Standard Stroller

Prom And Homecoming Dresses For The 2006 Season.

2009-06-07T02:25:00.001-07:00

Now is the time to start searching for prom and homecoming dresses for 2006. It?s nice to allow yourself plenty of time, so you can relax and enjoy checking out all those gorgeous dresses before you decide which one is going to be absolutely perfect.

Before you begin searching for your prom or homecoming dress, you should have a clear idea in your mind of whether you?re looking for a full formal, semi-formal or dressy casual style. Most high school proms are full formal, so it?s the perfect opportunity to wear that full length ball gown you?ve always dreamed of, or the kind of sophisticated formal dress you would reserve for the most glamorous occasions.

A homecoming dance or event will usually be less formal, but the dress code will depend on the event and on your particular school?s tradition. The best way to get an idea of the kind of outfit which will be most appropriate is to just ask the senior students, or graduates if you know any.

Now is the time of year when the major trends are beginning to emerge for the coming season. There are a number of looks which are shaping up to be the big trends for 2006, so you have plenty of choice.

Prom and Homecoming Fashion Trends for 2006

Black is the new black. Of course, classic black never really goes out of style, but the sophisticated black dress will be one of the strongest trends for the 2006 prom season. Slinky shapes with glamorous floor length skirts are the main focus.

Bold, dramatic black and white will also be an important look, in particular the classic black and white paneled bodice with a solid white A-line skirt. We?ll also see solid black dresses with dramatic white detailing.

Winter white is still an important look, particularly with silvery beads and details.

Colors for 2006 will be bold and dramatic. Soft pastels have most definitely made way for striking rich reds, dazzling blues, sparkling golds, sunset yellows and even tangy citrus orange tones. If you like to be really daring with color, this will be the year for bold contrasts of two or more strong colors.

The sexy Grecian style gown is tipped to be a particularly hot look for the 2006 season, after Kelly Clarkson really turned heads with the stunning gold silk dress she wore at the VMA Awards in August. If you have a sensational figure, now is the time to really show it off!

Strapless ball gowns were the main attraction at the Golden Globe Awards in 2005, worn by everyone from Kim Kattrall of ?Sex and the City? to ?Friends? favorite Lisa Kudrow, so we?ll be seeing a lot of this fabulous celebrity style in the upcoming prom season.

Fabrics will be shining, lustrous and glamorous, with satin and silk the main focus. We?ll also see lots of flowing chiffon, classic taffeta and gorgeous organza.

Beads, sequins, rhinestones, glitter, embroidery and and specialty detailing will also be a major trend, so if you love a little glamour it?s definitely going to be your year. There will be lots of beautifully beaded necklines and embroidered bodices. Extravagantly romantic lace, ribbons, tie-backs and bows will also be very much in vogue.

There?s no single strong trend in hemlines; it?s really a case of anything goes, be it a full floor length skirt, tea length, short or daringly short. We?ll also see everything from cheeky handkerchief hems to classic A-line shapes, long skirts with trains, funky asymmetrical hemlines, sexy slit dresses, and even elegant ballerina skirts. It?s really a matter of choosing the skirt shape and length which best suits your figure and shows off your assets.

Prom and Homecoming Accessories

Beads and embroidery will also be in very much in vogue for prom and homecoming accessories. There will be lots of beautifully designed beaded and embroidered purses and shawls to complement the season?s gowns.

You can never go wrong with strappy mid to high-heel shoes to complement evening wear. Bear in mind when you?re choosing your shoes that you not only want to look sensational, you also want to keep dancing all night, so look for evening shoes which are comfortable as well as stylish.

An alternative shoe style which will make a surprise appearance in 2006 will be ballet shoes. There will be lots of prom shoes in ballet styles, but there?s no reason why you can?t wear real ballet shoes, which are inexpensive and easy to find. With the right dress, they?ll look absolutely gorgeous.

And the hot tip for jewelry is chandelier earrings, which look great particularly worn with your hair up to show them off. This will be the year for bold, extravagant, sparkling jewelry, including brooches, necklaces, bracelets, rings and tiaras with every kind of jewel, from dazzling rubies and emeralds to classic diamonds and pearls.

About the Author: Lynn Donn is the webmaster for http://www.1st-in-formal-dresses.com Her website offers tips and information on all the latest trends in prom, homecoming dresses and formal dresses.

Sarasota Real Estate: Benefits of Directories to Visitors

2009-06-06T02:25:00.001-07:00

Most people who are looking for a particular telephone number would flip open the Yellow Pages. Directories are so much a part of our mundane living that its presences is usually taken for granted. There are several types of directories. The building directory helps one find the right office or apartment. The employee directory will helps one find the right person in the right department. A film directory helps one find a particular by title, subject, actors, director or producer.

Another type of directory that is relevant for Sarasota real estate investors is the real estate directory. What is it exactly? Like most online directories found on the Internet, a real estate directory is a listing of Web sites, which are classified and indexed in some particular order in order to facilitate searching. Depending on the real estate directory, the listings available will be indexed according to region, agent, type of property or price ? and often all of the above. Other sections will be clearly labeled as well?a comprehensive real estate directory offers more than just properties for sale. You?ll find listings for appraisers, inspectors, home improvement sites, contractors?almost anything that has to do with real estate.

Unlike a single realtor site, a Sarasota real estate directory will cover listings from various sources. Thus, it gives a searcher the widest possible variety of listings to search through. A trip through a Sarasota real estate directory will give a good feel for the general market conditions in Sarasota. It also facilitates searching of a realtor who is listing the properties one is interested in buying.

While traditional search engines are good venues to start seeking for home listings, one will often have to browse through several pages to get past the listings for home mortgage companies, a few dozen single realtors, several realty listing sites that only lead to more realty listing sites. On the other hand, by going directly to a real estate directory, one cuts out the sifting through pages of unrelated info and get straight to what is being searched for. An indexed directory of current real estate listings in Sarasota simply makes it easy to find the homes one wants to buy in this sunny city in Florida.

Finally, the best Sarasota real estate directory does not end with providing listings of homes for sale like many realtor sites do. One will usually find listings for Web sites that talk about how to prepare a home for sale, how to put a home on the market, which home improvements offer the most return on investment, mortgage and loan companies and so much more.

Earl Juanico http://sarasota-realestate.biz

Baby Names Choosing Trendy Or Traditional

2009-06-05T02:25:00.001-07:00

The hottest tip on getting a web site listed quickly by Yahoo Inktomi MSN FAST Altavista and Hot

2009-06-04T02:25:00.001-07:00

Anne-Marie KillerEvery webmaster knows that the free search engines are a major source of traffic.

They also know that applying all the SEO techniques in the world will not in itself get their web pages spidered, indexed and listed. Yes, sure, a perfect page, once indexed and listed will surely rank high for its keywords but unless it is found by the spiders, it is pretty useless.

It is no secret that the process of a web page being found by the spiders can be helped by placing links to that web site on other web sites (e.g. by doing a links exchange with other web sites, by putting one's URL in one's signature file when posting on a forum, by writing and submitting articles for free distribution and placing one's URL in the author's resource block etc.) All of this will surely work but it can take months before anything happens. The webmaster has no option but to be patient and wait...and wait...and wait.

Now there is something very easy and very effective one can do to speed up this process. Actually, using this method, will get a web page indexed and listed in less than 48 hours. And the whole process is controlled by the webmaster. It is easy, fast in terms of setting it all up and what's more it is free!

Here is what one does:
Go to http://www.blogger.com and sign up for a new account (free - they even host the blog on their server at no cost)
Give your blog a name.
Navigate to 'Settings' and then choose 'Site Feed'
Check that the 'Publish Site Feed' option is set to 'Yes'
Copy the 'Site Feed URL' to the clip board (you can paste is some where .. you're going to use it when you've set up your my.yahoo account)
Save your changes
Navigate to 'Posting' and create your first entry.
What should you write? Anything, actually - your words do not make that much of a difference. what is important is that you add the URL of each page you want listed to the blog. Remember to add them as live links (to enable all the spiders to follow them!) As a suggestion, why not make your blog a log of this experiment?
Publish your blog by hitting the 'Publish' button.

Sorry, we're not done yet...

Now you have to go to http://www.yahoo.com and open a My Yahoo! account. Just follow Yahoo's very clear instructions.
Click on the 'Add Content' button.
Click the 'Add RSS by URL' link.
Paste the 'Site Feed URL' you've copied earlier in the 'URL' field and hit 'Add'.
You have just added your site's news feed to your My Yahoo! account.

Mmm, you don't know what a news feed is? I've written a document explaining it all. You can read it here: http://perfect-party-ideas.blogspot.com/2005/01/what-is-orange-xml-or-rss-icon-i-see.html

Last step: go to http://www.pingomatic.com
Enter your blog's name and URL (similar to mine: http://www.perfect-party-ideas.blogspot.com)
Select all the services to ping (of which My Yahoo! is one) and click the 'Submit Pings' button.
Navigate back to your My Yahoo! account and refresh your browser.
Scroll to the bottom of the page where you'll see your blog's feed appearing.

Your job is done - the spider bait is ready!

Now for a bit of excitement. Start watching your web site's stat's to see how quickly the spiders find their way to your web site. You could even throw a free stats counter on your blog and watch the spiders visiting your blog.

Next step: Play log-and-ping every day or so. More often if you have the time! Whenever you feel like it, add another posting to your blog. Remember to throw in some links to specific pages on your web site.

Let me know how successful you were - use my 'Contact Me' page on my web site.

About the author:

Anne-Marie Killer is a mother of two step teenagers and a toddler. She is the webmaster and owner of Perfect Party Ideas
Read her blog where she documents the process of setting up Perfect Party Ideas

Web-site designing Pillars (part2)Pavel LenshinWEB-SITE DESIGNING PILLIARS (part 2)

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copyright (c) Pavel Lenshin
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USABILITY

Usability is what makes your WS pleasant to deal with.
While everyone defines personally for her(him)self how to
make design nice to look at, memorable (in respect to
branding) and serve customer/business needs in the best way
possible, the technical side of usability can and should be
corrected using the standard requirements.

SOURCE CODE OPTIMIZATION

Firstly about the four problems that come to my mind with
dirty HTML source code:

1. Potential cross-browser conflicts as some particular
useless Tags (a piece of HTML source code) may be neglected
by one browser but create some visual errors, when viewed in
other browser.
2. The more useless HTML Tags web-page has, the more drive
space it occupies.
3. As the derivative of the previous problem, the more size
of that web-page, the longer it takes to visitor to load and
view it.
4. Search engines like plain and clear textual information
for easy search and scan. By having a lot of useless pieces
of HTML code, you prevent SE spiders to proper index your
web-pages. The result is the obvious decreasing of your
Search Engine rankings. That is why Meta Tags correcting is
not the only thing you should pay attention to.

Statistic shows that more then 85% of all WSs online demands
graphics or HTML code optimization. That is actually a
common problem, the core of which lies in the use of highly
popular home web editors like FrontPage or other.

The winner among the worst is well-known Netscape
Composer, due to the extremely dirty HTML code it
generates while editing old or creating new web-pages. If
you have ever used Composer and no one have cleaned those
web-pages afterwards, they definitely contain a lot of HTML
garbage.

Based on my own experience every 50Kb Netscape Composer's
web-page can be easily optimized to the 40Kb file size or
less, as a simple result of the deleting junk HTML tags. If
you implement Cascade Style Sheet and HTML compressor you
will get the same, but clean & shiny web-page totaling
25-30Kb (40-50% space savings) with the enhanced visual
effects.

The example above shows saving on a single web-page, but if
we speak in terms of 50-60 pages WS, that occupy (without
graphics) 3-5Mb of hard drive space, the potential savings
as a result of HTML optimization may reach 1-3Mb.
So if you are experiencing the lack of hard drive space with
your hosting provider, the solution to that problem lies in
simple WS optimization. It doesn't only save a lot of space,
but, as we know, eliminates potential cross-browser
mistakes, helps SE spiders to properly index your web-pages
and make your visitors' surfing more quick and smooth and
therefore pleasant.

GRAPHICS OPTIMIZATION

When we speak about poorly optimized graphics we get two
problems: more occupied space and worse load time. Given
that the first obstacle may be overcome by acquiring
personal server with several Gigabytes of hard drive space,
the letter problem will continue to exist as the majority of
web visitors have low speed dial-up connection.

To make your graphics optimized on the basic level, you
should save it in the proper graphic format. Many popular
pictures of eBook covers can be easily optimized simply by
re-saving .JPG format into .GIF or vice versa depending on
particular file. That tactic alone can bring 15Kb file to
occupy 7-10Kb in the matter of 2 min.

The basic math shows that 10 optimized pictures (without
HTML optimization) on a web-page are capable to decrease the
overall size of it from 120Kb to 70Kb with no visual loss in
the quality of picture. Are you aware of statistics how many
visitors leave your site just because they are tired to wait
until all pictures load? It doesn't mean that you have to
simply delete these pictures completely as some people
suggest, what it does mean is that they are better to be
optimized because in case with eBook covers, they proved to
triple selling potential and their absence will be hardly
compensated by new visitors.

To choose the right format, follow one simple rule:
If the target picture is more likely to be a photo, with
many colors, unshaped objects and different lights, this
file should be saved in .JPG format. If, on the contrary, a
picture is more likely to consists of a number of vector
objects like circles, triangles, squares, doesn't have too
many colors or similar to some drown comics, then .GIF
format is the best to use.

If it is hard to determine, then save it in both formats and
compare quality/size ratio. Not much work, big effect.

Having semi- or fully professional graphic editors will
allow you to get even better results by selecting
compression rate, smoothness, sharpness of edges if we
speak about .JPG format; or palette, colors, rate of
transparency, animation features etc. if we deal with .GIF
format.

Today's technological opportunities are vast, so it is you
to decide how deeply you want to dive in.

CROSS-BROWSER &
SCREEN RESOLUTION OPTIMIZATION

The numbers are the following:
- 2% have outdated 14'' with 640*480 pixels in width and
height respectively.
- 49% of web-surfers use 15 monitors with preferable
standard screen resolution of 800*600 pixels;
- 45% surf the web with 17 monitors with reasonable
1024*768 resolution;
- 4% of users enjoy 18-19 monitors with 1152*864-1280*1024
screen settings.

What should these numbers tell you? The very simple thing
if you created the WS on your 15 monitor, don't assume that
it will look as good on other monitors as on yours.

Let me draw several notes here about the tendency that
monitor market will follow in the nearest future.
First is that all 14 monitors are gradually going to their
deserved eternal rest. Even the share of notebooks with 15
TFT screens growing exponentially. There are even several
new versions with 16 active matrixes. Don't also forget
that notebooks' 14 TFT screen have almost the same diagonal
inches as usual 15 CRT (Cathode-ray tube) monitors.
Secondly, the number of 15 monitors is also decreasing, due
to growing number of 17 monitor owners that is the third
point.

One sentence conclusion of the above statistics is that your
WS should look fine, at least, under 800*600 and 1024*768
resolutions. This is a market demand to your WS and, as we
know, you better not joke with The Market.

Without going deep into theory, there are two ways:
- more simple;
- more complex.

Both correct, both satisfy the demand above but the letter
way, given it is more complex, usually perfectly fits any
screen resolution, whether it is 14 or 21 and more
favorable to WS space usage.

The easier way would be to make the borders of your web-page
(tables of your web-page) to be fixed with certain number of
pixels.
The most popular settings are something between 650 to 750
pixels just to fit that 800 pixels width screen under the
most popular 15 monitor 800*600 resolution. If you go that
way your web-page will have the same look under different
sets of resolutions.
If we try to see it at 14 monitor with 640 pixels in width,
the unpleasant horizontal scroller would appear because our
fixed setting in 700 pixels is wider then 640 and it just
won't fit in it. If, on the other hand, we look at our
imaginable site under 1152*864 or 1280*1024, it will look
too narrow, as it will occupy only 60% of the screen width
(our 700 in comparison to 1200 screen pixels width).
Why does this designing way simpler? You just won't have any
problems building it: no need for resolution or
cross-browser optimization, as fixed pixels are read
correctly under almost every browser.

The more complex way is to have width of one or several HTML
tables columns on your site to be set in percents like 75%
or 100% and, therefore, poses the ability to automatically
broaden or narrow according to the specified percents,
depending on what screen resolution the site is being viewed
under.
If you have 600*800 screen settings (the screen width is 600
pixels) and one of the table width of your site is set to
100%, then this particular table along with all included
text and graphic will narrow to 600 pixels, if we set the
monitor to 1200*1024 resolution, i.e. having 1200 pixels
wide, our site's table will stretch to the specified 100%,
in that case, 1200 pixels.
That's why it looks more attractive under different
resolutions but demands additional optimization, including
cross-browser optimization, as Netscape Navigator browser
has some problems with proper interpreting of percent
settings in multi column tables. Which way to choose depends
on the tasks and your preference.

I wish you endless creativity and no more then 70Kb per page

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About the author:

Pavel Lenshin is an Internet entrepreneur, web-developer and
marketer, founder of the entrepreneurship portal, where you
can find discounted Internet services, marketing solutions,
FREE ebooks, FREE reports and finally uncover innovative
business strategies through FREE NET Business Magazine.
Visit: http://asbone.com

Web-site designing Pillars (part1)Pavel LenshinWEB-SITE DESIGNING PILLIARS (part1)

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copyright (c) Pavel Lenshin
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It is a hot opinion that it's the words that sell, not a
design and that you should invest all your money into
writing a good sales copy and what is left (if anything)
into web-site. I can give you 99 out of 100 that authors of
these claims are copywriters, web-designers usually don't
write articles. It is like asking football player what game
he enjoys more: football or hockey? :0)

I don't want to argue that statement about the importance of
copywriting, on the contrary, I think that it is totally
true, but under one condition your Web-Site (WS hereafter)
is already implied to make your visitors feel, at least,
comfortable.

It could never be counted, how many times I closed down the
browser without reading a single word, just because of the
amateurish and clumsy look those WSs had.

No need to emphasize on importance of the professional WS.
It is obvious, at the same time you won't read there, that
web-design is everything and that professional sales letter
or text message is nothing, because it is like answering the
question what is better to have skin or heart cancer? To
my mind, it is better to be totally healthy.

