Why Chocolate Melts In Your Mouth, Not In Your Hand

Author : News Canada

(NC)?Ever wonder why those delicious little chocolates hardly ever melt in your hand? Pop them in your mouth, and they transform into soft, gooey liquid. Here's the secret?The way chocolate is manufactured has changed considerably. Originally, chocolate was made with cocoa butter, derived from cocoa beans. Cocoa butter naturally melts at the temperature in your mouth: 37?C. This is about as hot as a tropical jungle! Over time, the price of cocoa butter escalated, and its supply became somewhat unstable. As a result, chocolate manufacturers turned to cocoa butter alternatives like those derived from coconut oil, palm oil, and shea oil ? which comes from the Shea-Karite tree, native to tropical Africa.However, these butters don't possess the same melting point as cocoa butter. A precise science, called "hydrogenation", is required to alter them. Hydrogenation is the process of inserting hydrogen gas into hot oil, at scalding temperatures between 120?C and 210?C. Upon completion, the substitute butters have new solidifying and melting points.Hydrogen is a versatile element that appears as a gas, liquid or solid. Estimated to make up more than 75% of all mass, it is the most abundant element in the universe. Discovered in 1766 by Henry Cavendish, hydrogen is even found in the stars. This element is the secret behind your chocolate's melting properties.However, research now indicates that hydrogenated oils produce "trans fats" that interfere with cellular function and prevent our bodies from acquiring essential fatty acids that are important for our health. Consuming hydrogenated oils can lead to obesity, clogged arteries and other diseases.But hydrogen isn't all bad. It can be combined with other molecules to produce plastics, and is used to polish glass. An unlimited, renewable resource, hydrogen is also an environmentally friendly energy alternative. It holds the promise of solving air pollution problems, reducing Canada's dependence on foreign oil, and eliminating oil spills.Air Liquide, the global leader in industrial gases, explores hydrogen's energy uses. The company is partnering with automobile manufacturers to develop hydrogen-powered cars that emit clean water rather than harmful pollutants. Other benefits of hydrogen cars are: no mechanical parts (such as a transmission), no need for lubricating oils, and easier maintenance. It is estimated that hydrogen cars won't hit the road for another decade, although the world's first hydrogen bus has already conducted field tests in Germany.- News Canada News Canada provides a wide selection of current, ready-to-use copyright free news stories and ideas for Television, Print, Radio, and the Web. News Canada is a niche service in public relations, offering access to print, radio, television, and now the Internet media, with ready-to-use, editorial "fill" items. Monitoring and analysis are two more of our primary services. The service supplies access to the national media for marketers in the private, the public, and the not-for-profit sectors. Your corporate and product news, consumer tips and information are packaged in a variety of ready-to-use formats and are made available to every Canadian media organization including weekly and daily newspapers, cable and commercial television stations, radio stations, as well as the Web sites Canadians visit most often. Visit News Canada and learn more about the NC services.

Category : General Food and Drink

Property Taxes, Home Insurance and Your Standard of Living

Author : Mark Kanty

How do Property Taxes and Insurance affect your standard of living? It always amazes me how people look only at the price of a product and neglect to consider the true cost of ownership. For most a car purchase is based solely on emotion and the sticker price. They never bother to check on insurance rates, cost of repairs and maintance. In Real Estate there can be an even greater impact. One which can determine whether you live like a pauper or a king. On Sun, Apr. 15, 2007 MARTHA BRANNIGAN reported in the Miami Herald, South Florida Homeowners Feel the Tax Imbalance. She writes, "Claus and her husband, Brad Wagshul, a federal law clerk, bought their 1,473-square-foot house for $215,000 in 2000. Their tax bill was $3,482 last year. But right next door, Erin Kobetz and Joshua Diem, who bought a slightly smaller three-bedroom, two-bath home on an identical lot in 2004, were taxed $6,323 -- 82 percent higher.Among the largely comparable homes along Southwest 63rd Place, property taxes last year ranged from $2,278 to $9,432. Some neighbors -- such as those with second homes and rental properties -- aren't eligible for the precious 3 percent cap on tax increases, and they are paying the most of all.A block away live Ximena and Kurt Prelle, who bought their home at 8215 SW 63rd Pl. in 2003 for $280,000, before the hot run-up in prices that boosted some homes in the neighborhood above the half-million-dollar mark. But you can't tell their good fortune from their property taxes. The Prelles, who are from Peru, are in the United States on work visas and haven't yet obtained permanent U.S. residency. That means they aren't eligible for the homestead exemption or Save Our Homes cap. So every year, their taxes have soared along with the rising property values. The Prelles forked over $8,550 for 2006 property taxes on their three-bedroom, two-bathroom house, which was assessed at $412,134.In Panama I have had people see home prices as an 'incredable bargain' or 'too pricey' based on where they are from. Some have even said, "I can buy a place in Florida for that!" Well, yes maybe you can but have you considered the true cost of ownership and how that affects your lifestyle?In his Blog, developer Sam Taliaferro writes, "This weekend I had a visitor from Florida who shared with me that his insurance on his home in Boca Raton is over $7000 a year. On top of that the taxes have been increasing each year to where it is over $8000 for an under 2000 square foot home. When you compare Panama (And Valle Escondido specifically) where the insurance on a 2500 square foot home is about $450 and the property taxes are zero for the next 20 years, you can see why Panama has become so popular. You can actually live very comfortably here in a master planned community with great amenities just on the $1200 a month you save on these two expenses." (Sam Taliferro is an American expat many consider the pioneer who put Panama on the map with his first class development, Valle Escondido in the mountain town of Boquete.)What would an extra $1,200 a month mean to your standard of lving? Cheap Quality Health Care, Low, Low Insurance Rates, NO Property Taxes on new construction PLUS Fresh Produce, Groceries; Entertainment and Dining Out at about Half the cost of comparable American fare and you can see why Panama has become the number one retirement spot for the baby boomers! Are you seriously considering the purchase of a vacation, investment or retirement property? Discover the beautiful Republic of Panama with Mark Kanty! Follow the journey as he reveals the Best Places to Eat, Stay, Live and Invest and More at http://www.LearnAboutPanama.com

Category : General Lifestyle: Retirement

Those Mountains in the Back - Identifying Your Old Family Photos

Author : Joe Bott

I read an article recently about the quantity of family photos
we accumulate in our lifetime. I think it said somewhere around
1,200 in any given household, the majority of which are
unmarked. I can believe thatâ€"the unmarked part especially.

