This article will outline 3 different types of cameraís: Box, Folding-Roll, and Viewfinder. This information will help you decide which camera suits your photography needs the best. For over several decades the box camera was the gadget of choice for the typical amateur photographer. This is because it was cheap and simple, yet still capable of excellent results under most conditions. Box cameras were usually fitted with a single-element lens, a limited range opening control, and a single-speed shutter. Next up is the Folding-Roll Film Camera, which was also very popular but not quite as much so as the box camera. The folding camera came in several types of formats, but basically, it was a box camera whose lens was included into a movable disk that could slide back and forth on a rail, allowing the lens to change focus from close to long range. There were more complicated models available, but they were more expensive and considered very high quality. But, the most important benefit that they had over the box camera, was their compact design when folded, which made them easier to pack and transport. There has been something of a minor renaissance in folding-roll film cameras in recent years, with appearance of several new professional instruments. They are appreciated for their large negative size and compact design. Next is a Viewfinder type camera which does not use a lens to view the subject but instead relies on a separate viewing system in the camera for aiming and for focus. The range finder camera allows for accurate focus, however, by using two views of the same subject to adjust focus. In this camera there are two images in the viewfinder. One is usually only a portion of the viewer area and is usually slightly yellowish in color. The photographer adjusts the focus ring on the lens and as they do the two images move. When both on directly on top of each other they blend together and almost disappear which signifies that the camera is in focus. The rangefinder is accurate and very quiet as well as being light weight. It is also useful for taking pictures in low light conditions or for candid photographs. These cameras can easily be spotted because of their double view windows in the front. Enjoy your photography hobby and remember ñ keep experimenting with different angles and new lighting. Donít be afraid to get creative!

When I first started working in the fitness equipment industry the idea of customers buying online seemed absurd. But about 9 years ago the company I worked for built a web site and started advertising on Yahoo. Back then Google was still a concept, and pay per click advertising hadn’t been conceived. Surprisingly a few people here and there would make purchases, primarily for treadmills. All sales were conducted through the phone. Gradually sales increased, so about 6 years ago I suggested we include a shopping cart on our site. The reaction was, “who would buy fitness equipment online without talking to someone first.” Well, how times have changed. When I left the company over 60% of our sales were through the cart. Our minimum price item was $1,000, with our premium products exceeding $3,000. Purchasing fitness equipment online has become a major industry. There are several benefits from buying online:

There is no sales tax.

The item is delivered to your home.

The Internet is ideal for comparison shopping.

Nothing competes with the convenience of shopping from your home.

Not always, but in some instances you will save money.

Elliptical Trainers Grow in Popularity The fastest growing fitness equipment currently is elliptical trainers. They offer the benefit of providing a low-impact, upper and lower body workout. They have become particularly attractive to the aging baby boomers. And like treadmills, many people are purchasing them online. If you are considering buying an elliptical trainer online there are several considerations: Buy a Quality Elliptical Trainer Do not waste your money on a cheap machine, unless you plan to use it to hang clothes. How do you determine what qualifies as cheap and what merits quality? You need to do your due diligence. Check out third party reviews, customer testimonials (epinions.com is a good source), and compare features and specifications. At my site you will find an elliptical trainer buyer's guide. It explains in detail the important features of an elliptical trainer. Buy an Elliptical Trainer that has an Adequate Warranty When you see an elliptical trainer with a 90 parts and labor warranty, you should be concerned about the durability of that machine. It doesn’t say much about the faith of the manufacturer in their products. When buying an elliptical trainer look for models that come with a one year labor warranty, and a 1-3 year parts coverage. Buy an Elliptical Trainer from a Company with a Good Reputation When you purchase an elliptical trainer you are not only buying the machine, but also the company that stands behind it. Although elliptical trainers require less service than a treadmill, you may still have maintenance issues and questions. You want to make sure you purchase from a company that is responsive to their customers. Once again customer reviews can be helpful. Whenever I want to get some insight into a company I will do a search on the company name and “complaints”. You could be surprised on the results. I was going to spend considerable money with a furniture store chain and when I did a search I was overwhelmed with the number of customer complaints. Guess what? They didn’t get my business. There are a number of advantages to buying an elliptical trainer online, but as with any purchase let the buyer beware. Become an informed consumer and make a smart buy. Zoo York - Zoo York Clothing - Zoo York Clothing Sale

Coconut butter, which is also commonly referred to as Coconut oil, is a fat that consists of more than 90% saturated fat. As itís name implies, this oil is obtained from coconuts and is commonly used for cosmetics, baking ingredients and cooking oil. The worldís largest exporter of Coconut oil, which is the Philippines, receives 7% of itís total export income from this product alone. Coconut oil is rich in a fatty acid and is among the more stable of all vegetable oils. Many consider it to be a healthy product, which may increase metabolism and improve the bodyís ability to fight sickness by strengthening the immune system. Once an immune system becomes weakened for any reason, the body becomes susceptible to an array of illnesses. In order to maintain a healthy lifestyle, oneís immune system must remain strong. If it ever becomes weakened, it is essential to rebuild the immune system in order to protect the body against harmful sickness and/or disease. On the downside, because coconut oil is also high in saturated fat, some believe that it may increase the likelihood of cardiovascular and/or heart disease and possibly even diabetes. On the other hand, some international populations who consume large quantities of coconut oil have been shown to have lower rates of heart disease. In addition to concerns surrounding the health effects, both good and bad, Coconut oil has been tested as a fuel, but has been faced with difficult obstacles due to itís high melting point. Coconut oil is also used for hairstyling in India, while other individuals find it to be useful as a skin moisturizer. Coconut oil is believed to be both effective and safe when used in connection with skin care. And best of all, it is not believed to carry any adverse reactions to the skin. In fact, some users have actually reported improvements in specific skin conditions after using Coconut oil. Among them, eczema, which is a very uncomfortable rash that develops in the form of small blister-like lesions. These are both painful and may result in scarring. The information in this article is intended for informational purposes only. It should not be considered as, or used in place of, medical advice or professional recommendations for any type of treatment, cure or remedy to certain skin conditions and/or other illnesses. Prior to beginning any treatment regimen, including that which consists of coconut oil, individuals are urged to consult with their physician and/or dermatologist for proper diagnosis and/or treatment recommendation.

Iíve found a cool apartment! Okay, okayÖso itís not perfect. Just a few bugs. I mean literally! First expense? An exterminator! Is it worth the cash? Well, I canít afford a more expensive place, so a one-time (please!) cash outlay should be okay. Maybe just a can of ìRaid?î I need a way to move my stuff. Daddy, can I borrow your truck? You donít have one? Why not? Do you want one? Iíll help you pick it out! Well, it was just a suggestion. No need to get all bent out of shape! I guess Iíd better call the truck rental places. What do you meanÖ$200ÖPLUS mileage? AND Gas? Good grief! While Iím on the phone Iíll call the utility and phone companies. Yes, I know I havenít used your services before. No, I donít have a credit card; this is my first place. You want what? A $100 deposit? For EACH? Holy cowÖdo you people have a license to steal? Daddy, I need $500 for moving expenses! I used all my money for the first and last months rent AND the damage deposit. Well, how was I to know this was going to be so expensive? Sell something? DaaaaadÖI NEED my TV! Boy, this place is pretty empty. Maybe I should buy a couch and a chair. NahÖI have my bed. Thatíll be good enough. I donít need a table; Iíll just use this box. Renters Insurance? I donít think so! What do I have to insure? Just got my first phone call! Iíd love to come to your party! Daddy, I need a car. Because itís too far to walk to work, thatís why. Umm, DaddyÖthereís car insurance too! Thanks, DadÖyouíre the best! And gas? I didnít think soÖ Time for dinner. Letís look in these boxes. Oh, No! No dishes or pans. No FOOD! Uhhh, Mom?

On my current vacation in Khon Kaen, Thailand, I had the opportunity to visit one of my favorite restaurants. I wanted to take my girlfriend's mother out to dinner and was told lunch would be a better idea. Not one to argue, I agreed. My lady asked me where I wanted to take her mom for lunch and the choice was simple. Having been to Khon Kaen a few months ago, I told my girl that I wanted to go to Bontonmairimnam Restaurant. This is a small restaurant just outside the city limits and right on the bank of a river. It is cool and peaceful and has small, individual eating areas in gazebo-like wooden structures. There is usually a cool breeze running through this outdoor restaurant and today was no exception. After ordering a couple of cokes, some water, and a cold beer, it was time to study the menu. Fortunately for me, the menu is in Thai and English. This is unusual for the area and especially for a restaurant so far away from the few English-speaking tourists that visit Khon Kaen. After poring over the menu, decisions by all were made. We placed out order to the very attentive young lady servers and chit-chatted while we waited for our lunch. Within 5 minutes or so, the parade of food started to arrive. Boiled eggs, spicy papaya salad, oyster salad, squid, vegetables, and steamed rice arrived. I had to wait a couple of more minutes for my fried dishes. Soon, my fried shrimp and onion rings and spring rolls arrived. I had already started with the food that the ladies ordered, as all is shared. Picking from eight different plates and complimenting them with the rice on my plate, the food just kept on coming. Conversation and drinks continued to flow and we ate and ate and ate. The pace was slow, the breeze lightly setting off the wind chime, and the river flowed behind me. Continuing to eat, it was time to order another beer from one of the girls hovering near our table. She got it in an instant, and poured me another cold one. After dinner goodies were available, but none of us could eat another morsel. From veggies to seafood, to salads and friend shrimp, it was all delicious. A final bottle of water was ordered to wash it all down and some more relaxing conversation continued. It was time to head back to the hotel so I called for the bill and since I had been here before, was not surprised. The grand total was 860 Baht, or roughly, 27 US dollars for 8 dishes, 2 large beers, 2 cokes, and a bottle of water. Adding a small, 40 baht tip and we had a feast for under 30 dollars. One of the many reasons I love Thailand.

