FLAVOURS

PayPerPost

2007-10-03T22:18:00.000+05:30

Hi,
This is my first post for PPP. I am being very straight - PayPerPost is the best program I have come accross on the internet. It creates a great opportunity for those who want to share their views and thoughts with others, and simultaniously it also gives them a chance to make some extra money (Part Time).

I came accross PPP while surfing the net. When the site opened, to be frank I could not understand the true potential of this program but one thing I became sure of was that it has great potential and if I follow the guidelines properly I surely can make some money here. So after a couple of days I returned to PPP and started gaining more information and here I am writing my first post for PPP.

I am still learning and I am sure I will very soon make many new friends through PPP.

My message to everyone - Get paid for things you do on a daily basis for FREE.
I will use some of the money I make on PPP on myself and some will be used for charities.

So, dont waste anymore time reading this and start blogging on PayPerPost.

Have Fun

The Growth Of Offshore Business Process Outsourcing

2007-09-30T16:20:00.000+05:30

In the fast-moving world of Information technology, Business Process Outsourcing, or BPO as it is known, has rapidly taken hold of the industry. It is heralded as the perfect answer to minimising costs, but is it all it’s cracked up to be? Sometimes contractors make costly mistakes, as you will gather below.

Services are contracted remotely, with practically no overheads in terms of employee insurance and benefits, let alone running costs of an office. The tasks most appropriate to outsourcing tend to be back office, such as billing and purchasing. Front office tasks would be customer care, marketing and technical support, which many companies prefer to take care of themselves.

The contracted personnel are often located in a different country from the contractor. This is known as offshore outsourcing, and can lead to time-difference problems and delays in communications, particularly between countries where the Internet infrastructure is not very reliable.

The most popular countries for offshore outsourcing are India (commanding a whopping 63% of the market), Eastern Europe, The Philippines and South Africa, with China a more recent runner in the race to supply the occident with low-cost labour. These countries are a natural choice, because of the strong presence of the English language and the extremely low wage costs, which are often about a tenth of what a worker from the same country as the contractor would charge. India, however, seems to be slowly loosening its stranglehold on the industry, having dropped seven percentile points since last year, although BPO there in general is expected to continue to grow. Transferring risks to the outsourced vendor is an attractive prospect, but the range services which can be thus provided is limited. Processes such as human resources, finance and administration are just too complex to be offered on this basis. The BPO market is expected to grow to $146 billion in 2008, although in a fragmented market of single bulk transactions, shared services and vertical processes and applications.

So what is the experience of this kind of contracting? Many companies experimenting with BPO report inflexibility of contracts, management problems and erratic performance. Certain tasks which are expensive to administrate at home are only tentatively being offered to outsourcers, because of doubts about the ability to cope with complex tasks and problems of control of the quality of the processes remotely.

The most likely candidates for offshore outsourcing are repetitive, transaction-intensive processes, although many businesses are unwilling to give up control of the processes because of strategic or security risks. Viable options here would be offshore insourcing or shared service centers. The fastest growing sector of the BPO market is set to be simple bulk transactions, predicted to expand to $58 billion in 2008. This segment includes the simplest tasks for vendors to master, such as credit card or stock trade processing.

Broad shared services will, at $57 billion, be the second most popular sector by 2008, meaning finance, administration and human resources. A smaller segment will be high-volume vertical processes, with a predicted volume of $6 billion by 2008. You can go to http://www.business-process-outsourcing-guide.com to find more information on business process outsourcing.

The smallest, currently at about $5 billion, will be niche vertical applications, although this segment is expected to take a massive upturn once customers become comfortable with outsourcing in these areas, to achieve $24 billion in 2008. These applications include complex processes such as data reporting on the environment and the monitoring of chemical process, matters which require a very high level of specialization.

You Absolutely Must Visit Dubai

2007-09-30T16:18:00.000+05:30

Over the last twenty years or so the Middle Eastern city of Dubai has become one of the hottest vacation and business locations in the world. It is a rapidly developing, fabulously wealthy futuristic city set within a centuries-old Arab culture. The traditional ways are still there if you look for them. But they are gradually being overtaken by the new attractions and developments springing up virtually every day.

In Dubai one can see dusty traditional villages as well as fantastically luxurious residential districts, or visit rugged mountains and majestic sand dunes only a few miles from pristine sandy beaches and lush green parks. Tourists can wander through Dubai's traditional market places or visit some of the largest and most modern indoor shopping malls in the world.

When visiting Dubai there is no shortage of luxury hotels. But for a more authentic Dubai experience visitors can rent beautifully furnished apartments or Dubai villas often for less money. Dubai apartment rentals offer visitors more value for less money, and provide a more interesting close-up look at this unique city.

Many New Developments Underway

The almost frantic pace of new development taking place in Dubai has made it one of the most futuristic cities in the world. The city skyline now highlights sleek new skyscrapers such as the Emirates Towers and Burj Al-Arab, the world's tallest hotel. The Mall of the Emirates which opened in 2005 is the largest shopping center outside of North. It features one one of the world's only indoor ski slopes. And Dubai also boasts one of the few 18 hole golf courses in the world that is fully lit for nighttime golf.

Many other exciting developments are also under construction in Dubai. To name just a few:

- Dubai Mall - projected to be the largest indoor shopping mall in the world.

- Burj Dubai - the tallest skyscraper in the world - scheduled to be completed in 2008.

- Dubai World Central including the Dubai World Central International Airport will be the world's largest passenger and cargo hub - ten times larger than the current Dubai International Airport and Dubai Cargo Village combined.

- The Dubai Waterfront project - a series of canals and artificial islands with commercial, residential, and resort areas - will be the largest man-made development and largest waterfront development in the world.

Shopping Tourism in Dubai

The attraction that brings the most tourists to Dubai is the shopping. Market places and malls throughout the city stock an incredible array of consumer goods and draw millions of shopping tourists every year. Shoppers come from all parts of the Middle East and Europe, and even from as far away as Eastern Europe, India, and North America.

Dubai's most interesting shopping is to be found in the souks, located on either side of Dubai creek that runs through the city. Two of the most popular are the Spice Souk and the Gold Souk. Bargaining in traditional middle eastern style is an important part of the shopping experience in the souks.

In recent years the traditional type of shopping has met with stiff competition from more western style stores. Fantastic shopping malls and upscale boutiques are now everywhere throughout the city and carry virtually any consumer item you can imagine: clothing, housewares, luxury items, cars, furnishings, jewellery, electronics, sporting equipment. You name it and you will probably find it in the boutiques and malls of Dubai.

The Duty Free complex at the Dubai International Airport is also one of the most extensive and largest in the world. New projects such as the Dubai World Central International Airport will have even larger duty free areas.

