The downfall of Enron Corporation is one of the most infamous and shocking events in financial world in the whole history of the mankind, and its reverberations were felt on global scale. Prior to its collapse in 2001, Enron was one of the US leading companies and frequently considered among top 10 admired corporations and most desired places to work, and its board was often recognized among the best five US companies in accordance with the Fortune magazine. Its revenues made up US $139($184) billion, assets equaled $62($82) billion, and the number of employees reached more than 30,000 people in 20 countries around the world.
While Enron Corporation was so highly praised by the outside observers, internally it had highly decentralized financial control and decision-making structure, which made it practically impossible to get coherent and clear view on corporations’ activities and operations. Of course, the problem was not exclusively due to poor managerial performance, all the departments of the corporation were involved in the ruining corporate ethical values and principles, but executives and managers bear primary responsibility for the absence of corporate culture, clear accountability and transparence of the company. If operations management worked properly, in its full force, and if it was given possibility to work in such a way, there could be a chance of escaping the tragedy.

Enron Corp brief history

Enron Corporation was one of the largest global energy, services and commodities company. Before it was filed bankruptcy under chapter 11, it sold natural gas and electricity, delivered energy and other commodities such as bandwidth internet connection, and provided risk management and financial services to the clients around the world.
Enron was based in Houston, Texas, and was founded in July 1985 (though company with Enron name emerged still in 1930 (Swatz, Watkins, 2003)) by the merger of InterNorth of Omaha in Nebraska, and Houston Natural Gas. Enron Company quickly developed from merely delivering energy to brokering energy futures contracts on deregulated energy markets. In 1994, the company started to sell electricity, and in 1995, it entered European energy market. By the middle 2001, Enron employed about 30,000 people globally (McLEan, Elkind,2003).
Questionable accounting methods and techniques provided Enron with possibility to be listed as seventh largest United States company and was expected to dominate the market which the company virtually invented in the communications, weather and power securities (Bryce, 2002). But instead the corporation became the largest corporate failure in the global history and an example of well-planned and institutionalized corporate fraud. Enron became wealthy due to its pioneering marketing and promotion of power and communications bandwidth services and risk management derivatives, including such innovative and exotic items as weather derivatives.
In 1999, Enron launched an initiative of buying and selling access to high-speed Internet bandwidth, and also Enron Online was launched as a Web-based trading site, making Enron e-commerce company. In 2000, the reported revenues of the company made $101 billion. It had stakes in almost 30,000 miles of gas pipelines, either owned or accessed 15,000 miles of fiber-optic network and had stakes in global operations on generating electricity (Thomas, 2002).
In the result, for five years in a row, from 1996 to 2000, Enron was named “America’s most innovative Company” by Fortune magazine, and headed the list of Fortune’s “100 best companies to Work for in America” in 2000. Enron reputation was undermined by rumors on bribery and political pressure with the objective of securing contacts in South and Central America, Philippines and Africa. The Enron was blamed to use its connections with Clinton and Bush administrations to express pressure in their contracts. The events were followed by a series of scandals involving irregular accounting methods bordering on fraud which involved Enron and Arthur Andersen accounting firm and led Enron on the verge of undergoing the largest bankruptcy in economic history in November 2001 (Emshwiller, Smith, 2001).
Since Enron was always considered a blue chip stock, the bankruptcy was a disastrous and unprecedented event in the global financial world. Enron’s downfall was definite when it was found out that a considerable share of its profits resulted from deals with so-called special-purpose entities, limited partnership under control of Enron. It resulted in the possibility of not reporting many of the company’s losses in its financial statements. The final plan of Enron’s bankruptcy included creation of three new businesses which would be spun off the company.
The reorganization process started in 2003 with the creation of three companies – CrossCountry Energy, Prisma Energy International, and Portland General Electric. CrossCountry Energy was sold to CCE Holdings L.L.C., with the money to be used for the repayment of the debts, while Prisma Energy International and Portland General Electric should emerge as independent companies descendant of Enron (Swatz, 2003).

Operations management scope of functions

To understand the reasons of this bankruptcy and the level of managerial implication in the quality performance of the company, particularly that of operations management, it is necessary to outline the main functions of operations management and impact it should have of functioning of the organization.
The principal task of operations management is effective transformation of inputs into “desired outputs” of the company (Shafer, 1997). The outputs are traditionally understood in manufacturing and profit-making context within the organizations. But recently it has been recognized that operations management is a discipline which is not limited with such narrow functions; it can be deployed in practically any area where the organization aims at achieving its objectives (Barnett, 1996). For instance, non-profit or public sectors have to learn to optimize their internal operations and processes in the situation of limited resources; service companies come to conclusion that by reappraising their delivery process they can revolutionize and significantly improve their approach to manufacturing companies and their marketplace. Robin Wood (2001) gives the example of such operations management implication in Daewoo company, which understood that it can specialize and differentiate its product by adding definite bundle of benefits to its product which includes additional supporting services. Operations sector is the heart of these changes that are made by leading companies to improve their performance and increase customer base.
The survival of commercial company depends on ability of the organization to focus and shape its operational resources to meet the expectations of its stakeholders: customers, employees and shareholders, expressed in organizational strategy (Russel, 1995) . Irrespective of economic sectors the company operates in, the ability of operations management of this company to fulfill those above-mentioned tasks depends on their understanding that it is necessary to make trade-offs. They cannot avoid the situation of working under constraints and have to understand their capabilities and constraints to provide significant inputs into strategic decision-making process involving further resources of the organization. [...]

Full version of this article is available here
bio = Anastasia Kurdina is a person of manifold gifts. Almost every her writing is followed by lavish testimonials from satisfied customers. Anastasia specializes in marketing, management, sociology, history, world cultures, literature and art. Anastasia is not an essay writer in a common sense. She is a Poet, an Analyst, an Artist, a Critic, … . Get to know her better now at Your Personal Writer. We’re not offering you custom written essays and term papers, we offer you freedom.

Popularity: 11% [?]

In this article the author is going to carry out custom writing services market overview providing comprehensive survey of the market divided into the following categories: market identification, market size, market segmentation, market growth speed, market customers, principles of operation, financial characteristics, regulations, and other categories. The research is structured in such a way as to group related issues in a logical order.

Market identification

Custom writing services market is a sector of the e-commerce industry. Custom writing services are fee-based.

Market size

The precise size of custom writing services market is unknown, though some rough estimate could be made. The number of competitors in the market approaches nearly 200. It is also known that around 30 percent of organizations in the industry have annual turnover equal amounting to $120,000 approximately, whereas other 70 percent have almost twice as low annual turnover. Total turnover, market size, is estimated at $10,800,000 annually. The size of the market in relation to the economy is yet unknown.

Segmentation

Segmentation is the process of allocation of particular homogeneous sub-markets within a heterogeneous market. A market is a multitude of sub-markets that have similar motivations.
In the case with the market concerned, segmentation is interpreted as follows. Companies that operate within the market could be divided in accordance to specialization differences into such categories: (a) generally-oriented companies; (b) particularly-oriented companies. Generally-oriented companies are those that produce custom-written papers on a wide variety of topics. As a rule, such organizations hire writers representing different specialties or simply those able to perform on appropriate level in one or several fields. Companies ascribed to another organizational category usually operate within a narrower framework. In the market there are companies that offer custom-written papers exclusively on math, physics, sociology, the African-Americans, William Shakespeare, Charlotte Bronte, etc.
Other products and services offered by the industry representatives include proofreading and editing services, and pre-written papers.
It is noteworthy that there are companies in the market that offer both custom-written and pre-written papers. This, however, may have nothing to do with violation of ethics, but what about privacy of those students who previously ordered a custom-written paper, which might have been later re-sold to another student?

Growth speed

Growth rates of the market are varying over the time. Thus, in 2000 there were nearly 25-30 companies offering custom-written/pre-written essays, term papers, cases studies, and other types of research papers. Over the 5-year period the number of companies in the market grew up to nearly a hundred and a half.
The leap in growth rates of the market is noticed to take place in 2003-2004 when sudden change in pricing occurred. The number of companies in the market increased almost 30 percent and now estimated around 80 companies. This leap was probably caused by the tendency towards ecommerce solutions being new to hoards of entrepreneurs in a number of developing countries like India, Ukraine, Poland and other countries. Companies with headquartered in these countries began offering similar services but with lower fees as compared to those located in the U.S., Canada, or Australia. More on pricing policies see in Pricing.
Today, market’s growth speed is rather low as the market is full-fledged due to a variety of services offered by market participants.

Geographical distribution of services

It is worth mentioning that the researched market is a subdivision of ecommerce industry. This gives ground to conclude that either products or services produced by industry’s parties are of intangible character rather than of tangible. This especially concerns custom writing services market, which offers its customers intangible products delivered to them mostly via email.
It should be clear that no matter where a company holds its general/backup office, it operates worldwide.
The only principle that regulates geographical distribution of custom-written papers is linguistic attachment. Among major countries using the service are: the United States of America, Canada, Australia, Great Britain, and some European and Asian countries.

Seasonal character of the market

Another aspect of the market is its seasonality. Seasonal character of the examined market is sharply defined. As services offered by the market participants are oriented at student needs throughout the academic year only, the season of active sales almost coincides with the academic year. The first half of September – usually passive – is compensated with several weeks in June.
Such seasonality of the market explains its instability of prices. It was noticed that prices for services increase throughout the year with peaks in December – January and April – May; and drop dramatically during the summer season.

Customers/Clients

Customers of online services such as custom writing services are usually students of high schools, colleges, and Universities, of 16 to 25 years old. As pricing in the market is relatively low, target group of the market covers the so-called middle class and higher. A research shows that in 2005 from 14 percent to 23 percent of students (considering seasonality correction) have in due time applied to custom writing services. In other words, one-seventh to one-fourth of students has bought at least one paper during 2004-2005 academic years. The same research provides data that gives ground to conclude about the growth of the market. It is declared that in 2003 peak rate of students who applied to the service at least once was 25 percent, whereas in 2005 it is estimated to reach 36 percent.

Customer loyalty

Customer loyalty is obviously a behavior demonstrated by frequent or systematic purchases of a company’s product or service. Customer loyalty could be achieved through customer-friendly pricing policies, various discount programs, incentive plans etc. Customer loyalty is also an aspect of a company’s customer retention or loyalty programs. Customer retention programs are usually complex systems that include two or more elements listed above. As regards the market of custom writing services, the following was noticed in the course of the research held by the author: (a) more than 80 percent of the market uses basic techniques in acquiring customer loyalty such as permanently variable prices that depend on demand for the product or service throughout the year, bonus plans (such as bonus key that allows up to 4 percent reduction), and other techniques; and (b) nearly 10 percent of companies within the market use complex customer loyalty programs such as flexible discounts (sometimes up to 30 percent!) in a combination with weekly feedback bonuses, personal selection of a writer, order status check, 24/7 customer care, and other modes of customer attraction.

Factors that influence buyer’s choice

Among factors that have impact on customers’ choice in the market of custom writing services are price, quality of products and services (including exclusiveness, professionalism, and compliance with the requirements), and delivery time.
As to price and quality of a specific service, these two factors are the most important. It is vital for companies to balance between price and quality values since optimum correlation between these two categories benefits both a service provider and a customer. It is worth mentioning that there are companies that offer papers written by Ph.D.s for “as low as $8.95 per page”. Quality of a paper is directly related to its price and vice versa.
In respect of the delivery time, many companies offer urgent order accomplishment within 12 (and sometimes even hours. Some of them limit the volume of an order to certain number of pages, though there are some companies that accept urgent orders without volume limitation.

