Valentine's Day Gift Ideas for Him

By Angelique Ellerman

For the Music Lover: A new iPod along with a personalized case makes a much appreciated gift. Or if he already has an iPod get him an apple iPod gift certificate to go shopping online for the music that he likes. Another idea is to find him tickets to a favorite concert.

For the Business Professional: A personalized leather briefcase or laptop case. His own personalized desk nameplate or a leather padfolio. Personalized desk accessories also work, like a clock, paperweight, business card holder or a personalized pen set.

For the Dad's: Get dad something he really wants or has been needing something new of; like a new robe, baseball cap or a personalized wallet or wallet/key chain combo. Cuff links are something every Dad eventually needs, so make his extra special and have them personalized. One more idea would be him own money clip or even a pocket watch personalized with his initials.

For the Mr. Fix It's: Power tools, a personalized swiss army knife or plain pocket knife. Or get a gift certificate to a favorite tools store, so they're sure to get the tools they want. Basically any tool that makes fixing the house easier on him will work just fine. Just make sure he doesn't already have one.

For the Man's Man: A universal remote so he never has to get up from the couch. This guy loves beer mugs or shot glasses so get him one that is personalized so he always knows which drink is his. Also a personalized flask with a favorite alcoholic beverage is a gift he is sure to appreciate and use. Maybe he wore out the old recliner and needs something more comfortable, but be careful you may want him to pick out this new recliner as he is probably attached to the old will and will need some coaxing. This man especially will want to experience his favorite sports team or TV shows in style, so maybe look into a new big screen TV. And last but not least the ultimate getaway, a weekend with the guys.

For the Sports Enthusiast: Because sports and beer go hand in hand, a personalized beer mug or shot glass with a favorite sports team logo will be a big hit. If you guy like to watch his sports at home, them get him a personalized flask with sports team logo and make sure it's filled with his favorite beverage of choice. One of the best gifts for this guy is to get them tickets to a favorite sports event.

For the Golfer: Golfing accessories are a sure win for this guy, so find gifts like: golf playing cards & dice set, divot tool & ball maker or a golf Accessory bag. Maybe he finally wore out his old set of clubs and needs a new set of clubs. Another idea to show you support his hobby would be to personalize a crystal golf driver celebrating a hole in one, engraved with their name, and the date, time and place of this wondrous event. Or spoil him this golf season and get him a paid membership or a gift certificate to a favorite green.

For the Romantic: Start with a romantic dinner for two, afterwards break out the presents. A photo of the two of you makes a nice gift, but it will be cherished more if it is personalized towards both of you. If the two of you like to snuggle on the couch and watch movies, try a personalized throw blanket complete with a cozy picture of the happy couple. Spice up the evening with an exciting game of sexy dice or card game. Plus it gives you a great opportunity for learning new and exciting things about your partner. Because he is a true romantic he will be happy just spending quality time with you.

Most of these gift ideas are made all the more special by using personalization. It takes an ordinary gift and turns it into something treasured. Personalization also shows how well you know him and makes him the king of his kingdom. Happy shopping :-)

Angie writes articles for helping shoppers find gifts, providing shopping tips and how to benefit from personalized gifts, promotional products and awards. Her work is sponsored by Wealthwood Gifts and Blog Wealthwood.

Article source: Valentines Gifts For Him.

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

Predicting Happiness? Guess Again

By Gene Pinder

Think you can predict your future happiness?

Guess again.

A number of studies have consistently shown that we all incorrectly predict whether or not something in the future will make us happy.

Here's one quick example.

Associate professors were asked to estimate their overall level of happiness if they made tenure or were denied it. The results of the study? It found (at least in the short term) that those who were given tenure were less happy than they expected, and those professors who were denied tenure were actually happier than they predicted.

Think about that the next time you consider changing jobs or buying a new car. Will you be as happy as you think you will be? Probably not.

The same is true, by the way, for overly pessimistic predictions. We tend to be both overly optimistic and pessimistic. In fact, psychology author and researcher Dan Gilbert says that most events in our lives have a small impact that don't last very long.

Along those same lines -- most of us return to a state of personal happiness after some specific events. Some researchers have dubbed this the "hedonic treadmill." That is, something happens in your life which changes (sometimes dramatically) your well-being. Perhaps you win the lottery or get seriously injured in a car crash. But eventually, according to the experts, whether it's elation or sadness -- you eventually fall back into your normal range of happiness. That's why lottery winners over time don't report themselves any happier, even with the kind of cash most of us can only dream about.

Of course, other studies have pointed out that some people never return to their happiness "baseline." The loss of a spouse may seriously and permanently affect a person's well-being.

What's to be learned?

Keep an even keel when steering the waters of happiness and well-being.

Gene Pinder is the assistant director of an executive master's program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He is also the author of The Psychology of Satisfaction and Happiness, a blog focusing on the current science and research of well-being. A journalist and marketer by training, Gene is also an artist of original oils and acrylic paintings.

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

What Are The Best Locations To Buy An Overseas Property?

By Laura Cheshire

Where to buy abroad? That is the big question! If you're thinking of investing in overseas property wouldn't it be perfect to find an undiscovered paradise where property values will increase ten-fold in the next three years! Yes it has happened before but for every investment success story there are more that haven't fulfilled their potential.

The best location to buy abroad comes down to what you want the property to do for you.

If you require a regular income from letting the property you should look at locations with a good track record of demand such as Spain, France and Italy. You might consider speculating on up-and-coming areas such as Bulgaria, Turkey or Morocco, but bear in mind it could take time to provide a regular income.

If you're looking for a short term return on your investment then buying off-plan is one of the best ways to achieve this. Buying 'off plan' is buying a property before it is built. You buy often at a reduced rate due to incentives from the developer keen to sell. You then sell it on after completion often at a good return in a short space of time. You may even decide to sell before completion if the values have risen. If buying off plan then often the 'newer' countries in the market offer the best return. Places such as The Dominican Republic are becoming very popular with US and Canadian citizens due to better transport and the building of 'super resorts' such as the new development at Punta Perla.

A good property agent will offer you advice on the best options available.

If the property is to provide a long term return on your investment you have more options. As with any investment you have to decide how much risk you are prepared to take. For example, Spain is probably one of the safest countries to buy due to demand, but the return may not be as much as an up and coming area such as Egypt or an, as yet, 'undiscovered paradise'.

If this is to be a holiday home for you then it's really quite obvious it should be somewhere you like! Keep in mind that you will be returning on a regular basis so the cost of flights should be included in your budget.

If the property is to be your permanent residence choose a location you are already familiar with and can speak the language with some confidence, or be prepared to take language lessons. Also consider the distance and ease of travel for family and friends who will want to keep in touch - and get a cheap holiday at the same time!

Take your time to decide the exact reason for buying abroad and this will create a shortlist of the best places. Visit the location if possible and talk to others who have bought there and talk to a reputable overseas property agent. If you do your homework you will be far more likely to meet your objectives and discover the joys of buying overseas.

Laura Cheshire has worked in the overseas property market for over 4 years and appreciates its a big decisions to make. She feels it is essential to find the right property and be within your budget. For more information and advice see buying overseas off plan property.

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

Best Web Hosting or Low Cost Web Hosting?

By Keshav Kaushik

Underestimating the Best Web Hosting Services of the Low Cost Web Hosting Companies.
With an astronomical number of web hosting companies around, it is always a harder task to choose the best company. You cannot simply close your eyes and pick up simply anyone.
Everyone desires and deserves the best company with the best possible hosting services. The hosting company that you choose determines the future of your website to a great extent.

