Friday, December 23, 2011

Five Tips For Faster Cycling

Tip 1: Get on your bike

It's easy to spend time reading books and training manuals, and looking at pictures of bikes in glossy magazines. Unfortunately none of these will help improve your cycling as much as actually getting out on your bike! No nutritional advice or super-light carbon-fibre bike is any use at all unless you also spend time out on the road.

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Try and get out two or three times a week - perhaps two evenings a week after work for a short trip (an hour or so) and once at the weekend for a longer ride (perhaps two hours, slowly increasing to three hours).

Tip 2: Ignore your average speed

Most cyclists have a small computer on the bike that reports average speed, distances travelled and so on. This is great information to have, but your goal is not to travel as far as possible, or to have an average speed as high as possible.

The goal is (a) to have fun and (b) to increase your overall level of cycling ability. Sometimes you will feel great and other times be a bit tired. You will need to start each ride with a slow few miles of 'warm-up'.

If you set out simply to increase overall average speed, you will be tempted to ride too fast immediately you set off, without adequate warm-up, and this will lead to muscle pains and other injuries.

Tip 3: Cycling uphill

Cycling on the flat is fine, but the sure way to improve your strength on a bike is to cycle up hills. At first even a small hill can seem very difficult, but after a few times you will find they get easier. You won't notice small hills, and big hills won't seem so bad. Yes they will still hurt, but the sense of achievement outweighs the suffering.

It's not about the bike! Just because hills are difficult doesn't mean you need a lighter bike, it probably just means you need more practice on hills.

Believe it or not you will even reach a point where you enjoy cycling up hills!

Tip 4: Cycle intervals

Modern thinking is that the best way to improve your level of ability is to spend 90 % of the time cycling at a reasonably leisurely pace (not too leisurely, though) with great exertion the remaining 10% of the time.

This is usually achieved using so-called intervals. The general idea is that you cycle very hard for a short time, then spend a few minutes cycling gently while you recover, then cycle hard again...and so on.

The length of each exertion varies, but one minute of very hard work followed by five minutes of recovery would be a good starting point.

Don't forget though, you need to do fifteen minutes warm-up cycling before you start the hard intervals.

Tip 5: Stay motivated on your bike rides

Initial enthusiasm and rapid improvements in your speed and ability might make you want to cycle all the time. This is good, but can be very harmful to your body, especially if you have spent several years without doing much exercise. Aches and pains can turn up that at first you don't even associate with cycling.

It's better to cycle three or four times a week and want to do more, than to cycle every day and get fed up with it. If you want a few days off from cycling - no problem!

Five Tips For Faster Cycling

HILL

The Largest Medically Recorded Penis in the World

There have been many tall (or should we say long) tales about the longest penis in the world. Trying to find a true answer meant that I had to go beyond the web. The information on the web is at best sketchy and a worst out right fabrication.

I found one site that claimed a man with an extremely long penis that due to the amount of blood that flowed into the two chambers within his penis when erect. Led to the problem with him fainted every time he got an erection due to the lack of blood in the rest of his body. This is a ludicrous acquisition and Mother Nature would ensure that this wasn't possible.

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What is the largest penis in the world is an often asked question. The largest penis in the world was recorded by a Doctor Robert Dickinson. In the early 20th century he measured the largest medically recorded penis in the world at 13.5 inches long and was 6.25 inches in girth.

There was another claim to a bigger penis by Dr. David Reuben in his book "Everything You Wanted to Know about Sex". Dr. David Reuben claimed he had measured a 14 inch penis but it was never independently verified.

Incidentally the largest penis ever erected was in China at an amusement park.

The 30ft erection, named Sky Pillar and is located at the Longwan Shaman Amusement Park in Changchun city.

Builders wrapped more than 6,500ft of straw around the steel structure which stands on an altar atop 1,250ft high Qinlong Hill. I could not find out why they built this structure in the first place however.

The Largest Medically Recorded Penis in the World

HILL

Thursday, December 22, 2011

Offshore Betting

Sports betting enthusiasts are finding that the quickest and easiest way to place their bets is with offshore betting sites on the Internet. There are many offshore betting sites to choose from and some are better than others. The best sites provide a safe and secure environment for your sports betting. You can be sure that your account is secure and your privacy protected. You can also be sure that your winnings will be paid promptly.

The best offshore betting sites also provide a variety of safe ways for you to make your deposits and offer sign-up bonuses and other incentives to keep you happy and coming back to play. For sports betters a good offshore betting site will also provide all of the information you need to make intelligent bets that have a good chance of being successful. This includes the latest betting odds and betting lines as well as up-to-date data on team and individual match-ups. There is also the latest information on injuries to key players, any trades or acquisitions made by the teams, and even the predicted weather conditions for games.

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The experts at these offshore betting sites will help you with recommendations to help you decide which team to bet on and how much to bet. The final decision is always yours; there is no pressure on you to bet on a particular team, or even to bet at all. Best of all is the convenience. You can place your bet when you want to from wherever you want to. So find a good offshore site, relax, and enjoy the best in sports betting.

Offshore Betting

HILL

Twin and Full Size Bunk Beds

Bunk beds are generally found in two sizes, twin and full size. These bed sizes can be paired together or mixed to create a bunk design to suit the needs of the buyer. You will find bunk beds that have two twins, bunks with two full beds, or bunk beds with a twin on top and a full at the bottom.

Twin size beds are most common and there are still many people who are not even aware that they can acquire a full size in bunk bed form. The standard design for twin beds is usually the classic one twin over another, but there are actually different ways that the two twins can be adjoined. For instance, you may find them in the cross roads style, where one twin is turned horizontal and the other is vertical. So if you were to look at it from above the two beds would make a cross.

Beds

Twin and full size bunk beds can sometimes be linked with each other, this is where you will find the smaller bed at the top, this being the twin, and the full size bed at the bottom. Together, they usually resemble a step. You can also find the crossroads design with the combination of these two bed sizes.

If it's just one child and you still want to save on space within the room, you can opt for a twin over futon bed, this is where the twin bed would still be on top and a sofa attached at the bottom. Kids will still be able to entertain their friends and have a lot of space in the room for other things.

Twin and full size bunk beds are the easiest way to select beds that are right for your children while getting more than one child to share a room. This way you do not have to move to a bigger house or incorporate another room, especially if space is limited. Both kids can have their own beds and still share a room and have space for their other items. Some twin and full size beds are made with drawers attached to the bottom bunk and this allows for more storage space within that one spot.

Twin and Full Size Bunk Beds

Beds

What Do Girls Want in a Man? - Here is Something Every Man Out There Must Know

So what do girls want? This is a frequent question asked a lot in the dating world. There are many answers to this question from all over the place but facts are facts. There are certain qualities girls want in a man which apply to all men. And the problem is that most men out there don't know what these are therefore this is the reason why you must know these at all costs. Read on to discover what these things are and achieve mind blowing results fast...

You must be different from the rest- Why would a girl be ever interested in you if you are just like anyone else out there? You must develop some unique qualities which differentiate you from the rest and make you a unique individual. Learn to lose break out from the crowd and follow your own path.

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Have a positive attitude- Girls can smell a loser from miles and that's something which really turns them off in a man. They want to be around a man who has a positive attitude towards life and is fearless. They want to be with someone who knows where he is going instead of following others. More or less they are looking for someone who has a leader like attitude.

You must be able to make her feel good- This is one of the most important quality you must have in order to be liked by females. You must have the capability to make her feel special. You see the better she feels about herself the more she would be into you. Humans have a tendency to get attracted towards people who can make them feel good. Therefore you must make her feel good in your company.

What Do Girls Want in a Man? - Here is Something Every Man Out There Must Know

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Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Christmas Casino Slots Bonuses Online

Millions of pounds and dollars are up for grabs this winter as the online casinos prepare to go to war over your registration. That's right; this article explains how players can take advantage of Christmas slot bonuses all over the internet during the holidays.

People who love games and other online entertainment activities are in for a great Christmas, because it's estimated that over 1.2 billion dollars will be spent by casinos on free slots during the festivities. November and December are considered the best times to sign up to an online casino website, because the registration bonuses are huge with no deposit needed to get them.

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Today we're concentrating on slots bonuses and the free spin lottery that involves over 62% of the Christmas casino bonus market. This offer entitles players to accumulate free slot machine credits to values in excess of £100. Some casinos pay more but the real excitement comes if your free spins start winning real cash. It's unbelievable to think that for simply signing up to an online casino, you'll get free slot cash to play for jackpots worth millions.

The big casino brands even launch their own Christmas related slots games that feature amazing graphics and bonuses to suit the festive mood. One to look out for is the Santa's Wild Ride slot that awards over 50 free spins for a prize pool worth 5 figures across the casino network.

If you've ever considered playing casino on the internet, then November and December is the time to get involved. It is thought that a player who joins a casino during these months will make more in bonuses than any other player who joined earlier that year.

So how do you grab the action this Christmas, well that's very simple. You need a casino operator that has a strong reputation and a large bonus pool of over 65%. Also consider the software, ensure that the casino site is well trusted and has frequent pay out tables listed. Once you've settled on the brand of your choice, work out the bonus sign up deal by combining the average. This means that a casino which awards 50 free spins and a 100% bonus is better than one that awards 100 spins with a 50% bonus.

Signing up to play free casino this winter could never be simpler, with the Christmas slots bonuses now ready for the taking.

Christmas Casino Slots Bonuses Online

HILL

Speech Impediments, How They Affect Our Lives

There are many types of speech impediment and they all affect a persons life in different ways. For the purpose of this article, I am going to concentrate on how stuttering/stammering can disrupt and even ruin a persons life and how at times it makes us accept second best.

