Sunday, February 28, 2010

Three Essential Components to a Life Skill Curriculum

Learning some of life's lessons through personal experience is fine, but financial literacy and life skills must be deliberately taught to our young people. Without the proper financial literacy and life skills training our young people are likely to make mistakes that they will regret for the rest of their adult life.

There are many skills that have to be learned to efficiently go through life without any problems. In this article we will address life skills curriculum and financial literacy skills. Read on if you would like to know what to teach children to help them function well in life.

What are some important things that life skills curriculum should teach?

1) The first set of skills that a good life skills curriculum should teach are social skills. It is essential that people learn how to competently communicate with others. Communication can be in the form of verbal, written, or body language. Regardless of how it is done the bottom line is that people need to know how to get along with each other.

Financial literacy skills are also extremely important. In today's age it is vital we prepare this generation with practical financial literacy skills before they leave home. Money is a necessary and significant part of life, so by learning these skills young people are better prepared to enter adult life. If people don't know to manage their finances they probably will experience a lot of issues later in life. You should focus on a practical financial literacy skill sets that they will use. Teaching financial literacy skills as a part of life skills curriculum is a vital component that affects many areas of their lives. Helping them achieve a level of financial comfort will help them be healthier, happier, have better relationship and be more involved in the community. Practical money management skills should be the cornerstone of any life skills curriculum.

3) Another important skill set in an effective life skills curriculum is relationships. The ability to form and maintain relationships affect every aspect of our life from business to personal. Some people pick these skills up along the way, but the increase in divorces indicates communication must be taught. In this day and age, we must share with the younger generation the traits that people in successful relationships have in common. People should be aware of these for there is only one chance for them to learn before they permanently hurt themselves or others.

It is essential that a life skills curriculum contain all three of the steps mentioned above. You also want to make sure it is engaging and entertaining so the students or your children remember and internalize the information taught. This can be one of the most important subjects you provide today's youth since it will have both a long lasting and positive impact on their lives and the lives of those they love.

Beginners' Internet Marketing Tips - Defeating Internet Marketing Information Overload

Beginners in internet marketing face a steep learning curve. There can be numerous ways to perform any single task. Mentors and coaches all have their own favourite methods, and the beginner is faced with having to make many choices.

On top of choosing tools, beginners at internet marketing have to find their way around various teaching programs. They will be bombarded with recommendations from internet marketing coaches and gurus. The list of choices to be made seems endless. Beginners in internet marketing will have to overcome all kinds of obstacles when they want to start learning how to make money online. Most internet marketing beginners eventually come up against the same problem.

The problem is commonly called "information overload". Nobody thinks of taking precautions against information overload until it's too late. Fortunately it is easy to diagnose the condition.

To learn how to defeat information overload, just read the following tips.

The way to diagnose information overload

Diagnosing the condition is easy. The tell-tale symptom is being plagued by a feeling of certainty that you brain is melting down. You might argue that nobody actually knows how that feels. There has never been anyone who survived brain meltdown.

That is perfectly correct. However, when the feeling strikes, you will recognise it. You will be working as hard as you can to get to the top of the curve but will have the sensation of sliding downhill. The amount of new things you need to learn becomes overwhelming.

Information overload is one of the top reasons why beginners at internet marketing give up without giving the business a proper try.

Causes of information overload

When you begin learning about the subject of internet marketing, everything you come across is completely new to you. Of course, internet marketing has things in common with other businesses. For example, think of a retail store. The online marketer and the store owner both need to find stock, they both have to advertise and they both need customers if they are to make any money. The ways in which they are similar can easily be seen. It is the ways in which they differ that cause the problems for beginners. The problems stem from learning how to do things.

Continuing with the retail store example, how do you display your merchandise online where there is no shop window? Beginners at internet marketing will have to solve many questions like this. The fundamental cause of information overload is not that there are too many questions. The root cause is that there are way too many answers. The precise difficulty is that solutions are being offered by so many people. A lot of confusion falls on beginners because people will be giving them the answers to problems they haven't had yet.

On top of all that, the people offering the answers will all be trying to convince you that they hold the best solution to any question the internet might be hiding.

How to deal with information overload

The most effective way of defeating information overload is not to let it take hold in the first place.

Your first step is to make a plan. If you have already detected signs that information overload is starting to affect you, take at least two whole days off. Don't be tempted to check your email; don't even look at your computer.

My own experience tells me that you will not want to take time off. You won't want to stop working because you still have an unbelievable amount to learn. You will be afraid that taking time off will mean you will be left behind in the internet marketing race.

You won't get left behind at all. Taking a short break will refresh you; you will work so efficiently you will soon be ahead in the race.

Planning to succeed

When you are a beginner at internet marketing, your first attempt to devise a plan will be sketchy, but you can improve it as you get experience. You will be aware that you know very little and need to learn a great deal about internet marketing. You want to sort out a timetable for your working day, so that you know what you need to do at any given hour. Make sure you don't waste any time. Perform routine daily tasks at set times.

Set aside some time each day for "unforeseen issues". Don't be in a hurry to bend the rules imposed by your schedule. Keep to your schedule; don't let anything sidetrack you. Keep focused on the job in hand. If you see something potentially of interest, put a link to it in your bookmarks to look at later on. These are the "unforeseen issues"; you have a set time for dealing with them. When you have shaken off the title "beginner", you will have fewer "unforeseen issues". You can then reallocate that time.

When you are a beginner you will need the extra spare time built into your schedule.

Choosing an internet marketing coach

Rule 1 of internet marketing is to be in control of your business. That means you don't want to get involved with any program that promises you a ready built marketing website. Don't be misled by the phrase "turn key business"; you won't be in control of the website.

The membership fee for these programs is usually rather high when you consider how little the program provides. You won't be able to customise the website. It is, in fact, nothing more than an affilite link. Affiliate links are available for no charge online.

The main value of this type of program lies in the training they offer. The quality of training is variable, and you would be better off joining a dedicated training program where you can learn how to develop your website.

The best way for beginners to learn internet marketing is to enrol in a step by step course. Don't be fooled by "gurus" who promise overnight wealth. Internet marketing requires work. The key to making money online is to work consistently.

Surviving Prison - 4 Things You Should Know!

You're young, you made a mistake, and now you're waiting to be sentenced - where can you find out how to survive in prison? I'm going to give you here some tips that you should be aware of and carry out that will help you to be safer in your time of confinement. You are probably already too aware that prisoners can be abused, particularly if they are young, weak, and white. It will indeed be a harsh awakening for you if you have never been in prison before, have not had to make it on the streets, and have no street survival skills to call on. Most convicts are callous and toughened, so if you're not used to holding your own with that sort of people, read on to get some pointers on survival.

Surviving Prison #1: Look into getting some tattoo work if you don't already have soem. If you're still free before your sentencing, use the time to drop in at a tattoo parlor and get a couple. The right tattoos can give the impression that you're a seasoned veteran and slightly reduce your risk of abuse by the other prisoners. Get tattoos that are large and conspicuous, and do not get them in color. Tattoos in black and white are best for your time of incarceration.

Surviving Prison #2: Keep quiet about any personal information. Don't tell other prisoners what your crime is (particularly if it's a sex offense), and do not tell anyone your address, your family members, or your close friends. Keep your outside life to yourself. Prison is not the place to boast about any money you have either, whether it's from your job, your family, your wife, or your crime. That will only make other prisoners jealous, and some will take that as a reason to hurt you.

Surviving Prison #3: Use the time during lockdowns to do exercises such as sit-ups and push-ups to build yourself up, and do it every day. Because the truth is, if you are weak and out of condition, or small or fat, you will be badgered and ill-treated. So take any and every opportunity to do whatever exercises you can do in the confines of your cell. Prisons also have weight rooms, but these attract the macho men who parade their strength and want to prove their masculinity, so they have their own set of issues. It's an environment where violence can and does break out.

Surviving Prison #4: If you are tested by another inmate who challenges you and bullies you, you must fight back. If he takes food from your tray in the dining room, fight him for it. It is a big sign of weakness if you back down and dont defend yourself or your property. If one person bullies you with no resistance, there are twenty others watching who are ready and waiting to do the same thing or worse.

4 Practical Chemical Peels for Your Skin Care Business

ALPHA-HYDROXY ACID PEELS

The beauty of alpha-hydroxy acid chemical peels is that they result in minimal down time for your client and are safe for almost everyone. Both glycolic and lactic acid peels are alpha hydroxy acid peels, yet they react very differently with the skin. For example glycolic acid is derived from sugar cane and is corrosive. Glycolic acid penetrates the acid mantle and goes through the inter-cellular matrix to the basal layer. This creates a slow shedding of the epithelial layers and an inflammatory response creating new cell turn over in the epidermis and as new cells rise to the surface old cells will be slough gradually with daily cleansing. In essence, glycolic peels work from the inside out. So typically, with glycolic peels, your clients will see very little surface peeling. Glycolic acid comes in strengths of 20%-70% with pH ranging from 3.5 down to 1.6 for Medical settings. The best glycolic acid will come in a stabilized formula with an aloe Vera carrier and a pH factor ranging from 3.0 to 2.0.

LACTIC ACID PEEL

Lactic acid which is also an AHA is known for its NMF (Natural Moisturizing Factors). Lactic acid peels tend to penetrate the skin slower, softening hardened keratin from the surface down. The result is a plumping of the stratum corneum making it easier to physically exfoliate. So ideally glycolic peels are your best choice for fine lines, wrinkles and sagging skin, while Lactic peels are best for dry, alipidic skin, thickened sun-damaged skin and hyper-pigmentation.