Business WS usually plays the role of virtual office, shop,
informational dep., marketing dep. and service dep. It is a
main representative and the core of your business the
final proof, the image of your company is based on.

-----What it is all about-----

The target is set to make your WS as good as it can
possibly be. Here I pointed the crucial pillars of designing
a professional looking WS. You will not find there basic
HTML teaching or how to use particular web-editor. The
knowledge of HTML will help, but is not compulsory, as
WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) editors will make all
HTML coding work ehind the scene for you.

You require general understanding of what HTML is and
ability to use one or several WYSIWYG web-editors, that is
three hour learning process. The feeling of style and taste
is also advisable; otherwise you will have to consult a
designer.

The problem with design How to.. is that WS design is 90%
creative work, where is no two identical WS (unless copied),
that is why there cannot be any step-by-step study, the same
way there is no step-by-step study on how to paint a
masterpiece paint.

What we can teach is how to hold a brush, but it is you,
who should paint Mona Lisa and become Leonardo da Vinci.

-----What your WS should look like?-----

+ Stylish. Consider it as an exterior and interior of your
whole off-line business premises, starting from hall
(main-index web-page) and ending with your personal office
(about me web-page). It has to have its unique feel and
style. Don't also forget about branding features your WS
represent.

+ Clear structure. Imagine a shopper who wants to make a
purchase at your offline store, but in order to enter it, he
has to go through warehouse, service department and all
kinds of office premises. Don't allow your web visitor feel
like that shopper.

+ Harmonically allocated design elements like graphics and
text. The WS is united entity and your brand. Every element
on the WS is to be blend with exterior, no separated
elements or graphics like a number of flashy banners.

+ High usability standards and complete WS optimization
including clear HTML code and optimized web graphics that
are similar to clear shop. The more dirt your web-pages
contains, the more time it will take to load them, the more
potential errors it may show in different browsers, and the
harder it will be for Search Engine spiders to index your
WS. We will discuss these issues later on.
Pay also attention to broken links, as it is similar to wall
behind the door of your off-line shop. Let your visitors
find good resources with your help, rather than an Error
404 Page not found.

+ Absence of grammatical errors. It concerns grammatical
correctness of textual information. The importance of
correct grammar is clear, no one wants to deal with
uneducated people, especially if they represent businesses.

-----What programs you will need-----

First of all you will need to equip yourself with right
armament, that are mostly WYSISWG (What You See Is What
You Get) web-editors. The download links and short
description you can find below:

Macromedia Dreamveawer -
http://www.macromedia.com/software/dreamweaver/ - considered
to be the best WYSIWYG HTML editor. Ideal for beginners as
well as professional users. Anything you can only imagine
has already been included :0) 30 days trial version.

EzyPage - http://www.ezyware.com/ - very simple drag&drop
web-page creator for beginners. Although it has several very
interesting features build in like dropdown menu or
scrolling table. Free distribution.

Stepzilla - http://www.stepzilla.com/ - the software's
motto - step by step to the web - tells everything for
itself.

1st page 2000 v.2 final - http://www.evrsoft.com/products/ -
very pleasant HTML editor for beginners as well as advanced
webmasters. Has ability to choose the interface that will be
more suitable. Available HTML cleaning option, XML
converter, build in FTP-client and preview function. A lot
of ready to use Javasript, VBScript, DHTML, Perl
applications. The software is being distributed for free.

Hot Dog Professional -
http://sausage.com/products/index.html - three HTML
editors - HotDog Junior for kids, PageWiz for beginners and
Professional ver.6 for advanced users. Convenient interface
with easy to access HTML functions. Includes CSS editor,
checker for tag errors and many others. All three editors
allow to download 30-days trial version.

CoffeCup HTML editors - http://www.coffeecup.com/software/ -
another offer with several versions of softwares for
beginners as well as advanced users. Pre-made JavaScript
applications libraries, Flash effects, font creator, HTML
code cleaner, FTP-client, and many more. Collection of
web-pictures, backgrounds, icons. Available 30-days trial
PRO or free version.

AceHTML 5.0 Pro - http://www.visicommedia.com/ -
professional HTML editor. DHTML ? JavaScript libraries.
Build in CSS editor, HTML, JavaScript, CSS checker, supports
XHTML, XML, Perl and WML documents. HTML code optimizer,
link checker. Available 30-days trial version.

-----PILLARS OF PROPER DESIGNING-----

TASKS DEFINING.

You next step after setting up the appropriate web-design
program is to set the list of tasks your site should solve.
You should answer the following questions:

1. Are your WS a sales letter or a content rich project?
Depending on your answer you have or don't have to pay
attention to the structure and flexibility of navigational
menu, as it may bring new challenges, as your content-rich
WS will grow. Consider to reserve WS space to future
informational blocks like announcements, exclusive offers,
visitors voting, polls, that you may like to include
sometime in future. Don't make the page layout look too
tight, as you will require redesigning the whole page just
to insert a small table for visitors' voting.

2. What kind of integrated services you are planning to use?
Whether it is going to be shopping cart, discussion board,
chat or separate section totally devoted to the WS
newsletter, it should fit overall site layout and design.
Think in prospective, as it will take several hours now, but
avoid several weeks of headache in the future. Make sure
that the foundation of your online empire will bear all
possible additional storeys, without need of demolishing the
whole uilding and strengthening the foundation.

3. What market sector your WS belongs to in general and what
product/service you are going to offer in particular? If
your WS is an entertainment portal, full of flash games,
casino offers and reviews of upcoming PC games, it is
obvious that design and layout plays extremely important
role as a representative of more than 50% of all
information. Be sure that boring graphics in that case would
cut the roots of your WS growth. If, on the other hand, you
are working at corporate business-to-business online sector
(B2B), there is absolutely no need in complex graphics
elements or flashy stars in the top-left corner. Online
businesses always experience lack of time, therefore, they
need quick answers of who you are, what you are and why are
you, rather than waiting till your welcome 300Kb flash clip
will load. The answer to efficient finding partners among
businesses is textual and to the point information that is
easy to access and that is, usually, represented in business
white-gray-black color scheme.

VISUALLY FINISHED.

Anybody can do that, although the broader imagination you
have, the simpler it will be. What you need is comfortable
seat, paper and a pen. Put your feet on the table, close
your eyes and imagine your WS.

Let me only tell you one of my favorite jokes concerning
technique mentioned above.

There was a group of foreign visitors coming to see a very
prosperous and profitable company.
At the end of their excursion one of the visitors asked
their guide:
You know, your company is really perfect, with the best
technology I've ever seen, everybody is working very hard,
but, tell me, who is that man in the biggest room on the top
floor doing nothing but relaxing on the soft armchair with
his feet crossed on the table, sipping Cola and listening to
music?
Oh, that man came up with the idea last year, that earned us
$1.000.000, and, as far as I remember, during that time he
was also sipping Cola with his feet on the table.

So follow this man and don't allow anybody disturb you
during this work!

Don't make any mistakes about it. You may be surprised, but
it is the most challenging and crucial part of your WS
creation. The brighter efforts you put into your paper, the
more beneficial result you will get. No need for degree in
painting, just basic elements on paper as a background of
your future WS building, the rest in mind.

Don't be afraid to experiment! It's a pleasant time spending
anyway. Remember all great works of all times are
considered to be masterpieces, only because they, firstly,
perfectly reflect the depth of their creators' souls and,
secondly, they are unique in their nature. There is no
masterpiece based on well-known standards. They are good in,
let's say, decreasing production costs, but they are not
welcomed in the art creation process, which the design
surely is.

On the other hand, you should always keep in mind that the
experiment ends exactly when the web-surfer disappointment
starts.

ELEMENTS.

The key point, while visualizing your full color WS, is to
decide what and where will you place 3 basic elements:
1. Header.
2. Navigational menu.
3. Space for main text.

The following list represents possible WS elements that you
consider to have as a result of previously conducted Task
Defining. Designer should also reserve a proper place and
harmonically blend them with the rest of WS elements:
1. Banner ads;
2. Menu mirror at the bottom;
3. Additional text for news column, announcements,
testimonials etc.;
4. Email forms, visitor polls, questionnaire etc.;
5. Any other items you consider to include.

It must be stressed that all the main elements of the WS as
well as any other WS items, which should be added at your
sole discretion ought to be put in mind while visualizing,
and therefore written down on paper to be sure there is no
forgotten element left behind. If it occurs at the next
stage you will have to start from the very beginning as
there is no way to move further. So don't quadruple your
work with your own hands. Make sure you have put every
present into the box you want to receive on Christmas. ;0)

WS STRUCTURE AND LAYOUT

Draw the scheme of your WS structure. How you are planning
to arrange, link and create logically relations between
sections or stand alone web-pages. It is easy to navigate
four-page sales letter WS, but everything changes when we
are exploring 100 spontaneously linked WS. It is easier to
get out of Sahara desert rather than to find what you need.

Your navigational structure could be linear or functional.
There are unlimited number of variations, just pay close
attention and follow one simple rule:
The more difficult for you to write a WS structure, the
more difficult it will be for potential user to navigate
it!

It doesn't depend on number of web pages rather then logical
sequence and connection of different parts or sections of
your site.

COLORS

I've also read numerous times, that Headlines is what the
visitor sees first, when comes to your site. Wrong! The
first thing a surfer sees on the WS, while it loads, is the
color and, sometimes, design appearance. Don't underestimate
the importance of color influence. With the help of color
play you can easily create a feeling of excitement or grief
even before s/he will see the first letter of your Headline.

One note should be also mentioned: try, if possible, to
avoid main colors green, red, yellow, blue. They are very
Day-Glo and very annoying while using them in the company
Logo sometimes considered to be enticing.

Don't use aggressive color scheme, make it to be polite
to your customer's perception. By doing so, you don't, at
least, make your visitor be irritated. Just experiment with
hues and brightness and you will get the color you need.
Follow this rule if you are not intend to sell clown noses
in the circus tent. :0)

Text color is also ought to match the background color.
Please, avoid red text on green color, dark blue on black
etc.

(to be continued...)
------------------------------------------------------------

About the author:

Pavel Lenshin is an Internet entrepreneur, web-developer and
marketer, founder of the entrepreneurship portal, where you
can find discounted Internet services, marketing solutions,
FREE ebooks, FREE reports and finally uncover innovative
business strategies through FREE NET Business Magazine.
Visit: http://asbone.com

Why Go In For Dental Surgery In Panama?

2009-06-03T02:25:00.001-07:00

Dental surgery in Panama is all about world-class treatment facilities, caring staff and top-notch post-operative facilities. While, treating dental implant surgery or cosmetic dental surgery, you would rather head off for Panama when the need of the hour is overseas surgery.

How Does Panama Qualify As An Ideal Dental Surgery Destination

The reasons for getting your dental surgery done in Panama are numerous, like:

?Most of the practicing dental surgeons in Panama speak English
?Panama has excellent facilities for diagnosis and testing services.
?Most of the doctors are trained in USA
?It costs far less to have your surgery done in Panama than in USA or any other Western country, for that matter.
?US dollar can be used
?And above all, your postoperative care is complimented by a visit to the pristine beaches and virgin forests of Panama.

The Many Forms of Dental Surgeries Undertaken In Panama

Tooth extraction is the most common form of dental surgery in Panama. However, extractions can be both simple and complicated. For a simple one, a dentist will softly remove the affected teeth with local anesthesia. On the other hand, in complicated cases the dentist goes for special surgical treatments like making a slit into the gum to reach the tooth. Such dental gum surgeries cost far more in USA and other European countries.

Tooth implantation by inserting a fake tooth is another popular dental surgery and the dentists in Panama have proved to be experts in such cases.

Other types of dental surgeries done in Panama are

?For fitting braces on extremely uneven teeth surfaces ? This is mainly done for a proper dental synchronization
?For fitting permanent dentures
?For root canal treatment
?Repair and dental gum surgery
?Cosmetic dental surgery
?Preparation for bridges or prosthetics

The reasons may vary but the intention is the same ? an overseas surgery for a sound dental condition at reasonable costs.

Some More Reasons To Opt For Panama

If you want to allow your teeth to go through a dental surgery in Panama, you can either pay an official visit to a doctor just for an amount of $10, or you can plan to get admitted in a private hospital at a cost of $800 with includes facilities and services. The dental care provided in the Panama City is no less when compared to the US facilities but the cost is indeed low. Thus, an effective overseas surgery at a reasonable cost attracts most travelers to this Latin American City.

If you plan to come for a dental surgery in Panama, you can take direct flights to and from Miami, Los Angeles, Houston, New York and other cities. In Panama, some of the best professionals of dental surgery have come together to provide the highest quality dental treatments and services.

The standards of dental surgery in Panama have reached new heights in the recent past.

http://www.panama-health.com Low cost dental and surgical treatment in Panama. Health tourism and medical tourism is taking off in Panama.

Troy Smith 2007 Draft Day Picks

2009-06-02T02:25:00.001-07:00

World Traffic Safety Symposium Awards Volvo For Child Booster Cushion System

2009-06-01T02:25:00.001-07:00

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

What Type of Car Seat Should I Get My Child?

2009-05-31T02:25:00.001-07:00

It's a law in every state that children need to be in a safety car seat until they are 4 feet and 9 inches tall, or about 8 years old. That's when you can use the car's safety strap. But if your infant has gotten to big for their baby safety seat what type of seat should you get next? And how can you tell if your child has outgrown their safety seat? This article is about choosing the right booster seat for your child. There are many choices and you want to make the right one. So let's get started.

Age is not the best determining factor but a good rule of thumb is about age 4. Size is a better judge, so at 40 pounds your child should be using a booster seat.

The different types of booster seat you will most likely run into are:

?High back booster seat
?No-back booster
?Convertible seat
?Overlap seat
?Integrated seat

When picking a booster compare it to the models side by side so you can see the differences. Remember safety is your number one concern so never buy used. Also make sure you understand the directions and that it is put in correctly.

Make sure it fits in your car. And that the child is conferable in it. A crying kid in a car can be tuff for parents and the child.

A booster chair can last until the child is 8 or about 4 feet and 9 inches tall before they use a safety strap. So your investment will be for 4 years. The cost can be anywhere from 50 to 200 dollars. we have seen leather ones that can cost as much as 290. How much should you pay? I would pay as much as I could for safety. 300 dollars over 4 years is about 8 bucks a month that?s less than the coffee you get at your local coffee hut in a week.

Just do your research and make sure you have a 30 day return on anything that you buy just in case the child hates it.

Remember all new baby car seats sold in the U.S. have to pass safety tests to be sold. That means that if you buy new you will be getting a seat that has passed the standards that the government has put on all child safety seats. That's why we recommend that you buy new and not used. Used you have no idea how old it is or if it was involved in an accident. Safety first should be your motto.

For more information on this article or others go to Articles on baby seats.

Debbie Dee is a work at home mom who has 3 children and 2 dogs. She writes for Articles on babies and runs her own baby shop online.

7 Tips to Real Estate Agent's Success: Tip #7 Find a Mentor or Real Estate Coach

2009-05-30T02:25:00.001-07:00

In real estate, going it alone is not easy. Taking the time to find a mentor can help you steer through some of the known obstacles and support you during those peaks and valleys. If you have the resources, you may wish to hire a real estate coach or an executive coach who specializes in small business help.

Given the explosive growth of the real estate market creating a highly competitive marketplace, achieving sustainable success is not easy for today?s real estate agents. One of the potential solutions in overcoming the obstacles such as competition, marketing or revenue is to find a mentor and possibly even hire a real estate coach.

Real estate coaches are a direct result of the real estate market. These individuals specialize in helping small business owners who are in the real estate industry meet and exceed their performance goals. Given that some executive coaches specialize in business performance improvement, their understanding of the variety of issues that small business owners face regardless of industry allows them to work with real estate agents.

Regardless of the type of coach, the real challenge is to find a coach who understands:

How to achieve sustainable performance improvement
How processes and tools must be in alignment with the strategic plan
How to define the desired results

When a coach understands how to leverage your K.A.S.H. Box for Sustainable Change to create even more cash, then you have indeed found the right coach. Each individual has Knowledge, Skills, Attitudes and Habits. Unfortunately, many individuals and even organizations focus their energies on obtaining more knowledge and skills while they fail to address the necessary supporting attitudes and habits. The question for any real estate agent is to ask regarding their success is not Do I know how to do it? but Do I want to do it? The desire or the want to will always exceed the knowing because if I want to, then I will do what I need to do. However, if I don't want to, then I won't do want I need to do.

Everything must work together from the processes and the tools to even the skills and attitudes. Alignment helps to create balance and keep performance improvement on track.

Stephen Covey is cited as the source for Begin with the end in mind. This is not a new concept as Plato, Socrates and Aristotle all understood that you need to have a specific destination in mind before starting any endeavor. An effective (doing the right thing) coach will help you, the real estate agent, define the desired results using measurements (numbers). Then, working together, a plan of action will be constructed and executed by you the agent with the coach monitoring your progress.

Coaches can greatly improve the success of real estate agents provided the real estate agent is truly committed to making the changes necessary for success. Remember the words of Peter Drucker: Unless commitment is made, there are only promises and hopes?but no plans.

P.S. Read the previous tip, Tip #6 - Make Managing Yourself a Priority

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

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

Mention that you read this article and receive the free E-Book: 7 Tips to Real Estate Success

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

Residential Units Specified

2009-05-29T02:25:00.001-07:00

The word residence can be used to describe all sorts of properties used for living. In prehistoric times, one?s residence could be a cave, a tree house, or a simple post and lintel structure. Today, not much has changed. Different structures can still be considered as residential units. Generally, residential units can be divided into two categories, namely: Apartments and Houses.

The most common residential unit is the house. This structure is normally detached (not attached to anything) and is traditionally built for only one family. However, there are houses that are specifically built to accommodate two families. These are called duplexes. In duplexes, the features found on one half of the house are mirrored on the other half, thus giving each occupant the same amenities.

