silvia

4 Tips To Picking A Home Business.

2009-01-07T10:54:00.001-08:00

I look for four things to help me separate the Good from the Bad and the Ugly. #1 Credibility:

I want to know who is behind the product. What are their credentials? Will I be spending my time and efforts with a professional business that knows what they are doing?

#2. Simplicity:

Will I be able to navigate the web sites and find the tools and understand how to properly use the product or service?

#3. Needed products or services. How much competition will there be?

#4. Cost

Is the business priced at an affordable range for all income levels? Is the fee hidden at the end of a long sales letter or do I have to fill out a form to get to the

price.

#1

I have answered interesting ads to find web sites that have no information at all about the people

or the company behind the product. For all I know it could be a whiz kid with a computer in his

bedroom reselling someone else's products. Anyone can take a professional course on writing sales letters and learn what psychology triggers responses in people behaviors.

I haven't seen an insurance policy yet for networking programs. Without a credible person or company behind the product or service, at best you are gambling. Why spend your time and effort and money to gamble on an unproved company even if it is free?

What are you chances? 50/50 if the company survives. 0/0 if they don't. What's your time worth?

#2

Many times in studying the web sites I come to I take into consideration how long it takes to load.

I look for choices available to the reader.

I do not like flash presentations and should have the choice to continue viewing the site without them.

Most professionals using flash have an option button to skip the flash. It is a proven fact that college graduates and older do not go for flashy presentations. They prefer a well written attention grabbing script.

If there is no such option and people are forced to wait for a flash movie to load, 50% or more will leave.

It has been my experience that if the web sites design is not simple then the inside navigation is

not simple either.

If a site is hard to navigate or uses unusual terms most people will not stay.

#3

What about the product or the services, How much competition will you face? Let's assume your looking at a nutritional offer.

Go to a search engine and put in nutrition and see how many web sites are selling a nutritional

product. What about this particular product stands out above the rest?

Maybe the product or service is rare or addresses a need for a majority of the population. Do you need it? Is it something people you know might need or want if they knew about it?

#4

Cost. The bottom dollar for anyone. Most people have little money to invest in any type of business, yet know that working for someone else is not going to get them far.

Keep that in mind when you look at a business. Is it affordable to you and to people you know?

Do they have a free option to help you get started? Is their free option good for more than 30 days? If it is, they have people first in mind. If you have to upgrade after 30 days then In my opinion they are just trying to lure you in, using you to fill a slot, pushing you to join.

Sites that hide the price until you fill out a form I tend to stay way from.

Overview:

It is your money, your time and your future. Do you want to gamble with it or make a good business decision?

If you look into the four points of a good business that I look at, I believe you will lower your risk considerably and will find a far better opportunity. Where do you start?

Here is a new web site that I think covers the four points very well. www.everydaywealth.com

Being successful in any business takes a little common sense. Your chances of success will start sooner if you follow these 4 tips in your business decisions.

I am a farmer/rancher from South Dakota that needed to diversify to create extra incom

Looking for a Holiday with a Difference?

2009-01-07T10:27:00.001-08:00

Fancy holidaying somewhere unusual? How about a 7 day tornado chasing safari? Care for a camping safari across the desert? How about a night in an Igloo? Or perhaps you may want to attend a winter driving school and receive your reindeer license!
Chloe Lim goes in search of holiday spots with a difference. You will reach areas that are totally remote, stunningly beautiful, rich in history and heritage, away from mainstream tourism and not in any guide book.
For those seeking an energetic adventure, complete relaxation, a romantic interlude, or a holiday that combines all of these elements, the following holiday packages are particularly appealing. Offering inspiration for travellers, each itinerary is a complete package. The accommodations may not have satellite TV or air-conditioning - but they offer an unforgettable experience.
By way of a taster, here are just a few of the unusual holiday packages on offer...

6 Day Ayers Rock Adventure
Duration: 6 days / 5 nights
Commences: Perth, Western Australia and concludes Alice Springs, Northern Territory
For those adventurous travellers who wish to travel overland through Central Australia, this is the 6 day camping safari for you. This is a classic outback adventure that passes through some of the most isolated and beautiful parts of Australia. Journey by 4WD vehicle from Perth to Alice Springs, along the Gunbarrel Highway and across the Great Victoria Desert. Camp under the desert stars as you travel to one of Australia's most famous outback destinations - Ayers Rock.
This tour is designed for those who are looking for adventure and who want to experience the beauty of Central Australia whilst enjoying the reward of camping and meeting new friends.
For more information and booking details visit http://www.hotelclub.net/extra/attractions/AyersRockAdventure.htm
7 Day Tornado Chasing Tour
Duration: 7 Days / 8 Nights
Commences: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

F5! Tornado Chasing Safaris are chasing tornadoes with clients on-board. Their approach to chasing storms is extremely personal and focused on comfort and safety. With no more than FOUR clients in each GMC Suburban, every seat is considered first class!
For more information and booking details visit http://www.hotelclub.net/extra/attractions/TornadoChasingTour.htm
A Night in an Igloo
Duration: 4 days / 3 nights
Commences: Ivalo, and concludes in Ivalo

A night in an igloo - what more could you ask for!
Step inside, come into the heart of snow, the warmth of its blue lap. Come alone, with someone special or with a group, there will be a soft and comfortable bed for you in one of the 15 Igloos in Saariselk�, the Heart of Lapland. A reindeer hide and a woolen rug will provide you excellent insulation against the snow and keep you warm. The padded sleeping sacks will keep you warm. Although surprisingly comfortable inside the igloos, the temperature does hover between -3 and -6 degrees Celsius!

After your night in igloo you'll feel so exhilarated you will want to take on the world!
For more information and booking details visit http://www.hotelclub.net/extra/attractions/NightInAnIgloo.htm
Lycksele to Ekorrsele
Duration: 2 days / 1 night
Commences: Ekorrsele, Sweden
Be pulled along by a team of 10-14 dogs on a dogsled. Just sit back, relax and enjoy the vast expanses of this gorgeous landscape that will unfold before you. Because you are travelling so quietly, there's some great opportunities to spot elks/moose, reindeers or other Swedish wild animals. The tour takes you over lakes, through forests and frozen wetlands. The light, the colors, the fresh air and the silent are something you have to experience in person. It can't be explained in words.
All warm clothes and boots are provided and at the end of the day you can reminisce about the adventures in a hot tub before feasting on a delicious dinner - pure indulgence!
For more information and booking details visit http://www.hotelclub.net/extra/attractions/LyckseleToEkorrsele.htm <b

Control, Helplessness, and Love

2009-01-07T10:25:00.001-08:00

During my 35 years of counseling individuals, couples, families and business partners, I have discovered that an important purpose of our controlling behavior in our relationships is to avoid the feeling of helplessness. One of the hardest feelings to feel is helplessness. Most of us are unwilling to even know what we are and are not helpless over. Our controlling behavior toward others generally comes from our unwillingness to accept our helplessness over others' feelings and behavior. We do not want to know that we are helpless over whether another chooses to be loving and accepting toward us or judgmental and rejecting toward us.

If we truly accepted our helplessness over others, would we continue to get angry at them? Would we continue to blame, to judge, shame, criticize? Would we continue to comply, or to be nice instead of honest? If we truly accepted our helplessness over whether others loved us and accepted us, would we work so hard to prove our worth to others?

Sometimes - because we often manage to have control over getting approval or avoiding disapproval - we may confuse approval with love and think we can have control over getting love. But love is always a gift freely given with no strings attached. We may receive attention and approval when we try to control getting love from another, but that is generally short-lived and not fulfilling.

Moving beyond our controlling behavior, as well as our core shame (the belief that we are inherently bad, inadequate, unlovable, unworthy, not good enough), happens easily and naturally once we fully accept our helplessness over others' intention to be open or closed, loving or unloving, accepting or judgmental. Our core shame is one of our deepest, oldest false beliefs and one of our oldest protections against our feelings of helplessness. Our shame gives us the illusion of power over others: that is, we tell ourselves that if we are not being loved because we are not good enough, we can continue to strive to be good enough and then we will have control over getting the love we want. Believing in our core shame allows us to believe that we cause others to be unloving to us, that it is our fault when others are unloving because we are not good enough. It takes us out of the truth of our helplessness and into a sense of control - if only we change ourselves we can then change others. This illusion of control over other people's feelings about us is difficult for most people to give up.

Paradoxically, accepting our helplessness over others leads us to our personal power. Once we fully accept that we cannot have control over others loving us and taking care of us, we may then finally decide to learn how to take care of our own feelings and needs.. This major step moves us out of being victims of others' choices and into control over our own lives, which is what we do have control over. We do have control over our own intent to learn about loving ourselves and others, or protect against pain with some from of controlling behavior. You will feel incredibly empowered once you fully accept your helplessness over others. Try it! For one week, try throughout the day reminding yourself that you are helpless over others' feelings and behavior. You will be astounded at the results!

Once you accept your helplessness over others, then lots of energy is released to take care of yourself. Many of us have been taught that taking care of ourselves is selfish. Contrary to taking care of yourself being selfish, taking care of your own feelings and needs is what personal responsibility is all about. As long as you make others responsible for your feelings of worth and lovability, you will try to control how others treat you and feel about you. As soon as you take responsibility for defining your own worth and lovability and taking care of your own feelings and needs, you move out of being a victim and into personal power.

The challenge is to accept our helplessness over others. This is often difficult, because

Pecan Pralines - Patout

2009-01-07T10:12:00.001-08:00

Alex Patout swears his recipe makes "The creamiest pralines anywhere" Butter a medium saucepan--this will make it easier to clean later.
Pour in the cream and place over high heat.
When it begins to boil, add the sugar and stir rapidly until it dissolves.
Then stir in the vanilla and pecans and continue to cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the mixture reaches the soft-ball stage (236F on the candy thermometer).
Remove from heat and quickly beat in the butter--this helps arrest the cooking process.
The candy should lose its glossy color and become very cloudy.
Lay out a long strip of waxed paper on a work surface.
Moisten it with a damp towel.
Drop good-sized spoonfuls of the hot praline mixture onto the waxed paper, stirring the mixture occasionally as you go along to keep it well combined.
Remove the pralines from the paper before they have cooled completely--later on it will be hard to remove them without breaking them.
Store in tightly sealed containers, with layers of waxed paper in between.
Makes about 2 dozen From Alex Patout"s Cajun home Cooking

Finding the Best Pet and Best Friend

2009-01-07T10:06:00.001-08:00

With the current number of puppy producing mills everywhere in the world, its an understatement to say that its DIFFICULT to find a genuine pet dog belonging to a genuinely friendly breed. Today, we have all kinds of mixed breed dogs, Great Danes with Golden Retriever legs, snippy headed American Eskimos, etc. The point is that we are looking for a pet dog, a family pet dog, not a show dog! But the inbreeding programs by puppy breeding mills continue to flush the market with such incredulous mix breeds of dogs. Therefore, if youre looking for a pet dog, a mans best friend, its best that you learn how to find answers and ask the right questions at the pet shop.

Going to a shelter or rescue home for dogs is always a good idea if youre looking for puppies in need. There are many advantages of owning a pet dog as compared to owning a cat. After all, its a fact that dogs make better pets they didnt get the name mans best friend for nothing. The key to finding the right dog for the family, especially if you have kids, is to do some homework before you go dog-shopping. Its easily to get emotionally deterred when you see the dogs on display. A particular attractive dog may not be suitable to your needs and its not a good idea to get emotionally attached to the wrong pet dog.

Despite the fact that it takes more effort and time to have a pet dog (compared to cats and other types of pets), they are still the most popular types of pets. Pet dogs must be walked, brushed, exercised, talked to, stroked, and loved unconditionally. Pet lovers treat their dogs like human beings. Pet dogs will thrive on your attention to it and they will give you their unconditional friendship and companionship. Imagine coming home to a best friend who will do anything for you, with you and to you, irregardless. Its not the same as having other types of pets. A pet dog is capable of unconditional love and devotion.

Puppies are adorable, thats for sure, but if they are not allowed to socialize with as many human beings and dogs of other species outside its home as possible, they will grow up with a kind of fear that could transform into something more serious later on in its life. For instance, dogs that fear other human beings and other dogs can behave erratically and have unpredictable temperament. The constant socializing must take place consistently and regularly during the first 5 months of its life. Taking your best fiend pet dog to training classes at an early age will be extremely beneficial to your relationship immensely.

Pet dogs are like kids too kids have their teething problems while growing up (some have problems all through their lives), so, we should not expect any less from our dogs. Be patient in teaching them how not to chew, scratch and vandalize everything in your home. With your guidance, love, supervision, socialization, gentle and human attention, your pet dog can be trained to grow into your best friend for the rest of its life!

About The Author

Dakota Caudilla, journalist, and website builder Dakota Caudilla lives in Texas. He is the owner and co-editor of http://www.great-pets.info on which you will find a longer, more detailed version of this article.

6 Simple Tips To Help Potty Train Your Puppy

2009-01-07T09:44:00.001-08:00

Potty training also known as toilet or house training is the art of teaching your puppy where you want him to relieve himself. Sound simple! Not exactly, at least to me and many dog owners out there. Potty training my puppy gives me the most problems and headaches when I start to house train my first puppy years ago.

It seems that my puppy is always either in the wrong place at the right time, or the right place at the wrong time! Nevertheless, over the years, after much experiments and reading up, Ive manage to come out with 6 simple tips to help potty train your dog.

1. Try to feed your puppy on a regular schedule and remove his water supply before bed time. His potty timing would be more predictable and consistent.

2. Puppy usually instinctively wants to relieve itself after feeding, sleeping, playing and confinement. Bring him to your designated area for his potty business after such activities.

3. Do not let your puppy wander off without supervision, potty training aside, it is dangerous for a young puppy to wander around by itself. Confined it in an area where you can see to prevent accidents and reward desired behaviors.

4. Be vigilance and always be on the look out. When you see your puppy sniffing and running around in circles, bring him to your designated spot immediately.

5. Give a command to help your dog associate the potty action with. For example, Do it now or Go Potty.

6. When he is doing his potty business, praise and reward. Praise and reward again after hes finished.

Following these tips should help you considerably in potty training your puppy.

About the Author

Moses Chia is a dog lover and owner of http://DogsObedienceTraining.com The dog training resource site for a happier and healthier dog. You are welcome to reprint this article if you keep the content and live link intact.

Top 5 Best Gifts For Your Pets

2009-01-07T09:07:00.001-08:00

Most individuals or families view their pets as a member of the family as well. That said there is no reason why they should not be included in birthdays, Christmas or any other holiday for that matter. Its a special day for them as well and it should be celebrated. So what are you going to get for your feline friend on their birthday? Why not consider some of these popular ideas which are sure to excite your pet on their special day:

1.
Pet Carrier Your pet will love this gift! A pet carrier is a bag large enough to allow room for you pet. Your pet then sits in the carrier while you tote them around town. Imagine how excited they would be to go everywhere and never have to walk a step. These items can cost anywhere from $20 to thousands of dollars depending on the style, make and size of the bag.

2.
Pet Clothes Just as humans like clothes for the birthdays, pets do as well. They like dressing up and they also like sweaters to keep them warm in the winter. There are many places to buy clothing for your pet and they can cost as little as $10 or as much as thousands depending on your preferences and the amount of money you are willing to spend.

3.
Tasty Treats Every pet will love the gift of food. Their favorite treats are sure to make them feel special on their birthday (or other occasion) and this can end up being a very inexpensive, yet effective, gift.

4.
Pet ID Tags These items can be personalized with their favorite designs or characters but whats most beneficial about these gifts is that if they get lost they will be brought back to you. That would probably be the best gift they could wish for.

5.
Manicure/Pedicure I know this sounds crazy but it really isnt. Think about how much walking your pets do on their paws. Just like we like manicures and pedicures, your pets will appreciate the special treatment as well. Keep in mind this will only work for animals with paws and most likely is only best for those of female nature.

There are many other great gift ideas for your pets. Its up to you to decide which is best for them but also within your budget. Many individuals spend unreasonable amounts on gifts for their pets but you really dont need anything extravagant, just something small to let them know you care. In the end its the thought that countsnot the price tag.

About The Author

Christine Arbor is a pet lover who works as a contributing writer for http://www.topsellingpetsupplies.com a site that offers information on buying pet supplies such as pet meds, dog food and more.

How to Create Your Own Monster

2009-01-07T09:00:00.001-08:00

"You've created your own monster, you know", my mother said ominously. My Rex cat, Houdini, had just burrowed his way inside my sweater for the third time that morning, letting out a squeal of indignation when I tried to resist.

Houdini has separation anxiety. But in his tiny little mind, separation means I've been out of his site for at least two minutes. Or I've closed the bathroom door and left him on the other side. Or he hasn't had his ears scratched or his belly rubbed in eons (about ten minutes.) Houdini follows me everywhere, like the most faithful of hounds, and craves my undivided attention almost as much as his next meal.

If all of this seems annoying, it's not nearly as bad as when the little fellow plunks himself down in front of me and literally tears chunks of his own hair out because I'm not paying attention to him. With Houdini, it's always been easier just to give in.

My husband takes all of this in stride. My mother, who (fortunately for Houdini) only visits now and then, thinks it's the height of absurdity.

Growing up under Mom's roof, I learned that dogs and children should obey, and cats just mind their own business. I adopted my mother's dog training philosophies successfully. Cleo (a fine-looking mastiff and our now-famous website mascot), is a perfect lady. She's a wonderful dog with the gift of self composure and not one to question authority. Cleo would never stoop to the kind of antics that are Houdini's specialty. Besides, she's too big to crawl inside my sweater.

So why does this particular pet behave like a spoiled child? Why do I give in to him? Is it because I forgot to have children? Mom swears that those little squealing sounds he makes don't come from a cat. "He's manipulating you", she tells me. "He's learned how to sound like a baby".

Maybe I've got what I like to call "lap dog syndrome". I'm referring how we treat smaller pets who are easily cuddled and coddled, are highly portable, and who look adorable wearing funny little outfits. Some might call it "empty nest syndrome".

Consider my Grandmother Rosie and her Toy Poodle, Cocoa.

Cocoa arrived long after Rosie's children had grown up and left home. Rosie knitted lots of little sweaters and hats for Cocoa to keep him warm and stylish. She kept a mixture of Coke Syrup and Pepto Bismol on hand to settle Cocoa's nervous stomach. And dog food could never pass his lips, so Grandma cooked fresh chicken for Cocoa every night before sitting down to her own dinner.

We had to spell out "c-o-o-k-i-e" and "P-e-p-t-o B-i-s-m-o-l" around the dog so he wouldn't get over-excited. And Grandpa Henry was obsessed with keeping Cocoa clean. This was one poodle who never had tear stains under his eyes, and whose little "tushy" was spotless.

Bear in mind that we're talking about the late 60's, when treating pets like children wasn't really "mainstream".

Today, it's commonplace. The pet industry is huge, and much of it caters to our desire to spoil our "children". So these days it's easier than ever to create your own monster. Besides bending to your dog's every whim, you can shower her with gourmet treats, dress her to the nines, and offer her a standard of living well above what many of the world's humans aspire to.

Today, Grandma wouldn't have to knit any sweaters herself, and there would be plenty of remedies made expressly for Cocoa's nervous tummy. Grandma wouldn't board her baby when traveling. Instead, she'd hire a professional pet sitter, or take Cocoa with her to a pet friendly hotel. The hotel might even have a dog gift shop, with lots of squeaky toys and delicious "c-o-o-k-i-e-s". And Cocoa would go everywhere with Grandma in his own little dog-sized carrying case, probably made from fine imported leather or snakeskin.

I wonder how many owners of large breeds behave this way? Are there other syndromes out there, like "macho dog syndrome" (a guy thing, no doubt)?

The truth is, all pets start out small and cuddly. No one is completely safe from creat

Competing with the Big Names

2009-01-07T08:58:00.001-08:00

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Derek Croote is a SEO, web design and usability enthusiast. Derek is the webmaster of http://www.saratogalakesideacresassociation.org, a small homeowners association. You can reach him at dcroote@gmail.com.

Passover Carrot Candy

2009-01-07T08:57:00.001-08:00

Peel and grate ginger root.
Combine carrots, ginger root and sugar in sauce pan.
Heat SLOWLY until runny.
Increase heat to medium-high remembering to stir.
When mixture starts becoming very thick and foamy, stir constantly or mixture will burn.
Somewhere between a hard ball and crack, stir in almonds and then quickly pour onto a damp chopping board or marble top.
Spread approximately 11 x 11 inches.
Cool 10 minutes and then cut into 1 -> 1 1/2 inch squares Separate each piece and roll in powdered sugar.
(For added zip, use a mixture of 1/2 tsp.
powdered ginger to 4 tbs.
of powdered sugar.
) When cool, place in a glass apothecary jar with a little

Chances Of A Lost Pet Being Recovered Increase

2009-01-07T08:55:00.001-08:00

Every day we are looking for ways to make our life better, this includes protecting our families, and also included is the family pet. This once wild animal has become a domesticated pet and also become an integral part of the modern family, and there are many laws devoted to stopping abuses to animals. What is lacking in the modern family is proving a means to recover the family pet, if they should ever become lost. Ensuring that a lost pet will be returned to its owners should be the number one priority when finding ways to improve our lives, because the loss of a family pet can be a very devastating time in our lives.

Luckily there are companies that provide services to increase the chances of recovering a family pet if they should ever become loss. One such company that combines the pet identification tag and the internet is RecoveryPets.Com, they provide a service that assigns the pet a unique tracking number, and a webpage on their site. This webpage includes a complete pet description, a photograph of the pet, and up to ten contact numbers or email addresses. So if the pet is found by a stranger, they can quickly identify the owner by entering the unique tracking number on the website, and the contact information will be displayed.

Because the pet is considered a family member, it is imperative that the owners take the precautions needed to ensure that their pet remains a part of the family. These should include providing adequate safeguards aimed at keeping the pet in a secure location, so that they will not be able to wander off by themselves. Proving identification devices that have up-to-date owner and contact information that enables finders of lost pets with the information needed to reunite them with their families.

The process involved is very simple, once the pet has been registered for the service, the registrant will receive a metal pet tag that contains the unique identification number, and the RecoveryPets.Com website address. If the pet should become loss the finder logs onto the website, and enters the unique id number, and the pet owners information will be displayed.

The company is making efforts to partner with organizations that deal with lost pets, including the Humane Society, S.P.C.A., and various pet shelter organizations. The goal is to provide a one stop location for these organization to go to when they have a lost pet with the RecoveryPets.Com identification tag on the collar. Organizations that would like to get involved in a partnership with the company can get in contact via email sent to partners@recoverypets.com.

