Simple Decor and Fun for Garden Parties

Summer brings memories different memories for many, including vacations at the beach, amusement park, going to the town pool. One of the things I love most about summer is spending time in the backyard with family and friends. I'm not sure why, but food always seems to taste better outside. Gather neighbors and family and have a summer garden party. It can be a simple throw some burgers on the grill get-together or an elaborate multi-course affair. Whichever you choose, the décor and activities will really make your party memorable.

You don't have to spend a lot of money or time to create beautiful decorations with ribbon. Start by making mini maypoles to create a path to the party. Select colorful ribbon, any variety is fine, but make the lighter they are, the more the wind will make them move. Cut them into a variety of lengths. Next, affix the ribbons to wooden garden stakes and place around your yard. What a lovely sight to see the ribbons blowing in the breeze.

A bonfire always makes an outdoor party more festive. A fun activity and great conversation starter to go along with this is to have your guests write down on a piece of paper something they want to get rid of -- from house clutter to a negative emotion. Then have everyone throw the slips of paper into the bonfire, symbolizing the disappearance of whatever was written on it. This is sure to get everyone talking and sharing. You might have more in common with your neighbors than you thought! Then, of course, a bonfire also means time for some s'mores! So, gather those sticks for the gooey marshmallows and share some summer favorites while sharing your thoughts.

Want to make your simple backyard get-together even more memorable? What about making a simple take home favor for your party guests? Yes, even if it's just a simple cookout! Here's an easy gift to give and accept. Gather some smooth, small river rocks and inscribe them with a positive verb such as "laugh," "explore" or "love". Wrap the rocks in a simple white cloth and tie them with colorful ribbon. Your guests can take the rocks home and keep them tucked away in special places or set within easy view to serve not only as a summer memento but also a reminder of the bonfire activity. Keep those positives in mind this summer and enjoy your friends and family in the great outdoors!

Parks in Sydney   What Everybody Ought to Know About Cable Television Bundles   

What Is Stoneware Dinnerware?

What is stoneware dinnerware made of?

Stoneware is a hard ceramic material made from 25% ball clay, 15% china clay, 35% flint and 15% china stone that is fired to a high temperature (about 2185 degrees Fahrenheit) giving it a dark, rich textured look of hand made pottery. It can be glazed in a wide variety of colors and finishes (matte, satin and shiny) for diverse designs or left undecorated, but dinnerware pieces should be glazed to keep them water and chip resistant. If you are looking for a bullet-proof dinnerware material that can handle any family, then this is as close as you will get.

Why is Stoneware a great choice for kitchen dinnerware?

Stoneware is so incredibly durable and tends to be thicker, heavier than porcelain or china. These casual dinnerware sets can handle everyday use and still keep there original beauty for years. The variety of color, patterns and styles make it easy to find a dinnerware set that will match any kitchen decor. You can use then in the oven, refrigerator, microwave and dishwasher without harming them. They are able to stack on top of each other in the kitchen cabinet without scratching. This table ware has a sense of character that can only be appreciated by our individual taste.

Stoneware retains heat from the microwave, making it effective for warming food, but cautions should be used with ovens. Don't ever take a dish from the freezer and place it directly in the microwave or oven. Let it reach room temperature before placing it in the over or it will crack from thermal shock. Never use Stoneware on stove tops and broilers. Don't place hot dishes on cold or wet surfaces, as this can cause breakage too.

Most stoneware dinnerware sets come in a basic 16 pieces set that includes four dinner plates, four salad plates, four coffee mugs/cups and four bowls. Some 16-piece sets exchange mugs for the glasses, but you can purchase as many sets of four as you will need for your family. Another great thing about casual stoneware dinnerware set is that you can mix and match them to create a unique set that fits your kitchen decor. They are reasonable priced and broken dinnerware can be replaced.

How to Care For Stoneware Dinnerware?

These are one of the easiest type dinnerware to own since a good quality stoneware dinnerware set can be put in the dishwasher or immersed in mild soapy water because it has a protective glaze, but always read the manufacturer's instructions before you put your dinnerware in the dishwasher.

Never put any piece of dinnerware in a microwave oven if it has metal bands or metallic paint in its design or decoration. It may destroy the microwave oven.

If your stoneware casual dinnerware set is to be the only set that you purchase, consider a simple white or off-white set that can be used for everyday, as well as for more formal occasions. It's easy to add bold decorative accents in order to spice up a table setting.