Since houses normally cost quite a hefty some, those who cannot afford to purchase one yet, opt to live in the next best residential type: the apartments. Apartments are multi-storey edifices that can house several families. Apartments are further subdivided into several categories, those that are built for mass housing (tenements) and those that are more upscale (condominiums, etc). Apart from the socio-economic determinants, apartments can also be classified according to the number of rooms each unit has. There are single room units called studios, and larger multi-room (and possibly, even multi-storey) units.

Each type of dwelling has its own pros and cons ? it?s up to you to evaluate and weigh these based on your needs and the needs of your family. So if you are out looking for your new home, make your selection based on your needs. If you will be living alone, it may be more economical if you just stayed in a studio apartment. If it?s just you and your partner, a one-room apartment or a one-bedroom house (2-bedroom if you want extra space) may do the trick. If you have a large family, it will be better if you sourced around for a single detached house with enough rooms to accommodate your family. The kind of dwelling hardly ever matters. Remember that the structure does not make a house a home; it?s the people that live in it that make the difference.

This is article is brought to you by Gloria Smith at LegalHomeForms.com. Created by a former, licensed Real Estate Agent, LegalHomeForms.com was designed to offer instant access to the most sought after type of real estate forms. For the cost of what others charge for one real estate contract, you can have instant access to over 60 downloadable real estate forms.

Home Search Merges with Google Maps

2009-05-28T02:25:00.001-07:00

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Get Business Fit One Minute At A Time

2009-05-27T02:25:00.001-07:00

Too many online entrepreneurs spend long hours working online to think about their health and fitness. Your online success is related to your energy levels. How fit are you? Have you looked at your hips or butt lately? We all know that we need to balance building a million dollar online business with keeping the mind and body fit and sharp. You need to train your mind and body for success. But I can hear you saying, Id love to exercise but I dont have the time or Id love to expand my knowledge but I dont have the time.

You must find time to exercise your mind and body. You must train your mind and body for business like a soldier trains to be mentally and physically fit for combat. How? By training your mind and body one minute at a time. Here some ways for the online entrepreneur to stay physically and mentally fit using the one-minute principle.

Exercise For One Minute.

No matter where your computer is located in the world, you can still exercise for one minute. Forget about the past 60 minutes or the next 59 minutes. Focus on the next one minute. Perhaps do a deep breathing exercise. One minute of push-ups. One minute of sit-ups. Do one minute of something. Start to get yourself in better shape one minute at a time.

After a while you may do two minutes then three minutes. Wow, you have just made a 200% improvement. If you think one minute of exercise is easy, then try this. Take in a big breath. Hold this breath and pull in your navel. Now put both arms in front of you. Imagine pulling and pushing a heavy train. Do this for one minute while holding your breath. You will be sucking and gasping for air by the end of one minute or sooner. Easy minute, yeah right.

Yet this simple one-minute exercise strengthens your chest, shoulder and arm muscles using sustained contractions. It increases your chi energy fields by heating and compressing the air in your lungs. It also teaches you to focus your mind for one minute. So take a minutes break from surfing the net, do a minute of exercise instead.

Train Your Mind For One Minute.

Your mind is like a muscle. It grows stronger when you exercise and use its full potential. For example, the image-nation is a wonderful place to visit. I am at a beautiful tropical beach. The sun is warm on my skin. I smell the sea breeze and hear the gulls circling above me. I am floating on a raft a short distance from shore. I am floating upwards into the clear blue sky, circling, spiralling upwards on warm currents of air. It feels blissful. Yet I am still sitting at my desk.

An online entrepreneur needs to regularly unplug and disconnect from the web, mobile phones, laptops and PDAs. Some people do not know how to unwind. The brain becomes hyperactive and wired. After a while it needs a clean up and a defrag so that it can delete rubbish thoughts and expired programmes.

Your mind is a world, a theatre, a paradise that you can easily visit within one minute. You can go there to relax and clear your mind whenever you choose. In a hotel lobby, a plane, a taxi or at your desk. You can then rejoin this world feeling a lot calmer and cleaner.

Change Your References For One Minute.

Your references are those internal processes, patterns and memories you use to make sense and meaning of the world around you. For example, do you speak two or more languages? You then have more references to interpret and decode the world around you. This is so important in setting up an online business that will have global customers. Is English the preferred language of your customers? For example China is predicted to be the new economic power over the next decade. So it may be beneficial to think from a Chinese frame of reference.

We can open up our world-view by changing our frames of references for one minute. Go outside your normal self for one minute. Act the opposite of who you are for one minute. Think outside your normal thinking. Think in a different language. Think like a different person. Perhaps think like a powerful creature. Do this for one minute then put your normal head back on your shoulders.

Think of a business problem you have. Now choose a different frame of reference to look at your problem. Look at it through the eyes of someone you admire. How does the problem feel now? Or think with the head of an Albert Einstein. How do you perceive this problem now?

Use this change of references to solve problems, explore creative insights and expand the limits of your business thinking.

Fit One Hour Into One Minute.

Ask yourself, how can you fit one hour into one minute? Start by examining your time wastage and inefficiencies. Start at the end with your desired outcome and then reverse engineer your solutions such that what took one hour now takes one minute. Keep asking yourself the question, how can I do things better? Start by chopping off one minute at a time. Use a military acronym, AIMO (Adapt, Improvise, Modify, Overcome). Apply this type of thinking to your online marketing and business operations.

So start to apply the power of one minute to your online business and marketing efforts. You will be surprised at the incredible focus you can achieve when concentrate for one minute.

About The Author

Hirini Reedy is a native Maori author, civil engineer, retired military officer, martial arts black belt, NLP master practitioner and internet entrepreneur. He creates accelerated mind-body fitness solutions for modern life. Check http://www.instantfitnessplans.com.

Monopoly Board Games Business and Real Estate How Monopoly Made These Things Interesting

2009-05-26T02:25:00.001-07:00

When the Parker Brothers published the board game Monopoly in 1935, it became a sensation. No one would have guessed a game about buying, renting, banking, real estate, and business would become a worldwide success. In fact, since 1935, Monopoly has been played by 750 million people across the globe. The Guinness Book of Records even cited Monopoly for the number of people who have played the game. Games Magazine also inducted Monopoly into its Hall of Fame.

History

The origin of Monopoly however, was way before 1935. Its roots can even be traced in 1904. A Quaker woman by the name Elizabeth J. Magie Phillips created an educational board game hoping it would be a better tool to teach people about the single tax theory of Henry George. The game was subsequently called The Landlord's Game, and it was published a few years later.

Thereafter, many games patterned on it came out in the market. Elizabeth Phillips, in fact, also patented a fresher version of her game in 1924. A little over ten years later, the Parker Brothers came out with Monopoly. Since then, several people across America have been contributing to its design and development. This made what Monopoly is today. But despite the alterations in look and style, the fundamental and rudimentary rules of the game have hardly changed.

In the 1970s, however, Monopoly's history greatly suffered when it was believed that a man named Charles Darrow was the sole creator of the board game. The distortion of Monopoly's history caused several court cases throughout the years. Various historians and company owners of Monopoly have switched loyalties from the Parker Brothers and Charles Darrow. Luckily, some people have seen the importance of Monopoly in society. They have spent their time researching the true history of the world's most played board game.

Monopoly and the Nazis

Across the 20th century, Monopoly has given people different ways of entertainment, comfort, and even escape. In 1941, British Secret Service had a special kind of Monopoly created for prisoners of war held by the Nazis. Their Monopoly contained real money, maps, compasses, and other materials useful for escaping. These were actually distributed by the International Red Cross.

Rich Uncle Pennybags

It has also been said that the trademark of Monopoly, Rich Uncle Pennybags, was patterned on J.P. Morgan-a name still familiar to American financing and philanthropy.

Multifaceted Monopoly

Monopoly also adjusted to the environment and popular culture. For example, a London based Monopoly is quite different from an Atlantic City version, and it all falls to certain rules-like how a player can spend time in jail-to the name changes in streets and avenues. There is even a McDonalds Monopoly for promotional purposes. There is a Monopoly game that caters to the adult upper class, which can range from the gilded to silver plated versions that can cost up to 100,000 dollars. Also, there is a version for kids called Monopoly Junior.

Monopoly has also crossed over to virtual reality with the game Monopoly Tycoon, Monopoly Casino, and even Monopoly Star Wars. Throughout the years there had been add-ons to the board game itself. Even a short-lived TV show came out in the 1990s. Now, Oscar-nominated director Ridley Scott plans to make a movie based on Monopoly.

These different versions are testaments that Monopoly is an extremely popular game. It can be a wonder at times why a game that never ends can be the most widely played contemporary board game. It is simply that fun. Examining the age bracket it caters to, it seems to never lose its freshness. Not to mention that the game incorporates business sensibilities among players.

Visit Board Games Store A Place Where You Can Find Huge Selection Of Monopoly Board Games Which You Can Also Get Free Downloads Monopoly 3 And Free Downloads Monopoly Tycoon

By Robert Diarioti

Basic Rules of Preconstruction Investment Real Estate

2009-05-25T02:25:00.000-07:00

Although the preconstruction real estate investing option has been around for many years and is nothing new, it just recently became well known to the masses and real estate investors all over the world are scouring the web for the best new construction and preconstruction real estate projects in areas where real estate prices are skyrocketing (Baja Mexico, Costa Rica, Bulgaria, Cabo San Lucas, Orlando). While the sudden increase in demand has influenced many legitimate developers to offer more projects and developments, it has also seen the emergence of many ill-prepared developers into the market. Here are just a few ways you can properly screen your preconstruction real estate developer / brokerage and make sure you are not signing with a less then reputable developer:

1. Read Small Print ? Before investing in a development, be sure not to fall victim to the curse of the small print. Avoid ending up the subject of those horror stories about real estate investors who are suckered into scandalous contracts with real estate developers. Some real estate developers will not let you sell the property until years after it is finished and others will charge huge penalties if the property is sold early. Always, have an attorney look at every contract before you sign anything.

2. Find a Preconstruction Brokerage ? Unless you are VERY well connected in the area's preconstruction market, it's a good idea to go through a real estate brokerage that specializes in preconstruction real estate developments. There are several reasons why using a quality brokerage can help you, but most importantly, they know the developers and can discern between which can ensure quality and which are accident prone.

3. Research the Developer's Past Projects ? If the developer has had huge delays in past preconstruction projects, it will probably happen in the next several projects. Remember that your time is money ? even if you get your full deposit back 2 years later, because of constant delays you may lose hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of wasted time and resources.

***Note*** As real estate developers have learned that the word preconstruction alone can sell out a project, they have created a new trend in the industry by labeling every phase of the project a preconstruction phase. Often these are low-quality condo conversions or condotels that are not worth half the asking price. BE SURE you are buying in the actual preconstruction phase before purchasing!!!

Just remember, the bigger the preconstruction real estate market gets, the more you have to watch out for fly-by-night developers and unethical brokerages that don't have your best interests in mind.

Phil Laboon 412-253-0841 For more Real Estate Investment Information please visit our website. For a complete run down of how to find the right preconstruction real estate brokerage, agent, broker, or developer, visit our Real Estate Investment Information website and browse our huge collection of free preconstruction news, information, and advice.

Nevada Mortgage Applications Rise

2009-05-24T02:25:00.001-07:00

Mexico?s geographic location, natural beauty and low real estate prices are contributing to its growing status as one of the premier real estate hubs.

There are currently over one million Americans living in Mexico, most of whom are retirees, with about 20 percent of them residing in the concentrated area of Baja California. The LIMRA study conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau also estimated that 8,000 citizens turn 60 years old (baby boomers) every day, seizing a combined total of over $11 trillion in retirement savings. According to www.bestretirementspots.com, Mexico is recognized as one of the most popular retirement destinations in the world.

To further illustrate the growing popularity of the Mexico market, Donald Trump recently announced plans to build an ocean resort which will promote development and marketability in the area. Columnist, Nellie Day posted the October 5, 2006 article, ?Trump Ventures Into Mexico? on globest.com, which explains how Trump?s realization of the Mexico market may lead more developers and investors south of the border. ?Trump Ocean Resort Baja Mexico, a 526-suite luxury condominium-hotel resort, will be rising south of the border over the next few years, according to information released by Donald Trump. The resort is located just south of San Diego and will be the first property along the peninsula to combine luxury resort amenities and services with real estate ownership.?

Financial services companies, such as San Diego-based Lyons Enterprises Incorporated (LEI), have been growing more interested in the Mexico market as the U.S. has been feeling a cold front in their housing sector since the beginning of 2006. In fact, LEI has developed the branch LEI Mexico, with a specific focus on Mexico real estate and financing.

The Mexico market is growing with a prospective boom expected in the next couple of years. Major developers, such as Trump are taking advantage of the open land and freshness of the area while they can.

??Trump Ocean Resort Baja will redefine the standard of premier property ownership and service excellence for all of Northern Mexico,? says Trump. ?I?ve always said, ?location is everything,? and being just 30 minutes from Downtown San Diego makes this an ideal locale for a premier resort property.??

Trump, who is the CEO of the Trump Organization, partnered with Irongate, a Los Angeles-based real estate development and investment company to develop the luxury hotel-condominium resort. Trump Ocean Resort Baja Mexico will cater to owners and guests with a plethora of luxury resort amenities expected from a Trump property, ?such as an owner?s concierge, lobby bar and lounge, spa, fitness center, tennis courts, and resort, lap and family pools.? Trump has also realized the need to keep condominium prices reasonable to help support the Mexico economy. ?Prices for studios and one-, two-, and three-bedroom residences start in the mid-$200,000s and will range from 532 square feet to more than 2,200 square feet of indoor and outdoor space.?

Construction for the new resort is schedule to begin by the end of 2006, with the first tower expected to be complete by late 2008. The entire project is expected to be completed by 2011.

So if you want to find out more about Mexico Real Estate or even about Mexican Homes, you should click these links. You will also find valuable information about Mortgage Mexico, too.

How To Find Age Appropriate Toys For Children

2009-05-23T02:25:00.001-07:00

Some Of The Car Seat Covers You Should Consider For Your Baby

2009-05-22T02:25:00.001-07:00

Wool is the softest and most comfortable material that can be used for Car Seat Covers and Baby Buntings. Organic cotton flannel, unbleached cotton flannel and regular cotton flannel are choice backings for wool car seat covers and baby Buntings.

Wool car seat Covers swaddle baby in security and warmth. Therefore, Wool is a choice material in the construction of these covers because of its softness and insulating qualities. The outer cells of the fiber repel water while the inner cells absorb moisture. Wool is highly absorbent, and can retain up to 25 percent of its weight in moisture. As wool slowly absorbs moisture from the air, the cover becomes warmer to baby. Wool will take on a lot of moisture before it feels damp. It also dries slowly so as not to chill baby by drying too quickly. Because of Wool's tendency to retain moisture, Wool is naturally flame-retardant.

Many of the synthetic fabrics and fillers used to make Car Seat Covers and Baby Buntings do not breathe. Over time they can emit toxic fumes during the aging process, thus posing respiratory and allergic reactions as well as asthma like symptoms.

Wool is a natural fiber and naturally hypoallergenic; as are the cottons used to back Car Seat Covers and Baby buntings. It helps keep the baby warmer in cool temperatures, and cooler in warmer temperatures. Plush Merino wool provides an extremely soft surface.

Cleaning Wool

The oil extracted from the leaves of the Australian Tea Tree (Melaleuca Alternifolia) is well known to be effective against dust mites, a cause of allergens for asthma sufferers, and particularly infants. Tea Tree Oil is also noted for its general beneficial qualities such as being a natural fungicide. It also helps in the healing of wounds and reduces skin irritation. Kookaburra Woolwash also works well for laundering bed linens and clothing for asthma sufferers where dust mite feces is a critical matter.

Good Padding Important for Infants

A good feel with a tad of pressure would deem the use of padding necessary for Baby Car Seats, High Chairs and Infant Rocking Seats. It would seem that proper padding would add more in the name of safety to car seats. Wool products will place a barrier between baby and the synthetic unknowns of the factory provided products.

The car manufacturer's concerns are with the highest possible safety performance of the car seat for baby's safety, not the health concerns that may be posed by the liners used to soften the hard plastic of such baby accessories. Because synthetics have only come about in the last century or so, the mother's of yesterday had little concern in the products they purchased for baby. Today's moms must research and take full responsibility for understanding the products that come in contact with their baby.

Give a Gift of Wool for Baby

A gift of wool for baby whether it is a Car Seat Cover, a Bunting or a Wool Fleece Blanket is a gift of quality. The next time you are purchasing a baby gift consider making it something wool!

Gregg Hall is an author living in Navarre Florida. Find more about this as well as baby car seat covers at http://www.jansbedding.com

By Gregg Hall

Spending My Weekend at the Sea Side Researching Property

2009-05-21T02:25:00.001-07:00

This last weekend I spend at the seaside. What I enjoy doing in my free time is walking around looking at property for sale. I take mental notes on when each property comes on the market. Also I note the ones that have been sitting around for a long time.

One thing that always comes to mind is why a property is for sale and also why is hasn?t sold yet. Is the property in a good location? Has it been presented properly? Is it priced to sell? Etc. As a real estate investor these are the series of questions I ask myself when researching an area. It will be the same for all areas. People are people and properties are properties. What I have developed is a series of questions that I ask myself to find out what is the properties potential... It is a mini check list. I find out a lot about property and the area in general by talking to the local agents. They are a gold mine of information. If you treat them right and show them respect they will freely divulge loads of nuggets regarding the property, the area and the owners. This line of questions will lead to the best real estate investment properties in the area.

When you start with this research, you are starting to use your brain. The more you ask, the more it will find ways to the answers. Our brain is the most powerful computer on earth, so the more you exercise it, the more efficient it will become in providing you with the necessary answers. I have found this to be a valuable tool in my real estate investing. I now do this unconsciously and most times you do it automatically without being aware I am doing it. When you are genuinely interested in a certain topic, you love spending time finding out as much as you can about that interest. This is when you will learn the fastest. It is not difficult to concentrate and spend time doing this.

What better way to spend time at a sea side location doing research on your real estate investing interests. I have an agent in a sea side town I catch up with every time I am down there. Last time I was talking to Russell, he told me about the new health care precinct zoning for the town. That was a very valuable piece of information I can now use for my real estate investing for that area.

http://www.therealestateinvester.com I am an experienced and passionate investor. I buy typical mum and dad type houses that give me cash flow and capital growth. My website offers helpful tips and ideas for any type of investor to help you with your wealth creation. Using my site will help to prevent you falling into the traps the inexperienced investors do.

