Global Warming - How are Animals Affected by Global Warming

By Kelvin Ho Wee Min

It is not a secret that we humans have been destroying the environment for years. It is now that some of us are trying to make all people aware of the affects that our lack of care has had on the environment and what will happen if we do not make changes now and try to stop the progress of global warming.

Our focus, or drive, is the thought of what type of world are we leaving our children. We also need to be looking at how global warming is affecting our animals now and in the future if we do not stop and make the needed environmentally safe changes.

There are numerous studies that are being conducted and have been conducted where watching animal behavior and traits to measure the status of the environment. These studies are showing that our Earth is changing in unnatural ways and it is disturbing. Think about the fact that right now as things stand, reindeer will no longer wander the places they currently do, they will disappear.

Marmots no longer hibernate the same amount of time that they used to. Actually compared to thirty years ago, they are ending hibernation three weeks earlier. The Canadian red squirrel is breeding 18 days earlier. Studies are showing that the red fox is moving north and invading the territory of its Arctic cousin. Polar bears are not as healthy as they were 20 years ago and they are thinner.

If we look at the sea and our creatures there we also see changes that should cause alarm. Coral reefs are expected to increase by up to a third in size. Elephant seal pups are thinner because their prey is migrating to cooler waters. Our turtles are changing behavior as well, the loggerhead is laying eggs 10 days earlier and the Hawkbill turtle hatchlings are having more females then males due to temperature changes.

Birds are changing their diets to insects that do not consume leaves that have been treated with high amounts of pesticides. What does all of this mean? It means that global warming is going to cause many of our animal species to become endangered if not extinct.

The melting ice, the warm seas, the spreading dessert are all threats to our animals. These changes, no matter how subtle have a dramatic influence on the lives of our wildlife. In the sea the disappearance of the tiny organisms that the larger creatures feed off of is causing the sea life to migrate northward.

Keeping in mind that global warming plays a huge part in our weather and climate, the increased storminess destroys the breeding colonies of the albatross that already battle the possibility of being captured and killed by fishing boats. The rise in sea levels wipe out the nesting sites of the sea turtles, seals and wading birds are also on the list of species to be affected by their habitats being destroyed.

Thought the very source of nature is change, and adaptation, the changes that are taking place in our environment due to global warming are just happening to fast. The speed is what makes it difficult for the animals to adapt effectively and this will cause us to loose a lot of our wildlife. Can you imagine a world with no reindeer? What about the day that the Sahara dessert covers all of Africa and makes migration impossible for birds?

These are changes that we can see everyday and we need to start paying attention to them. The predicted elevation of sea level by an amazing three feet coupled with the disruptions to the Earth life support systems should be our wake up call.

While you can look out your back window and see these changes taking place, the full effect will be seen by the year 2100 if the predictions of scientist come through and we do not change our ways. Think about is, 2100 is less then one hundred years away. You and I would probably not be here, but our grandchildren will and what will we have left for them? Help stop global warming, do your part to save the Earth, our children and our wildlife. They need us.

Are you ready to learn how we can stop global warming? Learn how you can do so by checking out our free report at http://www.factsaboutglobalwarming.info Find out more about our impact on the environment at http://www.factsaboutglobalwarming.info/videos

Website Content for Artisans and Craftsmen

By Louise Coulson

It is almost a cliché to say that "content is king" when it comes to presenting your website to the public, but it rings true time after time. Even the powers-that-be at the search engines say they are most interested in content. Its time to take them seriously.

Artisans and craftsmen have both advantages and disadvantages when it comes to providing content to site visitors. Your work is fascinating, unique and frequently based in historical tradition. Articles and information about a specific craft, trends, techniques, design, and materials can provide great content for the artisan website, but the articles on your should target your buyer rather than others in your field. We have seen craftsmen and artisans who set up links, articles, tips, and white papers and even tutorials to appeal to others in their field.
Obviously, this doesn't make any sense if you are trying to provide content that attracts buyers for your pieces.

SEO (Search Engine Optimization) and linking campaigns are necessary and fairly simple but time consuming, but it is not all that a site needs to get better positions in the search engines.
Your content needs to be well written, current, relevant to your product, unique and accurate. Your unique content can include some of the following:

• Trends in your field
• How to care for the work
• History of your particular type of work
• How to use your pieces with their own wardrobe (if it is wearable art) or in their own homes (if it is a decor or furniture item)
• Legends about historical pieces similar to your work
• Information about materials you use
• Myths about the raw materials
• Historical information about the origins of your techniques
• Do's and Don'ts associated with your pieces (this can about care, use or storage of your pieces)
• Plans for future pieces
• A journal showing what is currently on your workbench
• An article describing your design process from idea to completion.
• Quizzes about some phase of your work from technique to tools or materials.
• Games such as crossword puzzles or word searches that feature the vocabulary of your type of work
• A planner or worksheet so your customer can plan how the piece will fit into his or her wardrobe or home
• Calendar of your show schedule
• Screen savers featuring your pieces

The style of writing used on a Web site is different from that used in print media. People seem to scan pages rather than reading them. Reading from the monitor is tiring for the eyes and is about 25% slower than reading printed material. The Internet is so full of information that the reader will may move on to another site quickly, so information needs to be easily accessible. These basic techniques will help make your content readable and accessible to your visitors.

1. Use short sentences and paragraphs.
2. Use headlines and sub heads so your reader can scan the page.
3. Check your grammar and spelling.
4. Use lists and bullets for easy accessibility.
5. The font used in your web page needs to be large enough to read - 12. pt. is standard.

Once your site is online, the time spent on the site is either spent on marketing or keeping your content current. Attention to current and relevant content will pay you back in site visitors.

Kingfisher Designs
Louise Coulson creates hand woven knotted jewelry from sterling silver and gold filled wire. Louise has a fiber arts background and her work reflects the best of creativity, craftsmanship and materials. She is webmaster for Kingfisher Designs at http://www.wireweavers.com and Jewelry Spectrum at http://www.jewelryspectrum.com. Website ShowCase: Artisan's Guide to Website Development and Marketing is her new eBook, which is available at http://www.jewelryspectrum.com/showcase.htm

Why the Law of Attraction Doesn't Work for Me

By Jim Somchai

There may be some points in time that you feel you have done everything. Yet you do not have the results you want. Although you have good goals, you have action plans, you make regular visualization, but you still failed. Why the law of attraction doesn't work for you while you have done all the things theoretically. What are the ingredients that you lack here? This article will talk about if the law of attraction works to everybody. And what make the law of attraction fail.

The first thing to understand is that the law of attraction is a law. The definition of law is that it must work. But the law has some specific condition. For example, the law of gravity, does it work for everybody? Of course it does. But if you are in the moving object, the law of gravity will work differently according to the shape of the object and the position you are in the object. In addition, if you suck the air out of that object and you stay inside. The law of gravity will not work because you have changed the condition. This is how some companies provide an astronautic environment and earn money by letting their customers enjoy the no-gravity feeling. This may sound somewhat scientific. But it gives a good idea that the law must work if it is a law. Unless the condition is changed, it must be as the law said.

Then, what are the conditions that will make the results of the law of attraction deviate from what it should be? Here are some conditions that you need to watch over to make sure that the law will work.

1. Your belief in your capability to achieve your goals
Most people either set too-easy goals or impossible goals. As for the latter, they have to put aside the goals because they do not believe that they can get what they want. Then, the goals are not meaningful at all. Your subconscious mind will follow what the conscious mind has perceived. The conscious mind sees the goals and thinks that there is no way you can achieve them. Your subconscious then will not work as mentioned in the law of attraction.

To test whether you truly believe that you will achieve your goals, do you dare to commit to it? For example, do you dare to tell others about your goals and that you are confident that you will get what you aim for? A lot of people may be afraid of doing that since they are not sure on the result. But if you are totally sure, you will not mind speaking it out. If you see that there is no need to announce that to the people who do not have goals and will not understand, how about making other ways of commitment to? Here is a good example:

Tom Hopkins said in his book that he used to teach a young man on goals and commitment on goals. The man said that he set goal to buy a sport car within the next twelve months. Tom asked him if he was sure and the man positively confirmed. Then he took hand of the young man and they went to a car dealer. Tom asked him to put the deposit of a sport car the young man like. This is a type of commitment that you will want.

2. Your action toward your goals
You need to take a lot of actions. No result will come out without action. You have to do it a lot and you have to do it right. You must discipline yourself and resist the temptation to be distracted.

3. Your visualization method

You must correctly visualize. When you visualize, you have a clear picture of achieving your goals. You close your eyes and do not think of anything else but what you are visualizing. This is rather difficult if you have not done this before. But once you master it, you can benefit from the law of attraction tremendously. You can add background audio to accelerate the attraction power. The Attraction Accelerator can be one of your choices.

The law of attraction may not work according to your experience. This article talks about how it works and what inhibit them to help you achieve your goals.

