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Cooking is one of my specialties. While in the US Army Reserves I learned about Cooking. Indoor, outdoor and cooking using a utensil over an open flame was fun and easy with cast iron cookware. I remember the outdoors and the smell of cooking, accompanied by the chorus of the squirrels, crickets and birds, during bivouacs.

The most ordinary form of cooking is campfire cooking. For families it is particularly well fitting, it is an activity which presents an opportunity for pleasant evenings and outings. It has its own taste and fancy. Skill and knowledge is required, but both are easily acquired. Cooking is a tradition in itself and some cooks have years of experience both on safaris and at home. It is one of my favorite things in life. It is great; however, most open flame cooking is done in campgrounds. Credit to improvements in camping cooking gear and a horde of easy-prep and in-store ingredients, it need not be limited to burgers, dogs and smokes. Another unique way of cooking is to cook some food items inside of other foods. Another unusual cooking, using a utensil over an open flame method, is cooking in paper. An unfussy and simple way of outdoor cooking is to set a large coffee can on the coals. The days of utilitarian campfire cooking of yesteryear are gone. Try out a few odd techniques the next time you’re out camping.

For the tools and tips, place in your favorite search engines: campfire grill, campfire ring, propane in the ground campfire with a cast iron pot, campfire grill, campfire tripod, campfire in a can , California campfire fireplace, little red campfire , cooking steamer, induction cooking, cooking tripod, cooking strainer, cooking smoker, cooking station, cooking table, cooking pot, cooking twine, cooking thermometer, cooking rings, bistro cooking, plank cooking. Search for some prime cooking on the web or books on tips and tricks for Dutch oven cooking. Buy books which are specifically written for the camper who wants to make this method of cooking easier, safer, revealing how to make outdoor cooking grilling and RVing easy and fun in camping. I learned years ago from a relative that most pans will do well.

If you’ve never done any open flame cooking or camp cooking before, one of the things to be aware of is that you’ll need to monitor food closely from start to finish because it can burn quickly. Placing a marshmallow or hot dog on the end of a good stick and holding the food at just the right distance from the heat. One of the disadvantages to this kind of cooking is that cookware gets much dirtier than it does when cooking with a stove. So most likely open flame cooking will require less clean-up. Although campfire cooking can take a little more time than simply firing up the stove, it is more rewarding. If on the other hand you’re in the mood to take your time and enjoy the experience, cooking using a utensil over an open flame can be relaxing in a way that a stove can’t begin to match.

Here are some items that you will need to have to be prepared : Camping Cookbooks containing all the unique and fun camping recipes to make open flame cooking enjoyable. A large barbecue grill or rack will let you enjoy the full flavor and aroma, using either wood or charcoal briquettes. On a Campfire a simple and easy way of cooking is to set a large coffee can on the coals.

This method of cooking is the most common form of outdoor cooking. There is definitely more to It than just scorching marshmallows and making smokes. Have an outdoor party. Guest or spectators may soon become participants as the host or hosts divide their guests into teams and turn them loose for an afternoon of supervised scorching Spurred on, in part, as they are getting hungry. It is gaining in popularity because it brings friends and family together at the same time.

Attend a cooking using a utensil over an open flame class. There are conducted nationwide tours or clinics held every year at different campgrounds across the country.

While some view cooking using a utensil over an open flame as a survival skill, most people do it for other reasons. this method of cooking is a way to bring groups together. It is a method in which to lure kids away from their video games or as a way for divorced dads to entertain kids on weekends, It is an ideal way for families to reconnect. Everything tastes better roasted over an open fire. Maybe that is why with kids It is so popular. When you are done with your kid’s , make sure the fire is totally out.

How about Breakfast Muffins, fried or poached eggs, Chopped Ham, Shredded cheese, Diced potatoes, for example. Try cooking in a black skillet or even a 12 hole muffin pan. Salt and pepper half of muffin tin placing 6 eggs in 6 holes with 6 muffin mix muffins in the remaining 6 holes. Campfire popcorn can be popped in foil: Popcorn Kernels and oil or butter with salt for seasoning. Tear off an 18 inch square of tin foil. The first lesson to be learned about campfire cooking is that you do not cook over an open flame all the time. Try to have all the latest and greatest campfire gear on hand. Purchase only cast iron products. Browse products of campfire gear to find those goods that will work the best for you. Dutch oven Campfire Cooking is almost an ancient form of making food but is very prevalent today.

Select the relaxed comfort of your living room fireplace; staring into the embers as your banquet cooks, or watching the flickering flames dance and play while toasting your choice dessert; is a great way to generate memories with your family.

Whether camping with the family, hunting with friends or merely achieving that wood-grilled flavor at home is easier than you might think. Dutch oven cooking is one of the best ways to make meals on camping trips. The secret of any open flame cooking is to try and maintain steadily glowing coals, but once you have your fire in this state, you can gage its approximate temperature by using your hand. The single most indispensable piece of gear for open flame cooking is the cast iron skillet. open flame cooking is something of a science, much like cooking on the stove at home. In the days of automatic coffee makers and microwave ovens, it is somewhat of a step back.

If a departure from this method of cooking is your desire, There are some area restaurants which offer a wide range; from fast food right up to Traditional campfire cooking.

Please leave your comments.

Roger Hardieway is a retired Engineer and Amateur Radio Operator

PHP web programming services are now much in demand as PHP offers a wide range of advantages like low development cost and high performance. PHP is a script based server side scripting language whose main focus is development for the web. It provides design structure to promote rapid application development and can solve scenarios quicker than some other languages.

Custom PHP programming is a time and money saving strategy. The code written in PHP is simple and easy to understand. It can be embedded directly into HTML coding. It is flexible in database connectivity and can be used in all major operating systems and supports most web servers. It can be used for command line scripting and is very helpful in developing content management systems.

PHP based websites offer more room to grow as PHP adds more functionality to your website and allows your site visitors to interact with you through scripts. It’s easy to add content and additional pages to a PHP base website without doing much editing. The language provides a more effective way to make changes to your website without working on every page involved.

If you have a limited budget, PHP web application development might be a wise choice for your project and its success.

Our PHP development efforts are put towards creating and deploying highly competitive and reliable web solutions that will succeed in the market.

Offshore Website development php web site design – PHP web development outsourcing – Offshore Web development company – Acceptoc.com

Offshore Software and PHP development

If you’re not looking for a fulltime job, but has some extra time to spare, why don’t you spend it making money through part-time childcare jobs?

Yes, there may be a lot of part-time job options out there, so why should you choose a childcare job? Well, there are plenty of reasons for that.

Of course, a part-time childcare job will also give you access to all the usual benefits of any part-time job. It can get you that extra cash you need to buy those new pair of jeans you saw at the mall, or that new gadget you’ve been eyeing, or any other extra expenses that your basic income or your allowance just don’t cover. Aside from that, you can still keep your old job, or go to school, if you don’t have a shift. The flexible time of part-time job makes it a very useful way of spending time.

However, aside from these ordinary benefits, part-time jobs in the childcare industry are more beneficial than any other part-time job opportunity. This is because the childcare industry is a booming industry. As the industry continues to grow in terms of importance and demand, more childcare facilities turn up at every corner. Because of this, you can get a job at a childcare facility near your house, your primary workplace, or your school. This way, there will be no difficulty getting from one place to another.

Another reason is because childcare workers are receiving much recognition these days. Since the move to improve child care and education was initiated by the government, childcare workers can be sure of government support as they work towards a goal set by the government itself. Childcare workers can gain access to additional privileges because the childcare industry is at the center of attention these days. As a part-time childcare worker settles into the job and the industries, more options, some more longer-lasting, can be presented to the part-timer. It can then lead to a full-fledged career that the part-timer can eventually choose to take advantage of.

In addition, part-time childcare workers can also experience the benefits that fulltime workers enjoy. The joys of working with children, and of course, the fulfillment that comes from knowing you are contributing to a child’s growth and development, are also big bonuses. This is especially true for those who have a natural love for working with and handling children.

If you are planning to look for a part-time job, why don’t you consider one in the child care and education department? At the rate the industry is going, chances are that your part-time childcare job can lead you to a full-time career that you will definitely love! It’s pretty easy to find one, too. You can simply log on to a nursery jobs site and look for part-time jobs in your area! No part-time job can be better than that!

It’s so easy to find Childcare Jobs and nursery nurses nowadays! Your one-stop shop for all Jobs in Nursery

is at http://www.nurseryjobsonly.com/

Pet requires are almost always undervalued until you actually own the animal living with you in your home, and you will realize that the animal needs toys, bedding, a carrier, outdoor containment, grooming tools, medicine and food. The Right Way to take care of your pet should not have to cost a fortune.

The below resources will assistant you find discount pet supplies coupons, food and medicine that will cost far less than the retail prices you’ll find at any of department store or grocery.

Coupons for Pet Supplies

Coupons can provide some significant savings on supplies, sometimes up to or greater than 40%. Several outlets store, such as PetSmart, even offer free shopping for orders over a certain size. This means that by simply doing your pet supply shopping online, you are saving a fortune.

One of the best coupon suppliers with the most coupons for pet supplies is Coupons Key, with coupons for pet supplies, medications, and online deals for most of the superior pet supply retailers. here you will find few examples of the deals and coupons to be found at Coupons Key

* Get $10 off your online order of $150 or more plus receive free shipping at 1-800-PetMeds

* Get $5 off your online order of $25 or more at PetMountain.com

* Get $5 off your online order of $30 or more at Pet Food Direct

This is just a small sample of the long list of coupons and deals offered by Coupons Key.

Pet Food Direct

Petfooddirect.com is a fantastic discount pet supply. It offers multiple deals going on every month.

PetFoodDirect.com has quickly established itself as the largest pure play e-tailor for premium pet food, supplies and accessories on the Internet.PetFoodDirect.com has become one of the most comprehensive and easy-to-use online shopping resources for pet owners.

1-800-PetMeds

1-800-PetMeds is America’s largest pet delivering prescription and non-prescription pet medications along with health and nutritional supplements at substantial savings, direct to the consumer.

They offer great discount coupons update every months. Example of coupon like $10 off your online order of $150 or more plus receive free shipping.

National Pet Pharmacy

National Pet Pharmacy meets your needs for the widest selection of pet products, including pet prescriptions at a price that you can afford. The goal at the National Pet Pharmacy is to always offer the best price for standard medications, along with the best service.

