10 Things You Should Do Before The Interview

Keep in mind that an interview is similar to a sales call.

You must distill VALUE.

Show an employer that you are a wise investment worth their time in training and development. Let the interviewer see who you are as a manager, problem solver, team member/builder and resource developer/manager with humility. Remember, you’re an intelligent, innovative and proven professional and with lots to offer but at a fair price.

1. Obtain the name, title, correct spelling and PRONUNCIATION for all interviewers. This information will come in handy when you mail or email your interview thank you letters.

2. Know the position for which you are interviewing and review relevant duties and responsibilities. Be sure to ask about short and long term goals for the position during your interview.

3. Note the location/address of the interview. Find out where to park; the best way to get to appointment by train, car or bus; where you should check-in when you arrive; and if any barriers exist.

4. Secure interview schedule and agenda in advance, if possible. Be sure to confirm the time, location, and contact person at least 24 hours in advance. To be safe, take down the name of the person you are going to interview with as well as their assistant or HR contact.

5. Research the organization and/or job.  Check the company’s website for information or go to the library and research industry and corporate relevant publications, look in the newspaper, and/or ask friends/colleagues/family/professional networks. Also, by researching the company you will be able to ascertain the professional benefits, stability and growth potential of that company and what that means to you. Be prepared to answer the question "Why do you want to work here?

6. Prepare and practice for questions you may be asked.  Have "prove it" answers ready.  Practice linking soft skills (work traits) to some answers. Begin to recall major achievements. Memorize your resume. Interviewers will ask you questions based on information provided in your resume.

7. Compile questions you need to ask and write them in your note pad. You should always have three questions prepared. One of the questions should recap the key responsibilities of the position.

8. Collect and have handy information for completing an application, including full addresses and phone numbers of employers and schools.

9. Pack for the interview (briefcase or folder): extra résumés, reference list, pens, company card file, note pad, tissues, mints, application information, certificates of training and any items you were asked to bring. You should always have a minimum of two resumes on hand.

10. Dress conservatively and practice good grooming.  Look the part. Avoid heavy make-up and scents.  Remember to clean nails, shine your shoes and clean your eyeglass lenses.

Author: Tcbsolutions @ Articlesbase

10 Tips Buying a Horse

There are certain considerations you have to consider when purchasing a pony. First, remember that it involves a long-term commitment, so make the right choices. Take it slow in hunting for information regarding everything you've got to know about owning and looking after a pony.

Here are some additional tips for you to grasp before you purchase a horse.

1. Know the right horse for you so you won't be confused in case the seller presents you with different horses. , don't be put under pressure to buy till you find the right horse for you.

Take your time when searching for a horse. Do not get too worked up and rush into purchasing a horse you aren't truly sure of. One of the most effective ways of getting the right one is to lease the horse first before purchasing it.

2. Don't let your seller know of your financial position. Don't let your seller feel too snug that you can afford his horse. Do not show your seller that you like the horse so much in that you are going to take the horse home no matter what. This will save you cash by leaving the option for negotiation open.

If you are buying a horse for your kid, ensure that he understands the significance of not showing excitement to the seller.

4. Make it obvious to the seller that you will not get a horse if the instructor does not approve of it. This could cut back the level of pressure exerted on you.

5. Then, ask your instructor to inspect the pony. But be ready to pay further charges for your instructor's time and expertise, which is in turn worth paying for.

6. Estimate the sales price your seller will offer before you make an offer. You can ask your instructor of what he suspects is a fair offer. In guessing the sales price, consider the present market conditions, the time the horse has been for sale and the vendor's private monetary circumstances.

Ask for industry standard practices that may not insult the seller. For instance, ask your seller if he/she would agree to deliver the horse for no additional fee. Or maybe you can have free tack.

So ask up front how much the commission will be and who will be receiving them.

9. When purchasing a horse ensure that it's been checked by an independent 3rd party veterinarian. This is a vital step that most buyers overlook. If at all possible, attend the vet check yourself.

10. When you eventually decide to buy the horse, make sure to put the transaction between you and the seller on a written contract. Make sure that the contract clearly states all the terms as well as the guaranties of your purchase.

Author: Lisa Blackstone @ Articlecity

Summertime Sex Appeal: How to Look Sexy and Cool in the Summer Heat

Summer represents freedom, recreation, and relaxation. It's also the sexiest season of the year. Many men and women will sit on the sidelines as spectators to all the sexiness that takes place during the summer months because they simply don't know how to be participants.

The fact of the matter is everyone has sex appeal, but not everyone knows how to dial it up when desired, or manage it with optimal effects. This article offers tips on how you can boost your sexiness level in the heat of summer.

Exercise

When the sun is shining bright, and the temperatures rise, the number one component to achieving maximum sexy appeal is maximum health.

I've been an avid runner for years and I can tell you that the streets are littered with runners attempting to get lean during the summer. Ditto for the attendance at local gyms. Being - and staying healthy - should not be a seasonal thing. Those who adhere to a consistent exercise regimen have a head start on increasing their sex appeal. Others will have to play catch-up. The benefits of consistent aerobic exercises, yoga, or both will set you on the right track with fast results.

Radiance

Both men and women are subconsciously trying to achieve radiance in the summer heat. The extended, sunshine filled days keep us under a longer spotlight that exposes our skin (especially when we tend to show more of it) to greater scrutiny.

Because we've addressed exercise as the number 1 priority in our effort to increase summer sex appeal, we can now reap the benefits of all that sweating: the deep cleansing of our skin which makes it glow. Vigorous sweating improves the tone and texture of the skin which makes it healthy and radiant looking.

You can enhance the radiance by drinking more water and increasing your vitamin A intake, which is one of the most important components of skin health. One of the best places to get it is low-fat dairy products in addition to following fruits and vegetables: artichokes, beans (black, red, and pinto), prunes, and pecans.

Women's Make Up

Once you have improved the health and the radiance of your skin, show it off! Summer is not a time for that plastered, ceramic look. Wear minimal make-up only to enhance; less is more in summer. Skin that breathes and is inviting to the eye, and soothing to the touch is the goal you should be aiming for.

Men's Clothes

There's no better time to take a break from over worn jeans than the summer. Trade them in for cotton trousers. On steamy days and night time affairs, upgrade to the relaxed look and feel of linen. Relaxed is the operative word. A stylish, light weight jacket or cream colored linen blazer is essential for evenings out. Be careful with sandals; opt for the sandal/shoe combo. They are more sophisticated and can be dressed up or down. Flat sandals are a no-no unless worn with very downscale casual attire or swim wear.

Also, women love colors. They especially love colorful personalities. What better way to create that appearance than by adding some colorful shirts to your summer wardrobe? Because many men associate pastels and brighter colors with feminine qualities, many men are hesitant to be bold and daring. Snap out of it! Summer is the precise time to be bold and daring. Colors enhance your sexual aura and make you more magnetic.

Women's Clothes

I can't say this enough: being sexy is all about being comfortable with one's body, and having a healthy attitude about one's self. Nothing you can wear will take the place of it.

That being said, if you are a pear shaped women (which most are; smaller bust with wider hips) you can balance your bottom-heavy figure by choosing dresses that skim over the lower half of the body. Fuller skirts also disguise heavy hips, while showing off the waist. A fitted halter or strapless silhouette -- which accents a trim upper body -- is very flattering for bottom-heavy figures.

High Heels

Hands down, there's nothing sexier than a vibrant woman wearing a sexy dress with a pair of sexy high heels. The combination (and the idea of a woman wearing only 4 items of clothing) is irresistible to men. High heels lengthen a woman's legs; making them appear taller and more statuesque. They also cause women to take more calculated steps which add an air of sophistication and confidence, in addition to creating a perched effect on their buttocks.

Recently there's been much discussion (or press) about the negative effects of consistently wearing high heels. It has been linked to a plethora of foot problems and knee osteoarthritis. The good news is that research has shown that high heels which are wider at the bottom than stilettos (the skinniest of high-heeled shoes), provide a happy medium.

One doctor, Dr. Maria Cerruto, says 2 inch high heels can help improve pelvic floor muscles.

Dr Cerruto, a urologist and self-professed lover of high heels, set out to prove they were not as bad for women's health as some suggest. Her study of 66 women under 50 found those who held their foot at a 15 degree angle to the ground - the equivalent of a two inch heel - had as good posture as those who wore flat shoes. And, crucially, they showed less electrical activity in their pelvic muscles suggesting they were at an optimum position, which could improve their strength and ability to contract.

Pelvic floor muscles assist sexual performance and satisfaction, and also provide vital support to the pelvic organs, which include the bladder, bowels and uterus. But they often weaken after pregnancy and childbirth, and as women get older. Dr Cerruto said: "Women often have difficulty in carrying out the right exercises for the pelvic zone and wearing heels could be the solution.