If you are a pet owner and would like to get more information on the services provided by RecoveryPets.Com, or would like to register your pet for their service, you can visit their website at http://www.recoverypets.com

About the Author

Thaddeus Collins is the owner of RecoveryPets.Com and they specialize in the global recovery of lost pets using a unique tracking number. For more information visit http://www.recoverypets.com

Bush celebra relação com Paquistão e Arábia Saudita

2009-01-07T08:46:00.001-08:00

http://ultnoticiasbrasil.blogspot.com/2008/12/bush-celebra-relao-com-paquisto-e-arbia.html

Revista elege os 50 filmes mais provocantes

2009-01-07T08:42:00.001-08:00

http://quaseportaleconomia.blogspot.com/2008/12/revista-elege-os-50-filmes-mais_9939.html

WHAT ARE THE MOST COMMON HORSE BREEDS TODAY?

2009-01-07T08:41:00.001-08:00

http://silviadossantos1232.blogspot.com/2009/01/what-are-most-common-horse-breeds-today.html

WHAT ARE THE MOST COMMON HORSE BREEDS TODAY?

2009-01-07T08:34:00.001-08:00

http://silviadossantos1232.blogspot.com/2009/01/what-are-most-common-horse-breeds-today.html

The Hard Facts About Editing

2009-01-07T08:32:00.001-08:00

Whether you're interviewing for a new job, trying to woo a love interest on a first date, selling your work on the Internet, or submitting a query to an editor, you can never make a second first impression. It's true. It's just one of life's hard facts.

To sell your article, novel, product, or yourself, you need to work on that very critical first impression--and a surefire way to make a bad impression is to present poorly edited work. All the hours of researching, outlining, and writing are squandered if the final version of your manuscript is not tightly written and error-free.

How can you possibly convince an editor, agent, or customer that you can produce a great product when there are errors in your queries, on your web site, or in your marketing materials? I don't know about you, but I lose trust in what I'm reading once I've seen more than one error. In some cases (e.g., a web site for an editing service) even that one error is enough. I think it's careless and it leads me to wonder if the creator is as careless with the quality of his products or services.

Okay, now that we've made it clear that you will be judged harshly by your errors, let's work on ways to error-proof your work.

Editing Cures More than Typos. Proper editing cures not only typographical errors, but also inconsistent statements, ambiguities, poorly written sentences, and weak word choices. Appropriate attention to these aspects of writing make all the difference between a mediocre piece of work and an excellent one.

Spelling and Grammar Checks. Standard spelling and grammar checks are available to you, so use them! Remember, however, they won't catch everything.

Print Your Work. Print a copy of your manuscript and whip out the red pen. Generally, you will find mistakes you weren't able to detect when reading on the monitor.

Let It Simmer. Put your manuscript away for a period of time so that you can look at it later with fresh eyes. After the established time period, print another copy of your work and again, pull out the red pen. Tighten your sentences, examine your word choices, and hunt down any errors you couldn't find before. I find this step to be invaluable!

Ask a Friend to Read. It's helpful to have friends look at your work. They'll see it with a new perspective, which in turn will help them find things you may have missed. But remember, non-writer friends may not always know what to look for. Friends may also be shy about correcting you. You need dead-honest criticism, so if you feel you won't get it from a particular person, don't ask him to read.

Join a Critique Group. Peer critiques can be a terrific way to get feedback on your work, and to offer feedback on the work of others. As an added benefit, you will learn that there's a lot to gain from correcting others' mistakes. There are many online critique groups. (One place to look is Yahoo Groups http://groups.yahoo.com/). Find one that works for you, then submit and critique as needed.

Read Books. There are many good books that can teach you to become a better self-editor. Check out a couple of them. Also, make sure to keep a style guide handy. One good one is Strunk and White's, "The Elements of Style."

Hire an Editor. A good editor will be able to reveal hidden mistakes and will ensure that your best possible work is being submitted. There are many editors who will gladly take your money, so be careful when choosing someone with whom to work. Ask friends for recommendations. If you'd like "my" recommendation, WritersBreak.com works with a fantastic and super-affordable editor who owns BookShelf Editing Services. I cannot recommend her highly enough for editing articles, novels, or web material. She can be found at www.writersbreak.com/bookshelf-editing.htm.

Why The Horse's Eye's Are So Important When Training

2009-01-07T08:30:00.001-08:00

http://silviadossantos1232.blogspot.com/2009/01/why-horse-eye-are-so-important-when.html

Net Savvy Indian Brides And Grooms!

2009-01-07T08:28:00.001-08:00

India is a diverse, multi-cultural country with people of various religions, communities and sects living together in harmony and peace. Each community has its own set of religious rituals, traditions and multitudes of customs inherited from ancestors. Arranged marriage is one such common custom handed down over generations. Arranged marriage has played an important role in Indian marriages. This concept is even today accepted by millions of Indians in India and abroad. Marriages, initiated by elders, were arranged with the help of an 'aunt' or the 'priest'. Over a period of time this has slowly transitioned from the marriage brokers to the newspapers and now onto the Internet.

Internet has revolutionized the way people communicate. Today, there are several matrimonial sites some aimed to a particular community/religion and some to the general public. These sites literally make the world seem a smaller place. The concept of online matrimonial has become increasingly popular because it gives people up-front, at the click of a mouse, access to thousands of eligible singles, which neither newspapers nor marriage bureaus can ever offer. It has tremendously expanded the reach of every marriageable individual by exposing him/her to the millions of eligible Indians who visit these sites. Increasingly, many individuals and families spend their valuable time online searching for the perfect partner for themselves or their loved ones. It is interesting to see that these sites are visited by conservative parents, relatives; who believe in the sanctity of arranged marriages and also by those for whom falling in love is the way to go.

There are many wedding and wedding related sites on the net (like BridesandGroomsIndia.com, WeddingSutra.com, IndianAstrology.com, etc.) which understand the focus of the new age matrimonial net surfers and offer them several attractive services. These kind of sites have made it possible to find a partner, match the horoscopes, book a marriage hall and then do all the wedding shopping online. Many Indians are hooked on to this concept as it is safe, saves a lot of time and presents a wider choice in every aspect.

It is interesting to see how the Indian marriage scene has changed over the years. Though Indians have become tech savvy and jumped on the Internet bandwagon to find the Mr./Mrs. Right, but still the Indian customs, the traditions, the core values remain the same.

About the Author: The author is an Indian computer professional, who is interested in studying the influence of Internet on Indians.

Source: www.isnare.com

Giving Life Insurance to Your Favorite Nonprofit Organizatio

2009-01-07T08:27:00.001-08:00

Would you like to donate to the Charitable causes and organizations that you support? Are you a Philanthropist in the making but, do not think you have the resources to really give. Philanthropy is no longer just for the rich and powerful. Everyday people from all walks of life, Give to their favorite Charities by using a number of Deferred Giving or Planned Giving tools

Take for example Elaine and Jack. They purchased a Life Insurance policy for Jack shortly after the birth of their only child over 40 years ago. They then purchase a policy for Elaine when she returned to work. At the time their son was in junior high school. Their original purpose for having life insurance was to provide income replacement for the surviving spouse and ensure that he or she could afford to send their son to college.

Elaine and Jack are now retired and their son finished his graduate studies over 15 years ago. When they decided to make a substantial Gift to their favorite Nonprofit organization they initially overlooked their paid-up Life Insurance policies. The couple soon realized that they no longer needed their insurance for its intended purpose and giving it as a gift to charity would provide some tax benefits for them as well.

If this is your situation please consider donating the policy to favorite charity. You usually may claim a charitable deduction for approximately the policy's cash surrender value, and the proceeds are completely removed from your estate. Every person's situation is different. Before making this or any other Charitable Contribution please consult your legal or financial advisor.
About the Author

Jane King is a philanthropy consultant and writer. She is the author of
The Giving Blog.

Aplets And Cotlets

2009-01-06T08:26:00.001-08:00

Makes about 64 small cubes Soften the gelatin in 1/2 cup of the apple juice.
Boil remaining juice with the sugar for 15 minutes to concentrate it.
Mix the lemon and lime juice, and add all but 1/4 cup cornstarch to dissolve it in the mixture.
Add both gelatin mixture and cornstarch mixture to the boiled juice and boil again rapidly for 10 minutes until very thick, stirring constantly.
Taste for sweet and sour and add more lemon juice if wanted.
Mix in the walnuts and pour mixture into a 9-by-9-by-2-inch baking pan that has been dipped in cold water.
Let paste harden 12 hours or overnight, then cut with a sharp knife into squares.
Mix together the reserved 1/4 cup cornstarch and powdered sugar.
Remove squares with a spatula and roll each in the powdered sugar mixture (the cornstarch helps keep the sugar dry).

Men Should Avoid The Grand Manipulator

2009-01-03T16:39:00.001-08:00

Let's face it...some women can be ruthless. There are certain women in the world men simply DO NOT want to get mixed up with. I call these women "grand manipulators" because they will use every trick they can think of to get you to do what they want, when they want, and how they want.

I once knew a woman who was the epitome of manipulation. Her view of men was that they were a necessary evil to get the things out of life she wanted. She would use them, abuse them, and then kick them to the curb once they had served their purpose.

In the beginning of the relationship she always seemed to be a sweet, caring, nurturing woman to the men she chose as her prey. Once she'd gotten what she wanted from them she'd turn into a screaming witch of a woman in order to drive the man away from her.

For instance, she once decided she needed a new car but was unwilling to foot the bill to pay for it herself. Not that she couldn't afford it, because she could. She had a job and earned a very good salary...good enough that she could afford to put 40% of each paycheck into her retirement savings. But to her it was unthinkable to temporarily lower the percentage she put away in order to pay for a car herself.

She found a vulnerable man as her prey. It was truly amazing how she lured this man into her life and her bed. She put on her best act for him. She was all sweetness, smiles, and honey. Once she had him "hooked", so to speak, she began to play on his sympathies by complaining often about her old worn-out car and how she just "couldn't afford to replace it because there's no room in my budget for an expense like that".

She played the game well and knew just which buttons to push and when with this man. Eventually, after promising to marry him, the poor bloke bought her a car and put it in her name. Bingo! She got what she had wanted all along and a mere ten days later she suddenly broke it off with him, leaving him baffled as to what he'd done wrong.

Actually, his only crime was believing in her and falling for her ploy. I really felt sorry for the poor guy because he didn't even see it coming.

There are methods a man can use to distinguish the "grand manipulator" from the good girls who only want to be loved and nothing more. There are signs to look for and indications right from the start of any dating relationship which will tell a man whether or not she's the "right" kind of girl.

If soon after meeting a lady she begins to tell you sob stories about her poor, pathetic life it could be an indication she may be looking toward you to rescue her in some way. It's a man's natural instinct to jump in and be the "hero". But don't offer to help her too quickly because you may become the unwary victim of another "grand manipulator" yourself.

Copyright 2005 Deborah Willis All rights reserved
http://moonshadowmarketing.com/attractwomen.htm

About the Author

Deborah Willis is the author of ATTRACT WOMEN -- The Average Man's Guide To Attracting, Dating, Loving, and Maintaining Relationships with Women. For more down-to-earth advice for men visit http://moonshadowmarketing.com/attractwomen.htm
This article may be freely reprinted as long as the article resource is left intact and there is a live link to the author's web site.

How to Choose a Veterinarian

2009-01-03T13:12:00.001-08:00

1. Get some opinions. Ask around to see where people take their pets, why they take them there, and if they are happy with the veterinarian.

a. Ask friends, family, and co-workers, but be sure to ask them why they see this particular veterinarian. Pet owners often take their pets to a certain clinic just because they always have and always will, or because the veterinarian is a long-time family friend. This doesn't make it the best choice for you.

b. Ask groomers, petsitters, kennels, and other pet service facilities.

c. Ask breeders

d. Ask people at a breed club

e. Ask your local humane society or other animal-welfare groups

f. Ask private pet rescue organizations

2. Educate yourself on the veterinarian's background

a. Education

b. Board certification

c. Record with the states medical board (Have any complaints have been filed?)

d. Record with the local humane society

e. Membership with any professional veterinary associations

f. If the veterinarian is a specialist (behavioral, surgical, ophthalmology, etc.), check to see how he or she qualifies to be a specialist. Be sure that he or she has experience, education, and certification in their specialty.

3. Office Hours, Appointments, and Emergencies

a. What are the regular office hours? Are they compatible with your schedule?

b. Are appointments required?

c. Can you request an appointment with a specific veterinarian? Seeing the same veterinarian will allow him or her to become more familiar with your pet and better able to evaluate whether your pet is ill because he or she has seen your pet before.

d. How many veterinarians are in the practice?

e. Are there technicians and other professional staff members?

f. Who covers the practice when the doctor is unavailable?

g. Is the doctor available to occasionally answer questions over the phone?

h. Will the veterinarian take calls or answer phone messages if a crisis befalls your pet during the evening or weekend?

i. How are emergency calls handled during regular office hours?

j. How are emergency calls handled after office hours?

- Does this clinic provide emergency after-hours assistance, or is there a nearby emergency clinic you will be referred to?

- If your veterinarian refers patients for emergency care, get the address and phone number of the facility and be sure to drive by the emergency facility so you'll know where it is.

- Is the emergency clinic staffed while your pet is there?

- Will there be any time period when your pet will be unattended to?

4. Fees, insurance, and payment methods

a. Do ask about fees, but dont base your decision solely on the cheapest clinic. When evaluating fees, be sure to find out what is included, some clinics will include anesthesia, monitoring equipment, and aftercare in the cost of a surgery, while other clinics will have them as separate charges; so you arent always comparing the same fees and services.

b. Is the veterinarian a specialist in an area that you do not require for your pet? Fees may be higher for specialists and it might not make sense to pay more for a specialist that does not apply to the needs of your pet.

c. Are discounts offered for senior citizens or multi-pet households?

d. Is payment expected on the day of the visit?

e. Does the clinic accept your insurance plan?

f. What methods of payment are accepted? Are credit cards accepted?

5. Condition and location of the facility

a. Is the facility clean, comfortable, and well-organized? Examine the lobby, waiting room, parking lot, and lawn for cleanliness and odors.

b. Are the magazines and literature in the waiting room current or out-dated?

c. Are the posters and bulletin boards well-kept? Or are they ripped, stained or out-dated?

d. What types of products do they sell? Are they focused more on providing medical care or pushing products?

e. Some veterinary clinics are members of the American Animal Hospital Association, which means that the clinic has vo

Christmas Time

2009-01-03T13:11:00.001-08:00

from David the Dogman

Gather presents, boxes, paper, etc. in middle of living room floor.
Get tape back from puppy.
Remove scissors from older dog's mouth.
Open box.
Take puppy out of box.
Remove tape from older dog's mouth.
Take scissors away from puppy.
Put present in box.
Remove present from puppy's mouth.
Put back in box after removing puppy from box.
Take scissors from older dog & sit on them.
Remove puppy from box & put on lid.
Take tape away from older dog.
Unroll paper.
Take puppy OFF box.
Cut paper being careful not to cut puppy's foot or nose that is getting in the way as it "helps".
Let puppy tear remaining paper.
Take puppy off box.
Wrap paper around box.
Remove puppy from box & take wrapping paper from its mouth.
Tell older dog to fetch the tape so he will stop stealing it.
Take scissors away from puppy.
Take tape older dog is holding.
Quickly tape one spot before taking scissors from older dog & sitting on them again.
Fend off puppy trying to steal tape & tape another spot.
Take bow from older dog.
Go get roll of wrapping paper puppy ran off with.
Take scissors from older dog who took them when you got up.
Give pen to older dog to hold so he stops licking your face.
Remove puppy from present & hurriedly slap tape on to hold the paper on.
Take now soggy bow from puppy & tape on since the sticky stuff no longer sticks.
Take pen from older dog, address tag & affix while puppy tries to eat pen.
Grab present before puppy opens it & put it away.
Clean up mess puppy & older dog made playing tug-of-war with remnants of wrapping paper.
Put away rest of wrapping supplies & tell dogs what good helpers they are.

Found on the Internet author unknown

Commitment, Firmness, but kindness.

Brought to you by: World Wide Information Outlet - http://certificate.net/wwio/, your source of FREEWare Content online.

Do you have any problems with your pet? Then why not send your problem to DAVID THE DOGMAN.

David is a Canine Behaviourist who works and lives in Marbella, Spain. Tel/Fax (00345) 2883388.
His web site is located at: http://www.thedogman.net.

David has his own radio and TV shows, and writes for many newspapers and magazines. David has been working with dogs for many years and started his career in Israel, working on the Border Police. He has been involved in all forms of training, including air sea rescue, air scent work, and has trained dogs for finding drugs. David has devoted the past 10 years to studying behaviour and the very passive approach. He does not use choke chains, check chains, or any form of aggression.

David The Dogman is available for private consultations in your home, for further details telephone; Tel; (95) 2883388

Peanut Butterscotch Squares

2009-01-03T13:10:00.001-08:00

Cream oleo or butter and brown sugar.
Stir in flour (mixture will be crunchy.
.
will have to use your hands.
Press in ungreased 13x9x2 in.
baking pan.
Bake in 350F oven for 15 minutes.
In saucepan, combine sugar and corn syrup; heat to boiling.
Remove from heat.
Add butterscotch pieces and peanut butter; stir till chips are melted, Stir in corn flakes.
Spread over baked layer.
Cool; cut into squares.

HOW TO TEACH THE SEND AWAY!

2009-01-03T13:06:00.001-08:00

Hello Adam.
I would firstly like very much to thank you for the fantastic information in the book! Wow! It has made the training of our new dog so much easier than I could possibly expect!
I live on a small farm in Victoria Australia and am currently in the process of training our new dog "Toby"(a border collie). I think we maybe have a head start as he is quite smart and soft natured but the techniques in you book work a treat and I find I hardly have to do anything to maintain a healthy working relationship with him. I do however get frustrated at people who I try to explain why he is so well behaved and happy etc.. .etc... when they think I am some kind of dog basher!?? The comments have even been "He is a lovely well behaved dog but I've heard about your training techniques (with negative intonation!)."
I dont understand why people cant see that this way you can train a behavior in minutes and with only one or two corrections rather than months or years of yelling at the dog for the same problem with monotonous inconsistency! (What they also dont know is that a correction for Toby doesnt need to be much to be motivational)
At least the dog knows! He is happy-- well behaved-- he can be inside safely without worry of disasters. He is quiet and confident-house trained--does sit/down (and stays down)/paw/crawl/bow/find/ and come from as far away as he can hear me(well come down anyway, I havent tried the others). He also is safe around our horses when we work them, as we have boundary trained him to the arena and will hold a down stay if needed elsewhere. And he is only five months old!! It is almost like magic!
Now for the Question. I struggled to come up with one as the basic principles seem to solve pretty much everything. I would like to know a good way to teach him to go away/back or to go left or right in a controlled way(sort of working dog stuff really). I dont know if this makes sense and it may sound unusual but it would be quite useful on the farm as well as fun and interesting for me and him (He seems to like jobs to do!)
I hope you can help me as I cant figure out a good way to do it? I would rather not use sheep to teach it as I am afraid he might then feel the need to work sheep or ducks or whatever at other times. Maybe this isnt a problem anyway as he doesnt misbehave. I wouldn't like to create a temptation though? (Besides I dont know what I am doing with working training anyway and wouldnt like to stuff it up!) Any suggestions would be well appreciated.
Sorry this is so long but I am really enthusiastic!
- Oliver.
Bacchus Marsh, Victoria, Australia.

Dear Oliver:
Set a plate with a cookie on it, off in the distance. (Point B).
Start a Point A, with the dog, and with a broad hand motion, point to the plate and say, Go out.
Your dog will run in the direction you point, to the plate.
Gradually move the plate farther away.
Then find a shallow hill, and place the plate on top of the hill. Point, and do the same things as described above.
After youve been doing this consistently for several days, begin placing the plate behind the horizon, but let the dog see you do it.
Next, do it again (after a few successful days) but dont let the dog see you put the plate out.
Repeat in a variety of situations, always using the same command.

To read more of my dog training ramblings, read about my book (click below): http://tinyurl.com/4efaq
Secrets of a Professional Dog Trainer!

About the Author

Author, Secrets of a Professional Dog Trainer! which you can read more about at:
http://tinyurl.com/4efaq

Old Fashioned Flea Control

2009-01-03T11:49:00.001-08:00

REQUIREMENTS FOR REPRINT: You have permission to publish
this article free of charge in your e-zine, newsletter,
ebook, print publication or on your website ONLY if it
remains unchanged and you include the copyright and author
information (Resource Box) at the end. You may not use
this article in any unsolicited commercial email (spam).

You may retrieve this article by:

Autoresponder: fleacontrol@getresponse.com
Website:
http://www.apluswriting.net/articles/fleacontrol.txt

Words: 239
Copyright: 2005 Marilyn Pokorney

Please leave the resource box intact with an active link,
and send a courtesy copy of the publication in which the
article appears to: marilynp@nctc.net
------------------------------------------------------------

Fleas have plagued dogs, cats, and their owners since time
began so ways to kill or repel them has been a constant
search. Today, with the shake of a can, the spray of a
bottle, or a flea dip fleas are more easily controlled. But
before these controls were available, pet owners were
constantly on the lookout for a better way to free their
pets of these disease carrying insects.

The flea can cause many illnesses including anemia,
tapeworms, typhus, and skin infections, according to
veterinarians. The National Institutes of Health says that
bubonic plague was, and still can be, transmitted by fleas.
Rocky Mountain Fever and Lyme Disease are the most common
illnesses caused by fleas. The last two diseases were
thought to be transmitted only by ticks.

Common foods and herbs were used to help keep pets flea-
free. Brewer's yeast, sprinkled onto the dog's coat like
flea powder is today, was used as a deterrent. Unlike flea
powders, it wasn't harmful to the dog if the dog licked the
brewer's yeast off. Internally, the yeast fortified the
health of the dogs skin because it is high in B-vitamins.
Keeping the skin healthy is necessary for good control of
fleas.

For more information on flea control:

http://www.apluswriting.net/onlynaturalpetstore/fleacontrol.
htm

And more natural pet products for your dog or cat:

http://www.apluswriting.net/onlynaturalpetstore/onlynaturalp
etstore.htm

About the Author

Author: Marilyn Pokorney
Freelance writer of science, nature, animals and the
environment.
Also loves crafts, gardening, and reading.
Website: http://www.apluswriting.net

Keeping Gars - A short review

2009-01-03T10:20:00.001-08:00

Keeping Gars
A short review

By William Berg
of Sweden, for http://www.aquaticcommunity.com

If you take a quick look at this species they don't seem like aquarium fishes. They are large and highly predatory. But then again, these are qualities that attract some, like me! If you've been keeping aquariums for a while and have the room to keep large predatory fishes I recommend you try these fish, but not until you've done your homework and know the gars' requirements and what you are getting yourself into.

