Important Things to Know About Ipods

By Groshan Fabiola



It's one thing to find creepy people on a subway, but it’s another to have that creepy person mug someone for their iPod. Because iPods are so popular (and become more so with new models like the video iPod or the iPod nano) they are more likely to get stolen by a mugger. Someone may want a free iPod, and rather than buying one, or looking online for a free iPod, they take someone else’s iPod.

Because it is so common, some major cities have published a version of guidelines for people to protect themselves and their ipods. Many of these flyers share statistics of the amount of ipods that are stolen. According to one statistic from San Francisco, only 15 robberies were reported, but 11% of those were ipods). Many people suggest using regular headphones rather than the white pieces so that it becomes less obvious. Anyone that is smart with their iPod and knows how to conceal it will most likely keep their iPod, and the muggers will not get a free iPod very easily.

Concealing an iPod is easy, but learning how to use a new iPod can be frustrating. One of the biggest issues facing new iPod owners is the stacks of music that remain unripped and an unrealistic expectation that go along with the loading process. But owning an iPod should not be a burden. Any iPod owner can have access to thousands of songs on their iPod nano, if they give themselves plenty of time to load the songs. An entire library of music does not need to be loaded at one time. It is possible to load music onto the new iPod in increments. Allowing the iTunes collection to grow makes for better selection when loading the iPod. Also, an incomplete library doesn't mean failure. An entire CD collection does not have to be ripped in order to enjoy an iPod. Remember that can only a single song can be listened to at any one time time.

Don't feel tied to older music. People grow and change. The CDs from a decade or two ago might help connect to the past but if musical tastes have changed over time, allow new tracks in the library without feeling obligated to the older collection. No one will be checking in to make sure all those 80's and 90's CDs got digitized.

One of the great things about iTunes is that new music can be tested without commitment. It is possible to listen to the free 30-second samples and check out new play lists. And don't forget that every Tuesday, iTunes offers free tracks that might lead to new artists and styles to enjoy on the iPod. If a CD collection is just too much of a burden to face, enjoy any number of free pod casts on the new iPod and if possible, own a 5G or newer unit to watch TV and movies as well. The iPod does not begin or end with music. iPods shouldn't remain wrapped and unused on a coffee table.

Does the Lifepop Stereo Pet Carrier really steal the spotlight? Chances are it probably does not steal the show more than the pup itself, but it's a pretty cool iPod-compatible accessory. It can be used to carry around the pooch as he or she rocks out to iPod music, or whimpers in abject misery while listening to you’re the old music collection on the iPod. It's basically a soft padded bag with built-in speakers and a mini-plug to hook into the iPod. There's a fully zippered ventilated top so Fido will be able to breathe while grooving.

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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Groshan_Fabiola

What You Need to Know to Be Creative

Submitted by royanereal


Would you like to improve your creativity?

Before you answer yes or no, think about what that word means to you. If you associate creativity with artistic expression, and you happen to be a middle-manager in a corporation, you may think increased creativity is not really necessary to your life. But creativity is something far, far broader than artistic expression.

Your idea of a creative person might be someone who lives in a loft, painting gigantic canvases all day long. Or perhaps a writer at her computer, working on a long novel. Or a musician, actor, or singer performing on stage to an audience.

These are all people actively pursuing artistic expression and they can all rightly be said to be creative people, even if no one else enjoys their art.

But what about an entrepreneur who has an idea for a new product, who forms a company to produce and distribute it, eventually employing hundreds of people? Is this not creative?

What about a research scientist toiling in a lab, developing new compounds in an effort to cure disease? Is this creative? What about a single mother who manages to come up with healthy delicious meals on a tiny budget? Is that creativity?

To one person, creativity can mean gluing seashells to a picture frame. To another, creativity might mean solving a grand unified theory in physics. To someone else it might mean coming up with an ingenious new way to speed up a factory assembly line.

When we define creativity only in terms of artistic expression, we miss a lot of other potential applications for creative thinking.

An artist painting a picture or a writer working on a novel has something in common with the researcher in the lab, and the entrepreneur, and the person gluing seashells to picture frames.

They are all working on problems and devising solutions that didn’t exist before. These people are using their minds to imagine fresh ways of doing something.

They are combining existing ideas or materials in unexpected ways, creating something different from what has gone before. It may be a new idea, a new look, a new product, or technique.

Creativity can be exciting, fun, personally fulfilling, and even financially lucrative. It can also be frustrating, challenging and scary.

Can we improve our ability to be creative?

Yes. In fact, learning to be more creative can be quite enjoyable and easy to do.

There are many techniques that have been developed to improve creative and artistic ability, as well as to improve creative problem solving. Such techniques include brainstorming, hypnosis, and various forms of guided imagery and meditation.

What all creativity enhancement techniques have in common is they aim to bypass the inner judge or critic in our head.

Neutralize the Critic Within

Most of us have an inner voice that is running a constant commentary on everything we think and do. This inner voice may barely be noticed most of the time, yet it has a great impact on what we can accomplish in our life.

In many of us this voice is usually critical of our efforts, and no matter what we do it’s never good enough to please our inner critic.

As we attempt to come up with new ideas our inner voice may be saying, “This idea is stupid.” Or it might tell us, “I should never be mediocre or average, I must be brilliant and perfect all the time. If I can’t be totally brilliant and innovative right from the start, I am a failure and it’s better not to even try”.

Sometimes we may not be aware of an inner dialogue, but we may picture images of ourselves failing, or we may have sensations of fear and embarrassment that stop us from pursuing new ideas or new actions.

Why is it important to bypass or shut off our inner critic when we want to be creative?

In most of us, the inner critic is quite harsh and is never pleased with anything we do. None of our ideas are good enough. All our ideas are stupid and bound to fail.

What effect does this constant running dialogue in our heads have on us?

Our inner critic is trying to make us perfect, but it usually has the opposite effect. If our inner judgmental dialogue is mostly negative, our creative abilities will suffer.

Instead of enabling us to come up with better ideas, it is far more likely that the negative inner dialogue will cause our ability to come up with new ideas to dry up completely. The creative part of us will feel inadequate and embarrassed and shut down.

Young children are inherently creative.

They have not yet learned the official uses of objects around them so they experiment to see how they can be used. They are very willing to try new combinations. They don’t have a concept of failure. The younger they are, the less they have set ideas in their mind of how things are supposed to be.

When young children sing or dance or tell a little story they are not yet competing with some imagined standard of excellence they are supposed to match. To them, everything is an exploration.

Your inner critic isn’t being evil when it criticizes you, or when it tells you your ideas are not very good. Your critic is actually trying to protect you from being ashamed or embarrassed by the potentially negative comments and reactions of other people to your ideas.

The problem is that the inner critical voice can become so automatic that it will criticize your ideas before you even formulate them. It just starts to spew forth its negative assessments before you have a chance to develop and realistically evaluate your ideas.

Eventually, under the constant barrage of inner criticism, your creative side may shut down in fear and discouragement. In some people this shut down of creativity can become permanent.

Even people who are very bright and very talented can suffer because of the messages from their internal critical voice, telling them that nothing they do or think is good enough.

The critical, judgmental, analytical function of the brain is not the part that knows how to generate creative ideas.

Even if you have the most kindly inner critic in the world, you still need to bypass the judgmental part of yourself when you want to be creative.

When it's time to be creative, tell your inner critic to go out for a walk.


This article is taken from the new book by Royane Real titled “How You Can Be Smarter – Use Your Brain to Learn Faster, Remember Better, and Be More Creative” If you want to learn how to use your brain better download it today or get the paperback version at http://www.lulu.com/real


Source: http://www.articleavenue.com

The History and Evolution of the Sexy Thong

Submitted by rickho2u


The loincloth, worn thousands of years ago is likely to be the first undergarment worn by humans and it evolved into the thong over the years. Ironically, it was first worn by men in ancient times before it evolved into part of women’s lingerie in modern times. The Egyptians were one of the earliest people to wear this thong-like clothing. The earliest loincloths were made of leather and this was used until the introduction of fabric much later on. The famous King Tutankhamun was found buried with more than a hundred loincloths in his tomb.

