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Rules Of Happiness

2011-05-23T00:57:00.002+05:30

The 5 Rules of Happiness

You know when you're happy, and certainly no one has to tell you when you're sad. But what is it that makes a person happy?

It is important to realize that what makes you happy might depress another person. There are people, because of guilt, a feeling they do not deserve what they have, or a feeling they will lose what they have that makes them unhappy when they should be happy.

Possessions are a poor measure of happiness. Possessions are subjective and relative to the individual and the individual's viewpoint. Instead, we will use a philosophy as an example.

This philosophy is about enjoying things you like, avoiding or changing things you do not like, and accepting what you cannot avoid or change by the skillful use of your viewpoint. The use of this philosophy, as embodied in the five rules, will allow you to test many problem areas in your life and find solutions. With this philosophy, you will be well on your way on your pursuit of happiness.

Rule Number One: If You Like a Thing, Enjoy It.

Now that seems outrageously simple. At first you might say, "That's ridiculous, of course if I like something I'm going to enjoy it." But when you stop to think about it you'll probably agree that there are many things in life that we like but don't enjoy. The reasons we don't enjoy things we like are (a) guilt, and (b) fear. You will not enjoy something you like if you feel guilty after having done the thing, or if you are fearful of the consequences of doing it.

Rule Number Two: If You Don't Like a Thing, Avoid It.

The second rule seems simple enough, but reflect for a moment on how many people are involved with things they do not like -- a job, a person, a vehicle, a type of food, any one of a thousand things -- and for some reason they don't avoid those things. "Well, I can't avoid it. I have to work there because I need the money." Or, "I have to be involved with this person for many valid reasons." How many justifications can you think of for not avoiding the things you do not like to do?

Rule Number Three: If You Don't Like a Thing, and You Cannot Avoid It, Change It.

Here again, the answer is simple: change it. But just as in avoidance we rationalize that we need something about it -- the money, the time, the security -- something is holding you to that particular thing if you don't like it, cannot avoid it, won't change it, but are still involved with it.

Rule Number Four: If You Don't Like a Thing, Cannot Avoid It, and Cannot or will Not Change It, Accept It.

Acceptance -- now there is a catch. How can you accept something you don't like? How in the world do you accept something that is 'unacceptable'? How do you accept a situation that you're not happy with? How do you accept a person that you're not happy with? Well, you really don't have to accept anything; you can, of course, be unhappy. If you don't like it, won't change it, cannot avoid it, and will not accept it, I guarantee that you will be unhappy. There are, however, five rules to the secret of happiness, and within the fifth lies the key.

Rule Number Five: You Accept a Thing By Changing Your Attitude Towards It.

You are the result of your viewpoints and attitudes. Everything is relative to the person experiencing it. There are no absolutes -- nothing is good, nothing bad, except as it relates to you. Nor is life good or bad. Life simply is. You change those things you wish by changing your viewpoint about them.

How easy!
How difficult!

Your attitudes and viewpoints are all part of your mind and once you develop the power of self mind control you will be the master of your own attitudes and viewpoints. Using these five rules you'll soon find yourself on the right path on the pursuit of happiness. You'll realize why people are unhappy. Eventually it will become automatic, and you'll find happiness a predominant state of mind. Once you realize the ease of acquiring this emotion, you develop an entirely new scale of highs and lows.

Unremitting happiness, of course, is not a possible or desirable state. According to the principle of rhythm, there is always an inflow and outflow, an ebb tide and a flood tide. You'll always have highs and lows -- there's no way to avoid that. However, your highs will be higher and your lows will be higher. You'll then find that what is a happy state for you might be a state of depression for someone unaware of the Five Rules of Happiness.

Reasons For Failure

2011-04-03T23:45:00.002+05:30

The 10 Secrets of Failure

What does it take to be a winner?

Most successful people do not know how they achieved their success.

Success for them just arrived and was a very pleasant and satisfying experience.

If you stand and talk to a successful person for any length of time you will notice
that their attitude and belief system is somewhat different to that which you are
used to.

They seem to have a different angle or slant on things which you usually find quite
refreshing.

If you could get close enough to these successful people to analyze their belief
system you will find that they do none of the following…

Top 10 secrets of failure:

1 – Remain positive all day long... for no reason. This is emotionally unnatural!

2 – Discuss your life's objectives with negative family and friends.

3 – Accept gratuitous advice from unsuccessful people.

4 – Follow-the-herd... because that is what everyone else is doing.

5 – Watch TV constantly... this is guaranteed to destroy all creativity.

6 – Heavily mortgage into debt and absolutely guarantee high stress for years to come.

7 – Remain in a business/personal situation where you are perpetually unhappy and stressed.

8 – Tell yourself continually that you are naturally unlucky.

9 – Become petty-minded and envious when someone you know has a major windfall.

10- Make lifestyle decisions based on spur-of-the-moment emotional feelings.

It is not what winners do that makes them so successful; it is what they don't do!
They totally avoid the above 10 secrets of failure, either consciously or subconsciously.

You create your reality according to your beliefs and expectations; therefore you should examine these carefully. If you do not like some aspect of your world, then examine your own expectations.

Your world is formed in faithful replica of your own thoughts... If you think positive suggestions to yourself about a situation you send telepathic ammunition for positive use. You must learn to erase a negative thought or picture by replacing it with its opposite. But do not attempt to think positive thoughts all day long. Let your emotional swings work in the normal manner.

You should tell yourself frequently "I will only react to constructive suggestions."
This gives you positive ammunition against your own negative thoughts and those of others. A negative thought, if not erased, will almost certainly result in a negative condition.

Say to yourself, "That is in the past. Now in this new moment, this new present, I am already beginning to change for the better." It does not do to repress negative thoughts, such as fears, angers, or resentment. They should be recognized, faced and replaced.

Recognize resentment when it is felt, and then realize that resentment can be dismissed. Initial recognition must be made. Then you must imagine removing the resentment "by its roots" and replacing it with a positive feeling.

You must watch the pictures that you paint with your imagination. Your environment and the conditions of your life at any given time are the direct result of your own inner expectations.

If you imagine dire circumstances, ill health or desperate loneliness, these will be "automatically" materialized, for these thoughts themselves bring about the conditions that will give them a reality in physical terms. If you would have good health then you must imagine this as vividly as you fearfully imagine ill health.

You create your own difficulties. This is true for each individual. The inner psychological state is projected outward, gaining physical reality -whatever the psychological state may be… The rules apply to everyone.

Knowing this, you should try to realize what your psychological state is and change your conditions for your own benefit. You cannot escape your own attitudes, for they will form the nature of what you see.

If changes are to occur, they must be mental and psychic changes. These will be reflected in your environment.

Sell Anything To Anyone

2011-03-26T17:28:00.001+05:30

How to Sell Anything to Anyone

It's mind-boggling to me when I talk to most copywriters, marketers and entrepreneurs and they desperately search for the best approach to communicate or market a written message -- when the most obvious tools are staring them right in the face.

What's even more baffling to me is that many of them have to search for the "best way" to motivate prospects to buy their product and services -- instead of first understanding what unconsciously motivates them to act.

If you haven't guessed what the most obvious tools are that's staring you right in the face, its unconscious psychological devices -- more particularly, the thinking habits of every brain on the face of the planet earth.

Unconscious psychological devices are "motivations" of the mind that are embedded deep within a person's brain, and require a simple "push button" trigger to activate an automatic response action from their brain in the form of placing an order, a request for more information (generating leads), and/or a phone call or visit to the store or other place of business.

The concept of mind control has always been irresistible to copywriters, salespeople, marketers and entrepreneurs. Why? Obviously, it gives the person who knows these psychological devices the privileged benefits to "push button" automatic fortunes.

If you're a writer, in business or in the marketing arena who's interested in specializing in this million dollar knowledge, you're in luck because I'm going to share 7 of them with you right now. And here they are:

1. Story -- Everyone loves a good story

There's a magic that happens when you tell a story. The reader or listener has to become part of the story, in order to make sense of it. This is where you get them to FEEL, and almost realistically experience -- in their imaginations, what you're telling them. Unconsciously, this creates a memory and it is harder to forget. Finally, it helps you create a bond with your prospect.

Application: Relate to your prospect and come up with a story that gives them imaginative reasons to use your product or service.

2. Time Distortion -- "Pretending They Already Are"

Here's the attitude: "You already want and own this product and let me show you what it's like to." Basically, what you're doing is future pacing their thoughts as if they are holding your product or service in their hands. Use simple descriptive phrases that initiate a "sense" or "touch" response, and it instills in the mind of your prospects that they already own it. They will begin to imagine the benefits of doing so all on their own.

Application: If you sell books, they are flipping though the pages. Electronics, they are using this neat gadget (pushing the buttons, twisting knobs etc). Cars, boats, anything -- get in and drive it, grab the wheel.

3. Credibility -- To Project Authority

Make what you say believable, and nothing outrageous. Who is backing your message? Do you have happy buyers of your products or services? What do they have to say? Put that in your message. Show them experts endorse your products. If it's not believable, your prospects are going to "pick up" on that. Credibility instills what you're saying is true, period. Just give proof.

Application: Ask your customers for testimonials, even if you have to ethically bribe them for one. Offer a free sample, bonus, or report. Simply put, the more credibility you create for you and your product or service, the more believable the message becomes, and the less resistance they have when it comes to make a buying decision.

4. Urgency -- To Act Now

Even if your sales message is emotionally driven and powerful -- making them feel like the want to buy, place a sense of urgency to reinforce them to buy it now, and to not wait, period. Limited offers, supplies won't last, this deal won't last long. No matter how powerful your sales message is, if they get away -- after so long, the feeling and their buying decision erodes away their desire to buy now, until it's gone.

Application: Come up with a compelling reason to get your prospect to feel so compelled it's absolutely necessary they must buy it now, because it's urgent. Maybe use "fear of loss."

5. I Gave It To You Free, You're Guilty -- To Create The Return Effect

Ever get an offer in the mail of a free sample of a product? Ever go to a website and get 3 free chapters of a book? Giving something to someone for free creates guilt, the feeling to give back. If your friend buys you dinner, you might feel the need to buy it next time. It's human nature. When something's given, the desire to give back is created.

Application: Give away a free sample or report -- anything for free. Make sure it is something of real value. After, suggest that you've given them something and how they're one tuff nut to crack, because you've given them something for free, and you haven't heard back from them. Sit back, and watch them buy.

6. Commit then remain Consistent -- To Create Long-Term
Friendships/Action

Here's the attitude: "If you're buying from me now, we're friends; you'll buy more from me too." You've won the customers trust once you've established the first sale, and once they're happy, make them happy again, and again. Buy something from the television and you're almost always asked to buy more, it's simple. Then, two months later, another offer from that same company rings on your phone in the other room, or the offer is waiting in your mail box when you get home. Normally, being a much higher priced product or service. Why not ask? You're obviously
qualified.

Application: If they buy once, get them to buy again and again. If you sell information memberships, sell all the tools and products that the membership consists of (improving your golf game membership website -- sell golf clubs, balls, clothing, shoes etc.) If you sell them a book, sell them a home study course that's more expensive.

7. Curiosity -- To Keep Your Prospect Tuned In

Early in your sales presentation, promise what will happen when they finish and complete your sales presentation, and keep them curious. Curiosity is a powerful tool you can use to keep your prospect in suspense, and to search out the answers to satisfy that strong desire to "fill in" the missing information. Leave out certain information in your benefits that "trigger" the thought "What will happen if?"

Application: Instill and arouse curiosity early in your sales presentation to cause your prospect to want to complete your message (i.e. tell them there's a misspelled word in your sales copy, and if they can find it -- they get a special deal. Ask them if they want to compelling benefit, and tell them they'll find the answer as they continue to read, or pay attention to you.

As you've probably noticed, it's infinitely more powerful to apply these psychological devices in your presentation when you realize they all open the flood gates of a person's brain, and deliver compelling emotions and complex thoughts and meaning. Anyone who comes across one of these seven applications will "undergo" the spell of this covert influence because it sparks response below a person's surface awareness.

So, the only question to ask yourself is: "Are *you* going to use them? To find out, simply go through the following checklist, and count the number of items that apply to you.

1. You want more sales

2. You're willing to look through your sales presentation making sure each of these devices are applied

3. You prefer to *use* powerful knowledge over just "knowing it"

4. You want more power in your ability to influence others on undetectable brain levels

5. You are curious and interested in creating more powerful "unconscious" influence

6. Covert persuasion and influence doesn't scare you and you'll use it to your advantage in ethical and judicious ways

7. You are willing to sit down and brainstorm how you can apply these psychological devices to your sales presentations, even if only applying one device a day, because you know it'll bring your more sales, and consequently, profits.

If at least 5 of the 7 above statements are true for you, then you're ready to use the most powerful form of undetectable communication that exists today. This is the best time to break into the covert persuasion and influence segment of communication.....

Manifestation -- Stop Idealizing

2011-02-27T18:33:00.004+05:30

Manifestation

“If you want to manifest your heart’s desires, stop idealizing them. The more you idealize anything, the more you separate yourself from it.”

Some people are confused… after all, “how can we get what we want if we don’t idealize it?” some people wondered.

And someone so rightly wrote, “I can’t help but idealize enlightenment ”

I wrote myself a note that when the time was right, I’d finally speak further on the topic… and that time has come. Let’s start with a few definitions of the word “idealize…”

“Exalted to an ideal perfection or excellence”

“A portrayal of something as ideal”

“To regard something as ideal”

“Something that exists only as an idea”

When I read those definitions, a few things really stand out to me. The first three definitions point to an image of perfection… they suggest that there is always “something better” we can aspire to. That idea can be both helpful and hurtful in our path of personal development.

It can be helpful when we use it as a POINTER to look inwards at why we feel something is misaligned… it can help us inquire within ourselves about how we are not integrated with the True nature of who we are.

However, it can also be VERY detrimental to your development. The negative element of that is it suggests “the grass is always greener on the other side,” and if you’ve ever actually gone over the metaphorical fence, you’ve probably discovered that isn’t always true.

When we continue to believe there’s always something better than what we have, we get stuck in a LACK mentality.

Think about that for a moment.

We’re not usually consciously aware of this, but it’s very simple. The sheer premise that what you have is not good enough is LACK. And if you’ve been studying the Law of Attraction, then you’ll quickly put it together that associating with a sense of lack is the quickest way to AVOID getting what you want and staying stuck where you are.

So at the very least, by idealizing what you want (whether it’s financial abundance, the perfect relationship, the big house, or even enlightenment), what you’re really doing is moving into LACK and separating yourself from the very thing you want.

Now let’s look at the last definition, which I find particularly interesting…

“Something that exists only as an idea.”

Taking this one step further, that means that whatever we idealize DOES NOT EXIST except in our minds… except as an idea. Since YOU exist and the idea does not exist, you are by definition separating yourself from the very thing you want!

The process of idealization forces us to live either in the past or future… not in our present. And again if there’s one thing we’ve learned from the Law of Attraction, it’s that being PRESENT and in a positive emotional and spiritual state is how we attract what we want in our lives.

Therefore, it stands to reason that if we WANT something, the best way we can get it is to not idealize it. Rather than see your idealized goal as something you don’t have (i.e. as separate from you), it’s important to let go of the idealization.

It’s important to let go of what the goal “means” to you… To let go of how this “one thing will change your life forever…” and to let go of the belief that all your dreams will come true “some day.”

So how do you do this?

1. Next time you find yourself wishing for something better, remember to change your focus. Instead of focusing on what you don’t have (what you are idealizing), instead tune into your heart and focus on what you have that you are grateful for.

2. Remember that whatever you idealize is an IDEA that does not yet exist.

Instead, focus on BECOMING in alignment with things that do exist… with what is REAL in your life. #1 points to this, and you can do it by practicing being present.

All that exists, quite literally, is in the present moment. That’s the space in which you manifest all that you want… because it’s no longer your mind projecting into the future it’s “ideal” wants, but rather, in the present moment your heart and soul will speak to you and tell you what IT truly wants to be happy.

(and the heart and mind are not always in agreement)

3. I highly recommend some form of meditation.

And while some meditations are more effective for specific purposes than other meditations, generally speaking as long as you’re devoting some time each day to meditation you will manifest MUCH FASTER AND MORE EFFECTIVELY than if you are not meditating.

4. Practice some sort of physical movement each day.

Physical movement – whether it’s exercise, Tai Chi or Yoga, or simply playing with kids – will bring you into the present moment and immediately raise your energetic vibration. It pulls you out of the “lack” mentality of idealizing your wants and desires, and instead brings you instantly into what is true in the moment.

See, what most people don’t realize is that our bodies know MUCH more about manifesting than our minds do.

This is partly due to the fact that the heart is such a powerful magnetic force… in fact, according to the Institute of Heartmath, the heart literally is 5000 times more electromagnetic than the brain.

And modern science is just now beginning to explore what sages have known for centuries: That the heart has its own intelligence center capable of providing us important information and making purposeful and effective decisions.

The other reason our bodies are important for manifestation is because they ARE the vehicle by which we manifest. Without a body, we couldn’t manifest here as humans on earth. Sounds kind of silly when you think of it that way, but really – if you don’t take care of this body, if you don’t LIVE in it and use it… how can you expect it to manifest amazing things in your life?

So remember that to get what you want, stop making it sound so super amazing like it’ll solve your problems and make things better. What you want is here and now, just waiting to be discovered within yourself.

YOU already are the gift you’ve been wanting to receive all your life.

Financial Destiny

2011-02-05T17:00:00.002+05:30

5 Mind Tricks to Beat the Recession

Over the past few months, business owners have been panicking over the economy and wondering how they're going to cope with it.

If you’ve been following the national and global economic news you know that it is not a very encouraging picture. We’ve heard about collapses, bailouts and the possibility of more to come.

The stock market recently experienced the largest single point drop in history. No one knows for sure whether the situation will quickly improve or get worse before it gets better…..

But make no mistake…….

The road to financial success and prosperity in your life and in your business starts in your own mind. Many business people I talk to blame the their current economic situation on the government, the housing market, the stock market, the war in Iraq, high taxes, and countless other factors.

While all of these issues do have an impact on the collective prosperity of the world, they are all inconsequential compared to the most important factor of all…

YOUR POINT OF FOCUS…

Why is this important? Because energy flows to where attention goes. Regardless of what type of business you are in or choose to go into, what you focus on will have greatest impact on your business. Now more than ever, it’s important to realize that YOU and YOU ALONE hold the key to YOUR financial success.

In the grand scheme of things, it doesn’t really matter what happens to other businesses or how they are affected by the economy. The only thing that matters is what happens inside of YOU.

The fact is, you can still earn a LOT of money and enjoy a wonderful lifestyle regardless of what’s happening in the economy. All it takes is focus, the proper resources and realizing your power to succeed comes from your Rich Mindset.

Speaking of mindset, do you really know what your core beliefs are about making money? Have you ever stopped to examine what is running your life when it comes to your business or career?

Do you believe it’s possible to make money doing what you love? Do you believe, without any doubt whatsoever, that you deserve lots of money and the time to enjoy it?

I’m not just talking about a mental concept here; I’m talking about a deep, whole body, CORE belief. Your mindset is extremely important in starting out in any new venture. But mindset involves much more than just thinking positive thoughts. You have to operate from a deep well of positive core beliefs.

Sometimes we think that we are doing everything right and have a great attitude only to realize that we spend a lot of time in what I call F.D.W. -- fear, doubt and worry.

If you have never stopped to examine which beliefs are running you, then you are not creating your life consciously. The problem is that most people are sleepwalking through life trying to find loving relationships, meaningful work, successful careers, businesses and the money to enjoy the fine things in life, but they have not developed the corresponding mindset to do it. In fact, instead of attracting the things they desire, they very often sabotage themselves due to their unconscious, negative core beliefs.

If you want to attract real riches into your life and business – including money – you need to deeply understand and apply the principles of conscious creation. "Thoughts are things" is a statement that has been around for a long time. Science is now beginning to prove that this is absolutely true!

Conscious creation in a nutshell says that what you believe to be true is true for you. Read it again! It does not say that what you say is true, it says what you believe is true. This goes way beyond just slapping a positive thought on top of a
negative belief. In simple terms, you attract what you expect out of life and what you expect is based on what you believe at the core level.

Opportunites Are Always Available

Here is the real secret – regardless of the economy, opportunities are always available to turn our ideas into cash. Despite the economy many people are still making a lot of money. There’s no reason why you can’t be one of them.
How can you do this?

#1 Start Your Own Business

If one of your goals in life is to achieve wealth and financial independence, one of the quickest and surest ways to achieve those results is through owning a business of your own. Period. Believe it or not, a recession can actually be a wonderful time to start a new business venture. I can tell you right now that some of the most profitable businesses were started during a recession. The owners simply addressed a need during an economic downturn which continued
to be successful even when the economy rebounded.

Starting a business in a recession is like vacationing in the off-season. It’s a little less crowded, and everything starts going on sale. It allows you to tap into new markets, launching new products that will serve the needs of the current economy and build a business for the future.

#2 Pay Close Attention to What You Think and Say

During tough times, it’s easy to get into the habit of thinking negative thoughts and making negative comments. Constantly thinking and talking about what is wrong with your life, your business or the economy will only serve to bring you more of what you focus on. Before you know it, you’ll end up in one of those self-fulfilling prophecies we talked about earlier.

Stay informed, but don’t keep repeating what you hear on the news. Remember, energy flows to where attention goes. By focusing on what you want instead of what you don’t want, you’ll also do wonders for your creative thinking. Creative thinking allows you to come up with solutions to your problems. It also allows you to see new opportunities. One of the biggest downsides to being in a negative frame of mind and focusing on what you don’t want is that it blinds you to opportunities.

#3 Invest In Yourself

Investing in yourself is more secure and more rewarding than owning stocks, bonds or real estate. Moneymaking ideas are everywhere. If you act fast on them, you can prosper fast. Don't simply entrust your money to others to make money for you -- have faith in your own ideas and take control of your own financial future.

The more you expand your awareness and education, the more you will be able to see opportunities to make more money. The more you invest in yourself -- the better the return you'll get when you take action on what you learned.

#4 Understand that Scarcity is a function of the mind; so is Abundance

The choice is always yours. Are you going to focus on scarcity or the lack of something or are you going to focus on creating more of what you want? These are your only two options. Instead of focusing on cutting back and spending less, change your point of focus to create MORE of what you want. Use that same creative energy to attract the things you desire and to improve your life and your business.

And finally...

# 5 Start appreciating what you already have!

If you really take stock of all the things you do have in your life, I bet you will be amazed. Too often people focus on what’s missing in their lives and as a result, they ignore the riches they do have; a place to live, a car to drive, a job, career or business, a great family, a loving spouse, wonderful children, fantastic pets, loyal friends and the freedom to create whatever they desire.

Every so often someone will write to me and tell me how desperate things are for them. Since I’ve been there myself at one time, I can surely sympathize. But I always point out the same thing…

How bad is it – really?

For example, how bad can it really be if you have enough to eat? Many people around the world have had nothing to eat in days….

How bad can it really be if you are sitting at a computer and writing me an email? Some people around the world don’t even have electricity to run a computer, let alone own a computer.

Ask yourself: how bad is it -- really?

As difficult as you current situation may be, it is only temporary. There are millions of people all around the world would trade places with you in a heartbeat.
The good news is if things are not going your way at the moment this entrapped cyclical experience is only here to give you a warning that your POINT OF FOCUS in going in the wrong direction.

When you feel grateful you automatically place yourself in alignment for more good things to come into your life. It also opens the doorway to your mind. Only when it’s open, can opportunity jump in. Consistent gratitude is the easiest track to ending poverty internally and externally. When your abundance is measured by how deeply you FEEL grateful for what you already have and how often you visit this feeling, then your experience of attracting riches is truly unstoppable. This is
the most direct path to financially magnetizing massive abundance and success.

Your Financial Destiny is in Your Own Hands

Remember, the road to abundance and prosperity begins in your own mind. Money is unlimited because your mind is unlimited. Stay focused on opportunity. Because at the end of the day, it’s not the financial "experts" or politicians who are ultimately responsible for your financial situation, it’s you and you alone

Listen, I am NOT a wishful thinker. I’m a REALIST and the reality is that there ARE some economic challenges that we ALL have to deal with…. That’s a FACT…

Many people have had to deal with their fair share of money problems this past year… That’s a FACT….

Some businesses are going through a hard time and need to adjust. That’s a FACT…..

We ALL go through these things at one point or another. It’s part of the natural cycle of things.

But here are some more FACTS….

History shows that people can prosper even in the worse economic downturn.
There is never a shortage of new ideas and opportunities.
Thousands new businesses will be started and these business owners will make a fortune.
The Internet has opened up the world to a whole new realm of possibilities. Ordinary people can now turn hobbies and side businesses into lucrative money-making ventures like never before.
I could go on and on….

Do you get the point? It all depends on where you FOCUS YOUR ATTENTION!
There really ARE no limits. Possibilities are endless and everywhere…oftentimes right under our own noses. The key is you cannot follow the crowd. You have to zig, while others zag.

Think!

What can you do today, better and more profitably than yesterday? All it takes is one simple idea to transform a life of mediocrity into one of GREATNESS. We're living in interesting times that require more creativity. The question is -- What will you do differently?

The fact is, you are ONE IDEA away from your greatest opportunity, regardless of your personal financial situation or the economic climate. Circumstances may "appear" tougher during uncertain economic times, but in reality, there is never a shortage of opportunities to succeed. When you truly develop a Rich Mindset these
opportunities will show up in your life. And when they do show up, you have to act on them immediately!

Start taking some ACTION right NOW, even if it is just one small step. And remember…….

Your thoughts will become your words.

Your words will become your actions.

Your actions will become your habits.

Your habits will become you character.

Your character will become your destiny.

STRUGGLE of LIFE

2010-09-20T17:23:00.003+05:30

We often talk about "going with the flow".

Why?

Because that is what you were created to do!
Think about this...everything that has been created has a natural flow
and when it operates in that flow there is no struggle.

*Water does not struggle to flow.

*Grass does not struggle to grow.

*Wind does not struggle to blow.

*Rain does not struggle to fall.

*Sun does not struggle to shine.

*Earth does not struggle to rotate.

*Flowers do not struggle to bloom.

What does this tell us?

Struggle is unnatural.
Why sentence ourselves to a life of struggle when it is clearly unnatural?

In short,STRUGGLE is a "Learned Response" that has been taught to us since childhood by those people who are also in a trance of STRUGGLE.This "Learned Response" has
has become an UNCONSCIOUS HABITUAL PATTERN.

Awareness is the first step to making any change in our lives.If you are aware that struggle is "NOT NORMAL" and it is a learned UNCONSCIOUS HABITUAL PATTERN,you can
CONSCIOUSLY make the choice not to live your life paddling upstream.

Focus your attention on this : NOTHING YOU WANT IS UPSTREAM.
Everything you want is availaible DOWNSTREAM.This means that you don't need to STRUGGLE [paddle upstream] to have it.All you need to do is put your boat in the stream and let it carry you.Infact you don't even need to paddle at all.Even if your boat is pointing in the wrong direction [upstream],as soon as you stop paddling the
stream will turn your boat around without any effort on your part.Then you will start going in the right direction where everything you desire takes place.

It is a simple yet powerful Metaphor.Give up the STRUGGLE once and for all.Let go of the paddles,trust that source energy will guide you downstream to your desire and start enjoying the trip.Life becomes a heck of a lot easier.

Today will bring you a new awareness,a lesson or a manisfestation that you are making progress -- IF YOU LOOK FOR IT !!!!

People And Things

2010-08-28T22:25:00.006+05:30

A Friend Sent me this EXTREMELY TOUCHING Story Which I wanted to share with YOU !!!!

.....While a man was polishing his new car, his 4 years old son picked stone and

scratched lines on the side of car.

In anger, the man took the child's hand and hit it many times, not realising he was

using a wrench.

At the hospital, the child lost all his fingers due to multiple fractures. When the

child saw his father...with painful eyes

he asked "Dad when will my fingers grow back?" Man was so hurt and speechless.

He went back to car and kicked it many times. Devastated by his own actions..

sitting in front of the car he looked at the scratches, child had written

'LOVE YOU DAD'.

Next day that man committed suicide...

Anger and Love have no limits...!

Always remember that - Things are to be Used and People are to be Loved,

but the problem in today's world is that,

People are Used and Things are Loved....!

Re-Program The Mind

2010-07-29T17:08:00.003+05:30

Brainwashing is a term perceived in a negative way by most people. But you know what, I think our brains could actually do with a bit of a washing sometimes!

You see, everyone comes into this world with a clear mind, and a belief that everything is possible. All is positive and well. Remember as a child, you could do and become everything, without any boundaries!

As we grow up however, we pick up beliefs, fears and limitations from our surroundings and peers that gradually form the person we are today. A lot of these beliefs unfortunately are negative and as we build our lives they limit us in our actions and being. Very often they therefore contribute to unhappiness or feeling unfulfilled in our lives and business.

It can be the smallest -- seemingly harmless -- remark from a mother like "just let me handle that, you are no good at that" that can convince you that you are not good at a certain task. A teacher who calls a pupil "the clumsy one" can do more harm with this remark than he realizes when repeated often enough. With every remark the belief is harnessed further in the child that it indeed is clumsy. Even though a remark is said with a smile or with the intend to be funny, it still leaves a legacy in the belief system.

This programming of course doesn’t stop at adulthood, it keeps influencing people in all stages of life. We are being influenced by our parents, kids, partner, friends, colleagues, television, newspapers, magazines and so on. Sometimes positive, but very often in a negative way. No wonder we limit ourselves in so many ways! Belief is the key to your success. If you belief you can do something, you can. If you belief you can’t do something, you will be right too.

The good news is: we can "reprogram" our mind and replace our negative, limiting beliefs for positive contributing ones. Positive brainwashing is what I like to call it! This can be done by the use of so called "affirmations". An affirmation is a positive self talk statement, stated in the present tense that covers a goal you want to achieve and that ‘overrules’ negative beliefs towards that goal.

