Sunday, August 9, 2009

A Summary of USB Drives, History, Benefits & Uses

USB Drives Flash Drives Keys
A Flash Drive, Sometimes called a USB Key is manufactured using a "NAND" type memory data storage device.
This device is then mated to a universal serial bus jack which can be easily plugged into any PC or electronic device with the appropriate ports. Offering many potential advantages over other portable storage devices, particularly floppy disks they are more compact, operate a lot faster and facilitate file transfers in a more efficient fashion.
Improvements in data retention have made Flash Data drives the choice for document carrying, some drives allow for up to 1.5 million write and erase cycled and have a data retention of 10 years without corrupting.
The year 2000 saw the first publicly available Flash drives released by IBM and Trek Technology of Singapore. Trek dubbed its new device the "Thumb Drive". IBM called its new innovation "DiskOnKey". An Israeli manufacturing company supplied the facility for producing the new wonder product. Shortly after this Lexar introduced their own spin on the usb drive called the CF or "Compact Flash" with a usb connection and an associated chip reader which removed the need for a USB Hub.
Many manufacturers try to differ their product by using varied designs and styles sometimes making the drives bulky and annoying however some styles offer more compact even further miniaturisation making them a choice fashion accessory for the modern geek!
Fact: In Windows Vista and the upcoming Windows 7, the Ready-Boost feature allows use of some flash drives to augment operating system memory
Companies that are really clued up are using these thumb drives for marketing, they simply hire a printers or promotional firm to make USB drives with their logo printed to the drives, they then use them as giveaway items. The usability of the drive makes them the perfect advertising beacon for any organization. Due to the increasing size and technology improvements the drives are becoming cheaper to produce and purchase by the dozen!

A Summary of USB Drives, History, Benefits & Uses

USB Drives Flash Drives Keys
A Flash Drive, Sometimes called a USB Key is manufactured using a "NAND" type memory data storage device.
This device is then mated to a universal serial bus jack which can be easily plugged into any PC or electronic device with the appropriate ports. Offering many potential advantages over other portable storage devices, particularly floppy disks they are more compact, operate a lot faster and facilitate file transfers in a more efficient fashion.
Improvements in data retention have made Flash Data drives the choice for document carrying, some drives allow for up to 1.5 million write and erase cycled and have a data retention of 10 years without corrupting.
The year 2000 saw the first publicly available Flash drives released by IBM and Trek Technology of Singapore. Trek dubbed its new device the "Thumb Drive". IBM called its new innovation "DiskOnKey". An Israeli manufacturing company supplied the facility for producing the new wonder product. Shortly after this Lexar introduced their own spin on the usb drive called the CF or "Compact Flash" with a usb connection and an associated chip reader which removed the need for a USB Hub.
Many manufacturers try to differ their product by using varied designs and styles sometimes making the drives bulky and annoying however some styles offer more compact even further miniaturisation making them a choice fashion accessory for the modern geek!
Fact: In Windows Vista and the upcoming Windows 7, the Ready-Boost feature allows use of some flash drives to augment operating system memory
Companies that are really clued up are using these thumb drives for marketing, they simply hire a printers or promotional firm to make USB drives with their logo printed to the drives, they then use them as giveaway items. The usability of the drive makes them the perfect advertising beacon for any organization. Due to the increasing size and technology improvements the drives are becoming cheaper to produce and purchase by the dozen!
Keep in mind if you do purchase a bulk run of Flash drives that the components come in 3 standards, A, B and C with A being the best quality guaranteed not to corrupt within a short time.

DVI Switch - Saves Space by Eliminating Need For Redundant Monitors

A DVI Switch enables switching or sharing of one DVI-D monitor between multiple video sources. It functions by connecting the DVI video sources to the switch and then connecting the DVI video display to the output. These switches are also available in matrix formats which allow multiple video sources to be output to multiple displays.
These devices support display VGA resolutions up to 1600 x 1200 or 480p, 720p and 1080p for HDTV's. They have built in amplifier circuits thereby providing crisp and clear images and eliminating video signal degradation. A key feature of this device is the ability to switch to sleep mode when video signals are not available. Control of these types of video switchers is done via push buttons located on the front of the unit or via RS232 or infra red remote. They also have a LED display to monitor the status. Working on the principle of plug and play, they are available in 2 or 4 ports with some versions supporting optional stereo audio. These switches are compliant with DVI specifications and are also HDCP compliant. They can output audio and video signals from two or more DVI video sources and are compatible with both Windows as well as MAC. Most DVI interfaces from devices such as PC's, TV's, VCR's, and DVD's are supported by them.
The different versions of these DVI Switcher devices are ideal for a variety of applications. The 2 port DVI switch supports single-link DVI-I video signals and allows routing of multiple DVI equipped devices such as PC's to a single DVI display; the 4 port switch allows routing of 4 DVI equipped devices to a single DVI display. This switch is suitable for use with a number of devices including Plasmas, digital TV, TFT, LCDs, Game consoles etc. Since a DVI Switch delivers high quality images preserving the original resolution without any loss in signals, they are ideal for presentations, casinos, classrooms, conference rooms, control centers, remote monitoring & training facilities.

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

New Nail Art Marking Pens For Exciting Designs

Development of new marking products for the health and beauty industry opens up thousand of design possibilities for art designs on fingernails. Conventional nail color brushes and bottles are difficult to control and are not removable. Newly designed nail art pens are water based, environmentally friendly, and designed to be used over the top of a base color. Water based formulas are easy to remove to change or correct designs prior to application of sealer coats.
How to make creative nail designs:
1. Apply base coat color and allow to dry thoroughly.
2. Prime pen by depressing tip.
3. Apply your design making sure to let each color dry completely before applying the next color.
4. If you make a mistake remove with water and a cotton swab.
5. When the design is complete, apply a clear finish coat.
Nail art pens are developed with new water based formulas to eliminate hazardous chemical exposure to the skin and nails. Water based formulas also allow easy removal prior to application of clear coats. Fiber tip markers are convenient to use and the fine tip makes detailed designs easy and fun to create. Valve controlled application of paint to the tip keeps the paint in the barrell from drying out and controls the flow of paint to the tip. Long lasting fiber tips will not wear out during normal use and the tight fitting cap keeps the pens from drying out between uses. French manicures and pedicure are very easy to apply with the fine tip markers. Allowing the nail art pen colors to dry completely between applications ensures colors will not run.

Beauty Equipment and the Basic Layout of a Beauty Salon

When it comes to giving the ultimate impression of a professional beauty salon, choosing the right beauty equipment and planning a proper layout is of vital importance. A successful beauty salon has to have the right ambiance and comfort level. Most of this can be obtained through the proper choice of beauty equipment. When the right atmosphere is achieved the environment of the shop is very relaxing and the energy of the shop is positive. Among this atmosphere should be the look and feel of a well run and successful business.
The layout of any beauty salon should always have the basics such as the reception area where customers first enter the shop, a clean and sterile bathroom, a room for waxing, manicures and pedicures and last but not least the main area where washes, sets, cuts and styles are done.
Every room should have the proper square feet so that customers are free to move about without encountering salon equipment or other customers. All beauty equipment is available and easily accessible creating the look and feel that all operations run smoothly and efficiently.
All beauty equipment must be clean and in proper working condition. Nothing would be worse than using a piece of beauty equipment and have it break down. These way appointments will not have to be canceled or rescheduled due to faulty salon equipment
One of the best ideas for any shop owner is to consult an interior designer who specializes in the proper placement and selection of salon equipment. An interior designer will make sure the appropriate colors and beauty equipment are selected to provide a very peaceful and relaxing environment. The bathroom or bathrooms should have all equipment necessary to meet that states requirements. All equipment must be in proper working order including the toilet and sink. These are also considered salon equipment.
The salon must have all the proper salon equipment for sufficient lighting again providing a relaxed and comfortable atmosphere. However lighting must also ensure that the beauty operators can see properly as well.
Reception areas should have comfortable beauty equipment as well as including furniture and current reading material for waiting customers. There should always be relaxing music to maintain a relaxing environment. Salon equipment also includes paintings, pictures, etc. This should emit the atmosphere of the salon.

Let the Art of Shaving Take Care of Your Skin

For many men, shaving is something they don't really have to think seriously about. They see facial hair, they grab their trusty razor, maybe put some shaving cream on their face for a while, scrape away with their razor, wash everything off afterward, and off they go. Shaving is not an activity that they think twice about, and they certainly don't think about looking closely at the equipment they use and the substances they apply on their face and think, "Oh dear, this simply won't do." Shaving just becomes a basic, everyday activity that involves lopping off as much hair as possible without nicking yourself.
The founders of The Art of Shaving, Myriam Zaoui and Eric Malka, certainly weren't thinking along those lines. To them, shaving is not just about hair removal; it is a skin care ritual as well, which is why they developed plenty of products, from shaving brushes and razors to creams and oils, that elevate the very act of shaving. But it started not too long ago when Eric was looking for a soothing shaving oil for his sensitive skin, which Myriam was able to blend together. Today, The Art of Shaving serves many cities across many states, like California, Colorado, Florida, Ohio, and New York.
The Art of Shaving's accomplishments don't lie in its vast number of branches, but in its expertise in shaving matters, developing the 4 Elements of the Perfect Shave, which all work to give the shaver great skin: Prepare, which lets you soften your beard and prep your skin; Lather Up, using the best shaving creams and soaps to ensure a close shave; Shave, which reminds you to keep a light touch on the razor and to shave with the grain; and Moisturize, which involves using soothing balms and gels to revitalize the skin after the onslaught of the razor.
With its wide array of products, The Art of Shaving can definitely give you the best shave of your life, and good skin to boot.

