A Blowing Bubble Activity that will Blow the Kids Away!
by: Anne-Marie Killer
I bet you haven't given this blowing bubble activity any thought as a child party activity?
I'm not talking about little kids blowing little bubbles from those little containers - no, I'm talking about blowing HUGE bubbles. I bet you didn't even know that it was possible? Yes, your bigger kids and their friends can have a lot of fun with this blowing bubble activity and what's more, it's inexpensive too... especially if you know how to make the right bubble solution and tools.
I'll give you a few recipes to try out and also a couple of tool ideas. You can have lots of fun experimenting with the mixtures and creating your own original bubble making tools.
Bubble Tools
There are so many things around you that can be used to make bubbles. Wire hangers bent into different shapes, empty milk containers, string, plastic bowls, or even your bare hands held in the right position. Make a circle with your thumb and index finger or make an even bigger circle using both hands' thumbs and index fingers.
Bubble Solution
The really big bubbles need lots of solution which can get quite expensive. It's therefor a lot more economical to mix your own.
The best detergents to use are Joy and Dawn detergents but you need to experiment to see what works best for you.
You also need either glycerine or white Karo Syrup. This ensures colorful, sturdy bubbles. Glycerine can be bought from most drug stores, but it is expensive. Karo Syrup is available at the grocery store and is less expensive.
Amazingly enough, not any water is suitable! Hard water does not work whereas soft water does. Try using your tap water, but if you fail to get good bubbles, try using distilled water.
Solution 1:
1 Part Dawn Ultra/Joy Ultra : 15 parts distilled/soft water : 0.25 part glycerine/white Karo Syrup
Solution 2:
1 Part Regular Dawn /Regular Joy : 10 parts distilled/soft water : 0.25 part glycerine/white Karo Syrup
Solution 3:
2 Parts Regular Dawn /Regular Joy : 4 parts glycerine : 1 part white Karo Syrup
Most importantly - just have FUN!
About The Author
Anne-Marie Killer is a mother of two teenagers and a toddler. She is the webmaster and owner of www.Perfect-Party-Ideas.com.
Read her blog where she documents the process of setting up http://www.Perfect-Party-Ideas.com at http://www.perfect-party-ideas.blogspot.com
Debt Management
by: Jason Holmes
At times of severe financial crisis Debt Management Plan (DMP) helps you to manage your funds and also protects you from the humiliation of debt struck conditions. The famous American author Washington Irving in ‘Wolfert’s Roost’ addressed dollar as Almighty and described it as the great object of Universal devotion. A man who can manage his dollars well can manage his life as well. A Debt Management Plan (DMP) teaches you how to manage your dollars well and lead a prosperous life even during times of financial crisis. Debt Management is a process that allows you to compile your multiple debts into one amount and work out a repayment scheme where you pay the debts in affordable monthly installments. Debt management companies usually negotiate with your creditors to reduce or eliminate high interest charges, delete late fees and other penalties, and update your past due accounts to show current status.
Debt Management Plan has gained immense popularity in the past couple of years with the striking difference they created in gifting hundreds of people a debt free life. In a recent survey it was reported that almost 32% client filed bankruptcy. Additionally almost 10% reported that they are going to file bankruptcy. However, the remaining 58% clients are opting for Debt Management Plans which they find is highly beneficial. The other half who opted for bankruptcy did not prefer to manage their debts and work on a new repayment scheme.
Clients who successfully completed a DMP felt that it provided a wealth of different benefits, both for the present days and the future ahead. Almost 85% of clients felt that the ability to payoff their debt was beneficial and almost 55 % felt that the plan helped stop collection calls. In the long run, almost 32% of the clients felt that the plan helped them balance their budget and almost 41% felt that they learned new budgeting skills. A total of almost 38% felt that they improved their credit worthiness and almost 51% felt that they improved their overall financial status.
With the Christmas festivities happening in the recent past Debt Management Plans seems to be on an upraise. It is reported that millions of Americans ran up billions of dollars in spending on their credit cards in the past month. The issuers of two major credit cards, MasterCard and Visa, reported some record numbers, according to reports published by CNNMONEY. Reports also cited Visa reporting a 31.8 percent increase in spending when compared to 2003. MasterCard processed a record number of transactions at 914 million, totaling $60 billion, up 12.9 percent from last year. The statistics reflects the confidence and merriment among the consumers. However, the financial analysts at this juncture can smell heavy financial burdens that can cause a wrinkle for people who are not in a position to pay back their debts. With this trend, it is expected that the majority of the population undergoing debts will opt for Debt Management Plan which will show a surge in this program like never before.
For more sound and in-depth knowledge in debt management plan, please view:
http://www.debtconsolidationcare.com/debt-management.html
http://www.debtconsolidationcare.com/debt-solution.html
http://www.debtconsolidationcare.com/help.html
http://www.debtconsolidationcare.com/credit-negotiating.html
About The Author
Jason Holmes is a contributing writer to http://debtconsolidationcare.com and is currently working on a special section in the site called do it yourself where you can eliminate your debts and become debt free..
