Credit Cards - The Basics

How Lenders Operate - And How They’ll Make a Tidy Fortune from the Unknowing

Credit card companies might seem like immensely clever, money making enterprises that exploit every loophole to maximize the interest payments - and profits - they are taking from you every month. Nothing, however, could be further from the truth. These financial institutions operate on simple principles and exploit the fact that consumer demand and their customer’s naivety will keep business turning endlessly over.

It doesn’t have to be that way, however. Know what to look out for and you can cut your overheads and stop these businesses from making a dime more than they have to.

Lenders exploit the fact that people use one card for many purchases. For example, if you use a balance transfer special card rate for spending in the supermarket or mall, they deliberately structure repayments in such a way that you’ll pay a fortune on the entire balance. To properly play your plastic you need to deploy an army of cards as weapons in the war against consumer debt. Using the right tool for the right job will smash your credit card costs.

If you already have hefty credit card bills, transferring the balance will usually substantially cut your interest costs. What this means is that your new provider pays off the debts on your current credit or store cards for you.

You then owe the money at a (hopefully) lower interest rate for a fixed - or sometimes indefinite - period of time. The key to making this work is by not using this card for spending. What this can mean is that credit card providers will then revert the interest rate for the WHOLE of the balance up to a higher rate.

Consumers who spend on a card, but don’t clear the debt each month should focus on minimizing the interest cost. Search the market for the lowest purchase rate available, but also keep in mind the day when you’ll clear the balance in full (e.g. Bonus time; when your bonds mature, etc.) and don’t let the balance spiral beyond your means.

If you pay off your balance in full each month then the interest rate is irrelevant. Focus instead on the gains available from using the card for spending. The key to this is the reward scheme offered. Many credit cards offer points schemes or even cash-back. There’s a huge array of different schemes, but by picking the right one you can benefit substantially. It’s often simpler just to go for a Cashback card, where the benefits are more apparent, but sometimes reward schemes offer great inducements - particularly when they offer double points to new customers, and so on.

If you’re one of those lucky people to be debt free you can take REVENGE on the credit card companies and make free dollars from their products. The schemes are simple to manipulate. If they lend you money at 0%, you can bank the cash and earn interest on it. There are a variety of mechanisms that allow you to get money into your savings account quickly and easily. Once its in, just let it sit there for the duration of the interest free period and pay it back in full when it’s at an end. Substantial amounts can be made from this, but it’s a strategy that should only ever be used by consumers with a good credit history, no debts and are prepared to make a little effort.

Store cards should be avoided under almost all circumstances. They charge the highest rates of interest, and by being offered at a department store counter are an easy lure into a mine of consumer debt. You should never use them to borrow money on, and if they offer any perks and benefits make sure they work for you. For instance, some offer a 10 per cent discount on first purchases. If they do so - make sure you take them up on it when buying something big, thus maximizing your saving. As a rule, however, avoid these expensive options like a plague. Stick to a credit card that charges low interest on purchases and you’ll be fine.

Some people, however, simply can’t get new credit cards. Sometimes there are quite valid reasons for this, but on other occasions it can be due to incorrect information held on your credit reference file. Apply to a credit reference company, like Experian, and check that there are no erroneous black marks on your record. Beyond that, there are a variety of simple strategies you can apply that will boost your credit score and help enable you to get the best credit cards for your needs. In a position of strength, you can then make credit cards work for you.

Ethan Hunter is the author of many credit card related articles. If you are looking for help with Credit Cards or any type of credit issue please visit us at http://www.creditcardunlimited.com

The Popular Laptop Computer Trends At The Present

The need for notebook computers is skyrocketing in this point in time. Manufacturers are trying to keep up with this but have warned that supplies could be small. This is one business which I don’t think will be affected with all the financial crysis that seems to be going on. Also with notebook computers now it looks like every couple of months or so the technology is already lapped with something else.

Increasing numbers of people are purchasing laptops for gaming these days. If you’re a games player with a tiny budget the good thing is that you can get a gaming laptop a lot less expensive now because the average life is dropping. Gaming frame rates on laptops is fairly adequate considering the factors at play so if you need mobilility they offer a good choice. What impressed me the most is how slim and attractive some gaming laptops are getting in comparison to earlier times. Though gaming laptops have come a long way in numerous aspects, in terms of raw speed they still can’t contend with desktops. It looks as if everyone is obsessed with making slimmer, lightweight notebook computers and I am certain we will see gaming laptops like that soon.