SALICYLIC ACID PEEL

Salicylic acid or Beta peels is hydroxybenzoic acid found in willow bark. Salicylic peels usually come in two strengths of 20 and 30 % and a ph of 3.0 to 2.0. Salicylic peels work best for excessively oily skin, retention keratosis, and active acne grades 3 and 4. Salicylic acid peels chemically devour surface lipids and keratin creating more visual sloughing of the stratum corneum than AHA's. Your client will feel heat ranging from warm flushing to extreme heat due to the quick inflammatory response in the skin from Salicylic acid peels. Thus the phrase "melt down peel". You can offer your client a hand held fan to help alleviate any discomfort they may have.

JESSNER'S PEEL

Jessner's peel solution is a combination of three different acids: 14% lactic acid, 14% salicylic acid and 14% resorcinol in a denatured alcohol base. Jessner's peel is light sensitive due to the resorcinol, so be careful to make sure the lid is closed tight after each use and store away from light. It is difficult to over peel with Jessner's due to the fact that this peel works primarily in the stratum corneum. Some people can be very sensitive to the resorcinol so it is best to take a patch test several days before the scheduled peel to be safe. Jessner's chemical peels create a marked vasodilation in the skin and a lot of heat reponse. Temporary darkening of the skin can occur due to the light sensitivity of the resorcinol. Jessner's can also cause excessive exfoliation which some clients may or may not want. All these symptoms are temporary and subside within 10 to 14 days. If your client has a very compact normal stratum corneum or has recently undergone deeper peels, do not be surprised to have little to no exfoliation. It is possible to perform a Jessner's chemical peel on your client and see no sloughing because of this. So proper skin assessment to determine how much stratum corneum is present is important.

By understanding these four chemical peel options, you can determine which peel is best for your clients.

Pet Assure Dog and Pet Insurance Review

Pet Assure has a different approach to protecting your dog's health and well-being. Pet Assure is not a dog insurance company, they do not provide specific plans that the customer can choose from. By joining PetAssure the dog owner will able to receive 25% off most veterinary visits. Every dog is eligible, unlike the policy of conventional dog insurance companies, regardless of age, pre-existing conditions, or genetic or hereditary ailments.

Covered by Pet Assure are office visits, all vaccinations and other injections, surgery (including spay/neuter), elective procedures (dental cleaning), hospitalization, and much more. There is no limit on how much can be spent on any one procedure. Although most dog insurance providers have a waiting period before your dog is covered, once you and your dog have joined PetAssure, the discount can be received immediately.

The Pet Assure program allows the dog owner to pick their own veterinarian. It should be noted, however, that the veterinarian you choose has to already be a participant in the PetAssure program before the 25% discount on care can be given. When journeying with your dog, it would be a good idea to locate participating veterinarians where you will be going. If your current veterinarian is not a participant of the PetAssure program, it might be helpful to explain the program to them and give them the chance to sign up.

The Pet Assure discount is applied at the time of service, and you will pay only 75% of the bill, the 25% discount is given immediately. You will never have to deal with a claim form when you and your dog are members of PetAssure.

Not only is there no waiting period for Pet Assure members to deal with, as mentioned above, but there are absolutely no exclusions. There are also no deductibles or incident limits. Any medical condition is covered, regardless of the health or age of your dog.

A valuable part of Pet Assure is their Lost Pet Recovery Service. Upon joining Pet Assure, your dog will be issued with a Pet ID tag containing your individual identification number and the toll free 24/7 Lost Pet Recovery Service telephone number. Once your lost dog is located and the toll free number called, PetAssure operators will contact you using the contact information you have provided. They will keep trying until they have spoken to you, to make sure you know where to go to retrieve your dog. Better than a microchip, which has to be scanned, the PetAssure Recovery Service makes it as easy as possible for you to be reunited with your dog.

The PetAssure Single Dog Plan costs $9.95 per month, or $99 per year. The PetAssure Family Plan, which covers 4 dogs, costs $13.95 per month and $149 yearly. Another plan, Pet Assure Lite provides the pet tag and merchant discounts without any veterinary discount. This last might be valuable to the dog owner who has a dog insurance policy elsewhere.

The PetAssure program is probably best suited to dog owners whose dogs have a pre-existing condition and are ineligible for a regular insurance policy.

Operational Policing - What Is It?

Operational policing regards all tools and powers that the police use to tackle crime and also to prevent it. There are codes of practice and laws governing what the police can and can't employ in their fight against crime. This protects the public and provides the police with everything they might need to ensure our communities remain safe and crime-free.

One part of the operation policing system is the PACE Act. PACE stands for the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 and regards the way in which police conduct their arrests, evidence gathering and charges. It lays out the procedures to be used when arresting, searching and charging suspects. The PACE Act is in place to ensure a healthy balance is met between the powers of the police officers and the rights of individual members of the public. The PACE act is constructed from codes A to H and these set out all areas of police and public relations.

In a modern world, however, these guidelines are not sufficient when the police force in England and Wales is subjected to new types of criminal activity. This means that new codes and more diverse considerations have to be made to the operation policing in England and Wales.

There is a crime and disorder focus on tackling specific crimes and policies determining how these are to be approached. This section covers areas such as child abuse, alcohol misuse and domestic violence. There are codes specifically tailored to each type of crime as a generic one cannot suffice in all situations. Police occasionally have to adapt their operational policing styles and practices in order to cope with a different situation.

As well as codes regarding how crime is to be dealt with, operational policing also concerns itself over the manner in which crime can be prevented. This often involves some level of safeguarding the vulnerable such as the elderly and children. This is to ensure that they are not left exposed to any possible source of harm or abuse. In doing so there is a greater understanding and level of confidence in the safety given by the police force.

On a more modern note, there are more modern considerations to be made; forensic investigations are not a very important part of police work and this must be carried out in a scientifically accurate nature. This is all regulated and the strictest of requirements are enforced upon all areas of scientific investigation. This is so vital as courts can easily reject evidence if it is not 100% watertight.

Operational policing is a vital part of the work done by the police. There are codes of practice concerning all areas of their work and this is all with good reason. This fits in well with the strict nature of the legal system in England and Wales. It is good to know that the public are safe in the knowledge that the safest of procedures and the most professional of forces is keeping us safe. In a world of blame cultures, it's nice to know that everything is covered.

You May Choose Either A Mini-Abdominoplasty, Standard Abdominoplasty, Or Extended Abdominoplasty

A person is likely a candidate for an abdominoplasty if they have sagging or loose skin of their abdominal wall that is frequently associated with an abnormal relaxation of the anterior abdominal wall muscles. This is secondary to multiple pregnancies prior to the procedure. A person may also desire a tummy tuck procedure if they are incapable of tightening their abdominal wall with exercise. This surgery is intended to provide a patient with a flatter, smoother abdomen.

Abdominoplasty surgery is typically performed under a general anesthesia wither in an outpatient setting or in a hospital. Mini tummy tuck surgery is capable of being performed under local anesthesia and sedation. There are three common types of tummy tuck surgery. These three procedures are known as standard tummy tuck, extended tummy tuck, and mini tummy tuck. A standard abdominoplasty will tighten all of the abdominal wall skin, an extended abdominoplasty will tighten the abdomen and flanks or sides, and the mini abdominoplasty will tighten just the lower abdominal wall. All three will result in a scar with a mini tummy tuck having the smallest and an extended abdominoplasty have the largest. The extended abdominoplasty scar will run around the sides onto the lower back.

A tummy tuck procedure is one of the more uncomfortable cosmetic surgery procedures. One to three days of hospitalization or skilled nursing care will usually be indicated. Light activity will be comfortable in ten to twenty days. Sports will not be comfortably played for about six weeks. Additional procedures that are capable of enhancing the results of an abdominoplasty are breast procedures, liposuction, or thigh lift surgery. Sometimes, if the tummy tuck is being performed for medical reasons, the procedure may be partially covered by an insurance company. Usually, the patient will be responsible for all of the payment. The specific risks and the suitability of abdominoplasty surgery for any given individual can be determined only at the time of one's consultation. Every surgical procedure will have some degree of risk. Minor complications that will not affect the outcome will occasionally occur while any major complications are atypical.

Another body contouring procedure that is capable of helping many people each day is liposuction surgery. A person may be a candidate for this surgery if they have excess subcataneous fat, which will be resistant to exercise and diet. Also if you wish to alter the contours of your body. The most commonly involved liposuction areas include upper arms, under the chin, male breasts, abdomen, waist, hips, inner knees, thighs, ankles, and calves.

Patients who desire permanent improvement in their contours may also desire ultrasound liposuction. The use of "UAL" will allow for safer removal of larger amounts of fat than that of standard liposuction. This increase in safety can be attributed to the reduced amount of blood that is removed. This means that with UAL a person who is moderately overweight can benefit from liposuction, even though liposuction is still not a means of weight loss.

English Springer Spaniel Dog Breed Profile

Description: A medium-sized dog, the English Springer Spaniel is 19 to 21 inches at the shoulder for the male and 18 to 20 inches for the bitch. The dog weighs 45 to 55 pounds, and the bitch weighs 40 to 50 pounds. The English Spaniel is a compact, sturdy dog with a moderately long coat. The coat is found in several color varieties, black and white, liver and white, roan, and tricolor. The ears are long and hang close to the head. The tail is usually docked, shorter in the show dog than in the field dog, whose tail serves as a signal to the hunter. This dog can live from 12 to 14 years.

