Bowen therapy

Americans need to understand their own history

As the harsh storms of winter subside we approach the 231st anniversary of an event in American history that can provide insight and direction badly needed today. On April 19, 1775 The Shot Heard 'Round the World marked a clash of arms over a small bridge standing astride the stream at Concord, Massachusetts. We have all seen the statues and some of us have heard the poetic paeans to the event that took place there.

To this day no one knows who fired the shot but the unfolding clashes shocked the British Crown and set the stage for the first nation on Earth who proclaimed the principle of universal freedom in July of the next year.

This was not a government operation.

Perhaps the best lesson to be drawn from those events, which we have allowed to be obscured through the misted lens of time, is that this marked a moment when the people did it themselves and in so doing confounded the greatest power then existing on Earth; a power comparable to our government today.

The colonists standing at Lexington and Concord were routed; they had been standing in battle formation, as soldiers did back then. After that initial few rounds of fire they rejected the conventional approach to war and took to the woods, spontaneously conducting a guerrilla action as the Red Coats marched back to Boston. This example of spontaneous order shows a strong bent for innovation and rejection of strategies that fail. Software wonks would understand completely. Now that is a learning curve to applaud but it is not the best part.

The alarm that had gone out through the night time activities of Paul Revere and Dawes had been delivered.

At that point in time the British Empire had 8,000 men under arms across the globe. A far smaller number were serving the Crown in New England. That, the Crown felt, was entirely sufficient.

At the end of the day 10,000 Americans were marching towards Lexington and Concord, muskets, knives, and hammers in hand, prepared to kick some Red Coat Butt. Women who saw off husbands, fathers, brothers, and sons, prepared to keep the home fires burning and everyone fed.

Total mobilization included everyone.

When the people decide to do something it gets done. No government could have organized these events, they came straight form the minds and hearts of the people.
The year before the colonists had nearly been caught with their pants down when another expedition of the Crown had narrowly been thwarted in its plan to confiscate the munitions being gathered in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. War was coming. The Crown had cut off their supply of munitions. After the Capture of the Fort William And Mary at Portsmouth, the colonists were determined to be prepared.

The months leading up to April 19th and the Bridge had been filled with preparations that included not only ensuring that an early warning system was in place (Revere and Dawes among others) but that the crusty colonists understood the issues. Committees of Correspondence comprised of people from every town had been discussing the causes for the conflict and what we would think of today as the Mission Statement for what would be America. They had built agreement through persuasion and discourse. No one voted for war.

When the broadsides came out from Philadelphia bearing the words of the Declaration of Independence that next year this population knew what they meant.

This was an amateur operation from the beginning. They had few resources, limited munitions, and no central organizing structure. That is doubtless why it worked. They had to be inventive and be prepared to acquire expertise they lacked.

The year after the Declaration was signed, July 4, 1776, they had cobbled together an army of the same people but their lack of experienced generals made those first months of action a disaster. George Washington looked like a general but he had no training in the strategies and practicalities of war. Fortunately, he also knew how to innovate and was modest enough to see the need.

That long nasty winter at Valley Forge was not what you think it was. Men were not dying of disease and creeping away; they were having an intense round of training exercises that included training Washington to lead the troops. The trainer was Baron von Steuben, officer with Prussian General Staff training. Soldiers who went through those winter months at Valley Forge tended to end up officers themselves.

I went in to the DAR on Benjamin Pillsbury, who went through training at Camp Valley Forge and was commissioned a lieutenant.

There were no bureaucrats and it all worked fine.

America is not a nation like other nations. The vision that gave the colonists the motivation to throw off the chains of the British Crown were both spiritual and civil, evoking that mission statement from Thomas Jefferson penned in the Declaration of Independence that coalesced support.

They were all investing their lives, fortunes, and sacred honors, not just the ones who signed.

Unlike the early Greek and Roman writers who had applied the concepts of democracy and rights to define what was actually an oligarchy where only a tiny minority of people exercised power, the American Vision proclaimed that each of us possessed the same inherent nature, which included the right of autonomy, before the existence of government of any kind.

Government was, in that view, a service center, providing only those services that the people could not provide for themselves. The colonists were practical people who would never have paid for the padded privileges assumed by later generations of government officials.

It was the Yellow Pages approach to government and if today government was limited to what we can't find either in the local Yellow pages or do locally through charity there would be legions of bureaucrats looking for jobs at MacDonalds. A satisfying image.

You might sit down and make out a list of essential services and leaf through your local yellow pages. If the service is there and you need it then government should not be involved according to the original game plan.

Even two generations ago government spent most of the money it takes from us on its own infrastructure while creating an attractive nuisance by dangling unearned wealth in the eyes of the least ethical. A seat in Congress can, in less than ten years, turn a down at the heels political science student into a multimillionaire and these ethically challenged individuals are not being paid off for their good looks.

Unfortunately, those immediately following the Revolution believed they needed a government something like those with which they were familiar in Europe. That was a mistake and today the bill for that mistake and others accounted for in the compound interest of 12 generations of power gone amok, is demanding to be paid.

I know what the veterans of the Capture of Fort William and Mary would have thought; I know what those 20,000 early Americans would have said as preparations continued on the home front while the men marched off to war carrying their own muskets. Fire, would become fire them!

It is local organizing and innovation that does the job every time.

Most of us who are involved in local charities understand that the needs of those living on the edge of poverty are steadily rising as mega corporations and government, those long time bedfellows, continue to eat us alive.

This is not due to sloth or laziness on the part of those in need. The real needy in America could each be millionaires on what we spend on government. Any of us can find ourselves in the position of facing circumstances we could never have anticipated. The reasons are many; the effect is to place a heavier burden on those within the community who are the last line of defense against hunger, cold, and death. After several generations when Americans have assumed that these safety nets were being handled by the morass of government agencies well funded for those purposes the real relief of need remains in the hands of local activists working as volunteers.

This is true in Santa Barbara where Unity House feeds and trains more needy for less than the multitude of agencies heavily funded by government; it is true in small towns across the country and in urban areas. It is most probably true where you live, too. Americans are used to getting the job done , whether that job is feeding the hungry, searching for missing campers, or ensuring their own freedom. Ultimately that is how this present encounter with a State gone amok will be resolved.

You can almost hear the voices of those early Americans, cussing about the waste and pomposity of the government that confronts us today.

It is time to reboot America's government. The people can do it themselves.

Get off the grids: Organize Locally; Build Coalition. It is time to finish the Revolution.

Melinda Pillsbury-Foster is the author of GREED: The NeoConning of America, and the founder and president of the Arthur C. Pillsbury Foundation, http://www.acpillsburyfoundation.com. She is actively working with organizations that seek coalition across all previous lines that divide Americans.

1. Maasai Mara Safari Club

The Maasai Mara Safari Club is located on an oxbow of the Maasai Mara River at the foot of the Aitong Hills and bordering the Maasai Mara Game Reserve. The club is approximately 4 hours drive from Nairobi or 45 minutes by air.

The accommodation is in 50 luxurious ensuite tents all with river frontage allowing guests to watch wildlife. These are 45 standard tents, five premium tents, all with netted four poster beds, electricity and permanent bathrooms. Main building has the dining room, lounge and bar and is cantilevered over the river.

A free-form swimming pool and game drives by land cruisers are also offered including nightly entertainment.

2. Maasai Mara Serena Safari Lodge

The wildlife park lodge is set on a high ridge in the Maasai Mara National Reserve; the Maasai Mara Serena Safari Lodge has one of the most spectacular views in the whole of Kenya. Its breath taking. The lodge is an interpretation of a traditional Maasai Mara village of domed huts; these are spaced apart to allow guests an uninterrupted view of the Maasai Mara Landscape.

Accommodation consists of 74 guest rooms, two-twin with double bed and the rest with twin beds.

The main dining room, with its attractive multi-domed ceiling, offers international menus, buffets and barbecue and authentic African dishes. The Maasai Mara lodge has a vantage outdoor pool as well as a full service lounge and bar.

3. Fig Tree Camp in Maasai Mara

The fig tree camp lies on the banks of the Talek River in the famous Maasai Mara National Reserve with good access to all areas of the reserve for game drives.

Guests here can choose to stay in either a tent or a cabin. There is a total of 75 spacious rooms and tents, all en-suite with private balconies. There are 38 tents with twin beds; 22 cabins with double and single beds; and five twin-bedded cabins.

Latest additions are 10 executive tents suites with luxury four poster beds, butler services and spectacular views of the Maasai Mara.
Facilities include; two bars, main dining room, an open air dining area, a tree house/coffee deck, a swimming pool and guest lecture facilities, curio shop, video room, and a medical clinic and resident nurse. Local naturalist gives lectures on and slide projections on the Maasai Mara eco-system. Evening Maasai entertainment also included.

4. Governors Camp in Maasai Mara

Set up in 1972, governors camp has 36 luxurious tents on the bank of Maasai Mara River with views across the sweeping Maasai Mara plains. The camp sets standards in luxury accommodation in the Maasai Mara and is Africas best under canvas.

