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We all understand the importance of good people skills when it comes to our interpersonal communication it helps us get the results we need. Our communication determines the opinion others have of us knowledgeable or ignorant, pleasant or rude, professional or immature. Most of the time this is in face-to-face or telephone conversations where we have some control over the impression we make on others.

When it comes to netiquette (Network Etiquette), its not as easy to control how others perceive us, and yet its even more important. Why? Because what you write and how you use email can affect whether your email gets delivered, read, or responded to and what that response is! In addition, there are numerous technology traps that are easy to fall into. Have you ever seen someone accidentally send an angry or sensitive response to a huge group of people by using the Reply All key?

And before you say to yourself “I already know” and stop reading this article, realize that every single one of us could benefit from a few simple reminders on the proper use of email, not just from a personal view but also from a business standpoint. If you’re doing business on the internet and using email to communicate with your customers then this article is a must read for you! You may already know many of these tips, but even the most experienced user will find a few rules you were not aware of or have fallen into the habit of breaking.

Think, write, and think again.
Email is a static, one-way channel unlike live communication, theres no way to get immediate feedback (from facial expressions or voice responses) to know if we are being effective or even understood. So think twice before hitting the send key. Is there ANY chance that the recipient might misinterpret what you want them to understand? Do your thoughts come across as abrupt or angry? Could this email accidentally affect your reputation? The hastily written word may lack feelings and the true emotion you intended. You might be smiling as you type, but your note could come across as sarcastic or mean-spirited. Remember theres a person on the other end, not just a computer.

Use a meaningful subject line.
This is the first thing your reader will see, so use the space to help them understand the contents of the email even before they open it. Using the same rule from above, type in a subject that relates to the message you’re sending, rather than leaving the subject blank. Without a subject line your note will probably be seen as another piece of junk mail not everyone will recognize who you are just from your email address. Many internet service providers (ISPs) filter out suspicious looking email, and a blank subject is a big red flag. Also, try to avoid generic words like “Hi” or “Check This Out” to avoid having the recipients spam or virus software delete your message!

The beginning, and the end.
Always use a salutation, even if its short. Start your message with “Hi”, or “Hello”, or “Dear”, whatever works best for the intended recipient, and whatever reflects your personality. Think about this: when you call someone on the telephone, don’t you say “Hello” before telling them what you want? Email messages should be no different. At a minimum, address the email to the person.

Don’t forget the end of your message too! Always sign your messages with your name, and say “Thank You”, or “Sincerely”, or something else appropriate. You can even setup a signature in your email program that will automatically display your information at the bottom of every email message you send. For directions, use your email programs help file.and do a search for signature.

Protect your recipients identity use To:, CC: and BC: properly.
There are a few simple netiquette rules for using the address fields in email.

If your email is being sent to just one person or email address, place it in the “To:” field. This should be the person who is responsible for sending you a reply.

When your email is being sent to more than one person and all the recipients truly need to know who else is receiving it, put all the addresses in the CC: field.

For email sent to multiple recipients who have no real reason to know the names and email addresses of everyone else to whom it is being sent, put all the addresses in the BCC: field.

(Some email software requires at least one address to be placed in the To: field. Put your own email address in the To: section if this is required.)

By default, not every email program has the BCC field available for viewing. If you cannot see the Bcc field in your program, check your programs help file for directions.

Give memory a helping hand.
When replying to emails, include a copy of the prior notes youve traded with the person on the topic, don’t just send a new one. I may receive 50 emails a day that need a reply and its not always possible to remember every single ‘conversation’ with every single person. Please dont make your reader go looking through their sent items folder or email recycle bin to refresh their memory!

Use the Read Receipt sparingly.
In some cases, it’s crucial for both parties to know that a message was received. However, in normal day-to-day activities you should not request a read receipt for every single message you send. It’s annoying to the recipient to have to click that pop up box every time they get your email. And it is an invasion of privacy. Don’t forget just because they have received it doesn’t mean they have necessarily read it, so receiving a read receipt doesn’t actually prove anything other than that the message was received. And for day to day communications, is that really necessary?

URGENT!
The boy who cried wolf. Do not send all your messages as URGENT, or HIGH PRIORITY. If your recipients keep receiving messages marked that way, then eventually the red exclamation point loses it’s effectiveness except to reinforce how important YOU think you are. Reserve these messages for those that are of utmost importance!

Avoid special formatting.
For your day-to-day messages, don’t use colored email backgrounds, colored fonts, special fonts, images or other “pretty” type of formatting to your messages. Keep them clean this makes it easier for the intended recipient to read them and reply. It’s best to send messages in plain text to ensure everyone will be able to read them, since not everyone has their email set to receive html emails. You would be amazed at how bad your note may look to someone viewing their email on a handheld device or an older computer. By keeping your emails clean, they will also load much faster for the recipient!

Dont SHOUT!
If you type in all capital letters, your reader will see this as yelling, or they will think that you were just too lazy to use proper text formatting. Its also hard on the eyes did you know that it takes longer to read something written in all caps than it does to read something that is properly formatted?

Proof, spell-check, and use proper formatting.
Poor writing skills are a direct reflection on you! And the reader never forgets the person who writes an undecipherable message. Spell checking will prevent most misspelled words, but you should always proof your email in case you’ve written the incorrect word (that was spelled correctly). For example, month and moth, where and were, all look correct to a spell-check program. Use proper capitalization, punctuation and formatting. Break your paragraphs when the subject changes, or if they become too long. Don’t use excessive formatting (too much bold, too many exclamation points and question marks, etc.) Too much of anything will make your message harder to read. You want to make your message easily readable, as well as understandable. Proofread it to ensure it make sense, and never assume the reader knows what you mean, always spell it out for them. The time it takes to proof and spell check is minimal compared to the lasting impression you will make if you don’t take the time.

Take the time to send a reply.
Even when someone emails you something that doesn’t need a direct response, follow up with them in a timely manner just to let them know you received their message. Its amazing how often people will ask for advice, and not even reply with a short Thank you when they receive their answer. A simple message telling the sender is sufficient. And this lets them know you did receive it, that it didn’t just get stuck in cyberspace somewhere.