Species of gar:

Florida spotted gar, Lepisosteus platyrhinchus
A highly varied species of gar. Has more spots on its body and a shorter snout than many other gars. Easily mistaken for spotted gar.

Spotted gar, Lepisosteus oculatus
Long snout and spots. Spots to a higher degree towards the posterior of its body. Easily mistaken for Florida spotted gar.

Shortnosed gar, Lepisosteus platostomus
The shortnosed gar can be identified by its short snout, and by the lack of teeth rows in the upper jaw like the alligator gar, and the lack of spots on its body.

Long-nosed gar, Lepisosteus osseus
The long-nosed gar is, as the name suggests, identified by its long slender snout, and also by its slender body.

Alligator gar, Atractosteus spatula
The alligator gar has a short broad snout and two big rows of teeth in the upper jaw. This species is spotted on the posterior part of the body and to a lesser extent on other parts of the body.

Tropical gar, Atractosteus tropicus
A very rare species.

Manfari or Cuban gar, Atractosteus tristoechus
Looks very similar to the alligator gar and since it is very rare in the trade you can usually assume that your gar is an alligator gar and not a Cuban gar unless otherwise stated. The Cuban gar has a broader snout and lacks pattern on its body.

Beside these species there are a number of hybrids such as the crocodile gar.

Spotted, Florida and short-nosed gars are smaller than the other species and may be more suitable for aquariums. They usually don't grow larger than 2 feet in aquariums. Long-nosed and alligator gars grow to a very large size and larger ponds are recommended if you'd like to keep fully grown specimens. So if you don't have (or plan on getting) a large pond, stay with the smaller species. Even with the smaller species you are still going to need a rather large aquarium. The tropical gar also is possible to keep in aquariums as it doesn't grow as large; however this species is very hard to find. The Cuban gar is a red-list endangered species and shouldn't be kept even if you somehow find one.

In aquariums gars are quite demanding and require a lot of space and clean water. I recommend you to use as big a tank as you can for your gar, and I wouldn't recommend keeping gars in an aquarium smaller than 200 Gallon/720 L. And that should be considered a minimum; a 400 gallon/1400 L tank is preferable.

The tank should be decorated in accordance with gar behaviour. Gars are ambush predators, and as such they appreciate hiding places from where they can stalk their prey. This is however not essential. They are very friendly towards fish that are too big to be eaten. In the wild gars often live in loose schools and if you have the space you may successfully keep several gars together, in fact I would recommend this.

Gars can be kept with most fishes that are too big to be considered food and not too aggressive. However, gars should never live with plecos. Plecos sometimes suck on gars and cause infections, and since gars are very sensitive to most medicines these infections may be very hard to treat.

Regarding water, the most important thing is keeping the water clean and well circulated. Gars accept most pH or hardness levels. Temperature can range from 60 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit (16 - 30 degrees Celsius). Gars breathe air and should be left with a few inches of space at the top of the tank to allow them to breathe atmospheric air. <br

RecoveryPets.Com vs. Other Pet Registration Services

2009-01-03T10:16:00.001-08:00

For those pet owners who do not know what a pet registration service is, or the benefits they provide, this article will try to explain these services. Pet registration is how lost pets get returned to their owners, it as simple as that. The owner of a pet registers their pet with a service provider, and the owners contact information is available if the pet ever gets lost. Now, there are many companies that offer this type of service, and we will try to compare the services of RecoveryPets.Com with other companies that offer this type of service to find the one that provides the best benefits for its clients.

The goal of registration services is to provide a location where the finder of lost pets can go the get the contact information on the pets' owner. The majority of these services use the pets veterinary vaccine number or county pet tag license number to register the clients pet. But, with this type of registration the finder does not know where to go to find the owners contact information, because the registers information is not contained on those tags. Whereas RecoveryPets.Com provides a special pet tag with a unique identification number that the pet is registered under on the tag, and the web address to where the pet owners contact information is contained, by doing this the finder has immediate access to the pet owners contact information.

The next benefit provided by these companies is the ability to provide a description and photograph of the pet, so that it can be identified when found. All services give their clients the ability to list the pets description and post a current photograph, but RecoveryPets.Com also gives them free lifetime contact information updating. This feature is very important because contact information tends to change over time, and by providing free lifetime updating service, any time their contact information changes it can be updated immediately on the website.

Contact information is the reason that pet owners register their pets with these services, and having a large selection of ways to contact the owners is vital to the safe return of a lost pet. Registration services allow the client to list their contact information, but RecoveryPets.Com gives their client the option to register up to ten contact phone numbers or email addresses. One of the advantages to this type of information being displayed is that the client's home address is not displayed, and the pets unique id number is needed to access the phone and email address information, which provides security that protects the clients confidentiality.

The last topic discussed will cover the global recognition of the service. The only way a service provider will be able to benefit their clients is to have a one-stop source for everyday people, and rescue agencies or shelters to go to get information about the lost pets owner. This should include general marketing to the average consumer, and special efforts to make rescue agencies and shelter aware of the service the register provides. Pet registration services may be the greatest tool to help owners of lost pets recover their pet, but if the service does not provide a means to alert everyone that the pet is registered with their service, it defeats the purpose of the service.

About the Author

Thaddeus Collins is the owner of RecoveryPets.Com and they specialize in the global recovery of lost pets using a unique tracking number. For more information visit http://www.recoverypets.com

The Top Ten Reasons Why You Can't Trust Vicious Pit Bull

2009-01-03T10:12:00.001-08:00

(Feel free to use this article on your website. You must leave the entire article intact and include the author's bio.)

The Top Ten Reasons Why You Can't Trust Vicious Pit Bulls

10. They will steal your spot on the
couch while you are up getting a soda.

9. They will take the treat you give
them and bury in the back yard like a
paranoid crack head hiding their stash.

8. They will jump on your bed with muddy
feet. Making you do laundry...again

7. They will lick visitors with an
uncontrolled passion only they
understand.

6. They will cause children to smile.

5. They will make you feel horrible for
not walking them by looking at you with
deep sad eyes.

4. They will look at you like you
committed a crime against them if you
don't let them lick your ice cream bowl.

3. They will cause wide spread happiness
in large group settings.

2. They will crack you up by shaking
their butts so hard you think they are
going to snap in half.

And the number one reason why you can't
trust vicious Pit Bulls...

1. They will steal your heart like a
thief in the night, showing you complete
and pure love that only a Pit Bull can
show.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jason Mann is a American Pit Bull Terrier fancier and Freelance writer. You can view his website at http://www.pitbulllovers.com/ a website devoted to educating the public and dog world about the American Pit Bull Terrier.

With Understanding Comes Success

2009-01-03T10:11:00.003-08:00

One of the reasons I strongly encourage horse owners to train their own horses rather than ship them away to a professional trainer is familiarity. Quite simply, an unfamiliar party will not understand your horse nearly as well as you, and this understanding of a horse is the backbone of any successful training plan.

This is not to suggest that all horse trainers are clueless individuals that bumble along hoping to do something right, because most professional trainers will take the time to understand a horse before ever thinking about saddling him and training him to ride. But all too often an impatient or inexperienced "trainer" will misread a horse's problem or intention and react incorrectly due to his lack of understanding. Too many of these incidents can prolong the training process (thereby costing you money) and potentially mentally scar your horse for life.

Far too many head-shy horses can be attributed to inexperienced or abusive past trainers and/or owners who lacked an understanding of the horse they were working with. Once a horse has developed this mistrust or fear of people it can take a good while to reassure the horse that another cuff is not waiting around the corner. And who can blame the horse? If every past exposure with a dog resulted in the dog biting you, chances are you would be very wary, if not outright panicked, by future exposures to canines.

To correct an improper action it is first important to understand the motivation that lies behind it. For example, let's say that you are training a young filly to walk alongside you to your left. Suddenly without permission the filly slams against your side, but being that she's still young it doesn't do much more than get your attention. What would you do?

1. Ignore the behavior no harm was done after all.

2. Jab your elbow into the filly's shoulder and growl at her to remind her to respect your space.

3. Take a moment to detect the reason why the filly brushed against you.

If you selected the first option, you chose wrong. Although your heart is in the right place in your willingness to "write off" a seemingly harmless action, eventually if you ignore these things they can compound to worse problems. Your filly won't always be so small and light!

If you selected the second option you might have reacted correctly if the filly was gently asked to respect your space previously and elected to ignore the request out of defiance. In such a scenario you would need to reinforce your authority lest she view herself as being the alpha leader amongst you.

But what if the filly stepped against you because the wind was carrying along a plastic bag that startled her? In such a case if you discipline your horse you do her a huge disservice because she's not trying to be defiant or challenge your authority she's scared and she wanted your reassurance! If you start cuffing your filly for violating your personal space she will be like a deer caught in a car's headlights; the bag to her left and the handler to her right are scaring her and she'll either bolt or become paralyzed.

Had you understood the root of her concern you could have forgiven the invasion of your space and instead showed your filly the plastic bag was nothing to be concerned about. Such reassurances would have put her mind at ease, allow her to regain focus on the task at hand and hopefully become desensitized towards future encounters with plastic bags.

A trainer that believed in the "one size fits all" philosophy would probably have chosen option two in the above scenario since at face value that would be the correct reaction, but without understanding the horse or the motivation behind her action his "correction" would have further compounded the problem. It is essential a handler take the time to understand a horse's behavior before attempting to correct it since one size most definitely does not fit all. And who would better understand your horse than you?

In addition the training process does not hav

AKA, Pocket Pet with Attitude

2009-01-03T10:11:00.001-08:00

Many people are searching for different means to have pets. Dogs and cats are not always the best choice of pets for everyone. Here is an amazingly different type of pet. A Pocket Pet! A Sugar Glider.

The Sugar Glider is a popular pet because of its sweet, lively, inquisitive nature, but is illegal in certain jurisdictions, such as California.

Do gliders make sounds? Sugar gliders are very social creatures and make many sounds, including barking, crabbing, clicking, and chattering.

Are gliders rodents? No. Sugar gliders are marsupials (mammals that carry their young in a pouch); they are in the same family as the koala bear and the kangaroo.

I have gathered some information, and done some research. Perhaps this will be the answer for many wishing to own a different kind of a pet.

Sugar Gliders make excellent pets. They adapt very readily to captivity and can develop very strong relationships with their human keepers. This is why they would be great for people who cannot have big pets. They are small in size, are very intelligent and love to play. They are much smarter than a hamster or rat and have a much longer life-span, most living to be 10 or older if taken care of properly. Although nocturnal, this can be of benefit.

Sugar Gliders love human attention. And they really are so cute. They also develop very strong bonds with their owners.

An adult sugar glider is approximately 11 inches long from his nose to the tip of his tail, but most of that (6 or 7 inches) is tail. They have similarities with our flying squirrel. The fur is very soft. Here is more information I have researched.

It is around 16 to 20 cm (6.3 to 7.5 in) in length, with a slightly longer tail, and weighs between 90 and 150 grams (3 to 5.3 oz). The fur is generally pearl grey, with black and cream patches at the base of the pink ears. The tail tapers only moderately and the last quarter of it is black, often with a white tip. The muzzle is short and rounded. Northern forms tend to be brown colored rather than grey and, as predicted by Bergmann's Rule, smaller.

The most noticeable features of its anatomy, however, are the twin skin membranes called "patagium"s which extend from the fifth finger of the forelimb back to the first toe of the hind foot. These are inconspicuous when the Sugar Glider is at rest it merely looks a little flabby, as though it had lost a lot of weight recently but immediately obvious when it takes flight. The membranes are used to glide between trees: when fully extended they form an aerodynamic surface the size of a large handkerchief.

Sugar Gliders can occupy any area where there are tree hollows for shelter and sufficient food. Their diet varies considerably with both geography and the changing seasons, but the main items are the sap of acacias and certain eucalupts, nectar, pollen, and arthropods. They are difficult to see in the wild, being small, wary, and nocturnal, but a sure sign of their presence is the stripping of bark and tooth marks left in the soft, green shoots of acacia trees.

Sugar gliders love human attention and they love to play. This is what makes them special. Make sure you bond with the little ones when you bring them home. Since they sleep in the daytime, you can bond with them by letting them sleep in your pocket, but dont sit on your glider! Sugar gliders will form very strong bonds with their owners. One article says that they love to play hide and go seek.

They love it when you come home at night; they are so excited to see you!

Please buy them from a reputable breeder. You can expect to pay from $200 to $400 for them. I recommend starting with a baby since they do form much stronger bonds with you. And as always, study and gather the right information to have a safe and healthy pet.

About The Author

My name is Ruth Bird and I am the owner of 3 dogs, Dukie, Benny and Nikki. Benny and Nikki are Therapy Visiting dogs, and Dukie is blind. I have been married for 27 years to my husband, Chris. Chris has been battling the monster, M

Why Contract the Services of a Professional Pet Sitter for Y

2009-01-03T10:10:00.001-08:00

A Professional Pet Sitter provides in-home pet care while you?re away. Keeping your dog at home helps maintain his normal eating and exercising routines. It also helps minimize the stress suffered by both you and your dog. This article examines what may happen when your dog stays at a kennel and the benefits of contracting the services of a Professional Pet Sitter.

Part I: What Really Happens at the Kennel?

To better understand the benefits of hiring a professional pet sitter, let?s look at the reality of keeping your dog in a kennel while you are away. Please keep in mind that these generalizations are based on the experiences of the author and may not represent every boarding facility.

The first thing you want to consider is the care your dog will receive. In a kennel, your dog may be exposed to sick pets and parasites due to the close proximity of the boarders.

Your dog may be staying in a stacked cage with several other barking, whining, and crying dogs. This can be a stressful event for your dog, especially since he is not in his familiar surroundings in the first place.

If you have a larger dog, he will probably be in a run. The run probably has a concrete floor for easy clean up from messes. Will your dog sleep on a warm blanket or a hard floor?

When the lights go out, will he be sad because he is not in his home and does not have his family? Will his stress result in diarrhea, vomiting, or a bloody stool? Will he lose weight from refusing to eat? Believe it or not, these are common stress symptoms of boarded dogs.

You should also know that Kennel Attendants are paid at about the same rate as fast food workers. The low rate of pay contributes to high turnover and a younger workforce. Some of your kennel staff may be inexperienced and learning on your dog.

Finally, consider one more thing that happens at the kennel. Routine! Of course, it is not your dog?s routine where he gets personal attention, touch and affection, playtime, walks, and potty relief when he asks. It is the routine of the business that is followed.

Your dog will probably be let out to potty while the kennel staff freshens up his cage/run. Then, he will immediately return to his cage for his food and water where he may stay until the process is repeated in the evening.

The attention your dog gets in a boarding facility depends on several uncontrollable factors such as the number of dogs currently boarded, the experience of the staff, and the protocol established for caring for the animals. Would you rather ensure your dog receives personal attention while you are away?

Part II: How a Professional Pet Sitter Can Help

A Professional Pet Sitter provides personalized care for your dog in his own environment where he feels safe. Dogs are territorial pack animals. He understands his boundaries and position in the pack at home.

He may feel insecure, unsafe, and uncertain of his position when he is not at home. Uncertainty results in physical and emotional stress for your dog.

A Pet Sitter will ensure your dog?s normal routine is maintained. He will be able to go potty whenever he needs to go. He will be fed his normal diet plus any special treats as instructed.

Your dog will have a human contact which is extremely important for these social animals. He will continue his normal playtime routines as well as scheduled walks.

?Playing ball? is very important for some active dogs. One couldn?t expect that type of attention or commitment from a boarding facility; however, your Pet Sitter could easily toss a disc or throw a ball around the yard.

Another key benefit to your dog is a Pet Sitter can administer medications for your sick, elderly, or injured dog while you are away. They can also tend to your dog in the event of an emergency and ensure he receives the attention of your veterinarian.

While a Pet Sitter may provide light grooming assistance such as daily brushing of long-haired dogs, they may also provide pet taxi service. This means that your dog will be abl

The Top Ten Reasons Why You Can't Trust Vicious Pit Bull

2009-01-03T09:04:00.001-08:00

Spyware and Adware � Are You Protected?

2009-01-03T08:59:00.001-08:00

Spyware is without doubt the most prevalent threat to online computer privacy and security.

Exactly what is Spyware?

Spyware applications are programs and files that hide on your PC's hard drive without your direct knowledge. They allow hackers and advertising companies to track your every move, both online and even when you work offline.

Tracking the websites you visit, the items that you buy online, the emails you send and receive, your Instant Message dialog, and worst of all they can even record your credit card number, personal identification numbers, and all of your passwords.

If you use dial-up to connect to the Internet then spyware can be used to bill 900 numbers to your telephone bill.

Spyware allows hackers to take control of your browser and alter your computer system files.

These computer parasites slow down your Internet connection by inundating you with unwanted Spyware pop-up ads.

This is just a short list of the harm that Spyware can cause.

Note: Spyware and Adware cannot be detected by anti-virus and firewall software.

Some Disturbing Facts About Spyware:

· Spyware infects 91% of all computers. That equates to an alarming 9 out of 10 computers!

· 27.3 million Americans have been victims of identity theft in the last five years, including 9.91 million people or 4.6% of the population in the last year alone.

Keep reading to learn how to keep from becoming a victim of Identity Theft.

Have you noticed your computer running slower than ever?

The reason for that may have to do with online advertisers adding Spyware, or Adware to your computer without your knowledge.

Exactly what is Adware?

Adware works very much like Spyware.

Adware is software that will show you popup ads over and over. These files can also be extremely dangerous to your PC and could cause major problems with your Computer.

Note: This article is an excerpt from a SPECIAL REPORT entitled "Spyware! How To Get And Stay Safe". In the full report you'll find the information you need to effectively protect your computer and personal information. Avoiding the grief of dealing with problems like Identity Theft among others.

The full version of the free report can be downloaded in PDF format by clicking over to http://www.easyhow-to.com/special-reports/spyware.htm

About the Author:

Clyde Dennis, a.k.a. "Mr. How-To" has been writing and publishing Articles and Newsletters online since 1999. Clyde's company EASYHow-To Publications provides "How-To" information on How-To do, be or have just about anything one can imagine. For more information visit http://www.EASYHow-To.com. Email correspondence for Clyde should be sent to: cdennis at easyhow-to.com

Spyware: The New Cancer

2009-01-03T08:54:00.001-08:00

Just like cancer, a computer virus program, whether Trojan, adware, or spyware can be deemed as any executing program that can infect your computer by recreating a copy of itself onto your system. Just like with cancerous cells in the human body, if not detected in time or found to be in the wrong place, any of these infectious programs can find themselves replicating and creating havoc throughout other parts of the machine.

When spyware was first discovered, just as was the case with cancer in the human body, it perplexed those who were infected by it because until something becomes known to the general public, there can be no reason for cure for that certain disease. For example, there was no cure for polio until the vaccine was created by Dr. Salk, and there was no cure for Trojan horse programs until they were discovered to have caused mass havoc. So if there is knowledge about what types of adware, Trojan, and spyware programs are infecting millions of people across the planet each and every day, why is there no cure for such programs?

There is a simple answer to this question, because economically, it doesnt make since to have one solid end all be all type cures for these infectious programs. The reason for this is because countless numbers of suppliers of virus protection and detection programs would be remiss to find a cure for these things because it would subsequently put them out of business. This is not to say that they are out there putting these programs into circulation just to drum up business for their companies, or are they? It has been a conspiracy theory among countless numbers of people that the pharmaceutical industry in the United States finds themselves not wanting to find a cure for cancer because it would dampen their profits from having to buy treatment medicine by the carload.

Every time there is a new virus of infectious program that comes out, just like with diseases where you have to get a shot to prevent yourself from catching it, you have to update your detection programs to check for this before your computer gets infected with it. In all seriousness, spyware and virus detection programs are great because they can make you feel a lot more secure in your day to day computer life. Although you might grip and complain for having to download updates and security patches to your system through various programs every night before you go to bed, it will only take one of those programs that you are being protected from for you to have your world turned upside down. Until there is a cure found to stop all virus program infections, the only way to protect yourself is kill or be killed and that is what these programs can do for you. Regular checkups are the key to staying healthy.

About the author:

When not on his soapbox, Andrew Wroblewski is doing battle with the thousands of spyware programs that can affect you via his ant-spyware and spyware removal website: where you can get a free spyware scan of your computer system.

Adware and Spyware Blockers

2009-01-03T08:53:00.001-08:00

The most important things you can do for your computer right now is to install adware and spyware blockers. Everyone is aware of computer viruses and run an anti-virus program to guard your computer against them.

But only a fraction of computer users are running any kind of adware and spyware blockers software. It is believed that 90% of today's PCs are infected with some form of adware and spyware. Most of the time you are not aware that your computer is even infected.

Adware and Spyware are less noticeable than computer viruses but can be much greater danger to your computer. So what is the danger posed without removing spyware from computers and how do you block spyware and adware on your PC?

If your computer becomes infected, the results range from minor nuisances such as pop up ads to more serious threats including identity theft. Even your passwords and credit card numbers could end up in hacker's hands and you wouldn't know it happened until the damage was done.

Spyware and adware files hide in your computer and are loaded down as you browse the Internet. Common culprits include pop up ads, shareware, freeware and instant messaging. However, there are less common ways to become infected.

Some computers contain adware and shareware files even before you purchase them. Because of this fighting spyware and adware and removing spyware from computers is becoming even harder today.

Spyware and Adware has become such an epidemic that it is the latest target of NY Attorney General Eliot Spitzer. "Spyware and adware are more than an annoyance," Spitzer said in the statement. "These fraudulent programs foul machines, undermine productivity and in many cases frustrate consumers' efforts to remove them from their computers. These issues can serve to be a hindrance to the growth of e-commerce."

There are many programs that you can download to block adware and spyware from infecting your computer. Protect your privacy, and get the right Internet privacy tools installed on your computer immediately. You need to install adware and spyware blockers now so you can enjoy the Internet without the hidden dangers.

Copyright © 2005 Spyware Information.com All Rights Reserved.

About the Author

This article is provided by http://www.spyware-information.com where you will find free spyware cleaners, downloads, removal software, valuable tips and updated articles about adware and spyware that show you how protect yourself from identity theft. For other informative spyware and identity protection articles go to http://spyware-information.com/articles_1.html

Computational Philanthropy - The World Community Grid

2009-01-03T08:32:00.001-08:00

Have you ever wondered what your computer does when you're not there to provide it with stimulation? On Windows, it runs a process called the 'System Idle Process'. Doesn't sound very intellectually challenging does it? As far as an intellectual challenge, lets not flatter ourselves either: To our computers we move at the speed of molasses in winter.