Pricing

Custom writing services market has been experiencing a decline in prices lately. As it was mentioned earlier in this research, there had been fall in prices in 2003-2004 caused by sudden increase in market’s growth rates. By far, average fees are kept at the level of $15 per page for regular (5+ days) orders, $20 per page for urgent (24 to 48h) orders, and $30 a page for extremely urgent orders (within 24h).
There are companies offering custom-written papers half price as compared to average pricing. This fact may indicate that a company either hires instant workers from developing countries or is new to the market and provides such a low pricing policy in order to enter the full market and gain certain status.

Principles of operation

Principles of operation are the same throughout the industry. Intangible nature of products produced by competitors in the market implies single system of relationships between a company and a customer irrespective of an organization’s capacities.
Companies that offer custom-written papers (essays, term papers, case studies, literature reviews, executive summaries, dissertations) operate through their websites. Websites are supplied with all necessary and optional features such as credit card processing system (necessary), online customer service (optional), and auto-responder to provide existing customers with automated thank yous and newsletters, and other features.
A customer places an order, which is then forwarded to a writer. This step is omitted in small companies where two or three people wear several hats, e.g. one person could perform as an administrator, a writer, and a customer service representative. If there ARE a couple of writers working for a company, one of them accomplishes an order, which is then delivered to the customer via email.
It is worth noting that major attention is paid to a company’s website. It is common for a company producing custom-written papers to have as many webmasters as writers. Hard to believe? In your opinion, what is the correlation between webmasters/programmers and book reviewers working for Amazon.com?

Competitors and leaders

As mentioned above, the number of competitors in the market estimates nearly 120. Leadership in the market where companies offer custom-written papers of any kind is defined exclusively due to a company’s website’s ranking in various search engines. The most powerful search engines are Google, MSN, Yahoo!, Altavista, and Alltheweb. Moreover, websites are ranked in accordance to their content oriented at different key words. Thus, different websites could be leaders in the same search engine, though for different keywords or phrases.

Regulations

Being a subdivision of the ecommerce industry, custom writing services market is regulated by nothing but several codes like BBB Online that refer to web entrepreneurs. In general, ecommerce industry is poorly regulated.

Current trends within the industry and market success factors

Among current trends in the market particularly three aspects are worth mentioning: (a) constant fall in price; (b) constant increase in the number of competitors; and (c) diversification of services offered by companies.
Constant increase in the number of competitors is obviously caused by simplicity of operations and growing number of freelance writers who once decided to start out their own business.
Permanent fall in price is caused by growing number of competitors and similarity of services offered by companies in the market.
Finally, diversification of services is a logic consequence of the same increase in the number of competitors.
Among factors for success in the market the following issues could be mentioned: [...]

Full version of this article is available here

bio = Serge Chepurko is one of the best – though relatively young – writers employed by Your Personal Writer. Over the year that Serge’s been writing for living he produced more than 200 quality essays, case studies, research papers and term papers on management, sociology, history, and literature. Serge is MA in oganizational management. Get to know Serge better at Your Personal Writer’s website. We’re not offering you custom written essays and term papers, we offer you freedom.

Popularity: 10% [?]

Why is an All Natural and Holistic to Pet Food Gaining Importance?

There is a significant increase in the market share of Natural and Holistic Pet Food, and it is predicted to double over the next five years. But why the sudden increase in our pets health? It seems that as we become more concerned with our own family’s health and what we eat, it’s natural to also be more concerned about what our pets eat, as they have truly have become part of our families. Today, it is now easier to provide a complete healthy meal for our pets. In fact, our pets may be eating better than we are!

What to Expect from All Natural and Holistic Pet Food?

1. Switching to All Natural and Holistic Pet Food, produces substantial results over time. We all are accustomed to using synthetic drugs which can stop symptoms quickly. But, in many cases, the problem reoccurs because it was treating the symptons, not the problem. Holistic Pet Foods provide an environment that allows the body to health itself, not just treat the symptoms. This results in a more permanent cure and a healthier pet.
2. A good, high quality diet is the foundation of your pet’s health. What we find in the market today for our pets, often contain chemical additives that can be detrimental to their health. Many commercial premium foods contain chemicals known to be toxic, as well as low quality meat that is not fit for human consumption. Many of the ingredients are hard to digest, so the nutritional value is diminished becuase it doesn’t reach their bloodstream. An animal’s immune system is worn down over time because of poor diet and the lack of a complete balanced diet doesn’t foster a long life. There has been a significant increase in kidney and liver failures in young dogs and cats that has recently been linked to the amount of chemical preservatives. That’s why the FDA recently recommended the manufactururers of pet food cut the amount of certain chemical preservatives in half. Our pets eat the same food everyday, so the food they eat will have a heightened effect over time on their health, that’s why a good, high quality diet is best for your pet’s health.
Domestic pets are descendents of animals that have been existing in the wild. Many vets feel that pets should eat natural and less processed food. They recommend feeding pets fresh food with some supplements, or choose an all natural or holistic pet food. Your choice is to select the healthiest food for your companion pets.

What is All Natural and Holistic Pet Food?

Of course, we know that the proper mix of protein, vegetables, carbohydrates, and fats are needed for a healthy diet for our pets. Along with the 23 essential amino acids, pets also need vitamins and minerals. But the types of proteins, vegetables, carbohydrates, and fats is what holistic pet food is all about. Holism is the theory that animals should be viewed as interacting, complete entities, that are more than the sum of their elementary particles. Holistic food is naturally balanced, and provides the pet’s body with much more than just the sum of its ingredients. Each ingredient is chosen for not only it’s nutritional value, but also for it’s interaction with other ingredients. In selecting ingredients, manufacturer’s must know how an ingredient aids digestion, and select the ones that provide the most health benefits. Many ingredients are known to be good anti-oxidants, so why not choose an ingredient that has that added value. Then the combination of ingredients as a whole can be evaluated to understand the total value of a complete and balanced diet.
Holistic pet food manufacturers choose the most digestible meats, vegetables and carbohydrates so that the nutrients are almost 100% bio-available, meaning that it actually gets into their bloodstream. If it is a meat that can’t be easily digested, then it just passes through their digestive system, and less is really available. The sources of proteins, vegetables and carbohydrates are just as important as the amounts. We also know that certain meats, vegetables and carbohydrates are prone to produce food allergies, and therefore it makes sense to avoid using those ingredients which are known to have a high incidence of digestive problems or allergies.
Given that we can determine the proper mix of ingredients, it also makes sense that we should utilize the best available ingredients for your pet and avoid using questionable ingredients such as by-products or meat digest. The source of the ingredients should be held to the highest standard of human grade food, and as natural as it can be. That means meat that is free from contamination from animals that were not given steroids, antibiotics or hormones, and to avoid meat by-products or meat digest. Vegetables should be free from pesticides or herbicides. We should avoid known food allergenic ingredients (beef, wheat, or soy), and not use chemicals preservatives, dyes, or genetically modified organisms. Holistic pet foods come as close to organic in nature without any chemicals or drugs, or as we say, “The Very Best for Your Best Friend!”
bio = Fred Ege provides All Natural and Holistic Dog and Cat Food, the very best for your best friend. To learn more about our All Natural and Holistic Dog and Cat Food, go to:

http://www.foxvalleypetfoods.com

Popularity: 11% [?]

Causes of Obesity

Just like there is no weight loss pill or single “magic potion”
diet plan to cure obesity there is no single cause of obesity.

We are living in an age of two income families, job loss,
stress, and time constraints. It makes it difficult to prepare
and eat healthy foods. The ad agencies, the big food companies,
and the 35 Billion dollar diet plan and diet supplement
industries are taking full advantage of the American people’s
need for instant gratification.

What weight loss research has uncovered is that there is no
quick fix for permanent weight loss. A person who is considered
obese must realize that no weight loss pill, no shake, no diet
plan or reduced calorie bar, is going to make him or her slim
overnight. Weight loss pills are unhealthy because they tend to
induce jitters in people, and the Food and Drug Administration
(FDA) oftentimes does not verify their safety. Just a few years
ago, weight loss pills containing ephedra were removed from the
market because they were believed to cause heart problems in
people.

What we struggle with as a nation is the idea that everything
has to happen now; no, make that yesterday. If we cannot have
immediate results, we don’t want to know about it.
Unfortunately, weight loss research clearly shows that we cannot
expect to lose fat weight quickly; nor can we do so in a healthy
manner. The only path to permanent weight loss is through a
commitment to a healthier lifestyle that incorporates regular
exercise and a nutritious diet.

Depending on how much weight you have to lose, you may need the
guidance of your doctor to begin a new workout program for
weight loss. If you merely have five or 10 pounds to drop, you
can begin to take some steps to lose that weight safely. First,
take a good look at what you are putting in your mouth. Replace
processed foods with natural foods, and make sure to drink at
least 64 ounces of water each day, more if you exercise heavily.
Limit alcohol and caffeine, as both can dehydrate you quickly.

Permanent weight loss can only result from burning more calories
on a daily basis than you consume. One pound of fat equals about
3500 calories. You need to burn off those excess calories or
they are stored as fat, it’s that simple.

Rapid weight loss from fad diets usually is made up of water
loss. Muscle contains four times as much water as fat. So rapid
weight loss reduces lean muscle, causing the metabolism to slow,
making the diet program eventually level out and stop.

Educate Yourself about Weight Loss, nutrition and the causes of
obesity.

The point of my book, Living to Be Younger, is to educate people
on weight loss research. I wanted people to know the facts so
that they could make informed decisions regarding their own
health.

Only you can make the decision to live a healthy life by eating
well, exercising regularly, managing stress, and getting enough
sleep. If you want to look and feel fabulous, you can. Just
remember that you must put in the necessary work to reach your
health goals. I believe you can do it, and more than that, I
believe you deserve to live your best life. Why not go for it?

bio = Take the first step to a younger, fitter, more active lifestyle. Learn the facts about nutrition, diet plans, and how external marketing forces are driving us. Learn the facts and succeed..

Visit our wesite at: http://www.livingtobeyounger.com

Popularity: 11% [?]

We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence
then, is not an act but a habit.
-Aristotle-

I remember watching my boys growing
up. They would go to their Scout meetings
and bring home a pole that they had

cut from a sapling. They made it into a pole
by stripping the bark and carving different
designs into it. They would talk about
how they used it for hiking and on campouts.

Today things have changed a lot. The Scouts
still make their trekking poles, but more hikers
are now going high-tech.

Todays poles have much of the same
benefits the scouts used them for.

Hikers also use two of them for
hiking. Which double the benefits.

1.This includes pack weight distribution
to the arms, thus increasing indurance.

2.Makes keeping your balance easier
as you cross rivers and streams as
well as rough terrain.

3.Lowers stress on the joints, knees, hips
and lower back.

4.Gives a more upright, hiking posture.
This in turn will make breathing
more efficient.

5.Helps you go up those steep inclines.
Also helps you keep your balance on the
declines.

6.Dispite some drawbacks concerning
them, the advantages far outweigh
the drawbacks.

7.Trekking poles today are high tech
in design and with adjustable telescopic
features make them ideal for summer and
winter. Most are made from materials
such as aluminum or titanium.

8.Trekking poles have adjustable wrist straps
and can have plastic or cork handgrips.

9.How to use your trekking poles
is done by keeping your forearm parallel to
to the ground on flat tarrain. If you’re

assending the poles will need adjusting. You
will need to make them shorter, so you will not
over reach. The opposite is also true as well.
When going down a hill you will need to lengthen
the poles.

10.Its very easy to use trekking poles. Just walk
naturally one arm forward with the opposite
leg. The poles will soon become apart of you
as you walk.

As you become used to using the poles you’ll
find how easy it has become to hike and how much
faster and farther you can travel.

