Sunday, December 14, 2008
More Bad Credit Cards Offers
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Popular Eyeglasses From Zenni
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Dating Services
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
StarCraft 2 - The Most Awaited Game
StarCraft 2 is an upcoming trilogy of real-time strategy video games set in a military science fiction scenario. The game is currently being developed by Blizzard Entertainment. It will be a sequel to the highly acclaimed video game StarCraft released in 1998.
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Sexy Birthday Gifts For Her
A birthday is a perfect opportunity to share your love and affection. Show her how much you love her, and remind her how sexy she is with one of the sexy birthday gifts her heart will flutter over.
Jewelry
Every woman knows jewelry helps you feel and look sexy. Whether it's a diamond-encrusted heart pendant, a gold anklet or charm bracelet with special-meaning charms, your woman will thank you again and again for the thoughtfulness behind a gift of jewelry. To some jewelry might seem frivolous, but to a woman in love, a piece of jewelry from her man is indicative of a true piece of his heart.
Gift Baskets
Other sexy birthday gifts her heart will thump over are gift baskets filled with her favorite things. Is she a big fan of chocolate? Order (or create your own) various chocolates based on her tastes. Perhaps she adores hazelnut chocolate, dark or even white chocolate, take the time to notice and the generous thought will come back to you threefold in the future. Adding items to the chocolate gift basket such as teddy bears, jewelry, lingerie or self-made "coupons" ensure her birthday will be one of the sexiest ever.
Perfume
Perhaps it has been overdone in the past, but perfume truly can be a unique and wonderful gift for the woman in your life. If you take notice of what she likes, the thought will be especially appreciated. Does she pick up the bottle of CK every time you enter the mall? Surprise her with it for her birthday. Perhaps she adores woodsy, earthy scents, ask the salesperson for a new scent based on what you know. Or perhaps try something different. You might find something you love and would love to smell on her, oftentimes spontaneous gifts such as these are perfect.
Lingerie
Lingerie is among the sexy birthday gifts her heart will adore, and so will yours. Sure, you can go to the big name places like Victoria's or Fredericks, but did you know you can also find lingerie at regular department stores, and many times they will be much less expensive - which allows you to purchase more! Keep in mind her body type and how she feels about her body. If she isn't comfortable showing lots of skin, be thoughtful and present her with a lacy or silky robe. It is also best, if possible, to obtain her measurements so you can be sure to purchase the right size. Take your cues from what is in her closet already, what she prefers to wear, and what she might have noticed in the past.
A Day at the Spa
Another of the sexy birthday gifts her heart will adore you for is a day at the spa. There isn't a woman alive who doesn't enjoy a day of pampering. Provide her with enough for a massage, perhaps a manicure and/or pedicure, and your woman will sure to reciprocate the kindness. In today's stressful world, there isn't a better gift around to show her how much you love and appreciate her.
Crude Oil Weekly Outlook
Crude oil prices continued to decline last week reaching a low at 6857 as demand hit a nine year low for the week ended Oct. 10. As demand has been in a steady downtrend, the price of a barrel of oil has been cut in more than half since peaking at 147.27 in July 2008. Crude oil closed the week out at 7185 on Friday's session of mild profit taking.
The overall technical trend remains down. However, we are likely to begin to see a pause in downward momentum with sideways to upward price action early this week as we've now hit our key monthly support range at 7100-6800. Additionally, in an effort to curb downward momentum, OPEC has moved their meeting up again to Oct. 24 and is expected to cut output by as much as 1 million bpd.
We'll be looking for upward moves this week to head into the 7500-7700 Resistance range, with the 7700 area being last week's key breakdown. Trade crossing above 7700 will be targeting the 8000 mark with OPEC goal to reclaim 8000 as their new benchmark price. If a settlement above 8000 is achieved for the week, we'll be looking at an expected trading range between 8000 and 9000 in the following weeks.
Trade that struggles this week at the 7500-7700 range is expected to leave downward pressure on oil, at least pre DOE reports and OPEC meeting, with dips retesting the 7100-6800 range. A turn below the lower end of the range at daily support 6850-6800 is expected to trigger a continuation of the major downtrend with the next objectives seen at 6300-6000 and potentially 5500 on any major DOE surprises.
The failure of major US investment banks and insurance companies, and sharp declines in stock market indexes are affected the value of the world's major currencies. At present, major banks, central bankers, hedge funds, and home-based investors are in uncertain condition. Generally, when people feel unsure about market direction they will sell off their riskier assets and they buy safer investments.
When investor confidence collapse they will start buying US government debt. This is brings benefits to U.S dollar because they need dollars in order to buy US Treasury's. Investors are buying US Treasurys, which are viewed as safe investments because they are backed by the US Government. The riskiest investments have produced the biggest returns. This is the art of investing, the more risk you take, the larger your potential returns.
Generally a nation with a higher interest rate will attract more investment into its currency than a nation with a lower interest rate. The currency of the nation with the increased investment can rise in value as the demand for that currency increases.
The worst scenario is when paper money becomes virtually worthless, then consider gold or inflation adjusted Treasury securities. Neither investment will make you rich. But if either one will keep you from having a panic attack, then it's probably a good investment to save you from the hyperinflation period.
Be carefull with the European Central Bank interest rate decision. Be aware that often the comments made by ECB President Jean-Claude Trichet are generally more influential than the actual decision itself. And then on October 29 keep watching for next decision of the US Federal Reserve.
How Many Cells Are in a Battery?
Question from a reader: "How many cells are in the Toshiba Satellite M105-S3041 Laptop Battery? The battery is for a Toshiba Satellite M105-S3041 and its technical ratings are 10.8 volts 8800 mAh, Lithium Ion."
The question from the reader is a great question for it gets to the heart of battery manufacturing and begins to unravel the power of a battery. The answer is simply: 12 cells. But what does the answer mean and how does the number of cells relate to the overall value of a battery? Let's find out...
How Does A Battery Create Energy?
A battery is a device that converts chemical energy into electrical energy. Batteries create electrochemical energy by a chain of events that have to occur prior to the creation of electrical energy. Electricity is introduced into a battery via a charger. The charger acts as a conduit of the pushing electrons that are forcing their way into the chemical lithium. This charge process involves intercalation where electrons join with other molecules in the lithium's minuscule spaces between the the lithium's crystallized planes. Electrons are in essence ionizing lithium which loads the crystal planes to the point where they are forced into a current flow. Intercalation replenishes, in effect, lithium but the net result of ionization is the ultimate depletion of the lithium reactive property.