Guests stay in well appointed tents, each with their own bathroom. Evenings are devoted to cock tails around a bon fire and dinner by candle light. Each morning breakfast is prepared over blazing coals; mountains of bacon and eggs, fresh milk (flown in daily), hot baked croissants, exotic fruits and freshly brewed priced Kenyan coffee.

Both breakfast and lunch are served on the shady river bank with views across the Maasai Mara. Governors camp is for the tourist in need of that intimate interaction with nature under canvas.

5. Governors Il Moran Camp in Maasai Mara

Governors il Moran camp is small but has added touches that make this top-of-the-range tented accommodation in Maasai Mara.

Secluded in the forest, there are just 10 tents that line the winding banks of the Maasai Mara River.

Each tent has a very private location and is furnished to a superior standard. Beds are hand made from specially selected wood taken from ancient olive trees. Large en-suite bathrooms have flush toilets, a big shower with piping-hot water and a Victorian bath.

The tents have an extended verandah so that guest can take dinner in private in their tent. Or visitors can just relax and enjoy the sights and sounds. Birds will be heard singing, elephants walk through the camp and at night leopard call nearby. Game drives and walks are included in the rate and complimentary wine is served with dinner.

In the day meals are served under the shady trees to include fresh fruits, cereals, hot-baked breads and a cooked breakfast. Deep in the Maasai Mara bush, cordon-bleu dinners by candle light are truly unforgettable experience. The camp is a big favourite for honeymooners due the extremes they have gone to ensure privacy.

6. Governors Private Camp in Maasai Mara

Governors private camp is for those that want some-thing exclusive. Private Camp can only be booked by one family or group at a time. As its name suggests, its private. It means up to 16 people have a beautiful bend of the Maasai Mara river all to themselves.

The camp is located at a spot where animals come to drink, hippo laze in the shallows and elephant bring their calves for wallowing. The surrounding forest is home to many birds too.

The tents are luxurious with hand made furniture. Private bathrooms have flush toilets, hot showers, with crystal clear water. Guests are allowed to even tailor their own menus and drinks are all free besides champagne.

The camp must be booked by a minimum of four guests staying for at least three nights.

7. Maasai Mara Explorer

Located on a thickly forested bend of the Talek River and opened in 2000, the Maasai Mara Explorer is widely regarded as one of the Maasai Mara most luxurious and well appointed camps.

Maasai Mara Explorer consists of 10 luxurious tents each with a butler on call 24 hours a day. Guests can enjoy morning and evening game drives, walking safaris, bush breakfasts and dinners or romantic sundowners in selected river side or hill top locations.

Maasai Mara explorer is an eco friendly camp with all non-degradable waste sent to Nairobi and water is heated using coffee husks.

8. Maasai Mara Intrepids

Only a 45-minute flight from Nairobi is the Maasai Mara Intrepids, located near the Maasai Mara River, where over a million wildebeest and zebra make the crossing during their migration in July and august.

There are 30 luxury tent and these are spread over a large riverside site to ensure privacy and peace for each guest. Tents are furnished in classic safari style, with four-poster beds and reproduction furniture and modern en-suite bathrooms.

Each tent sits on a shady raised platform with views over the river banks where a wide variety of animals come to drink.

Activities include three guided game drives each day; escorted walking safaris outside the reserve; bush breakfasts and dinners under the stars; and visits to neighbouring Maasai Mara communities.

Guests can also arrange a dawn balloon safari or a fishing trip to Lake Victoria.

9. Olonana Camp in Maasai Mara

Olonana is a luxury camp idyllically located in the heart of the Maasai Mara big game country. The camp features 12 spacious tented pavilions each tastefully appointed with two queen-size beds, ensuite bathrooms and river view verandahs where guests can relax and watch the hippos wallowing.

A wide range of activities includes bush walks, visits to the adjacent Maasai Mara cultural village, sundowners and day and night game viewing drives.

Olonana is at the fore front of in Kenya with solar power, a tree planting project and a wetlands project which allows for used water to be totally recycled before being released to the natural environment. In addition Olonana supports various projects to assist the local Maasai Mara community.

The Olonana Maasai Mara camp received a bronze rating award from the Ecotourism society of Kenya Eco-rating scheme and has also been selected as one of the top 15 safari camps in the world by Conde Nast Traveller magazine.

10. Sarova Maasai Mara

Sarova Maasai Mara offers an opportunity to experience a tented safari. There are 75 luxurious tents, with permanent floors and roofs and their own bathroom set amid rush gardens an exotic flowers.

The resort has its own large pool with poolside bar. There is also a good restaurant, a second bar and a permanent barbecue. Guests can also book hot air balloons and see wildlife awakening in the savannah before landing to a sumptuous breakfast with champagne.

A variety of dinning experiences are on offer including bush, boma, garden, pool barbeque and salt lick. Walking safaris can also be arranged.

Robert is a tour consultant and co-owner of Landmark Safaris Ltd in Kenya. He is degreed in Tourism management and conservation. More information: http://www.landmarksafaris.com/tours/wildlife.php Grab your relevant and free safari info: http://www.eastafricasafari.blogspot.com

If you're afraid that a vacation in Egypt will take you to a few dusty historical monuments and no where else, think again! Egypt vacations can fire the mind and the imagination in their variety and all you need to do is take a look around. When you explore the Red Sea, you never know what you'll find, and there's a very good chance you'll come back with the memories of a lifetime!

You are in for a real treat if you decide to visit the Red Sea area; it's a diver's paradise and the accommodations that can be cheaply found are quite luxurious. The Red Sea has some of the finest diving in the world and whether you have a taste for breathtaking beautiful coral reefs or for exploring shipwrecks dating back more than a hundred years, you'll find everything you're after and more.

The resort life around this area makes it the ideal place to spend an Egypt vacation and you'll find that the pleasant balmy climate has made this area a favorite for tourists from all over the world. If you really want to explore the Red Sea, head to Hurghada, where the year-round good weather makes it ideal for camping, water sports and fishing.

If you're looking for your Egypt vacation to be a a little less active and a little more luxurious, the Red Sea will still meet all your needs. This area is known for its resorts and retreats and the beauty of the beaches and the services of the resorts will have you planning many trips there. As you explore the Red Sea looking for the resort that will best meet your needs, keep an eye out for Sharm El-Sheikh, where you can find a truly luxurious standard of living. You'll find that when you explore the Red Sea, there is a reason that this area is well known for it's beaches. The land is utterly beautiful and you can see that people have taken pains to enhance the beauty with their resorts, not to replace it with something man-made.

The Red Sea Riviera can also make the ideal end to Egypt vacations Many people start their vacations in Cairo, and experience the classical sites and attractions that can be found there. Take some time to get to know the bustling city of Cairo and make sure that you head out to the pyramids of Giza and stop at the Egyptian Antiquities Museum. The Red Sea area is where you go when you need a break from the hurried nature of many of the classical Egyptian tours and as such, it is wonderful place to end your Egypt vacation.

Visit Travel to Egypt - Tours, Vacations & Hotels to read more about this amazing country that has so much to offer its visitors. Travel to Egypt - Tours, Vacations & Hotels is, of course, loaded with wonderful pictures and real travel information.

Over and over again I see both women and men asking how they can advertise for little or no cost. Advertising does not always mean an ad. I advertise constantly but almost never use an ad.

Here are several forms of free advertising:

1. A signature line in outgoing emails. I send and receive emails every single day. While some emails are from my kids or from mom and dad, many emails are from those who might benefit from visiting my website. I never email out an advertisement, but I always put my first and last name and my URL. I do know some folks use a one line advertisement in their signature. I choose not to, but one line is great.

2. When you join an online community, use the profile and introduction board to tell folks who you are. Do not use this space for an advertisement. Use this space to let folks get to know you. I always let folks know I live in Santa Barbara. I can not tell you how many times Ive gotten emails from others who have told me they have visited Santa Barbara and just loved it. By simply letting others know where I live, I have formed relationships and made sales. I also use this space to list my hobbies. How can someone make a connection with you if they dont anything about you? I happen to have two dogs. I almost always let folks know I have dogs. This too has started conversations with strangers. We tend to buy from those we know and if we find something in common with someone, we feel like we know them.

3. Start a blog. A blog allows you talk about any topic you want to talk about. I know many people who have both a personal blog and a business blog. I have very often searched the web for something specific and been taken to someones blog entry.

4. Post comments on other peoples blogs. Not all blogs allow you to put your URL. I choose to post comments on blogs that allow me to put my URL. One of my favorite blogs to comment on is whatcanimakewithit.com This blog lists one food ingredient and asks you what can you make with that particular ingredient.

5. Article writing. This is one of my favorite forms of marketing. Every person who reads this particular article will see a link to my website. Some will click, some wont. Of those who click, some will make a purchase, some wont. If a publisher sees my article and likes it, he/she will use in their ezine, or on their site. This gives my link even more exposure. I wrote an article almost 10 years ago about passwording children. I still occasionally get emails from moms who tell me that my article has helped them. I wrote this article over 10 years ago. Thats an awful lot of free advertising for my sixty minutes of time to write the article. The more you write the less time an article will take. This article you are reading will take about 30 minutes to write. If you invest 30-60 minutes per day and write one article per day, youll have 365 articles online in a years time.

