Raw Food Diet

Have you started hearing about the Raw Food Diet? It’s gaining popularity and buzz, not just as a diet to lose weight, but a diet for a long and healthy life. We eat so much in the way of processed food that we don’t even stop to think about what we’re putting into our bodies, and how far we’ve come nutritionally from our ancestral, agrarian roots.

A raw food diet means consuming food in its natural, unprocessed form. There are several common-sense rationales for why this is a good idea. Processing and cooking food can take so much of the basic nutritional value away. Think of some of the conventional wisdom you’ve heard about for years, such as: If you cook pasta just to the al dente (or medium) stage, it will have more calories, yes, but it will have more the nutritional value in it than if you cooked it to a well-done stage. Or you probably remember hearing not to peel carrots or potatoes too deeply, because most of the nutrients and values are just under the surface.

intan

BANJAR - Temuan intan jenis jambun hampir 200 karat di Desa Antaruku, Pengaron, Banjar, tidak urung menarik perhatian pengusaha asal Martapura, Banjar, Abdurrahman Midi atau akrab dipanggil Aman Jagau. Ia menyatakan minatnya untuk membeli intan yang ditemukan di areal pendulangan Desa Antaraku, Pengaron Banjar. Dihubungi Metro Banjar via ponselnya, Selasa (8/1) siang, Aman Jagau mengaku dirinya telah mengadakan kontak dengan Pambakal Antaraku, Israniansyah alias Isra (50).Dia menyatakan pula minatnya untuk membeli intan yang beratnya hampir mendekati 200 karat itu. 

“Benar, saya memang berminat membeli intan temuan itu. Kalau dari berita, besarnya 199 karat. Itu mungkin terbesar. Itulah yang menyebabkan saya tertarik untuk membelinya,” ujar Aman Jagau penuh semangat di ujung telepon.

Metro Banjar menyinggung, dengan dimiliki intan ini bisa memperlancar usaha, ia menyatakan tidak mempercayai keterkaitan itu. “Ya tidak seperti itu. Tidak ada kaitannya antara memiliki intan dengan kelancaran usaha,” ucapnya disusul derai tawa.

Menyinggung tentang harga penawaran yang diajukan, Aman Jagau masih belum tahu nanti hendak menawar berapa. “Saya belum lihat intannya. Nanti setelah saya melihat barangnya, baru saya menawarnya,” cetusnya.

Andaikan intan itu akhirnya bisa dibeli, ia mengungkapkan,
jika mendapatkan intan itu masih dalam kondisi mentah, akan dibawa ke Thailand untuk diolah. “Setahu saya, Thailand bagus untuk mengolah intan dan saya punya banyak teman di sana,” ujarnya.

Disinggung apa yang dilakukan terhadap intan itu setelah diolah, suami penyanyi dangdut Cucu Cahyati ini, menyatakan, jika nantinya intan itu laku dijual dengan harga lebih tinggi, ia akan menjualnya.

“Kalau memang harganya lebih tinggi, saya jual keluar negeri. Di Amerika maupun Afrika banyak yang berminat dengan intan. Kalau dijual tidak menguntungkan, ya buat koleksi pribadi saja,” ungkap Aman yang mengaku belum mengetahui banyak hal tentang perintanan, seraya menambahkan ada memiliki koleksi tapi tak menyebutkan jumlahnya.

Disinggung pula kemungkinan tertarik pada usaha yang terkait dengan intan, ia buru-buru menyatakan tidak. “Belum ada, belum ada,” singkatnya, yang sebelum menutup pembicaraan, memberitahu kalau dirinya akan ada acara.

7 Ways to Repurpose Your Blog Posts

Do you've a WordPress Blog and are not repurposing your posts? If so, you are missing out on a lot of great stuff.

Here are 7 Ways to Repurpose Your Blog Posts

1. Tweet Your Posts - It's All Automatic - you are able to set up your WordPress Blog to automatically repurpose your brand new blog posts onto Twitter. Just install the WordPress plugin, TwitterTools. While your blog post is publishing, it will automatically show up on Twitter with nothing for you to remember or do.

2. Do a Teleseminar - Use the content from a blog post to act a free Teleseminar. What a great way to use the content you've already written. AND - if you've already done a teleseminar, write one or more blog posts about it.

3. Write an Article - While an article is generally longer than a blog post, your post is the skeleton for your article. Add to your post and you've an article!

4. Create an E-Course - Take several posts and create a free e-course from them. What a great idea for your 'give-away' for your optin!

5. Create an E-Book - Take those same posts and create an e-book. Are you just 'duplicating' your content? Don't mention it. People prefer to consume information in different ways. You are simply providing those ways.

6. Write a Book - If your blog back-number around for awhile and is very targeted, you have your book basically written!

7. Create a video and put it on YouTube. There are free programs that will allow you to record your screen. Explain your post with your voice and show how disruption whatever your 'how to' post talks about. Just another way for people to consume your content!

The Fastest Way to Become an eBay PowerSeller

Thanks for purchasing this e-book! You're probably reading this because you want
learn how to quickly become successful selling products and making money on eBay
become an eBay PowerSeller. eBay members who are PowerSellers have a combination of high sales volume, at least 98% positive feedback, and at the least $1000 a month
income. What you will learn about in the following pages is the secret that almost every successful eBay entrepreneur has used to make consistent income selling products
eBay –the eBay Store. What is an eBay store? Simply put, when you sign up for
eBay store, eBay creates a personal internet site just for you to sell your items. eBay handles all the logistics, accounting, and sales. You simply need to list your items. And the
part is eBay supplies all the traffic! Millions of unique visitors use eBay’s built in search engine to look for what they want to buy. If you have something people want, you
assured that you'll have a constant stream of people visiting your eBay store looking for what you have to sell. In other words, eBay will deliver a school a hungry
directly to your doorstep. The added bonus is that once you have an eBay store,
listing fee is only 2 cents per item, AND you can list items for 30 days! I never realized the value or the genius in having an eBay store until I opened a store myself. Once
the eBay store open, I was able to get over 200 regenerations in two weeks!

30 Second Branding Instructions.

30 Second Branding Instructions.
This eBook has been designed to be branded with minimum effort
and to generate maximum earnings. Over 90% of the links within
this eBook will generate you a very very generous affiliate income.
Simply follow the instructions below to brand your eBook in under
30 seconds
If you don’t want to go through this process simply leave
this blank. However, I would highly recommend you add
your affiliate ID here as this will generate 50% of any One
Time Offer sales sold to anyone who registers for updates.

THE CUSTOM -- HOUSE

INTRODUCTORY TO "THE SCARLET LETTER"
 
  It is a little remarkable, that -- though disinclined to talk
overmuch of myself and my affairs at the fireside, and to my
personal friends -- an autobiographical impulse should twice in
my life have taken possession of me, in addressing the public. 
The first time was three or four years since, when I favoured the
reader -- inexcusably, and for no earthly reason that either the
indulgent reader or the intrusive author could imagine -- with a
description of my way of life in the deep quietude of an Old
Manse. And now -- because, beyond my deserts, I was happy enough
to find a listener or two on the former occasion -- I again seize
the public by the button, and talk of my three years' experience
in a Custom-House. The example of the famous "P. P. , Clerk of
this Parish," was never more faithfully followed. The truth
seems to be, however, that when he casts his leaves forth upon
the wind, the author addresses, not the many who will fling aside
his volume, or never take it up, but the few who will understand
him better than most of his schoolmates or lifemates. Some
authors, indeed, do far more than this, and indulge themselves in
such confidential depths of revelation as could fittingly be
addressed only and exclusively to the one heart and

Fairy Bread

Come up here, O dusty feet!
  Here is fairy bread to eat.
Here in my retiring room,
Children, you may dine
On the golden smell of broom
  And the shade of pine;
And when you have eaten well,
Fairy stories hear and tell.

