What You Need to Know for Wedding Rings

Diamonds: A Guide to Diamond Shapes

EMERALD - This rectangular shaped stone is a very elegant and sophisticated look for a bride.

HEART - A truly romantic statement on any bride’s finger this stone’s shape resembles a heart.

MARQUISE - Beautiful as a solitaire, this diamond too is elongated diamond but has pointed ends.

OVAL - This perfectly symmetrical elongated shaped diamond adds length to fingers and is very popular among three stone rings.

PEAR - This shape is derived from combining both the marquise and the oval shaped diamonds. One end is beautifully rounded while the other leads to a point.

PRINCESS - This is a perfectly square shaped stone which has become increasingly more popular among brides today.

ROUND - A circular shaped diamond which has always been a popular and traditional choice for many brides.

TRILLIANT - Shaped like a triangle, the trilliant may have rounded corners or pointed ones and provides a perfect accent to a princess or round shaped diamond.

Visit my website to see images of the shapes.

Appraisals and Insurance

Once the question has been popped, the marriage proposal accepted and the stunning diamond ring is on the finger, now is the time to think about taking care of the engagement ring. Diamond rings are an investment. It shows the love and commitment to the relationship. It is an investment that will be a reminder years later, of how much time, energy and love was poured into the marriage. Like a relationship, a diamond ring needs care too. According to Colin Nash of Nash Jewellers in London, Ontario, the first step is to get the diamond ring checked and cleaned every three to six months. In doing so, this is a small part of the insurance that the ring is in tip-top shape. The claws are holding the stone properly, which will prevent the loss of the diamond. The mounting secure and the band is not thinning, which could cause breakage and at worst, loss of the ring itself. If weight loss has occurred and the ring is loose, make sure to have the ring sized, this is one way to guarantee against the loss of a valuable piece of jewellery, not only in monetary value but sentiment too.

The second step according to Colin Nash is to get the ring insured. Again, the investment of months of hard saving for the ring, the purchase and the memories would all be lost if the ring were to go missing or worse, stolen. Break-ins in Canada do happen and the targets besides small appliances and technological items are - jewellery! Jewellery is small and easy to hide on the burglar’s body and in pockets of clothing.

When the decision has been made to insure the ring, the next step is to have the ring appraised. Get in touch with a Jeweler, who has a Certified Gemologist Appraiser on staff. There are only 14 Certified Gemologist Appraisers in Canada. A Certified Gemologist Appraiser will give an accurate description of the diamond’s quality. They will look for stone damage, chips or marks or if claw damage has occurred and will disclose all information to the customer. The piece of jewellery is job-tagged with contact information and cleaned. Once the cleaning is done, they will record the 4 C’s, which are colour, clarity, cut and carat-weight. Measurements are taken and the gold is tested, to record what kind of gold it is, along with the price per carat of the diamond at the time because diamond markets do fluctuate. The Appraiser compiles all this information into a report for the customer. Nash Jewellers also takes a digital photo of the ring up to 10X for a clear and concise image, which they keep on file in their computer system along with a copy for the customer’s file. This is all done in order to give the insurance company a proper and modern retail replacement value, whether it was lost, stolen or damaged. It also is proof of what the actual piece looks like for insurance and police purposes.

The cost of an appraisal varies from company to company. It could start from $50.00 for the first piece and $40.00 for any additional pieces brought in at the time or could cost more or less.

Most purchase higher quality diamonds and spends approximately $2500.00 to $3500.00 on an engagement ring, which is a ring with a ½ (0.50) carat diamond to a 1.0-carat depending on wage and financial situation. Insure a ring that is over a thousand dollars. If the ring is less in value, make sure it is listed in the home insurance under Special Items or Personal. Even better, take a digital photo with a optical zoom of the ring and keep this photo and any other information (receipt of purchase) about the engagement ring in a safety deposit box at the bank.

If an appraisal file has been done, call an insurance agent and make sure to insure it for the full amount paid at the time of purchase or the amount appraised. Once insurance on the ring has been put into place, keep all these important papers in a safety deposit box. Any unworn and expensive jewellery would be best kept in the safety deposit box too. Safety deposit boxes are not expensive to keep. They are tax deductible and an investment towards piece of mind, same as the insurance on the ring itself.

The engagement ring is an investment towards a future life together, take care of that investment by following a few simple, precautionary steps towards guaranteeing that the ring will last for years to come and will be passed down to offspring and future generations.

What You Need to Know for Wedding Rings

Diamonds: A Guide to Diamond Shapes

EMERALD - This rectangular shaped stone is a very elegant and sophisticated look for a bride.

HEART - A truly romantic statement on any bride’s finger this stone’s shape resembles a heart.

MARQUISE - Beautiful as a solitaire, this diamond too is elongated diamond but has pointed ends.

OVAL - This perfectly symmetrical elongated shaped diamond adds length to fingers and is very popular among three stone rings.

PEAR - This shape is derived from combining both the marquise and the oval shaped diamonds. One end is beautifully rounded while the other leads to a point.

PRINCESS - This is a perfectly square shaped stone which has become increasingly more popular among brides today.

ROUND - A circular shaped diamond which has always been a popular and traditional choice for many brides.

TRILLIANT - Shaped like a triangle, the trilliant may have rounded corners or pointed ones and provides a perfect accent to a princess or round shaped diamond.

Visit my website to see images of the shapes.

Appraisals and Insurance

Once the question has been popped, the marriage proposal accepted and the stunning diamond ring is on the finger, now is the time to think about taking care of the engagement ring. Diamond rings are an investment. It shows the love and commitment to the relationship. It is an investment that will be a reminder years later, of how much time, energy and love was poured into the marriage. Like a relationship, a diamond ring needs care too. According to Colin Nash of Nash Jewellers in London, Ontario, the first step is to get the diamond ring checked and cleaned every three to six months. In doing so, this is a small part of the insurance that the ring is in tip-top shape. The claws are holding the stone properly, which will prevent the loss of the diamond. The mounting secure and the band is not thinning, which could cause breakage and at worst, loss of the ring itself. If weight loss has occurred and the ring is loose, make sure to have the ring sized, this is one way to guarantee against the loss of a valuable piece of jewellery, not only in monetary value but sentiment too.

The second step according to Colin Nash is to get the ring insured. Again, the investment of months of hard saving for the ring, the purchase and the memories would all be lost if the ring were to go missing or worse, stolen. Break-ins in Canada do happen and the targets besides small appliances and technological items are - jewellery! Jewellery is small and easy to hide on the burglar’s body and in pockets of clothing.

When the decision has been made to insure the ring, the next step is to have the ring appraised. Get in touch with a Jeweler, who has a Certified Gemologist Appraiser on staff. There are only 14 Certified Gemologist Appraisers in Canada. A Certified Gemologist Appraiser will give an accurate description of the diamond’s quality. They will look for stone damage, chips or marks or if claw damage has occurred and will disclose all information to the customer. The piece of jewellery is job-tagged with contact information and cleaned. Once the cleaning is done, they will record the 4 C’s, which are colour, clarity, cut and carat-weight. Measurements are taken and the gold is tested, to record what kind of gold it is, along with the price per carat of the diamond at the time because diamond markets do fluctuate. The Appraiser compiles all this information into a report for the customer. Nash Jewellers also takes a digital photo of the ring up to 10X for a clear and concise image, which they keep on file in their computer system along with a copy for the customer’s file. This is all done in order to give the insurance company a proper and modern retail replacement value, whether it was lost, stolen or damaged. It also is proof of what the actual piece looks like for insurance and police purposes.

The cost of an appraisal varies from company to company. It could start from $50.00 for the first piece and $40.00 for any additional pieces brought in at the time or could cost more or less.

Most purchase higher quality diamonds and spends approximately $2500.00 to $3500.00 on an engagement ring, which is a ring with a ½ (0.50) carat diamond to a 1.0-carat depending on wage and financial situation. Insure a ring that is over a thousand dollars. If the ring is less in value, make sure it is listed in the home insurance under Special Items or Personal. Even better, take a digital photo with a optical zoom of the ring and keep this photo and any other information (receipt of purchase) about the engagement ring in a safety deposit box at the bank.

If an appraisal file has been done, call an insurance agent and make sure to insure it for the full amount paid at the time of purchase or the amount appraised. Once insurance on the ring has been put into place, keep all these important papers in a safety deposit box. Any unworn and expensive jewellery would be best kept in the safety deposit box too. Safety deposit boxes are not expensive to keep. They are tax deductible and an investment towards piece of mind, same as the insurance on the ring itself.

The engagement ring is an investment towards a future life together, take care of that investment by following a few simple, precautionary steps towards guaranteeing that the ring will last for years to come and will be passed down to offspring and future generations.

How to Strike eBay Gold by Hunting Out Mis-spelled Auction Items

With more than 167 million registered users eBay is the largest market-place in the world. Tens of thousands of items are listed every day and the vast majority of these don't contain any spelling mistakes. But a significant proportion do, either in the item title or the description.

Now I'm sure you're thinking 'so what, why does this matter ?' Well the answer is surprisingly simple - these mis-spelled auction items cannot be found directly using eBay's built-in search functions. To find them, you'll need to browse the category listings by hand, which is tedious and extremely time-consuming. As a result mis-spelled auctions get fewer bids and usually sell for less (if they sell at all).

If you're looking to pick up a bargain on eBay this is great news but if you want an easy way to make some extra money why not buy these mis-spelled items cheaply and then sell them on again at a profit. Talk about easy money ! But how do you find them ?

