Best Prom Dress

Prom night is the most exciting night of high school life-and the most looked forward to. It is the night for dressing up in your best attire and creating an impression that would last as long as your childhood memories. Dressing up for the prom night is every girl's dream.
Prom dresses are generally formal party gowns, long and delicately stunning. Prom dresses may be based on the theme of the party or they can just be traditional ball gowns. There is no conventional way to define the "best prom dress". It is the one that would make you feel beautiful and convey the right image-sweet, innocent, sexy or simply stunning. The most popular prom dresses are satin, sequined, vintage fashions, the little black dress, the asymmetrical hem dress, the hanky hem and the classic Cinderella ball gown.
Prom dresses can be bought directly from retail stores or they can be painstakingly and lovingly designed for the best effect. Since it is the last formal occasion in school, most people would not hesitate to spend a bit more on the prom dress. Prom dresses can also be designed professionally to suit the exact body type and measurements. It is very important that the dress fits perfectly. For achieving this, get the exact measurements of your body, especially the bust, waist and hips. You don't have to be a perfect size 10 to look beautiful. There is a dress available for every body from A-type to hourglass.
Color plays a part in the big night, too. Find one that compliments your coloring choosing from slimming muted shades like deep gray, wine, forest green, burgundy, midnight blue and cocoa or choose neutral colors like silver, black, gray, beige, gold and taupe for a flattering look. Long straight cuts and vertical patterns also make the wearer look slim and sexy. The material should skim the body. Clingy material accentuates fuller figures. Also pay attention to accessories since they complete your look.
There are several online outlets that provide beautiful prom dresses. These websites also provide information about choosing the right kind of prom dress and also help to design one. These include dresses from popular designers like Jovani, Riva, Alyce, Mori Lee, Cassandra, Je Matadi, Tiffany and Celebrity.

Train Your Customers to Think of You First

In sales, you can train your customers by building a relationship that will ultimately yield tremendous rewards. If you don't train them, your customers may forget you're out there and go instead to your competition, even if they were happy with you and the service you provided. They simply won't even think of talking to you about their current needs. That's why you need to develop a level of familiarity and presence that makes you unforgettable, even indispensable.
Generate more sales by using this plan to train your customers to always think of you first.
First, Build a Relationship
Animal trainers spend two to three hours a day building the relationship with the animal they're training. This time is essential to building trust. Trainers make contact of some sort that the animal especially loves, from playing fetch with a dog to rubbing the belly of an affection-loving monkey. They determine as the relationship grows how best to give each animal the attention he or she needs.
Though it's probably best if you don't rub your customers' bellies every day, you can rather easily make yourself a more valuable resource to all of your customers by determining what will give added value to each. Find a way to build your relationship with each of them, such as regularly passing along information via e-mail, even on a daily basis, that will benefit the customer. Relationship-building activities keep you in the forefront of customers' minds, and while these activities won't necessarily be immediately income-producing, they will have a positive impact down the road when the customer thinks of you and the value you added to routine service.
Second, Impress with Consistency
Animals, like children and many adults, need routine to feel secure and trusting. Trainers behave predictably so as not to frighten, confuse, or upset the animal. From a sales standpoint, you need to be consistent with your customers, so they know what to expect from you and how much they can depend on you. For example, you should always return their calls within an hour or two of their leaving a message, not sometimes call back an hour later and sometimes call back three days later.
If you have this professional approach, and you consistently deliver what your customers want without being asked, you'll be the first one they think of because you have made yourself indispensable. In other words, they'll use you consistently if you behave consistently and consistently produce good results for them, even if they're not officially your customer.
Third, Recognize and Meet Individual Needs
Part of building a relationship with an animal involves knowing what its needs are. For example, one primate may love vegetables and despise fruit, while another won't touch his veggies but can't get enough bananas and apples. Customers also have needs, and they do business with you because you can meet, anticipate, and predictably fulfill those needs. The human equivalents of those picky primates might be those customers who insist on being able to place their orders on-line, while others want nothing to do with computers and need to be able to pick up the phone, day or night, to order what they want.
To meet your customers' needs, you must take the time to get to know each individual. Your familiarity with them will help you discern what their particular needs are, thus allowing you to better meet them.
Don't limit the lengths to which you're willing to go to accommodate your customers. If it's not illegal, immoral, or unethical, do it. If anyone in your organization complains that you're favoring a client for whom you're going a bit out of your way, explain that you're not giving preferential treatment so much as you're meeting one particular customer's different needs, and that you're committed to meeting all needs equally.


Fourth, Learn From Your Lions
Lions are solitary and territorial animals. They don't want to be around each other, so getting two to lie down side by side in a circus act, for example, can be a huge feat. Trainers have to learn which ones are more likely to remain friendly to another tiger by learning their individual preferences.
As you learn your customers' needs, learn as much as you can about the intricacies of their business, the individuals on their staff, and their roles and relationships within the organization. Especially if you're selling to different industries, be willing to go into their businesses and learn the idiosyncrasies of the industrial manufacturer, the habits of the healthcare facility, and the quirks of the cleaning supply company. Pick up every detail you possibly can that will help you build that relationship and show you how to better serve those customers. The payoff is that you begin to look like one of them, and they perceive you as being a part of their internal team, which is what you really want, as opposed to being perceived as a salesperson who just comes in to make a sale.
Fifth, Become a Resource
When trainers have developed a relationship with the animals they train, the animals become completely dependent on them for everything; the trainer is the animal's sole resource for most primary and secondary needs, such as food, shelter, and even companionship.
To train your customers to think of you first, every time, you must seek to become a full-service resource, as hands-on as you can manage to be. At that point, you'll achieve the coveted top of the mind status that will bring them to you again and again. If you can demonstrate that you are able to meet all of their needs, you'll be the first person they think of when they have a new need that you can either meet or give them a referral to someone who can.
If you're in real estate sales, for example, don't limit your client contact to just selling them property. Extend yourself to meet all of their real estate needs by sending someone from your office to make a presentation to the planning commission, or to track down permits. A simple rule of thumb is to always go above and beyond what your competition is doing to provide services for the customer. Do more and you'll find you'll obtain coveted word-of-mouth advertising, the very best kind, as your happy clients send their friends and colleagues directly to you.
Sixth, Build Your Menagerie With Your Competition's Clients, Too!
If you train your customers to think of you first, they won't give a thought to your competitors. Now consider how you could use this training strategy to steal business away from your competition. If the competition isn't giving this personal level of service, if they're just filling orders and aren't familiar with their customers and their needs, they are vulnerable. Use your excellent animal training skills to go in there and make the competitors' business your own. When you do, you may find yourself turning even tough old lions into happy pussycats!








 

A Fantastic Award For Good Leadership Programs

The best place to turn to learn more about leadership.
We want to grab your attention to this article on leadership. It not only is interesting, but also has loads about leadership.
Why do organizations come together every year at the 2005 Excellence Fair held by the Professional Association for Computer Training?
You may be filled with astonishment with the amount of information we have compile here on leadership. that was our intention, to astonish you.
It is because something worked well for an organization and valuable information needs to be shared. This year at the 2005 Excellence Fair it was Cargill, the international food provider (located in over 59 countries), that was recognized for their Transition into Leadership curriculum that helps employees transition into leadership roles.
So, what is it about Cargill’s leadership curriculum that has led to such great success? It began when Cargill recognized that great team members also make great leaders. But, the insights, skills, and vision needed to be an effective leader must be developed, practiced, and learned over time.
As such, the focus of Cargill’s leadership development program is to provide new and aspiring leaders with the skills required to confront the challenges and opportunities that a leadership role entails. In the program, aspiring and new leaders learn how to guide, empower, and assist the efforts of others towards greater success. These newly developed leaders are instructed on how to lead people, make a difference in their work, and fulfill leadership expectations.
So how is this leadership development program different from all of the others? This program provides new leaders with the key tools for leading effectively, while at the same time making the program specific to the development needs of each attendee. Most programs on the market do not focus on the transformation process aspiring leaders must go through to maximize their effectiveness.


The Transition into Leadership curriculum was designed to:
Introduce the best ideas and practices in leadership today
Identify the significant differences between leadership and management
Determine the participants own leadership strengths and areas for improvement
Develop and practice sound leadership skills and abilities
Learn “best practices” through close affiliation with other Cargill leaders
It was our decision to write so much on leadership after finding out that there is still so much to learn on leadership.
Communicate effectively and reinforce, mission, goals, and vision
Take accountability for business results and team member development
Embrace change and challenge the comfort zone of team members
Looking for something logical on leadership, we stumbled on the information provided here. Look out for anything illogical here.
Cargill’s leadership development program places great importance on their employees and know that they are the key part of a successful future. As a result they seek the best programs in order to create development opportunities for their employees and leaders around the world.
Cargill selected CMOE to partner with them in the development and implementation of the Transition into Leadership program. At the Center for Management and Organization Effectiveness we have been helping Cargill to create, develop and implement their Transition into Leadership program and fulfill a variety of training needs.
Giving a word of appreciation or gratitude to this piece of writing on leadership would be enough encouragement to us to continue producing such informative articles on leadership.







