Update That Room!

Hows your decorating budget? Not that good? Not to worry, there are plenty of ways to update any room in your house without breaking the budget.

The first thing to do is try just rearranging the furniture. Its a simple change that might amaze you with its effectiveness. Try taking some of the furniture away from the walls perhaps. You dont have to limit yourself to the basic lines of the walls. Setting the room up at an angle to the walls can sometimes make the room look bigger.

Paint is very affordable, and anther way to freshen up a room. Are your walls still a basic off-white? Try a little color. Many of the medium to lighter shades of brown will go with just about any decor. Alternatively, if you want a brighter color, try painting just one wall for a focus point. Place some nice art on that wall or perhaps family photos, and maybe some of your furniture, and you have something that really stands out.

Hows the carpet? Getting old but you cant afford a replacement? Maybe youre just bored with it but its still in good condition? Bring in an area rug. You can find one that complements what is already in the room. These are most often placed to emphasize the conversation area.

How do your sofa and chairs look? If theyre a little plain, a throw pillow can help. Pillows are also a nice way to bring in a new, complementary color to the room.

What about the lighting? Is the room too dark? How do the lamps themselves look?

Bring a little life to the room with real or silk plants. A little nature in the room almost never hurts.

Rearrange the pictures on the wall and maybe update with new ones. Whether you like to show off family photos or love art, moving things around on the walls can make a real difference. While youre at it, consider adding a good mirror if the room doesnt have one already. Mirrors can help make the room look bigger and brighter.

Finally, although perhaps this should be first, declutter the room. Clutter can make even the best decorated room look bad. Find more appropriate places for all the stuff and decide what you want to keep, then get rid of the rest.

Stephanie Foster runs http://www.exceptionalhomedecor.com/ and always wishes for more of a budget to decorate her home. She offers more home decorating tips at http://www.exceptionalhomedecor.com/tips.php.Cecile Blog8049
Aurie Blog89741

Learning Spanish For Adults

Have you ever thought of learning Spanish but never had the time and right opportunity to do it? You dont need to worry about how to actually do it but what you want to think about twice is if you really have the dedication and interest to learn the Spanish language.

Learning for adults does not come easy any longer compared to how children and teenagers learn. This is true because there is a certain point and range of interest and learning skills each age group has and as a person gets older, the ability to learn depreciates. Think about young children, learning a different language to them is easy as learning A,B,Cs.

Now the next question comes into mindhow do I learn a foreign language fast? We all know that it takes a while to learn new things. It also takes great enthusiasm and interest over something to be able to learn it well and apply it to normal day to day activities. Also, a good memory is built from a vivid event. Findings show that we tend to store in events or images that has a strong impact towards the senses in our memory. This is also why its recommended to imagine silly and outrageous images in learning foreign languages because the words can be easily remembered this way. A human brain can certainly not erase these images.

By now you should be able to realize that whatever you have seen ever since you were small is all still registered in your brain. So the next time you see something familiar, be aware that you havent completely forgotten what it is or what it is for but just that the image might have not been too interesting at the moment you saw it and in turn, didnt alert your attention as you were absorbing it to your brain.

So to give you an example how pictures can create an impact in learning a foreign language, well take the English word morning and maana in Spanish as an example. Imagine this sentence as it happens: Every morning, the postman delivers mails and packages to houses with family names of Manny in a successive order. By associating the words in a scenario as you imagine it happening makes it a lot easier and fun to learn the Spanish language.

Try learning other Spanish words by visiting this link http://learn-spanish-program.com.

Shareen Aguilar is a writer for http://learn-spanish-program.com which has Memory Improvement Books and Memory Game Software better Spanish language memorization.Berti Blog52315
Alis Blog96050

Tips On How To You Can Get Better Auto Insurance Rates

Getting better rates on your auto insurance is something that many people would like to do. So many are paying a lot of money, too much money - and doing it unnecessarily. By following a few simple steps, you could reduce your annual auto insurance costs, and save some money for those other projects you would like to do. Here are five steps that will enable you to reduce your costs.

1. Compare Car Insurance Quotes

This is one of the easiest things to do, because you can do it at any time of day, just by going online. You will want to find an insurance Web site that will allow you to get several quotes from different companies with just one application. When you do this, go to at least two different Web sites and get several quotes from both.

Before you get that new car insurance policy, however, you may want to do a little research to discover some things about the company if you are not familiar with that name. You might check with the Better Business Bureau to see if there are many complaints about them not paying for accidents, etc.

2. Read About Car Insurance

In order to really understand what you may be able to do without, in the way of options, you should have a good understanding of what the options cover. Greater savings will come from a greater understanding of what your needs really are. For instance, if you have a brand new car, you may not need the towing option for at least a year or two. You may also be able to do without car rental, too.

3. Increase Your Deductible

This is one thing that can give you a noticeable reduction. By increasing the amount of money that you pay in each accident, you put the insurance company at less of a risk. They like this, and will lower your rates to reflect the amount that you increase your part. Be sure, though, that if you have an accident tomorrow that you can afford to pay the deductible. You will be required to pay it before the auto insurance company will pay their part.

4. Get Less Coverage

Instead of buying the most coverage you can, it is a good idea to get the recommended amount. Also, if your car is more than 10 years old, you should probably drop the comprehensive part of your auto insurance. After 10 years, you may be paying more for your comprehensive than the car is worth. Save this money instead, and apply it to getting another, newer car.

5. Add Security Features To Your Car

If you live in a more urban area, or in an area where there is car theft, you can lower your car insurance rates by adding some security features to your car. These usually result in a discount with each new feature you have. This includes steering wheel locks, auto alarms, and satellite tracking systems.

Besides these things, you may want to talk to your car insurance agent to see if driving classes will also lower your rates. Having multiple cars insured by the same company, and staying away from cars that are the most likely to be stolen, or sporty, will reduce your rates, too.

Joe Kenny is the webmaster of http://Insure121.com, a UK insurance comparison site offering cheap car insurance or visit NationsFinance.co.uk for more car insurance.Celestyn Blog28207
Bev Blog59782

Tennessee And Tahoe Ski Resorts

Located near Gatlinburg, Tennessee, Ober Gatlinburg is the only ski resort in the state. It is more than just a ski resort, however. It is a complete family vacation spot with an amusement park, indoor ice skating, a bungee tower, an alpine slide, and many other activities and attractions. There is something to please everyone.

With an elevation of 3301 feet, and a vertical drop of 600 feet, Ober Gatlinburg features eight trails: two beginner trails, four intermediate trails, and two advanced trails. There are three lifts, including two quad lifts, one double lift, and one surface lift. The season runs from the middle of December through early March, and night skiing is allowed on all trails except the Grizzly trail.

Rentals are available for both ski equipment and snowboarding equipment. Private and group lessons for skiing and snowboarding are also available through the Smokey Mountain Snow Sport School. You can also easily find food at the many snack bars, food carts, the caf, the restaurant, or in the lounge.

You must not miss the longest chair lift ride in the south! You will see awesome views of the Great Smoky Mountains. You will also get a birds eye view of some of the slopes, and you can have your picture taken on top of the mountain. If you do not ski, do not worry! You can ride back down the mountain on the chair lift as well. Do not forget the Tramway. The tramway departs from downtown Gatlinburg and takes you to the ski resort and the amusement park.

Even if you do not ski, you can still explore the thrill of flying down a mountain at a high speed or a slow speed if you choose. This is possible with the Alpine Slide. The slide is approximately 1800 feet long, and takes you down a winding wooded slope. You have total control over your speed with the use of a braking device on each sled. Other attractions at the amusement park include the Black Bear Habitat, a bungee jump, a water race, go karts, indoor ice skating, kiddie land, an arcade, miniature golf, a Spider Web Velcro Wall Jump, water rides, and a shooting range.

No matter what type of fun or adventure you are seeking, there is something to satisfy everyone in the family at Ober Gatlinburg Ski Resort and Amusement Park. This is definitely a trip worth taking, especially if you have younger kids or senior citizens traveling with you.

Tahoe Ski Holidays

If you are planning a ski vacation and there are beginners in your group, or you are a beginner yourself, you should definitely consider Tahoe Donner in Truckee, California for your ski vacation. Since 1971, when construction first began at Tahoe Donner, the area has come to be known as a world class cross country ski center, but beginners are still welcome, and this is one of the better places to learn how to ski.

Located near Tahoe and Truckee, Tahoe Donner provides a family atmosphere, and is very affordable. It features a 601 foot vertical drop, and the highest elevation is 7353 feet. There are approximately 120 acres for skiers to enjoy, with over 13 trails for beginners, intermediate skiers, and expert skiers. The resort features four lifts, with two of the list being surface lifts, and two being chair lifts.

Snowboarders are also welcome at Tahoe Donner. The resort has reasonable lift ticket rates, and there are rentals available. Here, you will also find a variety of ski programs and a ski school. After a full day of skiing, be sure to visit the Lodge Restaurant for a wonderful and relaxing dining experience.

Subert Kiing - an Architect who has lived and traveled in many parts of Asia. He writes for http://www.1asiatravel.com and http://www.tropicalcaribbeantravel.com/RoyalCaribbean.htmlAthena Blog17165
Ceil Blog6795

Quick And Easy Facts To Enrich Vitamin Information

Lets see: all you know about vitamins are that theyre good for the body, and that you can either obtain them from eating foods rich in vitamins or by taking supplements. Thats correct in a sense, but what you know is far from being able to paint the whole picture about vitamins. If you want to get healthy and fit, you have to update the vitamin information database inside your head and live accordingly.

