Advice Monger

You Can Find Freedom If You Are Willing To Work For It

2007-08-23T10:20:00.000-06:00

How much of your life have you given to your employer?

I was 55 years old and I was beginning to think about retirement but I was not happy. I was working for an employer that provided a good income and good benefits but I was not happy. I had a beautiful wife, three children, eight grandchildren but I felt like a prisoner every Monday thru Friday from 8:00 A.M. until 5:00 P.M. With another 10 years before retirement, I saw "Dead End" signs everytime I went to work. I was not happy.

What is the one thing that we search for in our lives? Most people would answer that it is happiness. Does happiness come through fame, wealth, success? Some people might mention one of these three or suggest something else. For me, my happiness comes through contentment and my contentment comes through my freedom.

Everyday, every week, every month that I trudged to work, I kept asking myself if I wanted to spend the next 10 years of my working for someone else. I felt trapped and unhappy. I asked myself who was in control of my life. I wanted to take back my freedom and search for a better way.

If you are happy with your employer, I am glad for you. I was not and I needed to find a pathway to my freedom. I decided to work from home and become MY OWN BOSS. I took my financial future out of the hands of those who were signing my checks and put the opportunity for financial freedom in MY hands. I decide how hard I want to work. I decide when I want to quit for the day. Most importantly, I decide when I want to spend time with my family. I now enjoy the freedom of being in control of my life, my future and the well being of my family.

I consider my family to be my most important possession. When I was working for someone else, I had to search for the time that I wanted to spend with my family. The lawn needed mowing, the car needed washing, the plumbing needed fixing. It is very difficult to complete all of the tasks that surround us each weekend AND find the time that we need to spend with our loved ones. My home business has given me the freedom to have ALL the family time that I want. In fact, today is Wednesday afternoon and I will be taking two of my grandsons to the movies. It does not get any better than that.

Do not mis-understand what I am trying to say. I have had my home business for three years and I have worked very hard to make it successful. And I will continue to work as hard as I need to make them profitable. But I have taken back the freedom in my life that I felt I was losing. Do you feel you have lost your freedom? Do you want to find it?

Please consider the possibility of starting your own home business. There is work but the rewards could bring you the freedom that you desire. I found mine.

"In all toil there is profit."

About the Author:

John Fortner is the owner of G Children Adventures with online stores that focus on children's computer accessories and room decor. To learn more about this topic please visit: < http://www.Best-IncomeOpportunities.com To visit his stores please go to: http://www.toddler-computergames.com http://childrensdecorativegrowthcharts.com

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Break Your Bad Habits

2007-08-22T14:10:00.000-06:00

Having just looked at a list of bad habits posted on the internet, I can honestly say that whilst they are habitual repetitive behaviours, many of them are also disgusting! One site listed nail biting, throat clearing, lying, interrupting, chewing the end of a pen, smoking and swearing in its top 20 list of bad habits. And that’s not to mention knuckle cracking and thumb sucking.

Habits are formed when a behaviour is consistently repeated. Eventually, it becomes an unconscious behaviour, that is, that you can do it without thinking about it. In just the way your unconscious controls you blinking, breathing and walking without you having to remember to make it happen, it also takes over responsibility for activating the habit.

In a sense, the levels of competency goes some way to explaining how this unconscious activity is created:

Unconscious Incompetence- Not knowing about it and not doing it. (Ignorant)

Conscious Incompetence- Knowing what needs to be done but unable to do it, lack of skill required.

Conscious Competence- Knowing what needs to be done and have to think about how to do it, in order to do it.

Unconscious Competence- Knowing what you need to do, and being able to do it without consciously thinking about how it is done.

We can see by looking at the levels of competency process, how a positive behaviour such as learning to drive for example, is taken through the above stages so that it shifts from a conscious activity, into an unconscious one. The problem with this process is that the unconscious mind will not distinguish between a good habit, and a bad one. When learning to drive, this is generally a beneficial habit to master, and biting your nails for example is not. However the unconscious simply responds to the programming it is given. It does make a distinction about whether it is right for you or not. The more times you repeat the behaviour, the more hard wired the behaviour becomes, good or bad.

This means that in order to break a bad habit, the automatic function of it, needs to be bought back into the awareness of the conscious mind, in order to give the conscious a choice about whether to continue with the action. This could be enough for some to break their pattern, yet for other, even though when they are conscious of the habit, may continue to pursue it. For example, many people who smoke and know that they should give up, are aware of the cigarettes they light up and inhale. Worse than that, they are even conscious of what they are doing to their depleting immune system as they do it- and still they continue- why?!

The answer is that they get some sort of a pay off. An opportunity to be destructive and release some tension by biting your nails, or a moment to drift off and take a break from the busyness of work when having a fag. In the great scheme of things it’s important to note that these payoffs are of course only temporary. They only alleviate pressures for a short amount of time and usually come with a down side, such as ultimately damaging your health, the way you look, the way you feel, or the way people respond to you.

NLP techniques are great for helping to get “leverage” for applying pain to the unwanted problem and pleasure to the solution. Anchoring techniques can provide an instant desired state to relieve tension for example, so that it is no longer achieved from performing the habit. A Hypnotherapist can be consulted to reprogram the unconscious part of the mind, linking unsavoury feelings to the unwanted behaviour (for example feeling sick if you go to put your fingers in your mouth to bite your nails) and forming new habits to deal with stressful/ boredom situations in a new empowering way.

A Hypnotherapist in Hertfordshire can help you to achieve a state of well being and to be rid of bad habits. Hypnosis works because of the clients ability to focus on the hypnotherapists voice. Hertfordshire Hypnosis teaches hypnotherapists how to use their voices to create the best level of trance possible.

About the Author:

Gemma Bailey is a qualified Hypnotherapist and NLP Master practitioner based in Hertfordshire. http://www.gemmabailey.co.uk

Read more articles by: Gemma Bailey

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Lifelong Learning

2007-08-19T10:32:00.000-06:00

"Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach him how to fish and he will eat for a lifetime."
Chinese Proverb

How does education promote success?

In Keys to Success: How to Achieve your Goals, by Carter, Bishop and Kravits, the authors write:

Education is more than the process of going to school and earning a degree or certificate. It is a choice to improve your mind and your skills. Education is what you make of it. If you make the most of your mind, your time, and your educational opportunities, you will realize your potential.

Education gives you tools for lifelong learning.

1. You not only learn facts while studying, but also how to think -- an ability that will always be useful. Education improves your quality of life.

2. The Digest of Education Statistics 1996 reports that income levels rise as educational levels rise. Education expands your self-concept.

3. As your abilities grow, so do opportunities to learn. As you rise to the challenges of education, you will discover that your capacity for knowledge and personal growth is greater than you imagined.
Education enlarges your possibilities.

4. First, through different courses of study, it introduces you to more choices of career and life goals. Second, through the training you receive, it gives you more power to achieve the goals you choose.
Education improves your employability and earning potential.

5. Many studies have shown that education increases not only a person's employability and earning potential but also their self-esteem. Education makes you a well-rounded person.

6. As it widens your understanding about what is possible in the world, education increases your awareness and appreciation of areas that affect and enrich human lives. Education affects both community involvement and personal health.

7. Education helps to

1) prepare individuals for community activism by helping them understand political, economic and social conditions, and

2) increase knowledge about health behaviors and preventive care.

