Try These Yoga Poses for Jet Lag

Jet lag appears definitely to be one these things: A Condition resulting when travel across time zones leaves a person feeling ?out of sync? with local time at his or her destination. That considered, to get you 'back in sync', one highly recommended solution will be Yoga

What, with the poses balancing effects on the body (namely the inversions), yoga helps immensely to deal with the effects of jet lag, of course when used correctly.

The two main poses will be the Shoulder stand (and its counter poses) and if possible, the Sun Salutations.

In regards to the latter choice, the Sun Exercises, these are definitely a wise choice in that they stimulate and balance all the systems of the body including the endocrine, circulatory, reproductive and digestive system.

The main benefit one can look to attain from using Yoga for Jet lag will be restoration and balancing which it brings about as one executes the use of some of its poses.

This perhaps reiterates why using the shoulder-stand yoga pose for jet lag as previously mentioned may indeed be a great and wise choice as this pose as well affects all the bodily organs. By pressing the chin-lock, it stimulates the thyroid gland, balancing the circulatory, digestive, nervous, reproductive and endocrine systems. It tranquilizes the mind, alleviates stress and psychological disturbances. It is indeed a panacea, a cure all

One can also try the yoga-esque Hindu-Push-ups as this helps drain the brain of unwanted ?debris? and the incorporation of the Yoga Relaxation Pose does just as its name suggests, relaxes the entire body while simultaneously relieving stress and speeding up the elimination of metabolic wastes.

It's safe to say Yoga has something for everything and everyone so for Jet Lag; you will do very well to strike some Yoga poses!

In Friendship,

Foras Aje is an independent researcher and co-founder of BodyHealthSoul LLC. Stop by His Website today for more on Healthy Living Tips and information on Yoga for Beginners.

Nissan Taps New SUV Design for Young Urbanites

Imagine a black-and-gray camouflage-style pattern of rhinoceroses, skulls and dice incorporated in a sport utility vehicle. Captivating and exotic, isn't it? This concept of an SUV, which is one of Ecko's 2 concepts, will not be available in the industry though. Nonetheless, New York fashion designer and graffiti artist Marc Ecko made customized versions of Nissan SUVs with a more captivating look and price tag.



The 2 concept SUVs with Ecko's exotic design were showcased in Nashville. However, they were already displayed at several auto events across the country after it debuted in New York last October. Ecko's Pathfinder is given a custom black-and-gray paint that camouflages his signature rhino logo and skulls and dice meant to mirror toughness and the ?gambles people take in life. The skull is today?s happy face,? said Ecko.



?I think our brand embodies a youthful energy, excitement,? Ecko further added. ?We?re emblematic of what?s going on in popular culture. It was a good tidy fit (with Nissan) for sure. If these were ever to be brought to consumers, obviously we?d have to make some adaptations to make it more production-assembly friendly.?



The new rhythmic design trend of the automaker is applied to blend Nissan auto body parts of Pathfinder and Armada SUVs. It is expected to astound the auto industry in the near future. Critics in the industry are saying that Nissan is following the footsteps of auto giants like Ford and Subaru.



It can be recalled that advance auto parts Ford and Subaru auto parts new have been collaborated with apparel retailers like Eddie Bauer and L.L. Bean to deliver stunning customized vehicles. Nissan also resorted to the ongoing trend to capture young urbanites. These individuals settle for stylish, edgy and high-performance drive. We?re trying to show urban consumers that Nissan thinks outside the box, the idea that design can come from outside the car world too, said Terri Hines, a spokeswoman for Nissan.



Tom Libby, an automotive analyst with JD Power and Associates, said the average age of the Nissan buyer is 42, four years below the national average age over all brands. Nissan buyers are also younger than those of other major Japanese automakers Toyota and Honda. They?re (Nissan) trying to link their product with a brand that appeals to a niche or consumer they want to appeal to, Libby said. It (Ecko design) might appeal to the younger buyer. That?s certainly something Nissan does well with and wants to continue doing well with.

Joe Thompson is the owner of a successful auto body shop in Ferndale, California. This 38 year old is also a prolific writer, contributing automotive related articles to various publications.

Baby Furniture Buyers Guide

Baby furniture is one of the most popular types of gifts given at a baby shower. Gift shopping for nursery furniture can be made easier if the new parents have a gift registry at some popular stores in your area. However, this is often not the case. Be sure to always enclose a gift receipt with your gift so it can be returned if the new parents get duplicates.

Baby furniture is one of the most popular types of gifts given at a baby shower. Gift shopping for nursery furniture can be made easier if the new parents have a gift registry at some popular stores in your area. However, this is often not the case. Be sure to always enclose a gift receipt with your gift so it can be returned if the new parents get duplicates.

Communication between the guests would be wise to prevent any duplicate gifts. The guests could also choose to get together on something more expensive such as a piece of nursery furniture. The parents need items that will hold up well for their newborn, so check to make certain the item you choose is sturdy and built for safety.

Purchasing an expensive gift such as a piece of furniture for the nursery would help the new parents tremendously as they are probably strapped for cash at this point. What with the pre-natel care and the upcoming hospital and doctor expenses that come with any childbirth.

Baby Cribs

Cribs will be the most important piece of furniture the new parent will need for the baby. They come in a wide variety of styles and finishes to match any nursery theme or color scheme the parents might have for the nursery. They come as standard cribs, canopy, convertible, sleigh and various other types. Some of the more common features available would be adjustable mattress heights, metal mattress supports, one of three different kinds of release mechanism, rolling casters and/or a teething rail. A baby can use the crib from birth until around the age of 3. A safe and sturdy crib will cost from $150 to over $1000 depending on the quality of the wood and the features provided.

Crib Mattresses

A crib mattress is a very important item for the baby as she/he will be spending over 50% of his time on the mattress until he/she is around 3 years of age. Mattresses come in basically two types: foam or innerspring/coil. Foam weighs less while the innerspring/coil will last a much longer time. Accessories include bedding, crib sheets, crib wedges and waterproof mattress pads. High quality foam mattresses will cost between $80 to $100, while an innerspring/coil mattress will cost from $75 to $200.

Bedding-Bumpers-Sheets-Quilts-Shams

Most standard, canopy and convertible cribs will use standard size crib bedding. A round crib, porta crib, cradle and bassinet will all need special bedding to fit the size of the particular item. A bumper is a necessary item that is needed to keep the baby safe by keeping the baby's arms and legs from getting stuck in the slats. A quilt or comforter should not be used in the crib, but rather as a play mat for the baby. A diaper stacker is used to store your diapers and to keep the nursery more organized. Pillows are a safety hazard for the baby and should never be used in the crib. Most bedding sets can cost from $50 to as high as $700 for a set with better quality fabrics etc.

Changing Tables

A changing table should be well padded, have guardrails and include safety straps for the baby. They come in several types such as the combination sytle, dresser drawer and one with open shelves. Accessories include changing pads, oraganizers and wipe warmers. A changing table can be used from birth until about two years of age. They range in price from $90 to $200 depending on the accessories and storage space they have.

Rocking Chairs

A rocking chair would be a welcome addition to the baby nursery or living room. The rocking chair would give the mom-to-be lots of quality time with her newborn baby.

Moses Baskets

Moses baskets are a rather unique piece of furniture. A moses basket would be an unexpected but welcome baby shower gift. Also something the mother could pass on for a heirloom. This is an item that could be passed from generation to generation.

Child's Rocking Chair

A children's rocking chair would make a great gift. One that most people wouldn't think of giving. You wouldn't need to worry about duplicating your gift with some other guest with this gift.

Playpen & Play Yard

Play yards come in 3 different types. The basic which can be used as a playpen or a crib. One that has a bassinet built in for the newborn. A canopy style to keep you infant shielded from the sun and to keep in cooler in the outdoors. Accessories you can purchase seperately include a changing station, netting for outdoor use and sheets. A play yard can be used from birth until about 2 years of age. Good quality play yards cost between $60 to more than $200.

Portable Travel Crib

A portable travel crib would be great for those over-night trips out of town or state to family or friends.

Cradles

A cradle is used from birth until 4 months or the baby is able to roll from side to side. Cradles usually include a padded bumper, fitted sheet and a quilt or comforter. One of the advantages of a cradle is that you can rock it and it is lower than a crib.

Baby Dresser

Every nursery needs a chest of drawers for the newborn. You can buy them with a theme, in different styles, shapes and colors. If you know how the new parents will be decorating the nursery, you can match the baby dresser to the theme.

High Chair

All new parents need this very essential piece of furniture. There are several types of high chairs: Adjustable, conventional, booster and wooden. The high chair should have an adjustable tray, locking mechanism, some kind of restraint system and possibly rolling casters which are allowed to be locked easily. Parents can use the high chair as soon as the baby is born for bottle feeding if it is capable of fully reclining.

Bassinets

A traditional piece of nursery furniture would be a bassinet. The baby can use the bassinet from birth until about 4 month of age. Bassinet sets usually include a hood cover, fitted sheet, plain sheet and a bumper.