If they didn’t request it, don’t send it!
No matter what you think may be acceptable, you cannot email someone about your product/service without their permission. Unless they request that you send them an email, or you have previously done business with them, then it is illegal to send them an email, period. Any recipient can easily forward your email to their ISP and report you for sending unsolicited email messages (SPAM).

This report would result in the immediate removal of all your websites/email address from most servers. You would then join a list of prohibited senders meaning that servers would not allow any messages attached to your domain name to be received by their customers – the people you are sending your messages to.

You might be thinking, but I get emails every day about products/services that I didn’t request information about. Sending unsolicited email messages (SPAM), is kind of like speeding. Lot’s of people do it, but it is against the law, and no matter how long you may get away with it, you are bound to get caught!

Compress, Compress, Compress!
If you are sending an email with several large attachments, it is often better to send them in a few separate emails, so that you dont send a document that is too large to even open. Or, you can try compressing your messages into a zipped file. It doesnt reduce the size of images or pictures very much, but it works great for text, spreadsheet and program files. This is very easy to do, and will make your file size much smaller, and make the recipient much happier. Check out www.winzip.com (for those on pc).

Hoaxes as helpful hints.
If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Do not forward everything that gets sent to you. We’ve all seen them the chain-letter emails that promise if you forward to x number of people you’ll get paid, or you’ll win something, or you will be lucky forever. It’s all a hoax, a scam, and the only result is huge numbers of email transmissions that slow down servers all across the country. If you receive one of these emails from a friend, reply to them (in a very nice way) and explain to them why this isn’t true, or ask them to stop forwarding them to you.

Virus, or virus advice?
Many viruses are spread by email masquerading as warnings about a virus! If someone forwards you a virus warning, which usually contains instructions for removing a virus from your computer… check google.com for that virus BEFORE doing anything. Chances are, it’s also a hoax, and if you do remove that “bad file” from your computer, you’re actually removing a necessary component crucial to your system!

Wow, that was a lot of information to take in at one time, but I congratulate you for sticking it out and reading the entire article. Please share it with your family, friends and colleagues.

With many people looking for ways to eliminate sea sickness without needing to take motion sickness medication that can have sometimes serious side-effects, many industry insiders are expecting to see consumers look towards alternative means of eliminating or preventing nausea associated with boating and other activities.

Im a big fan of the motion sickness wristbands, Joseph Melillo, 36, Island Heights, NJ said. When I take the kids out on the boat, we all put them on. The pills used to give me a headache and I was afraid to give them to the kids, he explained.

Normally, the symptoms of motion sickness do not depend on a persons physical structure, because any person can experience symptoms of motion sickness under extreme conditions.

When the human balance centre, located in the inner ear, gets disturbed, the result is a sensory conflict. The disruption in the fluid balance causes confusion between perceived movement and actual movement.

Studies show that sudden jerking movements tend to be the worst cause of motion sickness. A first timer or a regular, while traveling through the air or by boat may experience the symptoms of motion sickness at any point of time.

The technology behind the wristbands that Joseph Melillo has been admiring is based on acupressure technology which helps disrupt the signals to your brain that would lead you to feeling nauseous.

These wristbands create pressure signals that travel faster through the median nerve to the brain than the neurological signals that activate motion sickness symptoms. These signals arriving first – effectively close the gate for motion sickness activating neurological pain signals and offers relief.

Many consumers find the adjustable bands, are more effective and more comfortable than similar products that cannot be adjusted.

These motion sickness wristbands are great and much easier than wearing some motion sickness patch, Lisa Custodio, 32, Brooklyn, NY said. I wear them when I go to Coney Island to ride the rides and anytime I go on a boat or a cruise, she continued.

These sort of safe and effective wristbands are becoming popular with men, women and children looking to prevent the feeling of sea-sickness while not being forced to take medications or wear unsightly or uncomfortable patches.

Thanks to these wristbands. Now one can have a comfortable and tension-free boating experience with motion sickness relief band.

Before you spend a lot of money for a new pair of ice hockey skates, first consider your level of play.among two basic categories: the recreational skater and the amateur hockey player. Chances are, youll fall somewhere within these two groups and finding the right skate for you can save you plenty.

1.) The recreational skater, one who enjoys ice skating as an occasional pass-time, wouldn’t necessarily require a high-end hockey skate like those designed for amateur league play. On the other hand, the same skater should not compromise comfort and safety merely to save a few dollars. One could easily find a suitable pair of hockey skates from a major manufacturer without spending a lot of money and still get a good skate. The BAUER Vapor VI is a good example for those wanting a quality skate without draining their wallet. All name brand hockey skates are highly engineered and available in a wide price range to fit almost any budget.

2.) The amateur hockey player is usually involved in organized sports such as school hockey teams or private leagues. This level of play requires skating long periods of time several days per week. Typically, an amateur hockey player requires a hockey skate designed for heavy use and structured to maintain a high level of comfort and durability. A mid-level skate such as CCM Super Tacks or the CCM Vector series is a likely choice. If a more high-end skate is preferable, the BAUER XXX or GRAF 707 nears the top out the list of some of the best skates available.

The NHL is probably the most effective venue hockey skate manufacturers have to market their retail products to the general public. When kids see the skates their favorite pro players are wearing, they want a pair just like them. However, professional hockey players have their skates custom made by major skate manufacturers so dont expect to find an exact replica of their skates on the pro shop shelf or any web site you may run across. What you will find is a retail version of the same skate. Even though they are not the exact skates, they are a quality product engineered by the same manufacturers.

Weather you are a recreational skater or an advanced league hockey player, you can easily find a pair of ice hockey skates suited for your specific needs without overspending. While shopping, keep this in mind. Even the biggest name brand manufacturers will have a line of skates to fit almost any budget. So, look closely, ask a lot of questions and save money.

Sports injuryit is every athletes’ worst nightmare. For professional sportsmen and women, a major injury could be the end of their career. Breaking an ankle, dislocating a shoulder or hip, or having unbearable pain in the knees could cause an athlete to lose the opportunity to gain honor, fame, and fortune in the field of sports. For individuals who engage in contact sports competition, it could be the end of an athletic dream or a means to stay fit. For many, sports is already a way of life and defines who they are. But getting sidetracked by an injury could make them lose their sense of identity and chance of a lifetime to gain glory and financial independence.