 

John Reese's Top Traffic Secrets

Track all sources of traffic generation.
John Reese stresses the need to track where all traffic comes from and at what cost. It is crucial to know exactly how many sales, newsletter sign-ups, or other leads your particular marketing campaigns generating. This enables you to work smarter and not harder. By tracking all traffic to your site you can make twice as much while working fifty percent less.
Content is King
On the internet, people are searching for one thing....... Content! Load your website with as much content as possible. Then, continuously add content. Search engines love information and they will love your site if you've got lots of it. There's plenty of free content for the taking on the internet. You can load up your site with articles from article directories like ezinearticles.com. Or, you could be like John and use content from the public domain. Or, you can use content that is in the creative commons. This type is now easier than ever to find now that Yahoo and others have come out with a search engine designed specifically for content that is in the creative commons.
An affiliate program is critical to maximum traffic and sales. Lots of internet marketers don't take advantage of this powerful traffic-generating technique. An affiliate program allows you to have your own personal salesman spread all over the web. The best part about it is that there is absolutely no risk involved but tons of traffic and sales to gain. Your website simply cannot grow to its full potential without an effective affiliate program.
Banner Ads
John Reese advocates the use of banner ads during a time when they are largely an untapped marketing source. Banner ads are one of the most overlooked sources of targeted traffic online.
Also, banner ads are now one of the cheapest sources of targeted traffic. In the late 1990's during the dot-com boom, people were selling banner ads for $40 and $50 CPM. Then the dot-com bubble hit and these rates hit the floor. You can now buy banner ads dirt cheap, at $1 to $1.50 CPM. This is $1 for 1,000 banner impressions. The key here is to find the perfect place to advertise that will send targeted, willing to buy customers to your site.


Create viral reports that can quickly spread around the internet. This method works best when you have an affiliate program. Allow others to brand your report in order to encourage its distribution.
A quality free report can be a powerful promoter when passed around the internet. This same phenomenon can occur when you submit your articles to article directories and popular newsletters.
Take advantage of your virtual real estate.
Take advantage of the different parts of your website. Don't let any of your web pages go to waste. You can do this by adding a link to another one of your web sites or pages on your thank-you or sales confirmation pages. If you have articles on your site, place links to related articles on the bottom of the page. The longer you keep a visitor at your web site, the more valuable they become.
It is very important to funnel traffic from within the multiple sites you may have.
Continually seek out other web sites to link to you. Now, we're not just talking about any kind of link here, but powerful, traffic-generating links from respected sites. Here are some quick suggestions:
Send a related web site an article that you have written and allow them to display it on their website with a resource box at the end. Offer to exchange articles and tell them about the benefits of doing so.
Allow multiple, related web sites to distribute your free e-book or report. All web masters are looking to add value to their web site, why not make it easy for them.
There are unlimited possibilities, be creative!
Online group participation can produce a no-cost stream of traffic and sales.
Get involved in email discussion lists, online groups and forums that are related to your target market. Becoming involved in discussions makes you very credible. Traffic from forums can produce a much higher sales conversion rate.
This method can produce quite a bit of sales for you just by helping others out. Not to mention, you'll learn a lot along the way.








 

Is Bad Customer Service Killing Your Business?

It's time to beat the old bad customer service drum again. I know, I'm sick of beating the drum, too, but as long as bad customer service runs rampant through so many businesses I feel it is my entrepreneurial duty to bring it to your attention. So grab a pew and prepare to listen to the sermon I've preached before: bad customer service is the bane of business. If the Almighty smote down every business that dispenses bad customer service, the world would be a much friendlier, albeit much sparser place. Consider a world without malls and fast food joints… would it really be so bad?
What puzzles me most is if bad customer service is such a death knell for business, why do so many businesses allow it to go on? Don't they read my column, for Pete's sake? I think the problem is that most bad customer service is doled out (or at least condoned) by business owners and managers who have ceased caring what their customers think. When you stop caring what your customers think it's time to close the doors. Go find a day job. You'll make someone a wonderfully disgruntled employee.
My latest parable of lousy customer service was actually experienced by my better half while attempting to buy my daughter a pair of basketball shoes. I won't mention the name of the sporting goods chain store in which the bad customer service took place, but I will tell you that its name is similar to the sound a frog with hiccups might make.
As my wife waited for someone to assit, the four or five teenagers who had been charged with manning the store stood in a clump at the cash register giggling and flirting with one another as if they were at the prom instead of at work.
When my wife pointed out this fact, one of the employees, a cheeky lass of 16 or so, put her hands on her hips and said, "How rude!" The males in the group didn't react at all. They were too busy arguing over who could take a break so they could chase other cheeky lasses about the mall.
Needless to say my lovely bride, who has the ability to instill fear into the hearts of even the most worthless employees, left the gaggle of giggling teen idiots standing with their mouths open in disbelief. How dare a customer tell them to do that with a pair of basketball shoes?
As much as I bemoan bad customer service I celebrate good customer service. It should be applauded and the purveyor of said good customer service should be rewarded for actually delivering satisfaction to the customer, above and beyond the call of duty.<


So let me tell you the story of my new hero, Ken. I won't tell you the name of the store in which Ken works, but let's just say they started out selling radios in a shack somewhere long, long ago.
I first met Ken when I went into the store to buy a mixing board for my business that records audio products for the Web. In a nutshell, you plug microphones into the mixing board then connect it to the computer and you can record audio directly to digital format. Totally beside the point of this article, but I didn't want you thinking that I was purchasing non-manly cooking utensils.
When I got the mixer installed it didn't work. So I boxed it up and headed back to the store to return it. When I told Ken my problem he didn't just grunt and give me my money back as so many bad customer service reps would do. Instead he asked, "Do you mind if I try it?"
"Knock yourself out," was my reply, confident that if I couldn't get it to work, neither could Ken. Ken took the mixer out of the box and went about hooking it up to one of the computers on display. He started pulling power cords and cables off the display racks and ripping them open and plugging them in. He tore open a new microphone and an adapter and kept going until he had the mixer hooked up and working. Yes, I said working. It turns out the mixer was fine. I just had the wrong power adapter.
Ken could have just given me my money back and been done with me. Instead he spent 15 minutes and opened a number of other packages that I was under no obligation to buy just to help me get the thing working.
I was so impressed that I not only kept the mixing board, I also bought another $50 worth of products. And the next time I need anything electronic guess where I will buy it? Even if it costs twice as much, I'll buy it from Ken.
Now here's the moral of the story: if you are a business owner who has a gaggle of teenagers in charge of customer service at your store you would be better off replacing them with wild monkeys.
At least monkeys can be trained.





 

Features Of Home Gym Equipment

Home gym equipment is a great way for you to stay in shape, stay healthy and keep and build muscle tone. There are many home gym equipment reviews online that tout the benefits of the home gym. You can exercise at home in relative ease. The equipment allows you to work muscles productively that you normally would have trouble exercising and the equipment is usually more effective in helping you exercise. It helps you to maintain proper posture and follow through in the correct motions.
Many users of home gym equipment have or use multistation pieces that allow them to workout on several types of machines in one. The multistation home gym will often allow you to work out your arms, legs, abs and buttock or thighs.
Its usually composed of a pulley or sliding bar system that 'transforms' into different positions when you wish to change your workout routine. The multistation home gym increases tension using these pulleys which equate to measures of five or ten pound increments.
You may wish to check out some home gym equipment reviews to find which multistation gyms people prefer. It is very important to find the right ones. Your workout routine will undoubtedly place a lot of stress on the machine and you want to look for the machine that will stand up to the abuse. In a worst case scenario your multistation home gym will break while you are using it and may cause you an injury.
All home gym equipment must have a steel or aluminum frame in order to be strong enough to support you during exercise. It should come with a warranty because it is a big purchase and you need to get your monies worth. Also its important to make sure that this home gym equipment works when you get it and that it has a return policy that the company will honor.

Curing IBS With A Change In Diet

A cure for IBS has yet to be found, but its symptoms can be managed by a change in diet. A person can also manage the symptoms by reducing his or her stress and of course with medication. Each person has different trigger foods that can cause IBS symptoms. Physicians often observe that patients are relieved knowing that these symptoms are not signs of a major decease.
People should be aware of diet changes that could prevent IBS from getting worse. First they should know the foods to avoid. Examples of the foods that may cause the symptoms to become worse are food high in fat like deep fried foods, milk and dairy products like cheese or yogurt, chocolates, alcohol and caffeine which is normally found in coffee and carbonated drinks. If these foods cause the symptoms of IBS, people should minimize their intake or even better refrain from eating them. For people to find out which food products are causing their symptoms they should monitor what they eat and keep a log of food intake during the day, what symptoms are experienced, what time these symptoms occurred, and what food makes you feel bad every time you eat it. Then take your notes to your physician for them to be able to know which food you should refrain from eating.
There are also foods which are advisable for people with IBS to eat; these are foods that contain fiber. Fiber reduces the symptoms of IBS especially constipation. Fiber makes the stool soft, bulky and makes the stool easy to pass. Fibers can be found in foods like bran, bread, cereals, beans, fruits, and vegetables. Bread that contains fiber is whole-grain bread; whole-grain cereal, beans fiber can be found in kidney and lima beans, the fruits that contain fiber are apples and peaches, and the vegetables that contain fiber are broccoli, raw cabbage, carrots, and raw peas.