I'm horrible when it comes to jotting a note on the back of my
photos. "My photos" refer to the ones that were taken by me or a
living member of my family. I even have photos undeveloped from
the 1980s, but I intend to get them developed "sometime real
soonâ€"as soon I get a chance."

It's the same story with my hobby photo collection, which
contains tens of thousands of photos. Most of the photos are of
note-less, name-less faces. If it weren't for the photographers'
marks, they would be of nameless, placeless faces. I refer to
these nameless, placeless photos as "incredibly lost."

I wonder why many of our ancestors didn't put names on their
photos. Was it laziness? I originally blamed sloth, but then I
changed my mind. If you look on the back of c1900 onward
vacation snapshots, you can find notes like: "This is Uncle John
next to Harvey Johnson's Boat," "Those mountains behind me are
the High Sierras" and "That's an Esso station were we stopped to
fill'er up on our way to Lake Henry." It takes a lot more time
to jot down "where" and "what" notes than it does to jot down a
"John Hancock," and most vacation photos have something written
on them. Yes, I've concluded that it was not laziness.

After thinking for a while, it hit me. Why would we even bother
to write our names on the back? We all know who we are, so
there's no need to jot down a name when we already know what
that name is. Besides, if people we don't know look at the
photo, why would they even care to know who's in the photo?
Unless, of course, they're curious about that gas station, in
which case they could turn the photo over to find out that it
was somewhere on the road to Lake Henry.

So here they sit: all these photos from the 1800s and early
1900s with no clues as to who most of these people are.
Personally, I want to know who they are, as I'm sure many of you
do, too. Unfortunately, some people discard their nameless
photos. Fortunately, some people find them.

Even more fortunately, the Internet has opened a big, big door.
Now we can scan those found unknown "genealogy orphans" onto our
computers, post them onto DeadFred.com and increase the chances
that someone will help fill in the blanks. It happens every day
now. Who would have thought?

Anyway, I'm going to get those 1980s undeveloped film rolls
developed real soon and share them with you. I might need some
help identifying a few of the people in them.

Category : Spirituality

Flowers Speak Too

Author : Andrew Bermam

It is traditional and stylish to say it with flowers. You can send flowers to say welcome; I am sorry; I love you; and many more. Beautifully arranged and fragrant flowers can brighten up a persons day. World over, flowers have been in use since ancient times to decorate palaces and homes, in rituals, during spring dances, as a part of weddings, and more.Flowers are not selected randomly, over the years they have developed meanings. For example, the acacia means concealed love, chaste love or beauty; the aster symbolizes both love and daintiness; a pink carnation means says I will never forget you; while the yellow says rejection or disappointment; the tulip says you have sunshine in your smile.Then of course there are birthday flowers. Those born in February have the primrose and violet as birth flowers; while the larkspur and water lily are birth flowers for those born in July; and the holly, narcissus, and poinsettia are flowers for birthdays in December. Birth signs too have specific flowers: for Arians who are passionate and adventurous the flowers are red roses, tulips, and amaryllis while for Scorpios the flowers are hibiscus, peony, and amaranthus among others.The colors of flowers have meaning and speak a language that is their own and there are scientific as well as traditional interpretations.Traditionally: Red flowers signify romance. Yellow flowers friendship. White flowers reverence. Peach flowers thanks. Pink flowers appreciation. Orange flowers flames of desire. Purple flowers mean love at first sight.Scientifically speaking, colors are known to affect the mind and soul. So, a color can spread joy, relieve tensions, energize a person, or sooth. In fact, flowers are known to have healing properties too: Black lends power, confidence, and self esteem. Blue is calming to the mind and soul. The color is known to lower blood pressure and relieve hypertension. Red sets the pulse racing and is known to induce passions. Green is nurturing and relaxes the mind and body. Violet induces calm and peace. Pink soothes and is like a salve, cool and calm. Yellow is energetic and spreads sunshine.All over the world, there are many traditions and beliefs and poems as well as stories that glorify the beauty and uniqueness of flowers. Some kinds of flowers have a special place in coronations, rituals, and celebrations. Flowers have always blessed life on earth and will always be there for you to gift and say I care. The language of flowers is not set, rigid, or universal. They have different meanings and connotations in different parts of the world. Flowers can help you express thoughts, feelings, and emotions, they do the needful when words are difficult to say. Andrew Bermam is a freelance writer for Send Flowers , the premier website to find all kind of services to Send Flowers online like flower arrangements, cheap flower send, roses, bouquets, plants, fresh flowers delivery and more. He also freelances for Submit Free Press Release site.

Category : General Lifestyle

Where has the Human in HR Gone?

Author : Kevin Dwyer

7

Cold and Flu Season Are Almost Here!

