Pesta untuk Wanita Pebisnis

“Program Wanita Wirausaha adalah perjalanan panjang yang indah dan penuh kebanggaan,” ujar Svida. Program Wanita Wirausaha kali ini menjangkau 12 kota di Indonesia, menginspirasi secara langsung 8.500 wanita wirausaha, dan lebih dari 22,5 juta wanita di Indonesia mengenal program Wanita Wirausaha BNI – Femina. Dan, inilah perayaan itu. Berbalut busana tenun Indonesia, 250 wanita wirausaha saling berbagi, memperluas jejaring, dan tentunya menimba ilmu dari para pakar dan wanita pebisnis sukses. “Sejak menjalani wawancara sebagai peserta lomba, saya langsung merasa klik dengan femina, saya seperti bertemu dengan sahabat. Makanya, saya merasa beruntung bisa hadir di acara ini, apalagi bisa mendengar tip berbisnis dari Ibu Martha Tilaar dan Pak Hermawan Kartajaya,” kata Rakhma Sinseria, Pemenang I Lomba Wanita Wirausaha BNI-Femina 2010, pemilik kedai Coffee Toffee asal Surabaya. Rakhma dan 8 orang pemenang Lomba Wanita Wirausaha BNI-Femina 2011 merasa terapresiasi, karena di acara Power Lunch ini pula dilakukan penyerahan hadiah kepada mereka, para pemenang, yaitu Pemenang Kategori Khusus, Pemenang Penghargaan, dan Pemenang Utama. Masing-masing hadiah diserahkan oleh Pia Alisjahbana (Pembina Femina Group), Svida Alisjahbana (CEO Femina Group), Baslir Djamal (Direktur Komersil Femina Group), Slamet Djumantoro (GM Small Business Division BNI), Victoria Coakley dan Mia Salim (AUSAid), Dr. Ir Pariaman Sinaga, MM (Deputi Menteri Bidang Pembiayaan Kementerian Koperasi dan UMKM RI), juga Mari Elka Pangestu (Menteri Perdagangan RI). Penghargaan juga diberikan kepada pembicara seminar dan workshop, Rhenald Kasali (Pakar Bisnis & Marketing) Cyltamia Irawan (Lentera Consulting), Yoris Sebastian (OMG Consulting), Ayu Sari Wulandari (Deputi GM Divisi Usaha Kecil BNI), Nukman Luthfie (Virtual Consulting). dan I Putu Suryanegara (Rhenald Kasali School for Entrepreneur). Juga para sponsor pendukung: Speedy, plaza.com, dan AUSAid. Dalam sambutannya, Menteri Perdagangan, Mari Elka Pangestu, mengatakan bangga bahwa program Wanita Wirausaha BNI-Femina melakukan serangkaian kegiatan berupa pembinaan juga permodalan bagi wanita pebisnis. “Kegiatan itu pastinya bisa membantu mengembangkan potensi wanita pebisnis. Indonesia dengan 237 juta penduduk adalah pasar yang besar. Lima puluh persennya penduduk dengan usia di bawah 30 tahun. Ada pasar untuk produk bayi dan anak-anak. Itu segmented, tapi pasarnya besar. Kecenderungannya, orang akan bayar berapa pun demi anaknya.” Mari mengatakan, acara Power Lunch adalah forum networking. Networking akan membantu kita mencari tenaga kerja dan pastinya memasarkan produk. “Dalam membeli suatu barang, 70% keputusan ada di tangan wanita. Karena itu, jika Anda memilih menjadi wanita pebisnis, maka Anda tahu betul barang mana yang potensial untuk dibeli wanita.” Pesan penting dari Ibu Menteri, wanita harus mandiri secara finansial. Mindset seperti ini harus diterapkan kepada anak perempuan kita. “The moment you make a decision to do business, it will effected your life,” ujarnya.

The Olive - History and Production

The Olive tree dates back to early ancient times in both biblical and classical writings. In these early writings, the olive oil is referenced as a symbol of both goodness and purity, and the tree represents peace and happiness. In ancient times, the oil was also burnt in sacred lamps at temples during the Olympic Games, and the victor was crowned with its leaves. Olives have been cultivated since prehistoric times in Asia Minor. Today olives are commercially produced in Spain, Italy, France, Greece, Tunisia, Morocco, Turkey, Portugal, China, Chile, Peru, Brazil, Mexico, Angola, South Africa, Uruguay, Afghanistan, Australia, New Zealand, and California. The Mediterranean area produces 93% of the olive production. Currently there are some 800 million olive trees being cultivated. California is the only state where olives are grown commercially. Over 90% of the olive production is used to make olive oil. The Olive tree is considered an evergreen tree. These trees can live to be over 2,000 years old. They grow 20-40 feet high and begin to bear fruit between 4 and 8 years old. The tree blooms with small whitish flowers and have a wonderful fragrant. A Franciscan missionary planted the first olive tree in California in 1769 at a Franciscan mission in San Diego. The olives grown in California are called ¡°mission olives¡±. Of all the species of olives, this olive is especially good for its oil. Olives are not edible, green, or ripe, and must be treated with lye and/or cured in brine or dry salt before being edible. They contain about 20% oil. Olives must be processed to remove the bitter glycoside oleuropein, before they are edible, so they are usually first treated with lye and then pickled. Greek olives are not treated with lye. They are strong tasting because they are just packed in dry salt, or pickled in brine for 6 to 12 months (where they undergo a process of lactic fermentation), and finally packed in fresh brine. Spanish green olives are picked before they are ripe, treated with lye, and then placed in a brine and allowed to ferment. California olives are treated to set the pigment, treated with lye and then packed immediately in brine and sterilized. They do not undergo the fermentation process, and the sterilization 'cooks' them. This lack of fermentation and the 'cooking' when they are sterilized produces a bland, uninteresting olive Ten medium size black olives have 50 calories and 4 grams of fat.

10 Ways To Remain Connected During Retirement

One of your biggest fears of retirement may not be giving up the hustle and bustle of the working world but remaining socially connected. After all, with your coworkers, you have likely made some close personal friendships. You likely treasure them and consider them as closer (if not closer) than your family members and other friends outside the work force. Well, we're here to tell you that you don't need to feel this way. You can still maintain these friendships and develop new friendships as well. You can stay socially connected during retirement and don't have to alienate yourself. To do so, you simply have to be willing to put forth the effort. In this article, we'll discuss 10 proven ways to stay connected during retirement. • Stay in touch with ex-colleagues – There's no getting around it, your coworkers are important to you and therefore you should stay connected to them. Make sure that you contact them by phone or meet your friends for lunch dates. Not only will this keep your connection strong but it will also ensure that you remain up to date on past work happenings and keep your friends from work. • Create meaningful relationships – Besides ex colleagues, now is the time to create new meaningful relationships. To do this, you should connect with family, friends and neighbors too. Perhaps you can engage in after-retirement activities that will enable you to improve these relationships. • Foster relationship with your spouse – Now that you're retired, you should have more time to spend with your spouse. Take some time to get romantic with them. See if the two of you can re-spark a flame or perhaps develop mutual interests. • Build a strong social network – This can be accomplished by volunteering at your favorite non profit organization, enrolling in a class, or joining a group • Join clubs – You can connect with like-minded people by joining a club or a social group. Just make sure that it is an actitivy that you would enjoy and will get excited about. • Participate in community service – You can remain connected to people of various dimensions by assisting with some community service projects. For instance, perhaps you can arrange to clean up the parks on Earth Day or participate in the Why Me Cancer Walk. • Participate in volunteer work – Join a worthy cause to be in touch with people. Try to help the deprived and lesser privileged. Alternatively, you can spread awareness about the burning issues that concern people around you. It will be an enriching experience for you too. • Explore a hobby – In exploring this hobby, join a group of people who also have this interest such as a knitting club or ski club. This will increase your interaction with people with similar interests. • Re-educate yourself – Participate in classes that you can learn something new with other people. Make sure that you keep a positive and friendly attitude and you'll meet new people all the time. • Connect with family– This is a wonderful way to remain connected with your children, and your grand children, with whom you may not have fostered a close relationship during your working life. You can't start any sooner, so cease the moment right now and you'll be happy that you took the time. In conclusion, you can remain connected during retirement. You simply have to be willing to connect with family, re-educate yourself, join a hobby, participate in community service activities, volunteer, join clubs, build a new network, stay in touch with ex-colleagues, foster relationships with your spouse, connect with family, and create meaningful relationships.