When it works well, e-mail can be great. It's hard to beat e-mail for everything from staying in touch with family to requesting information from businesses or other organizations. Want to send the same message to several people? Communicate with someone across the continent? Transmit photos, manuscripts or other information? For speed and efficiency, this virtually instantaneous medium is one of the most convenient features of modern life. But e-mail is not without problems. If you key in the name of an intended recipient but your message keeps bouncing back, you might not be singing e-mail's praises. Ditto for attachments that won't open or other such nuisances. With just a little patience, though, you can readily overcome most e-mail problems. What follows are 4 common e-mail problems along with solutions for overcoming them. Problem ñ Returned Messages This may be the most frustrating of all e-mail problems. After taking the time to create a message, you click on the ìsendî button and consider your task accomplished. But the next thing you know, the message pops up in your in-box with a heading that it did not reach its intended recipient. Solutions First, take the simple step of checking to see that the address of your recipient has been entered correctly. This may seem obvious, but sometimes the only thing wrong is a misplaced letter, the use of ìcomî instead of ìnetî, or some similar error. If you know the correct address, this is a straightforward matter of double checking each character. If not, you might need to experiment by sending multiple messages, or by entering alternative addresses with slight variations. Under this approach, you simply keep track of which messages are bounced back and compare them with the overall list of addresses you used. If you sent four variations but only three were returned, you have solved the problem by the process of elimination. Sometimes the source of your problem lies with the recipient. If messages to other addresses go through but fail here, try to contact the intended recipient by other means and report the situation. The cause may range from a temporary problem with the recipient's server to a switch to another e-mail provider, to a full in box. In this case, simply waiting may be the best recourse. Or a phone call or other communication may be required on your part to obtain the correct e-mail address. If all your messages are being returned, you may have a connection problem. See below for more details. Problem 2 ñ You Have Lost Your Connection Sometimes a failure to send or receive e-mail can be traced to a lost connection with your Internet service provider. Solutions If you see a ìfailure to connectî or ìno responseî message or have otherwise determined that you have failed to connect, double check to make certain there are no physical problems. First, check your cables and connections. If you use a dial-up modem, listen to make sure it produces the normal high-pitched dialing sound. If not, the problem could be a loose connection. Locate the phone cord that runs from the back of your computer to the phone jack, and then make sure that each end is plugged in snugly. If you will don't hear the expected dialing sound, check to make sure your phone cord is undamaged. If it seems worn, replace it with a new one. Other steps include making certain the line is plugged into the right port, and checking the phone jack by plugging the cord into a different jack. If you hear the dialing sound after any of these steps, you have made a successful connection. Connection problems may be more common with dial-up modems than with broadband connections, but the latter are also dependent on physical connections. A loose wire or poorly connected cable can easily be problematic. Sometimes a glitch occurs that can be best addressed by repeating portions of the initial set-up process. A simple fix touted by Verizon technical service reps for some DSL (digital subscriber line) customers is to disconnect the three lines from the back of the modem and then reconnect them in a specified order. When this action is taken, the online connection is immediately regained. If you are online but keep getting bumped off, the lost connection can be the result of an unintended software command. In Outlook Express, for example, you will find the command ìHang up when finished.î If the box in front of this phrase is checked, the connection will automatically be severed each time you send or download e-mail. Sometimes a misdirected click of your mouse will cause you to place a check in the box even though you do not realize it. Simply click on the check mark to make it disappear, and the hang-ups will cease. These 2 common e-mail problems are quite easy to determine and when rectified will make your emailing experience more enjoyable.

One very important lesson I learned is that there is no one, all-purpose (Universal) stringing material. Here are the major stringing materials along with how and when to use each of them. SILK THREAD: Silk has a wondrous ìhandî (a soft, flexible feel). This thread comes in many sizes and colors. It comes packaged on spools, and ìcardedî with an attached needle. This is a classic stringing material and forms beautiful knots between pearls and beads. But, silk tends to be relatively fragile. It can stretch, be cut by abrasive beads, rot when wet, and pearls strung on silk should be re strung every few years. It is best to use silk when stringing pearls and lightweight, smooth-holed beads, only. A needle is necessary. NYLON THREAD: (Nymo): This thread also comes in many sizes and colors. It comes packaged on spools, on bobbins, and ìcardedî with a needle attached. Nylon can be used where-ever silk can and is not as fragile. This material knots beautifully and can be used for pearl stringing, in some strung jewelry, seed beadwork, loom weaving, for Peyote and other specialty stitches, and heishi. Nylon stretches much less than silk, and it wonít rot when wet. Like silk, you shouldnít use beads with sharp edged holes or that are heavy. When you use nylon thread, I would recommend you coat your thread with beeís wax or ìThread HeavenTM ì before use to prevent it from fraying. A needle is necessary. BONDED NYLON: This is a much stronger form of nylon thread. The strands are physically bonded together for extra strength and abrasion protection. Although it knots well, it doesnít have the ìhandî of silk. Bonded nylon comes in a variety of colors and smaller spools. Because of its abrasion resistance, you can use it with ìhardî, more abrasive gem beads; in fact this comes close to being a ìUniversal Threadî. Brand names include: ìStringthî or ìSilkonî. A needle is necessary, although you can put ìSuper Glueî on the end to form a ìSelf-needleî. This is a favorite beading material of mine. FISHING LINE: This material is a hard, semi-rigid, single strand of plastic. It doesnít knot well, and in time sunlight or ultraviolet light can cause it to weaken and fall apart. Fishing line is purchased on small spools and is sold in sporting goods stores. Personally, I use fishing line for two purposes. I use it to do my preliminary stringing while I am designing a necklace (I transfer the beads to a better material for the final product), and to string together ìrawî strands of beads. There is no needle necessary. I would never use this material for a final beaded piece.

When shopping for an eagle figurine, no doubt you will come across a figurine of the American Bald Eagle. This type of figurine has the US flag on the base and is the perfect way for you to show your patriotic pride. For those connected with the military, the gift of an eagle figurine is one way you can show your support for putting their lives in danger. An eagle figurine, especially one made of frosted glass, looking down from a mountain scene will really become the focal point of your figurine collection. Eagle figurines are the most graceful of all the wildlife and animal figurines. With an eagle figurine, you can capture the grace and elegance of this bird. The detail of the eagle portrayed in the frosted eagle figurines is flawless and shows every facet of the wings and beak to perfection. In addition to having a frosted eagle figurine showing the American Bald Eagle, there are many unique eagle figurines that you can purchase. Many people that have one figurine of an eagle like to collect as many different eagle figurines as they can. Take a look at the eagle figurine showing a Alabastrite eagle looking down from its perch on a snowy mountain. The rosewood color of the base shows off the contrast between the eagle and the snow-capped trees. Eagle figurines showing the mother eagle and her chicks are also perfect figurines to include in your display. Frosted eagle figurines showing the fighting spirit of the eagle contrast with the caring attitude when you place these two figurines side by side. The porcelain eagle figurines, such as those featuring an eagle on a rock eating berries, are truly works of art. The attention to fine detail in this type of eagle figurine will enhance your collection and your love for eagles. A frosted eagle figurine is the ultimate way to show the grace and majesty of this king of the skies. In addition to porcelain and frosted glass, you can also get eagle figurines in pewter, crystal, brass and wood. Combining a selection of all materials in your figurine collection will make it stand out and garner the attention it deserves. An eagle figurine is the earliest representation of freedom in the United States, which is why the eagle is associated with the US flag. Whether you prefer the mini figurines or the larger statue like figurines, there is no doubt that you will want to start collecting them the very fist time you see an eagle figurine. If you are unable to find one of these eagle figurines in your local area, you will not have any difficulty finding a wide selection to choose from once you do an online search.

Amateur radio is a hobby and has over 600,000 radio operators in the USA alone. The hobby is about communications and various ways of communicating via radio waves. What most people do not know about the hobby and the people that are operators is that they are one of the most used groups in a disaster situation. The amateur radio community has networks set up all over the world that can be activated quickly if there is a disaster anywhere in the world. Amateurs worked weeks at the site of 9-1-1 in New York side by side with rescue crews supplying communications. When there is a disaster such a hurricanes or tornadoes or the likes of 9-1-1 then one of the first things to go away is the local communications. Phones go down and electricity and the only thing left is amateur radio operators that can operate from a battery and a piece of wire for an antenna. Many operators were involved this last year in all the hurricanes that we had. The amateurs had hurricane watch nets up all over the world just watching and reporting the advance of these storms. Once these storm passed the radio operators set up nets to pass traffic for rescue groups as well as passing health and welfare traffic to people trying the get in touch with relatives in the stricken area. It is always great to get a message out to someone that says we are ok and we are alive. Amateur radio operators are the eyes of the National Weather Service. If you do not believe that then just ask someone that works for the weather service. Every National Weather Service office in the USA has amateur radio operators on duty any time that there are storms in the area. The weather service does have a great radar but the radar cannot see the storms like human eyes can. Some where in this country there are amateur operators watching storms and reporting what they see to the National Weather Service almost any time of the day and night. These radio operators have been trained in storm watching so that they will be able to send reports that the weather service that can used immediately. From that point all the reported storm data goes out to weather radio and local radio and TV stations for broadcast to the public. These amateur radio operators may or may not be heroes but they are always there when needed to warn the public of danger. The kicker to all this is that the operators buy all their own radio equipment and give their time to keep the public safe. Always doing the job in the background at no cost to the public. Usually this service gets no recognition for saving lives. Heroes? You decide.