Author : Brenda Hoffman
Cold and flu season are almost here! These truly are the most common illnesses in humans because of how easily they can be spread (both through the air and through touch). Now is the time to strengthen your immune system (the shield that protects your body from germs, bacteria and viruses ) so that you are able to protect yourself. This is important because if you have a weak immune system, you're more vulnerable to getting sick. This doesn't mean that you'll never catch a cold, but when you have a strong immune system you'll be better able to fight off any illness, that you do get, faster. So, here are several things that you can do to make sure that your immune system stays healthy and becomes strong.The first thing that you need to do is take care of your nutrition. There is truth in the old saying: "garbage in, garbage out." If you have bad eating habits, you'll have poor nutrition, which means that your body won't get the appropriate vitamins that it needs in order to stay strong. This doesn't mean that you can't have an occassional cheeseburger or ice cream cone, but moderation is the key. Even when you do eat healthily, you will still need to take nutritional supplements (ie vitamins, minerals and immune boosters) in order to help fill in the blanks.You're also going to need to exercise properly in order to build yourself a strong immune system. Now this doesn't mean that you need to go out and join a gym or hire a personal trainer. What it does mean is that you should take nice long walks, regular bike rides, get up and do some housework or gardening. It's simply a matter of not being sedintary... Get up and move!Of course there are also some things which you should avoid. For instance, excessive stress (especially emotional stress) and smoking can really compromise and weaken your immune system. Studies have shown that cigarette smoke can irritate the airways and increase susceptibility to colds and other infections. Even exposure to passive smoke can make you (or your children) more vulnerable to colds.You should also be certain to wash your hands often and always avoid touching your face, especially the nose, mouth, and eye areas. This is especially true if you've been around someone with a cold or if you've been touching surfaces in a public area. Frequent hand washing can destroy viruses that you have acquired from touching surfaces used by other people. Of course, carrying hand sanitizer with you will also help.You're not going to be able to do these things overnight either. It's going to take work, time, effort, and concentration on your part. It is something that we must continuously strive for throughout our entire lives. I urge you to go ahead and get started today! However, if you still do get a cold or the flu there are some things that you can do to help keep the rest of your family from getting sick.Use disposable cups so that your children won't accidentally drink after someone else. Keep the rest of your household surfaces clean too. Viruses especially love hiding in your door knobs, drawer pulls, keyboards, light switches, telephones, remote controls, countertops, and sinks. These surfaces should frequently be disinfected. Your child's toys should also be frequently washed whenever he/she is ill. It is also highly recommended that you use paper towels in the kitchen and bathroom for hand washing since germs can live for up to several hours on cloth towels. An alternative is to have separate towels for each family member and provide a clean one for guests. If you choose to use paper towels, they should be immediately thrown away after use, as should tissues. (Used tissues are sources of virus that can contaminate any surface where they are left.)Reverend Brenda Hoffman, is ordained by the Universal Life Church, and has been delivering holistic health and wellness advice for over 7 years since receiving a BA in psychology. As a home-based professional and mother of 1, she operates a holistic wellness network. She invites you over to http://www.yourhealthyfamilyhome.com/ to learn how to improve you and your family's health.
Category : College

Secrets Of Happy Moms

Author : Carrie Lauth

Have you ever noticed how some Moms seem to be very contented and confident in their role as Mothers, and others seem chronically stressed and approaching burnout? Why are some Moms unflappable and able to keep their sense of humor, while others overreact to the slightest stressors in their day?

I"m currently observing and interviewing these happy Moms as I conduct research for an upcoming book. While all Moms are different, these women usually have several of the following traits in common.

1) They keep it simple.
I know one Mom who grocery shops every two weeks and buys the exact same thing every time to prepare the same menu of 14 dinners. Why does she do this? She"s picked the family"s favorite meals for her menu to save herself time and arguments at the dinner table. Anyone with kids knows they like to eat the same things over and over! This Mom has decided not to reinvent the wheel twice a month. This is just one example of keeping it simple.

2) They teach their kids to be independent.
This doesn"t mean they leave them to their own devices all day. But a smart Mom knows that a 2 year old can put a dish in the dishwasher, a 4 year old can prepare his own peanut butter and jelly sandwich, and a 7 year old can sweep a floor (albeit imperfectly!). Call it "outsourcing" for Moms.

3) They drop the SuperMom complex.
Not sweating the small stuff seems to be a common trait of happy Moms. They learn to pick their battles. Getting buckled into a car seat? Not negotiable. Pink paisley pants with the orange plaid shirt? Fashion creativity.

Happy Moms also realize that being an awesome Mom doesn"t mean being a perfect Mom. "Nuff said.

4) They can often be overheard repeating the phrase "This too shall pass".
It doesn"t mean that bothersome behavior in kids should be overlooked, for discipline is a huge time saver in the end. It means that Moms realize that children are...well, uncivilized creatures, and that much uncivilized behavior will simply go away on its own as the child matures. Smart Moms are also keenly aware of their child"s development and don"t expect more of them than they are able to give.

5) Smart Moms take care of themselves.
They don"t blame the baby for their extra weight when the baby in question is potty trained! They put emphasis on good nutrition, avoiding too much by way of stimulants (caffeine, sugar), they get adequate rest, and daily exercise. They realize that you can"t pour from an empty bucket.

6) They live in the moment.
Happy Moms realize that the days are long but the years short. It"s not that they are impervious to stress, it"s that they have learned to lower their expectations and be in the moment when things get difficult. When your toddler is puking all over the house, this is not the time to reorganize the hall closet. A sick day then turns into a time to create sweet memories of hours spent reading and cuddling on the couch.

7) They don"t worry about what others think.
Whether it"s the disapproving glare from the old lady in the checkout line, the Mother in law who is convinced you"re starving the baby by breastfeeding, or the Pediatrician whose medical advice strays into parenting advice, happy Moms learn not to give too much weight to the opinions of those who don"t live in their home.

8) In other words, they trust their instincts.
Whether it"s taking the baby to bed with them so they can get more sleep or taking a bullied child out of public school, smart Moms know that they are the expert of their own babies.

9) Happy Moms have "something else"
It may be a part time home based business or a hobby like belly dancing. These Moms know that some day their babies will fly the coop, and they make sure they have a passion that will give them purpose when that happens.


About the author:

Carrie Lauth is the author of the upcoming book: "Awesome Moms: 187 Years of Mothering Wisdom". Take a sneak peak at http://www.momswisdom.comFor more great articles and resources for Moms doing things the natural way, visit http://www.natural-moms.com