Bed in Summer

In winter I get up at night
And dress by yellow candle-light.
In summer quite the other way,
I have to go to bed by day.

I have to go to bed and see
The birds still hopping on the tree,
Or hear the grown-up people's feet
Still going past me in the street.

And does it not seem hard to you,
When all the sky is clear and blue,
And I should like so much to play,
To have to go to bed by day?

HOW TO GET DOLLARS IN YOUR MAILBOX THRU MAIL ORDER

There are a wide variety of ways that you can get dollars in your mailbox 
through mail order. In fact, there are so many this report doesn't even begin 
to have room to list them all. However, we will attempt to help you to get 
started in the fascinating business of mail order. It isn't difficult at all 
if you learn to take it slow. Save your money! It won't cost you a lot 
initially and you'll be amazed at how easy it is to generate a second income 
quickly.

A word of caution though: People everywhere are in constant need of 
information. And they'll pay you money to get it. The only problem is that 
some mail order reports you see advertised have been on the market for over 
40 years. Everybody, including their mother and cousin has seen these 1,000's 
of times and already know what they are.

As a beginner to the mail order world, you naturally have never seen these 
old reports and think they are something brand new. The publisher will sell 
you a package of them with reprint rights and never give you information 
about promoting them to make money. Therefore, before you get involved in any 
programs that claim to make you lots of money be sure and check them out.  
Don't fall into the same trap everybody else does that begins a mail order 
business. Instead, discover the vast array of products and services being 
offered by millions of reputable and down-to-earth folks!

How do you do this? By writing to some of the honest mail order dealers who 
have been in business for a long time. One of these people is Gloria Rivers, 
5308 NE 49th Street, Vancouver WA 98661 and another is Gary Davis, PO Box 80, 
Foyil OK 74031. Both of these reputable people will help steer you in the 
right direction.

In the meantime _ back to the subject. How can you get dollars in your 
mailbox through mail order? Just follow the steps below:

1. If you have never read a mail order publication of any kind, write to 
  Gloria or Gary (above) and ask them to send you a "Big Mail" filled with 
  tabloids, adsheets and other publications. Be sure to enclose $1 or 
  4 first-class postage stamps to pay for the postage to mail the package 
  back to you.

2. Go through the publications you receive and study the advertisements 
  that other people are running.

3. When you find something that interests you, order the product or request 
  more information. Don't spend a lot of your hard-earned money until you 
  know what is involved in selling the particular item you have selected.

4. Some programs will give you free camera-ready ads (just like the ones you 
  read in the mail order publications) that have your name and address 
  already on them if you decide to sell the product or service they offer.

5. All that's left to do is to run the camera-ready ads with your name and 
  address on them in other mail order publications. (You can receive a collection of these over a period of a few weeks simply by writing 
  letters to publishers who are advertising in the same publications 
  Gloria and Gary send you.) You'll be surprised how much valuable 
  information and contacts you can get just from studying the tabloids 
  and publications _ which are free.

6. When people respond to your ad they will send you money.
7. You either fill the order yourself or send it to the "prime source" 
  to complete. Then you simply pocket your commission.

The mail order business is a fascinating business that anyone can get 
involved in. In fact, once you are exposed to the products and services 
you can purchase through the mail, you will never go back to paying retail 
prices again. You can buy everything from groceries to shampoo to printing 
to publishing services through the mail. And the prices are always 50% 
(most even 80%) less than you would pay locally.

The Labourer and the Nightingale

A Labourer lay listening to a Nightingale's song throughout
the summer night. So pleased was he with it that the next night
he set a trap for it and captured it. "Now that I have caught
thee," he cried, "thou shalt always sing to me."

"We Nightingales never sing in a cage." said the bird.

"Then I'll eat thee." said the Labourer. "I have always heard
say that a nightingale on toast is dainty morsel."

"Nay, kill me not," said the Nightingale; "but let me free,
and I'll tell thee three things far better worth than my poor
body." The Labourer let him loose, and he flew up to a branch of
a tree and said: "Never believe a captive's promise; that's one
thing. Then again: Keep what you have. And third piece of advice
is: Sorrow not over what is lost forever." Then the song-bird
flew away.

The Dog and the Shadow

  It happened that a Dog had got a piece of meat and was
carrying it home in his mouth to eat it in peace. Now on his way
home he had to cross a plank lying across a running brook. As he
crossed, he looked down and saw his own shadow reflected in the
water beneath. Thinking it was another dog with another piece of
meat, he made up his mind to have that also. So he made a snap at
the shadow in the water, but as he opened his mouth the piece of
meat fell out, dropped into the water and was never seen more.

Beware lest you lose the substance by grasping at the shadow.

HOW SMALL BUSINESSES AFFECT OUR ECONOMY

Very few of us are aware of the contribution small businesses make to the 
American economy. According to the Small Business Administration, in 1988, 
the United States had approximately 19 million businesses. Of those, 15.7 
million were operated as sole proprietorships _ the businesses that 
traditionally train the work force by employing young people in their first 
jobs and women returning to the work force in local or part-time jobs. 

Of the remaining 3.3 million corporations and partnerships, a full 99.8% 
employ fewer than 500 people and are classified as small businesses for 
Small Business Administration programs. And of the 10.5 million jobs created 
in the private sector between 1980 and 1986, 6.6 million (or 63.5%) were 
created by small business!

Since people who own and operate their own business take "pride" in their 
work, it is common for their quality and efficiency to bemuch higher. In 
many cases small businesses are known for providing their customers 
personalized and customized, high-quality products and services.

Just compare a "temp help" in a big company with an independent home-business 
owner. If a temporary is hired for 40 hours per week, he or she may not give 
the customer-company 40 hours in production. Part of those 40 hours is spent 
on orientation, gathering office supplies, getting the computer turned on and 
paper loaded, etc.) This breaks down the actual time spent working and 
producing for the company to about 25 hours, with 15 hours lost per week 
through no fault of your (or their) own.

However, the home worker different. The home worker will charge for time 
actually spent on the job. If you produce 10 pages of text at a price of 
$4 per page, you would charge $40 for the completed job. The company does 
not pay you per hour, but for the amount of work you complete. This saves 
the company money _ and we mean BIG money. Now all you have to do is convince 
the larger companies of this concept and your business at home will flourish!

There is only one drawback to being in a small business. People do not take 
you seriously at first. Companies will try and take advantage of you when 
you are not established. Why? Because they know you need the business and 
they want to continue receiving "something for nothing."

