Archive for May, 2008
05.29.08
Posted in Miscellany at 3:26 am by
During a pre-natal LaLeche class, I raised a concern about trying to
breast-feed while working. The instructor warned me that my job would
put me at risk for breast-feeding failure.
Then she concluded: “But that’s your choice.”
Fast forward to more than a decade later. A debate rages about the
“choice” of many professional women with children to stay home (For
example, see “The Opt-Out Revolution” by Lisa Belkin and “Opt Out: The
Press Discovers the Mommy Wars, Again” by Cathy Young.). Media
attention to these women raised fears that their actions would feed old
stereotypes that said women didn’t really want to work.
Oh, if only it were that simple!
Few of us have the luxury of free “choice” as we strive to balance career
and family. Many of us find our “choices” severely limited.
My LaLeche instructor didn’t ask if I had a spouse (swollen fingers
prevented me from wearing my wedding ring). How much of a “choice”
is it to work when you’re a single parent? Or when your partner’s job
lacks health insurance or enough income to support the family in decent
living conditions?
Many, many moms — and dads — work out of necessity rather than
choice.
At the same time, many professional women are abandoning the
workplace because of the poor choices available there.
A recent survey of 43 white professional women who had left the fast
track highlighted the scarcity of attractive workplace choices (Pamela
Stone and Meg Lovejoy in “Mommies and Daddies on the Fast Track:
Success of Parents in Demanding Professions,” Sage Publications
2004).
About 90 percent of the women in the survey had struggled with the
decision to quit. A former manager at a public utilities company said:
“What…was so hard was it was like a loss of identity. Ironically, that
Sunday, after I made the decision, the sermon at church was ‘Loss of
Identity because of Loss of Job or Loss of Spouse.’ That kind of clicked
with me.”
Moms who’d left demanding professions — in most cases, male-
dominated professions — cited such concerns as:
*60+ hour weeks with 24/7 responsibility.
*Inflexible schedules.
*Part-time arrangements that ended up being full time.
*”Mommy tracks” that lacked interesting work or chances for promotion.
*Downsizing and restructuring resulting in speed-up and a more
“corporate” culture less supportive of parenting.
Meanwhile, fast-track husbands and a lack of high-quality child care
added pressure from home.
Five women in the survey quit their jobs for “traditional” reasons. These
women had no ambivalence about quitting their jobs and placed a high
value on being with their children full time.
But many of us are working — or not working — because of factors that
have little to do with our values or “choice.” A failure to recognize the
limits on “choice” all too easily leads to false blame or guilt.
Does it make any sense, then, EVER to use the word “choice” when
talking about work/family balance?
Yes — with care.
The key is to be clear about what’s under our control and what isn’t.
The next step is to find resources that help expand our choices. We can
enlist the help of other moms in the same “boat” or hire a coach or
career counselor. We can also connect with organizations (e.g.,
ThirdPath Institute, www.ThirdPath.org) that assist parents and others in
creating flexible work arrangements.
It will take all of us working together to create real choices for healthy,
balanced living.
(c) Norma Schmidt, LLC
Norma Schmidt is a parent of two and a former Lutheran minister. Her
career includes serving as a pastor, campus minister and cancer center
chaplain. She has also worked with children with disabilities. Norma
offers workshops on parenting and on living with serious illness. Her
writing has appeared in “Coping with Cancer” magazine. Download her
free report, “61 Great Ways to Teach Kids about Money” and look
through her other articles by going to http://www.ParentCafeOnline.com“>http://www.ParentCafeOnline.com
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05.28.08
Posted in Blogging the Web at 1:37 pm by
Some bloggers will post topics that vary greatly. Other bloggers
feel most comfortable when they are posting on a specific topic.
The question has always been: which way is best? Studies show
that defining your niche creates better blogging. So, using this
discovery, it is assumed that it is best to choose one route to
take, and stick with it. This can mean that you choose one broad
topic and use it to create your entire blog topic list. You will
likely get repeated visitors if you are posting on the same
subject matter in any case. If you are still not sold however,
check out these other explanations for why defining your niche
can lead to more successful blogging.
Knowing the Topic
While it can be boring to post on the same topic each day, there
is one thing to be said about it. You will certainly know your
topic. The more you post on a topic, the more thinking and
research you have to do on the topic. When you devote a lot of
time to one topic, you will become more and more familiar with
it. Therefore, by sticking to one topic, instead of being a
“jack of all trades” writer, you will most likely become an
“expert” writer on your topic. Knowing a topic well will
eventually make the writing process a lot easier. When you know
a lot of information on a topic, blog posts will come easy to
you. You will soon get to the point where you don’t have to
research any longer and can simply use what you know to write.