Jim Somchai Managing Director of JimSomchai Company. He devotes his time in studying success and has been interested in the works of many personal development leaders.
www.visualizationmeditation.com/rights

Is Your Child Ready For Contact Lenses?

By Karen Bianchi

If your pre-teen or teen wears glasses, chances are, you've been discussing the option of contact lenses. As a parent, you may be wondering if your child is old enough to wear contacts.Dr. Thomas Soviar, O.D., of Sears Optical says the most common age for kids to start wearing contacts is 11 or 12. "I do have some patients who are as young as 8. Their parents wanted them to have the contacts and they're working out just fine for them."

There are benefits and potential consequences to wearing contacts. Knowing the facts can help you make the right decision for your child.

Better Vision.
Contact lenses sit directly on the eye, so they offer a clearer view with less distortion. Spectacle wearers do not enjoy the same peripheral vision as their contact lens wearing counterparts.
Frames on eyeglasses block the outer vision, forcing the wearer to turn their head more. Some studies even suggest wearing rigid contact lenses may slow the progression of nearsightedness.

Sports Advantage.
"Contact lenses are much more conducive to playing sports than glasses," says Dr. William Goldstein, MD, an ophthalmologist in Shelby Township, MI. " Contacts offer better peripheral vision and they stay in place." Perspiration on the face can cause eyeglass lenses to fog up and the frames to slide down the nose. Sharper vision and comfort can increase athletic performance. Wearing contacts also enables your child to wear protective eye wear while participating in his or her favorite activity.

Self-esteem Boost.
It's no secret that appearance is very important at this age. Most kids feel they look better without their glasses. Increased confidence and better vision can improve grades and the desire to become more active in school activities.

Maturity Level.
If you have problems getting your child to willingly perform such tasks as washing his hands or brushing his teeth, you may want to consider if now is a good time to start wearing contacts. Dr. Goldstein notes, "When a young patient asks about contacts, the first thing I do is turn to the parent and say 'this cannot be another thing for you to remember at the end of the day. If it is, it's a bad decision.' Kids need to be able to take care of their own lenses."

Health Risks.

According to Dr. Goldstein, the two biggest risks behind kids wearing contacts are improper cleaning, which can cause infections, and over-wearing the lenses, maximizing risk of potentially blinding corneal ulcers.

If you wish to explore the option of contact lenses, your child will need to have an eye exam to make sure he or she is a candidate. Conditions such as allergies and dry eyes may call for special measures to make wearing contacts possible. For a child with healthy eyes, however, wearing contacts can make life more pleasant and in some cases, safer.

Karen Bianchi is a freelance writer and the editor/owner of http://www.AwesomeMomsNetwork.com To receive the free monthly Awesome Moms Network newsletter, send a blank email to subscribe@AwesomeMomsNetwork.com

Autistic Clients and the Value of Touch Therapy

By Nicole Cutler

Diagnoses of developmental disorders such as autism are increasing at an astounding rate, prompting many to wonder what progress is being made towards finding a cure. Since the cause of the disorder is still a bit of a mystery, this has proven to be quite a challenge for the medical community. Characteristics and symptoms of autism can vary from person to person, and may even change over time. Affecting millions of people throughout the United States, autism impairs communication skills and behavior associated with social interaction. Since symptoms typically first appear in young children, massage therapists can take this opportunity to help yet another segment of the community in need of a therapeutic touch.

Working with autistic clients can be challenging for a therapist who is ill prepared. Since the disorder can affect each person differently, each treatment must be custom-made for each client; what works for one person may not help another. Testing different methods and techniques is the only way to determine which treatment plan will be most effective for your autistic clients. The primary goal should be to enhance relaxation in order to be able to proceed further with deeper massage strokes.

Research has shown that massage therapy is effective in reducing the severity of autism’s symptoms, however many people with autism are unresponsive to traditional methods, which means that massage therapists should be creative when developing a treatment strategy.
Regular massage therapy sessions can increase attention span, relieve anxiety associated with social situations, and can even have a positive influence on one of the most common autism symptoms – an aversion to touch.

It’s important for massage therapists to realize the impact they can have on an autistic child’s life and development. Learn more about this disorder and what you can do to help normalize the behavior of an autistic child.

This article was prepared for HomeStudyCredits.org Learn more about massage therapy and massage therapy continuing education programs

10 Healthy Weight Loss Tips

By Kristi Patrice Carter

It's wonderful to want to lose weight and be healthy. However, with the different types of diets that are popular today, our health can be compromised. The best solution for losing weight and keeping it off is to eat healthy and smart. Here are 10 tips to help you lose weight and keep it off.

1. NEVER try any kind of starvation diet. Our bodies need different types and amounts of vitamins and nutrients just to keep going. Starving yourself to lose a little weight can deprive your body of essential nutrients and vitamins. This can damage our bodies severely, including damage to the liver, kidneys, heart, and even the brain.

2. Try not to deprive yourself. While it is not healthy to eat 'junk food' all the time, it may not be healthy to deprive yourself of sweet things that comfort you. The reasoning behind this is that you will stay away from these types of foods for a while, but one slip up, and you will automatically want to have more. This can lead to over-eating these types of foods, and that will definitely not help our diets. Instead, try snacking on sweet things like raisins, dried fruits, fresh fruits, or nuts.

3. Whether we like it or not, we must have exercise. No diet will successfully help you become healthy if you don't exercise. If you truly dislike exercising, and many people do, try something fun like jumping rope. This is a great cardio exercise and burns a lot of calories. It's also a lot easier on the knees and joints than jogging or sprinting.

4. Avoid the 'bad' fats. Saturated fats and Trans fats are considered the bad fats. Fats that are actually good for us are Monounsaturated fats and Polyunsaturated fats. These are absolutely necessary to the body and health. You can tell the difference because at room temperature, the 'bad fats' are solid, like lard and animal fats. The 'good fats' are liquid, like coconut oil or peanut oil.

5. Get the right amount of insoluble fiber. We actually can't digest this type of fiber, however it provides great benefits for our bodies. It slows down the body's digestion, and the process in which our bodies turn carbohydrates into glucose. This helps us feel fuller longer, which will keep us from over-eating.

6. Keep a food journal. This may sound kind of strange, but a lot of times we just don't realize how much we eat. Writing down what you've eaten will help with this. Going back to look over your journal, you will see what you are doing that may be inhibiting your progress. You will notice 'bad habit' patterns that you need to overcome, such as eating late in the evening, or snacking while you watch TV.

7. Count your calories. An average adult needs 1500 to 2000 calories a day to maintain a healthy weight. If we're not keeping track, we can easily go over this amount, as much as two to three times over! Counting and keeping track of calories will allow us to lose weight and keep it off. Pay special attention to the calories in the things you're drinking. Usually, by the time we have had our daily drinks, we leave ourselves very little actual 'eating' calories.

8. A lot of times when we're trying to lose weight, we find that we are hungry all the time.
Veggies can help with this. The recommended serving of fruits and vegetables is 5 to 13 servings a day. 2 to 4 of those servings should be from fruit, and the veggies are free. You can eat as many as you want. This will ensure that we are full and satisfied, not to mention the amazing benefits of fruits and vegetables.

9. Try smaller meals several times a day instead of 2 or 3 large meals. This will help you lose weight by speeding up your metabolism. By eating more often, you won't be as hungry or as likely to snack before bedtime.

10. Get a support system. Especially if you are in a household where you are the only one who is dieting. It makes it easier when we can talk with people who are going through the same thing. Having support from people will help you stick with your plan easier, and motivate you to get active and healthy.

Trying to lose weight can be difficult. Following these tips is a good way to lose weight and keep the weight off. It's important to get the right foods, and to stay healthy and happy.

Fad diets are out! Learn how to lose weight and keep it off without deprivation and drugs. Visit http://www.fad-diet.net today and get rid of those unwanted pounds forever!

Little League World Series - It's Not the Real World Series - Calm Down!

By Nishan Wilde

When I was a little kid, I loved playing baseball. The smell of the freshly cut grass, sunflower seeds, and a day at the ball park were enough to excite me beyond anything else. And while the early morning hours weren’t exactly at my peak activity hours, you could count on me getting up early every Saturday morning to get ready for the weekly game. Simply put, there was something magical about little league games for me.

Nowadays, though, it seems as if some of the magic has been taken out of the game. A prime example of what I am talking about happened last night during a Little League World Series game. In the Northwest Regional Championship game, Lake Oswego, Oregon took on Kent, Washington. These two teams had met previously in a game thouroughly dominated by Kent.
The game started as most do in these tournaments - both pitchers were throwing heat and dominating the opposing hitters. Then, in the 2nd inning, the Kent pitcher gave up a solo home run. Up until that point, he had recorded somewhere in the ball park of 4-5 stikeouts. He ended the game with upwards of 10 strikeouts, giving up a meager 3 runs. Yet, despite his stellar performance, he began tearing up with every hit or run Lake Oswego produced.

