Traveling Document Tips

It depends on where you are going. Foreign travel often requires a passport. However, you may be able to enter some countries with just a notarized birth certificate with a raised seal and your driver’s license.You are responsible for obtaining all necessary travel documents and for complying with Customs and Immigration requirements.
If you don’t have a passport, apply for one at least 3 months before travel. Obtain passports as soon as possible to avoid backlogs.If you already have a passport, make sure it will still be valid for your entire trip. If your passport will be within six months of expiration while you’re traveling, you may want to get a new passport since some countries now require that your passport must be valid six months after your return to the U.S. Guests with out proper travel documents will not be allowed to board.Please check current visa requirements with the appropriate embassies or consulates.
Aliens who are permanent resident of the U.S. must carry their Alien Registration Card and passport. All others must have valid passports and necessary visas.US Citizen get a passport at a State Department Passport Agency, a clerk of any Federal or State Court of record, designated municipal or county official or a designated U.S. Post Office.

What is the secret of perfect cooking

What is the secret of perfect cooking Cooking is the process of using heat to prepare foods for consumption. Many common cooking methods involve the use of oil. Frying is cooking in hot oil, sautéing is cooking in a small amount of oil, stir-frying is a Chinese technique of frying quickly in small amounts of oil in a wok, deep frying is completely submerging the food in large amounts of fat, etc.

What is the secret of perfect cooking
Cooking is the process of using heat to prepare foods
for consumption. Many common cooking methods
involve the use of oil. Frying is cooking in hot oil,
sautéing is cooking in a small amount of oil, stir-frying is
a Chinese technique of frying quickly in small amounts
of oil in a wok, deep frying is completely submerging
the food in large amounts of fat, etc.

As people have become more health conscious,
preparing foods in oil has become less desirable. With
the advent of nonstick cookware, sautéing can be done
at lower heats using vegetable broth and fruit juices
instead of oil. Stewing refers to cooking slowly in a
small amount of liquid in a closed container. Slow
stewing tenderizes tough cuts of meat and allows
flavors to mingle.

Another slow-cooking method is braising, in which meat
is first browned, then cooked slowly in a small amount
of liquid in a covered pan. Poaching is cooking food in
liquid below the boiling point, while steaming is cooking
food that has been placed above boiling water.
Roasting means baking in hot dry air, generally in an
oven. Baking refers to cooking in an oven and differs
from roasting mainly in its reference to the type of food
cooked-for example, one bakes a cake, but roasts a
chicken. Another form called broiling means to cook by
direct exposure to heat, while barbecue refers to
cooking marinated food by grilling.

Dining with others is one of the most common and
frequent social activities. It can involve a family dinner,
a meal with friends, or form part of a ceremony or
celebration, such as a wedding or holiday. More and
more people study cooking in schools, watch how-to
programs on television, and read specialty magazines
and cookbooks. In fact, cookbooks as a group outsell
any other kind of book except for religious works.

Cooking is the act of preparing food for consumption. It
encompasses a vast range of methods, tools and
combinations of ingredients to improve the flavor and
digestibility of food. It generally requires the selection,
measurement and combining of ingredients in an
ordered procedure in an effort to achieve the desired
result. Constraints on success include the variability of
ingredients, ambient conditions, tools and the skill of
the person cooking.

The diversity of cooking worldwide is a reflection of the
myriad nutritional, aesthetic, agricultural, economic,
cultural and religious considerations that impact upon it.
Cooking frequently, though not always, involves
applying heat in order to chemically transform a food,
thus changing its flavor, texture, appearance, or
nutritional properties. There is archaeological evidence
of cooked foodstuffs (both animal and vegetable) in
human settlements dating from the earliest known use
of fire.

While cooking if heating is used, this can disinfect and
soften the food depending on temperature, cooking
time, and technique used. 4 to 60°C (41 to 140°F) is the
"danger zone" in which many food spoilage bacteria
thrive, and which must be avoided for safe handling of
meat, poultry and dairy products. Refrigeration and
freezing do not kill bacteria, but slow their growth.
Did you find this article useful? For more useful tips and hints, points to ponder and keep in mind, techniques, and insights pertaining to cuisines, recipes, cooking tip, do please browse for more information at our websites.
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Candy Bouquets: How To Make A Fun Table Decoration For Your Wedding

When I first started making bouquets I was always trying to find different things to use in place of flowers. One thing I found that is fun and different to use is candy.

Candy bouquets make wonderful gifts and they are a great talking point at weddings and receptions.

They are really easy to make, and the end result is always popular. This is probably because, not only are they colorful and fun, but they're edible as well!

You can make many different types of candy bouquets- In this article I will show you how to make a candy bouquet in a teracotta pot, which will look absolutely spectacular...

To make your own candy bouquet flower-pot, you will need:

- 1 Medium terracotta pot
- 1 Packet of lollipops or wrapped chocolates
- 1 Dried oasis brick
- 1 Piece of floristry wire
- 5 White roses purple centres
- 7 Purple roses
- Floristry wire and stem tape( if using chocolates)

STEP 1: Cut The Oasis

Using a piece of floristry wire to cut the oasis, so it will fit into the terracotta pot. Make sure it fits in the pot firmly as you will be pushing the lollipop sticks, flowers and leaves into it.

STEP 2: Trim The Flowers

The pot I am using is small so I will cut the flowers down. Cut just a little above half way down the stem.

You do not need to wire or tape any of the flowers, just use the wire they are already on.

Note: If you are using wrapped chocolates you will need to wire and tape them.

STEP 3: Fan The Leaves

Place your leaves around the edge of the teracotta pot. If you slightly overlap the leaves you will get a nice fan effect which will make the finished pot look much more realistic.

Note: You may need to use one of the cut pieces of flower stem to put holes in the oasis for the leaves to go in.

STEP 4: Insert The Roses

Place one rose in the centre of the pot. Push the next rose in at an angle near the edge of the pot, and do the same with the next rose on the otherside of the pot. Keep doing this until all the flowers are in the pot.

STEP 5: Insert Candy and Leaves

Now all you need to do to finish the candy bouquet is to fill the bouquet in with the candy and leaves...

Place a lollipop between each flower, and keep doing this until all the lollipops are used.

If you have any more gaps fill them in with leaves and pearlies.

Step 6: Add A Ribon

As a nice finishing touch to the candy bouquet flower pot, you can place a ribbon bow around the pot. You could also paint the pot before putting the flowers in. Even add a figure of eight bow at the front edge of the pot if you wish.

A candy bouquet flower-pot makes a lovely table decoration for any occasion. The good thing about this decoration is that you can just replace the lollipops once they get eaten

Lens cleaning for laser pointers - tips and instructions

One of the most common problems you can have with laser pointers and one of the easiest to fix is dirty lens. You can tell the lens is dirty when the beam point is spotted or out of shape instead of the normal small tight circle.

There are many ways to clean the lens of a laser pointer such as q tips, microfibre, cotton buds and alcohol solution. Some of these may work, others will not but they all run the risk of damaging the lens. There are only two methods of cleaning lens that work well AND will not damage the lens. Those two methods are using compressed air and using professional lens cleaning tools such as a lenspen.

Compressed air and lenspens

The most common sources of compressed air are cans of compressed air and hand pumps or squeeze bulbs. The main criteria for compressed air sources is the air must be clean and dry. This is one reason why blowing on the lens is not recommended.

The best professional lens cleaning tools are lens pens from the company lenspens http://www.lenspen.com These lens cleaning tools are safe and suitable because they are designed to clean fragile precision optics such as camera lens.

Instructions

Safety is always an issue with high powered laser pointers so the first thing you do before cleaning the lens is remove the batteries from the laser. After removing the batteries, leave the battery end cap off as an extra precaution.

Compressed air will be able to clean 90% of lens so try using compressed air first. Gently unscrew the lens cap and with the nozzle held two to three centimeters away from the laser, direct a flow of air onto the lens for several seconds.

Install the batteries in the laser and test the beam. It should now be clean. If it is not, remove the batteries again and use the lenspen.

