Archive for November, 2007

Disability and Diet: How to Select the “RIGHT” one for you?

Tuesday, November 27th, 2007

By Carolyn Magura Greetings!! In the last “Diet” blog entry, I admitted that I was investigating about diets, and intending to start one. I did my research, and have summarized that information here for you, so that you, if interested, can do your own investigation. As you read the following, you might want to take the “test” to determine your own BMI (Body Mass Index). I discovered that my BMI, at this current time, is 34. So, I have decided on my particular diet plan, and, to date, have lost 12 pounds!!! Best of luck to you as you make your own choices, focused on your own health. How do I know if I am overweight? According to the FDA, Overweight refers to an excess of body weight, but not necessarily body fat. Health professionals use a measurement known as body mass index (BMI) to classify an adult’s weight as healthy, overweight, or obese. The BMI Calculator provided by the National Institutes of Health can help you calculate your BMI. BMI Classification 18.5-24.9 = Normal 25-29.9 = Overweight ≥(equal to, or greater than) 30 = Obese Overweight is defined as a BMI of 25 to 29.9 and obesity is defined as a BMI equal to or more than 30. A normal BMI for men and women is between 18.5 and 24.9, although there are exceptions to these guidelines. For example, a person might have a higher than normal BMI if they are small in stature but very muscular, or an elderly person might have a normal BMI, but be considered frail or underweight. Its important to remember that BMI is just a number and is recommended to be used as a guide only. There are many other factors that need to be considered when judging how much you should weigh including: waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) bone structure muscle mass physical activity level genetics body shape age gender Whether you are overweight or would just like to lose a few extra pounds and get in better shape, you have probably heard of some of the popular diets and their different claims to help you lose weight. You may be wondering if they really work and about their health benefits. To assist you in better understanding many of the currently popular diets, below are some weight loss decision websites. Weight Loss Plan Decision Websites 1) Which Weight Loss? Best Weight Loss Plans & Diets Compared http://www.which-weight-loss.com/best-weight-loss.htm 2) How healthy is your diet? The screening quiz at this website will help you determine if you have a healthy diet. http://nutrition.about.com/library/healthydietquizparts/blhealthydietquiz.htm 3) Test your Knowledge about Nutrition http://nutrition.about.com/library/blnutritionquiz.htm 4) Weight loss: Finding a Weight Loss Program that Works for You (A pdf document published by The Partnership for Healthy Weight Management.) This site is a very valuable 12 page document that includes the following. Questions to ask about different Weight Loss Programs. A Body Mass Index chart (BMI) A Personal Health Profile Evaluation checklist A checklist for evaluating weight loss products and services. http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/online/pubs/health/wgtloss.pdf 5) Dieting Review: All the weight loss information you need. At this site, in the left hand column, you will find Diet Types. By clicking on a type of diet, you will find a summary of that program and pros and cons about it. Next, you will find different nutrition information; click on a type and find more information. At the top of the right hand column, you will find a series of weight loss tools. One of particular interest is a Fast Food Chart that provides calories and fat grams/item at various fast food chains. http://www.dieting-review.com/weightwatchers.htm About DisabilityKey.com The Disability Key Website (http://www.disabilitykey.com ) is designed to assist each person in his/her own unique quest to navigate through the difficult and often conflicting and misleading information about coping with a disability. Carolyn Magura, noted disability expert, has written an e-Book documenting the process that allowed her to: a) continue to work and receive her full salary while on Long Term Disability; and b) become the first person in her State to qualify for Social Security Disability the FIRST TIME, in UNDER 30 DAYS. To download Carolyn’s e-book, click on the following link: http://www.disabilitykey.com/products.htm Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Carolyn_Magura http://EzineArticles.com/?Disability-and-Diet:-How-to-Select-the-RIGHT-one-for-you?&id=236271 buy xanax 2mg order xanax no prescription xanax online prescriptions prescription xanax

