Understanding Your PC's CPU Clock Speed And Front Side Bus

Have a computer in your home that is put to use often? Why not take the time to fully understand the terms, the components,and software used to make it work. To understand your PC is not hard and you'll be rewarded greatly.

How you ask? By upgrading your own system as well as repairing those of your friends while earning extra cash in the process. One of the more important PC components are the Motherboard,CPU Chip,and your computer's Hard Drive.

The CPU or Central Processing Unit is the brains of any computer and the two major manufacturers are Intel and AMD or Advanced Micro Devices.

For many years Intel CPUs were found in nearly all PCs. And now the Intel is found in most systems but the newer Athlon class cpu from AMD have taken a large chunk of the cpu market.

AMD's top cpu is the Opteron which compete's with Intel's Itanium and the Xeon.The Athlon is next on AMD's cpu lists and is intended for mid to high end computers.The Athlon XP was introduced in 1999 and is there most popular CPU.

Intel advertised their CPU's by their clock speed but now have introduced a rating system using a three digit number such as Intel Pentium 735.To understand the meaning of the number you can visit www.intel.com/products/ processor_number/info.htm

There you will see a list of all Intel CPUs, their rating numbers and meanings.This information is a valuable asset in helping you further understand your computer's CPU.

What then is meant by the term Clock Speed? This is the speed at which the CPU runs and is measured as a frequency such as 500 MHz or 500 million cycles per second.

As every action carried out by the CPU requires one or more cycles,be means that the higher the clock speed, the more instructions it will be able to process in any given second.Take the time to know the clock speed of your current CPU.

Want to know the clock speed of your CPU? There is a handy little utility named CHKCPU that will show your CPU's speed,and type.It can be downloaded in either DOS or Windows versions and its absolutely free.

The CPU's clock speed is an important indication of its quality but is by no means the only one.You must also understand and consider its FSB or Front Side Bus speed.

The FSB allows the CPU to communicate with the rest of the computer.The 3 GHz Pentium 4 PC has a FSB of 800 MHz and the 3 GHz Celeron's FSB is 533 MHz. Other names for this technology is the CPU Bus Speed, Memory Bus and System Bus.

Note that they both have the same processing power but the Pentium 4 can transfer data much more quickly since it has the faster FSB.

To make it easier for us pc users,manufacturers of the motherboards made them to support several FSB speeds within a specified range.To find the FSB rating for your computer look in the owners manual.

The Front Side Bus speed can generally be set either using the system BIOS.Short for Basic Input/Output System,this small software is responsible for starting the computer's bootup procedure.

The BIOS also recognizes and configures the system's hardware prior to the loading of the operating system. To access the BIOS,you must press a combination of keys such as CTRL-ALT-DEL on older systems but newer PCs allow you enter setup by press F1 or F10.

As your computer boot's up,watch the screen for a key to press to access your Setup.Once inside the BIOS, look for references to the FSB.Other motherboards allow FSB setup with jumpers located on the motherboard.

While most motherboards allow you to set the FSB to any setting,ensure that the FSB is properly set unless you plan to speed up your system by overclocking the Central Processing Unit.

The AMD has its own Hyper Transport Integrated I/O Bus and don't use FSB numbers.This technology resulted in communication much faster between the CPU,the RAM and other parts of the motherboard.

Now when you decide to upgrade your CPU or the Motherboard, don't overlook the Front Side Bus capacity and the CPU clock speed.You'll further boost your PC know as you understand these terms in more detail.

Copyright 2006 Otis Cooper

Otis F. Cooper is solely dedicated to boosting the knowledge and confidence of every computer user. Sign up to receive his informative articles every month and learn PC Repair absolutely free.Sign up now at http://www.ultimatepcrepair.comBertha Blog39159
Bambi Blog77126

Understanding Aromatherapy Oil and Essential oils

Aromatherapy is well-known throughout the world as a holistic therapeutic natural practice that involves the use of essential oils for balancing and harmonizing the body, mind, and spirit, thus promoting a great change for everyday pleasure and well-being. This has been practiced for centuries with the notion that the aromatherapy oils can be effective in treating illness and disability, which is then supported by a number of successful studies.

On its most basic, the aromatherapy oils are highly concentrated and powerful. They are taken or extracted from plants, leaves, roots, flowers, twigs, buds, rhizomes, bark, heartwood, seeds, fruits, and resins. And, they are greatly found in special secretory glands or cells within the plant life.

The aromatic substances of the aromatherapy oils are essentially formed and stored in particular organs of certain plants, and these come as a by-product or maybe due to its metabolism. According to certain studies, the aromatherapy oil has its very own blueprint that is definitely distinct. It is the blending of these blueprints with the energy of the sun, air, soil, and water that gives each aromatherapy oil its own fragrance as well as beneficial healing qualities.

Similar species of plant can produce aromatherapy oil with varying healing properties, which greatly depend on whether the plant was grown in damp or dry earth, at low or high altitude, or even in cold and hot climates. However, the International Organization for Standardization has further claimed that the aromatherapy oils are products made by distillation with either steam or water or by way of mechanical processing of citrus rinds or even by dry distillation of natural materials. According to them, it is after the distillation that the aromatherapy oil is physically alienated from the water phase.

The aromatherapy oils, as opposed to the vegetable oils that are expressed from nuts and seeds, are not actually oily. Some of the aromatherapy oils are viscous, while there are others that are fairly solid and somewhat watery. Certain records have noted that there are generally 3000 varying aromatherapy oils worldwide with only about 300 typically employed. They are now considered as the most concentrated form of botanical, as the aromatherapy oils provide a concentrated dose of the natures vast pharmacological active ingredients in just a single drop of aromatherapy oil.

Certain studies conducted in this field of healing practice have actually found out that it generally takes at least one pound of any available, potential plant to produce one drop of aromatherapy oil. And, one hundred percent pure unadulterated aromatherapy oils are known by a notable range of substances that only the Mother Earth could generate.

Jane Sims's Aromatherapy blog offers all kinds of latest fluff information on Aromatherapy. Please visit his her blog for more information on http://www.aromatherapy-oil-blog.blogspot.com.Cecile Blog31314
Brenn Blog87179

Bad Credit Secured Loans Offer Money At Low Rates

In the present day scenario, borrowers with bad credit are provided with ample opportunities to improve their financial status. To avail the maximum benefits, even if collateral is required to be pledged, it is completely worth it. This can be done through bad credit secured loans.

Bad credit is a situation in which there is a default in the credit history of the borrower. This may be due to any of the following:

* Defaults
* County Court Judgments
* Bad credit score of less than 580
* Arrears

Bad credit situation of borrower can arise due to various factors like bad credit in past, long time illness, loss of job, regularly shifting job or address, defaults in the payments, lavishly spending money, defaults while dealing with several loans for personal needs etc.

The borrower can make the bad credit loan secured by pledging collateral with the lender. The collateral can be any asset like car, house, stocks, and bonds etc which hold some equity value in the market. The bad credit secured loan is approved based on this equity

With http://www.badcreditloansinformation.com/, the borrower can fulfill any requirement that he has like debt consolidation, home improvement, a vacation, educational expense, wedding expenses, etc.

An amount of 5000-75000 can be borrowed through bad credit secured loans. This amount is required to be repaid to the lender in a term of 5-25 years. The interest rate is low even for bad credit borrowers as there is attachment of collateral with the bad credit loan.

A search for bad credit secured loans can be conducted online. There are numerous lenders present in the online market who are ready to offer to money at low rate to borrowers ready to place collateral. So a thorough search can help a great deal in obtaining a loan.

Bad credit secured loans are the best way for a bad credit borrower if he wants a low interest rate and a good repayment term for the bad credit loan.

Carmen Cortez is a specialist advisor of every type of business loan and currently working as Bad Credit Secured Loans. For further details of bad credit secured loans, bad credit personal loans, bad credit loans uk, loans in uk, bad credit secured loans uk, bad credit unsecured loans uk you need to visit http://www.badcreditloansinformation.com/Allix Blog37209
Alexia Blog81881

Simple Time Management Tips to Make High School Life Easier

High school student not just study and take classes. They also have to join school activities, socialize and do their homework. Apparently, they always have a lot of work in school and at home.

It is essential for high school students to be organized. If you are a high school student, it may seem like you are always running out of time and all you do is study and never get enough time with your friends and family.

Listed here seven tips for you to follow to make life of high school students easier and add extra time for you to be with your friends and family:

1- Set the target everyday Before you go to bed, list down all the matters you want to accomplish on the next day. A to do list will help you to know what you are going to do and avoid doing unimportant tasks, of which will get everything done more efficiently and faster.

2- Prioritize your list of target Once the to do list completed, try to prioritize the goals you want to achieve. Set your most important goal in life on top of your priority and your least important goals to down below on the list.

Be realistic on your list. It is better to list on what you need to achieve and not on what you want to achieve. If you have a long-term priority, it is probably best that you put it on the bottom of your list; you can always work on that tomorrow.

3- Utilize your spare time As a high school student, sometimes you may not notice you have lots of spare time. Try to add up the minutes of the school bus ride to school and the school bus ride back home.

