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New Year's Eve: Celebrating New Beginnings

2009-04-25T02:17:00.001-07:00

Since New Years Eve party locations tend to be held indoors, just a bit of planning and creativity can make yours, the New Year?s Even Party to remember! Just choose a unique location (such as a rental hall, club, or central gathering place, like a restaurant or even church fellowship hall) or you can even transform a room in your own home into a festive setting. Choosing a theme, allowing your invitations and decorations to set the stage, and taking time for the special touches, like lighting, food, and party favors, can make your New Year?s Eve party one to remember.

Invitation Ideas

? Roll up computer generated, parchment invitations, in small wine bottles to be hand delivered.

? Unroll noisemakers, and write your invitations on the tails. They can be mailed in small envelopes or delivered by hand.

? Blow up a balloon, write your party details in glittery ink, and deflate the balloon to send to your friends in a small envelope.

? Put some confetti in the envelope along with the invitation.

? Draw, or print a clock graphic, with hands pointing to midnight, onto card stock, with all your party information on the back.

Decorations

? Spread confetti, glitter, and curlicues on tables.

? Hang crepe streamers from the ceiling.

? Using a balloon drop kit, fill an assortment of latex balloons with air, and hang from the ceiling. At midnight, pull the cord, and have your own balloon drop.

? Another option is to insert a funnel into deflated balloons and put confetti inside, then fill balloons with helium. Tie the balloons with colorful ribbon, and let them float up to the ceiling. At midnight, everyone can pull down a balloon and pop it.

? Candles or dim lights will add to the festive atmosphere.

New Year's Eve Party Crafts for Kids

Party Hats:

Supplies: Glitter, glue, scissors, and paper.

Instructions:

? Fold paper into a cone and glue along the seam.

? Round the bottom edge.

? Squirt glue in a design around the hat.

? Over newspaper, sprinkle the glitter.

New Year?s Eve Noise makers:

Supplies: Colored paper or wrapping paper, glue or tape, scissors, toilet paper rolls, yarn and beans or rice.

Instructions:

? Measure paper to go around the toilet paper roll, making each side about three inches longer on each end.

? Glue the paper onto the roll, leaving the ends open.

? Tie one end tightly with the yarn.

? Add rice or beans through the open end.

? Tie the last end tightly with yarn, and shake!

New Year?s Eve Streamers:

Supplies: Crepe paper or tissue paper, and yarn.

Instructions:

* Cut different length strips of paper.

* Tie together at one end with yarn.

New Year?s Eve Party Favors and Gifts

Personalized Wine Bottle:

Print striking personalized wine labels celebrating the millennium. Steam off labels from bottles of good red wine, and replace them with your own labels. Include guests' names, the date, and the party location. Guests can then keep the wine for the future.

Decorative Champagne Glasses:

Write your guest's name, hot glue gems,? and add a touch of color with a swirl or two of glass paint, to plastic champagne flutes. Each unique design will help guests keep track of their drink throughout the evening.

No matter what activities or party favors you plan, it is most important to have friends, family, and good will be a part of your New Year?s Eve. The party you plan is just an extension of your celebration of the new beginnings New Year?s signifies for us all.

Mrs. Party... Gail Leino is the internet's leading authority on selecting the best possible party supplies (http://partysupplieshut.com), using proper etiquette and manners while also teaching organizational skills and fun facts. The Party Supplies Hut has a huge selection of free party games, coloring pages, word find, word scramble, printable baby and bridal shower activities. New Years Party Games (New-Years-Day.com), holiday party planning tips, trivia, history, recipes, printable activities and free coloring pages.

Matching Fish With the Right Cooking Methods

2009-04-09T14:57:00.001-07:00

Crisp-fried fish and chips. Moist, flaky grilled salmon. Firm, tender broiled swordfish. Fish is highly versatile, filled with valuable Omega-3 oils and bursting with flavor. But are you aware that not all fish is suited for every cooking method? Your dish could easily be ruined by choosing a fish that is too dry or too moist for the recipe you want to prepare. Those pursuing their culinary training in cooking school can learn how to properly select fish. Now you can benefit from their knowledge.

Natural Moisture Plays A Big Role

For dry, high-heat methods of cooking, fish that contain a lot of moisture are a best fit. Cooking school graduates know grilling, broiling, roasting and baking can leave fish tough and rubbery. This is because the dry heat extracts moisture - giving nothing back. If you plan to use these cooking techniques, choose a fish with a high-moisture content. Swordfish, salmon, cod and halibut would all work well in these situations.

Saut?ing, baking with a sauce, frying or steaming are other methods taught during culinary training for cooking fish. Students are instructed to select fish that are less moist for these techniques. The reason is two-fold. First, depending on the amount of water released from the fish during cooking, it may alter the flavor of sauces. Second, the moisture could turn batter or other coatings into mush.

Saut?ing involves the use of oil or butter. This helps keep fish moist during cooking. Baking is usually done with a sauce. The sauce also would help retain the natural oils in a dryer fish. Steaming adds moisture rather than reducing it, and frying normally involves a batter or bread coating that locks in the natural oils and water. Cooking school instructors often suggest tilapia, catfish, haddock or orange roughy for these applications.

Firm or Delicate? Which Will Hold Up Best?

Another consideration when selecting fish for your recipe is firmness. For dishes where you want the fish to remain in its cut shape, a fish with firm flesh will be a best pick. Fish that don't break apart when handled during cooking (during turning, etc.) will make the best presentation and be easier to eat. Grouper, swordfish, salmon, cod, tilapia, tuna, shark and others hold their shapes well.