Some people in ancient Greece, Rome and Japan also wore loincloths. In Japan, sumo wrestlers in particular are known to wear a loincloth when they are wrestling. In fact, right up to this very day, they still wear this.

In the middle ages, the loincloth was replaced by a large, loose outfit called ’braies’. This was usually made from linen and is much bigger than the loincloth. The braies is made with a covering at the front that could be buttoned or tied closed.

In modern times, historians trace the thong’s first public appearance to 1939 when New York Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia directed that the city's nude exotic dancers to dress more appropriately.

Fashion designer, Rudi Gernreich was credited with introducing the first modern thong back in 1974. The thong was worn for many years by exotic Brazilian dancers and was very widely worn during the festivals. These tight, tiny thongs grew in popularity during the 80s in South America and were used as swimwear at the beaches. Its popularity and influence spread to various parts of the world in the late 90s.

In the US, the sexy thong only gained wide acceptance in the 90s when exotic lingerie came into the mainstream. Today, the thong is one of the best selling styles of undergarment in the world. The size of the lingerie industry is said to be over US$2 billion a year.

The thong became so popular that there were even songs written about it. The most famous one was of course ‘The Thong Song’ by Sisqo under the Def Soul label. The Thong Song from Sisqo’s debut album ‘Unleash The Dragon’ was such a big hit that it reached number 3 on the US pop charts and sold over 4 million copies worldwide.

Besides the sexy thong, there are also many different types and variants of exotic lingerie available in the market today. Some of the different types of lingerie available include the chemise, camisole, boy shorts, bustiers, corsets, teddy and G-string.

Many designers today have come up with very flamboyant and creative designs and the thongs today are very different from the designs of yesteryears. It is extremely minimalist, erotic and chic. Many women prefer the thong to other types of lingerie because they can wear tight pants without showing the panty line. Besides being extremely sexy, the thong is also comfortable to wear. You can find out more about sexy thongs and romantic dating ideas at http://www.1sexythong.com



Source: http://www.articleavenue.com

Who Wrote The Most Famous Love Poem

Submitted by jrgjg

The Most Famous Love Poem

Love poems have been written for centuries to inspire lovers and create romance. When you give your special someone a love poem, you can express your feelings through eloquent words in a memorable way. Many famous love poems are written by classical poets, such as Lord Byron, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, and Shakespeare. But a famous love poem by a modern poet may appeal to a younger person who likes a less formal tone.

The poet E. E. Cummings wrote what is probably the most famous love poem currently. It has been featured in other books and movies, used as inspiration for other writers.

i carry your heart with me
by E. E. Cummings

i carry your heart with me (i carry it in
my heart) i am never without it (anywhere
i go you go, my dear; and whatever is done
by only me is your doing, my darling)
i fear
no fate (for you are my fate, my sweet) i want
no world (for beautiful you are my world, my true)
and it's you are whatever a moon has always meant
and whatever a sun will always sing is you

here is the deepest secret nobody knows
(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud
and the sky of the sky of a tree called life; which grows
higher than soul can hope or mind can hide)
and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart

i carry your heart (i carry it in my heart)

The poet E. E. Cummings is quite a unique writer in that he used new methods of creating mood and setting the words to paper. He explored the use of white space on the page and made the words’ appearance just as important as their sound when the poem was read aloud.

This poem is a perfect example of his use of parentheses and unusual stanza variation. He found a wonderful way of expressing very abstract ideas with some concrete grammatical forms. Use this poem to express to your loved one just how much they mean to you.

Visit to find out more about famous love poems.

Art Hill is an internet poet who operates an independent poetry publishing company.



Source: http://www.articleavenue.com

Shocking eBay Auctions

Submitted by splat


Over the years the worlds largest and most successful online action house, eBay, has run some really bizarre sales.

Some are listed under eBays' StrangestAuctions on the Home page. Here are some wilder ones that aren't!

November 1999 - Pregnant Keychain.

MMMmm. Lady's torso in plastic with a transparent stomach so you can glimpse baby Chuckie from front and sides whenever you open the front door. Educational! Uplifting!

EBay May 2000 - Purse made from a dead frog. Some fashionable person snapped this up for $5.50, and is no doubt wowing Manhattan to this day!

April 2000 - The most unrecognisable pelican ever, made from conch shells. Apparently of Dutch extraction, as he's wearing a couple of the molluscs as clogs.. And he's called 'Stinky'.

July 2000 - Funeral Home Coffee Scoop. Appears to be marked, presumably to reduce pilfering by customers with time on their hands? Online it went for $4.99.

August 2001 - Gator Bride Mummified (sic) alligator in bridal finery.Assumed female, but the firmly erect tail is worrying. Others must have felt the same, as there were no bids.

July 2003 - Inflatable Ladys Legs. Under Home Furnishings of course. Seller says that when the legs are deflated they will go in someones mouth. Strong selling point indeed, but sadly no bids.

Some random shots - Cow Seed... GrowYour Own Herd (Item #145597342). Hey, this could be a hoax, you know? Probably works for sheep,though, they really are all the same like lawn grass.

Knitting with Dog Hair (2000) A book to tempt the most jaded spinster. Moulty Mutt=Money! Hats, sweaters, equipment - illustrated, but not sure if theres a section on taking shears to your Spitzer if the poloneck is behind schedule come Yuletide....

Young Mans Virginity For Sale (1999). Bad times indeed that a sterling young man like Francis D. Cornworth, owner of the BFGs spectacles, and cool 9 year old Honda Civic, plus being a jazz trumpeter and a standing member -excellent - of the National Honour League in Miami, would have felt compelled to raffle his most priceless possession to man or woman for a mere $10 million before eBay, took him down, pulled him off, oh, ok - removed him.

2006 - LEPRECHAUN FLUTE AS REPORTED IN MOBILE ALABAMA LEPRECHAUNS ARE LETTING THEMSELVES BE SEEN. DON’T BE WITHOUT YOUR VERY OWN LEPRECHAUN FLUTE. WHEN YOU SEE THE LEPRECHAUN PLAY THE FLUTE AND HE WILL TAKE YOU TO HIS POT OF GOLD. DON’T BE FOOLED BY IMITATIONS REAL LEPRECHAUN FLUTES ONLY MAKE NOISE A LEPRECHAUN CAN HEAR. Particularly wonderful is fact that leprechauns are into sheer flute noise -is they why they are out of Ballymeena and down in Alabam?

What can I say but - keep on selling!!



Mick Madigan is fascinated by strange auctions and in honour of this, and the World Cup has his own offer - 'The Mystic WayneStone,' available for a short time over at http://tinyurl.co.uk/o3kc

All proceeds to charity!


Source: http://www.articleavenue.com

The Ten Most Common Mistakes When Buying an MP3 Player (and How to Avoid Them)

Submitted by hansd


When you go out to buy an MP3 player, make sure you get one that fits you. Here the 10 most common mistakes. Make sure you don't make them.

One of the most common reactions after buying a new MP3 player is "GEE! My player doesn't have X!” Substitute “X” for FM radio, microphone, or enough memory and you get an idea of some of the options which are available on MP3 players. Everybody has different requirements for an MP3 player, so avoid the first common mistake --

1. Not considering how the MP3 player will be used.

Sure, everybody (or almost everybody) wants a portable player to listen to music. Every MP3 player does that! What else do you need it for? Do you need a microphone for recording lectures or business meetings? Do you need an FM radio for keeping up-to-date on the weather reports or traffic conditions?

2. Not getting enough memory.

You can pick up an MP3 player for less than $50. What a bargain! The trouble is, you don't get very much memory for $50, and if you have a sizable music collection you will need to transfer music to the player almost every day.

3. Not getting a powerful battery.

Check out the battery life when you buy a new player. Flash based devices should last for more than 20 hours on a single charge, and hard drive based players should run for at least 15 hours. This is enough power to keep you in music for several days before recharging.