Use these times to create strategy of how to finish your homework effectively. By doing this, you will get an idea on what you need to do on your homework when you get home. This allows you to finish your homework faster and have extra time for other things.

4- Finding the right time Sometime, students have specific time to study more efficiently. For instance, you can solve your math problems well on the afternoons; then do not wait until nighttime to do it. Mood is important here since mood can shifts immediately.

5- Taking notes An effective way to study is to write down important notes. It is proven much better than just plain reading. Writing down notes has an effect on your mind. You can understand the topic more effectively and memorize it more effectively than by just reading.

Review your notes as your teacher might give a pop quiz on the next day. Reviewing your notes will help you be more prepared for the pop quizzes that your teacher may suddenly give.

6- Get adequate sleep It is unhealthy trying to stress yourself out studying when you are supposed to be sleeping. It can bring ineffective results and unwelcome health problems.

If you need to sleep you have to sleep, do not force yourself to study if you cannot effectively study. If you try to study in this situation, you will most likely waste your time.

7- Keep your goals realistic Trying to accomplish unrealistic goals can often result in failure and frustration. Setting realistic goals that is difficult and achieving it can give you self-worth and be proud on your achievements.

Just remember, everything you need to accomplish in one day is possible if you are organized and plan everything you do in a day.

Fakhrul Anuar Malek is a Webmaster and publisher of Time-Management.CosmoMatrix.com. He provides info and guides of time management for college and high school students at http://Time-Management.CosmoMatrix.com.Alexia Blog81881
Adriaens Blog91553

How to Give a Great Hostess Gift

The invitation came, you RSVPd, and now the panic begins. What should I get the host/hostess? Should I send something before, after, or should I bring it to their house? Choosing an appropriate host/hostess gift can be time consuming and somewhat frustrating, but there are a few ideas that will work over and over again.

If you are going to a dinner party, wine is always appreciated. If you know that the host or hostess has a favorite wine, try and bring that variety. There are a lot of great wines out on the market that wont break your bank.

Scented candles are a great host/hostess gift. They can be used in any room of the house and smell wonderful. Candles come in all shapes, sizes, and colors, so you are sure to find something for every taste.

Gourmet cookies, brownies, or cakes are perfect for bringing the host because it is something that can be shared and enjoyed by the whole party. If you dont have a favorite bakery nearby, try some of the bakeries online that will ship their delicious treats nationwide.

What better way to say thank you than with flowers or a potted plant? Flowers are the classic hostess gift because they have the ability to brighten up any room. Bamboo plants have become popular gifts in the past few years because they are said to bring the homeowner good fortune.

For the host or hostess that is a chocoholic, there is no better way to show your appreciation than with a box of chocolates. Many stores sell the boxes pre-wrapped, so this is an easy gift to get if you are in a hurry. For a variation on the chocolate idea, try chocolate dipped strawberries.

Another great gift idea is pewter. Whether you give a pewter serving tray or a pewter candy dish, pewter is a gift that will last a lifetime. Pewter is easy to take care of and looks great in any home.

Try to stay away from gift certificates. Although most people enjoy receiving them, gift certificates are often seen as impersonal. By planning ahead and having some of these items on hand, you can avoid the pre-party panic and the hours spent in the mall.

Elizabeth Helsley is the owner of Pacific Pewter, an online store that offers elegant home dcor and gifts. You can visit Pacific Pewter on the web at http://www.pacificpewter.com or via e-mail at info@pacificpewter.com.Bernete Blog15026
Brook Blog94954

The Ultimate Guide to Successful Ecommerce Fulfillment

In the past decade the internet has allowed the marketplace to flourishvirtually! E-commerce companies are launching all over the web. The sound of the bell when a customer walks in has been replaced with the click of a mouse thousands of miles away. With millions of patrons in cyber space, shipping has become a rather large component to any successful e-commerce venture.

Some companies have their own warehouse and staff while others ship from their very own home. However, many companies have been increasingly outsourcing their order fulfillment in order to cut costs, alleviate the hassles and to allow more time to focus on marketing, management and growth.

A high-quality fulfillment company organizes, manages, warehouses and ships your inventory in a cost effective and reliable manner. But in order to successfully partner with a company and actually cut your shipping costs there are several factors to consider.

The proximity of the fulfillment house to your customers is more significant than your proximity. For instance, if your client base is predominantly in the Northeast then hiring a fulfillment company in California is not the best idea.

Statistics show that 70% of the US population is located in the Northeast, Southeast and Midwest while California maintains another 16%. If your orders are distributed evenly throughout the country then fulfillment companies in New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio would be your best options in order to minimize shipping costs.

Space is another issue that should be considered. You should choose a company that has a big enough warehouse to accommodate your needs and will accommodate your growth. Some companies yearn to see stock grow while others are content with a maximum and may not be prepared for an expanding business.

But you also dont want to choose a company too large. Some larger companies have a minimum order amount and may penalize you if your numbers are too low. Even worse, low volume could lead you to get lost in the shuffle. That is why having a dedicated account manager is so important. Account managers are designated individuals that have the authority to act on your requests. Larger companies may have a call center or an account team to handle your requests which can lead to lengthy waits for your requests and confusion.

Your fulfillment company should be able to give you answers right away and help you stay completely informed. They should be able to provide you with your entire inventory and order information over the web.

Similar to FedEx guaranteed overnight delivery; a high-quality fulfillment company should guarantee order accuracy and shipping time. No company can ship all orders correctly but they should take full responsibility for their mistakes. Even the best company can make mistakes, but its how the mistakes are handled is what matters. The ideal company will provide a 100% accurate delivery or its free.

They should also have multiple shipping options. If they are experienced enough, they should know that labor strikes could arise at anytime and therefore, having several options like UPS, FedEx and DHL is imperative.

The longevity of a company shows that management is committed to the company. Ideally a business that is at least five years or older shows they know the business and can handle the unexpected. These companies will be able to provide references of satisfied customers. Its vital to ask for at least three before hiring a company. If they hesitate then pass immediately.

Lastly, price and commitment are very important aspects when determining what company suits you best. Currently, there is no standard pricing in the fulfillment industry. However, you should be able to verify all charges without relying on your fulfillment company to provide a lengthy explanation. Over charging is a common practice so stay away from companies with hourly charges for receiving and assembly since its almost impossible to verify time spent.

Some companies try to lock you in a long term contract which can be a dilemma if their service isnt as expected. Make sure there is a way out by choosing companies without a long term commitment.

Asking the right questions and looking for the right qualities in a fulfillment company is crucial when considering outsourcing. Hiring the best option can truly reduce and control your operating costs while providing you with more time to improve your company focus. Regardless of what company you choose, make sure they are as committed to your customers as you are. After all, no matter how web-happy we become customer service should always remain a top priority.

Joseph DiSorbo, President of Webgistix - Webgistix alleviates the hassles of shipping while you expand your business by offering a fulfillment service that guarantees every order will be shipped within 24 hours or its FREE. For more information, email sales@webgistix.com or visit us at: http://www.webgistix.com.Brigida Blog16943
Anny Blog83487

The Symptoms of Pregnancy With Twins

If your pregnancy symptoms are earlier and more pronounced than you'd normally expect, you may be carrying a twin pregnancy. However, only a health professional can tell for sure.

1. You just feel that you are carrying more than one baby. Some mothers of twins (or higher order multiples) say that they knew right from the start that they were carrying more than one baby.

2. You experience more nausea and/or morning sickness. If you are having more than one baby, you may have an elevated hCG level (hCG is a pregnancy related hormone). This hormone is the one associated with morning sickness.

3. Other typical pregnancy symptoms may be exaggerated. Many women -- but not all -- who are pregnant with twins have more intense pregnancy symptoms, probably related to the extra hormones circulating through their system. You may find that your breasts are extremely tender, you have to urinate frequently, you are hungry all the time and you are always very tired.

4. A higher than average weight gain in the first 16 weeks may be your first clue that you're carrying more than one baby. Good weight gain in early twin pregnancy is associated with a favourable outcome.

With each additional fetus a woman carries, the range of weight gain will increase. For example, a woman who starts a pregnancy in a healthy weight range might expect her weight gain to be as follows:

One fetus, 11 kg (24 lb) to 16 kg (35 lb)
Twins, 16 kg (35 lb) to 20 kg (44 lb)
Triplets, 20 kg (44 lb) to 23 kg (51 lb)
Quads, 23 kg (51 lb) to 25 kg (55 lb)

5. Your uterus seems large for gestational age. If your last menstrual period indicates an eight-week gestation, your uterus may feel more like 10 to 12 weeks to your obstetrician. This may prompt a request for an ultrasound examination.

6. You are told that you have elevated levels of AFP. AFP is one of the chemicals tested to screen for Downs syndrome and spina bifida abnormalities. AFP levels are higher in twin pregnancies.

7. Your health care provider hears two fetal heartbeats. Two separate heartbeats can be distinguishable with a Doppler in your care provider's office from around 18 weeks. At around 28 weeks, it may be possible to differentiate two fetal heads and multiple small parts when doing an abdominal exam.