Category : Women

Cricket world cup 2007 will bring the series of action-packed thrill

Author : Ella Wilson

World cup is one of the biggest tournaments that every cricket team fights for. It is, in fact, the target for which all the teams practices hard on the net. Cricket is in air with the approaching cricket world cup 2007 and lots of preparations have been made in this regard. As the present world cup is scheduled to take place in West Indies, teams are gearing up to enhance their overall performance. After all, it is the reputation of their country that is at stake and they will surely try hard to maintain it. In recent times, West Indies have scored good amount of runs and its players are enhancing their performance. Cricket World Cup 2007 is one tournament that no cricket fan can afford to miss it at any cost. The approaching world cup includes 16 teams, along with some that are participating for the first time such as Bermuda and Ireland. Though, these teams will have to face tough competition from the strong ones; still they will get to experience the strategies being adopted by other countries. Cricket world cup 2007 is an important tournament and fans start adjusting their scheduled much before the event starts. After all, their favorite team or player would be playing and they need to watch their performance. The importance of being a part of that action has rose to such a height that a variety of companies have started taking out schemes, so that fans can go to the stadium to watch the matches and support their favorite team. Cricket world cup 2007 schedule tells about the various venues that have been selected for the matches to take place. Port of Spain, Kingston, Gros Islet and Basseterre are some of the famous venues. Cricket world cup 2007 is the tournament that is the target of every playing nation. In fact, the question is in the air that will Australia be able to score a hat trick or will be beaten by the hosts or some other nation? West Indies is hosting the cricket world cup tournament for the first time. So, it becomes a matter of prestige and reputation for them to give their best performance and win the cup. It is for this reason that cricket world cup 2007 has become more interesting. The tournament will commence from March 13th and first match will be held between the host nation and Pakistan. Whenever the world cup tournament comes, the excitement is all the more increased with every tournament. It is because of this excitement that fans try to have access to some or the other kind of medium to catch up with the upgraded information. Cricket is a game of immense interest and it is this interest that has made it a widely acclaimed sport. Its popularity is such that fans either leave their work or make some adjustments in the daily schedule to catch the action. Cricket world cup 2007 is a much talked about event recently. Every other fan has some or the other question in their mind as to who will win the world cup or will India is able to break the monopoly of Aussies? Nothing can be said as of now, as we all have to wait for the time to come and see that the results. Still, every other nation is carrying out schemes and ways to boost the morale of their players. It is only in the later that we get to have answers to our questions. Ella Wilson is a cricket fanatic. She simply loves the game and tries to catch live action no matter where she is.At Stickiewicket she works on Online cricket score,Cricket World Cup 2007, Fantasy cricket and Cricket News among other things.You can see her works at www.stickiewicket.com

Category : General Sports: Outdoors

Philosophy and Cancer Treatment

Author : Simon Mitchell
1000 years ago in Europe pre-Christian tribes originally had a Goddess culture - a matriarchy where the earth and nature and their cycles and secrets were revered. In pre-industrial societies illness was not seen as a 'random assault from outside' but as a deeply significant life event integral to the sufferer's whole being - spiritual, moral, physical and life course - past, present and future. Dis-ease was interpreted as packed with moral, spiritual and religious messages as one of the many ways through which 'God revealed his will to mankind'. Other philosophies of medicine such as Ayurvedic or Tibetan think similarly, in these, dis-ease has a karmic aspect.Around the tenth century in Europe - after the so called 'Dark Ages' - women, the original stewards of the land (men did ‘animal husbandry’), were dispossessed of it by the new patriarchies of the Church and State. This male hierarchy hid the things they were most afraid of, namely the fact that it is women who hold the key to the processes and powers of life. They took them as their own, decreeing laws about how we should behave to impose control and inventing 'original sin'. Allied to this there came a prolonged persecution of women, especially any of those involved in healing. Some sources estimate about 5 - 9 million women were destroyed across Europe during this persecution. Essentially the role of women as healers and midwives was discouraged and ‘home-making’ and its many associated skills is still regarded as a ‘worthless’ career according to our primarily fiscal values based on GDP.When a patriarchy takes over a matriarchy as a fundamental paradigm shift, one of the main things that happens is that 'healing' and 'spirituality' are separated out as an instrument of control. The world of spirit and physic were separated and became even more so during the great male 'Age of Reason' that began with Descartes and continued with Newton, the tail-end of which many are presently clinging to in desperation and a degree of applied self-interest.Rene Descartes (1596 - 1650) was a central influence on the 17th century revolution that began modern science and philosophy. His ‘Method of Doubt’ was published in 1637:
"I resolved to reject as false everything in which I could imagine the least doubt, in order to see if there afterwards remained anything that was entirely indubitable".The philosophy of ‘Cartesian dualism’ became part of our science, where the mind and the body are seen as essentially separate. The ‘self’, the conscious being that is ‘me’ was seen as essentially non-physical. Misguidedly (it was not Descartes intention) this philosophy contributed to the mechanistic and rational philosophy of the universe adopted by our culture. Descartes was one of the first people to suggest that phenomena could be understood by breaking them down into constituent parts and examining each minutely. His view of the human body as a machine functioning within a mechanistic universe took prevalence within the ‘Age of Reason’."Consider the human body as a machine. My thought compares a sick man and an ill-made clock with my idea of a healthy man and a well made clock".This attention to analytical detail is still at the heart of our scientific research methodologies. As a result Western medicine has produced ‘World saving’ vaccines and antibiotics. It has created drugs and surgical techniques that do utterly amazing things. It has virtually eliminated all the serious communicable diseases (in the First World) such as leprosy, plague, tuberculosis, tetanus, syphilis, rheumatic fever, pneumonia, meningitis, polio, septicaemia. There are very few women dying in childbirth compared to the past. Western medicine has been, and is, a triumph in the face of these problems which worried us back then the way cancer and heart disease worry us today. Even the big medical problems of the of 1930’s and 40’s have literally vanished.The age of infectious disease has given way to the age of chronic disorders. The major killers today are heart and vascular disease, chronic degenerative diseases and cancer, largely incurable and increasing in incidence. The strategies that worked so well for all but eliminating acute infectious diseases just don’t seem to work for chronic and degenerative conditions."The prevalence of asthma, multiple sclerosis, chronic fatigue, immune deficiency syndrome, HIV and a host of other debilitating conditions is increasing. Conventional biomedicine - so strikingly successful in the treatment of overwhelming infections, surgical and medical emergencies and congenital defects, has been unable to stem the tide of these conditions".
James Gordon M.D., Washington, D.C.Even during the time of Sir Isaac Newton the human body was viewed as an intricate biological machine. The Universe was an orderly, predictable but divine mechanism, a ‘grand clockwork’. Although hundreds of years have passed, Western scientific medicine still holds the same basic philosophy, but are more sophisticated in studying biological mechanisms at a molecular level.The first Newtonian approaches were essentially surgical. The body was seen as if it were a complex plumbing system. If it went wrong the offending piece was removed or bypassed. These days instead of using knives, drugs are often used to do more or less the same things.Humans though are far more than walking sacks of chemicals. The animating life-force central to other medical systems is an energy that is not addressed by modern scientific methodology and there are no Western medical models that explain what it is and what it does. It is misguided by the concept that all illnesses are cured by physically repairing or eliminating abnormal cells. This is partly due to a conflict between ‘Western’ and ‘Eastern’ philosophies and has its roots in the division of science and religion along with the destruction of folk medicine in both U.S. and Europe.Cancer cannot be treated effectively under a philosophy of reductionism. Scientific cancer research has failed to find a cure because it is looking in the wrong places with the wrong tools. Cancer needs to be understood as a ‘whole’ disease in relation to each individual’s experience and the culture of which they are part. It has multiple causes that vary with each patient. The strategies that worked so well for tackling acute infectious diseases are inappropriate for dealing with chronic and degenerative conditions. Cancer patients can be at best increasingly ‘patched up’ by orthodox treatments but at spiralling health care costs.This is an extract from 'Don't Get Cancer'a new ebook available only at: http://www.simonthescribe.co.uk/don'tget1.html
Category : Psychology

