Wednesday, December 31, 2008

The Benefits of Continuously Updating Your Computer Software

By Amy Nutt

Software programs are the lifeblood of our computers, without up to date software programs we wouldn't be able to do all of the things that we need to do on our computers.

Some software updates may not be quite as necessary as others, but regular updates to some software are crucial to provide necessary security against the latest internet threats.

What Types of Updates are a Necessity?

If you spend time on the internet, send and receive e-mails or send and receive instant messages then internet security software is a necessity. Internet security software is what will protect you against viruses, spy-ware, ad-ware, mal-ware and all other sorts of threats present to those who spend time on the internet. New viruses and other forms of internet threats are generated every single day, in order for you to stay safe from these threats you need the best and most up to date security that you can get.

Some internet security software companies, like the producers of Norton Internet Security 2009, are constantly generating protection from the latest forms of internet threats and they make these updates available for their customers as soon as they are ready. Subscribers to Norton Internet Security 2009 can receive 'pulse' updates that are available with up to the minute protection to ensure that the user is protected from every type of threat as soon as it's discovered.

Continuously updating your computer security software is an absolute necessity if you want your computer to be protected and to be running as fast and efficient as it's capable.

What Types of Updates are Optional?

Some software companies tend to go a little bit overboard with updates, releasing a "brand new" version of a program when their users have barely even gotten a chance to get used to the previous version of the same program. These are the updates that you have to make a decision as to whether of not you want or need it enough to download the update.

You sometimes need to be wary of potential bugs that may be introduced with updates, manufacturers all too often rush the release of an update and let it hit the market before all of the bugs and incompatibilities are worked out. It's not always necessary for a software package to be updated every few weeks or months.

For software packages or programs that you have installed on your computer that don't have to do with your PC's security, you have the freedom to be able to choose when and if you will install an update without the fear of an imminent threat making the decision for you. You can take the time to take into account how much you like the current version of the software and how well it runs on your system. You can compare the features listed in the update to the features of the version that you are currently running - if the features on the version you have are more appealing to you, or if the new version has no new features that you want or need, then you don't have to update. You have the freedom to sit back and wait for reviews and reactions to the latest updates of programs that you are running, if the risk of incompatibilities outweighs the new features offered you can wait until the bugs are worked out in a future update, or just keep running the current version that you already have installed.

Ultimately - any update that becomes available on any type of software is optional, but you can keep your computer running at an optimal level by continuously updating discount computer software as the updates become available. Any updates that fix existing problems with software that you run are beneficial to download, as is any update that will increase the speed of the programs you are running, but the biggest benefit of updates comes with security software. Continuously updating your security software guarantees that you will be safe from the latest threats that may invade and cause problems with your PC, it will give you the piece of mind to surf the internet freely because you are protected. - 15432

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Using Custom Lists And AutoFill In Excel 2007

By Matthew Fletcher

Excel's AutoFill facility relies on the program's ability to recognize patterns in the values that you enter. For example, say you type "Week 1" in a cell; you can have the program automatically enter "Week 2", "Week 3", etc. by dragging the AutoFill handle. This is situated in the bottom right of the cell. When the cursor moves over it, the cursor changes appearance to a plus sign (+). At this point you simply click, hold, drag in any direction and Excel will pick up the pattern and reproduce it to create automatic data entries.

Whenever you make use of the AutoFill handle Excel displays the AutoFill Options drop down menu below the last cell which has been generated. If the program has not entered the required data, you can choose one of the entries in the AutoFill Options so that it knows what you actually meant it to do. For example, choosing Copy Cells, gives you an exact copy of what was in the original cell.

Excel is also capable of automatically entering an arbitrary series of data using a feature called Custom Lists. There are certain lists built into Excel, for example, the months of the year. To use the AutoFill feature, you need to enter the first value in the list, for example, "January" or "Jan". Next, you drag the AutoFill handle (located in the bottom right of the cell) in any direction to have Excel automatically enter the rest of the custom list.

In addition to these built-in lists Excel allows you to create your own custom lists. For example, suppose we worked for a company that has branches in several towns. It's almost certain that we would list these towns quite frequently in our spreadsheets. We could therefore save ourselves considerable time by setting this up as a custom list.

To create a custom list, simply select some cells that contain the information. Next, choose Excel options by clicking on the Office button. Click "Edit Custom Lists" in the "Popular" tab. Excel lists the contents of the cells that were highlighted. To set up the selected data as a custom list, simply click on the "Import" button.

Once you've created a custom list, it can be used in any of your worksheets, not just the sheet that contained the original information. To generate the entries in the list, simply type the first value. Next, drag the AutoFill handle to conjure up the remaining entries. When using this facility, we can drag in any direction and we don't have to start with the first member of the custom list.

Custom lists can also be entered directly in the "Custom Lists" dialog box. To do this, click on the "List Entries" button and type the list separating entries with a carriage return. After entering the list, click on the Add button to make it permanent.

To delete a custom list, simply highlight its name and click on the "Delete" button. Excel checks to see that you really want to delete it. When you click "OK", the list is permanently deleted. - 15432

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Drugs that Induce Weight Loss

By Ashley Winston

Recent studies have shown that more people are getting overweight every year. This happens not only to adults but even to kids who have just started in school.

A lot of factors cause this to happen such as genetics, overeating, the type of food taken into the body and as people age, the metabolism slows down making it harder than before to burn the food that was just consumed.

There are many ways to solve this problem. Some have decided to undergo surgery, while others have decided to change the dietary intake and exercise.

Since this takes time and most people cant wait to get rid of the extra weight, these people have decided to take the fastest way out which is through the use of weight loss drugs.

In the 1950s until the late 90s, doctors prescribed drugs for weight loss. The drug works by increasing the serotonin levels in the brain that makes the brain believe that the stomach is already full and thus, increases the persons metabolic rate.

Since this takes time and most people cant wait to get rid of the extra weight, these people have decided to take the fastest way out which is through the use of weight loss drugs.

Most people have known friends or family members who have tried using diet pills and have seen tremendous improvement. The idea that a simple drug can change everything without the need to change the diet or sacrificing anything is very tempting. This has made consumers spend millions of dollars every year and has given drug companies a lot of money making and selling the drug.

Diet pills can be purchased either over-the-counter or prescribed by a doctor. Even with the advances in medical technology, these drugs can still cause a lot of health related problems which can be unpleasant such as diarrhea and vomiting, harmful such as tightness in the chest and urinary tract problems and fatal such as a heart attack or a stroke.

An overdose of the diet pills can cause tremors, confusion, hallucinations, shallow breathing, renal failure, heart attack and convulsions.

The side effects vary depending on the lifestyle and health of the person and can be minimized as long as one consults the doctor first before buying it.

Should one decide to stop using the drugs, studies have shown that there are also side effects. These include noticeable mood swings, hyper-activity, and pain in the stomach, insomnia and nightmares, severe irritability, extreme fatigue, depression, nausea, vomiting and trembling.

A lot of clinical tests will show that the drugs taken to lose weight really work. But this can only work if it is done with a low calorie diet and an exercise plan.

A good diet should have food from all the food groups. This should have vitamins, minerals and fiber. A lot can come from oats, rice, potatoes and cereals. The best still come from vegetables and fruits since these have phytochemicals, enzymes and micronutrients that are essential for a healthy diet. A person can jog every morning or sign up and workout in a gym. Just like taking any medicine, one should first consult the doctor before undergoing any form of exercise.

The best exercise plan should have cardiovascular and weight training exercises. This helps burn calories and increase the muscle to fat ratio that will increase ones metabolism and lose weight. - 15432

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Shopping Diva: Tips for Effortless Internet Holiday Shopping

By Edie Mindell

Don't fancy the idea of crowds and traffic? Do your shopping online. If you have had it with traditional holiday shopping you are not alone. Even the most fearless and most organized holiday shopping divas tire from the endless crowds and cheesy holiday music. Luck for us in this day and age there is another option: internet shopping.

