Five Great Ideas For Your Next Article

It's amazing how quickly free articles can generatetraffic - my traffic sometimes triples within 24 hoursof releasing a new article.

But if free articles are your main marketingtechnique, you may run into a problem - how to come upwith new ideas.

Yesterday an interviewer asked me in an email: "Howdoes someone come up with topic ideas? What do youdo, for example?"

This was my reply:

The key to coming up with topic ideas for your

articles is to be very aware of what you yourself are

learning. As you know, e-commerce is a huge area and

we're all learning new things every day. Every time

you learn something new, write a short article about

it. Because there are almost certainly other people

who are going to have to learn what you just learned

and your article is going to make it much easier for

them to get that information.

The other thing to do is pay close attention to the

questions people ask you. For example, I had a

question last week from a man in the UK who wanted

to know how to use articles to promote an affiliate link.

So I answered his question and then wrote an article

titled: 'How To Boost Your Affiliate Sales With Free

Articles'.

You may notice that I'm using this technique here.Yesterday someone asked me a question and today I'mwriting an article about it. It's that simple!

Here are five great ideas for your next article:

(1) Write a Book/Product Review

This is an endless source of new articles. Every timeyou see a new eBook, write to the author and ask ifyou can have a 'review copy' (this is also anexcellent way to get free copies of the latest neweBooks).

Writing a book review is really very easy - justsummarize the points that most impressed you. You cansee some examples of book reviews at:

http://www.freezineweb.com/article41.htmlhttp://www.freezineweb.com/article44.htmlhttp://www.freezineweb.com/article46.html

(2) Do an Interview

Contact a well-known figure on the Internet and askhim or her if you could interview them by email. There'san art to doing a good interview and the best way to learnis to look at other interviews:

http://www.ibizinterviews.com/http://www.ebookinterviews.com/http://www.ebooksnbytes.com/drevoy.html

(3) Write a Business News Article

Subscribe to one of the Internet News services, clippingagencies, or Press Release services and use the informationyou receive to write articles on the latest developments in yourindustry field.

Here are some websites that specialize in Internet Business News:

http://www.newsbureau.comhttp://www1.internetwire.com/iwire/homehttp://www.newinternetnews.com/http://www.internetnews.comhttp://www.researchbuzz.com/

(4) Write an Anecdote

Have you had a strange or frustrating experience onthe Internet, or have you made a big mistake that youlearned from (people love reading about other people'smistakes). Write about it!

(5) Write a 'How To' article

These kind of articles are always in demand. And itdoesn't have to be very long - five tips that you'vepicked up in the last month on some aspect of runningan online business. Maybe you learned how to choose aweb host, how to choose a list server, how to dealwith spam, how to get better results from your Newsletter,or how to succeed with affiliate programs? Why not sharethose tips with others?

I hope these ideas have given you food for your next articleand the next surge of free traffic to your website!

------------------------------------------------------------
Michael Southon has been writing for the Internet for over 3
years. He has shown hundreds of webmasters how to use this
simple technique to build a successful online business. Click
here to find out more: http://ezine-writer.com/
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Checklist for High Performing Teams

Why do some teams perform well while others struggle? How can you assess how effectively your team is working now, and identify methods for improvement?

Research shows that 85% of the reasons that teams of people succeed or struggle has more to do with interpersonal issues, than technical competence. But both are needed for effective teamwork.

Below please find a checklist you can use to identify the strengths and development needs of your own team:

1. Clear Goals

It's very hard to get there if you don't know where you're going! And it's very hard to accomplish your goals if you haven't made them clear. Make sure there's no question about your team's purpose, function and objective.

2. Clear Roles and Responsibilities.

It's important that roles and responsibilities are clearly specified in order for people to be accountable for accomplishing their part of the team's tasks. Misunderstandings and conflicts frequently occur when roles and expectations are not clearly defined.

3. Information Sharing.

In order for the team to make the best decisions, each team member needs to be provided with relevant information. High performing teams don't guard information? they share it freely.

4. Competent Team Members

Competent team members need to be placed in the right position. At times, a highly talented person can be ill placed which can throw off the team functioning. Consider both the competency and placement of each individual team member.

5. Values Diversity

We don't all work the same way, or have the same styles. This can be a key source for interpersonal conflict. However, when teams learn to value each other's differences they can leverage each other's strengths. Team building exercises can help individuals to appreciate diversity and work together more effectively.

6. Creative Problem Solving When you value diversity of opinion, your team can be more adept at solving problems. How effectively a team can generate new solutions, and focus on the end objective, will largely determine their success.

7. Flexibility High performing teams check their progress periodically and adjust their course when needed. This is an important element for allowing them to become adept at meeting the goals of their team.

8. Effective Conflict Resolution How teams resolve their conflicts can make or break them. Effective conflict resolution skills that focus on the task at hand, not the individuals, helps teams move forward and redirect their focus toward positive outcomes.

9. Effective Time Management How teams structure their meetings, and meet their deadlines, reflects on their effectiveness. Teams that manage their meetings well encourage higher performance and the increased likelihood of accomplishing their objectives.

10. Good morale. Low turnover and longevity is a benchmark of good morale. A team that successfully values the individual as well as the team has the best likelihood of success.

Susan Cullen is President of Quantum Learning Solutions, Inc., based in New Jersey. She has over 15 years experience in Organizational Development and is considered an expert in the use of blended learning methodologies for lasting organizational change. For more information go to http://www.quantumlearn.com or you can reach us at (800) 683-0681.

Small Business Credit Card Advantages

Obtaining a business credit card enables the small business owner to separate personal expenses from business expenses. Offering business credit cards to their employees eliminates the need for employees to use their personal credit cards or cash to make company purchases. Employees using a business credit card will not need to fill out expense statements, wait for approval and reimbursement from their company. Transactions are itemized and reported on quarterly statements that make it easy for management to make changes if needed. Business credit cards can be provided to the employees with preset spending limit and helps in controlling employee spending.