Human nature continues to strike me with awe. If I could purchase a 
higher-quality product from a small business for $15, why would I go to 
the mall and purchase a lower-quality version for $60? There are many small 
businesses that design crafts that could never be purchased in a store. 
These crafts show human pride and quality that could never be mass produced. 
But why do people continue paying for lower quality at a higher price? Is it 
the money-back guarantee? I don't think so because the toys you purchase at 
premium rates around Christmas time normally break and are destroyed by 
December 26. Do you return them? Most people don't, so what good is a 
money-back guarantee?

And wouldn't a hand-crafted product withstand more abuse than it's 
store-bought counterpart? So what if you have to make your purchase at 
someone's place of residence? Don't they offer a money-back guarantee also 
and wouldn't they be easier to locate if you did want a refund? Wouldn't all 
this be much more personable than a mall with 1,000's of screaming people 
fighting you to the next Blue Light special?

With this same type of human nature involved, larger businesses will try and 
take advantage of smaller companies. Why? To tell you the truth, I really 
don't know. If I had to pay $80 per hour to have my computer serviced by IBM, 
but I knew a small business owner could do the same job for $25 per hour,  
I'd be more than happy to pay the small business their $25.

ADULT BOOK & VIDEO CLUB

For Mature Audiences Only

It is not the intention of this publication to proliferate or encourage 
sexually oriented merchandise. However, as an observer of entrepreneurial 
activities, this medium would be naive and pretentious to ignore a 
profitable, legal business that could possibly be of interesdt to others.
  
The concept is plain and simple. Renting video tapes is profitable business.  
Renting adult videos is even more profitable.
Most adults will watch x-rated tapes only occasionally. This attitude does 
not warrant them to purchase video tapes. They would rather pay a premium 
to rent the tapes that they want.

  BUY WHOLESALE Sources for adult videos include local distributors, 
  used tape distributors, and catalog houses.
  The average adult video costs $40. In volume, you can buy them 
  wholesale for around $15 each.

  RENTAL REVENUES Since adult videos are not sensitive to release 
  schedules, they do not get dated in the same manner as theatrical 
  films. As a result, adult videos generally enjoy a longer shelf 
  life.

Because of this, it can be rented more often and over a longer period of 
time. Where the average video can be rented approximately 40 times over a 
period of 12 months, adult videos can extend well in to 50 or 60 times.

If you rent your videos even at $2 each, you can expect rental revenues of 
around $100 per tape per year.


If you purchased the video for $15, you have just multiplied your investment 
4 times. Furthermore, you can offer your year-old tapes for sale for around 
$12 each. (Note that selling adult videos across state lines is a Federal 
offense. Ifd you want to sell tapes, sell them to your members in your 
local area. Likewise, you should check your local zoning regulations 
regarding this business.)

information every business plan

This is a logical organization of the information every business plan should cover. I'll explain each of these chapter titles in greater detail, but first, let me elaborate upon the reasons for proper organization of your business plan.

 Having a set of "questions to answer" about your business forces you to take an objective and critical look at your ideas. Putting it all down on paper allows you to change, erase and refine everything to function in the manner of a smoothly oiled machine. You'll be able to spot weaknesses and strengthen them before they develop into major problems. Overall, you'll be developing an operating manual for your business - a valuable tool which will keep your business on track, and guide you in the profitable management of your business.

 Because it's your idea, and your business, it's very important that YOU do the planning. This is YOUR business plan, so YOU develop it, and put it all down on paper just the way YOU want it to read. Seek out the advice of other people; talk with, listen
to, and observe, other people running similar businesses; enlist the advice of your accountant and attorney - but at the bottom line, don't ever forget that it has to be YOUR BUSINESS PLAN!

 Remember too, that statistics show the greatest causes of business failure to be poor management and lack of planning - without a plan by which to operate, no one can manage; and without a direction in which to aim its efforts, no business can attain any real success.

 On the very first page, which is the title page, put down the name of your business - ABC ACTION - with your business address underneath. Now, skip a couple of lines, and write in all capital letters: PRINCIPAL OWNER - followed by your name if you're the principal owner. On your finished report, you would want to center this information on the page, with the words "principal owner" offset to the left about five spaces.

Example: ABC ACTION
1234 SW 5th Ave. Anywhere, USA 00000


PRINCIPAL OWNER: Your Name

 That's all you'll have on that page, except the page number...
-1-

 Following your title page is the page for your statement of purpose. This should be a simple statement of your primary business function, such as: We are a service business engaged in the business of selling business success manuals and other information by mail.

 The title of the page should be in all capital letters across the top of the page, centered on your final draft - skip a few lines and write the statement of purpose. This should be direct, clear and short - never more than two (2) sentences in length.

 Then you should skip a few lines, and from the left hand margin of the paper, write out a subheading in all capital letters, such as: EXPLANATION OF PURPOSE.  
  From, and within this subheading, you can briefly explain your statement of purpose, such as: Our surveys have found most entrepreneurs to be "sadly" lacking in basic information that will enable them to achieve success. This market is estimated at more than 100 million persons, with at least half of these people actively "searching" for sources that provide the kind of information they want, and need.

 With our business, advertising and publishing experience, it is our goal to capture at least half of this market of information seekers, with our publication, MONEY MAKING MAGIC! Our market research indicates we can achieve this goal, and realize a profit of $1,000,000 per year within the next 5 years...

 The above example is generally the way you should write your "explanation of purpose," and in subtle definition, why you need such an explanation. Point to remember: Keep it short. Very few business purpose explanations are justifiably more than a half page long.

 Next comes your table of contents page. Don't really worry about this one until you've got the entire plan completed and ready for final typing. It's a good idea though, to list the subjects (chapter titles) as I have, and then check off each one as you complete that part of your plan. By having a list of the points you want to cover, you'll also be able to skip around and work on each phase of your business plan as the idea or the interest in organizing that particular phase, stimulates you. In other words, you won't have to make your thinking or your planning conform to the chronological order of the "chapters" of your business plan - another reason for the loose leaf notebook...

 In describing your business, it's best to begin where your statement of purpose leaves off. Describe your product, the production process, who has responsibility for what, and most importantly, what makes you product or service unique - what gives it an edge in your market. You can briefly summarize your business beginnings, present position and potential for future success, as well.

 Next, describe the buyers you're trying to reach - why they need and want or will buy your product - and the results of any tests or surveys you may have conducted. Once you've defined your market, go on to explain how you intend to reach that market - how
you'll alert these prospects to your product or service and induce them to buy. You might want to break this chapter down into sections such as... publicity and promotions, advertising plans, direct sales force, and dealer/distributor programs. Each sect ion would then be an outline of your plans and policies.

 Moving into the chapter on competition, identify who your competitors are their weaknesses and strong points - explain how you intend to capitalize on those weaknesses and match or better the strong points. Talk to as many of your "indirect" competitors as possible - those operating in different cities and states.

 One of the easiest ways of gathering a lot of useful information about your competitors is by developing a series of survey questions and sending these questionnaires out to each of them. Later on, you might want to compile the answers to these questionnaires into some form of directory or report on this type of business.

 It's also advisable to contact the trade associations and publications serving your proposed type of, business. For information on trade associations and specific trade publications, visit your public library, and after explaining what you want, ask for the librarian's help.

