Posted by admin on May 26th, 2008 — Posted in Med
As our bodies move from Winter into Spring we can begin to really feel the need to
“shed the winter weight”. Whether we actually have weight to lose or not, this is an
excellent time of year to give attention to our body’s need to feel lighter. Every body
is different and, as I always say, therefore not one way of eating serves everyone,
but here are three general steps to physically prepare the body to move into spring.
Weight Loss - Physical Preparation
1. Drink 8-10 glasses of water each day
For those of you who find this difficult because of a dislike for the taste or a
schedule that doesn’t allow you to be going to the bathroom consistently just keep
this in mind: your body wants to let go of any excess weight and toxins that it has
been holding over the winter, but it needs help. Just like a plant needs water to
grow, so do you. Once you get started, you will begin to crave water. This is how
much your body actually needs it.
To start your day, drink a glass of water before you eat. This is probably the easiest
glass you will drink all day. Have it right next to your bed if your need to and drink
it first thing when you get up; it will help you to remember to drink water all day
long. Hey, you could even drink two!
If you really have trouble with taste of water, try using a water purifying pitcher or
filter. You can also add a slice of lemon or lime to your water (or even experiment
with other fruit such as oranges, cucumbers - but no sugar or sweetener!)
2. Breakfast
Eat breakfast. Go to bed earlier so that you can get up 20 minutes earlier each
morning - do it. Breakfast is important to your health and to weight control.
According to Dr. Barbara Rolls a professor of nutrition at Penn State University,
“Your metabolism slows while you sleep, and it doesn’t rev back up until you eat
again.”
Think about easy, high quality choices for the start of your day. You can always
keep a couple of hard-boiled eggs in the fridge, a non-sugar yogurt or some high-
fiber, low starch fruit around. (If you plan to eat fruit at all during the day, breakfast
is the perfect time to do it. It cleanses the body.)
3. Eat at least 3 meals and snacks each day
I know, we are all busy.
Just like eating breakfast will increase your metabolism, so will eating high quality
food, more often. (This will also help you curb your simple-carb cravings by taking
care to ensure that your snacks are planned and occur regularly throughout the
day.)
It does take planning, time at the grocery store and time each morning to make
some healthy food choices and prepare a few healthy snacks and meals, but your
body will thank you for it.
Just as we must make physical preparations for weight loss, we must take care to
mentally prepare as well. There cannot be success in weight management (or
anything else for that matter) if the body is doing one thing, but the mind is
thinking another.
Weight Loss - Mental Preparation
Are you taking care of yourself? What is self-care? Self-care is proper relaxation,
body movement, maintaining a healthy diet, having fun doing activities you enjoy
and spending time with people you love to be with. When you take good care of
yourself you feel good, you look better, you enjoy life and are fully present to your
whole day - everyday.
Self-care is different than being self-indulgent. It is about balance. Here are some
mental preparation tips:
1. Plan something pleasurable for yourself every day (I don’t mean a chai latte).
Make time for at least one relaxing activity. Set aside 15 - 20 minutes at the least to
spend with yourself: read, mediate, take a walk in nature, get a massage or
whatever pleases you.
2. Take time to cultivate relationships. Studies show that having friends and a social
network helps reduce stress. Friends offer us opportunities to talk about our
feelings and they provide us with feedback. At the same time, don’t get involved
with trying to solve other peoples’ problems. Be supportive and listen, but don’t
overburden yourself. You are you; they are them.
3. Unplug. Take a day with no radio, TV, cellphone, computer or other electronic
equipment. This mental respite will soar your energy and as a result, bump that
metabolism.
Heather Dominick is a Holistic Nutrition Counselor accredited by the
American Association of Drugless Practitioners and creator of The
Energy Rich Lifestyle Program. In addition to her nutrition
services, Heather is a motivating and dynamic speaker, and Founder of Individual
Health, based in NYC.
To receive bi-monthly Nutrition and Lifestyle Tips you can (a)
subscribe to her free e-Newsletter at http://www.individual-health.net or (b)
register for a free teleclass at http:http://www.individual-health.net/events
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Posted by admin on May 26th, 2008 — Posted in Travel Hall
Being green is a thing that is going to influence us all in the next eight years. We have Eco Travel, Electric Cars & Biological Diesels to look at now.