One of the main advantages of a business credit card is that it provides efficiency and control over company expenses by consolidating individual expenses. Instead of receiving a flood of invoices and expense statements, the company can receive one expense statement each quarter with itemized employee expense. Also business credit card companies can provide an itemized year-end statement with summary of all transactions. This enables the manager to track expenses very clearly and also simplifies the figuring out of the company tax return.

Business credit cards offer many benefits such as 0% intro APR on your balance transfers and purchases, cash back rewards on business purchases, business travel rewards, no annual fee, online account management and discount on everyday business purchases plus a host of other features and benefits. These bonuses and rewards can lower the company expenses and add up to a significant amount of savings for the company. An important feature of business credit card is the ability to build the company credit standing and receive incremental increases in credit line and cash flow over time.

With a business credit card, employees are less likely to make impulse purchase, because they are aware that the business credit card is company property and should not be used to make personal purchases. Avoid mismanagement of your business credit card by always making payment on time thus avoiding late fees and higher interest rate. Make sure you read and understand the terms of use of your small business credit card.

About The Author:

David Hall owner of the popular site http://www.iCreditOnline.com He has tools for finding a wide range of financial services including secured and unsecured cards, student and business cards, auto loans, and more from the most reputable companies in the industry. You can also compare multiple credit card offers, securely complete an online credit card application, and receive a credit decision in at least 60 seconds. Visit David's site today: http://www.iCreditOnline.com

You have permission to republish this article on your website on condition that you include the byline and hyperlinks intact.

Freedom of Religion

We were all taught in school that our forefathers left England to escape religious dictatorships. Okay, there was a lot more to it then that, but it was a big enough deal that they made sure it got honorable mention in our rulebook. They clearly made the point that we were to have freedom of religion here in America. They also used the word "God" in some of their formal paperwork and even on our money. I don't want to argue politics here, but rather semantics. They didn't say "freedom of Christianity," they said "freedom of religion." The boys who wrote up all of our formal paperwork were wordsmiths and they debated long and hard to find the perfect set of words to govern ourselves by. It wasn't decided that we had the freedom to choose whichever form of Christianity that we liked, but whichever form of religion. Religion is in and of itself a much broader concept then Christianity. "God" can mean a lot more then just the Christian definition too.

No, I don't agree with all the bickering and arguing over whether or not there should be prayers in school or if the Pledge of Allegiance is constitutional. You can't stop someone from praying whenever or wherever they choose. Nor can you force a prayer out of someone either. It's a dumb thing to argue about and not worth being offended over either way. I think it's important to teach out children what our country's Pledge of Allegiance is, but I don't know that it's right to force anyone to state a pledge, especially children. Seems a bit dictator like and kind of like brainwashing. Teach them what it means. Teach them what prayer means. Teach them what making a pledge of any kind means whether it's a pledge of one's allegiance to their country's flag, a pledge of fidelity to a spouse, or a pledge of loyalty to a boss. But also teach them that in this country we have the freedom to make pledges or not. Teach them that in this country we have the freedom to pray to whoever or whatever we like and the freedom not to pray. Teach them just how important that freedom is.

I'm saddened when I hear of Pagan's being persecuted for their spiritual beliefs in this country. Did the Sunday school teachers forget to mention that using the colors green and red for Christmas is Pagan? Did they mention that Christmas lights, yule logs, and wreaths are all Pagan? Did they mention that almost every single Christian holiday is celebrated ironically on top of a Pagan festival? Why do you think we have bunnies, baby chicks, and pretty flowers as part of our Easter celebration? Because it coincides with the Pagan's celebrations of Spring's renewal. From what I can see, Pagans aren't all evil ugly witches anymore than all Christians are white supremacists.

I don't have a deep knowledge of all of the different religions of the world, but I can tell you that it doesn't take much research to see that they're all very much the same. Get past which church uses which secret handshake and which rule book you should follow, and you find that they're all teaching us to respect each other, to love each other, to conduct yourself with honor, and to be good to the planet and animals that we're blessed with. The rest is all dogma and debatable. Nobody has any real concrete proof that their particular form of God is the only one. Who's to say that God or Jesus isn't wise enough to visit more than once using different names and different forms? Wouldn't it make sense given the size of the planet that the rest of the world would need to be given a fair chance at knowing about God too? Is Buddha so very different from Jesus? Their teachings are incredibly similar. Why limit God to a concept that only fits what your particular culture or region of the world knows about?

Another thing that always puzzled me is why prophets and seers are allowed to channel holy books and tell of the Messiah's coming, but then we're told by the churches that being psychic is demonic? It seems a bit contradictory to me. Every psychic I've ever met lost power over their visions if they weren't acting in the highest good. Most of the psychics I've met believe very deeply in a form of God or some sort of a higher magical loving guidance over us. They're visions into the other side created that belief. There's nothing quite like chatting with the All-Mighty to make a believer out of you. Isn't prayer in and of itself a form of telepathic psychic connection with the other side?

It just seems to me that if we quit arguing over what words, labels, and names we give these concepts and quit arguing over methods of prayer and such that we'd see that we're all so much more alike then we are different. I've known three different Catholic men who fell in love with the Buddhist faith because it so beautifully highlights the teachings of Christ. I really believe that is what we're meant to do. All of the holy books tell us to love one another. You can't truly love someone if you don't take the time to really get to know them and what they stand for. Shouldn't we learn about each other from a place of love rather than from a place of judgement? Nobody can prove that anyone else's religion is wrong and nobody can prove that theirs is right. Too many translators over the course of history to be able to be 100% sure about anything any more. We can't really assume that the others are completely wrong and we can't assume that our own religion is completely right. Religion and God is so much more than we can fully understand at this time.