 The chapter on management should be an elaboration on the people operating the business. Those people that actually run the business - their job titles, duties, responsibilities and backfilled resume's. It's important that you "paint" a strong picture of your top management people because the people coming to work for you or investing in your business, will be "investing in these people" as much as your product ideas. Individual tenacity, mature judgement under fire, and innovative problem-solving have "won over" more people than all the AAA Credit Ratings and astronomical sales figures put together.

 People becoming involved with any new venture want to know that the person in charge - the guy running the business knows what he's doing, will not lose his cool when problems arise, and has what it takes to make money for all of them. After showing the "muscle" of this person, go on to outline the other key positions within your business; who the persons are you've selected to handle those jobs and the sources as well as availability of any other help you might need.

 If you've been in business on any kind of scale, the next chapter is a picture of your financial status - a review of your operating costs and income from the business to date. Generally, this is a listing of your profit & loss statements for the past six months, plus copies of your business income tax: records for each of the previous three years the business has been an entity.

 The chapter on the explanation of your plans for the future growth of your business is just that - an explanation of how you plan to keep your business growing - a detailed guide of what you're going to do, and how you're going to increase your profits.
These plans should show your goals for the coming year, two years, and three years. By breaking your objectives down into annual milestones, your plans will be accepted as more realistic and, be more understandable as a part of your ultimate success.

 Following this explanation, you'll need to itemize the projected cost and income figures of your three year plan. It'll take a lot of research, and undoubtedly a good deal of erasing, but it's very important that you list these figures based upon thorough investigation. You may have to adjust some of your plans downward, but once you've got these two chapters on paper, your whole business plan will fall into line and begin to make sense. You'll have a precise "map" of where you're headed, how much it's going to cost, when you can expect to start making money, and how much.

 Now that you know where you're going, how much it's going to cost and how long it's going to be before you begin to recoup your investment, you're ready to talk about how and where you're going to get the money to finance your journey. Unless you're independently wealthy, you'll want to use this chapter to list the possibilities and alternatives.

 Make a list of friends you can approach, and perhaps induce to put up some money as silent partners. Make a list of those people you might be able to sell as stockholders in your company - in many cases you can sell up to $300,000 worth of stock on a "private issue" basis without filing papers with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Check with a corporate or tax attorney in your area for more details. Make a list of relatives and
friends that might help you with an outright loan to furnish money for the development of your business.

 Then search out and make a list of venture capital organizations. Visit the Small Business Administration office in your area - pick up the loan application papers they have - read them, study them, and even fill them out on a preliminary basis - and finally, check the costs, determine which business publications would be best to advertise in, if you were to advertise for a partner or investor, and write an ad you'd want to use if you did decide to advertise for monetary help.

 With a listing of all the options available to your needs, all that's left is the arranging of these options in the order you would want to use them when the time comes to ask for money. When you're researching these money sources, you'll save time by noting the "contact" to deal with when you want money, and whenever possible, by developing a working relationship with these people.

 In your documentation section, you should have a credit report on yourself. Use the yellow pages or check at the credit department in your bank for the nearest credit reporting office. When, you get your credit report, look it over ant take whatever steps are necessary to eliminate any negative comments. Once these have been taken care of, ask for a revised copy of your report and include a copy of that in your business plan.

 If you own any patents or copyrights, include copies of these. Any licenses to use someone else's patent or copyright should also be included. If you own the distribution, wholesale or exclusive sales rights to a product, include copies of this documentation. You should also include copies of any leases, special agreements or other legal papers that might be pertinent to your business.

 In conclusion, write out a brief, overall summary of your business - when the business was started, the purpose of the business, what makes your business different, how you're going to gain a profitable share of the market, and your expected success during the coming 5-years...

 The last page of your business plan is a "courtesy page" listing the names, addresses and phone numbers of personal and business references - persons who have known you closely for the past five years or longer - and companies or firms you've had business or credit dealings with during the past five years.

 And, that's it - your complete business plan. Before you send it out for formal typing, read it over once a day for a week or ten days. Take care of any changes or corrections, and then have it reviewed by an attorney and then, an accountant. It would also be a good idea to have it reviewed by a business consultant serving the business community to which your business will be related. After these reviews, and any last-minute changes you want to make, it'll be ready for formal typing.

 Hire a professional typist to type the entire plan on ordinary white bond paper. Make sure you proofread it against the original. Check for and correct any typographical errors then one more time - read it through for clarity and the perfection you want of it.

 Now you're ready to have it printed and published for whatever use you have planned for it - distribution amongst your partners or stockholders, as the business plan for putting together a winning financial proposal, or as a business operating manual.

 Take it to a quality printed in your area, and have three copies printed. Don't settle for photocopying... Have it printed! Photocopying leaves a slight film on the paper, and will detract from the overall professionalism of your business plan, when presented to someone you're trying to impress. So, after going to all this work to put it together properly, go all the way and have it duplicated properly.

 Next, stop by a stationery store, variety store or even a dimestore, and pick up an ordinary, inexpensive bind-in theme cover for each copy of your business plan. Have the holes punched in the pages of your business report to fit these binders and then slip each copy into a binder of its own.

 Now you can relax, take a break ant feel good about yourself... You have a complete and detailed business plan with which to operate a successful business of your own... A plan you can use as a basis for any financing proposal you may want to submit... And a precise road-map for the attainment of real success...

 Congratulations

raising money for a business

The task of raising money for a business is not as difficult as most people seem to think. This is especially true when you have an idea that can make you and your backers rich. Actually, there's more money available for new business ventures than there are good business ideas.

 A very important rule of the game to learn: Anytime you want to raise money, your first move should be to put together a proper prospectus.

 This prospectus should include a resume of your background, your education, training, experience and any other personal qualities that might be counted as an asset to your potential success. It's also a good idea to list the various loans you've had in the past, what they were for, and your history in paying them off.

 You'll have to explain in detail how the money you want is going to be used. If it's for an existing business, you'll need a profit and loss record for at least the preceding six months, and a plan showing how this additional money will produce greater profits. If it's a new business, you'll have to show your proposed business plan, your marketing research and projected costs, as well as anticipated income figures, with a summary for each year, over at least a three year period.

 It'll be advantageous to you to base your cost estimates high, and your income projections on minimal returns. This will enable you to "ride thru" those extreme "ups and downs" inherent in any beginning business. You should also describe what makes your
business unique - how it differs from your competition, and the opportunities for expansion or secondary products.

 This prospectus will have to state precisely what you're offering the investor in return for the use of his money. He'll want to know the percentage of interest you're willing to pay, and whether monthly, quarterly or on an annual basis. Are you offering a certain percentage of the profits? A percentage of the business? A seat on your board of directors?

 An investor uses his money to make more money. He wants to make as much as he can, regardless whether it's a short term or long term deal. In order to attract him, interest him, and persuade him to "put up" the money you need, you'll not only have to offer him an opportunity for big profits, but you'll have to spell it out in detail, and further, back up your claims with proof from your marketing research.