Cancer Diet: Feasting on the Four Food Groups - A Mesothelioma Patient's Guide to Nutrition
by: Maggie Kay
At some point during our childhood we have all been told to eat our vegetables. Forcing down tasteless green beans and brussels sprouts were supposed to make us taller and stronger. Well, so it is for mesothelioma patients. Diet is often an overlooked subject for cancer patients, but eating the right nutritional foods for strength and energy is just as important as taking the proper medication.
Mesothelioma patients undergoing treatment must follow a special cancer diet devised by their nutritionists. Cancer diets involve eating the correct amounts of protein and calories as well as drinking the right amount of water to keep the ailing body replenished and energized. The body needs plenty of nourishment when it is going through chemotherapy or even when the patient is taking certain medications.
Doctors and nutritionists may also recommend a special cancer diet because many mesothelioma patients tend to lose their appetites due to worry over their condition. Also, those who are undergoing treatment may choose not to eat because of the unpleasant side effects they may experience. Chemotherapy, for example, and even some particular medications may cause an imbalance of nutrients that must be corrected in order to keep the body as strong as possible and to keep the patient from losing an excessive amount of weight. Other side effects of mesothelioma treatment include nausea, vomiting, dry mouth, a change in the sense of smell or taste, and/or constipation.
Below are some of the important nutrients patients are encouraged to include in their mesothelioma diet:
- Protein is important for any cancer patient because it helps repair tissue damaged by surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation. Protein also helps maintain a strong and healthy immune system, lowering a mesothelioma patient’s risk of infection after aggressive cancer treatments. The National Cancer Institute recommends increasing protein in a cancer diet with cheese, milk, ice cream, yoghurt, eggs, nuts, peanut butter, meats and fish.
- Fats are an essential part of the cancer diet because they supply the body with the necessary energy it needs while undergoing treatment. The amount of fats (meaning the number of calories) a cancer diet should consist of is dependent on a mesothelioma patient’s age and body size. The National Cancer Institute recommends increasing caloric intake with such foods as butter, milk, cheese, honey, sugar, granola and dried fruits.
- Water is another essential element of the cancer diet. Without a substantial amount of water, the body will dehydrate. It is important that anyone undergoing cancer treatment receive enough water to keep their bodies hydrated and replenished.
The details of every patient’s mesothelioma diet will vary. Some patients will need to incorporate more fat into their diets, while others may need more protein. It is important that patients devise a cancer diet under the guidance of their doctor and nutritionist to ensure that they receive the proper amount of nutrients to improve their quality of life.
About The Author
Maggie Kay is a freelance writer from Montreal and is the head researcher and content manager of www.maacenter.org.
info@maacenter.org
RSS: Get Notified When Your Favorite Websites Are Updated
by: Bear Cahill
RSS (Really Simple Syndication) is a way for a site to publish it's updates. RSS readers can read these notifications and display a listing of the updates to you, the user.
It's sort of like having a special 'inbox' for emails announcing updates to your selected websites.
Many applications and websites support RSS feeds. You can add RSS feeds to your My Yahoo! page, Firefox has several RSS extensions such as Sage, there are sites that deal w/ RSS feeds such as Feedster and FastBuzz. Thunderbird even allows you to set up RSS feeds similar to your inbox.
There are also stand alone applications for RSS feeds like Pluck, RSSReader and SharpReader.
Different readers allow you to subscribe to a feed differently. Using Firefox w/ Sage, for example, you can drag-and-drop the RSS icon into your RSS feed folder and it's done.
What's the benefit?
You can use RSS feeds to see if there's anything new at a given site before visiting the site. This wouldn't be a big help if you only had one RSS feed. However, if you have several sites you check routinely, this can cut the time down tremendously.
It gives you more of an 'at-a-glance' view of all your monitored sites. Imagine if when you went to click on your bookmark for a site that it also said right then if the site had changed and how.
Also, depending on the RSS reader you use, it can tell you when you have a new update on the site.
Sites with RSS Feeds
There are many sites w/ RSS feeds. To know if a site has an RSS feed, look for an "RSS" link on the site or a button/icon w/ RSS, ATOM or XML on it.
One cool use is to set the RSS feed for a news search on a site. At Yahoo! News you can search on a topic in the news and then subscribe to that feed using the XML icon.
A lot of news/info/blog sites have RSS feeds that can help you keep up to date on the info you want.
It's a collection of tech info that's updated regularly. You can see if/when it's been updated in your reader, see the title of the updates and a short summary and then decide if you want to load the site or that post or nothing.
Bottom Line
RSS readers allow you to see the latest updates to sites (and possibly be notified) at-a-glance without having to go to all your sites and load them. It's like peaking into many sites from a single place.
About The Author
Bear Cahill is a software engineer in the Dallas, TX area and runs a few websites: The Armchair Geek (thearmchairgeek.com), Webpage Hosting Info (webpagehostinginfo.com), Go To College Online (gotocollegeonline.com) and The Video Exchange Community (videoexchange.org)
Rekindling An Old Flame
by: Dr Nancy Kalish
Dr. Nancy Kalish, a psychology professor at California State University, Sacramento, is the only researcher of couples who reunited with former sweethearts. Her book, Lost & Found Lovers: Facts and Fantasies of Rekindled Romances, 1997, is based on her first four years of research (now 11 years). Questionnaire responses were included from 1001 participants, ages 18 to 89, in all 50 states, and 35 countries. In addition, the book contains the lost love stories of the couples in their own words.