Another example happened in the same game. After having had two solid at-bats, a Lake Oswego player struck out on his third attempt. He, too, began to cry, even though his team was winning. One would think that having a .667 batting average in a victory would be cause for praise. However, as evident from the aforementioned examples, that is not the case. In both cases, each player was so broken up by minimal mistakes that he began to cry. But why? Why should a player get so upset over such a little thing as making one minor mistake? The answer - Pressure. These young boys are put under a tremendous amount of pressure. Because they are gifted athletically for their age, these players simply destroy the competition during their little league careers. They begin to develop a history of winning. When that happens, anything else is unacceptable. Winning, not the game, becomes the main objective, the driving force. However, for the most part, the kids are not the ones who yearn for victory. They simply want to play ball.
The parents and the coaches, on the other hand, who seem to relive their glory days vicariously through their children, need the “W” and are wholeheartedly disappointed when they don’t get it. Believe me, I’ve been there. Overly-critical coaches are the main reason I stopped playing baseball, even though I too played on the all-star team.

We need to remember that baseball is just a game for kids. Whereas the lucky few who find their way to the professional baseball ranks should expect criticism, little leaguers should not. They don’t get paid for playing baseball. The American mentality of winning is a must and second place is the first loser has created a situation in which young boys are subjected to pressure for which they have not been prepared. The result - cry babies crop up every game, terrified of what their coaches or parents might think if they make a mistake. Seriously, baseball is just a game. We need to calm down a little bit and realize that the Little League World Series is not the real World Series. After all, Little League baseball is for kids, not parents.

Nishan Wilde is VP of Sales at RobbinsSports.com, an online resource for Gym Bags, Portable Scoreboards and Basketball Uniforms

Basement Waterproofing Solutions

Basement flooding is a major problem for many homeowners. Although waterproofing your basement may initially seem expensive and perhaps even unnecessary, keep in mind that in most cases, repairing damage caused by water will cost more than waterproofing your basement.

InsuranceStandard insurance policies do not always cover basement flooding. If you live in a high risk area, purchasing full coverage insurance against flooding should be considered. Keep a detailed inventory of the contents of your residence and take photos of the rooms as it will prove extremely valuable in the event of a flood or major water leak.

Make sure your insurance policies and related records are in a safe location and easily accessible should the worst happen. Too often, homeowners will keep their valuables in a safety box that they store in the basement, which is usually the first part of a house to be flooded.

Basement waterproofing 101Surprisingly enough, many home foundations are not
waterproofed. Because concrete absorbs water, moist earth around an unprotected foundation will cause dampness in a basement. Basement waterproofing will not only prevent humidity, but will also protect your home's foundation, a critical step in maintaining your home's value, as well as an important measure in preventing serious water damage.

Basement waterproofing is generally not recommended as a do-it-yourself project. This is one task best left to reputable professionals; moreover, insurance companies may refuse to pay a flooding claim if your waterproofing was not done by professionals. Ideally, basement waterproofing should be done during the construction stage.

Some temporary solutionsA common foundation waterproofing method used by homeowners is the application of black tar; however, it is not recommended as it is a short-term solution. It will dry out, crack and allow seepage within five to eight years. Tar can be effective as a damp-proofing method, but it is not recommended as waterproofing material.

If you do choose a do-it-yourself waterproofing method, opt for the application of a rubberized liquid membrane, which is essentially the same material that automobile tires are made of. The liquid membrane is quick drying, inexpensive and generally easy to apply with a roller, sprayer or trowel. However, particular attention should be paid to consistency during the application.

Black moldMold is a good indication that your basement has leakage or condensation problems. If mold exists in your home, your basement may have cracks in the walls or the floor, improperly installed or a lack of footer tiles, leaks from sweating basement pipes and/or basement windows. Black mold grows where there is dampness or water damage and is considered a serious health concern.

When to Consult a ProfessionalBasement waterproofing can minimize water infiltration and prevent its growth. If mold is a problem, it is best to consult a professional to waterproof your foundation. Other factors to consider are the climate and landscape of the area.

Herb Mansfield is a master plumber in the province of Quebec, Canada. He has over 35 years experience in the plumbing field. He is now lending his expertise to the Sump Pump Info

Visiting Cologne Germany - Five Great Places To See

By Kim D

Are you considering a visit to Germany? Why not visit the city of Cologne. It has a history which goes back to the Roman era. Located next to river Rhine and the fourth largest city in Germany it offers good a connection to the nearby cities of Düsseldorf and Bonn. Cologne is also linked with Amsterdam, Brussels, London and Paris by Thalys, ICE and Eurostar High Speed trains.
The Frankfurt airport has a direct service to Cologne and is within one hour by ICE trains.
Cologne has plenty to offer in terms of entertainment and culture. The following places are certainly worth seeing:

The Gothic Cathedral, also known as the Dom, is the city's most famous landmark and also a well known architectural monument in Germany. It is 144 metres long and 86 meters wide and has two spires that are 157 metres in height. Construction began in 1248 to house the relics of the Magi, the Dom was not completed until 1880. The completion of the cathedral was celebrated as a national event. Despite changing architectural styles through the centuries, the result is essentially Gothic. Situated in the centre of Cologne, from the top of the Dom's south tower there are panoramic views across the city and surrounding area. Open daily from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm, except during religious services.

The most impressive attraction in the Roman-Germanic Museum is the 70 square metre Dionysos-Mosaik. The mosaic, once the floor of the main room of a large Roman villa dating from the third century, was discovered in 1941 during excavation work for an air-raid shelter. The Museum, which was opened in 1974 and is situated near the Kölner Dom, boasts a collection of prehistoric, ancient and medieval finds. The exhibitions give an insight into the daily life, beliefs and customs of long-forgotten cultures. An unusual feature is the collection of Roman glassware.

Cologne is the city of live music and concerts, with music from all periods from all over the world and in the most diverse stylistic schools and movements performed here every day. The powerfully pulsating heart of this Cologne music culture, is the philharmonic hall built in the cathedral mound, which seats 2000 people. Since its opening in 1986, it has become one of the leading international concert halls. The 'Philharmonie' concert hall has at least one performance scheduled for virtually every day of the year. Recitals range from chamber music to jazz, folk and pop, with a house policy of encouraging lesser-known, new and unusual music.

The city hall in Alter Markt (Old Square) dates from 1330 but has a tower from the 15th century and a Renaissance facade from the 16th century. Having been damaged during the Second World War, part of the 14th-century Renaissance building was rebuilt. Cologne artisans concentrated particularly on restoring the City Hall tower, and thanks to their donations the City Hall got restored properly. Statues of emperors, popes, poets and academics - and also of women's rights campaigners - look down from the tower on the busy square below.

The Old Market lies in the heart of the old town. Surrounded by bars and restaurants, it hosts a variety of events all year round: home to the Christmas market during the festive season and the Medienburgerfestival in the summer, the Old Market is perhaps best known for the Carnival which begins here at 11.11 am on the 11th day of the 11th month. This is when Cologne goes completely crazy. During the Middle Ages, the Old Market was Cologne's commercial centre, and the nearby butter market, fish market and hay market were some of its subsidiaries. Nowadays, it is simply a focal point for tourists who flock here to witness the comings and goings around the market fountain.

Interested in visiting Cologne? cheap hotels in cologne germany offers a list of cheap hotels in cologne germany, online availability searches and other useful information about Cologne.

Florida Roofing Contractors - Finding The Ones Who Will Do A Good Job

The sunny state of Florida is considered as one of the most or hurricane-prone areas in the Continental United States. Given this, it is imperative for many homeowners and builders to consider major engineering improvements and upgrades in ensuring that a home's roof holds it own during severe storms. Hence, priority should be given to every component of the roof, as well as the rest of the house's structure, to enable it to withstand the extremely violent wind speeds that hurricanes bring.

A House Needs A Good Roof
A roof refers to the uppermost covering component, or structure of a home or building. The main purpose of the roof is to primarily protect both the building itself and its interior material and content from the standard elements of weather, such as rain, snow, sleet and heat. However, depending on the nature of the structure, a roof may also protect against heat, sunlight, cold and wind.

If the roof is the covering for a house, then all of the mentioned protective functions should be considered. Other building types, like garden sheds, conservatories or greenhouses will need to guard against rain and wind and frost, but allow the entry of light.

A house's front porch could be installed with roofing materials that mainly protect against sunlight but also admit other natural elements. The different types of structures and homes that require roofs range from the size of a letterbox to that of a synagogue or cathedral, or sports stadium, with these structures being the most socially significant.