8. You have a positive ultrasound. If you believe you are pregnant with twins, an ultrasound can be performed quite early in pregnancy. With a skilled ultrasonographer, two gestational sacs, two embryos and two distinct fetal heartbeats can be seen six weeks after the first day of the last menstrual period. Many twins have been diagnosed as early as five weeks -- when you're just one week late for your menstrual period.

9. In later pregnancy, you may experience difficulty catching your breath, swelling (oedema) of the hands and legs, an unusual rate of weight gain and abdominal enlargement and excessive fetal movement. Anaemia or low iron (decreased haemoglobin) is also common with twin and multiple pregnancies.

10. There is considerable disagreement among medical professionals as to whether a woman carrying twins is more likely to feel movement earlier. But many mothers do claim that those early flutters and flips were their first clue that they might be having more than one.

David A Viniker MD FRCOG is a London Consultant in OB/GYN who strongly supports patient choice. You are welcome to visit his websites which explain the pros and cons of the various options for womens health, pregnancy and childbirth: Agata Blog69806
Ardis Blog87870

E-currency Trading Is Sweeping Across the Internet in 2006

Many people have never heard of e-currency trading before and most people are wondering what it is. E-currency trading is a relatively new, yet lucrative opportunity that allows individuals to trade e-currencies such as E-gold, Netpay and E-bullion just to name a few.

Unlike the Forex arena where 95% of traders lose money, e-currency trading is exactly the opposite. Because many people need real cash to move money in and out of e-currencies, it creates an opportunity for people to capitalize on the transaction making it possible to earn a percentage of that transaction for assisting with the transfer.

E-currency trading is a growing industry as more and more people are purchasing items online in the form of e-currency. As long as people continue to purchase items online, there will always be a need for people to exchange funds from hard cash to online currencies and vise versa.

Many people are skeptical when getting into the home based business industry, so how do you know which one is right for you? For starters, it requires choosing an opportunity that meets your needs. Sure there are many scams out there and with so many offers out there today, who wouldnt be skeptical? The truth is, many people are making money and if they are, they dont really want you to be a part of it because it only creates more competition for them. However, e-currency trading takes away all the competition and skepticism creating a way for everyone to succeed.

There are many programs available online that teach e-currency trading. Some are better than others and it all depends on the quality of training your looking for. Ive personally spent countless hours trying to learn how to do this business by reading forums and searching in Google, but it only seemed to be a waste of time since there was no free formal training available. After sometime I finally gave in and picked up a course that helped me understand the business in a big way. It took approximately 3 weeks before I really had a handle on things and I was off and running.

When deciding on e-currency trading as a business opportunity, it does require a bit of work, but nothing more than a few hours a week if you can believe it. Theres an old saying, you only get out what you put in. This applies to any type of home business.

Copyright 2006 Timothy Rohrer

Timothy Rohrer is an established writer and home business owner. To learn more information about a profitable home business, visit http://www.profitplusonline.comArlen Blog59317
Barbie Blog62848

What Are Content Rich Websites

What are Content Sites?

If you are like many of those who started out with intentions of making millions online and are struggling to capture the attentions of the large search engines, you are in good company. Times have changed, and due to the low cost of entry, the online world is becoming very competitive for businesses starting out. Unless a website has a regional appeal or caters to a very niche product or service, it is rare that a webmaster can create a website that is only focused on selling.

What is the answer?

The answer is content. The concept is not new, it comes down to the simple concept of bartering, give something in order to get something. In this case the trade off, is free information in exchange for website traffic and search engine ranking. The key is to create a website with content that other webmasters, bloggers, and publishers will want to link to. In order to generate interest and incoming links that result in web traffic, you will need to provide unique content. Related content drives traffic, understanding what makes one website a stand-out when others fail is the key to building a content rich portal.

How do I use content to sell my stuff?

First off, the content you provide must be of interest to potential customers. If you are selling a product, why not provide dimensions, customer ratings, reviews, warranty information, additional product suggestions, color or size charts. In addition to additional product information, consider your demographic, and find content that will be of interest to individuals (or businesses ) that you feel typify a potential customer. It is also best if the content your provide is related to the product you are promoting.

Lets take a look at some content rich examples:

Gourmet Living (http://www.gourmet-living.com )

How does the site Gourmet Living that is focused on selling cooking items use content to promote their products and sell their wares? Gourmet Living uses recipes to draw in individuals interested in cooking. The topic (recipes) is clearly closely related to the products they are selling (cookware and gourmet cookbooks), additionally the recipes targets their potential audience, those with an interest in cooking. The Gourmet Living website uses additional food preparation tips and articles that discuss gourmet cooking to generate additional interest.

Recipe Directory - http://www.gourmet-living.com/recipe-directory.htm

Tips for Food Preparation - http://www.gourmet-living.com/category.html?category=preparing+food

Along with articles that discuss gourmet cooking - http://www.gourmet-living.com/gourmet-articles.htm

Dog Pound (http://www.dog-pound.net)

How does Dog Pound, a website promoting products for dog care, use content to generate website traffic. The Dog Pound website has educational articles related to dog breeds and training. In addition, the dog pound website has videos of common dog breeds, cute pet photos, and free recipes for dog treats. My recommendation would be to take the photo section a step further, encourage individuals to send in their favorite doggy photos and conduct a dog beauty contest.

Articles about dog training - http://www.dog-pound.net/dog-articles.htm

Videos with dog breeds - http://www.dog-pound.net/videos.htm

Dog Treats - http://www.dog-pound.net/other-dog-treats.htm

Photos - http://www.dog-pound.net/dog-photos.htm

Security Port (http://www.security-port.net)

How does security port, a website that does not sell anything and profits from advertising, use content to attract traffic and promote their website? The security port focus is on aggregating a host of security resources, from security glossaries to security forums. By creating a topical portal with information relevant to security, they are providing one stop shop for security information.

Searchable Security Databases - http://www.security-port.com/security-databases.htm

Security Blog - with related security news - http://www.security-port.com/blog.htm

Security Articles - http://www.security-port.com/security-articles.htm

Remember, at the end of the day that all of the advertising campaigns and attractive affiliate programs will only result in traffic spikes which will be transient. Generating a content rich website that is useful, educational, or entertaining will attract and retain customers. While it's hard to assemble a content-rich site that motivates others to link to you, it is certainly not impossible. Keep in mind that search engine rankings are influenced by the amount and quality of a website's content. Provide content that will make webmasters want to link to your website.

Sharon Housley manages marketing for FeedForAll http://www.feedforall.com software for creating, editing, publishing RSS feeds and podcasts. In addition Sharon manages marketing for NotePage http://www.notepage.net a wireless text messaging software company.Beitris Blog70988
Cathrin Blog1627

Design Your Personal Perfume Yourself!

You can design almost anything using a computer these days and one of the more unusual things that computer can do is to design perfumes and fragrances. Such a service has been available for some years on the Internet offered by companies in the US and UK. Although the US Company, Reflect.com no longer trades, the UK company fragrance for you ltd. is still very much in the fragrance business.

fragrance for you claim that designing your own fragrance is easy and fun to do. Visitors to the company website are invited to prove the point by entering their personality and life style details into a form and the answers entered are used as the data to drive the computer program and so derive a fragrance. When the questionnaire form is complete, it takes only two or three minutes, a description of the fragrance that has just been designed is displayed on the screen. The process is seen by the visitor as simple and as the company claims, fun to do. Answers to the questions on the website form are translated into odour compounds there are 103 odour codes or compounds in total and the computer blends those compounds in such a way as to avoid clashes of scents which do not provide a pleasing combination. The fragrance when finished comprises the usual three notes comprising the "fragrance Pyramid" the top note or head, the middle or heart and the lower note or base. This basic form invented in 1889 has changed not at all over the years and continues to be the basis of perfume architecture today. The top note contains the most volatile of the perfumes ingredients and this lasts no more than a few minutes before evaporating. The heart or middle note rapidly overcomes the quickly evaporating top note and comes to the forefront revealing the principle fragrance, the heart, which is supported by the base notes and which contains the longest lasting, that is the slowest evaporating oils and binds all the fragrances in combination together. The base notes may well last a day or even more while the heart note lasts perhaps three or four hours. The task then is to find a suitable description to convey in words the nature of the fragrance created. Typically this might be "ffy reference number 40597. A light fresh modern fragrance with a bergamot, cardamom, fresh pineapple and papaya top note and a white jasmin heart backed up by a musky amber accord"

Finally computer allocates the questionnaire answers into the traditional families or fragrance groups of citrus, floral, fougre, chypre, woody, amber and leather and these group words are found in the fragrance descriptions that are presented to the customer. Product quality is ensured by purchasing the fragrance oils and compounds supplied by one of the world's leading perfume houses CPL Aromas plc based in the UK who supply many of the fine fragrances found in department stores and perfume halls across the world.

The fragrance computer program is a complex piece of software capable of defining many millions of combinations of compounds. The program is now highly developed and is copyrighted to fragrance for you. The advantage of using the computer program is that it has brought the possibility of having your own fragrance design delivered in a classic style bottle named with the wearer's name and even a photograph to everyone. No longer the province of the rich and famous the computer designs are there for everyone to use and enjoy.