Contract Mobile Phones- Get The Maximum Value For Your Money

Sunday, November 25th, 2007

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Amanda_Dorthy]Amanda Dorthy Looking out for a mobile phone that satisfies your communication needs? Hi-tech devices, astonishing features, latest technologies and stunning designs are what people look for while buying mobile phones. The most desired gadget, mobile phones have become so common these days that almost everyone in the street owns it. In the UK, the popular mobile phone deals are pay as you go, contract mobile phones and sim free phones. You can easily find a variety of online mobile phone deals with lucrative deals waiting for you at the online mobile phone shops. With contract mobile phones, a cost-effective and tension free mobile usage is ensured. All the major network service providers offer attractive offers to lure the consumers. Free mobile phone accessories, free text messages, 12 months free line rental, free roaming, subsidized call rates and free handset are some of the offers available with contract mobile phones. A contract mobile phone user enjoys the opportunity to possess a free handset, a plethora of free gifts, 12 months free line rental, etc. These contract deals give you ample of options to choose from. You can easily cut down on your calling expenses. Before making a choice, get a list of your needs and compare them with various networks. The bundles of freebies on offer and a platter full of latest handsets with state-of-the-art technology are the motivators behind people buying these deals. Contract mobile phones generally come in a contract of 12 or 18 months. You can get a handset either of low cost or absolutely free with this deal. The hot competition among the top service providers has made these deals attractive for you. Save a lot of time and money by shopping online and getting yourself a contract mobile phone deal. People from different classes can avail these deals and benefit from them. For more information on latest [http://www.bestcontractmobilephone.co.uk/]Mobile Phone Deals and [http://www.bestcontractmobilephone.co.uk/12monthfreelinerental.asp]12 Months Free Line Rental on 3 mobile, t mobile, orange, O2, Vodafone network, please visit our online [http://www.bestcontractmobilephone.co.uk/]Mobile Phones Shop. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Amanda_Dorthy http://EzineArticles.com/?Contract-Mobile-Phones–Get-The-Maximum-Value-For-Your-Money&id=600877 tramadol no prescription required 200 tablets buy ultram with no prior prescription online pharmacy tramadol 120 ea 1 buy cheap tramadol

5 Easy Ways To Become a Job-Search

Saturday, November 24th, 2007

By Jason Adams According to current Department of Labor statistics, today’s college graduates will, on average, have 8 to 10 jobs and as many as 3 careers in their lifetime. In addition, in today’s job market with downsizing, rightsizing, layoffs, mergers and acquisitions, etc. your job skills and job-hunting skills need to be constantly updated and refined. The job market is getting tougher and your competition is getting smarter. That’s why you need to gain every advantage you can. You need to become a Job-Search “Commando”. Commandos commonly use guerilla tactics to win. What I am about to share with you are tactics that have helped me find good jobs over the last 28 years. Commando Tactic #1 - Problem solvers get jobs! All companies have problems. Demonstrate that you can solve a company’s problems and the world will beat a path to your door. What type of issues do companies have? * Sales are down * Expenses are up * Market share is decreasing * Layoffs are coming * The company is in acquisition mode * New departments/divisions are being formed * Someone is retiring or going on leave * The company is entering a new market * A new product has been developed * New ad campaigns are being discussed * A department that was outsourced is now being brought in-house (ad agency, Public Relations) * They are in need of new leadership * Assignments/goals/objectives are not being met * The competition is continuing to gain market share. At this moment, dozens of companies in your surrounding area are in immediate need of someone like you to help solve their problems; you just need to find them. That leads us to broadcast letters. Commando Tactic #2 - Broadcast letters uncover positions in the “hidden” job market. A Broadcast or Marketing letter is an excellent way to uncover positions that have not been announced yet. Many people call this the hidden job market. Once you tap into the hidden job market, your chance of success increase dramatically. Why? Because you are not competing with a “million” other people that answered the same ad. There are no other people because there was no ad! Broadcast letters can help generate leads for you because companies always problems that need to be solved. As they say, timing is everything so if your letter arrives at the right time, you may find yourself with a job interview. In addition to solving a problem (see list above) that the company currently has or will have in the near future, considering you might actually save them money. How? If you are the right candidate to help solve a problem or address a specific issue, they will not have to pay a recruiter, or place any ads on Monster.com, or in dozens of newspapers. - Everyone wins! Commando Tactic #3 - Answering blind ads lessens your competition. Many people think that answering blind ads opens yourself up to the possibility that you might be sending your cover and resume to your current company. While there is that possibility, the ad hopefully gives you enough information to recognize it as your won company. What most job hunters don’t realize it that blind ads will usually only get about 50% of the responses that a traditional ad would get. What that means is that you are competing with half the number of people you normally would. This essentially doubles your chances of having your resume and cover letter selected for a follow-up phone call. Commando Tactic #4 - The best time to answer an ad? Be the last resume received. I made it a habit of sending in my cover letter and resume 2 weeks after the ad ran. By then I knew I was not competing with 500 other resumes that were sent in right away. My information got more time because the hiring manager did not have to read 499 other resumes the same day. Commando Tactic #5 - Answer ads twice If you never hear from a company where you sent in your resume, send another cover letter and resume in about 2 months. Many times, the position was not filled because there was no qualified candidate or the company and candidate could not come to terms on a compensation package. This means they have to start from scratch. Your resume may arrive just at the right time and get a second look. By following some of these Commando tactics, you chances of finding the job you want will increase dramatically. Jason Adams is President of Street Smart Sales and Marketing and author of the highly acclaimed book The StreetSmart Job-Changing System. For more information visit http://www.StreetSmartSalesAndMarketing.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jason_Adams http://EzineArticles.com/?5-Easy-Ways-To-Become-a-Job-Search&id=75995 legally eliminating credit card debt debt elimination without bankruptcy books credit card debt elimination negotiating card credit debt eliminate mbna

