Archive for January, 2008

Tips About Giving A Best Man’s Speech

Monday, January 21st, 2008

By Steve Hill Have you been asked to be a best man for a friend or relative? Are you worried about what to include in your best man’s speech? Are you looking for some tips and advice about how to deliver a successful best man’s speech. If you have answered yes to any of these three questions, this article may well be of benefit and interest to you. I have been to a number of weddings over the last few years and have heard some interesting and different types of best man speeches. In the next few paragraphs, I am going to write about some of the more successful speeches, which may help other people when it comes to their turn to give a best man’s speech. It goes without saying that most people will be very nervous about standing in front of a room full of people and talking about the groom. All of the attention for that short period is fully focused on the best man, which can be very daunting. In my opinion it is a good idea to start the speech with a simple joke. If, which of course is the hope, the guests find this joke funny, it will put everybody at ease, most importantly the best man himself. After starting well, the best man should gain in confidence, which will help him to deliver the rest of the speech in a slightly more relaxed manner. At a recent wedding which I attended the best man did exactly this. He was the younger brother of the groom and started his speech by telling the rest of the guests just how nervous he was feeling. He then stated that the speech he was about to give would last as long as the groom does when making love. At this point he sat down. This was a great start which most of the guests found quite funny. You could visibly see the relief in the best man’s face at the positive response of the audience. Within the speech itself you could have visible prompts to help you. This could be in the form of photographs from when the groom was a child for example. By showing the guests these visual aids, it helps to take the attention away from the best man and can also add to the humour. I often hear a best man describing an event from the groom’s past. This event could have been as recent as the stag night/weekend or could be some other experience which the groom would have no doubt rather have forgotten. These experiences and stories should aim to make people laugh but should be said in good taste and should therefore not include any rude material. Preparation is the key and it would be a good idea to practice the best man’s speech a few times before the big day itself. There is also nothing wrong with bringing some pieces of paper to help you to remember what it is you want to say. I have been to some weddings where the best man’s speech just never seems like it is going to end. My advice would be to talk for between five and fifteen minutes. I hope the above gives you some inspiration and helps you in your quest to deliver an interesting and successful best man’s speech. Stephen Hill helps to promote a number of websites including: stuttering treatment poker tips hgh supplement Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Steve_Hill http://EzineArticles.com/?Tips-About-Giving-A-Best-Mans-Speech&id=217985 where can i buy 2mg xanax online xanax with no prescription fast shipping xanax valium cheap prescription xanax online cod