There has been a surge in growth in the hosting industry in recent years, bringing in more competition all the time. And the resultant factor is the numerous low cost web hosting providers that have come to the fore, their chief tool to fight the bigger hosting houses being the low price.

When it comes to choosing your web hosting provider, the factor which is considered at the beginning, by a lot many of us is the price, the affordability. Everyone desires the best company at the lowest possible price. And as such the low cost web hosting companies are doing a rocking business. But there exists a constant competition between the high cost hosting companies and the low cost companies as to prove which is the best provider.

The hosting companies charging more claim that the low cost web hosting providers could hardly look after all the issues of hosting and also are unable to provide proper support at times. A common belief about the low cost companies is that they depend on sheer volume for their profits and so they are unable to support the demand of high bandwidth, slowing down the simplest of the websites. Most of us also believe that the low cost providers offer poor service as compared to the bigger and high cost providers. This is not true in all the cases as some of them provide better services than the high cost ones and the best web hosting services.

But as the old adage goes "You get what you pay for", this may sometimes prove true in hosting also. When you pay more it is most liable that you will get the best web hosting services. The companies that charge more are obligated to respond to all your queries, at any time. But the low cost companies are not impelled. Their price rebates could be the answer to all your queries.

And as far the high cost web hosting companies are concerned, it's their brand that counts. Most of us go for high cost because of the brand name, brand equity may be. But with such a high number of clients, it is sometimes impossible to render the best web hosting services to all of them, and they may not be able to provide proper support also.

Another view could be that going for the low cost web hosting companies is a compromise between price and quality service. They simply go for the basics - bandwidth, disk space and technical support. These pre-conceived notions restricts the customers from delving deep into very low priced and even the free services offered by them.

But the main point of all the debate is that nothing is predictable and as such it is imperative to conduct a proper research to get the best services.

e2webhosts.com

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

Hookah smoking: Is it safer than smoking cigarettes?

Hookah smoking is not safer — and may even be more harmful — than smoking cigarettes.
From MayoClinic.com

Q: Is hookah smoking safer than cigarettes? I've been told that the water used in the hookah makes the tobacco less toxic.

There is a myth that hookah smoking is safer than smoking cigarettes because the hookah smoke is filtered through water before it is inhaled. But recent studies have found that hookah smokers actually inhale more nicotine than do cigarette smokers because of the massive volume of smoke they inhale.

Hookah — also called narghile, shisha and goza — is a water pipe. The device has been used for centuries in the Middle East and Asia to smoke tobacco. Now, hookah bars and cafes are popping up across the United States — fueled by the growing popularity of hookah smoking among teens and young adults.

The hookah device consists of four parts:

• A base, or smoke chamber, which is partially filled with water
• A bowl, which contains tobacco and the heating source
• A pipe that connects the bowl to the base and dips into the water in the base
• A hose, a second tube in the pipe that does not dip into the water but opens into air in the base and allows users to inhale the hookah smoke

When a smoker inhales through the tube, a pressure difference forces air past the heating source and heats the tobacco, which gives off smoke. The smoke is pulled away from the tobacco and passes through the water and into the smoke chamber — where it is inhaled by the smoker.

Although many believe that the water in the hookah filters out all the "bad stuff" in the tobacco smoke, this isn't true. According to a recent World Health Organization (WHO) advisory, a typical one-hour session of hookah smoking exposes the user to 100 to 200 times the volume of smoke inhaled from a single cigarette. Even after passing through the water, the tobacco smoke produced still contains high levels of toxic compounds, including carbon monoxide, heavy metals and cancer-causing chemicals (carcinogens). Hookah smoking also delivers significant levels of nicotine — the very addictive substance in tobacco.

The trend of hookah smoking has doctors and public health experts concerned because — despite the claim of many users — smoking from a hookah is just as dangerous as smoking a cigarette.

content by:
Mayo Clinic

©1998-2008 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). All rights reserved. A single copy of these materials may be reprinted for noncommercial personal use only. "Mayo," "Mayo Clinic," "MayoClinic.com," "Mayo Clinic Health Information," "Reliable information for a healthier life" and the triple-shield Mayo logo are trademarks of Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. Terms of use.

Diet Plans For Muscle Building

By Peter Tremayne

Diet plans for muscle building are crucial to your success. Exercise and weight training can only do so much for you. If you are not implementing the right diet into your muscle building journey, you are essentially not doing yourself much good at all. Knowing what to eat and how to eat are critical elements in it.

Remember when you were younger, your parents told you that every growing child has to eat the right foods to become big and strong? Well, the same applies now, even as an adult. In order to grow, you have to eat, but in order to grow in the desired way, you have to eat right. Eating the wrong foods will lead to fat. In body building, there is nothing worse than fat.

There are many different types of diet plans for muscle building. These include protein, anabolic, and low carb diets. The protein diet is one diet that many body builders use and maintain. It is a known fact in the world of bodybuilding that protein is necessary to gain the muscle mass you are looking for. There are many ways you can get your protein, but with a protein diet, it consists of animal meats and other such forms of protein.

Another one of the many diet plans for it is the anabolic diet. This diet is not as popular because it takes more discipline and careful planning. In this diet, all you eat is protein, that is it - nothing more. Carbs are kept to a minimum during the week. When the weekend comes, carbs are allowed and you try to eat as many as you possibly can. However, this really takes some discipline.

If you are not careful and watchful, the anabolic diet can actually increase your body fat instead of your muscles. It is important to stick to the diet during the weekdays, in order to refrain from gaining the fat.

The low carb diet is another of the diet plans for muscle building. Again, in this diet, you are limiting the amount of carbs you are eating. However, as with the anabolic diet, it is not the preferred diet for bodybuilders. It is difficult to stick with and tends to wear out the bodybuilder quickly, increasing fatigue and weakness.

The reason for this is that your body loves carbs. It turns the carbs into fuel for the body.
However, with this diet, the body is tricked into using fat for its fuel instead of carbs. Depending on who you talk to, this diet may also cause you to lose muscles as well.

For more articles like this and to download an awesome FREE Report - '8 Things You MUST Do To Build Maximum Muscle' visit my website -

http://www.BodyBuildersGuide.com/Diet-Plans-For-Muscle-Building

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

Smoking: Does it cause wrinkles?

Smoking can accelerate the aging process of your skin. Find out how.
From MayoClinic.com

Q: Is it true that smoking causes wrinkles?
Melinda / Pennsylvania

Yes. Smoking can accelerate the normal aging process of your skin, contributing to wrinkles. These skin changes may occur after only 10 years of smoking and are irreversible.

How does smoking lead to wrinkles? Smoking causes narrowing of the blood vessels in the outermost layers of your skin. This impairs blood flow to your skin, depleting it of oxygen and important nutrients, such as vitamin A. Smoking also damages collagen and elastin — fibers that give your skin its strength and elasticity. As a result, skin begins to sag and wrinkle prematurely.
Smoking doesn't only cause wrinkles on your face. A 2007 study found that smoking is associated with increased wrinkling and skin damage on other parts of the body, including the inner arms.

In addition, repeated exposure to the heat from burning cigarettes and the facial expressions you make when smoking — such as pursing your lips when inhaling and squinting your eyes to keep out smoke — may contribute to wrinkles.

Source: MayoClinic

©1998-2008 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). All rights reserved. A single copy of these materials may be reprinted for noncommercial personal use only. "Mayo," "Mayo Clinic," "MayoClinic.com," "Mayo Clinic Health Information," "Reliable information for a healthier life" and the triple-shield Mayo logo are trademarks of Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. Terms of use.