For somebody who has a stutter, life at times is a struggle. As a first example, I am going to explain a situation from school. It is an English lesson, and on each persons desk there is a reading book. The teacher says to all the pupils that he/she wants everyone in the class to read one paragraph from the book. For the person who has the stutter, this is something they fear and they will try to work out which paragraph they will have to read. They do this by counting the likely number of people who are ahead of them and then by counting down to the appropriate paragraph. They will hope this paragraph is quite short, they will then read through it, hoping that there are not too many of their difficult words in there. Most people who stutter have certian words which begin with certian letters that they find harder to say. They then have to wait until there turn to speak, this causes a lot of tension and worry. By the time it is their turn to speak they are basically so nervous that is very unlikely they will be able to say their paragraph fluently.

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When trying to find employment, people who stutter will often go for jobs which do not include too many pressure speaking situations. They are normally capable of much better roles or occupations, however are having to accepy second best.

In a restuarant people who stutter do not always order what they actually want but instead something they know they will be able to say.

I have heard of people who stutter, who will not get married through fear of the social occasion and especially saying the vows and their giving their speech at the reception. This has led people to losing the love of their lives.

These are just a few of many ways a stutter or speech impediment can hinder a persons life.

Speech Impediments, How They Affect Our Lives

HILL

Skin Cancer Prevention: 5 Ways to Protect Yourself from UV Rays

Skin cancer prevention measures can actively reduce your chances of developing skin cancer if you implement them in your daily routine. The most common form of cancer in the United States, tens of thousands of Americans contract skin cancer every year.

Skin cancer comes in three forms: basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and malignant melanoma. Of the three, melanoma is the most dangerous and life threatening. Skin cancer claims the lives of approximately ten thousand Americans on an annual basis.

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What causes skin cancer?

Overexposure to ultraviolet sunlight (UV rays) is believed to be the dominant external factor in a person's development of skin cancer, although genetic factors can play a role. To protect yourself from UV rays, you should take the following 5 steps for proper skin cancer prevention:

1. Avoid Direct Sun Exposure: Avoid exposing your skin to direct sunlight during midday (generally from 10am to 4pm). This is the time when UV rays are most intense. Plan your schedule to avoid outdoor activities during these hours. Also, be aware that sand and snow reflect sunlight, so if you're at the beach or a ski resort, direct sunlight can bombard you from every direction with UV rays.

2. Cover Yourself: When out in the sun, keep your skin covered. Wear long-sleeves and long pants if possible. Wearing a hat with a 3 to 4 inch brim all around is preferable. This will guard your neck and cheeks from dangerous prolonged exposure. Also note that dry, dark-colored garments offer the best protection.

3. Use Sunscreen Properly: You should always use sunscreen when enduring prolonged exposure in the sun. Find a sunscreen with a Sun Protection Factor of at least 15 and read the directions for proper application. The higher the SPF, the higher the protection you will receive against dangerous sunburns. However, sunscreen does not offer "bulletproof" protection, and UV rays can penetrate water, so just because you feel "cool" in the water doesn't mean you're protected from sunburn.

4. Use Sunglasses That Block UV Rays: Making certain your sunglasses can block UV rays helps to guard your eyes from serious sun damage. The best constructed sunglasses should have a UV ray absorption rate of 99% to 100%. Never assume that darker lenses equal increased protection. UV rays are blocked by a chemical applied to the lenses. This chemical has nothing to do with the color of transparency of sunglass lenses.

5. Stay Away From Tanning Beds: It is a myth to believe that tanning beds and sunlamps are free of harmful UV rays. These cosmetic instruments might make your skin more attractive in the short-term, but they can significantly increase your risk of developing skin cancer in the long-term. Health professionals advise their patients to avoid them.

By implementing these 5 steps in your daily routine, you can significantly decrease your risk of developing skin cancer, while maintaining a healthy lifestyle that allows for proper exposure to the sun. Another important step in prevention of skin cancer is routine examination by a doctor. If skin cancer is detected early, then your odds of survival are markedly increased.

Skin Cancer Prevention: 5 Ways to Protect Yourself from UV Rays

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Turkey Casinos

Mention Turkey and the images that flitter by are those of spiraling turrets, whirling dervishes and belly dancers. The birthplace of many a civilization including the Armenian and the Ottoman, this Eurasian country has charmed many. Strategically located, it is a unique blend of the East and the West. Turkey holds varied attractions for those whose interest's range beyond the architectural or theological.

One can make fortunes here faster than you can blink your eyes or perhaps even lose them just as fast. One of the few countries that allow gambling legally - Turkey is a haven for casino enthusiasts. The Turkish city of Kyrenia is home to the largest numbers of casinos in the country and many a happy tourist can be found here having a good time. The Casino Merit Crystal Cove is by far the largest and the most popular.

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There was a time though when all was not well with the gambling scenario in the country. In the last decade attempts were made to ban the then 1 billion dollar industry by the Islamist collation government. The new century though has dawned to see the industry reviving from the back breaking laws imposed by governments of the past and bitter street fights amongst local syndicates and has helped the country on its way to becoming one of the largest growing economies in the world.

Other than the regular casino options like Roulette and Black Jack, slot machines and card games are especially popular. The standard 52 card deck is used to play a variety of games including Papaz Kacti which roughly translates into 'king escapes', Maca Kizi - a Turkish version of Hearts, Dost Kazigi or 'friend soak'. These games amongst many others are indigenous to the region and can be great fun for those with an adventurous streak.

The Mediterranean climate is ideal for vacationing and you have an option of enjoying the hot, dry summers or the mild but wet winters. Most of the acclaimed global hospitality chains have a presence here and offer their guests a chance to win the favors of lady luck. If the idea of winning back your exotic trips expenses appeals to you, then stepping into one of Turkey's Casino's is a must! The New Turkish Lira (YTL) is approximately 70 cents, making it an economically viable holiday destination. Add to that the chances of winning back your money at Turkey's local casinos and the propositions sounds a lot more exciting!

Turkey Casinos

HILL

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

How To Work Out Betting Odds

Pricing is a way of expressing the odds on a bet... that is, how much you will win if you bet (thus giving you an indication as to how likely it is that you could win).

Although there are other types of pricing, we are going to look at the most popular pricing systems: first the US pricing system and then the European version.

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To understand the difference, we need to clarify some terminology that follows. Imagine that you're betting on the outcome of game. You put down an even money bet of 0 (which is matched by a 0 bet by the bookie). Your team wins.

You get back 0 but you've only won 0. Notice the difference?

- You get back 0 (your stake plus the bookie's bet).
- You won 0 (the bookie's bet).

Recognizing this difference will help you understand the difference between two of the major pricing systems.

US Pricing System: In the US pricing system, they show you how much money you could win (that is, not including your bet) and it is expressed as a percentage... as if you bet 0 on every single bet.

European Pricing System: The European pricing system is also called the digital method of pricing and it is an increasingly popular method of stating a price. This is because it is potentially easier to use and it is becoming more widely accepted around the world.

Unlike the American system, which represents how much you'd win, the European system tells you how much you'd get back. That's a big difference in knowing how to read the systems.

And, rather than being expressed as a percentage, it is expressed in a "digital format"... that is, as a number greater than 1.0.

How To Work Out Betting Odds

HILL

Fifth-Wheel or Bumper Pull?

For many RV'ers, this question is a burning issue. For others, it isn't even on the horizon. It all depends on what kind of RV you're in and what you'd like to move into.

For example, I've been towing travel trailers for several years. What is my next RV going to be? I'm planning to get a fifth-wheel toy hauler. Why? I want the toy hauler for the flexibility in the ways I can use it. I want the fifth-wheel version because of the floor plans which are not available in the bumper pulls. But, that's just me. This article is about what you want.

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By the way, the descriptive terms you'll hear can be confusing. A fifth-wheel is a fifth-wheel. That's what people call it. On the other hand, there isn't one standardized term for the others. You'll hear people refer to them as, "travel trailers," "bumper pulls," "tow-types" or a few other terms. For the sake of this article, I'll use the term, "bumper pull" because it best describes the hitch location.

Now that we understand the terms, let's look at the basic differences between the two. The most obvious difference is where the trailer is hooked up to the tow vehicle. The hitch for the bumper pull is, of course, located at or near the rear bumper of the tow vehicle. The fifth-wheel hitch is located in the truck bed over the rear axle.

The first thing that becomes apparent is that you won't be using a car to tow a fifth-wheel trailer. The location of that hitch requires a truck. The bumper pull trailer can be towed by either a car or a truck.

There's another factor about the fifth-wheel trailer that requires that a truck be used as a tow vehicle. The design of the fifth-wheel frame is such that it tends to be heavier than that required for a bumper pull trailer. That additional weight needs the strength only a truck can provide.

So, why do people choose one over the other? One reason is the size of the unit. The longer a trailer is, the more likely it is to be designed as a fifth-wheel. The smaller it is, the more likely it is to be a bumper pull design.

The main issue here is the stability of the trailer when it's being towed. The pivot point (the hitch) of a bumper pull trailer is a few feet behind the axle of the tow vehicle. This can cause the trailer to exert leverage on the truck. The longer units need a good anti-sway hitch to keep the truck and trailer under control if you're hit with side winds.

The pivot point for the fifth-wheel hitch is over the axle of the truck. There's no way the trailer can exert leverage on the truck if a gust of wind hits it. That is the main reason why the longer trailers tend to be fifth-wheel units.

Another factor in the choice is the cost. The fifth-wheel units tend to be more expensive than a bumper pull trailer of the same size. That's why most of the smaller, less-expensive units are bumper pull's. They're lighter and less expensive to produce.

There's a huge difference in the amount of living space you get for every foot of space the trailer takes up on the road or in the camp ground. A bumper pull trailer that is 30 feet long will give you about 25-26 feet of living space. The rest of the length is the tongue sticking out in front of the trailer. As for overall length of the truck and trailer, that whole 30 feet is added to the length of the truck.

