Are Traditional Family Games a Thing of the Past

Board games have evolved massively over the years. As a child my memories of board games were Monopoly, Draughts, Cluedo, Guess Who and many many more. All games that we could play as a family to pass the time away. Hours of fun was had by all.

My favorite game was Monopoly a game that give me an insight to Real Estate (ironically enough, I now have a career as an Estate Agent). Is that a coincidence or did my childhood obsession with Monopoly play on by subconscious?

Many Sunday afternoons were spent with my four sisters playing, or should I say rowing over this fabulous game. The first row would normally be about who would like to be the iron, shoe, car etc (these were the items that you had to chose from to represent you on the board as you played). My favourite was always the dog!

By John Gibb

The next row would be about who went first, and then the next would be about who would play the role of the Banker.

Finally the game would begin, and how much fun we had. Hours and hours of fun week after week.

How things have changed? Today, whilst we still have the old traditional Board games, and I guess we always will, Games are far more advanced, and are often played on computers, or via DVD Players using your Television sets.

You can now play a board game on your own against a Computer (who will act as your opponent) as opposed to playing with friends and/or family. I find this quite sad, especially knowing how much fun we had as children interacting with each other, and observing each other as we rowed over such meaningless but then important issues.

I now see my own nephews spending hours on their own in front of a computer playing games without any physical human interaction, whilst their parents get on with other things. I guess one advantage is that if you are an only child you dont miss out on not playing games just because you had no-one else to play it with you. The Traditional games such as monopoly can now be played on a computer and the Computer can act as your opponent. You can even set what level of difficulty you want to play at.

The disadvantage to this, in my opinion is that the family getting together and interacting with each other seems to be a thing of the past.

Jon Gibb is the owner of Content Rewriter Pro, for more information on .... chekout http://www.boardgames-sources.info

Satellite TV Programming Guide

With more than 256 channels to choose from, satellite TV programming offers far more TV listings and viewing options than cable or over-the-air TV.

Satellite TV also gives you access to music channels, pay-per-view movies, sports packages, adult channels, and international programming.

DISH Network Satellite TV Programming

DISH Network programming packages start at $31.99 per month.

They also offer pay-per-view movies and events, adult programming, and sports packages. International programming includes: African, Arabic, Armenian, Asian, Chinese, Farsi, French, German, Greek, Israeli, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, South Asian, Spanish, Tagalog, and Urdu channels.

DISH Network has the biggest variety of movies and shows and the most HD (high definition) programming of the two satellite TV providers.

Here are DISH Network's current satellite TV programming packages:

America's Top 60 ($31.99 per month)

This package includes the following program channels, plus your local channels:

ABC Family, America's Collectibles Network, Angel One, Arts & Entertainment (A&E), Auction TV, Beauty & Fashion Channel, Bingo TV, BYUTV, Cable News Network (CNN), Cartoon Network, Catalog TV, Classic Arts Showcase, CNBC, Colours TV, Comedy Central, Country Music Television, Court TV, C-SPAN, C-SPAN2, Daystar, Discovery Channel, The Disney Channel (East), Disney Channel (West), E! Entertainment Television, Educating Everyone, ESPN, ESPN Alternate, ESPN2, ESPN2 Alternate, ESPNews, Eternal Word Television Network Family Net, Florida Education Channel, Food Network, Free Speech TV, Good Samaritan Network, Headline News Network, Health TV, Healthy Living Channel, The History Channel, HITN, Home & Garden Television, The Home Shopping Network, Horseracing TV, ISHOP, The Jewelry Channel, The Learning Channel, Lifetime, Men's Channel, Music Television (MTV), Music Television 2 (MTV2), NASA, Nickelodeon/Nick At Nite (East), Nickelodeon/Nick At Nite (West), Northern Arizona University/University House, PBS You, QVC Shopping Network, Research Channel, RFDTV, The Sci-Fi Channel, Shop At Home, Shop NBC, Spike TV, Stuff TV, The Travel Channel, Trinity Broadcasting Network, Turner Broadcast System (TBS), Turner Network Television (TNT), TV Games Network, TV Guide Channel, TV Land, TV Outlet Mall University Of California, University Of Washington, USA Network, VH1 The Weather Channel, Worldlink TV.

America's Top 120 ($42.99 per month)

This package includes all of the channels in the America's Top 60 package, plus the following program channels and 32 Sirius music channels:

American Movie Classics, Animal Planet, BBC America, Black Entertainment Television (BET), Bravo, CNN Financial/CNN International, Comcast Sports Network, Discovery Health, Empire Sports, ESPN Classic, F/X, FOX News Channel, FOX Sports, FOX Sports West 2, Fuse, Galavison, Game Show Network, Independent Film Channel, Lifetime Movie Network, Madison Square Garden, MSNBC, New England Sports Network (NESN), Noggin, Pax TV, SiTV, The Speed Channel,, Sports Alternate 1, Sports Alternate 2, Sports Alternate 3, Sports Alternate 4, Sports Alternate 5, Sunshine Network, G4 Tech TV, Telefutura East, Telefutura West, Toon Disney, Turner Classic Movies, Turner South, Univision East, Univision West, WE: Women's Entertainment, WGN Superstation.

America's Top 180 ($52.99 per month)

This package includes all the channels in the America's Top 120 package, plus the following program channels and 50 Sirius music channels:

Biography, Bloomberg Television, Boomerang, CNBC World, Discovery, Home & Leisure, Discovery Kids, Discovery Times Channel, Discovery Wings, Dish Music- 50's & 60's Hits, Dish Music- 70's Hits, Dish Music- 80's Hits, Dish Music- All That Jazz, Dish Music- Beach Party, Dish Music- Classic Soul, Dish Music- Country Music One, Dish Music- 4 Decades of Music, Dish Music- Expressions, Dish Music- Hitline, Dish Music- Hot FM, Dish Music- Italia, Dish Music- Love Songs, Dish Music- Moonscapes, Dish Music- New Orleans Jazz, Dish Music- Piano & Guitar, Dish Music- Road House, Dish Music- Tropical Breezes, Dish Music- Urban Adult, Do It Yourself Network, Encore (West), Encore, Action/Adventure, Encore Love Stories, Encore Mysteries, Encore True Stories, Encore Wam/America's Kidz Network, Encore Westerns, FOX Movie Channel, FOX Sports, Net World, The Golf Channel, GOL TV, Great American Country, Hallmark Channel, History Channel International, The Movie Channel (West), National Geographic Channel, Nickelodeon Games & Sports, Nick toons, The Outdoor Channel, Outdoor Life Network, Reality TV, SoapNet, Style, The Science Channel, TMC Xtra West, VH1 Classic, Wisdom Television.

America's Everything Pak ($86.99)

This package includes all the channels in the America's Top 180 package, plus the following movie channels (31 movie channels in all):

Showtime Unlimited Package, Starz! Super Pak, HBO Package, Cinemax Package.

Note: For more programming information, ordering information, and the latest bonuses and free offers from DISH Network, click on the links below.

DIRECTV Satellite TV Programming

DIRECTV satellite TV programming starts at $41.99 per month.

They also offer pay-per-view movies and events, adult programming, and sports packages. International programming includes Chinese, Filipino, Italian, South Asian, Spanish, and Vietnamese channels.

DIRECTV has the most sports program packages of the two satellite TV providers, including the popular NFL Sunday Ticket.

Here are DIRECTV's current satellite TV programming packages:

Total Choice ($41.99 per month)

This package includes the following program channels, plus your local channels and 31 music channels):

A&E Network, ABC Family, America's Store, American Movie Classics (AMC), Animal Planet, BBC America, Black Entertainment Television(BET), Bloomberg Television, Bravo, C-SPAN, C-SPAN2, Cartoon Network, The Church Channel, CNBC, CNBC World, CNN, CNNfn/CNN International, Comedy Central, Country Music Television (CMT), Court TV, Daystar, Discovery Channel, Discovery Health Channel, Disney Channel (East), Disney Channel (West), E! Entertainment Television, ESPN, ESPN CLASSIC, ESPN2, ESPNEWS, EWTN, Fine Living,?Food Network, Fox Movie Channel, Fox News Channel, Fuse, FX, Galavisi?n, Game Show Network, Hallmark Channel, Headline News, The Health Network, The History Channel, Home & Garden Television, Home Shopping Network, Independent Film Channel, Inspirational Life, The Learning Channel (TLC), Lifetime, Lifetime Movie Network, Link TV, MARIA+VISI?N, MSNBC, MTV, MTV2, National Geographic Channel, Newsworld International, NFL Network, Nickelodeon/Nick at Nite (East), Nickelodeon/Nick at Nite (West), Noggin/The N, Outdoor Life Network (OLN), Oxygen, PAX, PBS You, QVC, RFD TV, SCI FI Channel, Shop At Home, ShopNBC, Speed Channel, Spike TV, Superstation WGN, TBS Superstation, TechTV, TNT, Toon Disney, TRAVEL CHANNEL, Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN), TRIO, Turner Classic Movies (TCM), Turner South, TV Land, Univision (East), USA Network, VH1, WE: Women's Entertainment, The Weather Channel, Word Network, World Harvest Television.

Total Choice Plus ($45.99 per month)

This package includes all the Total Choice programs, plus the following channels:

The Biography Channel, Boomerang, Discovery Home & Leisure, Discovery Kids, Discovery Times Channel, Discovery Wings, DIY - Do It Yourself Network, Fuel, History International, PBS KIDS, The Science Channel, SOAPNet.

Total Choice Premier ($93.99 per month)

This package includes all the channels in the Total Choice Plus package, plus the following program channels:

Action, BLACK STARZ!, Cinemax (East), Cinemax (West), Comcast SportsNet (Mid-Atlantic), CSTV: College Sports Television, Empire Sports Network, Encore? (West), Encore? (East), FLIX, Fox Sports World, The Golf Channel, HBO, HBO (West), HBO Family, HBO Family (West), HBO HDTV, HBO Latino, HBO Signature, HBO2, HBO2 (West), Love Stories, Madison Square Garden (MSG), MoreMAX, The Movie Channel, The Movie Channel West, Mystery, NBA TV, New England Sports Network, The Outdoor Channel, SHOWTIME East, SHOWTIME Extreme, SHOWTIME HDTV, SHOWTIME Showcase, SHOWTIME TOO, SHOWTIME West, STARZ! (East), STARZ! (West), STARZ! Theater (East), Sundance Channel, Sunshine Network, True Stories, VH1 Classic, WAM!, Westerns, YES Network.