Car Seats

A car seat is a necessity because every state requires the baby be restrained while in a car. Newborns must travel in the back seat in a car seat that faces the rear of the car. After the baby is a year old you change to a forward facing car seat. Car seats come in several different types. An infant car seat, convertible and booster seats. Infant and convertible car seats cost between $60 and $300.

Strollers

Strollers come as a standard stroller, single, umbrella, double strooler or as a travel system which is a combination stroller and car seat. Most strollers have a canopy, front bar, harness, reliner and a storage space. Accessories available include accessory bars, attachable toy and activity bars, infant headrests, rain sheilds and stroller connectors for attaching two strollers together. A stroller can be used from around 4 months of age until about 3 or 4 years old. Depending on the style and quality strollers can be purchased for as little as $15 to as much as $1,000.

Baby Monitor

A monitor may be a luxery item, but it can give the parents added reassurance that their baby is safe. There are several types: audio, audio/movement and audio/video monitors. Monitors can be used from newborn to toddler. Depending on the type of monitor, you can buy them for as little as $20 on up to $400, with the audio/video monitor being the most expensive.

Bouncer Seat

A very useful item is a bouncer seat. They can come with an accessory toy bar, canopy, restraint and variable speeds. A bouncer seat can be used from newborn until the baby is 9 months old. The standard non-battery operated bouncer seats cost between $40 and $75 while the battery operated seats tend to cost a bit more.

Copyright Randy Wilson, All Rights Reserved.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Randy is owner of Profitable Home Businesses, How to Plan a Baby Shower and Las Vegas Weddings.

Guide to Malaysia

Colorado Springs Real Estate

Whether you are in the market for a new home, a vacation home, or a rental home in another state such as Colorado, Colorado Springs real estate is always a good bet. Parks, open spaces, urban forests, facilities, recreation services, and famous landmarks like the U.S. Air Force Academy, Garden of the Gods, and Pikes Peak are more than enough reasons for you to buy a real estate property and settle in this beautiful city.

If one of your dreams is to send your son to the famous U.S. Air Force Academy, you should consider finding a property in Colorado Springs and live with your family there. It is not difficult to start a new life in this place, as it offers many recreational services, shopping malls, business centers, and entertainment areas. A handful of educational institutions offer many opportunities for employment.

Moreover, if you love the outdoors and want to own a vacation home in Colorado Springs, you can always find one in the many real estate listings. Colorado has always been known for its great ski resorts, where you can go skiing and snowboarding. The good thing about owning real estate there is that you can have the place rented for some time when you are away. If you will be having a long vacation, you can always come back and stay in your vacation home and have somebody rent it again when you leave and go back to your residence.

When it comes to finding your dream home, you can choose to work with a real estate agent. However, there is an easier way to do this. Search through Colorado Spring real estate listings online, as it is more convenient to do from the comfort of your home or office. The Internet provides a wide variety of options, and it is up to you to choose which one meets your real estate purchasing requirements.

Colorado Real Estate provides detailed information on Colorado Real Estate, Boulder Colorado Real Estate, Colorado Springs Real Estate, Colorado Luxury Real Estate and more. Colorado Real Estate is affiliated with Colorado Vacation Rentals.

Car Safety Seat Tips

Although some car safety seats are considered safer than others it?s a good point to note that all car safety seats must pass the same federal crash tests before being approved for sale in the U.S.

There are many car safety seats on the market with manufacturers adding little extra features in order to try and make their car safety seats better than their competitors but the one main factor that consumers need to be aware of is that if a car safety seat is not fitted correctly and in accordance with manufacturers instructions the car seat?s safety is impaired.

When looking for a car safety seat do not make your decision based on price and price alone. Higher priced car safety seats may have added features but such features won?t necessarily make the car safety seat safer or easier to use.

If a car safety seat doesn?t fit your car well don?t use it and never resort to car safety seat accessories to try and make a safety seat fit your car. Manufacturers provide everything you need to correctly fit the car safety seat you are buying, if you need accessories the likelihood is that you have either fitted the seat incorrectly or that the car seat is not suitable for your car.

Ten Car Safety Seat Tips:

1.All car safety seats have weight limits which must be adhered to. Failure to follow weight / size limits can put your baby / child at risk.

2.Always use a rear facing car safety seat for infants under 1 year of age.

3.Never place a rear-facing car safety seat in the front seat of a car that has a passenger air bag.

4.With each new car safety seat read the manufacturers instructions carefully to ensure that the safety seat is correctly fitted at all times.

5.Always make sure your infants car safety seat is fitted securely.

6.Always double check that your baby is strapped into their car safety seat correctly.

7.Never place blankets under your baby before fastening the car safety seat straps. Blankets or similar items could become dislodged with the end result being that your baby is no longer strapped in tightly.

8.Avoid second hand car safety seats unless you know the person you are buying it from, are sure it hasn?t been dropped or anything else has happened which might have weakened the seat and it still comes with manufacturer?s instructions.

9.Avoid fitting car safety seats next to side air bags. Always follow the car safety seat fitting instructions as provided by your car?s manufacturer.

10.If using the same car safety seat for your second or subsequent child check the manufacturers guidelines. Some manufacturers don?t recommend that you use their car safety seats beyond 5-6 years from the date of manufacture.

One final warning, never leave your child unattended in their car safety seat either in or out of the car. Leaving an infant in a car safety seat that is not secured can prove dangerous and leaving your infant unattended in a car can result in accidents such death from heat stroke, infants being jammed in electric windows and toddlers letting handbrakes off.

For more on car safety seats visit http://www.1st-4-baby.com

Do You Really Know Backgammon Instructions?

Backgammon has been a popular game for many years. It is a game similar to checkers, however your strategy is the complete opposite. Backgammon instructions are easy to follow and anyone can play. When you purchase a backgammon game, there are usually always backgammon instructions that come along to walk you through. If the instructions are misplaced just search the Internet.

The main goal of the game backgammon is for each of the players to get all of his or her game pieces onto the home board and then to find a way to get all the pieces off the board. The first player to achieve this is the winner of the game.

To start the game, figure out who will go first. You can roll the die for this and whoever gets the bigger number goes first. This is just the easiest way to determine who goes first, without any conflict.

Each player will get a turn to move his or her pieces. The players will first roll the dice before every move. You will move with whatever consists with the roll of the dice. If you roll a 4 and 3, then you will move seven slots. You can break the moves up between two game pieces. In other words, move one four spaces and the other piece three. You just have to make sure you move one game piece in accordance with the number on one of the die rolled. And the other piece in accordance with the other number rolled. It is really easy to learn.

If the same number would appear on both dice rolled, then the roller would be allowed double what the number is. For example, if you roll a 2-2, then the roller is allowed four moves instead of two. There are instructions in the game to remind of the hard plays and so you can refer back to when you need to.

You get a point by getting two or more of your game pieces on it. Once this occurs, the opponent cannot come to rest on that point when taking the combination of his dice.

There are different terms and circumstances that must be followed during the course of the game. When you are stuck on what to do, you can go back and look in the instructions to the game to figure it out. If you are playing for the first time and your opponent is a pro, then they can help you along and give you pointers throughout the game. Using the instructions seems to be the proper way to truly learn the game.

? backgammonholygrail.com
About the Author

The Power Workout

Not enough hours in the day? Feeling the crunch when it comes to finding time for just your own needs? If exercise is important to you, you might do well to consider the following:



Scenario: I really want to get in shape, but I work all day and attend multimedia classes until 8:30. How do I find the time to exercise, and what are a few good exercises for beginners like me? Solution: Finding time to exercise is certainly a challenge. Even the most motivated among us suffer setbacks during our business' busy season or when a new project is on the horizon. The key to fitting fitness into your busy day is to recognize that finding time isn't the issue--it's making time.



You may be surprised to hear that you can enjoy the benefits of a regular exercise program in as little as three hours per week.



The following routine shows you how:



Monday: Half-hour of jogging, biking (on hills) or other intense aerobic exercise you enjoy

Tuesday: Half-hour of strength training (squats, sit-ups and push-ups for beginners; weight training with machines or dumbbells for the more experienced)

Wednesday: Rest day

Thursday: Repeat Monday

Friday: Repeat Tuesday

Saturday: One hour of exercise--any type of exercise. Go rollerblading with a friend, take the family to the hills for a hike or swim laps at the pool.

Sunday: Rest day



Make your workouts more time-efficient by exercising harder. For example, you can walk two miles in a half-hour, or you can run four miles in a half-hour. You can spend an hour in step aerobics class, or you can spend 20 minutes rowing at the highest resistance level on the rowing machine. When you perform strength-training exercises, use a challenging resistance and move quickly through your exercises to get an aerobic benefit.



