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Cooking games for girls used to be cliche but now with the rise of cooking video games and handy mobile games for cooking that act as self guided cooking classes they are rising in popularity. When you say cooking games for girls and for boys its not just the plastic Fisher Price games that bring the world of make believe to life. Nintendo DS is a popular platform for cooking video games for kids and also adults as it walks you through cooking different types of meals. This article will walk you through the different types of games for girls, boys and adults. The article will follow up with the benefits of using the different games in your childs play time as well as benefits of adults using the cooking video games. Its fun for the whole family.

The first niche of cooking games is the classic make believe games. Generally these games are stereotype as cooking games for girls but as the culture grows games involving cooking should be included in any genders toy collection. Cooking games made by Fisher Price or Smart Gear were top on the list years back when you searched online. Now you have to scroll a few pages to find quality cooking games for girls and boys made from high quality plastics meant to last a childhood or two. The benefits of these types games are the same as you get from sending your child to soccer or youth football. They allow for the creative part of the brain to develop and help with social skills. A few of the children using cooking games will turn out to be the next Chef Ramsey. So be sure that you include cooking games for girls and boys of the make believe variety in your home.

As of recent the top searches for just "cooking games" returns Cooking Mama, Cooking Dash, even Cooking Mama 2 and Cooking Mama 3. What are these titles you ask? Video Games of course. The days of playing outside or playing house and make believe are dwindling sadly taken over by the hand-held graphical games. Nintendo seems to have cornered the market on games about cooking and even pulls in the adult crown with "Personal Trainer: Cooking". This is not all bad although make believe toys mentioned above such as "Smart Gear Cooking Center" provide imagination through play the video game version can bring the reality of flour plus water and sugar equals dough without destroying your kitchen.

Better yet adults can learn how to cook in the comfort of their home while using their kids Nintendo DS. Personal Trainer: Cooking will have you delivering mouth watering food to your families table in no time. So although cooking games for girls and boys deliver hours of stimulating play for them; these video games can be just as entertaining for adults. Girls cooking games usually come in pink, but recently you will see blue as a popular color for these toys noting the shift in gender role association.

If your child shows interest in these games encourage them to take cooking classes for children. Your local community center often will have cooking classes that you can take with your children. If not be sure to include them in baking activities you partake in. Even if you are not a particularly great cook your children will appreciate the time you give them. Be prepared and don't get mad there will be a mess made. Make the cleanup just as fun as the cooking. It is important to raise your children with an appreciation for cooking and baking especially as families lose the sit down family dinner and restaurants are more often the default over home cooking.

If you are looking for classic a game about cooking there is a website that has done the searching for you and separated them into cooking games for girls, for boys and for all. The products are all sold from Amazon.com which is a quality online retailer with reasonable shipping especially if you have Amazon Prime. I've used this site before just a note though - even though you add items to the cart on the site checkout actually happens in amazon.com so you can be assured of a safe secure shopping experience while shopping. The site is http://www.cookinggamesforgirls.biz a invaluable resource while shopping for any type of game about cooking.

About this Author

Cut through all the noise and find the toys and games you need. [http://www.cookinggamesforgirls.biz] delivers top quality products on Amazon in an organized fashion. You are actually buying from Amazon when you checkout the site is just a collection of amazon products targeted at helping you find quality cooking games for girls, boys and adults.

Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sean_P_Hussey

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Fly-fishing has gained a great popularity over the years as a relaxing sport. The thrill of luring the fish, catching it and having it for lunch or dinner or simply the soothing sounds of running water in a stream have made fly fishing an experience to remember, for the young and the old alike. The fly-fishing experience is complete only if you have the right kind of fishing equipment.

The most important fly-fishing gear is the fishing rod. Fly fishing rods were originally made from flexible but sturdy wood. Later on, bamboo rods were introduced and these became the standard fly-fishing equipment. Bamboo was treated and reinforced to make the best quality fly fishing rods. Presently, due to advanced technology, fly-fishing rods are manufactured from carbon fiber or fiberglass. The fly fishing rod is similar to a normal fishing rod, only it is a little heavier. The weight factor gives a clean and smooth cast to the fishing pole. The smoothness of the cast can vary from pole to pole. A sturdy and heavy fishing pole is an essential part of fly-fishing equipment.

The reels used in fly-fishing are bigger and heavier in comparison to the normal fishing reel. They have a distinctive design and are much more durable compared to the normal fishing poles. Fly fishing rods and reels work together and one must consider their compatibility to each other at the time of purchase. They have to work smoothly together. Finding the suitable reel for the fly fishing rod is of utmost importance.

The third component of the fly-fishing equipment is the replicated fly. Flies are designed to lure the fish and specific types of flies are used to lure a particular species of fish. Hence, the most important aspect of fly-fishing is to consider what type of fish you want to catch. Choosing the right kind of fly is the most important aspect of fly-fishing equipment. The other important item in the fly-fishing attire is a good set of rubber waders that will keep you warm and dry in the cold waters.

Purchasing the right type of fly-fishing equipment is a challenge. However, it adds to the fly-fishing experience and therefore worth the extra effort it takes to procure the best of fly-fishing equipment. With a little practice and the right type of fishing gear, fly-fishing can be a very relaxing and enjoyable sport.

Abhishek is an avid Fly Fishing enthusiast and he has got some great Fly Fishing Secrets up his sleeve! Download his FREE 93 Pages Ebook, "How To Become A Fly Fishing Pro" from his website http://www.Fishing-Masters.com/95/index.htm. Only limited Free Copies available.

At the time of beginning the website, we consider various factors that can make or break the site including website designing, website hosting, website developing, site's maintenance, site's usability, flexibility, scalability and how easy it will be to handle the site and the overall allotted budget for it.

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Singapore has excellent tennis centres and coaching facilities. Learning tennis in Singapore is easy. I found that tennis lessons or tennis coaching can be arranged from the following entities:

1.Private Tennis Lessons

There are various levels of tennis qualifications offered by the Singapore Tennis Association (STA). Go for someone with at least a Level 1 qualification. Most would charge a basic fee of $50 per hour, excluding court booking fees, if needed. There are group classes as well, usually, not more than 3 persons. Try looking for at least 3 of your fellow friends who wish to learn to play tennis and get an individual tennis coach. It will save you some money while still being properly trained.

2.Group Tennis Lessons

Group tennis classes are found at the various public tennis centres. These classes are for both children and adults. The benefits of such group classes are that they tend to be cheaper. However, the class size tends to be larger and therefore, you may not pick up the skill as fast as you would have wished. It would be better to have a combination of group and private individual lessons. You will get the best of both worlds, playing with others and also being coached more effectively.