But what makes lithium good for batteries is that lithium is a highly reactive metal. Lithium has a very high electrochemical potential. In some lithium-based cells the electrochemical potential can be five times greater than an equivalent-sized lead-acid cell and three times greater than alkaline batteries. Lithium is also pliable and bendable allowing lithium to fit in tight configurations (perfect for in small cell designs in PDAs. Laptops, Cameras etc...).
What Type of Lithium Cell is Used in Laptops
Now this brings us to battery cells and our original question from the reader. Lithium based battery cells are good but there are a variety of lithium based battery cells. For example the lithium based cell identified as 18650 is one of the most common battery cell on the market for laptops. 18650 is manufactured by many manufacturers including many private branded companies to public companies like LG, Sony, Sanyo, Samsung, and Panasonic.
18650 is a 3.6V cylindrical Li-Ion cell. 18650 has no memory effect (distinguish between digital memory effect) and longer storage life than NiMH battery cells. 18650 is light weight and has a high energy density. It is in effect perfect for building batteries for laptop and other portable power devices.
The additional technical specifications for the 18650 battery cell include:
- Nominal Voltage Average 3.7 V - the concept of nominal voltage is that voltage range exists depending on the number of cells in the battery.
- Nominal Capacity - 2200 mAh (above 2200 the stability of lithium based cells is called into question)
- Max. Charging Current - 2.4 Amps Max.
- Max. Discharging Current - 4.6 Amps max.
- Dimensions (DxH) 18.3 mm (Max 18.4) x 64.9 mm (Max 65.1)
- Weight 46.5 g (1.64 oz)
- Internal Impedance Internal Impedance: less or equal to 90 ohms
- Cycle Performance is 80% of initial capacity at 300 cycles
Now as stated above the reader asked how many cells were in the Toshiba Satellite M105-S3041 Laptop Battery? The battery is rated at 10.8 volts and a capacity of 8800 mAh.
As I mentioned above the nominal voltage average is 3.7V. Some manufacturers may use 3.6V and some may use 3.7V. In the case of a laptop battery with 10.8V the nominal voltage rating used is 3.6V. Thus if we divide 10.8V by 3.6V we get 3. Thus 3 cells in a series. We also know that the batteries capacity is 8800 mAh. We know the nominal capacity is 2200 mAh. Therefore if we divide 8800 mAh by 2200 mAh then we get 4 in parallel.
Therefore we have: 3 cells in series multiplied by 4 cells in parallel equals 12 cells in total.
You Can Protect Your Children From Sex Offenders
The greatest way for you to protect your children from sex criminals out there is to educate them. It is the best thing to do to teach your children on how to protect themselves, whether they are on the playgrounds, on the mall, at home, or online. In addition to the education that you provided your children about protecting themselves, you have to shower them with all the love, care, attention, time and nurturing that they need to boost their confidence. Children with high self esteem are least likely to be victimized by predators out there.
According to an article by BBC News, MySpace reported that they've removed about 29,000 registered sex offenders' members from their website. Actually, it is not only MySpace; Facebook.com has an equally problematic attraction for sex offenders.
National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and Cox Communication, just recently released a survey about children between 13 to 17 years old who uses the internet. The survey showed that there are about 71% reported that they've received messages from people that they do not know on the internet. About 4% are children who meet face to face with people that they met online. About 30% who considered meeting the people that they only met through the internet. And there are 45% who said they have been asked about their personal information.
With all of these facts, definitely, more and more parents out there are worried so much about their children. These predators are most of the time in search for children, in which as parents are the closest persons in our lives.
As parents, you can get rid of the worries that you have by performing sex offender search on people that are in relations with your children. You can conduct searches on your neighbors, your children's teachers, bus driver, and so on. This is not about not putting trust on others; this is about protecting your children from any harm or from sex offenders out there. There are plenty of search services online, you can visit one and conduct searches on the people who are around your children, these search services are for free, so you can perform plenty of searches if you want.
What is Fantasy Football?
It is almost that time of year again, football season. Football is the most popular sport in the United States and every year generates a ton of interest and creates a lot of excitement. Over the past several years it has even spawned a very popular game, fantasy football. Perhaps you have heard of fantasy football, but do not really understand what it is. You may think that it is everyone's fantasy to play football and that it is some sort of daydreaming thing that people waste their time with. However, this is false. Fantasy football is a complete game that is available to be played by hard core football fanatics as well as casual fans. Below is a brief introduction to fantasy football so that you can become a little more familiar with it.
Basic Structure
In fantasy football, the players are called owners. These owners "own" a team. The owners do not own a specific football team (such as the Tennessee Titans), but instead have the opportunity to put players from all different teams onto their one team. This is why it is called fantasy football, because you get to build your own fantasy team, trying to put your favorite quarterback and wide receivers together and so forth.
In most leagues, the owners put together their teams through a draft. The owners take turns drafting the players, once a player is drafted no other owner may have that player on their team. The draft lasts as long as the owners agree to have it last, with the typical draft lasting 12 - 14 rounds.
The owners agree as to what the roster limit will be. The owners also agree what the starting lineups should be. For example, they can agree to have the starting lineup be a quarterback, two running backs, three receivers, one tight end, a kicker, and a defense. The owners are free to adjust this how they see fit.
One of the owners is designated as the commissioner, and it is his duty to oversee the fantasy football league and make sure that everything runs smoothly. He will settle any disputes and help the other players as needed.
Points
The players on the teams score points for the actions taken by the real players on the football field each week. For example, running backs will get points for how many yards they run and for how many touchdowns they score. The owners agree as to what it takes to score points and how many points to award for certain actions.
In Person League or Online
There are two choices to joining a fantasy football league. You can join up with friends and acquaintances and create your own league. Or you can join an online league and play with people you may not know. Two of the more popular fantasy football leagues are Yahoo and ESPN. You can go to their websites to get more information and sign up for a league if you would like.
Top Fantasy Busts So Far in 2008
So far through 2008, here are some early fantasy football busts. A couple of these players have the ability to bounce back, but some should be dropped or traded from your team. Unless you are in a keeper league, and you think some will bounce back next year if you drafted or bought low on them in a draft or auction.
Probably a bust:
Reggie Williams, Jacksonville, avg. 1.6 points per game. He was supposed to be passed up this year by previously troubled free agent additions, Jerry Porter and Troy Williamson so I feel a little hesitant putting Williams on the list. But he has stayed in the lineup, but is no longer the Jags top option. Matt Jones has put his recent legal troubles behind him and has risen as the top option in Jacksonville.
Chad Ocho Cinco, Cincinnati, avg. 3.8 ppg. Has had a horrible year so far, and it doesn't look to stop. The Bengals are terrible all around, especially the offense, and not much will change this year. At 30, he could be on the decline for his career.