These first participants found their lost lovers without the Internet, which in 1993 was nonexistent as we know it today. Since the publication of her book, she has surveyed, met, emailed, and spoken to more than 2500 lost love participants.
The findings indicated that even before the World Wide Web, it was common for people to reunite with lost loves from their past. Now of course, it is even more common, with web sites such as Reunion.com (Kalish is their Relationship Expert) and people search engines such as at yahoo.com.
This is not a Baby Boomer, or senior citizen, phenomenon. People of all ages rekindle romances, as just another, ordinary way to find love. In fact, half of the participants were under 35.
But people do not reunite with just any lost love from the past; most participants, regardless of their ages, went back to someone they loved when they were 17 or younger. These are the romances that parents usually belittle, calling them puppy loves. But these were the very loves that my participants took most seriously as time went by, the loves they missed the most.
Parents not only belittled these young romances, but many played a large part in ending these romances. When I asked participants why their initial romances broke up, the reason cited by the largest group of respondents was, "Parents Disapproved." Years later, when the couple reunited, they still resented that past parental intrusion. Many parents went to extremes to separate the young couple -- from hiding letters to jailing the young men. Couples who are happily reunited as adults are most regretful if their childbearing days are over and they can never have children together.
Other typical reasons for the initial breakups included "We Were Too Young," "Moved Away," "Left to Join the Military," and "Went Away to College." But only a very few couples checked the box, "We Were Not Getting Along." These were not neurotic, try-and-try-again couples who went back for another round of emotional battering. People don't change very much when it comes to personality, so a reunion with an abuser would be a poor choice. The reasons the romances broke apart years ago were situational, so years later, during the second romance, the original roadblocks were gone.
Journalists often assume that most rekindled couples reconnect at school reunions. This turned out to be a false assumption. Very few couples waited until the year of the school reunion to reconnect. The two most common ways that they reunited were by writing a letter or an email to the lost love, or by placing a telephone call. They had no trouble finding the other person in most cases, so it turns out to be just another myth that people needed to use a detective agency. Only 4 people out of 1001 used a detective. Most people leave a trail when they move: relatives that remained in the old home town, mutual friends who know the current address, or a school alumni association that is willing to forward a letter to the new address. Or now, the Internet.
People don't usually go looking for lost loves unless they are happy and secure within themselves. These are not desperate and lonely individuals who are afraid to form new attachments so instead they take the easy way out and refind and old flame. Quite the opposite. People search when they feel good, and that makes sense. Would you go to a school reunion, and let your old friends see you, if you were unemployed or depressed? No, we all want to put our best foot forward, -- especially if we want to win back someone who left us.
Usually it is the person who was initially left by the other, the "dumpee,” who does the searching.
Perhaps the most surprising finding of all is that the second time around, these romances are very successful -- providing that both people are single, divorced or widowed. 72 % of the couples reported that they were still together at the time they filled out the questionnaire. And if the partners had been first loves, they were successful 78% of the time. Participants often describe their romances as "comfortable" and "familiar," but these words do not indicate a ho-hum attachment. Most of the couples reported that this lost and found love experience was the most emotional and sexual romance in all of their love history.
They are "soul mates," the couples said, and many believe that a "Higher Power" has brought them back together. Because of this, they believe they will never be separated again. This is not a fantasy. It is a love that was interrupted.
But there is a decidedly detrimental and unexpected consequence to looking for lost loves online: marriages that probably would have survived have crumbled when a lost lover entered the picture. Kalish's 1993-1996 research indicated an extramarital rate among these couples of 30%. Currently, the extramarital rate of the couples who contact Kalish is running at 82%, and most of these people have found each other on the Internet.
These people did not expect the reappearance of a lost lover to carry such a wallop. They thought they could merely catch up on old times, get "closure," or even have lunch with this old friend. Kalish's lost love participants report that they were blind-sided; they did not expect their feelings to return, with a vengeance, from their past. They did not understand the risks to their marriages. Knowing the possibilities in advance will help people make more informed decisions.
Any medium can be misused, and technology should not be blamed for these marital problems, says Kalish. For people who are single, divorced, or widowed, rekindled romances are a fantastic way to find one's soul mate. If someone is married, he or she should not search for a lost love.
How to Be Appropriately Pushy
by: Suzanne Falter-Barns
One of the things that's often hard to know is how and when to be pushy appropriately. In these hardscrabble times, perfectly polite people don't stand much of a chance of getting what they want. However, not enough can be said for making yourself known in a decent and unobnoxious manner. The key is to use your intuition and your brain, both at the same time, and pray for a little luck.