Where Will Your Marketing Dollars Get The Best Return on Investment?

2009-05-20T02:25:00.001-07:00

During your training as a new Realtor, you undoubtedly received coaching from managers and brokers on many subjects designed to help you build your business. Despite this, many Realtors don't do all of the exercises that they promised themselves they'd do. As a result, many agents find themselves doing the same marketing plans month after month without analyzing how hard their advertising dollars are working for them.

Ask a Simple Question With Big Results

Nearly everything that a Realtor spends money on is designed to promote him or herself as an agent. Direct mail, ads, websites, promotional items, even your yard signs, are all speaking to clients on your behalf. But not all of these things are equally effective, and it's important to determine which of your marketing materials are working hardest for you.

All it takes is a little research to determine what's working, and what can be cut back or eliminated altogether. Create a spreadsheet on your computer, or even use a notebook divided into columns, and list every form of self-promotion that you use - even those that you don't pay for. Be disciplined and ask each and every potential buyer or seller that you speak to, How did you hear about me?

Use Your Money Wisely

Once you've collected data for an entire month, review your results. Let's say that your data breaks down to five leads from referrals, one lead from your weekly newspaper ad, five leads from your website, and four leads from the promotional calendars that you sent out to your farming area. If you?re spending a significant portion of your budget on your newspaper ad, you might want to put that money into other areas of advertising. You?re not getting the return on investment that you should from a newspaper ad.

In addition, a good real estate website should be generating many more leads than just five. Invest in a professional, fully-customized website and you will generate the bulk of your leads online. Once you?ve made the initial investment, your website will work for you 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. A truly professional website requires very little upkeep and maintenance on your part. This is fortunate, since you will be busy with all of the new clients who find you online.

Brett Miller is the founder of HoopJumper.com and has created the best lead generating real estate websites in the industry and helped hundreds of real estate professionals make the most of their Internet presence. Call 888-Hoop-Jumper for a complimentary web analysis today or visit http://www.HoopJumper.com to see how HoopJumper can help you grow your business.

Choosing the Right Catchers Mitt

2009-05-19T02:25:00.000-07:00

The catcher kneels behind the plate, and pounds his catchers mitt then gives the pitcher the sign. The bang of the crowd, the rush of the game, the rush of victory. The agony of sensitive muscles, the torment of suspense, the torture of defeat. These are all notion and emotions that run through the head of a major league baseball player as he stands there in the field. Ready. Waiting. Striving to achieve that glory instant that for so long he has dreamed of. Or perhaps he is a rookie, wanting desperately to prove himself to his teammates, the veterans of the field. In either context, one thing is for sure. You better be playing with the right glove.

Thats where Akadema comes in. Akadema is the baseball glove of choice for over 200 colleges and universities, and for good reason. Known as being on the cutting edge of sports technology, and backed by Hall of Famers galore, Akadema knows baseball. Their designs have been approved by Famers Ozzie Smith, Carl Yastrzemski, Gary Carter and Bob Feller. And when you select an Akadema glove, you are choosing the good word of these and other big names of the game. How do you find the glove that is right for you? It is easier than it looks despite the wide selection and variety out on the market right now.

The first thing to ask yourself, is what position will you be playing? Are you known on your team as the superstar of just one, or will you be playing through them all? As the game has developed, so has the gloves. There are now mitts for all fielders, not just first basemen and pitchers anymore. It is important to go to a honest dealer like Akadema to make sure that you get the proper size and fit for you.

Secondly you should look at the web of the mitt. There is only one thing that really matters when it comes to this component. Can you see through it? This will help you to be useable and rid you of soil and other interferences during the game. Webs that are solid work best if you need a sun shield for fly balls.

Next think about what performs best for you an open back or closed back. Just like the web, this comes down to personal choice and comfort. If you tend to overheat out there on the field, an open back will keep you a little cooler, while also offering you choices such as an adjustable wrist strap. Closed backs are a little more solid and offer less breathing room and yet more support. The final ingredient that should be reasoned is the price of the baseball mitt. Nobody wants to spend a lot, but also consider that what you spend also reflects caliber and advanced baseball mitt technology in a lot of cases. The bigger the brand name, the larger the price tag, so keep that in mind when shopping. Small, well known manufacturers such as Akadema can ofttimes offer the same quality (or better) for a more reasonable price.

Scott Peters is an avid baseball and softball fan, and a sports equipment retailer. Please go to catchers mitt for more information

Ten Famous Toy Recalls

2009-05-18T02:25:00.001-07:00

The number of recalls issued by toy manufacturers is staggering. Today there seems to be little attention and thought in the design of children's toys, other than to make them as cheaply as possible. The design level is certainly lacking the element of making safety first. It is apparent the parents or those buying the toys are purchasing them without the knowledge of reading the box which will say Parts that can cause a choking accident. We have to be more vigilant in the supervision of children and look to see if a situation is life threatening.

Here is a list of a few products that have been listed on the top ten list of recalls:

1. Toy Mobile Phones Recalled for Choking Hazard
International Playthings Inc., of Parsippany, N.J. recalled 50,500 iPlay My First Mobile Phones. The toy phone's yellow antenna could detach and posed a choking hazard to young children.

2. Next Marketing Inc. Recalls Youth Hooded Fleece with Drawstring for Strangulation Hazard

Next Marketing Inc., of Wabash, Ind. recalled 22,000 Youth Hooded Fleeces with Drawstrings. The drawstring, which went through the hood of the fleece, posed a strangulation hazard to children. In February 1996, CPSC issued guidelines to help prevent children from strangling or getting entangled on the neck and waist by drawstrings in upper garments, such as jackets and sweatshirts.

3. Simplicity Cribs

After the death of a 19-month baby in Myrtle Creek, Ore., the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and Simplicity Inc., of Reading Pa., renewed their search for recalled Aspen 3 in 1 Cribs with Graco logos. The child died on Jan. 6, 2006, after two of the mattress support slats came out of his recalled crib. The infant was trapped between the mattress and the foot board of the crib and suffocated.

4. Fisher-Price Infant Musical Toy ChairHazard

Fisher-Price, one of the most well-known toy manufacturers in the world, voluntarily recalled about 614,000 Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn & Trade Musical Learning Chairs. It was possible for a child to get stuck between the back of the seat and the side table attached to the chair, which could cause the child's neck to become stuck as well and posed a strangulation hazard.

5. Mattel Polly Pocket magnetic play sets

Mattel Inc. recalled 4.4 million Polly Pocket magnetic play sets after they found out that three children had been hospitalized with serious injuries after swallowing tiny magnets which fell off of the toys.

6. Mega Brands Inc. Magnetix Magnetic Building Sets

3.8 million of these Magnetix sets were recalled after a 19-month old, and three other children were injured from parts of the toy, one fatally. The magnets were distributed loose in the box and were fairly small. If swallowed, several of them could magnetically bond together inside the digestive track and cause serious blockage.

7. Riding Toys

There were 20 toy-related deaths and 152,400 toy-related injuries involving children under age 15. Although no deaths occurred, The majority of injuries were sustained from riding toys.

8. KFC Tangled Treeples Toy

These toys came with KFC kids meals in June and July of 2000. The container the toys came in could fit over a child's nose and mouth, posing a suffocation hazard to children.

9. Playskool Toy Tool Bench

Playskool voluntarily recalled this toy after it resulted in the death of two toddlers.

10. Children's Cooking Sets

A popular Children's Cooking Set was recalled because the glass lids were considered a laceration Hazard.

When it comes to children, toy manufacturers need to think safety first. Children are vulnerable and need constant supervision, but parents have learned to depend on and trust the judgment of companies like Playskool and Fisher Price. Like it or not, those companies have, at least in the opinion of this writer, a responsibility that is inherent to the industry they've chosen.

About the Author:

Alex consults for a hobby shop mainly for older kids, but their model cars appeal to car lovers of all ages and their plush toys can light up the smile of any child.

Get Fit with a Jogging Stroller

2009-05-17T02:25:00.001-07:00

Having a baby is one of the most joyous times of your life and if you were careful during your pregnancy, you probably only gained in the vicinity of about thirty pounds of extra weight.

Women who spaced their children widely apart, say having a baby in their twenties and then another when they were in their thirties; frequently comment that the weight was much easier to lose when they had their first child. There are many factors that contribute to this.

Women in their twenties are generally more energetic than their peers that are a little older. Women also tend to be a little more sedentary in their thirties and this can cause their metabolisms to run a little more slowly. If you've ruled out any physical problems that can make exercising out of the question for yourself and you have your doctor's okay to begin working out again-get a jogging stroller and run your way back to your smaller size clothes.

This is a great activity that you can do with your baby and many jogging strollers have excellent shock systems that give the baby a smooth ride no matter how rough the sidewalk can feel. Additionally, many babies find the rhythm of the running very soothing and take a nap while you get fit.

If you decide to run with your baby during the months when it gets darker earlier; make sure that you're visible. Even if you just jog in the neighborhood. People let their guards down and that's when accidents can happen. Use reflective strips on both yourself and your jogging stroller to ensure you can be seen and avoid accidents during your jaunts with your baby.
About the Author

Buying Your First Home?

2009-05-16T02:25:00.001-07:00

You?ve finally decided to take the plunge and buy your first home. While the journey may feel terrifying and confusing, there are some basic steps you can?and should?take before hitting the pavement in search of your future home. Instead of feeling overwhelmed you can arm yourself with the knowledge you?ll need to make informed decisions as you begin your path to home ownership.

Becoming educated in the common practices in your area is the absolutely number one objective on your list. Pick up the phone and call local real estate agents, bank loan officers, and mortgage brokers. Be warned, some will attempt to coerce you into making an appointment?this is not necessary at this stage?and is their way of getting you to sign an agreement you are not ready to sign. Explain clearly that you are in research mode only and need no more than 15 minutes of their time to get your questions answered. It?s important to talk to several professionals as different perspectives and viewpoints will give you a broader spectrum of information in which to base your decisions on.

What to ask

1.Find out what disclosures (facts that materially affect the value of the property) the seller is required by your state to disclose. This varies state to state, so it is extremely important you know what your state laws mandate. Realize that in most cases, the seller is only required to disclose information he/she already knows about the property. What this means is the seller is not obligated to hire professionals, but is required to disclose in ?good faith? any personal knowledge on the property which may affect its financial worth.

2.Ask about standard home inspections. A standard home inspection will give you information on the physical structure itself and the systems inside the home. You need to know what the average cost is in your state, who usually pays for it, and when it is commonly done. Most standard home inspections are paid for by the buyer, but sometimes the seller will split the costs. If you?re in a repressed market or the homeowner is anxious to sell, he may pay for the inspection fully.

3.A title search will have to be performed to rule out any issues with the deed of the property. Who conducts this search and what is the average cost?

4. What are other potential costs you should be aware of? Taxes, settlement agent fees, and commissions are just a few of the ?other? costs you should ask about.

5.It?s also a good idea to find out the average amount of time it takes for a loan to close once an offer has been accepted. This can, and will, vary, because often it has more to do with the personal preferences of the buyer and/or the seller. Be aware of potential time sinks before you begin your search.

6.If you do choose to use a real estate agent to assist you in locating your future home, find out if they?ll help you compose an offer when you?re ready to make one. If they use a standard form, find out if you can get a copy for your own reference. Always be informed on what the agent is giving to the seller.

What?s next?

Get a copy of your credit report, from several sources if possible, and make sure it is correct. If there is incorrect information on your credit report, contact the reporting credit agency and ask for a dispute form. Once you receive the form, fill it out and send it back certified with return receipt requested. When applying for loans your credit score will be the determining factor in getting you the lowest percentage interest rate possible. Make sure the information is factual and then work with what you have. A low score does not mean you can?t buy a house. If this is a concern of yours, find out what programs are available for less than perfect credit.

How much can you afford? You may already know this, but if you don?t, figure it out. The standard rule is your mortgage payment, taxes, and homeowners insurance shouldn?t be more than 28% of your gross income. However, this still may be too much, depending on your other financial obligations. Be honest with yourself and what you can afford to pay out each month. Consider any possible extra costs with home ownership; i.e. new appliances, new carpet, landscaping, and normal home maintenance. Don?t dig yourself into a financial hole you may not be able to get out of.

What type of loan should you get? This is not an easy question to answer, and the best course of action is more research. There are multiple mortgage internet sites you can start with to educate yourself on the types of loans available. In fact, you should definitely pick up the phone once again to make sure you completely understand the loans you are considering. Mortgage brokers and bank loan officers want your business?they will be more than happy to answer your questions and even send you specific loan information.

With this basic, yet important, information at your disposal; you are ready to begin the search for your future home. Always remember that knowledge is key in every aspect of purchasing a home, do not be hesitate in getting the facts you need in any area of the process. Ask questions, be informed, and you will arrive at the other end the confident owner of a new home.

? Copyright: Tracy Leigh Ritts
http://www.TracyLeighWrites.com

A Writing Enterprise

2009-05-15T02:25:00.001-07:00

Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens came to Hollywood to write. While in town, they managed to tear down some common entertainment industry assumptions.

Common wisdom says husbands and wives shouldn't work together. But, they are a very successful and inseparable writing team. Industry tradition holds that you have to be 20 years old and fresh out of college to write for television. However, there's no way anyone fresh out of college could have piled up the credits this pair did before arriving in network TV. Finally, Hollywood insists that the nice guys finish last ? while the Reeves-Stevenses get work as much for their professional pleasant temperament as their considerable talent.

As co-producers on Enterprise, the last production in Paramount Star Trek television franchise, they were part of a team charged with recharging a series that struggled in its third season. They helped to improve the show by leaps and bounds, though the ratings damage was already too late.

At first impressions, the Reeves-Stevenses seem an unlikely choice for such an important TV task as forging the plot-lines of Star Trek. They seem far too nice to have found so much success in Hollywood. They're the kind of polite, soft-spoken Canadians you'd expect to find running a bed and breakfast in Niagara ? not writing screenplays, TV scripts, novels and non-fiction books.

As writers, we didn't make changes to the show, Garfield said. Executive producers Rick Berman and Brannon Braga and show-runner Manny Coto planned the overall direction of the series and made any changes to the mythos.

Our job was to provide good stories that stick to Star Trek continuity. It's to our benefit that we know that continuity after writing Star Trek books for 10 years. In TV, we're telling a more compact story with clearer rules. For television, we were writing a Star Trek tale in a more linear mode, but the themes remain the same ? the ideas of exploration and an optimistic future.

He added, Those themes played a big role with Enterprise because this world is still new.

Both writers said there was no over-riding plan or need to recreate Enterprise after its first three years.

The entire team felt that it was more a matter of taking what had been established in seasons 1, 2 and 3 and making sense out of that rather than recreating the show into season 4, Garfield said. In Next Generation, halfway through the series, they made a deliberate decision to invoke the name of Spock ? finally naming a character from the original series. They wanted to establish that show as distinct before introducing other past elements.

The same decision was made for Enterprise. If the first season had been so devoted to prequels and tie-ins, it never would have got on its feet for the same story.

Before being recruited onto the Paramount lot, the Reeves-Stevens wrote several Trek novels, including several with William Shatner featuring the continued adventures of James T. Kirk. On, their own, they're a pair of New York Times and Los Angeles Times bestselling novelists with dual fascinations with NASA and science fiction. Their books are published in the United States, Canada, and England, and in translation in Czechoslovakia, France, Germany, Holland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Poland, Russia, Spain, and the Ukraine.

In TV, the Reeves-Stevenses were staff writers for the second season of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's The Lost World - the syndicated one-hour action-adventure series from New Line. For the series' third season, the Reeves-Stevenses returned as supervising producers on location in Australia. In other episodic work, the Reeves-Stevenses have written for John Woo's Once a Thief, The Hitchhiker, MTV's Catwalk, and Beyond Reality.

The team's experience in science fiction made them a natural choice for work on Enterprise: It was easier for us to come into Star Trek than it might be for other sci-fi writers, Judith said. Even though they are all very talented and very well-informed on sci-fi, they might not be up to date on all of the Star Trek continuity.

While writing the Star Trek books, you explain events in the mythos that are still open to interpretation. Now, Enterprise is doing the same thing ? such as explaining the origin of Klingon head bumps from the original series to the Star Trek movies.

Garfield explained that in Star Trek lore, what happens on screen is considered narrative canon, while anything in books, comics or video games is superfluous.

It was a challenge for us to add to the ?canon,' he said.

Judith added, Writing for Star Trek was interesting for us also because we'd written for all of the other Star Trek eras, but we hadn't written for these characters yet. We wondered how quickly we could get the voices of these characters. But, we had the ability to go down to set and watch the actors.

According to Judith, there were other adjustments the pair had to make to their writing and working routine: Well, we had to start getting up in the morning and going into an office. We obviously write our books out of our home.

Garfield added that Enterprise also offers a much faster process than their book work. The team has three books coming out this year, and the writing of one (Going to Mars) was a six-year process.

Writing for TV is great for almost instant gratification because you write a script, and ? five weeks later ? it's on TV. During that process, you're coming into the office, working on a script and taking meetings only on the script you're working on. But, you watch the sets get built, watch the dailies, come in, etc.

It helps that it was the 25th season of Star Trek in production, he added. So it was a well-oiled system we were watching.

The nicest thing for us was that we knew the people involved through writing the books over 10 years, Judith said. We were talking to them about their jobs. We were able to see all aspects of the working company. We were able to ask questions that a writer working on a script might not be able to ask.

So, we came on board as writers and co-producers, it felt as though we were really joining old friends.

Computer Backgammon

2009-05-14T02:25:00.001-07:00

The first strong computer opponent was BKG 9.8. It was programmed by Hans Berliner in the late 1970s on a PDP-10 as an experiment in evaluating board positions. Early versions of BKG played badly even against poor players, but Berliner noticed that the critical mistakes the program made were always at phase changes. He applied basic principles of fuzzy logic to smooth out the transition between phase changes, and by July 1979, BKG 9.8 was ready to play against then current world champion Luigi Villa. It won the match, 7-1, becoming the first computer program to defeat a world champion in any game, although this was mostly a matter of luck, as the computer happened to get better dice rolls than its opponent in that match.

