Myths about acne die hard. Old wives’ tales about its causes continue to persist, in spite of scientific condition to the contrary. This article aims to shed light on some common myths about acne and attempts to separate fact from fiction. Myth 1: People who have acne are unclean and maintain poor hygiene There is absolutely no truth to this statement. Acne is caused by a hormonal imbalance in the body. When the oil glands responsible for keeping our skin waterproof and moist, over react to produce excessive quantities of sebum, they block the associated hair follicle, causing clogged pores, which develops into acne. So hygiene has absolutely nothing to do with it. In fact unnecessary scrubbing of the skin can exacerbate the problem. Do take care of your skin though - wash your face gently and pat dry. Myth 2: Eating the wrong foods will lead to acne The fact is that there is no co-relation between what you eat and acne. The chocolates, the French fries, the cheese pizza, and all those other fatty foods that have been lambasted ever so often, because of their unhealthy consequence have no affect whatsoever on your skin. However, eating a well balanced diet makes sense. So while you don’t have to be concerned as to whether your favorite treat affects your skin (at least directly), do remember that it does affect your overall health. Myth 3: Acne is caused by stress The truth is that the stress that most of us experience as part of our day-to-day existence does not lead to acne. Sometimes, acne can arise as the side-effect of drugs taken to treat severe stress. Talk to your doctor to find out if your stress medication is responsible for your acne. Stress can however make an already existing acne condition worse. Myth 4: Acne is a merely a cosmetic disease Well, acne does affect the way you look and yes, it is considered a threat to your physical well being. However, the fact remains that in some cases acne can lead to permanent scarring which is more than just purely cosmetic. Acne affects people psychologically. It is known to affect their perception of themselves, their self-esteem and confidence and their interaction with others. It can cause feelings of frustration, depression and social embarrassment. Myth 5: Acne can not be cured With the kind of products that are available in the market today, there is no reason why anyone should have to suffer the agony caused by acne. The fact is that acne can be cleared up with the right medication and a regime specific to their needs. Consult your dermatologist if you have acne.

When you are considering embarking upon a specialized job-training program, the last thing that you want to hear is that the cost of doing so is prohibitive. After all, chances are that a reason why you’re looking in the first place is dissatisfaction with your current pay. With the current condition of the United States economy, the job market is definitely skewed towards the employers, and the wages being paid are not necessarily commensurate with the work being performed. If you are considering training in the construction equipment operation field, then, a high-priced training program may be enough to discourage and dissuade you from following through. Not so with the program offered by the National Heavy Equipment Operations School, however. At National, we understand that job training is often required to fit into the constraints of your current occupation and demands in life, and thus our heavy equipment training program is flexible and affordable. For tuition costs comparable to community college coursework, you can complete our thorough and comprehensive two-part training program. By no means is the lower cost of National’s program indicative of its quality; our facility is home to the nation’s only fully accredited heavy equipment training course. Additionally, National offers tuition financing to those who qualify, and even unemployed applicants can often take advantage of payment programs offered locally through their respective offices. Students on active military duty are also eligible for DANTES and tuition assistance. Even the lodging costs required to complete the second training phase are affordable; National has agreements with several nearby motels for student housing. The cost of our heavy equipment-training program is further offset once you successfully complete it. According to the U. S. Department of Labor, the construction industry is one of the largest industries in the country, employing well over six million people. But your own perception can tell you as much; regardless of where you are in the nation, chances are good that there is at least one or two construction projects being completed nearby, from highway widening to mountain pass maintenance. Indeed, construction represents one of the most stable and reliable industries in today’s marketplace, and according to projections it shows no sign of slowing anytime soon. As the program at National is known and respected throughout the industry, the certificate that you receive upon program completion will open up employment doors for you all across the nation.

