application process. These questions help you to clarify your goals, but more importantly, they will help you to narrow your search and ultimately apply to a few right schools that fit your needs.

So, once you have decided what kind of schools you want to attend, don't reach for some applications and start filling them out just yet. Instead, it is time to research. I know, you hate the sound of that word, but this is an important step. Get online or go to a local library and take some time to find schools that meet your ideal criteria. Do not just apply to the same schools your friends hope to attend. If you want a small school in your home state that offers a teaching program, then you can narrow your search to find only schools that fit those demands.

Now, when you have three or four schools in mind that seem like the kinds of schools you might like to attend, let the application process begin. It will not be as hard as you think if you are prepared and organized to fill out the appliations well. Gather any materials you might need and devote an entire afternoon to the job. Read through each application carefully before you begin to make sure you understand the questions and can provide all of the required information. Go through the application and answer the questions thoroughly and well. Look the application over once more at the end, just to be sure. Check for spelling errors and make any necessary corrections.

When you are finished with each application simply mail it to the school and wait for their reply. And congratulations! Your perfect college is now a step closer to becoming a reality.

One of cancun s best

It's hard to believe that a short 30-mile bus ride from the Spring-break haven of Cancun is one of the top-ranked hotels in Central America and an exotic, unrivaled tropical paradise. While it sounds like typical romance copy, we're not just giving lip service ...the Mayan Riviera is not your standard Mexican vacation destination nor is Maroma Resort a regular lodging establishment, having recently received the Conde Nast Travel Magazine Reader's Choice Award as the #3 hotel in all of Central America. The local culture and natural resources are just some of the attractions that separate Riviera Maya from other popular destinations in Central America. For starters, the second largest barrier reef in the world is located here, providing unsurpassed water activities like snorkeling, wind-surfing, kayaking, sailing, diving, bottom fishing, deep sea and fly fishing. The unspoiled beach offers guests the utmost in privacy and unparalleled natural beauty.

Maroma Resort is a showcase for unique arts and crafts produced in each region of Mexico, including statues, hand-painted bathroom tiles, hand-loomed natural cotton bedspreads, and decorative pillows and throws and soft wool rugs. The rooms and public areas feature original art by Mexican and International artists and each room also has its own special objects. Maroma has 58 rooms and suites situated among lush gardens, cooled and shaded by coconut palms on one side, open to the warmth of the sun and sea on the other.

Relax in a king-sized bed, luxury bath with sunken tub, sparkling pool, or beachfront Jacuzzi-you decide what to do indulge in first. Afterward, let any remaining troubles melt away in the spa, where you can choose between massage, reflexology, Reiki, craniofacial, facials, whole-body treatments, mud, aromas, Ajurveda, yoga, meditation, rebirthing, crystal therapy, and the ancient art of the temazcal-the purifying and healing ritual of the Mayan steam bath.

While you'll feel a world away from unnatural office lighting, congested freeways and the demands of everyday life, you have the choice of staying connected to the modern world. Maroma? s multi-media theater features a state-of-the-art sound and projection system with over 380 movies to choose from.

Americans are ranked 41st in lifespans

In America, we take understandable pride in being Number One. We are, after all, the richest people on Earth. We have the largest military. We’re still the only country to have put a man on the moon. Why, then, are we only the 41st (yes, you read that right) longest living people on the planet?

According to the latest report by the U. S. Census Bureau, an American baby born in 2004 can expect to live 77.9 years. That’s over 4 years less than a Japanese baby, who can expect to live a full 82 years."

"Something's wrong here when one of the richest countries in the world, the one that spends the most on health care, is not able to keep up with other countries," said Dr. Christopher Murray, head of the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington, in an article reported by the Associated Press. Americans rank behind countries like France (80.4), Sweden (80.3) and Canada (80.0). In fact we rank behind most of Europe, and even one Middle Eastern country (Jordan).

What’s going on? Some of the difference – a tiny bit – is attributable to racial disparities in life spans. White Americans actually live about 78.3 years according to the CDC---still about 4 years shorter than the Japanese or six years shorter than some Europeans---while African Americans can expect to live 73.3 years. Researchers explain the alarming gap in life spans to a combination of inadequate health insurance, obesity and lifestyle factors such as stress. Countries such as England, Canada and France have national health coverage which may explain some of the gap. People with health coverage are more likely to seek medical attention immediately when they need it, rather than wait until the problem gets worse and their health deteriorates.

This problem of non-existent health coverage plagues about 47 million of us. And the remaining 253 million of us with health insurance often encounter a health care system that seems more intent on denying us coverage than ensuring our access to health care. In fact, many life-or-death health decisions are no longer made solely by you and your doctor. Instead, these decisions are ultimately made by HMOs. If you are denied coverage by some person – who may no even be a medical doctor – in some cubicle at an HMO, you do have a right to appeal. If you survive long enough to win the appeal, then you may be able to finally get the coverage you have paid premiums to get. Of course, if you win your appeal, you better not get sick again.

Most HMOs have many loopholes which give them the right to not renew your insurance contract in the next renewal period. That’s not right or fair – but then again it was probably not fair to deny you coverage in the first place. Of course, you can appeal the non-renewal to some court and spend the remainder of your shortened lives fighting HMOs, right? A lot of Americans caught up in this crazy maze have started heading for the EXIT sign.

You may have heard about the new growing trend of “medical vacations”. BBC News (owned by The British Broadcasting Company) ran a report on September 14, 2007, about India’s attempts to become a medical tourism destination. In the report, a woman from Oregon explained that she had traveled from Oregon to Mumbai, India for a hip replacement. The woman explained that her health insurance would have required her to pay 20% of the cost. Apparently, even after factoring in the cost of a plane ticket for a 5000 mile trip and the costs for a hotel and food, it was still cheaper to have the operation in Mumbai than in Oregon.

Which leaves lifestyle factors ---- stress, obesity? We Americans are, to put it impolitely, fat. The latest research reports put the number of overweight or obese Americans at 67%. That's two out of three of us. Americans under 30 may be the first generation which will die at an earlier age than their parents. As for stress, that factor is hard to pin down. We Americans work longer hours for many more years than any other people in the industrialized world. We take an average of less than a week of vacation per year. Europeans average total vacation time of 6 to 8 weeks. A recent survey by KFC reported that 62% of us believe that the one hour lunch is “the biggest myth of working life”. MSNBC reported that many of us take only a half hour for lunch and plenty of us eat at our desks. Job security has all but vanished for the current generation of us working. And because older Americans – our parents — are on average sicker than, say, Europeans and Japanese and Canadians for longer periods of their mature years, working Americans often find ourselves sandwiched between the need to care for aging parents and kids.

So, while it’s hard to pin down exactly what kind of stress may be killing us off sooner than the rest of the industrialized world, we have plenty of candidate stressors which may be to blame. How do we close the gap? Much of it is beyond our fixing immediately. But surely, we can work on the problem of obesity. Doctors say losing even a few pounds, especially around the middle, can add years of healthy living.

All about email marketing

Email marketing and newsletters may be sent with more confidence for less than most of the competition. Emails are priced according to the quantity you purchase, so the more you get, the less they cost. email marketing solutions when they need to: Make customer communication more efficient and to improve the productivity or their marketing resources Improve email marketing deliver ability—ensuring their communications are delivered to the highest percentage of recipients as possible Accelerate customer acquisition and conversion rates from their email marketing efforts Track the performance of their marketing efforts from communication to transaction—connecting campaigns to tangible return on marketing investment Leverage dynamic content for customized one-to-one, one-to-many or many-to-many email marketing communications Reduce their marketing costs while improving the performance and productivity of their marketing resources Make it easier and faster for customers to buy their products and services than any other marketing or sales channel Integrate voice, fax and sms text communications channels with their email marketing efforts Maximize Web analytics data to improve customer acquisition, customer retention and customer growth results.

Marketing

Marketing leaders across all industries—business-to-business and business-to-consumer—are using email marketing as their core channel for acquiring, retaining and growing customers.

Bulk

Bulk email hosting can be affordable and bulk email can even be free. Bulk email sender for email newsletters, targeted email campaigns and email announcements. Bulk emailer is easy to use mass email software, which is used to send bulk email.