Note: For more programming information, ordering information, and the latest bonuses and free offers from DIRECTV, click on the links below.

Click on the following link for more information on free satellite TV systems and service, or these links for programming information, ordering information, and the latest special offers from DISH Network satellite TV or DIRECTV satellite TV.
About the Author

Top Ten London With Kids

 



Top Ten London With KidsSubmitted By: Max Clarke  

Having now accepted our status as dedicated, if frazzled and rapidly aging, parents, my partner and I are devoting time to planning some activities for wet weekends and hyper half-terms joined by nephews and nieces.

In our former, almost forgotten, 'couple' life we lived in London. Those days (as I like to remember them) were filled with friends, posh restaurants, cocktails, super-cool bars, exhibitions, theater, and lazy Sundays reading the papers. I did watch too much Sex and the City though. In reality, much of my spare time was spent attempting to crawl out of bed in my tiny flat in one of the most unfashionable parts of outer East London. My most cultural achievement was to make it to the corner shop for some bread and Heat magazine before lunchtime.

However, I thought London was the best city in the world then (New York a close second) and I still do. Our lives may have changed forever but our capital can still keep us entertained with little H tottering along too. It is a fantastic place for young children and these are my top ten activities if you ever find yourself in the big smoke with little people.

1Tiny tots love vehicles so even your journey can be fun. Riding on a train, London bus or taxi, taking the tube or DLR (where you can pretend to be the driver) or just watching the traffic or trains will entertain many little ones. You probably won't find it quite as fascinating.

2If your little tinker is getting really serious about transportation, the newly-reopened London Transport Museum in Covent Garden may be ideal. Exploring the link between transport and the growth of modern London, there are many regular features that will appeal to children, such as costumed characters, and special activities during school holidays like building a bus. 'London's Transport in Miniature' will be running on Saturday 8 and Sunday 9 March 2008 at The Museum Depot at Acton, demonstrations of steam and electric train collections on the Museum's miniature railway.

3The London Aquarium on the South Bank of the Thames has nearly 400 species on display in over 2 million liters of water. Seeing anything from sharks and stingrays to moray eels and piranhas, your little fish are sure to enjoy the multi-sensory journey which includes a pool where they can stroke a range of friendly creatures and regular talks and feeding sessions. Captain Pugwash and his crew are in residence every day from Saturday 9 February to Sunday 24 February.

4Still lurking on the South Bank, the Tate Modern has a lot to offer families with children. The building itself is a brilliant place for older children to explore. Every weekend the 'Start' team are on hand to provide exciting games to play in the galleries, mainly for the over fives. They will be running special activities during half-term week. 'What Can the Matter Be?' is a talk and demonstration uncovering some of the secrets behind the gallery's collection to be held on Saturday 23 February.

5Escaping the hustle and bustle of the South Bank with your brood for half an hour may well appeal. The London Eye (on the South Bank opposite the Houses of Parliament) is an exciting experience whatever your age. Although it does only travel at 0.6 miles per hour - twice as fast as a tortoise sprinting, according to their website - so it's not for speed freaks. The views are outstanding and on a clear day you can see around 40km from the top, that's as far as Windsor Castle. The capsule's are quite cool too.

6Two of the best free attractions in London have to be the Natural History Museum and the Science Museum in South Kensington. At the Natural History Museum, Harry and the Dinosaurs will leap into real life for your tot after seeing the big softy Diplodocus and super-sensing T.Rex (who's a bit scary for very little ones). The life-size model of a blue whale is awesome and there are fun activities planned every day (including talks, behind-the-scenes tours, Explorer backpacks and a science discovery centre). Ice Station Antarctica is a temporary interactive exhibition running until 20 April (extra charge applies).

The Science Museum's Launchpad gallery has been updated recently and is aimed at 'curious and creative 8-14 year olds' who want to explore the world of physics. It's packed full of exhibits, shows and demos. The Garden and Pattern Pod are two interactive galleries designed for younger children. There are numerous daily activities and events and also an IMAX 3D cinema making this an inspiring day out for everyone.

7I might be biased as I lived there for a while, but Greenwich is one of the most beautiful areas of London and ideal for a family trip to the capital. It has everything you'll need for the day from the wide open spaces of the park, the Royal Observatory and National Maritime Museum, OLd Royal Naval College and university buildings, to high street shops and restaurants, independent boutiques and bistros, a lively market and riverside walks. An unexpected highlight for our funny little man is the Greenwich Foot Tunnel, where you walk under the River Thames.

8Wicked, The Lion King, The Sound of Music, Dirty Dancing, Billy Elliot...you can't go wrong with one of these West End shows.

9London is full of green spaces and parks - ideal for letting energetic monsters let off steam. You might even get the chance to lie down for a while. Hyde, St James', Green and Regent's parks are all easily accessible.

10Nestled within Regent's Park is London Zoo which recently won a number of awards at the Visit London Awards, including the 'Kids Love London' award. There's so much to see here including the new ?5.3m enclosure Gorilla Kingdom, the Ambika Paul Children's Zoo, Butterfly Paradise, Meet the Monkeys and Clore Rainforest Lookout.

We're lucky enough to live within an hour's drive of London so I'm hopeful that H will grow up feeling part of this wonderful city. Kids really do love it.

Article Tags: children, london, museum

Short Sales: How to Deal with Rejection

Buying houses by means of a short sale can be a great way to make significant amounts of money, but they're not for everyone. You have to find a seller who will work with you to persuade the lender to sell the home rather than allowing the foreclosure process to continue. Then you have to submit an offer that's low enough to make a profit, yet not so low as to be rejected altogether.

If a lender does reject your offer, all isn't lost. The first thing to do is to try to determine why your offer was rejected. There are many possible reasons, and if you want the sale to go through, you must job find out exactly what the lender wants in order to make the sale happen. Here are possible reasons.

First, your offer may simply have been too low, which meant the lender would be taking too big of a hit by accepting it. They also may believe they can do better once the foreclosure has been completed, or since loans are often sold to investors, it's also possible that the holder of the note wouldn't accept the loss.

Perhaps the borrower's financial difficulty wasn't stated strongly enough to make a persuasive case for a short sale. If that's the case, the lender might want to work out an alternative payment schedule with the homeowners rather than entering into a short sale.

Since most lenders will require a broker's price opinion (BPO), make sure your offer is somewhere near that figure. Otherwise, a lender will be convinced that they can do better on the open market once the foreclosure is complete.

There may be other reasons, but the number one reason short sale offers are rejected is simply because they're too low. After all, lenders are in business to make a profit, and even when appears there's no profit to be made in a particular home; they want to cut their losses as much as possible. So don't get greedy. You'll rarely be able to steal a home, but you can often get a substantially lower price than you would on the open market.

One of the best ways to avoid coming in too low is simply to ask the lender how much they hope to net from a short sale. They may not tell you, but you'll never know if you don't ask. Even if you don't get an answer in the beginning, you'll have another chance to ask before they make a counteroffer. Be courteous, but emphasize that you're really hoping to make the sale happen. Again, you may be surprised by the figure you receive, and if it's acceptable, jump on it. Don't kill your sale by being too greedy.

If your short sale offer is rejected, don't give up. Probe for more information about why your offer didn't fly and then try to satisfy whatever they ask for before making your counteroffer. You won't be stealing the home, but there's often plenty of profit to be made.

Copyright ? 2006 Jeanette J. Fisher

Learn how to fix houses for flipping or higher rent with the Design Psychology edge.

Author Jeanette Fisher teaches interior design psychology, home staging, and real estate investing.

http://www.doghousetodollhouse.com

Taking an Excursion

It is the largest sport utility vehicle to be found in the Ford Motor Company's line up of vehicles. It is the Ford Excursion.

This vehicle is based on the Super Duty pick up truck platform. It offers a V8 engine for gasoline and diesel, and also a V10 gasoline engine. It has the capacity to take in a load of a maximum of nine passengers. This vehicle was actually designed so as to take the position right above the Ford Expedition and the Ford Explorer in the Ford Motor Company's line up of vehicles. The Sierra Club has given it the name Ford Valdez due to its huge weight and size. It was specifically designed so as to be classified as a heavy-duty vehicle. Also, the Ford Excursion is exempted from the CAF? fuel economy regulations because of its designation and also because of its functions for commercial and rural use.

The Ford Motor Company has designed the Ford Excursion with the purpose in mind that this vehicle would serve as an avenue so as to provide customers with a fresh new choice in the heavy-duty utility market. This vehicle offers more space and convenience. It is also very useful in many activities that include towing, and carrying and transporting cargo and luggage. It has a large towing capacity that can take and handle a maximum of 10,000 pounds. The Ford Excursion also includes a standard trailer hitch that allows the prevention of a car to slide underneath the rear of this vehicle during a rear collision.

Primarily, this vehicle made its public debut in 2000. It received a wide variety of criticisms because of its being too large size that it could not actually fit into most home garages. It also was carped because huge and heavy weight, along with its poor fuel economy. Its chief competitors were the Chevrolet Suburban and the GMC Yukon XL. However, because of these criticisms, the Ford Motor Company had re-crafted the Ford Excursion so as to smoothen out any flaws that it had. The original engine was replaced by a more power and more fuel efficient engine.

People looking for a vehicle to buy would be interested in the Ford Excursion if the kind and quality of car that they are looking for includes criteria like it being a sports utility vehicle with an extremely wide interior space for nine people. It comes in different trims that include XLT, Eddie Bauer, XLS 5.4 L, and Limited. These trim levels are equipped with a rear-wheel drive or four-wheel drive configurations. All these trims have power adjustable pedals as a standard feature. It has the capacity to climb steep places at a controlled place. Drivers found out that driving the Ford Excursion feels like driving a truck. The XLS 5.4 L has the standard 5.4 liter, V8, 255-horsepower engine in it. The Limited 6.0 L is equipped with a 6.0 liter, V8, 325-horsepower turbo diesel engine.

Many customers are satisfied with Ford vehicles, and Auto Parts Corner has been the top choice of millions of Ford owners for years. It contains a line of excellent Ford Excursion parts, Ford parts and auto parts at its online store.