About the Author:

Kenneth Kee email: kwk481@gmail.com website: http://www.kennethkee.com http://kennethkee.blogspot.com http://dotkee.110mb.com http://mirage800.110mb.com http://success.myweb.io http://mirage.myweb.io Profile: A newbie to world of internet marketing. At the age of 59 years, I am struggling to learn the in and outs of online marketing. I am a educator,part-time healthcare worker,computer hardware hobbyist,now ebook writer and internet marketer. I am also a full time lifelong learner. Graduated in 1972, did my Masters in 1991 and doctorate in 1993.

Read more articles by: Kenneth Kee Wee

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Top Five Tips For College Freshmen And Sophmores

2007-08-17T11:41:00.000-06:00

1. Let Your Major Pick You

A lot of college students ask me what majors will look best on paper when it comes time to apply for a job or to graduate school. At this point in your college education, you really have no business committing to a career yet. You should be exploring – different classes, different internships and part-time jobs, different activities, different professors. Take a wide variety of classes, even if variety is not mandated by your school’s graduation requirements, and you’ll figure out pretty quickly which ones you’re passionate about.

2. Follow the Professors

Find out who the best teachers are and load up on those classes. The best teachers could lecture every day on the history of Brazilian trade unions and you’d still be fascinated and learn how to think. A site like RateMyProfessors.com has its limitations, but it’s just one more resource to help you find the best ones. (And if you want to see that shoe on the other foot, check out RateYourStudents.Blogspot.com.) Start cultivating relationships with your professors – be engaged in class and talk to them during office hours. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Aside from the academic benefits, you’ll need them for graduate school recommendations in just a few years, and sometimes they have industry contacts as well.

3. Do Your Own Career Research

Many professors and college administrators (including folks at the career center) haven’t spent much time outside of academia, so don’t treat them as your only resources as you explore careers and line up internships or other job opportunities. Make every summer in college a strategic part of your post-graduation career planning – many employers make permanent offers to their summer interns.

4. Be Smart About Your Financial Future

Most people borrow for college, and for every dollar you spend now, you’ll be paying up to two in the future, depending on how long it takes you to pay back your loans. Check out financial planning calculators -- FinAid.org has good ones -- to figure out how much money you need to be making after graduation to make your monthly loan payments. Save your credit cards for emergencies, and don’t fall for those seductive credit card pitches on campus. Get in the habit of tracking your spending (check out Moneypants.com) – it’s a habit that will serve you well for the rest of your life.

5. If You Lose Your Bearings, Take a Breather

Sometimes life gets in the way of our best intentions. You won’t be able to go back and do college over again, so make sure you can give school your undivided attention while you’re there. If external circumstances make that impossible (a recurring or serious illness, serious family difficulties, needing to work more than 20 hours per week), explore taking a semester or even a year off to get a handle on whatever that problem is. Most students in these situations try to push through the crisis, and their transcripts end up looking like train wrecks. They’ll have to explain and make excuses for their grades for a long time to come. You’re much better off showing people a transcript with great grades and having to explain why you needed to take time out in the middle.

About the Author:

Career Expert, Anna Ivey, is the Former Dean of Admissions at the University of Chicago Law School and author of The Ivey Guide to Law School Admissions. Currently, she advises young people as they navigate life after college, helping them make life path decisions - career, graduate school, etc. Visit http://www.annaivey.com or contact Anna at anna@annaivey.com.

Read more articles by: Anna Ivey

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There's No Reality, Only Perceptions

2007-08-14T14:32:00.000-06:00

It has occurred to me lately just how the filters through which we see and read events determine how we evaluate and react to them. The phrase, "You look at the world through rose-colored glasses" is an axiom that is truer than I've ever suspected. I began seeing how people really do wear different glasses through which they see and react to things when I began writing in earnest. Sometimes this is good, I suppose, if you have on a really good pair of glasses that filter things correctly.

If you are wearing a filtering pair of glasses that prompt you to react rationally to things, this is good. If you are wearing a pair that prompts you to determine everything that happens to you as a personal attack, this is bad.

When I wrote in college, someone had to really be riled to sit down and bother to write a letter to the editor and send it in. Today, with email available to all, it is too easy to react first and think later. Also, in today's world some think it appropriate to kill you when you express something in your prose they don't like. Check out the story about how Chauncey Bailey was killed for writing his opinions.

A fine publication for those contemplating moving overseas and starting life anew is Escape Artist. I've published several pieces for them in the past. Three more will appear over the next three months. The piece, Want to be an Expat or a Fakepat? appeared in a recent issue and has prompted readers' responses that nicely demonstrate that reality tends to be, more often than not, more about our perceptions than about objective truth.

My story, Want to be an Expat or a Fakepat, brought in several emailed responses:

1.) I am a Canadian expat living in Culiacán, Sinaloa. My wife and son are natural Mexicans. I read your article about fakepats in the Escape from America Magazine. I totally agree your comments on the ignorant nature of many of the foreigners (us Canadians included) who come here expecting to find a Fantasy Island welcoming party. I don’t want to infer that adapting to life here is easy or should be; a really humble effort has to be made to assimilate into Mexico’s enduring culture.

2.) LOVED your expat/fakepat article! As a woman living in the Southwest who has visions of living in Mexico dancing in her head, this was more great info to consider. Thanks again for the great article. I've seen many Americans in this category (unfortunately), not just in Mexico, but other places as well. My thoughts are if you want to live in another country, you adjust to that country, it doesn't have to adjust to you.

The third response meant the most since it came from a Hispanic cultural analyst who said this:

3.) I just read your article on living in Mexico titled expat or fakepat. I applaud you. This is the kind of advice I have been writing to authors who I think have given a less than accurate account of living in Mexico. I have spent my entire career launching fortune 100 companies through out Latin America this is the first time I have read something which was unvarnished and straightforward about living in Latin America. --Suerte, Juan-Manuel

Then, in contrast, I received an email from someone identifying himself as Hispanic and who expressed total outrage. He was incensed at what I had to say in the article.

How do you account for this? Perception tends to be everything. I receive favorable reviews, then comes the one who takes a look at my prose with a different set of filters in his glasses and has a melt down.

Book authors get this too.

My favorite travel writer, Bill Bryson, on his book Neither Here Nor There, got pelted with everything from accusations of "xenophobia" to "poor writing" and "where's the editor?" comments from readers on Amazon.com. I've read the book countless times and I am left wondering, " Just what book did these people read?" It couldn't have been the same one—those perceptions!

My two books, The Plain Truth About Living in Mexico, and Guanajuato, Mexico, both projects being relocation guides and dealing with expatriation issues, were characterized by Bruce Drake, Former Vice President for News and Information with National Public Radio (NPR), this way:

“But the Bowers' book has that ring of authenticity and is squarely aimed at the (for lack of a better cliché) "average Joe" who is looking for a life that is different and/or better and needs down-to-earth practical advice on how an American can make this transition,” and “I found this book to be far superior to the general run of guides on the expatriate life or retiring in Mexico. Some of the others of this genre just lack the ring of authenticity.”

Here was a former editor for the Washington Bureau with NPR News giving this review of two of my books. Then these comments come along:

Not worth the pesos, November 3, 2005

Truth as one sees it, June 28, 2007

Too much ranting, too little information, August 3, 2006

Where was the editor? July 19, 2006 (Every writer, even the big names gets this comment!)

I guess these "reviewers" didn't quite hear the "ring of authenticity" that reviewer Bruce Drake heard.

There is no reality, just perceptions.

Just an axiom? I don't think so. Not any more.

About the Author:

Learning a New Language Has Never Been Easier

Read more articles by: Douglas Bower

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Living And Working Where You Want!

