Archive for March, 2008

A True Angelic Story

Monday, March 31st, 2008

By Elaine K. Stephen Many years ago my Mom died when I was only 12 years old. Naturally this was devastating for me. Every time a new occasion arose I felt a stab of pain deep in my heart. When my father gave me a key to the house, the door was never locked before because Mom was always home to greet me when I returned home from school, the first Mother’s Day, the first Thanksgiving, I had to cook the turkey that year, the first Christmas, the list goes on and on. As the years passed, naturally the pain subsides and you come to believe, through many prayers to God and Jesus Christ. you have learned to live with the reality. Getting engaged when I was 23 years old was a joyous occasion for me. As the wedding plans were being formulated and the date drew closer and closer, I started to feel that old familiar stab of pain deep in my heart because my Mother was not going to be sitting in the first row. This was a major event in my life and I felt cheated! Not only that but I thought I would walk down the isle crying and ruin the whole event! About a week before my wedding I prayed to God and Jesus Christ to ease my pain and take away my anger so I wouldn’t ruin my wedding day. I prayed hard and long with my eyes closed and then it happened! A bright light, very small at first growing larger and closer, revealed a vision of my Mother’s face. In my mind I heard her speak, “I will be with you, rejoicing with you on your wedding day.” Then the light grew smaller until it diapered all together. I immediately opened my eyes and very excitedly told my fiance, who was sitting on the other couch in the same room with me, what had just happened! Words could not then nor can they now describe the happiness, love, comfort and peace that filled my heart and my spirit when God allowed my Mother to come to me. Needless to say, I walked down the isle with a smile on my face, happiness in my heart and a comforted spirit, not only because my mother was with me, but because through God and Jesus Christ my prayers were answered during my hour of greatest need. Non-spiritual or non-Christians may say I fell asleep and dreamed this event. Let me explain, I have dreamed of my Mother many times since her death both before and after God and Jesus Christ sent my Mother to comfort me. I know when I have been sleeping and not. When ever I dream about my Mother I see her whole body and not just her face, there is realistic scenery not bright light and in my dreams my Mother never speaks to me or anyone. One religious man who read my story emailed me and told me that according to the Bible, my true story could not possibly have occurred. While I am a Christian, I am not a Bible scholar, never-the-less, I know my story is true just as I have written it. Elaine K. Stephen Lainee Enterprises Angel Cloud Gifts Inspirational Gift Gallery Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Elaine_K._Stephen http://EzineArticles.com/?A-True-Angelic-Story&id=215663 ambien - sleep walking what are the side effects of the drug ativan zolpidem tartrate trial sample ambien 10mg