There are hundreds of thousands of websites on the Internet that are missing out on big money. With the emergence of the new Chitika eMiniMalls advertising company, these websites could be bringing in hundreds of dollars a day, and they don’t even know it.

For years people have built websites around their passions, whether is was Mustang Cobras or food processors. These websites existed solely because the person that created them had a passion for that subject.

With the introduction of Chitika, these websites now have an opportunity to finally cash in from all of the selfless hard work that has been put into them. If they’ve been around a while, they most likely have a decent amount of backlinks and indexed pages, which equates to more traffic.

Publishers shouldn’t waste any longer registering at Chitika eMiniMalls (chitika.com). While waiting for approval, these publishers should visit publisher forums and learn as much as possible about ad placement, colors and how to select their products.

Of course, if their website is all about coffee cups, they’d be best off selecting items that relate to coffee cups! But they should also be willing to think outside of the box a little. Items such as coffee grinders, decorative spoons and even coffee makers could be potential money makers.

Once they are approved, they should waste no time getting their ads onto their sites. If they’ve used a good blogging program or other CMS-type program, getting the ads to replicate throughout all the currently existing pages shouldn’t be too much of a hassle.

If you’ve been publishing a website for a few years about a product or subject that you’re passionate about, but you aren’t making anything off of it, it’s time for you to check out Chitika!

One Lucky Stag Has a Taste of Heaven in Estonias Thumping Capital

Theres a lot to love about a stag weekend in Tallinn. Right now all I could hear was Void you like another beer?, and all I could see was row upon row of straight, white, perfect Estonian teeth and long, shiny, blonde Estonian hair. The waitress, and owner of said teeth and hair, was asking for the trillionth time: Beer. Do-you-want-another-one? Even though it was my stag night which made me emperor and overlord of all I surveyed, I couldnt even muster eye contact and so just nervously spluttered out a well rehearsed Jah! Sweet. Beer in the form of the fine Le Coq Premium would be soon on its way and, well, I had to admit that my Estonian was coming along beautifully.

But before the beer could even be pulled from the beer pulling thing, before Miss Estonia could even return to service our table, the lights dimmed and there was a venerable hush. And after what had to be the slowest minute known to man, a vision appeared like a phoenix rising. Or something. Just 23 and a half hours earlier I had been arguing about the price of insulation batts in Reading Argos and now, before me stood or rather lay -a moveable feast in every sense of the word. She was Tanya. She was 22. She was from Haapsalu. Or was it Hishpalaa? Somewhere west of the capital. She was naked. She had our dinner strategically placed on her 22 year old perfect Estonian body. She was very talented.

In Japan, this practice is called nyotaimori and the name literally means adorned body of a woman and for the next three hours the unlimited beer flowed and me and my twenty-nine best friends wined, dined and hatched plans about escaping management consultancy and setting up our own bar in down town Tallinn. Or maybe we could open up an English school. Or an academy for young ladies wanting to be learned in the ways of contemporary British life. My Tallinn stag weekend was only half a day old and it was fast surpassing Skegness as my holiday destination of choice. We toasted to the Saku the finest Estonian lager to pass my lips, to Reading topping the table and to Tanyas left thigh. We toasted to Tallinns remarkable ability to produce the highest concentration of the fit birds per square mile and, of course to me and my upcoming nuptials. We were still toasting when we left Tanya half covered in dessert and fig leaves and little else. We were toasting the magnificent delights of Tanyas right thigh in a rather loud manner, lager and le Coqs in hand, when we noticed what seemed to be a troupe of troopers walking in our general direction.

Crazy-Tallinn-street-cleaners-who-just-couldnt-part-with-their-soviet-army-fatigues (to them it would always be 1989). We toasted to 1989. To Berlin. To Gorbachev. To Reagan. To Yeltsin, who we were all sure was very certain of the infinite native delights of Estonia. To the greatest stag weekend ever. Thank you Tanya, wherever you may be, Tanan and Head ood! Thank you and good night. I will never look at grilled Greek pork in the same way again.

Peter Finlay spoke to Amalia Illgner. We are pleased to announce that Peter is now a happily married man with a house full of white goods in Reading.

Special Thanks to Chillisauce for organizing Peter’s Tallinn stag weekend.

Now that’s what we like to call service!

When traveling in Colorado the best place to visit is the Royal Gorge Bridge in Canon City. This is the worlds highest suspension bridge and it also has the highest deck to surface clearance of any other bridge in the world. The bridge is located in a park combined of 360 acres that hangs an amazing 1,053 feet over the Arkansas River. Two other rivers, the Rio Grande and the Denver, flow under the bridge as well at the base of the Gorge. At only 18 feet wide and 880 feet long this bridge doesn’t appear big until you start walking on it. Then, the width seems increasingly smaller and the length seems to go on forever. The walkway is comprised of more than 1000 wooden planks and it is hard not to wonder what would happen if one of the planks broke when walking over the bridge. The bridge is suspended by two 150 feet tall towers.

It is generally a good idea to listen to doctor’s instructions and read prescription labels when taking medication. This rule of thumb holds true for both prescription medication and over-the-counter drugs, since both can cause serious side effects if misused or overdosed. Any medication, even something as innocuous or safe as cough syrup can cause side effects. These side effects can range from mildly annoying to potentially fatal. Muscle relaxants are among the medications that could have potentially life-threatening consequences if taken in extreme doses. If you don’t believe in that sort of thing, you can take a look at the publicly-available details of the death of Anna Nicole Smith.

There has been over the years a lot of conversation about the balance of cue sticks, both in the U.S. and overseas, so let us look at all the aspects so you might be an informed buyer when making a purchase.

## How should a cue be balanced? ##
The late Willie Mosconi stated in his books to hold the cue in your right hand 5-6 inches behind the balance point. On his particular cue and with his shorter arms taken into consideration, and the fact that he played 14-1 predominately, he could get by with that statement — but can you?