Carson Palmer, Cincinnati, avg. 8.5 ppg played. Has been banged up this year but also had a terrible start before his injury. He will probably play most of the year, but look for him to be ineffective playing with a throwing arm below 100%.
Braylon Edwards, Cleveland, Avg. 3.5 ppg
Derek Anderson, Cleveland, avg. 5.8 ppg
Jamal Lewis, Cleveland, avg. 8.25 ppg played.
A pattern has emerged in Cleveland. Most of the team is playing poorly, and the league has figured out Derek Anderson. Look for Brady Quinn to start soon, which will detract from Lewis' numbers when teams force Quinn to beat them. Edwards' needs to remember how to catch the ball and surpass his preseason hype the rest of the year as a budding elite receiver and dominate to justify he preseason fantasy ranking.
Maurice Jones-Drew, Jacksonville, avg. 9.2 ppg and only more than 7 touches in one game. Has played tough defenses, but it appears Fred Taylor will get a majority of the carries.
Laurence Maroney, New England, avg. 2.0 ppg, 0 TDs, never more than 10 touches in one game. The Patriots are spreading carries around, which is killing Maroney. Maroney is starting to look like a first round bust instead of just an '08 fantasy bust.
Can bounce back:
Thomas Jones, avg. 7.8 ppg, 1 TD, has not scored more than 7 fantasy points or 20 touches in a week since week 1. Games upcoming are Cinci, Oakland, and KC, which could allow him to finally put up consistent numbers. Maybe sell high if he performs because he could have a repeat of his disappointing season last year.
Fred Taylor, avg. 4.4 ppg, 0 TD, only scored more than 4 points once, but has played some tough defenses. Taylor has been given the load in Jacksonville, and their next 4 games are against easier run defenses, Denver, Cleveland, Cinci, and Detroit. After that, probably sell high.
Are Any Work at Home Programs Really Free?
The answer is yes! It seems that they are hard to find, but if you really look hard you can find many programs that require no start-up fee.
What are the real differences between the free programs and the paid program? In my opinion the paid programs are like using a self-help book read to help do a project at your home or office. In most cases you can find the information if you spend the hours necessary on the web necessary to do so. In addition they help you avoid many common pitfalls, which save you time. Time is money in my opinion.
Having said that you can be successful going the free route, but it will take a bit longer to get your income rolling. My suggestion is to do your research join as many programs as you can so that you can do a second round of research filtering out the programs once again after you have worked them for awhile. In the end you will be able to find 2 - 3 programs that will meet your work at home profile and should put you on the track to success.
You will need to exercise patience and work hard to get your work at home endeavor up and running. Keep you goals in front of you at all time. Envision how you will use the extra money created by your new work at home endeavor. Spend some of the money earned on yourself, as it will encourage you to work harder. Many people fail to stick around long enough to get their income up to the point where they are pleased. Nothing comes easy, but on the Internet once you reach that level most people are very pleased with the ease at which your income increases over time. Do not join any free programs if you are not prepared to exercise patience and work hard.
There are many affiliate programs and network marketing programs to choose from in addition to the typical work from home jobs that you may find on the Internet.
Do not just jump into the programs that sound the easiest to work or programs that offer you thousands of dollars for doing nothing. If it sounds to good to be true it more than likely is and you will likely not make a dime. You must spend the time to do your research or find a website you like that has done some research for you.
Many of the free programs offer an option once you have earned some money to upgrade to a higher level, which should help you grow at a faster rate. There are many people who like this option, because they are earning the money working the program before they upgrade. This serves as a great testimonial for the program. Please feel free to read both this article or one of my many others by visiting my link in the resource box below. I always enjoy getting emails pertaining to my articles or my site. Your feedback is important to me.
I wish you great success!
Friday, October 24, 2008
Tips For Maintaining Children's Toys
Toy maintenance is very maintenance to sanity and sanitation of your child's play area. Children will spend most of their day around these thing so don't be lazy about keeping up with these things. Remember some storage space, a couple cleaning tools and some sense of discretion is all that's really necessary to keep things running smooth in your household.
Before we even get to toy maintenance let's talk about which toys to get. First try to limit the amount of toys you get so you can avoid clutter in your home. Avoid buying similar toys not matter how much they want it as they will most likely get bored thus wasting space and your money. Try to get toys that are simple to manage and clean. Be sure to check if the stuffed toys you buy are machine washable to make it easy on yourself. It's hard to test the durability of toys that require assembly so try to find some reviews online about it. If in doubt it is always better to be safe than sorry so hold off for little on it.
Common sense says that toys can and will get dirty over time. Regular maintenance and inspection of all toys can keep your child from any mishaps or incidents that could have been otherwise easily avoided. Check to make sure not only that the toys are clean but also that the toys are still sturdy and stable to save your child from any physical accidents. Wash down toys with safe antibacterial cleaners with no harsh chemicals. This way you are sure your child is safe physically and health wise. Cleansing toys can guard against your children getting sick, so use antibacterial agents to assist.
Proper storage and rotation of toys is also important to maintain. A clean dry storage place is necessary to keep toys from flooding the floors and also prevent breaking any of them so your money is not wasted and your child's feelings spared. Regularly rotate toys so that your child will not get bored as quickly, even though they will still eventually, and this gives you time to inspect the toys not in use at the same time.
Supervision during playtime is necessary to avoid silly accidents that need not be. Watch that they play safe with their toys and not get too excited and hurt themselves due to reckless mobility. Lastly just use your head when it comes to keeping the play areas clean and all will be well.
Presidential Pets
"If you want a friend in Washington, buy a dog," said President Harry S. Truman. Since the days of our first President, George Washington, presidential pets have been loyal friends and have captured the interest of the American public.
President Washington adored his pets. His favorite was his horse, Nelson. When General Cornwalis surrendered at Yorktown, Washington was riding Nelson.
Lewis and Clark sent Thomas Jefferson two bears from their expedition, but it was probably John Quincy Adams who had the most unique pet in presidential history. The Marquis de Lafayette gave him an alligator that he kept in a bathtub in the East Room.
President Lincoln liked to indulge his boys, Tad and Willie. He let them have as many pets as they wanted. Perhaps the most famous was Jack, the turkey. Jack was intended to be on the Thanksgiving Day menu, but Tad took a fancy to the bird and asked his father to spare the turkey. Lincoln did so, issuing a presidential reprieve to Jack, thus starting the traditional Thanksgiving Day turkey pardon.
The last cow at the White House was owned by President Taft. Pauline was a gift from a Wisconsin senator. Pauline the cow was a Holstein and frequently slept in a garage next to the cats. Pauline was good for a fresh glass of milk a day. After Taft left office, Pauline went back to Wisconsin.
President Wilson followed Taft into the White House. During his tenure, he employed a flock of sheep to graze on the White House lawn. This helped to keep the grass tame and was cost effective while World War I raged on.
