Tennis elbow diagnosis treatment and prevention

Tennis elbow, or lateral epicondylitis, is a common elbow injury of racket sport players and manual laborers. Tennis elbow is an overuse injury resulting from the performance of repetitive motions with the hand and forearm, such as swinging a tennis racket or a hammer. Such repetitive motions can cause inflammation of the muscles of the forearm. The symptoms of tennis elbow include pain, soreness, and weakness in the muscles on the outside of the forearm. The treatment of tennis elbow is usually conservative, relying on rest, ice, and anti-inflammatory medication.

When attempting to diagnosis tennis elbow, a doctor or physical therapist will test for tenderness on or near the bony knob of the elbow joint. Pain that increases when bending the wrist back is also indicative of tennis elbow. Tennis elbow related pain also increases when gripping. Thus, shaking hands may be painful. Finally, a perception of weakness or chronic muscle fatigue in the forearm muscles is an indicator of tennis elbow.

Treatment for tennis elbow is usually conservative and passive. Most importantly, people with tennis elbow should avoid the activities that cause forearm pain (e. g., playing tennis) until the injury heals. Rest will often correct tennis elbow in a matter of weeks. In addition, the use of ice and anti-inflammatory medications can ease pain and promote healing. Physical therapy and heat therapy may also hasten the healing process. Finally, upon returning to regular activity, wearing an elbow and forearm brace can prevent recurrence of tennis elbow. Elbow braces, available at drug stores, help prevent tennis elbow by restricting movement and use of the elbow.

Because treatment of tennis elbow and recovery from tennis elbow can be a long, frustrating process, prevention is the best strategy. For tennis players, several equipment adjustments can help prevent tennis elbow. Players should select a racket with a midsized racket head (90 - 105 square inches) and high flexibility (stiffness index lower than 65). Additionally, players should string their rackets with soft strings such as synthetic nylon or natural gut at the low end of the recommended tension range. Finally, to prevent tennis elbow, players should ensure that the grip of their racket is neither too large nor too small.

Besides equipment adjustments, tennis players (and others) attempting to prevent tennis elbow can follow several guidelines related to physical activity. First, strengthening the muscles of the hand, wrist, and forearm is perhaps the best way to prevent tennis elbow. Strengthening these muscles helps reduce strain on the elbow itself. Appropriate and effective wrist and forearm exercises include wrist curls and extensions (with very light weights), squeezing a tennis ball in the palm of the hand, and placing a rubber band around the fingers and extending the fingers. In addition to strengthening exercises, it is important that tennis players consult a tennis professional to ensure that their strokes are efficient, correct, and are not placing undue strain on the elbow.

In conclusion, while tennis elbow is a potentially debilitating injury, taking appropriate preventative measures and consulting knowledgeable professionals can help limit the negative effects of tennis elbow.

Food in italy italian cooking and dining from your villa or apartment

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If you've rented a villa or apartment in Italy, no doubt you'll be trying to sample all the foods of Italy you can-- dining out and eating in. Here's a quick and easy guide for getting food in Italy, whether you're ordering your first Italian meal at that sumptuous restaurant down the street or buying produce at the local market to create your own authentic Italian food.

Shopping for Italian Food
One of the great delights of renting an Italian villa or apartment is shopping for produce at an outdoor market. Virtually all towns in Italy have an outdoor market, usually once a week (ask around to find out which day). But regardless of whether you're at a market, a small grocery, or a supermarket, there is just one rule to remember when shopping for food in Italy: DO NOT TOUCH THE PRODUCE. We're quite used to handling our apples and oranges in the US, but in Italy it is considered very rude!

In an outdoor market, you should indicate which fruits or vegetables you need, and the seller will pick out the best specimens for you. Don't try to indicate that you don't, for example, want that slightly green lemon-- picking out produce is a point of honor for sellers, and rejecting his/her choice is an insult! Another thing to note about open markets in Italy is that there is no bargaining. In Italy, a price is a price.

In a small grocery, you still can't touch the produce (no matter how much you want to)! Instead, wait until an employee comes to help you. Indicate you choices and the employee will pick the produce and put it in a bag.

If you really need control over your produce selection, try a large supermarket: here you will be provided with plastic gloves so that you can pick your own fruits and vegetables! Weigh each bag and punch a button for that particular item, whereupon a machine will dispense a sticker that you should put on the bag before taking it to the checkout line.

Another great place to pick up some traditional Italian food is a deli. There are no special rules here (although you might have to "take a number" or wait in line). Pick up delicious marinated meats, prepared olives, artichoke salads, roasted peppers, fresh mozzarella, and everything else you might find at a full-service American deli-- only better!

Here's a list of some delicious common foods in Italy:

- Pane (bread: get it fresh in the morning!)
- Aceto (vinegar: balsamic or wine)
- Aglio (garlic)
- Basilico (basil)
- Olio di Uliva (olive oil)
- Limoni (lemons)
- Pomodori (tomatoes)
- Capperi (capers)
- Porcini (mushrooms)
- Other vegetables: potatoes, onions, carrots, green beans, peppers, cucumbers, lettuce, and everything else!
- Tonno (canned tuna)
- Uova (eggs)
- Frutta (fruit)
- Pollo (chicken)
- Vino (wine)

Italian Cooking - Recipes
What could be better than cooking in Italy with all those delicious fresh ingredients? Here are a few simple Italian food recipes you can make at your rental. If these tried-and-true favorites get old, eat out and then experiment to see if you can duplicate the recipe.

1. Tortellini in Brodo con Petti di Pollo: Make a broth using bullion and add tortellini, chopped chicken, and veggies. Serve with local parmigiano cheese, mixed salad, and local bread.

2. Pasta al Pomodor: Otherwise known as spaghetti, this is delicious with fresh Italian ingredients! Buy fresh pasta at the market, heat sauce (or make your own), mix in garlic and basil, and add: a can of drained tuna, olives, or artichoke hearts. Serve with parmesan, insalata mista (mixed salad), and bread.

3. Minestrone: Saute onions and garlic in oil. Add broth, bring to a boil, and add vegetables (carrots, zucchini, peppers, etc.). Just before the vegetables are cooked, add pasta and spinach. Season with your herbs of choice.

Italian Dining Customs
When you go dining in Italy, remember this: Italy is a food culture! If you're looking for fine Italian foods, it's not going to be fast. Meals are a social event to be enjoyed, one delicious course at a time. Let's begin with the courses, in order:

1. Primi - A pasta dish
2. Secondo - The main course: meat or fish. This course may also include the contorno, or side dishes, which are usually vegetables.
3. Fromaggio - Cheeses
4. Frutta - Fruit
5. Dolce - A sweet
6. Cafй - After-dinner drinks, including coffee, wines, liqueurs, and digestives.

Note also that, depending on the restaurant in question, courses 3, 4, and 5 may be condensed or eliminated (for example, only cheese may be offered).

There aren't any hard and fast rules in Italian dining, but there are a couple of things you should keep in mind. Upon receiving a menu with five or six courses, many Americans feel like they are expected to order one item from each course. Not so! It's perfectly acceptable to order a first, third, and fifth course if that's all you want.

When you order, do so all at once, at the beginning. Don't order the first course, eat, and then tell them you want the second! The exceptions are desserts and coffee; at the end of the meal, your waiter should offer you the restaurant's choices.

Eating in Italy
Whether you're dining out or cooking your own Italian meals, have fun! If you accidentally touch that piece of forbidden fruit, remember to say "Mi dispiace!" And when the second course seems to be taking hours to arrive, sit back, relax, and have a good chat with your companions. This is la vita bella-- enjoy it while it lasts.

The awful truth about television heavy tv watchers are twice as likely to be obese

Studies show: TV makes you fat

This large amount of time spent motionlessly staring at a screen is also hazardous to your health and girth. Numerous studies show a relationship between TV watching and obesity. The most striking were several studies published in The American Journal of Public Health. These studies found that people who watched three or more hours of television per day were almost twice as likely to be obese than people who watched less than one hour per day. Men, women, and children all had similar results. The waistlines of men, women, and children are all victims of their TV-watching habit.

40 studies found children's TV watching was related to weight

Reviewing 40 recent studies involving TV and childhood obesity, a Kaiser Permanente study found a definite link between the amount of time children watch TV and their weight. The review also found that interventions that reduce children’s media time resulted in weight loss.

It is common sense that TV will likely make you heavier

This issue, however, does not need the benefit of numerous studies. It is common sense to expect that people who watch a lot of TV are more likely to be heavier. Almost any other activity burns more calories than watching TV. Only sleep burns fewer calories. Talking on the phone, reading a book, doing the dishes—all burn more calories than watching television. With the national average of four and a half hours per day, the extra calories burned just by turning off the TV can add up quickly.

Commercials sabotage diets

Then, there are those nefarious junk food commercials. The mouthwatering hamburgers, candy bars, or luscious desserts practically beg you to consume them from the screen. There are approximately 32 commercials on every hour-long TV show. A significant portion of these commercials is for fast food and junk food. What healthy diet could stand the onslaught of these sinister, mouthwatering, commercials?

Where did that bag of chips go?

Finally, many people snack in front of the TV, usually with junk food such as potato chips, soda pop, or candy. In the zombie state that people usually fall into while watching TV, it is very easy to consume large amounts of food, simultaneously absorbing both the images and the food. “Where did that bag of potato chips go?” bewildered viewers ask.