First gently use the brush of the lenspen to brush dirt and debris off the lens then use the pad on the other end of the lenspen on the laser pointer lens for several seconds to clean and polish the lens.

By the end of this process, then lens will have been thoroughly cleaned. If there is still a problem with the beam point or beam, it may be due to damaged lens.

Article is courtesy of Dragonlasers - No 1 lasers, laser pointer and green laser online store

DVD Repair, Scratched DVDs and Unfinalized DVDs recovery tips and tricks.

Simple and (hopefully!) free procedures to handle unsuccessfully finalized DVDs, damaged DVDs or DVDs that have not been burned correctly by a video camcorder,recorder or burner and has some corrupt data.

It is a good idea for you to first consider other possible causes of what appear to be DVD errors such as a dirty disc surface, a dirty lens in the DVD reader or other software and hardware related problems. Prior to embarking on any of the following you need to eliminate all possible causes for having trouble with a DVD. Check to see your DVD burner has the latest firmware by going to the manufacturers website. Check to see if the media (brand and type) is compatible with your DVD burner/reader. Once you are certain that you have an unsuccessfully finalized DVD or a corrupt DVD you can get started.

Scratched DVD Disks

A simple visual inspection of the surface of the disc will tell you straight away whether your first problem is physical damage to the disc. If you can see a scratch or scratches on the surface then this may need to be addressed first. I say "may" because personally I use DVDFab to check to see if the disc will copy before I embark on any other course of action. DVDFab can read through a lot of surface errors because of its superior algorithms so I always take the lazy route and see if I can simply make a new copy. Now failing that you could go online and buy some expensive DVD scratch repair kit. Or you could do as I do and go to your local hardware store or even your own garage! All you will need is a bottle of any neutral colored (clear) car polishing product. Turtlewax happens to be the one I use. Take a VERY soft cloth (NOT paper towel), apply a little polish to the surface of the disc and GENTLY (remember, it's not a car!) rub the disc. Use straight strokes from the centre of the disc to the outer edge and continue to do this until you can see the scratch either disappear or reduce noticeably. Then using the same motion and fresh cloth buff the disc back to its original shine. Now try it with DVDFab. If you are still unsuccessful repeat the process until you can be certain, again by visual inspection, that the problem is now not coming from a damaged disc surface.

DVD Data Repair/Recovery

The software you can use for this are DVDFab, Nero 8 (trial) and Isobuster. In the case of Isobuster you can try the free features first but failing that the full featured version needs to be purchased. A straight search of Yahoo or Google will find you the relevant sites.

Put the problem disc in the DVD drive of your computer then:

1. DVDFab. Try to use DVDFab first, as it has the best algorithms for reading anything on a DVD including how it integrates with the DVD drive, honestly sometimes I think it would read a bagel if you put it in there!

Select "DVD to DVD." DVDFab will now try to read the contents of the disc and, if it can, write the contents to a folder on your hard drive. It is as simple as that. It is either going to work or not! If it does do it then the copy you now have on your hard drive will be fully repaired and you can then burn a new copy.

Failing that:

2. Isobuster. Using the free functions try to make a disc image file and burn to another DVD. Isobuster has three alternate methods of dealing with data corruption. It can replace the corrupted area with nothing, with fake data or with a series of zeros. It will give you the choice and just select them in order to try each until one works. Isobuster will not create the disc image file unless it knows it will be successful. If Isobuster has created the file (note where it was going to put it first!) you will have to re-name the extension to .iso. Use the disc image file to burn a new DVD disc. At this point, if you now have a new disc, you need to check that new one carefully. There is always the possibility that Isobuster has just made a perfect copy of your faulty disc! So now you have a brand new faulty disc!

Failing that: You will need to pay for the full version of Isobuster but ONLY buy it if you got this far. If Isobuster free couldn't even read the disc then don't bother.

>From this point forward the best you can hope for is the extraction of the MPEG video files or data files on the disc. You ARE going to lose the video menus and you may lose some of the video or data.

a. Start Isobuster then load the disc.

b. When Isobuster has detected the files on the disc run the "Find Missing Files and Folders" option under the "File" menu.

c. You will now have an entry on the left hand column of "files and folders found by their signature."

d. Select that, then go to "File," "Files found via their signature" then "Extract files found via their signature." Choose a location and let it run.

Now you will have all the files where you selected them to go. The ones with the extension .VOB are the MPEG files from your disc wrapped in the VOB container. They can then be imported into a video editing program using the "Import DVD/VR" function or can be read by most DVD burning software.

Unfinalized discs.

If at all possible try to get the original device used to create the disc to finalize it. If this is not possible or the original device is failing to successfully finalize the disc you may have to resort to the Isobuster routine above.

If you have been left with an otherwise perfectly good disc, but unfinalized, do the following.

This requires Nero 8 (Trial version).

Go to the Nero website, download and install Nero 8. Yes, it's big...sorry!

Place the unfinalized disc into the computer DVD tray. Open Nero 8 StartSmart.
Click "create and edit" at the top of the screen.
Click "author, edit and capture video." NeroVision 5 will start.
Click on the disk tools drop down menu then click "finalize disk."
In the option box that appears choose "no menus" and let it run.

Hopefully you now have a fully finalized disc that is readable.

Hope this helps!

Taking Up The Naturist Life Style? - Start Somewhere Warm!

If you're thinking of taking up the Naturist Life style then it makes sense to start somewhere warm right?

Well, we recently moved to the Algarve in Portugal for exactly this reason. With more sunshine than anywhere else in Europe, our dream was to create a year round Naturist guest house that would provide privacy and relaxation for Naturists looking for a quick getaway to the sun.

The first step was finding our property. Fortunately, by travelling just 2 or 3 kilometres inland from the tourist epicentres we were able to chose from a number of secluded villas and farm houses conducive to the Naturist life style. We finally settled on a beautiful property just outside Albufeira that was also close to the best Nudist beaches in the Algarve.

The property's biggest asset is its beautiful gardens, which because of the Algarve climate are in bloom all year round. These, combined with the fact that the location, although completely secluded, is close enough to many local ammenities such as the new Algarve Shopping centre in Guia, make it ideal for the purposes of the Naturist holiday maker: privacy and access.

After several weeks of legal procedure (buying property in the Algarve can be a drawn out process) we were finally able to call "Casa Amarela" our own and soon set about converting the residence into a guest house. Fortunately, the layout of the property meant that there was very little in the way of major renovations and within a short time we were able to open our doors to our first guests.

The Algarve has always been famous for its beaches and golf resorts but there are many other opportunities afforded by this region of Portugal and we believe that Naturism in the warmest of European destinations is an obvious opportunity to explore...if nothing else it makes sense doesn't it?

Add Class and Style to Your Room with Chesterfield Furniture

When attempting to bring class and style into your home, leather furniture is the way to go. While there are several different kinds of leather and companies to choose from, there is nothing quite like leather chesterfields. Chesterfield furniture has been around for quite some time and continues to bring wonderful furniture into people's homes worldwide. Adding Chesterfield furniture to your home gives you rich and world class feel to the living room. No longer do you have to settle for a mediocre sofa that disappears in the room. You can make a Chesterfield sofa the highlight of the room with the magnificent leather and beautiful colour.

While this furniture used to be out of the price range for many, it has gradually become more affordable for everyone. But the status quo remains the same as this is high class furniture that can brighten up the room and bring your office or living room to another level.

There is nothing better than being able to show off a fine piece of furniture to family and friends like Chesterfield furniture. Guests will have the luxury of sitting on pure, soft, and comfortable leather sofa. And unlike many sofas that require attention after a couple of years, you will have your Chesterfield sofa for years to come because of the high-class durability.

Placing this luxury furniture in the living room is ideal to show it off, but it can also make for a fine piece of furniture in the office. There is nothing that says class and wealth in an office better than furniture like this. It will imply prosperity to those who enter your office and give your office a true working atmosphere.

Although you may not be aware of it at the time, but image can mean everything in a home. Replacing ragged sofas with a Chesterfield sofa can do wonders for your home. It will liven the room up, give it character, and present wealth in a new manner. And because of the style, you can put virtually anything around the sofa and create a beautifully crafted room.