Adding these foods to your daily diet gradually helps your body adjust to them. Aside from advising people to eat more foods with fiber, physicians sometimes tell the patient to get more fiber by either taking a fiber pill mixing a high fiber powder into drinking. But, be aware that too much fiber all at once might cause gas and can actually trigger the symptoms of IBS.
How much a person eats during the day also matters. Large meals can lead to cramping and diarrhea. If this happens, change your meals and eat four or five small meals a day instead. If you don't want to do this or it won't fit in with your schedule stick to three meals a day, reducing the quantity you eat.
If you suspect you are suffering with IBS, you should first consult your primary care physician before taking other steps.

Mother's Day Gift Idea

Is your Mom into artistic expression? This Mother's Day give her a gift that is sure to bring out the author in her.
Mom will appreciate the thought you give to a gift more than anyone else. And she will usually tell you what she would like. Listen. If she is being conservative in what she asks for, probe, ask questions, see what she really could use.
This quaint, white wicker basket contains 'Chicken Soup for the Mother's Soul' (second edition), a blank journal with matching bookmark, a variety of herbal teas, shortbread cookies and flower-shaped candles.
Basket is decorated with bright silk flowers, color-coordinated ribbon and a personalized, hand-written gift card.
If your Mom adores the scent of lavender, consider the following Mother's Day gift idea. Full Moon's Lavender Spa Basket is filled with products that pamper the body and soothe the soul.
Items that make up this spa basket are lavender scented shower gel, soap, bubble bath, lotion and bath salts. Also included is a bath scrubby, lavender-scented candle and a handy manicure set.
Has your Mom always been a homey 'picket fence kind of girl'? If the answer is yes, the next gift basket is the perfect Mother's Day gift idea.
This adorable picket fence basket can be used as a planter, after the goodies are gone or being used. Goodies include gourmet cookies, herb tea, sourdough truffles, fruit-flavored bon bons, pastel mints, sugar cookies, a photo frame and matching candle and a wonderful book of inspirational, Mother's Day wisdom.
Again, this basket is decorated with bright silk flowers, color-coordinated ribbon and a personalized, hand-written gift card. This Mother's Day don't buy roses. Order a pre-made or custom gift basket, for that special Mom on your list. With the help of FullMoonGiftBaskets.com, you can't go wrong!







 

Why a Celebrity Lookalike or a Female Impersonator Would Be a Big Hit at Your next Event!

Have you ever considered hiring a celebrity lookalike or female impersonator for your next party or special event? If you haven't, you are missing out on one of the hottest trends in event planning right now. Hiring celebrity lookalikes and female impersonators can help your next event by:
•Offering laughs and surprises. Just imagine the look on your guests' faces as they are greeted by Elvis or Madonna at your party or big event. Most people laugh out loud when they see celebrity lookalikes and female impersonators. By including these types of entertainers, you can immediately create a great atmosphere and encourage people to relax and enjoy themselves.
•Drawing attention. If celebrity lookalikes and female impersonators arrive at your event, it is guaranteed that people will be intrigued and want to join in all the fun. Plus, imagine the terrific response you can get if you advertise that The Beatles will be at your music school workshop. The truth is, celebrity and female impersonators are great marketing, no matter what sort of event you are hosting.
•Offering a personalized event. There are qualified entertainers out there who can impersonate anyone and anything. No matter what your interests and no matter what the theme of your event, you can find great lookalike entertainers to help you. Even if you are planning a business conference, imagine the great atmosphere you would build by including Bill Gates or Donald Trump lookalikes.
•Offering superb entertainment. Many celebrity lookalikes and female impersonators have voice and theater training. Some can present speeches, sing, or do stand up comedy acts. If you are tired of having the same old music band, lookalikes are an exciting new option.
•Offering great photo opportunities. Few entertainers offer the sort of great photos that celebrity lookalikes and female impersonators can offer. These entertainers spend hours achieving the perfect look to make your event a great success.
No matter what your next big event will be like, hiring celebrity and female impersonators is a great idea. Your guests will talk about your event for years to come and will eagerly look forward to the future events you host.

The Evolution Of The Electric Guitar

References to the guitar more or less in its modern form date back to the 14th century. In its infancy it had four courses of double strings and a rounded body like a gourd or a pumpkin. Its mother would not recognize it today!
Around the sixteenth century the guitar was a popular musical instrument amongst the middle and lower classes of Europe, and as it increased in popularity it began to undergo a change of shape. Luthiers began making instruments with single strings instead of courses and experimented with its form until, by the 19th century, the body of the guitar was made wider, and flattened out. In the twentieth century the wooden tuning pegs which adjusted the tension of the strings were replaced by metal machine heads. Now we have the shape that the modern electric guitar is based on.
The first electric guitars were made in the 1930's in response to a demand from guitarists in bands whose rhythmic stylings could not be heard above the other instruments. The main problem with these electric guitars was that feedback was coming through the amplifier from the vibration of the guitar's body. This challenge began the evolutionary process of the solid body electric guitar.
The early electric guitars had sound holes in the body that were smaller than the sound holes of conventional guitars. In 1924 Lloyd Loar, an engineer with the Gibson factory, used a magnet to change guitar string vibrations into electrical signals, which could be amplified through a speaker. Now it was possible to build guitars that did not possess sound holes but could be heard clearly through an amplifier. Amateur guitar players were able to get their hands on electric guitars through the efforts of Paul Barth, George Beauchamp and Adolph Rickenbacker who founded the Electro String Company in 1931. Their guitars resembled steel guitars, and were played in the guitarist's lap using a slide.
Modern electric guitars are made of many thin layers of wood glued together. The top layer is often a more attractive wood to give the guitar a pleasing appearance, and the other layers are of a wood which gives a good tone such as poplar or ash. The use of laminates endows the instrument with the robust body and tonal quality that would be impossible in one piece of wood. The original solid body guitar was however, made from one piece of wood. In 1941 Les Paul turned a railway sleeper into an amplified stringed instrument. He called it "The Log". When production of his instrument began he stayed with the conventional guitar shape to give his market a familiar image to relate to. Les Paul's invention marketed as the Gibson Les Paul is still extremely popular.


In the 1940's, the Fender Broadcaster Electric guitar came into the world. Nobody really noticed until Arthur Smith used a Broadcaster to record "Guitar Boogie" in 1949. After being renamed the Telecaster, it was put on the market in 1950. Another Fender model, the Stratocaster, caught guitarists' attention with its distinctive tone and light weight. It's still the second most popular guitar in the world.
Ibanez, Jackson, Paul Reed Smith, ESP and Yamaha have made solid body electric guitars with original designs, distinctive shapes and new materials mixed with modern technologies to produce more efficient and versatile electric guitars. Today's electric guitars produce tones varying between futuristic music or quasi-acoustic sounds.
In the 1960's, effects boxes introduced fuzz, delay, echo and the wah-wah sound to the arsenal of sounds available to the modern guitarist. A pedal operated by the guitar player's foot turns the effects on or off. Now guitars contain software that lets guitars sound like other types of guitars or reproduce the sound of other musical instruments. With developments like the latest self-tuning guitars, maybe the old joke about a guitarist "phoning in" a solo will become a reality!






 

Effective Resume Writing

A lot of places around the world call it A Curriculum Vitae, in North America, it's a Résumé. This is definitely one of the most important tools that any jobseeker has at their disposal. You may be THE best candidate for a particular job by a long way, however, if you don't make it to the interview stages the company will never know.
Many companies (especially the larger corporations) will use computer software to "read" all the résumé's and reject any that don't fit a particular template. This may seem unfair, but it's cost effective.
So, for some jobs you have to beat the computer and still read well enough for someone who may not have any knowledge of the position you are applying for. It is definitely worthwhile to adapt your resume for the position that is advertised. There may well be some of the "buzz" words the "filter" is looking for mentioned in the job description.
It is very important that you can substantiate all the claims you make, preferably with physical examples or letters. This will be essential in any in interview situation.
There is now a wealth of information available online, from books, local employment offices and with professional writing agencies. You can also access other people's résumé's that are posted online which will give some great ideas for style and content. <


Professional writers may seem the answer, but, all the research I have done seems to lean away from them. I have never used one and feel that it will give a good impression if you have written it yourself (this will display literacy). Apparently, if they are professionally written, they are easy to spot; however, they may be worth the expense if you are stuck. You can always "customise" what has been written to make it your own work.
In my case, I had been in the military since I left school and had never written a resume or had an interview. I spent a lot of time writing, copying other people's styles and changing things. I didn't realise how difficult it is to catch up on 16 years - I'll never allow mine to go out of date again! I found the hardest part was to actually start writing. The best advice I was given was to just write anything that you can think of and it will soon start to flow. With modern word processors it's relatively quick and easy to cut and paste so you can keep on changing it until you are happy. More detailed information can be found at http://www.onestopimmigration-canada.com/resume.html
Good Luck!