Well what if your computer could be running software that benefited humanity in its ample spare time? That is precisely the task the World Community Grid offers your computer when you aren't using it.

Currently, the World Community Grid is looking to dramatically shorten the Human Proteome Folding Project. This is a project that could take years even on the most powerful supercomputer. The answer is to take advantage of parallelization (using many computers at once) to dramatically shorten this computational time.

Many of us have heard of the Human Genome Project that recently completed a map of all human genes. In order for that information to be useful, scientists seek to understand how the proteins that those genes code for are formed in a process called protein folding. It is the shape of proteins that determine their bio-chemical properties. Knowledge of protein folding could, one day, be used in dramatic treatments of all diseases.

To contribute to this admirable task is quick and painless. Visit: http://www.worldcommunitygrid.org/ and download the client program and within seconds your computer will be solving the problems of humanity.

Download? Download?! This word is sacrilege to many network administrators. Well you needn't worry because IBM, 'Big Blue', has lent its name and resources to ensuring that this is a safe and reliable process.

Once downloaded, the client program will allow you to see the proteins currently being computed. In future, upon completion of the Human Proteome Folding project, the grid can be used for other challenging scientific problems. One likely candidate is signal processing for the SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) program which required distributed computational power.

Gandhi once said: "life is full of seemingly inconsequential acts, but it is absolutely essential that we do them." This seemingly small act may yield research that can improve the quality of life for all. Visit: http://www.worldcommunitygrid.org/ and help contribute to scientific history.

About the Author

Martin Winer is a computer scientist developing: http://www.rankyouragent.com which is a forum for exchanging rankings of real estate professionals.

The Hacker's Nightmare

2009-01-03T08:11:00.003-08:00

http://cmart.TCCAU.hop.clickbank.net

Spam Bully

2009-01-03T08:11:00.001-08:00

http://cmart.SPAMBULLY.hop.clickbank.net

10 Signs And Symptoms Of Spyware Infections

2009-01-03T08:10:00.001-08:00

Your system runs noticeably slower than it did before. It could be infected by spyware.

A search toolbar or other browser toolbar appears even though you didn't request or install it. Spyware programs are usually installed with other programs that are advertised in regitimate ways.

You receive an email in your email client with offers related to your recent Internet searches. A spyware might be monitoring your buying habbits.

You enter a search term in Internet Explorer's address bar and press Enter to start the search.
Instead of your usual search site, an unfamiliar site handles the search. A spyware program might be responsible for this.

You get pop-up advertisements when your browser is not running or when your system is not even connected to the Internet, or you get pop-up ads that address you by name. A spyware program could be doing this.

When you start your browser, the home page has changed to something undesirable. Normally to a search portal that the spyware is trying to market.

At a time when you're not doing anything online, the send or receive lights on your dial-up or broadband modem blink just as wildly as when you're downloading a file or surfing the Web. Or the network/modem icon in your system tray flashes rapidly even when you're not using the connection. This could be a spyware program sending out info from your computer.

A new item appears in your Favorites list without your putting it there. No matter how many times you delete it, the item always reappears later. Spyware behaviors are normally very annoying.

Your spyware cure program or another protective program stops working correctly. It may warn you that certain necessary support files are missing, but if you restore the files they go missing again. It may appear to launch normally and then spontaneously shut down, or it may simply crash whenever you try to run it. Some Spyware programs will try to shut down your computer security programs so that they can run without being noticed.

Your phone bill includes expensive calls to 900 numbers that you never madeprobably at an outrageous per-minute rate. Spyware programs can cost you thousands of dollars in losses

And the final sign is: Everything appears to be normal. The most devious spyware doesn't leave traces you'd notice! They are sit in your system, malignant and undetected but their destruction is graveus. Try using spyware cure program.

About the Author

Gregory Mburu Owns a Spyware Cure Program That Cleans and Prevent Your PC From Being Infected By Spyware. His Spyware Program Is Located At http://spywarecure.net

Characteristics OF The Boxer (dog).

2009-01-03T08:03:00.001-08:00

Characterisitcs of the Boxer (dog)
Is A Boxer Right For You?

By Ron Swerdfiger

www.web-rover.com

Country of Origin: Germany
First Registered: 1904
Colors: Fawn, brindle with white markings
Coat Type: Short, glossy and smooth
Height: 21 - 25 inches
Weight: 66 - 70 lbs.
Life Span: 10 - 12 Years
Average Litter Size: 5 10
Health Concerns:. May have problems with heart murmurs, skin tumors, digestive problems and hypothyroidism
Temperament: good-natured, affectionate, sociable, headstrong, high-energy

Active, playful, loyal, family oriented, are just a few of the characteristics of the boxer. A breed full of love for people and a zest for life, the boxer can be an ideal family dog. The boxer is unlike any other breed. Often discribed as the clown, of the dog cummunity, boxers are a class all their own.. Those who own boxers can attest to their unique characteristics.

With their lean muscular builds, smooth coats, and square stance, the boxer is truly an impressive looking animal. Being a working class breed, the boxer domonstrates an instinctive willinness to please, while at the same time showing an alertness, caution and courage in the face of the unknown.

However, the boxer is NOT for everyone. Being a breed of high-energy, they require plenty of love, and even more patience.

So, if you are considering owning a boxer, web-rover.com offers some information on this wonderful breed.

Origin

Originally breed in Germany, it is believe that the boxer is of Brabanter Bullenbessier descent. The Bullenbeisser was used by the elite to hunt wild boar in and around the 1800s In order to prevent injury during the hunt, the ears were cropped.

As time passed the the Barbanter Bullenbeisser was used by cattle dealers, and by the end of the 1800s was officially recognized as a working class dog. As well as being renowned for being an intelligent working dog, the Barbanter Bullenbessier was recognized as an excellent companion dog who was always eager to please humans.. When not working, the breed was known to be an excellent family pet, who was great with childern.

It is believed that around 1830, the Babnanter Bullenbeisser was bred with an early breed of the English Bulldog, and thus, the boxer was born.

In the early days of the breed, many changes took place. Many older pictures show boxers as being white. It is believed that white boxers were no longer accepted because in order to be police dogs, a darker coat was needed. Therefore, the Boxer Klub of Germany set the breed standard to no longer allow white boxers. To this day, there is still huge debate over white boxers.

Typical Boxer Characteristics

- The boxer is an extremely high-energy dog. As a result, they need a great deal of attention and supervisoin.

- The boxer is an intelligent dog. As should be with all dogs, the boxer needs obedience training on a regular basis starting from a young pup. Being a bright energetic breed, they will find many ways to get in to trouble if not properly trained and watched.

- Boxers are typically great with childern. If properly socialized from a pup, the boxer makes an ideal playmate.

The boxer is a natural guardian. Always alert, the boxer is on constant guard. Usually weary of strangers, and always protective of their people.

- The boxer temmperment is fundemntally playful, but if threadted will display unwaverying courage..

Here are some other characistics of the boxer that you most likey wont find in any dog book

laying on back, feet up, not a care!

GAS...bad gass

Kidney Beans (the boxer dance)

Boxer Woo Woo Song

Catching bugs

Using paws in cat like movements

Zipping around the backyard for no apparent reason.

Bounces like a rabbit when running at times

The woo woo song

Lay their head on you like it is too heavy to hold up!

Constatnly following their human

Listen Up to Raise a Great Pup

2009-01-03T07:52:00.001-08:00

The cute, loveable puppies you see prancing down the street with their owners has got you thinking. You want a puppy. You want the unconditional love and happiness that caring for a puppy can bring. However, you are not quite sure where to start your quest to find the perfect puppy. Friends and family have told you that different types of dogs are appropriate for different life styles. How can you figure out how a puppy will fit into your life? It is as simple as listening to the following audio books and podcast for guidance.

You might be tempted to buy the first puppy you see and not take the time to prepare yourself for the process. You could spend time reading books on various puppies, but why not listen to advice from the experts instead? You can listen to dog related audio books when you are commuting in your car, riding on the train, or walking in the park. You could even head down to your local dog park and listen to the audio book while you observe the behavior of many types of dogs.

Begin your pooch quest with the audio book, "The Art of Raising a Puppy" by The Monks of New Skete. This audio book provides guidelines for every stage in the puppy raising process from adopting your puppy to watching them grow into healthy adult dogs. This comprehensive guide details how a puppy can fit into your life and the proper care you should engage in to keep your puppy in peak spirits.

After you have learned the physical aspects of raising a puppy you can explore the mind of your pooch. Check out, "The Hidden Lives of Dogs" by Elizabeth Marshall Thomas. This audio book discusses the ages old mystery of how dogs think. Do they dream? What goes on between their perky ears and black noses?

Any dog aficionado loves to listen to amusing dog stories. Listen to "Tales from the Barkside" by Brian Kilcommons. Delight in stories about the love and courage of dogs as told by two dog trainers. As a new dog owner you will create stories with your dog that will unfold as you bond. The relationship between pets and their owners is strong and at times moving.

You have the comprehensive dog guide, understand the mind of your potential puppy, and have listened to amusing stories by dog trainers. This information will help you to become a wonderful dog owner. Why not add to your inventory of knowledge weekly by listening to the "Pet Talk Radio Podcast" by Dr. Harry Cooper? This show originates in Australia and can now be heard around the world. Listen about many different pets for fun and entertainment.

Have your puppy listen to these audio learning resources with you or at the very least snuggled up to your feet while you listen.

About The Author

Jillian Gregory writes for LearnOutLoud.com, an online portal for educational and self-development audio and video material which can be found at http://www.learnoutloud.com For the HTML version of this article complete with links to the titles that were mentioned, please visit http://www.learnoutloud.com/puppy01.

Pet Therapy Given Major Boost

2009-01-03T07:50:00.001-08:00

Americans spent over $32 billion on their pets last year and $25 billion on their children. This may come as a bit of a shock, however, we are becoming more and more aware of the emotional and physical rewards of owning a pet or especially a dog.

The converted will willingly tell you that owning a dog auto-matically gives you a constant companion, friend, confidante, exerciser and instinctive soul re-generator. Yet it is only in the last decade or so that we have taken pets seriously medically, much to our own detriment.

Nowadays though, pet therapy can be a very important feature of cancer recovery programs, prosthetic limb replacement recovery, treatment for depression, speech inducement for severely delayed children and of course, just sheer pleasure for the elderly in hospices and aged care facilities.

However, when you consider how many patients/clients and carers could benefit from the pure love and support of a pet, the supply can never keep up with demand that is, not until now.

www.woofywarehouse.com is a new pet goods supplier that has come up with what they think will be the answer to the dilemma. Owner of www.woofywarehouse.com Adele Sims saw firsthand the effects of having a pet around or not. I was driving the children to school one morning and we saw a man walking along who was afflicted with muscular dystrophy. His walk was staggered and his bad arm swung like a broken wing as he headed for home. We have often passed him on his walks and had become quite accustomed to him as he walked up the middle of the road.

This particular morning we noticed that a woman with a soft and beautiful golden retriever was coming up to him in the opposite direction. As the dog came closer and started wagging its tail the man became so excited that he just had to pat the dog. A huge smile beamed across his face as he touched the soft head of the dog who happily lapped up the attention. But the owner of the dog became a little alarmed at this stranger and started pulling the dog away so they could continue on their walk. She pulled the dog away and walked on, but the man stopped and watched the dog go. His face dropped, his head bowed and he just stood there for quite a while and watched as the dog disappeared around the corner. It was a very sad and moving experience for both myself and the boys as they saw the scenario unfold. From that time on I vowed I would do as much as I could to bring people and animals together. And having our own dog supplies warehouse we were in a unique position to be able to help, she said.

For every purchase over $20 from its range, www.woofywarehouse.com will donate a percentage of profits to the Delta Society whose main aim is to incorporate the benefits of pet therapy into varied programs which target the physical, mental, educational and motivational areas of peoples lives.

With animal involve-ment in therapy, Delta Society has found that both fine and gross motor skills can be improved, as can wheelchair skills. It can also dispel loneliness and reduce anxiety, develop leisure skills and promote short or long-term memory.

The benefits are too numerous to count and now there is a way you can support this essential cause whilst providing your own dog with all the supplies that this little hero deserves.

We have had our own special Joycie a Belgian sheep dog for over nine years now and we couldnt imagine our family without her. We jokingly call her our third child and the boys talk about her as their hairy little sister. And when our older son was little he had some speech problems of his own that no amount of intervention or lessons or whatever, seemed to bring right. It wasnt until he chose and named Joycie and started trying to train her that he started to get his words right. It was only then that he was able to give clear directions and for the first time in his life he w

Top 5 Best Gifts For Your Pets

2009-01-03T07:49:00.001-08:00

About The Author

Christine Arbor is a pet lover who works as a contributing writer for http://www.topsellingpetsupplies.com a site that offers information on buying pet supplies such as pet meds, dog food and more.

Why Contract the Services of a Professional Pet Sitter for Y

2009-01-03T07:48:00.001-08:00

Part I: What Really Happens at the Kennel?

The first thing you want to consider is the care your dog will receive. In a kennel, your dog may be exposed to sick pets and parasites due to the close proximity of the boarders.

If you have a larger dog, he will probably be in a run. The run probably has a concrete floor for easy clean up from messes. Will your dog sleep on a warm blanket or a hard floor?

Part II: How a Professional Pet Sitter Can Help

He may feel insecure, unsafe, and uncertain of his position when he is not at home. Uncertainty results in physical and emotional stress for your dog.

A Pet Sitter will ensure your dog?s normal routine is maintained. He will be able to go potty whenever he needs to go. He will be fed his normal diet plus any special treats as instructed.

Your dog will have a human contact which is extremely important for these social animals. He will continue his normal playtime routines as well as scheduled walks.

While a Pet Sitter may provide light grooming assistance such as daily brushing of long-haired dogs, they may also provide pet taxi service. This means that your dog will be abl

The Appeal of Animal Jewelry

2008-12-31T09:01:00.001-08:00

Animal jewelry has always been popular. Even in ancient Egypt, people wore jewelry fashioned after animals like the cat and the ibis. In modern times, you see animal jewelry captured in charm bracelets and necklaces. Why is animal jewelry still popular today? Here are a few reasons to consider when you think about how appealing animal jewelry can be.

1)
Animals are nice to look at.

Who can ever get tired of watching birds fly or kittens play? Because animals are fun to look at in nature, jewelers use them in their work. People often go to nature for inspiration and then use it in their creations. Animals have a simple elegance to them that is always complementary to a nice outfit.

2)
Animal designs don�t go out of style.

Fads and trends are just that; they are here today and gone soon after. Animal designs seem to withstand all of that because they don�t change. Over the course of human existence, animals have remained in about the same state as they were when we first saw them. Polka-dots, loops, zigzags, and starburst bracelets all go out of style at some point. Animals have a degree of permanency that allows for constant design inspiration.

3)
The animal depicted in the jewelry represents the person wearing it.

My mother has a leopard lapel that she got from her mother as a birthday present. She and her family come from South Africa, so the leopard lapel reflects great significance to her roots. My mother likes to wear it on special occasions, to church, and just for fun because it reminds her of home.

Other people wear certain animal jewelry because it is a representation of them. Someone who wears a lot of dolphin jewelry might have an affinity for the ocean, freedom, playfulness, and intelligence. Someone else might like elephant jewelry because they are bold, strong, and majestic. Overall, animal jewelry can be a symbolic interpretation of the individual and an appealing display for others to observe.

About The Author

Pete McFraser

To get a sense of how varied Harris Michael Jewelry's collection of animal jewelry is, visit http://www.harrismichaeljewelry.com/animal-jewelry.html.

How To Get Rid Of Fleas

2008-12-31T08:53:00.001-08:00

If you own a pet you will have fleas in the house from time to time. In some cases you may become infested with fleas. We have had as many as four cats at our house and we have been infested with fleas a few times. We only have two cats now so it is not as bad, but we still have to use the process I am about to tell you about.

You really don't have any control if your pet goes out of your yard, but you will need to spray your own yard about two times during the summer months with a good flea insecticide. If you kill all the fleas in your house with out killing the little pest in the yard you will continue to have a problem inside.

One of the main reasons a house will become infested with fleas is, after you vaccum your house and put the vaccum away, every flea that was in the vaccum bag will crawl right back out of the vaccum cleaner and into the house and start multiplying.

The way to stop this is to take the bag out, spray some flea insecticide in the bag and tape the hole of the bag up. Then spray the insecticide around the house. If you will repeat this process every two or three days for two weeks you will not be infested with fleas any more.

You can resume your normal schedule of vaccuming after you clear up the infestation, but you will still need to tape the vaccum bag up just in case you pet brings a couple of fleas in from outside.

About The Author

Clint Pollard is the webmaster of http://ncave.com/sites/germanshepherd.html.

Jumping Up

2008-12-31T08:41:00.001-08:00

from David the Dogman

The ten worst excuses not to spay or neuter a pet are:

Just one litter and then we'll have Fluffy spayed.

(Studies show that virtually the entire pet overpopulation stems from the "just one litter mentality.)
My dog doesn't run loose, so he doesn't need to be fixed.

(Murphy's Law says otherwise.)
We always find homes for the kittens.

(And that means that an equal number of kittens at the pound will be killed.)
I want the children to witness the miracle of birth.

(Rent a video.)
My dog is so cute and unique, there should be more of her.

(The shelters and pounds are full of cute and unique dogs, most with only a few days to live.)
It's not natural.

(There hasn't been anything "natural" about dogs since we began to develop breeds thousands of years ago.)
I just couldn't look my dog in the eye if I had him castrated.

(Watch it, you're anthropomorphiizing.)
A female dog or cat should have at least one litter for health reasons.

(Medically, factually and ethicaly indefensible.)
Neutering my dog will make him fat and lazy.

(Too much food and not enough exercise make a dog fat and lazy.)
Fixing my pet will change its personality.

(The main influences on an animal's personality are the kindness and care with which it is raised.)

David The Dogman is available for private consultations in your home, for further details telephone; Tel; (95) 2883388

Diagnosing pancreatic disease in Pets

2008-12-31T08:40:00.001-08:00

The laboratory diagnosis of pancreatic disease in dogs and cats has taken has made some significant progress in the last few years. Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI) is now recognised in both dogs and cats and while most affected animals are young there are a number of older animals that are affected. The canine Trypsin-Like Immunoreactivity (TLI) test is both sensitive and specific for EPI and is assayed as part of the canine intestinal profile together with folate and cobalamin. Feline TLI has been shown similarly to be an excellent assay for EPI in cats, however this test is currently available only in the USA. As a result, we do not routinely include this test in the feline intestinal profile but we would recommend adding it for all cats with steathorreic faeces and for cats that are thin despite eating well where other causes have been ruled out.
The laboratory diagnosis of canine pancreatitis is complicated by the fact that amylase and lipase quickly return to normal following the onset of clinical signs � so normal results need not exclude pancreatitis. In addition, mild increases in amylase and lipase can be seen with intestinal and hepatic disease and both are affected by reduced renal function. As a result these tests are neither completely sensitive nor specific.
In cats with pancreatitis amylase and lipase are only occasionally abnormal and they are considered of little diagnostic value in this species.
Pancreatic lipase immunoreactivity (PLI) however, holds out considerably more promise for the diagnosis of pancreatitis in the dog and cat. In dogs, PLI elevations appear to persist for longer than other tests and this is now considered the best test for chronic pancreatitis. In cats with pancreatitis, PLI has been reported to be more sensitive than TLI (70% vs. 30%). This is particularly useful in cats as the clinical signs in this species are often non-specific (lethargy, anorexia, dehydration) with only 35% showing vomiting and 25% showing abdominal pain.
Currently the PLI assay is only available in the USA so the turnaround is about 10 days. It is likely however that we will be able to offer this assay more directly in future. To request PLI for dogs or cats simply indicate this on the request form (B33) and ensure that an additional 0.75 ml non-lipaemic serum is submitted.

About the Author

Nick graduated from Edinburgh Veterinary School in 1980 with an
Honours degree in Pathological Sciences and in 1982 as a Bachelor
of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery. In 2003 Nick became a diplomate
of the Royal college of Pathologists in veterinary clinical pathology.

The Myth Of 100% Complete Processed Pet Food

2008-12-30T17:10:00.001-08:00

Every day, people by the millions pour food from a package into their pet�s bowl. Day in and day out, meal after meal, pets get the same fare. This strange phenomenon is not only widely practiced, but done by loving owners who believe they are doing the right thing. Why? Certainly because it is convenient, but also because the labels state that the food is �complete and balanced,� �100% complete,� or that the food has passed various analytical and feeding test criteria. Furthermore, manufacturers and even veterinarians counsel pet owners about not feeding other foods such as table scraps because of the danger of unbalancing these modern processed nutritional marvels. The power of the message is so great that pet owners en masse do every day to their pets what they would never do to themselves or their children -offer the same processed packaged food at every meal.

Think about it: Our world is complex beyond comprehension. It is not only largely unknown; it is unknowable in the �complete� sense. In order for nutritionists and manufacturers to produce a �100% complete and balanced� pet food, they must first know 100% about nutrition. However, nutrition is not a completed science. It is, in fact, an aggregate science, which is based upon other basic sciences, such as chemistry, physics, and biology. But since no scientist would argue that everything is known in chemistry or physics or biology, how can nutritionists claim to know everything there is to know about nutrition, which is based upon these sciences? This is the logical absurdity of the �100% complete and balanced� diet claim. It is the reason a similar venture to feed babies a �100% complete� formula has turned out to be a health disaster.

Claiming that anything is 100% is like claiming perfection, total knowledge, and absolute truth. Has pet nutrition really advanced that far? Does a chemist make such a claim? A physicist? Doctor? Professor? Did Einstein, Bohr, Pasteur, Aristotle, Plato, or any of the greatest minds in human history make such claims? No. Has the science of pet nutrition advanced to the point where everything is known about the physiology, digestion and biochemistry of animals, or that everything is known about their food?

Certainly not.

The fact of the matter is that the �100% complete� claim is actually �100% complete� guesswork. At best, one could say that such a claim is the firm possibility of a definite maybe. Each time regulatory agencies convene to decide how much of which nutrients comprise �100% completeness,� debate always ensues and standards usually change. This not only proves that what they claimed before was not �100% complete,� but this should also make us highly suspicious about what they now claim to be �100% complete.�

Additionally, consider that in order to determine the minimum requirement for a certain nutrient - say protein - all other nutrients used in the feeding trials must be adequate and standardized. Otherwise, if vitamin E, for example, is in excess or is deficient, how would you know if the results of the study were because of the effects of protein or due to something amiss with the level of vitamin E?