About the Author

Tracy is a 29 year old researcher and writer from Dallas, Texas with extensive experience in writing auto-related articles and covering automotive related events. She is currently a contributing writer for a leading automotive e-zine.

Wake County NC: A Very Desirable County to Live In

Wake County has been voted one of the best places to live and work in North Carolina. This is largely because of all the things there are to do in and around Wake County. Wake County is even home to Raleigh, the capital of North Carolina. This is a very large city and can be considered the center of activity for North Carolina.

Raleigh has proved to be a very desirable city to live in. The government has taken steps to bring in business and help keep the city in good condition. They even passed a large recycling bill to help keep things clean.

The nicest thing about Raleigh and Wake County in general is the abundance of wildlife. The area hasn?t been urbanized like a lot of counties across the U.S. While there are still a lot of houses, streets, and city blocks there are trees and parks all around. You can still find beautiful neighborhoods where you can sit on the porch and listen to the birds sing.

The reason for all this wildlife is because of urban forestry. This is a fancy way of saying the government helps plant trees and takes care of wildlife in general. It helps to keep the area looking good and healthy.

Wake County also offers an abundance of recreation to people seeking a little fun. There are a lot of golf courses scattered throughout Wake County and the surrounding cities. There are also local school games for people who enjoy watching sports.

There is even an abundance of arts and museums in and around Wake County and especially in the Raleigh area. This has helped attract people who enjoy relaxing and learning the history of the region.

Wake County has proved to be a good all around place. It attracts some people for its abundant business and good job opportunities and other people because of the relaxed lifestyle that can be had. If you need a good all around place to move then you should really consider Wake County.

Visit the Wake County Real Estate team and move to Wake County: www.jmphometeam.com

How to Choose Sexy Lingerie for Christmas

Christmas is the season to rejoice and be joyful. Your man deserve an exceptional night of fun and intimacy. Re- ignite his passion and make it an unforgettable night. The secret is have confidence. You need preparation. Proper dieting and nutrition plus regular exercise is needed to firm up and tone up your body.

Consider investing in stripping class where you can learn to strut, dance and strip in style. Put him in the right mood by giving him a glass of wine. Dim the lights and turn on the soft romantic music. The sexy colors for lingerie is red and black. White, grey, purple, royal blue are also the festive season colors.There are different styles available this winter season including retro 60s look with spots and polka dots, oriental design with mandarin shapes and kimono prints and lastly, animal prints which feature animals like tiger , zebra or leopard.

You may want your man to get in on the act. Let him take charge and slowly remove the different pieces from the bra, panty to the stockings. Find out his secret fantasy and both of you can role play together.

You need the right costume to dazzle your man. There are plenty of costumes out there with different themes such as Santa's helper, French maid, Wonder Woman, Cow-girl, Devil and many others.In fact, you don't even need to take off the costume skirt when you are having sex.

Heighten his excitement and tension by having as many layers of clothing as possible. You can start off with a night robe. The next layer can be a chemise, camisole and bustier. Get a see-through chemise to bring up the temperature.

Finally, he will reach the final layer of undergarment. Wear a bra that fits you. Make sure that bra is not too big and hides your ample bosom. Push up bras do enhance the cleavage. Strapless bras turn me on too. Without doubt, lacy bras are the most ideal for a night of intimacy with your man. I also like bras with bows , ribbons and embroidery for an added touch of femminity.Silk, leather and satin are alternative lingerie material.

As I have mentioned earlier the more skin you show the better it. If you got a great body and you are not afraid to flaunt it, show off your body by wearing a thong. When passion are flaming hot and there is not a moment to spare you can leave it on during sex. To tease him further, you can wear a face mask too.

If you like skin tight lingerie to reveal your curves, you can choose from a variety of items such as a bodysuit, corset, body stocking or teddy. If you have comfort in mind, a loose fitting item such as a baby doll would be your ideal choice. I like see -through baby doll with slits in front to reveal more skin.

Check out http://www.buy-bras.net/branded-bras.htm for wide branded bras and lingerie online. You can get a sexy chemise at http://www.womanht.com/shopping/Chemise.htm

Will Long Term Home Ownership Lead to Profits or Declining Values?

The latest report from PMI Mortgage Insurance company looks at real estate trends. The report indicated that if you owned a home from 1986 thru 2005 in 50 of the largest metropolitan areas, you did very well. During that period of time, if you owned a home for 10 years or more, you profited 100% of the time. If you owned a home during this period for 7 years, the percentage of homeowners that profited were 95%.

The economics now are shifting. In the top 50 metropolitan areas of the country, 48 of them face a greater chance of a price decline this quarter then they did last quarter.

PMI assigns a risk index number to differfent markets. All 50 of the major metropolitan areas, except Chicago, have seen their risk index number go up. A risk score of 500 or more means the geographic area has a high risk of price declines in the real estate market. There are now 14 of 50 areas that have a risk score of 500 or more, which means that metropolitan area has a 50% chance of price decline during the next two years. The average score has increased from 261 last quarter to 284 this quarter. The metropolitan area that saw its risk increase the greatest was Minneapolis, MN, which saw an increase in its risk index of 90 points.

Of the metropolitan areas with the highest risk, seven of top ten are in California.

The report looks at volitile markets and stable markets. First let's look at the volitile markets. These include San Francisco, CA; Los Angeles, CA; and Dallas, TX. We are looking at a time period from 1986-2005. In San Francisco the return for any 5 year period ranged from a gain of 50% to a loss of 10%. The median return was 33%. Families staying in their homes for 15 years did not incur any losses. Their gains were from 14% to 25%.

Home buyers in Los Angeles saw the greatest losses during this time period. The median return for a 5 year period was positive at 25%, however, losses ranged up to 41% in some cases. A family that stayed in its home for 15 years in LA saw a return of 10% to 24%.

In the Dallas market trends were seen that were not seen in other markets. After 5 years of home ownership, homeowners saw their gains max out at 22%. Families who owned homes for 10 years or more did not see losses, but they did not always see gains either. During this time period gains ranged from 0% to 24%.

The stable markets looked at were Atlanta, Nashville and Cleveland. Atlanta had a median gain of 20% for 5 years of home ownership. For 15 years the gain narrowed to 11% to 15%.

In Nashville a 5 year homeownership ranged in gains from 6% to 25%. FOr 15 years of home ownership the gains were from 11% to 15%.

Home ownership in Cleveland for 5 years showed an increase from 7% to 23%. For 15 years of home ownership gains were from 12% to 15%.

Andrew Goldman is president of Metal Rabbit media services, the operator of http://www.Exchangetradedfundinvesting.com and http://www.carealestateinvest.com He has written a number of articles on finance and investment over the last ten years.

Finding The Right Breast Pump For Your Needs

Breastmilk is by far the best source of nutrition for infants; however, exclusive breastfeeding is not possible for all mothers. You can continue to feed your child breastmilk even though you may spend some time apart if you use a quality breast pump to express milk for his or her feedings. To begin finding the right breast pump you?ll need to answer a couple of questions. Why do you need a breast pump? How often will you need to express milk for your baby?

If you will need a pump to prepare an occasional feeding or to relieve engorgement then you will probably pump once or twice a day. For infrequent milk expression, manual pumps are the most cost effective choice. With a manual breast pump you control the speed and suction of the pump with the squeeze of your hand. This type of pump is convenient to take along anywhere since it is lightweight and do not require a power source. The Avent Isis has been the most preferred manual pump for quite some time. Other popular manuals include the Ameda One-Hand and the Medela Harmony.

If you need a pump because you will be returning to work then you will most likely need to express milk 4 to 5 times a day. An electric breast pump is a must-have item for mothers that will pump on a daily basis because using a manual would be quite time consuming. Electric pump models have multiple speed and suction settings that can be adjusted for comfort and maximum milk expression. These pumps also allow for expression from both breasts at the same time which is a great time saver for mothers that will pump multiple times each day. The Medela Pump in Style has been a trusted electric breast pump for many years as have the Ameda Purely Yours models. Avent?s new electric model, the Isis iQ Duo, is quickly gaining popularity amongst nursing mothers because it offers an infinite amount of suction and speed settings.

Once you have determined how often you will pump and the type that you will need, you can begin to evaluate the variety of brands and models. Reviewing side by side pump comparisons can help you to see how each pump stands up to the others in its class. Veteran breastfeeding mothers can also provide useful information since they have experience using the pumps. Reading through customer reviews can help you find out if other mothers share your concerns. Taking time to select the right pump is important because an uncomfortable breast pump can lead to a frustrating pumping experience which can put a strain on your breastfeeding relationship with your child.

About the Author:

Breast Pumps Direct, http://www.breastpumpsdirect.com, is a leading retailer of breast pumps that provides mothers with breast pump reviews, breast pump comparisons and breastfeeding information.

The Beauty of the Backpack

What is a backpack? Well, according to the Collins English Dictionary, one of its definition is, a rucksack. A rucksack, what is a rucksack? I'm glad you ask. A rucksack is a large bag, usually having two straps, carried on the back and often used by climbers, campers, etc. It is also called: backpack.

Backpack, rucksack, knapsack and haversack, depending on which part of the world you're in, you'll hear one of these names, but they all referring to the same item, the same product.

The haversack can be traced to the year eighteen fifty five (1855) and especially during the time of war. Knapsacks are never out of season and throughout the years, instead of disappearing, they have become more and more popular with added styles and benefits.

The beauty of a backpack is its durability, its versatility, its design, its variety and its features.

(1) The durability of the Haversacks.

Haversacks are usually made from leather, nylon (water resistant nylon as well), polyester, fustian, whisper fleece, kordura and vinyl. In the pass as well as the present, soldiers have been using haversacks on their missions. Children, day in and day out have been forcing them into lockers, dropping them on the play ground and jogging them up and down as they run.

(2) The versatility of the Rucksack.

A rucksack can be taken practically anywhere and I do mean anywhere. It can be used for carrying school supplies, camping necessities and hiking gears. It is perfect for a trip to the store and astronauts have been using it for carrying food into outer space.

(3) The design of the Knapsack.

The knapsack is usually designed as top loaders and front loaders. The top loader is packed from the top of the bag and is great for cross country outings because of its large storage capacity. As for the front loaders, these are accessible from the front, that is, quick and easy access to your gear. There are day packs and there are expedition packs. The day pack is designed for short outings, such as a day of hiking and the expedition pack, like its name suggests, is suitable for cross country camping.