Push a button and lose weight

The conclusion to this is obvious. Turn off your TV if you are trying to lose weight. It is the first step to a healthier, happier lifestyle. Turn off your TV and go outside. Turn off your TV and follow that exercise routine you started last New Year's.* Turn off your TV and do something fun with your friends or family. Turn off your TV and enjoy the rest of your life.

About 'The Awful Truth About Television' Series:

What happens when the average American spends 4 hours 32 minutes every day watching television? Trash Your TV's 'The Awful Truth About Television' Series explores the multifaceted problems with TV in eleven hard-hitting articles. Read the full series and you will never look at your television set the same way again.

*Check with your doctor before beginning any strenuous exercise program. Individual weight loss results will obviously depend on diet, exercise, and other factors.

sources:

Thomas N. Robinson, MD, MPH “Reducing Children's Television Viewing to Prevent Obesity: A Randomized Controlled Trial” JAMA, Oct 1999; 282: 1561 - 1567.

LA Tucker and M Bagwell. “Television viewing and obesity in adult females.” Am J Public Health, Jul 1991; 81: 908 - 911.

LA Tucker and GM Friedman. “Television viewing and obesity in adult males.” Am J Public Health, Vol 79, Issue 4 516-518.

Things to look for in a business investment opportunity

There are many things that you should look for in a business investment opportunity. First of all, keep in mind that when you are dealing with business investment opportunities that you find online, you have to be sure that they are actually worthwhile. There might be many times where you find a business investment opportunity – and it is jut going to be a matter of when and where you can find the opportunity to be involved in a business that is going to be a benefit to you and actually make you some money.

In order to look at the business investment opportunity and see if it is actually something that is going to make you money, you have to first take a look at what the business is and scout out as much information about the business as you can find. You should never jump into a business opportunity that you can’t find any information on, because you have to be certain that the business investment opportunity is going to be one that fits your needs in a good way. One of the most important things that you can look at is the things that other people have said about this business investment opportunity. Remember that it if is a real business investment opportunity, you will be able to find out a lot of information about the company that is fronting it and what they stand for. You should be sure to check up on as much of this information as you can and be sure that it is completely legitimate before you begin.

You should also know that a real business investment opportunity would never want to take your money right away, or get personal information about you. Many times scammers will tell someone that they are a business investment opportunity, and then they will take advantage of the people and take their money and personal information. You have to be sure that this doesn’t happen to you, and one of the ways that you can do this is by not giving out any information and not paying any money until you know that the business investment opportunity is real and that you aren’t going to get taken advantage of.

There are other things that you should look at, as well, when it comes to business investment opportunity information, as well. In order to make money, a business must have a plan, so you have to be sure that the business plan fits your needs and that you find a way to research how this business investment opportunity is going to make you money.

Remember that the best thing you can do is to simply be smart. If an idea looks too good to be true, chances are that it is too good to be true. You also want to be sure that you aren’t falling for anything that might take your money or scam you in any way. Keep your head in the game and keep your eyes open, and above all else, be sure that you think things through.

The truth about internet marketing

Internet marketing really is doable! Let me go on to explain that statement.

I have searched for years to find a business I could run from home where no one was looking over my shoulder and all of the decisions were made by me. Corporate America was just not for me. I needed to have a career in a field where I could be a relatively free spirit. Internet marketing has shown me that I can be in total control of my own life.

One of the most important things that you'll need to succeed at Internet marketing is a mentor.

You'll need to find a mentor who is able to show you:

• How to build an Internet business from scratch

• How to build a web site

• How to register a domain name

• How to get your web site hosted

• How to advertise

• How to generate traffic to your web site to make money

• The latest trends

• Action plans, blueprints and strategies

• How to develop a mindset for wealth

• Everything it takes to build your business right

Here are a few of the perks of Internet marketing:

• You can create products on your computer, virtually free and sell them for huge profits.

• You can have a business running and making money in one day.

• Once your business is up and running, you can work a couple of hours a day or less

and still make money 24 hours a day.

• No expensive wardrobe. Sweatpants or shorts and a T-shirt will do just fine.

• Save a lot of money on gas.

• You can live anywhere you want as long as you can connect to the Internet.

• Internet marketing is easy to learn.

• Start up costs are extremely low.

• Free or low-cost training on the Internet 24 hours a day, as opposed to going to a

college or technical school.

• Internet marketing can be done on your schedule

• You can make A LOT of money

I am assuming you already have a computer, because you are reading this article. That's the biggest cost and is also tax deductible. A couple of hundred dollars for advertising, and you will be well on your way to being financially free.

I finally found the right business and the right mentor after years of searching through all the scams and incomplete, hyped up courses. I have learned more in one week with my mentor, than I have in all the years of trying to start a business online by myself. The scary part of this is that it was FREE!

Stop wasting your valuable time, and connect with someone who can teach you what you really need to know about Internet marketing. Do the research! This is working for me, I know it can work for you!

Wishing you all the greatest success,

Sue Edwards

Web site strategies

Keywords and meta tags are very important part of the overall website strategy. Even though they are not visible to most, but they are very important. As you build your website you have to consider what keywords or phrases your target audience may search to find your website online. Those keywords should appear in your Web content. Off course, that doesn't mean that you want to repeat those keywords endlessly.

Keep in mind that you have target audiences. One is going to be your customer. The other is going to be the search engines. You are going to need both in order to succeed. If your customers don't like your website they will quickly abandon it. If the search engines reject your site, your customers will never find your site.

Although search engines are very important there are other ways to drive traffic to your site. Blogs, forums, social networking sites, online magazines, paid listings, and more are also effective sources of traffic. Keep in mind that just like in any other business the more visitors you have the more exposure you get to potential customers. So your goal is to drive as many customers as possible to your website.

Having your contact information available on your side is a no-brainer. It is not enough to have one way for your customers to contact you. Some people prefer contact through e-mail while others prefer a phone call. There is not one way to contact your customer is going to satisfy everyone. Therefore, you should list as many different options as you can. E-mail, online chat, telephone, fax, mailing address is among the most popular options.

Competitive analysis is important. You should study your competitors’ web sites to understand how you measure up. Studying and analyzing your competitor does not mean copying your competitor. It is always smart to keep an eye on your competition. You should be able to learn a great deal from visitor and competitors' web sites. Study the pros and cons and learn as much as you can. Don't feel bad about this. Everybody is doing it. Studying your competition is not only normal but smart business.

Eczema treatment with vitamin e cream

Eczema, to those who personally suffer from the disease or who have close family that has, can pose a significant problem in trying to live a normal life. Various treatments for the disease have been touted right and left, but few have proven themselves to be truly effective. While it’s recommended that every Eczema sufferer see a doctor who can recommend a course of treatment, there are some over the counter products available that can ease the symptoms of Eczema. If you’re skeptical about trying treatments other than those recommend by your doctor, we suggest talking to him or her before exploring other treatment paths. Below we will be looking into a treatment that has been overlooked by many for a good while – vitamin e cream.

Vitamin e cream has long been used by medical professionals for treating various problems, including scars of various types and other skin problems. Vitamin e cream can be an extremely ideal product for Eczema sufferers – given the amazing things it can do to protect and enhance one’s skin. Since the product can eliminate/reduce skin irritation, it can make living with Eczema much more bearable. Further, vitamin e cream can keep your skin from having to deal with other problems that can be brought about by sunlight. We recommend using a cream that contains natural vitamin e.

Like any other treatment, you have to be patient with vitamin e cream. Some people notice results quite quickly while others are left for several weeks without any sort of results. If you continue on the proper course, you will eventually notice an improvement in your skin. If you have any questions about the cream or whether or not it is suitable for you, we strongly recommend contacting your doctor or dermatologist for further information. He or she should be able to better orient you.

como jugar al backgammon

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El juego de mesa backgammon es uno de los juegos mas antiguos del hombre. Se dice que las primeras variaciones del juego comenzaron en el antiguo Egipto, Area Mesopotбmica y Antigua Roma. Desde entonces, el juego ha evolucionado, cambiado de nombre varias veces y dispersado a diferentes partes del mundo. Actualmente es un pasatiempo original alrededor de los Estados Unidos, Asia del Este, Europa y Medio Oriente.

Para comenzar a jugar necesitas a un compaсero, dos dados y una tabla de backgammon especial. La tabla esta dividida en dos lados con divisiones numeradas de 1 a 24. Puntos 1 a 6 son la llegada, 7 a 12 la salida. 13 a 18 el punto medio.

Al comienzo del juego, cada jugador tiene dos fichas en el punto 24, 3 fichas en el punto 8, 5 en el punto 13 y 5 en el punto 6. Cada jugador tira los dados y el puntaje mas alto comienza la jugada.

El que comienza mueve las fichas de acuerdo a la posiciуn opuesta de las agujas del reloj, desde su punto de partida para llegar al punto de partido del oponente.

El objetivo del backgammon es mover tus fichas hasta llegar al punto de partida de tu adversario y luego removerlas del tablero. La velocidad del progreso del juego es determinada por los resultados de los dados.

Cada jugador tira dos dados en cada turno, y deber una o dos fichas de acuerdo al nъmero que salio en cada dado. Puede mover una ficha sumando el puntaje de los dos dados, o mover dos. Por ejemplo, si el resultado del dado es 5 y 4, puedes mover una ficha 9 lugares o mover una 5 y luego otra 4 para adelante.