Numerous small system builders provide custom built laptops to specialist markets. I think the parts are more credible and perform better. You can usually save money on things you don’t want by specifying the notebook to your requirements. Those notebook computers available in shops are for ordinary tasks. A custom made laptop solves. High levels of customer care and support can also be found when purchasing custom built laptops. To me this is a massive plus.

The next notebook computer technology will be breathtaking. This year it looks like cheap portables are the current buzz. A whole new sector has been made suddenly it looks. Buyers want laptops that are light yet also big enough to be practical and simple to use. Lighter materials required for such laptops are still too expensive. Manufacturers are loading greater speed into notebooks and it looks as if gaming laptops will get thinner and lightweight. New laptops are typically kept secret before launch so theres no knowing what new products we will encounter.

I’d recommend these if you’re after the best laptop computers.

Staff Retention - is It a Big Issue for Employers?

A Big Issue

Big Issues are those that cost your organisation money - lots of money. On that criterion, staff retention is, for many companies, right up there with the biggest of their big issues. And, given the current vacancy and staff turnover levels in many organisations, it has the potential to become an ever bigger issue. Unless you do something positive about it now.

Let’s look at some numbers;

Our ‘typical’ business services firm employs around 1,000 people and has a staff turnover of 15% per annum. We have developed a Financial Impact Model which enables us to assess the impact of losing and replacing staff. This is clearly most accurate when using specific company figures, but still gives useful input at a more generalised level.

Applying the model, we estimate that the total costs (direct and indirect) of 15% staff turnover to this company are around £1,300,000. Or somewhere between 20% to 50% of its annual profits!

Of course this is an oversimplification. Indeed, some level of staff turnover is both expected and required. But what level? What cost is acceptable? And, assuming that it is lower than the current level, what can be done to improve staff retention so that the desired level is achieved?

Mitigating the challenge of staff attrition.

We suggest that managers;

1. Recognise that staff retention is a Big Issue. This can be achieved by ensuring it is measured. And in sufficient detail across the various functions, roles and levels within your organisation. Put the business management spotlight on retention. Don’t sideline it as an ‘HR issue’. It isn’t. It is an issue for general management as well as HR.

2. Calculate the financial implications. They are likely to vary significantly between organisations and indeed between departments and teams e.g. the organisational and costs structure and profit drivers of an outsourcing function will result in different loss and replace costs to those of a management consulting unit. Consider using a specialist to help you work through this.

3. Understand why people leave. Survey after survey show similar results. People don’t generally leave because of pay; in fact salary is generally considered less important than career progression, seeking new challenges and achieving greater recognition. Again you may wish to explore the specific reasons that affect your organisation. If so, how about exit surveys and structured interviews?

4. Establish a programme to improve staff engagement and enthusiasm. These same surveys also point out the solution to improving retention rates. Provide your key staff with the means to continually improve the impact and contribution they make to your business and to their own personal development. Help them to understand how they can have frequent ‘Career Bests’ in their daily work. Help them to understand how they can improve their performance over time, taking on greater challenges, building their capabilities and matching their skills and passions with the organisations needs. Help them recognise that career development doesn’t just mean a promotion into a more senior role. Rather it means moving through different stages of contribution, each one adding more value to themselves and to the business.

Build the coaching competencies of all your supervisory and managerial staff. Our research has shown just how important it is that supervisors and managers know how to enable high performance and commitment.

5. Set clear expectations. Employers and employees have shared responsibilities for personal development. Be clear as to what they are and how they are agreed. Build this into your development management system and link it to your performance management process.

6. Measure it. Once you’ve built a programme, make sure that its impact and value is measured against costs and results. Above all measure all your supervisory staff on their ability to reduce staff turnover and to build teams of committed, effective, engaged and enthusiastic staff.

And if you would like to discuss any of these issues with a specialist, talk to me on +44 (0)1252 727980 or email info@new-frontiers.co.uk

John Schonegevel is a Director of New Frontiers.

New Frontiers helps employers retain and develop great people. We specialise in developing and sustaining high performing people at work. High performance comes from skilled and motivated staff, working smoothly towards achieving clear goals.

We work to change peoples’ behaviours enabling them to increase their impact and value at work and significantly grow the contribution they make to their employer’s business results.