Internet shopping is sweeping the nation and is quickly become a very normal occurrence. Yet as any shopping diva knows there are a few ins and outs that can greatly increase your success.

Shop Savvy

First off, just because you can shop from home in your undies does not mean that you need any less preparation. You are a shopping diva, after all, and just because you are taking your list into cyberspace instead of retail space does not eliminate the need to check it twice. Once you have prepared your list with the utmost care, then you are ready to shop.

Shop Safe

With identity theft being an ever-growing threat, one of the first things an internet shopping diva needs to know is how to make her funds secure. There are a few ways to do this. One of the first ways is to make certain you only give out credit card information on secured websites.

Check if the site is secure by looking for a padlock icon on your browser window. If there is no such icon, the site is not secure and you shouldn't give out your information. Never ever give out credit card information in email. Email is not secure.

Other security measures include using the same credit card to make all your online purchases. This card should carry a low spending limit. That way if your information is stolen the culprit can't rack up huge bills. Also using just one card eliminates the question of what card was used when or if you need to contest a charge.

Shop Smart

One of the great things about taking the shopping online is that there are tons of review websites. When shopping in person at Holiday Toddler Toy Emporium, the only review you are likely to get about a toy is from the box, fellow shoppers or the teenage sales clerk. These resources often leave much to be desired.

Not so with online stores. Reviews are plentiful, detailed and have real life experience. This kind of information at your fingertips will help you avoid poor purchases.

Shop Savings

Hesitate to shop online because you think the cost is too much? This is not true. You can use the same coupons online as in the store for cost savings. In addition to coupon savings you rarely need to pay sales tax on online purchases. This is a savings of on average 8% right back into your pocket.

Shipping costs are a concern, but if you shop early you can avoid high express shipping rates as well as the trip to the post office when you need to send your three-year-old nephew his Christmas gift. - 15432

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How to Get Out of Debt Without Ruining Your Credit Further

By Michael Benifez

If you've decided that you are tired of constant calls from debt collectors, it's time to do something about your old debts. If you feel that you are buried under your debts and it is impossible to pay your way out of debt, you are not alone. When you find yourself in this situation, you should consult a debt counselor, who is trained to help people like you achieve freedom from their debts. They can help you get your debt under control. They'll also help you plan a budget that you can stick to, and teach you good financial strategies. Their advice can help you keep yourself out of debt once you are finally debt-free, because you'll learn good spending habits in the process of reducing your debt.

Other choices when you find yourself faced with extreme debt are filing for bankruptcy, or trying to find a loan to consolidate your debts. Compared to these choices, debt counseling is an excellent alternative. If you file for bankruptcy, your credit rating will be ruined for several years. In some cases, you may even risk losing your personal property by filing for bankruptcy. This is a serious undertaking, and it should not be taken lightly. Bankruptcy should be your last resort if nothing else works to get you out of debt.

For some people, debt consolidation loans can work for paying off their creditors. However, the debt will still exist under the new loan, and many people do not alter their spending habits, landing right in the same place again increasing the stress caused by debts. Plus, because debt consolidation loans are offered to people considered high-risk, they sometimes require the use of collateral. If you are unable to repay the debt consolidation loan, you will lose this property.

Unlike these two often-used options, professional debt counselors work with you to create a repayment plan you'll be able to follow. They will also help you create a reasonable budget, so that you'll be able to find the money to pay back your creditors. It won't be easy, but with time you will pay off your debts. Then the phone calls will finally stop. Plus, you'll have the tools to keep yourself out of financial difficulties in the future. Many people fall into debt because they do not have a budget that they can stick to. By going through a debt counselor, you will be able to plan a budget that will keep you from overspending. - 15432

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Koolphone is the Best Way to Get Your Free Cellphone

By Free Wireless

Do you know there is a better way to get a free wireless phone? No standing in line and filling out forms. Koolphone makes ordering online quick, secure and easy. Click here for FREE Cell Phones

How do you choose a cell phone and calling plan that is right for you? Over the life of your phone, the calling plan service will cost much more than the phone itself-especially if the phone is free. You should choose the most cost-effective calling plan from a carrier with good coverage in your area. With all the competition for subscribers among carriers, monthly and per-minute costs of wireless calling has gone down dramatically.

Subscribers can keep their existing wireless phone number and even their landline based numbers when starting or transferring service to a new carrier. With the right calling plan, a wireless phone shouldn't cost much more than a landline phone. Every day more people are switching to wireless and giving up their landline service altogether.

There are a few terms you need to be familiar with. TALK TIME: The total amount phone use, typically measured in minutes, for both calls placed and calls received. PEAK MINUTES: Talk time minutes used during the prime calling periods when the carrier networks are most active, typically between 6am and 9pm Monday through Friday. OFF PEAK MINUTES: Talk Time minutes used outside of prime calling periods. ROAMING: Wireless phone used outside of a customer's home calling area or carrier network coverage. MOBILE-TO-MOBILE MINUTES: Minutes used for calling or receiving calls from another customer on your carrier's service network.

Today's wireless phones enable you to send and receive instant messages, check or send e-mails, and synchronize with your PC contacts, e-mail, calendars, and more. These features make the truly wireless lifestyle a reality.

After choosing the wireless carrier you want, your activated phone will be shipped direct to you. The Koolphone Wireless Store is powered by InPhonic the nation's leading online provider of wireless services and phones providing secure shopping, rapid activation and real-time online order status and tracking. Click here for FREE Cell Phones

With Koolphone you can compare prices and availability from all major U.S. carriers. Verizon, T-Mobile, Cingular, Nextel, Sprint, Alltel and Liberty Wireless. Wireless phones by every major manufacturer including Nokia, Samsung, Sony Ericsson, Motorola and more. Only name brand wireless phones with full U.S. warranties. - 15432

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How to Buy Penny Stocks

By Mark Boucher

Are you willing to gamble a little bit of disposable income to possibly earn a big return? If so, penny stocks might be an option for you to consider. While you should always use caution and not invest money you can't afford to lose, penny stocks offer you the opportunity to become involved in the trading world for an affordable amount.

What is a penny stock? It is simply a stock that is selling for less than five dollars for each share. These stocks are not traded on the major exchanges (AMEX, NASDAQ and NYSE), but rather over Pink Sheets (so called because of the original color of the paper used). This is often known as OTCBB, or Over the Counter Bulletin Board. This is simply an electronic system that reports changes. Be aware that it is regulated by the NASD, but is not considered a NASDAQ stock exchange.

Buying penny stocks is considered a high-risk investment, meaning that you may lose big. But this also means that you can earn extremely high returns in a short time. The risk and potential earnings are what keep people trading these stocks. Sometimes the return can be several hundred percent a day. Risks with these stocks are limited liquidity, the lack of financial reports and potential fraud.

When buying penny stocks, the lack of buyers may make it difficult to sell stocks. The lack of reporting and volatility of these stocks make it easy for brokers to manipulate as well. This is why fraud is so rampant for these trades. There is no regulatory listing requirement for these stocks either.

The news is not all dismal, though. Penny stocks are popular because of the huge returns some investors find. In order to get started in penny stocks, first find a brokerage who offers this type of service. Your stock shares will be drawn from your investment account through the brokerage. You set the amount you want to invest, and decide how much of your investment will go into the high risk stocks.

Having a broker is important for sound advice, just do your research to find the one best for you. Make sure you have someone reputable that wants to see you earn good returns. The best advice when investing money after making sure you can afford the investment is to spread your money over different types of stocks. If you like the gamble and want a high return, absolutely put some money in penny stocks. You are able to see the highest returns on these stocks, but risk higher losses. Make sure you keep some money in a safer market while you play the penny stock game. - 15432

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Why Building Strength Should Be Your Number One Goal

By Caleb Lee

If you are wondering why I focus on strength training so much and think you should too then this article will tell you why.