A fifth-wheel uses the length more efficiently. A 30-foot fifth-wheel will, in most cases, give you about 30 feet of living space. Because the hitch is over the rear axle of the truck, the amount of trailer hanging out behind the truck will be more like 24-25 feet. The combined length of the truck and trailer will be 8-10 feet shorter for the same amount of living space.

Most of the fifth-wheel trailers require at least a 3/4-ton truck as a tow vehicle. Most of the bumper pull's can be handled safely by a 1/2-ton truck. The main reason for that is the amount of weight placed on the hitch.

Most of the bumper pull trailers are designed to put about 10% of the total weight on the hitch ball. Putting that much weight on a hitch 3-4 feet behind the axle works as a lever to lift the front of the truck. A good weight equalization hitch becomes extremely important as the size of the trailer moves into the medium or large sizes.

The fifth-wheel trailer is designed to put about 15% of the total weight onto the hitch pin which is over the truck axle. That amount of weight, by itself, requires a heavier-duty truck.

So, where does that leave you? If you already have a 3/4-ton truck or larger, your choices are pretty wide open. It comes down to which floor plan and price range work best for you.

If, on the other hand, you have a car or a small pickup truck, you're pretty much limited to a smaller bumper pull trailer. Most of the cars and small pickups are limited to trailers weighing 3,500 pounds or less. Trailers that light aren't going to offer a lot in the way of creature comforts. At the same time, they do offer an inexpensive entry point into the wonderful world of RV travel.

It all comes down to where you are and where you want to be in the grand scheme of things. The tow vehicle will dictate the size and style of trailer you are able to safely pull. If you want to pull something bigger, you'll need to upgrade your tow vehicle.

The other main factor is, of course, your budget. It's true that you can save a lot of money on your vacation travel if you travel light with a tent or, even, a pop-up tent trailer. Because hotel and restaurant costs can add up pretty fast, camping can be a real bargain.

However, there comes a point where you're no longer camping to save money. You're camping because you really enjoy the RV lifestyle. Let's face it, a new 3/4-ton truck with a matching fifth-wheel trailer can easily approach ,000 - 0,000! You can't camp enough to save that much money!

So, as for the question of fifth-wheel vs. bumper pull, the bottom line is this: how much are you willing to spend? Most of the bumper pull units are at the low end to the mid-point of the scale. Most of the fifth-wheel units will start from the mid-point and range up through the high end of that same scale.

Where are you and where do you want to be?

Fifth-Wheel or Bumper Pull?

HILL

Treatment of Flea Bites on Human - What Home Remedies Available?

Fleas not only bite and live off your pets, they bite people too. The typical human reaction to a flea bite is the formation of a small, hard, red, slightly raised, itching spot with no swelling. Some bleeding can occur, particularly if the bitten area is scratched. A single puncture point caused by the flea is generally apparent in the center of each spot.

Flea bites normally occur on the legs and ankles. Different people have different reaction to fleabites. Some people are totally unattractive to fleas and are not affected by the presence of fleas while others may be "appealing" and sensitive to fleas resulting in severe allergic reaction to their bites.

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See some pictures of flea bites on humans

Well, how to treat flea bites on human? Before you run off to your family doctor to seek medical treatment, here are some home remedies for the treatment of flea bites on human.

1. Firstly, it's important to keep the affected area clean. Wash the bites with some antiseptic lotion or soap. Use cold water but avoid the use of warm or hot water as this may tend to stimulate itch

2. Secondly, apply a cold pack over the bites to reduce swelling.

3. Do not scratch the inflamed area as this may lead to open wounds and secondary infections.

4. If the affected area is read and swollen, you may apply a mild steroid cream like 1% hydrocortisone cream. This should be easily available from any pharmacy without the need of a prescription. Hydrocortisone helps in reducing inflammation rapidly. Alternatively, if you have a bottle of calamine lotion at home, this may help too.

5. Very often, the itch caused by the fleabites can be very intense. An oral dose of anti-histamine like Dimetapp, Chlortrimeton is very effective in relieving itch. Once the itch stops, you will stop scratching as well and the healing will take place faster.

Treatment of flea bites using these home remedies should improves within a few days, However, if the condition worsen whereby, they remained red and swollen with discharges, then a trip to your family doctor may be necessary. Your doctor may prescribe a course of antibiotics for you and a jab of steroid may be needed to stop the inflammation.

However, success in treating flea bites is by no means a solution to your problem. To avoid further bites from these little pesky creatures, the only solution is to get rid of them totally. Killing fleas in house, getting rid of fleas on pets is what you need to do as part of your flea extermination plan

Treatment of Flea Bites on Human - What Home Remedies Available?

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Monday, December 19, 2011

5 Easy No-Bake Pie Crust Recipes

During the hot Summer months, I avoid heating up my kitchen with the oven. I prefer to make no-bake pie crusts, by using alternative ingredients.

You don't need to use a rolling pin, dough board, pastry blender or any of the traditional pie baking equipment. All you basically need are the ingredients, a large bowl, a measuring cup and of course, your pie pan.

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These recipes are easy to make and best suited for refrigerated or frozen dessert-style pies. You will want to chill your pie crust for 1 hour (or until firm), before filling the pie shell with your pie filling.

Here are 5 of my favorite recipes.

Chocolate Cookie Crumb

24 chocolate sandwich cookies, crushed
1/4 c. butter, melted

Combine crushed cookie crumbs with melted butter until well mixed. Press mixture firmly into place into a 9" around pie pan.

Cornflake Crust

1 c. crushed cornflakes
1/4 c. sugar
6 tbsp. butter (melted)

Combine crushed cornflakes with sugar and butter, until well mixed. Spread the crumb mixture evenly and firmly into a 9" round pie pan.

Vanilla Wafer Crust

1 1/2 c. finely crushed vanilla wafers (about 39)
6 tbsp. butter, melted

Combine crushed wafers with butter, until well mixed. Spread the crumb mixture evenly and firmly into a 9" round pie pan.

Graham Cracker Crumb

1 c. crushed graham crackers
1/4 c. sugar
6 tbsp. butter (melted)

Combine crushed graham crackers with sugar and butter. Toss thoroughly to combine. Press mixture firmly into a 9" round pie pan.

Pretzel Crust

1 1/4 c. crushed pretzels (no salt)
1/4 c. sugar
6 tbsp. butter (melted)

Combine crushed pretzels with sugar and melted butter. Toss to thoroughly to combine. Press mixture firmly into a 9" round pie plate.

5 Easy No-Bake Pie Crust Recipes

HILL

How To Get Funding For Tubal Reversal

If you have decided that you want your tubes untied to either have another child or for relief of post tubal ligation syndrome, then funding for tubal reversal becomes one of your major considerations. With tubal reversals being in the thousands and tens of thousands of dollars, most women cannot afford to pay the costs out of pocket.

This means most women will be searching for some other way to come up with the requisite money to pay the doctor's fees and all other associated costs such as the anesthesiologist and surgical facility. While having the full amount in one's bank account would be the best scenario, it usually doesn't happen that way. There are more or less eight ways to come up with the amount of your tubal reversal costs.

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First is the good old saving for a rainy day. You simply begin to put the extra money you have every month aside in a savings account. I would go so far as to even suggest a savings account just for the purpose of saving for this procedure. If you mix it up into your regular savings account, you just might "accidentally" spend in on whatever comes up. If you don't have extra or think you don't, then it's time to look into the various budget cutting and controlling methods that abound on the web. Do you really need cable TV or that extra latte every day?

Next is a version of the first in that you will end up saving to come up with the full amount. In this version, you go out and get a job. If necessary, you get a second job. Then put that money aside into your savings account till you have the full amount all saved up.

If you use a top notch surgeon like Dr. Gary S. Berger of Chapel Hill Tubal Reversal Center, you might be able to create a payment plan with the surgeon's office. His system begins with an initial payment of 0 to open the account. After that, you send in payments of any amount you want or can as often as you would like. Your surgeon may have a different system set up. If you can, do it weekly. That gets the money out of your hands and into a special account where you can't dip into it for the winter snow tires or whatever. Think of it as a special baby layaway plan.

Some women use their family's income tax refund to pay for the tubal reversal surgery. Depending upon your personal situation, you might have to wait a few years if just depending upon a tax refund. This is why some will use their tax refund to supplement their savings plan.

Many people will think about insurance paying for the procedure as their first thought when looking at funding for tubal reversal. Some insurance companies will cover the surgery as part of their plan. However, if someone at your insurance carrier says they will, get it in writing. You may find that one person at the company says, "Yes", and then the next will say, "No." There are too many cases of a woman going in for the surgery thinking it was covered only to find out after wards that the insurance would pay nothing. Get it in writing!

You will find that most insurance companies will not cover it as it is considered an elective surgery. However, there are some possible, and I stress possible, ways around this. If the reason you are wanting the tubal reversal is for alleviation of symptoms of post tubal ligation syndrome, then getting you primary doctor to say that repairing your tubes is necessary might be one way to get insurance to pay for it, maybe even 100%. The other way that is possible to get some of the cost reimbursed is if there is a cap on your medical out-of-pocket expenses where the insurance company picks up the amount over the cap. You will have to check your own policy to see about this.

Lacking health insurance to pay for the tubal ligation reversal, you might be lucky enough to have a flexible spending account for health at your or your husband's employment. Some of these will allow you to take out the full amount in advance. You'll just have to see what the particulars are during your enrollment season. As the amount you pay into the flex spending account is pulled from the paycheck before you ever see it, you most likely won't even notice it.

Another such source from your work would be taking out a 401(k) or IRA to pay for the full cost. You will end up paying a penalty and that money won't be building your retirement so you will just have to decide what is most important to you. If it's for ptls relief, I know what I would choose.