Si los dados salen dobles, un numero dos veces, puedes mover las fichas 4 veces en vez de dos. Es decir, si sale un doble 2, moverбs 2 lugares cuatro veces. En ese caso puedes o mover una ficha 8 veces, 2 fichas cuatro lugares, 4 fichas dos veces o la combinaciуn que elijas que requiera dos lugares 4 veces.

Puedes mover una ficha a un casillero que hay solo una de tu oponente, y asн la "comes". Luego, esta ficha es ubicada en la mitad del tablero, llamada el bar.

Tu oponente puede volver a jugar una vez que puedo ubicar a la ficha en algъn casillero de su llegada que no este ocupado por mas de una ficha tuya. Por ejemplo, si tira los dados y sale 2 y en ese casillero no hay ninguna ficha o solo una tuya, el puede entrar y seguir sus jugadas. De lo contrario, deberб esperar a su turno y volver a intentarlo.

Una vez ubicadas todas tus fichas en el casillero de llegada de tu oponente, deberбs comenzar a removerlas del tablero. Es decir, si tiras los dados y sale 1 y 2 puedes mover una ficha del casillero 1, si sale 2, puedes mover una ficha del casillero 2 y asн sucesivamente.

Si tu oponente no ha removido ninguna ficha mientras que tu has removido 15, tu ganas el juego y viceversa. Lo mismo ocurre si tu has removido 15 fichas y el tiene algunas en el medio comidas, (sin aun haber removido ninguna) tu ganas el juego.

El juego es muy entretenido e inteligente que te puede acompaсar en muchas ocasiones. Disfrъtalo!

Create websites and make money online

Today almost every business needs to have its own website. Otherwise it doesn’t stand a chance in the competition. The demand for website creation has gone up so much that this is a great way to make money online if you have experience creating websites.

Essentials for successful website creation

Today there are innumerable website design service providers. In fact they seem to be mushrooming every single day. If you wish to make money online by creating websites, you need to stand apart from the crowd. So how do you make your website creation a success?

a. Target segment: The website you create needs to cater to a particular target audience. Therefore if you wish to start to make money online you need to address the website to this target segment. To do this you need to analyze who your target audience is, what are their likes and dislikes and preferences. Then you need to create a website that will appeal to this segment. Only then can you think of starting to make money online. If your website is interesting and appeals to your target segment, you will receive more visitors and hence get more sales. This way it increases chances to make money online.

b. Design: You will find thousands of free website templates doing the rounds these days. However choosing one of these limits your chances to make money online. Why? Because you risk being one among the millions out there. If you wish to create a mark and stand out from the crowd, you need to create innovative websites that have professional designs. The design you choose for the site to make money online will depend on the type of client you’re working with. For a software company the design needs to be formal and professional looking, while for a children’s toy store it needs to be fun and interesting with a lot of Flash. By choosing the correct design, you increase your scope to make money online.

c. Uniqueness: The website you create needs to stand out from the crowd. In other words it needs to be very unique. This will guarantee more success to make money online. The website you create needs to have certain distinct features that make it different from the scores of other sites today.

d. User-friendly: While starting out with website creation to make money online you need to ensure your site has good navigability. It needs to be user-friendly and easy to use as well. In others words users need to find what they’re looking for easily. This way you will get more traffic and make money online.

e. SEO: Search engine optimization is another factor to consider in your website creation efforts. If you wish to make money online and attract more traffic, you need to optimize your website to get more sales.

How to find the best rates on homeowner s insurance in oregon

There is no law in Oregon requiring any homeowner to carry homeowner’s insurance on their property, but if your home has a mortgage on it, your mortgage company will require at least enough homeowner’s insurance to cover the financial institution’s investment if your property were destroyed by fire or other disaster.

Also, for most people their home represents their biggest financial investment and most homeowners want to protect that investment.

Of course, while homeowners want to protect their homes with homeowner’s insurance, they still demand to get the best rates on homeowner’s insurance in Oregon.

Fortunately there are steps you can take to help keep the cost of homeowner’s insurance within reach for most people.

First, if you can set aside some money each year that can be used to pay for some repairs to your home in case of an insurance claim then you might consider raising the deductible on your policy. The higher the deductible the lower your monthly premiums will be.

If possible, consider paying your premiums a year at a time rather than month to month. Virtually all insurance companies offer a premium discount for such prepayments.

Take whatever steps you can to improve your overall credit report or to keep it good. Many people aren’t aware that your credit report has an effect on your homeowner’s insurance premiums.

Install smoke and fire detectors and make sure they are working. Also, buy at least one fire extinguisher (at least one for the kitchen); doing so will also give you a break with most insurance companies.

Keep bushes and grasses cut back away from the house, especially away from windows and doors where burglars can use them as hiding places. Make sure each door has a good, working deadbolt lock and make certain all windows, even upper story windows can be locked.

Review your policy with your insurance agent every two years, or more often if you have made changes to your property or installed a burglar alarm system or anything else that would make your property safer.

Most property owners want to protect their greatest investment, and with a little planning and common sense you can do so while still getting the best rates possible on your homeowner’s insurance.

Community involvement important for portland schools

Public schools need the support of their communities to succeed. They are, after all, public and open to all. It is our responsibility as members of the community to give whatever help and support we can to our neighborhood schools. No one can argue that receiving such support from both individual citizens as well as businesses and corporations are a hindrance. They enable the school communities to feel that they are a part of the neighborhood they serve, and that they are partners in educating tomorrow’s leaders.

In Oregon, Portland Public Schools are benefiting from a great relationship with the surrounding communities. The residents, business owners, school administrators, teachers, students and parents all see the need to work together to ensure the best education possible for Portland Schools students.

For example, Portland Schools have called upon volunteers to come out and work at 65 schools to complete tasks around the grounds. Such tasks include weeding, pruning, mowing, and mulching. The volunteers are needed to do these jobs, since Portland Schools have had to drastically cut its grounds keeping staff. Currently, the district employs only 4 full-time groundskeepers, who must maintain the Portland Schools 750 acres of property. That’s a lot of mowing! Participants of Community Career Day, as the effort has been named, had as many as 1,800 people participating in previous years. After all that hard work, all volunteers can head over to one of the Portland Schools benefiting from this beautification project – Roseway Heights – for a cook-out, music, and the dedication of new playground equipment.

Another example of the community and Portland Schools working together is the Summer Food Service Program being offered to kids aged 1 – 18. In conjunction with the city’s Parks & Recreation department, Portland Schools will offer the free meals at over 60 sites throughout the city. Parks, Portland Schools, pools, community centers and other child-friendly locations are among the different types of locations kids can go to get lunch. Any child can come have lunch on the schools and the city will pick up the tab; economic background is not considered in any way.

The U. S. Department of Agriculture funds the project, for cities that have schools where more than 50% of students are eligible for free or reduced lunches.

Big corporations can also get into programs that support public schools. Recently, Portland Schools partnered with the Nike School Innovation Fund to launch a new Summer Academy. This program is intended to help more than 400 students prepare for first grade. Nine Portland Schools offered the Summer Academy, which are being fiscally supported by a $250,000 grant from Nike.

While 20 Portland Schools have summer school programs in place, the Summer Academy strives to offer its students a bit more. The program offers its services to all Portland Schools students who demonstrate a need for an additional learning “boost”. Another way that this program differs from other summer programs is its target student body; only exiting kindergartners who need help reaching and exceeding achievement standards participate. Also, Nike volunteers visit the schools and volunteer their time by giving individual tutoring, buddy reading, leading arts and crafts projects, as well as organized games.

Holiday villas the perfect home base for visits to costa blanca

The Mediterranean coast beckons, and who are we to argue? If you've been to Costa Blanca, you know that Spain offers sun, sand, surf - and so much more. If you've never visited this slice of paradise in southeast Spain, you should definitely consider the area for your next holiday.

The Appeal of Costa Blanca

There are a variety of reasons why Costa Blanca is so inviting. The sandy beaches are perfect for lazy afternoons, while the coves and inlets are perfect for scuba diving and snorkeling. For those who are so inclined, the Costa Blanca area offers everything from sailing and windsurfing to jet skiing and waterskiing. Anglers will appreciate fishing opportunities, while golfers enjoy gorgeous courses year-round.

Aside from the pleasures at the water's edge, Costa Blanca offers a delightful assortment of other attractions. Shoppers love the boutiques and open-air markets, while night owls enjoy the lively club scene up and down the coast. Costa Blanca provides gastronomes with an array of taste sensations, from the freshest of seafood to traditional dishes like paella.

The Best Accommodations

To fully enjoy all that the Costa Blanca area has to offer, those in the know rent holiday villas. The advantages of such rentals are numerous. One aspect that is appealing is that a villa rental allows you to have privacy, while another is that the villas are often incredibly spacious. If you're on holiday with more than four people, hotels tend to be too impersonal and don't have the space you need to really enjoy your time together. Holiday villas, on the other hand, can accommodate anywhere from six to twelve people. Similarly, a villa is often quite luxurious, and often has a private pool and other amenities that you and your party can enjoy.

Heading North to Costa Brava

Another ideal place to go on holiday is the Costa Brava region, located in northeastern Catalonia. The beaches are renowned, as are the artists (like Picasso and Dali) who treasured the area. As with Costa Blanca, you can easily rent a villa - or even an apartment - and make it your home away from home while you're on vacation.

