Live Poor or Die Early: How Serious Illness Treatment Can Drain Your Life Savings

Many families in America have been affected by medical bills and costly prescription medications associated with Serious Illness. People say that you cant put a price tag on human life, but can you reach the point where you are just preventing the inevitable? Where holding on for just a few years or months is going to produce years of financial hardship on your family?

As horrible as it seems, there are people who have and will be faced with a decision such as this one. Experts at the Medco Drug Trend Report say that in the last year the cost of biotech drugs to treat serious or terminally ill patients rose 22%. Even with a good health care provider or Medicare, patients can easily spend over $10,000 in the first year on prescription medication. According to a report in the journal Cancer, one in five patients miss or delay treatment because of financial complications and if uninsured, nearly 70% miss or delay treatment and 43% went without vital medication.

Frank Beck is 62 years old and is suffering from an advanced form colon cancer that usually claims its victims in less than 2 years. In an interview in USA Today Frank said, You add all these things up and you say, how can I justify that? Am I taking money away from everybody else just so I can be around a little longer? ...My children tell me Im worth it, but I dont know. Frank cost his health care plan and family more than $150,000 in his first six months of therapy and estimates that he has paid more than $12,000 out-of-pocket towards his treatments and medication. Frank has also had to finance several of the treatments he has taken.

Despite Franks apprehension towards his high health care costs he plans to continue to fight the cancer to be true to his families wishes. I told him the best thing that we could ever have is him alive, said Liliani Beck (Franks daughter), to USA Today. Frank walks 2 miles a day to keep his strength up and stay in the best shape possible.

Health care costs are hard to combat because the United States is the only modern country that does not have price controls on their prescription medication. Alan Holmer, the president and CEO of Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America says, The principal problem with price controls is you have limitations on access to medicines, and you don't have the newest most innovative treatments." But when asked in a report by ABCs John McKenzie, representatives of the pharmaceutical industry could only identify eight drugs not available on Canadian shelves, and three of those are contraceptives. On top of not having price controls, the pocket books of American drug companies are so deep, they have a heavy influence on the laws that are passed. Even Dan Burton, the state representative from Indiana said, "There's no question in my mind that the (FDA) is too dependent on the pharmaceutical industry for their attitudes and decision-making."

The burden of high priced medication can be lightened by a new company called http://ePharmacies.com. http://ePharmacies.com is a pharmacy resource website that will help you locate the cheapest online pharmacies to help cut down your prescription cost. The owner, Cary Byrd said, We want to help people that are in a strenuous financial situation to be able to get the prescriptions that they need. No one should have to go without their medication because of the outrageous price of prescription medication here in the United States. Its like kicking someone while there down.

Joshua Daly is an editor, web developer and an expert in the pharmaceutical resource and search industry. He has been working on the Internet since 1999 and is currently the director of http://ePharmacies.com. Cathrin Blog1627
Ardra Blog76316

The Best Fitness Equipment For You

Choosing the best fitness equipment for your workout program can be a very difficult decision. As home gyms have gotten increasingly important and popular in society, picking the best equipment for you can be important for a variety of reasons. It can be complicated because there are so many different types of equipment to choose from. Everything from treadmills to ellipticals can be purchased at every single fitness store. Complicate that fact with the influx of new reports coming out suggesting what is the best exercise to engage in as well as the incessant late night television commercials for different pieces of exercise equipment, and you have one very hard decision on your hands.

What Should I Look For?

First, decide what your goals are in terms of your workouts. Are you looking to add muscle? Do you wish to lose weight? Whatever your goals, knowing and understanding them will both narrow your choices and help keep you from being disappointed with whatever you purchase. The second thing you need to think about is your desires. Consider what activities you like to engage in versus the activities you despise. For example, if you hate walking or jogging as an activity, you probably should not purchase a treadmill. Next, consider your financial constraints.

The best fitness equipment for you should not break the bank. You can spend anywhere from less than one hundred dollars to several thousand dollars on the fitness equipment of your choice, so you should carefully decide what fits best within your financial needs. One last thing to remember is that you should try the equipment before you purchase it. If you think you will like a stair climber, but you get it home and discover it is too hard on your joints, you may have just wasted a few thousand bucks. It is important to like the equipment before you leave the store.

Dean Iggo is the webmaster of http://www.home-gym-buyers-guide.com providing a review of the best new and used fitness equipment including treadmills, ellipticals and dumbbells from top brands including Proform, Precor, Total Gym, Smooth, Weider and more.Brittne Blog73718
Caryn Blog84047

Hardwood Flooring: Ancient Yet Modern

Although for most of its history human beings have lived in dwellings with dirt floors, wooden flooring has existed for many centuries. In the past, before modern appliances and electricity, wood floors were handmade, it being a very labor-intensive activity. Today, modern technology has made it possible for even the homeowner of modest means to enjoy the benefits of a hardwood floor.

Why Choose A Hardwood Floor?

With so many other choices available in flooring materials (most of them synthetic), why are many people choosing to install a hardwood floor?

One reason is their durability. Unlike cheap, synthetic materials that crack and crumble over time, natural hardwood floors stand the test of time. They are also very durable - they can be used in the kitchen, the family room, bedrooms, even high-traffic areas like hallways and stairways.

Where many people are ill-informed today is in thinking that hardwood floors are expensive. Although the initial investment can be significant, hardwood floors actually increase in value as your home increases in value. Properly cared for, hardwood floors can dramatically increase the value of your home!

What Types of Wood Floors Exist?

There are two main types of hardwood floors -- the solid floor, which is manufactured from a solid block of wood, and the engineered hardwood floor, which is essentially a layered wood product that has a veneer layer on the very top.

Hardwood flooring products today can be purchased in strip form, planks (like a strip, except longer), and parquet (where the wood is arranged into a design that is pleasing to the eye).

For your convenience, modern hardwood flooring products are available prefinished, which eliminates the need to sand and apply finish to the wood after installation (a great convenience for the DIY enthusiast), or they can be purchased unfinished, in which case the wood will be sanded and finished by professionals after installation in the home.

How Does Foot Traffic Affect The Choice of Hardwood Floors?

You should carefully consider the amount of foot traffic received by the area that you intend to lay floor in. In general, darker wood colors will show the wear due to foot traffic quicker than the lighter colors. In addition, high-traffic areas will need some additional maintenance about once a year - including a light sanding and application of additional coats of finish.

It is also true that a hardwood floor with a high-gloss finish will show traffic wear more quickly than hardwood floors with lower-gloss finishes. Rugs and mats are always a good choice to help protect these areas - particularly at the entrances of doors and hallways.

Some woods - notably hickory, oak and maple - with a higher density will take wear and traffic better than woods like pine that are less dense. Again, the denser woods may be more expensive, so consider your needs carefully.

Simon Harris owns and operates http://www.cleaning-hardwood-floors.com Hardwood FloorsBee Blog31770
Arleyne Blog17891

Song Demos - How To Get Them Heard!

By now youve probably read a myriad of articles with individuals who claim to have all of the answers and secrets to getting your songs heard and cut for a price of course. I will not claim to have all of the answers and neither will I promise you fame and fortune, but I will give you some solid advice as to how to get your songs heard. As a former talent booking agent with the William Morris Agency, I can attest to the number of individuals out there who really dont have a clue as to how to not only write and produce their song demos, but how to market their songs and themselves as viable acts. Lets look at some key ideas that Im sure will help you and hopefully further your writing career.

As we say at ReelMusician.com, a song worth hearing is a song worth hearing. Is your song that you are pitching worth hearing? I cant answer that, but you can. Its the obvious and we wont say any more other than that Make sure your song is worth hearing. Is your song that you want to get heard and ultimately cut, have marketing viability? Does your song have too narrow a niche where you are shorting yourself on possible acts and artists that can cut it? Dont adjust a great song just for pure marketing, but the odds are greatly increased with a more broad range of appeal. Are all of your songs starting to sound the same? Do you need a writing partner to broaden your song writing horizons? I am asking all of these questions to get you thinking and then I am going to head into the marketing department for a minute to see where you are at. You see, I cant possibly answer any of the above questions, because I havent heard your material, but if youre honest you can and will. Answering these questions is your first assignment.

Before I go on, you should know that as founder of ReelMusician.com, that we get an incredible amount of artist material. One of the biggest negatives, and believe me were out there to help you, but what many young artists do is submit a demo reel or press kit that is less than what I would ever recommend submitting. You cant submit fairly good or even pretty good material; it just has to sound like youve arrived. In todays music economy, where there is a computer, keyboard and mic in virtually any songwriters home, you have got to know and recognize that not only is it more difficult to get a song cut because of pure volume of writers, but affordable recording has made it so that the number of and quality of song demos has increased dramatically. Now while I say that, you should also note that most writers arent in the ballpark of creating master quality demos, but because of the mere numbers factor alone, there are more quality demos and writers than before.

Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call us at ReelMusician.com. As a side note, we know that many of you are quite accomplished, while there are still most likely even more of you who could utilize our master quality song demos services and press kit writing services as well to further your career. Just visit us at ReelMusician.com for any help you might need and dont hesitate to email or call us.