It is hard to believe that one sofa could have such an impact on a room, but that is exactly what you are getting with leather chesterfields. It is the finest furniture around and can be purchased at a reasonable price. And with the durability it is built with, you

Powerful Images in Classic Movie Posters that Launched Actors

If you look into a student's room, you'll most likely see the walls covered with posters. You probably decorated your dorm room with posters (e.g., classic movie posters, posters of your favorite band or singer, etc.) when you were a college student.

There is a huge market for classic movie posters today. These classic movie posters, sold at DVD and record shops, are mainly used by marketing outfits as marketing tools for promoting movies and persuading the movie going public to go to the theaters and watch. However, classic movie posters also serve as memorabilia for movie lovers. After all, classic movie posters are an artwork in themselves. Many of these classic movie posters are actually considered works of art because their designs become the symbols of the films.

Movie posters can convey plenty of information regarding the cast, director, crew and such, but there are movie posters whose focus is more on conveying a powerful visual image. You will notice that older classic movie posters have more words and tag lines and often feature painted images of the lead actors. Other classic movie posters use still photographs that were taken directly from the film.

Many of the images in the classic movie posters are literal. For instance, Gone With The Wind's classic movie poster had Vivian Leigh in Clarke Gable's arms. The King Kong classic movie poster has the heroine being carried by King Kong. The Casablanca classic movie poster has its lead stars, Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman, looking at us, their cheeks against each other.

The more memorable poster images or photographs eventually become the lead stars' iconic images, and they stay in the moviegoer's minds. In fact, these poster images are often what launches actors to stardom. For instance, the image of Audrey Hepburn in the classic movie poster for Breakfast At Tiffany's is one that has endured through the years. Mention her name and the public thinks of her in an evening gown, adorned with jewels. The classic movie posters for The Great Escape captured Steve McQueen doing different motorbike stunts. And James Dean...perhaps his most memorable image is the one that appeared in the Giant's classic movie poster: Dean posed crucified with his rifle. And who wouldn't have seen the famous photo of Marilyn Monroe standing over an air vent, trying to hold her dress down? This image of Monroe was used to promote the Bus Stop film. You can find great information on movies and movie reviews at http://www.magiclanternpr.com

The horror genre has its share of memorable images too. The images in the older classic movie posters in this genre mostly conveyed a subtle, quiet menace. For instance, it would be hard not to feel a chill when looking at Norman Bats' shadowy house iin the classic movie poster for Psycho. Similarly, Jack Nicholson with his head smashed through the door in the movie poster for The Shining is scary. The classic movie poster for The Candyman has a wasp sitting on the edge of an eye.

The Jaws movie poster is one of the classic movie posters that is most reproduced. This classic movie poster has a simple but very powerful image: a shark's mouth wide open, directly facing us. Another powerful poster image is that of Taxi Driver's Robert De Niro with his hand at his temple, pointed like a gun. And when it comes to the romance genre, the Titanic movie poster is a true classic. It captures the image of Leonardo di Caprio and Kate Winslet above the Titanic, two people forever in love.

Personal loan: Get all your financial needs sorted easily

It would be great burden for people if they experience a need for money which cannot be ignored. So only the way of borrowing money is available to the people. They can get the money for their needs easily through personal loans depending on how much money they need and how they need it.

The money is available to the borrowers for their needs which may be anything like wedding expenses, educational needs, car purchase, debt consolidation, home improvement, travel expenses, medical expenses, etc. it is up to the borrower as to how he uses the money.

To get the money through these loans, the borrowers first have to decide upon how much amount they need. If the amount required is small, then they may take up the unsecured form of the loans which will not require them to pledge any collateral. The money available through these loans lies in the range of £1000-£25000 for a term of 6months to 10 years for its repayment. Since the borrower does not pledge any collateral, he has to pay a slightly higher rate of interest for the money borrowed to cut down the risk of non-repayment.

If the need of borrowers is bigger, the money can be borrowed through the secured form of these loans. The money is available to them in the range of £5000-£75000 for a term of 5-25 years. For this, the borrowers are required to pledge rate of interest for these loans is lower due to attachment of the loans with collateral. Rate of interest for these loans is lower due to attachment of collateral with the loan deals.

The borrowers can research through the online mode to get lower rates as there are numerous lenders online who are ready to provide lower rates due to competition. Bad credit borrowers can also take up these loans for their needs.

Through personal loans, the borrower may get money for needs that can not be ignored. The choice of the loans is totally dependent on the borrower according to his needs.

3 Steps To Getting An Online High School Education

Online high school education might make it possible for you to get your diploma. After you have left school, finishing your education is hard. There are a lot of barriers you have to overcome. High school doesn't fit well into the adult world you live in now, but you need that diploma in order to do what you want to with your life. Here are some ideas for getting your diploma using online high school education.

Step 1: Assess

Start by looking at where you are and where you want to be. If you are only a couple of classes short of the requirements for high school graduation in your school district, maybe they offer the classes over the internet, and you could finish up and graduate from your home high school.

If you need more than a couple of classes to graduate, you could earn your diploma and graduate from an online high school, taking classes to meet their graduation requirements.

Look at where you want to be, too. If you are finishing high school for your own self development, or so that you can advance in your present job, online high school education classes might be what you need. If, however, you want to go to college after you get your diploma, you might be able to find "double duty" classes that will give you both high school and college credit, so that you can enter college ahead of the game.

Step 2: Gather Information

There are four places you should look for online high school education classes: your local school district, community education in your area, local colleges and online high school education providers. Compare the requirements each program has for high school graduation, and what you would have to do to complete those requirements.

Look into ways to pay for your online high school education. If you are under 21, your local school district may be a good place to look for funding. Whether you get help from a local school district or not, you should be able to find a way to complete your high school education for free or at a low cost.

If you plan to enter college when you are done, find out what the entrance requirements are for your top three or four college choices. If they require two years of foreign language, for instance, it is much less expensive to take the classes as part of an online high school education than it is to make up the deficiency later.

Step 3:

Get started. Put together all the information you have gathered, and decide how you will go about getting an online high school education. Do the paperwork, go through the hoops and enroll in a class. You are on your way to completing your diploma through online high school education.

Health And Fitness - How To Get Great Body Shape-Stay Fit And Healthy

Most people know that having health and fitness is important. Many try to stay fit and healthy to get a great body shape. The question is do people know the benefits of being fit and healthy or how to get that great body shape they yearned so much for?
Unfortunately not, otherwise there will not be such high dropout rates in gyms all over the world and people getting fatter and fatter.
• Benefits of good health and fitness :-
1) Day to day chores are so much easier – Because you are fit, you will not tire that easily and chores such as gardening, carrying stuff , bending over or climbing up to pick up things will be so much easier.
2) Enjoy life better – Since daily chores are no longer chores, you are able to do more things and faster. Savor your productivity and efficiency.
3) Save money and live longer – Save money on your medical expenses from diseases that strike unhealthy and obese people. Your risk of high blood pressure, heart attacks, stroke and some form of cancers, all of which are deadly is reduced significantly when you stay fit and are in great health.
4) Your posture and confidence improve – Because you are stronger, your strong muscles hold up your skeletal structure will. This improves your body posture and your confidence will soar.
5) Look great in your clothes – You will carry your clothes well because you are no longer flabby or skinny with your clothes either too tight or too lose.
6) Attractive hunk – Gone will be the days when your body shape was the butt of jokes. Instead, people will ogle and admire your new attractive body. A body that many people will die for.
There are many more benefits for having great health and fitness. Too many to mention in just one article. So we shall go on to discuss how to be in great body shape, fit and healthy.
• How to be in great body shape-stay fit and healthy
Just three things.
1) Healthy eating habits and healthy lifestyle – You are what you eat. So if you eat unhealthy food, you will be unhealthy. Thus avoid saturated and trans fat. Eat less sugary stuff and sodium. Avoid alcohol and quit smoking. Drink plenty of water and remember what your mum used to say, “Take your vitamins.”
2) Do cardio exercises – It toughens up your heart and lungs. Cardio exercises are great for your respiratory and cardiovascular system. Best of all, it burns tons of calories.
3) Lift weights – Build muscles for a toned and defined body. With muscles come strength and with more strength you will be able to do many more things than just having a sexy muscular body.
So you can see, it is not that difficult to be fit and healthy. Having a great body shape along the way is indeed a bonus. So have you written out a plan for your health and fitness goals?