Our role is to support people in taking responsibility for meeting both their employers goals and their own, increasing their capabilities and so leading to sustained high performance, full engagement and ongoing enthusiasm at work.

New Frontiers is a Novations Consulting Partner

My Top 3 Secret Exercises to Melt the Fat

5 is a magic number. I follow 5 tips to fat loss and I am doing 5 sets in my pyramid strength training routine this month. But I am only going to give you my top 3 secret exercises to melt the fat. These 3 fat loss gems are nothing spectacular. There is nothing new or earth-shattering about them. You do not need fancy equipment or top of the line products. Doing these 3 exercises will produce excellent fat loss results when combined with a spectacular menu and a regular cardio program.

Exercise #1 - The Squat

The squat is an excellent compound exercise. It is one of my favorite exercises because it really works the quadriceps, hamstrings and glutes. There are many variations of the standard squat exercise. For example, there is the front squat, sissy squat, hack squat, full squat, split squat, single-leg squat and a few more. What ever variation you choose is up to you. They all work the thigh muscles and are effective.

Here is how a regular squat is performed:

Starting Position: Begin with both feet under the hips. Hands are relaxed by your sides. You may choose to hold free weights for extra intensity.

The Movement: Slowly lower as though you were going to sit in a chair on the inhale. Keep your back flat and eyes forward. Try to keep the bulk of your body weight on your heels. Lower all the way down until your thighs are parallel with the floor. Hold here for a few seconds before slowly rising back to the starting position as you exhale.

Notes: Some variations of the squat will have different directions. In any case, have with a professional watch your form and critique your movement.

Exercise #2 - The Bench Press

The bench press is another classic. It may be one of the best known exercises of all time. The bench press is also compound exercise. It works multiple muscles at once. It works the chest, the shoulders and the triceps. You can do this exercise on an incline, decline or on a flat bench. Some people even use a stability ball instead of the bench. Just be sure you feel comfortable and have balance at all times.

Here is how a flat bench press is performed:

Starting Position: Begin by lying on a flat bench. Your legs should be relaxed and feet planted on the floor. Lift the barbell from the holding rack. Your arms are stretched out, but not over-extended.

The Movement: Slowly lower the barbell to your chest as you inhale. Hold for a second or two. On the exhale slowly lift back to start.

Notes: Be careful not to arch your lower back on this exercise. Just use your chest and arm muscles to perform the reps. Also, you should not allow the barbell to bounce off your chest as your bring the weight down. Always use a spotter.

Exercise #3 - Plank Pose

The plank pose is one of my all-time favorite abdominal exercises. I learned about it as I was becoming certified to teach yoga. This simple, yet amazingly effective, exercise has had a special place in my heart ever since then. The plank pose targets the abdominus sheath that runs down our mid-section. Strengthening this muscle helps our posture and balance. It also provides extra support for our lower back. As if those reasons were not enough, the plank pose is famous for strengthening the muscle that holds in our gut!

Here is how the plank pose is performed:

Starting Position: Begin on all fours. Your hands should be under your shoulders and your knees should be directly under your hips.

The Movement: On the exhale, move from all fours to a regular push up position. Continue to breathe regularly as you hold that position as long as you can. Pull your belly button into your spine and keep your back flat. Stop immediately or lift your backside into the air a bit should you feel lower back pain.

Notes: This exercise works the whole body. Just keep breathing and keep the back flat. Your arms will most likely get tired first. Count how long you can hold the pose and try to hold it a bit longer the next time.

These three exercises are some of my favorites. They all work various muscle groups and have multiple variations. These exercises should be combined with a regular cardio routine and a great eating plan. Diets do not work. Find a menu that works for you and includes carbs, proteins and healthy fats. Always consult with your doctor before beginning a workout routine or change in lifestyle.

Copyright 2006 strength-training-woman.com

Lynn VanDyke is the head trainer at http://www.strength-training-woman.com . Her wildly popular ebook, Melt the Fat, comes complete with over 100 exercises, 160 daily menus, 63 ways to stick with it, 100 strength training routines, 800 healthy meal suggestions and loads more. Learn more by visiting: http://www.Melt-the-Fat.com

Harry Potter vs The Bible…What’s the Difference?

Exodus 4:1-5

And Moses answered and said, But, behold, they will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice: for they will say, The Lord hath not appeared unto thee.

And the Lord said unto him, What is that in thine hand? And he said, A rod.