Wedding ties on Valentines Day

Friday, November 23rd, 2007

By Sean Carter On this day you choose to wed Endless thoughts abound in your head. The fireworks that you feel inside You smile that you try to hide. As anyone can plainly see The two of you were meant to be. The love that both of you eminate Makes your joining more than fate. As you begin to travel down this road You story together yet to unfold. As you put on your wedding bands And walk down the aisle hand in hand. Remember this day forever. This is the day you became husband and wife The day you joined you hearts together for life. A wedding, is a start of togetherness…of walks in the rain, basking in the sunshine, shared meals, caring for one another and sensing the love that a marriage carries. Someone had rightly said that, Marriages are made in heaven. By any chance, if you marry on the Valentines Day, then you must be a true romantic. This very special day of everyone’s life should reflect all the romance with special and extra effects. Even if not marrying on the 14th of February, one can easily incorporate some of these touches for this day. Dress: A retro look on Valentines Day, is always welcome. One can wear styled dress and tuxedo. For some fashion tips, one can even watch a few flicks like, FUNNY FACE; MY BEST FRIEND’S WEDDING; A WEDDING PLANNER etc. A second option would be a white dress with red accents. Pull the hair back, and tuck a few red roses to it. Wrap a red stole around the arms, and carry a bouquet of red roses. Make the bridesmaids wear similar outfit with varying shades of pink, mauve, and silver. Make the groomsmen wear red ties with different red and pink boutonnieres. Setting: Valentines Day is a very popular day to tie in wedding wows, so be very careful while selecting the venue of your marriage. Choose a place, where lot of candles can be lit to really set the mood of the ceremony in the evening. One can alternatively look for a place warm enough in mid-February, to be in a secluded garden, or may be pent-house with lush flowers around. Decorate like to decorate a special dinner, with light music, soft lights, gauzy linen, flowers, candles and plenty of atmosphere. Ceremony: Include all the traditional ceremonies and rituals. Ask the married couples to stand during the wedding and reaffirm their love for each other. Music: A string quartet, or an Italian opera can put set the mood right. If you want to have a DJ, then ask him to play a list full of romantic songs. Flowers: A wedding can be a dream, and the one not easily forgotten, if one can very carefully plan out the flower decoration and the lighting to go with it. The beauty and fragrance of flowers, combined with the use of natural lights, candles, and lighting fixtures sets, adds to enhance your wedding theme. If the marriage venue is in a romantic paradise set-up, then,one can set the scene with soft lightings, pastel shades of pink, lilac, creamy white, tinge of gold should be present in the lights, flowers and ribbons. Use bright lights with brilliant splashes of gold, orange, cobalt blues, hot pinks, purples and reds in your flowers, and accessories. Menu: A wedding menu, should be not that a heavy one. Include a variety of drinks and desserts. This can easily fan the spark between your invitees. Don’t forget the liquor. Wine is a must. But then, do keep non-alcoholic drinks too. I don’t think you want any of your guests, or relatives to get looped at the venue. Plan a meal according to the trend. Consult the caterer about whats new. Trends come and go,like the soft morning breeze. If you can get a smell, or hang on it, you are the champ! No matter what you serve on the platter, just remember, KISS…Keep It Simple, Sweetie! Invitations: Pinstripes are hot in fashion now. A mixture of classic and contemporary invitation can that be of an elegant script juxtaposed with a playful pinstripe border. Set the tone of the invitations by writing something like, Come celebrate love and romance on Valentines Day at the wedding of ………………………. Keep separate invitation cards for the different aged invitees. Special touches: Instead of numbering the tables, name them. Maybe after some famous romantic couples. These can be real: Jessica Tandy and Hume Cronyn. Fictional: Fred and Wilma Flintstone. Classical: Romeo and Juliet. Or ancient: Antonio and Cleopatra. Other famous couples are Adam and Eve; Robin Hood and Maid Marian; Paris and Helen etc. You can even name after celebrity couples like, Courteney Cox and David Arquette; John Lennon and Yoko; Paul McCartney and Heather Mills etc. Honeymoon: Apart from picking a gown, honeymoon planning might be the most nerve-wracking part of a wedding. It is one of the trips of your life, that is guaranteed to create lifetime memories. Listen to fellow travelers and get their secrets to picking the right destination, finding the perfect hotel and taking all the stress out of the honeymoon, making it a blissful escape from the frenzy of the wedding day. Sean Carter writes on holidays, Valentine’s Day and world events. He also writes on family, relationships, celebrations, religion, love and friendship. He is a writer with special interest in ecard industry and writes for 123greetings.com. He is an active blogger at Valentines Day Blog.123greetings.com. He is an active blogger at Valentines Day Blog. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sean_Carter http://EzineArticles.com/?Wedding-ties-on-Valentines-Day&id=403705 buy generic tramadol by mail buy tramadol cod order ultram pill order ultram pill