4. The player doesn’t handle “X” format.

What kind of files can be played? If you have a sizeable MP3 collection and discover that your new player only plays WMA files you will have to convert all your music to that format.

5. The sound is not great.

Some players have less-than-ideal sound for music. Look for a signal to noise ratio of at least 90dB.

6. Low (or high) bitrates are not supported.

If you want to use the player to record voice, look for a player that supports a range of bitrates. Voice recordings do not need a high bitrate and lower bitrates will give you more storage capacity.

7. There isn’t an equalizer.

If you wish to customize the sound of your music you need to have an equalizer which allows you to adjust individual sound spectrums.

8. Not getting a line input.

If you wish to record sources like cassette decks or TV shows you should get a player that allows you to connect these devices with a line input.

9. Not getting a big enough display screen.

Some players come with tiny or non-existent screens. It’s hard to see what song is being played or to change the settings.

10. Not being firmware upgradeable.

MP3 players are driven by software and this software can have bugs – especially if the player was rushed to market. There should be a way to upgrade the player’s operating system.



About The Author:

Ross audio enthusiast and author of the Audio How To Section of the Selected Audio Review Guide



Source: http://www.articleavenue.com

Who is rigging American Idol?

By: Groshan Fabiola

American Idol is a ratings phenomenon. Bringing in close to 35 million viewers every season, the reality show boasts itself as a competition for Americas great undiscovered. Thousands of hopefuls are auditioned, the grand prize? Nothing short of the ultimate in success: a full-fledged recording contract with a major label. But as American Idol approaches its sixth season, questions have begun to proliferate over the veracity of the contest, and the frailty of the voting system.

At the forefront of the dispute is the web site “Vote For The Worst” that directs the efforts of millions of non-fans every week. Since American Idol does not publish the winning margins, it is impossible to get a feel for how much of an impact an endeavor like this may have. However, the season four victory was rumored to be by a margin of merely 100,000 votes. With a number like that, it is impossible to deny the impact.

Is “Vote For The Worst” just another crank trying to be a fly in the ointment? According to the creator, no. David Delle Terez, who started the site as a joke, claims that his motivation lays in the misrepresentation of the show. In an interview with BuddyTV, Delle Terez portrayed his site as not being an attempt to thwart the contest, but rather celebrate it for what it really is. He claims American Idol is not a singing contest at all, but a reality show cleverly disguised as a singing contest with the intent of selling their product on the emotions and pageantry of the contestants. Not their musical talent.

Whether any of this is true, or not, is anybody’s guess, and if so, one thing is for sure; the efforts of sites like “Vote for the Worst” have done nothing but help further American Idol’s success.

Article Source: http://www.content.onlypunjab.com

If you want to find out more about American idol or even about American Idol Rigged please visit this site www.buddytv.com

Cheap Flights Guide

By: http://en.europelowcost.com/

General information on low cost airlines
Low cost airlines and their fares deeply changed the flight sector. A low cost (or no frills, or low fares) is an airline company that offers flights at very competitive prices (Cheap Flights) by not offering or by selling most of passenger services (like on-board meals, seats bookings, etc.). Cheap flights were born in USA in 1971 with Southwest Airlines, and started spreading in Europe at the beginning of the '90s with Ireland's Ryanair.
Statistics and history in brief

To point out the strong growth of low cost flights we will show a few stats: in 1994 about 3 million passengers flew low cost, most of them with Ryanair, and in 1995 they reached 17,5 million.
In 1995 British Airways founded their cheap flights division named Go, operating from London Stanstead airport in 1998. The same year Go started operating form London Luton as well. In the year 2000, Go was sold to EasyJet.com with an operational loss of over 21 million Pounds. In 2000 KLM also entered the low cost world with Buzz, which was bought over by Ryanair in 2003 with very high losses. Currently EasyJet.com and Ryanair are among the most successful European low cost airlines, and operate over several hundred routes.
Today's market situation sees a strong and constant growth of the cheap flights sector, new routes being opened every day by all main airlines, In the future a strong growth of low cost companies it is foreseen also in the long range flights segments.

Why low cost flights are such
Low cost airlines are very flexible and efficient organizations with a cost structure that is very different from the one of traditional airlines. Cutting many costs allows them to offer very competitive prices.
Costs are optimized mainly in the following areas:
- Tickets sales are direct, Internet being the main channel. By shortening the intermediation chain, costs can be deeply reduced.
- Smaller and cheaper airports are used, that are also less jammed by traffic.
- On-board services and crews. No meals are served. Fewer crew members are used, and airplanes need less cleaning.
- Full usage of aircraft capacity. Airplanes always fly full charge and fly more often to amortize costs. They have faster load/download times (25/35 minutes vs. 2 hours of traditional companies).
- Newer and all equal aircraft. Low cost companies fleets are made all of the same make of planes, all new ones and easy to service, in order to have them all at maximum efficiency.

Characteristics of low cost companies
To operate cheap flights, airlines must have specific characteristics to allow them to keep prices as low as possible. The basic ones are:

- A single passenger class, with free choice of the seating place.
- A single airplane make (in order to optimize service costs), such as Airbus A320s or Boeing 737s (for instance: Ryanair uses Boeing 737 series, EasyJet favors both Boeing 737s and Airbus A319s).
- Airplanes have more seats (for instance, Lufthansa's Boeing 737s carry 132 passengers, EasyJet's ones carry 148).
- Lower weight allowance for both hand carried and stored luggage.
- No free meals or beverages are served on board, but they are available to buy.
- Crew members fulfill multiple tasks (mainly stewardesses and stewards).
- Intensive use of airfleets. For instance, EasyJet flies an average of 10.7 hours a day, while British Airways flies 7.1 hours. Airport stops are shorter (with a faster turnover, usually 25 minutes between flights), and flights are shorter too.
- Connections are made using convenient secondary airfields, often far away from town centers, without slot restrictions, little air traffic and lower airstrip fares.
- Straight peer-to-peer connections without luggage transfers to other coincident flights (separate check-in and check-out), no coordinate flight plans with other airlines.
- Expenditure savings trough direct ticket sales, especially trough the Internet and outsourced call centers, automated check-ins and, occasionally service fees.
- Certain offers (as low as 0.99?) are only valid for in-advance bookings or are limited offers, for a relatively low number of seats.
- Lean management (savings on staff). For instance, Germanwings in Cologne employs no more than 50 people.

It isn't easy to be low cost: flops
There were new low cost companies that flew only a few months, or even only a few days, like Ireland's JetGreen Airways, that stopped all activities in May 2004 after only one week without paying back about 40.000 already sold tickets.

- V Bird flew from October 23, 2003 to October 8, 2004 from Düsseldorf.
- VolareWeb, low cost daughter of Italy's Volare went bankrupt on November 23, 2004. On October 30, 2004 they stopped at once their flights between Germany and Italy. In June 2005 they started to fly again, mainly to domestic destinations and a few European ones.
Several more or less known flops were: Minerva, Gandalf, Azzurra, Air Sicilia, ItalAir, Air Libertè.

When to book
It is usually better to book your cheap flights in large advance, at least 15 days before leaving. Better offers are for departures from Mondays to Thursdays: Better to avoid leaving on week ends. Always buy return tickets and be ready to take off at unusual times (early mornings or late evenings).

Canceling or modifying bookings
Before booking read thoroughly the company's regulations about cancelling or modifying bookings! Usually cheap flights tickets not used on the booked flight are not payed back as recession rights for long distance travel do not apply to this kind of sales. About changing departure dates, every company have different regulations, which you better always check on the company's site. Usually changing dates is not convenient. It is better to loose your old ticket and buy a new one.

How to pay
To shorten intermediation chains, thus offering competitive prices, low cost airlines use favor Internet and call canters (these may apply a small overcharge). Therefore be ready to pay via credit card (payments are secure, to verify be sure that Internet addresses change form http: to https:).