Lastly is using your credit card in some form. It could be that your doctor will accept your credit card. If he does not, then maybe you can get a cash advance to pay for the surgery. However, be very aware of the high interest rate you may have to make paying back this advance. Make very sure you pay higher than minimum monthly payments on your credit card or you will be paying a very long time for the surgery. It might also be possible to use your credit card to "purchase" a cashier's check to pay for your tubal reversal.

Hopefully one of the above ideas will be the right funding for tubal reversal for you. Decide upon the one that best fits your lifestyle and situation. Only you know what is right for you.

Copyright 2008, Sandra Wilson

How To Get Funding For Tubal Reversal

HILL

Find Treasure: 14 Unusual Places To Search

Are you the adventurous type?

Have you ever wanted to be a treasure hunter but you were not sure where to begin?

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Here's some ideas that myself and others have used with positive results.

You may not get rich, but you'll have a great time.

Yes, People Do Hide Money

Since the beginning of time people have hid, cached, hoarded, secreted and buried money. You may be asking yourself why? Here are a number of reasons.

People don't trust banks or financial institutions. Many individuals who grew up during the depression are hiding money. They fear they may go through what their families went through. So they hide money as a way to feel secure.

Many people don't trust their spouses. I'm not kidding.

I have been asked by husbands and wives to search for buried caches that were suspected hidden by the spouse.

People hide money and valuables because they don't trust their family.

This is the same situation as the above example. There always have been and always will be internal money problems with some families. And for some, hiding their money so that know family member knows about it, is the answer.

This next example is a common one, even today.

Many people hide money with the intention of giving it to their family members or a spouse. However, they die first. The hidden money is never found. It's not found because the hider never told the hidee. Happens all the time!

You can find treasure for the above reasons, many people do.

Here are 14 unusual places to search.

The first few places require a metal detector. You can purchase one that will do the job for around two hundred dollars.

Posthole Banks

Okay, you're asking what's a posthole bank?

A posthole bank is the hole in the ground that is left after a fence post is dug.

Many farmers buried their coins beneath the fence posts of their properties. They simply removed the fence post, inserted the money into the hole, and then replaced the post. I know individuals who have located these posthole banks.

Near Big Old Trees

I've been lucky myself with this one.

I found a small, mason jar filled with old coins. The jar was buried at the base of an old elm tree.

Many times old trees are used as markers for the person who is hiding the money. Usually the old trees in backyards are where most treasures are found.

Gardens

People have always had gardens, and many have buried their valuables their.

These garden hiding places are the most prevalent. I know others who have searched gardens and found everything from mason jars full of coins to large steel boxes of jewelry.

In The Outhouse

Don't laugh; but do think about this one.

How many of you would think of searching an outhouse for a buried treasure?

Many old timers cached their coins in the outhouse because they knew people would never think of searching there.

The old out houses can still be found. If you want to give this one a try, look beneath the seat. The wooden frame the seat sits on can usually be removed. Don't worry, unless the crapper is still being used, the bacteria and stuff is no longer there. If it were, I would have died years ago.

Beneath Barn Flooring

Here's another area I have first hand knowledge of.

Many old barns have wooden floors that sit on top of a crawl space. Often time's money and valuables were hidden below the floor. Look for loose floorboards as a good sign that a cache is there.

Rivers and Creeks

Where do you think most thieves throw their loot when fleeing from the law?

I have heard many stories from treasure searchers who have dragged river and creek bottoms and have found cash, coins and jewelry.

Some of these finds have been old. Coins and paper currency dated in the 1850's were recently located in a creek in Pennsylvania. They were cached inside what looked like an old bank safety deposit box.

All you need is a rope tied to a grappling hook. You'll uncover many items, mostly junk, as well as getting the hook stuck on tree limbs time and time again.

If you're the enterprising kind, research the robberies in your area, especially the ones where the money or items were never returned.

Beneath Bridges

This also has to do with thieves on the run.

When you are searching those river and creek beds be sure that you also take the time to search beneath the bridges.

Search the bridge itself as well as the ground beneath it.

And remember; when thieves are on the run, they don't spend a lot of time hiding their stolen goods. So look in the obvious places like between the joists of the bridge, or the steel girders.

If it will take time to climb up to, or it's too dangerous, then you're wasting your time.

By the way, I know an adventurous individual who has recovered large amounts of cash from beneath two bridges, less than two miles from each other.

Why was the cash beneath those bridges?

Most likely it was drug money and the drug dealer was caught before going back to retrieve his stash.

Picture Frame Backs

If you enjoy going to home auctions or flea markets, then make sure you pay special attention to those old picture frames.

The frames themselves may be worth lots of money, but you can also find treasures on the back of those frames.

Many individuals used to hide money between the picture backing and the frame. Others just stapled an envelope with the cash directly to the frame back.

Old Medicine Cabinets

When you're at the flea markets and auctions, check those old medicine cabinets. They used to have slots in them to dispose of used razor blades. It's been known that many individuals have secreted their coins into those slots.

If you get permission to treasure hunt old abandoned houses, be sure to search those medicine cabinets as well as the following places.

Pipe Safe

Look for piping that leads nowhere and that has been capped off.

If you're in an old house and you notice a large pipe that looks like it do's not belong where it is, in other words, there are no valves to it, and it's capped? It's probably a pipe safe.

There have been people who stashed all kinds of money from silver dollars to paper money inside piping.

Beneath Attic Floors

Be sure to check the attic flooring of old homes.

Look beneath any loose flooring between the joists. This was another common hiding area.

Basement Floor Joists

The same as above look between the joists.

Loose Stone Basement Walls

When you're in the basements of older homes, be sure to look for any of the basement stonewall that may be loose, for easy removal.

Small and large caches have been located there.

Inside the walls

People have also used the walls of their homes as a hiding place for money. I've seen everything from holes on the walls covered by a picture, to lath and plaster walls with slots cut into them for coins.

Always ask for permission before you attempt to go into any abandoned property. And be sure to respect the rights of all property owners.

Find Treasure: 14 Unusual Places To Search

Beds

Sunday, December 18, 2011

How to Stop Your Dog's Excessive Licking

If your dog licks excessively, you can easily stop this behavior once you understand the root cause of his excessive licking.

In order to get to the bottom of this mysterious and compulsive dog behavior you will want to look at two root causes of excessive licking

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Medical- A dog that is excessively licking may be doing this because of a medical condition such as a skin allergy, dry skin, irritation to the pads on his paws as a result of contact with ice, snow or the salt on a road. He may be having an allergic reaction to cleaning fluids, a sensitivity to certain soaps or be in discomfort due to a more serious condition such as canine arthritis, common in senior dogs.

It's a good idea to take a visit with your dog to the veterinarian to rule out any medical reason for his excessive licking. If there is a medical condition, your vet will likely prescribe a simple remedy that will provide relief to your dog and stop your dog's excessive licking.

Behavioral- Non medical causes for excessive licking in dogs are most likely behaviorally based. Many dog trainers feel that the cause is anxiety. Your dog may lick excessively so that someone will notice him, as a show of affection, or to give you a message. That message in dog language can mean a number of things, such as , I want to go for a walk, I love you, I wanna play, I want food, I feel anxious, or I miss you and want you to come back. This last one manifests itself as separation anxiety when you are not at home.

2 Ways to Stop Your Dog's Excessive Licking Today

Once you identify the specific root cause of your dog's excessive licking you can take steps to stop it. Let's use separation anxiety as an example. If you conclude that your dog licks excessively when you leave the house, you can easily correct this behavior.

Start leaving he house for short intervals without making a fuss when you leave. No announcements or good byes. Just leave and come back without fanfare in 5 minutes. Then repeat the process and extends it to 10 minutes. Do it again, this time for 20 minutes, then again for an hour. Before long you will be able to leave the house and return a few hours to several hours later without your dog reacting by excessive licking.

Another simple technique you can use to stop your dog's excessive licking is to divert his attention. When he starts to lick his paws, your face, the floor or anything at all, catch his attention and throw a ball for him to fetch. He'll soon forget about licking because he's having more fun playing ball !.

How to Stop Your Dog's Excessive Licking

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Landscaping Hillsides Save Time

If your backyard has a steep hillside, you may feel a bit daunted by the prospect of doing something with it.

Attempting to mow a steep hillside is one of the activities that frequently results in a lawnmower tumbling down the hill with the operator rolling after it.

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By exercising great care at all times it is possible to mow a steep hillside, of course, but it's quite possible to remove the problem altogether with a little planning. It is imperative to have some type of growth on your hillside, to prevent erosion.

You've got two choices. The first is to remove the grass from the hillside completely, and replace it with sturdy but attractive groundcover, from the dainty look provided by 3-inch "baby's tears" to the 2-foot tall Scotch heather. Different colors are available too, of course, from the deep green of English ivy to the bright yellow blossoms of moneywort.

The second choice is to actually change the shape of the hillside itself - to terrace it, or build a retaining wall.

First things first

If you're determined to do something with your hillside, the first thing to do is clear it of all undesirable material, from rocks to brush to weeds. Of course you'd do that if all you were going to do is mow it, as well. You never want to mow in an area that has rocks that can be thrown up and back at you (and you should wear eye protection whenever you're mowing even a normal, flat lawn).

Do a few tests on the soil of the hillside to see what it's made of. Just like the rest of your yard the soil can vary, from dense clay to coarse sand. If you choose to place groundcover on your hillside, you'll have to choose the appropriate plants that will flourish in that type of soil. You'll also have to give a thought to how much water these plants will require.

Does the soil absorb water, or does it allow the water to pass through and flood onto your lawn below? Again, you'll want to give some thought to the type of groundcover you use. The kind with good, deep roots is usually best. If you're planting shrubs, place them in staggered lines rather than in rows. The staggered design will prevent the water from rushing downward.

If you choose to terrace the hillside, or build a retaining wall, make sure you check the zoning laws in your area first. It is also imperative that you check with your local utilities such as electricity and water to ensure that you will not be digging into a buried power line.

