Passing the ccna and ccnp cisco home lab faq

There is a real revolution today among CCNA and CCNP candidates. More and more of you are turning your back on "router simulators" and putting your own CCNA and/or CCNP Home Lab together, which is the best way to totally prepare to pass these tough Cisco exams. I get hundreds of emails every month from CCNA and CCNP candidate who are putting together their first lab or adding to their existing one. I'm always glad to help with suggestions, and I thought I'd list five common questions regarding home labs here. Do I have to spend thousands of dollars? No! There are vendors all over the web, as well as on ebay, who sell used Cisco routers and switches to Cisco exam candidates like you every single day. They sell kits that consist of multiple routers and switches, as well as single routers and switches. You can add one piece at a time, or make a larger investment. You can spend just a few hundred dollars and put together a very nice lab. What's an "access server"? It's not what it sounds like. When I first heard the term, I thought of a typical server like we see in LANs every single day. An access server is actually a Cisco router that allows you to connect to multiple other routers and switches without continually moving the rolled cable around. You don't have to have an access server right away, but once you add a few more routers and switches to your lab, you'll get tired of moving the rollover cable from console port to console port. (The console port is used to directly connect your PC to the router.) You'll find an access server is easy to set up and configure, and will save you quite a bit of time. What's a "frame relay switch"? Again, it's not quite what it sounds like. A frame relay switch is not a switch; it's a Cisco router that has been configured to serve as a frame relay provider in your home lab. This is very close to being a "must" for your home lab. You don't need it right away if your budget allows for only one or two routers to get started. To truly practice frame relay map statements and see the effect of different frame relay statements, you'll need a Cisco router to serve as a frame switch. Again, the configuration is easy, and having a frame relay switch in your home lab will give you practice that will be invaluable on exam day. Do I need a switch? What switch should I buy? I recommend you get at least one switch in your lab; two if your budget allows. Make sure that at least one of your switches has an IOS; 1900 switches do not have an IOS and while they're better than not having a switch, they're not going to give you the practice you need to pass the CCNA and CCNP. Look to the 2500 family of switches. I want to build my CCNP lab and then use it for the CCIE. What should I buy? It's impossible to tell what technologies and devices will be on the CCIE lab, even if you zip through the CCNP and then take the IE within six months. Cisco refreshing the CCIE lab blueprint every six months, and different technologies can be taken off the lab. While Cisco gives plenty of notice that these changes are going to take effect, it can be a big pain in your wallet if Cisco takes something off of the exam after you spend a bundle to add it to your lab. As an example, Cisco is in the process of removing ISDN and ATM from the CCIE Routing & Switching lab. If you bought an ATM switch for your lab, you've got an expensive paperweight right now. While you may be able to practice your core protocols on a CCIE home lab, it's going to be difficult and expensive to keep your home lab totally current with the Cisco lab blueprint. The decision to put together your own CCNA or CCNP home lab is the best decision you can ever make - and I speak from experience. With home labs becoming less expensive every day, it's becoming more affordable as well. Start looking into used Cisco router vendors today (ebay is a great place to find some vendors, as is Google), and you can be practicing on REAL Cisco routers and switches soon - and be totally prepared for CCNA and CCNP exam success.

Find all the global warming information sources at one site

With Climate Change and Global Warming now becoming more important daily, educators, students, journalists, scientists and governments all need fast access to all the latest Global Warming research and news. Alphatech5.com has created a large directory of information on Global Warming and put together all of the links to every major research center, research paper, news source, government bodies and educational institutions that are the authorities on Climate Change and Global Warming. Leading authorities such as the IPCC, US EPA, the Stern Review, the Woods Hole Institute, NASA's Goddard Space center and dozens more can all be accessed from one easy directory. The site can be found at: alphatech5.com/cchange/cchange. htm Access is free and all interested parties are welcome to browse the directory and use the links as required. They give essential information for the general public, plus important research links for students and educators. Global Warming and Climate Change are now accepted as fact, with governments around the world now looking to build on the Kyoto Protocol by establishing greenhouse gas emission reduction targets. The US President, George W Bush, has recently held talks with European counterparts in order to kick start this process and begin working on establishing reduction targets and time frames for the USA. Currently only the USA, Canada and Australia have not accepted the Kyoto Protocols and it is currently the intention of those governments to establish their own frameworks rather than adopt the Kyoto Protocols. The major stumbling block to worldwide adoption of uniform targets and time-frames will be differing economic and political imperatives. The fast developing nations such as China and India do not wish to hinder the growth of their burgeoning economies, whilst the developed nations do not wish to slow their economies drastically either by reducing their income from fossil fuel industries such as oil, gas, petroleum and coal. The need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions is clear. Polar ice caps are receding rapidly, glaciers are disappearing, weather patterns are changing, flora and fauna are disappearing at alarming rates. It is now not a question of will the use of fossil fuels disappear, but when? Alternative energy sources such as Fuel Cells, Solar, Wind, Wave and even Nuclear will grow apace and the fossil fuel industries are now in their sunset phase. Like the steam train, they have been of great use to mankind but they have now outlived their usefulness and must be consigned to the pages of history. Keep plenty of photographs of your favourite petrol-guzzling auto. In a few years we will all be driving Hybrids - and eventually Fuel Cell or Hydrogen powered cars.

Great info about the south beach diet

Formulated by Florida-area heart specialist Arthur Agatston, the South Beach diet, stresses the intake of beneficial carbs and beneficial fats. He produced this diet for his heart patients supported upon his work of scientific dieting inquiry. The South Beach diet is oftentimes falsely likened to the Atkins diet , which is mostly a low-carbohydrate diet. Dr. Agatston thinks that extra ingestion of supposed harmful carbohydrates makes an insulin resistance syndrome which is an symptom of reduced quality of the hormone insulin's ability to decently act on body fat or sugar. Also he believes, with most doctors, that overindulgence of bad fats adds to an gain in cardiovascular disease. To make impossible these two conditions, The doctor's diet downplays consumption of bad fats and bad carbs and promotes increased consumption of good fats and good carbs. The South Beach diet has three stages. In all stages of the diet, Dr. Agatston urges minimizing consumption of bad fats. In Phase I, enduring two weeks, people try to eradicate insulin resistance by staying clear from moderately high or high-glycemic carbs, such as candy, sugar, bread, fruit, potatoes, grains and cereals. Throughout Phase I, Dr. Agatston states the body will lose its insulin resistance, and start to utilize excess body fat, getting the dieter to lose between 10 and 15 pounds. In two weeks, Phase II starts. Fruits and whole grain foods are step by step brought back to the diet, while in smaller amounts than were probably eaten prior to beginning the diet, and with a extended accent on foods with a low glycemic index. Whenever the dieter achieves the sought after weight Phase III starts. In Phase III the diet extends to add three portions of whole grains and three portions of fruit a day. The diet differentiates between good and bad carbohydrates, good and bad fats. Beneficial carbs are rich in fiber or rich in good fats, and get a low glycemic index, that is, they are digested and ingested easy. Some other desirable carbohydrates are those with more nutritional measure than the options. For example, brown rice is permitted in moderation, but white rice is deterred. When consuming any carbohydrates, the Dr. urges also eating fiber or fat to retard digestion of the carbohydrates. Good fats are polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats, particularly those with omega-3 fatty acids. Trans fats and saturated fats are bad fats. South Beach diet stresses: 1. a change in the way you eat 2. eat many different foods 3. simplicity and adaptability. Consuming whole grains and big quantities of vegetables is promoted, along with sufficient amounts of mono - and polyunsaturated fats, with omega-3 fatty acids, such as are held in fish. It deters the eating of excessively processed foods like high fat meats, and saturated fats. The diet does not call for counting calories or restricting portions. Dr. Agatston advises you eat until you are gratified. Dieters are assured to eat 6 meals a day - breakfast, lunch, and dinner - and snacks between meals.

Acquiring quality in bound links to your website

If you’re wondering what a back link is, well it is a link placed on another site with content relevant to yours that is directed towards your website. Links to your website direct traffic from the linking point to your site and help you to rank higher in search engines. Let’s say that you have a website that sells grills. To get the most effective links to your site you would want to find other sites that offer content similar to grills to place your link on. These other sites might sell books on grilling, offer recipes for grilling or grill parts. The linking site will ideally have content that relates to grilling in some way. You should view the internet as a popularity contest and each little link is a vote for your websites quality. Links of quality are much more effective than links in quantity. 10 links from websites with content related to that on your site could be more valuable than 1000 links from unrelated sites. The links placement on the relevant site is also important. You are better off with a link on the front page of a website than a page that is deep within the site. Ideally you should be able to get to the page your link is placed on by clicking on a link from the front page. Look at it in this way, if you can’t find the link neither can the search engines. We should also cover two different ways to get a link placement. Free link placement involves several options. There are some sites that will offer free link placement with no strings. Other sites will require a reciprocal link back from your site which decreases the link value significantly. You can also write and submit articles to article directories with a link back to your site. There are quality directories where you can have your website listed. A quality one that actually provides benefits to the website linked to will generally charge a fee to review your site in consideration of inclusion. This is generally one of the most time effective ways to achieve good results. Another option is paid link placement. This is purely paying for advertising space on a website. It is an option but should be very carefully done. The primary consideration for this option is for generating traffic via the link itself. Search engines are becoming better at detecting paid links and are making requirements of specialized no follow tags to be placed in them which takes away many of the linking benefits other than traffic from the link itself. If you choose this option be careful that you understand how to do it properly and the risks if you don’t. When you do get a link back to your website, having relevant text in the link itself is important. This is what will help you to rank in search engines for relevant keywords. When a search engine comes across the link it will note the link text and try to match it with the content of your site. The better a match the more relevance that link will be given by the search engine. Link building from quality sites does take time. You are not going to start today and finish up tomorrow. It takes a consistent, focused approach over time to see results that give you the results you’re looking for over the long term.