In terms of your marketing abilities or lack there of, lets look at some real possibilities and venture out into the real world of pitching your material and how you will go about doing that. First off, how are you sending your material and to whom and what exactly are you sending? I will tell you that if your image and look to your material is not polished, then you will not be taken seriously. You cant be doing the hard to read, hand written letter to whom this may concern gig You have to look and act professional! You may want to invest in some inexpensive software to create professional and custom looking CD labels, letters, etc if you havent already. What is in your package that you are sending off? Realize that everyones time is limited, so only send what is relevant to this particular pitch. Sending all kinds of material usually gets you nowhere. How are you finding names to send your material off to? Are you unsolicited, sending this to a warm lead, or is this an individual waiting for your demo? Of course the later is best, but who can get an invitation these days? I tell you what though, that is what you ought to be aiming for. Have you contacted the road managers of the acts that you are sending your material to? Road managers, lighting individuals and other ancillary staff can really help get your songs listened to. A&R is a difficult road to go down. A&R directors are swamped number one and number two, they usually have a college intern sifting through the first round of material to minimize their wasted time.

So where do you pitch your material? As Ive just mentioned, it is easier to go through ancillary staff to the artists such as road managers, lighting and sound crew members and of course the artist managers than it is to go through A&R. What you need to know is that it is difficult to get a cut nowadays to begin with. Who usually gets the cuts? The artist, artists friends and/or the producers. Go ahead and look at album covers and see if this isnt true. Your job is not an easy one. Going through valid tip sheets and not just companies on the web looking to make money for their artist tip sheets is not a bad way to go, but you will have to find relevant and up to date tip sheets. These are not that easy to get a hold of. You will want to write with writers who have these connections or other musicians who do. You will want to spend a good deal of time researching and connecting the dots to folks who can help you without them feeling like theyre being used so be careful and be authentic in your relationships with others in the music field.

I wish we had more time in this article, but dont hesitate to drop us an email or call us should you have any questions about your songs or artist career.

Mr Tom Gauger is a former talent booking agent with the William Morris Agency and founder of http://www.ReelMusician.com You may contact the author at tgauger@reelmusician.com. Free e-books The Jingle Singers Guide, and Secrets To Great Song Demos, may be downloaded at http://www.ReelMusician.com.Allison Blog27184
Albertine Blog23276

The History Of Psychological Research In Reading

As reading involves perceptual and cognitive processes as well as knowledge of language and grammar, these three basic processes have been the subject of experimental research for some time. Such processes include the identification and extraction of meaning, processes involved at sentence/phrase level and the processes involved in understanding thematic structures.

Learning to read in preliterate societies and learning in societies awash with print may have vastly different cognitive consequences. Cognitive psychologists today look at the many facets involved in reading such as reading speed for example. But can one relate any conclusions drawn to the reading speed of an 8-year-old in the early 16th century, whose instruction may have been only in Latin with an 8-year-old today?

The roots of cognitive psychology (the experimental study of how the mind works) can be traced to Wundts interest in memory and language processes in Leipzig in 1879. Shortly after this, there was a spurt of interest in reading processes; this reached an apex around 1908. The equipment used then was somewhat archaic and very dissimilar to the more sophisticated and often computer based equipment of today. This form of research continued for a while until around 1913 when behaviourism became popular. Behaviourists believed that the proper scientific subject matter for psychological investigation should only be observable and measurable behaviour, and since cognitive processes can not be observed and directly measured, with the exception of some educational work there was little work done in this area until the 60s.

The revival of cognitive psychology some 40 years ago brought with it a new format, often expressing theories as flow charts or box and arrow diagrams. This type of expression was more explicit, and highlighted cognition as a series of more describable information processes (that is, a sequence of operations by which representations are formed and transformed). Of course, the use of diagrams was not really new, as the 19th century neurologists interested in the effects of brain damage on cognition (e.g., Wernicke & Lichtheim), used visual box and arrow diagrams. The boxes/centres representing brain regions, and arrows neural pathways. Each of the centres had a particular cognitive function, thus likening diagrams to the organisation of the mind rather than the organisation of the brain.

The combination of this mode of neurology and cognitive psychology led to the development of cognitive neuropsychology. Possibly the first published paper in this field was by Marshall & Newcombe in 1973 who described three types of acquired dyslexia, and offered a reading model in flow chart form to interpret the deficit in terms of damage to specific components of the model. The use of a box and arrow approach has continued in other areas as well as reading.

In contrast there is now substantial support for a connectionist viewpoint (an approach that simulates the connections between information nodes in a hierarchical network that is suggested to be equivalent to connections in the brain; also referred to as parallel distributed processing). From around 1980, computational models of reading were used as a tool for detecting previous ambiguity and vagueness. It is claimed that computer simulation programs can be altered to reflect human subjects performances by cutting connections or adding noise to the models to mimic different types of reading practices. Both approaches have developed impressively but are not perfect.

Sophia Hayes has studied how adults and children read, the processes involved and remediation techniques over several years. http://www.discoverymile.com provides a series of articles on the subject and available resources.Annissa Blog86030
Blakeley Blog21113

Joint Venture - Newbies, Consider This

A Joint Venture can generate a ton of money for you. It can take your business some place its never been. In addition, nothing that you own will be placed at risk and you dont even have to spend a cent!

If youre going to do a Joint Venture, check out the heavy hitters first. Go straight to the top. Make an approach to them for a piece of the big time action. What have you got to lose? Your pride? Take a spoonful of that and put it on the dinner plate and see who eats it?

Newbies, are you tired of all the stuff those big guys have been shoveling? Think about this. If all the material the big time gurus sell to you really works, then how come you arent rich like them?

Do you have a problem accumulating wealth using other people's money and expertise? Piggybacking of other business clients, products and resources just may be the way for you to go at this point.

Can you really achieve something like this? You dont have any expert status, a mailing list, credibility, or even a product. We wont even consider the question of experience.

You have to consider your own strengths. Is your real strength in communicating? That could be half the battle with a Joint Venture. Its about bringing the right parties together. You must have no fear of approaching and persuading your intended partners. Consider their current products, targeted clients, and resources.

Think what would happen if these ingredients were merged? What would the synergy create? Do you envision unbelievable wealth? Yeah, thats what Im talking about. You can get a share in that wealth building too.

For example, keep your ear to the ground. Think about the targeted customers in a particular company. Would they be responsive to an approach to buy something of value from another company?

The product and people would certainly compliment themselves if merged. Work up a plan, make the approach. Are you afraid that if you make the approach one of the principals might turn you down and run with the idea himself and cut you out?

You cant let that hold you back. You may have been the one individual who could pull this Joint Venture together and make it work. Take the bull by the horns and make the approach.

The key for you here is to create the type of Joint Venture that absolutely no one can say no to. Also, when they see your creative juices flowing, theyll realize that this joint venture wouldnt work without you.

Think over possible objections like, this wont work, this is a losing plan, anyone can see that, or even, nobody is going to steal my customers.

If youre the type of person who is not easily intimidated and can handle high powered people and their objections without getting rattled, there could be something for you in the joint ventures arena. Think of the possibilities!

You must have a strong belief in yourself that you can bring this deal to a close. Show the parties that they have fallen head first into a win/win situation. What is a joint venture but an agreement that will benefit three or more people? (Obviously considering you also).

Dont be overawed by people in high places. You can do this? I know you can bring someone with a targeted mailing list, and someone with a product that you believe will dovetail nicely with that mailing list together? If you know it too, then go ahead.

Convince them of the explosive possibilities of a joint venture? If you have the belief that you have the tools to do that, then what are you waiting for. You may have arrived.

Wy WilliamsAlethea Blog96182
Antonia Blog65224

Meant for Homeowners Needs Home Owner Loans UK

Home owner loans UK can be define as the synonym for a secured loan. Home owner loans in UK are secured of backed up by the home of the borrower as collateral. This means that when the agreement for the loan is signed, the title deed of the home of the borrower transfers to the lender. But please dont misunderstood title with possession. The possession of the home still remains with the borrower. However, if you make any defaults in repayment installments, in such situation the lender has the right to take the possession of your home to recover his money.

Presence of collateral helps you support larger cash requirements with home owner loans. Depending upon factors such as requirement of the amount, value of your home and repayment capacity you can borrow amount varying between ₤5000 to ₤75000 and even more in certain situations. The repayment period for a home owner loans in UK lies between 5 to 30 years based upon the amount borrowed by you.

A large segment of homeowners in UK is suffering from the status of bad credit which is the result of mismanagement of debts by them in the past. These people most of the time face trouble while looking for unsecured form of loans. A home owner loans UK easily considers such people for loan approval simultaneously giving them a chance to recover from their bad credit score. These people include defaulters and arrears, CCJs and IVAs, late payment makers and other such people with poor credit score or bad credit history.

Coming back to home owner loans in UK, these loans serves a wide variety of your personal needs. These needs include buying your dream property, home improvements, holiday or vacations at beautiful places of the world. You can even start your new business or finance your ideas for the expansion the existing one. Other than this you can also consolidate your debts to get rid of all your mental stress and anxiety due to unpaid debts.

The most important step in getting any loan is the research factor. The more you search the better you will get and the lesser you have to repay. Internet revolution has made the task of searching easier with lot of online loan websites to serve you with free online quotes. You can study and compare these quotes before filling application form for a home owner loans in UK. It will take 12 to 15 days to get the approval as the valuation of your home takes time. A home owner loan in UK can help you achieve your goals which, till now are kept on hold due to your financial incompetence.