All writers will tell you that at that point, it will take much
less time to do your work.
Variations of Your Idea
Although you will be writing on one specific topic idea, you
will be creating variations of your idea for your posts. For
instance, when your niche is weddings, you can create a post on
wedding gowns on one day and a post on wedding bouquets on the
next day. The list of wedding topics could go on and on for
months or years. There is so many variations you can think of
that you can stay within your niche without changing topics
altogether. This will allow each blog topic to be fresh and new
each day. Brides, grooms, gowns, honeymoon site, all can be part
of your blog. Even, how to choose your bridal rings will make
interesting blogging. You can visit the various corners of your
topic and still stick with your niche.
Creating Specific Posts
When you do go within your niche to create posts, you will be
able to write specific posts that will attract a more targeted
reader group. This will be great if you are relying on search
engines to point people to your site. When you have specific
posts that will bring in readers that are looking for topics
like yours, your blog will be a success. You can bet that these
readers will likely keep coming back to your blog in order to
read other posts, which will be great for you as a blogger. If
you are planning to ad advertising to your site, having a
specific niche will help bring in more money since the ads
placed on your site, will also be specific to your blogs. Choose
your keywords carefully and add specific words to your blog.
This will generate more traffic and can encourage more clicks on
the ads placed on your site. With a program such as Google’s
Adsense, you can earn money with each click.
So, as you can see, defining your niche is something that you
should strongly consider as a blogger. When you jump from topic
to topic in your blog, you can confuse readers and never have
the opportunity to establish a steady reader group that can
sustain your blog. When you do have a niche that you are
knowledgeable in, you will see that readers will value your
information and opinion and your blog will be a hit! Go ahead
and think about a topic that interests you the most. Think about
different variations that you can use for more specific topic
posts and try them out. You will quickly see that trying this
approach can work wonderfully.
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Posted in Miscellany at 6:36 am by
There are many types of yoga, some with more emphasis on the physical part of the practice and some with a more spiritual approach, some that will make you sweat and some where you’d spend half a class holding the same posture.
There is a type of yoga for anyone!
When choosing a class that’s right for you, you have to consider your personal preferences. It’s perfectly normal to try out a few yoga methods, until you find the system that you feel the most comfortable with.
Ashtanga is a very physically challenging practice, that is based on ethical principles.
Hatha yoga is a classical practice that is a little slower-paced, with more emphasis on held postures. It is well suited for seniors or for people who’d like a more relaxed class, with an emphasis on flexibility.
The popular Sivananda yoga system is derived from the classical hatha.
Iyengar yoga stresses precision and uses a lot of props in class. It’s excellent for people with injuries.
Bikram is hatha yoga, practiced in a heated room. Every Bikram class features the same sequence of poses (every pose held twice) and doesn’t include chanting om, which probably won’t be the most satisfying experience for those who are spiritually inclined. Excellent, if you love to sweat!
Vinyasa yoga class consists of multiple poses, connected by breath. This type of a flowing class is very energizing and physically challenging, so A-type personalities would probably find it the most attractive. The now popular OM and Jivamukti yoga methods feature a hatha-based vinyasa.
Anastasia Dorohova is a fully certified and registered yoga teacher, teaching private and corporate vinyasa yoga classes in New York. http://www.steadybliss.com for more
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Posted in House Of Home Improvement at 5:11 am by
If you feel helpless when it comes to picking and blending colors, your answer could be as far away as your nearest pillow. Check out this quick way to create a color scheme for your home with our PICK - SEE -LMD method.
PICK a Pattern: Starting with a pattern is the easiest way to create a color palette for your decor. Choose a pattern from any object you already have and love such as a pillow, picture or piece of furniture. This will be your color palette !
SEE 3 Colors: Select a light, medium and dark color from your pattern to be used as your foundation. You may want to go to a hardware store and select color chips from the paint department that match your pattern to carry with you in case you come across a great find and need to know if it matches.
LMD: Light, Medium and Dark - How you use these colors can affect the overall appearance of your room.
Light- Is the Background- this is usually easy to achieve since most rentals are equipped with light to off-white walls.
Medium- Large furniture and windows - Since the color of these objects will blend with the above lighter selection, the medium furniture will ground the room and give it a foundation.