2007-08-09T12:46:00.001-06:00

Living and working any where you want, sounds like a vision come true. Others are doing it, is it your turn?

We all come up with excuses that help us feel better about not going after our goals. Well isn't it time you stop making excuses and get on with your dream?

Living the life of your dream, what does it mean to you? Isn't a dream just a journey of sorts? A place where we would like to be. Step by step we can live in our utopia, living where we want and working in our dream job.

Could you be asking how can I continue my dream when I am stuck in my life?

With bills to pay, and barely making it by. What if I tell you that, where you are is a direct result of the decisions you have made? Ouch, that one hits home.... We are where we are, as a result of what we've done or have not done. A stark reality.

Do you find yourself stressed out and off your journey? Asking yourself, can I really achieve my goals? Just like being in a strange territory without a map... we would pass by on quite a few fun stuff to see and do. A squandered life.

Most of us want success, so many have tried. More importantly so many are getting their dream life. Isn't it your turn?

What is it, that those who are living the dream are doing, that you are not? What is their secret? How can You find out? Don't you wish you could just go and ask them to show you the way? I know I do.

Spending most of my adult life studying the success and set backs of others and having had success come and go in my life, I learned a lot along the way.

A essential point I learned was, when going to a new destination... set up a good plan or even better than that, get a good mentor who knows the field. Mentors will help you save time and money when pursuing your dream, living and working your way.

How we select good guides and mentors is nearer than you think. They really do want to help you succeed with your ambition, working online. Creating your dream!

You're About To Learn 'Secrets' That Most People Will Never Know About How To Really Succeed Online...follow me the guy with the map.

About the Author:

Joe Kennedy is a successful online marketer and pro skier. Certified coach. Founder Positive Impact International and a Success coach at http://tinyurl.com/zmr9h Joe can be reached at http://www.nowyoubeyou.com

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Living And Working Where You Want!

2007-08-09T12:46:00.000-06:00

Start To Take Control Of Your Life! 5 Simple Steps To Your Success!

2007-08-08T11:46:00.000-06:00

Do you feel like you are running in circles with your life, and you can't seem to straighten it out? Do you feel that you are doing everything in your power to succeed, however aren’t getting the results you were hoping for?

If so, you’re not alone. Many people on this earth share this feeling with you. In fact, a very large percentage of the population struggles to keep their head above water with the consistent pressures of their J.O.B., Family, Finances, and “Unfulfilled Successes”. There seems to be this unspoken force that drives people to the depths of false promises and mediocrity. An idea that we should all have to break our backs, in order to make a buck.

At one point, I too felt this force pinning me down to the point where I couldn’t stand it anymore. I started to search in hopes to find a better way. To find some kind of light that would show me the way to success and relieve this unbearable pressure.

Through my studies and development, it appeared to me that this “force”, was nothing other than my own Mind! Beliefs that I had picked up as a youngster and held on to were holding me back in my successes of today. This has proved to be a very valuable find, for I now know that success has always been there, however “I” had to be there, in my mind, before it was revealed to me.

Success is a choice, and so is failure. You have this choice everyday. Whatever is going on in your life right now is a direct result to the choices that you have made in the past. The good news is that everyday, is indeed, a new day!

Are you taking the right actions to be successful?

If you truly desire success, you’ll want to implement these Five simple recommendations into your daily schedule.

1. Daily Meditation/Visualization of Goals – Specific goal setting and daily review; visualize your Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Timely (S.M.A.R.T.) goals with the emotion as if you have already have attained them.

2. Daily Income-Producing Activities – You can choose to be doing something that will produce
revenue right now, if you are just thinking about it or trying to get everything lined up, you are just wasting time.

3. Study Personal Development – On a daily basis too; you can get plugged into the study of personal development, if you do not, you simply become a reflection of what you are plugged into (news media, negative friends and anything else that can bring you down) you are a product of what you allow into your mind.

4. Mastermind With Other Leaders - Have mentors and a coach; people that are having success in the area you want to succeed in. This will keep you on track and focused.

5. Cultivate the Expectation of Leadership – Leaders lead by example and do not look back and dwell on their failures. Expect excellence from yourself first and do the things you need to do on a daily basis. Then you can expect the same from others; people will become successful and contribute to your success by your influence and example.

Once you start to implement these components into your daily schedule, you will find that that “force”, that was weighing you down, becomes a lot lighter, and what you desire will start to manifest. Remember, it’s your choice!

About the Author:

Trent Snodgrass is a home business owner that has assisted others in reaching financial success. For more information visit: http://www.livenlife.com/trentandjen or 1-888-897-4026

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Dealing With Returns And Fighting Credit Card Payment Fraud

2007-07-23T21:08:00.000-06:00

Some customers might start salivating as they learn about free shipping; it doesn’t mean it is the right approach for your business. If your product is small with a shipping cost of only a few dollars, free shipping may be easy to justify. An online jewelry store, selling high-ticket items can easily justify free shipping. An online bookstore, on the other hand, selling books at an average price of $19.95 can unlikely justify free shipping.

Free shipping is more of an art than science. One of the reasons consumers’ love free shipping is that it resembles their offline shopping experience. When they buy in a store they are not charged for a shipping fee, and may expect the same online. It is something you have to test on your own customers. Try offering free shipping, but build it into the price. You should also try offering discounts instead of free shipping, and see how your customers respond.

The bottom line is that there is no such a thing as free shipping. Someone is going to pay for it one way or the other. You may decide to build the shipping charges into your prices, or you may offer free shipping over a certain dollar amount. The concept of free shipping is a topic all e-commerce businesses have to face. With careful testing and consideration, you can determine if free shipping is the best option for your business.

Unfortunately, returns and refunds are part of online business too. The key is to have a clear policy posted on your website. Don’t hide it from your customers. The more visible it is, the easier it is for your customers to understand your policies. Encourage your customers to read your return policy.

The most important aspect of dealing with returns is to not to take them personally. It is just a part of business. Dissatisfied customers, if handled right, can become your best customers. To create a quick and efficient system, encourage you customers to contact you through e-mail. Explain to your customers that handling returns through your website simplifies the process.

Simplify the return process. If you create a return process that is complex, slow, or inconvenient you will alienate an already unsatisfied customer. A pleasant return transaction builds trust. You may lose the original sale, but you might gain a loyal customer.

Payment fraud is a more significant issue for online merchants than for bricks-and-mortar businesses for, unlike a face-to-face sale, an online transaction does not require a signature or credit-card imprint. "It's a damnable problem for Web merchants," said David Robertson, publisher of The Nilson Report. The trade publication figures the rate of credit-card fraud to be 18 cents to 24 cents per $100 of e-commerce sales — three to four times higher than the overall rate of payment fraud. As an online business, you can take several steps to reduce the amount of payment fraud.

1. Only ship orders to the billing address.

2. Don’t accept international orders. Since address verification is not available for international credit cards, you can’t verify if the shipping and billing address are the same.

3. Require signature for all orders, and post it clearly during the check out process.

4. Require CVV (Card Verification Value) number. The CVV number is a 3- or 4-digit number printed on the front (AMEX) of the card or signature strip (VISA, MasterCard).

5. Use real time credit card verification processing service

6. Check the IP address of the buyer. If the IP address is outside of the USA, reject the order.

7. Do not ship to PO Box addresses

8. For unusually large orders, call the customer to confirm the order. Make sure you can reach the customer. Leave a message if you have to, but talk to a live person prior to shipping the order.