If you're going to use eBay's built-in search system to find them you'll need to manually generate a list of all of the possible mis-spellings for your particular search term. Whilst this will work, it's pretty hit or miss, not to mention tedious because there are four main categories of mis-spelling.

First of all there are the obvious ways: missing out letters, typing the same letter twice and getting two letters the wrong way round. But then there are the less obvious mistakes like hitting a key adjacent to the one that you want. Sounds pretty simple doesn't it ? As an example, let's look at the word 'computer'. Using the above ways of mis-spelling the word results in a list of 64 possible mis-spellings:

omputer, cmputer, coputer, comuter, compter, compuer, computr, compute, ccomputer, coomputer, commputer, compputer, compuuter, computter, computeer, computerr, fomputer, vomputer, omputer, xomputer, domputer, c0mputer, cpmputer, clkmputer, cimputer, c9mputer, cokputer, conputer, cojputer, com-uter, comuter, comluter, comouter, com0uter, comp8ter, compiter, compjter, comphter, compyter, comp7ter, compu6er, compuyer, compuger, compufer, compurer, compu5er, comput4r, computrr, computdr, computwr, comput3r, compute5, computet, computef, computed, computee, compute4, ocmputer, cmoputer, copmuter, comupter, comptuer, compuetr, computre

Now if you're thinking there's no way that someone could mis-spelling such a simple word as 'computer', here's a fact. At the time of writing, searching on eBay.com using the above list of words results in 46 results, many of which had no bids at all because they were hidden to 'normal searchers'.

Whilst it is possible to generate the complete list of mis-spellings by hand it's pretty tedious, particularly as the list grows longer as the length of your search increases. Thankfully, though, there's a much better way.

Several websites exist that will automatically generate the list of mis-spelled words for you, all you need to do is to supply the original search phrase and usually choose an eBay site to search. However, most will search the whole of the eBay site and this can be a problem as you'll get lots of matches from unrelated categories so my tip is to use a site such as Missing-Auctions.com which allows you to restrict your search to a particular eBay category.

So there you have it. Whether you're just trying to pick up a bargain on eBay or you're looking for cheap items to sell on again at a profit, searching for mis-spelled auction items on one of the leading third-party eBay search sites is the first thing that you should do. You'll almost certainly save money !

Supporting Remote Team Performance

Introduction

At CAL we have been involved with remote teams for a number of years and have spend time understanding was makes a good team and what makes a great team. The problems with a team that is not located in one place are different to standard office-based team issues and although there is no magic wand or standard problems here are a few classic issues.

Communications – It can be frustrating to be waiting on information from other team members and this can cause tension in the team. Of course the cause can be due to poor procedures, lack of training or inadequate technology, but is a management issue even if it is only a perceived problem. The results of these factors in a remote team will be isolation and the feeling of being out of contact with the organisation’s heart beat.

Collaboration – Where more than one team member is involved in a project or task. This is the fundamental reason why a team exists because of the need to work together. This vital skill set can be anything from non-existent to excellent and is normally the result of a good team, working well and successfully. This comes through team building and working together. If you want to know if your team is a team, ask yourself ‘Are we a team or just a group of individuals working on the same task?’ If you find that your team is just a group of individuals, then you need to examine what benefits a team culture would bring.

Control – The management and control of a remote team is vital to ensure that issues are identified early and action to correct is taken. By giving control to the team manager or leader, you allow the team to feel both valued and motivated, problems are dealt with and overcome, and productivity increases. Very often an organisation can be working well on one location, meeting all management good practice, but not utilising this successful structure throughout the rest of the organisation. Any organisation must have a clear understanding of how effective a team is and learn lessons to replicate successful strategies within other teams. It is so often the case that teams become ineffective over a number of years, as early signs of productivity decay are just disregarded or even accepted as the norm.

If a team is working, then the temptation is to ‘leave well alone’, but this inaction can cause problems, for example:

o Motivation – If team members feel there is no focus or commitment to the team you will lose motivation and the teams inner momentum. At best, it will still function - at worst they will be a group of individuals, some of which will be self-motivated, others will not.

o Isolation - This can start as feeling out of contact, but end up as feeling under valued and alone.

o Efficiency – Task will take longer and no effort will be forthcoming on improving the team working.

o Hostility – Individuals will feel others are letting down the team, or they work harder than another member or team. This is usually a result of other factors, but sometimes is the first to surface outside of the team.

o Cost - The team are not working effectively and see no reason to change or worst, see no one listening to them. The result is a team costing more than they should.

o Competitors – The ultimate price will be losing sales to competitors, which will only add to the frustrations of a team.

o Losing good staff – The key members of the team will not want to stick around and see no commitment to them, so give no commitment to the company.

It is very unlikely that you will see every one of these dangers, or that they will have escalated to an unacceptable level. But if you can see any of these issues within your teams, then take action now.

Don Cooke is technical director of Computer Assets Ltd, a company specialising in complete solutions for remote teams. The company operates this financially effective model themselves with a national team of business and technical consultants combined with both software and analytics tools. Clients include FTSE companies in the insurance, utility and local government sectors. Don regularly talks to corporate audiances on a variety of subjects, from effective marketing to business disaster recovery, and on behalf of his company on the effective use of remote and mobile technologies in today's business world.

The Economic Production of Precursor-Type Nanosize Precious Elements

Extensive field and laboratory investigation has clearly demonstrated a previously undescribed presence of nanosize clusters (particles) of various transition elements, including the precious elements, firmly bonded to amorphous colloidal silica (a.c.s.), and widely distributed throughout the earth’s crust and upper mantle. These a.c.s. bonded clusters are less than bulk metal in size and, therefore, without being properly pretreated do not analytically exhibit all of their characteristic elemental properties. A geochemical consequence is the existence of a vast, virtually untapped resource, of precious elements and other transition elements that are of great potential economic importance if only they are initially artificially enlarged to bulk metal size and thus converted to “conventional” metal.

Bench testing has clearly demonstrated that by using secondary nucleation this precious element-bearing a.c.s. (precursor-type) may be converted to bulk size precious metal giving conventional assays, depending on the element, from approximately 35 to more than 75 Troy ounces per ton of geologic source material. All of the precious elements are present in the same ores existing as precursor-type elements. Subsequent pilot testing, proceeded by small scale batch production testing, has established a recovery method that is highly economical, environmentally friendly, and simple and inexpensive to operate.

The final product for sale or refining consists essentially of 75%, or more, fine-grained precious metal powder (“blacks), 15 to 25% granular silica, and small amounts of Fe. A single pre-selected precious element (ex., Pt) may be recovered during each batch treatment or, if desired, a pre-selected group of precious elements. The precious metals to be recovered may be predetermined in order to achieve simplicity of subsequent refining. The ore source is ubiquitous. For our pilot and production testing we have mainly used fly ash from coal combustion power plants. It contains excellent precursor-type precious element values, is easily purchased at a low cost, requires no grinding, and has a clean Material Safety Data Sheet.

The Zen of Car Auctions

We will take a look at the two types of auctions available today; local auctions and online auctions. We'll discuss how they are setup and run and how best to use them to buy or sell a used car to save you time and money.

Local vehicle auctions

You must first register if you'd like to buy or sell at a local auction. If you plan on participating as a buyer, you may have to place a small down payment at the time you register for the auction. This will be used if you are the high bidder but returned to you if you don't end up buying anything. Once you register, you should receive a paper explaining all the rules and procedures. You'll find the auction staff very friendly and helpful and will be happy to help you or, explain any of the rules or procedures in more detail. They can also help you with "how to bid" type questions. If you plan on bidding on a car, make sure you inspect it very closely prior to the auction taking place. Also set some predetermined spending limits before the auction begins. You don't want to get into an emotional "bidding frenzy" once the auction starts. be sure and clearly signal you bids.

If you plan on selling a vehicle, you'll normally be given a unique identifier number when the car is registered. If the auction is a lot, you'll normally be told where the car is located. When registering your vehicle, it's important to be very accurate as to the condition the vehicle is in, the mileage and whether you have a clear and clean title to the car.

If you're lucky enough to be the high bidder on an auction, you will next want to inspect the car, again, very closely to make sure it's in the as-advertised condition. The auction staffers will assist you in how to go about paying and, will also guarantee clean title. Though you do not usually have to produce immediate funds to pay for your newly won car, it's always a good idea to get pre-approved financing BEFORE bidding on a vehicle. THe auction house will normally give you a few days to pay and take final delivery.

You should also be given a copy of the invoice or sales receipt so you can drive the vehicle home (don't forget about plates) or, have the car shipped. Ask the auction staff about shipping companies, they can normally assist you in finding a good, reliable one for the best price.

Online vehicle auctions

Online auctions, like eBay for instance, are not much different than local auction. About the only differences are you cannot inspect the car, in person, prior to bidding on it, unless you live close enough to the seller. And, you will not be standing next to your competitors... they'll be located somewhere else in the world. Most reputable online sellers will make a full disclosure of the condition of the vehicle and provide many pictures, detailing all the areas of the vehicle and, trouble spots. If you are using a service such as eBay, make sure you check out the sellers feedback as well. Feedback is a rating (Positive, Neutral, or Negative) and short comment left by each previous buyer.

Since online auctions can be held just about anywhere, you may have more likelihood of having the car shipped to you. There are several reputable shipping companies that can be found on the web or, ask the online auction company for some referrals. Careful though, you want to make sure the auction company is recommending someone because they are good, not because they are paying a large percentage "finders fee" back to the auction house. The shipping company will most likely have a website that you can checkout and verify their prices.