Baby’s Got Bling - You Can Package Anything

Saturday, March 29th, 2008

By JoAnn Hines Recently I’ve seen a host of new product introductions and I wondered who is going to buy that? But there are products out there for everyone. After reviewing the items I got thinking these are great examples of the “Power Of The Package” you know packaging as the silent salesperson. After all its the packaging that going to sway you or not to consider purchasing these products. When I read about Bling H20, I initially thought what a great marketing ploy but then I realized that primary target demographics: boomers and women would be the ideal audience. These groups have money to spend and are willing to spend it for the right products. The luxury consumable market is also on the rise and product are being created to meet the demand. (Ask me about DIVA vodka) People are willing to invest in themselves with a little luxury spending so why not luxury bottle water. For those of you that are unfamiliar with this product Bling H20 ($35 a bottle) is no ordinary water. It comes in a thin, tall, frosted glass bottle and each 750ml bottle is handcrafted, corked, and decorated with exquisite Swarovski Crystals. Wow what a concept! I love Swarovski Crystals anyway. If you want to see a picture I’ll have it archived on my website shortly. Along with other products in the super luxury category comes this example. “ICE ROCKS are a secured ice cube product made from spring water for the luxury market.” But its more that just high priced ice cubes. It touches us in other ways that are important such as product purity and security. They even touch the environmental button too with eco-friendly containers. “The ice cubes are made for savvy consumers who seek the same level of purity for the ice cubes they place in their favorite beverages. These cubes, to be consumed within two (2) years, are hermetically packaged in disposable, eco-friendly containers, providing the user with a complete guarantee with regard to hygiene and safety, while respecting the environment.” Ready to buy some prepackaged ice? I had to finish with this one. Packaging Crap. Yes, you heard it you can package anything and sell it if you have the right marketing message in your product packaging. This is a direct quote “If the package looks pretty, people will buy just about anything. So says an advertising executive in New York, and he has proved his point by selling boxes of rubbish for the price of an expensive bottle of wine. Justin Gignac, 26, has offloaded almost 900 carefully presented plastic cubes of trash from the street of the Big Apple at between $50 (26) and $100 each. Buyers from 19 countries have paid for the souvenirs. The idea has been so successful that he is thinking of franchising it around the world.” Yikes buying crap, my husband would love that one. He thinks all my packaging “examples” are crap too so maybe I should put them on Ebay. But to recap why and how packaging works as a sales tool. It sends a message to the consumer. Its up to you the product manufacturer to determine what that message will be and who the audience is. But whomever the demographic the package has an important role to play and its integral to building your brand. So what constitutes compelling packaging brand? How “connected” are you to your consumer? Here are a few emotion descriptors that your package must convey. Does your packaging Engage, Evoke, and Engross the consumer? Lets look first at ENGAGE: to attract and hold by influence or power. Can you say that about your product packaging? Or is your product packaging just the opposite? Boring!Got any BLING in it? Think about what you can do to improve the odds that your package will engage a consumer: Colors, features, shapes, value and benefits are all ways to reach out with your package. Swarovski Crystals? EVOKE: To call forth or call up as in evoking memories. What about your package will make the consumer recall a successful or enjoyable product experience? How can you make them remember that they were satisfied in buying your product? In case they haven’t purchased before, what is going to “connect” them to your product on your package? What is so special about your package that they have to take a closer look? ENGROSS: To engage the whole attention of (and that’s the key point). You have to get their attention to pick up our product before they can even consider buying it. Use features that will capture their interest in seconds because that’s all the time you are going to get before they move on. Another “feeling” word that conveys a strong and compelling brand is TRUST. You must create a place where people look for information and feel more secure doing so. It’s important to understand the strength behind the brand and why people turn to it for a sense of security and information. So what about your product packaging conveys the experience that consumers can trust your brand? ICE ROCKS anyone? Regardless of the reason a consumer may be in the store or looking at your product, introduce them to a “lifestyle” experience . . . trust, security, necessity or even peace of mind. Your package presence needs to call out “Buy Me” because I provide the experience of all of the above emotions. Product branding is a powerful influence on everyone. Its important to understand the strength behind the brand and why people turn to it for a sense of happiness, satisfaction, security and information. The best of all brands cross gender, ethnicity and age demographics. That is to say that everyone will recognize and identify with the brand. When you capture the power of the package people will integrate your product into their everyday life. They will not just turn to it as a convenience but as a necessity for comfortable living. So create your own story through powerful product packaging. Whatever your category, you should strive to engage, evoke, and engross the consumer to revitalize your brand through product packaging. Just remember when you have BLING, You Can Package Anything. Don’t wait until its too late. Make packaging your first thought–not your last. I get hundreds of inquiries a month asking how to package products. Most of the time, they are in crisis mode because they did not think about the package until crunch time. I just got a call from an entrepreneur whose packaging was a disaster. She never thought about the role packaging plays in her products success until her retailer said “NO WAY” to her product packaging. She had to start over. As a result, she lost a great deal of money in the process. To help others learn that lesson before it is too late, I have come up with a basic workshop offering education on packaging products to sell. Whether you are an entrepreneur, inventor, work from home mom, or a small business person with an idea or product it is imperative to understand the role packaging plays in a successful product launch. Packaging 101it is simple and offers the basics of what you need to know. The “Nuts and Bolts” of how product packaging works and “How To” of packaging. Visit www.packagingbootcamp.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=JoAnn_Hines http://EzineArticles.com/?Babys-Got-Bling—You-Can-Package-Anything&id=346590 ativan and alcohol ambien and mood swings zolpidem tartrate bp ativan ems info

