Save Money when you Buy Outdoor Items Most homeowners take great pride in keeping their yard looking beautiful all year long. Yet the cost of such upkeep can really get expensive after a while. You can save money when you buy outdoor items at various times of the year. These bargains will help you have the quality yard you want but without the high price tag. Fertilizing the grass usually takes place in late spring. It is common for people to fertilize again in the late fall so that the precipitation over the winter can help their grass stay green. If you stock up on fertilizer at the end of the winter you will have plenty for spring but you will get it at Ѕ the cost or less. The same goes for weed killer. At the end of winter make sure you stock up on plenty of ice melt and a couple of good quality snow shovels. This way you will save money on the items you need for next winter. There are some big ticket items that generally can be found in any yard. Some of them are a necessity and others are luxury items that allow you to enjoy your backyard more in your free time. Lawn mowers and weed trimmers are very expensive during the spring and summer months. I can’t tell you how many people I know who have had to pay the going price for one because their quit on them. If you know your lawnmower is on its last legs purchase one at the end of the summer when they are very reasonably priced. Camping is a favorite spring and summer activity for families. Try buying a couple of sleeping bags and a good quality tent during this time of year and you better be prepared to pay a copy hundred dollars for the items. At the end of camping season many of these products go on sale so they can make room for the next seasonal items. This is the best time to replace them. Barbeque grills, swimming pools, and patio furniture are also great items everyone wants to be able use during the summer months. If you have to purchase a barbeque grill during the summer there are generally sales on them around Memorial Day and Father’s Day. You can get a great deal of an older model that the store is trying to move out to make room for the newer models. Many retail stores that offer outdoor items also offer credit cards for their store. You can get discounts of various amounts when you purchase these items on that credit card. The secret to getting a bargain this way is paying the balance in full immediately. This way you get the discount on the purchase and you won’t end up paying any interest on the items while you are paying off the balance. There are plenty of ways to save money when you buy outdoor items. Planning ahead is one of the best ways to save on them, especially those big ticket items that you have to have. Of course it is very important that you store the items you buy to use at a later time in a place where they won’t get damaged or lost. If that happens then you really didn’t get a very good bargain after all! Word Count 562

The career field of paralegals began developing in the United States in the 1960s and 1970s as lawyers began hiring the assistants to help them with paper work, case investigation and general duties. As more attorneys began hiring legal assistance, the American Bar Association formed the Standing Committee on Legal Assistance to help set the standard in the paralegal - attorney relationship, employment guidelines and other duties associated with the paralegal, or legal assistant. That committee was formed in the late 1960s and today is made up of both attorneys and professional paralegals. The American Bar Association offers a certification program to institutions that give courses in paralegal instruction which gives the bar association the opportunity to set standards in the education of legal assistants. There are several major national professional organizations for paralegals in the United States, in addition to their representation in the American Bar Association. Some of those organizations have helped form the career field of the paralegal, or legal assistant. Two professional organizations, the National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA) and the National Federation of Paralegal Associations (NFPA), together represent more than 30,000 paralegals across the U. S. The organizations, while both working to serve the paralegal profession, have been competitive while determining the language that helps shape the profession. The NFPA prefers usage of the word paralegal while NALA prefers the term legal assistant. The American Association for Paralegal Education (AAfPE) is an organization of institutions and teachers of paralegal education programs. The organization strives for consistent paralegal education standards. A new organization for paralegals began in 2003 and quickly began setting standards in the legal assistant field. The American Alliance of Paralegals serves individuals. Members in the American Alliance of Paralegals are required to meet certain educational or work experience guidelines in order to be a voting member. The organization was the first national organization for paralegals to become involved in setting minimum educational standards and guidelines. If you are a paralegal hoping to gain membership in a national professional organization, do some research to see what type of associations are typical to your area. The national organizations will likely have state and regional groups meeting in your area, or a nearby area. Talk to other paralegals in your area to see if they have professional membership in one of these organizations. Ask about benefits and professional development training the organizations offer. If you are just entering a career as a paralegal or just beginning training for such a career, see if a professional membership can help you in your career plans. Perhaps an organization that offers various networking or job notice work boards would be of benefit to someone seeking to enter the field. Membership could be like having an insider pulling for you. Also, if you are a student planning to enter the paralegal field, a national organization might be able to hook you up with scholarship or other financial award information to help you complete your training. Contact all the paralegal organizations you can find to see if they have special information that might help you along your path to your legal career. This article may be reproduced only in its entirety.