The point of balance of most 58 inch custom cues today (which has become the standard) is between 15 1/2 and 20 inches from the bottom of the butt plate. Taking into account that most pros, including the top snooker players in England will say that to properly position your hands you must; extend 10-13 inches from the point that the cue rests on your bridge hand to the point of contact on the cue ball with your left hand (if your right-handed) and your right hand griping the cue, so that you create an 88 to 90 degree angle with your right elbow. Be sure to be in shooting position with the tip extended to the point of impact with the cue ball.

The reason for this is, to diminish the error in your stroke by bringing only one joint into play (your elbow joint) while following through. This also gives you the maximum amount of power at the moment of impact, this means the shoulder joint will not be employed which would double your error.

Further, this will allow you to automatically strike the cue ball at its intended point of impact, because your stroke is at its levelest, when your at an 88 to 90 degree angle at your elbow. With this in mind, and taking note that most players with an average height of 5 foot 10 inches, when extending 11 inches of the shaft, they will find that they are gripping the cue with their right hand 5 inches or closer to the bottom of the cue.

It should be clear then, that the further back the balance can be, the better the chance that the average player has of getting closer to the balance point without diminishing cue control.

## Why do you want your grip hand closer to the balance point? ##
The obvious answer is to keep from having so much of the weight of the cue resting on your bridge hand, thereby obtaining a much lighter touch with the bridge hand. It appears that snooker players, those who must shoot the most accurately of all table games, heartily agree with this scenario. They will be quick to tell you, that they like the balance to be fifteen inches from the butt of the cue.

Another very important reason for gripping the back of the cue, is to control the amount of side sway by diminishing the overall angle of change in the cue, by as nearly as possible controlling both ends.

Here is a simple test to understand this concept. Lay your cue on the table, holding the tip and ferrule of your cue stable in one hand and grasp the joint with your other hand moving the joint a quarter of an inch from side to side. You will note that the butt of the cue moves one half of an inch side to side. Obviously, if you were to move the back of the cue a quarter of an inch side to side, you just reduced the error by half.

With the tapers of cues built today, taking grip size and types of joints into account, it is nearly impossible to get a cue balanced as far back as fifteen inches from the butt, without the cue weighing 21 ounces or more. Therefore, at Meucci Originals, we strive for an obtainable sixteen and one half inches from the butt, plus or minus a half inch, depending on the overall weight of the cue.

There has been some uneducated individuals who have made the statement that a proper balance evenly distributes the weight of the cue between both hands. This would mean that the balance would then fall at twenty-six inches from the butt, or three inches below the joint of the cue, putting nine or ten ounces of weight on your bridge hand. This is obviously a ludicrous statement.

In conclusion, a well balanced cue will have a tendency to cause a player to grip the cue further back, thereby allowing less room for side sway, while automatically positioning the elbow at the proper angle for a level follow through.

Copyright 2006 Mary Desaulniers

According to the principles of Feng Shui, strategic placement of objects can mean the difference between health and illness. Placing houseplants in the main living areas of a house, for example, can enhance the flow of energy through the entire structure. Similarly, placing houseplants in the bedroom can mean better sleep for the occupants of the house.

There are several reasons why houseplants can promote better sleep.

a) Healthy plants are a source of cleaner air; because plants release oxygen, they can bring the air quality of a room up several notches. Some plants produce more oxygen during the night; these are snake plants and bromeliads, aloe and orchids. Placing these houseplants in the bedroom will enhance night-time sleep.

b)Most plants remove toxins from the airpollutants that are found in houses– such as formaldehyde, benzene, xylene, ammonia, acetone, ethyl acetate. Houseplants can actually absorb these pollutants through their leaves and convert them to harmless substances. New findings suggest that plants can be a good antidote to the sick building disease most often caused by our unsustainable high tech innovations for convenience. A single spider plant in a closed chamber containing formaldehyde can remove 85% of the pollutant within 24 hours. Experts estimate that fifteen houseplants can make a dramatic impact on clean air quality in an average house. Some houseplants seem to be particularly effective in absorbing and removing indoor pollutants. These are, to name a few, Chinese evergreen, dracaena, orchids, golden pothos, Norfolk Island pine, red emerald philodendron, spider plant, schefflera and snake plant.

c)Houseplants also act as purifiers of animal bioeffluentssubstances not produced by materials in a building, but by humans and animals. These include carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, hydrogen, methane, alcohol and others. Houseplants do a wonderful job of converting these bioeffluents into harmless substances. Peace lilies, parlor palms, chrysanthemums, for example, are wonderful houseplants that purify the air of biological and biochemical toxins. Moreover, the moisture given off by plants suppress the formation of airborne microbes, thus diminishing the allergenic potential of the bedroom.

d)The green foliage of most houseplants also soften the mood of a room. They can mute away harsh corners, endow a bare window with charm or render a touch of symmetry to oddly furnished walls. In general houseplants give a pleasant , soothing effect to the bedroom, an effect that promotes relaxation and sleep. They also absorb odors and fumes, replenish the air with oxygen and humidity, keeping the temperatures cool and sustainable for better sleep. No wonder the most attractive bedrooms in Better Homes magazines are always shown with several charming houseplants strategically placed in various spots. And if you are still unsure about the positive effects of plants on human emotions, take note of this: a study by the Washington State University found that people with plants in their work environment were 12 percent more productive and had lower blood pressure than people who did not have plants. There is much support for the idea that the botanical world is inextricably linked to the human psyche and that houseplants can promote better sleep.

However, the air-cleaning abilities of these houseplants are jeopardized if the plants are sick, unhealthy or unclean. Unhealthy houseplants are perfect invitations for insect infestations which produce mold spores that are highly allergenic. To ensure that your houseplants will give you better sleep, you must keep them cleaned and trimmed, free of insects or mites as these are easy sources of allergies and breathing spasms. As well, choose plants that do not shed pollen.

Copyright 2006 Karin Manning

Imagine enjoying a beautiful peaceful sleep in your ten only to be woken up at 5am by a man on a power mower mowing the grass on the adjacent golf course.

This actually happened to 200 campers at a campground in Washington, some of whom have claimed It was our worse camping experience in the USA so far.