In 1912, Coca-Cola sold for pennies a bottle. Today that same Non-Amber Straight Sided Script Coca-Cola Bottle can be purchased as a classic collectible for close to $150. Thatís more than three times the current value of one share of Coca-Cola stock. So while it might have been wise in 1919 when the Coca Cola Company released shares of common stock to have purchased some, I might also have been clever to have kept a six-pack of Coke hidden under my mattress for 87 years or so and sold it today for over $900. In fact, even the bottle carrier on its own would catch a collectorís eye today! What makes Coca-Cola bottles such a coveted collectible? Not only has Coke played a part in many peopleís fond personal memories of childhood days gone by but it has also been interwoven throughout American culture and history. Artwork from Americaís Golden Age of Illustration by renowned artists Norman Rockwell and N.C. Wyeth was used for advertisements. 1928 initiated an unprecedented partnership with the Olympic Games as the soda traveled with our Olympic Team to distant shores. In 1941 the US entered the war and The Coca Cola Company responded by saying that any serviceman anywhere in the world would be able to get a Coke for 5 cents a bottle, no matter what it would cost the company to get it there. We easily can recall the rosy-cheeked Santa Claus sipping his Coca-Cola while delivering his treasures, or the jingle of ìItís the Real Thingî or the images of children of the world holding hands on a hilltop singing ìIíd like to buy the world a Cokeî speaking to tumultuous times of the late 60ís and early 70ís and their desire to bring about a ìsweeterî time. In 1985 it even became the first soft drink consumed in outer-space. It almost becomes blurry as to whether the memory is of the event, the era or of the Coke itself. What is clear though is that Coke was there. And those are powerful associations to drive collectors. It is no longer only the memories and history associated with Coca-Cola bottles however that encourages the collectorís desire. Special edition bottles have also been, and continue to be, specifically created to commemorate places and events. In limited supply, the demand for these special collectible soda bottles and particularly the unique bottle carriers, (most often quickly discarded by the average consumer once the sodas are safely home) rises significantly creating collectible value based simply on their limited numbers. Commemorative editions, such as the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic bottle, or the Big Drive of í89 Montana bottle or the more recent six-pack of 2006 Academy Awards Diet Coke are also only released geographically, making them even more specialized and therefore, valued. Coca-Cola bottles tell a story of Americana and a story of making something special out of the ordinary. Coca-Cola drinkers share over 100 years of thirst-quenching memories. It has been with us through personal events and more significant times in recent history. While writing this article I asked a group of friends ìdo you have memories of Coke from your childhood?î Four faces immediately smiled and nodded back at me. Perhaps Coca-Colaís original owners Dr. John Stith Pemberton and his partner, Frank M. Robinson were on to something even bigger than they realized all those years ago, itís quite possible that they really did capture time in a bottle.

How to Select a Coin Dealer for Your Coin Collection Why do I Need a Coin Dealer? It is very difficult to build a collection of rare coins without a connection to a good coin dealer. If you are an investor hoping to make a profit with your collection of rare coins, building relationships with good coin dealers is vital to your success. If you are interested in making the highest profits possible with your coin collection, you will need to find a merchant partner who is experienced in the specific rare coins that interest you, and who will sell them to you at a good price. Most coin dealers will charge a lower premium on the sale of coins to their best customers. After all, it makes good business sense to get the most profit possible from a person who will do business with you only once. If you have a long-term relationship, however, the margin does not need to be as high for the coin dealer to make a good profit. Because coin dealers are experts in their chosen fields, they will also have better connections than individuals who buy coins on their own will. Finding the right vendor or wholesaler can be a long and difficult task for someone new to the coin collecting trade. Coin dealers will also be more likely to recognize a counterfeit coin, have a higher chance of hearing about the sale of the specific rare coins that interest you, and will recognize an asking price that is over- or undervalued. As an investor, these are all critically important points for your success. Building a long-term relationship with a knowledgeable coin dealer is the best way to protect the money that you invest into rare coins. All too often, new coin collectors who try to go it on their own without professional help end up being scammed out of hundreds or thousands of dollars. What Do I Look For in a Coin Dealer? All coin dealers are not created equal, and it is nearly impossible to specialize in every area when it comes to collecting rare coins. Therefore, it's important to know what to look for before you select a professional for your coin collecting needs. The first vital piece of information that you'll need when considering coin dealers is his or her professional qualifications. Some important questions to ask include, does the coin dealer belong to any professional groups? How long has he or she been in business? Can the coin merchant provide references from other satisfied customers? One of the best indications that a vendor has a high level of professionalism is a membership in the Professional Numismatists Guild (PNG). This group includes the most reputable coin dealers in the business thanks to an emphasis on ethics. The second most important question to put to a prospective coin dealer is the area in which he or she specializes. There are so many different kinds of rare coins to collect, ranging from gold bullion coins to ancient Roman coins, that it is impossible to be a true expert in all of them. You'll want to find a merchant that specializes in the particular area that is of interest to you. A trader might be able to recognize every rare American coin at a glance, but that won't do you a lot of good if you really want to collect legal tender from medieval times. Finally, you should consider the motivation of the coin dealers you are considering. A highly motivated coin merchant will go to shows and retailer auctions, keep abreast of current prices and trends, and will generally keep up-to-date with the current coin market. Any investor will recognize the impact of current information on profit levels. A coin trader who is highly motivated will also be more likely to provide you with excellent service and the best rare coins. Once you have selected a coin dealer, it is important to reward him or her with your loyalty. You are likely to get the best prices and service from coin dealers who know that you are working exclusively with them.

Do you ever notice the picture on the address stamp? It is astounding to see just how many different kinds of address stamp pictures are seen on envelopes throughout the world. From famous presidents to regular members of the Disney World crew, there are many different pictures and icons that are featured on an address stamp. When we take a minute to reflect on some of the images we see on these stamps, it is easy to see that even these small little sticky pieces of paper mean more than the cents they are worth. In other words, there can be some value of memory or meaning behind an address stamp for some consumers. This is probably why many people collect stamps, because of the meaning behind some of them. The hobby of collecting stamps can be a passion, or something that started when someone found one that had some kind of momentous value to it. After all, this kind of value would be enough for anyone to keep it. Collecting stamps can serve as a means to relax, to reflect, to play or more simply a time of redemption. It is amazing to think about the ways a simple address stamp can exert a positive impact on someones life, and not just because he or she gets an all important letter in the mail either. The bottom line is that collecting address stamps may not be for everyone, but it sure should not be ruled out as a great hobby to take part in when it comes to embracing part of our American culture, or our Worlds culture for that matter. But in reality when someone enjoys the beauty of what is printed on an address stamp, and the value of some of these stamps just may make them rich one day, there does not seem to be a time wasting element here. The hobby offers a lot to people who are interested in it. But in reality when some people enjoy the beauty of what is printed on an address stamp, and the value of some of these stamps may just make them rich one day, there does not seem to be a time wasting element here. The hobby offers a lot to people who are interested in it. The more you devote to it, the more pleasure you reap from it.

No, I didnít misspell the word sweet. Suet is a particular food that birds just canít resist, to wit, a great way to attract them to your bird house. A Suet Way To Attract Birds To Your Yard Make no mistake about it, Suet is some nasty stuff. It is the thick, white fat from a side of beef. It is slick and hardly appetizing food stuff. That is, unless you are a bird. For some unknown reason, Suet is the chocolate of the bird habitat. If you want to attract birds to the bird house you have set up in the backyard, this is the stuff guaranteed to do it. You can buy Suet at your local grocery store. Many offer it in a combination with bird seeds of a sort, but grocery store bird seed is not the best. All and all, you are probably better off just buying it without the helpful additives. Once you have the Suet, you need to consider how exactly to use it. There are a couple of problems. First, it is fat. Fat does not do well in the sun, at least not over a few days. It spoils, turning goopy and starts putting off a nasty fragrance. As a result, you should probably stick to small amounts of Suet as bait and some will remove it in the evening. Another option is to actually melt the fat and mix it with whatever else you have been using as bait. Cracked corn, sunflower seeds, peanuts, and milo are a few typical choices. Anyway you cut it, Suet is some nasty stuff. It is, however, a great way to get the attention of a wide variety of birds in your area.

For most bird watching enthusiast, keeping an eye out for a rare sighting is of great importance. Sighting an Atlantic Puffin is just such rare sighting A Rare Bird Indeed For Bird Watchers ñ The Atlantic Puffin Observing an Atlantic Puffin is a bird watcherís golden egg because they are not prevalent in the world. As the name suggests, they can only be found on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean and only during certain times of the year. If you are building a life list, this is a bird that will set you apart from others. The Atlantic Puffin is a beautiful bird, a member of the Auk family of birds. A seabird, this little bird is a fisher in the ocean, often diving 50 feet or more to catch dinner. It is marked by its white lower body, which contrasts with a midnight black back and wings. The head is black topped with white around the eyes and extending to the beak. The beak is a cornucopia of sweeping colors with yellow, black and red being the dominant pigments. This little beauty is the only member of the Puffin family of birds found in the Atlantic. It is typically found in northern reaches, from Maine up through the artic and down through northern Europe. Occasionally, the Puffin will range as far south as North Carolina on the coast of North America, but not often. For bird watcherís in the continental United States and elsewhere, this makes the bird a sighting worth having. The Atlantic Puffin is a bird that seems to teeter back and forth between population problems. In the 1800s, the bird was under serious pressure due to the harvesting of its eggs by humans. Coming to shore to mate in cliff outcrops, the female laid only one egg. The losses thus were substantial and the bird nearly disappeared. Recently, populations have begun to grow again, but now new threats exist. Gulls and rat populations are once again threatening the breading grounds of these exquisite birds. Conservation efforts are fighting back and populations are at least remaining steady with some studies suggesting they are actually growing at a rate of five to ten percent. If the opportunity presents itself, a birding expedition to sight the Atlantic Puffin is definitely worth a go. The birds have a relatively small onshore territory, which makes them a fairly rare find for the avid birder.