Increasing Occupancy At Your Self Storage Facility Through Effective Marketing

Sunday, January 20th, 2008

By Derek Naylor There are only 3 ways to grow any business including your self-storage business. 1. Acquire New Customers (Increase Occupancy) 2. Increase The Value Of Each Customer 3. Lower Operating Expenses/Increase Margins If you think about it for a few minutes, youll quickly realize that everything youve done to increase profits has fallen under one of those 3 categories. If you find yourself engaged in a discussion about ideas that dont fall into these areas, youre in a danger zone and need to back up and make sure you start with this foundation prior to continuing. Ive seen millions of dollars wasted on ideas that fall outside of these 3 areas and I would be doing you a disservice by not cautioning you on the danger of even exploring the ideas if they dont fit snuggly into these categories. So, let’s get started with point number one: Acquiring New Customers Although there are other ways to increase the profitability of your storage facility, increasing occupancy is the most obvious and talked about method. However, since there are so many ways to acquire a new customer, there is a lot of confusion and therefore a lot of money wasted in this business on bad marketing and sales tactics. Before we get into the tactics of actually acquiring new customers, we need to take a holistic view of what is actually happening in your marketplace when a prospective customer needs storage and begins the hunt for a facility to store their belongings. In order to create powerful marketing strategies we need to first see the world through your prospects eyes, in an effort to understand their motive in deciding to use storage in the first place. Then to understand their motive in choosing whatever facility they do. Youve likely heard the maxim: If you want to know why John Smith buys what John Smith buys youve got to see the world through John Smiths eyes. As a marketer, that is one of the most valuable, underused maxims of all time. See, marketing has many definitions. But ultimately it all boils down to MOTIVATING somebody to use your product/service to satisfy their need or want. But, in order to motivate, we must understand motive. We uncover motive by now this is real rocket science here so brace yourself asking your customers and prospects what their motive is! Imagine that! Now, this must be done correctly since we know that a persons first, surface level answer is usually not the complete and real answer but it really boils down to asking them why Why, after all of these years of a cluttered closet or garage, did you finally decide to use self storage? Why, Businessman, did you finally decide to use self-storage to expand your distribution reach? Why, of all the choices in town, did you choose us? Why, why why? After asking the right questions, the right way, enough times, youre able to start drawing some good conclusions. But were not finished After we know what their motive is, we still need more invaluable information from these ever important people. After all, my opinion, your opinion and your marketing departments opinion doesnt matter one bit! Know why? Because were not the one paying the money for the space. Were not the one that pays the billsyour customer is! Getting in their head is absolutely critical and one of the most valuable things you could spend your time doing. But uncovering their motive only tells us what motivated them to use self-storage and maybe why they chose you over the competition; were out to win a lions share of the market -arent we? So, we need to learn their frustrations, ultimate desires and non-motivators so we can learn what INNOVATIONS to implement to motivate them to choose us, over our competition. In short, we need to find out what their buying motive is and how to get them to give us their money instead of giving it to your competition. That knowledge is most important! The process we just described is a part of Storage Marketing Solutions Discovery Process. To date, weve done thousands of surveys across the country and already have great insight into your customers and prospective customers minds. But, since each competitive environment is slightly different, we always conduct new surveys for new clients to ensure the data is similar to maximize the return on their marketing investment. In addition to uncovering buying motives, we do competitive analysis by shopping your competitors and conducting in depth staff surveys to gather further perspective. After this is complete we now can create the right strategy and begin developing the message and tactics that we will deploy this powerful message with. Before pro sports teams prepare for their next game, what do they spend time doing? Thats right, reviewing game film of their toughest opponent actually playing. They do this so they can watch the play patterns, defense style and coaching moves of their competition. This helps them prepare and practice for their specific opponent. The same holds true for a court case. Before a case ever goes before the judge or jury, both attorneys do as much as they can during a discovery phase to create their case/game strategy. Why should marketing strategy be any different? It shouldnt! Most marketers dont think twice about strategy. Rather, theyre artists. They create stuff that looks good and might get a laugh out of somebody without ever considering a solid strategy They do this without ever considering what to say, how to say it and who to say it to in order to motivate the prospect to pick up the phone, call you and choose you to store their belongings. After innovations have been made to make you the obvious choice to store their belongings with, its time to talk about delivering this powerful message weve just created. This is done through advertising mediums. This includes Television, Radio, Direct Mail, Yellow Pages, Billboards, etc. Rather than go into each medium, Ill get straight to the point on this For most facilities, spending advertising dollars on anything but Yellow Pages, Internet and Direct Mail is a giant waste of your money. Convenience and location are by far the biggest decision factors in the self-storage business. People want their belongings close and within easy access! This is why most of your customers live so close to the site they store at. So, advertising to somebody 20 miles away by using mediums like radio, TV and sometimes even Yellow Pages is absolutely pointless. Why would you make somebody an offer who wont accept it even if they wanted to? Rather you should focus on the closest 30,000-60,000 households to each of your facilities. They are close, you are convenient and you can inexpensively deliver them a message that motivates them to use you. To fully occupy each facility, you probably only need 1%-5% of that universe to become a customer. All of your marketing tactics should focus on those who live and/or work by your facility. Period! Now, before you say something along the line of: Direct mail doesnt work or, I trash every piece of direct mail that comes my way, consider this: according to the Direct Marketing Association, Direct Mail is still the most efficient and effective way to advertise. If youve tried direct mail in the past, and it didnt work, dont challenge direct mail. What you need to do is challenge the way you did the direct mail. Almost every client we have has moved very cautiously towards making a small test investment in direct mail only to be proved wrong. Remember, most people WILL trash your piecethats fine. All we typically need is a measly 1%-5% to respond and were in the money I hope you’ve found this article helpful, insightful or at the bare minimum, a reinforcement of your existing beliefs. Copyright 2006 Derek Naylor Derek Naylor is the President of Storage Marketing Solutions (SMS). SMS provides turn-key marketing and sales solutions to the self-storage industry. You can subscribe to SMS’s newsletter by clicking on this link: http://www.storagemarketingsolutions.com/resources.html Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Derek_Naylor http://EzineArticles.com/?Increasing-Occupancy-At-Your-Self-Storage-Facility-Through-Effective-Marketing&id=154932 purchase xanax online buy xanax usa pharmacy overnight xanax order now xanax without a prescription cheap