Parks in Sydney   What Everybody Ought to Know About Cable Television Bundles   

A Cookie Assembly Line: Efficient Cookie Baking for Busy Cooks

As a busy working mother, I'm short on time, especially during the holidays, but baking Christmas cookies is a family tradition I'm unwilling to give up. Over the years, I've come up with many ways to make the process of baking a large variety of cookies go much smoother and take less time out of my busy life. You may want to start by checking out my 6-day program for hassle-free Christmas cookie baking ( http://www.christmascookiesareforgiving.com/hassle-free.php ). In addition to the 6-step method, I've found an efficient way to prepare a large variety of cookie dough with minimum fuss by setting up a cookie assembly line. The best part about this process is that you can make 12 different batches of cookies and only have to wash the dishes once!

This process assumes that you have already chosen your recipes and gone grocery shopping. You will want to use your longest available expanse of countertop for this. My assembly line turns two corners as it winds around my small kitchen, but that is fine.

You may need to make some adjustments depending on your individual recipes, but for most recipes, you can set up your assembly line like so:

Flour Line:

-Large mixing bowl -Measuring cups and spoons -Fork for stirring -Flour -Baking powder and baking soda -Salt -Cocoa powder -Spices -Any other dry ingredients that are added to the flour in your recipes

Butter Line

-Another large mixing bowl (or the bowl from your stand mixer) -A second set of measuring cups and spoons -Electric mixer -Wooden spoon -Rubber spatula -Butter, shortening, margarine and/or cream cheese -Sugar (white and brown) -Eggs -Vanilla and other extracts -Chunks such as raisins, nuts, chocolate chips -Rolled oats -Any other ingredients that are added to the butter and eggs in your recipes -Plastic wrap -Felt-tip marker

To avoid transferring flavors from one recipe to another, you will start with basic recipes that have no spices, chocolate, or other strongly flavored ingredients. Starting with your first recipe, go down the line measuring out the amount of flour, baking powder/soda and salt into one bowl. Then, combine the butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla in your larger bowl as directed. Gradually stir the flour mixture into the butter mixture. After that, stir in any chunks.

Next, scrape down the edges of the mixing bowl so that it's fairly clean, shape the dough into a ball, and wrap it in plastic wrap. Identify the recipe by writing its name on the plastic wrap with a felt-tip marker, and refrigerate it. If it is a slice-and-bake refrigerator cookie, form it into a log instead of a ball, according to the directions in your recipe. If you plan to bake much later, you can even freeze the dough. Most cookie doughs freeze very well. Defrost at room temperature while still wrapped in plastic wrap, and unwrap only when dough is thoroughly defrosted. Otherwise condensation could add too much moisture to your dough.

When your first batch of dough is prepared, wrapped, and stored in the refrigerator or freezer, return to the beginning of your assembly line, without washing your dishes, and begin preparing the next batch of dough. When you have prepared all the recipes that contain no spices or cocoa, move on to the recipes that contain cocoa, and finally those that contain spices. This way, you will only have to do dishes once at the end of the process, and you will have several different kinds of dough waiting to be baked.

When all your dough is prepared, then you can finally put away all your ingredients, clean up the kitchen, and do your dishes. Now if you plan to finish your baking today, you'll have lots of space for rolling out your dough or setting out your cooling racks. If you plan to bake another day, you're done!

Copyright 2004 Mimi Cummins. All Rights Reserved.

Little-known Tips for Easy Holiday Baking   Little-known Tips for Easy Holiday Baking   Little-known Tips for Easy Holiday Baking   

A Cookie Assembly Line: Efficient Cookie Baking for Busy Cooks

As a busy working mother, I'm short on time, especially during the holidays, but baking Christmas cookies is a family tradition I'm unwilling to give up. Over the years, I've come up with many ways to make the process of baking a large variety of cookies go much smoother and take less time out of my busy life. You may want to start by checking out my 6-day program for hassle-free Christmas cookie baking ( http://www.christmascookiesareforgiving.com/hassle-free.php ). In addition to the 6-step method, I've found an efficient way to prepare a large variety of cookie dough with minimum fuss by setting up a cookie assembly line. The best part about this process is that you can make 12 different batches of cookies and only have to wash the dishes once!

This process assumes that you have already chosen your recipes and gone grocery shopping. You will want to use your longest available expanse of countertop for this. My assembly line turns two corners as it winds around my small kitchen, but that is fine.

You may need to make some adjustments depending on your individual recipes, but for most recipes, you can set up your assembly line like so:

Flour Line:

-Large mixing bowl -Measuring cups and spoons -Fork for stirring -Flour -Baking powder and baking soda -Salt -Cocoa powder -Spices -Any other dry ingredients that are added to the flour in your recipes

Butter Line

-Another large mixing bowl (or the bowl from your stand mixer) -A second set of measuring cups and spoons -Electric mixer -Wooden spoon -Rubber spatula -Butter, shortening, margarine and/or cream cheese -Sugar (white and brown) -Eggs -Vanilla and other extracts -Chunks such as raisins, nuts, chocolate chips -Rolled oats -Any other ingredients that are added to the butter and eggs in your recipes -Plastic wrap -Felt-tip marker

To avoid transferring flavors from one recipe to another, you will start with basic recipes that have no spices, chocolate, or other strongly flavored ingredients. Starting with your first recipe, go down the line measuring out the amount of flour, baking powder/soda and salt into one bowl. Then, combine the butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla in your larger bowl as directed. Gradually stir the flour mixture into the butter mixture. After that, stir in any chunks.