Get Info On Which Roofing Material To Choose
Installing a new roof is one of the most significant and expensive aspects one will run into as a homeowner, since a home's roof is the first line of defense against the different forces and elements weather brings. It is imperative that a homeowner hires the best roofing contractor possible. Depending on where you live, roofing contractors are aplenty, therefore, it is important that one follows the basic rules of roof construction and repair to help you find the most qualified contractor to do the job.

A homeowner should also have adequate information on what roofing materials to consider. The owner should have a keen eye on what type of weather proofing material to utilize; should you use shingles, membrane roofing or metal roofing, for instance.

Shingles, also called shakes in North America, is the generic term for roofing material that comes in many overlapping sections, irrespective of the nature of the material. More specifically, it can be used to mean wooden shingles.

Membrane roofing is in installed large sheets, commonly fused at the joints to form a continuous surface. Metal roofing is considered to be an affordable roof material, and could be either corrugated, mechanically seamed or flat seamed in form and structure.

Picking The Right Contractor
Before commencing on any major home improvement project, such as roofing, it is best that you first consider talking to several roofing contractors to make sure you are getting a fair deal before hiring the services of one. For roofing repair or installation, it is advisable to obtain at least three bid offers from different roofing contractors to enable you to compare prices, methods used and experienced required.

It is also imperative to take note that the least expensive wouldn't necessarily be the best one. It would be wiser to be cautious about any contractor that dives below the other bids by a large amount, since it is likely that they will offer shoddy service or are not being honest with what the total price should be, or if there are any hidden costs. Aside from getting bids from at least three different roofing contractors, it is also important that the owner also does a little fact-finding work on the contractor.

Do Your Own Research
The homeowner should take note that reputable roofing contractors are licensed and are willing to provide at least three to four references vouching for their good work record. Having done good research on your prospective roofing contractor gives you the peace of mind knowing that you're hiring a credible professional for your roofing requirements.

Florida has a wide array of roofing contractors, and among these are Spilker Roofing and Sheet Metal, of Merritt Island in Brevard County. The company's services include new or re-roofing projects, and installation or repair of commercial, industrial and municipal structures, sheet metal fabrication, roof maintenance programs, leak repair, and designing wind vented roofing systems for resistance against hurricanes.

Another Florida roofing firm is Innovative Commercial Construction, Inc of St. Petersburg, Florida. Innovative Commercial Construction has 20 years of experience in roof renovation and restoration services, paint and waterproofing and roof design services.

Whichever of the Florida roofing contractors you choose to commission for your roofing job, take heed of the tips mentioned above to make sure that you get maximum value for your time and your money. Remember, your roof is your first defense against the intermittent Florida weather.

Ernest Jarquio is a dedicated family man hopelessly addicted to do-it-yourself projects. For more information, visit Flooring2Roof.com, where he discusses various subjects such as Florida roofing contractors, roofing contractors in the UK and Orange County roofing.

The Law of Attraction - How it Works

By Megan Jenifer

The seeming phenomenon of this new “awareness” of the Universal Law of Attraction is sweeping the world, especially since the release of the eye-opening movie The Secret. Even though critics of the movie suggest that there were so many important things left out of the movie, the version with Abraham-Hicks went into details about how to activate this Law. Other scientist featured in the movie, such as Fred Alan Wolfe, went into the metaphysical reasons about how it works.

Simply stated, activating the Law of Attraction, paraphrasing the movie, is a three step process: Ask, Believe and Receive.

The Asking, according to Abraham-Hicks is done with thought vibrations and feeling. The Universe is made of vibrating particles of energy, of which we all consist of. Because of this energetic connection, our thought forms are energy signals that are projected into the Universe. Our emotional guidance system, according to Abraham-Hicks, is our personal indicator that lets us know when we are closer to realizing that which we’d like to see or that which we’d not like to see. Our thoughts and feelings do the asking. Not necessarily the words.

Believing is the next step in the process. Once the thought form is created, the belief sustaining this thought will be fueled often by emotion. Beliefs are very strong opinions that actually create your truth and your reality. When you have a strong belief for something to happen, usually it does. When you have a strong belief about something not happening, the ironic thing is that it also happens. This baffles a lot of people because underlying/subconscious beliefs are asking too. There’s a process beyond this that can help clear out these underlying beliefs if this really concerns you.

The last step is Receiving. The receiving part of the process is probably the most difficult for most people because it involves allowing: getting beyond resistance and attachment to the outcome…actually letting go. Often times, when we want something so badly, the feeling and thought-form surrounding it is “lack.” The Universe picks up on this vibration of “lack” and in turn returns more lack of whatever it is that you’re really asking for. So, to receive with success, requires you to release blockages and to cleanse areas of the subconscious that could be sabotaging your efforts without you even really being aware of it. This is what can frustrate some people with activating the Law.

The process of Ho’oponopono goes into more details about releasing. Some call it The Secret behind The Secret. To get a glimpse of what Ho’oponopono involves and how you can incorporate it with the Law of Attraction, visit the article The Law of Attraction and Ho’oponopono.

Megan Jenifer operates the blog http://www.TheLawofAttractionStation.com which is all about The Law of Attraction. She loves giving away free stuff and is now giving away a free copy of her special report, “The Top 10 Ways Most People Repel Money.” In addition to this free report, you’ll also have a free membership to her newsletter. You’re not going to believe what you get when you sign-up and it’s all free.

Small Businesses Affected By The Floods Get Help

By Andrew Regan

The recent torrential rainfall that has plagued parts of the country has had a devastating, potentially fatal effect on thousands of small businesses throughout the UK. In the space of five weeks, severe flooding has impacted on almost 500,000 properties in the north-east, midlands, south-west and south-east of the UK, with many small businesses included in amongst those casualties. With gloomy estimates of around six months or longer to get the affected areas back into full-working order, can these small businesses survive or will many be shutting up shop this year?

Whether traditional bricks and mortar or the new breed of small business that is thriving solely on the web, the floods hit a wide variety of enterprises. Thankfully, help is at hand jointly from the Federation of Small Businesses and Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs. The FSB has recently announced a £500k relief fund offering members interest free loans to help them through the recovery time, and the HMRC is to offer tax assistance to those affected by the recent floods.

Acting as a business finder for the local community, the FSB also protects and promotes the interests of the self-employed and all those who run their own businesses and recently applauded the HMRC decision. The FSB National Chairman John Wright said:

"I warmly welcome the decision by HMRC to offer businesses help with their taxes in the short term as they recover from the floods. All assistance is gratefully received as the flood waters recede and this will go a long way to ensure that more businesses can remain solvent until they can trade again."

In addition to the HMRC help, the FSB are offering each affected member interest-free loans of up to £5,000 from the relief fund in a move that should help local businesses cope better with the floods aftermath.

However, there is a silver lining for small businesses near the flood areas that have not been directly affected by the disastrous consequences of the floods. There will inevitably be a huge demand for local traders and small businesses to help in the effort to restore homes to their former glory, and to supply white goods, carpets, curtains and furniture ruined by the floods. No doubt flood affected householders will be frantically searching their local business listings to find tradesmen who can help repair and restore their homes and supply replacement goods. Indeed, some of the badly hit small businesses may be helped on the fast track to recovery, and in return may be able to help other flood-hit businesses to remain solvent via their own trade.
Andrew Regan is a freelance online journalist.

Objections - An Enabling Sales Technology

By John Bradley Jackson

Objections. You have heard them all before: I have no budget, I have no need, I am not interested or We are happy with our existing supplier. My favorite objection is Maybe later. All are the customer's way of saying no.

Classical sales training tells us that you have to hear “no” before you can hear “yes”. What this really means is that customers must purge themselves of all concerns, hesitations, and questions before they can buy. And if they don’t get these things out their system they won’t be able to go forward. These concerns manifest themselves as objections in the sales process. The astute sales person is on the lookout for these and welcomes them.

Let the customer know that sharing these objections is the right thing to do and that they are smart to do so. This may seem opposite of what you might first think; many inexperienced sales people run away or avoid objections. Often objections are challenging and can end the sales process if handled poorly. Yet, closing your eyes and hoping they go away won’t work.

Some say that an objection is a request for more information and a request for help. Expect to hear no. Better yet, plan on it. Respond by being understanding while probing for more information. “No” is an enabling sales technology.

Let the customer know that “No” is an acceptable outcome because you are here for the long run and want to build a long term relationship. This takes the pressure out of the sales process and allows the customer to explain more specifically his/her issues. This allows you the chance to provide a better solution.

Sometimes, you can ignore an objection. This can be a bit cocky because if the customer says it, then it needs to be handled sooner or later. I have found that this strategy works when someone hurls a volley of multiple objections at you. With this objection-handling strategy, you let him/her repeat the important objections and then you can address the important issues.

Some customers object on price because they feel that they have to; often this customer is a poor or inexperienced negotiator and feels that objecting once on price is enough or is an expected part of the process. Ignoring this objection can pay off with this type of buyer.