An example is "I easily do 10 sales calls a day". Or "I am an excellent negotiator". By stating this positive affirmation regularly during your day, you will achieve the goal you have set for yourself easier. This positive self talk helps your mind to overcome beliefs that you have about yourself, that limit your success and actions. Compare our mind with a computer: when you change the input, the output will change accordingly.

So if you have the limiting belief that you are no good in public speaking (probably because of negative experiences in the past) you can actually reprogram your mind by stating the following affirmation: " I am an excellent public speaker. I love to speak for huge audiences and people love to hear me talk". By affirming this belief over and over, you actually start to believe it and your mind will find a way to make this statement a reality. At some stage, you might decide to do a course in public speaking, or someone might ask you to speak at some kind of seminar, which forces you to work on your speaking skills. Somehow, this positive affirmation help you to reach the ‘goal’ you have set for yourself, and open doors for you that would normally would have been kept closed. And this works for virtually everything. Belief, and it will happen.

Imagine standing for a big river, with a heavy stream. You have to cross it, but you don’t think you can actually do it. Your belief is keeping you from crossing, although you physically should be able to do it easily. It just looks too hard! Then someone else comes up from behind you, and without thinking starts crossing the river and gets to the other side. His belief was positive, and he knew he could do it. The interesting thing is that this will probably influence your belief: "if he can do it, I can do it too" and you will then cross the river without any problem at all. Similar things happen when a group of people is introduced to the phenomenon of fire walking. At first a big group of people will say that there is no way they will walk on fire. Until…other people with higher beliefs go first, then all of a sudden everyone else rushes over to do it as well.

So think about YOUR beliefs, and try to discover which belief are actually holding you back from reaching your full potential in your life. Then, one by one, start eliminating these beliefs from your system. Formulate a positive affirmation that counters your negative belief, and re affirm it daily. Write them in your diary, on your bathroom mirror, next to your computer; anywhere you see it often and say the affirmation out loud as often as possible. You will be happily surprised by the results!

To Do Without Doing

2010-07-12T15:17:00.003+05:30

ACTION -- Least Required

One of the mistaken certainties or misconceptions most people operate under is that

you get what you want in life by what you DO, or through the actions you take. Most

people believe that the DOING or action part is what makes things happen. However,

this causes you to create in reverse.

Let me explain..

The reason we put a lot of emphasis on action is

because we do not understand the power of our thought.If you analyze it, 90% of most

people's actions are spent trying to compensate for in appropriate thought.

The Chinese philosopher Lao-tsu said that, "In the practice of the Way, every day

something is dropped.Less and less do you need to force things until finally you

arrive at *non action* When nothing is done, nothing is left undone". What he is

talking about is *doing without doing* The problem is that most of us are

preoccupied with "doing". Unfortunately most of our doing usually involves struggle.

In the western world we are conditioned to be action-oriented, so we place a

tremendous value on doing. We are so busy doing that we do not realize that all

this "doingness" causes us to create in a reverse fashion. Most of our actions are

out of fear, worry or doubt because we believe nothing will get done unless we DO

something. In other words, we are trying to force our desire into manifestation

through action. If your decision to DO is dominant, then you will not focus on what

you want to BE in the present moment.This causes you to miscreate because BEING is

the first and most important step in the creative process.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~Here is the secret:~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

It is not your action that makes things happen, it is your intent. You can reduce

the need for action to a very minimum by allowing yourself to focus on what you

desire until you feel the positive energy begin to move within you. This energy is

not based on doubt,fear, anxiety, worry or need. If you focus on what you want

instead of what you don't want, you will know when it is time to take action. And

when you do, it will be effortless. Doors open and the entire universe will conspire

to assist you in your desire. Put simply, you should take no action on anything

until you have visualized your desire and made it real enough in your mind that your

next action (step),whatever it is, seems like the most logical step. How can you

know the next logical step? Here is the test that you can give to yourself before

taking any action. If you focus on what you desire and still feel overwhelmed or

anxious, then you are not ready for any action. You know you are ready when it feels

like the next logical step is effortless. There is no effort,no strain, and no pain.

What we want to do is to use the leverage of energy,the same leverage of energy that

creates everything in the universe. However, we are so caught up in the reality of

WHAT IS, that we feel we must create everything through mental effort and physical

activity. Have you ever seen people who seem to have all the wonderful things in

their life without much effort? It almost seems like they have an advantage over

everyone else. Then you see the people who work the hardest usually have the least.

That doesn't seem fair does it? But that's the way the universe works.

Unfortunately, those who work the hardest usually have the least because they

haven't learned the leverage of aligning their energy. They are going about creating

their lives the hard way. They are trying to use their actions to create what they

want. We have also been programmed that in order to have what we desire we must work

hard. How many times have you heard - "No pain, no gain." The implication is that if

you want to make something of yourself, you must work hard. The message is clear -

if you are not hurting or struggling, you are not moving forward.

But here is the truth -

anytime you are struggling you are miscreating. Anytime you feel pain or struggle,

your magnetic point of attraction is directed to that which you do not want, rather

than to that which you desire.

Read it again! Actions are necessary, but they are

the last component of the creation processes. Actions cannot be used effectively to

initiate results, because initiation is the function of BEING, then thought,then

action. Remember, the creation of anything is through your vibration. Everything

vibrates, and it is by that vibration that we harmonize and attract experiences to

ourselves. So before you act or do anything, first ask yourself, how am I vibrating?

How do you tell? You tell by how you FEEL. Your feelings show you your vibration.

How you feel determines what you attract. When you use the process of creating by

only focusing on what you want instead of what you don't want, you will see that the

universe will provide a different set of circumstances for you that requires much

less action. This puts you in a state of "doing without doing" or

action without effort.

Overcome The Greatest Obstacle To Happiness

2010-06-13T19:16:00.003+05:30

The Greatest Obstacle to Happiness... and How to Overcome It!

YOUR POINT OF POWER

Think of your present moment as your Point of Power, because it is the only point where you can exercise your full power. For most of us the present moment exists only as mental concept. If there is such a place where all the creative forces of the universe come together, how do we know it is the present moment? What evidence is there that this is true? Consider this; all your hopes for the future and even your memories of the past can happen only in the present moment. The present moment is that one point where everything comes together.

When does life start? When does it end? When do cause and effect take place? When is it that we meet every challenge? When are problems born and when are they resolved? When do we feel pain? When are we healed? This all happens in the present moment.

We have been taught that those moments are separate from each other, but in truth, they all take place in the now. No matter what happens in life, it is always now, then now, then now - always in the present moment.

Nothing exist outside of the NOW

Nothing ever happened in the past. – It happened in the Now.

Nothing will ever happen in the future – It will happen in the Now. When you think of the past it is stored in the mind as a former now. And, when you think about the past, when do you do it? – You do it now! When the futures comes – it comes in the now. And, when you think about the future, when do you do it? – You do it now!

The past and the future have no realities of their own. Their realities are “borrowed” from the now.

THE INSANITY OF FUTURE TIME

All unhappiness is caused by denial of the present. We think problems are caused by our situations in life, but attachment to the past and future and denial of the now is the real problem. Ultimately then, there is only one problem in life – not living in the now.

You cannot be unhappy and fully present now. It is impossible to have a problem when your attention is in the now. When you live in the now, a situation is either dealt with or accepted now. A problem means you are dwelling on a situation mentally without having a true intention or possibility of taking action now.

ANSWERS COME IN THE NOW

Perhaps you are seeking answers to your questions or problems. Notice that sometimes you receive your answer, but most of the time you don’t. Why? Because you are not in the present moment when the answer arrives! Anytime your mind is out of the present moment you cannot receive the answer you need from Higher Intelligence.

The answer can come in many ways and at any time, but it will always come in the present moment. If we spend most of our time regretting and living in the past or worrying about the future we place ourselves out of the present moment where all creativity and answers take place.

Does it make any sense at all to desire, request, yearn and pray for that which is closest to your heart and necessary to your life and then not be paying attention when the answer arrives?

Our Point of Power can only exist in the present moment. We create from this moment whether the materialization appears instantly or later as a complex event. However, all creation takes place in the now. If we really understand this truth, we will have an inexhaustible supply of usable energy at our command.

It is only our thoughts, attitudes and emotions in the moment that have power. It is not what occurred to us in the past that will force us on a path that we would rather not be on. It is how tightly we hold on to that past by reliving its trauma and drama in our present moment. When we constantly worry and re-examine the past in order to discover what’s wrong with the present, we reinforce the building materials that will create exactly that which we are trying to escape.

VIBRATIONAL ENERGY OF THE NOW

Understand that in every moment you are sending out a vibrational energy through your thoughts. This vibrational energy is magnetizing and attracting everything to you. If you send out a vibrational energy that you don't have what you want, you will end up with more of the same - having what you don’t want.

If this is true, (and it is) then what could be more advantageous than using this moment to send out a vibrational energy or thought that is in alignment with what you want in your life? The answer is nothing is more important!

I am talking about the power of FOCUS. Ask yourself, "Am I activating what I want in this moment or am I focusing on something that doesn’t allow me to have what I want?"

Energy is tied into DESIRE. Anything that feels opposite to that energy or desire creates a situation that prevents us from having what we desire.

WHY WE HAVE TROUBLE LIVING IN THE NOW

Why does the mind habitually resist the now? It is because the mind cannot function and remain in control in the present moment. It only knows about your past personal history and the cumulative mind-set you inherited. In order for the mind to remain in control, it must continuously seek to cover up the present moment with the only thing it knows – the past.

Let me ask you a question – can you be free of your mind whenever you want to? Have you found the “off” button? If you are constantly focusing on the past or future, you are not using your mind; your mind is using you. You don’t even know that you are its slave. It is almost like being possessed without knowing it.

WATCHING THE THINKER

If you find it difficult to live in the NOW, try this: Stand back and just observe the habitual tendency of your mind wanting to escape the now. You will observe that the future is usually better or worse than the present. If the imagined future is better, it gives you hope, pleasure and anticipation. If it is worse, it creates anxiety. Both are illusions.

Don’t judge or analyze what you observe. Watch the thought – feel the emotion, observe the reaction – become the silent watcher. This will help you to focus on the moment, because the moment you realize you are not present, you ARE present.

FREEDOM FROM UNHAPPINESS

Problems of the mind cannot be solved with the mind. Studying the mind might make you a good psychologist, but doing so won’t take you beyond the mind just as studying madness isn’t enough to create madness.

When you create problems you create pain. All it takes is a single choice – a simple decision that no matter what happens you will not longer create pain by trying to live in the future or the past.

Are you worried? Do you have many “what if” thoughts? Ask yourself what “problem” you have right now, not tomorrow, not five minutes from now. What’s wrong with this moment?

Is your goal is taking up so much time and attention that you reduce the present moment as a means to an end?

Are you waiting to start living? If you develop such a mind-pattern no matter what you achieve or get the present will never be good enough.
The future will always seem better. This is a recipe for permanent dissatisfaction and non-fulfillment – don’t you agree?

Are you a habitual “waiter”? How much of your life do you spend waiting for the next holiday, better job, your child to grow up, success, make money, be important, and become enlightened?

Waiting is a state of mind. Basically it means you want the future. You don’t want the present. There is an inner conflict between your here and now, when you don't want to be here and a projected future is where you want to be.

The key is to break the old patterns of present moment denial and present moment resistance. We must learn to withdraw our attention from the past and future whenever they are not needed.

Should a situation arise that you need to deal with now, your actions will be clear and decisive if they arise out of present moment awareness. Your response will not be a reaction coming from the past conditioning of your mind, but from an intuitive present moment awareness of the situation.

YOUR INNER AND OUTER PURPOSE

Your journey has an outer purpose and an inner purpose. The outer purpose is to arrive at your goal destination – to accomplish what you desire, to achieve what you want, which of course, implies the future.

But if your destination or the steps you are going to take in the future take up so much of your attention that they become more important than the steps you are taking now, then you completely miss the inner journey’s purpose. Your inner journey’s purpose has nothing to do with WHERE you are going or WHAT you are doing, but everything to do with the now. It has nothing to do with the future.

If you don’t understand your inner purpose you will fail at your outer purpose. Keep in mind that the outer purpose is just a game that you may continue to play because you enjoy it. And often you may fail, but so what.

Ultimately EVERY outer purpose is doomed to “fail” sooner or later because it is subject to the law of impermanence of all things.

The sooner you realize your outer purpose cannot give you lasting fulfillment the better. When you have seen the limitations of your outer purpose you can give up the unrealistic expectation that it can make you happy. More importantly, you make it subservient to your inner purpose.

Have your dwelling place in the NOW and pay brief visits to your past and future when required. Always say “yes” to the present moment. Surrender to what is and see how life suddenly starts working for you instead of against you.

The key is to LIVE in the present moment, but know that you are creating your future in this moment. What you are looking for is balance in your thinking. In other words, living in the present moment while giving thought to something you desire and expecting it.

DARE TO BE DIFFERENT

We discussed the idea of choosing what we desire and following our dreams. What stops many people from following their joy is that they are afraid that their way of doing something it will not be good enough or accepted. They compare what comes from them naturally with what is considered the norm. That whole process of conformity starts in school. They ask you to write a poem and then it is compared to another poem and if it is in the same form then it gets an “A”. If it is different and has a form of its own then it gets a “D.” When I was in first grade the teacher asked us to draw a picture of a cat. When I was finished my picture was considered so poor that I was told I have no talent as far as art is concerned. I never drew or participated in any art form after that.

Perhaps you decided that you couldn’t paint because you are comparing your form to another form. But the truth is you could no more paint like Van Gogh then Van Gogh could paint like you. The difference is that Van Gogh believed in himself and in his style of painting. That’s the magic.

No one can do what you do exactly the way you do it. This includes business, the arts or any area of life. A person’s self expression cannot be judged other then by a total fool. What you do, whatever makes you feel alive and joyful, is your unique expression. And it is probably the only thing that will bring you true joy and excitement.

THE UNHAPPY MAJORITY

Unfortunately, for many of us, we spend much of our days following and doing what we have come to believe we need to do, rather than what truly excites us and what would, for that very reason, end up bringing us the joy we seek.

Can we truly expect to experience enormous joy and happiness in our lives if the first concern we have in the morning upon wakening is to be on time to a job that does not bring us joy and excitement? If seventy percent of our days are filled with activities that do not bring us joy, excitement and love, then the remaining thirty- percent cannot compensate for that. All the seminars, books, meditation, and affirmations are not going to help.

Yet the more time we spend doing things that do not truly bring us joy and excitement, the more money we spend on other things trying to compensate for our growing unhappiness, and this ends up bringing us more debt. So the end result is that we are tied even more into working at what we dislike. It is a self-defeating circle.

Have you ever been in a room with many unhappy people? How did it feel in there? Now imagine what billions of unhappy people are doing to the world. Unfortunately we have become so accustomed to this energy that we don’t even notice it anymore. It’s as thick as molasses everywhere with the exception of a few pockets of joy now and then.

What we fail to understand is when we have billions of people doing things that they do not want to do, it creates unhappiness, That unhappiness creates a collective energy that goes into the environment and causes more damage to the environment than everything else combined. It is like anger causing an ulcer. The anger created the ulcer and people’s sadness creates the negative result in the environment.

There are many people concerned about the environment of the planet. They want to save the rivers, oceans and the forest. While that may be commendable, I can tell you that the energy from so many unhappy people on this planet is what is poisoning the environment more than everything else combined.

We will not solve our environmental problems until we solve the sad energy problem. What we don’t realize is that our physical environmental problems are created from the negative energy that comes from billions of unhappy people. Instead of trying to clean up the environment, we need to clean up the thinking and unhappiness of the people who are cause of our environmental problems.

OTHERS MAY NOT LIKE IT

We know that all change comes from the inside. Trying to change things using the outside-in approach is always doomed to failure. On the surface this looks selfish, but you know by now that we can only change the planet one person at a time.

As you begin to search for and follow your joy and excitement you may feel this process appears a bit selfish. There may be other people around you that feel you are being selfish, but that is only because they cannot understand that by allowing you the freedom to find your joy and excitement that this will in turn make it easier for them to find and follow their joy also.

In the beginning having family around you and also having children can at times make following your joy and excitement more challenging. Sometimes following your joy may feel like you are not being practical or looking after your responsibilities. You could subconsciously be afraid that you will end up playing away your time, or indulging yourself, rather than looking after your family. In the beginning it can be a delicate balance, but as time goes on you will be much happier and the quality of time you spend together will improve considerably. Also, other things that need to be done will seem more enjoyable when you allow yourself to do them when it feels right rather than when you thought you should be doing them.

As you follow your joy and excitement people will automatically see how much happier you are and how much more you are enjoying life. This gets their attention and will slowly rub off on others around you. So in the beginning you could possibly receive some resistance from those close to you, even some resistance and fear from yourself. This will pass as you become happier and more excited to live each day. Joy is very addictive and draws people towards you. As people see that it is okay to follow your joy and excitement and that it is creative rather than destructive, they will very quickly attempt to bring this process into their own lives.

A STEP AT A TIME

Following our joy is not one large step, like quitting our job and spending our days sitting under a tree. That is not following our joy - that is escaping. There is a big difference between following the things that truly excite us and doing things to escape from a life that does not bring us joy.

The trick is to find, in the present moment, the things that would bring us the most excitement, and then do whatever we can to follow that excitement, even in the smallest way. This causes a chain reaction that brings us more opportunities to do what we love to do.

I think that the hardest time people have with following their joy is trying to make a living and at the same time trying to follow their joy. I have noticed that one of the very first things we fear is our financial concerns. That’s why we start off slowly following the path little by little and letting things build upon themselves slowly.

However, I will tell you this, whenever I followed my joy it always turned out to be the most financial rewarding thing at the end. When you follow you true joy, wherever that leads you, and even if it changes from time to time, then the details will work themselves out on their own. If you try to work out all the details and debate them to death, you will go insane before you find the right answer. But if you just follow your joy and what brings you excitement then you will end up doing what is best for you and everyone.

Whatever we desire is waiting for us to claim it. You have already learned you do not have to know the details or how do anything. All you have to do is focus on what you want. I can't take away your fears and doubts no matter how many pages I write. You will just need to trust yourself and the Power within you that you can truly follow your joy and do things in a way that bring you joy and have it all work out.

The greatest obstacle to happiness is not living in the present moment and not following your joy. The solution is to do just the opposite. If you find yourself focusing on the past or the future, remind yourself that the present moment is all there is, and then surrender to what is and see how life suddenly starts working for you.

If you put the same amount of effort into finding what gives you joy as you put into going to work at a job you dislike, you will end up with results that will make you think, “Why did I wait so long to do this?”

THE WING OF INFINITE POWER

I have come to understand that when we enter this world we all do so with two wings. One is the Wing of Infinite Power. This is your connection with the Universe. And whether you know it or not, that wing is flapping by your side supporting you twenty-four hours a day 365 days a year from now to eternity. The other wing is that which you have consciously activated. This is the Wing of Self-Effort. This wing has to fly equally as hard as the Wing of Infinite Power. When it does you will have flight into the world of unlimited possibilities where anything and everything is possible for you. Then and only then will you understand how truly powerful you are and that you have all it takes within you to create what you desire.

So follow your joy whatever it may be; in whatever form it may come; let it come forth as it may; to be as it may. Let your joy, excitement and uncensored creativity carve you into the image of the Creator. For the crevasses and lines on our faces show not our age but how much we have dared to be true to ourselves.

Manifestation Block

2010-05-26T18:50:00.005+05:30

If you feel stuck in any area of your life it could very well be due to a lack of

forgiveness. Perhaps you are having trouble forgiving someone else or yourself. It

doesn't matter. Holding on to past memories or "stories" is guaranteed to tie up

your energy and block your ability to attract what you want. I struggled with

forgiveness for many years because I believed that if I forgave someone they would

not receive the "just punishment" they deserved for what they had done to me. But as

I looked at that belief I realized it was just that, a belief. In fact, it was just

an assumption and an illusion. What I learned is that the universe will always seek

balance and it will deal with that person or situation in the appropriate way, even

if it that means letting them off the hook. The outcome in their life has nothing to

do with the outcome in my life unless I choose to keep myself tied to it. If you

think about it, when you choose to forgive someone, it is nothing more than an ego

trip. When you say "I forgive you", what you are really saying is you have some sort

of hold over them. By saying "I forgive you", you decree that you are pronouncing

them "free" of your resentment. That isn't forgiveness. That's an ego trip. There

is really nothing to forgive. What we call forgiveness is simply letting go. It is

not placing judgment on other people or yourself. When you are truly conscious you

realize that nothing "bad" or "wrong" happened. You may judge it as "bad"

or "wrong", but from the view of ALL THAT IS what occurred is simply what occurred.

It's over. It's done. It's history. Because we believe something "bad" happened, we

still think of ourselves as being victimized no matter how much we try to forgive.

So we are caught up between two conflicting energies. One is to condemn and blame

and the other is to forgive. This is why we struggle with forgiveness. However, when

we are truly conscious we realize nothing "bad", "negative" or "evil" happened at

all. In fact, what happened didn't happen TO you but FOR you. It happened to help

you to awaken and grow. It was part of your life lesson to bring you to where you

are right now and to allow you to let go of your "story" of victimization. So if

you are stuck in any area of your life, take a look at your unwillingness to forgive

yourself or others and just let it go! Realize there is nothing to forgive. You just

have to release it and move on. Today will bring you a new awareness, a lesson or a

manifestation that you are making progress - IF YOU LOOK FOR IT! No matter how large

or small, please record it in your Evidence Journal. It will only take a few moments

and will AUTOMATICALLY put you in the Flow.

Truly Caring for Your Success!

Leadership # 11

2010-04-20T16:44:00.003+05:30

Let's do one more concrete example.

>> 'My products are too expensive.
Nobody wants to pay that much.'

Sound familiar? Does this sound like distributor
thinking to you?

Distributors believe that prospects make their
buying decision based on price. Will it be hard to
change their thinking?

Not if we use stories and examples.

So let's imagine that I'm a potential leader, but
my belief that the products are too expensive is
holding me back. You want to change my thinking
from:

'the products are too expensive'

to

'the products are affordable because prospects
really want what they have to offer.'

You take note of my distributor thinking and
attempt to change my thinking not with a lecture,
but with the following story:

'I know you think that the products are too
expensive. You could be right. But I think a lot
of people buy for convenience, quality, comfort,
extra features or prestige. Most people will pay
more for products when they can get this extra
convenience, quality, comfort, extra features or
prestige.'

But I reply:

'No. I don't believe you. Prospects buy because of
price. They want to save money and will buy the
least expensive products they can.'

So you tell me:

'You could be right. Maybe a lot of people go
out and buy the least expensive products. I don't
know. Let's go and find out, okay?'

You take me outside and we stand on the street
corner. You ask me:

'What's the cheapest automobile you can
purchase?'

I think for a minute and say:

'A Maruti 800. That's the least expensive car you can
get. It has four wheels and a steering wheel and
will get you from Point A to Point B.'

And then you say:

'Let's stand on this street corner. Since people
buy on price, I'm sure most people will purchase
the least expensive automobile that they can get -
a Maruti. I bet we'll see a lot of Maruti 800 drive by.
In fact, I think over 50% of the cars that will
pass by us will be Maruti 800.'

As we stand on that street corner, what types of
automobiles pass us by? Well, first there is a
Chevrolet, then a Ford, then a BMW, then a Toyota,
then a Dodge, another Ford, a Cadillac, a Lexus,
another Ford, a Volkswagen . . . and we don't see
a single Yugo!

You turn to me and say:

'Is it possible that people buy automobiles for
prestige, comfort or quality - and not on price? I
haven't seen a single Maruti 800 yet. I don't think
anybody purchases automobiles just based on price.
People want image, comfort, special features, more
speed, or prestige. But, hey - I could be wrong.
Tell you what, let's go to another street corner.
This just could be a bad location.'

We walk to another street corner. What do we see?

We see Nissans, Toyotas, Fords, Chevrolets, BMWs,
Oldsmobiles, Cadillacs, and not a single Maruti 800. You
turn to me and say:

'Gee, it doesn't look like anybody purchased an
automobile based on price. Everybody purchased
comfort, color, convenience or prestige. Let's go
to another corner and look at some more
automobiles.'

I say:

'No, no, no - I get the point.'

Again, you've changed my thinking. No longer do I
believe that prospects purchase solely on price.
And did my thinking change from distributor
thinking all the way to leadership thinking with
this one story or real life adventure?

No. That would be too easy, wouldn't it? But you
have changed my thinking at least a little bit.
You'll have to tell me more stories or examples
over the next few weeks to gradually get my
thinking all the way to leadership thinking.

In Lesson 12 I'll give you another story (the
Pizza Story) to change your thinking about price.

Then we'll be finishing the third big step in
developing leaders: 'Changing how they think.'

Leadership # 10

2010-03-06T22:04:00.000+05:30

How about another problem?

Let's go through another concrete example of
exactly how to use this method.

Let's say that my sponsor lives too far away. I
can't become successful because my sponsor doesn't
come to help me. How are we going to move my
thinking from distributor thinking to leadership
thinking?

Here's a story you could tell me.

You: Tom, I know you think that you can't become
successful because I live too far away. I can't
help you do local meetings and I can't come to
Houston to help you do two-on-one presentations.

However, let's imagine that you're taking a flight
home to Delhi . There is another passenger
sitting next to you on the airplane. Your casual
conversation goes like this:

Tom: Hey, what do you do for a living?

Passenger: I am the president of a local
entrepreneurs' club. We have 10,000 members and
they're all entrepreneurs. We meet in the evenings
because we all have regular jobs, but our club is
looking for a part-time business to get into.

Tom: Oh really? What kind of business?

Passenger: Well, we don't want to have stores
because that would be boring. We'd be tied down to
one location.

We're outgoing people and we're interested in
sales and marketing. We enjoy meeting, networking,
and working with other people. We don't have a lot
of money to invest - maybe only a couple thousand
dollars each.

But we're willing to work as hard as we can to
build successful businesses.

But you know what? I haven't been able to find any
part-time business for our members yet. And if I
don't find something pretty soon, they're going to
throw me out of office. I'm pretty worried.

You: So what are you thinking, Tom? You're
thinking, 'Oh, man, I've hit the mother lode! My
business opportunity is going to be perfect for
them. She's going to thank me.' And then Tom, you
ask:

Tom: Oh, by the way, where do you live?

Passenger: I live in Goa.

You: And now Tom, you're going to throw up your
hands in despair and say:

Tom: Oh no! That's too bad. I could never sponsor
you because I wouldn't be local.

At that point, I change my thinking. I understand
that if I keep believing that the sponsor must
live locally, I'd pass by many great
opportunities. In fact, if I keep that distributor
thinking, that would mean that I could never
sponsor someone more than ten miles away from my
house!

After you tell me that story, will my thinking
move from distributor thinking to leadership
thinking? Maybe not all the way, but I'm getting
closer, right?

Leadership # 9

2010-02-02T13:09:00.003+05:30

Everyone has problems.

Leaders and distributors face the same problems
every day. Leaders don't become leaders because of
a lack of problems. They become leaders because of
how they think and handle problems.

>> Leadership thinking.

How would a leader think when confronted with the
exact same backorder situation? A leader might
think:

'Whoa, the product's backordered. These products
are so much in demand that even if my customers
give me money, they still can't get the product.
It's so exclusive and selling so well, the company
can't keep the products in stock. My new customer
is going to be so impressed, he'll probably order
two or three times more product to make sure he
can get some. That means two or three times more
product volume for me, and two or three times the
bonus check. Wow! I hope they bring on some more
backorders - yes!'

Would you characterize this as leadership thinking
or as distributor thinking?

It's obvious - this is leadership thinking and you
would get leadership results because of this
thinking.

>> Here is what distributors don't know.

It doesn't cost anything to change your thinking.
Most distributors think:

'Well, I'm stuck with one kind of thinking.
There's no way that I can change it. This is the
only way to look at situations.'

This 'I can't change my thinking' viewpoint comes
from years of conditioning from parents, teachers,
friends, and employers. But this viewpoint isn't
true.

Of course, we can all change our thinking - if we
want to. But how do you convince your potential
leader that he can change his thinking?

>> With a story.

Stories are the best way to change people's
thinking. They are easy to remember, and your
potential leader can see himself in the story. He
can identify with the story.

To help your potential leader see that changing
one's thinking is possible, try sharing a story
similar to this:

Imagine that you're driving along one day and a
green Mustang automobile almost forces you off the
road. The driver appears to be a young teenager
and he is obviously speeding. How do you feel?
What do you think about the driver?

If your potential leader answers honestly, he'll
say:

'I don't like that teenager. He's reckless and I
almost had an accident. Someone should report him
to the police and have him arrested.'

Later that day you get a call from the hospital.
It's from your son. Your son says, 'Hi. Just
wanted to let you know that the doctors said that
I'm going to be okay. I fell off my bike and
suffered a serious cut. I could have bled to death,
but fortunately a teenager in a green Mustang was
driving by. He picked me up and raced me to the
hospital just in time.'

Now, ask your potential leader this:

'What do you think about that teenage driver now?'

If your potential leader answers honestly, he'll
say:

'You're right. I did change my thinking, and it
didn't cost me anything. The situation was the
same. And you know what? I could have chosen to
change my thinking about that teenage driver even
if I didn't get that additional information.
You're right. I can change my thinking any time I
choose.'

Now that your potential leader understands that he
can change his thinking, you'll want to teach him
this.

Point out that there are two ways of thinking -
leadership thinking and distributor thinking. If
you think like a leader you'll get leader results
and if you think like a distributor, you'll get
distributor results.

Then give your potential leader a big dose of
personal responsibility. Tell him:

'I'm not going to change your thinking. That's up
to you. If you want distributor results, think
like a distributor. If you want leadership
results, think like a leader. It's strictly up to
you which results you want. Pick the results you
want in your life, and then you'll know which type
of thinking to choose.'