These and many more attractions make Dubai a favorite destination of tourists and business travelers from around the world. Future developments promise to make Dubai even more important as a world class business hub and a haven for tourists in search of a unique and exciting adventure.

Sachin Tendulkar Is The Best Indian Batsmen Ever

2007-09-30T16:17:00.000+05:30

Sachin Tendulkar is easily the best Indian batsmen of all time. Their is no comparison. He has only been compared to Donald Bradman of Australia who is widely regarded as the greatest batsmen of all time. His back foot drives have been played by no other batsmen in the history of any form of cricket. He has been under immense pressure as every time he has batted the whole of India have wanted him to do well and during these times he has done well a majority of the time.

He is a little maestro, he can do anything when he has the bat in hand. Whether its a glorious straight drive, a reverse sweep or a massive six over mid wicket. Everything is possible when Sachin is at the crease. He continues to play on at thirty four years of age and he is dominating world cricket still. All that is left is that this great man wins some big trophies such as the world cup, to be honest the twenty twenty world cup has meant very little and India need to focus on winning some major tournaments and firstly beating Australia.

He is destined for greatness, his biggest threat on all run scoring records is Australia's prodigy in Ricky Ponting. Sachin needs to play the game for the next four years otherwise Ricky will take all the run scoring records off him. He deserves to retire as the King of his country as he has played so well throughout his career.

Gain Weight and Build Muscle

2007-09-30T16:16:00.001+05:30

If Building muscles were easy everyone would be 230lbs of pure muscle. The key to gaining weight by building muscle is time and effort. If you are not willing to take the time, and work extremely hard - you are wasting your time.

If you are willing to make the most of the opportunity that you have and put in the time and effort needed, then stick with me and lets discuss how you can gain weight by building muscle.

There are 3 steps you need to take to build muscle.

Weightlifting

What this includes is your workout routine and the actual exercises themselves. Your workout routine must let your whole body get the best workout it possibly can. There are a heap of different exercises for each muscle group, and what you have to do is do the most effective exercises for each individual muscle for you to gain weight if the quickest possible way.

Your Diet

Your diet is actually just as important as the weightlifting itself. If you are not eating, how can you grow? What you need to do is eat huge and lift huge, to be huge. You should be eating at least 1 gram of protein for each pound of your body weight. That is each day, every day - even when you are not weightlifting.

Protein is what builds your muscles, that makes you gain weight and build muscle. Most people, including myself use protein bars and powders to supplement the protein we are eating in our real food - to make the 1 gram per pound of body weight. You want to gain weight, but pure muscle not fat, so stay away from saturated fats and all junk food, fast food, fried foods, cookies, candy etc.

One last thing, make sure you are eating enough calories!

Everything else

One of the main points here is not to over train. You have to give your body enough time to rest and recover. Consistency is also very important, you need to be following a set routine, it is no point doing this for a week and giving up - it is a lifestyle.

10 Secrets of Success That People Aren't Talking About!

2007-09-30T16:15:00.001+05:30

Have you ever asked yourself, "How do I create a life that has everything (relationships, income, personal fulfillment, etc.) without having too much of one thing and not enough of another?" Is it really possible to have it all? My answer is an enthusiastic "YES, absolutely...but only if the correct sequences are followed!" Unfortunately these sequences can be a little difficult to track down. It's not that the information isn't available - it may be that your mental filters won't let you see it!

What's the Personal Power definition of a successful life?

A successful life has only your truth to guide it and can only be defined by YOU. It consists of harmonious relationships, continual growth, physical health and comfort. It is abundant, loving and constantly changing. Plus it is balanced and fun, with a distinct absence of need and/or neediness. This type of success is not measured by how many THINGS you have, but by how many DREAMS you have (and are accomplishing). A successful life is achieved when you obtain balance with all that is in harmony with your individual destiny, evolution and happiness.

Why is success sometimes fleeting?

There are parts of you that do not always work in your favor. Have you ever said or done something that you later regretted? If you have, it is a great example of an inconsistent part of you that may be sabotaging your success. As you learn to eliminate such inconsistencies, your success will be less fleeting and more stable.

What are the 10 secrets of success?

Learn the power of balance - Minimize all external and internal clutter - Recalibrate yourself and assess your direction regularly - Implement higher love principles - Clear out inconsistent behaviors that may push you off track - Discern when it is appropriate to "let go" and move forward - Make honoring your truth your top priority - Honor and encourage your continual growth and learning - Set a clear and focused intent, then follow through to completion - Discover how to strengthen your character so it can't be bought, manipulated, or frightened away.

Once you've embraced each of the ten secrets of success, you must choose to APPLY them. This will keep you on your Personal Power track to success!

More tips for staying on the success track

Recognize the repetitive patterns that stop your success momentum - Be open to learning as much as you can about the success "mindset" - Be teachable and coachable - Surround yourself with people who are actually successful - Get into "partnerships" that allow others to hold you accountable - Believe and trust in yourself - Stay fully awake in only this moment - Follow and trust the direction of your truth

What's the next step? - Don't let your busy life hold you back from success. You were born to achieve all of your desires and dreams. Choose to achieve them and you will. Wake up and take action! - It's an honor to be on the success trail with you!

Profitable Article Writing - Discover 6 Fresh Secrets to Breakthrough With Article Writing

2007-09-30T16:11:00.000+05:30

Writing is a natural talent. Some of the people are gifted with this talent. Others are not. Article writing is something which you can do even if you are not very good at writing. Article writing is an art which you can learn by paying close attention towards the requirements from these articles. Without doing so it is not possible for you to produce good quality articles. The internet has opened an avenue of making money for those who can write good quality articles. If you can do this job, you will be able to make lots and lots of money online. If you want to improve your article writing abilities, you need to follow certain ways. These ways will guide you towards well written articles. The ways are as listed below.

1. First of all you need to select a topic. Select those topics which are interesting for you. This will give you an edge. If you choose a topic in which you are interested, you must often become able to write really good stuff.

2. Give your article a very interesting title.

3. The opening lines are very important. If these are written in a very interesting manner it becomes possible for you to make your reader go through the whole article. If this is not the case, the reader will read only first few lines of the article.

4. Conduct a lot of research about the topic of your choice.

5. The research will help you in organizing your thoughts. Jolt down the points which you want to discuss in your article. This will help you in writing the article properly.

6. Sit down and write the article with full concentration. Without full concentration you will not be able to produce the best results.

The Benefits from Working From Home

2007-09-30T16:10:00.000+05:30

Have you ever considered a career in online marketing, but thought to yourself that it would not be the right thing for you. Here are some of the benefits or perks of starting your own business.

1.) You do not have to drive to work. Your office can be anywhere you put your computer. No more traffic jams or white knuckle driving through a snow storm just to make a honest buck.