Most sales training suggests you turn around objections by restating them and taking the offensive. For example, the customer says the price is too high. You respond, “If the price wasn’t too high could you agree to proceed with the service?” This seems a bit deliberate to me.

My thoughts are that objections are a part of a healthy sales process and are to be expected, if not desired, if you want the order. Greet them calmly and respond with calming words like “I understand how you feel” or “I see” or “Others have felt the same way”.

Next, probe more information with questions like:- “How so?”- “Tell me more?”- “What else?”- “Tell me about it”

Offer an explanation or more information to help the customer understand your offering’s benefits. Then say:

- “Have I answered your question?”- “Does that help?”- “Does that sound better?”

Sometimes, the customer will continue to object. This means that they still need more information. Give them more. Then verify again that you have properly responded to the objection. If so, it can be appropriate to say, “Thanks for asking me that (i.e. you are so smart)” or “That was a great question (i.e. you are so smart) or simply, “Thanks”.

Objections help you find the way to yes, so welcome them. It is the customer’s way of asking for help because “No” is an enabling sales technology.

John Bradley Jackson brings street-savvy sales and marketing experience from Silicon Valley and Wall Street. His resume also includes entrepreneur, angel investor, corporate trainer, philanthropist, and consultant. His book is called “First, Best, or Different: What Every Entrepreneur Needs to Know About Niche Marketing”.

Check out his website at: http://www.firstbestordifferent.com or his blog at http://www.firstbestordifferent.com/blog

John Bradley Jackson © Copyright 2006 All rights reserved.

What is Your Refund Policy?

By Suzanne Arant-Wells

There are many strategies for increasing your sales on eBay. One of the easiest to implement is offering a fair return policy. Shoppers are more likely to buy from you if you have a fair refund policy. They may never have to use it, but it gives them peace of mind that they can get their money back if they want to. You are giving your customers options and empowering them. Look at what other eBay sellers offer as a return policy. Research how the big companies handle refunds and how their refund policies are worded.

You can always re-list the item again once it is returned. Just refund the customer’s money, and then go to eBay and find the item in your archived listings. Click on “relist item,” and you’re done. Sometimes, the item sells for more the second time around! You can still get positive feedback from the first buyer, especially if you promptly process his refund and include a professional email thanking him for his business. They key is to make the customer happy and get positive feedback. Make them want to return to your store.

Customers may contact you about a refund but never follow through with sending the item back. You know how it is, you put the item in your car to return it to the store or take it to the post office, and six months later it is still there. I keep my refund policy simple. Refund for the purchase price only, no store credit, and shipping is the customer’s responsibility. I feel that only offering store credit may make the customer feel trapped - that they do not have options if they can’t find a suitable exchange.
are actually returned to me each month. (I sell around 300 items a month, and only 2 or 3 ever come back.) Some customers who have made returns will come back for future sales because they know first-hand that you are an honest seller who stands by your policy.

Learn more about eBay selling by visiting my blog - where you can also listen to eBay audio tips while you work.

Suzanne Wells is an eBay Power Seller, author of "The Stay-at-Home Mom's Gude to Successful eBay Selling," eBay Consultant, and mom of 2 in Atlanta, GA.

Home Based Computer Business - Free ebook

By Brian McGregor

There are literally thousands of different types of potential home based computer business that you could start. Fortunately, we have the marvelous Google to help us research what will most suitable for you or for me.

A good place to start is to decide what we are prepared to commit to our new home based computer business, before we actually begin researching for opportunities which might meet our criteria.

Here are three of the fundamental considerations:

1. Money

When starting any business, you can expect to pay some costs. These will normally be in several areas. You may need to purchase items before you can sell them for profit. You might need to pay a licence fee for the privilege of being in the business you choose. You may have to invest in marketing - it is unlikely that you will get your business off the ground without any marketing spend.

You may need to invest in new PC equipment. If your present PC configuration is aged, you could find it necessary to update or indeed replace your system. Also, there could be the need to buy new software in order to operate your business in the way which is most effective.

In summary, create a spreadsheet, and commit potential expenditure to it and work out how much you need to invest up front. Be honest with yourself. There is no point in under estimating your costs – your business will find you out. Also, it will pay you to be pessimistic in your sales forecasts. It’s a fact that 90% of business fail in the first few months. This is frequently due to the expectation of income being too optimistic. It will always take you longer to make that first sale. And it will always take you longer than you think to break even.

2. Time

The second major consideration is about how much time you can commit to your new home based computer business. This is another area in setting up your business which is usually under estimated. There are always unexpected activities which arise as you move forward.

You might plan to spend only a portion of your spare time hours in running your new business. What happens is that the time you are required to invest will stretch to virtually take up every waking hour you can spare. So be prepared.

3. Expertise

If you’ve never set up any business before, then you are at the worst end of the learning curve. Not only are you asking yourself to know all about your products and markets, you also have the unavoidable overhead of simply being in business.

When you set up your first business, and you are doing it single handedly, you have to be your own sales person, marketer, accountant, storeman, order processor, debt collector, payment processor, personnel department etc.

The keys are to be prepared, and to be realistic. It’s a big ask, and is why if you make it you can be very proud of yourself.

About the Author

Brian McGregor shows how you can start a home based computer business selling video training in the latest Microsoft software here http://www.universal-ebooks.com

Plus, here's a free ebook about starting a home based computer business.

Flag Day Party Menu Ideas for a Patriotic Party

By Gail Leino

Flag Day commemorates the adoption of the United States flag in 1777. While this is a holiday most of the United States doesn’t celebrate with any real traditions, it is an important holiday nonetheless. If you’re celebrating Flag Day, why not try some of the following food ideas:

Being held on June 14th you will find many people tend to barbeque for the occasion. They will have an outdoor picnic filled with the traditional picnic foods. Barbeque chicken, hamburgers, ribs, hot dogs, potato salad, pudding, jell-o, and even cakes.

Pudding: Tapioca pudding is just one of the desserts you may find at a barbeque. Tapioca pudding is made with milk, tapioca, egg, and vanilla. You heat the milk and egg in the pan adding in the tapioca until it boils. Once it has boiled you add the vanilla and let it cool in dessert dishes. You may wish to top it with a little whipped cream and a cherry.

Fruit Salad: This is another great addition to your Flay Day menu. All you need is eight different fruits from bananas, apples, grapes, cherries, peaches, pineapple, strawberries, and oranges. You combine these chopped fruits together in a bowl, add a little sugar if desired and let it sit in the fridge for an hour to cool. For a bit of zing, squeeze some fresh lemon or lime juice over the top. The combination of sweet and sour is delicious.

While Flag Day may not be celebrated in every home you can add to your family traditions by celebrating a day that means a lot to the beginning of our country. Flag Day may seem like just another day to have a little fun with friends and family, but don’t forget the importance.

Mrs. Party... Gail Leino takes a common sense approach to planning and organizing events, celebrations and holiday parties with unique ideas for Flag Day party supplies and fun party games. She explains proper etiquette and living a healthy life while also teaching organizational skills and fun facts. The Party Supplies Hut has lots of party ideas with hundreds of free holiday printable games and free birthday party activities. Over 100 adorable Themes including Party Supplies to fit your birthday celebration, holiday event, or "just because" parties. Party themes include cartoon characters, sports, movie, TV shows, luau, western, holidays, and unique crazy fun theme ideas.

Introduction to Search Engine Optimization

By Avinesh Prahladi

Search engine optimization is a method to evaluate and assess your website and it assists the search engines to read, and comprehend it. It is not all about rephrasing or altering the look of the website. It is a procedure where slight changes are made so that the content is more noticeable and the search engines can view and interpret the website easily. SEO cannot be termed as spamming as it is a method under which the search engines are assisted so that in return they can provide you assistance in the coming time.

For the past couple of years the procedure of SEO has been frequently put into use. Websites are being created using Java and Flash which the search engines are not able to comprehend and overlook. In a situation where the content of the website is overlooked by the search engines subsequently they are not able to index your website. If your website is not indexed then nobody can look for it in the search engines like- Yahoo, Google, and MSN. If your website is not visited by the target consumers then there is no use of putting efforts and capital in creating a website.

Search engine’s main purpose is to provide the potential results to the visitors and if for some reasons they are not able to index any particular website they might be loosing a great amount of content that the visitors are expecting. SEO bears so much importance that Google offers rules and regulations to opt for a SEO service.

How SEO functions?
There are majority of the websites those are not well functional on their topics. The keyword directory which has about fifty or more phrases in a particular page and the business that contains four individual submissions, websites make an effort to aim at all the four in a single time. Probably the website was targeting a search phrase that nobody is searching. SEO assures that every page of your website stays centered and consequently observed as an influence on the particular topic.