Darker- Accessories. Since your eye is drawn to a darker more intense color you will be able to arrange you accessories in a manner to guide the eye flowing through your room.
PICK - SEE - LMD a formula to live by !
About The Author
Tammy Jo Schoppet is the founder of Rental Decorating Digest, an online publication focused on helping renters live with style while staying within rental guidelines. She is also the author of Decorating Your Rental Space - A Do-It-Yourself Guide for Apartment - Home - Studio - Dorm
http://www.rentaldecorating.com
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05.27.08
Posted in Nutrition Portal at 11:43 pm by
Some popular books tell you that because some prehistoric humans lived on large amounts of meat and ate no grains, you should do the same. That’s lousy advice.
We do know that humans’ nutritional needs and system of digesting, processing and using nutrients have not changed significantly in two million years. We are omnivores and can get nutrients from plants, animals or both. The human race has managed to acquire food and survive on every body of land on earth except Antartica, and has adapted to major climate changes. No single food or group of foods is essential; humans can get the nutrients they need from any reasonably varied selection of plants and/or animals as they are found in nature.
We know what our ancestors ate by studying their fossilized feces; as you would expect, they ate whatever was most available in their place and climate, and within their skills. The books that tell you to eat meat focus on groups who had fire and domesticated dogs, hunting weapons, and sparse vegetation - primarily grasses. These people ate mostly meat, as did later people in the far north.
But earlier humans, and those living in more tropical areas, ate huge amounts of plants plus animals that didn’t require hunting skills: insects, frogs, snakes, fish, small birds, and scavenged carcasses of animals killed by other predators.
Many of the prehistoric peoples appear to have been well-nourished, healthy and not affected by many of our diseases. But their normal life-span was 20-35 years. The diseases and health problems of settled people, with the advent of agriculture, came from many sources: crowding, poor sanitation, higher fertility, reliance on just a few food crops, famines and so forth.
The “caveman diet” of the popular authors, based on meat and those plants that don’t need to be cooked, is unreasonably limited and unhealthy for people who expect to live to be 100 or more. Meat from your supermarket is a far from wild game as white bread is from pinenuts. It’s 30 percent fat, where game is 3 percent fat. How can they tell you all our problems come from eating grains and beans, and then say you should eat animals that have been fattened on nothing but grains and beans?
All the foods in North America today have been transformed from those that were available to our ancestors: they are larger, sweeter, fattier and more abundant. But they still contain the same nutrients as the ancient wild species. Most of our diet problems today stem from eating too much, and from man taking things away from the foods that are found in nature - wild or domesticated. (White flour, white rice, milled corn, sugars, extracted oils and fats). When you take away parts of plants and load up just on the parts that taste good, you lose nutrients and end up with too many calories.
Here’s my proposal for a hunter-gatherer diet for the 21st century:
Roam around your supermarket and gather anything you can recognize as part of a plant. That means you can pick up just about everything in the produce department. You’ll find seeds in the grains section (brown rice, wild rice, barley) and dried beans. Pick some dried fruit, nuts, sunflower seeds. If you find cans or frozen food packages that have pictures of just fruits, vegetables or beans, you can add them too. Go to the spice section and get herbs and spice seeds: poppy seeds, sesame seeds, peppercorns, caraway seeds and the rest. While you’re gathering all these plants, if any big game runs down the aisle or flies overhead, you can hunt it down and add it to your cart.
Dr. Gabe Mirkin has been a radio talk show host for 25 years and practicing physician for more than 40 years; he is board certified in four specialties, including sports medicine. Read or listen to hundreds of his fitness and health reports at http://www.DrMirkin.com.
Free weekly newsletter on fitness, health and nutrition.
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Posted in Sounds + Music at 10:52 pm by
You get into the online music world. You’ve had this song playing in the back of your mind all day and now you’ve decided that you want to download it. You search for it specifically and find that there’s a site that is offering you exactly the song you want for free.
All you had to do is give them your email. You download it. The next thing you know you have a pop up coming out every time you open your browser window.
You failed to notice all the signs that told you this was going to happen. The banners, the smiley ads, the popups, you just thought you could download it in a clean file.
This happens every day. This is what happens to many people that are looking to download music online. They fall prey to the illegal sources taking advantage of millions of people downloading music out there.
Fortunately people are smartening up and starting to notice that illegal downloads from dubious sites are something to stay away from from the beggining. They are starting to notice and become aware that these downloads sometimes can cost you many times the price of a of a single music file download and can be hazardous to your computer.