Every time you apply for any type of loan or you are issued credit or you pay any bill, it becomes a part of the equation that determines your credit rating. The primary or big three credit agencies are: Experian, Equifax and Trans Union. The credit score they determine is what all major lenders and most companies use when deciding if they will lend you money or issue you credit and the terms that credit will have. Your Credit Rating - What Does It Include? All of your current debts are included when determining your credit rating. Basically, your credit rating is a history of all your debts, with special emphasis placed on anything that has gone wrong. A few of the primary factors that determine your overall rating include: Late Payments - The number of times you've been 30, 60, 90 or more than 120 days late on any payment. This could include rent, mortgage, phone bills or any type of credit card. Defaulting (never paying) on a debt will clearly hurt your credit rating for a period of time. In some instances, up to 7 years but each company issuing credit has their own guidelines and in many cases it will cause a negative impact for 2 - 3 years. Owing a high percentage compared to your credit limit also brings down your credit score. For example: If you owe $10,000 on your credit cards you are much better off to owe $3,000 on two different cards with a credit limit of $5,000 each and 4,000 on another card with a credit limit of $6,000 than to owe the entire $10,000 on one card with a credit limit of $10,000. It is also worth considering that the credit report of anyone you live with or more precisely anyone with whom you share a debt obligation with is also linked to your report and if they default or have a late payment, it will reflect on your credit score. This happens with when couples get divorced and one party decides to stop making payments. What is FICO? The standard method for expressing your credit rating is called FICO. In a nutshell, it's an acronym for expressing your credit worthiness with a number. FICO was named after the Fair Isaac Corporation, who invented it. One common misconception about credit score is that every time your credit is pulled is that it hurts your credit score. This is how it works. If it's pulled by a lender then it doesn't hurt your score because it's assumed they would only be pulling it to determine if you qualify for a mortgage. On the other hand, if you continually apply for department store credit cards or car loans or similar types of credit and those types companies pull it then it can hurt your credit score, if it's pulled too many times in a short period of time. The exact number of times it can be pulled in a particular time frame before it hurts your score is an industry secret but if you use common sense and don't over apply then you should be ok. Why Your Credit Rating is So Important Any time you get turned down for a any type of loan, chances are that it was because of your credit ratingpanies that are considering giving you a loan rely almost exclusively on this rating when making the decision whether or not to issue you credit. Regardless, the bottom line is this. In virtually all cases, the lower your credit score the higher the interest rate. Your credit score directly determines the credit terms you'll receive for any type of loan - mortgage, car, credit cards, etc. And remember, all bills affect your credit rating so if you don't pay your phone bill or your utilities or your rent on time it will have an effect on the terms you receive or even if you qualify for a mortgage or car loan. So get into the habit or paying your bills on time and get a solid credit rating because the amount of money you'll save over your lifetime in interest charges will be huge. Free Credit Reports One of latest trends in credit reporting is for companies to offer individuals a free credit report. In and of itself, there's nothing wrong with this but I would like to point out a vital point that you need to be aware of. I mentioned earlier that there are 3 primary credit agencies that lenders rely on looking at your credit. The key factor here is three and that's where you can run into trouble when you get your Free Credit Report. When you get a Free Credit Report you will only be getting the results from one of the primary credit agencies and this can misleading. The reason it's misleading is because virtually ALL lenders will pull what's called a tri-merge credit report when you apply for a loan. They do this in order to get the full picture of your credit history. Then they throw out the high and the low score and use the middle score to determine your credit rating. When you get your Free Credit Report you will only be given a credit report pulled from one of the agencies and so you have a pretty good chance of being misled as to what your actually credit score is. Unless, the credit agency that was used just happened to be the one with the middle credit score you won't have your 'true' credit score. And the reason this matters is because the difference between the three scores can be significant. So be wary of single agency credit reports and when applying for a loan always ask for your middle credit score because that's the only one that really counts.

Recently I have read an interesting article about SMOG. SMOG simply means Signal, Mirror, Over the shoulder, Go. This is the step that we should use when we wanted to change lane on the road during driving. However most of us are using the opposite practice which is MOSG. MOSG means Mirror, Over the shoulder, Signal, Go. When we wanted to change to the next lane during driving, we normally try first to make sure that there are opening for us to move into the lane, then only we turn on the signal and move in. If there is no opening on the lane next to us, we don’t even bother to turn on the signal. This is exactly what I did when I drive. But in actual, if you signal first, the cars on the other lane will normally leave out an opening for you to move in. I suddenly realize that what I was doing - MOSG is indeed a reactive way, where SMOG is a proactive action. In SMOG, you create the intention on what you want to do, let people know about it, then you achieve it. In achieving what we want in life, are we using MOSG or SMOG practice? I think most of us are using MOSG practice. For example in our career, we normally just pick up any tasks that comes to us. We seldom go and think about what we want to achieve in our career. Bear in mind that the tasks that just comes to us are normally urgent task that don’t help much in our career development. For example if we want to become a manager, then we should plan our time accordingly to improve ourselves like reading on management related materials, take up professional courses or academic courses like MBA and so on. Instead of doing that, most of us will just starting to complain that there is no luck for us. Ordinary people will believe it only after they see it. But successfully people aren’t doing that. They believe it, then only they see it. Many of us do want to be somebody when we are a child. But when we grow up, we start to forgot about that intention. It is not that we purposely doing that. It is because that most of us think in MOSG mode, we cannot find an opportunity for us to be that somebody, so we forget about it. Think about what you want to achieve, made up your mind, write about it, read about it and imagine about it. Then sooner or later opportunities will come to you.