However, if preparing fish in other ways, flakier fish are optimal. For instance, with fried fish (where the coating can help hold the shape), fishcakes, soups or stews (where the fish would be broken) or baked dishes (that require little handling), those with professional culinary training usually prefer a delicately textured fish to perk up the recipe.

Preserving the Natural Flavor

Lastly, cooking school instructors and professional chefs stress working with the natural flavor of the fish. Salmon, tuna, grouper, monkfish and others have very distinct flavors. Most often, adding herbs, spices, rubs or light sauces to compliment the taste will give you a more savory result.

Choosing the right fish to include in your favorite recipes will enhance the presentation and flavor. You'll likely find yourself serving more fish to your family and guests... and that's good for everybody!

About the Author

Mike Churchill provides online marketing support for Le Cordon Bleu Schools North America. Cooking school applications are currently being accepted for their affiliated schools located throughout the country. If you love cooking, culinary training could be the next step. Visit http://www.lecordonbleuschoolsusa.com.

Alligator Beef Jerky

2009-04-08T08:44:00.001-07:00

Gators are a lot less scary when they come in the edible form of jerky! Exotic jerky, such as alligator jerky have become immensely popular among fans of dried and spiced meat. Alligator jerky is among other exotic choices such as emu, elk, ostrich and more. But you don't have to go to Mardi Gras or the Everglades to taste this treat ... you can make it yourself!

Making alligator jerky is really not much different than the usual beef jerky process. You just have to find somewhere that sells alligator meat. Most small town butchers will have this offering, and if they don't regularly stock it, they can get it. If you do not have a local specialty butcher, there are some online sites you can order it from, such as CajunGrocer.

Basic Alligator Jerky

Ingredients:

? alligator tail

? garlic salt

? black pepper

Directions:

1. Cut alligator tail into long strips, one inch wide and one-quarter inch thick or less.

2. Prepare the jerky salt mix by combining the equal parts of garlic salt and black pepper.

3. Sprinkle a thin layer of the jerky salt mix on a cutting board.

4. Lay alligator strips on salt mix.

5. Sprinkle a layer of salt mix on top of alligator, so both sides are completely salted.

6. Stick a toothpick through one end of each meat strip and suspend strips from oven or smoker rack after shaking off excess salt.

7. Heat or smoke around 120 degrees until dry (about four hours).

8. Store jerky in airtight containers or eat right away!

Cajun Alligator Jerky

Since alligator meat is popular in New Orleans and Bayou-themed restaurants around the nation, Cajun flavoring seems like a natural choice for alligator jerky. This is a Cajun beef jerky recipe adapted to make alligator beef jerky.

Ingredients:

? 10 lb alligator meat

? 1/2 of a small bottle hot sauce

? 1/8 cup lemon juice

? 10 oz Worchestershire sauce

? 6 oz Soy sauce

? 1/8 cup Caynne pepper

? 1/2 small Bottle onion salt

? 1/2 small Bottle liquid smoke

Directions:

1. Mix ingredients.

2. Marinate 24-30 hrs.

3. Dehydrate in dehydrator or a 150-degree oven.

Buying Alligator Jerky

Many jerky makers pride themselves on their exotic selection. Dave P. from Wilkes-Barre, PA favors Alligator Bob's brand.

I've always been a fan of beef and deer jerky, but I never got into the exotic kinds. But once I saw alligator jerky -- while in Florida of course -- and at first I thought, 'ew.' Then, I remember that I tried alligator sausage at a Cajun place in State College and liked it. I gave Alligator Bob's a try and man, was it tasty. I'd say that alligator meat sort of tastes like chicken and it is whiter meat as well. The Cajun seasoning was just right. I like spicy stuff and this was just fantastic. I am glad that I can order this stuff online!

For more delicious recipes and information about beef jerky, please visit our site at http://www.beefjerkyrecipes.info

Moon Magic

2009-04-05T18:18:00.001-07:00

The Moon has a mystique all its own. It is often associated with secrecy and mystery ... and is associated with strange, uncanny powers. It evokes a peculiar range of responses in cultures everywhere, from curiosity and wonder, to romance and affection, to awe and dread. In legend (and the lore of police and hospital personnel), the Full Moon brings forth weird behaviors, extreme reactions, and over-the-top emotional outbursts associated with no other time on the calendar.

Folktales and superstitions tell of the Full Moon being the time when witches, werewolves, goblins, ghosts, and vampires were able to penetrate he other realms ... and walk on earth again -- creating problems and a fair amount of fright, whether they were real or not. Dogs, wolves, and the coyotes here in the desert howl mournfully at the Moon ... and the sound is certainly enough to catch your attention, and prompt you to make sure all your doors are well locked for the night.

Some people claim that the minds of the already unbalanced are driven over the edge by the power of the Full Moon ... for reasons that remain a mystery ... but the word lunatic as a designation for someone insane, has its roots in the Latin word for Moon. In contemporary Spanish, La Luna ... is still the Moon.

On the other hand, people fall in love under the Full Moon. It's hard to see a beautiful yellow-gold Moon rising ... and not want to walk along the sea shore ... or into the desert night ... hand-in-hand with the one you love. Love songs and poems that evoke the magic imagery of the Moon are found in many cultures and all through the generations.