9. Do not accept e-mail addresses from free e-mail providers such as hotmail, yahoo, etc.

About the Author:

Business success

Read more articles by: George Meszaros

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How To Build A Website Part 1

2007-07-08T22:17:00.000-06:00

There are two things that are required in order to have a good website:

A Domain Name
A Web Host

There are many companies out there that provide a wide variety of services for hosting and domain registration. Do a fair amount of research and find one that fits your needs. This one has some competitive pricing.

Registering A Domain Name

When buying a domain name, always try to get one with a .com TLD. The .com TLD (Top Level Domain) has become synonymous with any website's url.

Figuring out what you want to use for a domain name can be tricky. Most of the best domains have already been bought up over the years, so you may have to get creative. Pick a domain name that is similar to the subject matter of your website. Use this when your picking your domain name:

K.I.S.S. - Keep It Simple Stupid

If you have a long domain name with a hard word to type, then you might loose a lot of traffic. Pick a catchy domain name that's easy to remember. Outboxed.com sounds a lot better than browncardboardbox.com.

Once you figure out what domain name you want, it's time to purchase it. Most .com domain names cost around $10.00 USD. If the registrar you are planning on buying a domain name with charges more, you may want to consider finding a new one. Most registrars require a credit card or some other form of online payment. Once you buy a domain, it's yours. The only reason that you could lose possession of it would be if you sold it or stopped paying the yearly registration fee.

The Importance Of Play - Educational Toys Make A Difference

2007-06-26T08:36:00.000-06:00

Playtime is one of the most vital parts of childhood development. Research has proven that all areas of development are enhanced through a child’s play activities. Healthy growth and development is stimulated through play as early as birth and on into the school age years. Children play in a variety of ways with a number of different toys. Each activity has a different affect on development.

Newborns and infants enjoy a social play style that builds their trust as they prepare to explore the rest of the world. Babies interact with their parents and caregivers as they learn to bond with people and develop a basic understanding of emotions. Social games like peek-a-boo and pat-a-cake are common play activities for older babies and toddlers.

As young children grow, playtime is the biggest contributor to the healthy development of large muscles. Crawling, walking, and running all develop gross motor skills. Preschool and school age children develop socially, emotionally, cognitively, and physically through outside play. Childhood games of tag, Red Rover, and hide and seek are great activities to encourage healthy development.

The most beneficial play is initiated by the child. During free play is when most learning takes place in young children. A child’s natural curiosity leads him to explore possibilities and test each one. A child playing with blocks will begin to stack them. Through this simple activity, the child is learning basic problem solving skills while discovering the effects of gravity and exploring sizes and shapes.

The earliest forms of play in childhood are functional play. A child will use an object for the same purpose over and over again. Through this repetition the child gains confidence in his abilities which will encourage him to do new things. Filling a bucket with sand and then dumping it out and filling it again is an example of functional play. During this type of play, children typically strengthen fine and/or gross motor skills as well as logic thinking.

Constructive play is common in preschool age children. A child playing constructively will create something through his play. This would include things like playing with blocks, doing art, or staging a puppet show. Galt’s line of giant floor puzzles will initiate hours of constructive play to develop cognitive thinking, problem solving skills, and creativity. Group constructive play encourages team work and healthy social emotional development as well.

Pretend play is a very important part of healthy development. Most children pretend and role play from their preschool years through early elementary school. This type of play has a number of benefits to the growth and development of a child. Pretend play helps children process the things they see and hear each day. It invited children to be creative and to expand their imaginations. Playing make-believe strengthens language skills and aids in proper social development.

Children gain a strong foundation for learning through play. Playtime is fun. Young children love to explore and discover new things about the world around them and about themselves. Solitary play fosters independent thinking and problem solving while group play encourages cooperation and understanding. For healthy growth and development, children should spend most of their days in free play. Allow your child to play his way and encourage him to solve problems during playtime.

About the Author:

For more tips and information about Baby Einstein Discovering Water Play Gym, check out http: www.thekidstoystore.com.

Read more articles by: Nicole Munoz

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Super-Premium Cigars—A Father’s Day Gift He Really Wants

2007-06-17T10:21:00.000-06:00

Got a cigar-smoking father or husband? Stuck for a gift for Father’s Day? Relax, we can tell you everything you need to know to select the perfect “super-premium” gift for any hard-to-shop-for dad.

Choosing a cigar may seem like an overwhelming task but read this short article and you will become a quasi-expert on cigars with respectable bragging rights AND, you’ll be able to tell him exactly why you thought he’d like the Dominican-grown Robusto with a Maduro wrapper.

Type of Cigar Based on Size

There are several ways of categorizing cigars: size, shape, strength, their country of origin, and the way they are made (hand-rolled vs. machine). The most common way to categorize a cigar is by size, which is the cigar’s length in inches and ring size (cigar diameter) measured in 64ths of an inch. There is actually a name associated with each length and ring size and these are the cigar names that you may be familiar with. Corona, Panatela, Torpedo, Toro, Churchill, Perfecto, Cigarillo, Lonsdale, Robusto, and the largest of them all, Giant. The Giant style of cigar is 9 inches in length with a ring size of 52!

Colors, Shapes, and Hand-Rolled

After choosing a cigar based on size, you can start to whittle down your choices by choosing the color of the exterior wrapper color (there are more than 100 different wrapper shades!) and the shape of the cigar. Flared, tapered, pyramid are the basic shapes. And don’t buy the cheapest cigar -- hand-rolled cigars should be your only choice. No one can ever appreciate the true joy of cigar smoking with a machine-made cigar. Don’t even spend the money.

Start with Mild-Flavored Cigars

If your gift is for an aspiring cigar connoisseur, start by buying one of several different sizes/styles of cigars at your local tobacconist. Choose mild cigars at first and work your way up to stronger flavors. Here are the benefits of starting with mild cigars: they generally cost less than stronger cigars and you won’t lose as much money as your beloved learns how to cut the ends appropriately, learns the best way to light them, and learns the best way to store them at home. You will be surprised at how quickly they dry out if not properly contained. It’s a learned art!

Get the Most Out of Your Cigars

Here is what long-time cigar enthusiasts recommend about smoking and enjoying cigars. This is also useful stuff to relate to the profoundly happy recipient of your gift:

• There are many types of cigars. Experiment with new sizes and flavors.

• Don't inhale cigar smoke when puffing and keep the smoke in your mouth for the shortest length of time.

• Unless you buy your cigars in single sticks that were stored in a humidor, age your cigars by stripping off all packaging and placing them in a humidor for a few months before smoking. Do not store your cigars in the refrigerator because it will dry them out.

• Throw away partially smoked cigars—do not put a stinky used cigar in your humidor!

• To really enjoy your cigar smoking experience, choose the right drink to go with your carefully chosen indulgence. Try some strong-flavored drinks to enhance the flavor of your cigar, such as scotch, port wine, and Kahlua drinks.

• Biting the tip off a premium cigar should only be done by gangsters in movies. Don’t do it. Use a sharp cigar cutter.

• Do not use paper matches to light your cigar. Use a butane lighter for best results. Wooden matches are OK but make sure you let the sulfur burn off first.

• When you are finished with your cigar, let it burn itself out in the ashtray. Snuffing your cigar out leaves an unpleasant smell.

Get That Man a Cigar for Father’s Day!

If the thought of choosing a cigar for a Father’s Day gift is overwhelming, never fear. Cigar accessories, such as cutters, humidors, lighters, cigar cases, and ashtrays, will also make a cigar smoker happy. You need not travel to your local tobacconist to find the best Father’s Day gift.