What to Expect

Whether you're interested in reserving holiday villas in Spain or in Algarve, Portugal, you should go online to see what's available. The most reputable sites have a fully automated, online booking system, and a standardized rental agreement. Generally, holiday villas are rented for a minimum of seven days, and a 30 percent deposit is required. In addition, you are typically asked for a deposit against incidental charges shortly before you arrive or upon arrival.

Bed linens and towels are almost always included in holiday villas, as are cooking utensils and crockery. The cost of cleaning the villa is usually included in the price. Pets are generally not allowed, but if they are, an extra deposit is usually required.

Costa Blanca is beautiful any time of the year, and there's no better way to enjoy it than from the comfort of holiday villas.

The law of attraction the truth about visualization

Visualization is a Law Of Attraction tool that has been used for thousands of years by initiates of all the metaphysical schools.

Today, it is incorporated into top athlete's daily routines and is used in business affairs frequently. It's use is wide-spread among highly successful people, either consciously or unconsciously, aware of its create power. So if it has stood the test of time and is still being used by high achievers we must come to the conclusion that it works! But has it ever worked for you?

If you answered 'yes' to the above question then you know how powerful this technique can be. If, on the other hand, you gave the more likely answer 'no' then take heart for I am about to reveal to you a sure fire way of reaching your objectives through this mostly misunderstood art.

The trouble with visualization is simple - its in its name!

When studying and contemplating the Law Of Attraction and the art of visualization most people have the impression that they must create visual images and make them real or life-like. Many people, in fact the majority, find this almost impossible to do. Even if they can formulate a solid picture of their objective they find it extremely difficult to sustain the image for any length of time. Either the image fades, changes or other intruding thoughts intervene.

This type of visualization is almost impossible to sustain and luckily it is not at all necessary. Why? Because it is in the subconscious mind that your visualization needs to be placed and there is good news. The subconscious mind does not know the difference between an imaginary event and a real one. Your visual image only needs to be a strong visually as any other imagined event. However, that is only half the story.

If all you had to do was just imagine stuff and your world automatically changed to reflect your imaginings this world would be full of chaos (not to mention all those creepy crawly bug-eyed monsters!). Therefore, there are a few more steps to complete before the visualization is passed to the subconscious for manifestation.

Let's try a little experiment. Remember a scene from your past that has a lot of good feelings around it. Any good memory will do, like the first time you heard the words "I love you" from your partner, an amazingly spectacular sunset, a great holiday event or your last birthday. Pick one and remember it. How clear is the image? Can you remember any sounds? What way did you feel? Is there any sense of touch, taste or smell? Identify how your memory works. Is it mostly visual, auditory, kinaesthetic or of a feeling nature?

Now we are going to create an imagined event in our lives that has the same strength and potency as that image. So relax and let's go.

Imagine something that you do everyday, something that you did yesterday, today and will do tomorrow. Let us take the example of waking up tomorrow morning. Don't try to add or take anything away, just think about it and analyse the scene. Is it dark or light? Are you lying next to someone in bed? Do you still feel tired? Has the alarm clock sounded? Are you irritable that you have to get up or full of joy at the dawn of a new day?

You will find that the imagined event is very similar to the memory with probably one key difference - your point of perspective. Is the memory behind you and the future event in front of you? Is one to the left and one to the right? Maybe they are both in front of you or the future seems to move in a clockwise direction. Whatever the perspective the thing to notice is that they are very similar in appearance.

Now imagine doing your future event a week from now, then a month from now, then six months from now. Where are those images placed? Are they moving further away, going clockwise, from left to right? This is your time-line and using it is important in visualization as you will see later.

Ok, let's imagine something that is very unlikely to happen and see where it differs from the last image.

Imagine you are sitting somewhere familiar which is extremely comfortable and relaxing to you. Now imagine that a person you know well comes up to where you are and says "hello". Imagine them telling you that they want to show you a new trick. All of a sudden they have three juggling balls. They throw them in the air and begin to juggle with ease. Then they begin to whistle one of your favourite tunes. You suddenly realize that there is a strong smell of flowers in the room and notice a vase of them just behind the juggler. Imagine laughing loudly at the scene and feeling joyful at the experience. Then the person juggling leans forward stands on leg and puts the other leg outstretched behind them. All the while still juggling and whistling. Then they begin to hop on their leg as a small bird flies over to perch on their head. Once you have the imagined event and stayed with it a few moments just let it fade.

Ok open your eyes. What was the difference between the two images? Can you spot any? Did you use more, less or roughly the same senses in your fantasy event as you did in the future one? Did you see them from different angles? Was the picture bigger in one than the other? Was the sound clearer, the feelings more acute or the smell stronger? Take some time and go back to each scene in your mind. How does the future event differ from the fantasy one? Are you looking at both from a different vantage point? Do you see yourself in the image of one but not the other? Analyse the scenes and see where they differ.

Have you identified how the future event differs from the fantasy one? If you have then its time to make visualization work for you!

Take a goal that you have been working on or would like to achieve. Nothing too far-fetched at this point please! Pick something that is possible but at the moment seems a little impractical. Once you have it form a mental image of what it would be like to have, be or do that thing or be in that experience. Remember to form it the same way you do a memory. Give it the same strength visually, in sound, feeling, taste and touch - use your mind in its natural state. All you have to do is imagine the scene.

Ok how does it differ from the scene of waking in the morning? Can you identify the differences in perspective, sound, taste, touch, feelings and what you hear?

Now there will be one other key thing that differs in the images - it is very simple but often overlooked. You know that the future event is going to happen! This is reflected in the way we experience the image. So what we are going to do is fool your subconscious mind into thinking your goal is definitely going to happen by manipulating your goal image!

Once you know what the differences are in each image begin to change the goal image so that it is seen the same way as the future event in your imagination. Place the visualized scene in exactly the same position with the same perspective as your future event.

Place it in the correct position on your time-line. You may already begin to feel that the goal is more possible.

Visualise in this way everyday and you will condition your subconscious mind to manifest the experiences necessary to make your goal attainment certain.

One more thing to remember: During the day think about your goal often. This reinforces the visualization and will begin to dispel doubt from your mind.

Bons plans pour mariage express

Encore jeune et pas fortunй, pourquoi se privez de ce que la vie vus offre de plus prйcieux pour fonder une famille? Le mariage.

Alors qu'un mariage sur le vieux continent s'йvalue entre 10 000 et 15 000 euros, las Vegas vous offre des prestations pour dix fois moins cher, et en plus sortant de l'ordinaire.

Que vous faut il faire. Bon, d'accord, il faut acheter le billet, mais ensuite?

Ensuite rien de plus simple, rendez vous au Bureau des Mariages (Clark County Marriage License - 201 Clark Avenue Las Vegas, NV 89155 - Tel. (702) 671-0600) munis des papiers suivants: carte d'identitй prouvant que vous avez plus de 18 ans, en cas de prйcйdent divorce, n'oubliez pas de prendre avec vous la copie de votre acte de divorce.

Ensuite, c'est а vous de voir.

Une simple cйrйmonie civile au Bureau des Mariages vous coыtera qu'une cinquantaine de dollars et ne durera qu'une demie heure.

Les cйlиbres chapelles long du Las Vegas strip reconnaissables par leur jardins de roses vous offres des services pour une somme comprise entre $200 et 500 dollars qui regroupent un forfait de mariage comprenant l'utilisation de la chapelle, la cйrйmonie de mariage, des fleurs, de la musique et des photos. Les forfaits plus coыteux comprennent plus d'extras comme le transfert depuis votre hфtel en limousine ou Elvis Presley comme tйmoin.

Ou encore, les casinos. Selon le thиme que vous dйsirez pour votre mariage, rendez-vous soit l'hфtel Excalibur pour un mйdiйval, sinon MGM Grand a un mariage en montagnes russes, Treasure Island offre un mariage de pirates а bord de son bateau HMS Brittania et le Las Vegas Hilton propose un mariage Star Trek а bord du vaisseau spatial Enterprise avec des tйmoins Klingon et des invitйs Ferengi. Les prix varient alors de de 350 $ а 3500 $, voir d'avantage. Mais vous йtes tout prets des salles de blackjack et des machines а sous.

Pour la Lune de Miel, en panne d'idйes ou de sous? Pourquoi ne pas faire un tour du monde depuis Las Vegas?

Las Vegas, autre ses casinos, vous permet en effet de dйcouvrir les sept merveilles du monde en un clin d'oeil. Vous voulez Paris et le charme de ses cafйs? Pas de problиme, rendez-vous au Paris Las Vegas! Ici, des votre arrivйe, la Tour Eiffel, l'Arc de triomphe sans oublier le cйlиbre opйra Garnier vous accueillent a bras ouverts! Dans une architecture trиs Franchie style Haussmannien, vous retrouvez toutes les spйcialitйs franзaises et europйennes au sein de ses fameux restaurants, sans oublier son casino.

Envie subite de vous dйpayser. Rendez-vous Venetian! A Venise et ses gondoles... Quelle femme digne de ce nom ne souhaiterait pas passez sa lune de miel dans ce dйcor pittoresque, et rкvasser comme une jeune fille a l'aube de ses 20 ans, en attendant Casanova... Venez vous dйtendre au Venetian. Cet hфtel recrйe pour vous les fameux canaux, les gondoles, les palais vйnitiens et la rйplique de la Piazza San Marco. Elйgance et raffinement caractйrisent le Venetian et ses 3000 chambres. Le Venetian abrite йgalement une superbe galerie d'art avec le Guggenheim Hermitage Museum. Et pour dйcouvrir encore plus de l'Italie, direction le Tuscany Suites Casino

Pour les nostalgiques d'Astйrix et Obelix et du fameux Ave Cйsar, prйcipitez vous vite au Caesar's Palace! Conзue sur le modиle de la Rome antique, le Caesar's Palace accueille йgalement des championnats du monde de boxe et des grands spectacles de vedette.