The Elder Plant As A Natural Herbal Remedy for All Seasons

Friday, March 28th, 2008

By Kevin Birch The Elder plant being used as a natural herbal remedy is so highly regarded by traditional herbalists and naturopaths that it has gained a reputation as a sort of ‘complete pharmaceutical chest’ because of its many attributes and therapeutic characteristics. There is a long history of folklore that has been attached to this very popular herb. For instance, Galen described the herb as both hot and dry, and in the 17th century the plant was a popular choice for treating problems of excessive phlegm. The herb was used alternately as a diuretic and as a harsh purgative. In the 18th century, Elderflower water was used as a popular skin whitener that supposedly could remove all the freckles from a person’s face. The Elder plant, Latin name Sambucus nigra, is comprised of several parts that are used by herbalists to create potent, natural herbal remedies. The flowers and berries of the Elder plant have been described as drying, slightly sweet, cool and sometimes bitter. The flowers are used to treat a variety of ailments. The flowers are mainly used to help treat problems of excessive phlegm and to encourage sweating. Many herbalists think of the Elder flower as the ideal natural herbal remedy for treating colds or flu. Herbal remedies made from the Elder flowers are also used to help control the symptoms of hay fever. They can be ingested as a prophylactic to help strengthen the upper respiratory tract. This should be done before the pollen count rises. The Elder flowers (traditionally harvested in early summer) can also be used as a skin treatment to treat chilblains and as an all around anti-inflammatory. The berries of the Elder plant are known to be rich in vitamins A and C when they are ripe. Traditionally the berries have been taken to prevent the onset of winter colds. They are usually harvested in early fall. The bark of the Elder plant is also used in some natural herbal remedies. The bark is usually taken to treat chronic, stubborn constipation as well as some arthritic conditions. Herbalists have described the bark of the Elder plant as warm, and it is believed to be effective as a liver stimulant. However, naturopaths rarely use the bark of the Elder plant or herbalists in natural herbal remedy preparations these days. There are many ways to prepare the Elder plant in an natural herbal remedy. Perhaps the simplest way to ingest the Elder plant is to prepare it in an infusion. As an infusion, the Elder plant can be drank in a hot tea to treat fevers, mucous conditions of the upper respiratory tract system, and to control the symptoms of hay fever. Many herbalists combine the Elder plant with other herbs, including boneset, yarrow, and peppermint. The flowers of the Elder plant can also be used to create a topical cream that can be applied to chapped skin and skin sores. For sore or strained eyes, use an eyewash created with Elder flowers to rinse the eyes several times a day. Elder flowers can also be used to create a mouthwash to treat sore throats, tonsillitis, and mouth ulcers. The author, Kevin Birch, has successfully used many natural herbal remedies to control his various chronic health problems that he has suffered from birth. These include eczema and asthma. His illnesses prompted him to write his Effective Herbal Remedies and A to Z of Herbs If you have enjoyed this natural herbal remedy article, many more of them can be found at http://www.healthwareonline.com/herbs Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kevin_Birch http://EzineArticles.com/?The-Elder-Plant-As-A-Natural-Herbal-Remedy-for-All-Seasons&id=423941 ambien buy line animal models zolpidem buy ambien online without a prescription firefighter herbert zolpidem

How To Get Your Customers To Speak For You

Wednesday, March 26th, 2008

By Mark Riffey Are they talking about you? They should be. I’m talking about your clients. One of the most powerful tools in marketing is the testimonial. Yet they are used by so few… Put yourself in the shoes (phew!) of the prospect. She can listen to you, try and believe you, hope that you are paying attention and addressing her concerns (I sure hope you are) OR she can read what another business says about you. Which is more believable? Sure, the prospect is going to have to listen to you and hope you address their needs regardless of whether you have testimonials, but which would you rather have working for you: 1) Your best salesperson talking to a prospect, or… 2) Your best salesperson talking to a prospect just after the prospect conveniently had a minute to flip through a 3 ring binder full of letters from your clients saying that you hung the moon (or whatever is important for your niche). DUH. It’s obviously number 2, right? So can anyone explain to me why so many businesses fail to collect testimonials at all, much less collect them with systematic regularity from every single client? Can anyone add to that why they might collect them and then NEVER USE THEM???? DUH! I hear you, I hear you. “OK Mark, so how do we get them from every client?” Ok, first, you have to think about your business and STRATEGIZE. I know, its a stretch some days. And it seems simple, but often it’s the simple yet important things like this that we forget about when we are neck deep in our businesses and trying to get that next sale, find that new customer, deal with the crisis of the moment (I’ll get to that in another email) etc. Thats why you have to have systems in place. When I say systems, I don’t necessarily mean “computers that you love to hate”, I mean a systematic way of doing things so that no matter who performs a task, the task is always performed the same way, at the same level of quality. Your systems need to include that you ask EVERY client for a testimonial. If you can’t get one from every client when you do business with them, you’re likely to lose them because you clearly aren’t taking care of them very well. After all, if they cant or wont say something nice about you, arent you being kind of a screwup? Ideally, your clients should be so thrilled to speak for you (on paper, typically) that they will gladly write one for you. Remember, if you continue to be successful, they will continue to be able to enjoy your products and services that are oh so much better than that other guy’s. If they aren’t glad to do this, guess what the problem is? Walk into the restroom. Look into the mirror. Its you. Its not that the customer is a jerk, its that your business did something (or didn’t do something) to position them so that they wouldn’t care much for you after they gave you their money. Look in the mirror again, just to be safe, ok? By the way, don’t take it too personally when I say “you”. I mean “your business” when I say that most of the time. On the other hand, go ahead and take it personal, but FIX IT! Back to the testimonials…You have to have a form for this. Yeah, its another form, but a form is part of a system. Just humor me, ok? Some people see a blank piece of paper and freeze up. They just cant think of what to say. That’s when you have to step in with yet another step to train your clients so that they behave as you wish. ONE BIG GOTCHA TO AVOID: NEVER, NEVER, NEVER write or use a testimonial without getting approval from the client. If its not obvious why, think about it. There will be a quiz:) Again, thats NEVER (just in case I wasn’t clear). Are you sure your marketing works? As Montana’s only Dan Kennedy-certified Business Adviser, Mark Riffey’s Rescue Marketing ( http://www.rescuemarketing.com ) specializes in teaching small business owners 7 strategies to get the most out of their marketing and technology dollar, stand out from the competition and never again fight price wars with the big box stores. With integration from salesperson to POS to back office, my strategies leave the business owner with more time to play, more money to deposit, and less grunt work at the end of the day. After purchasing several small, struggling companies and orchestrating their turnarounds, I use the experiences and lessons learned during those times to teach you how to “makeover” your struggling business. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mark_Riffey http://EzineArticles.com/?How-To-Get-Your-Customers-To-Speak-For-You&id=544946 zolpidem buy online ambien cr neuropathy zolpidem and blood pressure ambien xr

Soapmaking Recipes - What Goes Into A Good One?