(4) The variety of the Backpack

Even though it is more heighten during the ack to school periods, the backpack can be found in abundance throughout the year. There is a backpack for carrying laptops, cameras, volleyballs and even skateboards and that's not all, there are backpacks for carrying a baby car seat or a booster seat.

(5) The features of the Backpack

The backpack have loads of practical and attractive features. There are waist and shoulder support straps (padded with foam), multiple loading compartments, hydro-pack systems, front, side and bottom pockets, zippers, laces to reinforce the zippers, multicolour and single colour. There are long backpacks and short backpacks, there are big backpacks and small backpacks. There are backpacks with wheels and backpacks without. There are backpacks specially designed with the curve of the body in mind and recently one have been publicize that was designed with the storage and playing of the ipod (while in the bag) in mind.

The backpack is never out of style, it is strong, versatile, practically designed, the variety is numerous and its features helps to make a trip pleasurable. After finding the perfect backpack for one's needs, it can become a travel companion that will be hard to part with.

Breast Cancer Cause Control And Cure For The Benefit Of Humankind

Cancer accounts to a death of 6 million human lives per year. Modern medicine is aging with breath taking advances in cancer care with increasing awareness, preventing, detection, therapy, research and symptom management. Last 15 years has been a revolution. It is likely to fight Cancer out by getting an early detection especially at a pre cancer stage thus yielding best cure with much shorter treatment time, lesser cost, lesser body insult.

Am I at risk for breast cancer? Breast cancer is the most common malignancy-affecting woman in North America and Europe. Every woman is at risk for breast cancer. Close to 200,000 cases of breast cancer were diagnosed in the United States in 2001. Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in American women behind lung cancer. The lifetime risk of any particular woman getting breast cancer is about 1 in 8 although the lifetime risk of dying from breast cancer is much lower at 1 in 28. The diagnosis once confirmed by Doctor shocks in such a way that not only the patient suffers but entire family suffers the shock. Thus the patient and family both suffer differently and that adds to the total burden of cancer related illness.

Know your breast: The breast is a collection of glands and fatty tissue that lies between the skin and the chest wall. The glands inside the breast produce milk after a woman has a baby. Each gland is called as lobule and many such lobules make up a lobe. There are 15 to 20 lobes in each breast. The milk gets to the nipple from the glands by way of tubes called ducts. The glands and ducts get bigger when a breast is filled with milk, but the tissue that is most responsible for the size and shape the breast is the fatty tissue. There are also blood vessels and lymph vessels in the breast. Lymph is a clear liquid waste product that gets drained out of the breast into lymph nodes. Lymph nodes are small, pea-sized pieces of tissue that filter and clean the lymph. Most lymph nodes that drain the breast are under the arm in what is called the axilla.

Risk factors for breast cancer: They can be divided into those that you cannot change and those that you can change. Some factors that increase your risk of breast cancer that you cannot alter include being a woman, getting older, having a family history (having a mother, sister, or daughter with breast cancer doubles your risk), having a previous history of breast cancer, having had radiation therapy to the chest region, being Caucasian, getting your periods young (before 12 years old), having your menopause late (after 50 years old), never having children or having them when you are older than 30, and having a genetic mutation that increases your risk. Genetic mutations for breast cancer have become a hot topic of research lately. Between 3-10% of breast cancers may be related to changes in either the gene BRCA1 or the gene BRCA2.

Women can inherit these mutations from their parents and it may be worth testing for either mutation if a woman has a particularly strong family history of breast cancer (meaning multiple relatives affected, especially if they are under 50 years old when they get the disease). If a woman is found to carry either mutation, she has a 50% chance of getting breast cancer before she is 70. Family members may elect to get tested to see if they carry the mutation as well. If a woman does have the mutation, she can get more rigorous screening or even undergo preventive (prophylactic) mastectomies to decrease her chances of contracting cancer. The decision to get tested is a highly personal one that should be discussed with a doctor who is trained in counseling patients about genetic testing.

Certain factors which increase a woman's risk of breast cancer can be altered including taking hormone replacement therapy (long term use of estrogens with progesterone for menopause symptoms slightly increases your risk), taking birth control pills (a very slight increased risk that disappears in women who have stopped them for over 10 years), not breastfeeding, drinking 2 to 5 alcoholic drinks a day, being overweight (especially after menopause), and not exercising. All of these modifiable risk factors are not nearly as important as gender, age, and family history, but they are things that a woman can control that may reduce her chances of developing a breast malignancy. Remember that all risk factors are based on probabilities, and even someone without any risk factors can still get breast cancer. Proper screening and early detection are our best weapons in reducing the mortality associated with this disease.

What are the signs of breast cancer? Unfortunately, the early stages of breast cancer may not have any symptoms. This is why it is important to follow screening recommendations. As a tumor grows in size, it can produce a variety of symptoms including: lump or thickening in the breast or underarm, change in size or shape of the breast, nipple discharge or nipple turning inward, redness or scaling of the skin or nipple, ridges or pitting of the breast skin

Can you prevent breast cancer? The individual cannot control the most important risk factors for the development of breast cancer. There are some risk factors that are associated with an increased risk, but there is not a clear cause and effect relationship. In no way can strong recommendations be made like the cause and effect relationship seen with tobacco and lung cancer. There are a few risk factors that may be modified by a woman that potentially could influence the development of breast cancer. If possible, a woman should avoid long-term hormone replacement therapy, have children before age 30, breastfeed, avoid weight gain through exercise and proper diet, and limit alcohol consumption to 1 drink a day or less. For women already at a high risk, their risk of developing breast cancer can be reduced by about 50% by taking a drug called Tamoxifen for five years. Tamoxifen has some common side effects (like hot flashes and vaginal discharge), which are not serious and some uncommon side effects (like blood clots, pulmonary embolus, stroke, and uterine cancer) which are life threatening. Tamoxifen isn't widely used for prevention, but may be useful in some cases.

There are limited data suggesting that vitamin A may protect against breast cancer but further research is needed before it can be recommended for prevention. Other things being investigated include phyto estrogens (naturally occurring estrogens that are in high numbers in soy), vitamin E, vitamin C, and other drugs. Further testing of these substances is also needed before they can be recommended for breast cancer prevention. Right now, the most important thing any woman can do to decrease her risk of dying from breast cancer is to have regular mammogram screening, perform breast self-exams once a month. Follow a few, easy steps, you will soon know what is normal for you and will quickly be aware of any changes. If you find a lump or other change, note down where it is and make an appointment to see your doctor as soon as possible.

Question for young women?s are how to look? Well it is medically suggested that you stand up straight in front of a mirror with your arms loosely by your sides. Raise your arms above your head and move from side to side so you can see your breasts in the mirror, from different angles. What should you look for? A change in the size of either breast, change in the shape or position of nipple, bleeding or discharge from the nipples, unusual dimpling or puckering. How do you feel for changes? Lie flat on your back with your head on a pillow. Put a folded towel under the shoulder on the side of the breast you are checking. This helps to spread the tissue so that it is easier to feel. Examine one breast at a time. Put the hand on the same side of the breast that you are going to examine under your head. With your other hand flat and fingers together, use the flats of your fingers to feel around the breast in small, circular movements, in an anticlockwise direction. Cover the whole of the breast including the nipple. Check your armpit for lumps in the same way, starting in the hollow and moving down towards the breast.

Now examine the other breast in the same way. If you think you have found something, feel the same area on the opposite breast. If they are the same it's probably just your shape, but if you are at all worried, do visit your doctor. Breast cancer happens when cells in the breast begin to grow out of control and can then invade nearby tissues or spread throughout the body. Large collections of this out of control tissue are called tumors. However, some tumors are not really cancer because they cannot spread or threaten someone's life. These are called benign tumors. The tumors that can spread throughout the body or invade nearby tissues are considered cancer and are called malignant tumors. Theoretically, any of the types of tissue in the breast can form a cancer, but usually it comes from either the ducts or the glands. Because it may take months to years for a tumor to get large enough to feel in the breast, we screen for tumors with mammograms, which can sometimes see disease before we can feel it.

The earlier that a breast cancer is found, the more likely it is that treatment can be curable. Screening mammograms are simply x-rays of each breast. The breast is placed between two plates for a few seconds while the x-rays are taken. If something appears abnormal, or better views are needed, magnified views or specially angled films are taken during the mammogram. Mammograms often detect tumors before they can be felt and they can also identify tiny specks of calcium that could be an early sign of cancer. Regular screening mammograms can decrease the mortality of breast cancer by 30%. Woman should get a yearly mammogram starting at age 40 (although some groups recommend starting at 50), and women with a genetic mutation that increases their risk or a strong family history may want to begin even earlier. Between the ages of 20 and 39, every woman should have a clinical breast exam every 3 years and after age 40 every woman should have a clinical breast exam done each year.

There are some experimental screening modalities that are currently being studied. These include MRI, ductal lavage, ultrasound, optical tomography, PET scan, and digital mammograms. Depending on the results of the mammograms and/or ultrasounds, your doctors may recommend that you get a biopsy. A biopsy is the only way to know for sure if you have cancer, because it allows your doctors to get cells that can be examined under a microscope. There are different types of biopsies; they differ on how much tissue is removed. Some biopsies use a very fine needle, while others use thicker needles or even require a small surgical procedure to remove more tissue. Your team of doctors will decide which type of biopsy you need depending on your particular breast mass. Once the tissue is removed, a pathologist will review the specimen. The pathologist can tell if it is cancer or not; and if it is cancerous, then the pathologist will characterize it by what type of tissue it arose from, how abnormal it looks (known as the grade), whether or not it is invading surrounding tissues, and if the entire lump was excised, the pathologist can tell if there are any cancer cells left at the borders (also known as the margins). The pathologist will also test the cancer cells for the presence of estrogen and progesterone receptors as well as a receptor known as HER-2/neu. Basic 4 stages of breast cancer are called as

Stage 0 (called carcinoma in situ) Lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS) refers to abnormal cells lining a gland in the breast. Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) refers to abnormal cells lining a duct.