 Venture investors are usually quite familiar with "high risk" proposals, yet they all want to minimize that risk as much as possible. Therefore, your prospectus should include a listing of your business and personal assets with documentation - usually copies of your tax returns for the past three years or more. Your prospective investor may not know anything about you or your business, but if he wants to know, he can pick up his telephone and know everything there is to know within 24 hours. The point here is, don't ever try to "con" a potential investor. Be honest with him. Lay all the facts on the table for him. In most cases, if you've got a good idea and you've done your homework properly, an "interested investor" will understand your position and offer more help than you dared to ask.

 When you have your prospectus prepared, know how much money you want, exactly how it will be used, and how you intend to repay it, you're ready to start looking for investors.

 As simple as it seems, one of the easiest ways of raising money is by advertising in a newspaper or a national publication featuring such ads. Your ad should state the amount of money you want - always ask for more money than you need so you have room
for negotiating. Your ad should also state the type of business involved (to separate the curious from the truly interested), and the kind of return you're promising on the investment.

 Take a page from the party plan merchandisers. Set up a party and invite your friends over. Explain your business plan, the profit potentials, and how much you need. Give them each a copy of your prospectus and ask that they pledge a thousand dollars as
a non-participating partner in your business. Check with the current tax regulations. You may be allowed up to 25 partners in Sub Chapter 5 enterprises, opening the door for anyone to gather a group of friends around himself with something to offer them in return for their assistance in capitalizing his business.

 You can also issue and sell up to $300,000 worth of stock in your company with out going through the Federal Trade Commission. You'll need the help of an attorney to do this, however, and of course a good tax accountant as well wouldn't hurt.

 It's always a good idea to have an attorney and an accountant help you make up your business prospectus. As you explain your plan to them, and ask for their advice, casually ask them if they'd mind letting you know of, or steer your way any potential investors they might happen to meet. Do the same with your banker. Give him a copy of your prospectus and ask him if he'd look it over and offer any suggestions for improving it, and of course, let you know of any potential investors. In either case, it's always a good idea to let them know you're willing to pay a "finder's fee" if you can be directed to the right investor.

Olive Garden House Dressing

Olive Garden House Dressing.

8 ounces Paul Newman's Vinegar

and Oil Dressing

1 clove garlic,

peeled and minced

1/2 teaspoon Dried basil

1/2 teaspoon Dried oregano

3 packages Sweet and Low ; ; or

1 tablespoon Sugar

Put ingredients into the bottle of dressing and shake well.

Refrigerate 24 hours before using.

Naruto

Naruto

With the announcement that actors have been cast, news of the Naruto live action show has spread rapidly.The show, which will combine live stage with video to give a "seamless transition" from stage to screen, premiers on July 18th and will feature "dynamic action sequences". The show will run daily from the premier date through to August 31st with 40 shows playing altogether.There will be four collectible fans to get your hands on when you order your tickets from the USJ website, and there will also be popcorn packets with original Naruto illustrations.So how well will the cast of the show portray their characters. They would certainly have similarities as far as looks are concerned, but it's unlikely that they would have any striking similarities as anime tends to exaggerate features. One commenter remarked "Well, its not like it's easy to find a 50 year old with huge boobs."Though the thought of seeing this show is exiting, one can't help but wonder whether this is merely a stepping stone for Universal Studios to bring a live action Naruto movie to the big screen. It's possible that this is simply an attraction to bring visitors to their theme park, but when you're dealing with money hungry movie companies it's hard to believe they are not considering something more.Putting on this show would present them with a perfect opportunity to research the fans interest in seeing a live action film by observing how well tickets sell and also how the audience react to the show - do they like it despite the limitations of live action as opposed to animation?With the announcement that actors have been cast, news of the Naruto live action show has spread rapidly.The show, which will combine live stage with video to give a "seamless transition" from stage to screen, premiers on July 18th and will feature "dynamic action sequences". The show will run daily from the premier date through to August 31st with 40 shows playing altogether.There will be four collectible fans to get your hands on when you order your tickets from the USJ website, and there will also be popcorn packets with original Naruto illustrations.So how well will the cast of the show portray their characters. They would certainly have similarities as far as looks are concerned, but it's unlikely that they would have any striking similarities as anime tends to exaggerate features. One commenter remarked "Well, its not like it's easy to find a 50 year old with huge boobs."Though the thought of seeing this show is exiting, one can't help but wonder whether this is merely a stepping stone for Universal Studios to bring a live action Naruto movie to the big screen. It's possible that this is simply an attraction to bring visitors to their theme park, but when you're dealing with money hungry movie companies it's hard to believe they are not considering something more.Putting on this show would present them with a perfect opportunity to research the fans interest in seeing a live action film by observing how well tickets sell and also how the audience react to the show - do they like it despite the limitations of live action as opposed to animation?With the announcement that actors have been cast, news of the Naruto live action show has spread rapidly.

The show, which will combine live stage with video to give a "seamless transition" from stage to screen, premiers on July 18th and will feature "dynamic action sequences". The show will run daily from the premier date through to August 31st with 40 shows playing altogether.

There will be four collectible fans to get your hands on when you order your tickets from the USJ website, and there will also be popcorn packets with original Naruto illustrations.

So how well will the cast of the show portray their characters. They would certainly have similarities as far as looks are concerned, but it's unlikely that they would have any striking similarities as anime tends to exaggerate features. One commenter remarked "Well, its not like it's easy to find a 50 year old with huge boobs."

Though the thought of seeing this show is exiting, one can't help but wonder whether this is merely a stepping stone for Universal Studios to bring a live action Naruto movie to the big screen. It's possible that this is simply an attraction to bring visitors to their theme park, but when you're dealing with money hungry movie companies it's hard to believe they are not considering something more.

Putting on this show would present them with a perfect opportunity to research the fans interest in seeing a live action film by observing how well tickets sell and also how the audience react to the show - do they like it despite the limitations of live action as opposed to animation?

Right Medical Billing and Coding Training

Medical billing and coding training courses costs a lot, that is why it is very important to find the most valuable course. This article will describe the vital aspects of an effective training course.

A good course will get you up to speed with everything required to become a successful medical billing professional. The majority of the training can be completed online. Online courses are more convenient, and are usually preferred by most people. A thorough training course usually takes about 6 to 12 months to complete. More extensive training, such as an associates' degree programs or bachelors' programs, may be up to 2 to 4years, respectively.

Before you spend your hard earned money, make sure that your training course is accredited by one of the following organizations and bodies: Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs, American Health Information Management Association or Regional Accrediting Bodies.

A solid training course will provide you with the necessary expertise for medical billing and coding. This includes being comfortable with registering patients' information, performing an insurance verification, preparing and posting transactions, charging patient accounts, coding and billing insurance claims and collecting patient payments.

By the end of the training, the students usually have a solid understanding and substantial knowledge of the medical terminology and abbreviations, communication techniques, various insurance plans (Commercial, State, Federal insurance plans, etc.), the Accounts Receivable cycle (i.e., registering patients, accounting transactions posting, insurance claim forms' completion, collections, etc.), as well as medical coding and billing itself.

The requirements for the majority of the training courses include: keyboarding proficiency, basic understanding of Microsoft Word, and a good command of written English. Students are usually not required to have any health care work experience.

It is a good idea to take a course provided by a local university or college. The overwhelming majority of these courses are accredited so you don't have to worry about whether your education will be acceptable. Registration takes place at the university or college where medical billing course is being offered. Registration can at times be done over the telephone or online. These courses are usually conducted online, and students may be completely saved from the trouble of traveling to school. Therefore, it's a good idea to search out a university or school which offers the best courses at the lowest fee, without worrying about how far it is located.