Find the right cigar and purchase online at Heroes and Legacies at http://www.heroesandlegacies.com/index.shtml. Their easy-to-use online Cigar Finder will help you find just the right cigar.

About the Author:

Jayne Miller is a freelance writer and marketing consultant from Austin, Texas. She has been associated with Heroes and Legacies for several years. Visit their website at http://www.heroesandlegacies.com/index.shtml.

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Beat A Speeding Ticket By Going To Driving School

2007-06-04T15:30:00.000-06:00

I know we all speed - well almost all - from time to time, but we all know speeding is illegal. We may not thinks the speed limits are right - after all, most were introduced when cars didn't have ABS or the good tires and systems we have now.

Even so, speeding is illegal and get you into hot water if you keep doing it. But here is a way of getting out of trouble.

You see, you can't always beat the speeding ticket, but you may be able to reduce the consequences. But remember this:

If you keep getting tickets in some territories you will lose your license for 3 or 6 months, a year or even longer. In places where they take speeding very seriously, repeated offenders can even go to jail.

The risk of going to jail for just going too fast several times should be enough to stop you speeding on the road - if you must speed then you need to do it on a track. But that won't help with your speeding ticket.

Don't go to jail - beat the speeding ticket by going to school

One secret way of avoiding the speeding ticket is to attend a driving school - or a speed awareness course as they call it in the UK. When you get your ticket you plead “not guilty” and appear in court.

If this is not your first offense, consult a specialist first, and you may want to be represented by a lawyer. Lawyers who specialize in the area of traffic offenses understand the importance of a driver's license and will work hard to not only make certain that you keep your license but will also work hard to keep you out of jail.

In this case, the lawyer will explain that you want to improve your driving skills so that you can drive safely without speeding. To do so, you are willing to attend a special driving school. The judge will see this as a sign of good faith on behalf of the motorist.

It shows you understand that your driving skills are lacking and time with a certified driving instructor explaining the basics of driving will work towards improving your speeding problem. Because you will spend time not just in the classroom absorbing the basics of driving and time driving with an instructor, the judge might be convinced that you are trying to reform your bad habits.

If the judge agrees, you will spend several hours studying in a classroom with others. Then, you will take part in in-car training with a qualified instruction. There you will be given the skills you need to safely operate a motor vehicle including instruction on maintaining the legal and safe speed.

After you have completed a written and a practical test your results are sent to the court. If you fail any part of the course, you will have to appear again in court to face sentencing. If you pass, their lawyer may request that the last ticket be dismissed. That will improve your record and reduce your car insurance premiums.

You will then be expected to continue driving as you did with the instructor, which is safe and below the legal speed limit. Make sure you pass the tests, and do not take them lightly, as this is a good way of beating a speeding ticket.

About the Author:

John Hartley is editor of http://www.endspeedingtickets.com, a website designed ti help you avoid speeding tickets. He has written from many of the world's top auto magazines, and has written many books about cars and the auto industry, including 'Suspension and Steering Q&A'.

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Home Brew Generators Are The Instant Answer To Real Coffee

2007-05-23T08:50:00.000-06:00

If you are one of the many people out there who need their morning coffee each day when you wake up, then you should definitely consider the option of home brew generators. Home brew generators are like mini coffee making machines which work more quickly and more efficiently than other coffee brewers.

Home brew generators are also very affordable, and so you do not have to worry about having to spend a fortune just to get one for yourself if you are interested in having one.

Where To Get Home Brew Generators

If you are interested in the home brew generators idea, then you need to first find out where you can go to buy one. Basically the best place to go first is your local large retailer, as they are sure to have the most selection for the most affordable price.

However if you cannot find anything here, then you are going to want to check out the specialty coffee shops that are in your area, and although the items here are sure to be at least a bit more expensive, the quality is great and they are sure to have a decent selection as well.

Another option that you have is to go on the Internet and check around at stores online, and one of the best things about this is the fact that you are going to be able to find so much variety this way.

After all there are so many different online stores across the world, and you will be able to shop at stores that you otherwise would most likely never be able to get to. As well, the prices at a lot of these stores are much cheaper than anywhere else, and so you will be able to save in this regards as well.

If you do end up shopping online however, you are going to want to make sure that you are aware of the shipping and handling costs, so that in the end the total with everything included does not come to more than it would have if you had have just gone out to a regular retail store, because then it would really be pointless.

Just be sure to take your time and have patience when you are shopping for something such as this, so that you can end up being completely satisfied and coming out with the best results in the end of it all.

About the Author:

Ann Marier has written many articles about the house and garden providing helpful tips and advice. Her latest articles are all about home brewing and the intoxicating fun you can have with this hobby

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4 Tips To Take The Terror Out Of Giving Presentations

2007-05-05T10:26:00.000-06:00

What's scarier to most Americans than spiders, heights, or even death? There hasn't been a horror movie made about it yet, but more than 75% of Americans surveyed report that they suffer from "glossophobia," a debilitating fear of public speaking. Statistically, far more of us claim that we would prefer death to giving a speech; even comedian Jerry Seinfeld used to joke that at a funeral, most people would rather be lying in the casket than delivering the eulogy.

Why is the prospect of trying to communicate information in front of even one person so horrifying? Most glossophobes fear looking bad, being criticized, suffering rejection, and losing business or friends-all because they are certain they will forget what they'd planned to say. Maybe you have had the experience of forgetting a speech or presentation, or you've seen it happen to someone else, and you don't want it to happen to you. Ever.

What's wrong with rote?

Most people memorize speeches by rote-or word-for-word repetition-and try to deliver it exactly as they've written it. You probably don't realize that this method of learning is actually setting you up to forget what you're supposed to say because it creates tremendous stress, which is in turn the number one killer of memory.

Or if you do manage to remember every single word you'd planned to say, the effort requires so much mental energy that you come off as a terrible communicator. You're not really there while you're speaking because all of your efforts go into remembering what comes next. If, heaven forbid, something distracts you, or someone interrupts you with a question during a memorized presentation, thinking about anything other than "What comes next?" can throw you completely off-track. Your mind may literally go blank, just as you feared.

And there's one more problem with word-for-word learning: 93% of our communication happens non-verbally. The majority of the message your audience receives has very little to do with the actual words you say but with body language, tone of voice, gestures, and facial expressions. So you can't expect to convey ease and expertise non-verbally if your mental and physical energies are completely preoccupied with delivering a verbatim speech. You'll simply be too tense, and it will show.

And what's wrong with notes?

What about the security blanket of an outline or notes? You may feel you need notes to stay on track when giving a presentation, but if you're tied to those notes, you aren't free to make eye contact, a key element of non-verbal communication. You'll also be stuck behind a podium, and if people can't see two-thirds of your body, that has a serious impact on the 93% non-verbal communication aspect of your presentation. Notes may make you feel a little better, but they also take away a crucial tool for your effectiveness.

As a real estate professional, for example, when you're discussing listing or selling a prospect's home, an effective presentation is one in which you are clearly the expert and know more about selling a home than the person who wants the home sold. Likewise, an American who is fluent in French doesn't need to reference a French translation guide while vacationing in Paris. So if you're fluent in your topic, you shouldn't need to consult your notes, and your audience of one or many will sense this on a subconscious level. However, if you feel you must use notes, consult them very little or not at all, and you'll gain huge credibility as an expert.