Cheap Flights Confirmation and check in
If you book on line, you will receive a confirmation mail at the e-mail address you specified. For telephone bookings at a call center, you will receive confirmation via fax, e-mail or, eventually by regular mail. In the last case, certain companies ask for a small overcharge if sending via messenger mail. If you are e-booking, that means if you buy your ticker on line, you receive confirmation via e-mail. It is enough to print it out and to show it at the booking counter at the airport.

Secure on line payments
On line payments are preferred by low cost airlines. To guarantee discretion in data transfer on the web, credit cards use the most advanced SSL (Secure Socket Layer) technology. When paying, if your browser uses SSL you just select Protected Mode and your data will be protected. If the browser has limitations, you can use Unprotected Mode. We recommend to get hold of the latest version to be able to carry out without problems all transactions.

Watch out for taxes and extras
Unfortunately, in offers of may low cost airlines there is a not yet regulated very bad habit of give only a partial price, not including overcharges and extras. So don't be fooled by offers at 0.01 cents, always calculate global prices including taxes, overcharges and fuel costs. Sometimes there are huge differences in price.

Get organized for transportation
Low cost companies usually fly from secondary airfields that can be very far from final destinations (there are almost 70 miles from Stanstead to London), so make sure you know your way out (costs, timings and transportation time) and get organized to reach your destination.

Your luggage
Luggage transport is another point to pay attention to when flying low cost to avoid spending more on extra allowances than on tickets. Extra payload is usually very expensive and companies are very strict about it. So pay extreme attention to luggage overweight regulations and "weigh well" your suitcases.

This article is brought to you by Europelowcost.com http://en.europelowcost.com

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The Top Seven Reasons People Break Their New Year's Resolutions

Stephen Kraus

Have you broken your New Year's resolution yet? If so, you aren't alone. Studies suggest that 20% of resolutions are broken within the first week of January. At least 80% are broken within one year, and the actual figure is probably much higher.

But the big question is: Why?

An even bigger question: What can we do about it?

In this article, we'll explore the top seven reasons for breaking resolutions, and proven science-based techniques

for avoiding them.

==> #1. All-or-none thinking.

"Resolutions" set us up for failure by luring us into all-or-none thinking. Most people think in terms of "keeping" their resolutions, or "breaking" them.

Thinking in black-or-white terms of "success" or "failure" can be fun as long as you are making good progress. But the joy of feeling like a "pure success" soon fades with the first minor setback, and you plunge into feeling like a total failure.

In other words, all-or-none thinking leads to the next cause of breaking resolutions: the snowball effect.

==> #2. The snowball effect.

We've all experienced the snowball effect: letting a minor lapse snowball into a major relapse and a total collapse. Because all-or-none thinking is a major factor, it happens to resolution-makers all the time.

D'ieters frequently suffer from the snowball effect as well, because they typically think in terms of being "on" their d'iet, or "off" it. Any little setback leads them to think that they have "broken" it, and they pig out.

==> #3. Overlooking progress, and dwelling on setbacks.

The "law of effect" is the most fundamental law in psychology. It's simple: actions followed by rewards are strengthened and likely to recur.

It seems obvious, but most people do just the opposite. Study after study has shown people who try -- and fail -- to make life changes self-reward too little, and self-punish too much.

Resolutions-makers (and d'ieters) do this all the time. After two weeks of healthy eating and exercise, for example, they have an ice cream cone. But instead of rewarding themselves for two weeks of solid progress, they beat themselves up over their minor setback.

==> #4. No plan (& bad goal setting & we forget)

These reasons all go together, and they all have the same root cause.

Most people resolve to do X in the coming year, and don't think much beyond that. But an annual resolution is too far in the future to be motivating. You won't be inspired to take action, or to make a plan and follow through. And because such a distant goal simply won't show up on your "radar screen," you'll soon forget about it. Until next New Year's.

Instead, studies show that resolution-keepers use the proven principles for setting goals that will keep them focused, motivated and confident.

==> #5. The "nice-to-keep" syndrome

Let's face it -- for most people, their resolution is a "nice-to-keep," not a "need-to-keep."

Sure, they'd like to be fit, or quit smoking, or have better relationships, or whatever. But by January 7th, they get focused on issues that are supposedly more "pressing," or get bogged down "putting out fires." Their longer-term, nice-to-have goals keep getting put on the back burner, and are soon forgotten.

Resolution-keepers do it differently.

They use a variety of commitment-enhancing and pre-commitment strategies that ensure they avoid the "nice-to-keep" syndrome. They find ways to keep themselves accountable, and follow through on the things that are truly important to them.

==> #6. No Vision (& not understanding the all-important "why")

The motivating power of any goal comes from truly understanding *why* you want it. But most resolution-makers don't think through their underlying motivations.

Just wanting to l'ose ten p'ounds for its own sake may be a fine goal, but it won't be enough to motivate you when you have to make sacrifices or suffer a setback.

But you'll have that motivation if you know that getting in shape will mean having more stamina for playing with your kids, or going on a big hiking trip with your friends.

As Antoine de Saint-Exupery once put it: "If you want to build a ship, don't drum up people to collect wood and don't assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea." Clarify your Vision, and motivation will come.

==> #7. Not enough action.

All of the "small" reasons for not keeping resolutions add up to one big reason: not enough action.

Most people know what to do in order to keep their resolution. They have the blueprint for success. But they don't take sufficient action.

There's no great secret to weight loss success: just burn off more calories than you take in. Eat more vegetables, watch your portion sizes, and exercise more (studies have shown that weight loss maintainers average one hour of exercise per day!). It's not hard to figure out. It's just hard to do it, and maintain these lifestyle changes over the long-term.

Most people start out OK, but don't take sufficient action to make cement their new habits, and make their life changes permanent.


About the author: Harvard-trained psychologist Dr. Stephen Kraus separates the science of success from self-help snake oil. Get his free 7-day Real Science of Success e-course, and report on Becoming More Resilient & Persistent at http://www.RealScienceofSuccess.com

A guide to dream interpretation

Shen Gerald

Most of us dream. But only a very small percentage of us understands that dreams hold much importance and opportunity for our self growth, improvement and self discovery. But many mystics of both Eastern and Western origins are aware of the fact that dreams hold a wealth of untapped knowledge. Because of its inherently vague nature, dreams and the art of interpreting them never entered mainstream sciences. Jungian psychology is the closest mainstream science that took dreams seriously.

This article is a concise description of the method of dream interpretation that I use. There are several points/guidelines to take note.

1. The dreams are often symbolic representations of what we are experiencing or are about to experience in the near future. I have found that my dreams often convey messages of occurrences that will most likely happen within a month or so.

2. Usually the people that we encounter in the dream symbolize the different aspects/characteristics of ourselves. For example: a woman may represent a feminine aspect of oneself even when one is male in the waking hours. Much of our repressed tendencies also tend to manifest themselves as characters in dreams as well. Have you ever wondered why we sometimes appear and behave so differently in our dreams. Well, my take is that dreaming offers an outlet for us to be 'somebody else' that we never had the opportunity to be during our waking hours.

3. Often how we feel and the emotion we felt during the dream reveals and conveys much about the meaning of the symbols. Intuition and the willingness to examine ourselves with brutal honesty are two very important factors for successful analysis. Below is a list of commonly encountered symbols. In my opinion, we should always take into consideration the fact that symbols hold certain semantics and meanings that are specific to individuals. Thus the interpretations of symbols are not generic and therefore there can be no hard and fast rules with regards to dream analysis.

Common dream symbolism

Water- associated with emotion.
Ocean or any large body of water - often represents the subconscious mind. The state of the sea often is an indication of the emotional state as well
Eating/digesting- Trying to understand an issue/situation
Walking- associated with learning and assimilating.
Path, road or pavement- symbolizes life or spiritual Path/journey
House- symbolizes our self. Within the house, the various rooms could represent the various aspects of self.
Snake- symbolizes knowledge.
Tree and forest - subconscious feelings that governs our emotions
Bridge- a transitional phase or period of transformation / change

Below is an example of a dream and its interpretation. Like any other types of skills, dream interpretation is an art in which one's proficiency improves with experience.