Copyright 2004, Skye Thomas, Tomorrow's Edge

About The Author

Skye Thomas is the CEO of Tomorrow's Edge, an Internet leader in inspiring leaps of faith. She became a writer in 1999 after twenty years of studying spirituality, metaphysics, astrology, personal growth, motivation, soulmates, and parenting. Her books and articles have inspired people of all ages and faiths to recommit themselves to the pursuit of happiness. After years of high heels and business clothes, she is currently enjoying working from home in her pajamas. To read more of her articles, sign up to receive her free weekly newsletter, and get free previews of her books go to http://www.TomorrowsEdge.net.

Skye@TomorrowsEdge.net

MORAL ARMORS Counterfeit 911: Refuting Michael Moore

Michael Moore asserts the following in his political film Fahrenheit 9/11:

Con #1. Bush favors the Bin Laden family over American interests. Regarding the Bin Laden family leaving the country, we as Americans don't punish people for crimes they didn't commit. Releasing them was the civil answer. Imagine if your cousin blew up a building, would you want to go to jail for it? And what do you think the terrorists would have done to our families? Getting them out of the country stemmed a potential lynching, which would have made America look as bad as our enemies. It was the right thing to do.

Con #2. Halliburton and other war corporations are self-serving enemies of America, conspiring with the President for profit and privileges. These are public companies he is attacking. They are owned by millions of stockholders. America owns them.

Moore criticized executive appointments in Iraq and Afghanistan by "exposing" their prior relationships to the President, implying conspiracy. There is no immorality due to those appointed being associates of the President, any more than showing preference in choosing his cabinet. Experienced leaders choose people they like--they don't have to field resumes.

Con #3. Our poor are preyed upon by U. S. military recruiters. That the poor and the middle classes do the majority of the fighting is not a conspiracy of the Bush presidency, but a historical fact of all armies in all nations. Upper class parents hand down a disciplined living structure to their children, while the middle and lower class parents provide limited to no living structure, which is reflected in their economic status. Their children need and should seek the kind of discipline that the military provides, and if they're smart, they carry that rational order into their private lives. Upper class youth already have a plan at that stage, lead self-directed lives much earlier, and therefore avoid the risk of being called into action. Moore's footage defeated his own argument in that the kids at the upscale malls were approached directly and weren't interested; their "influential" parents obviously weren't intervening. (It's a voluntary army, Michael).

Con #4. A negative soldier's viewpoint reveals the immorality of the war. A wounded soldier has good cause to question why he was there in the first place and to believe that war is devastatingly senseless, which is true for the aggressor. But American civilization cannot tolerate the random acts of violence, which are commonplace in Islamic Fundamentalist regions, to happen here. If necessary, we have to rout them out at the source. Twenty year-olds won't have the experience to judge the policy of a nation, but should be able to comprehend right and wrong at a more basic level. We must honor those who fight for us; we must shelter our fallen, but given the blatant horrors of the enemy versus American life, he should know he's on the right side.

Con #5. The Iraq Dictatorship had nothing to do with the war on terrorism. If they're not terrorists, boy do they act like them. Car bombs, abductions, beheadings, anarchy and dictatorship preferred to democracy, suicide missions which murder their own people and offer no peaceful alternative; no, there's no likeness there(!). (If you question our military strategy and the countries we've chosen, look at a map).

Look at the nature of our enemy. Most Americans are civil and constructive--including our troops, while the average insurgent is aggressive and foolish as an individual. If you pulled any insurgent aside for an interview you'd see he is a poorly educated, fear-driven control-freak charged with incoherent dogmatic conclusions he never would have come to on his own. They're all psychologically trapped in the "submission/domination axis" (as Moral Armor calls it), which amounts to little more than roving criminality, veiled as an endless fight for Allah--which is only a substitution for their tantrum against ever being questioned. Their delusional dedication to an all-powerful force against the outsiders who threaten Him ignores a crucial contradiction: If God is all-powerful then He is in no danger, and doesn't need their help.

Con #6. American forces are running amok, targeting innocent civilians. In The Art of War, Sun Tzu says to attack the heart of your enemy. Who has Moore attacked? Whose heart is he after? Did he show you the crippled and burned Americans still struggling to survive after September 11th? No, he showed you Iraqi casualties. All sides have casualties in war, and a movie maker will favor those of like ideology. Whose side are you on Michael? How many heads have we cut off? Such barbarism only strengthens our resolve to win.

Near the end, Moore meekly agrees that "America is a great country." Still, you can't help but get a strong anti-American feeling from the film. It's him telling the rest of us that our world is a sham, our freedom is a lie, and that this dilemma is our own fault. Of course, he fails to mention that we wiped out two dictatorships with a wartime loss amounting to only one-third the casualties they caused us in New York, and we are now paving the way for their most productive citizens to thrive in a civil world community. The aggregate result will be a release of the pent up energy of the people--an Iraqi industrial revolution and a world benefit--new pipelines, skyscrapers and personal freedoms.

It's irresponsible to watch such a movie and draw conclusions based solely on its contents. It is not honest to isolate three aspects of an issue when there are six to consider. Shame on you, Mr. Moore! Summation and Solution. The Koran states that anyone who is not Muslim is the enemy, to be chopped, hacked and slaughtered, plain and simple. There is no room for misinterpretation, and no constructive reasoning with such insanity. Allegiance to life must come before religious or political ideas, and such ideas must be based on the furtherance of the biological life of a man; otherwise, they are wrong.

To the oppressed citizens of the world I say, as a free country, America offers a simple institutional structure--no dogmatic requirements; we're all free to believe what we want--but if you limit or harm others, you're freedom will be taken in turn. The old days are gone--the monarchies, the dictatorships, the communal nightmares--with room only for civility between men into the future. All must respect the human institutions whose fundamental guideline is the preservation of individual life, by outlawing the initiation of force against others. So conform, and live.