A Traipse Through the Tulips

Saturday, January 19th, 2008

By Terry Kaufman Flowering bulbs can change your garden from being merely a plot of dirt and rocks adorned with a few scraggly plants to being an absolute showplace, with splashes of brilliant color. Bulbs provide a good investment in terms of their longevity and hardiness. Your garden will benefit from the vast variety of bloom colors, length of flowering time, and the heights and shapes of flowering bulbs. Autumn is the ideal time to plant robust spring-flowering bulbs; most bulbs can be planted until the ground is frozen. Most bulbs are perennials, going through a period of growth and flowering, dying back to the ground before going dormant at the end of each growing season. Late spring or early summer herald the end of the growing season for spring-flowering bulbs. However, these bulbs will begin to grow again in the fall and flower the next growing season. Tulips and other spring-flowering bulbs, such as snowdrops, crocus, daffodils, and hyacinths require a stretch of cold weather during the winter in order to give their growth cycles a running start. This cooling process enables the bulbs to flower in early spring. They can be planted until the first frost. Make careful plans on paper before planting your bulbs. If you sketch your plan on graph paper, it will help you to calculate the correct number of bulbs to purchase. Keeping a roadmap of your garden will help jar your memory in case, in the future, you want to mix in annuals or perennials where your bulbs have gone dormant. Tulips bloom anywhere, especially in full sun, from very early spring to late spring/early summer. Your tulips may bloom in an explosion of color or you may choose to limit the color palette to just one or two. Colors give the viewer the perception of warmth or coolness; hues of blue and violet give the impression of coolness, while warm hues are tones of red, yellow, and orange. The human eye perceives warm colors as advancing while cool shades recede into the background. To create the illusion your yard is larger than it actually is, make a planting of cool-colored flowers in the rear of the yard, but if you want the illusion of a smaller and more intimate garden, plant warm-colored flowers in rear of the back plot. Remember, warm colors will create a dramatic effect, no matter where planted. Whatever color scheme you decide to use, plant each type of flower in groupings of at least three to twelve plants. A particular color, placed one here and another there and yet a third elsewhere, will diminish the effect you wish to create. Keep the color groups massed together for best effect. When planting tulips or daffodils, use at least twelve bulbs of one variety in a grouping. The more bulbs of one variety, and color, the stronger the visual impact will be. However, when planting smaller spring bulbs, such as snow crocus, it will take a minimum of fifty bulbs or more to make a statement. Small bulbs need to be seen at close range to make the planting more effective, Mixing in early flowers such as pansies give visual contrast to a planting packed with just tulips. If you prefer a more casual look to your garden, think about naturalizing your tulip bulbs. Naturalizing may take the guise of devil-may-care planting or, of a planting very carefully calculated to give the illusion that Mother Nature has decided to put down a bulb, or other flowering plant, in a random action, much like broadcasting wildflower seeds in a meadow. I guess this style of planting might be considered a variation of the Chaos Theory. The process of naturalizing is that of man imitating nature with bulb plantings. Bulbs, when found in a natural state, do not grow in neat, meticulous rows; rather, they present themselves in irregular clumps dispersed throughout the landscape. One advantage of naturalizing is that bulbs so planted need very little care. At the end of the tulip blooming cycle, either allow the foliage to die away on its on, allowing the plants sufficient time to revitalize their bulbs in anticipation of flowering during the next season or you can remove the dead foliage by hand. An important point to remember is that if you have naturalized bulbs in your lawn, the foliage must not be mowed over until it dies naturally or the bulbs themselves will sooner or later die out. Autumn is the perfect time to plant hardy tulips. Tulips need plentiful water plus good drainage. The hard subsoil in the planting area needs to be broken up so that there is no standing water interfering with the healthiness of the tulips. After breaking up the subsoil, you will need to put in a layer of drainage material such as loose gravel, broken stone, or sifted cinders (some gardeners use barbecue briquettes smashed by a hammer) below the soil surface. When planting spring bulbs, a general rule of thumb is to plant the bulb two to three times as deep as the bulb itself is tall; most large bulbs such as tulips should be planted approximately six inches deep while smaller surrounding bulbs will be three to four inches deep. Measure the depth of planting from the surface level of the soil to the shoulder of the bulb. To measure the distance between plants, mark off from the middle of one plant to the middle of the next. There exist two basic methods of planting bulbs. One way is to dig individual holes for each bulb with a garden trowel or a specialized hole-cutting tool known as a bulb planter (or dibble). Dig a hole several inches deeper than the called-for planting depth; fill the hole to base level with plant food specifically designed for bulbs. After placing your bulb in the hole, cover it with loose soil. Using your hands, delicately form the soil around each plant to eliminate air pockets. Now for the question that has plagued mankind…Which end of the tulip bulb is UP? Tulips have pointed ends that should be positioned upward. Some of the smaller bulbs, such as Poppy Anemones, can be planted in any direction. These small bulbs send out shoots which find their own way through the soil to the sun. Once planted, tulip bulbs need serious watering. Not only does the water settle the soil in the planting bed, but also acts as a water well needed to provide moisture for rooting activity. It is vital for bulbs planted in the fall to root before cold weather sets in but avoid over-watering, the perfect setting for bulb rot. Your tulips should get adequate hydration from average spring conditions. But, if you get a stretch of unusually hot and dry weather, a weekly deep soaking will make bigger and longer-lasting flowers. Water with a soaker hose so the blooms will not get overly wet. Aesthetically, tulip foliage remains long after the bloom is dead. As unattractive as it is, do not mow off the foliage until it becomes yellow and dies back naturally, a process that can take several weeks. The plant needs the green leaves for photosynthesis, or the manufacture of food which is stored in the bulb for the next growing cycle. If the foliage is removed too soon, the plant will no longer be able to create the nutrient reserves necessary for future growth. The botanical name for the tulip is believed to have been derived from the Persian (Iranian) word toliban or turban; the inverted flower was said to resemble such head wear. Tulips are members of the Lily Family and grow wild in the vast region from Asia Minor through Siberia to China. Tulips are a good bulb for the beginning gardener, as they are extremely easy to grow. Tulips are happiest in the full sun and should be planted around 6 deep. Within a few short months, tulips will bejewel your garden in a dazzling array of color. A Tip About Cut Tulips: To insure long-lasting tulip arrangements, cut the stems diagonally. Tightly wrap newspaper around the entire flower (head and stem) and then place the stem in water overnight. The next step is to remove the newspaper and recut the stems. The tulips are now ready to transfer to a vase filled with water and plant food. Keep the arrangement out of the direct sun and drafts, adding water as needed. The blooms should last from 7 to 10 days. Terry Kaufman is Chief Editorial Writer for Niftykitchen.com and Niftygarden.com. For more on tulips and other types of flower bulbs, see Niftygarden.com Bulbs 2007 Terry Kaufman. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Terry_Kaufman http://EzineArticles.com/?A-Traipse-Through-the-Tulips&id=535588 cheap valium generic discount online pharmacy diazepam ultracet ultram hydrocodone valium pain relief cheap us pharmacy diazepam