Important Tips On How To Control Dog Aggression

* There are 2 situations in which aggression between dogs occur. *

1-When one dog is unfamiliar with another dog.
2-Aggression between familiar dogs that live in the same household. * Dogs may encounter other dogs while their owners are walking them. A dog that is not well-socialized might have dominant body language and stare other dogs straight in the eyes, which is conceived to be a direct challenge. Dog's that are otherwise friendly when not on a leash will more likely bark and lunge at another dog. * To avoid these confrontations owners should stay alert and keep their dog on a short leash. They should have voice control at all times and not let their dog sniff or come in contact with another dog. To prevent aggression when a dog is on a leash is to train the dog early on he can't visit with every canine he meets. Owners should also teach their dog to sit and wait for permission before approaching another dog. They should also train their dog not to pull on the leash. Behavior and basic obedience training along with voice control can help in preventing aggression and fights. * Along with keeping their dogs on a leash and with proper training owners can also avoid fights by keeping their dogs from roaming free, neutering them before one year of age, and start socializing their dogs when they are in the puppy stage between 5 and 10 weeks of age. * There are 4 behavioral clues to look for if a fight is threatening to start: * 1-A stern, deliberate, and targeted stare. * 2-Body language; the tail held stiffly up or down; lips pulled tight against the teeth. * 3-Rigid body movement. * 4-A dominating posture stance. * When dogs first meet they tend to establish a social hierarchy and determine whose top dog. They become involved in loud barking and growling. Sometimes the aggression escalates and a fight ensues where one dog latches on to another dog. * If you intervene don't put your hands or get between them to avoid getting bitten yourself. If another person is there you can take your dog by the tail or hind legs and the other person takes the other dog and both pull back until one of the dogs loosens its grip. You should then move away quickly. This can be risky since dogs will sometimes bite whoever is hanging on to them. * Fights and aggression that occur between dogs in the same household will be about those resources that are considered most important to dogs. These include territory, possession, food, sleeping-quarters, and favored people. * Fights often come about over their sleeping territory near their owners, treats, food, owner attention (or greeting the owner upon return). * Dogs of the same sex occur most often than those of the opposite sex and seems to be most intense between female dogs. Fights can also start between familiar dogs where one is obviously dominant. * There are some familiar characteristics when it comes to fighting between dogs in the same household. * A-Adult dogs over 3 years old. * B-Dogs fight only when the owner is present. * C-Dogs are of the same sex. * D-A clash often between dogs is which one will be the dominant dog in the family pack. * An owner might try punishment but typically this only promotes more aggression and creates new problems. Any breed of dogs can get into fights, and it depends more on the dogs training, temperament, and socialization. *Some fights can start so quickly the owner is caught off guard, but many times you can spot behaviors that signal problems ahead. Keeping a watch out for these signs can keep a fight from starting. *Of course the best approach is prevention and giving your dog proper training and providing good leadership.

Making of Pizza: Tips and Tricks

A lot of factors influence will influence the results of your pizza making efforts. Primary among these factors are the pizza ingredients and pizza equipment used.
The following are some pizza making tips and tricks that you can apply for the best homemade pizza.
Pizza Ingredients: The pizza ingredients that you use depend on the type of pizza that you wish to make. Moreover, you usually have to prepare three sets of ingredients: one for your pizza crust, another for your pizza toppings and another set for your pizza sauce.
Pizza crust recipes: usual ingredients and tips Flour is a definite necessity when making pizza crust. The usual ingredient in making the basic pizza dough is wheat flour, although whole wheat flour is also used by some. For a firm, elastic pizza dough, you'll want to use flour with moderately high gluten content (this is also known as hard flour). The gluten is formed when water is added to the flour and it is a crucial part of the pizza's structure. Thus, when you make pizza crust, it is best to use bread flour or flour with especially high gluten content (check the label) which has enough gluten content for pizza making purposes. However, people who have celiac disease or those who prefer a low carb pizza crust usually opt for flour with low gluten content. Some even make gluten-free pizza in the belief that it is healthier.
In any case, it is advisable to use premium-grade flour milled from first-grade wheat; the flour, moreover, should have quality protein (the flour and water mixture should be very easy to handle) and should be able to absorb a lot of water without becoming soggy and limp.
Yeast is another requirement in making the pizza base. The yeast is the leavening agent and it helps the pizza dough rise as well as helps the dough achieve elasticity (so you can stretch it into pizza rounds without breaking). Yeast and its fermentation, furthermore, give the pizza crust its distinct flavor. Unless you are using the instant dry yeast variety, you should mix yeast with warm water then let the mixture stand for around ten minutes before you use it in your pizza dough mixture. Furthermore, the best, yeasty flavor is achieved by leaving the pizza dough to rise for several hours after kneading. The other dry ingredients that basic pizza dough has are salt, sugar, baking powder (if you need more leavening than what the yeast can provide), and dry milk. The salt is necessary to create the slightly salty taste of pizza crust which provides a great contrast to the pizza sauce flavor. Sugar, on the other hand, is added to add a slightly sweet taste to the crust as well as to facilitate yeast activity and to yield a browner pizza crust. Do not add a lot of sugar. Powdered milk or milk solids, on the other hand, adds to the dough's bulk, adds flavor and nutrients to the pizza dough as well as gives strength to the pizza dough's structure even if such is over-fermented. Use the non-fat variety especially if you are making low fat pizza. The liquid ingredients include water and oil. Water is necessary for gluten generation and for activating yeast. Use slightly acidic as well as slightly hard water for best results. To ensure standard water pH, you can use distilled water (which has neutral pH) or tap water (which is usually slightly acidic, especially in cities). Oil, on the other hand, serves well to lubricate the dough for easier handling. Use extra virgin olive oil if you want it to serve more than just lubricating purposes; extra virgin olive oil also has a distinctive flavor. Olive oil, moreover, is healthy for it has lower saturation than other types of oil. If you prefer, you can use egg white or egg yolk in your pizza dough. The egg white helps strengthen pizza dough whereas egg yolk helps soften dough. As such, you can use either depending on the type of crust you want to make. Add egg yolk, for instance, if you need to make your pizza dough softer. If you will use eggs, don't forget to reduce the amount of water in your pizza crust recipe. You can also add flavorings like garlic powder to your pizza dough. You can even use herbs on your dough to give it a distinct flavor. Use sourdough starter, on the other hand, if you want to make sourdough pizza.
Pizza toppings: usual ingredients and tips There's not much you should know about pizza toppings. The ingredients are pretty much up to you and should depend on the type of pizza you are making. However, there are certain techniques to preparing your pizza toppings. For one, you should use fresh Mozzarella cheese when making your pizza. Moreover, you should not put the cheese on top if you need to bake the pizza for a long time; you'll end up with burnt cheese this way. The usual pizza toppings include pepperoni, sausages, ground beef, ham, canned tomatoes, bell peppers, mushrooms, onions, bacon, ham, various types of cheese, and olive oil. Other toppings include shrimp, salmon, chicken meat, anchovies, fruits, artichokes, etc.
Pizza sauce: usual ingredients and tips The usual pizza sauce recipes have tomato sauce. Flavor is enhanced by adding garlic and onions (whether powder or sautéed) then ground meat, salt, pepper and other usual pizza spices such as basil and oregano. Typically, tomato-based sauces are thick. On the other hand, you can make a thin pizza sauce by mixing oregano and basil with olive oil. The fastest way of making pizza sauce is by using canned pizza sauce. You must remember to apply pizza sauce with a light hand. Thick sauce must be carefully added on top of the pizza toppings. Thin sauce must be gently rubbed over the pizza. Excessive use of pizza sauce can lead to excess moisture and thus a limp pizza. Pizza Equipment You can cook your pizza using a pizza pan or bake it directly on a pizza stone.
If you are going to use a standard oven without a pizza stone, then stretch your pizza dough into the desired thickness on your pan, add your toppings and pizza sauce, preheat your oven and bake according to your pizza recipe. If you are using a pizza stone, cut your pizza dough, use one of the portions and stretch it into a pizza round of your desired thickness. Add your desired toppings and your homemade pizza sauce, load the pizza on your wooden peel (pizza paddle) then place said pizza round on top of the pizza stone. The pizza stone, at this point, should have been kept hot in the oven for at least an hour. It is best to use a pizza stone for baking pizza. This leads to a crispier pizza crust for two reasons. First, it absorbs run-off and excess moisture. Second, it distributes heat from the oven evenly; thus, the pizza crust is uniformly cooked all over. Naturally, if you want to make deep dish pizza, you have to use a pizza pan.
On the other hand, you can pre-bake your deep dish pizza crust, add toppings and sauce then finish baking your pizza on a pizza stone. A good oven with a timing device and a temperature monitor is also necessary for precise pizza baking. A wooden spoon, on the other hand, should be used for mixing the pizza dough to prevent sticking. Use a marble countertop when kneading dough for the same purpose. After using your pizza equipment, clean each piece carefully according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Five ways to save on car insurance