Cosmetic Ear Surgery - What Issues Can it Correct?

We all have those little things we wish we could change about ourselves. We may wish we were taller, smarter, or thinner, that we had straighter teeth, lighter hair, less freckles, prettier eyes or, in some cases, less noticeable ears.
Though some of these issues we have no control over, others we do. For those bothered by the size, shape or position of their ears, cosmetic surgery offers an option. Otoplasty can address numerous aesthetic issues in children or adults. Though it cannot correct hearing problems, there are numerous common aesthetic issues this surgery can correct.
The most common issue otoplasty addresses is excessive protrusion from the head. This issue is often caused by excess cartilage and can be corrected in an outpatient procedure under local anesthesia. During the procedure, an incision is made behind the ear. The cartilage is then re-scuplted to a more desirable shape.
In some instances cartilage and skin are removed to create the desired effect. Though most effective in children, due to the malleability of cartilage in kids, the procedure can also be performed on adults and offers a high rate of patient satisfaction. Patients generally return home the day of the procedure, though small children sometimes spend the night in the hospital for observation.
Another common issue is a condition referred to as constricted or "cupped" ear. It occurs when the rim is constricted and tends to make the ear look unusually small. This deformity can range from mild to severe. Treatment options vary, depending upon the severity of the issue.
Microtia is a condition where both the internal and external ear does not fully develop. This is not only a cosmetic issue, but often impairs hearing as well. Though cosmetic options, such as prosthetics, do exist, reconstruction is favorable for numerous reasons. Reconstruction offers the benefit of some sensation while prosthetics do not.
Prosthetics are also often rejected by the body, which is not an issue with reconstruction. Reconstructed ears tend to be less noticeable than artificial options as well. Though reconstruction offers numerous benefits to those with microtia, it is a process which often takes several surgeries to complete.
Patients should be sure to research their surgeon well and choose an experienced reconstructive surgeon to ensure optimal results. As with other otoplasty procedures, microtia correction is commonly performed on children due to the malleability of the cartilage at that time and for emotional well-being of the child.
Macrotia-or excessive large ears, seems as though it should be a common enough complaint. And though many do believe their ears are too large, the problem is most often due to protrusion from the head rather than size.
Macrotia is actually a very rare condition. It is more common for a person to be born without an ear at all than to have macrotia. Though this deformity is a rare one, it can be surgically corrected. The re-sculpting process must be tailored to each patient's particular issues.
These are just a few of the many deformities that can be corrected with otoplasty. Cosmetic issues of this type can range from simple to complex, and while some are very noticeable, causing great self-consciousness an emotional pain, others are less so, needing no treatment at all.
As with any cosmetic procedure, otoplasty can offer great aesthetic benefits, but patients need to have realistic expectations about the results. Your goal should be improvement, not perfection.

Argan Oil - The Many Beauty Benefits

Argan Oil is produced starting from the green almonds of the fruit of the Argan tree, which grows only, in the arid and semi-arid regions of south-west of Morocco where it occupies a surface of 28.000 hectares.
The oil distributed is by the Tourza company, working with a co-operative of women from Takoucht. This company was created by Moroccan women to provide help to other women often alone and in difficulty.
It is collected by hand and takes forty kilos of fruits to obtain one litre of oil, about sixteen hours of work.
Argan Oil is therefore a rare, precious oil and has become famous for its many benefits. Its beauty secrets, although simple, have been known for centuries by the women of Morocco who have used it traditionally in the daily care of their care of skin and hair. It regenerates the skin, restarts the vital functions of the cells and the growth process, neutralizes free radicals and it is extremely nutritious.
Its benefits have been recognised worldwide with several scientific studies carried out particularly, in Europe. Its major biochemical components are unanimously recognized for their beneficial effects on health. Rich natural ingredients the oil plays a central role in the body's cellular renewal.
The 100% Argan oil hydrates, nourishes, regenerates, protects, and smooths the skin of your face and body. It regenerates cells, strengthens hair and the nails. It will also soften the visible traces of acne, spots, stretchmarks, burns and chicken pox.
Anti-Age Face Care: Used during the day and night the oil regenerates your skin, moisturises it and prevents early signs of aging increased by the external factors such as the sun, bad weather, the stress... The Oil is suitable for all types of skins. It is acts wonders on wrinkles, dry and stretched skin.
Nails and Hair Care: For dry and delicate hair, permed, dull or coloured hair it can be applied as a mask left for 2 hours before shampooing. Your hair will become flexible and glossy. Argan Oil also strengthens breakable or double nails.
Body Care: When used as a massage oil it hydrates, nourishes and softens the skin. It will also prevent the loss of elasticity.
The Oil has been turned into modern day cosmetic use. You can buy the 100% pure oil, a day cream, a night cream, a shower gel, shampoo, soaps and body scrubs

Healthy Facial and Body Care Away From Home

don't know about you, but I would love to have all of my favorite facial items (cleanser, moisturizer, toner, facial scrub) with me on each trip. However, in my quest to pack lightly and TSA's rules about limits on liquids, it is just not feasible to bring it all. But fortunately, these alternatives are all easy to create in a hotel room and I feel like I am putting healthier things on my face:
Facial scrub: Pick up a packet or two of white sugar. Rub this into your facial cleanser and voila! a facial scrub is created.
Body scrub: Add white sugar or raw (brown) sugar to the lotion provided by the hotel. Rub this on your body just before showering to create a nice body scrub that helps remove flaky skin.

A Look at Laser Hair Removal Cost - Is it Really Worth It?

When a consumer takes a look at laser hair removal cost today, they will probably wonder what the fuss is all about. Laser technology has been around for a long time, and now it is being used for more non-invasive cosmetic procedures than ever before. The popularity of these treatments over the conventional traditional ways of removal has the market flooded with many options of a relatively painless hair removal treatment. The best way to decide what options are the best for them, a consumer has to take a close look at laser removal cost and the benefits of it.
Before a person becomes a client or a consumer they should take in consideration of all cost and convenience beforehand. The dermatologist will charge you an initial consultant fee, and for several hair treatment sessions after that. Then there will be the touch-up sessions that will come around annually or biannually. This is the best treatment for the health conscious consumer who does not mind the big expense of an in-office treatment. Even with the added hardship of setting appointments, and navigating traffic, this type of consumer leaves it all to his licensed hair removal specialist.
The every so savvy consumer will turn their nose up at the tedious traffic hours, crowded waiting rooms and time consuming appointments. They will instead use the information from their dermatologist and or licensed hair removal specialist and take a look at laser hair removal cost for themselves.
Given the undesirable conventional razor burns, scarring, blistering, ingrown hairs and rashes a consumer runs into with shaving, waxing, plucking and using depilatory creams, one can hardly blame them for looking. These consumers are ready to save at any cost, but to do so while being well informed and aware of all warnings and side-effects.
A cost conscious consumer will look take a look at laser hair removal cost and go with the product that fits their need based on several factors. Consumers with lighter skin tones and light blonde to white hair should be aware that they may have to leave their hair removal treatment up to a professional licensed dermatologist. The high energy laser heat does not work real well on their skin and hair tone. Using a dermatologist might offset any cosmetic problems they might incur using a laser hair removal kit at home.
Consumers with darker skin tones and darker hair will have no problem finding the perfect laser treatment brand for use at home. The melanin presence in their skin will absorb more laser energy heat to aide in the removal of unwanted hair.
When consumers, no matter their financial preferences, take a look at laser hair removal cost the end results will no doubt be the best for what they paid for.

Epila Laser Hair Removal System - Does it Really Work

When I first heard about the Epila personal laser hair removal product, I was skeptical. I wondered whether the thing really worked, and I really wasn't that interested in buying it. But after trying a number of other products and getting frustrated with them, I decided to give the Epila personal laser hair remover a try, and I can tell you that it's really exceeding my expectations.
The reason I became interested in the product is because, as a Greek woman, I've always had some unwanted hair on my face, particularly above my lip, under my nose. It's not like I had a hardcore mustache or anything, but I did have some unwanted hair. It was a problem, and I wanted to solve it.
I've tried just about everything since the time I hit puberty. Liquids, foams, razors, gel, and even a professional hair removal clinic. But, frankly, nothing seemed to work. I needed a permanent solution, and I'd always heard laser removal would work, but I was afraid I couldn't afford it.
I bought the Epila laser hair removal product for just under $200. It arrived within a couple of days of ordering, and it included a two-month money-back guarantee. I liked that, and I liked the one-year warranty, too. (I thought for sure I would eventually be sending it back, but now...no way!) I'm keeping it.
I saw results within just a few treatments. Not only did it get rid of most of the hair on my face, it also seems to have slowed or eliminated the growth of new hair. No more unwanted hair...can you believe it?
I will say this: it had a little sting to it, but the sting was nothing worse than what you might expect if someone stung you with a rubber band. I'm not talking about like in grade school when someone snapped you hard with a rubber band. I would say it was more like what you might experience when you remove a rubber band from around a rolled up newspaper. A very small snap. Eventually, I didn't even notice it.
It got rid of all my unwanted hair. I no longer have the perplexing problem I had been plagued with for about 28 years. My husband says my face is smoother and prettier, and I think so, too. In fact, it worked so well on my face that I've begun using it on my legs. My husband is a body builder; so I bought one for him to use on his chest. It's working for him, too.