Ideal Of Fashion Air Jordan Shoes

Availability for a pair of Air Jordan sneakers can be in short supply. Trying to find the perfect pair of Air Jordan sneakers can take you sometime. You may know which pair you want but then you will have trouble trying to find the right place to purchase them. www.urbanhotlist.com seems to always have an unlimited stock of Air Jordan sneakers and you can be sure that you will be buying quality sneakers. Depending on what type of Air Jordan sneakers you will want availability might be in short supply. There are some pairs of these Air Jordan sneakers that have sold out very quickly straight after they have been released. However there are companies that still have certain sets of Air Jordan's available for purchase. If you want to buy these Air Jordan sneakers in bulk then you are more then welcome to make a purchase at our website. It is usually better to purchase a pair of Air Jordan sneakers online, as they are usually cheaper in price. The high street stores are trying to lower their prices in a bid to win the battle with these online stores. But it seems that they are losing this battle as many more people are turning to the Internet in an attempt to get cheaper products. The materials used for a pair of Air Jordan sneakers will greatly depend on which type of Air Jordan's you wish to buy. The earlier pairs were made out of plastic, while the later pairs of Air Jordan's were made of leather, thus making better Air Jordan sneakers. This can then justify the price tag that is on nearly every pair of Air Jordan sneakers. As soon as a new pair of Air Jordan sneakers hit the market, they seem to always start at the retail price of $150. This is not extremely expensive for some, plus if you want to keep yourself up to date then you will not mind spending this kind of money on a pair of Air Jordan sneakers.

Acne- Can You Stop Acne Formation?

Acne- How It Troubles Most Of Us? Acne troubles most of us. Either when we are teenagers or when we grow up. Those who have acne on face are shy of meeting friends and those have acne on the back are shy of removing their shirt in public. Teenagers ask if acne will spoil their relationships. Acne has been taken as a way of life. We have all come to believe that cane cannot be prevented. it can be only treated once you get it. Can acne formation be stopped? Acne- How It Forms? Acne is associated with our sebaceous glands with hair. When the gland produces more sebum, and dead skin cells accumulate, they block the pore of the gland. This increases the pressure in the gland and forms acne. If we want to stop acne, we have to address these two main issues along with getting rid of excess P.acnes bacteria that produces inflammation. Acne- How To Stop Its Formation? Suppose I am prone to acne. I can surely try all the measures to control the oil. i can consult my doctor about drugs that will bring my hormones in order and not activate sebum production. I will ask my doctor about how to make my skin shed the dead skin cells regularly so that they don't block the pores. I will try methods such microdermabrasion and AHA treatments to remove the dead skin layer. I will find out which antibacterial will take care of the P.acnes and don't allow it to grow. The issue is that most of us never ask our doctor in detail about the prevention but are happy to clear whatever acne we get. Please talk to your doctor in detail about you can address these three issues and prevent acne. Don't allow it to form. Take help of science and make every effort to stop it forming. This article is only for informative purposes. This article is not intended to be a medical advise and it is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Please consult your doctor for your medical concerns. Please follow any tip given in this article only after consulting your doctor. The author is not liable for any outcome or damage resulting from information obtained from this article.

Want To Improve Your Career? Get An Online Degree

Are you one of those people who were not able to pursue your career further as you had to look for a job at an early age to support your family? Or, maybe your career options were limited and you did not have the means or the ability to pursue a particular career at that time. It is never too late to further your education and possibly improve your station in life. An online university degree from a reputable college is the best option for those students who want to enhance their career prospects and study after hours. Online degree courses are normally taken by people who have no time to attend a full time college but still would like to increase their knowledge in their respective fields. Online degree courses are available in literally all fields today like management, medical transcription services, hospitality management, medical sciences, nursing, health management, IT enabled services, graphics and animation and much, much more. Today's online student can enroll in an online degree course at a university situated at the opposite end of the country or the world. He or she can register online for the courses or degree he is pursuing after filling out an application and paying the tuition fees by credit card or wire transfer. Once the university receives the fees, it will provide the course study material in the form of interactive CD ROMs, books, tapes, etc. Study material is also available in the form of online tutorials where you have to log in at the university website and download the tutorials in the form of E books. In general, getting admission for an online degree is easy and the timing of study is flexible. Therefore, the pros of an online degree are many in comparison to the cons. The cons are that online degree courses are not as much recognized as full time courses. There is literally no interaction between the students and the teachers; therefore, there are no discussions whatsoever. No one is immediately or physically approachable in the case you have questions when you study.< This last con is being rectified. Through the use of WANs (Wide Area Networks), video conferencing is now made available to students. The students have to attend weekly classes where they can interact with their professors in other cities or countries through a live video session. During the video session the professors may conduct lectures on important topics and also give guidelines to the students regarding their approach to their studies and their attempt at the exams. The students can also discuss their questions with the professors and get them solved. In conclusion. we see that the online degree market has gained a lot of recognition and momentum worldwide. In one particular course you may find an American, a British, a Chinese and many more people from different nationalities and walks of life.. The universities keep on upgrading their study material based on their research and the students are exposed to the latest of what's happening in the world. Getting an online degree is going to make you more confident and qualified. You will approach the professional world with more confidence than before. You will be more knowledgeable about the tactics and strategies to be used in your line of profession and you will more easily adjust to changes when required. And finally, it may help you make a better living than before.

Little House On The Prairie (DVD) Review

Nominated for 17 Emmys, including one Golden Globe for Best TV Series - Drama, Little House On The Prairie is one of the most popular shows in television history. Based on the autobiographical series of "Little House" books written by Laura Ingalls Wilder, the show explores the inner-workings of a small town and family on the 19th Century American frontier. Director/Co-Executive Producer Michael Landon (of Bonanza and Highway to Heaven fame) also wrote one-third of the episodes (in addition to playing a lead role as the family's father, Charles, when the actor originally cast for the part failed to show). Charles would go on to become one of the show's most popular characters, and Little House On The Prairie would become an American favorite, boasting ten successful seasons to its credit… Little House On The Prairie follows the lives of the Ingalls family as they settle on the banks of Plum Creek in the township of Walnut Grove, Kansas during the 1870's. A true pioneer family, the story is seen through the eyes of the Ingalls' middle-daughter, Laura (Melissa Gilbert), who experiences all the normal growing pains and emotions of a young girl growing up on the prairie. Carpenter Charles Ingalls (Michael Landon) and his former school teacher wife, Caroline (Karen Grassle), head up a family of three that includes two additional daughters, Mary (Melissa Sue Anderson) and Carrie (Lindsay & Sidney Greenbush). The town also includes a loveable cast of supporting characters, such as Walnut Grove School teacher Eva Beadle (Charlotte Stewart), town doctor Hiram Baker (Kevin Hagen), pastor Robert Alden (Dabbs Greer), family friend Isaiah Edwards (Victor French), the wealthy Oleson family, and a host of other characters… The Little House On The Prairie DVD features a number of dramatic episodes including the series premiere in which the Ingalls family travels from Big Woods, Wisconsin to the more open and fertile lands of the Kansas prairie. Along the way, they make friends with Mr. Edwards (who helps them settle), have a run-in with some Indians, and fight a dangerous fire… Other notable episodes from Season 1 include "Ma's Holiday" in which Charles and Caroline decide to go on a second honeymoon, and "Circus Man" in which a traveling salesmen tries to hoodwink the people of Walnut Grove into the notion that he possesses magic healing powers… Below is a list of episodes included on the Little House On The Prairie (Season 1) DVD: Episode xx (Pilot) Air Date: 03-30-1974 Episode 1 (Harvest of Friends) Air Date: 09-11-1974 Episode 2 (Country Girls) Air Date: 09-18-1974 Episode 3 (100 Mile Walk) Air Date: 09-25-1974 Episode 4 (Mr. Edwards' Homecoming) Air Date: 10-02-1974 Episode 5 (The Love of Johnny Johnson) Air Date: 10-09-1974 Episode 6 (If I Should Wake Before I Die) Air Date: 10-23-1974 Episode 7 (Town Party, Country Party) Air Date: 10-30-1974 Episode 8 (Ma's Holiday) Air Date: 11-06-1974 Episode 9 (School Mom) Air Date: 11-13-1974 Episode 10 (The Raccoon) Air Date: 11-20-1974 Episode 11 (The Voice of Tinker Jones) Air Date: 12-04-1974 Episode 12 (The Award) Air Date: 12-11-1974 Episode 13 (The Lord is My Shepard) Air Date: 12-18-1974 Episode 14 (Christmas at Plum Creek) Air Date: 12-25-1974 Episode 15 (Family Quarrel) Air Date: 01-15-1975 Episode 16 (Doctor's Lady) Air Date: 01-22-1975 Episode 17 (Plague) Air Date: 01-29-1975 Episode 18 (Circus Man) Air Date: 02-05-1975 Episode 19 (Child of Pain) Air Date: 02-12-1975 Episode 20 (Money Crop) Air Date: 02-19-1975 Episode 21 (Survival) Air Date: 02-26-1975 Episode 22 (To See the World) Air Date: 03-05-1975 Episode 23 (Founder's Day) Air Date: 05-07-1975