Four Tips to Relieve Presentation Terror

1. Regardless of how deeply rooted your fear of public speaking is, with a few simple adjustments to your method of preparation, you can grow more confident about your abilities so that much of your fear disappears. When you know what you're going to say and that your presentation is strong, public-speaking may still be a little nerve-wracking, but it's exciting, too. Try these tips to help turn that stomach-turning anxiety into the rush of great communication.

2. Know what you're talking about. When you prepare an organized presentation of any kind, you must be knowledgeable about the company, product, or situation. Talk about things you actually know well. If you're not confident that you know all that you need to, commit to doing thorough research and learn what you need to know to feel and look expert. If you truly don't know what you're talking about, it will show, and all the tricks and techniques in the world won't help.

Decide on a few key points. Good keynote speakers typically don't have more than three or four key things for the audience to take away from their presentations. The classic presentation formula is a story that makes the audience laugh in the beginning, a few key points for them to take away (usually illustrated with stories), followed by an emotionally moving story at the end.

Another basic formula for effective communication is:

- Tell your audience what you're going to tell them.
- Tell them.
- Tell them what you told them.

3. Create visual triggers. Invent pictures in your mind and "store" them in various places around the room where you'll deliver the presentation. The pictures then become your speech. For example, if one of your points is about achieving goals, you can envision a set of goal posts as a visual representation of that concept. If you want to make a point about freedom, envision an American flag somewhere in the room, or a huge stack of money if you want to talk about increasing profits.

4. Relax, have fun and be yourself. People respond best to a message when the person delivering it is genuine. With sufficient preparation of the right type, you'll feel comfortable enough to be yourself in front of a group. You can then demonstrate how much you believe in what you're saying. When you can relax and be an authentic human being, you tap into powerful communication.

From Fearful to Fearless

You've undoubtedly heard a few presentations-both good and bad-in your day, so you know it's a fact: you listen to and respect those speakers who talk to you, not at you. A conversation is always better than a lecture, isn't it? When you are preparing to make a presentation, know that people don't mind if you stumble over a couple of words; in most cases they don't even notice. What they will notice, though, and mind a great deal, is being read to or BS'd. If your audience feels as if you're insincere or unknowledgeable, they may give you real reason to be a glossophobe! But if you're prepared, knowledgeable, and relaxed, you can expect to get the results you want, whether that's more sales, promotions, or thunderous applause from your devoted audience.

About the Author:

Roger Seip has given more than 15,000 presentations. His company, Freedom Speakers & Trainers, specializes in memory training. Workshops are presented across the country. To learn more, http://www.deliverfreedom.com, 888-233-0407, info@deliverfreedom.com

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Men's Fashion Tips: Basic Suits For Men's Wardrobe

2007-05-01T12:52:00.000-06:00

So here are some basic styles of mens suits that should be present in your wardrobe:

Navy Blue Suits
Through the right mix and match with dress shirts, a navy blue suit can be worn quite often during the week and you can still look different each time. Navy blue generally has easy affinity with many basic colors like white, light blue, dark blue, gray and even purple dress shirts. These colors can be blended within any combination of patterns (check, fine stripes, bold stripes) on the dress shirt and make your navy blue suit look refreshing each time.

Gray Suits
Gray suits would generally fall from dark gray to medium gray to charcoal gray. These are the safer shades of gray where it suits both day and night as well as summer or winter wear. Gray suits projects an image of authority, stability, and professionalism.

A popular fabric of choice for gray suits has been flannel. But when buying mens suits, we should consider possibility of one that can be worn year-round. So it would be advisable to have a lightweight worsted flannel gray suit instead of heavy woolen flannel.

Stripe Suits
Pinstripes are fine line or stripe that can be straight or broken and runs vertically down the suit. Pinstripe suits are known for its classic styling that is timeless and definitely worth investing for the long term.

Chalk stripe are like chalk drawn vertically on a suit which is thicker than pinstripes. The definition of chalk stripes are usually less pronounced than pinstripes. Chalk stripe suits can give a more dressy effect.

Both the pinstripe and chalk stripe suits are worn often in the business and strongly favored by many boys in the financial industry, like the bankers and stockbrokers.

Needless to say, these two styles give an impression of someone professional with authoritative status. To create a more fashionable look, there can be a play of colors for the stripes over the usual charcoal gray or a medium gray fabric.

I personally prefer the chalk stripe suits for its subtle and yet stylish feel over the pinstripes that can give a conservative and strict image.

About the Author:

Copyright 2006, Leroy Fong and http://www.mens-fashion-tips.com Reprinting this article is allowed provided all references and acknowledgement to the author, the website, and the URL remain intact.

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A Cottage Garden Design Is Beautiful And Practical

2007-04-30T13:15:00.000-06:00

The image of a cottage as opposed to a house is most complimentary. When one thinks of a cottage, the image is of comfort, beauty and serenity. A cottage design garden is all of those things and more. A garden can make a dramatic difference in any property and a cottage garden design could make a dramatic difference in the atmosphere and appearance of any property. A cottage garden design might first bring images of a very tidy garden, but a cottage garden design is more than just a very neatly kept garden space.

The cottage design garden is not limited to the cultivated areas around a small cottage. A cottage garden design could be established around many different types of structures and there could be this type of design that is not established around any kind of structure.

A cottage design garden can be defined by the structure and the plants in the garden rather than the structure around which it is established. The name cottage garden design refers to a particular style of garden. This garden style has been used for thousands of years, and this type of garden is still currently used.

A Cottage Garden Design Has A Fruitful History

A cottage garden design developed during the time when international trade became possible, and people started to find a vast variety of plants from different places. Some of these plants grew better than others, and some of these plants lasted longer than others. They had many choices that they never had before.

Simple gardeners first used these plants that looked great and had stamina in their gardens. The new and different plants that looked great soon became popular in the gardens of the people who had more beautiful homes and estates.

Some people still have this type of garden in their homes, but these gardens must be carefully tended. The plants are beautiful and not the easiest to cultivate. A busy person does not have hours to work in the garden. In the modern day, people are so busy that they do not have a great deal of extra time. They spend long days on the job and do not have a great deal of time after working hours to spend in their garden.

They want to have a garden but one that is easy to tend. Many people do not have the means to employ experts to take of their gardens. People do not often cultivate cottage garden designs because they tend to use plants that are easier to care for and are native to their own area.

About the Author:

Ann Marier has written articles on house and garden topics providing helpful tips and advice. Read all about her latest articles on types of garden design offering a new insight into Garden design

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How To Report Identity Theft

2007-04-29T09:54:00.000-06:00

Have you been a victim of identity theft? Do you think that your identity is in jeopardy, and that somebody has taken it upon themselves to use your personal information as their own? If this sounds like a situation that you are in, you will definitely want to look into reporting your matter to the appropriate agency. By doing this, you will be able to document your problem which will go a long way in ensuring that everything is taken care of appropriately.

If you are interested in reporting identity theft you will need to know who to speak with. The reason that most people don’t report this sort of theft is because they simply don’t know who to call. You should never let this hold you back from reporting identity theft.

The first place that you may want to contact is the Social Security Administration. Even if they can’t directly help you, they will be able to point you in the right direction. The Social Security Administration can be reached by calling 1-800-269-0271.

The Federal Trade Commission may also be able to help you out, or point you in the right direction. They can be reached via phone at 1-877-IDTHEFT.

If you know that your credit card information has been stolen you will not want to waste time with the Social Security Administration or the Federal Trade Commission. You will want to call your credit card company direct, and tell them what happened. This will allow them to put a freeze on your card, and quite possibly assist you in tracking down the problem.