Purchase a lead crystal animal figurine from the area where the making of lead crystal glass first began. Turkey has been involved in crafting crystal figurines for many centuries. Small workshops in towns and villages are the settings where the crystal animal figurine is created in a variety of designs. Today the dolphin is one of the most popular as a crystal animal figurine. The art of creating lead crystal glass figurines has not changed significantly throughout the many centuries. The process begins with the craftsman melting the molten glass ingredients in a furnace. A wooden mould is also used to shape the glass. After the craftsman inspects the crystal figurine he is creating and finds that this step is finished, he then lets it cool for 36-48 hours. After the crystal animal figurine has cooled for the specific period of time, the craftsman uses an emery stone to facet the surface. This gives the lead crystal piece its beautiful reflective qualities. He then adds any specific details he wants to see in the crystal. Many of the crystal animal figurines are left smooth, but there may be details that need to be added to the figurine, such as eyes. This process is how Turkish crystal figurines are made and these workshops are noted for their attention to detail and perfection in the pieces they produce. Although a Turkish crystal animal figurine can be expensive, it is well worth what you pay for it. They are true works of art that you will certainly want to add to your collection. A lead crystal figurine of any design in your curio cabinet carries with it the centuries of history that developed its creation. You can look at it and know that the work that went into its creation is a time honored tradition from the past that is still used in the present, in spite of all the new technology that has since been developed. When you have a crystal animal figurine crafted in lead crystal glass you can consider yourself lucky. Today there is a strong demand for crystal animal figurines made in Turkey, from many other parts of the world. The quality of todayís crystal figurines is just as superior as it was hundreds of years ago.

Whenever you make any purchase it is important to take into account what you are buying. Whether buying for yourself or for someone else as a gift, you should examine your options and think through what you would like to buy. Purchasing model ship kits is no different. Additionally, because model ship kits can be rather expensive, it is sometimes even more important for you to carefully consider your options before committing to one kit or another. Here are some things to consider before you spend your money on a model ship kit. Budget. This is always the first consideration whenever you buy anything, including model ship kits. Because there are kits that cost tens of thousands of dollars as well as those that cost less than $100, it is important to know how much you are willing to spend. Skill Level. Different model ship kits are for people of different skill levels. Make sure you know whether you need a beginner, intermediate, or advanced kit before you buy. It is not so bad to give one that is below level, but the results can be devastating when the skill level is too advanced. Motorized or Not. Some model ship kits come with motors so that they can self-propel through the water. These can be expensive to fuel and maintain, so make sure you understand what is involved before purchasing a motorized ship. Time Period. There are ships from many different time periods. Model ship kits offer a wide range of time periods in the history of sea travel. If you or someone you are buying for has a preference, you should make sure that the kit you purchase meets that preference. Specific Ship. Not only is it possible to buy model ship kits that fit a time period, but it is also possible to build replicas of ships that actually existed (or still do). So find out whether you or your friend needs a certain ship for a collection, and then buy that ship. Quality. If you are concerned about quality, make sure that you purchase your model ship kits from a reputable company. There are plenty of hobby shops and online kit purveyors that can help you find a good quality ship, often at good prices. Support. The best hobby shops and other sellers of model ship kits offer support and advice. Some even offer warrantees on their products. If you are looking for good service, make sure you purchase your kit from a company that provides support and help from professionals.

What to do with a sewing pattern once you take it out of the envelope. You have searched the pattern books, found the perfect pattern for your material and now you are off home to make it up. What is the first thing you need to do? You will have selected a pattern for your size, when you open the envelope, everything is folded neatly. 1. Take the instruction sheet and it will show you how to set out the pattern on your fabric, there will be the lay-outs for the different widths of fabric, and for with or without nap. Some fabrics you can cut out your pattern pieces in opposite directions others you will have to lay the pattern pieces all going the same way or else the fabric will show a different shade, velvets and corduroys are a good example. 2. Cut around the edge of the seam allowances with paper scissors, not the scissors you will be cutting the fabric with. 3. Always check the pattern pieces against you, you can pin the various pieces together and try it on to see if there needs to be any adjustments before you start cutting the fabric. 4. With your fabric right side out, place and pin the pattern pieces according to the layout for your fabric width and cut your fabric pattern pieces out. 5. You will see triangles known as notches. circles, arrows, broken lines, unbroken lines. On some patterns you will also see on the seam stitching lines arrows. This is according to the pattern maker the direction to stitch that seam. 6. Once you have cut out all the pieces, get your tracing carbon. Fold the tracing carbon so that when you place it between the fabric and trace, you will have the pattern marked on the inside of your fabric. 7. If possible get a plastic tracing wheel, it will not cut into your pattern tissue. some metal tracing wheels will cut the pattern and make it hard to re-use that pattern again. 8. Transfer all the pattern markings to the inside of your fabric, use a rule to guide along the long seam lines. 9. Now you are ready to start sewing your garment and everything you had on your pattern is now on the inside of your fabric. 10. Once again, check the pieces against you to make sure the fit is right. 11. Pin, tack, baste where necessary, press as you go, fit as you go and follow the instructions, take it step by step. 12. As a general guide when deciding on what length of fabric to purchase you need twice your length plus the length of the sleeve if you are making something with a sleeve. For skirts or pants you will need twice your length. 13. When looking for fabrics, anything that feels stiff will have a lot of what is called sizing and when it is laundered could go very limp and not hold its shape. 14. A good test for crushing is to scrunch the fabric in your hand and see if the creases will fall out. If they stay, then this will always crush no matter how carefully your press it. 15. Purchase your notions when you purchase your fabric, thread, zipper, bias binding, interfacing, lining, check the pattern envelope for what you will need to complete your garment. Well thatís the main points for getting your pattern tight and happier sewing. © 2006 CTBaird Rights Reserved Sew More For U

With over 70% of people who responded to a recent survey revealing that they were thinking about starting a business of some sort, working from home is becoming more the norm than ever before. The problem for many people is that they donít really know where to start and how to turn their dream into something tangible. 3 critical things you'll need in order to turn your hobby into a profitable business are - #1 ñ A Positive Attitude By far your biggest asset in turning your favorite hobby into a thriving business is a positive attitude. I think it was Harry F. Banks who said, ìAttitude determines your altitudeî. If you are going to pursue your dream and make it a reality, you must have a positive attitude and the willingness to commit to what it takes to make it happen. So many people start out on the road to turning their hobby into a business, and then at the first sign of an obstacle, they give up, often just before they start to see results. A positive attitude will help you to break through the barriers and temporary setbacks and reach your desired goal. #2 ñ The Determination To Succeed Many people who fall in love with the idea of turning their hobby into a business are looking for an easy way out and at the first problem, they give up and let circumstances crush their dreams. By developing a fierce determination to succeed, your chances of creating a profitable business are infinitely higher and you are virtually setting yourself up for success. While there are not guarantees that you will eventually make it, having the determination to push on regardless of minor problems and find solutions is the mark of a true winner. Determination and a positive attitude can work together to help a dedicated person succeed where others have failed #3 ñ A Proven System The final and some would say most important thing youíll need is a proven system for marketing your products and/or services. You need a step by step process that you can follow to ensure your success; something that otherís have used successfully to achieve the same goal you have. Itís no use having an incredibly positive attitude and loads of determination if you choose a system thatís flawed and never had a chance of working in the first place. Look for proof that other people have followed any system you are considering and become successful. Unfortunately, many people waste money, and more importantly, valuable time, chasing the latest fad or scheme offered by unscrupulous promoters. Most of these schemes haven't agot hope of succeeding, but people fall for them every day. Donít ever take the promoterís word that it will work for youÖdemand unquestionable PROOF that many people, from all walks of life, have been able to use what he or she is offering to turn their hobby or passion into a profitable business. When it comes to the system, results are the only thing that mattersÖ

Stamp collecting doesnít have to be an expensive hobby. You can enjoy collecting stamps with limited financial resources. Here are 10 really low-cost ways to start stamp collecting. 1. Ask your friends to use commemorative stamps on their mail when they write to you. Commemorative stamps are generally larger than regular stamps and are issued to honor famous people, places, or events. Because commemorative stamps are usually issued in lesser quantities than common smaller stamps, they are of much more interest to collectors. Tell your friends that you are a stamp collector and ask them to request commemorative stamps at the post office. 2. When you send away for offers that require postage or self-addressed, stamped envelopes, use commemorative stamps. Youíll get them back when the envelopes are returned to you. 3. Ask your neighbors, friends, and relatives to save their used stamps for you. Youíll find that most people will be happy to save their stamps for you when they learn that you are a collector. 4. If you know someone who gets letters from other countries, ask them to save those stamps. Always be on the lookout for potentially good stamp contacts, and don't be afraid to ask them to go through their mail for you before they throw away all the envelopes. 5. Ask friends and family to save the envelopes from their office mail for you. Many businesses get a lot of foreign mail and regularly throw away stamps that have interest and value to a collector. 6. Ask your parents if they have any old letters with stamps on the envelopes. Donít peel the stamp off the envelope. This will cause thin spots or tears, both of which ruin a stamp's appearance and lessen its value to collectors. Always tear off the envelope corner so that there is paper all around the stamp, and make sure that all of the perforations are undamaged. 7. If you know other stamp collectors, ask them if they have duplicates that they are willing to give or sell to you. Many collectors have thousands of duplicates and they are often willing to help get new philatelists get started by giving them stamps or by selling them packets of stamps much more cheaply than can be purchased in stores or by mail. 8. Look for free stamps advertised by stamp companies. Free stamps are often offered along with ìapprovals,î an assortment of other stamps that you must either buy or return. This can be a convenient way to buy stamps. Note, however, that you usually have to pay the return postage if you return the approval stamps. 9. Check out stamp clubs in your area. Clubs may offer stamps as prizes, or have inexpensive stamps you can afford to buy. Some stamp clubs sponsor junior clubs the local community center, YMCA, or schools. 10. Consider starting a stamp club if one doesnít already exist in your area. It only takes four or five other stamp collectors who are interested in getting together to learn about and trade stamps and ideas. With free stamps and a few inexpensive accessories, such as a small album and a package of stamp hinges, even collectors with little money can have a great time. So, what are you waiting for? Start collecting stamps today!