Refinancing home mortgage is one way to make the most of your money. Many people find it a smart tool. This is true to an extent and also depends on prudent judgment and good assessment of certain things such as your personal goals and your home’s current and past value, plus the particulars of your current loan. Refinancing is no doubt a good option and a smart way of maximizing your saving if you take all these conditions into account. Otherwise home mortgage refinancing may not make any sense at all and may prove to be a futile exercise. So next time when you consider refinancing home mortgage, before doing so consider the following point: First, know your homes value. Assess the value of your properly. Find out whether it is increasing or decreasing. It is very likely that real estate prices always go up. Hence currently it is likely that your home value has also gone up. However, there are also certain conditions when real estate prices come down. So don’t ever take for granted that your home value has gone up. Call up a mortgage lender or a local realtor and find out the current real estate prices. If it is going down, defer your home mortgage refinancing until the situation is favorable. Another aspect that you need to look at is for how long d you intend to stay in your present home. If you stay for long years, long enough to pay off the points as well as closing costs of refinancing, then you may go for refinancing. However, if you intend to look at other homes in the near future, refinancing of your homes mortgage will not make any sense. Find out what is real motive of refinancing of your homes mortgage. If it is to reduce debt, do something that will increase your home value. You can in fact consider renovation before refinancing it so that its value goes up. Investing in renovation is not a bad idea because the amount you have spent in doing so will give better returns in the long run. It is worth investing. If you consider the above points, refinancing your homes mortgage may give you wonderful results. Monthly mortgage payments can be reduced to a certain extent and you can save more. Lower interest rates mean lower payment and increased saving. Suppose you owe $100,000 on your homes mortgage on a thirty-year conventional loan taken at an interest rate of 6.5 percent, your monthly payment will then be $632. If you can lower that interest rate to 5.5 percent then your monthly payments comes down to $567. This means you can lower your homes monthly payment by $68, which is a big amount. Since you are not an expert on home mortgage refinancing, it is always better to consult realtor or mortgage lender before taking any decision. They will help you to determine which type of loan is best to refinance your home mortgage. All said and done, refinancing home mortgage is done taking advantage of fluctuating real estate prices.

: The optimum word in “home equity loan” is equity. Start with the fair market value of a home, subtract the mortgages (first and second) and any liens against the property, and what you have left is the equity. This equity can be used as collateral to secure cash in the form of a loan or mortgage. The amount borrowed is based on a percentage of the appraised value of the home. The percentage rate can vary from 75% to 125%. The length of the financing will also vary. The two main types of home equity loans are fixed rate loans and adjustable rate loans. Fixed rate loan - provides a fixed amount of money at a fixed rate of interest, repayable in equal payments over the life of the loan. Fixed rate financing costs more in set-up fees and comes at higher interest than adjustable rate loans. But if homeowners stay put and interest rates go up, they will save money over a comparable adjustable rate loan. Adjustable rate loan - the interest rate goes up or down according to the index upon which it is based. Adjustable rate loans will have a cap on how high the interest rate can go. Usually called ARMs (Adjustable Rate Mortgages), this type of loan has lower up-front costs and starts at a lower interest rate than fixed rate financing. This means lower initial monthly payments. Putting home equity to good use According to the Consumer Banker Association, the top ten reasons for getting a home equity loan are: 10. Vacation 9. Medical expenses 8. Business expenses 7. Household expenditures 6. Investment 5. Major purchase 4. Education expenses 3. Automobile purchase 2. Home improvement 1. Debt consolidation Debt consolidation, the most popular reason people cash out their home equity, is a smart form of financing because of the money it can save. For example, say you owe $15,000 on a credit card that charges 17% interest. If you get a debt consolidation loan at 9% interest and pay it off in five years, you’ll save you over $30,000! If you’re paying more than 15% interest on anything, you should seriously consider a debt consolidation loan. The right terms could drop your monthly payments by 35% - 50%, depending on interest rates, origination costs and tax consequences. Even for people who have bad credit or who have filed for bankruptcy, a home equity loan is not out of reach. It can be a good way to make a fresh start. Websites like easyhomeequitymortgages help borrowers with bad credit get the home equity loan that best fits their unique situation.