This is a big step -- but this is the only way you
effectively build a leader. Because if you don't
do this, you're going to spend a lifetime fixing
all their problems, answering all their questions,
holding their hands, and trying to re-motivate
them after every challenge.

>> Okay, okay. So what exactly will I teach them?

Let's make this concrete here.

First, write down all the everyday problems you
encounter in your business.

Second, for each problem, write down what would
represent leadership thinking and what would
represent distributor thinking.

And third, write down any appropriate stories that
you could tell your potential leader to help him
change his thinking from distributor thinking to
leadership thinking.

That's it. That's what you're going to have to
teach them.

Let's write down some common problems and how
we'll teach our potential leader to change his
thinking.

Write quickly, because . . .

I will be sending you Lesson #10 in a few days.

Leadership # 8

2010-01-06T22:37:00.003+05:30

I bet you have been thinking about what to teach
your potential leaders, haven't you?

>> Could we be teaching the wrong things?

In order to know what to teach distributors to
build them into leaders . . . we first must
identify the true difference between leaders and
distributors.

What is the difference?

* Are leaders taller?

* More handsome or more beautiful?

* Live in better neighborhoods?

* Drive different types of cars?

* Memorize presentations more accurately?

* Have outgoing personalities only?

* Self-starters?

* More focused and driven?

>> Here is the real difference.

The only difference between leaders and
distributors is how they think. In every situation
or problem, a leader will think differently than a
distributor.

Aha! So if we can train our distributor to think
differently when problems, challenges, or
situations arise . . . then we'll have a fully
trained leader. Great!

How are we going to do this?

We will make a list of problems, challenges, and
situations and write down:

1. How a distributor would think, and

2. How a leader would think.

Once we've completed our list, we'll start training
our potential leader, the person who passed the
eadership test from last issue.

When a problem, challenge, or situation arises,
we'll take our potential leader aside and say:

'There are two ways to think about this - as a
leader and as a distributor. Let me show you the
difference.'

Then we'll methodically explain the difference
between the two ways of thinking. A potential
leader can't learn what he doesn't know. We must
give him the knowledge so he can learn this new
type of thinking.

If we don't do this, your potential leader will
never develop, will flounder aimlessly, and will
attempt to learn and memorize all kinds of nice
information that won't help him to become a
leader. Your potential leader will become
frustrated!

Here's what happened to me. Back in 2003, I'd been
in the business a couple of years and desperately
wanted to be a leader. A famous leader with our
company came to town and said:

'I'm going to show all of you how to become
leaders.'

Now, I'm excited. So there I'm sitting in the
front row - well, actually I'm in the second row
because I don't want to be called on or
volunteered for anything.

The famous leader tells our group this:

'If you want to be a leader, be more positive.'

I'm sitting there thinking:

'Could you be a little more specific? That doesn't
help me at all. There's nothing tangible that I
can grasp. I've been trained to be a good employee
all my life. My teachers told me to get a good
job. My employer says to work hard and I can get
promoted to a better job. I think like an employee
and you have to tell me exactly what to do.'

I left that meeting pretty frustrated. I didn't
get the knowledge and information I needed to
change. The worse part was that I didn't know what
to change in order to become a leader.

>> Do your potential leaders suffer the same
frustration?

If they do, let's solve their frustration and
teach them exactly how and what to think in every
problem, challenge, or situation.

The best way to show you how this works is to
give you some practical, everyday examples that
you can use right away. Let's get started.

Imagine that you sell a product. You go next door
and sell some product to your neighbor. You come
back home, order the product from the home office
and . . . it's on backorder!

If this happened to you, what would you think?
Would you think:

'This is terrible! I took my neighbor's money and
didn't deliver his products. He is really going to
be mad at me. And then he'll tell everyone in the
neighborhood that I am dishonest. My reputation
will be ruined. I'll never be able to show my face
again. Everyone in the neighborhood is going to
laugh at me. My company can't even keep the
products in stock. That's a simple job. If the
company can't even keep products in stock, well,
they probably won't be able to pay bonus checks.
They probably can't even hire and fire employees
properly. In fact, I bet they don't even have
employees - just a bunch of answering machines.
The company is going to collapse. And Western
civilization as we know it will collapse! This is
terrible - I quit!'

>> Would you characterize this as leadership
thinking or as distributor thinking?

It's obvious - this is distributor thinking and
you would get distributor results because of this
thinking.

So just what would a leader think about this?

Leadership # 7

2009-12-17T22:53:00.003+05:30

In the previous lessons we discussed where to find
leaders and began to investigate how to develop them.
Now we're going to discuss the fun part - exactly
what you must teach leaders.

Yes, this is the big question!

>>> What do leaders know that distributors
don't know?

Look at it this way. You've taught your new
distributor to be a good distributor - and that
means you've taught him:

* All about the products.

* All about the company.

* How to be loyal.

* How to network.

* How to be positive.

* How to sponsor effectively.

* How to retail products.

* How to build a group.

* How to duplicate his efforts, etc.

After teaching your distributor all these
important skills, you now have a really well-
trained distributor - but you don't have a leader!

So now you decide you're going to teach your
distributor to become a leader.

>> What are you going to teach him?

Great question!

I'd like you to stop reading now and think about
this question. Why? Because as busy networkers, we
get so involved with building a business that we
fail to stop, think, and plan exactly what we
should be doing.

So here is your chance to plan. Take one minute
now to think of exactly what you should be teaching
your potential leader.

And remember it's not any of the things we just
listed above.

PAUSE

If you're like most people I talk to, you didn't
take much time to think of exactly what you should
be teaching your potential leader.

Now, I'm not sadistic, but I love asking this
question. I ask the question:

'Now that you've taught your distributor to be a
good distributor, how to be positive, how to
duplicate, etc., what are you going to teach him
so that he learns to become a leader?'

>> And the answer is usually dead silence.

People just stare blankly into space or stare like
a deer into an oncoming automobile's headlights.
This question paralyzes networkers because we
never think about how to really develop leaders.

Here is what many networkers do to attempt to
build a distributor into a leader.

They teach their distributor to be positive.

That's nice, but all they create is a more
positive distributor.

Or, they move in with their distributor.

All their waking hours are spent teaching new
skills to the distributor. They travel with the
new distributor. They do presentations with the
new distributor. They attend training seminars and
regional conventions with the new distributor.

That's nice.

The leaders bond and build a relationship with
their new distributor. However, all they
accomplish is developing a real friendly
distributor.

But it gets worse.

>> Do distributors waste your time?

Has this ever happened to you? Have you said to
yourself,

'This distributor would make a great leader. I'm
going to travel with him, help him become
positive, and train him with everything I know.'

And what happens?

Most times it doesn't work out. All of our
training and effort is wasted. Our distributor
does not become a leader. Worse yet, he may even
quit our business.

And there you have it. Six months, a year, or even
more of our time - wasted!

All of our time and effort -- and nothing to show
for it. Not only did we waste our time, but we
wasted our distributor's time too.

If all of this sounds familiar, you're ready for
the next lesson.

Leadership # 6

2009-12-01T22:56:00.002+05:30

Danger! Danger! Depression approaching!

Remember Lesson #5? Giving your prospect a book?

When you give your potential leadership candidates
this test, I have to give you this warning:

>> You might get depressed.

And you might expect too much from these people.

I'll tell you a story about a friend of mine in
Canada. He was doing pretty well with his
business, but after he heard about this leadership
test, he went out and gave a test to some of his
distributors.

He called me a year later and said:

'I took your advice last year and I gave my best
distributors the leadership test. I gave them all
a book. Here's what happened. All of my so-called
potential leaders - flunked! I felt really bad and
totally depressed.

'Then, here is what I did next. I gave this same
test to a bunch of second-stringers - you know,
the people who didn't drive as nice a car, didn't
have as many contacts, didn't have as big a
vocabulary, didn't seem like the salesman - just
ordinary distributors who weren't quite as good as
my top people.

'Again, some of those second-stringers failed.
However, a few of these distributors passed the
test, and I've spent the last year working with
them. It's been the most productive year of my
life!

'I don't have to call these people to make sure
they're coming to meetings. They call me to make
sure I'm going to be there. We have the most
positive people at our opportunity meetings -
people who are motivated, people who are going
places. It's been a fantastic year!'

The reason I tell you this story is not because it
has a happy ending.

I tell this story because here is what will happen
after you read this lesson.

You'll give this leadership test to a lot of your
best distributors and most of them are going to
flunk. And then you'll say:

'I know my brother-in-law would really, really
make a great leader and the only reason he didn't
read the book is . . .'

>> And you'll start making up excuses for people
who aren't ready to become a leader.

Then, you'll start investing time with really nice
people who didn't pass the leadership test - and
won't become a leader. Bad for business.

So be prepared for some disappointment. Don't take
the results personally. You're only looking for
distributors who pass the test and are willing to
invest action to back up their words.

Let's move on.

We've given our distributors the leadership test
and now we've identified people who look like
ordinary distributors, who act like ordinary
distributors, but these are special people. These
chosen few will now be trained to become leaders.

>> Here's the $64,000 Question!

Remember step #3 from the beginning of these
lessons? Well, if you don't, let me review these
three logical steps.

Step #1: Define what a leader is.

We have three definitions. This step is easy.

Step #2: How to find leaders.

We just covered this. Sure we can find leaders,
but they'll be temporary leaders. The permanent
way to build leaders is to train ordinary
distributors (who pass the leadership test) to
become leaders.

Step #3: What to teach leaders.

Yes, this is the big question! What do leaders
know that distributors don't know?

Look at it this way. You've taught your new
distributor to be a good distributor - and that
means you've taught him:

* All about the products.

* All about the company.

* How to be loyal.

* How to network.

* How to be positive.

* How to sponsor effectively.

* How to retail products.

* How to duplicate his efforts, etc.

After teaching your distributor all these
important skills, you now have a really well
trained distributor - but you don't have a leader!

So now you decide you're going to teach your
distributor to become a leader.

>> What are you going to teach him?

Great question!

But the answer is too long for this lesson.

(Time flies by rather quickly when we're
having fun learning to build leaders.)

So, in the next lesson I'll start to cover this
third step so you'll have a step-by-step
formula for exactly what to teach your
distributors so that they grow into leaders. I'll
also give the exact examples and methods I use to
teach these important skills.

Leadership # 5

2009-11-24T10:19:00.002+05:30

So what's the second way to get leaders?

The second way to get leaders is to build them
from scratch.

In other words, we are going to find a distributor
who is not a leader now. Then, we're going to
teach him exactly how to become a leader. But
there is a challenge!

If this distributor is not a leader now, he is
going to look exactly like any other temporary
distributor, right?

So how do we know who to build into a leader? How
do we avoid wasting time building the wrong person
into a leader?

Have you ever worked with someone who is
coachable, committed to action, wanted to be a
leader -- and that person never became a leader?

Has that ever happened to you? Have you
experienced the wasted time and effort?

Well, I spent my first few years in network
marketing with this same frustration.

I did this. I said:

'If you want to be a leader, let's go for it.'

So I moved in with the committed distributor. We
drove all over the country together. We made phone
calls together. We gave meetings together. I
taught the distributor everything I knew.

>> And most of the time, he didn't become a
leader.

I ended up wasting a lot of my time. The distributor
wasted a lot of his time. And nothing permanent was
accomplished.

That all changed when I met a guy named Mike.
He came up to me and said this:

'You're an idiot.'

Of course this immediately got my attention. I
said to myself:

'I'd better listen to this guy. He's right. He's
telling the truth. I've been wasting all this time
working hard - but training the wrong people.'

Mike. He said:

'If you're going to train everybody who says that
he wants to be a leader, it's not going to work.
Talk is cheap.'

So I asked the obvious question:

'So how do you know who to train and who not to
train? Everyone wants to be a leader. They told me
so. How do you know which one to work with?'

Mikes' simple answer was this:

'You simply give them a test.'

I smacked my forehead - I'd just wasted so many
years! Why hadn't I given these candidates a test?

Well, because . . . I never thought of it. And now
that I know I should give the candidates a test,
what would be my next obvious question?

You're right! What kind of test should I give them?

Again Mike had a simple answer. He said:

'You give them a book! Tell them to read the book
and that you'll check back with them in three days
to discuss the book.'

>> Now it all made sense.

Let's say that you were in a business and you
sponsored me. I said that I wanted to learn to
become a leader, so you say:

'Here's a book that's really going to help
you build your business. I know you want to be a
leader. Today is Monday. Why don't we get together
on Thursday and discuss what's in this book? I'll
show you how you can use it in your business.'

Of course I'll thank you for the book and say that
I'm looking forward to our Thursday meeting. Well,
Thursday comes and you call me.

I start making excuses over the telephone and say:

'Well, I couldn't read the book on Monday, because
that's when Monday Night Football comes on
television. And then on Tuesday, I had to work
overtime on my job. Wednesday night is family
night. That's when the family goes out and I can
watch television in peace. So I really haven't
read the book yet.'

>> What would that tell you about me?

That says:

'Hey, if I can't put forth enough effort to read
the book, what chance is there that I would put
forth an effort to take guests to meetings? To go
to other training and listen to tapes? To drive to
conventions?'

This doesn't mean that I will always be a non-
leader. It just means that at this time in my
life, I'm not willing to make a commitment. It
doesn't mean I'm a terrible person, it just means
- hey, I'm not going to be a leader right now.

It's important that we give this test before we
invest time in training a distributor to become a
leader. If we don't perform this test, any time
that we spend with an uncommitted distributor is
wasted.

We may be stealing time from somebody who
desperately needs to be a leader.

So what happens if you give me a book and the next
morning I give you a call at 6 a.m.? I say:

'I know it's early, but I am wired with
excitement. I've highlighted the book and made an
outline. I know it's 6 a.m. but let's get together
for breakfast. If we hurry up, we can have
breakfast at 6:30 a.m. and talk about this book
before I go to work.'

What would that tell you?

>> Ka-ching!

We have a winner here. This is a simple test but
it makes all the difference in the world.

By the way, I haven't mentioned which book to give
as a test, have I?

>> It simply doesn't matter which book you give as a
test!

Why? Because it's only a test. You're only
checking for action from your potential leader.
Remember, almost everyone will say that they want
to become a leader, but talk is cheap. You have to
check for that action commitment.

So if you don't have a brilliantly written book handy, you can give them a National Geographic Magazine, right? It doesn't matter.
You're only checking for action.

By the way, if you don't have a book or a
magazine, what else can you give as a test?

You could use videotape, an audiotape, or have
your potential leader listen to a conference call
- or send him to a store for milk and cookies.
It's only a test.

But if you don't have a book, an audiotape, or
even videotape, you might reconsider your
leadership capabilities.

Leadership # 4

2009-11-15T15:59:00.002+05:30

What is my definition of a leader?

I have three definitions of a leader. These aren't
the only three definitions. They're not all-
inclusive. These are just three definitions to
give us an idea of what we are looking for.

The first definition I heard is from a man named
Rajbir in Bangalore, Karnataka. He says that
leaders are professional students of the business.

In other words, leaders actually read the sales
manual that came with their distributor kit. By
this definition, everybody reading this newsletter
would be a leader. We're students of network
marketing - always looking for new ideas and
information.

Leaders listen to audio training tapes, read
books, go to upline meetings and, whenever they
can, they attend company conventions. You'll see
leaders hanging around with the upline leaders
hoping to pick up a good idea.

I like this definition. It makes it easy to spot
leaders. Just go to any training meeting and
you'll see the chairs full of potential leaders.

>> Sounds good, but what is my second definition
of a leader?

This definition is a little harder to explain but
easy to observe.

Imagine that you decide to take a vacation to
Hawaii. You're going to miss your local weekly
opportunity meeting. Somebody will have to conduct
your weekly meeting.

A leader is someone who will do the opportunity
meeting, make sure the product display is there,
pay for the room, and assumes the responsibility
that everything runs smoothly - and you don't have
to call from Hawaii to see if it was done.

In other words, you're on vacation and you don't
have to worry or check on anything. This leader
was glad you left town so he could take the
responsibility!

This is a pretty good definition of a leader. He
is someone who does his business without your
constant motivation and checking. He is someone
you don't have to worry about.

>> The third definition of a leader is the
toughest.

This definition separates the so-called leaders
from the real leaders. Here it is:

A leader is someone who handles problems.

Let's say there is a problem in the downline. Raj
didn't get his order or Puja talked longer than Ankur
or there was some bad news in the local press, or
whatever.

A leader handles the problem.

Your leader will call the home office to trace the
order, will help Ankur understand why Puja talked
longer, or support and counsel a devastated
distributor who is upset over some bad publicity.

The leadership test is this:

Will the problem filter upline to you?

If you have a distributor whom you think is a
leader -- but the distributor is still passing
problems upline to you, this distributor doesn't
qualify to be a leader.

This is a tough test, but it separates leaders
from the crowd.

Now we have three clear descriptions of a leader.
We know exactly what we are searching for.

Now that we have a really good grip on what a
leader is, the next question in your mind should
be:

>> Step #2: How do I find leaders?

That's simple.

There are only two ways to get leaders.

The first way to get leaders is to steal them.
That's right, steal them. We're all leaders here,
so let's be honest. People try to steal leaders
all the time, don't they?

They say:

'Come over to my business and I'll give you $5
more than what you're making over there.'

So the leader changes loyalty and moves to another
company.

What's the downside of this?

Well, if the leader will change allegiance for $5
more income, then what's going to happen when
someone else offers this leader $6 more income?

Ouch!

If this leader can be bought once, he can be
bought again.

So we could steal leaders, but the problem is that
we will only end up with temporary leaders. This
means we'd have a job for the rest of our lives,
replacing leader after leader, wouldn't we? This
isn't what we're looking for.

You see, a lot of distributors advertise for
leaders. They try to persuade leaders to come over
with the newest hot deal because it's a tenth of a
cent lower or it pays 1% more. But what happens
when someone else offers two-tenths of a cent
lower or 2% more?

The temporary leader is gone.

It's just a full-time job replacing temporary
leaders. It's not really building a permanent,
loyal network marketing organization.

So I would like to eliminate further discussion
about stealing leaders because that's not really
what we want to do.

We want permanent income.

We'll learn the second way to get leaders in
Lesson #5. The second way will be the easiest
way to get that permanent income.

Leadership # 3

2009-11-10T19:36:00.002+05:30

>> Generals make a difference.

Imagine that you are dictator of your own country.
That's pretty good - you have your own army and
you have five loyal generals. You also have
100,000 infantrymen. (Of course, the generals
represent leaders and the infantrymen represent
distributors in case you're not following this
analogy.)

What happens next is that one night I sneak across
enemy lines and attack your army. I use my black
belt in karate and go chop, chop, chop and I beat
up all 100,000 of your infantrymen.

The next morning you wake up and you have five
generals left. All of your infantry went home to
their mothers for sympathy.

Now, here's the important question.

>> With only five generals left, could you rebuild
your army?

Of course you could. That's the importance of
leaders. When things go bad and everyone abandons
the ship, you can still rebuild your organization
if you have loyal leaders.

What if the opposite were to happen?

What if I were to sneak across enemy lines and
kidnap your five generals? What would happen then?

The next morning, you wake up and all you have are
your 100,000 infantrymen with no leadership or
direction. They start marching in circles, firing
inward, stepping in latrines, getting lost - it's
a disaster!

So as you see, generals are everything.

>> Some networkers build leaders. Other networkers
are just busy.

That's the difference why some networkers can work
for a few years and finally retire from their
business. These networkers focused all their
activity on building leaders.

The other networkers? The ones that were just
busy? Well, they're still busy.

If you're not convinced that building leaders is
important by now . . . well, you can save yourself
some time by not reading any further.

>> Okay! Okay! Let's get some leaders!

We need a step-by-step plan. And that's easy. If you're not
familiar with engineers, we need a step-by-step
plan for everything. That's why we're incredibly
cool people with a keen sense of fashion design.

For instance, when we walk, we have a plan. We're
thinking:

'Left foot, then the right foot. Left foot, then
the right foot, etc.'

So, back to our plan. We're going to create our
master plan in three easy steps. By mastering each
step, one at a time, we'll end up with an
organization of leaders.

Here are the steps to master:

Step #1: Define what a leader is.

Step #2: How to find leaders.

Step #3: What to teach leaders.

Step #1 is very important. Before we go looking
for leaders, wouldn't it be a great idea to know
what a leader looks like?

It's a lot easier to find somebody if we know what
he looks like.

On a recent teleconference training call, I asked
the group:

'Does anybody on tonight's call have a good
definition of, what is a leader?'

The answers were:

* Someone who is willing to step up and help to
encourage others.

* Someone who makes sure that he gets done what
needs to be done.

* Somebody who is coachable.

* Somebody who is good with people -- a good
communicator.

* Someone with a vision.

* A leader is somebody who wants to learn and
wants to succeed.

* A leader is someone who commits to taking the
action that's required to make it to the top.

And that was the list. The rest of the callers
were silent. I don't think they ever thought about
this question. I can't imagine how they looked for
leaders if they never even knew what a leader
looked like.

All of the above definitions are nice, but we
need something more useful.

In Lesson #4, I will share with you my THREE
DEFINITIONS of a leader.

Once we know exactly what we are looking for,
it gets easy.

Lesson #4 in a few days.

Leadership # 2

2009-10-24T23:32:00.003+05:30

Leadership Qualities !

[The names mentioned in the writeup are fictitious]

In Lesson #1 we discussed that the fastest way to build
a large organization is through the help of
leaders. We also defined the difference between a network marketing leader and a distributor.

When we focus on leaders, it changes how we build
our business.

People always ask me:

'What's the secret to success in network
marketing?'

I have a quick, short answer that I've used for
years and it goes like this:

'To be successful in network marketing, all you
have to do is build leaders and make them
successful.'

In other words, if you had a choice to go out and
do a retail party to sell some skin care or long
distance or whatever, that's nice - but that's
probably a job. That's not building the type of
residual income business you want.

While this activity is part of your business, this
activity will not be the fastest route to your
goal of becoming a leader.

You have to think differently if you're going to
build a large and successful downline organization.
You're going to carefully focus on which activities
you do, because you want to be a leader.

>> I'll show you the difference.

Several months ago, I went over to start a downline
in Delhi.I arrived and a friend of mine, Raj
, met me at the airport. Because I had a
relationship with Raj, he had already committed
to becoming a distributor - even though he had no
details.
As I walk off my plane, Raj is waiting for me. He
has his first prospect with him, a man named
Abhishek. Well, I gave a horrible, jet-lagged
presentation and Abhishek joins. He didn't join
because of my presentation. He joined because he
was a friend of Raj..

Relationships do make a difference.

Raj and I then proceeded to drive towards
his home so I could get a bit of sleep. Before we
arrive at home, his mobile telephone rings.
It's his new distributor, Abhishek.

Abhishek says:

'I have a contact about eight hours away and I would like it if you
could go talk
to him. I just hung up the telephone with him and
he said he may or may not be interested - but he
would take a look at the business if you'd drive
up to meet him. He'll come two hours closer if you
will drive the other six hours.'

Raj looked at me and said:

'Eight hours?'

I replied:

'Tell Abhishek that it's no problem. We're on our way
- just give us directions.'

Well, I didn't get that nap I wanted. Instead,
Raj and I just kept on driving Along
the way, Raj said:

'Are we crazy? We're driving six hours for someone
who might not even show up!'

I said:

'That's OK.'

'What do you mean, it's okay? Six hours up and six
hours back and this semi-committed prospect might
not even show up!'

I explained my position:

'Raj, we're not going there to give a
presentation. We're going there to support Abhishek.
We want to let him know that because he wants to
be a leader, we're going to help him to the ends
of the earth no matter what until he becomes a
leader. If this prospect shows up or not, it's
irrelevant. It's no big deal. We're driving six
hours to show our commitment to Abhishek.'

That's the difference in focus I'm talking about.
Because we're focused on building a leader, our
activity changes also. We will concentrate on
different tasks and take different viewpoints on
situations than other networkers because we're
building leaders.

The above example will also
change how you feel about failure when somebody
doesn't show up at a meeting, or a lot of guests
don't come. You'll have less stress and more focus
because you're thinking:

'The reason I'm doing this meeting is to develop
this person into a leader.'

This helps us focus on what we're doing because we
know why we are doing our present activity. This
focus and understanding helps us get along in our
business, and we make progress.

As a side note, Raj uses this activity
focus to build leaders and get out of their way.
So if you don't believe it works, just call him.
You'll get his answering machine as he's always
golfing or on vacation.

So that's what I mean by changing what you do to
build leaders versus lots and lots of activity,
which can take up our day.

In Lesson #3 I'll give you a good example of why
it's better to have one leader than 100 distributors.

Dr Phil's Test

2009-10-10T22:36:00.002+05:30

Dr Phil's Test

Dr Phil scored 55.
He did this test on Oprah -- She got 38

Some folks pay a lot of money to find this stuff out.

Read on.
This is very interesting !
Don't be overly sensitive !
It's pretty accurate and it only takes about 2 minutes.

* Take this test for yourself and send it to your friends.

* My score is 50.

* Please write down your name and score in the comments column in the blog.

* Answers are for who you are now ......................
not who you were in the past.

* Please have a pen/pencil and paper ready.

* This is a real test given by the Human Relations Dept. at many of the major
Corporations today.It helps them get better insight concerning their employees
and prospective employees.

* There are 10 simple questions.So.... Grab a pen/pencil and paper,
keep track of your answers.

* When you are finished with the answers,forward this to everyone you know.

NUMBER YOUR PAPER 1 TO 10

Continue to begin Test.

* 1.When do you feel at your best ?
a) In the morning.
b) During the afternoon and early evening.
c) Late at night.

* 2.You usually walk.........
a) fairly fast,with long steps.
b) fairly fast,with short steps.
c) less fast,head up,looking the world in the face.
d) less fast,head down.
e) very slowly.

* 3.When talking to people,you.......
a) stand with your arms folded.
b) have your hands clasped.
c) have one or both your hands on your hips or in pockets.
d) touch or push the person to whom you are talking.
e) play with your ear,touch your chin or smoothen your hair.

* 4.While relaxing,you sit with.........
a) your knees bent with your legs neatly side by side.
b) your legs crossed.
c) your legs stretched out or straight.
d) one leg curled up under you.

* 5.When something really amuses you,you react with..........
a) a big appreciated laugh.
b) a laugh,but not a loud one.
c) a quiet chuckle.
d) a sheepish smile.

* 6.When you go to a party or social gathering,you.........
a) make a loud entrance so everyone notices you.
b) make a quiet entrance,looking around for someone you know.
c) make the quietest entrance,trying to stay unnoticed.

* 7.When you're working or concentrating very hard and you're interrupted,you....
a) welcome the break.
b) feel extremely irritated.
c) vary between these two extremes.

* 8.Which of the following colours do you like the most ?
a) Red or Orange.
b) Black.
c) Yellow or Light Blue.
d) Green.
e) Dark blue or Purple.
f) White.
g) Brown or Grey.

* 9.When you are in bed at night,in those last few moments before going to sleep,
you lie..............
a) stretched out on your back.
b) stretched out face down on your stomach.
c) on your side,slightly curled.
d) with your head on one arm.
e) with your head under the covers.

* 10.You often dream that you are.................
a) falling.
b) fighting or struggling.
c) searching for something or somebody.
d) flying or floating.
e) you usually have dreamless sleep.
f) your dreams are always pleasant.

POINTS

1. (a)2 (b)4 (c)6

2. (a)6 (b)4 (c)7 (d)2 (e)1

3. (a)4 (b)2 (c)5 (d)7 (e)6

4. (a)4 (b)6 (c)2 (d)1

5. (a)6 (b)4 (c)3 (d)5 (e)2

6. (a)6 (b)4 (c)2

7. (a)6 (b)2 (c)4

8. (a)6 (b)7 (c)5 (d)4 (e)3 (f)2 (g)1

9. (a)7 (b)6 (c)4 (d)2 (e)1

10.(a)4 (b)2 (c)3 (d)5 (e)6 (f)1

Now add up the total number of your Points.

OVER 60 POINTS
Others see you as someone they should 'Handle with care'.You're seen as vain,selfcentered and one who is extremely domineering.Others may admire you,wishing they could be more like you,but don't always trust you,hesitating to become too deeply involved with you.

51 TO 60 POINTS
Others see you as exciting,highly volatile rather impulsive personality,a natural leader,one who's quick to make decisions,though not always the right ones.They see you as bold and adventurous,someone who will try anything atleast once,someone who takes chances and enjoys an adventure.They enjoy being in your company because of the excitement you radiate.

41 TO 50 POINTS
Others see you as fresh,lively,charming,amusing,practical and always interesting;someone who's constantly in the center of attention,but sufficiently well balanced not t0 let it go to your head.They also see you as kind,considerate and understanding,someone who'll always cheers them up and help them out.

31 TO 40 POINTS
Others see you as sensible,cautious,careful and practical.They see you as clever,gifted or talented,but modest.Not a person who makes friends so quickly or easily,but someone who's extremely loyal to friends you do make and who expect the same loyalty in return.Those who really get to know you realize it takes a lot to shake your trust in your friends,but equally that it takes you a long time to get over it if that trust is ever broken.

21 TO 30 POINTS
Your friends see you as painstaking and fussy.They see you as very cautious,extremely careful,a slow and steady plodder.It would really surprise them if you ever did something impulsively or on the spur of the moment,expecting you to examine everything carefully from every angle and then usually decide against it.They think this reaction is caused partly by your careful nature.

UNDER 21 POINTS
People think you are shy,nervous and indecisive,someone who needs looking after,who always wants someone else to make the decisions and who does'nt want to get involved with anyone or anything!They see you as a worrier who always sees problems that don't exist.Some people think you're boring.Only those who know you well know that you are'nt.

Now forward this to all your friends;

Don't forget to put your name and score in the comments column--Dr.Phil

Leadership # 1

2009-10-04T21:00:00.003+05:30

So, let's get started with Lesson #1.