While most people enjoy casino gambling, sports betting, lottery and bingo playing for the fun and excitement it provides, others may experience gambling as an addictive and distractive habit. Statistics show that while 85 percent of the adult population in the US enjoys some type of gambling every year, between 2 and 3 percent of will develop a gambling problem and 1 percent of them are diagnosed as pathological gamblers.

Where can you draw the line between harmless gambling to problem gambling? How can you tell if you or your friend are compulsive gamblers? Here you can find answers to these questions and other questions regarding problem gambling and gambling addiction.

What is the Meaning of Problem Gambling?
Problem gambling or compulsive gambling is defined as an uncontrollable urge to gamble despite the destructive effect of gambling on the gamblers life and despite feelings of guilt and remorse. Problem gambling tends to have a negative effect on the gamblers financial state, relationships and daily life. Severe cases of problem gambling can be defined as pathological gambling.

Am I a Compulsive Gambler?
1) Do you gamble until your last penny runs out?
2) Do you gamble to win back your former losses or debts?
3) Did you ever had to borrow money to continue gamble?
4) Did your gambling habit ever made you lie to your friends or family?
5) Did you ever skip work or other obligation to gamble?
6) Do you tend to gamble to forget about your personal problems or to celebrate happy occasions?
7) Does gambling have a negative affect on your daily life or relationships?

If you have answered yes on at least one of the questions listed above, then you have a problem.

Can Anyone Become a Compulsive Gambler?
Theoretically, yes. Any gambler can develop gambling problem regardless to the type of gambling he is occupied with, the amount of money and time he is spending on gambling. Researches show that slot machines that can be found in bars and convenient stores are the most addictive type of gambling activity, while lottery draws and bingo games are located on the other end of the scale. Gambling addiction is an emotional problem; its symptoms, causes and treatments are similar to any other form of addiction.

How Can I treat Gambling Addiction?
1) Group Therapy:
Gamblers Anonymous offers a 12 step self help program similar to the one offered to alcohol addicts in Alcoholics Anonymous.  Group therapy also offers gambling addicts advice and support from professional counselors and other gambling addicts in different phases of their recovery process. Gambler Anonymous centers are available in more than 1,200 locations statewide.

2) Individual Therapy:
Cognitive or behavior therapy can help gambling addicts to identify their unaware thinking and acting patterns, which led them to gamble compulsively, and to replace them with controllable and healthier ways of thinking.

3) Psychiatric Medication:
It has recently been proven that antidepressant medications from the family of SSRIs, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors can be affective in treatment of gambling addicts.

The acai berry is is strange in the way that only 10% of the berry is actually edible, the main reason for this is it has a large stone which takes up most of the berry. It is a dark purple berry slightly smaller than a grape, acai is more communally mixed with ice cream, meal bars and also energy drinks. The acai berry requires rapid precessing after its late harvest.

The acai berry grows in the rain forests of the amazon in south america and is considered by some as being more than an organic fruit. These rain forests remain untouched by any sort of manufacturing, everything in this region is grown the way it was intended by nature and no mass production is add in any way.

Pronunciation of this fruit is "ah-sigh-ee", acai, or euterpe oleracea (arecaceae) has been seen to excell in heathly attributes and greatly aids metabolism. It is highly promoted by Dr. Nicholas Perricone, a health guru and best-selling author, calling the acai a "superfood."

It wasnt until the turn of the millenium when the acai berry was dicovered to be in north america and it hails from the palmberry tree. It usually grows in the amazon, the natives of this region cultivate the berry and have enjoying it health producing properties for many years now. Acai is usually consumed as a puree or in a smoothee or milk shake, this drink is more communally served on the Brazilian beaches and tropical resorts, although acai is an aquired taste, as it tastes mostly of wine wine with a hint of choclate.

Acai is abundant in anthocyanins, a type of antioxidant that has been proven to combat cholesterol and free radicals, consuming acai has been proven to reduce blood related disorders and relax the blood vessels. It is also a great help in preventing arthresclerosis and is a powerful combatant of cancer. Red wine is healthy for you because of the anthocyanin content from the grapes. the Acai berry has over X30 the anthocyanin than any grape.

Aside from anthocyanins, another benefit of the acai berry is an acid called aleic acid which is very good for the heart. Oleic acid also keeps a cancer-causing oncogene (this is found in many breast cancer patents) from acting up, Acai is also great for anyone who has any sort of digestive conditions.

Acai is good as a dietary supplement, it is very low in fat and colestrol and yet high in fiber. These benefits are usually found in the skin, the acai skin contains nutrients such as phytosterols, vitamin C, E, manganese, chromium, copper, and even boron as well as a few others including calcium, acai contains more calcium than even milk.

In recent studies have been conducted and acai has other benefits other than the ones that have been mentioned in this article such ailments would include a variety of virus's and prostate problems. It also helps improve lipoprotein metabolism and reinforces your immune system. One of the less known attributes of acai is it is said to have very powerful aphrodisiac properties, because of its revitalizing qualities. To produce this aphrodisiac, you need to mix the acai pulp with guarana another fruit grown in south america, although this is the most powerful combination the acai berry can be mixed with any fruit or mixture even milk or beer.

Unfortunately now the acai berry is not found in any store in the united states this is mainly because the fruit spoils very quickly, the only way that this berry can be got is thought a frozen or pureed form. In brazil the athletes would take the berry as part of their daily diet and consider it a must for a healthy lifestyle

The acai berry is small and although you can find the nutrients that it has elsewhere the difference here is that acai crams all of them into a small space, this has been considered to be a premium way to undertake a good healthy lifestyle.

Other benefits of this amazing berry include greater energy, stamina, digestion and mental stimulation. Drink acai in juice or smoothie form also helps you sleep better at night. Acai also includes more proteins than an egg white, it also serves as a revitalizing agent supplying you with the energy of a speeding train, this is a good way to increase sex drive and performance.

Once you have consumed the fruit and other contents of your fruit basket, do not throw out the basket itself! These containers that hold a bevy of edible goodies are perfect for a number of clever uses around your home. From storage to decoration, the basket portion of your gift will allow you to keep enjoying the present long after the fruit has been enjoyed.

Today’s fruit baskets are using more unique and less traditional containers, ranging from colanders to planters. If your fruit basket has a container that is other than a basket, then you will probably already have a good idea for which it can be used. However, many fruit basket recipients find themselves puzzling over how to use their baskets. If you find yourself in this head-scratching crowd, consider these fantastic options:

• Storage: Baskets today are making a comeback and are used for storing everything from your favorite pair of shoes to your kid’s building blocks. A trip to your favorite home décor store will present you with tons of baskets in every shape and size, so consider using your emptied fruit basket in the same manner. Tuck towels into your basket and use it to add extra storage space in a tiny bath. Put a basket in your car to keep items from rolling around in a trunk or back hatch. Hang a basket underneath the garage to hold sporting equipment or use them inside your home to hold magazines, cleaning supplies, toys, and anything else under the sun!

• Function: Many families designate each family member a basket, allowing them to pick up their items left around the home. This is a great idea, since you can keep things better organized and teach all family members (even the adults) tidiness.

• Decoration: Many homeowners use baskets as a decoration, filling in blank corners or bare tops of furniture. Fill your basket with greenery or flowers and use as a centerpiece. Use your basket as a planter and move your live plants to a more aesthetic location. Baskets are also a great way to cover less savory items that have become a necessity in your home, especially wires and electronic equipment that is threatening to take over your room.

• Re-use: Instead of using boring gift bags or clumsy boxes to house gifts, consider using a basket! Half the impact of the gift is its presentation, so you can guarantee your gift to be a hit if you tuck the treasure inside a basket. Whether you choose to make your own gift basket or just use the basket for wrapping and transport, reusing your basket is a great way to pass on a lovely item to a friend, family member, co-worker, or neighbor.

Just a little beyond a good wine is an aged vinegar. In Modena it’s revered as balsamico. Gourmet chefs seem to have embraced the allure of balsamic vinegar in the last two decades, but it was tradition passed down in Italy from father to son over centuries that resulted in the large scale acceptance of the finest vinegar condiments the world has ever known.

“Italy, and the spring and first love all together should suffice to make the gloomiest person happy.” – Bertrand Russell

The strains of classic Italian folk music are heard in the distance as the doors open on something new, yet something altogether regal. The villa in Carpi is one of Italy’s national historic landmarks and the Villa Bellentani sits as one of its crown jewels. Built in the 18th century, the Villa Bellentani harkens to an era of rich heritage and rural sensibilities. Now, this same villa is a perfect blend or uncommon historic beauty coupled with state of the art facilities for aging balsamic vinegar for yet another appreciative generation.

It’s plain to see that the world has discovered a special love affair with Modena balsamic vinegar, yet it is also true that two other facts are equally evident. 1) There doesn’t seem to be enough quality balsamic vinegar to meet growing world demand and, 2) while inferior vinegars are easily obtained they spoil the pristine image and taste of true, aged balsamic vinegar. The Italian producer Villa Bellentani is making efforts to offer some of Modena’s best vinegar, yet preserve the integrity of the balsamico heritage.

It was with a deep respect for the thousand year history of balsamic vinegar that Italian vineyard growers join with producers at Villa Bellentani to develop quality aged balsamic vinegar that holds to the timeless traditions of Italy’s finest producers.

Americans discovered balsamic vinegar in the 1980’s, but it was tradition passed down from father to son over many centuries that resulted in the ‘overnight success’ of the finest vinegars the world has ever known.

The same country that brought you such notable artists as Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci as part of the Renaissance also provides a culinary artistry that offers incomparable quality and taste - the wonderfully adaptable aged balsamic vinegar, aceto balsamico di Modena.

It is certain that such taste has value far beyond the purchase price. Long standing Italian history comes into focus when the balsamic vinegars of Villa Bellentani are tasted and found worthy to attain the ranks of the ‘world’s finest’.