Quite apart from these practical considerations, there is also a strong argument which says that long-term successful email marketing relationships with customers and others can only work anyway if they're permission based. It's important to stress that anyone considering email marketing must read up on the subject of permission and spam. By offering value-added services to your existing clients with email marketing software, you can build indestructible customer loyalty, gain a sharp competitive advantage and increase the average order value per client.

The potato - a pantry staple

Regardless of how you fix them, whether diced, sliced, mashed or baked, potatoes are the most popular vegetable in America, and a pantry staple. Most Americans include some form of potato product in one out of three meals they eat daily. Potatoes, when prepared well, and without added fat, are a wonderful source of nutritional energy.

When shopping for potatoes, choose ones that are firm, smooth, and have no spots and sprouts. If a potato is rather green in appearance it indicates sunburn or light exposure and should be avoided. Find the proper potato for the dish that you are preparing. Waxy or boiling potatoes are better suited for soups, salads or barbequing. Some names to look for in your store are Red Potato, Round Red or Yellow Potato to name a few. For baking, mashing or frying, try to use a starchy potato variety. These potato varieties are usually long and coarse and their skins feel like a cork when touched. Some familiar starchy potato names you’ll see in your grocery store are Gold Rush, Russet Arcadia, and Russet Burbank.

Be sure to store potatoes in a dark, dry, cool area. Temperatures above 50 F cause potatoes to sprout and shrivel. Refrigeration is not recommended because the starch will turn to sugar and the potato will turn dark when cooked.

Like oranges, potatoes are very high in vitamin C. One medium potato contains 45% of the vitamin C that's recommended for good health. Potatoes are also high in fiber and carbohydrates and contain more potassium than a banana. A potato is naturally low in calories and contains no fat, sodium, or cholesterol. The skin of the potato provides a helpful dose of fiber, iron, potassium, calcium, zinc, phosphorus, and several B vitamins.

Enjoy the following delicious easy potato recipe:

Parsley Potatoes

1 large onion, chopped

1 large clove garlic, minced

2 tbsp butter, melted

5 med red potatoes, peeled and cubed

1 c water

Ѕ tsp salt

ј tsp pepper

1/3 c chopped parsley

Sautй onion and garlic in butter in a large skillet until tender. Add potatoes, water and seasonings. Cover and simmer 15 minutes or until tender. Drain liquid, and discard; top potatoes with parsley. Serves 6.

Use a special chocolate candy mold to make fun treats for the family

Having a chocolate candy mold may not seem like a big deal, but did you know that it can be the key to having an enjoyable afternoon with your kids? It’s true. With our hurry up lives we often find that we do not spend as much quality time with our children as we would like. In many cases, this simply cannot be avoided. Both parents often have to work these days in order to make ends meet and for some there is only a single parent in the home and time is often a commodity that has to be spent elsewhere.

So if this is the case, why not use your chocolate candy mold and bring the whole family together for a fun-filled afternoon or evening? The making of the treats themselves is easy and requires little or no advanced training in kitchen skills. It is also safe and relatively quick to complete. And best of all, it is something the whole family can participate in, with each family member feeling as if he or she contributed to the overall project.

Children are curious by nature and they love to help out in the kitchen. This is especially true if they are making sweet treats they get to consume when finished. But they also need time with their parents. Just fun time with no pressures and no interferences from work or other daily adult worries. It’s good for the grown ups, too!

Who would think that a simple chocolate candy mold could bring all of this together? Funny, but often the more simple things are the ones that have the most power to impact on our lives. This is a case of where that is especially true.

But before you plan this great time together, make sure you have everything you need to get the project started off on the right foot and completed. There is nothing more disappointing than to have to stop midway because something is missing.

For this particular family project, you will only need a few items, and all of them can be found online if you shop at a reliable vendor. You will need your chocolate candy mold, of course, and these now come in so many different shapes and sizes that you can let your imagination go wild. There is a design to fit just about any interest or event you can think of. Some of these are truly unique, such as complete chess boards and pieces made of the sweet stuff! Or how about a set of dominoes, complete with their little white dots?

You will also need the filling and you may want to consider having some colorful wrapping if you plan to give any away as gifts.

One of the best places to find all of these things and to see a huge selection of designs is at the Candy Plus website at candyplus. net. Candy Plus features everything you need to pull this off and their prices are incredibly reasonable.

Aircrafts in the jet-setting age

These days, the aviation industry means big bucks. Planes, irrespective of their makes, are becoming the preferred mode of transport almost with ever second. Perhaps we shall soon move into a world like that of the Jetsons where everyone will be flying around in craft and cars will be a thing of the past. That really would be fun, wouldn't it? Yet, we would probably still witness traffic snarls on air that would be similar to the ones that we see everyday. So, would flying to work and flying back really be an improvement on our current state of affairs? That is a question which only time will reveal the answer to.

In the meantime, we cannot deny the fact that more and more persons have begun to prefer flying. There was a time when only the air force had access to aircraft. Then, people began to see the revenue potential in the business of transporting people from one place to another by air. The rest is history. These days, flying between cities and countries is becoming a very common feature. More often than not, flights are preferred to other modes of transportation. The crowds in most airports bear testament to this fact. The world of today is propelled by speed, and air travel provides the fastest means of affordable transport.

The sheer numbers of planes that land and take off during the course of the day demonstrate the growth and expansion that has taken place in the aviation industry. Just like in other industries, therefore, cut-throat competition is rearing its head. This competitive streak is present not just at the level of commercial fliers. It has begun to affect organizations in the area of aircraft parts manufacturing. The aircraft parts industry now looks for parts of high quality at relatively low prices. With competitiveness being revealed in the increasingly affordable air fares, the stress is on low costs when it comes to the putting together of the aircraft.

A simple search on the Internet would show you how competitive the aviation industry has become. There are scores of important aircraft parts factories which can supply you with anything from bearings to ailerons to spoilers. This is great news for even those who own private airplanes. Maintaining your own plane can be quite an uphill task. However, with the rise of aircraft parts manufacturers that sell aircraft parts over the net, people assembling their own airplanes have it easier. At least, one has less running around to do when it is time for you to do some servicing.

Refinance car loan - secrets revealed

Refinancing your car loan can help you save thousands of dollars and reduce your monthly payment. Below listed are simple tips to help you refinance your car. The lower payments and the thousands of dollars in savings will help bring balance back in your life.

The first question you need to answer is "Will I be saving money be refinancing?" You will need to determine factors that include time remaining on your loan, new interest rate and possible savings over the length of the loan. Also take into consideration any switching costs or fees to setup your new refinance loan. If you end up with a lower interest over the same length of time, you should refinance your auto loan.

There are some factors that will need to be considered before the refinance. The biggest reason for a refinance is thousands of dollars in savings on the interest you have been paying currently. Sometimes people are stuck with their initial loan due to pressure from the car dealer to buy the car on loan. Many individuals find they never had the time to calculate the payments through the excitement of driving their new car.

The best time according to experts to refinance is when you are about to change the amount of your repayments, either paying less or paying more each month. If your intent is to stretch longer so you can afford to pay your loan, a refinance starts to make sense. Whatever be your reason to refinance, check with multiple refinance companies and compare interest rates and fees. Rethink your options wisely and make sure you are really saving money with the refinance. If you are looking for a good company who can provide your with auto refinance quotes, feel free to visit our site and read further on services we provide to our clients.

Picture perfect the profit is in the plan

As far as home improvements go, landscaping is a solid investment - in fact, a well designed outdoor project can offer a better return than most of those inside the house. Good landscaping can add between seven and 15 per cent value to your home and has a recovery value of 100 to 200 percent, so shell out now and get it back when you sell.

Many realtors will tell you that a well designed landscape will help you sell your house faster. With today's explosion of subdivisions, where many of the homes look similar from the outside, landscaping can set your home apart from a neighborhood of clones.

But the key to a profitable landscape is the design, so start with a plan. A poorly designed layout could end up costing you more time and money: without proper planning, that lovely deck you've laid may crack in next winter's frost. So before you go running into the yard with your pick and shovel, get out your paper and pencil.