Foods That Help Burn Fat

Wednesday, January 16th, 2008

By Lisa Irby Foods that are high in fiber and protein are the best kinds of food to consume if you want to burn fat around your waistline and tone your abs. Below you’ll find a handful of foods that will help you reach your weight loss goal. Dairy Products According to an article in Obesity Research, women who ate low-fat dairy products, such as nonfat yogurt and low-fat milk, three to four times a day lost 70 percent more fat than low-dairy dieters. In another study done at Purdue University those who consumed 3 cups of fat-free milk gained less weight over the course of 2 years than those on low calcium diets. So, not only do dairy products help you strengthen your bones, they can also play an essential role in burning that unwanted body fat. If you are a regular consumer of milk and other dairy products, that’s great in moderation. Just watch your proportions and perhaps switch over to the no-fat varieties. Eggs Eggs are not only delicious, but they are high in protein and essential to burning fat. You may have heard all the warnings about eggs and your health. That’s because two eggs contain enough cholesterol to put you over the recommended amount of daily cholesterol intake. Well, more recent studies have shown that dietary cholesterol has little effect on your blood cholesterol. Dietary fat is the bad guy. That’s what raises your bad cholesterol levels. However, if you’re still concerned about your overall cholesterol intake, you can eat them without the yolk and still benefit from the high protein. The egg white is the most nutritious part of the egg. Beans While beans are notorious for the gastrointestinal disturbances they cause, they are also very good sources of fiber, protein and iron. Some of the best kinds of beans to eat are: Kidney beansNavy beans White beans Lima beans And as always, there are certain beans that you should limit in your diet. I’m talking about those that are baked and refried. Baked beans are loaded with sugar and refried beans contain tons of saturated fat. Sure, you’ll be getting your protein but you’ll also be consuming a lot of excess junk your body doesn’t need. Here’s another tip. Cook your beans thoroughly because our bodies are not adapted to breaking down some proteins that are contained in certain beans. Oatmeal While it may not be the most attractive food, oatmeal has some great nutritional qualities. You may have noticed that many of the oatmeal brands are now boasting that eating more oatmeal will help lower your cholesterol level. That’s because oatmeal contains soluble fiber which helps reduce blood cholesterol by flushing those bad digestive acids out of your system. The best kind of oatmeal to eat is unsweetened and unflavored. Yes, yes… it’s tempting to select the flavored kinds and load it with sugar and butter, but you really lose out on all the health benefits of oatmeal if you eat it this way. If you must sweeten it up, add honey or fruit (fresh or dried). Olive Oil Certain fats are good for you and your body needs them. Olive oil is one of those “good fats”. In fact, it’s so good that it helps you burn fat and keeps your cholesterol in check. Olive oil is rich in monounsaturated fat, a type of fat that provides outstanding health benefits. One ounce of extra virgin olive oil contains about 80% of the daily value for monounsaturated fat. So instead of taking a swig of juice in the morning, some are picking up a bottle of extra virgin olive oil. Almonds Like olive oil, almonds are also rich in monosaturated fats - remember these are the good fats. They are also rich in calcium and contain a good amount of Vitamin E. In fact, a handful of them contain about half of the recommended daily requirement. So the next time you’re hungry, instead of grabbing a handful of potato chips, try some almonds instead. Whole Grains Despite all the noise with the “low carb craze”, your body needs carbohydrates. If you go without them completely your body will start to crave them. So it’s not a good idea exclude all carbs because the right kinds are actually good for you. It’s the processed carbohydrates that are bad for you — the white breads, bagels, pastas, and white rice to name a few. The key is to eat “whole grain” foods because they contain the fiber and minerals your body needs and they haven’t been processed. Don’t let the food manufacturers trick you. “Wheat bread” is still lacking important vitamins and minerals. The only kind of bread that’s good for you is the kind that’s labeled “whole grain”. Lean Meats Beef and turkey are great for building up muscle and giving your immune system a boost, but as always you have to watch out for certain forms of them. Basted turkeys are usually injected with a lot of fatty substances while beef contains saturated fat. That Thanksgiving turkey may look good, it’s not always good for you. And when you do purchase beef, be sure to buy the leanest cuts you can find by looking for “round” or “loin” on the labels. Tuna and salmon are also good sources of protein. They both contain omega-3 fatty acids (the healthy fats). These two foods are also great for your immune system. Experts say you should eat them two to three times a week. Conclusion The above foods are not only good to you, they’re good for you (in moderation, of course). Combine them with a regular exercise routine and watch those pounds melt away! Lisa Irby is the author of http://www.flat-stomach-exercises.com, a site that dispells many myths about flattening your stomach and shows you what really works. 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Tips For A Successful Garage Sale