The Definition and Function of Vitamins

Medically speaking, vitamin is made up of two words: vital amine, and it is an organic substance or compound which has a catalytic function in causing certain essential chemical reactions in the body. In simpler terms, vitamins make good things happen inside the body more quickly and with less energy spent. Without vitamins, the human body has a hard time making those reactions happen, and this could result to a partial or total breakdown of the whole system.

Types of Vitamins

Fat Soluble There are four vitamins that fall under this category and they are vitamins A, D, E, and K. All four vitamins are stored in reserve inside the liver and the bodys fatty tissues. They are released when they need to perform a special rescue function for the body.

Water Soluble These are external vitamins that enter the body when it consumes fruits and vegetable, both of which these vitamins can be found. The various sub-vitamins under Vitamin B as well as Vitamin C all belong to this group. These vitamins are distributed throughout in the body. Excesses are flushed out through urine, but vitamin B12, which includes cobalamin, biotin, folic acid, and pantothenic acid, continue to stay inside the liver.

Planning for a Vitamin-Rich Diet

The following foods are what you have to eat if you wish for a vitamin-rich diet:

Vitamin A Known as the vitamin that greatly enhances your eyesight (vision and color-wise), Vitamin A has other special functions like aiding physical growth which is critical during your childhood to teenage years and helping you to have and maintain glowing skin. Vitamin A can be found in foods like milk, carrots, and spinach.

Vitamin B The largest group of vitamins, Vitamin B, facilitates your bodys metabolism. It also boosts your energy levels and help in the production of red blood cells (RBC). Vitamin B can be found also in milk (now you know why you have to drink plenty glasses of milk in the past), oranges, beans, leafy greens, whole grain bread, and even seafood.

Vitamin C If you have a lot of Vitamin C in your body, dont be surprised when your wounds and illnesses heal more quickly than most because thats just one of the functions it performs. Oranges are the most popular provider of Vitamin C, but you can also get it from eating strawberries and broccoli.

Vitamin D This vitamin is the partner of calcium in helping your bones and teeth - stay healthy and strong. It can be found in fish, egg yolks, and surprise, surprise, milk as well!

Vitamin E This particular vitamin is important for everyone because it keeps the tissues in your sensory organs as well as in other parts of the body healthy and strong. Like Vitamin B, it helps in the production of RBCs. Vitamin E can be found in certain vegetables as well as sardines and whole wheat breads.

Vitamin K Lastly, Vitamin K is what helps your blood to clot together every time you get a wound. It can be found in pork and yes, milk.

Mario Churchill is a freelance author and has written over 200 articles on various subjects. For more information natural vitamin supplements or nutritional vitamin supplements checkout http://www.myvitaminguide.com.Carlyn Blog71758
Bernete Blog11502

Home Building - Exterior Siding

Nothing will impact the appearance of your home more dramatically than the type of siding you choose, so its no surprise that homeowners are looking to dress to impress. As you look for exterior siding, look for a material that suits the style of your house, fits your lifestyle and works geographically, because you will be living with your choice of siding for a long, long time. When it comes to figuring out the cost of having your home sided - size really does matter, since its labor more than materials that youre paying for.

Here is a look at some of the most popular and affordable materials for exterior siding:

Solid Wood

The first choice for most homeowners is wood, because it stands unmatched for beauty and durability. Wood is available in boards, shingles or shakes. These products are typically made from red or white cedar but they are also available in pine, spruce, redwood, cypress and Douglas fir. The benefits to going with wood is it offers some insulation value, is easy to repair and install, and is available pre-stained, primed or unfinished in many styles. Some products even come with fire-retarding treatments. The drawback to solid wood siding is that it must be painted or stained, which will add several thousand dollars to the cost of the job and to maintenance expenses in the future. For example, wood shingles cost between $3 and $4 per square foot before staining or painting.

Cedar Shingles

Homes sided in cedar shingles (also called "shakes") are made of natural cedar and are usually stained in shades of brown, gray, or other earthen colors. Shakes are very popular on traditional, ranch, historical and vacation homes that want to blend in with its natural or rustic surroundings.

Engineered or Composite Wood

If solid wood is too much of a strain on your pocketbook you might want to consider engineered or composite wood products like plywood, oriented strand board (OSB) and hardboard ($1.50 to $2.70 per square foot), but even the best of these products wont give you the look of real wood. Of the group, plywood (often sold in a reverse board-and-batten design) is the least expensive, easiest to install and has the longest track record. It works best on contemporary-styled homes. OSB and hardboard products are sold as 4 x 8 sheets or are molded to look like clapboard. They are available preprimed or prefinished in a wide variety of colors, which keeps the cost down.

Fiber Cement

If you want the appearance of wood, stucco or masonry, but cant afford it, fiber cement siding offers a strong and attractive alternative. This durable, natural-looking material is best known by the brand names HardiPlank and HardiPanel. A real selling point is the fact that its fireproof, resistant to rot, fungus and termites (a great perk if you live in an area that is hot and humid), and may have a warranty of up to 50 years.

The installed costs of fiber-cement are reported to be less than traditional masonry or synthetic stucco, equal to or less than hardboard siding, and more than vinyl siding. As always, size matters when it comes to your exterior.

Stucco

You cant get any more sturdy than stucco. Simply put, youre covering your home with a layer or rock. Cement stucco is made up of a small quantity of lime, Portland cement, and water. This fine grained concrete is attached to your house using waterproof barrier paper, galvanized wire mesh, and metal flashings (handy devices that channel water to the exterior wall). While the strength of stucco remains unchallenged among sidings (it has a track record of say over a thousand years), it does have it drawbacks because of its rigid makeup. If the wood framing beneath it shrinks or if the house foundation moves, the cement stucco could crack. To avoid this happening to your new home, be sure the contractor frames your house with wood sheathing and allows the lumber to dry for about 60 days before installing the stucco. If you hire a talented plasterer, you have unlimited surface texture possibilities. If you want to add color to your stucco be sure to spend the extra money on a m!

asonry penetrating stain, because other paints may peel after time. Traditional stucco has a low material cost, but is expensive to install ($12 to $16 per square foot).

Aluminum and Metal Siding

Aluminum and steel siding, may be considered a step up from vinyl in durability, but its plagued with its own limitations. Like vinyl, metal siding comes in limited colors, is a worse insulator than vinyl, dents easily and is very difficult to repair. So if you live in an area where you get a lot of hail or your house is surrounded by acorn trees, you might want to reconsider using metal.

Vinyl

Thanks to new technology in the vinyl industry, the common stereotype of a plastic home has all but faded. New product offerings wood-like textures, shingles and shakes, deeper colors and more trim options are making vinyl a popular alternative to its high priced rivals. Vinyl is made from polyvinyl chloride (PVC), which makes it immune to rotting and flaking, but even the best vinyl siding will crack, split and look dingy after awhile. The fact that it requires low maintenance - it can be washed with a garden hose - and that it is cheap - $1.50 to $2 per square foot, makes it very appealing. Not so appealing is the fact that it has limited color choices, provides virtually no insulation, is not easy to repair, can fade over time and doesnt stand up well against Mother Nature.

EIFS (Exterior Insulation and Finish Stucco)

Synthetic stucco, also called EIFS (exterior insulated finish system) consist of a a polymer-and-cement mixture, which is applied in two coats over rigid foam insulation and a fiberglass mesh. You might want to double think using this product, because since it came on the scene two decades or so ago it has been unable to successfully keep the water out. Water gets behind many EIFS systems and cant get out. What that means for you, is that your home will likely suffer some serious structural wood rot. Synthetic manufacturers are working on rectifying this problem by using special water management systems which collect the water and divert it back to the exterior of the home before it suffers water damage. Being a new homeowner, this may be one worry youll want skip. Synthetic stucco materials cost more than the real thing, but because its easier to apply it costs less.

The biggest trends in exteriors are vibrant colors and a wood look

Interior design has always been the big in when building a home, but now homeowners are starting to look outside. Lets face it - first impressions go a long way, so your exterior home should really stand out. People are looking for something different and unique, but at the same time want low maintenance - in walks vinyl. Vinyl manufacturers are hard at work to meet the demands of homeowners who want a higher quality and more stylish vinyl siding. The big change to vinyl is that its coming out bright and colorful, now that its adding acrylics into its mix. Most color palettes for vinyl used to be very similar and pale, but now homeowners can find deep rich colors like forest green and barn red.

Another new look by vinyl is dressing up as cedar shingles. These cedar shingles come very close to looking like the real cedar. The real beauty to these shingles is that they wont split, rot, flake, peel or chip like the real thing. Over the last several years, almost every vinyl manufacturer has come out with some sort of replica cedar product.

With everyone trying to simulate wood products, it would only make sense that someone would market a real wood siding product. Thats what Georgia-Pacific, who makes vinyl and fiber cement, has done with its Catawba hardboard siding. Catawba is 100 percent hard wood made out of pulp-grade wood chips pressed and bonded at very high temperatures. This process makes the wood very weather resistant. If you use two coats of paint you wont have to paint it again for 10 years - double the time of traditional wood products.