Dream
Miss A was visiting a foreign country. She boarded a train that has a stop in a shopping complex that meanders through mountains and terrains. She remembered telling the train driver that she wanted to alight in the shopping centre so that she can find her way home. Instead of alighting at the intended destination, she alighted at a strange place. She had difficulty getting to her destination. She contacted her partner (boyfriend). Though they communicated through the phone, she was still stuck and lost in that unfamiliar place. By this time, she was starting to get depressed. In the moment of depression, she woke up from the dream.

Symbolism involved
Foreign country- unknown knowledge, new experience Train- accelerated learning and understanding Through mountains and terrains- ups and downs Find the way home- spiritual path Train-in-charge guiding aspect Her partner male/ mental aspect Queen shopping center station an intermediate stage that must be attained.

Interpretation
Miss A is currently experiencing and/or learning something that is still unknown to her. It is something that is rather difficult for her to grasp and apply. She is/will be experiencing some feelings of ups and downs. However, if understood, the newfound understanding and knowledge could significantly accelerate her self-growth and discovery. However, for the time being, it is something not within her experience yet (as symbolized by alighting at a strange place instead of the designated station). When she tried contacting her male partner (which symbolizes using her mental reasoning), she was still confused and thus became depressed.

Well, that's all for a quick lesson in dream interpretation. I hope it is informative and beneficial.

Happy Dreaming...

Euphemisms for Saying "I Don't Know"

Jeanie Marshall

There are times when the perfect answer is, "I don't know". At those times, say precisely that, with confidence or authority.

People ask questions for all different reasons. Sometimes it's helpful to know the statement behind the question; other times, it would be insensitive to ask why someone is asking. The key is to find ways to respond that keep you feeling as empowered as possible. It s also a really good policy to respond in such a way that the person who is asking feels empowered, or at least not disempowered.

Sometimes it s unwise to say "I don't know". At those times, you may want to avoid the question or answer another question. Most politicians do this very well. Not all questions are appropriate, but, even so, it's also not always appropriate for you to highlight the inappropriateness of the one asking the question.

Here are some euphemisms for saying "I don't know" when you re asked for information and you don't have the answer. Some of these are also useful when you re being asked for your point of view, rather than for factual information. And a few of them might be appropriate when you really want to say, it's none of your business.

In one-on-one situations...

1. I've been wondering the same thing.

2. I'll be happy to get the answer for you.

3. That's a really good question. I wish I had a really good answer. I think [name of person] will know the answer or have some ideas.

4. That s something we've been working to discover. Let me tell you my thoughts so far.

5. Let's think this out together.

6. That's not my area of expertise. I'll ask the appropriate expert to get back to you. (Or, I suggest you call [name of person] and say that I thought he or she can help you.)

7. I'll check that out. (Or, I ll have to check that out.)

8. I've got an idea about that, but I want to double check something first.

9. I can think of several possibilities (approaches, considerations). What do you have in mind? (Or, What have you tried so far?)

10. I'm hearing several questions in your question. Maybe we can get clear about what information you re really looking for and then I can be more helpful.

11. I think that s a really good question to ask someone else (or a specific person).


In group situations...

1. Has anyone in the group had a similar experience?

2. Can anyone in the group answer that question or at least shed some light on it?

3. I think that's a wonderful question for us to explore together.


What are some of your euphemisms for saying "I don't know"?


Copyright 2006 Marshall House Jeanie Marshall, Empowerment Consultant and Coach with Marshall House, produces Guided Meditations on CD albums and MP3 downloads and writes extensively on subjects related to personal development and empowerment.
Voice of Jeanie Marshall, http://www.jmvoice.com

More money, more health, more happiness!

Alexander Tretjakov


You can change the quality of your life by doing these simple steps


1. Change the way you feel.
Emotions are very important in our life. When we feel down, our life seems bleak and we feel unmotivated to do anything. Good news is that you can change your mood simply by thinking of pleasant memories from the past. Our mind is incredibly powerful.
We just need to be able to steer it in the direction we want it to go.

2. Change the way you think
This one is tricky. Here I am not talking about simply forcing yourself to be unnaturally positive about everything. I am talking about developing an understanding of things around you, so you will be able not to be negative. Through understanding why things happen, you will be able to not get mad at unimportant things. You will simply let them go.

3. Change the way you relate to other people.
When we relate to others it is highly important to understand where they are coming from. Just think how many times you were upset at someone simply because you did not understand them or their point of view. If we will start looking for understanding first, in any situation, instead of simply reacting, we will avoid half of the problems that we have in our lives today.

4. Change the way you think about money.
Money is a sticky subject. People, from the time immemorial, had issues with money. Be it, calling money evil, or putting it on a pedestal, there was always a lot of drama surrounding this subject. The fact is though - money by it self is natural.
People do good or bad things with money. But in it self money is just an energy that flows from one person to another. It also plays an incredibly important role in our lives. It is like glue that allows everything to work in this physical world.
And just as glue isn't the most important part of any object, money isn't be all and end all. However, it is so important that without an idea of some sort of an exchange of currency, this world would not be able to function. So with that in mind, money is another vital skill that we need to learn, to fully participate in this worlds affairs. We need to know how to earn it, save it and spend it. All of that is very important to our existence.

5. Change the way you think about your self.
You can't affect any sort of change in your life if you do not like your self. Your self worth will influence everything you do. If you do not think you are worth it, your chances for success in anything diminish significantly.
One of the ways of increasing your self esteem would be to pay attention to any success that you achieved, however small. Learn how to forgive your self when you fail. This is a way of conditioning your mind to look at your self as a valuable being.

6. Use creativity in every aspect of your life.
One of the greatest and most fulfilling things we can do to change our life is to use our own creativity as much as possible in our daily life. Being creative is one of those things that is integral in our life yet we pay almost no conscious attention to it. If you feel that your life became a drag, all you have to do is to awaken your creativity again and it will be transformed in an instant.
One of the surest ways to awaken your creative ability is to simply use it as much as possible. You can also check out a program where you go through an intense boot-camp to do the same (www.burstcreativity.com). Whichever way you do it however, you must do it, if you want to sky rocket your satisfaction in life.

7. Change the way you think about your body.
You probably heard many times that our bodies are our temples.
Even though we often don't treat our bodies as such, it is worthwhile to make an effort in that department. You see one of the best arguments I know for this is simply that everything in life is interconnected. If we don't take care of our bodies, both from physical exercise and nutrition point of view, they simply will not function very well. And if we don't feel well physically, you can bet that we will not feel well emotionally, neither. Another point to bring up is the reverse of the previous statement - you can easily improve your out look on life by taking the time to improve how you take care of your self. It is not difficult to start feeling great if you haven't exercised in a while or you are eating really badly.

8. Change what you eat.
Nutrition, although previously mentioned, definitely deserves more emphasis. Today obesity is one of the biggest problems in North America. If we don't change that soon it will become catastrophic as the population ages. So how do we actually improve our eating habits? We educate our selves. The best tip I know in changing the way you eat is ... (drum roll) ... learn from an expert. Go see a nutritionist. Not only a good nutritionist will be able to craft an ultimate way for you to eat, but they would do it in a customized way specifically made for your body and situation.

9. Pay attention to what is happening around you.
We lead very busy lives. Work, kids - it seems that every minute of the day is taken by something important. In this constant rollercoaster it is easy to get "stuck on yourself". We sometimes lose perspective and stop seeing what is happening around us, as we are trying to deal with our own problems. If we do, it can cause innumerable problems and friction with people around us. The best practice to avoid that is, from time to time, to become an observer. Develop the ability to view your life from the third person perspective. This may be a difficult concept to understand, but getting help in this department is easy. Most meditation traditions teach exactly this principle.

10. Give only what you would like to receive.
Give on to others what you would like for your self - is one of those ancient Christian sayings that rings true in our modern time. To bring it to the modern era, let's look at it from a business perspective. Psychology that applies to sales process also applies in many other areas of our life. In sales in order to persuade the prospect to buy, we use such techniques as mimicking, sincerity and others designed to make that person trust us. But in reality all we are doing is practicing that old principle of making others feel how we want to feel. We are creating an emotional experience for another person and they reward us with a sale. This as well as all the other principals we discussed is very simple. All we need to do is apply them one by one and we will become happier better human being.