If you have a baby that is coming, then there is no doubt that you are either planning to set up a nursery room in the house or in the process of putting one together. There are some constants that every family must have such as cribs and a baby dresser but here are a few extras that you may want to add to give the room some personality. If you already have a name picked out for the infant you may want to invest in some wooden letters on the baby's wall that spell out the child's name. This is a great addition to any child's room. The letters are relatively inexpensive and they are made with various patterns so that they can match with just about any style. It may also be a good idea to invest in a few tiny baby tables to hold various items in the infant's room. These tables will be for little things like keeping the lamps, putting diapers on, holding baby wipes, and more When baby gets here, you will come to realize that there is never enough space to hold all the infant's stuff. The last extra is a baby piggy bank. Of course this is totally optional but it is never too early to start saving for your child's future. Go ahead and fill that baby bank with all the left over change that you bring to the house from your day of work and when it is completely full, you’ll be able to start some sort of fund for the baby. After you have picked up the essentials for your child's nursery, why not pick up a few extras that will give the room some personality. Remember to invest in small baby tables for the child's stuff and for the piggy bank and make sure that you get a few hand painted wooden letters to spell out the child's name on the wall. These are just a few basic strategies that will get you started on your way to a personalized nursery.

A fifteen year mortgage is a great bet, if you’re inclined to gamble on a couple of things. The first, obviously, is that you’re betting on your ability to pay the higher mortgage rate over the long haul. If you have your own business, you have control over your employment situation. Then the question turns to whether your business or your career has the legs to be as successful for the next fifteen years as it is now. Are you in a cyclical business, affected by economic downturns? Most are, and if your fifteen year mortgage is a stretch for you in the first place then it’s a major gamble. If you’re salaried and safe from the slings and arrows of the economy, then it’s a safer proposition. How Much is on the Table? The savings in plain old dollars is substantial. One mortgage calculation tool compares the figures generated by putting a $100,000 mortgage into fifteen year terms and thirty year terms. The monthly payment is about $735 a month over fifteen years and about $955 a month over thirty years, with an interest rate that is a quarter of a point higher. The difference in total interest payments is a little over one hundred thousand dollars: $169,000 versus $64,000. Those are raw dollar figures, however. What is not factored in is your savings on your annual taxes engendered by the higher interest rate attached to the thirty year note. Money-Managing Alternatives Also not factored in are a number of intangibles. Where would that extra money go if it weren’t committed to a fifteen year mortgage payment? Other investment opportunities, perhaps? Perhaps. But there’s a reason they call leftover money like that “expendable income.” The reason is that most of us do expend it, rather than invest or save it. So maybe the thirty year note means better family vacations, a few ski trips during the winter, a nicer car – without doubt it means some added flexibility in the family budget. The value of retiring a mortgage in fifteen years is substantial, but so can be the risk. If you’re seeking middle ground, consider a mortgage that accepts accelerated payments on a spot basis. When your family income is humming along, pay a higher monthly mortgage rate and you will get a larger figure attached to your principal reduction. You will be paying the higher (30 year) interest rate with those payments, so your annual tax deduction will go up as well. You’re knocking time off the mortgage, and maintaining your maximized tax deduction. All the Hypotheticals Some money managers will call the fifteen year mortgage a sucker’s bet, because if you took the monthly “savings” from the lower payment on a thirty year note and added it to the “savings” from the higher tax deduction on a thirty year note, the total in funds “saved” would more than offset the difference in total interest. It’s a great theory, probably has some merit, but how many of us will diligently sock away our monthly “savings” and yearly “tax break” inherent in the difference between a fifteen year mortgage and a thirty year mortgage? Approximately none of us. Most people look at home appreciation as their return on investment, and let it go at that. Put in a financier’s terms, if a thirty year note cuts your sleepless night quotient by a factor of twenty percent or more, it’s probably worth it.