His response was, this is the only time that there are no golfers around! (Lucky for them, Id say!)

This proves one thing. It doesnt matter how beautiful the campground is and how scenic the view is. If youve set up camp in the wrong location your trip could turn into a nightmare.

Planning is critical when camping.

Planning starts at home, before you’ve even left, and doesn’t stop until you make your weary way home again.

Part of your planning involves getting the very best camping site to meet your needs this weekend. That is the best way of ensuring a pleasurable experience is had by every member of your group.

There are a variety of campgrounds, each offering different facilities, and thereby a different kind of holiday. These are private parks, state park campgrounds and state or national forest campgrounds.

Most parks have a designated area for a campsite. Reservations can be made often for a fee which is highly recommended.

Some campgrounds allow you to choose a site before making a commitment. Some even allow you to change your mind so if your chosen site turns out to be a nightmare check with the park managers if there are other sites available.

Here are a few tips for getting the best camping site this weekend:

If you’ve arrived at an unfamiliar campground ask the campground hosts for a detailed map and have a quick drive or hike around and make a list of some possible campsite locations.

Do not take a site that has camping items but no vehicle as it could belong to RV owners who arent on site for the day.

Always arrive before dark. You can rest assured that the best campsites will be taken if you arrive late in the afternoon.

Camp at least 200-300 feet away from water.

Make sure there are trees to hang your garbage and food upwind outside of camp.

Set up camp away from other campers and away from any trails.

If you love the idea of waking up in a warm location set up camp under the morning sun. You will also have the advantage of being shielded from hot sun later in the day.

Avoid setting up camp in tall grassy locations as they are a wonderland for insects.

Never camp at the bottom of cliffs with loose rocks.

Become familiar with flora and avoid all areas with poison ivy.

Get the best protection from lightning by camping near a dense grouping of trees, all the same height in a low area away from water.

Make sure the site is large enough to meet all your needs. Think about what would happen to your site in the event of a storm.

Consider the location of bathroom facilities (if applicable).

Water is absolutely critical for camping. You will need it for washing, drinking and cooking so ensure that you have a water source nearby to your camp site.

If rain is expected locate your campsite in a flood free area.

Never modify an area by removing vegetation and rocks to create the perfect campsite. The perfect campsite is never created by man but has already been made by Mother Nature.

Find an area free of tree roots and rocks. If you’ve found the perfect location but there’s a problem with small rocks gently rake them away to create a smooth level for sleeping on.Never camp on a ridge. You are too exposed to severe wind and lightning conditions.

Avoid sharing a site with campers who are not part of your group. There’s plenty of land to go around and every camper is entitled to some personal space.

Look for a campsite that has some shelter from the sun. But if rain is expected never set up camp under trees. There’s the danger of lightning plus the fact that the trees will continue to rain on your site long after any rainfall has stopped.

Keep insects at a minimum by setting up your campsite in a dry area not too close to water.

Make sure that you set up camp where water naturally flows away from your site.

Respect wildlife. Campers are venturing into the natural habitat of many animals. Don’t set up camp close to wildlife food sources or any animal trails. We are their guests. Treat your hosts with respect.

Avoid parking too close to RVs and noisy neighbours.

If you have a large group consider a group campsite.

In Autumn and Summer look for sheltered spots along shorelines and protected in bays.

Trips located on islands and points in summer will offer calming cool breezes.

Some sites have flat, cleared spots all ready for your tent so look out for these or ask your friends of great campsites theyd recommend.

If youre canoeing a good spot for loading and unloading your canoe is critical.

Avoid camping where trees are leaning over your campsite.

Avoid camping near big pine trees as they act like lightning rods when lightning strikes.

Avoid sites around marshes etc as they are a breeding ground for insects like mosquitoes.

Find a flat camp site to ensure no slipping and sliding downhill.

Make sure theres a convenient location for relaxing in your kitchen.

Make sure theres good drainage.

Having a reasonable source of firewood in the vicinity is not a necessity but recommended.

Finding the best campsite possible is a crucial part of your camping experience. It is not the time to be impatient, tired, or hurried. A poor campsite will cause unlimited problems on your trip. With a little planning, patience and preparation your perfect campsite is waiting at a campground near you this weekend.

Chocolate has long been the favorite for food gifts. But what about those who we know really shouldnt have it? Shouldnt we give a gourmet gift that is healthy? Smoked salmon gifts are becoming more popular, not just as a healthy alternative, but because they taste so good too.

Giving gifts is an expression of kindness and regard for those we care about. When choosing a gift, we should think about how it will be received by the person we are giving the gift to. Sometimes a gourmet gift may not be appropriate if there are concerns about monitoring levels for blood sugar, cholesterol, or high blood pressure. Before you purchase that tower of chocolate or that heavenly cheesecake, and send it by UPS, consider Smoked Alaskan Salmon as a healthy alternative gourmet gift.

Fish such as Alaska sockeye salmon, contain omega-3 fatty acids, or polyunsaturated fats. These important fatty acids aid the body in numerous important functions such as oxygen absorption, blood pressure and cholesterol regulation, prevention of inflammation, prevention of premature aging, and general promotion of the bodys immune system.

Omega 3 fatty acids are most concentrated in cold water salmon and other fish which have high oil content. The effects of omega 3 fatty acids have been widely studied and the list of potential health benefits is long and varied.

Smoked salmon is not just a fancy hors doeuvre or party appetizer. Smoked salmon is increasingly used in gourmet entrees and dishes of many cuisines. Online gift orders of smoked salmon fillets are becoming more popular for gift giving occasions from executive gifts to housewarming parties. Fine Italian restaurants have added numerous pasta dishes which include smoked salmon as the main ingredient. One common denominator of the surging popularity of smoked salmon is the health benefits enjoyed from eating omega 3, rich fish.