There are new alternatives to download music that are proven to be cost effective and can become a “one for all” kind of resource that you can turn to. Places where you can just search for that tune you want (the one that’s been on your head all day), point on it and download it without having to worry about getting a trojan virus just for doing so.
I highly recommend for the sake of your computer, your peace of mind and to avoid downloading bogus files, for you to be sure you download all your songs from a legal source that you can trust. There’s nothing better than having the confidence that when you open up an Mp3 file you just downloaded and knowing it’s going to play exactly what you had in mind.
When you do it like this, when you do it the smart way, it all becomes much simpler, more effective and a ride that you’ll want to repeat over and over again. That’s all there is to downloading music when you’re doing it right. Next thing you know you’re cranking your mp3’s on your computer you’re playing them as loud as you can.
Charles Cruz CEO of Download Music Online Central (www.systemmastery.com/DownloadMusicOnline.html). Teaching you how to download music the smart way with our #1 recommended resource Music Download.
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Posted in Universe Of Sports at 4:27 pm by
Many golfers these days are actually deciding to buy their own golf cart instead of renting them at the course where they play. Of course, this is not practical for everybody. But for those who play at a country club where they allow you to use your own golf cart, or for those who live in a retirement golf community, owning your own golf cart can be a very good decision.
In many retirement communities, golfers will buy their own golf cart not only for use on the course but also for making short small trips where a car is just unnecessary. Each city or state has its own rules and regulations that govern the use of golf carts, and so before you begin driving your cart on the street, you need to be sure that you will be well within the laws for your area.
However, for those that live in an area where golf carts can be driven on the street, all that is required is the addition of certain safety equipment including headlights, brake lights, safety belts, and other items as well. So before deciding to make a golf cart street legal, be sure to do your homework in advance, and find out the costs that are associated with it before you get started.
Another very important consideration before you buy a golf cart is its size and weight. There are several different manufacturers of golf carts, all of which turn out very high quality products. But their shape, size, and weight, can be very different from one brand to another. So think about how you intend to store your golf cart when it is not in use. Measure out the area that you have for storage, and also make sure that it can support the weight of your golf cart. If you plan on using your golf cart on a local course, it’s also a very good idea to check with the course manager and see what weight limits and recommendations they have before you buy.
When it comes down to selecting your golf cart, usually the choice comes down to either gas powered or electric. There are advantages and disadvantages to both, but for those who like to use their cart mainly for playing golf, the electric cart will probably be your best choice. This is due to the fact that gas powered golf carts generally cost more to run and operate than do their electric counterparts. This is becoming even more the case as gas prices continue to rise.
Finding a golf cart for sale is not very difficult at all. First of all, decide whether you wish to buy a new cart or whether you feel you could be happy with a used golf cart instead. Of course, the advantage to owning a new golf cart is that you can maintain it properly from the very first day on, whereas with a used golf cart, the kind of use and maintenance that it has received is not quite so clear.
Golf cart dealers are becoming much more numerous and widespread, and so there should probably be at least a few in your general area. Usually, you can find both new and used golf carts for sale at one of these dealers. If the dealer has a good, solid reputation, it may be worth paying a little extra to buy from the dealer instead of from a local owner. However, if you are somewhat familiar with golf cart maintenance, the best deals can be had by buying a golf cart that has obviously been cared for by an individual party.
Owning your own golf cart can have many convenient advantages, but before you buy, consider the tips given above to help you find the golf cart that will best fit your needs.
Steadman Issenburg writes on many consumer related topics including golf. You can find ezgo golf cart accessories and a golf cart battery charger by visiting our Golf Tips website.
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Posted in Life + Real Estate at 12:43 pm by
Because credit scores are a huge factor in determining our approval for a loan and the interest rate received, many people put forth great effort in protecting their score. This involves paying bills on time, minimizing debt, and so forth. Of course, situations beyond our control may occur which lowers our credit rating. A low credit score may decrease the chances of obtaining a credit card or line of credit. Fortunately, a low credit score does not necessarily disqualify you from acquiring a mortgage. There are several lenders willing to offer mortgages to people with less than perfect credit.
Understanding How Credit Scores and Interest Rates Work
Those with a credit score of at least 660 will easily qualify for a mortgage. Therefore, individuals interested in homeownership should work toward raising their credit score. Having a credit score lower than 660 does not disqualify an applicant. However, these individual can expect to pay higher interest rates. Rule of thumb - the lower the score, the higher the interest rate. Today, most people with good credit can receive rates at about 5 percent. Applicants with a few credit problems may pay 1 1/2 or 2 points higher. This point difference can increase monthly mortgage payments by $50 to $200. This difference greatly effects how much an applicant can afford to pay for their home.