If you want to commit to getting fit, exercise must become a part of your life--a habit as regular as brushing your teeth. Try these ideas to help you stay on track:



*Make a log of everything you do for a week, and identify the time slots where you can fit in exercise. Did you spend a Saturday afternoon watching the Back to the Future trilogy for the fifth time? Could you manage to get up a half-hour earlier on the weekdays? Just skip an hour of television time and go to bed earlier.



*Make exercise convenient. Find a place to work out that's close to your home or office. If you're disciplined and have the space, work out at home.



*Develop relationships with supportive people. Join an exercise class or go to the gym with friends. If you skip a class, your friends will hold you accountable.



*Exercise at the right time. The ight time is when you're most likely to do it. If you know your day often ends late or meetings come up suddenly, it's best to schedule your workout for first thing in the morning when nothing can interfere. If you're a night owl, fit your workout in before dinner. If you can only manage a 10-minute walk on your lunch hour--do it. Some exercise is better than none.



Benefits Of Exercise



Need more motivation to get fit? Consider the following benefits of exercise:

*Exercise increases your stamina and strength.

*Exercise improves your heart and lung efficiency.

*Exercise gives your body greater resistance to disease, stress, anxiety and fatigue.

*Exercise gives you more energy and enhances your capacity for work and leisure activities.

*Exercise releases hormones that stimulate the brain, helping to clear your mind, see things from a new perspective, and come up with fresh ideas.



So make an appointment with yourself to get some exercise. Your body--and your business--will thank you for it.

The Substance of Style

How many times have you heard that curb appeal is half the sale? Why is it that certain ethnic groups are so keen at using tiles and marbles, whereas others prefer hardwoods and plaster? What?s the scoop behind the trend of new construction ? more bedrooms, more bathrooms, higher ceiling clearance? What makes a neighborhood trendy? Why is it that fashionable colors, all of a sudden, are no longer fashionable? In essence, what is it that drives innovation and change in real estate?

Gianni Versace (1946 ? 1997), perhaps the most famous Italian stylist and designer of contemporary times, and Andy Warhol (1928 ? 1987), one of the major figures of the American Pop Art movement, both had an innate knowledge of one of the most profound tenets of economics, that is the production of wealth comes not simply from labor or raw materials or even intellectual brilliance. It comes from new ways to give people what they want. By matching creativity and desire, the economy will renew itself. Thus, it is imperative to abandon prejudices regarding the sources of economic value.

It follows, that manufacturing and technology generate wealth only when they make matter and information serve human desire. Desire is the true source of economic value, and the motor behind demand. So, to exploit any market ? being fashion design as in the case of Versace or Pop Art as in the case of Warhol ? since people want pleasure, those who bring pleasure will make the economy go, because what is bringing pleasure is anticipated status enhancement. This rule of thumb applies all the more in a big-ticket industry such as real estate.

Contrary to what most of us believe, humans do not make rational decisions, at least not pre-eminently but, rather, their conclusions are rooted into deeper sources of motivation located well within the realm of sub-consciousness. Marketers already seem to know a lot about how consumers think, but recent experiments in neuroscience have captured the full attention of Corporate America and Corporate Japan. New scanning techniques are making it easier to determine how our minds work and creating hopes in the corporate world, that companies can finally figure out how consumers are wired so as to establish new connections with customers. And the field of real estate sales is at the forefront of this scientific research.

The breakthrough behind all this is the development of functional magnetic resonance imaging or ?fMRI?, the latest in neuroimaging technology, which displays not only the structures of the brain but also how they actually function by measuring blood flow. And the corporate world is particularly interested in how neuroimaging can be applied to study empathy, trust, deception, emotional communication, body language and generally speaking all issues that are central to human existence and interaction. Decision-making is, of course, at the top of the list.

Research, especially in real estate, indicates that consumers love novelties and, what?s more, can create novelties. Consumers are not mere passive recipients of goods and services but, rather, active producers as well. The reason is that at the basis of production and consumption there is human imagination and desire for novelty. Furthermore, when people actually ?own? novelties in the form of goods, they set about to convince others that the possession of such novelties shows that they have achieved a higher status, and that if others were clever enough to do what they did or to possess the same things that they have, then the others too could achieve high status and enjoy all the good things that come from it.

The continuous interaction between desire and demand on one side, and production and supply on the other side, is what rejuvenates and regenerates real estate markets through trends and innovation over and over again.

Luigi Frascati

Luigi Frascati is a Real Estate Agent based in Vancouver, British Columbia. He holds a Bachelor Degree in Economics and maintains a weblog entitled the Real Estate Chronicle at http://wwwrealestatechronicle.blogspot.com where you can find the full collection of his articles. Luigi is associated with the Sutton Group, the largest real estate organization in Canada, and is based with Sutton-Centre Realty in Burnaby, BC.

Luigi is very proud to be an EzineArticles Platinum Expert Author. Your rating at the footer of this Article is very much appreciated. Thank you.

Sarasota Real Estate: Benefits of Directories to Visitors

Most people who are looking for a particular telephone number would flip open the Yellow Pages. Directories are so much a part of our mundane living that its presences is usually taken for granted. There are several types of directories. The building directory helps one find the right office or apartment. The employee directory will helps one find the right person in the right department. A film directory helps one find a particular by title, subject, actors, director or producer.

Another type of directory that is relevant for Sarasota real estate investors is the real estate directory. What is it exactly? Like most online directories found on the Internet, a real estate directory is a listing of Web sites, which are classified and indexed in some particular order in order to facilitate searching. Depending on the real estate directory, the listings available will be indexed according to region, agent, type of property or price ? and often all of the above. Other sections will be clearly labeled as well?a comprehensive real estate directory offers more than just properties for sale. You?ll find listings for appraisers, inspectors, home improvement sites, contractors?almost anything that has to do with real estate.

Unlike a single realtor site, a Sarasota real estate directory will cover listings from various sources. Thus, it gives a searcher the widest possible variety of listings to search through. A trip through a Sarasota real estate directory will give a good feel for the general market conditions in Sarasota. It also facilitates searching of a realtor who is listing the properties one is interested in buying.

While traditional search engines are good venues to start seeking for home listings, one will often have to browse through several pages to get past the listings for home mortgage companies, a few dozen single realtors, several realty listing sites that only lead to more realty listing sites. On the other hand, by going directly to a real estate directory, one cuts out the sifting through pages of unrelated info and get straight to what is being searched for. An indexed directory of current real estate listings in Sarasota simply makes it easy to find the homes one wants to buy in this sunny city in Florida.

Finally, the best Sarasota real estate directory does not end with providing listings of homes for sale like many realtor sites do. One will usually find listings for Web sites that talk about how to prepare a home for sale, how to put a home on the market, which home improvements offer the most return on investment, mortgage and loan companies and so much more.

Earl Juanico http://sarasota-realestate.biz

Ultralight Backpacks The Lightest

Why ultralight backpacks? Devotees of ultralight backpacking know you reduce your packweight most by concentrating on the ig three; backpack, shelter, and sleeping bag. Forget those 6-pound backpacks, 9-pound tents and 5-pound sleeping bags. Reduce that 20 pounds to less than 5, keep the other gear to 5 or 6 pounds, and you can chuck the hot and heavy hiking boots, put on the running shoes, and start enjoying those trails.

Four Ounce Ultralight Backpacks

No, that's not a typo. One of the ultralight backpacking suppliers recently came out with a light pack with a capacity of 1800 cubic inches, plus more in an expandable rear pocket. Designed to carry just fifteen pounds, It may be more fragile than the average pack, but it weighs just 3.7 ounces! With a pack that light you're well on your way to keeping your total packweight to fifteen pounds.

I bought a six ounce pack at Walmart. Maybe you didn't know they sold ultralight backpacks, and niether did they. I'm sure it was intended as a daypack. However, it has 1200 cubic inches and weighs only 6 ounces, so I'll use it for summer overnighters. At $4, it was light on the budget too.

It easy to imagine that a decent-sized backpack can be made at home that weighs less than 8 ounces. If it's a simple one, without extra pockets, made from light nylon material, how much could it weigh? Making your own may be the way to get the lightest backpack.

Alternatives To Ultralight Backpacks

I've used my 8-ounce duffle bag for backpacking. With no pockets, it's tough to organize things, but it has lots of room, and it is very tough. In practice, the full-length zipper makes it so easy to see everything that organization isn't very important.

I also have tied the duffle bag to an an old aluminum pack-frame, to create a full-suspension backpack. It has a hip belt, comfortable padded straps, and weighs exactly two pounds. It worked fine on a trip above timberline in the mountains of Montana. If there are any lighter exterior-frame ultralight backpacks out there, I haven't seen them.

You can also go on overnight trips with just a bivy sack, a bottle of water and a few granola bars in the pockets of your jacket. I've done this in the summer. Of course, I suppose without ultralight backpacks, this can't even be called backpacking.

By: Steve Gillman

Umbrella Strollers ? The Must Have!