Long term studies aside, high heels should be worn in moderation (as much as I love to see women in them). Ultimately, if you are successful in adding summer sizzle to your sex appeal, just remember that the the way you feel about yourself will create the sexiest allure of all. The healthier you appear to others, the more robust your sex appeal will become. Once you've got the hang of it, you can stretch out your summertime sex appeal for seasons far and beyond.

Author: Gian Fiero @ Articlesbase

Can Children Be Spoilt With Too Much Love?

From the moment babies are born, parents often receive warnings from well-intended friends and family members not to carry their babies too often, and not to give in to their crying. From the moment they are born, parents are warned to start training their babies to be "independent" or they will grow up to become clingy, dependent children. Parents who fail to heed this advice risk "spoiling" their children and setting up "bad habits" that will be difficult to break later on.

Many parents worry about spoiling their children and easily fall prey to flawed advice. Instead of heeding their own instincts to pick up their babies when they cry, they try to ignore their babies' needs. Such practices not only damage the relationship between parent and child, but it has a detrimental effect upon the baby's development.

The First Fallacy - Babies Should Not Be Carried Too Often

Firstly, babies need to be carried as much as possible. They need to be touched and held. This need is as important to their growth and development as food, water, a clean diaper and sunlight. This need was evidenced at the end of the Second World War when many infants were left parentless. In order to determine what were the best methods for taking care of orphaned babies, a Swiss doctor traveled around Europe studying the different environments that these babies were raised.

In some parts, he saw babies being cared for in American field hospitals with their pristine conditions. Nurses attended to the babies' basic needs by the clock - they were fed special infant formula and returned immediately after to their stainless steel cots. In other parts, babies were deposited at remote mountain villages where they were cared for in the arms of the village women, surrounded by other children and animals. They drank goat's milk and ate from the communal stock pot. These infants lived in conditions that could hardly have been considered hygienic. Yet the results of the study were surprising - it was found that the children who lived in the villages thrived better than those raised in the scientifically-managed hospitals.

It was concluded that:

* infants need frequent skin-to-skin contact from two or three significant people
* infants need movement of a fairly robust kind, e.g. being carried around, bouncing on a knee, etc.
* infants need eye-contact, smiling, colourful and lively environment, and sounds, such as singing, talking, etc.

Far from needing to be carried less, we should be carrying our babies more!

The Second Fallacy - Crying Babies Are Manipulating Us

Babies cry to communicate their needs to their parents. Without the ability to cry, they lose their ability to articulate their needs. Parents who deliberately ignore a baby's cries are unwittingly teaching their baby that their needs are not important. It creates distrust and gives a child a bleak outlook on life - that no on can be relied upon, not even parents.

One common reason why parents might allow their babies to "cry-it-out" is when they are attempting to "train" their baby to sleep alone. It is common for babies to fight their parents' desire for them to sleep alone. Babies aren't aware of the world the way we are. They are primitive beings with a strong instinct for survival. In the wild, infants who lost their parents are eaten by predators, therefore the instinct to be close to a parent or bigger person is a very normal one.

Babies don't know that they are safe in their cribs and that their parents are just in the next room, so they cry. They aren't trying to manipulate their parents. They are articulating a real need that parents should fulfill.

Changing Relationship as Children Grow Older

Even as babies grow older, they still require the attention, love and physical closeness of their parents. Providing these does not spoil them or make them clingy, dependent children. On the contrary, a strong and secure relationship between parent and child serves to help children become more independent as they grow older. They are less afraid to take steps on their own because they are secure in the knowledge that they have a safe place to return to.

You cannot spoil a child with love, touch and tending to their calls for help. Such responsiveness is imperative to a child's healthy development, however, the manner in which you respond may change as a child grows older and begins to test boundaries - such as crying as a means to get their way. How you respond to a child should be age-appropriate with the understanding of how a child feels. Remember that the process of growing up provides children with lots of challenges and it is important listen openly and to be able to see their situation from their perspective.

As your child grows older and his or her personality begins to develop, you may also find that different approaches work with different children. While there is a need to take into consideration individual differences, it is important to realize that children need appropriate limits that must be adhered to. Such limits provide a sense of safety and security for your child. Remember, it is your duty to set the limits and your child's to test them. By being firm and consistent, yet kind as you enforce the rules, you are teaching your child how to become a responsible member of society. You are also creating a secure environment for your child to grow up in.

Author: Shen-Li Lee @ Articlecity

Can a Pure Water Filter Protect Your Family's Health?

To answer this question we need to ask two simple questions.

Is tap water good for you or is there a better beverage choice? Is a pure water filter really a necessary purchase for homeowners?

Let's look at the answers to those questions.

Purified water is the best beverage that you can drink for your health. A trace mineral content makes it even healthier. Most people do not drink enough water.

Without it, toxins are not thoroughly flushed from the body. They build up in the liver, kidneys and other organs. They make it difficult to absorb vitamins and minerals from the foods that we eat. They make it difficult to lose weight and they cause a variety of health problems.

But, is tap water good for you to drink? If you have installed effective tap water purifiers, then, yes, it is the best beverage for your health. If you have not installed tap water purifiers, then, no, it is not good for your health.

Tap-water contains many of the toxins that I referred to previously. Chlorine is dehydrating, it damages the digestive system and it also tastes bad. The chlorination process causes the formation of cancer-causing THMs.

So, if you are on a public water-line, you need tap water purifiers that remove these and other hazardous contaminants.

The cheaper products remove the chlorine, but not the THMs, so they are a waste of money. The most expensive systems on the market include a reverse osmosis step, which is unnecessary and does not remove chemicals, so they are a waste of money.

An effective worthwhile investment is a multi-stage selective filtration device that includes four steps. They are:

Submicron filtration, similar to reverse osmosis, but much less costly. This step removes parasitic cysts that are resistant to chlorination and other disinfection methods. If ingested cysts can cause severe illnesses. They are deadly to the very young, the weak and the elderly.
Granular activated carbon or GAC is the most popular choice for reducing chlorine levels. The cheapest products contain only this ste
Carbon and resin adsorptive block. This provides the most effective removal of chemical contaminants and is necessary to trap THMs.
Ion exchange performs many functions. It reduces lead by more than 99%, balances mineral content and pH level, while improving taste.

Is tap water good for you if you have all of these steps? Yes, it's the best tasting and the healthiest thing that you can drink.

But, really, is tap water good for you or should you buy bottled water? Buying bottled waters is an increasingly popular choice. You even see 'water bars' where expensive brands from around the world are sold.

The industry is not required to provide something better, only equivalent to unfiltered tap water. There have been many incidences of contamination. A pure water filter is a better choice and they save you money.

One more question; is tap water good for you to shower in.

It would take to long to cover, here, but 'no'. It is not.

Author: Julie Perry @ EzineArticles

Get Your Curves Back With Fat Transfer

Guess what ladies, curves are BACK! The look of "heroin chic" that was popular in the nineties has come and gone. No longer is a boyish, stick figure considered sexy. In 2009, a healthy, feminine, hourglass shape is whats hot.

You've heard Beyonce sing about it, you've seen Kim Kardashian, Jennifer Lopez, and Jessica Biel flaunt it that's right a curvaceous BOOTY! As much as you can work out, the best way to achieve the curvy shape you want may be a fat transfer to your buttocks.

This revolutionary procedure, also called a Brazilian butt lift, is sweeping the country as women are flocking to remove fat from their "problem areas" (inner thighs, stomach, low back, and love handles) and transfer it to their buttocks to create a more voluptuous silhouette.

The process is often combined with liposuction and is often the choice for women who simply cannot change the shape of their body through diet and exercise. This procedure is considered a great alternative to buttock implants, which are similar to breast implants but are made of a solid silicone material rather than being filled with fluid.

Many patients choose to transfer fat instead because the surgery is less invasive and tends to have a lower rate of medical complications. Some women also prefer it because you are using your own fat and not inserting any foreign material into your body-you are simply redistributing it from one area to another to create a sexier you!

Generally, buttock augmentation, or the Brazilian butt lift, is performed under general anesthesia and is an outpatient procedure. The first step is liposuction and possibly even using liposuction to shape and contour the buttocks.

The next step is to take the harvested fat and inject it into the buttock muscles and subcutaneous tissue to create the desired shape. You may wish to bring in photos of your favorite celebrities during your consultation in order to determine if you have realistic goals for your shape and also that you will be able to achieve your desired results.

Following the one to two hour procedure, compression garments are then worn for several weeks after the surgery to help hold in your shape and to reduce swelling.

There's a reason this procedure has become so popular! Women want to look healthy and fill out those swim suits. Men want a woman who looks sexy and has that classic hourglass shape. Curves are back and they are here to stay!