Your dog is hyperactive when you get home from work... what should you do

Dear Adam, I am a member of the Bouvtrain list. That's how I got your name. I'm almost through your book and it has certainly given me some new ideas. Gypsy is a 1 1/2 year old Bouvier. She is very high-strung but we're working on it. You're absolutely right that it does no good to send your dog away to school. For $900 bucks she now does just what the dog trainer tells her to do. I'm getting a lot better, though. Here's my question. I exercise her in the morning. We play ball for 30 minutes and then we walk a mile practicing sits, downs and stays. At night we play ball for about 15 minutes. I work from 10am to about 7pm. She stays in the kitchen with a dog door leading to a large 6' fenced back yard. She sleeps almost all day and she doesn't sleep at night. She paces and barks. I make her stay in the kitchen (baby gates) so I can get some sleep. I don't know any other Bouviers so I don't know if this is normal or not. She has hip dysplasia and has had hip surgery. I thought it might be pain so tried giving her an aspirin at night. Didn't help. I tried getting up to correct her but she hears me and gets in bed before I get there. Right now I'm just trying to ignore her. The kitchen has a large bay window to the front of the house but there are curtains. She's been doing this for months and I haven't had a full nights sleep in months, either. Would crating her help? Any ideas would be appreciated. Robbye and Gypsy Dear Robbye: Thanks for sending me this e-mail. It's a perfect example as to why simply "ignoring" bad behavior will never work on dogs that care more about pleasing themselves than anything else. Here are some tips: When she starts to bark, you'll need to yell, "No!" from your bedroom, and then continue saying, "No, no, no!" as you run to her and administer a correction. It doesn't matter if she climbs back in her bed at this point, as you've already used the word, "No!" as an event-marker. So she'll know what she's being corrected for. As long as you continue saying, "No!" you have an additional 7 to 14 seconds in which the dog will still associate your correction with the behavior. Put a crate in your bedroom and let her sleep in it. Even though it doesn't seem like much to us humans, dogs think that sleeping together is quality time when they're not alone. This can help with some of her anxiety. You may also try just putting her on a leash and attaching the leash to the foot of your bed. If she knows a down-stay, you can simply correct her if she gets up. After a couple of evenings, she'll learn that when you bring her into the bedroom and make her lay down, it's time to stay put. If you don't feel that her hip is bothering her, I would recommend increasing the amount of exercise time. Feed her as soon as you get home from work and then take her out and play ball for at least 30 minutes. An hour would be even better. If you can't play ball with her for a whole hour, then work her through a very intense obedience routine (heel, sit, heel, down, come, heel, etc...) for about 15 minutes and then play ball with her for another 10 minutes. When I lived in Berkeley, California I had an American Pit Bull Terrier that was a very high-energy bitch. If I took her to the park on a Monday afternoon and played fetch for a whole hour, we'd later return to my apartment and within 20 minutes she'd be bouncing off the walls again. However, if I took her out on a Wednesday and we simply did an intense obedience routine for 20 minutes, we'd return to the apartment and she would collapse under my coffee table and not move for the next 2 hours.

How to redesign your bedroom on a small budget

Has your bedroom stayed the same for the last 20 years? Do you want to make it into a fun, cool bedroom, but without spending money on new furniture? We have some ideas for you to do just that - re-do your bedroom on a budget! - Coat of paint. Nothing freshens up a room like a new coat of paint. Make it into a weekend project and involve your kids - you can do something together, and at the same time, create a whole new bedroom that you need. We don't recommend painting the bedroom walls into bright colors. Beige, peach, light and pastel blues and greens work best. Make sure that your new wall color coordinates with your furniture, as you are not buying new furniture. - Organize your bedroom. Sometimes all a room needs is organization, to look completely different. Many bedrooms are full of kids toys, old clothes and even dishes, that should be in the kitchen. Put those items away, and organize the rest of the room to make it look very different. - Rearrange furniture. Sometimes the best way to decorate without a budget is to use the same furniture, but rearrange it, and add something else into the mix. Walk around your house - you will find a chair in the basement, or an ottoman in the family room, that will look great in the bedroom. Use those to create a whole new bedroom - with your old furniture. - New wall art. Add a splash of color to the room with some new wall art (or borrow some art from another room). Another idea is to frame some of your kids' drawings, or draw something yourself. - New bedding, pillows, bedspreads. It is amazing how much you can change a room by adding just one new item to it. Pick some new bedding or a bedspread that you really wanted, and splurge on them! You will have a great looking bedroom in no time. Remember, updating a room does not mean buying everything new for it. Use some (or all) of our ideas to completely re-do your bedroom. You will be glad you did.

Multiple income streams a key to online home business

Copyright 2006 eliasg One of the most well known cliches is the warning against placing all of one’s eggs in a single basket. Like most oft-repeated sayings, that prohibition contains a very large kernel of truth. The wisdom of avoiding putting too much stock in any one thing holds particularly true of online home business owners. Those who concentrate their online home business plans on the promotion of a single product or on the implementation of a limited single strategy may be able to produce profitable results. However, a single change in the relatively volatile online marketplace can render their months of hard work almost valueless within days. That’s why the smartest online home business owners avoid stuffing too many valuable eggs in a single basket. Instead, they seek out and take advantage of multiple income streams. Doing so has two chief advantages. First, of course, it can insulate one from disaster. By having many independent means of making money, one can survive a downfall in a single moneymaking area without experiencing an “emergency.” Those who don’t have alternative income streams in place may find themselves upside down very quickly if a major change or problem occurs with their primary earner. In a sense, having multiple revenue sources acts as a hedge bet, or a form of insurance, against change or unforeseen circumstances. Second, those who develop multiple income streams for their online home business are able to earn larger sums and to do so with greater consistency. Those who have several ways to generate revenue can really build an impressive income when everything is going well, while still being protected if a problem should ever arise in one area of their business. That is really why having a home business with many ways to earn is so attractive--you make more while risking less! Anyone relying on a single product or idea should, instead, look to add additional means of generating income to their home business plan. Programs like the well-known Prosperity Automated System (PAS), have embraced the idea of multiple income streams, making sure that those who participate in the business program have as many as seven different means of generating revenue. If you are considering starting or growing your online home business, take great care to avoid placing too many eggs in any single basket! Instead, find plans that will allow you to benefit from multiple income streams. They are an important key to online home business success.

Three year olds most likely to claim the derby

All six, which won those races, rank no lower than 16th of the top 20 in graded stakes earnings guaranteed to start in the $2 million race. Do any have a real shot at claiming the 132nd Run for the Roses? You bet! For instance, Lawyer Ron, with John McKee aboard, has dominated opponents while convincingly winning six in a row. The son of Langfuhr captured a $50,000 optional claimer by 11 lengths last year at Louisiana Downs. Lawyer Ron’s pedigree doesn’t scream stamina, but he’s done everything asked of him. He’s following the same path as Smarty Jones, who smelled the roses in ’04. Steppenwolfer, who chased Lawyer Ron home in all three preps at Oaklawn Park, finished third in a $50,000 optional claimer as a 2-year-old, but won another, both routs at Louisiana Downs. The son of Aptitude, settled in at Churchill Downs several weeks ago, is among closers that obviously will benefit from a hot pace on Saturday. Unlike Lawyer Ron, who posted the third highest speed rating of top contenders in their last prep, according to Brisnet, Steppenwolfer never earned a triple-digit speed figure. The highest speed rating belongs to Sinister Minister, who sprinted to victory by eight lengths in a $62,500 maiden claimer earlier this year at Santa Anita. The son of Old Trieste ran away from the eight challengers in the Blue Grass Stakes, more than 12 lengths ahead of runner-up Storm Treasure. The last winner of Keeneland’s premier race to repeat at Churchill Downs was the sire of Bob and John -- Strike the Gold in ’91. Trainer Bob Baffert decided the ride on Sinister Minister goes to Victor Espinoza, who guided the conditioner’s War Emblem to a wire-to-wire victory in ’02, after posting the second highest speed rating by Derby winners in preps since ’90. In Sinister Minister’s case, however, there are at least two horses that will challenge for the lead from the start: Keyed Entry, pacesetter in the Wood Memorial that faded to third, and Sharp Humor, who led into the deep stretch until edged by Barbaro in the Florida Derby at Gulfstream. The second highest speed figure in his last Derby prep belongs to Sweetnorthernsaint, who thrashed nine others in the Illinois Derby at Hawthorne by more than nine lengths. The son of Sweetsouthernsaint captured a $40,000 maiden claimer as a 2-year-old at Laurel. His close third in the Gotham Stakes was a game effort after traveling wide on both turns at Aqueduct after breaking from post 10. Deputy Glitters, who won a $50,000 maiden claimer last year at Saratoga, finished a distant sixth in the Wood Memorial after taking the Tampa Bay Derby. Garrett Gomez will ride Bob and John, another Baffert trainee that was victorious in the slop over the late-closing Jazil and fading Keyed Entry. The last Wood Memorial winner to repeat in Louisville was Fusaichi Pegasus in ’00. Point Determined, who captured an $80,000 optional claimer at a mile on a wet, fast Golden Gate Fields surface, finished 3 ј lengths behind Brother Derek in the Santa Anita Derby. Brother Derek, the early Derby favorite, won four stakes in a row. While the last winner to repeat at Churchill Downs was Sunday Silence in ’89, six of the last dozen that hit the board visited the winner’s circle. Here’s how I see the order of finish in America’s Race: Sweetnorthernsaint and Brother Derek ran the fastest three furlongs of the six major preps. Sweetnorthernsaint posted 36 3/5, a tick faster than Brother Derek. In addition, both had reasonably good times for 1 1/8 miles, while Sweetnorthernsaint covered the last furlong fastest of all – 12 ј. Both recorded triple-digit speed figures in every outing this year. I favor Sweetnorthernsaint because, not only does he sit off the lead, but he exhibits the needed running style to triumph. His acceleration from the final turn into the stretch will mean victory, and two-time Derby winner Kent Desormeaux in the saddle is a big plus. Brother Derek, with Alex Solis in the irons, will rate because of the likely fast paced scenario. He has defeated several classy contenders from the West Coast: Bob and John, A. P. Warrior, and Point Determined. For third, I like the forgotten horse, unbeaten Barbaro, winner of the Florida Derby, trying to become the first horse in a half-century since Needles to smell the roses after a five-week layoff. Trainer Michael Matz made sure the time off has been well spent, and Barbaro is training very well. I believe Lawyer Ron or Sinister Minister will finish fourth, but quite a few others could round out the superfecta. All in all, luck often plays a role when there’s such a large field. Most important is a clean trip around the Churchill Downs oval. Let’s hope the best horse does win. Bet on the Triple Crown @ WagerWeb Racebook