If the minimum requirements for all 26 essential nutrients were all set and absolutely etched in stone, then there would be no problem. But they aren�t. They are constantly changing. This means each time any nutrient requirement is changed, all test results for all other nutrients using the wrong minimum for this nutrient would then be invalid. Most nutritionists simply ignore this conundrum, feeling like cowboys trying to lasso an octopus - there are just too many loose ends. But they continue to perpetuate the �100% complete� myth, and excuse themselves by saying they make adjustments when necessary.

The point is, don�t believe the claim on any commercially prepared pet (or human) food that it is �100% complete and balanced.� It is a spurious unsupported boast, intended to build consumer trust and dependence on commercial products - not create optimal health.

Adopting A Pet Pomeranian

2008-12-30T16:53:00.003-08:00

If you are looking for a toy dog that is intelligent, curious, lively and cuddly, then the Pomeranian could be the dog for you! Before you enter into dog ownership of any breed, however, you must ask be honest with yourself about if you are ready for the commitment of money and time that it takes to be a responsible dog owner.

The first thing you must do is make sure you know what you are getting yourself into. Are you ready to spend time training and grooming your Pomeranian? Is your family agreeable to the decision? Are you aware of the expense associated with responsible dog ownership and are you must insure your Pom has the appropriate veterinary care?

If your answers are yes, then all systems are go!

Before you pick out your perfect Pom, think about where you want to get him from. There are 2 basic places you can use to find a Pomeranian that suits you � A rescue organization or a Pomeranian breeder.

At a rescue organization, you will be able to find Poms that have been left homeless either to abandonment, death of owner or simply because they got lost. Some of these Poms may not have had a happy life before getting rescued and may have some problems, but there are many others that have no issues at all. You may have to wait a while before one that fits your criteria comes up, but it is a great way to give a needy animal a loving home.

If it�s a puppy you want to buy, or you plan to show the dog, you probably want to go straight to a breeder. If you do plan to buy from a breeder, make sure you use one that has the good of the breed at heart and not just trying to make a quick buck. Some things to consider when reviewing breeders are:

- Length of time in business and how many puppies they produce every year � too many may be an indication that they are more interested in money then in enhancing the breed.
- Ask if they are involved in rescue for the breed- it shows a compassion and caring for the breed.
- Make sure they know the standard for the breed.
- Find out if their breeders are registered.
- Ask if any of their dogs have been found to have genetic defects � they should not still be breeding these dogs.
- A reputable breeder will be most concerned that his puppies are going to good owners. If the breeder is grilling you about your family schedule and living environment then this is a good sign!

Once you have found your perfect pet Pomeranian, make sure you dedicate the time to proper training and grooming so that your dog can be a happy healthy companion for life!

About the Author

Lee Dobbins writes for http://www.pomeranian-pages.com where you can find out everything you need to know about Pomeranians. Looking for a Pomeranian? Find out more about Pom rescue at http://www.pomeranian-pages.com/Pomeranian-Rescue.html

Barking

2008-12-30T16:53:00.001-08:00

Dr. Kevin Nunley

USE THE MEDIA--marketing help for biz.

"Do News Releases Work?"

Invariably, when I talk with business people on-line, someone asks that question. Many of us have sent out a press release only to be greeted with silent indifference from the media. But that doesn't have to be the case. The media needs, must have, craves, can't do without a steady stream of usable news. YOU are the person that can supply the news they need. And you can get free publicity for your business at the same time.

Even better, you can email your press release to the media. That makes it much cheaper to send a release to lots of media sources

The news release is the time honored method of putting nformation before the media. This is especially true for businesses and organizations. It takes the form of a page or two detailing your message, generally slanted a bit to favor your goals. In its most basic form, the news release has your name and contact number at the top, followed by some points that will interest the media outlet.

You Gotta' Be Newsworthy!

Make sure your story is something that the reporter will agree is important. Newspapers don't like it if you send in an ad for your business to be used as a news story. Their attitude is, "Hey, if you want to advertise, call the advertising department and buy and ad." You have to cloak your message in a story that is newsworthy, a story that readers will find helpful, interesting, simulating, sad, or hopeful.

If your message seems too commercial for your local daily newspaper or TV newscast, try sending your release to a trade publication in your industry. A story that is of little interest to the general pubic will often be welcomed with open arms by a more specialized industry newsletter or e-zine.

The bottom line is this: think like the media, shape your message to fit their likes. Do that and your message has a good chance of being used. Above all, don't let up. While one media manager may not have the slightest interest in your idea, another will welcome you with open arms. The media needs piles of fresh stories everyday.

Where Do You Find the Addresses for the Media?

It used to be that you had to shuck out a few hundred bucks to buy a media guide on CD-ROM. Now that just about every media entity in the world is on-line, the process of getting accurate addresses is much easier and
cheaper.

Gebbie, a well-known guide, has jumped ahead of the pack and put their addresses and links on a well organized web site (http://www.gebbieinc.com). I recently sent a press release via e-mail to over 1000 of the radio stations Gebbie has listed and hot very good
results.

Remember, bulk mailing your press release to media is not the same as spamming individuals. Media expects to get unsolicited promotional announcements. That's the business their in.

There are also companies that will send your press release out for you, although I'm not so sure you'll get better results than the do-it-yourself method. Mostly automated press release ser

Pet Flea Control

2008-12-30T16:52:00.001-08:00

Summary Review of Controlling Fleas and Ticks with Pets

Fleas are the most common external parasite of pets in North America. Fleas are small wingless insects that use their specialized mouth to pierce the skin and siphon blood from their host. When a flea bites, it injects a small amount of saliva into the skin to prevent the blood from coagulating. Some animals become sensitized to flea saliva and animals that are allergic can have severe itching and scratching from a single bite. Flea allergy dermatitis is the most common disease among dogs.

Current flea control products are primarily either oral or topical systemic treatments. Most of the products may be used for prevention as well as to treat existing flea problems. One group of products control fleas by interrupting their development by killing or stopping the maturation of flea larvae and eggs. These drugs are called Insect Growth Regulators (IGRs). One common oral product used is lufenuron which is found in the Program� line of products which are administered orally in tablet or liquid form. Methoprene and pyriproxifen are also IGRs that are available as sprays or collars. The FDA shares regulation of these products with the Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Because even the same products from other countries have not been approved by these agencies, it is illegal to purchase or import these products for use in the United States.

Currently the most popular flea control products kill adult fleas (adulticide), are applied topically and work rapidly. Popular topical products utilize fipronil which is the key ingredient in Frontline� Top Spot and imidacloprid which is in Advantage�. The most popular product on the market, Frontline Plus�, utilizes both an adulticide and an IGR. An oral adulticide that is also available is nitenpyram which is in Capstar� and begins to kill fleas in 30 minutes. Frontline Plus also kills ticks which makes it the most popular product where ongoing tick protection is required.

Consult with your veterinarian to determine which flea and tick control products are best for you. The choice of flea control will depend on your climate, environment, your pet's activities, and potential for exposure. However, with consistent use, it is almost always possible to control your flea problem. Using these products throughout the year typically will eliminate the need for regular insecticidal use. The following provide additional summary information on selected popular products.

Program from Novartis�

Program is available as a once a month pill or oral liquid suspension to be given with a full meal. Adult fleas that ingest Program's key ingredient, lufenuron, produce sterile eggs. Program does not kill adult fleas so pets remain susceptible to fleas hatching and maturing pupa already present in the environment. Therefore, some time may pass before the all fleas are killed in an environment. In order to stop the life cycle, every animal in the environment must receive lufenuron. Pets should also be sprayed with an adulticide during the first week or two of starting Program.

Advantage from Bayer�

Advantage is applied topically on both dogs and cats and seems to be very well-tolerated by sensitive cats. Advantage kills fleas within 24 hours and 100% protection can be maintained for cats for 21 days and 90% protection can be maintained for dogs for 28 days. Advantage is susceptible to washing off so dogs that are active outdoors and dogs that swim or must be bathed frequently should be re-treated frequently. Up to weekly re-treatment is allowed. The imidacloprid in Advantage does not effect ticks, but K-9Advantix, with permethrin does. K9 Advantix is only labeled for once a month K9 Advantix is ONLY FOR USE WITH DOGS and MUST NOT BE ADMINISTERED TO CATS.

Frontline Spray, Frontline Plus And Frontline Top Spot from Merial�

Frontline Spray, Frontline Plus, and Frontline Top Spot comprise the market leading Frontline flea control product line. The fipronil

Why "Doggie Breath" is nothing to joke about.

2008-12-30T16:51:00.001-08:00

Your dogs health is important to you. You show him how important by keeping him well fed and groomed, making sure he gets plenty of exercise and providing a collection of fun, safe toys for his entertainment. You don't skimp on the quality of his food. And to reward good boys and girls, there are always lots of delicious treats in the cupboard.

But if he has bad breath, you could be overlooking a serious problem with your dogs health.

"Dog Breath" is such a common condition that we make jokes about it. Sometimes we even tease our human "friends" using "dog breath" in play-ground style name-calling ( although hopefully this is limited to teenage boys.) And I know many pet owners who comment that they love their dog or cat like a child, but just can't stand the smell of the animal's breath! Well, guess what? "Dog Breath" isn't normal.
It's estimated that 80 percent of dogs and 70 percent of cats over the age of three suffer from the periodontal disease � a serious deterioration of the gums and supporting bones of the teeth. Yes, it's periodontal disease that's responsible for "dog breath". But the problem doesn't confine itself to your furry baby's mouth. It's an infection, and the tiny creatures responsible for it can break loose and enter the bloodstream. Once they do, they can infect vital organs such as the liver and kidneys, endangering your dogs health by causing a far more serious illness.The best way to insure your dogs health, especially where periodontal disease is concerned, is with prevention. It can make all the difference.�

Periodontal disease begins as gingivitis, which is virtually harmless and completely treatable. If allowed to move to the next stage--Periodontitis-- it can be stopped, but not cured. And the worse it gets, the faster it progresses. This applies to all animals, two legged and four legged alike. Think of a car parked at the top of a hill. The emergency break is released, and the car begins to roll downhill. Now, if you hit the breaks right away, no harm done. But the farther the car rolls the faster it goes, and the more momentum it builds. It gets harder and harder to stop it. By the time it's halfway down the hill, you could be headed for disaster!
You can maintain your dogs health nicely with proper home care. But, like the rolling car, if disease is already present, stopping and controlling it is a bigger job.

Prevention involves, above all, regular veterinary checkups and professional cleanings beginning early in your dog or cat's life. I'll show you how you can help maintain oral health at home, but it's impossible to do a thorough cleaning on an animal who's awake. Trust me on this. It's hard enough to do a thorough job with a cooperative human patient. When we're talking about animals who don't understand what we're doing or why, forget about it.

Most veterinarians recommend annual cleanings, but more frequent or involved treatment may be needed depending on your animal's condition. Please, no matter what you're doing at home, follow the vet's recommendations. As for your part, introduce your dog or cat to the idea of having his teeth brushed as early as possible. I know, it's not easy, and it takes time and daily conditioning to get your little guy or gal used to it. But your dogs health is worth it!

So how do you prevent the most common of threats to your dogs health? Brush her teeth, of course! Every day. Just like you would your own (twice a day for you, and floss too!!). This isn't easy, but it can become an expected part of your dog's routine if you do it right. Here are some suggestions:

Start when your dog is a puppy. The earlier the better.

At first, you just want her to get used to you handling her head and looking inside her mouth. Practice lifting up her lips and looking at her teeth and gums--front, back and both sides of her mouth.

Now begin gently touching the gum tissue with your finger and rub along her gums and teeth as if your finger were a toothbrush. Let her get used to the sensation. This is

Why Contract the Services of a Professional Pet Sitter for Y

2008-12-30T16:15:00.001-08:00

Part I: What Really Happens at the Kennel?

The first thing you want to consider is the care your dog will receive. In a kennel, your dog may be exposed to sick pets and parasites due to the close proximity of the boarders.

If you have a larger dog, he will probably be in a run. The run probably has a concrete floor for easy clean up from messes. Will your dog sleep on a warm blanket or a hard floor?

Part II: How a Professional Pet Sitter Can Help

He may feel insecure, unsafe, and uncertain of his position when he is not at home. Uncertainty results in physical and emotional stress for your dog.

A Pet Sitter will ensure your dog?s normal routine is maintained. He will be able to go potty whenever he needs to go. He will be fed his normal diet plus any special treats as instructed.

Your dog will have a human contact which is extremely important for these social animals. He will continue his normal playtime routines as well as scheduled walks.

While a Pet Sitter may provide light grooming assistance such as daily brushing of long-haired dogs, they may also provide pet taxi service. This means that your dog will be abl

Pit Bulls and Heartworms

2008-12-30T16:02:00.001-08:00

Pit Bulls and Heartworms
By: je Dunn

It is surprising how many people are still confused about heartworms and the effects that a heartworm can have on
your pit bull dog.

First lets look at what heartworms are and how your dog can become infected.

Heartworms are transmitted by mosquitoes into the dog�s blood stream. The immature heartworms called microfilaria
travel through the blood stream.

The microfilaria settle into the heart chambers and major pulmonary blood vessels. This causes a blockage of the
blood flow and pathological changes to the surrounding tissues.

This blockage happens when the larvae grow into adult worms. An adult female heartworm can grow up to fourteen
inches and can live as long as five years.

A female heartworm can produce thousands of microfilariae, which is transmitted into a mosquito when it bites an
infected dog, and subsequently injected into the next dog that that mosquito dines on.

What Are The Signs That A Dog May Have Heartworms?

Usually the first system is weight loss. The dogs� hair may become dull and brittle.

The infected dog also may tier easily.

A persistent coughs and or labored breathing.

�In more progressed cases victims may vomit blood from ruptured lungs.

If the disease is not prevented or caught in time the result will be a slow painful death from congestive heart
failure.

What Do I Do If My Pit Bulls Is Infected?

Treatment is available but it can cost hundreds of dollars, and may be ineffective depending on the degree of
infestation.

The best defense against heartworms is routine checkups with your vet. Giving your dog heartworm medication once
a month easily prevents heartworms.

Warning: You Must Have Your Dog Tested For Heartworms Before Starting Heartworm Medication!

About the Author

je Dunn has published several books on dogs and has free information all about dog training, health, and care at: Pit Bulls
Health Tips

Preparing for Your New Pet

2008-12-30T16:00:00.001-08:00

Getting a new pet can be a lot of fun. You can choose from a dog, cat, hamster, gerbil, rabbit, and the list goes on and on. No matter what pet you choose, you will need to outfit them with the latest and greatest in pet gear. If you shop smart, you should be able to find many of your items for cheap.

The key to getting a good deal on pet gear is to shop early. Buy your items before your pet comes home with you. That way you won�t be rushed to pay more for the necessary items. The following is a list of supplies needed for a new pet.

�Health supplies- vitamins and medications. These are available through your vets office or pet health websites like petmeds.com.

�Food- daily food, plus treats. Do a bit of research to find the best type of food for your pet. Don�t forget to have treats for good behavior or to add variety to your pet�s diet.

�Toys- catnip for cats, exercise wheels for hamsters, and chew toys for dogs. Try to get a variety of pets to keep your pet entertained and happy.

�Cages/Crates- a place for your pet to call home. Every pet needs their own personal space. Make sure to set up their area prior to bringing the pet home.

�Grooming supplies- specific to your type of pet.

The specifics of course, depend on the type of pet that you choose. All animals need food and water daily, as well as a chance to exercise and play.

Finding the cheapest pet gear is easier than you think. Try shopping online for the biggest discounts. You can try the larger chains like petsmart.com or you can try smaller specialty shops. Don�t forget to try auction sites like EBay.com. I like to go to Couponchief.com for coupon codes for almost everything I buy. They have a section dedicated to pet gear, and you may be able to save quite a bit on your pet gear. Look for free shipping deals to help sweeten the deal.

A new pet can bring a lot of joy into a family. Don�t break your budget buying pet gear. Bargain shop for the best deals, and buy only what you need. You can always buy more toys and treats as you find a good deal, so don�t worry about buying out the store on the very first day.

About the Author

Melanie Breeze, avid online shopper and user of CouponChief, is always shopping around for the best deals. You can find pet supply coupons available around the web at CouponChief, all in one location. Always find an online coupon 1st before making ANY purchase!

Why Contract the Services of a Professional Pet Sitter for Y

2008-12-30T15:59:00.001-08:00

Part I: What Really Happens at the Kennel?

The first thing you want to consider is the care your dog will receive. In a kennel, your dog may be exposed to sick pets and parasites due to the close proximity of the boarders.

If you have a larger dog, he will probably be in a run. The run probably has a concrete floor for easy clean up from messes. Will your dog sleep on a warm blanket or a hard floor?

Part II: How a Professional Pet Sitter Can Help

He may feel insecure, unsafe, and uncertain of his position when he is not at home. Uncertainty results in physical and emotional stress for your dog.

A Pet Sitter will ensure your dog?s normal routine is maintained. He will be able to go potty whenever he needs to go. He will be fed his normal diet plus any special treats as instructed.

Your dog will have a human contact which is extremely important for these social animals. He will continue his normal playtime routines as well as scheduled walks.

While a Pet Sitter may provide light grooming assistance such as daily brushing of long-haired dogs, they may also provide pet taxi service. This means that your dog will be abl

Top 5 Best Gifts For Your Pets

2008-12-30T15:52:00.001-08:00

Most individuals or families view their pets as a member of the family as well. That said there is no reason why they should not be included in birthdays, Christmas or any other holiday for that matter. It�s a special day for them as well and it should be celebrated. So what are you going to get for your feline friend on their birthday? Why not consider some of these popular ideas which are sure to excite your pet on their special day:

1.
Pet Carrier � Your pet will love this gift! A pet carrier is a bag large enough to allow room for you pet. Your pet then sits in the carrier while you tote them around town. Imagine how excited they would be to go everywhere and never have to walk a step. These items can cost anywhere from $20 to thousands of dollars depending on the style, make and size of the bag.

2.
Pet Clothes � Just as humans like clothes for the birthdays, pets do as well. They like dressing up and they also like sweaters to keep them warm in the winter. There are many places to buy clothing for your pet and they can cost as little as $10 or as much as thousands depending on your preferences and the amount of money you are willing to spend.

3.
Tasty Treats � Every pet will love the gift of food. Their favorite treats are sure to make them feel special on their birthday (or other occasion) and this can end up being a very inexpensive, yet effective, gift.

4.
Pet ID Tags � These items can be personalized with their favorite designs or characters but what�s most beneficial about these gifts is that if they get lost they will be brought back to you. That would probably be the best gift they could wish for.

5.
Manicure/Pedicure � I know this sounds crazy but it really isn�t. Think about how much walking your pets do on their paws. Just like we like manicures and pedicures, your pets will appreciate the special treatment as well. Keep in mind this will only work for animals with paws and most likely is only best for those of female nature.

There are many other great gift ideas for your pets. It�s up to you to decide which is best for them but also within your budget. Many individuals spend unreasonable amounts on gifts for their pets but you really don�t need anything extravagant, just something small to let them know you care. In the end it�s the thought that counts�not the price tag.

About The Author

Christine Arbor is a pet lover who works as a contributing writer for http://www.topsellingpetsupplies.com � a site that offers information on buying pet supplies such as pet meds, dog food and more.

Weave of the Gods: The Real-Life Golden Fleece

2008-12-30T15:47:00.004-08:00

Paleontologists tell us the camel family arose in the North American Great Plains about 45 million years ago. One group took the Bering land bridge into Asia to establish the populations of Bactrian camels and dromedaries, while the other chose the southern route through Panama when that land bridge rose from the sea about 3 million years ago. Several of those species prospered in South America, including the guanaco, vicu�a, Lama owenii, and Lama gracilis.

Ancient humans likely witnessed the extinctions of the latter two but, according to prevailing wisdom, bred the domesticated alpaca from the vicu�a and the llama from the guanaco. They prized the fleeces of all four, but to them the most precious and magical was that of the vicu�a.


Type        Microns
-------------------
Vicu�a      6-13
Chiru       7-9
Alpaca      10-28
Merino      12-20
Cashmere    15-19
Guanaco     16-18
Llama       20-40
Chinchilla  21
Human       15-200

As you can see from the table above, only the chiru, a gravely endangered Asian antelope which is legally off-limits, rivals the fineness of its cinnamon-colored wool. Beyond that, vicu�a is exceedingly rare due to the amimal's small size (about 90 lbs, yielding only 6-8 ounces of fleece every two or three years), its obstinacy (supremely evasive and disinclined to eat or reproduce in captivity), its death-defying habitat (greatly surpassing 14,000 feet or 4300 meters) and the cashmere-like fragility of its fiber. If you were to own, say, a pair of trousers made of pure vicu�a, they'd look and feel heavenly but unless you resolved never to sit down in them you would quickly wear through the seat. To strengthen it or make it go further, the Incas would often blend their vicu�a fiber with that of the viscacha, an Andean rabbit-like animal; but in any case by law only their royalty could wear such exquisite fabric.

In 1958 vicu�a was on everybody's lips. President Eisenhower's favorite golfing buddy and Chief of Staff Sherman Adams got the boot after reporters learned that he had accepted various sumptuous finery, most famously a vicu�a coat, from a certain Boston textile magnate named Bernie Goldfine in exchange for some extra lenient treatment by federal regulators. The scandal even engulfed future columnist Jack Anderson, who was caught bugging Goldfine's hotel room.

Since as far back as the Spanish conquest, hunting and poaching has been stressing the vicu�a to the brink of extinction. By the 1970s there were only a few thousand left. But thanks to vigorous conservation measures undertaken toward the end of the 20th century, most significantly on the part of the Peruvian government, their populations have recovered. In 2002 the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service reclassified the vicu�as of Argentina, Bolivia, Chile and Peru from endangered to threatened and legalized exports from those four countries, subject to stringent documentation, for the first time in decades.

To the impoverished paisanos in the high Andes this new industry shows great promise. They've revived an ancient tradition called the chaccu that involves much singing, dancing, and feasting. Hundreds link hands and create a living human fence to gradually encircle the vicu�as and herd them into pens. There they shear the animals, sometimes tag them, and then turn them loose. The per-ounce price of this ethereal fiber spans a wide range from $10.00 wholesale (raw) to $250.00 or so retail. A coat like Sherman Adams's might cost $20,000.00 nowadays. The firms Loro Piana, Lanificio Agnona, and Incalpaca handle this sort of highflying yet eco-friendly couture and market it through outlets like Nieman Marcus. But mercifully you can also find such things as scarves and shawls, using vicu�a blended with other fibers, for $200.00 or less. So far there are very few legitimate sources for this species beyond those mentioned above, but among them the Gaucho Shop (www.gauchoshop.com) stands ready to take your order. And besides llama, vicu�a blends, and other wearables

Your Pet's Health - What Every Pet Owner Should Know

2008-12-30T15:47:00.003-08:00

So you want to purchase a dog or cat. There is something you should know before you take the leap. House pets are to be taken care of like your very own children; it is natural that they become part of the family. All animals have wants, needs and health issues just like human beings. You really have to be prepared because there are many things you need to care for your pets in order to keep them happy and healthy. In regards to pet health, you have to realize that it can be costly for veterinarian visits, so you may want to consider pet health insurance.