During the 1960's when President Kennedy was in office, Soviet Premier Nikta Khrushchev presented Caroline Kennedy with a dog named "Pushinka." The dog was descended from "Strelka," one of the first dogs in space. Before Caroline could play with Pushinka though, the dog had to be checked for spying devices and hidden microphones.
President Lyndon Johnson made the cover of Life magazine with his beagles, Him and Her. He caused a scandal though when he was photographed holding Him by the ears.
More recently, President Reagan was known for his dog, "Lucky," and "Millie," belonged to Barbara and George H.W. Bush. Millie was voted "ugliest dog," by a prominent Washington magazine while she was in the White House, but she's most famous for her memoir, "Millie's Book: As Dictated to Barbara Bush." The book earned over one million dollars in royalties for Barbara's family literacy foundation.
Currently serving as first dog with George W. Bush is "Spot Fetcher," a puppy of Millie's.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Create a Creativity Hot Spot
Many companies claim to be on the leading edge of technology and they show us a new innovations and projects, which are a state of the art. These high tech corporations that are into innovation have very creative research and development departments and they spend big bucks designing, creating and building the next generation of products. Still, when creative consultants take a look at what these companies are doing they often cringe.
You see, many companies claim to be creative and innovative, yet they are riddled by a bureaucracy and primate politics within their project management teams. They take the fun out of creating and whereas they claim to be focusing their minds and energy like a laser, all they're really doing is preventing people from using their creative genius.
If the company is really into innovation then they need to hire the people who have been creative in the past and have come up with original thoughts and inventions. The people designing the prototypes should be allowed leeway to explore, experiment and ultimately discover new and interesting things.
However, since the research and development department is a business unit within a larger group or corporation, all too often the creativity is forced and thus the innovation is fake, controlled and not as creative as they might have your believe.
Creativity is essential to winning the innovation game, but true creativity cannot be micro-managed, rather it must flow. Creativity is contagious in the right atmosphere and it leads to more of the same. Creativity is the key to innovative companies and their future. Please think on this.
Get Bad Credit New Car Loans
When you are trying to get a new car loan but you have a bad credit history, your chances to get approved will get hurt, but you will still be able to get a new car loan. The only thing that you have to worry about is that you'll probably get a high interest rate on the loan. If you're not knowledgeable about credit ratings, the lenders may even give you a higher interest rate than your bad credit deserves. Having a bad credit is like placing a sign on your forehead that you are desperate for a car loan. Trying to obtain a bad credit new car loan makes you a vulnerable to lenders who will take advantage of your unfavorable position. Allowing yourself to be duped will put a bigger dent on your credit rating than there already is. So make sure that before getting a bad credit car loan, try to read up about it and your chances first.
Perhaps the best way to avoid being taken advantage of is to wait for the right time to obtain a car loan. Don't make the attempt when you know that your credit rating is not going to cut you a good deal. A bad credit car loan will also limit you to just a few car choices. You will have better chances of getting a good deal if you choose to clean up your credit first. If you managed to get by with your old car or by commuting for a long time, going on that way for a little more time won't hurt. At least, in the end, you will get the car you want, and you won't have difficulty paying off the soaring interest rates.
Here is how bad it can get. When you try to obtain a bad credit car loan, you will most likely get a high interest rate on the loan. The interest rate can get as high as 23%. Aside from the interest rates, you can also expect the insurance rates to soar. As mentioned, you can avoid these scenarios by cleaning up your credit first. However, the worst case scenario is that your bad credit new car loan application will get rejected. It is also important to remember that when you do get rejected, don't let it get you down. Don't let the rejection make you feel desperate and agitated. The more desperate you seem, the more chances you get of being taken advantage of.
To increase your chances of getting approved, your best move is to wait and try to repair your credit first. You don't need someone else to do this for you. There are a lot of tips and advices online on how you can repair a bad credit. Aside from that, if you recently moved into a new house, it will not be the best time to get a new car loan as well. You will have better chances if you've been in your present address for about six months. Also, your current debts will also matter. Make sure to pay off your balances if you have any credit cards, and any outstanding loans and late payments. These are all considered negative marks on your credit.
Getting a bad credit new car loan is like setting up a trap for yourself. So if you are planning to get a new car loan someday, make sure that you take care of your credit rating. And wait for a while as you repair your credit rather than get a bad credit new car loan.
Bad Credit Car Loans For Anyone
Just about anyone can qualify for a bad credit car loan, no matter what a person's credit history or current credit score is. In order to get a car loan when you have bad credit, there are some things you need to know that can help you get the lowest rate and highest amount of money possible.
Here's a brief overview of what you need to know in order to get a bad credit car loan:
Understanding a Loan
When you approach a loan officer, it is important that you demonstrate to the loan officer that you understand what the terms of a loan are. Essentially, a car loan is money that is borrowed from the lender. That money will need to be returned to the lender over a pre-determined period of time. Because the lender needs to make a profit on the loan in order to stay in business, the lender will charge an interest rate for the loan. Therefore, be sure that you are comfortable talking about interest rates with the loan officer when you sit down for a chat.
Interest Rates
The interest rate for a car loan is the amount of money that the borrower will have to pay back to the lender in addition to the loan principal. For example, if you take out a loan for $10,000 in order to buy a car, you not only have to repay that loan, but you will have to repay interest on top of the loan. If you get an interest rate of 6 percent, then you would need to pay back an additional $600 on top of the principal amount of money that you borrowed.
Credit History
Your credit history will affect just how low the interest rate is for your loan and how much money you can take out. For this reason, borrowers with brad credit will usually have higher interest rates and lower loan caps than borrowers that have proven that they are able to repay loans on time. When you speak with a loan officer, be able to explain why you have bad credit. If you are able to prove to the officer that you are in a different position now than you were when you got the bad credit, you may be able to get a better interest rate. For example, you may need to show the loan officer that you have a job that will allow you to pay back the loan amount on a regular basis.
No matter how bad your credit is, it is always possible to get a car loan. The amount of the loan and the interest rate on the loan amount may vary a great deal depending on your credit history, but remember that getting a loan is always possible if you are in need. Contact one of our sales agents today to discuss loan options and to match your budget with a vehicle on our lot.
Is it Possible to Make Money on My Blog?
Make money on anything. That is the world today. Exploiting every niche and crack in reality to squeeze some dollars to line our pockets is the attitude a lot of people are taking. It is completely legal and you would be insane not to sit up and at least take notice. Let's look at something as simple as a blog; a chronicle of your life, a journal of your emotions, hopes and dreams told in words or pictures. Is it possible to make money on my blog? If that's the question on your mind, this article will tell you just how to do that.