3.School Tennis CCA

Tennis is a CCA for some primary and secondary schools. Again, the class size tends to be quite big but it is a good and fun way to learn your tennis amongst your peers. It is also subsidized and is therefore, cheaper. Some schools make CCA compulsory and therefore, if tennis is something you child likes, make tennis his or her CCA then.

4.Tennis Sections and Clubs

Unfortunately, there are not many purely tennis clubs in Singapore. However, there are many country clubs with tennis sections. Tennis sections are a good way to start improving your tennis once you are able to play fairly well. Nothing beats playing more and more against someone of your level or higher.

5.Tennis Academies

Unlike the more established tennis playing nations, we do not really have a successful and quality tennis academy. Tennis is not even featured in the South East Asian games for Singapore. Hence, tennis is not one of those preferred sport which is earmarked for further development unlike its sister sport of table tennis. However, one can always head north to Malaysia or Thailand where they have various tennis camps which cater to all levels of play. It is an intensive and highly effective way of improving your tennis as you do nothing but eat, sleep and breathe tennis for a few days!

As an avid tennis player, I had my fair share of experiences in trying to find out which are the best ways to learn tennis in Singapore. I hope this article will provide some guidance for all would-be tennis players! If you find this article useful and would really wish to learn tennis, please check this out http://www.1sports.asia/

Happy Learning & Playing!

Introduction

Education carried out by government and also private sector requires a real operating expenses height. Most all sector is relating to education must be bought. Book, chalk, ruler, and teaching aid readily uses for example, must be bought. Therefore, education requires cost.

Presumption like that not then is followed up with closing eyes and ear with interest places forward commercial factor than social. Education is not commodity, but effort carries out system and certain mechanism that man is able to improve; repair their/his self, can make balmy itself, and solvent of interaction as man.

Education paradigm growing in Indonesia in this XXI century step by step has started leaves aspiration of the founders this republic nation-state that is that every citizen entitled to get education that is competent. The republic founders aware to that performing of the education are addressed to makes man is humanitarianly and can make process towards at fullness of spirit hence would very ironic with situation of education these days.

The Role of the Government and Private sector

Education is responsibility of all suborder. By referring this assumption, education organizer is not merely government but also entangles the side of private sector individually and also group. Thereby, governmental hoped all members of publics responsible educate Indonesian.

Despitefully, because of limitation of cost, governmental given opportunity of it's bigger to public to participate and develops business through education. This assumption comprehended by public by building opening school, courses, or skilled education type with facility that is better than school build and owned government. By giving supporting facilities for education that is rather differs in, rather complete, and promises makes education managed the side of private sector must be redeemed with cost that is not is cheap. So expensive education.

Indonesia has ever owned Perguruan Taman Siswa carrying out education for public? People with motivation educate public? People. Indonesia also has education system of pesantren (Islamic models) which is not collects payment which in the form of money from it's the student. Student in pesantren modeled this salaf (classical) not only studies public sciences (like biology, physics, mathematics, language, and art) they also studies Islam science for the sake of individual and public.

Without realized already happened friction of motivation of organizer and the management of the existing education. Education organizer of private sector tends to sells dream with equipment of facility which they perform. They disregard condition of Indonesia public most doesn't have purchasing power and energy? Power to bargain. Pupil old fellow will be given on to reality "expensive school" and "go to school for rich man children".

Of course, must also be confessed that the school requires cost. However, collects expense of height for education is a real wrong deed; more than anything else in Constitution 1945 has expressed that any citizen [is] entitled to get education.

Capitalist: Having Under the Law

Shifts it purpose of education levying from formulated by the Republic of Indonesia founders is really peeping out suborder concern. If education only be carried out just for man who is having money, hence the biggest layer of Indonesia public? People will not have formal education. Poor people and people, who don't have purchasing power, will yield apathetic generation. Thereby, will lose also one civilization links a nation.

Education carried out with only menitikberatkan at present financial advantage will only make man is more individually and once in a while overrules that the man basically is created autonomous. Tendency and dependency to get it's (the capital returns will make education product to enable all ways, machiavelistical.

Other side, education system this time makes detached man from it's (the area and sometimes abstracted from its (the community root. Properly is critical that education system this time makes educative participant not autonomous and sometimes forgets spirit to as social creature or according to opinion Aristotle's that the man Zoon Politicon.

Semestinyalah had if education aimed at accomplishment of copartner ship standard (company) must be refused. Ideally, education must load agenda for "humanizes man" (humanization), non dehumanization. By collecting expense of height because law barium; by itself education has been transferred to accomplishment of industrial requirement. More than anything else in Indonesia, diploma is respectable reference and the only equipment to get work that is competent.

By positioning education carried out by government and also law barium private sector must, public trapped at acute dilemma. In one public sides requires education to increase it's the humanity reality, medium on the other side no cost is small monster or endless nightmare.

Tussle between fears and desire of public to send to school it's the children exploited by certain party sides. This condition is a real condition profits if evaluated from the aspect of business. Panic buyers are really condition hardly to the advantage of my pelaku-pela is business.

Opinion: Education is Sacral Factor

Indonesia Public till now still of opinion that formal education is equipment the only to improve; repair life, to get work with good production, good salary, and to fulfill primary requirements, beside can boost up degree. This assumption by generations and always is looked after causing peeps out assumption and places formal education as thing which sacral.

Though all formal education, vocational school is not interesting means. As it's (the impact, vocational schools teaching is skilled becoming not draws. Vocational school is school for member of marginal public. Vocational school teaching how facing and draws up life is assumed not elite and ancient. Despitefully, vocational school is not place of for rich man children, but majored for children from poor family.

Social Lameness as poison impact goad to school which only is enjoyed by rich man children will peep out oppressed feeling and not balmy among poor people. Poor public of which cannot send to school it's (the children will assume it as destiny which must be received and assumes it as penalization of God. Irony, of course. But this is reality when schools becomes is expensive and poor people [shall] no longer have place in school.

Minister of National Education in Indonesia for the existing likely increasingly far from nationality vision. Even with movement of schools autonomy increasingly clearly shows capitalization symptom of education. Now education is managed by using management of business that is then yields cost is sky. Expense of education more and more expensive, even impressed has become business commodity for the owner of capital (capitalist). By using pre-eminent school label, favorite school, peer school etcetera expense of education increasingly strangles poor people. Our education increasingly grinds marginal clan. Where situation of our education justice if certifiable school of that is just for they having money only?

While as man who sure is normal of public will choose best life. However, because of its (the disability and its (the kepicikan in looking at education problem, its (the objectivity is also disappears. Indonesia Public of course requires resuscitation that education is one essential part to improve; repair quality of it's (the humanity. Of course, there is no guarantee that education will make people to become rich, influential, famous, and in command.