2.) Punching a time clock is a thing of the past. You can work when ever you feel like it. You have to stay motivated though. The only way to succeed with your business is to work it everyday. You really have to be your own boss and order yourself to get to work and stop messing around.

3.) You have the potential to become a millionaire. With the proper guidance and steadfast determination. There is no limit to how much money you can make on the internet.

4.) Your money works for you, instead of you working for your money. It is a wonderful feeling when you wake-up $400 richer then the night before. Nothing like making money while you sleep.

5.) You can travel instead of going on vacation. You see the difference between traveling and going on vacation. Is that when you go on vacation you usually have to be back to work in a week or two, but when you travel, you can take as long as you like, because your rich from staring your own business.

6.) You now have extra money to put away for your retirement fund. Which might be next year if you work it hard enough. It would be great to retire before your parents or even your grandparents.

7.) You can get out of debt a lot faster now. No more creditors or IRS harassing you. You can forget about that bankruptcy floating over your head and start building-up that credit score.

8.) That car you always wanted, but could never afford is now affordable. It is a great feeling to buy a car with a check. Financing and interest rates are a thing of the past.

9.) You can give money to your favorite charity. So now you can help people that really need it.

10.) You can buy the house of your dreams or build the house of your dreams. With the money you could make with an at home business, you could have a few houses.

I am sure you really do not care about who I am and how much money I make a day. All you really care about is how much money you can make a day. So if you really want to know how to make tons of money everyday online, then you must decide for yourself. Just listen to your inner voice and follow your heart and you will make the right decision.

Signs and Symptoms of Heart Disease

2007-09-30T16:08:00.000+05:30

Signs of heart disease can vary tremendously from patient to patient. In most cases, the first signs of heart disease is actually a discomfort or abnormal sensation in the chest. It is usually a bit too late to only see a doctor when it starts to hurt. Breathing difficulty, light-headedness, palpitations or feeling faint are also possible signs of heart disease. These are vital information you will need to share with your doctor.

Another key early warning sign of heart disease is fatigued. If you notice that you are becoming fatigued with progressively less exertion, it might be a good idea to quickly book an appointment to have your heart checked. Fatigued can be caused by many things but it is always better to be extra careful than sorry when your health is involved. Fatigue is a key sign of heart disease in women. Recently, it has been reported that 95 percent of women experience fatigue before the strike of a heart attack.

Believe it or not but indigestion can also be possible signs of heart disease. For most heart patients, they have both heart and reflux disease. Often, it is hard to figure out which is the disease causing this particular sign of heart disease. The reason why patients are unable to point out the exact area of the pain is due to the way our body pain fibers are constructed internally. This actually provides a tremendous challenge to the doctors as a heart attack could be missed diagnosed as a reflux disease.

The most obvious sign of heart disease will be crushing chest pain. However it is equally important to be aware of other abnormal chest sensations. Any uncharacteristic sensation in the region of the chest is a potential indicator that something is seriously wrong with your heart. Any sign in or around the chest that occurs with exertion and goes away with rest could be a suspect of a possible heart disease.

Car Insurance - The Financial Effect of Emissions

2007-09-30T16:05:00.000+05:30

Many of us who care about issues such as climate change tend to see the purchase of emission-friendly cars as one way of showing we care about the environment. In fact, there is another powerful reason for choosing the right vehicle: cheaper running costs – and even lower insurance.

To understand why, you only have to look at how much a car costs to run each year: up to £3,500 a year on average, taking into account insurance, vehicle tax, fuel, servicing, maintenance and finance costs, where applicable. This is a considerable expense.

Many motorists also face much higher running costs due to the relative inefficiency of their car’s engine. It follows, therefore, that engines where efficiency is higher and emissions much lower will typically be much cheaper to run.

Lower emissions also mean your vehicle tax is cheaper. This is because current pricing strategy for vehicle tax in the UK rewards environmentally-friendly cars. Since March 2001 vehicle tax is calculated by taking into account the emissions of the vehicle in terms of grams of CO2 produced per kilometre, or g/km. Put simply, the less CO2 your car churns out, the less vehicle tax you pay.

The difference can be striking. For example, a car that produces between 101 and 120 g/km pays £35 a year in vehicle excise duty, or VED. This includes cars such as the new Volvo C30. By contrast, a 2-litre petrol Renault Espace with emissions of more than 225 g/km will cost more than £300 a year to tax.

The new VED system includes Y-registration and newer vehicles and did not start with the inception of the 51-plate, as is commonly believed. Vehicles produced before this date are charged in terms of engine capacity in cubic centimetres.

In this case your vehicle could cost you much more to run if it is a 2-litre engine (2,000 cc), even if its emissions are quite environmentally-friendly - especially relevant in the case of a diesel engine.

It should also be admitted that if a vehicle has low emissions it will not usually return the highest performance figures.

This may be a little different when it comes to the average diesel car, as the majority have turbo boosts to make up for the lack of power in this type of engine. Driven carefully they usually return exceptional fuel economy, depending on size of engine, but will usually still give you a reasonable level of performance compared to a petrol car with similarly low emissions.

Even so, having a car with a more economical engine means you save plenty of money on your annual fuel bill.

Another important point is that you will usually find that your motor insurance will be cheaper on a car such as this, as the engine will not normally be huge in capacity and not too performance-orientated.

All in all, helping to protect the environment as a motorist can significantly cut your driving costs.

Remember the lower the emissions your car produces the cheaper you will find your vehicle tax, fuel bills and, in all probability, your car insurance quote.

Tips to Get a Head of Curls

2007-09-30T16:04:00.000+05:30

Curling implements have been used for many years by all those who have straight or fine hair. Although styles have fluctuated between straight and curly hair, generally women with straight have covert curls and women with curly hair desire a straight mane. Curling irons, curlers and other methods to create a wave to hair have been around a lot longer than its counterpart of straightening irons. Curls can be achieved temporarily through the use of steam or heated curlers, heated curling irons or you can get a longer lasting curly head by getting a permanent; referred to commonly as a perm.

Perms, as its name implies, are permanent since the chemicals used in the process change the bonds of your hair. You have to wait for new hair growth to go back to your regular texture. Choose wisely before you commit to this procedure and remember chemicals will, to some degree, damage your hair. I strongly recommend you go to a reputable salon for this instead of trying a do-it-yourself product. Remember after a perm if you are looking to have an up-do for special occasion that may require straight hair, it is going to be very difficult and time consuming. The good thing is though that you will have care free wavy or curly hair that is wash and go, cutting down on grooming time if you normally curled it everyday.

Hair curlers I find are probably the next easiest method to get the head of curls you desire. This entails applying curlers to your entire head or parts you want curled and leave in for desired time. Use smaller rollers on shorter hair and the larger ones on medium to long hair. Take them out and you are done. Best way to keep the curls all day is to lightly spray with holding product while curlers are still in and just gently finger comb.