Envie de vous retrouvez sur une оle paradisiaque? Essayer le Tahiti! Ses bananiers, les tropiques et les plages de sable fin, Pourquoi trop attendre.

Alors, qu'attendez vous pour passer la bague au doigt?

How your diet and acne condition are related

What you are is what you eat! Whether this statement holds good in the case of acne has been a topic which has been under rigorous research. Some people believe that certain foods cause acne while others think vice versa. But, it is very much possible that acne may be the result of food allergies in some cases.

In such cases, the prevalent notion is that skin acts as an elimination organ. When you eat a food that you are allergic to, a toxic reaction occurs which leads the immune system of your body to set up defenses against it. Thereafter, the body starts expelling out the toxins from the food leading to inflammation on the skin in the form of papules and pustules.

According to a research published in December 2002 issues of Archives of Dermatology, certain high-glycemic foods cause acne. These food stuffs lead to high production of insulin in the body, which raises the male hormones. As an effect of rising hormones, there is excess production of sebum in the body which ultimately leads to clogging of pores thereby causing acne. Foods such as grains, milk, processed food, bread, french fries and potato chips are the main culprits in this case.

The experts suggest a switch over to a lower-glycemic diet. A lower-glycemic diet would contain the following:

1. Cereals that contain bran, barley and oats

2. A lot of fresh vegetables and fruits

3. Lots of water, herbal teas and vegetable juices

And a lower-glycemic diet would not contain the following:

1. Walnuts, almonds, Brazil nuts, and filberts

2. Large amount of dairy products and milk

3. Sodas and other aerated drinks

4. Potatoes

Vitamin B5 is considered to be a very important part of a nutrient rich diet. It is commonly found in foods such as pork, beef, chicken, eggs, saltwater fish, potatoes, wheat and fresh vegetables. The variety of foods is large, but the problem is that 50 % of the vitamin is lost during milling of grains and sadly, the average American diet lacks in fresh vegetables. Diet may not be the particular cause of acne and rosacea but can obviously help in the prevention and elimination of the same. Hot and damp foods such as sugary cakes, cookies, sweets, alcohol, chocolate, fried and greasy food, dairy products, peanuts, coconut products, fats and oils, generally trigger acne.

The link may not be direct but it is always advisable to stop the intake of these believed-to-be acne causing foods. A healthy and well-balanced diet keeps your body healthy and the health inside radiates outside on your skin.

How to earn with google adsense

If you have your own website, you can earn a good amount of money through Google Adsense. What do you have to do to earn money from your website? Nothing, really. You just have to re-post, in your site, the ads that Google has posted in its search engine pages. Here's how it works.

How does it work?

Every time you fire a Google search, alongside the search results, you find a few links displayed under the heading 'sponsored links.' Well, these are links that the advertisers pay Google for displaying. They do not, however, pay a fixed amount for keeping those ads there, but a certain amount for every time a visitor clicks on the link and visits the advertiser's site. This way, the advertiser only pays when someone actually clicks on the link, Google gets money for putting up the links, and the visitor gets to know of related links that could give him relevant and additional information and/or services. It's a win-win situation for everyone involved in the game.

Where do you come in?

Google reasoned that anyone, who visited a third party site that held content relevant to a particular search, would be interested in the sponsored links that it provided along these search results. So it decided to extend the group to include sites that have similar content, by allowing these sites to display ads and links that would be redirected to the sponsored links of Google. That opened up an easy way to increase the traffic to the advertiser's site by increasing his exposure, while the site owner gets money for just posting the ad in her site.

What do you have to do to take advantage?

If you already have a running site that ha a good traffic, you may have to do practically nothing. All you have to do is copy and paste some HTML code into your pages. That's all! The ads will appear on your site and every time someone clicks on those ads, you get your share

How much money can you make?

That's not very easy to answer, because there's no single answer to that question. It all depends on a combination of factors like keywords, the page number where the links appear, and the demand for the day. Whatever the going rate, Google passes on a part of the revenue that it gets from your site to you. You can see at any point of time and on any day, how much money you've made.

You can be sure of one thing, though. You're not going to lose money by posting the ad in your site. Whatever the revenue, it's an additional amount that you get from the site for no additional cost.

What if you don't have a site?

You can still benefit from this scheme if you don't already have a site. You will of course, need to put up a site in that case. You can put up a site easily and at a fairly low cost. First of all you should decide on the content of your site. If you're thinking of duplicating someone else's site by copying their contents, that wouldn't work. Your site will have to be original, although its contents may be similar to that of other sites.

If you are putting up a fresh site, you'll need to estimate the costs of putting up the site and maintaining it against the revenues that you'll get. The secret is in getting good traffic to your site. So you should concentrate on building an attractive site and find out ways of attracting traffic to it. The rest will then follow.

Paintball -- retreat to win

Suppression is a way of distracting the opponent so that they fall short by not seeing the other team that is already starting to invade. Suppression's goal is not to get rid of enemies. Control and concentration are needed to keep a team member from shooting.

A team who uses suppression as a tactic should consist of three or more players. Each member must know that their main objective is not to eliminate the other team's members; although that could be true in other events. Movements during this game should be accurate and targets must be aligned in order to make sure that the opposing team is unaware of the suppression. A steady target and aiming of fire from the suppression players must not be in unison to leave the enemies with a puzzled feeling.

When making an assault, two or more of the paintball players who are making the suppression constantly distract one of the opponent's players in order to disguise the players who are about to invade and attack the opposing team. Suppression often conceals the other players and if done well, would eventually destroy the enemies who would have to retreat and could soon be eliminated when caught.

The other role that is played by the rest of the team is invading. The players that are involved in the invasion must try very hard to hide themselves from the opponents while the suppression team is doing their job. This requires patience, control, and discipline to keep from firing in order to save the position. Make sure that with one shot severe damage to the opposing team is incurred rather than firing at one enemy player that did not realize the invader was there.

The invasion players target at least the majority of the opposing team's players. Once they are in position to capture the flag, they must fire with great power and with full force. Since paintball guns are really loud, as soon as players start hitting target it must be accurate as there is no turning back. Enemies will know where the guns are firing from so the invasion team will have to incur damage all at once to keep the opponent from counter attacking. This will be shown by the amount of paint that is shot at the other team.

Disability life insurance - some tips on how to buy

Although disability life insurance covers ourselves and our loved ones during good and bad times, it can be a very dry subject. We have therefore compiled a quick list to make understanding disability life insurance easier.

Disability Life Insurance Tip #1

Buy Only What You Need: Make sure you have enough coverage if you ever have to make a claim. And be sure to keep policies up to date with any salary increases you get.

Disability Life Insurance Tip #2

Increase your waiting period: The waiting period is the time you have to wait to make a claim. The longer you wait, the lower the cost of your premium.

Disability Life Insurance Tip #3

Work With The Same Company: If you need to change the company you are with, do so before your policy expires but beware of the cost. Your disability life insurance policy is a contract between the carrier and you for a specified period of time. Changes in the policy may come with penalties.

Disability Life Insurance Tip #4

Shop For Policies: With all the disability life insurance companies online, it is reasonably simple to compare premiums.

Disability Life Insurance Tip #5

Compare Apples With Apples: When comparing disability life insurance policies, be careful as they have different definitions of disability for each illness. Make sure you specify the same amount of coverage for both so you can make a level comparison.

Disability Life Insurance Tip # 6

Different disability life insurance companies have different classifications for the same occupation. For example company A might rate someone who works with electricity as a higher risk than company B. So this is something you need to know.

Disability Life Insurance Tip #7

It is better to go to the well known disability life companies as they have a deeper knowledge of risk and should therefore be able to give you the best rate.

Buying Disability Life Insurance Makes Sense

Financial planning is necessary to make sure you have enough life insurance and disability life insurance to protect your income. It may not be a topic that everyone finds interesting, but if an emergency arises, you will be glad you took the time to get some good disability life insurance.

Home renovation and maintenance in the fall

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"By doing a little preventative maintenance now, you can prevent minor problems from escalating into a major headache in the spring," Felton said. "Minor repairs done now can prevent air and moisture penetration from attacking the structural integrity of your home down the road," he added.

Cleaning the eavestroughs in the fall, for example, can prevent ice damming in the winter, where moisture is forced up under the roof's shingles during winter's freeze-thaw cycles. "Our roofing contractors are always busy in the spring, fixing damage and leaks that have occurred because of ice damming," Felton added.