Tammy Crosby-Editor, Dream DesignsAlessandra Blog26164
Beth Blog23055

3 Top Tips For A Hassle-Free House Move

Moving house? Dreading the thought of packing those boxes at one end, only to unpack it all again at the other? Moving house is one of lifes most stressful experiences, but if you take a business-like approach to your move and manage it well, youll find that everything runs smoothly.

1. Sort out your stuff

We all know how easy it is to accumulate possessions as we go through life. From the things we bought but never used, to the stuff we cant bear to get rid of; our attics and lofts contain a physical, tangible history of our lives. Moving house is usually an indication that youre making a fresh start so put aside a few hours or a few days if youre a real hoarder and go through everything to make sure youre only taking the really important stuff with you. Hire a skip for those things that are broken or of no use, and fill bags for charity shops, goodwill stores, and jumble sales. Hold your own garage sale, give childrens clothes to relatives or sell stuff on eBay but make a real effort to reduce the amount of things that need to move with you.

2. Write it down

The most organised people often have a written list that helps them to see what theyve done and what needs to be achieved. When youre moving house, you need to think about what needs preparing for packing, what needs leaving until last and, most importantly, where everything is going to go in your new home. This sort of preparation makes your life much easier. For example, when you unplug your computer, label the cables, write down instructions for setting it up again and make sure everything is bagged or boxed together.

3. Hire a good removal firm

The quality and experience of your removal firm can make all the difference to your move. You may be moving yourself, in which case you need to be a lot more organised, making sure that you have hired the right size van and that you have enough boxes and packing materials to move all your possessions safely. On the other hand, a professional removal company will handle all the packing and moving for you, leaving you free to tie-up any loose ends, make sure your old home is ready for its new occupants and get to your new place in plenty of time to supervise unloading. With full insurance cover for everything they pack and move, its the ideal way to remove stress from the moving process.

Removals4U offers an outstanding professional worldwide removal service. Visit our website now by clicking on http://www.removals4u.com.Alis Blog35621
Alfie Blog61321

Motorola Ring Tone- Milestone In Ringtone History

Literally speaking, there are not only tens but hundreds of cell phone models that are sold in the market. Sometimes, you will run out of time in choosing the best that you think will fit your needs. Dozens of manufacturers are also competing in the world of technology. Over time, new features and versions are being advertised in billboards and televisions that caught your attention.

The decision of making a choice on your cell phone is crucial although for some it is just a quick one especially for those people who can afford to change their units monthly or even weekly. The customers cannot be blamed about this attitude because in the first place, the innovative features that are being presented by the manufacturers are incomparable.

Fooling as they seem but it is indeed true. There are cell phones that are appealing to your eyes but the features are not commendable though some are on top rank when it comes to quality. One is the Nokia Manufacturer. It is known for its credibility in the different fields of cell phone technology. This is also one of the pioneering companies of cell phones.

When you try to choose one, you have to consider certain criteria. These are important determinants for you to arrive at a good choice and these include quality design, dependability, handiness and over all user satisfaction. If you are able to find all those factors in one, then you will not regret your choice.

Aside from Nokia, another brand of cell phone that marks the mind of the users and subscribers is the Motorola. Yes, it is also tested for high quality, resolution and tones. In fact, some of the clients of cell phones prefer to buy Motorola because of its quality and affordability.

Some of the regarded features of Motorola cell phones are 10-second video capture and playback, mega pixel cam with digital zoom, Led spotlight to bring more emphasis to the picture and many more. The multimedia service also allows the users to transfer data from one cell phone to another in just a flick of a finger.

Above other important features of Motorola cell phones is the ringtone. The phone is designed to have its own Media Center where the user can manage all images, voice recordings and ring tones. This is the reason why the tones are organized in the phones to a specific area.

The quality of the ringtone that you will hear from a Motorola phone is very pleasant to your ears because this is also polyphonic. There are some easy ways on how you can transfer the most recent tones in your cell phones; it can be through a direct purchase to your network or better do a free download from the Internet.

It is much better to download tones in the Net because you will not consume big amount of money. Aside from that, you can also choose your favorite version and composer of the song. It can be done with the use of your Personal computers via USB.

From the built in composers of ringtone in your old phones, Motorola now brings a milestone in ringtone history. This can be cherished and even more improved in the next generations.

There are more to come. However, let us enjoy first what we have these days.

This content is provided by Low Jeremy. It may be used only in its entirety with all links included. For more information on ringtones, please visit http://ringtone.articlekeep.com.Barbabra Blog49206
Aprilette Blog32710

Are You Ready For Vista? What You Need To Know About The Next Microsoft Windows

Vista is coming soon to a computer near you, are you ready? Unlike past editions of Microsoft Windows this new version seems to be generating a lot more pre-launch buzz. Maybe it has to do with all the new improved browsing and computer features that the Vista will supposedly deliver.

What is Vista?

Vista is the new version of Microsoft Windows, which will offer users a greatly improved browsing and computer experience mainly through more dynamic 'live' windows and faster presentation. It will offer a more robust security (direly needed!) and more business features in its corporate OS with encryption, Unix services, and virtual machine capabilities.

You will be able to use different graphical tools to more efficiently manage your information and applications on your desktop. If you read the information on the official Vista site, you may come away believing your desktop will never look or feel the same again. Vista Homepage: http://www.microsoft.com/windowsvista/

There is one underlying reason why this may just be the case. According to the Longhorn Statement of last year, RSS will play a major role in these applications and in the OS itself. Longhorn is the name for the Microsoft Windows Server code. RSS stands for 'Really Simple Syndication' and Microsoft should be applauded for bringing RSS to the forefront. Many believe RSS will change the very nature of how we use the Internet and our computers.

Regardless of what it may contain, the new Windows Vista has many consumers delaying the purchase of their next PC or laptop until the new Windows arrives. Many were hoping for a pre-Christmas release but...

When Will Vista Arrive?

According to Microsoft's own official site on Vista, Windows Vista will be available in early 2007. However, Vista (as of Sept.22, 2006) is already in Beta testing with over 30,000 testers from around the globe. Read more about this at the Windows Vista Team Blog: http://blogs.technet.com/windowsvista/default.aspx

Vista will have TWO Interfaces

Vista Windows will have two interfaces, Basic and Aero. The Basic Interface will be similar to Windows XP and will run on most current PCs and Laptops. The Aero Interface is more advanced and you will need higher system requirements to take advantage of all the new features. (See Below)

Actually, Vista will have six versions in all. According to the Vista web site these versions will range for the very basic up to the highest performance level.

* Windows Vista Starter which runs only on 32-bit systems and will be so on new machines in India, Thailand and other emerging markets.

* Windows Vista Home Basic which is very comparable to XP Home which will not offer the high-end graphics and media features.

* Windows Vista Home Premium which will offer these graphics and media.

* Windows Vista Business which is similar to the current XP Professional.

* Windows Vista Enterprise will be only available to those customers with volume licenses - will offer Unix service, encryption and virtual machine capabilities.

* Windows Vista Ultimate will combine Vista Enterprise and Vista Home Premium which will give customers the highest version of Windows.

There will also be "N" versions of Vista Business and Vista Home Basic for the European market that will have Window Media Player removed. Microsoft is catering to all levels of the marketplace and its a prudent business move because many current PCs and laptops don't have the system requirements to take advantage of the highest version of Vista Aero.

Your System Requirements for Vista?

Your system requirements for the new Windows Vista will depend on which version of Vista you're buying. For the basic Vista you will need a modern processor (800MHz or more) with at least 512 MB of system memory. Your graphics processor should be DirectX 9 capable.

For the fully loaded Vista you will need a little more robust system with at least 1 GHz processor with 1 GB of system memory. This should be supported with DirectX 9 graphics with 128 MB of graphics memory. A premium graphics card like ATI or NVIDIA is recommended and you will need a 40 GB hard drive with 15 GB free space. In order to watch and record live TV you may have to add additional hardware.

Still not sure your current system will support Vista, just run the free Windows Vista Upgrade Advisor RC found here: http://www.microsoft.com/windowsvista/getready/upgradeadvisor/default.mspx

This program will tell you if your system can currently run Vista or if you will need to upgrade your computer.

What Noteworthy Features Will Vista Give You?

If we get over the improved features like better organizing of information, better security, and more reliability - what new features will the Vista deliver?

One that really jumps out - INSTANT SEARCH

Instead of using the slow cascading "All Programs", you can just type in a file name or task and you will find what you're looking for. The new instant start menu will be a lot quicker, saving you time.

This also jumps out - DYNAMIC WINDOWS

Perhaps, one of the major improvement will be in the appearance and use of the new desktop with transparent "glass-like" windows and animated windows on the taskbar. It will have live thumbnails on the taskbar, place your mouse over these and you will see the live contents without having to bring it up on your screen. You will also be able to create a three-dimensional stack of open windows on your desktop and you will have smoother performance in dynamic content or windows such as video.

And this one - SPEECH RECOGNITION

Speech Recognition will play a major role in the new Windows Vista which promises to feature all the latest Microsoft speech technologies with 'unparalleled voice recognition accuracy' supported with multiple languages and a more human-sounding synthesizer - step aside Stephen Hawkins!

Plus, you will be able to control your computer by using your voice. It will provide you with a list of smart choices, whether it's selecting a word or choosing an application. Mouseless and hands-free computing tasks - might be worth seeing.