Purchasing vehicles at either online or local auctions is probably your best bet as far as finding the lowest price. Sure there is some work involved but in the process, you'll save thousands of dollars as compared to a dealer or even a "private party" newspaper ad. I think you'll find the small bit of effort worth it in the long run.

Nighttime Skin Care Beauty Routine - 3 Bedtime Essentials

At the end of the day, it's so easy to do as little as possible about skin care - splash water on your face, brush your hair and brush your teeth - before going to bed. That is a nighttime regimen, but hardly a good one if you are planning to have clean, nourished skin. Too many women do not give their faces the proper attention before going to bed.

Leaving make-up on overnight has consequences that are not good. Pores become clogged, and the skin tone turns dull and flat. If you can devise a nighttime routine that is easy, quick and relaxing, the appearance of your skin would improve 100-fold.

Cleansing

Cleansing the face before going to sleep is essential. Don't make the mistake of paying more attention to putting on your makeup than you do to taking it off. With the array of facial soaps, gels, milks, and lotions that are on the market today, selecting a cleanser is just a matter of personal choice. Whatever you do choose, apply it with a clean, white washcloth dampened in warm water followed by an alcohol-free toner. A toner will remove any excess residue from the skin without taking away the moisture. Don't confuse a toner or refresher with alcohol-containing astringents which are used mostly for problem skin that has a tendency to develop blemishes.

It is best to remove eye makeup with a gentle product made specifically for that purpose. If the skin beneath the eyes is puffy, apply a cotton ball saturated with cold chamomile tea to the area. Chamomile is a natural soother which will help reduce any swelling. It should definitely be a part of your skin care routine.

Moisturizing

Apply a night cream. Night creams are not the same as day creams. Night creams for the skin contain higher concentrations of humectants which are ingredients that attract moisture from the air and hold it against the skin. Whereas day moisturizing creams are made to be used with makeup without interfering with it, night creams are intended to be used on skin that is free of makeup. It is formulated to be richer than day creams and work to your best advantage for the entire night. For the optimum benefit, mist the face with an atomizer since slightly damp skin absorbs moisturizers better than dry skin can.

Restful, Relaxing Sleep

A night of good, restful sleep is also an important part of overall skin care and the appearance of your skin. Many beauty and skin care companies advocate the use of aromatherapy for this purpose. Lavender, sandalwood, rose and geranium plant oils are said to relax and calm the brain. They are often used in bath products, oil lamps and candles. Other scents you might want to try for promoting relaxation include, chamomile, sage, orange, lemon grass and seaweed.

Applying talcum powder enriched with plant and flower essences at bedtime can leave a soothing scent on your skin.

Including these three skin care basics as part of your nightly beauty regimen -- cleansing, moisturing, restful sleep --will without a doubt nourish and improve your skin and its appearance.

Home Business: The “Easy” Misconception Clarified

Instant results and immediate gratification are what people expect when they start a home business. But after the initial excitement of a new home business wears off, most people are left dejected. Don’t let the initial storms of a home business deter you from your goal of success. In the beginning you will experience, just like every one else has experienced, the situation of having more money going out then coming in. Most people drop out of the race as soon as adversity hits and go back to their previous jobs. All this stems from the misconception that starting and maintaining a business, in the early stages, is easy. But for those that see beyond the struggle, prosperity awaits.

The idea that starting any business much less a home business is easy, meaning involving little or no effort, should be set next to Santa and his reindeer because it is most definitely high-flying fiction. Any successful home business entrepreneur will tell you that when they began, they spent a good amount of time in front of the computer setting up their venture. It was only after they put in time, that their business became easy. They can make money when they are sleeping or just by sending out a few emails, but it all came from they time they spent on their business.

Now you may be asking yourself, “Well if starting a home business isn’t easy, how can people who know nothing about the computer make the type of money that I want to make?” Although beginning a home business is not easy, the key to success lies in simplicity.

Creating your own home business is simple, meaning made up uncomplicated directions that require no special knowledge. That is how internet novices can take their ideas and create wealth. They have found a SIMPLE system and followed it EXACTLY. Money and freedom follow soon after.

The hope of your business succeeding is found in your diligence to do the simple system and mirror its success. It cannot come from sitting back and waiting for something to happen or for someone else to do it for you. Toss the “easy theory” of home business out the window and embrace the simple nature of success. Once you do, your progress will never stop.

Games Cheat

Games Cheat

Another name for game cheats would be cheat codes. The original purpose of the games cheat was to allow developers and beta testers to be able to get to a specific area and not have to start the games over all the time. It was then also an option if a player got to a difficult place in the games and could not advance, the option was available to use the games cheat to advance and go on with the game. Some game cheats would open up new sections, hidden areas, or other types of bonus features. For our article we are going to take a look at the games cheat in reference to online gaming.

If you have ever played games online the odds are you have run into someone cheating. This would be especially true if the game does not include some kind of anti-cheat program. In simple terms cheating is "modifying the game to gain an unfair advantage over the other players. It is at this point we would like to point out that most developers do not build the games cheat into multiplayer games for this reason.

There is a big debate among gamers on what a real cheat is and what isn't. Some feel that only such things as a aimbot is a games cheat but custom skins, and settings that enhance performance is not. Still others feel that it doesn't matter a cheat is a cheat. For example in one game a video card with a specific video driver will not show fog or it lets you actually see through walls. Some feel that is more than adjusting settings while others feel it's not their fault so it's perfectly ok to use that advantage. Then there was a game that had a flaw in it when you also were running MS Messenger. Both these were not intentionally built into the game by developers. Others however felt this was more than adjusting your gamma, brightness and other settings to improve performance so they were game cheats.

There are two other ways of cheating. These two almost everyone in the online gaming community, feel are definitely a games cheat. The first is an exploit.

With an exploit a bug is found on a specific level or game map. The developers didn't purposely include them, but once found they are very quickly used as a games cheat. Examples would be a hole in a game that would allow you to kill other players but never be hurt or killed yourself. It could have been a piece of code that accidentally got left in the game. These may have been used by the designers for a specific purpose. Sometimes these exploits will be addressed with update patches, but many times they will stay as the developers feel they are not a high priority.

Hacked files, trainers, aimbots, are other forms of a games cheat. These type of game cheats are mostly the work of people who are adept at coding or programming. The reason for this is this games cheat entails modifying game and or driver files. These modified files are then loaded directly into memory in which case they by-pass the game itself.

So the ultimate decision is based on your own definition of a games cheat as to if you are cheating or not. However it should be mentioned that if you are playing on-line and the rest of the players feel it is cheating you should discontinue what you are doing. Just out of courtesy for others. This way everyone can enjoy the game and this is what the developers did intend.

Tips To Help You Relax and Enjoy Your Online Dating Experience

Online dating has grown by leaps and bounds as the method of choice for many singles looking for suitable dates. The usual ways of meeting potential mates in clubs, social settings, by chance or even through mutual acquaintances can be a waste of both time and energy. Today's singles are busier than ever -- they don't have the inclination or patience to strike up relationships with a number of different people in hopes of finding their "one and only".

Finding someone to date through the internet might seem drastic to some; however, it has proven to be an efficient and safe way to make choices about relationships. We are fast becoming a society dependent on technology rather than personal face-to-face contact in many facets of our everyday lives. What better way to choose someone you would like to get to know than by reading a profile, seeing a photo or accessing audio and video clips from the comfort of your living room? If you find something encouraging, then you can move forward and take the next steps.

Online dating does not confine your prospects to a particular region either. You can meet new and exciting people from all over the world - if you so desire. Or, of course, you can meet someone near your own hometown if you use one of the larger dating services. Online matchmaking services have millions of singles in their databases, and thousands of new people sign up daily. One thing for sure, most of them are looking for compatible relationships just as you are - whether it be friendship, companionship or marriage.

If you are seriously considering getting involved in the online dating scene, visit some of the dating sites on the internet just to look around and become acquainted. Look at several of the sites just to see what they are about and what they have to offer. Many services give you a grace period just for this purpose -- giving you the chance to take a cursory look to decide if this is something you would be interested in before you join and have to make a financial commitment.

Also, it might be a good idea to visit discussion forums and read ebooks on the subject. There are many of both around.

I am sure you realize there are people you come in contact with anywhere and everywhere who exaggerate and lie for all kinds of reasons. People you chat with online are no different.

As with all things, be cautious and use common sense if you do decide to meet and begin an on-going relationship with someone you've met online.

120 Seconds To Ace The Interview

2 minutes. That’s how long it takes for an employer to decide whether they want to hire you or not. First impressions set the tone for the interview and in the vast majority of cases, once that impression is set, it is not usually turned around. So here are some important tips you can use to ensure you make a great first impression.

Energy level. Show some bounce in your step. Act like you are excited to be there and are filled with ideas.

Eye contact. Look the interviewer right in the eye to make person-to-person contact. And SMILE like you are happy to see them. People instinctively react well to happy, smiling people.

Watch your handshake. Everyone knows that a dead-fish handshake is the kiss of death. So are sweaty palms (put baby powder in your pocket if you have to). Knowing that a handshake is so important, have you tested yours? Try shaking your loved ones’ hand and see how it works. Women in particular tend to overcompensate and shake hands too hard.