Cover? Conclusion

Debate of length still need to be strived before Indonesia public can look into formal education as not the only equipment to improve; repair its(the life. Public must realize formal education is not as of its (the pitch.

Resuscitation need to be trained to pebisnis. School that is till now is viewed as the only equipment which able to be used to reach for and can realize its (the aspiration is not farm to get advantage. Therefore, not righteously school utilized as means to make a living. In school still and ought to slip between idealism, so that there is no reason again to expensive of education that is with quality, complete supporting facilities, and has various facilities.

Other alternative is publicizing intensively that non diploma required but ethos and hard work, motivates to build their/his self, and desires to live in better front must be inculcated early. Public must be awaked that becoming public servant is not the price of death.

Wisnu Sujianto
was born in Salatiga, 48 years ago.

Reference

Mu'arif. 2002. Education of Nationality Vision. Yogyakarta: Our writer. Com Samsuri, Ahmad. 2007. Principal of Education. Surakarta: Yayasan Gramayudha. Zaezar, Muhammad. 2006. Better than Education Formal. Surakarta: Yayasan Gramayudha

Having a backyard tennis court is much better than having to go to the local courts everyday. With a back yard tennis court, tennis lovers can play any time a partner is available. With the high gas prices of today, constructing a tennis court in the back yard proves to be economically feasible.

Overview

Having a back yard tennis court is fun for the entire family. It doesn't matter if there is a tennis player in the family or not. The fact is that the sport provides a wonderful forum for exercise. Being that the game can be played with four players, a family of four can very easily enjoy a game of tennis on their own court.

When making the decision to embark upon tennis court construction, it must be realized that this is an important and a wise investment. It is also important to realize that there is tennis equipment involved and that the court and the equipment need to be maintained well. Tennis courts can be beautiful in a back yard if they are maintained properly

Benefits

A backyard court gives a family a good workout and allows them to spend quality time together. Because of the fact that so many individuals are encountering health issues due to inactivity and many are battling obesity, adding something such as a back yard tennis court can help reverse the effects brought on by these issues.

A backyard court also makes for a great place to get together with friends and have a good time. Individuals can have barbecues and play a good game of tennis or have matches in the back yard. The possibilities are virtually endless. However, most of the benefits lie in what having a tennis court can do for the overall health of the entire family.

Tennis court construction

Tennis court construction isn't as involved as it may look to some. It is good to have the area fenced in so that the tennis balls do not fly into a neighbor's yard or into another area where they don't belong. Fencing also keeps out intruders. You can use a privacy fence and you can even get a green vinyl cover to put around your tennis court.

There is also the fact that the concrete has to be poured at 4 inches. The compressive strength should also be 3,000 psi. Also, the water to cement ratio needs to be no more than.40 with a 6% air content. This is to give the concrete the right feel. Having the right feel is important to tennis court construction and to the overall game play because having concrete with the right air content makes for a lesser impact on the knees. The next step is to paint the concrete green or red. Many individuals use both of these colors. There is also the fact that the lines have to be painted onto the court. A tennis court is not a tennis court until it looks like one.

Some individuals even put stone retaining walls around their backyard court that only sits about two feet off of the ground. They do this to keep such elements as water out and to keep animals out. This is great at keeping the court in tip top shape.

And then of course there is the net. A tennis net is your last step. It is not hard to acquire and is quite affordable. They come in one height, so you don't have to worry about any particular measurements or anything of that sort. After the net is put in place, you now have yourself a backyard court.

Tennis equipment

When a family is going to have a backyard court, it is important to have tennis court equipment. Tennis equipment consists of such items as windscreens to put around the court, the tennis net, trash cans for everyone to throw their trash, water coolers, net posts, tennis ball machines for solo games, tennis ball baskets to carry around all of the balls, and benches so that others can watch.

Players can also include numbers if they really want to feel as if they're in a real match. They can even invest in tennis ball mowers to pick up the tennis balls faster. If a person doesn't want a tennis ball basket, they can have a tennis ball cart. There are so many different types of tennis court equipment that can be used to make playing more enjoyable.

It is more or less up to the individual what type of tennis equipment they invest in. This is because different individuals have different levels of experience. Some also view it as a simple workout and others want their tennis court to look like it belongs at a professional match. There is nothing wrong with that. It is a hefty investment, but worth it to those who really want that game feel.

Love the game

It is hard to not love the game of tennis. It is exciting because of that adrenaline rush that comes about when the ball is returned. It also makes individuals feel really good after a game. That's because the workout is incredible. And to think that it is possible to have a backyard tennis court is even more exciting. This means no more waiting for other players to get done at the court. Public courts usually have just a few courts open at a time, which means people have to wait for others to finish. Having a backyard tennis court fixes that problem.

Swati is a freelancer, a work from home mom, who loves to write. She is a postgraduate in English and an MBA. She has written on practically every niche on the web. She writes articles, blogs, web pages, reports, press releases, product descriptions, eBooks, sales letters and newsletters. Visit Swati's blog now if you need content for your business or personal needs.

Collector Car Insurance and Classic Car Insurance

If you are fortunate enough to own a classic car - or any collectible automobile - then you want to ensure that your luck does not run out because of having inadequate insurance coverage. Call it covering your butt - or covering your "asset" - but by all means, call one of the major providers such as American Collectors, Haggerty, or Parish Heacock insurance companies and let them put you in the driver's seat in terms of professional protection of your cherished automotive investment.

How to Kick the Tires on Classic Car Insurance

The whole idea of insurance is that it needs to do what you expect of it in an emergency, when the rubber really hits the road. And classic car insurance is as different from conventional auto insurance as, well, a classic car is from your run of the mill generic vehicle.

When you buy a classic car insurance policy, you are essentially purchasing protection for those times when - God forbid and knock on wood it doesn't happen - disaster strikes in the form of a fire, a collision, or an act of theft or vandalism. Just as we now have modern airbags to save us in the event of a crash, we also have collector's car insurance, to protect us with adequate moneybags when calamity throws a wrench in the works.

The time you invest in choosing the right classic car insurance coverage is well worth the value and peace of mind that a quality collector's insurance policy delivers for owners of classic motor cars.

The Nuts and Bolts of Classic Car Insurance Coverage

Collector car insurance is not the same as the insurance you buy for normal coverage of your daily transportation. Collector car insurance, or classic car insurance, is made especially for the needs of the car collector. And while ordinary insurance does offer some protection, no matter what you drive, it can leave you high and dry in the event of a loss that it not effectively covered by the terms of the insurance contract.