Stage I - early stage breast cancer where the tumor is less that 2 cm across and hasn't spread beyond the breast

Stage II - early stage breast cancer where the tumor is either less than 2 cm across and has spread to the lymph nodes under the arm; or the tumor is between 2 and 5 cm (with or without spread to the lymph nodes under the arm); or the tumor is greater than 5 cm and hasn't spread outside the breast

Stage III - locally advanced breast cancer where the tumor is greater than 5 cm across and has spread to the lymph nodes under the arm; or the cancer is extensive in the underarm lymph nodes; or the cancer has spread to lymph nodes near the breastbone or to other tissues near the breast

Stage IV - metastatic breast cancer where the cancer has spread outside the breast to other organs in the body

Depending on the stage of your cancer, your doctor may want additional tests to see if you have metastatic disease. If you have a stage III cancer, you will probably get a chest x-ray, CT scan and bone scan to look for metastases. Each patient is an individual and your doctors will decide what is necessary to adequately stage your cancer. What are the treatments for breast cancer?

Surgery: Almost all women with breast cancer will have some type of surgery in the course of their treatment while some women will be candidates for what is called breast conservation therapy (BCT) where surgeons perform a lumpectomy which means they remove the tumor with a little bit of breast tissue around it but do not remove the entire breast. Some patients will have a sentinel lymph node biopsy procedure first to determine if a formal lymph node dissection is required. Sometimes, the surgeon will remove a larger part (but not the whole breast), and this is called a segmental or partial mastectomy. Most patients with DCIS that have a lumpectomy are treated with radiation therapy to prevent the local recurrence of DCIS.More advanced breast cancers are usually treated with a modified radical mastectomy. Modified radical mastectomy means removing the entire breast and dissecting the lymph nodes under the arm.

Chemotherapy: is the use of anti-cancer drugs that go throughout the entire body. The higher the stage of cancer you have, the more important it is that you receive chemotherapy; however, even stage I patients may benefit from chemotherapy in certain cases. In early stage patients, the risk of recurrence may be small, and thus the benefits of the chemotherapy are even smaller. There are many different chemotherapy drugs, and they are usually given in combinations for 3 to 6 months after you receive your surgery. Depending on the type of chemotherapy regimen you receive, you may get medication every 3 or 4 weeks; and you may have to go to a clinic to get the chemotherapy because many of the drugs have to be given through a vein. Two of the most common regimens are AC (doxorubicin and cycolphosphamide) for 3 months or CMF (cycolphosphamide, methotrexate, and fluorouracil) for 6 months. There are advantages and disadvantages to each of the different regimens that your medical oncologist will discuss with you. Based on your own health, your personal values and wishes, and side effects you may wish to avoid, you can work with your doctors to come up with the best regimen for your lifestyle.

Radiotherapy: uses high-energy rays (similar to x-rays) to kill cancer cells. It comes from an external source, and it requires patients to come in 5 days a week for up to 6 weeks to a radiation therapy treatment center. The treatment takes just a few minutes, and it is painless. Radiation therapy is used in all patients who receive breast conservation therapy (BCT). It is also recommended for patients after a mastectomy that had large tumors, lymph node involvement, or close/positive margins after the surgery. Radiation is important in reducing the risk of local recurrence and is often offered in more advanced cases to kill tumor cells that may be living in lymph nodes.

Hormonal Therapy: When the pathologist examines your tumor specimen, he or she finds out if the tumor is expressing estrogen and progesterone receptors. Patients whose tumors express estrogen receptors are candidates for therapy with an estrogen-blocking drug called Tamoxifen. Tamoxifen is taken by pill form for 5 years after your surgery. This drug has been shown to drastically reduce your risk of recurrence if your tumor expresses estrogen receptors. However, there are side effects commonly associated with Tamoxifen including weight gain, hot flashes and vaginal discharge that patients may be bothered by. There are also very uncommon side effects like blood clots, strokes, or uterine cancer that may scare patients from choosing to take it. You need to remember that your chances of having a recurrence of your cancer are usually higher than your chances of having a serious problem with Tamoxifen, but the decision to undergo hormonal therapy is a personal one that you should make with your doctor. There are also newer drugs, called aromatase inhibitors that act by decreasing your body's supply of estrogen; these drugs are reserved for patients who have already gone through menopause. Talk to your doctors about these new therapies.

Biologic Therapy: The pathologist also examines your tumor for the presence of HER-2/neu over expression. A compound called Herceptin (or Trastuzumab) is a substance that blocks this receptor and helps stop the breast cancer from growing.

Follow-up testing: Once a patient has been treated for breast cancer, they need to be closely followed for a recurrence. At first, you will have follow-up visits every 3-4 months. The longer you are free of disease, the less often you will have to go for checkups. After 5 years, you could see your doctor once a year. You should have a mammogram of the treated and untreated breasts every year. Because having had breast cancer is a risk factor for getting it again, having your mammograms done every year is extremely important. If you are taking Tamoxifen, it is important that you get a pelvic exam each year and report any abnormal vaginal bleeding to your doctor.

Drink Green Tea: Generations of families in India and Asia have been turning to tea to cure what ails them. Green tea could benefit at least five vital organs, including the heart. Earlier, green tea was thought to improve urinary and brain function, combat beriberi disease, and alleviate indigestion. In other words, green tea was considered to be a multi-purpose elixir, able to treat a wide variety of health problems. But this ancient remedy has now found a place in modern scientific literature, thanks to a new wave of studies on the medicinal properties of green tea. While studies on human subjects have been inconclusive, initial evidence from the laboratory looks incredibly promising.

While green tea can be beneficial in attacking everything from high cholesterol to depression, it has perhaps gotten the most attention for its impact on cancer. Antioxidants are important because they can stop the enzyme activities that give rise to cancer. In essence, they repair DNA problems that have been caused by oxidants or free radicals. Green tea has been considered a godsend for good health because it contains antioxidants known as catechins. These substances have been called impressive inhibitors of cancer growth. Here?s how they do it: lab tests show that they combat oxidants prior to cell injuries, stop the growth of tumor cells, and reduce the occurrence of tumors.

This article is meant to give you a better understanding of breast cancer. Use this knowledge when meeting with your physician, making treatment decisions, and continuing your search for information.

Stay Healthy, as Health is Wealth!

Book Review: Gifts for Baby Toys Clothes & Nursery Accents to Make with Love

By Joanne O'Sullivan
Copyright 2003
128 pages

With Christmas fast approaching, there is still time to create a thoughtful gift, for the special baby, in your life. This book includes projects for, both, those who sew and those who enjoy crafts, alike.

In addition to easy to follow instructions, and colorful photos of each project, the book also covers topics such as choosing the right gift, tips on fabrics and embellishments, common stitches, gift presentation ideas, safety issues, and a helpful, standardized baby sizing chart. Templates for each project are included, as well.

Another interesting feature of Gifts for Baby is the fact that Ms. O'Sullivan has included several examples of welcoming the new baby traditions, which cover various cultures, and time periods. Did you know that in Cambodia strings with money attached are tied around a baby's wrist as presents? Or, in Ancient Greece new parents placed a piece of woolen fabric over their door, to announce the birth of a baby girl? A wreath made of olive branches was placed over the door, if the child was a boy.

All of the projects are practical. These gifts will be used, not stored in the top of a closet. Many of them are educational, in nature.

Projects included:

~Window Dressing Flower Garland
~Heart-Felt Booties
~Baby Kimono Top w/ Embroidered Trim
~Big, Fun, Soft Baby Blocks and Balls
~Royal Treatment Washcloth and Towels
~Pretty and Practical Portable Changing Pad
~Moon and Stars Cradle Sheet
~Star Bright Applique Top
~Beaded Baby Booties
~Buttercup Fleece Stroller Blanket
~One-of-aKind Snap Tops
~Baby Bee Hooded Towel
~Twinkly Star Toy
~Just Ducky Toy Tote and Floor Pad
~Baby's Best Friend Stuffed Scottie Dog
~Four Seasons Felt Activity Book
~Dots and Flowers Decoupage Shelf
~Good Little Eater Oilcloth Bib
~Sweet Little Socks
~Vintage Tea-Towel Lavender Sachet
~Color-Slice Felt Rattle
~Flying Friends Mobile
~Nursing and Play Pillow
~Good Times Rolling Toy Basket
~Elfin Slippers
~Little Ladybug Sunhat
~Sweetheart Shade
~Baby Pixie Hat
~Baby Bunting
~Fairytale Treasure Chest
~Baby's First Counting Book
~Snuggle Bunny
~Super-Absorbent Diaper Bag Pouch
~Toile Keepsake Box
~Playful Pony Bookends
~Star Attraction Frame
~Fleecy Jumper
~Fleecy Baby Pants
~Changing Table Organizer
~Cute-as-a-Button Changing Table Tray
~Little Bird Baby Album
Copyright 2003
128 pages

With Christmas fast approaching, there is still time to create a thoughtful gift, for the special baby, in your life. This book includes projects for, both, those who sew and those who enjoy crafts, alike.

In addition to easy to follow instructions, and colorful photos of each project, the book also covers topics such as choosing the right gift, tips on fabrics and embellishments, common stitches, gift presentation ideas, safety issues, and a helpful, standardized baby sizing chart. Templates for each project are included, as well.

Another interesting feature of Gifts for Baby is the fact that Ms. O'Sullivan has included several examples of welcoming the new baby traditions, which cover various cultures, and time periods. Did you know that in Cambodia strings with money attached are tied around a baby's wrist as presents? Or, in Ancient Greece new parents placed a piece of woolen fabric over their door, to announce the birth of a baby girl? A wreath made of olive branches was placed over the door, if the child was a boy.

All of the projects are practical. These gifts will be used, not stored in the top of a closet. Many of them are educational, in nature.