Here are some home maintenance jobs that should be on a homeowner's winterizing checklist:

" Clean eavestroughs after the last leaves have fallen. Run a garden hose and check that they are draining properly and that downspouts are operating and directed away from the home's foundation walls. Check for leaking or damaged gutters, downspouts and hangers. Remove rust and patch the gutters with roofing cement. Caulk leaking seams and make sure pop rivets are secure.
" Check the roof for trouble signs such as broken or missing shingles, cracked, buckling or curling shingles, or bare spots where the granular coating has worn off. Check flashing around vents, skylights and chimneys. Look for pieces that have peeled back and for cracked caulking that could allow moisture penetration.
" Have the chimney cleaned and check the exterior structure for worn flashing, loose bricks or crumbling mortar.
" Have your furnace cleaned, inspected and safety checked. Depending on the system, you will need to have the furnace vacuumed, the filter changed and the pilot checked.
" Check for blockage of attic louvres by wasp's nests and put sheet metal, wire screen or wood over any openings, including under the eaves, to prevent animals from nesting.
" Remove and store your window air conditioner. Make sure to clean the coils and filters and cover loosely for the winter. If you are leaving the air conditioner in the window, put a weatherproof cover over it to protect it during the winter.
" Clean your lawnmower and other garden tools before storing. Give all the metal parts of your tools a wipe with an oiled rag to prevent rusting. Drain the fuel from gas-powered machines and run the engine until the lines are clear. Drain the oil and replace it. Clean caked-on grass and debris.
" Check doors and windows for proper caulking and weatherstripping. Do the draft test: hold a lit candle and run it along the seams of doors and windows. A flickering flame means your heating dollars are going out the window. Check the bottoms of doors for a snug threshold seal or door sweep.
" Make sure your fireplace is in safe working order. Check that the damper opens and closes smoothly and fits properly to prevent heat loss. Check inside the fireplace to make sure no bricks are loose or broken. If your fireplace is smoking excessively, check the chimney for fallen bricks. Installing a chimney cap can cure a smoking fireplace by improving the draft.
" Drain exterior water lines, hose bibs, sprinklers, and pool equipment before the first major freeze. Caulk around pipes where they enter the house.

" Clean your barbecue and store it in a protected place for the winter. Never store propane tanks indoors.
" Clean patio furniture and store, loosely covered, in a dry place.
" Wash windows to let in the maximum heat and light during cold winter days.
Doing your fall chores can make your life easier come spring, when you would rather be fishing than fixing winter damage. There are a lot more tips included on
Home Renovation Contractors on the official Homeserviceclub website.

Maintaining motivation during penis enlargement

Penis enlargement always seems like a good idea at first. Even those who don’t believe in the effectiveness of penis enlargement techniques and who dismiss all results as frauds, fakes and scams would certainly not mind to be proved wrong. There are few men on the face of the earth that are completely satisfied with the size of their penises. Still, the hardest thing about penis enlargement is to hang on to that initial feeling that you’re doing something good for yourself.

Motivation is crucial to all human endeavors. It’s what makes the world turn around for humans. Properly motivated men and women can do things that may seem unlikely at first. Every person engaged in any activity that has tedious parts knows that maintaining motivation is the only way to get through and achieve results. Losing focus and allowing demotivation to creep up on you is the surest way to throw away a lot of hard work.

Penis enlargement exercises suffer from the same problem. They are repetitive and can get to be downright boring sometimes. Just like gym, or professional athletic training, or piano lessons, penis enlargement exercises may seem tedious early on. Regardless of what you’re doing, routines are never fun. The trick is to keep your goal in mind and do whatever you feel necessary not to lose focus. The easiest thing to do is to keep thinking about your goal.

Do you want those extra inches? Do you want to see “shock and awe” on the faces of ladies? Then you’d better quit bitching and start doing those reps. If necessary, write these questions on post-it notes and place them in your bathroom, or wherever you’re doing your exercises. The questions will help you focus on the positive results of penis exercises and strengthen your will to achieve them. You can make a workout chart and mark up every performed routine in blue and every missed routine in red. The fewer the red dots, the faster will those gains come.

Remember that it takes some time before the first results are visible. Muscles, tissues, bones and other parts of the body do not grow over night. The penis, too, needs time to respond to your program of exercises. Talk to other people of forums. This will help you understand the penis enlargement process and get first hand accounts of successful enlargement stories. Every forum user will also tell you that a lot of patience is required and that results come only to those who work hard and show a lot of persistence.

Give yourself small rewards for a day, a week or a month of steady exercising. You’ve been a patient man and trained hard and you deserve a reward. Buy yourself something nice, invite a good-looking girl to dinner or do something you’ve been wanting to do for a long time. And remember to refrain from measuring yourself every day. Penis measurements should only be done every 3 or 4 weeks. Otherwise the results will simply be disappointing and your motivation to continue will suffer.

The bottom line is: don’t give up. The road is long, hard and tedious, but worth every minute. Always remember that your goal is to have men look at your bulging crotch with respect and women falling over themselves to see if that penis is really the monster it promises to be. And if you put enough effort and persistence into it, nothing can stop you.

Rail travel tips

Traveling by train, in itself, is fun. The continuous jostling of the compartments, screeching of train brakes and the loud horns make train traveling a real fun. However you need to take care of certain things while traveling, so that the journey remains hassle-free and fine.

Rail travel is a lengthy journey, so you should try to relax as much as possible. Relaxation does not mean that you simply sleep as board the train or remain quite throughout your journey. It means that you should spend your time comfortably. For this purpose you can bring along a disk man or walk man to listen to your favorite music and enjoy the views via window pane.

If you are traveling alone, you can seek advice from the rail crew. If you are not able to get something or you are not able to understand something, you can definitely ask the well-trained and friendly crew members.

To prevent yourself from getting bored throughout the journey, try interacting with the people around. Try to strike a conversation with them. This way, you can explore them and share your opinion and rail experiences with them. You can even make the other travelers as your friends. Interaction is always good to explore the dimensions of rail travel.

Always carry light luggage, while traveling via railways. You should only carry useful stuff along with you. You can carry a good book, a light blanket, a pillow, bathing items, grooming items, clothes, sunglasses, mineral water, some fruits and snacks.

You should pack comfortable and light clothes, avoid carrying heavy jewelry, but you should carry enough cash to meet all the needs of the trip. Carrying a first aid kit is a must. You should include all the important medicines which you might need during the trip.

You should never leave your luggage on the train or station unguarded. Always keep an eye on your luggage and keep it close to you. If the rail journey is lengthy, you should keep your baggage to the rack securely and put on a small bicycle lock to prevent any possibility of theft or stealing. As far as possible, try to keep your money concealed, don’t flaunt it on the train.

Do your packing in advance. Ideally you should pack your bags one day before your travel. This would give you ample time to think about all the necessary items you need to carry along. So packing should be done ideally a day before you leave. If you plan to pack your bags at the last moment, you would probably end up missing things.

Before you leave your home, always confirm that you have all the necessary things required. You should check the railway ticket, your wallet and other things. You should always check that all your bags and attachй are locked. Double check them and place their keys with you. Always have duplicate keys. The duplicate keys are great relief, incase you lose your original keys.

Following these tips can surely make your rail travel hassle free and comfortable.

Save money while you survive the heat

Staying cool this summer could become a challenge when the waves of summer heat come lapping at your door. If you haven't prepared your home to keep the cool air indoors and the heat out, you may lose in the battle to survive the summer with reasonable cooling bills and optimal comfort.

The company that brings you Heil brand heating and cooling products suggests the following steps to keep your energy bills affordable and your home comfortably cool:

* Lock your windows and shut your garage door. It's important to minimize the loss of cool air from your home. Sunshine can heat up your garage and cause your air conditioner to work much harder than necessary. Windows not shut tightly will allow cool air to escape. Lock your windows to give them a better seal, and shut your garage door to help keep your cool air indoors.

* Clear the area around your thermostat. Keep the area around your thermostat clear of electronics and lighting. The thermostat will sense heat from these appliances and run the air conditioner longer than necessary.

* Program your thermostat. A programmable thermostat can save money and energy by

operating at a more cost-efficient temperature while you're asleep or away from home, and automatically lower the temperature to cool your home just before you wake up or return. New Heil brand programmable thermostats can help save money and are backed by a five-year warranty.

* Evaluate your landscaping. Plant trees and shrubs to shade your air conditioner but not block its air flow. A shaded air-conditioning unit will run more efficiently than one that operates in the sun. According to the U. S. Department of Energy, an air conditioner uses as much as 10 percent less electricity when working in the shade.

* Re-examine your air-conditioning system. Your heating and cooling system may be sending hundreds of dollars in wasted energy bills through the roof. Purchasing a new, more energy-efficient system can cost less than keeping an older, less energy-efficient system.

For example, the Heil QuietComfort line of 14 Plus air conditioners saves energy, uses an environmentally friendly, chlorine-free refrigerant, and can save you up to 57 percent on your summer cooling costs.

Individual travel or travel guide which one to choose

What according to you is the best way to travel, would it be by guided travel or individual travel? We recently took a trip to Washington. Taking a bus tour that would take us around the capital showing us the highlights, this turned out to be a good decision. We were allowed to travel by foot the next day to see those sights we wanted to from up close. Giving us an opportunity to plan our three days in the city and select what we wanted to see.

The San Francisco Bay Area which happens to be a favorite holiday spot for me and my family holds many pleasant and cherished memories of our holidays in those places. There are few places, which are so much haunted by tourists that you could visit them on your own. As a result you can decide on your own time and pace to visit. Good examples of the same are Fisherman's Wharf and Pier39. By walking a couple of blocks you can see the Aquarium of the Bay, or cruise around San Francisco Bay, take some time at the Riptide Arcade on Pier 39 and go around the famous Ripley's Believe It or Not Museum.

Those traveling without a guide might like to buy a San Francisco City Pass. Buying this would give you tickets to five hot spots, apart from free rides on the Cable Cars and an optional ticket which could be used at select optional places like the Steinhart Aquarium or Legion of Honor & Academy of Science.