Fred Parker is CEO of fragrance for you Limited, http://www.fragranceforyou.com a company based in Kettering UK which offers personalized fragrances for Individuals, Internet entrepreneurs, Corporations and as Wedding Favors worldwide. Andriette Blog56677
Brynna Blog14533

Plasma, LCD Or CRT? Your Choice, Your Computer Monitor

We all know that computers have changed our lives. The technology is growing rapidly and at the end of every single year there is some thing more advanced version in the older version(just a year older). Since the mid-nineties, many of us have become accustomed to the home computer. We may have started with those dinosaur-looking desktop computers monitors that came with space consuming towers like television size monitors. But certainly, things have advanced over the last decade Computer monitors have stayed pretty much the same for a long time. The traditional CRT technology has been the standard for computer monitors ever since computers advanced to the point where they could display graphics. Processors have gotten thousands of times faster, hard drives thousands of times bigger, RAM memory thousands of times more efficient, but computer monitors have been basically the same old crap for decades. Dont get me wrong, computer monitors have certainly gotten better, but in !
am talking about the basic technology behind them which hasnt improved much. That has all changed recently, and computer monitors have finally at least partly caught up to the advances with computers in general.

When you buy a computer you have a number of options. But when it comes to the monitors you still have the first option is still the CRT or Cathode Ray Tube, monitors. Even though there are better technologies available now, CRT monitors should not be completely overlooked. Even today, in the middle of the 2006 the CRT computers are available at a cheaper rate. And most of the people who prefer to buy a computer at a affordable price will buy the CRT monitors .It is true that these computer monitors does not suffer from some of the bugs that the newer technologies are sometimes prone to. Also, CRT monitors are supposed to have the fastest response time. There are few drawbacks of the CRT monitors. Their large size as compared to the new LCD monitors and they generally require more power and have a poorer picture quality compared to the newer technologies.

LCD, or Liquid Crystal Display, monitors are much smaller, require less power, and provide a sharper, clearer image compared to CRTs .LCD displays are making serious inroads into the computer monitor market, and not without good reason. Now a days, LCD displays have already become the standard for the laptop computer monitors, and it is only a matter of time before they become the standard for desktops as well. Although they are more expensive than CRTs, the price tags on LCD monitors are rapidly dropping. Now and affordable LCD is not unimaginable.

Now its the time for Plasma. The latest computer monitor. Plasma display is now another option you have if youre looking for a computer monitor .Plasma displays are the high-end technology of computer monitors, and carry a heft price tag. They offer a superior picture quality capable of resolutions far greater than CRT or LCD equivalents, and are capable of displaying high definition graphics. Plasma display technology, while improving, still suffers from a number of bugs and an overall short life span, but if youve got the money to spare, they are certainly worth a look! So after have a fair idea of the computer monitors have you decided which one do you want on your computer table? So go ahead and get it today.

Luke Cameron is owner of eComputers Mag - an online magazine offering news, tips and articles on Computer related topics. His website can be found at: http://www.ecomputersmag.com and http://www.computercubicle.com.Calli Blog62864
Bobbee Blog54375

Why Kids Who Play Chess Outperform Their Classmates - Part I

Success at the strategy board game chess has long been considered an activity requiring superior mental abilities. What is becoming increasingly clear, however, is that chess can be used as a valuable tool to help develop various cognitive skills, especially in school-aged children.

This is the first in a three-part article that will present some scientific research about the value of chess in improving skills in traditional educational fields such as mathematics, science and language.

Several scientific studies have been published investigating the area of pattern recognition and recall between individuals of varying chess ability, ranging from master to novice. Evidence has shown that chess playing ability correlates strongly with recall of typical chess positions. When the chess pieces are arranged in random order, no such correlation exists. This indicates that memory is closely linked to the structure and relevance of the subject being recalled, and that the experienced chess player searches for familiar patterns and ideas.

Other studies have dealt with the more important issue of skill transference and the use of chess in facilitating the development of thinking and reasoning skills in children.

Christiaen Study

A study performed in Belgium in 1975 (later translated into English) was part of the doctoral thesis of Johan Christiaen ("Chess and Cognitive Development", 1976). He studied a group of 40 students for a two year period as they progressed through grades five and six to determine if chess playing could enhance their cognitive development. Much of this study focused on testing the theories of renown child psychologist Jean Piaget - in particular, his theories on cognitive development. Piaget holds that an intellectual maturation occurs between the ages of approximately 11 and 15. During this stage, the child moves beyond physical trial and error and begins hypothesizing and deducing, developing more complex logic and judgment. In Piaget's terms, the youngster moves from the "concrete" stage to the "formal" stage of intellectual development.

In Christiaen's study, half of the students were given chess instruction after school, while the other half received none. Several tests were conducted to evaluate the cognitive transition to formal operational thought processes from the preceding level of concrete operational thought processes. When the students were tested for this transition, slight but not significant improvement was seen in the group receiving chess instruction. However, significant improvement in academic performance at the end of each of the two years of the study (end of grade 5 and grade 6) was noted for the chess group in comparison to the non-chess group. Clearly, the group receiving instruction in chess had somehow gained an academic advantage over the control group not receiving chess instruction.

To read about more evidence on how chess can improve your children's scholastic abilities, check out the next part of this article series, entitled "Why kids who play chess outperform their classmates - part II".

Robert Sasata is a chess coach with over 20 years of teaching experience and has been master ranked chess player for even longer. To learn how to play chess and more about this intellect-enriching board game please visit http://www.rules-of-chess.comArabele Blog67267
Ailee Blog45226

Continuing a Higher Education Online

When it comes to gaining a higher education, online opportunities are quickly becoming one of the most popular options around. If it's not the user friendly features of online learning, then it's the cost effective aspects that appeal to the average working adult. This is the person who is greatly interested in the benefits that come from a higher education, just not the rigid schedules and the pricey tuitions that tend to go with it. The benefits of online learning go beyond time and cost to offer a sense of accomplishment once the new Associate's, Bachelor's or Master's degree is in hand.

With technology consistently changing the shape of the landscape of nearly everything, the history of e-Learning has evolved and continues to evolve into great legitimacy in the world of education. While conventional classrooms still have their place, the virtual classroom is seeing more and more students each year. With the accreditation of online schools offering not only a number of degrees and qualifications, the opportunity for financial aid also makes online venues even more attractive. For some, there is just no beating the practical experience one receives in online degree programs. This is especially true when career advancement hangs in the balance.

Whether opting for a particular qualification or needing to get a general education online, prospective students will find just the right courses they need in almost every subject. For some, online education can offer a chance to either broaden horizons or narrow down career options. Selecting a variety of subjects can help define a career path when a student finds they gravitate more toward certain subjects more than others. Often, online credits are considered transferable and can help in achieving one's degree.

It is doubtful that distance learning could have ever reached the level of effectiveness that it has without the help of the internet. Though this type of learning has been in place for a great number of years, it is the information superhighway that has changed the face of education from a distance forever. Where students waited weeks and months for correspondence from distant universities, one now merely needs to take a few seconds to log on to their virtual campus to get assignments. The virtual learning environment provides not only learning tools but collaborative software featuring such options as chat, discussion boards and even audio-conferencing. This can make long distance learning seem like anything but.

The advent of computer-based testing allows for students to gauge their skills and focus attention right where they need it. This leads to another bonus in the world of online education in the form of handy online tutoring. Students will find that supplemental learning options are readily available to those who may need the extra help from time to time. Many have come to realize that the only way to get around the frustration that sometimes comes with learning new skills is understanding the material better.

Most online programs generally consist of CBT (computer-based training), WBT (web-based training), interactive media, educational animation and a whole slew of other types of educational technology. Rapidly improving technology continues to develop these features at every turn, making online learning more and more efficient. Learning management software allows students to take control of their education and organize it right down to the specifics of career planning using ePortflios.

Of all the things the internet has proven itself to be useful for, online and distance learning continue to make their appearance at the very top of the list. The ability to cut across the distances in the blink of an eye and share common information also crosses the borders of the amazing. Every new technological enhancement ensures there will be no stopping the world of continuing education.

Steven Ross owns and operates http://www.highereducationonlinereport.com Visit His Site To Read Many More Articles About Higher Education OnlineBenedikta Blog78245
Blisse Blog61234

Precast Concrete Fencing Improves the Quality of Your Home

There are few things that can help you justify a home's attraction from the outside, and precast concrete fencing (http://www.artisanprecast.com/concretefencewallsblog/) is one of them. Standing tall and firm, concrete fencing gives homes a decorative design while allowing homeowners to complement any home style. With hundreds of styles and designs to choose from, precast concrete fencing is the way to go.

Concrete fencing is made of modular components, which allows it to be manufactured and fit for any yard. It is this type of versatility that has made it so quickly adopted across the United States. Whether you are looking for a mid-size fence or fencing to spread across the perimeter of the yard, there are many possibilities from which to make your choice.

Many other types of fencing are generic and bland, which makes this quality and type of fencing a beauty. It is customizable, giving you the ability to select the color that suits your house best. Not only is the color customizable, but the design can be customized to match already existing architectural structures.