The Corporate Divide

The corporate structure continues to change in that companies are continuing to increase in size through mergers and acquisitions. As this progress goes forward it seems that we have lost sight of some of the basic elements that make companies successful to begin with. Most of us in the corporate world find ourselves in situations where time is critical to meet pace with ever changing demands. The pitfall here is that we tend to loose sight of some of the necessary elements that insure success. As I mentioned in a previous article some of us still manage our workforce using the "flog them until they drop" philosophy. The problem here is that this approach typically leads to a workforce that is stressed beyond belief and pushed to the point that they just don't care anymore. What I see typically are people who feel like they have been disenfranchised by their employers and will tend to gravitate towards the path of least resistance typically to the detriment of the employer.
The problem as I see it is that these same exact people given the opportunity to excel will do so if provided the opportunity. This is something that should not be taken lightly in that it affects the overall productivity of the workforce. The question then becomes what to do about it. The answer is often not that hard, but as with any problem that exist the first step is to recognize it. Often the cure amounts to no more than giving the employees the feeling that they are involved in the process and important to the outcome. The lack of interest typically displayed in corporate America today comes from the sense that the employee doesn't feel like they are involved.
The cure for this is making the effort as managers to insure that the employees do feel a sense of importance. I would encourage each and every one of you to give the employees a sense of involvement by making the effort to let each one of them know that the success of the company depends on it. The truly amazing benefit of this is that your life as a manager will get easier and more importantly the bottom line will reflect it.






 

Digital Body Worn Cameras

What is small than a credit card, takes up to eighty quality digital photos, can be used as a web cam and carries your keys, as well? This is simply one of the best body worn cameras available on the market today. It is a keychain digital camera. When you leave the house, do you ever go anywhere without your keys?
Probably not, so why not take along a great little body worn camera with you and use it to catch all of the action and memories that you would have lost had you not had this digital camera keychain with you? It has sixteen megabytes of memory and operates on a "AAA" battery. Then when you are ready, just download your photos and you are ready to roll.
Want to know about another great little digital body worn camera? This little gem looks just like a cigarette lighter, a great innovation for all of you smokers. But not only does it take great digital photos, it can also be used to send live video across the Internet. Imagine using a lighter to talk face to face with your friends while you are online.
And it works with most windows based programs. You will get great pictures every time with this camera's automatic exposure and white balance features. So that regardless if you are a professional photographer or a rank novice, you will get the kinds of photos that you desire. These are perfect body worn cameras for private investigators, too. The lighter camera is capable of take up to 104 VGA pictures or 30 SXGA pictures.

How important are your employees?

Most businesses invest in marketing and advertising each month but overlook another vital investment that they are already making. That investment is their employees. I've said before that your employees can make or break your company, and recently I ran into a very poinient example of that fact.
I was on the telephone with UPS trying to track down a shipment that had to be intercepted so that we could get it to a client sooner. I spoke to a woman at UPS about this and she took all the necessary steps to make it happen. After two hours had passed and I had not received a phone call saying where we could meet the driver to get the packages, I called UPS back. This time I spoke to a gentleman who seemed to be new. He insisted on telling me all the reasons that this could not be done. Fortunately I had dealt with this situation before and knew that it could. After a great deal of frustration I ended the call and called back, this time speaking with another woman. This woman was one of the best customer service reps that I have ran into in a long time - she handled everything and went far above and beyond to fix the situation and make everything work for us. Before long, we got the packages and delivered them to our client.
The attitude of the gentleman that I spoke to, unfortunately, seems to be the norm in customer service these days. UPS is in a fairly unique position due to their almost monopolistic position in the market, but most companies would quickly loose customers if they handled them this way. The attitude of the last woman that I spoke to however was completely different and actually solved my frustrations on the situation. The best marketing campaign in the world will fall flat if your employees do not treat your customers right while the best employees can often multiply the effectiveness of an average marketing campaign. To get the most out of your marketing dollars you should make sure that your employees are properly trained on how to deal with customers and occasionally use "mystery customers" to spot test them.






 

Perfecting the Guitar strings

Guitar is one of the easiest musical instruments to play. When you feel the uncontrollable urge to burst into music, just pick up a guitar. Whether you have musical talent or not you will be able to learn to play this fine stringed instrument in no time and with very little effort. You can let that inner rock star in you come out in the open and play everything from rock and roll to rhythm and blues and everything in between.
The first thought that comes to mind after deciding to learn is to go out for purchasing a guitar. However, it is advisable to first find a studio or instructor for learning guitar. Hiring an instructor is economically more feasible as he or she would charge an amount that is way too less than what do the studios charge. Moreover, with an instructor teaching, there is a one to one interaction.
Chances are that you can find an instructor, who is ready to impart you guitar lessons, in your local classified advertisement section. If any of the people in your family or any of your friends are adept at playing guitar then you can ask them also for instructions or to tell you about anyone teaching guitar.
Another option is to go to music stores for your music lessons. These stores are slightly more expensive than an individual instructor, but they also provide group and one-on-one sessions. The group session is good because you get the opportunity to learn with others and assess your progress by comparison. However, if you cannot keep pace with the others, you should go for the one-on-one sessions.


Once you've developed the basic skills of the guitar, you should continue your lessons in a more advanced field. You can ask your instructor to give you the name and information of someone who can provide further instruction, if he can't do it himself. This is the time to purchase your own guitar and also join a group of guitar enthusiasts.
Guitars are available from a hundred dollars to a thousand. You must set a budget so that you don't overspend. It's not wise to purchase an expensive version of an instrument you are still learning to play. It's a good idea to look around at thrift stores, yard sales, and pawn shops for a guitar that will fit your needs at this stage. Later on you can always exchange it for something better, but for the time being just a good guitar should suffice.
Once you have mastered the art of guitar playing, begin to search for a band in need of a guitarist or begin your own band. This is a great deal of fun and frustration in the same act. Many bands want to try out several musicians before and then decide, so consider the process an extended job interview. Once you have found a band and made yourself a home, you can truly be called a guitarist.
Playing the guitar is not an incredibly difficult task, but it will require a great deal of focus and determination. Enjoy the learning process and work hard towards your goal. Soon enough, you will be jamming with the best of them on your new guitar.







 

Today's Obesity Research

Obesity increases a person's risks for high blood pressure and diabetes, as well as cancers of the breast, endometrium, colon, kidney, and oesophagus. This is why world health officials are putting more money into obesity research and making sure that they get the information that they need to provide us with new ways to battle the new worldwide epidemic that is evolving. Obesity research is crucial in telling us what cause obesity and how we can tackle it.
New medical research has shown us that obesity isn't all down to unhealthy living but it is also narrowed down to what our DNA is made up like. Many people who have had members of their family that have suffered from being overweight or obese will be at a very high risk to suffer the same problems and therefore need to take extra steps to help prevent that from happening.
Although genetics play a part in obesity research has shown that unhealthy living with bad diets and no exercise also plays a major part when it comes to obesity. To burn fat we need to burn more than we take in, if we do not exercise then we don't burn fat therefore inevitably we will end up overweight then obese. Research helps us to know more about the complexities of obesity. Yet, there is so much more for researchers to explore, more time and investment needs to put be into obesity research so we can find more conclusive solutions to battling obesity


Obesity causes major health problems and researches have made note that unless the situation is addressed we can be facing a worldwide problem and breakdown due to obesity. It is a major complication in terms of operations as many doctors and consultants will not anaesthetize any one who is grossly overweight as this is extremely unsafe. Therefore more important medical problems can't be solved or helped when obesity is a problem.
Obesity research is crucial and extremely important when it comes to obesity and its finding needs to have action taken, there are far to many people grappling with the problem of being overweight and loosing the struggle and turning obese. Research finding should be made available in forms of books, television adverts, leaflets and school topics, doing this we will try to save the next generation from falling susceptible to the world wide problem that is obesity!

Gold and Silver Maple Leafs Get New Packaging

Gold Maple Leafs and Silver Maple Leafs are receiving packaging makeovers, changes clearly mandated by investor disfavor with packaging that the Royal Canadian Mint has used since the coins were introduced. Gold Maple Leafs debuted in 1979, Silver Maple Leafs in 1988. The changes appear to be good moves, which should increase sales of Silver Maple Leafs and help keep Gold Maple Leafs the preferred pure (.9999 fine) gold bullion coins.
Since inception, 1-oz Gold Maple Leafs have been packaged ten to a tube. Because Maple Leafs are 24-karat, pure gold, they are "soft," relative to alloyed gold coins, such as American Gold Eagles and Krugerrands. Further, because of the design of the coins and the tight-fitting tubes, it is difficult to remove, inspect, and reinsert 1-oz Gold Maple Leafs in their tubes without scratching the coins.
Actually, reinserting Gold Maple Leafs without at least some scratching is nearly impossible. Further, if the persons inspecting the coins do not know how easily the Gold Maple Leafs are damaged, needless damage often occurs while the coins are out their tubes.
Gold Maple Leafs carry the image of Queen Elizabeth II on the front, with a flat, clear field alongside the image. The backs have the outline of a maple leaf, hence the coins' names. The problem arises from the coins' really sharp milled (reeded) edges. When the coins are reinserted in their tubes, the milled edges often scratch the fields.
Then there is the problem with investors who like to "heft" their coins "to get a feel of them." If they put four or five Gold Maple Leafs in the palms of their hands and "clang" them, the damage can be quite severe. Should a Gold Maple Leaf be dropped, rim damage is almost guaranteed.
As Gold Maple Leafs have been sold into the secondary market, damaged coins have become such a problem that Gold Maple Leafs have lost popularity with investors. The problem has become so widespread that many wholesalers bid only "melt" for Gold Maple Leafs, regardless of their condition. By paying only "melt," wholesalers can profitably resell the coins for industrial or jewelry purposes if no buyers are found for the coins.
Gold Maple Leafs, like the Gold Eagles and the Krugerrands, are bullion coins, which trade for the value of their gold content, plus small premiums. Damaged Gold Maple Leafs do not mean a loss of gold; they contain an ounce of gold regardless of the scratching or rim nicks. Still, buyers do not like to receive damaged coins. This means that Gold Maple Leafs sold into the secondary market have to be evaluated for the degree of damage.
Some wholesalers refuse to take the time to individually inspect Gold Maple Leafs and separate them according to their condition. These are the wholesalers who generally will pay only "melt" for 1-oz Gold Maple Leafs, regardless of condition. Fortunately, the free market being what it is, there are still some wholesalers who will buy according to condition.