When Lazaro Hernandez was a fashion student at Parson's School of Design in New York, he had a chance encounter in an airport with Anna Wintour, editor in chief of Vogue Magazine. In fact, she was getting on his airplane. Lazaro wasn't so sure he had the nerve to approach, but one hour into the flight, he could stand it no longer.
Lazaro wrote a humble note on an airsick bag, which explained that he was a fashion student who would soon be looking for an internship. He noted that she probably got requests like this all the time, but wondered if perhaps someone had given her a chance at the beginning of her career. He also wrote that he knew she had the power to help him. Then, trembling, he approached.
Lazaro stood before Ms. Wintour's seated figure, and said her name. No answer. He repeated her name several times. No answer. He even crossed the uncrossable boundary and touched her arm. Still no reply. Finally, he left his plea under her martini glass and crept back to his seat. Several months later, he received a call from a major designer who'd gotten Lazaro's letter from Ms. Wintour with instructions that it was not to be ignored. A subsequent interview proved that he had talent, and Lazaro was hired for his first internship.
Lazaro not only had great luck to get on an airplane with the most powerful woman in the fashion industry, he had the savvy to make use of the opportunity. He was ready when his break came with a portfolio of samples he'd worked hard on, making it the best it could be. Then he did the most important thing of all: he sent Ms. Wintour a thank you note, which prompted a fax from the woman herself saying she was glad it all worked out.
This to me is a fine example of well-handled pushiness, in that Lazaro used the opportunity as much as he could, but then was completely respectful and gracious. It is also evidence that a letter works, especially when delivered under unique circumstances. Designer Michael Kors was a store clerk, he sold Calvin Klein a ski jacket, and stuffed his design sketches into the sleeve as the jacket was en route to delivery. A documentary film director I know who needed a quote from a famous director to help her get grants pulled a similar coup. She found out where Woody Allen lived, then had a copy of her latest film delivered to his door with a handwritten note requesting a favorable comment. He obliged.
Everyone has to start somewhere, even the rich and famous. So if you can approach politely, preferably through some other means than the front office, your efforts will probably not be seen as pushy but as what one does to get a break.
Part of the reason this works is the honesty involved. You are telling them what you need up front. So this is very different than talking up a potential contact at a cocktail party with the sole agenda of having them look at your work, or hanging out a health club frequented by a certain star so you can add them to your list of influential friends. Those would be considered inappropriate ‘covert agenda’ moves that are really looked down upon by the rich and powerful.
Too often we assume that the way to approach an industry or a leader is from the bottom, worming your way up through the ranks. A much more effective approach is just to go straight to the top, where you very well may connect with the person who can make everything happen for you. This is why letters are such a good tool for approaching these people. They can read it in their own time, they're not too obtrusive, and if well-written and delivered in a subtle but attention-getting way, they can work wonders.
Important people, just like the rest of us, do not like to be used. On the other hand, most people do like to be helpful, and a direct request can be amazingly effective.
It's Not Brain Surgery, It's Just An Online Home Based Business
By Kirk Bannerman
Back when I first started my online home business I didn't have
a clue concerning how to go about it. I had never done any
Internet marketing, and didn't know anything about websites or
search engines or any of that other online business stuff...in
short, I was a complete rookie. In retrospect, the two major
things that really helped me was that I refused to be intimidated
and I kept a realistic perspective (both in terms of initial
financial results and the time frame necessary to become
successful).
I know from my own years of experience that relatively few
business ventures are started on the Internet by people with
the experience, motivation, determination, backing, and support
that it takes to even have a reasonable chance of success.
Real online business people are those who work hard, who immerse
themselves deeply in marketing and advertising, and who put in
long hours in the beginning in order to see their Internet-based
businesses succeed.
Achieving success in an online business is not difficult to
comprehend. There is indeed a learning curve, but it's not brain
surgery. The process of learning isn't as much the issue as are
the personal traits of motivation and determination.
Develop your marketing plan and execute it. There's no magic in
this online home based business stuff. We're talking real world
here. It's not nearly as romantic as winning the lottery, yet
many of the thousands of people I have helped to start up their
home businesses on the Internet clearly came in with what I have
come to refer to as the "magic/lottery" mentality. Many of those
folks went off to chase another rainbow after a few months, but
some of them also came to their senses and buckled down to
develop very successful home based businesses.
Run, don't walk, away from all of those people that offer you
"shortcuts" or "success secrets" (probably in exchange for some
of your money). I mean, if they had it all figured out, why
would they sell this "magic answer" to you for a few bucks
instead of just keeping it private and then making tons of
money for themselves? (I'll leave it to you to connect the dots)
A key point to always keep in mind is that...business is
business. Regardless of whether you are on the Internet or
operating a business in a shopping mall. The same
fundamental principles apply to both businesses.
1) You need to have a product, or products, to sell.
2) You need to advertise to get customers to buy your
products.
3) You need to provide support to your customers who buy
your products as a result of your advertising efforts.
4) You need to build a loyal customer following, so you can
maintain a profitable business over a period of time.
Many people fall into the trap of believing that because
they are doing business on the Internet, some of these steps
can either be skipped or they need to overemphasize one area
or another.