Every network marketer wishes that he had a
massive organization and more leaders in his
group. Life would be wonderful. The bonus checks
would be too heavy to carry. And, he could watch
cable television 24 hours every day.

So why not take a shortcut to build your network
marketing business? The fastest way to build a
large organization is through the help of leaders.

We can't build a very large network marketing
organization on our own if we only sponsor
distributors. Our time is limited. We can only
service so many distributors and their problems.
Even the best distributors need some service and
help.

The way to multiply our efforts is to create
leaders who can take care of their own groups.
Duplicating ourselves by creating new leaders is
the only way to build a large, massive
organization.

>> Then where do we begin?

First, let's define the difference between a
network marketing leader and a distributor.

Distributors are temporary. They come and go in
our business. Sometimes they work hard and build
groups, and other times they may continue as a
wholesale user of the product, or even quit. And
it's okay that distributors are temporary. They
should have the right to come and take out of our
business what they want.

For instance, here are some things distributors
want from our business:

* The ability to save on their personal purchases.

* A chance to make retail sales and profits.

* A feeling of belonging to a positive group of
people.

* A chance to develop personally.

* Some quick checks to pay off the VISA bill.

* A part-time income to put a child through
college.

* Car payments.

* Enough money for that one dream vacation.

All these reasons to be a distributor are good. We
should support and service our distributors to
reach these goals. However, the truth is that this
support and service should only take 10 or 20% of
our time. Why?

>> Because distributors don't want or need a lot
of support.

Some distributors say:

'Oh, don't keep calling me about those opportunity
meetings. And I'm not interested in those training
meetings either. Call me when the president comes
to town, or if the company introduces a new
product. Otherwise, leave me alone.'

That's okay. We only want to help distributors get
what they want out of our business. We don't want
to push our agenda on them. They'll appreciate
that we respect them as adults and let them choose
their own goals.

But remember, your distributors only have a
temporary commitment. When the newspaper writes a
bad article about your company, your distributor
might leave. Or when the home office forgets to
return the distributor's phone call, again, the
distributor might quit. Or maybe a little bit of
rejection from prospects will quickly end your
distributor's career.

>> Distributors come and go, but leaders are the
real thing.

Okay, we all know that leaders are more important
than distributors. Most distributors are temporary
and have a temporary commitment toward your
business - and that's not bad. Like all of us,
they're going to take what they want and then get
on with their lives.

But leaders are going to stay with you and your
business for a long time. So which would you
rather have - one leader or 100 distributors?

That's easy for us to answer. One leader!

However, you might be thinking:

'Yeah, having one leader is great, but maybe 100
distributors would give me some pretty good bonus
checks.'

The problem is that we'll have to replace those
100 distributors as time goes on, and instead of
building this residual income that we talk about,
we end up with just a full-time job replacing
distributors.

Why not spend the next day or two analyzing your
organization? Determine how many leaders you
have and how your business will be affected if you
put more focus on building and training those
leaders.

12 Easy Steps To Money Saving Shopping

2009-09-27T21:21:00.002+05:30

Twelve Easy Steps to Money Saving Shopping

TWELVE EASY STEPS To Money Saving Shopping Bill Dunigan

Learn how you can economize and start saving money now.

Be able to save on the things you really need on a daily basis.

Follow the steps laid out here and watch your savings increase.

Enjoy shopping with a new informed perspective while you save.

Most of us have, at one time or another felt the need to economize. I'm sure this statement comes as no surprise to anyone. However, we do still need to make those purchases of items that are needed on a daily basis. These include, but are not limited to, such things as: food, clothing, cosmetics, school supplies, laundry detergent, and far too many other items to list here. It always seems to be a never-ending list, which continually keeps growing and growing no matter how much we try to scale it down.

The best thing to do after reading through this article is to use it on a regular basis as a reference guide. It can help you decide where and when to look for the specific items you need to purchase. After a short while you will gain enough experience to be able to decide for yourself, just where and when you can find the best deals.

This idea for this grew from the knowledge that there are many others who, like me, have found themselves in a different income situation from time to time. At times like this it is absolutely necessary to cut back on expenses. There are times when we find ourselves out of work, or living on a fixed income, or perhaps changing to a single income. The reason isn't the important thing, how we handle it is. We must, as the expression says, take the bull by the horns. It is up to us to make those changes that will enable us to survive day to day and still have those things we really need. The interesting thing is that after learning and putting into practice the tips suggested here, they become an ongoing practice in continuing to economize even when there may not be a pressing financial need. I suppose that once you learn a good thing it sticks with you. Remember, read, learn, practice, and you will reap the benefits.

STEP # 1 Make a List

· This is probably the most important thing you con do to positively affect your spending. Don't underestimate the power of that list. · Your list is your best friend when shopping. Never go shopping without it. This is one of the best an easiest ways to exert control over your spending habits.

· Remember, your best results will be when you are shopping only for those items you really need. This is how you start developing good shopping habits.

· Forming good shopping habits is the key to your success. With these two tools (your list and good shopping habits) you can be assured of achieving your goal.

STEP # 2 Coupons

· Coupons can be a wonderful opportunity to save. However if it is for a product more expensive than you normally would purchase, be sure that the price after the discount isn't higher than you would normally spend or it won't be a savings to you.

· Take advantage of every sale opportunity possible. Examine the fine print so you can make an informed decision. They are truly a savings only if they are for items you would normally purchase.

· Arm yourself with this fact; a retailer's goal is always to increase sales. Your goal is to always economize by forming good shopping habits.

STEP # 3 COMPARE PRICES

· One of the smartest things you can do is pay attention to the prices of those items for which you would normally have a need. This way you will have something solid to base you decisions on.

· The whole idea is to know exactly what you purchase on a regular basis and who has those items at the lowest price. With this information you have a head start on attaining your goal.

· Now you can chose those stores that have more of what you need at the best prices. These re the places you will frequent when shopping.

STEP # 4 GROUP ITEMS

· The next step towards success is to begin grouping your items together by store. Since you already know about making a list, this step should be a breeze.

· Now you can start saving before you even get to the stores. By just eliminating unnecessary trips to several different stores you save on your fuel expenses.

· Saving on expenses in any way you can contributes to the overall achievement of your goal. The less traveling around you have to do the better it is for your budget.

STEP # 5 TRAVEL WISELY

· Another easy and to economize is when there are several stores in your area that carry the articles you frequently purchase, try to stop at them during your normal driving route. This requires nothing extra from you and saves you both time and money.

· This is effective time management. Now you are really starting to form some good shopping habits.

· With the steps we have discussed thus far you have already started saving and you haven't even made a purchase yet. It's amazing how much you can save just by being organized.

STEP # 6 KNOW YOUR SPLURGE

· Now it's time to reward yourself. We all have certain items that we really don't want to change or economize on. If you have done your homework and been able to economize the way you want to, then there is no reason why you can't allow yourself that splurge. · Set a goal that is realistic and when you achieve it reward yourself. No one is going to be happy and persevere at any task if they feel deprived all the time. · Make your splurge something you really want. However, don't have a splurge that wipes out what you have saved.

STEP # 7 BUY AT THE END OF SEASONS

· When purchasing clothing, the best time to buy is at the end of the season. At the beginning of the season prices are the highest they will be on those items.

· If you need summer clothing, the premium time for bargains is the end of summer during August or early September at the latest. Now that you understand this fact, it only makes sense to wait until later to make those purchases.

· This is one of the best ways to save and still have new clothing in your wardrobe. The selection may not be as varied as in the beginning of the season, but the savings more than make the waiting worthwhile.

STEP # 8 DON'T BE STUCK ON Logos

· There are many articles of clothing without a logo and they usually cost much less. Why should you pay the premium to advertise anyone's business, and not be compensated for it?

· Contribute to the successful achievement of your goals rather that those of the manufacturers and retailers. When you insist on those logos you are paying to be a walking billboard.

· Again here is an easy way to economize without any extra effort. Instead of putting that extra money in the cash register, you can put it in your pocket.

STEP # 9 DOLLAR STORES

· These stores are probably some of the best places you can find for acquiring new items at a real bargain price. The quality may not be top of the line, but it is new merchandise not used. Remember you are economizing so be careful because they can become addictive. · You will definitely find great prices here. While some of them actually sell most items for a dollar others will vary. Remember, we are trying to cut cost so don't get all hung up on top names and brands because you won't find many of them here.

· Frequent names used are: Dollar General, Dollar Tree, Dollar Store, Dollar King, Family Dollar, etc.

STEP # 10 THRIFT STORES

· You will defiantly find many bargains here. Remember, most of the articles are used, so look them over first. Don't be surprised when you come across name brands or new items. You never know what you'll find and sometimes it's a genuine treat.

· Some of the bargains you will find are clothing, household goods, furniture, luggage, shoes, etc. If you do a little research you may find one that tends to have more furniture than others or more clothing or household goods.

· Most areas have several of these stores. They are usually independent from each other and thus the difference in the types of merchandise.

STEP # 11 DISCOUNT STORES

· This is the place to go if it's new merchandise that you crave. The things here change with the seasons just as in the full price stores, so remember what you learned about buying at the end of seasons.

· Prices at these retailers will be well discounted when compared to other retailers but can never compete with the Dollar or Thrift stores. Most of them are located in large shopping areas that charge high rents, and also have a large number of employees to pay.

· Discount stores can represent a great savings. However, just as with the coupons, if it's an item that will cost more than what you would normally spend for it, pass it by.

STEP # 12 HOLIDAY SHOPPING

· Here we have an abundance of wonderful merchandise. The problem is that it is the most dangerous time of year for anyone trying to economize.

· Keep your goals in mind and remain focused. Retailers will pull out all the stops for this season. This is when they make the majority of their annual sales. If they don't make it here they can never recoup it during the rest of the year.

· If you have worked hard to this point than don't go overboard and destroy what you have accomplished. You are up against the best that the marketing world has to offer during this time of year. Stick to your plan and be persistent.

· You don't have to pay full price in order for a gift to be a nice one. Some of the best gifts are not the most expensive. If it's not something that the person needs or appreciates than why bother. An item that is really needed, regardless of cost, is always more valued by the recipient than a more expensive one they have no use for.

· This is the time to put all of the other tips together. If you have learned and succeeded it will be easy and pay off. All of the money saving tips laid out here will work for you and enable you to make a dramatic difference in your shopping habits and as a result have a positive effect on your spending and thus result in real savings.

Conclusion

If you really put into practice all of these tips, you should see positive results right away. This isn't something you need to wait for. It starts working as soon as you start to work it. Set your goals and go for it. Everything is within your control so don't delay. Remember the old saying "time is money". That was never more true than now. It's your time and your money. You have the choice to spend it or save it. The difference now is that you have the tools to make the right choices that will ultimately result in the accomplishment of your goals. Now it really is in your hands. Good luck.

If you would be interested in developing additional income on a part time basis visit and contact me through my website: tni.com/riderbill

You have permission to copy and reuse this article provided there are no changes made to the article and credit is given to the author and the link to his website remains in place. Please notify him by email if you are going to use this article. You may contact Bill Dunigan through his website: http://www.tni.com/riderbill

About the author:

Most of my adult life I have been self-employed. I have never come across anything else that would allow an individual to develop a good income with little investment and not have the expenses, stress, boss, time constraints, and worries that go along with most other businesses or jobs. Who needs a job when you can work for yourself? If you are seriously interested contact me through my website at: www.tni.com/riderbill

Written by: Bill Dunigan

Coping With Data Loss

2009-09-23T13:04:00.002+05:30

Coping with a Serious Data Loss from your Computer Hard Drive

Data loss is an expensive reality. It's a hard fact that it happens more often then users like to admit. A recent study by the accounting firm McGladrey and Pullen estimates that one out of every 500 data centers will experience a severe computer disaster this year. As a result, almost half of those companies will go out of business. At the very least, a data loss disaster can mean lost income and missed business opportunities.

The other side of data loss is the psychological and emotional turmoil it can cause to IT managers and business owners. Despair, panic, and the knowledge that the whole organization might be at risk are involved. In a sense, that's only fair, since human error is one of the two largest contributing factors in data loss. Together with mechanical failure, it accounts for almost 75 per cent of all incidents. (Software corruption, computer viruses and physical disasters such as fire and water damage make up the rest).

Disk drives today are typically reliable. Human beings, it turns out, are not. A Strategic Research Corp. study done in 2000 found that approximately 15 per cent of all unplanned downtime occurred due to human error. A significant proportion of that happened because users failed to implement adequate backup procedures, either having trouble with their backups, or having no backup at all.

How does it happen that skilled, high-level users put their systems - and their businesses - at such risk?

In many cases, the problem starts long before the precipitating system error is made, that is, when users place their faith in out-of-box solutions that may not, in fact, fit their organization's needs. Instead of assessing their business and technology requirements, then going to an appropriate engineered solution, even experienced IT professionals at large corporations will often simply buy what they're sold. In this case, faith in technology can be an vice instead of a virtue.
But human intervention itself can sometimes be the straw that breaks the technology's back. When the office of a Venezuelan civil engineering firm was devastated by floods, its owners sent 17 soaked, mud-coated disks from three RAID arrays to us in plastic bags. A tough enough salvage job was made even more complex by the fact that someone had frozen the drives before shipping them. As the disks thawed, yet more damage was done. (After eight weeks of painstaking directory-by-directory recovery, all the data from the remaining fifteen disks was retrieved.)
Sometimes, the underlying cause of a data loss event is simply shoddy housekeeping. The more arduous the required backup routine, the less likely it will be done on a regular basis. A state ambulance monitoring system suffered a serious disk failure, only to discover that its automated backup hadn't run for fourteen months. A tape had jammed in the drive, but no-one had noticed.

When disaster strikes, the normal human reaction is panic. Because the loss of data signifies critical consequences, even the most competent IT staff can jump to conclusions, and take inappropriate action. A blank screen at a critical time can lead to a series of naive decisions, each one compounding the preceding error. Wrong buttons get pushed, and the disaster only gets worse. Sometimes the pressure to correct the system failure speedily can result in an attempt to reconfigure an entire RAID array. IT specialists are typically not equipped to deal with crisis modes or data recovery techniques. Just as a good physician is trained to prolong life, the skilled IT specialist is trained to keep the system running. When a patient dies, the physician turns to others, such as nurses or counselors to manage the situation. When significant data loss occurs, the IT specialist turns to the data recovery professional.

Data recovery specialists are innovative problem solvers. Often, the application of basic common sense, when no-one else is in any condition to apply it, is the beginning of the journey towards data recovery. The data recovery specialist draws on a wealth of experience, married to a "never say die" attitude, and a comprehensive tool kit of problem-solving procedures. Successful recovery outcomes hinge on a combination of innovative logistics, applied problem-solving, and "technology triage," the process of stabilizing an affected system quickly, analyzing and treating its wounds, and preparing it for surgery. The triage process sets priorities, such as targeting which files are needed first or which are absolutely vital to the functioning of the business, and establishes whether files might be recovered in less structured formats (such as text-only), which may be desirable when time is crucial.

The art and science of professional data recovery can spell the difference between a business' success or its failure. Before that level of intervention is required, though, users can take steps to ensure that the probability of a data loss disaster is minimized.

Basic to any business technology plan is a regular fire-drill procedure. Back-up routines may be in place, staff may assigned to specific roles, hardware and software may be configured - but, if the user isn't completely sure that everything works the way it should, a data loss event is inevitable. Having adequate, tested, and current backups in place is critical. A hardware breakdown should not be compounded by human error - if the malfunctioning drive is critical, the task of dealing with it should go to a data recovery professional.

Just as data loss disasters are rooted in a combination of mechanical failure and human error, so, too, the data recovery solution lies in a creative marriage of the technological and the human. The underlying philosophy of successful data recovery is that technology is something to be used by human beings, not something that uses us.

Name: Darryl Peddle

Company: CBL Technologies, Canada

Author description: Darryl Peddle is an Internet Marketing Specialist with CBL Technologies, one of the largest data recovery specialists in the world.

Website: http://www.cbltech.com

Written by: Darryl Peddle

Time Travel : Sci - Fi ?

2009-09-18T22:48:00.004+05:30

Time travel: sci-fi ?

When you look at the clear night sky, you see stars-those tiny diamonds suspended in the vast pitch-black emptiness. But stars shine because…? Our own sun, which is a star, emits light. Stars are like giant bulbs but are much more powerful.

Light travels at a speed of 3.0*108m/s in vacuum and space is mostly vacuum. In other words light can cover a mighty distance of 300 000 000m in only 1 second!

The thing is that 300 000 000m is a just one of those small amounts in space. Other stars are billions of kilometres-let alone metres-away. Astronomers in fact use light year as the unit for distance. One light year is the distance travelled by light (in vacuum) during one year. Therefore one light year equals (300 000 000*3600*24*365)m.

A single light year is definitely huge: 9.46 trillion kilometres-no need to put this in digit form-in fact. But where exactly do I want to converge? A star that you see in the night sky is not one but many light years away. This means that it is very far away. But most importantly, it means that light from this particular star takes many years-and not mere seconds-to reach your eyes! So what?

When you watch a star, you are actually only seeing the light it emitted years ago. At present, the star may be somewhere else in the night sky. (Stars do move in space). It might have deflected a little to the east or north or north-northeast. The star is still emitting light though. This light will however be seen in the following decades or even centuries; or simply next year.

When you watch stars at night, you are actually looking in the past. So who or what is time travelling? The star? You? Or light? The further something is from you, the further in the past you are penetrating into.

Maybe then, someday, the newest technologies will be able to observe these seconds after the Big Bang-if it ever occurred in the first place.

About the Author

Khalil A.Cassimally is the editor in chief of Astronomy Journal and Astronomy Journal Ezine. He is also the co-founder of the RCPL Astronomy Club.
He is currently Senior Columnist at BackWash.com and Columnist for bbc.co.uk h2g2 The Post where he writes 'Not Scientific Science' column.

Written by: Khalil A. Cassimally

Hypnosis

2009-09-12T18:25:00.003+05:30

What is Hypnosis?

Hypnosis is an altered state of consciousness. It happens when a state of mind is achieved in which suggestions alter someone's awareness, memory, or thinking in a way that the hypnotized person responds to the alteration as if it were reality. It's supposed to be done with a specific, clear short-term aim -- to get to the bottom of something that the patient is not able to bring to mind or to consciously stop doing.

Hypnosis is not a form of sleep, but of concentration that bypasses the usual critical or evaluative activities of the mind to get to underlying matters. The patient becomes much more open to suggestion and guidance -- not so much a loss of control as an openness, agreeing to what someone else is suggesting.

Most studies suggest that about 25% of people can be easily hypnotized, while about 20% just won't allow it. You can't tell if someone is easily hypnotizable by how easily suckered they are, or how quickly they go along with whatever someone tells them to do. The hypnotizable person is more often the one who gets totally caught up in a movie or TV show -- they can block off what's happening around them, suspend their disbelief, and enter into the story as if it were real and happening in their presence. Those who practice Hindu meditation techniques also find it easier to enter hypnosis -- they're used to being in a concentrative state. Also, children are usually easy to hypnotize, since their imaginative minds find it easier to fully enter into what the hypnotist is leading them to. Children also have not yet developed a large web of experience that matches what they see or feel to what they think, so it's easier for them to simply follow the pattern the hypnotist suggests to them. The focus it takes to stay in a hypnotic state can be harnessed for recovery from mental illness or addiction.

Critical thinking is present during hypnotism, but it's 'bracketed out', not acted upon. We do such bracketing without hypnotism, for instance, while having fun, in sports, in worship, on retreats. But those forms of bracketing are done with safety nets : the Scriptures, feedback from others, use of means of discernment, and hard thinking beforehand. Hypnotism sets the nets aside for a while.

An effect much like bracketing is 'trance logic', where real and hallucination coexist as equals. If asked to say which object is real, the hypnotized person can usually tell the difference. But the difference doesn't matter to them; under a trance, they'll deal with the real and the unreal in the same way. (There are some who fear that modern life is starting to resemble trance logic. To many others, the difference doesn't matter.)

Those who were in very deep states of hypnosis sometimes report that they can't remember anything that happened, even when given simple reminders. But this is rare, and only in the deepest states of hypnosis. Other than in those deep cases, the patient remembers what happened once reminded, even if told not to remember. (Occasionally, memories can be distorted by severe emotion, strong fantasy images, or drug abuse.) The patient's remembering often becomes an important part of treating their mental disorders. Hypnotherapy helps them to know what they otherwise would not consciously know, so they can come to terms with it.
For more information,click here

How long has it been around?

The ancients of many lands used hypnosis, especially in India, Persia and Mesopotamia. They usually used it on themselves, and usually without mysterious window-dressing. But hypnotism was introduced to popular culture by Franz Anton Mesmer (1734-1815). Mesmer was a sort-of-scientist, in a field which was the alchemy of his day, that of magnetism and electricity. He believed that the hypnotic state was an effect of magnetism, and set up some fairly hokey demonstrations that for a while seemed to have trendy France... well... mesmerized. Mesmer's demonstrations were quickly picked up by occultists and entertainment magicians, because people found it so interesting. (Stage hypnotists are still popular today.) Though Mesmer's theories were soon disproved, his fame caused scientists to study the phenomenon of hypnosis he was pointing to. In 1842, English eye scientist James Braid gave it the name 'hypnosis', from a Greek word for 'sleep'. Jean Charcot brought it to modern investigative scientific study, and Yale professor Clark Hull's work in the 1930s did much to develop a scientific understanding of it. Today, the study of hypnosis is closely tied into brain science. Since hypnosis changes the way the brain processes information, it shows us a lot about the patterns of certain activities in the brain, when matched to the modern technologies for brain scans.
For more information,click here.

What is it useful for?

Hypnosis is used medically for many things. Studies say that it works well for:

Treating nausea and stress-related bodily symptoms.
Managing some aspects of addictive behavior.
Treating pain from small incisions, burns, or breakage, and pain from cancers or ulcers.
Immediate or short-term relief from the pain of migraine headaches.
Reducing the level of drug use for cases of chronic pain (like, say, pains of the back or of misaligned hand or jaw joints).
Treating those who regress or go back to behaviors from their childhood.
Short-term concentration on one specific thing.
Accessing repressed or hidden memories.

Hypnosis' impact is mild, on-and-off, or on only a small proportion of people, for:

Managing behaviors caused by depression and some other mental disorders.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome.
Managing moderate-to-strong fears and anxiety, working on both symptoms and spontaneous behaviors.
Certain kinds of rote study and memorization.
Relaxation and stress management.
Anesthesia. A century ago, hypnosis was widely used in parts of Asia when doing large operations, including amputations, but its usefulness for that kind of pain was not consistent or lasting. Better ways (ether, acupuncture, and then modern anesthetic drugs) soon took its place.

Some people claim that hypnosis works for these, but most evidence says not:

asthma,
heart disease,
reducing the cancer itself (rather than just the pain from it),
medium- or long-term relief from the pain of migraine, backache, arthritis, etc.,
long-term weight loss,
stopping an addiction itself (such as to cocaine or to smoking), rather than just certain related behaviors,
chronic sleeplessness,
physical strength,
sexual performance,
getting others to want sex,
healing of skin lesions or shingles not caused by stress,
socialization,
overall, long-term confidence-building,
prompting obedience or submission when not under hypnosis,
creating coherent thought amidst confusion,
overall healing,
root psychological problems,
achieving understanding of a subject.

Please remember that on these kinds of subjects, reports in the popular press, word-of-mouth, paranormal blogs, and promotional materials are almost always untruthful in some way. Hype abounds, especially with claims that hypnosis (or the regular use of a hypnotic state) is the secret to lose weight or quit smoking. Even press reports on solid medical tests are often written by those who have little understanding of testing or the subject tested, and thus they give a surface interpretation of the tests.

Hypnosis' most controversial use is on repressed memory. Hypnotherapy works, and works well, by bypassing the methods we use on ourselves for stifling a painful or traumatic incident or accident (like a rape, or a car accident where a loved one died). Once the incident comes out, both patient and therapist can work on it. But those inner controls are there for good reasons, and often hypnosis simply bypasses these reasons when it bypasses the controls. In the hands of careless or unscrupulous therapists or untrained self-appointed hypnotists (and there are many of each), false memories are created, or existing fantasies are mistaken for reality. These can be as weird as UFO abductions and body-snatchers or as serious as false accusations of sodomy and sexual attack (as happened with the accuser of Cardinal Bernardin). In such cases the false memories add yet another trauma to the pile the patient already has. The most risky situation is when a hypnotist says something which triggers the hypnotic subject's active phobia (an extreme, irrational fear of a particular thing).

There are forms of altered consciousness that are called 'self-hypnosis', and it has its uses too, though it is not as useful as its proponents sell it to be. In a way, nearly all hypnosis is really self-done, just that it is usually done with someone's guidance. "Self-hypnosis" is the version that uses your own guidance. The hypnotic state takes away many kinds of self-generated distractions, and improves concentration. It can also help as a self-treatment for recurring pains. It can be downright dangerous for use by those prone to self-deception, delusion, self-mutilation, fantasies, or denial -- a part of the population that's larger than you think, and might include you. Hypnotism can be a part of self-brainwash, of talking ourselves into something we ought to know better than to do. Some 'self-help' speakers even suggest using self-hypnosis to create a form of 'happiness', though real life generally intrudes fairly quickly on that. Some religious neo-devotionalists actually find the idea of 'brainwashing toward God' attractive, but that's not the way the God of Scriptures calls on us to think, and not the way the Spirit chooses to work. In the Bible, the constant refrain is for us to choose goodness freely in each moment, and be responsible for that choice.

The clinical use of hypnosis is as a means of suggestion. Some people love to give orders, but most of us communicate what we want done by suggesting and asking. Jesus sometimes gave orders, but more often suggested. So did your mother. The devil doesn't have much command power; he usually works through twisted suggestions and nagging whispers. Advertisers also make suggestions. By using repetition and cleverness, they can sometimes get their way. This suggests a subtle but evil potential in anything that enhances suggestion. That's why it's used by those who want to build for themselves a cult following. But the truth is that hypnotism by itself is not of much use as a mind control tool. It would have to be one among a wide range of measures to control what is happening to the person, done together to gain some level of control or leverage.
For more information,click here.

Financial Independence Through Real Estate

2009-09-10T22:16:00.005+05:30

How you can use Rehab, Refinance and Cash Out as a long term wealth building Real Estate Investing strategy.

Today we are discussing a somewhat advanced strategy for you to use after you have been in the creative real estate investing business for a while. I call this "Rehab, Refinance, and Cash Out". This strategy can lead to true long term wealth and financial independence. This works very well in a buyers market like Memphis where prices have been quite flat for some time. You need to use this to augment your wholesaling for immediate income and retailing for bigger short term profits. Rehab, Refinance and Cash Out is a long term wealth building strategy and will be something you will be glad you did as it is a long term buy and hold strategy, and those are the strategies that lead to true wealth accumulation and financial independence. Let me explain how this works. You find a good middle to low end 3 bedroom home that you are able to buy from an out of state owner or other motivated seller that needs a little work and you buy at 60% of after repaired value. You buy the house using a hard money lender like http://www.pleaseclose.com/memphistrading and do your fix up and have a property management firm manage the property and put a renter in the house. The hard money lender will typically loan you up to 65% of the after repaired value to purchase the house which you use to buy the house and then repair it. Now that the home is repaired you obtain an investor friendly mortgage and cash out by refinancing at 80-90% of after repaired retail value and you should be doing this with properties where this strategy gives you back at least $10,000 at the refinance that you can use in your business any way you need. Do not use this money to live on, use it solely to grow your real estate business. Once you have done this strategy on 10 homes you should be able to keep finding better and better deals because you can close quickly as you have cash in hand to make things happen. More cash equals better deals and more opportunities.

By the time you repeat this strategy 20 times you should have at least $200,000 cash plus about $200,000 equity and 20 homes giving you at least $2000 per month positive cash flow whether you decide to work this month or not since you have a property management company handling things for you. With average annual rent increases, within five years that $2,000 a month should grow to $4,000 a month. In 30 years you should have $2 to 3 million plus in paid off real estate. It's a good solid long term strategy to add to your immediate selling from wholesaling, retailing and lease options that the extra $200,000 in cash will help grow tremendously.

The rent minus the management fees and all loan and other costs must leave you with positive cash flow or this strategy should be avoided. If you cannot cash out on the property I don't recommend holding it long term as you want to be able to use your best mortgages to cash out.

You can purchase using http://www.pleaseclose.com/memphistrading if your Equifax credit score is above 550(which is bad credit) or you have a co-borrower who has an Equifax score over 550. A good investor friendly mortgage company will give you good rates if you are at 660 middle score or above and the very best rates if your middle score is 720 or above. Your first 10 investor mortgages in your name and 10 in your spouses name are the easiest to qualify and get the best deals. After those you really need a good investor mortgage company to work with. Take the time to find the real investor friendly mortgage companies that can help you get loans for 100 properties and not just the first ten and let them have the easy ones and the tougher ones. I do recommend having more than one good lender available though, but stick to the ones that specialize in investor loans. Find out from other investors who the most investor friendly mortgage companies are to use to refinance the repaired home.

I do not advocate becoming a landlord as I do not believe this is a valuable usage of your time and energy. I highly recommend asking around and finding a good property management company that will charge you 10% or less to start out with and gradually lower that % as you add more and more properties.

I feel this is an advanced strategy as you won't see any cash in your pocket from this strategy for 4-6 months after you find the deal which is a long time to work and not see any pay. If you are wholesaling and making consistent money each month then it shouldn't matter. This strategy will magnify the profits you make in your investing business in ways you might not have imagined. This strategy is a natural progression from wholesaling as you are already helping others find these kinds of deals, now you will be able to get the cash out typical of probably 2 wholesale deals, just paid slower, and at the same time building a nice future nest egg.