First consider what you want to use the area for. If you want to have an outdoor kitchen area or pool then your design will look quite different from someone looking for a vegetable garden or a private refuge. There are plenty of garden magazines on the market; study them to get a good idea of what you like and don't like. Even if you aren't planning on doing the whole yard now, plan what you'd like to see eventually. Otherwise you may find yourself ripping up this year's hard work because it interferes with next year's project.

Plan for your level of maintenance. Think about whether you want a garden that requires a lot of work or something a little easier to deal with. After you put all this work into the design you don't want to watch it go to waste. If you don't have time to maintain it yourself you might want to hire someone to take care of it for you, but look into those costs before you start planting.

Which brings us to the ever popular topic of budgets - it's important to start out with an idea of how much you have to spend, because it's easy to get carried away out there and there's no shortage of lovely plants, features and furniture to sink your hard-earned cash into. Be realistic: you might not be able to put in both the pool and the outdoor kitchen this year, but you've got your plan. You know it's coming.

The next step is to sketch out your yard. Divide it into sections and map out what you would like where. Call your utility company and map areas with underground wires and pipes. Identify areas that have special needs (drainage issues, acidic soil, shade and full sun). Next, add the feature that need to "hardscaped", like patios, fences, fountains, pools and walkways. Depending on the complexity of your design you may want to consider involving a professional, at least to look at your design. If you are undertaking any structural projects it might be wise to have the plans vetted by an engineer. In any case, consult local building codes and do your research. You want to ensure that your hardscaping is appropriate for your particular location and climate concerns.

When deciding on plants, refer back to your sketch to match your greenery with its preferred light and soil conditions. Use marking paint or chalk to mark out planned features and bedding areas in your yard. This will give you a basic idea of whether your design works spatially. You may need to play with the width of the beds or paths to make the plan more visually appealing.

Before you plant, lay your plants out in their place and take a good look. Does the layout look crowded? Try to visualize the final size of the plant. Make sure you leave them enough room, even if your garden feels a little sparse to begin with. It's better to have a little room between them now rather than ending up with some plants being overpowered by others when they are full-grown.

And now you're ready to go! It may seem like a lot of work to get started, but a well planned design will ensure that you maximize your investment and create a beautiful space that you (or the next owners) will enjoy for years to come.

Understanding osccommerce

The Internet has become a popular place to do business. Now that there are several options available to everyone, everywhere, the need for viable options is imminent. Likewise, companies offering their services online, whether exclusively, or in conjunction with their traditional means of operation, need ways to quickly and efficiently do business, while making sure their customer information is safe and secure. This is why it has become necessary to find an OsCommerce solution.

OsCommerce is an online solution for E-Commerce that is currently under ongoing development by the open source community. This means that it is continually worked on by those in the industry who understand its need and are able to experiment to find out the best solutions. Through the open source community, information is shared in order to provide optimal assistance toward solving both common and uncommon problems that may arise. It also allows store owners to set up, run, and maintain their online solutions with little to no effort, which enables them to concentrate more on the business aspect than the technical issues.

The best part of OsCommerce is that it is free. There are no licensing fees or costs involved, which is often one of the most attractive characteristics of open source solutions. OsCommerce combines open source solutions together to provide a free and open E-Commerce platform, which includes the PHP web scripting language, a stable Apache web server, and the MySQL database server. This scripting language is powerful and the server fast, which allows for more seamless transactions to take place.

There are no restrictions or special requirements with OsCommerce, and it is, therefore, able to run on any PHP enabled web server, along with a variety of supported environments. This broadens the spectrum for OsCommerce to work on several operating system environments and in multiple situations.

OsCommerce began in 2000, and has now matured into a solution that is currently powering a wide variety of online shops around the globe. The services it offers are helping business owners in many ways, and are making it easier for them to concentrate on keeping their business up and running, while serving a constantly growing number of customers on a daily basis. It has also made it easier for potential customers to find businesses, and to purchase products and services more quickly and efficiently. It is serving both the business owner and the customer in ways that will only help E-commerce get better.

Wavefront - better than conventional lasik eye surgery

Traditional LASIK surgery achieves a simple correction of focusing power by reshaping the cornea with the aid of a laser. Wavefront LASIK is a variation of that conventional procedure and accomplishes a spatially varying correction based on readings from a wavefront sensor. In essence, a wavefront sensor measures the eye itself. It detects any aberrations by directing a weak laser source into the eye, and by sampling and processing the reflection off the retina.

Wavefront measurements reveal the irregularities of the lens, which cause optical aberrations (any deviation from a desired perfect planar wavefront). Wavefront custom sculpts the cornea to accomplish corrected vision. In many ways, Wavefront offers better results than traditional LASIK. The procedure is carried out by an ophthalmologist, with the aid of sophisticated computer-controlled equipment.

LASIK has certain potential side effects including halos or glare, which are caused due to induced spherical aberration. Wavefront has helped reduce instances of such cases where patients complain of post-operative halos or glares. A drop in such complaints is owing to the precise measurements provided by the wavefront sensor.

Thus Wavefront can help achieve a more optically perfect eye, since the corneal tissue area to be carved is measured more precisely using advanced technology and tools. But, wavefront aberrations are not the sole cause for all types of vision impairments. Therefore, Wavefront LASIK should not be treated as a panacea for all kinds of vision defects. However, eye surgeons claim that a great deal of success has been accomplished in patient satisfaction, relative to earlier refractive surgery procedures.

Though wavefront technology has been used for years by astronomers who require adjusting their telescope optics, its application to human vision has been discovered only recently. It’s true that Wavefront is a superior procedure, but it’s certainly not required by or suitable for everyone. It is imperative that you go through an elaborate wavefront diagnostic to determine if you are a potential candidate for it.

How you can make the law of attraction work for you

As its name states it, the law of attraction has as its main principle the attraction one.

Things happen to us all the time, things we complain about or things that we are happy about. There are times when we think something will happen to us, but we come to realize that it just happened the other way. Such things make us feeble. This is why we need to start understanding how the energy affects us and what is its real power as far as the law of attraction is concerned. Should you add some emotions to it you’ll realize that it became it power increased. The type of energy one has and uses in its relationships will affect positively or negatively the things we are about to do.

The Law of Attraction - 100 % guarantee:

There are levels at which the laws of attraction work. We all know it. We all know how it works as we all noticed its results when it works. It seems that it never fails. Nevertheless it sometimes happens that we feel attracted to someone and the results are not favorable to us. This does not mean that the law of attraction failed; on the contrary, it worked just fine. The conclusion that is to be drawn is that this result is the consequence of what you truly believed, felt or meant.

In order to have the law of attraction working just well, the experts offer you several techniques. You need to consider several factors in order to make the law function. First of all you need to settle the things you want to be happening in your life, but never forget to stay focus on the aspects you’d like to change about your present life by visualizing them. The chance to have them happening is increased by the desire you have towards them. The stronger they are, the closer you are.

Also to be settled are the negative things you want to change in your present life and find a solution to prevent from happening again. It is though that the negative feelings are tied to some main primary belief. Start by seeing these negatives aspects in your life that you do not want happening again and explore them. Find the reason for which you came to experience all these negative feelings. A good idea might be for you to put them down and to take a closer look on them so that you can frame a positive statement.

The positive thinking helps you achieve the right mindset with positive properties. Remember the positive events that have caused you positive emotions. When you are interested in making the law of attraction function in the right method, it will definitely work for you. You will see it working in a positive way the moment you will have performed a rigorous examination of your emotions.

Firm guides parents through college savings plans

According to a survey conducted by the New York-based College Board, college tuition costs are rising faster than the pace of inflation. Between 1993 and 2003, for example, the average cost of tuition and fees for four years rose 47 percent at public colleges and 42 percent at private institutions.

Thus, parents should start saving for college as soon as possible, says Stuart Ritter, a certified financial planner at T. Rowe Price, the Baltimore-based investment management and mutual fund firm. One way to do so, he says, is by taking advantage of state-sponsored 529 college savings plans.