There are several sorts of Bio Fuels. Biological Fuels are many principally plant based substitutes to oil- based Diesels such as petroleum, diesel and cooking oil. Burning biodiesel gives out CO2 emissions, however, this is offset through the fact that the plants used to fabricate it uses CO2 emissions from the atmosphere to develop. Nonetheless the climate benefits of Bio Diesels are hotly debated, with some environmentally friendly authors maintaining that Biological Fuels cause more destruction than good. There are 2 prime sorts of Biological Diesel & Ethanol.
As the brand suggests, biodiesel is considered for use in diesel tanks. Biodiesel is extraordinarily related to veg oil and is produced from the similar varieties of plants- oil rich sources such as sun flower, palm, rapeseed & groundnut. Biological Diesel may also be fabricated from turkey fat or oils reused from Spanish cuisine restaurants. Biodiesel and fuels will often be tried smart in some diesel automobiles, however, at this current time Biodiesel is more typically reflected in a mixture with normal diesel- ordinarily 0.12 biodiesel with regular diesel fuel. This recipe can often be burned by any regular diesel motorcycle.
Ever thought about acquiring a environmentally friendly car? There is two forms the G WIZ & the Mega City electric car. The above are genuinely climate friendly travel machines; in fact they are an environmental vision. Electric cars don’t construct any carbon dioxide emissions in fact much more to the point Bio Diesels cars do not even own an exhaust pipe. Because if you power a climate change friendly car from renewable energy, it generates zero emissions. Even though this electric car has many advantages it does have several cons as well. The apparent one being it is a climate change friendly car and it might only do 92 miles before you have to recharge the car powerpack & this on the whole has to be finished over night, if you’re organising on doing a long road trip, this may have to be powered up over the course of some trips.
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Posted by admin on May 25th, 2008 — Posted in Animal Supplies
Horse owners who are history buffs may recognize the name Jesse Beery. Beery was an enormously famous horse trainer from the 1800’s and early 1900’s.
He learned to train horses at a very young age. It was clear he had a gift for horse training and made it his life’s work.
Among the almost countless things Beery could do with a horse, he taught them tricks. One of the most amazing tricks he taught was teaching a horse to drive without lines. (In layman’s terms, you have no long reins (known as lines) connected to the horse. The only connection to the horse is the buggy hitched to the horse) This trick almost defies belief!
Beery said this about driving a horse without lines: “While I do not advocate it as being a universally practical way of driving a horse, yet it is possible to so thoroughly train the horse to certain signals that he can be controlled more reliably under excitement and in case of danger than it would be possible to manage him with bridle and lines.”
Beery says there are a number of ways to teach this to a horse but suggests his method as the most reliable.
In a nutshell, Beery first turned his horse loose in an enclosure about twenty-five feet square. He would walk in with a whip and teach the horse to have confidence in him and not fear the whip. (The horse is never whipped).
Once the horse has learned to come to handler at the command of “Come Here” and shows no fear of the whip while it’s gently waved over his head and body, and will follow the handler all about the ring, then you have laid a good foundation for further instruction.
Put the horse away until the next day where the horse learns signals of the whip.
That process is as follows: Stand close the the horse’s hip and take a short whip and tap lightly on the right shoulder until the horse, in anticipation of driving a fly off, will swing his head around to where the tapping is. Step forward quickly and hand him a few oats, or a small piece of apple, almost in the act of turning his head around. Step back and continue the tapping and rewarding.
After a while, in his eagerness for the reward, he will take a step or two to the right when the tapping begins. Then caress him and treat him very kindly for that act. Soon, the idea will be conveyed that when tapped on the shoulder the horse will know to turn in that direction.
Remember to train both sides of the horse.
Once both sides are trained now an open bridle can be put on. Use short lines that come back as far as his tail only - but they are used only if he becomes unruly or to convey your idea to him.
The handler’s whip should not be over five feet long at this stage and the handler should stand directly behind the horse. (Beware of kickers) Let the whip extend to about the middle of his mane.
The signal you wish for him to stop for is raising the whip and holding it in a perpendicular position. Associate the meaning of this movement, and position, just as the whip is raised so the horse can see it. Pull hard on the reins and say “Whoa” - all at the same time. After a few repetitions the horse will know what to do. (Assuming you have thoroughly educated your horse to whoa)
The first few times he stops without a pull of the reins step forward and reward him immediately. Much of the success of teaching this trick depends upon how you give the rewards. If the reward is given in a manner so that the horse can fully comprehend it was complying with the handler’s wish, it will greatly enhance fixing this impression on the horse’s brain.