Peter Taylor is a senior financial analyst at Loans UK with an acumen for finance and insurance. In recent years he has taken up to provide independant financial advice through his informative articles. His articles are widely read because of the lucid manner of wriiting and thoroughly researched datas. To find home owner loans UK, personal loans UK, secured loans UK, unsecured loans UK, debt consolidation loans UK UK that best suits your need visit http://www.loansuk.eu.comCate Blog8756
Annecorinne Blog93910

Direct Success With A Computer Programming Degree

A computer programming degree is one of the most sought after degrees in the field of information technology. While it is often mistaken as one of the easier areas of IT, the truth of the matter is: those who do not have an aptitude for detail or the ability to think in an abstract manner may not find it as easy as they assume it is. A computer programmer is one who, like other hands on vocations, must work with extreme precision and craftsmanship.

At the same time, many people choose computer programming because it is not a deep or multi faceted subject as that of chemistry, physics or other material sciences. While computer science has its own theories, it is not the center of the world for computer programming. Many enjoy computer programming for its physical, hands on approach.

One of the things that can make earning a computer programming degree much easier is a natural tendency for paying attention to detail. Unknown to many, computers are simple machines that will only do as they are instructed. A programmer whose job is to set forth directives knows that leaving out even the smallest part of information can cause major problems.

Another helpful skill to have is that of a good memory. The number of variables that go into a computer program concerning syntax, functions, bugs, solutions and much more can be quite staggering. However, the more information and data one can remember on their own, the more successful their career will be.

Some would say the most crucial skill for this line of work is being able to keep a number of complex working systems in mind all at once. While this will take some time and skill to master, it is one of the great traits of a computer programmer. This ability to think abstractly can help with programs exhibiting up to 1,000,000 or more lines of code.

Typically, a Bachelor's degree is required for many entry-level positions in this field. Those who graduate with a Bachelor's degree will have training in analytics and the implementation of computer systems as well as maintenance and even design. With this type of computer programming degree one may find themselves with career opportunities in software programming, network programming or website programming.

A master's degree in computer programming allows graduates to implement high-level software programs. Because of the ever-changing world of technology, they often design software for business environments that greatly rely on technology as well. While being trained in a number of different programs, those with Master's degrees also put their leadership skills into use as the head or director of IT departments.

Whether opting for a Bachelor's or Master's, many in this field find they have the benefit of one of the highest earning powers of any industry available. With such a heavy dependence on computers and technology, the demand for such professionals is in just about every area on the map. There is no doubt that this is a strong profession with a solid future.

This type of degree means always getting to be at the forefront of the latest changes. Programmers must also earn certifications in certain programs and update them regularly to keep up with the newest technologies. Many in this field enjoy the opportunity to continue learning and the ongoing training needed in this fast paced world.

A computer programming degree encompasses so much that many in this field find their career constantly evolving right along with technology. There are so many different areas in which to branch out and grow, there is no worry of ever becoming bored or getting stuck in a rut. Programmers have the fulfillment that comes with seeing their work have a positive effect.

Andy West is a freelance writer for Virginia College. Virginia College offers many accredited courses in Computer Programming. Please visit Virginia College at http://www.vc.edu/site/program.cfm?programID=16 to select the program that is right for you.Ashly Blog98628
Carri Blog71868

Saving for College: A Parents Guide to 529 College Savings Plans

If you're like most parents, saving for your children's college education is a priority and a big challenge. Tuition and related costs at both public and private universities have been rising at 5% per year or more, far exceeding the rate of inflation. To put that into perspective, a child born in 2006 should plan on $110,000 in total expenses for four years at the average in-state public college; $300,000 for four years at a private university.

Financing these costs for one or more children is going to take planning and, most importantly, disciplined savings. Tax-advantaged "529 College Savings plans are the savings vehicle of choice and offer important advantages over other options. A $3,000 annual contribution, beginning at birth, to a growth-oriented 529 plan should pay for one childs in-state public education, and a $7,500 annual contribution for a four-year private education. A later start means higher annual contribution amounts.

529 Plan Advantages

Large Tax-Free Contributions: Parents, grandparents, other relatives and even friends can contribute up to $12,000 per year per child, tax-free, to a 529 plan.

Tax-Free Earnings and Distributions: All earnings in a 529 plan are tax-free. Distributions are free from all federal income and most state income taxes when used for tuition or other qualified college expenses. This makes 529 plans as powerful as Roth IRAs for long-term savings.

Donors (parents, grandparents, etc.) "own" the 529 assets: Unlike a custodial account that typically becomes the minors property at age 18, 529 plan assets are always under the control of the donor.

529 plan assets are more advantageous for financial aid considerations: Plan assets are counted at a 5.5% rate by college financial aid offices, compared to the 35% rate used for custodial account assets.

Unused funds in a 529 can be rolled over to another childs benefit.

Have I caught your attention? Now the question is which 529 Plan is best for you and your children?

Choosing a 529 Plan

All plans are sponsored by individual states, but are typically available to residents of other states. Some states offer residents a state income tax deduction for contributions to their own plan. So, for residents of these states, that is the way to go. For those without that tax incentive or residents of states without an income tax, you can choose from just about any of the available plans.

Be aware that many 529 plans are heavily promoted by brokerages and other financial institutions and can carry large and completely unnecessary sales charges. Go with a plan with no sales or other load charges. Typical annual fees for asset and account management combined should be 1% or less.

Recommended 529 Plans

There are at least a dozen excellent options to choose from. Among these, we like the TIAA CREF-managed plans (California and others) and the Vanguard-managed plans in Iowa, Nevada, New York and Utah. The Vanguard plans, with their index investment strategies, have operating costs of less than 75%. A new entry is the Alaska plan managed by T Rowe Price. It offers a choice of first-rate actively-managed funds and at relatively low cost.

No matter which plan you choose, we strongly recommend an age-based investment strategy. These strategies range from Conservative to Aggressive. Age-based programs are dynamic asset allocation programs, similar to Target Retirement date funds. They are heavily invested in stocks when your child is young, gradually converting to more fixed-income and cash as college age approaches. This approach protects against the risk of a major stock market downturn just as the funds are needed.

With over 31 years of investment experience, Martin Weil, Registered Investment Advisor and Principal of MW Investment Strategy Group, helps busy professionals and their families achieve their long-term financial goals. For a free special report filled with recommendations on saving for your child's college education, go to http://www.mwinvest.com/site/contact_us.html. Martin can also be reached at (877) 442-8777 or contact @ mwinvest.comAlisha Blog97492
Catherin Blog72289

I Love Her, but She Just Wants to be Friends - any Advice?

Dear Becca:

I have been friends with this girl for about three years. We have become very close over that time. We hang out a lot, we have gotten physical in the past (no sex), but always kept it loose. We even 'sleep together' on occasion.

Here is my problem. I have fallen in love with her. She knows about it, and is not completely opposed to the idea of us dating. However, she doesn't want to lose me as a friend if we were to break up. She has in the past been in situations like ours and has lost good friends because of it. I really want to see what could happen with this relationship. I just have no idea what I should do, because in my heart I know I can't go back. Any ideas?

Sincerely, 'Confused'

********************

Dear Confused:

I have been trying to determine how old you are. You appear to have a good command of grammar. Given the clues in your letter, I am guessing that you are not a young teenager. My advice for someone who is thirteen years of age is different than it would be for an adult.

As human beings, we are very adaptable and can fall in love with more than one personality type. However, puppy love crushes aside, we usually know deep down when we are absolutely devoted to another person.

So, I have to ask you: are you really and truly, body and soul, in love with this girl? She appears to have some kind of affection for you at this point. That could change; but after three years, if love were to flower, there should be at least a blossom sprouting at this point.

Have you lavished gifts on her? Is she stringing you along because she doesn't want the gravy train to stop? Be honest.

How many good friends has she lost in the past? A couple of similar situations may be isolated instances. However, three or more unsuccessful affairs may be evidence of a trend. This girl may be shallow and incapable of a loving relationship right now. Or she may really have been hurt by someone in the past.

You need to sit down with her and discuss her past relationships in depth. Don't let love blind you. Before your discussion, write down or type out some questions. Try to anticipate what she might say and think of more questions - sort of like a computer flowchart. Spend some time with what you have written and try to commit it to memory (not word for word - just the general gist of everything).

The very act of flowcharting may give you some direction and open your mind to possibilities you hadn't previously considered.

If you and the girl cannot come to a meeting of the minds after your heart-to-heart discussion, it might be wise to seek out professional help.

The rest of your life may be at stake here. Use your head - and not the little one - in a mature way.

All the best!

Becca

All advice given by Becca is for entertainment purposes only. Please seek professional help for serious problems.

Becca Bee writes regularly for Advice 4 Daters: http://www.Advice4Daters.com/ - and is one of the people behind the scenes at 1st Rate Articles: http://1stRateArticles.com/ - new to the net as of November, 2006.Cassey Blog30146
Andi Blog67978

Argentine Spanish Versus Spanish From Spain: Do They Even Speak The Same Language?

One of the most frustrating things about learning Spanish is that, somewhere along the line, students realize that the Spanish they hear spoken by native speakers may or may not be the same Spanish that they had been taught at their university or high school.