Read this article right away to find a number of good reasons why I think building strength should be your most important goal (although you just want to build mega-muscles and nuke lots of fat)...

1. Strength Training Is More Functional:

Ever needed to lift something heavy? Move furniture? Pick your girlfriend up and pin her against the wall for a steamy make out session? All those things required strength, not necessarily muscle size.

In fact, sometimes having excess muscle is not useful - it weighs more so if you have to run or walk long distances takes more calories to maintain, meaning you have to eat more

2. Building Strength Takes a Lesser Amount Of Time:

Majority of expert weightlifters spend up to 6 days in the gym and some even do twice a day workouts. If you're like me (or most people) therefore lifting weights isn't your permanent job.

You can turn into super strong training 3-4 days a week, and spend not greater than 20-30 minutes in the gym each time - DoubleYourGains' 3-5 Program takes 30mins/3x week. That means you could be consuming 2 hours in the gym vs. 12. It doesn't take long to improve strength.

3. Building Strength Is Inspiring:

Most people don't have any goals when they go to the gym, they think "I want to look better" but that's vague and undefined. Knowing you want to add 5lbs to your deadlift every time you go into the gym though is VERY motivating.

What's more, observing the weights build and seeing how far you've developed over the course of time is very motivating and makes you want to keep coming back to the gym.

4. Strength Makes It Simpler To Increase Volume:

Most weightlifters these days don't recognize that guys like Arnold and bodybuilders from his day all did powerlifting routines early on their careers to build high starting levels of strength and power.

They had a exceptional "dense" look to their physiques from all this heavy weight training. And were able to make use of heavier weights when it came to doing outdated bodybuilding style set/rep schemes - so it was much easier for these strong lifters to build muscle.

5. Better For Health:

There's been many contemporary research that shows strength training helps to avoid age related diseases and deteriorating diseases.

In short: Losing muscle mass is an unavoidable effect of aging, but strength training in particular will tell your body to "hold on" to muscle mass for it needs it to continue lifting bulky stuff.

Plus, your bones will get stronger too to support your framework of muscle mass.

6. Builds Up Self-Confidence

There's nothing better than KNOWING you can pick a heavy weight off the floor or press a heavy weight up over your head. Or knowing that you have the strength to pull yourself up and over a wall up and over the edge of a cliff and things like that.

Knowing you are as strong as you look is a primary confidence booster.

7. Strength Training Is Better For Sports

Strength is the basis for all other physical qualities. Increasing your strength increases your power, explosiveness, speed, agility, endurance, etc

Plus, a lot of sports - especially martial arts - require athletes to have high relative strength. They need to be very strong for their size because they have to stay within a certain weight class.

There's nothing worse than putting on 20 MORE pounds of muscle you have to carry down the field, or move around the ring to avoid getting knocked out - and that 20 pounds of muscle is doing you no good.

8. Strength Training Is Better For Women

Nearly all women don't want to be like the hulk. They don't want to gain 20 pounds of muscle. They just want to get "toned". As I mentioned earlier, strength training is the greatest way to get the toned look.

So if you're a lass you can become strong very fast and uplift your health and quality of life without taking away from your feminineness in the least. - 15432

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The Best Ways To Increase Your Website Traffic

By Don Bethune

If you have recently constructed a website, it is important to promote it well and have a plan to make it succeed. It is pointless do have a developed website that virtually nobody knows about. Look into the good sources and techniques that will promote your site to increase traffic to it.

Good advertising does not have to cost a lot of money especially if you are someone who knows a little bit about websites. During construction of your website it is necessary to include Meta tags on the header of the HTML that you are using. This way if your site sells a product, when people search for that product they will be able to get good results.

Search engines can also be very useful. Often you can determine the trends of searches on these sites that will give you information as to what people are looking for. By keeping a close eye on these trends, you can change Meta tags so that your site will consistently be among the most searched topics.

Use online video sites as a promotional tool. There are plenty of sites that offer you a capability of uploading and promoting free videos. Upload content of your amazing widget, show someone using it, get testimonials from happy customers, or other valuable information. The sky is the limit! Showcase your work with links to your website throughout the video and you can drive a lot of traffic to your website.

RSS feeds are also beneficial to keep thing up to date and relevant on your site. This way of promoting is a fairly new technology and is sure to bring business. It simply allows current clients and visitors to keep up with current news on your site and will draw in more traffic to see your products.

Another beneficial program to use is those that are pay per click. This will also bring in traffic to your site because they are easy to use and join. This allows you to create more links with other websites that are bringing in a lot of traffic, in hopes that you can draw traffic from each other. This will also provide an alternative and beneficial source income.

Although these are all justifiable tactics, you might still be skeptical or unsure as to how to really increase web traffic. So another technique includes the use of online bartering networks. These provide an avenue to convey information between other website and business owners. You can compare information and really get value from teaming up to increase traffic between everyone.

There is no doubt about it that it takes a lot of patience and hard work to promote your new site. It is essential to use dedication and have a desire to have a successful business. This is the basics of how to create a beneficial website that brings in profit the way you expect it to. - 15432

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Weight loss drugs

By Ashley Winston

Recent studies have shown that more people are getting overweight every year. This happens not only to adults but even to kids who have just started in school.

It was only after scientists discovered that these drugs had side effects and were related to cause heart valve disease that these were taken off the shelves. Later on, new drugs were developed and prescribed by doctors and many of which are still waiting for FDA approval.

Recent studies have shown that more people are getting overweight every year. This happens not only to adults but even to kids who have just started in school.

A lot of factors cause this to happen such as genetics, overeating, the type of food taken into the body and as people age, the metabolism slows down making it harder than before to burn the food that was just consumed.

There are many ways to solve this problem. Some have decided to undergo surgery, while others have decided to change the dietary intake and exercise.

It was only after scientists discovered that these drugs had side effects and were related to cause heart valve disease that these were taken off the shelves. Later on, new drugs were developed and prescribed by doctors and many of which are still waiting for FDA approval.

Most people have known friends or family members who have tried using diet pills and have seen tremendous improvement. The idea that a simple drug can change everything without the need to change the diet or sacrificing anything is very tempting. This has made consumers spend millions of dollars every year and has given drug companies a lot of money making and selling the drug.

Diet pills can be purchased either over-the-counter or prescribed by a doctor. Even with the advances in medical technology, these drugs can still cause a lot of health related problems which can be unpleasant such as diarrhea and vomiting, harmful such as tightness in the chest and urinary tract problems and fatal such as a heart attack or a stroke.

An overdose of the diet pills can cause tremors, confusion, hallucinations, shallow breathing, renal failure, heart attack and convulsions.

The side effects vary depending on the lifestyle and health of the person and can be minimized as long as one consults the doctor first before buying it.

Should one decide to stop using the drugs, studies have shown that there are also side effects. These include noticeable mood swings, hyper-activity, and pain in the stomach, insomnia and nightmares, severe irritability, extreme fatigue, depression, nausea, vomiting and trembling.

A lot of clinical tests will show that the drugs taken to lose weight really work. But this can only work if it is done with a low calorie diet and an exercise plan.

A lot of clinical tests will show that the drugs taken to lose weight really work. But this can only work if it is done with a low calorie diet and an exercise plan.

The best exercise plan should have cardiovascular and weight training exercises. This helps burn calories and increase the muscle to fat ratio that will increase ones metabolism and lose weight. - 15432

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Stop! Don't Go On a Cruise With a Baby Until You Read This

By Brooklyn Sterritt

We just came back from a Caribbean cruise on a Princess ship with our ten month old daughter. We had such a wonderful time that we are now planning our next cruise vacation.

Planning for your trip is essential. There are so many things to consder and travel with a baby means that you need to pack more than you would without a baby. Here are the things that we thing you absolutely have to have when going on a cruise with a young baby.