To fund a good cause start your own foundation

What can you do to make the world a better place? One of the best things you can do is create a charitable foundation to contribute to a cause that's near and dear to you. Establishing a foundation is no longer an activity confined to the wealthy. By definition, a foundation is simply a philanthropic organization that contributes financially to designated causes. Anyone - regardless of income - can set up a foundation, according to the National Heritage Foundation. In fact, the organization's mission is to help individuals and corporations do just that. Established in 1968, the National Heritage Foundation provides the tools and support needed to set up foundations for charitable, educational, scientific or religious activities. It takes care of all of the administrative tasks involved in running a foundation, including receiving all donations, making disbursements, sending charitable receipts for donations, and ensuring compliance with state and federal regulations. It also can help with marketing and fundraising strategies. To date, nearly 9,000 foundations have been created under the National Heritage Foundation umbrella. Here are some examples of foundations you can start. * A foundation for your community that contributes to beautification projects, public works and safety initiatives, and recreation programs. * A foundation for athletes. * A foundation for the disabled. * A foundation that helps fund projects in foreign countries. * A foundation to benefit a school, college, hospital or place of worship.

How to save money at the petrol pump

You may be surprised to find that there are many ways which you can help yourself to cut down the cost of running your car. But we are not talking about shopping around for car insurance or trading in your flashy sports model for a little run-around - we are talking about fuel! By paying a little attention to your car and treating it correctly you can save money at the petrol pumps. Here are some excellent tips to help you get on top and start cutting down on the cost of your fuel. First of all, make sure that you get your engine tuned on a regular basis. By keeping your engine in tip-top shape you can help to save yourself money. The most important part when it comes to saving on fuel this way is the oxygen sensor, this alone can increase or decrease your car’s efficiency by as much as 40%. Always make sure that you keep an eye on your tyres. A once a week check is ideal. Inflate them when necessary as under inflated tyres force your car to work harder on the road. So always make sure that when you fill up your car that the tyres are optimal for the recommended pounds per square inch. Using the right motor oil in our car can help to save you money too. Using the correct motor oil can help to make your car run much more efficiently which in turn saves you money. Getting rid of any extra weight that doesn’t need to be in your car can help greatly to reduce the amount of fuel which your car uses. So this means that its time to clear out the boot of your car and get rid of the junk! Finally, sign up to a website that has fuel price alerts - they can tell you the cheapest fuel prices near to your postcode.

Believe you can

In any therapeutic intervention that is designed to achieve change, it is important to have an understanding of the beliefs and values held by the person wishing to change. NLP therapists are able to work with clients to eradicate limiting beliefs. NLP therapists are available to provide NLP in Herts. Have you ever taken the time to stop and think about your beliefs and values. Ask yourself – where have my beliefs originated? How do they guide how I live my life? Do my values and beliefs serve me? Beliefs and Values form the essence of your identity and you should ask yourself these questions for the following reasons: Beliefs are like a pair of glasses: Put your glasses on and they filter how you view the world. Beliefs act in the same way. You will have beliefs about yourself, your skills and capabilities, how others see you and what type of person you are. You will also have beliefs about other people, how they operate, how to communicate with them, what drives them. Basically, you have beliefs about everything, including the world, politics, social issues, concepts, and religion. Beliefs underlie your internal representations, which is your map of the world. Your beliefs also filter sensory data that you take in from the environment and favour sensory data that supports and confirms your beliefs. We know form NLP models that the internal representations people hold effect their emotional state and behaviour. Therefore, beliefs have an influence on your emotional state and behaviour. Beliefs and Values are your motivators: The core beliefs you hold are your motivators, they are the basis from which you function in the world. People tend to works towards things that they value. For example, if you value having a high-powered career this may take priority over other aspects of your life such as time with your family. Beliefs distort how you view the world: Every belief and value is basically a generalisation that you have made abut the world. Generalisations are distortions. Often when a client presents with a problem, there is a distorted belief or value behind it. For example, “my partner doesn’t phone me enough, this means he doesn’t love me”. Once you are able to become more aware of the distorted beliefs you hold, it is possible to begin to question them and challenge them. NLP therapy has a specific tool called the meta-model that is able to uncover the troublesome distortions and generalisations that people are making. Beliefs and values determines what happens to you Beliefs about the world and yourself can actually determine what happens. They are not just thoughts but effect what you focus on. We know in NLP that what you focus on your more likely to get. This is because your unconscious mind cannot understand negatives. So for example, if you focus on not being in debt, your unconscious mind will be on the lookout for debt in the environment and various ways to bring debt to your attention. NLP therapy teaches people the importance of communicating in the positive when you are thinking. This means saying what you do want not what you don’t want. Most people have heard of the placebo effect. This is a phenomenon in which a pill is given which contains no active ingredients. There are many studies that show that people given a placebo will experience a therapeutic benefit and in some cases get well based on the belief that they will be well. Changing your beliefs: As an NLP therapist, people often come to see me at my OT, NLP, CBT and hypnotherapy practice in Herts because they are having problems with limiting beliefs, e. g. “No one could find me attractive”, “I cant lose weight or give up smoking”, “I’m useless in social situations”, “I’m bad at presentations”. Of, course, they are often not aware that their belief is the source of their unhappiness when they initially come to see me. Limiting beliefs hold people back and prevent them from doing things they want too. When we believe we cant do something our behaviour will usually confirm this. As discussed above, you will act in a way and look out for evidence to confirm your beliefs. NLP and CBT therapy has effective techniques for changing illogical and limiting beliefs that can allow you to move on and experience the world through a new pair of glasses. There is no excuse to let your limiting beliefs hold you back any longer!

A simple way to create 7 effective autoresponder messages

Email is the Net's most powerful marketing tool. And autoresponders are the best idea yet for marketing with email. There is an old saying that the first ad rarely sells. You have to put your product, service, or idea in front of a prospect several times before she buys. Autoresponders are designed specifically to get your message back to the same prospect over and over. That's why most autoresponder packages come in groups of 7 messages--from the 7 message marketing rule that has been the rule in advertising since our grandparents were in diapers. But what do you say in your 7 messages? We've written autoresponder series for hundreds of customers. Here is one method that always works. This method is called REMIND 'EM. People don't read your sales letter as carefully as you think. They tend to skim. They read the first message, but miss the second and third message. The prospect may not tune in again until message five. It's so easy for people to completely miss your main points intended to lead to a sale. It's important to *repeat* your main message over and over. Say it once, twice, three times in your first message. Say your main message in a different way in the second message. Re-cap your main point again in the third message. That way, people who aren't paying attention still get your important ideas. Here's an example of how the "remind 'em" formula works for a 7 letter series promoting personal security products. Message (1) The world is a dangerous place. You need new innovative security products to insure your protection. Message (2) More details on how and why the world is a dangerous place. List places or situations that are especially threatening. Message (3) Recap how the world is a dangerous place. Give more details on the key new security products that have come out. Now start the middle section of messages. Note how they become more instructional telling people how to use the products. Message (4) Protect yourself from the dangerous world with Product A. Here's how to use Product A. Here's why you would use it. Here's where to use it. Message (5) Protect yourself with Product B. Here's how to use it. Here's what happy customers say about it. Tell a hair raising story of how Product B saved a customer's life. Now comes the wrap-up and reminder, especially important for people who never got around to reading your earlier messages. Message (6) Go back to your main sales letter used in numbers 1 and 2. Start all over reviewing your main points and highlighting your most popular products. Message (7) This is the final follow-up email. I usually have it come two weeks to one month after message 6. It's designed to scoop up all the people who weren't ready to buy in the beginning, but may be ready to buy now. It can start with "For the past few weeks I've been sending you important information about how to protect yourself in threatening situations. I know you are busy and may not have had time to consider how these products could improve your life and confidence." At that point, you again review your main points. Repetition is the key to advertising success. Find creative ways to keep the main message going week after week and you will have as many customers as you can handle. Busy prospects simply need time for your message to sink in. As we used to say when I worked in media, it's just when you and your staff are sick to death of a commercial that the audience is just beginning to notice it.