But if not given in the right manner, the reward will be worse than none at all.
In the same manner, the horse is taught to turn left and right. This is done by giving the horse a pretty smart tap on the lower part of the shoulder and immediately place the point of the whip three or four feet in that direction. Should he attempt to jump and go ahead too much, you can hold him in check with the action and signal to stop him.
About the Author
Andy Curry is a nationally known horse trainer and author
of several best selling horse training and horse care books.
For information visit his website at www.horsetrainingandtips.com.
He is also the leading expert on Jesse Beery’s horse training
methods which can be seen at www.horsetrainingandtips.com/Jesse_Beerya.
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Posted by admin on May 25th, 2008 — Posted in Technology Info
We all experience traumas in our lives, some big and some so very small that they are only important to ourselves. Over time these traumas have a tendency to come back and create new problems for us though. This happens because our subconscious mind is trying to protect us from future harm.
Lets say you were bitten by a dog when you were a small child, to protect you from further harm, your subconscious mind brings back the image of you being bitten every time you see a dog. You respond with fear and possibly anger in response to this warning from deep inside.
As a survival mechanism it works very well. You avoid all dogs and never get bitten. You also will never have a pet canine and will likely get rid of people in your life that do, even if you never make the connection yourself, your subconscious mind will associate the early trauma as a child with the dog owner you know now.
The problem comes in to play when the natural protective mechanism continues after it stops being useful to you.
It can be any trauma of course, and even seemingly small things can create large problems. Say you always got picked last to be on playground sports teams when young. Does your subconscious mind tell you to “buck-up” and not worry about what children thought of your athletic ability way back then, or does it tell you not to put yourself forward in social situations? That if others have control of your position, they will always pick you last?
This subject could be looked at as one of the most important problems humans have ever faced. Every person carries around with them a load of traumatic episodes and their own personal responses to them. Each set of problems has to be dealt with on a personal basis, if they are to be fixed. Cookie-cutter responses just won’t work.
Some forms of psychic intervention can be of help, Entrainment Therapy, Subconscious field adjustments and such things as simple calming mental patterns or a temporary diminution of fear can all be of help.
Ultimately though, real progress must come from within, outside intervention can help, but only so much. I am not telling you to not seek help by any means. (As it is a part of my personal practice, one would hope I could endorse it!) It is however still true that the real work begins and ends within.
The technique I am introducing here is very powerful, but not a miracle cure or quick fix, so be prepared to do a bit of work if you would like to see results in a fairly rapid fashion.
Begin by finding a calm and quiet spot, away from other people and distractions, where you can feel safe and comfortable.
Once there-
*Take a few deep breaths and let your mind calm down. Relax and let go of any concerns you may have. If things keep popping into your mind, just acknowledge them and set them aside.
*Focus on a spot deep inside your own head, towards the back a bit. Take a few moments to feel this space. Many people report that the most solid feeling of connection to their subconscious mind seems to come from this area of the brain. Whether this is fact or not is moot. The act of focusing here will cause the proper connection to take place, which is enough for our current purposes.
*To communicate clearly with your subconscious mind is simple in some ways, hard in others, and always different than you think it will be the first time you notice it. Your subconscious mind “speaks” in concepts. If you pay attention you will notice it. Look for meaning without words or pictures.
*Now that you are aware of what your deeper mind is saying to you, or at least have an idea that it is communicating, take a few moments to listen. Let the knowledge of what it is saying come to you.
*Now let your mind drift to a difficult topic, intent is enough to guide your mind to a subject, don’t feel like you have to tackle any particular issue. Stay as relaxed as possible. Each time you feel anxious or fearful, or any other negative emotion, introduce a feeling of peace and calm over the issue. Dwell on the feeling of peace and calm until it replaces the negative sensations. This will create a change in that particular pattern, that is so effective at this level of thought, that it is unlikely to recur in the same way again. Over time you will deal with all of the main permutations of the underlying trauma.
*The key here is to keep going. Every time you calm and smooth out a particular thought in your subconscious, your mind is permanently changing the pattern of response and replacing it with a feeling of calm, peace or whatever you have decided to replace it with. Try to spend ten to twenty minutes a day on this. Don’t set a goal date to be done by, just make it part of your daily routine. You will find it a useful skill to have long after all of your current difficulties have faded.