For example, you may have a garage-kept Cadillac Sedan DeVille with swooping fins your grandparents bought for $7,000 brand new back in the 1960s. But dealers have offered you three times that much, and you saw another one sell at an auto show for $35,000. If you don't have special collector car insurance or classic car insurance, and the car is totaled, you will be lucky to get $7,000 for it. With depreciation calculated in, the insurance statisticians may decide that it is worth only half that much, or less, and you could wind up with two or three grand in exchange for your dream machine.

Stipulations or requirements normally encountered while shopping for collector car insurance or classic car insurance:

• A decent driving record.
• At least 10 years driving experience
• No teen drivers on the policy or drivers with poor driving records
• Secure and out of the weather garage
• Proof that you have another car for daily transportation
• Collector vehicle insurance is sometimes limited by the age of your car, and if your car is too young it may not qualify for a particular policy.
• Limited mileage. You probably don't want to drive your creampuff car all the time, and your insurance company doesn't want you to either. Mileage limits have increased recently, though, so if you can live with 250 miles a month you're probably okay.

Coverage with collector car insurance or classic car insurance: Three kinds of value are important to understand when buying your policy. 1) Actual cash value: This is what you usually get with ordinary insurance, and is based on replacement cost minus depreciation.

2) Stated value:

The insurance company pays up to the stated value of the car, but may not guarantee the full stated value. And deductibles of up to $1,000 usually apply.

3) Agreed value:

In most jurisdictions, those who provide collector car insurance or classic car insurance are allowed to insure for a value that you and your insurer agree upon. And for most autos, there is no deductible. If your $100,000 vintage Rolls get trashed, you get a check for 100 grand, plain and simple - which is exactly why collectors use special classic car insurance coverage.

Do a periodic review of your coverage limits, because classic car prices are rising. What you insured your cherry classic for ten years ago may be a fraction of what it's worth today. And if you are restoring a vehicle, ask your agent to give you appropriate insurance. There is no need to pay extra based on mileage statistics, if your car is up on blocks with no engine inside it. And as the car's value increases thanks to your hard work of restoring it, you should raise the coverage to keep up with the added value of the restoration.

Keep all your receipts and paperwork - for everything from parts and labor to expenses incurred to take it to a classic car show - so that you can document the total investment your collector's car represents. And take photos and keep them updated, for the same reason. And Last But Not Least: Special Savings Opportunities

As long as you meet the criteria in terms of how you use and take care of the car, you can usually buy a policy.

Traditional insurers will either refuse coverage, offer only a replacement value based on the nuts and bolts (minus heavy depreciation) of the car, or will charge you a prohibitive amount for the premium. But many collectors find that special collector's coverage saves them money - as much as half - while insuring them for higher limits, sometime three or four times what a traditional company gave them.

Yes, it's possible to get collector's insurance coverage for full market value for your car, and save up to 50 percent off of the premium you'd pay with ordinary insurance. That makes classic car insurance a must-have for any serious car buff.

Below is information about three of the most reputable and dependable collectors and classic car insurance companies in the USA (All information listed below subject to change, please contact the insurance companies listed to be sure.):

Hagerty Insurance P.O. Box 1303 Traverse City, MI 49685-1303

Email: auto@hagerty.com Toll Free: 800-922-4050

Qualifications:

• Similar to the others listed below, but please contact Haggerty for details.

American Collectors Insurance P.O. Box 8343 Cherry Hill, NJ 08002 Email: info@americancollectors.com Toll Free: (800) 360-2277 Qualifications (subject to change or regional laws so check with the company for specific up-to-date information).

• At least 15 years old
• Garage-kept
• Driven on a limited, pleasure-only basis (up to 5,000 annual miles - available in most states)

You may also qualify by:

• Having at least 10 years driving experience
• Having a good driving record
• Having at least one "regular" vehicle for every licensed driver in the household You may request a policy application either directly from American Collectors Insurance or through your local insurance agent (rates are the same either way).

Parish Heacock Classic Car Insurance P.O. Box 24807 Lakeland, FL 33802-4807 Email: info@parishheacock.com Toll free: (800) 678-5173 Qualifications (subject to change or regional laws so check with the company for specific up-to-date information).

• Each household member of driving age must have at least 10 years driving experience or be excluded.
• Each household member must have a regular use vehicle less than 15 years old that is insured with liability limits equal to or higher than the limits being applied for on the collectible vehicle.
• All licensed members of household and any other drivers of the vehicle must be listed on the application.
• Maximum of two accidents or violations in the household, maximum of one per licensed household member in past 3 years. No major violations permitted in past 5 years.
• A Driver Health Questionnaire must be completed for all drivers over 70 years old.
• Auto must be stored in a locked permanent garage facility when not driven.
• Auto may not be used for commuting to or from work or school, used for business purposes or as a substitute for another auto.
• Autos not covered while on a racetrack or when being used for: racing, speed, driver's education, or timed events.
• Must display pride of ownership: well maintained, in restored or well-preserved condition.
• Vehicles under restoration must be stored at residence or a restoration shop, with a target date for completion. Agreed value coverage is not available on cars under restoration. Eligibility subject to company review.
• Replica Vehicles and Pro Street vehicles are subject to company review.
• Trucks and Jeeps must be over 25 years old, and not be used for towing, hauling, off-road or utility use.
• Generally do not require appraisals, but may ask for one if vehicle value is difficult to determine.

Michael Modica is an avid musclecar fan. He is the webmaster of the world's leading Second Generation Camaro resouce, http://www.nastyz28.com

Suppose a woman entered an ecommerce site. The site is for clothes sale. She starts her shopping tour from the dress purchase page where she purchases a decent dress by clicking on it. The dress is added in her x-cart. Now she moves to dress accessories page and select a scarf. She clicks on the link embedded with the image of scarf. This item automatically gets added to her x-cart. Similarly she does the same with pages for shoes and handbags. The selected items are then added in to her x-cart.

Now she opts for the order page where she finds all the items she selected in the list, which shows the final calculated price for all. This is the concept of a shopping cart. Many people have a misconception that Shopping Cart means payment and other related things, but it is not true. When items are listed in the shopping cart the process of payment is done through payment gateways and it is altogether a different process. In short, Shopping Cart is a series of scripts that keep track of items a visitor picks to buy from your site until they proceed to the "checkout".

Success of the shopping cart depends on its integration with various payment gateways. PHP is a language that can do this job beautifully. Perfect integration means complete channels for requests and transfers with the relevant financial network including Internet merchant account with your bank. Thus x-cart with PHP eases this part of integration to a great extent.