Author: Abigail Aaronson @ ArticleSnatch

Ice Your Muscle Pain Away

Muscle problems tend to accompany endocrine issues, especially adrenal glands that can’t or won’t keep up.

Of course, they also tend to accompany life as a jock or a do-it-yourselfer. But with endocrine people, muscles act up without a cause. As the song says, that’s life.

Our muscles get inflamed and “knotted up,” worse on some days than others.

Accupressure massage helps, but few physical therapists do it right. Several therapists have had at my back. Some seemed to be tickling me; some bruised my muscles, leaving me sore for days. Only one, Glenn Kippes, the therapist who treated me when I lived in Tucson, made a real difference. He’s a massage magician. But what to do without Glenn?

Doctors usually advise hot baths–the exact wrong thing to do. Heat just inflames muscles all the more.

I know, I know. Heat feels really good. Problem is, all the while it’s feeling good, it's making things worse.

Answer me this: A half hour or so after you get out of a hot bath or the Jacuzzi, are your muscles better or worse? And how much progress have you made with your muscle pain since you started treating yourself with heat?

A lot of people, especially men and senior citizens for some reason, won’t even consider giving up hot soaks, fully persuaded that some day they’ll work, and all the pain will disappear. It reminds me of when my kid brother was very young and liked to watch the same movie over and over–in case the ending changed.

The answer? Ice. Sheesh! Even in the Phoenix summer, lying on ice packs doesn’t make me burst into song. It’s more in the a-girl’s-gotta-do-what-a-girl’s-gotta-do category than the oh-yippee-it’s-time-for-my-ice category.

Several years ago, a man veered out of his lane and hit my car–right next to where I sat–at about 50 mph. Seat belt or no, my body parts flew in all directions, most of which God never intended. Besides a concussion and whiplash, I hurt in places I didn’t know I had places.

Doctors poked, prodded and x-rayed, then pronounced me fit as a fiddle. Good as new. And every muscle in my body said, “You’re kidding, right?” Well, no, they weren’t.

But I could hardly move. And wincing from the pain was giving me crow’s feet, which wasn’t a look to which I aspired.

So Glenn went to work. He told me I would get better, faster results if I went to bed each night on ice packs. He gave me three 10" X 13" packs so I could start right away.

So every night for months, I lined up my three ice packs–which went from my neck to my tukus–covered them with a towel, and eased into bed. Ever so slowly, my muscles healed.

I keep my ice packs in the freezer, ready for duty, to this day. If I’ve overdone it, or twisted something–somehow done something to make my muscles unhappy–out come the ice packs.

If my arms hurt, I ice the area where my neck meets my spine. If my legs hurt, I ice my lower back. If the pain s general, I line up the three amigos and park myself on them.

Life goes better with ice packs.

A closing word: Muscles that scream at top volume can’t always take the full power and glory of ice packs at first. Cover the packs with two or three towels to tone down the effect. You’ll build tolerance for full power over time–as you heal.

Author: Bette Dowdell @ Articlesbase

Ideas for Decorating Cakes

Its one thing to make a cake and decorate it, but its another thing to actually come up with the inspiration on what NEW cake to make for that special occasion.

I know I have always struggled to find ideas for new cakes, or I have found pictures but never the instructions to make it. Once you have the basic skills under hand its easy to make professional looking cakes without any hassle.

Here are a few top tips for baking and decorating cakes:

1. Do not use butter to grease your tin, butter has water in it and when it melts it will make your beautiful cake soggy. If you use a touch of flour instead that will keep it from sticking to the cake tin.

2. Before you start icing make sure the cake is 100% cooled. Otherwise the icing will start to melt in front of your eyes, and you don’t want to rush your cake decorating.

3. Always put a top and bottom border on your cake to make it look complete. Otherwise, your cake will look a little unfinished.

4. Make sure to stand in front of your cake when you are decorating it. Even better get someone else to glance at it to make sure everything is where it should be. Even take a break every now and then.

5. Make sure that you have the perfect consistency in your icing, too thick or too thin will ruin your cake before you have even started. To thin will not stay on and too thick will pull chunks of your cake off.

It is hard to find inspiration and instructions to actually have your cakes come together like the professionals cakes.

And if you find baking and decorating cakes yourself a bit difficult then you can simply order mouth watering cakes online.

Author: Andrew @ Articlet

Pet Care Tips to Live By

Owning a pet, whether it is a bird, a cat, a dog or even a gold fish can be a rewarding and exciting experience. Pets can bring you much love and joy and they can be great company for you, and also a great learning curve for children learning to take care of their very own pet. But it is important that you know how to look after your pet, which is where pet care tips can come in very helpful.

It doesn’t matter what type of animal that you own, they all need care and love to some degree, however some animals can be slightly easier to care for than others. If you own a goldfish, then here are some important pet care tips for taking care of your fish so that it has a happy and healthy life:

1 Always make sure that you have a tank or a bowl that is big enough for your fish. If you have more than one fish, then you will need a larger bowl. And don’t forget, fish grow just like any other animal so when they become too big you must get them a bigger living environment.

2 An important pet care tip when it comes to fish and goldfish is that you should never over feed them. Fish are not like us, they do not know when they are hungry and will continue to eat even when you give them too much. Try to feed your fish around two times a day and only sprinkle a finger full of food on the top of the water this is plenty for a goldfish.

3 Another important pet care tip for goldfish is to always keep the tank or bowl clean. Scum can build up on the glass and the water can get really dirty, so it is imperative that you clean your goldfish bowl at least once a week.

4 Remember fish are not the same as dogs and cats and other pets, they should not be handled as they are cold blooded animals and the heat from your hands can end up killing them.

Here are some important pet care tips that you should remember when it comes to caring for a new cat or kitten:

1 Cats and kittens require lots of attention and taking care of, that said a cat can be pretty self sufficient and will spend a lot of time going out on his own. It is important that you make sure your cat is well taken care of, make sure that he has a collar with and ID tag on it just in case he gets lost.

2 An important pet care tip to remember is that cats need check ups just like you and me, so you should make sure you take your cat to see a vet regularly for injections to protect against disease when they are out and about.

Author: Michael Hickmon @ Articlecity

How to make yogurt

Last week, I made my own yogurt for the first time, and met with surprising success. While it wasn’t as eventful as last year’s maraschino cherry experiment, I’m still very proud of myself. Here’s how to duplicate the process at home:

1. Get your hands on some yogurt culture. Oh, wait, that’s expensive, which defeats the whole purpose of trying to save some money by making something from scratch. Just get some plain yogurt with live cultures.

2. Doesn’t anybody make plain live-culture yogurt anymore? There’s dead yogurt, there’s flavored yogurt, and there’s plain sugar-free yogurt, which actually has aspartame in it, which is bad for you, and also gives me headaches. Settle on some Dannon vanilla flavored.

3. While you’re at the store, buy a quart of cheap milk. This is an experiment, after all, and you have no idea whether the result will be edible. If it works, you can buy the fancy-pants organic milk next time.

4. Measure three and a half cups of milk into a saucepan. Wonder why you can’t just use the whole quart. Decide to follow the directions this time, since you’re experimenting with bacteria and you wouldn’t want something to go wrong.

5. Add half a cup of dry milk powder so your yogurt will be thick and spoonable like the store bought kind. Unless you’re making yogurt smoothies and you want it thin.

6. Boil the milk. DO NOT turn your back on it, because milk goes from not boiling to boiling over very suddenly.

7. Remove boiled milk from heat. Clean up the mess from the milk that boiled over. Allow the milk to cool to 115 degrees.

8. Realize that it takes an awfully long time for milk to cool down on an eighty-degree day. Pour it in a jar and leave a meat thermometer in it while you watch a few episodes of Firefly, or whatever.

9. Add a couple heaping tablespoons of live-culture yogurt to the 115-degree milk and shake well.

10. Incubate the yogurt at 115 degrees for 6-8 hours. You can do this in a variety of ways, but I used one of my husband’s lunch boxes, because everybody knows how much microbes like to grow in lunch boxes.

11. Open the jar and check on it. What looked like milk this morning should now be all thick and yogurty. Hooray!

12. Who eats plain yogurt, anyway? Mash up some berries and mix them in. Yummy.

13. Oh. wait, not so yummy. Add just a little sugar. That’s better. Enjoy!

Author: Jack Black @ Articlet

Real Genius - IQ or Creativity?

What is real genius, and how do we cultivate it in ourselves? A common dictionary definition is, "Extraordinary intellectual power especially as manifested in creative activity." Some definitions refer to a high IQ as well, but that doesn't seem to be an important component. Both intellectual power and creativity can certainly exist without a high level of intelligence, as I will explain.

Real genius, then, whether in the sciences, arts, or business, is about finding new, creative and effective ways to do things. How high a man or woman scores on some test of intelligence is not so relevant. How productive he or she is in producing new ideas is the most defining factor.