Beginning in the late 1980s, creators of backgammon-playing software began to have even more success with a neural network approach. TD-Gammon, developed by Gerald Tesauro of IBM, was the first of these computer programs to play at or near the expert level. This program's neural network was trained using Temporal Difference learning applied to data generated from self-play.

This line of research has resulted in two modern commercial programs, Jellyfish and Snowie, the shareware BGBlitz (implemented in Java), and the free software GNU Backgammon, that play on a par with the best human players in the world. It is worth noting that without their associated weights tables which represent hours or even months of tedious neural net training, these programs play no better than a human child.

It is interesting to contrast the development of backgammon software with that of chess software:

For backgammon, neural networks work better than any other methods so far. For chess, brute force searching, with sophisticated pruning and other refinements, works better than neural networks.

Every advance in the power of computer hardware has significantly improved the strength of chess programs. In contrast, additional computing power appears to improve the strength of backgammon software only marginally.

For both backgammon and chess, it is at present unclear whether the best computer or the best human is best overall. For most other games, one or the other is unambiguously stronger.
About the Author

Candy Makes Recognition Events Sweeter

2009-05-13T02:25:00.000-07:00

Andy Warhol may have been correct when he said everyone would get to be famous for 15 minutes. Or at least he was close. It seems that almost every professional, volunteer, teacher, healthcare worker, librarian or basic employee has a special day or week when they get recognized for their contributions to their organization, community or country.

While compensation is always appreciated, a pat on the back is often just as important. Throwing a party, luncheon or dinner to recognize individuals who have gone above and beyond the call of duty is appreciated and it builds morale.

So what kind of party should you throw. Should you buy balloons and streamers? Serve pizza and ice cream? Sure. The more fun the better - it's a happy occasion!

Speaking of fun, what's more fun then candy? Chocolate bars, lollipops, mints and cookies make tasteful and tasty treats that make your celebration even more festive. Do you know that you can get candy and chocolate treats with special messages to honor your staff? There are specially engraved and wrapped chocolate bars, lollipops with imprinted sticks, shaped chocolates and much more.

So many important recognition events will be here in the coming months such as National Volunteer Week, Teacher Appreciation Week, Nurses Week, EMS Week, Safety Month and Nursing Home Week. And many companies have their own special employee appreciation events. Decorate your celebration event with delicious chocolates and candies and watch the smiles.

Visit Celebration Candy to learn more about recognition candy and gifts.

Michael Lerner is a noted expert on celebrating national recognition and awareness events.

How to Prevent and Overcome Mastitis Healthy Breastfeeding Tips

2009-05-12T02:25:00.001-07:00

Having your baby can be one of the most emotionally fulfilling experiences. Life just takes a dramatic turn with the arrival of your little one. If you have a newborn, your first priority now is to feed your baby. If you have decided that bonding and providing essential nutrients from your bosom is for you, then you need to know how to prevent or rid yourself of mastitis. Nothing should get in the way of a mother's ability to breastfeed her baby.

How to Avoid Mastitis

Mastitis is an infection caused by a clogged duct in the nipple of a nursing mother. To reduce the chances of developing clogs in the ducts of your nipples, avoid wearing bras or tight fitting tops that constrict your breasts. Sleep on your back or side as a clog may occur by sleeping on your stomach.

Make sure that you are feeding your baby breast milk on a regular basis. Missed feedings can cause your breasts to become engorged, which can cause your ducts to clog. Breast compression or breast massage before latching is one of the most effective ways to avoid clogged ducts all together. Using a breast feeding pillow can help ensure you are feeding in a good position.

Warning Signs

There are many indicators of a possible case of mastitis that every breastfeeding mom should be wary of. These are just a few:

-- What may begin as a tingling sensation in the nipple and quickly develops into pain while the baby is nursing may be mean mastitis. However, not every case of mastitis results in significant pain so a nursing mother should pay attention to other indicators as well.
-- Soreness and redness around the area of suckling could be caused by mastitis; the site of the clogged duct develops a very pronounced red spot, which is extremely painful to the touch and holding, or carrying your baby on this side may become unbearable. There may also be a lump visible or detectable by touch.
-- A breastfeeding mother may experience flu-like symptoms such as fever with chills and body aches. Mastitis may also cause exhaustion as many women report with mastitis have reported a sharp decline in energy.

Tips for Reducing the Effects of Mastitis

As soon as you suspect you have mastitis,

-- Go to sleep as soon as possible and get good rest! Sitting quietly for a few hours without much activity can help shorten the duration of mastitis.
-- Take Echinacea and Vitamin C to enhance your immune system and help fight the infection. If the infection persists beyond a few days, you should consult a physician.
-- Apply warm water to the site of the clogged duct. Use warm tap water or immerse your breast in a pot of warm water. A warm shower or bath can work wonders as well.
-- Try to nurse and if you do not succeed at first, try and try again. Attempt to nurse the baby on the side of the clogged duct as often and as long as possible to work out the clog. (If you are away from your baby for a period, you might try using a breast pump, to find one locate a good breast feeding supply store near you). Massaging the breast while the baby suckles may also help.

Article By Michelle O'Connor, Breast Feeding Questions

About the Author

Advice Columnist

Arizona Real Estate Agent Fees

2009-05-11T02:25:00.001-07:00

Northern Arizona offers reasonable land prices in the Southwest. It has good weather and nice views of trees and water, offering solitude and accessibility at the same time. You can reach northern Arizona by way of Route 66 and Highway 93.

You may wish to consult with real estate personnel who know the market and can help you find the best value for your money. If you are a home seller, consider consulting a marketing expert to help you find the best deal for your home.

All that is expected from you is to find the Arizona community that is perfect for you and your family and allow these agents to find your dream home that is right for your budget and lifestyle.

Some real estate agents really spend time getting to know the general real estate landscape of each community. If you are relocating to Phoenix from another state or just transferring from a nearby city, a good agent can help you find what you're looking for. Whether you are looking for a winter get-away place or a second house, real estate agents have the knowledge and experience to aid you in your search.

Whether you are fond of art, sports, shopping or other adventures, Arizona offers all these and more. The agents will find a perfect home to fit your lifestyle and budget. They will also help you determine how much you can spend on your new home and even help you find the best mortgage loan.

After finding the home of your choice, the agents will negotiate a very good price for you. They will not only show you an Arizona home in your price range but will also show you properties that meet both your personal and financial needs.

Some real estate agents offer their services for free since the home sellers are the ones footing the bill. Be sure to check with your property brokerage firms for agent fees prior to actual consultation.

Arizona Real Estate provides detailed information on Arizona Real Estate, Tucson Arizona Real Estate, Phoenix Arizona Real Estate, Arizona Real Estate Agents and more. Arizona Real Estate is affiliated with Arizona Vacation Rentals.

Plan A Swashbuckling Fun Pirate Party

2009-05-10T02:25:00.001-07:00

Pirate themes have always been a fun choice for parties, but even more so now with the popularity of the blockbuster Pirates of the Caribbean movies. Johnny Depp has certainly given new life to the fantasy of playing a pirate, adding fun and comedy to the already exciting seafaring adventures. So, why not plan an adventure of your own this year and host a swashbuckling fun pirate party.

Make a list of friends and acquaintances you would like to invite to your pirate party and assign each one of them their own pirate name. Use online pirate lingo translators to create fun names like Butterfingers Alena and Ian Deadbones.

Include pirate wording on your invitations and print them on aged paper. If it's a costume party, be sure to include that information also.

Ahoy thar Mateys!
Ye`re invited t'a pirate party
(date, time and location)
Take Note Ye Scalliwags...
Dress like a buccaneer if ye dare.
We have PRIZES fer best pirate costume.

Roll up the printed invitations and tie them with some burlap twine. Put each invitation in a bottle and attach a pirate label with the pirate name of the invited guest, along with an aka mention of their real name. (Mini champagne bottles work well for this.) Pour some sand or salt in the bottles along with a few small seashells and the invitation. Hand deliver the invitations to friends or use plastic bottles instead so that you can address and mail them.

If you have the creativity and means, decorate a room with old chests, barrels and tables made from weathered wood. Borrow or buy uniquely shaped bottles from second hand shops and flea markets. Clean them thoroughly and fill them with party beverages like cola and gingerale. Label them with fun pirate stickers, like Non-Groggy Pirate's Rum. Mix up a disgusting variety of liquids like vinegar, cherry juice and hot sauce and label the bottle, Drink if You Dare.

Pirate-themed games and activities will make your party complete.
. Set up tables for playing cards and Liar's Dice.
. Throw in a Pirates of the Caribbean trivia competition and then watch one of the movies.
. Have guests try and decipher the meanings of various pirate words.
. Send your guests on a pirate scavenger hunt that leads to a treasure chest of delicious treats.
. Instead of bobbing for apples, try searching for a candy eyeball in a gooey mess of jello and pasta.
. Challenge your guests to a sword fight dual on a low balance beam (use safety precautions).
. Hand out pirate coins to use for various challenges and bets throughout the night and give a prize to the person with the most coins at the end of the party.

When it's time to send your guests home, a great favor to give is a game of Liar's Dice. Print and roll up the instructions and place them in an opaque cup (They have great antique looking one's at the dollar store). Include 5 dice, some chocolate coins, candy eyeballs, and whatever treats or trinkets you wish to include. Wrap the cups with clear cellophane, tie with burlap twine and finally, attach a pirate sticker or thank you tag.

So, what ye be waitin' fer? Start plannin' yer swashbucklin' fun pirate party.

About the Author:

The author has hosted hundreds of events, showers, and parties over the last 25 years. If you are planning a pirate party visit http://www.diva-girl-parties-and-stuff.com for games and ideas.

Fitness Equipment Apparel Your Gym Garb Guide

2009-05-09T02:25:00.001-07:00

What to wear, and what not to wear to the gym? When this million-dollar fitness equipment apparel question presents itself on gym days, even the strongest muscles turn to jelly.

Fitness equipment apparel has the potential to become the make-or-break factor in a fitness program - especially if you are just starting out with your get-in-shape routine.

The idea isn't to make your fitness equipment apparel part of your workout-routine. This can easily happen if you are constantly lifting straps, instead of weights; tying laces, instead of being tied up at the workstation; doing pull-downs, instead of pull-ups; or giving an entirely new meaning to doing push-ups.

You don't want to be wrestling to improve the flexibility of your fitness equipment apparel, instead of your body's. If your clothes have some stretch in them, it will be much easier to stretch yourself to the limit!

Let's start with fitness equipment apparel fabrics. To make the most of your time in the gym, you have to feel completely comfortable. Dryness, tear and abrasion resistance, stretch, ventilation, ease of movement, and durability are all factors to keep in mind.

Look for labels with references to materials such as Supplex, Lycra, Spandex, Cotton, Polyamide, Coolmax, Dri-Fit, or a combination of these. Cotton on its own is usually not the best choice. It tends to hold on to moisture, becoming unpleasantly clammy and heavy. Who goes through the workout effort in order to g��n weight?

If you want to keep your cool, it is important to choose light-weight, tight-fitting fitness equipment apparel. The materials should have the characteristic of pulling sweat away from your body, transporting it to the outside of the material. The moisture can then evaporate, leaving you dry and comfortable.

An example of this is the Nike Dri-Fit range, where a high-performance microfiber polyester fabric with this quality is used. On a hot day, you wont need more than this. On a cold day, a base layer can be added for extra warmth.

For superb ventilation, knit-in mesh panels under the arms, and at the back are incorporated into some fitness equipment apparel ranges. Make sure you have no excuse to throw in the towel during those first, demanding weeks, by checking for tubular seamless body construction, and flat stitching. You don't want a seam chafing you raw in an unmentionable place!

The bottom-line in fitness equipment apparel usually consists of shorts. If you don't feel comfortable in these, choose easy-to-wear calf-length or full length workout pants. A good choice is Moving Comfort's range. DriLayer fabric, a mixture of Polyester and Lycra, will keep you cool, and it remains almost pill-free even with repeated washing.

You can also try the Adidas fitness equipment apparel range. Their �Mind Body� Moisture-Wicking Pants, will keep you cool and dry. These come with an elasticated waist, and a drawcord. It has handy on-seam pockets. The hem is open for comfort.

A fitted t-shirt or tank top takes care of the top half of your fitness equipment apparel search. Try a stylish, Nike Rock 'n Sport Top for women. A nice touch is the sleek racer back.

A vital part of your fitness equipment apparel is your shoes. Cross-trainers may be your best choice for the gym. Look for good support, flexibility, and cushioning.

The Optima is a good shoe to start with. It is durable and receives excellent reviews. It offers a 5mm sole. The breathable canvas upper ensures comfort, and a good fit.

Another sensible choice would be New Balance. With ABZORB cushioning in the heel, you are assured of excellent shock absorption. Leather upper offers comfort and breathability. Durability is improved with the solid rubber outsole.

The Nike Shox range includes lighter, flexible shoes in their fitness equipment apparel. These are excellent for workouts. Nike concentrated on cushioning and impact protection in the design. Internal stitching, and a one-piece tongue and innersleeve prevent chafing.

The four Nike Shox columns are made of a resilient foam that enhances the durability of the shoe. The shoe has an extremely responsive feel. Lightness is added with a lattice design.

It is a good idea to keep the color scheme of your fitness equipment apparel on the dark side throughout. This will give you a more streamlined look. A loose t-shirt for before and after the workout, may also lessen any self-consciousness. All the major manufacturers such as Adidas, Reebok, and Nike, offer quality, moisture-wicking gym wear.

When you buy fitness equipment apparel, little thought goes into the research behind the brandname. Nike's laboratory, for instance, has some of the most sophisticated scientific equipment to enable researchers to come up with the best designs and materials for peak performance.

The processes involved in testing include motion analysis, kinetics, foot-pressure measurement, ankle range of motion, heart-rate monitors, high-speed video, temperature sensors, and much more. All this to bring you the best possible shoes, shorts, or tops.

If you are partial to a particular equipment range, why not show your loyalty by wearing fitness equipment apparel with their brand name? Companies such as Cybex and Nautilus offer all you need to be able to make the most of your time in the gym. Nautilus offers the Dri-Release� range, with shorts, tanks, and other apparel choices for your workout.

You have to feel so comfortable that you are able to forget about your attire. You can't work on your own flexibility if your clothes doesn't show some flexibility first! Your fitness equipment apparel has to be able to MOOOVE with you..

For more information visit Best-Gym-Equipment.com
About the Author

Rika Susan of Article-Alert.com researches, writes, and publishes full-time on the Web. Copyright of this article: 2006 Rika Susan. This article may be reprinted if the resource box and hyperlinks are left intact.

The New Breed Content to Infect Mankind With Ignorance

2009-05-08T02:25:00.001-07:00

7 Tips to Real Estate Agent?s Success: Tip #2 Embrace a Planning Attitude

2009-05-07T02:25:00.001-07:00

As a real estate agent, if you don?t have a real estate business plan, then you are on some else?s plan ? usually the successful real estate agent. Most people place more value in planning a trip to the grocery store or a vacation than planning their lives either professionally or personally.

Think of a recent vacation or even a simple trip to the grocery store.

How much time did you take to plan that special vacation?
How much time did you spend in writing that grocery list?
What happened when you left the grocery list at home?

Now think about taking that time and directing that time towards your real estate business.

How much more successful could you be?
How would you reallocate your resources if you had taken the time to adequately plan the use of those resources?

Consistent planning begins with an attitude. When individuals embrace a planning attitude, their behaviors will demonstrate the results of that attitude. Of course, attitudes begin within our belief systems ? those foundational thought processes that have evolved from all of our experiences.

Positive attitudes can be developed and maintained by understanding that we as individuals have total control over what we keep in our brains. If we think that planning is not necessary, then we will develop negative attitudes about planning and those attitudes will be demonstrated through behaviors that do not include planning. However, if we embrace positive attitudes about planning, then planning will be part of our behaviors.

Within the real estate business, planning is not new. Real estate agents enlist planning from showing homes to making offers to closing the sale. The challenge is to take those skills and integrate them into planning the business.

To infuse planning with your real estate business start with one bite instead of trying to eat the entire elephant. Begin by writing down short lists of what you what to accomplish each day and how best to use that time. Then, take the time to develop a strategic plan indicating who does what by when.

If you came into the real estate business from another profession that required you to work 40 hours, then you should be spending the same amount of time working in your business with another 5 hours per week working on your business.

The ON focuses on planning and execution with the desired results being as least as successful as you were in your previous professional life. Remember, no one plans to fail, they just fail to plan.

P.S. Read 7 Tips to Real Estate Agent?s Success: Tip #1 - First and Foremost YOU are a Business

Mention that you read this article and receive the completed E-Book - 7 Tips to Real Estate Agent's Success

A Party in Oakland

2009-05-06T02:25:00.001-07:00

Gent Tourist Information

2009-05-05T02:25:00.001-07:00

General summary of city:

Gent, also known as Ghent, is an incredibly popular destination in Belgium. The word Gent is actually the Dutch spelling for the city of Ghent and the two terms are often used interchangeably. Gent is filled with exciting things to see and do and travellers will not be disappointed by the recreational offerings in Gent. Travellers can immerse themselves in the culture and history of Belgium by seeing the myriad abbeys, beguinages, churches, castles, historic landmarks, and museums strewn throughout the city of Gent.

Gent was, at one time, second only to Paris in terms of popularity and size. In the 1830s, Gent showed the significant signs of industrialization, as more and more factories were established within the city. Gent is a thriving city, one that possesses a population of well over 500,000 people. It is also estimated that well over 30,000 people travel into Gent each day, for work and social activities. Since 1950, the city has undergone a significant phase of revival: the canal has brought many businesses into Gent. Currently, with its transportation network and many working opportunities, the city of Gent continues to thrive and it is the capital of East Flanders, Belgium.

Places of interest:

The city of Gent holds so many things to see in do. Travellers can get the perfect scenic overview of the entire city by touring the Belfry or the Castle of Counts in the historic city of Gent. In fact, from the top of either location, other famous sites are easily viewable; sites that include the Veerleplein, the Vleeshallen, the St. Niklaas Church, the Library of the University, The medieval harbour, St. Michiels Church and Gent's shopping centre.