Try some of these forms of free advertising and watch both your web hits and your sales go up.

Audrey Okaneko has been scrapbooking for several years. She can be reached at audreyoka@cox.net or visited at http://www.recipe-barn.com

Theres recently been a LOT in the weight loss news concerning green tea.

Green teas weight loss effects have been causing more and more people to start sipping the ancient Japanese brew.

But just how does green tea help you lose weight? And does it really work or is it all just hype? This article gives you the real facts about drinking green tea to lose weight.

Advantages of Drinking Green Tea for Weight Loss:

1) Green tea revs up your metabolism

A study reported on in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, found that green tea extract resulted in a significant increase in energy expenditure (a metabolism 'boost').

The researchers also concluded that that over a 24-hour period, green tea extract increases the metabolic rate by 4%. These effects are probably due to the high concentrations of catechin polyphenols found in green tea. These work to help intensify levels of fat oxidation and thermogenesis (the rate at which your body burns calories).

2) Green tea inhibits fat absorption and helps glucose regulation

Experts tell us that the catechins in green tea help to inhibit the movement of glucose into fat cells. Green tea may also act as al glucose regulator. It helps to slow the rise in blood sugar after a meal. This prevents high insulin spikes (lots of insulin promotes fat storage) and the subsequent fat storage.

3) Green tea may help reduce appetite

Scientists at the University of Chicago found that green tea caused rats to lose up to 21 percent of their body weight. Rats injected with a green tea extract lost their appetites and consumed up to 60 percent less food after seven days of daily injections. This may have something to do with the blood sugar regulating effects of green tea.

4) Green tea can help you save calories on your morning brew.

We are a nation hooked on our java. Be it the regular double-cream, double-sugar standard or that mocha, dappa, frappucinno, the calories we ingest just to get our morning caffeine is wreaking havoc on our waistlines.

If you want to save mega-calories in the morning but still get your caffeine fix, try substituting green tea for coffee. Or have a green tea in the afternoon instead of that 700 calorie mocha-chillate dream. Youll definitely notice the difference in your waistline after a few weeks.

So there are 4 ways that green tea can help you with weight loss. But how much do you actually have to drink to get these amazing metabolism boosting effects?

Experts vary but the general consensus seems to be that 3 5 cups of green tea per day is optimal. Doing this can help you burn an extra 70 calories per day which amounts to 7 pounds per year. Pretty good for not exercising or cutting calories, right?

However, 3 5 cups can be a lot for some people, so you might also want to consider green tea extract, green tea pills or a green tea patch.

Disadvantages of Drinking Green Tea For Weight Loss:

#1) Green tea is not a magic bullet

While some people will tell you that green tea is the be-all-end-all for weight loss success, I think the keyword here is balance. Youre not going to eat 5000 calories a day, drink a cup of green tea and make it all go away it just isnt going to happen. A healthy diet and increased exercise will go a long way in helping you lose weight and keep it off.

#2) Be cautious of the caffeine if you have health problems

For some people that have heart troubles, high blood pressure or stimulant sensitivities, the caffeine in green tea may not be the best idea. If youre worried about the caffeine from green tea, try taking green tea extract. Most green tea extract is made from decaffeinated green tea so you can still get the weight loss benefits without the caffeine.

If you think the caffeine may be a problem, make sure to consult your doctor before starting green tea for weight loss. Also make sure to consult your doctor before starting green tea if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.

Bottom Line: Green tea helps you with weight loss by boosting your metabolic rate, regulating your blood sugar, suppressing your appetite and giving you something else besides that high calorie, high sugar coffee beverage to drink in the morning. While it's not the magic bullet, it can definitely give you a boost in weight loss and in your overall health!

Kathryn O'Neill is a contributing writer to Diet and Weight Loss Reviews.

For more free weight loss tips and diet reviews, visit http://www.FreeToBeThin.com.

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Have you ever attended a presentation where the speaker read directly from her/his PowerPoint slides? Did you wonder why they didn't just give you the handout and let you go home?

PowerPoint and other visuals are tools to supplement your presentation; many presenters, however, hide behind their visuals as a way to avoid interacting with the audience.

Here are some ways your visuals can enhance your presentations, rather than putting your audience to sleep.

Pointer #1: Stand and face the audience

I recently attended a presentation where the speaker sat at a table and pushed keys on her laptop to run her slides. She sat facing sideways, looking from her computer to the screen on the left (to read the many bullet points), then back to the audience on her right. It was an uncomfortable setup, and she had to contort her body to see the audience and still manipulate the keyboard.

Sitting in a chair diminishes your authority and makes eye contact difficult in a presentation or workshop setting. No, you are not the Supreme Ruler, but you are the subject matter expert for the moment, and it's important to stand tall where everyone in the room can see you. Stand facing the audience, with your computer to the side. You can still see the computer from where you are, but you can also more readily interact with the audience. You shouldn't need to look at the screen unless you want to emphasize something by indicating it on the screen. Using a laser pointer is preferred to walking over to the screen to point at something.

Pointer #2: Use a remote device

Had this presenter used a remote to advance her slides, she wouldn't have had to sit in front of her computer. Remote presentation devices allow you to stand up to 100 feet away from the computer running your PowerPoint. They have many features, including next slide, previous slide, black screen, cursor control and laser pointer function. They also range in price, so you don't have to spend a fortune. Using a remote will make your presentations much more fluid and allow you free movement around the stage and interaction with your audience. Choose a radio frequency (RF) remote over infrared (IF), as radio frequency gives you much more range of motion and you don't have to worry about objects blocking the signal.

Pointer #3: Use notes

It's not necessary to be tied to your computer if you have your presentation notes handy. If you're using PowerPoint, print out the slides on paper so you can follow along, or just use your outline. Place the notes on a table next to you where you can keep an eye on them without using them as a crutch. Remember, the bulk of your presentation should be in your head already. Notes are just placeholders for the information in your head.

Pointer #4: Use PowerPoint for good, not evil

Bullet points have become the standard presentation mode when using PowerPoint. However, this method is not necessarily the best way to get your message across. Frequently, presenters attempt to put their entire presentation into bullet point format in order to get everything onto slides. This is not necessary or desirable, unless you want to e-mail the presentation to your attendees and tell them not to bother coming.

It's your job to engage the audience, to keep their rapt attention and to make them want more. It's your job to inform, yes, but to do it in a way that your audience remembers vividly what you told them AND retains it for more than two days. Bullet points are hardly engaging. . . and they don't tell a story the way your words and expressions can. Think back to some speakers you've really enjoyed. Do you remember their bullet points or do you remember their energy and powerful way of expressing themselves?

I highly recommend the book "Beyond Bullet Points," by Cliff Atkinson. If you're interested in delivering truly impactful presentations, take a look at this book for a completely new way to use PowerPoint.

Pointer #5: Beyond PowerPoint

It's entirely possible to give an engaging presentation using nothing but a flip chart and markers. This "old school" presentation method is still a great way to incorporate audience input and use spontaneously generated ideas as part of your workshop. If you feel that you're leaving out something, make sure to provide handouts at the end of your session.

Visuals can enhance a presentation and help your audience to synthesize the information you're sharing. At the same time, visuals can become unwieldy, distracting or boring, dragging down the liveliness and spontaneity of a presentation. Use visuals thoughtfully and sparingly, relying more on your own personality and passion to bring a presentation to life.

Lisa Braithwaite is a public speaking and presentation skills coach based in Santa Barbara, California. Find your voice and regain your confidence with public speaking coaching! Sign up for my newsletter and find out about my free consultation by visiting http://www.coachlisab.com

Some of the comments received from some of the other contributors over Internet are:

That we have instructions from Jesus as Christians that we should speak out and act on behalf of the helpless, the hungry, the homeless, the lonely, etc. In other words, you communicate your faith in the way you behave, treat others, and live your life. This is love. And as someone said at one time " Love is like walking on water, just don't stumble over the waves. But as St Francis of Assisi also said: "Go ye into the world and preach (communicate) the Gospel. If necessary, use words". In fact to complete the task in communicating our faith, another contributor added, words have to used to explain to others what motivates us to accomplish our good deeds, and we have to wait for opportunities to express this, which if we have faith in God, God will provide for us.

Many people are turned-off by coercive and aggressive proselytizing. Many Christians and their organizations have a pre-programmed way of communicating their faith, and this tends to frighten people. Actually there is something to the idea of communicating our faith in as many different ways as the different people you're communicating with. Another way in putting it is that there are as many layers in faith sharing as there are in an onion, probably more, but when it is done well, it can bring some of the greatest joy that one can ever experience. And suffering should not be a deterrent in communicating our faith, because suffering throughout the world is a part of life, and God is not going to change that. He's actually going to suffer with us and give us the strength to endure it. We also should live beyond our vision, live our deeds by the great commandments, to do justice, love mercy, and to walk humbly with God.

These are the gist of the comments I received on this topic over Internet.