Car insurance is a type of cover that can be quite costly depending on your needs and circumstances, but this is a type of cover that is a legal requirement for drivers in the UK so no matter what the expense you have to get this cover if you wish to take your vehicle on the road. It is important to remember that there are ways and means of lowering your insurance premiums on car cover, however, so with a little thought and research you could save yourself a small fortune.

Below are some of the top ways in which you can save money on the cost of insurance cover:

1. Don't go for the first quote. Never assume that the first quote you get is going to be representative of all other quotes, as the cost of cover can vary widely from one provider to another. Make sure that you get at least three quotes from different providers before you make any decision – don’t feel tempted to rush into taking cover with the first insurance company that sends you details.

2. Remember that price comparison sites may not cover all providers. Many people have started to use price comparison sites to find their insurance cover, but you should bear in mind that these sites only cover a portion of the market and not all providers are on their databases. You should therefore be mindful that there may be a cheaper and more suitable policy available that is not on the price comparison site, so it may be worth checking individual providers to get your price down further.

3. Go for the most appropriate level of cover. If you have a new or expensive vehicle then you should opt for the top level of cover, which is fully comp. However, if you have an old car that has a low value then you can get away with taking out a lower level of cover, which will enable you to keep the cost of cover down whilst still fulfilling the legal requirement of having insurance.

4. Increase your excess. The amount of excess that you choose on your policy will make a difference to your premiums. If you choose to have a higher level of excess on your policy you can knock down your premiums significantly in some cases – just make sure that you do have enough money put aside to cover the excess in case you do need to make a claim.

5. Take the pass plus test if you have recently passed. New and younger drivers often find the cost of cover crippling. However, you can save a considerable amount on the cost of cover if you take the advances pass plus test after passing your standard test, with some insurers offering up to 35% off if you have passed this advanced course.

Learn to play golf

There are many options available to learn to play golf. You can self teach, have a relative or friend teach you, go to your resident pro at the driving range, take lessons from the golf professional at your country club or pro shop, go to golf-tec at the Golfsmith locations or if your high school or college offers a golf program join the program. The method you choose can greatly affect how quickly you learn and how adept you become at the game.

At the time I started playing I opted to teach myself. I read "The Golfers Bible " and "The Five Fundamentals of Golf" by Ben Hogan. The books were both very informative and contained valuable information to help one get started to play. In my opinion, and any one who knows about the history of golf would agree, Ben Hogan was one of the most natural and skilled golfers who ever played the game. I was confident that any book that he authored on golf could only be informative and benefit someone who wanted to learn to play. I can attest first hand that it helped me tremendously. In retrospect, depending on one's budget and how quickly someone wants to develop their skills, I would recommend lessons from a teaching professional. Unless you are born with a natural talent for the sport, which from my experience those so gifted are few and far between, lessons are the way to go. As I stated earlier I am self taught and have been playing for about 30 years.

The learning curve is different for everyone, but I noted that most golfers who are good at other sports, especially baseball and hockey have a tendency to learn to play well. Having been self taught I had to experiment with different techniques over the years to improve my game. Until today I am still reading up on the latest and greatest on Instruction and Equipment and continuing to experiment to try to play better. With the increased popularity of golf, thanks in most part to the arrival of Tiger Woods on the scene, the teaching techniques and availability of teaching professionals has increased tremendously. I would strongly recommend that lessons are the way to go. Golf is a sport which requires muscle memory for a repetitive swing. Once your swing techniques and mechanics are ingrained in the subconscious, it will be harder to correct if you do not learn properly at the onset. Having the proper basics is crucial for learning to play the right way. Golf will be so much more enjoyable if you play well and learn the proper techniques for the swing.

There are a number of steps to master the correct golf swing and a teaching professional will be able to show each of them to you. You will learn much quicker than reading about them and experimenting for years like I did. Some of the steps are as follows: The Grip - How you set the club in your hands, The Set-Up - (How you address the ball) the positioning of your body and alignment in relation to the ball, The Waggle - This is a trigger or initial movement to allow the swing to start properly, Tempo - The speed and timing from the start of the backswing through the hitting area and the follow thru, Backswing - the move immediately following the waggle -the cocking of the wrist and the turning or coiling of the body together with the arms and shoulders away from the target to prepare for the Downswing, The Downswing - immediately follows the backswing and is the part of the swing where impact with the ball takes place including the pronation of the hands thru the hit, The Follow Thru - the completion of the golf swing which concludes the transfer of your weight from your right side to your left (for right handed golfers - opposite would be true for lefties) and body positioning to face the target. If any of the aforementioned steps is not executed properly it can greatly affect the result of the shot. With the advent of Video Instruction, the instructor can play back the video and explain and show you exactly what you were doing right or wrong during the course of your swing.

You've heard the expression that "One picture is worth a thousand words", well it would most definitely apply in this case. Although you can read a book on golf or watch golf teaching videos ( some are very good), it is still not the same as being taught first hand by a professional.

Personal loan: Tips for a less burdensome deal

People need money for variety of purposes. They can find personal loans as per their requirements and circumstances. However, if availed without first taking all of its aspects into account, the same loan may become a source of financial trouble in the coming days. Through these loans, you can meet expenditures on home improvements, wedding, car purchasing, holiday tour etc. The loan comes for a particular purpose, or you are free to put it for variety of uses.

Personal loans are accessible in secured or unsecured options. For the requirement of greater loan of up to £75000, you need to pledge your valued asset like home or a vehicle, as collateral. The advantage of such a secured loan is lower rate of interest. Greater amount of loan comes with larger repayment duration of 5 to 30 years. However, avoid carrying the loan for many more years, as you will end-up making high interest payments. On the other hand, the unsecured loans provides only smaller amount of up to £25000, for a short period of few months to 15 years, depending on the loan amount and your circumstances. These loans depend on the lenders’ faith in you. Hence, people find the loan approval with ease, if they have a good credit history. Both tenants and homeowners are eligible to take out these loans without collateral. However, interest rate will be on higher side. People can take these loans with bad credit history as well. They need to prove their intention of repaying the loan on time. However, interest rate will go higher. It is advisable to apply for rate quotes of personal loans. While comparing the loan offers, you should also be aware of the additional fees on these loans. For a less costly loan, ensure that the rate is lower and the fee charges are fewer.