Producers around the world have attempted to duplicate the Modena balsamic vinegar, but few pay regard to the tradition and taste that find customers willing to pay hundreds and even thousands of dollars for well aged blends. It is a shame to see something so precious treated in such a common way by many who will claim a product of comparable quality. In truth, much of what sells as balsamic vinegar is little more than common vinegar mixed with caramelized brown sugar. Yet in Carpi there’s a wooden cask of balsamic vinegar that has aged for more than a decade, and one day some of the precious liquid inside could find its way to your table. Your eyes will close and you take in an appreciative breath, for the taste was worth the wait.

The pace of life in Carpi is a world removed from most urban cultures. Perhaps it is that slower pace that is beneficial when you discover the difference in well aged balsamic vinegar in the grand tradition of Italy. Villa Bellentani a family estate producer seeks to fill that void.

According to a recent study, car accidents ranked ninth out of the top ten causes of death world wide.  It also ranked first among the top ten accident-caused deaths.  Over 40,000 Americans die in car crashes every year. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, someone is involved in a car accident every ten seconds. It is estimated that every 12 minutes, a person dies in a car crash. Car accidents are the leading cause of death for Americans 35 years old and younger.  In 2002 alone, there has been a reported 43,005 deaths caused by car accidents.

What are the leading causes of car accidents?

    Car accidents can often be attributed to driver recklessness or negligence, the vehicles involved in an accident, and road and weather conditions at the time of the accident. 

Driver Negligence.

        Driver negligence may manifest in many forms.  It may be because of rubbernecking, driving under the influence of alcohol, the driver’s lack of experience, or an aggressive driving behavior. 

        Under driver negligence, rubbernecking had been reported as the top cause of car accidents.  This happens when motorists stop to look at other accidents they pass by and lose concentration on the road ahead.  This distraction ends up in a chain of accidents that     could have been avoided.  Driving under the influence of alcohol is strictly prohibited in the US. This is considered as a criminal offense and is not taken lightly.  A reported forty percent of all traffic-related deaths have been attributed to driving while intoxicated. Inexperienced drivers who aren’t accompanied by an adult with a valid driving license also contribute to car accidents.  One quarter of reported car accidents involved teenage     drivers. Aggressive driving behaviour like challenging other drivers to a street race in the     middle of the road, forcing to cut into a lane, not giving way to other cars also contribute to the growing statistics of car accidents. 



Vehicles.
   
    Defective auto parts, vehicle design, and/or car maintenance are also major causes of car accidents. Defective door latches, seat belts, airbags, seat backs, roofs, ignition systems, and fuel systems are all contributing factors in the damage caused in vehicular accidents.  The overall faulty design of a car makes accidents and damages more likely. SUV designs make a car less stable on the road and four times more likely to rollover in an accident as compared to passenger cars.

Road and weather conditions.

    It is understandable that this cause isn’t really something man can have any control of.  However choosing to come out on the road without first taking into consideration the weather and road condition may also be considered negligence on the part of the driver.

How can I avoid car accidents?

     Responsible driving is the key to avoid getting yourself involved in a car accident.  For teenage drivers, don’t go out driving unsupervised.  Avoid ingesting too much alcohol when you’re driving, not only will you be able to see the road clearer, your concentration will be better, too.  Concentrate on the road, disregard any distractions while driving.  If it is really necessary that you take a moment to acknowledge any distractions, park your car on a safe area and then attend to what ever needs your immediate attention.  Drive defensively instead of being aggressive on the road.   Always keep yourself abreast to weather conditions before going out.  Make sure and check your vehicle for any problems even before you hit the road.  It is better to be prepared and safe than getting into an accident on the road.

What can drive someone to insanity? Certainly, insanity is something that is commonly understood (or misunderstood) and usually carries some sort of stigma in the popular consciousness. If you believe in modern psychology and psychiatry, there are literally thousands of forms of insanity that a person can end up developing over a lifetime. Some of them, like depression, are temporary, while others, like social anxiety, require more work for a person to get through. However, there appears to be some commonality as to what actually brings about most of the forms of insanity that people go through. Which brings the question to bear: is there a common, underlying trigger that compromises the stability of a person's mental health?

Things like stress and anxiety are often cited, as most of the common (and several uncommon) mental health issues are triggered by one of the two. Continued exposure to stress can eventually push someone beyond their “breaking point,” with the form of insanity afterwards being affected by external factors. This is often a long, strenuous process because most people have some level of resistance to such things, allowing them to at least survive the stressful period with their sanity intact. Additionally, the process may not even really result in insanity, with most of the population serving as proof of this theory. Prolonged stress can affect a person's behavior and outlook, but it is also known that several other factors can increase or reduce the impact of this. In some cases, stress and anxiety can merely even have the opposite effect, depending on the person's personal outlook.

Emotions are also said to play a critical role in driving or pushing people into insanity, with feelings being so closely tied to mental health. A person's emotional state can often be a reflection of a person's relative state of mental stability, but may also become an effect of fractured sanity. There is no doubting that emotions can disrupt and affect a person's thought processes and make them do things that they normally would not do. It has also been noted that extremely emotional situations and heavy emotional trauma can permanently affect a person's mind, often resulting in a condition that requires therapy to eventually overcome. However, it is rather arguable that emotions are merely augmenting the effects of stress and pressure, not a factor in itself.

Trauma is also frequently cited as having drastic effects on a person's sanity, particularly if it occurs during the formative years. The extreme psychological and emotional impact that trauma victims have to endure can often force some past the breaking point, having permanent effects on their mental health. However, it should be noted that trauma tends to be little more than a combination of stressful and emotional factors, usually mixed in with extreme circumstances. The vulnerability of the person's psyche plays a larger role here than in other potential causes of insanity, which explains why trauma encountered later on in life does not have the same general effect as similar events encountered during childhood.

Ultimately, insanity is something that, like sanity, must be defined on an individual basis. What is sane for one person in a given society may not be considered such by a different person within the same society. Insanity is a matter of context in this case, which is the assumption that some psychological texts make.

I seem to lost count on how many times I've read and heard of celebrity marriages failing almost left and right. Not that I care (and personally I don't), it seems strange that we often see movie and TV stars as flawless people, living the fairytale life of riches and glamour. I suppose we all have to stop sticking our heads in the clouds and face reality.

There are many ways to lose your sense of self-esteem despite of how trivial it could get. But whatever happens, we should all try not to lose our own sense of self.

So what does it take to be a cut above the rest? Here are some of the things you can think and improve on that should be enough for a week.

1. Know your purpose
Are you wandering through life with little direction - hoping that you'll find happiness, health and prosperity? Identify your life purpose or mission statement and you will have your own unique compass that will lead you to your truth north every time.

This may seem tricky at first when you see yourself to be in a tight or even dead end. But there's always that little loophole to turn things around and you can make a big difference to yourself.

2. Know your values
What do you value most? Make a list of your top 5 values. Some examples are security, freedom, family, spiritual development, learning. As you set your goals for 2005 - check your goals against your values. If the goal doesn't align with any of your top five values - you may want to reconsider it or revise it.

The number shouldn't discourage you, instead it should motivate you to do more than you can ever dreamed of.

3. Know your needs
Unmet needs can keep you from living authentically. Take care of yourself. Do you have a need to be acknowledged, to be right, to be in control, to be loved? There are so many people who lived their lives without realizing their dreams and most of them end up being stressed or even depressed for that matter. List your top four needs and get them met before it's too late!

4. Know your passions
You know who you are and what you truly enjoy in life. Obstacles like doubt and lack of enthusiasm will only hinder you, but will not derail your chance to become the person you ought to be. Express yourself and honor the people who has inspired you to become the very person you wanted to be.

5. Live from the inside out
Increase your awareness of your inner wisdom by regularly reflecting in silence. Commune with nature. Breathe deeply to quiet your distracted mind. For most of us city slickers it's hard to even find the peace and quiet we want even in our own home. In my case I often just sit in a dimly lit room and play some classical music. There's sound, yes, but music does soothe the savage beast.

6. Honor your strengths
What are your positive traits? What special talents do you have? List three - if you get stuck, ask those closest to you to help identify these. Are you imaginative, witty, good with your hands? Find ways to express your authentic self through your strengths. You can increase your self-confidence when you can share what you know to others.

7. Serve others
When you live authentically, you may find that you develop an interconnected sense of being. When you are true to who you are, living your purpose and giving of your talents to the world around you, you give back in service what you came to share with others -your spirit - your essence. The rewards for sharing your gift with those close to you is indeed rewarding, much more if it were to be the eyes of a stranger who can appreciate what you have done to them.

Self-improvement is indeed one type of work that is worth it. It shouldn't always be within the confines of an office building, or maybe in the four corners of your own room. The difference lies within ourselves and how much we want to change for the better.

As editor of a large Article Directory, that currently has over 20,000 Articles, we receive hundreds of new  ideas that arrive daily….but in this past week I have received two new articles, that have both made me sit up and take notice. This is the first of those, the other I will leave for a second article.

Every day many millions of searches are performed, admittedly over 80% of those searches are currently made by internet users that go through either Google, MSN or Yahoo, but then like this new Search Engine, they too had to start somewhere. After all it was only a few years ago that Google started, now look at how big they are.

This is how the new Search Engine works:

You have your own Search Portal, in the same way that you would Search though any of the big three. Although instead of using say Google, you Search via your own personal Search Portal. The results that they supply, are both quick, and also very good, and supplied in the same way that they would be with any other Search Engine, but here is the difference!

1/. They will give you $50 just for joining, no catch, your account is credit as soon as you join up with them.

2/. You then get the personal link to your very own Search Portal when you join, which you then use whenever you want to make a Search of the internet.

3/. They CREDIT your account every time you make a Search, using your own Search Portal.

Now the potential!

The Search Portal link is specific to YOU, so the idea is for you to get your friends, and maybe even business colleagues to also use YOUR Search Portal, after all it will cost them nothing, and they will get good results. The more people you can get to use your Search Portal the better….BECAUSE every time that it is used to make a Search by anyone using YOUR Search Engine Portal link, the Search company pays YOU!!