Health insurance for our pets is an option growing in attractiveness to many owners of our canine and feline friends, especially because most consider their pet a full-fledged family member. More policies have been sold in the last year and a half than in the last 20 years, with the average monthly cost being between $9 and $25.

Some newer policies cover regular check-ups and routine care. You may not consider this to be a benefit seeing that the routine care that is covered usually costs less than the insurance premiums. Economically, pet insurance that covers unexpected, expensive health care costs make better sense. You have to as yourself some pretty grave pet health questions. For instance, if you had to pay out of your own pocket, would you seek treatment of internal injuries from an accident? Would you pay for needed cancer treatment or treatment for other diseases? What if your dog has hip dysplasia? Odds are, your pet will never need such care, but if he does, you might welcome the coverage when faced with a $5,000 bill. Other pet health questions to ask: Would I be able to afford a sequence of treatments that might add up that high? Would I feel forced to euthanize my pet if I could not come up with the money to pay? To some it is not an option.

Once you have considered these questions it will help you decide if you are going to purchase pet insurance. Deciding to purchase a health insurance policy for your pet may not be an easy decision. In many cases, preexisting medical conditions are typically excluded from coverage. Many companies that sell the policies in the past have gone out of business leaving policyholders hanging. If you decide to purchase a policy, make sure you are familiar with the fine print explaining what is covered and what is not. Gather all the information you can before making a final decision. Also before purchasing a policy make sure it is accepted by your local veterinarian or veterinarians. Be sure to review what veterinary procedures and supplies are covered. Pet health policies are similar to human insurance policies; annual premiums, deductibles, and different coverage plans based on what the owner chooses. Plans are based on breeds, age, pre-existing conditions and in some cases, lifestyle of the pet (i.e. indoor vs. outdoor cat).

Most companies start policies at age 6-8 weeks, some have no age limit, and of the others I researched, one had a limit of 27 years, others had a limit of 8 years of age (if the animal was insured when less than 8 years, coverage would continue beyond 8 years). The current overall average for annual deductibles is around $100.00. The policy costs vary, depending on the animal and the different packages that owners can choose. Some packages are comprehensive, including such things as: annual checkups and vaccinations, routine care, preventive medications (like heartworm preventive supplements) and spay/neuter surgeries. Other plans cover only accident and illness. Most plans offer immediate coverage for accident claims, and 30 days for illness claims on new policies. Additional pets are usually covered at a reduced rate after the first policy-holding pet.

So you thought the hardest part to purchasing a pet was going to be choosing the one you would take home! Well now you know that being owning a pet has all the responsibilities of having a baby. It is important that people understand before becoming pet owners there is more to it than keeping their fur flea free, purch

Dixie Dawg

2008-12-30T15:47:00.001-08:00

DIXIE DAWG
Copyright 2004, Michael LaRocca

I met Lisa when I was 21 years old. She was 15. Her father took us to their house. Meeting the family cats may not sound like a big deal to you, but it was to Lisa's family. One cat was Siamese. Her name was Dusty.

Here's what I knew about Dusty.

When Lisa was a baby, crying in her crib, Dusty tried to shut her up by biting her. This was an ancient family pet, full of pride and dignity, greatly loved by all.

Here's what I didn't know about Dusty.

She hated people. Lisa's mother was her best friend in the world. Lisa and her father were tolerated. Lisa's older brother and sister were glared at from a distance. All others were attacked on sight.

I walked into the house and sat on the sofa. Dusty entered the room and breaths were held. She crept toward me, eyeing me suspiciously. She stealthily approached like a leopard stalking an impala. She sniffed my leg. She pounced upon my lap and then she...

She lay on my leg and purred. I rubbed her head. The spectators' fears gave way to total shock. Then they told me how hateful Dusty was.

I saw Dusty approach many visitors after that day. Without exception, she viciously attacked them. And yet, she didn't attack me. She loved me.

"Animals are excellent judges of character," I explained.

Dusty died several years after Lisa and I married and moved to Watha, North Carolina. Dusty was well over 20 years old.

We hadn't been in our new house for very long before Lisa visited the local Humane Society. She saw a female Siamese cat who was the spitting image of a young Dusty, and we all know how this story ends. Lisa named the new cat Witchie.

Witchie had two rather nasty scabs wrapped around her neck, courtesy of a dog. Guess what waited for Witchie at her new home? My new puppy, Spooky. As in, he who spooks at everything. He was such a harmless little wimp, but Witchie still lived atop the highest cupboards for about a week before warming up to the little mutt. Then, well, he died. Breaking my heart and setting the stage for the real story here.

"Free puppies, Dalmatian mix." That's what I saw in the newspaper. I went to the house and saw six positively adorable black puppies, all fat and energetic, wrestling vigorously beneath a heat lamp in a garage.

"We had to take them from their mom because she kept trying to bite everyone who wanted one. She's on the porch. Her name's Molly."

I looked to the fenced-in porch, where the barking had been non-stop since my arrival. I saw a healthy, gorgeous, angry Dalmatian.

I wanted a girl. In theory, less likely to wander out onto the highway. The biggest puppy in the litter leaped at my face and bit my nose. I checked, and she was a she. I took her home and named her Dixie.

As a pudgy little puppy, Dixie burrowed to the bottom of any bowl of canned food without stopping for air, then raised her head and sent food flying. Then she emptied the bowl, cleaned the floor, and licked the food from her face.

Dixie slept with me on every day except one, which comes later. When the alarm clock rang on that first morning, Dixie growled at it. I hit the snooze button. When it rang again, she growled again. She did this every time it rang, every day of her life. How can you not love a dog like that?

Witchie descended from the top of the kitchen cabinets to beat the pure crap out of that pudgy puppy. Well, she tried to. When Dixie got larger, Witchie returned to the kitchen cabinets for a month or so. As I watched how fast this puppy grew, finally losing her fat belly to sheer length and muscularity, I wondered when she'd stop. I'd unknowingly brought home a monster.

As an adult, Dixie weighed seventy pounds. She was built like a Rottweiler. I tried to put my shirts on her, which she did enjoy, but I could never button them around her massive neck. Her chest stretched my T-shirts more than mine did.

I thought of her as a Dalmatian wearing a tuxedo. All four paws were white

Your Kids Want a Pet - You Don't Want To Pet Anything

2008-12-30T15:37:00.001-08:00

�Mom, can we get a puppy?� Who hasn�t heard that line before? The kids think it�s time for an addition to the family, but you know you don�t have time for a family pet.

We�ve got the perfect solution to make everyone happy!!
Hermit Crabs!!

Now before you start to panic because you just heard the word �crab�, just listen! They�re not that bad. Trust me, I�ve had a few and after a while they were definitely part of our family.

Let me tell you why you should be convincing your kids to get a hermit crab:

1.They don�t bark, chirp or meow
2.They won�t pee on your carpeting
3.You don�t have to train them
4.They won�t climb up your screens or run away
5.They�re very easy to care for
6.Your kids will love them more than a puppy!!

Hermit crabs do not need attention every day or even need to be feed everyday�.that�s the best reason already! Hermit crabs live in smaller cages and stay in side of a shell. They eat hermit crab pellets and drink water from a sponge.

Believe it or not, hermit crabs are even FUN!! Because they live inside their shells, you can buy shells for your kids to decorate how they want and then the shells are placed inside the cage for the hermit crab to switch shells and live inside the painted ones! It�s so neat and your kids will be so thrilled.

Give hermit crabs a chance�

About the Author

Jennifer is the owner of www.MomOnABudget.com. MomOnABudget is an excellent resource for every mom providing you with work at home ideas, quick easy recipes, money saving tips, decorating on a budget and so much more.

Saving the Iberian Lynx

2008-12-30T15:36:00.001-08:00

Of the 32 remaining species of big cat left in the world, the Iberian Lynx is the most endangered, even more so than the Siberian tiger. Western Europe�s last remaining big cat is in serious trouble, recent estimations place the number of lynx�s remaining at just over 100 and biologists maintain that if drastic action isn�t taken soon then the species will be extinct by the end of the decade � if this happens then it�ll be the first species of bit cat to be made extinct since the Sabre-toothed tiger died out about 10,000 years ago.

The question as to why the number of lynx�s in Spain has plummeted to such an alarming level is down to a confluence of a number of factors. The modernization of Spain and Portugal since the 50�s and 60�s has seen vast areas of the lynx�s natural habitat destroyed. Once abundant on the Iberian Peninsula, the animal can now only be found in two breeding areas in Andalusia.

Another reason we can look to is the simple lack of enough food to sustain the lynx population. Feeding almost solely on rabbit means the two animal�s destinies are inextricably tied to each other. Diseases such as Myxamatosis hammered European rabbit populations in the 50�s and 60�s with as many as 80-90% of adult rabbits being killed in Spain � with the decline of Spain�s rabbit population it follows that the number of lynx would also be hit; an average sized adult Lynx requires about one rabbit per day in order to survive. It�s also fair to say that it gets harder for the species to coexist with man; illegal hunting and trapping still takes place but the biggest killer of all is road accidents, where lynx are hit and killed by cars. In the Do�ana nature reserve in Andalusia it is thought that 80% of Iberian Lynx�s killed, die in this way and the proliferation of roads throughout these areas continue to be a huge threat to the species.

For many this begs the question what is to be done to reverse the trend that has seen numbers fall from 1000 a decade ago to the figure we see today? The obvious and most easy solution is basically to educate people about the plight of this solitary creature � not as high profile or well known as the less endangered Siberian Tiger, fewer people are aware of the critical situation facing west Europe�s last big cat species. However this appears to be changing with pressure coming from groups like the WWF and also activities of football club owner Corrado Correggi whose Algarve United club are nicknamed the Lynx�s and also donate 10% of all gate receipts and membership fees to Lynx conservation.

In his excellent article �Iberian Lynx: the last chance�, Carlos Sanz points towards the protection of habitat and preservation of food supply as key to saving the species: �Vegetation needs to be regenerated, and preventing the destruction of the Mediterranean shrub land is paramount, because it�s not only the ideal habitat for the lynx but also for it�s main prey, the rabbit�. The simple equation is if there are more rabbits then there�s more food for the Lynx and numbers will increase. There are already programmes in place to replenish the rabbit population with healthy, disease-free rabbits being bred in captivity and released into lynx territory.

At the moment due to the isolated nature of the breeding communities there�s a greater chance of inbreeding � this only serves to weaken the species by narrowing its genetic code, making them more susceptible to disease and defects. One way to avoid this is to breed more captive lynxes and earlier this year three lynx cubs were successfully born at a programme set up in the Do�ana reserve. There�s certainly hope that this majestic animals can be saved from extinction but there�s still a lot of work to be done with regards habitat and their food supply before these creatures are safe � for western Europe�s last big cat, the struggle is just beginning.

About The Author

Mike McDougall has five years experience working as a travel writer and marketeer. He is currenlty working to provide additional content for B

The Top Ten Reasons Why You Can't Trust Vicious Pit Bull

2008-12-30T15:34:00.001-08:00

Toys For Your Pet That Are Safe and Fun

2008-12-30T15:33:00.003-08:00

There are plenty of toys on the market to keep your favorite pet entertained for hours on end, but there are also a number of factors to consider when purchasing toys for your pet. As with children�s toys, safety should be first and foremost in your thoughts when considering a new toy purchase for your pet.

Be sure not to give your pet toys that can be broken up and potentially stuck in their throats! Dog toys, like dogs themselves, come in various shapes and sizes. Dog toys should be durable, fun, and safe. Hard rubber toys such as the �Kong� line of products can provide your favorite dog with endless hours of chewing fun.

The �Kong� can also be filled with a mixture of your dog�s favorite treat and peanut butter! Please check with your veterinarian to ensure that it is okay to feed your dog peanut butter. Rope dog toys and rubber rings are always a bit hit with dogs that love to play fetch or tug-of-war. Playing �Frisbee� can also provide hours of entertainment for dogs and owners alike!

Dogs may also enjoy stuffed and furry toys, but be sure your pet cannot get at the stuffing inside as it can be a serious choking hazard. Toy birds and mice have traditionally proven to be very entertaining for cats. They especially seem to like the ones attached to string that you can pull and entice your furry feline to chase about!

They also seem to love simple cardboard boxes, tin-foil balls, and scrunched up newspaper! A recent favorite of cats and cat owners is the laser pointer. Cats never seem to tire from chasing that little red dot around, just be sure not to direct it at their eyes. The feather-and-pole type of toy is also very popular. Scratching posts are excellent forms of entertainment for cats, and they provide your cat something other than your furniture to dig their claws into! Hint: try sprinkling catnip on the post!!

There is also a series of catnip-stuffed toys and pillows that your cat will love. There are literally hundreds of pet toys on the market, just be sure to put safety first!

About The Author

Christine Arbor is a pet lover who works as a contributing writer for http://www.topsellingpetsupplies.com � a site that offers information on pet supplies, dog beds, cat toys and more.

Teething Blues

2008-12-30T15:33:00.001-08:00

One of the things you may, or may not, be prepared for when getting a new puppy is its desire to chew. Often this can be quite destructive depending on exactly how you handle this situation.

Instinctively puppies often chew because they need to- not because they want to destroy your personal items. As puppies begin to loose their �milk teeth� and get their 42 adult teeth they chew to help alleviate some of the discomfort they are experiencing. Overall, the best thing you can do is protect your puppy from potentially harmful situations and help set him up to be successful.

Below you�ll find several ideas to help your puppy from being �bad� and to help it through this stage of development.

Give plenty of exercise and attention to relieve boredom which often leads to chewing
Crate the puppy if you cannot watch it
Use commercial sprays to alleviate chewing of household items- Listerine is also good
Do not give the puppy old shoes or socks to chew on- it cannot differentiate old ones from your brand new ones
Give your puppy toys of its own to chew on- it is also good to give these to your pup when he begins to teeth on you
Give your puppy one of its toys when it acts as though it may chew something it should not
Move items you do not want the puppy to get out of its reach- cover all power cords, remove pens/ pencils, plants (many are poisonous), books, etc.

With a little bit of planning, patience and caring, you can help your puppy through this stage.

Article written and reprinted with permission of: http://www.pedigreedpups.com/

Purebred Dogs, Puppies and Dog Breeders - "Your New Best Friend"

About The Author

Debbie Ray

http://www.pedigreedpups.com is a website offering the best purebred dog breed information, online resources and high-quality dog content for all dog owners, dog lovers and those considering dog ownership. Debbie is the owner of pedigreedpups.com, a dog lover, owner and dog breeder of many years.

Weave of the Gods: The Real-Life Golden Fleece

2008-12-30T15:32:00.001-08:00


Type        Microns
-------------------
Vicu�a      6-13
Chiru       7-9
Alpaca      10-28
Merino      12-20
Cashmere    15-19
Guanaco     16-18
Llama       20-40
Chinchilla  21
Human       15-200

Your Pet's Health - What Every Pet Owner Should Know

2008-12-30T15:29:00.001-08:00

What is Life Balance?

2008-12-30T15:07:00.001-08:00

What is Stress?
Stress is an interpretation of an event or circumstance which is understood to be a threat. It can be any force or pressure put on a system (living or nonliving) which may result in a need for the system to adapt or change. Stress on human beings is like a rubber band. You also stretch to meet the environment around you, the demands of your lifestyle, and the pressures you put on yourself. If pulled too far, stress manifests itself in real conditions mentally, physically, and emotionally. Like a rubber band breaks when stretched too far, human beings have a breaking point too. The secret is to learn how to handle stress in your life and avoid becoming over-stressed.

The A B C�s of Stress
Activating event
Belief about the event
Consequences of the event

Stress is the internal pressure we put on ourselves from external factors. Living with moderate stress keeps you sharp and ready to move forward, however extreme stress can put you out of commission. It depends on your stress levels---how much you can deal with effectively. Some people thrive with stressful situations and some people snap at the slightest uncomfortable circumstance. Depending on your current stress level, when confronted with a stressor, you may respond with shock or feel stuck.
The fast-paced, technologically advanced, complicated world has brought many changes to our lives. The pace of change does not seem to be decreasing, but rather increasing all the time. These changes put more demands and pressures on each of us to make adjustments to do more with less. While stress is a definite modern world reality, being �stressed-out� is not. We mistakenly believe that being stressed-out is �just the way it is.� And we often get in competition with each other about who feels the worst!
This is crazy thinking. Stress can be a powerful motivator in our lives, and in fact, you can learn to use stress to your advantage. If you think about it---one form of stress or another is responsible for everything big and small in our world. For example, the earth �stresses� a piece of coal until it turns into a beautiful diamond. The key is to find out how you can use the stress in your life to create a diamond out of a rock!
As with most things in life, prevention is the best medicine. By learning about your personal health risks, family history, current health, and life choices (eating, exercise, smoking, drinking, stress) you can make smarter decisions. Ultimately, your life choices affect how you feel and how you function.
Stress management comes down to self-management. It is about selecting appropriate options as well as making smart decisions.
The best way to avoid �burn out� is to become aware of your unique stressors and coping mechanisms. Burn out comes from experiencing stress over a prolonged period and often leads to a visit to the doctor. There are many ways to alleviate stress, however, you must find what works best for you and commit to doing it on a daily basis.

Michelle L. Casto is a whole life coach, speaker, and author of Get Smart! About Modern Romantic Relationships, Get Smart! About Modern Career Development, and Get Smart! About Modern Stress Management. Her coaching practice is Brightlight Coaching, she helps people come up with bright ideas for their life and empowers them to freely shine their bright light to the world. Contact her for a free 30 minute coaching session:
www.getsmartseries.com and www.brightlightcoach.com

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Michelle L. Casto is a whole life coach, speaker, and author of the Get Smart! LearningBook Series. Visit virtually: www.getsmartseries.com and www.brightlightcoach.com Free coaching session!

3 Traits for Success

2008-12-30T15:05:00.001-08:00

The other day I was conducting a group interview at one of
my off-line businesses. I was addressing about 15 applicants
for an office position and going over the three basic
character traits that I require. I've talked about these same
principles with every applicant since I started hiring help for
my businesses in 1976 and have since hired hundreds of people.
I have hired and worked people of virtually all types: men; women;
gay; straight; various races and religions; tall; short; skinny; fat.
See, to me, it's not any of that. It's the character and heart of an
individual that matters.

As I explained to them, these 3 traits are not only what I
require of employees, but what I look for in anyone I associate
with, whether they are vendors, advisors or friends. As are
most values, these were taught to me at an early age by my
parents. They are:

Honesty-Dependability-Attitude

Honesty-I only want to deal with honest people and I�m not just
talking about stealing. I mean people who, if you ask them a
question, they will tell you the truth-good-bad-or ugly! And
sometimes it isn�t only what you say that is dishonest, it is
what you don�t say. My dad always said that lying was the same
as stealing and aside from the fibs we tell for politeness (that
was a good dinner Mrs. Jones), I believe he was right.

Honesty in your business is a major key to long term success!!

Dependability-I was raised in a successful family business and
started working on the payroll when I was twelve. In my family,
you didn�t miss school or work unless you were too sick to get
out of bed. Otherwise, you dragged yourself in and hoped some-
body would have mercy and send you home.

I was also taught to always arrive at least 10 minutes early for
any scheduled event. There was no "fashionably late" to my dad.
Of course the result has been countless hours of waiting on
other people throughout my life and being the first to arrive
at parties.

Very few people today are that dependable and even fewer young
people and kids are being taught these lessons. I call being
habitually late and/or no showing, "The Silent Killers", because
very few customers or friends will tell you that being undepend-
able is why they no longer associate or do business with you!

I�ve found by starting and running eight successful businesses,
in varied fields and arenas, that just being dependable and
trying your best to keep regular hours, live up to your com-
mitments in a timely fashion and being consistent; can give you
a big head start on the competition.

Dependability alone can separate your business from the field!!

Attitude-Last but certainly not least is attitude. The longer we
live, the more we understand that our attitude is the one and only
thing that we have 100% control over! I�m sure I�ll have plenty to
say about attitude in future issues, so just a couple of thoughts.

Your attitude determines not only your honesty and dependability
but also all of your other actions. It ultimately will determine
not only the success of your business but of your entire life!

Put simply, your attitude is determined by your thoughts, and your
thoughts are determined largely by what you allow yourself to focus
or dwell on. Each and every day we have to be vigilant about what
we choose to watch, read and listen to. Our attitude can also be
influenced by those we choose to associate with. So choose wisely!

I certainly have times when my attitude gets sour. We all have bad
days! I like the analogy of the garden, where our good thoughts,
influences and associations are like the fruits, vegetables and
flowers. They need constant tending and attention to grow. Whereas,
the negative or self-defeating thoughts and influences are like the
weeds, they have to be pulled constantly. Unlike the flowers, doing
nothing favors the weeds and they will take over the ga

Baiting Your Business Hook with an E-zine

2008-12-30T15:04:00.001-08:00

Publishing guidelines: Please feel free to publish this article exactly as written. No changes are permitted to article or resource box. Please notify the author regarding when and where you will use this work. mailto:heatherreimer@codetel.net.do. All copyrights remain with the author.

------------------------------------------------------------

Baiting Your Business Hook

By Heather Reimer

E-zine. Newsletter. Opt-in mail. Whatever you want to call it, everybody is trying to convince you that your online business needs it. And maybe you're wondering if it's the right bait to reel in a major haul of big spenders. The quick answer is... maybe!

Let's look at what a newsletter has to offer:

* A low-cost forum to promote your product or service.

* A means to generate goodwill by offering something for nothing (information, promotional gifts, etc.)

* And when your e-zine is well established, a way to make extra revenue by selling ad space.

So, with all that going for it, what's to lose? Quite simply, your time. A quality newsletter requires a lot of elbow grease administered regularly. Anything less than an interesting, easy-to-read newsletter won't be read... and then you really will have wasted your time!

So... here are four ingredients you absolutely must have to create and keep up an e-zine that sells:

1.
Focus. What's the point of the publication? Who are your readers? What action do you want them to take? Your content must answer to these criteria at all times.

2.
Good content. A blatant advertisement will be tuned out and deleted with a swift click of the mouse. If you don't have the time to write interesting, relevant material yourself, or the budget to pay for original content, visit a website that offers free content.