*Push yourself to the level you need to personally and don’t coddle your self overly. At the same time, please, remember that you have time to correct things! Of course it would be great if every problem would just disappear overnight. Unfortunately, it just isn’t going to happen. Still, it is much harder to live with the problems than invest a bit of time in the solutions.
Once you have worked with this method for a few weeks, there are some other things that might help speed the process up.
1. Begin each session with a psychic overlay that will help you communicate with your deeper self. That is, once you are in communication with your subconscious mind develop and hold the concept of deep non-verbal contemplation. Let this feeling grow stronger as you hold it. Feel your mind becoming calmer and more at peace. Hold this for a few minutes and then begin your normal daily practice. This will help nudge you towards uncovering deeper material and issues, which will help speed your progress.
2. Add to your practice a greater range of replacement feelings and concepts. Replace feelings of fear with courage or internal fortitude. Replace anger and rage with feelings of compassion for others. Make a conscious decision as to how you would like to feel about the issues that come up and make them happen.
3. After you practice these techniques, try and pay attention to any
difficulties that come up during the day. Issues that keep surfacing are the ones to deal with in the next session.
On a finishing note. I really wish to impress the idea that there is nothing wrong with seeking help from others, good counseling and medical help can often be of benefit, when you are struggling with a problem. Psychic healing measures can also help a person through a crises point and have no peer in direct intervention techniques.
Your mental and emotional state is under your control. You are your own best cure.
About the Author
Dale Power is a psychic healer, researcher and educator that has been focusing on ways to improve psychic functioning in humans for the last twenty years.
Go to: http://healing.worldispnetwork.com to find out more about the work being done.
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Posted by admin on May 25th, 2008 — Posted in Travel Hall
The Katrina hurricane, the Central America tropical storms and their lethal effects, the intense drought in the Amazon basin with abnormal and not entirely known consequences… The gods of nature seem angry with the Americans. America is under pressure.
Perhaps we should remember some radical words expressed by an eminent climatologist, some years ago: Climate is an unpredictable wild beast, and we are poking at it with sticks (W. Broecker).
I am not trying to suggest that all those natural catastrophes are just a direct consequence of man’s action. But who dares to say that there is no connection? Who dares to say that the infuriated El Nino and all these disasters have nothing to do with modern civilization and their impact on natural eco-systems?
Who dares to say that the destruction of the Amazon forest has nothing to do with what is happening?
Paul Lefebvre, a researcher running a monitoring station in the Amazon, says that the ocean waters in the North Atlantic are warmer than usual, which tends to encourage evaporation, creating storm conditions towards the south of the United States and Central America. And that this warming also sets up high pressure systems further south, in regions such as the Amazon, causing less clouds and providing less rainwater…
More: in future terms, present drought in the Amazon can reduce substantially the growth of trees, which may prevent the forest’s ability to soak up the carbon dioxide that our cars and industry send to the atmosphere. Something that can intensify climate change; Amazon can become part of the problem of climate change, instead of part of the solution.
Unfortunately, the international press and political powers are not picking up and reporting the problem in its true dimension. The ways these issues are presented, are clearly sketchy.
The International press reproduced the words of President Lula of Brazil, about the calamitous Amazon drought. But… what about the regular destruction of the forest? And the causes of the waters warming in the north Atlantic?
In the case of the Amazon, we tend to forget that there are daily fires in the big forest. That Amazon continues to be deforested at a steady pace. Every day, even outside the burning season, fire envelops the jungle. Everyday, a piece of the Amazon disappears. And that isn’t sufficiently contested or publicized. And, still less, its impact in other natural disasters is normally omitted.
The Press report only the spectacular and sensational to satisfy consumer demand. Hidden causes are regularly forgotten. Without famous celebrities stressing the source of our evils, we tend to forget them. And, unfortunately, the Amazon rainforest has no more a Chico Mendes hero.
Eduardo Reisinho publishes Brazil-Travel-Guide.com
(Brazil Travel Guide), a website where you can look for more information about the Amazon rainforest, and other themes and travel information involving Brazil.
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Posted by admin on May 25th, 2008 — Posted in World Wide Web Resources
Knowing when is enough can be a tricky thing. It also depends on what you’re trying to do with your site. If your goal is only to sell stuff on your site then maybe having ads cover 95% of your site is a good thing. But if pushing content is your thing then maybe 30% is better. There needs to be a fine ratio between content and ads. This ratio can even be seen in the keyword/content relationship. Search engines start to reject sites that have over a 20% relationship. And people start to reject sites that have too many ads at a certain point too. Although no one has come up with a survey or poll to figure that out yet, it doesn’t taker a rocket scientist to know your sites not working. Maybe they did have a survey page, but it
had too many ads, I would have to say that the ratio should be between 20% and 30% depending on your page.