History: By the Renaissance, the forbears of this spaniel were already considered to be the perfect hunting companion. This dog might be considered the grandfather of many of today's familiar breeds - the Cocker Spaniel, Clumber Spaniel, Sussex Spaniel, and Field Spaniel all developed out of the English Springer Spaniel. Originally, English Spring Spaniels and Cocker Spaniels were born in the same litter. The English Springer Spaniel was considered to be a separate breed from the Cocker Spaniel in 1902.

Temperament: The English Springer Spaniel is well known for its good nature. It is an intelligent breed that is not only a good hunting dog, but is also a dog that loves to be around its human family. This dog is very good with children and has a cheerful outlook on life. It should be noted here that there are considered to be two types of this spaniel, the field spaniel and the show spaniel. They differ not only in appearance, with the show being more elegant, but also in the fact that rage syndrome has shown up in the show English Springer Spaniels. It has not been reported in the field dogs.

Health Issues: One of the major problems affecting the English Spring Spaniel is hip dysplasia. This breed can also suffer from cataracts and progressive retinal atrophy. The English Springer Spaniel can sometimes be subject to epilepsy, as well as thyroid problems and allergic skin conditions. This breed is also prone to weight gain, so monitoring its diet is important.

Grooming: Because the English Springer Spaniel has rather long hair, brushing 2 or 3 times a week is necessary to prevent tangling and matting, especially in the show dog. The field English Spaniel will need attention, too, if it has been working outside. Make sure that burrs and ticks are removed. The ears of this breed can be subject to infections, so it is often advised that the hair on the underside is shaved.

Living Conditions: Regardless of whether the English Springer Spaniel is a show dog or a field dog, it does best when close to its family. This is an active dog, bred originally for hunting, so it requires a good deal of exercise. It tends to be active inside. The English Springer Spaniel can be kept in an apartment, but the owner will have to make sure that it meets its exercise requirements.

Travel Certified Nursing Assistant

The domain of CNA travel nursing has a wide array of traveling nursing jobs that you can choose from if you are interested in the field of nursing and the sub category of travel nursing. Many people would want to get into the lucrative of CNA travel nursing but just do not know how. What you need to know is that the lucrative nursing jobs abound in the field to the health care and but you have to creative and innovative enough to ensure that you get the best CNA nursing job that suits your needs.

Whilst many people are complaining about the congestions in the job markets the other flip side of the coin is that in non-mainstream health care domains such as CNA travel nursing domains jobs are galore. What you need to do is to step off the common paths trodden by everyone resulting in the stiffening job markets and consider other ways of crafting your career up the ladder of nursing jobs. There many CNA travel nursing agencies that work various travel companies seeking to hire professionals for the CNA travel nursing vacancies.

What you need to do is run a good speech over the internet for reputable companies such as agencies that present lucrative CNA nursing jobs from the travel companies that they deal with. All you need to do is get online and then narrow your search down to exactly that which you want. When you have chosen that which you want you will be better positioned to pursue that which will satisfy your penchant and passion in nursing. As you search for your dream CNA nursing job you will need to bear in mind that you have to be thorough with your search and make it a point that you settle for something that satisfies your key areas of concern.

The good part with pursing a dialysis travel nursing career is that you will have a leeway of choosing from a wide range of job opportunities that you can pursue. You can start off with looking for the kinds of CNA nursing jobs in your desired location. The location factor is not a major concern when it comes to travel nursing because travel nursing jobs are exactly that, you will be offering nursing services in transit and hence there is no need to fuss much about location. CNA nursing jobs will come with benefits of giving you the opportunity to travel across states and regions and countries sometimes. The job will give you the kind of exposure that will take you to greater heights if you invest in it in terms of work experience whilst you will be pursuing further studies on the sidelines.

Customize Your Cruise Ship Resume and Get Hired Fast

Don't let your CV/resume stand in the way of you getting a cruise ship job. There are many tips and tricks to fast track your application process (besides sending off your applications as soon as a job is advertised) that will substantially increase your chances of being hired fast.

You will reduce your chances of getting hired if you use the same CV/resume for every job application that you send out. If you do not take the time to customize each resume you send out, cruise lines will pick it up straight away that you've sent the same resume to all of their competitors. So, this is not a 'get-rich-quick-scheme' - the application process takes effort. And the more effort you put in, the greater your chances of being hired on board a cruise ship.

Extra effort starts in the form of tweaking your resume and cover letter. If you've been waiting for a long time for the cruise lines to call, it may be time to re-look at your resume and cover letter.

What is the best way to customize your resume so that it stands out above the rest?

Firstly, you need to be very specific about the position that you're applying for. For example a Junior Assistant Purser with one cruise line might be called a Guest Services Officer with another line. Ensure the title is correct and include it in the Career Objective.

The Career Objective must stand out from the rest of the other applicants' resumes. Don't sound desperate and say you'll do anything. Have a career objective that clearly defines the position you are applying for, the cruise line you are applying to, and your experience that makes you an ideal candidate for the job.

Next, you need to look for specifics in what the cruise lines are looking for. In order to achieve this, study the job description for that cruise ship position; have a clear idea of the position that you are applying for and use similar terminology in your resume to clearly match the skills and experiences of the job requirements listed. Each resume needs to be specific to each cruise line and cruise ship job you are applying to.

Another important tip is to get the resume and cover letter to the right person. So while you may have sent your resume through an online application, have you mailed it as well? Do you have the right contact information?

Just make sure that you send the right resume to the right cruise line!

You won't get hired if you can't land an interview. You won't land an interview if your cover letter and resume are weak. If you resume is not sent to the correct person, it will not be read. By getting started today, you will be one step closer to being hired for your dream job of working on a cruise ship.

Do You Have A Vitamin D Deficiency?

A lot of fuss is made about receiving optimal amounts of vitamins and minerals; in turn, the supplement industry has exploded and there are more products available these days than ever before. Most of us know that in order to remain healthy, we need to receive adequate amounts of vitamins in our daily diets; what a lot of us are unaware of, though, is that vitamin D is one thing we're probably not getting nearly enough of.

Vitamin D Deficiencies: A Common Modern Phenomenon -

Back in the early years of human history, humans spent much of their time outdoors. Our earliest ancestors also tended to live in warm, sunny climates and received ample amounts of direct sunlight each day. One of the best ways to achieve the daily recommended dose of vitamin D is through exposure to the sun, so our ancestors more than likely never had to worry about deficiencies. In these modern times, sunscreen, staying indoors and living in less sunny locales are top reasons for the prevalence of vitamin D deficiencies in modern humans.

A Precursor To "Diseases Of Civilization"

Many so-called "diseases of civilization" may be linked to vitamin D deficiencies. Cardiovascular disease, stroke, cancer, hypertension, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, irritable bowel disease, chronic pain, osteoporosis and periodontal disease are just a few examples of conditions that may be caused by not receiving enough vitamin D. Osteoporosis certainly gets a lot of the attention, but more and more studies are showing that vitamin D deficiencies may be the driving force behind several startling phenomena.

An Increase In Several Conditions -

The recent increase in several key childhood conditions - asthma, autism and type 1 diabetes - may be linked to vitamin D deficiencies. The problem could very well stem from the increased use of sunscreens as people become more and more concerned about UV rays and the potential for skin cancer. By slathering our children with sunscreen, we may be giving them a vitamin D deficiency. Funnily enough, increasing your exposure to the sun isn't the best way to go about treating a vitamin D deficiency; prescription medication may be the way to go.

Increasing Levels Of Vitamin D In The Body -

Since laying out in the sun isn't the best option, vitamin D supplementation could be. However, prescribing the proper dosage of vitamin D can be tricky and is a task that is best left to a capable compounding pharmacy. Various factors can affect how effective a vitamin D supplement can be for certain individuals; weight and age, for instance, can come into play. Diagnosing a vitamin D deficiency isn't easy, but chances are high that you have one; check with your doctor to learn more about supplementing your diet with vitamin D.

Brand Promotions Using Digital Media Reach Generation Y

Digital brand promotions are a great way to reach Generation Y. In fact, some Gen Y marketing experts will tell you digital brand promotions may be the only real way to reach them.

This is important, because Gen Y — born between 1977 and 1994 — are worth $200 billion in spending per year, and they affect another $300 - $400 billion in family spending (i.e. restaurants, clothing, and even cars). But they're ignoring ads on traditional media, choosing instead to consume media online and on their cell phones, the home of digital brand promotions. So they're not actually seeing your TV commercials, hearing your radio spots, or reading your newspaper ads.

This will actually make life easier for the brand promotions manager. As Generation Y consumes more media online, your digital brand promotions can be quickly created, easily tracked, and changed or dropped when you find something is working.

Gone are the days of traditional brand promotions through TV ads and radio campaigns, where you had to wait until the end of the sales quarter to see if your efforts had any effect. Gone are the days of guessing whether it was your billboards or the TV spots that resulted in the most sales. With digital promotions, you can get real-time results and see if people are buying, watching, or downloading whatever product or service you're selling. If they're not, change a few of the creative variables and see if that makes a difference.

Social media sites like Facebook and MySpace are a great way to reach Gen Yers and effective avenues to build a database for your brand promotions campaign. Purchase digital ads that are delivered to people who your target demographic. For example, you could promote an upcoming concert by selecting people between the ages of 18 - 24 in the cities on the tour. Brand managers collect names to build a marketing database, by offering social media users free music downloads or ringtones to people who register for the promotional giveaway.