3 Easy Steps for Finding Effective Weight Loss Products

Wednesday, November 21st, 2007

By Robert Tracy Chicago, Illinois, January 9, 2007. Recently, the federal government levied $25,000,000 in fines against 3 weight loss supplement manufacturers, including the highly publicized TrimSpa, featuring celebrity spokesperson, Anna Nicole Smith. This shouldnt be a surprise. Ms. Smith, who provided visible, physical evidence of the products ability to help shed pounds, admitted to reporters over a year ago, that she lost much of the weight in ways other than ingestion of the TrimSpa product (Dont ask how she did it. Its not pleasant). Beyond the appearance of results provided by Ms. Smith, the federal government looked deeper and found that little or no clinical evidence existed to support the TrimSpas weight loss claims. TrimSpa, apparently, was a successful marketing ploy, rather than good science applied to an age old problem of excess weight. Fortunately, there are companies out there that spend more on research, science and good weight loss product development, than on empty celebrity endorsements. But, you need to know how to find them, and what to look for. Here are some guidelines for finding effective weight loss supplements: #1 Look for a Product with claims substantiated by hard science Many weight loss supplement manufacturers claim clinically-proven, documented results or backed by scientific research to sell their products. But you need to see the research yourself. If a manufacturer is unwilling to provide substantiation, run like the wind. #2 Not all Clinical Research is the same Look closely at the clinical studies provided by weight loss manufacturers. Was it conducted by a reputable, recognized institution, such as Georgetown University Medical Center, Harvard or other known organization? If the manufacturer provides study results that were conducted by unspecified persons, under vague conditions, question their product claims #3 What happens in the manufacturing plant This can be murky. While a manufacturer may have scientific studies, conducted at reputable institutions that substantiate their product claims, they may not be putting the right ingredient purity, quality grade or dosage to help you realize the same results achieve in clinical studies. Effective weight loss ingredients are expensive. One way a manufacturer can goose profits, is to lower the amount of active ingredients, while benefiting from legitimate result claims. To make sure youll be getting the same product as used in clinical testing, is to look for quality manufacturing verification from independent organizations, such as USP (US Pharmacopoeia), NF or Consumer Labs. Look for one or more of their symbols on weight loss packaging. If its missing, avoid buying the product. Getting beyond the hype of questionable, but often convincing celebrity endorsements requires some homework on the consumers part. But by following these three guidelines, it is possible to find a weight loss supplement that actually works. About Proven Results Health (Diab-X) (http://www.provenresultshealth.com) Diabetics can actually read 200 supporting studies on this site. Helping diabetics and pre-diabetes loose diabetic weight & gain healthy blood sugar levels is the mission of this group. Diab-X is an all natural supplement that contains key active ingredients recommended by leading health experts such as Dr. Nicholas Perricone, and is provided in the full strength dosages used in clinical trials. Testing indicates that you get results 3X Times faster than diet and exercise alone. Visit this site to learn about research that supports the product. You can download a free eBook, Live Longer Now. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Robert_Tracy http://EzineArticles.com/?3-Easy-Steps-for-Finding-Effective-Weight-Loss-Products&id=412138 buy carisoprodol cost low soma carisoprodol online us licensed pharmacy soma 180 tabs buy carisoprodol href soma4cheaptblogcom