Curling irons give to better control over where and how much curl you want. Also, if you are looking to keep up with the trends like crimping or spiral curls or the newer fancy styles you can get a special attachment. You can also get several different types of curling irons. From the older, most commonly used chrome-plated irons to gold-plated ones and of course the newest technology, ceramic. If you occasionally curl your hair the chrome plated ones should be fine. But if you have thick or coarse hair you may prefer the gold-plated ones as they can achieve a higher temperature. But I recommend you go with the new ceramic curling irons. They are now fairly reasonably priced and are far less damaging to your hair. The ceramic heats up more evenly and is gentler to your hair by helping preserve the natural moisture. It also results in shinier hair as it tends to glide through better.

Some things to look for in curling irons

Buy a curling iron with a power cord that rotates. You will not get all tangled up and your task will go much quicker.
Curling irons with rechargeable battery are great not just for travel but at home.
Look for a curling iron with a protective case that is heat resistant. I find this a great place to put my iron right after I am done even if it is still hot and I do not have to worry about my kids or me touching it.
If you have medium to long hair with bangs, purchase a curler with at least 2 different size attachments. Use the smaller barrel for shorter hair and the larger one for back and sides. With just a small curling barrel it will take you forever.
Tips
If you get a perm you must keep you hair well moisturized. Use a conditioner every time you shampoo and even a leave-in condition is a good idea since curly hair tends to be dry. Use a deep conditioner or conditioning mask at least once a week.
Always use curling irons on dry and clean hair. The hot curling iron on damp hair opens the cuticle and damages the cortex.
Hold curling iron for about 10 seconds or as recommended and gently remove. Do not comb hair after but just use your fingers to loosen.
A natural way to get a head of soft waves is to braid your hair when wet and let it fully dry that way. Or you can braid your hair when dry and just leave the braids overnight. Undo braids and gently comb with your fingers and presto - gorgeous waves.

7 Marketing Mistakes to Avoid when Promoting your Business

2007-09-30T16:02:00.000+05:30

Many people rush into business thinking it will be easy to run, but very soon they realize that it is not as easy as it looks. A successful business is a finely tuned machine. In order to keep your business running smoothly it is important to avoid making mistakes.

Here are the 7 most common mistakes to avoid:

1. Not having clear objectives: Many business people start a business without clear objectives. They fail to set realistic goals for their marketing and consequently set themselves up for failure. It is important to make a list of goals and objectives based on a quarterly time line. If you do not have company goals and objectives you are like a car driving without a road map. Make sure all employees are briefed on company objectives. When your employees are not properly prepared you will not be able to achieve company objectives.

2. Neglecting to analyse your potential customers is a dangerous mistake. It can lead to many problems. When you do not analyse your customers wants and needs you do not know what products and services to develop for them. This will lead to targeting the wrong market and neglecting to understand your own niche market. It is important for any business to do their marketing analysis so that you can target your market and maximise your sales.

3. Not testing: By not testing your sales copy and places you advertise with split testing your advertising, you will be losing sales. Split testing is simple to do but many businesses fail to do this. This results in a lot of wasted time and effort. If you do not test your ad copy and marketing promotions you will not have a proper idea of the ads and promotions that are pulling and what is not working. It is simple to do by placing 2 ads for the same product in a publication or website etc. You can then see which one is performing the best.

4. Not budgeting: Budgeting is extremely important in business. Your business should never run out of money. This is especially true with your marketing and advertising ventures. It is important to have a monthly or quarterly budget for your marketing. Within that budget put aside money for each promotion you will be doing. Start small, test and then build on successes. This will allow you to always stay solvent and have enough for promotions.

5. Giving up too soon: Companies go out of business at an alarming rate these days. One of the reasons is that the owners give up too soon. Just when success might be just around the corner they give up and decide to close the business down. In exactly the same fashion marketing promotions can fail. You need to give your promotions at least 3 months before you decide to scrap them. Some promotions will take longer than others to bring results. As always, test all marketing tactics before you launch a larger promotion. Patience is one of the hallmarks of business and you need to implement it.

6. Poor sales copy: How often have you wanted a product but when you read the sales page you had serious doubts? Poor unprofessional ad copy will cost you sales. In fact without good sales copy you will not be able to sell effectively at all. It is critical to your business to get this right. If necessary get an experienced copywriter to do this. It is worth the investment, as you will see returns when you make sales.

7. Not screening your employees carefully: To handle the extra load for the Christmas season you will need to hire new employees. It is very important not to rush into this. There is no dearth of people needing employment but you need to screen them carefully before hiring. One rude customer service agent can cost you customers. Do not take this type of risk. You want to preserve the integrity of your company at all times and screening employees is the way to achieve this. You will then be able to build a core of loyal professional employees that will be an asset to the company.

The golden rule is to diversify. You should always use multiple forms of marketing promotions in your business. Do not just do one or two promotions and then wait for results. This will slow company growth and your business will stagnate. The last thing you need is to slow your marketing in the Christmas season. So remember to diversify and enjoy the increase in sales.

By avoiding these mistakes you will take your company to the success you deserve. You will be able to have year round success for your business and really be able to cash in on the Christmas season. So plan ahead and be careful not to make these common mistakes.

How to Benefit from Online Dating for Single Parents

2007-09-30T16:00:00.000+05:30

For people who are single parents it may seem that online dating is a completely new concept. However, this just isn't the case. The only aspect to single parents who date online that may be relatively new is the "online" part of it. There were a lot of misconceptions and stereotypes surrounding single parents. However, thanks to a popular television show "The Courtship of Eddie's Father" most of these misconceptions and stereotypes were broken. Every single parent can thank Bill Bixby for these stereotypes being removed from the social consciousness.

It's easy to forget, but online dating owes gratitude to older forms of dating that had to become socially acceptable. For example, during the 1970's there were dating agencies that would fix up people based on "computer matches." The results were often sketchy at best. People also used to try and find a romantic dating partner by taking out ads in the classified section of the newspaper. In truth, people have always sought out non-traditional forms of ways to meet a dating companion.

As computers began to proliferate into more and more homes, it made the availability for finding someone to date over the computer that much more easy. In the beginning, the target market for online dating was younger people. However, today, online dating sites target many different segments of the population. Online dating now includes many niches with single parent online dating service now a prominent part of it.

How to Benefit from Online Dating for Single Parents

You can find numerous single parents who may find that being a single parent is a detraction to success in the dating field. This is really nonsense. In fact, if someone is a single parent such parentage could be a big plus for an individual in search of a partner. Afterwards, it takes a lot of commitment and responsibility to be a parent and if someone has demonstrated such responsibility through raising a kid through the hard obstructions of having to do it alone, what better testament can be found in terms of speaking about the character of this individual?