Ancient cultures worshiped the Moon, and held ceremonies, rituals, and festivals in its honor. Many contemporary primitive people continue to give the Moon divine status. Mythologies speak of Moon Goddesses ... and even the image evokes feelings of a powerful archetypal energy. The Moon influences the tides. It influences the gravitational field of the earth. It influences the fertility cycle in some (and maybe all) species.

In Astrology, the Moon is considered the second most important placement in a Natal Chart and thus the second most powerful influence on and descriptor of a person's character. As I've said in many places and at many times, I'm not sure you can set that kind of hierarchy ... because the Moon may be every bit as important and essential as the Sun.

The Moon represents your emotional self, your inner self, your instincts, habits, and automatic reactions. The sign it occupies in the Zodiac at any given time will color your reactions, feelings and personal responses according to the issues and characteristics represented by the sign involved. The Moon changes signs every 2 1/2 days ... and keeping track of the Moon's position in its travels through your Natal Chart is one of the very best ways I know to stay in touch with the currents of your own emotional flow.

Rebecca Brents writes on a wide variety of spiritual and new age subjects, including astrology, tarot, feng shui, alternative health, metaphysics, and self-improvement. She publishes the extensive online new age Ezine, The Enchanted Sprite on her website: Enchanted Spirit, and offers numerous online new age lectures and new age classes in these various fields. She also provides astrology readings, tarot readings, and personal consultations through The Enchanted Spirit Metaphysical Source Shop. Stop by and subscribe to her free new age ezine, New Age-New Horizons.

Using the Market Conditions to help in the Fresh Start Presentation

2009-04-03T13:15:00.001-07:00

The real estate market like any other asset class is in a constant state of motion. Property values are either going up, down or are stabilized at all times. We know this just by reading the newspapers, watching television and listening to neighbor?s gossip about their asset (the home). Not very scientific way of figuring out a market, but probably as good as if not better than most because it gets to the emotion of the homeowner in trouble. If the homeowner believes it is a sellers market he/she will absolutely try to sell or refinance before listening to you. If it is a buyers market then you are a welcomed guest if you can put money in their pocket for this dog of an asset they purchased long ago. If it is a stagnant or equal market well then the homeowner will be unsure of the value because the newspapers will be onto another subject. There are three types of markets in real estate. They are 1) the Sellers Market; 2) Buyers market; 3) a stagnant market where prices remain constant.

The definition of the Sellers Market, Buyers Market and Market in equilibrium is a look back model that uses two figures to determine a label for which market you are in. They are market time and inventory.

Market Time Defined

Market time is defined by the amount of days that a property in the location stays on the market. For example in a Sellers Market average sales time will be under sixty (60) days. Equal Market average sales time will be under one hundred (100) days. For a Buyers market average sale time will be over 100 days.

Inventory defined

Inventory is simply the amount of houses on the market divided by the average amount of sales typical for that area per month. Sellers Market would be less than three (3) months inventory on hand in a given area. Equal Market would be between three months and six months of inventory on hand. Buyers Market would be having inventory over six months on hand.

SELLERS MARKET FSP

A sellers market is a market where a property will sell within sixty days of being introduced to the market. This market also has a low inventory of properties on the market. This would be defined as anything less than three months inventory in your specific area. Another indication of a sellers market is that the price of the product begins to appreciate until it finally is out of the reach of the buyers causing the market to cool down.

This market can be prolonged by certain financial products such as the interest only loan, negative amortization type of loan, graduate payment loan and of course the variable rate loan. All of which we have seen in both Philadelphia and Massachusetts.

Based upon all of the factors going against the back up plan we offer it is a hard position to find the deals that we need during this type of market and as purchasers we are forced to purchase at auction as well as going to the properties and trying to purchase pre-foreclosure.

Locator in Hot Sellers Market

The locator in a hot market has a hard presentation. Every homeowner feels that they can get market price and that is more than we can pay. This happens because local neighborhood gossip, newspapers in the area saying how much property has risen year over year or month over month. Homeowners are saturated with information about how valuable their real estate is worth.

Next the homeowner is targeted with lending offers to refinance because the value of the home has skyrocketed- use your homes as an ATM machine to pull out some equity and live for a few more years.

Both the low market time and low inventory time cause our business of purchasing properties to be very frustrating. The homeowners are aware that they can sell a home relatively fast even quicker than an auction can be had.

It Makes for a hard market to purchase properties prior to the auction. It is what we call our recession. It allows a homeowner to choose from a group of choices. Essentially we are a back up plan or safety net. In this type of market we need to price correctly and purchase at the last minute from homeowners who have tried everything else.

Buyers Market FSP

A buyers market is defined by sales of properties taking takes over 100 days to sell. The Inventory in this market will stack up to well over six months worth of sales. The homeowner in this situation has only a few options. Financing companies say that they can refinance but usually can not due to the falling value of the appraisal on the home. Remember the newspapers are littered with information regarding the fall of the real estate market. It is the fear of the day for most local newspapers.

Here are a few local articles

?Sellers Frustrated With Real Estate Market
Home Sales Down In Bay State
POSTED: 6:05 pm EDT August 15, 2006
UPDATED: 7:37 pm EDT August 15, 2006

WALPOLE, Mass. -- Quarterly home sales are down in a widespread area of Massachusetts, but prices are only down slightly.

?Market unease: Home prices fall 3.5%
Weakening demand leads to largest decline in Mass. in 13 years
By Kimberly Blanton, Globe Staff August 24, 2006
Home prices in Massachusetts fell 3.5 percent in July, the largest decline in 13 years, as the slowdown in the real estate market finally led sellers to cut their prices.?