Do You Listen to Your Stylist?

If you ask anyone to list their priorities regarding their personal image, guaranteed their hair will be amongst the top three. For a lady it would probably be clothing, skin products and then hair while a man will probably include the 'wheels' he drives (it's a man thing). But here's the interesting thing - ask each person how much they budget for these priorities and, while it is true, some people spend as little as they can on clothing and skin care, Designer clothes and branded Cosmetics are successful for a very good reason - people invest in the benefits of wearing and using them.
The swing towards professional salon products has gone from being a closely kept 'salon secret' to a home care 'motor plan' to look after and maintain the cut, color, curl and condition of our 'crowning glory'. Quite simply, the role of hair has gone from a means of dragging the female back to the cave, to a fashion accessory which contributes greatly to the individual's self-image, self-confidence and ultimate success.
Today's hairstylists are adept artists skilled at creating a frame for your face that addresses the issues of, amongst others, aging, height, weight, lifestyle and sexuality. They are also armed with years of knowledge and experience from which their clients are given advice on the latest product development, cuts, coloring and styling techniques.On the other hand, today's clients are far more educated about pH balance between alkaline and acidity, the need for protein to strengthen hair and for moisture to nourish and minimize porosity and the importance of protecting hair from chemical, mechanical and environmental damage.
Products to look out for in some of the leading salons are L'Anza hair care products. Fully imported from the USA, this product sets a very high standard for product quality and performance. Another name taking the market by storm is Nioxin. Originally formulated to address the various forms of hair loss and thinning experienced by both men and women, Nioxin has recently expanded into products for the coarser, curly types of hair.

Automated Forex Trading Software - Learn What to Look For When Choosing a Program

There is no denying that a Forex trading program has certainly got its uses for the working trader, offering data analysis and probability rating that can help to make his or her mind up on whether or not to make a prospective trade. It's not hard to understand why thy have become popular, even amongst the veteran traders who were doing everything themselves until recently.

One of the biggest advantages is in getting up-to-date information on market developments almost as soon as they occur. This allows the trader to bend with the market, and in so doing seize on new opportunities or avoid sudden, unexpected losses. Having your finger on the pulse is a vital component in successful trading.

But there are factors to consider before purchasing a Forex software package, which will help of ease the complexity of choosing just one from the multitude of packages available.
First of all, is the software package you are looking at really as good as it claims to be? Do your research to learn if there have been any complaints about it. The best way to find out for yourself is to test it using a demo account.

Another upshot of this is that you get to familiarize yourself with the software before actually buying it. You will need to read the indicators accurately and also test how user-friendly the system is. There is little point in buying a package that is complicated to you.
So, besides the actual performance results of the software you will also get to know if it is as user friendly to you as you might have thought. This is important since, just like working with a partner, working with a Forex trading software package can see you to successful times.

Can You Be Friends With Your Ex Girlfriend?

Being friends with your ex might seem simple at first. After all, you know each other well. You have common interests, and share many memories. Such a friendship might be easy at first, but in the long run, you'll start seeing the difficulties that arise when two people who used to date try to remain friendly with each other. Even if you can get a handle on the internal issues of your friendship, there will always be external forces trying to destroy it from the outside. It's tough to stay friends after the two of you have known each other on such intimate levels.
The following issues will inevitably arise when you try to remain friends with your ex, after breaking up:
You're in Still Love With Your Ex Girlfriend - No matter what happened to end your relationship, the breakup had to initially be someone's idea. One of you got dumped, and the other was the dumpee. If you were the one who got the short end of the stick, you could easily still be in love with your ex. Staying close with her just because she said "let's be friends" might've seemed like a great option for keeping her around when you really weren't ready to let her go. Waiting and hoping that your friendship will develop back into a romance is never a good idea, and will only serve to hurt your feelings. If you're looking to get back together with your ex, you need to take active steps toward winning her back... not sitting around in a friendship role waiting for that magic moment. Such a moment only comes in the movies.
Your Ex Still Loves You - If it was your girlfriend who got let go, she's going to still have strong feelings for you. Any girl that remains friends with you after you dump her is trying to rebuild the relationship the two of you once had. She's crossing her fingers and hoping you come back to her. Every word you say, every move you make... she's analyzing these things in hopes of seeing the sparks of romance. She might seem friendly, happy, and totally cool - but over time she's expecting something to happen. If and when it doesn't, she's going to begin to resent you for it.
You Begin Dating Again - No matter how great your post-breakup friendship seems to be going, it's going to shatter the moment you tell your new "friend" that you've started dating another girl. She's going to smile and act happy, wish you the best, and generally ham up that friendship role. But inside she's going to be insanely jealous, and wanting you to fail. As you start spending more time with this girl and less time with her, she'll feel rejected and hurt. To top it off, your new girlfriend isn't going to be too happy when you announce that you're still friends with your ex. Think she wants you hanging out with a girl you slept with and had an intimate history with? Of course not. Which is why you'll either lie to her and keep your friendship on the sly, or you'll do it openly and sabotage your chances with your new girlfriend.
Your Ex Girlfriend Is Seeing Another Guy - The opposite of the above situation is even worse, for you anyway. The happy friendship you've established with your exgirlfriend will come to an abrupt halt the second she's involved with another man. As she starts spending time with him she'll begin ditching you almost completely. Jealously will follow, either because you still love her or because you miss seeing her... or even both. And will she tell her new man that she's good friends with you, a guy she dated and slept with dozens of times? Probably not. Because if she did, this guy would keep her as far away from you as possible, and give you dirty looks every time you were around each other. This leads to secrets, more jealousy, and a lot of awkwardness. All of these things will pick away at the friendship.
You Start Sleeping With Your Ex - It doesn't matter which of you initiates it, the moment you take your friendship to an intimate level again you've complicated things ten times as much. Sex with your exgirlfriend will be exciting and fun, and the two of you will have a great time... for a while, anyway. But eventually feelings will rise to the surface that will cause one of you to resent the other. Why? Because no matter how equal or mutual you think your break up was, one of you will want something more than friendship. One of you felt slighted when it came to breaking up, and that person still wanted the relationship to continue. Whether it's you or her, one of you will eventually feel used and this will damage the friendship. And what happens when one or both of you starts dating again? Can you suddenly stop the sex and continue the friendship? Or will you keep that part of your relationship going, in secret?
The question of can you be friends with your ex girlfriend is a tough one, but ultimately the answer has to be no. You can't stay friendly with someone you still love... or who still loves you. Be honest with yourself. If you want to get back with your ex girlfriend, don't use friendship as an excuse to stick around - or as a tool to break your way back into her heart. Reject the friendship path and try for love again. You may have to risk being hurt, but trying to fix your break up is always better than pretending to be friends. If you really want your ex back in your arms again, you have to aim for something more