Creation of x-cart in PHP is an easy job. All the details of stocks are stored in the database. When user adds product then the IDs of that product is added in shopping cart. You can delete it by deleting the IDs of the products you want to remove from the cart. PHP shopping cart has an inherent ability to call for an external PHP file.

The biggest advantage of PHP is serialization. Serialization is not needed for all types of databases with PHP. It was a problem in the earlier versions that when you wish to pass a value without mentioning its type, it gets dumb. This problem has been solved properly in the latest version of PHP.

Use of PHP in your x-cart development makes it user friendly, this means that it allows an easy search of a product and rapid and hassle free execution means easy shopping experience. It facilitates easy calculation of taxes, refunds and other incentives. Above all, its secure and you always will have secure transactions of money and your data with PHP. Thus you will have a secure ecommerce experience with PHP.

With PHP your x-cart would have fully integrated E-commerce data marts for customer profiling, relationship management, and to facilitate marketing decision processes. It is a common scenario that you will change your prices frequently and your stocks will also change in both quantity and types. With PHP you can do the necessary update easily with just some clicks of mouse.

Last but not the least is that you will get enough support from the developer community whenever you have any problem. PHP is a young language, it is growing and expanding its horizon so you can walk with time and get every thing you need for your advancement.

Hardik mistry is php developer at IndiaNIC - a leading shopping cart firm present quality and cost effective php web application development, php e-commerce x- cart and services across the globe. For any queries related to iphone email us at enquiry@indianic.com.

Grab Your Hiking Boots and Let's Go!

Hiking is perhaps the most popular activity in the Catskills.

The origin of many hiking trails in New York State have their roots in the Native American-made paths to various seasonal hunting grounds. Later, loggers with ponies pulled hemlocks out the Catskill forests to make tanning solution and bluestone quarriers dragged out huge slabs of this dense blue-grey rock to pave New York City. The intrepid artists of the Hudson River School used these trails to find beautiful panoramas to sketch and later paint in their studios. Naturalists such as John Burroughs recorded the variety of flora and fauna unique to the Catskill High Peaks while Ralph Waldo Emerson is inspired to write his groundbreaking essay Nature by the very same Catskills.

Fortunately for today's Catskill hiker, there is a wide variety of hiking trails ranging from the most easy such as the paved and flat like the path along the Ashokan Reservoir. to extremely difficult three mountain loop of Devil's Path or the ascent to Slide Mountain. Whatever the hiking level you desire, we have chosen the best of Catskills hiking that gives beautiful views; the payoff for what can be a most vigorous exercise!

How to Plan for a Catskill Mountain Hike

There are a few sensible precautions that need to be considered before embarking on a hike whether in New York or anywhere else. While the Catskills can be easily traveled to and are close to New York City, knowing your terrain is guaranteed to make for a more pleasant day. Not sure about hiking in the mountains on your own? Add some luxury and amenities to your New York getaway; look for local area resorts such as the Emerson that offer hiking packages with guided hikes and lodging.

What You Will Need To Hike the Catskill Mountains:

1) Water: Bring plenty of it as natural sources can be contaminated with giardia- unless it is marked as a natural spring.

2) Bugs: The hiking trails of the Catskills are cool and damp, so expect mosquitoes. And while lymes-disease carrying ticks generally prefer hot and dry conditions, its good practice to tuck pants into socks and use a strong insect repellent.

3) Gear: Do wear good hiking shoes with sturdy socks to prevent blisters. Dress light but carry a sweatshirt and rain poncho in your pack as the weather can change suddenly. A walking stick can be an excellent stabilizer if the terrain should get rough.

4) Animals: The Catskills are full of wildlife and none are dangerous as long as you respect their space. Bears are only a nuisance if you are camping with lots of unprotected food. Bears tend to be shy but if encountered; make some gentle noise and they should run off. Another concern can be snakes but if you don't bother them, they won't bother you. If you should see a rattler, admire it from a distance. Snakes are most often found on the sunny side of cliffs among large rocks and boulders.

5) Plan: Make sure you let someone know before you go off into the wilds. Take a map and don't expect to rely on your cell phone GPS.

6) Respect: Lastly, bring out what you bring in. Paper and plastic have no place in nature.

Where to Hike: Choosing the Perfect New York Getaway in Nature

Very Easy Trails: Ashokan Reservoir & Colgate Lake

These hiking trails are good for families from grandparents to kids who need a level walking surface without dips or climbs.

• Ashokan Reservoir:

The Ashokan Reservoir's two long walkways, one an actual promenade and the other a closed road the public now uses, provide a panorama of the Catskill Mountains and the pristine Ashokan Reservoir that serves as the drinking water for New York City.

Great for bicycles, walkers and wheelchairs, the two paths are beautiful stretches of wide paved paths that curve for 3 miles along the Ashokan Reservoir. To get to this wide mountain vista, travel to Winchell's Corners on Route 28, turn onto Reservoir Road. At the junction of "BWS road" make a left and at 28A, make another left. Travel ¼ mile and make the next left and at the end of the road is a roundabout parking area for both paths.

• Colgate Lake:

A magical hidden gem off of Route 23A near Tannersville, this pristine, man-made lake is open for swimming, although there are no lifeguards or roped in areas so visitors need to take appropriate precautions. There is a small trail that circumnavigates the entire lake that is bowled in by mountains. Caution must be used around Colgate Lake as there can be poison ivy.

Easy NY Hiking Trails: Kaaterskill Falls, North-South Lake, and Diamond Notch Falls

• Kaaterskill Falls:

The two tiered falls of 175 and 85 feet are the highest waterfalls in New York State. The lower Kaaterskill Falls is reached by a trail beginning on Route 23A. Driving east from Tannersville and Haines Falls, park on the area to the right before the highway makes its steep descent down the mountain. Then, walk carefully along the road until you reach a hairpin turn and the falls are seen on your left. To reach Kaaterskill Falls from the top, travel east on 23A and make a left onto Country Rd 18 by the Twilight Deli and then, about a mile later, a right onto Laurel House Road. Park at the end of the road and follow the trail 1/5 of a mile to a worn bank supported by wooden beams.

This is the top of Kaaterskill Falls and extreme caution must be used to descend onto the huge boulders to get a look at the valley below. We do not recommend a descent as the ground is slippery and there are many injuries, but there is a small short trail that runs to the right. Walking with care, you can get a nice side view of the falls and the natural amphitheater it has carved out over the centuries.

• Escarpment trail North-South Lake:

The short hike to the site of the Catskill Mountain House provides the reward of incredible vistas of the Hudson Valley and the Berkshires beyond. Longer and more strenuous hikes can bring you to such spots as Artist's Rock, Sunset Rock, Newman's Ledge, Boulder Rock, and the Kaaterskill Hotel and Laurel House sites. Follow the well-marked trails and maps to lead you where you want to go. Swimming is permitted at North-South Lake, but only when there is a lifeguard present.