And he said, Cast it on the ground. And he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from before it.

And the Lord said unto Moses, Put forth thine hand, and take it by the tail. And he put forth his hand, and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand:

That they may believe that the Lord God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath appeared…

Exodus 7: 7-16

And Moses was fourscore years old, and Aaron fourscore and three years old, when they spake unto Pharaoh.

And the Lord spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,

When Pharaoh shall speak unto you, saying Shew a miracle for you: then thou shalt say unto Aaron, Take thy rod, and cast it before Pharaoh, and it shall become a serpent.

And Moses and Aaron went in unto Pharaoh, and they did so as the Lord had commanded: and Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh, and before his servants, and it became a serpent.

Then Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers: now the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments.

For they cast down every man his rod, and they became serpents: but Aaron’s rod swallowed up their rods.

And he hardened Pharaoh’s heart, that he hearkened not unto them: as the Lord had said.

And the Lord said unto Moses, Pharaoh’s hear is hardened, he refuseth to let the people go.

Get thee unto Pharaoh in the morning; lo, he goeth out unto the water; and thou shalt stand by the river’s brink against he come; and the rod which was turned to a serpent shalt thou take in thine hand.

And thou shalt say unto him, The Lord God of the Hebrews hath sent me unto thee, saying, Let my people go, that they may serve me in the wilderness: and, behold, hitherto thou wouldest not hear.”

With the debut Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, and the condemnation of such by the new Pope, perhaps we can ask a simple question that any child would ask if they are raised on the many fantastic stories of the Bible. What’s the difference between the Wizardry of Harry Potter and that of Moses, Elijah, Jesus, the Apostles and Paul? It’s a short answer for a kid… none.

As with hearing voices in the head, if it is in the Bible, it is the voice of God. If it is from a religious person, it may be the voice of God or it may be the voice of a mental condition that needs to be addressed. If it is from a nonbeliever, it is the voice of Satan or definitely mental illness.

But it is a legitimate question and one that any modern child or teen has every right to ask adult fundamentalists and evangelically smitten Christians.

From the account of Moses turning his staff into a serpent, to Aaron matching the tricks of Egyptian Sorcerers, we have what appears to be for all intent and purposes a war between the Wizards. Of course Moses wins and his serpent/staff eats up their serpent/staffs. Next we go on to Moses turning the waters of Egypt into “blood” to be matched by the Wizards of Egypt. Obviously Moses left a little for them to play with as well but for the life of me the best trick would have seemed to be the Wizards turning Moses “blood” BACK into water! Guess they weren’t thinking!

From here we, of course go on to, frogs, gnats, flies, diseases, boils, hail, locusts, darkness and killing of innocent children.

Say unto Aaron, Stretch forth thine hand with thy rod over the streams, over the rivers, and over the ponds, and cause frogs to come up upon the land of Egypt. 6 And Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt; and the frogs came up, and covered the land of Egypt. 7 And the magicians did so with their enchantments, and brought up frogs upon the land of Egypt.

Ex. 8:5-6

Frogs are a nice touch, and add eye of newt to the mix and we are back with Harry.

I suppose we would have to get a good mental picture of this “stretching forth” of hands over the rivers etc to get the same picture of Harry Potter doing much the same, with his wand, in his exploits, but what is the difference? In practical fact, none or certainly not much.

The Wizards of Egypt, like a bad movie script, duplicate the trick rather than undo it. Come on boys, wake up use the force for the good of Egypt! Of course, it would seem that duplicating an act that has already occurred is much easier, in some way, than undoing it. We never really hear just how the water turned blood, eventually turned back to pure drinkable water again. I guess it just cleared up.

One of the more questionable results of animal disease, hail, fire and destruction of animal feed by locusts etc, is that all the cattle and all the beasts and horses die at least three times from what I can tell. They are either diseased, beaten into pulp or starved by the Wizardry of Moses through Aaron. The Wizards of Egypt simply can’t compete. They finally wake up and don’t kill more animals at least, but can’t get the dead ones back either…but wait…maybe they do!

Behold, the hand of the LORD is upon thy cattle which is in the field, upon the horses, upon the asses, upon the camels, upon the oxen, and upon the sheep: there shall be a very grievous murrain. 4 And the LORD shall sever between the cattle of Israel and the cattle of Egypt: and there shall nothing die of all that is the children’s of Israel. 5 And the LORD appointed a set time, saying, To morrow the LORD shall do this thing in the land. 6 And the LORD did that thing on the morrow, and all the cattle of Egypt died: but of the cattle of the children of Israel died not one

Exodus 9:3-6

It does appear all the horses died as well along with the cattle. But…..