Monday, August 3, 2009

10 Ways to Win More Friends and Be More Popular

There is a world of people out there just waiting to get to know you. That may seem implausible, but it is true. There are many people who would like you and want to be your friend if they only knew you. And so, part of winning more friends and being popular is getting out there and meeting more people. There are several other ways to win more friends and be more popular but let's start right there.
1. Get out and meet new people Of course, you can make friends with people you have met and had a little to do with for years. But the chances are that if you have known them a while and you still don't count them as friends, they aren't the kinds of people with whom you would want to strike up a friendship. That means, to make more friends, you have to get out and meet new people. Find a new interest or hobby and get out to relevant gatherings so that you can meet like-minded people.
2. Strike up conversations Talking with a stranger can be difficult, but until you have had a conversation with them, you can't know whether or not you like them. You can't make them your friend without talking with them. This is easier if you have met over some mutual interest, like at a concert, sports meet or club. If you have met someone this way, you already know that they share a mutual interest with you so you can talk about that. Even if you just make a comment about what you think on the topic, the chances are that they will reply with a comment of their own, and then you have started a conversation and you're on the way to becoming friends.
3. Be a good listener Friendship is based upon communication. That is a two-way street. So, as well as having to be able to start conversations if you want to win more friends and be more popular, you have to be able to listen to the answers that you get so you can respond to them appropriately.Conversations need to be two-way processes. In order to make friends, you have to get to know people quite well, and you can only really do that by not only talking to them, but by listening to what they say to you. In order to have the confidence to talk to people and to have them ask you questions too, you have to:
4. Like yourself Again, you may not find this easy, especially if you have had a lot of negative feedback in your life, but you need to do it. It sounds like a cliché, but if you want other people to like you, you really do have to like yourself first. If you like yourself, you will project yourself differently and deal with people in quite a different way to how you would if you didn't like yourself. If you are negative or down on yourself, you are more likely to evoke feelings of pity rather than friendship. So, learn to like yourself and make it easier for other people to like you and be your friend. Start with finding just one thing that you like about yourself. Make as much as you can of this attribute and let it buoy up your confidence.
5. Know yourself If you are truly going to like yourself and not compromise on your happiness in order to say you have friends, you need to know a few things about yourself. You need to be honest with yourself about what your ideas, values and beliefs are. Are some of these beliefs blocking you from making friends? These could be all manner of things: offensive ideas, negative self-beliefs which stop you talking to people etc. On the other hand, are there ideas and beliefs which you really hold dear and don't want to change? These things should be reserved in your personality even as you seek friends. It would also be a good starting point to think of finding potential friends who share these ideas, too.
6. Smile If you smile at people, it helps to make them feel more important and valued. People like and respect people who value them, so you will appear much more positively in their eyes if you smile at them. Smiling makes it look like you are having fun, and consequently, as if you would be fun to know. People will be attracted to that and want to get to know you better. They may even be intrigued and wonder what your secret of happiness is!
7. Stay true to yourself Part of liking yourself and being able to smile openly and be receptive to new friends is in staying true to yourself. You can't really like yourself if you change yourself to fit in with the 'in' crowd, doing things that you don't agree with. So don't do it! Having found what you like about yourself, keep it that way. Of course you can adapt slightly. Friendships, like all relationships, require adaptation to another person, but in doing that, you shouldn't lose sight of who you are. You shouldn't do things you don't agree with, just to make friends. They aren't the right friends for you if you need to change yourself that much for them to like you.
8. Be selective about your friends More friends are not necessarily better than good friends. With good friends, they will know the real you and like you for who you are. They will share your interests and at least some of your opinions. Those are the people who will make you happy, so choose your friends with care. Don't be talked into doing things you don't want to do, just to have their approval.
9. Put yourself out for people True friends don't just make small talk. They help each other. So, if you want to be more popular, you should be there for the bad times as well as the good. If you have a friend who needs you, you should be willing to help them. It may be as simple as giving someone a heartfelt compliment. That will make them feel good and make them want to be friendly with you. Of course, there is no need to compromise your standards or to bankrupt yourself to help a friend. Sometimes all that is necessary is for you to be there to listen to them as they tell you their troubles. Sometimes they may call on you for practical as well as emotional support. Good friends give this support to each other.
10. Give friendship time to develop Friendship isn't born in one or two conversations. It develops over time. Trying to force the issue of friendship will actually push people further away from being your friend.
Relax and trust that you are someone worthy of friendship. Smile and appear as if you are open to friendship by talking to people and listening to what they say to you. Look for friends in the people who share your interests and stay true to yourself. You will soon attract people to you and develop friendships with them. Let it happen!

Making Friends With Sincerity in Mind

There is a big difference between general acquaintances, of which we all have 100s if not 1000s, and true friends. Then there are all sorts of various levels of friends as well. Still, we never know which acquaintances will become our friends and which ones won't. This means that if we really want to insure that those potential true friends and these friendships reach their full-potential, we must start out each conversation and encounter with every acquaintance with sincerity.
This does not mean we need to reveal a lot of facts about ourselves, but it means we need to approach the dialogues with integrity and realism. All too often people put on huge fronts, and storylines that are simply falsehoods and as folks drift closer together these fake stories are unsustainable. This is something that happens a lot in dating, when each party puts forth an image, generally more favorable than is actually the case.
Perhaps, it is their need to be respected and liked by the other party, but unfortunately it leads them further and further from the truth. Eventually, the day of reckoning will be more painful than the thought of never seeing the person again. In this case both parties lose, haven fallen for a pipe dream fantasy and a serious of half-truths and lies. The best policy to prevent this is one I recommend to those who are in search of new friends; honesty is the best policy, so always choose your friends wisely and reciprocate with sincerity or walk away. Please consider all this.

Your Ex Girlfriend Wants to Be Friends - Why It's a Good Sign

"Can we still be friends?"
Sounds sweet, doesn't it? The truth of the matter though, is that you're about to schooled by one of the oldest lines in the history of breaking up. Your ex is effectively saying "I like you, but not enough to continue dating you." At least not right now.
When your ex offers to be friends with you, she's dangling a carrot. If she's the one who ended things, she knows you still love her. Instead of letting you go, she's stringing you along for her own selfish reasons. Being friends with you is the perfect way of breaking up s-l-o-w-l-y, so she doesn't have to feel any pain. Your ex gets to see you, talk to you, email and text you - perhaps even still hang out with you. She gets all the social and emotional benefits of having you around, but without any of the drawbacks associated with a full commitment.
You on the other hand, get to pretend that you're happy with such an arrangement. Right now you're afraid to tell her otherwise, for fear of losing her. So you sit gladly by, "being there" for her, maybe even watching as your ex starts dating other guys. Every time you watch her kiss a new boyfriend, your stomach lurches... but there's not much you can do. Why? Because you've pulled up a front row seat in the dreaded Friend Zone.
Understand something. If your ex offers friendship after a break up, she's not over your relationship yet. You can use this knowledge to quickly draw her back, before she moves on with someone else.
So how do you get your ex girlfriend back? By not playing the nice little friendship role she created for you. Instead, refuse your ex girlfriend's offer of friendship when she gives it... or if you've already accepted it, you can throw it away right now. Tell her something like:
"Look, I can't be friends with you. I love you too much. If you and I can't date, we can't be buddies either. Sorry, but it has to be this way".
Give her one last hug, and then slowly walk away. Disappear for a while. Don't make any ex girlfriend contact, including phone calls, emails, or any of that stuff. Don't even update your Facebook page - you want to remain a complete, silent mystery to your ex... at least for a while. Make her have to face the break up all on her own, without you holding her hand through it.
Here's where your ex needs to make a choice - either she goes out with you, or she loses you completely. You've let her know you're not going to settle for half a relationship, and she'll actually respect you for it. While she's debating whether or not she needs you in her life, she'll also be worried as to what you're doing. Are you with someone? Are you moving on without her? This kind of thinking will hasten her decision, which is why not knowing anything about where you are right now is so important.
If your ex loves you at all, she'll quickly miss you. Once you've got that, getting your ex back becomes easy. There are ways of re-establishing a connection with your girlfriend that will lead back to romance. But never settle for friendship... not when you're looking for something entirely different.

Your Self Talk and Self Belief As a Teen

How do you perceive yourself? You are not meant to be like abyone else, but yourself. There is something profound and life transforming, once you discover and find out what and why you exist. You should know that there is more to you as an individual teen than you know and understand or have been told.
You are not born with the label of a champion or loser; you make yourself into one of them. We have all been created with the power to walk and talk to ourselves in the way we perceive who we are and whose we are. Do you believe that you can have all you want, become what you want to be, go wherever you want to go and touch as many lives you want to touch?
Your self-belief and self-talk are the two most important ingredients for your successful life. You can talk yourself into being spectacular at your everyday endeavors, to do more, achieve more and talk yourself into wealth, health and great joy. Your self-talk is highly instrumental in your life, because it is that still small voice, which lives with you everyday and at all times. Imagine this little voice nagging you to victory, to learn more, to achieve in your academics day in and day out. This voice of victory is only possible once you have purposefully trained it to do so. It can be telling you how great an over comer you are, how you are surrounded by thousands of angels waiting for your command and how the whole of heaven is cheering you on to your highest potential and level.
Now let us paint another scenario, where this same little voice has been trained in a destructive way. The very time you wake up from bed you feel you are a loser, you go about your daily routine with no liveliness or expectancy and you have no self-belief or are ignorant of the powers available to aid you. You simply walk and talk according to the way you feel, but I am here to tell you that do not let your feelings dictate to you because they change all the time and are very unreliable.
You need to understand that you are not alone even though most times it may seem as if you are alone. When you are asleep, are you able to look after yourself? Are you not aware a super force out there keeps a constant watch over you? Have you not also noticed that there is a higher power that holds the whole world together? That is the same force that is in charge of your very life - GOD.
Walk and talk in that awareness. Be not ignorant of who you are and of what your purpose is, in life. Your life on its own without any achievement is great testament of your maker. You are created in his glory, even when all does not seem to go your way or as planned, remember there is always a light at the end of the tunnel. Then again if not sure what to do, try and take the first step and the rest of the stairs will enfold before your very eyes.

Can You Be Too Helpful a Helper When Starting Your Internet Business?