Far too often, people will try out and billow on negatives contrary to centering on positives. This is made even worse when there are really no negatives at all and are merely constructs created in the mind through worry. Shortly, most obstructions to success in the realm of online dating for single parents comes not from external factors, but within someone's own mind.

Briefly, online dating for single parents can be a hugely fun exercise for all and concerns of success. But going wrong should not weigh down the mind.

Visit San Francisco, California

2007-09-30T15:59:00.000+05:30

San Francisco is the 4th largest city in California. As of 2005, the population was estimated at 739,426.

San Francisco is known for its hilly landscape, its mixture of modern and Victorian architecture, and the its familiar landmarks such as the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz Island, the Cable Car System, Chinatown, the Coit Tower, and the Transamerica Pyramid.

Attractions in the San Francisco area include:

- Alcatraz

- Aquarium of the Bay

- Cable Car System

- California Academy of Sciences in Golden Gate Park

- Chinatown

- Coit Tower

- Fisherman's Wharf

- Ghirardelli Square

- Golden Gate Bridge

- Golden Gate Park

- Grand View Park

- Japan Town

- Lombard Street

- Musee Mecanique

- Palace of Fine Arts and Exploratorium

- Pier 39

- San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park

- San Francisco Museum of Modern Art

- San Francisco Zoo

- The Cannery

- Transamerica Pyramid

- Union Square

- USS Pampanito

- Wax Museum

Here is some more information about the area:

- Some of the major companies headquartered in San Francisco include Gap, McKesson Corporation and Visa International.

- Important education institutions in San Francisco include the University of California, San Francisco ("UCSF") and the University of San Francisco. The University of California, San Francisco ("UCSF") is one of the University of California's ten campuses. The University of San Francisco is a private Catholic University, established in 1855.

- The main airport for San Francisco is San Francisco International Airport.

- Professional sports teams in San Francisco include the Major League Baseball team, the San Francisco Giants, the NFL American football team, the San Francisco 49ers, and the USL-1 soccer team, California Victory.

Motivation And Personality - Know Your Type

2007-09-30T15:57:00.000+05:30

Motivation is what makes leaders of ordinary men and personality plays a vital role. There are two types of personality that affects motivation:

The type of person you are: Whether you have a overall strong personality or weak personality
Our image perceived by another person: This deals with the mental aptitude and even the physical attributes.
If we look around us we will find many people who show a lack of motivation in life due to their subdued personality. The most affected are the people who feel that they have a personality that makes them feel like a social outcast or inferior in any way.

Some of the examples are that of obese people, people with low IQ, people suffering from depression and then there are people who can easily succumb to defeat in a situation, test, interview, examination and turned to committing suicide. These are actually the weaker aspects of personality. This is where motivation is required.

Motivation can be derived from external sources like:

News: Tom Whittaker used prosthetic legs to climb Mt. Everest. This incident provides motivation to a lot of people. Most people would thing, if he can do it then why can’t I? Of course, how much motivation you can derive from this event and whether it can bring a positive change or not will depend on your strong will. Positive motivation can help you to fight and win against some of the toughest enemies including physical problems like disability & blindness.
Stories: We all grow up hearing stories. Some stories remain within us and we are able to relate to them whenever faced with a situation that demands the best or the worst from us. It is more of a psychological phenomenon. Stories about sacrifice, generosity, conquests, love, and death can bring tears to the eyes but also stir the soul and can become a source of motivation. This motivation will also help in carve a stronger personality.
Motivation can be derived from internal sources like an event. In one lifetime, a person can go through a multitude of events, which denotes the highs and lows in his or her life. How you take each situation and what you learn from it will determine whether you will be able to motivate yourself or not. There are two basic personality types. These are the people who have motivation yet the results are different:
Ambitious: These people have fire in their belly. They work relentlessly towards a single goal. Failure has a lot of value for them but at the same time they gain motivation from their failures and this motivation lays the cornerstone of their dreams and a future.
Casual: For them the moment is important but one low can bring them down. They have been through failures, but not learnt from them. They have the power within them to motivate themselves and reach a high in life but often falter on the way due to the “who cares” attitude.

How Much Protein Can You Absorb At One Time?

2007-09-30T15:56:00.000+05:30

The biggest protein myth is that you can only digest 30 grams of protein at one time. Find out what's wrong with this belief and just how much protein you need. This is a common question. I also get variations such as, how much protein can you digest at one time?

There are two ways to answer this, because there really two questions being asked.

1) How much protein can the digestive system physically absorb into the bloodstream from a meal?

And the MORE IMPORTANT QUESTION...

2) How much protein can you body actually utilize?

The answers...

1) About 95% and higher, unless you have some type of digestive system malfunction.

So if you get convinced by supplement companies to drink a 42g protein shake in 5 minutes, you'll still probably absorb at 38 or more grams of that protein.

Your muscle growth is not limited by the amount of protein you can DIGEST or ABSORB.

Your muscle growth IS LIMITED by the amount of protein that your body can utilize for protein synthesis.

So the answer to #2...

2) A lot less than you think.

You really don't need 40, or 30, or probably even 20g of protein per meal to keep your protein synthesis humming along. See Nutrition Help Expert Brad Pilon's post on "How Much Protein Do We Really Need"

Any protein that your body can't use for growth will be shuttled into a process where it is broken down (de-aminated: meaning the nitrogen is removed from the molecule and it becomes a carbon skeleton) to be used in energy pathways.

Now, there are benefits for eating extra protein (in my opinion) when dieting, mainly that it helps to suppress appetite.

But the bottom line to the question I am asked almost everyday is...

a) Your body can digest and absorb almost all of the protein you eat without problem.

b) Your muscles can only do so much with protein...the muscle growth process is RARELY, if ever limited by the amount of protein we consume. Almost all of us can easily get enough protein for maximum muscle growth without the need for eating 50g of protein 6 times per day. Ronnie Coleman, Jay Cutler, and Gunter Schlerkcamp excluded, of course.

Overall, I'd think twice about the need to slam down a 40-50g protein shake...just think of the children and puppies you'll save by not gassing them out with protein farts.

Real food should cover all your protein needs.

Walking for Weight Loss

2007-09-30T15:55:00.000+05:30

A simple change to your lifestyle, such as adding a Sunday "walk-in-the-park" could be all you need to shed a few pounds, or at least keep them at bay.

Researchers in the UK studied the walking patterns of overweight and normal weight individuals and found only one difference.

On Sundays, the overweight group walked an average of 2221 steps less than any other day of the week. The normal weight group reported no reduction in walking on Sundays.