Dandruff: Just blow it away

Do you suffer from itchy scalp but embarrassed to scratch in public? Do you have hair loss while you always have white flakes shedding on your clothes? You are not alone as there are millions like you who suffer from Dandruff. Understanding what this skin disease is and how to combat it effectively is the only solution. Dandruff is the name given to the shedding of skin on the scalp, and appears as white flakes in the hair causing discomfort. Although our skin sheds dead cells and renews itself every fortnight, the word dandruff refers to the unsightly shedding of dead skin which is known to be caused by a fungus. The common symptoms are itchy scalp and white flakes visible in the hair and surface when you scratch. Dandruff is usually two fungi, Malassezia Furfur and Pityrosporum ovale, that reside in the human body. The fungus sometimes creates an imbalance, so that the renewal of skin cells leads to an overload of dead cells being shed. Most of the dandruff shampoos which claim to reduce dandruff contain Zinc Pyrithione and Nizoral. However, the more chemical you apply to your skin, the more the chances of an adverse reaction increase. In the case of an allergic reaction, consider trying out natural and herb based shampoos, which can contain the growth of dandruff. You will need to wash your hair very frequently with these highly chemical based shampoos to curb the spread of these fungi. The main function of anti dandruff shampoos is to wash away and remove the dead skin cells faster than they can be shed. This is the only way to keep your scalp healthy and clean. Anti Dandruff shampoos contain strong chemicals which break down oils and contain fungicides to kill the microbial and fungi growth for cleaner hair and a healthier scalp. Lemon, orange, basil, papaya, cloves and other citrus fruits contain astringents that help keep the scalp clear of dead skin. Applying herb based oils containing Lemon have concentration of anti fungal properties. Lemon oils are used to treat skin allergies which occur due to intense oil production. Lemon has a unique quality of sapping away excess oil which helps to eliminate acne and dandruff. Washing your hair after oiling it well with coconut oil is also known to benefit curbing dandruff. You can also condition your hair using eggs, once a fortnight as egg is known to give a beautiful shine to your hair.

Useful tips on buying foods for your pet

Food is one of the most important necessities in your pet’s life. It provides the nutrients they need in order to grow and develop into mature animals as well as giving them the energy they need each day to enjoy life by your side. There is a vast array of manufacturers that provide food for all animals and it can be a confusing task to decipher all the ingredients, proteins and benefits of each one in order to choose the very best one for your pet. Depending on the type of pet you have, you will still have to do some research to find out exactly what you should be providing them for their main meals as well as any snacks or treats on the side. You can find a multitude of information on the Internet, from friends or family with similar animals, or even from sales representatives at your local pet shop. When it comes down to the final decision though, you are the responsible one who will choose what you feel is best for your pet, not your aunt or the guy in the pet store. With the awareness of organic foods for the public in every supermarket and health food store, there has also grown the niche for organic pet food. There are many painstaking efforts that go into providing a balanced meal for your pet that is free of many additives that are not necessary for your pet’s nutritional health and yet are included in many other manufactured pet foods. Organic pet foods are not always available at every pet store or grocery store where other popular brands are sold, thus making it harder to find for some pet owners. With the increased awareness, organic meals are being produced more than ever, but due to the nature of the process, these types of foods for your pet are generally more expensive than a store-brand bag of dry food that you could pick up at any local corner store. As with any food for your pets, there are positives and negatives to each. Price is not always an indication of the quality of food, but it tends to be a good guide for the market shopper. If you examine the store-brand plain dry food, you may find the ingredients to list not as many proteins or pure foods like some other popular brands. Additives may be more abundant in cheaper brands, but they can still be apparent in many higher-priced brand name pet foods. Just like you shop for your own health and wellness, be sure to read the labels and shop for your pet’s health and wellness. There can be side effects to supplying the low-cost alternative food for your pets in some cases. Your pet can develop anywhere from mild to severe health issues that are directly related to the type of food provided. With some cats, liver problems and kidney stones can develop rapidly if not provided with a good quality food each day. You will want to be sure that you are doing everything you can in order to maintain your pet’s health and wellness for years to come.

Home recycling: Useful tips

The issue of recycling has been an important one for some years, but recently, with councils resorting to fortnightly collections in a bid to encourage recycling, this is an issue that has been receiving increased attention across the country. Councils are doing what they can to encourage recycling by providing recycle bins to households to make this task easier, and the government has pledged to increase the number of recycling bins in public areas to also encourage this activity. We can all do our bit for the environment, help to reduce landfill site waste, and help others by recycling many of the items in our home – not just rubbish but all sorts of items. And once you get the hang of recycling you will find that it is an easy, effective, and useful way to do your bit for the environment.

1. Learn more about what can be recycled. Many people just think about things like cans or bottles when they think about recycling, but you can actually recycle pretty much anything. This includes textiles, rubber, building, materials, carton and cardboard, and more. Before you automatically throw something into to rubbish for collection think carefully about whether you could actually recycle the item in some way.

2. Familiarize yourself with the recycling bins in the area. There are different recycle bins for different things, such as some for bottles and cans, some for textiles, etc. The government has also promised to increase the number of recycling bins in public areas. In the meantime, it is a good idea to try and familiarise yourself with where the bins are in your area so that you know where to go to recycle your items.

3. Make use of the council recycle bin. Local authorities have issued many households with recycle bins now so there is no excuse for not being able to recycle. Make use of this facility and recycle as much as you can – with a bin on your doorstep there is not additional hassle involved and you could really help the environment in the long term.

4. Make sure that you use the right recycle bins for the right products. It can be encouraging to also use the recycle bins in public areas, as this will encourage others to do the same if they see you and others recycling their waste. However, do make sure that you use the recycle bins appropriately and don’t just stick all of your items into one recycle bin, as they are separate depending on the type of product that you are recycling.

5. Save on fuel and emissions. Wherever possible, if you have to drive to take your recycled waste to a public recycle bin area try and drop your recycling whilst on your way somewhere rather than making a special trip. This will save any additional pollution from driving and will save you petrol. Better still, if the recycling area is not far then take a stroll up there!

All about Acne

What is Acne?

People have differing opinions as to what acne really is.

So, what exactly is acne? Do a couple of occasional but recurring zits qualify as a case of acne or do you have to have a lot of zits?