Dress appropriately. You can never go wrong by dressing conservatively. If you are not sure, for example, whether you should wear a tie or not (suit for women), try asking the receptionist. Just say “I am coming in for an interview on Friday and just wondered if you could help me. What is the dress code there?” Receptionists generally love to help. DO NOT OVERDRESS. I know a well-qualified executive who showed up in a double-breasted suit, expensive tie and matching handkerchief. He made his potential boss feel like a slob and wasn’t invited back.

Be aware from the time you hit the lobby. Many companies will ask the receptionist what they thought of you and what did you read in the lobby. One firm even asks the receptionist if the candidate washed their hands after going to the bathroom (you can hear the sink on in the lobby). From the moment you step onto the premises, make believe you are on hidden camera and put your best foot forward.

Finally, be friendly. Turn the interview from a question and answer session to an interesting conversation. Remember, employers hire people they like, so build rapport with the interviewer. Practice these tips, and you will see a dramatic difference in how people respond to you.

Downsize Your Retirement Community Garden

A recent stroll through my retirement community revealed to me how creative and artistic people can be. These retirement homes with their tiny gardens are truly miniature works of art. These are probably tiny examples of the gardens these senior homeowners once took care of. When they sold their homes to downsize to a retirement community, they also had to downsize their gardens. Each home was allotted a small patch alongside a patio. Here is my description of eight gardens I enjoyed to illustrate these senior homeowners successful efforts to have a garden with low maintenance.

The first I call the woodchips and flagstones low-maintenance garden. Just two elements can make it all work. Flagstones meander thru a woodchips groundcover adding the right touch with low maintenance plants alongside.

Here's a cute patio: A tilting patio umbrella seems to echo the tilt of the nearby pine tree. Just add a couple planters along the edge of the concrete slab, a pot of flowers and another ornament such as the cute 3-tiered pots. This softens the concrete appearance. Also softening were the colors chosen: the patio umbrella was pink and blue pastels. Also, a separated planting of pastel impatiens to the far right echos the soft color palette on the patio.

Next, I call this the green chairs garden. The owner has blended the colors of her flowering plants to go beautifully with her lacy backed green patio chairs. A pink and green masterpiece of cool green hosta the shade of the chairs and a generous row of bright pink impatiens-- elegant and luxurious in feel.

Next, a garden probably designed to delight the grandchildren. Little statues of children from nursery rhymes scattered throughout a woodchips groundcover. You could also add stone statues of mushrooms or turtles. How fun. All very low maintenance. There is a whimsical vine on the large wall backdrop. She added lighting as well to play up the figures at night.

Want a bright spot of color? Easy -- place several window boxes of brightly colored impatiens attached to the top of the patio fence rail and the garden below also is a row of coral and pink impatiens. How dull the building would have been if not for the owner's creativity. She just used color in layers. She also has her patio umbrella neatly tied and a hanging wind chime completes the symphony.

Two neighboring patios side by side with some similar ideas can show great harmony. Both have patio table umbrellas and both have attractive garden wall fixtures in similar shapes. Just add a row of colorful flowers in the foreground of the concrete patio slab and a hanging planter and it looks so pretty.

This patio took a little more work at first but is appropriate on a large corner lot. Wooden retaining walls enclose this patio and raised beds. His golf cart is parked behind the large shrubs. A generous use of low maintenance shrubs bordering the patio keeps it always neat.

Want a fabulous dramatic look -- again easy. The very bright colors of coleus in a border planting alongside the patio and a bright red geranium hanging pot are contrasted with the cool silver and white colors in the foreground border. An attractive wind chime and 2 matching white chairs to enjoy the view complete this picture.

Dress for Success - Standing Out in the Crowd

Five days a week, I see people, people and more people. Some of these people see me every few weeks, and for some reason, I forget who they are! They don't jog my memory. They simply don't make the grade on 'standing out'.

Walk up to me in a nice suit and my attention is different from someone having the look of a pair of blue denim pair of jeans and a t-shirt. They walk past me so fast, I don't even look up at them. Notice anything about your neighbors? Mine wear t-shirts and jeans. I got their names when they first moved in, otherwise, they don't 'stand out'. How many stand out and how many 'drift into the wall paper'. Now, look at yourself in the mirror. What category do you fall into? Are you 3-D or flat?

Now, where is this article going? Are you into sales? If so, this article is for you. Are you looking for a new job? Perhaps a raise, promotion or transfer. What-ever your motivation is, 'Dress for Success' because people's first impressions of you are lasting first impressions. I'm fat. I admit it. Plain and honest FAT. I always look nice. I could be skinny and dress like the next guy wearing jeans and a t-shirt or I can be a an impressive 'stand-out' fat person in the crowd selling my security products. All I have to do is put on a nice pollo shirt and a pair of cotton pants. I'm not saying dress in a pink suit, or wear the shortest skirt, I'm saying dress appropriately for the occasion.

Look the part. If you are selling motor oil, perhaps wearing white jeans and a white shirt might be a little too much for your buyers to swallow. Have you ever seen a commercial where the car rams through mud and rain and tadahhh....it's in the driveway looking like new. That's the car I want. But I know it doesn't exist. It's too good to be true. We all know that was a before and before picture of that pretty and clean car.

This one is perhaps the most commented on topic. "Look Your Age". Ever see the old woman with 'pitch black hair'? Yes, the one with the ruby red lipstick, and black eye brows two inches high. I have gray hair. Ok, so far you know I'm fat and gray, but more customers come to me because of my 'gray hair', because they see wisdom in these tiny hairs. If I dyed my hair black, my customer base would lesson because I would look stupid, therefore I must be stupid, too. I'm promoting my credibility with everything I say, do and wear.

If you are balding, and your self esteem is bettered by a toupee, then pick one that 'fits' and matches your hair color. Please, don't waste your money on a cheap rug. Get one that blends in with your hair and fits. You want people to notice your product or talent. Don't let your hair become their focal point, unless, of course, you are selling toupees. Give yourself some credibility by how you look.

Last thought on this topic. Only when you feel you look smart, than look in the mirror. Are you looking good? Take a deep breath and smile. Because if you feel good about yourself and how you look, than you will also have an edge over your competition. You feel good, therefore you are good! Now, go out and promote your stuff. "WJ"

Walking in Pembrokeshire - Porthgain

1. Commence at the car park in Porthgain by The Sloop Inn and walk downhill towards the small harbour.

2. Start the walk by leaving the harbour to the right by a round stone shelter and walk uphill (there is a coastal path way-marker sign here).

3. Walk 20yards to a stone cairn then follow the cliff edge, (admiring the steep granite cliffs) for 70 yards. Now cross the edge of two small fields and rejoin the coastal path for 200 yards steeply downhill to cross a small wooden bridge over a brook.

4. Then walk uphill along the coastal path for 300 yards to a kissing gate into a field – turn right to follow a stone wall to a field corner and a wooden stile.

5. Cross this stile and follow the fence on your right to a stone stile into a field (this field has a small circle of stones in it)

6. Follow the path downhill (clearly way-marked) and over a wooden stile then cross a stone stile into a lane.

7. Turn right and walk along the lane for 500 yards to cross a stile in the hedge on your right and into a field.

8. Cross this field diagonally to the left to a small wooden gate – go through the gate into another field and follow the left hand hedge to another small gate.

9. Go through this gate onto a farm track for 300 yards to the farm gate. Go through the farm gate and follow the track downhill to cross a small stream.

10. Cross the stream and go uphill for 50 yards to a small gate (there is a public footpath sign here) – go through the gate into a paddock – cross the paddock to a kissing gate and into a field.

11. Go into this field and follow the left hand edge to the bottom of the field to another kissing gate, then 20 yards to another small wooden gate to meet a stream.

12. Cross this by a wooden bridge then turn left along a track, which leads straight back to the car park where you started the walk.

Legal Marketing – How To Get Top Dollar For Your Services

Legal marketing success for you can reside in your knowing the psycho-graphics of your market. One key area of law marketing psycho-graphics is knowing how your prospective client is thinking about fees. In one of my other articles I write about law practice management pricing strategies. If you have not read that article I do recommend you read it since it is related to getting top dollar for your services. That said lets move forward in getting you comfortable in getting the fees you deserve from your legal marketing.

In legal marketing you need to know is very few people have the time, energy and perseverance to “shop” very much for a lawyer. These prospects will use price as a quick way to decide if someone is competent. In law marketing you need to know people are already preconditioned to think about price in certain ways. If your fee is $150 per hour, a second lawyer’s fee is $200 per hour and a third lawyer’s fee is $250 per hour what is the pre-programmed way clients will be thinking? It is highly likely in legal marketing they are thinking the “cheap” lawyer must not be as good as the other two. Why? Because in the USA culture people are taught “you get what you pay for” and thus the cheapest lawyer “must have something wrong with them” or they will be “cutting corners” in some way to be so “cheap”. You don’t want to be in that law marketing club for sure. They are also thinking “the most expensive lawyer must be the most experienced, most skilled, the most specialized and at least among the best.” You do want to be in that legal marketing club or at least close to that club. So you see in law practice management being in at lest the beginning of the top 30% of fees in your community is where you want to be if you possibly can. In legal marketing terms you are “positioning” yourself as among the best by having a higher price.

Additionally in legal marketing terms it is also much better to spend you law marketing dollars getting fewer high quality prospective clients to speak with and do that well than it is to have to shift through a legion of “frogs” who are shopping, shopping, shopping for “cheap”. Also the “cheap” client is not loyal to you but to “cheap” and if they find “cheaper” they are gone. I will give you a bit more on this aspect of legal marketing later in the article.