These plans are becoming popular as a way to save for college because they provide some of the best tax benefits available, including an exemption from federal income tax on withdrawals made for qualified education expenses, and have high contribution limits to help save for college.

As a result, a 529 plan can potentially provide more money to spend on education than other investment products such as taxable accounts and Uniform Gift to Minor Acts (UGMA) accounts, an alternative way to contribute assets to a minor for investment purposes, says Ritter. An individual or a family can usually contribute more than $200,000 total in a 529 plan.

Currently, all states offer some type of 529 plan, with about half offering incentives to in-state residents. So while it may be practical for some parents to turn to their home states first when considering a plan, families are not limited to their own states' plans. "It could pay to comparison shop," Ritter says, adding that in addition to looking at potential state tax benefits for their contributions, parents should also evaluate the fees, expenses and investment options.

Another tool, the College Savings Comparison Calculator, compares saving for college in a 529 plan with doing so in a UGMA account.

One caveat is that due to provisions in the tax laws, the federal tax exemption for qualified educational expenses expires in 2010 unless extended by Congress. After that time, earnings would be considered income for the beneficiary - usually still beneficial since most 18-year-olds are in a low tax bracket. Also, earnings on a distribution not used for qualified expenses may be subject to income taxes and a 10 percent federal penalty.

Sorting through the array of 529 plans can be overwhelming, but experts say it is important for parents who are hoping to get the maximum return for their savings.

Warren buffett s berkshire hathaway discloses 10 stake in burlington northern

Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway has disclosed a greater than 10% stake in Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNI). Through three insurance subsidiaries (Columbia, National Indemnity, and National Fire & Marine) Berkshire beneficially owns 39,027,430 shares of Burlington Northern common stock according to an SEC filing made on Friday, April 6, 2007.

Berkshire's most recent reported purchase was made on Thursday, April 5th, and consisted of 1,219,000 shares purchased at $81.18 each.

Upon presenting the familiar table of Berkshire's major investment in his most recent letter to shareholders, Buffett wrote:

"We show below our common stock investments. With two exceptions, those that had a market value of more than $700 million at the end of 2006 are itemized. We don't itemize the securities referred to, which have a market value of $1.9 billion, because we continue to buy them. I could, of course, tell you their names. But then I would have to kill you."

It appears that Burlington Northern was one of the two large positions Berkshire was accumulating. Clearly, Berkshire has been a big buyer of Burlington Northern shares since Buffett wrote his letter to shareholders, because Berkshire's position now has a market value of approximately $3.2 billion.

The size of the investment will make it one of about a half dozen large positions held by Berkshire. This investment dwarfs most of Berkshire's investments made during the past few years – it is already considerably larger than any other single investment recently disclosed by Berkshire including the investment in Posco (PKX), US Bancorp (USB), ConocoPhillips (COP), Anheuser Busch (BUD), Johnson & Johnson (JNJ), USG (USG), Wal-Mart (WMT), and Tesco (TSCDY).

Simply put, this is the biggest single common stock investment made by Berkshire in a long time.

It's big news – and it seems to have caught most Buffett watchers off guard. GuruFocus, a site that tracks Buffett's moves religiously, announced that its contest to name the two mystery investments alluded to in Buffett's annual letter had failed to turn up any guesses that Burlington Northern would be among the pair.

Burlington Northern Santa Fe operates one of the largest rail systems in North America. The system includes 32,000 route miles of track of which 23,000 are owned route miles.

In recent years, Burlington Northern Santa Fe has been buying back stock. The company expects share repurchases will remain the primary use of its free cash flow. In fact, Burlington Northern may allow "a moderately higher level of debt" so the company can "devote additional financial capacity to share repurchases".

In that respect, at least, it is a typical Berkshire investment.

Learn about refinance mortgage

To understand a refinance mortgage loan, we need to clearly understand the meaning of a mortgage loan. A mortgage is a generic term for a loan which is secured against a property. Once the loan is repaid, the lien from the property is removed and the rights of the property are transferred back to the owner. A refinance mortgage is a subsequent mortgage of a property or an asset which has been mortgaged earlier. It is simply the changing of hands of the asset, from one mortgagee to the other or the renewal or change of contract between the parties involved in the covenant.

There are many benefits of a refinance mortgage. First and foremost you can save your self from a bankruptcy situation. In case your adverse situation is reaching a foreclosure; you can immediately chalk out a solution plan with the help of a calculator. Finance home mortgage, refinance mortgage or any other loans can be applied for to pull you out from this solution. Another advantage of refinance mortgage loan is that you can avail cash out money by using the equity in your home. The amount you can avail will depend upon the value of equity worth in your home.

In a mortgage refinance home loan, interest rates of the home loan drops down, but the valuation of the property for the home loan always increases. This too, benefits the borrower. Generally a refinancing is done to allow the borrower to obtain additional and fresh finances against the already mortgaged asset.

Negotiating a refinance mortgage for your property is not something you should take lightly—you should avail all the expert advice you can get because a bad decision can cost you dearly. To avoid making costly mistakes, its best to consult the best remortgage broker you can find.

In times of financial crisis, opting for a refinance is a wise decision. Refinance mortgage is nothing but switching over from your current mortgage to a new creditor to lower your costs. It is also advisable to go for refinance to clear old debts. But you must be smart and alert enough to get the best refinance mortgage rate and avail of the lowest monthly payments possible. Your lender will perform the necessary credit check and provide various choices from which you can choose the one that best suits your needs.

There are many lenders who can offer you a refinance mortgage. It is always advisable to compare what each and every lender can offer you in terms of loan amount, payment options and of course, interest rates. It is also important to find out the kind of services that your lender offers. Online services are quite popular simply because of the conveniences that it offers.

When using an online lender for your refinance mortgage it is crucial to check out the stability and make sure that your lender is reputed. Be careful of submitting private and personal details to any website. You should check that the online lender uses special encryption software in order to protect your information. The benefits of obtaining an online refinance mortgage are quite obvious – the time that is saved from having to go personally to a lending company or lending store is preciously valuable and can be used towards more productive purposes. Another thing is that the hassles and paperwork is much more reduced in comparison to applying with traditional lenders. However, no matter what your decision is (applying with an online lender or with a lending company), your refinance mortgage plan should definitely make payment options easier for you. You can learn more about refinance mortgage and many other types of loans as well.

24 hour no credit check loans

24 hour no credit check loans are really adjacent to just about anybody who applies for them. Previously may have semblance unbelievable to some residents that there are lenders out there out are willing to approve unsecured loans for people who possibly have a bad credit calculation.

If you are describe looking to apply for a killing pace loan and have a poor trust rating therefore 24 hour no credit audit loans can be a plan for you. Don't get duped into thinking that just inasmuch as this type of loan is indolent to get henceforward it doesn't have its degeneration hit unexpectedly.

By late I mean that you want first compare all the lending companies out there that offer this carefree to get type of profits. Being these stockholders are willing to approve finance to people with no installment plan checks they will no nonbelief charge very noonday interest custom along with high application fees. Be guarded.

This may not be a problem for you if you direct a good income coming in but for many people in insight of fast cash cow* it isn't the case. No matter what type of loan you are approved for and no mundane who you venture capitalist is you still have to be able to pay back those several payments. Not pretty near be able to pay concede the balance of payments but also pay diehards* chicken out* by the due obsolete.

Think profoundly before you appropriate any offer! In the end you charity be happier that you did..

Big names in basketball

There are many things that people must do, despite what is currently going on in their personal life. The person may be dealing with divorce, illness, or even the death of a family member, yet they still have to go to work or take care of children. There is a former NBA player that most fans consider to be the best player ever in professional basketball. The former player’s name is Michael Jordan, and he was excellent on offense and defense. Michael Jordan played for the Chicago Bulls, and he helped the Bulls to win six titles.