Believe it or not, the answer is that occasional pimples or zits do not constitute a true case of acne. Although zits do seem to have the ability to appear almost instantaneously and at the most inopportune times like picture day, prom night, spelling bees, sporting events, dates, and special award ceremonies, they are not a true acne outbreak. The dictionary defines acne as "an inflammatory disease of the sebaceous glands, characterized by comedones and pimples, especially on the face, back, chest, and, in severe cases, by cysts and nodules resulting in scarring." The anatomical definition of sebaceous glands is: "small subcutaneous glands usually connected with hair follicles. The follicles secrete an oily semi-fluid matter, composed in great part of fat, which softens and lubricates the hair and skin." Real acne outbreaks are actually a disease of the skin. However, the great news is that acne is treatable. Although it can be very embarrassing, cause great emotional distress, and lower your personal self-esteem for a period of time, acne is not fatal. There are new and effective treatments being sought by researchers and great advances have been made in the treatment of acne in the last few years. Years ago, when a person had acne, they were pretty much stuck with the problem. There were very few treatments available and the medical profession didn't even consider acne a disease. It was long thought that acne was the direct result of a diet that was too high in fat and/or sweets. That is no longer the case. Acne is most often associated with puberty and the onset of pre-teen and teenage years but it can and does develop in adults as well. When acne does finally heal, there can be permanent scars left (from picking and popping) that are unsightly and cause patients to suffer long term emotional distress and low self- esteem. New and very effective skin resurfacing treatments have been developed over the last several years that have, if not completely removed acne scars, at least diminished their appearance and severity. Acne Fact or Fiction: You can hear a lot of tall tales about acne today, so let's take a look at the fact or fiction of acne. It is always better to be well armed with factual information so that you don't get fooled by the fictional facts that surround acne. Fictional Fact #1: Acne is caused by a lack of sexual activity. Factual Fact: Acne and sexual activity are two entirely separate issues. One has no bearing on the other. Hormones secreted during puberty and young adulthood does have a bearing on acne. They also have a bearing on sexual arousal and activity. However, acne has no bearing on sexual activity nor does sexual activity have any bearing on acne. Fictional Fact #2: People have acne because they are dirty. Factual Fact: Dirt has no part in acne. Dirt is dirt. Acne is acne. One has nothing to do with the other. Acne is a build up of oil, dead skin cells, and bacteria. Dirt isn't involved. Keeping the face clean can and will help to prevent clogged pores but dirt does not cause acne. Fictional Fact #3: Dermatologists can cure acne. Factual Fact: Dermatologists can TREAT acne. They can help to alleviate the symptoms and help to clear up the pimples, black-heads, and white heads. They can prescribe antibiotics and topical ointments, lotions, and creams that will help but there is no cure at this time for acne. Fictional Fact #4: Acne is simply a skin problem. Factual Fact: It's true that acne affects the skin but it can also affect the way a person sees himself or herself. Acne and the scarring it can leave behind may cause a sufferer to become depressed and develop low self-esteem, both of which can lead to larger and more complex life socialization problems. Acne sufferers need the loving support and reassurance from their family and friends. Acne and Stress: Can stress actually cause acne? There is ample evidence available to suggest that stress can most assuredly cause an acne breakout or make an existing breakout worse. Our bodies are highly developed chemical laboratories that produce all sorts of stuff. At puberty, our body begins to produce an abundance of male hormones and this happens in both boys and girls. This overproduction of male hormones can happen at other times in life besides puberty; for example, when a girl or woman starting or stops taking birth control pills. These male hormones cause the bodies sebaceous glands to shift into overdrive and begin producing sebum. The sebum then travels up hair follicles, clogs the pores and begins the acne development cycle. However, male hormones are not the only cause for the sebaceous glands to begin producing an overabundance of sebum. When we become extremely stressed or overly emotional, our bodies react by causing the adrenal glands to produce a substance known as Cortisol, which is released directly into the bloodstream. Then the chemical chain reaction continues as the sebaceous glands release sebum, the sebum travels up the same hair follicles, clogs the pores and acne develops. The physical changes in the body can cause exactly the same chemical chain reaction as the emotional changes in the mind. The mind/body connection is very real. Maybe some of it really IS in your head. If that's the case, there is help available to help people deal with the acne that is caused by stress. Reducing stress will just naturally reduce sebum production by the sebaceous glands and reducing sebum production will help to alleviate an acne breakout. Therefore, when you learn to reduce and control you stress levels, this part of the chemical chain reaction is minimized. It really it isn't any different than restoring a hormonal balance to your body that reduces sebum production. So, in the final analysis, both factors that cause excessive sebum production should be addressed. Solving one problem might help; however, solving both problems could eliminate acne altogether. Acne Facials: If you are part of the 95 of the population who suffer from acne, you have more than likely seen TV or print media advertisements for acne facials. Have you ever wondered if there is anything to the claims that their manufacturers make? In general, the answer is yes! Most acne facials are very effective, pretty much worth the price, and can be used in conjunction with your usual acne fighting regime. They won't necessarily replace any part of what you are already doing; but, rather enhance the overall effects. You can find acne facials in most health stores, at many cosmetic counters, and online. As a matter of fact, you can probably complete a better comparison of available products online than you can anywhere else. Most of these acne facial products provide for a three-step program. The first step is a complete facial cleansing. The next step is a steam massage. The final step is a facial mask. The first two steps are designed to prepare the face. The steam massage softens the black heads and the white heads to remove toxins from your skin. The facial mask serves to remove the dead skin cells from the face and to moisturize it as well. The overall effect of the acne facial is a very relaxing, calming, and cleansing experience. It just plain feels good. Anything that helps to calm and sooth your stress can't be bad because we all know that acne is aggravated by high stress levels. Acne facial masks can be used in addition to other parts of your acne prevention and treatment regime or you may find that the facial can, in fact, actually replace some things that you are currently doing. Acne Concealer's: One of Newton's laws of physics laws says that, "For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction." That law of physics spills over into a lot of our life situations. For example: A young woman gets a zit and wants to cover it up. The cosmetics industry has a multitude of products designed to do just that. Okay, that's a little far out there but you get my point. The acne pimples, whether they are white heads or black heads should never be picked at or popped. If they are popped or picked, it can and normally does result is a scar that is much harder to get rid of than the actual pimple, black head or white head. Popping a pimple is not going to make it go away. In fact, popping a pimple is only going to make the acne worse. Still when you get a zit, you have to go out and face the world so you are looking for ways to make your skin look clear. You want to disguise the zit and make it as unnoticeable as possible. Here is where the cosmetic industry can help. There are a multitude of products designed to make a zit less noticeable. You don't want to use a product that just adds to the problem by adding additional oil to already oily skin. So, you do need to remember, that when you use a cover product to make the zit less noticeable, you need to totally clean the product from your skin immediately when you return home. Some of the better known as well as more effective cosmetic concealer's on the market today are: 1. Dermablend Smooth Indulgence Concealer: This product produces a smooth matte appearance and was designed specifically for covering acne blemishes as well as for covering Rosacea and dark circles under the eyes. 2. Flawless Skin by Prescriptives: This product will not aggravate acne but will supply a medium to full coverage and it contains SPF 25 for protection from the sun. Don't let acne control you; but rather, become smart and learn how to control the negative influences in your life that create a positive situation for acne to develop!

Stock Market Investing

Stock market investing can be confusing, risky, and sometimes profitable, so having a knowledgeable grasp about trading will help investors avoid many of the common pitfalls. With more and more people joining the ranks of investors and with the advancement of technology, the activity involved with trading stocks has changed somewhat. What was once considered a privilege for the well-to-do, is now common practice among many socioeconomic groups. But, as with any financial risk, there are those that lose money they really cannot afford to lose when trading. When considering a stock market investment, the first step is to get a working knowledge of the fast paced markets. Taking the time to research and study the strategies of buying and trading shares will help newcomers avoid great losses and perhaps, even make good sound investments for the future.A quick review of what a stocks actually are will help the beginner better understand trading strategies. A potential investor needs to comprehend the difference between a get rich scheme and solid investment action plans. Education is key to protection. Stock market investing is purchasing a portion of the business's earnings or assets, or owning a share of that business. Some professionals will refer to this purchase as owning shares or owning equity. All of these definitions mean the same thing and make the one purchasing a shareholder in the company. When a portion of a company is purchased, the owner is then entitled to a portion of the business's earnings and can even have voting privileges. Depending upon the amount of shares owned will depend upon the percentage of dividend, which is profit, returned.Once a share of any company is bought, a stock certificate will be issued. This certificate proves ownership in the company. Because of the fast and easy trading available online, most brokerage firms now keep their client's certificates electronically on file. Day trading has become very popular and shares can be sold or traded within a matter of minutes through the Internet, making the issuing of hard copy certificates irrational. And, stock market investing does not give the one holding ownership any authority in the daily affairs of the company. Owning a share gives holders the right to vote in board elections. Generally, a person is given one voting privilege per share.With an understanding of what shares actually represent, the one that considers making a stock market investment will want to have a plan for investing. Formulas for getting rich quick rarely pan out. The best advice in stock market investing is to know that there are no rules, and much is based on sound decision making, not emotional whims. Sound decisions are born of informed strategies. Putting together a plan with specific and realistic goals will help in determining how much money to invest initially, without putting savings or retirement funds at risk. Long-term goals will help investors make wise choices without feeling pressure to make immediate money.When looking at the various stocks for sale on the market, it will be a good idea to investigate the value of the stock instead of the current price. A stock market investment should be based on the bigger picture, knowing that some shares are low because they are not worth much. Investigate the possibilities of prices rising, based on how it has performed historically. Checking the profit of any company under consideration will help determine if there has been a steady growth return on the net worth. Turning to the Bible may also be helpful when looking into purchasing shares. A stock market investment should reflect Christian values just like any business decision. Make sure that the company in which hard-earned funds are supporting is an honest, reputable business structure. Those investing will want to keep a balanced attitude about earning money in this risky environment. The Proverbs are full of guidance for everyday living, directing the Christian in affairs of family, business, and spiritual matters. "He that handleth a matter wisely shall find good: and whoso trusteth in the Lord, happy is he. The wise in heart shall be called prudent: the sweetness of the lips increaseth learning." (Proverbs 16:20-21) An investor may enjoy reading through the Proverbs before making investments.Spreading out investment strategies will help keep risk factors in balance. It will be a good idea to purchase steady, slow growth mutual funds as well as riskier stocks. These strategies help keep large losses in tact, cautiously protecting money. Start slow and build from there. A stock market investment may also require the help of a brokerage firm. Beginners may want to inquire with smaller firms, looking for personal guidance. The smaller firms may offer their clients more time and attention, and may be willing to closely guide the newcomer through different strategies. Begin the search for a firm and for obtaining more knowledge about stock market investing from the Internet, where there are articles and tutorials available.