?July home sales plunge 27%

The Lowell Sun

Massachusetts single-family home sales plunged almost 27 percent in July, the largest year-over-year monthly drop in more than 11 years, according to a report released today by The Warren Group of Boston. ?

?Buyer?s market: Housing sales dip, prices may follow
By Ben Aaronson/ Staff Writer
Thursday, August 24, 2006 - Updated: 09:08 AM EST

You can?t drive through town without seeing a For Sale or Open House sign and they represent a statewide trend.

According to a recent report by the Massachusetts Association of Realtors, home sales statewide fell nearly 11 percent in the second quarter (April to June), marking the fifth consecutive quarter that activity has declined from the same period the pervious year. Housing inventories are at an all-time high and homes are staying on the market longer, the report found. ?

Locator in Buyers Market

The locator in a buyer market has a much easier presentation. Every homeowner has undergone the conditioning of the newspapers, local gossip etc. that the sky is falling rapidly and that their investment is no longer worth what it was one year ago.

This advertisement of the fall of real estate prices and the end of the price appreciation stops the appraisers? from appraising the properties correctly. Instead of using the standard comparable. The appraiser checks a box and states that property pricing are declining and begins to cover himself/herself with lower and lower values for the property. This causes the banks to tighten up on underwriting guidelines making it harder to refinance their way out of the foreclosure.

Without the refinance the homeowner either has to do one of the following:

1) Restructure the mortgage causing higher payments. Problem with a restructure is that it costs more monthly for a short period of time. Usually very hard for the homeowner to come up with the money.

2) Sell on the open market. Problem is that market time has risen to the point where the foreclosure process is faster than the tie they have to sell the property.

3) File for bankruptcy. This normally costs $2,500 for the lawyer, filing fees and 10% of the plan debt to the trustee. It also has a 75% failure rate.

Consequently our FSP becomes a very viable option for the homeowner.

We are in this market now so find your local newspaper articles and put them in your book to show the homeowners what is happening out there. Make your presentation and then close the deal.

The locators biggest problem during this time is the manager (Investor) has more trouble pricing the properties because of the downward spiral of the market.

Market In Equilibrium:

An even market is when a property is sold within 61-100 days of listing. Inventory is usually six months or less. This is the market that is the easiest to procure deals. It allows the investor to feel warm and fuzzy knowing almost to the penny that the property he/she is purchasing is worth what they think that it is worth.

The Newspapers simply go on to another story and leave the real estate market alone or have articles stating that the market is stable.

Locator in Equilibrium

The locator in a stable market has the best of all worlds. Prices are staying steady keeping the manager happy and all is quiet regarding real estate in the newspapers.

Again it is an easy presentation. The homeowner has seen his equity disappear and no longer knows what the value of the real estate is and just wants to get out from the obligation.

The homeowner is left with one of the three options of a down market:

2) Sell on the open market. Problem is that market time has risen to the point where the foreclosure process is faster than the tie they have to sell the property.

3) File for bankruptcy. This normally costs $2,500 for the lawyer, filing fees and 10% of the plan debt to the trustee. It also has a 75% failure rate.

Consequently our FSP becomes a very viable option for the homeowner.

So what does this all have to do with the Fresh Start Presentation (FSP)? Remember the Fresh Start Presentation is the Homeowner Options slide show that you have. It goes through the advantages and disadvantages of the seven (7) options available to the financially distressed homeowner.

They are as follows:
1)Sell on the Open Market
2)Refinance the home
3)Restructure the mortgage
4)File bankruptcy
5)Borrow from friends and family
6)Let it go to foreclosure
7)Sell to an investor

Well each type of market has different advantages and disadvantages to the locator.

Use the newspapers to translate into a selling benefit during your FSP. We need to educate the homeowner that we are in a period where houses do not sell for last years prices but that they are actually going down in price each and every day. Time as usual is the enemy of a homeowner in this situation.

A good locator that wants to maximize his sales would do the following:

1)Read the local newspaper where your route is and cut out the articles that will help get the homeowner off the price they thought it was worth. Copy the article and give it to the homeowner when talking about the price.
2)While he/she is reading the article tell the homeowner that the property may be worth 3,4,5,6,7% less by the time they actually move out, the property is repainted and put on the market by the company.
3) This risk is for our company to worry about unless the homeowner decides to try to sell it on his own.

Good Hunting
http://frontgateconsulting.com/

http://frontgateconsulting.com/

Top List Of Baby Girls Names Choosing Perfect Baby Names For Girls

2009-03-30T21:36:00.001-07:00

The list of baby girls names that are the most popular can help you when deciding on which names are the best baby names for girls. Choosing her name is fun for the parents, family and friends, and her name will be something she will live with the rest of her life. Keep these tips in mind when selecting baby names for girls:

1. Select names based on their meanings - a positive meaning adds to the enjoyment of her name both now and later in life.

2. Decide if you prefer popular names or unique names - the list of baby girls names below are the most popular names in the USA since the year 2000. If you choose a unique name, be careful. Constantly having her name mispelled or mispronounced can be frustrating for her and everyone else.

3. Practice saying baby names for girls aloud - how do they sound? Say the entire name - first, middle and last. Do they rhyme? If your last name is complicated, a simpler first name may work best. If your last name is simple, try simple first names and try first names that are more complicated.