One of a plethora of animated Christmas classics created in the 1960's - A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965) and How The Grinch Stole Christmas (1966) come to mind - this rendition of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer is unique in that it uses stop-motion animation instead of cartoons to tell its story. Voiced by Burl Ives, Sam the Snowman brilliantly narrates the tale of an awkward reindeer and his firsthand struggle with discrimination. Along the way, Ives sings a number of holiday classics such as “Silver and Gold,” “Holly Jolly Christmas,” and of course, “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer”. Our story begins when Rudolph’s father, Donner, tries to cover up his newborn son’s shiny, bright red nose with a disguise. When Rudolph attends a flight training school for young reindeer, he encounters Clarice, a young doe who thinks that Rudolph is cute. This revelation causes Rudolph to leap into the air and fly around the sky like a seasoned aviator. But when he lands, the false nose falls off and Rudolph’s red honker is exposed to the scorn and ridicule of young bucks everywhere. Clarice is the only one who doesn’t condemn Rudolph as a freak, but her father soon forbids her to congregate with such a “monster”. Following this episode, Rudolph runs away only to meet up with an outcast Elf named Hermey who has committed the unforgivable sin of not wanting to make toys. Contrary to the social conventions of his time, Hermey wants to be a dentist. Rudolph and Hermey decide they will run away together. But in due time, they encounter the dangerous Abominable Snow Monster, a giant hairy beast who crushes anyone who leaves Christmastown. Aiding in their rescue is Yukon Cornelius, a burly prospector who chops off a piece of ice with his pick ax, allowing Rudolph, Hermey, and himself to float away from the Abominable Snow Monster (who can’t swim). After floating through the night, the three characters discover The Land of Misfit Toys – an island of handicapped, screwed-up toys rejected by elf quality-control managers and forced to live away their best years in an icy wasteland. Our three heroes can relate to the misfit toys, and Rudolph promises to inform Santa of their status the next time he sees him. But in order to reach Santa, Rudolph, Hermey, and Yukon Cornelius must first facedown the Abominable Snow Monster. Can they get past the angry monster? And if so, can they get to Santa in time for his Christmas deliveries? Will the weather put a halt to Santa’s Christmas plans? This breakthrough Claymation classic is essential for any child’s Christmas experience (and that of adults who grew up watching the much-anticipated holiday special on TV). That’s why this ranks as a definite “must-see” by any standard. But undoubtedly, we all owe a special thanks to J. C. Penny, the giant retail chain that created Rudolph as part of a promotional gimmick one fabled Christmas season many decades ago. Because it just wouldn’t be Christmas without Rudolph…