Next, scrape down the edges of the mixing bowl so that it's fairly clean, shape the dough into a ball, and wrap it in plastic wrap. Identify the recipe by writing its name on the plastic wrap with a felt-tip marker, and refrigerate it. If it is a slice-and-bake refrigerator cookie, form it into a log instead of a ball, according to the directions in your recipe. If you plan to bake much later, you can even freeze the dough. Most cookie doughs freeze very well. Defrost at room temperature while still wrapped in plastic wrap, and unwrap only when dough is thoroughly defrosted. Otherwise condensation could add too much moisture to your dough.

When your first batch of dough is prepared, wrapped, and stored in the refrigerator or freezer, return to the beginning of your assembly line, without washing your dishes, and begin preparing the next batch of dough. When you have prepared all the recipes that contain no spices or cocoa, move on to the recipes that contain cocoa, and finally those that contain spices. This way, you will only have to do dishes once at the end of the process, and you will have several different kinds of dough waiting to be baked.

When all your dough is prepared, then you can finally put away all your ingredients, clean up the kitchen, and do your dishes. Now if you plan to finish your baking today, you'll have lots of space for rolling out your dough or setting out your cooling racks. If you plan to bake another day, you're done!

Copyright 2004 Mimi Cummins. All Rights Reserved.

Little-known Tips for Easy Holiday Baking   Little-known Tips for Easy Holiday Baking   Little-known Tips for Easy Holiday Baking   

Disability Insurance For The Long Term

Disability insurance covers you for an extended period of time. Should you be injured or take ill and as a result be unable to perform the duties of your employment, you will be covered under short term disability, then long term disability insurance will cover you. The coverage can be for a period ranging up to five years or until the disabled individual turns sixty five.

Long term disability insurance is often provided by your employer as part of your benefits package. If you purchase it on your own, the benefits are tax free.

Disability insurance on an individual basis makes great sense as if involved in an accident you are more likely to be disabled than die. Therefore it can be argued that it makes more sense to buy long term disability insurance than life insurance.

Disability insurance policies differ from one provider to the next. It is important that you do your research and find the disability insurance policy that best meets your needs with the insurance company that you trust the most. Insurance companies, through an independent insurance broker, will gladly offer you disability insurance quotes free of charge. You can get quotes online now which is the easiest way as you are not being pushed by an agent.

It is important to purchase your insurance from a company that you trust, because you need the company to be there if you need them. When you get your quotes, be sure to ask questions about the company and the specifics of the policy. Disability insurance needs to be tailored to meet your needs and complement any existing insurance policies that you may already have. Again, be certain that you are buying the plan that meets your needs completely.

Probably the most important thing for you to do, is to read all the provisions of the policy before you buy it.

Disability Insurance in Depth   Do I Really need Disability Insurance Coverage?   Disability Insurance in Depth   

Disability Insurance For The Long Term

Disability insurance covers you for an extended period of time. Should you be injured or take ill and as a result be unable to perform the duties of your employment, you will be covered under short term disability, then long term disability insurance will cover you. The coverage can be for a period ranging up to five years or until the disabled individual turns sixty five.

Long term disability insurance is often provided by your employer as part of your benefits package. If you purchase it on your own, the benefits are tax free.

Disability insurance on an individual basis makes great sense as if involved in an accident you are more likely to be disabled than die. Therefore it can be argued that it makes more sense to buy long term disability insurance than life insurance.

Disability insurance policies differ from one provider to the next. It is important that you do your research and find the disability insurance policy that best meets your needs with the insurance company that you trust the most. Insurance companies, through an independent insurance broker, will gladly offer you disability insurance quotes free of charge. You can get quotes online now which is the easiest way as you are not being pushed by an agent.

It is important to purchase your insurance from a company that you trust, because you need the company to be there if you need them. When you get your quotes, be sure to ask questions about the company and the specifics of the policy. Disability insurance needs to be tailored to meet your needs and complement any existing insurance policies that you may already have. Again, be certain that you are buying the plan that meets your needs completely.

Probably the most important thing for you to do, is to read all the provisions of the policy before you buy it.