Monday, March 24th, 2008

By Lisa Chambers Almost any combination of oils can make a soap, but what really goes into the thought process behind making a genuinely skin friendly soap? That’s a difficult question to answer because there are many right answers. Every soapmaker has a different style and people in general have varying skin types. What one person can’t stand another might fall in love with. But whether a soap recipe was passed on from generation to generation, just tossed together in experimentation until someone stuck to it, or someone carefully strategized the recipe from a scientific standpoint- all soap recipes have a definite chemistry that makes them what they can become behind the curtains. This is not meant to be a “how to” on the soapmaking process for those interested in the craft of soapmaking, but rather a general guideline of considerations that can come into play when deciding what to use in recipe formulation. I think many be surprised at exactly how much science is really behind it and might help give a little extra appreciation for all quality soapmakers. If you’re just beginning soapmaking yourself you may find this useful to have another soapmaker’s ideas and insights. Basics First things first, it may helpful to understand the very basics of how soap is made and some of the commonly used terminology. Soap is the outcome of a chemical reaction when oils react to a high alkali substance such as lye, or caustic soda. In this article I briefly touched on how it happens and explains “saponification”: “Soaps With No Lye?” For every oil there it takes a specific amount of lye to make soap with without any remaining lye. That set number is known as the oil’s “saponification value”. Even carefully measured ingredients that meet the saponification values amount exactly, without going over or under, can make a harsher soap to skin, so extra oil beyond the amount called for to make soap is added. The extra oil added to to the recipe for mildness and/or moisturization is referred to as “superfatting”. However increasing superfatting by too much can leave a soap feeling too oily on the skin or drastically decrease the shelf life of the soap. IMPORTANT- Please note once again, this is NOT an instructional on how to make soap! There are many free sources on the net for learning and if you plan on trying it yourself I urge you to read every single one you can find BEFORE attempting to make it yourself! Handling lye can be downright dangerous and possibly DEADLY if it is not handled with care and special safety precautions! A lye heavy soap can also create very unpleasant situations. I beg of you to do plenty of homework first, follow all recommended safety precautions, measure ingredients carefully with an accurate scale, and always use a good lye calculator no matter where you get your recipe from! Oil Properties and Fatty Acid Composition When I formulate a soap recipe the first thing I look at is a breakdown of the fatty acid composition of each oil I have on hand. An unbalanced recipe can wreck havoc on sensitive skin unless certain techniques aren’t modified. When deciding what base oils to use and how much, here are the fatty acid properties that I personally take into account: lauric acid- Lauric acid is what helps contribute to big fluffy lather in a soap and helps to create a harder bar. Too much can make a horribly drying soap to skin so I pay special attention to make sure I don’t overdo this! Coconut and palm kernel oil are two common oils high in lauric acid that are considered “lathering oils”. I have found that there are many that actually have a sensitivity to coconut oil in particular, which is the most common oil of all used for lather. I have found it’s best keep even lower amounts of coconut and whenever possible I allow extra superfatting or purposely lower the sap (saponification value) for this ingredient. oleic acid- Oleic acid is supposed to be one of the most moisturizing properties and is most plentiful in olive oil, for an example. However many find a pure olive oil soap, also known as a true “castile”, to still sometimes be drying. It is the most moisturizing, yes, but many soapmakers find that a really good soap also has a balance with the next property I’m about to mention. linoleic acid- Linoleic acid, found plentiful in oils such as sunflower or safflower oil, can really boost the moisturization or mildness of a bar and used in conjunction with a balance of oleic acid can make a wonderful soap. There is only one downside. I try to watch I don’t go too high with this property because an extremely high amount of linoleic acid in a soap can help attribute to dos (dreaded orange spots) and cut down on the shelf life of a soap. Luckily you don’t need an massive amount of oils high in this property to feel it’s effects, and just in case there are tactics to help avoid this. In soap batches I have a nicer amount of linoleic acid than usual I’ll often add a “natural preservative” that is high in antioxidants to prevent the breakdown of the oils such as rosemary extract, grapefruit extract, or vitamin E. I have also found that using a water discount (less water in the lye solution) also helps with this. Some say soaping with oils at a lower temperature before mixing with the lye solution may help as well. palmitic and stearic acid- Palmitic acid and stearic acid can help give an indication of how hard a bar of soap will be. The harder the bar of soap, the longer is lasts in the shower or bath. However, I only really watch these numbers because if they get too high they can also be drying. ricinoleic acid- The only oil that I’m aware of that has this rare property among the soapmaking oil is castor oil. This property can help with lather, especially great for recipes where a lower amount of lathering oils are used, can greatly help the ability of the soap to lather without being overly drying- matter of fact castor oil is high in essential fatty acids which is great for the skin. You don’t NEED this property, however, to make a nice soap. iodine