You don't want to start excavating into your hillside without making a plan first and assembling all the materials you need so you can get started immediately. If you remove all the ground cover and then have to stop work for a week or so while you're waiting for a delivery of timber or stone, and a storm comes up, you might find that all that hillside will slide down into your back yard.

It's possible to build a retaining wall yourself, of course, but you must do considerable research to find out the best materials to use and exactly how to build it. The last thing you want to do is build an elegant-looking wall out of timber, only to have it collapse on you because you didn't build a trench in which to bury the first course of timbers, to anchor the wall solidly.

As with all things, research and planning are key.

Landscaping Hillsides Save Time

HILL

Protect Your Family From Solar Flares

Protect your family from solar flares. Solar flares emit dangerous gamma radiation, which affects everything from gravity waves to the Earth's tectonic system. These solar flares are dangerous to human life. The Gamma Radiation is dangerous to the human bio system. Many severe solar flares can cause cancer and It heats up the atmosphere and can drastically change weather patterns too. We have had some serious solar flares in the last few years, which have affected our lives. Some say that Earthquakes are in part due to the disruption of the natural electromagnetic distribution of the Earth along with causing disruptions in gravity waves.

One group of scientists and future prediction study group is calling for a huge solar flare which could kill 2 billion humans if it occurs on the side of the sun where they Earth is passing thru. That is pretty drastic indeed. It could cause massive seismic activity, cook you alive or kill all the crops and many might starve. These scientists and remote viewer people are not anyone you wish to quote in the mass media. We know as the sun gets older and perhaps within ten billion years the sun will expand and cook the Earth before it burns out. This would be a very bad day for Earthlings indeed.

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How can you protect your family from solar flares of such extreme magnitude? There are many ways actually. NASA has done many studies to protect astronauts in the International Space Station and Space Shuttle. Our Satellites have lots of protection. Luckily we have a strong atmosphere protecting life on Earth, but there are ways as shown by NASA to do even better. One could use a dense material on the roof. Titanium or lead; one might also use water tanks which block out such solar radiation. For instance put swimming pool on your roof or build a water collection device for rain and leave it on the roof under a cover so it does not evaporate. You could use it to grow plants and it might help the nearby smog and air pollution issues.

You could buy a nano carbon material sheet, which is very dense and it will block out most all of the gamma radiation. Bend it over your bed and simply sleep in during the sunlight period that day. You will be protecting your self and your family from cancer causing radiation. No sense in getting skin cancer due to a one or two day solar flare problem? You might wish to be thinking of ways to protect you and your family from solar flares while you are at home. Think on this.

Protect Your Family From Solar Flares

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Skills Required To Run A Small Business

Would you like to run your own small business? Have you an idea for a small business but do not think that you could make it work? Are you bored of being an employee and yearn to become your own boss? Have you the required skills to run a small business? In this article I look at the type of skills that people need to possess to be able to successfully run a small business.

My name is Stephen Hill and I have been running my own business for around nine years now. Previously I had been employed by a major insurance company and even though I progressed well during my time there, I always wanted to run my own business, to choose my own hours of work and basically have no one to answer to etc.

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I am now a speech coach helping people who stammer/stutter to achieve fluency and I also help people to promote their websites as a form of web marketer or web promoter.

I love what I do as it allows me to to take my children to school as well as to pick them up from school. I am able to watch their football and netball matches and attend their school plays and other functions.

I am not bound by what hours I work, for example nine to five. I sometimes work late at night when I do the web promotion work but have the day free to relax. This is not to say that I do not work hard, because I think that I do work very hard.

Self belief is an important skill required to be your own boss. If you have an inner belief and self confidence that you will make the business succeed, then you will have a great chance to make it work. There will be times when during a month you only earn a small amount of money but in other months you should earn quite a lot. Some people prefer to know exactly what their income will be each month and these people may struggle to be their own boss.

Discipline is another requirement if you are to be a success at running your own small business. It is very easy to become lazy and to watch too much television or to have an extra couple of hours in bed in the morning. Even though you may have nobody to answer to, you have to be of the character to ensure you put in the required amount of hours and work.

I also think it is important to have a positive attitude. There will be periods when business is slow, this is where you may start to think in a negative way. This can lead people into becoming very stressed and even depressed. By thinking in a positive way and by working even harder to attract more work is the only way to react in this situation. This of course is not that easy to do but in my opinion there is not enough time in the day to get depressed.

Lastly is the ability to always try and improve your own self and to learn from any mistakes you make. We all make mistakes which is fine and natural. There is again not enough time to beat ourselves up over these errors, all we need to do is to learn from them and to then move on. We should always be looking at ways of improving the business as well as our own knowledge. Standing still and treading water is no way to continue.

Skills Required To Run A Small Business

HILL

40th Birthday Funny Gift Ideas!

For some turning 40 comes as an awful upset and is dreaded. For others, 40 is a birthday they accept! Either way, incorporating several 40th Birthday Gag Gifts is sure to ease the atmosphere and help the birthday girl or guy have a memorable birthday! There are some great resources online that you should visit if you are looking for 40th Birthday Gag Gifts.

If you are at a complete loss trying to conjure up a good gag gift for someone you know who's turning 40, here are a few ideas. Over the Hill Things. "Over the hill" is a typical theme for 40th Birthday Gag Gifts. You can unearth endless gift ideas that say "over the hill" and focus on just how much of an "old fart" the birthday celebrant in fact is. From cakes and candles to t-shirts, bogus granny (or grandpa) glasses, balloons and banners and other decor items, there are masses of options. Wonderful gag gifts that go along with this topic include walking canes (certain with honking horns), potty night lights for old folks who might have trouble finding the toilet as their eyes become old, denture-looking ice cube trays, old fart slippers, Mr. Saggy balls underwear, an over the hill parking permit, elderly tattoos, over the hill diapers, a bald man's comb, or an over the hill party hat.

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Bodily Function related crude items. This is definitely a guy thing-not a girl theme. For some reason, guys don't mind discussing heaps of bodily functions and sharing the most foul-mouthed and repugnant likenesses to byproducts of the human body. And they seem to like to include these disgusting items into their humor, particularly for milestone birthdays like the 40th, particularly if they look realistic and/or contain sound effects. So if you're planning a celebration for a 40 year old male, all of the following items are in play for birthday joke gifts: fanny floss (for difficult to reach places), old fashioned shithead game, everyone's favorite... the fart game, doo doo darts, a toilet mug, or a fart machine remote control, happy b-day K9 doo, or any of the dozens of other gag gifts with a common smelly crude theme.

Themes related to sex. Gag gifts with a sexual premise have endless appeal for many men and women regardless of whether they are merely reaching 21 years of age or reaching the big 4...0 or even beyond. Birthday party gag gift ideas that keep with this subject matter include things like breast pepper and salt shakers, a huge inflatable willie, a breast mug, weener kleener, naked tees for golf, and a sperm bank for coins.

Alcohol related themes. For a number of people, a birthday festivity isn't perfect without tons of alcohol and some funny joke gifts that allow the birthday celebrant to partake of them in a unique way. Enter gag gift ideas similar to the hops holster for cans of beer and the fake beer belly that lets you hide your "carry ins" under your tee shirt and your belt buckle at the same time as you can down them through a lengthy straw for the guys and the comparable wine rack-a bra that holds wine that also enhances the womanly figure and holds her "carry ins" that she can gulp through a long straw for the ladies. Other prank gifts include the tequila bandolier, an elderly man whizzer peeing liquor machine, a drinking beer hat, a flask shaped like binoculars, plus the pass out game. There are as well those gifts seem to manage to encompass multiple themes in one, like the boob beer cover nipple sipper along with the condom can holders, which fit underneath both the booze and drink and the sexually related themes.

Sports-interrelated themes. Finally, sports-interconnected theme gifts appear to contain unwavering appeal-particularly as joke gifts for someone's 40th birthday. You can surprise the birthday guy or girl with the "hook, line and sinker" toilet fishing game; "oh shit" golf balls; "buck" the animated trophy (a plush deer and antler wall mount); a golf club fly swatter; a sharp shootin' (looks like a pistol) remote control, bulls eye toilet paper, and the potty putter toilet golf game, or else any one of dozens of additional gag gifts connected to the birthday celebrant's favorite winter sport or hobby.

40th Birthday Funny Gift Ideas!

HILL

Saturday, December 17, 2011

Beach Theme Bedroom

Using accessories is a fun way to accent your bedroom for a beach theme. You will find that you can dramatically change the look of your room simply by making small changes with the accents. See how easy it is to get a designer beach theme look in your bedroom without shelling out the big bucks.

If you're not sure exactly what you want in your beach desing, try looking in decorating magazines and books to get a flavor of the accessories you would like to see in your bedroom. For keeping the beach look consistent, you'll have to limit yourself to only purchase the accessories that match your theme.

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Colors for a beach décor should make you think of the beach. Light and breezy with lots of blues and maybe even some yellows. If you prefer neutral tones think of the beige of beach sand and the color of shells.

Incorporate sea shells, ocean prints, and other seaside accents that will help bring out the beach in your bedroom. You should group your accessories in odd numbers. It always looks nice if your groupings consists of tall and short accessories mixed together. An interesting group of accents might consists of some shells aside a nice beach theme frame and a taller lamp.

Use beach theme prints and photos on your walls to establish the theme throughout your bedroom. Many people do not know how to correctly hang a piece of art and this makes a big difference to the visual appeal. Whether you are hanging a large oil painting or a small print, the middle of the piece should be at eye level. If you have a large piece of artwork you can try using it as a headboard. When hanging prints or photos behind a table, always place them 7 to 10 inches above the table. Hang pictures in circular, triangular, or rectangular geometric groupings to add interest.