Disability Insurance in Depth   Do I Really need Disability Insurance Coverage?   Disability Insurance in Depth   

1st Presidential Debate: Obama Lacked-The-Luster of a Commander and Chief

The first Presidential debate I asked... what will win over the American voter, substance, style or possibly both?

And the answer is BOTH - at least for Romney.

First, let me state that I observed the presidential debate from a non-partisan point of view. As a speaker coach, I was listening for clarity of thought as well as how each man expressed himself.

So, what exactly did Romney do that projected a presence that said, "confident, credible and congenial"? What happened to the dynamic and engaging persona that has contributed to Obama's popularity?

As the two men greeted each other, Obama's impeccable posture, determined stride, pleasant expression all said, "I am here to win". Romney, on the other hand, had a slight hesitancy in his walk and his face had a flash of nervous tension, as if he was questioning what was about to happen and recalibrating his strategy.

But all that as quickly changed and here's how...

One: Pace

The pace at which the two men spoke influenced each candidate's credibility. First up, Obama maintained a vocal pattern of saying 7 or 8 words followed by a pause. He was missing his typical vocal inflections that conveys passion and adding insult to injury, he filled each pause with an "ah". Bottom line, he didn't have his usual rhythm that engages an audience and the "fillers" made him sound uncertain, struggling for words. Not good for credibility.

On the other hand, Romney was articulate, clear and concise he was able to connect with his message and his audience. Romney spoke at a good clip and appeared to be in the moment, thinking about what he was saying as he said it. His ability to "think-the-thought" kept me engaged and wanting to listen, to understand his position.

Two: Facial Expression

After the initial hand shake, Romney kept a pleasant expression on his face. One commentator referred to it as a "half-smile". I am not sure what exactly he was doing but it worked - it made him look friendly, "familiar", someone I'd have as an associate or friend. This personable style made his stories about the people he met along the campaign trail (job hunters, people worried about health insurance, etc.) believable.

Another facial expression that Romney mastered was eye contact. He looked at Obama when talking with him, at Jim Lehrer when talking to him and he looked directly at the American public when talking to us. Did you notice that how he stayed engaged with his opponent when Obama was speaking? Smart.

Obama's strategy was quite different. When Romney was speaking, he typically looked down, rarely acknowledging his opponent. When it was his turn to speak, he directed his comments to Lehrer only looking at Romney when challenging him. But what was most surprising was he did not show that million dollar smile which can instantly put people at ease and provide an emotional connection with his audience. Instead he looked irritated and impatient. When he did smile it appeared to be forced rather than sincere.

Three: Physical Expression

The best presenters get everything working together - their words, body language and voice, are in-synch... aligned and supporting their message. Here again, Obama was off his game, even his gestures positioned him as the weaker candidate. Almost dismissive in his behavior, Obama kept is head down, gestures were small, tight to his torso - waist high and he would lean on one leg, causing his shoulder to slouch losing that winning posture.

Romney owned the room, he kept his strong stance and his gestures tended to be "larger", more expressive with the movement coming from his shoulder. Controlled and purposeful, these behaviors along with his direct eye contact proclaimed, "I am in it to win it".

Four: Structure

Right from the get-go, Romney was clear, direct and concise when he spoke. His responses provided structure to the debate. For example, he described his 5-step plan, his rebuttals included a preview of what he was going to say and then he addressed each topic, saying first... second... etc. Whether or not you agree with his politics, you certainly knew where he was headed and what he was talking about. Obama, on the other hand, appeared to wonder. I kept waiting for him to take back control but it didn't happen.

Round One Results

Last night Romney wasn't asking to be our next president, he was letting us experience what it would be like for him to be the president. While Obama felt like the default candidate.The results: Romney 1 Vs. Obama: 0

1st Presidential Debate: Obama Lacked-The-Luster of a Commander and Chief   Presidential Debate Number 3: Five Lessons to Step-Up Your Next Presentation   Presidential Debate Number 3: Five Lessons to Step-Up Your Next Presentation   

1st Presidential Debate: Obama Lacked-The-Luster of a Commander and Chief

The first Presidential debate I asked... what will win over the American voter, substance, style or possibly both?

And the answer is BOTH - at least for Romney.

First, let me state that I observed the presidential debate from a non-partisan point of view. As a speaker coach, I was listening for clarity of thought as well as how each man expressed himself.

So, what exactly did Romney do that projected a presence that said, "confident, credible and congenial"? What happened to the dynamic and engaging persona that has contributed to Obama's popularity?

As the two men greeted each other, Obama's impeccable posture, determined stride, pleasant expression all said, "I am here to win". Romney, on the other hand, had a slight hesitancy in his walk and his face had a flash of nervous tension, as if he was questioning what was about to happen and recalibrating his strategy.