value- This isn’t really a fatty acid composition but another number I keep an eye on in my final stats for my soap recipes. I think watching the iodine value really gives the best indication of all on how hard or soft a soap will be in the end. The lower the number, the harder the bar. Now for each skin type I have set stats I tend to aim for. Of course I’m not going to give away all my exact secrets and specs I tend to lean toward though. If you are just taking up the craft of soapmaking yourself I truly feel it won’t do you any good. I really think to become skilled in this craft it takes a lot of experimentation and willingness to step “outside the box”- the more different techniques and strategies you try the more you learn and can better estimate how certain combinations and techniques will turn out in the end. Nearly anyone can follow a recipe that’s given to them, but a true master will have no fear in trying something new. Not only that, but for every “rule” you learn there’s exceptions and ways around things. But for the purposes of a good learning start, a recipe I put together for soap for somewhat sensitive skin, for an example, may look like something like this: lauric acid- 7% oleic acid- 45% linoleic acid- 16% palmitic acid- 15% stearic acid- 6% ricinoleic acid- 5% (optional) final iodine value- 70 Doesn’t add up, does it? That’s because there are fatty acid acid compositions involved, but I have only mentioned the one that I personally really watch out for. Now this all might sound like an awful lot of trouble and mathematics, but thankfully there are free lye calculators that help you figure out the final estimates of not just per oil, but your entire recipe! Good thing too because all that time with a calculator would have driven me batty by now! One really great lye calculator that is one of my favorites when it comes to sitting down o formulate recipes is the SoapCalc. Exceptions and Superfatting When I first began soapmaking I was a complete and utter butter addict! Cocoa butter, mango butter, shea butter… I knew this was some good stuff so I figured the more the better… Well that just isn’t always the case! I found my soap to be a tad on the drying side, which I didn’t expect because of the reputation of these luxury ingredients. This is where the fatty acid composition comes into play. If you take a look at the breakdown of these butters you’ll find they’re actually pretty high in stearic acid, which many people can be sensitive to. So what’s a person to do? What was the secret behind all these shea butter soaps and such? In time I learned there was two possible fixes for this. Increasing the amount of my oleic and especially linoleic acids made a difference. The other was upping on the superfatting. Most soapmakers set their superfatting at 5-8%. Once again there are still exceptions. Some have superfatted at 4% and I have successfully soaped using up to 20%- it all lies in the goal of the bar and what you want to use. What you have to keep in mind is that the lower you go the more attention you have to pay to making sure your moisturizing properties are high in the combination of the oils chosen. If not you’ll have a more drying bar of soap- but the soap will be a harder bar, have a longer shelf life naturally, and may lather better. If you set your superfat sky high you may want to lower your linoleic acid drastically so that your soap won’t have the very opposite effects. It’s all in experimentation. By using either of these methods , or even a combination of the two, I was finally able to create a soap with up to 30% in butter that I was satisfied with. Another exception is the wonders of unsaponifiables. A “standard” recipe might feel drastically different with only a mere 5% addition of shea butter, for an example. Unsaponifiables are parts of the oil that naturally will not react with the lye to form soap, leaving it behind to nourish the skin. Shea butter, as with most butters, is pretty high in unsaponifiables and that small 5% doesn’t add enough stearic acid to make the soap drying, but adds plenty to the moisturization and creaminess of a soap. Another big favorite for unsaponifiables is avocado oil. Many oils have their own unique little “niche”. Some oils just can’t be explained and some have just seem to work well together. I might get some heat from this, but I found one of those oils are lard, to give an example. Even at 20% it just added something to the soap that oils that specialty oils I paid $15.00 per pound couldn’t even remotely come close to! Now adding 10-15% sunflower oil as well made some soaps feel beyond luxurious- even beyond what these two wonderful ingredients were capable of separately. Once again, it’s all in experimentation. Additives And then there’s always the fun “extras”. Tea, herbs, milks, silk, fruits, clays…. The possibilities are truly endless. If it’s in your kitchen or garden, chances are it could be soaped. I’ve even heard of people using flat soda just for the fun of it! Sometimes some of these ingredients just add special bonuses to the soaps as well. Honey, sugar, and silk, for an example, seem to greatly help with lather in some recipes. Milks and teas many of times seem to add a certain “creaminess” to the lather. Soapmaking definitely is not something that can be learned overnight. Matter of fact I find it’s a never ending learning process. I may have given up some little “secrets of the trade” in some peoples eyes, but if helps just one person form a new appreciation for soapcrafters in general, or helps just one beginning soaper to expand themselves to keep this wonderful art alive- then I really think I have accomplished a darn good thing. You can find more articles by this author at Chambers Essentials- Our blog for beauty, health, home, and soul… Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lisa_Chambers http://EzineArticles.com/?Soapmaking-Recipes—What-Goes-Into-A-Good-One?&id=152189 zolpidem online commercial drivers license ambien ambien and caffeine interactions zolpidem what strength