It is the obligation of philosophy to provide a constructive course of action in the individual, social, artistic and institutional realms--the full range of human action. Moral Armor does just that, providing the first fully-integrated non-sectarian moral code, and it is based on the nature of Man. No other style of moral code has even a chance to win over there.

The campaign in Iraq was not a new development. Iraq has been a thorn in the world's side ever since the Gulf War when Hussein should have been deposed, and it's too late to turn back now. Terrorist dogma thrives on fresh martyrs; we need a strong leader who will see this through, and our President will. Unfortunately, when one side won't listen to reason, you have to fight, so let's get it over with.

(In the time it took to read this, President Bush had reacted to 9/11).

Ronald E. Springer is the Author/Philosopher of Moral Armor, the world's first fully-integrated moral philosophy based on the nature of Man. Featured on The Mitch Albom Show, NBC and FOX News radio affiliates, Mr. Springer is available for interviews, speaking engagements, philosophy workshops and seminars. Please contact RonaldESpringer@MoralArmor.com or visit http://www.MoralArmor.com for details. For a free three-part mini-course on morality-based happiness, send a blank email to: moralarmor@getresponse.com.

Healthy Eating Myths Shattered

Salt does Not Cause High Blood Pressure. Some things you need to know first to fully understand blood pressure, as well as helping you to understand about many other things in your body: The difference between average and normal.

Average is a mathematical statistic. Don't let that big M word scare you. All average means is that you add up all the totals you have and divide by the number of totals you added. This gives you an average of the group of numbers.

Normal is what is right for an individual, or what is common or appropriate for each particular person.

What the medical profession does is make the average normal. They measure a bunch of people's blood pressure, divide the added totals by the number of people they measured, and come up with an average blood pressure. And then they say this is the normal blood pressure for everyone.

I will let you in on a little secret. If you had the blood pressure I have at this exact moment, you would probably pass out. If you had the same blood pressure standing as you did sitting, you would probably pass out. Your blood pressure changes all the time, all day long. Your normal blood pressure needs to be different than everyone else's. You need the right blood pressure for you at the right time. If you had the average blood pressure all the time, you probably would be dead by now.

So what do you do with this? Take all the numbers the doctors give you with "a grain of salt." Just because their charts show that you "should be" in this range does not mean you actually should. You are different than everyone else. Your normal might be outside of the range of average that they go by and still be perfectly healthy for you.

So your "high blood pressure" might very well be normal for you. And if it is actually too high for your normal, salt really has nothing to do with it.

Again the medical profession came up with a theory and never really tested it before they released it as "truth" on the world. Someone said that salt attracts water, and blood has water in it. So if you get rid of some of the salt in the blood, then there will be less water in the blood as well. And if there is less volume of blood, the pressure will have to be less. That was their theory and they began telling people to eat less salt thinking it would lower people's blood pressure. No real tests, no real studies, and yet believed to be true by many.

Here is the real proof it is garbage. Try and find one person whose blood pressure decreased because they quit eating salt. You will be very hard pressed to find one person. Because eating less salt does not lower your blood pressure. Just like a Diuretic, medications that cause you to release more water than your body wants to from your blood through your kidneys, is often prescribed to attempt to help lower blood pressure. And again, I dare you to try and find people who this has helped.

You see, the body is so much smarter than we are. Many more internal factors go into what your blood pressure is than how much water you have in your blood. Your Blood pressure is a function of your blood vessels, the stuff in your blood, the muscles in and around your blood vessels, your heart, and so much more. If you force water out of the body, your body will compensate in other ways to keep your pressure at your unique normal. Your body knows best where your blood pressure should be. And until you change one or some of the internal factors (and medications do not count) your body will do everything in its power to keep things where they are at.

Want something that is free and easy that decreases the blood pressure significantly for many people who actually do it? Drink Water. It often is as simple as that and here is a perfect example of why. Imagine some really thick ketchup and trying to suck it through a straw. Versus if you put a bunch of water in the ketchup and mix it up and suck the ketchup through the straw. Does it take more or less pressure to suck the watered down ketchup through a straw? It takes less pressure. Similar with your blood. If your blood is thick and sludgy because you are dehydrated, your body will increase your pressure to force the blood through the little itty-bitty vessels and capillaries.

Actually, your blood pressure is more than this. And drinking water does so much more than make your blood thinner so it flows through the vessels easier. Whatever the reasons, drinking water often lowers people's blood pressure.

Fat does not make you fat. I share this and more with you in my free e-course that this article is a part of. Go to http://www.HealthyEatingDiet.com to get the full e-course. Dr. Jamie wants to help give you Permanent Results with his "non-diet." He is also giving you dozens of valuable free gifts to "ethically bribe" you into helping him make his new book, "The Ultimate Non-Diet" a #1 best seller. For details on the book go to: http://www.TheUltimateNonDiet.com/free

Marriage Counseling Tips: What to Do When Your Spouse Wont Talk

How to get a spouse's attention so that he or she will communicate with you is an issue that mystifies many couples. Spouses report trying many techniques, such as trying to talk rationally and logically, watching to see when a spouse is in a good mood, and waiting for a time when the television is off. They also share stories of begging, pleading, threatening, and finally, yelling and screaming.

If you are having problems getting your spouse to talk to you and to share feelings and opinions, here are some additional things you can do to facilitate communication. First, you have to grab your spouse's attention, which is what these tips are designed to do.

1.When you're talking to your spouse and start getting overly-emotional, lower your voice instead of raising it. This breaks the pattern of tempers escalating, followed by loud yelling. If your spouse asks what you're doing, just say that you read that lowering your voice was a way to defuse anger. Maybe your partner will decide to try it, too.

2.Write your spouse a letter or e-mail stating your feelings, requests, or questions. Include how not talking about or resolving the issues is affecting you. For example, you might say, "When you call me horrible names, I feel like I've been betrayed. I don't want anything to lessen my love for you, but I know that if this continues, I won't feel the same way toward you. Can we please agree not to call each other names (or can we make an appointment with a marriage counselor, etc.)?"