You page should be easy to navigate through. Your content should be easy to find. Yes, there are tricks to make the ads look like your material in order to trick people
into clicking on them, but remember if people can’t find what they want then they
might not come back. Would you rather trick someone one time for a click or have
them return for many more clicks.
You can experiment with your ads. Try some pages with 45% ad ratio and some with
30%. See how each of these pages work. You can even try different placement.
Some people believe that Content should be aligned Top:Left. Others Center
Frame:Left Heavy. Bottom line is the content must be in plain sight.
We live in a world that is quick, multi facet and multi tasking. People would rather
click then scroll. So anything belong the fold (the term used for anything below the
page that is displayed in your browser) is not important. Hence build smaller pages.
Now with smaller pages the ad content ratio can really get out of hand. So you need
to know when is enough.
Michael is currently growing his new venture as editor of Christian InTech. Michael
spends most of his time gathering technical articles and information for his site. You
can find his site at http://www.christianintech.com
This article is allowed for reproduction as long as the links are included. © 2006
Christian InTech
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Posted by admin on May 24th, 2008 — Posted in Eating Fun
Culinary arts is the art of cooking. Cooking is a way to prepare food that will be eaten or served to other people.
The culinary arts is comprised of many categories - some of which are tools, methods, combination of spices and ingredients that adds flavour to the food. It normally needs the right measurements, proper selection and accurate combination of ingredients involved to reach desired result.
The diversity of the Culinary arts around the world mirrors many considerations such as:
- Economic
- Aesthetic
- Nutritional
- Religious
- Cultural
1. The Dawn Of Fire
The culinary arts, if not always, is associated with fire. The heat generated by fire is oftentimes required to be applied to be able to change the food’s texture, flavour, nutritional contents and even its appearance. Heating is important in the culinary arts because it disinfects the food and makes it softer. The food danger zone is between 4 to 60 degrees Celsius. Within these temperatures, the bacteria found in the found or even those that were transferred to the food can grow at a very alarming rate. Under ideal conditions bacteria can double their population every twenty minutes. Although at a glance, these foods may not appear harmful, when ingested they can be. Many people have the misconception that bacteria will die when we freeze our food or refrigerate them, but this actually does not rid the food of bacteria, merely it slows down their expansion.
2. Baking
Baking is probably the most famous department in the culinary arts. In the culinary arts, baking is the art of cooking food using an oven. The food is cooked through applying dry heat evenly through the oven and onto the food. It is used in producing pastry based goodies such as pies, tarts and cakes. The dry heat in the oven causes the starch to gelatinize and results to the browning or charring of the outside of the food. Some uneducated in the culinary arts might think that the charred part or the brown part is not as tasty as it sounds, but this part is actually what gives taste and flavour to the baked good, partly sealing the moisture of the food. The browning apparent in the baked good is caused by the sugar caramelizing and the chemical reaction that happens between the reduction of sugar and the amino acid (Maillard reaction). Moisture in the baked goody, on the other hand, is not really completely kept in, in time as the goody is being baked it will become drier and drier.
3. Boiling
Another category is boiling. Boiling is when there is a rapid vaporization of any liquid when the liquid is heated. In cooking, boiling is divided into many other categories. Blanching, a cooking term used to describe the submersion of food into boiling water and removing it after a certain period of time and then throwing it into cold water or letting water run over it causing the firming of food. Pressure cooking is when food is cooked inside an enclosed cooking tool that would limit the air that’s coming in or going out of that tool - this technique speeds up the pace of cooking. Stewing would probably be the most popular cooking technique in the culinary arts division. It is a method where meats are cut up into smaller pieces and along with some vegetables are simmered into a liquid. Simmering, then again is a cooking method where the liquid is barely kept away from its boiling point. Other boiling techniques are braising, codding, steaming, infusion, poaching, double steaming, steeping and vacuum flask cooking.
4. Other
To most Americans, microwaving and grilling are the most common forms of cooking. Microwaving is the easiest and simplest form of cooking; it is a technique used mostly to reheat sumptuous meals ready to be consumed. And for grilling, most Americans have a grill station in their backyard. Grilling is a roasting method that is cooking directly under a source of heat. Other roasting methods are Barbecuing, Searing and Rotisserie. A less common method is smoking meat, or even salting it.