Everyone thinks teams are a good thing. Leaders like to form teams. People, for the most part believe in the value and purpose of teams . . . All of us are smarter than each of us. 1 + 1 = 3 . . . are just two common phrases that reinforce and prove how pervasive our belief in teams is. And that belief is justified. Sometimes. There are many times in our civic or church groups, and in our businesses and professional associations that we need teams of people to work on an issue or a project. And sometimes we would be better off without a team - with individuals contributing as individuals. What? No team? You got it. At least not the type of team you probably think of, when you think of a team. Two Basic Types of Teams To keep things simple, I believe there are two basic types of teams. There are basketball teams and there are track and field teams. Basketball Teams Basketball teams (or soccer or hockey) are teams that require, by the nature of their task, that everyone play as one unit. On teams in these sports the players are interdependent. At any moment of any game, in order to be successful, the entire team needs to be working in harmony. The role of each player is designated by their position (which takes into account their innate strengths and acquired skills). However, the situation at any moment during the flow of the game, may require any player to take any role. And on good teams of this sort, all players are willing to be flexible, to assist, to change roles, to “do what it takes”. Because they know that without working together, they can’t achieve their team goals of victory. The nature of the game forces interdependency among the team members. Track and Field Teams Players on track and field teams on the other hand (except in a few relay events) are not interdependent, they are independent. Shot putters have a skill set that is largely unrelated to the sprinters. And the high jumpers can be personally skilled and successful without any tangible help or support from the distance runners. At the end of the day (or meet), the team can win if enough of the individuals do well. In other words if enough individuals win, the team will win. The most successful of these teams will have highly talented individual contributors, supporting each other to reach their common goal of winning. In this way they are definitely a team. They may feel allegiance to the group. They certainly can have pride in being a part of the group. They want each other to be successful. They know that they can all be more successful when each individual is more successful. They can have a common goal (to win the meet or championship). But the fundamental relationship between the players isn’t the same as it is on a basketball team. What This Means to Us In our organizations we most likely have both sorts of teams. We have teams that work in a process flow or project where the outputs of one person directly affect the work of the next – where the work and the people are highly interdependent. We also have teams that look more like the track and field team. In these situations people are working toward a common mission and goal, but their work doesn’t intersect in nearly the same ways as for the highly interdependent teams. Fair enough you say. But in my experience, we tend to want all teams to think they are basketball teams. If the work or project dictates that focus, great. But if you have a track and field (independent) team, you don’t need the same focus on interdependence and traditional “team building” activities. What Do We Do Now? If you lead a team or form teams or are just a member of a team, you need to think about and talk about this distinction. Determine across the team (or future team) what type of team you are. Once there is agreement on the type of team you are, you can begin to set the right kinds of expectations for each other and for yourself. You can build more appropriate plans for training, development and team building. Knowing which type of team your work or project dictates is the first step towards helping that group of people be more successful and the work being done successfully. So maybe it isn’t really, “to team or not to team?”, but “which type of team?” . . . that is the question. Answer that one first. And, using the answer as a guide, watch all of your teams be more successful.