About the author:

David Neese is a real estate investing author who offers a free course for real estate investors delivered by email, audio and teleseminar which you can get for free at: http://www.FreeRealEstateInvestingCourses.com You can find more information about David at http://www.DigitalSuccessCoach.com

Written by: David Neese

Best Weightloss Guide

2009-09-09T13:52:00.002+05:30

Best Weightloss Guide

Imagine you need to look great to get all the attention at the biggest party of the year. The cloak has already started ticking and you have got 7 days to fix yourself for the D-Day. If you can take out 15 to 30 minutes in the next few days, you can be ready for action.

Step 1:

Exercise: Start with skipping and jogging and chin-ups by hanging from a rod for warming up.

Two steps of crunches or sit-ups for strengthening and toning your abdominal muscles.

Then go for Flat bench press and dumbbell flyers for the entire chest area, focusing mainly on the inner chest and followed by 2 sets of push-ups.

Work on your trapezium for the collar muscle and shoulder pressing.

For biceps the exercise to be followed is standing barbell curl.

Next you can work out on your Triceps with Single dumbbell or French press and fore forearms.

Skipping will have an effect on your legs, other wise you can go for Squats and back with lat pull down.

Step 2:

Diets are just as important as exercise, because it is the most important part of getting the body you want. You have to eat good to look good. You need protein, and you don't need fat. Stay away from junk and fatty foods. Not all fat is bad; there is a healthy fat. This fat can be found in fish, Nuts and some oils. Have Lots of fibers such as leafy vegetables, salads and daily products.

Step 3:

The results though wont come easily and they wont come very fast either, So Stay dedicated, motivated and consistent, and do all 3 steps correctly to get the desired result.

About the Author

Venkata Ramana is a Fitness Enthusiast and a Professional Body Builder. Visit his http://www.awbodybuilding.com/ and http://www.awweightloss.com/ websites and gain maximum Information to stay fit and healthy.

Written by: Venkata Ramana

Healthy Exhaust System - Good or Bad ?

2009-09-08T23:10:00.003+05:30

How a Healthy Exhaust System Affects Your Car's Performance

A vehicle is composed of several interrelated systems whose functions are necessary to its efficient performance. One of the systems that are often overlooked but are essentially important to the vehicle's maximum efficiency is the exhaust system.

You are probably one of the many that think this system only takes care of channeling out the gaseous waste from the engine. While this is true, however, bear in mind that the way it does this is crucial to your driving satisfaction.

As part of its efforts to bring to you a balance resource of top of the line replacement and aftermarket auto parts and Auto Parts Information, Auto Parts Inner, your leading source of top rated auto parts including OEM quality Ford parts, BMW parts, Chevy parts,Dodge parts, Volvo parts and Jeep parts joins you as you explore the ins and outs of the Exhaust System.

How does a healthy Exhaust System affect your car, truck, van or SUV's performance?

First off, let's take a brief review of the Exhaust system and then let's identify its major components: exhaust manifold, oxygen sensor, catalytic converter, muffler and exhaust pipe and their respective functions.

Generally, the exhaust system carries away the harmful excess gasses such as the hydrocarbons (unburned) carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, phosphorus lead and other metals that were produced during the combustion of the fuel and air mixture.

Those gases are harmful to the environment and to us humans so they must be cleaned before they are sent out of the vehicle. With this essential task of the exhaust system, it becomes necessary for us to check it regularly for damages or corrosion that could adversely affect its proper functioning.

There are basically two types of exhaust systems: the Dual or Twin Exhaust System and the Emission Control System.

Dual Exhaust System

Dual exhaust system has two tailpipes, which allows the engine to exhaust more freely, thereby lowering the back pressure which is inherent in an exhaust system. With a dual exhaust system, a sizable increase in engine horsepower can be obtained because the "breathing" capacity of the engine is improved, leaving less exhaust gases in the engine at the end of each exhaust stroke. This, in turn, leaves more room for an extra intake of the air-fuel mixture.

The Emission Control System

The purpose of the emission control system is just that; it controls the emissions and exhaust from your vehicle. Some emission control exhaust systems are designed to prevent the formation of pollutants in the engine itself while the other type of emission control exhaust systems turn the harmful gases into harmless ones through the use of a catalytic converter.

Exhaust System Components:

1. Exhaust Manifold - this part is attached to the cylinder, usually constructed of cast iron, which is used to conduct the exhaust gases from the combustion chambers to the exhaust pipe.

2. Oxygen Sensor - this is a hollow tube inserted into the exhaust manifold to measure how much oxygen is present in the exhaust. From this information, the computer can tell how well the fuel is burning and how much fuel should be added or subtracted to obtain right mixture of air and fuel.

3. Catalytic converter - this is where the gaseous wastes are turned into water vapor and carbon dioxide.

4. Muffler - this part helps in reducing noise in the exhausts system. Some mufflers are made of fiberglass to absorb the sound energy as the gases flow through it.

5. Exhaust Pipe - this part carries the gaseous waste out of the tail pipe. It is usually made of steel or stainless steel.

Auto Parts Inner advices car users not to delay replacement of damaged exhaust system parts to avoid serious accidents and unwanted expenses. A clogged and glowing catalytic converter indicates serious problem so don't delay replacing it. You can find at Auto Parts Inner highly efficient Ford catalytic converters, Toyota catalytic converters, Chevy catalytic converters and Volkswagen catalytic converters as well as high quality Chevy mufflers.

About the author:

Terry Brown is a 32 year old from Houston Texas, and an enthusiast for anything auto-related. He currently writes auto-related articles for several publications.

Written by: Terry Brown

Create Worry-Free Sales

2009-09-07T12:13:00.004+05:30

Create Worry-Free Sales With Secure Shopping Cart Software

Succeeding in business can be a hassle and a headache without the right tools. This is especially true when dealing with ecommerce. Regardless of the market, service, or goods being offered, the one tool that is essential to the success of every online ecommerce business is a reliable ecommerce shopping cart.

The online shopping cart is your one stop container for placing and receiving orders online. A basic shopping cart will allow the customer to specify the quantity of the goods wanted, take the customer's credit, billing, and shipping information, and actually allow the customer to place the order. However, a good shopping cart software solution will do all of this and so much more.

Many ecommerce shopping cart solutions offer customizable templates and design tools for your shopping cart and sometimes even your website. There are also several web hosting shopping cart solutions that will not only handle the order placement and transactions, but also handle the hosting needs of your website.

Other tools and features included in shopping cart software packages are affiliate system management programs, search engine optimization tools, and advanced shipping options. There are also several ecommerce providers that offer secure encrypted credit card processing along with other merchant account tools as a part of using their shopping cart solution for your ecommerce needs.

Almost all reputable shopping cart software providers also offer full telephone, email and live internet chat support in case any questions may arise after purchasing their service. All of this is done to allow you to focus on growing your online business. By automating the backend of your website, you don't have to worry about manually taking each order that comes in. Ecommerce shopping cart software handles all of this for you.

Make your online business profitable, secure, and reliable with an affordable shopping cart software solution. It is one of the best investments you can make in the operational aspect of your ecommerce venture.

About the Author

Johnny Kay is author of "Making Technology Work for the Small Business" and "Marketing Solutions Made Easy." For additional information on how your ecommerce company can benefit from secure shopping cart software, go to http://www.1-shopping-cart-software.info
Written by: Tia Rodriguez

Secure Your Computer Data

2009-09-04T22:02:00.004+05:30

Secure Your Data - Windows Data Backup Computer Software

In nowadays computers have entered almost every imaginable domain in our lives - from our homes to space shuttles. As they hold more and more precious data - in material or merely sentimental way - securing that data is not only option, but a must. Data backup computer software is in the spotlight. With the increased need for data backuping the different backup computer programs out there are quite a few. But the large quantity can be not only asset but a liability, too. With so many data backup utilities out there it becomes more and more hard to find a good, stable and easy to use one that will suits you best.

To aid you in the process of finding a good data backup program here are listed the more notable ones which you can download and try right away.

Handy Backup Pro

Handy Backup Pro™ is an easy-to-use program designed for an automatic backup of your critical data virtually to any type of storage media including CD-RW devices and remote FTP servers. You can use Handy Backup Pro to make a reserve copy of any valuable data on your system. Special addons are provided to facilitate the backup of MS Outlook, system registry and ICQ files. Restoring is as easy as clicking a button, but you can also use a number of advanced options. The program can be also used to synchronize files between two computers on a network.

Handy Backup Pro is designed for MS Windows 9x/NT/2000/ME/XP. Strong file encryption and multi-choice zip compression on the fly, as well as many other useful features, will protect your valuable data. All backup activities are recorded in a log file. Detailed online help is available.

If you are looking for a simple yet powerful backup solution for your business or for your personal needs in a networking environment or on a single machine, you have just found it. Download the 30-day trial version and see for yourself. You may purchase Handy Backup Pro from our e-commerce provider RegSoft.

Scott Swedorski, founder of TUCOWS:

"This is a far superior product to anything I have seen out there. I could find no faults with it and I enjoyed using it quite a bit. I am actually going to consider using this application now for some of my own personal needs. Your Website is very well laid out and you provide an exhaustive amount of information for the user to read. Definitely a good value for the price."

CompuApps Renaissance 2006 SE

Renaissance is a simple yet powerful Backup application that provides user the peace of mind by its ease of use, comfort and security, with optional verification. Renaissance enables selection of data with a quick and easy to use wizards. Comprehensive scheduling options allow the user to do backups at idle time, thus making the backup a painless and interference free process.

Protects servers, business-critical applications, desktops, and notebooks
Easy to set up and manage
Fast, reliable, secure backups
Smart restores with unparalleled accuracy
Backup to hard disks and removable disks
Simplifies media management

Major Functions
Dual Backup & Protection
Zero-Touch Backup
Value Pick
Find Files

BootMaster Partition Recovery

BootMaster Partition Recovery is a powerful and easy to use rescue diskette for Windows systems. Recovers deleted FAT and NTFS partitions with a few keystrokes. Recovers & undeletes files on FAT & NTFS volumes. Features include "Advanced Diagnostics and Repair", guided by timely and aggressive technical support from a data recovery professional, safe master boot record backup/restore, extensive context-sensitive help system, partition table and boot sector editing, BootMaster Diagnostics - a powerful partition diagnostics utility, and more.

For More Information:

Data Backup Computer Software
Handy Backup Pro
CompuApps Renaissance 2006 SE
BootMaster Partition Recovery

About the Author

Joe Light supports a large collection of data backup computer software for all needs at LightSparkle.com.

Written by: Joe Light

Have A Pet ? Can Travel

2009-09-02T20:19:00.002+05:30

Have Pet ... Can Travel

If you are reading this, I guess you have a pet, need a holiday and don't want to waste your next hard-earned break watching round-the-clock rubbish on televsion. In days gone many pet owners simply did not go on holidays! "Why", I would ask them, and the answer was always the same: "Because we own a pet."

Fortunately pet owners have more options than they used to. These days you can often take your pet with you. Otherwise you can leave it in a secure boarding kennel or cattery, or even commission a pet minding service to visit and service your pet in its familiar environment. But which option is right for you and your pet?

So now you've taken the first step and put in for some annual leave. Your vacation is coming up... but what are you going to do with the family pet?

Option One: Pet Friendly Holidaying

Taking your pet with you on holidays is an option particularly popular among dog owners whose charges travel well. Gone are the days when travelling "pet friendly" meant rotting linoleum and a leaky roof. Many holiday venue operators now recognise that most pet owners are responsible adults who will look after a nice house in order to be invited back.

When travelling don't forget to take frequent rests, pack water for the travel along with your dog's water bowl, and don't leave your dog to bake in your car! You'll generally also be required to bring your pet's bedding, food and food containers.

Your pet should also be fully vaccinated, wormed and on a current flea treatment program. A first aid kit including tweezers or tick removers as well as antiseptic makes good sense, especially if there are likely to be ticks in the area.

Other pets can make excellent travel companions - cats and horses, for example, are welcomed at many holiday venues these days.

FOLLOW THE RULES: If you will be having your pet with you on holidays there are likely to be conditions. Find out what they are and follow them or you will not be welcomed back!

AVOID THE TELEVISION. Hopefully there isn't a TV there, but if there is, don't turn it on. You can watch TV at home and there are too many exciting things to do with your pet, friends and family, like bush walking, swimming... no, don't reach for the remote control. Make the most of your holiday and enjoy the Great Outdoors!

There are times when you can't take your pet with you, such as overseas holidays, business trips and when you are holidaying in regions that don't permit pets. So what are your options?

Option Two: In Home Pet Minding Services

If your pet is unlikely to fret excessively in your absence it can make sense to leave them in their familiar territory. A Pet Minder can visit your pet in your home or garden, supplying food, entertainment, a walk and maybe even a bath in your absence.

Leaving a pet in the house can even assist with security - who's going to break in when Cujo's guarding the front door?

As an added bonus a pet minder will often undertake additional duties including collecting mail, putting out the garbage and watering the plants. They can often attend to the other members of your family including fish, mice, birds etc.

Keeping up your dog's exercise regime is important. If your chosen pet minder cannot exercise your pet then arrange for a family member or professional dog walker to look after this for you.

When interviewing for a pet minder, it is OK, and expected that you will ask for references.

Not all dogs and cats are suited to staying home while you're away, especially if you'll be gone for an extended period. If your pet is likely to fret terribly, howl through the night, disturb neighbours or go wandering, then a boarding facility might be a better option for your pet's safety and security!

Option Three: Boarding Kennels and Catteries

A boarding kennel or cattery can provide a safe environment in your absence. Your pet will be fed according to the diet that you have prearranged - many boarding services can cater for the fussiest of animals.

Most boarding kennels have excellent exercise options available as well as ready access to a vet in case of emergency.

Know what to look for! Most boarding kennels and catteries are happy to show you through their premises if you make an appointment, but I favour boarding facilities that welcome your inspection without an appointment. Who knows what might get swept under the rug!

Your holiday - Relax and enjoy yourself

Now that your pets are taken care of, go and enjoy your holiday! Hang on a moment... what about the kids?

About the Author

Gerry Neustatl is the co-founder of http://petsplayground.com.au>Pets Playground, a comprehensive internet resource for Australian pet owners looking for pet friendly holiday venues and other holiday options, service providers and retailers.

Email: enquiries@petsplayground.com.au
Web: http://petsplayground.com.au

Written by: Gerry Neustatl

Finance Your Child's Study

2009-09-01T21:53:00.002+05:30

SAFELY FINANCE YOUR CHILD’S UNIVERSITY STUDIES USING AN EDUCATION IRA!

This investment retirement account (IRA) is useful to you as an investor to understand because it may be a good way for you to save for your kid’s education AND save on taxes. These plans are now called Coverdell Education Savings Accounts in honor of the late U.S. Sen. Paul Coverdell. Individuals can make annual contributions of up to $2,000 per child into an account that's exclusively for helping to pay higher education costs. The money contributed to a Coverdell account doesn't count against the $3,000 ($3,500 if 50 and older) annual total individuals may contribute to their combined personal individual IRAs.

The earnings and withdrawals from a Coverdell account are tax-free, but you can't deduct the contributions from your income tax because the account is for the benefit of the child, not the contributor. This is great for parents who are good savers and investors who want to make an annual tax-saving contribution that they can invest in the stock market toward the education of a studious and responsible child. In addition, if your child received a Coverdell ESA distribution, you now can also claim Hope Scholarship or Lifetime Learning credits. Just make sure you don't use Coverdell money to pay for the same expenses you use to claim an education credit.
The beneficiary (your child) of the education IRA must withdraw the funds by age 30 if they don’t go to college and pay taxes and penalties on it. However, the account can be transferred to a sibling or the beneficiary's child if they don’t pursue a higher academic degree or use it all.

Once you have the account open you can use the stock market to help finance your child’s education selling the stock at a high price after you have bought it at a low price using techniques such as I teach.

About the Author

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Dr. Scott Brown, Ph.D., the Wallet Doctor, is a successful investor. Dr. Brown holds a Ph.D. in finance. The Wallet Doctor is sought after for investment advice and coaching. For more information visit Dr. Brown’s site at www.BonanzaBase.com or sign up for his investment tips at www.WalletDoctor.com

Written by: Dr. Scott Brown, Ph.D.

An Unusual Date

2009-08-30T13:59:00.004+05:30

ENJOY LIFE WITH YOUR LOVED ONES,

> GOOD TIMES RETURNS RARELY............

> Date with a Woman…

> After 21 years of marriage, my wife wanted me to take
> another woman
> out to dinner and a movie.. She said I love you but I know
> this other
> woman loves you and would love to spend some time with
> you.

> The other woman that my wife wanted me to visit was my
> MOTHER,
> who has been a widow for 19 years, but the demands of my work and
> my three
> children had made it possible to visit her only
> occasionally.

> That night I called to invite her to go out for dinner and
> a movie.
> 'What's wrong, are you well,' she asked?
> My mother is the type of
> woman who suspects that a late night call or a surprise
> invitation is
> a sign of bad news.
> 'I thought that it would be pleasant to be with
> you,' I responded.
> 'Just the two of us.'
> She thought about it for a moment, and then said,
> 'I would like that very much.'

> That Friday after work, as I drove over to pick her up
> I was
> a bit nervous.
> When I arrived at her house, I noticed that she, too,
> seemed to be
> nervous about our date. She waited in the door with her
> coat on.
> She had curled her hair and was wearing the dress that she had
> worn to
> celebrate her last wedding anniversary.
> She smiled from a face that was as radiant as an
> angel's.
> 'I told my friends that I was going to go out with my
> son, and they
> were impressed, 'she said, as she got into the car.
> 'They can't wait
> to hear about our meeting'. We went to a restaurant
> that, although not
> elegant, was very nice and cosy. My mother took my arm as
> if she were
> the First Lady.
> After we sat down, I had to read the menu. Large print..
> Half way
> through the entries, I lifted my eyes and saw Mom sitting
> there
> staring at me. A nostalgic smile was on her lips.
> 'It was I who used to have to read the menu when you
> were small,' she> said.. 'Then it's time that you relax and
> let me return the favor,'
> I responded.
> During the dinner, we had an agreeable conversation -
> nothing
> extraordinary, but catching up on recent events of each
> other's life.
> We talked so much that we missed the movie.
> As we arrived at her house later, she said,
> 'I'll go out with you> again, but only if you let me invite you.' I agreed.
> 'How was your dinner date?' asked my wife
> when I got home. 'Very nice.
> Much more so than I could have imagined,' I answered.

> A few days later, my mother died of a massive heart attack.
> It
> happened so suddenly that I didn't have time to do
> anything for her..
> Some time later, I received an envelope with a copy of a
> restaurant> receipt from the same place mother and I had dined.
> An attached note said: 'I paid this bill in advance.
> I wasn't sure
> that I could be there; but nevertheless, I paid for two
> plates - one
> for you and the other for your wife.
> You will never know what that> night meant for me.
> I love you, son.'
> At that moment, I understood the importance of saying in
> time: 'I LOVE YOU!'
> and to give our loved ones the time that they
> deserve. Nothing
> in life is more important than God and your family.
> Give them the time they deserve,
> because these things cannot be put off till
> 'some other
> time.'
> Pass this along to everyone with an aging parent,
> to a friend,
> to a child,
> to an adult,
> to anyone with a parents and all those about whom u think
> always

> ------a very great lesson 2 learn from this episode------

> 1."Be happy and enjoy the moments of life,because
> it might be a moment that
> you cannot get back !!!!!! "

> 2.[HOPE is a good thing and no good thing
> has a bad ending. ]

Winter Car Care

2009-08-30T00:19:00.002+05:30

Winter Car Care

As the weather turns colder, it is time to think about your car for a second. A little preparation can go a long way to making your winter travels a lot safer. Here is a checklist to get you started.

1.Check the antifreeze. The freezing point can be checked with a simple tool available at any auto parts store. Make sure you check the antifreeze when it's cool. Opening a hot radiator can be a dangerous thing.

2.Check the air pressure in your tires. As the air gets cooler pressure drops in your tires. Maintaining your tire pressures will reward you with higher gas mileage and longer tire life.

3.Make sure you have the following items in your car.

- Ice Scraper
- Salt or sand for traction
- Blanket in case you are stranded and need to keep warm
- Good first aid kit (not just for winter)
- Road flares

4.Check all belts and hoses. As the temperature drops rubber tends to stiffen and break allot easier. Make sure all your rubber hoses and belts are in tip-top shape.

5.Treat your gas tank to a can of gas line antifreeze before the cold weather strikes. The additive will remove any water in the system and prevent your fuel lines from freezing.

6.Check your tires for wear. Make sure you have plenty of tread left to get you through the snow. Nothing is worse than 3" of snow and bald tires.

About the Author

Kevin Schappell maintains http://www.carbuyersclub.com where he gives advice on buying, selling, insurance, and financing. A mechanical engineer and car guy, Kevin has decided to spend his online time helping others learn about automobiles. To learn more about how your car works, Kevin has created http://www.mycarwizard.com

Written by: Kevin Schappell

Shopping From Your Cell Phone

2009-08-26T22:48:00.002+05:30

Shopping from your cell phone with Froogle Wireless

Many surfers already know about Froogle, Google's shopping portal that is still in beta testing. Google has now expanded their Froogle service so that it is available on WML-enabled cellular phones. Most newer cell phones that can connect to the Internet have this capability.

Users just need to enter wml.froogle.com in their cell phone browser, enter their product search terms, and scroll through results to find what they're looking for. The biggest advantage of this Froogle Wireless feature for consumers is the ability to comparison shop, no matter where they are.

Most people who have shopped on the Internet know you can often find significantly lower prices online if you are willing to wait for shipment. The problem in the past was that it was difficult to comparison shop between virtual merchants and brick & mortar stores.

As an example, when most of us are shopping at our local computer store, and notice they have blank CDs on sale, our first instinct is to stock up because the price looks so good by comparison to their regular price. But with an Internet-ready cell phone and Froogle Wireless, you would be able to search Froogle right from the store, and compare blank CD prices from online merchants with the sale price at the store. Taking into account shipping costs, whether you need the CDs immediately, and local sales taxes, you can then make an informed decision as to the true value of the sale price.

Since Froogle and Froogle Wireless are both in beta testing, some nice-to-have features such as sorting by price aren't yet available. This can be a problem when using a slower connection over a cell phone, but keep an eye out for improvements - Froogle Wireless will likely help you save money in real-time very soon!

By Jakob Jelling

http://www.sitetube.com

Jakob Jelling is the founder of http://www.sitetube.com. Visit his website for the latest on planning, building, promoting and maintaining websites.

Written by: Jakob Jelling

Guide to Computer Desks

2009-08-24T22:36:00.002+05:30

A Guide to Computer Desks

Computer furniture has evolved over the years. Improvements in the design and decor of computer desks have revolutionized the way people work at the computer. With the increase in the number of computer accessories, such as keyboard, mouse, and additional attachments like the printer, scanner, hard disks, modems, the allotment of space for all these accessories has become a challenge. Modern office furniture has to be modular, movable and flexible.

The most important feature of a good computer desk is ergonomic design. As people work spend more hours at the computer, it is important that the desks are comfortable to sit at for long hours. Moreover, they have to look good and blend in well with the rest of the office or home. As greater comfort ensures greater productivity, companies are more willing to provide the best computer desks for employees.

Modular computers desks provide flexibility and versatility in use – they can be remodeled very easily depending on the use. These are ideal for the limited office spaces of today, and also work well in homes because they can be easily changed according to different requirements. Fittings are provided to accommodate various other accessories that may be required while using the computer, such as a document holder, wrist rest, file hangers, CD holders, or telephone shelf. Such desks are also often accompanied by a manual that contains comprehensive instructions for assembling or disassembling the unit. On the whole, computer desks today are leaner, and have fewer drawers and more shelf-space than before.

In most modern computer desks, the unique arrangement of the panel systems ensures optimum space, privacy and advanced wire management. The spine of the desk should be designed to not only provide power and data to the whole unit but also to support the desk assemblies, staking storage, divisional screens, transfer screens and other accessories. The end result is optimal space utilization.

A versatile computer desk should not necessarily compromise style. Computer desks are being designed with every kind of material possible ranging from traditional oak and wood to metal, glass and fiber.

About the Author

Computer Desks Info provides detailed information on corner, glass, roll top, home, child, oak and cheap computer desks, computer desk hardware, and more. Computer Desks Info is the sister site of Office Chairs Web.

Written by: Ken Marlborough

Car Insurance

2009-08-23T20:22:00.002+05:30

Bread, Milk & Car Insurance

With increased competition between supermarkets to gain market share and improve profitability, the range of products on offer is getting ever diverse. Now, the big three chains, Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Asda have caught on to the fact that their brand name can sell just about anything, including of all things, car insurance.

Car insurance is one of those very boring expensive products that you loathe having to pay for but have no choice if you want to drive a car on Britain’s roads. Why therefore would supermarkets want to be associated with such a seemingly expensive pain in the pocket? Well it seems that the public think it’s a great idea and are buying it from these stores in their thousands with the belief that it must cheap if the supermarkets are selling it. The strange thing is that the companies behind these deals, who are actually underwriting the risk, are the same companies who have been selling you car insurance for years.

Tesco for example seem to be incredibly successful in selling motor insurance to their customers with statements proclaiming that you could save up to £150 compared to some leading insurers. Tesco of course is not an insurer. If you look closely at the bottom of the Tesco car insurance webpage, you will notice it says that the policy is provided and underwritten by a company called UK Insurance Limited. Who on earth is this company you may ask. UK Insurance Limited is part of Royal Bank of Scotland who also own Direct Line along with Churchill and Privilege.

Sainsbury’s state that you could save up to £165 on your car insurance compared to other leading insurers - £15 better than Tesco. Of course, like Tesco, Sainsbury’s is not an insurer either. A quick look at their webpage shows that policies are arranged and administered by Esure, who are part of the Halifax Bank of Scotland group. Maybe Sainsbury’s are about to swap Jamie Oliver for Michael Winner – maybe not.

Asda state that they give you the “very best possible insurance protection” and offer a 10% discount if you buy online. Of course, just like Tesco and Sainsbury’s, Asda is not an insurer. Asda have opted to team up with Norwich Union to provide their policies.

The insurers are desperate to get into bed with the Supermarkets. It enables them to dress up their car insurance product with an already well known and trusted brand name. This is good business and a smart way to gain lots of new customers very quickly. Ironically though, some of those ‘new’ customers may already be with that insurer. Without knowing it, they may end up cancelling or not renewing their existing policy but staying with the same insurance company via the cheaper supermarket option.

From a customer perspective, the upshot of all this will hopefully be to get cheaper car insurance, which at the end of the day is what everybody wants. Who the insurer is behind the deal is probably not of great concern to people. In the long term, whether the actual underwriting results of these deals are profitable enough for the insurers to continue to offer the supermarkets good rates for their customers, will be interesting. One thing is for sure, I don’t see Direct Line advertising bananas six for a pound anytime soon.

Copyright (c) 2004 AcceptDirect.co.uk http://www.acceptdirect.co.uk
Andrew Bowen is the CEO of Accept Direct Limited. Accept Direct offer car insurance to UK customers through their website http://www.acceptdirect.co.uk

Written by: Andrew Bowen

Dream Career In Travel Nursing

2009-08-22T18:20:00.002+05:30

Is A Travel Nursing Career A Dream Come True?

Deciding what job to pursue after college entails more brain cells that most activities. Unlike deciding on what car to buy or what clothes to wear, one must give the decision its due because it will effect your happiness and quality of life for the next three to four decades.

Most people believe that a career in travel nursing is stuff that dreams are made of. For those currently following this career path... most of those who have experienced this lifestyle agree that it is a great way to make a living but there are a few who argue and refute this. But all agree that it's entirely up to you whether your career in travel nursing becomes to a dream come true.

How do you start on a career in travel nursing?

Let's divide the answer into two parts: travel and nursing. We'll tackle the latter first. To be able to pursue a career in travel nursing, you must of course be equipped with a creditable nursing degree. Now some may possess one-year-diplomas and call themselves professionals but unfortunately for them, not all hospital or healthcare employers accept that as enough credentials. If you only have a vocational degree tucked under your belt, then perhaps you'd rather pursue a career in care giving rather than travel nursing. Caregivers, after all, still get to travel across the globe. It all comes down to the skills.

The second half of a Travel Nursing career is the traveling. So you're the proud holder of a nursing degree and you're duly licensed to practice nursing. The next step to tackle then is learning how to go about your travels. Most people prefer to seek recruitment agencies for help in this matter. These agencies are ably experienced in assisting people interested in making a fortune in travel nursing. But you must beware! There are several recruitment agencies that may just be a scam to whisk your money away. And remember, using their services means paying some fees and if in some instances the fees are high so be careful and be wary. Ask questions and don't go with any agency that you don't feel is being 100% honest with you and if there fees are out of line then find another agency or you can always go it alone.

A few things to consider when traveling are the need of a passport. First, check with the embassy in your country of choice and see if they require a visa. Second, make sure that all your nursing documents, proof that you have graduated from a reputable school and have passed the necessary examinations, are all duly authenticated. A career in travel nursing may mean jumping from one country after another so it would definitely reduce your stress level if all your papers, even your resume, are supported with valid reference documents.

How do you adjust or embark on a life of travel nursing?

Experienced travel nurses provide us with plenty of advice and tips to make sure that first time nurses in this particular career will have an easier transition into the field.

Double-Check Everything

At least three to five days prior to your departure make sure that you haven't forgotten anything. Make a checklist of all essentials and cross them off the list as you pack them. From documents to the clothes you've packed, make sure that everything in your list is accounted for. A career in travel nursing is a demanding job and leaves little room for error so it's best to start on the right foot.

Research Your Destination(s)

A travel nursing career requires that you to go to different countries meet different people and adjust to different cultures. Researching destinations beforehand will help avoid miscommunication, reduce the possible culture shock and basically just make your experience a whole lot more enjoyable and less stressful.