All people lie some of the time. They use words to convey their lies while their body language usually gives them away. This is curious. Why did evolution prefer this self defeating strategy? The answer lies in the causes of the phenomenon. We lie for three main reasons and these give rise to three categories of lies: 1.. The Empathic Lie - is a lie told with the intention of sparing someone's feelings. It is a face saving lie - but someone else's face. It is designed to prevent a loss of social status, the onslaught of social sanctions, the process of judgement involved in both. It is a derivative o our ability to put ourselves in someone else's shoes - that is, to empathize. It is intended to spare OUR feelings, which are bound to turn more and more unpleasant the more we sympathize with the social-mental predicament of the person lied to. The reverse, brutal honesty, at all costs and in all circumstances - is a form of sadistic impulse. The lie achieves its goal only if the recipient cooperates, does not actively seek the truth out and acquiescently participates in the mini-drama unfolding in his honour. 2.. The Egocentric Lie - is a lie intended to further the well being of the liar. This can be achieved in one of two ways. The lie can help the liar to achieve his goals (a Goal Seeking Lie) or to avoid embarrassment, humiliation, social sanctions, judgement, criticism and, in general, unpleasant experiences related to social standing (a Face Saving Lie). The Goal Seeking Lie is useful only when considering the liar as an individual, independent unit. The Face Saving type is instrumental only in social situations. We can use the terms: Individualistic Lie and Social Lie respectively. 3.. The Narcissistic Lie - is separated from his brethren by its breadth and recursiveness. It is all-pervasive, ubiquitous, ever recurring, all encompassing, entangled and intertwined with all the elements of the liar's life and personality. Moreover, it is a lie of whose nature the liar is not aware and he is convinced of its truth. But the people surrounding the Narcissist liar notice the lie. The Narcissist-liar is rather like a hunchback without a mirror. He does not believe in the reality of his own hump. It seems that where the liar does not believe his own lies - he succeeds in convincing his victims rather effectively. When he does believe in his own inventions - he fails miserably at trapping his fellow men. Confabulations are an important part of life. They serve to heal emotional wounds or to prevent ones from being inflicted in the first place. They prop-up the confabulator's self-esteem, regulate his (or her) sense of self-worth, and buttress his (or her) self-image. They serve as organizing principles in social interactions. Father's wartime heroism, mother's youthful good looks, one's oft-recounted exploits, erstwhile alleged brilliance, and past purported sexual irresistibility - are typical examples of white, fuzzy, heart-warming lies wrapped around a shriveled kernel of truth. But the distinction between reality and fantasy is rarely completely lost. Deep inside, the healthy confabulator knows where facts end and wishful thinking takes over. Father acknowledges he was no war hero, though he did his share of fighting. Mother understands she was no ravishing beauty, though she may have been attractive. The confabulator realizes that his recounted exploits are overblown, his brilliance exaggerated, and his sexual irresistibility a myth. Such distinctions never rise to the surface because everyone - the confabulator and his audience alike - have a common interest to maintain the confabulation. To challenge the integrity of the confabulator or the veracity of his confabulations is to threaten the very fabric of family and society. Human intercourse is built around such entertaining deviations from the truth. This is where the narcissist differs from others (from "normal" people). His very self is a piece of fiction concocted to fend off hurt and to nurture the narcissist's grandiosity. He fails in his "reality test" - the ability to distinguish the actual from the imagined. The narcissist fervently believes in his own infallibility, brilliance, omnipotence, heroism, and perfection. He doesn't dare confront the truth and admit it even to himself. Moreover, he imposes his personal mythology on his nearest and dearest. Spouse, children, colleagues, friends, neighbors - sometimes even perfect strangers - must abide by the narcissist's narrative or face his wrath. The narcissist countenances no disagreement, alternative points of view, or criticism. To him, confabulation IS reality. The coherence of the narcissist's dysfunctional and precariously-balanced personality depends on the plausibility of his stories and on their acceptance by his Sources of Narcissistic Supply. The narcissist invests an inordinate time in substantiating his tales, collecting "evidence", defending his version of events, and in re-interpreting reality to fit his scenario. As a result, most narcissists are self-delusional, obstinate, opinionated, and argumentative. The narcissist's lies are not goal-orientated. This is what makes his constant dishonesty both disconcerting and incomprehensible. The narcissist lies at the drop of a hat, needlessly, and almost ceaselessly. He lies in order to avoid the Grandiosity Gap - when the abyss between fact and (narcissistic) fiction becomes too gaping to ignore. The narcissist lies in order to preserve appearances, uphold fantasies, support the tall (and impossible) tales of his False Self and extract Narcissistic Supply from unsuspecting sources, who are not yet on to him. To the narcissist, confabulation is not merely a way of life - but life itself. We are all conditioned to let other indulge in pet delusions and get away with white, not too egregious, lies. The narcissist makes use of our socialization. We dare not confront or expose him, despite the outlandishness of his claims, the improbability of his stories, the implausibility of his alleged accomplishments and conquests. We simply turn the other cheek, or meekly avert our eyes, often embarrassed. Moreover, the narcissist makes clear, from the very beginning, that it is his way or the highway. His aggression - even violent streak - are close to the surface. He may be charming in a first encounter - but even then there are telltale signs of pent-up abuse. His interlocutors sense this impending threat and avoid conflict by acquiescing with the narcissist's fairy tales. Thus he imposes his private universe and virtual reality on his milieu - sometimes with disastrous consequences.

Mission Bay San Diego Mission Bay Park in San Diego is the largest facility of its kind, offering over 4,600 acres with free recreational activities for visitors. What was once a sprawling swamp in the 1960's, was dredged and transformed into what is now a great attraction to the San Diego area. Across the 27 miles of bayfront, water activities are all over the place here. For beach lovers, there are 17 miles of oceanfront property, including Mission Beach and Pacific Beach. There are separate areas as well, for swimming, fishing, boating, and even sailing. Mission Park also offers free events such as volleyball, jetski, and many different types of competitions and exhibitions. For the children, Mission Bay Park offers a playground area with plenty of other things to do as well. Mission Park has always been an attraction, one that keeps people coming back for more. For those living in the area, Mission Bay in San Diego provides plenty of things to do. The location is great, with something always going on. If you plan to visit San Diego in the near future - make sure you drop by Mission Bay and see what makes this area one of the best in the world. (word count 201)