For more great culinary art related articles and resources check out http://www.culinary-school-hq.com
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Posted by admin on May 23rd, 2008 — Posted in Eating Fun
When you hear the word “wine”, most probably the thing that pops-up to your mind is “celebration”. Most, if not all, are using wines as symbols of merrymaking and festivities; most celebrations, gatherings and special occasions include wine.
When a friend visits you at your place, wine will be poured; when your children got awards and honors at school, the elders drink wine to celebrate; and when you’re promoted, surely, there’s wine. There are even households that include wine in their meals. Indeed, wine has become part of some people’s lives over the years that they even make collecting wines as hobby.
And if you’re among those some who enjoys collecting wines, you must be in need of wine rack storage; you’ll need wine rack storage especially if your collections are getting big. If this is the case, you can get wine rack storage; there are dealers who offer wine rack storage for different needs. Whether you need wine rack storage for business, at the office for clients or simply at your personal wine bar at home; there are wine rack storage that will surely fit your preferences.
Wine rack storage mostly comes in different designs and you can use them whether in decorative purpose or utilitarian. But, all wine rack storage comes to one common ground; that is to hold wine bottles to free up space in your bars or cellars.
Some wine rack storage are designed to:
- Safely store bottles
- Or simply to display wine
A wine rack storage can:
- Add ambience to a room
- Protect wine in a cellar
In choosing your wine rack storage, determine if you’re going to need it in your cellar or in your wine counter or bar.
There are wine rack storage called cellar style wine rack storage:
- These kind of wine rack storage can be modular or stackable thus you can buy as few or many as you need
- These wine rack storage are usually made of wood; most often made of pine
- Cellar style wine rack storage are rectangular in frames and without front or back; usually stand on a wide foot
- The wine rack storage in this type have frames with vertical runners that forms small square compartments
- A small modular wine rack storage normally holds 10 bottles of wine
If you don’t have cellars and only need wine rack storage for your bar counters or tables, there are ornate wine rack storage:
- Most of these wine rack storage are available in materials like wrought iron
- These wine rack storage are mostly crafted in various designs, e.g a ribbon that is gracefully wrapping around it; this can hold a single bottle of wine.
- Most of these wine rack storage are used as purely decorative wine rack storage on counters or table for a romantic dinner.
Simple wine rack storage like wine cabinets is also available. They come in various types and sizes. These wine rack storage may come as small as 4′x7′ or as large as 7′x10′. Wine rack storage are also available in varieties of purpose, décor and personality; the latter referring to your personal choices.
Some types of wine rack storage available in the market are:
- Grid wine rack storage
- Short wine rack storage
- Diamond cube wine rack storage
- Wine tasting table wine rack storage
- Wall wine rack storage
- Tree wine rack storage
These are just among the many innovative wine rack storage designs that are available. Wine rack storage is mostly available at department stores and other specialty shops. You can also avail wine rack storage on online stores; you can browse their catalogues of various wine rack storage.
Stacy Klein is a freelance writer who enjoys wine and is an expert on all topics wine. Visit the Wine Rack website for wine reviews, glass reviews, and more!
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Posted by admin on May 23rd, 2008 — Posted in The Mathematicians Way
Smart use of your credit cards is important, and it is not how many cards you possess.
If there are advantages to possessing many credit cards it is in their proper use, not in their dollars of potential credit.
Here’s how credit cards work:
Banks cooperate with each other to closely to track their cardholders, and most banks want to know how many credit cards you now have before they issue one of their own.
Banks share computer files to trade cardholder information. When a bank discovers you have too many cards (each bank has their own policy on how many cards are “too many”), they automatically reject your application.
Banks that offer the same card usually disallow repeat cards to a cardholder.
You normally may obtain only one card from an interconnected network of cooperating banks.
How does a bankcard system actually work?
When you apply for a credit card at your local bank, many events occur. While your local bank’s name is displayed on your credit card, odds are that your card was instead issued by a different bank.
Interconnected banks trade favors and reciprocate functions.
Banks also hire each other to perform different services to cut their overall costs.
Bank card systems are complicated.
First, they must accept new applications, obtain credit reports, and establish approved accounts.
Then the actual cards must be printed and embossed. Ongoing paperwork includes preparing and mailing billing statements, sales brochures, late payment notices, and other details that make a credit card program succeed.