Ask For An Early Move-in

An early move is suggested by experienced travel nurses because it enables you to relax and breathe a little before embarking on your new travel nursing job. Familiarize yourself with the place and the people. And best of all, enjoy the new sights because one of the major perks of having a career in travel nursing is of course... the travel.

While the compensation and perks are quite exceptional because the Travel Nursing Career is such a high demand, highly sought after position it's a bit more difficult to secure than most other nursing positions. As a result, most employers are very picky so make sure that you have what it takes. And if you don't, then improve your skills (education and / or experience) or find another sector of the nursing profession to make your career.

About the Author

Kevin Erickson is a contributing writer to the following websites: http://www.eyeonnursing.com and http://www.total-transcription.com. This article may be reproduced only in its entirety.

Written by: Kevin Erickson

Cheap Phone Calls

2009-08-16T16:07:00.008+05:30

I have come across an offer which would help me reduce my National & International

telephone bills considerably.I have signed up since the registration process is

FREE.Later on we would all opt for it incase the offer is irresistable.After you

register you would be receiving a link which you must forward to

ALL your

friends/relatives/assiciates for them to register as well to take advantage of the

pre-launch offer.

You will agree that a cell phone is something none of us can do without.It's a

luxury no more,it is more than a utility.And the one's like skype[VOIP]are free.What

if we could combine the convenience of a cell phone and the free calls of VOIP ?

INCREDIBLE & UNBELIEVABLE ! Right ?

Now what happens if more is added to it ?

Like UNLIMITTED access to video conferencing ?

Or UNLIMITED streaming data download ?

And so on and so forth......................

Now what are we waiting for ?

We're waiting for the MEGA LAUNCH.

A never say no opportunity for over 4 TRILLION telecom users the

world over.

Grab the pre-launch offer.Register for FREE at:

Worldwideprelaunch

I repeat once again--Registration is Absolutely FREE

Please spare a few minutes from your busy schedule to sign up without giving a

second thought.Then pass YOUR link over to ALL your

friends/relatives/associates for

them to register at YOUR link to awail this opportunity.

But remember,PLEASE do it IMMEDIATELY as the pre-

launch offer may be withdrawn

without notice.

I can bet you one thing -- You will have a big and permanant smile on your face

forever because of the profits that come rolling in as a bonus -- Believe me it's

enormous.

I'll end with the Chlormint Knockout sentence :

"Dobara Mat Poochhna"

To REGISTER CLICK HERE :

Worldwideprelaunch

.....................................................................................

Become Qualified Investigators For Computer Crimes

2009-08-06T23:03:00.003+05:30

Focus On White-Collar Crime, Accounting Fraud and Computer Crimes Creates Need For Qualified Investigators.

An epidemic of white-collar financial crime has resulted in the development of specialized education programs focused on economic crime investigation and fraud management. These college-level degree programs attract students who are interested in law enforcement and are attracted by the very unique nature of these types of crimes and the special investigative techniques required to solve them.

There seems to be no end to the greed in the hearts of some professional business people. It isn't enough to have fancy cars, vacation homes and other lavish perks of the highly successful. Many selfish individuals have decided to play a risky game of "milk-the-company-for-all-it's-worth" to fuel an unhealthy appetite to acquire more "things" for no other reason than to have them. As a result, books are cooked, balance sheets become unbalanced and finally, as in the case of Enron, there is nothing left to share with the shareholders.

Economic crime is a broad category encompassing a variety of offenses all of which are focused on bilking a private company, government agency or other professional institution out of their financial resources. Individuals at any level of an organization including, as we have seen in recent years, the most senior management, may perpetrate these crimes. And the methods that they use may be highly sophisticated including manipulating computer systems or fudging accounting records.

A fraud investigator must be highly educated and well versed in the financial and technological systems and practices that may have been altered or doctored in some way. Terms like "computer forensics and "accounting forensics" have entered the lexicon of crime investigators as they begin probing a crime scene that does not contain blood evidence, signs of violence or even an obvious victim. But these are certainly not victimless crimes.

Hundreds of major corporations, government institutions and law enforcement agencies are staffing up with economic crime specialists, fraud investigators and fraud management specialists. The need for qualified investigators has prompted colleges to develop specialized curricula devoted to the study of economic crime prevention. Some schools feature Bachelor's and Master's Degree programs in Economic Crime. The courses are usually instructed by faculty members experienced in economic crime investigation and computer crime control. Right now, more than 90% of their Bachelor's in Economic Crime Investigation graduates are working in professional positions relevant to their career interests.

Graduates with these unique, highly specialized degrees are in great demand. A number of colleges are now making these programs available for online study. That means that, no matter what your current commitments or time constraints, these very attractive and potentially lucrative and rewarding degree programs are available to almost anyone. Who knows, at some point in the not-too-distant future you may be instrumental in finding, apprehending and convicting economic criminals that are stealing from us all.

About the Author

Terry McDermott is the author and administrator of a portfolio of specialized websites with a primary focus on the category of online education including Access Online Degrees at http://www.accessonlinedegrees.com.

Written by: Terry McDermott

Mortgage Refinance

2009-08-04T23:13:00.001+05:30

Considering a Mortgage Refinance

If you are looking for a mortgage refinance, it never hurts to shop around for the best rate and deal. Shopping around could mean the difference between paying or saving thousands of dollars in closing costs, and interest fees'.

If time happens to be on your side, and you don't need to refinance your mortgage immediately, take some time to educate yourself about the mortgage industry.

By educating yourself about the mortgage industry, you are essentially putting yourself into the driver's seat.

There is so much mortgage jargon, terms, and definitions that will be thrown at you when considering a mortgage refinance, that it is impossible for any one person to understand everything.

It is not necessary to become an expert in the mortgage industry. You just need to have somewhat of an understanding. This way, while you are shopping around for a mortgage refinance, your decision on which lender you want to work with, will be all the more educated.

The mortgage industry is a very competitive one, so by shopping around, and making it clear that you are shopping around to the lenders or brokers you are dealing with, they will be forced to come back at you with the best deal possible. They know that they are competing with other mortgage companies, and they will not want anyone else to get your business, so they will offer you the best rate available to them in order to keep your business.

Keep in mind when a loan officer or broker offers you a deal that sounds too good to be true, it just may be, so be careful. You don't want to get to the closing table only to find out you are not getting what you thought you were getting.

Remember, before you commit to a lender, ask for everything they told you to be sent to you in writing, this way you won't have any surprises at the table.

This is why it is so important to educate yourself about the mortgage industry.

With just a fair amount of knowledge, you will have a general understanding of what you are being offered, and you will be able to determine whether or not the deal is reasonable.

My suggestion to you would be to allow for up to four loan officers or brokers to assess your situation. Whichever one comes back with the best, and most reasonable deal, should be the one for you to consider.

About the Author

Jennifer Hershey has more than twenty years of experience in the Mortgage Industry as a loan officer. She is the owner of http://www.explainingmortgages.com/, a mortgage resource site devoted to making mortgage terms and products easy to understand.

Written by: Jennifer Hershey

Bra For Your Car

2009-08-03T21:53:00.003+05:30

Bras, For Your Car

Whoever coined the term, car bra, must have done so to attract a lot of attention. Apparently, they have succeeded. Cars, trucks, SUVs, and vans are all sporting bras and they are a very attractive site. Let's take a closer look at car bras and what they are all about.

Not all car bras are called car bras. Other names you will hear are hood protectors or car masks. Personally, they look like masks more than anything to me in that they cover the front end [or face] of the car, leaving headlights and turn signal lights free. Some are designed so that fog lights can also be bra free.

Besides looking absolutely cool, car bras do have a practical function to them. A properly installed bra will protect your car's front end from flying debris, rocks kicked up by other vehicles while you drive down the highway, insects, and road tar.

Some bras cover the entire hood while others cover the grill and a small section of the front of the hood. In the latter case, two piece car bras allow for you to keep the bra on while still being able to lift the hood, if need be. Some car bras must be removed in order to access the hood.

Car bras are made of a leather looking material, typically vinyl. The underside is usually made of a flannel material to prevent scratches to your car's surface.

Just like a bra you buy for yourself - or for your wife, guys - there is no one-size-fits-all car bra. Make sure that the car bra you purchase is for the specific make and model of your vehicle. Size matters!

Installation is easy and takes fifteen minutes or less. No tools are required as you simply fit everything into place.

So, protect yourself with a bra. Protect your vehicle, that is!

About the Author

Copyright 2005 -- Matthew Keegan is The Article Writer who writes on a variety of topics including: advocacy, automobiles, aviation, business, Christian themes, family, news, product reviews, travel, writing, and more. Samples from his portfolio are available right online
Written by: Matthew C. Keegan

Pregnant Women Go Shopping

2009-08-03T21:09:00.003+05:30

Pregnant Women Don't Just Stay At Home; Go Shopping!

Most women like to go shopping. However, sometimes pregnant women reluctant to go out because they are afraid could harm them. That's not true! Go and have fun. You don't have to spend any money; just get out and window shop. Try on shoes; check out the new fall purses or sample a new cookie at the corner stand. Shopping is very therapeutic for women, and it gives you a chance to clear your mind.

If you are feeling ambitious, though, or cannot justify taking an afternoon off to shop, give yourself a chore, like deciding on nursery room colors or selecting a crib. Then, you will feel like you are accomplishing something as you go.

Do not get stressed out, however, if you do not find what you want right away. Remember, you are just looking now. There is no hurry to immediately find and/or buy everything, especially since friends and family will want to help by bringing gifts to your baby shower.

If you would rather shop for clothes, purses or makeup, though, that's also fine. Sometimes, it is good to step away from the "mommy" world and remember that you are also a woman who has her own needs and wants. Don't feel guilty if you need some "you" time or if you need a little something to perk up your spirits. A new maternity outfit or a sweet scented lotion may be all you need to feel de-stressed and reinvigorated. You might also feel good just trying out new perfumes and seeing what those strappy sandals look like on (even if you know they would kill your feet!).

Just remember that while you are out shopping, you need to be relaxing. Treat yourself to an ice cream cone or catch a new movie if the mall has a theatre. Any of these activities will help you let go of your stress and refresh your spirits. Then, you will be fully ready to be Mommy again!

About the Author

Sara Jameson writes her experiences in "The Very Happy Pregnancy: Avoiding Stress and Depression." Check this out http://www.sign-of-being-pregnant.info and http://www..pregnant-woman-101.infoWritten by: Sara Jameson

Safe And Secure Shopping

2009-08-03T20:50:00.003+05:30

UbidFast Auction opens for business offering safe and secure shopping for consumers.

The challenge for UbidFast is creating a successful auction shopping site with the looming monopoly in the industry. Most auction or shopping sites start with the dream to tap in the largest auction site's two billion dollar revenue. Ubid Fast is taking a different approach. We will work on the logistics of the site to make a secure shopping experience for our visitors.

When we researched what clients wanted out of a marketplace we realized quickly that the average shopper and seller are losing their marketability on the larger auction sites. Our competition works with larger clients. These clients can pay the higher prices and still under price the small to medium size businesses on the Internet. UbidFast has no plans to look for the larger clients. Sellers should benefit from a fair price to auction products/services without being priced out of the market. Shoppers will buy that hard to find item on UbidFast with out being redirected to the company paying the most money.

UbidFast offers choices for buyers and sellers for a secure shopping experience. The auction can utilize StormPay or PayPal for transactions between buyer and seller. We know offering a choice to our clients will give us an edge. The larger auction sites only offer one integrated solution for merchants. We will be actively searching for more options for our clients. We do not collect personal credit card information on the site.

UbidFast upgrades for this month:

Integration of a new look for the site and streamlined navigation

Integration of VeraCart.com stores

LiveAuctionPal.com launch promo

In October Ubid Fast will have an online company profile in the USA Today Marketplace.

UbidFast is an effort by serveral companies:
Names USA- Owner Operator

http://MyTechSupport.com

http://VeraCart.com

http://LiveAuctionPal.com

US Commercial Sales INC

IntegratedServices.net

About the Author

Steven Leach, owner of Names USA, is the operator of Ubid Fast. Since 1999 Names USA has conducted business on the Internet. Based out of Ellington , CT , the company resided at the midpoint between Boston and New York City .

Written by: Steven Leach

Make Your Fortune In Computer Services

2009-08-03T20:33:00.003+05:30

Make Your Fortune in Computer Services

Make Your Fortune in Computer Services

© Harry S Richards http://www.themartuk.com

The Fastest Growing Industry in America: Computer systems design and related services are expected to be in the top 10 fastest growing industries in the economy, adding more than 600,000 jobs in the United States by the year 2012, according to NAICS, the North American Industry Classification System.

Positive news too for United Kingdom and Europe. Similar predictions have been forecast for the United Kingdom and western Europe whose computer service industries will inevitably experience growth linked to the success of computer services corporations in the United States.

Opportunities abound for New Entrants. Internet service providers along with web search portals will account for a huge 64 percent growth in wages and salaries within the same time frame. The opportunities for new entrants to train for employment, contract work, and even new business start-ups within this sector, can clearly be seen as outstanding.

A Shortage of Skills. According to a recent report, computer related industries are expected to continue their rapid growth. This aspect bodes well for specialists engaged within the industry, as a shortage of professionals and skilled technicians will inevitably result in a corresponding increase in remuneration to attract more and more people into the industry.

Production versus Financial Growth. It follows that the balance between output production and financial growth could be upset if the availability of necessary skills, forming the workforce, becomes scarce. That is why training organisations, along with professional associations and other trade bodies, are focusing more attention to marketing and promotion of various courses to fill the void.

Considering the Full Facts. It is worth considering facts as provided by many authoritative bodies including the Bureau of Labour Statistics in the United States, where service Industries are projected to account for most job growth, generating 21 million new jobs within just ten years. This has been due in part, to the increased demand for services and the need for automating service tasks.

In Britain, one source alone has recently notified us that it has almost a thousand unfilled computer service jobs listed for the UK and Europe. Professional and related workers enjoy the best prospects, reflecting continuing demand for higher level skills needed to keep up with changes in technology.

The Wheel of Fortune could spin for you too. Truly, the Computer Services Industry will experience rapid growth this year, next year and for the foreseeable future. Now is the time to take advantage of the opportunities available from so many different sources both in the USA and Europe. Freelance work and contacting opportunities are readily available for those with the necessary skills. The Industry will be a "Wheel of Fortune" for those who take advantage of the opportunities now.

Feel free to use this article on condition that the copyright and links remain intact.

About the author:

Harry S Richards is the Founder and Principal of Beauforts Trading Group UK now in its tenth year having provided "Trade Training for Business" for almost a decade both online and offline. http://www.beauforts.biz and also heads the online biz "buy-sell-exchange" magazine at http://www.themartuk.com

Written by: Harry S Richards

Europe With Your Digital Camera

2009-08-01T23:56:00.001+05:30

Traveling to Europe with your digital camera?

The Vacation Season is fast approaching and naturally you will be taking your digital camera along for the journey. After all your vacations are far and few between and it is nice to look back on those memories as you slave away at your job. However, when you travel with a digital camera, it is a completely different experience from that of traveling with a film camera. This is a lesson that far too many travelers seem to be learning the hard way, especially if you’re traveling to Europe. After a couples years of relying mostly on digital for taking photos when I travel, there are things you should consider before you head off on your next trip.

Charging Batteries is one of the biggest stumbling blocks you'll face when you travel. Outlets can be scarce in hotels. On a recent trip to Europe, only one of the five modern hotels I stayed in had more than one outlet available for use when charging up electronics. Charging your battery can be more of a hassle if you're traveling by train: If you take an overnight train in Europe, they don't have power adapters at the seats (certain trains do, but it's not something you can count on). I suggest bringing at least two rechargeable batteries, three if you plan to travel with overnight trains, or don't think you'll be able to charge every night. If your camera uses regular AA batteries, consider yourself lucky-you'll find those everywhere. Scope out the situation in your room when you check in: You should get at least one usable outlet, but don't count on more than that.

Bring your plugs. Some digital cameras typically come with a power brick that can handle international voltages, so you won't need a voltage adapter. However, you will need a power plug adapter to convert a US outlet plug to the local plug. Most of Europe is on the same outlet now-but not all countries accept the general "Europe" plug. Be sure to research what you'll need to jack in, and try to buy it before you leave (try CompUSA, Radio Shack, Rand McNally, or your local luggage store). If you don't have a chance to get what you need Stateside, don't fret: You should have no trouble finding an outlet converter overseas.

How do I offload my images? For fellow travelers using digicams, this was the number one problem I have heard repeatedly. Many comments from folks traveling for a week or more are: "I'm taking more pictures than I expected to." "I'm not shooting at the best resolution, because I need the room on my memory card." "I'm only halfway through my trip, and I have only 50 shots left." When you travel, odds are you'll take more pictures than you expect to also. A 1 GB card is very useful, and should suffice for low-usage shooters. But for those of us, who can go through a gigabyte or more in a day, not a week? Whether it's because your a high-volume shooter, shooting in RAW format, or a combination of the two. What I discovered is many who had digital SLRs, that had 5 megapixel or more reported they were traveling with a laptop to off load their images. None of these folks were traveling on business, so they didn't need to bring a laptop along. The sad fact is, for now, a laptop remains the most efficient and usable means of off loading images. Epson and Nikon have dedicated handheld units with a hard drive, card reader, and LCD display for copying over and viewing your images. But neither has a full-blown keyboard. If you're first buying a laptop, and intend to travel with it, I suggest going for the smallest one you can. Fujitsu, Panasonic, Sharp, and Sony all have models under four pounds. A laptop provides several additional advantages. For one thing, you can see your pictures on a big screen-to view how you're doing, and if you see any problems you want to correct with your exposure, for example, or if your pictures are being affected by dirt. For another thing, you can properly label your folders, so you know which pictures were taken where. Most newer laptops have integrated memory card readers, but otherwise, you can buy a small external card reader. For the wire-free approach, use a PC Card slot adapter for your memory card; and invest in a 32-bit Cardbus adapter (Delkin and Lexar Media offer these), for speedier transfers. Nothing's worse than coming back to the hotel after a long day of sightseeing, and needing to stay awake another 40 minutes just to off -load two 1 GB cards, at about 20 minutes a pop. If you bring a laptop, I also suggest investing in a portable hard drive. A portable hard drive can serve multiple purposes: It can be a means of backing up your photos on the go; a means of giving you a way to take your photos with you if you have to leave your laptop unattended; and a means of expansion, if you somehow manage to fill up your laptop's built-in hard disk. If you don't want to bring a laptop, and already have an Apple iPod, Belkin sells an attachment for using your iPod with memory cards; or, consider the pricey units from Nikon and Epson. And if you're in a bind, remember you can always buy memory overseas. I was surprised that when I went to Europe, the prices were high, but not so outrageously so that I wouldn't buy another card if I were in a bind. Cards were more readily available, too, than they were when I last traveled through Europe three years ago. Look at it this way: Even if you overpay on the card, you can still reuse it-which beats overpaying for a single use 35mm film cartridge when you were in a bind in years' past.

Be prepared for problems. Things happen when you travel and I've had more things go awry carrying my digital SLR than I have had with my 35mm over the years. Lens paper is always useful to have on hand, but if you have a digital SLR, another supply is absolutely critical: An air blower bulb, to blast out the dust and dirt that will inevitably get trapped inside your camera. I never had problems with my 35mm SLR, but with my digital SLR, I constantly find dirt gets trapped inside, when I change lenses. And there's nothing worse than having a splotch marring your otherwise awesome shots. Finally, remember the philosophy of redundancy. Whether your battery dies and you have no way to charge it, or you run out of space on your memory card(s), and don't want to buy another at a higher-than-usual price, I suggest packing a second camera if you can. A digital point and shoot is a good option but I usually carry a point and shoot 35mm to use if I run into any problems just so I won’t lose any precious pictures.

About the Author

Doug Rogers has worked as a freelance photographer for the past 25 years in various fields of photography. In the past two years he has become an avid and devoted fan of digital photography. For tips on better digital photography and the latest reviews on the newest digital equipment that hits the market, Subscribe to his monthly Newsletter “The ViewFinder” at http://www.best-digital-cameras-review.com

Written by: Doug Rogers

Ink Cartridges

2009-07-31T17:34:00.002+05:30

Ink cartridges - shopping online

Getting ready to buy printer ink cartridges online? It really is amazing how much you can save versus store bought ink cartidges. The ability to compare prices really makes shopping online a sweet deal. There are however a few things you should look for in an online printer supply store before buying those ink cartridges.

The first thing you want is a low price. To determine this you will need to comparison shop. This can be fun. The next thing to consider is the store's reputation. You can find that out by looking them up in the search engines and by checking sites like Bizrate.com to see if they are listed and what their rating is. You want a store that ships a great product quickly, and handles any problems quickly and to the customers satisfaction.

Another very important thing to consider is the strength of any money back guarantee on printer supplies sold. You should be able to return ink cartridges that you are not happy with over a reasonable period of time for a full refund.

Lastly, consider the shipping policies. Do they ship for free? Can you qualify for free shipping if you spend some amount? This is important because shipping costs can eat into your savings.

So, you basically want the best combination of these qualities with your online ink cartridge store. This way you can save on high quality printer supplies and get to what the whole point of this is - low cost quality printing.

About the Author

Learn more about printer ink cartridges

Written by: Tom

Finance The New Feminism

2009-07-30T22:24:00.001+05:30

Sisters are insuring themselves: how finance is the new feminism
According to a study by LifeSearch, the number of women in the UK buying life insurance in the UK has doubled over the last six years. As women are increasingly closing the gender related pay gap and even becoming the main breadwinners in a household, they are also becoming more vigilant about their finances and less financially dependent on their partners.
Linda Tyson, a policy advisor for LifeSearch stated that the increase was attributed to the “growing awareness of the importance of protecting the financial stability of the family. More and more women are either the main or only breadwinner and are realising the importance of protecting their incomes.”
An additional advantage for women is upon applying for cover, they pay less in premiums than men, which is additional money to save, invest or spend on holiday with the girls. This reduction in premiums is based on the fact that women live an additional seven years longer than men. Insurance companies deem men a greater insurance risk when it comes to life insurance. In general, a woman pays 25% to 35% less than a man.
The most cost effective way to buy life insurance is term cover, which allows for a lump sum to be paid out over a given period upon the death of the policy holder. The lump sum will protect the partner or family and the extent of the cover will vary on how much the policy holder wishes to invest and length of time over which they wish to invest it.
Alternatively, there is the option of whole-of-life insurance, in which case a lump sum will be paid out upon the death of the policy holder – whenever that happens. Given that the payout is guaranteed, the premiums for this type of life insurance are much higher, although women still pay less than men.
Websites such as moneynet provide an easy method for women to review different life insurance policies, the risks and associated costs and given that the ratio of male to female web users is almost 50:50, it’s not surprising that women have the web (and their finances) under their thumb.
Resources
Channel 4 Money
Moneynet Life Insurance
Women and life insurance
About Rachel:
Rachel is a straight talking little lady who lives in the Scottish hills. She survives on a diet of Irn Bru and haggis, which allows her to see wild animals in the night and roast them with her fiery breath. Rachel also writes for the personal finance blog Cashzilla: a wee bit of banter on finance related issues.
Web: http://www.cashzilla.co.uk
E-mail: rachel@positiveinterest.com
Phone: 0131 561 2251Written by: cashzilla

Travel To Turkey And Greece

2009-07-29T23:54:00.005+05:30

The Traveller Next Door: My Friend Carol - Expert on Turkey and Greece, (2)

5. You also spent a significant amount of time in Turkey. Please tell us where and how did that come about?

The first time I visited Turkey was July of 1978. My travel companions were two gay friends, one from Jordan and one from Britain. We took various buses to Jordan from Athens and stopped in Turkey and Syria on the way. What a trip! It was the year "Midnight Express" came out, a movie that didn't show Turkey in a favourable light at all, and Turkey did not seem the most desirable country to go to.

I knew nothing of Turkey, and imagined a country of "swarthy mustached barbarians", the typical stereotype. How wrong I was!

Back in Canada I eventually became a highschool math teacher. After 4 years I had enough and quit. I wanted to work in Greece for a year, but there was a problem with work permits. A friend phoned me in March of 1989 and told me he saw an ad in the Globe and Mail for English and Math teachers in Istanbul. I applied because I figured it was close to Greece. I was hired and off I went to Istanbul with 13 other Canadians to work in a private high school. Little did I know that it was in the far suburbs of Istanbul.

We were given apartments by the sea, with a view of the Princes' Islands. But we were isolated, no TV, no telephone, no English newspapers in our suburb. Work was difficult: 38 students in each of our 6 classes. And nothing to do at night.

I almost came home in March of 1990. But I started to be enamored with Istanbul during that summer and decided to come back and work in the center of the city. After one year back in Canada I did just that and stayed until December of 1998.

6. What was it like living and working in Turkey?

Living in Turkey was hard at first because of the language barrier. It became easier once we found our way around and learned some Turkish. I discovered many of the teenagers did speak English. And then it became very easy, because the Turks were so helpful. I never worried about finding my way. If I asked there was always a Turk to show me or take me where I wanted to go. Even when I didn't ask and looked lost. Turks really like foreigners. My neighbour sometimes looked at me as if I were from outer space. But my last neighbours were the best I ever had, so generous and kind.

Because I couldn't afford expensive apartments I lived many times without central heat. I wasn't used to being so cold in the winter. Now though many apartments have gas heating. Also in 1993, there was a water shortage for 400 days! More than a year! Our water was shut off most of the time, except every second evening and morning, and was never on during the weekend. We had to save water in containers. I had a lot of watermelon, hot dogs and pizza.

Electricity cuts were also quite common. One day we went for 3 days straight without any electricity. All the food in the freezers got spoiled.

A lot of things didn't work right, but a lot things did. It was easy to get anything fixed, for example. There were repair shops everywhere since the poor couldn't afford to buy new things.

Istanbul had a few malls, and lots of stores, but I bought many things from the vendors on the streets, trains and ferries. There was action everywhere. There were few beggars, the very poor held shoe-shining jobs, sold tissues, balloons, chicklets, lemonade, cold water, cucumber pieces, watermelon - anything to make a buck. I especially liked the pickle vendors.

You could also shop from your home, on the street a different vendor would walk by and utter a special call announcing his arrival, for example the plumber, the guys who collected old metal, the yoghurt man, the tomato and vegetable man, the used furniture man, the potato and onion man who came in a horse and cart, a man who sold a special millet drink in the winter. His call sounded like the word "boze", which he sang in a special melody, which I loved.

Another thing I loved were the movers. If you needed a pick-up truck, you just went to the intersection where they congregated and bargained a price, no booking ahead required.

Teaching in Turkey was a bit different than teaching in Canada, for the first years we only taught 3 ½ days of the week. This was fantastic. Then the Turks got "smart" and realized no other country did this.

I found teenagers to be the same everywhere. The students were no different really than here. The 11 year olds - my favourite group - were "younger" in maturity than here, which was nice to see. They seemed to grow up more slowly there. No drugs in high school. Many schools had a system where the students did an extra year after Grade 6 to learn English intensively for a year. Now they learn from kindergarten.

The system of testing was a bit different and more bureaucratic. Each class had 6 big common tests per course, which were taken during the regular school time. One thing I thought was very strange, was that the foreign teachers had to go to the general meetings which were held in Turkish.

I taught in 3 different high schools, my second was a charity-funded boarding school for children without fathers - wonderful kids. My last school was in the center of Istanbul and I had the privilege of working with an excellent team of English teachers, both foreign and Turkish, of which many have become friends. I was there 4 years, it was hard to leave then, but I visit now every year.

7. What can you tell us about the mentality of people in Turkey?

The mentality of the Turks is a whole topic within itself. Most Turks are poor, although there is a slowly rising middle class. They must work hard to survive, there is not much time for play. Turks tend to live for the moment because of this. When they are asked to do something, they tend to say what they think will make you happy, whether it is true or not. That took me a long time to get used to. Eventually they do get things done, but not at "your" time.

They are not a country to protest, I guess because of their politics. They are a quiet people who spend a lot of time waiting or lining up for things. It seems they have resigned themselves that if they are vocal still nothing will happen. One exception to this is their love of honking when driving. But still nothing much happens. My head of department waited 14 years for his home telephone. Now that's patience! That was a long time ago though and the world of technology has changed. Ironically Istanbul had way more bank machines than Toronto in 1989. And now everyone has a cell phone.

Because it is a poor country, my wallet was stolen 4 times and my TV and pay-TV decoder were stolen once from my house while I was sleeping. If you plan on visiting, watch your wallet.

About the author:

Susanne Pacher is the publisher of www.travelandtransitions.com It deals with travel to foreign countries and is chock full of advice, tips, real life travel experiences, interviews with travellers, insights, cross-cultural issues, and many other features. Participate in our travel story contest and win great prizes, a fabulous cruise to the Amazon. Life is a Journey - Explore New Horizons.

Written by: Susanne Pacher

Save Money

2009-07-28T19:58:00.003+05:30

Are You saving Money With a Computer Support Plan?

As a computer troubleshooter and repair person, I see all kinds of
problems and possibilities. From the quick fix or answer to the
complicated repair, from the problem computer to the occasional
tweak another computer needs - it pays to know a good and
reliable technician to help you.

Lately there have been programs in which online support is offered.
This can be good or bad. The good is there are various programs
you can choose from, and the bad is you might choose poorly and
get stuck with a worthless plan - which in the long run will cost
you more in time and money. Sometimes online support is a much
more economical choice in getting help and support - because you
can avoid an up-front service charge from a hands-on repair shop
and often get enough information to fix something yourself. It won't
work in all cases, but perhaps it will save you some money in many
cases.

One online support company, for which I am a technician, at
http://sisugal.supportfreaks.com is a good example of a program
run correctly. People can ask a question and if it can be answered
fairly quickly, there is no fee - this can include support via email,
or chat, or phone. By chat or email, you can assess the technician's
capability before you end up requesting help from him/her. You
will have the opportunity to fund your support account - and then
use it any time you need - no monthly requirements or outlay.
There are over 1000 techies knowledgeable in nearly any capacity
dealing with computers, the Internet, peripherals, etc.