Copyright 2006 www.BurstCreativity.com

Want Free Money? It’s Easier Than You Think!

By: Jessica Roop


Start thinking of the stores you shop at often. What comes to mind? Is it Circuit City, Starbucks, Banana Republic, Sephora, Barnes & Noble? Undoubtedly most of us could easily come up with a list of ten to twenty, if not more.

I’m the kind of person who loves to save money. I’ve been doing something so simple for the past few years that has saved me hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars – I’d like to think of it as "free money"! It’s so easy, yet surprisingly few people take advantage of it.

You’re probably wondering what I do. It’s simple:

I purchase gift cards online for the stores I shop at most often at a discounted rate.

I mainly use eBay, but there are others like CertificateSwap.com and SwapAGift.com. A lot of people receive gift cards as presents but aren’t interested in the store or would prefer cash, so they list the cards online. Expect to usually pay 80 to 90 percent of face value, although some prices can be higher or lower depending on the popularity of the merchant. The way I see it is, if I’m going to spend the money at the store anyway, why not purchase a gift card and save a few dollars?

One method I have found to be quite useful in finding good deals is to go to the Gift Certificates category on eBay and search for "Buy it Now items" in the search options. I then sort the results by the most recently listed auctions. Some sellers underestimate the value of their gift cards, so they may put up a Buy it Now price that is lower than what the card would generally go for. You have to be at the right place at the right time to snatch up those deals, but it can be worth it! (Just to prove that it does happen – as I was writing this article, I was able to purchase a $100 gift certificate redeemable at hundreds of spas nationwide for only $50!)

One word of caution: as with any online purchase, be sure that you are purchasing from a reputable seller. Unfortunately scammers are out there, so do your homework on the seller before making a purchase.

I hope you are able to use this technique to save money like I have. It is one I plan on using for years to come!



About Author
Visit http://www.losewithcaralluma.com to order Slimirex or Lumatol AC, two highly effective diet supplements containing Slimaluma, the standardized extract of Caralluma fimbriata. LoseWithCaralluma.com also features helpful weight loss tips and healthy recipes.

Why You Should Talk To Fat And Ugly Girls

Why You Should Talk To Fat And Ugly Girls

by: Dan Tolumbro


From Pickupmastery.com:

One thing I’ve been noticing from going out lately is that the hottest girls I end up making out with or number closing usually aren’t in the set when I open..

What happens is I go up to some girls who are maybe 5’s to 6’s, and chat with them, get them giggling, etc. From there, a hot girl, maybe an 8-9 walks up and introduces herself to me. Believe it or not, a lot of hot girls roll with less attractive girls. From there on you already have the group’s comfort and appreciation so it is easy to isolate the hot girl from there.

Just two weeks I had rolled up to a couple less than attractive girls and said “You seem fun, I just had to say hi.” We were chatting back and forth, when a hot 8.9 came up. I started doing some dance spins with her around, and within a minute said “Your legs are tired, my legs are tired; Let’s go sit at that booth.” I took her by the hand and led her to a booth away from the others and we started cuddling. Within minutes, we were making out and I got her number. She’s still calling me back and we’re setting up a meet soon.

Now could this have worked had I waited until the 8.9 was already in the set? Of course. But I’ve found it to be far easier to attract a girl if you hit the set before she arrives. You’ve already won over her friends at this point. Even if you haven’t won over her friends it can still work well if you’re already in the set. Some months back, I went up to two girls who weren’t that interested, and a third girl came up who was interested. She stayed behind when her friends left and we ended up making out at the bar.

On a more general note, you should be playfully bantering with all types of women, and guys as well. Throughout your day, you should be bringing joyful interactions to as many people as possible. The fat ghetto girl serving you at Burger King? Make her smile. You don’t have to outright flirt of course, but just a little playful misinterpretation can help the day.

Also by talking to as many people as possible you can sort of “neg” the girls you finally legitimately approach. If you only go up to hot girls in a bar, the girls around you notice that you’re gaming. However if you’re talking to one legged girls and random guys all around the bar, when you’re finally going up to the hot girls, they assume you’re just being social and that It’s not a full blown approach.


About The Author

Dan Tolumbro is a dating advice coach for men at: http://www.pickupmastery.com.

At his site he provides free information on how to meet women in bars without fear and how to take it to the next level. To receive updates on new dating tactics, amd a free 46 page ebook, send an email to pickupmastery@getresponse.com.

Top 5 Most Often Carried Handbags

Submitted by designerhandbags101

Handbags have become the most popular accessory on the market and there’s no reason to wonder why. There are so many styles and trends to choose from that it’s hard for a woman to choose just one handbag. Each outfit calls for a different type of handbag so it’s hard to distinguish which types are most popular. In order to help you determine which types of handbags are in style right now, I have compiled a list of the top five most often carried handbags. You do not have to choose one of these as the type of handbag you’re going to carry but use this as a guideline illustrating which are in fashion at the moment:

1. Shoulder Bag – A shoulder bag comes in many different sizes and shapes. They are usually larger, providing more space for essentials such as your wallet, books, makeup etc. Shoulder bags are meant only to be worn over the shoulder and provide a combination practicality and style in one handbag.

2. Handheld Handbag – Handheld handbags are handbags which are designed to be held in the hand and no other way. They are usually smaller and provide less space than a shoulder bag. The difference between this form of bag and a clutch is that a handheld bag usually has a strap or handles. These types of bags are best suited for shopping or cruising around town.

3. Back Pack – Back Packs are very popular bags which are most beneficial to students of all ages. Back packs have two straps which make them better suited for carrying since there is a balance of pressure of both sides of your shoulders and back (as opposed to just one with most handbags).

4. Tote Bag – Tote bags are very popular because they are casual yet very practical. These bags usually fall in the middle of the body, around the elbow. They are big and provide a lot of space for the user. They usually only have one or two compartments and are available with a number of images on them or a simple solid color.

5. Clutch - A clutch is a handbag which does not have handles and is meant to be carried in the hand. That said they are usually quite small and only provide enough space for the bare essentials which you will need. These bags can be casual or dressy and are often worn to parties or nightclubs because they are so small and efficient.

The handbag you choose will depend on your style and your personal preference. As a woman you will probably feel the need to change the style of handbag you carry on a regular basis. The style of handbag differs each day depending on where you are going and which type would be best suited for the occasion. Have fun with your handbag and let your personality show through the style you choose.

Cathy Feldman is an avid purse enthusiast who has more handbags than she can count. She has become complete addicted to name brand bags and enjoys sharing her knowledge as a contributing editor of http://www.designerhandbags101.com - a site that offers information about designer handbags, prada handbags, coach handbags and more.

Beauty Salon- 12 Tips They Don't Want You To Know

Submitted by Noori


Beauty Salon tips that salon owners don't want you to know.
Beauty Salons in Los Angeles & elsewhere are numerous. Don't get burned by selecting the wrong one! Imagine that you've found a hair stylist that makes you look fabulous. All your friends are green with envy. How do you find such an artist? This article describes what is required to find the right beauty salon for you.

Hair Care Professional- Breaking One In

Beauty Salon- It is so important for us to find the right beauty salon so that we can have the right look at the right time. However, there are certain things that beauty salon owners don't want you to know.

According to the September 13, 2005 issue of the LA Times, soon after Hurricane Katrina passed through the states of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama, beauty salons with power and water reopened. Women who had lost EVERYTHING flocked to those open beauty salons. They wanted to look good even though they did not have a place to live. They wanted and needed professional hair care.

This fact alone confirms your intuition about the absolute necessity of finding the right beauty salon. This holds true for a beauty salon Los Angeles, a beauty salon Santa Monica or a beauty salon Long Beach, Mississippi.

Let me give you some general guidelines and tips to use when you are looking for a new beauty salon. I will also include some helpful suggestions about how to deal with your hair stylist.