PetMountain.com

PetMountain.com is a leader in discount dog supply. Dog toys, dog apparel, grooming products and more are available at special low prices. Shop online pet store PetMountain.com for all your pet supply needs!

PetCo

Petco also has a super online website where shoppers can shop nearly for all pet supplies. Petco offers discounts to internet shoppers, such as free shopping, clearance and sales center for many products, and each category (dogs, cats, fish, etc.) has a section devoted to sales, where you can find some amazing discounts off all kinds of pet products.

Act now and save with discounts pet supplies coupons.

Ahmed Fouad is an expert bargain hunter and founder of couponskey.com which offers money saving coupon codes and coupons to use when shopping online. Look for your Pet supplies discount coupons and other money saving coupon codes before making your online purchases and save more.

There is a great deal of history behind movie posters and movie poster collecting. Jules Cheret, who created 2 movie posters in the 1890’s, was the artist given credit for creating the first movie posters. By the end of the first decade of the 1900’s, movies had become a great source of public entertainment. In this time period, the movie poster would become a standard size known as the one sheet measuring 27″ x 41″.

In the early days, the names of actors did not appear on the posters, which the movie studios liked, because it meant paying actors less money. It was in this early period in movie history, however, that movie studios realized movie stars were as much of an attraction to the moviegoer as the movie itself. Thus, the movie star was born, and movie posters began showcasing actors’ names along with the title of the movie.

By the 1920’s, the golden age of silent movies, movie posters became more artistic and spectacular, with accomplished artists being hired by movie studios to paint portraits of the stars for posters. By the late 1920’s, movie poster images became sharper due to a new printing process developed by the Morgan Litho Company.

In the 1930’s, also known in the movie industry as “The Golden Age of Movies”, another style of movie poster was created, the half sheet. Major movies would sometimes get more than the two styles. However, due to the depression, many movie materials were being created more cheaply, causing a loss of quality in movie posters.

The dawn of World War II in 1941 saw many of the movie stars heading off to war and war was the major theme of movies at that time. The movie industry cut advertising costs and used cheaper paper for posters due to the paper shortage of wartime.

By the 1970’s, movie posters used photography, occasionally using drawing and painting styles. Movie posters at this time were being printed on a clay-coated paper, which gave them a glossy finish. Star Wars and Star Trek posters were the most popular posters of the time and are still collected by many today.

In the 1980’s, the age of the special effects blockbuster, the mini sheet was invented, and video stores became popular, thus the video store poster was created. Today, reprints of movie posters are mass-produced and sold in many stores or are just a click away on the Internet.There are several types of movie posters. Because of their rarity, the avid movie poster collector has concentrated on movie poster or theater art. These are the posters that are delivered and displayed by the movie theaters and then intended to be thrown away. Another type of movie poster is the commercial poster, which is mass-produced for direct sale to the public. Video posters are distributed to video rental stores for advertising material. Cable and TV posters are use as promotional material for TV stations for their programming. Like theater art, video posters and cable and TV posters are not produced for the public. Although not as valuable as theater art, these types of posters are still popular among collectors. Special promotion posters promote a movie along with a product. Finally, there are anniversary issues, limited editions, and special releases that are released in limited quantities and are gaining favor with the theatre art collector. Other types of movie posters include advance posters that promote a movie well ahead of the movie’s release. The award poster, which indicates that a movie has won an Academy award. The combo poster, advertising two movies instead of just one. The popular double-sided poster that has art on both sides, with the artwork reversed on one side of the poster. There are featurette posters highlighting short films or cartoons, review posters for when a movie gets a good review, serial posters for movie serials, and special distribution posters.

With the popularity of movie posters has come the necessity to create various sizes of posters. The first and most widely used poster is the one sheet, which is usually 27″ x 41″. The subway, also known as the two sheet, is larger but not exactly two times the size of the one sheet. The 3 sheet is three times the size of the one sheet measuring at 41″ x 81″. The 6 sheet is six times the size of the one sheet measuring of 81″ x 81″. There is also a 12 sheet approximately twelve times the size of a one sheet, and the colossal sized 24 sheet measuring 246″ x by 108″. Other sizes include the mini sheet, which is usually much smaller than the one sheet and comes in a variety of sizes, and the stock sheet issued for cartoons or other shorts.

As with all collectibles, condition is a great factor when placing a value on posters. A movie poster’s value is determined by demand, rarity, and condition. Poster collectors use the same grade system used by comic book collectors: mint (perfect), near mint, very good, good, fair, and poor.

For those who want to be serious movie poster collectors, you will need to know some things about taking care of your movie poster art.

Tips to retain the total collectable value of movie posters

Never alter the appearance of a poster. Do not fold, bend, tear, or punch holes in it even to hang it on your wall.

Never place a movie poster in direct sunlight. UV lights can also be harmful.

Don’t write on your poster, even on the back. Marks on the back can sometimes be seen from the other side, taking away from the poster’s value.

Never put tape on the front of a poster even to repair tears. If you do use tape, use acid free tape available from an art supply shop, and place the tape on the back. For expensive movie art take it to a professional to be restored. Posters can be restored the same way rare comic books are professionally restored.

When shipping posters use thick poster tubes or bubble envelopes.

For long time storage, frame, or place the poster in a plastic bag or tube, and keep it in a cool dry climate.

When framing a poster do not dry mount it, and use an acid free backing board.

Now that you know a little more about movie posters and movie poster collecting, go ahead, start collecting!

Posterlovers.com – Search through the world’s largest available collection of posters, fine art prints and photos. Liven up your walls with wall posters and art prints.

If you are a coach or part of a nonprofit kids group that wears uniforms then you know that it is important to get quality uniforms for a very low price. If your team has 12 to 15 games during the season let’s say for soccer or Little League, then your game shirts and uniforms will be worn perhaps 16 times including team pictures.

This also means that they will probably be washed at least 15 times in the wash machine. Uniforms go through a lot of the abuse on the field and in the wash. This is why you need strong uniforms. You also need lightweight material for better performance of your athletes, but with all that said; you also need to save money. This makes picking out uniforms very difficult when you are on a budget and sometimes it means you might need an extra car wash fundraiser or some were candy sales to make up the difference.

Now let’s talk about silk screening on team sport uniforms. When putting silk screens on uniforms you must be very careful not to make the logos to large because it can cause the shirts to stick together or get too hot. Also, as the athlete moves around the logo cannot be read if it is too big.

Many nylons type shirts will not be able to have silk screening because it will melt the shirt. These are all serious considerations to ask your uniform vendor about before spending the extra money on quality sportswear for your athletes. Please consider all this in 2006

“Lance Winslow” – Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/. Lance is an online writer in retirement.

Now is the time to get excited and to get your snow gear ready to head to New Zealand this winter to have some serious fun in the snow.

Here is some up to date information on the main three South Island New Zealand ski areas.

Opening Dates 2009 ski season:

- Coronet Peak and The Remarkables are scheduled to open on Saturday 6 June and Saturday 20 June respectively

- Mt Hutt is scheduled to open on Saturday 13 June

CORONET PEAK QUEENSTOWN Lifts: 1 detachable Quad lift, 1 Triple Chair, 1 Double Chair, 1 T- Bar lift, 1 Magic Carpet and 1 Beginner tow lift Terrain: For Beginners 20%, for Intermediate skiers 45% and advanced 35% Season: Early June – Early October Facilities: Everything you need for your New Zealand Ski holidays and children are well catered for and if you forgot to bring any clothing or accessories you can purchase them from the Retail outlet shop Drive from Queenstown to the mountain: 25 minutes (18kms) Ski Shuttles: Daily service to/from Queenstown Operating Hours: 9:00am to 4:00pm Night Skiing: Mid July to mid September, Friday and Saturday nights 4:00pm until 9:00pm

Coronet Peak’s South Island Ski Season has open slopes and wide rolling terrain and with only a short drive from Queenstown is the New Zealand most popular ski resort It is the first New Zealand resort so this is the original one and leads the way with quality. Coronet Peak has everything for your NZ Ski Holidays – from easy beginner to rolling off-piste slopes including long well groomed runs. Whatever your style or speed, there is something for everyone to enjoy their NZ Ski Holidays including amazing views from the top.

Coronet Peak also offers night skiing which is an experience out of this world and not to be missed – only the main trails are lit up for night skiing. If you get hungry or wish to rest the West End or Rocky Gully Cafes are open for great meals and drinks At the Base lodge you can get mountain chains, tickets and rental, also food and beverage.

The Remarkables Queenstown Lifts: 3 Quad Chair lifts, 1 Magic Carpet & 1 Beginner Tow Terrain: Beginners 30%, Intermediates 40%, Advanced 30% Season: Late June – mid October Facilities: Everything you need to make your Ski Holidays enjoyable including a children’s crache, self service cafe, ski and board repair and rental, a shop where you can purchase gloves, hats and scarf’s etc Drive from Queenstown town centre: 45 minutes (26kms) from QueenstownFor clients with no vehicle a daily Ski Shuttle runs from/to Queenstown.

Across the valley lies the Remarkable’s – Queenstown’s real alpine ski area. The emphasis here is in joining in and having serious fun on the New Zealand ski slopes – especially if you are a beginner or advanced skier or rider looking for a serious adrenaline kick!

The Remarkables enjoys three sunny sheltered bowls framed by towering peaks, and is known for its friendly and very relaxed atmosphere. This New Zealand Ski area is a wonderful place to learn to ski with the easy to use chair lift. For the more adventurous ones you will find lots of challenging terrain you have never seen before. The Remarkables offers one of the longest off-piste runs on the south island. Children are well catered for. If they are ten years or younger they will receive a free day lift pass and ensure that your New Zealand Ski holidays will be remarkable and unforgettable. Check out the new tubing park – it offers even greater fun in the snow for small and big children.

In addition to the above, all Multiday Lift passes and Combo Packages to the Remarkable’s include this year free transport to/from the Queenstown Snow Centre at Duke Street (The Station) – opposite the Hotel Sofitel.

MT HUTT – METHVEN CANTERBURYLifts: 1 Quad Chair, 1 Triple Chair, 3 T-Bars, 2 Platters and 2 beginner tows Terrain: Beginners 25%, Intermediates 50%, Advanced 25% Ski Shuttles: Daily service to/from MethvenLifts operates 9 am to 4 pm daily depending on the weather

Nestled high inside the eastern rim of the Southern Alps lies the Mt Hutt New Zealand Ski Area, which receives some of the deepest, lightest, driest powder in the entire Australasia region. Overlooking the spectacular patchwork quilt of the Canterbury Plains with the blue Pacific Ocean in the far distance, skiers and snowboarders from all around the world can enjoy the longest winter season in the Southern Hemisphere.