4. Do the names for baby girls initials you are considering form any kind of word? If a word is formed, is it OK? For example, you will not want to create a name combination that results in initials such as BAD, NOT, WUS, FAT and so on.

5. Are there common nicknames that are associated with the names? Are the nicknames acceptable to you? Will the nicknames be acceptable to her?

Looking at the list of baby girls names that are the most popular is a fun and practical way to see what girls names are frequently used. Here is the top list of baby girls names given to girls in the USA since the year 2000:

1. Emily
2. Madison
3. Hannah
4. Emma
5. Ashley
6. Alexis
7. Samantha
8. Sarah
9. Abigail
10. Olivia
11. Elizabeth
12. Alyssa
13. Jessica
14. Grace
15. Lauren
16. Taylor
17. Kayla
18. Brianna
19. Isabella
20. Anna
21. Victoria
22. Sydney
23. Megan
24. Rachel
25. Jasmine

When selecting baby names for girls, remember that your girls name will always be part of her identity. Stay away from funny names. Your child or her friends may not think it is funny. Have fun with the list of baby girls names. Choose her name carefully, a name that will have meaning and significance to you and your child. She and others will be using and living with her names for her lifetime. And since you know she is going to be a star, help her on that journey by giving her the perfect girls names that she truly deserves.

Copyright 2005 InfoSearch Publishing

About The Author:
Olinda Rola is President of InfoSearch Publishing and webmaster of http://www.yourdreamloghome.com - visit the website and learn more about decorating ideas for kids bedrooms, nursery bedding, toy chests and playroom design ideas.

Copyright Olinda Rola - http://www.yourdreamloghome.com

Can Harrison Ford help and motivate you?

2008-12-17T18:34:00.001-08:00

Now in his 60s, actor Harrison Ford reflects on a life that grew from modest expectation to unexpected stardom and a new sense of responsibility

I never planned on being a movie star, Harrison Ford said. I never thought I'd be anything more than a character actor who would disappear in the roles he played. That was my ambition.

Although stardom was not his goal, Ford achieved it by playing Han Solo in George Lucas' Star Wars, a box-office smash in 1977. He then went on to become one of the most successful movie actors in the world. His films, including Air Force One, The Fugitive, Patriot Games and the Star Wars and Indiana Jones trilogies, are among the biggest box-office draws of all time, earning more than $3 billion in ticket sales alone. His new movie, K-19: The Widowmaker, is a gripping thriller based on a real event--the disastrous near meltdown of a nuclear reactor aboard a Soviet sub in 1961. It will be released July 19.

I didn't think there was any potential for me to be a leading man, Ford said, ecause I never saw acting as that kind of thing. I just saw it as an opportunity to portray different people in different kinds of stories. I wanted to play those parts because I wanted Harrison Ford to have many lives.

Ford was a diffident boy, yet one who displayed a keen intelligence. As a child, I did not feel loneliness as much as apartness, Ford said. A slightly built youngster, he had boyhood dreams of becoming a forest ranger or a coal delivery man.

I didn't want to sit in a damn office for 20 years, doing the same thing with the same people over and over again, he said. I was this little kid looking out the window and seeing somebody with a shovel turn a big pile of coal on the sidewalk into no pile at all. I thought, 'That's work! Doing that must have felt good!' There's still something satisfying to me about a shovel on a sidewalk.

Until he was about 16, Ford was one of the smallest kids in his class and was frequently picked on by bullies. It happened every day, he said, then smiled. But I didn't get hurt, and the girls developed a certain sympathy for me.

Ford graduated from Maine Township High School in Park Ridge, Ill., in 1960 and entered Ripon College in Wisconsin, where his academic performance was less than sparkling. He sometimes spent days in bed, sleeping between meals, depressed. When he was asked about his underachievement, he had this to say.

I was the first of our family to go to college, and my parents worked very hard to provide it, he said ruefully. Well, I didn't like school! I also wasn't self-motivated enough.

Ford drifted along until his junior year, when he enrolled in a drama course. Despite having terrible stage fright and no confidence, he performed in student plays. It changed his life. In college, I found a group of people with whom I could work on a common idea, he said. I learned to act, painfully, in public. I overcame my shyness. I found purpose.

Although Ford failed to graduate, he did marry an honor student--Mary Marquardt, his college sweetheart. He worked in summer theater before the couple moved to L.A. in 1964. Ford soon was cast in John Brown's Body at the Laguna Beach Playhouse, where he was spotted by a talent scout for Columbia Pictures and signed to a $150-a-week contract in the studio's New Talent program, designed to turn young unknowns into movie stars. Ford hated it.

They sent me to the studio barber with a photograph of Elvis Presley and instructions that I come back with my hair styled like his, he said in disgust. They had this perception of you being some green Elvis or green Cary Grant, but I didn't want to be those people. I thought imitating other actors was a recipe for disaster. I wanted to develop my own way of expression.

In 18 months at Columbia, he landed bit parts in three films and eventually was dropped. Days later, he signed with Universal and landed small roles on TV. In 1970, he played a minor character in Getting Straight, a silly movie about student radicals.

Discouraged over the roles he was being offered, Ford stopped acting and taught himself carpentry. I had a mortgage, a wife, two small sons--and no acting jobs, except work I didn't want to do, Ford said. A friend suggested that I build a recording studio for Sergio Mendes. That's how I fed my family.