Genius Is In The Software

If we look at the brain and mind as a computer, we can see that the physical part, made up of neurons and such, is the hardware. This is the computer before we install the operating system and various programs. If it is potentially more powerful, that's great. But it isn't enough. In order to realize that power, to use it, we need the programs. What would the computer on your desk be worth without any software? The same is true of our brains.

The software, then, consists of our ways of thinking. These are developed starting in childhood, but they are not static. We can continue to add new "programs" throughout life, and the right ones can dramatically increase one's creativity. This is why a less intelligent man can be a genius at something, while a man with a much higher IQ may add little in the way of new ideas, thinking or products to the world. It is all about the software.

What about these "programs?" What are they, where do you get them and how do you install them? The bad news is that they do not install as easily as programs do on your desktop computer. You have to work with them for at least several weeks to make these new ways of thinking habitual. The good news is that once they do become a habit, they work for you almost effortlessly.

A "program" might be as simple as "the exploration of creative alternatives by looking at purposes." This is something anyone can do, but few do it systematically or habitually. Work with this enough consciously, though, and it becomes a regular part of your thinking. You look at a textbook from a school, for example, and your mind asks "What are the purposes, and what does that suggest for alternatives?"

You see that a textbook is supposed to impart knowledge to the student. The questions that naturally arise include, "Does it do that well?" and "What else might suit this purpose?" The question of effectiveness makes you wonder what you would find if ten different textbooks on the same subject matter were used to teach students, and then we tested the students to see which group learned more. That leads you to the idea for a textbook testing service (currently, textbooks are often chosen according to the preferences educators, rather than by effectiveness). The "what else" part could get you thinking about making educational material into video games.

Other creative ideas will start to come to mind as you look at the matter, at least if that is the way your brain is programmed to work. And the "program" above is just one example of many techniques for creative thinking which you can "install" in yourself. A higher IQ could be helpful, and raising yours may be possible, but that is not nearly as important to developing real genius as changing the ways in which you think.

Author: Steve Gillman @ Isnare

Recipe for a Delightful Chocolate Cake

The most famous name in chocolate cakes is the German Chocolate Cake, but the interesting fact is that it was not `German’ at all. It merely used chocolate brand which was called `German’s’ because it had been developed by an Englishman named Sam German in 1852! He was working for Baker’s Chocolate Company.

The recipe for this chocolate cake was first made popular by a Dallas housewife in 1957, and probably due to the fact that German baking is one of the best in the world, the name not only stuck, but also lent the cake its squarely German touch. The result was an instantly popular cake which carried up the sales of the chocolate too. Actually the popularity of the cake can be attributed to the fact that in The Southern US, buttermilk chocolate cakes have been a hit for decades, and the fact that German’s chocolate is sweater than regular baking chocolate, also helped. Coconuts and pecans which are available in the area too, only added to the taste.

In classical terms, the most famous chocolate cake of all times, worldwide, is the Sachertorte, the Viennese chocolate cake with its three layers of luscious chocolate sponge, interspersed with layers of apricot jam. The whole cake is then thickly iced with velvety chocolate. The result was probably why chocolate is synonymous with sinful! It took its name from its creator, Chef Franz Sacher, who created it in 1832 for the Prince Clemens Lothar Wensel Metternich of Austria. Sacher was then an apprentice cook, all of 16 years old, and the Prince’s demand was met with a cake that used only the available ingredients, nothing more. The recipe made him so prosperous that he went on to open several Café’s and restaurants.

Whatever the origins, the chocolate cake has always been one of the most irresistible temptations…after all how many other desserts you know have been named `Death by Chocolate??’

Chocolate Cake Recipe

2 cups flour

125 grams chocolate (squares)

3 eggs

1 cup softened butter

1 cup sugar

2 tbsp cocoa powder

¼ cup milk

Preheat oven to 180 degrees C. Grease two cake tins of 7 inch diameter.

Melt the chocolate in a bowl set over a deep pan of boiling water.

Cream together butter and sugar and add the eggs one at a time, beating well. Add the melted chocolate and beat till well combined.

Sift the flour and cocoa powder together and fold into the chocolate-egg-sugar-butter mix. Don’t beat too much. After the mixture is blended well, pour into the baking tin . Bake for about 45 minutes, or till well risen.

For the sandwich icing :

100 grams unsalted butter

1 and a ½ cup icing sugar

1 tbsp cocoa powder

½ tsp vanilla essence

Beat together all these ingredients to form a light chocolate cream. Use to sandwich the two cakes together.

The top layer can be either dusted with castor sugar or cocoa powder, or both, Stencils may be used for decorating further.

For a different look, and in a bid to be creative as Chef Sacher, try using apricot or raspberry jam to sandwich layers, alternating with chocolate cream, white cream or plain chocolate layers, before closing with the second cake layer. Icing can also be made to have a royal touch if chocolate cream is poured over this whole cake sandwich.

And if you think you can’t take the pain of making a chocolate cake yourself, you can simply order a chocolate cake online.

Author: Andrew @ Articlet

7 Fun Ways To Teach Kids About Money

Financial Fluency – 7 tips teaching children the value of money 

It is a widely held belief that the earlier children learn a foreign language, the quicker they will be able to pick it up and achieve fluency. The same is also true when it comes to teaching children about money and developing financial fluency. Teaching children from an early age how to save and budget in a fun and educational way can lay the foundations for sound money management later in life.

A University of Minnesota study indicates that with as little as 10 hours of financial education, teachers and parents can positively affect children’s future saving and spending habits.

A good place to start teaching children about money is by demonstrating that money is used in exchange for goods and services, showing them that in making their own purchases they are in fact trading with the shop owner and receiving the product in exchange. As an example, next time you are shopping, try to have the exact change for the product and give it to your child. Let your child hand over the money to the cashier and after you have left the shop, have a chat about how the money paid for the item.

It is important to always approach teaching children about money with openness and honesty, giving a constant and clear message. Explain to them why they can or cannot have certain items they wish to buy. You can’t always say yes to a request for money and if it has to be a no, it does few favours being over indulgent, but equally the ‘because I said so’ clause has little educational merit.

Before long your child will have a basic understanding of money. When this happens you may wish to start explaining the bigger picture. You might consider showing children how the whole family benefits from money via a visit to the supermarket. Once there pick out two similar products, perhaps a well known brand and an own label and allow the child to make the choice. If they choose the supermarket’s own brand, allow them to make a further purchase with the saved money. This might be a useful starting point for a discussion about value vs. price.

Consider also the type of signals about money that your child picks up on. You may feel it's important to let your child know family money matters are private, and not for discussion outside the home. If however, as parents you talk in hushed tones over bills and bank statements, your child may deduce that finances are something to be secretive and furtive about. Similarly, if they pick up some stress and anxiety over money, this too is a value that can be carried forward into adult life.

A great fun resource for teaching money values are The Financial Fairy Tales books - see http://www.thefinancialfairytales.com for details.

7 tips to help teach children about money

1) Fun, fun, Fun - make a game of both saving and spending. If only spending money is fun then they will not associate any pleasure with saving.

2) Routines - When they receive money as presents or from the tooth fairy establish a routine, like putting some or all of it in their piggy bank or savings account. They will most likely take these traditions forward into their own families.

3) Consistency - If you pay pocket money in return for helping around the house make sure they actually do the work. Even very young children can be responsible for tidying away their own toys or clothes. It’s a good idea to pay a set amount on a regular day but encourage their entrepreneurial side by giving them the opportunity to earn more if they seek it.

4) Look after the pennies - Turning off the lights, saving their pennies and giving small donations to charity collections are small things that they can do to create positive habits which may last a lifetime. Ensure that you explain why you are doing it and what the benefits are. Charitable giving can illustrate to your child that there are others less fortunate and introduce the idea to be grateful that they have more than enough.

5) Consequences - When your children ask for something, rather than say no. Ask them if they would like to buy it from their own money and explain what the consequences are. You may find that they are more reluctant to spend their own money than they are yours!

6) Praise, praise, praise - We may learn by our mistakes but by praising we reinforce positive behaviour and will encourage children to do the right thing out of choice ‘because it feels good’. This can be applied to saving, spending wisely and giving to charity.

7) Spend and save - when your children are receiving pocket money, teach them to save either some or all of it. It is always a good idea to let them spend a little however, as this encouragement will stand them in good stead later in life.

Author: Daniel Britton @ Articlecity

Dating Women Seeking - To Find A Love Are You Dating a Casual Dater?

You’re a single woman in the dating scene seeking to find a love, but the love you found does not seem to fit quite right. How do you know if you are dating a casual dater? If you are dating a casual dater, how do you let him go and move on to find true love?