• Diamond Notch Falls:

This hike has an amazing variety of indigenous, native plants and flowers that grow along the path. Please note that any digging or picking of greenery is strictly prohibited. The walk is steep in places, but not difficult to navigate. The waterfalls add a special interest and there is a wooden bridge above the falls that offers a different view of the cascade. Travel up Route 214 to Lanesville, turn left onto Diamond Notch Road and park at the very end. The trail starts at the far right corner of the lot.

Moderate NY Hiking Trails: Hunter Mountain, Overlook Mountain & Giant Ledge-Panther Mt. Trail

• Hunter Mountain:

For a unique experience, take the Sky Ride from the Hunter Mountain Ski Center. The lift will take you up a 1600 foot vertical from the valley floor. A 2 mile hike from there will take you to the fire tower with beautiful views of the Catskill High Peaks, but this is a steep challenge. Less active hikers may want to enjoy the view from where the Hunter Sky Ride leaves you off and just hike back down to the base.

• Overlook Mountain:

This popular hike is located a couple of miles north of the Village of Woodstock. Take Rock City Road north from the Village Green all the way to the top of Overlook Mountain where it will change its name to Mead's Mt. Road. Parking is on the right and the trail is to the left. The climb is steep and uphill for 2.5 miles but the 360 degree view from the fire tower at the mountaintop is the best in the Catskills! Also note an abandoned ruin of a stone hotel from the 1930s about 2 miles up. Great for dramatic photographs or an eerie romantic picnic!

• Giant Ledge-Panther Mt. Trail:

This trail starts out easy with yellow markers and then switches to the more challenging blue markers after the spectacular view of Giant Ledge. Giant Ledge is located roughly 1.6 miles up the trail and afterwards, the trail follows a North-South Ridge for another mile that offers more lovely Catskill Mountain vistas.

Difficult NY Hiking Trails: Slide Mountain & Devil's Tombstone

• Slide Mountain

Another tough hike, but the Slide Mountain Hiking Trail is also the most rewarding! With an elevation of 1780 feet and a 5.4 mile round trip, you will need lots of water and good hiking boots. Slide Mountain is the highest peak in the Catskills, so the view from the summit is unparalleled. To get there, drive to the end of Woodland Valley Road off Route 28 near Phoenicia and travel to the very end to the Woodland Valley Campground. The trail head will be on the left with parking on the right.

• Devil's Path:

Also known as Devil's Tombstone, this trail is known as the toughest hiking path in the Eastern United States. Nonetheless, hikers are drawn to it as it allows them to cover 5 mountain peaks in one excursion. The Devil's Path is a self guided trail that can be done in three sections or combined. The first section, Plateau Mountain, is 8 miles roundtrip and it culminates in a nice view over to Hunter Mountain. Then the trail levels out (hence the plateau) and the highest point is at the far eastern end about 2 miles away. Continue on a short distance from the summit and a view of Sugarloaf Mountain opens up. The Hunter Mountain Section is 4.15 miles and the West Kill Mountain Section is 7 miles for a total of 24.20 miles of hiking. The best access is to drive from Phoenicia 8 miles north on Route 214 and park at the Devils Tombstone day use parking area on the left. The trail head starts on the right after the enormous rock that purports to be the actual Devil's Tombstone.

Whatever your chosen skill level, it will be easy to find just the right hike in New York's Catskills. Make it a weekend getaway and enjoy all the Catskill have to offer.

Jen Dragon
http://www.emersonresort.com

Emerson Resort and Spa, an extraordinary destination offering the reassuring sense that one is no longer part of the outside world. Make yourself at home in one of our 53 exceptional guestrooms and suites. Enjoy comfort food favorites at the Catamount Restaurant. Or indulge in one of the soothing treatments at our Forbes Four-Star Spa. Outside, the picturesque Hudson Valley will complete this perfect environment of total harmony.

The role of the automotive advertising agency has changed to follow the new rules of the road on the Internet Super Highway. Newly empowered consumers are no longer limited to shopping for a vehicle using information provided by self serving auto dealers pushing information to them using conventional media like radio, T.V. or newspaper. Social media has allowed car shoppers to gather information from like minded customers before, during and after their shopping and/or buying experience. These online friends are playing an increasing role in the car shopping process and automotive advertising agencies are using them to influence buyers.

The new pull / push nature of the market powered by the Internet requires automotive advertising agencies to focus on people vs. product or price. Car shoppers are following their own agendas when pulling information from the world wide web that no longer requires them to rely on an auto dealer as the source. Today's online shoppers prioritize people when selecting a dealership they are willing to do business with. That is not to suggest that product and price aren't important. It simply suggests that all systems start and end with people and that people are the true asset of any auto dealer, automotive advertising agency or vendor!

The most obvious evidence of the priority that people play in the auto shopping/buying/service experience is the explosive growth that social media has enjoyed as a marketing media vs. conventional radio, T.V. and print that used to dominate the automotive advertising landscape. Automotive advertising agencies recognize that people have always preferred to do business with people that they like and social networking has expanded the spheres of influence of car shoppers/buyers to include their online friends.

The market is a conversation amongst friends before, during and after the car shopping/buying/ service cycle. Auto dealers that have friends in the social networking communities are more likely to be invited to participate in the dialogue. More specifically, automotive advertising agencies realize that it is difficult to befriend a building or a website! It is the people that work at the dealership to support their families that have the story to tell to their friends and who will earn the sale -- not the Chevrolet, Toyota, Mercedes, etc. -- or the extended service hours and weekly specials. Saturday service hours have no appeal if the customers don't like or trust the people that they are handing their keys to. Having a friend in the car business is a relief that trumps the best process, product or price for the average car buyer.

Automotive advertising agencies also recognize that people play a role in both the real and virtual world showroom experience which will be reflected in the number of units sold and their job performance at the end of the month. First impressions are irretrievable and they are not limited to a large inventory, clean showroom or a dealer centric selling system that processes customers in sales and/or service. The atmosphere in a well run dealership reflects the morale of the staff in sales and service which directly impacts the customers that an automotive advertising agency drives to the dealership.

A smiling sales person, service writer, operator and cashier can't be forced as a part of policy -- much like customer satisfaction can't be bought or taken for granted by simply offering the best price; it must be earned. It is earned when a dealer or manager appreciates the individual and team contributions of his staff -- and tells them so on a regular basis! It is maintained by HR departments and hiring practices that select personality over prior auto sales experience with compensation plans that reflect individual contributions along with job descriptions and defined areas of responsibility that are managed and monitored by a caring management team.