Neighborhood Watch Meeting Agenda

Sunday, March 23rd, 2008

By Lance Winslow When setting up a Neighborhood Mobile Watch Patrol in your community you will want to get all the volunteers together and explain how the program works to everyone. It is important that each volunteer understands their job and responsibilities in stopping crime. If you are unsure exactly how to do this, let me offer you a Meeting Agenda for the first gathering. This is part of an E-Book I wrote which you can view or download for free on the Internet. Congratulations on being proactive to help your community. MEETING AGENDA First Meeting Agenda (sample) The 5 Mobile Watch Commandments: 1. Participants have no police powers. 2. Participants will carry no weapons while on patrol. 3. Participants will always obey laws. 4. Participants will OBSERVE and REPORT. This is a non-confrontational program. Hand out Pocket Procedure Manuals that outlines: 1. Dos and Donts 2. When to call 911 vs. when to call non-emergency dispatch 3. What constitutes suspicious circumstances 4. Phone numbers Explain to participants: 1. How to quickly notice vehicle descriptions, license plates, and suspect descriptions. 2. Show a video from dispatch that discusses the procedure for calling dispatch. 3. Show videos on gangs, and meth labs. 4. Discuss how to protect a crime scene. To download my free E-Book and complete Neighborhood Mobile Watch Plan use the web address below: http://www.lancewinslow.org/nmwp_agenda.shtml “Lance Winslow” - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance in the Online Think Tank and solve the problems of the World; www.WorldThinkTank.net/ Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lance_Winslow http://EzineArticles.com/?Neighborhood-Watch-Meeting-Agenda&id=38584 addicted ambien what is lorazepam ambien information ordering ambien

How Your New Russian Wife Thinks About Your Roommates

Saturday, March 22nd, 2008

By John Kunkle One of the biggest sources of problems between Russian women and American men that I have heard about are roommates. You know the guy you share the house with — your renter, your brother, your twenty five year old cousin who cant seem to support himself. Well, your roommate is a smoking gun. When your Russian fianc gets to America, she is going to take over the house. Its her house now. Thats the way Russian women are raised. That couch potato, laying on the sofa in front of the ever present football game, surrounded by dirty socks and empty pizza boxes is public enemy number one in the mind of your fianc. Even if his personal habits are not that reprehensible, he will still be in the way. She is trying to organize the house in her fashion and his idiosyncrasies dont fit into her plan. From his standpoint, shes just a big pain in the rear. He didnt ask her to come. Hes comfortable in his lifestyle. His life may be in a rut, but he has moved in and furnished it to his satisfaction. You have learned to tolerate him over time. The two of you have developed a peaceful co-existence that allows you to live together. But now theres a new sheriff in town.Your fianc has just gotten out the can of pesticide and is fumigating the place for parasites. And the biggest pest is the one with his butt cheeks pressed against the seat cushions of the sofa right in the middle of the house. Hes hard to ignore. Your roommate will probably fight back. He will say things to undermine your fianc. Your fianc will eventually tell you either he goes or I go and she will mean it. You are in the middle and you feel like the victim. Youre not. Its all your fault. Get rid of your roommate before she arrives. I know all the arguments. He helps with the rent. Hes depending on you. Hes like a (brother, son, fill in the blank) to you. Youll have to work overtime to make up the difference in rent money. You may even have to get another job. I dont care. Get rid of the roommate. Which do you want more a wife or a roommate? If you said roommate, then why did you bring your fianc to America in the first place? Get this through your head. Its not your house any more. Its her house. Shes the one who is going to turn your house into a home. That includes fumigating all the pests out of the house. Your roommate is not innocent either. He has the same attitude as a rat living in an abandoned house. The rat thinks he has as much right to live in your house as you do. Do you think the rat thinks its fair that you chase him out of the house? Of course not. Neither will your roommate. If you and he are smart, he will be gone before your fianc gets there. If not, he will be gone shortly after she gets there, or she will be gone. It’s Her House Now: I didnt have a roommate. I had just moved into my house several months before I went to bring my fianc to America. There were unopened boxes filling up the spare bedroom. When my fianc came to my house, she wanted all the boxes emptied and the items in them put away. In my way of thinking, this was a project that I would get around to periodically over the next three years. I told her the best way for me to tackle the project was to keep the boxes under my nose so I would be aware of them, and gradually, get around to taking care of processing them. My fianc was having none of it. She wanted the boxes out NOW. We had a huge, knock down drag out fight about the boxes. Finally, I moved them out into the garage where they sit two years later, for the most part, unopened. Truce. An armistice was signed. My now wife keeps the house in immaculate condition. She likes to do the same with my office. I told her my office is my territory that the rest of the house is hers to do with as she wishes. My wife insists on cleaning my office when Im not around. Electrical plugs to the computer and other office equipment are frequently accidentally pulled out and in disarray. Files are piled up rather than in the perfect place where I knew exactly where they were. But there is no dust in my office. No dirt. No pests. Today we have found a middle point where we meet. But the real truth is that the house is her territory and I am only a welcome visitor in it. As my wife likes to say to me when she greets me at the door with a kiss, You are welcome at home, my darling. John has been successfully married to a Belarussian wife for over five years. He has traveled extensively through Russia and other CIS countries. He will tell you why you should consider Russian women, how to meet them, how to bring your special woman home, and how to survive married life.http://www.russian-luv.com/roommates.html Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_Kunkle http://EzineArticles.com/?How-Your-New-Russian-Wife-Thinks-About-Your-Roommates&id=345632 order ambien online without a prescription ativan dependency discount ambien online ambien and elderly and bad rxn