Unfortunately, despite his talent, things weren’t always great for Michael Jordan. Along with fame and fortune comes heartbreak, just like for everyone else. In 1995, Michael and the Bulls played the season of a lifetime, and were headed to the playoffs once again. But in the middle of everything, something happened that no one had ever expected. Michael Jordan’s dad was shot and killed in his home in North Carolina. Of course this was devastating for Jordan, and he even felt that he couldn’t go on and participate in the playoffs. Miraculously, just when Michael had just about given up, he heard a voice from his father, telling him that he was still with him, no matter what. This made Michael break down in tears, ultimately deciding to go out and win the championship for his dad—and win the championship, he did.

Many of us think that we have problems in our lives that cause us to be unable to go on, but just imagine what NBA players must go through. They have to quickly get themselves together, no matter what happens in their personal lives that affects them in a major way. They have fans and team member who are counting on them, and don’t want to be let down. One thing that people need to realize, though, is that just because they are professional basketball players, doesn’t mean that they aren’t human. NBA players are people, too, and they have feelings and emotions, just like everyone else, and should be allowed an adequate amount of time to mourn the death of a loved one.

For some great National Basketball League material, there is a great website that provides coupons to help you save money, as well as convenient links that lead you directly to the retailers’ website.

Will the democrats be able to reverse the online gambling ban

Many people were hoping that if the Democrats won control of Congress they would reverse the online gambling ban, but experts doubt they will even try or that if they do that the will be successful.

Once the bill was passed and signed into law by the president, it became much harder to reverse the law.

The democrats would need to bring up the law and get it to a vote, then after the vote passed it needs to go to the president for his signature. The problem with this is that the current president is the one who signed the bill into law in the first place.

Another problem is because the gambling ban was attached to another bill, it means that to reverse the law the entire bill needs to be reversed, but the other part of the bill is for an increase in port security, so any congressmen who recommends reversing this law, will be going on record as trying to reverse the increase in port security.

Because of this trying to get the law reversed could ruin a congressman’s chances of ever getting elected to public office again for the rest of their lives.

It is more likely that it will have to wait till the end of George Bushes term in office and then get an amendment to the law that reverses only gambling ban part of the law.

So if you are on Online Gambling enthusiast and you were hoping that after the election the online gambling ban would just disappear I am sorry to say you were mistaken and that you are going to have to wait a little longer, but that does not mean you need to sit quietly by.

The key is to make sure that you are heard, write letters to congressmen, and attend protest rallies anything that will keep this issue in the front of the minds of the politicians so they know that just as the Republicans lost the house so can they.

The republicans used the online gambling ban to try to gain votes for them in the last weeks before the election, but it backfired on them and lost them more votes then it brought in.

Hopefully the Democrats will learn from the mistakes of the Republicans and will understand that banning something never works, and that it is only thru regulating the online gambling industry that will ensure that it is safe and honest to play and that no underage children manage to play.

Other wise I am sure that the Democrats will also see the wrath of the American voters when it comes time for the next elections.

The American people are tired of having the government controlling every aspect of their lives and I think this election may have made their point for them.

So if the question is will they try to reverse the law I am sure they will try, but how successful they will be is still up in the air, and no one can really know what the outcome will be.

The best environment in formal education

It is a great task of parents of today's generation to establish a fixed curriculum standard in getting their children started for a valuable formal education. The home handles the informal education of each individual from the time he is a toddler, after which parents may choose the kind of school, that will later be a trademark institution linking him to wherever his objectives and goals bring him.

There are many highly exclusive schools for either gender. Educational settings of this kind are highly expensive, are opened to the rich and affluent. There are those simply private, inclusive of all coeds, a much more highly standardized than a public school. Public schools operational systems are based on the economic condition of a place.

Products of public schools of the third world and poorer countries, and those promoting scholarships of some kind don't meet the normal standard level in education. Institutional systems' lack of certain criteria fails to cope in developing confidence, and competitiveness in business, and harsh brutalities of life when they go their own, in job seeking, entrepreneurship, or raising a family.

The modern-day complexity in today's lifestyle, made possible the accreditation of various studies within the confines of a home. There are various reasons why it is done so, especially to exceptional cases in the nature of work, and the situations of life one has been drawn into. Examples of individuals that need apply a home schooling curriculum are those in the entertainment world, such as in the movies, television, theatres, and advertisements when there's no definite time in photo or filming footages.

Actors, especially children characters are left to study with tutors, and thru correspondence schools, where materials are sent to their homes in form of packages and mails for self - study, with a domestic teacher, or the parents themselves.

The home schooling curriculum opens opportunity for some parents to act fairly against any risk on drugs, travel, and social elemental influences in school environments today, and find themselves in direct management of their children in the home.

Home-based schools studies cater some cautious parents in giving education to their children up to some grade levels where they're mature enough to handle themselves. Leaflets of the well-based curriculum planned for home study are also delivered by the agencies of correspondent schools. Progress of the child is sent the same way around, or by mails.

A random study of families adapting this study method has run surveys to be positively favorable. Compared to all their peers among accredited schools, private or public, home schooling curriculum results of validating exams for college entry, favors 80% mark of competence against counterparts, rating only 50% in effectiveness survey.

Education, both formal and informal could still be at best, if outright guide or adviser of the child is the parent who has the definite full concern for him.

Revealing the truth behind the garnishment laws

Garnishment law has been in force to improvise the mode of collection of payment for the money due towards the federal government or any other creditor. Garnishment law also states wage garnishment according to which the money is deducted directly from the person’s salary after assessing the monthly expenses vis-а-vis monthly income.

Garnishment law can be levied by any agency and is not limited to the IRS. Any private creditor, federal government department, or even an ex-spouse can claim garnishment of the money overdue. Garnishment law can also be enacted towards the child support expenses. But for all agencies apart from the government department a court order is required to enforce the garnishment law.

Garnishment is taken as a part of payroll process. If the person is unable to pay the amount due as credit then the correct order for collecting the money has been stipulated in the garnishment law. According the garnishment law, the garnishment due to towards the federal government is to be collected first. Thereafter the money due towards state tax or local tax garnishment and lastly garnishment for credit cards falls in order.

Garnishment law in some states like Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Texas, etc do not allow wage garnishment at all except those related to taxes, child support, court order fines, federally-guaranteed student loans, etc. some states allow all kinds of garnishments even those levied by the private creditors. In some states garnishment law states maximum 25% of the disposable earnings to be levied as amount due towards payment.

Garnishment law also states types of garnishment law called as attachment. According to attachment the garnishee needs to hand over all the money or property during the service of process of the court. This type of garnishment as stated in the garnishment law is required only against institutions like banks, or other companies that face liquidated obligations in the regular course of the business.

The money withheld from any individual’s paycheck is handed over to the creditor or the agency towards which the amounts is due. Therefore it is suggested that while filing returns one must include the amount garnished from the wages. The garnishment law authorizes the pay of active, retired or reserve personnel to be garnished towards child or spouse support. As per the garnishment law, the garnishment says in effect until the total amount due towards the federal government of the agency is paid up or until the IRS department releases the garnishment.

According the wage garnishment law an individual’s salary, wages, or other income can be levied. It prevents the employee to be fired from the job in hand. If the employer fires the employee because of garnishment proceedings, then it is violation of garnishment law. Also the employer can be fined for the same. The Wage and Hour division of the Department of Labor determines the violation of the law. The IRS does not do this job.

New year s resolutions

Have you kept to your new year's resolutions? Sadly most of us haven't, and many of us have given up trying. But why is this? Are you going to wait another 12 months before you try again? Many people give up if they fail once. You are putting unreasonable pressure on yourself if you do this.

In one of the British Heart Foundation publications I came across a lovely phrase: " A lapse is not a collapse". In other words, because you've failed once, it doesn't mean you've failed completely. Sometimes you have to fail several (or even many) times before you succeed. Thomas Edison said: "Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up." It is said that Edison was asked how he could bear to have so many failed experiments, and he said: “I’ve learnt 700 ways not to make a light bulb.” I’m not sure if this story is true, but it really shows graphically the power of positive persistence.

So, pick yourself up and try again, but before you do – think again. Think about the goal you’ve set yourself, and ask yourself some questions: Is it worth achieving? Is this the best way to achieve it? Do I need help from others to achieve my goal? Should I break a big goal down into several smaller goals? Have I set myself too many goals?