It progresses even further, it is completely Free to you, and you get the $50 sign up bonus mentioned above, but if your friends also sign up, they get the $50 bonus too, as do their friends, and their friend’s friends!

So there must be a catch?
I have NOT found one, and I have looked at it VERY closely. In fact I think it is a great idea, I have actually tried it, and as promised my account credit increased as they said it would. I believe that it is a very novel idea and one that could really take off. It is totally free to use, it does not cost the users anything, and so as far as I can see it really is a win win situation.

The Search Engine I am talking about, is also a Pay Per Click Search Engine, so they DO want you to use the money you earn to buy Pay Per Click listings, but then if you have your own website, and you are accumulating money for Free just by making Searches, then it also means that you are getting your “clicks” for Free too. They also have paid Membership, which I understand allows you to take the money you earn in the form of Cash Commissions, paid twice monthly via PayPal.

From my point of view, it looks like a new way of getting free traffic to my website.

So finally if you do have a web site, or maybe plan to have one in the future, would like to promote it for Free, then this is something that you should really take a look at.
After all they could be the internet’s next big player, and you are getting in on the ground floor!

In the wake of the sudden death of its now fragmented leader, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, Al-Qaeda in Iraq polled its somewhat shaken members about who would like to take over Mr. Zarqawiís job. After a determined effort, the group was able to find a terrorist who, though expressing understandable reluctance, was eventually persuaded to accept the expectedly short-lived position. The usual amateurish Webcast was quickly arranged, and the new leader, flanked by other terrorists wearing the standard-issue black head disguises, introduced himself, with visible knee shaking, as Abu Hamza al-Muhajer. In the co-opted, overbearingly religious language that has become the worldwide standard in terrorist-speak, the new leader of Al-Qaeda in Iraq vowed to avenge al-Zarqawiís death and vowed that he and the other ìholy warriorsî will continue with what they perceive as a holy war against their own slack populace and the people Al-Qaeda refers to with moronic medieval acumen as ìthe crusaders.î ìDon't let the joy of killing our Sheikh Abu Musab, may God bless his soul, fool you,î he stated, ìfor he left behind lions." To prove his point, at that moment, he held up an uncooked shish-kabob and took a bite out of it. Chewing on the raw lamb meat, he continued: "He raised them by himself and they trained in his den. They believe in their ideology, and they fight only for God and in God and through God." Apparently, the group had to reach far down into its ranks to locate another willing volunteer. Unfortunately, no one on the side of the infidels had ever heard of him, even the most erudite terrorist analyst. A few days later, his identity was determined. After the announcement, his photo-ID poster was taken to a US firing range for target practice. No comment was forthcoming until and a couple days later, when a terrorist of even less repute made a tape, claiming he is the rightful fellow who's picture should be on the firing range. Whoever the new leader is, if apprehended alive, he will be sent for retraining in religious ideology to an enlightened mosque, if one can be located, wherein he will learn the disconcerting logic that if, as he and his ill-informed cohorts maintain, there is only one true God, even crusaders are the children of the same God, so such a God is unlikely to welcome them into the paradise they long for as a reward for their murderous activities but will far more likely present them with a more heated welcome and destination.

Lawyer Jokes Q: How does a pregnant woman know she is carrying a future lawyer? A: She has an extreme craving for baloney. Q: What is the legal definition of ìAppealî? A: Something a person slips on in a grocery store. Q: Why did God make snakes just before lawyers? A: To practice. Q: What do you call a lawyer with an IQ of 12? A: Your Honor. Q: Whatís the difference between a lawyer and a herd of buffalo? A: The lawyer charges more. Q: What do you call a smiling, sober, courteous person at a bar association convention? A: The caterer. Q: Why are lawyers like nuclear weapons? A: If one side has one, the other side has to get one. Q: What do you get when you cross the Godfather with a lawyer? A: An offer you can't understand. Q: What do you call a lawyer gone bad? A: Senator Q: Did you hear they just released a new Barbie doll called "Divorced Barbie"? A: It comes with half of Ken's things and alimony. Q: What's the difference between an attorney and a pit bull? A: Jewelry. Q: What's the definition of mixed emotions? A: Watching your attorney drive over a cliff in your new Ferrari. Q: Whatís the difference between lawyers and accountants? A: At least accountants know theyíre boring. Stories: 1. A man who had been caught embezzling millions went to a lawyer. His lawyer told him, "Donít worry. Youíll never go to jail with all that money? In fact, when the man was sent to prison, he didnít have a dime. 2. As the lawyer awoke from surgery, he asked, "Why are all the blinds drawn?" The nurse answered, "There's a fire across the street, and we didn't want you to think you had died." 3. God decided to take the devil to court and settle their differences once and for all. Satan heard this, laughed and said, "And where do you think you're going to find a lawyer?" 4. A lawyer is sitting at the desk in his new office. He hears someone coming to the door. To impress his first potential client, he picks up the phone as the door opens and says, "I demand one million and not a penny less." As he hangs up, the man now standing in his office says, "I'm here to hook up your phone." And finally: You Might Be A Lawyer If.... You are charging someone to read these jokes.

Paypal has made it possible to quickly and easily send money over the Internet. This allows us to pay for all kinds of purchases with a lot less hassle. It also will allow you, everyone who reads this article, to send me, Timothy Ward, $1.00. Being the cynics that you are, I know you're probably asking: "Why should I send you $1.00? I barely even know you. If I hadn't somehow stumbled onto this article I wouldn't even have known that you exist. I still don't know how I came across this ridiculous article, I was trying to find my brother-in-law's blog." Since I know that humanoids are by nature untrusting, and I know that you can spare the dollar, I will now generously provide 8 reasons why you should immediately paypal me a buck. I don't think I'll need more than 5 reasons but I like to give people their money's worth. Plus I have a word count to think about. So without further ado: (1) Sending me $1.00 will keep you from spending it on something pointless like the mortgage payment. You've been faithfully paying on that mortgage for years-it's time you had a break. And it'll only cost you a single greenback. (2) Donating to a worthy cause can give you peace of mind which, in turn, will help you to sleep better at night. Giving me a dollar may not be as worthy a cause as, say, giving to the Red Cross, but I promise I will sleep better tonight and many nights thereafter if you send me that dollar. (3) If I were sitting in front of a gas station smelling of cheap wine and wearing the same clothes I had on when I lost my job 8 months ago, you wouldn't even consider giving me a dollar. You would probably tell me to: "Get a Job, ya bum", and then rapidly walk away, clutching your wallet tightly. I, however, am not sitting in front of a gas station, I'm sitting in front of my television. And I changed clothes 2 days ago. (4) I need to buy some Bling Bling! You're just not in the game if you don't have diamonds in your ears and ice on your neck and wrists. Plus I know a guy who'll give me a great deal on some gold teeth. But I need more cheese. (5) Many great artist in history have depended on donations to finance their masterpieces. Your sending me $1.00 will allow me to do the necessary research for a masterpiece of an article that I'm working on called: 'Going Out on Saturday Night and Getting Sloppy Drunk Using Other People's Money'. I'll be sure to acknowledge you at the end. (6) Fellas, would you rather send me a dollar or have your wife spent it on yet another pair of black heels? Ladies, would you rather your husbands spend it on another one of those magazines that he keeps in that box in his workshop? I thought not. (7) Time is money. You're already wasting money by taking time to read this article. Another George Washington won't kill you. (8) The pens and paper I use to write these articles don't pay for themselves. My high speed internect connection that I use to upload these articles isn't free. I don't think $1.00 is too much to ask after the scores of articles I have written and shared with all of cyberspace. After all, if it wasn't for my articles you wouldn't appreciate the good articles written by others. So there you have it folks. 8 reasons to send me $1.00 via Paypal. As I suspected most of you were sold after Reason #5. I appreciate you waiting patiently until I finished with the remaining Reasons before rushing over to Paypal.com. Now that I have finished listing my reasons feel free to login and send your $1.00 to wailinward@yahoo.com. And please hurry, the guy with the gold teeth isn't going to have those great deals forever...