1. The most valuable thing that we took with us was our stroller. Our daughter loves being in the stroller and it was also great that our stroller folds - that way it was easy to take on an airplane, and it didn't take up much room in our cabin on the cruise ship. We used the stroller all the time. Every morning we walked our daughter on the promenade deck; we used the stroller every day to go to the ship's pools and dining rooms; we even used in the evening so that we can all enjoy the exciting evenings on board. Every evening after dinner we bathed our daughter, then put her in pyjamas, and then placed her back into her stroller. We then walked the ship with her, went to some clubs on the ship with her and before long she would fall fast asleep.

2. Make sure that you have enough diapers for your baby during the vacation - but don't bring them from home. First figure out before you leave how many diapers your child go through in a normal day - and then multiply that number by the number of days on your vacation. If your vacation involves air travel (like ours did) you won't want to have to bring the diapers from home - if you do that means that they will have to be checked as checked baggage. Instead, do what we did. Our ship cruised out of Fort Lauderdale in Florida. We had time from when our flight arrived in Florida to when we had to be on the ship. So from the airport we took a cab to a nearby Target store and purchased the diapers that we needed for the cruise and some other baby supplies before getting another taxi to the ship.

3. Even when travelling with a young baby you will want to swim during your vacation (if your cruise is a warm-weather location). All ships have kiddie/toddler pool and in order for you baby to enjoy the pool they have to wear swim diapers or be potty-trained.

4. Formula - consider packing enough powder formula for the duration of the trip. We purchased the required formula in Fort Lauderdale rather than bring it from home. Keep in mind that any formula entering the ship must be sealed & in the original container.

5. Kettle - taking a kettle (with an auto shutoff) on the trip means that you can boil water and know that you have safe water to mix with the powdered formula.

6. Baby's food is obviously very important. We brought a formula dispenser with us. We did this so that we could fill several bottles with clean water and when it was time for a bottle for our daughter we just had to pour the pre-measured formula into the water and give the bottle a shake.

7. When you check into your room on the ship let your room steward know that you will have some smelly diapers - he will come to your room more often to remove them. You can also help to control odours in your cabin by bringing with you scented bags for putting the dirty diapers (they can be purchased at a dollar store or Babies r Us). The bags were also useful on our air flight.

8. You'll need soap for bathing your baby. Eventhough most ship cabins won't have a tub for bathing your child - you can still do what we did. We plugged the drain on the shower and put enough water in the shower in order to give our baby her bath.

9. Sun Cabana - if your cruise is taking you to a warm climate like the Caribbean purchase a very lightweight sun cabana before your trip. You can use it when you visit the beach during the cruise. Keeps baby comfortable and protected from the sun. If you rent a cabana on the beach it will cost about $80 to $100.

10. Zip lock bags - these are great for everything - snack holders, put really dirty/soiled clothes away until you get home. Use for things that leak - (ex. medicine). Use the bags on the ship to pack bibs, spoons to go for dinner so when they are dirty you can throw in the bag & clean when you get back to your room.

There are more items to consider - but these are the top ten items that you can't leave home without. - 15432

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Doctoring Plants Like a Pro

By Kent Higgins

You don't have to be an expert or a paid professional to diagnose and remedy plant problems. You don't have to throw away an expensive plant because it seems it will cost more than it's worth to bring it back to health either. All it takes is a little know-how to diagnose and repair what's wrong. It's easy to be an expert plant doctor.

First, when you see a plant that is looking sickly, has poor flowers, ragged leaves, etc. you should look at some simple things to see if that solves the problem. Start with what's most likely and work your way down to what's least likely to be the problem and somewhere in there you'll probably figure out what is wrong.

Make sure the plant is receiving proper care: enough lighting, enough but not too much water, recent transplanting or major moving, etc. How old is the plant and how long has it been in its current location are the first things you'll need to know. Many plants that are bought at the store and brought home will be droppy for a few days. It's a new environment it needs to get used to, so give it a little time before you get too drastic.

Also be sure that the plant doesn't have special needs that aren't being met or that it doesn't "molt" or shed its foliage yearly as part of its routine. It's also important to understand that younger plants and seedlings will often have very different problems and looks than older plants will.

Look at the plant with a magnifying glass and see if you can see any pests, unusual growths, or other things that might not be so obvious to the naked eye. Many parasites and fungal infections are very small and hard to see. You'll often find little colonies of things crawling and growing on your plant that you may never have even knew existed. Some of these might be small spiders, mites, aphids, etc. that need to be dealt with.

Make sure to look under the leaves, as the underside is often where parasites and pupai are located.

Look around the plant at its surrounding soil and mulch and be sure there aren't snails and other night creatures hiding there. These are often culprits when nothing else seems to be a problem. Get rid of the pests and the problem will go away.

Poor plant care is often the reason plants don't seem to be doing well. Perhaps it's a plant that needs a lot of sunlight and is only getting two or three hours a day? Maybe it needs to be rotated to get full sun from one day to the next? Perhaps it's not getting enough or is getting too much water-both are serious issues. Is the soil getting depleted? Maybe it's time for the addition of some nitrogen or other nutrients, according to the plant's needs.

What about the plant and its container? Is the plant too big for the pot it's in? If the plant has outgrown it's pot, a new and larger one will be needed. Often when you pull a plant out of its pot to transplant it, the roots will be heavily balled up, which is a sure sign of constriction. Don't pull them apart, but loosen and break up the soil that surrounds them so they can spread naturally.

Learning to diagnose and solve plant problems is not too difficult and becomes easier with practice. Use common sense and make sure you know the plant you're dealing with. A good book or website reference in taking care of indoor plants will often save the day. - 15432

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Drugs that Induce Weight Loss

By Ashley Winston

Recent studies have shown that more people are getting overweight every year. This happens not only to adults but even to kids who have just started in school.

A lot of factors cause this to happen such as genetics, overeating, the type of food taken into the body and as people age, the metabolism slows down making it harder than before to burn the food that was just consumed.

There are many ways to solve this problem. Some have decided to undergo surgery, while others have decided to change the dietary intake and exercise.

Since this takes time and most people cant wait to get rid of the extra weight, these people have decided to take the fastest way out which is through the use of weight loss drugs.

In the 1950s until the late 90s, doctors prescribed drugs for weight loss. The drug works by increasing the serotonin levels in the brain that makes the brain believe that the stomach is already full and thus, increases the persons metabolic rate.

It was only after scientists discovered that these drugs had side effects and were related to cause heart valve disease that these were taken off the shelves. Later on, new drugs were developed and prescribed by doctors and many of which are still waiting for FDA approval.

Most people have known friends or family members who have tried using diet pills and have seen tremendous improvement. The idea that a simple drug can change everything without the need to change the diet or sacrificing anything is very tempting. This has made consumers spend millions of dollars every year and has given drug companies a lot of money making and selling the drug.

Diet pills can be purchased either over-the-counter or prescribed by a doctor. Even with the advances in medical technology, these drugs can still cause a lot of health related problems which can be unpleasant such as diarrhea and vomiting, harmful such as tightness in the chest and urinary tract problems and fatal such as a heart attack or a stroke.

An overdose of the diet pills can cause tremors, confusion, hallucinations, shallow breathing, renal failure, heart attack and convulsions.

The side effects vary depending on the lifestyle and health of the person and can be minimized as long as one consults the doctor first before buying it.

Should one decide to stop using the drugs, studies have shown that there are also side effects. These include noticeable mood swings, hyper-activity, and pain in the stomach, insomnia and nightmares, severe irritability, extreme fatigue, depression, nausea, vomiting and trembling.

A lot of clinical tests will show that the drugs taken to lose weight really work. But this can only work if it is done with a low calorie diet and an exercise plan.

A good diet should have food from all the food groups. This should have vitamins, minerals and fiber. A lot can come from oats, rice, potatoes and cereals. The best still come from vegetables and fruits since these have phytochemicals, enzymes and micronutrients that are essential for a healthy diet. A person can jog every morning or sign up and workout in a gym. Just like taking any medicine, one should first consult the doctor before undergoing any form of exercise.