Positive thinking and effective marketing go hand in hand

Copyright 2006 Joel Sussman Successful sales and marketing requires persistence, continuous improvement, and the expectation of a positive outcome. If one doesn’t approach every aspect of marketing with enthusiasm, creativity, and a positive mental attitude, then it’s like embarking on schooner race with no wind in your sails. You’ll have no momentum or direction, and the competition is guaranteed to overtake you. Attitude has an insidious way of infiltrating everything we do; and it can lift us up to great heights or pull us down to the depths of failure. It can energize us to do and say all the right things at the right time, or it can undermine our motivation and cause us to sabotage our own best laid plans. The bottom line is this: either we own our attitude or our attitude owns us. Every now and then, it’s necessary to make a conscious decision to take charge of our thoughts, attitudes, and habits. An unfocused effort, whether it involves marketing or any other aspect of business, is sure to produce inferior results. Allowing negative thoughts to infect your mind creates a cascading effect of self-defeating behavior. In direct sales, one needs to have a winning attitude and a magnetic personality to influence and persuade prospects to become customers. That’s only the tip of the iceberg, though, because a successful salesperson also needs to have the finesse and people skills to win back lost customers, negotiate the best deal, ask for and get sales referrals, inspire teamwork, and have the energy and optimism to overcome setbacks and keep moving forward in the face of temporary failure. Without a positive mental attitude, none of that is going to happen. Cultivating a positive attitude also feeds the creativity and optimism necessary for nearly every other aspect of marketing ranging from sending out press releases and sales letters to placing ads or launching a web site. If you don’t believe it’s going to work, either you’re not going to try at all—or your efforts will be weakened and half-hearted. In both cases, you’re doomed to failure before you even get out of the starting gate. On the other hand, if you make up your mind to be an ‘eternal optimist’, you’ll be willing to take calculated risks and put your best foot forward. Getting there may involve an integrated program of reading motivational books, listening to self-improvement CDs, making a concerted effort to identify and avoid (or filter out) a lot of the negativity in your environment, and establishing daily habits that will tend to attract beneficial people and circumstances into your life. Being an entrepreneur and running your own business is an intrinsically risky endeavor. If an expensive marketing campaign falls flat or a major client signs on with the competition, you might find yourself scrambling to make up for the loss. A positive state of mind not only helps you be creative, resourceful, and energized, but it also enhances your ability to anticipate, adapt, and regroup. While many aspects of marketing are considered a gamble by anyone’s estimation, the best way to hedge your bets is by adopting a focused, optimistic, and positive mental attitude

Think forex and consider these two factors

In this article I will cover two important advantages that the Forex market offers to traders. Daytrading with a small account If you want to daytrade with stocks and you have less than $25.000 on the account, you are likely to have a hard life. The reason is that a rule called "pattern day traders" allows you to daytrade freely only if you have that amount or more on your account. If you have less, your daytrades (positions entered and exited the same day) are limited to three in any five trading days period. Your broker should monitor your activity and make sure you do not execute trades that are not allowed under the "pattern day traders" rule. This regulation applies for stocks and stock options. The Forex market at the time of this writing is not involved. Risk Control The Forex market has two characteristics that may translate in a better risk control on your trades. What I mean by risk control, is the possibility to define your maximum loss should the market move agains you. If we do not consider the use of options or other tools as a hedge, the way to take control of losses is by using a stop loss order. Nothing new, up to here. The problem that at times traders face is that a stop order can be executed at a price much worse than the one intended and originally set. Generally, there are two situation where this can happen. The first has to do with the liquidity of the market. Within this article, we can consider liquidity as a synonymous of trading volume. If liquidity is poor in a market, there might be a significant price difference from one execution to the next one. You can notice this easily in any intraday chart of a small volume security: the price does not move in a continuous an harmonic way, like it does in a very liquid market; rather, it has a tendency to "jump" from one level to the next. This can affect the execution of your orders in a negative way. The phenomenon is also referred to as "slippage". Here we consider in particular the exit order, but slippage can affect your entry order as well, and this could translate in for example in a buy order executed at a higher price than the one you wanted to buy. The Forex market does not fear competitors about liquidity. 1.5 Trillions dollar are traded in Forex every day. The other markets follow at a big distance. The second factor that gives trouble to risk control is in the occurence of price gaps. Say your stock closes today at 63, and your stop order is at 61.5. In theory, your maximum risk is 1.5 points per share. But the stock for any reason tomorrow opens for trading at 57, and you will be stopped out at that price, so the actual loss will be 5 points per share. Gaps are common in stocks whenever an important news is announced when the market is closed. Sometime an important news can cause a gap even intraday, especially in a not so liquid market. Some other times, the trading in a stock is suspended just in the wait of an important pending news. A gap in almost assured when the news is released. Of course, your position can also benefit from a gap, if the gap direction is in your favour. But the point here is that the occurence of gaps reduces your power to control risk with a stop loss order. The Forex market is virtually always open from Monday to Friday. There can be wild intraday moves caused by news, but the occurence of gaps is very rare within the week. These are just two of the potential advantages the Forex market offers to traders. There are many others that I will not cover here, from the cost of trading (commissions are often zero), to the amount necessary to open an account (which can be very low). All these factor explain why the Forex market is attracting more and more traders. Good trading Roberto Zarotti

A brief history of buy to let mortgages

Evolution of the Buy-to-Let Market Investing in property is a relatively new phenomenon in the UK. Prior to 1990 rental properties were dominated by the Government. The private rented sector only began to emerge once the Government changed its housing policy in the 1980s and mortgage lenders began to introduce specialist buy-to-let mortgages. During the post-war period of 1945 to 1980, the UK Government did not favor the private rented sector. A number of housing policies were in existence that stifled the possibility of ordinary individuals profiting from owning and renting out residential property to private tenants. To begin with, the UK Government controlled a large council housing scheme that provided rental accommodation for non-homeowners. The accommodation was supplied by the Government at a local level and rent was collected accordingly. In addition to this there were strict rent controls in place as well as tax concessions for owner-occupiers. During the post-war period the Government also controlled a massive scheme to build homes for UK residents. In contrast, today there are virtually no private dwellings being built by the Government and most residential dwellings are built by private enterprise. The modern buy-to-let industry can trace its roots back to the 1980s when the Thatcher Government began to encourage council tenants to buy the properties they were renting. A "right-to-buy" scheme was introduced which allowed council tenants to buy their properties at significantly discounted prices. During this period the private rented sector also began to emerge because fewer people were renting properties from the Government. Instead, tenants were more open to renting from private landlords. Buy-to-Let Mortgages Emerge in the UK Property investment really began to take off in the 1990s thanks to a small group of lenders who began to offer specialist buy-to-let mortgages to individuals who wanted to own residential investment properties. There were six lenders in total and they collectively founded the Association of Rental Letting Agents (ARLA). In addition to the availability of buy-to-let mortgages, the private rented market experienced a period of growth due to several social and economic factors. These factors included increases in the number of small households, net immigration, the growing number of university students, and an increase in the average age of first-time-buyers. The combination of these factors led to an increase in the number of properties available for landlords to buy and the number of tenants who wished to rent property from them. Ever since 1996, when the ARLA panel of lenders introduced buy-to-let mortgages to the UK market, property prices have experienced strong growth. The property market has consistently outperformed the equities market and for this reason more and more individuals have added at least one buy-to-let property to their portfolio of investments. Many investors who bought property as early as 1996 have experienced high returns on the capital value of their properties. This has allowed them to refinance their buy-to-let mortgages in order to release equity and buy even more properties with the proceeds. Other investors use the funds collected from releasing equity to invest in other businesses or to fund their lifestyles. Additionally, people who did not invest in buy-to-let properties in the 1990s have witnessed the enviable level of returns the early investors have experienced. This has resulted in a new wave of UK residents purchasing buy-to-let property with the hope of achieving similar medium to long-term gains. These factors have combined to ensure that the property market in the UK remains strong and that prices continue to rise beyond the rate of inflation each year. The market for buy-to-let mortgages has also flourished in line with the property market as lenders line up to take their share of the spoils. The Future of Buy-to-Let Mortgages Buy-to-let mortgages have evolved considerably since 1996 as the UK property investment market has increased in popularity and sophistication. There are now dozens of lenders offering hundreds of buy-to-let mortgages for almost every type of residential property. From humble beginnings, the buy-to-let market has grown considerably. The future looks bright for the industry despite the UK property market becoming saturated with investors and lenders. Buy-to-let mortgages should continue to evolve for the UK property market, ensuring that residential property remains a popular investment vehicle. Additionally, as foreign countries open their property markets to UK investors, UK lenders will no doubt create specialist buy-to-let mortgages to cater for investors wishing to take a chance on offshore property investment opportunities.