So if you find yourself spending Sunday's on the couch, schedule an hour for a Sunday stroll to increase your activity level.

For maximum fat loss results, you could perform interval walking, alternating between fast walking for a minute and slow walking for a minute, repeated up to 10 times. This should help boost your metabolism and fitness, while lowering your body fat faster than regular walking.

Eventually, work up to doing this interval walking program 4 days per week and add two or three total body strength training workouts to round out a balanced bodysculpting program.

Even better, add some bodyweight strength training exercises to the walk and you'll sculpt your body and get better results. So stop along the way and do some pushups, squats, and lunges. If you are strong enough, do some chinups on monkey bars.

Once you get home you can do some ab exercises like the plank and side plank, or even more advanced mountain climber exercises. You should also get a cheap Stability Ball and use it for lying leg curls, a great exercise for the back of your legs that anyone can do, even people with sore knees.

Leather Office Chairs - Feel Like a CEO

2007-09-30T15:53:00.000+05:30

You'll feel like a CEO when you have leather office chairs in your work space. Leather chairs can take some of the bite out of having to go to work every day. You'll sit in comfort while you conduct meetings, write reports, or handle other aspects of your business.

Retailers offer many different kinds of office chairs at a wide variety of prices. Chairs that offer adjustable settings and that support the lower back have become almost standard and can be found on even the most budget conscious chairs. Standard office chairs without a lot of frills can be found at a reasonable price and come in many different styles and colors. For those who seek the ultimate in luxury and comfort though, a leather office chair is a must.

You can find a leather office chair at many different retails and you may want to shop several before settling on one to look for a style and price that matches your needs. You can find a standard leather chair for several hundred dollars at one end of the spectrum or opt to have a chair custom made for you for several thousand dollars at the other.

Many people like leather chairs because they offer luxury and comfort. You can often find these stylish chairs in executive offices, board rooms, and executive conference rooms. Most chairs that you'll find will have lower back support, the ability to swivel, and will be comfortable to sit in. Higher end chairs can be custom fitted to your body which makes them more comfortable and creates better support for you.

When shopping for a leather office chair consider both the style and its comfort level. You can find many different styles and different colors. Choose one that matches the other décor of your office and has the look you are after. You'll find that most leather chairs are made from cowhide. Look for a chair that seems durable and that includes a warranty, particularly if you are buying a more expensive chair.

Leather office chairs can turn your office into an executive retreat that will make working all day not quite so bad. You'll love the look and feel of the leather chair and how it brings instant style to your work space.

Setting Up More than One iPod on Your iTunes

2007-09-30T15:51:00.000+05:30

Do you know anyone who does not own an iPod? I didn’t think so. It seems like everyone from your mother and father down to your kid brother now has one. All of these iPods in one home sharing the same computer can make life a little hectic when it comes to managing each individual iTunes.

The problem for many families is that it can be somewhat confusing to handle multiple iPods on one computer. It can be even more difficult to manage if each iPod owner has different tastes of music. If you’re not careful, you just may end up with every song from the library or worse yet an iTunes filled with all of mom’s country music songs.

The solution is simple and quick to accomplish. Use iTunes to your advantage. It can easily tell the difference between multiple iPods and manage settings for all of them for you. iTunes can be set to update each iPod with only certain playlists. Here is how you can do this.

Each time you set up a new iPod on your iTunes, you are going to need to give it a unique name. More than likely, you would do this anyway but it is still an important step not to forget about.

Ok now that you have set up a name for the first iPod of the group select the “manually manage music” option and make sure it is checked. Doing so prevents ITunes from adding every single song in the library on to the iPod.

Set up a playlist for each individual iPod. Make sure each playlist has its own name that is clear to anyone who will be using the iTunes library. Naming the playlist after the person who owns the iPod seems to be the most common thing to do. Right click on the playlist and hit rename to give it a name.

Once, you are done creating distinct playlists, start creating song libraries for each one by dragging over songs you want to add. Whenever new songs are added to the iTunes library, be sure you add them to the appropriate playlist.

You’re more than halfway there. Everything else is pretty easy. Now, you’ll need to update all of the sync settings for each iPod. This is done by going to the “music” tab of the iPod window when the iPod is plugged into the iTunes and choosing the button “selected playlists”. You’ll need to do this for each iPod. If you’ve created a certain playlist, select that one to sync only that music to his iPod whenever it is connected.

Once you’re done setting up all the sync setting, the only thing you need to do is apply those setting to each iPod. You’re pretty much completed with the entire process. Head back to the main page of the iTunes library and uncheck the manually manage music box. Each iPod will now be automatically synced to its corresponding playlist every time it’s connected.

How to Get Back Your Ex-Boyfriend

2007-09-30T15:50:00.000+05:30

When your boyfriend dumps you, it can be pretty tough to figure out where to go from there. Chances are, you're not exactly happy with not being with him...but I can tell you one thing, and that's that sitting on the couch with a bucket of Blue Bunny won't get him back. There are, however, things you can do to get back on your feet and even get him back!

Now, when a guy breaks up with a girl, it's usually because he's either angry with her and acting impulsively (in which case he'll probably realize his mistake and getting back together will be fairly easy), or that there's something going on with the girl that's just not satisfying what he needs in a relationship. Ladies, I'm sure you can understand about a guy having relationship needs and expectations...they're just a little bit different than the things girls typically require.

Guys really don't need much, we just want a girl who'll be a lot of fun to be with. Now, that can mean different things for different guys, but it's a fairly reliable baseline. Mainly we like to have a relationship stay interesting without getting to be too much to handle. Guys' emotional ties aren't nonexistant, but we ARE built to be a little bit more "roaming" in nature...so even if we're madly in love with a woman, most of us aren't going to stick around if she drives us absolutely bonkers.

So the way I see it, if he left you it's probably because of one of two things: either you let him slip away, or you drove him away. I know that's harsh, but it's the basic concept here. Letting him slip away means that the relationship just wasn't exciting enough for him...this doesn't mean that the sex was dull or that you're a boring person, all it means is that there just wasn't enough going on, not enough really enjoyable companionship. Maybe you guys didn't go out enough, maybe the two of you could never agree on something fun to do together, maybe you worked too much and didn't have time for him...there's no telling...but I'm sure you can understand how that would make him feel.

The other possibility is that you kind of chased him out. It's funny on TV when a woman throws a dish at a guy in a fight and it shatters on the wall beside his head, or when a girl calls him up on the phone every three minutes to demand what he's doing, but in real life it's an absolute nightmare. No matter how hot the woman is or how amazing she may be, a controlling girl will make a man run like his backside's on fire. And a woman may not even realize how demanding she's being!

So how does all this help you get your ex boyfriend back? Well, the first step to doing just that is to figure out what you did wrong in the relationship, and how you can correct it. You may not want to think about the possibility that your guy was either bored or scared of you...but why else would he leave?