There are some attractions again where you would enjoy more with a tour guide. While on Alcatraz Island, you could go solo, but having a lively tour guide or listening to earphones could make you aware of the interesting points when you go through them.

The Walking Tours of Chinatown are a must see. This adds to the behind the scenes colorful picture of the place. This tour takes you through the history and traditions of the local people and familiarizes you with the culture you would never understand on your own.

San Francisco has almost 30 fun and free walking tours of the city. For information on these free tours, visit sfcityguides. org.

It is the same for Napa valley tours. You could drive up to the place yourself while looking around, but a guided tour to some of the vineyards and wine tasting rooms would make it more interesting.

A 17-mile drive to the coast is also a favorite driving tour. The winding roads give you fantastic views of beautiful mansions and the country side. You would be traveling through Carmel and Pebble Beach Golf Club.

Whether you chose to visit alone or take a guided tour, should depend on your place of visit and what you want to see. Mixing a bit of both could make your travel tour worthwhile.

Outdoor classrooms a smart way to teach teens

When it comes to learning, the best classrooms aren't always inside a school. That's the word from experts who say that one of the latest trends involves using the great outdoors to teach teens life lessons.

For instance, Matt Schmitz may seem like an average 18-year-old. He's enjoying his senior year in high school and looking ahead to graduation. However, he's already developed the type of leadership skills that many people strive for well into adulthood.

At age 15, Schmitz learned about the Yellowstone Youth Conservation Corps (YCC), a National Park Service program that, he said, let him combine his thirst for knowledge with his passion for the outdoors. "Getting a chance to know Yellowstone is a rare thing," he said. "Plus, it was a chance to spend a summer outdoors, and on my own away from the family."

For 30-35 teens every year, YCC is a work/learn/earn program that teaches lessons in conservation, ecosystem preservation, environmental engineering and leadership. Participants earn minimum wage building bridges, repairing cabins, maintaining trails and more.

Since 1990, YCC has been funded completely by the Community Service program of the Moose fraternal organization. The group began its partnership with Yellowstone National Park in 1988, when fires spread across the park and destroyed hiking trails and visitor facilities. The Yellowstone Youth Fund was established to aid in restoration. Since 1989, the group's members have donated more than $2 million ($135,000 annually) in support of the YCC program.

"The Moose is proud to provide this program to youth across the country. It's a vibrant example of our dedication to connecting families and community service," said Shawn M. Baile, Director of Community Service for Moose International.

The friendships Schmitz has developed span coast to coast. "I've met people that I probably never would have met otherwise," he said. "It's a program that enables you to grow as a person. One thing I tell students is that they shouldn't discount themselves. It's not summer camp; it's work. But it's all about teamwork," explained Schmitz.

Agoraphobia four things i had to change before healing could begin

I suffered with agoraphobia for more that twenty years. During that time I tried all sorts of treatments, some conventional, some not so, and nothing I did seemed to have any sort of positive effect upon my agoraphobia, panic disorder or anxiety disorder. In fact, some things made my condition worse, in some cases, much worse.

When my panic attacks started, back in 1985, I was left with a travel phobia but as the years passed, my safe-zone became increasingly smaller until I wound up being more or less completely housebound. During this time, at two separate stages of my downward progress, I consulted with a couple of homeopaths to see if they could help me. We tried all sorts of different treatments but nothing seemed to work. However, there was something that they both told me that lingered with me for a long time afterwards. They both stated that there was a “time for healing”. I must admit that I didn’t fully grasp what they actually meant by that and figured that they were trying to say that there was some God-given, pre-determined date when my recovery would begin. It wasn’t until much later, when I was well on the road to recovery, that it finally dawned on me what they were talking about.

I was working with the wrong definition of time. What they were getting at was that, there is, in a person’s life, a “suitable point” at which healing can take place. Unfortunately for me, it wasn’t until I had got to that suitable point that I was able to figure out what they were trying to tell me. You see, unbeknown to me at the time, there were some things happening in my life that were preventing me from getting well again. Looking back now, I can plainly see that until I went ahead and physically removed these things, I hadn’t a prayer of getting better.

Here’s a list of things that needed rectifying:

1. The first thing I had to get over was my resentment toward my agoraphobia: Right from the moment that I suffered my first panic attack I was extremely resentful of the fact. In my opinion, I wasn’t a bad person. Why me?

2. The second item was my denial that I had agoraphobia: It took me years to acknowledge that I was ill and in need of help. I truly believed that one day I would wake up and it would magically be gone. In the meantime, if asked about it by even the closest of friends, I’d deny that there was a problem.

3. The third in line was the guilt I was carrying because of letting people down: I had this crazy habit of agreeing to anything that I was asked to do, including things that involved travelling, and hoping that everything would work out fine on the day. Things seldom worked out fine and more often than not, I just couldn’t face the journey. Even if I could confront going through with what I’d agreed to, I’d put myself through hell just to keep someone else happy.

4. And the last item on the list was self-medicating with alcohol: At first it started out as a couple of drinks to steady my nerves but as time rolled by, I started to lean on the stuff more and more. Eventually, I was drinking just to get through the day and wound up with depression.

Something had to change. The first thing to take a hike was the booze, followed closely by my no longer making promises just to keep others happy. If I was invited anywhere, I’d say that I would try to attend but I’d ask the host/hostess not to make any special arrangements and not to be upset if I didn’t make it. I started to accept my “fate” and settled, quite contentedly, into my restricted life. I started to look upon it as a puzzle that I had been given to solve. Looking at it from this perspective made a game out of it. Also, if and when asked about my agoraphobia, I was truthful with my answer.

Within a short space of time, I started to feel better. I was no longer viewing life through an alcoholic haze and the depression started to lift, the guilt I felt from my missed engagements ceased, I was no longer kidding myself that I would magically get better and, last but not least, the resentment that I used to feel had been replaced with a sense of determination to find a cure.

Doing the above didn’t cure my anxiety, panic attacks or agoraphobia but what it did do was pave the way for my recovery by removing most of the stress from my life. Once this was done, right on cue, I stumbled across the system that I needed to remove the agoraphobia and its cousins completely.

Online tutoring - a real boon when class gets tough

Extra academic help in the form of tuition is a essential and viable option if your child needs help with classroom assignments, or supplemental work. All kids have some areas that they need help with, and if you feel your child can get advantage from it, it might be just what they need. Check out the different Internet tutoring options available, and decide the best for your child. Online tutoring offers so much that you might not realize.

Retired and substitute teachers use it. In fact, some teachers have left classroom teaching, and now teach full time through online tutoring. Before you sign up your child though check out the credentials of the Internet classroom. Write or call your local state governments to find out if there have been any complaints from the Internet Better Business community.

In today’s busy 24 hour work society, kids often get home before parents, and they can profit by going online, and starting their online lessons. Quality online services offer help everyday of the week, including the weekends. When you’re shopping around for a top rated online tutoring service, make sure to ask about schedules. Also, question if their system is secure, so your child won’t be exposed to just anyone that can hack into their online tutoring.

Any of these services should offer ways for you to be able to check in on your student’s progress. Any service that you pick should also give you the choice of being able to talk with a teacher on what your child is having trouble with, and how you can help them at home to do better. Other services that you should find before you sign up for your child should be a pre-assessment on their abilities, and testing for their style of learning. It won’t do your child or you any good if you don’t know what they can do, and what areas they need help in.

If you can find a program that encourages one on one help and training for your child outside of the classroom or online this is perfect. Success for students means that they’ll find others to interact with that are on their level and that they can feel comfortable talking with them. It might be helpful to speak with your child’s teachers for help in locating not only an online tutoring system of help, but also a local center. They know what works for kids, but with your input about your child they’ll be better able to understand the full picture for online tutoring.

Finally, remember to look at any educational help as a blessing. Only a few years ago, kids that needed help didn’t get a lot of it. The fee of tutoring is affordable, and technology has provided kids the chance to get more assistance when they need it, at home or the library. Online tutoring has come of age in the 21st century.

Texas schools benefit from 9 million math science grant

In July 2006 grants of $9 million were given to Texas Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (T-STEM) academics of the Texas Schools. The grants will go to the creation of 12 new academies and centers in the Texas Schools. T-STEM is a program that provides $71 million to various math and science projects at secondary Texas Schools.

The T-STEM project is under the umbrella of the larger Texas High School Project (THSP), which has the goal of increasing graduation and enrollment rates in public Texas Schools. The THSP is funded by both public and private funds in the amount of $261 million. Its partners include the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundations, the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation, the Office of the Governor and others.

Why Fund Math & Science in the Texas Schools?

Concerns that both Texas Schools and American students in general are falling behind in the areas of math and science have increased greatly with recent technology. Federal mandates from the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act have also added to pressure for Texas Schools to increase academic performance of its students in these areas. Finally, awareness of an increasing achievement gap between races and economic levels has prompted Texas Schools to make these changes.

According to Texas Governor Rick Perry, “The T-STEM initiative focuses our efforts where they are needed most - in areas where there are a high number of disadvantaged students who are too often left in the shadows of opportunity. This initiative will help us close the science and math gap that exists in our schools today before it becomes a salary gap for tomorrow’s workers, and an opportunity gap for Texas families.”