Most parents go out and get that huge, expensive stroller that has everything a baby could possibly need on it. While this isn't a bad thing, sometimes it just isn't the best thing to haul around with you everywhere. The majority of these bigger strollers are just too bulky and don't open easy enough when you have screaming kids you are trying to control in a crowded parking lot. So what do you do?

You buy an umbrella stroller to keep in the car, that's what! These strollers are lightweight, cheap, and open with just the flick of your arm. Sure, they don't have four cup holders, and sure, they don't have a shopping cart underneath; but if you are in a hurry they can be a lifesaver.

Umbrella strollers generally range in price from ten to twenty dollars, and you can purchase them anywhere. They come in almost every color you can think of also, so you won't have to worry about having one that is just too ugly to show in public. These strollers slide easily into small spaces, like the floor board or the trunk, and are very lightweight, so you won't hurt your back or arms trying to pull them out of the car or closet and open them.

These strollers also have a very easy set up and fold down, generally this can even be done with one hand if needed. A small, red clip that is easy to see and lift is usually the only thing you will need to pull when folding up these type of strollers.

So, even if you have one of the larger, more expensive strollers, an umbrella stroller is just something that you cannot live without. They can be a lifesaver when you are in a hurry or just don't want to lug that big stroller out again.

About the Author:

Martha Mountjoy writes for strollerhut.com a website filled with resources on baby strollers and running strollers.

Are You Ready for the Next Move into Commercial Real Estate?

Commercial real estate investment property, Are you ready to move into this market?

A prime commercial real estate investment site was listed by a local agent in my area recently. It was a Salvation Army hall with a three bedroom brick house detached from the hall. The site was nearly ? of an acre right in the middle of the Central Business District of a regional town that is growing rapidly despite the slight down turn in the local economy.

The agent listing the property had printed up a glossy brochure with an aerial photograph of the CBD showing all the prominent buildings including McDonalds, all the major banks and supermarkets, Post Offices and government buildings. The pitch of the advertorial was the close proximity to all these major players.

The first think I started to thing about was the price the real estate investment property would bring. It was fronting the highway on a corner block. Also the agent had done a great job with the advertising of the site. I found out that a lot of the local developers were interested. So immediately I knew the owners would be firm on there asking price.

For me to buy this investment property, I would need a Joint Venture partner. I had been talking to a customer of mine who was keen on getting into some commercial property. Pete organized with a friend to do some figures on developing the site. This would give us an overall costing for the purchase price, the developing, consultants and closing costs.

The great thing about this deal was it had a long settlement. I would be keen to try and delay the settlement even longer. I would be happy to resell this real estate investment deal undeveloped if some one offered me a good price. I would have to put up 10% deposit to hold the property for up to nine months. Capital growth and high demand on developing the CBD area of town would ensure me of a nice return.

Real estate investment deals like this one are about. If you are prepared to take on the risks associated with them you will create wealth while you sleep. That is what excites me some much about real estate property investing.

To your investing success.

Leo Love

PS If any of your family or friends is interested please pass this on to them.

http://www.therealestateinvester.com

I am an experienced and passionate investor. I buy typical mum and dad type houses that give me cash flow and capital growth. My website offers helpful tips and ideas for any type of investor to help you with your wealth creation. Using my site will help to prevent you falling into the traps the inexperienced investors do.

Car Seat For Infant Infant Child Car Seats

Car seats for infants are designed to fit your baby at different stages of their development in regards to their weight. It is essential that your baby be properly harnessed into an infant car seat at all times in a moving vehicle, no matter how short the distance is. Baby car seats are such type of baby goods that holds your most precious cargo. Whether you are running down the street or you are going cross country on vacation, you should always make sure that your baby is kept safe in these comfortable car seats. - infant child car seats are designed in such a way that they protect babies from all the jerks, jumps and sudden brakes during travelling.

Baby car seats are tested and tested again to ensure maximum safety for your child. This safety is only assured if you, the purchaser, use this seat properly right from installation to latching up your child each time. Baby car seats are so essential that parents are required by law to have babies in these special seats whenever they are travelling in a vehicle. The car seat has to be installed in the rear seat of a vehicle and for an infant it has to be rear facing.

Unfortunately child restraints and car seats for infants are sometimes the subject of manufacturing recalls. Recalls vary in severity; sometimes the manufacturer will send you an additional part for the seat, other times they will provide a new seat entirely.

Therefore in conclusion child safety seats in cars are the best tools available to parents that reduce the risk of injury and death of children who ride in vehicles. Always use them whenever you drive in your car with your infant child.

Shopping for Car Seat for Infants

When shopping online for infant child car seats, they are listed separately from those for larger children, and brand names, price range, and in some cases, a brief description are all included. Warnings of car seats to avoid include those made before 1981 and those without a label providing the date of manufacture and model number. Baby car seats are designed to shield children from injuries in a car accident. Baby car seat problems continually involve defective handles, sudden releases, weak construction, unanticipated rotation and others.

If you are in the market for a infant baby car seat check out elitecarseats. They carry the best child car seats, convertible car seats, and booster seats for kids - as well as car seat strollers and a full range of useful car seat accessories. When it comes to the safety of our children, there are no compromises. With that in mind, they have spent countless hours doing our homework to find the safest and most comfortable car seats available today, from top brands such as Britax,Graco and Recaro. Importantly they have a premise that brings peace in mind when shopping from them as they will not sell a car seat that we would not use with their own children.

Infant Car Seats - Child Booster Seats has information, links to reviews and product feeds from major infant car seats retailer as well as ebay. A infant car seat shopping portal.

By John Cas

Miami Real Estate

Miami is considered the largest urbanized city in the state of Florida. With the metropolitan area surrounded by the Miami River, Biscayne Bay, the Everglades, and the Atlantic Ocean, Miami a great place for residential homes and recreation areas.

Types of Miami Real Estate

With the ever increasing demand for Miami real estate, properties both existing and new are readily available. You can choose from affordable homes to luxurious mansions, condos, lofts, apartment buildings and even pre-construction buildings. Whether it be for residence or commercial properties such as hotels, restaurants, offices or other income properties, you can find something that will suit your taste. Properties range from $650,000 to millions of dollars, and surely you can find something that will suit your budget. Properties are available in Miami Beach, Coconut Grove, Coral Gables, Brickell, Surfside, Bal Harbor, Key Biscayne, Aventura, Fisher Island, downtown Miami, Lincoln Road, and more.

Guidelines

Wherever you may want to find a property in Miami, you can find a realtor who can help you purchase that piece of Miami real estate that is right for you. He or she can present you with photographs, videos, or virtual tours of the properties available. Your realtor can find a property that will match your budget. He will also guide you through local taxes and mortgage rates. And be sure to seek the services of a member of the National Association of Realtors who will strictly uphold the Code of Ethics of the association.

Amenities

What contributes to the beauty of Miami real estate is the richness of the cultural diversity that exists in this city. Aside from the local Americans, the city hosts a rich population of Latin Americans and people that reside in the Caribbean. Miami also has a healthy number of tourists, not to mention many celebrities who call Miami their home. The city has at least two prestigious universities - University of Miami and Nova Southeastern University - and hosts athletic teams such as the Miami Dolphins, the Florida Marlins, and the Miami Heat.

Miami Real Estate provides detailed information on Miami Real Estate, Miami Waterfront Real Estate, Miami Beach Real Estate, Miami Luxury Real Estate and more. Miami Real Estate is affiliated with Downtown San Diego Real Estate.

Fast Phonics and Where to Begin

Having fun with phonics. The second of my five secrets of preschool literacy.

FAST PHONICS AND WHERE TO BEGIN?

Previously I discussed the WHY of teaching children from babies onward to read. Now I shall discuss the HOW of achieving this in the easiest, fastest and most successful way possible.

You now view teaching your child from a different perspective and are ready to take those first positive steps forward. The integrity of your commitment is important, don?t be spasmodic, do be regular, confident and completely relaxed. Where to begin? With the alphabet of course. Why the alphabet? Since it was rubbished for so many years, why resurrect it? Because the alphabet will always be the fundamental basis of all reading in English, from those twenty-six letters, every single word in our language is formed. From ?at? to ?deoxyribonucleic acid?, from ?but? to ?uncharacteristically?, every word is simply bits of the alphabet strung together. It makes sense to learn it and to learn it in the way which will lead quickly to lifelong successful reading.

For babies and pre-schoolers, draw the letters one at a time, in red felt pen, each on a white post-card. Put a couple on the walls of the child?s bedroom to begin with and perhaps one or two in the kitchen or living room. Then be matter-of-fact about their introduction.

?This is ?a?, ?a? is for ant,? ?I see ?d? for dog is over here.? For very small children you can greet the letters, ?Hello ?a?, good morning ?b?.?

For older, school age children and for home-schooling, just work through the alphabet progressing as fast as your child is able to go.

Keeping the sounds in their simple phonic form, work through the alphabet, introducing a couple of new sounds once the earlier ones have become old friends and always checking back. Let your child check you, stumble along the way and allow yourself to be corrected.