We have the legal marketing positioning we need in place now so what is next? What do you actually say to have someone ready to pay top dollar? First you need to tell them up front, close to the beginning of the conversation, something close to the following: “I do want you to know that I can’t work with everyone. Sometimes I don’t have the exact expertise you may need. Also I do want you to know that I am not the most inexpensive attorney in the city. If I am a good match for your situation I will be talking with you about fees. If my fees are too expensive for you don’t be afraid or embarrassed to tell me. I will have some good referrals for you that might be a better fit for your budget.”

In legal marketing terms what have you done here? You have made yourself a scarce service. We all are pre-programmed to think something or someone that is scarce is valuable (Cialdini Ph.D., Influence, Science and Practice; 2001). You have told them you don’t work with just anyone. Now they are hoping that their case is a good fit so they can have you. They are wondering if you can fit them in since you are in such demand that you can decline cases. Nice law marketing positioning for sure. Suddenly they are auditioning for you, not you auditioning for them. They also are thinking this fellow must be really, really good or he would not be saying such things to me. They are thinking that they better act quickly and say yes to hiring you or you may be full and can’t take them later. They also may be imagining a really, really high fee in their minds and when you quote something less than their imagination (which you can often) or contrast it with something higher or a benefit (more here later) they are relieved. Besides if they have been shopping then they know the really, really high fee and you are maybe 20% to 30% below that.

OK so lets say this legal marketing scenario did not go that well. What if the person says something like: “But your fee is $300 per hour and another lawyer I talked to charges $225 per hour.” What do you say? How about something like this: “I don’t know exactly why this lawyer is charging so much less than I do, however, I can tell you exactly what you will be getting working with me, what my qualifications/experience/expertise are with respect to your particular matter and I just can’t help but wonder what he might be missing or leaving out by charging the fee he charges.” In law marketing here you want to bring forward in their minds the unconscious thought that someone who charges less must be doing less of a job for you or is not as competent. The old “you get what you pay for” scenario most of us were raised on works well in legal marketing. Another way to say it is “penny wise, pound foolish” since if a lawyer who charges less does the job one could just wind up paying more later because of that “cheaper” work.

Another good job of law marketing positioning I’d say. In a specialty practice area this old adage is even more applicable than say a commodity practice area like residential real estate closings. I think you get the idea here in this law practice management effort. In what you are saying be sure they are wondering just what might be missing since doubt is what you need to create in the mind of the prospect about your competitors. You might even want to go so far as to list out in detail what you will be doing and providing for the client before you say the magic words I just gave you so they see all that is coming their way by selecting you. Again with this legal marketing approach what we are doing is bringing forward “doubt” and “suspicion” while making sure they know how solid you are for them. It never hurts to have testimonials or letters of recommendation as well to show prospective clients before you give the magic words.

In legal marketing a bit of preemption or prevention could work well in telling prospective clients about your fees as well. If you contrast your fee against a higher fee then your fee does not sound so large even if it is larger than a competing lawyers fee. An example would be a family lawyer might say something like: “Some attorneys would charge as much as $20,000 for handling this type of a divorce, however, with my experience and expertise I know I can do the divorce for you for $15,000”. Here you are saying your competitors’ fees first with your fee second making your fee sound good compared to the others. Another law marketing example would be in estate planning you could say something like: “I can prepare a document (for document insert the correct technical term) that will save you $400,000 in federal estate taxes for only $20,000.” Here you are contrasting your fee to the savings and saying the savings first and your fee last. A PI lawyer might say, “Some attorneys would charge you 40% of the recovery, however, I will be able to take your case for 30% of recovery.” I think you get the idea here when it comes to this law practice management strategy.

Legal marketing is not always a “slam dunk so now, you have done everything I suggested above and the client is still having price objections. My advice is to let that client go. If money is their only remaining objection and nothing you have said or done to this point has made a difference then I suspect they are going to be a problem in other areas later on. What type of a law practice management problem? Well, like not paying their fees or objecting to some of your billing demanding still a lower fee. Also, they are telling you extremely clearly they are a price only buyer not a value purchaser who is not loyal to you as a long-term client but loyal to the lowest price. In legal marketing you need long-term clients who are not price sensitive and not problematic. Finally, if you begin to negotiate the price now you are showing weakness and they will use that weakness with you down the line. I say legal marketing is tough enough without this type of client. Make a good referral to one of your competitors who is not reading my material so they have the headaches that keeps them bogged down and not able to do any legal marketing since they are bogged down with these types of clients!

Mastering Your Thoughts for Success - Step One: "Freeze-Frame"

Success is a "recipe" made up of a number of necessary ingredients. For example, although success may begin with a dream, mere dreaming alone is not enough to achieve success. Other key components include: passion, determination, taking daily action, the ability to learn from your mistakes, creating a plan and re-creating that plan if need be.

Where do our thoughts come into achieving success?

From the time we began to think and assimilate our world when we were children, our thoughts were influenced by people around us, usually our parents or the folks who raised us. If we were fortunate enough to have positive influences in those impressionable years, our own thoughts will likely have evolved into positive self-messages.

But, most of us were not raised with a steady stream of positive, self-affirming messages. In fact, many of us were raised with messages that were essentially fear-based. And as the years went by, we were also influenced by a wider circle of people such as teachers, friends, employers, partners, etc. who also had their own limiting thoughts.

Back in the mid-1980s, Tony Robbins was teaching people to empower themselves by doing a "firewalk", remember? He actually guided groups of people through a series of exercises in just 4 days that enabled them to walk over A BED OF HOT COALS without getting hurt.

A miracle? Yes and no. Yes, on one hand we can call it a miracle because our BELIEFS tell us that if we walk over a bed of hot coals, our feet will get burnt to a crisp! No, it is not a miracle because the beliefs of the people who participated were altered.

This is valuable information.

OK, where does that process of changing our beliefs start?

Before you can begin to change what your limiting beliefs and thoughts are, you have to know WHAT they are.

You have to "freeze-frame" your thoughts.

Think of it this way: your thoughts are like the frames of a film that go zooming at high speed through the "camera" of your mind. These thoughts appear on the screen of your brain only for a second and sometimes only for a fraction of a second. They are the old, conditioned beliefs that were "programmed" into us way back when we were still toddlers.

The thoughts seem to be automatically triggered by an external event - it's as though a switch is thrown inside of us that immediately sends a message to our brain to release this stream of thoughts and beliefs. The result is that we react rather than act.

The key is to slow the film down enough to catch the frame of the thought - freeze-frame it.

Let's use a simple example to illustrate this. You call a friend to say hello with the intent of getting together with them and when you ask how they are, the response is curt. Your friend cuts the conversation short and you are left holding the phone, confused and wondering what just happened.

The film in your brain has started to run. Your thoughts are coming fast and furious. You think, "Maybe I said something wrong." Your next thought may be something like, "I guess that relationship is over." Fill in your own blanks from here - the list goes on and on.

However, this is the critical moment during which we must catch and freeze-frame those thoughts, for they are the old, inhibiting ones we need to get rid of. Notice them. Become aware of them. Become acutely aware of them, even if you're uncomfortable doing so, for this is the beginning of the process of change.

Then, take it one step further: ask yourself what the beliefs are behind the thoughts you just had - dig a little deeper. You may come up with: "No one likes me", "I have no real friends", "People are not trustworthy, thoughtful, kind, etc." You may be really squirming now but stay with it - this is well worth the few moments of discomfort. Write them down immediately.

These core beliefs, implanted in us years ago, are the power behind the engine that drives that seemingly automatic stream of negative thoughts.

But, if ordinary people like you and me can learn to walk over a bed of hot coals in just 4 days, think of what the process of becoming aware of your limiting thoughts and changing them can do over a period of months and years.

You CAN change them, but that is a topic for the next article so stay tuned!

Asthma is a Silent Killer that is Caused by Odors

Many of us don't know odor can cause respiratory disease like asthma and allergy. I myself didn't know that until I stumbled on an article from EPA ( Environmental protection agency). They did a study showing odors can cause respiratory disease and allergy. This is shocking news to me!!!!

I've found out more about this information about odor cause respiratory disease is true. Things like detergent, chemical agent, furnance, gas oven, furnitures, carpet, vinyl floors, paint, cabinetry stain, new car smell, tobacco, ammonia, carbon monoxide, benzene, toluene and much more are surrounded us. We are exposed to air toxin everyday here is how you can protect yourself and love one from developing allergy and asthma.

There is a new technology based on Nano technology and it is known as Photocatalyst or tio2. This is interesting. It uses light to breakdown air toxin such as: E.Coli, MRSA, Staphs,mold, mildew, bacteria, viruses,SARS, Influenza, tobacco smell, food smell, ammonia, carbon monoxide, Nox, Soxand other smell such as glue, new car scent and others. This is a great news to us all!! You can apply this product directly in your cars, homes, office building with light such as sun light and indoor light to create 3 dimensional air purifier to keep your air clean.

My understanding is that it will never stop working and there is no parts to replace like your typical mechanical air filters that have many filters need it to change and hassle of changing them and purchasing expensive filters every couple of months.

A friend of my used it, he likes a lot and recommending everyone to try it. He had his car treated and rooms treated. You feels a big difference in his home and cars. His friends also notice the difference in it as well. Photocatalyst is also known as Tio2. This is safe and approved by FDA as it is used in food pigment, sun block, teeth whitening, chewing gum, tooth paste and more.