1. How far is the beauty salon from your home or work? Is it convenient to either or both?

2. Telephone the salon. Ask if their hair care stylists have experience with your type of hair. For example, is your hair long, curly, textured or exposed to frequent changes to hair color, heat and the elements?

3. Search the Internet for reviews of beauty salons in your work or home zip codes.

4. It seems obvious, but it's crucial: Who do you know whose hair looks fabulous? Ask them where (and to whom) they go.

5. When you get to the beauty salon what does the atmosphere FEEL like to you? Is it peaceful or stressful? Which do you prefer?

6. Are you greeted right away or are you forced to wander around or “twiddle your thumbs” until someone attends to you?

7. If you've made an appointment is it kept and on time?

8. Is the beauty salon clean and well organized? Does everything seem to be in its place?

9. How is the staff dressed? Are they dressed appropriately to your taste?

10. What does the hair of the staff look like to you? Is the hair of the staff professionally done or is it sloppy?

Ok, you've decided that the beauty salon environment is satisfactory, now how do you deal with the hair stylist?

11. Collect and bring pictures that are appropriate for your type of hair. The biggest beauty salon hair disasters occur when your hair stylist doesn't understand what you want. Pictures help convey your message.

12. Don't immediately go for a cut, take it slower. Book a blow-dry with your selected stylist. Ask, if you were to cut my hair, how would you do it? Once you've set aside the time for a real consultation, here are some key questions to ask yourself as you talk to your stylist:

• DO YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE with the hair care stylist? You should like his or her sense of style. This means clothing, grooming, personality, everything.

• IS THE STYLIST ASKING YOU questions, giving ideas and suggestions that relate to your personality, rather than pointing to a style on the wall or in a book?

• IS THE HAIR CARE STYLIST ADDRESSING the health of your hair, not just proposing to cut off split ends? The two of you should be talking about conditioners and rinses that enhance shine and bounce, and special treatments that can prevent or repair damage done by the environment, such as pollution, sun, chlorine, humidity, or dry air.

• ONCE YOU'VE AGREED ON A LOOK, does the stylist preview how you'll need to blow it dry, wash it, and maintain it? These are all things to think about before actually getting the cut.

If you can answer most of the questions to your satisfaction, then you've probably found a beauty salon and a hair stylist that will make you look fabulous. If you cannot, then move on to the next beauty salon on your list.

Take the above tips with you when you come to Next Salon in Santa Monica, CA. We think that you'll find that you came to the right beauty salon.



About The Author:

Noori Daili specializes in making women & men look fabulous. She owns Next Salon at 2400 Main Street in Santa Monica, CA. Call now at 310-392-6645 and mention this article for a 10% savings on hair care. Go to http://www.nextsalon.com for more info.

Sunglasses – The Benefits of Wearing Shades

by Debbie and Susan


You can find many styles of sunglasses in stores today. These styles include everything from fashionably chic to practical and functional to groovy and retro. While looking stylish is one reason to wear sunglasses, there are many other benefits as well.

1. To keep the sun out of your eyes. The lenses should be large enough to actually protect your eyes from the sun.

2. To cut down on glare. Polarized sunglasses help to cut down on glare and make things much clearer.

3. To help prevent cataracts. A pair of sunglasses with a high UV protection factor are recommended.

4. To keep other people from recognizing you. Hollywood stars use sunglasses in this way quite often.

5. To hide the fact that you've been crying. The darker the lenses of your sunglasses, the better for this purpose.

6. To spice up an outfit. Sunglasses come in many colors and styles so that you can accessorize nicely with any ensemble.

7. To keep the wind out of your eyes. This is especially helpful while riding a motorcycle.

8. To protect your eyes while playing sports. Be sure to have sunglasses with impact-resistant lenses.

9. To accentuate your looks. Your facial shape can drive which shape of sunglasses look best on you.

10. To look cool! Enough said!


Copyright © 2005 Susan Daniel and Debbie Overstreet

About Susan and Debbie: Susan and Debbie are internet marketers. You can review more articles on sunglasses and also find the perfect pair of sunglasses for your needs by visiting http://www.spunkysunglasses.com.

Ten Tips for Healthy Aging

Your chances of staying healthy and living a long time can be improved if you:

1. Stay physically, mentally, and socially active.

2. Eat a nutrient dense diet of small frequent meals, including 5 to 9 helpings of fruits and vegetables a day. Don't over eat, even "good" food!

3. Get regular health check-ups and screening tests for heart disease and common cancers (skin, colon, lung, prostate, breast, cervical). Don't delay seeing your doctor for new symptoms, especially over 40!

4. Avoid overexposure to the sun and cold, don't smoke (it's never too late to quit), drink in moderation and don't drink and drive!

5. Practice safety habits at home to prevent falls and fractures. Always wear your seat belt in a car.

6. Keep or develop a spiritual belief system that enables you to re-negotiate life at every turn, adjusting to and accepting the inevitable losses and changes that come with longevity.

7. Cultivate (or keep) a love of and appreciation for life and others, and a positive, yet realistic, attitude. Don't sweat the small stuff. Do the things that make you happy. NOW!

8. Keep personal and financial records in order to simplify budgeting and investing. Plan long-term housing and money needs.

9. Supplement your diet, adding an iron free multi-vitamin/mineral and anti-oxidant supplementation. Keep abreast of the advances in natural medicine and anti-aging.

10. If you desire feeling, performing and looking young as long as possible, maintain the "hormones of youth" (HGH, DHEA, sex hormones, melatonin) at optimal levels through natural hormonal enhancements.

Dr. John H. Maher,
Editor.,"Longevity News" Your FREE Anti-Aging Prescription On-line. http://RxforWellness.com

Dental Hygiene an Ancient Practice - The History of the Toothbrush

by: Rebecca Blain

One of the most asked questions by adults and children is the origin of the toothbrush. There are several schools of thought on when the real toothbrush was created, but you need to look far into the past for the first evidences of oral hygiene.

The Chinese were believed to create the first real toothbrush, or a device that was used to clean teeth, but it was much different than the ones that we are used to today. These first toothbrushes, crafted in the 1400s, did not use nylon for bristles, or plastic for the handles. They were crafted from bamboo, one of the most common plants from that area. The bamboo formed the handle for people to hold on to. Attached to this handle was a set of bristles, which were crafted from the tough hair of the Siberian wild boar. The hairs used came from the back of the neck of this animal. This is the toothbrush associated with having been the ancestor of the one that we use today.


However, there is evidence that there was another form of the toothbrush dating up to 3000 years before the birth of Christ. Due to this, the history of the toothbrush proves that this device is one of the oldest still used by man, only truly outdated by the wheel. This form of the toothbrush was found within pyramids of the Egyptians. These toothbrushes were crafted from a stick. Unlike the Chinese version of the toothbrush, the end of the stick was flayed so that the fibers of the wood were more soft. This stick was then rubbed against the teeth to serve as a form of oral hygiene. This form of the toothbrush did not become far spread as the Chinese version.


The Chinese version of the toothbrush spread to Europe, where the Siberian wild boar took the brunt of the growing popularity of the invention. The only downside to the hairs of the Siberian wild boar was the fact that it was very rough on the gums. On account of this, some people began to use the hairs found on the backs of horses to craft the bristles on their brushes, as this was much easier on their gums and teeth. Despite the added softness of the horse hair bristles, the boar hairs were more commonly used, as horses were too valuable to Europeans during this period of time.


The boar hair toothbrush continued to be used until the early 1900s. In 1937, nylon was created in the Du Pont laboratories by Wallace H. Carothers. This invention forever changed the history of the toothbrush, as well as every other device that required a fibrous material, including ropes. In 1938, Nylon became the sign of modernization, from the creation of nylon stockings to Dr. West's first nylon toothbrush. This brush was called Dr. West's Miracle Toothbrush. Even with this breakthrough in the toothbrush, it wasn't until World War II that Americans began to take oral hygiene more seriously. This was a direct result of the war. This influence spurred on the development of better toothbrushes.