Free of cost search engines
On the internet search engines are free of cost. Google itself and the websites taking services of Google’s results make about fifty percent of the internet search market themselves. If you are only targeting Google then you are loosing your fifty percent of the business profit. SEO should be for all search engines, not just Google and at the same time keep constantly evaluating the search engines so that your website (or websites) remains at a decent rank. This way you are increasing your website consumers by making minimum efforts.

Pay Per Click Advertising
The results that are displayed on Yahoo and Google are known as sponsored links. Entirely depending how much is your budget, you can appear anywhere on the lists. There are companies who provide assistance in conducting effective pay per click advertising operation.
Linking

Search engines consider that keeping a link with your website will be beneficial. If you don’t contain an inbound links then the search engines won’t list your website. Higher number of inbound links will get your website decent ranking. It is recommended that be cautious of free for all (FFA) which is exclusively made to link. Search engines block these websites those are linked with these farms.

Choosing a SEO service
It can be verified by rankings of the website in the search engine. You should opt for those websites which has a ranking in the top ten because of its keywords. Imagine if a SEO company which can place a website in the top ten ranking at the same time when the opponents are professionals in this field, now you can very well assume what treatment your website will get.
Avinesh Prahladi is a professional content writer having proficiency in writing on diverse topics at WebartSoftech. For more information visit: Link Diary

Internal Selling Can Be the Hardest Sale

By John Bradley Jackson

You beat the competition. You secured commitment from the customer. And you got the order. Congratulations, but the selling is not over. The next step is to go back and sell to your own company and it may be the hardest sales call you make.

To fulfill your commitments to your customer will require that all departments at your firm understand their job and accept responsibility for the agreement that you just secured with the customer. Depending on the industry you are in and the nature of the product, this could mean manufacturing, customer service, legal, finance, customer support functions, operations, and others. For a successful customer relationship, each of these departments needs to understand what they need to do and how their work relates to customer satisfaction.

Here a few basic tips for selling internally:
- Accept the fact that you need to sell internally and that it is your job to do it; no one else will do it for you.- You need to communicate the big picture of what this customer relationship means to each individual. Why is this customer important?- You need to explain the unique attributes of the new customer agreement; don’t expect people to seek out the details about the new agreement. Be specific.- Expect resistance. People naturally resist change and increase in workload. Be patient with these initial reactions.- Don’t personalize initial errors or mistakes.
Properly servicing a new customer is a learning experience which may take some trial and error.- Bring the customer on site to help the support staff understand the customer and commit to servicing them properly.- Say thanks. Do this a lot. Be sincere, because without the internal staff the job won’t get done.

Have you noticed anything here? The internal sales cycle almost directly mirrors the steps you needed to take to get the business in the first place. It’s all about understanding your role in the process and communicating to everyone about everything.

Look at any internal resistance as the need more information about what needs to be done and why. Sometimes your internal support people become inflexible (just like a prospect gets used to saying “no”) and requires special handling to move things forward. Your goal is to make this a “win/win situation”, which it will be if you take the time and effort to be courteous, professional and sincere to your “internal” customers.

John Bradley Jackson brings street-savvy sales and marketing experience from Silicon Valley and Wall Street. His resume also includes entrepreneur, angel investor, corporate trainer, philanthropist, and consultant. His book is called “First, Best, or Different: What Every Entrepreneur Needs to Know About Niche Marketing”.

Check out his website at: http://www.firstbestordifferent.com or his blog at http://www.firstbestordifferent.com/blog

John Bradley Jackson © Copyright 2006 All rights reserved

High Fiber Snack Bars - Best Between the Meals

By Judy Wellsworth

It is very common that within a couple of hours of your meal, you again start feeling hungry. Now you can either wait for the next meal or set out for the quest to find something to eat.
Mostly, the second option is chosen which is quiet understandable and natural that you can’t do anything while you are hungry. But this eating between meals mostly leads to devastation of your entire diet plan and caused many complications to your digestive system like gas trouble and other problems. Furthermore, this practice leads to the extra gain of weight to your body.
The simplest solution to this problem is the use of high fiber bars snacks between the meals.

Their healthy nature keeps you active and steady without any increase in your weight. Their fibrous nature also helps in dissolving the sugar in your blood, which is very good especially for the diabetes patients. High fiber bars snacks also make your digestive system work smooth and better and you eventually your stomach doesn’t get into much trouble. High fiber bars snacks can also be taken as a meal itself because they are very nutritious and healthy in nature.

High Fiber Bars Snacks: Some Precautions
Whenever you go out to buy high fiber bars snacks, be sure to look at the ingredients and the nutritional facts because sometimes high sugar contents are also mixed along with fiber which is just not good because this sugar makes you feels more and more hungry and lazy at the same time. This sugar causes a raise in your blood-sugar which results in your laziness and tiredness without doing much work. You should be more careful because there are also some alternative to sugar that are used in the high fiber bars snacks to make them taste better which is no good at all. One of the alternatives is alcohol, it is not the same alcohol as used in drugs but it is used as a substitute to sugar. Having sugar with your fiber food is like negating the effect of fiber. All the benefits gained by the fiber are wasted with the use of sugar in these snacks. As described above, use of sugar in your food makes you feel lazy. Hence you can’t work properly with that kind of food in your stomach.

High Fiber Bars Snacks: Fulfillments of your Body Needs
If you can’t use fiber in your normal meals, you can fulfill the need of fiber to your body by taking high fiber bars snacks as a supplement so that your stomach can keep working fine and you stay active and alert in your daily life. Therefore the use of high fiber bars snacks has proven to be very useful to fulfill the needs of fiber to one’s body.

You can also find more info on fiber food and low cholesterol diet i-highfiberdiet.com is a comprehensive resource to know about Fiber Foods and Vegetable Diets.

Maintenance is Every Sump Pump Owner's Responsibility

By Herb Mansfield

A sump pump plays a pivotal role in your home's drainage system. In fact, the effectiveness of your drainage system is wholly dependent on the smooth operation of the pump. At times, sump pump failure does happen, leaving your basement area vulnerable to costly damage. The best way to avoid this potential damage is to closely follow the guidelines laid out in the owner's manual which provides the necessary instructions for proper pump maintenance and operation.

Regardless of what model of sump pump you have, problems associated with pump failure are universal. For this reason, virtually every sump pump owner's manual offers the same tips for pump failure prevention. Although any number of problems may arise with your pump, including a jammed or broken control switch or a burned out motor, the first rule of prevention is to keep your pump clean. Clogging is a major issue in sump pump maintenance. Dirt, debris and a variety of other foreign objects can build up causing a blockage in the inlet screen. The screen's function is to remove small particles of waste along with the water, but it can only handle so much. To properly clean your sump pump, use a pair of rubber gloves to collect all debris. Next, take a garden hose and fill the pump with water. As you fill the pump with water, the float will rise causing the pump to activate again. If your float rises but does not start the system, it is time to consult the troubleshooting section in your manual.

The troubleshooting part of your owner's manual will give you information on what to do in a situation where your pump is not responding as it should. If you have performed the advised cleaning process and your pump still fails to work, you need to check the electrical system. If your pump is plugged into an outlet much like any other appliance outlet, unplug your pump and try plugging in a clock or lamp that you know works. Also check that the breaker is on. If your pump still fails to start, a manual will instruct you to do the following: reset the switch on the motor, check to see that the switch activated by the float is operational, verify that the motor is not burned out from being overused while in the clogged state. As a last resort, your manual will instruct you to check the float switch by moving it up and down. This will have the effect of cleaning dirty switch contacts and operation should resume immediately. Note that the switch should be replaced frequently, and if the switch can be removed, you may want to try and repair the damaged part yourself.

The owner's manual accompanying your sump pump will clearly tell you that your pump will not work effectively unless you perform proper sump pump maintenance. Your sump pump plays an important role in your home, so take the time to read the manual carefully and know how to keep it in good working order.

Herb Mansfield is a master plumber in the province of Quebec, Canada. He has over 35 years experience in the plumbing field. He is now lending his expertise to the Sump Pump Info

Are Fairy Tattoo Picture Designs Just For Women?

By Kip Goldhammer

Some of the most popular designs for tattoos – especially among girls and younger women – are any fairy tattoo picture designs. These mythical creatures can have a wide range of different looks depending on who’s doing the designing. Some people associate fairies with magical lands or kingdoms. Some others think of creatures from some movies that they’ve seen. Fairies have long been associated with the hidden realms that are all around us but hidden away from us.

Said to hide in the shadows of woodland dells and only come out to taunt unsuspecting travelers, these creatures have become synonymous with magical stories. Many stories talk of fairies befriending children who become lost in the woods and need to find their way out. These creatures are said to be part of nature and the woodland realm of sprites and pixies. Some tattoo shops may represent fairies as angels in hopes that some men may opt to have an ‘angel’ tattooed on them.

This is a popular design for tattoos for women who want a whimsical and feminine design. Many tattoo shops have several designs of fairies because of this popularity. Some images have fairies with hearts or other objects clutched in their arms, representing a loved one of the customer perhaps.