The bottom line regarding an online business is that you will
need to advertise and you will need to take care of your
customers.
Run your online home business just like a real company
because it is, in fact, a real business and you have a real
opportunity to either be successful or to fail. The primary
difference between an online business and a traditional
business is location (no traditional "storefront"). Nearly
everything else is essentially the same. You have products
and your objective is to sell those products to people who
want/need your products.
Remember, building a business takes time, determination,
and patience. Far too many people seem to think that the
traffic is just going to pour in once they have put up their
own website on the Internet. As anyone who has had a website
for a while knows...this simply is not true, but it is often
the reason people get frustrated and quit. The fact of the
matter is that you need to diligently promote/advertise your
website in order for your online home based business to
flourish and prosper.
One of the most important bits of advice that I can pass on to
you is that you must be patient. Most people start their online
home business with great enthusiasm and high expectations. Often,
after a few months, they become disappointed and frustrated
because they are not already making a large amount of money.
These impatient home business entrepreneurs then often start to
jump from one program to another every few months (never allowing
themselves enough time to succeed at any of them) and, finally,
throw up their hands in frustration and declare that they just
can't make money online.
Stick with your business and don't give up. Dogged persistence
(much like the tenacity of a pit bull) is an absolutely vital key
to your eventual success. Don't give up when things become
frustrating and you are not achieving the immediate success you
expected. Give your online home based business sufficient time to
develop and you realize the success you are seeking.
There is nothing magical about running an online home based
business. It should be run the same as any traditional "bricks
and mortar" business and it will succeed or fail depending on
the time and effort you put into it.
There are many very ordinary people working at home and making a
very good living on the Internet, will you be the next one?
Kirk Bannerman operates a successful home based business and
coaches others seeking to start their own home based business.
Visit his website at http://www.business-at-home.us>
Legitimate Home Based Business for more details.
Mastering The Art of Conversation
by Peter Murphy
The art of conversation is a skill shared by most
successful people. People who always seem to rise to the
top of their professions and are well respected by others
who share the ability to converse with anybody in every
situation.
People who seem to speak effortlessly and efficiently with
others are generally well liked and highly successful.
If you need to improve your conversational skills, here are
a few tips that can help you enhance your conversational
skills and boost your image. Good conversation promotes an
image of self-confidence, intelligence, and wittiness.
1. Always say what you think, not what you think others
want you to say. Especially in a professional setting,
learning to express your views and ideas in a positive,
non-threatening manner will invite reactions and responses.
Effective leaders always say what they are thinking and
express their ideas freely. Having the courage to speak
your mind as well as listening openly to the views and
ideas of others is a sure way to earn the respect and
admiration of all those you encounter.
2. Listen carefully to what others are saying. People often
interpret things said by others in a way that clouds their
ability to hear what people are intending to say.
By giving your full attention to the speaker, you can hear
what they intend for you to hear instead of what you want
to hear. The art of conversation includes the ability to
listen to others as well as the ability to speak
effectively.
3. Always assume that a speaker is saying exactly what they
mean to say. Even if it seems unclear, try to find meaning
and coherence to the words they are saying and give them
the respect of hearing what they want you to hear.
In any conversation, the ability to give respect is just as
important as receiving it. The art of conversation is a
give and take between parties, not one speaker and one
listener.
4. Any conversation can be broken down into three parts...
The first part is small talk. Small talk is dictated by
social rules and includes polite greetings, inquiries about
the well-being of others, etc.
Stage two is the end of the small talk and moving on to the
purpose of the conversation such as business, the sharing
of opinions and personal views.
Without the ability to express yourself efficiently, the
conversation can easily slip back into small talk,
lessening the chances of accomplishing the initial goal of
the conversation.
The third part of a conversation is where the various ideas
and views expressed can be merged into a satisfying end for
all parties involved in the conversation.
The art of conversation is a learned skill that is common
among successful, energetic people. If you are unable to
effectively express yourself in any situation, you will
likely find that you do not attract the attention and
command the respect that is bestowed upon some others.
People who talk freely and easily with others usually find
more professional and personal fulfillment than those who
are introverted and silent.
If you want to improve your professional and social
standing, learn to communicate efficiently and in a
positive manner.
You will notice a dramatic difference in the way other
people perceive you if you demonstrate self-confidence and
project a friendly, informed image.
Peter Murphy is a peak performance expert. He recently
produced a very popular free report: 10 Simple Steps to
Developing Communication Confidence. This report reveals
the secret strategies all high achievers use to communicate
with charm and impact. Apply now because it is available
for a limited time only at:
http://www.howtotalkwithconfidence.com/report.htm
What is Broadband Phone?
by: Aki Majima
A broadband phone is one that makes phone calls over the Internet using the IP protocol. Several large broadband phone companies have come to the forefront in recent months offering the ability to make phone calls with a regular phone, that are routed over Internet Protocol using broadband Internet access. The most popular method of using voice over IP among the household users of this technology is connection to IP telephony via a digital adapter. This is the device that is connected between a broadband modem and a normal house phone to gain access to the broadband phone line. The digital adapter unscrambles the digital voice data that is received via the Internet and converts it to an analogue signal that can be heard and understood with regular non-digital phones.