When accessorizing your bedroom don't forget about the lighting. When purchasing lamps make sure to buy ones that go with the beach theme you want to create. For beach style lighting try using clear glass lamps filled with shells or figural light house shaped lamps.

Area rugs can define a space and pull your bedroom together. Rest furniture completely on the rug for a warmer effect. Only use rugs that go with your beach accessories.

Using pillows can add interest as well. Use several at the top of the bed and vary the texture colors and patterns while still keeping the color and theme within your overall bedroom design.

Don't think you have to buy everything for your bedroom at once. Shop around to find the perfect accessories to match the beach theme in your bedroom. You can find bargains at consignment stores flea markets and yard sales.

Beach Theme Bedroom

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Music Evokes Emotion and Influences How We Perceive the World

Music has an undeniable power to evoke emotion. Music is present at every important social gathering - weddings, funerals, birthdays, inaugurations and more. Every 'normal' human being responds to music's mysterious ability to tap into the boundless ocean that is human emotion. Music even calls into question the long-standing notion that there is one objective reality which can be accurately perceived. Music brings up fundamental questions such as...

Why does music evoke emotion?

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How does music affect emotion?

Is music a basic human need like shelter, food and meaningful work?

Such questions cut to the very core of human nature. Answers to these questions would help to clarify the unique role of music in our lives.

Music Impacts Our Emotions

It has been shown in research that different types of music evoke different emotional reactions (in most people). For example, Lewis, Dember, Schefft and Radenhausen determined the effects of music versus videos on several assessments of mood - the Optimism/Pessimism Questionnaire, the Multiple Affect Adjective Check List, and the Wessman-Ricks Elation and Depression Scale (1). Experts rated a number of songs and videos as either positive or negative. The study found that songs had a major impact on the emotional state of the listener, yet the videos did not. Not surprisingly, music that was rated positively increased participants' positive moods. It was exactly the opposite for negative (i.e., sad) music. As you may have guessed, the mood of a piece of music tends to induce similar emotions in the listener.

Chastain, Seibert, and Ferraro (2) backed up these findings and found that certain music narrowed participants' attention. It was found that participants attended to and recalled words that matched the mood of the music. In and of itself, this is not surprising.

Music Influences How We See Inanimate Objects

More surprising are the results reported by Stratton and Zalanowski (3) where the mood of the music influenced how participants perceived paintings. The music influenced participant emotion and emotion influenced perception. In the study, paintings were paired together with music. Each piece of music was either depressing or positive in the emotion it evoked per the experts. Participants rated the emotions evoked by the paintings as well as the songs. Participants categorized the paintings by the type of music to which the listened, but not vice versa. In other words, paintings rated as sad by experts were perceived as sad by participants when paired with sad music. Yet those same paintings were perceived as positive when paired with happy music; the same findings were reported when positive paintings were paired with happy or sad music, respectively.

Amazingly, the way in which we perceive a seemingly static object is not as clear-cut as first thought. The emotions invoked by music influence not only our ears, but our eyes as well. Emotions most likely influence every one of our senses (i.e., smell, touch, taste, and mind).

Music Affects How We Perceive Others

If emotions and music can influence our senses and how we perceive objects around us, do they also influence how we view other people? They do. Music seems to prime our minds to perceive people in a similar emotional light.

In a fascinating study, Bouhuys, Bloem and Groothuis looked at the extent to which music influences how participants read the facial expression of emotions of others (4). Studies have demonstrated that normal people are quite good at correctly identifying the emotion on a person's face (without music). Yet listening to music can lead one to believe that an individual's face looks more happy or sad than it really is. For instance, a slow tempo, melancholy song can influence participants to believe that a person looks sad even when they are expressing no emotion at all. On the other hand, when participants listen to faster tempo, upbeat, elevating music, they believe a neutral face is more or less happy. Music has a significant effect on how we perceive the world.

Although it is not clear why music has such an influence on our emotions, mood and behaviors, it seems clear that music does alter how we perceive the world around us.

Temporary emotions caused by music change what we pay attention to, what we perceive, and how we interact with others. It brings into question the notion that there is one objective reality that can ultimately be accurately perceived.

If you are looking for suggestions of songs to create your own uplifting, upbeat, happy playlist, my entire list of over 600 positive songs may be found at http://www.guidetoself.com/publications.htm

Feel free to add your own suggestions in the Comments box below. Or email suggestions to Info AT GuideToSelf.com. Thanks for your help!

Have a fantastic day!

John Schinnerer, Ph.D.
Positive Psychologist
Guide To Self, Inc.

References

(1) Lewis, L.M., Dember, W. N., Scheff, B. K. and Radenhausen, R. A. (1995) Can experimentally induced mood affect optimism and pessimism scores? Curr. Psychol.: Devel., Learn., Person., Social., 14, 29-41.

(2) Chastain, G., Seibert, P.S., and Ferraro, F. R. (1995) Mood and lexical access of positive, negative, and neutral words. J. General Psychol., 122, 137-157.

(3) Stratton, V.N. and Zalanowski, A.H. (1989) The effects of music and paintings on mood. J. Music Ther., 26, 30-41.

(4) Bouhuys A.L., Bloem G.M., Groothuis T.G. (1995) Induction of depressed and elated mood by music influences the perception of facial emotional expressions in healthy subjects. J Affect Disord. 33:4 215-26

Music Evokes Emotion and Influences How We Perceive the World

HILL

How To Keep Deer Out Of The Garden

Well, the word has gotten out. The deer know you have started another buffet of green delicacies.
Word spreads fast in the forest and it won't be long before these uninvited guests will arrive at
your garden gate.

Deer tend to feed on our gardens at night making it difficult to keep them out of the garden.
Some favorites of deer are: Apples, Arborvitae/white cedar, Arrow wood Viburnum, Birch, Day lilies,
Dogwood, Euonymus, Garden lilies, Hostas, Hydrangea, Impatiens, Linden/basswood, Yews , and Roses.
An important factor that will effect how often deer enter your vegetable garden, is availability
of food in their native habitat.

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Unless you live in a city, the odds are you will have deer in your garden at some point. If you
live in the country, your garden is almost like having an open invitation for dinner - everyday.
These nuisance deer can be difficult to deter without taking some serious and consistent action
to prevent them from enjoying a buffet dinner that you call your garden.

So how do you keep deer out of the garden?

There are several ways to keep deer out of your garden, some of these deer repellents you may not even be aware of. In addition, there are many plants that deer will usually avoid. One of the hottest products to hit the market to protect your plants from deer is the Scarecrow - a motion activated sprinkler that shoots a 3 second burst of water in the direction that triggers it.

There are many home remedies that may be effective, but only for a short time. Fencing is expensive,
labor intensive and needs to be at least six feet high - besides, who wants to hide their beautiful
garden behind a fence - in some case a fence is not even an option. Planting deer resistant plants
may deter deer until they get really hungry - kind of like kids and spinach. Dry weather will
attracted deer to irrigated plants for the refreshing moisture.

Overall, the final consensus amongst most gardeners is effective deer management requires a combination
of deterrents to be effective. This includes commercial repellents combined with home made remedies
as listed below. Fencing for most of us, is not an option and very expensive. As such, we won't cover
fencing here. Instead we will focus on the known alternatives.

Deer Repellents & Control:

Use these known deer repellents and controls in combination for best results

Dogs: A dog that will actively chase away deer is probably the number one, most effective deer deterrent
there is. If your dog does not wonder, keep him out at night and you should have no further problem
with deer. If fido is a little on the lazy side, other alternatives as listed below may warrant attention.

The Scarecrow: The Scarecrow is a motion activated sprinkler that works both day and night. It not only scares away deer, but is effective for cats, dogs, rabbits, raccoons and larger birds. It sprays a maximum
35 foot stream of water for 3 seconds. One 9 volt battery will provide approximately 3000 bursts
of water. Works on water pressure between 30 - 80 psi (use a pressure reducer at higher psi),
is fully adjustable and comes with a 24 month warranty.

Liquid Fence ®: All natural, the long lasting Liquid Fence ® Deer & Rabbit Repellent will stop deer and rabbits from
eating your flowers, shrubs, vegetable plants, trees and vines. And rest assured, it won't harm
your plants or animals! The manufacturer offers a written 100% money back guarantee.

Features as noted on the Liquid Fence® website:

* Environmentally safe and biodegradable

* USDA field tested

* Easy-to-use

* Long lasting and rain resistant

* Family & pet friendly

* 100% Money Back Guarantee

* Member tested and recommended by the National Home Gardening Club!

* We have not used this product, but it has been recommended by fellow gardeners - usually the most reliable source.

Electric Fence: The electric fence is often overlooked by many gardeners. It is very effective for cattle
and horses and offers some protection against deer - although if they jump over and never
touch it, they will not be afraid of it. Fortunately, deer tend to graze and nibble as they
feed and the odds are in your favor that they will touch your fence and flee, realizing this
area is better left alone.

Electric fences are best used for the vegetable garden in back yards, were public access is
restricted. You do not want the neighbors kids running home and telling their parents they got
zapped. Unless you live in a rural area, you may also find it difficult to find a supplier.
This can be overcome by shopping online or traveling to rural or farming communities near you.
Select a low powered fence designed for smaller livestock - after all, you are not trying to
keep animals the size of horses or cattle out of the garden.

Low lying electric fences (and low powered) can be effective for Rabbits and other smaller
animals. They should be kept very low to the ground using two lines, set on an angle away
from the garden - set the first line about 3" above the ground and the second about 8".
Keep the lines clear of grass, shrubs or any other material that will ground the charge
and reduce the effectiveness of the fence.

A new electric fence for slugs is under development in Canada and should be on the market by
2007. We can not elaborate on this now, but testing is proving very successful and we will
provide details when given the go ahead from the developer.