The best exercise plan should have cardiovascular and weight training exercises. This helps burn calories and increase the muscle to fat ratio that will increase ones metabolism and lose weight. - 15432

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Small Business Entrepreneur? Then Use Small Business Resources

By Caressa Waechter

Finding products and services that can assist you in making your company run smoother and be more profitable is always a top priority as an entrepreneur. Small business services aid the business owner in having the best possible operation.

Small business services come in all different varieties. They allow small companies to appear much larger than they really are, and also assist employees to be more efficient and productive. They also permit entrepreneurs to run virtual businesses from any location in the world.

Advanced, and affordable, technology is what makes these services possible. Because of today's technology, small business owners have access to services that once were only available to the largest of corporations.

One example of small business service technology is a virtual phone service. With this service, a business can transform their existing phone service into one that is much like a large business. With one central number for inbound calls, and the ability to then send these calls to any employee's phone, anywhere in the world, an entrepreneur can have total control over an amazing phone service.

Web conferencing is another good example of a business service. It not longer costs a lot of money to hold a remote meeting with a customer or business associate. A regular desktop computer and a good Internet connection is all that you need to meet online with a web conference.

The cost of small business resources is very enticing, as most are extremely affordable. In fact, for a few cents a day you can make your small company appear like a much larger company. Today's technology gives you the tools to be able to compete with your largest competitors.

Take advantage of the services available to the entrepreneur and release you company's full potential. Use technology to its full potential to help you have a successful business.

Start using the resources and services available to the entrepreneur to help grow your small business and let it reach its full potential. You will be amazed how easily you can compete with larger competitors through smart use of technology. - 15432

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Discover More About SAP Applications and SAP FI Module

By John Reed

Five previous IBM workers in Mannheim, Germany were the 1st ones to start SAP or Applications and Products in 1972. It is the biggest inter-enterprise software company in the universe. It was a different idea from SAP to provide customers the capability to process unitedly with a ordinary corporate database for massive ranging applications. As a matter of fact a amount of big organisations like IBM and Microsoft are taking the help of SAP products today, for the easy working of their business.

SAP applications have been set up around the R/3 system, which makes it efficient to handle production operations and materials, financial and cost accounting, personnel and other archived documents. SAP in plain words is a answer for planning the resource of the corporation by taking the several procedures of the corporation unitedly.

A fresh package has been launched explicitly for financial issue recognized as SAP FI module. It has been designed specifically to meet comprehensive accounting and financial requirement of the business. The financial position of a corporation can be assessed by the financial managers of the organization in existing time with the help of this module. With the facility opened by the functions of the SAP FI modules, it is aid the financial manager to come up with conclusions which are more positive for the corporation and they can also make estimated programmes. The SAP FI module has the capability to amalgamate with different facets of the enterprise like human resource, materials management, sales, production planning and other vital modules.

There are whatever important requirements which the organisation has to meet if they plan to study the help of this SAP module. A structure has to be designed in the company which has to be cared well by the several managing directors. This structure is built by taking the organization, client, business region configurations in mind. The customer unit is the top unit in a SAP system and it has every main and legal records including the tables.

As a matter of fact there are a number of sub modules of the SAP FI Module and are added into use as per the requirement of the corporation. These can be named as:

Travel Management
Accounts Payable
Funds Management
Special Purpose Ledger
Asset Accounting
General Ledger
Accounts Receivables
Bank Accounting
Consolidation

There is zero question that putting SAP into service is an costly suggestion. But then the rewards far outweigh the cash which you spend on this. This makes the chore of every of your directors much simpler and the time they save is money earned for your company. As a matter of fact you can redeem a good deal more than you ever so thought. Testimonials of the clients who are using the various applications of SAP including SAP FI modules will formalise the facts. It is manageable to talk terms with the cost with SAP and it too counts on whatever affairs like the number of people who will practice etc.

SAP is well known among the individuals who use it as a wholly integrated system. You should acquire about all the tips of integration in the new SAP FI Module to be efficient to manage the software good enough. The units of corporation are much easier sorted in SAP FI Module equated to the rest of the SAP modules. - 15432

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Post Free Ads and Get Results

By Alex Wu

Now you can go on the Internet and post your ads for free. You cannot beat free, especially when it comes to advertising an item for sale, or a job that needs filled, or an item that is needed. No fees to pay; and that is good for everyone's budget. It is believed that about 90% of people that have the Internet will look online for their needs first.

There are benefits to using this type of advertising. One is that it is free, how many things can you say that about? The other is that if you are selling something you can list it and it can be seen in all states and in some cases globally.

If you are posting a service it is good because only people looking for your service would have your business come up in their search. Research has shown 90% of people who have the Internet look there first for services, items, and jobs. This bodes well for those of you that advertise your wares on the Internet. It is also great for the people looking for what you have to sell.

As a person looking for work you can search all of the categories in the area for which you live and send your resume online. As someone posting ads to hire people, it will be seen by a targeted audience of people looking for work in your area. It will also be available to people that are moving to your area, and looking for work. This gives you almost unlimited hiring potential.

Most people like to look through classified ads and websites, and sometimes they stumble across an ad for something that they need or want. They can just e-mail or call the person and pay for having it sent or pick it up if it is local.

Having a PayPal account is a good idea if you sell many things. It gives an easy way for people to pay, and you are guaranteed to get your money. Plus the buyer is protected as well. You should also set up an e-mail account just for your postings. This way you will not get a bunch of mail in your main e-mail account.

Please be sure that if you are selling items that you list how you want to be paid like PayPal, money order, or check. If it is buy check or money order make it clear that the item will not be sent out until they clear. PayPal is the safest way to go.

These free ads are a great inexpensive way to hook buyers and sellers up, as well as employers and employees. It is a very popular venue and the popularity will continue to grow as time goes on because it works. The website owners make their money through advertisements on their pages and also by offering featured options for advertisers like picture posting with your ad. - 15432

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The Pruning Techniques

By Thomas Fryd

If your houseplants begin branching away from the center and become leggy, it's time to cut them back to encourage them to grow in the right directions. First, select the stem that is in need of a trim. Then, use a razor blade or sharp pruning shears to make a cut straight across the stem. You should aim your cut for just above a node that is facing toward the center of the plant. If you prune a section that is at least four or five inches long, you can use this to start a new plant instead of just composting it. This is the simplest method of cutting back your plant, but it is not the only one.

Pinching your plants is another way to encourage positive growth. If you pinch out the center growth of a young plant, it will grow low, and spread outward along the ground rather than up. This center growth uses most of the plant's resources, so by removing it you are encouraging it to send resources to the outer edge of the plant. To be effective, you must start pinching back when the plant is still young. Otherwise, you'll need to do more drastic pruning to get the effect you want.

You can also pinch your flowering plants to get larger, more beautiful blooms. A plant with many flower blooms spends its energy equally across all of these blooms. When you remove some of the blooms, the remaining buds will grow larger, producing much more beautiful flowers. While you will end up with fewer flowers, the ones you do have will be beautiful and large. If you plan to use your flowering plants for cuttings, pinch back the flowers to help the plant produce bouquet-ready blooms.

Air layering is another way to control the growth of your plants such as eugenia myrtifolia. Use the air layering method to cut back long-stemmed, leggy plants, returning them to a better size and shape. This is more often used in growing bonsai trees such as the Brush Cherry bonsai. Several inches below the lowest branches, make an incision in the stem, about two inches long and running vertically up the stem, about a third of the stem diameter in depth. Then, bind sphagnum muss around the cut, water thoroughly, and cover with plastic. If you water it regularly and keep the cut area covered, in about two months new roots will start to grow at the cut line. Then, you can cut the top of the plant, just below the new roots, and root it in a new pot. Then discard the lower portion of the old plant.