You can further enhance your concert brand promotions by offering prizes or swag to the fans who promote the concert to their friends, asking them to forward it to their friends. Then, collect everyone's information, and you're also building a future contact list of fans where you can promote future concerts, upcoming albums, and merchandise. Gen Y is responding to digital promotions and prize offerings in a big way.

Text messaging is another great way to reach Generation Y, because they're texting like crazy. A recent report on NielsenWire says the average teenager is texting 3,146 times per month. So your digital brand promotions should include texting. Text promotions reach these consumers in their element.

Whether you're creating an opt-in text club, or including ads as part of a service, like sports scores or news updates, people are more willing to accept brand promotions messages as a part of a service. And the more useful your service is, the more often they'll see your ad. In fact, according to an article in the New York Times, during the 2008 NFL draft, Coors sent text messages about draft pick updates and put Coors branding on each message.

Generation Y is also skipping the TV in order to watch YouTube and Hulu videos instead. If you got the brand promotions budget for it, consider placing ads on Hulu videos, rather than buying a TV commercial. Since Hulu will only show 3 or 4 commercials per 30 minute show, people are more willing to sit through them, rather than getting up or flipping around. Several of our friends have watched shows on Hulu, and actually even taken the time to rate commercials, rather than ignore them.

In short, Generation Y is online, and they're responding to those brands that communicate directly with them. Rather than trying to reach them through traditional promotions, give digital brand promotions a try instead. Communicating with Gen Y through relationship marketing is a surefire way to reach them and get them to respond to you.

Need Landscaping Ideas? Consider Grass Trees

Whether you are looking to completely overhaul your home's existing landscape design - or if you're just looking for one or two things to liven it up a bit - Australian grass trees are native plants that can fill the bill with ease. As easy to maintain as they are attractive, grass trees are natural choices for all sorts of different landscape design scenarios.

Facts About Grass Trees -

Grass trees are fascinating plants, and are native to Australia. They live an average of 600 years, so longevity is certainly not a concern. Their rate of growth is very slow - they only grow an average of 1 metre every 100 years. Overgrowth is not a concern, another feature that makes them popular with landscape gardeners Brisbane. As a result, most people simply prefer to re-establish existing grass trees in their gardens or within their outdoor areas.

Tips For Growing And Maintaining -

If you've been thinking about adding a couple of these palnts to your existing landscape design scheme, you should know that they work best as accents. In other words, they should be used to accentuate the existing layout of your home's landscaping. As expensive as they are, it is impractical to plant large numbers of them, anyway. Generally, people tend to plant only one or two of these trees around the garden allowing them to draw attention alternatively to serve as a beautiful backdrop to the reminder of their garden's features.

Planting and maintaining a grass tree isn't terribly difficult. Some key points to keep in mind include:

=> Grass trees require very little water and don't require a great deal of maintenance. Once established, they do pretty well on their own.

=> Optimally, you should plant or re-establish these trees in a sunny area. For these plants to thrive, at a minimum partially sunny area is required.

=> As for soil, you're going to want to place your grass tree in well-drained soil. The top of the tree's root ball should be just beneath the surface of the soil so that it can act as a natural well.

=> During the dry season, from October to May, water once or twice per week. Take care to ensure that the root ball and the other roots get soaking wet every time you water the plant.

=> In the spring during the first couple of years of owning a grass tree, cut off any flower stalks that may appear. They can stress the tree and make it harder for the plant to thrive properly.

Once your grass tree has been successfully established, the ongoing maintenance will be minimal. These plants make a great addition to absolutely any landscaping.

Open Houses: Great Places To Get Design Inspiration

Designing a brand new home is exciting and exhausting. Nailing down the perfect details doesn't always come naturally, and pictures don't always properly convey the way that various design elements work in real life. By visiting open houses, you can see how various concepts work in real homes and get some excellent ideas for your design scheme.

Visit New Homes To Learn About The Latest Trends -

Since you're going to be building your very own home, you'll probably want to include as many cutting edge design ideas as possible. This endures regardless of whether you are more interested in traditional style layouts or not because many modern designs work exceptionally well with the more traditional approach. Look for new neighbourhoods in your area, then drive around in them during the weekend. Chances are, you'll find several open houses to attend.

Walk Right In!

As the term implies, an open house is an event where the general public is welcome to tour a home that is on the market. Therefore, you can walk right in and see for yourself, without having to pay a cent. Real-Estate agents shouldn't be bothered with you being there, and they won't question you about whether you are actually interested in buying or not as they want to expose the property to as many people as possible. You should have no qualms whatsoever about roaming around the house and getting as many useful ideas as possible.

Remembering What You See -

Chances are, you'll end up visiting several open houses as you come up with a final design concept for your new house. It's easy to forget about key details that really inspired you, so consider bringing a digital camera or even a small video camera with you when you attend these events. This way, you can recall details that you otherwise may not have remembered and you can keep a record of your favourite designs for the future. This will also help you explain your ideas more easily to the architect or house builder that you have hired.

See How It All Fits Together -

In conclusion, open-houses are a fantastic method to find ideas for when you design your new home because they are nearly always furnished abundantly. That way, you can see for yourself how various design elements influence the furniture and other items in a home. What looks like a great idea on paper might be a logistical nightmare in real life; you can get a better feel for those issues by checking them out firsthand. In the end, attending open houses will make you a more informed and savvy house designer and you should have an easier time getting precisely what you want.

Foot Doctor’s Secrets to Preventing Traveler’s Foot Infection

Athlete's foot is a fungus that is easily transmitted among unwary travelers. By following some simple advice, you can make sure you don't contaminate your feet in your hotel room or the barefoot extravaganza known as the airport secturity checkpoint.

Athlete’s foot is the most common fungal infection of the feet. Every day, podiatrists see people with feet that are burning, itching and peeling. Although many different species of fungus and yeast can cause the problem, the ways that you as a traveler can prevent it are simple and effective.

The fungus that cause athlete’s foot thrives in places that are dark, warm and moist. Shoes are the perfect habitat for fungus. Unfortunately for business travelers and vacationers, there are many places in airports, hotels and vacation spots that are covered in fungus just waiting to infect your feet.

Whenever living foot fungus or fungal spores (which are basically seeds for fungus waiting to sprout) stick to bare skin or enter through tiny little openings in the skin, it can take hold and start to grow. The fungus will suck moisture out of the skin as it grows.

This causes peeling and itching of the skin as the fungus does damage and causes delamination or peeling away of the skin’s outer layers. Frequently the infection starts in the moist area between the toes of on the bottom of the foot.

Foot doctors often describe a “moccasin distribution” pattern with athlete’s foot infections. This means that the areas of the feet that turn red and start peeling are usually those that would be in contact with moccasins. The tops of the feet and ankle don’t usually become involved.

Fortunately for you, the most effective prevention measures are also very easy... don’t step in the fungus! When you are traveling, you just have to know where not to step.

The first place you want to protect from fungus is your own shoes. The shoes need to be a safe haven for your feet. If you get foot fungus growing in your shoes, sooner or later you will get some type of foot fungal infection like athlete’s foot or fungal toenails.

Whenever you are on a trip, your feet are going to sweat a lot. A hurried stressful pace in airport terminals, trying to make that connection while toting a laptop and carry-on bag will make you (and your feet) sweat like crazy.

Since fungus needs moisture to live, you want to do anything you can to reduce the moisture in your shoes. A good place to begin is with well ventilated shoes that breathe while you are on your trip. Shoes that have breathable mesh uppers made of nylon, mesh, or cotton breathe fairly well and let the moisture escape. Leather, plastic and rubber tend to hold the fungus in your shoes encouraging fungus to grow.

Make sure you rotate your shoes during your trip. Have at least two pairs of shoes so you can wear them on alternate days. This will allow them enough time to fully dry out before you wear them again.

If you are very active or if your feet sweat a lot, try changing your socks half way through the day. This has to be one of the most effective ways to prevent the buildup of moisture that can cause foot fungus. Wear synthetic socks and avoid cotton to keep moisture away from your feet. There are also newer socks available that have copper fibers woven into them. Copper filaments woven into the sock material decrease the growth of germs like fungus and bacteria.

Because even the most relaxing vacations involve lots of walking through airports, hotels and site-seeing, choose comfortable walking shoes for your trip. Sandals may seem like a good idea, but any areas of abrasion or blisters from sandal straps can be just the opening the fungus is looking for to get into the skin and cause an infection.

Make sure you avoid the fungus hotspots. The airport security line is a fungus dreamland. All day and night, sweaty feet emerge from their shoes and shuffle along the carpet. Everyone steps and stands in this continual stream of perspiring feet and shedding foot fungus. As you trudge through the line, your sweaty socks pick up fungal spores. Then you put your feet back in your shoes that act as incubators to start your own little foot fungus farm.

Unfortunately most airport security checkpoints now require that every pair of shoes goes through the xray machine. But this doesn’t mean you can’t protect your feet. A cost-effective method is to wear an old pair of socks that are past their prime when you head to catch your flight. Carry a clean pair in your pocket. You can then take your shoes off, send them through the xray machine and walk through security in the worn socks. After you get through the checkpoint, take off the old socks and put on the clean ones before you put your shoes back on. Throw the old socks away. Now you can start your vacation fungus-free!