But all that as quickly changed and here's how...

One: Pace

The pace at which the two men spoke influenced each candidate's credibility. First up, Obama maintained a vocal pattern of saying 7 or 8 words followed by a pause. He was missing his typical vocal inflections that conveys passion and adding insult to injury, he filled each pause with an "ah". Bottom line, he didn't have his usual rhythm that engages an audience and the "fillers" made him sound uncertain, struggling for words. Not good for credibility.

On the other hand, Romney was articulate, clear and concise he was able to connect with his message and his audience. Romney spoke at a good clip and appeared to be in the moment, thinking about what he was saying as he said it. His ability to "think-the-thought" kept me engaged and wanting to listen, to understand his position.

Two: Facial Expression

After the initial hand shake, Romney kept a pleasant expression on his face. One commentator referred to it as a "half-smile". I am not sure what exactly he was doing but it worked - it made him look friendly, "familiar", someone I'd have as an associate or friend. This personable style made his stories about the people he met along the campaign trail (job hunters, people worried about health insurance, etc.) believable.

Another facial expression that Romney mastered was eye contact. He looked at Obama when talking with him, at Jim Lehrer when talking to him and he looked directly at the American public when talking to us. Did you notice that how he stayed engaged with his opponent when Obama was speaking? Smart.

Obama's strategy was quite different. When Romney was speaking, he typically looked down, rarely acknowledging his opponent. When it was his turn to speak, he directed his comments to Lehrer only looking at Romney when challenging him. But what was most surprising was he did not show that million dollar smile which can instantly put people at ease and provide an emotional connection with his audience. Instead he looked irritated and impatient. When he did smile it appeared to be forced rather than sincere.

Three: Physical Expression

The best presenters get everything working together - their words, body language and voice, are in-synch... aligned and supporting their message. Here again, Obama was off his game, even his gestures positioned him as the weaker candidate. Almost dismissive in his behavior, Obama kept is head down, gestures were small, tight to his torso - waist high and he would lean on one leg, causing his shoulder to slouch losing that winning posture.

Romney owned the room, he kept his strong stance and his gestures tended to be "larger", more expressive with the movement coming from his shoulder. Controlled and purposeful, these behaviors along with his direct eye contact proclaimed, "I am in it to win it".

Four: Structure

Right from the get-go, Romney was clear, direct and concise when he spoke. His responses provided structure to the debate. For example, he described his 5-step plan, his rebuttals included a preview of what he was going to say and then he addressed each topic, saying first... second... etc. Whether or not you agree with his politics, you certainly knew where he was headed and what he was talking about. Obama, on the other hand, appeared to wonder. I kept waiting for him to take back control but it didn't happen.

Round One Results

Last night Romney wasn't asking to be our next president, he was letting us experience what it would be like for him to be the president. While Obama felt like the default candidate.The results: Romney 1 Vs. Obama: 0

1st Presidential Debate: Obama Lacked-The-Luster of a Commander and Chief   Presidential Debate Number 3: Five Lessons to Step-Up Your Next Presentation   Presidential Debate Number 3: Five Lessons to Step-Up Your Next Presentation   

Presidential Debate Number 3: Five Lessons to Step-Up Your Next Presentation

The pressure was on, each candidate striving to deliver the knock-out punch that would leave a lasting impression, swaying undecided voters. Two evenly matched candidates, this debate felt like a tug-of-war... one moment one candidate winning until the rebuttal, when his opponent would take the lead.

While I thought Obama was closer to his second-debate performance than Romney was to his first round win, all in all I'd say it was a draw. Why? Quite different in their styles, both men projected the confidence, credibility and connection that is critical to presidential leadership.

While you may be expecting a critique discussing why a "draw", I'd like to take this opportunity to share five lessons from the 3rd debate that you can use immediately to step up the quality of your next presentation.

Presidential Lessons Learned

Watch your Posture. Did you notice that from the moment the two candidates sat down they were locked, loaded and ready for action? What did they do that communicated this message? Quite simply it was their posture. Rather than sitting back comfortably in their chairs both men leaned slightly forward with their arms resting on the table top. Their posture alone said energized and engaged. Take-a-way: If seated when presenting, always lean slightly forward, back straight and shoulders relaxed and squared. If you sit back and get too comfortable you can look like a disinterested sack of potatoes NOT a leader.

Stay Engaged. In previous debates, both Obama and Biden didn't always appear to be listening when their opponent were speaking. Sometimes they looked disinterested, distracted or at times dismissive. But all that changed, this time both candidates turned their head, looked at their opponent and appeared to be listening when the other was speaking. Take-a-way: Whenever there are multiple presenters, always look at and listen to the person who is speaking. This level of engagement says a lot about your character.