Director George Lucas did find value in Ford and he later returned to acting, after three years to appear in American Graffiti, a small-budget film in which his gifts as an actor began to emerge. I felt useful, Ford said, an active member of the process rather than a dumb meat puppet. The 1973 film was a surprise hit.

Small but notable roles in The Conversation and Apocalypse Now followed. Then he made Star Wars--and nothing was ever the same again for Harrison Ford. He has starred in 21 movies since, nine of them grossing more than $100 million each, a record for an actor. As a result, Ford reportedly earns $25 million a picture today plus 15% of the gross. What accounts for such success? Tenacity has a lot to do with it, said Ford, and, more often than not, plain old luck.

Acting is storytelling, he said, and emotionally I'm drawn to stories. Emotion is still what attracts me to a character.

When not acting, Ford divides his time between New York and his 800-acre ranch in Jackson, Wyo. My great interest in the environment came from being in Jackson, he said. I'd purchased land and had a sense of stewardship about the place, because the majesty of nature is so apparent there. It helped sensitize me to the greater needs of the earth. I have a sense of awe, a sense that nature is so complex and fascinating that it's as close as I've come to understanding the notion of divinity.

In the last 10 years, Ford has become an activist in the conservation movement, quietly giving millions to environmen-
tal groups, in particular Conservation International, on whose board he sits.

We are suffering a cycle of extinction and losing species at a rate that has not been seen before, he said, and it is all the result of human interference.

I have four children and two grandsons, he added, smiling. So I feel responsible for tending to things I think I can affect as a private person, not as a celebrity. I don't think I can fix the world, but I do think it's our duty to attend to it and help in whatever way we can.

About the Author

I'm in the network marketing and internet marketing business simply because of the freedom of working whenever I wanted to, not answering to a boss and going wherever and whenever I wanted to.
http://instantsuccess.buildlifestyle.com

Obesity in Children

2008-12-11T22:28:00.000-08:00

Obesity has long been a problem among many Americans. This disease can damage many aspects of a person's life. It can cause many more physical problems including heart disease and diabetes. It can also cause sufferers emotional strain and a negative self image. In recent years, Americans have been watching their children struggle with the same problems. And they aren't the only ones. Problems with childhood obesity are being dealt with in many areas of the world.

According to the Centers for Disease control and prevention, sixteen percent of American children between the ages of six and nineteen are overweight or obese. That adds up to over nine million children who struggle with the many challenges of dealing with obesity.

While the number of American children struggling with obesity is overwhelming, the really staggering aspect of it is how this number is increasing. The number of children who are overweight or obese has refused to decrease or even stay constant. It rises at a downright scary level every year.

Children who are overweight as children are very likely to stay overweight as adults. This means dealing with the same problems for their whole lives. This is all the more reason for adults to take a stand and do something about our children's health. But first, we must understand why are children are having so many problems with obesity.

There are many reasons that a child may struggle with their weight. The first reason is diet. So many times, adults let children eat what they want. Their young, they should enjoy their lives, they say. But children are more likely to enjoy their lives when they are healthy with restrictions than when they are unhealthy and may do what they want.

It is sometimes hard to decide what foods are good for children. There are many prevailing theories, but a good guideline to follow is to simply think sensible. Low sugar, low fat, whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and lean meats are usually good ideas. However, we all know that most children aren't going to like that spinach you deem healthy, so you may have to be a little creative when it comes to supper recipes. If you would like a little help coming up with nutritious and healthy meals, there are many sites online that you can visit.

If you need more help, you may think about contacting a professional nutritionist. He or she will be able to help you in constructing a practical diet plan tailored to your child's specific needs.

Of course, poor diet is not the only reason that so many children are struggling with their weight. Lack of exercise is another reason. Television and video games are often self-consuming, even to many adults. So the time spent with these activities should be monitored and limited to make way for physical activities.

Genetics and environment also play a role in the causation for childhood obesity. People all want their children to be healthy, but sometimes they are simply born with the lower hand. Many factors can't be helped. However, one way to curb weight problems in children is to set a good example for them. Don't eat what they can't, and don't watch TV more than they can. Be good to your body, and they are more likely to be good to theirs.
About the Author

For more information about obesity and how to help control it, visit The Obesity Directory

Real Estate Contracts

2008-12-04T23:23:00.000-08:00

A real estate contract is for the purchase or sale, exchange, or other trade of real estate between two or more individuals or parties. Real estate, also called leasehold estate, is essentially a rental of real property, and rental contracts cover rentals, since they normally do not result in recordable deeds. Freehold trade of real estate that are generally more permanent, are dealt with by real estate contracts, and they include dealings in the title fees, life estates, remainder estates and freehold property. Real estate contracts are usually bilateral contracts, where terms are agreed upon mutually by both parties and should have the legal prerequisites specified by the contract law in writing.

Any real estate contract must have certain details well written to avoid further misconception and misunderstanding. These details include a proper identification of both parties between whom the exchange of real estate property will take place. A clear description of the both parties is required as well, as their intentions for the deal. A clear description of the real estate property must be made in the contract, including the address of the estate and other details as agreed upon by both parties. The price that the estate is being sold to the buyer and the terms of payment must also be clearly quoted to avoid misinterpretations. The signatures of both parties are mandatory on the contract, but it must be noted that this is voluntary, and no one can be forced to sign a contract.

There has to be a mutual agreement on all terms of the contract by both parties in the contract, which is monitored by the lawyer under whose supervision the contract is made.

Contracts provides detailed information on Contracts, Business Contracts, Legal Contracts, Employment Contracts and more. Contracts is affiliated with Divorce Legal Forms.