3.
A mailing list. Build up your opt-in list by offering to send your website visitors a free e-zine, full of information they simply cannot do without! All they have to do is enter their e-mail address. Invite them to sign up their friends. If you sweeten the pot with a free gift, your list will grow much faster.

4.
Automation. When your mailing list tops a few hundred, it's time to automate or you'll waste countless hours manually adding and removing names.

Now you're ready to concentrate on the magic words, the bait that hooks your readers. Ad executives follow a few basic rules when casting out their lines:

1.
First, The Big Opening. Start with a powerful statement that grabs attention and offers a benefit. For example, "Catch Bigger Fish with Better Bait." Short and punchy.

2.
Answer the question "What's in it for me?" Explain what your product can do and why it's better than anyone else's. "Tired of reeling in minnows and small fry? Better Bait guarantees a better catch."

3.
Prove it. This is where you brag about your satisfaction guarantee. Or your customer testimonials. And maybe a word or two about your own credentials. Convince those fish to snap at your juicy bait. For example, "Used by fishers who demand the best, like Ted Fisher of TV's The Fishin' Hole."

4.
Finally, invite them to bite. It may be clear as a mountain stream to you, but your readers need a direct call to action. "Insert your e-mail address here and click on submit. The Better Bait newsletter will arrive at your inbox a few minutes later, full of useful tips to help you reel in the big one!"

There! You've done it. But don't put away your tackle box just yet. Any ad campaign worth its salt monitors its sales progress religiously. Keep tabs on the catch your e-zine is hauling in� in other words, the number of sales you make as a direct result. Only then will you know if it's time to fish or cut bait!

*********************

How can you free up more of your precious time and improve your traffic and revenues? Hire an experienced content provider to write and regularly refresh your online material. It does make a difference!

Heather Reimer has been a professional writer for 16 years

50% of Yellow Page Directory Users are Looking for Just One

2008-12-30T15:01:00.001-08:00

50% of Yellow Page Directory Users are Looking for Just One
Thing
Dr. Lynella Grant

Directory Users Seek Information about Location First
People who open the Yellow Pages already have a desire to
buy. That sets it apart from all other advertising media.
For a brief time, the eager-to-buy directory user checks the
competition, to see what each of them offers. They scan for
solutions that satisfy their needs. Readers hope to find ads
that leap out from the rest, and will simplify their choice.

So they ignore any ad that doesn�t match what they�re
looking for. And the piece of information that fully half of
them look for first is the location of the business. Buyers
want to know how easy it is for them to get there.
Businesses that are too far away are eliminated. So their
ads aren�t even read.

Convenience is the preliminary deciding factor. As readers
scan through the heading, they mentally delete: too far...,
too far..., don�t know where that is (so no)....

After Sorting by Location, Then they Read the Ads
The selected ads are then studied in more detail. Not until
that point, does the information in the ad actually get read
or considered. Aside from location, when directory users are
in the "information gathering phase," they�re looking for
many different kinds of answers, like hours, payment
methods, and brands offered (which differ according to
heading). They�re being educated by what they read in the
ads. They gain a clearer idea about their options and who
provides it (you being just one).

Directory users don�t want to drag that step out. So it�s up
to your ad to jump to the front of their brain with a clear
indication that you offer exactly what they�re looking for.
Look-alike ads just make readers work harder to uncover what
they want to find.

There�s no need to overcomplicate the matter. The test of a
good Yellow Page ad is its ability to generate calls. You
don�t have to be a graphic designer or a marketing whiz to
prepare an effective ad. You just have to know your
customers well enough to know how they think and what they
want. You need to be able to signal to them that you�ve got
what they�re looking for.

The Ad Sells the Call or Next Step
Some ads prompt directory readers to pick up the phone and
call one or more of the listed businesses. Callers often
continue down their short (close) list until they can find
enough of a reason to pick one.

Yellow Page industry studies show the average number of
calls a user makes is 5.3. An advertiser doesn�t have to be
the first choice, as long as it�s among the few chosen for a
call or visit. At that point, the business owner�s ability
to field questions or "sell" is more influential than the
published directory information. After the potential buyer
closes the directory, its work is done. They�ve move on -
one step closer to a purchase.

Location Defines Who Your Competition Is
The Small Business Administration states that distance is a
major factor as to who comes to buy from you. The average
independent store draws the majority of its customers from
not more than a quarter of a mile away. The average chain
store draws most of customers from less than three-quarters
of a mile away. For the average shopping center, that figure
is four miles. Service business have different distances.

Many kinds of business really only need to worry about
competitors within their immediate area. You don�t have to
beat out every other business in the heading. Compare your
ad to those competitors within four miles, and make sure
your ad is more prominent or enticing than theirs.

Some of the biggest, high-powered ads ahead of yours simply
won�t be called because they�re inconvenient. You need to
know where your customers come from, and how far they�re
willing to travel for you. Here�s where knowing their
specific mindset and priorities pay

Clarity or Blame?

2008-12-30T14:49:00.001-08:00

Have you ever tried to figure out things you cannot

understand ... the "mysteries" of life?

There is hope in understanding it all, however, the

unlimited comprehension can come only from heaven

above. Learn to tap into this.

You now possess a limited quantity of knowledge,

understanding and experience. If you explore and

examine what you are presently with (as opposed to

without), is it not likely that you will receive more as

you "wade" through whatever is in front of you?

Immediately, get yourself into the process of "moving"

through what now exists for you, and I guarantee that

the next "piece of the puzzle" will be handed to you ...

the "piece" which is the Key to taking your life in the

direction it needs to go.

By all means, plan your work and work your plan in

complete detail. However, be sure to remember that

the ONLY thing that will remain permanent in this

process is Change.

On That road as you travel along on your success journey,

you WILL pass through fog. While in the fog, you will

lose some vision and clarity. It is at this time that you

must slow down AND keep moving forward. As you

do, as you slow, put on the fog lights and focus

intensely on the terrain, soon you will see what is ahead.

Then, you will know your next choice and take the

correct turnoff (as in road exit) getting ever so close

to your intended destination.

As the heat-seeking missile continually moves forward

and adjusts course during trajectory, you too, must do

the same.

The opportunity cost is too great if you do not. The blame

leaves too much pain and regret. Could have, Should have,

Would have, If only, Someday, Later, Maybe, etc. are

words to avoid. Decide, be confident and resolve to

perform what you ought without fail. When directing

blame toward others for why you are not going for

your dreams, you automatically create a void for

not taking responsibility for your own success.

Show others to be more responsible, by being more

responsible yourself (as an example) in your own doings.

Arrive to your destination on time and be willing to pay

the tolls as you go. Your future can be an exciting

place. Enjoy the drive and only look back to adjust

your rear and side-view mirrors.

************************************************************

Contributed by Ed Hirsch

#1 REASON stopping your business growth ...

WASTED resources on those who QUIT!

Eliminate the ZERO'S on your Genie report 650-872-1024

"A Networkers RETENTION Dream Come True"

mailto:fourthwave@earthlink.net?SUBJECT=dream1

A BIG Secret Of Successful People

2008-12-30T14:46:00.001-08:00

I want to share with you a 'secret' of mine that has helped me live my dreams at 30 years old.

This 'secret of success' is one I've learned throughout the years from mentors of mine.

A few of these people run businesses that do over 150 million dollars a year in revenue.

Here's the deal.

Most people and (I used to be like this) for 7 plus years are very passive.

They're always passive at their jobs.

They go for their dreams very 'safely'.

They 'La De Da'' through life.

They 'hope' something good happens.

>From my experience, this is not the right attitude for success. �No way, Jose'.

Let me share with you an ACTION of success.

Let me share with you a PERSPECTIVE of success that I've seen through people who are living their dreams, both personally and financially.

**Successful people ACT from a sense of URGENCY.

Let me say that again.

**Successful people ACT from a sense of URGENCY.

There's an URGENCY to accomplish tasks.

There's an URGENCY to live their dreams.

There's an URGENCY to get things done.

They're ATTACKING vs. WAITING.

Big difference.

Huge difference.

You have to go to dreams with a SENSE OF URGENCY.

None of us are going to live �till 150 years old.

You have to ignite that part of you that can CATAPULT you to GREATER productivity and ACTION.

Ask yourself:

If I was going to act from a sense of URGENCY, what 2 actions would I take today?

Write them down and then DO IT.

Come on, YOU can do more than you EXPECT of yourself.

GRAB a copy of The Power of Concentration Success System because it will help you CREATE this mindset for you to SUCCEED.

You can do it.

YES, you can!

Are you ready or really ready to make your next 7 days awesome?

I thought so, let's go!

Have a GREAT weekend and never give up on your dreams! (It took me 7 years to find my focus, it's not over until you quit).

Talk to you soon.

Mike Litman
www.unleashyourgreatness.com/ns.html
www.mikelitman.com

About the Author

Mike Litman is the co-author of the #1 Best-selling book Conversations with Millionaires. Over the last 3 years, Mike has unleashed the greatness of tens of thousands of people worldwide. Networking Times Magazine called Mike Litman �a modern day Napoleon Hill� and at the age of 30 he�s already shared the stage with well-known speakers such as Mark Victor Hansen and Bob Proctor.

Brand Kids

2008-12-30T14:45:00.001-08:00

Branding is all about creating icons. And icons are all about public familiarity.

When an image becomes legible, part of the community's and the individual's visual literacy, it can communicate complex values in a radically abbreviated fashion, condensing the essence of a brand's message into an articulate, instantly comprehended image. Those white-toothed-smiling, perfectly-tanned, under-twenty-type boys and girls, for example, are recognisably part of (among others') Coca-Cola's iconography. They communicate energetic sociability, peer acceptance and inclusive activity: group-driven values that appeal to the desire for acceptance that motivate a major part of the market and that locate the brand within consumerism's "cool" hierarchy. Then there's that most masculine of icons, the Marlboro man, an image that pithily stands for freedom and virile self-determination. The roll call of such classic marketing icons, established decades ago, is a long one.

But a new generation of icons has appeared on the commercial scene. And their chief characteristic is that they appeal to increasingly younger audiences.

This new thrust started with New Kids on the Block (NKOTB). You might slightly recall them. The world's first "boy band" appeared suddenly, succeeded rapidly, then disappeared with equal speed. Its audience was not a general one of male and female consumers over eighteen. Its audience was clearly female and composed predominantly of much younger people: twelve years plus. Another boy band, Take That, followed quickly on the heels of NKOTB's success, but with two differences. Take That attracted an even younger audience and it enjoyed a longer life. You've got the picture. They're all coming to mind now, I bet. Boyzone, Westlife, 98dg, Westwood, Backstreet Boys and many more followed. And they all attracted younger and younger audiences. Really young girls were swept up in the brand-driven fan rush, parents succumbing to the trend and taking kids as young as five to their first concerts.

Years ago, marketing experts opined that Barbie would never appeal to an audience younger than ten. After all, such innocents were surely too immature and socially naive to perceive and become hooked on the Barbie image, composed as it is of a plethora of social values (including acceptability, desirability, fashion-consciousness and popularity) that are powerfully abbreviated within and communicated by the icon. But Barbie broke through the notional age barrier and cut its audience's lower age limit to under seven.

So, back to branding. In an age in which the consumer has, through decades of advertising industry activity, developed a challengingly high level of commercial, visual and iconographic literacy, and in which, as a consequence, the most prosaic product's message has to be devised with excruciating sophistication in order to be heeded, it's no surprise that our youngsters have been quietly dragged along in the brainwashing wake. A two-year-old will not be insensible to the message of the ubiquitous and eloquent golden arches, even when they spy that icon from a fast-moving vehicle. The world-famous symbol, along with the reportedly second-most-famous-face-in-the-world (after Santa Claus) speak volumes to the youngest of our number, and the message is McDonald's. Now more than ever, the children of the household dictate what products go into the shopping cart every week and what treats might befall them between shopping trips.

Yep. We're dealing with an up-and-coming generation of icon readers blessed, or cursed, with a level of commercial literacy like we've never seen before. These kindergarteners will demand even more sophisticated commercial communications than we've been familiar with to date. Without their help we'll find difficulty in developing commercial communications to meet their expectations, harness their attention and retain their loyalty.

And here's the thing. It's vital to remember the underlying value of a powerful icon: it can engender outstanding loyalty. This l

Dog Beds for Larger Dogs

2008-12-30T12:40:00.003-08:00

Large dogs and extra large dogs require more thought and planning when owners purchase a permanent dog bed. Even though large dogs can be just as lovable as their smaller canine counterparts, they require a more complex sleeping situation than small dogs.

It�s obvious that a large dog requires a large dog bed, and that an extra large dog requires an extra large dog bed. This goes without saying. But how big? And what kind of bed is best?

In this instance the answer is a function of not only the size but the breed of dog. You must measure the dog when he is fully grown, or at least have an accurate idea of what his size will be when he is fully grown. Just as with smaller dogs, you have to take into account your dog�s sleeping style � for example, whether he sleeps curled up in a ball or stretched out across the bed. All of these factors will help define your choice of large dog bed for your canine pal.

Placement is more of an issue with larger dogs than smaller ones. No matter how sweet and cuddly your large dog is, very few people want to share a bed with a Great Dane. And the size of the dog definitely limits the spaces available to him for sleeping. You can�t squeeze a Great Dane comfortably into a small bathroom and expect him to stay there overnight.

Large dogs tend to have a strong protective instinct, and so it is quite often the case that they sleep near the front or back doors. If your living room or family room happens to be the nearest space to one of those doors, a large bed that resembles actual furniture serves a dual purpose. First, large dog beds and extra large dog beds that mimic real furniture will keep your oversize pet off of the real furniture without making him feel deprived. And secondly, furniture type beds are actually more comfortable than a more standard round dog bed. They have pillows to rest heads and paws on and they are treated with flea and tick resistant powders to keep your dog free from those bothersome pests while he sleeps. In addition, they are sometimes filled with memory foam and gel products that conform to the musculature of the animal, which helps keep him comfortable while he sleeps.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dog Beds provides detailed information about small and large dog beds, as well as designer, orthopedic, and discount dog beds.  For more information go to http://www.e-dogbeds.com and/or visit its sister site at http://www.e-birdcages.com for related information.

More Issues with Food and Family Pets

2008-12-30T12:40:00.001-08:00

Recently, I went back to discussing food issues in some detail. It is important to understand that we do have ways of helping out pets not only with their diets, but with preventing things from happening long term.

Obesity in Pets and Ways to Deal with It
We have discussed this before. Obesity is an issue for both humans and pets when talking about arthritis. Overweight pets are not only more prone to developing arthritis, those who have joint related issues experience greater difficulties when obesity is present.

Simple Solutions
When pets are young, and I refer to those under the age of one, we put them at greater risk of obesity through our own actions. I think that most of us are likely to feed them more and to provide "treats" because this seems to satisfy both the pet and us. I mean, who can refuse food to a cute little dog or cat?

They are all little "beggars" at this stage. This is also the time when their bodies are more prone to developing fat cells. Now, part of this is our own fault because we are more likely to "give in" when they are seeking food. Of course by doing so, we are setting in motion a long-term problem.

We Control the Future Here
This pattern of feeding too much in the early years gives rise to long-term obesity. It is not found in animals that are living in the wild. They tend to be lean and this leads us to the conclusion that it is the domestic pets that suffer the greatest risk here.

Unfortunately, if we are over feeding our pets when they are young, we tend to continue this pattern. Even as they grow beyond this first year or so of life, we just keep giving in to their demands. Of course, obesity leaves pets more prone to developing medical conditions; and for our purposes, it makes the development and management of arthritis more difficult.

The Best Prevention is Early Prevention
Over feeding in the younger years causes fat cells to build in your pet. This pattern becomes aggravated by continuing this over feeding in their adult years. As fat cells grow in the body they are more difficult to control; and, the dangers for the pet are that they will likely develop hip dysplasia or other arthritis related problems. In short, we are leading them into a life of pain and discomfort when arthritis is considered.

If this is where you are now, what should you do?
We have said this many times before but the nature of the diet is a factor. (See, other articles in this series) Exercise is critical. When you combine obesity with an arthritis problem in pets, they suffer.

Cutting Down Now
This almost certainly means following different food regimens and cutting down the quantity of food you are giving your pets. I recommend trying to cut down about 10-20% if you have a pet that has become obese. It is not going to be easy at first; they will beg for food. Just remember, it is in their best interest to resist.

Just watch that diet. Your pet will thank you many times over for doing so. Of course, it may take some time for them to realize that they are the winners.

About the Author

JR Rogers is the owner of Synflex America Inc. makers of Syn-flex, a premium glucosamine arthritis formula for humans and household pets.

The author's statements have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not provided to diagnose or to suggest that liquid glucosamine and chondroitin will treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

teste nature

2008-12-30T11:15:00.001-08:00

teste nature

teste animals

2008-12-30T11:12:00.003-08:00

teste animals

teste books

2008-12-30T11:12:00.001-08:00

teste books

teste

2008-12-30T11:06:00.001-08:00

teste

teste2

2008-12-30T10:39:00.001-08:00

teste2

So, what�s an e-zine?

2008-12-30T10:09:00.001-08:00

Technically they�re written e-zine (not ezine) although calling
them an electronic newsletter e-news or Internet newsletter
i-news clarifies what they are much better.

They were given the name e-zine (short for electronic
magazine). Some people pronounce the e-zeen and others say
e-zin � however way you write it or say it, an e-zine should be a
special e-mail, sent to you because you requested it.

E-zines are one way to build communities and relationships
with a potentially large number of people, for a minimal
cost. Instead of sending out a business newsletter, via
postal mail, you can send anyone who requests, your e-zine.

An e-zine can consist of one tip or they can include
tips, articles, ad�s, class information, suggestions, and
more. They can be sent out daily, weekly or monthly.
Quarterly e-zines are OK for organizations with paid
memberships, but I don't recommend them otherwise. People
who receive e-zines less than once a month are apt to forget
they subscribed and may think you're S*pamming them. I know
that you don't want to get accused of that!

Formatting your e-zine is up to you, so decide what's best
for you and your clients before you start.

Download a f*ree e-report "8 Categories: Choose Your
E-zine Hosting Service Now", visit
http://www.coachmaria.com/ebooks/business2.html

About the Author

� 2002 Maria's Place helps individuals create professional and
personal success by custom-design solutions and systems
that propel you forward. Interested in designing and
promoting your first business building
e-zine? Visit http://www.createezine.com

"How to protect your Ebook download pages"

2008-12-30T10:06:00.001-08:00

"How to protect your Ebook download pages
from being stolen!"

By Dirk Dupon

If you're currently selling Ebooks or software via Paypal or
Clickbank, you may not be aware of the fact that your digital
products can be stolen... even right now!

Malicious people who have ordered your product can pass
the download link to others.

It happens all the time with music files or complete software
programs, so why shouldn't it happen to your product?

In fact, this may have been one of the reasons that your
product didn't sell very well lately.

It might have nothing to do with your marketing efforts, and
you could have spent a lot of your hard earned advertising
dollars... all for nothing!

However, there is a way to protect your "Thank-You" pages,
from being stolen or copied.

If you are concerned about your products, you better get
the FREE "Selling Through ClickBank" Ebook, written by
Kenneth Yang.

Kenneth's book teaches�ClickBank and PayPal users how
to protect their download pages from being accessed by
freebie-scammers, using a simple PHP redirect script�that
they can type up in Notepad and upload in less than one
minute.

And the great thing is that this script is FREE to use.

No need to pay�nearly $40 bucks for some other script
that purportedly does the same�thing - albeit in a slightly
different manner.

You can download Kenneth's Ebook by clicking here:
http://www.ebooks-made-easy.com/clickbook.htm

(This ebook is in .exe format, so it's for Windows users
only...)

All the best!

Dirk Dupon is the author of: "How To Make Profit From�An�
Affiliate Program" This "top-quality" Ebook in .pdf format is
FREE to download,�and contains secrets�and hints about
using Affiliate�Programs to make more profit on line.�
You can get a FREE COPY from here:
http://www.ebooks-made-easy.com/successtips.htm

About the Author

None

"Men in Tights......and garters"

2008-12-30T09:57:00.001-08:00

Sitting comfortably against the cushioned interior of my seat, I listened as the conversation about my friend's cousin passed over my ears. However, when he started talking about her idea's for the fashion world. "She's decided that if she's going to break into the fashion industry, she's gotta have a niche. She's got two already. The first is lingerie for men-" "What?" the voice from the back of the car said, expressing all the surprise in my head.

"Lingerie for men- she thinks men should have lingerie too."

"Um. I'd have to agree-" the voice said, "I would want my man to wear lingerie..."

Lingerie for men. Humm, let me think. Yes, yes, O.K.. There is no way I would want my guy wearing lingerie. Joe Boxers, of course. Silk, even. But lingerie, the word itself implies femininity. Especially because I have a soft spot for men who work out, I think "The Game" in a pink baby doll with white ruffles. For some, that might do it. But, somehow, that just doesn't work for me.

Though I'm sure she's got something different in mind, I think she'll lose a majority of this gender oriented society in the sales pitch.

Of course, all for social change. I suppose I could see how having a man in linger could be, empowering. Letting the man look his best, setting the mood. Still, somehow, with the gender roles so affixed in my head, I can't see desiring to see a man in much of anything, remotely..."nightly fashionable", beyond silk pajamas.

I have little problem in seeing a man in a skirt. As a columnist for my school's paper pointed out, logistically, it makes more sense for men to wear the freer skirts, and let the woman wear the pants, so to speak. However, if we start wanting men in lingerie, we have to ask ourselves, what next? Tummy tucking pantyhose?

Perhaps this is because I've never had a relationship where I would was in the position of trying to make myself sexually appealing, or wanting the other person to oblige me. Still, maybe if I was, I could see it. I did find Kevin Costner hot as Robin Hood, in those cute little green leggings....

*********************************

Wonderbra Girl is one of the unique writers of SAonline. She is the faceless young female. If you would like to recieve more of her pieces, please subscribe! cultureshocker-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Wonderbra Girl is one of the unique writers of SAonline. She is the faceless young female. If you would like to recieve more of her pieces, please subscribe! cultureshocker-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Baby Jewelry: Infant Fashion as Keepsake

2008-12-30T09:56:00.001-08:00

Matching jewelry for mommy and baby is always a cute touch, and it can be a keepsake for when the baby is all grown up. The sentimental value that comes with baby jewelry cannot be measured. Sometimes certain items of jewelry come with memories; like this bracelet one was bought right after little Sarah took her first steps, or this pendant was bought soon before Davey started to say his first words.

When we say "baby jewelry," we usually mean bracelets: the safest item of adornment for infants. Many baby bracelets come with letter-blocks that spell out the baby's name. These may well be a baby's first opportunity to learn how to read! Some baby bracelets also double as toys, and some charms come with rattles and colorful beads that could easily endear them to the infant.