A big advantage of medical billing training courses is that they are usually self-paced. You can complete the course at your own pace. For most of the courses, you will get at least 6 months to complete the it (depending on the course). However, if you think you need more time, you can usually extend your course by at least another 6 months.

Options Trading

There are many traders who still consider options and warrants to be long term trading markets, but options can even be traded short term. It is important to understand that trading options short terms is not dramatically different from trading any other market but there are a couple of options specifics that need to be taken into account. In short term trading, the aptitude to steer the short term market is a key component for continued success. As an equity trader one has to learn to trade with the short trend of the markets to reduce market risk.

An option trading is a strategy that does not depend on the market direction; in fact it does well in volatile markets. With options trading there are two methods through which you can enter a long trade and short terms trade. While a long fundamental trade can be entered either by buying a call or by selling a put, a short underlying trade can be entered either by buying a put or by selling a call.

In short term options trading calculating risk reward is yet another important point that trader need to well aware of. Calculating the risk reward can be defined as the amount trader would risk if he or she were wrong and the amount trader would make if he or she were right. If we don't figure out this number, the chances are more where we may find the stock that may go in favor but the option goes against.

If we compare long term and short term options trading, then both have their own advantages. However, buying short term options can be very beneficial as it gives more control. It very general that no one can exactly make prediction very clearly when it comes to stock trading. It's really hard to predict what will happen to a stock 3 months down the road. Though sometimes it is easier to predict which way the stock will be heading in just a few weeks as opposed to a few months. Thus, selling short term options allow capture more premiums over a longer time frame.

How Disability Coverage and Disability Insurance Work?

Q: I was recently injured during a softball game and my doctor said I could not return to work for 9-12 months. Am I eligible for New Jersey disability coverage? Are there other additional forms of disability coverage?

The Problem - Not Understanding Your Disability Benefits
Three in 10 workers entering the work force today will become disabled before retiring. An illness or accident will keep 1 in 5 workers out of work for at least a year during their working careers. Unfortunately, over 70% of working Americans do not have enough savings to meet short-term emergencies. Most people do not understand their disability benefits until they are disabled.

The Solution - Understanding Your Disability Benefits
New Jersey is one of only five states that offers disability benefits to their work force. Just a quick background on disability benefits and disability insurance. Let's start with a basic definition of a disability. It is an accident, condition or illness that prevents you from performing your job responsibilities. Interestingly, a maternity leave may qualify you for disability benefits. Unlike workers compensation insurance, which provides coverage for injuries on the job, disability benefits covers workers for non-work related events.

Before we dig into disability benefits, let's dispel two common myths about publicly provided disability benefits.

Myth No. 1: The State of New Jersey Provides Adequate Coverage
Unfortunately, NJ provides the lesser of two-thirds of your weekly wage or $502 per week. Benefits are limited to 26 weeks or $13,052 and are not payable immediately. Most individuals cannot survive on this meager benefit.

Myth No. 2: The Federal Government Provides Adequate Coverage
Unfortunately, the federal government's Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) program is available to those out of work for at least one year. A startling 70% of claims are denied. The average monthly SSDI benefit is a mere $978. Clearly, this is an inadequate benefit for those individuals that do qualify for benefits.

Disability Insurance (DI) provides a source of replacement income during your disability. It provides an income stream to partially replace the wages lost when you are unable to work for an extended period of time. Most policies limit coverage to 60%-70% of your previous income.

State laws and insurance regulations are designed to discourage workers from realizing the same level of income while disabled. In essence, it provides an incentive to return to the work force.

Disability Insurance Policies Should be Examined Based on Three Key Criteria:

1. Elimination Period
This defines how long you will be precluded from receiving benefits. The longer the elimination period, the lower the cost of the policy.

2. Benefit Period
This defines how long a benefit will be paid. A typical benefit period is through the age of 65. Coincidently, this is the age at which many workers are eligible for full benefits under Social Security.

3. Inflation Protection
This is a critical part of any policy. In order to keep up with the rising costs of living, most policies provide for inflation protection ranging from the 3% to 5% compounded on an annual basis.

Many employers provide a combination of short and or long-term disability benefits. These benefits may or may not be employer paid or subsidized. Although benefits provided by an employer may come with a lower price tag, due to group pricing, they are not generally transferable if you leave the employer. An individual DI policy provides much greater flexibility, as it is not tied to a specific employer.

Rent Stabilized Apartments

What is a rent stabilized apartment?

The laws concerning rent stabilization and rent controlled apartments can be quite complicated. To simplify the important information as much as possible, we believe you need to know the following:

There are three qualifications

1. Apartments in buildings of six or more units built between February 1, 1947 and January 1, 1974.

2. Tenants in buildings of six or more units built before February 1, 1947 and who moved in after June 30, 1971

3. Buildings with three or more apartments constructed or extensively renovated since 1974 with special tax benefits.

If an apartment is rent stabilized, the rent can only be increased between three and five percent per year (depending on the year), unless one of the following occurs:

For the owner to increase the rent of the apartment:

- The apartment is renovated. If the apartment is renovated, 1/40th of the total cost of renovation can be added to the apartment's monthly rent.

(If the rent for an apartment is $1,000 and an owner spends $8,000 renovating the apartment, the owner can add $8,000/40 = $200 to the rent for a new total rent of $1,200.)

- If there is an MCI (major capitol improvement) to the building, the cost of this improvement can be added to the rent of every apartment located in the building.

(The formula for calculating the exact increase is quite complicated, but a basic example is as follows: the owner replaces the roof of a building with 100 apartments at a cost of $20,000. The owner can then increase the rent of each apartment by $20,000/100(apartments) = $200 (per apartment)/12(months) = $16.66 per month rent increase to each apartment in the building. Again, this is a very simplified version of the actual formula.)

Have You Ever Wondered What Colon Cleanse Is?

A natural colon cleanse process is essential for a human body. There have been numerous instances wherein people from across the globe have claimed to regain their lost health using the colon cleanse supplements on a regular basis. Let us now discuss what colonic cleansing actually stands for.

Colon Cleanse Is A Natural Healer

A colonic cleansing process is often confused with the application of laxatives. This is incorrect as laxatives are simply 'over the counter' medications which are mainly used to provide proper bowel movements for a short span of time. Over a period of time, laxatives can start causing problems for a human body. The main reason behind this is the presence of harsh chemicals in them. On the contrary, a colon cleansing supplement is completely natural and free from harmful side effects.

It Is Essential For A Longer Life

Colon cleansing is definitely linked with longevity. There have been numerous instances wherein people have managed to increase their general life span after having used a natural colon supplement. Besides flushing harmful toxins from within the digestive tract, a natural colon supplement has the ability to increase your existing life span by keeping your body free of diseases.

It Cleanses Plaques and Parasites

Colon cleanse supplements are used to cleanse the digestive tract. Whenever the colon is flushed clean of impacted fecal matter that has been accumulated for years, the chances are that you also get rid of the plaque and parasites as well. When plaques and parasites are removed, you can hope to get rid of chronic abdominal diseases such as gas, indigestion, chronic constipation and bloating of the stomach at warp speed.