Because of how precast concrete fencing is constructed, it can also protect your home from any kind of fire dangers. If your home is in an area that experiences high seasonal fire risks, this type of fencing can be a real boon to the safety of your home. If you look at popular home magazines like Fine Homebuilding (http://www.magmall.com/prod-FHB01.htm) you will get an idea of how good of an idea it is to have this type of protective fencing.

As for the maintenance that you have to take care of precast concrete fencing, there is little to none necessary to keep it in optimal condition. There is no painting or staining generally like other kinds of fencing require. This can take a load of labor off of your back while still allowing you to confidently stand next to your house. You will also find that this fencing does not pit, corrode, splinter, rust, peel or crack.

After all of these benefits, what is amazing is that they are considerably less in pricing compared to other kinds of fencing. With just a fair amount of labor and maintenance required and a plethora of options to choose from, precast concrete fencing is a great way to protect your home and add design at the same time.

Craig Lewis is CEO of Artisan Precast, Inc., the innovation and customer-care leader in concrete fence walls (http://www.artisanprecast.com) and high quality fences to assure the efficient execution of your landscape project. Since 1982, their fence brands - Woodcrete, Brickcrete, Fencestone, Cedarcrete and Woodcrete Rail,- have become widely accepted by architects, landscape designers, engineers, residential, commercial and industrial developers, utility companies, government agencies, and others in the construction industry.Astrid Blog77896
Amity Blog87722

Good Search Engine Ranking

So you want to rank well on Google? Who doesnt?

Search engines have become a lot smarter from when websites first hit the market. You cant repeat the same keywords over hundreds of times like you used to. Google and other search engines will see you as a spammer and ban your website from the engine. People used to trick search engines with gimmicks and tons of computer generated incoming links. This means, your website actually has to be a use to people in order to get ranked well.

So now you are asking yourself, if I dont need gimmicks to get me ranked, what do I need? Money, right? No! You dont need money either. When people use search engines, they dont just type in something random. They type something specific, something that they are looking for. So when your website has quality and unique content, that is what will get you ranked well. When your content is unique, it makes it stand out from the crowed and found easier. Lets say you are looking for a salt water fish tank, you arent just going to search "Pet Supplies" or "Aquariums". You are going to search exactly what you are looking for, "Salt Water Fish Tanks." Makes sense right? Same premise for your Meta tag keywords, if your company is selling fish tanks, you keywords may include, "Fish Tanks", "Salt Water Fish Tanks", "Fish Supplies," "Home Aquariums." See how it all works now?

Your website or company depends greatly on search engines such as Google and Yahoo. Yes people are going to find out about your website via word of mouth, but not everyone is looking for the same thing. For example, if I were to find baseball spikes, I wouldnt go tell my friend who plays tennis. I am going to tell people who play baseball. My point is that while word of mouth works and is great, it is very slow. By having your website optimized correctly to be found on the internet makes it easy to be found, found very fast. So more baseball players will find the spikes they are looking for and buy them from your site.

Let me guess, you just had a website made? Looks pretty good, full of graphics, maybe some flash and just enough content for your customers see what you are all about. Am I right so far? While those websites arent great, they do get the job done, but they arent helping you at all. Websites with a lot of flash and imagery are never really good. No you scroll up and look at my website. Was I right? While my website does have a lot of images, it is well balanced by my content. Search engines cannot read images or flash. They cant read those floating JavaScript menus or the menus that move up and down as you scroll. They may look nice, but they will not help your rank with search engines. Search engines need to be able to go through your website and follow your navigation from page to page. Search engines never forget, they store your information in their databases and index your pages so that when someone is searching they can see your information displayed. Without text there is nothing to index, images and flash cannot be indexed which means they cannot be found by your potential customers. Heres a free tip, a general rule of thumb, every page on your website should have a minimum of 200 characters of text. Its better if its content that is unique, unique means it will stick out from the crowd and found easier because it is original.

Now youve learned a little about how search engines work and what they look for. On to exploring the few vital things you can do for your website other than avoiding what we already talked about in the above paragraph.

# Meta Tags Key words for finding your site, descriptions that will show on search engines.

# Title Tags The text that shows up in the top left of your browsers windows.

# HTML Coding Good, clean HTML coding, none of that extra stuff FrontPage tosses in.

# HTML Navigation Text navigation, simple for the search engine to follow, simple for your clients to read.

# Affiliation Search engines love to see link exchanges. Links to higher ranked pages may in turn help your rank.

# Keyword Focused Content The more words in your text that people search for, the easier your site is to find.

Lets talk about IMDb.com, I know they arent selling anything, but they are huge. Their website is pretty simple, no large images throwing your eyes away from content. Clean HTML coding, HTML navigation, very focused content. As far as their website goes, its very easy for the developers to generate a page when a new movie comes out. All they have to do is throw in the content and update the page. IMDb has thousands of pages, which search engines also like to see. The more pages your website has the more important it looks to them. That is when you search something related to movies; IMDb is going to show up as one of the top contenders. Not to mention how long they have been around and their reputation for having so much unique content. Search engines also like to the age of the website, the older the website, the better. To them, if the page has been around for awhile then people must like it and it must offer some pretty good information.

If you or your company specializes in more then one thing, it will be a little bit harder for you get achieve good rankings in more then one field. If you are specialized in unique fields it may be a little easier on you. If you are a web designer or into computer graphics, it is going to be a lot more of a competitive market for you. Anyways, back to your company, it will probably be in your best interest to try and rank in one specific field instead of all of them. So if you sell tools, hardware, but the market is too competitive for hammers and screwdrivers try and rank for drills or wrenches. Something else in your market that is popular, but not as competitive.

I know all of this sounds good, if you can get it all to work to your advantage, great. But if you are not the type of person to do all of this for yourself and you need to hire someone, there is going to be money involved. For someone to get the whole package like we have been talking about it is going to cost a lot of money, but it doesnt have to. You are already at a web designers website that specializes in all of the above. I am only a small freelance designer, but I do big projects without the cost of corporate firms. If you are interested in my services and already have a website, send me an email with your existing URL and tell me what problems you have been having or what you would like to accomplish. If you are looking for the entire package head over to the contact page fill out the form.

I hoped you learned something by reading this and if you skipped down to the end, head back up to the top. Its a lot to remember, but if you can apply it, you may see more traffic. Keep in mind, all of this is not going to happen over night. Search engines index pages at different times, if you dont see anything different after two weeks, try submitting your page manually.

Chris LowdenBarb Blog82843
Aggy Blog50436

Throwing A Fantasy Football Draft Party

When a bunch of guys get together to talk football usually all you need to keep everyone happy is pizza and beer. But, since it actually involves work, a successful fantasy football draft party has a few more important parts.

Set up a large space with enough seating for everyone in your league. Comfortable seating like recliners or couches is a plus, but kitchen chairs will do in a pinch. If you're planning to seat your members in a living room or den rather than at a table, provide clipboards to serve as writing surfaces. Be aware that some of your members may arrive with laptop computers so providing work surfaces like portable tables is a good idea. Of course you'll also need adequate outlets nearby in case anyone needs to plug in.

Collect enough pencils for everyone in your league plus a few extras. Someone always shows up with nothing to write with. Small pads for taking notes can also be helpful. Print out enough draft sheets for each member, being sure to make a few extras.

Music, while an important part of a normal party, should be turned off or kept very low so that members can hear one another's selections. If your draft day coincides with a pre-season game, keep the sound turned off so that people can watch but not get distracted by the play-by-play.

If you have members who are unable to make the draft in person, you will need to set up either a conference call or an instant messaging session so that they can make their selections. Consider using a landline for your conference call since cell phones may lose the connection at a critical moment. Agree ahead of time what instant messaging software you will use and test your connection before everyone arrives.

Pre-order your food and decide when you'll have it delivered. Because some leagues are large enough that the draft lasts all day, some hosts like to provide food throughout their party, starting with breakfast and ending with lunch and snacks. Small leagues might consider taking a break halfway through the draft to have lunch. Finger foods like sandwiches or pizza are easy to eat while working. Load up a cooler with beer, soda and ice and bring it into the draft room. That way, members won't miss out on the action going back and forth to the refrigerator.

Jonathon Hardcastle writes articles for http://footballorbust.com/ - In addition, Jonathon also writes articles for http://recreationandmore.com/ and http://igamerscorner.com/.Cally Blog39383
Arlen Blog38800

Biography Term Paper

As the word biography indicate, is about the life of the person that you are about to write. To start to write a biography term paper, you must first determine the person that you ought to write about. To determine that again, you must somehow have some interest in the person before you start to dig into their lives.

Interest is important. A biography term paper means more than just documenting the impersonal facts like birth, education, work, relationships and death of a person. A biography develops a complex analysis of personality, highlighting different aspects of it and including intimate details of experiences.

Biography term paper was meant to highlights those historical figures or someone important. But in the world today, biography is no longer about documenting some one important or famous. Your biography term paper can also be about someone that collided with your life at some point that you feel oblige to introduce certain aspect of the person to the others.