Check out your local Scout Shop for a good quality
set of poles. You’ll also be financially helping out
the Scout troops in your area.

Val and Robin Shortt are experienced campers and
own three outdoor websites For more tips like these and to register for their Free newsletter visit: http://www.goodnightcampingequipment.com

Popularity: 12% [?]

Choosing Your Tent

Here are a few hints when choosing the tent just right for you or your family.

Tents that are advertised as one person are rarely big enough for one person.

Two person tents are usually comfortable for just one person, a three person tent is comfortable for two people and so on.

If you do not pick something large enough, you will find yourself cramped , claustrophobic and uncomfortable.

Pick something that will give you a little room to move and some space for some of your gear as well.

Each person needs about 3 by 7 feet to stretch out. You will need extra room to dress etc.

Remember, if the weather is not good, you will be stuck in whatever you have picked..

You don’t want to be sitting cramped and hunched over feeling miserable.

In deciding on what you need, decide whether you will be summer or winter camping, and whether you will be backpacking .

Tents are not waterproof. They are made of breathable ripstop nylon. It allows your sweat and breath to evaporate.
This means you need a rainfly. They are waterproof. It fits over the roof of the tent and is meant to carry away rainwater from the tent sides.

Make sure the fly is large enough to substantially cover the tent walls.

Applying a sealant to the tent seams is a good idea. Apply sealer as needed throughout the tents life.

Most tents have a fine mesh screen over the door and window designed to keep out insects.
All netting is not alike. Standard netting is made of nylon. Dacron is a finer mesh to discourage even the smallest bugs.
They are usually zippered at the entrance with a flap that zippers over the door and window for privacy.

Because of the nature of the fabric used in making tents, being porous, very few tents are designed to keep you warm.
They are designed to protect you from the weather and from insects. They will protect you from the wind and rain, snow and sun.

To care for your tent, nylon is virtually maintenance free. The only thing that needs to be done is sealant occasionally.
Of coarse never store your tent when it is wet, or even slightly damp. Always set it up when you are finished your trip and dry it out completely.

Also sponge off any dirt or mud inside using a very mild liquid detergent or a baking soda and water solution.

Be sure to make any repairs if you have had the misfortune to burn or damage your tent in some way.
You can buy repair kits that come in various colors and are easy to use. Store your tent in a cool, dry place in its storage bag.

Dome Tents

The basic style of the dome tent is hexagonal. The fabric usually used is nylon. The weight is about two and one-half to seven and one-half pounds.

The tent is usually free-standing or self supporting. This means no stakes or lines are needed under normal circumstances.

However you should never leave it unoccupied without staking it down because the wind can send this lightweight tent tumbling off.

The dome tent is great for backpackers and canoeists. Its the choice of winter campers and mountaineers in larger sizes. The reason is because of its aerodynamic shape.

It resists gusts of wind well and is easy to set up and dismantle. The only problem with this type of tent is that it is not well ventilated. Moisture tends to gather at the top of the dome.

Tunnel Tent

This type of tent is primarily a backpacker’s shelter. It can weigh as little as one and one-half pounds.

The type of material used is generally nylon. It is not very spacious. The advantage of this tent is how compact it becomes.

It can be rolled into a tight bundle no larger than a football. It is a free standing tent, not needing any lines or stakes unless a fly is added.

It is lightweight, which makes it ideal for the backpacker or canoeist. Because of its design the wind flows off of it easily and makes it great for winter camping.

It has a screened opening at one end and can be closed against severe weather. It is easily erected and dismantled. It also ventilates well.

The A-Frame Tent

This tent is used primarily by the backpacker. The frame of this tent can be either fitted into sleeves or standing independently of the shelter.

Gone are the days of the upright pole that used to hold it up in the middle of the opening. They are generally made out of nylon. Weights vary from about 3 pounds to about 6.

These tents are ideal for canoe trips, climbers , fishermen and hunters. They are relatively lightweight and spacious.

A vestibule can be added to the front opening adding very little weight and adding an extra 10 to 20 square feet. This makes it ideal for storing your gear and giving you extra sleeping area.

Val and Robin Shortt are experienced campers and own three outdoor websites For more tips like these and to register for their Free newsletter visit: http://goodnightcampingequipment.com

Popularity: 10% [?]

It’s that time of year again when global issues take second place in the British media, to make space for the great ‘A’ level debate. Packed with case studies of “Laura achieved nine A grades and was still rejected from her first choice”, you have to wonder how long students can maintain the will to study. It’s not just the fact that companies and newspapers are debating whether students are actually getting more stupid (‘A’ levels are the new GCSEs apparently), students are debating themselves whether they are getting more stupid by even considering going to university in the first place.

Lazy British journalists are still reciting that the average graduate starting salary is still around £25,000. At Cashzilla, we’re not entirely sure where they get this figure as most graduates start well below this – sometime as low as £12,000. that’s not much money at all when you owe more that that in student debt.

But still as unimaginative schools and parents coax their kids into three (or more) years of vacant academia, it takes a gutsy 18 year old to take a long term approach to what they may wish to do with their life.

It is true that there will always be careers that demand a university education, but many young people get pushed on to the higher education conveyer belt, without any idea of what they’re doing there. If there was a booming graduate jobs market at the end of the production market – vacant graduates would be fine.

But there are real concerns about how crowded the universities are becoming and how students are managing their finances. It is a phenomenal burden to allow students to borrow such significant amount of money and then watch them struggle for employment upon graduation. Even when they get a job, many find it doesn’t meet the high expectations pumped into them at university. No wonder the “quarter life crisis” has become a lifestyle segment.

If you are a student, graduate or university virgin, you must read Damian Barr’s article “Crying on the inside” from Times Online ( http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,8123-1093294,00.html ), it’s a superb summary of life as a British twenty-something. On a slightly more practical, but just as constructive note, there is an abundance of advice and support available on the internet. Support for learning is a superb site ( http://www.support4learning.org.uk/money/index.htm ) and moneynet offers an excellent student finance guide ( http://www.moneynet.co.uk/student-finance-guide/index.shtml ), but don’t get distracted by searching for additional loans and credit cards!

By all means go to university and have lots of fun, but bear in mind that the graduate market is hugely competitive . and again . t h e g r a d u a t e m a r k e t i s h u g e l y c o m p e t i t i v e. We would rather see young people take some time out to work, travel and gain experience before embarking on a hedonistic journey of sex, drugs and rock and roll. Yes you have the right to an education, but remember that education does not always lead to freedom, especially with the current price of a degree.

Resources:

http://www.cashzilla.co.uk/
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,8123-1093294,00.html
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,13809-1101541,00.html
http://www.quarterlifecrisis.com/index.shtml
http://www.moneynet.co.uk/

About Rachel:

Rachel writes for the personal finance blog Cashzilla.

Rachel lives in Edinburgh (currently over-run with tourists) with Cat, blonde Andy and brunette Andy.

Popularity: 10% [?]

If you are thinking about installing a swimming pool on your property there are some obvious and some “not so obvious” factors to consider.

Budget is a huge factor, but not the only consideration. First, evaluate your reason for installing a pool. Is it purely for recreation? Do you have a family member who has a health condition that might benefit from daily swimming? What kind of space do you have for your pool? Do you plan on using the pool year round? What kind of building codes might apply in your city? Will your pool be for exercise only? Do you plan to include a hot tub or spa?

As with any project, we often end up spending much more than originally intended. Proper planning can help to minimize those “extra” expenditures. Give some consideration to how you would like the area around the pool landscaped and plan on that expense. Have you given any thought to maintenance cost? Pumps, filters and chemicals are regular expenses that need to be budgeted. Filling your pool initially will cause your water bill to rise significantly the first month. You will also want to consider the expense of water loss through normal usage of the pool.

The choice of swimming pools will be largely dependent on your answers to the previous questions. In a nutshell you have two choices, either in-ground or above-ground. Each has their own pluses and minuses.

An above-ground pool can be dismantled if you move to a new residence. They are also less expensive. Esthetically speaking, above-ground pools can be set up with decking and landscaping that rival more expensive in-ground pools. Often, the dealer you purchased from will offer setup and in some cases even decking and landscaping services.

In-ground pools are definitely more expensive than the portable, above-ground alternative. However, they usually increase the value of the property. If you have decided that an in-ground pool is best suited for your purposes, here are some steps you need to take:

1. Shop around for a contractor.
2. Obtain at least three written bids.
3. Make certain that ALL labor and materials are included as well as building permits.
4. Ask for a list of previous customers.
5. Don’t make a hasty decision. Take your time and don’t be pressured into signing a contract.
6. Check with the Better Business Bureau to determine if the contractor has any outstanding complaints.
7. Confirm that the contractor has the proper license.
8. Never pay the contractor in cash. Always use a check, cashiers check, money order or credit card so you have proof of purchase.

Purchasing a swimming pool is a major expenditure. The old adage of “an ounce of prevention is worth more than a pound of cure” applies. Plan your project properly and you will enjoy years of pleasure.

bio = Joseph Pal makes it easy to install a swimming pool on your property, quickly & easily. Learn the 8 essential steps

you need to take. To receive your free mini-course visit: http://www.whirlpool.biz

Popularity: 11% [?]

When you first start your business everything can be quite
confusing. There are many pitfalls and problems that are
difficult to work out on your own. Choosing the right
business for you. How to get the edge on your competitors?
What to do first? How to really make money and escape that
9-5 job? These are just a few of the confusing questions
that face the beginner. If you try to begin without help,
you are setting yourself up for failure. Very few can
succeed in business without someone to help you and steer
you in the right direction. You are indeed like a ship
without a captain when you try to start a business alone.

Here are a few common mistakes made by “newbies” when they
first start a home-based business.

1. Starting a business without knowing who you should be
marketing to. Without knowing how to target your market you
can spend hours of wasted time and a lot of wasted dollars.

2. Getting into the wrong business, with too much
competition/supply and not enough demand. If you do not get
into a specialized market with high demand and less supply
you are setting yourself up for failure and you will never
make a decent living.

3. Believing that a free program will make you money, these
are some of the biggest scams on the Internet.

4. Joining one business opportunity failing after a month
and then joining another and another. This is how many
beginners lose tons of money and valuable time.

5. Thinking that money can be made in a short time with no
work, this is another pitfall too many “newbies” fall into.

Wouldn’t it be nice to have some personal guidance,
somebody who can work with you one-on-one? Show you how to
start right and save you all that time and money. Somebody
who can help you “cut a pathway through the trees.” This is
where a mentor will help you, and better still a course
that comes with mentoring help.

There are very few true mentoring courses, where you can
really get one-on-one help. Usually you purchase your
course and then have to work out the rest. However a
mentoring course is different. When you purchase the course
you will get one-on-one help for your questions and any
problems you may have. As you progress through the course
your mentor will coach you on any problems you may have and
show you how to overcome them. One of the main reasons for
new Internet businesses failing is lack of guidance. There
is just too much to know and do without someone to help you.

You can see how a mentoring course works and the obvious
advantages, compared to trying to work out everything
yourself. I speak from experience. When I first started my
business, I had no idea what to do and where to go, until I
finally stumbled upon a mentor course. After that there was
no looking back, I cannot say that I did not make mistakes
or come up with problems, but they were nothing that my
mentor could not guide me through.

Recently I came across a mentoring course that not only
offers mentoring help but shows you how to start a very
profitable home business, Home-Based Recruiting. Basically
it is finding qualified candidates to fill job positions
for different businesses, for which you will get a finders
fee. When worked correctly, this is a very profitable
business and one you can easily make a good living with.