I took a course entitled "How to Become a Contagious Christian" by Mark Mittelberg, Lee Strobel, and Bill Hybels. This course shows how you can actually communicate our faith in a style that really fits your personality. And with this, you would learn how you could always find an opportunity, comfortably, to ask someone the question "Would you like to receive Jesus Christ?", after explaining to them that Jesus had done everything for them so that they could receive His salvation. They didn't have to do anything themselves, but only to accept this and ask for His forgiveness in not being perfect in their behavior. This is what I would call becoming a true Evangelist.

I feel also that in not feeling embarrassed by asking the question "Would you like to receive Jesus Christ?", you first of all would have to ask yourself this question, "Have I really received Jesus Christ?". Some have received Jesus Christ most dramatically like Paul in Scripture, but most, I suspect, have received Jesus Christ thru a very slow process, especially if you've been a church-goer all your life. I started going to church on a regular basis in 1958 at the age of 27, although I didn't realize it at the time, but somewhere early in this process I must have received Jesus Christ, although I don't recall the exact moment. What attracted me mostly was Christian education, so somewhere down the line, I must have received Him. I know I have Him today. And in knowing this helps me in feeling more comfortable in asking this question, if the context on any discussion leads naturally to asking such a question.

And finally I feel that in my experience, two important events occurred in my life after starting to attend church, including a Bible class, on a regular basis which purportedly was accompanied by my receiving Jesus Christ. These events corrected two basic problems I had while growing up which greatly hindered my ability to socialize with others. One of these was getting a migraine headache most everytime I desired to go out in a social situation, which either prevented me from going out or cut short my enjoyment of such a gathering. Instead I had to lie down and sleep for about two hours to get rid of the headache. No medication helped.

After starting church regularly, I had occasion to visit a psychologist (my parents never thought of this earlier) and he suggested I do some positive thought recitations, which worked like a charm. This eventually eliminated this problem.

The other problem I had, which was closely related to the first in that both greatly hindered my social relationships, was that I was overly obsessed with sex with the opposite sex, which interfered greatly with many of the other positive elements I needed in growing up. This was dealt with, after my starting my regular attendance at church, by a series of events introducing me to a 3 year nudist camp experience. And this greatly relieved me of this problem. This in my mind were 2 miracles, because in one approach, it just seemed too simplistic in that I had to ask myself the question "why didn't I ever think of this before?", and in the other approach, it was just too unorthodox for a Christian ever to engage in an activity such as this.

These events occurred after, I believe, I received Jesus Christ, but others probably would say that these events would have occurred anyway. I DON'T, after thinking about this, because I believe God has blessed me in so many other ways too numerous to mention here, that I believe these were the beginnings of the many blessings God had in store for me. So as you can see you really have to compare your life before and after this momentous event of receiving Jesus Christ, to see at what point your life was better off.

Corbin Melvin Wright was born in New York City, grew up on Long Island, graduated from Roanoke College in Virginia with a B.A. in Political Science, and from New York Theological Seminary with a Masters in Religious Education. He became a committed Christian in 1958, and worked as an accountant in various companies in N.Y. for about 25 years, then moved to Argentina and worked for about 20 years as an English conversationalist teacher with some of the top managers in the country. He was married twice, widowed once, and has no children.

Happy New Year! This phrase is one we all can relate. We develop excitement about that particular day and many of us start contemplating the changes we want to make in our lives. We begin making New Year resolutions that express all the changes and ideas we have contemplated. That's great! Thinking about improvement is always a good thing.

However, the problem with many New Year's resolutions is that either we have set unrealistic goals or we haven't thought about how to turn our thoughts into successfully executed plans. A third problem that could lead to failed or failing New Year's resolutions is that we have attempted to change an external factor without changing the internal (your thinking).

Here's a classic example. You plan to lose 30lbs or gain 30lbs in muscle this year. Therefore, you sign up for a gym membership, buy new workout clothes and spend large amounts of money at the local nutrition and health food store. You are extremely excited and begin your strenuous 6 workouts a week plan. After a week or two pass, you resolution becomes unmanageable, you begin to feel defeated and now your workout shoes are under your bed, and you have only used 2 scoops of your 30 scoop protein mix.

This happens because many of us fail to spend time changing our thinking or internal outlook. The biggest part of becoming successful in goal completion is mental preparation. You need to spend time retraining your thinking patterns to reflect an "I can" attitude instead of an "I can't" attitude.

This year I challenge you to work on changing your internal outlook before trying to change your behavior. Take time to examine your thoughts and beliefs regarding your life, your expectation of your life and experiences that have influenced your current behaviors.
Focus on creating positive self-expectancy to assist you in achieving life and goal fulfillment. The next time you decide to set a goal or if you plan to revamp your current goal, ask yourself, "Do I really believe I can achieve it?" If the answer is yes, great! If the answer is no, what needs to change in your internal outlook for you to believe you can achieve your goal?

Remember, knowledge is knowing what needs to change and acceptance is taking the steps to execute change.

Copyright 2008. Christian F. Johnson. All rights reserved

Interested in receiving more advice on healing, wellness and personal growth? Or are you interested in booking this writer for trainings, workshops, keynote presentations or seminars? Please visit us at http://www.wcwallc.com to sign up for our newsletter or request Christian F. Johnson at a speaking engagement.

Christian home based business is a term or phrase that many people are looking for on the internet. Do you have the ability to give it to them? Principles that make up a Christian home business would be ones that have traits which are un-selfish, giving, and most importantly serving others.

In any home based business, there are two things you need to do well in order to be successful. I'll get to these two things in a bit, but I want to share some thoughts about what in means to have a Christian home based business.

The two things you need to do well are in line with what a Christian based business would and should look like. Instead of pitching your home based business opportunity you really need to focus in on how you can help others reach the level of success they desire to achieve the LIFESTYLE they want.

If you earned a 6-figure income but worked 60-hours per week or more, you don't own your time! What kind of lifestyle is this if you can't own your time so you can do the things you are passionate about in your life?

There are two things you need to do well to be successful in any business opportunity, especially a Christian home based business.

1) You need to learn how to give VALUE to those around you including prospects who never join your home based business opportunity and the associates who do.

2) Learn how to drive TARGETED traffic to You Inc.

Number two is the most important skill you need to learn! You could be giving away the most value on the planet, however, if nobody has the chance to accept the value you're willing to give, you won't realize the success you desire.

Driving targeted traffic to You Inc FIRST instead of your business opportunity is critical. You need to allow people to connect and relate to you so you can give them value. You won't be given the opportunity to help people by sending them to your replicated website for your home based business.

John Samarin is a Christian home based business man who works with people all around the world helping them be successful and work from home in a Christian business opportunity to achieve the lifestyle they desire.

To learn more about how to drive TARGETED traffic to your You Inc, visit the following Christian home business website.

Have you ever asked God for something that seems impossible? We serve an almighty God that can truly create something out of nothing! Genesis tells us, "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth..."The earth was formless and void...and God said, Let there be light." Genesis 1:1-2-3 (NKJV). Asking God for the impossible is our Christian gift. He can make a way for you, even when there truly seems to be no way!

If God can make the heavens and the earth out of nothing, He can take the empty places in your life and truly create something wonderful! He can speak light into your darkest hour. He can take your formless dreams and give them tangible shape. He can revive your latent gifts and talents. He can make your crooked path straight. He also can fulfill you hearts desires in relationships and prosperity.

Also in the book of Genesis, God established a system for increase. "As long as the earth remains, there will be seedtime and harvest" Genesis 8:22 (NKJV). Everything in life operates off of seedtime and harvest. As long as you have seed, you have increase. But a seed will lay dormant until it is placed in the right conditions. You have to plant that seed and also water it in order for the seed to grow. A financial seed when watered will produce a provision in your life? The Bible tells us that (God's Word) is water, and when you speak the Word, you are watering your seeds.

What are the Christian gifts that you have in your hand? Is it a Christian gift for true companionship? Is it a Christian gift for close relationships with family and friends? God's system works on the principle of sowing and reaping. What you pour out will come back to you in increased measure. Is it the Christian gift for helping others? When you help others succeed, you will find abundant success on your path as well.

"Give generously, for your gifts will return to you later." Ecclesiastes 11:1 (NLT).

Why not ask God in prayer today to show you what your seeds and gifts are. But, you have to be absolutely determined to get your answer from Him. You cannot just ask Him and then decide to do things your own way, or doubt that He will give you the answer. That is being double-minded. When you're double-minded, the Bible says you will not receive anything from the Lord. Never let that be you! Always have a one-track mind that is focused on God and His promises. Truly believe that He is going to generously bless you, and keep an attitude of strong faith and true expectancy.

Remember, you are created in the image of almighty God. There is power in your words. Speak life to your hearts desires, and stay in an attitude of faith and expectancy. If you will truly keep your heart humble before the Lord and stay connected to Him through your prayers and studying His Word, you will see fruit begin to form in your life just as He promised! Asking God for the impossible is our Christian gift. God can truly take you places that you have never dreamed where possible.

Family-eStore will try to provide you with articles of interest to a Christian and patriotic way of life. The articles are written by Steven Coffman (Owner) of Family-eStore.com, (National Essay Contest) winner 1969.

I am a person with strong Christian and patriotic beliefs. Tenacity, faith, and a belief in God, Country and Family are key components to success in life.