You can find out more about it by visiting www.photocoat.com. If you would like to know where you can purchase this product, go to www.photocoat.com and email them. They will direct you to the right places. This is a great technology. I tried it and it works. This is better than mechanical air filter and air freshener.

What Is A Split Annuity

The Split Annuity is a combination of an immediate annuity and a deferred annuity, structured to provide immediate income, much of which is after tax dollars (return of premium), while returning the original premium (before taxes).

The income is guaranteed for the length of the contract, while the deferred dollars grow at current, tax-deferred interest rates.

A single premium is used to fund the Split Annuity. Annuity Companies issue two contracts, one for the guaranteed income and one for tax deferred growth.

The Split Annuity offers a guaranteed monthly income.

The Split Annuity features competitive interest rates, tax-deferred growth and partial withdrawal options.

The Split Annuity is flexible. A new income stream may be developed from the deferred annuity proceeds at a later date. The deferred annuity also allows for additional partial withdrawals, plus the continued tax-deferred growth eventually “replaces” the immediate annuity premium.

What is a Tax-Deferred Annuity? A tax-deferred annuity is a contract between you and the insurance company with guaranteed interest and guaranteed annuity income options. There are no upfront sales charges or administrative fees during the life of your contract.

Advantages of Tax-Deferred Annuities include tax deferral, stability, may avoid probate, liquidity features, and guaranteed income.

One of the primary advantages of deferred annuities is the opportunity to accumulate a substantial sum of money by allowing your premium and interest to grow tax-deferred. Unlike taxable investments, you pay no taxes on your annuity interest until you begin to take withdrawals or receive income. This allows your money to grow faster than in a taxable account, because you earn interest on the money that would have otherwise been paid in taxes.

Lawyer Marketing – How You Create Breakthrough Success

Lawyer marketing and the “manager’s mantra” go together. Never heard the manager’s mantra? The “manager’s mantra” is an important variable in successful legal marketing. The manager’s mantra is “If you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it.” Well, that is nice Henry and how will that help me?

Most attorneys have some sort of referral network (if only a small one) however; attorneys really don’t know how to manage their lawyer marketing so that their referral network expands. The first step in this expansion is to know where you are and then you can figure out how to get to where you want to go. Yes, it is important to understand the geographics, demographics and psycho-graphics of your referral sources/clients for sure and you need a lawyer marketing management system. By understanding more about how to manage your legal marketing referral sources, you can grow this referral network and boost your attorney marketing efforts with less work on your part.

What Your Expanded Lawyer Marketing Referral Base Delivers To You

What does having this lawyer marketing management system in place mean for you? If you are working your legal marketing referral sources well, you are building a base that will make a significant impact on your bottom line, as I am sure you know. You will be sent more business and be able to retain more quality business that will in turn send you more quality business. You will have an easier time saying no to mediocre or poor cases and holding out for top dollar cases. You can even pass on work that simply does not appeal to you personally if you know that your lawyer marketing referral base will consistently deliver.

Professional marketers know the process of wooing a referral base involves creating “know, like, trust, relationship, credibility, and top of mind awareness (TOMA)” with your legal marketing referral sources. I think you see the benefits clearly so lets move on to giving you the management tool to make it a reality.

Measuring a Lawyer Marketing Referral Base

Lawyer marketing is not always and exact science and that does not keep us from keeping statistics. The “game” of legal marketing will be improved just like keeping statistics in baseball, football or hockey improves performance. The tool we will use consists of four basic lists to measure your legal marketing referral base as it exists currently and see where your attorney marketing time needs to be focused thus putting your resources into those referral sources with the potential for the most return.

The first list is called the “Top 20” List. If you only have a few lawyer marketing referral sources, obviously, it may only be the Top 10 or even the Top 2 List. But the first objective after listing your top lawyer marketing referral sources is to increase the list to 20 if it is not there already so that is why we call it the Top 20 list. In order to qualify for the Top 20 List, a referral source must have sent you X amount of business in the past year and has hit that level consistently over the last three years. Depending on your practice area, X may be one, two, or three very profitable cases. For example, if you are a PI lawyer you might consider X to equal the referral of at least one case that netted the practice over $25,000 in contingency fees (or set the benchmark higher or lower as you see fit). If you practice residential real estate then X might equal someone who sent you a minimum of 3 closings per month (again you can set this benchmark higher or lower depending on your current situation). Bottom line here is whether for PI, estate planning, family law, or real estate legal marketing, you will know what level is appropriate for your Top 20 level of lawyer marketing attention.

The second list is the “Farm Team” List. Here we are using a baseball metaphor of your Top 20 being the “major leagues” and this second list being the farm team in training for moving up to the big leagues of the Top 20. Your Farm Team List consists of those legal marketing referral sources who are between having at least tried to send you someone up to whatever you have set the threshold of being a Top 20 list member. This trying to send you someone can be as casual as a friend asking if his or her neighbour called you after being given your card by your friend. We all know that lawyer marketing is sometimes this accidental.

The third list is the “Who You Know” List and is similar to any standard networking list. It includes everyone you know, even everyone your spouse knows, as well as those people known by your family and your staff. Take this one out as far as you like. The bigger it gets the better for lawyer marketing.

Finally, there is the lawyer marketing “Categories List”. This is a list of professions and occupations in general that would have the capacity to refer business to you. There are no names on this list, only general occupations/professions. For example, a PI lawyer might list nurses, physical therapists, medical technicians, chiropractors, neurologist, plastic surgeons, orthopaedists etc. while a family lawyer might list psychologists, social workers, marriage counselors, CPAs, hairdressers, real estate lawyers, etc.

Working a Lawyer Marketing Referral Base

Now you have measured your lawyer marketing referral network what do you do with that list? Just to be sure I need to say every lawyer has as their best referral source category other lawyers so be sure to list all other practice areas that would have a particular ability to refer to your practice area on your categories list. Also every lawyer marketing system needs to list “current clients” as a category and put those clients on the Top 20 and Farm Team list as they move out of the Who You Know List since clients should be on the Who You Know List. Also some of your clients are in the categories you have listed and they need particular attention first in legal marketing.

The way you use the list in lawyer marketing is to pay particular attention first to building and maintaining relationships with your Top 20 and Farm Team List members. As you deepen and develop those relationships they will send you more clients than ever before since you are building “know, like, trust, relationship, credibility, and top of mind awareness (TOMA)” with these people. Ask the Top 20 and Farm Team members to introduce you to other people they know in the categories that have the ability to refer to you and they will. See if any of the Who You Know List members are in the categories you are seeking and cultivate those members. See if the Who You Know List members can introduce you to people on your categories list. You get the idea here. Over time you will fill your Top 20 and Farm Team lists thus only have time to devote to maintaining and building from them I am sure. Not sure how to do this entire legal marketing building from a communications perspective? Well, that is the subject of future articles, worth a visit to my website for more information or contact me and we can work on that together. You can master lawyer marketing I am certain.

Volunteerism Boosts Resumes for Collegians & Professionals

While many collegians believe time spent volunteering could be better utilized by studying more, getting a part time job or partying, others see the benefits of volunteerism. Volunteers can receive a pat on the back or simply feel good about helping out a respectful cause. There are also long term benefits that can come from assisting others. On a resume, volunteerism suggests a strong work ethic, reliability and a commitment to something greater than oneself. It may seem trivial but anything that helps a resume stand out from the crowd is worth a little effort.

When preparing a resume, students should consider that employers may ask about anything listed and expect a well thought out response. Therefore, a volunteer tasked to serve lemonade for one day at a homeless shelter should probably omit that from the resume unless there is a long term volunteer relationship with the shelter. Volunteerism with religious, ethnic or controversial groups should be identified by task rather than by the group. This ensures that employers are not subconsciously discriminating based on the resume. On the other hand, exclusive membership groups such as Junior League or fraternal organizations should be listed as they may provide networking opportunities.

Students lacking direct work experience in a field of study can use volunteer opportunities to boost resumes by offering services or expertise the group may not have readily available. For example, a marketing student could approach small organizations that may need assistance with marketing communications or fundraising efforts. Law students can offer legal advice or research for organizations as well. Specific volunteer work relating to the field of study can be listed in the main section of the resume as a skills summary or work experience. Additional volunteer activities should be listed toward the bottom of the resume in a section titled “Volunteer Activities” or “Additional Information”. Whether gaining experience in their field of study or simply displaying a commitment to an organization, students can highlight volunteerism in an effort to move their resume to the top of the pile.

Fishing - Just the Basics

I've been fishing for over 50 years and even more frequently in the last 10 years; during this time I have learned a lot of countless things about fishing in general. The most important is that you can never know it all. Even a novice can show an old timer a trick or two.

Over the years I've seen hundreds of anglers come to the areas I fish full of enthusiasm and determination and they end up leaving frustrated and confused. With just a little advice this could have made for a better experience and more than likely created another fishing addict like myself. It may take some time to turn you into that pro, but the enjoyment of the sport would be more easily realised.

When starting out the very first thing you want is just basic information on where and when to fish. Sounds easy and generally just ask other anglers, lodge owners, bait store owners, heck just ask.

Now for the fishing equipment, the rod and reel. Sounds simple enough, but maybe not. As in most other sports, cheap or poor equipment will result in poor results. As an example I met a fellow from southern Ontario (Toronto) while fishing here at home for Northern pike and asked him how the fishing was. His remark was that he was going to rent a boat and give it a try. So I asked him if he would like to go out with me that evening and he accepted. I met him at the dock and told him to load his gear in the boat and offered him a life jacket and away we went. I did not notice what he had loaded at first except he had a nice big new tackle box, as we moved away I asked where is your rod and reel. He went on to open his new tackle box and proceeded to pull out one of those pocket fisherman rigs. Of course I had a hard time from not laughing out loud, but went on to offer him one of my other rigs already in the boat.