So, to write a biography term paper, you must first get know about the person. Start to do a thorough research about the person. Read about the person in every (if there is any). You might even think of doing some interviews with the people around the person. The thorough research would help to learn about every aspect of the person life before you start to dig into writing about the persons biography term paper.

After enough research, you might need to start thinking about which aspect of the person life that you would your biography term paper to focus on. Whether you would like to do research based on certain period on time, or based on their personal, professional or their private aspects. It is, indeed, almost impossible to try to research on the whole life of the person. When you had finally made up your mind, focus your term paper on the component. In order to make your effort worthwhile and interesting, try to choose the component about the person that are not yet been told.

Writing a biography term paper can be quite an experience, because you get to the once in the life time chances to explore the inner world of the person that you are about to write about. Yet, the challenging part for the writers might be to transmit their passion they have about the person to the reader. Many of the biography would start with the chronological order. Most of the time the facts could appear to be quite dry. It is up to the writers to think of ways to make it interesting the readers.

One way to do it is try to analyze and interpret the persons life. A writer would usually try to find some sort of connections in events of the person that are about to write about. They then try to explain the meaning of unexpected actions and make arguments about the significance of the persons accomplishments or life activists. Most of the time, writing a biography term paper can be a life journey for the writer to not to explore or study about other, but at the same time get to explore and study own self.

Sharon White is a senior writer and writers consultant at Term Papers writing.Alisha Blog535
Cassey Blog30146

4 Things To Consider When Applying To College

When applying for college, do you only think about what you're going to do when you get there? Or do you think about what the college is going to do for you? Applying for college isn't just about fun and games, it's about picking the right college; the college that will help you succeed. So the next time you sit down to fill out those college applications, keep these four tips in mind:

1. Goals.

How often have you heard friends wish theyd gone to a different college? A college that was more suited to their interests and dreams and not their checkbook? A big mistake is to assume that every college has what youre looking for. Take the time to research the colleges youre interested in and rank them by academics: courses, degrees, accreditations, and the ability to transfer and further your education.

2. Interests.

As much you want an education, if its not fun and exciting, youre sure to stop attending classes. So the next thing on your list to rank is interests: what are the teachers like? Do they make class fun and interesting or do they simply read from a list of notes in a monotone voice?

3. Extra-curricular Activities.

Lets face it, no college would be complete without fraternities, sporting events, clubs, and so forth. But what you need to keep in mind is how these events and clubs will benefit you in the future. Will they look good on your resume? Will they provide additional skills? Or are they simply a fun way to get distracted?

4. Financing.

No matter what your list says, the final ranking truly does come down to finances. If you dont have the funds to attend college, youll need scholarships, grants, and student loans. Make sure your college admissions officer understands how these programs work so that you get the best deal possible.

The Institute of Allied Medical Professions, also known as IAMP, has an established record for turning out some of the best medical students in the country. To learn more about IAMPs medical schools, our courses, or the industry visit our blog at http://iampedu.blogspot.com/ or our main website at http://iamp.edu Alix Blog66276
Cecil Blog24844

Which Tool to Use for Listening to Your Audio Books?

The beauty with audio books is that you have more than one option for listening to them.

For those of us who like to be given lots of options for doing certain things instead of being forced to adapt to just one choice, you definitely have lots of options for listening to your audio book.

If you are someone who likes listening while seated on your favorite couch or seated on your desk, listening to your audio book on your cassette tape player (if the audio book is in audiocassette format, of course) is the option for you.

But if you have a desktop or laptop computer, you might prefer listening to your audio book from here.

Most PCs have Digital Audio Players for playing audio books. If your PC doesn't have any (very unlikely), you can still download them completely free on the Internet. The 2 best digital audio players that you can download free from the Internet include:

RealOne Player: It can be downloaded from their website:-
http://www.Real.com

Windows Media Player: It can also be downloaded from their website:-
http://www.Microsoft.com

But if you would rather listen to your audio book while doing your household chores, dancing, exercising, jogging, commuting to and from work, etc, then you would need portable audio playback devices that you can carry around and listen to, preferably with earphones.

With the ever expanding market of portable audio playback devices, it goes to show that more and more people are now using them, because of the wonderful benefits they provide.

The most common form of these portable audio playback devices are the normal audio CD players or CD-ROM devices. You can carry these around with you while you do your household chores, exercise, jog or commute to and from work.

The more advanced form of these portable audio playback devices for playing audio books, especially those for listening to downloadable audio books, include:

-- Audio-ready PDAs (Personal Digital Assistants). Some of these PDAs include Casio CASSIOPEIA and Compaq iPAQ. Both can be pretty expensive, costing as much as about $500 for the Compaq iPAQ and about $400 for the Casio CASSIOPEIA.

-- Compatible Portable Audio Players. Some of these include the Creative's NOMAD Jukebox 3 and the SONICblue's Rio 900. These are cheaper than PDAs. For example, you can get the SONICblue's Rio 900 for about $250 from sites such as Sonicblue.com

Finally, like I said at the start of this article, whatever tool you decide to use in listening to your audio books will depend largely on "how" you prefer listening to your audio books.

For example, for the "young and restless" teenagers they can't do without the PDAs. I bet you wouldn't too if you were their age, right? But for the "aged and rusty" who just prefer the ease of being seated on their favorite couch, nothing can be better than listening to their favorite audio books from their "good old" cassette tape player!

Juliette Lee is the editor and CEO of MyAudioCompanion.com. To find the best audio book titles, please visit http://www.myaudiocompanion.com. Sell audio books from your website and make 20%.Calley Blog37390
Brandi Blog85035

Dog Agility Equipment - New Mini Contacts And Mini Jumps

Dog Agility competitions are seen frequently on television. The eyes of most pet owners have seen this amazing sport and would some how like their dog to be introduced to the equipment for fun and for exercise. The competition size equipment may be larger than the pet owner needs or wants to invest in so, many are introducing their dog to mini equipment.

Mini-agility equipment still provides lots of mental and physical stimulation to your dog, but without bulk of competition sized equipment. Almost all types of obstacles are made in a mini size. There are mini-A-frames, mini-dog walks, mini-teeters, mini-tire jumps, mini-jumps, mini-tables, and mini-weaves.

The mini-A-frame can be in different sizes, but is often made with two, 4-foot sides, instead of two, 8-foot sides. Mini-dog walks are often made with three, five-foot planks instead of three 12-foot planks. Similar is the mini-teeter, made from a five-foot plank instead of a 12-foot plank. These changes in size make shipping and delivery easier and less costly.

Mini equipment is safer for the beginner handler and dog because the equipment is lower to the ground. Dogs and puppies can learn and use the equipment with greater ease and confidence.

In addition to pet owners, breeders, kennel owners, and dog parks are purchasing mini-agility equipment. Breeders purchase mini equipment to stimulate their puppies mentally and physically. Some breeders add railings to their dog-walk for added puppy protection. Kennel and Doggie Day Care owners use the equipment to keep their clients happy and busy all day long. Dog parks are selecting mini-equipment because it is safer to use by the untrained owner.

Competition agility owners are also selecting mini-equipment for training specific behaviors, using them as training aids, and for indoor training in the wintertime. A contact trainer is a combination of a mini A-frame side attached to a pause table with a mini-dog walk plank attached to the opposite side. Agility competitors often use this apparatus for back chaining their contact behavior.

Brad Carlson is a dog trainer at Agility by Carlson. For more training details, visit our website at http://www.carlson-agility.com/Ardene Blog57268
Arlyn Blog5615

My Christmas Shopping is Done...Avoid Holiday Stress by Stealing My Tips

Yes, once again Ive crossed off every last person on my Christmas shopping list before Halloween. Mom, Dad, Grandma, brother Steve, brother Jason, kids, nieces, nephews, even bus drivers, schoolteachers and the mailman. Ive stockpiled hostess gifts, stocking suffers and a few random presents for those surprise exchanges that pop up every holiday. Everythings already wrapped and tagged. Come December, Ill be relaxing in a hot bath with a good book while the rest of the world scrambles to amass ratchet sets, bezel set diamond studs and the latest Tickle Me Elmo.

Why not join me? Besides the smug satisfaction youll enjoy from getting your holiday shopping out of the way early, youll get to actually appreciate the parties, the cookie baking, the egg nog, the mistletoeeven the relativeswithout guilt.

So howd I do it already? With a little advanced planning. You can get your Christmas shopping done early too, if you follow my lead. Here are my secrets:

Nine Christmas shopping tips (Hanukkah shopping tips too) to make the holidays easier:

Make a list. A little advanced planning goes a long way. Just like you do when you go to the grocery store, make a list. This way youll stay focused and finish the task fast. Before you shop, write down who you need to buy for, what you plan to spend and any ideas you have in mind based on individual tastes, hobbies, etc. Think: Did they mention a great book they want to read? A piece of jewelry they particularly admire? A movie they want to see? An item of clothing they like? A tool they had to have? A play that looked interesting? If youre stumped, look for gift finders online. Many popular web sites have special holiday gift collections broken down by gender, age, tastes, price, etc. If you want to give something truly memorable, think back to the truly memorable gifts youve received. My favorites have been a basket full of little things I love, like books, lotions, bath stuff, etc.; a subscription to the New York Times daily crossword puzzle online; a three-course dinner prepared with all my favorite foods, and a gorgeous black baroque pearl bracelet. Think back to gifts youve given that have been a hit. What were they? Who enjoyed them?