The next place to avoid is the hotel carpet and bathroom. You never know how clean those places are, regardless of how expensive the hotel is. Just because it costs as much as a hospital room, doesn’t mean it is just as clean. If you wear socks in the hotel room, just don’t put your shoes on until you change socks.

Make sure you also step on the terry cloth mat when you step out of the shower. If possible, get a clean mat with clean towels every day. If you relax in the steamroom or sauna, you just have to wear some flip flops. Trapping warmth and wetness in a dark place is the very best way to make fungus happy. Fungus can also grow on the tile around the pool and hot tub, but the chlorine in the water actually helps keep it from being as big of a problem.

If your trip takes you to someplace where you can head to the beach, make sure you wear sandals to protect your feet. Don’t forget that any tiny little cuts or abrasions are the best way for fungus to get in and start an athlete’s foot infection.

Now that you understand the basics about foot fungus and where it tends to thrive, you can easily side-step it. Between the airlines and security, travel has enough aggravation. You certainly don’t need anything else getting under your skin.

Taxidermy is Indeed a Career For Today

In this ever changing economic climate people are leaving big factories and traditional jobs in record numbers, usually because they are looking to change career fields. Taxidermy is a career for today and in this article you will learn how you can find out if it is the right career for you. You will also learn how you can actually get started in your career as a taxidermist.

One only has to go as far as your local Cabelas or Bass Pro shop to know that taxidermy is not only alive and well, but a thriving career field. With big game hunters like Ted Nugent, Jim Schoky and Millard Hiner and cable network channels like verses and outdoor network bring this sport to wider audiences than ever taxidermy is a career for today. With so many restaurants, specialty stores, and companies all looking for eye catching mounts more taxidermist will be needed to fill the demand for these monuments to hunters and their worthy game.

So, where do you get started if taxidermy sounds like a career for you? The first thing you might choose to do would be take a trip to your local taxidermist and ask them about their trade. Where did they learn their trade? Are they looking for an apprentice? See if they might steer you in the right direction or offer you some words of wisdom. The worse that could happen is they would be of no help, but you would be out no more than some of your time. If you get lucky and strike up a friendship, you might find your mentor, future boss, business partner or the person who is going to teach you what they know, then they sell you their business. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. This is the easiest and cheapest starting place for someone who wants to pursue this career.

What if you don't have any local taxidermist or you meet them and they are not helpful? Taxidermy is a career for today and so where better to start your career than on the world wide web. Try looking at a website. There are web sites that lists schools around the nation, workshops, conventions, magazines, suppliers, and associations that can all provide a starting place for a budding taxidermist. This website can give you the resources to not only start your career, but progress and grow through out your career.

Perhaps you want to get started soon, you can't leave your job to travel to a school and you have limited resources. There is still an options for you. The learn Taxidermy website has a beginner 4 dvd set that features complete taxidermy instruction for deer, large mouth bass, squirrel, and wood duck. This dvd package is $69.95 with free shipping. This would provide an excellent way for you to try your hand at this vocation. It also would be a nice option for someone wanting create their own mounts in the comfort of their own home. It could create a hobby to shared with your children. The pride you can have the the money you can save in creating your own mounts makes it well worth $69.95 to try your hand at this art form.

Not a DVD person? Looking for a book on the subject instead? Head to your local library and have your librarian help your find one of the hundreds of books available on this topic. Want to find the right book for your in the comfort of your own home? Go to Amazon and look over their 518 books on taxidermy. On Amazon you can read reviews from people who have read the books, so you get real peoples opinions of the book before you buy it. You can even read the first few pages of many books, read the contents, the front cover, the back cover, and the index. If there is a book on taxidermy that will meet your needs and your style of learning, then it will be on Amazon. They pride themselves on having the widest selection of new, used, out of print and collectors books any where.

Your Oil Fired Furnace Needs Care

You might spend more up front when replacing your older model oil fired furnace to be toasty and perhaps think that overall that you are saving big cash on your home heating budget and staving off repairs with that furnace-man. Yet think again many of the features on a new style "modern" oil burning furnace , while they can add in a range of alternate fuels , to reduce your heating costs, can often more than double the outfront cost and purchase price from your wallet of a basic standard run of the mill oil furnace heating unit.

To begin with in an oil type furnace heat is produced simply when a spray of oil droplets mixed with ambient air ignites.

What care and maintenance is involved with these types of furnaces? It can be said that a few simple maintenance procedures can save you cash from your wallet and heating costs and budget. First when the system is idle, check fir a buildup of soot inside the furnace itself. Additionally check the barometric damper on the pipe between the furnace and the chimney. This valve which enables cold air to be drawn upwards from the basement to the chimney should open easily and freely. If the valve unit does stick, clean and oil those hinges. However if this continues with no avail simply call for an appointment with your local one hour furnace repairman or technician.

Make it a point in your yearly ongoing home and building care routines to plan for and insist on annual oil furnace inspection either by yourself or more highly trained and qualified heating and air conditioning staff. The furnace-man should measure the Carbon Dioxide level as the temperature of gases leaving the oil furnace itself. A well tuned oil furnace in good stead should run in the range of low 300's to the mid range of the 400 degree Fahrenheit temperatures spread: a circulating fan can be used to reduce the temperature if it is found to be too high. If the exhaust gas is not relatively soot free, the burner as well should be "tuned'.

In addition the service-person should remove soot from the firepot, heat exchanger and pipes. Has him or her - the furnace person check the flow of air through the firebox and chimney. Lastly if necessary have them adjust the barometric damper if necessary. If you have recently insulated your home, condo or cottage, ask the furnaceman about reducing the nozzle size on the burner to save you fuel costs.

It can be said that people "take their furnace for granted". Most home owners and consumers wait till disaster arrives before taking action. Some say that it is simply basic human nature. Other says it is just plain foolishness and false economy. In the cold Winnipeg January winter , every one else's furnace has given the ghost as well. Your furnace repair company will demand top emergency service rates for that service call to get your furnace spewing out hot air again. The wait will be long and the service call most likely rather expensive. Its not as if with a cold dead furnace that you can wait for spring. The sooner you make a phone call , email or fax to the furnace repair depot the better overall?

Information About Breast Augmentation in Encino California.

Breast augmentation, technically known as augmentation mammoplasty, is a surgical procedure to enhance the size and shape of a woman's breast, by inserting an implant behind each breast, surgeons can increase a woman's bustline by one or more bra cup sizes. If you're thinking about getting a breast augmentation, this will give you a basic understanding of the procedure when it can help, how it's performed, and what results you can expect. It can't answer all of your questions, since a lot depends on your individual circumstances. Please ask us if there is anything you don't understand about the procedure.

Breast augmentation can increase your appearance and your self-confidence, but it won't necessarily change your looks to match your ideal, or cause other people to treat you differently. Before you decide to have surgery, think about what expectations are and discuss them with your surgeon. The best candidates for breast augmentation are women who are looking for improvement, not perfection, in the way they look. If you're physically healthy and realistic in your expectations, you may be a good candidate.

Be sure to discuss your expectations frankly with your surgeon. He or she should be equally frank with you, describing your alternatives and the risks and limitations of each.

Your surgeon will give you instructions to prepare for surgery, including guidelines on eating and drinking, smoking, and taking or avoiding certain vitamins and medications.

The Surgery

The method of inserting and positioning your implant will depend on your anatomy and your surgeon's recommendation. The incision can be made in the crease where the breast meets the chest, around the areola (the dark skin surrounding the nipple), and it can also be in the armpit. Be sure that every effort possible will be made to assure that the incision is placed so resulting scars will be as inconspicuous as possible. Working through the incision, the surgeon will lift your breast tissue and skin to create a pocket, either directly behind the breast tissue or underneath your chest wall muscle (the pectoral muscle). The implants are then centered beneath your nipples.

Some surgeons believe that putting the implants behind your chest muscle may reduce the potential for capsular contracture. Drainage tubes can be used for several days after the surgery. This placement may also interfere less with breast examination by mammogram than if the implant is placed directly behind the breast tissue. Placement behind the muscle however, it can be more painful for a few days after surgery than placement directly under the breast tissue.

After Your Surgery

You're likely to feel tired and sore for a few days following your surgery, but you'll be up and around in 24 to 48 hours. Most of your discomfort can be controlled by medication prescribed by your doctor. Within several days, the gauze dressings, if you have them, will be removed, and you may be given a surgical bra. You should wear it as your surgeon indicates. You may also experience a burning sensation in your nipples for about two weeks, but this will subside as bruising fades.

Your stitches will come out in a week to 10 days, but the swelling in your breasts can take three to five weeks to disappear.

Your breasts may be sensitive to direct stimulation for two to three weeks, so you should avoid much physical contact. After that, breast contact is fine once your breasts are no longer sore, usually three to four weeks after surgery. Your scars will be firm and pink for at least six weeks. Then they may remain the same size for several months, or even appear to widen. After a few months, your scars will begin to fade , although they will never be completely gone.

Have A Good Time With Your Own Direct Sales Business

Trying to find a new way to earn a little extra money? If you are, or even if you are out of work and you are ready to try something new, a direct sales business can become a huge success and earn you a good living. Stop worrying about the bills not being paid and stressing over financial issues day in and day out.

Go into business for yourself-become the boss and see what you have been missing out on. The internet brings the world to your door, literally and figuratively. Take advantage of the fact that people still need to buy things, no matter how poorly the economy has been performing. What is a direct sales business?