Jewelry As Beautiful To Women As You Get

Jewelry is the name given for any adornment of the body, usually made of precious metals such as gold, silver, and platinum, and set with precious stones like sapphires, emeralds, diamonds etc. Costume jewelry is made of artificial materials such as plastic or glass. Any sort of jewels enhances the beauty of a person. Our ancestors used different types of jewelry made from various materials, even when these precious metals and stones were not discovered. In those days, it was made of animal teeth, shells etc. Shells were strung together and worn around the neck or around the wrist. Like with everything else, this makeshift arrangement of making jewelry fine-tuned itself with the passage of time, and man discovered more elaborate ways of making ornaments. Beads were extensively used. The various cultures of the world were famous for the different types of jewelry used. While the Egyptians were famous for their very colorful adornments, the Greeks in contrast preferred colorless metals. The size of the jewelry too varied. The jewelry worn in the middle ages was huge in comparison with the delicate jewelry that is very much in vogue now. People started believing that certain jewelry can be used to ward away evil spirits. There are several such superstitions associated with the different types of stones and metals, which has its origin in the ancient ages, and which continues to play a part in most parts of the world, in some way or another. It was the Renaissance that made jewelry making an art and brought about a notable change in the way it was made. Soon, the goldsmith came along and didn't wait too long before he brought in imitation jewels that is affordable to everyone. Over a period of time, jewelry evolved as a sign of social stature and ranking. It has been worn by both men and women for centuries. Portraits of men from earlier centuries clearly reveals a variety of ornaments worn by them in the form of pins, earrings, chains, pendants, rings etc. Jewels were used by men on their daggers too. Although it was worn by all people, the difference in stature is seen in the type of jewelry. The rich and the aristocratic adorned themselves with jewelry made of precious metals and gemstones, including diamonds, while the poorer section of the society made do with ornaments made of brass, beads, glasses, etc. While diamonds are the most popular and expensive, emeralds, sapphires, and other precious gemstones set in gold, platinum, and silver are in demand too. There are diamonds set in watches for both men and women and they look classy and sophisticated. A gift of jewels lasts forever and memories linger as long as people themselves.

The Measure of a Man

Since the end of the Industrial Age, men have lacked proper male role models. Pampered by our cushy white-collar jobs, our hands had become soft and our will has turned to mush. We have become the proverbial 'yes man' of the corporate world – lacking a spine, slithering around with a knife behind our backs, looking for someone to stab so we can climb the snakes and ladders of financial success. Perhaps we think, "Maybe the girls will like me now that I have my cool new car and luxurious bachelor's pad." Where are the real men of yesterday? The ones who worked hard all day till their muscles burned; the ones with blisters on their hands and calluses on their feet, the man that women swoon for at first sight? The answer is, "They're all dead, Jim. All that's left is us backstabbing, spineless, slithering yes-men." The real men may be dead, but their lessons from the past, live on. Let's learn from our forefathers, what it means to be a man's man. #1 A Man Must Be Bold In Chinese philosophy, a man's body composes mainly of Yang chi – the essence of male energy, representing vigour and vitality. Yang is forceful, the aggressor, and symbolised by fire and heat. Women on the other hand, compose of Yin chi, the cooling, receptive energy that surrounds everything. Yin is subtle, the receiver, and represented by flowing water. Being a man, it is your duty to represent the essence of Yang chi. There is no time for beating around the bush, being too shy to ask for what you want, and being unsure of yourself. You have to be bold; it is your duty to be bold. You are the Yang, the aggressor. If you want to know a woman, you have to make the approach. You can't possibly wait for her to make the approach, she's Yin. She's the shy, receptive one who is waiting for you to approach her. Let her be the Yin, don't try to reverse roles and be the shy man who can't even say 'Hi'. I've never heard someone say, "Hah, he's such a wuss for thinking she would even talk to him…" What you will usually hear is, "Wow man, you've got guts! I wish I could do that." Women are attracted to men who can be their pillar of strength, someone they can lean on, a shoulder to cry on; boldness is a representation of that inner strength. You can define boldness as 'the courage to act', turning your fear into strength, accepting rejection and pain as a natural consequence for daring to achieve your dreams. Boldness also applies to business and life in general. The British Special Air Service (SAS) has a famous motto: "Who Dares Wins". If you've got the brains, the guts and the tenacity, then chances are, success is yours. Listen to what German Philosopher, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe said, "Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it." #2 A Man Must Live with Honour Honour is a virtue of the Gentleman. Having honour means that you commit yourself to following a specific set of moral guidelines. People trust an honourable person's word as a guarantee of future moral performance. Nowadays, we sometimes use the word 'Integrity' to represent honour. Learning to live with honour will make you more of a man than ten years of corporate snakes and ladders can. Your promise must be a solemn commitment that you will keep to, no matter what. Your word must be as good as gold, if not better. Building an honourable reputation is no easy task. It means total commitment to upholding your integrity and living your life by defined moral principles. If you are successful, your good name will spread. People will recognize you as a trustworthy individual, whom they can count on to take care of the largest responsibilities, and entrust with the most confidential secrets. Taking on more responsibilities and secrets, can raise your life to new levels of prosperity and plenty. But be warned… if you ever breach that trust by committing just one selfish or perverse act, what could take you a lifetime to establish, you can destroy overnight In the present Communication Age, good news travels fast and bad news travels even faster. The only way to stop the bad news is to never allow it to be created. So mind your actions because people listen to what you say, but they watch what you do. Place your hand over your heart and say… "Let my principles be my guiding light, distilled from my highest wisdom about what is right. Let my morals stand tall and true, let them choose what I do." Now touch your head and say… "So Be It!" Make a difference today, put your foot down and be bold about upholding your honour. Adhere to your principles. Never do anything that would compromise your integrity and the trust people have in you. In return for your efforts, you will create more flow in your life; opportunities will come faster and more abundantly. You will have the chance to live your life to its fullest potential and splendour. So be a man of honour, your life depends on it. #3 A Man Must Be Magnanimous Magnanimous means to have a generous, forgiving and noble nature. Simply put, magnanimous people have a big heart. They are gracious and kind, philanthropic and benevolent. A magnanimous gentleman gives generously and expects nothing in return. He takes joy simply in seeing those around him happy. He is an intriguing conversationalist and tells jokes to make others laugh. A man's magnanimity does not allow him to easily take offence at the words and actions of others. Anything potentially offensive is simply seen for what it truly is… wind passing through the trees. Like bamboo, he will never break, but only bend with the direction of the wind. When you have mastered magnanimity, you will intuitively understand that there is a Law of Increasing Returns in the universe which states, "Whatever you give out will come back to you ten times stronger." For example, if you look down on someone, ten more people will look down on you. If you cheat $500 from an old woman, sometime down the road, you will lose $5000. Likewise, if you contribute $200 out of the goodness of your heart, $2000 will be available for you to earn back. Perhaps through your business or in a sudden lottery windfall. If you choose to let your greed get the better of you, manipulate others to your benefit, and refuse to help the needy, you can only expect poverty, hate and disappointment to head your way. You reap what you sow; you get whatever you give out. This is a universal law. A magnanimous man knows that helping others does not exhaust his resources, but rather because of the Law of Increasing Returns, it increases his resources tenfold, allowing him to do more good for the world. He knows that in helping others, he is also helping himself. Develop the habit of solving other peoples' problems and you become a more generative person. You produce and contribute more than the average guy, and thus earn more because you deliver more value to others. Take little steps starting today, to make these characteristics a part of your character. Help someone in need, keep a promise, dare to speak up. Challenge yourself to become a man's man: Be Bold, be Honourable, Be Magnanimous.