“And he made ready his chariot, and took his people with him: 7 And he took six hundred chosen chariots, and all the chariots of Egypt, and captains over every one of them. 8 And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued after the children of Israel: and the children of Israel went out with an high hand. 9 But the Egyptians pursued after them, all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh, and his horsemen, and his army, and overtook them encamping by the sea”

Exodus 14:6-9

Miracle of miracles, or perhaps wizardry of wizardry…the Egyptian horses are resurrected for perhaps the second time at least and maybe the third, and strike out to attack the Israelites, but die in the Wizardry of Moses who parts the Red Sea with his serpent/rod and drowns the lot of them…..again. I could be wrong, but I don’t think left over dogs or goats from the previous plagues could pull a chariot.

In all the events of the Exodus, what is the difference between Harry Potter and Moses? Nothing…

What’s the difference…

* Exodus 14: Moses parts the Red Sea -with a serpent/staff. Joshua 3:16: Joshua parts the Jordan -when feet of Priests touched water

* 2 Kings 2:8: Elijah parts the Jordan -with his mantle

* 2 Kings 2:14: Elisha parts the Jordan -with magic mantle of Elijah

* Kings 18: Elijah calls fire to consume sacrifice

* 2 Kings 1: Elijah calls fire upon 2 army units

* 2 Kings 13:21: dead man resurrects when he touches Elisha’s bones

* 2 Kings 2-6: ELISHA: healed waters; she-bears; multiplying oil;
unpoisoning food; multiplying food; strikes men blind, not to mention floating axes made to swim “because it was borrowed.”

What’s the difference between Moses, Elijah, Elisha and Harry Potter? One is in the Bible and one is in a popular book of fiction and adventure, is all.

What’s the difference…

* 1 Kings 17:1; 18:45: Elijah commands rain (see also James 5:17) - pretty much a Wizardry thing

* Matthew 8:26: Jesus calmed the storm

* Matthew 14:25, 32: Jesus walks on water; calms a storm

* Matthew 21:19: Jesus withers the fig tree - for having no figs when it was not the season for figs!

* Luke 5:6: miraculous draught of fishes - a calling forth of fish.

* John 2:9: Jesus turns water to wine - Like Dionysus , god of Wine before him, and celebrated by “the Church” on the same day that Dionysus did it.

To a child, all of these are weather and nature related wizardry by any standard, as are the following foolings with Mother Nature and the Heavens in the Bible.

* Joshua 10:13: Joshua stopped the sun, well actually the earth had to stop rotating which went unrecorded anywhere on the planet and no one died elsewhere in the tsunamis.

* Isaiah 38:8: sun went backwards 10 degrees - earth rotated backwards.

* Matthew 2: star in the east brings wise men to Jesus. Wizards show up to honor Jesus. Where was the Rabbi?

* Matthew 27: darkness for 3 hours at crucifixion. Sun drops out of picture or heavy clouds obscure. Could not be a solar eclipse as a full moon during Passover does not permit that phenomenon. No one else on earth notices this either.

A few more..

* Matthew 14:20: Jesus multiplies loaves and fishes - manifesting things that aren’t into things that now are.

* Matthew 15:37: Jesus multiplies loaves and fishes again

* Matthew 17:27: Peter gets coin from mouth of fish to pay tax - no one had change?

* Acts 2: tongues

* Acts 5:5,10: Ananias & Sapphira struck dead by Peter’s word - nice way to treat the brethren for not handing over the money to the Church. But what does “struck dead” mean? If he struck them, it’s murder, if he mentally zapped them, it’s murder.

* Acts 9: light from heaven: Saul’s conversion - manifesting light being

* Acts 12: angel releases Peter from prison - where was the Angel before I got arrested?

* Acts 13:11: Paul strikes sorcerer blind - hey Jesus struck Paul blind too!

* Acts 16: earthquake releases Paul & Silas from jail - now that is one very vibrationally focused earthquake!

To a child, the only real difference between the events in Harry Potter and the events in the Bible is that each is confined to their own book. The wizardry appears to be the same and thus Papal disapproval or Pastoral condemnation to anyone with even a Sunday School education does not wash. Of course, since it is the Bible, that makes it somehow different, yet it is not. Appeals to heavenly authority fall on deaf ears when one sees that wizardry is wizardry no matter where it occurs.