Sleep Well in Your Green Bedroom

By Mark Zawaideh

We all know about the benefits of eating organic foods and using eco-friendly free cleaners and other household items, but now this toxin-free existence has extended into other areas of the house. Apparently a tidy, relatively dust-free bedroom just doesn't cut it anymore in today's chemical ridden society.

How green is your rug? Natural products such as jute or wool are the most desirable.

Your bedroom furniture may be oozing toxic gases. Anything composed of particle board or paneling and left unsealed, can emit formaldehyde and has the potential to cause difficulty in breathing, watery eyes, or allergies. Extreme levels have been known to cause cancer in animals and humans.

When you're painting your walls, look for a low VOC brand that contains less toxins. A good rule of thumb is, the stronger the paint smell after you put it on the wall, the higher the level of toxicity.

How many of us are sleeping on an organic bed? An organic bed emits no toxic chemicals and provides a healthy sleep environment.

Most traditional mattresses are made with fire retardant chemicals which seep out, only to be absorbed by our pores and lungs while we are sleeping. After ingesting various chemicals throughout our average day, it gives our bodies a much needed rest if we omit these toxins from our sleeping hours. This is especially true when you consider that people spend about one third of their life in bed.

Some of the common toxins emitted during sleep include:

• Formaldehyde, a chemical which is used in many adhesives and can cause eye and throat irritation and headaches.
• Carcinogenic flame-retardants (known as PBDE’s), many of which are banned in Europe and some U.S. States.
• Decabromodiphenyl Oxide, a brominated flame retardant now being found in women's breast milk.

Here are a few of the green features in organic bedding and mattresses:

• Natural latex cores wrapped in a natural flame retardant such as cotton or wool
• Emission-free mattresses that contain neither glue nor adhesives (these can emit toxic fumes for the first 2-3 years)
• Natural fiber bedding that not only breathes, but naturally resists dust mites
• Any cotton material used in the production of the bedding should be unbleached. Traditional cotton is not an acceptable choice due to its exposure to large amounts of pesticides and fertilizers prior to harvesting.
• No PBDE’s (fire retardants)
• Hypo-allergenic
• Made in a chemical-free manufacturing plant

Various affordable green mattress retailers include IKEA, Cozypure, Gaiam Greensleep/Vimala and EcoChoices.

Mark Zawaideh, a top sales associate in the United States, and based in the Northville Michigan real estate market. If you're looking to buy or sell property in the Canton MI real estate area, be sure to visit Mark at MarkZProperties.com.

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

Sleeping Pills: Risks and Realities

Q & A with Dr. Donald R. Jasinski, a toxicologist and renowned expert in the field of chemical dependency
By Rich Maloof for MSN Health & Fitness

The sad news this week of actor Heath Ledger’s passing was followed immediately by a landslide of conjecture about his life and death. Police reports of sleeping pills and other medications on the premises gave way to the speculation that nowadays seems inevitable after a celebrity dies. As this article was being posted, an official toxicology report was still days away.

MSN Health & Fitness consulted Dr. Donald R. Jasinski, a toxicologist and renowned expert in the field of chemical dependency, to get the straight facts about the realities and risks associated with sleeping pills. Jasinski is professor of medicine at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and chief of the Center for Chemical Dependence at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center.

Q: Can you first identify the different classes of sleeping pills, and explain which ones carry the risk of a lethal overdose?

A: An overdose is possible with all of them. The issue, though, is the amount of drug for the particular overdose. There are different toxicities for each type.

Antihistamines
First are the over-the-counter sleeping pills. Most of those are the antihistamine known as diaphenhydramine, or Benadryl, which is used very commonly as a sleeping pill. The recommended dosage for adults is usually 25 milligrams to 50 milligrams, while the lethal dose is usually somewhere over a gram. So, Benadryl is fairly safe—but if you take enough of it, yes, you can get toxicity. Death is pretty rare but you can get a toxicity from it.

Major tranquilizers
Then there are the major tranquilizers. These are probably the most widely prescribed.
Psychiatrists will often prescribe trazodone—one common trade name is Desyrel—as an anti-depressant, but doctors widely prescribe it as a sleeping pill, which is an off-label use. Trazodone is pretty safe and not known to be particularly addicting.

Barbiturates
The third class is barbiturates, but I haven’t seen anyone take barbiturates in years. A few are still on the market but hardly anyone uses them anymore.
Benzodiazepines and related sedatives

The other class is those related to the benzodiazepines, including minor tranquilizers. They include drugs [sold under the names] Valium, Xanax, Sonata, and Lunesta. The prototype drug in this class is zolpidem, or Ambien. In therapeutic use, it can produce dizzyness, light-headedness, lethargy and maybe some gastrointestinal upset, but that’s relatively minor.

Q: What are the toxicity risks of benzodiazepines?

A: Taken alone, you can get drowsiness, you can change your heart rate, your speech will get slurred, you’ll vomit, you’ll get confused, you can hallucinate. You can get agitated and your heart rate goes up. Occasionally, with a very big dose, you can go into a coma.If you go into poisoning, you can get respiratory depression and CNS [central nervous system] depression. But usually people don’t die.

The big problem comes when you mix these with other drugs. If you look at the Drug Abuse Warning Network, DAWN, for drug-related deaths and emergency room visits, most incidents of toxicity related to benzodiazepines occur when they’re mixed with alcohol or with opiates. Drugs such as morphine, codeine, oxycodone and hydrocodone are opiates.

Q: Is toxicity expected when they’re mixed with antidepressants or anti-anxiety meds?

A: It depends. Some medications for mood disorders are also benzodiazepines, and these types of drugs are not particularly addictive. It’s usually the other two classes of drugs—the alcohol or the opiates.

Sometimes, with the mixing of [sleeping pills] and anti-depressants, you might have a toxic action on the heart. If you mix drugs you sometimes get a lethal combination.

Q: How do they damage the heart?

A: Some of these drugs may make the heart susceptible to stimulation and cause an arrhythmia. That’s why you worry about cocaine on top of some of these drugs. What happens is, cocaine stimulates the heart, and the stimulation can all of a sudden throw the heart into an arrhythmia.
The other issue here is that you have a high incidence of sudden death syndrome.

Q: Sudden death associated with what?

A: For unexplained reasons, people just die. You see young people dying an unexplained death, and sometimes it’s thought to be that they had a propensity toward a cardiac arrhythmia. There is this susceptibility in certain people, and sometimes it’s thought that the drugs make it worse.

Q: So a person can be susceptible with no indication of an existing condition.

A: Some people simply seem to have susceptibilities to sudden death syndrome. Is susceptibility innate? Susceptibility can be congenital, meaning you’re born with it, or it can be induced—say by drugs or something else.

Q: Are some people more likely than others to have a toxic reaction to sleeping pills?

A: Generally the toxicity with these drugs is relatively low. But you always find a rare person who will take a low, therapeutic dose of a drug and have a bad reaction to it. Drug response is often measured in a “distribution curve,” a simple bell-shaped curve. Most people fall right in the middle. At the front end of the curve you have a few people who don’t respond at all to the drug, and at tail end you get a few people who are hypersensitive.

Q: How loose are the standards for prescribing sleeping pills? Are there specific diagnostic criteria?

A: Well, there’s a very high incidence of insomnia, especially with the aging population. A lot of people have trouble sleeping for various sorts of reasons. So it’s been pretty standard to prescribe certain sleeping pills. I have no idea exactly how many are out there, but my guess is that millions of people take them without any problems. The problems come with people tending to increase the dose on their own, or mixing them with alcohol or other drugs.

Q: Are they commonly abused for psychoactive effects?