And this - WATCH AND RECORD LIVE TV

You will be able to watch and record live TV with Vista. You may have to use additional hardware to access this feature. It is only a matter of time before the union of the Internet and full TV broadcasting services. Windows Vista may help in furthering this rather slow process. Integration, Integration Integration.

Also this - BETTER SECURITY AND ENCRYPTION

The new Window Vista offers improved security and has a few new encryption programs. There is something called the Windows BitLocker Drive Encryption which help protect the sensitive data on your hard drive - especially important in our ever increasing mobile lifestyles and workforces. This program will encrypt your entire Windows system and protect your information in the case of a stolen or lost PC or laptop.

Then there is the Encrypting File System (EFS) which will protect user-level files and folders. This is important when two or more people share the same computer as in a company network. Companies will be able to use smart cards with EFS keys to allow employees or workers to access only the content that's appropriate for them to access. In addition, companies or users will be able to restrict use of USB keys and other removable storage devices, thus hampering the quick removal of data from your computer.

Wildcard - What role will RSS Play?

For interested techies and web watchers, the role RSS will play in the new Vista is an intriguing question. What about all those new RSS applications? The list extensions? What will it bring? Read more here http://blogs.msdn.com/rssteam/

Will RSS (via Vista) be given the means to finally turn the Internet into a Billion Channel Universe? Turning every web site into its own mini-broadcasting system sending out its content to all interested parties. Don't come to us, we will deliver. Changing static content into dynamic content. Furthermore, will speech recognition turn this dynamic content into a fully interactive hands-free browsing experience. Might give a whole new meaning to the expression 'Look Ma - no hands!'

All kidding aside, Windows Vista does offer some unique features that will change how we use our computers. It offers greater security and more integrated networking and applications. It does promise to make our desktop interaction more responsive and smoother with 'live' social bookmarks and windows. One can only hope Vista lives up to its name and gives us a whole new viewing experience.

Copyright (c) 2006 Titus Hoskins

Titus Hoskins is a full-time online marketer who runs numerous web sites, including two sites on Internet Marketing. For the latest web marketing tools try: http://www.bizwaremagic.com.Berty Blog5084
Bride Blog43895

Antispyware Software Can Kill That Spy !

Antispyware programs and adware removal tools can detect and remove spyware ranging from browser parasites, data miners, to malware, adware, software you didn't ask for, homepage hijackers, Trojan horses to dialers, and also provide prevention measures.

The one way to get a severe headache is to have your computer infested with spyware and adware. But if you understand what spyware means and take the necessary steps to detect, remove and prevent it you can be free from this headache before it turns chronic.

Spyware can imply many things - it could be browser parasites, data miners, malware, adware, software you didn't ask for, homepage hijackers, Trojan horses, dialers etc. These thieves usually hit Microsoft Windows applications and Internet Explorer, since most people use them, leading to a system crash or some really strange behavior.

But how did spyware get into your system in the first place? If you visited a website or looked at an html email message or if you clicked a pop up window, you are 'it'. Your action would have automatically triggered off the download and installation of the spyware into your computer without your knowledge. Something you clicked would have been conveyed as 'I do' to the spyware vendor. After all, it cheats. This way of misleading you into getting that tracking software called spyware installed in your computer is referred to as a drive-by download. It is one of the commonest ways of tricking pc users to accept spyware if they do not have real-time antispyware protection installed.

Arresting The Damage With Antispyware

That spyware which sneaked into your computer can alter your browser and security settings. Some adware vendors just collect your browsing information so that they can bombard you with their product ads. Adware spyware usually tracks your Internet browsing actions in the machine where they install themselves. They then have a way of conveying the information they collect back to the people who installed the adware so they can use it for commercial gain. They use it themselves, or sell it to others. These people in turn assume what your interests are through the information they collect and display a barrage of ads through the computer where they install their adware.

Spyware vendors pay software vendors to bundle in their spyware software so that they can get into users system. Some spyware vendors get into your system through the low security settings in your Internet browser. For each spyware installation they mark it with a tracking number so that they can trace your information, helping them to update their database on an ongoing basis.

Antispyware has become an essential part of a computer just like antivirus software. The adware that installs itself in our systems without our approval usually come up as popup windows or sleazy banner advertisements integrated into some totally irrelevant program. Antispyware programs and adware removal tools can detect, remove and also provide prevention measures.

Arvind Singh is admin and technical expert associated with development of computer security and performance enhancing software like Registry Cleaner, Window Cleaner, Anti Spam Filter etc. More information can be found at http://www.pcmantra.comAshlan Blog71048
Caryn Blog41028

Seattle Schools Participate In Washington Assessment Of Student Learning

Washington Assessment of Student Learning is Enacted for the 2006-2007 School Year

The class of 2008 in all Seattle Schools will be required to pass the 10th-grade Washington Assessment of Student Learning, this will be the way that most students will earn the Certificate of Academic Achievement, one of the four new statewide graduation requirements. The Washington Assessment of Student Learning report will indicate a students performance in reading, writing and math with science being in a separate report. Most students in the Seattle Schools will, of course, be very successful on the three sections on their first try but for those students who may have difficulty meeting the standards, there will be opportunities for them to receive assistance. These programs will help the students in the Seattle Schools achieve scores on the Washington Assessment of Student Learning while furthering there education.

Seattle Schools Establishes Programs to Aid Students on the Washington Assessment of Student Learning

The Summer College is a ground-breaking collaboration between Seattle Schools, three Seattle Community Colleges and the City of Seattle. The Summer College is designed to offer those students who need remedial help for high school students. The Summer College program will last five weeks and will be conducted on the campuses of the three community colleges. This will not only give the students the help they need but provide an early introduction to life on a college campus. Those students who have scored Level 2 or below on at least one section of the Washington Assessment of Student Learning will be eligible for the program.

A second program created by the Seattle Schools in order to offer assistants to students is the Extended Learning Summer Semester. These programs are intended to provide students with the opportunity to improve their reading, mathematics, and writing skills before retaking the Washington Assessment of Student Learning. A for credit program will offered for ninth and tenth graders during the summer at Ingraham, Franklin and West Seattle high schools. These courses will not only be offered in math and reading but also in social studies, language arts, science and health. Students will need to be referred by their high school counselor before they can participate in this program. This is a solid program but may not suit all students.

There are several other programs that are being developed by the Seattle Schools for the 2006-2007 school year. All of the high schools in the Seattle Schools system are adding some kind of student assistance to help them do their best on the Washington Assessment of Student Learning. Several high schools have added a seventh class period that will be used for help or remedial work. Tutoring sessions in math and literacy and classroom tutors have been set up at most high schools. Seattle Schools are instituting intensive instructional periods, Evening School programs, Contract Learning and the Digital Learning Commons in an effort to provide programs that appeal to students different learning styles and schedules.

Stacy Andell is a staff writer for Schools K-12, providing free, in-depth reports on all U.S. public and private K-12 schools. For more on Seattle schools visit http://www.schoolsk-12.com/Washington/Seattle/index.htmlCarol Blog65990
Cecile Blog89172

A Great Retirement Job - Consultant

Becoming a consultant in retirement can be a rewarding retirement job. It can be rewarding both in self-fulfillment and in additional income.

You have worked for years at your full time job and you have developed experience and knowledge that will be invaluable to other people. Now it is time to take advantage of all that accumulated knowledge and create retirement income at the same time.

When you really analyze what you must do, you realize that YOU are what YOU are selling.You must market yourself and convince others that you have the answers to their problems; that you have already faced the problems and conquered them.

One of the best ways to gain respect is to publish articles about your area of expertise. When you include author in your bio, you immediately command additional respect. Start by publishing your articles on www.ezinearticles.com

In my opinion, it is the premier article site on the Net. Once your article is accepted and published on Ezinearticles, you can easily publish it on over 100 other business article sites. You can do this yourself or there are services that will do it for you for a very reasonable price. At the end of each article, your bio will point back to your website. Just think of the exposure that you get from one article published on over 100 business article sites.

If you are not already a published author, you will find that publishing on the Internet and being able to include "author" in your bio brings you added respect. This is expected of a consultant.

Consider establishing a blog and post to it frequently. This is a very quick and easy way to establish yourself on the Internet. It can be very effective in attracting attention to your consulting business.

Publishing a newsletter is a good way to gain exposure. Write articles that give your subscribers tips and current information in your area of expertise.

The most important thing that you can do is have your own website. You can build a website to describe your experience and area of expertise. This will show your prospective customer who you are and how you can solve his/her problems.

Having a website tells the world that you are serious about your business. It tells your readers that you own your own piece of Internet real estate.

You say, I dont know anything about building a website. Well, it is not as hard as you think if you have the right tools. You need to do the research to find the right web host to make your website successful.

You need a website that sells a service which is what you as consultant are selling. You can provide this service in your local area or to a global market. The Internet allows you to do both. We all know about the global reach of the Internet. On a local basis, the Internet is rapidly replacing the yellow pages for locating consultants.

These are just a few suggestions. Let your imagination run wild and think of other creative methods of attracting customers to your new consulting business.

Your job is consultant, not webmaster. You should not become bogged down in the technical details of building and managing a website.