Different plants can be pruned at different seasons, so make sure that you know your plant's requirements before you begin cutting it back. For most plants, the optimal time to do this will be in the spring or fall. While many plants can withstand a large amount of pruning, be careful not to remove too much at once. - 15432

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Secrets to Preventing Hair Loss

By Irina Thorton

If you're not comfortable going through the rest of your life with an empty spot on your head, then you should start getting concerned about hair loss. Find out the real keys to preventing hair loss.

Knowing Your Hair Loss

It is important to note that not all hair loss cases have the same causes. The most common type of hair loss is actually caused by genes and hormones. This is not the only type of hair loss though. These days, you can also lose your worries over stress, nutrient deficiency and tight hairstyles. The first step to preventing hair loss is to know exactly why your hair is falling. Once you know the cause, you can find the right treatment.

Diet and Exercise

If your hair loss and baldness condition is hereditary or genetic, dieting and exercising may not do much. They can however, help in preventing hair loss due to nutrient deficiency. It is a known fact that the kinds of popular food available these days are loaded with fats and carry few nutrients. It is also a fact that having less of some nutrients like iron, magnesium, zinc and B complex vitamins can cause hair fall. The best solution to this is to eat a nutritious diet. Exercising regularly will also improve your blood circulation which is crucial for the efficient distribution of nutrients to your hair.

Relaxation

There is a condition called Telogen effluvium wherein a person suddenly suffers from temporary but profuse hair shedding. It is believed that one possible cause of this is stress. Preventing hair loss of this type may mean that you have to learn how to relax. Of course, what is relaxing for some may not be so for others. Generally though, basic relaxation techniques are also methods for preventing hair loss. You can learn basic breathing techniques or progressive muscle relaxation. Others may want to move on to higher meditation or yoga. Sometimes, a simple break from work or listening to soothing music may already be relaxing enough.

Letting Your Hair Rest

Certain types of hair styles like braids, pony tails and corn rolls can also cause hair loss especially if these are done tightly. These hair styles can literally pull your hair strands out and may even cause scarring. Preventing hair loss of this kind is easy. You simply have to alternate your hair styles or avoid tight styles altogether.

Moderate styling and coloring may or may not cause hair loss. It is still better though not to overdo hair treatments. Using too many chemicals on your hair could cause dryness and damage. Preventing hair loss and damage simply means letting your hair rest.

Supplements

One other key to preventing hair loss is to take nutrient supplementation for hair loss. Good products can help provide you with whatever nutrient your body is missing. Some supplements also contain natural DHT blockers for individuals who have hair loss due to the action of DHT.

Preventing hair loss is not so difficult. You simply have to learn to be gentle to your hair and yourself. A clean, natural, stress free lifestyle is the right way to decrease hair loss. - 15432

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Overtraining and Another Ways to Kill Your Muscle Gains

By Ricardo Daryans

Some guy in the gym finishes a hard set of barbell squats and re-racks the weight. He feels realy tired and he takes a big swig from his water bottle. He looks down at his watch and presses the start button to begin counting down backwards from 2 minutes.

He saw on TV that 2 minutes is the perfect rest time between sets, and what he wants is to do it exactly in that way. So, the watch beeps and he's be back in the squat rack ready for his next set of exercises with the weights.

Time is up. His still feel weak and his heart is still beating a lot, he doesn't feel completely ok, but the watch beeped and that means his has to go back and perform another set, it does'nt matter how he feels.

He performs the next set. He is not really ready to exercise right now, so he puts forth a mediocre effort, finish the set, and waits for another 2 seconds. He is making a huge mistake, just as hundreds of lifters in another gyms.

By having a set rest interval between sets, he is forcing his body to train at an effort level that is far less than his maximum potential and is severely sacrificing the amount of muscle growth he can ultimately stimulate because of this.

Muscles respond to stress, and the only truly stressful reps that actually trigger your body's muscle building mechanisms are those at the end of each set when the body is on the brink of muscular failure.

What you have to do then is to lift as much weight as you can again, and again, and again.

So, every time you are going to start a new set you have to do it when you are at your maximum. If you don't do it so, you sacrifice the amount of muscle you can build. In other words, give your body enough rest between sets in order to achieve the best results.

So, return to your exercise set when you feel you are again at 100% of your strenght capacity. When will it be? When your body tell you so, listen to it an you will know when it is time to the next set.

The set rest period theory is also highly flawed because it does not take into account the fact that certain exercises tax the body much more heavily than others and therefore require more rest between them. - 15432

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A Backyard Fish Pond Is a Big Commitment

By Ana Dupuis

If you're looking to make a statement with your landscaping, a fish pond is the answer. If you're fortunate enough to have a large backyard, the addition of a pond can only enhance its appearance. However, installing a pond means a real commitment of both your energy and time. First you'll select a location, construct the fish pond, then provide it with ongoing maintenance so it will add beauty to your property.

Putting in a fish pond will make a big change to the look of your property, so take your time in choosing a location. Remember that once you install it, it's permanent, unless you're prepared to pay a lot of money to fix it. You'll want to place your fish pond where there's sufficient room for both the pond itself and the surrounding vegetation that will enhance it.

Beneath a tree is not a good location for a pond. Trees are constantly dropping leaves. Once they fall into the pond, you have to scoop them out. If you don't, the plants and fish in your pond will certainly suffer. It's also important to position the pond so it has optimal sunlight in order for the fish and plants to thrive.

Apart from the location, your next step is to determine the size and shape of pond that is best suited to your property and the overall effect you are trying to achieve. Consider the type of fish and water plants that you want to feature. For example, if you're building a koi fish pond, it will need to be much larger than one that contains goldfish. You can choose from a variety of shapes in a hard shell pond liner, including round, square, oval, rectangular and kidney shaped. Or you can go with flexible pond liners that let you decide the shape.

Now you need to think about the upkeep of your fish pond. There's no doubt that you want it to look its best at all times. But you also need to consider the health and wellbeing of the fish and vegetation. It's important that you don't neglect to feed the fish and clean the pond. Be informed about the proper care of the fish that you plan to keep, as well as the needs of the aquatic plants that will form part of the pond.

There's a considerable amount of time and effort involved in planning and installing a pond, but there's also the maintenance to consider. So it's essential that you're truly committed to the whole idea before proceeding. However, if you're up for the challenge, you can look forward to many years of pleasure from this lovely landscaping addition. - 15432

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Is Your Mind Failing You Or Helping You Succeed?

By Christina Helwig

Your thoughts can sabotage your efforts even if you dont intend them to. What you think habitually will influence your life more than any other condition or circumstance around you. The words you use and the things you devote your attention to determine if you are thinking success or failure oriented thoughts.

Pay Attention To Your Thoughts

Are you an optimist or a pessimist? The answer to this inquiry will determine much of the success that you either do or do not achieve in your world. An optimist is able to see solutions to problems. They do not ignore the bad in situations, they embrace it and choose to work around it. That simple mindset opens up doors. By trying to think of how can I make this work instead of its hopeless, opportunities open up. An optimist will see ways to fix a problem that a pessimist never will.

Pessimists on the other hand live in doom and gloom. Their minds are so fogged with negativity that they can only focus on themselves and how terrible things are. They completely miss chances that are right in front of them because they are caught up in whining and feeling sorry for themselves. Complaining solves nothing. It only makes a situation worse. When you find yourself complaining I want you to pinch yourself hard and think of something positive. This goes for everything in your world. If you are thinking negatively about another person, situation or circumstance you need to reframe the issue. If you start out negative you will only see the bad aspects of the issue and your world will never change.

If you however focus on the good you will change your entire point of reference. Everything has two parts or sides. If something is a little bad it must be a little good. If it is horrible then there must be something about it that is fantastic. I recently had a friend who was laid off. At first she was upset and then she was unbelievably excited. She got a great severance package and has since started her own business. In the middle of something negative a positive was found and she is much happier than before.