If your blog is already interesting and you get a high hit rate on it, then you already have the battle half won. People are coming to read your daily news and they are actually coming back, checking for updates and generally 'subscribing' to your 'publication'. Now if you were to pick up a magazine or newspaper, what is the one thing that is common to all of these things? That's right, advertising. People who read might just be people who buy. Once you have a solid following of readers you can sell your blog to advertisers. The route most people take is to recruit services like Adsense or BlogAds that pay you a small amount per click. It's free and the returns can be quite a tidy sum if you have a high volume of people reading your blog.
Or, you can start to recommend good and services from other online merchants. This is essentially affiliate marketing at work. There are no restrictions to this as you can even choose which product you want to plug, write about it, get an affiliate program to track purchasing and make some money when anyone buys the product you briefly mentioned in your blog. You can even recommend several products which means that your revenue increases as that increases!
Blogs can also be like online resumes for you to market your specific talents. Since it is primarily about writing, a lot of people are making money because they get recognised either for their unique writing skills or their interesting feedback which resonates with contemporary views and ideas. Major spreadsheets and magazines are growing a digital arm and they are constantly on the lookout for creative writers to enhance their cyberspace publication. You can even sell your expertise on issues, or if you have a particular topic that is popular and that you have a wealth of knowledge on, you can sell your opinions to the highest bidder.
These are just some of the ways that you can make good money just from your blog and you don't even have to work insanely hard to achieve this aim. This can be a supplement to your normal job and who doesn't want to earn extra money on the side? Make some cash while doing something you were already doing on a daily or bi-daily basis. Now that is smart thinking.
The 8 Harmful Effects of Fat
Ever thought of losing weight but just cannot find the reasons to justify that? Well, at the end of this article, I am sure you would have found at least 8 more reasons as to why you want to start working on that treadmill of yours so as to get rid of those excess fats you have accumulated around your waist.
1) Lose weight or lose your life.
If you have a family history of heart disease, high blood pressure, or high triglycerides, then by losing weight, you can actually lower the probability of having such diseases.
2) Obesity is on a rise
In the past, incidences of people dying from lack of food were common, but today, there have been a reversal in trend, and more and more people are dying as they over-eat. A survey taken in America showed that two-thirds of the American population is overweight, and one-third of them are classified as "obese". Over-eating puts you at a higher risk of having a heart attack, as the excess fats might clog up your arteries, thereby preventing the flow of blood to your heart. Obesity is also closely linked with certain types of cancer too.
3) Fats go straight into your heart
As mentioned above, excess fats clog up the blood flow to your heart. Besides heart attacks, obese people are at a much higher risk of getting a stroke.
4) Fats makes you a man
Strictly for the ladies, fat increases your body's release of male hormones. In case the gentlemen out there think it's a good idea to put on weight, fats cause you to bald at a faster rate and cause acne outbreaks as well.
5) Fats leads to diabetics as well
Male hormones aren't the only hormones affected. Fats affect your body's release of insulin as well, therefore putting fat individuals at a higher risk of having diabetics at a later part of your life.
6) Fats work while you sleep
Fats are closely linked to sleep disorders as well, and it affects your amount of oxygen intake when your body is in a deep sleep. This can spark off major problems such as strokes and heart attacks.
7) Fats increase your burden
Fat people are more prone to osteoporosis as well, and it gives problem to your hips and back due to the heavy burden from the upper parts of your body.
8) Make a difference now!
Adjust your lifestyle to a more active one now, and reduce your intake of those foods that makes you fat, mainly the sweet ones and the oily ones. Remember, a little goes a long way. Taking an extra mile of walk at the nearest park and a reduction on those junk food can really make a difference to your lifestyle.
Building in the Lake Travis Floodplain
If you are considering building on Lake Travis and probably on many other lakes, there are some things you need to know. Lake Travis is west of downtown Austin, Texas around 45 minutes. Everything in this article will be specific to Lake Travis, but it may provide some things to think about for anyone building on any lake.
The first thing a buyer of Lake Travis waterfront property needs to learn about is the floodplain. The full level of Lake Travis is 681 feet above sea level. The floodplain is at 722 feet. Why the huge difference? Lake Travis rises and falls depending on rain and on water use. Lake Travis is the main flood control lake of the Highland Lakes and it is managed by the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA). The LCRA has obligations to release water downstream because of water contracts. At times without rain, the lake will drop. When we get too much rain, the LCRA holds it back in Lake Travis to minimize or prevent downstream flooding.
OK, so the level of Lake Travis can change. What does that have to do with building on lakefront property? With the floodplain at 722 feet, the requirement for building is that the first occupied floor of a house needs to be at 723 feet or higher. So the first thing you need to know is the elevation of the lot - the whole lot - and the location of the floodplain if part of the lot is in it. Most lots on Lake Travis slope and the slope can be gentle or it can be very steep. If the lot is low to begin with, you probably want to build as close to toe highest level of the lot as possible.
Some lots are obviously very much in the floodplain. Many of the houses will be built on stilts. Some leave the area under the house open. The builder of other houses enclose large garages under much of the house with brick or stone.
Many of these houses will have multiple flights of stairs. Others will install ramps. You may be wondering about an elevator instead of stairs or a ramp. My thought is that this is just one more mechanical system that will be damaged when the water rises and an elevator would probably be pretty expensive to replace or repair.
Other things to think about that get more detailed are the septic system, the location of air conditioning compressor, a propane tank if you will have gas, the electrical service panel (breaker box) and water system equipment if not on city or other private water. To minimize damage, these items should be elevated. Lake Travis has been above 700 feet three times and above 690 four times since 1990. As the lake has never been higher than 711 feet, placing these at 715 feet or higher would probably fine, but there would still be some risk.
Many of the available lots you will find with frontage on Lake Travis will not have public water or sewer. Septic systems are quite common. There are two types you can install. If there is sufficient room, a gravity system can be used. These septic systems have next to nothing mechanically so they are less susceptible to damage by flood waters. Aerobic septic systems have many mechanical parts. Aerobic systems are generally installed when there is less room for a large underground septic drain field.
Here is the problem with a septic system: when the lake floods, the septic tank cannot function properly. If it is an aerobic system, the electricity will not be working and the equipment will not work. If it is a gravity system, the tank won't be able to drain. In other words, when the lake floods and your system is under water, you can't count on using plumbing. This may be fine if you have a weekend house, but what about living there full time. When Lake Travis floods, the water usually is back down in a week or so, but even being unable to use a house for a week may be a problem.