Tuesday, January 15th, 2008

By Helen Walters Everyone wants to throw a successful garage sale. However exactly what success means is different from person to person. This article is based on the idea that a successful garage sale does two things well. 1) makes you money 2) cleans out your house and yard. Below we provide you a collection of tips you can use to make sure you have a truly successful garage sale. You want customers to stick around and buy something, so one of the most important tips for a successful garage sale is to have an attractive display. Put a tablecloth on that table piled with china. If you want to spruce it up with a candelabra and a vase, then you would probably be well served to do so with a candelabra or vase you are actually selling. Otherwise, people will continually carry those items up to you and ask, “How much for this?” You want to save yourself the need for explanations of just what is for sale when you are trying to move stuff out of your home. You also need tips for a successful garage sale if you really liked the first experience and want to have repeat customers. While you are setting up, you can help your sales by carefully aligning separate types of merchandise such that there is a flow between the various portions of the items on display. If you have a variety of car-care manuals, put the books near the automotive parts. Put the automotive parts near the tools. Put the tools near the gardening implements. Put the gardening implements near the camping gear. Always try to make one section seem to be a logical fit with the items that are in the next section. That way, you will create a sort of logical buying flow in the mind of the buyer. As a result when they are looking at one item, they have a much better chance of seeing another, somewhat related item next to it that has a greater chance of catching their interest. Following these tips for a successful garage sale will bring in lots of customers and in turn lots of sales. Get original garage sale tips and other excellent resources on how to hold a profitable garage sale with the least amount of work and hassle. Great selection of tips and advice will guide you to a very profitable and enjoyable garage sale experience. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Helen_Walters http://EzineArticles.com/?Tips-For-A-Successful-Garage-Sale&id=162694 order valium no prescription domain buy cheap valium 6x to buy valium in turkey without prescription buy diazepam cheap