Importantly, NO aye, bee, cee, dee, ee, eff, gee, aitch and so forth for the following reason. Using the phonic alphabet a child will sound out c..a..t. Using the aye, bee, cee version it would be sounded cee..aye..tee, great for spelling later, useless for learning to read.

Beware of shop bought alphabet charts, they regularly feature ?i? for ice-cream and

?t? for tube these have long vowels and come later. ?w? for whale and ?b? for boy, these are phonic sounds also to be learnt later on. ?y? for yacht, regularly appears and this has silent letters which come along very much later in the phonic list.

Draw your own chart, you will need an A1 sheet of white paper, a black felt pen for the grid lines and a red one for the sounds. Here is my own carefully worked out alphabet, the beauty of which is that once a child has mastered all the sounds he will be able to read across every word.

?a? for ant, (a cute little ant in a dress perhaps), ?b? for bed, ?c? for cat, ?d? for dog,

?e? for elf, ?f? for frog, ?g? for gift, ?h? for hat, ?i? for ink, ?j? for jug, ?k? for kid,

?l? for log, ?m? for mum, ?n? for nest, ?o? for ox, ?p? for pig, ?qu? for quilt (since these two always appear in tandem in our language, teach them as one. ?r? for red,

?s? for sad, ?t? for top, ?u? for up, ?v? for van, ?w? for wagon, ?x? ?kiss? as in fox, (this is the only way to teach this letter. ?x? for xylophone has a ?zzz? sound and ?x? for x-ray, has an ?eggs? sound.) ?y? as in yak and ?z? as in zebra. Write the sound in red, the word in black and then paste or draw appropriate pictures in each square.

Teaching a child this way will not destroy the quality of your relationship with him. To tell him, ?This is ?a?,? is no different from telling him, ?This is an orange or that is a telephone.?

These days a child?s social calendar grows exponentially. By the time he is at school there are parties and sleepovers, school outings, clubs and all manner of engagements taking place. You can relieve a little of the trauma of school by setting the scene for reading, even if the alphabet is as far as you ever go.

My third article will show you simple games I have used for years and which will make learning easy and fun

Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com

ABOUT THE AUTHOR


Robun Dalby- Stockwell is a teacher, writer, reading consultant and Director of Alonah Reading Cambridge www.alonahreadingcambridge.com the only source of her four book course, teaching reading and comprehension, giving reading support to parents and their children.

How to Screen Tenants

There is nothing more frustrating than having to evict a tenant, whatever the reason, and the reasons can be innumerable - failure to pay rent on time, abuse of the property, drug use, keeping bad company, etc. Yet this is not the most difficult aspect of property ownership. The most difficult aspect of property ownership, by far, is remodeling and the management of contractors. More on this later. When it comes to managing tenants, however, the biggest advantage that you have is the property that you bought. If it's a great property, your units will attract great tenants and they will always be full. If it's not a great property, then life gets more complicated. It's better to have your units empty than it is to rent to a bad tenant. We know the preceding sentence may be a little hard to digest for the first-time property owners, but it's absolutely the case that bad tenants will cause you more problems down the road than any rent is worth.

Here are some time-proven and foolproof ways to screen tenants:

Be observant! And observation starts from the moment that the prospective tenants walks up to the unit! Observe the vehicle that they drive, the clothes that they wear, whether they make eye contact, what type of questions do they ask, how observant are they, etc.?

Questions. People who intend to be great tenants will tend to ask very different questions from people who don't. The great tenants ask questions like the following:

What are the other tenants in the building like? Do they stay up late, do they smoke, are they loud?
What do the other tenants do for a living?
Where is the nearest park and coffee shop?
If I play my cello at night (which is what I do to relax), do you think I will disturb the other tenants?
Have there been any incidents of crime in this area?

Potentially bad tenants will ask questions like the following:

It's okay if my rent is occasionally late, right? (This will always be followed by some reason like they work in a job that is seasonal so their salaries are unpredictable)
You don't really need three personal references, do you?
You aren't serious about talking to my previous landlord, are you? I can tell you that I'm moving because that guy was a jerk.
When I leave, I'm getting all of my security deposit back, right?

Check all References. Great tenants will have great references and the great references will use descriptive terms, such as, Oh, I've known Frank for 20 years and he's an incredible person! He was the best man at my wedding, and he will be an ideal tenant! Listen carefully to the tone of their voice. If you hear descriptive phrases that are lukewarm or tepid, then you are probably dealing with a person who is a bad tenant. Avoid them. Avoid them. Avoid them. There are many resources for doing a credit reference check and a criminal check if you know where the tenant previously lived. One company that the author has used successfully is Rental Research, Inc. Oftentimes, the report is available on the exact same day. You need to remember that you are not allowed to share the tenant's credit report or credit score with them, although you are allowed to ask them about any discrepancies about which you have a concern (continued late payments, excessive debt, etc.).

Trust Your Instincts! This is, by far, the best advice that I've ever given or received. If, after you've done all of the above, there is something about the prospective tenant that doesn't feel right for whatever reason, don't rent to them. Your instincts are telling you something subconsciously that you need to respect.

What About Pets? Some property owners allow only small pets in their buildings, and we can completely understand why. Large pets wear considerably more on the investment property than small pets, not to mention that poorly behaved large pets cause more damage, not to mention that the pet can annoy other tenants. Our collective experience with pets is that the behavior of the pet tracks closely to the behavior of the tenant. Just like you check references for the tenant, you should check references for the pet. Some time-proven tips:

Call people who know the pet and who have watched the pet in the past, and ask them the same questions you would ask about the tenant.

Meet the pet in person (so to speak). Spend some meaningful time with pet and see if the pet behaves inappropriately while you are interacting with the pet. If the pet jumps up and knocks you to the ground, that is a bad sign. I know an emu named Bob who likes to lick my ear, but that's a socialization behavior of emus, and I don't encourage renting to anyone who has an emu. Speak to the pet and see if the pet responds to your voice.

Observe how the pet interacts with the owner and vice versa. Owners who treat their pets like children will have a higher probability of having well-behaved pets. There are always exceptions, but the odds are in your favor if the pet is treated like a child, but not a spoiled child.

Observe the living conditions of the pet. Personally, I worry about pets who spend most of their time alone or who live outside in the backyard by themselves, particularly if the pet is a dog. Dogs are social creatures -- they are pack animals by nature and they need companionship.

Observe the grooming of the pet. Well behaved pets are typically well-groomed, with clipped nails, brushed hair and no fleas or ticks.

Pay attention to the name of the pet. I know this one is silly, but it makes a difference. I would worry about a dog named Killer, Brutus or Caligula. On the other hand, I like any pet named Muffy or Munchkin.

Peter is an active real estate investor in the Puget Sound Area, specializing in the acquisition and finance of small multi-family properties between 2 - 30 units. Peter has been married to his lovely wife, Grace, for 12 years and they have two young girls, Sydney (age 7) and Ashley (age 2). Peter lives in Redmond, Washington. Find out more information Peter at http://www.peterku.com.

How To Win At Backgammon Strategies to Beat Your Opponents

Backgammon is enjoying a massive surge in popularity at the moment, mainly because of the advent of internet play, where you can take on opponents from all over the world for real money. The game itself takes much practice to master, and knowing what sort of strategy to play in each situation can be one of the toughest things to judge.

Fortunately, the leading specialist backgammon websites all offer some sort of tuition or introduction into the game, and offer advice on the type of game that should be played to suit the situation. Naturally players will feel more confident with some strategies than others, although to become proficient in backgammon, it is necessary to be confident at utilising the tips detailed below.

Pip Count

Most novice players ignore the pips counter that many online backgammon servers provide (pips being the sum of the dice rolls needed in order to remove all pieces from the board). However players should take notice of the pip counter, and should adjust their game strategy accordingly, rather than go through the entire game with a predetermined strategy which depends on the luck of the dice.

'Running' Strategy

There are several different strategies at the disposal of the player. An 'open' or 'running' game involves moving the pieces in long jumps, which has the benefit of bringing pieces into your inner board quickly and bearing them off at an equally rapid pace, provided the strategy is successful. There are drawbacks - this can leave pieces in open positions for your opponent to attack - but if you have a lower pip count than your opponent then this is a good strategy to use. 'Blitzing' is a bit more extreme - an outright attack on your opponents' pieces, while blocking as many points in your home board as possible. The aim is to keep your opponent on the inner bar while you move towards your inner board.

'Holding Strategy'

Alternatively, players may choose to protect their pips, and stack them tall in order to ensure the opponent has little or no blots to hit. It is then possible to hit the opponent as he/she moves the pieces closer to home. Generally it is best to attempt this when the opponent is in command and has a lower pip count. The 'holding' strategy involves taking control of a point high in your opponent's board - this gives you a greater chance of hitting their pieces on the way past.

'Priming' Strategy

The 'Priming' strategy is a specific type of holding, in which you build a long wall of pieces on consecutive points, with the aim of blocking the opponents pieces that have yet to pass the wall. Should the wall be six points long, the opponent will be blocked until the prime is broken, and a player can advance the prime around the board until the bearing-off phase.