Three Reasons Why More Website Content Increases Traffic

2008-12-03T19:10:00.001-08:00

People typically visit the internet in search of information. They are looking for content that is relevant to their purpose. They typically are not looking for marketing ploys. There are a number of ways to increase this content, including having a search engine optimization company provide you with keyword rich articles, but there are three major reasons why more website content increases your website traffic.

The first reason more website content increases traffic is that content articles tend to be focused on a topic. This focus will then lead to the repeated use of a keyword or phrase. That repeated use leads to higher search engine rankings. Search engine rankings are the way returns come back to an internet user through a search engine. If someone searches for the term ?dogs? they will come back with thousands of pages of results. The order those results are displayed on the screen depends on a number of factors including how frequently the term is mentioned on the site and where it is mentioned on the site.

Research shows that people tend only to click on the first ten results a search engine offers them. Increasing your website content will help you become one of those first ten websites. This means more people than you ever thought possible will be clicking on your site in no time simply based on your website ranking. Not only will you be closer to the top of the search engine with more content, you may also be indexed by more search engines. This could mean something like ninety percent of all internet users seeing your website in any one given internet session.

The second reason more website content increases traffic is a bit more complicated. If you have strong, well written content on your site, you increase your credibility with customers. Suddenly you are no longer a company selling homemade dog food; you are somebody who can offer knowledgeable advice about anything a responsible dog owner needs to know including house training, leash laws, and sleeping problems. This increase in credibility not only makes people believe what you have posted to your site, it also makes them want to stay at your site to read the rest of your content articles. The more content articles you have at your site, the longer they will stay. Keeping them there as long as possible is the key to selling your product to them. You have a much longer time frame in which to pitch your product and close the sale.

Not only will they stay at your site longer with more content, but this also means they may come back to your site the next time they log onto their machine. For example, if you are selling refilled printer ink cartridges, but you have content on your site related to all things printers, you have a good chance that someone might stay to look at a few of the articles. However, the next time they need digital photo printing tips, chances are good that they will remember what great content you offered them during their last internet session, and they will return directly to your site just to read more of your content. This means you have their complete, undivided attention for an even longer period of time. Moreover, if they are returning to your site on some sort of regular basis, chances are good that they will recommend the site to other users like friends and relatives which will mean even more traffic for your site.

The final way more website content increases your web traffic is that it increases the likelihood that advertisers and reciprocal link exchangers will be attracted to your site. Reciprocal links are exchanged by websites that have similar interests. The more relevant topics you are able to list, the more chances you have of someone with similar interests attempting to link to your site. This could greatly increase your website traffic because not only will people be able to find your site through search engines, they may also be able to find your site through other sites. Further, though, advertisers are looking for sites that encourage customers they want to do business with. More keywords will mean more customers for you which can mean more advertisers for you which can mean more profits and visibility for you.

No matter which reason you choose, more content will increase your website traffic. That can only mean good things in store for you and your website. You can have your content articles written for you or write them yourself. Whichever way you go, though, be sure they are well-written, as poorly written articles will do nothing to increase your website traffic.

About the Author:

Question #1: Are You an Internet Marketer? Question #2: Are You an Ezine/Newsletter Publisher? Question #3: Do You Use Email to Send Messages to Your Subscribers, Prospects and Clients? If Yes, Check Out Here: http://www.thedirect2client.com

Nail Salons and Hygiene What You Should Know Before Getting Your Nails Done

2008-11-26T23:16:00.001-08:00

I recently came across an interesting article on nail salon hygiene while thumbing through a magazine at my local beauty salon.

In this study, a group of 15 nail salon shadow shoppers was asked to visit professional nail salons and report on their hygiene levels. (Naturally, I imagined myself being one of these lucky shadow shoppers and told to go for it at the nail parlor and to spare no expense - can you imagine? I'll take a french manicure, no ... wait! Make that a natural nail manicure, definitely a pedicure, gimme the latest nail fashion and make sure you use the best fingernail polish money can buy. Or maybe I'll just go crazy and add Hollywood nails, no ... acrylic nails, no, wait ... how about some nail tattoos, or some airbrushed nail art ... oh I know! give me some of those fabulous Tammy Taylor nails ... my, how lovely it is to daydream!)

Anyway, over 50 nail salons were visited and, according to the study, more than a third of the salons visited were found to be unsatisfactory, with their main complaints being bad hygiene standards, poor customer service and shoddily done manicures.

Upon entering the salon, the participants were instructed to ask for a complete manicure, tell the nail technician that they had never had a professional manicure done before, then ask the salon professional to describe what the process entailed. After the session was over, each of the participants were asked to fill a questionnaire, reporting on various aspects of their experience - levels of hygiene observed, how long the manicure took and how much it cost and whether the experience was satisfactory or not.

According to the report, 92% of the technicians who attempted to use metal cuticle clippers on the shadow shoppers didn't put on gloves. Even worse, they did not use an implement that was package-sealed, even though half of the nail technicians claimed the instrument had been autoclaved (an autoclave is a pressurized device that uses steam and high water pressure to sterilize equipment). The shoppers also reported several hygiene breaches on equipment such as nail files and buffers, which should either be disposable or cleaned between clients. A few salons had surfaces that weren't cleaned between clients and were covered in dust, or even pieces of skin. In one salon, a technician kept her dirty implements in the cash drawer.