Tax Tips for Home Buyers and Sellers in 2005

Author : Mark Nash
Primary residence buyers and sellers understand the fundamental tax benefits of owning a home. Many though aren't aware beyond the typical deductions of mortgage interest and real estate taxes what and when other home buying or selling expenses can be deducted. The second step in determining the timeline for claiming an expense is separating deductions that can be taken now or costs that must be deferred that are considered part of the basis of owning a home.-Basis is the starting cost for figuring a gain or loss when you sell your home. This starting cost is also used to determine depreciation if you use part of your home for business. Basis must be fair market value. Certain costs can be added to your basis or subtracted, which are called adjustments. Increases to adjustments are: putting an addition on your home, paving a driveway or installing central air-conditioning. Decreases to adjustments are: Casualty loss not covered by insurance, payments received for an easement granted, or depreciation if home is used for business or rental.If you sold a home in 2005 the first step in deciding which column a home buying or selling expense goes under is to take a good look at the RESPA or Real Estate Settlement Proceedures Act form you received at closing or escrow. Take your RESPA and other home buying or selling expenses that you feel might apply to an experienced tax accountant, so they can organize and separate deductions from costs and eliminate non-deductible items. Deferred costs that figure into the basis of a home benefit sellers in the tax year they sold. Some of the out of pocket costs incurred by buyers in the purchase of a home might have to be delayed, which can come as a surprise to buyers.To claim deductions you must itemize on Schedule A form 1040 and under IRS rules if you itemize you can't claim the standard deduction. To see more tax information for first-time homeowners pick up Internal Revenue Form 530 for 2005. Many deductions or costs have exceptions that you must meet to claim a deduction or cost basis expense. Here are some basic guidelines that buyers and sellers should be familiar with before entering a contract to purchase or sell a home.Deductions-Mortgage interest. Your main or a second home must secure mortgages.-Late payment charges on a mortgage. Only deductible if it wasn't for a specific service in connection with your loan.-Mortgage prepayment penalties. Only deductible if it wasn't for a specific service in connection with your loan.-Real estate taxes. Property taxes actually paid in the tax year.-Home improvement, mortgage and refinancing loan origination points. You must meet set guidelines or spread costs over life of the mortgage.Costs-Transfer taxes. State, county or local. Charges you paid charged by governments when a home is bought or sold.-Owner's title insurance.-Recording fees. Fees charge by governments to have mortgages, satisfactions, deeds and other legal documents registered into databases.-Legal and Abstract fees.-Property surveys.-Real estate brokerage commissions.-Local assessments that increase the value of your property. New sidewalks, streets, sewer and water systems are costs.-Special homeowners association condominium assessments that cover capital improvements such as a new roof, not roof repairs.-Charges for installing utility services for new construction.Don't plan on taking as a cost or deduction.-Mortgage principal payments.-Mortgage insurance premiums.-FHA and VA funding fees.-Credit report fees.-Loan application fees.-Loan assumption fees.-Notary fees.-Mortgage note preparation costs.-Appraisal fees by mortgage lender.-Home inspections.-Moving costs. Unless you relocated to a new job, restrictions apply.-Cleaning costs when moving in or out of a home.-Condominium homeowner association assessments.-Condominium homeowner association application, move-in and move-out fees.-Rent for occupancy before closing.-Homeowner's insurance premiums.-Wages for household help.-Depreciation.-Contributions to a tax escrow accounts that were not paid to a taxing authority.-The cost of cable-TV, electricity, gas, telephone or water.-Charges for services such as trash collection or periodic service charges for lawn mowing or snow shoveling when in violation of local ordinances.-Repairs. An expense that keeps your home in ordinary and efficient operating condition such as fixing gutters leaks, broken windows and cracked drywall.-Gifts to buyers or sellers such as flowers, gift baskets or entertainment.-Your own labor for an improvement. An improvement is based on the actual costs of material labor except your own.Cooperatives offer many tax benefits for homeowners, but they do have special tax rules. Consult a qualified tax accountant who specializes in cooperatives.The IRS requires that you keep records that affect the basis cost and deductions until the limitations for income tax returns expires, typically a set period of time after you sell your home.Mark Nash's fourth real estate book, "1001 Tips for Buying and Selling a Home" (2005), and working as a real estate broker in Chicago are the foundation for his consumer-centric real estate perspective which has been featured on ABC-TV,CBS The Early Show, Bloomberg TV, CNN-TV, Chicago Sun Times & Tribune, Fidelity Investor's Weekly, Dow Jones Market Watch, MSNBC.com, The New York Times, Realty Times, Universal Press Syndicate and USA Today.
Category : Finance:Taxes