Stuttering Treatment, Stammering Treatment

Tuesday, November 20th, 2007

By Steve Hill There are many different treatments for people who stutter/stammer. In this article I will describe some of the experiences and types of stuttering or stammering therapy people experiment with. One of the first places people go to when seeking help for a speech impediment is speech therapy. I myself started attending speech therapy at the age of five and I continued at different times to attend until the age of eighteen. Now I am sure some people have some very positive experiences and results from this type of therapy, however I was not one of these people. From what I remember the main advice I was given was to slow down my speech and to take a deep breath before starting to speak. When I observed fluent people speaking, I rarely heard them take a deep breath. Another area people try is hynotherapy. This was something I really wanted to try for myself at the age of around nineteen. Unfortunately each session cost nearly as much as my weekly wage at that point of my life. I never managed to experience this form of stammering therapy. I now believe that stuttering is a physcological as well as a physical problem. As hynotherapy only really deals with the physcological issues I am now not sure if it could have offered me the complete answer. The other treatments people who have a stutter try are speech courses. These courses are either on a group basis or on a one to one basis. With each of these courses, the person who attends the course is required to practice the techniques to make them a natural part of their speech. Confidence courses are another form of treatment for stuttering. In my opinion these are of value, however do not cover the physical aspects of how to eradicate a stutter. Stephen Hill has overcome a stutter which had affected his life for eighteen years. He now runs one to one speech courses. He has a couple of websites at http://www.stutter-stuttering.com and at http://www.stuttering-help.co.uk Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Steve_Hill http://EzineArticles.com/?Stuttering-Treatment,-Stammering-Treatment&id=51780 purchase of valium getting valium online where can i buy valium online buy valium from india

Insights From The Book Of Genesis Chapter Two

Monday, November 19th, 2007

By Jerry Sakala Being the second chapter of Genesis means a revelation of witnesses of Gods plan and purposes for salvation. Human Generations are verse 4 led by the influence of the power of the Holy Spirit to fulfill his plan and purpose of salvation. Rain upon the earth is verse 5 to the glory of the LORD. Water from the earth watering the whole face of the ground is the reason for 6 the righteous judgement of God. Man formed from the dust of the ground is 7 the grace of revelation of his plan and purpose of salvation. The Garden of Eden is 8 A free gift of Gods glory. The tree of life and tree of the knowledge of good and evil is 9 help comfort and warning to believe and do the righteous works of God. The four rivers are the leading power of the Holy Spirit to fulfill Gods plan and purpose of salvation out of Eden which is 10 works for the advancement of the establishment of the kingdom of God to all generations on the earth. River Pison and Gold are 11Gods own Wisdom and counsel from the foundation of the world established and shortly brought to pass. Gold, bdellium and onyx stone are 12 a witness of Gods plan and purpose of salvation. River Gihon is 13 Gods own Wisdom and counsel from the foundation of the world as an act of righteousness. River Hiddekel, the third river is a righteous act of God and fourth River Euphrates is 14 Gods own Wisdom and counsel from the foundation of the world by the influence of the power of the Holy Spirit. Dressing and keeping the Garden of Eden is 15 Gods own Wisdom and counsel from the foundation of the world to the glory of the LORD only. The command not to eat of every tree of the garden is Gods own Wisdom and counsel from the foundation of the world, the mystery of 16 , the righteous judgement to fulfill his plan and purpose. The command Thou shall not eat of the tree of good and evil is 17 Gods own Wisdom and counsel from the foundation of the world of mercy, favor and grace of revelation of his plan and purpose of salvation and a helpmeet suitable is 18 Gods own Wisdom and counsel from the foundation of the world as a free gift of his glory. Dominion over the creation is 19 Gods own Wisdom and counsel from the foundation of the world for help, comfort and encouragement to believe and do the works of Gods plan and purposes of salvation. Man, all cattle, beast of the field and fowl of the air are 20 witnesses of the works for the advancement of the establishment of the Kingdom of God to all generations on the earth. Sleep, rib and flesh are 21 witnesses of the Gods plan and purpose of salvation according to his own Wisdom and counsel from the foundation of the world. A woman is 22 a witnesses of Gods plan and purposes of salvation established by God shortly to be brought to pass. Marriage is 23 a witness of Gods act of righteousness to fulfill his plan and purpose of salvation. Sex in marriage is 24 a witness of the influence of the power of the Holy Spirit. Man and wife relationship is 25 a witness to the glory of the LORD. Jerry Sakala is Book Distributor Of New Life Mission a Free christian books Ministry. visit http://www.bjnewlife.org Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jerry_Sakala http://EzineArticles.com/?Insights-From-The-Book-Of-Genesis-Chapter-Two&id=385030 order pharmacy tramadol buy tramadol online 150 pills online prescription of tramadol buy link pharmacynet top ultram