Projects included:

~Window Dressing Flower Garland
~Heart-Felt Booties
~Baby Kimono Top w/ Embroidered Trim
~Big, Fun, Soft Baby Blocks and Balls
~Royal Treatment Washcloth and Towels
~Pretty and Practical Portable Changing Pad
~Moon and Stars Cradle Sheet
~Star Bright Applique Top
~Beaded Baby Booties
~Buttercup Fleece Stroller Blanket
~One-of-aKind Snap Tops
~Baby Bee Hooded Towel
~Twinkly Star Toy
~Just Ducky Toy Tote and Floor Pad
~Baby's Best Friend Stuffed Scottie Dog
~Four Seasons Felt Activity Book
~Dots and Flowers Decoupage Shelf
~Good Little Eater Oilcloth Bib
~Sweet Little Socks
~Vintage Tea-Towel Lavender Sachet
~Color-Slice Felt Rattle
~Flying Friends Mobile
~Nursing and Play Pillow
~Good Times Rolling Toy Basket
~Elfin Slippers
~Little Ladybug Sunhat
~Sweetheart Shade
~Baby Pixie Hat
~Baby Bunting
~Fairytale Treasure Chest
~Baby's First Counting Book
~Snuggle Bunny
~Super-Absorbent Diaper Bag Pouch
~Toile Keepsake Box
~Playful Pony Bookends
~Star Attraction Frame
~Fleecy Jumper
~Fleecy Baby Pants
~Changing Table Organizer
~Cute-as-a-Button Changing Table Tray
~Little Bird Baby Album

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Merry Vincent is a freelance writer, living in northern Michigan. She is an avid reader, and content editor of the Reading Channel at: http://www.bellaonline.com/Site/reading

Helping Traders Earn more than $500K a year Day Trading Stocks

Day Traders Win (DTW) - Services:

System - perspective, approach, and tools to win,

Consulting & Coaching - learn to be a consistent winner,


Day Trading Room - earn while you learn to win.

Helping Traders Learn to Consistently Win:

Experienced traders, fed up with losing or tired of producing boring, mediocre results, use our services to learn to consistently win day trading NASDAQ and NYSE stocks.

As most traders consider themselves losers (the media has it over 80%), this opportunity to become a consistent winner is both special and rare. It's special as winning is all about learning - learning how to trade well and thus earn well. And learning how to trade well requires that you learn to manage well - manage your energy, your mood, and your money.

Winners have a means to win with discipline. They learn to quiet the chatter, displacing arrogance and biases with instinctual action. They learn to trade with rigor, using a reliable system and execute according to plan. Winners must also learn to let go the urge arrogantly control - control the markets, control price, and control outcomes. Applying standard business practices in a mood of control, that works great in business, as you discovered, fails painfully while day trading.

Winners learn to manage their mood while they day trade stocks - to conserve energy and develop instinct for winning. Not just winning now and then, but consistently winning - day after day, every trading day. And then (like in the games tennis of golf) learning to day trade stocks at professional levels of competence and performance - with a sense of meaning, self control, and purpose. Trading with both a sense of fulfillment and a wonderful sense of feeling alive - winning.

We trade in the privacy or our own homes - no employees, no inventory, no selling, no meetings, no customers, no bad debts, no commute, and no airplanes. We trade when we want, how we want, on our own - no boss, no stockholders, no media to deal with - completely autonomous, answering to no one - as we just day trade stocks to win.

Day Traders Win:

Our Vision is simple, challenging and exciting - to have the perspective, system, plan, coaching / mentoring, and a day trading room - to learn to become consistent winners.

Our trading Goal is simple - to learn to win every call our competence and instinct allow.

Our Focus is also simple, yet very powerful and financially rewarding. We ignore the endless noise and all the before and after market research and forecasting - in order to pay attention to what matters most to consistently win, no matter what the market offers us to trade.

Like a champion tennis player, working with a world-class coach (Federer/Roche, Agassi/Gilbert, Sharapova/Yuri, Roddick/Connors), the focus must be on winning each point in the moment - not concerned with the past, the purse, the endorsements, nor the fame.

Likewise, day traders, working with this coach, the focus must be on winning each and every trade, at the moment - not the past, not the money, nor the contributions you can make with people close to you with your newfound wealth.

Our day trader career development program, our close and accessible client-coach relationships, and our learn as you earn day trading room - allow want-to-be winners quickly build and maintain the confidence, competence, and performance of a winner - in order to have that rare opportunity and experience of consistently winning as they day trade stocks.

That's what we do best - helping (consulting, coaching, mentoring, and otherwise supporting and guiding) day traders to learn to consistently win - to feel alive.

Enjoy.

Comments & questions:
Wealth@DayTradersWin.com

About the Author

Day Trader Consultant and Coach.

Ladies Underwear

Female underpants come in a variety of styles. A thong is the most daring style. It provides coverage at the crotch with a thin strap at the back. Once worn by models to make panty lines undetectable, the thong has now made inroads into mainstream fashion. There are several types of thongs: G-Strings are all string and no cloth, and hence do not provide coverage; Tangas have a modest seat; T-Backs form a ?T? shape in the user?s back; while Rio has straps on the sides.



For those who find thongs too provocative, low-rise hipsters are a good option as they provide more coverage but are just as attractive. Hipsters work well for women with a flabby stomach. They are cut like shorts and are low rise. The difference between hipsters and shorts is that shorts have a leg while hipsters are cut off the thigh. Women with heavy hips should wear deep-sided briefs, as they do not reveal much skin. The drawback in this style is that the panty lines are starkly visible if worn under tight clothing. High-rise briefs come up to the belly button, have a full seat, and reach down to the thighs. These are the most conservative underwear, as well as the most comfortable.



There are several kinds of brassieres. A strapless brassiere is preferable when worn under a dress that has a low or wide neckline or slender straps. The most resourceful brassiere is one with removable straps that can be made into a crisscross or halter brassiere. A good brassiere provides support and accentuates the cleavage.



Apart from different styles, female underwear is also available in a range of colors and patterns. Black, white, red, and ivory are popular colors, while animal and floral prints are bestsellers, although underwear is basically about personal preferences.





Mens Underwear provides detailed information on Underwear, Mens Underwear, Ladies Underwear, Underwear Models and more. Mens Underwear is affiliated with Men's Fashion Underwear.

Car Seat Safety: Statistics and Law

Driving around with your child, you want to make sure that your car is as safe as can be. Here's how to choose a car seat or booster seat for your child.

Know the Facts

According to the Ontario Ministry of Transportation, in Canada, collisions are the number one cause of death for children. Having a properly installed car seat can minimize fatalities, and decrease the risk by 75%.

Choose the Right Car Seat

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) surveys all car seats for infants and children. They are rated on a number of categories from clear instructions to ease of use. The good news is, car seat manufacturers are listening to the government's suggestions, and are constantly improving designs. For current information, visit the NHTSA website. You can easily find a car seat that has earned all As in every category. If you work with ebay or froogle at the same time, you can also complete some of your comparison shopping online. If you have seen a car seat that you think you like at the store, check out its safety rating.

Know the Age Groups

The following are just guidelines to get you started. You should always read the instructions on every car seat carefully to find out the height and weight restrictions.

Infants need to be in rear facing car seats. This is until they are roughly 1 year old or 20 lbs.

Toddlers need to be put in forward facing seats with tether straps. Tether straps are very important to safety: if your vehicle doesn't have a tether anchor, contact the dealership to have one installed. This is between roughly 20-40 lbs.

Children who are old enough move out of a car seat still need to use a booster seat. This is until the child is 4'9 tall. This will probably be until the child is about eight years old. Boosterseat.gov is a site that information on when your child can stop using a booster seat.

Airbags

Children should always stay in the back seat away from any airbags. This means that children should always ride in the back seat until they are old enough to use a regular seatbelt. Again, this will probably not be until your child is 8 or 9.

If you buy a used carseat

Make sure that it has not been in an accident. Make sure there is no discoloration or strain marks on the car seat. Check that it has been certified for safety. Don't buy a car seat more than ten years old.

NHTSA has a site, the Office of Defects investigation, that lists all car seats that were recalled from the year 1990 to present. You can check this site for your peace of mind.

Install it properly

You can call your local public health branch to stop by and make sure that your car seat is properly installed. Up to 80% of car seats were not installed correctly (and so would not have the same safety effects that they are designed for) at recent government-held car seat workshops. Find out if there are workshops that you can attend to establish quickly if your child will be safe.

About the Author

If you are interested in car safety and want to get a new car, or a safer old car, or you just want information on cars in general, visit The Guide to Car Loans.

Why Buying Property in North Cyprus Makes Sound Financial Sense

Cyprus is a stunningly beautiful island, rich in natural resources, blessed with the inimitable Mediterranean climate and located close to the shores of Turkey. Cyprus is also a divided island, unique in that its capital city of Nicosia is the last divided capital city in the world.

The country of Cyprus is unique in another way too, back in 2004 the citizens of North Cyprus voted yes to reunification and to this day efforts are being made to reunite the Northern third of the island with the Southern two thirds. All Cypriot citizens have lived in peace for so long that it is seen as only a matter of time before some form of settlement to rejoin the two sides of the island is found.

In the meantime Southern Cyprus is in the European Union, it is about to join the Euro Zone and adopt the Euro as its official currency while only the citizens of Northern Cyprus are classed as European - their land and homes are not actually considered to be in Europe!

This slightly bizarre and unusual situation has created something of a short term opportunity for property investors astute enough to realise that property in Southern Cyprus, because it is in Europe and because it is on such a beautiful Mediterranean island, is selling for a healthy premium and actually increasing in value annually.

At the same time property in Northern Cyprus is as well constructed, as well located and actually benefits from being in a less over developed and populated part of the island, and yet - property in Northern Cyprus sells for a third of the price of the exact same specification of property in the South!

Admittedly Southern Cyprus is far better developed then the Northern third of the island, it benefits from millions of Euros worth of assistance from the European Union every year, it has a well established tourism market and economically it is far stronger than Northern Cyprus. However, all this is beginning to change quite dramatically. Firstly the EU are giving millions of Euros worth of aid and assistance to Northern Cyprus for the improvements of its basic infrastructure, secondly the fledgling tourism market in North Cyprus is going from strength to strength as the nation successfully markets itself as the last unspoiled destination in the Med, and finally the wider world is starting to sit up and take notice of the fact that in North Cyprus you can buy a duplex apartment right on an international golf course, across the road from an unspoiled beach for just GBP 60,000!!!

Indeed, where else in the world can you find such a desirable commodity for such a low price? The answer is only in North Cyprus - but because economically North Cyprus is catching up with South Cyprus and because the government in the North are considering adopting the Euro as well, prices of property in the North will not remain so subdued for so long.

Those who have already bought villa and apartment property in Northern Cyprus are enjoying capital gains, they are enjoying rental income and above all else they are enjoying the stunning natural beauty of an island unspoiled by commerce and greed.

North Cyprus is exceptional, it is beautiful, it is affordable and it is not going to remain a secret for very much longer! Astute investors are getting in on the market now and buying investment properties as fly to lets and for the capital appreciation they know their assets will enjoy.