When in a Hill Country Bed

One of the reasons why places for bed and breakfast in Fredericksburg, Texas and its surrounding areas are so popular for weekend getaways is the quaint, authentic German influence that pervades this small city.

In fact, Fredericksburg was named after Prince Frederick of Prussia, a nephew of King Frederick William III. The county seat of Gillespie County, Fredericksburg was founded in 1846 by Baron Otfried Hans von Meusebach, then the Commissioner General of the Society for the Protection of German Immigrants in Texas. The area was settled largely by educated Germans escaping from the Revolutions of 1848, and has a strong German cultural influence even today.

Seemingly to prove this point, this jewel of the Texas Hill Country is also famous as the home of Texas German. This curious dialect is a variation of German spoken by the first generations of settlers who initially refused to learn English. It is best described as a sort of German slang, since anyone with a good understanding of continental German can understand it but may not be able to speak it.

For vacationers staying in a Hill Country bed and breakfast, Fredericksburg is an interesting and beautiful place to visit. The city's main street and its surrounding neighborhoods are rife with old German styling cues, and its bakeries, restaurants, stores and museums are definitely a sight to behold. The best part is, if bed and breakfast in Fredericksburg is a bit too pricey for visitors, there are equally, if not even more, beautiful and competitively priced places in its vicinity. After all, one need not be staying in Fredericksburg itself to know that this place is a must-see when in the Hill Country.

Whether You Have Diabetes

The typical American lifestyle reads like the ADA's list of risk factors. We're obese and inactive. We eat foods that give us high blood glucose and high cholesterol. We stress ourselves out and raise our blood pressure. It's not surprising, then, that there are over one and a half million people with type 2 diabetes in California alone.

Here are some of the most common symptoms of diabetes. If you find yourself experiencing them, it may be a good idea to check with your doctor.

• Frequent urination
• Extreme hunger
• Excessive thirst
• Unexplained weight loss
• Blurry vision
• Increased fatigue
• Irritability

Some people get "pre-diabetes," a condition characterized by high blood glucose levels, but nothing high enough to diagnose as diabetes. This can still be harmful to the body, but if you are aware of the possibility, you can prevent it from ever becoming full-blown diabetes.

The best way to avoid diabetes is to keep your blood glucose levels healthy now. This means eating right - plenty of fruits and vegetables, whole grains over Wonderbread, fish, dried beans, lean meats, diet drinks over sugar-laden ones, liquid oils over solid fats. This also means cutting back on the desserts and generally watching portion sizes. Really, it's the wonder diet you've been looking for.

The other key to avoiding diabetes is lots of exercise. If you can walk instead of driving, do it. Anything that gets you moving will help, whether its running or climbing or swimming or playing tennis. If you feel that you may be at risk, talk to your doctor about safe exercise for people who may have trouble maintaining healthy glucose levels during exercise.

Get the Facts on Choosing the Right Mutual Fund For You

Mutual funds should seriously be considered as part of your investment portfolio if they aren't already as they allow for diversification and reduced risk. Gathering as much information is vital to becoming a successful investor. Here are the different types of mutual funds available.

Money Market Funds

These are generally categorized as having the lowest risk as these typically consist of Treasury bills and government bonds. While you shouldn't expect a huge return on your investment, money market funds are ideal for those who are conservative or want to avoid risk altogether. The good thing about these types of funds is that you can expect to get back twice what you would get from a savings account.

Balanced Funds

As you can probably guess by the name, these types of mutual funds invest into different types of assets such as stocks, bonds and other equities. These funds typically consist of 40% fixed income assets with the other 60% invested in equities. These funds are ideal for those investors who want to diversify their risk by investing into different assets while also getting a return on their investment.

Global Fund

Global funds consist of investments around the world and are generally difficult to classify them as being riskier or safer than other types of mutual funds. One thing to note is that depending on the economic climate of the country being invested in, they can be extremely volatile. However, these types of funds are excellent for countries with potential economic growth such as India or China.

FIGHTING PLANT ENEMIES.

The devices and implements used for fighting plant enemies are of two sorts:

(1) those applied to afford mechanical protection to the plants; 

(2) those utilised to apply insecticides and fungicides.

Of the first the almost valuable is the covered frame. It consists usually of a wooden box, some eighteen inches to two feet square and about eight high, covered with glass, protecting cloth, mosquito netting or mosquito wire. The first two coverings have, of naturally, the additional advantage of retaining heat and protecting from cold, building it possible by their use to plant earlier than is otherwise safe. They is used extensively in getting an extra early and safe start with cucumbers, melons and the other vine vegetables. 

Simpler devices for protecting newly-set plants, such that as tomatoes or cabbage, from the cut-worm, are stiff, tin, cardboard or tar newspaper collars, which are made several inches high and large enough to be put around the stem and penetrate an inch about into the soil. 

For applying poison powders, the home gardener should supply himself with a powder gun. If one must be restricted to a single implement, however, it will be best to get one by the hand-power, compressed-air sprayers. These are used for applying wet sprays, and should be furnished with one and only of the several forms of mist-making nozzles, the non-cloggable automatic type being the best. For a lot of extended work a barrel pump, mounted during wheels, will be desirable, but among the above will do a good deal of work in little time. Extension rods for use in spraying trees and vines could follow received for either. For operations on a very small scale a good hand-syringe may be used, but as a general thing it will be best to invest a few dollars more and get a small tank sprayer, as this throws a continuous stream or spray and holds a much larger amount of the spraying solution. Whatever type is procured, get a brass machine it will out-wear three or four of those made of cheaper metal, which succumbs very quickly to the, corroding action of the strong poisons and chemicals used in them. 

Of implements for harvesting, beside the spade, prong-hoe and spading- fork, very few are used in the small garden, as most of them need not only long rows to be economically used, but horse- ability also. The onion harvester attachment for the double wheel hoe, may be used with advantage in loosening onions, beets, turnips, etc., from the soil or for cutting spinach. Running the hand- plow close on either side of carrots, parsnips and other deep-growing vegetables will aid materially in getting them out. For fruit picking, with tall trees, the wire-fingered fruit-picker, secured to the end of a long handle, will be of great assistance, but with the modern method of using low-headed trees it won't be needed. 

Another class of garden implements are those used in pruning but where this is adverted to properly from the start, a good sharp jack-knife and a pair of pruning shears will easily handle all the work of the kind necessary. 

Still another kind of garden device is that used for supporting the plants; such as stakes, trellises, wires, etc. Altogether too little attention usually is given these, as with proper care in storing over winter they leave not only last for years, but add greatly to the convenience of cultivation and to the neat appearance of the garden. 

As a final word to the intending purchaser of garden instruments, I would say: first thoroughly investigate the different sorts available, and when buying, don't forget that a good tool or a well-made machine will be giving you satisfactory use long, long after the price is forgotten, while a poor one is a constant source of discomfort. Get good tools, and take good care of them. And let me repeat that a few dollars a year, judiciously spent, for tools afterward well cared for, will soon give you a very complete set, and add to your garden profit and pleasure.