While Marco Polo, a Venetian, is generally given credit for discovering noodles in China, recent research suggests that Italian pasta in all its glorious varieties was actually discovered in Rome nearly a century earlier, and quite by accident, by a remarkably unlikely epicurean named Julius Amplonius, with the able assistance of an invading barbarian named Klunk, The Great. The momentous event occurred one afternoon when this portly patrician was dining at a chic restaurant just off the Roman Forum. He was savoring a sip of red wine from Tuscany when a group of alarmed citizens came running by, screeching, ìThe barbarians are coming! The barbarians are coming!î Amplonius had witnessed their arrival before, and by now he had made peace with the ancient wisdom, ìEat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow you may be out of food and wine.î It was by such Stoicism that the wise were able to witness the destruction of the Roman Empire while preserving a somewhat peaceful life. So, with a knowing smile, Julius simply raised his glass toward the fleeing crowd. ìWhat are you going to do, Julie, just sit there and eat?î a citizen who knew him quite well asked. ìWhy not?î he replied. ìIím thirsty. Not to mention hungry.î With that, he indulged in another taste of the Tuscan red. ìYouíre crazy!î a speeding friend called. ìRun, Julie! Run!î Just then a waitress who doubled as a temptress arrived with Julieís lunch, which might be described as a plate of proto-pasta. It consisted of a flat, round piece of dough that hung just a bit over the margins of the plate. It had a baked tomato sitting in the middle of it, with a single chunk of parmesan cheese next to it, and around both was a wreath of fragrant basil leaves. ìEnjoy your plano,î she said, putting down the dish, for that is the name the proto-pasta was known by. ìThank you, gorgeous,î Julius told her, and gave her a pinch. ìOh, you silly man,î she replied, and, looking about, seemed nervous. ìCan you do me a favor, love, and close out your bill now?î ìNo problem, you sex kitten,î he said, and reached for his purse. He took out enough Roman coinage to include a generous tip. ìKeep the change,î he told her, and pursed his lips expectantly. ìThank you, sweetie,î she said, and gave him a luscious but ever-so-brief kiss. Then she hurried off after the other fleeing citizens. Julius calmly picked up a knife and fork and began to eat his proto-pasta. Just as he cut off and savored his first bite, in rushed a huge, fur-covered barbarian, with a leather shield and the fateful sword with which he would help Julius discover pasta in many of the varieties we enjoy to this day, from lasagna to angel hair. ìUh!î he grunted, and raised his sword. Julius continued to dine. ìUh! Uh!î the barbarian raged, for the sound ìuhî comprised much of the everyday range of his proto-language. To attract the attention of the unperturbed diner, he swung his sword in a circle and just happened to whack off the head of a statue of the great Augustus. It crashed to the marble floor. Julius couldnít help but notice the decapitation and, placing a leaf of basil on his tongue, said, ìThat wasnít very nice. I kind of liked that statue.î The barbarian could not, of course, understand a word. In an effort to establish a bit of good will, at least long enough to allow him to finish his meal, Julius held up his bottle of wine. ìLike some vino?î ìHuh-Uh!î the barbarian managed to say. ìSuit yourself,î Julie told him. ìGot a name?î The barbarian stared at him without comprehension. ìName?î Julius repeated, pointing to himself and then at the barbarian to illustrate the point of his question. ìKlunk,î the barbarian said. ìI might have guessed,î Julius commented. ìKlunk, The Great,î the barbarian continued, with some intellectual effort. ìGood for you,î Julius told him, and put out his hand. ìIím Julius, The Roman, also known as Julie, The Ample. Have a seat.î ìHuh-uh! I am conqueror ñ conqueror of Rome!î Klunk managed to say. ìGood for you!î Julie told him, and couldnít resist asking the most challenging question. ìAre you sure you can afford the upkeep? Itís an expensive city to maintain.î ìWhat is upkeep?î Klunk wanted to know. ìYouíll find out,î Julius advised him. ìNow, come on. Have a seat. Youíve had a hard day.î Then he pointed to his dish and indicated a reluctant willingness to share some of his food. ìAnd enjoy some plano.î Klunk looked down at the plate, and asked, ìWhat is plano?î ìYou don't know?î Julie inquired. ìWhere have you been?î ìOther side of the Alps,î Klunk managed to get out. ìOh, no wonder,î Julie replied, and decided to educate the deprived soul. ìSee. This is a plate. Ever hear of a plate?î ìPlate?î ìInstead of eating off the table, or the ground, you eat off of a plate.î ìUh,î Klunk said, with apparent understanding. ìNow, on the plate we put a flat piece of boiled dough, called plano,î Julius continued, lifting up the edge with his fork to demonstrate. ìThen we put all kinds of goodies on top of it. In this case, a tomato, a piece of cheese, and basil leaves.î ìUh-huh.î Klunk acknowledged. ìAll you do is take a knife and fork,î Julius explained, picking the utensils up slowly, so Klunk wouldnít mistake his intentions and send his head rolling the way of the great Augustusís marble head. ìThen you cut off a piece.î He went through the process and took a bite. ìAh, delicious! Sure you wonít have any?î ìUh-huh,î Klunk said, holding his ground, and repeated with some effort, ìPlano.î ìExcellent!î Julius exclaimed. ìYou'll be a true Roman in no time!î ìKlunk ñ a Roman?î the barbarian responded, visibly insulted, and raised his sword high above Julius. Then, unexpectedly, he brought the sword down on the plate and cut the plano right in half. ìNow, what do you call it?î he was somehow able to ask. Julius looked down at the two half-moons, and said, ìI think Iíll call that one big agnolotti.î Then he took another sip of wine and smiled at Klunk. Incensed at his inability to frighten Julius, he raised his sword again and whacked the plate three or four times. ìWhat do you call it now?î Julius examined it, and said, ìThis Iíll call lasagne.î With that, he took a bite and savored it. Now furious, Klunk attacked the plate repeatedly, and demanded, ìWhat do you call it now?î Julius, despite his indifference to fate, was a bit shaken by all the clatter, and said, ìI will name it linguine.î Needless to say, Klunk swung his sword at the plate with an unprecedented volley of strokes. ìWhat is it now?î Julius examined the mishmash on his plate. By now, the plano was cut into thin strips, the tomato was diced, and the cheese was grated. After some deliberation, Julius announced, ìYou made what I will call spaghetti.î Still remaining remarkably calm, at least on the exterior, Julius took his fork and wound some spaghetti around it. Then he took a bite. ìDelicious! And fun, too,î he told Klunk. Enraged at his seemingly imperturbable true Roman, the barbarian now slashed at the contents of the plate until his arms were a veritable blur. Then, short of breath, he sighed, ìTell me what you name that.î Julius looked closely at the mayhem in his plate. Now, the pasta was as thin as he could imagine it, and the tomato sauce, cheese, and basil were all mixed together. ìIt is so thin I think I will name it angel hair.î Klunk became unexpectedly curious and bent toward Julius. ìAngel hair? What for? You no angel. You fat Roman.î Considering how finely the plano was now sliced, Julius could not imagine how much longer it could invite the attentions of Klunk and imagined that his own neck might well be the next object of the barbarianís fury. Ever the clever Roman, he noticed that, as a result of Klunkís exertion, his tummy was showing a bit. Julie was, of course, also aware of the legendary weakness of the barbarian shield, as opposed to the metal shield that accounted for much of the impenetrability of the storied Roman phalanx. So he pretended to move his knife toward the last remaining decent-size piece of tomato, saying, ìNo, my friend, I am not an angel.î With that, he quickly stabbed the somewhat exhausted Klunk, and added, ìBut youíre about to become one.î Klunk looked down at his sudden, fatal wound with shock and fell to the ground with a thud. His head knocked the table and, if Juliusís hands werenít so quick, the movement would have upset his glass of wine. Leaning back and enjoying a sip, he said, ìI think Iím gonna call all these things I discovered after my beautiful girlfriend, Pastina.î Then he rolled a bit on his fork and indulged in another mouthful, musing, ìI just love Pastina.î All the names Julius invented that day, with the undoubted help of the ill-fated barbarian Klunk, have come down through the centuries without alteration, except for the categorical appellation, which usage would eventually abbreviate to the more familiar word ìpasta.î

Recently, while sitting in my chair drinking the last of my breakfast coffee, a thought staggered into my mind. I must confess most thoughts are quite lonely once they enter my mind, but this one had a nagging element to it. Experience has taught me I should never give in to these strange trespassers. Every time I entertain any of them, Iím the one getting burnt. This time was different. Donít ask me how it was different, or how I knew it was different, it just was. Of course, looking back I could have been wrong. The thought: why not surprise my wife by baking her a cake? I know what youíre thinking. I thought the same thing when this suggested itself to me. But, the more I thought about it, the more delightfully delicious it sounded. How can anything go wrong if I am doing it for my wife? The only question I needed to answer was what kind of cake should I bake. After a long period of ruminating, I settled on a lemon sponge cake with peanut butter icing. This was going to be the best surprise my wife has ever received from me. Sitting in a prominent place in the kitchen is my wifeís Betty Crocker Cookbook. I donít know how long she has had that book, itís been in our kitchen for as long as I can remember ó which really may not be that long when I come to think of it. I took the book, sat in my favorite chair and opened it. How do you read a cookbook? As I leafed through it, it did not have any rhyme or reason to me. In musing on the book I said to myself, how important is it to follow directions? Placing the book back in its revered spot, I concluded that since this was my cake, I didnít need help from anybody else, particularly Betty Crocker. This is the difference between men and women. Women need a lot of directions, while men enjoy the liberty of doing their own thing. I knew exactly what I wanted. A lemon sponge cake, with peanut butter icing. What could be simpler? Retrieving a large mixing bowl, I assembled all the ingredients I needed; flour, sugar, eggs, milk and baking powder. Everyone knows you cannot bake without baking powder. I have no idea what baking powder is, except when you bake you use baking powder. I put everything in the mixing bowl. The only thing I wasnít quite sure of was the measure, but how hard could that be anyway? Betty Crocker mentioned a cup of this and a cup of that, but never defined what she meant by a cup. I went to the cupboard and looked at all the cups. There were all kinds and sizes of cups and I did not know which one to use. I eyed a large coffee cup and said to myself, this will do just fine. I dumped 6 or 8 cups of flour into the mixing bowl, I canít remember how many. Then I cracked a dozen eggs and put that into the mixing bowl as well. Pouring a quart of milk into the mixing bowl, I whipped everything into a nice batter. This was to be a lemon sponge cake but I could find nothing marked lemon in the cupboard. I opened the refrigerator, and as luck would have it, I found a quart of lemonade. I poured this concoction into the largest cake pan I could find. As I was about to put it into the oven, I remembered the baking powder. How is this cake going to bake if it doesnít have the baking powder? Setting the cake pan down, I grabbed the baking powder and liberally sprinkled it on top of my batter. I have no idea what baking powder does but I put enough on my cake so it would do a good job. Into the oven the cake went, and with a flick of the wrist I turned the temperature to 450 degrees. Remembering this was a big cake, I readjusted the temperature to 650. The bigger the cake the hotter the oven, is what I always say. Now all I needed to do was wait for my cake to bake. As I was waiting, I heard rumblings coming from the oven but just chalked that up to a good cake baking. I guess I fell asleep, because the next thing I knew there was a strange odor permeating the air. It smelled a little smoky and then it dawned on me. My cake, itís done. What I pulled out of the oven did not resemble any cake I had ever seen. It looked like a burnt pancake, twice the size of the cake pan, with some kind of disease on the surface. No amount of peanut butter icing in the world could camouflage this disaster. It was about this time I began reassessing the idea of reading directions. Maybe instructions have a purpose after all. I remember something the Apostle Paul said. ìStudy to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.î (2 Timothy 2:15 KJV.) To live right without getting burnt you need the right directions.