The problem with having people under you as you start your Internet business is knowing when to let go and allow people to learn by their mistakes. Does anyone else feel disconcerted by that phrase?
I expect there are some parents ( of whom I am not one ) reading this who will have some idea of what I mean. There will also be people from other walks of life who are in professions where they have responsibility for ensuring people mature in a safe manner. In my case, this refers to my training and experience as an approved driving instructor.
I'm not sure that there is actually a specific piece of advice to this problem so perhaps the best thing is to show how I deal with such situations. I have detailed three stages of action below for when you start to recruit people in your Internet business.
1. Speak to your new recruit on the phone in order to ascertain their level of knowledge and skills. You can then ask them to send in e mails of any queries they may have which you will deal with on , say, an every other day basis to begin with. Give specific instructions to help them get up and running, especially if the system is complicated. You can, of course, use auto responders to keep them informed.
2.Start to move away from having a too hands on approach by responding to questions in a more Socratic way - that is to say, if they ask a question and you think they should be able to work out the answer for them self, then ask another question back which will lead them towards their own answer. I understand that Socrates only ever answered a question with another question - if you value your life, I would take this with a pinch of salt. Frankly, he sounds to me like an irritating sort of guy but I'm sure you get the picture.
3. Begin introducing them to Internet forums and any technical support channels that may be open to them as well as encouraging further self and professional development through reading, DVD's and courses etc. Reduce the e mail replies to about once a fortnight.
A less conventional idea ( but one which I've found helps people gain confidence ) is for you to ask them to help you with something that you know they are competent with. Only ask if you're sure they will be able to help so that they begin to feel appreciated and valued. Nothing brings on a person's self esteem/learning more than that - believe me! It is through developing people's self esteem that they will grow confidently and perform to their best.
Once you've let go sufficiently - your relationship may become one more of a business partnership than student and mentor but what happens when they make a mistake - which they will do one day - assuming your clients are human beings? My answer is always to make it clear that mistakes should not be taken personally and we all make them ( well, I do ) and that the situation should be corrected as soon as possible to limit the damage. You can be there for them as moral support, but try to encourage them to sort out their own problem - even if it's easier to do it for them! This is often where the use of Socratic questioning mentioned above comes in to its own. That is to say where some level of knowledge on the subject is already held.
And, on that note, I shall leave you with the question of how you are going to use the above pointers to solve said paradox of being too helpful a helper when starting your Internet business.
If you're interested in joining me as you start an Internet Business in less than a week, then please come to my website where you can get involved straight away or request more information.
Hoping to hear from you soon.
Hilary Hughes

Running a Business Well in a Recession

There are many businesses that survive and even thrive in a recession. How you run your business will make the difference between surviving the economic downturn and having to close your doors for good.
One important step is to not try and save money by cutting your advertising budget. Good advertising is not a luxury; it is a necessity to keep your business afloat. You may need to re-evaluate your advertising, but you should not cut the budget drastically.
Your competition is probably cutting their marketing budget so you may be able to take advantage of this weakness. If you work with a marketing professional you may even be able to grow your business during the recession. Just keep a cool head and do not panic and start making cuts. As your competition does less and less advertising your advertising will become more effective.
One way to cut your budget is to use outsourcing for any work that you can. You really do not need a full time bookkeeper if you can hire a freelancer to do the work in twenty hours a week or less. It may seem harsh to let people go, but that is just business. If you want to survive sometimes you have to make hard decisions. Many jobs can be done by freelance workers for a drastically reduces price. Freelancers can do everything from your secretarial work to making sales calls for you. Thanks to the internet you can have staff from all over the world working in a virtual workplace.

Taking Advantage of Business Opportunities in the Senior Service Industry

According to a recent United Nations Study, the older population is growing at a faster rate than the world's total population. It is predicted that by 2050, older persons will make up more that 50% of the populations in western, developed nations, including The United States. As our beloved seniors leave the work force, there are not enough younger replacements. In addition, our need for elder care and senior services is rising faster than we can come up with solutions. Older women outnumber older men by a landslide.
This is not meant to be a doom and gloom report. On the contrary, what I am saying is that where there is a tremendous need, there is also tremendous opportunity for creating new services. Not only are the seniors themselves going to need help; their loved ones will need help and support too.
It's only going to get bigger.
Right now, a senior and/or their concerned family members have to navigate through a myriad of agencies and referral services to find housing, medical care and ancillary services. Navigating Medicare, Part B can be a real trip down Alice's Rabbit hole! The adult children of seniors often live far away and/or can't help.
The opportunity lies in creating a one stop service that will address all the needs of seniors and their families. Companies that create a one stop shopping service where seniors and their families can get all their needs met will be tapping in to an ever growing client base.
What do Seniors need now and what will they need later?
1. Help deciding if they can remain safely in their own home. 2. Knowledge of home safety products available 3. Help finding senior services of all kinds 4. Protection from Elder Care Abuse 5. Help finding affordable housing 6. Someone to help navigate through the government bureaucracy of Medicare and Social Security. 7. Help disposing of unwanted property 8. Social Interaction 9. Protecting their legacy 10. Protecting their finances 11. Keeping in touch with family 12. Transportation 13. Good Health 14. Home Care
There are so many opportunities in the Senior Service industry. While answering the call to help Seniors, we can also create amazing business opportunities too. Ask anyone who works with seniors and they will tell you that it is a truly rewarding experience.
Anyone who works with seniors has realized that many of their needs are just now being acknowledged. Industry has not yet caught up with the market opportunities of this rapidly growing population.
Those already in the senior care industry need to look beyond what they currently offer and expand their services to meet the needs of their clients. Opportunities abound.

Good Computer Maintenance - Part One

Normally we think of maintenance as a chore, something we have to do to keep things running smoothly and prevent problems down the road, whether with our car, house, or computer. But with a PC, maintenance can actually be fun ... approached from the right perspective. Automatic Updates The "joy" of computer maintenacne takes many forms. These days, automation is the byword. Operating systems such as Microsoft Windows and Symantec's Norton Interenet Security let you automatically keep crucial parts of your computer system up to date. It's fun to watch the technology keep tabs on itself. The security vulnerablilites of Windows are legion, and this forces you to download patches and updates if you want to minimuze your exposure to hackers seeking to break into your system over the Internet. You can run Windows Update periodically through Microsoft Internet Explorer, which automatically detects which versions of Windows components you currently have installed and, by checking with Microsoft's site, which have newer versions. Or, if you are running Windows XP Home Edition, you can automate things even further by directing Windows to check for "critical updates" by itself at the frequency and time of your choosing. From the Control Panel, go to System and click Automatic Updates to specify your settings. Website Updates You can keep your other software up to date by periodically checking the Websites of the respective manufacturers. Typically, by pulling down the program's Help menu, you will quickly be directed to the site. But the Website VersionTracker (www.techtracker.com/products) does something similar with multiple programs, for free, whether you have a Windows PC or a Mac. The ad-supported site has 30,000 programs in its database. Pay versions, starting at $24.95, automatically alert you when new updates of programs that you're using become available. Using Utilities Staying up to date is crucially important these days in keeping the bad guys away from your computer and those using it. A good utility suite for this is Norton Internet Security (www.symantec.com), which combines such crucial tools as a firewall, anti-virus program, porn-blocker, spam filter, spyware detector, and pop-up ad blocker. If you use the program, make sure you let its LiveUpdate feature automatically keep your virus definitions and other components up to date. Symantec's other utility suite, Norton SystemWorks, is less useful, and if you need system tools more powerful than those provided by Windows itself, a better package overall is V Communications' SystemSuite (www.v-com.com). SystemSuite includes tools for preventing and recovering from hard disk crashes, recovering accidentally erased files, completely uninstalling programs you no longer need, and completely shredding sesitive files. It also has an excellent file manager, PowerDesk, that makes quicker work of copying, moving, deleting, and otherwise manipulating files than Windows Explorer. With today's large and fast hard drives and more efficient operating systems, one maintenance task that's no longer as necessary is disk defragmenting. When working with files over time, they invariably wind up stored in places at different locations on your hard disk. Running a defragmenter gathers up the pieces and places them together in one contiguous location. Recent testing by the computer magazine PC World, however, showed that defragging no longer improves performance the way it used to. It still makes sense to defrag once in a while, though unless it's for a network file server, there's usually no need to buy a separate program for this beyond what comes with Windows itself. So in all ... even automated maintenance can be fun in that it is automated and can leave you more time for other endevours. About the Author: Marv Ko has many years of experience in business, marketing, security, writing, and varied hobbies. He is is the senior editor of www.upublish.info ... your source for free original content articles. Authors always wanted!

The Wonderful Future Of Cell Phones

The popularity of the mobile phones is constantly on the rise like a snow ball. There are numerous reasons for that and they are well beyond mere communicating with each other. The development of the cell phones and technology in the past decade along with social and cultural processes as well as sharp decrease in prices contributed to their phenomenon success. Cell phones have long become a symbol of status as well as a fashion statement. Some manufacturers have started to produce special designed phones for women. Other models are designed with interchangeable facades to cater for the youngsters. A lot of young people are transferring their instant-messaging habits to their cell phones. The integration of so many different functionalities and technologies into the cell phones is more impressive and beneficial than the all-in-one office devices that integrated a scanner, a copier, a fax and a printer into a single compact space saving multifunctional machine. The current generation of G-2.5 technology as well as the very near future G-3 units that are starting to emerge right now will carry in it so many functions which are mind blowing. These new Cell phones are going to be a multimedia center, a mobile office, a navigation device GPS (Global Positioning system), a computer with fast Internet access, a text messenger, a high resolution camera and video, a watch, a calculator, a PDA, an MP3 music player, TV and a Wallet! Yes, we will be able to pay with it for things we today pay with coins like vending soda or coffee machines as well as for parking space, trains and buses tickets etc’. It has become our “Swiss Army Knife”... In Israel they used the cell phone to send SMS message and approval for one dollar donation payment for needy children. I guess that in the future it will be a legitimate tool for voting in contests and may be even in Elections. Writing in the Wall Street Journal, an executive for a wireless company noted that “in Slovakia, people are using mobile phones to remotely switch on the heat before they return home,” and in Norway, “1.5 million people can confirm their tax returns” using cell phone short text messaging services. Paramedics use camera phones to send ahead to hospitals pictures of the incoming injuries; “in Britain, it is now commonplace for wireless technology to allow companies to remotely access meters or gather diagnostic information.” Construction workers on-site can use cell phones to send pictures to contractors off-site. Combined with the individual use of cell phones—to make appointments, locate a friend, check voicemail messages, or simply to check in at work—cell phones offer peoplean unknown level of convenience. (Source: The New Atlantis – Article by Christine Rosen). Other interesting applications are providing a locating service of your friends, or in other words if one of your friends is very close to where you are right now an SMS massage can alert you of this fact. Cell phones and Dating Services Several companies now offer a way to flirt and meet people anonymously. These services offer cell-to-cell texting and PC-to-cell texting. (Text-messaging phones also can receive messages sent over the Internet from a PC.) Companies including UPOC (Universal Point of Contact) and SMS.ac allow users to fill out a profile as they would at any dating service (some dating sites are dabbling with texting) and then search for an ideal match. Profiles can include photos and can be accessed either with a picture-enabled cell phone or through a PC. Say you want to meet a 20- to 30-year-old man in Kentucky who is interested in hiking. Do a search and three names pop up. You can send one a text message without ever exposing your phone number Cell phones as safety device One of the main reasons the cell phones have become so wide spread nowadays is that besides convenience it is perceived as a security and safety aid, Parents provide their children with mobile phones in order to track their whereabouts, to make sure they arrived safely to their destinations, to give them a mobile phone to report in real time when in any sort of trouble. Many women feel much safer in the street knowing they can call for help when in need.