Say, for example, its your first time traveling in Latin America and you go into a green grocers in Buenos Aires to ask the price of a box of strawberries that you saw in the display stand.

Cunto cuestan las fresas? you ask, proud of your linguistic skills the complete sentence, the verb that is properly conjugated, the Spanish 101 vocabulary that you remembered at just the right moment.

But instead of smiling and answering your question, the green grocer stares at you blankly, as if you have two horns growing out of the top of your head: Eh? Its the reaction that every foreigner learns to know and to dread.

Your problem isnt that you have a faulty memory in Spain they would have understood you perfectly its just that youve stumbled across one of the many linguistic variations in Spanish. Whereas in many parts of the Spanish-speaking world fresas is indeed the correct word for strawberries, in Argentina they are more commonly known as frutillas.

Frustrating? Yes. But should it be entirely unexpected? Just think about English and how many different ways the same thing can be expressed: a truck in the US is known as a lorry in Britain, and the Americans bathroom is known by the Brits as a loo; an American eraser is known as a rubber in England, whereas a rubber in the US is . . . Needless to say, the potential for confusion, and even embarrassment, is hardly lacking, especially if youre a foreign speaker who is new to the language.

Its no different in Spanish. Languages are big, complex phenomena and the ways we express things are constantly changing. Naturally, after several hundred years of minor mutations, the Spanish spoken in Mexico is somewhat different from the Spanish spoken in Argentina, which in turn is different from the Spanish spoken in Spain.

But thats not to say that the native speakers from these different countries cant understand one another because they can. The differences between their ways of speaking the language are most likely to be a source of amusement and interest than anything else, something along the lines of: You mean you guys say frutilla? Really? Because here we say fresa.

Thats one of the great things about studying abroad: that you can become aware of the things which make language a living creature unpredictable and surprising rather than an artifact from a textbook.

Neutral Spanish isnt spoken in any Spanish speaking country or city. Becoming aware of regional differences between the varieties of the language, as well as the things which the language has in common and which tie its 400 million speakers together, is part of the fun and the challenge of learning the language.

Scott Ferree is a translator and English instructor, as well as the study abroad coordinator for the Interhispanica Spanish Language School in Buenos Aires, Argentina: http://www.interhispanica.com.arCaryn Blog41028
Beatrix Blog25795

Mobile Games are New Trend in Entertainment

The good new is that mobile phone has got many features like to take pictures, play music and play games more than anything else. Mobile games are becoming new trend in the world of games as it has become the fastest growing wireless business. Mobile games have gained popularity for providing personal entertainment device on the go.

The popularity of mobile games is continuing to grow, even flourish as in recent year the technology has improved and lot and graphics have become richer and speed and performance are also improving.

Now everywhere you see wireless games and game developers as the mobile game market is climbing higher and higher in the coming years. The popularity for mobile games is increasing number of customers taking advantage of wireless technology and enjoying entertainment on the move, this result to more competition in the mobile games market, the mobile gaming industry is facing more challenges to develop latest games with more and more advanced features.

Number of online sites provides you free mobile games downloaded facilities without registration or subscribing. Mobile games can be purchased online for flat rates as compared to shop. Now all latest mobile phones have introduced with big screen, graphics and better color which allow the user to enjoy all the features like taking picture, watching movie clips and playing games.

Now with the improvement in technology of mobile phone the mobile games have also improved with easy to use joysticks and high resolution. The 3D mobile games draw more hardcore gamers and it does a good job at bridging the expectations people have from the console and handheld gaming environment.

One should have a proper knowledge of mobiles phone games like you should understand the price of the games. You should be able to connect to other players using your phone; you may have to purchase extra equipment for that. Study market before buying your mobile as everyday new mobile phone is introduced with new features with good quality.

Anna Josephs is a freelance editor having experience of many years in writing articles and news releases on various topics related to health, automobile and social issues. Currently, she is working on http://www.benzer3.com. To get more details on Mobile game, please visit http://www.benzer3.com/entertainment/mobile-game.html. Please feel free to write feedback on this article. Anna Josephs can be contacted at annajosephs@gmail.com.Caitlin Blog62463
Brigida Blog16943

Cheap Personal Loans Works Well To Meet Your Needs

If you are planning to buy a new car, home or consolidate your debts at cheaper interest rates and for longer time then opt for cheap personal loans. Cheap personal loans are there to meet the personal needs of the borrower.

With cheap personal loans borrower can avail the extra money to deal with his personal needs. The best way to access cheap personal loans is through the internet; loan market is swamped away with the online lenders that can be accessed through the online mode.

Now with the outcome of the technology, borrower feels easy and comfortable to choose the cheap personal loan i.e. only possible when borrower carries the complete search for the loan.

While searching for the cheap personal loans, borrower must consider that he must avail that loan which offers him lower interest, longer repayment and most importantly larger loan amount.

Depending upon the borrowers needs, cheap personal loan can be categorized as secured and unsecured. In the secured personal loans borrower is required to place some valuable collateral like property, land, car etc. as a security.

The loan amount as in secured cheap personal loans varies from 5000 to 75000 for repayment duration of 25 years. But according to the borrowers affordability, financial situation, monthly income, etc borrower can even get his loan for shorter time period of his choice.

In unsecured personal loan, borrower willingly or unwillingly may not put up his collateral against the loan. Therefore, approval time for the unsecured personal loan is quite less compared to the secured personal loans. Therefore, in the unsecured personal loan, the loans amount ranges from 1000-25,000 for the loan term of 6 months-10 years.

People with bad or poor credit like CCJs, IVA, bankruptcy, default or arrears can apply for the cheap personal loans. Borrowers with bad credit history can also avail the opportunity to improve the credit score by restricting themselves to the loan terms.

With cheap personal loan, borrower can buy his personal needs at cheaper interest rates and easy repayment options.

Martin Andrews is offering loan and financial advice on cheapPersonalLoans for quite a long time. He is working as the senior financial consultant with Cheap-Personal-Loans. To find cheap personal loans, cheap unsecured personal loans, unsecured personal loans, cheap personal secured loans UK, cheap personal loans online, visit http://www.cheap-personal-loans-uk.netApril Blog29852
Aeriell Blog38641

Online Nursing Degrees - Don't Knock It Till You Try It

Keeping pace with todays digital era, education is fast becoming a commodity that can be acquired online. This has paved the way for those students who wish to earn degrees, yet not in a position to attend regular classes in a university or a college.

Online nursing degree programs have particularly gained prominence of late, because among other reasons, the demand for nurses is estimated to grow exponentially in the coming decade. An online nursing degree program is aimed at preparing you for the mainstream job market while you retain the advantage of learning from a place of your choice and at a pace of your liking.

Since nursing as a subject requires practical competence, many online nursing degree programs will only allow you to complete the non-clinical portion of your coursework via online classes, while arranging clinical lessons at a medical facility near your home. As you can imagine, there are no schools that allow you to fulfill clinical requirements online.

Let us now look at some important features of online nursing degree programs:

1. Compared to easy pacing of coursework by some programs, many others that are affiliated with traditional universities will require online students to maintain same quarter or semester schedule as on-campus students.

2. While some online nursing degree programs allow the students to commence the course at any time, there are many that are structured like traditional classes/degree programs, which means that students are made into groups and scheduled to go through together. In the latter case, there will usually be a designated start date.

3. Although online nursing degree students generally do not meet instructors and classmates in person, it is seen that communication via email or online discussions often proves equally rewarding. The other benefit in favor of online students is that they usually receive instructors' lectures in written form.

4. Online nursing degree programs commonly offered are RN-to-BSN and MSN degrees. Although some institutions do offer a variety of advanced degree and certificate options, but they are rather few. In most cases, only one or a handful of degree programs are offered online.

5. Students, who wish to receive credit for work experience while pursuing online nursing degree program, generally have one or two options depending on the institute they plan to attend. Many institutes now allow students to complete proficiency exams such as the College Level Examination Program (CLEP) or the Proficiency Examination Program (PEP) in lieu of course-work in areas in which they have work experience or knowledge gained though independent study. If you are planning to enroll in an online nursing degree program, you will be happy to know that there are certain distinct advantages associated with it, enumerated below, though not all may be available together for a particular program. 1. You will be able to complete your online nursing degree coursework quickly and conveniently.

2. Online nursing degree programs are less expensive than traditional programs. While the cost widely varies by school and degree program, students may expect to pay anywhere from a little less than $100 to more than $300 dollars a credit, with average tuition for online programs sponsored by public universities generally falling in the $110-170 range. In addition, registration or enrollment fees may also be charged, though out-of-state tuition is not typically charged. Overall however, online nursing degree programs cost less than their traditional counterparts.

3. Flexible online nursing programs allow you to work around personal commitments. This is especially true for female nurses who are would-be mothers or have home and kids to look after.

4. Your curriculum can be tailored to meet your specific goals and you may be studying an up-to-date curriculum that addresses the critical needs of the health care industry.

5. If you work hard, you may look forward to completing your online nursing degree in just 2 to 3 years, or even sooner if you have qualifying credits or prior work experience.