For more information and a free Masters Course on creating a website to sell yourself as a consultant, go to http://www.retirement-jobs-online.com/consultant.html

I wish you good fortune in your endeavors as a consultant.

Copyright 2006 John Howe, Inc.

John V. W. Howe is an entrepreneur, author, inventor, patent holder, husband, father, and grandfather. He has worked with computers for over 44 years. He is an expert in website creation and web hosting. He has published over 60 articles on the Internet covering diverse topics. His website http://www.the-best-web-host.com helps people analyze their needs and match those needs to the best web host. He also publishes http://www.boomer-ezine.com an ezine for Internet entrepreneurs.Celina Blog98673
Annaliese Blog97520

Montana Glacier National Park

A historic landmark with plenty of activities for all ages, Glacier Montana National Park is comprised of roughly 1.4 million acres of wonderful wilderness land in the western United States. Open year round, a full range of park services are available from late May through September, and limited service is available off season.

The park was established in the late 1890's with visitors arriving at West Glacier (formerly known as Belton) by train. Since no roads existed at that time in the mountainous region, sightseers would then continue traveling by stagecoach for several miles to Lake McDonald. Then they continued by boat to the Snyder Hotel, an approximate 8-mile trip.

The region became a Forest Preserve in 1900, open to mining and homesteading. However in 1910, after efforts of explorer George Bird Grinnell and others to further help protect the area, President Taft signed a bill establishing Glacier as the country's 10th national park.

Glacier Montana National Park Facts

Enrich your education with these facts about the area:

- Archaeological surveys found evidence of humans in this area dating back more than 10,000 years.

- Various Indian tribes inhabited the area; the Blackfeet Indians (east), Salish and Kootenai Indians (west).

- The Lewis and Clark Expedition came within 50 miles of this park in 1806.

- The railroad over Marias Pass was completed in 1891; the Great Northern Railway resulted in homesteaders settling small towns developing.

- Aggressive mining efforts resulted in the mountains east of the Continental Divide being taken from the Blackfeet in 1895. However, no large copper or gold deposits were ever located, as evidenced by abandoned mine shafts throughout the park today.

- Wildlife in the area today includes: big horn sheep, black and grizzly bears, endangered bald eagles, moose, mountain goats, mule & whitetail deer, wapiti, (elk) and wolves.

- Glacier Montana National Park began as sediments deposited in an ancient sea that slowly hardened into thick layers of limestone, mudstone, and sandstone.

- Most of the rocks that visitors see in the park today are sedimentary rocks from the Proterozoic age that were deposited from 1,600 to 800 million years ago.

A historic land, in Glacier Montana National Park visitors can visit all types of rock formations, beautiful mountain scenery and wildlife, many sacred spiritual sites of former inhabitants; ie the Blackfoot and Kootenai Indian tribes. And travelers can check out the more than 50 glaciers in the park, over 200 lakes or streams and enjoy more than 730 miles of hiking trails, where glacier and travel go hand in hand.

http://www.glacier-travel.info

David Lawlor runs various websites including http://www.glacier-travel.info and loves to travel the great ourdoors.Amanda Blog14813
Alice Blog7752

Helichrysum Essential Oil - A Magic Bullet For Treating Sports Injuries?

Helichrysum Essential Oil - A Magic Bullet for Sports Injuries, Bruises and Tissue Repair: A Primer for Active Health and Fitness Readers.

'Aromatherapy' has become an extremely misleading term in America; the position of 'Aromatherapist' was ranked as one of the top 100 'BS' up-and-coming new jobs recently on CNN - and most folks think 'Aroma'-therapy is all about smelling something pretty so you can feel better. Much of the rest of the 'civilized' world relies on plants, and their essential oils, as effective medicines for a wide varieties of medical conditions. Aside from the fact that many studies have shown that simply smelling natural aromatic oils can improve test scores, improve your mood and improve your sleep, there is a LOT more to aromatherapy than just good scents - and here we'll have a look at a very practical side of using essential oils - the speeding of healing of strains, sprains and sports injuries with Helichrysum essential oil.

At it's basis, aromatherapy deals with the use of volatile aromatic compounds naturally produced by the majority of plant species on earth. The difference in the chemical makeup of these 'essential oils' varies tremendously, and so does the biological effect of each class of natural aromatic compound. Many are known as strongly anti-bacterial or anti-viral, others stimulate tissue regeneration, others will reduce inflammation, some are analgesic (pain relieving), while still others enhance circulation (and the list goes on!). The individual chemical makeup of the essential oil from each plant give that oil it's healing characteristics. The makeup of one particular essential oil, that distilled from the flowers of Helichrysum Italicum, includes a very synergistic combination of compounds that are known to be anti-hematomatic (active against blood clots), tissue regenerative, free-radical scavenging (anti-oxidant), and anti-inflammatory.

Before approaching it's possible effects of Helichrysum essential oil on sprains, strains and other sports injuries, let's look at the root of these painful conditions. Take, for example, a an ankle twisted in a basketball game - what has happened physiologically? Connective tissues (tendons and ligaments) have been stretched beyond their normal lengths; these tissue have suffered 'micro tears', which is damage to the actual structure of the cells of the connective tissue. Some of these cells are so damaged that they die, and need to be re-grown. There is often additional swelling and bruising involved, which is generally the leaking of blood from damaged capillaries into intracellular space. This results in a loss of blood supply to surrounding cells, and blockage of nutrients, oxygen, and waste products moving to and from those cells. This in fact, leads to cellular damage beyond the primary injury of the connective tissue cells. More cell death occurs here, not only directly from the loss of nutrient/waste exchange for these cells, but also due to an increase in oxidative radical activity. The greater the amount of 'secondary' injury which occurs lengthens the time to recovery - here, one can see why applying ice to an injury soon after it occurs can speed healing - it reduces the amount of blood that clots (bruises) in an area, and lowers the metabolic activity (and oxidative radical production) in cells with a loss of nutrient supply - therefore, less secondary cell damage and death accompanies the primary injury.

Enter the activity of Helichrysum essential oil. It has a high percentage of anti-inflammatory sesquiterpene hydrocarbons - this compound acts by dissipating free radicals. The oil's other major components include neryl acetate, a monoterpenoid ester with distinct, relaxing effects that can reduce tension of the tissues in the area of the injury. The third major component are the regenerative di-ketones, found in significant quantities only in Helichrysum oil. "The pain- reducing, analgesic, and regenerative effect of everlasting (Helichrysum) is unique: If applied in time, it prevents hemorrhaging. It is also very effective for joint pain..." - Dr. Kurt Schnaubelt, Advanced Aromatherapy.

In 'Medical Aromatherapy', Dr. Schnaubelt indicates that the effects of many essential oils cannot be explained completely by the actions of their individual components - many oils' effects are greater than the sum of their parts. The synergy of the components in Helichrysum produces a particularly sensational healing result. A recent user of the oil, who had been a professional triathlete, then cyclist, then 'casual' marathon runner, was having chronic pain in an achilles tendon. Overuse - and perhaps a stiff clutch on an old car - lead him to believe that despite excellent fitness, he wound not be able to take part in an upcoming major marathon. The injury hurt every time he ran; he had been a proponent of alternative therapies for many years, with some success using DMSO for tendon-related inflammation. He had not found DMSO (often used on racehorses for similar injuries) to be as effective on chronic injuries as acute ones, and this achilles issue was no different - nothing was helping fast enough where he knew he could make the race. For the first time, he gave Helichrysum essential oil a try, applying undiluted (Helichrysum is very well tolerated this way) to the area twice daily. Within two days, he was running without pain, and ran a personal best at the marathon event.

In this instance, the application of Helichrysum reduced pain (and likely inflammation as well) in the area, and supported regeneration of the damaged tendon tissues. The essential oil should prove just as effective with acute injuries as well - it's noted ability to reduce the clotting of blood, along with it's anti-inflammatory and tissue regenerative properties give it a seemingly complete natural arsenal to speed healing in most common sport-related injuries. In fact, this could extend to a very wide variety of trauma injuries, though great care should be taken to use as an adjunct to proper allopathic medical care in such cases.

Helichrysum is a somewhat rare and costly oil. It has been noted in the literature that only pure essential oil of Helichrysum italicum flowers will have this combination of effects. If you decide to try the oil for yourself, be sure of your source, and that the species is correct (there are other Helichrysum varieties, look for ones known as 'Everlasting' or 'Immortelle' - these are synonyms for the 'italicum' variety). For minor injuries, apply a thin film directly to the area one or more times a day. The oil will absorb directly into the skin, and does not cause any reaction or sensitivity for most individuals. The oil can be applied directly for more serious injuries as well, though this should be done only in conjunction with professional medical care. Continue to apply until no longer needed - application to broken tissue is fine, and in fact the oil has been used to speed skin healing and reduce scar formation. A base oil may also be used - Helichrysum combines well with Hazelnut and Rosehip seed oils, and can be diluted down to 5% of the total solution and still be effective. In any case, be aware of how your body is responding, and consult a medical professional whenever there is any question about your healing program.

Misty Rae Cech, ND is a degreed natural physician with a professional practice. She is a consultant to Ananda LLC, a Boulder, Colorado based source for http://www.anandaapothecary.com.Alena Blog78488
Adrea Blog59043

Buying Low Cost Health Insurance

There are many ways you can save on the cost of your health insurance but first you have to take into account the cover you want and if you are going to be taking individual cover or whether you are taking cover for the whole family.