A: No. If you’re going to abuse one to get high, it’s usually diazepam, which is Valium; alprazolam, which is Xanax; or lorazepam, which is Ativan. Some [sleeping pills] can produce psychoactive effects, but they’re not particularly useful for this. They’re not a drug of abuse where they’re being sold on the street for people to get high. People may abuse them, but when you push the dose you generally fall asleep.

Q: You mentioned the possibility of arrhythmia. Aren’t most of these overdose fatalities caused by respiratory failure?

A: Most of the deaths involving sleeping pills and alcohol or opioid drugs are due to respiratory depression. It’s depressing the brain center that controls respiration. You have two mechanisms for breathing, simply speaking. You can voluntarily take a breath, or, if you hold your breath, the carbon dioxide in your bloodstream builds up and stimulates a center in your brain that makes you take a breath. That’s why you can’t kill yourself just by holding your breath.

What happens is, if you give somebody these drugs, it lowers the sensitivity of the respiratory center to the carbon dioxide. Eventually it blocks the response to carbon dioxide. So you first take something that makes you fall asleep, and eventually you lose that automatic protective mechanism.

You probably can’t produce complete respiratory depression with most of the diazepenes, but when you mix them with alcohol or opiates, you can shut that mechanism down.

Q: Are there any other misconceptions about sleeping pill use and abuse we should address?

A: I think the issue is underestimating the danger of mixing them with other drugs. They are fairly safe drugs—the problem is big doses and drinking. Toxicity is generally not a concern unless you’re taking particularly big doses, you’re sensitive to the drug, or if you’re combining them with alcohol or other drugs.

Interview conducted and compiled by Rich Maloof.

Source: MSN

Five Reasons to Visit Turkey in 2008

By Rhiannon Williamson

The stunning nation of Turkey is the one country in the world where east truly meets west - because the country is located in South-eastern Europe and spans such a large geographic landmass that it also reaches into South-western Asia.

As a result, Turkey is a nation of mixed cultural and historic flavours, a country where the modern skyscrapers of Istanbul stand alongside the minarets of ancient mosques, and where holiday makers can experience a whole host of flavours, sights and events in just a short visit.

If you're thinking about where to go for a weekend break, a summer holiday getaway or for a holiday of a lifetime, there are a million reasons to visit Turkey - and in this article we will explore five of the best reasons for you to look a little more closely at this country of contrasts.

1) Culture and retail therapy in Istanbul. Side by side on the streets of Istanbul you have the most luxurious shopping malls in the world with grand bazaars where peddlers vie for your trade as they sell locally grown produce. As a backdrop to the eclectic mix of retail delights on the streets of Istanbul you have legendary landmarks such as the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia - and so no matter what you prefer doing when on holiday, you are sure to find thrills and experiences to delight you in Istanbul.

2) Sailing the sun-drenched seas off the south coast. The southern coastline of Turkey is known as the Turkish Riviera. It is home to famous resorts such as Bodrum, Alanya, Antalya and Side and from each of these beautiful towns you can charter boats to bob about on the Mediterranean and Aegean seas whilst basking in the summer sunshine.

3) Castle hoping. Along the south coast in Turkey there are crusader castles in towns such as Bodrum and Alanya and you can explore these stunning ruins and the museums they now house...getting to learn more about how this is one nation that has been fought over for generations because of its stunning beauty, its geographic importance and because of the wealth of natural resources it is home to.

4) Sun, sea and sand sampling. Turkey's Riviera is world famous as a summer holiday destination and it's not surprising...enjoying a summer season that spans from March through to November and an extremely temperate winter season, you can enjoy the beaches, the surf and the stunning sunshine when on holiday in this part of the nation.

5) Sumptuous cuisine and excellent wine. Turkish cuisine is all about using the very best locally grown produce and cooking it simply to ensure the natural flavours are maintained. You can enjoy a meze, which is a meal of many tiny offerings of local dishes, followed perhaps by a traditional fish dish or kebab, and you can wash the whole lot down with a bottle of Turkey's finest red or white wine. The food and drink available in Turkey is exquisite and of very high quality...but watch out for the deserts which are highly addictively sweet!

If you're looking for a stunning nation in which to explore history, culture, leisure pursuits and landscapes, give Turkey a look in 2008.

Rhiannon Williamson writes about property in Turkey on her website Shelter Offshore

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

BMI, Body Fat & Health Risks

You may have heard of the body mass index, but what does your BMI number mean?
By Martica Heaner, M.A., M.Ed., for MSN Health & Fitness

BMI is a formula that factors in height and weight to produce a number designed to estimate the presence of excess body fat. Compared to going by body weight alone, a BMI measurement is a better assessment of fatness since it takes height into account. For example, only knowing a person weighs 160 pounds isn’t enough information to assess whether they carry too much fat. Factoring in a person’s height helps put their weight into perspective: Someone who is 5-foot-10 and 160 pounds may not be over-fat, while someone who is 5-foot-1 and 160 pounds is more likely to carry excess fat.

BMI and health risks
Higher BMI numbers are associated with increased risks of disease and death, from conditions such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and some cancers. Research has found that the lowest and highest BMIs are associated with highest risks. So BMI numbers are grouped into categories meant to reflect the degree of risk a person faces. Those people with the lowest risks of disease seem to fall in the 18.5 to 24.9 BMI range, so they are considered to be “normal.”

A BMI of 25 seems to be the threshold where disease risk significantly increases, and a BMI of 30 confers even greater health risks. So these ranges have been separated into “overweight” and “obese” categories.

Extremely high BMIs are linked to even greater risks of certain diseases. An “underweight” category is included because being overly thin is also associated with increased health risks. For example, people in the underweight category may have anorexia nervosa, cancer (which is associated with weight loss), or be smokers (who tend to be thinner.)

Are you really fat or overweight if your BMI is 25 or above?
A BMI of 30 or above likely means that you are over-fat. But a 25+ BMI merely indicates that you are heavy, and while a heavier person is usually over-fat, this is not always the case.

People who are heavy may be that way because they are highly muscular. They may have a very low percentage of body fat, despite weighing more than expected on a scale. So their BMI number might unreliably suggest they have more body fat than they do. Athletic people, for instance, often have higher BMIs—but since they’re fit and lean, they are not necessarily at increased risk of certain diseases simply because they have a higher BMI.

On the other hand, older people may have more body fat and less muscle, but their BMI number may be on the low end of the scale, suggesting that they have less body fat than they do.

Very short people (under 5 feet) may also have high BMI numbers that do not reflect their degree of fatness. People who are ill or on medications that cause abnormal amounts of edema, or swelling in the body, may weigh more from excess fluid accumulation; a potentially higher BMI number may not reflect the absence or presence of body fat.

BMI is a useful tool when working with research data to estimate the prevalence of overweight and obesity and related diseases risks in thousands of people. It is also a useful way to monitor weight changes over time.

But since it does not directly measure body fat, or where body fat is distributed, it may not be the best method of judging individual levels of fatness and how it relates to health risks. That’s why other factors, such as waist size, are taken into account when assessing a person’s overall health risks.

How can you find out how fat you are?
Body fatness needs to be measured in a lab setting. Some lab equipment such as underwater scales, dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and other scanning methods such as the Bod Pod measure it directly. These methods may be impractical and too expensive for most people. Less reliable methods (but still more accurate than BMI) include skin fold testing and a commercial body fat scale. You may be able to be tested with these methods at a local health club.

Since fat in the abdominal area is considered to carry the greatest health risks, waist measurements are considered to be a valid way to assess risk associated with excess fat, and to monitor changes in belly fat over time.