Deciding on Your Career?

Thursday, March 20th, 2008

By Alice Yeats Im a typical generation Y child. I started a degree when I finished school, thinking that it was just the next step in life.Having only completed a year, I was stuck with so many decisions and had no idea what to do next. So I did what most gen Y kids do: I took a year off and headed overseas. I knew from that point on that it wasnt going to be easy finding the perfect career. I enjoyed being free and independent and hated the thought of feeling trapped in the corporate world. I attempted another degree, this time in forensic biology. I found this truly amazing but discovered that this degree would only really fascinate me in theory, and not in practice. After finishing my degree I was still unsure of which path to take and still yearned for the freedom to travel. Last year I decided to move down to Thredbo for a snowboarding season and worked at one of the bars there. This lifestyle gave me the chance to discover what I really wanted out of life. I decided from then on that I would set myself a four-year success plan, rather than locking myself into a nine-to-five career that would see me living from pay to pay. All I needed was an opportunity to earn enough money to go traveling whenever I wanted, and live the lifestyle I only dreamed about. This is when I came across a home-based business opportunity that allowed me to work as little or as much as I liked. This was exactly what I had been waiting for. I now know that in four years time, I will be financially secure and able to have the lifestyle I want, forever. Alice currently works part-time from home on her 60-minute business venture to create her dream. If you want to find out more information about Alices business, visit http://www.GenerationH.org Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Alice_Yeats http://EzineArticles.com/?Deciding-on-Your-Career?&id=228596 zolpidem otc generic name for ambien oralichenplanus vs ambien cr what is ambien product

Calling All Desperate Housewives: Surviving Motherhood With a Little Help From Your Friends

Monday, March 17th, 2008

By Sasha Graham I watched the first season of Desperate Housewives on DVD over a year ago and theres one scene that remains vivid in my mind. One of the housewives, Lynette, is a former practicing lawyer who put her career on hold to raise a family. At the grocery store one day with her four young boys she runs into a lawyer she used to work with. The woman is lovely and she is dressed to the nines in a beautifully-cut business suit. Her hair is gorgeous, her make-up is flawless. Lynette, wearing clothes it looks like she might have slept in, is desperately trying to maintain both her patience and her dignity while simultaneously preventing her boys from reducing the entire place to a shambles. While the boys ignore Lynettes desperate pleas to behave, the former co-worker innocently asks how Lynette likes being a mom. Lynette summons up her brightest smile and cheerfully claims, This is the best job I ever had! I like to imagine how the interaction would have been if the former co-worker were also a mom (and, um, if Desperate Housewives werent just a TV show). She would have assessed the situation in a heartbeat, told Lynette that her boys were gorgeous and admitted that dropping her kids off at daycare and going to work sometimes felt like a day off. One of the unanticipated joys of motherhood for me has been the close bond I have developed with other moms. Not since college have I met and become friends with so many new people and while in college we were brought together by dorms, parties and midterms, this time our commonality lies in our concurrent entry into the hardest job weve ever had. In parks, coffee shops and playgrounds I see groups of moms creating their own communities and support systems. Perhaps its because we know that doing this alone is just too hard. And even though we also know that theres not really anything our friends can do about our sleepless nights, our discipline dilemmas, our picky eater or the laundry piling up in the basement, just being able to say it out loud to someone who gets it somehow makes us feel better. After all, who else but another mom could understand why sometimes washing my sons high-chair tray yet again makes me feel like I might completely freak out? Who but another mom can listen with genuine interest to a 30-minute lament about a post-baby muffin-top? Who but another mom can really appreciate that the idea of having another baby is, at once, both thrilling and terrifying? And during those exhausted, frustrated moments when I say that I dont feel like being a mom today, who but another mom could completely empathize while also understanding that given the chance I wouldnt change it for the world? Moms understand that there is an element of both truth and fiction in Lynettes claim of, The best job she ever had. Sure, it is the most rewarding, fulfilling and important job weve ever had, but it is also the most challenging, demanding and exhausting. And so, we get together and we listen and we laugh and when someone needs to cry we know that thats ok too. And, over and over, we tell our friends that theyre wonderful mothers because we know that as moms we dont just take care of our children, we also take care of each other. Sasha is the owner and founder of Sasha B. Designs, http://www.SashaBDesigns.com, an online baby boutique that specializes in beautiful, handmade nursing covers for breastfeeding moms. Our nursing covers make ideal baby shower gifts and purchase includes free gift wrapping with a matching gift card. Shop online at http://www.sashabdesigns.com/index.php?cat=1. Sasha also writes an online column, Thoughts on Motherhood, that appears monthly on her website, http://www.sashabdesigns.com/info.php?page=8. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sasha_Graham http://EzineArticles.com/?Calling-All-Desperate-Housewives:–Surviving-Motherhood-With-a-Little-Help-From-Your-Friends&id=435193 us pharmacy no prescription ativan ativan drug interactions buy cheap ambien on line is it safe to take ambien every night