Review of S.F.I. Marketing - Business Opportunity

Author : Kevin McNabb

te">April 12th, 2007

Learn How To Dress Up Your Presentation The Easy Way

Author : Aubrey Richardson

Honoring individuals for their achievements may say a great deal about the person but can also demonstrate the sincere appreciation of the one awarding and recognizing the recipients? success. Everyone enjoys receiving awards and being recognized for their efforts. Many times our trophies and plaques are proudly displayed in a prominent place in the home or office. This may be a wall, trophy case or fireplace mantel that in some environments can represent a small shrine.Reflecting back on awards that have captured my attention, it?s always been the logo or graphic picture that first caught my eye. After looking at the design (or the structure of the award itself), I then focus my eyes towards the inscription engraved on the plaque.There are numerous types of awards from appreciation, acknowledgement, retirement, sports and more. One of the easiest ways to dress up your presentation and make it stand out among others is done by simply applying graphics to the item you are presenting. By adding or implementing a cool design, you will give more personality to the award and make it more attractive to the recipient and the individuals who view it.Adding clip art or logos to your presentation can be done at a small expense and at times even free, while adding value to the award. Usually the organization or company giving the presentation has their logo available in print or in a digital format that can be reproduced easily. Simply request to receive their insignia in the computer format you need. Now days, more and more company?s have their logo already available on CD that will work within the environment of your graphics software. Many times this is easily downloaded from the associations website or may be emailed directly to your address.If for some reason a logo or design you wish to reproduce is not readily available, you can always have it created or have one ?digitized? to meet your needs. By digitizing someone?s logo you enable it to be used with certain computer software programs while at the same time giving way to numerous other applications as well. For example: If you were in need of reproducing a logo for use with a laser engraving process, you may have it digitized and supplied to you in an .EPS format. This particular format is one of the more universal files of type, which many of your leading software programs can import into their layout screen. Additionally, this type of format can be used for other types of applications too. The key to creating any image is to better understand the application (or process) in which the design is going to be reproduced. If you are unsure, it?s always best to contact a professional digitizing company to assist you with the production or reproduction of the logo.You can find many sources on the World Wide Web that can help you from beginning to end, with logo design or clip art images all ready to engrave or print for most any application. The quickest way to locate some of these vendors is by typing in a ?keyword? at any of your favorite search engines search bar. Example: goto MSN.com and key in the words ?laser engraving?, ?logo company? or refine your keywords to a more specific industry such as, ?wedding clip art? or ?religious clip art?.By using search engines to ?search? for a specific type of logo or desired application for creating your awards, this enables you to locate numerous choices much faster and compare their services and/or products on line.Once you begin to settle in on a company to assist you with your award creation or logo digitizing process, ask them what other type of industry applications they service. One of the reasons you want to acquire this information is for future uses of your digitized image. You may only need to have your logo laser engraved today however, next time you may need to have a banner created with the same design. If your vendor can create your logo to work with both applications without a re-work, it may same you time and money for up coming awards and presentations.You don?t need to know every finite detail for dressing up your presentations. My suggestion is that by adding logos or a graphic design to your awards, it adds value and makes your item more attractive. Connecting with a cutting edge technology companies will help you create these types of designs and have your recipients proud to display their trophy for all to see. Aubrey Richardson is the founder of LogoFax one of the largest and fastest growing Logos & Clip Art sites online.Additionally, Aubrey has created Internet-Based-Business-Opportunity Get this: Over $225,000 added to your bottom line and 4,120 people added to your downline in just 14 months is phenomenal! Moreover, this 25-yr old "unknown" rookie network marketer claims he can show any knuckle-head how to repeat his results and thousands already agree. Guess what? If *you* don't agree that his SYSTEM is the quickest and laziest way to build your network marketing business, then you get double your money back!! Is this guy stupid or just plain brave? Get MLM Profits

Category : General Awards

5 Quick and Easy Steps On HOW-TO Send Your Website A SURGE Of Amazon's Traffic For FREE!

Author : Cory Threlfall

What I'm about to reveal to you in this article will literally change the way you look at 'Amazon' forever.As you know, Amazon is a buyers market place and is a VERY powerful search engine for products of all sorts, especially Books.Now, you're probably saying to yourself, "yeah, I already know that about Amazon, but how do I get my share of Amazon's traffic?".Well, I'm going to answer that question in just a few moments, but first, here's just some of the benefits you'll receive once you've 'Set-Up' what I'm about to show you: - you'll position yourself as an Expert within your Niche - you'll receive Highly Targeted traffic to your website - you'll be able to build a HIGHLY targeted 'Opt-In' listThose are some pretty Powerful benefits wouldn't you say?And who would of ever guessed that Amazon could deliver this to you.I only recently learned of this tactic myself from a Very well known Internet marketer who was kind enough to share it with me.So now, I'm going to do the same for you.Are you ready to see what Amazon can do for your Business and Credibility?Enough said, lets get started.Step #1. Set up a account with Amazon.This is the easiest part of the whole task. Simply go to http://www.amazon.com and set up an account for yourself.This should only take a few minutes and is very straight forward.Step #2. Click on your "Your Name" Store tab.Once you've set up your account you should have been given a password in order to login to your account.If you're not logged in already, login now.Now, from within the members area there should be a row of tabs at the top of the members area, click on the one that says "Your Name" Store(ex. 'Corys Store' tab).This will take you to a different area with a different sub-menu.Click on the tab in the sub-menu that says "About You Area".Step #3. Setting up your "About You Area".Now this is where you have to pay 'Special Attention' because this is what people will see when they click on your 'About You' tab.Assuming you are at the 'About You Area' you'll notice that you have spots available to put your Picture, Name, Nickname, eMail Address, Real Name and About Me.Go ahead and fill out all the area's accept your 'About Me'.The 'About Me' spot is what I'll talk about in the next step, but for now, just fill out all the other area's and if you want to put up a picture of yourself, you can, it's up to you.Step #4. Setting up the 'About Me' section.This is probably the single most important part of this whole process because this is where your potential customer will read about who you are and what you and your business is all about, so do take this seriously.Now, you have about 4,000 characters of space to write up a description about who you are and what your business is about, so its up to you on how long you want your description to be.Before you start writing your description this is what You have to do First within the first 70 to 80 characters of your 'About Me' description and I'll show you an example of how mine looks so you'll be able to see this in action.(ex. About me: Hi, I'm Cory Threlfall and I'm the Editor/Publisher of 'www.internetwondersezine.com' which is a ...)Do you see what I've done?I've incorporated my 'Domain Name' in quotes into my First 70 to 80 characters of my description so when they click on my 'About Me' and read my profile they'll also see my Domain Name, and if they wish to find out more about me they can either 'Copy and Paste or Type' my domain into there browser which will then bring them to my website where they can either 'Subscribe' to my newsletter or read my sale copy which will then get them to Opt-In to my newsletter.This is where the 'List Building' starts to take place from the traffic sent through Amazon.Now, we've already established that Amazon is a High Traffic website and now that you've set up your 'About Me Area' the way I've outlined it above I'm now going to show you how to direct Amazon's traffic to your website.Step #5. Directing Amazon's traffic to your website.This is where the fun starts. And once you see How its done you'll probably kick yourself in the butt like I did when I was shown How-To do this.What we need to do now is a little exercise so you'll see for yourself how you'll tap into Amazon's traffic.So, we know that Amazon is best known for Books, so click on the 'Books' tab within Amazon's members area. This will take you to a different page.In the upper left corner you'll see a 'Search Books' search box.Now, for the purpose of this exercise, just so that we're on the same page, lets use 'internet marketing' as the search term.So, go ahead and type that in and press GO!.You should now see a bunch of listings on books related to 'internet marketing'.Scroll down and select the "33 Days To Online Profits" link. This will bring you to its Product Description page.Within this Product Description page you'll find Product Details, Editorial Reviews and most important of all, All Customer Reviews.Notice I said "and most important of all, All Customer Reviews".Thats right, all you need to do is 'Write Reviews' on books within your particular Niche and when potential customers are reviewing the book you wrote the review on and they scroll down and happen to read your review and click on Your Name to see what you're all about, guess what they'll see?They'll see your profile with your Name, Nick Name, eMail Address and your 'About Me' description with your Domain Name screaming out at them which can easily be typed into there browser.There you have it, "5 Quick and Easy Steps On HOW-TO Send Your Website A SURGE Of Amazon's Traffic For FREE!"I truly hope you see the benefits of writing reviews and how it will make you look in the eyes of your potential customer.This is a great tactic to use if you're looking to establish yourself as an Expert within your Niche and at the same time, build a HIGHLY targeted 'Opt-In' list that you can market to for years to come. Want to get MORE 'Insider' marketing Secrets on How-To drive HUGE amounts of Laser Targeted Traffic to your website? Then you need to subscribe to Cory Threlfall's ezine called... The Internet Wonders eZine at -- internet marketing