Some of the actual comments from the survey participants regarding the low hygiene levels they experienced were as follows:

The technician picked up the metal scissors ... used on someone else's feet ... she used them to cut some skin from around her own nail. She then went to use them on me.
This salon had an overpowering smell that burnt my throat and made me feel ill.
The technicians washed the handtowels in the foot spas.
Counters and floors were dirty, instruments reused and technicians did not wash their hands at all.
The technician had open wounds on her hands. I asked her to put gloves on.

If a salon has overpowering fumes, it may be a sign of poor ventilation, especially where a salon engages in a lot of acrylic nail work. The preferred substance for making acrylic nails, ethyl methacrylate, can be hazardous if used in a salon without proper ventilation. A strong, unpleasant odour could also mean they're using dangerous substances, such as Methyl Methacrylate (MMA).

What To Look For In A Nail Salon

Here are some of the things you look for when visiting a nail salon:

- Use only accredited salons and technicians and look for certifications of competency, which should be displayed prominently in the salon.
- The salon should be clean and tidy, with linen and towels changed between clients.
- All chemicals should be in clearly marked containers.
- Metal tools that could penetrate the skin should be sterilized in an autoclave.
- Non-disposable nail implements should be rinsed, scrubbed in tepid water and detergent and dried, or wiped with 70% alcohol between clients.
- Some nail salons keep implements especially set aside for each regular client. You should ask your nail technician to do this for you, if you are a regular client of a nail salon.
- Nail implements need to be clean and dry. Don't let anyone use an implement on you that's been left sitting in water, even if the water contains disinfectant.
- Don't use a foot spa if you've shaved your legs the night before or on the day of the pedicure, of if you have any cuts on your legs, as this makes you more vulnerable to infection.
- If you are having acrylic nails put on, ask your nail artist to explain the procedure, what products they're going to use and how to care for the nails at home.
- Don't be shy to ask questions about the manicure, the chemicals being used and how the implements have been cleaned.

The salon I normally go to is very professional and clean, the technicians are highly competent and certified and all procedures are explained in great detail when asked. So, I went ahead and pampered myself for almost an hour and got myself some beautiful nails (included in the manicure was a nail bath, filing and buffing and cuticle work) and a massage. Maybe next time I'll go for nail tattoos or those Tammy Taylor nails!

Read the full article at: http://www.beauty-info-resources.com/nail-salon-hygiene.html

About the Author:

Lisa Curiel is the editor of Beauty-Info-Resources.com, a site that provides articles, resources, news and information about beauty, skin care, hair care, nail care, weight loss and more. Visit her site for more nail salon articles.

Housing For Alternative Lifestyles

2008-11-24T23:57:00.001-08:00

What are alternative lifestyles and why would they require alternative housing? To answer the first part it is easiest to give examples. Then the answer to the second part becomes self evident.

One winter we were camping in our conversion van at a hot springs area in Arizona. We met a man who sold stuffed animals on the side of the highway. Having been through a bad divorce, and having little money, he was living in the van at places like these hot springs. Every day he drove off to the nearest highways and set up his stuffed animals for sale. He claimed to have sold $4,000 worth the first month, so his low cost living meant he could save the money and get back on his feet.

Meanwhile, another neighbor at the hot springs was living in his old RV. He had a house, but he preferred to supplement his social security by renting it out. This meant he lived in his RV for a few weeks at each location, often for free, and spent evenings sitting around campfires talking to travelers like us.

A friend of ours lived in a shack that he built for $3,000 on a small piece of land he bought for $7,000. He was there for enough time to pay off the land and sell it for a profit. This is illegal in many areas, of course, because of things like occupancy permits and minimum square footage requirements. Usually, however, you can camp on your land, so a $2,000 used RV parked on your land makes for a cheap and legal housing alternative.

Other Housing For Alternative Lifestyles

Alternative lifestyle doesn't mean low income of course. There are other reasons for living differently and needing different types of housing. Whether to save money, to travel, to live creatively - there are many reasons why people choose to live in tents, RVs, cabins, underground homes, rental rooms and anything else that's less common than the houses, condos and apartments that most people call home. Here are a few more of these housing options.

- RV Boondocking. I've talked to people living in Rvs that cost $200,000 and ones that cost $600, so the selection of accommodations is varied, to say the least.

- Permanent travelers. Housing is whatever works for the moment for those who work various jobs as the travel.

- Houseboats. There are whole communities of people living on houseboats, and they usually don't have to pay property taxes.

- Basements. Even some people with good incomes choose to live in the basement as they build the house above for cash. No mortgage sounds nice, doesn't it?

- Log cabin squatting. Yes, there really are people living out there in the national forests, moving when they get caught every five or ten years.

- School busses. Apparently old busses sell cheap. We met three young men who lived in one in the deserts of Arizona, and anywhere else they could park it for a month.

- Offices. A couple I know almost moved into the office building they owned. It was on the river and had showers, so why not? One less mortgage too.

A national magazine recently did a write-up on people who lived in the jungles of Hawaii. Rents are high in Hawaii, and life on the beach is good - at least for younger people who can tolerate camping out for years. Alternative lifestyles and alternative housing are often more for the younger crowd. Then again, tell that to the tens of thousands of retirees living in RVs.

Copyright Steve Gillman. Visit his website for: 1. A photo of a beautiful house he and his wife bought for $17,500. 2. A free book on how to save thousands buying your next home. 3. A free real estate investing course. Visit http://www.HousesUnderFiftyThousand.com