3.Buy a cute, funny, or clever greeting card and include a note asking if you can schedule a time to talk to him when you both will be uninterrupted. Some spouses have an easier time talking to their partner in a restaurant over dinner, so you could suggest making plans for going out for a meal.

Obviously, you wouldn't want to discuss your most emotional issues in public, but maybe you could use the occasion to handle some relatively routine things. And then agree on a future time to talk about the more sensitive topics.

4.When you give your spouse a card or note asking if you can schedule a time to talk, include his or her favorite candy bar or a package of chewing gum-some small item that shows you pay attention to what your partner likes. With a candy bar, you might attach a note that says, "To my sweet Sweetie-could you please let me know when we can schedule a time to talk? Thanks so much. Enjoy the candy!"

5.Make a written list of your questions and include a "yes" and "no" box next to the question. Also include boxes that say "Undecided" and "Need More Details." Be as specific as you can. For example, you might make a list of possible activities and places to go on a "date night" and ask your partner to respond. In that case, you would put a category of "Other suggestions" at the bottom so your spouse could include additional ideas. Or you could make a list of possible times during the week that the two of you could reserve for private talks. Another idea is to make a list of things you think are important to resolve, and see if your spouse agrees or disagrees.

6.Look for something to "trade" with your spouse, such as offering to take the kids to a movie so your spouse can have friends over or enjoy some private time to relax. In return, negotiate for an uninterrupted time to discuss pertinent relationship issues-maybe a relative can keep the children or they can spend a weekend afternoon with friends. Or you might offer to do a certain chore that your partner detests doing in exchange for some "talk time," which your spouse may equate with being slowly tortured. Make a creative trade-off.

7.Just because you think the tips won't work, don't prematurely discount them. I have worked with numerous clients in marriage counseling who have tried these tips or variations of them, and the results have often been amazing. Spouses who don't normally express feelings verbally sometimes respond in writing, much to the astonishment of their partners. In other cases, spouses who receive letters have initiated conversations about how the letter has opened their eyes to things they didn't realize before.

Use these seven tips to jumpstart your thinking about different ways to open communication channels with your spouse. And if one attempt falls flat, try another. That's what all successful researchers do-and they don't hide behind the words, 'It'll never work." Experiment with an open mind and you may be surprised at the results.

Nancy J. Wasson, Ph.D., is co-author of Keep Your Marriage: What to Do When Your Spouse Says "I don't love you anymore!" This is available as an e-book at http://www.KeepYourMarriage.com ,where you can also sign up for the free Keep Your Marriage Internet Magazine to get weekly ideas and support to help you improve your marriage. Nancy can be contacted at Nancy@KeepYourMarriage.com.

Getting Started with Garden and Patio Design

The art of managing outdoor space
Designing a patio - or a garden, is much like designing a living room or a park. It's all about space, and how you use it. To start with, you have empty space with nothing in it. Then you add plants, statues and other decorative items to fill that space and make it feel like a homey, comfortable space.. but wait! You don't want to actually fill it with stuff. Then it would look cluttered, which is not what you want. What you want is a balance between empty space and decorative items. The real issue, then, is how do you achieve that balance?

Use Clustering to make the most of your outdoor space
The first mistake most people make when decorating a patio, backyard or garden is to take their planters, fountains, statues, etc. and spread them out evenly to try to cover as much space as possible. This is especially tempting for those on a tight budget, since they may not be able to afford as many accessories and accents as they would like. Spreading things out evenly, though, creates a boring space which doesn't give the eye anything in particular to focus on. It is much more pleasing to group your plants and decor items into clusters, so that several items can be seen at once, in a friendly grouping, with empty space between providing variety. This way, your visitors' eyes can move easily and comfortably from one cluster to another - each cluster is distinct in character and the empty space between emphasizes their unique natures.

Try to think of each plant, statue, plaque or other accent as having its own personality, and place them together in groups that allow them to relate to each other in pleasing and complementary ways; place two low flowering plants on either side of a larger fern, or place a small statue between a palm and a vine - the possibilities are endless and are only limited by your creativity and imagination!

Take your visitors on a journey
Think about what a visitor will see as they enter and move through your patio, garden or backyard. What will catch their eye first? Once they've enjoyed looking at that, what will they look at next? Where will their attention be drawn, and where will that carry their feet? Professional designers set up their spaces much like a story; the intent is to guide their visitors' attentions - and their bodies - through the space so that everything is seen and everything is enjoyed in an interesting and pleasing order.

Try to create special accent zones to show off your most treasured items by placing them right in the visitor's path, or by placing them at eye level, or by surrounding them with unique accessories that set the entire cluster apart from the others. If you take a little time to consider what people will see and where they will go as they make their way through your garden space, you'll find that creating a relaxing and pleasant garden or backyard is just a matter of common sense!

Don't neglect the vertical space
It's easy to think about your outdoor areas in terms of their ground or floor space - the area where you can place a plant stand, set a statue or fountain, or leave a path for friends to walk - but you must also remember the space above the ground! In some ways, vertical space is even more important than ground space!

Walls or fences can be beautified with the simple addition of a garden plaque, a wall fountain or a planter on a shelf. If you want a more functional wall item, try a garden thermometer. Training a vine or some ivy up a trellis is a great way to use some vertical space and create a sense of intimacy and privacy as well.

Then, of course, there are the hanging items.. hanging plants are a great way of lifting the eye up to a new vantage point and adding a vertical element to your green space. Windchimes are a special prize, because they are not only a delight to the eye, but a treasure for the ears as well. Suncatchers also add a unique beauty with their ability to catch the sunlight and turn it into yet another decorative accent. When placing hanging decor, think 'outside of the box'... hanging items can be part of the clusters you create with your plants and statuary or they can hang by themselves, defining turning points along the garden path or providing embellishment to the open space between clusters.