Overview

It is generally best to play the strategy you feel most comfortable with, based upon the game circumstances, and it is good practice to think ahead of each move. This helps you play your chosen strategy more successfully, as you are constantly thinking in line with this strategy. For example, if one of your pieces is left open and you are trying to hold, then it would be wise to think of ways to close the position in the next turn. While it is not possible to control the roll of the dice, thinking ahead helps to accommodate for luck, whether it is good or bad.

About the Author

The Lowdown on Britax Car Seats

As a parent, not only do you want the absolute best for your child, but you'll also do anything in your power to keep them safe and out of harm's way. Britax, the number one selling child's car seat in England, Europe and Australia, has a real, honest investment and passion for designing, developing and producing the safest possible travel for all of our children. Car seats save the lives of countless children around the globe, and Britax wants you to know that they are working continuously on ways to save even more.

From the first moment that you hold your newborn in the hospital, concerns about getting your newest family member home safely fill your mind and don't go away, as keeping your child safe will always be a main priority in life. You need to choose a car seat manufacturer that values the insurmountable amount of trust that you have placed in their hands. You can rest assured that Britax is and will continuously work with leaders of in child car safety seat field to ensure that they are consistently pushing the boundaries of both the design and safety aspects.

Just under 10 years ago, Britax introduced its exceptional line of child car seats to the finicky U.S. market to the delight of both high-end carmakers (like Porsche and Mercedes) and ecstatic parents. American moms and dads were completely enamored with a car seat that has increased side impact protection and a unique pitch control system that reduces forward movement in the unfortunate event of an accident.

Other than safety, concerns of parents also include their child's comfort in the car seat, as harsh fabrics can damage baby's delicate skin.. Britax has heard the calls of troubled parents throughout the UK and around the globe and implemented the Comfi-Flex system. This system combines areas of stylized, soft-to-the-touch fabrics that are not only breathable and flexible, but durable and cleanable as well. The areas of the seat where baby's bare skin is in direct contact with the seat, such as where those precious cheeks touch the side wings, will never be of concern again!

Another concern of parents is the overall cost of car seats. For this, Britax has created the unique, Adjusta-fit system; enabling your Britax car seat to grow as your child does with the adjustable headrest and harness. The same seat can easily accommodate your child from birth to 65 pounds.

The wide variety of Britax car seats for children offers a product for every need and lifestyle. Britax believes that not only should a car seat be fitted to your child's weight, but also should fit your automobile, as even the safest car seat in the world won't function the way it should if it can't be installed properly.

About the Author

A Closer Look at Gated Communities in the USA

Beautiful and luxurious gated communities often resemble small towns, complete with shops, security, and environmental services. The majority of people in the United States see gated communities as a lavish lifestyle with spas, saunas, and private restaurants, but there?re actually many affordable homes in gated communities across the states.

Regardless of where you live in the United States, there are gated communities in every part of the country. According to recent surveys, over eight million people live in such gated homes. From Arizona gated communities to George gated communities, these places are extremely popular for older couples who no longer have children to watch. They all seem to flock to convenient living, especially since all of the luxuries are right at their fingertips.

One of the most popular gated communities in the U.S. is located in Arizona. Built against the hot sun and beautiful backdrop, residents are able to escape and enjoy the important aspect of life. The majority of people enjoy Verrado, which is a popular Arizona gated community. With golf courses, parks, and health clubs all looking over the water, it is no wonder that residents are dying to get in. Prices generally range from $100,000 to half a million dollars.

Other hot spots in the United States are Florida gated communities. No matter where you live, chances are you have craved visiting such a warm area. A beloved gated community in the infamous tourist destination is Stone Creek Ranch. Here you can enjoy the lakeside homes with an astonishing view. If you are lucky enough to get into this area with an abundance of environmental service, you will feel as if you went to Heaven. Each home is equipped with a large amount of land, surrounded by water, and in the middle of a beautiful forest. It is simply a breathtaking sight to see if you are able to visit.

What most people realize about gated communities is that the most popular ones are always in warm climates. Georgia gated communities and California gated communities are all the rage, even though they are on separate parts of the U.S. Even though each area brings something different to the table, people love vacationing or even living in the warm weather. If you add the luxury of gated communities with the environmental services and convenient places near by, you can realize why people do not want to leave these hideouts.

Gated communities may seem like a place for only the upper class to enjoy, but not all of them are millions of dollars. No matter where you live, gated communities thrive in every single area. Whether it is a Georgia gated community or simply a California gated community, all of these places are seen as peaceful getaways. With spas, security, and personal assistance around the clock, it is no surprise why these luxurious homes are becoming more and more popular.

Natalie Aranda writes on home and family. Beautiful and luxurious gated communities often resemble small towns, complete with shops, security, and environmental services. The majority of people in the United States see gated communities as a lavish lifestyle with spas, saunas, and private restaurants, but there?re actually many affordable homes in gated communities across the states. What most people realize about gated communities is that the most popular ones are always in warm climates.

Tips For Choosing A Buyer's Real Estate Agent

If you have ever bought a home you know how important it is to choose a good real state agent. The right agent can help you find the perfect home to match your needs. Most people, however, find it hard to look for a good agent. In this article we will explain how to find the perfect agent for your needs.

The first thing you should do when choosing your agent is to see how honest they are. Call the ethics board and make sure they haven?t done anything illegal or unethical. Getting an honest real estate agent is very crucial to making sure everything goes smoothly.

The next step is to make sure you find a real estate agent who works in your area and other areas. If you select an agent who only will deal with people in your area then it will be harder for them to find people who are selling houses.

Make sure your real estate agent is friendly. If your agent isn?t friendly not only will it ruin your time of looking around they may repulse some sellers. You need someone who has a positive attitude and believes they can find the house of your dreams.

Try to find an agent in a realty company. Even if the company is only a small one it still gives some insurance to the buyer. It also means that the agent has the proper training and connections to help in your search for the perfect home.

Lastly make sure you like your agent. While a lot of people don?t think you need to like the company of the person you work with for a successful business they are wrong. If you find your agent repulsive then it will be hard for you to successfully work with them to find a house.

Following these basic steps you should be able to find a good agent when buying a home. However, the first thing to check for will be to make sure your agent is in fact an agent. Always check to make sure they are who they say they are.

Don't think that these precautions suggest that most Realtors are dishonest. In fact, most Realtors I have dealt with were fine - but you may as well find the best!

Try the Exclusive Buyer Agency Raleigh NC - an exclusive buyers' agency with a DIFFERENCE!

Diaries of a (London) Bus Driver Vol. 1.4May 16th 2003

Dear friends,

What is it about buses that makes other drivers lose all their common sense! In consecutive days, I have been passed on bends in the road. The car drivers couldn't possibly have known what, if any vehicles were approaching from the opposite direction. Both were lucky. Within a minute of the second incident, on Green Dragon Lane, a third car overtook me on a straight, downhill section of road, doing somewhere in excess of 50mph. To deter such speedsters, there are 3 sets of chicanes at mini-roundabouts. This particular stunt was attempted an insufficient distance from one of these, so the driver was forced to negotiate the entire manoeuvre on the wrong side of the road. This time, the driver was almost not so lucky. Another vehicle was coming the other way. I doubt they missed each other by more than a couple of feet. This incident almost brought to life my enduring waking nightmares.

The vision I have almost overcome, is where I am driving at a decent speed and misjudge how far I am from a parked vehicle, causing a gut-wrenchingly spectacular smash. In the second scenario, a testosterone drunk dick-for-brains pulls out from behind me, while crossing into the path of oncoming traffic - a scene that unfolds several times daily. This time around, neither the perpetrator nor the victim, a bus or articulated lorry driver, can avoid a devastating crash. Car parts and flames fly through the air. Fortunately, my imagination has spared me visions of the mangled bodies.

I also have another accident to report. As seems to happen weekly, the tunnels on the North Circular Road, going under the Great Cambridge Roundabout and Silver Street, were closed for repairs that nobody has ever actually witnessed taking place. Two lanes had just merged into one on the slip road. Without enough space to get past me, another car attempted to do so anyway. Upon failing in his first attempt, he applied the old adage: try, try, try again.... until he hit me! After pounding the steering wheel in frustration and anger, I got off the bus to assess the damage, minimal, and see if the other driver was alright. He asked how I didn't see him!!!! He wanted to know what 'I' was going to do about his car. His tone was threatening, so I got back on the bus. I carry a company-supplied camera, with which I am supposed to photograph accident damage and location. Upon seeing this, the other driver cursed, rounded the cones and sped towards the waiting queue of traffic. Not a bright chap, as I would inevitably join the same queue immediately behind him. I snapped a shot of his licence plate.