Greenhouse effect

Greenhouse effect:
It is the process in which the emission of infrared radiation by the atmosphere warms a planet's surface.

The name comes from an analogy with the warming of air inside a greenhouse compared to the air outside the greenhouse.
The Earth's average surface temperature is about 33°C warmer than it would be without the greenhouse effect.
In addition to the Earth, Mars and especially Venus have greenhouse effects. The Earth receives energy from the Sun in the form of radiation.
The Earth reflects about 30% of the incoming solar radiation.
The remaining 70% is absorbed, warming the land, atmosphere and oceans.
For the Earth's temperature to be in steady state so that the Earth does not rapidly heat or cool, this absorbed solar radiation must be very nearly balanced by energy radiated back to space in the infrared wavelengths.
Since the intensity of infrared radiation increases with increasing temperature, one can think of the Earth's temperature as being determined by the infrared flux needed to balance the absorbed solar flux.
The visible solar radiation mostly heats the surface, not the atmosphere, whereas most of the infrared radiation escaping to space is emitted from the upper atmosphere, not the surface.
The infrared photons emitted by the surface are mostly absorbed in the atmosphere by greenhouse gases and clouds and do not escape directly to space. The reason this warms the surface is most easily understood by starting with a simplified model of a purely radiative greenhouse effect that ignores energy transfer in the atmosphere by convection (sensible heat transport) and by the evaporation and condensation of water vapor (latent heat transport).
In this purely radiative case, one can think of the atmosphere as emitting infrared radiation both upwards and downwards.
The upward infrared flux emitted by the surface must balance not only the absorbed solar flux but also this downward infrared flux emitted by the atmosphere.
The surface temperature will rise until it generates thermal radiation equivalent to the sum of the incoming solar and infrared radiation..

Marketing and Finance: From Adversaries to Allies

Global competition, commoditization, market fragmentation, and the Sarbanes Oxley Act have all converged to create an environment requiring companies to create better processes, address controls, and assess risk. In addition, zero-based budgeting has become the norm. This convergence marks a new age for marketing in the 21st century; The Age of Accountability.
This new age forces marketers to change focus from awareness and image to business outcomes such as increasing revenue, customer acquisition and value, cash flow and shareholder value. Marketers are sitting squarely inside the trigger hairs of the finance organization. In order to dodge the bullet, they need new skills, tools and perspective and finance’s help.
While marketing and finance have tended to have an adversarial relationship, with some work it’s possible to transform finance into an ally, and turn marketing into a performance-driven unit at the same time.
Talk the Language of Business: Cash FlowTo change the relationship, marketing needs to understand the finance mindset. Basically, finance people are risk averse. They need marketing to show them why what it wants to do is the right thing to do -- not by saying it’s strategic, but by being able to communicate how much money will come back, and when.
Finance is focused on revenue, expenses, profit and shareholder value. For most companies, the old adage “cash is king,” still reigns. It’s not that financial people aren’t interested in the brand, it’s that they want the ability to link brand image and loyalty to cash flow. It isn’t a coincidence that there is a strong correlation between cash flow and marketing's responsibilities.
Marketing is responsible for helping the organization acquire and keep profitable customers and therefore relate its functions directly to cash flow. The more marketing's initiatives address customer lifetime value, improve the rate of product adoption, reduce customer churn and lower acquisition costs, the better the company’s cash flow.
When marketing talks in these terms, it is talking in the language of business and the language of the CFO. If marketing understands the CFOs expectations and learns to speak their language, it will be well on its way to creating an ally. If marketers don’t understand the CFOs language, it’s time to learn.
There are four key concepts important to most CFOs. We’ve already talked about cash. The other three are: EPS (earnings per share), Net Contribution, and Payback (the time frame for when the investment pays off).
When the leadership team asks about marketing ROI, it is really asking about payback. Leaders want to understand how and when the investment marketing is making on behalf of the company will pay off. It’s not that they don’t want to give marketing the money; it’s that they want to be able to analyze the tradeoffs between one investment and another. The company has only so many resources and therefore can only make only so many investments.
Treat Marketing Like A Small Business UnitHopefully the CMO and the marketing team understand that finance executives expect marketers to manage risk, improve efficiencies and be financially accountable. What they’re really asking is for marketing to act like a strategic business unit (SBU) owner. They want marketers to know their numbers, to show they have a plan, and to demonstrate they care about the company’s success, not just marketing's own piece.
If marketers accept this role, then just like any SBU owner they need to demonstrate due diligence and accountability by focusing on incremental sales and gross margin contribution. SBU owners know their business and the key operational indicators. The CFO wants to know that marketing knows its business, too.
What kind of operational indicators communicate to this to the CFO? For marketing, the key operational indicators are the average purchase per customer, the upgrade/cross-sell conversion ratio, the customer lifetime value, the average customer acquisition cost, the average customer retention rate and cost, the share the brand has in each segment and geography, and the rate of new product acceptance.
Jeremy Adamson, Global Controller for Consumer Products and Services at Symantec, once said that he expects marketing executives to keep the following numbers in their head, “headcount, the revenue target for the quarter, the cost per revenue dollar, the cost per booking dollar, and your program-to-people ratio.” If you don’t know what numbers your CFO expects you to know at the drop of a hat, ask him or her.
If you are part of the marketing leadership team and you aren’t acting like an SBU owner, it’s time to change. In most companies, the SBU owner collaborates with finance to develop performance metrics for their business. For marketing this means they need to engage finance in the marketing planning and measurement process just like any other SBU owner.
Show Me the Business Case and I’ll Show You the MoneyWhen an SBU owner wants company monies for an investment they present a business case to the leadership team. Marketing needs to be able to articulate it business case in the same way as any other SBU owner. This is often where it fails. Marketers don’t appear to have done their homework. Any time they go to ask for money, even for the annual budget, they need to be able to address the following nine questions.
What is the opportunity?
Who is the target market?
What is the strategic value of the opportunity to the company?
What is the potential return and profit?
What is the time to revenue?
What is the impact on revenue and sales capacity?
What other opportunities will this impact?
What are the risks?
What are the implications of passing on the opportunity?
Where Do Marketers Need to Shore Up?Once marketers learn the language and begin to act like an SBU, they may realize there are a few areas they need to shore up. Marketing organizations typically face five challenges.
First is the need to improve the team’s analytical and quantitative skills. The department must embrace the science-side of marketing rather than rely on creative talents. This may mean training and personnel changes. Right behind number one is learning to understand and use statistics and data to drive decisions rather than relying solely on experience, intuition, and opinion. Third, marketing leaders may need to revisit and reengineer marketing processes to achieve appropriate levels of granularity. Fourth, they need to ensure they have a culture that is results-oriented and performance-driven. And lastly, they need a set of marketing measures and performance targets aligned with those of the company.
Finance executives can actually help with these challenges and transformation. They can help with defining realistic and appropriate marketing metrics. Once finance becomes engaged and starts thinking about marketing in a different way, marketing is on its way to having an ally.
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Laura Patterson is the author of ‘Measure What Matters’: Reconnecting Marketing to Business Goals, ‘Gone Fishin’: A Guide to Finding, Keeping, and Growing Profitable customers, and numerous articles on marketing subjects. She is president and co-founder of VisionEdge Marketing, Inc, a leading metrics-based strategic and product marketing firm located in Austin, Texas. The company specializes in consulting and learning services associated with measuring marketing performance, customer acquisition and retention initiatives, market, customer and competitive intelligence, market and product validation, market and customer segmentation, positioning, pricing, and channel strategies.