Have a holiday tea party this year

Teatime! It's as if it's just part of being a girl ... hats, little teacups, beads and bracelets. Girls of all ages love a fabulous tea party! There are so many great reasons to join up with our friends across the Atlantic and begin the tradition of afternoon tea EVERY day, but especially at the holidays, creating the tradition of a special holiday tea will provide a fabulous memory for our girls that will last a lifetime! Some of the benefits of planning a holiday tea: 1. It's fun! As I said above, girls of all ages LOVE the ritual of tea. Picture young ladies dressed in their holiday finery ... soft Christmas tunes playing in the background. There is something about pouring the liquid out of the pot into lovely cups... it's just a little slice of heaven. 2. It's peaceful. Be honest! This time of the year can be downright nutty at times and throughout most of the holiday season life is anything but peaceful. Provide a respite from the craziness of the holidays around a cup of tea. You'll see... peaceful.... ahhhhh, this is how the holidays should be! 3. It's memory building. Think of years from now when your girls will be recounting the fond memories of your holiday tea together. Better yet, imagine seeing your girls start the same tradition with their girls. 4. It's enriching. There is really no easier way to teach your young ladies manners than at a lovely tea table. Opportunities abound in teatime to show your little ladies how to be kind, quiet and caring, as well as how to use a fork, sip without slurping, etc. 5. It encourages conversation. What a great time to set aside and reminisce about old family traditions and memories of the holidays. Talk about favorite holidays of the past or memories of your grandparents' visits, etc. Now the last thing I want to do is create more stress for your holidays by throwing something difficult on you. Relaxing tea parties can be very simple and resources and books abound on the topic. Here are some easy steps to plan your first holiday tea. 1. Keep it small. Invite only your daughter's closest friends and limit it to just a few for this first tea. If you're inviting moms and daughters and can enlarge your dining room table, plan for a comfortable space between guests at the table. 2. Set your date. The typical English teatime is in the afternoon but that doesn't have to be the rule for the holidays. Find a time that works best for you and your guests, and limit the time to about a two-hour slot so the time in itself doesn't create stress for your guests. 3. Plan your menu. Again, simple is best. Scones, cucumber sandwiches, and a nice array of holiday cookies would make for the perfect tea menu. We always have some back up peanut butter and jelly sandwiches too, just in case for the younger ones. 4. Send your invites. Keep them simple as well. Print them out with a fancy font on your computer and stamp with a poinsettia or other holiday image. Or use the wonderful clip art available online. Or, even better, if your girls enjoy drawing and you have time, make handmade invitations. 5. On the day of the tea, set an elegant table. This is the only part of our holiday tea where I'd say go elaborate rather than simple. Use your finest plates and teacups, cloth napkins and napkin rings if you have them. Have your girls make up place cards for each guest so as they come in they can be seated immediately. Turn on the holiday music and start the tea water to boiling as the guest arrive so it will be at it's freshest when you all sit. Most of all relax and enjoy the tea with your guests. This is not an event where you'll want to be getting up and down. Pour out and begin sharing your favorite holiday memories. Start with a holiday tea this year and you'll see... it will become an annual tradition not to be missed!

At home hair removal techniques to use part two

There are some more at home options for hair removal that you should consider. You will find these to provide you with a good quality finish. To choose, look at your conditions as well as your preferences. Waxing: A Small Pain Goes A Long Way Waxing is an effective method of hair removal that will last several weeks. You can purchase at home kits to help you to do it. You’ll apply a thin coating of wax, allow it to dry and then rip it away. Yes, it hurts a bit but that is only going to last a second. And, you’ll be able to take advantage of the hair free beauty for a while afterwards. Bleaching: Hide It While you will not be actually removing hair, you will be able to hide it carefully. Bleaching is a chemical reaction which will remove the color from the hair allowing it to blend in with your skin. You can purchase bleaching products for the hair above your lip or in other areas as well. Make sure to follow the directions of the product that you use. It is also important to note that tanned skin can cause bleached hair to stand out. Abrasives: A Little Elbow Grease If you have fine hair, then abrasives can be the right method for you to remove hair. You will use an abrasive stone, pumice mostly. By rubbing the stone to the skin in a circular motion, you will lightly remove the hair without damaging your skin. Although you’ll see some redness afterwards, it will likely go away quickly. And, the results of abrasives will last up to three weeks. Electrolysis: The Home Version There are several home electrolysis products that you can purchase. Careful purchasing can lead to the best results. While these products promise permanent hair removal, they are hard to use and do not always provide this. They are not as effective as professional services, but far less costly. You’ll want a blunt needed version. This will get placed inside the follicle. Products called Electric Tweezers do not work nearly as well. You’ll need to make sure that the hair is in a growing cycle and follow the directions provided carefully. A small area of at a time should be attempted. It will take you a long while and it will not be as pain free as you may think. Hair removal can happen at home. There are many methods and ways that you can effectively get rid of unwanted hair that is throughout the areas of your body that you do not want it to be. While there are many options, it is completely up to you, your preferences and your budget to determine which the right one to go with is.

Casino gambling taking full control over the games

Nothing beats the allure of Casino Gambling. Whether it be a real or an online casino, millions of people worldwide flock these sites just to experience a slice of the luxury, fun, and entertainment offered by these places. Every player naturally wants to get a hold of the entire casino experience and yet he can only take as much as his money and gambling skill can afford him. The best part, of course, is winning the jackpot prize. More than the luxuries, thrills, and attractive girls, the cash is the target of all players. When it comes to the money? Everyone competes and wants to grab not just a fraction, but the whole of it. In Casino Gambling, you either end with the whole pie in your hands or with nothing. That's the risk of the game. Well, the great thing about casinos especially the real ones is that they mix money with other forms of luxury and amusement. At least, you can divert your attention to many other things just in case you need to get over your losses. You may not win the game, but you can experience the casino lifestyle even if it is only for a few days or hours. Yes! Your casino experience can burn out only in a few hours if things get wrong or luck is against you. In Casino Gambling, you can turn into a millionaire or a bum in an instant. Of course, it's a different thing when you have gambled more than the money you can afford. In that case, it will be too difficult for you to forget or run away. Not even a luxurious and thrilling experience can take away such a nightmare. That's why you need to control your gambling. It is understood that most people would like to win the jackpot. You want the pot of cash, right? The truth in Casino Gambling though is that not all are able to win the money. A casino whether real or online is where the wealthy and poor mix together. It is where people end up as either winners or losers. It is where you can turn yourself into an instant millionaire or someone poorer than your current status. In order to boost your chances of winning, you definitely should know the rules of the game. In Casino Gambling, your key to winning the entire game is discipline. In other words, control, control, and control. You should always keep this important factor in mind. Whether you are playing in a real casino or simply inside your home, you should know when to stop. Discipline keeps you ahead in any game. Of course, the task is more difficult when you are in a real casino since you can be carried away by the flow of excitement. Needless to say, the same control is needed whether you are gambling inside or outside your home. If you're losing the game, don't attempt to recover your losses by trying out other games. This is a risky option and it doesn't work most of the time. When you start to feel and think it's time to stop, then decide to stop immediately. Casino Gambling is certainly fun, but don't be caught up by its allure. If you want to play more, then you need to save again before you go for the next game.

New york daily news

The story behind the New York Daily Post Rich and just basically brimming with culture and history, New York CIty actually has a million or more stories to tell about its decadent past and how things around this cosmopolitan city all came to be. Considered to be as one of the United States' biggest newspapers, whose circulation is actually well more over 700,000 copies. The New York Daily News, a newspaper printed using a tabloid format has actually started its newspaper journey way back in the year 1919. Mortimer Zuckerman was actually the founder of the New York Daily News while also having the catch phrase, "New York's Picture Newspaper" (which has over the years, was changed to "New York's Hometown Newspaper"). Still, in spite of the various changes, the New York Daily News has continued on printing their tabloid format newspaper still with a lot of photographs. Of course, the whole point of being a newspaper just simply means that the New York Daily News also contains lots of news (obviously, it's not called New York Daily NEWS for nothing). Gossip about celebrities and other famous people also abound in the New York Daily News Page 6 columns, it is where people often turn to just to read about the hottest, freshest and juiciest gossips about the who's-who in the industry. As like with other newspapers, the New York Daily News also contain a classified ads section, a popular comics section as well as an equally well-read sports section and an opinion section. New York Daily News really packs in the punch with its varied features and scopes of interest. Here's a fun fact about the New York Daily News: Bill Gallo is actually the much celebrated sports cartoonist of the New York Daily News. The New York Daily News was actually founded by Joseph Medill Patterson who's family were actually the publishers of The Chicago Tribune, the New York Daily News has also been able to establish WPIX-TV and WPIX-FM. During the whole history of the New York Daily News, there was actually a time, during the early part of the 1990s that the New York Daily News almost went to bankruptcy. Fortunately for the New York Daily News however, was the financial assistance that was brought about by Robert Maxwell, a millionaire who offered to help the New York Daily News stay in the media business. However, due to Robert Maxwell's death, his company didn't any more felt the need to continue on publishing the New York Daily News. When it comes to their opinions section however, the New York Daily News try to set its self apart from its various competitors. The well-respected New York Times have actually set very liberal standards for their newspaper's opinions column, while fellow tabloid, the New York Post differs from the New York Daily News' opinions pages by being a staunch rightist. However, the New York Daily News has actually been able to acquire ten Pulitzer prizes since it was first established but due to its fierce competition with fellow tabloid, the New York Post, the New York Daily News has actually resorted to some sensationalism as a counter-tactic against the New York Post wherein the New York Daily News has been touted as the newspaper with the most creative headlines and captions for its photos in all of journalism.