I question the concept of monthly fees for support - because there
are normally many months in which no support is needed. Yes, some
will use their accounts to ask frivolous questions they would never
pay to ask, but only to use up their monthly credits. Still others will
just let the monthly credits go to waste - like so many other plans
that get forgotten but are still paid into monthly.

If you have a truly problem computer that acts up on a regular basis,
then a monthly paid plan might be effective - depending on the
type of problem and whether the monthly allotment will be enough.
If you are still paying for extra support, it might make more sense to
purchase an account that has credits you can use at any time, and can
add funds to at anytime.

This is a similar concept to service plans on appliances - do you
really get your money's worth on those plans? If the appliance isn't
well made, you are better off with a service plan. If it is well made,
a service plan isn't necessary. A little assurance by having some
funds in a service account for when needed makes more sense.

Figure out how reliable or unreliable your computer is, and you will
figure out the best plan you should have. Don't jump on the
bandwagon of anything which, with hype, promises you riches and
gives you services and such that you really don't need. If you have
to pay for something you don't need, rethink your game plan. There
are other options out there. A monthly outlay of money may very
well just be going to waste. Would you rather spend $30/month or
more for a plan that gives you the same service as a $30 account
you can use anytime you want, and fund into it for extra services
if needed? Think about it - concerning your computer - which plan
makes more sense?

About the Author

Pauliina Roe is a hands-on computer troubleshooter/repairperson in
the Denver area, and also troubleshoots online and over the phone.
If you need computer support, give us a call if in the Denver area -
Leading Edge Solutions at 303-224-0797 (ask for Kevin) or try out
the support online at http://sisugal.supportfreaks.com

Written by: Pauliina Roe

Shopping And More # 5

2009-07-26T22:50:00.001+05:30

Shopping For Formal Dresses In Plus Sizes

You have a big event scheduled, and you haven't a thing to wear. Don't despair! The selection of formal dresses in plus sizes has never been greater with the growing number of specialty retailers that cater to full-figured women. Whether you are in need of a bridesmaid gown, a prom dress, or a full wedding ensemble, you can find a bevy of choices. Before you head to your local mall, though you'll need a few guidelines for shopping for formal dresses in plus sizes.

Many special event dresses are by special order only. This means that you'll be measured for your dress, and the shop will place an order with the manufacturer. Generally, the retailer will ask for a deposit of up to 50 percent with the remainder due at the time you receive the dress.

While some special order, formal dresses in plus sizes can be ordered and received in less than a month, you can expect a wedding or bridesmaid gown to take up to six months for delivery. So, it is essential to plan ahead.

If you are short on time, there are many options for purchasing formal dresses off the rack. Boutiques that cater to plus size women and large department stores will have a bounty of different styles. You may also want to try searching online retailers, and there are many of them that specialize in plus size formal wear. If you are looking for a one of a kind gown, consider perusing the racks of vintage clothing shops or consulting with a dressmaker who can design a gown just for you.

As you sift through the different dress options, keep in mind the three "C's" of dress selection - cut, color, and comfort. First, look for a style that is flattering to your body type. Larger figures often look good in halter style dresses.

Then, consider the appropriate color. Perhaps, you need to stick with a color scheme of the wedding or party. If you have carte blanche to pick the color you want, you may want to select a dark shade that will slenderize.

Finally, comfort is of the utmost importance, as you will probably be spending several hours in the dress. Try on gowns and dresses with the right undergarments, and see how they fit and feel. If you have to tug on straps or suck in your tummy, you probably need a different size or style.

So, go ahead and look forward to that special occasion. With a little advanced planning you can have the perfect formal look that will give you the confidence to strut your stuff.

About the author:

Chrisy Diaz is a fashion advisor for plus size women. She has been helping women of all sizes look their absolute best while helping them find fantastic deals on plus size clothing. For the hottest tips, secrets and additonal articles , not to mention some great, plus size deals visit Plus Size Dress Apparel

Written by: Christy Diaz

Shopping And More # 4

2009-07-26T22:45:00.002+05:30

Shopping For A Car? Don’t Get Taken For A Ride!

Imagine this ... You're ready to buy a new car. You've done your research on the web at a site like Edmunds.com so you know what the dealer has paid for the model you want. Based on your information you've established your comfort zone for price haggling.
You walk into the dealership, meet with a salesperson, and begin negotiations. At the end of your test drive and haggling, you're confident that you've made the best deal possible. No way you're getting ripped off because this time you are an "informed consumer" unlike when you bought your last vehicle.
One final step stands between you and your brand new "ride" - financing. Your credit is outstanding so you get what you believe is the lowest possible interest rate from the dealership. You drive away in your shiny new vehicle triumphant!
Ready for a dose of reality? According to a new study, there's a 1 in 4 chance that you've been "taken for a ride" by the dealer's finance department, especially if you are female or a minority, by as much as an extra $1,000.
The Consumer Federation of America, a Washington, D.C.,-based consumer interest group, said consumers often pay additional fees in that process - totaling as much as $1 billion nationwide - without realizing they qualified for cheaper financing.
Here's what can happen behind the scenes: a bank approves an interest rate, the dealer tacks on additional percentage points as a kind of service fee and then the dealer and lender split the difference.
To be fair, not every dealer is guilty of this markup. However, enough are involved that many states are now considering new "truth in advertising" lending laws. New laws would require auto dealers to inform customers of the original rate offered by the bank and what the dealer is offering to the customer, after tacking on their additional finance fee.
Shopping around with your bank, credit union or the internet can help you to find the interest rate that you qualify for in a loan. Remember, the auto dealer is in business to sell cars, not to offer loans.
The next time you're in the market for a car, don't just research the model, make, and add-ons. Research fair interest rates as well so that you'll know if you're getting the best rate possible from the auto dealer or if you're being "taken for a ride."
© 2004, www.yourfreecreditreportnow.com

James H. Dimmitt is editor of "TO YOUR CREDIT", a weekly free newsletter. Subscribe to the newsletter by visiting http://www.yourfreecreditreportnow.com. He is also author of “Identity Theft - How to Avoid Becoming the Next Victim!” available at http://tinyurl.com/bc45

jimdim815@aol.com

Written by: James H. Dimmitt

Shopping And More # 3

2009-07-26T22:42:00.001+05:30

Shopping For Your Bridal Gown

Shopping for your bridal gown is one of the most important essentials of your wedding preparation. It should be a lot of fun, and it's going to be if you do your homework. Although it might be difficult to resist at first, you should never shop for a bridal gown based on instinct.

You should research before you walk in to the first bridal gown salon. Chances are this is going to be the first time you shop for a bridal gown, so you need to prepare.

It is essential that you give yourself plenty of time to buy your bridal gown. Choosing your bridal gown up to one year prior to your wedding day is not unusual at all. If your dress needs to be ordered and altered you'll need that much time. Buying your bridal gown early is also a great stress reducer.

Before you visit the bridal gown retailer, you have to do your homework. To get a general idea of what's out there, you should start with magazines. Then, move on to the Internet for more detailed searches. There are thousands of Web sites dedicated to wedding shopping where you can learn about bridal gowns.

After you get a general idea of what you like, be sure to take detailed notes. Even if you have an excellent memory, it is best to make detailed notes for reference. You shouldn't just write down what you like about a bridal gown, but the reason why you like a particular feature. If you are well prepared, your sales person at the salon will be able to help you better.

Once you have a detailed list of designs and designers you'd like to try, you should make an appointment with a salon. Don't go by yourself. Take your mother, your sister, your girlfriends, your bridesmaids, your honor attendant, and your relatives. In other words, bring everyone that matters! Instead of bringing all of them to each salon at the same time limit the shopping team to no more than five members per shopping trip. It is OK to shop around for your dress by yourself if you need the privacy, but you shouldn't make your decision without some outside opinion.

You should bring the following with you on your wedding gown shopping trip.

· Shoes with the same height as your wedding shoes are going to be on your wedding day. · A bustier, a control-top panty hose and be sure slip a slip into your purse.

About the author:

Wedding Favors Wedding favors, personalized wedding favors and bridal shower gifts.

Written by: George Meszaros

Shopping And More # 2

2009-07-26T22:38:00.002+05:30

Shopping In London

Shopping In London By Lisa Mills

Shopping is one of the main reasons people flock to London in their hoards all year round. With over 40,000 shops from huge department stores to fabulous fashion shops, London is the heart for fashion, style and music. A wide variety of shops are all over London, from high priced exclusive clothing and goods, (some severely over priced I might add) to some amazing deals. For lovers of clothes and shoe shopping and more shoe shopping ladies, London has all the designs and the wackiest looks. But before you start, ring your bank, up your credit card limit, its time to start spending!

Camden Market is the place to go if you want cheaper stuff, it's located next to the Camden Locks; this is London's most popular market. It gets extremely busy here at weekends with thousands of traders, but watch out for the "buggy brigade" (parents with pushchairs!) your feet will be swollen, but not from the incessant shopping... from having them continuously rolled over and stamped on! Even so, you are sure to find the perfect pair of shoes to match that expensive designer outfit you just spent your whole months wages on. On the other hand, if you are looking for something a little different then Kensington Market might be a good choice, it's located on Kensington High Street, this market caters for the underground fashions. You can also find an extensive range of outrageous hair colours, punk and gothic clothing and accessories, record stores, the latest in techno, platform shoes, leather goods and jewellery.

Portobello Road Market features antique goods, as well as clothing and music, hundreds of stalls on weekends, and cafes and bars. It is also a "celeb hotspot" with many famous people living and shopping in the area.

Oxford Street & Regent Street are the main areas in which to find many High Street stores. All the main ones are here from Marks and Spencer, Debenhams, John Lewis, Boots, W.H. Smith, Bhs, C&A and of course Hamley's Toy Shop, which I must add is absolutely breath taking, especially at Christmas, every child and "older child's" dream come true. You may not find many low priced goods here, but it really is worth a look. So credit cards at the ready!

You will also find Harrods; most people make a visit to this shop just to look at the costly price tags, as well as the wide variety of food on offer. But be sure to dress respectively, no light coloured clothing caked in the muddy tyre marks from the "buggy brigade" in the markets!! There is a dress code to shop here!

And then there is Soho. Soho is the place to go for a variety of boutiques; Janet Fitch for designer jewellery, Metalmorphis for body piercings, and Ann Summers for kinky lingerie. Ambient Soho and Black Market Records stock the best of techno, jungle and dance music. Try the Vintage Magazine Shop for excellent movie & TV memorabilia and posters. Soho is the ideal place if you are looking for something to do "After Dark"; it offers a wide range of erotic videos, sex toys, good cafes and restaurants and strip clubs. Soho is an interesting place to wander around, especially for the men who like to "window shop"!!

Shopping in London can be an exciting experience, whether you want to spend or just browse. It's a vibrant city - buying something often involves discovering interesting surroundings and exploring new ones. At the seasonal times of year it is probably best to start early, London streets begin to look like an anthill around lunchtime! I myself am a true Londoner... born and bred, everyday there is something new to be found.

Top 5 'Must Buy Something In' Shops In London - (just for the feel good factor, oh, and the carrier bag!)

Hamleys Toy Shop

Wow! That is the only word that came out of our mouths when we walked through the doors of Hamley's, I lost my two kids and my husband immediately! Unfortunately, they found me again when they wanted money! But if you are looking for a reminder of your childhood or looking for something special for your own kids then this is the shop, and it really isn't that expensive either, you can pick up a gift for as little as a fiver. It really is magical, 7 floors of it, a definite must. Nearest tubes: Piccadilly Circus, Oxford Circus. Official website: http://www.hamleys.com/

Covent Garden

If you are on a visit to London then try to visit the very trendy Covent Garden, with all the up-to-date designer shops like French Connection, H&M, Calvin Klein and Gap to name but a few. If you are shopaholic like myself then you will love Covent Garden, a fair few celebrities also shop and eat here. The Ivy restaurant is a well-known celebrity hotspot, if you can't get in to enjoy the tasty food on offer then take a stroll past... 2 or 3 times... spot the celebrity! Nearest tube: Covent Garden

Harrods

A trip to London wouldn't be complete without a visit to world-famous Harrods. Some just want to check out the expensive price tags, others buy stuff just for the carrier bag. Even so, you will find everything you need here, mind you, the store is huge and it is easy to get lost. And remember; if you need the loo... take some money with you! Nearest tube: Knightsbridge. Official website: http://www.harrods.com

Carnaby Street

Carnaby Street has loads on offer for yourself and a guilt gift for him (well, we have to buy him something don't we? After all, it's his credit card!). For him, there are sports shops like Puma, Ben Sherman, G-room and if he's a budding DJ then there's Kingly Court, this a great place to buy great vinyls. Oh, and not forgetting a place where he can re-fuel... there's a few pubs too! And for the ladies, there is a number of fine cosmetics shops, a few boutiques selling vintage mod clothing, designer shoe shops and Liberty's is just round the corner in Fouberts Place. There are places where we can re-fuel too... coffee shops and sandwich bars. Nearest tube: Oxford Circus

New Bond Street and Old Bond Street

Just off of Oxford Street, is the less crowded but far more expensive New Bond Street and Old Bond Street, for all those that have an endless flow of cash then this is the place to spend all of it! Most of the shops here have "greeters" who will smile, open doors for you, and wish you a nice day! Oh, and keep your eyes open for the odd celebrity here too, London's Bond streets are well known for bringing out the odd one or two. Nearest tube: Bond Street

It's a vast, fast and vibrant city; London has it all. Don't miss it... come and visit!

24-7 London has loads of information to help visitors to London. Check out their website www.24-7london.co.uk

About the author:

Lisa Mills writes primarily for the entertainment website 24-7 London. as well as some others.

Written by: Lisa Mills

Shopping And More

2009-07-26T22:35:00.002+05:30

5 Tips to Getting Extra Money for Christmas Shopping

Christmas shopping is getting more and more expensive each year. With over 70% of Americans reported to be living paycheck to paycheck, where does the money come from for Christmas shopping? Here are 5 tips to getting some extra money for holiday shopping:

1 - Sell items on Ebay

Everyone is buying right now. Why not have them buy what you have for sale? All different types of items sell on ebay - the clothes your kids never even wore that still have the tags on them, DVD's, collectible items sitting around just collecting, and any other "hot" items you may have lying around.

2 - Garage Sale

Do a little 'Winter Cleaning" and make room for those Christmas decorations and presents. A Saturday morning garage sale can make you $50-$500, or more. One person's junk is another's treasure!

3 - Collect your Unclaimed Money

There is an estimated $25 billion dollars of unclaimed money in the U.S. On the Oprah Winfrey TV Show it was announced 8 out of 9 Americans have unclaimed money.This money comes from many places. For example it could be an old checking or savings account your forgot about, an inheritance, savings bonds, uncashed checks or money orders, the list goes on and on. This money is yours and just sitting there waiting for you to claim it. A simple search in a quality database that includes all states and federal unclaimed money could mean a check in your mailbox!

A simple search in a quality database that includes all states and federal unclaimed money could mean a check in your mailbox! www.cashunclaimed.com is the largest unclaimed money site and is a great place to conduct your unclaimed money search.

4 - Holiday Job or Overtime

Companies are hiring for the Christmas shopping rush. Usually they are simple retail positions that don't require specialized training or experience. A couple nights or days a week could be $1000 by Christmas!

If you are paid hourly at your job, and have enough work and flexibility with your schedule, you can put in some extra hours.

Workers who have restaurant jobs can pick up extra shifts.

Special Note: Many people claim 0 exemptions on their W4. If you have children, own a home, etc. increase your exemptions to the correct number. Your employer can assist you in filling out a new W4. This can mean an extra $50-$400 per paycheck!

5 - Reduce Expenses

You can reduce simple monthly expenses to keep more of the money you already have. Here are a couple money saving ideas:

*Eat in instead of dinning out A family of 4 that eats out twice a week spends about $100 per week.

*Pay minimum payments this month on credit cards Don't make this a habit, but for December it will give you a little extra rather than racking up more credit card debt

*Leave your ATM card at home, carry a little cash for what you need

*Make coffee at home and skip your morning latte (you'll live, really you will)

Now that you have the extra money - Merry Christmas Shopping!

About the author:

Nicole Anderson offers more information about unclaimed money at Cash Unclaimed. Would you like to receive your lost funds check without searching 100+ individual databases? A simple unclaimed property search could mean a check in your mailbox. Click on www.cashunclaimed.com for a free money search, that

Written by: Nicole Anderson

Cars And More # 10

2009-07-23T17:06:00.002+05:30

Why does a car engine overheat?

There are many different reasons that can cause an engine overheat, but they all have in common three aspects. The three aspects which all engine overheat factors have in common are that they cause that the heating system can not get rid of heat, they cause a loss of coolant or they directly cause too much heat in the engine.

One first problem which might be the cause of an engine overheat is a problem with the radiator cap and the pressure it holds. If the radiator cap does not hold pressure correctly then coolant could boil and therefore the engine would overheat. Another reason might be caused by thermostat failures; it is recommendable that you check it.

The car engine might also overheat due to coolant leaks such as those from the radiator, the hoses, the water pump, the freeze plugs or any others. Also, problems in the water pump could be the cause and therefore you should check it and replace it in case it is needed.

Some other reasons by which the car engine could overheat are problems in the exhaust system which you can discover by checking vacuum readings, pipes and converter. Besides, you should also make sure that the radiator hose has not collapsed and the ignition timing is working properly.

You should also check the electric cooling fan by making sure that the fan motor, the relay and temperature are correct or otherwise it could cause the engine to overheat. Besides this, you should also check the radiator in case there are any debris in it as well as you should check its hose in case it has collapsed.

It is also recommendable that you check the antifreeze concentration which should be 50/50 in order to be correct, otherwise it could cause the car engine to overheat. If you do not find why your engine does overheat, you should ask a mechanic or an expert for advice. You should not try to fix this if you do not have the proper tools and general car knowledge necessary for it.

About the Author

Jakob Jelling is the founder of http://www.autorized.com. Please visit his website to learn about auto maintenance, auto insurance, auto safety and much more!

Written by: Jakob Jelling

Cars And More # 9

2009-07-23T17:04:00.001+05:30

Customizing your Car- Pinstriping Basics

Did you know pinstriping has a long history? Even before the invention of automobiles, pinstriping was used as an ornamental decoration for horse and buggy carriages.
Custom pinstripes started appearing on automobiles in the mid-1950s. Although pinstriping had been on cars long before that, the last American car to appear with auto pinstriping had been made by General Motors in the late 30’s.
For those individuals with muscle or sports cars, customizing their ride is an important part of owning and showcasing the vehicle, and pinstriping is a final touch.

Pinstripes are commonly painted in two colors: one that sets off the body color, and another, thin line, in a color contrasted with the stripe to make it stand out.

Mechanical pin striping is the best way to stripe larger vehicles- trucks, vans, or station wagons. The benefit is it lays down stripes of constant width, letting you focus attention on getting the stripe oriented properly along your working surface. You can set up your stripe lines using magnetic pinstriping strips with center grooves designed to be paint templates. They hold fast to steel surfaces, and can also work as guidea for your hand.

Striping with stencil tape is also popular. There are several types of stencil tape that are suitable for auto pinstriping applications. Stencil tape striping uses brushes, and a specialized pinstriping brush is an essential ingredient in a successful project. Stencil tape allows you to apply different color stripes without needing the other stripes to dry.

Freehand pinstriping is the most difficult method, requiring the most practice to master, but permits unrestricted creativity. The simplest plan for a freehand striping newbie is to lay a strip of masking tape down approximately a quarter inch from where you want the finished line to be, and then use this tape as visual guiding for your stripes. Whatever you do, don’t use regular masking tape, or your pinstriping paint will bleed under the edge. Get some auto body masking tape from an auto supply store.

No matter what method you use, pinstriping is one of the finest ways to make your vehicle distinctive. Just like anything else worth doing right, practice makes priceless results but having the best equipment you can get your hands on helps too.

About the Author

Carlo Morelli is a contributor to Caroom.us where you can read more about pinstriping

Written by: Carlo Morelli

Cars And More # 8

2009-07-23T16:39:00.001+05:30

Things to look for when buying a car stereo head unit.
There are so many car stereo head units on the market. How do you know what to choose? Let's take a look at some of the things you should look for when buying a head unit.

1. How user friendly is the head unit?

Your head unit must be user friendly. This is the part of your car stereo you will interact with the most so you must feel comfortable using it. Before buying one be sure to play around with it and see how easy and quick it is to change tracks on a CD, switch radio stations, and so on. Are the buttons too small? You need to be able to enjoy using your head unit.

2. How is the unit's power measured?

Pay close attention to power. Look out for models where the manufacturers exaggerate the unit's power. This malpractice is common among most manufacturers. Ensure that power is measures in RMS. Be very wary of terms like "music power" and "peak power". These terms mean nothing when it comes to measuring power.

3. Choosing between a cassette player and a CD player.

It's all about your personal preference. Do you use more cassettes than CDs? In that case you should probably go with a cassette player. Many of them give you the option of hooking up a CD changer. Your CD changer can be operated from your head unit.

The only problem with some CD changers is the fact that you may have to get to your trunk or under your seat to change CDs. With in-dash CD players everything is in reach and can be operated easily.

More and more people are using CDs these days. CDs have several advantages including better sound quality. Many of them can be hooked up to a CD changer as well.

4. Does the head unit include pre-amp outputs?

If you're serious about sound you wouldn't buy a head unit that doesn't come with pre-amp outputs. With these outputs, you can run an amplifier directly without any need for conversion. This output is the cleanest. Higher volt outputs are better as long as your amplifier or crossover can handle the voltage. For less noise choose 4 volts over 1-2 volts.

5. Is there a theft prevention scheme?

If theft protection is important to you buy a head unit that includes a theft prevention scheme. You can choose between a partially detachable and fully detachable face. Detaching the face of your head unit renders it useless. So this is obviously a great deterrent for thieves.

Kenwood has some models where the face flips around so the thief can't see the head unit.

Some head units like Eclipse's ESN system, require a reference CD when you first apply power to them. If it is stolen it is useless. You must have the reference CD for it to work. The only problem with this is that if the thief has no clue about this feature, your head unit would be stolen anyway. Your only hope would be if he foolishly takes it to Eclipse for repair. Eclipse would be able to verify that it was stolen.

Ordering your car stereo head unit online is quick and easy. Before buying your head unit be sure to check out some online reviews. Find out what customers like yourself think of the unit you want to buy. You can order one online today.

About the Author

Roger Charles is a successful author and publisher of Car Stereos Guide.com. A resource for information and tips on buying car stereo and audio products online.

Written by: Roger Charles

Cars And More # 7

2009-07-23T16:31:00.001+05:30

Anyone Can Clean their Car, but What About those Cloudy, Yellow Headlights?

It is a very common occurence. We see then every day. Its like a disease - yellow, cloudy headlight lenses. I even saw them on cars at the local carwash. It befuddled me that these people would take such great care - washing, vacuuming the interior, removing the floor mats and even hand drying their cars, but they still had those yellowed, cloudy headlights. Its not just a problem on old, very used cars. It is prevalent on 2 - 3 year old cars also. It doesn't matter if it is a Dodge, Ford, Mercedes, or a Porsche.

When questioned, most said they couldn't afford, or didn't want to pay the high prices of replacements from their local auto dealer. The average price for a pair of replacement plastic headlights at local auto dealerships was around $450 - that didn't even include installation and alignment (that would be another $60-120). Aftermarket headlights do exist, but have received mixed reviews, and the savings aren't that great, quality and fit is lagging, and then you still had to have them installed and aligned. And for what so you can do it again in another year or two?

There is another solution, there is a patented headlight cleaner and restorer kit. Its under $20, much less expensive than replacement lenses, and it works!

Plastic headlight lenses are the norm in the automotive industry now - every car has them. Some have fancy names like plexan and Lexan, but they all have the same problems. The sun, acid rain, harsh weather conditions, chemicals (brake fluid, power steering fluid, hot radiator fluids, hot water, harsh cleaners, etc...) will all cause the plastic lenses to degrade and weaken quickly. Some manufacturers have gone to including a protective film on the lenses. Regardless, they are all susceptible to this weakening and yellowing over time.

With this headlight cleaner and restorer even junk yard car lenses have been restored to brand new. These same lenses used to be discarded and now have become new profit centers for salvage yards all over. The treatment is applied to the exterior of the headlight lens where the damage is worst and it doesn't take a mechanic to do it.

It is easy to do, doesn't take very long, and the results are fantastic. So there is a very economic solution to the problem of yellow, cloudy, worn headlights. There's no excuse now to not have sparkling clean headlights. Car dealerships everywhere are using headlight cleaner and restorer on their cars and you can too.

About the author:

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Written by: David Maillie

Cars And More # 6

2009-07-23T16:29:00.002+05:30

Tireless Servant Protects Your Car While You Sleep...

So here I am at the dealer about to purchase a brand new vehicle. My old car was a good one, but after being having it's frame and axle bent in a car accident, (that by the way wasn't my fault, but that's another story...) my old car was just never the same. It was about time I moved on, and got myself a brand new vehicle.

So I'm going through the usual list of standard options, and things I just got to have in this new car, when a guy car browsing next to me says, "Nice vehicle. Going to keep it on the street, or in your garage?". I said "Well, in my development, we have assigned parking spots, so I will keep it as close to my unit as I'm able".

He replied back "You better consider a custom car cover then, you want to protect your investment." A car cover, I thought to myself, I wouldn't have even considered that. I thanked the gentlemen, and continued with signing the papers for the new car.

I asked the dealer what he thought about car covers, and he said "They are a great investment if you don't have a indoor place to park your car. They help protect your vehicle from the elements, not to mention, other people." Seems I hit on a topic he knew about because he kept on talking.

"You're going to need a custom car cover for this vehicle, being it's a SUV, and there are plenty of places you can find that make them" he replied. He then went on to explain that not only will it help to retain a higher value of the car, but it will have less wear and tear, and it would help to avoid the usual nicks and scratches you get.

Most of the time you speak to people in casual conversation, you either forget what they were saying, or you just brush it off as nonsense, but I have to say, this time I sure am glad that complete stranger mentioned this to me. Protect what you have, get a better return on your investment, and keep your car looking newer, longer, with a custom car cover.

About the Author

R. Palkra has spent over 40 years in the automotive industry, and knows the "in's and outs' of the system. Now retired, his mission is to spread his knowledge, and help educate others, so they are armed with the information they need. You can find out more, voice your opinion, and share your experience at http://www.custom-car-cover-review.com

Written by: R. Palkra

Cars And More # 5

2009-07-23T16:25:00.004+05:30

Oil - The Lifeblood Of Your Car

I was actually a passenger in a car that was having an active oil leak. The driver knew what was happening, and was warned to pull to the side of the road and call a tow truck, but she wanted to try to make it home. Unfortunately, she didn't. The engine seized up, never to run again. What a foolish and costly mistake.

The simple fact is that the engine in your car cannot run without lubrication from oil. Heat and friction would, as illustrated in the case above, cause the engine to come to a full halt.

When I bought a new car many years ago and took it in for it's first oil change the mechanic said to me that if I kept the oil changed I'd get 200,000 miles out of the engine. He was right. I faithfully changed the oil every 3,000 miles and at 189,000 miles had to say goodbye to my faithful friend, not due to engine trouble, but due to a rusting frame. He also noticed that the oil filter that was on my vehicle from the manufacturer was larger than actually called for. He said this wasn't a bad idea. A larger amount of oil meant more flowing through the engine cooling and lubricating and cleaning the engine. When I started to change the oil myself I kept on using the larger oil filter.

Most new cars today don't call for their oil to be changed quite as often as every 3,000 miles. Generally it's 5,000 and some even more. I like to have the oil in my car changed at least every 5,000 miles. That oil change is actually more than an oil change. The technician gets to give your car a once over, checking belts and hoses and other vital fluids. Generally we don't even think about these things. It's much easier to change a worn belt while your car is in the shop than be broken down on the side of the road waiting for a tow truck.

The simple act of changing the oil in your car may be the best thing you can do to protect your car, and your investment in it.

About the Author

Written by: Jeff Slokum

Cars And More # 4

2009-07-21T21:27:00.001+05:30

Mechanic reveals ways to make your car last longer

Every 2 weeks or 3,000 miles check engine oil, transmission fluid and coolant.

Once a month or 1,000 miles check tire pressure - with tire gauge. Check transmission fluid and brake fluid. Wax car to protect finish and a smooth finish will reduce the wind drag increasing your fuel economy. Check belts and hoses for excessive wear.

Every 3 months or 3,000 miles Change oil and oil filter or every 6 months or 3,000 miles depending on your driving habits. You will also want to lubricate the chassis check transmission fluid and check all drive belts (fan belts) replace frayed or cracked belts.

Every 6 months or 6,000 miles inspect suspension, rotate and inspect tires.

Every 12 months or 12,000 miles flush radiator, replace anti-freeze, check air conditioning system. Replace air filters and lubricate chassis.

Every 2 years or 24,000 miles replace spark plugs (30,000 miles average suggested for unleaded gas) and PCV valve. Change automatic transmission fluid, filter and pan gasket. You should also inspect brake linings at this time.

Every 3 years or 30,000 miles check and test ignition wires, test cooling system, heating hoses and drive belts, check brake shoes. (replace if needed)

Replace fluid in differential and manual transmission. (Every 50,000 miles)

If you have a major repair to do, it's wise to get at least 3 estimates, if possible, before you decide. It's hard to be overcharged when you get three estimates before you have the work done. Make sure you get promised repairs in writing including how much it will cost.

Read and follow your car owner's manual - it's your car's bible for making your car last longer.

Whether you are a man, woman, boy or girl; you should learn to do some routine maintenance on your car yourself. A multitude of books, videos, magazines and classes are available at your local library that will teach you for free if you don't know. Learn how to check your own oil, transmission fluid, tire pressure and coolant, etc.