Then be persistent and tenacious. Louis Pasteur said: “Let me tell you the secret that has led me to my goal: my strength lies solely in my tenacity".

Make 2006 a year when you got closer to the person you could be:

“The very least you can do in your life is to figure out what you hope for. And the most you can do is live inside that hope. Not admire it from a distance but live right in it, under its roof." Barbara Kingsolver

Apparently a baby falls at least 1500 whilst learning to walk. Now that's an interesting thought - think of all those things that we would have never learnt as babies if we'd given up as easily as we do now!

Escape the humiliation of a credit check with no credit check loans

Much to the chagrin of borrowers with a bad credit, any loan is sanctioned only after the lenders conduct a thorough check on the borrower’s financial antecedents and his credit history. The borrowers with a poor credit find the process of credit check quite humiliating and they detest it because it shrinks their chances of getting a good loan offer. The idea of a loan without any credit check comforts them very much. But, it is a risky proposition for lenders, because they have to lend their money without having any background knowledge about the person’s creditworthiness.

No credit check loans can be of two types - secured and unsecured. Secured no credit check loans take the home or any other property owned by the borrower as the collateral.

The loan amounts in case of secured no credit check loans are proportionate to the value of the collateral. Secured no credit loans provide a large sum and have lower interest rates. The typical APR’s for a secured no credit check loan range from 8% to 20%. The repayment terms can also go up to 20 years in the case of secured no credit check loans.

The unsecured no credit check loan do not use any collateral. This type of loan does not pose any risk on the home or any other property owned by the borrower. It is also available to those who do not own any home and live as tenants. Unsecured no credit check loan appears as a risky investment for the lenders. So they charge higher rates of interest on such loans. The typical APR varies from 16% to 30% and the loan amounts are also very small, usually below Ј1000. Unsecured no credit check loans have to be repaid within a few weeks. The repayment of this loan coincides with the salary or paycheck dates.

No credit check loans can be used for any purpose by the borrowers. They can use it for any home improvement plan, for financing a car, funding a much needed weekend vacation or for that morale boosting cosmetic surgery. In fact, good lenders do not impose any restrictive preconditions on the usage of the loan amount.

In the absence of a credit check option the lenders look at other avenues to ensure the viability of the borrower. Lenders ask for proofs of employment and duration of the employment before giving any no credit check loan. By enumerating a minimum salary limit on the borrowers, lenders make sure that they are dealing with people who are financially stable to a certain extent. The salary of a borrower is a deciding factor for judging the amount of loan in the case of unsecured no credit check loan.

To get a good deal on no credit check loans a borrower must search for the right offers. In this IT enabled world it is very easy, because a borrower can get quotes and compare APR’s and other loan parameters at the click of a button. Almost every lending and financial institution has a website and a toll free number. A fast response is guaranteed if a borrower applies online, with all the relevant details.

Of course, the loan on offer is a no credit check loan, but if the repayment schedule is followed faithfully and the loan is cleared within the stipulated time frame, it can boost a borrower’s credit ratings. This can take a borrower out of the quagmire of bad credit and help him establish a positive credit history.

Skiing in austria

The world famous home of skiing, Austria, is an ideal resort for anyone who enjoys skiing. The fresh alpine slopes, combined with picture-postcard scenery, and a grand culture of centuries old make Austria an ideal holiday destination, whether or not you simply adore skiing like me!

Austria is home to a wide variety of ski resorts, catering for all abilities and tastes. From the lavishly expensive to the bargain basement (yet still of a consistently high quality), Austria has it all, from the highest peaks, to the snowiest landscapes, and with a bit of research you can find some really great deals.

When in Austria, you'd be mad not to ski the alps. The dream of many skiers, the alps span several European countries, and is a must-ski for an enthusiast. Spend a good few days in Austria, and dedicate at least one of them to skiing the alps. You won't regret it, I can promise you that!

If you put in the research work before you leave, you will generally be able to find some top quality accommodation at low prices. Whether you are booking within a ski resort, or nearby, you should consult the internet to find last minute deals which might help you save money. A good tip to bear in mind is that the star rating given to accommodation does not indicate quality. You might be better off in a one star than a three star for example, given that the star only represents the level of facilities. Additionally, lower star ratings are usually cheaper, so you can benefit from quality, reduced price accommodation if you know where to look. Whatever type of accommodation you opt for, if you are flexible enough to leave for your vacation instantly you will benefit from good deals. Hotels often cut their prices at the last minute, on the basis that some money for a room is better than no money, and so if you're prepared to get away as soon as possible, you will find it can be really cheap, and you can still have a great time all the same.

On top of that, the internet is home to a variety of low cost airlines which run 'no frills', no ticket services. In my personal experience, I have found these airlines to be as good as their more expensive competitors, and just as efficient and comfortable. One word of caution about any airline: make sure they are equipped to handle skiing equipment. Some companies will charge a surplus for your skis, so it is important to ask before you book as to arrangements for bulky or large and fragile goods.

Another highly recommended purchase is insurance for both your equipment and yourself. Things do go wrong, on holiday as well as at home. It is important, therefore to make sure you are covered. Particularly when you are placing your equipment in an airplane hold, or when you are indulging in a dangerous sport like skiing, insurance is important for ensuring you don't end up high and dry. You can find good deals if you shop around, and it really is worth the few bucks to get that piece of mind, and actual backup in case things go wrong. In a word, it is essential. Don't leave home without it!

Helpful advice and tips to fight traffic tickets

Last year I rear-ended a car while on a freeway in stop and go traffic; he had slammed on his brakes and I wasn’t able to stop in time. We hit bumper-to-bumper, and though the front of my car wasn’t damaged and neither was the back of his car, the impact pushed the front of his car into a truck and banged up his front end. The police were called and an accident report was filed, and finally we all drove away. A few weeks later I received a letter in the mail from the State Patrol; in it was a traffic ticket for inattentive driving. Sure, I definitely shouldn’t have hit the guy, but I wasn’t distracted. I decided to fight it.

Fortunately, I learned that it wasn’t particularly difficult to fight traffic tickets. In fact, the ticket gave me the option to sign admittance and pay my fee or to report to the specific county office to talk to a traffic officer to fight the ticket. I did a quick Google search and learned that lacking concentration driving was a strict liability offense, meaning that the trooper who cited me would have to prove that I was driving inattentively in order for the ticket to stick. Feeling pleased with myself, I went in to see the traffic officer but was told that I needed a police report in order to properly fight the ticket.

That took another couple weeks to obtain, but eventually I returned. I showed up in a shirt and tie, with a few notes written down to allow me to argue the charge. The traffic officer looked over the police report, looked at the ticket, and then said “all right, the charge is dismissed. After a few clicks on her keyboard I was free to go and free of the ticket and its $100 fine.

Though it wasn’t very tough for me, sometimes it’s a little tougher to fight traffic tickets. One of the reasons I had an easy time of it was because of the strict liability nature of my ticket. It’s not so easy to fight traffic tickets which aren’t in this category like speeding tickets. If the traffic officer wouldn’t have dismissed the ticket it would have been sent to traffic court, where I would have argued my case in front of a judge. Now, if the State Trooper wouldn’t have shown up I would have won automatically (though some states allow the State Patrol to send any agent, regardless of whether or not that particular trooper wrote the ticket. If this is the case my odds would have been pretty bad).

If the trooper would have show up things probably wouldn’t have gone in my favor, as judges are usually likely to take a trooper’s word over someone else’s. The best way to fight traffic tickets is to be respectfuland to play by the rules; if you work within the system and appear to be fighting a ticket that was given unjustly you’ve got a chance but if you’re aggressive or disrespectful you don’t have a chance.

6 ways on how to get extra cash to tide you over till the next payday

There are a lot of reasons why you could need extra cash even before the next payday. Insufficient wages, improper spending, having too many dependents, and emergency expenses are just some of the situations in which you’d need extra cash. It’s an urge that sometimes take much creativity and effort to satisfy.

6 Ways on How to Get Extra Cash to Tide You Over Till the Next Payday

Borrowing from Family, Friends, and Colleagues – You can do so in that order, preferably, or in some other way. Borrowing from your personal network is always the first and best thing you should do because it’s usually interest free. The amount of money you can borrow will depend mainly on how much these people can afford to lend. Terms are usually flexible and generous towards the borrower.