Copyright 2006 Linda Raye

Linda Raye, editor at NursingChoice, is well known for her writing on healthcare topics. Nursing is one of her passions.Arabele Blog4020
Casie Blog49832

Eden Bay - a Clothing-Optional Jewel of Dominican Cepublic

The Dominican Republic is located on the island of Hispaniola, the second largest island of the Caribbean region.

Any time is a good time to visit the Dominican Republic because of its warm and generally sunny climate all year round. Some call the weather here the endless summer.

When Christopher Columbus arrived on the Dominican Republic's shores in 1492, he proclaimed, "There is no island that is more beautiful in the world ". For visitors of the country today, the Dominican Republic definitely represents just that. It is simply a paradise to discover -- golden sandy beaches, crystal clear turquoise waters, mysterious lush valleys, majestic tall mountains, and wonderfully friendly people. Santo Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic, is the oldest city in the New World and is rich with historical monuments including the famous Columbus House.

The second largest city on the island is Puerto Plata, located on the North Coast of the island, and features the famous Amber Museum. Dominican amber is so desired all over the world that the entire area has received the name of Amber Coast.

Eden Bay is proud to be one of the jewels of the Amber Coast. Eden Bay is located in the area of Playa Grande near the world-class Robert Trent Jones golf course and is the only clothing-optional resort in the entire country. The resort is spread out on two levels of 126 acres of oceanfront property among lush tropical surroundings, making it a true Garden of Eden. Our goal is to make your vacation the most relaxing and pleasant you've ever experienced.

We want you to Leave your clothes and worries behind and simply enjoy life

You will feel it as soon as you enter the resort's gate and drive through our Avenue of Palms, surrounded on both sides by tall coconut palms and colorful hibiscus. Ah, Paradise. At the end of the avenue is the Eden House - the Spanish-style mansion where you will be greeted by a smiling waiter offering you a refreshing tropical drink.

Eden House is located on a cliff overlooking the ocean, and has an open-air restaurant, beauty salon and spa, our Fig Leaf boutique, the media room, disco, and service and excursion desks. Right outside the Eden House is a large free-form pool with a swim-up bar, a hot tub, and Eve's Pavilion. The air-conditioned gym is coming soon. Two brightly colored three-story hotel buildings on your right feature spacious Seacliff rooms, studios, and one bedroom apartments.

The wide white stairs will lead you to The Cove, where you will find four rows of luxury villas in the shade of the lush tropical grove. Here is where you will find our beach, an open-air beach bar, swimming pool, volleyball pool, a hot tub and massage services. And towering over it all you will find Casa Grande, a three-bedroom house that is available for private rentals or parties. All of our accommodations have a patio or a balcony from which you can enjoy a spectacular view of the Bay of Eden and the Atlantic Ocean.

Our guests rated Eden Bay the number one resort for first-time nude recreation. Our caring staff, relaxing atmosphere, and the friendliness of your fellow nudists make it easy to shed all of your clothes and enjoy this Garden of Eden as nature intended, clothing-free, worry-free. All of your meals, drinks, airport transfers, and most of the resort activities are covered by one all-inclusive price. There are a number of excursions and spa services offered for your enjoyment; all for prices that you will find most affordable.

Never been to Eden Bay? Want to feel that warm ocean breeze caress your naked body? Want to meet friendly and pleasant people? Then come to Eden Bay, and leave your clothes and worries behind!

And there is no better time to do it now, since Eden Bay is offering 50% off plus the 7th night free. See http://www.nudist-rentals.com for details of this exclusive, limited time offer.

Yefim Furlender is an enthusiast of clothing-optional recreation. He is a web developer for Eden Bay resort and a former Webmaster. For more information visit his personal blog http://nuderent.blogspot.com ; for more information on vacation specials and real estate opportunities at Eden Bay visit www.nudist-rentals.com ; also visit www.figleafonline.com - Clothing for Clothing-Optional. Barb Blog82843
Alisun Blog80285

Promote Your Band Using Various Marketing Methods

This is a paper on how to promote your band, over the past 12 months I have been in contact with a hundreds of bands looking to become famous in LA. Everyone wants to a hit! Well it all comes down to being discovered! You can be the best band in the world and if you don&;t market yourself right well good luck! Lets analysis fortune 500 companies. Take a look at there budgets They dump 35% to 65 % or more of their profits back into marketing and advertisements every year. Becoming and remaining number one requires a lot of work. Advancing to more and more new customers not only requires more and more marketing but keeping the old ones happy!

Wanting to Promote your band with Live performances and marketing new ideas well you have come to the right spot.

Once people have bought a bands CD and their tee shirt, and seen the band live now what? Note, promoting a band is a lot of more then just t-shirts and cd&;s hell anyone can do that! You need to promote in many ways, just look at fortune 500 companies they email, do giveaways, mini dvd discs promo&;s, cold calling, internet marketing etc. You must do at least 3 forms of promoting to get a response out of your audience. The newsiest one for bands is musicmp3 ringtones which we will get into later.

We will go over many ways of promoting your band:

1. Great item that I have seen so far are mini DVD discs called pocketreels. GOTO www.pocketreels.com for more info on how to pick them up. These mini dvds can go a far way just think what people would do if you handed them a mini dvd. They go crazy and they are super impressed! Place a nice video of your band on it and see how many new customers you receive at your next show!

2. Having a photograph or videoagrapher at your shows to help promote your band is a good thing. They can take pictures and or videos and upload the images or videos to your website which can boost mailing lists and a fan club! And then they may be compelled to come to your next show and bring more friends or soak in the opportunities for fame and the live music experience itself. For video or photographer outlets call PR Productions at 310-694-8350 for CALIFORNIA only. They have the best crews around but they are not cheap. Shoots start at $400 + editing.

3. That brings us to a mailing list, each visitor to your website you should be collecting their email address so you can send them useful information like when your next show is going to be.

4. Promoting your band is not easy so do your self a favor and get a good publicist to promote your band. A good one can get you in 3 to 4 magazines and newspapers in one month for free, of course you have to pay the publicist but it will be well worth it. It can range from $400 to $2000. Note you can do this part yourself if you know how to negotiate with editors.

5. Promote your band by creating a really cool website! Check out http://www.royacom.com to make yourself a website with a CMS system. CMS stands for Content Management system A good website will cost: starting at $1000 but it will have video, email list generators, photo section and best of all easy management. They are a little bit more then a regular website but the ROI

Or return on investment is greater then a plain website. You can change show times just like myspace and it makes it really easy for owners to manage so in the long run you save big!

6. Make a professional music video for your band or gig. This will help with promoting your band. High quality Video can be found at many locations for a crew with experience one west coast call 310-694-8350 for east coast goto the best New york production company click link or goto http://suitespotnyc.com/

7. Saving the best for last Another great way to promote your band is by making a mp3 ringtone, or polyphonic ringtonefor example you can download a nickelback ringtone and wow free advertising everytime someone calls that person and bam there is a song on your phone. You need help making your own mp3 or polyphonic ringtone please goto A-FREE-RINGTONE.COM By making a ringtone like nickelback you can have your song ringing all over the world!

Your goal is to continue to reach more and more locals. Develop more ways to attract people&;s attention. Always have something on you to promote yourself with.

Just for example. In an area with one million people, if you are getting less than 100 people to every show, perhaps you could be doing much more to reach more of the people in the community?

It's tough out there, and you must be relentless every day to meet new people, shake hands and hand out your mini DVD discs or if you can&;t afford mini DVD discs get free business cards by click here and smile at people who are passing by you on the street and in stores when you are out shopping alone or with friends, in bars carousing. Go out and meet new people. Walk up to people, introduce yourself, Hi, my name is Scott I play at ___ ___ place on blank night. What do you do? Here is my promo disc (mini DVD) with my video or here is my business card with my website on it. You can download my mp3 ringtone (or my polyphonic ringtone) for free at this address. “ Hand them a card with the information on it. Note always test all information you hand out before hitting the road. Nothing is worse then a fan going home and something you handing them not working!

Have a stack of Mini DVD discs or business cards or flyers in your pocket at all times ready to hand out. Make sure on your Mini DVD, Business card or flyer you have your contact information, website, and the next local performance. You do this 20+ times per hour for 2-3 hours and then youre distributing at least 50 mini DVD discs or business cards or flyers in those 3 hours.

You then go back to your car and re-stock. Grab something refreshing to drink, munch on a a sandwich, or whatever, and move on to the next part of town, or the next gathering of people. Or go to the next live gig, the next bar, the next scene etc. and you keep it going.

Once or twice a week, you hit Kinko&;s, or the copier next to your office desk and you photocopy flyers and any designs you&;ve created for promotion of your demos, etc. Better yet think ahead and goto gotprint.com much better deals then Kinko&;s. (EXAMPLE 5000 post cards for $99 full color first side!)

Sell yourself. Meet with people and sell yourself. They dont know what youre doing. And unless you sell yourself, they wont care about what youre doing. They want to care, but they depend upon YOU to make that happen. People want so badly to care about something besides there problems. They want something to believe in. Entertainment helps take them there. You can be that entertainer, that leader of willing people of all ages that helps them to believe that there just might be something in this world worth caring about. They want to listen to you, and they want you to tell them about something that really matters to you. So, stay informed and develop interests in topics that may be discussed, even debated. Maybe you are trying to make a difference in the world - one person and one performance at a time. People want to believe in this and they want to believe in you. so, get out there and make it happen.