There are some signs that a person is a casual dater. One major, and certainly obvious point is that this person cannot commit to you. Even if you have been dating for a while, you can still be dating seeking a casual dater if this person is not ready to commit to the next level in the relationship. Some casual daters only date the same person a few times. Others, date for a longer amount of time, without ever giving a total commitment.

As the victim of the casual dater, this is detrimental to your emotional health and well-being. Sure, you’re not being physically harmed, but your emotional sanity is being shaken to the core. We all need to have people in our lives. We need to be loved. Not all of us readily admit this fact, but we need each other. If you are the type of person who is a commitment-minded dater, you cannot date a casual dater. It may work for a while, but soon you will get frustrated and ask your partner to make a commitment or the casual dater may leave you before it ever gets to that point.

If the casual dater is not allowing you to meet his family or spend quality time with you, you know he is not commitment-minded. You need to consider your own needs at this point and ascertain what you are going to do about it. It will take bravery to confront the casual dater as to his intentions regarding your relationship. You may be scared because then he’ll actually decide to end the relationship and leave you. If that happens, then you are better for it. It will take some time to get passed the hurt and be ready to move on to a new relationship, but you will have learned that you have different wants and needs from a casual dater and you can not be in a relationship with such a person. You deserve to be treated like a princess and not have someone walk all over you and try to get all the benefits of a long-term relationship without paying for the commitment of it. It’s your decision and you will have to live with the choices you make.

When you get the situation figured out and if your casual dater has a change of heart and wants to stay in the relationship, that’s wonderful. If he doesn’t, then take the time to grieve the loss and when you are ready, maybe you can check out www.seekingmarriage.com. This is an online service that helps relationship minded individuals to find a love with another like-minded individual. This is not a casual dating service like casualmingle or online dating service like match or eharmony; www.seekingmarriage.com is a service that thoroughly screens it’s members to give you peace of mind that this is a safe environment to find a love that lasts.

Author: Jack Black @ Articlet

How Much to Tip For Pizza Delivery?

ipping has become a customary part of North American society. Usually when someone performs a service for us we leave a gratuity. Most people are aware when to tip but how much to tip is always a difficult subject.
The amount you should tip varies from person to person, job to job, city to city and state to state. However, there are some general guidelines that work in most situations.

When it comes to the pizza delivery driver how much to tip is determined by a number of different factors. The absolute golden rule to remember though is that you should always tip the pizza delivery driver. They are providing you an invaluable service and deserve to be remunerated accordingly.

Why Tip The Driver?

Pizza delivery drivers have a demanding job. Not only do they have to locate homes all over the city, usually at night, but do so in a timely fashion.

They deal with winter driving conditions, pouring rain, traffic and a list of other in-store duties. They use their own vehicles (not company cars as a lot of people assume) and have to pay for maintenance and commercial insurance.

In the course of a regular delivery they expend a lot of energy and time finding your house or apartment. Many houses do not have visible numbers, especially at night, and in a lot of cities parking is non-existent forcing the driver to walk with your order no matter what the weather conditions. Apartment buildings can be a maze and sometimes pets are a hazard to unsuspecting delivery drivers.

While you only see the driver for a few minutes at your door they have spent a significant amount of time and energy to deliver your pizza to you.

On top of this pizza delivery drivers are in danger of being robbed every time they leave the store. In the U.S. in particular, the government considers pizza delivery a hazardous occupation. This is due to statistics that show pizza delivery drivers are third on the list for being murdered at work after police officers and taxi drivers.

For all this work the companies that employ drivers pay most minimum wage. Drivers, just like restaurant servers, rely on tips to earn a decent living.

How Much To Tip?

Tipping amounts vary slightly depending on the region. For a place like Ajax, Toronto you would expect to tip approximately the same as for restaurant servers:

• 12-15% is the general rule.

• 20% or more should be given for extraordinary service.

• 10% or less for poor quality service.

• No tip for rude behavior or extremely bad service.

• For orders less than $20 a $3 minimum tip should apply.

• For orders more than $50 a 10% minimum should apply.

• During foul or extreme weather it is considerate to tip a little more. You don’t want to go outside so think about how the driver feels. They have to deal with excessive heat, snow, freezing rain, windstorms etc.

• If you live a long way from the store you should also tip a little more. One or two dollars extra being the average. This is the polite thing to do when you know it will take the driver at least 20-30 minutes to reach your home.

In the end please remember that delivery drivers work hard to provide you with an invaluable service. Most of us order pizza when the weather is bad, usually at night and on the weekend. It is a great convenience and a service we would not have if it weren’t for the delivery drivers.

Author: Anthony Williams Sr. @ Isnare

Bad Breath and Cavities

Bad breath comes with bacteria and bacteria brings infection, to eliminate this problem, it is important that you brush your teeth and tongue after every meal. Not doing this can cause sensitive points to appear on the teeth surface resulting in cavities.

Cavities lead to serious problems, but how do they actually form? The teeth exterior is covered with firm enamel made of mineralized fascicles. This surface is coated by an acid substance that infiltrates between the fascicles while eating. Bacteria are now settled in your mouth and unfortunately so too is the bad breath.

Fluoride toothpastes, mouthwash or drinkable water that contain flour are a great source for solving dental problems. You should test the water you usually consume and find out its flour concentration. If the amount of flour found is not adequate, doctors can prescribe a medical treatment, which mimics the same effects, otherwise, the problem of tooth decay and cavities may become serious. Mouthwash, special medicine drops or even tablets can end the teeth damage process.

If you think you are developing cavities, see your dentist as soon as possible. Superficial cavities will eventually deepen, reaching into the root of the tooth and causing the pulp to become infected. A dental abscess may then appear causing you to suffer great pain and bad breath due to the tooth being surrounded by a smelly pus bag.

Pus appears because the body starts producing antibodies to fight the infection. Bacteria will spread infection in the tissue surrounding the tooth and consequently spread an annoying bad smell in your mouth.

Your breath will become unbearable because the gums affected can deviate from the tooth and the space between them can collect particles of the food that you eat which can later form bacteria. A dental abscess can also seriously affect the bone tissue surrounding the teeth.

Some of the symptoms to look out for are throbbing toothaches, especially during eating, red or swollen gums, fever or a bad taste in your mouth. You may also notice a tooth color change to grey or pink.

A bulge on the gum near the tooth can form and a considerable amount of yellow pus or blood may ooze from the red, bulging zone.

As the infection spreads the ache may decrease and this is the effect of bone tissue dissolution. When losing this tissue the tooth is poorly fixed and may be dislodged. A medical exam is mandatory in this situation.

A dentist may inspect the oral cavity to identify the swollen gums or other infection signs that suggest a dental abscess. A dental radiography may also be necessary. The dentist will make an informed decision on what antibiotics should be used to eliminate the infection. They may also need to make an incision on the upper or backside of the tooth to drain the infection. If necessary, they can also make an incision on the bulging zone to drain the infection.

I think we will all agree after reading the above that regular dental checkups are necessary to save us from the embarrassment of bad breath and the excruciating pain of an infected tooth.

Author: Sandra Burgess @ za77

Starting an Internet Business - 5 Common Questions

When most people consider starting an internet business there are usually some pretty common questions involved. This is understandable since there will be an investment of time and capital to launch and operate most any online business. Often questions are based upon the necessary skill sets that may be required and the equipment needed.

Starting your own business can be both exciting and scary all at the same time. It is therefore important and wise to ask and have as many questions answered as possibly before starting a business of any kind.

Inevitably there will be questions that arise after you've started an internet business due to the constant changes involved in marketing online, but don't fret since this is natural.

Here we will address 5 common questions most people have BEFORE they may commit to becoming involved in any online business.

What Does it Take to Get Started?

Putting together and starting into any online business venture is usually relatively easy. The difficulty lies in maintaining the proper mindset once the business has been launched, this is where many fail. All too often people are lured into a new business under the illusion that instant riches will be soon to follow and all without much effort. WRONG!

Realize going in that hard work, patience and resolve will be required before a consistent stream of profits starts to flow in. Once this happens avoid the temptation to ease up since it is this momentum you will need in order to build and maintain a successful business.

Is Online Marketing a Good Fit for Me?

As we mentioned earlier marketing on the internet involves constantly adapting to changes. From the technology to ever evolving and emerging marketing techniques online marketing can be a challenge for those who don't like change. This is an important factor to consider when weighing the pros and cons of a business online.

For what the internet offers as far as cost efficiencies when launching and operating a business the constant changes can be stressful to many. This is a consideration that should NOT be overlooked!

What is the Fastest Path to Online Success?

For those who are interested in taking an accelerated path to online success the best advice is to develop a sound business plan and STAY ON COURSE. Plan your work and work your plan on a daily, weekly, and monthly schedule. Stick to your schedule.