The wide open terrain is great for first time skiers and families alike. Extreme skiers and boarders will find more different challenges they can handle. There is a newly designed children’s crache available. The beginners terrain is well catered for teaching you how to ski and ride a snowboard.Snowmaking machines are busy from early May on to ensure great snow conditions for the whole Ski season.

Mt Hutt ski area is only one hour’s drive away from Christchurch and Mt Hutt’s village – Methven is very close by. The newly introduced radio station can now broadcast live on road snow conditions and other important information for everybody heading up the mountain.In 2008 Mt Hutt experienced one of its biggest snow seasons ever and we hope this year it will be another bumper season much better prepared.

So, what are you waiting for – come and have fun in the snow this winter – you will have a New Zealand Ski Holiday experience of a lifetime?

CLICK-NZ.COM LIMITED (since 13 March 2008) former click-nz.com is an internet-based inbound tourism and travel company specializing in New Zealand Campervan, Motorhome hires and rental cars, Tours, Activities, ski holidays and accommodation.

We can also book your ferry and train travel for you and offer comprehensive travel insurance from IAG/Mike Henry for New Zealanders travelling abroad from New Zealand or for customers travelling from overseas to visit New Zealand.

We are based in beautiful sunny Nelson – at the top of the South Island New Zealand and carefully chosen only the best travel and tourism products because customer satisfaction (internal and external clients) is paramount to us (we prefer NZ Qualmark rated travel products).

Clients from all over the world and mainly from Germany, the UK and Australia book their holiday requirements with us. Feel free to contact us at any time.

Click-nz.com Limited has a secure payment page SSL where all customer payment details are securely encrypted and can only be decrypted by click-nz.com Limited

Anyone who buys a fish tank can’t help but get excited about the setup process, and the selection of the fish. But many sometimes forget about the maintenance that is also required in order to keep the tank up and running. If you are planning to purchase an aquarium, you will want to make sure that your fish stay healthy, and the only way to ensure this is by cleaning the tank regularly. I can’t help but to repeat, clean your aquarium regularly.

Fish tank cleaning is not the most fun job on the planet, but it is definitely necessary if you want to provide your new fish with a clean environment. There are many books available on fish tank cleaning, as well as internet sites that have articles on how to do this properly.

Fish tank cleaning can be made easier with the help of a few tools. You can ask about these tools when you purchase your tank. First off, be sure to buy tank tongs. These are long, claw-like bars that allow you to clean and get at the bottom of the tank. If fish tank cleaning is new to you, you are probably not aware of how difficult it is to get to the bottom of the tank. These tongs will surely make this job much easier. Also, do not forget to pick up a net. A net will come in handy whenever you need to scoop something out of the water that may be causing a problem or to scoop up a fish for thorough tank cleaning.

There are also some fish tank cleaning tips that you should follow. Be sure to clean your tank once every two to three weeks. If you do this, you will save yourself the hassle of having a major fish tank cleaning project. It is better to keep up on the cleaning and maintenance than to try to “catch up”. Also, be sure to check your equipment during each fish tank cleaning. Make sure that the pump and the heater are working as they should. If they are not, be sure to address this problem immediately. You fish depend on this equipment working to keep them alive and well.

Having a fish tank can be a lot of fun. But it is important to remember that fish tank cleaning goes along with the fun; if that is not a commitment you are willing to make, then you might not want to purchase pet fish.

Keith Londrie II is a well known author. For more information on Fish Aquariums, please visit http://www.fish-tanks-information.info/ for a wealth of information. You may also want to visit keith’s own web site at http://keithlondrie.com/

When you’re sitting on the side of the road with steam rising from your engine, you don’t want to be there with no idea of who to call. Unfortunately, most of us have some idea of who to call when we’re broke down on the side of the road, because we’ve had a breakdown of some sort before. However, there are those times when you don’t know who to call, and you need a method that works for finding a mechanic who will know how to fix your vehicle, within a reasonable amount of time, at a price you can afford.

1. Understand what you’re looking for.

If you’ve been paying some attention to your vehicle, you should have a vague idea of what is wrong with your vehicle. Just as you would not consult a cardiologist for a broken toe, you won’t want to call an engine mechanic for a lost muffler.

2. Know your vehicle.

Most mechanics know something about the general care and repair of all vehicles, however, just because they know something doesn’t mean you want them to repair your vehicle. When looking for a mechanic, pay attention to the make of your vehicle. A mechanic that specializes in your particular vehicle make will be far more capable of repairing your vehicle, because they will be aware of the idiosyncrasies of your specific vehicle make. Don’t take your Ford to a Toyota Dealer for Quality Ford Care.

3. Have some Concept of Terminology.

In today’s world with all the specialized information available on the Internet, there’s no excuse for knowing nothing about your vehicle. When you appear at the garage and the mechanic is giving you options, it’s okay to trust a mechanic you know, but if this guy is new, you need to know enough about your vehicle to protect yourself from fraud. If in doubt, look it up.

4. Get referrals and references.

Referrals and references are important parts of the selection process. Be sure you ask for referrals from family and friends you trust who take good care of their vehicles. Get references from the mechanic and check them before you take your vehicle in for repairs.

5. Check Licensing and Certifications.

Ask for a check licensing and certifications. A document on the wall is indication of these qualifications, but it is important that you verify them. Check dates, view signatures, and look at resources, or contact dealerships and companies for verification if you doubt a certification or license.

Your vehicle is an investment in your personal transportation. Treat it with respect and dignity and it will serve you well.

For more information about the care and maintenance of your vehicle, or how to find a mechanic, see http://highperformancemaintenance.com/ and sign up for your FREE Subscription to Auto Maintenance Savvy.

(c) 2007 – J Verhoeff

Introduction – Embrace Technology

Experience has taught us that, as hardware and software technologies have evolved, we also must evolve to understand and harness its potential to enrich our everyday lives. An analogy is the emergence of ATM’s in the late ’70’s, and consequently Home Banking in the early ’90’s. These technologies provided banking customers with the convenience of virtually 24/7 access to their accounts.

Today, job seekers everywhere are being challenged to look beyond traditional business and geographic boundaries for alternative technologies to enhance and maximize the job search process. Today’s challenging economic climate demands a high degree of agility at every level – agility that is best achieved by exploiting all available Information Technology (IT) resources to facilitate the job search.

The emergence of job posting boards, search engines, social networking, blogging, and email marketing, now affords the job seeker with an unprecedented level of new channels to streamline the efficiency of their job search. Being proactive, the ultimate goal of the job seeker is to aggressively capitalize on every reasonable technology option to seek out and uncover emerging job opportunities before their competitors do. One such innovative IT resource is the ‘Web Resume’.

What is a Web Resume?

The Web Resume is a personal website that provides supplemental career background information about the job seeker on a 24/7 basis for interested networking recipients and decision makers. Although not new within the realm of the job search technology arena, this potent resource is rarely utilized as a component as part of one’s job search strategy. Intuitively, the average job seeker may have a predisposed notion that it is merely a web page containing a replication of their resume.

In actuality, the appeal of a Web Resume is the flexibility it affords the job seeker to qualify and expand upon career related content from a standard ‘basic’ resume to a multi-page career ‘folio’ of the candidate. It complements and amplifies relevant career data which could not reasonably fit within the confines of a standard resume. It clearly is not intended as a replacement of one’s resume.

As with any website, the captivation and allure is its flexibility to add new content, pages, and media (that the job seeker deems relevant and inspiring), at their discretion. A ‘hyperlink’ or ‘link’ is incorporated within the website and utilized to activate and view any number of vital documents or files. It excels in marketing and promoting one’s attributes, skills, achievements, and creativity. It’s intended to reflect a highly polished and professional image without getting ‘too personal’! Its visual appeal resonates the qualities, and ethics of the job seeker to the reader.

What Are Your Direct Benefits?

A Web Resume provides convenience to interested networked recipients of your web address by allowing them to display and print a quality copy of your resume (and other career information), anytime, 24/7, without your personal intervention. This is accomplished by incorporating a URL (Uniform Resource Locator, or simply, the ‘web address’) of your Web Resume throughout your networking channels and directly in your resume header along with other typical contact information. This address is subsequently accessible on job posting boards which you have re-posted your updated resume on. By utilizing ‘hyperlinks’ the website may easily display your actual resume in a myriad of desired formats such as – MS Word, or Adobe PDF. Frankly, the convenience of handing out a business card containing your contact information (including your web address), is much more appealing and convenient as opposed to carrying resumes with you at all times!

By incorporating your Web Resume address in your ’social’ networking (such as Linked-In, Face Book, Twitter, blogs, and e-mails), you can actually propagate your Web Resume address exponentially! This approach dramatically increases your chances of getting noticed through social networking channels.

Regardless of how the interested recipient receives your Web Resume address, your chances of having it reviewed (beyond the typical 10-20 second allocation), actually improves. You therefore substantially enhance your chances of generating an elevated level of interest, being invited to an interview, and, making a ’short list’.

By being proactive and resourceful, a Web Resume bolsters your image and significantly increases your chances of being noticed. It affords the job seeker with a myriad of marketing media options such as – a personal welcome video, video clips from school activities, audio files (.wav files), publications, papers, and awards. You’ve succeeded in creating your own unique media rich ‘web folio’!

Providing a URL or address to your Web Resume (through the various channels mentioned), guarantees that it is easily accessible by the recipient. Sending your resume via email (either imbedded as text within the email message or, as an attachment), could be risky predicated on the level of PC security utilized by the recipient (e.g. spam or firewall restrictions). Invariably, in this instance, the default scenario would necessitate that an alternative method (e.g. Fax) of your resume be transmitted to the recipient.

Interested In Proceeding? – Your Options

There are countless services that will create a Web Resume for you (some for free), or, for a fee. The extent of the service may vary from simply converting your resume into an HTML format (web language file format), or, to a mutli-page media rich ‘folio’. Two free blogging services which may be utilized to post your resume on are provided by Blogger.com and WordPress.com.

Typically as is the case with most web resume or blogging services, your domain name or website address will typically incorporate your name within the URL (web address) of the hosting service. The recipient or astute reader will see the prominent branding of the service on your web resume page. Ostensibly, you are sharing or, co-branding your web resume page with the web hosting company. It’s always best to read the ‘fine print’ before proceeding with any service promoting this capability.