Smoked Alaskan Salmon is recognized as the number one smoked fish product on the market today. One specific kind of sockeye salmon, from the Copper River watershed area of Alaska, has become world renown, especially among gourmet chefs. Of all the salmon types, the Copper River Sockeye Salmon are most sought after for their exquisite rich flavor and delicate texture. Copper River Sockeye Salmon is beautifully, naturally deep red, known to be the most tender, and “delicate” of the Wild Salmon varieties. Copper River Sockeye salmon looks beautiful on the grill, or as a main course of any gourmet meal. Moreover, this exceptional smoked sockeye salmon is packed in a classic wooden gift box and offered as a fine quality gourmet gift selection.

In todays business climate, a smoked salmon gift box as an executive gift, corporate gift, or client gift can be suggested as the perfect gift solution. An exquisite wood gift box with 8 ounces of smoked Copper River Sockeye Salmon inside will be well received. The smoked salmon fillet comes packed in a shelf stable, foil, retort vacuum package, ready to eat. No refrigeration is required until the foil is opened.

A tower of chocolate is a nice gift, but for those of us who have to watch what we eat, smoked salmon is better than a mediocre alternative gourmet gift choice. It not only is healthy, but an enjoyable delicacy we dont indulge in often enough.

Most people don’t want to mess with their digital camera’s settings. The rest of us may not understand what they are for and what they can do. Camera manufacturers realize this and are making it easier to take great photos. It is done through a feature called scene modes. Scene modes are mini-programs designed to automatically adjust your camera’s settings that are best suited for the situation. By merely twisting a knob or pushing a button a few times, you are able to quickly and easily adjust your camera to get a great shot nearly every time.

Here are some of the more common scene modes and what they do:

Backlight – eliminates dark shadows when light is coming from behind the subject or when the subject is in the shade.

Beach/Snow – this mode is used when photographing beach, snow and sunlight water scenes. Exposure times and white balance are set to help prevent the scene from becoming washed out looking.

Fireworks – shutter speed and exposure are set for shooting fireworks: pre-focusing and the use of a tripod is highly recommended.

Landscape – this mode is used to take photos of wide scenes. The camera automatically focuses on a distant object.

Macro – is used to take close-up shots of small objects, such as coin, flowers or insects. The lens can be moved closer to the object than in other modes. The use of a tripod is highly recommended.

Night Scene – is used when photographing night scenes – what else? Slow shutter speeds are used. You’ll need that tripod again.

Panning or Action – this mode will “freeze” the action of the subject while blurring the background to give the feel of motion or speed.

Panorama – is used to take a series of shots from one point and “stitch” them together with software to make a wide angle scene.

Party Mode – is used to take photos in a dim lit room. Exposure and shutter speeds are adjusted for room brightness. The camera must be held very steady in this mode.

Portrait – this mode automatically focuses on the subject and puts the background slightly out of focus.

Sports – is similiar to action modes. Fast shutter speeds “freeze” the action. Best shots will result when taken in bright lighting conditions and when you are pre-focused on an area.

Sunset – is used to take photos of sunsets and sunrises. This mode helps keep the deep hues in the scene.

Some cameras have as many as 20 different scene modes. Some modes will automatically adjust the size of your photo for on-line auction. Some are supposed to take 10 pounds off the subject. Regardless of how many scense your camera has, always read the instruction manual. Each manufacturer has their own terminology. By understanding and using scene modes, you will get a great shot every time.

Without music life would be a mistake

These are the words of the famous German Philosopher Frederik Nietzsche, and as a specialist in pronunciation and Accent Reduction for non-native English speakers, I can attest to this regarding the English language. English is a musical language, as is Italian, Chinese, Portuguese, and many other languages. The trick to speaking English with clarity and impact, is understanding the melody and rhythm that is specific to English, but differs in other languages. Therefore, without the music of the English language, pronunciation is a mistake.

If English were a two-man band, it would be made up of a drum and a saxophone. Firstly, English is a swinging language, more like a jazz or rock group than a classical orchestra. English sounds are big, loud, and emphatic, and our melody is bold and dance-worthy.

I hear complaints from my students time and time again that they are always asked to repeat themselves, and even when they do, the listener still has difficulty understanding. Where does this come from? There are three major components that make up an accent: Sounds (consonants and vowels), Rhythm (stressed and unstressed words), and Intonation (the rise and fall of pitch in a sentence).

Lets take as an example, a native Russian speaker. When my former student, Raisa, said the word coffee, she pronounced it Kofi with a quick O sound as in the word Coke. There are two things that keep the listener from processing the word that she is trying to say. The first is the length of the vowel; in English we have stressed vowels that hold like a half note, instead of a quarter note, for example. The second problem is the articulation of the vowel. Russians tend to have a tight jaw when speaking, which inhibits proper pronunciation of the English open-vowel sounds such as in the words coffee, politics, and options. In a modern pop song, most of the emotion comes in the singing of vowels. Think of Celine Dion, Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston, who are known for stretching their notes. The same goes in English. We create impact and emotion in our vowel sounds. So not only is it necessary for the sake of proper articulation, but it is also a leveraging point for powerful speakers.

In the case of Rhythm, I will use, Luc, a former French student as an example. Most of his presentations and conversations sounded deadpan and unclear. In the French language, each syllable and word in a sentence should get equal emphasis. Conversely, in English, we not only stress certain syllables, but we stress certain words. Typically, we stress nouns, adjectives, verbs, adverbs, and question words (content words), and we de-emphasize articles, prepositions, auxiliary verbs, and to be verbs (structure words). This allows certain words to jump out at the listener, avoiding a stream of words that become jumbled together. So, with the implementation of rhythm, Luc went from a crowd sleeper to a crowd pleaser.

Last, but not least, we have the component of Intonation. Intonation is the overall melody of a song or a sentence. It allows the listener to determine the mood and the intention of the sentence. For example, Sylvia was an Italian student of mine, who constantly left a rising intonation at the end of her sentences. This made Sylvia look unsure of herself because her statements were delivered as questions. Sylvias biggest challenge was overcoming working in a male-dominated, English speaking industry. Therefore, helping her control her intonation patterns was a first step in creating a better clarity and a more positive perception in the workplace. This is just one example of how intonation can affect the delivery of a speech. As in music, the more dramatic the change from high to low pitch, the more intense the delivery of a thought becomes. This can be used not only for clarity, but also for persuasiveness and emphasis. Intonation sets the tone, so it is extremely important for a non-native English speaker to understand the intonation patterns of the English language.