Have you ever filled in an application? If you are a grown up with large experience in business, traveling or just purchasing something, you had to deal with an application obligatory. Except your first and last name there is another question that you have to answer. Denote your sex: male or female. Nowadays this is an obligatory question to answer only because some peculiarities need to be clarified. No discrimination here. Finally we have social equality. Both men and women have equal rights. But discrimination can still be observed. Let’s go back to ancient times. According to the law of ancient Greece, a country which is considered to be a motherland of democracy, women were left with no rights and practically treated like animals. Then step by step we can see the situation improving. Greek Goddesses were equal in powers with Gods. Women were taught several arts and deeds of several famous women were highlighted in mythology. But still they had no right to vote, to have personal property, to govern the land and to speak before they were asked. By the way, this law is still in power in some Muslim countries, were women also have to hide their bodies and cover their faces. An average Muslim woman can’t read and write, for the law forbids her to. But the strangest thing about the fact is that she is happy, despite this obvious discrimination. This is the result of ideological influence. The history of some of the Muslim countries goes deep into the millennium BC. Not a speck has changed since then. Religious beliefs are still the same. Some students use this information while writing a term paper. The topic is still burning and leaves a lot to think about. You don’t have to go very far to get information. There was the same situation in Europe, the crib of civilization. Women had no right to vote, but they were to know how to read, to write, to do accounting, to watch over the household and other things. Rather liberal, you can say. But with the development came women’s desire to be equal to a man. Women went to colleges, worked as lawyers, made careers in politics and this is where discrimination showed its true face. If a company was to choose between a man-lawyer and a woman-lawyer, their choice would be a man, because there was no belief in woman’s ability to cope with tasks that a lawyer should do. Women in politics were met very coldly. No man considered a woman to be strong enough to represent other people’s ideas in front of the parliament. According to man’s logics, woman couldn’t be involved in scientific research and couldn’t serve her motherland in the army. Now the situation has been greatly improved. Feminism was a great motivator for women who didn’t join the stream, to themselves in a bit different role than a mother and a housewife. Now women and men are equally treated and there seems to be no discrimination. But if to go deeper into the problem, the essence of it still exists and women still suffer from discrimination. The only difference is that now they consider it unacceptable and fight for their rights while in Middle Ages they were quite satisfied with their status.

Whistler is perhaps North America’s best ski resort; certainly there is nowhere close for vertical drop, acreage of groomed runs and variety of expert terrain. However there is also a tremendous variety of rental accommodation, and before you make a choice it would be as well to be educated about the options and their implications. Whistler properties vary along 3 key dimensions: size, quality/style and location. We don’t need to say much about size; there are properties on the rental market ranging from shoeboxes of 350 sq. ft to imposing chalets of 6000 sq. ft. or more. Quality is another question altogether. Much of the Whistler rental inventory was built in the 80s and 90s when the profile of the resort was lower and cost was the name of the game. Most developments were built with indifferent design, cheap materials, poor quality fixtures and fittings and dйcor that is unimaginative at best. You do not want to spend your vacation in a condo with a blue carpet, magnolia walls, formica countertops, shiny brass bathroom fittings and garishly-coloured sofas. So you need to seek out either one of the more recent developments, such as Taluswood, that were built to a much higher specification, or you need to find a unit that has been recently renovated (or ‘Whistlerized’, as the local term has it). ‘Whistlerization’ typically involves installing slate floors, granite countertops, stone fireplaces, wooden cupboards, beams and trim, and painting in earthy autumnal tones of cafй-au-lait, caramel and burgundy. These units have a much more mountain-cabin feel. The top-of-the-line properties in Whistler go a stage or three beyond this, with spectacular designs and extremely high-end finishes, although only a few of these properties are on the rental market. Location is perhaps the key issue in choosing your Whistler rental. Although only a small town, there are many different areas you can choose for your vacation, and each of them has advantages and disadvantages. The Village is the place for proximity to bars and restaurants, and for being a relatively short walk to the lifts. However most of the inventory in the Village is small, with one or two-bedrooms units dominant in the mix, and it was all built to a cheap standard. It is critical to find a unit that has received a recent quality renovation. There are also one or two units that are larger, but you may have to search hard to find them. The Upper Village is on the lower slopes of Blackcomb Mountain. This is the location for ski-in, ski-out units that are also reasonably accessible to the Village. However, if you want ski-in, ski-out make sure that you check what this means. Some properties are actually on the slopes; others, still styling themselves ‘ski-in, ski-out’ may be up to 5 minutes walk away. Still others are ski-in, but not ski-out. The second main location for ski-in, ski-out units is Taluswood on the lower slopes of Whistler Mountain. This is a very upscale area with a variety of accommodation, but all of a high quality standard using peeled logs, natural materials and quality dйcor. Access to the slopes is very easy, with no more than a 2 minute walk from most properties. However you need a vehicle to get to shops and restaurants, as this area is not served by either the free shuttle or by municipal buses. The fourth location is Creekside, the original location of Whistler. This used to be a very downmarket area, but recent heavy investment has made it a decent alternative to the Village. The Creekside gondola is always less crowded than the lifts in the Village, and there is now a great selection of shops and restaurants in town. The quality of accommodation is very mixed, with many unattractive older properties and a few newer, luxury chalets that are equal to any in Whistler. You can walk to the lifts from most locations in Creekside. Finally, there is a selection of other locations, including Blueberry Hill, Nicklaus North and Alpine Meadows. Here you will generally find larger homes, but they are not ski-in, ski-out and you will have to drive to the Village as well. However, you will get more for your money in terms of the quality and size of the property itself here.