There are so many ways to use vertical decor I can only mention a few of them here: Hang them from eaves and overhangs to adorn borders, suspend them from awnings and overhead beams for a more enclosed and intimate effect, and if you have a tree or two in your garden how about hanging a plant from a branch or placing a planter in the crook of a bough? Now you're using clustering and vertical space at the same time by using a plant to hold a plant!

Winged visitors - your mobile decorations!
Birds are beautiful to look at and lovely to listen to, but most important to your garden or patio design, they move around on their own! Attract birds to your outdoor space and you'll have a constant variety of design as they flit from branch to branch or light and preen on a fountain or statue. Birds are nature's own decor and attracting them to your garden or backyard is easy.. just give them something to eat, a place to bathe and somewhere to build a nest! Birdbaths and bird feeders are excellent as statue items and ensure a steady supply of feathered friends as well. Bird houses are especially nice because they can be used for vertical space decoration as well as providing a comfortable place for sparrows and starlings to nest or just to hang out for awhile! What's a garden or patio without the beauty and song of birds?

Dare to dream
These three tips are just the beginning of the process. They're intended to get you started thinking like a professional designer and considering the unlimited possibilities that your unused outdoor spaces present. Don't let your space lie dormant.. bring it to life with your own creativity, your own flair and with affordable garden decor and accessories from Springtime Gardens!!

Brian Dalton owns and maintains the Springtime Gardens website, and spends countless happy hours decorating and maintaining his own patios and container gardens.

Springtime Gardens - Affordable Garden and Patio Decor

Copyright 2005 BKD Enterprises

Fire Hazard Alert - Is Your Dryer Ready to Ignite

In recent years there has been many stories about dryers catching on fire. Should we be concerned? Yes of course. We should take seriously anything that may put our family at risk.

Was the problem the dryer? Rarely. After investigating it is usually determined to have been the venting within the home catching on fire, and not the dryer.

Obviously appliance manufacturers are concerned about the possibility of any dryer related fires. They have made it a policy to advise both service companies and consumers that the use of plastic venting is prohibited. They have also begun issuing cautions not to exceed suggested maximums for venting length. Let me try to explain the details of this problem.

The drying process

When clothes are being dried inside your family dryer there are two processes happening. Firstly, heat is applied to the air inside the dryer drum as it turns. This raises its internal temperature to approximately 175 Fahrenheit causing moisture to be driven out of the clothes by evaporation. Secondly, large amounts of air is passed through the clothes. Surprisingly, the real trick to efficiently dry clothes is not the heat, but rather this vast volume of air.

Ever wonder why the clothes on the clothesline dry so fast on a windy day? The hero is the wind. Well, the same process takes place inside your family dryer.

To make them dry faster air is constantly blown through the clothes during the drying cycle. The tumbling action of the drum further exposes the clothing to the hot air flow. While they tumble the air picks up moisture from the clothes, carries it down the venting, and dumps it outside the home. Most people think the venting is to push the lint outside. Actually, its primary purpose is to dump the moisture outside the home.

It is a process that works efficiently. That is, as long as nothing is allowed to interfere with it. Impede, slow down, or stop the airflow and the process quickly fails.

In the past homeowners who wanted to vent their dryers did it using rigid sections of venting. The sections were secured together (using screws or duct tape), and elbows were added if necessary, to connect the dryer and venting to the wall outlet. Although time consuming to install, straight venting sections were durable and would often outlive the dryer. This was in the era when laundry equipment always sat in the basement, against an outside wall.

Then along came flexible plastic venting. It made installations easier. It turned an hour installation into a ten minute job. The flex though tended to become brittle and break easily. Also it was prone to blockage and needed to be replaced every few years. But since plastic venting was more convenient we continued with its use.

Then came a change in lifestyle. As both parents went off to work the household dryer was moved to accommodate our faster paced lifestyle. To save us time it was moved from the basement to a ground floor laundry room. Although moved to the working level of the home, it was still close to an outside wall.

So you are saying, "I know all this, but what does it have to do with venting fires".

I answer, "Have patience, we are almost there".

Taking this desire for easy access still further the dryer was moved again.

The laundry room is now often located near the centre of the home, close to the family room or kitchen. If located upstairs it is often centrally located between the bedrooms, allowing faster access to where most dirty laundry is produced. Easier for the homeowner that is, but no longer near an outside wall. The distance from the dryer to an outside wall of the home is now substantially farther than it used to be.

Presto, we have come to the crux of our problem. The venting is too darned long.

Physics and the venting pipe

It is a lot more difficult to push air down a long venting pipe than a short one. This is because air inside the pipe has weight and volume. Obviously, the air inside a longer pipe would weigh more than a shorter one.

After about twenty feet of venting pipe the dryer begins having difficulty pushing against all this weight. The average dryer motor does not have enough strength to overcome the weight of the air inside the pipe. The result is that the air in the pipe begins to slow down.

Since the air slows down the moisture accumulates in the venting rather than being carried outside. This causes the venting interior to become wet and lint traveling through the pipe will cling to this wetness.

This starts a vicious cycle within the venting pipe. It goes something like this: The more lint in the venting, the more blockage; More blockage means slower air flow; Slower air flow means more moisture in the venting; More moisture in the venting means more lint.

I think you understand the scenario now.

Taken to extremes the lint can block the venting closed. When this happens it can cause the dryer to overheat. The normal drum temperature of 175 Fahrenheit can quickly shoot up to 300 Fahrenheit or higher. It may even get hot enough to allow lint in the venting to ignite. If a fire of this type starts within flexible plastic venting it can quickly burn through the venting and allow the fire to spread.

Therefore, remove any flexible plastic venting and replace with rigid, straight sections. If the total length is less than fifteen feet, flexible "metal venting" is acceptable.

Calculating true venting length

So lets look at how we can determine if a venting problem is in our future.