However, as with any successful business, some help is very
necessary. Larry Denis’s “Fast Cash In Home-Based
Recruiting” is the mentoring course that will guide you
step-by-step, from start to success, and with his expert
mentoring you cannot fail. Larry is a seasoned veteran in
this field and very successful at what he does. His course
will show you the tips and tricks that top recruiters use
to make substantial profits. Find the businesses that are
expanding and get ahead of your competition, with the true
“tricks of trade” known only by experienced recruiters like
Larry. Overcome the “fear of telephoning” by learning how
to call people the right way. The training and mentoring
you will receive from this course will be your key to
building a profitable home business.

A mentor course is your gateway to success. Unlock the
business potential within you, and see how you can achieve
what you never thought possible, with the help of
individual coaching. Experience the satisfaction of
starting and building a truly successful business with help
and guidance from a mentor.

About The Author

Larry Denis is the successful author of “Fast Cash In
Home-Based Recruiting” He is a seasoned home-based
recruiter with 12 years of experience in his field. For more
information on home-based recruiting please visit him at
http://www.homerecruiter.com

Popularity: 11% [?]

It’s that time of year again when global issues take second place in the British media, to make space for the great ‘A’ level debate. Packed with case studies of “Laura achieved nine A grades and was still rejected from her first choice”, you have to wonder how long students can maintain the will to study. It’s not just the fact that companies and newspapers are debating whether students are actually getting more stupid (‘A’ levels are the new GCSEs apparently), students are debating themselves whether they are getting more stupid by even considering going to university in the first place.

Lazy British journalists are still reciting that the average graduate starting salary is still around £25,000. At Cashzilla, we’re not entirely sure where they get this figure as most graduates start well below this – sometime as low as £12,000. that’s not much money at all when you owe more that that in student debt.

But still as unimaginative schools and parents coax their kids into three (or more) years of vacant academia, it takes a gutsy 18 year old to take a long term approach to what they may wish to do with their life.

It is true that there will always be careers that demand a university education, but many young people get pushed on to the higher education conveyer belt, without any idea of what they’re doing there. If there was a booming graduate jobs market at the end of the production market – vacant graduates would be fine.

But there are real concerns about how crowded the universities are becoming and how students are managing their finances. It is a phenomenal burden to allow students to borrow such significant amount of money and then watch them struggle for employment upon graduation. Even when they get a job, many find it doesn’t meet the high expectations pumped into them at university. No wonder the “quarter life crisis” has become a lifestyle segment.

If you are a student, graduate or university virgin, you must read Damian Barr’s article “Crying on the inside” from Times Online ( http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,8123-1093294,00.html ), it’s a superb summary of life as a British twenty-something. On a slightly more practical, but just as constructive note, there is an abundance of advice and support available on the internet. Support for learning is a superb site ( http://www.support4learning.org.uk/money/index.htm ) and moneynet offers an excellent student finance guide ( http://www.moneynet.co.uk/student-finance-guide/index.shtml ), but don’t get distracted by searching for additional loans and credit cards!

By all means go to university and have lots of fun, but bear in mind that the graduate market is hugely competitive . and again . t h e g r a d u a t e m a r k e t i s h u g e l y c o m p e t i t i v e. We would rather see young people take some time out to work, travel and gain experience before embarking on a hedonistic journey of sex, drugs and rock and roll. Yes you have the right to an education, but remember that education does not always lead to freedom, especially with the current price of a degree.

Resources:

http://www.cashzilla.co.uk/
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,8123-1093294,00.html
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,13809-1101541,00.html
http://www.quarterlifecrisis.com/index.shtml
http://www.moneynet.co.uk/

About Rachel:

Rachel writes for the personal finance blog Cashzilla.

Rachel lives in Edinburgh (currently over-run with tourists) with Cat, blonde Andy and brunette Andy.

Popularity: 10% [?]

A key method of our survival in the business and retail world is referrals. Referrals are always nice, because they come from someone on the outside of your company who has enough trust and faith in you to refer someone in your direction.

When we receive a referral from someone, it seems like an easy way to get a sale, but keep in mind, referrals don’t come without first building relationships with your current customers, and within your business community.

There are several ways to get referrals, but perhaps the easiest way to get them is from the people closest to you, the people right in front of you. Your current customers.

Your current customers will refer you business solely on your past treatment of them. If you treat your customers with kindness and sincerity, give them good products, and treat them as a person and not as a statistic, why on earth would they not refer their friends and family to you.

The extra couple of minutes you spend with your customer to make sure that they are happy and satisfied when they leave the table should result in a few referrals coming your way.

Think about it. Referrals just for being nice.

Another thing to keep in mind when it comes to getting referrals from your customers, is to just flat out ask them to refer you someone.

There are two ways you can go about doing this;

If you have a new customer and you have just wrapped up a sales session with them, thank them for their business and hand them two business cards. One is for them, for obvious reasons. And the other is to give to a friend or family member that may be in need of your services.

Trust me, you won’t run into any objections, and this is a great way to keep your business card in circulation.

Another thing you can do with your current customers is call them from time to time. Say quarterly or every six months. Tell them that you are calling them to follow up, or to make sure that they are satisfied with your services. Then go on to explain to them that you are also calling to see if they have anyone in mind that may be in need of your services that they can refer. If they say no, than leave it at that, kindly thank them for their time, and hang up the phone.

A great way to obtain referrals is to join community-based organizations.

Here are few for you to consider:

Lions club, rotary club, coaching little league sports, Chambers of commerce, and church involvement.

The above-mentioned organizations are a great resource for obtaining referrals once you have established yourself within the group. They also give you the opportunity to build relationships and make a few friends with some of the business leaders within your community.

I always saw them as a great way to break up the monotony of your work week. The majority of these groups often meet once a week for lunch at local restaurants for an hour or so.

Keep in mind these luncheons are not free, so make sure they fit into your budget.

Once you receive a referral, make the most of it. Don’t take it for granted. Call the person immediately, or make time to sit down with them at a time convenient for them

Remember, once a person refers someone to, you are automatically representing not only your company, but you are representing the person that referred you, and you want to make a good impression.

Imagine if someone was referred to you by one of your business associates, and you never followed up with them, or just let the information sit around for a few days, or your service was less than satisfactory. Do you think that person would ever refer someone to you again? Doubtful.

So when you get a referral, make the most of it, make sure the person doing the referring knows that you are taking the referral seriously and that you are doing everything you can in your power to satisfy that potential customer. It will keep the referrals coming.

There are people in business and in sales who have built such good reputations for themselves, that all of their business comes from referrals. They got to this point through years of hard work, networking, and providing excellent customer service. Make it your goal to get to this point. Hopefully, some of the above-mentioned ideas will help. Good luck!

Jay Conners has more than fifteen years of experience in the banking and Mortgage Industry, He is the owner of http://www.jconners.com, a mortgage resource site, he is also the owner of http://www.callprospect.com, a mortgage lead company.

Popularity: 10% [?]

You’ve heard “them” say it, haven’t you?

By “them” I mean the experts. The teachers. Even some
people from advertising & PR agencies.

They’ll tell you there’s only one way to do a press release
“right.”

Single page, double spaced, 12 point type.

Bull…

I’ve been working in radio and TV full time or part time
since 1972, and that means I’ve seen thousands of press
releases.

I never threw one away because it didn’t fit the “classic”
or “standard” format you hear about so often.

A journalist — especially a journalist working on deadline
– doesn’t care about that stuff…

There are, however, five things that *are* important, and if
your press release doesn’t have them, it will probably wind
up in the trash in seconds.

In my Instant Press Release Toolkit program at
http://www.pressreleasetoolkit.com, I call them
“The Five Tests Every Press Release Must Pass.”

1) The Instant Eyeball Test

The person reading the release takes a quick glance at the
overall appearance.

Does it have a catchy headline, or is the top of the page
crowded with unnecessary information or big graphics (like
PR agency/company logos)?

Is it readable? Does it look cramped, with block paragraphs
that suck up most of the white space? Will the screener
have to search through a lot of print on the page to figure
out what’s newsworthy?

Is there any bold print emphasizing important points?

And maybe the biggest factor of all: can he/she figure out
in five seconds or less what this release is about, and what
action the writer would like the news operation to take in
response?

Flunking the Instant Eyeball Test doesn’t mean the release
will immediately drop into the trash can. But if your
release is poorly formatted and visually unappealing, it’s
definitely a strike against you.

2) The Headline Test

Even if you’ve just flunked the Instant Eyeball Test, you’ll
probably still get a chance to redeem yourself by offering a
great headline.

In my opinion, this is the most important part of the
release.

Give the reader a catchy, attention-grabbing, interest-
provoking headline, and the battle is half won.

For a quick primer on headlines that motivate journalists to
“bite,” see

http://www.publicity-pro.com/articles/headlines-publicity.htm

3) The Hot Button Test

The next question in the screener’s mind relates to the
subject of the release. Actually, there are probably
several questions running through the screener’s mind
simultaneously:

* Is it information people need to know, or would like to
know?

* How much of a potential audience is there for this
information?

In other words, how newsworthy is it?

There are certain universal themes, story lines, and angles
that make something newsworthy. I call them news “Hot
Buttons,” and they’re the subject of a Special Report I’ve
written, available free at

http://www.publicity-pro.com/hotbuttons.htm

4) The “Medium Matching” Test

The first question you should ask yourself is “Who’s going
to be reading this, and what do they need to know from me?”

Very few people take the time to tailor a release to the
medium they’re pitching, but those who do tend to be more
successful.

The decision-maker looks for opportunities that
are characteristic of their medium.

TV news wants visuals of people doing something.

TV/radio talk or “magazine” shows look for engaging guests
to interview or topics to discuss at some length.

Newspapers and magazines look for depth.

5) The “Perspective” Test

“Perspective” answers the question “What is this news
release *really* all about?”

Sometimes it’s obviously written from the perspective of
someone who wants to sell a product. They talk mainly about
that product or their company, and they offer little or no
“news value.” (see the “Hot Button Test” for more on the
meaning of “news value”)

Remember, a news release is supposed to be about n-e-w-s.
It reads like an announcement or a newspaper article, not a
promotional flyer or sales copy.

Sometimes a news release is written from the perspective of
someone who wants to pat themselves on the back. It’s the
kind of self-glorification that you see in annual reports.

These news releases come off as boastful and self-serving,
and usually offer little of interest to journalists.

The best news releases are those written with the media’s
audience in mind.

They say to the decision-maker, “Here’s something you can
offer your viewers that will keep them from reaching for the
remote…” or

“Here’s something you can give your listeners to keep their
fingers away from the pushbuttons on their radio…” or

“Here’s something that will compel your readers to look at
the page long enough to notice the deodorant ad to the left
of the column.”

In other words, news organizations don’t want you to “touch
that dial” and switch your attention elsewhere.

Give them information that keeps their audiences tuned in,
and you’ve got a winner.

News releases written from that perspective are the ones
that get attention — and coverage.

To see a line-by-line critique of two press releases I
think are excellent, go to
http://www.publicity-pro.com/pressrelease1.htm

Both these release announce product rollouts, and both pass
the “5 Critical Tests” with an A+ grade.

Award winning TV anchor George McKenzie offers a
free 7-part email “Publicity Crash Course,” which
shows you how to turn the mass media into your
personal publicity machine. Register now
at http://www.publicity-pro.com

Popularity: 10% [?]

Glassily transparent, the lemon tetra (hyphessobrycon pulchripinnis) could appear to be just a sunbeam flashing through your community tank if not for background elements like plants and driftwood. Another member of the large characin clan, the lemon tetra has a fairly elongated body like its smaller relative the neon tetra and like neons and other characins, the lemon tetra does best if kept in small schools of six to eight fish.