The LCRA has specific rules about locations of septic systems. The basic rule is that the lowest point of the septic drain field must be at the elevation of 691 feet or higher. In some cases a holding tank might be lower than this, but the effluent would need to be pumped to a higher drain field and this would require a variance from the LCRA. So once again, you need to know the elevation of the entire lot in order to know if a septic system can even be installed.
Regarding water, if the lot you are looking at does not have some sort of municipal water supply, you will need a well or to draw water out of the lake. The LCRA does allow pumping water from Lake Travis for household use and landscaping, but you need a contract with the LCRA to do that. You will also need a holding tank and purification equipment. All of this should also be placed at a high enough elevation so none of the equipment is within easy reach of floodwaters.
So getting back to building on a Lake Travis waterfront lot, there are things you need to know before going out and looking at lots. If you work with a Lake Travis REALTOR®, he or she should be able to provide guidance in these areas.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Important Attributes About Love
I frowned. As a healer I have been perhaps overly cautious of making sure not to be energetically corded into people.
Cording, if you are not familiar with the terminology happens normally in child/parent relationships where energetically, we hook into our parent's energy centers for survival (the umbilical cord is a physical representation of this but we have energetic cords that can hook into others' energy centers or chakras). By the time we get to be adults, if we are relatively healthy, we know how to provide for our own safety and validation needs and we uncord from our parents. However, if we have not learned how to be self-sufficient with our own basic needs for validation and safety, we tend to seek out relationships to fulfill those needs. Of course, life's lessons will bring us relationships so that we can develop our own sense of safety and validation. It's just when we mistakenly believe that we can only survive by cording through another person, tapping into their energetic centers, that we are being unhealthy. (By the way, no one can cord into you unless some aspect of you allows it). An indication that we are cording heavily is when we feel depleted when we are separated from one another, or when we dream the same dreams, or when we can't stop thinking about the other person when we're not near them (sound familiar?)
It certainly was common for me. As one of my issues growing up was not having a sense of emotional boundaries, I had many relationships to learn about setting proper boundaries. There were so many relationships where I would cling emotionally to the person demanding more and more attention, never feeling loved enough. I didn't know then that what I was seeking for in them, I needed to first have with myself. (To the point where the universe had to throw me some long distance relationships as training wheels). In fact when I broke up with my ex-fiance, I felt like I had an energetic hole the size of a small tree trunk in the middle of my back. So when Drew mentioned "emotional strings" I had to inquire further.
"Not like energetically cording into one another right?", I asked.
"No," he said, as he wrapped his long arms and legs around me tighter smiling. And then he said tenderly, "they are strings of faithfulness, devotion, admiration, respect and the desire to take care of you."
At that moment, I felt a silencing that I often get when Spirit wants me to take note of some Truth. Though sleepy, I realized that the "strings" that he mentioned were actually the attributes that allow for the kind of intimacy that is the foundation of a Beloved relationship. In fact, these are the exact qualities that one has to have towards the self before it can be manifested as a relationship. They were the qualities that I had finally cultivated before Drew appeared in my life.
When we are faithful to our dreams, devoted to the development of our own growth, when we admire ourselves for our conduct in the world, respecting ourselves for the choices we make, and can take care of our most basic needs, we understand that we are, first and foremost, our own Beloveds. And then the Universe can deliver to us a relationship whose melody is pleasant to the ear as well as the entire body,(physical, emotional and spiritual) rather than a cacophony of fragmented notes, shrill and unsatisfying.
We fell asleep that night entwined but not entangled and I woke up in the morning feeling whole and complete even without his presence in our bed, (his work gets him out of the house early). I could still hear his soft strumming in my ears.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
The Fantasy of Love
What is more thrilling to the ear then the sound of, "I Love You"? Songs are written about it, movies excite our senses as lovers stroll into the sunset. Tears dribble down our cheek as our children peer into our eyes and say, " I love you." The heart flutters and it feels as if it will jump into the mouth, the first time a true love is kissed.
It's said, love makes the world go round, but does it really? Is it real or just a fantasy?
People Don't Know How To Act.
People are expected to respond in a certain way where love in involved. We see advertisements, movies, hear lyrics and read stories of love. But wait, how does a person know if it is love or just physical attraction? Is our senses being duped? Are we subjects of the merchants and social expectancy? Let's face it, people can procreate and rear children without the help of love.
Keep On Walking When Love Comes A knocking
When does one fall in love, at first sight, after a courting period or after the commitment speech? In today's world, in the United States, couples choose to live together, have children but not commit to marriage. The traditional family, as we knew it in past years is in danger of extinction. The family unit has become so fractured that we can't define it anymore. And love . . . where has it gone? What value does it have? How does one explain its emotion?
Finding a mate has become commercialized through Internet dating services, speed dating and personal columns in newspapers. Has love been reduced to social clubs and Internet social websites? Then there are the enhanced products for people to improve their appearance. What a deception, there are no guarantees of what you see is what you get.
What Is Acceptable?
Now it's acceptable by many people to have a "close encounter" on the first date. No getting to know you, just dating for pleasure. There is no substance in today's courting process. Maybe its my age speaking, but I believe, "today's deviations are tomorrows norms." If you don't believe it just look around at the progression of human behavior over the past fifty years. I can hear you know. "We don't to be old fashion." You're right. Cars, airplanes, TVs and microwave ovens are great and to own them is fashionable. Human relations has not changed, people are the same now as they were yesteryear.
The Meaning Of Love Is Lost
Love used to mean something. There was a certain excitement in knowing someone loved you and you loved them. You looked forward to seeing your love after a day's work. Our Nation was built on family values and love of freedom. Now, no more values, morals, and freedom . . . well, it's taken for granted.
It's Only A Hollywood Production
Love is a fantasy in the minds of Hollywood, a way to cash in on human emotion. The quest for love sells product and keeps candles lit restaurants in business. A lovers moon is only a symbolism in romance books. We look for it, we are broken hearted when it doesn't happen and the bars are full of those who lost it.
I'm beginning to believe is not only a fantasy it is a travesty. People kill, commit suicide, rob banks and die of broken hearts all in the name of love.
Pure Love Is Not Forgotten
So love, the purest emotion to humans has suffered the same fate as morals, values and trust. They have all become yesterdays old fashion ideology. Now people fantasize about love and have forgotten how to experience the essence of it. They have become confused and don't know what to expect of love.
Demand A New Political Correctness
Maybe one day love will regain its rightful place in the human heart. Maybe swooning will again be popular. And the White House will once again become white.
What Makes a Man Fall in Love? Insight For Women
When it comes to what makes a man fall in love a lot has to do with whether or not he feels you need him. Women have been taught to be very independent and self sufficient. In an effort to be this way, they've neglected the fact that men still want to be knights in shining armor. Men love when a woman needs them. Even if it's something as simple as helping move furniture or answering a question about your car, it matters to him. When you turn to a man for help he'll feel closer to you.