I challenge you to find the good in situations. This is not always an easy task. If you are having trouble doing this watch a few movies on Rwanda and you will quickly see that your life is practically perfect and the things you have to worry about are nothing compared to what is happening in other parts of the world.

Pay Attention To Your Vocabulary

Your vocabulary also colors the way you think. If you get home from work and say that your day was hard, you are likely to have more of those days in the future. Anytime the circumstances of the day match up with the hard day, you will feel tired and not very happy about your day. Simply changing how you word statements like this will make a big difference. Say something like I was very productive today and I got a lot accomplished. At first you will feel like you are kidding yourself but over time this will change your perspective and will result in better and better days. I no longer complain about being tired or that I was really busy. I rest and then get right back to doing the things I like to do.

If you are using negative language it will affect how you think, plain and simple. Your words matter whether you want them to or not. By paying attention to the words you use and the thoughts you think you will move yourself into a success mindset. Ask yourself each time you have a thought or you say something: Does that resonate with my vision of what I want to create in my life? If it doesnt change it right away. Thinking negatively is just a bad habit that can be changed. Success comes from building up a series of habits that support you and push you forward to your goal. - 15432

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Amanda's Terrific Cajun Spiced Tea

By Nancy Broussard

Amanda is a late-twenties Cajun, a busy professional woman and mother, who gives away jars of her spiced tea mix every winter; usually a few weeks before Christmas, when temperatures in Louisiana sometimes plunge into the 60's.

For many, Amanda's tea is more welcome than Santa. And, it does not take a chef, or even a good cook, to make.

You can begin with a cup of powdered instant tea mix. Amanda uses Nestea, but you can try other brands if you have a favorite.

Add two cups of Tang. Again, you may try a similar brand if you are a risk taker or you can use sugar free Tang if you or any of your friends or family members are diabetic.

Next, add two cups of sugar or a sugar free sweetener like Splenda or Equal.

For your final step...see how quick and easy this is...add a packet of lemonade powder and mix everything together. Store the final mixture in plastic or glass containers. Whenever you want a great drink, heat a cup of water and add the mixture to suit your taste. Most folks like about two teaspoons full.

You will enjoy both the great taste and the wonderful orange color. And, as Amanda will tell you, it makes a great gift. - 15432

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Never Tell Your Child We Cant Afford It Again!

By Christina Helwig

The words We Cant Afford It sets up a lack and limitation mindset in your childs psyche. They get a little achy feeling inside and never really understand why the family cant afford something. Your child will start the process of holding themselves back from things they want based on your words. This mentality also sets up lack and limitation in your own mind. You instantly cut yourself off from ideas and solutions to a cash crunch. Inside your subconscious mind you blame yourself for not being able to fulfill your childs wants and dreams. The only thing that can come out of this statement is a negative feeling: for both you and your child. I suggest that you approach these delicate situations with two tricks that will work wonders if you let them.

Helpful Hint #1: Sit Down With Your Child And Show Them Your Budget

Yes, that's right I said show them your budget. This of course infers that you actually have a budget. If you do not have a budget use a spreadsheet program and make one after you finish reading this article. Include everything you spend money on during an average month. Dont forget to average in things like hair cuts, school clothes and car insurance that you pay every few months or so. It is also very important to include fun in your budget. You spend money on movies, eating out, lattes and toys for the kids anyway right? Lastly when creating your budget include a savings plan and a cushion for unexpected items.

You might have a problem with the budget. You might already be running at a negative amount. At the very least this process will allow you to see how much in the red you are each month so that you can apply helpful hint #2 below to fill-in the gap. Your budget should be realistic and you should execute it each month. If you consistently outspend your budget in certain areas like food, you need to either stick to your plan or increase that area of spending.

Explaining A Budget To Your Child

Budgets are typically something that a child under the age of 13 might have a hard time grasping. You will need to improvise with them and put the budget into terms they can understand. Depending on their age, get a bag of M&Ms and use that to discuss the budget. Have them count the number of M&Ms in the bag and then write it on a piece of paper. Once they have done this tell them how many M&Ms you pay in rent each month. Then have your child push those into a circle on a piece of paper with rent written inside it. Continue with this process until you have worked through your budget [or a minor version of it] and have run out of M&Ms.

When it comes time to talk about the toy, lesson or other item that your child wants talk to them about how much the thing costs. Tell them that it costs X M&Ms and that for this month you have already used your M&Ms up. This sounds silly but they will understand it. Show them which categories you absolutely must put M&Ms into each month like rent, gas, and utilities. Then show them the discretionary categories that you spend in. Show them that if the family gives up cable then they can have the toy they want and vice versa. Ask your child if they prefer to have t.v. for the month or the toy etc. If you are truly struggling make the choice dramatic. But keep the game fun. Never make them feel bad for wanting to have the things they want. Tell your child they can have them but either they have to save for them or give up something else for a little while.

Helpful Hint #2: Think Up Ways You Can Afford It With Your Child

The next exercise you should do with your child is sit down and brainstorm on ways you can afford what they want. Make sure you discuss all the trade-offs involved and have them do the bulk of the work to acquire the item. This will build pride and self-confidence in your child. They also might reevaluate whether they actually want the toy in the first place. Some well placed chores to earn an allowance can get rid of the I want it, I want It syndrome that seems never ending.

Some of your brainstorming can include your child mowing lawns, doing gardening for the neighbors, completing extra chores, babysitting or otherwise taking an active role to earn money to pay for the item. You can also tell your child that you will match them dollar for dollar for any money they earn to acquire the thing they want.

Lastly, continue to discuss trade-offs that you can make. Can you cut out things from your budget that are really not helping you. Maybe eat out one less time a month or work a few extra hours of overtime? Taking these measures will not only help your child, it will help you get some breathing room in your budget so that you are not stressed and financially unstable.

Your brainstorming session should definitely include ways that you too can earn some extra money. Maybe you can joint babysit with your child and you give them a portion of the money you earn for helping. There are always people looking for help. While some jobs might not be the most desirable they get you to where you want to be and will help you provide the life you want to give your family.

Open Up to Possibility

These two processes will help you and your child think of positive ways to change a situation. Your child will learn to focus on possibility and will not focus on limitation or what they cant have. Often their little minds will come up with things you never thought of to make something work. You as a parent will have a better understanding of what is really important to them. Maybe the soccer lessons are not as much fun anymore for the child and they would rather have a new bike to play with their friends or a designer jacket to fit in better at school.

Youll never know the answers to these questions until you sit down with them and let them tell you what they want. It is critically important to discuss finances with a child at a young age. Too many of our young adults are going through college and life saddled with debt and limitations because no one wanted to talk about money when they were young. Talk about it, make it a priority and change your familys perception about money and what is possible in life. Its only when we take active steps to counter a situation that it improves and we grow. - 15432

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How To Write An Article In 5 To 7 Tips For Profit

By Rob Metras

Today writing articles can be a very good business. Before writing an article there are certain steps which need following. The first step is to select a general subject area. To start it is important to research current trends and find out what interests readers about these trends.

The general subject area for your article can come from a vast number of possible areas. For example the internet could be one general subject or you could choose pets, gardening, or interior design as a general subject area. Once you have picked a general subject you must narrow it down to a specific topic.

To select a topic you have to find an interesting niche within the general field. For example the movies is a common search term but not a good article topic. A good article topic would narrow down the field of movies to a topic such as vintage horror films.

After finding your niche you need to turn it into an article made of five to seven tips. This would be classified as a how to article. For example if your topic was organic pet food it may contain five to seven tips to finding the best organic pet food at a reasonable price.

Basically for writing 5 or 7 Tips Articles initially we have to compile the vast data in to an abbreviated form and from that we have to select most important points by means of which we can explain the whole story. These points are very important.

After writing these kinds of article then it is better to use affiliate marketing with articles method for increasing the profit with the articles. The more profit can be achieved by means of affiliate marketing with articles as it improves the popularity and availability of the article.