We may admit that baby jewelry is cute and fun to use, but some mothers are concerned: won't jewelry be too dangerous to hold so close to the baby? Teething babies will tend to want to bite into their bracelets, or put them in their mouths -- and won't the baby swallow the charms, the item itself, or bits of it that may come off? Also, won't silver, gold, and certain plastics be bad for the baby's skin?

Baby jewelry is necessarily hypoallergenic, to keep from irritating a baby's supremely delicate skin. The charms that come with baby jewelry are usually tightly woven in, so there is no danger of falling off or apart even if the baby is teething. Infant jewelry also has safe clasps. Pin latches or sharp clasps are definitely a no-no.

Toddlers, who are more capable of appreciating body accessories, may in fact enjoy sporting jewelry, especially ones they can play with and show off to other toddlers. Mom and Dad can have their toddler pick out his or her own bracelet. After all, babies and toddlers appreciate bright, sparkling and fun stuff that are visually stimulating and attractive. Baby jewelry is something they can enjoy, and it will be a reminder of that time that passes all too quickly.

About the Author

For more information on jewelry and gemstones, we cordially invite you to visit www.morninglightjewelry.com to pick up your FREE copy of "How To Buy Jewelry And Gemstones Without Being Ripped Off." This concise, informative special report reveals almost everything you ever wanted to know about jewelry and gemstones, but were afraid to ask. Get your FREE report at www.morninglightjewelry.com.

Wind Farms and Corruption

2008-12-30T09:53:00.003-08:00

There is only one reason that wind turbines will be built in the West Country.

Our Press has failed to tell its readers of the corruption which stares us in the face, but is not seen as such. For example; The target to be met is to produce 10% of our electricity from renewable sources under the Kyoto Protocol. That has nothing to do with significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 2010, which the Government are permitting British industry to increase by 7.5% over the next three years.

The Rt. Hon. Mike O�Brien claims that economic expansion at a time of growth is far more important than bothering about CO2 emissions. Mr. O� Brien�s sole concern is to increase by 10%, the amount of electricity produced by renewable energy, in the form of wind farms.

The fact that the creation and erection of the requisite number of wind turbines will involve the emission of far more CO2 than the wind farms will ever reduce, is dismissed as being irrelevant. Such twisted logic is just pure corruption - But never mentioned by the Press. Nor is the vast financial gains to be made by seducing us into accepting these wind farms in our back yard. They will cost a lot of money and huge profits will be made. But unseen and unthought of, is the question; �Where will all the vast quantity of new money come from?�

Britain as a nation, public and private, is hopelessly in debt, and those debts get bigger and bigger as we borrow more new money to pay the interest. This creates a dire shortage of money. The money to build all the wind turbines does not exist and new money will be borrowed into existence to foot the bill. Those who create vast fortunes for themselves by selling credit as money, will have an irresistible motivation to bribe Mike into twisting logic.

The Press has a proud duty to understand all this and make sure all its readers share that understanding.

The result can then be that the correct and easy way to prevent global warming can be made known. It will not involve corruption.

About the Author

Dr Hamlyn is a founding member of the Royal College of General Practitioners, a veteran of WW II, retired farmer and practicing medical doctor. He is a prolific and articulate voice on the subject of monetary reform.

Weather affects every aspect of the economy

2008-12-30T09:53:00.001-08:00

c. 2004 Chris S. Orr CCM

Weather affects every aspect of our lives. It impacts our pocketbooks, our menus, our schedules and even our health.

We are aware of how cold weather drives up the price of natural gas and propane (just look at your heating bills from this year!) and how our insurance costs are adjusted for the amount of storm damage we sustain. Changes in the weather, either real or predicted, will affect the price of everything we buy, from peas to plywood. Sometimes the effect will be in our favor, sometimes it won't. How much did you pay for vegetables last winter? Why are limes -- small and hard as they are -- so expensive right now? Is the quality of lettuce comparable to its price?

Contract prices on the Chicago Board of Trade are very weather sensitive. Weather has such a huge impact on the commodities market that traders and analysts pay hundreds and even thousands of dollars a month for commentaries on long-range weather forecasts. These commentaries make the rounds among traders and analysts two or three times a week. Based on these commentaries, the price of grain, cattle, beans, and all sorts of agriculture products is driven up or down.

Traders look for the elusive normal weather. If the summer rainfall forecast for the C Corn Belt of Nebraska, Iowa, and Illinois is for above normal rainfall, futures may rise in anticipation of the crop getting too much moisture, stunting its growth. The same principle applies if the forecast is for too little rainfall. If the forecast calls for near normal rainfall, invariably the price of corn will fall in anticipation of a very good crop and too many bushels of corn on the market in the fall and winter. In other words, if the trading price is high, you'll pay more at the grocery store; if it is low because of "normal" weather, you pay less.

Are you planning to do a little construction later this summer? Buy plywood before the first tropical storm forms over the Atlantic Ocean. The price of plywood soars as tropical storms and hurricanes approach the coast of the United States. People in the path of these storms buy up plywood to "batten down the hatches," creating local shortages. Those shortages are filled by drawing on supplies from the rest of the country, limiting stocks and driving up prices.

Accurate weather forecasts help some businesses compete. The retailer Sears, Roebuck and Co. had its own meteorologists for many years so they could sell items based on the weather. Fans and air conditioners were in stock before a heat wave hit. Umbrellas went on sale when it rained. Subway's corporate headquarters tracks individual store sales against the weather. It uses a history of weather and store sales along with the forecast to predict store volume. Their stores in southern California even give discounts on rainy days.

Let me pose a question to you�how much do you think the weather affects your daily schedule? Now, I don't mean being a minute late to work because you had to run back in the house and grab an umbrella, but how does the weather seriously impact your plans?
Are you flying anywhere this summer? Fog, thunderstorms, freezing rain and heavy snow still halt flights and probably will for many years. It is just too dangerous to fly in any of those conditions. You'd think that with all of our technology we could fly aircraft into any sort of weather! You can avoid the inconvenience of flight delays by planning around the weather. Fog is most common in late fall and early spring, and usually lifts to a tolerable level by 10 a.m. Los Angeles, Denver, Salt Lake City and San Francisco get a lot of early morning fog during the winter. Plan to arrive at those destinations during the afternoon to avoid flight delays.

On the other hand, summer thunderstorms rattle the windows around Denver during the late afternoon and evening, while Phoenix sees windy evening thunderstorms. Arrive by mid afternoon to avoid these nuisance storms. If you are heading into the Midwest, thunderstorms tend to roll into Chicago

Wildlife Rehabilitation

2008-12-30T09:52:00.001-08:00

�This is Freedom�as a good a name as any,� Thomas Young said, gesturing to a mature bald eagle perched within a large wire cage. �Freedom is going to have his freedom if I have to sell my soul to get his wing fixed.�

Discovered in Cairo, Oklahoma, Freedom suffered from two bullet wounds, and Young, a licensed wildlife rehabilitator, master falconer and ornithologist, received the injured eagle from the Arkansas Game & Fish Commission. As Director of the Arkansas Native Plant & Wildlife Center at Queen Wilhelmina State Park, Young oversees the care, rehabilitation and release of hundreds of animals, including native wildlife such as black bears, deer, cougars, bobcats, wolves, coyotes and, of course, birds of prey like Freedom.

In a fundraising effort to finance Freedom�s wing surgery, Young enlisted another resident raptor named Micro, an American kestral, which is the smallest and most common of falcons. Three sparrows were trapped inside the Wal-Mart in Mena, and the store�s owners promised a generous donation to the Center pending Micro�s successful disposal of the feathered intruders.

Young upheld his promise, setting free a mended Freedom in January and marking the 23rd bald eagle release of his career. In addition, he has released 12 bears, 18 golden eagles and thousands of hawks and owls during his 19 years of wildlife rehabilitation work.

�Tom is one of the most dedicated persons I know,� asserted Joyce Tinsley, Park Superintendent of Queen Wilhelmina State Park. �His every waking moment is consumed with the Wildlife Center, rehab work and keeping his dream alive! I am very impressed with what he is accomplishing with the Center. Our guests have reported �life-changing� experiences due to Tom�s vision and one-on-one visits with Tom and the animals.�

With over 100 injured, ill and orphaned wild animals in his charge, Young�s days are filled with administering veterinary care and physical therapy, feeding, medicating, exercising and pre-release conditioning his charges. �The goal here is to release everything that I can before it gets any colder,� he declared. On the other hand, some animals are ineligible for release yet provide the Center with valuable research or become educational aids for awareness programs.

One such animal at the Center is a black bear named Harold. As a cub, Harold was kidnapped from his den and given parvo and distemper vaccines meant for dogs; now Harold, infected for life because of his previous owner�s ignorance, must remain in captivity. Other mammalian inhabitants include a razorback named Razor, a bobcat called Tigger and Sheena, a formidable mountain lion and Young�s favorite wrestling partner.

Currently, the Center houses 57 birds of prey. Genghis, a red-tailed hawk, is a falconry bird that hunts on behalf of the other raptors at the Center. While Young drives down the road at 60-70 mph, Genghis eyes prey from the road, namely crows, and then darts from the window of the moving truck, returning with a fresh supply of food.

Buzzy is an uncanny black vulture, born on Black Fork Mountain but raised at the Center. �The darling of the park� according to Tinsley, Buzzy fledged and was released, but he never left the park. He frequents the lodge when the Center is closed, and he is famous for befriending guests and tirelessly following Young. �Buzzy is highly underrated as far as intelligence. I�d put him up there with a 3-year-old child,� commented Young. �He�s the zoo�s jester. He�s always up to something.�

Young also cares for a pair of Harris hawks. Naturally social birds, these hawks are unusual because they hunt in pairs or even groups. Referred to as the �Cadillacs of the falconer�s world� by Young, Harris hawks are ideal for falconry meets because they cooperatively hunt prey without killing one another.

Snow, a precious gift to the Center from a falconer in Wisconsin, is one of very few white peregrine falcons in the world. Birds like Snow average life spans of 80 to 100 years. �Snow is 32,� remarked Young, supp

Wisconsin bans hunting by Internet

2008-12-30T09:48:00.001-08:00

article intro: Wisconsin has passed a ban on hunting by internet. You have permission to publish this article electronically or in print, free of charge, as long as the resource box is included. A notice, courtesy copy of newsletter or URL emailed to natureboy_bodybuilding@hotmail.com is appreciated. Nothing can be changed in the article. All links must live and working that is in the article. There is two bio lines included, one is html. WI bans hunting by Internet By Kevin Doberstein Copyright 2005 Wisconsin State Assembly passed Bill 179. This bill reads "relating to: being physically in possession of a firearm, bow, or crossbow while hunting captive deer or other captive wild animals." This bill is intended to stop the surge of Internet hunting in Wisconsin. A Texas businessman owns a web site that allows people to shoot game animals on his ranch. This is done with specially mounted cameras on rifles. The �hunter� can view the entire process online and tell the person holding the rifle to shoot live game on his ranch. He claims the site was intended for disabled people so that they can also enjoy hunting and target shooting. Generally in Wisconsin, disabled persons are given the opportunity to hunt and enjoy the outdoor experience. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources objective is to provide a variety of hunting, fishing, and recreational use permits designed to help people with disabilities enjoy the state�s natural resources. Wisconsin�s Disabled Advisory Council for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has 4 main objectives.  To advise the Department of Natural Resources on matters pertaining to the accessibility of all department programs and services by physically challenged persons.  To identify and evaluate needs of physically challenged persons and communicate them to the Department.  To advance research and design, policy and legislative changes to improve accessibility of agency programs and properties.  To communicate with individuals and other organizations and agencies with similar purposes in a collaborative process to improve accessibility The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is also part of a nationwide program named �Open the Outdoors�. "Open the Outdoors" is a nationwide effort to provide disabled individuals with a user-friendly means of accessing recreation opportunities. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is committed to providing greater access and more programs for persons with disabilities. The intent is to make it easier for disabled individuals to hunt, fish and pursue other outdoor activities. Source: Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Web Site. Supporters of this bill include sportsmen who believe hunting is being outdoors and being an actual part of the hunting experience and that using the Internet isn�t hunting at all. At this time, at lease 14 other states are working on similar legislation for preventing Internet hunting. About the Author: Kevin Doberstein enjoys wildlife and nature while hiking in the Wisconsin great outdoors. He is also the owner of Nature Boy Natural Images. Web address is http://www.cafepress.com/nature_images. This web site displays outdoor wildlife and nature photography. He also has the Wisconsin Outdoor Recreation Blog. Web address is http://thor-body-building.tripod.com/Wisconsin_Outdoors/. The Wisconsin Outdoor Recreation and Wildlife Blog is for promoting and protecting nature and wildlife resources in the state of Wisconsin. About the Author: Kevin Doberstein enjoys wildlife and nature while hiking in the Wisconsin great outdoors. He is also the owner of <a href=" http://www.cafepress.com/nature_images ">Nature Boy Natural Images</a> This web site displays outdoor wildlife and nature photography. He also has the <a href="http://thor-body-building.tripod.com/wisconsin_outdoors/ ">Wisconsin Recreation Outdoors and Wildlife blog </a> The

Use Natural Cleaners to remove the Toxic Risk from your home

2008-12-30T09:46:00.001-08:00

<carlos & silvia

There's a snake in the yard! -- What to do (and not do) when

2008-12-30T09:41:00.001-08:00

There's a snake in the yard!!!
What to do (and not do) when you see a snake

by Chad Minter

First, don't kill nonvenomous snakes. Any given area can only support a fixed number of snakes. If you kill the nonvenomous snakes that leaves a food supply that could support a population of venomous snakes.

Remember to stay a safe distance from the snake. Snakes usually strike about 1/2 their body length, but they can strike farther. You also don't want to trip and fall on the snake.

80% of bites occur when someone tries to catch or kill a snake. The safest thing you can do if you see a snake is to leave it alone. (It's probably protected by law anyway.)

85% of bites in the United States occur on the hand and forearm. 50% involve a victim under the age of 20. 70% of bites in the United States involve alcohol consumption.

If you have a snake in your yard, either call someone trained in their removal or stand at a safe distance and spray it with a garden hose. Snakes hate that and will leave quickly.

Step on logs rather than over them. Snakes coil beside logs in the "Reinert Posture" and might mistake your leg for a predator or prey.

Watch where you put your hands and feet. Do not reach under boards with your fingers.

Snakes can be handled safely with proper tools and training, but do NOT risk trying to handle venomous snakes if you have not been professionally trained. There are things that no website can teach you about how to handle venomous snakes safely.

You can minimize the appeal of your yard to a snake by 1. cutting the grass, 2. picking up debris, and 3. Controlling rodents. If there is no food or shelter the snake will soon leave for better hunting grounds.

The safest thing to do if you see a snake is to LEAVE IT ALONE. Most bites occur when someone is attempting to capture or kill a snake.

If you are bitten by a snake, seek immediate medical care from a licensed and experienced physician. According to the Centers for Disease Control, the first aid for snakebite consists of:

"Do remain calm - Remember that there is an excellent chance for survival, and in most cases there is plenty of time.

Do suck and squeeze - as much venom as possible directly from the wound. Venom is protein and can be taken orally with no ill effects.

Do remove jewelry - Swelling can progress rapidly, so rings, watches and bracelets can be a real problem.

Do mark the time - The progress of symptoms (swelling) is the most obvious indicator of the amount of envenomation.

Do keep the stricken limb below the heart.

Do get to a hospital as quickly as possible - Anti-venom serum is the only sure cure for envenomation, and because some people are allergic to horse serum it should only be given in a fully equipped medical facility.

In case of a Coral bite, do pull the snake off immediately - Corals' fangs are relatively small, and they have to work at getting venom into the wound. Therefore, the faster the snake is removed the less venom is injected.

Do attempt to identify the offending snake - Positive identification in the form of a dead snake is helpful, if convenient, but no time or safety should be wasted since the symptoms will give medical personnel an accurate diagnosis.

Do get a tetanus shot.

Don't cut the wound - This almost always causes more damage than it's worth.

Don't use a tourniquet - This isolates the venom in a small area and causes the digestive enzymes in the venom to concentrate the damage.

Don't use alcohol orally - it speeds the heart and blood flow and reduces the body's counter-acting ability.

Don't use ice - Freezing the stricken limb has been found to be a major factor leading to amputation."

Remember, snakes have their place in the ecosystem and were around long before we arrived. We are the visitors in their garden. Snakes are quite capable of defending themselves, but are reluctant to do so. If you follow a few common sense rules you

Will Soy Candles be the Leader to Light the Future?

2008-12-30T09:38:00.003-08:00

Ahhhh, the scent and sight of a burning paraffin wax candle and the appealing ambiance that it floats throughout a room! One may think that this scenario is innocence in its purest sense. There is, after all, that cozy feeling which makes one give thought to everything that�s good in this world. That is until you take the time to get acquainted with the darker side of the world of paraffin wax candles.

Did you know that paraffin is a petroleum by-product which means that paraffin wax may be a risk to the well-being of your health? How is that, you ask? Well after petroleum is processed into gasoline, kerosene, motor oil, diesel and other fuels, the excess waste is then used in the production of paraffin which contains harmful toxins and carcinogens. Hmmmm.

The black soot buildup on your walls, ventilating system, furniture and so forth after burning paraffin wax candles is similar in composition to diesel soot. This dirty matter makes a deposit of unwanted and dangerous pollutants into our homes that endangers the health and welfare of family, pets, and ourselves when breathed into our collective lungs. Studies have shown that cancer-causing agents released by paraffin wax candles are just as toxic as second hand cigarette smoke and can cause damage to the heart, lungs, circulatory system and nervous system. This is not a good thing.

Why then have scented candle sales increased to over 2 billion dollars annually over the last decade according to the National Candle Association? I�m not sure but I�d hazard a guess that the mesmerizing glow and soothing fragrances are part of why seven out of every ten households burn candles regularly.

Here�s a question, though, that I�d like to pose to anyone that subscribes to the rules of common sense. It�s the one that your parents or teachers of yesteryear asked when the majority was acting in an intellectually challenged way. I�ll paraphrase it here : �If everyone was jumping off a cliff, would you do the same thing?� The same thing holds for paraffin wax candles but what alternatives are there to break this dangerous habit?

I�m glad that you asked. The answer is Soy Candles. Why the joy for soy? Soy wax is 100% vegetable by-product and not a petroleum by-product. Soy is completely non-toxic and non-carcinogenic and soy candles produce little or no soot to damage the surrounding room or to those with allergies or breathing problems. Soy wax is environmentally safe, biodegradable and is easily cleaned up with just soap and water.

Hold on, I�m not finished yet�.Soy candles burn cleanly and evenly leaving very little to zero excess wax on the sides of the jar to eliminate waste. They also burn cooler than most paraffin wax candles which will lessen the risk of serious burns from melted wax. These babies also burn 30 to 50 percent longer than paraffin wax candles which makes them more economical to use. They also seem to hold their fragrances extremely well compared to the naughty petroleum by-product kind.

Ok, Ok just one more reason to think soy. These candles are made from 100% soybean wax made from soybeans grown right smack here in the USA. So what? Well, this not only benefits our environment but also supports our local agricultural industry. It appears that soy candles beat those bad-boy cousins on every level.

Ya gotta get the facts before indulging in the pleasure of enjoying the world of candles. Think outside the box and do the right thing. Your life and others may very well depend on it!

About the Author

Brian is a partner in E-Connors Enterprises which builds and promotes various websites. He enjoys the world of candles and feels strongly about the health benefits of soy candles and the beauty of gel candles. Go to HeavenlyGelCandles.com for more info.

Wisconsin bans hunting by Internet

2008-12-30T09:38:00.001-08:00

article intro: Wisconsin has passed a ban on hunting by internet.

You have permission to publish this article electronically
or in print, free of charge, as long as the resource box is
included. A notice, courtesy copy of newsletter or URL
emailed to natureboy_bodybuilding@hotmail.com is appreciated. Nothing can be changed in the article. All links must live and working that is in the article. There is two bio lines included, one is html.

WI bans hunting by Internet
By Kevin Doberstein
Copyright 2005

Wisconsin State Assembly passed Bill 179. This bill reads "relating to: being physically in possession of a firearm, bow, or crossbow while hunting captive deer or other captive wild animals." This bill is intended to stop the surge of Internet hunting in Wisconsin.

A Texas businessman owns a web site that allows people to shoot game animals on his ranch. This is done with specially mounted cameras on rifles. The �hunter� can view the entire process online and tell the person holding the rifle to shoot live game on his ranch. He claims the site was intended for disabled people so that they can also enjoy hunting and target shooting.

Generally in Wisconsin, disabled persons are given the opportunity to hunt and enjoy the outdoor experience. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources objective is to provide a variety of hunting, fishing, and recreational use permits designed to help people with disabilities enjoy the state�s natural resources.

Wisconsin�s Disabled Advisory Council for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has 4 main objectives.

 To advise the Department of Natural Resources on matters pertaining to the accessibility of all department programs and services by physically challenged persons.
 To identify and evaluate needs of physically challenged persons and communicate them to the Department.
 To advance research and design, policy and legislative changes to improve accessibility of agency programs and properties.
 To communicate with individuals and other organizations and agencies with similar purposes in a collaborative process to improve accessibility

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is also part of a nationwide program named �Open the Outdoors�. "Open the Outdoors" is a nationwide effort to provide disabled individuals with a user-friendly means of accessing recreation opportunities.

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources is committed to providing greater access and more programs for persons with disabilities. The intent is to make it easier for disabled individuals to hunt, fish and pursue other outdoor activities.

Source: Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Web Site.

Supporters of this bill include sportsmen who believe hunting is being outdoors and being an actual part of the hunting experience and that using the Internet isn�t hunting at all.

At this time, at lease 14 other states are working on similar legislation for preventing Internet hunting.

About the Author:
Kevin Doberstein enjoys wildlife and nature while hiking in the Wisconsin great outdoors. He is also the owner of Nature Boy Natural Images. Web address is http://www.cafepress.com/nature_images. This web site displays outdoor wildlife and nature photography. He also has the Wisconsin Outdoor Recreation Blog. Web address is http://thor-body-building.tripod.com/Wisconsin_Outdoors/. The Wisconsin Outdoor Recreation and Wildlife Blog is for promoting and protecting nature and wildlife resources in the state of Wisconsin.

About the Author:
Kevin Doberstein enjoys wildlife and nature while hiking in the Wisconsin great outdoors. He is also the owner of Nature Boy Natural Images This web site displays outdoor wildlife and nature photography.
He also has the Wisconsin Recreation Outdoors and Wildlife blog
The

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