Getting Cash Advance from Work – If there is truly no one for you to borrow from at home, your circle of friends and acquaintances then consider getting a cash advance from work. Of course, you might need to state your reason why you need a cash advance and success will depend on the validity and reliability of your answer. Secondly, there’s a definite limit to how much you can advance, and it will depend mainly on how much you’re earning from the company, how much you’ve asked for it, and how many times you’re allowed to ask for one.

Pawn or Mortgage an Asset – Nowadays, not only houses, cars, and jewelries can be “sold” temporarily to give you cash. These days, even household appliances and other miscellaneous items can all be mortgaged to give you the cash you need. Of course, make sure that you pay for them the moment the next payday arrives if you don’t want them to be foreclosed and sold to the highest bidder.

Selling Off Assets – Of course, if you feel that you’re being ripped off with the incredibly low offers made on your assets then consider selling them instead. Mortgaged and pawned assets are naturally acquired through low amounts, but you could sell assets for their proper market value. Look for something of value and one that you wouldn’t mind losing.

Getting a Job on the Sideline – Working doubly hard and accepting sideline jobs and other opportunities is another way to earn the extra cash that you need. A job doesn’t have to be restricted to offices. Some jobs can also be accomplished at home, and this is a huge blessing for people who already lack quality time with their respective families.

Applying for a Payday Loan – Lastly, you could also ask for a payday loan then just pay it off with your cash from next payday. A payday loan is a short term low amount loan with amounts ranging from $100 to $1000 and interest charges for a loan of $100 range from $15 to $30. It might seem low at the start but your inability to pay off on its original due date could easily balloon to as much as 400% annual percentage rate (APR).

Obtaining a payday loan isn’t bad as long as you really know what you’re getting into. Payday loans are convenient because they don’t require you to have excellent credit ratings. What they need from you however are your bank account and employment details. Without positive information regarding the two, it’s unlikely that you’ll have a payday loan.

Hope you choose the best alternative!

Tis the season

Christmas and (insert your favorite holiday here) come but once a year; earnings season on the other hand, comes four times a year. And while earnings season may be devoid of streamers, balloons and cake...the outcome can be just as festive for penny stock investors.

While blue chip giants are bemoaning the start of earnings season this week, those interested in penny stocks or small-cap stocks have reason to cheer...or at the very least, be extremely optimistic.

After nearly six years of strong performance, small-cap stocks headed into 2005 with many industry analysts saying the honeymoon was over. Small-cap prices were too rich they said...the Johnny-come-lately lemmings were too many...and the bargains too few.

Not surprisingly, penny stocks sailed through 2005, beating their larger counterparts by an equally large margin. For the 12 months ended May 1, 2006, the Russell 2000 index of small-cap stocks returned 31.5%, compared with 14.1% for the Standard & Poor's 500 index of large-company stocks.

The longer view is even more impressive. Since March 2000 (the official start of this rally) the Russell 2000 index has posted an average annual return of 7.3%, vs. -0.6% for the S&P 500.

Clearly the penny stock soothsayers are i) not worth listening to ii) not invited on my honeymoon.

Now, just because penny stocks have been performing well does not mean that earnings season is a foregone conclusion. In addition, you cannot compare the results of your favorite penny stock pick with those of the blue chip juggernauts.

For example, earlier this week one of the market's bellwether stocks missed its revenue forecast for the quarter. Analysts pounced noting that the company's share price "tumbled" 4% on the news. Another company's missed forecast sent its stock "plummeting" 4.7%.

Penny stocks don't tumble or plummet 4%. In the world of penny stocks, a daily drop or gain of 5% - 8% is commonplace. Now, should the penny stock on your radar screen climb 10%, 20%, or 50% on strong earnings...that could be described as significant.

Granted, the earnings results from large-cap stocks are a litmus test to how well our economy is doing...and is expected to do. Fortunately, penny stocks don't follow the same rules as their leviathan counterparts. Penny stocks can defy logic and perform well in bad times...or perform poorly when times are good.

The point is, you can't read your penny stock company's fiscal results through the same glasses as you would a triple digit goliath. Penny stocks march to their own tune and experience daily climbs and drops that would churn the stomach of most Wall Street analysts.

Which is fine...most Wall Street fat cats are happy with a 7% return on their safe, boring investment. Penny stock investors are not.

Becoming a model

:
Every day I receive requests on how to becoming a model. Things like how to get started, finding and contacting a modeling agency, and getting a first photo shoot.

How to get started:
Before you get started doing anything, you should ask yourself these questions as they will help guide you for the rest of the process.

What do I want to get out of modeling?

What am I willing to put into becoming a model

What kind of model do I want to be? Fashion, Runway, swimsuit, sport, etc.

How flexible am I for traveling and for time

Once you evaluate these questions, There is two ways you can go. One is to contact a modeling agency which I will explain below. The other method is to act like your own agency and create your own portfolio. This is easily done over the internet, now with several places in which you can post pictures, and information on yourself to attract talent scouts.

If you choose to go the traditional route and to work with a modeling agency, It can be hard at times to know first of all how to find a good one, and what to look for in a modeling agency. You can easily look up and find agencies in phone books or online, etc. Before you do any of that, I would recommend contacting anyone you know, that is a model, and finding out about some of the experiences that they have had with modeling and general, and also specifically with different agencies in your area. Once you have a general idea of what the scene looks like, contact some of the agencies and set up an appointment to meet with them. Meeting with the agency can be the hardest and most nerve wrecking part of the whole experience. Be firm, and don’t allow the agency to take advantage of you!

Things to ask and look for are:

What have they done for other models?

What can they do for you?

Can they meet your needs as an invividual and as a model?

Does the agency have similar goals for you as the ones you have for yourself?
The final question “How to get a first photo shoot” depends on which route you take. If you go with an agency you will have to arrange with them, to have a photo shoot taken, and to start building your portfolio. If you decide to go on your own, you will have to build your own portfolio. Either by using photos that you already have, or by contacting a photographer to have a photo shoot done. I would recommend that hiring a photographer is the route to go, as it looks more professional, and the quality is much greater than simple family and friends photo’s, etc.

Good luck with your search. Feel free to reprint this article as long as you keep the following caption and author biography in tact with all hyperlinks.

Seven secrets of highly creative writers

The Lifewriting™ approach to your writing career demands a relatively high creative output. It isn’t designed to coddle people who nurse a single story for years before sending it out.

But students often protest that they simply don’t come up with many good ideas, and that the ideas they do generate are appropriate for novels.

In my opinion, basic ideas have no intrinsic length. The TREATMENT of an idea has an intrinsic length. The Civil War can be treated in a one-page story, on in a library of books. It all depends on the skill and intent of the writer.

Let me tell you a story:

When I was in college, I knew a woman who wanted to be a writer. She told me that she was working on a short story, and I said “great.” A few weeks later, I asked her how the story was going. She said “It’s getting a little long—I think it’s a novella.”

“Great!” I said.

A couple of months later, I asked her how the novella was going. “Well, it’s getting a little long, I think it’s a novel!”

“Wow!” I said, although a warning bell was tinkling at the back of my mind. A couple of years later, I asked her how the novel was going.

“Well, it seems to be turning into a trilogy,” she said.

Hmm. I made optimistic sounds, and left it at that.

A decade later, I was traveling on the East Coast, and knew I’d be passing the town where this lady lived. My wife and I stopped in to visit. Just because I have a masochistic streak, I asked how the trilogy was going.

There was a pause. Then, sheepishly she said, “I got tired of it, and put it away. But just a couple of months ago I started working on a new story. It’s good! But” she said, as I knew she would, “it seems to be getting a little long…”

That is so sad. My friend had encountered one of the stealthiest forms of writer’s block: to be able to write, but not be able to finish and submit. It serves the same purpose to an insecure subconscious: it prevents you from suffering rejection.

After all, the idea is so bright and appealing when it enters your mind! The process of actually slogging your way through multiple drafts can be a joy-killer.