Employee retention is directly linked to customer satisfaction and customer retention and neither can be taken for granted. Automotive advertising agencies are counseling their auto dealer clients to invest in their people before, during and after they are hired to compliment their investments in automotive advertising. It is their people that will represent their dealership and it is their people who will sell their cars and service to a growing list of friends and customers.

Automotive advertising agencies have extended their areas of responsibility to include their involvement in all aspects of day to day operations at an auto dealership. Most selling systems and related processes include a meeting and greeting, an initial manager T.O. to qualify the customer's needs, an inventory and facility walk, a test drive, a feature benefit presentation, a desking procedure, a manager T.O., negotiations, an F&I introduction, a delivery procedure and service introduction. All of these steps are then supported by a state of the art CRM/ILM, DMS and follow up system. Unfortunately, all of these well thought out procedures are only as good as the sales person who entered the customer into the system and/or who is expected to follow up if not sold or who is relied on to solicit future service and referrals.

All of these actions reflect on the job performance of the automotive advertising agency and they must be addressed as part of their areas of responsibility. Automotive advertising agencies recognize that sales training is all too often limited to a few weeks immediately after the hire and/or some outsourced trainer hired to pump up the staff. Given the complexity of a well planned selling system -- as described above -- how can a new hire be expected to retain everything that they need to know? Add product information and an understanding of how human nature impacts the negotiation process and -- once again -- the investment in the people becomes self evident.

There is a paradigm shift taking place in the way that sales and service training should be applied at a dealership and it is up to the automotive advertising agency to insure that it is understood and applied. Forward thinking automotive advertising agencies have discovered that sales and service training can't be limited to the new hires and or as needed to motivate the staff. It must start in the hiring process by selecting trainable personalities and then integrated into the selling system in such a way that the processes teach the sales person as much as the customer. Buyers and sellers must form a habit to listen and learn from each other before they can presume to sell or buy anything. A sales person does not need to know everything -- they simply need to know where to find the answers that are relevant to the customer to move them through their buying decision.

Automotive advertising agencies often rely on new technologies to provide efficiencies applied to proven old world wisdom. New mobile sales applications are being developed that promise to provide a salesperson with the right information at the right place and the right time which will integrate training into the sales process. The key is to focus on the people part of the presentation supported by the processes, products and the price rather than the other way around.

Philip Zelinger is a former auto dealer principal with an earned reputation as a nationally recognized automotive advertising expert specializing in the technology sector. His philosophy that a rising tide floats all boats motivates him to listen and learn so he can presume to teach. To that end, Philip shares best practices on the respected automotive advertising resource networking portal -- http://AdAgencyOnline.Net -- as well as the blog talk radio station featured on the site -- WAAOL, All Automotive Advertising News All The Time -- http://blogtalkradio.com/adagencyonline.

For a complimentary consultation on your automotive advertising needs, or to share your wisdom and insights with the online automotive advertising community hosted by Ad Agency Online, L.L.C. visit the portal and contact Philip Zelinger directly. To quote Philip, "Help is only a click away because -- after all, what are friends for!"

Creative sensational from different parts of the world taking style, beauty and definition of fashion to its edge, promotional linchpin of a multibillion-dollar industry, I am talking about nothing else but Fashion Weeks. Fashion weeks are hallmarks of fashion industry to rollout the new season feel in fashion. They generally last up to a week allowing fashion designers, artists and fashion houses to display their latest collection. It hallmarks next seasons in things, that's why it is very important for buyers, media, celebrities and entertainment industry who take that fashion among the general public.

The most famous fashion weeks are held at Fashion Mecca Paris, Milan, London and New York. Since the new millennium fashion weeks are held in different parts of the world to put the local fashion on the world map and making a packed fashion calendar throughout the year. A refreshing sense of national identity and pride has emerged from the achievements of fashion sector - something that was otherwise traditionally been restricted to feats of sporting prowess, adding that its benefits go well beyond the fashion world (Emling 2006).

Fashion weeks are held several months in advance giving chance to designers, media and buyers to preview the trend for the next season. Fashion weeks are bi-annual events; the fashion weeks conducted between January and March are called "fall fashion weeks" whereas the one conducted in September through November are called "Spring Fashion Weeks". Some fashion weeks can be genre-specific, such as a Miami Fashion Week (Swimwear), Prêt-a-Porter (ready-to-wear) Fashion Week, Couture (one-of-a-kind designer original) Fashion Week, Palm Springs Fashion Week (Resort Collections) and Bridal Fashion Week.

History

Omission of fashion week history would be curious at this point of time. Let me throw some light on that. Edna Woodman Chase--former editor of Vogue organized "Fashion Fete," in 1914 to benefit the war-relief effort which is often apocryphally called the first fashion show ever. By the 1920s, the fashion show had gone mainstream. Early shows were often more theatrical than those of today.

More

Fibre2Fashion.com - Leading B2B Portal and Marketplace of Global Textile, Apparel Fashion & Retail Industry Provides Fashion Jobs, Fashion Shows [http://www.fibre2fashion.com/tradefairs/fashion-show-fair.asp], Fashion Articles, News, Software Solutions, Market Watch, Used Machinery and much more

I am a self described old school car guy but perhaps my definition of that well earned title has a different meaning than many of my contemporaries have assigned to it. My definition of a car guy is an entrepreneurial business man that is driven to win, who values relationships as a team builder and who prides themselves as being a community leader. The people skills needed to accomplish most goals in the car business are built on an understanding of human nature which has survived in the virtual world of today's Internet Super Highway. However, the technologies and online processes needed to communicate to customers have changed dramatically and us car guys need to stay ahead of the curve to stay competitive.

Similarly, automotive advertising agencies serve the retail auto industry in much the same way that they have for decades. However, since the one constant in the auto industry is change -- and human nature is also a constant -- then change in the automotive advertising industry must be limited to the technologies that have developed to serve the newest media of choice; the Internet. Agencies are still striving to improve the reach, frequency, cost per impression and the basic R.O.I. of their automotive advertising campaigns delivered to a qualified and targeted audience, however in my considered opinion there has been a paradigm shift in automotive advertising as a result of the empowerment that the Internet has extended to the online car shopper.

Conventional wisdom supports the position that selling processes on the virtual showrooms being built on the Internet Super Highway must replicate and integrate with those used in the brick and mortar showrooms on local car rows, however that is reflective of the needs of the auto dealers, not the customers. Structured selling systems require repetitive processes that eliminate redundancy of data input and accommodate follow up and management monitoring which has little value to consumers who just want to know if the auto dealer has the vehicle that they want and how much will they have to pay for it.