So, if you are a non-native English speaking individual and you are tired of asking you to repeat yourself, you can always crank up the stereo and sing your heart out to your favorite American artists, or if youre worried about what your neighbors will think, take some accent reduction classes with an expert!

More than 1,500,000 Purple Hearts have been awarded to American servicemen and -women since World War Two. The medals are among the military’s top honors and are usually found proudly displayed on uniforms, resting places or in family homes. They’re not the kind of items you’d expect to find in a thrift shop-and when one recently was, it sparked a cross-country effort.

Gene Dobos was browsing through a secondhand store in California when he came across a worn, heart-shaped medal mixed in with the knickknacks. It was a Purple Heart bearing the name “Frank N. Smith.” Purple Hearts are awarded to American soldiers who are wounded by the enemy and to the next of kin of soldiers killed in action or who die from wounds received in battle. Dobos, who understood the significance of the medal, purchased it from the shop and helped set off a national search for its owner.

Dobos contacted the Military Order of the Purple Heart-an organization of combat veterans who work to honor the medal and its recipients. They call themselves the “Keepers of the Medal.” Ray Funderburk, the group’s public relations chief-who is a Vietnam veteran with two Purple Hearts himself-researched the medal and eventually found that Frank N. Smith was a private in the U.S. Army who died in Vietnam nearly 40 years ago.

Smith, who was 20 at the time, was in a convoy that was ambushed on December 17, 1968-just two weeks before he was scheduled to return to his home state of Ohio for good.

After learning Smith’s story, Funderburk turned to an Ohio genealogist for help in tracking down Smith’s resting place and surviving family.

“It looks as if the medal has been handled many times,” said Funderburk. “I envisioned his mom and dad taking the medal out and holding it in their hands, thinking of their son.”

Eventually, Smith’s grave was found in a cemetery not far from his childhood home in Ohio. His parents had died, but his siblings were found using e-mails they had sent memorializing their brother at an online registry for fallen Vietnam War troops. They did not know the medal had gone missing and were “overwhelmed” that a group of strangers had worked so hard to return it to them.

Frank N. Smith was married and had a child shortly before shipping off to Vietnam (he enlisted voluntarily). After his death, his widow and daughter moved west, presumably taking the Purple Heart with them. It is not known how the medal landed in a thrift shop.

For Smith’s sister Jonna, the return of the medal brought with it a flood of emotions-and she was not alone in her reaction. Funderburk, of the Purple Heart Order, was so inspired by the number of people who came together to return the medal to Smith’s family that he penned a poem. His son-in-law helped him set the words to music and a CD was created that is being sold. Proceeds help pay for a scholarship program that joins young people with veterans who are bedridden and living in Veteran Affairs facilities.

The song’s chorus reads:

Purple Hearts are won in battle; grenades explode, machine guns rattle; a soldier dies, a mother cries; that’s how Purple Hearts are won.

The Order and Smith’s family planned a small ceremony to be held in the cemetery. The Purple Heart will be encased in glass and attached to Smith’s headstone.

Private First Class Frank N. Smith’s legacy will be seen in every VA hospital in America as young people move among the veterans and tell the story of a young man who left Seneca County, Ohio to defend freedom-and who finally got his medal.

When looking for something altogether new and unusual to put on the grill, buffalo steak has a familiar flavor that is just unusual enough to make itself memorable. Very similar to beef it has a comforting familiarity. However, it also has a certain something that people notice and will look forward to having again. Which explains why buffalo steak is becoming a popular alternative to beef.

Buffalo steak is usually described as having a sweeter flavor than beef, giving it an enjoyably distinctive taste. It is flavorful without being gamey, it is tender without being greasy, and it can be prepared just like steak. In fact, because buffalos and cows have essentially the same muscle groups, the cuts of meat are the same as you would find with beef. So, when you select a buffalo steak, you will know exactly what to expect from your meal.

However, the flavor is not the only reason to try buffalo steak. In fact, one of the best reasons to try buffalo steak is the fact that it is actually very good for you. Because buffalo is much lower in fat than beef or pork, buffalo steak is much easier on your body than other forms of red meat. Buffalo is remarkably lean for red meat, allowing people to feel much better about their selection of meat. So even the healthy crowd can feel good about choosing buffalo.

In fact, buffalo is so lean that you have to be careful with it when you cook it. Because fat is an insulator, it makes beef cook slowly. But, since buffalo is a very lean animal, the meat is very low in fat and, therefore, much healthier. Which also means that you need to be careful cooking a buffalo steak, since it will cook much faster than beef. So you should always be careful with buffalo on the grill or in the oven.

While the low fat and low cholesterol of buffalo steak is attractive, modern concerns about meat make buffalo even more attractive. Because buffalo graze on the free range, they are not as susceptible to mad cow disease as, lets say, cows. This is because buffalo are allowed to go out onto the prairies and eat grass like normal herbivores, rather than eat cow renderings, such as regular cattle. And buffalo do not defecate in the streams and ponds where they drink, making them that much more sanitary. And, even more, they dont require the steroids and antibiotics that cattle require, since buffalo tend to grow much larger than cows and are much more resistant to disease. Thus, buffalo are permitted to grow on their own and dont require as many chemicals to stay healthy. Which means that buffalo steak is not as filled with chemicals as beef, making it a meat that is almost untainted by modern science.

Admittedly, buffalo steak is not the least expensive meat available. But, when you consider the fact that buffalo is a very healthy, very tasty alternative to beef, it is clearly an alternative worth exploring. So, if you are in the mood to stretch out and try something new, exciting, and well worth the effort, give a buffalo steak a try and see what a difference it can make.

Colored Contact Lenses are the fashion statement of the day. They are available in shades of green, blue, and sometimes lavender. Colored contacts need to be matched to your skin tone for best results.

There are four main types of colored contacts, although there is little difference them. Visibility tint lenses have a slight tint that will help you locate the lens when it is in your eye easily. This is particularly helpful if the lens should slip out of place.

Enhancement lenses have an obvious tint to change the eye color of the wearer. Change is generally more effective for people with light colored eyes such as blue, hazel, or green. These lenses are a great way to initiate subtle changes to your eye color.