Hermans Tortoise

Testudo Hermanni is the Latin name for this little tortoise. It is often better to go by the Latin name rather than the common name to get the best research on the species. The spelling is more usually Hermann with two n's. So this can cause confusion!

If you are thinking of buying one of these little pets to care for at home there are a few things you will need to consider. At first glance, caring for a Herman tortoise may appear to be straight forward as they are well known to thrive in captivity and they are one of the smaller varieties for you to choose from.

If you have decided the this is the species you want then the next few points will help you to plan your enclosure and what you should place in it in order for your pet to live a happy and illness free life. After all many of these creatures do live for a long time!

Top Five Herman tortoise tips

1. How big should your enclosure be? This depends on the size of your pet. This particular species will grow up to 10 inches in length. The males will average about 5 inches. The basic rule is that you should provide at least 3 square foot of space per inch of tortoise. This can be a considerable area to find spare in your home. At first however, you will be fine with a reasonably sized tortoise table or enclosure. But you must keep in mind how large your pet may grow.

2. What sort of environment should you provide for your Herman tortoise? It's natural habitat is Europe from France through southern Italy and Greece. They naturally live in Mediterranean forests and grasslands so you have to try to mimic this as far as is possible in your enclosure.

3. Make plenty of hiding places inside your enclosure so that your pet has time to hide away at times. If they are constantly on show they become stressed and this often leads to physical illness. The substrate (covering on the bottom of the enclosure) is also very important as some types are dangerous for the tortoises digestive tract.

4. Artificial lighting and heating. All chelonians are exothermic (cold blooded) and have to bask in sunshine and heat in order to function normally. Therefore you will have to provide a special reptile lamp that is placed above the enclosure. This is a critical element in the care of your pet. You will also need to provide appropriate photoperiods for your pet as they need to have a certain amount of light in their day or they will again become unwell.

Bird Strikes on Windows

The dangerous relationships between birds and windows is one that comes in varying degrees. Sometimes it's just a quick peck of bird meeting glass. Others it's a small series of crashes and a flutter of wings. The worst, however, are the jarring impacts that resonate throughout an entire house, leaving you and your family members startled and often crippling or killing the bird.

Sadly, these impacts are far more common than you might think. In an article for Audubon magazine, David Malakoff cited that in North America, window strikes kill between 100 million and 1 billion birds annually. According to an NPR story, Professor Daniel Klem of Mulhenberg College things that Malakoff's estimate is too conservative, and that the real number easily exceeds 1 billion birds in the United States alone.

Why do window strikes happen?

It's hard to know for certain exactly why window strikes happen, but observation has granted some measure of insight. The first, and seemingly most common, rationale is that birds simply cannot see glass. The transparency of the glass makes the window look open, and this is often complicated further by a window on the opposite side of the house. This causes what is commonly referred to as the "tunnel effect," meaning that the bird believes that the two windows lack glass and thus represent a clear tunnel to fly through.

The other primary reason for bird strikes seems to be reflections. Windows in houses and buildings can easily reflect the environments around them. So, while the house or building certainly appears to be a house or building, the windows look more like wooded areas which are perfectly safe for flying.

Ways to prevent window strikes

There are a range of possibilities for preventing window strikes. The most effective method is to remove a window, or to completely cover it with something opaque and non-reflective like wood or cardboard. Granted, this removing a window is a bit drastic and not practical for the vast majority of home owners. Thankfully, with a little understanding as to why birds strike windows, home owners can reduce bird strikes with more people-friendly methods.

Covering Windows

While boarding up windows is an extreme solution, it does prove a point. Putting something between the window's glass and the outside world can both alert a bird to a physical object and prevent reflection. The line for most home owners seems to be when such a covering moves from the area of protecting birds and into the realm of obstructing views. Home owners have several options like summer storm screens, to heavier plastic "shade cloth" and even the commercial CollidEscape film, all of which help to remove transparency and restrict reflection to various extents.

Silhouettes and Obstacles

Another tactic is to prevent the bird from coming near the window. Some homeowners put blockades, such as a tree or bird feeder, in front of a window, particularly windows that are struck with some frequency. If you notice that your bird feeder is causing birds to strike your window, then moving the feeder further from your house would be a prudent move. Another popular method, which works to varying degrees, is to intimidate birds away by way of statues and silhouettes. A statue of an owl, or a cut out made to resemble a flying hawk can cause an errant bird on a collision course with a window to change course.

Buying a Car

Ah, the topic that never seems to get old when it comes to talking about anything auto-related is the topic of buying a car

for the very first time. Almost everyone who purchases a car for the first time will tell you that it's like trying to commit the perfect crime; no matter how hard you try, you always make mistakes that will catch up to you.

Before you even think about hitting the dealerships, think about who you are as a person as well as the types of things you enjoy doing. Figure out whether or not you even need a vehicle to begin with. Do you travel a lot or are you a home body? Do you live in a small town where everything is within walking and/or biking distance? Do you live out in the country where you would be smart to purchase an SUV or some similar automobile that would be able to traverse rough terrain? These and more are the sorts of questions that you will and should ponder.

Next, you will want to consider how much money you have set aside to purchase a vehicle. While buying an SUV may be the most practical for you based on where you live, it may not be the most affordable option, which will limit you in getting what you want. You need to learn to ignore the salespeople at car dealerships as well but not entirely. Listen to what they have to say, but take everything with a grain of salt knowing full well that at the end of the day, they are trying to make a sale. The tricky thing about salespeople is that many of them are cunning, immediately trying to buddy up to you to pretend like they are your friend. After all, your closest friend wouldn't steer you wrong in buying a car, right?

Know the majority of the fact about the type of vehicle that you want before you head out to the dealership. Especially if you are a woman, you should bring someone with you to the auto dealerships (preferably a male companion who knows something about vehicles and vehicle purchasing). Do not reveal to the salespeople what you do for a living or how much money you pull in each week, month or year because many will use this information against you later to try to guilt you into buying a vehicle, citing that "you can afford it".

Dark Chocolate

If someone were to tell you to eat more chocolate as part of a healthy diet, you may look at them like they sprouted a second head. Actually, they are right and wrong. Dark chocolate provides many healthy benefits, whereas milk chocolate and white chocolate do not. So, the statement should really be to eat more dark chocolate. The benefits of the healthy chocolate are that it helps fight off bad things in the body.

Dark chocolate offers many good healthy benefits. It has been shown to lower high blood pressure. That's not to say you should eat as much as you can get your hands on, but it is a good treat to have daily to increase the antioxidant levels in your body. The antioxidants destroy the free radicals that get in the body through poor diets and the environment which can lead to heart disease. Studies have been done to compare and contrast dark chocolate, white chocolate and milk chocolate. Dark chocolate, the healthy chocolate, was better for the body hands down over the others.

Although you cannot live on this kind of chocolate alone, making it a part of your daily diet is not a bad idea. Be sure that you balance it out with other healthy foods as well. Vegetables, lean meats and fruits are also important to take in regularly. Replace your sweets intake with the dark chocolate and include with your regular diet to be healthy.

If you hear your friend stating that she needs chocolate to reduce her stress, or to make her feel better after a bad day, then she is expressing the need for seratonin and phenylethylamine, which are mood boosters found in chocolate. Eating chocolate releases those into the body and gives a feel good experience