Regardless of the fee, actively promoting the branding of the Web Resume hosting service to your discerning reader is not typically in your best interest. Third party branding on your Web Resume site does not impart a level of innovation, creativity, or resourcefulness by the candidate. Essentially, your Web Resume becomes an advertising ‘billboard’ for the hosting service. Your good intentions to market and promote yourself are prominently being shared with another party!

Alternatively, a preferred method is to create a Web Resume by securing your own personal domain name for your Web Resume. You have exclusivity to the domain and full control of the content including – the number of pages, background template, appearance, and media options. You can easily modify the content and add new pages on your own, including a generic cover letter (although not usually recommended). Of significant value, you are marketing yourself exclusively and not co-branding with a 3rd party!

There’s no need to be intimidated and perceive the Web Resume as a challenging technical exercise. A personal domain and website can easily be secured in minutes by web hosting services such as Yahoo (Small Business), Go-Daddy, or Intuit, for a very nominal fee. Using the very simple ’step-by-step’ instructions and effortless site building tools provided, the majority of non-technical web neophytes can develop their first draft in just a few hours. Optionally, many Professional Resume Services will collaborate with their clients on the content and offer this service through similar hosting channels for a very nominal and fair development fee.

To Summarize

As a firm believer that a resume should be tailored or targeted for a specific job opening, your job search must also incorporate a multitude of strategies to optimize your search and visibility. Skills are relevant and highly portable. The discerning recipient is fully aware of this. Comparable to the introduction of the ATM and Home Banking, a Web Resume is always working for you 24/7. Update your resume and business cards with your new Web Address. Re-post your updated resume containing your new Web Address on your job posting sites. Propagate your Web Resume address in your social networking channels, blog postings, and article submissions. Its vital that the core business strategies for your search incorporate a myriad of Internet technologies, platforms, and services. Let your Web Resume be one of your key elements for a cost-effective and efficient job search!

Lenny Keitel is a 29 year veteran with Fujitsu as a Director of Professional Services and Information Technology (IT). Integrity, persistence, and promoting a collaborative team effort have underscored his tireless passion to provide quality services while surpassing client and corporate expectations. Mr. Keitel’s management responsibilities included – employee staffing and career development, strategic resource planning, performance appraisals and goal setting, staffing allocation, client education, review of emerging technologies, and forging strategic business alliances. Integrity, honesty, and the relentless pursuit of excellence, has been the cornerstone throughout a successful career.

Hudson Valley Resumes is a premier nationwide Resume Writing Service with a penchant for crafting compelling, visually appealing resumes. Exploiting our unique, in-depth corporate background, we are experts in composing impressive resumes by differentiating and positioning our clients a ‘cut-above’ other candidates. Our clients directly benefit from our unique insight into complex internal corporate tactics and dynamic factors potentially impacting staffing selections. We have exemplary expertise in interviewing techniques and best practices to ensure our clients make the ’short list’. We are a sensible choice for job seekers looking for a superior level of personalized service to reduce the time, cost, and frustration with their job search.

Lenny Keitel

Hudson Valley Resumes

http://www.hudsonvalleyresumes.com

info@hudsonvalleyresumes.com (email)

(845) 782-6714 (phone/fax)

Many people think their cat’s behaviors are because the cat was abused or neglected. I want to clear this up for you. Abused cats are rare. Most cats are just wary of strangers. Bad behavior is usually because they were never taught correctly or played with aggressively. So, how can you identify an abused or neglected cat? Let’s look at what cat abuse and neglect look like and then we can talk about the cat’s responses:

Cat Abuse can be intentional or unintentional. Usually, unintentional abuse is called “neglect” and is addressed by humane societies all over the world. There are actually three levels of abuse. Neglect, Over-Discipline (over use of discipline tools) and Intentional Abuse. This article addresses the Neglect, which is the most benign form of abuse.

Description of Neglect -

Neglect means not addressing the animal’s primary needs for survival – water, food, shelter, rest and hygienic elimination. Then there is the more severe type, where a cat is forced to live in filth, confined to a cage all the time, or denied companionship with people or other animals. Many times, this can be caused by not spaying or neutering your pet. Unwanted kittens, or too many cats, is the primary cause for almost all of this type of abuse. Sometimes, a person is too ill or has allergies. Maybe a person is trying to keep a cat in an environment that makes it impossible to properly care for a cat.

I remember many years ago, seeing a homeless man walking down the street with his belongings in a shopping cart. Homeless people were harder to find then, so he stood out. He was pushing the cart with one hand and had a carrier with a cat in it, in the other. I felt sorry for both, but being a child, I didn’t know what to do. The cat was experiencing neglect, but felt much love. The man, I’m sure, didn’t know he was doing harm to the cat. He just knew that he couldn’t let his beloved cat go into a shelter – at that time all the shelters I knew of were kill-shelters.

An older cat (over a year) has little chance of coming out of a kill shelter. Most people want a kitten. The grown cats are often given no more than 2 weeks to find a home and then euthanized. This heartbreaking situation often occurs when people lose their homes, develop allergies or find that they just don’t want to deal with the discipline and behavior problems that developed in the cat. The single biggest reason people give up a cat is inappropriate elimination. Next, come allergies, followed by death of the cat’s owner. Some cats are surrendered because the person moves and is unable to find pet-friendly accommodations.

I understood the man’s feelings of love and concern for his feline companion. I also understood that the cat couldn’t live in that carrier for long. There was no safe place for them. No homeless shelter would take a man with a cat. In this case, I think the abuse is unintentional – neglect, by description. However, I think the heart of both the cat and the man were in the right place, just that the situation was unfortunate.

In news reports, we sometimes hear of breeding farms where cats are bred to the point of exhaustion and kept in sub-optimal conditions. We hear of people who just keep bringing home strays until they are over-run and can no longer take care of them, and the cats become a neighborhood problem. All of these situations can produce neglect.

Now, let’s turn to the cat’s response to neglect. How does a cat respond? Why does it do that? By understanding the specific situation and response, we can address the resulting problem behaviors with love, patience and training.

Effects of Neglect

A cat left in a cage with other animals nearby is often skittish and afraid of people. It expects food and a clean litter box on occasion, but cuddles and attention may make it uncomfortable. These cats often have no privacy issues in the cage, but once free, they are very private about their litter habits. If the cat was kept in a small carrier, it may soil itself, or hold back elimination until it is very uncomfortable. It may be dehydrated and need medical attention. The cat will be overweight from lack of activity. It may be apathetic when play is offered, not knowing what is expected. Electric lights may be something that set off a fear response in the cat because it means that people are coming. In other cases, darkness may be scary at first. Once the cat’s eyes adjust to the light level, it will be all right, but when the lights are turned off or on, the cat may cry or hiss. In the case of a cat kept in the dark except when people are coming, it may be fearful the entire time the lights are on, while also expecting food, water and a clean litter box to be provided.

What Can We Do to Help These Cats?

These cats don’t do well with handling. The less you try to pet, hold or cuddle these cats at first, the better. Let the cat come to you. It will, given time. Be sure to care for it’s creature comforts – food, water, bed, clean litter box – but don’t expect a cuddly cat for a while. That will come when the cat feels that it can trust you. It may be afraid of the sound of your feet on the floor. It may run when you come into a room. As time goes on, the cat will stay and just watch you. Another time, you may be able to approach and offer a scratch behind the ear. Eventually, you will be able to give a full cuddle. Do not try to pick the cat up, but you can pet it and the cat won’t run away or feel assaulted. When the cat responds with a purr, an offer of a cheek or an ear, or you can stroke the spine and the cat isn’t trying to run away, then you have a cat that is only cautious of you. Continue until the cat comes for cuddles, which may already be happening. Still do not try to pick the cat up. If it wants your lap, it will come. This cat may still run from you if discovered in a windowsill, on a dresser or surprised in the litter box. Say your cat’s name in a conversational tone and the cat will eventually not run away and perhaps allow a stroke. In the case of the litter box, just say the cat’s name, but never try to cuddle a cat in the litter box. If you can provide a privacy screen, the cat may stay in the room.

These cats need socialization. They need to learn to live with others outside of a cage. They need gentle discipline and may not know the meaning of the word “no.” They will love feeding time but be afraid if you need to walk near their food bowls, and run from the food. Give them time, move slowly and talk gently in their vicinity. They need to learn what people are about in a good way.

Once your cat has learned to trust you a little bit, enough to not run away when you enter a room or even starts to come to you, then you can begin to bond with your cat. A tickler wand is your best friend for this. Gently shake the wand so that the end twitches. Your cat will be interested, but may only watch at first. If your cat goes for it, excellent! When your cat gets hold of the business end of the wand, allow your cat to feel the success by keeping the wand steady for a few moments. When the cat lets go, you can start to twitch it again. The cat will play with you in this manner for quite a while. When the cat tires, put the wand up out of the way so that your cat is forced to play with you, not just the wand. If your cat grabs the wand in it’s mouth and tries to run away with it, offer resistance and don’t let go of the wand. Some cats want to take the wand and hide it under a couch or in a corner so they can worry over it for a while. Don’t allow this – the cat needs to play with you, not just the wand. After about ten days of playing with the wand, you will see your cat become more accepting of its new circumstances. Your cat should assimilate into the household well. There may be people it does not accept, and those persons can also play with the cat to promote bonding.

Under no circumstances should you perpetuate the abuse or neglect! Any discipline needs to be done gently and with care. A squirt bottle, long a favorite tool for discipline, should only be used in the beginning stages of training, while the cat is learning the word “no.” After that, you should not need it. Redirection is your best training technique. When your cat gets into or expresses interest in something that you don’t want to see it getting involved with, redirect it’s attention to something that it is allowed to be involved with or have.

Some of these cats can be clicker trained, but the bond with the person needs to be present, first. Concentrated training to condition the cat to the clicker will be needed. Some cats may be so skittish that even the best treats will not condition the cat to the clicker. If your cat runs from the clicker after a week of conditioning, do not continue. Your cat will never be comfortable with the unexpected noise it makes. You are better clapping your hands and saying “no” to stop bad behaviors than trying to clicker train for positive behaviors.