Deer Repellent Plant Protec: A new product from http://www.deerbusters.com, this all natural green Deer Repellent plant protector
clips easily on most plants. Emits a non-offensive garlic odor keeping deer and other unwanted
pests away. Environmentally safe with no spraying and no mess. Plant Protec lasts up to 8 months.

Egg Based Deer Repellent: A another product from http://www.deerbusters.com is the Deer Repellent egg based repellent, it has been tested and proven effective against deer browsing. This unique product repels by odor but, unlike some repellents, Deer Away will not be offensive to you. Tested in independent studies
by the USDA and Penn State. Deer Away was originally developed for use in large reforestation
projects. One application will last up to 2 months. This product is designed for pines, firs,
fruits, citrus and ornamentals. Other names this product is known as include "Deer Away" & "Deer-Off".

Human Hair: Human hair wrapped in a old nylon and hung on branches or tucked between plants will provide some protection against deer and various animals. The smell of a human indicates danger to
most wild animals and should keep deer away from these areas.

Tree Guard(tm) : Tree Guard with Bitrex(tm) is another deer deterrent. It is lightly sprayed on seedlings, shrubs, ornamentals, hedges and flowers to produce a lingering nasty taste that animals do
not like - DO NOT USE on anything that you will be eating.

The bitter tasting Bitrex is locked into the plant surface forming a "protective jacket"
which resists dew, snow, rain and vaporization. One quart can covers 250-400 seedlings, one
gallon - approximately 1000 seedlings. Not a concentrate - ready to go! Tree Guard does not
wash off, it adheres with a single application and continues to protect through all kinds of weather.

The Manufacturer states that Tree Guard is the most effective deer deterrent on the market today.
We have not used it, so we cannot back this one up.

Bar Soap: Said to work by a number of gardeners, Take a piece of ivory soap, drill a hole in it, tie it to
the plant. The deer won't come near your plant. You can also put a bar in an old stocking and hang
in shrubs - try to find a location, like under large leaves, that will protect the soap from rain
and watering - the bar of soap will last much longer.

Sound Based Deterrents: Their are a number of motion activated sound based deterrents available. However, for most people
these can cause more problems with neighbors, than the positive results in your garden. Imagine the
neighbors delight, when a high pitched noise goes off several times during the we hours of the night.

If you live in a remote, rural area and feel you won't be woken up in the night by such products,
check around online for possible suppliers.

Marigolds - Myth or Fact?: It has been suggested that marigolds planted in a garden will keep deer away. I have tried this on several occasions with little effect. This does not mean it will not work. It is possible that I did not plant enough, or that I used the wrong variety. If you want to try this, I would plant around the plants deer like to eat. Marigolds are attractive and are reported to keep away various insects so it will do any harm to plant them regardless.

Now, if none of these solutions keeps the inquisitive deer out of your garden, a regular fence may be your only choice. However, it is a pretty good bet you'll have success with one of these options. Good Luck!

How To Keep Deer Out Of The Garden

ROM BEDS

Friday, December 16, 2011

How To Make A Room Divider

A room divider in a theme that compliments your décor can add a unique look to the corner of your room while doubling as a screen to hide a messy area or provide extra storage in the back. A decent room divider can be quite costly, but if you consider yourself to be handy with tools, then you might be able to save a bundle while making a nice custom accent piece for your room.

When deciding on making a room divider, you must first pick out which kind you want to make. There's 3 basic types of dividers - the folding screen, the flat panel and the hanging curtain.

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The folding screen style of room divider typically has 3 or 4 panels, but you can build it with as many as you want. It stands on it's own when the panels are set at slight angles. To build this type of room divider, you simply make panel frames out of wood - you can build them to any size that suits. Then add the inside panels - insides can be glass, fabric, stained wood, painted wood or anything else that suits your fancy! Finally, assemble each panel to the other with hinges so that each piece folds against the other.

The room divider that is one panel and has feet that hold it up is the easiest to build. Just build the panel frame from wood and put whatever material you want in the middle. Then add some feet on the bottom to hold it up. You may be able to get pre-made feet for it or you can simply build them yourself. Make sure the feet are long enough so that the divider is sturdy when standing.

If you want to build a fabric or beaded divider, you will have to use something to suspend it from the ceiling. A track is nice because then you can slide the divider back if you want to expose the sections of the room. Something like a curtain rod could work, if you can rig something up that doesn't look strange. Then simply add the curtain or bead panel. You can even use a store bought curtain or make one yourself.

How To Make A Room Divider

ROM BEDS

Top 10 Hair Dying Mistakes

Whether you want to want to get rid of that gray hair or you just want to have a new look, dying is a good way to achieve it. Unfortunately, hair dying entails consequences that may damage and dry your hair when used inappropriately. The selected color of your dye should blend with the original color of your hair and eyebrows and to enhance your features. Experimenting is good, but dyes can be rough on your hair when used frequently. Although it is best to dye at a professional salon or stylist, it is much cheaper at home with the same creative effect. Before you see the top 10 hair dying mistakes, it is important to have an understanding of the different types of hair dye that are available so you can put them in context.

Types of Hair Dye

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1. Permanent hair dye

While dying your hair permanantly is, by some, considered in and of itself a mistake, the obvious benefit is that it lasts for a considerable time. As the hair grows, it is applied to the roots. It contains ammonia and peroxides, which can possibly cause dryness and damage. Exposure to the sun and salt water will cause the color to fade. That's why in order to maintain the color, it is best to cover your hair by using a hat or bandanna when going outside.

2. Long-lasting Semi-permanent

As the name implies, has the longest life remaining even after more than 20 washes, depending on the brand.

3. Semi-permanent

These have the shortest lifespan for dyes. After 6-12 washes, the color will start to fade. This is recommended for first-time users and those who want to experiment with colors.

How to dye your hair safely and professionally:

- Separate hair into two quadrants. Then clip each part.

- Wear plastic gloves while mixing dye solution. Follow the directions written on the box.

- Squeeze a small amount of coloring into one quadrant. Streak thin stripes of color over the whole area of the quadrant. Put a clip on the colored part.

- Repeat the process after you have completed coloring the four quadrants.

- Consult instructions on how long you should leave it. Add a couple of minutes of wait to that of the suggested treatment time.

- Put on left over color mix to the entire head after a few minutes.

- Rinse with cold water.

Top 10 hair dying mistakes!

- Number 10: Applying dye to dirty, tangled hair

Deep condition your hair a month before dying to maintain color. Be sure your hair is relatively clean before applying. Trim hair especially dry and split ends to even out color. Hair should be slightly damp when dye is applied.

- Number 9: Using hair conditioner before you dye

Do not condition your hair a few hours before applying hair dye, shampooing will do the trick. Your hair needs to be free of free radicals such as dirt and oil as much as possible.

- Number 8: Choosing hair dye based on what the model on the box looks like

Consult the local salon or stylist on what colors would look best on you. The hair dye you choose should have the same tone as your skin color.

- Number 7: Forgetting to check for allergic contents

After choosing a brand, apply a tiny amount of hair dye near your neck or behind your ear to see if irritation, redness, inflammation, allergy, hair loss or any bad reactions occur. Wash the affected area right away if this happens. Remember the instructions carefully. Do the patch test 1-2 days before hair dye application.

- Number 6: Doing your entire head without testing a small amount of your hair first

Do a strand test by applying a bit of dye to a few stands of your hair to see if you got the right color.

- Number 5: Staining your skin or clothes

Protect your skin by wrapping a towel around your neck as the dye can irritate your skin or affect your clothes. Gloves should be used and must be included in a hair dye kit. Applying petroleum jelly or cream around your ears and neck part will keep off stains. Wipe off oil after shampooing. If you do happen to stain your skin, don't worry, rubbing alcohol will remove dye stains from your skin

- Number 4: Picking a color that does not fit with your natural hair color

Pick a color one shade lighter when dying your roots. This will make the transition from your colored hair back to your natural hair color graceful without roots that are a completely different color sticking out. Obviously, this rule does not apply if you are dying your hair a completely different color than your natural hair color.

- Number 3: Losing hair

After dying, always rinse with cold or tepid water to avoid your own hair from falling out.

- Number 2: Over-dying hair

If you did not achieve the desired effect, using Liquid Tide can correct this. A couple of days of use will lighten the color until your hair returns to the original color. Instead of over-dying, do touch-ups every four to five weeks to keep your hair color picture perfect.

- Number 1: Dying eyebrows and eyelashes

Never use hair dye on eyebrows and eyelashes! Ask for medical help when dye gets into your eye.

Top 10 Hair Dying Mistakes

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Decorating A Small Attic Bedroom To Have Big Style

Your attic bedroom may be a guest room or one for a member of your family but either way you want to make sure it has great design style, even if the room is quite small. Here are some tips on how to get the most out of decorating a small attic bedroom.

Think about using a decorating theme that you will like, but also one which can help to make your room appear larger. Clutter also makes even the largest of attics feel cramped, thus doing the same to an already small room needs to be avoided.

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Making good use of the space in your attic room is important so keep this in mind when planning your design theme. You could try going with a minimalist interior decorating scheme as this will make the room look more spacious. No matter what you go with, don't forget to be positive you enjoy it, this should be a cozy, comfortable space.

When decorating a small attic bedroom you might also plan out things such as furniture and accessories placement. If you desire a decorating style that looks great plus enhances your life, consider employing the ideas of Feng Shui when decorating your attic room. Arrange furniture away from your doorways, since you'd be surprised to discover how much straightforward access to and from a room could make it look bigger. This might even also draw attention to a bigger piece such as a big mirror.

Small or medium sized furniture is your best bet when decorating a small attic room. In place of having bureaus, consider using underbed storage which will make the room look bigger while still allowing storage of clothing. It makes sense to add unique charm to your attic room by mixing in particular larger scaled items, so in conjunction with the underbed storage, add into your design a big cheval mirror, they will compliment each other and also add unique appeal to the room.