The cost of health insurance can vary greatly depending on the amount of coverage you need, if you were take all the options available in private health insurance then the premium would be astronomical and something which very few people can afford to do. Fortunately however, you can get good coverage for a decent premium by shopping around and following these tips.

Always check the policy because it might include things which you dont need, for instance if you are a single man and a policy includes costs for pregnancy then this obviously wont be needed. While this might seem like common sense, it is surprising how many people dont look into what is in the policy they are buying. So always look into the different packages that are available.

If you are considering the lowest cost health insurance then look into purchasing a policy that only covers major illnesses. Limited cover is one of the cheapest ways to buy private cover but take into account that minor illnesses and accidents will not be covered.

You can keep the cost of the premium down if you offer to pay a higher excess. All policies will require that you pay something towards the cost of treatment before the insurance will kick in, this can start from something as low as 100. You could offer to share a percentage of the cost which will also bring the premium down that you will have to pay.

While most people take out private insurance to beat the waiting lists that the NHS are noted for, it can help to bring your premium down if you choose to have a waiting period. For instance, you could choose a waiting period of 6 weeks and if during this time you can be seen on the NHS then all well and good, if not then you go privately.

Jason Hulott is Business Development Director of Protection Insurance (http://www.protection-insurance.com). Protection Insurance is an internet based insurance business dedicated to getting consumers the very best insurance rates and the best products.Athena Blog17165
Annabela Blog72795

How Does Credit Repair And Debt Consolidation Works?

Even though everyones financial situation is unique, practically all of us have some sort of debt. It might be huge debt like with mortgages and loans or small credit card or department store credit debt. The only way to wind up with debt is as a result of being extended credit. In these financial times we are in it can be difficult to get by without credit. But too often it becomes difficult to pay off the credit and that is when the trouble begins. Once you are late in your payments, your creditors will report this to the credit bureaus and it will affect your credit rating. When you are stuck with a bad credit report, even if you have a good reason such as illness, etc, it will be very difficult for you to get credit in the future when you are back on your feet financially. This means you may not be able to buy a house or a new car on credit. Or, if you are able to get a loan, it will be from a subprime lender who will charge you exorbitant interest fees.

If you have been through a tough spell and now have bad credit, you can undergo credit repair and one way to do this is through debt consolidation.

One thing about bad credit is that it can continue to get worse. It is not a case of having good or bad credit, it is a case of your credit being assigned a numerical value on a scale from good to bad and with each late payment, your credit slips farther into the bad side of the scale. So to repair your credit you need to get your creditors paid up to date as quickly as possible.

Chances are that you dont have the money to do this or you wouldnt be behind in the first place. This is when debt consolidation can be a useful tool for credit repair. You take out a single load which is used to pay off all your other loans. Now all your bills are paid up to date and you just have one monthly payment to make on your new consolidated loan which probably wont be due for thirty days so you have some breathing room to get back on your feet.

You will still owe the same amount of money, but if you arrange your loan to do so, it can be spread over a long enough period that the payments are more manageable. The advantage of a debt consolidation loan is that it can repair your credit quickly and help you get back on your feet financially.

The disadvantage of a debt consolidation loan is that if you dont use it properly it can get you deeper into financial difficulty. There is a saying that you cant borrow your way out of debt and this is very true. You should examine your financial situation carefully and make sure that your situation has improved so that you will be able to handle the payments on your new loan or you could wind up damaging your credit further and making credit repair even more difficult down the road.

Geoff Spencer is a staff writer at http://www.finance-journal.com and is an occasional contributor to several other websites, including http://www.onlinebusinessgazette.com.Aundrea Blog29932
Adelice Blog94017

How To Build A Computer Without Really Trying

I didnt start out trying to build a computer. My CD disk drive stopped working and I kept getting an error message which said, This drive is not available. I went to the my computer file to check the status of the drive through the properties but the drive wasnt listed. I then went to the device manager to check the drives status but it wasnt listed there either.

Now Im not a computer whiz or computer geek but I do have some knowledge, although limited, as to how a computer works. After spending literally hours trying to figure out what happened to my CD drive, I finally decided to cross the line and venture into the unknown. I took the cover off the computer case. I had no idea what I was looking for so I started tinkering around to see if maybe something had come loose. Sure enough, a cable going to the back of the CD player was unplugged. I plugged the cable back in, put the cover back on, plugged in the power cord and pushed the power button to fire her up. I was kind of surprised to see that it actually worked. This got me to wondering how hard it would be to build a computer from scratch. I went searching on line to see if this was possible, something that I could do. After reading various articles and visiting numerous web sites I decided to give it a try.

The first step was to determine what kind of computer I wanted. First and foremost it had to be fast. No sense going through all the trouble to build a dud. It also had to be capable of handling large video files, many photographs, and a vast amount of music (songs). And finally I wanted it to be a media center; capable of playing and recording music, playing and recording DVDs, downloading and playing games, and capable of playing cable television. I also wanted to be able to connect an overhead projector and have my wall as the screen while surfing the net. Once I decided what I wanted, I started looking for the components and or parts I would need.

The first thing I needed was a case, or tower. I found out that there are guide lines standardizing case such as ATX Form Factor. This is a standardized case designed to accept certain motherboards, and thus determining the layout of the inside of the case. I found a great source for the parts I would need, in a online store named Newegg.Com. Although I didnt know it at the time, I quickly found out that in addition to a vast product selection, and very low competitive prices, their customer service was top flight. Yes I highly recommend these guys.

First on my list was a Rosewill R114A-SLV silver steel mid-tower computer case. This case came with a 400w ATX 20-pin main connector power supply. (See photo A). Next on the list was a motherboard. I needed an ATX Intel motherboard, (ATX meaning it would fit perfectly in my ATX mid-tower). For this I chose the ASUS P5P800 Socket T (LGA775) Intel 865PE ATX Intel motherboard. It is very powerful and affordable, and supports Intels Pentium 4 processor. This processor supports Hyper-Threading technology which, according to Intels web site results in more efficient use of processor resources, higher processing throughput, and improved performance on todays multithreaded software. This motherboard also comes with a 775 pin Land Grid Array (LGA-775) socket designed for the Intel Pentium 4 processor, and most importantly to me, a Users Guide.

Next on the list was a processor. I chose the Intel Pentium 4 processor; 530J 3.0 GHz, 800 MHz FSB in the 775 Land package. This super fast processor comes with a heat sink and fan assembly which uses push pin technology to install. For memory I decided on Rosewills 512 MB 184-pin DDR SDRAM DDR400 (PC3200), four times. For the hard drive I chose Western Digitals WDC1600, 160 GHz 7200 RPM Serial ATA Hard Drive. I chose a Mitsumi 1.44 MB 3.5 Internal Floppy, a Rosewill DVD burner; model RD-162, and Rosewill CD burner; model RR-52, (both retail). With the exception of the floppy, all of my components were retail, IE, in original manufacturers packaging, etc. Also on my list were 2 80mm Sleeve, Blue LED light case cooling fans, a Sound Blaster Live sound card, an ATI All In Wonder 9600 8X graphics/TV card, a Dell 17 Ultra Sharp flat panel monitor, wireless mouse and keyboard, HP Photo Smart 7660 printer, and Logitech Z 2300 speaker system.

As you can see I did my homework. Before taking on this task, I didnt have a clue as to what a motherboard was, what was a CPUs function, what a hard disk was and what it was for, what if any compatibility issues I would encounter, and how all of this stuff worked together. So over the course of about three months I purchased all of these components. My very first mistake was that I ordered the ASUS P4P800SE instead of the ASUS P5P800SE. The P4P800SE is not compatible with the Intel P4 LGA-775 processor. So here was a chance to test the service level of Newegg.com. I emailed them and explained my situation, and without hesitation they exchanged the motherboard and didnt charge me a restocking fee or freight. They acted as if they had made the mistake. Needless to say, I was VERY impressed.

Once all of the parts and components were here, I laid everything out, identified everything, and read the users guide that came with the motherboard from cover to cover. Now was the nuts and bolts time, the time to put this thing together. The motherboard came with ten screws and ten felt washers which were used to attach the motherboard to the case chassis. I placed the felt washers over the holes on the chassis and placed the motherboard on top of the felt washers. Therefore the felt washers were between the chassis and the motherboard. I then secured the motherboard to the chassis with the ten screws. Next was installing the CPU. I found out real fast how sensitive a piece of equipment this was. There are 775 tiny pins or connectors that could easily get bent, and thus make the CPU useless. This I considered the most intimidating. However, I said a prayer, took my time, got the CPU lined-up correctly, and proceeded with caution. Perfect match! Perfect fit! The sweating was over. I then installed the heat sink and fan assembly onto the CPU with the push pins, (push down and twist clockwise). I then plugged the CPU fan cable into the connector on the motherboard labeled CPU_FAN. I then installed the Serial ATA hard disk drive into one of the internal bays. Then I installed the floppy disk drive. Next to install was the system memory. Its very important that you first ground yourself by touching the metal chassis before handling the Dual Inline Memory Modules (DIMM). This motherboard comes with four DIMM sockets enabling the use of various configurations, based on the amount of memory to be installed. I chose four 512MB DIMM modules, which kept it simple. I just unlocked the DIMM sockets by pressing the retaining clips outward. Next I aligned the DIMM on the socket so that the notch on the DIMM matched the break on the socket. By pushing straight down, I firmly inserted the DIMM until the retaining clips snapped back into place. I then installed the DVD optical drive in the first bay, and the CD optical drive in the second bay. This particular case has flip up doors which conceal the optical drives. I then installed a network card into one of the five PCI slots and secured it to the chassis with screws. Next I installed the ATI All In Wonder9600 graphics card into the Accelerated Graphics Port (AGP) slot. This motherboard only supports a 1.5v or 0.8v AGP card which is keyed to fit into the AGP card slot. Next, was time to set the jumpers. The jumpers are set to determine how a part of the computer will function. For example, theres a three pin keyboard power jumper which lets you enable or disable the keyboard wake up feature. Theres a jumper cap that covers two of the three pins to determine the jumpers function.