The Possibility of Happiness

The Dalai Lama speaks about happiness as being the purpose of each of us. We all want to be happy. Happiness is also your choice to pursue. You can choose to let circumstances in life get you down or you can choose to be happy no matter what challenges life brings. It is matter of training your mind because happiness is already within each of us. For some reason, though, we often forget that happiness is an internal process and, instead, allow outside forces determine our happiness.
You must make a decision to follow a path to happiness in order to attain it. The following are several strategies to help you in your journey:
When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. A basic fact of life is that suffering exists. You cannot avoid it. But you don't have to let your troubles and problems put you off balance and hold you back from attaining happiness. Training your mind to focus on positive mental states is the first step towards cultivating happiness within yourself. There will always be problems in life and annoyances brought on by others. This is not a perfect world. You can, however, choose your reaction to situations and train your mind to focus on the positive side of things and work at seeing the good in people and circumstances.
Find something you love to do. Do you have a lifelong dream or desire? If you do, there is no time like the present to start working toward it. By creating a plan and taking slow and steady steps towards making your dream a reality, you will soon begin to feel like you are accomplishing something. And with practice, you'll discover that you have the patience and determination to reach your goal, especially because it is something that's important to you.
Discover your purpose in life. One reason many people are unhappy is that they are not doing what they are called to do with their unique gifts. An unspecified purpose in life can often leave you frustrated and lacking direction with everything you do. Discovering what your purpose is can be an adventure in itself and a journey well worth taking! If you don't already know your life purpose, take the time to reflect on what it may be. Then make sure everything you do lines up with this purpose.
When you're feeling down, do something about it. So often, people become unhappy and depressed when life throws them curve balls. But the truth is that you don't have to remain in these unpleasant and negative states. Conditioning your mind to replace negative thoughts with more positive ones requires discipline and practice. But it is certainly possible to train the mind for happiness. You just have to decide to take the first step.
Think about all the things you have to be thankful for in life. Spending time by yourself and reflecting upon your life is another positive step toward achieving happiness. Often we get so caught up in what's wrong in life that we forget to look at what is right and good. Do you have children, family, good friends to be thankful for? They may not be everything you would like them to be but can you imagine your life without them. And what about your health? If you enjoy good health, this is another aspect of your life to be thankful for. What about your current job? Perhaps it's not your dream job, but given the economic times, those of us who do have a job should be thankful.
Practice the steps above and condition your mind to replace negative mental states with positive ones. Developing a meditation practice can help you recognize negative mental states as soon as they arise. Over time and with practice, you will be better able to replace these unhealthy and negative mental states with happier and more positive ones.
Starting from this moment onward, make a conscious decision to be happy! Once you decide that you want to be happy there will be no turning back. What's more, living your life focused on achieving happiness can renew your passion for life and enable you to be the best you can be.

Women Artists - Painting Nude Females and Males With a Changed Perspective

When we go to the exhibitions of figurative paintings, we find mostly the artworks that depict nude females. And surprisingly most of the painters who paint these nudes are men. In most of these paintings the curvy parts of female bodies are depicted for visible purpose of attracting the attention of viewers. Very often this type of depiction is meant to satisfy the voyeurism of the viewers, and not the persons who are really interested in the art of painting. such paintings have used the nude female body as an object and not as a subject of artistic depiction.
However with more women painters entering in this art of painting nude females and males, the scenario has changed drastically. The female nudes painted by women artists look like subject of the paintings, instead of the object for looking at.
A woman artist also paints the breasts and other body parts of the women models, but there is a wide valley of difference in her painting them, so far as the basic attitude of taking nude female body as an object is concerned.
While seeing such paintings, a person with artistic eyes would not find that these paintings of nude female are painted only as an object for looking at. Women artists choose nude females as subjects of her artistic depiction; and they mostly remain faithful to the main road of the art without going on to the by-lanes. While painting her models, a woman artist honours the female body by painting all the delicacies and beauties the nude body possesses.
For reading similar articles with images you may visit the following links:

I Miss You 182 - An Analysis of I Miss You by Blink 182

We know that Blink 182 has always been considered the fun-loving, silly, pop rock boys in the mainstream charts, but with the release of their self-titled album, a new side of Blink 182 was revealed. The song I Miss You expresses most of this dark feeling that are consistent for the entire album. Even the music videos from this album were no longer bright and full of slapstick comedy, but raw, intense, and dismal.
The lyrics ofI Miss You are quite simple to understand, but it's this simplicity that creates such a powerful connection between the band and its listeners. And even though the emotions are predictable when someone hears I Miss You , the metaphorical imagery isn't. After analyzing a lot of Blink 182's work, I've found that Mark Hoppus has a better grip on creating witty phrases with high relevance to the subject matter as opposed to Tom Delonge. Of course, Delonge has shown quite a bit of his more poetic side since playing with Angels and Airwaves.
I Miss You 182 Lyrics
Blink 182's words set a very dismal mood for I Miss You right from the beginning. When Hoppus sings "Hello there, the angel from my nightmare. The shadow in the background of the morgue" he's trying to express the feeling of being alone and having his mind terrorized by this ghostly image. Most likely, this image is a female from a broken relationship. He continues with "The unsuspecting victim of darkness in the valley. We can live like Jack and Sally if we want, where you can always find me and we'll have Halloween on Christmas..." relating his strange forgotten love to the characters Jack Skellington and Sally from Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas.
I really believe adding that movie relation was a risky movie. Personally, when I hear lyrics that make obvious references to movie characters, I start to think twice about that particular band. I start analyzing how well their lyrical skills are and most of the time I realize that most of their material, musical or lyrical, sometimes isn't as original as I had once thought. Of course Blink 182 isn't in an danger of losing their powerful status as pop rock legends. It was risky business to make that connection, but I Miss You really uses that metaphor well.
Tom Delonge's verse from I Miss You is not as charming in its emotional references. His verse reflects the horrible pain one feels from everyday occurrences that never had meaning until their mate was gone. When Delonge says "This sick strange darkness comes creeping on so haunting every time" he's mentioning how odd and frightening it is to feel alone. One could assume that this song might be about the termination of a long relationship. Blink 182
Honestly, I don't understand how the "indecision to call" can be related to spiders catching things and eating their insides. I guess that's why I sometimes feel that continues with "...And as I stared I counted webs from all the spiders, catching things and eating their insides like indecision to call you and hear your voice of treason" which is a really great bit of imagery there.Blink 182 uses imagery and comparisons purely for the surface layer. I mean really, it's difficult to have an entirely different concept for ever song a band decides to write. Eventually bands double up on content, or use phrases and words for the quick appeal. I think that's what's happening in that line of I Miss You.
The rest of the song's interpretation can be subjugated, but I think the lyric's intentions are obvious when Blink 182 repeats "I Miss You" more than a dozen times. Overall, this song is simple, but oozes substance much like the rest of Blink 182's works. And it's a very strong representation of the style used throughout their self-titled album.