How to Train your Brain to keep you healthy and happy

When you are unhappy what do you do? Do you go out for a meal? Go to the cinema? The theatre, perhaps? Do you go shopping? Perhaps you like a drink to overcome your unhappiness. Or do you get a buzz from jogging or going to the gym? Whatever it is scientist are in the process of proving that internal change is the only thing that can give you health and happiness. Everything else is an illusion. What does this mean? Your brain is the only thing that can keep you healthy and happy. Richard Davidson, a neuroscientist at the University of Wisconsin and Jon Kabat-Zinn from the University of Massachusetts Medical Centre have just completed some interesting research that can actually be of benefit to you and me and the way we run our lives. They took a group of 41 stressed, but otherwise healthy, individuals working in a biotechnology firm in Wisconsin. 25 were taught meditation. In this case: mindfulness meditation. The group met for a 2.5 to 3 hour meditation class each week. After six weeks they all attended a seven hour meditation retreat. In addition each member was asked to meditate, at home, for one hour a day using a guided meditation tape. The other 16 were held as a control group and did not receive meditation training until the study was completed. At the end of the eight week programme, in November, they also gave all the participants a flu jab. And guess what. "The members of the meditation group had a significant increase in antibody titers" in other words they have less chance of catching flu. The bottom line appears to be. If you want to have good health and overcome the day by day blues and maintain happiness learn to meditate. When you meditate you change the way your brain operates. In addition, they found, the more you practice meditation the better your daily performance. ''What we found is that the long time practitioners showed brain activation on a scale we have never seen before. 'Their mental practice is having an effect on the brain in the same way golf or tennis practice will enhance performance.'' It demonstrates, that the brain is capable of being trained and physically modified in ways few people can imagine. (Richard Davidson) So give yourself the space each day to train your brain. It works. Good Luck

Steam Cleaning Business and the Greasebusters Franchise

Frequent Steam Cleaning can drastically improve the visual aspect of carpet and upholstery. One of the biggest advantages many folks do not associate with Steam Cleaning is the health benefits it provides to those who suffer from allergies and asthma. The EPA has discovered indoor air pollution as one of the top five urgent environmental dangers to public health. When your home is polluted with allergens and dust, your lungs are expossed to greater health risks. Your lungs can't process oxygen into carbon dioxide as effeciently as they should. Routine Steam Cleaning can actually reduce allergens and dust and help your lungs breath easier. One of the most trouble-free small business opportunities you can own is a Steam cleaning franchise. It's an easy business to run and business evaluation stability charts show steam cleaning franchises with a high rating. Because the investment level to start up a steam cleaning business is very low, it is a excellent small business opportunity for any person from any background. Many entrepreneurial minded individuals run extremely profitable steam cleaning businesses that were initially started with very low capital. These folks hold the knowledge that steam cleaning is a low investment business with the potential to earn a very high income. For those with access to minimal funds, starting a steam cleaning business can be a win-win situation. For those who are unfamiliar with business ownership, starting a small steam cleaning business can be a nerving situation. A lot of newly opened businesses fail because of mistakes that could have been avoided. Therefore, building a business plan before jumping into a new venture can mean either success or failure for your business. Subsequently, the two biggest fears for future business owners would appear to be job security and the failure of their new business. If one of the biggest fears people have about starting a small business is the fear of having no real security. You can easily start a steam cleaning business with as little as $1000. It is feasible for some people to start the business with less than $500 under the right circumstances. If you own your own equipment and transportation vehicle, it will mean less money from your pocket. Realistically, most people who want to start a steam cleaning franchise don't own cleaning equipment. Alternatively, if you're just starting out and if you want to own an independent operation as opposed to a franchise, you have the option of leasing the cleaning equipment for a very small fee. Contrarily, Consider the benefits of a cleaning franchise. Although the initial investment to start a franchise may be higher, the benefits you will receive can have a huge impact on the success of your business. Brand-name recognition, an established customer base, and extensive training and support are fundamentally important to the success of any franchise. But the two most important are the training and support because they eliminate the guesswork that comes ever so often when starting a new business You can find several steam cleaning systems out on the market. Before starting your cleaning franchise, it is a good idea to research the various systems that are available. Some steam cleaning systems are more complex and more costly than others and achieve different results. Commercial cleaning companies commonly utilize truck mounted systems for their commercial strength and unique ability to cut down the time spent on a job. Many steam cleaning franchise companies utilize the truck mounted cleaning system. A small steam cleaning business can turn some amazing profits. You won't find the flexibility and depth that the cleaning business holds in any other industry. And you can grow your steam cleaning home business as large as you want. Steam cleaning is a billion dollar a year industry and it's growing bigger every day. Deciding on a business with all the right properties is an important decision you will have to make if you plan to be your own boss. For every potential opportunity that presents itself, retain as much information about that business as possible to reduce problems in the future. A new business venture can be an exciting and rewarding journey. Sticking to your business plan staying focused can ensure the success of your franchise.

Preparing For Auto Transport: What You Need To Know

Preparing your vehicle for transportation First let's look at the best way to prepare your vehicle for transportation. Firstly, your car must be roadworthy. This is because employees of the auto transport company have to drive it on and off the transporter. Plus, you should wash you car to allow for easy inspection for such things as scratches and dents. Then make sure your car doesn't have any leaks. Cars are usually transported in batches on one large transporter. You will be responsible if any leakage of fluids from your car damages other cars on the same transport. By the same token, make sure your gas tank is less than a quarter full and other fluids such as break and suspension fluids have room for expansion. Next, secure or remove any accessories your car may have. This includes such things as antennae and wide mirrors on the outside of your car and after-market CD players on the inside. Make sure your alarm is disabled along with any other devices that may drain the battery. Remove all personal possessions from your car as the transport company will not want to take responsibility for them. In fact, the Department of Transportation does not legally permit the transport of personal belongings in vehicles transported on auto carriers. Bear in mind you may have to drive your car to a pick-up point agreed between you and the car transport company. This is because the transporter vehicles may be unable to access your neighborhood owing to their size. Finally, don't forget to consider the climatic conditions. If you're moving to, say, Alaska, it would be wise to put anti-freeze into your car before shipping. Plus check your heating or air-conditioning systems. You can also request a covered transport to further protect your vehicle against the elements. For international shipments, some other steps are needed. For one thing, you need to confirm your car meets the environmental standards of the destination country. You can get this information from the consulate of the country you're moving to along with details of any other restrictions that may apply. Your auto car services transport company can help you here. Note that international car transport regulations specify that cars be no taller than seven feet and have a minimum of four inches ground clearance. Checking the Car Shipping Documents So now that your car is ready for transport, let's look at the all-important question of paperwork. The key document involved in car transport is the bill of lading. This outlines all the terms and conditions of the agreement between you and the auto car transport services company. A key component of the bill of lading is the condition report which documents the condition of your car at the time of handover. It will also contain such details as odometer readings. As any future claims for damages will be made on the basis of the information in this report, you need to check it carefully before signing. Both you (or your designated representative) and a representative of the car transport company have to sign this both before and after loading. Generally, if your car is damaged you have two weeks in which to file a complaint. For international auto transport, additional paperwork such as those required for customs formalities will be required. And make note you will need the original title of your car and a Bill of Sale when arranging international shipment. Then there's the all-important matter of insurance. Ask for a copy of the car mover's insurance coverage. Your vehicle should be insured against damage and theft by your auto transport company. By law, carriers have to carry a minimum of $1,000,000 worth of public liability insurance as well as cargo coverage. And don't forget that your owner's insurance remains in effect throughout the transport of your car. If you're transporting you car by ocean container, it has to be professionally packed for the insurance to be valid. When it comes to documentation, the golden rule is that you have to make sure you have everything, including the total cost involved, in black and white. Providing you're well prepared and follow the above steps, there's no reason why you shouldn't enjoy a stress-free transportation of your car. But first make sure you find a reputable car transport services firm that offers a full service. A reputable car transport company will be happy to give you a free quote. Knowing that trained professionals are taking care of your precious car will give you peace of mind during this stressful time.