Jumbo mortgage loans things you should know

The definition of a “Jumbo Mortgage” is a mortgage loan whose total amount is higher than the standard conventional limits. Jumbo loans are simply mortgages for higher-than-normal loan amounts. The gold standard of “normal” in the lending industry is what is called a “conforming, conventional” loan; that is, a loan that conforms to the secondary market agencies’ conventional underwriting requirements regarding credit, income/asset verification, property features, etc. As of February 20th, 2007, the maximum amount for this “conforming” loan is $417,000 for a single unit property, $533,850 for a 2-unit property, $645,300 for a 3-unit property and $801,950 for a 4-unit property. The conventional limit for second loans is $208,500 and all loan limits are 50% higher for properties in Alaska, Hawaii, Guam, and the U. S. Virgin Islands. These limits change periodically with the real estate market. Most lenders are willing to lend over and above these conforming amounts, but the larger jumbo loan amount translates into a larger risk for the lender should you default on the loan. Simply stated, the more the bank lends, the more it stands to lose if something goes wrong and they need to foreclose on that property. Because the lender is taking an increase in risk with the size of the loan, they will typically charge a higher interest rate than they would on a loan that is within the “conventional” loan limits. All lenders vary in the premium they add for jumbo loans, but a good rule of thumb is to expect to pay an interest rate about 0.5% higher than you would for an otherwise identical conforming loan. With conventional lenders, these jumbo loan amounts are set in stone, particularly if they are backed by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac. In other words, a mortgage for $417,000 from one lender at 6% will almost always be about 6.5% for a loan of $417,001 from the same lender.

A guide to the oxford and cambridge university boat race

I have been fascinated with the annual Boat Race between Oxford and Cambridge University for as long as I can remember. I didn’t attend any of these top two British Universities, nor do I have an avid enthusiasm for rowing but this traditional race of the two boats over exactly 4 miles and 374 yards still holds a fascination for me. I am not alone as the televised event is broadcast, from the historic River Thames, to hundreds of countries and has an audience of millions. The idea for the boat race between these paragons of academia was dreamt up by two students, both named Charles, funnily enough. Charles Merivale was at Cambridge University and Charles Wordsworth was at Oxford. Cambridge issued their challenge to Oxford on March 12th 1829. Ever since then, it has been a tradition for the loser of a year’s race to challenge the other boat to a rematch the following year. On 10th June 1829, thousands of enthusiastic people descended on the small town of Henley-on-Thames in Oxfordshire. They were there to witness the first ever staging of the Boat Race between Oxford and Cambridge’s best rowing teams. In a rather embarrassing turn of events the race had to be stopped shortly after both boats had begun to be rowed. It was restarted and Oxford was the winner of the first boat race against Cambridge. One thing that I didn’t realise about the Boat Race until fairly recently was that the members of both crews do not get any special dispensation as far as their studies go. If they can’t keep up with their academic commitments then the students must resign from that year’s boat squad. The Boat Race is on a Sunday in March or April and the main event is preceded by a competition between Isis and Goldie. These are the reserve boats for Oxford and Cambridge in that order. About half an hour later the Blue Boats, as the first teams of each University are known, takes place. Cambridge is light blue and Oxford dark blue.

Mortgage refinancing the facts

Mortgage refinancing is when a homeowner gets a new home loan to pay off their existing one. The benefits of doing this are that they may be able to save money by getting lower interest rates or special deals. Refinancing is not the best option for everyone, though. For a person who is facing financial problems refinancing could spell trouble. It is common for a person to want to save money on their home loan. A home is most likely the biggest purchase a person will ever make, but that does not mean they have to stick with one lender and pay the same high interest rates forever. Home owners have the option of refinancing to cut their home buying costs. Refinancing involves shopping around for a better deal then the one they currently have. When shopping around it is advisable to approach a few good mortgage brokers that work with a large panel of lenders, not just one or two. This way they can search the market place to find the right deal for you. This is even more advisable if you have a bad credit history. A good broker will have access to a number of specialist adverse or sub prime lenders who will be able to offer you competitive rates. The same is true if you are self employed and have trouble proving your income. Many times when a person is facing financial problems they see using their home as a way to clear their debts. While that is an option, refinancing to get out of financial problems is not a good idea. One reason is that should the person be unable to make the new loan payment, then their house is now in jeopardy. Unless a person is truly sure that refinancing their home to get money to pay off debts is something they can afford and will truly solve their problems, then it is not a wise decision. Some people refinance to change from a variable interest rate to a fixed interest rate. This can be very beneficial. Fixed rates mean that the mortgage payment never changes and is the same form month to month. With a variable rate the amount of the mortgage can change drastically form month to month as the interest rates fluctuate. However, with a fixed rate a person has to be careful not to lock in on too high of a rate. They would then lose out when interest rates go down, unless they go through mortgage refinance again. There are also many lenders out there who are not what they say to be. Mortgage refinance scams are common and can really be damaging. To avoid scams a person should always deal with a trusted lender and read every piece of paperwork completely. If a deal does not seem right then it is best to back out before ever signing anything. Mortgage refinance can be a very good thing if done carefully. There are also many ways in which it can go wrong. Homeowners need to be aware of everything involved in mortgage refinance so they can get the best possible deal that will save them the most money. They should also always be aware that they are risking their home should they not carrying through with their mortgage obligations. It is important to make sure everything is in place and understood before ever signing the papers.

3 Things all affiliate marketer need to survive online

3 Things All Affiliate Marketers Need To Survive Online Every affiliate marketer is always looking for the successful market that gives the biggest paycheck. Sometimes they think it is a magic formula that is readily available for them. Actually, it is more complicated than that. It is just good marketing practices that have been proven over years of hard work and dedication. There are tactics that have worked before with online marketing and is continuing to work in the online affiliate marketing world of today. With these top three marketing tips, you will be able to able to increase your sales and survive in the affiliate marketing online. What are these three tactics? 1. Using unique web pages to promote each separate product you are marketing. Do not lump all of it together just to save some money on web hosting. It is best to have a site focusing on each and every product and nothing more. Always include product reviews on the website so visitors will have an initial understanding on what the product can do to those who buys them. Also include testimonials from users who have already tried the product. Be sure that these customers are more than willing to allow you to use their names and photos on the site of the specific product you are marketing. You can also write articles highlighting the uses of the product and include them on the website as an additional page. Make the pages attractive compelling and include calls to act on the information. Each headline should attract the readers to try and read more, even contact you. Highlight your special points. This will help your readers to learn what the page is about and will want to find out more. 2. Offer free reports to your readers. If possible position them at the very top side of your page so it they simply cannot be missed. Try to create autoresponder messages that will be mailed to those who input their personal information into your sign up box. According to research, a sale is closed usually on the seventh contact with a prospect. Only two things can possibly happen with the web page alone: closed sale or the prospect leaving the page and never return again. By placing useful information into their inboxes at certain specified period, you will remind them of the product they thought they want later and will find out that the sale is closed. Be sure that the content is directed toward specific reasons to buy the product. Do not make it sound like a sales pitch. Focus on important points like how your product can make life and things easier and more enjoyable. Include compelling subject lines in the email. As much as possible, avoid using the word “free” because there are still older spam filters that dumps those kind of contents into the junk before even anyone reading them first. Convince those who signed up for your free reports that they will be missing something big if they do not avail of your products and services. 3. Get the kind of traffic that is targeted to your product. Just think, if the person who visited your website has no interest whatsoever in what you are offering, they will be among those who move on and never come back. Write articles for publication in e-zines and e-reports. This way you can locate publications that is focusing on your target customers and what you have put up might just grab their interest. Try to write a minimum of 2 articles per week, with at least 300-600 words in length. By continuously writing and maintaining these articles you can generate as many as 100 targeted readers to your site in a day. Always remember that only 1 out of 100 people are likely to buy your product or get your services. If you can generate as much as 1,000 targeted hits for your website in a day, that means you can made 10 sales based on the average statistic. The tactics given above does not really sound very difficult to do, if you think about it. It just requires a little time and an action plan on your part. Try to use these tips for several affiliate marketing programs. You can end maintaining a good source of income and surviving in this business that not all marketers can do. Besides, think of the huge paychecks you will be receiving…

Restaurant decor ideas serve unusual framed art with the meal of the day

If you feel your restaurant decor is drab, spruce it up with unusual framed art. Every wall can tell a story from the past, reflect a certain theme, or create the dining atmosphere you want for your patrons. There are paintings and posters to reflect almost any theme. From African-American art to Latin art, and even Native art - there's something for every type of restaurant! Here are some great ways to enhance the look and feel of your restaurant with unique framed art. Jazzy Theme for the Musical Atmosphere If you want to create a "jazzy" theme, choose framed art that reflects musicians and musical instruments in action. There are several amazing African-American paintings by Bearden that bring the jazz or blues scenes to life with saxophones, guitars, drums and other instruments. Diners will be in the mood for some relaxing live music once they catch a glimpse of your attractive framed art of musicians! 1950s Theme - A Walk in the Past For a "malt shop" style restaurant, there's nothing better than some great framed prints or posters from the past. Create a nifty atmosphere with framed art or posters of Elvis Presley, classic automobiles, or 1950s-style cafes. Classical Elegance Use classical framed art to create an elegant dining experience for your customers. Try gorgeous prints such as Diego's "The Infanta Margarita Teresa in a White Dress" or "Museo del Prado" to illuminate each wall in your restaurant or cafe. Classical framed art can be matched with your restaurant colors or table colors, and you can choose from many styles of elegant wooden frames to complete your decor. Give your Restaurant Personality with Cultural Themes If you want to portray a cultural theme in your restaurant, you can choose from a variety of Latin art, African-American art, Native art or other cultural themes to suit your tastes. These come in all different colors, themes and frames so you can easily match paintings to your restaurant decor. More Framed Art Tips Don't stop with paintings! Add a touch of individuality to your "walls of art" with other unique home decor items such as wall sconces, wall mirrors, wall fountains and wall plants or flowers. These will attract attention to your framed art so customers will take notice as soon as they enter your restaurant. You can even use small spotlights above or beneath the paintings to illuminate them and add soft lighting to every wall. Place matching flowers or candles on each table to create a romantic atmosphere. Or, use your table centerpieces to complement the theme of your paintings - no matter what the theme. The possibilities are endless! Using framed art to decorate your restaurant is easier today than ever before. There are almost unlimited resources online to find all the framed art you need!