Birthday Party Checklist - Simple Tips And Advice To Help You

Monday, January 14th, 2008

By Linda E. Joy Its true that some of your fondest childhood memories center on birthday gatherings. In fact many adult memories are associated with the special occasion too. To throw a celebration like this can be an overwhelming task that may intimidate a lot of folks who try to take on the challenge. Hence to ensure that you forge ahead with the plans in a fairly stress-free manner, it is best to consider using a well-organized birthday party checklist. Of all, disorganization is the major source of stress when it comes to planning a special gathering. For most of us, we tend to rely a lot on our memories to keep things straight. There are simply loads of things to consider when planning an event like this to leave too much to memory. Why tax your brain with unnecessary information when you can use a birthday party checklist to help you keep everything running like a well-oiled machine. It is absolutely important that you plan in advance. Nothing spells disaster more than waiting until the last minute. We have all been in a situation that made us want to travel back in time. When one finds out that the bakery has been sold out of cakes just an hour before the gathering is a true example of how a birthday party checklist can come into play. The plan helps you stay focused on the important things. This enables you to have an opportunity to complete tasks in a timely manner. A typical birthday party checklist will be planned by time. Firstly you will find a list of tasks that need to be done about a month prior to the event. During this phase, you may want to choose a theme for the party. This helps you stay focused and it keeps you from making unnecessary purchases that you will regret later. In addition, you may want to create a guest list and send out invitations during the first stage on the birthday party checklist. You need to find a good day and time for the occasion before sending the invites. Sure, there was a time when I did send invitations without adding the minor details of when, where and what time. It can happen. In case you are shopping online or from a catalogue, you must ensure that you do so during the first stage. For sure, you do not want to receive the party supplies a day after the event. This is only the first step, but after these items are checked off on you birthday party checklist, be assured you are well on your way to having a fantastic time! Linda E. Joy provides readers with up-to-date commentaries, articles, and reviews for family, home as well as related information. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Linda_E._Joy http://EzineArticles.com/?Birthday-Party-Checklist—Simple-Tips-And-Advice-To-Help-You&id=399939 where can i buy valium online cheap valium buy valium cod valium prescriptions mexico

Herb Gardening And The Seven Deadly Sins

Thursday, January 10th, 2008

By Mary Hanna When Herb gardening, first and foremost you must have a plan before you begin your endeavor. This is the first deadly sin herb gardeners commit consistently. You can grow an herb garden for cooking, or medicine or beauty. Choose which one will fulfill your needs, or have beds or containers for all three. If you are a beginner it is best to start off with just one so that you are not overwhelmed. You want this to be fun and creative, not a job you grow to hate. The best way to come up with a plan is to concentrate on a theme. Then narrow it down to a sub-theme. Most people grow culinary herbs so let’s start there. If you love French cooking plant the herbs that you will be using in your meals. French herbs are savory, marjoram, thyme, oregano and rosemary. Add some parsley and bay and you have the perfect bouquet garni to add to your soups or stews. If you prefer classic Italian fare you should plant Italian parsley, marjoram, thyme, oregano and sweet basil. You can cook some great pasta dishes with these herbs. After you have settled on your theme do a little research as to what herbs are available. You should come up with a list that has the absolutely essential herb, the herbs that would be fun to have and the ones that are really not necessary. Then check with your local nursery or online for availability. Again, if you are just starting out you should keep the list to between five and say ten herbs. On to the next deadly sin that herb gardeners commit. You must have the perfect spot for your herbs to thrive. Consider the herbs needs-they must get four to six hours of sunlight daily. The soil needs to drain well and your garden should be where you can harvest your crop easily. If you have pets keep that in mind when picking your spot. You should mix in a lot of organic material to improve the soil whether it is in the ground or in containers. The third deadly sin is to use the wrong planting method. You really have to work the soil with compost and bone meal before you even consider any planting. Carefully work through the root ball to encourage new growth. Be sure to water the roots well before planting to give them a good start. Herbs like basil should be pinched off to help them achieve a bushy plant. You must know the needs of your herbs. Bad maintenance of the plants is the fourth deadly sin. On a regular basis you must water, prune and feed your herbs. Talk to the people at your nursery center to get advice on fertilizing your herbs. Never spray them with toxic chemicals if you find snails, aphids or beetles on the herbs. Here again, your nursery center can help you out. Here is a homemade recipe that will keep the pests out: In a jar, combine 1 teaspoon dishwashing liquid and 1 cup vegetable oil. Shake vigorously. In an empty spray bottle, combine 2 teaspoons of this mixture and 1 cup water. Use at ten-day intervals (or more often if needed) to rid plants of whiteflies, mites, aphids, scales, and other pests. The fifth most deadly sin is to fall madly in love with your plants. You need to cut your herbs. Harvest them at regular intervals. If you have an abundance of the herbs freeze them or dry them. A great way to use them is to make vinegars or oils, even soaps and bath preparations. Don’t get too high tech or overanalyze the situation. The whole purpose here is to connect with the earth. This is the sixth deadly sin of herb gardeners. Work the way nature does. Use natural products, work the soil, and keep it simple. And, drum roll please, the seventh deadly sin is to not know as much as possible about each herb you have planted. Take the time to do the research. With just a little effort you will become quite knowledgeable and face it, it is the only way to approach herb gardening. Don’t beat yourselves up if you make a few mistakes, just learn from them. The whole point is to have fun with your herb gardening and to make some great meals. Happy Herb Gardening! Copyright Mary Hanna, All Rights Reserved. This article may be distributed freely on your website and in your ezines, as long as this entire article, copyright notice, links and the resource box are unchanged. Mary Hanna is an aspiring herbalist who lives in Central Florida. This allows her to grow gardens inside and outside year round. She has published other articles on Cruising, Gardening and Cooking. Visit her websites at Container Gardening and Herb Gardening You can read more of her articles at Article Bazaar Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mary_Hanna http://EzineArticles.com/?Herb-Gardening-And-The-Seven-Deadly-Sins&id=476290 how can i obtain xanax without a prescription overnight delivery buy xanax xanax without prescription cheap prescription free xanax