The Christian articles are only intended to bring you closer in your relationship to our Father in heaven.

The Patriotic articles are only intended to show pride and patriotism to our "Land of the free and home of the brave", (The United States of America).

I hope that you enjoy and are enlightened by them.

We donate 10% all sales to charity.

Having clearly seen how practicing homosexuality is a sin, I can now see clearly how SPIRITUAL HOMOSEXUALS, the bloody Roman Catholic whore and her Protestant prostitute daughters (Rev. 17:5), prefer their perverted and idolatrous, manmade doctrines, over the Word of God and his holy commandments (Mark 7:7).

All those who refuse to FORSAKE BABYLON are proud and stubborn and many will die in their sins, suffering the seven last plagues, as is just (Rev. 18:4-5).

Why are some in love with Roman wolves in sheep's clothing, whom both the Bible and history testify against as whitewashed paganism, counterfeit Christianity? May we all learn to love the Lord God of the Bible, the King of all Creation, and learn to hate that which He hates: the ABOMINATION OF THE RCC.

May we not resist this Light to return to traditional darkness (John 3:19-21), or we'll fall for the pope's tricks when he bewitches the masses with his sorcery and fights against true Christians - again! (2 Thess. 2:9-12). Don't let yourself be given over to a reprobate mind. Let Christ renew your mind and wash it by the water of the Word that can cleanse you of all the unclean doctrines and pagan practices of the unholy RCC, so help us God (2 Cor. 6:17).

For life-saving information on how to identify the true Church of God today mentioned in the holy Scriptures, revealed as following the example of Jesus and the early Church with their biblical practices (1 John 2:6), feel free to check out The Church Jesus Built and let the truth set you free!

David Ben-Ariel is a Christian-Zionist writer in Ohio and author of Beyond Babylon: Europe's Rise and Fall. With a focus on the Middle East and Jerusalem, his analytical articles help others improve their understanding of that troubled region. Check out the Beyond Babylon blog.

Raising kids in the twenty first century challenges parents more than ever. Culture calls out to kids, wanting to form them, while many parents want their kids to grow up with a biblical background and faith-based set of values. So how can a parent ride against the tide of culture to raise strong kids with strong faith? Church attendance certainly makes a different, but parents need to be parents, and they need to use the resources that we have available today.

Consult your local Christian book store, or even the Christian section of a secular book store. You will be amazed at the resources out there that can give you the answers you need to help raising your children.

Both parents should seek out additional resources. Many times just the matriarch of the family seeks out the books with how-to information while the patriarch just trusts her child raising instincts. Both parents should actively parent, not just one. Studies show that children need both parents. Girls need their dads to help form a healthy view of men, and boys need their moms to help form a healthy view of women. So if you want to infuse your faith into your parent, pick up a Christian parenting book.

The teen years challenge parents. Many find themselves more frustrated with their teenagers than they ever were with the coloring on the wall toddlers that graced their homes. But parents should realize that teenagers are not a different breed of creature. They are young adults, crying out for direction on how to be an adult. Thus a teen focused Christian parenting book can give parents the direction they need on how to help their teen act like an adult and make the right decisions.

Smaller children can also benefit from such instruction. While these children challenge their parents, parents can find help in Christian parenting books with age specific advice. Books ranging in topics from godly discipline to teaching your kids manners abound in the Christian section of your local book store. And you'll be amazed at what a difference just a few parenting changes will make in the demeanor of your child.

Sure parents need to take their kids to church. They need to take themselves to church, and they need to seek out the advice of other Christian parents. But Christian parenting books offer them one more resource for raising kids that seek to glorify God and follow the principles laid out in the Bible. In the end, books by great authors like Dr. Dobson and Kevin Leiman can make all the difference in the life of a child and in the family as a whole. So what are you waiting for? Start reading.

Gregg Hall is an author living in Navarre Florida. Find more about this as well as spiritual christian gifts at http://www.spiritualchristiangifts.com

A Christian relationship with God is an elegant thing. It is a relationship that is not easily explained. There are many who believe that one chooses to accept Jesus as his
savior. Although this sounds like a reasonable thing to do, it misses one of the critical points of our salvation by grace. That is, our salvation is by the grace of God given
as a gift. It is not earned by our works.

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are Gods
workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2: 8 10

On the surface, there is nothing about this passage that would indicate that our acceptance of Gods salvation is incorrect. You might think that the gift of grace can
be accepted or rejected. This is true. However, the critical element is not the gift but the nature of our relationship with God. As this passage states, and is stated
throughout the Bible, we are Gods workmanship. In other words, He created us. We are His. So, He created us. What does that have to do with our acceptance of His
grace?

There is a parallel that helps explain this relationship. It is our relationship with our human parents. When we are born, we are born into a family. We have a father and a
mother that we did not choose. We inherit our name, our house, our inheritance, if there is one. We do nothing to earn it. It is a gift. We do not claim our parents or
accept them as our parents. They simply are. Our inheritance is given to us on our birth.

From that day, only one thing can happen to our inheritance. We can lose it. We can lose it through our rejection of our parents. If we choose to deny our birthright and
leave our familys house, we will be cut off from our family. We may even choose to change our name. Of course, if we do this, we are no longer associated with our
family. We are on our own. And when it is time for us to receive our full inheritance, we will not.

So it is the same with God. He made us. From the time we are conceived, we are His. There is nothing we can do to accept Him as our father and more than we can
accept our own human father.

Chuck Hill is a Christian layperson from Plano, TX. http://www.yeshuaisrisen.com

If you want to achieve anything in life, goals are imperative to your success. There are many different methods of setting goals but I have
personally found some great ways to get the goals down and review them that have gotten results!

The first thing you need to do when setting goals
is get very specific about what it is you want.
How does the end result look. Write it down. Flesh
out all of the details until you can see it
perfectly in your mind's eye. Then write it down,
record it, or otherwise store it where you can see
it everyday.

Next, imagine how you will feel when your goal is
achieved. Bask in the feeling of victory and
attainment as if you were standing in the moment
right now.

Third, decide that you deserve to achieve this
goal and that you will achieve it. Just make the
choice right now.

Fourth, list the reasons you want and deserve to
attain the goal.

Fifth, list the major obstacle that exists in this
moment between you and the goal. What do you need
to do, learn, accomplish on your way? Who do you
need to talk to, get help from? Set out to tackle
this immediately.

Finally, make the decision right now that you will
absolutely never give up until you have reached
your goal.

If you follow these simple steps, there is
literally nothing you cannot accomplish.

I wish you success in all that
you do!

Have a great life!

Bill White is one of the nations top E-Business Coaches and is the world's #1 Synchronicity Expert. His techniques will unlock the Hero or Heroine in YOU! Bill is a contributing author in 101 Ways To Improve Your Life Volume 2, co-author of the soon to be released Enthusiasm Day by Day as well as the host of Success Radio 11:11. (http://www.successradio1111.com) Bill has a Newly released and free course called, "Discover Your Destiny" that will help you transform your life AND he will give you a free 10 minute Success Assessment by quickly going to: http://www.synchronicity-expert.com/

Certain phrases in the English language are often used to great effect, such as when we think of marketing: "Don't leave home without it", or "Melts in your mouth, not in your hands, and even "Obey your thirst". These key phrases and words associate certain products with them when we are exposed to them over and over, so it isn't surprising that in the world of video games, certain key phrases and words have taken on associated meanings. After all, there are tens of thousands of used video games, and thinking all the way back to the Nintendo Enterainment System(NES) and moving forward to the Playstation 3, Xbox 360, and Nintendo Wii, there is bound to be a wealth of intentional and unintentional 'sloganizing'.

We are all aware of the success of franchises like Super Mario Brothers and the Legend of Zelda, but what about the other guys, those games that might go unnoticed were we not here to salvage their epic playability and raise them to that famed 'classic' status? It is with these less well known video games that we are here to discuss today

If you have ever thought of the phrase Tales of.. in relation to a video game, what did you think of? For me, I envision a role-playing game (RPG) fraught with turned-based combat and towns full of common folk ready to share information with you. I also think of three particular games: Tales of Symphonia (Nintendo Gamecube, Playstation 2), Tales of the Abyss (Playstation 2), and Tales of Phantasia (Super Famicom, Game Boy Advance, Playstation, PSP). What do these three RPGs have in common? Let's take a look:

Tales of Symphonia - Like previous games in the Tales series, Tales of Symphonia uses a version of the Linear Motion Battle System - a real-time battle system, as opposed to the turn-based systems used in traditional role-playing games. When running around in the overworld, battles can be triggered by running into the monsters that dot the landscape. The Overlimit feature, which is a result of building 'tension points', allows characters to take less damage, perform special actions, and cast spells more quickly. 'Grade' is substituted for experience, and can be used to purchase items and EX gems

As characters level up in Tales of Symphonia, they can learn 'EX-skills' which allows them learn different abilities, sometimes combining them for greater effect. Each character can earn up to 25 titles in the game either by playing through a certain point in the game, by leveling, or by meeting certain conditions. Different titles will have different effects. Items in the game are a result of loot from battle, from recipes learned from the Wonder Chef (success in cooking is determined by the character's skill level), and from NPCs upgrading items when given certain components.