Next came the fun part, the internal connections. I connected the FDD to the floppy disk connector with the FDD signal cable. Then I connected a power cable to the FDD. Next I connected the serial ATA hard disk drive to one of the two SATA connectors with a serial ATA signal cable, and then connected a power cable to the hard drive. I then plugged in the CPU fan connectors, the serial (COM) port module cable to the serial port connector, two USB 2.0 ports, and game module. I then connected power cables to the two optical drives. Next I connected the ATX power connectors (24-pin EATXPWR, 4-pin ATX12v), the internal audio connector (4-pin CD, AUX), front panel audio connector (10-1 pin FP-Audio), and last but not least, the system panel connector (20-1 pin Panel). The system panel connector is color coded so connecting it was fairly simple. I then replaced the system case cover, connected the monitor, the wireless receiver for the keyboard and mouse, the speakers, and the power cord. I then plugged the cord into a wall outlet. Now for the moment of truth! I pushed the power button. Nothing happened! No lights on system panel, no onboard LED light, no CPU fan running! Nothing! Needless to say I was crushed. All of this work for nothing. I started wondering what I could have done wrong, or was it some kind of compatibility issue. I went back to the beginning and retraced all of my connections, and they were all correct. After about an hour of tracing and retracing my steps it hit me. There was no power coming into the system! I then plugged in a lamp to test the outlet, and it worked fine. After going over everything again and again I realized that maybe, just maybe the felt washers were somehow preventing a connection. It was worth a try so I uninstalled everything, and I mean everything! I then took out the motherboard, removed the felt washers, replaced the motherboard, so that it was in direct contact with the case chassis, put the felt was hers on top of the motherboard, and then tightened the motherboard to the chassis with the ten screws. I realized that the only instruction not in the users guide was the correct placement of the felt washers! I then reinstalled everything. When I plugged the power cord into the wall outlet the onboard LED light came on! I pushed the power button and she came right on. It worked! Oh how happy I was. I then went into the BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) and followed the steps to set the many different parameters to control the operation of the computer. With the users guide, these were pretty easy to set. Once I finished setting the different parameters I installed the operating system, Microsoft Windows XP with service pack II. Seeing the ASUS logo followed by the Windows XP logo was one of the most gratifying parts of this whole ordeal. I was thrilled! My computer worked flawlessly the first time I used it, and has worked flawlessly every since. I can watch TV programs, search the internet at super fast speeds (with cable modem), download songs and create a play list, create photo disk, and albums, listen to AOL radio, watch videos, watch DVD movies, play games, Call Of Duty, The Big Red One, and print excellent photos. This computer is awesome! Overall this was a very intense learning experience. Once I was committed there was no turning back, because too much money had been spent. By the way, I already owned a desktop computer system made by a highly respected manufacturer. I paid close to $1,100 for the complete system and it has no where near the capabilities of the computer I just built. There is just no comparison. And I spent a whole lot less building my own, actually saved hundred of dollars. I priced major name brand computers with the power and capabilities of the one I just built and the cheapest came to about $2,200. Unbelievable! Just goes to show, anything is possible if you stick to it, and more importantly, if you have the Lord on you side

Darryl Griffin
November 2006
http://www.thegadgetship.com

Darryl F. GriffinCandace Blog61396
Adelind Blog41889

You Can't Sell Consulting Services Over The Web, Or Can You?

In the professional services industry, if there's one thing that creates inertia to investment in online marketing, it's the belief that you can't sell consulting services over the web. There's an element of truth in this, but a whole lot wrong with it. So read on if you want to look at this from an entirely different angle that could transform your approach to sales pipeline building.

Of course it's true that people won't get their credit cards out to buy high priced intangible products that normally have long sales gestation periods and require expert conversations before a deal takes place. However don't let this fool you into ignoring the stages of the sales and marketing process where the web can make massive contributions, it can shrink sales cycles and automate lead generation by taking people out of the process. What it can do for you is bring more prospects to the table, win their trust and get them deeper into your sales funnel without expensive people ever having met them!

Once you've moved to this way of thinking, you'll have prospects knocking on your door rather than you on theirs, your sales pipeline will be a lot healthier, your expensive people will be better utilized and your cost of client acquisition will be much lower than it is today.

If you are going to move to this mindset you need to work on three key things:

1. Talk in the needs' language of your target audience.

2. Provide useful information that educates them and earns their trust.

3. Make your website the hub for all marketing campaigns.

Here's how:

1. Talk in the needs' language of your target audience.

The buying language of consulting consumers is often very different to the selling language used by consultants on their websites. This results in a misalignment between the buyer and the seller. We all know that consultants like to talk about themselves more than they do about their clients! When your clients go online to do their research, you want to be the one that sings their song and presses their buttons. So if you do your homework and identify with their needs, wants and issues, rather than your products, services and company, then you'll be the one to grab their attention and bring them one step closer.

2. Provide useful information that educates them and earns their trust.

Most of the time consumers of professional services do a lot of online research to develop their issue or thinking before they decide on their provider. Would you like to help them do their research? You bet! These people will be grateful to you for good quality information, help and advice. Consulting is a relationship business, so when they're ready to buy, you'll be right up there in their mind as someone they trust to provide the expertise they need. So if you make it easy for them by providing valuable and useful information in the form of white papers, advisory articles, presentations, research reports, podcasts etc. then you'll be the one they trust and they won't be reserved in picking up the phone to you.

3. Make your website the hub for all marketing campaigns.

Most consulting firms who have a marketing plan treat their website like a separate strand of activity, along with direct mail, telemarketing, event speaking, sponsorship, advertising etc. The problem with much of this is the difficulty in measuring results. If you make your website the central hub for all marketing activities, then you can measure the return on investment from all of your campaigns. Make sure you've got a good visitor tracking tool installed (e.g. Opentracker), build special landing pages for each campaign, automate the delivery of your information products and capture contact information for use in on-going marketing communications. If you do these things you'll be well on your way to lights out lead generation'!

So is it stupid to think you can sell professional services and consulting over the web?

Well it's doable for advisory products at a sub $1000 price point, but generally speaking you cannot close a complex deal online. But you can use the web to get your first meeting with a prospect, and if you use this as your main objective then you'll soon be pushing leads into your sales pipeline with much less effort and cost.

Tony Rice is a partner at Equiteq LLP, experts in M&A for the consulting industry. He has spent his career marketing to blue chip companies and was CEO of an award winning internet marketing project at BT plc. Tony often helps consulting clients to develop effective marketing plans for growth prior to the sale of their firm. http://www.equiteq.co.ukBetty Blog72397
Bibbye Blog31086

3rd Party Buying Tips - What You Need To Know

Save Your Money and Be Smart!

As your investment profile grows larger and larger youll notice that assigning a family member, wife or good friend to a home could be a definite advantage on your overall net worth. Especially in a rising real estate market where you can re-sell the property at a higher price before the completion date. Since half the property value is added onto your net worth, depending on the tax bracket your in, it might prove necessary to do a 3rd party buying. In this situation its important that in your contract you do not use and or nominee. But rather be straight forward with the name of who the purchaser is.

The general rule is that a buyer may assign their rights under the contract as long as they do not prejudice the rights of the seller. The seller must know who the buyer is. However, if the seller does not feel her rights are prejudiced then the seller may consent to the assignment identity not to be required. This is provided that you have notice in writing of the assignment. Both buyers and sellers should receive copies of this from their realtor.

If your still debating whether or not to have an assignment sale or 3rd party as ownership then you may impute a temporary clause to give you a few extra days to contact your assignee or 3rd party to ask for their permission. Your realtor will insert a Assignment Option Clause which should read something like the following sample clause:

The buyer reserves the right to assign this contract in whole or in part to any third party without further notice to the Seller; said assignment not to relieve the Buyer from his/her obligation to complete the terms and conditions of this contract should the assignee default.

Of course this is only a sample of what a realtor MAY use and should not be taken by person as a clause without first contacting their lawyer. When buying always remember the issues that affect an owners interest. You should keep your eye on the road. Rights-of-ways, passage or road widening may not have been surveyed or registered. Driveways and culverts may not have been constructed on any public roads without the permission of the Ministry of transportation. Permission could also be denied due to limited access roads.

Also, when building near to streams, rivers, oceans, lakes and cliffs; be sure to check your restrictions. You may find that the property your buying will be shrinking before your eyes in a matter of months. This applies to All Real Estate in the Fraser Valley market and all other British Columbia Real Estate. These tips may be useful in other provinces in Canada such as Calgary, Alberta. Again, this should not be relied upon as legal advice but simply as a guideline for your next real estate investment.