In the heart of Gent, travelers will also find St. Baafs Cathedral, a historic building filled with biblical artwork. The artwork in St. Baafs Cathedral includes images of Adam, Eve, and the Serpent in the Garden of Eden; the Tree of Life; the Holy Cross, and the images of the different counts of Flanders also appear in the Cathedral. Further, the cathedral holds the tombs of the Flemisch Bishops and houses four pillars that were a gift from the Tudors of Britain. Finally, the cathedral possesses some of the most stunning stain-glass art imaginable.

While in Gent, travelers shouldn't miss out on touring the fifteenth century canon, now a monument, located near the Vrijdagmarkt. The Vrijdagmarkt is a square in Gent, offering opportunity for the travellers and residents of Gent to get a taste of medieval life by viewing the existing medieval architecture.

Things to do:

While staying in Gent, there is certainly no lack of things to do. First, travellers will want to make sure they see as many of the churches and cathedrals as possible, because no two churches are exactly alike; each church holds its own unique artwork and architecture, thereby making each religious site seeing destination more difficult to pass up while touring the city!

The Sint-Baafskathedraal Cathedral was built in the fourteenth century. Sint-Baafskathedraal in St. Bavo's Square has no entrance fee, unless the traveller is looking to view The Adoration of the Lamb, a prized and cherished painting by Jan Van Eyck. The entrance fee to see Van Eyck's work is nominal, and the cathedral is open from 8:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. daily.

The Gravensteen, also known as the Castle of the Counts of Flanders, at Sint-Veerleplein 11 was built by Philip of Alsace in the late 1100's. The word Gravensteen is actually Dutch which, when literally translated means castle of the counts. It is the very first stone castle erected in Gent. Prior to the Gravensteen, only wood structures existed. Finally, the Gravensteen has been restored to its former glory and a number of medieval displays can be viewed within the castle: offering viewing enjoyment for the entire family.

Food & Drink:

Those in the mood for seafood can dine at Vier Tafels on Plotergracht 6. The Vier Tafels is a bar and a restaurant, offering international delicacies, wines, cocktails, fresh seafood, salad, rice, salmon, Gambas, mussels and more. Vier Tafels is honoured for its universal cuisine, so there is something for everyone's palate.

'T Keteltje at Nederkouter 1 is the perfecting dining spot if one is looking for a romantic dinner while staying in Gent. Fully dressed tables and a variety of season dishes make the 'T Keteltje one of the finest places to dine in Belgium. Likewise, the De Foyer Brasserie at Sint-Baafsplein 17, is housed in the former Royal Dutch Theater. The De Foyer serves fine dishes like tomato crevettes, grey shrimp, chicken waterzooi, cr?me brulee, chocolate mousse, tiramisu, and tarts, among other incredible desserts.

The Chez Leotine Restaurant at Groentenmarkt # 10-11 also serves Waterzooi, Flemish Beef Stew, and frites. Waterzooi is a unique Belgium dish, much like Cream of Chicken Soup, that has chicken, carrots, celery and onions in the mix. After having your meal at the Chez Leotine Restaurant, travellers may find that the size of the servings offered there has left little to no room for dessert!

Hotels & Accommodation:

Minotel Gravensteen

Hotel Den Yzer Gent

Hotel Ibis Gent Centrum Opera

Holiday Inn Gent

Campanile Gent / Gand

Hotel Monasterium PoortAckere

Carlton

Entertainment:

Travellers looking for entertainment can enjoy the nightlife of Gent when they stop into the Het Waterhuis aan de Bierkant. The Het Waterhuis aan de Bierkant at Groente Markt 9 offers a fine choice of beers, both guest and seasonal. Weary travellers can rest and relax as they sip at the beer of their choosing and take in the scenic view of the canal.

Families can also take in a little culture when site seeing at the Alijnhuis, a museum located at Kraanlei 65, that offers hours of viewing entertainment and enjoyment. With craft rooms, displays portraying medieval life in Gent; bridal artifacts and the like, the Alijnhuis proves entertaining for the entire family. Finally, some children's games are offered at the Alijnhuis.

The Friday Market in the city centre of Gent, is an outdoor market that gives travellers a chance to enjoy a day of shopping. Olives, fresh fish, sausages, chicken, cheeses, fruits and vegetables, breads, and bakery items are offered at many of the booths in the market. Further, travellers can purchase souvenirs, clothing, furniture, woodcarvings, knick-knacks and an array of items are sold every Friday. The Friday market surrounds one of the popular monuments in Gent's city square: the Jacob Van Artevelde, a monument to one of Gent's formidable political figures.

Biography:
Author: Meredith Booney Website: http://www.belgiumcities.info Meredith Booney is a freelance travel writer with over 20 years of experience writing for travel journals, newspapers and magazines. Belgium Tourist Information
About the Author

Biography:
Author: Meredith Booney Website: http://www.belgiumcities.info Meredith Booney is a freelance travel writer with over 20 years of experience writing for travel journals, newspapers and magazines. Belgium Tourist Information

TEFL and ESL Board Games For the Classroom

2009-05-04T02:25:00.001-07:00

Classroom board games are probably one of the most effective teaching tools available. Here we see how to stimulate and motivate students, and provide a welcome change to more standard classroom teaching approaches, giving students a refreshing new focus to practice their spoken English.
A few important points to bear in mind when using board games, which will increase their effectiveness and get the students speaking in English are:

1. The first rule to establish is that the game is to be played in English. Give some input vocabulary such as 'Whose turn is it?', 'Pass the dice please' or for a bit of fun 'Hey, stop cheating!'. Then as the game progresses and you see other linguistic requirements, supply them, drill them briefly, and continue to play. I often have students keep a separate booklet for game playing vocabulary. The students motivation is strong, so take advantage of it!
2. Encourage students to speak in only English by establishing the second rule: not speaking in the target language forfeits a turn. This sounds a little dramatic and harsh, but you'll be amazed how well it works. It also creates an enormous amount of spontaneity of language, resulting in increased fluency and a reduction in response times.
3. Teachers usually think in terms of one-class time slots, whereby the material to be used is to be finished by the end of the allotted time. This can lead to unnecessarily self-imposed restrictions on the choice of materials. I often let a game run for 3 or 4 lessons in order to let the students become highly familiar with the vocabulary fields as well as letting them build up a sense of momentum to the outcome.
4. Students should 'earn' the right to take a turn to generate the motive for speaking. This would mean, for example, asking a team to answer a question before being allowed to take a turn. Depending on the the theme of the board game, you may also use relevant video clips, story reconstructions with visuals or maybe role play situations in parallel, which allow students to score points which in turn allow them to throw the dice.
5. Don't just limit yourself to the rules in the game. Feel free to 'play God' and adjust the rules as you find convenient to make the game move more slowly or faster. It's amazing how our knee-jerk reaction to a game's set of rules sometimes leaves us feeling powerless over how to play the game! Such changes may include giving new consequences to the value of a throw on the dice e.g. 'if a player throws a 5, then they get to throw again'. Wham! You've got a new dimension to the game.
6. Keep teacher talking time down! Let the students run the game - you just police it from a distance, supplying language as required. Because a board game generates spontaneous situations within a defined linguistic area, this is the perfect opportunity for the teacher to take back stage, and just give 'hot correction' when required. Error feed back and remedial work can be given at intervals as appropriate.

Adrian Allen is one of the co-founders of http://www.findateacher.es This is a bilingual search tool for private teachers to advertise themselves to students. It can be used either for free, or by paying a small subscription fee for better ranking in the database.

By Adrian Allen

Do You Know Who You Attract to Your Web Site?

2009-05-03T02:25:00.001-07:00

Style and Grace Befitting Our Country

2009-05-02T02:25:00.001-07:00

I watched today the ceremonies commemorating the death of our 38th President Gerald R Ford, and was stuck by the dignity and grace of Mrs. Ford during the Eulogies for her husband, whom she married in 1948 a marriage of 59 years. Most people may have known Mrs. Ford for her work after the Presidency founding the Betty Ford Center, but she is a strong woman, who has endured so much in her life, and lives today as a pillar of strength and courage for a country who has lost another leader. That power from a woman who at 89 years old still shows American?s everywhere that there is a special presence to the office of the President, and it?s relatively few occupants and families who have shared it. I was truly inspired and it is through her grieving eyes our country pays it final respects to the President.

A breast cancer survivor and a person who bravely battled the demons of dependency, from alcohol to pills. She is the living remembrance of a time forgotten by many, who helped lead the country back from a troubled time, and showed us today what she showed the country back then, a compassionate and caring woman, who has just lost her best friend. A person from the Midwest knows this instinctively, but today a new generation got to see it up close, and how fortunate we were to have Betty and Gerald Ford in our history.

It was not lost upon me as well, seeing her looking proudly on as her husbands casket was carried into the Capital Building. I have always thought of the Ford?s as more common people, having the office of President thrust upon them in 1974, and serving for only 896 days. I also recalled how only a few weeks after becoming the First Lady, she had a mastectomy performed on her. She demonstrated great courage through that and her other problems as well, and today though frail and older she showed us a new courage again.

I was never a big fan of Gerald Ford when he was our President, but through his long life after the Presidency, I was allowed to get to know Mr. and Mrs. Ford a little better. That time has made me change my opinion of Gerald R. Ford, and I believe much of that credit comes from his wife Betty Ford, through the many years after they left the White House and culminating with today?s funeral ceremony, Mrs. Ford I was moved watching you today and offer my condolences and deepest respect on this day we said goodbye to our President, and your husband. God Speed and may God Bless you.

Jeffrey Meier of Jam727 Enterprises offers Information Articles and Library Articles on a wide variety of topics at http://www.Jam727.com

Real Estate Agent Courses

2009-05-01T02:25:00.001-07:00

Online real estate courses are offered to potential and licensed real estate agents, real estate brokers, real estate appraisers and real estate investors. The online schools offer a wide range of services to their students, which include helping the students pass the licensing exams for each field. Different courses are offered to those who wish to become agents, brokers, appraisers and investors as each has its own specific areas of study.

Courses for Real Estate Agents

The major areas of study that the courses for real estate agents include License Laws, Real Estate Contracts and Law, Escrow, Finance, and the Principles and Practices of Real Estate Math. These courses are often delivered through various software, CDs and virtual tutorials that the online schools offer their students. These courses help the students have access to the most up to date state laws with regard to real estate in the areas where they wish to practice their profession and the most up to date techniques and skills that can help them help their future clients. The students also take exams on these modules as to assess their understanding of the different areas of their study.

Review for licensing exams and license renewal

In addition to the modules that these courses offer, one important service that these online schools provide their students are the reviews that the students can take to help them prepare for the State Real Estate Exams that they will take to become accredited agents. These reviews are often given to the students in the form of practice exams and supplementary reading that can help the student prepare for the exam.

Apart from offering their services to people who wish to become agents, courses are also offered to licensed real estate agents who need to renew their real estate agent licenses. Online real estate courses for agents provide high-quality, effective, and convenient classes to future realty agents, that not only give them the most up to date information on real estate but also the best preparation for the State Real Estate Exams.

Real Estate Courses provides detailed information on Online Real Estate Courses, Real Estate Agent Courses, Real Estate Appraisal Courses, Real Estate Broker Courses and more. Real Estate Courses is affiliated with Phoenix Real Estate Schools.

Ocean View Property For Sale ? Buy Cheaply and With Big Capital Growth Potential

2009-04-30T02:25:00.001-07:00

People who took a chance and invested in coastal property in California, Hawaii and some parts of Florida with a $30,000 investment in any one of the three states mentioned above 30 years ago could have returned over $1,000,000.

Today Ocean view properties for sale here are expensive and Americans are looking elsewhere for property that?s cheap and has huge growth potential and getting an affordable slice of paradise

Where are they buying?

Ocean view property for sale can be purchased for just $60,000 and have huge growth potential and Americans are buying in increasing numbers in Central America.

Just a 3 hour flight away and yet ocean view property for sale is up to 70% cheaper than in the USA!

The main market is Costa Rica a safe, stable, friendly country with huge and growing foreign investment. Gains have been stunning for example.

Investors that purchased $30,000 of property in the town of Jaco, just 15 years ago are now worth as much as $750,000.

The Marriot Corporation which built its crown jewel of Latin America Los Suenos Resort and pre sold 50 condos of 2000 square feet for $250,000. The next year Marriot sold another fifty at $350,000. Now this years upper end units are being sold between $450,000 to $850,000.

The same scenario as California, Hawaii & Florida?

The boom in Central America has only just started, record investment and migrants from the US will push prices higher and we could see similar increases here over the next 10 or 15 years as we have seen in the USA.

The boom is set to continue

More Americans than ever are buying second homes and much of the US is expensive, yet Costa Rica remains cheap and gives a high standard of living at lower cost in one of the most beautiful countries on earth.

Buyers of property get the same rights as residents, property tax is minimal and the process of buying and selling is easy.

The capital gains potential

Ocean view property for sale can and does make many savvy investors triple digit annual gains and they are doing this with low risk. Furthermore, they are also able to gain income from the buoyant rental market.

If you are looking for a holiday, a second home or an investment property, then look at the booming ocean view property for sale market in Central America, you will see similar potential for gains that existed in America 30 years ago and the boom has only just begun.

Consider the facts and get on board for big capital gains potential combined with low risk.

FREE REPORT

Showing you all you need to know to make big gains by investing in property

and all the facts about this exciting investment visit http://www.costaricalandlots.com

Budgeting for Baby

2009-04-29T02:25:00.001-07:00

If you are expecting an addition to your family, or just planning on having a baby in the future, you need to start thinking about how you are going to budget for your little one.
Many first-time parents are shocked when they realize how much having a baby can cost. And I am not just talking about the doctor bills. It's all the little things, such as diapers, clothes, formula, baby food, and toys, that add up to cost big bucks!

When my wife and I had our first child, we learned a lot about what we really needed and what was a waste of money. So now that we are seasoned veterans and expecting our second baby, we feel confident that we can avoid the same wasteful mistakes we made the first time around.

Here is a list of 6 things that your baby can live without, followed by 4 things that we could not have lived without:

Baby Wipe Warmer - An unnecessary waste. My daughter never fussed when we used baby wipes that were room temperature. Baby wipe warmers are just an attempt to get parents to spend more money on something they really do not need.

Expensive Clothes - You are going to find that your little one will grow out of his or her clothes incredibly fast. It's one thing to spend a little extra for a nice dress or outfit for a holiday or special occasion. But it doesn't make sense to spend a fortune on clothes that will be worn only once or twice. Instead, choose the lower priced items (as long as the quality is satisfactory), especially for little onesies and sleepers.

Another tip: don't remove the tags from babys clothes until they are ready to be worn. We have outfits that my daughter grew out of before she even had a chance to wear them. Since we had already removed the tags we were not able to exchange them for a bigger size.

Brand Name Goods - Using generic items instead of brand names can save you hundreds of dollars per month. We used the brand name baby formulas for the first few months and then switched to the generic brand after we realized it cost 60% less. Not only did our little girl not mind the change, she actually seemed to prefer it. The generic brand seemed to give her less gas.

Toddler Foods - When our baby was first learning to eat solid foods, we tried dozens of different flavors of baby food. We thought it was important for her to adjust to the new foods and to try a variety of flavors.

But as soon as she got used to the new texture, we started making our own baby food. Carrots and sweet potatoes worked especially well when mixed in the food processor.

And we never even bothered with the 'toddler foods'. They are an expensive waste. Look on the supermarket shelf and you will see the jars of diced fruits and vegetables 'just for baby'. But you know what? You can cut up a pear or a green bean yourself. It will save you money and you will know that the food is fresh.

Large and Expensive Toys - When my daughter was born we spent several hundred dollars on toys for her to play with, plus we received many more as gifts. We got her all sorts of giant stuffed animals and high tech toys that danced or played music.

Do you know what her favorite toy is? A squeaky bath toy shaped like a crab. It cost $1.49. She regularly pushes aside all of the fantastic toys we bought her for that inexpensive little crab.

Now I'm certainly not telling you not to buy your little one anything expensive or fancy. Just keep in mind that she may just push it out of her way so she can play with the box.

Baby Walkers - You hardly see these in stores anymore, but they can be found. Skip it. They are dangerous. Stick a baby in one of these and they can wheel themselves into trouble before you know it. There have been horrible incidents of children rolling down a flight of stairs or running into a table and knocking something down on top of themselves.

The 4 BEST purchases we made...

An ExerSaucer - An exersaucer looks very similar to a walker with one major difference...it doesn't move. The exersaucer stays firmly planted on the ground and allows the baby to 'stand' and play with all sorts of toys that are attached to it, plus any other toys you give to him.

My daughter absolutely loved being in her exersaucer and it gave us a chance to get something done around the house while she was occupied. We knew she couldn't get into any trouble and we constantly changed the toys so she would not get bored.

But be warned. Once baby becomes mobile he likely won't want to use it anymore. He can have a lot more fun crawling around getting into all sorts of trouble!

The Best Car Seat You Can Afford - Keeping your baby safe is no joke. Having a quality car seat is vital in case you get into an accident. Be sure you read the manual and secure baby tightly each time you take her out.

Also, contact your local police station and ask them if they offer free car seat installations and inspections. Most towns have a few officers who have received special training on installing car seats. If your town doesn't offer this service they can get you in touch with a neighboring town that does. Even the best car seat is useless if it is not installed correctly.

Bundle Me - Unless you live in a climate that is warm all year-round, a Bundle Me is a great timesaver. It is basically a cozy blanket that fits into a car seat or stroller. Rather than bundling baby up in a snowsuit and blankets, just place her in the car seat and zip it up. You'll be surprised how warm she stays.

It is especially handy when you have the type of car seat in which the base stays in the car and the seat pops out so you can carry it around. You can have baby all snuggled up inside rather than struggling to do it in the cold.

Shopping Cart Cover - You've probably seen them in the supermarket. It's just a cloth or vinyl cover that goes over the top section of a shopping cart. The baby sits in it and it prevents her from touching the shopping cart with her hands or mouth.