From the raising of the bronze serpent in the wilderness by Moses to save the snake bitten brethren, to it’s worship by the people, storage in the ark and finally it’s destruction by Hezekiah, who didn’t like it, it’s all wizardry. What’s with the snake for healing routine? Back then it was “If any is sick among you, let him look upon the bronze serpent, and the look of faith will save the sick.” I guess it was homeopathic. Like cures like.

To a child and perhaps even a thinking adult, the book of Revelation also with its signs and wonders, wars, plagues and heavenly hosts attacking the powers of evil and the powers of evil blasting back, is no different from the wizardry of Harry Potter. The symbolism and characters certainly can seem so. Make a movie on Revelation and what’s the difference with Harry Potter? Different evils overcome by different powers in the same way it seems.

This is a biblically literate audience. We know the stories and even many profoundly religious types would swear they never read it in the Bible. I had a client who denied tooth and toenail that there is a story in the NT about Mary and Jesus’ brothers coming to get Jesus because he was “out of his mind.” It’s there nevertheless, as we know. (Mark 3:20-35).

With Harry Potter coming again into the public forum with its magic, wizardry and sorcery and now the Pope even lending his disapproval (that no doubt made Ms. Rowling another gabillion bucks), the attacks by fundamentalists against that which seems to threaten the Church and the Bible will intensify. But beware! Sometimes we just have to ask ourselves, what really IS the difference between the Wizardry of Harry and that of Moses and the prophets, priests, and kings of the Bible? I am sure there are excellent apologetics, some of which this may set off, but in truth, the answer is not much.

Born to annoy…

Dennis Diehl

Dennis Diehl is a former church pastor who has outgrown the limiting perspectives of Fundamentalist Christianity, and now has a therapeutic massage practice in Greenville, SC.

Dieting: I Can’t Afford To Lose Weight!

We are so eager to lose weight that we swallow the promises of every diet guru on the planet and eagerly plunk down our hard earned cash, praying that this time it will work.

What are the costs of the popular diets? The initial cost is to buy the “Bible” for the diet or join the program. Those initial fees range from $20 or $30 for a book to several hundred dollars for a personal program.

Then there’s the food. Studies have shown that the average cost of a week’s food purchases, per individual, is slightly above $50. To start the South Beach Diet, tack on an additional $25 per week. For the Zone and Weight Watchers Diets, the additional cost is about $40, for Atkins $50, for NutriSystems almost $60 and for Jenny Craig about $85!

Wait a minute, you say. I’m losing weight by cutting back on eating. Shouldn’t that SAVE me money?

Looking at it logically, you would certainly think so. But we don’t try to lose weight logically, we approach the whole process through our emotions. It is our emotions that lead us to buy things on impulse, to sign up for programs we know we’ll never complete, and to join projects we’ll never actively pursue.

Our emotional thinking is our weakness and it has nothing to do with intelligence or education or social level. We all get suckered into scams at some point in our lives and we all occasionally suffer from buyer’s remorse - it’s a part of the human experience.

The marketers and ad men know it well and spend their days devising tricks for which we all too often fall. How often have you eagerly dialed an 800 number during one of those brilliant infomercials only to receive something that doesn’t work as it did on TV, is either shoddily made or just too complicated, and you stick it in the back of a cupboard where it gathers dust until you finally toss it?

When it comes to our weight, our emotions reign supreme. We so desperately want to be more attractive, more respected, and more desirable. We will even subject ourselves to painful and sometimes dangerous surgery to bring our reality closer to our ideal. And we will rob our piggy banks, deplete our bank accounts, and run up our credit cards for anything that promises us a slender future.

Do we get what we pay for? Sometimes. There are a few successful disciples in every program. It is their pictures and stories that are prominently displayed in promotional literature. It is the old “before” and “after” trick that sucks us in. Our logic (and a tiny footnote) tells us that the featured results are not typical.

The wary left side of our brain wonders if a little airbrushing might have been employed. Then the right side explodes, filled with desire, well-meaning intentions, and an overwhelming urge to believe. And we fall for it again.