You have visited a study group, bought a homeopathic over-the-counter remedy or investigated the use of a single remedy on the advice of a friend. You have had a small success and would like to use homeopathy to tackle a more important health problem, or you want a homeopath to take care of your family. Where do you go from here? Homeopathy is practiced by a wide variety of health-care practitioners, including medical doctors, osteopaths, naturopathic physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, dentists, veterinarians, chiropractors, acupuncturists, nurse midwives, and podiatrists, as well as by professional homeopaths, who practice only homeopathy and are unlicensed in any other discipline. The problem for the consumer is that the practitioners level of competence in homeopathy often has little to do with his or her type of licensure. The best test of qualifications is whether they have been certified in homeopathy. The CCH credential (Certified Classical Homeopath) is excellent, as well as the DHt (Diplomate in Homeotherapeutics, available for MDs and DOs), and the DHANP (Diplomate of the Homeopathic Academy of Naturopathic Physicians, available for naturopathic physicians). For veterinarians, the credential CVH indicates that they are a Certified Veterinary Homeopath. What kind of questions will help you identify your chosen practitioner? The questions will certainly vary with each case, but a few pertinent ones might be: Does the practitioner specialize in homeopathy? Does the practitioner use classical homeopathy? Where was the practitioner trained? How long has the practitioner actively been using homeopathy? Has the practitioner had experience with the diagnostic category in which your condition fits? Some other important issues might be: how distant the practitioner is from your home and whether or not your insurance company will cover the visit. As a general rule, if the type of practitioner is covered by your insurance, then the visit will be covered. You may also consider whether the practitioner includes other therapies in his or her practice and if you would like to use those therapies. The choices open to you will vary according to where you live. If you are in a major metropolitan area, you will have more choices, although many practitioners are spread throughout the United States. Remember, use the resources close at hand, and good luck with your homeopathic experience.

Recipient of a single nomination for an Emmy and a Golden Globe in its initial five seasons, Gilmore Girls is much more successful among members of the television viewing public than among critics. The result of a joint partnership between The WB Network and television industry executives, Gilmore Girls – the first script from the Family Friendly Forum to become a regular series – showcases a mother-daughter relationship and the chronicles the personal world in which they live. Set in the non-existent town of Stars Hollow, Connecticut, the show makes use of many of the same sets used by an earlier Warner Brothers hit series The Dukes Of Hazzard… Gilmore Girls takes place in a small Norman Rockwell-esque township in Connecticut where a diverse range of eccentric characters and personalities live out their lives. In Stars Hollow, Lorelai Gilmore (Lauren Graham) raises her daughter and best friend, Rory Gilmore (Alexis Bledel), hoping to give Rory a better life than she has so far enjoyed. Learning from the mistakes of her youth, Lorelai decides to keep and raise her newborn baby while still very young herself (in fact, as the series begins, Rory is the same age as when Lorelai had her), and she’s insistent that Rory make better choices for her own life. As Rory prepares for college, Lorelai notes many of her own character traits present in her daughter, and it worries her… Overall, Gilmore Girls is a dramatic series focusing on love, friendship, and life choices shared by a mother and her daughter in present day America… The Gilmore Girls (Season 2) DVD features a number of touching episodes including the season premiere “Sadie, Sadie” in which Lorelai accepts Max’s marriage proposal and tells everyone except her parents the good news. In the meantime, Rory brings Dean to her grandparent’s house to celebrate Rory’s academic success at Chilton, only to have Richard castigate Dean for his lack of ambition. Meanwhile, Emily is heartbroken when she learns of her daughter’s wedding from Sookie instead of Lorelai… Other notable episodes from Season 2 include “The Ins and Outs of Inns” in which Lorelai and Sookie decide to follow their dream to buy and run an inn (but encounter complications in finding the right property), and “There’s the Rub” in which Emily and Lorelai bond while taking a weekend spa… Below is a list of episodes included on the Gilmore Girls (Season 2) DVD: Episode 22 (Sadie, Sadie) Air Date: 10-09-2001 Episode 23 (Hammers and Veils) Air Date: 10-09-2001 Episode 24 (Red Light on the Wedding Night) Air Date: 10-16-2001 Episode 25 (The Road Trip to Harvard) Air Date: 10-23-2001 Episode 26 (Nick & Nora/Sid & Nancy) Air Date: 10-30-2001 Episode 27 (Presenting Lorelai Gilmore) Air Date: 11-06-2001 Episode 28 (Like Mother, Like Daughter) Air Date: 11-13-2001 Episode 29 (The Ins and Outs of Inns) Air Date: 11-20-2001 Episode 30 (Run Away, Little Boy) Air Date: 11-27-2001 Episode 31 (The Bracebridge Dinner) Air Date: 12-11-2001 Episode 32 (Secrets and Loans) Air Date: 01-22-2002 Episode 33 (Richard in Stars Hollow) Air Date: 01-29-2002 Episode 34 (A-Tisket, A-Tasket) Air Date: 02-05-2002 Episode 35 (It Should’ve Been Lorelai) Air Date: 02-12-2002 Episode 36 (Lost and Found) Air Date: 02-26-2002 Episode 37 (There’s the Rub) Air Date: 04-09-2002 Episode 38 (Dead Uncles and Vegetables) Air Date: 04-16-2002 Episode 39 (Back in the Saddle Again) Air Date: 04-23-2002 Episode 40 (Teach Me Tonight) Air Date: 04-30-2002 Episode 41 (Help Wanted) Air Date: 05-07-2002 Episode 42 (Lorelai’s Graduation Day) Air Date: 05-14-2002 Episode 43 (I Can’t Get Started) Air Date: 05-21-2002