Remember go armed for battle you would not go into a war forgetting your gun would you? Look at it this way you rather have a tank and machine gun with you when you goto war so do the same with life. Make sure you have mini dvd discs, your own ringtone songs, postcards with info, website and publicist! Good luck and most of all have fun with what you do! BLOG your experience at http://promote-band.blogspot.com/ Hope all this helps J

Masters degree in Business, BS degree in Computer Science. Lived in LA for 2 years doing business consulting for various firms industries include: Utilities, music, video. Currently live in Santa Monica California.Allianora Blog83063
Candi Blog72972

36 Questions To Ask Your Web Host Before You Buy

Getting a website is essential for business. Making a mistake could cost you money as well as lost reputation. We have put together 36 questions across 10 areas that you should as any hosting company before you purchase a website. How they answer these questions will determine if this is the right website solution for you.

Technical Support:

Technical support should be readily available. Your average hold time should not exceed a couple of minutes. If the hold time for support is long, this means that there are a lot of problems with the product or there support is understaffed.

1. How strong is their technical support division?
2. What do they provide?
3. When are they available?
4. Does tech support cost extra?

Security:

The website hosting servers should be hosted at a remote location with multiple backup across multiple locations. The servers should also be dual firewall protected. If the websites are hosted in this type of an environment, it means that you are protected against any power failure, natural disaster, or people trying to steal your information. You can check how many servers a company is hosting by asking them for the address of one of the companies they host. Then go to http://whois.sc, and look up that name. Whois will tell you how many sites they are hosting. Use a company that is hosting several thousand websites.

5. How secure is the site?
6. What type of protection do they offer?
7. How can they insure that unauthorized users will not compromise the integrity of your Web site?

Storage:

The amount of storage your website hosting offers is related to how large your website can become. You want to make sure that you have enough space to not only to build your current website, but to expand in the future.

8. How much storage do they offer?
9. A typical Web site uses between 20-30 MB.
10. Do they offer enough extra megabytes to for your business to grow into? 100MB is a good starting point.

Domains:

Getting a Domain name for your business is one of the most important things you could do. To find out more about domains, read our article

11. Will the hosting company register your Domain name?
12. How long will it take?
13. Is there any extra cost to you?

Design:

There are 3 basic website design options. 1) Hire a web developer to design the entire website. 2) A template solution that is inexpensive, but modifications are limited. 3) A table based solution where the initial content is provided by the hosting company but everything including the entire layout can be changed. Make sure which type you are purchasing and if this is the correct solution for you.

14. Do they have a builder that you can manage easily?
15. What type of computer background do you need to design your site?
16. Do you have internal control over content and updates?

Email:

There are 2 types of email. The first is POP 3. This email type is attached to the domain name, and the email can be viewed from a web mail Internet browser window, or downloaded to a program such as Outlook or Eudora. The second email type is a forwarding address or email alias, where you have an email address that is @YourDomain, but it forwards to a different email address. POP 3 is usually more desirable because you can view your email from a variety of applications, and it strengthens your company image.

17. How many email aliases comes with your package?
18. Will they have your domain name in them for a more professional appearance?
19. What is the cost to add extra emails?
20. Are there any additional costs?

Search Engine Optimization:

You should submit your website to the search engines, such as Google, about once a month. This will help to rank you higher in the search rankings

21. Are search engine submissions included in your package?
22. How does it work?
23. Do you have internal control over content and updates?

Cost:

Make sure there are no hidden costs. Some companies will give you a low price knowing that they can charge you for additional services latter on.

24. What are the costs involved?
25. What are the initial setup fees and what do you get exactly?
26. What are the monthly maintenance fees are what do they cover?
27. Are there any additional charges?
28. If so, what are they and why?

Contract:

29. Am I locked into a contract?
31. May I cancel at anytime?
32. Are there any penalty fees for switching or closing my account?
33. What happens to my content?

Value:

34. What makes them better than their competition?
35. Do they offer extra features, storage space, better technical support?
36. What exactly sets them apart?

For help or questions about Web Hosting, contact G2Apex at contact@G2Apex.com or call 408-454-6543

For more articles like this, go to http://www.G2Apex.com/articles.html

Alex Welz has over 17 years of experience in such diverse fields as computer engineering, customer relations, systemizing business practices, research and development, and business consulting. Alex currently owns and operates a Website sales and hosting business.Brigid Blog69285
Bellanca Blog91878

Reducing Your Car Insurance Premiums

When it comes to reducing your car insurance premiums you can do a lot to help yourself. However one of the biggest ways in which you can make savings is by choosing to look around for your car insurance. Not only should you shop around, but the best place to look for your car insurance is by doing so online.

Reducing your car insurance premiums isnt really all that hard just type in the words car insurance on any popular search engine and it will give you a huge range to choose from. Of course while this is the best place to look when it comes to purchasing your car insurance, there are some factors that you should have given some thought to beforehand.

To begin with when it comes to reducing your car insurance some thought should be given as to the type of car that you should get. The smaller the car, the less your car insurance will cost you, if you choose a car with a bigger engine then your premiums will be a lot higher. Another factor to take into consideration when it comes to choosing your car is to avoid buying one which is imported, this is usually because the cost to repair them is more expensive.

The more security features that you install on your car, then the safer it is classed, and as such this can help to bring down your premiums. Many insurers will have listings giving you information on the brands and types of security features that they class as being better than others, simply by installing these you can reduce your car insurance premiums.

One of the biggest ways you can make savings is by having a clean driving record; if you have points on your record then this will boost up the amount that you are quoted for your premium, however when applying for your insurance online it is essential that you be totally honest if you do have points.

Always make sure that you dont include people on your insurance that arent going to be driving your car on a regular basis, the more people that you have on your insurance then the higher the premium will be, so if you have family members listed then consider removing them to save on your premium.

Other ways in which you can reduce your car insurance premium is to take advanced driving lessons to boost your safety record and if you are a young driver, an older driver or a woman driver then check out the many specialist sites which cater specifically for age and gender.

Louis Rix is a Director of NetCars (http://www.netcars.co.uk), one of the UK's leading motoring websites. First established in January 2000, its mission is to become the UK's number one site for used car searches and motoring information. NetCars also provide car finance, loans and insurance.Allegra Blog34486
Allsun Blog92753

Live A Debt Free Life

At the present time, in which financial collapse is so common, we present some ways to transform your debt problems into solutions. In the United States, consumer debt has reached the highest levels because in the past 10 years credit debt has doubled itself.

According to the Federal Reserve Board, consumer debt reached $1.98 trillion in October 2003, while in 2000; the debt reached only $1.5 trillion. Because unsecured credit delinquencies are always high, American citizens spend in banks interest rates more than $65 billion dollars a year.

The total US credit card debt in 2002 was $60 billion; the average consumer debt was $8562; debt increased from 82 million in 1990 to 144 million in 2003.

Thanks to the different option consumers have, being a debt free person is now a lot easier.

The following programs have been extremely successful in repairing consumers credit history.

Debt Consolidation: In 2004, thousands of consumers beneficiated thru debt consolidation programs. A Debt consolidation program consolidates your whole loan in a single amount and withdraws your late fees. To deepen this info visit: (www.bill-consolidation-and-debt-negotiation.com)

Bankruptcy: The Administrative Office of US Courts showed that bankruptcy fillings diminished by 1% during 2003. Still bankruptcy fillings remain high as ever, showing historic increases, chapter 7 and chapter 13. (www.personal-bankruptcy-avoidance.com)

Debt settlement is a program in which a third party consultant makes a negotiation with your creditors to decrease your debt. That is, debt settlement agencies negotiate with creditors to minimize your debts from as much as 50 % to 75%. For instance, lets suppose you have accumulated $20,000 in credit card debts; you owe $10000 to a credit card company, another $6000 to any other credit company, and last but not least, you owe $4000 more to a third company. You settle your debt with a 5 year plan, paying only $250 a month to the Debt Settlement Company; you end up paying a total of $15000. In the end, this tactic not only saved you $5000, but also helped you in becoming a debt free person in just five years. (ww.curadebt.com/)

Debt Management Programs: Last year, 3 million people or more got in contact with a credit counseling company to obtain help with debt issues. Credit counselors collected $7 billion last year with debt management plans; these plans bring about an opportunity to customers to settle their debts in 4 to 5 years with low interest rates. Clients that successfully finished the program felt that the these types of payment plans were extremely beneficial; nearly 85% felt that paying the debt was had a positive outcome and 55% felt that subscribing to a debt management plan stopped collectors calls.

Statistics demonstrate that 38% of this selected population has agreed that the plan cleared their credit history, and that 51% felt it enhanced their financial situations.

Credit counseling: Credit counseling companies help you get out of debt, but they dont consolidate your debt; they negotiate a payment plan with low interest rates and over the limit fees for your debts. Settlement companies are an intermediate between the consumers and the creditors in which both the parties end up maximizing their gains and minimizing the losses. Almost 9 million, people consult credit counseling agencies each year.

Budgeting: This subject matter is exceptionally important in the process of a debt solution plan. Recent statistics show that a household allocates 33% of total income in housing, 13% in food, 5% in apparel 19% transportation, 5% in health care, 5% in entertainment, 9% personal insurance and pensions, 1% in life insurance and 10% for others.