Frugal Ways To Show Your Love

Saturday, November 17th, 2007

By Brandie Valenzuela At one time, I would have never wanted to share my frugal ideas for showing love to those around you. My reason for keeping it to myself? At one time I thought that no one would be interested. After all, we were the only couple not buying each other expensive gifts, jewelry, roses, and more, right? Reality check! I have grown up a lot over these last 10 years and I have learned that I am not the only one clipping coupons and cutting my children’s hair myself. There are lots of other families out there just like my husband and I, who have to watch our spending. Without the necessary money to buy costly gifts for anniversaries, birthdays, holidays, or other special occasions, we have been very committed to doing things that were wonderful, yet inexpensive. Over the years, I have learned that these creative ideas are what truly matters and they have made our years together, lots of fun. Here I have compiled my ideas here to share them with you: PILL BOTTLE: This is a cute idea for your spouse or other adult. Take an empty pain reliever or prescription bottle and soak it in hot water to remove the label. After you remove the label, design your own label on paper, with something like the following: “Love Pills” - take one as needed. Then take strips of paper and write down the things you are willing to do for your loved one. Some ideas are: foot massage, back massage, your favorite pie, your favorite cookies, you choose the movie we see, etc… Take each strip and wad it into a little ball and place them in the bottle. Copyright Brandie Valenzuela LOVE SONGS: This next idea I did before we had internet access, so today it would be even easier to do this. Frame the lyrics to your wedding song or other love song. The internet has several sites that list song lyrics, so just type “song lyrics” into a search engine. Print up the lyrics in a nice font, and frame. CANDLELIGHT DINNER: When you are not able to go out to an expensive restaurant for dinner, have it at home. Wait to eat until after the children are in bed, set your dining room table nicely with a tablecloth, candles and play soft music. Enjoy a nice dinner…preferably one that you don’t usually have, and one that you and your spouse consider to be special. SWAP CHILD CARE: If you do want prefer to go out for your special day, but find yourself having a hard time paying for dinner *and* childcare, ask a friend to swap child care with you. CREATE A LOVE TREE: Find a branch outside that has several smaller branches coming off of it and place the branch standing up in a pot of soil, or even a coffee can filled with dirt would work. Cut out an assortment of hearts from different colored cardstock or construction paper and string each one with ribbon. Then have each member of your family write the things that they love on the hearts (one “love” per heart) and hang them on the tree. You can name just about anything you love: a beloved pet, grandma, sunsets, or even ice cream! If you want to create this tree as a gift for someone, write things on the hearts that you love about that person or couple. RUN THROUGH A MAZE: If you have a gift for someone in your home, make them go through a maze of clues to get to their surprise. At the first “stop” (which should be a place in your home that this person is likely to go to), you should have a little poem of sorts which will tell them to go to the next spot in your home, and so on. At each point in your home have something telling your loved one where to go next until the end which of course will end up being their gift. I had a friend who did this for her husbands birthday. She placed his first note on the toilet since that was the first place he went to when he got home from work, and each note she cleverly told him where to go next in his home. After going from room to room, he came to the end which was a CD that he had wanted. HEART SHAPED CAKE: If you don’t have a heart shaped cake pans, don’t despair. Create your own heart-shaped cake by baking one layer in an 8-in round pan, and one layer in an 8-in square pan. Cut the circle in half and place the cut side of the halves against two adjoining side of the square to form a heart. Frost and decorate at desired. HEART SHAPED COOKIE POPS: Bake up some heart shaped sugar cookies, but insert a popsicle stick near the point of the stick and bake as usual. Decorate. FLOWERPOTS: Take flat bottomed ice cream cups and place them on a cookie sheet or in a muffin tin (you can wrap bottoms of cones with crumbled up foil to make them more sturdy). Fill cones with 1/3 cup brownie batter and bake 35-40 minutes or until tops are puffed up and cracked. After brownie cones are cooled insert a fake rose in the center. You can also create a flower out of construction paper and secured it on a popsicle stick, and then insert this into the center of the puffed up brownie. HEART SHAPED CUPCAKES: Prepare you favorite cake mix according to the directions on the box. Line your muffin pans with paper baking cups and fill each cup 1/2 full of batter. Place a marble in each muffin cup….between the paper liner and the pan, which will create the heart shape. Add additional batter as needed so that cups are about 2/3 full. Bake as directed. GIFT COUPONS: We have all heard of the idea of creating coupons which give of ourselves, but have you ever given your kids some? Why not create a coupon book for your child that has coupons such as: your choice of dessert, kids video rental, lunch out with mom (or dad), etc. PLANT A TREE: Give a gift that will grow! Without your loved one knowing, plant a tree in your yard. You may also want to make a small yard sign that will sit near the tree and that says who the tree was planted for, and the date. PROGRESSIVE DINNER: Call up two other couples and arrange a progressive dinner. Everyone will go to the first couple’s home and enjoy some appetizers, at the next home you will go for the dinner, and at the last home, you will enjoy dessert. After your progressive dinner, you may want to go out together to a movie or some dancing. About The Author Brandie Valenzuela is married and a mother of three children. If you like this article, be sure to check out her other website, Family First at: http://members.aol.com/BMValen/index.html While you are there, be sure to sign up for her FREE weekly newsletter devoted to your and your family and her FREE weekly ezine called Daily Holiday Recipe! 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The History of Maple Syrup in the United States