Create Interest. Romney's response to the first question started with a salutation. In the previous two debates, both candidates included a greeting with their opening remarks. However, last night when it was Obama's turn, he skipped the salutation and jumped right into answering the question. Take-a-way: An audience prefers if you skip the greeting and find an interesting way to both grab their attention and introduce the content of your remarks / presentation. Be careful not to default to a salutation to get you started.

Solicit Feedback. It was clear that both candidates had been skillfully coached on their presentation style. This was most evident with Obama improving both his messaging and delivery with each debate. Take-a-way: Benefit from the feedback of others. Don't count on your judgment alone to determine the effectiveness of your presentation. Solicit feedback, gathering differing perspectives about what works and what to change. Ask trusted colleagues to consider: If this was your presentation and you had only 15 minutes to make any changes, what would you change?"

Ask for the Sale. For the first time, both men gave thoughtful consideration to their closing remarks and concluded by asking to be your next president. Take-a-way: The conclusion is your final opportunity to leave a lasting impression that moves your listeners to action. Be sure you know what you want your listeners to do and ask for it.

Implementing these lessons learned in your next presentation are sure to make you a winner!

1st Presidential Debate: Obama Lacked-The-Luster of a Commander and Chief   Presidential Debate Number 3: Five Lessons to Step-Up Your Next Presentation   Presidential Debate Number 3: Five Lessons to Step-Up Your Next Presentation   

8 Free Tips: The Truth About Handcare

Look at your hands now and tell yourself what you see?

Beautifull and gorgeous hands are so important.

Hands tells everything about yourself, how you live your life and love your body.

They say that hands give a woman's age away, well so what!

But gorgeous hands are the carriers of your personality, no matter in what situation and age you are.

You wear fancy designer clothes, imagine the negative effects if you combine these fancy clothes with abbandonded hands.

Look around you and see how hands are the centre of communication.

At a party, or even a job interview, your hands are your business card.

Your hands are the ultimate tool invented ever, but you don't realize how importants these tools are. You just use them all day;

Shaking hands, cooking, doing your hair, feel, touch, work, write.

Endless, think about this for a second.

And decide now, no matter what your age is, to treat them as your treassure.

The skin of the hand is so thin, protect the skin. Pamper your hands with your personal handlotion, 4 times a day. Exfoliate once a week with a face exfoliater. Use once a week your face nightcream also on your hands before you go to sleep. Get accustomed to using rubber gloves whenever you do housework. Prevent your hands from aging or abusing. Protect your hands from dry weather as well as protecting them from the sun. Use daily a protective barrier.

With other words:

The best way to take care of your hands is to protect them.

Achieving Optimum Health   Achieving Optimum Health   Nail Biting Basics   

Essential Tips For Keeping Your Inbox Free of Spam

Spam is one of the worst things about using the Internet. Nearly everyone who uses email has to deal with some amount of spam each and every day. It wastes our time, our bandwidth and increases our stress. Thankfully, there are also many ways we can drastically lessen the amount of spam we receive. Here are some tips:

Filters

This may seem obvious, but many people don't bother to use simple filters built in to their email programs. While a simple filter for "something" won't stop every spam about "something", it will help to lessen it, especially if you get many duplicate emails on the same subject. Read your manual about setting up spam filters, you'll be glad you did.

Free Email

Using any of the big free email services, like Yahoo, Gmail or Hotmail, you'll receive dozens or hundreds of spams a day, even if you've never given your email out to anyone! Luckily, these free email services also have some of the best spam filters. Yahoo, for instance, puts suspicious email into a "Bulk Mail" folder, where you can still access it. Gmail uses a "Spam" folder. Both do a good job of keeping unwanted email out of your main inbox. However, Gmail seems to do the best job overall with few spams making it into your inbox. All in all, using a free email service is a good way to reduce the spam you receive, especially if you're used to using Outlook or AOL.

Disposable Email Addresses

Another way to reduce spam is to use a different, disposable email address when you sign up for different services or websites. For instance, if you sign up to access a news site, which requires registration, you can sign up with a disposable email address so you can validate the account and then discard it. This way you don't need to worry about them adding you to some other mailing list or getting their daily newsletters.

Be Guarded

When you sign up for an email address, give it only to the people you know you want to receive email from. Don't post your email in public places, like message boards or blogs. Most importantly, don't post your email to your website in any way. Spammers have software that crawls the web looking for emails to add to their lists. If you have posted an email contact link on your website, presumably so that people can contact you about the website, you are inviting spam! Don't do it. This is one of the top ways people get on spam lists.

Change Your Email

Don't hesitate to dump your email address if you find it's overrun with spam. You can sign up for a new one at any of the free email providers if needed. Just make sure to save your address book and/or any emails first, and make sure to notify your contacts of your new address.