Category : Web Site Traffic

How To Use Pay Per Click Ads Without Ruin Yourself.

Author : Torgeir Sunnarvik

Pay Per Click Ads may seem to be a very expensive way of selling your products. But if it's done the right way, it can be a money making machine on auto-pilot.Let's say that you have bought one of the many ebooks with reprint rights that you can find online. Then you use the tools that you receive with the ebook to set up your own web page on your own domain. It's very easy and often done in just one hour or two.After your sales page is online and you have checked that everything is working fine, you should go to Overture and open an account. Then you start to make your keyword list. For that you can use Overture's own keyword tool. It's quite good because you can see how many times each keyword have been searched for the previous month. That gives you a clue of how popular the keyword is, and it predicts how many clicks you can get for that keyword.When you search for keywords you should first look at your sales page, for words that are relevant for the product that you are promoting. Write all the words down or save them in a txt file. You can also put in spelling mistakes in these keywords. There are always a lot of searches with spelling mistakes. And these keywords have often no bids. This site offer a tool to find spelling mistakes. http://www.seochat.com/seo-tools/keyword-typo-generator/Now it's time to put all the words into Overture's keyword tool. If you use the tools that are available when signing up for an account, you should be able to see how high the bids are for each keyword.The words that have the highest number of searches are most likely to have the highest bids, too. I have seen keywords that have bids for $40 and even higher for each click. What you want to find are the keywords that have high searches and low bids. If you are lucky you can find words that have no bids on them yet. Then you have the opportunity to have your ad on the first position for only $0,10 per click. This is the lowest bid on Overture. The minimum bid per click can vary among the company's that offer pay per click ads.By the way, that amount is what you should bid on all your keywords. Try to find as many keywords as possible. It's better to have 5000 keywords that you have low bids on, than to have a few keywords with higher bids. That way, you will have a better chance to earn money.Remember that you get 1000 visitors for $100 if you bid only $0,10 per click. So, if you are selling a product that costs $25, and you sell around one unit per 100 visitors, you will have earned $250 after getting 1000 visitors to your website. You will have earned $250 for every $100 spent on your keyword adcampaign.You should also think about saving money when you write your ad. Don't try to lure people into click your ad by writing about free offers or any hype of that kind. You might get a lot of visitors that way, but they will leave your site when they see that they have to pay for your product. They are only using up your money without helping you to make a single sale.Instead you should write exactly what you are offering, and what price you are asking for the product. That way you are getting targeted visitors that know they have to pay the price you set in the ad in order to get the product you are offering. To top it off, you can offer them a test drive. If it's an ebook you can put one chapter of it onto a auto responder in 5-7 emails. Then send the messages once a day to the people that sign up for the test drive.Now you can sit back and see what results you get. Let the ad go for a month and see how many clicks it takes before anyone buys from you. If it's not bringing back enough money, you should try to figure out what's wrong. Is it the ad or is it your web page? Anyway, try to fix it and let the ad go for another month. When you have a reasonable return of investment(ROI), it's time to let the ad continue its run, without any more work on your part. Now, your ad is running on auto pilot. Just remember to check it once a month to see if the ROI is dropping. If it's not bringing in enough money, you can then find another product, and do the same thing all over again. Torgeir Sunnarvik is the owner and webmaster of http://www.everypleasures.com .Exclusive video coaching shows you how to start and run an online business with HUGE profit.http://www.everypleasures.com/99-internet-success-bundle.html

Category : General Marketing

Can a Webpage be Created Without HTML?

Author : George Chamoun

The HTML editor is usually a webpage design software that has a
GUI(graphic user interface) which makes it easier to design a
webpage using the File Menus. This is good for the
non-programmers and non-technical people.

There are lots of software for web page design, like MS
Frontpage, Dreamweaver which are widely used. however, there are
lots of web page design software you can buy.

I prefer Ms Frontpage because I learned it and got it for free
when I took my web design certificate at Education direct school.

There is another way to edit and build web pages beside using a
software. If you are a programmer, and know how to code HTML,
you can use any text editor like notepad to edit or build a
webpage.