Along with the cut scenes in the game, decisions you make will affect how others think of Lloyd, the main character. Depending on the choices you make, the friendship's among the characters may change.

Tales of the Abyss - Tales of the Abyss is a story about Luke, and the value of friendship and sacrifice. As Luke, you begin inside your family's manor, an amnesiac caused by the shock of being kidnapped years ago. Shattering your forgotten memories, a girl named Tear breaks into the castle, and you are taken from the safety of home to places unknown. Luke roams freely through his environment finding treasure and voracious enemies to boot.

The land is full of particles created from elements including light, dark, air, earth, fire, and water called Fonons, and the you can master the a particular area by using attacks that are based in one of six particles. Luke can charge-up normal actions to become super attacks by using moves that require the primary Fonon found within that environment. Luke's companions Mieu and Jade, will join you along the way and fill out your party.

Elemental attacks are made more powerful by using slot chambers to add special effects such as power, damage, and health increases, and as your characters level up, you have over 80 unlockable attributes that affect Luke and his friends. As you journey through your main quest of uncovering Luke's affiliation with the Order of Lorelei, side stories include cooking to increase attributes and accessorizing with swimsuits, upscale clothing, and more. You can journey by yourself, or invite up to three friends to play along as characters in Luke's party.

Tales of Phantasia - Tales of Phantasia, was a role-playing game originally released for the Super Famicom, and due to its success as a series, it has finally been releasted in North America. Today, Tales of Phantasia distinguishes itself with its action-oriented, side-scrolling battle sequences (reminding one of Zelda II - The Adventures of Link (NES).

Tales of Phantasia is the story of Cress, a teenager out hunting one day who encounters a strange phenomenon, and as a result realizes he must save the past in order to insure the present. Along the way, he'll be joined by several other characters, learning magic, commanding elementals, taking sides in political struggles, and more.

The combat system defies the tradition of most RPGS, and is most similar to Tales of Symphonia. Rather than take turn based attacks, battles in Tales of Phantasia put you in direct control of Cress. You can perform a variety of strikes using the attack button and control pad,learning other techniques as the game progresses. It's also possible to perform chain combinations, much like Symphonia. The combat system is pleasant diversion from turn-based RPGs, and the animations and backgrounds are beautiful, and have held up well over time on the Gameboy Advance.

Certainly, as video game technology progressed, so did the marketing skills of the companies making the games. Reading the back of the boxes of some Sega Master System games one morning over a box of cereal, I realized how bad the writing was for some of the games. In the 90s, and 00s, companies started employing professional writers, and marketers caught on to sloganizing in video games, giving us a wealth of 'Tales of..' games. The ones I came with are listed here: Tales of Phantasia, Tales of Destiny, Tales of Destiny 2, Tales of Eternia, Tales of Fandom, Tales of Rebirth, Tales of Symphonia, Tales of Legendia,, Tales of the Abyss, and Tales of the Tempest. Hmmm. It is starting to not sound like an accident after all. In any case, I will leave it to the reader to judge which elements are similar in the three reviewed titles, and which are not. You could also go out and play these three classics, given enough time.

Sellavideogame.com purchases used playstation 2 games, used gamecube games, used gameboy advance games, as well as anime dvds, and more. To find out more about how to sell your games to us, please visit us at Sellavideogame.com

Star Wars are the most successful science fiction movies of all time. There are still large sales involving merchandise and the movies on video. Harrison Ford still receives millions of dollars in royalties from the show every year. There seem to be a major fan base of the movie series, right across the world. I am a big star wars fan myself and spend endless hours posting about the movies across science fiction forums.

Luke Skywalker throughout all the movies is seen as the saviour who will be able to fight and defeat the evil forces of Dark Vader. Who turns out to be related to him in the later movies, which is a big twist that no one would have expected. The movies are so great because the pictures are just amazing, with space ships flying and different species getting off them to fight.

There have been countless star wars movies and all have jumped to the number one position as the most popular movie at the box office over a series of decades. My favourite move personally was return of the Jedi, that was easily the best to my liking, but all of them are such high class, that is what makes it such a good movie series.

Numerous sites are offering free downloads of the movies. They vary from good to bad quality and from fast to slow download speeds. There are millions of downloads of star wars related videos and audio files across the internet as the show is literally massive.

Visit Free Star Wars Movie Downloads! This is a must see site for all star wars fans. Visit Free Star Wars Movie Downloads!

I meet so many people each day who wonder how they can get started in the writing industry, notably as a freelance writer. They know I work from home, without a boss, and with no one standing over my shoulder to micromanage.

So, on the outset it all looks pretty good. And then, of course, I begin to speak - and they run like the wind. Because it's not all fun and games in my corner of the world. Writing, even when writing humor, is serious business. So to make my point, I'll cover a few of the not-so-glamorous sides one must truly consider before taking the plunge to becoming a full-time freelance writer.

1. Isolation - While it's true you won't have anybody to bother you with idle office gossip, no heavy cheap-smelling perfume, nor all the other annoyances you might have to deal with when working with others, the downside is that you likely won't have anybody. Period. As a single woman who lives alone, I've come to embrace my solitude. Maybe because I grew up with a house full of kids (I'm one of nine children). Or maybe because I had no choice but to embrace it. Either way, I enjoy working alone - most days. But there are days I wish I could bounce an idea off someone else, or call a brainstorming session - and let's face it, a brainstorming session of one is basically just me talking to myself out loud...which might explain why my neighbors think I have issues.

2. Finances - I wasn't wealthy by any means when I began freelancing full-time, but the one thing that I do have is a wonderful support system. I have four of the most beautiful sisters anywhere. I mean that sincerely. They knew my goal was to write full-time and they supported me financially until that first check came through. Whereas 30 days to repay a loan might cause a riff among family (or friends), they considered it par for the course. So bottom line, if you don't have this type of support system, and nothing saved in your coffers, you might want to rethink your strategy of freelancing full-time. Perhaps a part-time gig here and there, while you work at an actual paying job, is more of a solution until your finances are in order.

3. Procrastination - If you're one to thrive off the ideas of others before giving it all you've got (refer to #1), this is not the ideal position for you. Miss a deadline and you'll miss the chance to work with that same client again. Ever. And while your clients may not boast to their friends of the great things you've done for them, they will undoubtedly tell anyone who listens if you (1) stink at it; (2) miss a deadline. And remember: if you get no clients, you get no money.

4. Accountability - You've got to be responsible because you'll be held accountable. As a freelance writer, you'll become your own boss. In other words, "stuff" won't roll downhill; it'll start and end with you. They'll be no dog-ate-my-homework lame excuses. It's all you. So if you're the type of colleague who always finds a way to dodge the disciplinary board by blaming everyone else - don't even think of freelancing as a profession.

5. Lackluster enthusiasm - You've got to LOVE writing to become a successful freelance writer. Because as a freelancer, regardless of your particular niche, you'll eventually get the humdrum project that no one - perhaps not even the client - finds exciting. Still, your job as a writer will be to make the content exciting for the reader. If you can't muster up enthusiasm for the reader, you won't get the reader's attention. And sometimes you've got to make yourself love the product - even if you really could do without. Otherwise, how else will you persuade the reader to want what the client is selling? (Think "Bariatric Enemas - the Importance of Having One" or "Why Circumcision is a Good Idea at Any Age".) 'Nuff said.

6. Technologically Un-savvy -There's plenty of software that would make your life easier, make the work flow smoother, get the project done quicker. If you don't know what those are, you might reach a certain point of success, but you won't be able to "take it all the way." Of course, if you're doing well enough to hire a sidekick who is also a techie, you've solved the problem. Otherwise, you'll find yourself scratching and clawing at what's left of the freelance writing pool - getting the jobs no one else wants and which pays the minimal.

7. You better love research - You've got to keep your ears peeled. You've got to always be on the lookout for that next article, that next client, that next niche. You can't afford to sleep. The only way to keep up is to do the research. I generally spend one to two hours each day on research. I check writing sites frequently to find out which types of writing are in high demand, and which aren't. Exactly what are they looking for? What's the going rate? How do I get my foot in the door? Admittedly this is a daunting task, but if you want to be more than the other 40,000,000 freelance writers out there, you gotta get crackin' at the break of dawn.

8. Family/Friends (A blessing and a curse) - Once you become an accomplished writer, family and friends will drop your name and services to any Tom, Dick and Harry - often forgetting to tell you. On one occasion my sisters and I were in Philadelphia for a weekend getaway. We visited a restaurant where the service was shoddy, the food was tepid and the eatery was in the midst of renovations all around us. In fact, the painters were rolling their brushes just three away from where our food was being prepared. The place shouldn't have been open at all. After speaking with the manager, my sister points out, "I just want you to know that my sister here is a nationally published writer and she's going to write about this experience if we don't get a break on the bill." As you can guess this put me in an awkward position. In fact, I believe I sat with my mouth gaped open as I whispered, "What are you talking about?" But my point is that people, while they might mean no harm, will be more than happy to use your skills for their own personal gain. From the neighbor who needs a letter to the mayor, to the nephew who needs a resume typed, to the uncle who suddenly realizes he has a bestselling novel stuck in his head - one that only you can write. I'm not here to tell you not to help out. Just make sure you get paid for your services. Remember, while you're working for them, you're missing out on a job elsewhere. Besides this, everyone will know that you're serious about your craft.