Recipient of four Emmy nominations, including Outstanding Dramatic Series on two occasions in its short three-year run, Star Trek is a science-fiction legend among television viewers. The creation of former Los Angeles police officer Gene Roddenberry, the series first aired in Fall 1966 but was cancelled because of low ratings. It might have been NBC executives who were really responsible for the low ratings seeing as how they placed the show in a horrible time slot. Nevertheless, when Star Trek became syndicated, the reruns took hold of an entirely new generation, shooting the Star Trek franchise to new highs. It would be only the beginning of decades of spin-off products, including comics, novels, six feature films, and tons of merchandise as fans clamored for everything Star Trek-related… The Star Trek (Season 2) DVD features a number of action-packed episodes including the season premiere “Amok Time” in which Spock begins to exhibit strange and irrational characteristics. Concerned, Kirk orders a full medical examination and learns that Spock is experiencing the instinctual mating patterns of a Vulcan and must return to his home planet immediately in order to avoid death. When they arrive, Spock’s chosen mate challenges the pairing, prompting a duel between Spock and the man of her choosing. Kirk is chosen, and he and Spock are forced to fight to the death… Other notable episodes from Season 2 include “Metamorphosis” in which the Enterprise encounters a mysterious force known as The Companion which is in love with a human, and “Patterns of Force” in which the crew of the Enterprise visits a planet resembling the society of 20th Century Nazi Germany… Below is a list of episodes included on the Star Trek (Season 2) DVD: Episode 30 (Amok Time) Air Date: 09-15-1967 Episode 31 (Who Mourns for Adonais?) Air Date: 09-22-1967 Episode 32 (The Changeling) Air Date: 09-29-1967 Episode 33 (Mirror, Mirror) Air Date: 10-06-1967 Episode 34 (The Apple) Air Date: 10-13-1967 Episode 35 (The Doomsday Machine) Air Date: 10-20-1967 Episode 36 (Catspaw) Air Date: 10-27-1967 Episode 37 (I, Mudd) Air Date: 11-03-1967 Episode 38 (Metamorphosis) Air Date: 11-10-1967 Episode 39 (Journey to Babel) Air Date: 11-17-1967 Episode 40 (Friday’s Child) Air Date: 12-01-1967 Episode 41 (The Deadly Years) Air Date: 12-08-1967 Episode 42 (Obsession) Air Date: 12-15-1967 Episode 43 (Wolf in the Fold) Air Date: 12-22-1967 Episode 44 (The Trouble with Tribbles) Air Date: 12-29-1967 Episode 45 (The Gamesters of Triskelion) Air Date: 01-05-1968 Episode 46 (A Piece of the Action) Air Date: 01-12-1968 Episode 47 (The Immunity Syndrome) Air Date: 01-19-1968 Episode 48 (A Private Little War) Air Date: 02-02-1968 Episode 49 (Return to Tomorrow) Air Date: 02-09-1968 Episode 50 (Patterns of Force) Air Date: 02-16-1968 Episode 51 (By Any Other Name) Air Date: 02-23-1968 Episode 52 (The Omega Glory) Air Date: 03-01-1968 Episode 53 (The Ultimate Computer) Air Date: 03-08-1968 Episode 54 (Bread and Circuses) Air Date: 03-15-1968 Episode 55 (Assignment: Earth) Air Date: 03-29-1968

Snoring by Nature Is… There is over 300 anti snoring devices invented since the first innovative tennis-ball-in-a-sock which by the way primarily helps prevent patients from sleeping on their backs. Other devices however, initiate unpleasant stimuli everytime a person snores. However, it must be noted that snoring is not subjected to our voluntary faculties. If one device really does stop you from snoring, then it might be credited to the fact that you were kept awake all night…without one sweet dream. It all lies in the abnormality of the air passage. Free flow of air is needed to facilitate regular breathing. With problem snoring, it is likely that any part of the area at the back of the mouth and the nose strike constantly. Thus, the vibration in breathing. It may be that some people consider snoring as a non-serious condition but in fact, the opposite is true. People who suffer from snoring normally have disrupted sleep that deprives them of having normal and comfortable sleep. And when the condition gets aggravated, the snorer normally will have long-term health problems including obstructive sleep apnea. And besides, this actually causes patients embarrassment and oftentimes affects another person's sleep. Obstructive sleep apnea, on the other hand, is the condition by which snoring is constantly interrupted with total obstruction of breathing. This occurs at an average of ten seconds long and may happen at around 7 times in an hour. Thus, the patient may suffer from 30 episodes up to 300 episodes in one night alone. Such episodes will reduce the level of oxygen in the blood, which drives the heart to pump harder. Immediate effects include a forced light sleep so that he may keep his muscles in tensed state. This will help facilitate a regular flow of air in the lungs. This then results to unrelaxed rest. Thus, throughout the day he will become sleepy which causes him not to function well. This then will contribute largely to the enlargement of the heart and raised blood pressure. There are various contributors on the severity of snoring. These include: Mouth anatomy Snoring usually concerns the tissues involved in breathing. There are a couple of reasons why the air passage is narrow, which is itself, a good contributor to problem snoring. This may be due to enlarged tonsils, elongated soft palate and thick soft palate, and abnormality in the tissues at the back of the throat. These can all cause obstruction in the air passage. Alcohol consumption Any factor that can help relax the muscles of the throat more are effective causes of snoring. Due to the fact that alcohol is a sedative substance, it acts upon the muscles in the throat as a relaxant. Thus, regular intake of alcohol during near bedtime can cause disruptive snoring. Sleep apnea More often than not, snoring is associated with obstructive sleep apnea. It is best that you are well diagnosed so that due treatment can be processed. Nasal problems It may also be that biological factors can intrude to the normal passage of air in your throat. The underlying part of the nose, termed to as the bridge is the nasal septum. When this partition is quite crooked or there is any nasal congestion due to this, snoring would occur. As we have earlier mentioned, there are so many attempts to set off snoring. However, one of the most effective is the surgery in which permanent treatment is applied. If you are a sufferer from snoring, it is best that you get early diagnosis. While it may not be a life-threatening condition, it is still very likely that your condition gets severe.