Few banks undertake every function required to operate a credit card program. To avoid complicated and costly processes, some banks act as credit card agents for others. Usually smaller banks contract with the larger banks for card-related services.
The largest card processing centers usually handle accounting, credit checks, mailings, statements, collections, and administrative details for smaller banks.
The smaller banks pay, as a fee, a percentage of its annual credit volume. Both the large and small banks benefit from this relationship.
Bank networks commonly share parts of the credit card process.
One bank may offer applications; another may handle credit checks; a third (or fourth) bank the embossing and monthly statement function.
Major networks may have many lines of agent banks stretching out in a lengthy chain. Other networks may encompass only three or four agent banks.
So what happens if you simultaneously apply for credit cards from several local banks?
Although you may apply to different banks, many will be connected to the same major bank. This, of course, raises two possibilities:
1) The major bank will have a relationship with the agent banks that prevents the applicant from obtaining more than one card from the major bank. Even if you apply to twelve banks connected to the same major bank, the major bank will only issue one card.
All others are automatically cancelled as they enter the central computerized system. Your credit card will bear the name of the accepting bank. But in the process you generated potentially harmful numbers of inquiries on your credit report.
2) A major bank will issue several cards to the same individual if the agent bank assumes responsibility for your credit. The agent bank would then assume responsibility for any default in payment.
So before you apply for a credit card make sure that you do not already have one from that issuing bank.
Gus Skarlis is considered as of of the foremost automotive credit experts and has numerous websites devoted to educating the public about credit. You can find his website at: http://www.helpmycarcredit.com
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Posted by admin on May 23rd, 2008 — Posted in Management Stuff
Your managerial success is tied to your team. Teams are the most
valuable resource of an organization. The times of lone
leadership are over with Alexander the Great. These are the
times of the team leadership. If you can build a successful team
and work as the leader who is just a little more equal than
others you may be able to pull off everything you do with great
success.
Successful team building requires a lot of focus and effort.
Here are a few tips to build teams that are effective and
deliver results.
Define the Objectives: Does the team members understand clearly
the expectations from them? Have the performance challenges
clearly been defined? Do they know what the expected outcomes
are? If there is a misunderstanding on the results expected from
each member as well as that of the team, you may as well write
off the team. Great Team + Challenging Objective = Extraordinary
Results.
Define the vision: The teams realize that they may be able to
survive only by delivering the bottom line results. However they
need something more than the key results defined to them. They
need a vision, something higher than profits and results. A
higher ideal fires up the team’s creativity and passion.
Empower to Create Ownership: Empower your team to be independent
decision makers to accomplish tasks and team objectives while
defining their boundaries. Empowered teams and members carry out
its objectives faster as they do not need to wait for the leader
to decide for them. Empowered teams own up their responsibility.
Train, Train and Train Some More: A leader has a large stake in
the success of each team member. Members of teams require
different skills and the leader needs to be a trainer rather
than a driver. Identify skill gaps in soft as well as areas of
expertise and keep training them to produce better results.
Fostering Right Interpersonal Relationships: Make the team
understand that there would be differences. Difference in
gender, culture, thought process and approach to work symbolizes
the dynamic and diverse members who have come together to
achieve common goals. Respecting the difference and valuing
others experience and thoughts enable the team to function with
the right relationships.
Rewards and Compensation: As they say, first share the cash then
the compliments. Everyone talks about the value and benefits of
team work. However benefits to individuals must be clear along
with the benefits to the organization. Set down the right
monetary rewards and incentives for so that the achievement and
benefits for the individuals and organization are balanced.
Lead by Example: A leader always leads from the front. Set
example of discipline, performance orientation putting aside
personal ego to the team’s superiority. Give credit to the
others even though you may have contributed more. This nurtures
the right team atmosphere and spirit of togetherness.
Celebrate Success: Finally don’t forget to celebrate success. It
must become a habit to celebrate every achievement though small
they may be. Constant celebration boosts the team morale driving
it to perform at higher levels and aim for bigger achievements.
Many of the business cultures and managements celebrate the lone
hero leadership much more than the team leaderships. In the
modern interdependent world it is the teams within the
organizations and multiple teams all collaborating and
contributing to the common corporate objectives that really
differentiate the dynamic growing organizations from the lone
cowboy leaderships that may collapse the moment the leader is
not available to lead.
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