Once we hit the area I intended to troll he went on to politely say he wanted to use his own rod but asked what one of his lures he should use for northern pike. He had one large red and white spoon and I told him to use that and made sure he let out enough line for what we were doing. I believe I was praying for him to get the first strike and sure enough he did after about 15 minutes or so and the fun began.

Now this pike he had on was I guessed about 15 pounds, not that big but the struggle with that little, short toy he had was hilarious to watch. I did not believe he would get the fish to the boat but he did although to fast, I had the net and told him to slow down, he did not hear me as I leaned over to net the fish he had it reeled up to about 2 feet from the tip of that little rod, all that pike did was lean on the line and he was gone.

I must add here that he also had no leader on that rig. After that he was so excited and of course wanted to keep fishing, but asked if he could use one of my other rods which was fine because I wanted to see him really hook and land a nice fish. To shorten this story he did land 2 more northerns and a small walleye. Oh yes I did catch a fish, one walleye and one pike, but we had a new fishing addict here. The next day he went into town to the Canadian Tire store and got properly equipped.

I imagine that young man from southern Ontario had some great tall tales to tell when he got home. I wonder how big that one that got away is Now!

A light action graphite spinning rod and reel will handle most fish you will want to catch, plus it is light enough for the beginner to feel even the light hit of those walleye.

So just get out there relax, take your time. Bring some coffee or lunch or even better catch your lunch and cook on one of the many small islands all over these northern lakes. Mostly just enjoy it all the fresh air, wildlife and scenery. Enjoy it all while your watching that loon, deer or even a moose feeding, a big walleye might just swim up and inhale your bait sending that twitch up your line through your rod to your fingers. Set the hook and there's lunch!

All Things a Poison - Sometimes a Little Poison is Just What the Doctor Should Order!

If you are recommending trace minerals to your patients, chances are you are recommending toxic substances. The strange paradox is, many of these toxic minerals are also essential for life! With the recent popularity of coral calcium, colloidal mineral cocktails, and other supplements containing 70 or more trace minerals, the question of how toxic elements such as arsenic, cadmium, antimony, and vanadium can be safe needs to be addressed. Truth is, each of these minerals is deemed an “essential mineral” by the National Research Council – that is, essential for human or animal life and only available to the body by ingestion of foods.

Take arsenic for example. This well known deadly poison is also required for life (NRC 1989). The average human being has 20 mg of arsenic distributed throughout the body1. Studies on rats have shown a deficiency of arsenic is associated with retarded growth1. Similar information is available on all 25 essential minerals – each is necessary, yet they will all have severe adverse effects in large quantities. The famous Swiss Physician, Paracelcus summarized this phenomenon in the 1400’s when he said “All substances are poisons; there is none which is not a poison. The right dose differentiates a poison and a remedy”. Even oxygen and water taken in extreme amounts can prove toxic.

But which minerals are considered essential? 100 years ago, only 14 elements were thought to be essential. In 1950, copper, manganese, zinc and cobalt were added. Late in the 1950’s selenium was included. 1975 saw the inclusion of fluorine and silicon. A few years later boron was added. Today, 25 are classified as essential! The rest are not considered essential or ruled as non-essential. It should be noted that 60 trace minerals are found in human milk including aluminum, bromine, vanadium and nickel, which were previously considered unimportant, so we may eventually learn that up to 60 are essential or important minerals.

It is interesting that we know of at least 25 essential minerals and yet our soil is only replenished with the big three: Nitrogen, Phosphorous and Potassium (NPK). Many trace minerals have become entirely absent in the land growing feed for their cattle so farmers have begun supplementing their beef and dairy herds because it makes economic sense – it is more profitable to buy trace mineral supplements and feed it to their cows than to suffer losses from trace mineral deficiency diseases. Heifers on trace mineral programs produced 3.7 pounds per day more milk compared to non-supplemented groups, conception rates improved significantly, weaning weights in calves were higher and overall herd health improved2.

Not only cattle benefit from adding trace minerals to their diets. A two year study raising meat chickens using Brazilian Coral Minerals compared to birds on growth hormone was conducted at University of Vila Velha, Brazil. The result showed similar growth rates, but the chickens on coral were more energetic and hence produced a leaner, higher protein, lower fat bird3.

Think about that. Farmers find it cost effective to buy trace minerals and add it to animals’ foods because the animals are not getting these elements from the produce of the fields. Humans eat from those same depleted fields and yet many of us do not think about supplementing ourselves. Perhaps it is time to reassess our fears of “toxic” trace minerals. Trace minerals can be toxic in large quantities, but equally damaging to health, and more prevalent, is their absence.

Get More Out of Your Graphic Designer and Still Pay Less - Secrets Designers Don't Disclose

I was recently told by a prospect that, “Hiring the right designer was a lot like a looking for a marriage partner than just picking someone out of a crowd at a baseball game.” Okay marriage I thought was a bit much, but clients for the most part invest a fair amount of time picking out the right designer. Have you ever wondered though, are designers doing the same thing in trying to pick out the right client?

In this very same meeting mentioned above, one of the prospects asked, “In addition to us interviewing you, I’ll bet you’re interviewing us, aren’t you?” A smile flashes across my face, and I nod. Designers might not tell you, but they are interviewing you as well, and hoping you’ll be a good client to work with. I’ve talked with designers in “closed door” meetings that clients are never told about, discussing what artists think makes for a good client, here’s what I came up with:

1. Respect for each other’s time
2. Remember it’s a relationship, and that each party needs to coordinate and cooperate
3. Respect for each other’s talents
4. Focused, regular and responsive communication. This keeps the project on task and moving forward.
5. You should expect your designer to bill you fairly and accurately. She/he should provide you sufficient records of their time spent. In turn, clients should pay designers fairly for their time. Keep in mind that a designer’s inventory is her/his time, by devoting time to your project; the designer isn’t able to work on other projects. Getting paid for investing time in a project isn’t a bonus for a designer, it’s a necessity.
6. Paying bills on time. Remember that many younger, more inexperienced artists live job to job. It can be devastating to hear that a client is not able to pay on time for any reason.
7. Enthusiasm is always a bonus. Working with clients that are pleasant and enthusiastic are gold mines. If you’re easy and fun to work with you might not be able to expect freebies and service WELL beyond what you’ve anticipated, but don’t be surprised if you get it.

As a Business Owner, Why Should You Care What a Designer Is Looking for?

I know what you’re thinking, if I am the client/customer, why should I care about what the designer wants? Most designers won’t tell you, but the inside scoop is that designers have been known to give price breaks to ideal clients and easy to work with clients often get designers to go that extra 2, 3 and 4 miles for them. Better prices, faster service, and sometimes service freebies – I kid you not. Ideal clients always seem to get more value out of their investment. Is there something more to this? Is it random chance or is there some underlying reason why some clients seem to get more out of their designer? It’s my theory that it’s not chance.

Case Study: Victorious Creations

Let me introduce you to Bryson and Victoria of Victorious Creations, this couple wanted an exceptional web site for their unique and inspired business. This husband and wife dynamic duo were extremely easy to work with, heck, they were down right fun and enjoyable to be around. Initially we contracted for: 1 face-to-face meeting, 1 limited time and output photo shoot, limited web site multimedia, and marketing consultations, collateral material as well as site promotion were outside the scope of the project.

Designing victoriouscreations.com was a pleasure, and any designer would be happy to work with Bryson and Victoria. They were considerate, enthusiastic, and positive about the entire process. What did that get them? Compare this list of what the clients actually received with the list above: 5 face-to-face meetings, 3 photo shoots totally over 4 hours, an extensive multimedia web site, several hours of marketing consultations and free insight, free full color business cards printed and designed, and yes – a write up in this article. Does it pay to be an ideal client? Victorious Creations would probably say, “Yes, it does!”

Bottom Line for Sharp Business Owners:

If you’re an ideal client can you expect to receive the same perks as the Victorious Creations case study? I don’t know. What I can tell you is that from the designers I’ve known and talked to over the years, there are clear benefits to being an enjoyable, ideal client. You might not be able to expect extras and special perks if you’re an ideal client, but don’t be surprised when you receive them consistently.

A business savvy graphic designer is often a contradiction in terms; however, Jeremy is a unique combination of sharp business marketer and creative designer. This one-two punch provides clients with targeted marketing, advertising and design projects that yield outstanding results and a terrific return on their investment; they actually work. Companies looking to feel more confident and credible with their business brand, tired of getting lost in a crowd of competitors and always feeling like they have to compete on price, need to call Jeremy at 480.391.0704.

Tips for a Rapid Weight Loss

There are many ways on how you can lose weight quickly. Rapid weight loss is achieved through sheer dedication and proper motivation. The way you change your lifestyle is also important to sustain a physically fit body.

Nowadays, there are a variety of trends like work out videos which are also seen on televisions, low carbohydrate cook books, rapid weight loss programs, diet pills, workout equipments and natural weight loss methods that can help you get rid off that excess weight.

The South Beach Diet is one method for achieving a rapid weight loss. A south beach diet teaches you on how to develop healthy eating habits that will subsequently help you to lose weight. But the most important thing that you will realize on a South Beach Diet is to maintain the healthy eating habits.