Talking of not bright! My trip to the US was great. I loved seeing family and friends, and spending time with my kids was the highlight of my year. The second leg of my road trip was from Detroit to Pittsburgh - about 250 miles. We were in Ohio, about 10 miles from the Pennsylvania border, when a full grown female Deer ran up the embankment to the highway, within yards of our car. Surprising and beautiful. I said, look, kids! The Deer than full on charges our vehicle. I had a split second to react and swerved to the left, grazing the animal, which ran off, with the side of the car. Hair flew. Shit flew! Literally!! It hit the passenger window. Good thing for Sean's allergies! The windows were closed and the AC on, else Hannah would have had a face full!! Seems that Bulls aren't the only animals that attack red! We were told that this was far from an isolated incident. We were all sick to our stomachs. I called Rob, in Pittsburgh, telling him that we would be a little late. He lightened our moods with a few rather sick jokes. The time spent waiting for the Police - I had to get an accident report for insurance purposes - was almost sufficient for us to recover. I always drive past Rob's house, so called him again from close-by, asking him to stand outside it. We'll be in the maroon Honda Stationwagon with the shit on the window!

Seen and believed, but certainly not comprehended: Two Mercedes cars, one a sporty convertible, that have television screens on the dashboard. One of them had music videos on. What I want to know is, what egghead had this pea-brained idea, what corporate melon-head agreed to put them in the cars, what 'safety' commission approved it and how much did that cost in political contributions, and, last but not least, what yuppie moron with more money than sense would buy such a thing? Countries and States are banning mobile phone use for drivers, but it's OK to watch the booty-shaking flesh parade that constitutes so many videos! One thing's for sure: there'd be no shortage of people for me to sue, should I ever be involved in an accident with one of these cars!

As far as I can tell, there are only two things prone to more exaggeration than a man's penis size: Parents' estimation of how advanced their children are, and how long people have waited for a bus. On Sundays, the 125 comes only twice an hour. A man got on my bus complaining that he had waited an hour. I said that was untrue. I had crossed paths with the other bus exactly where I should have done. OK. Maybe 40 minutes. No, it would have been about half an hour ago. Oh! I must have just missed it!

There are many reasons for buses being late. People are constantly ringing the bell for the wrong stop and then just sit there saying nothing when I stop. The new buses on the 125 route have bells on almost every pole. People get on and grab the bars on their way to a seat, accidentally ringing the bell. Anyone can make a mistake, but as a public service request for all my fellow drivers everywhere, please admit to yours, if you make one. It will save a half a minute. The later I am, the more passengers I pick up (and will therefore also have to drop off somewhere) that would otherwise have missed me. This makes me later still. After all, the leading cause of lateness is picking up and dropping of the passengers. If I never had to pick up any, I'd rarely be late at all!

Another major cause is crazy schedules. On the W15, 44 minutes are scheduled for the late, late runs. This is almost impossible. I have made it just once. I was determined, and the roads were unusually clear, as it was Bank Holiday weekend. The allotted time from the Hackney Central Bus Stand to Leytonstone Station is 15 minutes. I drove 35-40mph most of the way, even briefly topping 50 along the Homerton Road. I was 2 minutes late at my first checkpoint! I made this up by the time I reached Terminus.

Along the same lines, the 125 has a round trip of 16 miles. (I originally thought this was 25 ? miles, but the new buses display kilometres.) The late runs are expected to accomplish this in 50 minutes. Supposedly, all times are based upon a top speed of 27mph. I worked it out! If there were no traffic, no traffic lights, no turns to negotiate, no roundabouts and no passengers, it would take me over 35 minutes. At an average 30mph, the time needed would be 32 minutes. But I tend to slow down for road hazards, and go considerably slower still when taking on passengers! Bare in mind, not one of these road has a limit of above 30mph and I would be expected to pay any speeding fines, and the 3 points would be on my licence!! 12 points and I'm out of a job! Not without a fight!! Letters to Mayor Ken, 'The Editor'...

If Swan Lane in Whetstone flooded...

I have to report the sad closure and removal of the 24-hour mobile tea and snack bar on Hackney Marshes, at Homerton Road. Not that I ever ate there. However, I always found it wryly amusing just how often the place was closed when I passed it - certainly more than any other 24-hour joint I've ever seen!

As a final note, I have some hope of returning both to New York and my old profession. Projects are in the works at my old employer, which I hope will result in a call in a few months. Perhaps next year, I'll be writing Diaries of an Englishman in New York.

That's all for now.

Love,

Andy

About the Author

My name is Andy. I am an Englishman who has spent most of his adult life in the United States. In 2001, I moved back to London, thinking I would remain there for the rest of my life. But things didn't go as planned. And instead of finding a job in IT, I became a bus driver. This is my memoire, written from 2003 to 2005.

Now back in Brooklyn, I have a blog I currently enjoy writing: sceneandheardinny.blogspot.com

Baby Jogging Stroller You Can't Use The Baby As An Excuse Anymore

Short Sales Information Successful Negotiations with Owners and Banks

Short sales aren't for everyone, but there's often a significant amount of money to be made when buying a property from a lender before a home has been foreclosed. So even though they can be frustrating experiences, short sales may be worth checking into as one of your real estate investment avenues. Here are a few suggestions for successfully negotiating short sales owners and lenders.

First, if you approach the home owners sympathetically, you'll have a much higher percentage of success. Remember, they're in a financial bind, otherwise they wouldn't be facing foreclosure and the potential destruction of their credit rating, so when you talk with them about putting together a short sale, bear that in mind. You're going to need their help throughout the process, so be as gentle and understanding as possible. After all, once the short sale is completed, their loan will show on their credit report as paid, rather than being a huge negative mark against their credit score. There will be a notation on their report that indicates the home was sold for less than the original loan amount, but it's better than foreclosure.

Also, remember that a short sale is being negotiated while the foreclosure clock is ticking. You have to move relatively quickly if you want the sale to be complete before a sheriff sale or public auction is held. (There are some lenders that will halt the foreclosure process until a short sale has been completed or rejected, but that's not always true, so don't assume the clock will stop ticking just because you're involved in a short sale negotiation.)

You'll generally have to work fairly closely with the home owners to construct a strong hardship letter and to compile all the various things a lender will ask for, such as pay stubs, bank statements, and personal finance information. Lender requirements will vary, but all of them will require a sales contract between you and the homeowners. They'll also want to see a broker's price opinion (BPO) before they decide whether or not to accept your short sale offer.

The earlier you can step into the foreclosure process, the better, because you want to be able to help the home owners to jump through all the various hoops in time to close the short sale before the foreclosure date. Generally, 90 days will be enough time, but there are always variables, and the things lenders can ask for can often be frustrating and time-consuming.

Your goal should be to seek out properties in which the owners have little or no equity. Your chances of completing a short sale will increase if there's not much profit to be made if the lender should decide to go through with the foreclosure process. If there's a wide spread, the lender might do better to foreclose and sell the property as a repossessed home at a price closer to its market value.

Again, they're not for everyone, but short sales can often make a significant profit if you're willing to work closely with stressed homeowners and the sometimes arbitrary demands of lenders.

Copyright ? 2006 Jeanette J. Fisher

Jeanette Fisher teaches beginning real estate investors how to make money in any real estate market fixing and flipping houses.

Free ebooks on flipping houses and podcasts of How to Buy with Nothing Down at http://doghousetodollhouse.com/realestate.htm

Hiking Some Things To Consider When Picking A Backpack

There's an amazing range of backpacks available today in all shapes, sizes and colors and with enough add-ons to keep even the best of the 'gadget freaks' happy for days. However, if you're looking for a suitable backpack for hiking then there are a few basics that you need to come to grips with.

Small packs, such as waist packs or fanny packs (this term always conjures up memories of Albert Brooks and Michael Douglas in The In-laws), are not strictly speaking backpacks, since they are not worn on the back. Nevertheless, they serve the same purpose on a smaller scale and can be ideal for short hikes.

These smaller packs normally have a strap and two or three compartments and can be used to hold a number of handy items such as a water bottle, nutrition bars, sunscreen, insect repellant, band-aids and other small items.

Some smaller packs, often called hydration packs, even have special water bladders with drinking tubes. These normally hold anything up to a couple of gallons and again can be useful. You should remember though that a gallon of water weighs about 8 lbs.

If you're going on longer hikes, or need to carry more with you, then there are lots of different backpacks to choose from. Most of these are categorized by size, which is often expressed in terms of their volume in liters.

Day packs, as their name suggests, are designed to be used on reasonably short hikes. They are normally anywhere from about ten to thirty liters in volume and come in various styles. They will all have shoulder straps and some will have a chest strap and/or a belt strap.

Larger packs, from about thirty to seventy liters, go by a variety of names including, midrange, midsize, light duty packs and others. Packed correctly, they can hold quite a lot of equipment and it's easy to get carried away and try to pack everything including the kitchen sink. Be careful and remember that, whatever you pack, you have to carry it.

These backpacks need to be of a sturdy but lightweight construction and should have good broad shoulder straps and a waist belt. It's also very helpful if they have the now commonly seen plastic 'dog-leash' quick release buckles.