Men also are attracted to women who are happy with who they are. If you are unhappy with your job, with the way you look or with the status of your life, and you express that to a man, he's not going to find it appealing. Women who embrace what they have in life and are satisfied with who they are, are very attractive to men. When you are thinking about what makes a man fall in love, remember that being yourself and finding happiness in that will make you more appealing.
You certainly don't have to be a size zero to appeal to a man. It's important that you do present yourself physically in the best light possible though. When you are thinking about what makes a man fall in love, remember that it's not just about first impressions. You want to look your best all the time. Wear something complementary and highlight your best facial features with make up. A put together woman is sending off a signal that she cares about herself. That's something men absolutely love.
Falling in Love
With the growth of self discovery and a desire for explanation it was only a matter of time before people sought a way to explain the intense emotions surrounding love through science. Once the physical and emotional reactions were studied by countless groups of experts it became obvious that there are indeed certain patterns which people follow that can seemingly explain love. However, many people still believe that while science can show the physical effects of such an emotion other forces play a hand in the event. Whether you believe in the clinical or spiritual version; whether you choose to call it love or simply rely on the chemical reaction one person has in the presence of another, there is no doubt that a large portion of the population hopes to experience such feelings in their lifetime.
Now that we have taken a small peek into some of the larger theories behind what might be the most intense and widely discussed human emotion, how does one proceed? When thousands of years of accumulative knowledge; brilliant, scientific minds; magnificent, religious leaders and even revered, romance novelists can’t hand you a precise definition, (or handbook,) how can you know when you are in, how to get or how to retain love? The answer is: there is no answer. People are unique and difficult, strange and wonderful creatures that will not always fit the recommended course of action. Many people have heard the standard advice: always be yourself, treat others as you would have them treat you, learn to compromise…and while this is good advice, it doesn’t always help in certain situations. Though a guide to the secrets of love may not be available, many believe that simply being willing to understand such an emotion is a great start toward making a success of it and if you’re reading this, you may find that you’re in that group of people who not only want love, but have a lot of love to give.
So what 5 recommendations can you read about that you haven’t read before? Perhaps none: living as we do in the age of not only technology, but perhaps more importantly, information, you may have all the advice you need to plunge into the world of finding your soul mate. However, if you find that a few details couldn’t hurt and perhaps you’re still feeling that a little advice never hurts:
- Being Honest about Who You Are: or the more popular, always be yourself: This is very true for the most part, but in some cases revealing everything, right away, is a bad idea. To deceive your future partner is in all likelihood is a road that leads to the beginning of the end and will not usually prove the best method for falling in love with another person; to allow that person to get close to you before you explain certain complex parts of your life, or personality that might seem undesirable until they have a better chance to know you, is perfectly healthy. You should never have to lie to a person about who you are, but every person has sides to them that are more private. Rather than thinking of it as truth or lie it can help to reveal parts of yourself based on levels of trust; once your relationship has reached a comfortable level of trust it might be time to reveal the less attractive parts of your life, until then don’t lie, but don’t be ashamed to highlight the best parts of yourself for display.
- Everybody’s problematic: Heading into the dating world while focusing on shortcomings tends to leave a person feeling inadequate. It can appear as though any potential dates are flawless and therefore, untouchable. Don’t forget that however together a person may seem, they have flaws just like you. Not only does this help at the beginning of a relationship when confidence may be an issue, but further down the road when problems arise between you and the love of your life, it can help to understand situations from that person’s point of view; keeping your own flaws in mind will help you to be a more patient and understanding partner in the future.
- Chemical Copout: Love and lust are not the same thing and while each feeling has its’ plus side, confusing one for the other can be a heartbreaking mistake. Keep in mind that when attraction occurs on physical level this might just be the time when you are least in control of your actions. We have all heard the stories, from both sexes, about actions taken that people later regret simply because they felt that they were not thinking straight. That is not to say that physical interactions aren’t an enormous and wonderful part of human relationships, but to fall in love with a body part might not turn out quite the way you hope it will. If you are looking for love, attraction is a great start, but just as you should not always let your heart rule your head, same goes for other various parts of the body.
- It might not happen: Phrases often used to comfort those who are lonely or heartbroken: Don’t worry you’ll fall in love someday or There’s a special person out there just for you: Not always. No one can promise you that you will find a wonderful person to fall in love with, that everything will be great and that you will live happily ever after. Sometimes the best course of action to take is to simply let it go. Find happiness and contentment in your life and learn to live for those reasons. Ironically enough, people who choose to focus on the progress they wish to make in their lives, whatever that means to them, end up bumping into the people of their dreams. Why is it that love can hit you over the head during this time period of self progression? It is extremely attractive to most people to find a person who knows exactly who they are and what they would like to do with their life. Whether or not you fall in love your life can be full and wonderful and can still include deep relationships with those close to you.
- Fate, a fickle friend and unfathomable foe: True romantics often think of falling in love as a predetermined course that each couple is set upon, no action, or event can break destiny and therefore two people can truly be meant for each other. While fate may play a hand in our lives, love or otherwise, to depend on destiny to deliver you a perfect mate might be asking a little too much. In short: you have to get out there and look for the person with whom you can share your life with. It will require patience, honesty and a little style to meet and successfully fall in love with another person. You may feel nervous, embarrassed and at times completely confused about the entire love issue, but know this: almost everybody (some people can’t admit things,) feels just that way at one time or another about love. The very same people who can terrify you at first may eventually be as comfortable to be around as your own family (depending on your family.) Trust plays a big part in finding a good relationship, when do you begin to trust and how quickly should you trust a new person in your life? Unfortunately you can’t always be sure about the timing in a relationship and it may require a little instinct or discussion. Once again, the same questions are most likely taking place, behind those pretty eyes you find yourself lost in; take the leap when you’re ready and don’t be afraid to try.
If falling in love, if finding love, was an easy task to accomplish, the human race might not be so intrigued by its’ affect on society and the individual. Know that when you feel a little lost it is a feeling shared by billions of other people, over thousands of years. The next time you are out looking, online chatting or even being fixed up; remember that you’re not alone; most people want to find love and perhaps with a mix of science, fate, determination and a little luck you too can find your own answers to that elusive and awe inspiring mystery.
Friday, August 1, 2008
Trust in a Relationship - Despite Popular Belief, the Key is Being Authentic
I suspect that many people have become aware of the roles they play, the masks they wear. They worry that if they were really themselves, friends or coworkers wouldn't approve of them. They pretend to be some way that they think will be acceptable. Or they avoid being vulnerable by hiding their "real self" behind behavior that isn't really honest.