Methods For Support and Instruction in the Texas Schools

Funds from both the THSP and T-STEM will provide resources, instructional methods, and innovative approaches to better educate students at Texas Schools in math and science related areas. THSP funds are devoted to creating new and redesigned Texas high schools, training teachers, and preparing students for college. The development of five new T-Stem centers will give instructional materials to the schools, offer training to school educators, and evaluate best practices that can be recreated in other Texas Schools.

Charter schools, small schools, and a YES College Preparatory Academy will be funded with the three implementation grants awarded to Texas Schools to open T-STEM academies. Four start-up grants have been provided that will give $480,000 to four new academies that will open in fall of 2007. Educators and Administrators of Texas Schools are hopeful that the launch of the T-STEM programs in 2007 will reverse the trend of the growing achievement gap.

Procreate no more the irreversible effect of sterilization

A lot of people play around a number of different bith control methods before finally settling to a particular method. Some settle for temporary birth control measures like oral contraceptive pills, hormonal patches, intra-uterine devices, condoms, etc. However some people may be extreme enough to permanently want to stop their ability to bear child or produce offspring. For these extreme people, may their reasons be just of personal preference, or due to underlying medical conditions, sterilization may be the only solution.

Sterilization

Sterilization is the surgical procedure done to render a man or woman unable to procreate. This is considered a permanent contraception method. Here are a list of sterilization methods being practiced:

For males:

l Vasectomy. In this procedure, the vas deferens, the tubes which connect the testicles to the prostate, are cut and closed. This prevents sperm produced in the testicles to enter the ejaculated semen (which is mostly produced in the seminal vesicles and prostate). Although the term vasectomy is established in the general community, the correct medical terminology is deferentectomy, since the structure known as the vas deferens has been renamed the ductus deferens.

For females:

l Tubal ligation. This procedure is also known popularly as "having one's tubes tied". The Fallopian tubes, which allow the sperm to fertilize the ovum and carry the fertilized ovum to the uterus, are closed. This procedure generally involves a general anaesthetic and a laparotomy or laparoscopic approach to cut, clip or cauterize the fallopian tubes. A less commonly used approach is the Essure office procedure of inducing scarring and occlusion of the tubes by the effects of micro-inserts placed by a catheter passed through the cervix and uterus.

l Hysterectomy. In this procedure, the uterus is surgically removed, permanently preventing pregnancy and some diseases, such as uterine cancer.

As sterilization is a permanent method of contraception, reversing its effects is impossible. However, there have been rare cases where the effects have been reversed, and the ability to bear child or to procreate is restored.

Pros and cons

The good thing about sterilization is that you are no longer required to take do anything before, during, or after sexual intercourse. The effects of this method is immediate. Vasectomy does not affect a man's ability to gain an erection. Nor does tubal ligation affect a woman's hormone production.

This procedure is not suggested to people who are young and may have plans of having a child in the future as there is no guaranteed success in reversing the effects of this birth control method.

On the down side, this contraceptive method will not protect you from any sexually transmitted disease. And because the procedures will require surgery, it may take a few days of recuperation before one can engage in sexual activities again. Also, because this method requires surgery, one is succeptible to surgery related risks like infections. Because this procedure is non-reversible, people who change their minds after having the operation done will have to live with the regret of not being to create life ever.

Permanently stopping one's ability to create a life is a heavy decision to make. It should never be done on impulse or just because you're being pressured to do so. It is best to think it over well before making a choice.

How to go on when the going gets rough

There has never been a more opportune time to follow your heart and realize your dreams. However getting to the pot of gold is not always easy. It takes dedication, commitment and the willingness to do whatever it takes.

So how do you go on when the going gets tough. When you have dug and toiled, day after day, week after week, and you experience all kinds of disappointments and frustrations.

When you have used the best scientific data, indicating the best locations to dig and are still not finding the rich deposit, which you know is there somewhere. Or when you have developed the best looking website, developed the best product and what you think is the best sales copy, and you still fail to make the sales that you know should follow?

Do you say it is not working and give up, like the gold prospector in Napoleon Hill's classic "think and grow rich", who stopped just 3 feet from his pot of gold?

What do you do when everything you know, doesn't seem to work?

The best thing to do is to take time out and become still. Yes, stop toiling for a while and make some quiet time, because it's no use just hammering away if you are hitting at the wrong place.

The quiet time will help you reflect on what you have done so far and gain some new perspective. Take a book that has inspired you countless times or the Bible and read.

Don't put pressure on yourself trying to find an answer, just let yourself go, any whichever way and the answers will come.

Take a piece of paper and just write. What about? Anything really. You can write about the confusion you feel.

Talk to yourself, not negative stuff that will make you feel worse then you already do, but tell yourself that you are getting the answers you are looking for. Don't talk as someone who is without hope but talk like someone who knows it's only a matter of time.

Most importantly though, listen to yourself, and then try again using some of the new insights you have gained from your inner person, your subconscious.

Sometimes, you're at the right place, you just need to go 3 feet further down or 3 feet to the left, or right. Or sometimes the time just isn't right and you just need to wait a little while longer.

But these are things no scientific data will ever tell you. This is something which comes from inside you, your subconscious mind which knows everything.

That is why it is important to take time out and listen, because if you don't you may just miss the key you need and waste an awful lot of time and money.

Here's something else you can do. Every time you feel discouraged or a little afraid, go and read about your icons or heroes. How they started out. How they felt, when they were still at the bottom, the things they said and did when it really got rough, and be inspired. If possible try and trace a childhood friend of your heroes and talk to them.

In his classic, "Think and Grow Rich" Napoleon Hill describes how his subjects held imaginary conversations with great men who went before them. The result was that afterwards they became more inspired.

Imagine having an intimate, one on one conversation with Bill Gates or Henry Ford, and asking them all the questions you've always wanted to ask them.

It would be awesome wouldn't it. When you come out of there you will be so focused on your goal that nothing anybody say will discourage you.

Something else you should do is to continuously remind yourself that everybody who is now successful, was once at the very place where you are now. The important thing is that they didn't remain there.

If you are serious about attaining your goals you will also not remain there. But remember, it requires commitment and dedication even through the tough times.

Oh, how sweet it is to hold that prize after all the struggling. That's when you realize all the trials and tribulations were worth it. But you will never savor that experience, you will never know how good it feels when you give up.

Social validation sells

For the most part, we are all conformists. We will do what the crowd does. We might not like to admit that, but it is true. Only 5 to 10 percent of the population engages in behavior contrary to the social norm.

We see this law operating in groups, in organizations, in meetings, and in day-to-day public life. In all of these circumstances, there is a certain standard or norm. In churches, the moral code determines the standard behavior acceptable for the group. In organizations, the bylaws and years of tradition establish a standard operating procedure. Because we want to fit into these groups and maintain our membership with them, we conform our actions to the norm.

We seek to find out what others are doing as a way of validating our own actions. This method is how we decide what constitutes "correct" behavior. We see the behavior as more correct when we see others doing it. The more people do it, the more correct it becomes. Professor Kirk Hansen of the Stanford Business School demonstrated this when he boosted downloads for best-selling files on the Web by downloading those files over and over himself so the counter was artificially high. He and his team then observed that these boosted downloaded files were downloaded even more frequently. The high number on the counter indicated popularity, and people were most interested in downloading the files that were already ranked the highest. Whether the question is what to do with an empty can of soda at the park, how fast to drive in the city, or how to eat the soup at a restaurant, the validation of others give us our answers and therefore guides our actions.

We feel validation when we see others do what we want to do. We learned early in life that we make fewer mistakes when we follow the social norm. There are two types of norms: explicit and implicit. Explicit norms are openly spoken or written. For example, road signs, employee manuals, or game rules are all examples of explicit norms. Implicit norms are not usually stated openly. For example, you usually don't have to be directed to say hello or to smile when you see someone, but you do it anyway. Or, somehow you know better than to put your feet up on the dinner table when you're a guest in someone's home, even though your host most likely will not request that you refrain from doing so.

If we don't know the norm, we look around and find it. The Law of Social Validation becomes a way to save time and energy in figuring out what is correct. We use others' behavior to guide our own actions, to validate what we should or should not do. We don't always have to look at the positive and the negative in every situation. This automatic trigger saves us from thinking. We compare what we do against the standard of what everyone else is doing. If we find a discrepancy between what we observe and what we do, we tend to make changes in the direction of the social norm.

Social validation compels us to change our behaviors, our attitudes, and our actions, even when what we observe doesn't really match our true feelings, style, and thoughts. We go against our better judgment because we want to be liked, accepted, and found in agreement with everyone else. When we are part of a crowd, we "no longer feel individually responsible for our emotions or actions. We can allow ourselves to shout, sing, cry, or strike without temperament imposed by personal accountability."

We seek out social norms to help us know what we should be feeling or doing. For the most part, this is not a conscious process. We subconsciously accept many ways of behaving that are determined by our surroundings and the actions of others, such as raising our hands to speak in class, tipping in a restaurant, or how we behave at a concert. When we become part of a group, our once divergent emotions and feelings tend to converge.

When we find ourselves in a foreign situation where we feel awkward or unsure of how to act, we look for those social cues that will dictate our behavior. This could be at a party, during freshman orientation, or even while attending a family gathering. When the social information we are seeking is at all ambiguous, we don't know how to respond and thus continue seeking out social clues. Imagine if you were sitting in the movie theater enjoying your show when somebody shouted, "FIRE!" Do you think you would jump up and run for it? Well, if everyone else did, you would, too. If everyone remained seated, you would remain seated also.