Direct sales businesses are those that are marketed and run outside of a retail or commercial location. For example, selling person to person, any product or service is direct selling. There are many perks to creating wealth in this manner. Lets look at the benefits of running a direct sales business.

First, you are the boss. You create your own timetable and you do not have to punch the clock for someone else anymore. You can work either full time or part time and still earn great money with this type of job. You make your own hours-you have complete flexibility to be with your family and friends whenever you want and work when you want.

Many times, these businesses are run in part through catalog sales-an independent distributor may send out catalogs or emails with the link to online catalogs for products in your line. You can have your customers call you or email you with their orders or you can also run your business through home parties.

With this sort of event, you will send out invitations via standard mail or email and invite friends and family to come to your home for a party. If you want a really good turnout, make sure that everyone you invite brings another friend who was not on the original guest list. You can serve drinks and snacks or even a full course meal if you are so inclined. Many people look forward to these events as a chance to get out of the house and have some fun with their friends.

Once the attendees have gathered at your home, you can thank them for coming and then give them a presentation of the new product line that you are selling and distributing. Of course, it is wise to have several pieces from each collection so that everyone can see the high quality of your goods. At the end of your brief presentation, you can hand out pens and tell everyone that you will be happy to place their orders at the end of the party.

You can also have friends host parties and both you and your friend will get free products from the company that you distribute for. This is a great way to get the items that you really want but cannot splurge on at the moment. The more parties you have, the more you make.

Having your own direct sales business can be a fun and rewarding way to earn a living. You will make new friends and be providing the people you care about with high quality values on items they need for their homes or personal upkeep.

Top 5 Tips For Men's Grooming

Congratulations for your interest in men's grooming. Smart, sophisticated, savy men, know the importance of grooming. It means taking your image and lifestyle to a whole new level. Look better and you'll walk with more confidence. And with confidence comes a lot of benefits... Some of which I won't name here. But you get it. Excellent men's grooming will do wonders for you at the bar, at work, at home, wherever it may be - everybody looks up to a well-groomed man. You're ahead of the game. But to get you even further ahead, I'm sharing 5 secret men's grooming tips. Let's get to them.

1. Men's Skin Care

You see, a man's face is his #1 asset. This is where attention is placed on men...Or any man in fact. Surveys show this to be true because of "lack of features" for men. Example: We don't have legs to show. So your facial skin care is of utmost important. And men, we know, sweat more than women. Which means...We have dirtier skin because of our larger pores.

The step to success: Get a facial regularly. It'll help you look years younger and prevent wrinkles like no other method. It's not difficult to create your own scrub. I would recommend it. But... products do exist - like Nivea For Men. If you create your own facial to apply once per week, the advantage is that you can use natural organic ingredients for positive long-term benefits to your men look.

2. Men's Shaving

There are 3 keys to getting a close shave: Use the techniques of old - a brush and cream. You'll get an amazing lather. It'll lift your hairs right up. Wet shave - ideally, shave after a hot shower, and lastly, exfoliate your skin (scrub off dead skin) before shaving. You'll have a noticeably super-close shave. Excellent shaving techniques are essential in men's grooming.

3. Prevent baldness.

Nobody wants to go bald. After all, with hair, you have the option of a buzz cut if that's what suits you. A men's grooming secret strategy from the World Book of Health Secrets to prevent baldness is to keep yourself well hydrated. Most men are dehydrated. No wonder the majority of men lose hair. Drink water throughout the day. Your energy levels will increase and your skin will look much better as well.

4. Men's short hair styles.

Consider a short hair style. The faux-hawk is in, as is a #3 and #4 buzz cut. A study done at Yale University shows that men with short hair are found to be more attractive by women. Anyone can look good with short hair...Even Orlando Bloom.

5. Eye care.

You might be thinking...Why is eye care essential when it comes to men's grooming!? Well for one, redness in eyes don't look good. And again, our facial features really get noticed. Splash your eyes with semi-cold water 5 times a day...Many doctors recommend this. Did you know that wrinkles first appear under the eyes? With dry eyes, your eyes will strain and wrinkles, fine lines and bags will show up sooner than you may expect. So keep your eyes well hydrated to prevent strain. Apply a face cream with vitamin E and natural elements like aloe under your eyes daily. The skin under the eyes is very thin so take good care of it before it washes up completely.

So there you have it. Top 5 success tips in men's grooming. I know that some of these success tips are unorthodox, but really, since when did using the brand-new popular face cream (what all the so called "gurus" will tell you) provided anyone with long-lasting natural good looks? Think about it.

Saturday, February 27, 2010

A Wine Lover's Weekly Guide To $10 Wines - A Carmeniere From Chili

Way back when, the red Carmenere grape was a major player in the vineyards of Bordeaux, France. Between disease and the Phylloxera louse, it virtually disappeared from France but did become Chili's signature grape. The word has it that Carmenere is now making a minor comeback in Bordeaux. This grape is softer with gentler tannins than the better-known and more expensive Cabernet Sauvignon. The Carmenere wine we review is produced in the Maipo Valley, the oldest and best-known Chilean wine region, just south of Santiago, the nation's capital.

OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY All wines that we taste and review have been purchased at the full retail price.

Wine Reviewed Santa Alicia Carmenere Reserve 2006 13.5% alcohol about $10

Let's start with the marketing materials. Tasting Note: Medium ruby/violet color; black cherry and plum aromas with spicy notes; dry, medium-full bodied with fruit flavors and light tannins on the finish. Serving Suggestions: Stuffed peppers, spicy sausage or firm cheese. And now for my review.

I started by sipping this wine alone. This mouth-filling wine tasted of plums, black plums - this is a big red. The first meal was a pepperoni, mushrooms, and Italian sausage pizza. The wine was well balanced. It realy brought out the pizza's spiciness. I tasted the oak.

The second meal involved beef stew with potatoes. The Carmenere was quite full-bodied but short. This wine was chewy and tasted of dark plums. The tannins were round. This is a big red and I won't be tasting it with an omelet. This wine did not do well with spicy salsa. I guess lime and plums aren't compatible.

The final meal consisted of grilled hamburgers with green beans in a tomato sauce. The wine was fruity and full-bodied. The meat was too salty and the wine was refreshing, a good way to deal with this problem. Then I added some hot jalapeno pepper sauce. The wine wasn't very affected by the sauce, except that it became oakier.

Now for the cheeses. With a Marbled Cheddar the plums were still there as were the round tannins. Then I paired it with a Havarti. Finally this cheese overpowered the plums but I still tasted its oak. The combination wasn't bad, if you like wine and cheese.

Final verdict. Despite the fact that the pairings were fairly good, I probably won't be buying this wine again. But if you want a big red at little red prices this might be a wine for you. I'll keep looking.

How To Recognize And Treat Periodontitis

Periodontitis is primarily caused by the body's immune system attacking and ultimately destroying the bone that holds the teeth in place. The facial bone plays a vital role in our overall health and helps to shape our face and if this bone becomes infected it leads to a multitude of problems.

One such problem occurs when bacteria are allowed to remain on the teeth in the form of plaque. An unchecked build up of plaque will lead to gingival crevices forming around the teeth. These crevices then agitate the immune system and cause gingivitis.

If left untreated, gingivitis can turn chronic and will eventually lead to the development of periodontitis. The body's immune system attempts to get rid of periodontitis by removing the bone that holds the infected tooth.

Over time, the gingival crevices redden, swell, and deepen. Thus, the teeth lose support and are prone to fall out. Apart from regular brushing and flossing of teeth, the body's only other form of defense using saliva to reduce bacteria.

People who lose teeth early in life typically do so because of periodontitis. This oral disease is commonly found in people who have poor oral hygiene and eat an unbalance, unhealthy and sugary diet.

It is very easy for people to prevent plaque, gingivitis and periodontitis from developing in their mouths. Foremost is oral hygiene, followed by a balanced diet and regular visits to the dentist. Also, by brushing teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste, the chances of developing periodontitis is vastly diminished.

In ancient civilizations such as Ancient Egypt, the use of twigs and leaves to clean teeth was widespread. While the Egyptians may not have fully understood dental hygiene, they knew that keeping teeth clean and healthy would reduce the chances of serious dental issues later in life. Many African tribes still chew leaves that contain antibacterial properties.

Furthermore, cultures that have developed outside of Western influence tend to have a regular diet and rarely consume large amounts of sugar. They tend to eat fruits, red meat, fish and other food stuffs that are rich in protein and low in sugar. What's more, these cultures have not become addicted to nicotine as found in tobacco while many people from Western nations have.

Looking at these differences between the habits of other cultures and comparing them to our own simply stresses how much healthy habits can do. In summary, the risk factors associated with periodontitis are defects to the immune system, diabetes, genetic predisposition, poor oral hygiene and smoking.

To prevent plaque, gingivitis and periodontitis from forming, it is recommended that people brush their teeth at least twice a day, using correct brushing techniques. Instructions for these brushing methods can be found at all good dental clinics and online.

Also beneficial is the cleaning between teeth by using dental floss, but the top preventative measure is to quit smoking immediately if you are a smoker. This will not only prevent teeth from falling out, it will also improve a person's life.

The New World Order in 2010?

Is there really an international conspiracy to create an authoritarian global government where all individual nations are stripped of their national identity and sovereignty? Many people today think so and it is becoming an increasingly popular view thanks to the ease of spreading information over the Internet. The term New World Order has been used repeatedly to describe this scenario, not only by those who those who research the subject, but even by leading news organizations and politicians. George Bush Sr. used the term during a famous speech to Congress in 1990, for example.