How to Observe Wildlife Without Leaving Home

Wednesday, January 9th, 2008

By Emma Snow While lumbering herds of elephants and stalking Bengal tigers capture the imagination of most animal lovers, we often neglect the nature closest to us. Sometimes we need a reminder that we are part of a habitat, and that the miracle of life exists under our very noses. Educator and naturalist Carolyn Duckworth has said, “If you want to understand and become connected to your environment, keeping a field journal is one of the fastest ways to accomplish this goal.” Studies have found that children today consider nature to be somewhere else-on TV, videos, in the National Geographic only. But in reality, a genuine connection to wildlife around the globe is only an extension of a connection to the earth right where you stand. Good naturalists don’t gain their knowledge from formal schooling, they get it in the field, by direct observation. And this observation can start right in your backyard or at the park down the street. This article will offer pointers for keeping a nature journal. It draws heavily on the program laid out in the book Keeping a Nature Journal: Discover a Whole New Way of Seeing the World Around You by Clare Walker Leslie and Charles E. Roth. The tools needed to start nature journaling are simple and inexpensive. One needs a notebook and something to write with. Experimentation will reveal your personal preferences for lined or clear paper, binding type, size, and lead or ink. As you gain experience you may add a small set of watercolor paints or colored pencils. If you use pencils you may need a sharpener, or you can use mechanical pencils, which yield more technical-looking drawings. You may also use a collecting bag for objects that you want to draw and study indoors. (Although you should collect only fallen objects, where permission is given). There are no hard and fast rules for nature journaling, although entering observations using a heading is good practice. For your heading you may include your name, the date and time (it doesn’t have to be an accurate clock time), the place, weather conditions, your first impressions, wind direction (use a compass for this), and cloud patterns and cloud cover. To get started you may find this sequence of observations helpful, as it gets you in the habit of observing all around you: Start by looking at the ground. Get a close up view of individual objects. Try to draw one or more in your journal, labeling each item. Take no more than five minutes per object, and give size measurements (you don’t need a ruler, just estimate.) For further learning, try writing at least one question about each object. Now stand up and draw what comes into view at eye level. Label the object and describe what it’s doing, or what it is part of. Look up from where you are standing. Record what you see above, and how it makes you feel. Nature journals are not just for artists. Don’t worry if your renderings look like scribbles. The point is that you are connecting to your environment. Some questions you may use to direct your journaling, and deepen your connection to the life around you are: What are the trees in my neighborhood? When do they bloom? What do their fruits and seeds look like? What insects use the trees? When do they shed their leaves? How do their seeds get to new sites to grow? What birds live in my neighborhood? What is their activity at various times of the day? How do different species of birds interact with each other? What kinds of insects gather around the light at my doorway each night throughout the year? When and where do mushroom species appear in my neighborhood? Using questions like these you may find yourself discovering both the landscape you live on, and the landscape that lives in you. Those who keep a journal know that journaling is a form of journeying, and a well-kept journal can become a treasured record of where we have been, what we have seen, and what we have felt as we’ve interacted with the world. You don’t have to visit the glaciers of Alaska, or India’s jungles, or the savannahs in Africa to connect to Mother Earth, although who of us wouldn’t jump at the chance? Start by putting roots down right where you stand. “It seems only natural that we should value most what we are in contact with everydayyet the reverse is often true. We appear to place a higher value on rare animals and plants and spectacular views and far-flung places. Of course both are important because they fulfill different needs. But the every day places desperately need our attention-partly because they are changing so fast, and not always for the better, and also because tremendous benefit is to be gained from a personal involvement with your own locality.” ~The Parish Maps Project, London, England, 1987 Emma Snow has always adored wild animals. Emma provides content for Wildlife Animals http://www.wildlife-animals.com and Riding Stable http://www.riding-stable.com. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Emma_Snow http://EzineArticles.com/?How-to-Observe-Wildlife-Without-Leaving-Home&id=461749 xanax order pharmacy buy xanax from mexico xanax without prescription cheap buy xanax online without pres