Rhiannon Williamson writes about real estate investment in emerging markets worldwide and specialises in property in North Cyprus. To read more North Cyprus Property Facts click here.

Sleeping Problems In The Elderly

Sleeping problems in the elderly may involve a number of factors such as: decreased energy output as a result of retirement,the age of the person, their state of health, and any prescription drugs they may be taking for health problems.

Illness disrupts sleeping patterns in the elderly, and may result in increased awakenings due to physical discomfort, caused by urinary urgency,cramps, angina, chronic obstructive airways disease, and left ventricular failure, these may be some of the many illnesses which cause sleeping problems in the elderly.

An elderly person may become very anxious about a change in their sleeping pattern, however, it will be necessary to thoroughly investigate the problem in order to ascertain if this perceived sleeping problem, causes dysfunction in their waking activities. If the elderly person has a carer, or lives with family then the problem may be easier to assess, for what appears to be a problem may only be a normal change in sleeping pattern for the age.

The most frequently occurring sleeping problem in the elderly is sleep latency, the person may spend some hours in bed before sleep occurs. The elderly person may view this as a problem and request sleeping pills, whereas, all that is needed is to teach them how to reorganize their lives to cope with the changes in sleeping patterns they are experiencing.

Reduced energy output as a result of retirement with an increased opportunity to take naps, either as a result of boredom or just plain exhaustion, may contribute to reduced quality of night-time sleep.

The pressure of a normal working day has been taken away, so the energy output is considerably less, while this may be offered as a possible reason for sleep latency, many others factors may be involved.

There may be much confusion about sleep latency, the difficulty may be exaggerated because the person who experiences it may be convinced that unless they have 8 hours of quality sleep, they will become ill. Sometimes it is difficult to convince an elderly person that they no longer require 8 hours of unbroken sleep, but may be better served by a shorter night time sleep supplemented with day time naps.

So how can sleeping problems in the elderly be resolved? Firstly it is necessary to provide a warm comfortable noise free environment, if this is available then the addition of regular exercise, combined with a healthy diet may be all that is needed to resolve the sleeping problem. However, if the previous measures fail to help, many other modalities are available to help the person .

Reflexology offers a very gentle and effective aid to sleep , and aromatherapy has proven to be very successful to assist relaxation and sleep in the elderly. Both of these modalities have been used in nursing homes and have been found to assist not only sleep, but the general well-being of the patients.

Sleeping problems in the elderly should be thoroughly investigated before any medications are prescribed. Unfortunately this is not always the procedure that is adopted, for often a script is written for what has been described as insomnia by the elderly person, however, such is mostly not the case, but rather it's a normal progression or a resetting of the circadian rhythms as people age which requires education, not medication.

Provided that there is no evidence of disease of the central nervous system, such as dementia, Parkinson's disease, post-traumatic brain damage, and chronic pain, then sleeping problems in the elderly are far better managed conservatively.

About the Author:

Colleen Redman webmaster and publisher of http://www.sleep-problems-nomore.com, a site offering sleep aids and articles showing you how quality sleep, not more sleep improves your energy levels.

Hentai Game Review Desire

Hentai games take the player into a world of fantasy - of their own making, aided with story lines, visual effects, and interplay of sex and adventure. The game Desire is one such hentai game that allows the player to interact with the story as it unfolds on a remote island. The story as such is fictional and a typical movie theme - military weapons and journalists trying to expose the game.

Desire is the name of a research institute built on a remote island by a financial group. The outward appearance is that of a military research institute, but rumors circulate about hidden activities.

To find out the truth and expose the culprits, a young journalist is sent by a socially involved newsgroup. He is granted access to visit Desire. This is when the real action begins. All kinds of events take place - murder, bomb threats, etc.

The hentai aspect enters with a girl at Desire who suffers from memory loss, and is involved with the young journalist. Meanwhile, a research team member gets an inkling of the hidden activities and tries to persuade others to put an end to these. He also gets to know about outside attempts to stop the hidden agenda.

The game is basically adventure related with sex scenarios. The interesting part of Desire is that after finishing the game, one can reload and play the same story from the point of view of another character. The storyline is conveyed through text. Animations are anime style.

For more information on hentai games visit - hentai games

About the Author

The Importance of External Frame Backpacks

External frame backpacks are used primarily for backpacking trips that will require all of the essential equipment to survive be brought with you. There are many great reasons to have an external frame backpack for a trip. This type of backpack consists of a visible metal frame that supports a nylon pack. The pack attaches to the wearer via two thickly padded should straps and a padded hip strap that goes around the waist. The frame distributes the weight over the shoulders and the hips to alleviate the spine from too much pressure. The external frame does carry a high center of gravity that makes it a little harder to keep balanced during activities. This does limit a backpacker to activities that require minimal balance control like walking. Biking and skiing are not recommended while wearing an external frame backpack.
The advantages of external backpacks are mainly due to their versatility. They do also offer better ventilation for the dorsal area than most backpacks because the pack is somewhat suspended within the frame taking pressure off of the back. The frame can be used to tie or strap on extra equipment like tents or cooking utensils. This makes them a necessity for solo hikers and small groups that might require one person to carry the extra equipment.
External frame backpacks have become less popular in backpacking as gear has become more compact. Many tents and large gear fold down to manageable sizes that do not require the external frame to attach to. People's activity demands are also a factor that has created lower demand for external frames. Adding jogging and biking to a backpacking trip makes a smaller internal frame the better choice because of its lower center of gravity. Travel constraints also make it hard to lug the larger packs of trains and planes, especially for those traveling to Europe. The traditional backpacker will always have the external frame, but technology is slowly phasing out the need for one.

About the Author

David Stone is a business consultant who regularly contributes articles to various online magazines. Find more great information at http://backpack-buyer.info

ARod: A Liability at Third Base

How To Make Money On No Equity Properties

As a real estate entrepreneur, you will often run against problems with no equity properties. This is because; you will be buying property from homeowners who sell foreclosed property. This is the reason why most real estate investors do not buy no equity property. The only way to deal with it is to persuade the credit-lending bank to take less than the amount owed to it.

Making Profits on the No Equity Property; Discussed below are some ways to make money on no equity properties.

Deal directly with the Homeowners: Until the time the court orders the foreclosure of property, the banks are not the owners of the home. You need to deal directly with the homeowners to buy the property, and then buy the mortgage from the bank to transfer the ownership of the property to you.

After getting in touch with the homeowner, get him or her to sign a release Information form that will allow the bank to talk to you about the homeowners? mortgage.

Now you need to convince the bank to discount mortgage. Once you can prove that the property is in a bad shape and needs extensive repairs, and the owner is unable to repay the mortgage loan, the bank will probably agree to lower the amount. You may need to negotiate a little, but most banks do not want real estate on their hands, they just need some way to recover the money owed.

Once you have bought the property, you can sell it for a higher amount. The bank is relieved to have the real estate off its hands and get back some of the loan, you have made a profit, and the buyers of the house will probably have some equity on it.

Why Homeowners Will Want to Sell to You. A no equity property is a liability for the homeowner, especially if he is making a distressed sale. The options he has are limited; paying off the mortgage is difficult, renting out the property means spending money on maintenance and repairs, foreclosure means a bad credit record, and short sale could invite a huge tax penalty.

If you make a reasonable offer to the homeowner, chances are that it will be accepted. Since what you pay will get her more money than what the above options could get, he/she will accept your terms. Then you will draw up a sale contract and discuss it with the bank.

With a little creativity and out of the box thinking, you can convert a no equity property into a money making proposition. So the next time you come across a no equity property, do not walk away from it. It may be your chance to make significant profits.

Alexander Gordon is a writer for www.smallbusinessconsulting.com - The Small Business Consulting Community. Sign-up for the free success steps newsletter and get our booklet valued at $24.95 for free as a special bonus. The newsletter provides daily strategies on starting and significantly growing a business.

Business Owners all across the country are joining The Community of Small Business Owners? to receive and provide strategies, insight, tips, support and more on starting, managing, growing, and selling their businesses. As a member, you will have access to true Millionaire Business Owners who will provide strategies and tips from their real-life experiences.

Plus Size Women Deserve Sexy Lingerie Too

If you are a plus size woman it does not mean that you should not wear sexy lingerie or mini dresses. On the contrary if you get a plus size bra and panties set you will feel more sexy and first of all more self confident. Being a plus size does not mean being ugly. In fact there are a lot of men who prefer dating a plus size woman rather than a very thin woman. A plus size woman tends to have more voluptuous forms thus a nice sexy piece of lingerie like babydolls mini dress or a lace see-through night gown can make her even sexier and with a lot more sex appeal than a skinny woman with no accentuated shapes.

There are more and more women who realize than being a plus size is not the end of the world. Thus they become more confident in their sex appeal and want to be able to wear the same designs and models of lingerie created by famous brands like Victoria's Secret, Felina, Playtex, Warner's, Wacoal or Jennifer Lopez JLO. Fortunately for them most of the online stores that offer lingerie, offer plus sizes.

Women's lingerie in larger plus sizes can be very hard to find in your local mall. Online lingerie and intimates catalog stores by far have the best selection of sexy styles, colors, and larger sizes. The ultimate goal in purchasing lingerie for yourself is that you feel sexy and comfortable with your beautiful fuller figure. Perhaps that style will be a understated baby doll silk or sheer nightie or maybe a sexy exotic lingerie costume. Learn more about the lingerie styles available in plus sizes for just about any occasion.

Now that you are decided to buy plus size lingerie that will make you feel sexy here are a few things to take into consideration. First of all you can buy it online from the intimacy of your house thus avoiding mean looks or comments. The most important thing is to buy bras and panties that are comfortable for you. You can choose any type of material you want, but there are a few tricks about the color and the design of the products. For example a one piece body will make you look slimmer. The same effect if true if you wear single color lingerie.

If you like bright color or animal print patterns make sure the bra you buy fits you perfectly and it is not tight. The same is valid for any pairs of panties or briefs. A smaller size will only make you look bigger, and a bigger size that you usually wear will have the same effect. If you are not 100 percent decided to buy plus size lingerie here are a few more motives that will convince you. First of all a man has more to see from a plus size woman when she wears sexy lingerie. Also online you can find all kinds of designs that can help you draw attention on the best part of the body.