Thinking about this stuff may hurt, but it's necessary if you want to get him back and KEEP him. Remember that if you get back together with him and you're still doing the things that made him leave the first time, he's going to leave again...and this time you may not be able to get him back.

So take some time to think about what things you may have done to contribute to the breakup. Even if he did have some reasons other than your behavior, there was definitely SOME responsibility on your shoulders. "It's not you, it's me" is a lie...there's always at least a little bit of it that's you. So your first step is to figure out what part of it WAS you. Once you've done that, you can work your hardest to stop doing whatever it was.

It's already been established that the two of you as you were failed to be relationship compatible in the long term...and he's not going to be changing, so you're the one who has to do the changing to make you two more compatible. Changing yourself is probably the hardest thing in the world, but if you seriously love the guy and think you two could have another shot at being truly happy, I'd expect you're willing to at least give it a try.

So do everything you can to fix whatever problems you had that made him want to leave, and then break back into contact with him very gently. No "relationship" talk...no "feelings" talk...just "hey, how you been?" Start slowly. Build slowly. Rome wasn't built in a day, and a relationship that's fallen through is infinitely more complex. Take it slow, and eventually you'll get back to the point where you're really talking and spending time again.

Use this time to do things together that always made the two of you happy, and let him see the new, better person you've become. If he's not a shallow dirtbag who dumped you for some other girl who promised him new sexual horizons, he'll see how much you've tried to make things better...and you'll have a good shot at getting him back.

How to Make your Office More Green Friendly

2007-09-30T15:49:00.002+05:30

If you get a moment, offer to take the trash from the office out to the dumpster and take a look at how much is wasted material. I bet you didn’t realize how much recyclable garbage is just thrown away by the people you work with at the office nearly everyday. It’s up to you to educate the company and your fellow employees about recycling and the office can easily and effectively change the way it operates.

Unfortunately, you and your coworkers are just too busy to notice the waste or consider the impact of your inefficient actions. It’s up to you to show how going green is even easier than they can imagine and gaining in popularity with the bosses since it will immediately save money. Here are just some of the ways your office can being working in an environmentally friendly way.

Make it the company’s monthly goal to consistently try and lower the utility bill by 2-3% or reduce the office supply expenses by about 15-20%. By lowering the waste of paper in the office, you not only save money but also some beautiful trees. Make it a company goal to waste less.

Come up with some type of a corporate green policy for the company. All it takes is one person to make a difference so think of all the good it would do if everyone followed your lead. Give it out to all employees and even some customers.

Speaking of office supplies, what better way to save some trees that buying recycled if and when possible. Almost everything needed to run a small office can now be purchased from recycled products. Items such as toner cartridges, paper goods, and plastics are available in recycled form and costs much less too.

Whenever office items such as any lights, computers or appliances like the coffee pot are not in use, turn them off and unplug them. When it is time to purchase a new piece of equipment for the office, shop around for Energy Star models to be sure you are getting something environmentally friendly.

Try not to drive as much. If you’re out on the road running a few errands, try to get everything done while you are already out and about. Finish off the errand or make a delivery but then on your way home, stop at the store for any items you may need at the office. If your office is close enough, walk to the store instead of driving. Set up a carpool for any employees who live close to one another.

Go through the office or at least have maintenance go through and replace all of the incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent ones which use less energy and last longer.

Instead of just throwing away misprints or unneeded printed pages, use them as scratch paper around the office or as packing materials if your company does any shipping. You can always have your office go 21st century and paperless by doing everything electronically instead of printing.

Buy supplies from companies who already have green policies in practice. From your supply company to your shipping couriers, every little bit will help. Don’t be afraid to ask a company about their green policies. Many will be proud of what they have in place.

The Best Ways to Save Some Money by Saving on Gas

2007-09-30T15:49:00.001+05:30

The price of gas is disgusting. I sometimes think that I spend more money on gas for my car than I do on food in a week. In some states, consumers have witnessed gasoline reach, and pass record price levels. The scary thing is there is no relief in sight but to manage our fuel economy and driving habits to squeeze the most out of each gallon of fuel.

What can we do about it? Well, we aren’t left with much of a choice what we can do besides pay the price of gas or start walking. That’s why it is so important to watch how we drive and perform regular maintenance on our cars to insure we are getting good fuel economy.

There are a few things we can do to keep our vehicles running in top shape and get the best mileage. Here are just a few tips that should give you a slight increase in miles per gallon individually but used together will really add up.

Warming up engines – Remember when your dad told you to always warm up your car so that all the engine parts are good to go instead of just starting the car and driving off? Well, it turns out dad was wrong on this one. Most mechanics recommend only about half a minute at tops to warm up a car.

Properly inflated tires – Tires that are not inflated to factory specifications causes drag to the rest of the car and in turn leads to poor gas mileage. It also increases wear and tire to the tire. Check with the owner’s manual to find out what your vehicles proper Psi should be. You can even get away with over-inflating tires for even better miles per gallon, but check with a mechanic beforehand.

Too much weight – For some of us out there, our cars are our second home. We live out of our cars and therefore keep a second set of everyday basics in our car. All those extra pounds of “stuff” leads to extra weight which hurts your fuel economy. Make it a habit to clean out your car at least once a week of non-essential items.

Good motor oil – The oil used in a car’s engine has one sole purpose and that is to reduce friction between all of its many moving parts and less friction means less gas being used. That’s why it’s important to always use the correct grade motor oil to reduce the risk of overheating and potential engine problems. It doesn’t hurt with helping your car’s fuel economy either.

Avoid unnecessary short trips – In order to use your car as little as possible, plan out any and all possible trips you’ll be making for the day. You’ll save gas by using the car for one long trip for the day instead of a lot of short back and forth trips since engines burn more fuel when they are cold and also results in more greenhouse emissions harmful to our environment.

Driving habits – Wild, stop and go driving can burn through a tank of gas faster than anything on this list. Poor driving or driving too fast practices lowers your car’s gas mileage by up to a third. Some of the things you need to “steer” clear of is speeding, heavy braking, and rapid acceleration.

Air filters – Did you know that a clean, well-maintained air filter can save you gas by up to 15%? A dirty, worn-out filter lets dirt into the engine impacting the amount of fuel used.

Are You Disciplined Enough To Start Your Own Business?

2007-09-30T15:45:00.000+05:30

With the daily grind of travelling to and from work taking valuable time out of every day – whether it involves sitting in traffic jams for hours on end, or braving the railway system – it’s no wonder more people are deciding to go it alone and start their own business.