Think about it for a minute. When people you are in relationships with are not authentic with you, how do you feel? Most people feel pretty angry about it, especially if the relationship is a close one. You may feel betrayed because they haven't told you the truth, or confused about why they are lying.
When people are not honest with you, it damages your trust about the relationship.
Sometimes we don't "catch" people in a lie, but we know from the tension in the air that something isn't right. Just as you can walk into a room and feel tension when people aren't getting along, you can also sense when something isn't quite right with what you are being told. Most of us have a nonverbal way of sensing when things aren't right. We might not always trust it, but we probably should at least check out what our intuition is telling us.
When we aren't authentic with others, they feel it too. When we lie about having something to do so that we can't honor a social invitation, others know it. We really aren't fooling anyone. I wonder what would happen if we said, "I'm really tired and I just want to stay home this weekend," or "I'm out of sorts and don't want to be around anyone right now."
At the heart of not being authentic is the belief that "I'm not good enough," "Others couldn't possibly like the real me," "I don't like myself," or "I don't trust myself (or others)." These beliefs impose limits on our willingness to be authentic.
You CAN change these beliefs. In fact, if you want to be authentic, you must believe in yourself before you will be willing to share yourself genuinely with others. When you do that, you can build trust in the relationship.
You've Got the First Date - Now What?
The first step involves getting to that fancy meal in the first place. Dating sites are a popular resource. Even if many people don't openly admit to using them, the great majority of us have scanned through one or the other in idle or solitary moments. Recognizing that there are pros and cons to such services, the general advantage is that they're simple to use, fast, and effective at setting up dates based on your personal interests. Thanks to the digital age, you can search hundreds and hundreds of profiles and are very likely to find someone of interest.
It goes without saying that a pleasant first date is your best route to the second. Thoughtful planning increases your chances; try to arrange an occasion your date is most likely to enjoy. That doesn't mean changing your behavior to suit them. It does mean paying attention to their obvious likes and dislikes, because you wouldn't want to order wine for someone who explicitly doesn't drink.
Setting up the right mood is one thing, but just how exactly do you arrange date two? It usually depends on how successful the first date was, and there are many methods and times for getting another date. Be warned that clinching the second date while still on the first is very ambitious and only the most daring suitor attempts it. Using text or calling to set up another date is usually the right choice for most situations.
Text is a good way of following up after your first hours together. Brief, flirtatious messages are a good way to work up to asking for another date. It may not be your habit, but in our digital age, text can lay the groundwork for a new relationship.
Calling your date is another popular way of following up. Be advised that there's a certain custom to this: typically, the man calls two days after the first date. Any sooner and you may seem too desperate, much longer and you might seem downright uninterested and your partner might have already moved on. Take this into account when considering your next move. Also, don't forget to mention how much you enjoyed your first date!
As mentioned above, some arrange date two before date one has ended, but don't try this unless you're very confident of success. It pays to think before you act, because you don't want to come on too strong. If everything is going smoothly, though, it may seem most natural to suggest a second date before parting. This should be your best-case scenario. However, if you don't have that ideal chemistry right away, then your chances are better if you call or text to set up another date.
At this point you've learned important tips about clinching a second date. In courtship as in relationships, there are many challenges, but seeking out someone compatible and starting off on the right foot is one of the biggest hurdles. Use this advice and you might just find yourself getting a second date with all of your dates!
To get more info on Match and other great online dating services, be sure to check out this great site about dating (TopTenDatingServices.com). You will be glad you did.
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Who is Your Best Friend?
You might ask what a friend lifespan is?
It is how long you remain in friendship with someone until you drift way from each other for whatever reason. Some people remain friends for a lifetime, but some do drift apart.
You are no longer friends with your high school friend.
You may not even remember the friend you met during your internship.
As we grow older, we move from one place to another, we change colleges, work places and we keep meeting new people replenishing those we leave behind.
So who is your best friend?
Is your best friend from high school with whom you shared your best kept secrets, still your best friend?
Or has he also drifted since you moved away from your city after your first full time job.
Perhaps your girlfriend is your best friend now.
Girls usually are good at keeping up with old friends, and they usually make friends for life, and they even share their Boyfriend's secrets with their best friends, but for a guy, usually his drinking partners become his closest friends.
But they say that 'Old is Gold', and never to be sold, usually your childhood friends and high school friends are the only friends you will ever have for your lifetime. You colleagues, your drinking buddies, and club buddies will come and go, but when you are in need of help, your old friends will stand by you. Even if you call your high school best friend after 15 years of not calling, and ask for a favor he will most probably oblige. He might not even think that you are calling after 15 years, and that is for asking a favor.
He will feel so good hearing your voice that he would do anything to help you. Then, why did we forget them. Why do we forget to call him on his birthday, or his marriage anniversary. However short our friend lifespan would be for new friends, we should always try to keep in touch with our old friends.
A small gesture of remembrance, a greeting card in Christmas, a random invitation card for a ceremony , calling him on his birthday, letting him know of your promotion, of your childbirth etc will go a long way in nurturing your friendship.
And this we should do with all our new found and drifted away friends as well. Just as you drifted away from him, there must be tens of other people drifted away from him, but he will remember the one who remembers him. Who knows, he might become your best friend?
Bob also contributes to a website on Love Quotes, and has a collection of his favorite Best Friend Quotes and some cute Friendship Quotes
Monday, July 21, 2008
Is Your Dog Afraid of Firecrackers?
This is a big problem for dog owners and I will give you several tips on what you should do. If you know that your dog is very sensitive for firecrackers, the best thing to do is to go to some place where the celebration is not so apparent. This is very important.
Start training your dog several weeks before the celebration! You can buy CDs with recorded thunder, firecrackers etc. At first, play the CD at a low sound level. Then gradually raise the sound level. If the dog show signs of anxiety, you must stop and lower the sound level.
Another advice is to carefully accustom the dog to have cotton in the ears. Encourage and reward the dog, so that the dog gets used to the cotton and won´t feel uncomfortable.
Another important thing is to never feel sorry or pity the dog when the dog is scared or show signs of anxiety. If you do that you will only reinforce the dogs feeling of anxiety.
Just ignore signs of fear, the dogs fear will diminish if you do so.
When the noise starts, just act normal. Keep the dog busy with a ball or a rag. Have some really tasty dog food ready and reward the dog frequently. Caress your dog to make it feel loved. Talk to the dog with a smooth voice.
If you´re having a party, invite just a few people that the dog is familiar with. Try to keep the partying at a low sound level. And most important; stay sober. Alcohol is not good for the relation between dogs and humans.
If nothing else works you should go to the vet and get a prescription for tranquillizer.
Remember that the tranquillizer never can replace the training that is needed for a long lasting result.
Good luck with the training!