Opaque color tint lenses are generally used for those who have dark colored eyes such as such as brown eyes. Opaque color tint contacts have very distinct and very obvious color pattern designs. They look like real irises. The drawback to these lenses is that they affect the vision of individuals with large pupils because the opaqueness can block parts of the field of vision.

Light filter lenses are relatively new in the marketplace. These lenses are great for tennis players and golfers because they enhance colors. The changes are coming from the lenses. An example would be a golfer who loses a ball in the grass might ordinarily miss the ball and deem it lost or with the enhancement of light filter lenses might be able to find it because the white will be whiter and the green greener thus making the ball stand out more. The green-yellow of a tennis ball is enhance thus improving its visibility and increasing the chances of it being seen even in bright sunlight.

The light filtering lenses could be disposable or not. They are generally soft lenses and the eyes tend to adjust to them easily. Within this type of lenses there are many options. Talk to your eye care professional-they will help you figure out the best contacts for you.

Though these lenses are safe you should contact your eye care professional especially if you have problems like itching or redness in the eye or any uncomfortable feelings. You need to take care of the lenses in a way similar to how the original lenses were taken care of. They are reasonably priced and can be purchased online with a prescription of course. There are an abundance of deals and discounts available.

Oil paintings on canvas are always mounted on inner, wooden frame bars (a stretcher) before framing. A stretcher is a wooden support that a canvas is attached to for stability. A frame around the stretcher, in addition to complementing the appearance of the painting, provides extra support for the canvas.

A competent picture framer will be able to stretch the oil painting onto a stretcher frame or you can stretch the canvas yourself fairly easily once you know what to do and have the right tools and materials.

Making a Stretcher Frame

You need the necessary tools and materials: a stapler, stretcher bars, and possibly also a pair of canvas pliers to grip the canvas (similar to ordinary pliers except they have a broader gripping area). You can buy stretcher bars and staplers from art supply shop.

Measure the size of the painted area that you want on display and cut the stretcher bars to size. Then assemble the stretcher frame using the bars, pushing the mitred ends into each other and gluing the joints. One or more cross bars may be needed depending on the size of the oil painting and the strength and stiffness of the stretcher bars.

Check that the stretcher frame is square, either by using a T-square or by taking a tape measure and checking that the diagonal distances from opposing corners are equal. If these are equal, the frame is square.

Stretching an Oil Painting Canvas onto a Stretcher Frame

To stretch your oil painting onto its stretcher frame, follow these steps:

Unroll the canvas and lay the oil painted side down on a clean, flat surface. Place the frame on top of the canvas. It is important to leave any excess overlapping material because this is what you use to grip, stretch, and attach the canvas to the frame.

Fold one side of the canvas over one of the shorter stretcher bars and then attach a staple at the centre of the outside edge of that bar.

On the opposite side, use pliers to grip the canvas at mid-bar. With a firm grip, pull the canvas until a straight crease is formed to the tacked end. Insert another staple at the centre edge of the bar, just like the other side.

Move to the next stretcher bar (one of the longer ones) and repeat steps the previous steps.

Place temporary staples at all four corners. Starting with the centre of one of the long bars, grip the canvas tightly with the pliers and staple at 5 centimeters (2 inch) intervals. Repeat with several staples in both directions (from the centre) and then switch to the opposite side and repeat the process.

Repeat the same fastening process for both of the short sides, working out from the centers.

Fold and pleat the corners of the canvas and then neatly wrap them around to the rear of the canvas frame. Keeping tension on the material, staple all of the excess cloth to the rear of the frame so that it is neatly secured. Then staple all four outer corners. This excess material is important to have in case you ever need to re-stretch or remount the canvas.

Re-stretching an Old Oil Painted Canvas

Changes in climate will cause the canvas to expand or shrink, resulting in a sagging or rippled canvas. The oil painting will then need to be re-stretched onto a new stretcher if the problem is serious or a less serious sagging can be remedied by either altering the tension provided by the corner wedges in the stretcher or by applying a special spay, available in art shops, that tightens the canvas

Here are just a few ways to increase and diversify your income from your consulting business.

1. Sell More Services to Your Existing Clients

Instead of spending all that time and money trying to get new business, why not try to sell more services to your existing client base?

If you are an accounting and tax consulting firm, for example, you likely have clients who need some assistance in their record keeping and documentation. In addition to your year-end tax services, could you provide monthly bookkeeping and financial statements, accounting system setups, training in accounting software, or other services to assist your client?

Monthly services, in addition to annually billed fees, will help you smooth out your cashflow and minimize the seasonal nature of your business.

2. Mass Market Your Advice by Productizing Your Services

Could you produce a folio, special report, newsletter, e-book, book, audio cassette, video, or course? If so, you could enjoy making money even when you’re not billing for your time. While asleep or on vacation, the sale of your information products could be generating additional income for you.

Sell such products through direct mail, mail order, exporting, and Internet marketing (your own website, your own affiliate programs, eBay auctions, and so on).

As well as the passive, residual income that information products can produce for you, they also help establish your credentials as an expert. This, in turn, produces more consulting opportunities for you.

3. Perform Group Consulting

Seminars, workshops, and teleclasses enable you to help many participants in a cost-effective manner. In addition to paying for admission, your attendees may also purchase some of your information products or even become your regular consulting clients.

4. Consider Additional Markets

Could you sell your consulting services to federal, state, provincial, or municipal governments? Could you be an expert trial witness?

If you consult with local clients, could you extend your reach nationally or internationally by using the telephone and Internet?

These few ideas are a starting point for you to brainstorm all the possibilities for exploding your consulting income.

Have you ever imagined yourself not having knees? Surely, it is a delight to see those shapely, long legs, but without the knees, those legs will be useless. The knee is a weight-bearing joint that connects the thigh and the leg to each other. The role of the knees is to allow movement of the legs by flexing (bending) and extending (straightening) to perform normal daily functions such as walking, sitting, standing, running, and even kicking. However, today’s active society and fast-paced lifestyle has resulted in the rising number of problems related to knee conditions.