Online it is very easy to be distracted by the new and improved mousetraps that people are always advertising. Whether it's a product or marketing technique it is best to maintain your original goals and objectives. If any of these new ideas or products fit into your mix and prove to be as they're advertised then by all means utilize them. You always want to improve upon how you do business or the products offer.

Remember continual learning is the key to staying on top but don't allow it to divert you from your original objectives. This will only waste time and increase your frustrations and expenses.

How Do I Learn Online Marketing?

The best sources you have available to learn and continue your education in the field of online marketing are all around you. Some are free and some you pay for. There is an abundance of information you can learn from online forums, blogs, ebooks, and social network sites. The key here is to know what it is you're looking for, target that in your search, collect and organize the information and then study and implement it. Ultimately your own experience will tell you what it is you'll need to become better educated in.

What is Needed to Run an Internet Business?

To operate any kind of internet business you will need a computer with access to the internet. For any type content creation you'll want to have a few software applications such as MS word or a reasonable facsimile such as Open Office, and a text editor like notebook or WordPad. It will also be helpful to have a spreadsheet application for record keeping.

It would be useful if you were a little familiar with HTML coding but don't panic since it is not difficult to learn and you don't have to be an expert. You can find free tutorials for this all over the internet.

The last and most vital component you'll need to operate your online business will be an eagerness to learn and a lot of resolve. Again this business is not difficult to learn but does require the willingness to do so.

As you can imagine starting an internet business can be exciting but the unknowns can also create a certain hesitancy to commit to an online business. Questions involving your skill sets are quite natural and need to be answered before actually starting a business. Marketing online however does involve constant change but these changes are not difficult to learn or overcome. Hopefully we've adequately answered some questions you may have and have alleviated doubts that may hold you back. Either way the ultimate decision is yours.

Author: TJ Philpott

What to Check for When Buying Used Cars

Buying a used car seems like a risky proposition. If you are not prepared, you can drive away with a vehicle that is going to be nothing but headaches for you. A shiny coat of paint is not the best way to judge the condition of a used car. Here are a few tips that can help protect you when buying a used car.

It is always better to go to a car dealership when looking for a used car. Individuals selling cars may offer great prices, but it’s a lot harder to get back to them if something is seriously wrong with the vehicle. They are more likely to try to cover up major problems with the vehicle as well. Usually, those situations end up in court. A dealership depends on its reputation, and will do everything it can to make sure its vehicles are as advertised.

If you are going to an auto dealer, or to look at a privately owned vehicle, be sure to make a checklist before leaving home. The checklist should include all the parts of the vehicle you need to check to make sure they are in working order. Without a list, it is too easy to overlook some of the more important elements on the vehicle. When you are looking at that shiny roadster, it’s easy to forget about checking the windshield wipers, or the door handles. It’s best to ask a mechanic for a thorough list of inspection points.

Don’t even think about purchasing a vehicle without being able to take it for a test drive. Make sure you are the one driving, as well. Be sure to ask the last time the vehicle was serviced, and ask for a maintenance record if they have one. See if the seller/dealer will be checking the fluid levels and filter conditions before purchase, as well.

Before signing any papers, make sure you are familiar with state laws regarding vehicles in poor conditions. The “lemon” laws will protect you in some cases, but you have to be aware of their specific conditions. Ask about refund policies, and be sure to read the sales documents carefully. If you are buying from an individual, make sure you get a receipt, and that you have some form of contract to sign.

These are a few tips to help you when shopping for a used car. Your biggest allies are common sense and preparation. Never be afraid to think about an offer if you are not sure. Better to miss out on a car than to get stuck with a pile of junk.

Author: Robert Panosetti @ Articlecity

Driver Etiquette: Do’s and Don’ts

There are certain behavioral norms that we are used to following in regular interactions with other people. All that seems to go out the window when you are on the road. Road rage is far more commonly discussed these days than driver etiquette, but it’s our manners while driving that are most important.
What exactly should we be doing and how should we be acting while on the road? Here are a few guidelines.

DO

• Leave on time. If you’re rushed and racing to get to an appointment or meeting, you’ll be more stressed out and far more likely to ignore proper driver etiquette which could cause some serious problems.

• Let people pull in front of you. It really won’t delay your journey if you let one or two cars get into the line and you’ll save yourself and someone else a lot of frustration.

• Slow down. Going too fast means you could miss a sign or signal and end up in an accident. This isn’t just about etiquette, it’s also about safety.

• Give advance notice. If you’re going to turn, be sure to turn on your signal ahead of time, not just as you are about to make the turn. This lets the vehicles around you react appropriately.

• Dim your headlights. When coming up on another car, keep in mind that your brights can blind the other driver, whether reflecting in his rearview mirror or shining directly into the oncoming car.

• Move to one side when emergency vehicles come through. It might be tempting to race ahead, particularly if your turnoff is coming up, but keep in mind why they are in hurry and pull over.

• Let buses cut in. They are on a schedule and you’ll be able to overtake them at the next stop, which won’t take much time off your commute, but could make a big difference to those who travel public transport.

DON’T

• Expect people to guess what you’re thinking. It’s important to always let them know with signals what you are about to do. Expecting someone to get out of your way because you’re in a hurry is only going to cause problems.

• Tailgate. There is nothing more annoying than someone who just won’t back off, so move back and keep an appropriate distance between cars.

• Talk on the phone while driving. Studies have shown that you simply don’t have the same reflexes when having a conversation on the phone and using just one hand to drive. Instead, invest in a headless phone system or wait until you can pull over.

• Lose your temper. Take deep breaths or even pull over if you need to. Getting angry and giving in to road rage will only cause more trouble than it’s worth.

• Block cyclists and motorbikes. They might be annoying, but it’s not worth causing problems if they are trying to pass you on the shoulder.

• Drive too slowly. If you are going lower than the speed limit, make sure you move to one side so people can pass you. It’s rude to cause a hold up by driving too slowly.

Being polite on the road is just as important as having good table manners. How you act will affect the people around you and driving etiquette will also affect how you go through your day. Being nice to people is proven to make you feel better and boost morale, so it`s a good way to start the day off right, by letting someone move into the line ahead of you during rush hour.

Author: A Nutt @ Isnare

Upgrading Old vs Buying New Computer

The world of IT and computing as come to a point where innovation,new developments,upgrades etc as become the trend. More often than not,most if not all gadgets or equipments only have a lifeline of few months,for them to become old or not good enough. 

This as made competition become the in-thing among vendors and this as also affected the pocket or purchasing power of consumers. It as become very common among the consumers of the following items in particular:Computers(Laptop.Desktop,servers and other components),Mobile and Fixed line phones,Motor Vehicles e.t.c 

You've come to a point where you need to upgrade to a higher spec of computer but you don't have enough cash to make the change. I have over time used a method to overcome this issue,thereby saving money and getting the higher grade that i want. I will for now limit this to Computers. 

The basic components of most systems are: OS,Screen size,Weight,Optical Drive,Memory,Hard disk & Processor. Among all this,the basic ones which determine prices are: Optical Drive,Memory,Hard Disk and Processor. 

The catch here is this: If i have a system of about $250 with obviously a lower spec and a new or a higher spec one which goes for $450. what i readily do is to buy (Optical drive,Memory & Hard drive) of a higher spec and install on the old/lower spec system. this normally cost me around $80 - $120,which comes to about $320 - $370,therefore,saving about $80 - $130 

This is a simple tactics which could save from hundreds to thousands of dollars on a budget. 

A check on the net will get you more than enough information on the above subject. 

One of the main considerations on the above mechanism is to know where this components are located and how to fixed them. 

If you'd like to send questions to me, please feel free to visit my Website and I'll be happy to answer your queries, or point you in the right direction. 

Good luck, and happy computing!

Author: Semilore David @ ArticleCity

Choosing The Car Model That's Right For You

There are car models made for just about every need under the sun and many of them cross over into other model types. Choosing the car model that best suits you can be a daunting task. You must first define your wants and needs, and then choose a car based on these specifications. 

As well as model choices, the extra features of each vehicle type should also be considered in your selection. What kind of engine do you need? Petrol, diesel, or hybrid power? Do you need economy or hauling power? What type of transmission - automatic, manual or auto-manual? How about sound systems, air-conditioning, and optional upholstery? The basic vehicle package often won't include many optional extras that you want, so you may have to outlay more money to ensure you get the features you want.

Features aside, what car is going to be right for you? Here's a brief run-down on some popular car models and their main features:

Economy or Small Car – This model is typically a small two-door hatchback or small car. These types of vehicle offer great basic transportation and generally deliver good fuel mileage. They are great "city cars" and are ideal for short trips with up to four passengers. 

Economy Crossover – These vehicle models have a more functional body type - think "station wagon". They generally have a good fuel mileage, and can carry four or five passengers as well as stow some gear. Economy Crossover's are more costly that the economy small car, but are a lot more functional.