One of the most distinguishing features of the lemon tetra is their large eyes. The upper part of the lemon tetra’s eye is brilliant red, which is a sharp contrast to the yellow pastels it displays in its body colors. Actually, though, the lemon tetra is quite colorful on close inspection. Body coloring is a delicate pale yellow, flanks are silver, and the leading edge of the anal fin is shiny-bright-yellow and sharply divided from the other rays, which are black. In the male, the rest of the anal fin is broad and fringed in black, a characteristic that is missing in the plumper female. As many male characins do, the male lemon tetras also have tiny hooks on their anal fins. Both males and females have the tetras’ characteristic adipose fin, which is also pale yellow in color.

Although omnivorous and able to exist on a diet of flaked food, the pale yellow color of the lemon tetra displays best if the fish’s standard diet is well supplemented with live treats. The lemon tetra is an egg-scatterer. However, breeding can be tricky since females often have a problem expelling their eggs and after spawning, the lemon tetra like many others of its species, is quick to cannibalize its eggs if not removed from the breeding tank. However, eggs will hatch in about 24 hours after spawning. Fry should be fed a live diet and if they survive, they’ll be about two inches long as adults.

Hans is author of

Tetra Fish and Cichilds  sections on
aquarium-guides.com For more
reviews visit our site.

Popularity: 11% [?]

It has always been my private conviction that any man who pits his intelligence against a fish and loses has it coming. ~John Steinbeck

1. How Fish Think

When you hunt for deer, and any other animal for that matter, there are some set rules you have to follow if you are going to catch some very wary Brook and Brown trout.
Will the rules for hunting somehow help with Trout Fishing.

2. Study and Research

Understanding how a trout thinks, will increase your chances of success. You could go to a local bookstore as well as the library. Within a week you
will know more about Trout than 99.9% of the world’s population.

3. Trout Tips

Trout have monocular vision. This means that each eye can focus on an object independently of the other eye, giving them an all-around panoramic field of vision. Research has confirmed that fish , to some extent, can see color, above and beyond some practical uses of color. The fact that most strikingly colored species use their pigmentation for attracting mates; or they use color to hide from and scare off would be predators.

4. Hearing

Sound travels more than four times faster through water than it does through air. Trout can hear sound through the vibrations in the water, through a porous lateral line along the sides of its body. As it picks up water vibrations, the fish becomes aware of feeding frenzies or other fish fleeing that happens nearby.

5. Touch

There are many species that have taste receptors on the skin, which send food messages to the brain, and prompts the fish to go towards the source of the food taste.There are also fish that have receptors on their heads, mouths, lips, and on, barbels like that of a catfish.

6. Smell

Many species of fish have nostrils with which to smell odors coming from food and mating partners. Their nostrils have sensors that detect the odors from the water and send signals to their brain.

To understand how Trout think, what spooks them, what excites them, when they feed, when they travel, and a number of other factors really is very important if you want to fill your creels full of fish consistently. Luckily for you, theres a man who has captured the essence of fishing and put his expertise into a Book, which is titled “How To Catch A Trout Every Time – When Spinner Fishing Your Favorite Stream Or River.”

This book is quite literally the bible of Trout Fishing. If you’ re new to fishing or semi-experienced, you’ ll immediately improve your chances of catching fish each time you go after reading the book. The authors name is Nick Anikijenko.

bio = Val and Robin Shortt are experienced campers and own three outdoor websites For more tips like these and to register for their Free newsletter visit: http://goodnightcampingequipment.com

Popularity: 12% [?]

Saturate yourself with your subject and the camera will all but take you by the hand. Margaret Bourke-White

These tips should help you relive those moments back where you’ve said “if only I had a camera.” Now you will have it captured on film. These tips should help you to be camera ready.

1. Get as close as you can to the subject or action

Remember, if you’re using a instant camera
a lot of them have a minimum shooting
distance. This is usually about two metres.

If your closer than that, your shots will be
out of focus.

Try to take shots with the viewer
focused on the subject. Meaning the closer to the
subject filling the viewer the better.

2. Photos Tell A Story

Photos of an event or activity such as camping with a
group or fishing trip with family and friends tells a
great story for all to relive and enjoy.

3. Decide What It Is You Want and Don’t Want in The Picture

Its best to keep the background as uncluttered as you
can. Background clutter will remove the focus from
your subject.

4. Take Surprise Shots

You’ll get some great shots if you take pictures when
people least expect them. Just think of the facial
expressions you’ll get.

5. Make a Slide Show

Slide shows are great to have later when those involved
in the activity can watch and laugh at themselves and
relive the activity in their minds.

6. Liven Up Posed Shots

Try to avoid taking boring posed shots. Instead of using
“Say Cheese” try have people say Rumplestilskin.

That should help get a real smile. If people see you’re going to
take their picture, tell them you will click on four and
then click on three.

That should catch them in a more relaxed state.

7. Camera Hardware Tips

Does your camera have the correct options set up?

Check your lens and make sure its clean. it could have a
finger print on it. That would make it almost impossible
to focus.

Check to see if you have auto focus or manual focus. Test
it to see if it will work as stated in your manual. Make sure
you know how to control it.

if you are using slide film set the ISO button
one spot ahead of the film. An example would be
if your using ISO 64 slide film, set the ISO at 80.

The results will be deeper colour saturation and
more vibrant shades of yellow, red, and orange. This
tip will not work with print film.

Using a digital camera, always make sure the battery
is charged.

For more room on your memory card delete all
pictures you don’t want to keep. Your now ready for some
fun and games clicking away with your camera.

For more excellent tips, surf to Kodaks web page at
www.kodak.com.

bio = Val and Robin Shortt are experienced campers and own three outdoor websites For more tips like these and to register for their Free newsletter visit: http://goodnightcampingequipment.com

Popularity: 11% [?]

Getting to the summit is optional, getting down is mandatory. – David Breashears-

Extreme Skier Maegan Carney

Extreme skier Maegan Carney had made a bid to be the first woman, and second person to ski down the world’s tallest mountain.

Because of the high winds of Mount Everest at that time, Maegan Carney abandoned her first summit attempt.

To find more information about Maegan’s quest, go to
the mountainzone.com website.

Preparation Is The Secret:

Before you climb a mountain, you need some major preparations:

You definitely need to be physically and emotionally fit.

You should have people in the group who know first aid and of coarse you have a first aid kit.

Make sure you have a schedule set up, because of the dangers involved.

The mountain you’re climbing, how long it should take, how many and who are going, and where will you start your assention.

Bring a camera for breath taking views and to record your trip. A cell phone for emergencies and to call someone to share your excitement when you make it to the top.

If you have the proper climbing gear with you, there’s no worries about staying the night if you get lost.

Also you know you’ll get rescued by morning because the proper people have been notified.

Some Guidelines For Climbing

It’s not a good idea to be flown or driven to altitudes higher than 3000 metres. Begin your walk at below that.

Once over the 3000 metre altitude, travel up in 300 metre increments each day, thats it, no more than that.

Climb up high during the day and sleep at lower altitudes at night.

If high altitude symptoms start to affect you, stop climbing higher. If symptoms worsen, go down right away.

You will need to drink plenty of fluids, hiking dehydrates your body very fast when climbing at high altitudes and this increases as the temperature does.

Do the climb at a slow pace and you’ll enjoy your climb more.

Stay away from alcohol, tobacco and other vices that will play havoc with your body and mind at these high altitudes.

A high-carbohydrate diet will really benefit you here.

In the USA there are many resorts above the 3,000 metre level, meaning you will need to keep a watch out for mountain sickness.

Some Mount Everest Facts:

Historic Mountain Climbing Deaths:

George Mallory and Andrew Irvine on June 6 1924, made an attempt on the summit from which they never returned.

An eyewitness claimed he saw the group reach the summit.

A total of 808 climbers have reached and stood on the summit,
764 men and 44 women. There were 161 that died, 36 on the descent.

More About Mountain Climbing Deaths

In 1965, was the best year for climbing, nine climbers summitted and there were no deaths.

In 1996, the worst single year for deaths, 15 climbers died.

About Mount Everest Itself

The Highest Peak: At 29,035′ (8850m), thats about five miles up, the highest summit in the world, and is close to the cruising altitude of a jet, or it is 23 times the height of the Empire State building.

Above 26,000, the body gets a third of the oxygen available at sea level.

Even after getting acclimated, the body starts to shut down, and if someone stays at that height long enough, they will die.

A lot of the climbers use oxygen here for climbing and sleeping.

The weather on Everest allows for climbing only in May and October between winter snows (December-March) and summer monsoons (June-September).

As you can tell, this article is just giving you the basics of what information you’ll need to find your way to the top of the world’s highest peaks. Amazon.com has a great source of books on this subject.

Val and Robin Shortt are experienced campers and own three outdoor websites For more tips like these and to register for their Free newsletter visit: http://www.goodnightcampingequipment.com

Popularity: 12% [?]

1. Accidents and medical emergencies in the home happen frequently. Maybe more frequently than we realize.

Statistics show a fatal injury occurs every 18 minutes in homes across America and every 4 seconds a disabling injury could occur. Accidents occur from falls, fire, burns, choking and poisoning.

2. Every home should have at least one first Aid Kit that is well stocked and readily available.

First Aid Kits are used most often for minor injuries such as cuts, sunburns or bites. Having a well stocked First Aid Kit available can save someone’s life in a serious accident.

3. A First Aid Kit won’t be any good to you if you don’t know how to use it.

Make sure you have a guide in your kit from a reliable source. It should have the latest medical advice and be easy to understand, particularly under stress.

4. There are 5 categories that are imperative in your First Aid Kit

5. Instruments

Pointed tweezers for removing splinters
Disposable latex or non latex gloves
Small rounded-tipped scissors for cutting tape, clothes or bandages
Breathing Barrier for performing CPR
Thermometer-either digital or mercury
Ice Bag
Eye Patches
Oral medicine syringe
Bandages that are good quality. A variety of all sizes to dress a variety of wounds
One dozen individually wrapped sterile gauze pads 2″ X 2″
Six non-stick gauze bandages
Six individually wrapped sterile gauze pads 4″ X 4″
One roll 2″ gauze bandage
One roll 5″ gauze bandage
Elastic bandages
Triangular Bandages
Adhesive Tape

6. Antiseptics

Antiseptics such as Hydrogen Peroxide to kill germs.
Antibacterial cream or ointment . This is good for cuts ,scrapes and insect bites.

7. Medicines

Over the counter medicines such as antihistamine
cough suppressant
aspirin
syrup of ipecac in case someone ingests poison. This should only be used after calling the Poison Control Center first.

8. Keeping your First Aid Kit Updated

Your First Aid Kit should be checked once a year, possibly the same day you check your smoke detectors, to be sure it is fully stocked and nothing has expired. Make sure you always make a note of anything you use out of your Kit so it can easily be replaced.

9. Storing your First Aid Kit

Make sure you store your First Aid Kit in a tote bag or plastic container that will keep your kit clean and dry and easily accessible in your home. It is recommended to have one on each floor in your home and workshop. Make sure everyone in your home knows where they are and how to use it. It could save your families life.

Val and Robin Shortt are experienced campers and own three outdoor websites For more tips like these and to register for their Free newsletter visit: http://www.goodnightcampingequipment.com

Popularity: 10% [?]

Pioneer Cooking

When you think of a cast iron Dutch oven, what comes to your mind? Pioneer cooking? Stews over the open fire?

Of coarse both are true, but they are still very much in use today and as for the Dutch oven, the possibilities are endless.

Dutch ovens can be used for frying, baking, boiling, and steaming as well.