Toothpaste & Whiteners


Another aspect of toothbrush history that should be taken into account is toothpaste and other whiteners. These are usually used with the toothbrush in order to make certain that the teeth and breath were acceptable. The concept of toothpaste and mouth washes is pretty old - almost as old as the Egyptians toothbrush. The earliest known toothpaste was created by the Egyptians. It was said to contain a drachma of rock salt, two drachmas of mint, one drachma of dried iris flowers and 20 grains of pepper. This was then crushed and mixed together to form a powder. When mixed with saliva and applied to the teeth, it would help whiten and clean your teeth. When experimented with by an Australian dentist, the mixture worked far better than anything else created until the twenty first century. The only downside was the fact that it caused his gums to bleed.


In the 18th Century, the next recorded version of toothpaste occurred. This mixture called for dragon's blood, cinnamon and burn alum. This mixture tends to be more of an amusement for many scientists, as there is no proof that "dragon's" existed. What may have really been considered to be dragon's blood is unknown.


The 19th Century saw a lot of innovations to toothpaste, although many of them would be repulsive compared to what we are used to today. Charcoal, for example, was used to clean teeth. Most of the toothpastes of this time were powders that became a paste when introduced to saliva. A lot of these different toothpastes were designed to both clean teeth and give the user better breath. This is where the modern idea for toothpaste came of, and one of the turn points in the history of toothpaste. The combination of these pastes and the toothbrush worked to ensure that there was a higher chance of cleaner and healthier teeth and gums.


It wasn't until the 1900s that toothpastes evolved to be more modern. Colgate, and many other toothpaste companies, worked to design toothpastes that tasted good while providing the means to clean teeth while not causing gums to bleed. Many ingredients are now used in toothpastes, with Fluoride being one of the most common. There are a wide variety of "herbal" toothpastes as well, which do not contain this component. Each of these types are designed to fit the needs and wants of every type of person out there. This high level of choice is the primary evolution of toothpastes. While only a few were available as early as the Egyptian days, now there is something for everyone.


The combination of the toothpaste and modern toothbrush gives everyone the oral hygiene and dental health that they need to be able to have the sparkling teeth that is desired by so many. This combination also helps prevent the loss of your teeth later in life, so that dentures are not required as early. The history of the toothbrush and toothpaste shouldn't be looked down upon, as the options used back then were no where near as pleasant as the types available today.



About The Author


Rebecca Blain is a professional and hobbyist writer who enjoys taking care of her fish and educating people about oral health care such as Crest Whitestrips, which you can read about here:

www.everything-teeth.com/whitestrips-review.html

Should Saddam Have Been Guillotined?

Backdrop

Amid all the hoopla surrounding the execution of Saddam Hussein by way of hanging, I recently found myself in a heated debate with a few friends over Saddam's fate. For the sake of discussion, we decided to agree that he should die. Then came the interesting question of "how". And quite surprisingly (to me at least), they insisted he should have been beheaded, or more precisely, guillotined!

So I'm putting it out there... Let's forget that the guillotine has been "retired" decades ago. I decided to have the online community weigh on this hypothetical mean of execution. And mind you, I placed a wager on what kind of response (yes or no) I would be having. So let the games begin :)

The History of the Guillotine

It's worth pointing out that the practice of beheading is all mixed up in class distinctions. In ancient Greece, Xenophon singled it out as a noble punishment. The Romans, who did horrible things to common criminals, also saved decapitation for nobler folk. They called it capitis amputatio.

William the Conqueror brought beheading to England, where it was, again, set aside for nobility -- for people like Lady Jane Grey and Anne Boleyn. When the English beheaded the lower classes, it was only to finish off a victim who'd first been tormented in ways too nasty to talk about here.

The guillotine is a device used for carrying out executions by decapitation. It consists of a tall upright frame from which is suspended a heavy blade. This blade is raised with a rope and then allowed to drop, severing the victim's head. The device is noted for long being the main method of execution in France and, more particularly, for its use during the French Revolution. It became infamous (and acquired its name) in France at the time of the French Revolution, but inventors were devising beheading machines at least as early as 1300. Sixteenth-century Scots used a device they coyly named the Maiden, and England's old Halifax Gibbet greatly resembled the French guillotine. However, the French developed the machine further and became the first nation to use it as a standard execution method.

The device derives its name from Joseph-Ignace Guillotin, a French doctor and member of the Revolutionary National Assembly, on whose suggestion it was introduced in 1789. Dr. Guillotin proposed the use of a mechanical device to carry out the death penalty. The basis for his recommendation is believed to have been his perception that it was a humane form of execution, contrasting with the methods used in pre-revolutionary, ancien régime (old regime) France. He suggested the use of beheading machines so that "the privilege of decapitation would no longer be confined to nobles, and the process of execution would be as painless as possible". The story has it that, in 1738, shortly before his birth, Guillotin's mother witnessed a poor wretch being publicly tortured to death on the wheel. She was so stricken by the horror of it that she went into immediate labor. Guillotin's mother may have been an early influence on his later advocacy of the beheading machine. In any case, one was built, tested on dead bodies, and turned loose on common criminals in 1792. On April 25th, highwayman Nicolas J. Pelletier became the first person executed by guillotine.

In the case of decapitation, it sometimes took repeated blows to sever the head completely. The condemned or the family of the condemned would sometimes pay the executioner to ensure that the blade was sharp in order to provide for a quick and relatively painless death. The guillotine was thus perceived to deliver an immediate death without risk of misses. Furthermore, having only one method of execution was seen as an expression of equality among citizens. The guillotine was adopted as the official means of execution on 20 March 1792. The guillotine was from then on the only legal execution method in France until the abolition of the death penalty in 1981, apart from certain crimes against the security of the state, which entailed execution by firing squad.

When Guillotin himself died it wasn't on his invention as myth would have it, but instead of natural causes on May 26, 1814. The descendants of Dr. Guillotin have since changed their surname because of the association with a method of execution.

The last public guillotining was of Eugen Weidmann, who was convicted of six murders. He was beheaded on June 17, 1939, outside the prison Saint-Pierre rue Georges Clemenceau 5 at Versailles, which is now the Palais de Justice. The last execution in France was of Hamida Djandoubi and took place on September 10, 1977. The death penalty in France was abolished in 1981.


The guillotine outside of France
Just as there were guillotine-like devices in countries other than France before 1792, similarly other countries, especially in Europe, employed this method of execution into modern times. A notable example is Germany, where the guillotine is known in German as Fallbeil ("falling axe"). And although the guillotine has never been used in the United States as a legal method of execution (it had been considered in the 19th century before introduction of the electric chair), in 1996 Georgia state legislator Doug Teper proposed the guillotine as a replacement for the electric chair as the state's method of execution to enable the convicts to act as organ donors. The proposal was not adopted.


Quick, painless death?
From its first use, there has been debate as to whether the guillotine always provided as swift a death as Dr Guillotin hoped. With previous methods of execution, there was little concern about the suffering inflicted. But where the guillotine was invented specifically to be "humane", the issue was seriously considered. Furthermore, there is the possibility that the very swiftness of the guillotine only prolonged the victim's suffering. The blade cuts quickly enough that there is relatively little impact on the brain case, and perhaps less likelihood of immediate unconsciousness than with a more violent decapitation, or long-drop hanging.

The person guillotined becomes unconscious very quickly and dies from shock and anoxia due to haemorrhage and loss of blood pressure within less than 60 seconds. It has often been reported that the eyes and mouths of people beheaded have shown signs of movement. It has been calculated that the human brain has enough oxygen stored for metabolism to persist about 7 seconds after the supply is cut off. As in hanging, the heart continues to beat for some time after decapitation.

Various experiments have been made on guillotined heads and generally seem to show that little consciousness remains after 2-5 seconds of separation from the body although some have concluded that the head retains feeling for much longer. Whatever the truth, guillotining is probably one of the least cruel methods of execution and yet one that has a high deterrent value because it is perceived as gruesome.

So what's your verdict?