The largest packs, which have a capacity in excess of seventy liters and usually have a number of special features, are generally referred to as heavy duty, full-sized, expedition or something similar.

These large backpacks normally have special supports threaded through the shoulder straps and across the back or waist to help stabilize the backpack and make it easier to carry. They are also often designed to be carried higher on the back to keep the load off the lower back and so help to prevent back pain and fatigue.

The best full sized packs are manufactured from extremely strong composite materials, which are just about indestructible, and come with all sorts of lumbar support, pads and well designed balance mechanisms. Many will also have special compartments to hold all sorts of different things including sleeping bags or even a small tent.

At the end of the day the most important thing to remember when it comes to choosing a hiking backpack is that you will have to carry it. So, think very carefully about just what you need (not want) to take with you before you set off and pack this and nothing else.

Joining your local hiking club will put the resources of the club at your disposal and allow you to get advice and information on all aspects of hiking. Visit The-Hiking-Club.com for more information about hiking and hiking equipment including such things as good quality Timberland hiking boots and other waterproof boots.

Playtime Is Meant To Be Fun And Safe: How To Make It That Way

Playtime is important in the development of a child?s imagination and social skills. However, how a child plays and what the child plays with is equally as important. Playtime should be safe for the child and age appropriate. It should also be fun and encourage imagination. Parents can do several things to help ensure their child?s safety when playing.

To ensure safety during playtime, it is important for parents to choose the correct toys. It is very tempting to always buy the latest, greatest popular toy on the market or to buy your older child the fun technology oriented toys that are so prevalent. However, a parent should be aware that there are certain physical and developmental dangers in choosing certain toys or allowing too much access to particular toys. Safety starts at the toy store with parents and caregivers choosing toys that are safe and age appropriate for the child.

?Look at the design of the toys to ensure they are well made and will not break easily.

?Toys that are very small can be a choking hazard for young children. Even if you do not think your child will put a toy in their mouth or lodge it elsewhere, do not choose these types of toys for small children. It only takes a moment for a fun toy to become a hazard.

?Do not buy toys that have loud noises that can potentially impair hearing.

?Toys that propel objects can be a danger to eyes. If older children have such toys, make sure they are not accessible to the younger children in the house and that the older children do not play with these in the vicinity of younger children.

?Watch out for toys that have sharp edges, small parts, or sharp points. Avoid toys that produce extremely loud noises that can damage hearing and propelled objects that can injure eyes.

?Read the labels for safety information such as suggested age ranges, hygiene information and toxicity issues.

?If you are buying an electrical toy, make sure there is a UL seal that proves the product was safety tested.

In addition to safety, it is also important to let the child know the parent is willing to play with them. A parent?s involvement with a child can be a great bonding experience for the entire family, bringing the family closer. Babies and small children learn skills and develop through play and interaction. If a parent actively plays with their child, studies indicate that they will develop faster.

Today, many children are exposed to large amounts of television, computers and video games. While these items can be helpful in learning certain skills, too much exposure to them will quell a child?s imagination. Make sure to limit television time and allow children to use their imagination. Playtime outside is also healthy for the child. Let the child run and play and toss a ball around so they can practice motor skills and get some exercise. Parents should get involved.

?Parents can read to their child and encourage reading once the child is able to read alone. This will help cognitive skills and develop the imagination. Make story time part of the bedtime ritual so it is a fun way to end the evening and a great bonding experience.

?Play games with your children. This will help teach sharing, taking turns, patience and rules. Card games, puzzle games and board games are a great way to interact. If you are in a car together, play games such as ?I Spy?.

?Create imaginative activities such as putting on plays or musicals. Playing dress up or house with your child can expand the imagination and can be a lot of fun.

?Play with action figures, stuffed animals and dolls with your children. This can add to social interaction by giving the child the tools to act out what the feel is appropriate and you can guide them by teaching appropriate play and manners.

?Sing songs with your children. Children love to sing and it can be fun for everyone. It is also a great opportunity to learn the alphabet and rhyming.

Playtime is an important activity in a child?s life. It will help teach them and can help parents and children form a stronger relationship. It is necessary to choose toys and activities that are both fun and safe. With a parent?s involvement and attention, this can be an easy task to accomplish.

About the Author:

If you would like more information on wooden toys for your child please visit our site. MonkeyBeanToys specializes in traditional wooden toys that will last longer than cheap plastic toys.

The Joy Found At Roller Skating Rinks

 



The Joy Found At Roller Skating RinksSubmitted By: James Brown   

When little children enter a roller skating rink for the first time, they are surprised by the deafening sounds that emanate from the roller rink inside. From the lobby of the roller rink, all newcomers are sure to hear marvelous bouts of laughter and they might even hear a cheer or two. People are also going to be exposed to loud music and parents who have been there before will very likely be wear ear plugs.

Entering a roller skating rink for the first time is the start of a grand adventure. Newcomers are exposed to things that they have never seen before in their life. The first task that many roller skaters tackle is selecting the right sized roller skates and the second task that is more easily managed is selecting the locker where the entire family will store their street shoes. Then the family will tackle the task of donning roller skates and try to take a few steps without falling.

The odor of the lockers and the facility as a whole might be offensive to some, and many families bring scented sprays with them so they can rid themselves of the smell of sweaty feet. All members in the family will bring socks with them to the rink, and those socks that are too short will most likely cause blisters to form before the evening of roller skating is through. Experienced skaters know how important it is to bring elastic toe bandages with them every time they go roller skating.

There is still a lot of joy to be realized from roller skating with family and friends. Some roller skaters have spent a lot of time skating and know how to push past others who are slower. A certain etiquette that roller skaters follow is similar to the rules of driving in the fast late. Slower skaters are expected to skate near the wall and the left hand side of the inner circle of the roller rink is reserved for skaters who skate with speeds that are so fast that one might think they are qualifying for a racing event.

There are other types of joy to be found at the neighborhood roller rink. Teenagers enjoy visiting the snack bar and eating pizza with their best friends in the booths that are provided. This area of the roller rink is the best place for teens to go to converse with someone that they asked out on a date. The lights on the roller rink floor are lowered throughout the night and couples have many chances to enjoy some close dancing maneuvers while wearing roller skates.

Some great skaters might choose to share their techniques and help others who are learning to skate with any problems that they might be having. While the roller rink is full of people who have a competitive nature, it is still an environment that is filled with people who care about other people. Roller skating provides many joys to many people. Some roller skaters might spend very little time skating because their interests lie in the video games and pinball machines that are stored in a game room off the skating rink floor.

About the Author:

James Brown writes about Freestylextreme online coupons, RacingUK Affiliates coupon and SubsideSports.com key code

California Real Estate Market Gives Mixed Messages

In April 47,250 new and resale houses and condos were sold in the state of California. That?s down from 54,500 in March which is a drop of 13.3%. April of 2005 was one of the strongest months for real estate in California?s history. What a difference a year makes. Sales were down 21% from last April. Even though sales were down, prices were not.

In April of 2006, prices were up 10.2% from the same period a year ago. The average price of a home in California now is $562,380. Nearly 85% of the cities in California have shown an increase in prices since the same period last year. Since California trends are so important to the Real Estate market, the Real Estate market there is being watched very closely.

One market that is watched closely is the luxury home market. The feeling is in a market downturn, the luxury market will be one of the first markets to suffer. So what is happening in the luxury market in California? Lets take a look at these markets in Los Angeles, San Diego, and San Francisco.

In Los Angeles values rose 0.1 percent from the previous quarter and 12.4 percent from a year ago. In Los Angeles the average luxury home was priced at $2.29 million.

In San Diego prices rose 0.9 percent from the previous quarter and 6.8 percent from a year earlier. The average luxury home in San Diego priced at $2.1 million. San Diego as a whole has been one of the most overheated markets in California, so the fact that luxury home prices continue to hold up there may be good news for the rest of the homeowners in San Diego for now.

In San Francisco prices were up 1.6 percent from the previous quarter and up 8.6 percent from the same period of time last year. The average price of a luxury home in San Francisco is $2.92 million.

So what direction is the California Market moving? There are investors cashing in on their profits and getting out, however most homeowners are not investors. Investors poured into lower priced markets during the recent boom and areas in Florida and Arizona have many residential investors. The market has started to reflect this. In Phoenix the real estate market is pulling back due to rising inventory from investors trying to cash in, however at this point you couldn?t call this a bust. In other areas of the country prices are still inching up.

In California the market is returning to normal conditions. It will take longer to sell a home and prices may stay flat or increase slowly.

So far the signs of market stress that would indicate a bust are not there. Down payments remain stable and speculation buying is moderate. The default rates are up, however these rates are still low.

Andrew Goldman is president of Metal Rabbit media services, the operator of http://www.carealestateinvest.com and http://www.Exchangetradedfundinvesting.com He has written a number of articles on finance and investment over the last ten years.