There is great debate regarding the identity of the power groups and individuals who are contributing to this conspiracy, opinions differ based on the groups doing the research. The term Illuminati is most often used to refer to them, but just who or what makes up this group is shrouded in secrecy. Leading organizations who are accused of being at least part of the Illuminati include the Freemasons, the Bilderberg Group, and the Trilateral Commission. The Bavarian Illuminati was formed by Adam Weishaupt in the late 18th century, but even though it was quickly disbanded by the government of the country, rumors of its survival and infiltration into other secret societies have remained.

Bible prophecy plays a large role in many different theories concerning the New World Order, especially since prophetical books of the Bible such as Daniel and Revelation, speak of the creation of a global government ruled by a single dictator known as the antichrist. Equally important in this scenario is the creation of a single worldwide currency being used in conjunction with RFID chip technology to prevent anyone who doesn't have a coming mark from buying or selling goods.

Strict population control and even major reduction of the world's population play a significant role in the New World Order as well. The mysterious Georgia Guidestones, a large monument of granite located in Elbert Country, Georgia, speak of maintaining the earth's population at 5 million people. In order to reach that number there would need to be a reduction of the current world population of roughly 5.5 billion people. The UN Local Agenda 21 has already sectioned off specific areas of the United States that would make the majority of the country illegal to inhabitant once their plan for 'sustainable development' have been implemented.

Illuminati plans have been found to follow a certain process, known as Order out of Chaos. A strategy by which powerful global leaders create global problems purposely to offer their own global solutions which bring the world closer to a single worldwide government. This is known as Problem, Reaction, Solution.

If you are interested in learning more about the New World Order and whether or not there is any truth to these conspiracy theories, you should visit www.theantichristidentity.com. International author and political researcher Mel Sanger has written a 150 page report The Antichrist Identity that covers this and several other related topics including in-depth exposés on major global leaders who have been sometimes identified as being the antichrist referenced in the Bible.

Technical Analysis of the Financial Markets Using Triangles

Stock chart patterns are a parcel of buying and selling rules in technical analysis stock trading. These patterns provide an significant confirmation for the next trend move. They are one of the most accurate, yet uncomplicated to use technical analysis tools. They are patterns that materialize on the charts which provide you with forecasting tools of coming price movement. A number of patterns are more accurate than others for price forecasting.

Price is forecasted by patterns because basically, patterns are actually little more than an endeavor to predict trend continuation or trend reversal at the earliest achievable moment in time. These patterns are often the very first introduction that stock traders have to charting a stock. These patterns are part of a system for the common investor to accurately position herself for a better chance of making a profit in this backstabbing world of buying and selling stock.

These chart patterns are duplicated in all time frames and in all stocks because these patterns are a end result of human nature and emotional reactions to a stock's price. These patterns appear over and over again for the reason that humans do not change and their emotions will cause them to make the same errors over and over again.

Almighty Triangle Patterns

Triangles are some of the most familiar chart patterns used in technical analysis today. The three kinds of triangles, which vary in form and inference, are the ascending triangle, descending triangle, and the symmetrical triangle. Whilst the form of the triangle is noteworthy of greater significance is the direction that the market moves when it breaks out of the triangle.

The reason behind why these patterns are so infamous is that they are quite easy to make out and are reliable market indicators. Technical stock traders should show caution in acting on them in advance, though (i.e. trying to deduce the direction of the breakout). Triangle patterns are not 100% accurate but rather are closer to 75% reliable, hence it is important to place a stop loss. This will protect you from a huge loss on the trade.

Good Ascending Triangle

The ascending triangle consists of a flat upper trendline and a rising lower trendline. This formation suggests that the bulls are able to take the stock up to the flat upper trendline resistance time and time again as the bears are losing the ability to take the stock back down to the lower support line (specifically a rising lower trendline).

The ascending triangle is considered as a more reliable formation when they are formed in an uptrend. Buy signals are generated once the price does a breakout above the resistance level. An ascending triangle is bullish in both up trends and down trends. The presence of an ascending triangle pattern normally signifies a positive trend concerning the price per share of the stock you are analyzing.

Wicked Descending Triangle

The descending triangle is consists of a falling upper trendline and a flat lower trendline. This pattern implies that bears can take the stock back down to the horizontal lower trendline support over and over again while the bulls have lost the ability to bring the stock back up to the upper resistance line (i.e. falling upper trendline).

Descending triangles materialize during a downtrend as the horizontal support level and the falling resistance level that encapsulate the consolidation zone come together. They often imply a continuation of the previous trend. Descending triangles, in a preceding uptrend, are predicted to break up and out, rather than down and out. Descending triangles provide technical traders the opportunity to make substantial profits over a short period of time. The most common price targets are normally set to equal the entry price minus the vertical height between the two trendlines.

Wishy-Washy Symmetrical Triangles

Symmetrical triangles form with lower highs and higher lows. Because of the way they are shaped, they can forecast either a reversal pattern or a continuation pattern. The price action within the pattern is relatively neutral, but in time will do a breakout and go back into the direction of the original trend.

Symmetrical triangle patterns appear when the stock being charted achieves gradually higher daily low trading prices, while at the same time exhibiting lower intraday highs. This pattern of activity forms a triangle that is proportioned in nature.

Symmetrical triangle patterns are commonly referred to as coils. That's because, over time, the stock trades within a smaller range, with the stock making higher lows and lower highs. Power builds as the stock price travels deeper into the apex of the pattern and eventually a breakout takes place. Breakouts usually happen in the middle or the final third of the triangle as with the other sloping triangles.

Symmetrical triangle breakouts are fantastic entry points, when accompanied by high volume.

Additional Ponderings On Breakouts

Breakouts from a triangle, that has become narrow, can be decisive because buying or selling interest has accumulated while the price has gone sideways. Breakouts typically take place after going about two-thirds to three-quarters of the distance between the start of the formation and the apex, but there are exceptions. Furthermore, price can break out to the upside, in which case the pattern becomes a continuation pattern rather than a reversal pattern.

Should Financial Advice be Different for Men and Women ?

Offering financial advice for women can oftentimes be a tricky subject. After all, we're taught to treat men and women as equals in all things related to business: education, employment, and advancement. In most cases, that's easy enough to do; we've long since passed the threshold where men and women are viewed as being capable of less as or more than one another.

However, when it comes to financial advice, there are differences between the sexes that must be taken into account. It has nothing to do with intellect or financial ability. In fact, it's all about lifestyle differences, and the fact that women continually outlive their male counterparts.

Men and Women: Different Lifestyles, Different Incomes

Although more and more women are entering job fields and making salaries that are comparable to men, the truth is that women consistently earn less than men. The reasons for this are varied: glass ceiling issues, a later start in their careers, a greater emphasis on family before work. Right or wrong, the statistics are there to prove it. Women make less than men.

Statistically, women are more likely to leave their jobs to take care of small children, to care for aging parents, and even to follow spouses who might be transferred or seeking work in another city. This translates to a reduced capacity to contribute to a 401(k) or other retirement plan. Women are often looking at 10 or 20 years of earning time (as opposed to 30 or 40 for men), and failing to rollover existing retirement plans during transition periods can result in a reduced retirement fund overall.

Men and Women: Living Harder, Living Longer

The sad truth is that divorce and death also impact the financial situations of today's women. During a divorce, most of the settlement has to do with maintaining a lifestyle or taking care of children - rarely is there a clause for continued contribution to a shared retirement fund. This means that many women find themselves without any real retirement plan following a divorce, and they may not even have the stability of a savings account anymore. Add to that moving costs, possibly changing careers, and emotional stress, and the result is that the finances - both short-term and long-term ones - suffer.

Of course, women are more likely to live longer than men, too (90 percent of women outlive their husbands). As these women age, costs for healthcare increase rather substantially, and without any other reduction in lifestyle. This can translate into tens of thousands of dollars every year that she needs to remain comfortable long after her spouse and the ability to earn any money is long gone.

Women and Money: The Good News

Fortunately, women do have an advantage over men when it comes to finances: as a general rule, they're better at moderate, low-risk investing. Women tend to invest after more careful consideration and with more hands-on control than men, which gives them an advantage when it comes to long-term investments like those for retirement.

Although there are certainly exceptions to every financial story, the truth is that women have to be proactive in their financial future than they may have at first believed. It doesn't matter if you're a young, single professional or a retired grandmother of 27 - the time to act and start financial planning for women is right now.

Nursing jobs in Oregon

Needless to mention the range of the health care service has broadened nationwide and the world over. The health care domain is one of the largest employers anywhere in the world. This is because as much as the global population keeps on the rise there will be more need for health care services. The health care provision scope has to grow in terms of the scope of the range of health care services provided which also means more labor is needed and hence more jobs are created. There are many nursing jobs that you can consider for your self anywhere in the area of Oregon.

What has created many job openings in the health care industry is that the mainstream medical staffs such as the medical doctors get entangled in other more critical tasks which therefore means that they no longer have enough time to attend to the some tasks and responsibilities in the health care front. Such realities have created more nursing jobs in hospitals. For example the Nursing Practitioners job was created to fill this gap. Nursing practitioners will perform most of the tasks that are performed by the medical doctor although they will always work under the supervision of the medical doctors.