Purchasing Your Dutch Oven

When purchasing your Dutch oven, make sure the lid has a raised ridge.
This is to hold your heat source, which will be briquettes.

This will help you to reach the proper temperature needed for whatever cooking you are wanting to do , with the exception of boiling or frying.

In which case you would want all the heat on the bottom.

Heating Fundimentals

If you are planning on baking, you need more heat on the top than on the bottom.

Put one briquette on the bottom for every 3 on the top of the lid.

For preparing stews, use one on the top for every 4 on the bottom. When roasting, put briquettes on the top and bottom evenly.

Best Temperature

To understand the temperature and number of briquettes needed takes a little math.

Each briquette adds about 25 degrees of heat.

A good starting temperature is 350 degrees F.

To figure out how many briquettes to use, take the size of the oven in inches, and subract three to get the number of briquettes for under it, and add three to get the number of briquettes for the top.

Preparing To Cure Your Dutch Oven

Now that you understand the basics of using your Dutch oven you need to prepare or cure your oven before using it.

Some cast iron ovens have a protective covering which you will need to remove .

You will need to do some scrubbing with a non-abrasive scubber.

Once the covering is removed, rinse and dry the oven and then let it air dry.

Curing It

To cure your oven, pre-heat your kitchen stove to 350 degrees. Place the Dutch oven on the center rack, with the lid open slightly.

Allow it to heat slowly until it is too hot to handle. Apply a thin layer of salt free cooking oil with a clean cloth to the Dutch oven inside and out.

Place your oven back inside the stove with the lid slightly open. Bake your oven for about an hour.

.Repeat

After baking , allow the Dutch oven to cool slowly.

When it is cool enough to handle, repeat the oil again the same as before and bake again.

When cool enough apply a third layer of oil, but this time it is ready for use.

Preparing your Dutch oven in this way prevents rust and makes for much easier cleaning as well

Cleaning

To clean your oven after use, scrape it out, add warm water, without soap, and heat it in the oven until the water is almost boiling.

For any food that sticks a little, use a non-abrasive scrubber.

Protect your Dutch oven again by warming it in the stove, applying a thin coating of oil and letting it cool. Its now ready for storage.

Val and Robin Shortt are experienced campers and own three outdoor websites For more tips like these and to register for their Free newsletter visit: http://www.goodnightcampingequipment.com

Popularity: 13% [?]

Winning at Custody is one of the most difficult issues parents confront in divorce. In many cases, both parents want custody and are willing to spend whatever it takes to win. Custody is all about what is best for the children – and that involves proving that you are the best parent – i.e. that the other parent is not as good a parent as you and/or that the other parent is just simply a bad parent.

My recommended tips for winning at custody are:

1. If you are not involved in your children’s lives now, you are not getting custody from a judge. If you are a working parent who lets your spouse handle all of the details of parenting, you are not prepared to win at custody. You must either change your objectives or change your parenting. If you really want custody, get involved now – in all aspects of your children’s lives. Get involved in your children’s schooling. Attend their extra curricular events. Take them to the doctor and dentist. Get to know what professionals your children see and be involved with them?

2. Make sure that you are not exposing your children to unsafe or unhealthy environments when they are with you. Are you involved in another relationship? Has there been more than one? Be very careful about exposing your children to your companion(s). Many judges, professionals, and other parents object to the children being subjected to other relationships too early in that process. More important, if you really want to win at custody, it should be because you want to spend time with your children parenting them. Spending time with someone else when you have the children is a recipe for losing at custody in court.

3. Do you put down your children’s other parent when the children are with you – either consciously or subconsciously? If you do, stop. One sure way to lose at custody is to hurt the children’s relationship with the other parent. A judge will consider whether a parent promotes or prevents the other parent’s access to and relationship with the children when seeking custody.

4. Winning at custody requires that you keep a calendar for everything. You need to be able to look back and remember details when it comes time to litigage custody. If you do not know when you had the children, what events you attended, where they were or you were or allof the times your spouse was not timely for a pick up or drop off, you will only hurt your own case. You can keep track on your own calendar, with your own journal, or with a professionally managed calendaring system. We do provide access to a professional calendaring system for custody cases on our web site at http://www.millenniumdivorce.com/custody-planner.asp.

5. Be on time…Be on time….Be on time. Few issues cause as much conflict as a parent who is persistently late in picking up or dropping off children. It irks the judges, it creates arguments with your ex or soon to be ex, and it stresses out the children. So, Be on time.

6. Be flexible. If the other parent wants to switch weekends or weekdays, do it if you can manage your schedule. When the time comes to tell the judge why you should have custody, you can tell the judge that you are the parent who makes sure that the schedule works. In a close case, this issue makes a difference.

7. Do not involve your children in the issues that are pending in court or with attorneys. Courts generally are very opposed to the children knowing the details of what are essentially adult issues. Children should be told that both parents love them and want to see them – that’s it. The children may see a psychologist and/or an attorney or other professional if the court directs that. The children can talk to those people about your case – you should not be giving them the details, especially if giving the details involves denigrating the other parent.

8. Winning at custody requires considering one other very important factor: where do the children want to live. It is not a good idea to coach your children on this issue. They will have an opportunity to tell what they want to either the court, their attorney or a psychologist. However, it is a good idea to know what they want. If they want to live with their other parent, you should not spend all of your time and money pursuing custody, unless you believe that it is unsafe or inappopriate for the children to live with that parent.

9. You do have to be willing to show why your children’s other parent should not have custody. So, you need to keep track of whether that parent is on time, involved, and flexible with the schedule. If that parent has any issues that affect custody, such as a history of mental health issues which impact his or her ability to care for the children or alcohol or drug addictions, you need to let the court know. Other issues that can and do affect custody determinations include the number and frequency of romantic relationships and the epxosure of the children to those relationship, the proper supervision of the children, and ensuring that the children attend school and see professionals such as a doctor and dentist when necessary.

10. Above all else, hire a good attorney and be open and honest with your attorney. Listen to your attorney, not some friend or relative who is sure about what you should do because they had a friend or a relative who got a better deal. If you are paying your attorney, listen to what he or she has to say.

Jean Mahserjian is an attorney and the author of numerous websites and books devoted to helping consumers through the process of divorce. To download free excerpts from her divorce and custody books, visit: http://www.millenniumdivorce.com

Popularity: 12% [?]

Man’s Best Friend

Man’s best friend your dog , and you, can go camping and have lots of fun.

Look at it as a walk that doesn’t end, during which he gets to spend all his time with you.

For us campers, it can give us another means of security and another way of bonding.

Things You Need To Do

For those of you who are wanting to get involved in this great adventure with their pet, there are some things you need to do to make this as fun as possible for both of you.

Bring Him Along Slow

First time camping pooches should be shown the wonders of nature slowly.

City or urban dogs need to be brought along slow because of their tender pads on their paws, and they need to get used to all open spaces and wonders of nature.

Start with taking them on some day trips to state, county and conservation Parks

The Great Outdoors

The wide open spaces will help your dog get used to unpopulated areas.

He wll also find new odours and sights in this stress free environment.

Going on nature and hiking trails will also help your dog gain muscle strength and fitness before you go camping.

Being A Responsible Dog Owner

As we enjoy the companionship of our dogs, they become a member of our families.

Going with us on family outings, walks, trips around town, just about everywhere we go they tag along with us.

Thats fine because we care about them so much.

Its not always the same with camp owners who feel dogs are not man’s best friend in their camping area.

They have good reason to be.

A lot of dog owners are not very good in keeping their pets leashed or cleaning up after them.

They also don’t abide by the camp rules the way they should, but many irresponsible dog owners feel the rules don’t apply to them and their dogs.

Of course because of these pet owners , we all suffer, thus there are now many campgrounds not allowing dogs.

Check ahead to see if the campground you’ re going to allows dogs, and if so, are they allowed on the trails, or have special trails set aside for dogs.

Also some campgrounds charge two dollars a night for dogs as well.

Taking Care Of Your Dog

As loving, caring, pet owners, we need to find a way to take care of our dogs while we go out on the trails with our other family members.

We could take turns dog sitting with family, friends, other campers with dogs.

One thing we need to do is make sure we are good responsible pet owners. Check ahead before you go camping with man’s best friend.

Here Are Some Pre-Camping Tips

Try to take your dog for a pre-camping visit for possible needed shots, and a Rabies shot tag for his collar.

Look at a possible Lyme disease vaccine.

Take with you a current copy of his records and his vet’s phone number.

Pick up a proper dog license & ID tags for your dog with their name, your name, ect.

Microchips, tattoos and pet registries can be used.

Bring medications and a copy of prescriptions.

Try to get a site with some shade for your dog.

Supervise your dog closely around children, other visitors and other dogs.

Keep your dog quiet. Frequent and continued barking disturbs the wildlife and other campers.

Let your dog have time to adjust to his new surroundings. Give him time to rest.

Try to use ziplock bags to pick up after him and properly dispose of it in appropriate trash containers.

Keep an eye on how weather conditions effect your dog, heat, cold, rain etc.

Consider use of a crate for travel and short term restraint, while you are near. Your pet could be stolen if not watched carefully.

You should be aware that your dog will have increased exposure to ticks and fleas.

Take the proper tick/flea collars, repellants or use Frontline applications.

Other diseases can also be transmitted by wild animals and insects.

bio = Val and Robin Shortt are experienced campers and own three outdoor websites For more tips like these and to register for their Free newsletter visit: http://www.goodnightcampingequipment.com

Popularity: 11% [?]

Pisa attracts bus after bus of tourists every day of the year to see its most famous attraction. The leaning tower of Pisa has become an Italian symbol, much like Pizza and Pavarotti! The city has put a lot of effort into the tower and it is again safe to visit. Many people may be surprised to hear that the tilt is actually intentional, after architects concluded that the stories of the accidental tilt were most probably just that – stories. Accidental or not, the fact remains that it is one of the most beautiful, unique buildings in the world – a view shared by the Italian government who spent $80 million on restoration in the early nineties. Bookings are essential and only 30 people can go up per half hour so make your booking and be on time!

There is so much more to Pisa than the tower and you will need plenty of time to explore what is on offer. The Cathedral houses one of the first and finest examples of Pisan Romanesque. Bonanno, one of the leaning tower of Pisa architects contributed to the cathedral, including the fabulous bronze doors towards the south of the building. A fire in 1595 destroyed much of the original art but one of the most impressive pieces – the great mosaic of Christ Pantocrator luckily survived. The pulpit, a work by Pisano displays an array of Christian and classical elements, unique to its time period. Opening hours vary throughout the year so check times and days of opening before hand.

Close to the cathedral is the Museo delle Sinopie. It houses many sketches of the frescos destroyed in the Campo Santo fire – the sketches are works of art in them selves and give a great impression of what the finished pieces looked like. The Museo Del Duomo, also close by contains pieces of the cathedral façade, along with some unique pieces like the griffin from the cathedral top. Giovanni Pisano’s ugly gargoyle style face sculptures stand out along with more pleasant works by Nino Pisano and Camaino. Both museums are open year round with admission fees payable on arrival.

Pisa has no ‘centre’ as such, so you will find the city’s attractions scattered all over. Other highlights throughout the city include the Palazzo della Carovana and Palazzo dell’Orologio. To the west of here you will find the beautiful botanical gardens, to the south the University of Pisa (established 1330) and east of the university are the lively markets of Piazza Vettovaglie.