In fact, there are many diet and weight loss programs that can help you on a rapid weight loss. These programs can deliver quick results that their customers expect. However, once they have achieved the results, they come back to their unhealthy habits and the unwanted weight is back.

When you engage yourself to a South Beach Diet, you will be undergoing three stages to help you create a healthy eating diet. On the first stage of your weight loss program, you will be prohibited eating carbohydrates rich food. You will be doing this for 2 weeks. After 2 weeks of not eating food that has carbohydrates, you will slowly bring back the restricted foods that are removed in your diet. In this stage you will see great results of loosing nine to fifteen pounds.

In the second stage of the South Beach Diet, there is a continual loss of weight for about 2.5 pounds per week. Take note that it is done on healthier eating habits. While the final stage of the diet is on how to sustain the weight you have achieved. You will also realize that you have learned on how you can maintain your weight by having a healthy lifestyle.

Other than the South Beach Diet there are also other ways for a rapid weight loss. There are also convincing results that are proofs for their efficiency. Here are some other diets and weight loss programs that can help you remove that unwanted weight.

1. Try to make moderate and proper exercise is an effective way to lose that unwanted weight. Do this fro three to four weeks consistently everyday.

2. Drink plenty of water. It is advisable that you drink at least eight glasses of water daily. You should also avoid drinking soft drinks and alcohol.

3. You should have a good nutritional diet. Eat fresh fruits and vegetables. Avoid eating high carbohydrates foods and foods that have high sugar content.

4. Good sleep is important for you to have a healthy way of life. Having a good sleep allows your body to rejuvenate and be active. In this way you can perform your daily exercise properly.

The best way to lose weight is to have a healthy lifestyle. You should consciously set your goals so that you can motivate yourself in losing that unwanted weight. There are many ways on how you can lose weight and the most important thing to remember is to maintain a healthy quality way of life.

Find People Online, Make A Background Check & Gain Peace Of Mind

How many times have you wondered if that young man dating your daughter has good intentions and what background he may have. Many times we have bad feelings or are suspicious of people that suddenly appears close to us or to a loved one and we don’t know if those feelings can be a secure indication of something wrong with that person or if that’s only our imagination or prejudices.

Now in the Information Era we are fortunate enough to be able to cope with the uncertainty of being just prejudiced against someone new in our social circle and become certain of who that person really is by having the means of performing a background check as complete as those the Police Department can do.

This great advantage of the internet era is equally good in other circumstances, for example when buying property that you need to know if it’s “clean” and the past owners have nothing to hide from you, for example when buying real estate or a used car.

Also there are cases you need to find someone you once met and now has lost contact with you. For example a former girl or boyfriend that you want to see again, or a relative living abroad that you don’t know the precise address where he lives.

There may be a bunch of important reasons for finding people online, some of them are:

- Business Search
- Criminal Search
- Unclaimed Money
- Property Search
- Bankruptcies & Liens
- Marriage & Divorce
- Death Search

In fact using the same database used by the government and law enforcement agencies you can find anything you want to know about a person from the comfort of your own home, and at a fraction of the cost of hiring a private investigator.

Choosing A Mobile Phone To Fit Your Needs

Getting ready to start new cell phone service? Need to buy a new cell phone? Before you do, you should consider what features you need on your cell phone.

Service strength

Cell phones vary as to how weak of a signal they can function on. Many people report that Nokia and Motorola phones dependably work for them, whereas Audiovox phones tend to be more likely to go out of range in borderline areas.

Media capabilities

Do you need or want camera and / or video camera capabilities on your phone? If so, what quality do you need. Keep the video file format in mind as well – many phones use a Quicktime format, which is harder to edit that other formats.

Games

What games do you want on your phone? Most Nokia phones come with a few very basic games. Some phones come with more advanced games, or you can add them later.

Messaging capabilities

Nearly all cell phones come with basic text messaging capabilities, but if you want advanced features, such as multimedia messaging capabilities, you should check that the phone has the features you need.

Phone design

Cell phones now come in many designs – flip phone, standard, slim line, etc. You can also often choose a phone with an internal antenna, which can be a very useful convenience. You can also choose from many different button styles and arrangements. Most design options are simple a choice of personal preference.

Other helpful features

Cell phones can come with a variety of helpful features, such as: an alarm clock, a calculator, a sound recorder, AM / FM radio capabilities, a digital calendar / planner, a notes program, a to-do list program, a timer, a stopwatch, translation features, a world clock, and others. If you need any extras like these, keep them in mind when choosing your phone.

Atlanta Singles Dating Traps - Dating Trap #4 - The Rescue Trap

Have you ever thought that if you just met the right person, all your problems would be solved. It's a trap, and here is how to avoid getting caught in it, and what to do instead.

So may singles get caught in this one

They believe that if they can just meet the right person, then all of their emotional, financial, and other problems with living will be solved right away. It's a trap, for one reason, because that is way too much pressure to put on anyone.

In addition, this convinces you that you have very little power to effect your own life. This one leaves you feeling desperate and needy.

When problems multiply instead of disappear, the relationship is likely to fail.

Solution: First of all, there is a proverb that says

"Without a vision, the people perish."

I believe this is true for relationships as well.

What is your vision for your relationship? One way to get started on your vision is to ask the question:

"If I could write the screenplay, what would it look like?"

Know that your relationship will not exactly match the screen play. Too may times we look for a custom tailored perfect fit in an off-the-rack world. This is just a question to get you started on creating your relationship vision.

The second thing you need to do is resolve your personal, emotional, financial and other life problems before you commit to a long term relationship.

Atlanta Singles Dating Traps - Dating Trap #5 - The Date-to-Mate Trap

Ever try to put a round peg in a square hole?

This is one of the dangers of the date-to-mate trap. If you go out into the dating world with the goal that you must find a long term relationship or even marriage, you set yourself up for trying to make something fit that does not, cannot, and will not fit.

I had a coaching client once that entered into a marriage relationship knowing he wanted children and knowing that she was ambivalent at best about having children.

The outcome is predictable, is it not? The couple eventually divorced over this issue.

Requirements are must haves

Having children was a requirement for this person. A requirement is something you must have, and is non-negotiable. In this example, you cannot have half a child.

Solution: Be very careful of becoming an instant couple, especially just to be with someone. Know what your requirements are in a long term relationship, and settle for nothing less. Taking this position scares many of the singles I coach because they believe it greatly reduces the number of available partners.

While this is true, remember, it only takes one.

Date a bunch of different people without the pressure of the date-to-mate trap. This solution greatly increases your chances of finding the one.

Why Men Cheat

Why do men cheat is a question that is not so easy to answer and before we even start we have to clarify what we really mean by cheating. Cheating to some people is just glancing at a good looking woman as she walks down the street or thinking about that sexy looking number that’s displayed on the calendar or thinking ‘if only I was single ….’.

At what point a women believes her partner is cheating on her is largely dependant on her level of insecurity. A woman who lacks confidence, doesn’t feel good about herself and is full of insecurities might become paranoid at the mere mention of another woman while someone who is full of self-confidence and is comfortable in herself and with her relationship is far less likely to get concerned with straying eyes and a meaningless comment.

Before answering the question ‘why do men cheat’ we need to confirm our understanding as to what is normal behavior for a man. Can we get upset when a man enjoys a little flirtatious behavior or remarks on the good looks of super model if the act or comment bears no substance? An innocent action that in no way impacts the way a man feels about his partner is harmless, it’s how much he is and can be trusted to draw the line that matters.

Cheating has been made easier over the years with couples often leading relatively separate lives with the lone trips to the gym, the night out with the lads / girls and the common reluctance to find activities that can be enjoyed together. Then there’s the children to consider so couples often take separate holidays and work different hours which all add up to lots of time when you can meet someone else. It’s not even intentional but the likelihood that a friendship will start and progress is far greater than if you were in the company of your partner.

Often men see sex as just fulfilling a need, a way to satisfy themselves certain in the belief that if they have no real feelings for the person they are sleeping with then it’s not really cheating. They fail to see the wider implication of what impact it will have on their partner.

One of the main reasons why men cheat is when the intimacy has been lost from their relationship, when they have had enough of ‘not tonight I have a headache’, or ‘I’m too tired’ or ‘no the children might hear’. Men have sexual desires and sexual needs that need to be fulfilled so if the love, romance and intimacy has been lost in your relationship your man will be far more inclined to seek fulfillment elsewhere.

Some men just seem born to cheat and it’s in their very nature to sample what’s on offer. Such men are hard to form a relationship with but it is often apparent from the outset as too what type of relationship a woman is letting herself in for. An old friend of mine just couldn’t resist the handsome hunks on the beach, the ones that really loved themselves and thought they were god’s gift. She knew that they would soon move on and that she was just a passing phase but she just couldn’t help herself, got caught time and time again and every relationship ended in tears because she just wasn’t strong enough to cope.

It is thought that cheating men fail to have any feelings of guilt until after the event and, it has to be said, the longer man get away with it the more likely they are to continue with men having a greater tolerance and liking for risk.

For some men cheating is a way to boost their ego with each additional conquest enhancing their ego and being seen, in certain circles as a real status symbol. The ultimate impact on their relationship is something that never occurs to them at the time, when they are being outwardly encouraged to continue with their infidelities, and by the time they see the error of their ways it is generally too late.

It can never be said that men don’t know that cheating is wrong it’s at what point they consider the wider implications and what emphasis they place on perceived need which is perhaps different.