By reporting identity theft, you are doing more than just helping yourself. You are also helping other people who have been victims, as well as people that can become a target at any time. If you feel that your identity has been stolen, make sure to report it right away.

About the Author:

Brazilian living in North Carolina, USA since 1996. Married, one teenager daughter. Professional background: Computer Systems Analyst Vision: Improve people's health and wealth. Help needy children. Webpage: http://www.etorres.ws

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Get Clear About Your Life Purpose

2007-04-22T09:42:00.000-06:00

- Do you want to wake each morning looking forward to the day ahead?

- Do you want to be of service to others by creating benefit and value in your everyday life and environment?

- Do you want to love what you do?

If your answers sound anything like "yes", then it’s likely you’re not yet living the life that’s right for you. The result? You’re living out of habit with a routine that serves only to help you exist as opposed to live. The solution? To get clear about what it is you really should be doing with your life, to start living it and to realise the wonderful benefits for you and your environment.

Are You?

- Fed Up With Where You Are Right Now – Perhaps Even Resentful?
- Wishing You Were Doing Something More Meaningful Each Day?
- Sensing It’s Time You Did Something About It? If any of your answers are "yes" then read on ...

What’s In It For You?

- Discover What It Is That You Really Should Be Doing With Your Life
- Transform It Into Reality
- Revel In The Benefits That Come Your Way As Your Environment Seeks To Support You

By sticking to the same old routine of existing as opposed to living, we risk forming a habit that serves only to frustrate us. We slip out of alignment with our inner self, and because of this we fail to express our potential and the magnificence of the person we really are. The way to cut through this is to wake up to our calling – to discover what it is that motivates us to be of service and to make a difference.

How do we achieve this? Simple – we first need to discover our unique qualities and motivators for creating change, then set about applying them in our interactions with others. As we continue in this way, we begin expressing ourselves more naturally. In turn, we become compelled to make an even greater difference and do so by organising other areas of our life into alignment with this way of being and doing.

Result – we open up to who we really are and find ourselves expressing a genuine love for life. We also benefit from the support of our environment as all manner of opportunities appear to help us on our way.

INQUIRY: Make a note of your core values and unique personal qualities. List some of the ways in which you enjoy expressing these when interacting with others. How can you call on them to make a difference? What more can you be and do to build on this?

ACTION: For the next thirty days, make this a reality by putting the above into action. Notice how different you feel, and the effect you have on your environment. Perhaps there’s a way you could make a living from this? If so, check it out – what’s the first step? Trust in yourself - grab the initiative and make it happen. You’ll never know the difference you can make until you’ve made it.

I wish you every success as you Get Clear About Your Life Purpose ...

Best Wishes

Simon

“Everyone has his own specific vocation or mission in life; everyone must carry out a concrete assignment that demands fulfilment. Therein he cannot be replaced, nor can his life be repeated, thus everyone’s task is unique as his specific opportunity,“ Viktor Frankl

About the Author:

Simon is a successful Professional Self Development Coach based in the UK. He specialises in helping individuals and businesses to see the reality of their challenges and desires, and then set about ways to transform and achieve them through inner change. http://www.rightlifecoaching.co.uk.

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Poison Prevention

2007-04-21T12:42:00.000-06:00

Every year a needless number of accidents occur involving poisons found in the home. Common household cleaning products as well as insecticides and other chemicals can be harmful and in some instances deadly to children and pets. March is Poison Prevention Month but with proper awareness and careful storage, we can prevent accidents involving poison every month.

A couple of years ago, my beloved cat accidentally got out of the house and ended up being a victim of antifreeze poisoning. Although it was never clear whether the poisoning was deliberate or accidental, his tragic death was needless and preventable.

Even the best-fed pets tend to rummage through garbage if given the opportunity. Dogs may chew on empty or partially empty containers. It’s in their nature just as young children are curious and may tend to explore low area cabinets such as under the sink where household cleaners may be stored. We can’t always protect our children and pets from every danger they may encounter but we can take measures toward poison prevention.

Don’t store household cleaning products, insecticides or other chemicals on low shelves or anywhere that young children may be able to reach. Don’t leave cleaning products setting out where children can get their hands on them, even when you are using them. In the time it takes to answer the phone or door an accident can happen. Always make sure that all lids are tightly secure.

Don’t use any type of rodent poison in an area where children may play or any place that is accessible to the family pets. The same precautions should be applied when using rat or mousetraps. Curious little fingers and paws could sustain injury. Be careful when letting pets outside. Neighbors may use chemicals around their homes to ward off rodents or in their gardens. Unsuspecting pets that are out for a stroll could become victims of such poisons. Try to keep cats indoors and walk your dog rather than letting them out by themselves. Automotive products such as antifreeze are deadly to pets. If containers are left outside or a vehicle is leaking such a product, an animal could be drawn to the harmful mixture. Be careful not to leave such items open in a garage or basement. If you keep your vehicle inside a garage that pets have access to, make sure you keep it maintained and check often for leaks or other hazards.

Medications and even some beauty products can be hazardous as well. Always be sure to keep medicines out of reach. Keep them on a high shelf, in a medicine cabinet or somewhere safe from small hands. Many medications now come with childproof caps that help to prevent accidental poisoning. They work rather well considering that sometimes adults have difficulty opening them.

Although Poison Prevention Month is all about preventing poisoning you should be prepared and know how to react in the event poisoning does occur. It may be difficult but try to remain calm. Call the Poison Control Center and get assistance. If the container is available or you know what the substance is, describe the type of poison that was ingested. Let the center know if you have any idea how much of the poison was consumed. Stay on the phone and listen carefully because you will be instructed how to proceed. Don’t give a child any water, milk or any other substance to dilute the poison or induce vomiting unless instructed to do so by the Poison Control Center. Although in some cases, such an action may be beneficial, depending on the type of poison, it could actually do more harm.

If you suspect a pet has been poisoned get the animal to a veterinarian immediately. Prevention is always the best medicine in any case. Keep all household products and toxic substances out of reach. Don’t let pets wander. Keep dogs on a leash when walking. Put safety first at all times.

About the Author:

This article was written by Jacob Mabille, sponsored by http://www.healthguidance.org. You may republish this article only if you retain resource box and active hyperlinks.

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How Do I Find Something To Sell?

2007-04-16T10:43:00.000-06:00

Many people wanting to start an eBay business spend a lot of time fretting over what they will sell. Perhaps these questions are familiar: Where do I find ideas? Should I sell the most popular items? How do I know a good idea? These are important questions everyone faces.

EBay already contains so many items for sale that some sellers feel overwhelmed from the start wondering how they can possibly find a product idea when the market appears to be full anyway.

So where should you start then?

1.Your hobbies

This can be a great way of establishing a niche. Perhaps you love embroidery or making model airplanes? Chances are a lot of other people share this passion and are looking for related supplies. Crafts and hobbies is big market – however, before you jump in headfirst, make sure you do some research to back up the feasibility of your idea. eBay is a numbers game and no matter how great your idea is, it won’t work if not enough people are interested. So be sure to use the completed listings search and test the market with some of your own supplies first.

2.Listen to what your friends and family are talking about

Sometimes the best ideas can arise from your friends and family. One seller says she overheard some women at the table next to her talking about the trouble they were having finding a particular brand of baby slings. This got her thinking, and, after a bit of research, she realized they were a foreign brand and hard to find in the USA. A wee bit of research later and she had found a supplier and was successfully selling online. So keep your eyes and ears open! If people you know are looking for a particular item, chances are others will too.