What you need to know about the nursing job in Oregon is that with the nursing practitioner Job you will need to have some advanced education as well as some experience. If you have what it takes what you need to do is to check with the hospitals and clinics in your area or where you would want to be located if you have a choice and see if they have anything that you can take up. If you are not qualified and do not have the required experience there are still many options that you can pursue. The Certified Nursing Assistant job is one of the easiest options to pursue if you want to land that good nursing job but you do not have the experience and the education that are required for some top jobs in the nursing field. This CNA nursing job is one of the best ways to penetrate the seemingly crystal nursing career lines.

The Nursing practitioner roles span a wide list of responsibilities. The nursing practitioners can be tasked to handle common illnesses; give heath care and counseling to those who need such as well give counseling on how to avoid contracting certain diseases. In some cases a masters degree is required if one is to handle the job you may be required to have several years of experience before you can be graced with such a job. Nursing jobs in Oregon enlist various kinds of jobs that one can pursue. For those who have been exposed to some education and have accumulated some experience the list of options is almost endless.

A How To Guide For Buying Individual Health Insurance

It is not uncommon in the United States for people to have health coverage with their job. However, many Americans do not have that option. The only thing they can do is consider buying individual health insurance. In some cases, having insurance with your job, is not the most cost efficient way to go.

The Kaiser Family Foundation says that the average cost of an individual health plan through the company you work for is $779 for an individual and $3,515 for a family. These prices are a calculated average so it stands to reason that many employees are paying more than that each year.

There is a big difference in price and coverage between insurance agencies, and it pays to look around and get quotes and coverage statements from a number of different health insurance companies before you purchase a policy. Look for non-profit sites that do not charge for their services. You will just need to answer a few questions, click the mouse and wait. They will send you a list of approved companies in your state, their website information and their phone numbers.

Thirteen thousand five hundred dollars is what the average cost for family coverage is per year. The smaller companies, especially, are passing most of that cost on to their employees. Because of that, it might be more cost efficient for a worker to choose a private health plan.

It is a known fact that the price you pay depends on the part of the country you live in. For example, a person who lives in the center portion of the United States might find that it is cheaper to purchase his own health insurance and forego the insurance on his job. On the other hand, a worker in New York City would be more likely to pay less for the insurance on his job than he would with a private policy.

Choosing to purchase an individual plan instead of using the health coverage your job offers is a serious decision and needs to be given considerable thought. There are a number of things that company insurance offers that individual plans do not.

All employees, regardless of health problems they may have, are accepted under their job health insurance, and it cannot be canceled in case of a serious illness. It gives the employee the possibility of purchasing extended health coverage for up to eighteen months if he is laid off his job.

The length of time a worker was covered by health insurance in his previous job carries over into his new job and affects the waiting period for health coverage. For example, if a person worked ten months at his previous job, and the insurance at his new job requires a six month waiting period, that period is waived, and his new work insurance takes effect immediately.

Never cancel your job insurance until you know for sure that the new company has decided to insure you. Insurance companies have a number of reasons for refusing insurance to individuals and families. By waiting, your health needs will continue to be covered.

The smartest thing a person can do is to get quotes from different insurance policies and see what the policy covers. Ask questions if any part of the policy is not clear. This will give you the opportunity to make the best possible decision concerning buying individual health insurance.

Top 10 Low Carb Meals For Your P.M. Hours

Need to lose weight fast?

One things is for certain... having a long list of low carb meals to choose from will work like gangbusters.

It's no secret that eating carbs at the correct times is the REAL key to super fast, lasting results.

Each and every one of your days should be divided up into no less than six meal segments. You can eat starchy carbs for the first three (Typically the A.M. and early P.M. hours). Things like pasta and bread.

But try your absolute best to eliminate them for the last three meals (P.M. hours) an watch the weight come off!

With that in mind... here's a list of the top 10 low carb meals that you can eat during those P.M. hours (Late lunch, dinner... etc.).

They are filling, taste great and are super easy to make!

1: Chicken and spinach salad

- Cut up chicken breast or thigh and mix it into your spinach salad with a vinaigrette dressing.

2: Beef tacos with corn tortilla

- Stick with lean ground beef and pile on the tomatoes, onions, black-olives and any other veggies you like.

3: Seared tuna on a bed of greens

- Tuna is pretty easy to find and cook. Just place it on top of spinach, romaine lettuce, green beans... basically any type of greens can make up this great meal.

4: Steak and red potatoes

- Once again, try to use lean cuts. I choose red potatoes over standard russet or other types because they are far less "starchy".

5: Chicken and brown rice

- Hey... wait a second! This meal has starchy carbs! Well don't worry about the brown rice here... it's a very high quality type of carb that won't hurt your results provided you don't stuff your face with it.

6: Salmon, acorn squash and asparagus.

- Salmon can be cooked in the oven or on the grill right beside your squash and asparagus.

7: Sausage, egg and cheese omelette

- Doesn't have to be sausage. Just add your meat and whatever vegetables you like and it's one of the perfect low carb meals.

8: Chicken Caesar wrap

- Lean cuts of breast meat with a bit of Caesar dressing and romaine lettuce and you're all set. I tend to use a spinach or a whole grain wrap.

9: Turkey burger on 100% whole grain bread with side of slaw

- A little whole grain bread won't hurt anything. Just remember to keep it very limited during your P.M. hours. This makes for a great low-carb American meal and you can even mix your won coleslaw.

10: Ribs and sweat potatoes

- A perfect southern "low carb" meal for the grill or oven. Just add your own barbecue sauce.

Now certainly their are many more options here... but I've found that consuming these low carb meals has really helped my clients lose weight much easier and faster.

Strategies for Convincing an Unyielding Partner

Sometimes in relationships, a partner may become unyielding to issues; such mate will hardly see reasons to make adjustments on the present way of living. At such times, it could be emotionally and physically hurting to the other partner who is the recipient of the ill treatment or who is concerned about the impact of the negative attitude on the relationship as a whole.

Tips for Achieving Changes

- The mate who is initiating change or trying to bring the other mate to a place of accepting responsibility for wrongdoing may need to adopt a different technique in order to achieve the desired result in the union. If you had previously presented your case in arguments with harsh tones, try a dialoguing technique, presenting your case constructively while pointing out every issue you have previously argued about. It may amaze you how this approach will soften your mate and bring such mate to a place of total conviction and repentance!

- Rather than nag or complain, express your fears and concerns over the union in love. It may be quite difficult to speak in love when one is hurting; but if you truly desire a change and want to save the union from breaking, then you have to find a place in your heart to correct your partner in love. The Holy Bible clearly states this result-oriented strategy: "A soft answer turns away wrath"!

- When planning for a conversation with your mate, you need to choose a location that is devoid of distractions and interruptions

- Choose a suitable time that will ensure neither of you is tired or irritated as a result of the day's activities

- Do not be confrontational, but rather warm and loving

- Let it not be lecture time, but a time of peaceful dialogue and loving determination to achieve the needed change

- Make sure that you have outlined the areas you desire to discuss before arranging for the meeting. This will ensure that you do not beat around the bush but face the pre-identified problems purposefully

- Dwell on a particular issue (conversationally) until it has been meaningfully resolved

- Make sure you discuss how the problem is negatively impacting the union and the necessary changes that you think need to be made

- Ensure that there is no trace of selfishness in the things you outline for discussion; let it be things that will be mutually beneficial to both mates

- Tactfully but convincingly bring up the issue of seeing a marriage counselor; in trying to achieve this, you can use words such as "I love you very much and care about our relationship, and I want our love for each other to be rekindled. This is why I want us to see a marriage counselor."

- Try to use affectionate words in the course of your discussion.

The above strategies may seem common, but you can't tell how effective they can be; all you need is the will and courage to take a step. Sooner than you think, you and your mate can bring your marriage back to life again!

Getting nursing Jobs in Mississippi

The scope of the health care service has widened nationwide and the world over. The health care domain is one of the largest employers anywhere in the world. This is because as much as the global population keeps on the rise there will be more need for health care services. The health care provision scope has to grow in terms of the scope of the range of health care services provided which also means more labor is needed and hence more jobs are created. There are many nursing jobs that you can consider for your self anywhere in the area of Mississippi.

What has created many job openings in the health care industry is that the mainstream medical staffs such as the medical doctors get entangled in other more critical tasks which therefore means that they no longer have enough time to attend to the some tasks and responsibilities in the health care front. Such realities have created more nursing jobs in hospitals. For example the Nursing Practitioners job was created to fill this gap. Nursing practitioners will perform most of the tasks that are performed by the medical doctor although they will always work under the supervision of the medical doctors.

What you need to know about the nursing job in Mississippi is that with the nursing practitioner Job you will need to have some advanced education as well as some experience. If you have what it takes what you need to do is to check with the hospitals and clinics in your area or where you would want to be located if you have a choice and see if they have anything that you can take up. If you are not qualified and do not have the required experience there are still many options that you can pursue. The Certified Nursing Assistant job is one of the easiest options to pursue if you want to land that good nursing job but you do not have the experience and the education that are required for some top jobs in the nursing field. This CNA nursing job is one of the best ways to penetrate the seemingly crystal nursing career lines.

The Nursing practitioner roles span a wide list of responsibilities. The nursing practitioners can be tasked to handle common illnesses; give heath care and counseling to those who need such as well give counseling on how to avoid contracting certain diseases. In some cases a masters degree is required if one is to handle the job you may be required to have several years of experience before you can be graced with such a job. Nursing jobs in Mississippi enlist various kinds of jobs that one can pursue. For those who have been exposed to some education and have accumulated some experience the list of options is almost endless.