Get a deep insight about the above mentioned programs in the subsequent links:

http://www.bill-consolidation-and-debt-negotiation.com/consumer-credit-counseling/FL-Florida/Consumer-Credit-Counseling-FL-Florida.shtml

http://www.bill-consolidation-and-debt-negotiation.com/consumer-credit-counseling/TX-Texas/Consumer-Credit-Counseling-TX-Texas.shtml

http://www.bill-consolidation-and-debt-negotiation.com/consumer-credit-counseling/CA-California/Consumer-Credit-Counseling-CA-California.shtml

Nancy Smith is a contributing writer to http://www.bill-consolidation-and-debt-negotiation.com, and is currently writing some special articles to orient business on how to manage debt and avoid bankruptcy.Belle Blog49645
Ally Blog5222

About Drupal

The Onion
The Spread Firefox
Ourmedia
KernelTrap
The Defective by Design campaign

Do these above mentioned names make any sense for you? Well, they are all the names of high-traffic websites.but apart from that?

Well, they are all bound by a common threadthey all use Drupal as their web application framework or blogging engine.

So what Drupal actually is?
Drupal is a software package that is

* Free o download and use
* Written in PHP
* Open-source system
* Distributed under the GPL
* Maintained and developed by a community of thousands of users and developers across the globe.
* Allows an individual or an online community to publish, manage and organize a content rich website.

The background

The credit for writing this software---todays most popular tool for building online communities goes to Dries Buytaert. The name of the software has significance; the word Drupal has its origin in the Dutch word, druppel or Drop. Now Drop in Dutch also stands for Village or community. So the community aspect of the software has always been emphasized. However, others try to establish a link with the name of now defunct Drop.org website---the codes of which had a direct influence on the coding of Drupal.

What it can do for you

The latest version (Drupal 5.1) released in the early 2007 comes with the enhanced feature of easy-to-use web installer. The moment your web host adds this script to your web host account, it is all geared up to help you in your variety of content management and blogging tasks such as: Forums, Peer-to-peer networking , Newsletters, Podcasting, Picture galleries, File uploads and downloads and many more.

The wide ranging Drupal websites

Powered with a wide range of features, Drupal can support different types of website ranging from traditional blogs to Social Networking sites and Intranet applications to E-commerce applications.

If you want to have a glimpse of notable sites using Drupal, refer to this URL: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drupal

On your way to create a community based website or a community driven portal?

Or are you up to introducing a resource directory or an Aficionado site?

Whatever may be your website requirements, Drupal can handle them all. So start your warming up from today; but before that make sure you find an efficient web host who can offer you Drupal webhosting.

Fat Jack Hosting is the Internet Marketers Dream when it comes to hosting. Not only do we have great ongoing 24/7 support, but we understand the small business owner, entrepreneur and internet marketer because we are owned and operated by an extremely successful one. Thats why you get great customer service, tips, strategies and support. Go here right now to get your hosting account>> http://www.fatjackhosting.comBee Blog25672
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Frost Fire Mountain Ski Vacations

For an ultimate family ski vacation, you must visit Frost Fire Mountain in North Dakota. Located near Walhalla, the resort features three lifts, including two chair lifts and one surface lift, 25 acres, and ten trails for beginners, intermediates and experts. The top elevation is 1,346 feet, with a vertical drop of 345 feet.

Although this is not a large ski resort, it is a great deal of fun, and perfect for family ski vacations. This is the perfect place to bring kids to learn how to ski. Both ski and snowboard lessons are available at reasonable rates. There is a rental shop and ski maintenance area on the grounds, and many motel accommodations in the area to choose from. There is a separate terrain park for snowboarders as well.

There are many restaurants to choose from, and you can also visit the areas antique shops when you are not busy enjoying the slopes. There are many historical sites to see in the area as well, as Walhalla is the second oldest town in the state of North Dakota.

Fun Valley Ski Vacations

If you are looking for a great place to go for your family ski vacation, Fun Valley, Iowa is the place to head for. This resort caters to families and beginner level skiers, but it is also great for intermediate and expert skiers as well. There is something to suit all levels of fen at Fun Valley.

The top elevation at Fun Valley is 1201 feet, with a vertical drop of 200 feet. There are six lifts, including three chair lifts and three surface lifts. The new learning center is something to see and experience if you are a beginner. Tubers and snowboarders are welcome, and there is an excellent terrain park available. Rental equipment, including tubes and boards, is available.

Fun Valley offers outstanding group rates for groups of ten or more. Birthday packages are also outstanding for kids twelve and under. Every Wednesday and Thursday night, the resort offers a student night, with greatly reduced rates. Buddy Pass Fridays are also popular, during which you bring your friends and you will all save on lift tickets. Coca-Cola sponsors Sprite Saturdays at Fun Valley, where you can participate in three activities for one flat affordable fee. Sundays are for Family Four Pack Day.

Subert Kiing - an Architect who has lived and traveled in many parts of Asia. He writes for http://www.1asiatravel.com and http://www.tropicalcaribbeantravel.com/RoyalCaribbean.htmlArdene Blog57268
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What Television Shoppers Need to Know

With all the changes in technology and program content, buying a tv set is not as simple as it once was. While it is easy to be tempted to buy the one that looks prettiest in the advertisement or on the showroom floor, it's not always the best fit for your circumstances. The following will help you make a better informed decision, and using Myshopping.com.au you can make detailed comparisons between set sizes, different technology, brands and vendors.

TVMeasure where you will be watching.

It's important that the set you buy will fit in the space where you want to put it, and that it's visible from where you want to sit. Therefore, it makes good sense to measure the space where the set will go. You need to measure the width, the height and the depth of the space, so that you can choose a set that will sit comfortably in that space, with sufficient ventilation and edge space for installation and cleaning. You should also measure the distance to your cable socket if you have an external aerial, and be sure to allow sufficient space for rear panel audio and video cable connections so that they can be easily connected and disconnected.

Getting the right sized screen is a balance between the dimensions of the room and your viewing habits, and your choice of technology. A regular tv has a screen aspect ration of 4:3, (that is, the dimensions are four units wide by three units high) and its size is given as a diagonal measure across the screen. The most comfortable viewing range for a regular tv is to be a distance away from the screen that is three to six times its given size. For example, a 48cm regular tv is best viewed further away than 116 cm and closer than 232 cm.

Watching high-resolution DVD and digital TV on a wide screen set however, provides much sharper images than regular sets, and this means you can sit closer and experience a more immersive, theatre-like picture. With a wide-screen tv, you can sit as close as 1.5 times the screen's diagonal measurement and not notice any loss in quality. Sitting farther away than three times the screen however, means you're likely to miss out on the immersive 'theatre' feel, even though image-wise, the sharper pictures will be clearer from a greater distance. Conversely, what this means, is that for the same given room space, you can install a significantly larger tv if it's wide screen. So in today's market, you are faced with one major deciding factor:

Regular TV or Wide Screen

While the regular tv dimensions are 4:3 (see above), a wide-screen set has an aspect ratio of 16:9 (16 units wide, 9 units high) and this is the same shape as many cinema screens and movies. Wide-screen sets are more expensive per square cm of screen than a regular tv, and more regular TV is watched than DVDs and movies, so 4:3 sets continue to be a popular choice. However standards a re changing rapidly and almost all digital, flat-panel and rear-projection tvs are wide screen. While television stations frequently broadcast many movies in digital/wide screen format, a large amount of station-produced content is in regular format, but this too is changing. So it makes some sense to seriously consider wide screen.

Either way, there is some compromise to consider because one rectangle doesn't fit exactly into another. Wide-screen program shown on a standard tv has black bars, known as letterbox bars, above and below the wide-screen image. The alternative to this is to sacrifice some of the picture at each edge of the screen, and get the full depth of the picture. When you watch a program formatted for regular tv on a wide screen, black bars, known as windowbox bars, appear on either side of the picture. One alternative to this is to lose some picture at the top and bottom of the screen.

But one of the features of a wide-screen tv, is the ability to stretch, crop, or zoom the regular 4:3 image so that it fills the screen, ultimately distorting the image or losing some of its content.

Picture Quality, Audio Quality, Connectivity

Using an online shopping comparison such as Myshopping.com.au doesn't give you the personal feel of looking at the tv set on the showroom floor. However, once you've narrowed down your choices according to size and manufacturer specification, it may pay to look at some sets so you can judge picture quality for yourself.

So what makes a good picture? One of the first considerations is contrast: in order to have clear sharp and bright pictures, the screen itself must be dark. Screens that are two 'green' or 'grey' will not produce high definition images. Do this with any surrounding televisions turned off and an even light in the room.

A second consideration is the flatness of the picture tube. If you are looking at an LCD or Plasma screen, this is already flat, but with picture tube technology, flatter tubes result in less glare from windows and lamps, and less shape distortion. A flat tube screen will give you a better viewing experience.

If a tv doesn't have a comb filter, its resolution will be limited to about half the full potential of a DVD. While comb filters affect only composite-video or RF connections, sets with a comb filter can usually provide all of the resolution of DVD and will not have distracting 'rainbow' images where highly contrasting colours coincide. Comb filters include glass, digital, and 3DY, and different types provide different levels of quality, but ultimately, it's better to have one than not.