Just open a notepad window, and type the html code, and save it
as .html file instead of .txt extension. This is it, you created
a webpage.

Please note as the webpage becomes more complicated and has many
files of different types, building a webpage from raw html code
will be a daunting task. Even if you are a programming, and know
how to write with HTML code, it well take lots of effort, time,
and aggravation to build a webpage of little complexity.

So, in your case, it is a wise decision to buy a software with
graphic interface in order to learn faster and be more
productive.

Even with a software, it will take a while and lots of practice
to be comfortable with building web pages.

As a beginner, there is an excellent solution to building your
own web pages ,without knowing any HTML codes, and without even
buying any software I was mentioning before.

Here is the solution:

Some web hosting service providers offer with your web hosting
account, what is called as web page templates.

Usually the cost is very reasonable, and many times you can pick
a hosting package that includes web page templates.

That only costs couple dollars per month unless your web hosting
provider is charges more than most web hosts providers.

A webpage / website template is a wizard like application where
you fill in text, images, files in few steps and when you click
finish, you web page will be ready.

Category : Hair Loss

Civil War Uniforms: Create Your Own Slouch Hat

Author : Paula McCoach
You are probably thinking that making your own Civil War Uniforms Slouch hat for almost nothing is impossible.But, you are wrong. It is very possible. And easy.1. Frequent flea markets, thrift stores, antique shops, yard sales and look for a felt hat. They are great places to find a hat that someone wants to get rid of â€" and for a cheap price! I found an unbelievable slouch hat at our local church thrift shop for about 25 cents.2. If it is good quality felt, wet it and brush it down with a hairbrush to get the shape you want.3. Stuff it with old towels to get it to a neutral shape.4. Let it sit for a day or two and take the towels out and decide what type of shape you want to make it.5. Look at original photos and decide which hat you want to duplicate.6. Put a band on it or a hat cord. You may need to remove the modern band and put a band on made from a natural material like silk â€" not synthetic.7. If it is not trimmed in some type of ribbon you can put that on it but it is not necessary. Keep your eye out for real old ribbon to use on your hat. Check out sewing baskets in antique stores.8. To find out if it is old, take a few strands out of the ribbon and put a match to it. If it does not ball up and burns clean, it is probably a natural material. If it balls up and smokes, than it is probably a synthetic material.9. Keep the ribbons a solid color â€" black, brown, gray â€" not anything with stripes.10.You can put a contrasting color band on your hat11. Blend and use the same color ribbon as the hat.12. Feathers can be added although that is not my style.13. I personally do not like all the doo dads - the plain and generic look is the most authentic.14. Good colors would be black, brown, and gray.15.Your best bet is to look at original photos and train your eye to spot a hat that you could duplicate for your Civil War Uniform impression.Making your own Civil War Slouch hat may cost you about $10. The last time I checked the prices of slouch hats at the sutlers, slouch hats were selling for about $110!So, save yourself some serious money and make your own Civil War slouch hat. You will get exactly the hat you want!Coach McCoach invites you to join the Civil War Uniform newsletter and receive 41 FREE money and time saving ideas for improving your Civil War Impression.2005 permission granted to reprint this article in print or on your website so long as the contact information is included to coach@civilwaruniforms.net or http://www.civilwaruniforms.netCoach McCoach invites you to join the Civil War Uniform newsletter and receive 41 FREE money and time saving ideas for improving your Civil War Impression.Discover ways to save as much as 80% on your uniform and get exactly what you want. Join now at http://www.civilwaruniforms.net
Category : Domains

Setting Realistic Goals For Sales

Author : Jordi Shoman
When you get started in business, you need to have a realistic goal in mind for your first year of sales. The first year will basically be a learning experience, so you may have to work hard to break into the market depending on what it is you are selling. Setting up a new business, especially if you are in a specialty niche, may be difficult or easy, depending on your location. This is why you need to have a business plan in place and lower your expectations so you won't be too disappointed.Those who start out with really high expectations that do not materialize often become bored with the business after a very short time when they do not have a high level of sales. You should start out slowly knowing that you do have to work your way up and gradually bring in new customers who will also refer their friends and family to you. One way to enhance sales is to offer competitive pricing offering specials and deals that customers simply cannot pass up. You have to be mindful of your bottom line. There is no point in selling for the sake of selling if you are not making a profit while doing so.You also have to find a way to get the message out to your potential customers. Along with having realistic expectations for sales, you should try to have a unique marketing plan for advertising your business. When you make it sound as if the product you are selling is something that customers can't do without, you will make the sale. However, you also have to make sure that you are selling a quality product. If more and more customers are dissatisfied with their purchase, a sudden increase in sales will give way to a sudden rise in return, thus decreasing your profits.If you need Sales information or have articles on Sales issues, visit our Sales section for more in-depth resources. Free Article Distribution service
Category : Business:Sales

PaidSurvey.com.au Donates To Steve Irwin Charity Fund

Author : James Douglas

The number one work from home website in Australia has decided to make a significant contribution to the Steve Irwin Wildlife Warriors Fund in the recent and tragic death of the Australian icon.For the entire period of October 2006, PaidSurvey.com.au will be donating 25% of the websites revenue to the Australia Zoo Wildlife Warriors A tribute to Steve campaign.We are deeply saddened by the loss of Steve Irwin, whom the team at PaidSurvey believe was an instrumental Australian legend, said Chris, founder of PaidSurvey.com.auSteve was committed to effective wildlife conservation and we believe his work should not be forgotten and long continue, despite his recent passing-away. We will do anything we can to help contribute to this valuable fund and believe that a donation of 25% for every person that joins us through the month of October 2006 can only help.PaidSurvey.com.au (http://www.PaidSurvey.com.au) helps people earn extra cash by working part time from home participating in online surveys and focus groups. The website has fast-become one of the most popular in Australia and this recent act of charity can only help increase its popularity.The donation will be sent to wildlifewarriors.org.au as soon as the month has come to an end and the Paid Survey website will publish the exact amount raised on their website, www.PaidSurvey.com.au Chris is the owner of Bean Marketing, the company who run the popular Paid Survey website (PaidSurvey.com.au)

Category : General Non-profit