Yet the handwriting is on the wall: 1-oz Gold Maple Leafs in tubes will continue to lose popularity and probably will join Krugerrands, Mexican 50 Pesos, and Austrian 100 Coronas as basic bullion coins, which carry the smallest premiums in the bullion coin market. Still, the packaging makeover should fillip sales of new Gold Maple Leafs.
With the new packaging, each 1-oz Gold Maple Leaf will be encapsulated in plastic and suspended in the middle of a plastic card, somewhat as 1-oz gold bars are packaged. However, the plastic protecting the Gold Maple Leafs will be heavier and more durable than the plastic used with 1-oz gold bars. The new packaging should keep the coins from being easily damaged.
With the new packaging, the Royal Canadian Mint made another big change: 1-oz Gold Maple Leafs will now come 25 to a box, whereas the old packaging is ten to a tube. This change could further increase sales as 20 coins are common ordering units for gold bullion coins, because the world's most popular gold bullion coins-American Gold Eagles-come 20 to a tube. As a result of the change, investors wanting "complete original packaging" will move up to 25 ounces.
However, orders for small quantities mean the coins will have to be removed from their mint boxes-but still individually encapsulated-and put in other containers. The new packaging also will require more storage space for Gold Maple Leafs than for 1-oz gold coins that come in tubes.
Although 1-oz Gold Maple Leafs will be a little more cumbersome to handle, a large segment of the gold coin bullion market prefers pure gold coins. Gold Maple Leafs have long been the most popular 1-oz pure (.9999 fine or 24-karat) gold bullion coins on the market, and the new packaging should keep Gold Maple Leafs as the preferred 24-karat gold bullion coins. (The market for pure gold bullion coins is estimated to be $2.4 billion annually.) The new packaging is expected to debut sometime in August.
New packaging for 1-oz Silver Maple Leafs has already been introduced. However, Silver Maple Leafs in their old packaging are still available. Since Silver Maple Leafs were introduced in 1988, they have been packaged twenty coins to a sheet, 200 coins in a box. Each coin was individually enclosed in plastic. The new packaging will be similar to the U.S. Mint's Silver Eagles packaging.
Silver Maple Leafs will now come 20 to a tube, 25 tubes to a container, and 500 coins to a "mint box." The new box will be made of durable heavy plastic, whereas the boxes of 200 are cardboard. The new packaging should make Silver Maple Leafs more competitive with American Silver Eagles, presently the most popular 1-oz modern silver bullion coins being sold.






 

Creative Birthday Party Ideas

I love throwing parties. Anyone who knows me well knows that there is nothing that energizes me more than planning and throwing a wonderful birthday party. It took me several years of planning parties for myself, my family and my friends before a wise soul suggested that I look into becoming a professional party planner. Why the thought had never crossed my mind, I have no idea, but I took her advice and quickly checked into a possible profession. My biggest reason for becoming a party planner was that I loved coming up with great birthday party ideas. Why not get paid to do what I love?
Birthday party ideas can be as simple or as ornate as you want them to be. I have been to amazing parties where the food, the decorations, and the activities were all very simple and it turned out well. I have also been to many lavish parties where each element of the event was given a great amount of detail and care. The important thing in coming up with birthday party ideas is to think carefully about the person you are celebrating.
Remembering the birthday person is the most important thing you can do in gathering birthday party ideas. After all, you are celebrating the birth and life of a person you care about, so why not make their celebration something they will love. Think about their interests, passions and likes when you are coming up with birthday party ideas for them


Some of the best birthday party ideas are planned around a theme that reflects the birthday person. Try to come up with a great theme that will be fun to celebrate and that will allow you to easily incorporate food, decorations and events into the party.
What I love about party planning is sitting down with my clients over lunch or coffee. I always begin by having them tell me the kind of celebration they are hoping for. If people have no goals in party planning, then it will be really hard to come up with the perfect birthday party ideas. I've been surprised to find that people have many more ideas than they even think they do. All they need is a little help organizing their ideas for the party.
Grab a notebook and make a list of initial birthday party ideas for the next event you are planning. And enjoy the planning process. It can be fun, rewarding and even relaxing when you start with great birthday party ideas.





 

4 Types of tea ; How is cach made

Tea is one of the most popular after food drinks in the world, but still very few people are aware that there are four inherently different flavours and types of tea one can find in every supermarket. Each tea is made out of different ingredients and each tea has its advantages and disadvantages. I will explain.
What you should always remember is that there are only four types of tea.
1) Black tea
2) Green tea
3) White tea
4) Oolong tea
All these are made from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis, also known as the tea plant. Other herbal infusions such as chamomile tea, ginger tea or red tea made of rooibos leaves are disqualified as types of tea since the tea plant is not involved in their making. The difference between the four tea variations lies in the process of making them. In addition, each type of tea has another flavor and various health benefits.
1) Black Tea
The strong flavored burnt Sienna colored hot beverage is the most popular type of tea in the West. Either served with a squeeze of lemon or added milk and a cube of sugar, the cup of black tea is part of daily tea ceremonies that take place worldwide. Black tea is made of heavily oxidized Camellia sinensis leaves. When served plain, it contains no calories, carbohydrates, or fats. A cup of black tea contains more caffeine than any other types of tea but less than in any cup of coffee.
2) Green Tea
The lightly oxidized tea has been popular in China, Japan and Korea for centuries. Recently, rumors on its health benefits increased its popularity in the West as well. It has been proven that drinking green tea can lower cholesterol, prevent cancer, increase metabolic rates and be helpful in variety of other conditions and illnesses. The green tea is lightly oxidized, dried, but not fermented. It is usually served plain, without sugar or milk. Since some of the green tea variants taste a bit bitter, it should be brewed in lower temperature than the boiling point. <


3) White Tea
White tea is rarer and more expensive than the other types of teas mentioned above. Originated in the Fujian province of china, the white tea is made of young Camellia sinensis leaves, which go through a long process of steaming or frying, inactivate fermenting and drying. Since the leaves are harvested while the buds are still covered by white hair, it is called white tea. White tea has the most delicate, sweet taste than the other types of tea. Moreover, it contains the smallest amount of caffeine and the largest amount of antioxidant that help prevent cancer.
4) Oolong Tea
The traditional Chinese tea is the common companion of Chinese foods such as dim sum and chop suey in American Chinese restaurants. The oolong tea, black dragon in Chinese, got its name after its long, dark distinguished leaves that look like wild black dragons when brewed. The unique taste of the oolong tea is achieved by a long process that includes sun drying of the Camellia sinensis leaves, light oxidization, cooling and drying processes. The result is a lighter flavor than the popular black tea and stronger than the delicate green tea.

Free Guitar Chord Charts

This article will show you how to make the best use of free guitar chord charts that you can find online. As the internet changes, sites go down and new ones come up, so I won't risk this resource going out of date by discussing where to find your free guitar chord charts, just how to use them to kick start your guitar playing.
You can easily get together a nice collection of chord charts and lyrics to your favorite songs to help you learn to play the guitar. If you feel that you should be learning a whole bunch of musical theory and how to read musical notation, but somehow feel it's just not you, then that's okay - start with what you feel most enthusiastic about. Once you have started to learn using guitar chord charts you have bought or downloaded for free, you might see as you go along that you will need to know a little bit about musical theory to see how chords and scales fit together. If, however, you are comfortable learning chords to your favorite songs, then keep at it.
So let's start with the basic baby steps and work up to some really useful knowledge about guitar chords and how the dots on the charts relate to musical sounds. You know the frets on your guitar's neck somehow show you where the notes are, so let's get a little more technical. You will see when you use scale charts to learn to play guitar tunes that in a given position on the fret board, you will sometimes need to move up or down one fret or two frets. If you play the note at the first fret, and then move up to the second fret, you have moved up a semitone. If you have moved up two frets, it is called a tone. The distance between the notes E and F or B and C is a tone. The distance between the notes C and D is a tone. So as you learn songs in different keys you will start to see that what you are playing when you play scales is different patterns of tones or semi tones on the guitar neck.
If you have watched guitarists play you will have noticed that sometimes they place their index finger across all six strings. This is called a barre. When you begin to learn songs you will be making use of chords played in the FIRST position on the fret board. These are mostly open chords, that is chords that do not make use of the barre. You can try to play barre chords any time, but it's a bit ambitious to expect to be able to use them until after your hands have done some practice with open chords.