Resolve Credit Issues
Although there are lenders who are willing to offer loans to individuals with bad credit, applicants may consider resolving credit issues prior to applying for a home mortgage. Many factors contribute to improving credit score and obtaining a reasonable interest rate. Work towards paying bills on time. Furthermore, lower your debt to income ratio. This involves paying down credit card balances and avoiding new lines of credit. Nonetheless, if an applicant is unable to quickly improve their credit score, they could obtain a mortgage with a higher interest rate, and refinance later in order to obtain a lower rate.
How to Find a Low Credit Score Lender
To locate a suitable mortgage lender that specializes in low credit score mortgages, applicant may consider working with a mortgage broker. Brokers have relationships with several lenders. Their goal is to find the best rate for your credit situation. Upon submitting an application, applicants will receive multiple offers from several different lenders within a few days.
To view our list of recommended poor credit mortgage companies online, visit this
page: Recommended
Poor Credit Mortgage Companies Online.
Carrie Reeder is the owner of ABC Loan
Guide, an informational website about various types of loans.
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Posted in Internet Management at 10:11 am by
If you don’t know where you’re going, how are you going to get there and, come to think of it, how are you going to know you’re there if you arrive?
The business plan. Okay, okay. I can hear your sighs and groans already. But a business plan needn’t be boring and dry. Gaining insights into your target market, learning about your competition and projecting income can be kind of exciting. Yes, I’m a bit of an “information freak” but you, too, can find many interesting details when researching for your plan.
Many of us just plain don’t know where to start. It’s no surprise - they sure didn’t teach it to us in high school, which was a real disservice, if you ask me. Did you know that 99% of all businesses in Canada are small businesses (companies comprised of fewer than 100 employees)? It’s beyond me why we don’t better educate our young students in entrepreneurial activities, but then, I digress. Let’s get back to your business plan.
A traditional business plan is made of up a number of topics such as, the executive summary, company fact sheet, company overview, market overview, target market, competitive research, a marketing plan, financial projections, break-even analysis, S.W.O.T. analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats), and worst-case-scenario. Think of it as the roadmap guiding your business toward the goals you have defined in your plan.
How, exactly, does one go about preparing a business plan? Well, the best place to begin just may be your local library or your computer, to use the vast array of resources on the Internet. Research your target market and competitors. Utilize resources available through banks and trust companies to predict your income and expenses. Be creative!
I know it sounds a little daunting, but if you take it in bite-sized pieces, it can be accomplished in a few weeks. “A few weeks?!” you moan. Well Rome wasn’t built in a day, was it? A pretty important piece of real estate - and your company is just as important to you. You don’t really want to rush through the planning of something as critical as your business, your livelihood, your dream, do you? I didn’t think so. So take the time, do your homework and celebrate your business’ success!
Pam Ivey is founder and partner of Visual Persuasions Canada, a boutique agency which offers comprehensive marketing and design services tailored to Real Estate Professionals.
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Posted in House Of Home Improvement at 12:18 am by
If you are in the market for a new mailbox, you may be
having trouble deciding what kind to purchase. One type
that has been gaining in popularity is that of plastic
mailboxes. They are the most inexpensive version of all of
the mailboxes. They often cost less that $50 (not including
the cost of the post). For more information, please read on
for a quick guide to plastic mailboxes.
Plastic mailboxes are highly durable, lightweight,
weatherproof, and often made with indestructible double
walled plastic construction materials (which protects
against vandalism). This is a great advantage when you
compare it to other types of mailboxes. They are also rust
proof and usually do not need to be repainted.
Plastic mailboxes come in a variety of shapes and styles.
The most common is the standard mailbox shape. This can
also come with an extended section below the mailbox that
is used to hold magazines, newspapers, and small packages.
The most common colors are brown, black, white, and green.
There is also one style that many people really enjoy. This
is a plastic mailbox in the shape of a small house. It is
quite adorable to look at and can be painted to match your
home.
Now that you know a bit more about plastic mailboxes, you
may want to consider getting one. There are many
advantageous to owning one and you are sure to have many to
choose from. Take your time and shop around so that you can
find the perfect mailbox!
You can now browse our large selection of
Plastic Mailboxes online. To view our complete and
comprehensive selection of Plastic Mailboxes, visit:
http://mailboxes-for-sale.partnersinsuccess.net/
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