The Galileo Galilei airport is only 3km away, with regular cheap buses linking the airport to the city. Once in the city, all buses depart from the Plaza Vittorio Emanuele II, near the stazione centrale. Bus tickets are cheap (less than ?1 for 1 hour’s unlimited bus riding) and cover routes for wherever you need to go. There are so many more cultural things to do in Pisa than shop, but it is a great place for souvenir tackiness – every variation of colour of the leaning tower of Pisa you can think of! You can’t fail to find an exquisite place to eat in Pisa, everything from Tuscan and Sardinian specialities at Il Nuraghe, to dishes elsewhere that even the chef is not sure of!

bio = With budget airlines flying to Pisa from throughout Europe many people opt for the DIY style break here. Pisa is just one of a wide selection of Tuscany destinations. TipTopVillas has a wide range of Tuscany vacation rentals, or, if you are travelling a bit further check out the selection of Italy vacation rentals.

Popularity: 10% [?]

The following is a list of equipment that you likely want to take on a camping excursion.

Tent

Spare tent stakes

Sleeping Bags

Ground pad or air mattress

Stove and fuel

Lantern and fuel

Flashlight and spare bulb and batteries

Cookset

Dutch oven or Reflector oven

If taking a reflector oven- cake pans,

pie plates, muffin tins

Griddle or frying pans

Toaster

Pot holder

Can opener

Cooking utensils- spatula, large spoon, fork

Mixing bowls

Dishpan

Dish cloth and towels, Dish Soap

Plates, cups, knives , forks, spoons

Repair kit

Rope

First Aid Kit

Matches

Pocket knife

Saw

Moisture proof bags

aluminum foil

Food supplies

INDIVIDUAL GEAR

Water bottle

Toiletries

Soap

Towel

Insect Repellant

Hat

Rain gear-jacket and pants or poncho

Socks

Shirts- Cotton and wool

Sturdy shoes or boots for hiking,

lighter shoes for camp

Underclothing Long pants- cotton and wool

Sun screen lotion

Camera

binoculars

medications etc.

I hope this list has been of assistance in preparing you for your camping excursion.

bio = Val and Robin Shortt are experienced campers and own three outdoor websites For more tips like these and to register for their Free newsletter visit: http://www.goodnightcampingequipment.com

Popularity: 10% [?]

Black Bear Chase

Peddling as fast as my aching legs could move, I came to an abrupt stop. My shocked eyes followed the big black bear as it veered off the old brush road into the dark forest, just a few feet in front of me.

Camping With My Friends

It was early summer. A couple of friends of mine and myself had just finished a week end camping and fishing trip at one of our favorite lakes in the area, where we lived.

As I can remember it was a very long bike ride, even for three 14 year old boys.

Bear Country

The road we took to get there and back hadn’t seen any traffic for a few years. It was a good bet we would run into something back there.

Sure enough I did, my buddies missed out on all the excitement, they had trailed behind and missed out.

Spring Bear Hunt

Since that time I’ve seen many a black bear in the Ontario Northland of Canada.

With the cancellation of the annual spring black bear hunt, I expect to see many more of these magnificent animals.

Black Bear Population

For the tourists, this is good and bad news, for the Northern Ontario resident, just bad. Ontario has a growing black bear population that is one of the largest in the world.

Bears In Politics

The spring black bear hunt was cancelled in 1999 in a pre-election move. The thought was that the government’s decision would reduce the number of orphaned cubs.

The number of orphaned cubs in shelters rose.

Happy Tourists

Residents now have to put up with nuisance bears. Too many for their liking. The tourists have good news because they will get a better chance at seeing one.

Bad, because campers will need to keep a keen eye for nuisance bears. Now nuisance bear complaints are the norm.

Bear Control

Some municipalities have now hired bear-control officers, but many municipalities cannot afford this.

Without trained staff, municipalities must rely on law enforcement officers, with no background in bear management, to respond to nuisance bear complaints.

One day the Ontario government will come to their senses and bring back the spring Black Bear hunt again.

The Bear Facts

The black bear is also seen in other colour phases, chocolate and cinnamon brown are also common.

Black bears can reach weights of up to 700 lbs.

Black bears roam a very large area even as much as 500 square miles.

Black bears have been know to run as fast as a horse.

A bear can bite through a tree as big around as a person’s arm.

Litter size may range from one to five cubs, but two is average.

Male black bears regularly kill and eat bear cubs in the spring; biologists say as many as 50% of bear cubs lose their lives this way each year.

Life span in the wild is 20 to 25 years. Mother black bears have not been known to attack in defence of its cubs.

A large number of fatal bear attacks in Ontario have occurred in areas not open to hunting.

As a tourist, I enjoy the site of seeing one of nature’s rare sights. As a resident, black bears are seen, heard and feared all too often.

The black bears future depends on how well Ontario Northland residents understand manage and tolerate them.

bio = Robin Shortt is a father of five children and five step children and thoroughly enjoys the outdoors. He is also a Cub Scout leader,who sees the big picture when it comes to helping our children to love and explore the great outdoors. Visit: http://www.goodnightcampingequipment.com

Popularity: 11% [?]

Did you know that more than one million north americans will be bitten by dogs this year, and about one million dog bites will go unreported.

Its sad but most of the victims will be children. These dog bites will come from animals known to them. Unleashed dogs will account for most of the bites inflicted.

What Makes Dogs Bite

Not being educated and pet owners not being committed on training their pet is what leads to most of these dog bites. We must realize that dogs don’t normally become a part of our families already trained.

Why Then Do Dogs Bite?

1.They will bite if scared, angry, or threatened. Even a dog thats friendly will bite.

2.If he feels he’s cornered or crowded.

3.They will protect what they think belongs to them. Like their food, toys.

4.Dogs will protect their space such as sleeping area, yard, porch, cars and home.

5.Dogs are predatory by nature and love to chase and attack.

6.A stray dog may feel upset being lost or hurt and bite with alot less provocation.

7.A dog being startled may lash out and bite.

How to Prevent Bites

8.Teaching young children to be careful around pets. Don’t allow children to play rough or allow pupies to bite. Not even play biting.

9.Teach your children never get close to strange dogs.

10.Leave a dogs things alone like food, toys, bones, ect.

11.Most injuries are caused by getting too close to a dogs face with your own.

12.Refain from running past a dog. They love to chase. Avoid getting a dog excited or aggressive, by yelling and screaming.

13.You never want to pet a dog thats eating, sleeping or careing for its puppies.

14.Stay away from dogs that are tied up or in cars.

15.You should always ask permission from a pet owner to pet his dog. Even if he’s present and the dog’s on a leash.

16.Refrain from swinging your arms or things you have at a dog. It may think its an invitation to bite.

17.You should never pet stray dogs or ones running loose.

Its great to have a dog go on a hike or walk on a trail with you but we humans need to treat dogs with respect. Just remember to teach your children how act around dogs, it will keep them safe.

Val and Robin Shortt are experienced campers and own three outdoor websites For more tips like these and to register for their Free newsletter visit: http://www.goodnightcampingequipment.com

Popularity: 11% [?]

Have you ever thought about where your drinking water comes from? Most of us never give this question a thought. Yet, the sources of our water tell us a lot about its quality.

The Importance of Water Sources

Very early in the development of civilizations, people recognized the importance of finding reliable water sources. A clean, constant supply of safe drinking water is essential for every community. Consequently, the earliest civilizations developed near sources of clean water.

As time passed, people began to migrate and settle in areas many miles from a reliable water source. So they developed delivery systems that drew water from those distant sources. The Roman aqueducts are an excellent example of such a delivery system.

Today, people in large cities frequently depend on surface water sources, such as lakes, rivers, and reservoirs, for their drinking water. Sometimes these sources are close to the community. At other times, water suppliers get their water from sources many miles away.

In either case, when you think about the source of your drinking water, it’s important to consider the entire watershed in which the source is located. The watershed is the land area over which water flows into the river, lake, or reservoir.

In rural areas, people are more likely to drink ground water pumped from a well. These wells tap into aquifers or natural reservoirs under the earth’s surface. These aquifers may be only a few miles wide, or may span the borders of many states. As with surface water, remember that activities many miles away from you may affect the quality of ground water.

Both public and private water supplies can be drawn from a variety of sources. Different sources of raw water demand different treatment methods to render it fit for human consumption.

Deep Groundwater Sources

The water emerging from some deep groundwater sources may have fallen as rain many decades or even hundreds of years ago. Soil and rock layers will naturally filter the groundwater to a high degree of clarity. Deep groundwater may emerge as springs. In places where the water does not emerge as springs, water suppliers will often bore wells to extract it.

Usually, groundwater has a very high bacteriological quality. Because the water passed through layers of soil and rock, it may also be rich in dissolved solids including carbonates and Sulfates of Calcium and Magnesium.

Depending on the strata through which the water has flowed, other ions may also be present. These could include chloride and bicarbonates. Often, water from deep sources requires special treatment to remove its iron or manganese content to make it pleasant for drinking, cooking, and laundry.

Seepage of surface water recharges these deep groundwater sources. This seepage introduces industrial, chemical, animal and human contaminants into these underground aquifers. As these contaminants merge with natural elements in the water, health threats are introduced and disinfection is required.

Shallow Groundwater Sources

While deep groundwater lays far below ground level, shallow groundwater travels in streams within a few hundred feet of ground level. Access to shallow groundwater is usually through wells or boreholes.

The bacteriological quality of these shallow sources can vary depending on the nature of the underground reservoir. A variety of soluble materials may be present including potentially toxic metals such as copper or zinc. In some places, shallow ground water sources contain unacceptably high levels of Arsenic contamination.

Upland Lakes and Reservoirs

Typically, municipalities place upland reservoirs in the headwaters of river systems, above any human habitation. They often surround them by some form of protection zone to restrict the opportunities for contamination.

Bacterial and pathogen levels are usually low, but some bacteria, protozoa and algae will be present. Where uplands are forested or are peaty, humic acids can give the water a brown color. Many upland sources have low pH which requires adjustment before the water enters the supply.

Rivers, Canals and Low-Land Reservoirs

Lowland surface waters primarily come from rain runoff. As rainwater washes the streets of our cities and filters through landfills and farmlands, it picks up a significant bacterial load. It may also contain algae, suspended solids and a variety of dissolved elements.

Conclusions

All water sources contribute to water contamination. The source of your water determines the kind of contaminants it carries.

While water treatment facilities neutralize most of the contaminants, some escape and end up in your drinking water. Many of these contaminants are harmless and, at most, give the water a bad taste or odor. Other pose potential health threats.

To protect yourself and your family from these potential threats, we recommend the use of a home water filtration system to assure that your drinking water is clean.

bio = Earl Calvert is a freelance writer. His writings include Bible study curriculum materials and articles for national business magazines. As an advocate for clean drinking water, Earl is concerned about the contamination of our drinking water sources.

Popularity: 10% [?]

Sexual energy is one of the most powerful motivating forces in our life. But to discover it within you and to experience pure sexual bliss, it’s essential to understand your body completely. Let’s learn a little about the energy centers in our body.

Energy centers
Eastern meditative practice, religions and martial arts inspire us to learn the energy centers of our body. And for that we need a lot of focus. One of the key energy centers in our body is the hara. This is the centre of your life energy and also your sexual energy. It’s about 2 -4 inches below your belly button or around that area. All your sexual sensations will pass from here. When you focus your attention on this point and regulate your breathing, you can live through an enjoyable sexual act. Now how do you find it out?

Stand with your feet about six inches apart to locate the point. Some call it one-point and others refer it to as hara. Your task is just to keep searching for it. Focus on this area of your body as you begin to breathe in and out slowly. Imagine the power rising from this point up your spine to the top of your head and returning down your back to between your legs and up to the hara again. This is your true personal power in action. It is very powerful.