When you are learning chords to accompany songs, you will probably make use of your chord charts showing you chords that use all the guitar's strings. But if you want to get into playing solos start with the three note chords called triads. The three notes in a triad are the basic notes of your chord, so by learning triads you will begin to see how the guitar chords are structured. Also you can move your triads up and down the fret board to make new chords.
Here's an example:
The chord of A Major is made up of the notes A C# and E shown in tab form as:
E-----------------------------------------
B--------------2--------------------------
G--------------2--------------------------
D--------------2--------------------------
A-----------------------------------------
E-----------------------------------------
Move that shape one semitone (one fret) up the neck and you get A# or Bb.
E-----------------------------------------
B--------------3--------------------------
G--------------3--------------------------
D--------------3--------------------------
A-----------------------------------------
E-----------------------------------------
One fret higher is B Major.
E-----------------------------------------
B--------------4--------------------------
G--------------4--------------------------
D--------------4--------------------------
A-----------------------------------------
E-----------------------------------------

This shape played anywhere on the neck will give you a major chord. The fret it is played at tells you the key it is in.
Here are the notes for the triads of the basic chords:
C Major - C E G
D Major - D F# A
E Major - B E G#
F Major - C F A
G Major - G B D
A Major - A C# E
B Major - B D# F#
Now the minor chords:
C Minor - C Eb G
D Minor - D F A
E Minor - B E G
F Minor - C F Ab
G Minor - G Bb D
A Minor - A C E
B Minor - B D F#
Naturally, there will be some points you need to make a little clearer, so you will find more descriptions and illustrations available for free on the internet.






 

Eliminating Scalp Eczema

Eczema, an itchy inflammation of the skin, effects many people in different forms, with one of the most common being scalp eczema.
The scalp is vulnerable because the skin of the scalp is different than skin elsewhere on the body. The scalp has a very rich supply of grease from the sebaceous glands as well as carrying follicles creating long hairs.
There are other symptoms to watch for with eczema besides itching. A person suffering from a form of eczema may also experience redness of the affected area, dry skin, lumps or blisters, and possibly signs of superficial infection such as weeping or crusty deposits.
It is important to let your medical provider know if you are suffering these symptoms and to which parts of your body, as there are several types of eczema, including atopic, allergic contact, irritant contact, discoid, seborrhoeic, and many others.
Eczema is actually a fairly common condition with atopic eczema (the "allergic" type often seen in people with allergies or asthma), affecting about 10-20 percent of school children and 3-5 percent of adults in the UK.
This number is increasing and becoming more common. The cause of this strain becoming more common may be due to an increased exposure to allergens such as house dust or environmental factors.
Now that we know what the symptoms are, how is eczema and scalp eczema treated? Treatment can consist of topical creams or ointments that are applied regularly.
Or, if the area is infected, your medical provider may prescribe antimicrobial medicines, such as antibiotics, antifungals, or antivirals. These may either be taken orally or topically.
Depending on the severity of your condition, either method has proven over time to be effective.
Although eczema or scalp eczema are conditions which can be annoying or troublesome, there is hope that the treatments can be effective and one suffering from eczema can lead a full, productive life.

Easy Guitar Tabs

Guitar tabs are an easy solution for you if you have no idea of how to read sheet music but are constantly bugged by the notion that you want to be a guitarist. Guitar tabs are easy to learn and allow you to begin playing songs right away, even if you are not familiar with them. Once you have bought your first guitar, it is time to begin looking for easy guitar tab versions of some songs to find out what it feels like to be a guitar player. Which songs you need tabs for depends on how you see yourself as a musician. Do you want to play your favorite songs chiefly for your own amusement or do you want to aim your repertoire at a potential audience? Let us look at your audience for a minute. The most popular songs in the world are all from years gone by. If you sit a bunch of people aged between ten and fifty down and play songs at them you will find some universal favorites, and they will all be old songs. If you want to please a random audience, your ultimate goal should be to have about one hundred popular songs ranging from the 1940's to the present, but you could probably narrow the range to just include songs going back to the sixties.
So what are the easiest songs to learn from tabs? What can a beginner guitarist learn quickly without too much trouble? Well, I did a little searching on the internet concerning that question, and I found that "Horse With No Name" contains only two chords, and dead simple ones at that! You could be playing that song in a convincing fashion today! "Knockin' On Heaven's Door" makes use of the chords G D C and Am - all easy chords. Building on chords you have acquired learning these songs, you can go onto "House Of The Rising Sun" which uses Am C D F E and E7. Once you have learnt that, it's only natural to go onto another beautiful song, "California Dreamin'" which has the same chords. If you do not like the idea of beginning your guitar playing with these songs, do an internet search in the country music and blues genres. Actually a working knowledge of twelve bar blues is very useful for a guitar player just starting out.


Now for a short list of songs that are both easy to play and have proven to be popular with audiences of all ages. You can find tab arrangements for these songs by typing the titles into a search engine.
"Angie" by The Rolling Stones
"Blowin' In The Wind" by Bob Dylan
"Brown Eyed Girl" by Van Morrison
"A Day In The Life", "Here, There And Everywhere" and "Hey Jude" by The Beatles
"I Walk The Line" by Johnny Cash
"Tears In Heaven" by Eric Clapton
"Gloria" by Van Morrison
"Hotel California" by The Eagles
"Behind Blue Eyes" by The Who
"Scarborough Fair" by any number of performers, and
"White Room" by Cream
Once you have some guitar songs under your belt, you could learn more popular favorites that do not fit into the "Easy Guitar Tabs" category. Wilson Pickett's "Dock Of The Bay" and "American Pie" by Don Mclean come to mind. But do not let the tastes of the masses be your only guide. If, for example, you decide you would like to do a folk guitar arrangement of Black Sabbath's "Iron Man" then you could use tabs for the original electric guitar version as a basis for your new work. With a bunch of easy guitar tabs at your disposal, the only limits to your musical achievements are your imagination and your audience's supply of tomatoes.

The Change

Almost everyone has heard of "the change". It is otherwise know as menopause, but the change fits it better. Men and women both go through the change, but in different ways.
If you are young woman, you have something to look forward to, a bad attitude and hot flashes. If you are an older woman you are probably almost there, in the middle of, or been through it. Men and women both go a little crazy between 40 and 55.
Men usually want to see if they still have "it" with the young girls. They buy a hot sports car, usually red, and start roaming around and looking for "trouble". They dress 10 or 15 years younger than they are, just loving the way they look and feel but wondering why their friends are staring at them.
Women on the other hand get real irritable and upset over the smallest thing. They may holler at something or someone for no good reason. Then within a matter of five or ten minutes be calm and pleasant to be around again. These spells come and go all the time, sometimes for years.
And of course there are the hot flashes that women have from time to time. Time to time could mean every half hour or maybe just once a week. But let me tell you, they are very uncomfortable whenever they arrive. Been there, done that, don't want to do it again. Also in the middle of the night women get night sweats, which interrupts sleep and makes them even more cranky.
While going though the change you think you won't live through it, but you do. For women, life is better on the other side of the change, at least I feel that way. I can't speak for the men, but I think they feel that way too. So, if we all have patience and try real hard to understand what the other person is going through, we will all make it through those years in one piece, hopefully.

Internet Provider Connection Software - Why?

As a computer technician I encounter many misconceptions about computers. Internet provider software is one that is often misunderstood. Internet service providers often give customers the false impression that their software is necessary to connect to the internet. If you are one of these folks, you may be asking yourself what other impressions your cheap Internet service provider is giving you.


Do I need software to connect to the Internet?


Absolutely not. The Windows operating system provides all the networking software needed to connect to the Internet and most other types of networks for that matter. Some ISPs require that their branded software be installed to connect to their service. This required software is used by the service provider to capture your attention for the purpose of showing you advertisements and the ISPs own focused content.
Usually when you click to connect to one of these service providers your browser opens and you are bombarded with ads while the home page loads. You may be able to customize the content posted on the home page to your liking, but lets face facts, You have become a captive audience and you are being taken for a ride.


What does the Internet Service Providers software do?


Internet access provider software does 2 things immediately on install. First it hijacks your Windows connection software so that it can not be used to connect to any other service provider. Usually other Windows network services are also disabled, such as Internet connection sharing. Second, it hijacks your web browser so that you must log on to their home page, which I find ironic since internet service providers are always warning us about spyware that hijacks your browser.

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The perpetrators of this type of hijacking is a list of the most popular service providers. You know them as, AOL, NetZero, EarthLink, PeoplePC, AT&T, Netscape... and the list goes on. AOL being the ring leader and takes control of your computer beyond the extreme to the point of being criminal. All of these service providers prefer to hijack the Internet Explorer browser because all Windows users have it installed and it is easy to build software for. But most can also be used with Netscape or Firefox.


So what is the alternative?


Simply contact a service provider and ask them if internet connection software is required to use their service. Not all Internet service providers require that you install connection software and are very willing to help you set up your Windows connection.
While doing research for this article, I expected to find price to be a factor in the connection software equation. ISPs that require connection software obviously make money force feeding you advertisements, allowing them to offer lower rates. To my surprise that does not appear to be the most important factor in setting price. I found that bandwidth has more affect in determining rates.


So, escape from the hijackers. There are many national Internet service providers out there that don't require that you be held hostage to pop up ads and stale content. Search the Internet for ISPs, do your homework and you will find the freedom to surf the web the way you deserve.