Use Several Email Addresses

One excellent way to keep your inbox clear and organized, is to use a different email address for different applications. For instance, if you like to sign up for free newsletters on various subjects, sign up for them with one email address. Then you can login to read just those newsletters. Likewise if you like to enter contests, sign up for free samples or free games, use one email address specifically for this. Then use another address for your personal emails. This keeps everything neat and organized as well as helps keep spam at bay.

Are SPAM Emails Legal?   Didn't They Make Spam Illegal?   Web Proxies Explained   Where Do Spammers Get My Email Address?   Eliminate Spam   Track Down the Spammer - Search by Email Address   

Spamweed - Will It Really Block All of Your Spam From Your Email?

Everyone who has internet knows that email is a very reliable source of communication. It is also very burdensome when dealing with spam which is unwanted email sent to you. It is like telemarketers and scam artists calling you soliciting you to buy things or even compromising your identity. Research has found that millions of spam emails are sent everyday which are causing internet users to open emails with scams, identity theft, and viruses. There are several email providers that have spam filters specified for their own services. There is one website that offers a software package called Spamweed which helps filter out spam from emails.

Spamweed serves those in the United States and the United Kingdom. Some of Spamweed's benefits include that it works with all of the POP3 email clients such as which includes Outlook, Outlook Express, Incredimail, etc. It also works with two of the most popular email program which are Hotmail and Yahoo. Some of the highlighted features include support and monitoring of multiple email clients, blocking of disturbing email to kids, protection of virus emails, excellent email management, user support wizard and so much more. Another thing is that it contains a 100% free trail.

There are several reviews about Spamweed which includes that it is of course that it removes all of the spam allowing you to take back full control of your inbox. It also has a 95% accuracy rate in the elimination of spam. We find that nothing is perfect and that you must still continue to check your bulk folder to make sure that you are not getting any important email there. In my opinion, this is good for those who receive email daily that is of importance in terms of business. Those who don't communicate through email often should not consider a program like this. However, those who enter their emails into online forms will receive more spam so Spamweed is also good for that as well.

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Spyware Blockers - Putting A Stop To Information Warfare

The war has begun. The enemies are getting into position as stealthily as possible. Sooner or later, they will spring into action, taking you by surprise. You will be conquered and you won't even know what hit you.

We're talking about the information warfare that is now going on in our country and all over the world. In these modern times of information technology, our most precious commodity is data. Most of our personal information are all in the computer. Our bank accounts can be accessed through the computer. Many businesses are totally dependent on data stored in hard disks. And this data is under attack by the spyware lurking in every corner of the Internet.

Spyware is the enemy in this war, and your computer system is the battlefield. To win the war, you need to have soldiers - snipers if you will - who can shoot down the enemy before they can cross your boundaries. These snipers are spyware blockers that can see and stop malware as they come.

To protect the valuable data stored in your system, you need to have spyware blockers ready to stop all kinds of spyware from entering your hard disk. If left unprotected, other individuals can steal information from you right from under your nose. You will not even be aware that there are spyware programs inhabiting your hard disk until the damage done is too great.

Spyware blockers act as your computer's sentinels. They vigilantly watch out for intruders that can damage your system. In the last few years, spyware has developed to be one the greatest threats in the information age. They surreptitiously attach themselves to files in our systems and slowly corrupt our files.

This is why spyware blockers are very important. Before the malware can even enter your system, the spyware blockers have already detected them and barred them from coming in. A good spyware blocker is able to recognize all kinds of malicious software - even the most recently developed ones.

Some of you might be thinking that you already have an anti-virus program, so you don't need to get a spyware blocker. That would be a grave mistake. Nearly all spyware cannot be detected by anti-virus program, as they are not really classified as viruses. Only the spyware blocker will be able to prevent them from causing destruction in your system.

If you want to be ready to put the information war to an end, be sure to take all the necessary steps to eliminate spyware. You must be discriminating as to which programs to download, and be wary of suspicious-looking emails.

To keep these malware away, one of the most effective protection measures you can take is to install a good spyware blocker in your system.

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Spam Blocking and the Mordor Ring

In the Lord of the Ring book series by acclaimed novelist J.R.R. Tolkien, Frodo Baggins carries the weighty burden of delivering a much-prized ring to the fires of Mordor where the flame that forged the ring can also consume it. The ring has caused only hardship for those that have possessed it for a time.

This ring tended to mirror a form of addiction for those who carried it. The problem was the most evil life form in middle-earth, Sauron, wanted the ring and if he possessed it all that was good in Middle Earth would be destroyed.