Music and the Human Brain - Book Review

Have you ever noticed that folks that have a musical background happen to be smarter than other people? Scientists, neurologists, and clinical psychologists have noted this and there is very strong evidence that this is not a fluke, but that there is a very real reason as to why this is, that goes deep into the biological human system, even down to the cell level.
Indeed, rather than me explain all this to you, perhaps I might recommend an extremely telling book on this very topic. The book is by a University Researcher that has dedicated much of his own life to studying all this. The name of the book is:
"This is Your Brain on Music; The Science of Human Obsession" by Daniel J. Levitin; Penguin Book Group; New York, NY; 2006. ISBN: 978-0-452-28852-2
You will learn about the biorhythms of the human body, as well as the brain frequencies and resonance that is part of our very essence, and you will discover the secrets to the biological vibrational energy within the human body. The human psyche is very much attached to the resonance of music, and it is not by accident. This is why zoologists have also found that "music calms the nature of wild animals."
Ever wonder why people tap their pencils or tap their feet, or why we listen to music, sing tunes in our heads or why we get some silly jingle stuck in our brain? The answers to all these questions and more are in this work. Learn why music is so enjoyable to us, and why we love our music so much. Please consider buying this book, reading it, and considering all the ramifications of its findings

Sunday, August 2, 2009

Ballroom Dancing - A Brief History

When you think of Ballroom dancing, you generally think of flowing gowns and dark tuxedos. You also think of beautiful, willowy, women and tall, dark, handsome men waltzing their way around the dance floor. However, ballroom dance is not just the Waltz, it is a lot more. From the elegant and stately waltz, a hot, sultry and sexy Tango or Paso Doble, or a good bit of lively fun like the Fox Trot, Jive or Quick Step, ballroom dancing is all of these.
Technically, ballroom dancing is defined as "Any of various, usually social dances in which couples perform set moves". However, the word "ball" (not the child's toy) comes from the Latin "ballare" meaning to dance and forms the base for the word ballroom (a room for dancing), ballet (a dance), and ballerina (a dancer).
Ballroom dancing was very popular among the gentry (or upper class) of England, in the late 18th and early 19th centuries and didn't really catch on with the working class until the late 19th and early 20th century.
It wasn't until the early 1920's that competitive ballroom dancing began gaining popularity. As a result, the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing (formerly known as The Imperial Society of Dance Teachers) formed a Ballroom Branch whose function was to standardize the ballroom dances.
Today, modern ballroom dancing revolves around five dances comprising: the Modern Waltz; the Viennese Waltz; the Slow Foxtrot; Tango; and the Quickstep.
Latin American ballroom is short for Latin and American - not a reference to Latin countries and its dances are the Samba; Rumba; Paso Doble; Cha-Cha; and the Jive.
The modern ballroom dances all involve a couple dancing in a closed hold and vary in tempo (beats per minute) and rhythm (structure). A closed hold involves 5 bodily points of contact between the couple. Three of these points involve the hands, the males left hand holding the females right, the females left hand on top of the males right upper arm (for the Tango the females hand would go behind his arm) and the males right hand on the females back resting on her left shoulder blade. The other two points of contact are the females left elbow resting on the males right elbow and the right side of the females chest touching the right side of the males chest. This dance posture provides a very elegant look as the couple floats across the dance floor and has its origins in the European royal courts.
There is some conjecture that the right side-to-right side contact of the closed hold may have originated from a time when men danced while wearing their swords, which were hung on their left sides. Additionally, this theory would also explain the counter clockwise movement around the dance floor as the man would've stood on the inside of the circle so he wouldn't inadvertently hit any of the people watching the dancers with his sword as he danced past.
The dancing posture for Latin American ballroom varies from dance to dance with some dances using the closed hold and others where the partners hold each other with only one hand.
Both Modern Ballroom and Latin American Ballroom has been standardized for teaching purposes and has a set, internationally recognized vocabulary, technique, rhythm and tempo.
About the Author
Charly Leetham has an abiding interest in Ballroom Dancing with both of her children undertaking Ballroom Dancing classes and performing exceptionally well.

Best Business Web Hosting Companies

If you are interested in creating your online presence then this is one of the best times to do that. Because now majority of the consumers rely on online sources, as well as local stores to make their purchase decision.
So, if you would like to create a website for your business, and looking for one of the best business web hosting company, then this article will help you out.
What are some of the things you need to look for?
Some of the best business web hosting companies usually have the following:
Free Setup
Free Domain Names
24/7 Online Service with 99.99% uptime guarantee
Your site is hosted in a powerful dedicated server
Offers a built-in email management
Connected to powerful networks
Supports users worldwide The amount you pay for the service should be the last thing on your mind. Because nowadays, especially in the online world, what you pay for is what you get quote doesn't necessarily hold true. You really have to look at the company, how long they have been in business, and if you truly like them.
Analyzing Company Trust
The best business web hosting companies are willing to share the tools they use to protect your business. For example, which company they use to process your payments, if all the transactions are secured by HTTPS layer, and if the server comes with all the latest software and updates required to keep the server hack-proof.
If you find any hosting company, without a security seal or verification of some sort of security guarantee, then it's best to avoid them.
Test A Web Hosting Company
A best business web hosting company is willing to let you test-drive their service. So, take advantage of this and really try out a company. If you notice that during the trial time the website was always online, there wasn't any kind of technical problems or difficulties from your end, then you can stay with them.
This way you will be able to find a hosting company that provides quality service, and probably for a lower price.

Save Money on Shared Hosting

If you're looking to purchase shared hosting for your website whether it be for a personal venture or to increase your business profits and also become an online force to be reckoned with, then shared hosting is a perfect solution for your needs. In this article I will give you some points on how to pick the right hosting and how you can also save money.
If you're thinking of purchasing shared hosting then please take into consideration the following.
• Reliability • Cost • Speed • Bandwidth • Storage
Let's take this step by step, first of all reliability; you will want a host that is as reliable as your business you're trying to set up. If you want to build trust with your visitors and sell them your product you will need to be reliable. The cost of hosting is also very important I would highly advise you not to go for the cheapest 99cent offer on hosting from an unreliable company; they could be the real deal however I have found out that most of these companies aren't reliable at all. The speed of a host is very important, you want your website to display when some one clicks on your site not 20 seconds later otherwise you will lose the visitor. Bandwidth is the amount of visitors you can receive in a month and storage is about how many files and media you can store a good host will offer unlimited in both categories.

How to Make the Perfect YouTube Video the Do's and Don'ts

Do you know how to make the perfect YouTube video? If you are not uploading videos in YouTube, you are definitely not "in" with this social medial craze. Everybody wants to see themselves on video and people love to upload anything in YouTube, from simple wacky and crazy personal videos to the sophisticated marketing system done with video technology.
Today, uploading videos in YouTube is as simple as ABC, you can do it even with the help of cell phone video features. But how to make the perfect YouTube video takes a lot of consideration and effort. Of course we want our video to last and as much as possible be a perfect one. If you have tried many things but still aren't happy with the outcome, this article may help you solve some of those problems.
Resolution
YouTube is now High-Definition (HD) ready like Plasma televisions and the latest LCD. You need to adapt to their system to be able to get them to play with with great quality. If you want HD quality videos, you will need a video source that can handle it. Make sure to save your video in YouTube in 1280×720 and YouTube's compressor will love you for doing it and definitely reward you with better quality and give you the pleasure of having to watch your videos in HD
Balance the Bit rate
To make it simple, Bit rates is the number of bits that your video will contain per period of time. Usually this comes up in Kilobits or Megabits per second. It's true that the higher the bit rates the better, but if you go too high your video files may exceed the limitations of YouTube. That is why you need to balance it. So you still want high bit rates but you don't want to exceed the limitation. A video that has around 6Mbps to 8Mbps is a good range. Remember that YouTube can handle up to 1GB of file but only 10 minutes playing time so you also need to pay attention to that.
Editing and resizing your video
Part of producing good quality video is the editing process. You can edit your personal videos, movies and other events in programs such as Windows' Movie Maker, Final Cut or Mac's iMovie, these are all acceptable. You can cut out a bad take, add titles, effects, and a lot more.
These are 3 things to pay attention to that will help to make your You Tube videos, videos that people want to watch over and over again.
Real Andrews is a Certified Personal Trainer & Gym Owner. An actor by profession who is very passionate about the health and wellness industry, He is very passionate about making a difference in the State of health in our Country. Please visit his blog for more related articles. Real is an expert at helping people achieve their dreams & Goals. You might recognize him as Lt. Taggert from the ABC Show General Hospital.

Video Marketing the Easy Way - YouTube Success Tips

The rise in video marketing has been enormous over the last couple of years and has helped marketers get close to an audience that was once far removed. People who were only names and fairly anonymous are becoming personalities which has made them easier to trust and follow. Speaking to various people on this topic it appears though that many new marketers are unsure and nervous of using this medium to drive traffic and build their business.
This does not have to be the case and it is actually very easy to make videos that can help you make sales and build your client list. One method is to buy a basic flip camera with a USB drive. You can set this up and record yourself speaking about a topic in your niche. You then upload it and can have viewers almost immediately. Do not worry about making a professional video as this can actually damage the responsiveness of viewers. As long as you can get your points across clearly this is the main focus.
Another alternative is to get some screen capture software and record yourself speaking over a presentation or whichever website you are showing on your screen. This is great for giving a virtual over-the-shoulder view and you can take people on a tour of your site. Again, the focus is not on creating a slick presentation. It should be rich with content and make people want to get the product you are discussing.
If you do not want to speak on your videos then the final option is to create a presentation or include text bubbles indicating the most important points. This is easy to do and will get the point across but will not be as effective in building a good relationship and creating trust with the viewer. The key though is to take action so choose an option and get your first video online.
Rich Williams is an Internet Marketing teacher and innovator. You can get a FREE copy of his report:
"Affiliate Tactics Manual" and learn 2 simple tactics to bank some quick cash!
Get the report by visiting his website