Your Sexual needs

Study suggests that distinct tendencies differentiate male and female sexual fantasies. These traits are hardly universal; just because a person happens to be male it does not indicate he will have only “male” fantasies that night, let alone for the whole of his life. In general, however, male sexual fantasies tend to be shorter. They are more imagistic. Female sexual fantasies have longer life and are more narrative. In fantasy, they place importance on relationships between the characters. Male fantasy can be caught in a photographic movement or a minute long film clip where as female dreams need pages to complete. Contrary to popular expectation, there is little to no difference between the genders in the transgressive content of their fantasies

Compulsive sexual behavior

Addictive sexual behavior may take various forms, including what many regard as “normal” heterosexual behavior. Some individuals have a stronger sex drive than others. Since sexual activity is so broad, it is tough to define normal sexual behavior. But if a person doesn’t show any self destructive behavior or high risk sexual advances and is only interested in making love more frequently, he is considered normal. It’s only when he advances without his partner’s consent or forces sex, he is suspected for not normal sexual behavior.

Sexual energy is a vast topic which covers a wide spectrum of one’s sexual life. What’s important is discovering the potent energy in you. Once you do, your sexual life will certainly feel a lot more powerful and satisfactory.

About ViagraPunch

Viagrapunch is an authentic website advertising for genuine Pfizer’s Viagra. In order to educate people about current Viagra researches, fake Viagra and misleading ED products, www.viagrapunch.com is committed to provide visitors with complete information on Viagra, latest news, personal views, articles and discussion board on Viagra related topics.

The author has written many articles for renowed sites

Popularity: 11% [?]

Why Amazon’s affiliate program is not worth the trouble

Selling books online for referral commissions is a useful way to supplement the income form any site, but watch out for the big shark.

Amazon is the world’s largest bookstore and a pioneer of many features and techniques which have contributed to the development of e-commerce. Well, they’re not just a bookstore anymore they sell just about every consumer product you could care to buy online. They were certainly among the first to use affiliate marketing, or associates as Amazon call their affiliate program.

Before we look at the big flaw in the Amazon associates program lets just look at what are Amazon.com’s major virtues. Their search system and enhancements are first class. Once you find an item you can find suggestions for similar items in dozens of ways.

Amazon has cleverly incorporated the behaviour and expressed opinions of its huge customer base into enhancements to enable customers to be exposed to similar items. It does this by customer reviews, customer lists of favourites, customer how to guides and lists of items bought by customers who also bought the item you are looking at. Search inside is a All of this adds up to better service to the customer, and of course, more sales for Amazon.

Amazon’s A9.com search engine is an outstanding resource with unique featues which are invaluable to all manner of web research.

But let’s look at the associates program. The deal is you can use a website or other means to refer potential customers to Amazon. Depending on how you set up your links the customer is referred to a particular item, a group of items in a particular category or the site as a whole. There are plenty of ways to customise this.

If the referred customer buys the item, then the referrer (associate) gets a small commission (5%-7.5%) If the customer orders buys within 24hrs, then the commission is paid, otherwise the referrer gets nothing.

The problem with this arrangement is that the associate gets very little reward for his or her effort. Many people do not buy items on their first visit. Because the Amazon name is already so well known many customers will go straight back to Amazon to find the item, and the sale will not be credited to the referrer.

So all of the work of the referrer in pre-selling the item is wasted, at least for the associate. Amazon, on the other hand, gets another customer, probably long term. I’m not sure what proportion of Amazon’s sales are return sales from existing customers.

The first sale is the hardest to achieve, once a customer has broken the ice they will keep coming back for more. This is especially true of books, we are never satisfied with just one book, whereas there is a limit to how many TV’s or digital cameras we may buy.

I believe Amazon is being very short-sighted in its associates program. Associates could be rewarding associates who deliver them customers, rather than sales. they could do this by extending the life of the cookie, by giving some credit for subsequent sales, and by giving associates some sort of credit for introducing new clients to Amazon.

The guys who are running the show at Amazon are smart enough to devise a better scheme and do all the technical stuff to make sure it is tracked. They just have a blind spot when it comes to adequately rewarding associates. they need a new paradigm, associates are giving them customers, not just sales.

My advice is to use Amazon with caution, you may be better served by putting Google ads on your site and picking up a few cents per sale, rather than trying to sell through Amazon and seeing the commissions slip through your fingers.

If you really want to sell books there is a much better program available, with higher commissions, and lifetime cookies. You can get 10% commission on the book you promote and 10% on all subsequent purchases by that customer whenever he or she returns, be it next day, next week or next year.

bio = Darby Higgs is a Melbourne based writer and Net marketer. You can find an alternative method of selling books on your site at http://www.ozarticles.com/smart-bookselling.html

Popularity: 10% [?]

Unhappy about your irksome weight? Have you ever worked on a Whole Grain Diet? Try it and feel yourself light. Grains have a scientific proven relation with weight loss. And we are unfamiliar with the plethora of nutrients and health benefits whole grains can provide. Americans are addicted to the refined, processed foods rather than grains and that’s why Obesity swells in the people there. Taste, texture and even price are some of the reasons why grains are not preferred by the people.

Whole grains for weight loss
Studies conducted in various research centers have shown that people lose more weight when they add more whole grains in their daily diet. Not only the obesity factor but whole grains also protect you from illnesses like diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. The American government has introduced numerous health campaigns and educational workshops to promote the consumption of whole grains.

Whole grains contain three parts: the bran, the germ and endosperm. When the grains are refined, nutrients are removed from the grains leaving nothing but starch for us to consume. Refined grains have some health advantages. They have fine amounts of folic acid, which helps decrease neural tube defects in infants. It also reduces the risk of some cancers. But always balance refined food consumption with good amounts of whole grain. It welcomes health benefits and assists in weight control and weight loss.

Contributions from whole grains
. It is a good source of Vitamin E, an antioxidant
. Oat and barley reduces cholesterol
. Many whole grains have a low glycemic index score
. It is digested more slowly thus making us feel full fast
. Whole grains give protection against obesity

An average American consumes less than one serving of whole grain products each day. A daily intake of three servings is considered good. Also, in order to make people more weight friendly cereals, tortilla chips and pastas are being brought out as improved whole grain varieties. It’s good to be healthy and fit. So try out the whole grain diet for yourself and see how well you can lose weight or control it with this simple, nutritious diet.

For more information on weight loss and diet pills , plz visit: http://www.slimtour.com

author is an experienced health and diet expert.

Popularity: 11% [?]

Starting January 1, 2006 people with severe acne who need Accutane (isotretinoin), must enroll in the FDA’s new iPLEDGE program through a physician who is also enrolled.

In an effort to reduce the number of birth defects caused by isotretinoin, these new rules require anyone involved in the use or distribution of Accutane to be registered in iPLEDGE and to abide by its reporting requirements.

Specifically, users of Accutane (or any other drug containing isotretinoin) must do the following:

Everyone:

* must be registered in iPLEDGE by your doctor, who must also be registered.

* must understand that severe birth defects can occur with use of isotretinoin by a female who could become pregnant.

* must receive and read educational materials with safety information about isotretinoin and about iPLEDGE program requirements.

* must sign an Informed Consent form that contains warnings about the risks of isotretinoin.

* must fill your prescription for isotretinoin within 7 days of your doctor visit.

* must agree to see your doctor every month during treatment for a progress check-up and to get a new prescription for isotretinoin.

Women of childbearing age, in addition:

* must not be pregnant or breast-feeding.

* must have 2 negative pregnancy tests before starting isotretinoin, a negative pregnancy test every month during treatment, and a negative pregnancy test 1 month after treatment has ended.

* must use 2 different forms of birth control at all times unless you agree not to have heterosexual intercourse for 1 month before isotretinoin treatment, during treatment, and for 1 month after treatment has ended.

* must sign a second Informed Consent form with warnings about the risks of birth defects if pregnancy occurs before or during isotretinoin treatment.

* must access the iPLEDGE program on the Internet or by telephone before starting isotretinoin, once a month during treatment, and 1 month after ending treatment to answer questions about program requirements and to enter the 2 forms of birth control you have chosen.

The above is not a complete listing of program requirements.

For more IPLEDGE info, visit www.ipledgeprogram.com or telephone 1-866-495-0654.

Visit Ron’s website http://www.latest-acne-solutions.com to learn more about the latest research into acne relief.

Copyright 2005 Ron King. This article may be reprinted as long as the resource box is left intact and all links are hyperlinked.

Popularity: 9% [?]

Hundreds of medications, treatments, cleansers and cosmetics are available for people with acne, but the most important elements of an acne-fighting program won’t cost you a cent.

1. Nourish your skin by eating a healthy and balanced diet.

Most health care specialists agree that a healthy diet will benefit your skin. Cut down on caffeine, sugar and refined carbohydrates, all of which can activate the hormones that tell your sebaceous glands to produce more oil. Add more fruits, vegetables, seeds, nuts, juices and other healthy treats to your daily diet, and you’ll see in improvement in your skin.

2. Drink lots of water to maintain the skin’s elasticity.

Plenty of water is essential to the health of your skin. One of the main activities of the body’s self-healing system is to filter the blood, a job performed mostly by the kidneys, with help from the skin in the form of perspiration. This self-healing system removes the toxic wastes of metabolizing food and of other harmful substances that get into our bodies one way or another.

This purification system operates efficiently only if the volume of water flowing through it is sufficient to carry away the wastes. 6 to 8 glasses (64 fluid ounces) of water a day is the recommendation. To reach your quota, carry bottled water with you in your car, your purse, your briefcase-wherever you go.

Get the water habit, and your skin will thank you for it.

3. Exercise regularly for good circulation.

Get into a regular routine of exercise. Do it for at least half an hour, five days a week. Exercise improves your blood circulation, helping your body clear toxins from your system, including your skin. Better circulation also increases the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to your skin. Exercise also relieves stress, which is a common cause of acne flare-ups. Last but not least, exercise releases endorphins, the “feel good” substance in your brain that puts a smile on your face-the best beauty secret of all.

4. Cleanse your face-then tone, moisturize, and exfoliate.

At night
* First remove your makeup with an oil-free makeup remover and a cotton ball.
* Then wash your face with lukewarm water and an oil-free, non-comedogenic (doesn’t block pores) cleanser.
* Pat (don’t rub) it dry with a soft towel.
* And apply an oil-free moisturizer.

In the morning
* Wash your face as directed above, then use an alcohol-free toner.
* Next apply moisturizer.
* Then apply makeup-all oil-free and non-comedogenic.

Once or twice a week use an exfoliator with alpha hydroxy acid or glycolic acid. This will aid in the shedding of dead skin cells, the “food” for the bacteria that cause pimples.

If you exercise during the day, you’ll need to wash your face a third time, immediately afterward.

5. Protect your skin from the sun and harsh weather.

One popular myth about acne is that tanning will clear it. It may seem so at first, but soon you will notice that your tanned skin becomes less pliable, making it less able to shed oil and dead skin cells, which clog your pores. Your acne will become worse, not better.

Always wear sun block with at least an SPF-15 UVA & UVB rating. If you’ll be outside in the sun for long, wear a wide-brimmed hat.

6. Get plenty of good-quality rest.

Your immune system requires energy to do its work, including the work of protecting your skin from acne. The deep sleep the brain needs for “recharging” comes several hours into the sleep cycle. That’s why a few hours here and there won’t do. Most people need at least 6 to 8 hours of sleep a night. Consider it beauty sleep.

If you make these 6 items part of your daily routine, you’ll look better, feel better, and have less need of expensive acne treatments and cosmetics.

Visit Ron’s website http://www.latest-acne-solutions.com to learn more about the lastest research into acne relief.

Copyright 2005 Ron King. This article may be reprinted as long as the resource box is left intact and all links are hyperlinked.

Popularity: 8% [?]