Without a doubt, voice over IP is the future in telecommunications and long distance communication. Making phone calls over IP is much cheaper than either conventional phones or cellular communication. The technology is extremely efficient and it is very easy to implement due to the fact that it uses the infrastructure of the Internet, a communications structure that already exists.
As internet telephony and its surrounding technology become more and more refined over the coming years, so will the technology that gives us access to it. Even over the coming twelve months, we will see a change from the use of a digital adapter to convert digital data from the web into analogue. Instead, we will see an increase in the availability of digital telephones and USB phones that plug directly into a USB port and that can make and receive phone calls digitally. You will also notice other mediums produce products that will attempt to bridge the gap between old technology and new. While other companies will keep their eye on the digital future and come up with more advanced variations of voice over IP to take us into the future.
Sailing Hints & Tips
by: Yannis Moraitis
I spend almost all my summers sailing around the Greek islands. With this small article I would like to share some sailing hints with you that will help you enjoy the most out of your sailing holidays.
- When moored or anchored, use your sun tent and stay under it most of the time. Our friend, the Sun, sometimes can be dangerous, especially during summertime.
- Be cautious on board and if possible, always wear a pair of soft boat shoes. This way you will protect your feet and the deck surface. When sailing, avoid walking on deck without particular reason and in rough weather, remember to use your life belt.
- If you have children on board, let them sit outside but always in the cockpit wearing a life vest.
- Before operating the electric anchor winch, start the motor and run it at aprox 1.200 to 1.500 rpm in neutral. This is necessary in order not to exhaust the service battery, as the consumption of the winch is extremely high. Our recommendation is to low your anchor manually and collect it using the remote control. Whenever using the anchor winch (dropping or collecting your anchor) be very careful with your fingers. An electric anchor winch is a great facility but also extremely danger with careless use.
- Remember to use the electric refrigerator only with the motor running.
- Many yachts are equipped with a switch with which you may connect the two batteries, to have more power to start your motor. You can keep them connected, as long as your motor is running. When you stop the motor, remember to disconnect them. This will protect you, to be without electric power in case that you will forget, for example, the electric refrigerator running.
- When you moor in a port, always have a fender between your yacht and the quay, so even if your anchor for any reason is unable to keep you in position, the yacht will not touch the quay. Take care of the swell that big ferries cause and avoid mooring the yacht close to the place these boats anchor.
- Before you put your engine in gear, have a look around the yacht for floating ropes that may block or damage your propeller or gearbox. When you want to go from forward to backward, do it after you let the engine speed drop to idling.
- Avoid towing your dinghy especially in rough weather, as you may lose it. It's better to keep it secured in front of the mast. Remember that lost items are always charged to the charterer. In case you need tug help and before you accept it, agree on the price and ask for a receipt that clearly states that no further payment will be asked.
- Avoid dropping papers or napkins in the toilet bowl. It's better to use plastic bags for the waste papers. Toilet pumps are not able to dissolve such things.
- Remember to close the main switch at the top of gas bottle when you don't use the gas stove or when nobody is on board.
- While refilling either water or fuel tanks, make sure not to mix fuel with water or water with fuel. In both cases the situation becomes unpleasant and difficult to be repaired.
- Keep always an eye on the hour counter of your motor and make sure that you have sufficient amount of fuel in your tank. The fuel gauge is not always reliable, so check the hours that you have used the motor.
- Do not throw plastic bottles, cans or any other waste in the sea. Keep them on board and remove immediately at the first harbour.
- It is also requested not to raise any flag, other than the Greek, at the aft side of the yacht, as it is against Greek and International marine regulations.
CAUTION : If the yacht is equipped with DSC VHF, DO NOT PRESS DISTRESS SIGNAL BUTTON UNLESS IT IS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY (FIRE - COLLISION - GROUNDING - SINKING).There is a penalty for the unnecessary use.
- For more information please check http://www.seascope-sailing.com
Chinese Dining Etiquette
by: Wong Yee Lee
At Chinese meal times, Chinese people use a round or square table. Person of the most importance would usually take the seat the farthest away from the door whilst the youngest or the person of the least importance would take the seat closest to the door.
However, if you are the host, usually you would take the seat which is closest to the walkway since it allows the most convenient movement by the host.
Unlike the western style, Chinese people do not use forks and knives. We use a pair of chopsticks and spoons. Unlike Japanese chopsticks, Chinese chopsticks have both ends of the same size whilst Japanese ones have one end sharper than the other.
There are several things to remember when you use chopsticks.
- Don't dig in the food on a plate but just get the piece which you want to get
- Don't pick one piece then drop it back in the plate and change to another piece
- Don't let your chopsticks be covered with food juice or residue
- Don't use chopsticks to beat any utensils to make any noise
- Don't wave your chopsticks
- Don't use chopsticks like forks
- Don't use chopsticks as toothpicks
- Don't lick or suck your chopsticks
- Don't put chopsticks vertically in rice in a bowl since it resembles the incense sticks for the dead
Particularly after SARS, it is more common these days that people use a pair of common chopsticks for fetching the food on the plates. Don't forget to swap your own chopsticks with the ones provided when getting the food because of hygiene reasons.