These cats will be extremely grateful for good treatment. One expression of that love, biting, may not be acceptable – especially if the cat bites hard and uses the canine teeth. Push your hand or finger into the mouth instead of pulling out so that the cat will not be able to bite down and cause you injury. You can push in hard enough to cause the gag reflex, but never harder. Never cause the cat injury in response to an injury to your person. Hitting is never acceptable – but raising a flat hand so that the eyebrow whiskers can feel it is acceptable.

If you must pick up your cat, as in putting the cat in the carrier or removing it to another room, pay attention to the cat’s body. Be sure to pick the cat up by the ribs and the hind legs at the same time to minimize stress to the cat. If the body is stiff, don’t hold the cat to your chest. Allow the cat to struggle, but stay out of the way of the claws. When you place the cat down (don’t let it jump), stroke its back if you can. Talk to the cat. It will stop a few paces away and look at you. The cat may come to you for a scratch if offered. Always talk softly and lovingly to your cat.

In Closing -

With all these admonitions and dos and don’ts, you may think that a neglected cat is too much trouble. Not that much, really. They take some time getting used to people, but once they trust you and know you have their best interests at heart, these cats will come to love you very much. The early stages with a neglected cat are the most critical. After that, you may find a loving, caring, demanding cat. Demanding because it may never want to be separated from you. Demanding because whatever it was denied before it will crave from you. Moreover, you will be loved, very deeply. It will care about you in its fashion. If your are down or blue, possibly sick, the cat will worry over you and try to find a way to comfort you. These cats are very responsive to their people. Hypersensitive is a good description. Empathic is another good description of their behavior. Some cats even approach a symbiotic relationship with their people.

Give love and patience, and love and patience will be returned. Give concern and care and those are returned. A neglected cat is one of the best pets for a single, older person. The cat will be tuned to that person in short order. It will give love and affection to ease the loneliness and loss these people sometimes experience. When the person is ill, the cat will understand and be there to comfort, while allowing the person to care for him or herself.

Morgen Marshall, a cat whisperer, invites you into her world of cats. She created a website dedicated to making the relationship between cats and people harmonious and healthy. For the Love of Cats is a place for people who love cats to find answers from someone they can trust.

What I am going to teach you here is the fact that there is a physical reason for our feeling frightened when put into a position to speak in public. That reason is our body’s perception that speaking in front of others is a “threatening situation” that demands the over-creation of adrenalin. And it is the over-creation of adrenalin that gives us our symptoms of feeling frightened.

Here’s the Good News on managing speech anxiety – I can tell you exactly how to control the over-creation of adrenalin within 15 minutes of you having to stand up to give a speech. I am going to inform you of a doctor-prescribed, safe, inexpensive and non-addictive pill (medication) that will eliminate your symptoms of fear almost instantaneously. Therefore, I can show you how to speak in public without the symptoms of feeling frightened. And if you can “speak in public without the symptoms of feeling frightened ” guess what – YOU CAN SPEAK IN PUBLIC”! Since the pill is a doctor-prescribed medication, not an over-the-counter medication, you will have an opportunity to discuss it with your doctor to confirm that it is safe for you to take. But I can assure you – it is perfectly safe for the vast majority of us. This may sound too easy, but believe me once you learn the physical reason for your speech anxiety or stage fright , you will be able to speak in public better than you’ve ever thought possible.

Let me also say this up-front – The information I present here will help those with a moderate to serious fear of speaking in public, as well as give “an edge” to those who do not really fear public speaking, but just want to improve their performance . Those that have used this information successfully have included many in business who must routinely give presentations , show business folks who want to be able to deliver the best performance possible and those who just join an organization and must participate in large meetings once in a while. The symptoms of fear that I will explain how to control are identical to all of us. The only thing that separates us in terms of public speaking is the severity of those symptoms and how we’re able to control them.

One more thing – you do not have to take the medication I will recommend here forever. It is only necessary during the period of time that you are re-training your brain to understand that speaking in public is not a threatening situation and therefore it doesn’t have to create an over-abundance of adrenaline in order to survive THEREFORE, THE MEDICATION IS REALLY A “TRAINING AID”, NOT A “CRUTCH”.

Speaking in public is the No. 1 fear of Americans. It surpasses our fear of losing our jobs, losing our relationships and, believe it or not, people write in surveys they fear public speaking even more than death (although I suspect that given a true life and death situation, they could muster the courage to give a little speech).

Because speaking in public opens the opportunity for us to be judged by others in a very personal way more so than any other activity we do in life. And it is this fear of being judged that creates anxiety that can be paralyzing at times. Simply put, many of us have a fear of looking foolish, of being laughed at, of making a mistake, of being vulnerable.

That was exactly my problem. For many years my fear of speaking in public kept me from advancement in my company because even though I was very competent in my field (in fact, more competent than many of my peers), I was perceived as not being as competent as those that could speak more authoritatively than I. It got so bad I had difficulty participating effectively in large meetings where I was an expert in the discussion area. I had to do something or my career, and my life for that matter, was going to be mediocre, at best and, at worst, a dismal failure.

My background was research and so I began to investigate the causes of my inordinate fear to speak in public.

Simply put – what I found changed my life forever and it will change yours too.

BackGround

When it comes to public speaking, there are several categories of people:

About 5% of the population do not fear speaking in public at all and actually look forward to it in many cases.

Another 10% are apprehensive to speak in public, but do not have a real fear of it.

However, the vast majority of us (about 80%) have a mild to serious fear of speaking in public; we don’t do it unless we have to and we tend to minimize the opportunities to speak in public if at all possible;

Then there are about 5% of us that have an excessive and almost debilitating fear of speaking in public.

I should admit to you now that I have a serious, and at times, excessive fear of public speaking

and am therefore in the “gray” zone between the 80% and 5% categories. Therefore, I know from

experience what I am going to teach you will help the vast majority of everyone who has a fear of standing up and speaking in public. In addition, this information will also help those who do not really fear public speaking, but just want to give a better performance.

Where Does Our Fear Come From?

This, of course, is a hard question to answer. For many of us the cause of a moderate to serious fear of speaking in public cannot be associated with anything in particular in our childhood. However for others, it can be traced back to a particular incident that has triggered the symptoms felt when faced with the necessity to speak in public. Some of us can vividly remember a particular incident in our lives where we became very self-conscious and embarrassed for some reason in front of a crowd of people. Often this incident occurred as far back as elementary school when our self-worth and self esteem were just beginning to develop and may not relate to actually speaking in public at all.

For instance, if we were in a situation where we stood embarrassed in front of our schoolmates without saying a word,— that could be it. Even though we were not speaking in public, our brains perceived our fear just standing there in front of other people as we thought that we looked foolish and/or scared. In a nutshell – what happens to some of us during this type of incident is our brain links our intense negative feelings with merely standing in front of other people as they look at us. It almost sounds silly that deep fears that control us as adults often have such trivial moments of creation in childhood. Often they last only a minute, but it is a minute that can last a lifetime. I’m sure the people who initiated these terrible incidents in our lives so many years ago never think back to them or to us for that matter. They have no idea what they said or did during that incident had such a profound and lasting effect on us.

Our fears may only be “in our head” but that’s enough to make us react as we do to speaking in public and other anxiety-prone situations. I’m sure you already realize – it’s pretty difficult to change what’s “in our head” even if we can figure out why it’s “in our head” to begin with and why we react as we do to perceived “threatening situations” such as speaking in public.

Luckily for us, understanding the true source of our fear doesn’t really matter. For some reason our brains have created a connection/link between standing up in front of people and speaking with a “threatening situation” of intense vulnerability.

And let me say this now – our fears are completely independent of our intelligence. In fact, I believe those with higher IQ’s may actually be more susceptible to fears brought about by childhood events than those of lower intelligence.

Realistically, a deep-seeded fear may not be “curable” (in the clinical sense of the word). This is because it is a result of our genetic makeup and our external & internal conditioning which is a result of one or more of those incidents I mentioned that created our feelings of anxiety in the first place. But, as I’ll explain in a moment – you do not have to cure your fear; you need only to cure the symptoms of that fear in order to be able to function without fear.

GOOD NEWS & BAD NEWS

First, the Bad News!

For those of us with a serious fear of speaking in public our minds create what I’ll call a “malfunction” of our natural defense system. It is our natural defense system that identifies a “threatening situation” that may confront us and creates the “fight or flight” response in our bodies. For us, when put into a position to speak in public our body’s natural “fight or flight” response initiates the over-creation of adrenaline because we perceive speaking in public as a very serious “threatening situation.”

Therefore, the bad news in this discussion is the fact that our minds cause our bodies to create exorbitant amounts of adrenaline completely out of our control. And it is adrenaline that creates all of the symptoms that make us look and feel frightened.

This understanding that it is the over-creation of adrenaline that creates my symptoms exactly at the time when I must speak in public was the key to finding a cure to my speech anxiety. And I promise you – it is the key for you as well.

It doesn’t matter why we react as we do to speaking in public and it doesn’t matter if we remember a particular incident that triggered our anxiety or not. Since our fear is not based on an actual threat to us, we need only eliminate the symptoms of that fear to gain back our self-confidence and function as if we don’t have fear. Intellectually, we know there is nothing really to fear when we speak in public, but our bodies act as if there is and it’s completely out of our control.

Without the symptoms of fear we can speak in public in a more thoughtful and relaxed manner than we ever thought possible. And if we can speak in public in a relaxed manner, guess what – WE CAN SPEAK IN PUBLIC!! PERIOD Really, it’s just that simple.

Now, the Really Good News!

The symptoms of fear of speaking in public are curable specifically at the time you’re put in a position to speak in public by taking a doctor-prescribed, safe, inexpensive and non-addictive medication. As I will explain, this medication allows us to control the cause of our symptoms exactly at the time when they are getting out of control. Therefore, what I am going to teach you will help those of us who have to routinely give presentations for our careers, those who need to only give several speeches a lifetime for wedding toasts, funerals, and the like, as well as those in show business who must be relaxed and confident enough to focus on their performance.

Here’s why -

As I mentioned, it is adrenaline that creates our symptoms of fear and anxiety completely out of our control. But what if you could control the adrenaline your body creates- then you would be in control!! That is what my research discovered and that is what I can show you how to do – control the adrenaline your body creates by taking a safe, inexpensive and non-addictive medication. And once I show you, you can do it anytime you want, on demand – just 15 minutes before a speaking engagement or performance.

Do I Have to Take the Medication Forever?