Patchwork - An Integral Craft of India

By Keshav Kaushik

India, the land of diverse cultures, of diverse customs, of diverse languages and habits, and of diverse arts and crafts, yet united together by a single bond, its cultural richness, its art and craft, known to the world since ages. Patchwork, a sibling of the rich handcraft and art of the Indian subcontinent.

Also known as piecing, patchwork involves joining together pieces of fabric into a larger design. Patches of various shapes and colors lead to the making of a larger design, usually based on repeat patterns. Patchwork, one of the primary construction techniques of quilting, is often combined with appliqué. Basic geometric shapes are usually used in the making of most of the patch work items which need precise joining so that it lies without puckers.

Patch work in India is mainly associated with the westernmost states of Gujarat and Rajasthan, though Punjab and Orissa also practices this craft. Various coloured and patterned fabrics of different shapes and sizes are together on a plain background. An important feature characterizing Indian patchwork is that the stitches of the patches are not hidden but are done with jazzy shades which get highlighted, adding a more artistic appeal.

Making its way to India from Europe and Arabia, patchwork in an important craft in the country now, creating a unique art making dramatic use of colour. Gujarati patchwork items are the most well known ones. Highly ornamented with motifs, the magical spell of patch work items lies in the contors of each individual. Glaring motifs of trees, birds and animals in bold colors can be seen in each patchwork item - shaped patches sewn unto cotton cloth.

Expressing the stark monotony of the engulfing deserts, the patchwork items of the westernmost states of Gujarat and Rajasthan reveal the imaginations and innovations of the craftsman. Bold and beautiful, created with warmth and artistry, patch work still remains the integral art of the western states.

From patchwork quilts and bedcovers to patchwork wall hangings , runners and cushion covers, the range of patchwork items is a great one. When used in the making of a quilt, the large colorful composite patchwork becomes the top of a three layered quilt, the middle layer being the batting and the bottom layer the backing. The patchwork quilts are tinged with warmth and color, an artistic appeal sprinkled all through. A patchwork quilt is a respite from the staid conventional ones.

Patch work bedcovers and patchwork bed spreads are a modern way to give a traditional touch. A karwachauth celebration with a patchwork bedcover becomes more celebrative. A patchwork bedcover would make any festival more celebrative, more colorful.

A newer trend is setting in of using patchwork in decorative items. Patch work wall hangings are a traditional way to add color to every living room. Mounted onto a plain staid background, a patchwork wall hanging looks gorgeous and fashionable.

Take a break from staid leather, black and brown use patchwork cushion covers, an easy way to earn compliments, and approvals for your designer outlook.

indianhandicrafts.co.in

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

Valkor's Gold Making Guide

By Sergey Popov

I think you have already seen wow gold farmers who sell gold and earn real money. This is their business. But have you ever wondered how do they make so much gold? They make thousands gold a day. That's why I am writing this article, telling you about one of the best guide which contains gold making strategies and techniques which are used by these guys.

Valkor's Gold Making Guide is a 145-page PDF guide about most efficient gold making strategies and techniques which are used in World of Warcraft. Written by a player with 3 years playing experience, this guide carries a 5 Star rating on many wow sites. In the guide, Valkor reveals the step-by-step strategies, secrets and tips he uses to make thousands of gold every day. So let's talk more about it.

Valkor's Gold making Guide starts with detailed profession section which gives you all the gold making strategies, secrets and techniques regardless of your chosen profession. Then you will find much emphasis on buying low and selling high at the auction house. So you can choose which gold making strategies are the best for you: grinding or gold making with your profession. The guide comes in easy to print off format so that you can read it offline if you want to.

If you want to have all the information and the correct amount of detail to quickly become wealthy in World of Warcraft, you should take a look at Valkor's Gold Making Guide. Just visit the link below. Good luck.

Valkor's Gold Making Guide

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

Writing Articles Clearly and Easily

By Robert Charlton

Article writing is a useful means to lure people to your website.

You may have heard the expression that "Content is King". Search engines, such as Google, Yahoo and MSN reward websites that have useful content with higher rankings. The higher your website is ranked on the search engine results page the more traffic your website will get.
Two basic points you should keep in mind while writing an article are:

(1) Use the simplest possible language that still conveys your meaning clearly.

Your writing should reach the greatest number of readers. Therefore it must be understood by the widest range of people. Editors of magazines and newspapers instruct their writers to use the "fourth grade level".

However, using simple language is not possible for all types of publications. Many technical magazines will use complex language to explain obscure points. For such writing an appropriate level of complexity is needed. Apart from such magazines it's always preferable to use the simplest and most straightforward writing style possible.

(2) Present your ideas in an interesting manner.

Your ideas should be presented in a way so that they are useful to the audience. Organize your ideas in a manner that entertains the readers. Make sure not to write too much detail so that the readers feel bored. Most articles written for the internet or for magazines are in a classic style known as "five paragraph essay", which is an ideal format for writing articles in brief. Following this style you can express your ideas in a very interesting way with a good beginning and ending.

Five paragraph essay - Step by step guide:

1) First paragraph: Introduction to present the actual topic and related concepts in brief.

2) Second, Third and Fourth paragraphs: Support or expand points in the introduction in simple and creative language.

3) Fifth paragraph: Conclusion, which fully summarizes the topic.

You can write well for magazines or the Internet if you can effectively write five paragraph essays in clear and understandable language. So, by using the simplest possible language and organizing your ideas in an effective manner, you can become a successful article writer.
Remember to use a conversational style and employ the "Spelling and Grammar" function in word processor software.

Writing articles doesn't need to be an overwhelming task. Once you get in the groove you'll find that you can produce several articles each day without strain.

Robert Charlton has been writing for years, mostly for the entertainment of friends and family. After discovering the internet he has been having the time of his life, sharing what he has learned during his lifetime and helping other people to be successful. He owns the website http://www.WritingTheEasyWay.com and can be found everyday pounding away on his keyboard with a smile on his face.

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

‘Anorexia nearly killed my wife’

To better understand a loved one's illness, Tom Cramer stopped eating, too
By Tom Cramer, as told to Brian Alexander

Psychiatric wards are places where they take sharp objects and shoelaces from patients. My wife lived in one for two weeks, when doctors feared she was a danger to herself.

The day Meg was admitted, she was 83 pounds, down from a healthy 109 on her 5'1" frame just five months earlier. Driving home from the aerobics class she taught, she had become nauseated and faint and had chest pains. She went to the ER, where they sent her to the psychiatric ward.
When I arrived, I was terrified — and relieved. Maybe, finally, doctors could help her in ways I hadn’t been able to. It was the beginning of Meg’s fight to overcome anorexia, and the start of my own to help the woman I love so much.

Perfect beginnings
After my first date with Meg during my freshmen year of college, I came home and told my roommate, “I could see myself marrying her one day.” He wrote those words in his journal, and five and a half years later, read them aloud to the guests at our wedding. Meg became my best friend, someone who laughed at my goofy jokes, knew a lot about the Steelers and was scary smart. After we had our sons, Mikey and Ryan, she floored me all over again as a mother. Our happiness was clearly visible: People would ask me, “What’s your secret?” and I would say, “When you find the right person, everything else is easy.”

But not everything was easy for Meg. Before we had kids, she worked in child advocacy in Washington, D.C., and loved her career — but when my job transfer forced us to move to North Carolina and then to Pittsburgh, where both our families were, Meg became a stay-at-home mom. Living just miles from our parents, she felt she was under constant scrutiny, pressured to be the perfect wife, mother, daughter and daughter-in-law. I began to understand that beneath my wife’s tough exterior, she was a pleaser.