The festive season is fast approaching and for many people, stress depression and anxiety can make this season anything but merry. Here’s 5 stress reduction tips to help you avoid burnout during the holidays: • Lower your expectations. The holidays are so exciting! Being with loved ones, Christmas decorations, lights, presents and much feasting! As the holiday approaches, expectations increase as to how the holiday will be only for them to be dashed when the holidays arrive. So, try not to place high expectations on how events will unfold. Always expect the unexpected and remember that humans can react unpredictably and surprisingly. Also, life can throw us the odd curve ball, especially when we least want it, so just have a “what will be will be” attitude and hopefully, the holidays will be perfect. Avoiding high expectations means you won’t become stressed out or upset should things not turn out the way you wanted. • Plan ahead. Make a detailed plan for all of the things you need to do. Be thorough and try to do as much in advance as possible. The more you can get done before the holidays the less stressful the season will be. Include shopping, decorations, wrapping, meal preparation, sending cards, visiting family, and a schedule for the big day. This will help you get organized so you’ll get more done and you’ll feel less stressed. Make checklists so you can mark progress as you go. Another great tip is to have a backup plan in case things go awry. • Delegate. There’s a lot of work that needs to be done to ensure happy holidays. The Christmas dinner alone really can be hard work for the cook! Too much work leads to stress burnout so make sure the whole family share the workload. Delegate by sharing chores amongst the whole family and get children involved too. It’s true – many hands make light work – and they also reduce stress in doing so. • As much as the holidays are about spending time with family, having the family over can be highly stressful. Not all families get along, and stress levels can soar at get-togethers. If you have family members who are unappreciative, argumentative, aggressive, sulky – the kind of people who will spoil the day, then say “no!” and don’t invite them. The holidays are about joy and happiness, so inviting people who will ruin everyone’s day isn’t on. But a sense of duty can lead to inviting someone around against your better judgement. Your only duty is to your immediate family – your spouse and your children – not to any other family members. If your family get along, fine, but if you know there’s going to be fireworks, then make everyone’s day by not having stress as an unwanted holiday guest. • Set your budget and stick to it. It’s really tempting to spend money during the holidays and many people will rack up huge debts doing so. The debt then becomes a major stress factor after the holidays have ended. You don’t need to buy people expensive gifts and you don’t need to go into debt to impress people. The Internet is a fantastic source for finding creative and imaginative gifts that will give the receiver a highly valued special surprise because it shows thoughtfulness. Debt is to stress what pizzas are to waistlines and you can pay a heavy price for impressing people with gifts. Stick to your budget and you will reduce stress, not just over the holidays but for many months after.

This is my experience in hiring a rent a car and this is what not to do. My misadventure happened in the late 1980s. I wanted to visit some friends several hundred miles away. At the time I lived in a small town in the country. I didn't own a car and there was no direct convenient bus or train service to where my friends lived. I decided to take the bus, then rent a car, at the nearest place available. I traveled to the town where the car hire or rent a car place was located. By the time I arrived at their business to rent the car, the sun had set and it was dark. I went in to the business, to enquire about renting a car. The owner had one ready to go. It was a compact blue station wagon. Being dark outside I couldn't see the car too well, but it seemed ok, so we went back to the office to do the paperwork. The car hire form had details about the car, how long I expected to rent the car for, and the insurance coverage choices, so the business owner filled out all that. I was sure that I chose to have the car and myself covered in full by insurance. I thought the insurance box was checked, as covered. He took an imprint of my credit card to pay for the car hire and that was it. He gave me the car keys, and I drove away. I had a long way to drive in the dark. My route took me through rugged mountainous rural country side, to a large lake, where there was a ferry crossing. At night when you're driving in a rural mountainous area always be on the lookout for deer, moose and other animals roaming along the road side. You want to see their little shining eyes, so you can slow down and be ready to swerve to avoid hitting them. Sometimes deer become alarmed by the noise and headlights of the car approaching and they want to dash across the highway in front of you. You want to be ready to slam on the breaks, so as not to damage the hired car you're traveling in. Another good idea, especially if you are driving at night, is to take a highway map of the area you are traveling through. Then you can mark off where you are and the places to turn ahead, so you don't make a wrong turn, like I did. I made a wrong turn some where along the way. Instead of taking the direct route to my destination, I ended up taking an indirect route. It was dark and snowy, and I realized that the road and country side, didn't look like where I should be. I kept driving and a sign appeared with the next town ahead and how far to go to get there. Then I realized, it was just a slight detour or side trip for me. I felt a lot better when arriving at the next town, and knew which direction to go. The remainder of my trip went well and I arrived safely at my destination. I had a good weekend with my friends, catching up, going out to dinner. The return trip was more interesting because it was day time. I could enjoy the beautiful country side. Every thing went well to begin with. I arrived at the last town before the lake ferry and I thought it might be a good idea to put gasoline in the car, at that point, since it was a long distance to the next town with a gas station. I checked the time, and it looked like there was just enough time to reach the ferry by driving a little faster than usual. That was a mistake. Give yourself more than enough time when using a car you've hired. So again I'm driving over mountainous rural terrain at the edge of a lake rushing to catch the ferry. I'm watching the scenery and my watch, making calculations of where it is I should be, and how long left to drive to catch the ferry. It looks like I need to go faster, so I do. I step on it. I'm hoping to cut my time of travel down to just arrive before the ferry leaves. This is definitely not the thing to do when driving a rented car, especially in a rural area where there are birds around. As I am speeding down a hill a rather large dark coloured bird darts in front of the car. This is a big bird, about the size of a chicken. At the high speed I am traveling at I hit the bird. There was a sickening popping sound as the car and bird collided. The feathers and bird flew up and to the side of the car. I keep going and get to the ferry on time. I drive on the ferry and park. Getting out to inspect the car grill, I get a shock. There was a large hole in the plastic car grill. Broken pieces of plastic and feathers showed what had happened. So now I'm sick about the damage. I continue on my way to return the car to the rental company. When I arrive at the car rental place I have to tell the owner about the bird collision. He's not too impressed. We look at the rental form where the insurance section is not checked as covering the damage. The owner wants several hundred dollars and that charge goes on my credit card too. So don't do what I did. Go to a major name car rental company. Be absolutely sure of your insurance coverage details. Check that you are covered for all damage. Know what the insurance deductible amount is. That is the amount that you will need to pay, before the insurance pays the balance of any damage. Read the form over carefully a couple of times before you sign it. Be a careful driver, and take your time. Have a great trip in the car you hire.