9. Know the trends - Every industry revolves. There are always new trends on the horizon. If you want to give an editor something new and fresh, you better know the trends and they better be reliable. You've got to dig deep to keep on top of what's new. If you think you can get all the info by simply surfing the 'Net, you're nuts. Subscribe to health magazines, or auto club journals, or whatever subscription caters to your particular niche - and (here's the most important part) READ THEM! (Don't forget to keep all your receipts for tax season - you'll receive a nice break for these types of business expenses.)

10. No discount on health benefits - Because I'm my own boss, I'm 100 percent responsible for my own health benefits. I don't need to tell you what a pain that is. While there are several plans out there to choose from, it's all me. There's no employer to pay half my benefits. That alone is reason enough for anyone to seriously consider whether or not they're willing to forego a secular career to become a freelance writer.

So I've covered just ten important points to consider before diving into the writing pool. This is not to discourage anyone - but to give you a more balanced view of what awaits you should you take that step.

Writing, for me, has been a saving grace. It came at a time when I needed to spend more time with my ailing father. I will always appreciate the freedom that comes along with it. But there were sacrifices - O' the sacrifices! Maybe I'll save that story for my next article on freelance writing.

Judith Brown is a nationally published freelance writer out of Harrisburg, PA. With over 25 years in the work force, her varied background represents county and state government, non-profit organizations, corrections, and the advertising industries. She is also a contributing editor of http://www.Fancast.com, Art Nouveau Magazine, an editor for MDSI (health care publisher), and a contributor to Positively Celebrity, an online celebrity news site.

You can apply for an auto loan online while in the comfort relaxed atmosphere of your home. You don't need to go searching for the banks or any Lending institution to get your auto loan. It is known that many customers have their banks where they go to transact business concerning loans. But going to these banks will not only take your time, it is energy wasting. All you need to do is to get your application online and meet with your lender.

Many people see it as something you will go miles to get but the e-mechanism has made it easy for you. You can still be in your office or home during your busy schedule and get your application filled online. This can be done anytime using any computer anywhere in the world.

The internet and the e-mechanism have made the applying of auto loans very easy. Though online you'll see so many different sites having similar details, all you need to do is choose the site you will like to meet with the lender or get instruction on how to get your auto loan. In this application all you need do is to state the area you are and you'll be given a form to fill out.

Your personal data like your name, address, and the kind of auto you want to buy, including the price will be required of you. You can only submit the form if you have given all the required information and a notice will be sent to e-mail box giving you the list of different lending institutions along with their loan terms.

AUTHOR: NDIMELE IKECHUKWU PHELIM "IYKE PHELIM"

QUALITY SERVICE PROVIDER. LOANS AND LOAN QUOTES

http://auto.best-loans-info.com

http://best-loans-info.com

Can you find cheap insurance? Yes. You can not only spend less on all types of insurance, but you can get more of the coverages you need for less. Here are a few insider secrets to help you out.

Cheap Life Insurance

- Purchase multiple policies. Instead of buying one large policy, save money by buying two, or even three, and staggering the terms. Have one run until the kids are out of the house, for example, and the other until your retirement fund kicks in.

- Investigate the company. Visit www.naic.org/cis, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners site. It has links to check out companies, including their financial condition, and the complaints filed against them.

- Ask about rebates. Some states allow agents to rebate a portion of their commission to you. Check online or by phone. You don't have to be from the state to buy insurance there.

Cheap Auto Insurance

Get several quotes, of course. You probably know that having as high a deductible as you can afford will also reduce the rate. Here are some money-saving tips you may not have known.

- Get the legal minimum for liability coverage if you have few or no assets. Many companies try to sell their "company-recommended minimums" on liability, and even pass them off as the legal minimums. Just get the legal minimums. If you have no assets, you're not a target for a lawsuit.

- Once a year, review your policies. Have a policy review and get new quotes every year or so. If the ticket you had is past the three year mark (or whatever the company thinks is important) they will drop the rate, but not automatically, so ask.

- Remove your kids from your policy. If your kids are at a college that's more than 100 miles away, you can have them taken off the insurance policy and save a lot of money. You can't let them drive the car when they come home to visit though.

Other Cheap Insurance Secrets

- Health insurance tip: Find a group to join. If you don't have health insurance through your employer, join a group that enables you to get a better policy rate. A fraternal organization or the chamber of commerce sometimes have arranged for group policies.

- Home owners insurance tip: Consider higher deductibles. Insurance is for disasters, not small stuff. Plan to pay the first $1000 someday when something happens. In the meantime you'll save money every year on your policy.

- Credit life insurance tip: Just say no. These policies pay the balance of your auto, home or other loan if you die. If you feel you need it, regular life insurance for the same amount is much cheaper.

Whatever type of insurance you are buying, be sure to get several quotes. Ask questions about every part of the policy, and don't pay for things you don't need. Ask about any special discounts you might be eligible for. Asking many questions and really understanding the policy is the key to getting cheap insurance.

Steve Gillman has been hunting down obscure knowledge and useful secrets for years. Learn more and get a free gift at: The Secret Information Site (http://www.TheSecretInformationSite.com)

It is true that many people are unsure of their credit score. They can't say if it is good or bad. Having a good knowledge of your current credit score is very important. It will enable you to know how to target your auto loan application appropriately.

One thing that many people don't know when getting a bad credit auto loan is that they are considered to be "last choice" loans for people putting in mind their bad credit rating.

The truth about bad credit auto loan applications is that they are turned down by most banks and lenders because of the high level risks associated with it. Some dedicated lenders however are specially equipped to handle issues with bad credit. These lenders offer services that are available online making its reach just a click of the mouse away.

The interest you pay depends on how bad your credit score is and also on your history with paying bills. Once certain that you need to get the loan, read through the paperwork that you have to fill out. Study it thoroughly. Understand their meanings even in the tiniest prints. Most times these reveal a lot of useful information about the loans' true terms.

You can also use the services of a representative from the bank or lending company. Having to meet with this representative on an appointment and asking targeted questions will further enable you to understand the responsibilities you are going to fulfill when the loan is finally granted to you.

Author: Ndimele Ikechukwu Phelim "Iyke Phelim"

Quality Service Provider. Loans And Loan Quotes Available Online. Visit:

http://auto.best-loans-info.com and http://best-loans-info.com

Protecting your mortgage repayments should be considered essential as failing to keep up with them could mean you would be evicted by the mortgage lender. Lenders do not put you out on the street without good reason and many will do everything in their power to come to an agreement with you so you are able to catch up on arrears. However if you cannot show that you have an income then you will not be able to show them you can repay. If you should become unemployed or incapacitated for any length of time then you are at serious risk of losing the roof over your head. Mortgage insurance is one way of ensuring that you would not have this risk.

Mortgage insurance can be taken when you take on the loan, it can also be shopped around for independently with someone who specialises in payment protection. Choosing to shop independently is the cheapest way to protect your repayments and in some cases you could save as much as 40% on the cost of a policy. Some providers will offer age based mortgage payment protection and this is where younger first time home buyers can make the most savings. The cost of the policy also takes into account how much you want to protect each month and the amount of cover you want. You might not need to take out cover for accident, sickness and unemployment together. You could just take out protection for unemployment only or you might want to cover yourself against incapacity only. Taking just the level of protection you want can help to keep down the cost of the policy.

There are many factors you have to take into account when looking into taking out protection. The first are the exclusions which are to be found in all payment protection policies. The amount that the provider will put in will vary and you need to check these against your current circumstances to be sure that you would be able to benefit. This is the only way of ensuring that you would have protection to fall back on.

You also need to check how many days of unemployment or incapacity you have to stand to before the policy would payout. The same applies to how long you would be able to benefit for. Some policies will continue to provide you with your income for up to 24 months. Others might payout for 12 months. Some providers will state that you need to wait for 30 days before putting in your claim, with others it could be up to 90 days.

A mortgage insurance policy is a much better plan to have than relying on savings. It could be many months worth of mortgage payments you would have to take out of your savings which means they could run out. It is also a better plan than relying on applying for benefits from the State. Any help you would be entitled to receive from the State would only be towards the cost of the interest part of your mortgage and only up to a certain amount.

Simon Burgess is Managing Director of the award-winning British Insurance, a specialist provider of mortgage insurance.

Ironically purchasing separate policies in many cases does not offer the you the best auto and home insurance quotes available. It is obvious that insurance is needed for our most expensive assets, home and car, but it seems no research or comparison of insurers is done to secure the lowest possible premiums. Low premiums do not necessarily denote inferior products but savings for you if you do your homework. If you have an already tight budget, finding an affordable policy from one company that covers everything that you need may require some time and research, as you would think. It is however time well spent if you get adequate, affordable auto and home coverage and you if ever need to make a claim against the policy.