Meditation techniques

Do Yoda Proud: Meditation 101 Meditation refers to a state where your body and mind are consciously relaxed and focused. Practitioners of this art report increased awareness, focus, and concentration, as well as a more positive outlook in life. Meditation is most commonly associated with monks, mystics and other spiritual disciplines. However, you don’t have to be a monk or mystic to enjoy its benefits. And you don’t even have to be in a special place to practice it. You could even try it in your own living room! Although there are many different approaches to meditation, the fundamental principles remain the same. The most important among these principles is that of removing obstructive, negative, and wandering thoughts and fantasies, and calming the mind with a deep sense of focus. This clears the mind of debris and prepares it for a higher quality of activity. The negative thoughts you have – those of noisy neighbors, bossy officemates, that parking ticket you got, and unwanted spam – are said to contribute to the ‘polluting’ of the mind, and shutting them out is allows for the ‘cleansing’ of the mind so that it may focus on deeper, more meaningful thoughts. Some practitioners even shut out all sensory input – no sights, no sounds, and nothing to touch – and try to detach themselves from the commotion around them. You may now focus on a deep, profound thought if this is your goal. It may seem deafening at first, since we are all too accustomed to constantly hearing and seeing things, but as you continue this exercise you will find yourself becoming more aware of everything around you. If you find the meditating positions you see on television threatening – those with impossibly arched backs, and painful-looking contortions – you need not worry. The principle here is to be in a comfortable position conducive to concentration. This may be while sitting cross-legged, standing, lying down, and even walking. If the position allows you to relax and focus, then that would be a good starting point. While sitting or standing, the back should be straight, but not tense or tight. In other positions, the only no-no is slouching and falling asleep. Loose, comfortable clothes help a lot in the process since tight fitting clothes have a tendency to choke you up and make you feel tense. The place you perform meditation should have a soothing atmosphere. It may be in your living room, or bedroom, or any place that you feel comfortable in. You might want an exercise mat if you plan to take on the more challenging positions (if you feel more focused doing so, and if the contortionist in you is screaming for release). You may want to have the place arranged so that it is soothing to your senses. Silence helps most people relax and meditate, so you may want a quiet, isolated area far from the ringing of the phone or the humming of the washing machine. Pleasing scents also help in that regard, so stocking up on aromatic candles isn’t such a bad idea either. The monks you see on television making those monotonous sounds are actually performing their mantra. This, in simple terms, is a short creed, a simple sound which, for these practitioners, holds a mystic value. You do not need to perform such; however, it would pay to note that focusing on repeated actions such as breathing, and humming help the practitioner enter a higher state of consciousness. The principle here is focus. You could also try focusing on a certain object or thought, or even, while keeping your eyes open, focus on a single sight. One sample routine would be to – while in a meditative state – silently name every part of you body and focusing your consciousness on that part. While doing this you should be aware of any tension on any part of your body. Mentally visualize releasing this tension. It works wonders. In all, meditation is a relatively risk-free practice and its benefits are well worth the effort (or non-effort – remember we’re relaxing). Studies have shown that meditation does bring about beneficial physiologic effects to the body. And there has been a growing consensus in the medical community to further study the effects of such. So in the near future, who knows, that mystical, esoteric thing we call meditation might become a science itself!

Internet advertising the greatness of banners

Banners are probably the most common form of advertising on the Internet today. The reason behind this has to do with their randomness and prevalence throughout the cyber highway. Banners are not intended for target audiences; instead, these flashing, animated, sound-generating eye-catchers are intended to simply throw the message out there in an endless array of locations for everyone—professionals and public—to see. In this way, the company that is advertising becomes known instantaneously, which is the purpose. The banner may very well be the prelude to sucessfully target networking. When the banners provide a vast acknowledgement of a business’ existence, networking becomes easier and more successful because a wider variety of other business owners will have become more familiar with those who have previously launched the banner. The banner, then, is a form of dynamic introduction for new business ventures and a constant affirmation of already existing ones. All types of businesses use banners due to their “in-your-face” nature and the company recognition they provide during short-term and over long-term periods. Banners are initiated through particular HTML or PHP hyperlink coding. The more elaborate ones, however, are launched through specialized software like Flash® and Java®, both of which are designed for extreme animation, video and audio presentations, some of which are unrestricted by Windows® framing, such as the Adobe™ logo which is activated everytime a PDF file opens. Some banners feature only color stills with lettering, while others include motion and sound. That’s the great thing about banners: they can be constructed to show anything, and they are growing more and more sophicated all the time. Among the more popular banners circulating the Internet, many represent the more well-known companies that have been around for a while. This suggests that the larger businesses tend to employ such technical and dynamic means of advertising. Cost isn’t low, and it continues to rise. This includes: software, design and development, and sponsorship with other businesses who offer space on their sites to feature the banners. Pricing varies, but it is usually beyond the budget range of the typical small business. Therefore, the banner not only advertises the company and its particular marketing pitch, it also boasts its success. There is also the constancy of the banner. Unlike, say, television commercials, this mode of advertising can run on and on, non-stop, day and night. Because of this, in conjunction with their prevalence throughout the Internet, business owners need not ever fear that their banner ads will be going unnoticed. Ongoing advertising is sure to incessantly increase traffic, keep the inflow steady, and promote current development in the businesses the banners represent. In the end, banners are, due to their countless advantages, the best form of advertising for online business. As a matter of fact, their impact in their effects and efforts make their employment just short of a necessity to ensure success. New online business owners who aren’t sure how to introduce their ventures would be served best to use banners, which are flexibly ideal, despite their potentially high costs.

About digital cameras mastering a most helpful gadget

It is best to know more about digital cameras if you are to take advantage of the advance technology they offer. Digital cameras are modern gadgets, no doubt. Thirty years ago, they were unheard of. Now, every family has one. Their appearance has changed forever the way we preserve memories and special moments of our loved ones. About Digital Cameras - How They Function Digital cameras have small computers in them to capture and record images digitally. Instead of film, digital cameras have sensors that convert images of light into electrical charges. Almost every one of them are user-friendly and any novice without any knowledge can take a picture or two the first time he holds one. They are all designed with convenience and high quality images in mind. New models are now so light and compact. They are operated with buttons and everything is just so easy to manipulate like the zoom and the power on. Some models also come with video capability. You just need an extra memory card to provide the extra space to store those videos. While they are so convenient to use, users should also know a thing or two about digital cameras and terms used in relation to them like resolution or pixels. A digital camera's resolution refers to the sharpness of the images it captures. In other words, it is the amount of detail it can possibly record. Resolution is measured in pixels. The higher the resolution, the better the images it produces. However, this also means heavier images in your camera's and computer's memory. Ideally, digital photos for e-mailing should have a resolution of not higher than 640 x 480. Resolution any higher than this would be very heavy already. For printing quality, digital photos should have at least a resolution of 1216 x 912. About Digital Cameras - How to Care for Them Make sure that your digital camera is free of dust and dirt. It should be kept in its case when not in use. Moisture and heat are also no-no's for digital cameras. Keep them away from the elements at all times. If you live in an environment with high humidity, be sure to get some silica gel to keep the moisture away. Always handle digital cameras with care, whether they are the less expensive ones or those that cost a fortune. Protect them from knocks, magnetic fields and vibrations. When traveling with one, ensure that it is kept safe during the trip. Before removing the memory card or disconnecting the power source, turn it off first. Although this is common sense, many people forget it. Digital cameras are so important now in this age of advanced technology. They are used by friends and family to stay in touch, to preserve special memories and even used extensively in the workplace and businesses. By knowing more about digital cameras, how to use and take care of them, you will be able to produce better quality images and thereby get your money's worth. Further, you will be able to enjoy them for a long time.