Friday, November 16th, 2007

By Kit Asselin Native Americans have been credited as the first to discover that the sweet sap from a maple tree could be processed into maple syrup. It is one of the few processes that was not brought to the United States by European settlers. While there are many interesting and wonderful stories about the origin of maple syrup, there are no authenticated accounts of how the process was discovered. One of the most popular legends involves a Native American chief who discovered the clear liquid sap seeping from a tree he had stuck his tomahawk into. As the day got warmer the sap seeped into a cooking pot on the ground. The chiefs wife, after tasting it and discovering it tasted quite good cooked his meat in it. The chief was so impressed with the sweet taste of the maple meat he named it Sinzibudkwud which means drawn from trees. Native Americans still quite often use this word when referring to maple syrup. Soon they discovered that cutting or (wounding) a maple tree in early spring caused it to ooze a sweet clear liquid that could be processed into a sweet product they found to be delicious. Most stories probably have been modified over the years, but the discovery of maple syrup most likely was accidental. Over the years they learned they could gradually reduce the sap to syrup by repeatedly freezing it, discarding the ice, and stating over again. They could store up to 30 pounds of maple sugar in containers made of birch bark. Eventually some of the Native American tribes began to process the maple sap over fire. The women would migrate to the maple groves or sugar bushes during early spring to process the maple syrup. They made troughs in which they collected the sap and brought it to the fire. The sap was heated by adding heated stones. Freshly heated stones would be added while removing older cooler stones to be reheated. Most early Native Americans preferred sugar over salt and used maple syrup or sugar on their meat and fish. Early settlers imitated the Native American methods to make their maple syrup. They would boil the sap over an open fire until it reduced down to syrup. It takes about 40 gallons of sap to make 1 gallon of syrup, which was a labor intensive and time consuming operation. Not much changed for the next two hundred years, and then during the civil war the tin can was invented. It wasnt long before syrup makers discovered that a large flat sheet of metal could make a much more efficient pan to boil maple sap than the previously used heavy rounded iron kettle. Most original syrup makers were dairy farmers who made maple syrup and sugar for their own use, or a little extra income during the off season. They continually looked for a more efficient and faster way to make their syrup. Many innovative ideas and processes evolved over the years, but for the most part technology stayed the same for another century. In the 1960s it was so labor intensive and time consuming it was no longer possible for small farmers to sustain themselves. They could not afford to hire the large number of people required to tap the trees and haul the small buckets to the evaporator house. Finally with the energy crunch of the 1970s another surge of technological breakthroughs occurred. Tubing systems were developed, and vacuum pumps added to draw the sap directly from the trees to the evaporator house. Pre-heaters were that recycle heat that previously was lost were developed, and reverse-osmosis filters that remove a portion of the water out of the sap before it is boiled were developed. Technological developments continue today with new filtering techniques, better tubing, supercharged pre-heaters, and improved storage containers. Michigan Maple Syrup Ken Asselin is webmaster for the”Gourmet Michigan Maple Syrup” store at: www.michigan-maple-syrup.com. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kit_Asselin http://EzineArticles.com/?The-History-of-Maple-Syrup-in-the-United-States&id=340535 phentermine online doctor consultation buy phentermine online prescription phentermine online without a perscription order phentermine online