Short stories are a perfect means to combat this. A short piece employs all the same basic tools that will be used in a novel, with a crucial difference. In the time it takes you to write a hundred thousand word novel, you can write twenty to forty short stories, and you’ll learn vastly more about your craft in the process.

Also, because you are going through the complete arc of generating story, planning, researching, writing rough draft, polishing, and submitting, you find out where your technical and psychological weaknesses lie.

And yet another advantage: if you write a story a week, or every other week, you don’t need to cling desperately to an idea, thinking it is the only good idea you’ll ever have.

But how to generate ideas? Here are some suggestions:

1) Keep a dream diary. A little digital or tape recorder at the bedside works great for this. Just tell yourself before sleep that you will briefly awaken after a dream and dictate the essence. In the morning, transcribe.

2) Search the newspaper. Make an exercise of looking through the various sections of the paper, looking for odd or interesting stories. Imagine how it would be to be the people caught up in these situations. What story would capture the essence of their lives?

3) Read books and watch movies. Imagine grafting the end of one film to the beginning of another. When a book falls apart, come up with a better ending—and write it.

4) Create modern versions of favorite old fairy tales. Have fun with this—remember, it’s just practice!

5) At the next family reunion or gathering, get the old folks to talk about their youthful days.

6) Go to a playground and watch children playing. Really notice the power games, the sharing, the crying, the laughter, the struggles and triumphs. Every single child, every day, has a story to tell.

7) Mine your own life. Learning to walk, to talk, to drive, to win, to lose. Your first fight, your first kiss, your first job, the first time you got fired.

There is really no end to the possibility. All you need is a belief in your goals, and the recognition that any individual story is just a step along the way—not some soul-searing win-or-lose proposition.

Have fun!

Two thousand years later

The Passion of The Christ has caused a lot of discussions. Some people accuse the film to be anti-Semitic or that it has the potential to incite hatred and violence towards Jews. Other people object mainly to Mel Gibson's gruesome depiction of Jesus Christ's last 12 hours on earth in his latest film: The Passion Of The Christ. Though these are of importance, we should not allow Christ's main message to drown and be set aside in favor of our discussions of religion, politics, film-comparisons, film-critiques and censorship. We should take this opportunity to remember what it was that Jesus Christ died for. Perhaps we can re-think and re-learn the message He may have been trying to tell us two thousand years ago.

I would have preferred this paper to discuss only the main teaching of Christ and how it relates to us today; however I feel that I should address the two most popular discussions regarding the film before I can continue on. Was it anti-Semitic? I don't believe the film was anti-Semitic. The Jews had to make a decision then and they did it no differently to how we, as a society, conduct our affairs today. In the latter part of this document, I argue that there is no reason for non-Jews to blame the Jews for what had happened. Was the gore and violence of the film appropriate? Yes. I think that the gore and violence of the film was important in illustrating the sacrifice that Jesus had to make, and was willing to take, so that we would understand what he had been trying to tell us all along. The pain and suffering he had endured shows the amount of strength that is required to love - completely and truly.

Regardless of what your religious beliefs are, or whether you have a religion or not, let me first ask you to assume, just for this paper, to forget religion. Forget the notion that Jesus Christ was the Son of God. Forget the notion that he was sent here by a Divine Power. Let us just assume that he was a mortal man, made of flesh and blood, just like you and me. He saw the world differently however. He interpreted information, his experiences and his emotions differently to how most of us process our internal and external environments. As a result, he gained immense wisdom and knowledge beyond the comprehension of most of us. He tried to tell us something. He tried to share with us what he knew.

The main teachings of Jesus Christ revolve around the core idea of LOVE. Love everything. Love everybody. Even your enemies! If they hit you on one cheek, turn the other cheek. Like Buddha's message: Do NOT do unto others what you would NOT like others do unto you. Be compassionate towards all beings. That was what they taught: LOVE.

He believed that it is the only philosophy that will allow us all to achieve harmony and happiness in our universe and in our lives. No amount of hate should be allowed every day and in every way that we conduct ourselves. No matter what happens, we must not hate or wish malicious thoughts towards anything or anybody.

To spread that message, he spoke about it when he could, where he could. People flocked to the mountains and in the temples where he preached. A lot of his ideas fascinated people. They were new, bizarre and sometimes his ideas went against basic human instincts and the prevailing beliefs that people had at the time. He was a leader, like a shepherd guiding his herd of sheep. He led with utmost integrity.

We have had a lot of leaders in the past, now and we will continue to follow them in the future. They tell us one thing but they do not have the strength and courage it takes to refuse to do another. They contradict themselves and their ideals.

Is it only our leaders, celebrities and other prominent members of our society - whom we read about in the papers - who are at fault? No. Their faults are our faults. How is that? Because we still believe that it is OK to hate or express negative emotions towards others whom we feel have done us wrong or will do us wrong. We, as people, still exhibit little signs of compassion, consideration, thoughtfulness and understanding towards other people and other beings.

We experience negative emotions towards other people when they mock us, when they ridicule us, when they bully us, when they humiliate us, when they deny us justice or fairness, when they torture us, when they kill or threaten to kill our loved ones, or when they deny us anything else that we consider to be our 'human rights'.

"Of course", we say. "That's natural!"

That is exactly my point! Jesus Christ had to endure all that and yet he had gone through his last twelve hours without displaying any signs of anger, hatred, disappointment, greed or fear. In fact, during his crucifixion, he still asked that his enemies be forgiven for they knew not what they were doing. Who among us has the courage, strength and wisdom to be able to accept our predicaments like that?

Jesus Christ has shown us that we must love even our enemies, be wise enough to increase our capacity to understand and show compassion towards all beings...regardless of what happens.

The Jews at the time had to make a decision: to kill Jesus or not. What would have been the right thing for them to do? They did not know. If you were a common person in the streets of Jerusalem at that time and you were asked what you would like to happen to Jesus, what would you have said? For a lot of people, the information they had of Jesus Christ was very sketchy. He was whispered to be The Messiah. He had many controversial ideas but he seemed very wise and he had helped ease the misery of a lot of people. At the same time, Jesus was also accused of being a liar, a madman, a witch and a blasphemer. He had made Lazarus come back to life, walked on water and he had turned water into wine. Would you have believed those miracles? If they were not true, why would people have made them up? If they were true then definitely, Jesus was no ordinary man. And if he had powers like that, what else was he capable of doing? What if he was the Devil in disguise? Maybe it was right that he be killed while his threat could still be subdued. There were so many people chanting for his death. Surely their reasoning would not have been baseless.

It was not an easy decision for any person or any group of people to make. Even Pontius Pilate who was in a position to have all the information in the land to make a decision, was torn what to do with Jesus. Pilate was like the President of the United States, with all the advisers, intelligence agencies and reporters at his disposal. Yet, he did not know what he was supposed to do.

The decision came to pass to crucify Jesus. The High Priests were threatened of him. Pontius Pilate weighed his decision and allowed the people to make the choice for him. Those who were most vocal and more aggressive in their belief that Jesus Christ ought to die, got their way that day. There may have been people who probably felt strongly against it but they were not willing or able to do anything to stop it. Others were not there probably because they allowed themselves to be in a position where they knew too little information to have an opinion at a time when it was crucial that they did. Sadly, many may not just have cared.

Think of all current issues we face. There are some of us who choose FOR or AGAINST a motion. Others do not choose, however, by not choosing, they have also made a choice. As one global voice, we are all divided in our opinions towards most of these issues. And only with hindsight, can we truly assess the impact of the choices we have made. It is the same dilemma that the Jews faced then.

Should we look outside ourselves to see whom we can blame for the killing of Jesus? No. The Jews killed Jesus, a fellow Jew, but how different are we when we kill or hurt our own? How different are we when we allow others to suffer because it was not our problem or because we did not yet know enough about the problem?

Added with our inability to be wiser than we are to accept and feel compassion towards all beings, it was our 'human nature' to hate and inflict pain and suffering on others that crucified Jesus Christ. That 'human nature' still remains unchanged even after two thousand years. What Jerusalem was then is what the world is now. And it will be that way forever...until we change.