To support new business especially in real estate, construction, entertainment you need a back up of private investor funding. You also need to have fair to excellent credit score to obtain private investor funding. There are many known names in this business. An individual who has done well financially and is ready to provide capital for a business is known as an Angel investor. Although Angels are thought of as individuals, the actual entity that provides the funding may be a trust, business, investment fund, etc. Private investor funding basically lends you money against your private trust deeds, excellent business idea, and liquid rate of the land or business. As long as you have a plan and a proven track record, this is the main thing that these funding institutions look for. This kind of funding comes with a high risk and therefore they demand a high return on investment. Individuals providing private investor funding have an exit strategy planned so that the original investment bring them more than five times the return in 3 to 5 years. The exit strategy could include IPOs or acquisition. A private investor funding is done by reviewing the business plan. The funding institute or the individual then have an investment proposal that is both sensible and sufficiently attractive to investors. This funding can be raised by a group of investors as well. Not just in the US but this type of funding can support new businesses in developing countries too. Venture capital and private investor funding work hand in hand for somebody who is setting up a new businesspanies use these funds to increase its R&D, sales and marketing efforts. Private investors are now seeking to organize themselves, making a bigger entity than just working individually to receive small gains. Once they pool in their investments and form a network of private investors they can get bigger returns and this idea is very alluring. The bottom line: even if you don’t have the money right now to invest, you can certainly find the money, whether you have to pool your money with others or obtain private investor funding from an institution. Don’t let a lack of funds hold you back; do your research, formulate a plan, and start investing and getting rich from the market.

: If you're planning to tie the knot, one of the very first things you need to plan is how to make your bridal shower memorable. There are lots of unique bridal shower favors that are available for any would be bride to choose from. Here are some great ones to consider: Handbag Holder – Available in 3 beautiful color floral design accented with rhinestone, this purse caddy is set on the table to hold your purse or hand bag near you so that you won't forget about it or have to set it down on a dirty floor. Corco Coin Purse – Croco Coin Purses are stylish, practical and colorful – available in shades of Black, Pink, Red and Brown, these functional little bags keep you organized…with a fashionable edge. Personalized Bridal Shower Gel – Your bridesmaids and guests will enjoy being pampered with this lightly scented gel... kissed with the fragrance of sweet pea and violets, this is a flirtatious blend everyone will be sure to enjoy! Izzy Straw Gift Bag – Your favorite girls will love to have these unique summer straw bags as their goody bag and keepsake of your bridal shower party – they come in different designs and you can add other goodies too such as lip gloss, soaps and other treats.

Manicure Bag – Unique color vinyl mini purse that includes a mini manicure set to go, they come in adorable colors, pink, blue, lavender and pearl white. Mini Floral Jewelry Box – Mini antique finish floral design footed jewelry box – best for jewelry such as stud earrings, rings and silver chain necklaces and pendants but not suitable for larger jewelry items. Make up Pouch – Available in assorted colors and patterns, this mini make-up pouch made with Asian design fabrics is unique because no fabric is cut exactly alike.

Bridesmaid Dress Sachets – These adorable scented sachets in the shape of bridesmaids’ dresses are fragranced with lavender and will delicately scent your bridesmaids’ pajama drawers or lingerie drawers – available in a variety of colors with a silver metal hanger for easy display. Black Lace Corset Potpourri – Scented Potpourri in the shape of this beautiful black lace corset makes a great gift to the bride's guest as her bridal shower favor – perfect as a decoration for the bedroom or as a linen sachet for the drawers. These are just some examples of favors that you can consider for your very own bridal shower party. Hopefully this summary of unique and interesting products could make your selection much easier!