No you don’t and here’s why – Taking the medication during public speaking engagements over a period of time, allows the brain to re-think how it feels about speaking in public. With the medication, each public speaking event will increase your confidence as you realize you don’t look or feel frightened. Your brain will eventually understand that public speaking is not the threatening situation that it has assumed. The medication can make it much easier to transition through the period of fearing to speak in public and being confident to speak in public. Because of this, the medication should not be considered a “crutch”, but rather a “training aid” that will allow you to re-train your brain to understand that speaking in public does not require an overabundance of adrenaline in order to survive.

My Web site not only further elaborates on this subject but for a small fee you can instantly download the information to give to your doctor so he can help you be confident when speaking in public. http://www.speechanxietycure.com/

What is Blog?

Blog is short for weblog. A weblog is a journal (or newsletter) that is frequently updated and intended for general public consumption. They are typically updated daily using software that allows people with little or no technical background to update and maintain the blog.

Why Blog?

As its definition it helps to publish news updates, to promote new products & services as well as different opinion from various experts who participates in blogs. Many companies today open a blog section to sell products, for customer care and after sales support. Business blogs are the fast track to increasing a website’s link popularity and Google PageRank.The regularly updated keyword rich content offered by blogs score high rankings in the search engines as a direct result of their link drawing power.

Link exchanges between themes related blogs are frequent and not at all difficult. Note that bloggers mainly exchange links for visitor traffic purposes, and not for search engine optimization. Link exchanges should generally be approached from the shared traffic perspective.

Blogs also provide an exclusive list of high PageRank blog directories. While maintaining their exclusivity in the blog only Internet directories, blogs are welcomed in the mainstream Internet directories. In that sense, blogs receive the best of both worlds.

Website owners, who are serious about improving not only their quantity of incoming links, but their theme relevant quality as well, should seriously consider adding a business blog component to their website.

Blog Setup on blogger.com

Blogs can be created from bloggers’ site as well as from own FTP (websites). People who don’t have any website, they can create a blog directly from the bloggers’ site. But who have own site, they can also create blogs from own FTP with the help of blogger.com.

Blogger.com is the most popular blogger creater in the world of blogs. Although hundreds of site provide free blogs, but blogger.com is most popular due to its features and functions. Create a blog from own FTP using Blogger.com is somewhat technical and for the first time, it takes some time & try and error to upload to blogs from own FTP.

From this article, I would like to define step by step procedures with examples that help you to create blogs in few easy steps at less time.

URL to create free blog on your own FTP: http://www.blogger.com/

Steps to setup blogs on own FTP:

1. Create a new account

2. Choose a template

3. Redesign existing template

4. FTP setup

5. Post message

6. Published blogs

(1) Few steps to create a new blog as followed:

Click on the button “Create a New Blog Now”

Create an account

Give blog title like “PPC Articles”

Give blog address like ppcarticles.blogspot.com (Must be unique)

Choose the template & continue from the bottom click button

Get message “Your blog is created” & Start posting

Get Blogger editor to write the message

Give the title

Write the message

From the bottom click on the “Publish Post” button

(2) Customized Template Design:

After creating a blog as mentioned above steps,

First create own template. To do that, click on the “Dashboard” which will bring to the main page of our account.

Here, you find the “blogname” under “Blogs” category.

Click on any created blog that you want to edit with your own template.

Click on “PPC articles”

Here, you will find four main categories from the top navigation.

They are, Posing, Setting, Template, View Blog

Click on the “Template” which will bring you to the present template code.

Here, you can edit your template as per your site design.

You may create customized template using this html code-editing wizard.

Note: While designing the customized template, it is mandatory to place all “blog tags” in between &

Harekrishna Patel

[http://www.onlinemedia.co.in/]

onlineinfomedia@gmail.com

The history of American sports cars is the story not only of machines, but also of the men who made and drove them. There have been many key players in the development of the modern sports car, but some stand out as truly significant figures.

Among those innovators to remember are Alexander Winton, Zora Arkus-Duntov, and John DeLorean. Each made a lasting impression on the sports car scene.

Alexander Winton

Alexander Winton was the first truly successful automotive magnate in the United States. His cars participated and excelled in virtually every major racing and touring event of the late 1890s and early 1900s. Winton cars were perceived as the model of American automotive engineering.

Winton’s success and belief in his vehicles led him to accept a challenge from an upstart from Detroit named Henry Ford. In a much-ballyhooed 1901 contest, Ford and Winton squared off in one-on-one race.

Winton’s Sweepstakes racecar suffered from mechanical problems during the contest and his two-cylinder, 28 horsepower racer finished a distant second to Ford, who found his career revitalized after the publicized victory.

Despite often being remembered as the man who lost to Ford, Alexander Winton was a true American sports car pioneer and laid the groundwork for many manufacturers who followed in his footsteps.

Zora Arkus-Duntov

After World War II, American manufacturers began to produce readily available sports cars, in contrast to the limited production, high-dollar versions from earlier in history. After Ford made a splash with the Thunderbird sports car, Chevrolet sought to capture its share of the growing market with the 1955 introduction of the Corvette.

The Corvette, whose distinctive appearance was brought to light be famous designer Harley Earl, was a beautiful package containing a ho-hum gift. The car had a two-speed automatic transmission and a standard Chevy 6 cylinder engine. Sales stagnated.

A Russian migr and Chevrolet designer named Zora Arkus-Duntov took the reigns of the Corvette project after its second lackluster year. He redesigned the new Chevy V8 to fit in the Corvette and replaced the automatic transmission with a sportier 3-speed manual tranny. His design changes vaulted the Corvette to fame and admiration.

Arkus-Duntov continued his affiliation with Corvette, ushering it into its heyday as the most respected and admired American sports car.

John DeLorean

A brash young auto executive at Pontiac named John DeLorean had an idea. He could take the under performing Pontiac Tempest, make a few minor exterior alterations, outfit it with a big and powerful V8 engine and upgrade some of the other components. His revitalization effort turned the lowly Tempest into the Pontiac GTO the car that sparked the muscle car era in America.

DeLorean’s efforts to build better and more interesting sports cars continued as he opened his own auto company. He introduced the stainless steel DMC-12 sports car later popularized in the Back to the Future movies. The innovative vehicle was never a hot-seller but was an inspiration for countless future designs from other automakers.

The controversial DeLorean was plotting an economy-priced plastic sports car that was never released. He passed away while the vehicle idea was still in its infancy.

Sports car enthusiasts remember cars. They can tell you the specs of many significant sports cars and can trace the history of many sports car lines. It’s important to remember these cars did not materialize from thin air. There were men behind the cars who brought them to the limelight. Three of the great innovators Winton, Arkus-Dontav, and DeLorean deserve to be as remembered as any sports car to ever hit the road.

For more articles like this one, please visit [http://www.SportsCarGuide.org]

Have you ever wondered where “today’s cat” came from?

I have and so I began a little research on the history of cats.

Apparently no one really knows when or how “the cat” first appeared on our planet.

According to some sources it is said that Miacis, a weasel-like animal that lived about 40 or 50 million years ago is the cat’s closest ancestor.

I have not been able to find any pictures or drawings of this animal, that is supposed to be the father/mother (if you will,) of all land-dwelling carnivores, including the dog.

Since I cannot prove otherwise, I will accept this information for as close to the truth as I can get.

According to a DNA study that was done in 1997 by two members of the National Cancer Institute in Frederick, Maryland, it appears that cats have been known to live in Asia as early as 11 million years ago and here in North America as early as 9 million years ago.

Their research was based on DNA analysis of 37 living cat species.

Millions of years ago, as sea level rose and fell, the earth formed natural bridges and the cats being nomadic creatures traveled all over to colonize, everywhere that is, except Antarctica according to some scientists.

Why not there? I believe cats were smart enough to know it was too cold.

If you are picturing in your mind a cat that looks like your cat wandering around the earth, forget it.

These cats did not look like our cats, some were big cats and some were smaller cats, it took a long while for “our cat” to emerge.

The 1997 study by the National Cancer Institute also helped determine that most of the 37 or so living species of cat that exist today, belonged to one of past eight lineage’s according to their DNA.

It is said that the first association of cats with humans may have occurred during the Stone Age.

Apparently, the cats figured out “where there were humans” there would be food and where there was food a mouse or two could be found.

However, it took a long time for cats to be considered household pets, as cats were considered useful, but wild beasts.

Then came the days of ancient Egypt.

The Egyptians about 5,00 to 6,000 years ago had learned how to stockpile grain for future use.

With the stockpiles of grain came mice and rats and a serious need occurred.

The Egyptians were the first civilization to domesticate the cat on a large scale and to make the world aware of the usefulness of the cat not only for catching mice and rats, but also as a household pet.

The Egyptians were so enamored with “the cat” and its importance in their lives that they not only allowed it in their households, they eventually worshipped the cat and treated it like royalty.

“The royalty treatment” is something the cat never forgot.

In Egypt when a cat died they were mummified and buried in elaborate ceremonies, even in the poorest of households.

Mice were mummified along with the cat, so that the cat would have food in is afterlife.

There were some cats that were considered sacred and they lived in the temples with the priests.

These cats were considered oracles and people would come from long distances to ask the cats questions. The priests would interpret the cat’s actions (such as licking its paw) and tell the visitor what the cat was saying.

It was considered a crime to kill a cat and if you were guilty of that crime, you were killed, too.

It has come to light during an archeological excavation in Saqqara, where thousands of cat mummies were found that all the cats did not die a natural death.

By x-raying some of the mummified cats it was revealed that many did die of natural causes, but some were young cats (year old) with broken necks.

There are two schools of thought here, one being that the cat population had grown too large and it was a way to slow it down.

The other possibility was that the priests raised these cats and later killed and mummified them to sell to people who attended festivals.

It was considered proper to buy a mummified cat as a way to please the “cat goddess” called Bastet and then ask a personal favor from her.

Researchers are fairly certain the people buying the cats did not know they were intentionally killed.

It did not take long for the word to get around (about a 1,000 years or so) about the usefulness

of cats in a household.

Soon the Romans and Greeks realized the value of a cat and made them members of their household. Here they were not worshipped.

During the 11th century cats became extremely important in killing the rats that were causing the Black Death.

Then came the Middle Ages and trouble followed for the cats.

Pope Gregory IX apparently did not like cats and decided that they were diabolical creatures and needed to be destroyed.

It was a sad time for cats as they were beaten, killed and driven away from the villages.

Anyone who had a cat was considered a “witch” and was put to death along with the cat.