For many years getting a fairy tattoo has meant good luck for many people who believe in such things. This is because the creatures have always been associated with magic and luck. There are many tales that mention fairies prominently throughout, and this is another reason why so many people like the image of a fairy tattoo.

If you search through a lot of web pages and find a design for a fairy that you like, you can bring it to your local tattoo shop and have any of the artists draw out an original design based on the image you’ve supplied. In this way the design created will be one that you like but one that’s also still very unique to you.

The tattoo shop artist can then create a design in a temporary tattoo that can be applied to various places on your body to see where you might like to have the actual tattoo when it’s time to do the real inking. Once you’ve chosen the position where the real tattoo will go, you can go ahead and let the tattoo shop artist begin to ink you up. Several colors may need to be applied before the fairy image begins to look like a fairy tattoo so don’t be in a rush to get it done.

Kip D Goldhammer owns and operates http://www.tattoosdesignsreviews.com Fairy Tattoo Designs and Other Mythical Creatures

Top Tips For Recruitment Consultants Telephone Screening

By John Steven Bult

Telephone screening may not be the most enjoyable part of the recruitment consultant’s job. However, done well, it achieves a couple of key objectives which will contribute to strong fee generation. Poor screeners end up wasting hours on pointless interviews. On the other hand poor screeners can miss candidates than could earn them a fee.

Here’s my top tips for telephone screening.

Aim for a decision within around 10-15 minutes.

Seek to establish that the CV is an accurate representation of the candidate, take care to check that dates are consistent and there are no undisclosed gaps.

Request a commentary for the candidates CV. Question to establish the reasons for movement, future decision making will reflect passed decision making. Be wary of candidates with negative reasons for movement, poor results, fall outs with peers and superiors.

Use a mixture of open questions to invite conversation and closed and direct questions to home in on specific and relevant hard facts.

Score the client against a list of requirements supplied by your client.
If you are uncertain about the quality of a candidate, there are some general tricks you can use to ascertain their general qualities, for example,

Suggest a few improvements to the CV and request they make them and return it by the deadline. Whether or not they respond appropriately will tell you how they are likely to respond to request whilst in a job.

Explain you will be speaking with the client and request they call you back at a specified time for an update. You should immediately question the credibility who are unable to manage this (you may be surprised how many don’t)

Give them 24 hours to research their potential employer and ask them to call you at a specific time for a quiz. See what lengths they go to excel at the task. If they just take a 10 minute browse over the website, don’t expect wonders if they get the job!

As a general rule, if in doubt, interview, or you’ll run the risk of missing someone who may earn you a fee.

Good luck
This article is written by John Bult of Recruitment Vacancies

Reputations Are Important - Adoption Agencies For The Small Ones

By Wade Robins

You will find that adoption is the most gratifying and demanding time for you. Trying to find an adoption agency is essential to the whole course of action. It does not matter if you are trying to adopt an infant or a teen, an adoption agency with a good reputation is essential.

Because of the sensitive nature of the material that is being discussed, the agency needs to have a reputation for being discreet and caring. The agency you choose needs to carry a state license. This provides you with the security in knowing that they are checked and inspected on a routine basis.

Frequently, individuals go searching in the local phone directory for the agency and call anyone of them that looks good. This is absolutely a bad thing. The agency that spends the most on advertising is not necessarily the best to work with. Also, do not get fooled by their nice internet presence and those adorable pictures of the smiling babies.

Your agency should be able to provide for your individual needs. International adoption cannot be best dealt with by an agency that only works with American adoptions. In addition, you do not want to find a child of teen years from an infant specializing agent.

Take the time to do your homework and find what is out there in your state. Get involved in groups designed for adoption who can give you some names. Talk to anyone around you who has completed an adoption and find out whom they used. You can also talk to your physician about anyone he can refer.

The rule of thumb is to investigate about five agencies before settling in on one. Make a call to your local DSS (Department Of Social Services). They are knowledgeable about certain companies because they work with them closely. Any bad words about these places would definitely be something they would know about. Next, take the each agency and find out if they can meet your particular needs.

Begin by finding out if they are taking new applications. What kind of adoption do they specialize in? Can they offer you references of past clients? You will be given those names, which are happy with the outcome of their process. It will still help you to become knowledgeable about some of the issues of the service.

Make sure to ask about the amount of infant adoptions in the past twenty-four months. Are they expecting the same numbers this year? Find out what they require for their potential adoptive parents. Do they need you to be married or are single all right? When taking a special needs child, do the requirements change?

Searching for an agency with a good reputation is essential. Provide yourself with the knowledge necessary. Choosing the correct service for adoption will be the deciding point on how the whole thing goes.

You can also find more info on baby adoption and foreign adoption brace ChildAdoptionGuide.org is a comprehensive resource to help couples with the adoption process.

Rejecting the "Can't" & Accepting Your Success

By G. Everett

A simple truth I found out - the Law of Attraction is as real as the computer you are viewing this on. The principal is simple much like when you turn on your computer. You might not understand the Intel processor running at 2 million cycles per second but the screen is emitting light waves with graphics and text. What we do with the Law of Attraction is much like your computer. Its connected by the Internet to the World. Quantum physicists and scientist similarly have come to understand this law of the Universe. It is all energy and everything is connected through this energy.

You probably are asking WHY the Law of Attraction?

Around 1991 I found the Law of Attraction almost by "accident." I say an accident because the law of the Universe is well documented but not well advertised, not at least in the early 90s. This sub-atomic area of the Universe is defined as energy or sometimes referred to the zero-point field. It is lowest definable state of energy, the beginning that connects where we are all connected. The "accident" I experienced was picking up the right book at the right time, a book on real Wealth secrets. I realized I wasn't as broke as I thought, just more depressed by years of reverse wealth teachings.

Much like other life stories I was flat broke, no job and living in a park. I still had my sanity, clothes on my back and a mind full of ideas. Thoughts are where this energy initiates the law of attraction. Wealth begins with a state of mind, Thoughts! This is the simplicity of it. In reality it doesn't matter whether you believe it or not. The "accident," our experiences, and the people we talk to are all connected to this zero-point field of pure energy. We shape these thoughts and actions by how we think and begin to realize our real wealth.

I am not talking about repetitious mumbling of what you want but real thoughts and emotions creating wealth. Using your thoughts one can materialize thoughts into physical reality. Much like the example used in "The Secret," Henry Ford industrialized America by a single thought.
His thought of a 'horse-less buggy' became reality powered by tapping into this energy. Of course he didn't twiddle his thumbs but used his thoughts to empower the 'horse-less buggy' in to a real object. He didn't think negative thoughts, "I can't do this." You have to eliminate "can't" out of your thoughts. That is reverse wealth teaching we have been subject to. Negative thoughts and emotions create just that -- negative thoughts and emotions! I had thoroughly convinced myself I was the mostly unluckiest man on the planet. I attracted those negative thoughts and emotions creating my poor position. Opposites were only thoughts away. Thinking positive thoughts created a perfect job working with a new field I was interested in, GPS. Global Positioning System was new and the job was perfect. Positive thinking began the energy thrust that changed my life. I didn't just "think" about it but followed my emotions - the first interview, the job was mine!

You now know what to do with the Law of Attraction. If it's a new car, a new house or a new job - the sky is the limit! It can be a new stream of Income or a new set of friends. What I found is available to you now - I wish I had met Bob Doyle and Joe Vitale back in the 90's. Here is some excellent self-help sources that I am involved with them and will begin your journey to being an Internet Millionaire and the Law of Attraction. I recommend at least Bob Doyle's book & course - about Wealth without a Reason. The author, Bob Doyle also have helped multiply my wealth ans success.

• Wealth Beyond Reason
• Wealth Plus

The Law of Attraction was introduced to me in 1991 and continue to fulfill my dreams including a seven-day Caribbean cruise this season! Thoughts and a positive attitude are the beginning to your new Wealth. Be sure to visit my websites above for the positive vibes.
© 2007 - Downloads are great but please leave all links intact.

G. Everetthttp://www.wealthwithoutreason.com/

Tips To Get Cheap Car Insurance

By Allan Elvin

With the cost of car insurance soaring high day by day, it is no wonder that more and more and people look for cheap deals. Unfortunately there is no specific insurance deal that can be called cheap. However, it does not mean that one cannot insure his car without bearing the burden of paying big premiums. Cheap car insurance can be availed by following the steps mentioned below.

To begin with, consider the deductible amount. This is the amount that you pay first when you make any claim and the cost of your policy is directly related to this amount. If you have a good driving record and are ready to take the risk of paying a bigger amount in the event of a claim, you can save money by increasing the deductible.