Notice that we never hear or see about the failures, the hundreds of thousands who start a diet with such high hopes yet live the rest of their lives overweight. All the diets have their failures but never bother to mention exactly what their percentages are. They may caution that their program must be followed exactly if it is to work, but let’s be realistic. How many of us can follow an unswerving routine for the weeks, months, or years it is going to take to reach our ideal weight? We may be creatures of habit but life seldom fits into one unsquishable box for very long. We adapt the routine to meet our immediate needs and everything falls apart.

Sadder, wiser, guilt-ridden and self-critical, we vow to start again until, eventually, we give up. Is there a better way?

We can start by realizing that it really doesn’t matter what diet we choose. The secret is to address our emotions, that infatuation with food that has, nationally, reached crisis proportions. We have to break off our affair with what we eat and restore food to its rightful place - something that keeps us alive and healthy, not our primary source of excitement and self-satisfaction.

Virginia Bola is a licensed psychologist and an admitted diet fanatic. She specializes in therapeutic reframing and the effects of attitudes and motivation on individual goals. The author of The Wolf at the Door: An Unemployment Survival Manual, and a free ezine, The Worker’s Edge, she recently published a psychologically-based weight control e-workbook, “Diet with an Attitude” which develops mental skills towards the goal of permanent weight control. Reach her at www.DietWithAnAttitude.com/index2.html.

8 Simple Ways to Defend Against Evil Doers Both Online and Off

There once was a time when the only option people had when shopping was to either call in or snail mail in a catalog order form or to jump in the family car, fight through traffic, and wait in long checkout lines to complete the purchase.

Well, nowadays there’s still a few major mail order catalogs floating around and we all still visit our local retail outlets, but time has also introduced the internet as one of our options to shop from the comforts of home.

The internet has made shopping at home a breeze and along with it has unfortunately brought the so called “Evil Doers” who I believe have such little happiness in their own lives that they must leech pleasure from the hardworking and innocent individuals of our wonderful and surrounding nations.

And yes, I am speaking of the ever growing problem known as Identity and Credit Card Theft.

As an online and offline consumer it is in my best interest to protect myself while at the same time wanting to help others protect themselves as well.

Below is a short yet thorough list of ways that you can follow to help yourself stay safe and be a happy consumer and keep “Evil Doers” at bay.

1) Always shred sensitive materials such as bank statements before throwing them away in the regular trash. Just because the paper documents are in the garbage doesn’t mean they are safe from peeping eyes.

2) Contact your local bank or credit card provider to request a card with a low limit. This can make you feel more at ease about shopping at those not so familiar places and can reduce the damages caused by such an ill intended individual if they get hold of your number.

Also never give out the 3-letter Card Identification Number found on the back of the credit card unless you absolutely trust the merchant you are dealing with.

3) NEVER give out your social security card number for any reason! If capable you are best to obtain a tax I.D. number from the Internal Revenue Service or local tax agency.

If any “Evil Doer” gets hold of your personal information such as home address, birth date, and Social Security Number you are at great risk of being victimized.

4) Only purchase items online through secure order pages which is typically indicated by a small, yellow, “Padlock” image usually located somewhere near the bottom of your internet browsers window.

5) If you ever receive an email asking for sensitive information and claiming to be from a company that you have an account with, NEVER supply the requested information and never click any links or hit reply to send such personal information back to the “company”.

Many legit companies will not ask for sensitive information via email.

If you get such an email you are better off to make a copy of the letter you received then close that browser window and then open a NEW window and access the company directly from their website address.

You should then submit the email you made a copy of to the company so that their anti- fraud personnel can take the necessary steps to send out warnings of possible fraudulent activity to be aware of to its members.

6) Be cautious about downloading and installing unnecessary programs onto your computer. If there are programs that you indeed must download ALWAYS scan the files for viruses and make sure that your anti-virus program is up to date.

There’s a wide variety of viruses that are distributed to unprotected computer systems and some of which are known as “Key Stroke Loggers” that record your sensitive log in names and passwords and then are made known to the trouble maker.

7) If possible try to utilize 2 different computers when using the internet.

One computer should only be used for general internet surfing just in case it was to obtain a virus such as a Key Stroke Logger so there would be little threat of someone getting your personal information.

Only use the second computer to access more sensitive information such as online banking or other important websites that require passwords and important information.

Finally, if there are young members of the family that have computer use privileges be sure to monitor and restrict the sites and programs they are allowed to use.

Many fraudulent individuals love to prey on the unexpecting and inexperienced web surfer.