Small-Business Server Supports Telecommuters

More Americans are showing they can get their jobs done from just about anywhere outside the office. And as some businesses expand in size and geographic scope, they are finding new technology to help employees who telecommute.
About 45 million Americans are working from home, according to a survey conducted by ITAC, a telework advisory group. The survey also found that out of 135.4 million workers, 20.6 million conducted work in their car and 16.3 million worked while on vacation.
By installing a server with Microsoft Corp.'s Windows Small Business Server 2003 software on it, businesses can store all of its documents, e-mail messages, calendars and images in one location. Additionally, employees can remotely access all company documents as well as programs and data on their desktop - from anywhere in the world. With a server, mobile devices such as Smartphones and Personal Digital Assistants also can connect users to e-mail, scheduling software and other programs as though they were working at their desks.
A small-business server can help increase a company's productivity and efficiency by allowing a specialized computer to perform services and run software for other computers, or "clients," on its network.
For the millions of Americans who need to work when away from their office, Windows Small Business Server 2003 offers a solution that includes Remote Web Workplace. This application allows employees to access anything on their work desktop from any PC in the world that has Internet access.
Many employees who work in a business without a server can't be very productive. They're also unable to back up their data or prevent unauthorized users from accessing their computers, all common problems small businesses experience that server software can prevent. Later this year, Microsoft plans to launch a new release, Windows Small Business Server 2003 R2, which will include even more advanced security features.
The ITAC survey also found that during the past year, the number of employee telecommuters increased by 30 percent. As this trend continues, so will the need for integrated solutions such as small-business servers.
Whether or not their employees telecommute, companies are realizing the benefits of using small-business servers to streamline processes and decrease costs.

PS I Love You Movie Review

While nobody can predict when death will pay them a visit and cut their life short, according to the movie P.S. I Love You, with some applied imagination and strategic planning in advance, you might be able to cheat the Grim Reaper just a little. Or in this case at least, from beyond the grave.
Not that this morbid premise sounds like ideal material for a fanciful romantic comedy. But filmmaker Richard LaGravenese (The Fisher King, The Bridges Of Madison County) takes up the challenge of juggling this life and the next for laughs, and awkwardly negotiates an often less than plausible common ground between the best of both worlds, such as they may be.
Hilary Swank and Gerard Butler are Holly and Gerry in P.S. I Love You, a stressed out young Manhattan couple into marriage meltdown at the moment, as they brawl verbally about Holly's tendency towards too much shopping, not enough 'hot, nasty sex' on their weekly to-do list, Gerry's unsexy slacker attitude toward vocational ambition, whether or not they forgot to have children along the way, and might this be very well all that there is out of life. In the midst of Holly's nightly nagging and lingering doubts about their relationship, happy-go-lucky Irish rocker import Gerry suddenly kicks the bucket. Which leaves Holly in a deep funk of guilt-ridden regret and inconsolable misery.
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While concerned mom Patricia (Kathy Bates) and caring best girlfriends Denise (Lisa Kudrow) and Sharon (Gina Gershon) have no success getting Holly to dispel those full-time blues, the sudden, mysterious delivery of a series of letters from late hubby Gerry, slowly work their magic in snapping their glum gal pal out of her depressed state. The letters function like a 12-step program presumably mailed from the afterlife, nudging the stricken widow back to normalcy and even a little potential new romance. The tragicomic healing process culminates in no less than two trips back to Ireland where the couple first met, where Mom and Holly embark on a weird adventure together, to go pick up men.


P.S. I Love You and its dead letter collection plot device is far too overdone, and feels dramatically energy-inefficient and contrived to begin with. Much more effective is LaGravenese's sensitive physical and emotional layering of the complex unraveling of grief as a state of mind. And Swank gets it just right with a fine-tuned subtle expression of confusion, despondency and rage, though Holly's overly extended cranky self-pity party eventually wears out its welcome, for the characters and audience alike.
And it never quite makes sense why Holly isn't turned on by the persistent advances of the infatuated hunk played by Harry Connick Jr., even if the guy's on the eccentric side, as when he invades her private space in the local pub's john to present her with the heart he wears a little too prominently on his sleeve. In any case, P.S. I Love You could have done with a lot less of a sense of being on rewind as each posthumous letter arrives, and every time a romantic urge or mental mood swing gets reshuffled.

Healthy Foods That Your Kids Will Love

Is getting your kids to eat healthy foods is a battle in your home? If so, you'll love these tips that will make your kids happy and give you the satisfaction of knowing you are feeding them foods that are good for them.
Start the Day Right
You can give your kids a delicious, healthy breakfast by getting rid of the ready to eat cereals and pastries and replacing them with bran pancakes and low-sugar syrup and/or fruit. Whole-wheat tortillas filled with fruit, scrambled eggs, or cheese and turkey bacon are delicious and your kids will have fun eating them, paying no attention to the fact that it is actually good for them.
Naturally Sweet
Most kids will ask for sweets such as candy and snack cakes. Instead of giving in to the pressure, give your kids applesauce and homemade oatmeal cookies prepared with a sugar substitute or honey rather than white sugar. Fruit snacks and dried fruit roll ups made from 100 percent fruit are great ideas for kids.
Replace fruit drinks and sodas with flavored tonic water and fresh fruit juice. Drink boxes containing pure fruit juice are relatively inexpensive and kids love the individual boxes, complete with straws.
Make it Fun
The secret is in the presentation. Arrange an assortment of healthy foods in a fun way on your child's plate. You can include smiley faces made from raisins or nuts and choose foods that are colorful. Kids will eat most things if they are presented in a unique design that makes eating fun.
Healthy Dinner
Dinnertime can include homemade pizza topped with cheese and vegetables, or soft tacos made with shredded chicken and cheese. Chicken strips prepared in the oven are always a hit and you could include an assortment of fresh vegetables and whole-grain breads. Fish sticks are relatively healthy if you prepare them in the oven rather than fried. Cheese and legumes are healthy choices.
It's not difficult to get kids to eat healthy foods. It just takes a little extra thought and planning. Start by using our tips and you may be surprised to see what your child will eat.

Tips For Creating Great Profile On Online Dating Site

Dating undoubtedly is becoming rising trend especially among youngsters. Most of us are using online dating service for finding a true love, companion, flirting or just to hang around with someone you like. Online dating sites are keeping the huge database of members. If you would like to search profiles, you need to register yourself with it. After initial sign-up, you are required to create your own profile, which will be added in your chosen online dating site's database. In fact, profile creation is the integral part of registration process with almost all the leading online dating services.
Writing a profile is an art and it becomes too special if you gonna make it for online dating purpose. Profile needs to be very catchy, it must also reflect your personality in the first place. Profile should arouse temptation for other members to look at your profile and interest to contact you. That's why you are at online dating site, right?
"Blond gorgeous, blue-eyed, widely traveled, nature loving, God fearing, benevolent and fun loving independent entrepreneur for an advertising firm looking mate for the same." Perhaps these few lines could add spice to your profile.
Following few tips could help you making your profile more genuine and creative in leading online dating service
1. Be positive
Since your profile reflects your personality, you must take precautions while creation. It must reflect positive side of your personality. Nobody likes negative shades in you. Hence, you need to be very positive.
2. Create excitement
Make profile exciting. Why someone should take interest in you if you do not sound exciting? This excitement can be created by presenting list of your interests and hobbies. Be specific and avoid making it too lengthy. Mention interests which you think would be exciting to opposite sex. Remember, simple and boring profiles are over-looked many times.


3. Be upbeat
Make sure you sound like dream person who would be fun to know. You should be the person everyone is waiting for.
4. Reveal facts
Mention the facts that matter most to you, so are for your dating partner. Hence, stick to facts and not hype. Be genuine in disclosing facts. Giving any false information could minimize your chances of getting good responses.
5. Honesty is the best policy
While filling up the columns for your personal habits and marital status, be honest in disclosing about your height, body type, smoking and drinking habits, and marital status. You are also required to upload true photo of yourself.
6. Realistic approach
While dating online, keep in mind that you must find someone who is also looking for dating. Creating profiles for whom you think won't be responsive, is just waste of time.
7. Accessibility
Your profile should be accessible and open for others to approach. This will open the whole new world of contacts for you.
8. Upload photo
Profile with photos has 15 times more chances for getting responses quickly than those without ones. In fact, profiles with photos produce great search results in online dating site's databases. It is a fact that people prefer to read profiles having fascinating photos and contact them, hence do not lose the opportunity of finding mate just for being negligent in uploading your photo. Some online dating services provide options of uploading more than one photograph, therefore, you have better chances to upload your good photos in different poses. Make it well-focused, close-up shots and then no eyes could escape seeing your profile.

Baby's Christmas Cry - Let Me Live Another Day

Christmas the jolly festive season for good will gestures kindness and happiness is upon us once again.
December 25th the lord's birthday is a day for family gatherings where relatives even strangers unite to celebrate his invisible presence. If Christmas were every day where the atmosphere is filled with joyous and harmonious people? What a wonderful world this would be.
Children prepare for Santa's arrival with a thank you plate of biscuits and a glass of milk. The bigger kid's like mum/dad intend to over excite themselves too watching the kids unwrap their presents. Then we have the belly bursting feast of turkey with all the trimmings followed by apple pie and custard. But sadly to say all the joys that Christmas brings is not bestowed on every one.
Unfortunately some children celebrate Christmas from a hospital bed due to saddening events which may have taken place where instead of receiving a kiss and a cuddle on Christmas day they received a merciless beating. No joyous moments for babies on a mortuary slab.
Innocent of any crime the weakest links will suffer more pain under the hands of their abusers. This ongoing torture for toddlers/wife's partners etc is escalating out of control causing an epidemic of sadism which has to stop. To many merciless beatings have caused death to a victim all because the abuser needs his/her daily fix of fulfilment where they celebrate Christmas with blood on their hands and a smile.