Shop online. This is the best tip of all. Once I got a computer, holiday shopping was no longer a chore I dreaded. It actually became a breeze. Doing your Christmas shopping online saves time, money (with gas prices being what they are) and legwork. Best of all you dont even have to get out of your pajamas. I can breeze through my entire list in under an hour, I have most everything within a week, and its delivered right to my door. And dont worry about security: Shopping online is safer than shopping in stores. Far more credit card numbers are stolen in your presence by waiters, clerks, etc. than are stolen by hackers and phishers.

Narrow your list of sites. Over the years Ive narrowed down my holiday shopping web sites to a few great e-tailers I use over and over. Some let me save my information in a password protected format so I just log in and shop. Once my shopping cart is full, I dont have to retype my name and address, or the addresses I ship to. One caveat: Dont store credit card data. Even though its probably not going to happen, hackers can and do steal your information. Best to retype your credit card number each time to be on the safe side.

The best news about site loyalty is that many sites offer incentives to repeat buyers. One 20% coupon can go a long way toward shaving your holiday gift budget!

Use e-tailers that have something for most everyone. I have one online jewelry site I shop at over and over because they have something for most everyone on my list. Last year I shopped for all the women on my Christmas shopping list in one 20-minute sitting. I got a trendy gemstone ring for my niece; a classic pearl necklace for my goddaughter, an inexpensive but high-quality pearl bracelet for my sons teachers, a pearl pendant for my friend and a pearl jewelry set for my mother. Shopping in one place made it easy to manage my task. I printed my receipt at the end and had a great reference for what I bought and what I still needed to buy.

Search for sites that offer free shipping. Pretty self-explanatory. Shipping can add a lot of hidden and surprising costs to your holiday budget. There are plenty of sties that offer free shipping regularly, and still more that use free shipping to entice holiday shoppers. Search for free shipping coupons on Google or at great coupon sites like couponcabin.com. Sometimes youll find a money-saving code that wasnt obvious on the site.

Search for sites that offer free gifts. This is my favorite tip. Free gifts with certain dollar amounts purchased can save you big bucks. For example, the site I work for offers free pearl stud earrings with purchases over $150. Buy a few presents and youve earned a high quality, free gift to give to someone else on your list or save for yourself.

Always check return policies. Generous return policies are a must for early holiday shoppers. This tip is especially important if youre buying a gift in October that your recipient might want to return or exchange in January. You dont want them to get burned if they only have 30 days to return an item. Look for 90 day return policies at least, and make a note of sites that dont appear to have helpful customer service or easily accessible contact information. You dont want to spend your money at sites that make it difficult for you to contact them after the sale.

Click the gift wrapping option. E-tailers that dont gift-wrap get crossed off my list. Why? Gift-wrapping is time-consuming and expensive. Christmas wrapping paper is about three bucks or more a roll; bows can be a dollar each, and youve got tags and tape, not to mention the time involved to crease perfectly wrinkle-free corners or get the wrapping on that oblong-shaped doll just right. Plus, like me, your might not be very good at it. At $3-$5 per gift, which is what the sites I shop at typically charge, it pays to have items gift-wrapped. Shopping online saves you money on gas, why not put that toward wrapping? Just make sure to have gifts tagged if youve ordered multiple gifts for multiple people or youll have a lot of unwrapping and rewrapping to do.

For last minute stuff, such as miscellaneous stocking stuffers and office grab bag gifts, I grab items at places where I already shop regularly, like the grocery store. Poke around and you can find great books, gift cards, beer, candy, mugs, even office supplies, art supplies, puzzles and flowers. Another great idea is a magazine subscription. (With a monthly subscription, your gift will keep on giving 12 times a year.) Hey, you have to grocery shop regularly anyway. Why not grab what you need there rather than make a special trip? Then you can do like I do and not make one extra trip or spend more than an hour on your holiday shopping, including the gift wrapping.

Ready to take back the holidays from the retailers and celebrate what these special days are really about? I find it far more satisfying to celebrate my spirituality and spend time with family and friends rather than waste my valuable time at some overcrowded mall with crabby, stressed out shoppers. Why not join me this holiday?

A graduate of the Gemological Institute of Americas Graduate Pearls program, Amy Drescher is a fashion writer and accessories buyer for http://www.moonriverpearls.com. She welcomes your comments and questions. Reach her at adrescher@moonriverpearls.com.Ariel Blog31543
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Plastic Adirondack Chairs - There Are Advantages

Truthfully, no one wants to be hosting a barbeque or outdoor gathering with a bunch of cheap and gaudy lawn furniture adorning the yard. Not only is this smack of desperation or some pathological penny-pinching only a streak but cheap lawn or deck furniture can literally make the entire exterior of your beautiful home seem trite or even comical. Still, there simply is not always room in the budget for some premium teak outdoor furniture andwell, guests need to sit somewhere! While quality-made plastic Adirondack chairs may seem like an oxymoron, you may be surprised at just how well these stately pieces of lawn furniture can actually ADD value to your home and impress friends and family alike.

Most of us are aware that Adirondack chairs are typically made from woods such as cedar or pine which is part of the reason why they make such excellent choices for decks, patios, and other exterior areas. The Adirondack chair was in fact originally designed as an outdoor piece of furniture and was a very popular choice for cabins, lake retreats, and other recreational facilities. However, with wood prices continuing to escalate, quality-made plastic Adirondack chairs have become a very popular and logical alternative to the traditional wooden chairs.

New-age plastic Adirondack chairs are actually made of very durable materials that provide both durability and quality. One of the biggest advantages in buying a plastic Adirondack chair is the fact that color and texture are uniform throughout. While Adirondack furniture made from wood will necessarily wear and reveal places where nicks, scratches or similar damage may have occurredthis is not a problem with plastic and the chair or lounger will remain in pristine condition for years to come.

Now one of the major and very reasonable objections to any type of plastic furniture, let alone Adirondack pieces, is the weight. We have all had experiences or know of examples when a storm blew plastic lawn furniture all over the place. At best, this is an inconvenience and you will need to chase patio chairs and the like all over the place. In many cases, the plastic furniture is damaged and will need to be replaced.

With premium plastic Adirondack chairs, however, this is not a concern. In most cases, the weight of the plastic furniture is comparable to wooden pieces and thus there is little chance for anything to blow away or get damaged. In truth, quality plastic Adirondack chairs are every bit as durable and reliable as the originals but at lowered cost so you can truly adorn your outdoor space in style and comfort.

Jesse Akre, owner of numerous outdoor furniture, patio furniture, and home decor websites, makes it easy to find quality painted http://www.eadirondackstyle.com/painted-adirondack-chairs.html and Patio Furniture . Learn how to decorate your outdoor patio and garden in style - Click to satisfy your garden furniture needs: http://www.eadirondackstyle.com/.Anica Blog92461
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What is the Aging Male Syndrome?

As men get older, they begin to notice all kinds of changes with their bodies. Many have gained a few extra pounds around their waist, they are fatigued, and their interest in sex takes a nosedive. In the past, all this was attributed to the natural aging process. However, recent studies have shown that every one of the above symptoms is an indicator of a clinical deficiency brought on by abnormal low levels of testosterone which is referred to as Aging Male Syndrome.

As men age, their testosterone levels do lower, this is a gradually process that takes several years. It does however result in male hypogonadism, which is called Andropause. Yes, this is male menopause. It is not a myth; it is a real health problem for many men over the age of 40.

Symptoms of Andropause include low energy, loss of sex drive, problems with memory, and depression. As Andropause progresses many men begin to have other health problems such as osteoporosis, ill health, dementia, heart problems, circulatory problems and falls. Circulatory problems can lead to or actually contribute to erectile dysfunction. If you look at women as they enter into menopause and what happens to their bodies with lower estrogen levels you should be able to comprehend that men with lower testosterone levels will have similar health problems.

It is believed that Aging Male Syndrome could be the missing or hidden link for mens overall health. It could be the contributing factor for several serious health conditions such as osteoporosis, depression, heart disease, and diabetes. Yes, every man as they age will begin to have lower testosterone levels, but many do not realize the difference between a natural decline and low testosterone levels. The low levels that are apparent with Aging Male Syndrome are real medical concerns for men.

In the United States, research on the effects of aging in males is way behind where it should be. This could be from the male ego that does not allow them to consider the fact that Andropause is in fact a real problem. The male ego keeps them thinking that all their problems, health and psychological, are just part of the normal aging process. Other countries have stepped up the pace and realized that both men and women go through an aging process that can lead to health problems and have done something to bring attention to the Aging Male Syndrome and Andropause. In Europe, the European Menopause Society recently changed their name to The European Menopause & Andropause Society. In Canada, they have an organization for men exclusively known as the Canadian Andropause Society. There are other organizations found in Australia and the United Kingdom, however, no such organization or society exist in the United States even though around ten million men in America are affected.