Shane Toews is a Licenced Realtor who helps others to educate themselves about current real estate issues. He also provides assistance on how to find quality homes, apartments or vacation rentals in Canada's Fraser Valley area.Angelica Blog74117
Bee Blog45838

Perfume - The Six Common Fragrance Groups

For men, as well as some women, finding the perfect perfume can be a stressful, time-consuming experience. . If you familiarize yourself with the six basic fragrance groups, you will not only save time, but also make your shopping experience more enjoyable. The following paragraphs will discuss the six common fragrance groups when it comes to perfume in order to assist you in finding the right perfume with more ease.

The floral category is the largest and most popular scent for perfumes. These scents are made mainly from different varieties of flowers. These varieties include roses, orange blossoms, vanilla and jasmine. Other flowers are also used, including different varieties of lilies and orchids.

The oriental category of perfume scents represents a relatively large group of scents, as well. These scents include heavy mixtures of spices, balsams, resins, and amber helping to suggest a warm, exotic sensation. This category is very popular during wintertime, and colder months of the year because of its heavy, musky traits.

The citrus category of perfume scents are derived from different fruits. These fruits can include lime, lemon tangerine and mandarin

This often creates a tangy aroma women find refreshing, as well as uplifting. This category of perfume scent is most popular during warm months.

This category of perfume scents was given its name by the French. It tends to create a strong feeling and are made from many different wood-moss mixes. These are often earthly aromas, such as oak moss, bergamot and other types of wood and wood moss

Perfumes falling in the Chypre category of sent are most generally strong, earthly scents.

Although it can be hard to describe the scent of a color, this is a real category of perfume scents. Perfumes falling into this category of scents tend to be sharp, outdoor scents. This includes the scents of pine, juniper, leaves and herbs

Lavender and cocoa are also examples of green scents.

The Fougere category of perfume scents is most common among men. These aromas are usually created from herbs and mossy ferns. Perfumes that fall into this category normally come together in a very sophisticated style. While men typically where scents that fall into this category, there are popular perfumes for women that fall into this category as well.

Most every fragrance retailer will make you think their perfume is a totally new scent, all scents are likely to fall into one of these six categories.

Taisha Grant writes about http://www.perfumefragrancecoupons.com/Coupons/FragranceX.com.html and http://www.perfumefragrancecoupons.com/Coupons/Perfume%20Emporium.htmlAlex Blog66221
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Ten Top Tips To Help You Make The Most Out Of Your Trip Abroad

At HotelHippo.com, travel is our trade, and so we know how stressful planning and travelling for a trip abroad can be. To help relieve those holiday worries we've put together our top 10 travel tips, so you can make the most of your time away.

1. Make sure you have a signed, valid passport and visas, if required.

Imagine, you're at the airport, you're about to check in, and you notice your passport has expired! Your holiday is over before it's even begun. Avoid this disappointment by ensuring your passport is up to date. In most cases you'll find that your passport must be valid for at least 6 months beyond your intended stay. If you don't have a passport, your current passport has expired or is close to expiration, we recommend applying for one now. In the UK it is recommended that you leave at least a month between applying for your passport and arranging travel - this time period may be longer in other countries. Also bear in mind that during summer months your passport office will be inundated with applications, and this may cause a backlog. Be sure to apply for your new passport in plenty of time if you wish to travel during this period.

Also consider the length and type of your trip. Many countries require that you hold a valid visa to work or take an extended stay, and you may find that you are breaking your host county's laws without one.

2. Read the Consular Information Sheets, public announcements or travel warnings for the areas you plan to visit.

Be sure to read up on the areas you plan to visit with these resources to help ensure your personal safety and make the most of your trip.

3. Familiarize yourself with local laws and customs of the countries to which you are travelling.

The last thing any of us want while enjoying our travels is to be seen as an obnoxious tourist. We all know the type, and it's not a good look. This can be easily avoided by finding out about the customs of the country you intend to visit - perhaps even learn a bit of the lingo. Some knowledge along these lines will surely be welcomed by the locals and will help you to enjoy your surroundings that little bit more. Also ensure you're aware of any differences in local law to your home country, as when you are abroad you are subject to the rules of your host country, and ignorance is rarely accepted as an excuse.

4. Make 2 copies of your passport identification page.

This will help if your passport is lost or stolen while you are away - usually a complete nightmare, but made so much easier just by following this little tip. Leave one copy at home with friends or family, and carry the other with you in a separate place to your passport. Do NOT carry it with your passport.

5. Leave contact details with friends and family so that you can be contacted in case of emergency.

Life at home doesn't stop while you're away, and you may need to be quickly contacted by friends or family should there be an emergency. Make sure they can do this by leaving your travel details (address & telephone number of your accommodation, email address & travel itinerary) with selected friends and family.

6. Do not leave your luggage unattended in public areas. Do not accept packages from strangers.

With all the security measures currently in place in public areas such as airports and train stations it is essential to ensure that you keep hold of your luggage at all times. If you're asked to hold an item for a stranger, politely decline.

7. Avoid being a target of crime. Avoid wearing conspicuous clothing and expensive jewellery, and carrying excessive amounts of money, credit cards or gadgets.

Travellers and tourists are obvious targets for foreign criminals - they usually stick out like a sore thumb and carry plenty of cash and gadgets such as digital cameras, camcorders & iPods. Reduce your chances of being a victim by dressing appropriately and only taking what you need - travellers cheques are much safer than cash, and if you wish to take any pictures or listen to music while you're out, keep your devices out of reach and out of site!

8. To avoid violating local laws, deal only with authorized agents when exchanging money or making sizable purchases.

The old adage is right - it something's too good to be true, it usually is. If you're offered an amazing exchange rate or investment opportunity from a stranger with no credentials, walk away. Even if they seem able to prove their identity or position, remain cautious, and trust your instincts - get out if you feel at all uneasy.

9. If you get into trouble, contact the nearest embassy for your country.

Your county's embassy is the place to turn if you find yourself a victim of crime or in trouble with the law. If you are a citizen of the EU and your country does not have an embassy, contact the nearest EU member embassy and request guidance from them. Many of them will provide some level of assistance in an emergency.

10. Above all, have fun!

With all the planning that is required for a successful holiday, it can be easy to get bogged down and forget to have fun and relax! With some simple preparation before you go, you can enjoy your holiday with minimum fuss while there. You deserve a break - make sure you get it!

John Smith writes articles for http://www.HotelHippo.com, offering Cheap Hotels.Carmela Blog63437
Aile Blog77796

A Closer Look At The Roth 401k

Roth 401k is a good retirement savings option. Although it does not provide an up-front tax-deduction, the account eventually becomes tax-free, because the withdrawals taken at retirement are not subject to income tax.

This tax benefit can only be provided to persons who are at least 59.5 years old, or are disabled, and who have held the account for a minimum period of five years. Roth 401k provides an opportunity to save with a different kind of tax treatment. It is a good option for those who are just starting their careers, and expect their income to grow in the future.

Eligibility for Roth 401k:

Anyone whose employer offers Roth 401k is eligible for this investment option. If an employee leaves his/her job, the Roth 401k balance can be rolled over into a Roth IRA. One major benefit of enrolling in Roth 401k is that an account holder does not lose eligibility when the income becomes very high. There is no provision of helping a person open this account if his/her employer does not offer Roth 401k yet. Employers provide a form to their employees to state some, or all, of their 401k contributions that will go into their Roth 401k account.

Difference between 401k and Roth 401k:

401k makes available some tax relief in the year a person may have contributed into the account. However, a 401k-account holder is liable to pay taxes on his/her contribution, along with all the investment earnings, later.

A Roth 401k account holder does not get any tax benefit in the year of the contributions, but all the earnings in the account will be free of tax for as long as the account exists. Besides, a Roth 401k-account holder can roll his/her account to a Roth IRA. The Roth IRA account continues to grow with tax-free earnings for as long as it exists. However, Roth IRA is not available to taxpayers with an income above a certain level.

Advantages of Roth 401k:

Since tax rules allow a person to make it as large as a traditional account, the Roth 401k account is more valuable compared to it. Therefore, saving in a Roth 401k account can make a person much better off at retirement. Given below is a table showing the amount required in a traditional account to have the equivalent of $100 in a Roth Account.

TAX- BRACKET AMOUNT
10% $111.11
15% $117.65
25% $133.33
28% $138.89
33% $149.25
35% $153.85

If a person is in the 33% tax bracket, he/she will have to withdraw $149.25 from a traditional account in order to spend $100. This is because $49.25 is used to pay the tax on the distribution. Roth 401k provides more wealth at retirement, as the distribution from it is tax-free.

While many companies that already have the traditional 401k plans, wanted to implement Roth 401k plans, which have been effective from January 1,2006 according to the law, in reality only a few actually have done it, because of the extra expenses involved. These companies want to first observe the success of Roth 401k before actually undertaking the cost of the implementation.

Roth 401k is a good investment option to save tax-free earnings for retirement. People can take advantage of it to be able to have a secure retirement, which is free from monetary worries.

Joe Kenny writes for the UK Loans Store where you will can compare UK secured loans and offer more information on debt consolidation loans and other loan topics available on site.Aubree Blog26554
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