5 Tips for Finding Your Core Competencies

1) Is it an essential component to your sales mission or just an ingredient in the recipe? List 10 actions, routines or tasks that are part of your sales day and considered essential components of your sales process. Now, ask yourself. How many of these are essential components to my sales mission are just ingredients in the recipe? Think about a professional golfer's essential competencies from tee-off to last putt. Is the ball and club a core competency, or is it the golf swing and putting stroke? What about a basketball player with the essential competency of passing, dribbling, and shooting? 2) Can it be measured routinely and accurately? A Core Competency is a definable entity that is related to performance and results. Ask yourself. Can I measure this with a napkin, pencil, and calculator? Can I put it on one piece of paper and be able to evaluate the status of my business? Do this first. You can always transfer it later to the million-dollar sales automation system. Can you apply a universal performance benchmark that is realistic and assures revenue goals individually and collectively? 3) You know you have achieved this when you can tell a sales recruit during the interview process the (3) simple numbers that will assure them success. Have you identified the 'Key Performance Indicators' in your sales process? A good KPI example in the sales process might be how many times you advance the first sales appointment to the next phase, whether that's a demonstration, a site visit, a survey or a proposal. Another KPI is how many times you gain a new customer once the first gateway is passed. And when you do gain a new customer, what's the average revenue you achieve? That's certainly an important KPI. Because if your average revenue per sale is 40% less than the average peer KPI, you might want to find out why and take focused action to improve it, as you're leaving money on the table. And what about the length of a sales cycle in days? Is that conditional or do you have a degree of control over it? If you have a team member that has an average sales cycle 30% shorter than the peer group, uncover and assimilate those best practices out to the rest of the sales team. Less time, more results. That makes 'Sales Cycle' a valuable KPI. Once you have your KPI averages you will be able to communicate to a sales recruit exactly how much sales activity (new appointments per week) is required on their part to successfully ramp to Quota is a pre-determined amount of time. That's right, a 'Pre-determined amount of time in days'. And that will shorten the time to Quota and reduce the Hard-dollar cost of Turnover from low appointment activity. But don't assume they can do it on their own. Provide them with a training 'System' to help them achieve the activity routinely and effectively. 4) Can it be determined operationally that you're performing similar business activities better than your competitors? Strategy is the 'what' and tactics are the 'how.' If you are superior in operational effectiveness, you will tactically perform better than your peers and competitors. This works a lot like the outcome of a football game. The winning team almost always outperforms their opponent in fundamentals like "Blocking and Tackling." 5) Can you apply "Timely Training" and "Powerful Routines" around each core competency? We know what training is, but do we understand why training fails? Timely Training is having appropriate structures for learning and application, defining useful short-term objectives, measuring results, and working closely with qualified trainers for follow-up and support. Most importantly, there must be organizational commitment. Focus on one core competency at a time until a pre-determined benchmark result is realized. Don't move on or over until you do. Powerful Routines are linked to selling scenarios and allow you to dust off all the bases and then cover all of them to have the highest ratio of success aligned with each situation.

The Basics of Pilates Exercise

If you're highly informed or even if you're one of those people that just stay home, no doubt you've heard of the Pilates Exercise. The purpose of Pilates Exercises is to stretch and to strengthen your body. That is why Pilates is so popular with most contortionists and ballet dancers. But just because people are using Pilates for physical improvement, and weight loss, it doesn't mean that a Pilates exercise is a cardiovascular exercise. Pilates is basically a low intensity exercise. Most instructors recommend Pilates with aerobics and other forms of exercise for best effects. The Pilates Exercise was invented by Joseph Pilates, a German National, as a self exercise. Pilates was born a fragile child, sickly and asthmatic, so he took to exercise to improve his body. When he was a bit older, he was living in France, and was arrested as an "enemy alien.' During his internment, he was assigned in the medical facilities of the prison and this is where he put Pilates into use, as rehabilitation exercises for the sick. Since then the Pilates exercises has gained its reputation for helping improve the overall physical state of the body. Pilates exercise is a series of breathing techniques combined with stretching and a simple machine. Pilates exercises designed to improve the body's core. This includes the muscles in the abdomen, back, and buttocks. Some say it is better than yoga overall because it strengthens the body through improving posture strength and flexibility through stretching. The machines used in Pilates, are there to challenge the body, by making it stay in certain positions while moving the other parts in differing directions, thereby training the body to endure strain, thus increasing strength.< The basic Ideology of the Pilates Exercise is the use of the body's mental ability to improve movement, efficiency and muscle control, which is also why they say that Pilate exercise somehow improves one's mental state. Pilates also makes you aware of proper posture. Due to the exercises that you do, it also develops the muscles in the back and abdomen, further promoting good posture. Pilate exercise also uses breathing techniques, which further increases mental focus. And probably one of the greatest focuses of Pilates is flexibility strength of the muscles. It is this ideology that made Pilates popular among dancers in the begining. Many Pilates enthusiasts and users have testified to the effectiveness of this program. With regular classes, the bodies become well balanced and stronger. Some say that after each workout, you can instantly feel the difference it has made to the parts of the body, mainly the legs back and abs. Aside from increased strength, weight loss is what many people aim for when they do Pilates exercises. Other benefits of Pilates include increased energy levels, higher endurance, better flexibility, great abdominal workouts, and overall physical well being.

Our Baby: The Grape

My wife and I are only about six weeks into this pregnancy thing and we're still trying to wrap our heads around this whole idea of having a baby, though we have wildly different thoughts on the subject. I'm worried about whether or not we'll be able to handle the financial and moral responsibilities of bringing a child into the world. My wife is mostly worried about passing something the size of a watermelon through her hoo-ha. And so far the worry has been all our own. We haven't told anyone else about our impending baby because, quite frankly, I don't think either of us fully believes that my wife is actually pregnant. Sure, she's moody all the time and has had an inexplicable food cravings and she's taken to complaining about how bloated and fat she feels, but really, that's no different than how she's acted for the for the five years that I've known her. And I still married her. Right now our baby is not really a "he" or a "she" as much as an "it" in our minds. We've been reading a lot of these baby websites and a lot of these sites compare our baby's current size to various pieces of fruit. The message eventually changes as the pregnancy moves forward, so one week the baby site will proclaim "Your baby is now the size of a sesame seed!" and a week or two later we'll read "Your baby is now the size of a raisin!" If these baby sites had their way we'd all measure our own size compared to various items from the produce aisle. I'd stand 8.4 carrots tall and when I stepped on the scale it would read like a slot machine and report my weight as in at 250 pumpkins, two oranges and three cherries. So every day I check these sites and every day I'm reminded that our baby is only the size of a grape. I don't mind telling you that it's hard to feel very attached to a grape...and it isn't even a fully developed grape. It's not like my wife has a little grape-sized person in her. No, right now she has a little pink squishy thing that, really, looks kinda like a...well....a squished grape Our baby is only beginning to grow organs, so it's not like we have a whole lot in common with our very, very, very little offspring. I mean, I'm a not a very complex guy but I still like to relax with a TV remote in one hand and a beer in the other. Right now our baby doesn't have hands to hold the remote or even a liver to process the beer. This is all still so unreal to us that my wife and I are also still trying to find the best way to even talk about the whole idea of being pregnant. The phrase "we're pregnant" makes it sound as though we're some sort of bisexual Siamese twin sharing one body and committing unspeakable acts of fornication on ourselves. She's the one who's pregnant and I'm the guy who did it (or so she claims). We've struggled with ways of referring to the pregnancy situation and so far we've used phrases like "knocked up," "expecting," "got a bun in the oven," "infiltrated," "violated," and even "been slimed." I think we'll have to filter out a few of those when it finally comes time to announce the news to our families. So that's where we are in this whole baby-making process. The baby has been made, but it's still a pretty gooey, tiny thing that doesn't really have much personality and even less mass. I'm sure this whole fatherhood thing is going to change my life, but right now I'm just not feeling it. I have, however, sworn off eating grapes. At least until our baby grows up... to be the size of a lime.