Going Beyond Benzoyl Peroxide

Tuesday, January 8th, 2008

By Greg Podsakoff Millions of people suffer from acne in the United States alone, and many of these acne suffers use Benzoyl Peroxide as the acne treatment medication of choice. It is generally safe, has very few side effects, and it has been proven to be the most effective over the counter acne treatment. However, there are many more people who have more severe, or particularly resilient acne that is not susceptible to over the counter medications such as Benzoyl Peroxide. Some of the most effective acne medications are available via prescription only. However, these are truly the heavy guns in the fight against acne, and are well worth looking into for anyone who has chronic or severe acne breakouts. The most commonly prescribed acne medications are antibiotics such as Erythromycin and Trimethroprim. These are generally more effective than over the counter treatments because they work by treating the source of acne, the acne causing p.bacteria. Many acne sufferers find antibiotics work well for them in treating acne, and have fewer breakouts because of them. However, one of the big drawbacks from using antibiotics is developing an immunity to them. This means that over time, the antibiotics are less effective in treating not only acne, but any form of bacterial infection including diseases such as strep throat and even some STDs. This should be considered before undergoing an antibiotic regime to treat acne. Another alternative is Retin A. Retin A is a topical acne treatment, and a derivative of Vitamin A. Although the exact mechanism is unknown, Retin A has been proven to be effective in reducing fine lines and wrinkles, as well as acne and some acne scarring. Retin A is generally more effective in treating acne than antibiotics. However, Retin A is not without side effects either. The skin becomes more sensitive to the sun, and exposure to the sun can be very damaging. Also, people with sensitive skin or a skin disorder such as eczema can experience severe redness, skin flaking, and irritation. In spite of this, most people who use Retin A find they are satisfied with the results, and dont find the side effects overwhelming. The most effective acne treatment currently available is Accutane. Accutane is also a derivative of Vitamin A, and is taken orally. It has been referred to as the acne wonder drug, and for good reason. The majority of people who complete a 15-20 week session experience greatly reduced acne for years, and some never again have acne. Accutane works by stopping sebum production in the skin. With no sebum, the acne causing p.bacteria do not have any way to grow. This results in clear skin, sometimes for life. However, Accutane is not without side effects. The most severe are birth defects and mental disorders, such as psychosis and suicide. Dry skin, severe headaches, and hair loss are also common side effects. Though accutane is the most effective acne medication, it should only be used as a last resort, under close medical supervision. Though there are other medications that are more effective than benzoyl peroxide, these are the most commonly prescribed, and are all worth consideration if one is experiencing severe acne. As always, a medical doctor should be consulted before trying any medication. Greg Podsakoff is a former acne sufferer, and editor of http://www.acne-treatments-guide.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Greg_Podsakoff http://EzineArticles.com/?Going-Beyond-Benzoyl-Peroxide&id=5617 buy real xanax overnight without prescriptions buy xanax and valium online buy xanax and valium online buy-xanax-online-pay-by-check

Exercises That Burn Fat

Monday, January 7th, 2008

By Eric Hartwell So, you think you are ready to lose weight but you have some questions or issues that you need to address? The following may help you in your quest. Don’t forget that everyone is different in their approach, goals and motivation: Exercises that Burn Fat When it comes to losing weight, it is not enough to reduce one’s caloric intake. By combining healthy eating with regular exercise, it will be easier for you to reach your weight-loss goals. If want to burn fat, you need to increase your heart rate. Exercise While regular exercise will certainly help you get in shape, it’s not a good idea to try to become a world-class athlete the first week. If you are not used to exercising regularly, do take it easy. By starting slowly, you will be less likely to injure yourself. Walking is a good activity to start with if you have been a couch potato all winter. If you are used to working out regularly, try a increasing the intensity of your workout or try something new. If you are a member at a gym, book a few sessions with a personal trainer to make sure you are working out at the right intensity for your fitness level. Do add some strength training to your fitness routine. Lifting weights three times per week will build muscle and help you achieve the toned look you want to achieve. You should be lifting enough that the targeted muscle is tired by the time you finish your set. By making a firm commitment to yourself to lose weight, a whole new world will open up for you. It’s important to understand that this will need to be a permanent change in lifestyle and habits. Help yourself stay on track by visualizing the result. Use your new positive outlook to spur you on to success in other areas of your life! Eric Hartwell oversees “The World’s Best Homepage” intended to be a user-generated resource where YOUR opinion counts. Anybody can contribute and all are welcomed. Visit us to read, comment upon or share opinions on weight loss, obesity and dieting and visit our associated site articles for free. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Eric_Hartwell http://EzineArticles.com/?Exercises-That-Burn-Fat&id=528749 where can i buy cheap xanax xanax online buy xanax online valium xanax no prescription