If you find a good mechanic who you can trust, stick with him even if his prices are a bit higher - all things being equal. You'll always save time, money and aggravation in the long run.
Beware: Cheapest is not always the best. Normally, the best mechanics with the best equipment and training cost more. Often mechanics that charge extremely low prices have inferior or out-dated equipment, little to no formal training or are under-insured.

Complex electrical problems are so involved that serious electrical work should be done in an "Auto Electric" shop. They have the equipment, tool and training to do the job more efficiently than the average mechanic.

Avoid car dealers except to have highly specialized repairs done that can't be done properly anywhere else.

The best as well as the easiest ways to find a good car repair shop is by recommendation or referrals from satisfied customers.

To have work done on late model computer-controlled engines, make sure the shop you choose has the equipment to handle computer-electric service/repair. Sophisticated diagnostic equipment is a must.

To choose the right repair shop for you, it's wise to have a small or minor maintenance or repair job done first to see how the repair shop and mechanic treat you and your car.

You should give detailed description of your car's problem when you take it in for repairs. The more you can describe what your car is doing or not doing (thumping, squealing, clacking sound, etc.) the faster and less it will cost for your mechanic to fix it.

When in doubt about the cost of a repair or a mechanic's honesty get a second opinion. This is one of the best ways to protect yourself from being ripped-off until you can find a permanent repair shop.

Don't race or gun your engine when you start it up. Accelerate slowly and smoothly when your engine is cold,

Stop and accelerate gradually avoiding jackrabbit starts and stops. Avoid burning rubber it places excessive wear on the transmission and rear end, not to mention your tires.

An international tire company estimated that 33% of all tires on the road are under-inflated (low air). Under-inflated tires wear out quicker and have a tendency to blow out easier. Keep front-end aligned, for longer tire life and better gas mileage. Tires driven at 70 mph. wear out almost twice as fast as those driven 50 mph.

Avoid tailgating, tire squealing turns, flying over speed bumps, pot holes and revving your engine.

When possible, avoid driving your car during rush hour stop and go traffic periods.

If your car has "Cruise Control" use it. Using cruise control will save you 5% to 10% of a gallon of gas on long trips.

Avoid constantly pressing and releasing the accelerator when driving. This practice not only wastes fuel, but it puts excessive wear on the drive train of your car.

Don't ride your brake pedal, this wears out your brake linings pre-maturely, and wastes fuel.

Driving with your windows all the way down at higher speeds, will waste 10% more gallons of gasoline than driving with them closed.
Research by a major car manufacturer has revealed that neglect of proper routine maintenance is the number one reason for the enormous increase in car repairs being required.

Tires purchased at department stores such as Sears, Montgomery Wards, K-Mart etc., can be an excellent value because many are made by leading tire manufacturers. When purchasing or changing tires, make sure you have them spin balanced. For a list of what manufacturer makes which tires for what department store, write to: Tire Information Centre, P.O. Box 677, Syosset, NY 11791

Avoid cleaning your windshield with a dry rag or towel. Always dampen with water or some other cleaning liquid. Dry towels grind and scratch your windshield hindering your visibility.

Avoid turning on the car air-conditioning while running at highway speeds as this tends to put an immediate heavy load on your compressor and clutch. This could cause excessive wear and tear on these components. Instead turn your air conditioner on at car speeds below 25 to 30 mph. This helps to preserve your expensive compressor.

Try to avoid running your car with the tank low on gas. Keeping a low tank of gas increases the chance of dirt, water/moisture and rust forming in your fuel system. Keeping a full tank decreases the chance of dirt and other foreign matter forming in your fuel system.

Regular oil changes are the most important thing you can do to protect your engine and make it last longer. Each time you have your engine oil checked; have your transmission fluid checked also.

If you have a manual transmission it is better to down shift to slow your car down instead of using your brakes. This will save wear and tear on your braking system.

A garaged car lasts longer. A car port is next best, and a car cover is a distant third. Protect your car's interior and make it last longer - park your car in the shade or place a windshield guard or cover in the windshield. If you spill something inside your car, clean it up immediately before it dries. Delaying even 30 minutes can sometimes leave a permanent stain or spot. To better protect your car seats have them treated with scotch guard.

NOTE: According to current auto insurance statistics, the average U.S. car's useful life is 10 years or 100,000 miles. By following proper preventative maintenance you can often double your car's useful life, and spend less

About the Author

Pierre Schexneider is president of The Schexneider Group, LLC an E-commerce consulting business. As a consultant his research abilities have afforded him many opportunities to expand his knowledge base. For gas saving tips please visit:

How to Save on Gas

Written by: Pierre Schexneider M. Ed.

Cars And More # 3

2009-07-21T21:24:00.002+05:30

Researching used car prices on the Internet

No sooner have you started searching for car prices on the Internet, your head will be spinning with competitive car prices and promises of prompt delivery, dedicated customer service response, and huge discounts. Are all of those promises and claims to be believed? Your guess is as good as mine, if you want the truth. But then, there are ways to help you find the less unscrupulous ones on the Internet and bring you honest-to-goodness car prices that are well worth your time and money.

There are tons of car and used car websites where you can research on car prices on the Internet. Some of the more popular ones are www.cars.com, www.invoicedealers.com, www.autoweb.com, www.carsdirect.com, www.edmunds.com, www.autos.com, www.car.com, and www.autousa.com. These websites are, essentially, websites that lets car sellers and dealers post their cars and used cars for sale together with the car prices that they are willing to sell the car for. Car buyers will log into the website looking for the car that they want and when the sale goes through, the car seller and car buyer will perform a transaction and the website gets a cut and the car seller gets the rest. The car prices consist of the price of the car, the commission of the seller and the commission due to the listing website. Well, that's if we assume that there are no other parties involved in this transaction. If there are more people stuck in the middle trying to make a quick buck out of the car sale, the car price will hike up accordingly.

If you already know the make and model of the car you're interested to purchase, the only thing left to do is to go to those car listing website, search through their database, check out the car prices they have there and compare the car prices they have with the ones in other websites. Don't forget to compare the car prices with the local car dealer and used-car dealer too, just for good measure. You'll be surprised, sometimes, the local car dealer may have better car prices for you. if not, perhaps the used car dealer may have a fabulous deal in store for you with a car with an unbelievable price and in perfect condition (not the banged-up, knocked-around, and shabbily fixed-up) kind.

Comparing car prices is important. You can do this with a spreadsheet like Excel file. This is easy but if you are going to take your own sweet time researching the car prices, make sure you mark down the date you extract the prices. Car prices go up and down faster than you can imagine. Try find car prices at http://search.ebay.com/car_eBay-Motors_W0QQsacatZ6000

When researching car prices, the more important thing to ensure is the condition of the car. One of the ways to determine if the car price is worth it is to take a look at the picture of the car, if personal examination is not possible at that point in time. However, pictures can be manipulated. And some pictures are not genuine, i.e., the picture is not the real car picture of the car that is for sale. So, be wary, keep in touch with the seller and if the seller sounds dodgy, dodge him...or her.

About the Author

Dakota Caudilla, journalist, and website builder Dakota Caudilla lives in Texas. He is the owner and co-editor of http://www.great-car-deals.com on which you will find a longer, more detailed version of this article.

Written by: Dakota Caudilla

Cars And More # 2

2009-07-21T21:21:00.002+05:30

Seven Steps to Filing Your Car Insurance Claim

Having even a teeny-tiny car accident can be one of life's least enjoyable moments. However, accidents happen, and sooner or later, we all have the experience of meeting one of our fellow road travelers up close and personal. Using the following seven steps to filing your claim will help you get over this speed bump as smoothly as possible.

Step 1: Understand your policy
Before a loss, sit down and carefully read your insurance policy. Call your agent or company if you have any questions about what is or is not covered.

Step 2: Exchange information
If you are involved in an accident, get the other driver's name, address, phone number, insurance carrier, and insurer's phone number. Be prepared to give the same information about yourself to the other driver. You can find insurers' telephone numbers on the proof-of-insurance cards that should be carried on your person when operating a motor vehicle.

Step 3: Identify witnesses
Ask witnesses to the accident for their names and phone numbers in case their account of the accident is needed.

Step 4: File an accident report
Contact local law enforcement officers to have an accident report prepared. If law enforcement is not reachable, accident reports and detailed instructions are available at all police departments, sheriff's offices, your local Department of Motor Vehicles office, and on your local Department of Motor Vehicles' web site.

Step 5: Notify your insurer
Contact your insurance company about the accident as soon as possible. An insurance adjuster will review the accident report to determine who caused the accident. If the accident was not your fault, you can have either your insurance company or the at-fault driver's insurance company handle the repair or replacement of your vehicle. If you use the other driver's company, you will not have a claim on your automobile policy and you will not have to pay a deductible.

Step 6: Do not release insurers too early
Do not relieve your insurance company of its responsibility until the damages are settled to your satisfaction. For example, have your insurance company handle the claim if the other party's insurance company questions its policyholder's negligence or offers an unacceptable settlement.

Step 7: Consider these settlement factors
. Bodily injuries: You may be entitled to a monetary settlement for injuries caused by another at fault (liable) party. It can take several days for some injuries to become apparent.
. Damages: The insurance company is responsible to pay for the reasonable cost of repairs to your vehicle. An insurance adjuster will assess the damage. Usually, insurance companies and auto body shops negotiate disagreements about what should be repaired. If you disagree with their conclusions, you have the right to obtain another appraisal at any auto body shop.
. Appraisal clause: Most auto insurance policies include an appraisal clause, which can be used to help settle disputes about physical damage claims between you and your insurance company. (The appraisal clause does not apply for claims you file with the other party's insurance company.) If you cannot reach an agreement with your company, you or your insurer can initiate the appraisal clause. Your appraiser and your insurer's appraiser then select an independent umpire to try to resolve the dispute. Check your policy or ask your agent or insurance company for more information about the appraisal clause.

And that is it. While filing a claim is certainly no fun, following these seven steps will make the process almost as easy as getting free quotes and purchasing your car insurance at http://www.carinsurance.com.

Visit http://www.carinsurance.com For Your Free Quote

About the Author

Jon Register is a representative of CarInsurance.com. You can visit CarInsurance.com at http://www.carinsurance.com or contact them at 1-877-327-8728.

CarInsurance.com offers the ability to shop for car insurance online. Consumers can receive quotes from many insurance companies, in some states you are able to purchase your insurance instantly, online. You don't have to drive your car to buy car insurance. Buy online...anytime!

Written by: Jon Register

Cars And More

2009-07-21T21:18:00.002+05:30

Choosing the right car

We all dream about the car we’d like, Maybe we see one in the street and think “that’s the one for me” then, being fickle, will see another a little further along the street and say “No, that’s the car I want!”.

Don’t worry, this is quite normal, very few people know exactly what they want.

Here, we give you some considerations on choosing the right car for you so you don’t end up saddled with a car that, frankly, disappoints you! Remember that you are likely to spend a lot of your time sitting in it and the model you choose will say a lot about you to other people.

What will be your new car’s main purpose?
Your lifestyle and what your new car will be used for is the very first thing you need to think about. Basically, your dream car may be TT Roadster (a two-seater) bit if the car is to be used to drop the kids off to school, then it really won’t be suitable!

Consider this ….
• Is the car going to be used for family trips?
• commuting to work in? (then choose a diesel to get the most from your fuel)
• will it be a sporty second car for week-ends?
• Does it need to used for off-roading?
• Will it be needed for business?
• Are you married or single? Do you have children? etc etc

This will then help you build a picture in mind of the car that is realistically right for you

The costs
Another important consideration is running costs:

• What insurance group is the car? The higher the group, the more your insurance premium will be
• If your car is going to do a lot of mileage (over 12,000 miles a year), then think about choosing a car with a diesel engine – these are better on fuel consumption
• More expensive cars will have higher servicing and maintenance bills

Comfort
Depending on what purpose your car is used for, comfort is a consideration.

For commuting or high mileage vehicles, the car should be of the optimum comfort and, ideally, have air conditioning.

If it is a fun car, say a sporty number for weekends, then be prepared that the ride will be slightly harder (but a lot of fun!)

Featured Merchant
By now you should have a good idea of the type of car you want and what it needs to be like to suit your circumstances!

Now, think about how much you can comfortably afford and start doing your research!

The internet is a good place to start looking, you can research prices, specifications and, if you are after a new car, for a bit of fun, you can even visit a manufacturers site and build a car to your own specifications!

Also, scour the motor section of your local newspaper to see what finance deals and offers are on at local dealerships. You could pick up a good deal!

Happy Motoring!

About the Author

Jason Hulott is a Director of
Motor "http://www.motorcarloans.com" Motor Car Loans an automotive resource guide for those looking to buy, insure , sell or in fact do all most anything with a car. Sign up to our free car insurance course, send an email to motorcarloans@getresponse.com

Written by: Jason Hulott

Finance And More # 10

2009-07-17T23:39:00.001+05:30

Bad Credit Mortgage Refinancing - Refinance High Interest Mortgage With Poor Credit

With bad credit, you can't afford not to refinance a high interest mortgage. Working with the right lender, you can trim your loan costs and help your monthly budget. You even have the option to cash out part or all of your equity to pay off high interest credit card debt. Subprime lenders can help you secure financing and reestablish your credit.

Ways To Reduce Your Rates

Even with poor credit, you can lower rates on a future refi loan. Adjustable rate mortgages offer lower initial rates than fixed rate mortgages. Often for two to seven years, rates can be guaranteed. After that, rates are based on an index fund, so they may increase. But with most lenders you can either lock in rates earlier or refinance.

Some lenders will also further reduce your rates if you opt for automatic payment. Your monthly mortgage payment is deducted from your checking account, so you don't worry about getting a payment in the mail.

The surest way to find low rates is to compare loan quotes. Each lender will offer you a different loan package with varying rates and fees. Base your loan decision on who can offer you the best overall financing. If you plan to keep your loan for seven years or more, consider paying a point or more to reduce your rate even more.

Kinds Of Rates To Expect

The best credit scores, 650 or higher, are eligible for market loan rates. Every 50 point drop, on average, adds a point or two to that loan rate. Closing fees are comparable to a conventional rate mortgage. A bonus with subprime lending is that you don't have to pay for private mortgage insurance.

Where To Find Subprime Lenders

Most financing companies now offer subprime financing to those with adverse credit. You can start your loan search with a mortgage broker. Simply mark that you have poor credit on your loan estimate form, and they will connect you to several competitive lenders.

Another option is to go directly to the lender sites. Either check their market rates on the homepage or request a quote. Make sure that you also note closing costs and fees. You don't want to get caught on early payment fees either.

About the author:

View our recommended Bad Credit Mortgage Refinance lenders or view all of our Recommended Refinance Lenders.

Written by: Carrie Reeder

Finance And More # 9

2009-07-17T23:37:00.002+05:30

Wedding Loans: Perfect Finance Option for a Perfect Wedding

After seeing each other for years and being tagged as ‘in love’ since eternity, you desire to bring this to a logical end. You are wrong if you think I am suggesting a divorce even before you are actually married. The end to every love is wedding -the wedding of two bodies and two souls.

Have you been planning wedding since a long time but have been hindered because of the huge cost weddings entail nowadays.

Worry not. Spend as much as you can, because wedding loans are there to pay every penny of the expenses.

Average wedding costs anywhere between $19,000 – $27,000. This may go much higher if one is planning to have a gala wedding with all the pomp and show included.

And why shan’t one. Wedding is a once in a lifetime event. People would take all efforts to make the wedding truly memorable.

But the society and the customs have changed much. Just as the parents or guardians lost their say over the choice of bride or groom, they have little to do in the planning and financing of the wedding. So it is the couple who does all the spending on the wedding.

So how do the couples bear the expenses of wedding, in spite of being new to their professions and low on the income graph?

Wedding loans are an effective tool in their hands which they use to pay the entire wedding expenses. Wedding loans can finance practically every wedding expense right from the elegant wedding dress to the exquisitely beautiful engagement ring, from the lavish reception to the impeccable church decoration.

There are a number of other expenses which seem insignificant if seen individually, but become difficult to repay when taken in totality. These can be very easily paid through wedding loans.

Besides, wedding loans can be a much cheaper option to use for the payment rather than credit cards or past savings. Using a credit card can be simple if one goes by the immediate outcomes. But when the credit card debts are due for payment you find them to be much more than what you really spent. No, the credit card company is not indulging in any king of overcharging or cheating. This is only because of the accumulation of interest. Payment through credit cards is just like drawing a loan, but at a much higher rate.

Utilizing past savings for a one day affair like a wedding would be a waste. It could have been a lot better had the past savings been used for some productive purposes.

A wedding loan allows the customer to enjoy two benefits. The first benefit of wedding loan is that the customer will not have to pay an exorbitantly high amount. Most of the lenders offer loans at reasonable rates of interest.

The second benefit is regarding the timing of payment. Even though a customer has to pay more than what he would have spent, he accepts this because he does not have to pay the whole amount at one go. Monthly payments require to be made towards the payment of loan.

A certain amount of planning is necessary when taking a wedding loan. If parents are ready to be a part of the finances then they must be included in discussions. How much can they spend on the wedding needs to be decided well in advance. This will determine the amount of wedding loan that needs to be applied for.

Secured wedding loans taken against ones home will be much cheaper. A valuation of the home or property will be done. One can draw loan depending upon the worth of his home. However there are options for those who do not have a home or who do not want to put their home under any kind of obligation.

Next comes the choice of lenders. It is no longer necessary to depend on lenders in one particular locality or region. Almost every big and small lender is available online. An internet connection is what is needed. One does not even have to leave his home or office, and loan can be applied for instantly. Such a relief from the previous times when a customer had to go to each and every lender to just get the quotes. Few customers were ready to go through this grind, and hence accepted whatever offer was given.

These loans are very easy to approve. With the valuation of property and credibility check over, it is very easy to get loans approved. Filling up each and every detail with caution and accuracy can save enough of time in the approval process.

Did you promise your wife an impeccable wedding ring? You can keep on the promise since wedding loans are there to meet the expense.

About the Author

Aditya Thakur is a financial consultant and is currently pursuing masters in journalism from JMI University. To find a secured loan that suits your need visit http://www.ukfinanceworld.co.uk

Written by: Aditya Thakur

Finance And More # 8

2009-07-17T23:35:00.001+05:30

Where to Get a Loan : Consumer finance companies.

If you have no or poor credit background, a consumer finance company may be an option. Unlike banks and savings and loan associations, these finance companies borrow money from other sources and then lend that money out to the consumer. The spread, or difference between the interest rate that the finance company pays to borrow the money and the interest rate the company charges you, needs to be large enough for the finance company to profit, so the interest rate that finance companies charge is much higher than the rate that a bank or S&L charges. Consumer finance companies also tend to approve smaller loans than other institutions.

If you have little or poor credit history or are borrowing without collateral (security pledged for the payment of a loan), you pay a very high interest rate at a finance company. The company is taking on a greater risk with your loan and needs to build in provisions for collection costs if you default on the loan. If you can pledge collateral for the term of the loan, negotiate for a lower rate.

Before applying with a finance company, do your homework. Try to find something of yours that you can put up for collateral, and check your credit report for positive accumulated credit. If either of these options is available, apply for your loan at a bank or a savings and loan and discuss different options with them.

If you have a relative or friend who would cosign or pledge collateral for you, try that avenue before committing to the high interest rates of a finance company.

To view our list of most recommended Loan companies online, visit this page: Loan . Jean Robbins is the owner of Loan website, an informational website about various types of loans.

About the Author

Jean Robbins is currently worked in Corporate Finance at Tilburg University and a research fellow of the CentER for Economic Research

Written by: Jean Robbins

Finance And More # 7

2009-07-17T23:32:00.002+05:30

Commercial Collections: Business Finance Booster Shot

If commercial collections is not part of your B2B business plan, you're losing money. Get your cash flowing again with these commercial collections secrets.
Commercial collections: fixture of the new B2B culture
If you're in the business-to-business field, or even if you're a consumer products business that works through third-party distribution channels, you probably know what it's like to check your mail anxiously each day, sifting through all the bills for that payment that was supposed to have been in months ago.
It wasn't supposed to be like this. If you were a good, honest businessperson who dealt with other good, honest businesspeople, "commercial collections" wasn't supposed to be part of your vocabulary.

Back in the good old days, an invoice or purchase order that had an established company listed in the "bill to" field was almost as good as a cashier's check. Nowadays, if you're in the business of serving other businesses you may find that your cash flow is less reliable than a small-time bookie's.

Commercial Collections: A Personal Story
This past April I finally got the $2,000 a client owed me for work done in December, after spending almost as much money's worth of my time reminding them to pay.
No, this wasn't one of those hand-shake deals-we had a 5-page contract specifying net-30 payment terms. Nor was this some guy with a lemonade stand. It was the media division of one of the largest retailers in the United States.

The worst part was, I trusted this client based on my experience working with them a few years before. I actually spent the money on Christmas presents, fully expecting the payment to come in before my credit card statement.

Avoiding Outstanding Invoices
Of course, you can nip this problem in the bud by cultivating strong relationships with clients who pay on time. But those clients are getting few and far between-and, as I found, the good can go pretty bad pretty fast.
Worse, it seems that the larger the business, the less likely they are to pay on time. "Net 10 days" might as well be a foreign language in Fortune 500 land. The long-standing advice given to B2B businesses and self-employed people is that the money is in big corporations. But good luck getting it from them before your rent is due.

What I Should Have Done
Looking back on my experience with the deadbeat corporate client, my biggest mistake was doing it all myself, with writing the letters and making the phone calls. With an hourly rate of about $75, I ended up spending the time equivalent of a large chunk of my $2000 fee.
I should have gone to a collection agency. I just didn't know then that were collection agencies that would take on small business debts and run the whole process for you for as little as $20 per debt.

Of course, I also didn't know that going to a collection agency didn't necessarily mean "putting an account in collections." Many collection agencies are in fact refashioning themselves as "accounts receivable management" specialists; they'll even manage your invoicing from end-to-end if you want. The client may not even realizing that the person on the phone is from an outside agency and not your own personal assistant.

When I think of all the value of the time I spent collecting that last $2,000, I could kick myself for not handing it over to a collection agency. But, I can always look forward to putting this knowledge into practice the next time I have a client who's slow in paying.

About the Author

Steve Austin is a regular contributor to Let No
Debt Remain Outstanding (http://www.let-no-debt-remain-outstanding.com/),
a website with articles on choosing a collection
agency, along with recommended the best collection agencies.

Written by: Steve Austin

Finance And More # 6

2009-07-17T23:29:00.003+05:30

Organizing Your Finances: - Show Me MY Money: What You're Worth or * net * Worth

Organizing Your Finances:
- Show Me MY Money: What You're Worth or * net * Worth
by: Janet L. Hall

Benjamin Franklin once said, * Time is money *. I think he wanted one to
add up how much time they spent on a particular task or job and how much
money they might have been wasting.

I do an exercise with my clients to help them discover what their per minute
worth is to enable them to see how much money they might be losing because
they are disorganized. Such as, if you are doing a non-income producing
activity for 15 minutes, you can see how your money is being spent!

It's a very simple calculation.

Your Per Minute Worth Calculation

Yearly income divided by 52 weeks = weekly income
Weekly Income divided by 40 hours (or total hours you work per week) =
hourly income
Hourly income divided by 60 = Your Per Minute Worth

Before you begin to OverHall and Balance your financial area, you need to
find out your net worth, and your spending habits. This will help assist
you later with your budget, payoffs, or long-term savings. It will also
help in guiding you with such things as your protection, investment, income
tax, retirement, and estate planning.

Your total net worth is your total assets (what you own or already have
saved) minus your total liabilities (what you owe out). I'm not going to
tell you this is as easy as figuring out your per minute worth because it's
not! It will take time and a commitment from you to determine your net
worth.

TIP: I have found the best time to do this exercise is when you are paying
your bills. At that time you usually have the information needed to help you
calculate your net worth. So, if it usually takes you an hour to pay your
bills, tack on at least an extra hour this month for this exercise. For your
convenience, print out and use the net worth form below. You will be
writing in your totals for each line. For instance, if you have two savings
accounts, total your balances first and then write in the total next to
Savings Account.

ASSETS
Cash Reserve Totals-

Certificates of Deposit:
Checking Account:
Credit Union Account:
Money Market Account:
Savings Account:

Investment Totals-

401(k):
Bonds:
Mutual Funds:
Stocks:

Personal Totals-

Art:
Boat:
Car(s):
Furnishings:
Jewelry:
Other:

Real Estate Totals-

Home:
Second Home/Vacation Home:
Other Real Estate:

TOTAL ASSETS: $

LIABILITIES

Short-term Debt Totals-

Credit Card Balances:
Current Bills Owed:
Loans w erms of six years or less:
Taxes:

Long-term Debt Totals-

Loans w erms of seven years or more:
Mortgage(s):

TOTAL LIBILITIES: $

Congratulations! You did it! * Drum roll * Please!
TOTAL ASSETS: $
- (minus) TOTAL LIABILITIES: $
YOUR TOTAL NET WORTH = $

Now see if your net worth falls under A., B., or C. below, and see how you
can begin to bring some balance back to this area of your life.

A. If your total net worth is half or less of your annual income or you have
a negative number you need to REALLY * OverHall * and Balance your financial
area!

~~ Pay off some/all debt
~~ Cut back on spending
~~ Stop charging
~~ Start a savings plan

B. If your total net worth is more than half your annual income but less
than a few years' income you need to * OverHall * and Balance your financial
area.

~~ If you're 40 or under and own a home, you're okay for now
~~ If you're 40 or over and you don't own a home:
`` Cut back on spending
`` Stop charging
`` Reduce debt
`` Increase your savings
`` Buy a home before retiring

C. If your total net worth is more than a few years' of your annual income,
CONGRATULATIONS! Keep doing what you've been doing!

Listed below are some questions to ask yourself now that you know and can
see what your net worth equals.

1. Do you have enough cash reserves to meet your needs?

2. Do you have enough protection to provide money for unforeseen emergencies
(we talked about this last issue)?

3. Do you have enough fixed assets (usually long-term; bonds are an example)
to provide or produce additional income?

4. Do you have enough equity assets (short or long-term; real estate and
stocks are examples) for growth and income?

To answer those questions, you need to know what your family and your needs
and goals are and then plan how you are going to meet them.

Quick Tips to INCREASE Your Assets:

1. Maximize your 401(k) contribution
2. Start investing
3. Get automatic deduction/deposit from paycheck to savings each pay period.

Quick Tips to DECREASE Your Liabilities:

Credit Cards
1. If you have to use a credit card, use only one major card
2. Pay more than the minimum payment on the credit card with the highest
interest rate
3. Stop charging to the highest interest rate credit card
4. Get rid of department store credit cards
5. Don't apply for anymore credit cards

Mortgage(s)
1. Pay a little extra each month towards the PRINCIPAL of your mortgage
payment
2. Drop your PMI (Private Mortgage Insurance) when your home equity exceeds
20% of your home's value (talk to your mortgage lender)
3. Refinance mortgage at a lower interest rate
4. Refinance mortgage at a lower interest rate AND finance for 15 or 20
years instead of the usual 30 years.
5. Pay half your monthly mortgage payment every two weeks (talk to your
lender)

Smiles, not Piles,
Janet L. Hall

The Organizing Wizard, Janet L. Hall, is a Professional
Organizer, Speaker, and Author. She is the owner of
OverHall Consulting, and Organizing By Phone. Subscribe to
her FREE organizing newsletter at
http://www.overhall.com/newsletter.htm or visit
her web site at http://www.overhall.com

Copyright 2000 by OverHall Consulting
P.O. Box 263, Port Republic, MD 20676
All Rights Reserved. Permission is granted to reproduce, copy, or distribute so long as this copyright notice and full information about contacting the author is attached.

About the Author

The Organizing Wizard, Janet L. Hall, is a Professional
Organizer, Speaker, and Author. She is the owner of
OverHall Consulting, and Organizing By Phone. Subscribe to
her FREE organizing newsletter at
http://www.overhall.com/newsletter.htm or visit
her web site at http://www.overhall.com

Written by: Janet L. Hall

Finance And More # 5

2009-07-17T23:27:00.001+05:30

1st And 2nd Mortgage Refinance Loan

Refinancing a first and second mortgage requires some extra considerations. Depending on your equity, you may find that combining the two mortgages results in a higher interest rate. You may also find that you have to carry PMI with the refinanced mortgage.

Will Refinancing Benefit You?

Refinancing two mortgages allows you to consolidate your loans into one payment, often lowering your monthly bill. You may also find lower rates under the right circumstances.

Those with a large amount of equity benefit most from consolidating loans since they qualify for the lowest rates. It is important to look at interest savings, not just monthly numbers which can be misleading.

However, if you have less than 25% equity, you may end up qualifying for higher rates. With less than 20% equity, you will also have to pay for private mortgage insurance. Even with these factors, you may still find that you will save money by refinancing.

Have You Done Your Research?

To see if refinancing makes sense for you, research mortgage lenders. You can quickly go online and request quotes and terms. Look at the different offers, and work out the numbers. An online mortgage calculator can help you figure out monthly payments and interest costs.

An easy way to compare cost is to first add up your interest payments for both mortgages. Use this number to compare interest payments with each potential mortgage.

You also need to factor in the cost of refinancing. Just like with your original mortgage, you will have to pay fees and points. You want to be sure that you can recoup these costs with your interest savings.

Why Do You Want To Refinance Both Mortgages?

While refinancing both mortgages is convenient, you may decide to refinance only one or both separately. With your main mortgage, you can expect to get low rates.

A second mortgage will usually qualify for higher rates, but you can lock them in. You may also choose to convert from a line of credit to an actual mortgage. Again, you will want to investigate financial packages before signing up with a lender.

About the author:

View our recommended mortgage Refi lenders. Carrie Reeder is the owner of ABC Loan Guide, an informational website about various types of loans.

Written by: Carrie Reeder