In a Chinese meal, an even number of dishes should be ordered. Odd numbers of dishes would be appropriate only for occasions such as the meal after a funeral.
The best dish should be put in front of the most important person in order to show your respect. Chicken head or duck head on a plate should not point at guests. The big bowl of soup should be placed in the middle.
If you are the guest, remember not to leave too much food behind because it would mean that you don't like the food. Also, when you eat fish, it would be better if you just take out the skeletons after finishing one side of the meat than to turn the whole fish upside down because it resembles a boat being turned upside down.
Rice in China is the same important as potatoes in the west. Some people need to eat 2 or more bowls of rice at each meal. Especially the older generation, they can't have a meal without rice. However, modern Chinese tend to replace rice with congee (a kind of porridge like food made of rice boiled with a lot of water), noodles or even go without any. So if you are not a big rice eater, you still have a lot others to choose from.
With Chinese restaurants being so popular everywhere in the world, I think it is time you should get a grip of how to use chopsticks.
Developing Fluency in Young Children
by: Nicole Brekelbaum
Questions to Ask when Developing Your Child’s Literacy Skills.
Does Your Child have the Ability to Link Letters and Sounds Together?
We all know that letters of the alphabet form words and that learning letters and sounds is usually the predecessor to developing fluency in young children. But how can we stimulate an early interest in the alphabet? To keep a child’s mind engaged in the learning process, it is a good idea to use fun, exciting hands-on games. Many parents have had success arranging magnetic letters on their kitchen refrigerator and allowing children to touch, manipulate and sound out the letters. Another variation is to work with one letter a week starting, for instance, with the letter A. Place only the letter A on the refrigerator and then do a weeklong lesson that focuses on the letter A. At the end of the week place three more letters on the refrigerator. Ask your child to distinguish the letter A from the group, make the sound of the letter A, and pronounce two or three words that begin with the letter A. Continue this learning technique for 25 more weeks until your child begins to recognize and sound out each of the 26 letters of the alphabet easily. A home-schooling mom who has had remarkable success with developing fluency in her kids has created a useful online resource that teaches children a letter a week. This free curriculum can be found at Brightly Beaming Resources - http://www.letteroftheweek.com/.
Is Your Child Familiar with Words that Form Opposites?
Most kids enjoy learning about opposites since it encourages sensory and motor development while at the same time developing their literacy skills. Children can recognize the difference between sweet and sour by taste, hard and soft by touch, slow and fast by adjusting their motor play, and loud and quiet by altering their voice pitch. This interactive approach is not only enjoyed by toddlers and preschoolers but also provides a great foundation for the development of literacy skills later on in life.
Can Your Child Build New Words from a Single Core Word?
An important way to develop fluency is to provide children with a rich variety of words. One approach is to a take a familiar core word and build a web of related words around it. For example, using the word bat as a core word help children find other related words such as baseball, base, batsman, catcher and umpire. Discuss the word bat further using a completely different approach and inspire children to find new words such as nocturnal, caves, wing span and habitat. As children become familiar with related words they gain the self-confidence needed to read aloud and to decode new words.
Can Your Child Sound Out Rhyming Words?
Rhyming words have sound appeal to kids. Listening to nursery rhymes and poems allows children to appreciate the beautiful yet comprehensive forms of the spoken language. Encourage your child to sound out rhyming words, making sure to praise him even if the words he creates may not necessarily be real words. The idea is that he has mastered the listening technique that is required to reproduce similar sounds.
Has Your Child Learnt about Compound Words?
Learning about compound words is a great way to introduce word-building skills to children. Start off by giving your child two very familiar words and then ask him to join the words together and read the composite word out loud. There is a 50% chance that he may not create a compound word on his first try. If he is unsuccessful be patient and allow his natural hunger to learn inspire him to manipulate the words correctly. Soon he will be making some typical compound words such as batman, baseball, and bookworm.
Can Your Child Build Words using Ending Clusters?
It is a good idea to introduce words with ending clusters to kids around first or second grade, or when you believe that they are developmentally ready for this challenge. Examining the ending clusters for a whole group of words is a big step towards fluency. This step should be approached with patience and care. Take a word, for example, like light. The ending cluster here is “ight”. Remove the letter “l” and substitute the letter “s” instead. Now you have the word sight. Continue in this manner until your child begins to recognize and pronounce words on his own such as might, fight, fright and bright. Introduce other ending clusters to him and help him become familiar with manipulating words.
Is Your Child Familiar with Beginning Blends?
Beginning blends are great ways for children to sound out words that are unfamiliar to them. Take the beginning blend “ST” for instance. If a child understands how to pronounce the words star and start, then unfamiliar words such as stand, stop, stamp and stall become easier to pronounce with practice. Over time children begin to decode words one at a time and can soon read a whole sentence. Encouraging your child to read a familiar text can also build fluency and comprehension. An excellent easy reader is the “Dick and Jane” titles. It allows children to sound out familiar three and four letter words in repetitive sentences thus giving them the self-confidence they need to master difficult pronunciations.