Seinfeld (DVD) Review

The preeminent show of the 1990's decade, Seinfeld grew from an idea of "a show about nothing" into a sacred pop culture icon - not that there's anything wrong with that... The show follows the life of comedian Jerry Seinfeld and the exploits of his "short, quirky, bald guy" best friend, George Costanza (Jason Alexander), Jerry's neurotic neighbor Cosmo Kramer (Michael Richards), and Jerry's ex-girlfriend Elaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus). Through the years, they're joined by a loveable cast of characters that includes Newman, Uncle Leo, the Soup Nazi, Frank and Estelle Costanza, the Bubble Boy, and countless others… The Seinfeld DVD (Seasons 1 & 2) offers the very first glimpse into the world Jerry, beginning with The Pilot (episode 1) which was originally titled The Seinfeld Chronicles. The first scene involves Jerry commenting to George about a button on his shirt (the same conversation later takes place in the last scene of the series finale). These opening episodes provide insight into the development of the show's four primary characters with conversations that range from George's initial admission that he'd like to be an architect (episode 2) to Kramer's propensity for get rich quick schemes like a make-your-own-pizza pizzeria (episode 4). From day one, Seinfeld established itself as "must see TV," creating such memorable episodes as "The Stock Tip," "The Pony Remark," "The Deal," and "The Chinese Restaurant". Interestingly, in the pilot episode of Seinfeld, Elaine's character does not yet exist, and Kramer's character (not yet named Kramer, but Feldman) is more of an unemployed, pathetic, shut-in neighbor than the usual quirky and energetic Cosmo. Playing the role of the female in George and Jerry's life is a wisecracking waitress named Claire (Lee Garlington) who never appears in later episodes.< Nevertheless, this initial episode exhibits the flashes of brilliance that made Seinfeld a cultural phenomenon. The show is essentially about nothing. George and Jerry do some laundry… Jerry and his neighbor watch some TV… George and Jerry have some coffee… During that time, the dominant topic of conversation is a girl that Jerry met while taking his comedy act on the road. She's coming to stay at his place, but he doesn't know whether he should pull out a mattress for her or not. Feldman (Kramer), George, and Jerry debate the topic endlessly until the woman arrives and Jerry learns that it's all irrelevant because she's engaged… Below is a list of episodes included on the Seinfeld (Seasons 1 & 2) DVD: Episode 1 (Pilot: Good News, Bad News) Air Date: 07-05-1989 Episode 2 (The Stakeout) Air Date: 05-31-1990 Episode 3 (The Robbery) Air Date: 06-07-1990 Episode 4 (Male Unbonding) Air Date: 06-14-1990 Episode 5 (The Stock Tip) Air Date: 06-21-1990 Episode 6 (The Ex-Girlfriend) Air Date: 01-23-1991 Episode 7 (The Pony Remark) Air Date: 01-30-1991 Episode 8 (The Jacket) Air Date: 02-06-1991 Episode 9 (The Phone Message) Air Date: 02-13-1991 Episode 10 (The Apartment) Air Date: 04-04-1991 Episode 11 (The Statue) Air Date: 04-11-1991 Episode 12 (The Revenge) Air Date: 04-18-1991 Episode 13 (The Heart Attack) Air Date: 04-25-1991 Episode 14 (The Deal) Air Date: 05-02-1991 Episode 15 (The Baby Shower) Air Date: 05-16-1991 Episode 16 (The Chinese Restaurant) Air Date: 05-23-1991 Episode 17 (The Busboy) Air Date: 06-26-1991

Why I Recommend Energy Healing

Energy Healing literally changed my life. It raised my vibration and raised my consciousness. It gave me the power to leave victim consciousness. It gave me the strength in finding my own self-worth, self-confidence, self-esteem and self-respect. It empowered me – because it taught me to empower myself! I AM free. So how does energy healing actually do this? We ARE energetic beings and everything IS energy. Scientists have proven this to be truth and this article is not about proving this fact. To keep this as simplistic as possible, we have an invisible energy body surrounding our physical body. In this energy body are layers. Each layer has different functions and each layer is associated with a different chakra and each chakra and layer both have an effect on areas of the physical body. The chakras and acupuncture points are openings for energy to flow into and out of the aura (energy body). This energy is associated with a form of consciousness, thus we experience the exchange of energy in the forms of seeing, hearing, feeling, sensing, intuiting or direct knowing. It is important to open the chakras and increase our energy flow, because the more energy we let flow, the healthier we are. Illness in the system is caused by an imbalance of energy or a blocking of the flow of energy. In other words, a lack of flow in the human energy system eventually leads to disease. It also distorts our perceptions and dampens our feelings and therefore interferes with a happy experience of living a joyful life. So what causes an imbalance or block in the flow of energy? The majority of people today have been conditioned to react to unpleasant experiences by blocking our feeling and emotions which stops a great deal of our natural energy flow. An example of this, a person is rejected many times when she tries to show her love to another, she eventually stops showing her love by trying to stop the inner feelings of love. In order to do this, she will have to stop the energy flow through the heart chakra. When the energy flow is stopped or slowed down, the development of the heart chakra is affected which eventually a physical problem will very likely result if the energy does not start to flow smoothly again. This same process works for all the chakras. Whenever a person blocks whatever experiences he is having, he in turn blocks his chakras, which blocks the flow of universal life force energy. Disrupted, weakened, blocked or imbalances in the chakras can all be caused from many situations occurring in our lives, such as: emotional or physical trauma, injury, negative self-talk, toxicity, nutritional depletion, destructive lifestyle and relationships, neglect of self and lack of love for oneself or others, from emotions that are not expressed in a healthy way, childhood traumas, cultural conditioning, limited belief system, bad habits or even just a lack of attention all contribute to blockage. Difficulties abound in life, for each one of us, we develop a coping strategy. If these difficulties persist, these coping strategies become chronic patterns, anchored in the body and psyche as defense structures. It is important to recognize the blocks we carry, find and understand their source then heal them. Energy healing is excellent for healing any physical, mental, emotional and spiritual issues. I recommend starting off with the Clearing Program. This program is very in-depth and intense and goes back in time. I also suggest regular energy healing therapy like Reiki Energies. Long term practice of whole-body energy healing will restore the general condition of the body. It will open the energy channels and this will allow the body to deal properly and naturally with stress and the build-up of toxins along with coping with anxiety and depression. Some of the health benefits from receiving energy healing: - Creates deep relaxation and aids the body to release stress and tension - It accelerates the body's self-healing abilities - Aids better sleep - Reduces blood pressure - Can help with acute injuries and chronic problems (asthma,eczema,headaches,etc.) and aides the breaking of addictions - Helps relieve pain - Removes energy blockages, adjusts the energy flow of the endocrine system bringing the body into balance and harmony - Assists the body in cleaning itself from toxins - Reduces some of the side effects of drugs and helps the body to recover from drug therapy after surgery and chemotherapy - Supports the immune system - Increases vitality and postpones the aging process - Raises the vibrational frequency of the body - Helps spiritual growth and emotional clearing - And more! Energy Healing works. It changes you from the inside out. The main thing to remember is that body, mind and soul together with the energy body, are one invisible whole. This simple, non-invasive healing system works with the Higher Self of the receiver (person) to promote health and well being of the entire physical, emotional, mental and spiritual body. Therefore it is truly a system of attaining and promoting wholeness. It is an extremely powerful, yet a gentle energy that can be easily channeled to yourself and others, just by intention. When it is combined with the sincere desire of the healee, who is willing to effect a cleansing within their consciousness, a total healing can occur. A total NEW you will in time Emerge!

3 Essential Boundaries for Mom Entrepreneurs and Their Husbands

In the beginning, I thought it was going to be a breeze when my husband, Terry, joined me working full-time in my business. If anyone could do it, we could! We already had a healthy relationship built on trust and respect. We communicated well. We both strongly believed in what we were doing. We understood the need to help each other with the children, keeping the house, and with the business. We planned to allow for fluctuations in income to keep stresses over money to a minimum. Yet I still wasn't prepared. For anyone considering working with your spouse, here are 3 Essential Boundaries for Entrepreneurial Couples to help to ease your transition: 1. Clarify expectations for work/home. Nothing can prepare you for the blurring of boundaries and turf that occur as you transition into working together. When you join together with your spouse, most likely, both of you have experienced success throughout your careers, and have developed your own working style. Suddenly you have a whole new dynamic in your relationship with your spouse you must learn to work through. I always knew that we had different gifts and talents: Terry is very techie and he loves to write, and I am a people person who is an administrative whiz. Even though I should have probably seen it coming, I was still surprised at the difference in our work styles. I multi-task all day long, and he prefers to work on one project at a time. Just like being newlyweds all over again, we had to put some effort into getting to know each other on a whole new level to be able to work well together. Beth Butler, creator of the Boca Beth Program has some helpful tips for clarifying expectations with your spouse. "I make us lunch each day and we try to talk about BOCA BETH items that are pressing. It's our time to reconnect - he works from home for the wine company he represents and I work from home sharing my passion for second language learning with young children. A funny mix, but it works! We talk about what each of us has planned the next day so there are no surprises - and I use that time to ask for his help. I can't expect him to guess what I need so I have learned to be very specific. 2. Schedule time for love. Most entrepreneurial couples complain they have less time together than before. It is possible to work beside your spouse in the same office all day long and barely speak on a personal level. How difficult is it to turn off your cell phone and talk a walk with your love? It is imperative to make it a point to schedule time for your relationship so that the business does not overtake it. Terry and I plan ahead to sneak away for lunch or to take a break at Starbucks. We have found if we don't take the time to schedule in these lunch or coffee dates, then they are less likely to happen as we work to meet deadlines or get a project done. We haven't yet been able to master scheduling "regular dates", but its next on our list of priorities in order to help keep our close relationship. 3. Schedule time for yourself. It can be a shock when you suddenly have so much time with your spouse. In your previous life, they left at 7 AM and came home at 6 PM, and then you discussed your day during dinner. Now you spend most (if not all) of the day with them, and during dinner, there is nothing new to discuss. Where is the time for you? Karyn Fagan, Founder of Team Women, tells "We both have hobbies that we love outside of the house so we have that important away time." Terry and I certainly have a long way to go as an Entrepreneurial Couple, but we have made it through our entrepreneurial "honeymoon" period. Each day, we work together to reach our goals and dreams. We understand when we help each other we will reach our dreams sooner, so we help each wherever its needed!