The best part about lingerie is that no matter what size you need, you only need to buy it for your personal use and for your significant other's eyes. And for sure you know by now that he doesn't care that you are a plus size, so why not offer him some unforgettably sexy moments with you dressed in sexy dresses, babydolls mini outfits and other lingerie.

Jessica and Alan Katz own Lingerie Exposure. They do research for lingerie items that are most in demand and negotiate price so you can get the styles you want at the prices you'll love. Want to see these wonderful deals?

Available at: => http://www.LingerieExposure.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=JessicaKatz

By Jessica Katz and Alan Katz

What to Look For In a Los Angeles Real Estate Company

Each year, a large number of American homeowners decide to sell their homes. If you are one of those homeowners, have you already sold your home? If not, what method of selling do you plan on selecting? Many homeowners are under the misconception that selling their home without professional assistance will return a higher profit.

If you live in or around the Los Angeles area, you may want to consider seeking professional assistance from a Los Angeles real estate company. Real estate companies are usually a collection of agents who specialize in offering assistance to homeowner?s who are looking to sell their home. If you are interested in seeking assistance from a Los Angeles real estate company, you have a number of ways to find the perfect company.

If you live in the Los Angeles area, you can use your local phone book to find a number of local real estate companies. To find the perfect Los Angeles real estate company, it is advised that you speak to a number of real estate agents. This means that you should contact multiple real estate companies. In your local phone book, these companies should be listed under the heading of real estate.

In addition to using your local phone book, you can also use the internet to find the contact information of multiple real estate companies in or around the Los Angeles area. There are a large number of online business directories and online phone books. You can easily use these resources to find a number of local real estate agents.

It is also possible that you could find a local real estate company?s online website. These online websites can most easily be found by performing a standard internet search. You can search for a specific real estate company or you search for companies located specifically in the Los Angeles area. Whichever online search method you choose, you should be provided with a large number of results.

Before deciding on a particular Los Angeles real estate company, you are encouraged to meet the agent or agents that you will be working with. When meeting these individuals, you are encouraged to examine their customer service skills, along with their training and experience selling real estate. An agent?s customer service skills and real estate training is vital to the successful sale of your home.

When examining a particular real estate company or agent, you will also need to determine their method of payment. Most real estate companies will receive their fees based on a preset commission percentage. The exact dollar amount of this percentage will be determined after your home has sold. With the proper amount of research, it is possible to find a Los Angeles real estate company that only requests a one percent commission.

Taking the time to find and examine a number of real estate companies in the Los Angeles area is the best way to ensure you are getting what you pay for. Why settle for second best, especially when with a little bit of time and research you can find the best real estate company in the Los Angeles area?

Brad Horn is a writer for 1 percent realtor where you can find a great resource for information regarding a Los Angeles Real Estate Company

Great Reasons to Invest in a Property in Turkey

There are many great reasons to consider purchasing a property in Turkey for both fun and profit; here are a few great reasons why any serious property investor should not miss this superb opportunity.

Over the past 5 years Turkey's popularity with holidaymakers from across Europe has been increasing rapidly year on year.

This has lead as in all other holiday destinations to an equally rapid growth in ownership of property by non-Turkish nationals from many European countries but significantly from the United Kingdom and Ireland.

Many of Turkey's out dated airports have recently been fully re-furbished with new terminal buildings becoming the norm.

Large amounts of capital have been invested by the Turkish Government on the improvement of infrastructure including new motorways to enable shorter travel times to the main holiday resorts.

Many new Golf courses have been built to attract a higher end consumer and others are currently under development.

The cost of property in Turkey whilst still very good value for money when considered against property in the already built up markets of Spain, France, U.S.A and Portugal has risen in many areas by up to 100% over the past 3 years.

Property is still available from below ?20,000 for a one-bedroom apartment in Altinkum or Didim and the potential rental yields could prove very attractive to the serious property investor looking to diversify their portfolio.

The climate in Turkey is amazing, the people are friendly and helpful and Turkey is quickly becoming the destination of choice for an ever-increasing number of holidaymakers looking for a cheaper alternative to Spain or Portugal for their summer holidays.

In certain locations it is possible for some months to go skiing in the morning and after a spot of light lunch swim in the warm ocean by afternoon.

There are an increasing number of budget airlines starting to fly into Turkey's airports and they are extending the length of the season to allow for those who have holiday homes.

For further information and a wide range of properties in Turkey's most popular locations please visit www.onestopturkishpropertyshop.com

On Men Buying Tampons and the Importance of Properly Targeting Your Audience

Today's Internet Marketing article has to do with a subject near and dear to my heart ever since I married my lovely wife Yvonne.

Buying Tampons for a woman... while still feeling like a man.

Picture this:

You are a guy (a man's man) and your wife, girlfriend, mistress, booty call, fling (whatever...) is sick at home when she calls you at your cellphone to ask you if you can be a sweetheart and run to the store to pick up some tampons for her.

Panic sets in...

You have no idea where to start, what to ask for at the store or what type of packaging tampons are sold in... but, you committ to run the errand in order not to piss her off and potentially ruin the relationship (imagine, she is sick AND she has her period... Double whammy.)

I don't know about you, but there is something to be said about going to a supermarket or drug store and purchasing a box of tampons that makes me as a man feel a little antsy. Starting from the fact that 99% of the time I have to ask someone (typically a woman... hopefully) where they are located in the store.

Once I get there, it is hard to distinguish among all the girlie looking boxes which is the one I am supposed to buy (I may be an expert in Internet marketing but I am clueless on the topic of which feminine hygine product to choose. All the boxes look the same and the colors are pretty similar.) - All this while trying to pull off a covert operation so no one sees me buying something that is not for me (but technically I am the only one who knows that...)

OK... On with the reason for my article and how this all ties into Marketing and Internet Salesmanship.

I think it's pretty obvious that tampons, sanitary napkins or pads are products that are targeted towards women being the purchasers and the end consumers of the product, and the top brands in the market such as Playtex, Always, Tampax and Kotex have a firm stronghold on that consumer segment.

This got me thinking about an opportunity for a new brand of tampons trying to break into an already saturated market such as tampons and what it would take...

For instance, rather than trying to cannibalize on the main target audience traditionally pursued by the main players, this new brand could create a tampon marketing campaign geared towards men who are buying tampons for their wives, girlfriends, daughters, etc. which would position itself as taking away the embarassment and confusion of the men who are running the, until now, shameful errand of going for some tampons.

I know this example may seem a bit silly to some readers at first, but I am taking the ruthless extreme in order to make a point (and there is a point...)

Let's see how this would play out:

After much discussion with an expert on the subject (my wife Yvonne), we came up with a hypothetical tampon brand called They're not for me... These tampons would be packaged in a discrete, masculine-looking box which would be color coded based on the absorbency of the tampon. For example, lue for light days, green for regular days, ed for heavy days and silver for extreme flow (personally, I would rather not imagine the days that would require these.)

Women asking men to purchase tampons while at the store would simply have to tell them which colored box (absorbency level) of They're not for me... they need.

Furthermore, the boxes could also be placed in an area highly trafficked by men and which would present the least embarassment to the male consumer buying it (e.g. condom aisle, next to the shaving needs, even behind the sales counter right next to the cigarrettes - imagine, walking up to the counter sales person and asking for a carton of Marlboro reds, a pack of gum and a blue box of They're not for me...)

In fact, a creative marketer could do cross promotions with companies that traditionally market to men to include incentives to buy the product. For instance, $2 off a six pack of beer with your purchase of They're not for me..., a sweepstakes to win tickets to a ball game, etc.

This They're not for me... brand also has the potential to incite a good amount of press coverage as it takes an unusual approach on what has been a common/embarassing issue faced by all.

Just the amount of press coverage on this would be enough to help the product launch and establish itself firmly in the market.

(BTW, to disclaim and legally cover my a*s - this is just an idea I am using as an example that I am sharing with you and I am not endorsing nor encouraging that you do anything with it. In other words, I won't be held responsible for your level of success or lack thereof if you decide to actually execute on it.)

Ok, enough about tampons for the moment, I think you get my point.

When launching a product in a highly competitive market such as selling on the Internet where there are already established competitors and the barrier to entry for new products is not that high, you need to find a way to position your product with a different twist that will allow you to specifically target what audience segment you are pursuing and address what specific benefits are in this product for them.

For example, in the They're not for me... tampon example:

- The product takes a different slant to that followed by the market leaders to address an underserved segment of the buying population by addressing an unmet need.

- This not only makes the product be more suitable to the buyers of the product but also adds a different twist that makes it stand out from the hundreds of other already available options.

- While we are on this, specifically targeting such a narrow niche also creates the possibility of selling the product at a higher price premium as this is a more targeted product which offers extra benefits/comfort level to the immediate buyer.

(For example, there is a new line of condoms by Trojan condoms being marketed specifically for women which sells on a per package price for considerably higher than the traditional male targeted line.)

KEY TAKEAWAY:

When crafting the marketing/positioning for your new product offering, think of the specific segment of the market you are pursuing and create a product that alks the talk, looks the part and addresses the wants and needs of that audience. By taking a tight/specific approach, you might be able to target a segment of the audience that may not be being fully served by other players (e.g. PC / Microsoft type computers dominate most of the general desktop market but Apple has carved a very profitable niche in the graphic designer and music production segments with their Macintosh; and have gone on to extend this music / multi-media perceived market expertise into a practically complete market domination with their i-Pod brand of MP3 players.)

Take a moment to look at your current online sales strategy and any upcoming products you may be creating. See if there is a different angle that will allow you to take advantage of your business core strengths to make the final product marketing different from every other product out there.

Think outside of the box and explore all angles no matter how absurd they may seem to you at first - there may be a gem hidden in there somewhere. After all, there must be quite a profitable niche when Clinique launched its beauty line exclusively targeting men and why Just For Men hair coloring products is one of the leading brands among the countless hair coloring options available.

Now, if you'll please excuse me, I need to run out to the store to buy some tampons for my wife.

If I could only remember if she needs egulars or supers...

George Levy is an internationally recognized marketing expert responsible for helping businesses both large and small use the Internet to sell over $100 million dollars in the United States, Canada and 14 countries across Latin America. He is the developer of the Internet Salesmanship program and is known for his Ruthless Truths about online sales and making money on the web. To get instant, Free access to his Internet Salesmanship newsletter, Blog and seven day web marketing course, visit: http://www.internetsalesmanship.com/