Have You Encouraged Independent Reading?
Visit your local library to see what programs are available that encourages reading. Usually children can join their library’s book club, gain school credit from reading a number of library books and sometimes win small prizes after attaining reading milestones. Encourage your child to search the library bookshelves for books that are of interest to him and that are also appropriate for his age. On occasion encourage him to read aloud to you so that you can diagnose any difficulties in his phonic skills such as slow reading and poor comprehension. Oftentimes poor readers have a slow word per minute count and have difficulty decoding words, which may in turn lead to poor comprehension of the text.
Do You Read Books Yourself?
One very important way to develop fluency in kids is to read books yourself. When children see adults reading they understand firsthand the benefits of improving their literacy skills. Discuss books that you have read together, expand on a particular lesson or theme seen in a book, and encourage your child to develop a love for reading.
Dare to Dream
by: Kim Beardsmore
Have you ever thought of this? When you were young and at school the teachers always reprimanded the dreamers - "You live on another planet", "You've got your head full of silly notions!" and the like.
Then we are in the playground. The boys say, "I'm gonna jump over that garbage can" and the other boys say, "Nah, you're not good enough, you can't do that."
You back up and run your hardest at the garbage can and try to ignore the taunts of your disbelieving friends - you leap - and on passing over the bin, catch your foot and crash down".
You can still hear the laughing and to this day blush in embarrassment when you think about it. Perhaps your teachers were right - dreams are silly. Perhaps the other kids were right - you're not good enough.
Do you relate to this? Many of us do. If something like this has happened to you in the past you will know the disbelief and laughter of your childhood peers can cut a very deep wound. But you know there is a wound that is far worse than that? It is the wounding of our intestinal fortitude and the weakening of our lifetime resolve that occurs when we picked ourselves up of the school yard, hung our head, walked away along and thought..
"They must be right, - I - can't - do - it". Have you said that about yourself and your business? Everyone has at some stage I am sure. The difference between those who achieve extraordinary goals and those who don't, is always in their thinking.
The incredibly fun, magical and simple thing about multi level marketing is this. If you can learn to reprogram your childhood self- limiting beliefs - you can do anything...earn an extra $500 per month right up to earning large royalty checks that you're your whole destiny in life!
Are you ready to reprogram your thinking? Create a vision for yourself - and play with possibility thinking? Create an environment around yourself where you dwell on achievements rather than failures. See yourself leaping over the garbage can - over and above every conceivable obstacle. Any worthwhile achievement must start in the brain. An old prophet once said, "As a man thinks, so he is". If you aim at nothing, you are sure to hit it!
I have heard it said that Thomas Edison created 800 light globes before he made one that worked! If he didn't believe he could do what seemed impossible, I am quite sure he would have stopped after the second or third attempt! Is your thinking stopping you achieving your dreams?
Lawsuit Funding
by: Lauren Lipcon
Lawsuit funding, also known as pre settlement cash advances, are a form of non-recourse funding that has become a popular service in the past few years. Injured clients all over the United States can use this service to get cash for their lawsuit now. Funds advanced can be used by the client for any immediate financial pressures including mortgage payments, credit card bills, to get out of debt, car payments and more.
Obtaining a cash advance on a pending settlement or lawsuit is a quick and simple process. If you have been seriously injured in an accident and are represented by an attorney, just contact a pre settlement funding company like Injury Funds Now (http://www.injuryfundsnow.com) to apply. The funding company will review your case file and contact you with the results of their review. If you accept the offer, a portion of your potential settlement is advanced in return for a percentage of the anticipated recovery. Injury Funds Now (http://www.injuryfundsnow.com) probably has the fastest turn-around time in the industry and will have an answer for you in just 24 hours; they will even wire funds directly into your bank account the very same day.
Lawsuit funding companies offer cash advances solely on the merits of the case. There are no credit checks and the person applying need not be employed. If the case makes a successful recovery, the money advanced plus a previously agreed upon fee are paid out of the case proceeds. If the case loses, there is no fee and the funds do not have to be repaid so this is a 100% risk free service. This also makes the service very risky for the funding company and as such rates and fees vary dramatically between each company, so choose wisely. Many companies charge hidden fees such as closing costs, application fees and more. They offer what appear to be very low rates, but when the hidden fees are added on and the rates are compounded every month, it can get quite high. Injury Funds Now (http://www.injuryfundsnow.com) is does not use compounding or have any hidden fees. They even have a flat rate program by which you will know what amount you will have to pay back upon a successful recovery before even accepting their offer.
Other than taking care of a client’s immediate financial pressures, what are the benefits of lawsuit funding? The strategy of the Defense insurance company is to drag a case out as long as possible in the hopes that the client becomes desperate and will settle for less than the case is worth. A pre settlement advance balances the playing field, by giving the attorney the time he or she needs to obtain the highest possible recovery! So by using a lawsuit funding service, the case can actually make a higher recovery yielding both the client and attorney more funds!