This desire for perfection extended to Meg’s body. She’d always compared herself to other women, pointing out ones who were thinner. After the birth of our youngest, Ryan, she was determined to lose the last 20 pounds of baby weight. Through dieting and exercise, the pounds came off, and Meg started to wear sexy clothes and exude confidence. When she began teaching and taking daily aerobics classes and cutting out most food, though, even our then five-year-old noticed the difference. “My mom is the queen of salads!” he announced once to a waitress.

I wish I could say that love led me to know what to do. But instead I was cocky. Eating disorders didn’t happen to perfect couples like us. Although I knew she was very thin, I wasn’t able to see that she had a serious disease. I remember bragging to friends that my wife was a hot aerobics instructor.

Wanting to fix things
My arrogance also made me think that I could fix things. As an engineer, I identify an issue and find a solution. “I can handle this,” I told myself. There was, after all, a simple answer: Meg needed to eat more, and I thought I could persuade her to do that. I reasoned that Meg’s job was to get her prescribed calories and readjust her thinking; mine was to take care of the house and kids while she did that. I became superdad: I made dinner for the boys and started cleaning. Every toy was in place, and one dirty sock became a reason to do the laundry.

Since that time, I’ve learned that anorexia does not have an on/off switch. What Meg needed from me was adult interaction and emotional support, not clean clothes. Which is why, under my brilliant strategy, we went from a couple that rarely fought to one that argued all the time about food and the gym.

The more I pushed her to change, the more she pushed back. She tossed the sexy clothes and adopted a uniform of baggy pants and shirts to hide her wasting body from me. We rarely made love. She had so little energy that she’d fall in bed by eight, just after the kids went to sleep. Her allergies flared and her periods stopped. I found myself making excuses for Meg’s gaunt appearance, telling friends and family that she had the flu or another illness.

Our arguments escalated until one night we went out without the kids and I ordered a cheeseburger for her. She refused to touch it. I begged. Finally I said, “If you really love me, you will eat this!” She wouldn’t. I knew she still loved me, but I was devastated. The plate sat there between us, untouched.

To Meg that meal was probably like so many others, with me nagging and her not budging. But to me it marked a milestone. I finally realized that this wasn’t an eating problem. Meg was fighting me as she never had before, and the problem was more than food. The flawless world I’d convinced myself we lived in had spun out of control. We weren’t perfect. And Meg was very, very sick. Two weeks after my failed showdown at the restaurant, I got the call from Meg at the hospital. Doctors said she’d almost had heart failure and that she was in a state of extreme emotional distress.

My own anorexia experience
After Meg was hospitalized and we started weekly group therapy sessions, I went into overdrive to understand what was pushing my wife to shun food. Didn’t Meg see her ribs sticking out or the sad bit of muscle clinging to her butt? Wasn’t she smart enough to know she should just eat more? I wanted to be inside her head, in her skin, to grasp what was doing this to the woman I thought I knew so well.

In these therapy sessions Meg and others talked repeatedly about the feeling of control they got from anorexia. But what did that mean? How could your own mind tell you to starve yourself?
How could you feel good about it? When I imagined missing just one meal, let alone most, there was no payoff, nothing that made it worthwhile. I decided that if I was going to truly understand those emotions — and truly help Meg — I needed to feel what she was feeling, so I decided to starve myself.

For more than a week, without telling anyone, I tried to simulate anorexia. In addition to my daily routine of running three miles, I severely limited my calories. I’d have juice and maybe a banana for breakfast and a small salad for dinner. Since Meg and I usually ate separately, she didn’t notice. But I was exhausted and irritable; my head ached constantly. I’d lie in bed at night and think, I am so hungry! How does she do it? How can the voice Meg hears be so powerful?

But by day three, I began hearing the voice too: “Come on, you can do it. Don’t give in. You’re better than that.” When I refused food, I had a sense of victory. The longer I resisted, the more powerful I felt. When Meg was admitted to the hospital, I thought that she had failed and allowed this to happen. Now I understood the seduction of the words in her head, how they could override the most basic human survival instincts. And I saw her as a hero — who had to be incredibly strong in her fight to recover.

I didn’t tell Meg about my experiment for almost a year, but my attitude changed immediately. No longer ashamed because I thought my wife was weak, I got over my need for us to be exalted as perfect. I stopped lying to friends and family that Meg had the flu. As I was more honest, support and encouragement flowed in — our friends didn’t distance themselves or disappear as I’d feared. I became the advocate Meg needed, able to coach others on why they should never mention Meg’s appearance or comment on her food choices. For example, if someone said, “A salad! That won’t be enough!” I would remember times that I’d used those very words, and then I’d explain that pressuring her wouldn’t help and might make things worse. Instead of trying to protect her by denying that there was a problem, I became a speed bump between my wife and the rest of the world.

Ready to get healthy
I had changed, but Meg was still not fully ready. She would make progress, only to face setbacks and lose weight. But then one day in January, after a difficult holiday season, I came home and found the bathroom scale lying in pieces in the driveway. Meg had thrown it out the window.

“What’s going on?” I asked, picking up parts of the scale from the concrete.“I’m sick of us constantly arguing about this, of everything being about it!” she said. “I must really be sick if this has taken over our lives.”

This was the Meg I had married. She made a decision that day; she was ready to get healthy.
I still have a piece of the scale — it reads 74.5 pounds. It sits in my top drawer, a reminder of all we’ve been through. I’ll never let it go.

After that Meg and I made a deal. I promised that if she would trust me to be her eyes, I would never, ever lie to her about how she looked. Her own brain might deceive her, but she knows that I never will. At times this pledge has meant having to answer every man’s least favorite question: “Do I look fat?” Even though she never does, when a pair of pants or a skirt is not the most flattering, I gently tell her. It’s our agreement to this day and I am humbled by her trust in me.

Meg is back to a healthy size, though she still has setbacks sometimes. While my radar is always up, I told her I would never ask what she weighs, and I don’t. When I do notice a change, I say something like, “I see that you’re struggling and I’m here if you need anything.” We don’t discuss it or turn it into a battle, and she always gets herself back on track.

If you were to meet us today, you’d never know we’d lived through such a problem. We spend a lot of our weekends watching the boys play baseball or hockey. Sometimes I coach as Meg yells encouragement from the stands. Afterward we might all go out for a pizza and, yes, Meg may have a slice, though she still gets a salad, too. I once shouted, “There will be no more salads in this house!” — but now we can laugh about her favorite side order.

We don’t say we’re over anorexia, we say we live with it. Meg can easily spot someone with the disease, and while she’s happy not to be consumed by it any more, she still hears that little voice. Not long ago she told me, “I wonder how some women can keep it up, how they can stay skinny for so long when I couldn’t.”

After she said it, I simply looked at her. Imagine knowing that the person you love more than you ever thought you could love had to fight something so mind-altering. Having faced it myself, even for just a few days, I am left in awe of her bravery. The other day somebody asked me, “You’re crazy about your wife, aren’t you?” All I could say, before I teared up, was, “You have no idea.”

Copyright © 2008 CondéNet. All rights reserved.

Madhubani Paintings

By Keshav Kaushik

The history of ethnic paintings in India can be traced back to the Bhimbatka Caves, where some of the earliest paintings of India are found. But when it comes to ethnic 'tribal' paintings of India the names which top the list are Warli paintings and Madhubani paintings.

Madhubani paintings, also known as Godhna, Maithili and Chitra figure paintings, originated out of the humble domestic rituals in Madhubani district of Bihar. Chiefly prevailing in Madhubani district, it also diffused to the adjacent districts of Jetwarpur, Ranti, Rasidpur, Bacchi, Rajangarh, etc.