Manufacturers generally suggest a venting length of 15 feet (and two elbows) to be the maximum. But the true venting length can be deceptive.

"So how do I know if my venting is too long"?

The true length of your venting is determined as follows:

1. Measure all the straight lengths and add them together

2. Count all the turns or elbows and multiply this number by 4

3. Add up the totals

Example Since an elbow or turn is equivalent to an additional 4 feet of pipe 20 feet of venting with 4 turns would actually be:

20 feet + 4X4 feet = 36 feet

Don't be surprised by the true equivalent length of your venting. In modern homes it can be substantially longer than the manufacturers suggested maximum.

If the blockage becomes critical the dryer will stop doing its job properly. As a homeowner watch for the following signs that the venting may be starting to block.

? Clothes coming out wet
? Excess lint left on clothes at cycle end
? Inside of dryer feels wet
? Taking too long to dry a load
? Clothes very hot at end of cycle
? Electrical consumption greatly increased

Summing up

"So who is to blame for this problem"?

I say there is no culprit in this scenario. If you want to blame anything, blame our fast paced lifestyle. Gone are the times when laundry day was a full days work. We all want instant gratification and instantaneous results - even with our laundry chores.

So as a consumer what can you do to alleviate this problem? Well you certainly can't move the laundry room. The best thing you can do is to be aware that the problem exists. Consider taking down the venting and cleaning out the lint buildup during your annual spring cleaning. Also, regularly walk outside and check the vent cap where it exits your house. Remove any lint buildup and make sure the flap moves freely. If you see a lot of activity from birds in you backyard check it immediately. They love to build nests inside the vent cap.

Other than the previous suggestions a little common sense might avert a tragedy. Do not operate your dryer while asleep, out of the house, or next door at the neighbours. And always remember the old saying that states "better safe than sorry".

About the Author
Copyright 2004 by Donald Grummett - All right reserved.
Donald Grummett is an appliance service manager in Ottawa, Canada. In the trade over 30 years as both a technician, business owner, and technical trainer. For more information about appliances including FAQ, Stain guide, Recycling, and Newsletter visit http://www.mgservices.ca

Build Your Own Board Of Experts

The most successful entrepreneurs rely on their advisory boards to help spot new opportunities and potential pitfalls.

Now you can have your own advisory board: a shadow board of directors.

A shadow board of directors is a low-tech technique for accessing the expertise of others and increasing your confidence and options. A shadow board can help you get a variety of perspectives and access to information just like a regular board. Shadow boards of directors can push you out of your rut and help you find alternative solutions and expert advice. The only difference between a regular board and a shadow board is that shadow boards exist only in your own imagination.

Because your shadow board is portable, light and easy to carry, it's always available. It will challenge you to sharpen your thinking skills and expand your perspective. Your shadow board of directors teaches you to consider the views of others whether you agree with them or not. It also makes available experts who are living or dead, known to you or strangers; talent you could never buy.

To build your shadow board of directors, choose a variety of people for their strengths and skills. Choose them for their specific skills and talents, knowledge and gifts, no matter what their limitations might be. You'll be tapping their strengths, not their limitations.

Make sure you have the people you need or could profit from, no matter how outrageous anyone else might find them.

Use your shadow board of directors to help you think through and make tough decisions. You'll use them for input and advice.Some of the members will change depending on the topics or the questions, others will be your old standbys.

My standard members include Einstein, just because he was so smart. I can only hope to emulate his thinking process. Liz Taylor is on my list because she is gorgeous no matter what her size, very loyal to her friends, not afraid to speak out on difficult or unpopular issues, and is one classy lady. I just wish I had her violet eyes.

Marti Burns is a composite character, a combination of two cognitive therapists: David Burns, who wrote Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy, the best book on combating depression I have read and recommended, and Martin Seligman, a psychologist whose pioneering work includes Learned Optimism and What You Can Change... and What You Can't. Together these two men, in my embodiment of Marti Burns, help me deal with my bouts of feeling bad and help me confront myself when I get into irrational thinking. I also check in with them when I'm faced with clients who present difficult interpersonal issues.

Jane Johnson is another composite member, taken from two friends and colleagues who are the best technical manager and human resources manager I've been privileged to work with. Their high ethical and moral stance, willingness to do the hard work, and clarity in thought and action challenge me to meet their level of expertise. I ask them how they would handle the hard situations I face in corporate consulting challenges. Then I listen.

For family issues, I look to Fitzhugh Gottman, another composite character. He is a combination of Fitzhugh Dodson, my favorite child rearing expert and John Gottman, known for his solid, experience based work with couples and relationships. No sound bites or stereotypes for these two. They know what works for kids and couples.

The list could go on, but you get the picture. These are people I have known personally, or through their work, or in my image of them. I match their expertise to the challenges I face.

If my question involves critical thinking and creativity, Einstein is always the chairman of the board. But I don't even think to include him for grooming or social questions. Liz gets the honors here. A quick conversation in my head with her, and I know how to solve the problem with dispatch, class, and grace. I wouldn't use her as my marriage consultant, though. Wedding consultant, yes; marriage consultant, never.

A shadow board of directors complements the real experts you know and rely on. They can get you started with your own research, in your local library, browsing bookstores, and searching the Internet. By going step by step, asking good questions, and thinking through the answers, you'll get closer to the information you need to help you face your challenges.

Start building your own Shadow Board today.

(c) 2004, Pat Wiklund. All rights in all media reserved. This article may be reprinted so long as it is kept intact with the copyright and by-line.

About The Author

Business coach Pat Wiklund works with entrepreneurs who want to make and keep more money from their businesses. Assess your one-person business with her free business tune up ecourse: pat3-32222@autocontractor.com. Contact Pat at pat@leadinganorganizationofone.com

How to Prepare the Best Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Would you like to prepare the best Garlic Mashed Potatoes that you enjoy at your favorite restaurant, but have no idea where to start to achieve that wonderful and delightful flavor?