3.Research newspapers and magazines

Newspapers and magazines can provide a ton of information on trends and styles. Just browsing the headlines can often be enough to spark a new idea. Try sitting down with a pen and notebook and skimming the pages of popular magazines and daily newspapers. You should have a list of at least 10 ideas by the end.

4.eBay Seller Central

EBay itself has a fantastic resource in the Seller Central area ‘What’s Hot’. Every month, a list of super hot, very hot and hot items are published. This is a great way to find ideas but remember that everyone on eBay also has access to this information! The merchandising calendar is also a useful resource.

All successful sellers sell several products, rather than putting all of their eggs into one basket. Not only can trends change with the wind, but some products are only popular during a particular season. For example, dehumidifiers are more popular during winter than summer, while lawnmowers are super hot in spring and have a practically non-existent market in the winter.

5.Find out what your buyers are buying

A good way of expanding your product range is by ‘spying’ on your buyers. After making a sale, check your buyer’s feedback and find out what other items they have been purchasing recently. This will help you get to know what your target market are interested in and expand your range accordingly.

Finding something to sell can seem daunting at first, but I guarantee that once you think of one idea, plenty of others will quickly follow!

About the Author:

SaleHoo Wholesale Directory is one of the fastest growing wholesale sites on the internet. It contains a database of wholesale suppliers offering thousands of products to consumers at low prices!

Read more articles by: Chad Thompson

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Tips For Finding The Right Day Care Center

2007-04-15T16:55:00.000-06:00

For many mothers, it seems that about the time you get the hang of caring for your baby, it is time to return to work and hire someone else to care for him during the day. This can be a stressful process for many new mothers, since moms typically will think, “No one will take good care of my baby the way that I do.” The good news is that by using a process in selecting the right day care for you and your child, you can greatly reduce the amount of anxiety you feel in leaving him with someone else while you go to work.

How to Choose a Day Care Center

The first step in determining who will take good care of your baby is to decide whether you prefer to hire a nanny to come into your home, or to take your child to a day care center every day. A nanny or home day care provider has the advantage of offering one-on-one attention to your child, in the comfort of your own home.

The disadvantages to asking a nanny to take good care of your baby include that fact that accountability is limited, since your child and the nanny might be the only ones at home during the day. The other drawback to a nanny is that if she gets sick or goes out of town, you do not have anyone else there to care for your child.

A day care center will provide plenty of opportunity for your child to socialize with other children. This can also mean that your baby might get sick more often from the many germs that can come into a center from all of the other kids. It also indicates that your child will not receive as much personalized attention.

The good news is that sickness and vacations will not affect your ability to leave your child in his care setting, which means less days off of work for you. There are many centers that will take good care of your baby, and others that might not do such a good job, so it is important to shop carefully when selecting a day care center.

Before settling on the center that you think will take good care of your baby, visit a few in person to witness the staff and children in action. Determine that the environment is safe and clean, and that the child to teacher ratio is low enough that every child gets sufficient attention. Ask about the activities and schedule that are offered throughout the day and make sure that the center is accredited with a national organization.

It is also a good idea to get familiar with the center’s policies regarding how to teach children, and what disciplinary measures are taken. These policies and philosophies should be close to your own if the relationship between the two of you is going to work.

By taking the time to select a day care situation that you believe will take good care of your baby; you will greatly reduce the anxiety involved with leaving your child with someone else while you are at work. You can rest assured that your child will be receiving the best care while you are not with him.

About the Author:

Ann Marier has written many articles on health problems and useful house and garden Topics. More articles about Baby Care and useful tips and advice

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Bar-B-Q Grilling With Pipe Smokers

2007-04-06T14:08:00.000-06:00

There are many makes and styles of smokers and grills. Some units have been adapted to be both. Whatever is wanted by a customer looking around has probably already been built. One type of smoker that can also grill is a pipe smoker.

A pipe smoker is a twist on other smokers already being sold in the marketplace. A pipe type smoker has a long metal pipe coming up from the smoker unit. This is where the amount of smoke is contained allowing for whatever level of smoke in the cooking chamber. Because the smoke is also heated, one can adjust the temperature in the chamber by either opening the top of the pipe or closing it shut.

Pipe smokers are convenient and are used by many people who smoke meat. Pipe smokers come in many sizes. From small units used by couples without kids, to backyard units large enough to smoke larger amounts, there is a smoker built for just ones needs. There are even commercial size units that are towed by trucks.

People who search out smoker restaurants may have seen large trailers behind the buildings of the restaurant without even thinking about it. Smoker units can be located by searching the internet and by shopping in a store where they sell smokers. There are even specialty stores packed with almost any style desired.

Proper Cooking Tips For Pipe Smokers

Smoking meat is part skill, part experience, and part equipment. If someone is new to smoking meat, asking others about basic things one needs to learn will really help. Most individuals won’t share secrets about their recipes, but they will share the basics of what to do. One can look on the internet for recipes and some of that great taste. The longer someone smokes meat, the easier information and secret recipes will be learned.

Something that should be mentioned about pipe smokers is that the pipe is almost as hot as the cooking chamber itself. When adjusting the amount of smoke coming from the pipe, have a leather glove handy so that one can safely adjust the pipe lid without getting burned.

If, while using the pipe smoker, bad weather should approach, the pipe smoker will be fine. The pipe is located at the rear of the smoker and is on the left or right. Rain coming in from the pipe will not drip into the cooking chamber because of its location, and water will not put out the fire for the same reason.

About the Author:

Ann Marier has written many articles on health problems and useful house and garden Topics. More articles on BBQ Meat Smokers

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Tips To Avoid Being Scammed

2007-04-05T09:59:00.000-06:00

There are many online and work from home jobs that are available to you, no matter where you live and work in the world. However, just like with anything else online, some of them are just too good to be true. There are several things that you can do to make sure that you don’t end up being scammed out of your hard work or money.

First of all, do your research. If you are offered a paying position or even a temporary job by someone online, do a search on their name or e-mail address and see if anything fishy comes up. Try to deal with people who have good reputations, or at least who don’t have bad reputations. You should aim to avoid people who send you e-mails from a free e-mail address, unless they include a lot of business information that you can check and verify. Remember that you should always be on the look out for potential scammers, and this includes in the job market.

Strive to ask as many questions as possible of the person who is hiring you before you begin work. Make sure there is a work contract that you can sign and keep for your own records. Do this so that you will have proof if anything goes wrong or if you do work that you aren’t paid for. The more information you are getting on the person who is offering you work the better chance you have of staying clear of scammers. Often scammers will not give you much information.

Another tip is to make sure that you are keeping very close records of your own work. Keep track of everything you do and how much you need to be paid for it, and be sure to keep track of when that payment has been received. If you can, try to keep records of all of the communications that you have with the people who are recruiting you to work, and make sure that they are always answering your questions.

Lastly, simply feel out a person before you take work from them. Make sure that you are able to trust this person, and that they have given you enough information so that you feel that they are trustworthy. You should be able to know if you can really trust someone or not by the time you begin to work with them. The best thing to do is to avoid the places and the people who you simply don’t trust. If you don’t trust someone, you shouldn’t take work from that person. That is just a useful rule of thumb to keep in mind. You shouldn’t be working for those that you do not trust, and this should go for all types of work, whether it is from home or not.

About the Author:

Barry Nguyen Is the Owner of MakingSkrill.com To find the best home based business ideas and opportunities so you can work at home visit: http://www.Making$krill.com

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