Cats were sacrificed, burned to death and even buried alive inside walls of houses (supposed to bring good luck.)

As the cat population was being destroyed, the rat and mice population grew by leaps and bounds.

Causing a great many plagues and other epidemics all over Europe.

People were dying everywhere and soon they realized the error of their ways.

By the 17th century, cats were back in favor, doing what they did best, catching mice and rats.

However, people began to see that cats were nice to have around and soon they became treasured household pets once again.

It has been said that the first cats came to North America by crossing over the Bering Strait about several million years or so ago.

However, in more recent times (1600-1700) cats came on board ships with the traders and explorers. Cats were very important on board ships in order to protect the cargo from the rats and mice.

Many early settlers in the colonies brought their own cats with them. Life seemed pretty good for cats until the Salem witch-hunt of 1692 and once again cats became a product of discrimination along with the people who owned them and were destroyed or driven away.

Once again “people” learned the error of their ways and cats were once again welcome as the rat and mice population grew.

In 1749 cats were brought to Pennsylvania to help control a serious rodent plague.

As more and more colonists came to the New World the need for cats grew. It was necessary to import cats and the new cats needed to be stronger and sturdier.

Without cats, the New World would have faced many plagues and ships would have lost much of their cargo.

You might say “cats” saved our country.

As time went on and our country grew, people started moving west.

They packed up their worldly possessions into wagons, gathered up the family and livestock and forgot the cats.

They seemed to forget, that where there were people and food (grain) soon there would be rodents.

It’s Murphy’s Law.

It is said that during the Gold Rush of 1849, people were buying cats off trading ships for $50.00 a piece.

In 1884 during the rat plague that came to San Francisco, people were willing to pay up to $100 for a cat.

Cats like our country prospered and like the people, cats came from all countries of the world. This mix of cats and the breeding that took place has managed to give our country a great mix of what is known as “domestic shorthaired.”

Today there are more than sixty-five million cats living in our homes. Cats far outnumber dogs.

The number of actual breeds varies according to the source you check. Some sources say that there are 36 species, others say 37 species, but we have found with the new breeds coming along that there are probably over 40 different varieties of cats.

This has been a very brief history of cats; they certainly have played a very important part in the growth of the Universe.

It is hard for me to imagine life without having at least one of them around and I hope you feel the same.

If you found this article interesting I invite you to visit me at http://www.cats-and-dogs-on-the-web.com Here you will have a chance to view many interesting articles regarding cats and dogs.

The economy is on the rise, and America is once again feeling confident in our nation. With the renewed confidence, spending is also on the rise. Supplies of all kinds of goods are dwindling down, and suppliers are restocking them. How does goods of all types get to the suppliers? You guessed it, the over the road truck and driver. One indication of a strong economy is how many tractor – trailers are moving freight up and down the roads. As of lately, that number is sharply on the rise. The tractor that pulls that load has to be in top operating condition at all times. Enter the diesel technician.

Diesel engine repair is more than a person and a tool box. These techs. are highly trained, and extremely knowledgeable in all the different systems found on a class 8 semi truck. Long gone are the days of a mechanic walking out to a truck with a hand tray of tools. Modern diesel engine repair technicians most often start a proper diagnosis with a lap top computer. Like a skilled surgeon in their field, the problem is quickly identified, and a repair is made correctly the first time. Experience plays a major role in this repair process, and a technician with years of experience is a good person to be friends with. This type of experience is highly sought after in the world of truck repair. Competition between businesses that employ these people is, not surprisingly, quite fierce. Because of the knowledge base a diesel engine repair technician is equipped with, they can usually write their own ticket as where in the country they wish to work.

Along with the knowledge a diesel technician has, their home away from home is the tool box they own. Not your standard tool box found in most home garages, this type of tool box is usually three to four times larger. With all the specialty tools required to diagnose problems, storage for these expensive items is very important. While the wage that a diesel engine repair technician receives is well above the minimum wage requirements, keep in mind that the tools used are also purchased by the technician. The investment made by a highly trained diesel engine repair technician will easily run into six figures. A good rule of thumb at a repair facility is that if one has to borrow a tool from someone else more than twice, it should be bought and put into personal inventory.

The down side to being a diesel engine repair technician is that it is hard on a body. Everything on a class 8 truck is big and heavy. Brake drums alone weigh in at close to one hundred pounds. Ask a gear man the weight of a 15.5 inch clutch. Then ask them where it goes. Lifting one of these monsters in a confined space certainly builds character, to say the least. Cylinder heads, pistons, crankshafts, intake and exhaust manifolds. All are on the larger scale and need to be wrestled around on a daily basis by the diesel engine repair technician. These people have brawn to go along with their brains.

Next time you see a tractor – trailer moving needed freight down the road for our nation, think of all the diesel engine repair technicians that keep them rolling. Everyone of these people in the trucking industry are viable partners, and we need all of them.

To consult with a top team of diesel engine repair experts, follow this link
http://diesel-docs.com/

Glenn is a go to work Dad looking to supplement his household income.

1) A successfull Internet Marketer knows exactly his goals and is focused on attaining them:

Hence, by having clearly defined his objectives, a succesfull Internet Marketer is armed and ready to attain them. This way, he will not get distracted and give in all those hyped salesletters promising a get rich quick scam. It is a known fact that :”If you don’t know where you are going, you will end-up somewhere else!”

Action: Take a moment NOW to honestly question yourself if your goals are crystal clear and attainable.

2) A successfull Internet Marketer is commited to his success:

Yes! People who made it big in their business (whether on or offline) were ready to put in the effort needed. If you believe that you will become a millionaire by putting in an hour a day, you will just keep buying those ” get rich fast gimmicks” and will waste your money.

Action: Ask yourself if you are commited to your online success and if you are willing to do the necessary sacrifices it will need in the beginning.

3) A successfull Internet Marketer believes in his success:

The reality is actually way more powerful than this: “For a successfull Internet Marketer, failiure is not an option!”

Does this mean that everything runs smoothly and perfectly the first time around for those successfull persons? Not at all! Most (if not all) Internet Millionaires encountered multiple set-backs. Their strength comes from the fact that they took these set-backs merely as challenges and got more motivated from them. If you experience doubts at time while pursuing your Web career, allow yourself to be inspired by Thomas Edison who made over a thousand attempts in designing the light bulb. When asked if he ever got discouraged by all those repeated failiures, he simply answered, smiling: ” I did not fail, I just discovered a thousand ways that did not work!” Now, that’s a winning attitude.

It all comes back to having the proper mind set.

Action: Honestly evaluate if you truely believe in yourself and your success. Are you putting-up excuses? Do you often catch yourself downtalking about your own goals?

4) A successfull Internet Marketer honestly cares about his customers:

This one may come as a shocker. It is true though that successfull marketers are in business because they care about making a difference and helping their customers.A person may make a good sum of money while selling a low quality service or product once. On the long run though, the customers can see through this person’s facade and recurring income is not going to be at the “rendez-vous”.

Action: Examine your profond motives in wanting to do Internet Marketing. Are you just “trying” this to get out of a job you do not like? Is helping other people through the products and services you are providing a genuine goal for you?

5) A successfull Internet Marketer is persistent:

It is pure utopia to think that everything will run smoothly and perfectly the first time around. Successfull people are persistent people. Success does not come from never falling, it comes from falling and getting back-up successfully. Furthermore, great achievers have the ability to change failiures into learning and creating opportunities. Most great inventions are the results of a need that created a frustration and then triggerred a solution.

Action: Consider how you react when faced with a negative result. Do you crumble down? Do you react vividly saying: “This time, it’s personal!”

I like the image of Sylvester Stallone in the movie Rocky 1 during his fight with Apollo Creed. The more punches he got, the faster he got back up. Ask yourself if challenges are putting you down or, on the opposite, motivating you beyond your wildest dreams.

6) A successfull Internet Marketer is a good listener:

Upon creating a strong marketing plan, a successfull marketer will consider the needs of his potential customers. He will not assume what their needs are, he will ask the right questions and sincerely listen. A common mistake that new marketers do is provide customers what they think the market needs. One can greatly “bum” in a business in providing a product/service that nobody really wants.

Action: Do an objective research on what your target market wants. Are you on the right track or do you need to change your perspective?

7) A successfull Internet Marketer is hard working and efficient:

I am sorry to be the one bringing you the bad news but building a highly successfull businness that pays well requires hard work, at least in the beginning. The good news is that if you possess the first six qualities of a successfull Internet Marketer, creating your empire will actually be a fun journey! Most very successfull Internet Millionaires keep working although they do not need to just because they enjoy doing so. I know I will…

Action: Ask yourself if you are commited in providing the necessary effort to create a very successfull business. Do you tend to procrastinate and are an artist at creating excuses for not getting the job done? If you honestly feel you sometimes lack the strength to finish what you start, do not despair, there is help.

A succesfull Internet Marketer is accountable for his results:

As much as Internet Millionaires are responsible for their great success, as much they take blame and then action for their failiures. When something goes wrong, they do not blame other people or circumstances for the results. Right away, they sit back, analyse and learn from the situation and change whatever needs to be correted.

Action: Honestly analyse how you react when faced with a non-optimal result. Do you blame others? Are you 100% accountable for the results you bring in? If not, how can you manage your business so that your success are the direct results of your actions?

9) A successfull Internet Marketer constantly renews his business:

Let’s face it what was hot yesterday will be common today and outdated tomorrow. A sucessfull Internet Marketer keeps up to date on the current trends and adapts to the ever changing needs of its clients.

Action: Do you know what your market needs and wants? Ask yourself if you are offering a product that is still popular and in demand TODAY?

10) A successfull Internet Marketer knows how to leverage the strength of other successfull Internet Marketers:

One cannot do everything alone. Most, if not all, successfull Internet Marketers have learned to use the power of joining their force with others. Furthermore, a successfull Internet Marketer doesn’t try to re-invent the wheel. While creating a successfull Internet empire, the busy marketer leverages and uses what others have already created to make work easier and more proficient. A sucessfull Internet Marketer knows and uses the power of joint venturing with other great internet marketers.

Action: Are you slaving alone at your computer trying to figure out the system? What can you do to successully leverage what other people have created while doing business on the Web?