Yes, this task can be a bit tiring and confusing but do not sign up with the first company that offers you what seems like a good policy. It is only by searching and comparing auto and home insurance quotes that you will you locate the most affordable insurance that fits your requirements for both. Compare each insurer's rates, features and coverage to get the best car insurance policy for your needs. Asking questions will no doubt give you the answers that you need to make an informed decision.

One of the best ways to save money in insurance is also one of the most over looked, buy your homeowners and auto insurance policy from the same company. That's right, buying these as combined insurance policies from one company can save you hundreds. Many companies have discount rates for customers that choose multiple products. Yes, you have to find the right company but for years this this people have been paying lower premiums by simply insuring with one company.

Your current insurance company may be as far as you need to look for the best home and auto insurance quote. If they offer both types of coverage and you only have one (home or auto) inquire with your agent or some one at the company what the cost would be to add the other type. You'll be asking for a combined or multi-line policy or something similar. Since they definitely don't want to lose your business you will be surprised that many insurance companies offer their current policy holders special discounts for the multiple coverages they provide.

Getting the right insurance coverage that you need for your home and/or car is critical. It is important that you know what type of coverage that you need in order to have the right coverage for the region that you live in. Consult with an insurance agent concerning the type of coverage that fits your circumstances, and he or she will advise you of any pros and cons.

The use of the internet can quickly yield auto and home policy comparisons, but using offline methods may present you with a local insurance agent or company that is smaller. In times of crisis, it is comforting to realize that your name is known by a agent that is sympathetic to your needs. Since most agents and companies have a website now a days you can easily find and compare different insurance company features online, in some cases multiple companies at once, and find a local agent as well. After a little research and comparison you should walk away satisfied that you have saved money and secured the best auto and home insurance quote available.

Get More information on protecting your home and car click here Home Owner Insurance Quote. Also go to http://Best-Home-Owners-Insurance.Com where you can get more info on your home insurance options including home owner flood insurance, home contents insurance, AARP home owner insurance and more...

Auto insurance is mandatory in New Jersey, but the type and cost of that coverage can vary considerably. Every day, consumers are finding that there are options available to make it easier to comply with the law. The New Jersey Automobile Insurance Cost Reduction Act mandated that a basic policy be available to all drivers.
It is essential to realize that you are breaking the law if you drive uninsured. The penalties for driving uninsured are getting more severe - in addition to risking economic loss by not having insurance protection, you risk fines, suspension of driver's license or registration and even time in jail. In the future, your car could be impounded if you are caught behind the wheel without coverage.

The Basic Policy should be considered by those with few family responsibilities and few real assets. It can provide a transition for younger drivers who are just beginning work, providing a basic, minimum protection when they may be least able to afford more comprehensive coverage.

Let's review the New Jersey auto insurance Basic Policy. The Basic Policy offers less protection, but at a lower cost than the Standard insurance policy.

Bodily Injury Liability

Coverage for claims and lawsuits by people injured as a result of an accident you cause. Coverage is not included but $10,000 coverage for all persons, per accident is available as an option.

Property Damage Liability

Coverage for claims and lawsuits by people whose property is damaged as a result of an accident you cause. Coverage of $5,000 per accident is provided.

Personal Injury Protection

Coverage for injuries sustained in an automobile accident by you or other persons covered under your policy. Coverage of $15,000 per person, per accident and up to $250,000 for permanent or significant injury is provided as defined in the policy.

Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Coverage

This type of coverage would pay for property damage or bodily injury if you are in an accident caused by an uninsured motorist (a driver who does not have the minimum level of insurance required by law) or a driver who is insured, but who has less coverage than your underinsured motorist coverage. This is not included in the Basic Policy.

Collision

Coverage for damage to your vehicle as the result of a collision with another car or other object. This coverage is not included in the Basic Policy.

Comprehensive

Coverage for damage to your vehicle that is not a result of a collision, such as theft of your car, vandalism, flooding, fire or a broken windshield. Comprehensive coverage also pays if you collide with an animal. This also is not included in the Basic Policy.

Collision and comprehensive coverage are available as options on policies issued through PAIP (Personal Automobile Insurance Plan) or on voluntary policies issued by some insurance companies. This is very significant for anyone who has a vehicle loan or lease that requires such coverage.

Another affordable car insurance option in New Jersey is the Dollar a Day Auto Insurance Policy or theSpecial Automobile Insurance Policy (SAIP). This is a new initiative to help make limited auto insurance coverage available to drivers who are eligible for Federal Medicaid with hospitalization. Such drivers can obtain a medical coverage-only policy at a cost of $365 a year.

People who are currently enrolled in federal Medicaid with hospitalization are eligible for the Dollar a Day policy. You are eligible if the Card Run Identifier on the upper left of your Medicaid ID card has an asterisk "*" after the code and "SAIP" is printed on the lower right of the card.

The SAIP policy can be obtained at most insurance agencies. There are two payment options: $360 if you pay up front or $365 in two installments.

The policy covers -emergency treatment immediately following an accident and treatment of serious brain and spinal cord injuries up to $250,000. It also provides a $10,000 death benefit. It does not cover -outpatient treatments such as doctors' visits covered by Medicaid, damage you may cause to other persons or property, or damages to your own car.

The policy only covers those enrolled in Medicaid. If there is one car and several people in the household enrolled in Medicaid, they can all be covered by the same policy. However, there can only be one car per policy.

To apply for this policy, bring the driver's licenses for all operators of the vehicle to be insured and the vehicle's registration and your Medicaid identification card that shows that all persons to be covered under the policy are enrolled in Medicaid.

Remember for both of these types of New Jersey car insurance policies, if you do not have any liability coverage; you are responsible for paying for the personal hardships and some economic damages, such as lost wages, that you cause. The insurer will not provide or pay for a lawyer to represent you if you are sued. Your assets will be at risk, including the risk of having money deducted from your wages if a judgment is entered against you. And, if you lack coverage and someone hits you, you cannot sue.

Receive a free online auto insurance quote that will save you money by visiting http://www.your-car-insurance.biz, a reliable auto insurance website that provides auto insurance information and resources.

Insurance is a defensive measure used against future conditional losses to hedge the possible risks of the future. It is a legal contract that protects a person from contingent risk of losses through financial means and provides a means for individuals and societies to handle some of the risks faced in daily life.

These contracts of insurance are called policies and are provided by insurance companies. The Insurance companies charge a regular amount from the customers, which is paid back, either in part, or entirety, to the customers in case of a definite loss. This regular amount charged from customers is called Insurance Premium.

REASONS OF INSURANCE:

Sometimes in life it is not possible to avoid the losses. For example People may become ill. They may die of illness or accidents or their homes or other property may undergo damage or theft. So in all these cases and they have to face the loss of income or savings. So insurance is a manner of financially insuring that if such an incident comes about then the loss does not affect the present well being of the person.

DOCTRINES OF INSURANCE:

1 There should be a certain definite loss taken place at a known time, in a known place and from a known cause. Therefore the time, place and the cause of loss should be clear enough.

2 The incident that represent the cause of the claim should be accidental or beyond the control of the beneficiary.

3 The size of the loss must be significant from the perspective of the insured. Insurance premiums should cover both the estimated cost of losses, plus the cost of policy, regulating the losses, and providing the principal required to logically assure that the insurer would be able to reimburse claims.

4 The amount of premium should be affordable.

5 The possibility of loss and the cost of compensation should be calculable or estimable

TYPES OF INSURANCE:

Below are some kinds of insurances.

LIFE INSURANCE:

Life insurance policy insures the life of the insured. The insurance company is legally bound to provide a monetary benefit to a decedent's family or the beneficiary after the death of the policyholder. The proceeds are paid to the beneficiary either in a lump sum amount or an annuity

MEDICAL INSURANCE:

Medical insurance is also called medclaim. Under this policy the insurance policy pays the amount to the insured for his health purpose. This amount covers the cost of medical treatment.

DISABILITY INSURANCE:

There are two types of disability insurance.One is simple disability insurance and the other is total disability insurance. In case of simple disability insurance,a financial support on monthly basis is provided by the insurer to the policy holder if he is unable to work due to an injury or an illness. But permanent disability insurance provides the reimbursement if a person becomes permanently disabled.

GENERAL INSURANCE:

It includes automobiles insurance, business insurance, property insurance etc.

Automobile insurance:

In UK this insurance is called motor insurance. It compensates the loss or damage occurred to the vehicle. But in United States auto insurance policy is essential to legally operate a vehicle on public roads.

Business insurance:

Business insurance protects the businesses against risks of losses and damages and compensates in case of loss

Property insurance:

This type of insurance protects the property against the risks like fire, theft etc. This category also includes fire insurance, flood insurance, earthquake insurance etc

Fire Insurance:

It is an insurance covering the damage to the property caused by fire.

Flood Insurance:

This type of insurance pays the policy holder in case of any loss or damage to the property due to flood. It protects the property against the flooding.

Earthquake Insurance:

This insurance compensates any damage to the property caused by earthquake.

IMPORTANCE OF INSURANCE:

Insurance plays an important role in sharing the risks of people in an affordable form.It helps the people to quickly recover from damages and losses.

Sadaf