Compact SUV – These cars are designed for more rugged use. The compact SUV often has four-wheel-drive and can handle less than favorable road conditions, but are not designed for heavy off-road use. There are some trade-offs in fuel economy and higher base prices when compared to crossovers or small cars.

Mid-sized Coupe or Sedan – The Coupe has bigger dimensions, more interior space, more comfort for passengers and better for longer trips. This model can be economical with appropriate engine and transmission choices. The base models will often have more accessories and luxury features but the cost is generally higher than more compact car models.

Mid-sized SUV – This is like the compact SUV, but with larger dimensions and is more appropriate for off-road usage, towing and other heavy-duty activities. The mid-sized SUV can comfortably carry four of five passengers and their gear on long distance trips. The big downside of the mid-sized SUV is the fuel consumption – particularly as we see fuel prices and global warming concerns on the rise.

People Movers – these van-types of vehicles have large interior spaces and generally seat five to eight passengers, plus storage space. The People Mover is suitable for longer trips or transporting the kids' sports teams and all their equipment. Again they are not as economical as the small car, but they are far more appropriate for large families or frequent transportation of groups.

Sports Cars – Small, high-performance vehicles that usually only carry two people comfortably, but can sometimes carry up to four. Sports cars have minimal storage space and are a fun drive for the auto enthusiast, but are not that practical for a family.

Large Coupes, Sedans and SUVs – These large car models are like the mid-sized, but with larger dimensions and are generally even less fuel efficient.

So what car model is right for you? You may picture yourself in the sports car, but if you are a family of four then that choice isn't very practical. Your vehicle selection should be made based upon your general needs, not the occasional ones. If there is room in your budget for some self indulgence, then maybe a second car could answer more of your "wants" and less of your "needs."

Author: Hugh McInnes @ Articlesbase

Interview Skills: 7 Easy Ways to Impress Your Interviewer

In the world of job hunting, there is nothing more daunting than the job interview. Everyone gets nervous when faced with being put on the spot. With all the build up to an interview, many people go in feeling like one misplaced word will be enough to lose them the opportunity. It doesn’t need to be so hard.

Here are seven things you can do to improve the impression you give in an interview situation. These apply equally to agency interviews and interviews with the potential employer.

Be prepared, but not over-prepared

There is often a lot of emphasis placed on the need for interview preparation: research the company, research the people, research the favourite colour of the boss. In truth, while some research is a good idea, going to excess can be detrimental. The interviewer is more interested in you than in what you know about the organisation, so consider spending more research time reminding yourself of your own background, and particularly achievements you may have forgotten about.

Get the simple stuff right

There is no point doing any research if you don’t do the simple stuff right. Present yourself smartly - with clean shoes. (I’m amazed how often the shoes are overlooked.) Be on time. Introduce yourself with a confident handshake and look the interviewer in the eyes. And smile! A smile can really set the interview off on the right track.

Listen to the questions

This is one area where over-preparation can be a trap. It is easy start waffling on in answer to a question you anticipated rather than the question that was actually asked. This has the same effect on the interviewer as sending a form letter: it leaves them wondering if you really want this particular job or would be happy with anything.

Pause. Think before you answer

There is nothing wrong with taking your time to answer. Again, in preparation, we can convince ourselves that unless we have the right answer on the tip of our tongues, we will look unprofessional. In fact, taking the time to think looks far more professional than shooting with the first thing that comes to mind. After all, in most cases, the ability to think will be a requirement of the job.

Treat the interview as a conversation

It will be easier all around if you can play your part in making the interview a conversation rather than an interrogation. So think about it as that - a conversation - before you go into the interview room. Remember that an interview should be about you testing the suitability of the job to you as much as it is them testing the suitability of you to the job. It’s a two-way street.

Be yourself

We sometimes get so caught up trying to present ourselves as what we think the interviewer is looking for that we forget to be ourselves. Don’t fool yourself: interviewers can see through this and they will quickly discount you if they don’t feel they are getting to see the real you. In the end, if you can’t get the job by being yourself, why would you want the job in the first place?

Forget the opposition

Another trap is worrying too much about the other applicants, especially towards the end of the interview process when you know you’re down to the last two or three. This can be hard to avoid but it is essential. If there is a better candidate than you, there is nothing you can do about it. On the other hand, if you are the best candidate, the only way you’ll miss out is if you don’t make that clear. So focus on your own achievements: not the achievements you imagine others might have.

Interviewers see a lot of people every day. They are often disappointed by well-qualified people who forget some of these basics in a vain attempt to present as the perfectly prepared candidate. This makes these people very hard to consider seriously. Don’t make the same mistake yourself.

Author: David James Brewster @ Articlesbase

Simple Eating Tips To Lose Weight

Simple Eating Tips To Lose Weight:

Water

Avoid sugary drinks, it leads to gaining weight. By stop drinking sugary drinks, you able to reduce significant amount of calories. Drink water instead and you will see the difference on your weight.

Portion of food

Reduce your portion of food, slip it into small portion rather than having huge portion of food per serving. Most of us will tend to forget about the food portion when we are hungry therefore drink a full glass of water or eat a fruit before your meal. Healthy food

Eating more fresh fruits and vegetables

Natural sugar contain more nutrients than processed sugar. Fruits and vegetable not only playing an important role on weight loss, they also benefit our health condition.

Type of food

Have different type foods per mea including protein, carbohydrate like green beans, fish, egg, brown rice and fruits to gain varieties of vitamins and minerals when we are on diet.

Additional tips on cooking method:

- Using olive oil to cook instead of butter. Butter have a lots of cholesterol which is bad for our health.

- Be aware of the amount of oil when cooking. Minimize it.

- Remove the skin and fat of the meat or chicken.

- Eat fresh vegetables: tomatoes, carrot or cucumber. Try not to cook vegetable for too long so that you able to get more vitamin C out of it.

- Include lots of spices to your food to taste great and so that you wont feel so tedious to those healthy foods.

Print a copy of this article, paste it on your weight loss note and start it today. You will be amazed by the result one month later, weight loss does not happen over night.

Author: Vannas Lee @ Articlesbase

Why People Buy a Replica Watch Vs. Real Watch

Many people have heard of replica watches. One of the most popular brand names created as a replica is the Rolex watch. A Rolex watch is a stunning status symbol and impresses everyone that sees it. However, this watch has a minimum of a ten thousand dollar price tag attached to it. It is easy to see why tens of thousands of professionals and students confidently reach for high-quality replica watches to satisfy their needs.

Replica watches keep money in your pocket. By purchasing a replica watch, you will most likely spend one to five percent of the original cost of the brand name watch to own your replica watch. This is a very reasonable cost indeed. For a fraction of the price, you can have all of the benefits attached to owning that high-status brand name that everyone loves. From Cartier, Rolex, Tiffany and so many others: replica watches give you a beautiful watch at a price you'll fall in love with.

The details on a replica watch are high quality. Those who have never owned a replica watch may be surprised to discover that these are excellent timepieces and will serve you for many years, just like the brand names they are inspired by. The craftsmanship on your replica watch is very fine and delicate, with every detail created to match that brand name watch. It takes a true artist and a great passion to create replica watches of this quality.

Your replica watch gains you great "first impression" presence. Let's face it: your first impression of someone truly does matter. We all make judgments about people based on the image that they present to the world. Seeing someone who is well dressed, well put together and who is wearing a beautiful watch and jewelry gives us the impression that this is someone important, someone to pay attention to.

When we see someone who is shabbily dressed with poor grooming and inexpensive accessories, we also know that this is likely someone that does not think very much of themselves and that they are probably someone who is not successful. You always want to paint that successful picture to the world at large. This picture can change your life in so many ways: from your professional life as well as your personal life.

A replica watch can be your secret to success. There are many professions that involve being out in the public eye. From real estate agents, stock brokers, hair stylists, public speakers and sales people of every type. Every person wants to do business with a successful person. This subtle touch of a replica watch tells people that you have good taste, that you appreciate the finer things in life.

It is your secret that you paid a fraction of the price for it and you are a savvy shopper. Your replica watch could attract more potential clients and business deals to your door than anything else. There are many people that make quick judgments based on our appearance. Certainly, someone wearing a Cartier watch must be doing very well for themselves.

One of the best reasons to own a replica watch is that with their reasonable price, often you can afford to own two or three of them! It is so much fun to switch them with your wardrobe and your personal tastes as you go about your daily life. People will see you as someone important and successful that deserves to be noticed. Your replica watches are an excellent business investment.