Learn How to Play the Guitar

Learning to play guitar can be rewarding in many different ways. Learning this skill will give you a sense of accomplishment. You can play at different events and occasions, it can even help you make some money when you become experienced. New guitarists should know that there is no easy way in learning how to play. You have to practice regularly, and it takes patience. It does not come easily, but you shouldn't get frustrated, this new skill will develop over time. First comes first. Buying a guitar can be confusing and overwhelming. You should go to a music shop and pick them up and hold them try to choose one that feels comfortable and if you still can't decide talk to the shop assistant and see if they have any tips and tricks for picking the right guitar. Don't be fooled by the price tag most of the cheap guitars are fine to begin with. When you first learn to play music on guitar you will not need a fancy guitar as most of the features will go unused and will only get in the way. However as you improve you may want to upgrade in small stages to suit your level of experience. There is a wide range of classes to learn to play music on guitar. Some classes are free or require a small donation. However most have a fee attached to cover the costs of teachers and equipment. When you participate in a free class, these are generally just as good as a paid class. All classes will help you with basics when you learn to play music on guitar. The best thing about classes is the hands on approach to learning; there is nothing better than having someone give you first hand knowledge on how to do something. The more you practice the better you will get. There is not such thing as too much practice, but you should spread the practices out so you don't get too burned out to the point where playing isn't fun anymore. The whole point in learning to play is that it is something fun to do, if you don't find it enjoyable, you should not push yourself to do something that you don't like. Don't forget to share your new talent with other people, family, and friends. Music is to be enjoyed by all.

Pros and Cons of Battery Technologies Used in Cameras - Choose the Right One for You

Like other portable consumer electronic devices digital cameras use batteries as their power source. In this article we will describe different battery technologies and their cons and pros. Armed with this knowledge you will be able to take into consideration the battery used when purchasing your next camera. A camera usually supports just one type of battery either a disposable battery or a rechargeable one. The exception is cameras that are powered by standard AA, AAA or similar batteries. In most of these cases disposable and rechargeable batteries can be used interchangeably. There are two battery types: disposable batteries: can only be used once. They usually have a standard size and shape such as AA, AAA and so on. You can buy these batteries at most stores and once they are empty you simply dispose them (please help keep the environment safe and clean by disposing batteries only to special battery disposal containers). rechargeable batteries: can be used multiple times. Some rechargeable batteries have a standard size and shape such as AA, AAA and so on. Such standard size batteries can be used anywhere that a disposable battery can. More often than not however rechargeable batteries have a proprietary shape and are compatible with just a few specific cameras. Once a rechargeable battery is empty you can place it in a special charger that will recharge it. The time it takes to recharge a battery, the number of times it can be charged and the life time of the battery are dependant on the technology used to build the battery. There are pros and cons to using disposable or rechargeable batteries. The main advantage to using a disposable battery is that you can always buy a few to have with you to replace the ones that are empty and you can always get one in a store close-by in case you are stuck with empty batteries. The disadvantages to using disposable batteries are the cost of buying new batteries every times your batteries are empty, the capacity (in most cases a disposable battery will not last as long as a good rechargeable battery). On the other hand rechargeable batteries require only one purchase. When the battery is empty you can simply place it in its charger and after an hour or so you will have a fully recharged battery. The disadvantage is that if you run out of batteries during a photo shooting session or somewhere away from home or a power supply you can not just buy another battery. The solution to that problem is to buy one extra battery and to always carry it with you fully charged. If your camera uses standard size batteries such as AA or AAA you can have the advantages of both disposable and rechargeable batteries. You can always use disposable AA or AAA batteries with the camera but you can also get a rechargeable AA or AAA battery and use it when convenient. Rechargeable batteries technologies: Different technologies are used in building rechargeable batteries. Look at the battery itself to find out what technology was used in most cases it will be written on a small sticker on the battery or somewhere on its packaging. The following are the most common technologies and some of their pros and cons: nickel cadium: one of the oldest technologies. These batteries are inexpensive, they can be recharged fast and many times before they lose their capacity. On the downside they have a low capacity and have a "memory effect" – a "memory effect" means that the battery can not be recharged to its full capacity unless it is first fully discharged. This can be problem since in most cases you will want to make sure your battery regardless of its current state is fully charged before going on a photo shooting session. Some charges solve this problem by first discharging the battery and only then recharging it to its full capacity. nickel metal hybrid: this technology is an improvement of nickel cadium. These batteries capacity is much higher up to 50% more. Although it still has a "memory effect" it is less noticeable than in nickel cadium batteries. On the downside these batteries can be charged less times before losing their capacity and they also discharge faster when not in use. lithium ion: A new technology that solves many of the nickel technology problems. Lithium ion batteries have a higher capacity than even nickel metal. They have no "memory effect" at all (and thus regardless of their current state they can always be recharged to their fullest capacity). The downside is that they are more expensive than nickel batteries. lithium polymer: the latest technology. These batteries have all the advantages of lithium ion and more. They have an even higher capacity and can also be easily manufactured in any shape or form. This allows for much smaller and lighter high capacity batteries and for batteries shaped to better fit the camera design. In conclusion when choosing a camera and considering what batteries it uses you should first make a choice between disposable and rechargeable batteries. If you choose to get a camera that uses rechargeable batteries you should try to choose a battery that uses the latest technologies like polymer or lithium unless you have some special considerations.

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Ikan Nila (Tilapia Nilotica)

Seperti halnya ikan nila (Tilapia nilotica) dan mujair (Tilapia musambica), gurami merupakan ikan herbifora yang makan plankton dan daun-daunan. Salah satu daun kesukaan gurami adalah daun keladi (Xanthosoma sagittifolium) dan talas (Colocasia esculenta). Terutama talas gatal yang sering juga disebut sente (sénthé, Alocasia macrorhiza). Di antara ikan air tawar yang disajikan di restoran, gurami memegang rekor harga paling tinggi, yakni Rp 20.000,- per kg. di tingkat peternak. Ikan mas (Cyprinus carpio), lele (Clarius batracus), nila/mujair) dan "patin" (jambal siam, Pangasius sutchi) harganya di bawah Rp 10.000,- per kg. di tingkat konsumen. Memang harga gurami masih kalah dibanding gabus (Ophiocephalus striatus) Rp 25.000,- dan betutu (ikan bodoh/ikan malas, Barbichthys laeris) yang sampai diatas Rp 50.000,-per kg. Tetapi gabus tidak biasa disajikan sebagai ikan konsumsi di restoran, melainkan sebagai ikan asin. Sementara betutu hanya bisa dijumpai di restoran-restoran papan atas dengan volume yang sangat terbatas.

Penyebab utama gurami menjadi ikan mahal, adalah permintaan yang selalu lebih tinggi dari pasokan. Orang senang dengan gurami karena tekstur dan rasa dagingnya yang lembut dan lezat. Pada jaringan dagingnya juga tidak terdapat duri-duri halus seperti halnya ikan mas. Selain itu, rongga perut ikan ini sangat kecil dibanding ikan air tawar lain. Kelemahan gurami adalah, pertumbuhannya yang lamban. Benih gurami ukuran burayak, kebul sampai putihan, dulunya dibesarkan oleh para peternak ikan tradisional dengan pakan plankton dan larva serangga. Dengan cara ini pembesaran burayak gurami sampai menjadi putihan untuk ditebar di kolam pembesaran, akan makan waktu hampir satu tahun. Kemudian dengan pakan daun talas, pembesaran putihan ukuran 5 cm. sampai menjadi ikan konsumsi bobot 0,5 kg, diperlukan waktu lebih dari 1 tahun. Hingga untuk menghasilkan gurami konsumsi bobot 0,5 kg, diperlukan waktu sekitar 2 tahun sejak pembenihan.