There are many tools on the internet to help make an article more popular. Affiliate marketing is one way but the internet has other tools. Press releases are another useful tool which can help to gather attention from potential article readers.

These are the steps to creating an article composed of five to seven tips. Writing these articles is a fun and profitable business. With these tips you now you have all the knowledge you need to get started writing 5 to 7 tip articles. - 15432

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How to integrate internet communication online

By Zach Halon

The issue of internet advertising effectiveness is part of the broader question about the effectiveness of advertising in general. As a result, internet advertising effectiveness should be examined in a similar fashion as traditional advertising.

However, internet advertising is different from traditional advertising in that the internet has capacities to extend the function of advertising far beyond what traditional media are able to accomplish. Consumers can click on a banner ad for an e-book, check the table of contents or review others' comments, place an order, and download the e-book to their computers, all through the internet. None of traditional advertising media could offer such a combined channel capacity of communication, transaction and distribution.

The expanded function of internet advertising comes from its horizontal integration of three key marketing channel capacities (communication, transaction and distribution) and vertical integration of marketing communications, including advertising, public relations, sales promotion and direct marketing. In order to better understand the effectiveness of internet advertising, therefore, we must examine unique characteristics of the internet advertising formats and develop new criteria by which the effectiveness of internet advertising can be assessed.

The internet provides the means for "interaction" between buyers and sellers to such a degree that some have suggested this is the defining characteristic of the internet. This interaction can be human-machine, machine-machine and human message; among others.

Interactive Communication refers to human-message interaction where the user relates to and, in some cases, modifies the message with which he/she is interacting. Clicking on banner ad represents a low level of interaction of this nature while choosing an ending among many for an online movie represents a higher level of interactive communication with a message.

Interactive Media on the other hand, refers to a carrier of messages which provides for the possibility of interaction with messages conveyed in that medium. So, the internet including the Web is an interactive medium which provides for the possibility of interactive communication with messages. However, the internet is of many interactive media. Mobile phones and interactive kiosk are also interactive media.

However, the convergence which is rapidly taking place between notebook computers, personal digital assistants, mobile phones, and cable television make such distinctions less clear. While it may be the case that any discussion of advertising effectiveness in general will apply to the internet, it may also be the case that any departures from general understanding of advertising effectiveness issues may be due to the special characteristics of interactivity associated with the internet. In particular, there has been a special interest in delineating advertiser-controlled versus consumer-controlled aspects of the internet stemming from interaction issues. - 15432

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How Do You Get Music Videos On Your I-Pod?

By Amy Nutt

The Apple I-pod is one of the most technologically advanced multi media players on the market. The new I-pod touch and I-pod video have the capabilities to store and play thousands of songs and pictures like the older models, but now have the technology to store and play hundreds of hours of video as well.

Apple has taken instant, hand held entertainment to a new level, allowing I-pod users to create their own videos and upload them onto their I-pods to enjoy and share, or to purchase their favorite music videos from I-tunes (or one of any number of other online retailers) to carry with them anywhere they go.

Where to get your Favorite Videos

There are a number of ways to get your favorite music videos such as Eminem and movie clips onto your I-pod where youll be able to enjoy them wherever and whenever you want.

The Safest Bets

You can join a website for the specific purpose of supplying videos for portable media players. This is often a good option, because the files will already be in the format that will be compatible with your I-pod software, so all you have to do is essentially point and click to have all of your favorite music videos in the palm of your hand. The only downside to joining a membership site, is that you have to pay the fee regardless of how many videos you download - so if you only find a few that you really want, then you could be paying an exceedingly high per-video fee. The up side is that downloading videos this way is perfectly safe and legal; you can search and download all the videos you want without any fear of viruses or legal repercussions.

You can transfer videos from DVDs that you already own, which will be free, but a little bit more complicated. I-pods only support video in the MPEG 4 format, which means that any videos in any other format will have to be translated into the MPEG 4 format in order to be compatible with your I-pod. Translating video into this format will require you to purchase software that can change the video format, creating an extra cost and adding an extra step to the process. You may or may not be able to find a software application that can translate certain video formats for you for free, but be very wary about what sites you download programs from - in looking for a cheaper alternative, you may just find yourself with an unwanted virus.

You can also join a "pay as you download" site, where you wont have any out of pocket cost to join, but will pay for each individual video that you download. This is just as safe and legal as the pay membership sites, but you will probably end up paying a bit more for each individual video that you download. These sites often have very extensive libraries containing thousands and thousands of videos to choose from like Lil Wayne or akon, so finding the exact videos that you want shouldnt be very challenging.

A Cheaper but, Risky Option

If you dont want to pay for the software to translate videos into the MPEG4 format, or pay anything for the videos that you download, you can always visit a free download or shareware site. Youll usually be able to find exactly what you are looking for on these sites, but the big downsides here are that it is dangerous and illegal. These sites usually arent monitored very well, so its pretty common to find that either a virus or some form of spy-ware has found its way onto your computer, particular if your are on the sites often.

Whatever method of downloading videos to your I-pod that you happen to choose, youll be opening yourself up to a whole new style of entertainment. Youll have instant access to all of your favorite music videos, no matter when or where you want to view them. Apple has totally changed the way we are able to entertain ourselves with the capabilities of the new series of I-pods. - 15432

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Ten Simple Steps To Increase Your Testosterone Production

By Ricardo d Argence

The amount of muscle you can achieve is regulated by testosterone, also known as the Holy Grail of muscle growth. Quite simply, testosterone is the most important muscle-building hormone in your body and is one of the limiting factors that determines how much muscle you can ultimately build. Here is just a small handful of the many amazing benefits that increased testosterone levels will provide you with: Increased muscle size and strength, decreased body fat levels, increased sex drive and sexual endurance, improved mood and decreased levels of "bad" cholesterol.

Sounds great, doesn't it? Well it is, and in this article I'm going to outline 10 simple steps to naturally elevate your testosterone levels and achieve all of these incredible benefits. While these steps will not result in "steroid-like" muscle gains, they will definitely contribute to your overall bottomline results.

1) Your workout exercises should have compound exercises as a foundation. I'm talking about the basic, bread-and-butter lifts such as squats, deadlifts, bench presses, rows, chin-ups, dips, lunges and military presses. At the gym, you can maximize your workout with these exercises because they provide the greatest muscle resistance and make your body produce more testosterone.

2) Always put forth maximum exertion and intensity when preparing. You must be willing to really push your body to its physical limits if you hope to build muscle. The more stress you put on your muscles in the gym, the more testosterone your body will create.

3) Train your legs equally as hard as your upper body. As you may already be aware, intense leg training can actually stimulate growth in your chest, back and arms. This is due in part to the increase in testosterone that leg training induces.

4) Increase your EFA consumption. Necessary fatty acids that come from origins such as peanuts, avocadoes, healthy oils such as omega 3 fish oil and flax seed. To boost testosterone levels naturally, nothing beats olive or canola oil.

5) Minimize your consumption of soy. There is a direct negative effect on testosterone levels when the estrogen levels in the body increase, which can be caused by soy protein.

6) Do not drink so much alcohol. It has been revealed that alcohol has a remarkable affect on testosterone production, therefore try to limit the nights you might "binge drink" and consume alcohol in moderation.

7) Increase your dietary intake of cruciferous vegetables. Broccoli, cauliflower, radishes, turnips, cabbage and brussel sprouts have all been shown to dramatically reduce estrogen levels, thereby raising testosterone.

8) Reduce your everyday stresses. When you have too much stress, your body releases the catabolic hormone "cortisol" and this makes your testosterone levels drop dramatically.

9) Increase your sexual activity. Sexual stimulation causes the body to increase the production of oxytocin which increases endorphin production, the "feel-good" chemical, and this also raises testosterone.

10) Make certain that you get enough sleep each night. Insufficient sleep may result in a reduction of your testosterone levels due to the production of cortisol.

To boost your muscle size and gain strength, implement these techniques regularly for a noticeable difference. - 15432

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