As per the belief of the people of Madhubani that Gods visit each house in the morning to bless them with luck and prosperity, Madhubani paintings started as a welcome painting on the walls, doors and floors for the Gods. Till the 1960s it was a purely a decorative art. But the Bihar famine of 1964-65 took its toil on the people of Madhubani and they had to shift from agriculture to other forms livelihood. And with that started the commercialization of the Maithili paintings; it shifted from walls and floors to paper, satin, sarees, dupattas, etc, without deviating from its original themes, the themes of religion and mythology. Most of the people of Madhubani now depend on these paintings for their daily necessities.

A paste of cow dung and mud is applied on the walls and floors to give a perfect black background on which pictures are drawn with white rice paste; bright vegetable colors are then applied on the figures making them more vibrant. A great number of Madhubani painters still apply a thin layer of cow dung and mud paste on their canvases to give a more authentic look and also because it helps in proper absorption of color.

Essentially practiced by the women folk, Madhubani is an exclusively feminine school of folk painting. As a respite from their daily home-engineering they portrayed their visions, beliefs, customs and creativity with abstract figures, mostly in linear patterns. This school, however, is not confined to the feminine genre now, as the number of male painters is increasing with each passing day.

Thematically, Madhubani paintings are mostly based on religion and mythology. The religious themes are branched into two types - little tradition and great tradition. In the paintings of little tradition, Gods like Raja Salesh, Buddheshwar, Jutki Malini, Reshma, and the likes occurs in abundance. Great tradition is a tribute to the Hindu Gods like Krishna-Radha, Shiva-Parvati, Ganesha, Maa Durga, and the likes. Nevertheless, natural scenes of villages, everyday life, flora and fauna which are so much a part of life of this school of painters, also entered the domain of Godhna paintings.

The attributes characterizing almost all Madhubani paintings are :-

• Use of bold natural and artificial colors.
• A double line border with simple geometric designs or with ornate floral patterns on it.
• Symbols, lines and patterns supporting the main theme.
• Abstract-like figures, of deities or human.
• The faces of the figures has large bulging eyes and a jolting nose emerging out of the forehead.

Madhubani painting is an emblematic expression of day-to-day experiences and beliefs. As such, symbolism, simplicity and beauty hold them together in a single school of traditional art. The symbols that these Maithili painters use have their specific meanings as, for instance, fish symbolize fertility, procreation and good luck, peacocks are associated with romantic love and religion, serpents are the divine protectors.

The treatment of colour in the Indian folk art form of Madhubani painting brings it somewhat close to the Impressionistic school and the Post-Impressionistic school of painting. To some extent their theme of trivial daily activities and nature are also shared by the Godhna painters.

Characterized by vibrant use of color, underlying symbolism and traditional geometric patterns supporting the main theme, the Indian folk art form of Madhubani succeeded in creating a place for itself in the international house of fame and is now recognized world wide. The Government of India is also paying its tribute by starting training programs educating people on Madhubani paintings.

Madhubani Paintings - An Indian folk art form ethnic to the core with International recognition.
indianhandicrafts.co.in

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

Martians Walking Around On Mars- NASA Pictures!

By Roman Borissov

It's a sign of human arrogance to think that Earthlings are the only intelligent form of life in the universe, but sometimes we look a little too hard for indications that ET actually exists.

Does Bigfoot have a distant cousin living on Mars? According to the London Daily Mail, four-year-old images sent by Spirit, one of the Mars explorers constructed by NASA, contain a blurry image that could be a humanoid walking across the planet's surface.

Scientists have been looking for signs of intelligent life in outer space for countless years, so many people obviously are excited about finding this image on the photographs. Does this mean that all the expensive equipment that NASA sent to Mars is in the bedroom of some Martian Child or currently for sale on an intergalactic version of EBAY?

While circling the world in Friendship 7, Mercury Astronaut John Glenn thought he was having a close encounter. The first American astronaut to orbit the Earth, Glenn noticed brilliantly illuminated particles surrounding his space capsule, which he referred to as "fireflies".

During an interview with "Life" magazine, which had an exclusive contract with the original 7 Mercury astronauts at that time, Glenn is quoted as saying "There, spread out as far as I could see were literally thousands of tiny luminous objects that glowed in the black sky like fireflies. I was riding slowly through them, and the sensation was like walking backwards through a pasture where someone had waved a wand and made all the fireflies stop right where they were and glow steadily."

http://newmartian.blogspot.com

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

Social Bookmarking and the Hub of Business

By Scott Lindsay

The act of social bookmarking is becoming something more than a potential tool for online marketing.

Many entrepreneurs are finding social media sites to place business information in an informal setting.

Once you finish developing your social media site the marketing potential is just beginning.
Obviously you hold out hope that visitors will drop by your online presence, but you may want to go fishing for friends.

In some social media environments you are allowed to make a 'friend' request while other sites invite you to bookmark sites of interest.

What Does It All Mean?
If you wonder why you should care about making or accepting a friend request or participate in bookmarking let me attempt to explain the process.

When you initiate a friend request to an individual or business you are familiar with it is possible that your social media page will be listed on this secondary site. In essence when someone visits this site they also have a compelling link to your site.

On sites where bookmarking is allowed this feature is often divided a second time. In this kind of site environment visitors can see who you have bookmarked or selected as friends, but they can also see how many others have chosen to bookmark your site.

Some social media sites provide their own inner site rankings based on the popularity of a site. If your site ranks well that also provides the opportunity to have your site publicized even more.
Social bookmarking is the process of establishing a network among peers, friends, family and interested guests.

This is an important component when it comes to the already established benefits of owning a social media site. In this environment you can invite guest comments, you can receive private inner site emails from those who may have questions and you can participate in blogging. In some cases you may even be allowed to post pictures, video or audio to enhance the experience of your site and promote your online business.

Connecting Links
Links can easily be established to your primary site where you can welcome visitors to a more business-oriented experience.

The reason so many online business owners are adopting the use of social networking sites is because they can be obtained at no cost in most cases. Each of these sites can be designed to point back to your primary website. In that way they are extremely useful in the promotion and marketing of your main business site. These ancillary sites also provide a valuable backlink to your online business presence that is useful in improving potential in site rankings. For every backlink to your primary website the greater trust most search engines place in your site.

Putting It All Together
In a practical sense social bookmarking provides a trail back to your social networking site. That process opens the map so the visitor can find their way directly to your business site. The process acts as spokes in a wheel. Social media sites are the spokes that, through backlinks, lead to your hub of business, which is where you want them to end up in the first place.

Make Your Own WebsiteBuild An Ecommerce WebsiteResell Ebooks

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

The Consumers Rights in The Internet Transaction Shall Be Regulated

By Dilip Katariya

The existence of internet in the communication world cannot be avoided anymore. The sophisticated instrument used to be used by the United States Department of Defense in 1957 to communicate with its colleague has become a worldwide major communication instrument. It is hugely spreading and now almost the whole countries in the world are using and utilizing internet for communication. The major users of internet are the United States, Japan and China and they take the role in communication through internet. It is predicted that such three countries are dominating the internet users and it is equivalent to half of the world population.

The benefits of internet do not need to be questioned anymore. The facilities such as E-mail/Listserv/Mail Exploder; searching/web/ftp; Usenet and Newsgroup are very useful for the internet users to interact one to another, to socialize and communicate, and exchange information. But it is really unfortunate that those huge benefits are often to be misused by the internet users.

The crimes such as hackers, cyber talking, terrorism, fraud, theft especially for the banking data, personal data, Intellectual Property Rights, sabotage, harassment and denial of service are most crimes regularly happened. The motif are varies such as business, group and organization competition and interest, and hobby. In many cases the purpose is to get personal benefits. For an example the case of Steven Haryanto with wwwklikbca.com, klikbca.com, klickbca.com that have been deceived the consumers to conduct internet banking transactions. The purpose is simply to o steal the consumers' private data.