If you can paint your attic room, then the shades that you choose tend to play a key role in making it look larger. You don't need to purely use white colors when making up for smallness in a room. You should be able to have color while still making the attic room seem less small by choosing colors which have equal brightness, or sticking to a monochromatic decorating theme. You might go subtle with a blue decorating theme, or if you seek more color try blue, purple and green that all reflect an equal tone and intensity. You will additionally add appealing charm and depth to a room if you paint one of the walls an intense, deep hue. To give your walls the impression of receding, and therefore the room appearing bigger try using pale tints. If you think gray will be too oppressing, you can really paint with any cool shade such as blue or purple to achieve the same effect.

These techniques allow decorating a small attic bedroom to be easy and also effortless. Purely because your attic room is cozy doesn't mean it can't acquire the same interesting interior design style you see in designer houses - it basically requires a little creativity and imagination.

Decorating A Small Attic Bedroom To Have Big Style

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Top 10 Romantic Anniversary Ideas

It can be hard to think up new romantic anniversary ideas. But believe me, its worth making the change from the usual "dinner and a movie" routine..

An anniversary is the best opportunity of the year to show your partner how much they mean to you.

HILL

Here are some great romantic anniversary ideas to keep you from getting stuck in a romance rut. Or maybe even help rekindle an old flame.

1. Take them out for a romantic nighttime picnic. Find a spot that overlooks an amazing view, like a natural lake or cityscape, or the top of a tall hill. Create a beautiful backdrop with the view you choose.

Pack your picnic full of goodies that you know your partner loves. Like wine, chocolate covered strawberries, hot chocolate, cookies, a salad or some homemade sandwiches.

2. Make them a home cooked candlelight dinner. Try these tips to make it extra special:

* Enhance the mood by playing romantic songs in the background

* Dim the lights and have candles create a romantic glow

* Fill the room with their favorite type of flowers

* Scatter rose petals on the dinner table

3. Bring back fond memories by taking your partner back to the place that you had your first date. Recreate it. Make everything that you do the exact same as that special night. Recreate all of the tiniest little details, such as music you listened to, places you went, the car you drove, etc.

Pay close attention to all the small details. The more thought your partner will know you put into it.

4. Secretly take your partner on a surprise romantic weekend getaway.
To make it a surprise, make it seem like you're taking them on a usual day trip that's not very exciting. Then take them to the airport and surprise them with the tickets to the romantic destination of their dreams.
To make it all run smooth, you can pre-pack their things, and arrange for them to have time off at work.

5. Gather up all of the old pictures ever taken of the two of you and make a romantic photo album or scrapbook. This gift is very thoughtful, and can be done by you alone, or you can spend an evening making it together. When you're done, the album should be full of special memories the two of you can cherish forever.

6. Take your partner to the neighborhood that they grew up in. Let them see their old home, where they went to school, and any other places they have mentioned over the years. This should bring back a flood of precious memories for them that they can share with you.

7. Show up at their work with an oversized box of chocolates and flowers. Do it right in front of everyone so they will all see. But only do it if they will like the special attention. Don't do it if they are the type of person that will get embarrassed.

8. Create a romantic bedroom makeover. Its probably something your partner will never expect.

Use soft and silky fabrics, rose petals, scented candles, romantic music, and top it all off with an intimate sensual massage.

9. Go for a romantic photo shoot together. This will give you sensual and romantic photos that will last a lifetime! (A common favorite are black and white photos).
You can make them as sexy, or romantic as you like.

There are lots of photographers to choose from. So search around until you find one that suites what you're looking for.

10. Print some free romantic love coupons to give to your partner. They're fun and flirty, and you can find them for free (see the website below). Or you can purchase them at any love store. Not only are they thoughtful, but you can customize them and choose to print off whichever romantic gestures you like.

I hope these romantic anniversary ideas have helped you find the best way for you to show your love. No matter what you choose to do, or how you do it. If you do it for them you can't go wrong!

Top 10 Romantic Anniversary Ideas

HILL

Thursday, December 15, 2011

How To Get a Healthy Tan - Tanning Beds Vs Spray Tanning

If you have considered getting a tan at a salon using their tanning beds or tanning booths, have you considered the negative effects? When tanning beds first arrived on the scene, people rushed to use them extolling their healthful benefits and convenience as revolutionary. Soon afterwards, tanning beds were popping up everywhere until there was a complete saturation of tanning salons all across the USA. Then the reports on unhealthy effects of ultraviolet radiation, potential skin cancers and dangers of sun poisoning from the bulbs spread like wildfire.

People in a relentless search to acquire the perfect bronze skin, and the zealous efforts of manufacturers to meet those needs have developed through science a safe, effective and realistic looking way to get a beautiful tan without the dangers of the sun or tanning bed bulbs.

Beds

A perfect option to the traditional dangerous ways of getting a gorgeous tan is to consider an alternative method such as a spray tanning system. Unlike the tanning beds tanning booths or conventional sunbathing, spray tanning uses an FDA approved safe formula to give you a beautiful bronze body.

All sunless tanning products use a natural process derived from sugar cane or sugar beets called DHA. DHA (Di-Hydroxy-Acetone) is the active ingredient in sunless tanning products and is a safe FDA approved chemical for tanning. Manufacturers will mix the DHA with various other compounds to produce various finished effects and make their spray tanning solution unique.

When selecting a DHA solution, personal preference and finished effect will be a matter of personal choice. If you have medium skin tone, you may want to select a heavier concentration of DHA, and if you have very dry skin, you may want to select one with natural moisturizers to help the DHA adhere to your skin.

Since prolonged exposure to the sun and using a tanning bed can result in painful sunburn, blistering or even skin cancers like melanoma, a wise choice to obtaining a beautiful tan will be to explore more deeply the benefits of spray tanning. This effective method is easy to apply and easy to maintain.

How To Get a Healthy Tan - Tanning Beds Vs Spray Tanning

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The Wisdom of Andrew Carnegie As Told to Napoleon Hill by Napoleon Hill

Synopsis of Content:

In 1908 a young reporter named Napoleon Hill obtained an interview with recently retired steel magnate Andrew Carnegie. Carnegie had just sold his steel mills to a trust which would become US Steel. He was busy spending the last half of his life giving away the fortune he had accumulated during the first half. He was the richest man in the world and the most successful.

HILL

Carnegie turned the original hour interview into a couple days where he lectured Hill about the principles of success he had learned and applied in business to become so successful. He liked what he saw in Hill and commissioned him, should he accept, with the task of interviewing most of the successful men of the time and writing a science of success, based at first on Carnegie's thoughts and then on what he would learn from the men of industry. Carnegie would pay Hill nothing - but would write him letters of introduction which would allow him to mine wisdom about success from nearly every man of success during the first quarter of the 20th century.

In this book Hill purports to recount the wisdom given him by Carnegie. While there is no reason to doubt that many of the gems in the book may have come from Carnegie, among others, there is good reason to doubt it all did. First because it is written in Hill's verbal and rhetorical style, including the quotes he attributes to Carnegie, and second because he makes generous reference to events that came long after Carnegie's death. Also, he adds in things like the supremacy of a positive mental attitude which came not from Carnegie but from Hill's later collaborator, W. Clement Stone. In fact this book was originally written under the title Think Your Way to Wealth and in 1953 published as How to Raise Your Salary. Later it was re-released as The Wisdom of Andrew Carnegie as told to Napoleon Hill.

The basic content in the final version is the 17 Principles of Success that Hill first wrote in his Science of Success series and repeated in various formulations in later works.

Like everything by Hill however there is a great deal of useful material here. The reader may well wish to skip over some parts that may not seem helpful but the greatest part of it is among the best of Hill's writings. The success principles and disciplines he writes about are the root of much of the success literature of the past 50 years and many of the speakers, leaders and authors in the success and self improvement field have been deeply influenced by this work.

Readability/Writing Quality:

This book is very readable. Like much of Hill's work it is easy to get through and well organized. Unlike some of his earliest work it is concise. Beginning with Think and Grow Rich Hill had learned to write with economy - a method much more accessible for the average reader.

Notes on Author:

Napoleon Hill dedicated his life to fulfilling the challenge he claimed that Andrew Carnegie had given him. I have yet to discover any independent record of this. I checked with the most recent biographer of Carnegie and he found no reference in any of Carnegie's papers or other biographies about him concerning this conversation or acquaintance with Hill. Yet, Hill spent a life time insisting upon its truth and no one to my knowledge from the Carnegie family ever challenged it.

In the 1930s, after many disappointments and failures, Hill gained national fame as a bestselling author with Think and Grow Rich, based in large part upon his studies under Carnegie and inspired by him.

Three Great Ideas You Can Use:

1. Before Hill met W. Clement Stone and agreed with him that a positive mental attitude was the most important quality for success Hill insisted that Carnegie and the man other successful men whom he had interviewed and learned from had discovered that having a definite major purpose in life and focusing all one's energy toward it was the first key to success. Whether you agree with Carnegie that this is the most important requisite for success or whether you concur with Stone that a positive mental attitude is most important may not matter - both attributes are vital to success in every area of life.

2. Use of the Master mind principle is the second great lesson taught by Carnegie. Carnegie and Hill both learned early in life that no one attains great success alone. To assemble a group of like minded people who will work together in harmony for a joint objective is the most powerful force in human endeavor and a key to success.

3. The exercise of self discipline is also a necessary and fundamental requirement for success. Those who have mastered this skill succeed - those who have not most often do not.

Publication Information:

The Wisdom of Andrew Carnegie as told to Napoleon Hill, by Napoleon Hill.

©1953, 1981 and revised in 2004. Published by the Napoleon Hill Foundation, Wise, Virginia.

Over all rating for this book: Very Good.

The Wisdom of Andrew Carnegie As Told to Napoleon Hill by Napoleon Hill

HILL