Who is Jesus?

Saturday, March 15th, 2008

By Britt Gillette Jesus of Nazareth was born in Bethlehem during the reign of Augustus, the 1st Roman Emperor. He is the only individual in human history to fulfill all the known prophecies of the first coming of the Jewish Messiah as outlined in the Old Testament. Jesus is the only human to live a sinless life, and the Bible reveals him to be God in the flesh. Jesus clearly illustrated this point while speaking with his disciples: Philip said, Lord, show us the Father and we will be satisfied. Jesus replied, Philip, dont you even yet know who I am, even after all the time I have been with you? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father! So why are you asking to see him? Dont you believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words I say are not my own, but my Father who lives in me does his work through me. John 14:8-10 (NLT) So why did God choose to become a man? The prophet Isaiah reveals Gods purpose in a prophecy written more than 700 years before the appearance of Jesus: He was despised and rejected a man of sorrows, acquainted with bitterest grief. We turned our backs on him and looked the other way when he went by. He was despised, and we did not care. Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down. And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God for his own sins! But he was wounded and crushed for our sins. He was beaten that we might have peace. He was whipped, and we were healed! All of us have strayed away like sheep. We have left Gods paths to follow our own. Yet the Lord laid on him the guilt and sins of us all. He was oppressed and treated harshly, yet he never said a word. He was led as a lamb to the slaughter. And as a sheep is silent before the shearers, he did not open his mouth. From prison and trial they led him away to his death. But who among the people realized that he was dying for their sins that he was suffering their punishment? He had done no wrong, and he never deceived anyone. But he was buried like a criminal; he was put in a rich mans grave. I will give him the honors of one who is mighty and great, because he exposed himself to death. He was counted among those who were sinners. He bore the sins of many and interceded for sinners. Isaiah 53:3-9,12 (NLT) All humans are born with a fatal flaw called sin. Sin is what separates man from God. Just as a society demands a penalty be paid for a criminal act, God demands a penalty be paid for sin, and that penalty is eternal separation from God. To avoid this separation, Jesus interceded on our behalf. Blameless in every way, he was beaten and crucified for our sins. He took on the sins of the world, and paid the penalty for every human being who ever lived. Through his suffering, all who accept this free gift are counted among the righteous. This is most clearly illustrated during the crucifixion itself when Jesus was executed between two criminals: One of the criminals hanging beside him scoffed, So youre the Messiah, are you? Prove it by saving yourself and us too, while youre at it! But the other criminal protested, Dont you fear God even when you are dying? We deserve to die for our evil deeds, but this man hasnt done anything wrong. Then he said, Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom. And Jesus replied, I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise. Luke 23:39-43 (NLT) The second criminal did the only two things necessary to receive the salvation of the cross: 1) He acknowledged his sin 2) He placed his trust in Jesus Although others may claim that salvation requires cumbersome religious rituals, certain good works, or other such actions, know that the free gift of salvation is available to all who place their trust in Christ. As the Scriptures tell us: Anyone who believes in Him will not be disappointed. Romans 10:11 (NLT) If you want to have a personal relationship with the living God, place your trust in Jesus. Ask Him to reveal Himself to you, and he will. Read the Bible, and seek fellowship with others who trust in Jesus as well. If you do, you will be amazed with the changes in your life. For No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love Him. 1 Corinthians 2:9 (NLT) May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you always. Britt Gillette is author of a website dedicated to examining emerging technologies and future events from a Christian perspective. You can learn more about Jesus Christ and biblical prophecy by visiting this site. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Britt_Gillette http://EzineArticles.com/?Who-is-Jesus?&id=442150 ataxia zolpidem ambien without a prescription zolpidem with out a prescription zolpidem 10mg overnight delivery