The internet misused indication is quite apprehensive. Steven's talent in creating misleading websites to hit and trap the careless BCA customers needs to be aware. What is Steven's aim and motif if it is not something related to the crime? Similar to such case, the false websites internet transactions offered fake fancy goods such as Rolex watches, branded bags, international trademark shoes and international books where the sellers expect the buyers to pay the sold goods with credit cards. Once the transaction and payment are completed but the purchased goods never been delivered.

From the survey that had been conducted by 12 world consumer organizations at the end of 1998 and 1999 reported that the negative factor of the internet transaction so far faced by the consumers is that one of ten from the ordered goods never been accepted by the consumers.

Another case is that 2 buyers from England and Hong Kong had waited for more than 5 years to get the refund from the seller. Further that nearly 73% of the sellers failed to fulfill the contract in the internet transactions and 25% of the sellers do not mention their addresses and telephone numbers in the internet transaction. The result is that the consumers will be harmed then where the consumers should report it to?

The crimes in the internet world are happened so often but up until today Indonesia still has not tried to give any legal protection towards the consumers. On the other side the information and technology developments have made the internet using be greater. If the legal protection is still very low then the crimes are going to be increased continuously in the future.

We should realize that in an internet transaction, the internet users or consumers expect that there is a law and legal order. The buyers wish that there is no false advertisement or websites spreading around that finally could damage their interests in the transaction. On the other side the sellers in internet also have the same principle that there will be law and legal order in conducting the internet businesses. Therefore it can be concluded that the sellers and buyers are expecting the certainty of law and trading through the websites world in order to have the both parties equal rights and duties.

The legal certainty for internet field in Indonesia has not been realized yet. It continuously happens since there is no valid rule governs the interests of the businessman and consumers.
For a developed country such as England, they already have a protection model towards the consumers especially for the internet transactions. One of them is Distance Selling Regulation 2000 that governs the consumers' rights in the internet transactions. The Article 7 Paragraph 1 stipulated that the suppliers/businessmen are obligated to provide the information to the consumers in a proper time before conducting any transaction.

The information contains the identity of the businessman, term of delivery, price, payment system and the most important thing is that the consumer has the right to cancel the transaction, except for special terms as mentioned in the Article 13 of the regulation for example that the price of goods is fluctuated based on the market. How is about the protection towards the consumers in Indonesia? We only could be patient and wait for the realization.

Iman Sjahputra and Partners is an advocates and solicitors firm handling all legal matters. www.imansjahputra.com

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

Search Engine Optimization - Website Cornerstone Development

By Zach J Hoffman

SEO, also known as Search Engine Optimization, is the process of placing a website as a relevant source for a topic of information at the top of the major Search Engines, Google, Yahoo! and MSN. There are many ways to perform SEO. The following are a few of the many techniques to use to create an SEO campaign.

The first step is choosing the keywords you want to target. These should include words that you feel your target audience would type in to the search engines to find your website. If you are looking to target a city tied to your keywords please consider selecting the top 3 cities you would like to target to tie in with your target keywords.

The second step is to choose a domain name relevant to the topic of your website. Using keywords in your domain name relevant to the keywords you are looking to target will help you communicate your relevance to the associated keywords you are looking to target with the major search engines.

The third step is to map out your website. This information should have been provided to you from your website designer. The site map is the layout of your website as a hierarchical structure working from the primary pages of your website, to the secondary pages of your website, and onto the tertiary pages of your website. There may be additional pages under this hierarchy and you should categorize them as such.

The fourth step is to begin writing the meta-tags for each web page you would like to be optimized. You should start with your primary pages and work your focus down. The meta-tags should be written with three distinct areas: title creation, keyword targeting, and description. The title is what will appear in the upper left hand corner of the web browser describing what the specific page is about.

The keyword targeting will be the keywords you are instructing the search engine to mark your page as relevant for when it comes to the particular page. Description is the summary of the webpage you would like to display as the description of the website to the major search engines. Creating proper meta-tags is the cornerstone to creating a Search Engine Optimized-SEO website. The meta-tags should also all have a tightly weaved theme relevant to each other.

The fifth step is to categorize your site properly for directory submission. This means knowing how to classify your website based on the industry you know your site is relevant for. The directory will also ask which geographic area you are most relevant for and ask you to most likely categorize your website on a country level. The search engine will then most likely pull your city specific information from your meta-tags and your contact us page.

The process to SEO your website described above is a great starting point for a solid SEO campaign. SEO is a continuous process because the search engines continue to tweak their search engine algorithms (functions) to allow the most relevant websites to reign supreme. When performing SEO always remember relevancy is king.

Zach Hoffman is interested in helping people.To learn about seo services Seo search engine optimization visit: http://www.seo.cc

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

Rose Petals - the Best Choice for Your Wedding

By Janice Kaye

When choosing which rose petals to buy for your wedding, you need to define when and where you will be using them and if there are any restrictions imposed by your venue. Then take into account the advantages and disadvantages of each of them, to help you reach your decision.

For Outdoor Use - you will need a natural, biodegradable petal. Many parishes have banned the use of rice and paper confetti as they are not good for the environment. You have a choice of fresh, freeze dried or heat dried rose petals.

For Indoor use - you need to check with the venue if there any restrictions.

Flower Girls - you may want to have your flower girls toss petals and any type will do as guests do not usually give these too close an examination.

Table Decoration - freeze dried petals are good for table decoration as they look realistic, but on the downside, they can be costly. Silk petals give the look of rose petals at only a fraction of the cost. Natural rose petals are not ideal as they can start to look shabby, before the guests have even sat down.

Tossing Petals - if indoors, then silk petals are probably the best choice because of cost considerations and appearance. If outdoors, then you should choose any of the natural alternatives mentioned above.

Now that we have discussed the different choices available, here are the pros and cons for each type.

Fresh rose petals need to be obtained on the day of the wedding and also need to be prepared just before use, meaning extra stress for the bridal party. The upside is that they are all-natural and biodegradable, but the downside is that they also break down fast and they may not look so great later in the day. Another disadvantage is that they can stain clothing and tablecloths, and can also be slippery, so you and your guests need to be extra careful.

Freeze Dried Rose Petals are usually less expensive than fresh rose petals and are a long lasting alternative to fresh with the look and feel of fresh petals. They can be ordered up to a month in advance of the wedding. They are preserved at the peak of their freshness so should look good. There is usually a wide choice of colours available. They need to be exposed to humidity in advance of the wedding, so that they are not too brittle, and in order to bring out the natural colour of the petals. It is best keep them in a cool dry place as exposure to light and humidity is not good for them and if you buy them too far ahead of the wedding then the colours may fade

Heat Dried Rose Petals - these can be bought well in advance but are usually only available in dark reddish colours, but they are usually cheaper than the freeze dried alternative. They can be stored for longer than freeze dried rose petals, and if any are left over, you can make a long lasting scented potpourri mix, which will remind you of your wedding day. You can also place a few of these inside each invitation to set the scene.

Silk Rose Petals - these are usually the cheapest option and are perfect for indoor use. They are good for indoor pathways or for table decorations. There are many different qualities of silk petals, so it is always best to see if you can get a sample first so you can check the quality and to see if the colour is a good match for you before committing to a large quantity.

Janice Kaye is owner of http://www.holyroses.com - your source for high quality silk and dried rose petals, dried rose heads and stems, dried lavender as well as other items for floral crafts, all at exceptional prices.

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