How to find affordable car insurance in oregon

Nobody like to pay more for car insurance than they have to, and this is especially true in Oregon, which has some of the highest automobile insurance rates in the country. There’s really no trick to finding affordable car insurance in Oregon. It’s simply a matter of shopping around and comparing as many different companies as possible. Thanks to the internet and a variety of free quote services, getting comparisons is not as difficult as it used to be – but it is still tedious and time-consuming. To save time it is advisable that you have all of the necessary information in front of you before you log onto a car insurance quote site. Having everything at your fingertips will save you a lot of time and headaches. First, have your driver’s license in front of you. You will need to supply all the “standard” information: name, address, birth date, gender, and martial status. They will also ask for your driving record for the past 5 years. This will include a list of accidents, claims against your present insurance company, and any tickets you have received. Be truthful – they will double-check your answers. They will also ask about your occupation and the number of years you have been employed, as well as ask questions about your credit history; drivers with good credit get a break on their auto insurance rates. They’ll want to know how many people will be driving the car and their ages and genders, and they will ask if you rent or own your own home (homeowners often get a slightly lower rate). In addition they will need information about the car you will be insuring. They will need your vehicle’s year, make, and model, as well as any anti theft devices or safety devices the car has. They will also ask if you own your vehicle or if it is being financed. You will also need to have your vehicle’s VIN number. The VIN number can be found on the driver’s side dash board under the windshield or in the glove compartment on the right hand side. They’ll want to know if your vehicle is used primarily for business or pleasure and approximately how many miles you drive each week. Finally they’ll ask about your current insurance and then ask what types of coverages you want and what deductibles you’re considering. Even though it seems like a lot of information, most of it is fairly standard information that you will know off the top of your head. The rest you will need to gather. The payoff for the effort you’re making will be affordable car insurance month after month, year after year – and for most people that’s worth an afternoon of online comparison shopping any day!

Meeting new business challenges the next generation project manager

Copyright 2006 Dennis Sommer Are you tired being an average project manager, working on average projects, being passed over for promotion, and getting an average performance review? You need to understand something right now. Being a certified Project Management Professional (PMP), proficient in the PM knowledge areas and having successful projects under your belt, is not enough to be a top performing project manager. There are new challenges and expectations today that require every project manager to evolve to the next level. If you do not take action now, you will be left behind. New Challenges Think of all the challenges you face on a daily basis: Motivating teams who are harder to mold and direct than those in the past. Introducing new services more swiftly to keep up with competitors. Managing change in all its variations from new company regulations, methods, policies, etc. Managing higher customer expectations. Managing higher company expectations. Being a project manager with a traditional “tyrannical management and control” management style does not succeed in this new business environment. This is one of the reasons why there have been so many project managers, from all industries, let go in the past 3 years. Business executives realized their traditional project managers were not adding value to the organization. They could not meet new challenges and expectations. Traditional project managers are considered dead weight and on the endangered species list. Meeting these challenges demands leadership. Why would you want to change your management style? Well, let’s see. Who is the best motivator? A Leader. Who gets the greatest effort and most insightful thinking from people? A leader. Who always meets stiff challenges and goals? A leader. Who summons from people old-fashioned workplace virtues like loyalty, commitment, and on-the-job exuberance? A leader. Who gets promoted? A leader. Traditional Project Manager vs. Leader So why are there so few leaders? Many believe the traditional “tyrannical management and control” management style based on ordering people around, kicking butt, and taking names gets results quicker. This can work, but there is a huge negative impact to employee morale, team performance, and long term success. Review the following list, A Leaders 13 Core Competencies, and see whether you are a traditional manager or leader. To keep your current project management position or advance your career, you need to understand the difference between the two and which leadership core competencies you will need to work on for future success. A Leaders 13 Core Competencies Management Style. Traditional project managers supervise, control and correct. Leaders strategize, inspire, and motivate. Goals. Traditional project managers focus on short term goals and follow endless series of internal processes to the letter. Leaders think and act like an owner of the company, recognize the importance of long term goals, have vision, and are committed to succeed. Thinking Style. Traditional project managers are satisfied with incremental gains and follow ideas that worked in the past. Leaders are constantly searching for new knowledge and new ideas, willing to learn better methods and make sure employees expand their knowledge base. Communication. Traditional project managers engage in one-way communication, give orders, and talk at people. Leaders encourage interactive communication, are receptive to both positive and negative feedback, and listen to employees and customers. Emotion. Traditional project managers are analytical and coolly detached. Leaders produce emotional energy. They inspire employees and customers to consistently achieve goals. Trust. Traditional project managers are firm believers in Murphy’s Law. They constantly monitor their employees. Leaders maintain a high level of trust with their employees. Openness. Traditional project managers are closed minded, need everything proven to them, and take pride in saying “NO!”. Leaders embrace diversity and are highly receptive to new ideas and people who are different. Action. Traditional project managers gather good ideas and rarely implement them. They over analyze, resist making decisions and avoid risk. Leaders are self starters and action oriented, they think fast on their feet, come up with solutions to critical situations, and take calculated risks. Mentoring. Traditional project managers rarely coach or mentor employees. They focus on how things should be done and strictly follow procedures and checklists. Leaders help employees develop the habits they need to be more successful, empower employees to make decisions, observe performance and provide feedback. Change. Traditional project managers like things the way they are, will do anything to avoid change, and see change as a threat. Leaders stimulate and relish change, adapt quickly to change, do not fear it, and see it as an opportunity. Attitude. Traditional project managers are pessimistic and not approachable. Their first priority is to satisfy the boss, then customers and employees. They are judgmental and push blame down the line. Leaders realize the impact of a positive attitude, they treat everyone as special, remain objective, apologize and admit mistakes, and maintain a positive frame of mind. Value System. Traditional project managers do not have personal or team values documented and they don’t know their own corporate value system. Leaders document and refer to personal and team values daily, they believe values guide people, and values are something considered worthy in and of itself. Performance Measurement. Traditional project managers rarely measure or review performance. When they do, the measurements are judgmental, and employees rarely know how they are performing on a day-to-day basis. Leaders are always measuring data based performance, track employee progress, involve the employee in tracking their own performance, and use the performance measurements as a training tool. How To Become A Leader Were you born a leader? Of course not. Can you be a leader? Yes. Leaders are made rather than born. To be successful and meet the new business challenges, traditional project managers must concentrate on developing the 13 Leadership Core Competencies. Leadership training, mentoring, experience, and daily dedication to the core competencies will be the key to your success in the future. To get started on your path to becoming a project management superhero, you need to take the first step. The following is a list of my favorite project management and leadership web sites that will help you take the first step: btrconline, ccl. org, pmi. org, and business. My favorite leadership books include: “One Minute Manager”, “Seven Habits of Highly Successful People”, “Who Moved My Cheese”, “Not Bosses But Leaders”, “The Leader Manager – Guidelines for Action”, “Enlightened Leadership”, and “First Things First”. Good luck with your future success.

A quick and easy lesson in calculating outs and pot odds

Calculating outs (the number of cards that could improve your hand) and pot odds (ratio of the money in the pot versus the amount required to make your next call) is often used as a basis for a Texas Holdem Poker player on whether to draw and try to make their hand. However this in my opinion should not be the sole basis of your decision on whether you should draw for another card. You also have to decide on whether the hand that you are trying to hit will win you the pot or not. How to calculate pot odds: In this example, if the current pot contains $80, and the amount required at the next call is $20, the pot is laying you odds of $80 to $20 or 4 to 1. As long as your odds of making the best hand are 4 to 1 or better than making the call is the right move. A hand that is 4 to 1 means that you will hit once in every 5 tries. You will hit the draw 20 percent of the time. This next example takes into account calculating pot odds and outs. Assume that your hole cards are a six and a seven (for this example suits do not matter) and the flop came down 8-9-3. In order to complete your hand you need a 5 or 10. You have eight outs – 4-5’s and 4-10’s. Multiply your outs (8) by 4 and you get 32. You have a 32 percent chance of making your hand. If there was only one card left to draw you would multiply by two. A 32 percent chance of making your hand means you have a 68 percent chance of NOT making your hand. This is roughly 2 to 1 that you won’t make the hand. So, as long as the pot contains $2 for every $1 that you have to call, it is worth going after your straight. Doing these quick calculations and interpreting them can be very difficult and confusing for a beginner (and many advanced players as well!). But I would recommend that you at least be able to quickly calculate your outs to give you an idea of just how likely you are to make your hand. Then decide if that hand will win the pot for you or not.

Writing memorable poetry verses

There are many occasions in life that spur people into writing memorable poetry verses. Some of these verses might come when we fall in love for the first time or they may come when we are exposed to a memorable experience that touches our heart in one way or another. Writing memorable poetry verses will only require a conscious effort since there is no true form to use to express the writing of poetry. Some of our earliest recollections about writing memorable poetry verses might come from grade school. The time tested exposure to red roses and violets will lead us to create several sentences that tell some other people why we love them so much. Perhaps they already know that sugar is sweet, but they may not have any clue that someone loves them and to hear that verse is a memorable experience. Other people begin writing memorable poetry verses after they have buried a best friend. The older tombstones at the cemetery might have verses of poetry on them that convey the true spirit of a person that might have lived 100 years ago. Some people are so enchanted by the verses that they read on some of the tombstones that they begin writing memorable poetry verses that can be used on greeting cards. Many poets will begin writing memorable poetry verses to convey a message. These messages might be long and drawn out and by the time the verses are completed the words have developed into a play. Shakespeare wrote Romeo and Juliet in Acts that turned the verses of poetry into real life conjectures that conveyed how seriously people take falling in love. When writing memorable poetry verses, poets should consider the power of the written words and realize that some people are willing to commit suicide from the emotion that comes from reading the words put to paper. People choose to compare their lives and their relationships to Romeo and Juliet and end up making the wrong choices in how to deal with their disparity. The poet is not at fault for how others perceive the end product of the he spent writing memorable poetry verses that anyone could find solace or pleasure reading. Love is a powerful emotion that can enrich lives and form commitments that may last a lifetime. Many marriage ceremonies include poetry that the Bride and Groom speak to each other. They are writing memorable poetry verses that convey words of commitment and fidelity but are more personable because they are spoken when they are standing in front of a congregation of family and friends.