Digital and High Definition TV means that the ability for a tv to display a progressive scan image is also factor that affects picture quality. A progressive scan image is a feature of digital tv broadcasting and DVD imaging with a more film-like look to it than normal video.

For optimum television watching, you need to consider the quality of the sound too. It is now quite common for people to integrate tv and hi-fi equipment into a more complete home entertainment system, giving a more dynamic home theatre experience. Digital and High Definition tv and DVD, sound quality is similar to that of CDs, so it makes sense that audio connectivity allows you to connect into surround sound or other hi quality sound systems. It's worthwhile to check to see that the tv has a least one set of stereo audio inputs and one set of stereo audio outputs, as well as video input and output connectors. On the input side, check for RCA-composite, S-Video, and component video inputs. You can frequently find an additional set of audio and video inputs and/or outputs on the front or at the side of the tv, a very convenient location for more temporary connections, such as game consoles, web tv or video camera equipment. It can be terribly inconvenient if you are limited to only connections at the rear of the set, or only one set of inputs and outputs, which can often mean unplugging and reconnecting permanently installed equipment.

If you are intending to use a set-top digital receiver, make sure the tv has the correct connections, and that they are compatible with the receiver equipment. Using Myshopping.com.au you can search through a great number of brands for the correct specifications. Ideally such connections should be made with Fire Wire, DVI-D with HDCP or HDMI connectors.

Plasma or LCD

While there are still quality CRT televisions (tube style) being manufactured, the current television technology being pursued by manufacturers is Plasma High Definition or LCD (Liquid Crystal Display). The main advantages these two technologies offer includes the smaller space taken up (mostly in depth) for a bigger picture, less heat (and therefore less electricity consumed) generated for a bigger picture and the appearance of compactness through digital technology. But what are the differences?

In the Plasma tv over a million tiny glass cells are charged with a mixture of neon and xenon, behind which are coloured phosphors that emit light when energized. Each cell has a red, blue and green phosphor. When Plasma cells are charged, they emit invisible UV light. that strikes the red, green and blue phosphors on the back of the display, creating the pixels that form the image you see on the screen. LCD however, is a suspended liquid between two transparent panels that, when activated by voltage, re-position themselves so that they either allow the light to pass through the panel and or block the light, a similar process to turning on and off millions of light bulbs. The light source is provided by fluorescent tubes behind the panels. Both the lit and unlit crystals create visible pixels composing the image on the screen.

Many independent reviewers believe that manufacture's specifications of Plasma tv is not accurately portrayed. LCD appears to be both brighter and offer more contrast, whereas Plasma appears to have higher definition colour, superior viewing angles and faster response time providing crisper screen movement. Plasma uses more power than LCD, but may provide a more theatre-like viewing experience. Use Myshopping.com.au to compare the latest brands of Plasma and LCD televisions.

Remote Controllers and Accessories

All tv sets come with remote controls. Some come with what's known as the Universal remote control, a remote control that can control all of your media hardware. The remote control should be easy to use and it should address all of the tv set's functions. Many sets do not have function controls on the tv itself, which could cause problems if the remote controller is lost. Also, not every universal remote can control everything. Most are pre-programmed with a set list of codes, and if the codes don't match your older or off-brand gear, then you're out of luck. A few are learning models that can accept the IR codes from your other remotes and, thus, control any kind of gear.

A number of other features can be taken into account when considering your tv purchase. These might include picture-in-picture (PIP), or picture-outside-picture (POP), commercial skip timers, channel blocking (called the V-Chip), and tuner extras to make channel selection and switching easier. Additional accessories that you might need include additional cables, a good power surge protector and a stand. Service may also be a consideration and in some circumstances, an extended warranty or service package may be a good investment.

Search Myshopping.com.au for the different specifications and price ranges of the latest tv technology, where you not only compare the world's leading brands, but also the service and support of the people who sell them.

Andrew Gates is a writer for Australian comparison shopping site - http://www.myshopping.com.au , MyShopping.com.au helps you compare television (TV) - http://www.myshopping.com.au/PT--99_Television_TV and buy online from top-rated online stores. You can also read television (TV) reviews - http://www.myshopping.com.au/PT--99_Television_TV and specifications.Alyse Blog30152
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7 Features of an Effective Email Signature That Gets Results

How well is your email signature working for you? For most people who use email, an email signature is just a basic contact information signature file that they append to their emails without giving it much thought, if they choose to use an email signature at all. However, for online business owners, an email signature can be the least expensive yet most effective tool in your online business marketing toolkit. Why? Because it enables you to promote yourself and your business without any blatant advertising. It's like sending a business card with a call to action in every single email that you send.

Where should you be using your email signature? Here's a quick list:

--on every single piece of email that you send to friends, family members, colleagues, etc. from your computer's email program (Outlook, Outlook Express, Eudora, etc.)

--in every email that you send in response to a posting on email discussion lists

--in every posting that you make on an online discussion forum

--anytime you send a broadcast email out to your list through your email broadcast service

You never know where you email will end up (how many emails do you forward in one day?) nor who will be reading it, so it pays to attach an effective email signature to everything that you do. It serves as a wonderfully effective free marketing tool that works for you 24/7. I've gotten countless subscribers to my newsletter from simply using a compelling call to action in my email signature.

What are the components of an effective email signature? I've seen horribly long email signatures (as many as 20 lines), signatures missing basic contact information, and email signatures that leave me thinking, "So what?". Here's how you can create an effective email signature that will help you get clients online:

1. Keep it short. Nothing is worse than reading an email signature that's longer than the email itself. To be most effective, limit yourself to no more than 7 lines. As you participate in discussion lists or online forums, the list moderators may limit your signature to as few as 5 lines. So, just like you make your printed business card "Rolodex proof" (i.e. don't put essential contact info at the bottom of the card where it will be lost when holes are punched into it for your Rolodex), keep your most essential info in the first 5 lines of your signature file. That way, if some info is cut off when you post to a discussion forum, it won't be the essential info that you want to convey. Better yet, do as I do and create various email signature files for different uses, including ones specifically created to comply with the rules of various discussion lists to which I belong.

2. Include only essential contact info. This would include your name and title or tag line, as appropriate, phone number, website, and email address. The phone number and email address may be optional, depending on the purpose of your email and how it might be displayed (for example, sometimes an email discussion list will post your email address automatically in the body of your post, so you can use that space in your signature for something else).

Don't list every single way that someone can contact you -- only the most important, essential methods that you prefer. I've seen some email signatures contain 5 phone numbers. The lines listing those phone numbers can be much more effectively used for another purpose. And, make sure your email address is the email address at your website. Sometimes you might not get the option of posting your website URL, so if you can only post an email signature, savvy readers can ascertain your website URL from your signature. Don't use your email signature real estate to give any more free publicity to Yahoo, Google, AOL, Earthlink, or any number of other ISPs.

3. Make an offer for a free introductory product. What's your free giveaway on your site -- an ecourse, email newsletter, special report, ebook, audio or video clips? Give people a reason to visit your site by offering your freebie in your email signature. If your freebie contains info that they want, publicizing it in your email signature is a definite way to get them to visit your website.

4. Auto sendout. Every email program has the capability to automatically append an email signature to every piece of email that you send. Make sure that feature is turned on in your email program so that you don't miss any valuable marketing opportunities. It's tough to contact you if your email is missing its signature file.

5. Plain text or HTML? I'm still a big fan of sending out plain text emails for day-to-day correspondence. For the most part, I don't use fancy fonts or special colors or formatting in my signature file. I want my email signature to be clearly displayed in any email program, and plain text is the best way to accomplish that. There are services like Plaxo (for users of Microsoft Outlook) that will let you create a business card image that is appended to your email as your email signature and import that into Outlook. However, I don't use Outlook and I find these cumbersome, as there isn't a way to cut and paste the sender's contact info into my contact database. Additionally, many online discussion lists and forums don't accept images or HTML in their posts. So, even though the business card images look pretty, I would encourage you to stick with a plain text email signature.

6. Make it clickable. Because you never know what email program your recipient is using, type in a few extra characters in the email address and website URL lines of your email signature file to guarantee that the link will be clickable. For a website URL, type in the entire URL, starting with http:// rather than simply www. to make sure that your link is universally clickable. For your email address, adding mailto: at the beginning of your email address, i.e. mailto:yourname@youremailaddress.com will enable the reader to click on that link and will open a blank email addressed to you in any email program.

7. Use a border. Having a simple border to separate your name as you end an email from your email signature will lessen the confusion as to what is considered the main text of the email versus the email signature. ASCII characters like == or ~~~ will create a simple border that is effective but not distracting.

An effective email signature has incredible power to drive traffic to your website. Take a few moments and evaluate your signature and see if it's doing its best work for you. Your email signature is an incredibly effective marketing tool that can provide great "bang" for almost no bucks.

Copyright (c) 2006 Donna Gunter

Online Business Resource Queen (TM) and Business Coach Donna Gunter helps self-employed service professionals learn how to automate their businesses, leverage their expertise on the Internet, and get more clients online. To sign up for more FREE tips like these and claim your FREE gift, TurboCharge Your Online Marketing Toolkit, visit her site at http://www.GetMoreClientsOnline.com . Read about running an online biz at our blog, http://www.getmoreclientsonlineblog.comAlfie Blog94013
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