Many people will argue that this is unnecessary, but I see it as a valuable safety device. Countless numbers of hands have touched those shopping carts and who knows what kinds of germs they left behind. Keeping my little girl healthy is more than worth the $20 expense.

About the author:
written by Mike Collins of
http://www.saving-money-and-living-debt-free.com

Avoiding Discriminatory Real Estate Practices

2009-04-28T02:25:00.001-07:00

Real estate agents should never say or imply that the presence of persons of a particular protected class (race, national origin, etc.) in a neighborhood could or will result in:

lower property values;

a change in the composition of the neighborhood;

a more dangerous neighborhood; or

a decline in the quality of the schools in the neighborhood.

Most real estate agents would not act in an overtly discriminatory way; for example, they wouldn?t raise the listing price because of the race of the prospective buyer. Yet some of these same agents might tell racial or ethnic jokes or make derogatory remarks about a particular group of people.

Although these jokes or remarks don?t necessarily indicate a willingness to actually discriminate in a transaction, a listener might assume that they do. Even listening or going along with inappropriate remarks can give the impression that the agent agrees with these discriminatory attitudes. Agents need to watch out for signs of such attitudes, in order to avoid helping others violate antidiscrimination laws.

Listing agents should make sure the seller is willing to follow the law, and decline to take the listing if the seller is not.Real estate agents should also provide equal service to buyers and sellers without regard to their race, creed, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, sex, marital status, familial status, age, or disability. For example, an agent should never refuse to show a property to a potential buyer based on discriminatory reasons.

Glimpse On How To Install Infant Car Seats

2009-04-27T02:25:00.001-07:00

How to install infant car seats is the most important question for all parents as safety is the prime concern especially for infants. So proper car seats should be selected or booster seats so that it gets installed properly and the safety of the passenger is maintained. Infants are generally unaware of the risk of danger and injury in accidents. The head, neck bones and the ligaments remains soft in infants and those areas are prone for injury. So to avoid any kind of injuries in crashes a rear facing seat that support the head and protect the spine, back and neck from the strength of accident is the best suited one. Once the infant car seat is properly installed and safety is maintained it minimizes the menace of fatality by seventy one percent.

In the rear facing car seat the infant should be placed at the back of the car seat till the baby attains the age of one year and weight reaches to twenty pounds. Infants should be avoided in placing them in front of the car while riding as they can be injured by the side airbag of the passenger. Adults should follow the certain steps while installing infant car seats by taking care of the infant's safety rules.

Proper installation angles with adjusters should be put up into the car seat and the angle should not be more than 45 degrees from vertical point so that seat is not flat for the infant to slide between straps. While going for a travel in a car the infants should not be wrapped in blankets rather infants should be dresses in proper outfit and the carrying handle should be downwards when the baby is in the car. The seat belts should be locked to ensure the safety of the child as the seat remains tight and while making the belt tight the knee should be placed in the seat and pushed down. It is necessary for al the parents to read the manual before installing proper infant car seat.

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Los Angeles Real Estate Experts: Selling Your Home in All Market Conditions

2009-04-26T02:25:00.001-07:00

Understanding the real estate market is a complicated task. Currently, there are a number of areas in the United States that are experiencing a decrease in home sales. There are many individuals who assume that this is not the time to sell their home, but those individuals may be making a life changing mistake.

If you live in or around the Los Angeles area and if you are interested in selling your home, you should. There may be a wide variety of different reasons why you would want to sell your home. Whatever your reason for wanting to sell, you are encouraged not to use the real estate market as a guide. There are a number of other factors that you should first consider.

As previously stated, not selling your home when you want to move could be a costly mistake. This mistake is most often seen with individuals who need to move to another city or state to accept a new job. How well your home sells should not be a deciding factor in whether or not you want to accept a new job.

Despite the fact that the Los Angeles area has seen a slight decrease in home sales, it is highly likely that you home will still successfully be sold. The deciding factor will all depend on the condition of your home, its location, and the individual you turn to for assistance. This assistance should come from a professional real estate agent.

Professional real estate agents are trained and experienced in the buying and selling of Los Angeles real estate. Many agents go through extensive training. This training educates them in ways to target new home buyers and teaches them how to make a traditional home more appealing. If you are concerned with the status of the current Los Angeles real estate market, an agent could provide you with valuable information and assistance.

If you are interested in finding an agent who specializes in the Los Angeles real estate market, you can do so a number of ways. Most homeowners search for a real estate agent or company by using the internet and their local phone book. Each should provide you with a large number of qualified agents in the area.

Since local phone books and the internet are both likely to produce a number of results, there are many homeowners who wonder which agent they should use. The best way to determine an agent?s experience with the Los Angeles real estate market is to speak with them directly. It may be possible to schedule a free consultation appointment with a number of real estate agents. Information can also be exchanged over the phone or online.

Taking the time to speak directly with a real estate agent will enable you to determine their experience with the Los Angeles real estate market. This experience could help you sell your Los Angles home, even at a time when home sales are on the decline.

Brad Horn is a writer for 1 percent realtor where you can find a great resource for information regarding Los Angeles Real Estate

Loan Officer Training: The Truth About Realtor Marketing

2009-04-25T02:25:00.001-07:00

Why can't I get more loans from realtors? Why are realtors so difficult to work with? Nearly every loan officer has asked him/herself one of these questions at some point. Unfortunately, while there are plenty of companies that claim to offer solutions, many of these so called solutions turn out to be nothing more than the same information you have seen a thousand times before.

Thankfully, this article is not the same old information repackaged to look new. In fact, my goal in writing this article is to open up the eyes of as many originators as I can to the truth about marketing to realtors.

With this being such a broad topic, it is difficult to find a good starting point. I finally decided to begin with a discussion about why realtors act the way they do. I decided on this as a starting point because of the fact that so many loan officers seem to complain about the attitude they seem to encounter when marketing to realtors. Here are the most common complaints I hear in regards to agents:

*Realtors are too hard to work with

*Realtors already have loan officer relationships

*Realtors stick their nose in my business

*Realtors expect too much

*I can't deal with the condescending attitude

These are just a few of the many complaints I have heard from loan officers around the country. If you're reading this article then I'm sure you have some of these complaints as well. Perhaps you contacted a few realtors yourself only to be greeted with a negative tone and attitude? If so, then now it is time to find some answers.

Answers, We have some!

In order for us to understand why we are treated the way we are when attempting to build realtor relationships, we need to experience exactly what agents experience. We can do this by looking at the past few years.

In the last few years market conditions have been favorable enough to allow just about anyone with decent sales skills to enter the field and earn a very comfortable living. This continued long enough for mortgage companies to resign themselves to hiring just about anyone with a breath and a pulse just to keep up with the demand for refinances.

While this may have worked out well for those doing the hiring, it wreaked havoc on the reputation of those who are in this business for the long haul. Even under the best of conditions loan officer education tends to leave the student thirsty for proper education, so you can imagine the depth of training that is offered when speed is the primary focus.

Let's go a little deeper into this scenario and fast forward to our current market condition. As interest rates have moved upward and the easy deals have dried up, many of these loan officers who have survived on nothing more than refinances for the past year or two are now receiving a wake up call. With the easy business gown, many of these originators have either exited the business or attempted to replace the refinance income with purchase business.

It doesn't take much of an imagination for you to visualize the outcome of this scenario. Thousands of desperate loan officers who have never originated a purchase transaction before can easily create a negative image of our profession. In fact a recent survey was conducted to rate the level of consumer confidence in various professions. The results showed that consumer trust in loan officers was only slightly higher than the profession of used car salesman. What does that tell you?

Now imagine that you are a real estate agent and your paycheck depended on this group of individuals. Imagine how often these agents have been hit up for business by desperate loan officers.

In fact, you don't even have to imagine as we have some figures for you. After conducting a survey with over 100 local real estate agents (Midwest) we found that the average realtor is contacted for business by loan officers an average of 35 times per week! Think about that for a moment.

Whenever you begin to wonder why a realtor is somewhat short with you on the phone, remind yourself that this could be the 35th time this agent has been contacted this week. To be fair, I do need to clarify that this number of 35 contacts per week does include direct mail and email as well. However this does not include all of the other affiliates who are also looking for business such as title reps, real estate attorneys and appraisers.

If you were to stop and consider the implications of this information, you would realize that this means that each month, the average realtor is receiving around 140 messages that are intended to ask for business in one way or another.

That's a lot of marketing chatter to filter through! If this agent has been in business for even one year, this means that he/she has listened to thousands of messages from other loan officers and has probably heard just about every beat around the bush approach and promise you could imagine.

How long do you think it would take for you to build up a wall of sales resistance in a similar situation? Just think about the way we treat telemarketers if they call and interrupt dinner a few times in one night? Are we eager to hear their sales message, or do we blow them off? Perhaps we even join the Do Not Call list to actively protect ourselves from hearing these sales messages. Are you beginning to see how agents must feel?

One other thing to keep in mind is that throughout these thirty five contacts per week the number 1 most common pitch heard by these agents is I'm here to help you build your business. or I have leads to share with you. A close second is We have great service and great products.

If everyone else is using this approach, what do you think happens when you do too? You are brushed off as just another loan officer who over-promises and under-delivers just like everyone else.

This is definitely not the first impression we want to make with agents. As if this weren't bad enough we also cannot forget about the loan officers who are willing to do or say anything to get a loan. These are the people who are giving us a bad name in the industry and destroy our credibility. Just about every real estate agent has worked one time too many with a loan officer who caused major problems throughout the purchase process through lack of communication, and underhanded tactics.

With all of this going on, it's time for us to stand up and take responsibility for our current situation. If we are using techniques and scripts that make us appear to be just like every other loan officer out there, is it any wonder that we keep hearing the same objections over and over again?

Once we take responsibility for this situation, we are free to do something about it. The great thing about this process is that once we minimize this problem, we minimize others as well. For instance, have you ever worked hard to get an appointment with a real estate agent, work hard to impress him/her during the meeting, only to hang your head in frustration as the agent promises to give you business, but never delivers?

The solution to this problem is just about the same as the solution to the first problem. See, both of these attitude patterns are caused by either a lack of trust or a lack of credibility, or we simply have not demonstrated enough value to justify the agent taking the risk of using a new loan officer.

Whenever a real estate agent uses a new and untested loan officer you need to realize that not only are they risking an unpleasant process, but also their entire paycheck, credibility and potential for referrals. If an agent sends a client to you and things go wrong, the finger of blame is pointing at both you and the agent.

Now that we have seen some of the causes of the problems we face when working with realtors, we want to discuss the solution. In the name of keeping this article relatively short and free of fluff, I have created a second article dedicated to offering solutions to the problems discussed here.

You are only moments away from receiving part 2 of this series. To receive the solution to the problems discussed here, simply forward your request to averagejoelo@hotmail.com. You will receive part two shortly. Have you signed up to participate in my free marketing training calls? Why not sign up for our next call when requesting this article? Space is limited so RSVP early!

Average Joe L.O. provides marketing solutions that are designed with the 'average' loan officer in mind. If you are tired of the hype, and are looking for real world solutions to generating more business feel free to take advantage of our free articles,videos and audio downloads at http://www.averagejoelo.com

Everything You Need To Know About Tenant Occupied Properties

2009-04-24T02:25:00.001-07:00

Investor update on where you stand with tenant occupied properties and how they affect your investment. First things first, the law. The Residential Tenancy act applies to residential tenancies in British Columbia. It contains exceptions for tenancies such as not for profit housing cooperatives, accommodation provided to students or employees and living accommodations occupied as vacation or travel accommodations. However, the residential tenancy act should not be used for commercial properties as it dos not apply. Also tenancy?s occupied by a mobile home park are regulated by the Manufactured home park tenancy act and not the residential tenancy act.

Here?s what you need to know:

Written tenancy agreements have been in effect since January 1st, 2004. Every agreement between an landlord and tenant must be in writing. The act requires that the tenancy agreement set out the standard terms which are included as a schedule to the Residential Tenancy Regulation. Remember to use legal names of the landlord and the tenant with the address and rental unit, date of tenancy agreement and all agreed terms included into the contract. You could use your own contract. However, if you phone a property manager in the British Columbia or Calgary area, you could obtain a contract from one of them. They can also offer several advantages to managing your property. Re-Keying Locks is a job that must be preformed by the landlord, if requested by the tenant. The landlord MUST re-key the locks as to prevent the previous tenant to enter into the rental unit. The cost of the re-keying or altering the lock must be paid by the landlord and under no circumstance be paid by the tenant in British Columbia Rentals or Alberta Rentals.

A Landlord may also require an additional deposit if the tenant wishes to have a pet. This deposit permits the tenant to keep the pet in the rented property. This deposit may not be greater than the equivalent of one half of one months rent.

A Landlord may also require a deposit for keys or access devices. For example: garage door openers or security keys.

A landlord can increase the rent annually after giving three months notice. Rent may be increased by a percentage equal to the consumer price index plus 2%. This dispute can be made by a tenant in arbitration. However, if the landlord is within the permitable increase then the landlord is within his rights.

Landlord may enter the property but must provide 24 hours notice to the tenant. However, if the tenant gives permission, the landlord may enter at the time requested.

An investor or landlord is not required to have pets in his or her investment. Pets may be restricted or prohibited by a landlord. Although a landlord can require a pet deposit, the landlord cannot request more then one pet deposit. The landlord is only allotted one pet deposit which should cover all pets owned by the tenant. Also a tenant can end a tenancy agreement for illegal activity being carried out by the tenant or guest of the tenant. If this illegal activity has caused or might cause damage to the landlords property then the landlord may end the agreement. All advice given should not be relied upon in any legal manner and you should always approach your lawyer, realtor or property manager for help in these manners. They are the professionals.

Shane Toews is a Licenced Realtor who helps others to educate themselves on current real estate issues. He also provides assistance on how to locate quality homes, apartments or vacation rentals in Canada's Fraser Valley area. Visit his website RentFraserValley.com for more information on Canada's Fraser Valley Real Estate Market

Warrior Woman Ida B. WellsBarnett

2009-04-23T02:25:00.001-07:00

In the latter part of nineteenth century, social theories from Ida B. Wells-Barnett were forceful blows against the mainstream White male ideologies of her time. Ida Wells was born on July 16, 1862, in Holly Springs, Mississippi. It was the second year of the Civil War and she was born into a slave family. Her mother, Lizzie Warrenton, was a cook; and her father, James, was a carpenter. Ida's parents believed that education was very important and after the War, they enrolled their children in Rust College, the local school set up by the Freedmen's Aid Society (Hine 1993). Founded in 1866, the Society established schools and colleges for recently freed slaves in the South, and it was at Rust College that Ida learned to read and write.

Everything changed for Ida the summer she turned sixteen. Both of her parents and her infant brother died during a yellow fever epidemic, and Ida was left to care for her remaining five siblings. She began teaching at a rural school for $25 a month and, a year later, took a position in Memphis, Tennessee, in the city's segregated black schools. Upon arriving in Memphis were teaching salaries were higher than Mississippi, Wells-Barnett found out that even though there was a stronger demand for literate individuals to teach, there was a stronger need for qualified ones. According to Salley (1993), because she needed qualifications in order to teach, she enrolled into Fisk University and gained her qualification in under a year. While returning to Memphis from a teaching convention in New York, she was met with racial provocation for the first time while traveling by railway. Ida was asked by the conductor to move to the segregated car, even though she had paid for a ticket in the ladies coach car.

She refused to leave, and bit the conductor's hand as he forcibly pushed her from the railway car. She sued the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad, and was awarded $500 by a local court. Even though she won the case, the headlines read, ?DARKY DAMSEL GETS DAMAGES,? and the decision was appealed to the Tennessee Supreme Court and was reversed (Bolden, 1996). She was ordered to pay court frees in the amount of $200. This incident infuriated Ida and spurred her to investigate and report other incidents of racism. Outraged by the inequality of Black and White schools in Memphis and the unfairness of Jim Crow segregation, Ida became a community activist and began writing articles calling attention to the plight of African Americans. She wrote for a weekly Black newspaper called The Living Way. Wells-Barnett?s teaching career ended upon her ?dismissal in 1891 for protesting about the conditions in Black schools? (Salley, 1993, p.115). During her time as a school teacher, Wells-Barnett along with other Black teachers was said to have gathered and ?shared writing and discussion on Friday evening, and produced a newspaper covering the week's events and gossip.? (Lengermann and Niebrugge-Brantley, 1998, p.151). The newspaper was officially established and published and distributed under the name Memphis Free Speech and Headlights throughout the Back community a year after she was dismissed. It has been said that her motivation to become a social analyst was the results of her involvement with the Memphis Free Speech and Headlights both as editor and columnist under the pen name Lola and as part owner. Unfortunately, her printing press was destroyed and she was run out of town by a White mob (Sally, 1993). After getting dismissed from her teaching position, her attention then shifted from schools to the issue that would dominate her work for most of her life; lynching. Lynching was the brutal and lawless killing of Black men and women, often falsely accused of crimes, and usually perpetrated by sizable violent mobs of Whites.

It was during this Reconstruction Era, after the Civil War, that Black men made immediate civil gains such as voting, holding public office, and owning land. Yet, groups like the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) developed at the turn of the century as a response. They made it difficult for Southern Blacks to vote or live in peace, attempting to maintain White supremacy through coercion and violence, including lynching (Salzman, 2004) . Infuriated by the Memphis lynching in 1892, which involved a close friend, Ida expressed her grief in an editorial: ?The city of Memphis has demonstrated that neither character nor standing avails the Negro if he dares to protect himself against the White man or become his rival. There is nothing we can do about the lynching now, as we are outnumbered and without arms. There is therefore only one thing left we can do; save our money and leave town which will neither protect our lives and property, nor give us a fair trial in the courts, when accused by White persons? (Hine, 1993).

At the same time Wells saw what lynching really was; an excuse to ?keep the nigger down? and execute Blacks ?who acquired wealth and property.? (Duster, 1971) This sparked her investigation into the causes of lynchings. Since Whites could no longer hold Blacks as slaves they found in mob violence a different means of maintaining a system of ?economic, psychological, and sexual exploitation? (Duster, 1971).