Selain itu gurami juga tidak bisa dipelihara dengan padat penebaran tinggi. Ikan mas, nila, lele (dumbo) dan patin, selalu dipelihara dengan tingkat kepadatan tinggi. Untuk mengatasi kendala ketersediaan oksigen dan tercemarnya air oleh kotoran serta sisa pakan, pemeliharan ikan-ikan konsumsi tersebut dilakukan dalam kolam air deras atau dalam karamba. Baik kolam air deras maupun karamba, memungkinkan ketersediaan oksigen secara penuh. Hingga padat penebaran bisa ditingkatkan sampai beberapakali lipat. Pada kolam air deras, kotoran dan sisa pakan akan langsung hanyut terbawa aliran air. Sementara pada karamba, sisa pakan dan kotoran akan langsung jatuh ke dasar parairan. Dengan pola pemeliharaan seperti ini, ikan mas, nila, lele dan patin bisa dipelihara secara massal dalam jangka waktu singkat. Pola pemeliharaan empat ikan konsumsi ini, tidak bisa diterapkan untuk gurami. Sebab gurami menghendaki kolam yang tenang, meskipun airnya harus terus mengalir. Inilah antara lain yang menjadi penyebab mahalnya ikan gurami jika dibanding dengan lele, mas, nila dan patin.

Dengan adanya kemajuan teknologi pakan, maka pembesaran burayak (anak ikan di bawah 1 cm) sampai menjadi kebul (3 cm.) dan putihan (5 cm.) bisa dipersingkat hanya sekitar 3 bulan. Kemudian di kolam pembesaran, gurami konsumsi bobot 0,5 kg. bisa diperoleh dalam jangka waktu 5 bulan. Namun harga gurami masih tetap lebih duakali lipat harga ikan mas. Sebab untuk memperoleh bobot yang sama, pembesaran ikan mas hanya memerlukan waktu paling lama 3 bulan. Selain itu produksi benih ikan mas juga bisa dilakukan secara massal, dengan biaya yang lebih murah. Meskipun banyak pengusaha dan peternak yang terjun menekuni budidaya gurami, kendala jangka waktu pembesaran inilah yang menyebabkan populasi gurami tidak pernah bisa semassal ikan mas. Hingga laju peningkatan volume permintaan, tidak pernah bisa diimbangi oleh laju peningkatan volume produksi. Itulah penyebab utama harga gurami pun tetap tinggi. Kondisi serupa, sebenarnya pernah dialami oleh lele. Sampai dengan awal tahun 1980an, lele merupakan ikan mahal. Sebab budidaya lele dilakukan hanya dengan mengandalkan benih tangkapan dari alam. Pakannya pun berupa ikan-ikan kecil. Biasanya anak ikan mujair. Namun dengan adanya intruduksi lele dumbo pada tahun 1986, agroindustri lele tumbuh dengan sangat pesat. Karena budidaya lele dumbo relatif lebih mudah dan murah dibanding ikan mas, maka tidak lama kemudian harga lele pun berbalik menjadi lebih murah dari ikan mas.

Konsumen gurami memang agak beda dengan ikan mas, lele, nila dan patin. Empat ikan konsumsi air tawar ini mudah dijumpai di pasar becek sampai warung di dalam gang dan tukang sayur keliling. Sementara gurami hanya bisa diperoleh di pasar swalayan tertentu yang menampungnya pada akuarium besar dalam keadaan hidup. Sebenarnya, penjualan ikan dalam keadaan hidup, sudah menjalar sampai ke pasar becek. Namun perlakuan ini baru diterapkan pada ikan mas dan lele. Nila dan patin masih dipasarkan dalam kondisi mati. Sementara gurami, baik hidup maupun mati, tidak pernah bisa dijumpai di pasar becek. Konsumen gurami paling banyak adalah restoran dan hotel bintang. Di sini gurami mendapat saingan utama ikan kakap tangkapan dari laut. Namun menu gurami goreng tidak mungkin tergantikan oleh kakap goreng. Sementara gurami asam manis masih dimungkinkan untuk tersaingi kakap asam manis. Konsumen gurami yang sangat spesifik ini (pengunjung hotel dan restoran, bukan rumah-tangga), antara lain juga disebabkan oleh produksi yang juga spesifik dan tidak mungkin dimassalkan serta dipacu, seperti halnya ikan mas dan lele.

Harga benih gurami berfluktuasi tergantung tinggi rendahnya permintaan dari para peternak. Benih burayak bisa berfluktuasi dari Rp 50,- sd. Rp 125,- per ekor. Benih kebul antara Rp 300,- sd. Rp 500,- per ekor. Sementara putihan dari Rp 600,- sd. Rp 800,- per ekor. Fluktuasi permintaan benih dari para peternak, bukan disebabkan oleh fluktuasi permintaan konsumen. Peternak akan menghentikan kegiatan pembesaran gurami, karena adanya gangguan cuaca seperti kekeringan dan banjir. Pada kondisi seperti inilah harga gurami konsumsi bobot di atas 0,5 kg. akan melambung sampai di atas Rp 25.000,- per kg. Sementara harga benih burayak, kebul maupun putihan akan jatuh karena tidak terpasarkan. Sebaliknya, pada saat kondisi cuaca bagus, peternak akan melakukan investasi besar-besaran untuk membesarkan gurami. Pada saat itulah permintaan benih meningkat hingga harga juga terkatrol naik. Sekitar enam bulan kemudian, ketika gurami konsumsi mulai dipanen, harga akan turun ke tingkat Rp 20.000,- per kg. Namun jarang sekali harga gurami jatuh di bawah tingkat Rp 20.000,- per kg.

Percepatan pertumbuhan gurami karena diberi pakan pelet, juga berdampak ke kualitas dagingnya. Gurami yang 100% diberi pakan pelet, dengan padat penebaran tinggi, akan menghasilkan daging yang lembek karena kadar airnya tinggi. Daging gurami demikian, jika digoreng akan susut banyak. Irisan melintang di tubuhnya akan merenggang setelah digoreng, hingga tampak tulang-tulangnya. Beda dengan gurami yang diberi pakan daun sente. Hal serupa juga terjadi pada ayam dan sapi potong. Kualitas daging ayam kampung yang dibesarkan secara alami selama 6 bulan untuk mencapai bobot 1 kg, tentu berbeda dengan daging ayam broiler dengan bobot sama yang cukup dibesarkan dalam jangka waktu 1 bulan. Peningkatan bobot hidup sapi potong unggul (impor) yang di atas 1 kg. per hari, akan mengakibatkan kualitas dagingnya tidak sepadat daging sapi lokal yang peningkatan bobot hidupnya hanya 0,5 kg. per hari. Hingga restoran padang, hanya akan menggunakan daging sapi lokal untuk rendang dan dendengnya.

Itulah sebabnya pola pembesaran gurami yang dilakukan peternak, menggunakan pola semi intensif. Pembesaran burayak menjadi kebul dan putihan, dilakukan 100% intensif. Namun dari putihan menjadi gurami konsumsi, peternak memeliharanya dalam kolam biasa dengan pakan kombinasi antara pelet dan daun sente. Pola pemeliharaan demikian, mampu mempercepat pertumbuhan gurami dari 1 tahun (dari putihan ke bobot 0,5 kg), hingga menjadi 6 bulan. Sebenarnya, dengan pemeliharaan 100% intensif, waktu panen bisa dipersingkat lagi menjadi hanya 4 bulan. Namun mutu dagingnya menjadi sangat menurun. Dengan tetap diberi pakan daun sente, pertumbuhan gurami memang masih lambat. Tetapi penurunan kualitas dagingnya tidak terlalu drastis. Gurami semi intensif inilah yang selama ini telah agak memassalkan pangsa pasarnya. Kalau dulu ikan elite ini hanya bisa dikonsumsi kalangan yang juga sangat elite, sekarang kalangan menengah pun bisa pula ikut menikmatinya. Meskipun tidak sesering ikan mas, nila, lele dan patin yang telah benar-benar menjadi menu rakyat.