If you've never read the books you may have trouble following this so I won't even bring up Orcs, Ringwraiths or Samwise Gamgee.

Sauron did everything possible to retrieve the ring for his own purposes while making it very difficult for Frodo to actually destroy the ring.

On so many levels the actions of this dark lord of Middle Earth was a bit like spam blocking. He did not want the ring destroyed so he worked to block every attempt Frodo made to reach Mordor.

When an online customer determines they are not interested in receiving certain types of unwanted email they will rely on a spam blocker to do its best to disallow these emails from getting through.

The public view on spam emails is extremely negative and they go to great lengths to keep them out of their inbox. This is why it is extremely important for you to make sure you send emails to those who have either opted into your list or expect email from you.

If there are issues with a spam blocker even after a customer has opted in you may ask them to consider white listing your emails so they will be delivered to their email account.

Email marketing can be an exceptional way to keep clients and potential customers in the loop on what your site has to offer as well as providing other reasons to drop by your site including occasional discounts and personalized specials.

Like Sauron, email systems will do everything they can to keep you out. Unlike Sauron, spam blocking is not an evil that needs to be vanquished, but a tool of consumer privacy that should be respected.

As more and more unscrupulous email marketers attempt to spam the greatest number of people possible the resulting fallout is heavier restrictions on more legitimate online business ventures.

Knowing this may help you come to terms with the realization that you should do everything you can to legitimately get your message through.

Like Frodo, you may face some obstacles along the way to your Marketing 'Mordor'. You may experience setbacks and questions about your legitimacy. And just like Frodo you need to preserver and refuse to back down, let up or give up. Make sure the customer wants your material and work to make sure they get it.

J.R.R. Tolkien would have never imagined his books to be the setting for a lesson on spam blocking, but as with all of life there are lessons even in the most unexpected places.

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Why You Need To Worry About Spam

What is Spam? According to spam abuse .net "Spam is flooding the Internet with many copies of the same message, in an attempt to force the message on people who would not otherwise choose to receive it. Most spam is commercial advertising, often for dubious products, get-rich-quick schemes, or quasi-legal services. Spam costs the sender very little to send -- most of the costs are paid for by the recipient or the carriers rather than by the sender."

What Are Some of Spam's Consequences? Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia advises, "Spam's direct effects include the consumption of computer and network resources, and the cost in human time and attention of dismissing unwanted messages. In addition, spam has costs stemming from the kinds of spam messages sent, from the ways spammers send them, and from the arms race between spammers and those who try to stop or control spam. In addition, there are the opportunity cost of those who forgo the use of spam-afflicted systems. There are the direct costs, as well as the indirect costs borne by the victims - both those related to the spamming itself, and to other crimes that usually accompany it, such as financial theft, identity theft, data and intellectual property theft, virus and other malware infection, child pornography, fraud, and deceptive marketing." Also they say, "The secondary consequence of spamming is that search engine indexes are inundated with useless pages, increasing the cost of each processed query."

According to a new study released by the Federal Trade Commission, spammers continue to harvest email addresses from public areas of the Internet, but Internet Service Providers' anti-spam technologies can block the vast majority of spam sent to these email addresses. The FTC staff report also found that consumers who must post their e-mail addresses on the Internet can prevent them from being harvested by using a technique known as "masking."

Why Lose Sleep Over Spammers? According to onguardonline.gov/botnet "Spammers can install hidden software on your computer in several ways. First, they scan the Internet to find computers that are unprotected, and then install software through those "open doors." Spammers may send you an email with attachments, links or images which, if you click on or open them, install hidden software. Sometimes just visiting a website or downloading files may cause a "drive-by download," which installs malicious software that could turn your computer into a "bot." The consequences can be more than just annoying: your Internet Service Provider (ISP) may shut down your account."

Additionally they say "Computers that are taken over this way often become part of a robot network, known as a "botnet" for short. A botnet, also known as a "zombie army," usually is made up of tens or hundreds of thousands of home computers sending emails by the millions. Computer security experts estimate that most spam is sent by home computers that are controlled remotely, and that millions of these home computers are part of botnets."

Fighting Back Con artists are clever and cunning, constantly hatching new variations on age-old scams. Still, skeptical consumers can spot questionable or unsavory promotions in email offers. Should you receive an email that you think may be fraudulent, forward it to the FTC at spam@uce.gov, hit delete, and smile. You'll be doing your part to help put a scam artist out of work.

Take action immediately If your computer is infected,if your computer has been hacked or infected by a virus - disconnect from the Internet right away. Then scan your entire computer with fully updated anti-virus and anti-spyware software. Report unauthorized accesses to your ISP and to the FBI at http://www.ic3.gov. If you suspect that any of your passwords have been compromised, call that company immediately to change your password.

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