Author: Daniel Millions @ Isnare

Water - Not Too Much & Not Too Little

Let's get one thing straight! Coke tastes better than water. So does lemonade, fruit juice, tea, coffee and of course alcohol! We all ENJOY drinking these things. If you are like me, you probably don't ENJOY drinking water - you just know you should. But why should we? Is pure water better than, say, orange juice? How much water should we drink a day? Can we drink too much water.. . Lets answer those questions:

Our bodies are estimated to be about 60 to 70 percent water. Thats a large amount, I think you'll agree. Our body needs water to maintain a steady body temperature. It is used to transport nutrients to all of our organs. Water also transports oxygen to your cells, removes waste, and lubricates our joints and organs.

Water is lost through urination, respiration, and by sweating. The more active you are, the more water you lose. If you start to get pains in your joints, headaches, strong smelling yellow urine and constipation, it may be a sign that you are dehydrated, and thus not getting enough water to replace what is lost. Thirst is also a good sign that you need to drink more.

Can we drink too much water, and if so, how much is too much?

Short answer, yes. In fact people are known to have died from drinking too much water. So why is too much dangerous? Well, drinking too much water can couse your brain to swell. Being inside your skull, it when it swells, it doesn't really have anywhere to go. This swelling can interfere with vital functions such as breathing.

So how much is too much?

According to expert research, drinking several litres over a short period of time (perhaps over 1-2 hours), can be enough to cause the brain to swell.

Ok, so how much is 'ideal'?

Experts tend to agree that 2.5 litres per day is an ideal amount of water to consume. Of course this could be in the form of juice, pop or non-caffeinated drinks. It's probably a good idea to have a mix. Too much pop & you could well have no teeth in a few years. Juice contains vital vitamins, so a small portion is good. Don't forget too, that a percentage (around 20%) of the water you need will come from the food you eat. So don't think that you have to sit there gulping down 2.5 litres of water. If your intake is spread throughout the day, you shouldn't even notice it.

To reiterrate - drink enough water!

It is difficult to keep on top of drinking enough water. If we are having a busy day, it is easy to get distracted. If this happens, don't binge on water when you remember (too much over a short period is bad), just try to have a steady intake from that moment on. Keeping a bottle handy at all times is a good way to remember. Don't forget, you can break it up with other juices too (just keep an eye on those calories).

Author: Ryan C Davis @ Isnare

Photochromic Lens

Photochromic lenses are lenses that darken on exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Once the UV is removed (for example by walking indoors), the lenses will gradually return to their clear state. Photochromic lenses may be made of glass, plastic or polycarbonate . The glass version of this type of lenses was first developed by Corning in the 1960s. More recently, plastic versions of these lenses have been commercialized. The first of these was the Photolite lens sold in the early 1980s by American Optical Corporation. The first commercially successful plastic photochromic lens was introduced by Transitions Optical in 1991.

Image: Photochromic lens

The glass version of these lenses achieve their photochromic properties through the embedding of microcrystalline silver halides (usually silver chloride), or molecules in a glass substrate. Plastic photochromic lenses rely on organic photochromic molecules (for example oxazines and naphthopyrans) to achieve the reversible darkening effect. The reason these lenses darken in sunlight but not indoors under artificial light, is that room light does not contain the UV (short wavelength light) found in sunlight. Automobile windows also block UV so these lenses would darken less in a car. Lenses that darken in response to visible (rather than UV) light would avoid these issues, but they are not feasible for most applications. In order to respond to light, it is necessary to absorb it, thus the glass could not be made to be clear in its low-light state. This correctly implies photochromic lenses are not transparent, specifically they filter out UV light. This does not represent a problem, because the human eye does not see in the UV spectrum.

With the photochromic material dispersed in the glass substrate, the degree of darkening depends on the thickness of glass, which poses problems with variable-thickness lenses in prescription glasses. With plastic lenses, the material is typically embedded into the surface layer of the plastic in a uniform thickness of up to 150 µm.

Typically, photochromic lenses darken substantially in response to UV light in less than one minute, and then continue to darken very slightly over the next fifteen minutes. The lenses fade back to clear along a similar pattern. The lenses will begin to clear as soon as they are away from UV light, and will be noticeably lighter within two minutes and mostly clear within five minutes. However, it normally takes more than fifteen minutes for the lenses to completely fade to their non-exposed state. A study by the Institute of Ophthalmology at the University College London has suggested that even in dark conditions photochromic lenses can absorb up to 20% of ambient light.

Because photochromic compounds fade back to their clear state by a thermal process, the higher the temperature, the less dark photochromic lenses will be. This thermal effect is called "temperature dependency" and prevents these devices from achieving true sunglass darkness in very hot weather. Conversely, photochromic lenses will get very dark in cold weather conditions, which makes them more suitable for snow skiers than beachgoers while outside. Once inside, away from the triggering UV light, the cold lenses take longer to regain their clear color than warm lenses.

A number of sunglass manufacturers/retailers (Intercast, Oakley, Serengeti Eyewear, to name a few) offer products that use photochromism to make lenses that go from a dark to a darker state. Because these products are tinted in the bleached state, they are typically used only outdoors and are not considered general purpose lenses.

Source: Wikipedia

Useful Tips To Treat Notebook or Laptop

Nowadays using laptop or notebook become popular. The growth of many hotspot areas in public facilities or in the cafe is one of the reason. Laptop even become a mandatory requirement if you want to socialize in such areas, only not many know how to treat a laptop to make laptop more durable and always ready to serve in a variety of purposes. In this time, we would share simple tips for caring the laptop based on personal experiences. 

1. Cleaning Laptops Laptops need to be cleaned regularly, or if not regularly, as much as possible during leisure time is used up to. Remember, a laptop that is used often carried out while socializing certainly will stick to the dirt on the monitor screen or the body of laptop. To cleaning a laptop screen it’s enough to use tissue and fluid which is dedicated to electronic equipment. Do not use chemicals liquid that are corrosive, such as propanol, just buy a special cleaning fluid in the electronic shops. 

Also do not forget the keyboard, this needs to be cleaned also. Use a small clean and soft brush to clean the dirt between the keyboard. 

2. Check the condition of Fan Note the laptop and see the position of the fan in the laptop. Fan is useful for removing the heat arising when all the components in the laptop processor work chiefly. Prevent the ventilation holes on the front of the fan stopped with dirt. Clean with a soft brush and small. Clean regularly and always make sure fans are working correctly. Note also the sound that arises when using a laptop, so if there can be a voice from the other components of the laptop is usually already started approaching the life-time or damaged. This often happens on your hard disk. 

3. Batterai laptop Laptops used to support mobility and not limited with cable. Therefore, make attention to the conditions the laptop batterai as a laptop power source. The more batterai cell is longer power is also saved. The use of laptops, which only stayed in 1 place, eg in place on the table and more than 2 hours its better to take batterai down. This will avoid batterai weakened, if it must be truly mobile batterai the need to reserve as backup batterai or find a cell that has so much power is able to save more. 

4. Handling Laptops Use a bag that is designed for the laptop. If you like using a laptop backpack or bag back, buy a backpack that is designed specifically for the laptop. There are already provide a lot of backpack like this bag even local brands also have a lot to make. Do not forget to adjust the size of the backpack with a laptop, not up to size 14 inch laptop bag to use laptop-sized 17 inch, because if there is still space for a laptop then move likely to be damaged when the laptop was brought will bigger. 

5. Placement Laptops Place laptop on a flat place. Do not place it in the mattress or in a soft sofa. As this will impede the flow of hot air issued by the laptop. If hot air does not come out well, then the heat air will turn back heating inside component in the laptop. If this happens then be prepared with funds to repair or buy a new one. 


6. Keep the Laptop from the Food and Drink Socializing in the cafe or a public space while accompanied by hotspot laptop is fun, but more fun if we have the laptop be dissociated from food and beverages. Laptops are vulnerable to liquid, so when eating or drinking its better to turn off the laptop and enter it to the bag. Eating just before using a laptop again. if it must use a laptop while eating and drinking, make sure the laptop does not contaminated with dirt or liquids during eating and drinking. That if the hot sauce meatball or hot coffee spilled on the laptop, just provide immediately many funds to repair or buy a new one. 

7. Service Laptops Laptops have been treated and used correctly, its not means that the laptop is free from damage. If this happens then take it to the laptop where the service is really qualified. Laptops do not like desktop PC that we may be able to repair in computer service along the street. Try to carry a laptop to service center even if the warranty still do not be trying to repair it your own. Take it to the service center laptop purchased. What if the service center is not there, search the information accurate anywhere in the nearest place your city that can repair your laptop. 

8. Data backup This is outside of tips for caring for a laptop, but the laptop sometimes save many important data and large, the back-up regularly is important. Do not be up to two times cause the damage the laptop and loss of data. Make back-up regularly to avoid loss of data. 

Thats all simple tips and hopefully useful to you all.

Author: Rusli Zainal Sang Visioner