More should be done to give information to men across the country that their symptoms such as erectile dysfunction, tiredness, depression, weakness, and loss of sex drive could be due to low testosterone and could be treated.

Kelly Moore runs a respected natural male enhancement site, featuring review of top-rated penis enlargement pill brands and other penis enlargement products that are currently in the market. Check her site at: http://www.natural-penis-enlargment.com Allyson Blog45580
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Hair Loss In Women, More Common Than You Think

Hair loss for women is not something you hear much about, but in reality there are many women of all ages suffering the emotional agony of hair loss.

Whether you are 20 or 60, hair loss seems to start suddenly and the panic and anxiety associated with it can be devastating. It is relatively acceptable for men to walk around with bald spots or even no hair, but for women, there is no justice in it. It is not socially acceptable for women to have hair loss.

After the initial shock, you are faced with, well, what am I going to do now?

Well, the first thing to do is educate yourself. There are many reasons why women can experience hair loss.

- Birth control pills can lead to hair loss in some women due to the hormonal changes that occur. It can happen when youve begun taking the pills or after you have stopped taking them.

- Women who have just had a baby can experience hair loss shortly after the birth or a few months later. This is because during pregnancy, estrogen levels increase and the normal shedding of hair does not necessarily take place until the hormones level out and then a mass shedding begins. This is temporary and should sort it self out on its own.

- Thyroid problems are one of the main causes of hair loss in women. If you have an under active or over active thyroid, women can experience hair loss. A check with you physician can determine if that is the case and steps can be taken to address that problem.

- Diet can be a cause of hair loss. Whether you are eating a high calorie diet that has few actual nutrients, or you are literally starving your self over a long period of time, your body will be deficient in the nutrients it needs for proper body function. Hair loss in this case can be a symptom of other things going on with your body as well.

To maintain hair health it needs vitamins and minerals. Zinc and iron deficiencies have been linked to hair loss. Hair also needs protein, specifically, amino acids. There are many amino acids but the nine essential amino acids are crucial to hair growth. To help with hair growth, women can also supplement with herbs such as, rosemary, sage and saw palmetto.

There are effective over the counter hair growth products such as Minoxidil that jump start your hair growth while you are correcting what is causing the hair loss.

Hair loss can be devastating but finding the correct cause and treating it from the inside and out, one can have a full head of hair. Be patient, educated and determined to correct it.

Willie Jones is a freelance writer and researcher whos dedicated in bringing information on health related issues. Visit our site and get updated on advancements in hair restoration. http://www.drrobertjoneshaircare.com.Austina Blog80033
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A Guide to Buying a Property in Estonia

Overview

On first blush, many investors who are interested in putting money in foreign real estate might flip past Estonia without giving it any thought. Indeed, historically Estonia has not been a country in which foreign nationals have been active in the real estate market. In point of fact, for a significant portion of the history of Estonia, foreign ownership of real estate was prohibited for tightly and highly regulated.

Of course, one of the primary reasons that foreign investors have not been active in the Estonian real estate market historically is the fact that through much of its history, Estonia has been occupied or controlled by other nations.

Over the course of the past decade, as Estonia has gained its independence, the government has worked to liberalize the laws governing the ownership and sales of real estate in that country. This has included opening the door wider to more foreign investment in real estate in Estonia.

While there has not been a rush of foreign nationals buying real estate in Estonia as of this point in time, there is a steady stream of these people buying real estate in different locations in Estonia. Industry analysts believe that the number of people who will invest in Estonian real estate should continue to increase at a steady, but not flooding, pace.

Investment Real Estate

As referenced previously, historically Estonia has not been a country that attracted a great deal of foreign investment in real estate. This is starting to change at this point in time. Thanks to a relaxation of the laws governing foreign investment in real estate, some foreign nationals are taking another look at investing in real estate in Estonia.

In this regard, people who have taken the step of investing in real estate in Estonia are doing so on the gambit that property values in that country will increase as the country becomes more active on the world economic stage. Most analysts believe that this is, in fact, a safe bet.

Primarily, foreign nationals are investing in commercial and residential properties at about an even pace. In many instances, foreign nationals are buying real estate in Estonia and then working to develop it for either commercial or residential purposes. In some areas in the country, foreign nationals have been leading the way in real estate related development projects, particular citizens of European nations.

At the present time, there are no significant restrictions regarding foreign investment in real estate. Again, the government of Estonia has been dedicated to streamlining and liberalizing the real estate sales process -- including for foreign nationals.

Residential Real Estate - Single Family Dwellings

The state of the single family, residential real estate market in Estonia varies significantly depending on what part of the country is being considered. For example, in the larger cities in the country, a more concerted effort is being made to develop new residential properties in single family style. In addition, a more concerted effort is being made to rehab and renovate older single family residential properties in Estonia to bring these properties into the 21st century.

In some instances, older residences that were once designed for single families are now being retrofitted to be used as multiple apartment units. Indeed, many of the newly available apartment units in many of the major urban centers in Estonia are in fact rehabilitated residences that once upon a time housed single families.

In the Estonian countryside, there are some stunning and elegant villas and estates that can be purchased for a moderate price. More often than not, these properties do require some renovation work to bring them into livable condition. Some foreign nationals are becoming involved in rehabbing these properties for resale to others.

Residential Real Estate - Apartments

Apartments have attracted the most significant number of foreign nationals to the real estate market at this point in time. Foreign nationals seem to buying apartments in Estonia for two primary reasons.

First, there is a growing number of foreign nationals who are coming to Estonia to take part in the economic development that is beginning to occur in that country. Consequently, these foreign nationals need and require affordable housing while they are in country. By and large, these foreign nationals have found purchasing an apartment for their time in Estonia to be a solid course to take,

Second, some foreign nationals have taken to purchasing apartments for leasing to other individuals, including other foreign nationals. This includes newly developed apartments as well as older buildings and structures that foreign nationals are purchasing and remodeling for usage as updated apartments. These foreign nationals appear to be turning a decent profit by purchasing and investing in these types of apartments. In addition, more foreign nationals are becoming involved in this types of investment as we move further into the 21st century.

Vacation Real Estate

The vacation real estate market in Estonia is only now on the verge of moving forward. Presently, the tourist trade into Estonia is not one of the most significant industries in that country. However, the government as well as certain elements of the private sector are working to attract more visitors and tourists to Estonia each year.

Some foreign nationals have begun to make modest investments in the vacation real estate market. Some foreign nationals have come together with Estonian nationals to develop apartment complexes and some stand alone residences to be utilized by people traveling to Estonia for holiday purposes.

While most real estate analysts do not anticipate an explosion in the vacation real estate market in the immediate future, these analysts do believe that there will be steady growth in this area which will continue to involve foreign nationals. Indeed, there are some attractive resorts that are now in development in Estonia that should be completed within the coming five years.

Successfully Purchasing Real Estate in Estonia:

Specific Steps to Buying Real Property in Estonia

The process of buying real estate in the Republic of Estonia can seem a bit complicated on the surface. With that said, the government of the Republic of Estonia has worked rather diligently to liberalize and modernize the laws governing the buying and selling of real estate in that country. In this regard, a good deal of effort has been expended making it a bit easier for foreign nationals to buy real estate in Estonia.

There are two primary contracts involved in the sale of real estate in Estonia. Both documents are prepared by a notary. Indeed, in Estonia it is mandatory that a notary be involved in the real estate sales process, that a notary prepare these primary documents. (As an aside, in some instances the notary does not need to prepare these documents his or her self. But, if someone else drafts these documents, the notary is legally required to review them in detail to make sure that they meet the requirements of Estonian law and reflect exactly the agreement that has been made between the parties.)

The initial agreement in the Estonian real estate sales process is the sales-purchase agreement. This agreement is prepared by the notary and is executed by the buyer and the seller once the seller makes an offer on the property that is for sale. Generally speaking, once the oral offer is made by the buyer to the seller, the sales-purchase agreement can be prepared and executed with a period of ten to thirty days (depending on what needs to be included in the agreement itself).

During the period of time between the execution of the sales-purchase agreement and the final agreement in the sales process, the buyer obtains financing and the seller makes certain that the property physically and legally is in a position to be conveyed and transferred to the buyer. In addition, during this interim period, the buyer must pay to the government what is known as a state fee -- which is in the amount of 0.4% of the value of the real estate being sold and purchased.

The final agreement in the real estate sales process in Estonia is entitled the transfer of ownership in real estate agreement or document. When this document is duly executed by the parties, an application is made to the Land Register Office to transfer the ownership of the real estate from the seller to the buyer. In addition, following the filing of this application, a public notice of the change in ownership of the real estate is published in the Official State Gazette, the official publication in Estonia that publishes legal notices of this nature.

In summary, the process of buying real estate in Estonia does include a number of hurdles that seem confusing and complicated on the surface. But, as has been noted, the laws have been modernized and liberalized in recent years. Chances are quite good that the government of Estonia will continue to work to make the real estate laws in that country a bit more user friendly and less cumbersome in the future.

Les Calvert - an authority on overseas property and the Director of http://www.property-abroad.com/estonia has written thousands of articles on Estonia and other popular countries reagrding purchasing overseas property.Celina Blog22967
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