Ah, do you know what would be good right now No, it's not a cheeseburger or a chocolate cake. Okay, well a chocolate cake would be rather choice, but I was referring to somewhat far from the food type. Possibly a massage. Have you ever taken the time to spoil in a wonderful massage I must admit it's one of my favorite experiences. There's just something about forged on a table and having your back kneaded ever so skillfully that helps me to relax. It's without a doubt, something every human being should try. Thank God for the ever-popular massage therapy school. That's right; a number of people are taking advantage of these as we speak. A massage therapy school can lead to a wonderful career. Can you imagine total silence and clam, soothing music with no boss yelling in your face If this sounds ideal, maybe it's time you looked into a massage therapy school in your area. The concept of massage has become rather popular in recent times. Sure, it's been around for centuries, but these days we have a plethora of high-end salons and spas on every corner to satisfy our tired aching muscles. Just last month I stepped into the local salon and spa for a little R and R. I was lead down a winding staircase and toward a small door. After entering the serene room, my mind was set at ease as pleasant aromas tickled my nose. I soon fell into a perfect nirvana of stress-less relaxation. Yeah, I know it sounds like some David Lynch film However, this was my last experience with a masseuse. She even told me about the massage therapy school she attended in Cincinnati. Being the curious fellow that I am, I had to make a few inquiries. She told me that she loved the massage therapy school training and they actually helped place her with a job. You can hardly beat that. All I could think about was I'm jealous of her husband. I need a masseuse for a wife. If you are interested in massage therapy school, you can easily hop online to check out a variety of options. There are virtually schools all over the country now days. You can also acquire the pay rates for massage specialists these days. Although it will vary from spa to spa, they do provide an average, which is pretty decent. Get your magic touch from a massage therapy school and start earning a living in a more peaceful atmosphere.

You'll be welcome with open arms in Breckenridge, Colorado. Breckenridge ski resort offer the world's finest powder and terrain anyone can imagine. Half of the slopes at Breckenridge ski and snowboard resort are for beginners, while the other half are for moderate to extreme skiing. Breckenridge is the only ski area to offer this much skiing for all types of ability levels. The town of Breckenridge is just like you would dream about on the way to your ski vacation. The town has a Main st. with stores, restaurants, and variety. You won't be disappointed as you stroll down Breckenridge's Main Street; the main area is about Ѕ-mile long and makes for a lovely walk during the daytime or nighttime. As far as resorts go, you can stay in a classy hotel and pay big bucks, or you can stay just outside of town nestled in the Rockies. Many condos are located a few miles down the road on RT. 9 otherwise known as Main Street. If you decide to book a condo out of town, you'll get a better sense of what a mountain vacation is all about. On top of this advantage, you can also expect to pay significantly less than if you stay in the busy town of Breckenridge . Be prepared to breathe the fresh Colorado mountain air. It's truly invigorating! As the seasons change in Breckenridge, Colorado your outdoor options expand and contract. Once Spring comes, the skiing gets better and the temperature goes up. Yes, it still snows hard in the Spring time. The only difference is the quality of the snow. It tends to be wetter than the winter when it is dry-fluffy snow. Either way, it's great and you'll love the Spring time snow as much as the Winter snow. After all, the base of Breckenridge in April is about 60 inches deep. Summer time in Breckenridge is truly a beautiful time! You can fish the streams for Rocky Mountain trout or you can mountain bike, raft, boat (Lake Dillon) or just relax in the heart of the Rocky Mountains. There will never be a boring day during your Breckenridge ski or summer vacation. Fly fishing is a very enjoyable sport to engage in during the Summer time. It seems like every stream or lake in the Rockies, houses some of the largest trout in the world. Since fishing season is only 5-months out of the year, the trout seem to jump right on to the hook. Just kidding of course! It's not that easy to catch Trout, but if you use the right flies, you just might find the statement above to be true. Mountain bike trails are everywhere, but be careful!! Be sure to have a map and enough food & water in case you get lost. The smartest thing to do is mark your course with sticks in the ground if you have any doubts about not getting back home or to your vehicle. As long as you are sure of this, you're going to have a great time. Breckenridge offers mountain bike trails that go to the tops of mountains and down to the valleys. The scenery is breathtaking and without a doubt, you're going to love mountain biking in Breckenridge, CO. As far as rafting goes, there are many options within 20-miles of Breckenridge. The water flows highest around mid-July because of all the snow which has melted from the mountains. There are plenty of guided trips who will help you navigate through the rivers. Once you experience all the Breckeridge has to offer, you'll surely come back every year to enjoy yourself again and again. Also, did you know the state of Colorado has more blue sky days than any other state in the U. S.? It's true!