In addition, the result of her investigation and editorial sparked the Black community to retaliate and encourage all who could to leave, and those who stayed to boycott the city Railroad Company. Ida saw the success of the boycott, and asserted, ?the appeal to the White man's pocket has ever been more effectual than all appeals ever made to his conscience.? (Duster, 1971.)

As mentioned earlier, because of Well-Barnett's racial identity, her social theory was well shaped by the events unfolding within her community as experienced by the first generation of African-Americans after Emancipation (Lengerman and Niebrugge-Brantley, 1998). According to Lengerman and Niebrugge-Brantley (1998): ?This community took as one assumption that White dominance and its accompanying doctrine of White supremacy had to be confronted. American social Darwinists were giving doctrine of White intellectual legitimacy to Whites, which at this time meant Anglo-Saxon, imperialism abroad and supremacy at home, providing dogma such as that in James K. Hosmer?s?Short History of Anglo-Saxon Freedom?(p. 159). Wells-Barnett's social theory is considered to be a radical non-Marxian conflict theory with a focus on a ?pathological interaction between differences and power in U.S. society. A condition they variously label as repression, domination, suppression, despotism, subordination, subjugation, tyranny, and our American conflict.? (Lengerman and Niebrugge-Brantley, 1998, p.161).

Her social theory was also considered ?Black Feminism Sociology,? and according to Lengerman and Niebrugge-Brantley (1998), there was four presented themes within the theory: one, her object of social analysis and of a method appropriate to the project; two, her model of the social world; three, her theory of domination and four, her alternative to domination. Although those four themes were present in her theory, one could assume that the major theme above the four was the implication of a moral form of resistance against oppression, which is not farfetched seeing that oppression was the major theme in her life.

She used an amazingly straight-forward writing style to prove a very bold argument against lynching, discrediting the excuse of rape and other excuses. Wells used specific examples and sociological theories to disprove the justifications of lynching made by Southerners. Within her pamphlets, Wells portrays the views of African-Americans in the 1890s. Southerners allowed widespread lynchings while hiding behind the excuse of ?defending the honor of its women.?(Jones-Royster, 1997).

The charge of rape was used in many cases to lynch innocent African-American men. The victim's innocence was often proved after his death. Wells states that the raping of White women by Negro men is an outright lie. Wells supports her statements with several stories about mutual relationships between White women and Black men. White men are free to have relationships with colored women, but colored men will receive death for relationships with white women (Duster, 1971). As shown by Wells, the excuses used by Whites to torture and murder African-Americans were false. In no way can these kinds of crimes ever be truly justified because of the victim's crimes. Perhaps the most obvious reasons these crimes happened are hate and fear. Differences between groups of people have always caused fear of the unknown, which translates into hate. Whites no longer depended on African-American slave labor for their livelihood. When African Americans were slaves they were considered ?property? and ?obviously, it was more profitable to sell slaves than to kill them?(Jones-Royster, 1997). With all restraint of ?property? and ?profit? lifted, Whites during and after Reconstruction were able to freely give into their fear and hate by torturing and killing African-Americans.

Wells' investigations revealed that regardless of whether one was poor and jobless or middle-class, educated, and successful, all Blacks were vulnerable to lynching. Black women, too, were victimized by mob violence and terror. Occasionally they were lynched for alleged crimes and insults, but more often these women were left behind as survivors of those lynched. Up to this time, African-Americans had almost never been free from some form of persecution; the period of Reconstruction was particularly difficult. With the occurrences of lynching steadily increasing with no hope of relenting, their new found freedom ensured little safety. Eventually, Wells was drawn to Chicago in 1893 to protest the racism of the exclusion of African Americans from the World's Fair. With the help of Frederick Douglass, she distributed 20,000 pamphlets entitled ?The Reason Why the Colored American is Not in the Columbian Exposition.? On June 27, 1895, she married Ferdinand Lee Barnett, lawyer and editor of the Chicago Conservator, and continued to write while raising four children with him (Duster, 1971).

Ida believed firmly in the power of the vote to effect change for African-American men and women. She saw enfranchisement as the key to reform and equality, and she integrated the Women's Suffrage movement by marching in the 1913 Suffrage Parade in Washington, D.C., with the all White Illinois delegation (Sterling, 1979). She continued to write in her later years, and remained one of the most widely syndicated Black columnists in America. She published articles on race issues and injustices that were printed in African-American newspapers nationwide. Toward the end of her life, Ida worked to address the social and political concerns of African-Americans in Chicago. She made an unsuccessful run as an independent candidate for the Illinois State Senate in 1930, and died the next year of the kidney disease uremia (Duster, 1971). Wells-Barnett's influence was profound. When the federal government built the first low-income housing project in Chicago's ?Black belt? in 1940, it was named in her honor (Sterling, 1979). Her autobiography was published posthumously by her daughter, Alfreda Duster in 1971. In Chicago, she helped to found a number of Black female and reform organizations, such as the Ida B. Wells Club, the Alpha Suffrage Club of Chicago, and the Chicago Negro Fellowship League. She also served as director of Chicago's Cook County League of Women's Clubs. These clubs were a means for Blacks to join together for support and to organize to effect change (Duster, 1971). At the national level, Wells-Barnett was a central figure in the founding of the National Association of Colored Women, a visible organization that worked for adequate child care, job training, and wage equity, as well as against lynching and transportation segregation.

Ida B. Wells-Barnett's passion for justice made her a tireless crusader for the rights of African Americans and women. She was a social reformer, a suffragist, a civil rights activist, and a philanthropist. Her writings, regardless of the risk to her safety and life, raised public awareness and involvement to address a number of social ills resulting in the oppression or murder of African Americans. Her service of time through the creation of myriad clubs and organizations improved the lives of her people. Her work in Chicago, in her final years, focused on providing for the needs of the city's African American population. Modeled after Jane Addams' Settlement House efforts, Wells created urban houses for Black men, where they could live safely and have access to recreational amusements while they searched for employment (Hines, 1993). Ida B. Wells-Barnett is sometimes referred to as the ?Mother of the Civil Rights movement.? She refused to be moved from the Whites only railway car eighty years before the famous Rosa Parks held her seat on an Alabama bus. She encouraged the Black community to take steps to gain political rights, using the same means that would successfully be used much later during the Civil Rights movement such as economic and transportation boycotts (Hines, 1993).

In similar fashion to Margaret Sanger (of the Birth Control movement) and Susan B. Anthony (of the Women's Suffrage movement), Wells-Barnett was a woman who dedicated her entire life to upholding her firm beliefs about social reform. She began by writing about the disparity in education and school conditions for Black children and spent much of her life working to abolish lynching through public awareness (Hines, 1993). Ida, through her example, writings, speaking, and service in various organizations, elevated the voice of women's equality and suffrage. She was a pioneering Black female journalist, and led a very public life in a time when most women, Black or White, did not actively participate in the male political realm. Ida B. Wells-Barnett was connected to many prominent leaders and reformers, male and female, during her lifetime. Among them: Jane Addams (1860-1935) was a social reformer, social worker and the founder of Chicago's Hull House, the most famous of the settlement houses. Addams and Wells-Barnett successfully worked together to block the segregation of Chicago's public schools (Sterling, 1979). She was also connected to W.E.B. DuBois (1868-1963) who was a famous Black scholar, sociologist, researcher, writer, and civil rights activist who voiced opposition to the accomodationist views of his contemporary, Booker T. Washington (1856-1915). Washington urged African Americans to focus on self-improvement through education and economic opportunity instead of pressing Whites for political rights.

Ida B. Wells outwardly disagreed with Booker T. Washington's position on industrial education and was mortified with his implication that ?Blacks were illiterate and immoral, until the coming of Tuskegee.? (Hine, 1993) Outraged by his remarks, she considered his rejection of a college education as a ?bitter pill.? (Hine, 1993). She wrote an article entitled ?Booker T. Washington and His Critics? regarding industrial education. ?This gospel of work is no new one for the Negro. It is the South's old slavery practice in a new dress.? (Hine, 1993).

She felt that focusing only on industrial education would limit the opportunities of aspiring young Blacks and she saw Washington as no better than the Whites that justified their actions through lynching. Wells-Barnett joined DuBois in his belief that African Americans should militantly demand civil rights, and the two worked together on several occasions, most substantially as co-founders of the NAACP. The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), of which Ida B. Wells-Barnett was a founding member, is still a thriving organization with thousands of members nationwide (Hines, 1993). The association continues to advocate and litigate for civil rights for African Americans.

Two of the primary issues on which Wells-Barnett worked on, anti-lynching and women's suffrage, are now defunct issues. Lynching is a federal crime and women received the vote in 1920 with the passage of the Nineteenth Amendment to the Constitution. For this reason, related groups that arose at the time, such as the Anti-lynching League, the Freedmen's Aid Society, and the National Association of Colored Women are no longer in existence. Yet, the League of Women Voters was created as an outgrowth of the suffragist movement, and is an organization that still educates men and women about their responsibilities as voters. Wells-Barnett's contribution to the field of sociology is so significant that her work ?predates or is contemporaneous with the now canonized contributions of White male thinkers like Emile Durkheim, Max Weber, George Simmel, and George Herbert Mead, as well as the contributions of White female sociologists like Adams, Gilman, Marianne Weber, Webb, and the Chicago Women? (Lengerman and Niebrugge-Brantley, 1998, p.171). Ms. Wells-Barnett is an inspiring example of the power of the written word and the determination to succeed despite the odds. She was an African American woman, the daughter of slaves and considered the lowest of the low on the historical totem pole in American society and her tenacity, ambition, courage and desire for justice changed history. She was direct and possessed strength during a time when this was unheard of by a woman, especially a Black woman. A reformer of her time, she believed African-Americans had to organize themselves and fight for their independence against White oppression. She roused the White South to bitter defense and began the awakening of the conscience of a nation.

Through her campaign, writings, and agitation she raised crucial questions about the future of Back Americans. Today African-Americans do not rally against oppression like those that came before. Gone are the days when Blacks organized together; today Blacks live in a society that does not want to get involved as a whole. What this generation fails to realize is that although the days of Jim Crow have disappeared, it is important to realize that the fight for equality is never over. In the preface of On Lynching: Southern Horrors, A Red Record and A Mob Rule in New Orleans (a compilation of her major works), she writes, ?The Afro-American is not a bestial race. If this work can contribute in any way toward proving this, and at the same time arouse the conscience of the American people to a demand for justice to every citizen, and punishment by law for the lawless, I shall feel I have done my race a service. Other considerations are of minor importance? (Wells, 1969).

Alicante Car Rental Made Easy

2009-04-22T02:25:00.001-07:00

The most popular and convenient way to get around in Alicante, Spain is to rent a car. Whether you?re traveling up the Costa Blanca to Benidorm, or staying in Alicante to sightsee, it?s great to have a car at your disposal. Renting is simple to do, and depending on your itinerary, it will generally be more cost-effective than any other mode of transportation. There are several key things to take note of before you go.

Alicante Car Rental

When you land at the airport in Alicante, you?ll find several different car rental companies to choose from, including worldwide names such as Avis and Hertz, and regional companies like Auriga and Centuaro. They?re easily accessible from the arrival area.

It?s best to book your car rental before your vacation to ensure you get the best price. Also, depending on when you?re traveling, it?s a good idea to pre-arrange a car in advance to be sure that you?ll have one when you arrive. Particularly in the summer, which is peak season in Alicante, you?ll find that rental inventory goes quickly.

You can use several different ways to reserve your car. You can book online, through a travel agent, or directly with the company you select. Many times you can find a great deal on a car rental as part of a vacation package. Be sure to shop several companies for the best rates. When shopping, include any additional charges, such as insurance, as well as any restrictions that will apply, to get a clear picture when comparing prices.

The car doesn?t always have to be picked up at the airport, though for some, that?s most convenient. Sometimes you?ll find that renting in town is more affordable than renting at the airport. Think about where you?ll be picking up and dropping off to ensure that you?ll have transportation to and from the rental location. If you?re renting from a location other than the airport, most companies offer complimentary transportation to the rental company.

Don?t Forget the Extras

Consider any extra features or charges when renting. Find out what?s included in the price. Some rental companies may include insurance in their cost, some may not.

One important issue to address is whether or not you?ll need to bring a child safety seat. You may have already brought it for the flight, and it?s a simple procedure to get it into the rental car. Or you may have planned to rent one once you arrived. Either way, if you have an infant or child in the car, Spanish law states that he or she must be secured in a safety seat. If a rental company provides it, there?s an additional charge.

Be sure to get a car with air conditioning. It might be an obvious feature, but one you may not realize you need until you?re in the sweltering heat of Alicante without it.

Careful planning and review of all of your options will ensure you have the best possible car rental experience.

Peter Wilson's detailed articles are found on lots of websites linked to Benidorm. You might find out more about his articles on Alicante car rental over at http://www.alicante-spain.com/alicantecarrental.html and different sources for Alicante car rental news.

The diversity offered by promotional bags

2009-04-21T02:25:00.001-07:00

There?are a plethora of different styles to choose from when selecting promotional bags for your campaign.

With such a diverse selection of promotional bags available ? from business bags, laptop bags and backpacks to sports bags, travel bags, tote bags and cooler bags ? the choice can be a bit overwhelming and it may prove difficult to know which bag is the right one to meet your needs.

Promotional bags are extremely popular with companies looking to reward loyal customers and employees or to make an impact on potential customers at events such as exhibitions, trade shows, conferences, fundraising or sporting events.

There is a bag for every purpose. Promotional bags range from basic single compartment budget bags to more sophisticated multi-pocketed laptop backpacks, and everything in between.

Inexpensive tote and drawstring bags are great for everyday use and are particularly popular for use as promotional giveaways at events, whilst conference and document bags are perfect for handing out to delegates at conferences and seminars. All offer instant visibility and brand recognition with a high perceived value relative to their low unit cost.

Sports bags and travel bags are available in a wide variety of styles and price points. They lend themselves perfectly for use in internal promotional incentives, when a more stylish gift is called for.

Executive quality leather business and laptop bags offer a superior finish and greater longevity. These premium bags are therefore mainly reserved for use as high class corporate gifts.

The diversity offered by promotional bags means they are an ideal marketing tool, whether used as promotional giveaways, corporate gifts, for sales promotions or incentives.

Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

praveen samra

Mental Health Jobs offer Rewarding Career

2009-04-20T02:25:00.001-07:00

Many people have already found rewarding careers in the field of
mental health,
enhancing and treating the emotional and psychological well being of others.
There are many types of jobs that allow people to work in the field, working
with people of all ages and all types of cases. Positions range from associates
degrees to post-graduate training, with work ranging from research to patient
interaction. .

Counselor-Family, child, or marital. Counseling is one of the most prominent fields
in mental health. It requires a master's degree in counseling and well as
licensure and certification. Half of counselors are employed by local or state
government, while others are employed by mental health facilities. Many
counselors work in school providing career and education services, as well as
prevention services and identifying mental health problems in students.
Counselors can work in mental health facilities treating mental and emotional
disorders. In this setting, counselors work with a wide variety of patients and
work closely with other mental health professionals to provide optimum mental
health. There are several other specialized counseling fields including marital
counseling, geriatric, multicultural, or genetic counseling.

Psychiatrist-Specialize, MD or DO. Psychiatry is a mental health positions that
requires training as a physician. Physicians complete medical school and
specialize in psychiatry and one of several psychiatric sub-fields. Specialties
include child psychiatry, learning disabilities, forensic psychiatry, emergency
psychiatry, and addiction psychiatry. Other areas also include neuropsychiatry,
pharmacology, and psychoanalysis. Psychiatrists work in a variety of healthcare
setting including hospitals, private practices, and mental health facilities.
Earnings are high for psychiatrists, as with most physicians, with earnings up
to $180,000 annually.

Psychologist. People often interchange the terms psychologist and psychiatrist,
but they are in fact quite different.
Psychologists are not physicians, but must
obtain post graduate degrees as PhD or PsyD. Psychologists work in several areas
including clinical psychology, child psychology, school psychology, health
psychology, and research psychology. Psychologists are considered scientists,
and use a variety of methods to perform research, collect data, and publish
studies. Psychologists are subject to certification depending on area of
specialization. They work in schools, business, hospitals, and research centers.

Social Worker. Employment in healthcare and social assistance is one the fastest
growing fields in the US. Social workers are required to have a bachelor's
degree with several years experience, though many have master and PhD level
degrees. Social work involves improving the lives of those who are faced with
serious issues including physical abuse, serious illnesses, or social problems,
such as unemployment, inadequate housing, substance abuse, and domestic
problems. Social workers may work in schools, for government organizations, in
healthcare institutions, or rehabilitation clinics. Earnings for social workers
depends on educational background, years of experience, and type of employer.
Those who work as child or family social workers typically earn more than those
employed in mental or public health.

?

Occupational Therapy. Occupational therapy is an important and rapidly growing
field where healthcare professional aid those with disabilities or disorders in
order to be functional in daily living and working environments. Occupational
therapy offers opportunities as a therapist, requiring a master's degree, or as
aides and assistants, requiring only associates degrees or a diploma
certificate. Occupational therapists perform a wide variety of tasks including
physical exercise and mental exercise, and make plans and strategies to be more
functional according to the type of disability or disorder. Occupational therapy
may focus on a specific age group, or patients with specific disabilities.
Occupational therapy work may be found in home healthcare services, physician's
offices, nursing homes, hospitals, and also in schools. Occupational therapists
can earn up to $60,000 annually, while aides and assistants earn around $35,000
annually.

Recreational Therapy. Recreational therapists like occupational therapists
provide services to those with mental and physical disabilities, but
recreational rather than occupational activities. Activities include games,
sports, art, crafts, and playing with animals, which all aid to reduce
depression, increase confidence, and reduce the ailments of disability and
illness. Many recreational therapists work in nursing homes, while others work
in mental health facilities. Recreational therapists are required to have a
bachelors degree while many institutions also offer a masters and doctoral level
degree. Recreational therapists are also required to be certified and licensed.

About the Author

Angela Oliver is a contributing writer for Healthcare-TrainingCenter.com, a site offering free information for healthcare training and job opportunities. Please visit the site for more information about training for a career in a mental health.