The attractions are obvious, especially if you are intending to set up a business from home. There are no travel costs, you can spend more time with your family, and you won’t have a boss looking over your shoulder every minute of the day. But before you dive in, it’s a good idea to make sure you are fully prepared for every eventuality. Setting up your own business means giving up the regular pay cheque every month and working hard to bring in your own income. This requires discipline and determination – especially in the early days.

Discipline is more easily attained when starting a small business if you keep a timetable of your working week. When you are working from home one of two things can happen – you will either find you are distracted and don’t get the required amount of work done, or you will continue working all hours even when you should be relaxing and enjoying some time off.

Having a schedule will ensure you learn to manage your time effectively and give priority to the most important tasks. Decide on the start and finish times for your working day and block out the time in between, in half hour segments. Allow an hour for lunch and make sure you get a break from your office during that time. You might feel you get more done by working through your lunch, but taking a break will lead to a more productive afternoon.

Discipline isn’t just about putting in the required hours; it’s also about making sure you prioritise the jobs at hand. At the end of each day, make a list of the three most important jobs you have to do the next day. You can then focus on completing these before tackling anything else.

It’s important to remember that when you have your own small business venture, the chances are you will be taking on more than one job role. Unless you are employing staff, you will be responsible for accounting, winning new business, promoting and advertising your business, and much more besides. It takes discipline to learn about these new roles and transfer those skills to your work – but that’s what marks out the successful small businesses from those that fail.

Research your business idea thoroughly before you dive in and be prepared to follow a steep learning curve. Working for yourself can be a hugely rewarding experience in more ways than you can imagine.

Suffering for Beauty's Sake

2007-09-30T15:43:00.000+05:30

How far would you go to stay beautiful? The answer depends on where you live and society’s definition of beauty. Before women “tortured” themselves with plastic surgery, Botox, and other painful cosmetic procedures, they had to endure more barbaric beauty rituals to look good.

“Adhering to the modern American standard of beauty is no small task. It demands time, money, and effort. We, as a culture, subject ourselves to invasive surgical procedures and food deprivation in the name of aesthetics. But bizarre beauty rituals are certainly not new phenomena. Since the beginning of civilization, people have altered their bodies in strange and uncomfortable ways to fit cultural perceptions of beauty. These standards are constantly evolving and regressing based on the culture that sets them,” said Cecilia Estriech in VersusMag.Org.

Cosmetics were first used by the Egyptians in 4,000 B.C. although history shows that the ancient Greeks and Romans were also concerned about their appearance. A pale appearance was prized in those days and mercury, lead, and chalk were worn to achieve this effect.

This trend continued until the Middle Ages among European women where paleness was associated with wealth. Having a tan in those days meant you were a laborer who worked in the fields so the rich used make-up to emphasize their paleness and affluence. Sixth-century women achieved this effect by bleeding themselves using leeches or by cupping (drawing blood by heating air in a glass cup). However, those who used cosmetics were no better since this caused deformities, blindness, and even death.

“From the 1400s onwards whitening the face was one of the most common cosmetic practices. This was still popular in the 1800s. A mixture composed of carbonate, hydroxide, and lead oxide was commonly used. This could lead to muscle paralysis or death when used repeatedly,” according to the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain.

“During the Italian Renaissance, women wore lead paint on their faces. The damage inflicted by the lead was unintentional - but arsenic face powder wasn't. Aqua Toffana, named for creator Signora Toffana, was a face powder designed for women from rich families. The container directed women to visit the signora for proper usage instructions. During the visit, women would be instructed never to ingest the makeup, but to apply it to their cheeks when their husbands were around. Six hundred dead husbands (and many wealthy widows) later, Toffana was executed,” added Autumn Madrano in “A Colorful History.”

In New Zealand, men of the Maori tribe would make themselves handsome by decorating their faces, thighs, and buttocks with intricate tribal patterns. The tattoos were carved into the skin with a chisel and the wounds were filled with ink. This painful procedure caused extreme swelling.

Today, women continue to pursue unrealistic beauty standards, sometimes mangling and maiming themselves in the name of vanity. They continue to equate perfect looks with a perfect life. But this is an illusion at best that only leads to unhappiness, confusion, and insecurity.

Being beautiful inside and out need not be expensive nor do you have to torture yourself in the process. All it takes is to believe in yourself, accept your limitations, and live life to the fullest.

Getting Kids to Eat Vegetables

2007-09-30T15:42:00.000+05:30

Have you ever made peas and carrots for dinner and put them on your child’s plate? If you have, then you now know the many ways children will hide these green and orange pieces from their plates. They will lose them on the floor. They will feed them to the dog. They will hide them in their napkin. They will scoot them under another item on their plate. Kids will try just about anything to not eat the peas and carrots sitting in front of them.

Take those same veggies and add them to fried rice or to fettuccine alfredo and all of a sudden kids gobble them down.

We love dips in my house. I make spinach dip, artichoke dip, broccoli dip and a cauliflower dip. Here are a few recipes for dips that my kids have enjoyed over the years:

Cauliflower Dip

1/2 head cauliflower

1 green onion with top, chopped into 1 inch pieces

3 tablespoons sour cream (you can also use yogurt or mayonnaise)

2 tablespoons ranch dressing mix (powder)

Break cauliflower into florets, for cooking. In medium saucepan, bring about 1 1/2 inches of water to a boil. Add cauliflower, cover and simmer until tender, about 15 minutes. Run under cold water to stop the cooking; drain well.

In a food processor, puree cauliflower and green onion until smooth. Add the sour cream and dressing mix. Process 1 minute. Put into a serving dish and chill before serving.

Spinach Dip

1 package frozen spinach, thawed, drained and squeezed

1/2 cup chopped parsley or parsley flakes

1/2 cup green onion, chopped

1/2 teaspoon dill seed

1 teaspoon seasoned salt

1 cup mayonnaise

1 cup sour cream

2 tablespoons lemon juice

Mix all ingredients and chill overnight so flavors can blend.

Note: I use both light sour cream and light mayonnaise and it’s still delicious. And finally, a very simple artichoke dip:

Artichoke Dip

8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese

8 ounces shredded Monterey Jack

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 can artichoke hearts, drained

Cut artichoke hearts into small pieces. Mix all ingredients together. Bake at 350 degrees, about 25 minutes until melted and lightly browned.

Another favorite way to help kids eat vegetables is to put the vegetables into a marinara sauce. Cut the vegetables up fairly small. They will add a wonderful flavor to the sauce and the sauce will be nutritious for the kids. The sauce can go over any type of noodle. It can also be poured over cooked fish or chicken.

My final suggestion is to start a vegetable garden. Kids love to eat what they themselves have grown. When the child has helped water, weed and cultivate the garden, it is so much fun for them to pick the vegetables and then eat them. They are so proud to eat their own work.

These are just a few alternative to peas and carrots on a plate.