Even though the new Sony ps3 does not hit shelves until mid November, consumers have known about the price for quite some time. The fact of the matter is that since Playstation has been such a big hit among consumers, Sony knows that they can charge an arm and a leg each time that they release a new console. For this reason, ps3 prices are among the highest in the gaming industry. You will have to shell out $499 at the very least if you want to buy a new ps3 when it is released in November. This is several hundred dollars more than what the competition is charging. There is one very good reason as to why ps3 prices are so high. The simple explanation for this is that Sony can get away with it. As long as there is a huge demand for the new system and the hype is just as high, there will always be people who are willing to pay high prices for the new ps3. Does this mean that ps3 prices are legitimate? Well, this depends on who you ask. If you speak with somebody who only buys and plays on the Playstation systems, they will tell you that you have to pay big time money if you want to get the best of the best. But on the other side of things, if you speak with somebody who has a more open mind (or a smaller budget), they will tell you that ps3 prices are way out of hand. After all, you can buy the new Nintendo Wii for $250. This is half of what you will have to pay for a ps3. In addition to ps3 prices being high at retail locations, the second hand market will also be booming. Do you remember what happened with the Microsoft Xbox in 2005? Since there was such a high demand for these units they began to surface on eBay for twice as much as the suggested retail price. Is this going to happen with ps3 prices? There is no way of saying for sure, but the fact of the matter is that there is a very good chance that this is going to happen. So as you can see, if you are not lucky enough to pay $500 at the store, you may have to expand your wallet a bit and splurge on the second hand market. ps3 prices are among the highest in the industry. But with that being said you do get a high level of benefits for the money that you spend. Sure, ps3 prices are much higher than the competition, but you need to decide if this is something you are willing to deal with. If it is, you might as well get started and be in position to get a unit when they are released in stores. And if this does not work out for you, you can always pay a bit more on eBay.

Niche markets provide a product or service for a specific group of customers who have very specific needs. One of the biggest mistakes that new online business owners make is ignoring the concept of niche marketing and focusing on big markets that appear to be big moneymakers. While this can be quite tempting, there is simply too much competition in the big markets. Those who are new to the online business world don't stand a chance of competing against companies who have already cornered the market. With niche marketing, it is a different story. Entrepreneurs can significantly increase their chances of success by focusing on specific niche markets. You determine a need and develop products and services that will satisfy that need. Niche marketing also provides you with an opportunity to market to a very specific audience. By targeting your audience, you can easily tailor advertising and promotional campaigns that are almost guaranteed to work. By now, you're probably wondering how to go about finding niche markets. Fortunately, it's much easier than one would think. The key is to find a group large enough to produce a reasonable volume of business, but small enough to be looked over by your competition. The following steps will teach you the ins and outs of finding a niche market. Step One The first step involves research and may take some time on your part. If you need to, break these research sessions up over a span of a few days. This will ensure that you have ample time to properly research potential niche markets. To start, open two Internet windows. Set one at google and set the other at inventory. overture. Step Two To find niche marketing opportunities, start doing a few searches in these search engines. Try basic products that you may be interested in selling, such as digital cameras, computer software, or Siamese cat toys. y entering products into these two search engines, you can find out the number of searches the products have per month and determine how much competition exists in the market. Google and similar search engines will tell you how many results pages are out there for a specific search term, allowing you to gauge the extent of your competition, and inventory. overture will help you determine what sort of customer base you have be telling you how many people entered a specific search term in a given month. Step Three Analyze your findings. The level of competition that can be found in the market determines the best niche markets to get into. Though some competition is good, too much competition is bad. Niche marketing only works if there is demand and a market for the product or service that is being sold. Though opinion varies when it comes to the numbers, in general, a word that has between 10,000 and 2,000,000 searches per month is considered an opportunity for niche marketing. Let's see some examples: Example 1 Digital Camera The term yielded 1,312,659 searches and 239,000,000 results pages. This is a big market with plenty of competition. Example 2 Computer Software The term yielded 101,294 searches and 1,550,000,000 results pages. This is a big market with HUGE levels of competition. Example 3 Siamese Cat The term yielded 16,314 searches and 1,800,000 results pages. Niche marketing could work here! This has high search volume relative to competition. Step Four Choose your niche. Now that you have some niche markets to choose from, you can find the one that is the best fit for you. Afterwards, all that is left to do is enjoy your niche marketing experience.