Article Submission Software Says “I Do” To Article Marketing

Thursday, November 15th, 2007

By Davion Wong Article submission software has added a new meaning to article marketing. Webmasters have a love-hate relationship with article submission. Some dread article submission because of the lengthy process of submitting manually to hundreds of article submission directories, others simply dont have a flair for writing. But in both cases, webmasters still force themselves to do so because article marketing is effective in driving targeted traffic to their websites. This article would share some tips on article marketing and article submissions software to avoid the pains and grouses about in article submission. Article marketing is a powerful marketing tool if done correctly. Lets look at some tips on what goes into an article that entices visitors to come to your website and how article marketing can be a painless and enjoyable experience using article submission software. 1. Catchy Title Spend some time to create a catchy title. Try to be funny and entertaining, yet not sound flippant or flamboyant. Compare Article Submission Software Helps You Submit Articles to Killer Article Submission Software Makes Article Submission Easy as ABC. Which one is better? The answer is obvious. A catchy title grabs the attention of the reader. Marketing research reveals that you only have a few seconds to entice your audience to read your article before he/she decides to move on to something else. 2. Informative and Non-Exaggerative Content Write informative content to establish trust between yourself and your reader. Investing in good content is wise. Once you manage to get your audience glued to your content, you are one step closer to establishing yourself as an expert in the topic. The probability of your reader visiting your website dramatically increases. But please do not over-exaggerate. Be truthful. 3. Arouse Curiosity Never reveal everything in your article. TV shows often end each episode with an incomplete scenario. This is how they hook you up to follow through every episode. Learn from them. Give enough appetizer to your readers and invite them at the end of your article to have a full course at your website. 4. Research For Facts Stick with good factual content. People are always looking for specific answers and these answers are sometimes found in statistics and figures. There are a few places that are ideal for doing research for article marketing. Wikipedia, HowStuffWorks and Fact Monster are great sources of research material. 5. Hire A Ghost Writer If you dont like to write, hire a ghost writer to do so. Typically, a good article should cost you at least $5 and above. Though $5 articles are rare these days, there are some new authors who are eager to take on your article writing assignment to build up their reputation and credibility as writers. Elance and Scriptlance are excellent places to start your search for a writer. 6. Article Submission Software Article submission software are tools you should include in your buying list. These tools take the monotony out of article marketing so that you can focus on writing articles of excellent quality. Nowadays there are many article submission software that can submit to article directories automatically. All you need to do is copy and paste your article into the software and send it off with a single mouse click. These article marketing tips have helped many webmasters earn a fantastic income from home. With the help of the latest article submission software, they are able to make significant improvements in their earnings. Visit my blog now and find out which are the article submission software they are using to boost their income. This article may be freely reprinted or distributed in its entirety in any ezine, newsletter, blog or website. The author’s name, bio and website links must remain intact and be included with every reproduction. Davion is a successful webmaster and author. Discover more about article marketing and read reviews of top article submission software such as Article Post Robot, Instant Article Submitter etc and find out how these tools can drive instant and continuous traffic to your website at Article-Submission-Software.blogspot.com. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Davion_Wong http://EzineArticles.com/?Article-Submission-Software-Says-I-Do-To-Article-Marketing&id=447167 order phentermine cod buy phentermine with out prescription buy phentermine with out prescription cheap phentermine no perscription