In any case just be certain to contact the police or appropriate authorities the INSTANT you believe that you have become a victim of Identity Theft or Credit Card Number Theft.

The sooner you tell the authorities the better the chance they can help you recover from a financial catastrophe.

Dan Preston is the webmaster of a site called InfoHeaven Digital
Books and The Online Book Store where you can find useful and Fr’ee information along with many how-to digital books that cover a large variety of interesting topics.
http://infoheaven-digital-books.com and http://online-book-store.net.

Identify the First Signs of Alopecia

The medical phrase for having your hair fall out is alopecia. The most recorded type of hair loss is male pattern baldness and hits nearly a third of males and girls. This sort of baldness is typically forever.

Permanent hair loss comes in a number of ways. Male pattern baldness might happen in the extraordinarily early stages of a gents life, with hair loss and baldness starting as early as 21 years old. The usual symptoms might often include loss and baldness of hair follicles around the top part of the scalp and furthermore at the hairline above the forehead. The result can be partial or full total baldness. Check out the latest hair loss treatments at Advanced Hair Studio.

Female pattern baldness is nearly similar to male pattern baldness resulting in permanent hair follicle loss. This kind of hair loss and baldness is usually developed after a mother gives birth to her child. The hormone imbalance creates hair loss although ladies do not generally experience total hair loss.

The last sort of permanent hair loss is through Cicatricial. This occurs when inflammation in the scalp starts scaring and the hair follicles fall out forever and never come back. The guy will probably lose hair in random sections of the scalp, or even spread all over the scalp.

With forever hair loss the good solution for abounding people might be to seek help with a hair loss studio in order to gain back confidence.

Winter in, Dry Skin out!

Why does your skin become drier during the winter months? Because many of us are exposed to factors that cause us to lose moisture, including the soaps that we used on a daily basis.

Take fewer showers

Dermatologists recommend that we limit the number of showers or baths that we take. For those of us who simply must bathe frequently, try spending a little less time in the tub/shower.

While many of us like a hot shower, try adjusting the water temperature. Make it warm, rather than hot. The hotter the water, the more it depletes your skin and hair of natural moisture. Try switching to gentle cleansers, ones that do not contain a lot of harsh chemicals: Aveeno, Dove, Nuetrogena, or Tea Tree Gel Therapeutic Body Moisturizer.

Lay it on thick!

If you’re like me, then you don’t care for the feel of thick, heavy, greasy moisturizers. But, let’s face it, they work best. If you cannot tolerate the heavy stuff, then you might want to mix it with a lighter lotion, but make sure to avoid products containing alcohol. It’s best if you apply your moisturizer right after bathing.

Don’t forget to drink lots of water, at least 8 fluid ounces per day and add a humidifier to your arsenal, especially if your house has forced-air heating.

Chelle Murphy is a contributor to http://www.thecozyshack.com’s health, beauty and fashion section.

Portable Gas Grills

If your idea of fun is an afternoon barbecue on the beach or at a camp with family and friends, then you might want to purchase a portable gas grill.

Portable, campsite gas grills are great investments since they can come with you anywhere, even on a camping trip. They are light and portable enough to go with you on short trips such as picnics, barbecues and other similar activities. They are very versatile - you can use them in many ways to come up with great tasting food that is full of flavor. What’s more, they are light enough so that you can store them indoors when the weather is bad.

You need to consider many factors when buying a portable gas grill. Among them are:

Weight. The whole point of a portable gas grill is its handiness - why would you buy a heavy model? As a general rule, portable gas grills should not exceed 40 pounds in weight. Anything heavier might as well be a permanent fixture.

Cooking surfaces. Look for a portable gas grill with as many cooking surfaces as possible - there are models that have a BBQ surface, a flat grill, and a ribbed grill. Make sure that these surfaces are all nonstick so that you can cook fries, prawns, vegetables and even pancakes without hassle. There are even portable gas grill models that throw in wok tops so you can cook pasta and rice dishes.

Surface area. Most portable gas grills are so handy that they have very small surface areas. Unless you only plan to cook for one or two, it would be better to invest in bigger grills. Expect to spend anywhere from $100 to $200 for portable gas grills with 280-square inch surface areas.

Extras. Little add-ons such as an attachable pot stand for boiling water, a condiments tray, etc. come a long way. Some models even have hoods big enough to grill a whole chicken or large roast, and some even have optional rotisserie kits.