The Power of Video Marketing Made Easy

Video marketing is becoming more and more popular as people realize how powerful it can be in terms of your prominence in the search engines and the amount of traffic you drive to your website. The fact is that Google absolutely loves videos, especially those coming from YouTube. If you can combine the functionality of article marketing with the raw power of video marketing then you will be well on your path of creating a sensational and lucrative marketing strategy.
Since YouTube has so much unique content and receives so much traffic, it has established itself as a very important website in the eyes of search engines such as Google. The result is that a new video posted on YouTube has been crawled and indexed in the search engines within a few minutes.
This is opposed to even the fastest of articles on article marketing directories that take several days before they are indexed. That difference in time can make a huge difference on your bottom line, and can help you establish your foothold in any competitive niche very quickly.
Another main benefit to video marketing is that the video not only shows up highly in the search engine result pages, but it also shows up with a picture of the video. This gives you an advantage over every other website that comes up in the results. Your link naturally seems more inviting and engaging, and you're far more likely to have somebody click on it.
The problem with video marketing has long been that it can be confusing, time consuming and expensive to create your own videos. Not everyone has the technical skills or the equipment to produce high quality videos and who really has the time to do so either? The point is that there are many different factors which work together to make video marketing beyond the scope of the average individual or small business owner. Whether it's for time, money or complexity issues, most website owners have not been able to turn to video marketing.
Luckily, there are new services and software programs that have been released that take care of this problem for you. They basically turn an article you have into a video automatically. Instead of a browser having to read long paragraphs of text, he or she can now watch an interactive video that engages them and compels them to take action. It's no secret that people prefer to watch videos instead of reading boring text, and if you apply that knowledge to your marketing efforts the results will be clear to see.
There are completely automated systems that allow you to instantly create effective videos straight from your articles. You'll stand out from your competition, get found in the search engines more successfully, drive more traffic to your website and increase the overall effectiveness of your marketing campaigns and online presence. Article-video software programs can be an absolutely invaluable tool to have at your disposal.
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Videos Are The Hottest New Trend In Marketing

There was a time when the biggest complaint about the internet was that it was "impersonal." We didn't know who we were doing business with or anything about them. All that has changed with the advent of video marketing.
With a video, you can place yourself in your prospect's home or business and let them hear you, see you and be impacted by your knowledge, expertise and professionalism. Statistics show that consumers are more motivated by videos than the written word; 52% of people who watch a video take action relating to the content of the video.
Videos are being enclosed in emails, appear on websites and blogs and show up on YouTube, MetaCafe and MySpace pages. And creating a video and using it for marketing is generally less expensive than traditional media or printed advertising.
Video quality varies extensively from home produced testimonials to slick, glossy clips that promote a product and employ a myriad of video effects. Regardless of the origination, if a video is created with a powerful message that is delivered in a meaningful way, the return on investment far outweighs that of the majority of other marketing tools and techniques.
There are four basic types of videos included in marketing plans:
• Product promotional Videos - a video that is created to introduce consumers to a particular product with all its features and benefits • Product Demo or Virtual Trade Show Videos - Videos that allow the marketer to demonstrate a product and replicate an in-person sales pitch • Testimonial Videos - Endorsements from existing customers • Viral Videos - This is a relatively new trend where a video clip, typically humorous, is sent via email, instant messaging or blogs but connects the viewers back to your website
The key in using a video as a part of a marketing plan is the distribution of the video. Whether you use emails, blogs, submission hubs or sites such as YouTube, the power of video marketing is only as strong as its availability to the viewing public. Some internet marketing vendors will host your video on their site as well as place it on your website and help you with its overall distribution.
Because of all of the venues for having your video seen, one well-done video can now create the same market share that at one time it took a multi-faceted, well-executed marketing plan to do. Video marketing should not be the only tool in your marketing tool box, but it definitely will be one of the more important and impactful ones.

Videos Are The Hottest New Trend In Marketing

There was a time when the biggest complaint about the internet was that it was "impersonal." We didn't know who we were doing business with or anything about them. All that has changed with the advent of video marketing.
With a video, you can place yourself in your prospect's home or business and let them hear you, see you and be impacted by your knowledge, expertise and professionalism. Statistics show that consumers are more motivated by videos than the written word; 52% of people who watch a video take action relating to the content of the video.
Videos are being enclosed in emails, appear on websites and blogs and show up on YouTube, MetaCafe and MySpace pages. And creating a video and using it for marketing is generally less expensive than traditional media or printed advertising.
Video quality varies extensively from home produced testimonials to slick, glossy clips that promote a product and employ a myriad of video effects. Regardless of the origination, if a video is created with a powerful message that is delivered in a meaningful way, the return on investment far outweighs that of the majority of other marketing tools and techniques.
There are four basic types of videos included in marketing plans:
• Product promotional Videos - a video that is created to introduce consumers to a particular product with all its features and benefits • Product Demo or Virtual Trade Show Videos - Videos that allow the marketer to demonstrate a product and replicate an in-person sales pitch • Testimonial Videos - Endorsements from existing customers • Viral Videos - This is a relatively new trend where a video clip, typically humorous, is sent via email, instant messaging or blogs but connects the viewers back to your website
The key in using a video as a part of a marketing plan is the distribution of the video. Whether you use emails, blogs, submission hubs or sites such as YouTube, the power of video marketing is only as strong as its availability to the viewing public. Some internet marketing vendors will host your video on their site as well as place it on your website and help you with its overall distribution.
Because of all of the venues for having your video seen, one well-done video can now create the same market share that at one time it took a multi-faceted, well-executed marketing plan to do. Video marketing should not be the only tool in your marketing tool box, but it definitely will be one of the more important and impactful ones.

OK, so suppose you've bitten the bullet, quickly and effectively filmed some great new website video content and easily added it to your website which

You may be wondering what the concept of video article marketing is. The idea behind video article marketing is to take an article and turn it into a compelling video. Using music, pictures and quality production you can take an ordinary article and make it into a powerful and engaging display. You can tell a story, create an emotional pull, demonstrate how something works and much more. Video article marketing is the newest trend that can help you find more customers and build more traffic.
Article marketing has been around for quite some time and it can be a powerful tool to help promote a website, product or service. You can establish a reputation within your niche community, get your name out there, build traffic to your site and pre-sell customers and leads.
However, people are always searching for the next best thing and are looking for ways to improve the power of their articles and their outreach efforts. Many people have recently began turning to video marketing for this purpose. With video marketing you can create any kind of video you want and use it to try to find new prospects, rank highly in the search engines and more.
Both article marketing and video marketing have their own advantages and disadvantages. The advantage of article marketing is the in depth explanation you can provide and the credibility you can build. Of course you also get to build up the incoming links to your website, which allows you to rank highly in the search engines and see more website traffic. The drawback is that reading text can get boring and people on the Internet like to quickly skim as opposed to read long passages. Another disadvantage is that article marketing has become overdone and saturated.
With video marketing you have a much easier time drawing people into your message. With the power of video you can visually demonstrate something or you can even entertain. The drawback however is that without the meat and potatoes of the article, you aren't providing as much information or as many details.
Additionally, a poorly produced video isn't going to help your company at all. It's just going to show that you either don't have the technical skills to get the job done or that you don't care about producing quality work. That's why you really need somebody to make great videos for you, and that brings us back to the power of video articles marketing.
Why not combine the strengths of both video and article marketing with a combined video articles marketing system. You get all of the compelling and engaging qualities of the video, and you provide all of the information and details that you would have in an article. The combined format of both text and video allows you to tell a complete story and really hold someone's attention. It's the new wave in online marketing and outreach, and you don't want to be the last one on the video article marketing bandwagon.
Mike Gual is the owner of Video Articles Marketing. He creates videos for articles using high quality mp4's. The videos are created by using pictures and music which tells a the story of the article. It is slightly different from the typical power point presentation using narration. Video Articles marketing can also do videos for products you are promoting with a call to action at the end of video. Mention this article and get a free video with the purchase of 1 video.

Video Production Converts Customers!

OK, so suppose you've bitten the bullet, quickly and effectively filmed some great new website video content and easily added it to your website which looks fresh and dynamic.
But isn't there a problem? As a typical small to mid sized B2B website your website traffic figures probably aren't as high as you'd like - maybe hundreds per month for example and hardly the hundreds of thousands that flock to sites like youtube every day.
So how can you and your company cut yourself a piece of this action? Well let's think sensibly about it - when you want to meet a lot of people you don't go a desert island do you?
No you go to the centre of the nearest big city because that's where everybody is! Well, we need to do exactly the same with our video website content i.e. take it beyond the website and into online communities where your consumers spending time surfing, chatting and buying.
So how is this done and how do you cut through the noise of everyone shouting for attention - especially without big budget advertising?
We call this seeding your content across the web and its all about planting links to your video content in high traffic relevant areas communities online where potential customers are likely to find it! Where are these places? Well think about your consumer's lifestyles and areas of interest and you'll find them in online communities around these topics - whether its youngsters chatting each other up on My Space or Global Grannies planning their next backpacking holiday on Trip Advisor.
Also to maximise the power of your website video content there are certain tactics you can use which are outlined below. Please note, all tactics MUST be ethical and follow the policy guidelines of the communities your are approaching ... so when you are posting links to your video production in online communities:
* Use teaser videos of up to 30-60 seconds or less to draw people in i.e., less is more in this case as people's attention spans are extremely short!
* Use every hook you can, e.g., catchy titles (NB also make sure the exact middle frame of your video is interesting as sites like YouTube use this as a thumbnail to grab attention!)
* Get onto recommended pages e.g., with YouTube by getting mentions on blogs and in forums (e.g., Linkedin or Ecademy) and even formenting controversial debate which attracts attention!
* Don't forget to share - send to all your contacts and incentivise them to pass on and recommend * Use Calls to Action to direct the viewer to what they need to do next
* Always keep things simple. Unless we're reading a novel most of us like plain and simple English