The type of car you drive can play a part in deciding how cheap a car insurance you can avail. Agencies ask for higher insurance rates for certain cars. Sports cars and other models that is most likely to be stolen cost more on insurance. Then, the universal advice - drive carefully. If you have had 3 speeding fines and 2 accidents in the last year, you may not find out cost-effective insurance deal. So, don’t pass the advice as passé.

By installing safety and anti-theft devices in your car, you can increase your chance of getting Cheap Car Insurance. Agencies will be ready to insure a car at cheap rate that is safer and less at risk of theft. An insurance policy has some features that can be varied and used to curb its cost. So, scrutinize your policy when it comes to renewal time to see whether there is any scope of making changes.

Many insurance agencies offer a discount for multiple policies. So, give a look at the other insurers and find out whether they have any discount to offer. Finally, make some research on the Internet. May be there is a cheap car insurance deal waiting for you but you do not know the agency. Browsing through some sites, you may reach to that.

Allan Elvin is an MBA in Finance and has a rich experience of writing on topics related to finance. He professes special interest and expertise in Cheap Car Insurance and in guiding you on its various details.

Family Support and Interaction While Working at Home

By Tara Martindale

Working at home sometimes cuts you off from the world outside and it may become lonely after time. Adult interaction is limited especially if working on line and phone conversations are minimal. People who work at home should make a special effort to go out and socialize with friends and family. This will keep them from feeling lonely and isolated while working at home. More work performed over the phone may also help with this. Meeting new people, even if it is over the phone, can keep things interesting and exciting.

The family may not view a work at home business and a legitimate business because the person gets to stay home. Especially in the beginning when the profits are not rolling in and a lot of time is spent learning and reading. More time may be spent away from the family when in the learning stage and the family may not take a liking to that. How can this be resolved to keep family peace?

A simple conversation about what is needed to start a work at home business and the time involved may be all it takes to make a family understand why so much time is spent on a business. Some may need more convincing and may also need to feel involved. This may help the family, especially children, not feel left out or abandoned.

If the children are old enough they can help out with small tasks such as, filing paper work, organizing office supplies, proof reading articles, clicking traffic exchanges if those are being used as an advertising tactic, coming up with ideas for advertising and articles and passing out or posting flyers around town. They could even make the flyers if their art skills are good enough.

Sometimes just being in the office with you would be enough for children, especially the smaller ones. Set up an area for them with their own table or desk and give them some supplies to color or draw with or small toys to play with to keep them busy and occupied. This may make them feel closer to you and allow them to interact with you so they don’t miss out on time being spent with you.

Spouses can get involved also. They can proof read or type out articles if they are prewritten. Advertise you and your business at their work place by word of mouth, posting flyers, emailing friends and coworkers and handing out business cards. If they would rather not get involved with the business but want to spend time with you, maybe they can help out more around the house so the chores are done and you’ll have more free time to spend with them after your work is complete.

It can sometimes be difficult to balance work and family but it is not impossible. Find the right schedule for you and your family and run with it. Be sure to make an effort to spend time with the family though, as they can get left behind in the shuffle of making your work at home business a success.

Tara Martindale specializes in helping people find the best work at home business opportunities available. Visit Tara's Work at Home Business Opportunities site for details.

Perfect Window Blinds

By David Faulkner

It’s really nice to have a beautiful window which adds up to the overall beauty of the room. Care must be taken while selecting and putting blinds on such windows so that their beauty is not compromised. It might take some searching but finding blinds that match with the outlook of the room is a worthwhile effort. So that instead of looking an odd thing out in the room, blinds should add up to the overall beauty of room by perfectly fitting in it. Harmony between the color and design of the window blinds and the room is very necessary so that the room aesthetics are well maintained.

Interior Decoration
Interior decoration can prove to be a hectic job in case if you are quite particular about things. Choosing between different designs, color and styles can become a very confusing job, when the market has varieties of whole range of blinds. However in present world things have become much easier due to the electronic and print media like internet, magazines. They provide good advices regarding the perfect and balanced outlook of a room while sitting in the home.
Especially with internet looking for anything related to interior decoration or blinds is just a click away, instead of getting tired doing window shopping and in the end getting more confused.
Magazines too are a good source of information about interior decorations giving expert opinions on different types of blinds and how can they add more beauty to your living room. Images of well furnished houses with different type of blinds on their windows help a lot in deciding about the ideal combination for your own room. Varieties of beautiful blinds are available for purchase on internet as well.

Getting things done effectively
After knowing about the ins and outs of interior decoration now the implementation phase starts. Even though things do work out sometimes by changing things randomly as long as you don’t get the perfect outlook, but usually they don’t and becomes quite a tiresome job as well.
It’s always better to get things done in an organized way so that you can have excellent results in as little time as possible. You should make a complete room plan covering windows as well as the floor on a paper before actually implementing it.

Money Matters
You want your room to be out of the world but unfortunately in reality many things hinder it, top among them being your financial situation. Interior decoration is quite an expensive matter and you must look into your pocket before going all out otherwise you can run into financial problems. Even here there should be harmony between spending on the interior decoration/blinds and your financial situation.

You can also find more info on wooden window and window blinds. Windowblindsreview.com is a comprehensive resource to know about Windows Blinds.

Travel Medical Insurance - Why You Can't Leave Home Without One

By Wade Robins

It's bad enough to fall ill or to encounter an accident these days, but it's worse if it happens to you while you're in a place that's far from home. You're out of reach of close friends and family members, you're in an unfamiliar place, and even the doctors who are likely to treat you are total strangers.

Travel medical insurance can't make everything alright, but it can substantially lessen your worries. When you know that you won't have to worry about paying the bills or going back home in case something unexpected happens, traveling becomes so much more enjoyable. Peace of mind is indeed priceless.

There are several companies offering travel medical insurance whose websites are comprehensive. This means that you can perform a veritable canvassing of prices and policies without having to leave the comforts of your home. Some websites even offer free personalized quotes and compare packages from different companies.

First, choose a company that offers 24/7 service for your travel medical insurance. What's the use of getting protection when you can't be served when you need it? Second, choose the package which you think would benefit you the most. If you feel that you can manage with a policy that pays only a percentage of your medical bills, that's fine. They would, of course, cost a lot less than travel medical insurance policies that would practically "pay all the bills."

Third, ask your travel medical insurance agent about pre-existing medical conditions which may disqualify you from making certain claims. This is especially important if you are 55 years of age or older. It's a given that any kind of policy has its own fine print, so make sure you read it thoroughly.

Feel free to ask travel medical insurance companies about health advisories and required vaccinations. If you fail to comply with the rules set forth by the country you are visiting, chances are your travel medical insurance won't be liable for the medical costs you'd incur that are related to that ruling which you failed to pay attention to.

A few of the items you need to look into when choosing your travel medical insurance are doctors' fees, hospital payments, ambulance services, emergency treatments, return flights home, and prescriptions.

Next time you fly, don't get caught flat-footed. You'll be saved from a lot of trouble when you're armed with the right kind of travel medical insurance.

You can also find more info on Travel Guard Insurance and Travel Insurance For Backpackers travelinsurance-help.com is a comprehensive resource to get information about Travel Insurance.

Dehydrated Strawberries - A Threat To Masculinity?

By Judy Wellsworth

The next time you snack on a trail mix, take a careful look at the dried fruits included. There are raisins, bananas, maybe some kinds of berries, but dehydrated strawberries are missing. It is hard to explain this phenomenon because when you think about it, cowboys traveling along the American trails in the west or anywhere else must have come across some strawberries. But then why is it that dehydrated strawberries always seem to be forgotten when it is time to put in the dried fruits in the trail mix?

One answer to this might be that cowboys, who are supposedly very manly and tough, do not want to be seen munching on strawberries, as these fruits are deemed to be more suited to ladies and young, rosy-cheeked children. Eating dehydrated strawberries might reduce their masculinity in the opinion of their peers, and cause serious damage to their tough demeanor. Thus, dehydrated strawberries have been excluded from the trail mix, to protect the manly reputation of these cowboys.

However, even these so-called macho men probably do like dehydrated strawberries even if they would not admit it to anybody. After all, who would not enjoy these delicious fruits, which are also very nutritious for your body?

If you do not have a 'macho reputation' to protect, and you would openly reach for dehydrated strawberries, then you should know certain things about these dried fruits. The most important thing you should know is that the best kind of dehydrated strawberries is the organic kind.

These are dehydrated strawberries with no preservatives added. There are no additional chemicals involved in this kind of dehydrated strawberries, and it is much better for your health. It is just as if you were eating fresh strawberries, in terms of taste and nutritional content.

So the next time you are tempted to eat a dehydrated strawberry, just think about how it would be very good for your body. Forget about what your cowboy buddies would think. For all you know, they could even be eating dehydrated strawberries right now as well.

You can also find more info on Dehydrated Potato and Dehydrated Refried Beans Dehydratedfoodguide.com is a comprehensive resource to know about Dehydrated Foods.