"Losing Weight the Healthy Way" Almost 108 million Americans were overweight or obese in 1999. Until now, obesity continues to be a serious problem and is predicted to reach epidemic levels by the year 2020. One way to prevent this scenario is to make people aware of the risks of being overweight or obese. Here are some diseases that you are putting yourself in risk of if you are carrying a lot of extra pounds: 1. heart disease 2. stroke 3. diabetes 4. cancer 5. arthritis 6. hypertension Losing weight helps to prevent and control these diseases. The quick weight loss methods which have spread like fire these days do not provide lasting results. More often than not, dieting methods which involve dietary drinks, foods and supplement or pills do not work. If they do, the results are just temporary. It is better to rely on a healthy weight loss option which will provide lifetime results. You have to set realistic goals and not expect to lose a lot of pounds in a short span of time. Here are some tips on how you can lose those unwanted pounds the healthy way: 1. Do not starve your self. The key to a healthier way of losing weight is: Do not diet. You may seem happy and feel that you are losing those unwanted flabs on your belly and thighs by skipping meals. But remember that this would not last long. Your body cannot tolerate having insufficient food to fuel the energy that you use up everyday. If you get used to skipping one or two meals a day, your stored calories will be used up instead of the energy that should have been provided by your meals. So if you just eat one huge sandwich in one day, it will end up straight to your problem area (i. e. highs, buttocks, hips). 2. Start your day right. Mothers always say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Have a healthy meal in the morning to jump-start your metabolism. Your food intake after you wake up will be used to burn fat all day long. 3. Eat small, healthy meals frequently. Five small-serving snacks per day is better than three hearty meals. Eating more frequently, and in small servings, can prevent over-eating. This will also increase your metabolism and make calories burn faster. 4. Decide on how much weight you want to lose. Keep your goals realistic. In the long run, it is virtually impossible for you to lose 40 pounds in 2 weeks. Have a mindset that you want to eat healthy to stay healthy for the rest of your life. Once you have decided on a weight loss plan or program, stick to it and make sure that you follow your own set of dieting rules. 5. Drink lots of water. Your body needs sufficient water to burn fat and keep your cells hydrated and healthy. 6. Avoid too much sugar. Plan your meals around lots of fruits and vegetables, some bread, rice or pasta for that carbo fix that you need, plus lean meat and protein rich-foods. Sweets, sodas and pastries should be once-in-a-while indulgences only. 7. Watch your fat intake. Fat is not the culprit to being overweight. You need this to keep your weight at the proper level. There is such a thing as healthy fats. Olive, peanuts and canola oil have them. Tuna, salmon and mackerel have omega-3 fats which is good for the heart. 8. Exercise. Leave your car if you are only going a few blocks from home, take the stairs instead of the elevator, jog, cycle or skate. Use these activites and other home chores if you are too lazy to go to the gym and take exercise classes. Make sure that you do this regularly and you will not even notice that you are already shedding pounds with these mundane activities. It does not matter how much weight you plan or need to lose. What is important is that you set realistic goals for yourself. Go slow. If you have already lost 5 or 6 pounds, give yourself a break then try to lose the next 5 pounds. Eat healthy, drink lots of water, have enough sleep and exercise. This will give you a higher chance of losing weight and improving your health, which would result to a new, healthier you.

One of the best ways to lose weight is to have a change of heart as well as a change of mind. When you participate in a Christian weight loss program you’ll soon discover that the emphasis will include more than simply losing weight. You can take as many diet pills as you want and it will still not provide a method for proven weight loss in the long term. With pills you will generally see results as long as you are taking the pills. Once you abandon the pills because of total cost or dissatisfaction in how your body is reacting to the stimuli found in most diet pills you will see the weight return - and the weight always seems to bring friends. With a Christian weight loss program you are encouraged to come to an understanding of who God intended you to be. This becomes important because inactivity has a keen effect on depression and self-esteem. When you combine a three prong approach to this process you find there is a lifestyle change, weight loss and exercise. A quality Christian weight loss program is concerned about the whole person and not simply quantifying results. It’s not uncommon for those who are looking to lose weight to find general discouragement when they observe that those who do exercise seem more enthused with life and are generally happier. The reason for this is that when a person exercises regularly endorphins are released that give a positive boost to their outlook on life providing a positive outlook on life. Those who exercise regularly experience this sensation and it provides a unique bonus to their health maintenance goals. This is why so many find exercise almost addictive when it is practiced regularly. A Christian weight loss program helps you find a balance between appropriate exercise, healthy food choices, and the spiritual dimension to your life that most weight loss programs never seem to address. God’s Word tells us in Romans that "There is... no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." A Christian weight loss program is not about guilt; rather it is designed to enable you to find a better way to manage your weight loss objectives in a way that does not deny your faith. When choosing a Christian weight loss program you should look for results, but also attention to biblical precepts that enable you to feel comfortable with a plan that has allowed others to see long term results. Such a program assists in providing you with an understanding that change is something that is achievable once the problem is recognized. Just as faith is an element to help an individual heal from various diseased, that very same faith can be used successfully in a Christian weight loss program that places high value on trust. When you feel better about yourself and natural endorphins are released you will find you have more energy and a better countenance. A quality Christian weight loss program helps you understand these dynamics and make use of them in the positive changes you will discover in a new lifestyle choice. A good program will not insist on expensive weigh loss pills or fitness club membership. They will, however, provide a means to enhancing your metabolisms ability to burn fat and increase your energy level - and they never leave the faith element in your life behind.