There are a variety of ways to create the best garlic mashed potatoes that you have ever tasted but when it comes down to which way is best is according to your own taste buds.

When you take a look at garlic you will see that there are various kinds of garlic that you can use for your mashed potatoes such as German red garlic, Spanish Roja garlic, Leningrad garlic, and Yugoslavian. You can find all of these garlic's in a powder form or use fresh garlic. So, the first thing you need to do is decide which garlic you would like to use. Personally, I like using fresh minced garlic cloves.

There are two popular ways to prepare the best garlic mashed potatoes. With this recipe you will use garlic powder instead of fresh garlic. For the first recipe you will need enough potatoes to feed your family or guests. The rule of thumb is one medium potato per person.

But, my family love potatoes, so I have to use 2 per person. Now you will need milk or cream, butter or margarine, salt and pepper and your garlic powder choice. You can either wash and peel your potatoes or you may wash your potatoes and boil them with the skins on. Cut your potatoes into chunks and boil until tender. Drain and pour into mixing bowl. Add salt, pepper garlic powder and margarine and blend with your electric mixer until the combined well. Now, add a bit of milk or cream and beat again until smooth. Add more milk until you achieve your desired consistency.

In this next recipe you will use fresh minced garlic cloves to prepare the best garlic mashed potatoes. This is my favorite way. You will need all of the same ingredients as above except for garlic powder. While your potatoes are boiling, saut? the garlic cloves in a frying pan with the margarine. Let the garlic simmer and blend in with the margarine. When your potatoes are ready to mash and you are adding the ingredients, add the melted butter and saut? minced garlic and blend with the potatoes.

Try both recipes and choose your favorite for the preparing the best garlic mashed potatoes.

Hans is an author of Steaks, Seafood and Barbeque Recipes; Steaks-Guide.com

Eyeglasses and Contact Lenses - More Style, Same Utility

At one time, promotions on television advertised a new, sexier you if you elected to lose the glasses and pop in a pair of contact lenses. This image has always been demonstrated in Superman comics, television programs and movies.

He's a bit of a geek or too normal a guy, but when the glasses come off - he's Superman. Fortunately, the image- makers and shakers that relegated eyeglasses to the awkward, the nerd gear of decades past has begun to embrace glasses for the fashionable, functional necessity they have become.

The differences between glasses and contact lenses are more related to personal issues of comfort than to image. Arguments can be made in support of contacts over eyeglasses.

For example, contact lenses are worn directly over the eye allowing natural vision and no distortion as some eyeglass wearers may experience because of the small gap between the lens of the glasses and your eye.

There is always a constant awareness of the frames as well as the reflections off the backside of the lens. While most eyeglass wearers become so accustomed as to hardly notice the discrepancy, it becomes more pronounced when switching between contacts and glasses.

Glasses can fog up when the temperature changes and they might be a distraction during physical activities, especially sports where you don't want your glasses to be broken. Contacts suffer neither of these. Eyeglasses can be made with tinting lenses that allow them to turn into functional sunglasses, but contact lens wearers can pick any pair of sunglasses they want.

For the particularly fashion conscious, contact lenses coordinate with everything in your wardrobe. But for all their differences, both require cleaning and gentle care. Both correct astigmatism (irregular cornea shape) and with modern technology, both are very affordable. A new pair of eyeglasses and a new pair of contacts is comparable in price for the same prescription.

The decision between contacts or eyeglasses is no longer one associated with social stigma or social image, but rather of the image and look you want to project to the world. It's all truly dependent in this day of modern fashion on what makes you feel comfortable and look great.

Discover important advice and information about contact lenses. Are soft or hard best ? What's the best cleaning solutions ? For a comprehensive guide, Click http://www.contact-lenses-special.com/

All Natural Weight Loss Supplement Hoodia Gordonii

by: Paul Callis
In my time I have been an international competitive swimmer, ranked number
1 in the UK, in the top 20 worldwide, represented England, and won medals
at World level. Having been in the environment of top class athletes, and
everyday healthy people, I have become very knowledgeable in the area of
nutrition and fitness.
Still maintaining regular fitness and excellent nutritional levels, I
regularly converse with many people of all types of fitness levels. The
majority, at fitness centers, are obese and vastly over weight, constantly
looking for ways to lose weight.

Spending years training in public, and seeing bodily changes on a day to
day basis, I have become very familiar with Hoodia Gordonii, and have seen
rapid improvements, that have in turn had life changing effects on people,
and all for the better.

You may be wondering what Hoodia Gordonii is, and may have heard from the
newspapers and television.

It is grown in the Kalahari Desert region of South Africa, Hoodia Gordonii
is an all-natural appetite suppressant, derived from a cactus-like plant
with prickly spikes. Scientists have been researching the Hoodia plant for
almost a decade, and have found it to be completely free of harmful side
effects.

The active ingredient in Hoodia Gordonii, the molecule known as P57,
imitates the effects that glucose has on your brain, signaling that you
are full. Your brain has what is called a Hypothalamus. This part of your
brain controls your appetite. When you eat, the glucose levels in your
body rise. As these levels go up, the hypothalamus sends off a signal to
your cells to stop eating. This is when you start to feel full. Hoodia
Gordonii's molecule, P57, tells your brain the same exact thing, even if
you haven't eaten a bite. By mimicking the effects of glucose on your
brain, the hypothalamus starts to send messages to your cells which in
turn, make you feel full.

Paul Callis is extremely knowledgeable in the field of sports and
nutrition in the UK . Paul's passion for swimming in his earlier years,
helped him achieve world medals and gain great knowledge and understanding
in all aspects of looking after the human body, eating correctly to
maintain a healthy lifestyle, and discovering what does and does not help
with weight loss.

About the author:
You can visit Paul's web site, and read his recommendations and advice at
http://www.hoodiagordonii1.com