Dr Nathalie Fiset is a family doctor, a certified hypnotherapist and an internet marketer. She is the author of many very powerful hypnosis programs for best mental and physical health. Go to her main web site at http://www.drnathaliefiset.com to have access to her many resortfull web sites. Here hypnosis and marketing products have helped numerous people achieving their full potential. To benefit from her powerful tools, go to http://www.joinmeatthetop.com and subscribe to her valuable newsletter at joinmeathetop@aweber.com.

Apart from having fun, people who do snow skiing can also obtain some healthful benefits from doing such activity. Being one of the most interesting sports in the cold winter season, the number of people who engaged into snow skiing sport is significantly increasing. Provided with the essential details on the significant benefits one can get from snow-skiing, you now have more reasons to engage into such sport.

Nowadays, many people already consider snow skiing activity as a perfect means of muscle exercising per se snow skiing exercises. In doing so, you can enhance your muscle strengths, particularly the leg muscles and other muscle groups. Aside from muscle strength development, snow-skiing exercises can also help in making the entire body more fit and strong.

In order to obtain the maximum skiing benefits in terms of developing muscle strength, you have to learn the important techniques in the sport. These snow skiing techniques are not only provided for those who seek muscle strength enhancement but also offered to aid those who want to take part of the tough snow skiing competition.

Exercises and Snow Skiing

One can only obtain the full beneficial effects of snow skiing provided that he or she is fully aware on how to do it right. This can be achieved by doing some cardiovascular exercises prior to performing the actual snow skiing activity. It is necessary to undergo into such form of exercises in order to enhance your stamina in order to succeed in any sport you would prefer.

A. Cardiovascular Exercises

Cardiovascular exercises that would help in stamina development encompass jogging, cycling, swimming and brisk walking. These exercises are also designed to build and enhance your endurance. Considering that snow skiing requires focus, it is very necessary for you not to lose energy and get tired easily.

B. Other Preparatory Exercises

Other forms of exercises are also offered to help build and maintain strength, particularly your quads and hamstrings. Lunges and squats are two of these suitable strength-enhancing exercises. Performing these types of exercise would help you focus on building strength in both the outer and inner thighs.

Another important type of exercise you can perform in fulfilling such goal to maximize skiing potentials is manifested with the leg exercises. Acquiring and maintaining strength in the legs is indeed necessary for you to perform well and last in the sport.

Besides leg exercises, you may also try on pertinent exercising as such with the knee exercises. Of course, having strong legs may not be enough to perform well in the snow skiing. Instead, it too requires you to maintain strong knees to avoid the risk of having some knee injuries in the later process. In order to ensure sturdy knees and legs, you may try doing squats, lunges, leg curls, leg extensions and leg presses. Adding some weights can also help in augmenting strength in both the legs and the knees.

More than the leg and knee exercises, it you to can perform other exercises that would help develop your core and upper body, hips, shoulders and arms. Flexibility exercises also play a great role in the preparation for snow skiing. Aside from keeping you safe from any potential injuries, this can help you and your body obtains balance and control in the whole sport duration. Conditioning and re-conditioning of the entire body parts is also essential to ensure that you are actually ready for the skiing season.

Also note that in order to maximize your snow-skiing potentials and ensure your safety, utilize and equip yourself with only the best and durable skiing paraphernalia, which then could mean that a ski wax store visit is likewise, necessary.

About the Author

I have been teaching skiing for a local ski area for 20 years. I was the assistant ski race coach for Fairfield University 1995 to 2001. Skiing tuning for Ski Wiz Precision Ski and Snowboard Tuning and Bicycle racing. I ski raced as a kid from 1975 to 1985. started when I was 11 years old. Started skiing at 4 years old.

We’ve all been there – you’re heading out for a day of lawn work and your lawn mower won’t start. The big question before you now, should you try to fix the lawn mower yourself or should you call the experts? Here are a few scenarios to help you decide whether you should attempt the lawn mower repair at home or bring it to an authorized repair person.

My Lawn Mower Won’t Start

If your lawn mower will not start, check the gas tank first. Did you put the mower away for a long period of time without draining the gas tank? If so, you probably have a tank full of bad gas. Drain the tank and fill it with new gas. Check to make sure you have enough gas in the tank to get the mower running and that it is the correct kind of gas.

The Lawn Mower Starts Slowly, but Stops and becomes Difficult to Start

This is a pretty good sign that the engine is not getting enough air. Don’t worry, this is not going to require a costly lawn mower engine repair! Start by checking the air filter; a clogged or dirty filter can be cleaned with a little hot water and dish detergent. Simply scrub the filter and replace it.

You also may have a bad spark plug. The mower engine will not start up if the spark plug is bad or dirty. This fix may be as simple as pulling out the old spark plugs, cleaning them and replacing them.

My Lawn Mower Is Dead

Start by unplugging the spark plugs and turning the mower over. It is extremely important to make sure the mower is not able to start up while it is turned upside down. Check various mower parts, including the blades. You are looking for string, long grass, plastic or metal stuck between the blades, as any of these items will stop the blades from working and automatically incapacitate the mower.

Look in the gas tank, at the spark plugs and at the air filter. Make sure there is gas in the tank, the spark plugs are working and the air filter is clog free.

If the mower is still not working, take off the mower engine cover. Look at how the gas flows into the engine by removing the pump cover and pushing on the rubber pump. This will show you how gas is flowing into the engine and whether there are any problems with the hose. You may just need to take a clean rag and wipe down the hose or use a small pin to clean out the injector hole.

The last place to check is the automatic shut-off connected to the accelerator, as it may have lost a spring. Look for a metal line from the shut-off mechanism to the choke; you should see a small spring that attaches to the body of the lawn mower. If it fell off, you will see two small holes where the spring used to be. You can find a replacement spring at any hardware store.

These are all relatively easy repairs that you can make at home. The rule of thumb about calling an authorized repair person is you have reached a point in the project where you no longer feel comfortable doing it on your own. No matter when you reach this point, whether it comes after you checked the gas tank or after you take off the engine cover, it’s time to call a repair person.

Do not get in over your head in a repair project. When you are unsure of how to proceed but go ahead anyway, you can make the problem worse; and this only means a bigger repair bill!

Sundar K is is the author of this article about lawn mower repair, lawn mower parts and lawn mower engine repair. THDRepair is one of the largest authorized repair specialists in the U.S., has held a number of positions within the company over the past 10 years, previously as Director of Operations and Director of Business Development.

Do you sometimes find that as soon as you take that leap and decide to make a positive career change, you’re met with criticism and resistance from those around you? They tell you why it’s a bad idea and try to persuade you not to follow your dream.

Luckily, it only seems that way. One of the biggest challenges that many people in career transition face is trying to convince their families, friends, coworkers and the people who know them best, that change is a good thing. At a time when everything is in flux, it’s tough for us to reassure people we are headed on the path to success despite any obstacles which may surface along the way. We may even be uncertain ourselves! And because we frequently experience the most resistance to our ideas from the people who mean the most to us, it can FEEL like our core support system is caving in. But don’t worry, I assure you it’s not!

As a certified career coach who has helped many people overcome obstacles and who has paved the way for my own career, I make sure my clients know where to find the best type of career support, at the time when they need it most. Here are five sources where you can seek out guidance, education–even commiseration!–during your career transition period.

1. Career networking – both online and in person.

There are tons of career-focused networks and resources on the internet and in your local area. To locate them online, do a Google search. Check out your home town paper to find out where the best career focused communities are hiding. Go out and mingle with like-minded professionals who are seeking a change in their own careers or who are currently in the career you want to pursue. Participate in workshops, contact your college alumni office or attend a networking event. The information is there for the taking, all you have to do is seek and you shall find.

2. Individual career coaching.

On my site I offer what is known as Co-Active Coaching – a style of coaching that empowers the career seeker to find the right answers on their own and navigate their career course in a way that feels right for them alone. A good coach will never just hand you instructions, but is there instead to offer expert advice, an objective viewpoint, positive encouragement and suggestions to help manage your goals effectively, in a manner that works for you.

3. A career seeking buddy.

Sometimes it isn’t easy being that “horse of a different color” in your group of friends. If everyone you know is consumed with their corporate job but you have a strong urge to strike out on your own, you may get some resistance from those who can’t relate or are fearful you might be making a mistake. The solution is not to try to persuade the naysayers, but instead seek like-minded people or a supportive friend to commiserate with, share experiences with, and bounce ideas off of. It’s so important to feel like you have someone who understands what you’re going through during the sometimes unpredictable yet exhilarating career transition time. You can find a career seeking buddy by following up with some of the other points in this article–for example, visiting online and in-person networks where career seekers converge, taking a career education course or career teleclass and reaching out to classmates, or even asking your career coach to introduce you to others in her circle of contacts.

4. A mentor or someone who has “been there.”

Is there someone in your life who you admire because they didn’t follow the status quo, created their own path or just seem to be living out an amazingly full and satisfying life and career? Maybe you have a friend, relative, or acquaintance who started their own business or managed to interweave creativity and flexibility into their professional life in a way that stands out from the crowd. Now is a perfect time to ask for advice and guidance from that person, listen to their story, learn from their mistakes, and apply this knowledge to the changes that you’re going through in your own career. Most people are more than happy to share what they have learned. The experience is sure to be enlightening and you will be making a friend and professional contact in the process.

5. Career education courses.

Newspapers, career publications, public libraries, online career resources and even my career website, http://www.HallieCrawford.com, are all great places to discover reasonably-priced career education and transition courses. Become armed with the knowledge needed to begin your journey on the path to a more fulfilling career. I myself offer a terrific and inspiring Career Seekers Teleclass that’s held several times per year. It’s a fantastic support program for those who are interested in coaching but either aren’t ready to invest in individual coaching just yet, or really like the idea of participating in a group where others are going through the same thing you are. For more information, visit my website at the bottom of this article.

When you’re striving for a positive change in your life, the goal is to seek out experiences and people that help you pursue that goal, enhance your knowledge, and offer positive feedback. It’s understandable that our human support group won’t always exist in the places where we’re used to having it… but help is out there. I have confidence that you will receive the guidance and understanding you need to move forward with your dream of the ultimate career for you. Good luck!

Copyright 2006 Hallie Crawford, Authentically Speaking. All rights reserved.

About the Author:

Discover the Essential Components to a Satisfying Career Today
Want free tips, tools and expert advice on finding a career you’re passionate about? Visit Certified Career Coach Hallie Crawford at http://www.halliecrawford.com. Sign up for Hallie’s monthly e-newsletter, Creating Your Own Path, right now: http://www.halliecrawford.com/newsletter.html