Help is out there for those looking for the reason behind why they cause so much sorrow and pain on their defenceless loved ones. Talk to someone and by doing this you have taken the first step in your quest to make every Christmas from now on happy ones.
Then we have the inhabitants of famine stricken countries suffering from starvation seeking to survive on flour and milk alone. Our flour comes in the shape of a loaf, our milk churned into butter/cheese.
Before keeping up with tradition where you get to stuff your self with roast parsnips and turkey be sure to say grace and to take in the meaning of every word. "Bless us O Lord for what we are about to receive, may the Lord make us truly thankful. Amen"
Far from our thoughts are the less fortunate so remember to say a prayer. And for the innocent victim of abuse who's cry for help go unheard. I ask you as a friend or neighbour to be extra vigilant of any situation that may give you reason for concern for a child's safety.
By doing this you may be giving that child the best Christmas gift ever and that is to live for another day.

75 percent of people buy the wrong digital camera

When I teach a new class learning digital photography, over 75% of the students turn up with the camera the salesman suggested.
Guess what? They soon find out that it's the wrong one for them. This can be a very expensive mistake. So the big questions are what is the right one for me and how do I know which is best for me.
One of the first things that you want to know about the camera that the salesman is trying to sell you is as follows -
How long does the camera take to turn on and be ready to take the shot? In the consumer market this can range between 1 to 5 seconds most being towards the 3 seconds mark. 
How long does the camera take to focus on the subject? (Not to take the picture) most cameras take between 1 to 3 seconds most at around the 1-second mark. How long does the camera take to actually take the photo after you have pushed the shutter button completely? Again, most cameras take between 1to 3 seconds this is called shutter lag time. Now you can see to take a photo can take up to 5 seconds just to turn on and up to another 3 seconds to focus in and the up to another 3 seconds just to actually take the photo.
In a cheaper camera, but not necessarily cheaper it can be up to 9 seconds to take a photo from the camera turned off. You may say "yes but I will leave my camera on" ok that's fine, but you may still have a lag time of up to 3 seconds just to take a photo. Just imagine how annoying it will be now that you have purchased your new digital camera costing you around $400 - $500 to find that you just can't catch your child blowing out the candles because your new camera at the critical time of blowing the candles out took 1 second to focus and a further 2 seconds to take the photo. What was the result? A child sitting in front of a cake with black smoldering candles.<


Can you set the white balance on your camera? Just what is the white balance?
About 60% of digital cameras don't have this adjustment, you must buy one that can be set manually, not just one that has an "auto white balance" as they are not as good as they advertise.
Does your camera have different exposure modes?
Exposure modes are simply where does the camera take a light reading? The cheaper cameras just do an all over reading which can be very limiting to say the least. A good camera will have a "spot", "centre weighted" and "matrix" metering system, which allows you to take great photos in any light situation.
When buying a digital camera, buy it for the fact that it's a camera not a video camera as well. One student showed me all the features her camera had and that's why it was more expensive – the only thing that it didn't do well was take still pictures!
You can get so much out of your new digital camera! you just have to put some time in for learning how to use it properly and how to take better pictures – remember no one will ever want to look at a poor quality photo twice!
If you want to take really great pictures that will be in your family for years put in a little effort with your new digital camera.

Company Helps You Brighten a Soldier's Day

It is a time-honored tradition to send care packages to soldiers overseas. But with increased security concerns and reams of red tape to go through, sending a package to military personnel can be a daunting task.
However, one company is doing its best to make it easy for any American to send care packages year-round to help boost the morale of thousands of U.S. military men and women.
Treats for Troops, a Colorado-based company, is the brainchild of Deborah Crane, a businesswoman, military mother and former military wife. Its Web site, provides a huge selection of themed care packages with names like 'Snack Attack" and "Crazy for Chocolate."
The packages contain goodies and necessities, from sweet and salty snacks to games to Ziploc bags. Creative shoppers also can pick out items to create their own custom packages. The company then packs and ships the gifts on the senders' behalf and in accordance with military rules.
"I'm proud that so many troops are receiving packages year-round through Treats for Troops," Crane said.
With Treats for Troops' unique Foster-A-Soldier program, you can choose to send a package to a soldier based on home state, military branch, gender and area of deployment. If you do not specify anything, the site will choose the soldier who has been waiting the longest to receive a package.
Unsure of what to send? The site is filled with items that soldiers most want and need, with packages starting at less than $20. In addition, there is a "Top Ten" package featuring the most popular treats.
Treats for Troops also has a group gift department that provides personal shopping services for those who do not have time to shop, or groups who wish to sponsor more than one soldier.
You can create a personal message to go with your package. Treats for Troops also forwards notes and e-mails from soldiers to the sponsor who sent the package. "It is nice to know that someone out there cares about us and understands that mail is one of the things that keeps us motivated," noted one recipient in a thank-you letter. "Thanks for your part in helping us to keep the peace."

Achieve Your Goals For Success Step By Step

You have a dream! Now, how do you make it happen?
First, imagine that it is real. See every detail so clearly that you can reach out and touch it. You can feel the emotions of being there. For example, if you want a certain car, then what kind is it? What color is it? Imagine you are sitting in it like you will when it is brand new. How does it feel? How does it smell? Go for a drive in your car. If it's a convertible, drive with the top down! Experience the wind blowing in your face and through your hair. Hear the sounds around you. If you can take a real test drive in one, do that! Get a picture and post it where you will see it each day. Do this visualization several times a day until it becomes part of you. This action is important because your subconscious will help enable you to reach your goals to achieve your dream.
Next, break the big dream down into specific, measurable goals to get you there. If you are dreaming of something that costs a certain amount of money, like the car, you will set a date on when you want to have this money.
Once you have your date, then break your timeline down into segments. Perhaps you set the date one year from today. So the next step is to break that down into a goal for each month, then a goal for each week, then a goal for each day. It may be easier to start with the days, and then multiply out to the weeks and months.
Now that you know what your specific timeline is, you need to determine the specific actions you can take to reach each specific goal. If it is a money goal, like in the example above, you know how much money you need to put away each day. So now you need to figure out what actions you need to take each day in order to be able to do that.


If your goal is accomplishing a project, your timeline will be broken down into different steps you need to finish in order to get the whole project done. For example, if you are writing a book, you may need to do some research before you can write it. So the first major accomplishment on your way to that goal is to complete the research. Then you need to set a time to complete your basic outline. Then a time to complete each chapter. Then a time for editing. You can break each major step down into little steps that must be done each day in order to complete the entire book by your target date.
Now that you see what you will need to do each day in order to achieve your big goal, ask yourself if each day's task is reasonable. Be truthful. If you know you can do what is required each day, then you have your plan. If it will be very difficult to meet each day's requirement, then extend your timeline until you have something you know you can do every day. This way, you are setting yourself up for sure success!
It's just like the ancient philosopher said: "A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step." No matter how big your dream is, if you break it down into baby steps that you can do each day, you will find your journey to success filled with the joy of achieving many goals.
Reaching your smaller goals will, indeed, assure you that you are on your way to reaching your dream! You will gain the confidence you need to continue and receive the desire you need to do whatever actions are required each day!
Celebrate achieving even the little goals, and enjoy your journey to your certain success!

Sport It right With Men Clothing Australia!

Sport a stylish impeccable look, wear the right fitting men's clothing. It's awfully hard for them to put together a complete, functional wardrobe that fits right and is comfortable while presenting a stylish, unique look.
Wear your attitude – choose the apt men clothes brands!
Look for an upscale men's store that gives personal service. Even if you don't buy anything there at first, you'll get a feel for what a quality suit looks like, and how it fits you. A carefully chosen collection of men clothing in Australia will offer you the best fittings and an unique collection. You may be able to start with one good item, such as a shirt or tie. When you have more money to spend, you can return for other wardrobe elements.
How does color play a role in men clothing?
Different shades and colors project different image of a person. Power colors are the rich, deep shades that project a powerful business image. Usually, shades such as black, charcoal grey and navy are considered to give business look. Decide which of these colors is the best neutral for your business garments. This reduces the number of shoe and accessory colors you'll need to present a powerful image.
Avoid wearing colors that bring out the negative aspect of our complexion. Do not wear pale coloured shirts like yellow or white if you are very fair with light hair, then it will wash out your facial complexion further. Choose earthy colors which will blend well with your complexion. Put efforts to warm up your face with vibrancy.


The garments have become fashion statements, so more focus is given on quality of fabrics, cuts and designs. Get the right clothing that fits right. Large retail stores are opening these days which sell branded men's garments worldwide. All these developments have contributed to the success of men's fashion clothes industry in the recent times.
A classic collection of men's fashion apparel of the finest fabrics
Classic collection includes dress shirts, tailored clothing, sportswear and accessories. Known for their style and comfort, these fashion garments not only sport exceptional value but continue to wear well through the continuously changing fashion cycles.
Avail suits for work, high-caliber fabrics and suits that are well made.
You'll get years of wear, and always look sharp. The initial sticker-shock will turn into a better investment than a cheaper suit that doesn't wear well, and gets thrown out sooner. Choose the right collection of clothing to suit your varied occasions.