Old school wisdom suggest that the goal for the dealer after an initial contact by phone, email or by an online visitor to their website is to make an appointment to get the customer into the showroom since, after all, you can't sell them a car on the phone or on the Internet -- or can you? New technology based solutions like AutoTransaXion introduced by Argistics provide an online transaction tool with a two way video customer interaction application that links to the auto dealer's DMS, CRM and ILM in a comprehensive push/pull manner that replicates the real world selling process. The enhanced transparency and relevancy provided by this online communication tool satisfies the needs of the online car shopper while providing a seamless transition that allows the auto dealer and the consumer to complete an online transaction.

Most Automotive advertising agencies recognize the need to provide transparency and relevancy to attract online car shoppers but few are aware of solutions such as AutoTransaXion to convert these new opportunities on the World Wide Web to sales. Budget challenged auto dealers are demanding that their automotive advertising agencies deliver more for less and staying in touch with new technology is one way to deliver.

Another opportunity to leverage online resources for automotive advertising agencies in the know can be found in new online inventory based marketing platforms like ronsmap.com that utilizes its game changing technology to integrate social networking media with their platform. The extended reach and frequency of message provided by their vBack Ask-a-Friend / Tell-a-Friend application increases S.E.O. for the auto dealer by integrating their social networking engine with every vehicle posted on ronsmap, the auto dealers' website and third party sites that the auto dealer posts their inventory on. As a result, leads and sales are increased exponentially as they tie into the viral messages powered by their C2C marketing methods vs. more commonly utilized B2C methods offered by banner ads and other attempts to market into social networking communities from the outside in vs. the ability for vBack to market from the inside out.

In addition, the Intelli-Leads gathered by ronsmap and their vBack application are enhanced by the market intelligence gathered by their SellersVantage application which provides real time information on the online consumer beyond the typical name, IP address, contact information and questions regarding the vehicle they selected. SellersVantage provides the auto dealer with the comparable vehicles that the customer may have considered through ronsmap as well competitive information on similar vehicles currently being offered on the Internet. As a result, conversion rates are increased for the auto dealer and the transparency and relevancy for the car shopper is enhanced. Of course none of this is possible if the automotive advertising agency doesn't know about ronsmap and similar leveraged online marketing platforms to recommend to their auto dealer clients.

Understanding and applying the rules established by the search engines to maximize the S.E.O. for their auto dealer clients is another challenge for automotive advertising agencies that requires them to listen and learn about new Internet applications before they can presume to serve their clients' needs. Social media has earned a weighted position on Google that is only matched by their similar respect for video to reflect consumer preferences. A generation of T.V. watchers has matured into video-centric consumers that prefer to watch an online video of a vehicle vs. a typical display ad listing features and benefits or even a set of pictures. SiSTeR Technologies has a video production platform, Video CarLot, that hosts applications like their vShock and VidBrid that produce professional quality videos from still pictures extrapolated from an auto dealer's website using human voice, existing video footage and multi-schema layers with interactive information for the consumer to increase the transparency and relevancy of the experience.

In addition, SiSTeR is able to increase the vSEO of the dealer by distributing each produced video directly onto the search engines through their dedicated API with You Tube with their own URL, file name and associated search words and meta tags. Couple that with the linked micro-site offered by their vShock application that follows custom business rules established by the auto dealer to display the selected vehicle video with other similar vehicles chosen from their online inventory and you can see the added value of an automotive advertising agency that knows to suggest this video platform to their clients.

Other new vendor solutions offered by companies like CityTwist.Com who offers a do it yourself email platform with over one hundred and twenty five million double opt-in email addresses to facilitate conquest sales for auto dealers and Bull Dog Marketing Technologies who provides an internal data based marketing platform capable of delivering direct mail or email messages with personal URLs and custom vehicle selection and price quotes in monitored monthly campaigns for sales and service will also provide enough of an R.O.I. to support the fees that they paid to the automotive advertising agency that suggested them. Simply put, today's automotive advertising agencies must lead, follow or get out of the way of those forward thinking agencies that accept their new areas of responsibility that include listening and learning about new Internet based technologies to recommend to their clients.

Philip Zelinger is a former auto dealer principal with an earned reputation as a nationally recognized automotive advertising expert specializing in the technology sector. His philosophy that a rising tide floats all boats motivates him to listen and learn so he can presume to teach. To that end, Philip shares best practices on the respected automotive advertising resource networking portal http://AdAgencyOnline.Net as well as the blog talk radio station featured on the site WAAOL, All Automotive Advertising News All The Time http://blogtalkradio.com/adagencyonline. For a complimentary consultation on your automotive advertising needs, or to share your wisdom and insights with the online automotive advertising community hosted by Ad Agency Online, L.L.C. visit the portal and contact Philip Zelinger directly. To quote Philip, "Help is only a click away because -- after all, what are friends for!"

Ham is usually sold in one of three conditions:

1) Fully cooked

2) Partially cooked

3) Uncooked

Although the cooking techniques are similar, there are differences between a fully cooked and a partially cooked or uncooked ham. For example, a fully cooked ham should be cooked to an internal temperature of 140 degrees Fahrenheit, while a partially cooked or uncooked one should be cooked to an internal temperature of 160 degrees.

The instructions below are grouped into sections for fully cooked and partially or uncooked hams. --

Roasting or Baking--Fully Cooked

There are three basic types of fully cooked ham:

1) Wet cured or City Ham

2) Spiral sliced

3) Canned hams

Keep in mind that a fully cooked ham does not require cooking; it can be eaten as is. But cooking it can bring out the flavors of its own juices. The flavor can also be enhanced by adding other ingredients during the baking process. A fully cooked ham should be cooked to an internal temperature of 140 degrees.

Spiral Sliced Ham

This type is pre-seasoned and does not require cooking. However, if the ham is to be served warm place it in aluminum foil, cut side down and add approximately ½ cup of water. Wrap ham tightly in aluminum foil and cook at 275º-300º. Allow 10 to 14 minutes per pound cooking time. Ham may be removed from oven when internal temperature reaches 135º. Allow to sit in foil for a few minutes until the internal temperature reaches 140º.

Canned Ham

Place the ham in a shallow cooking pan, uncovered. Bake at 325º. Allow 15 to 20 minutes per pound cooking time.

Wet Cured (City) Ham

This ham may be cooked either covered or uncovered.

Covered

Trim any excess skin and fat. Do not trim off all the fat as that is what produces the juices and flavor. Place ham in a roasting pan, if cut, place cut side down. Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 325 degrees. Allow 15 to 18 minutes per pound for whole hams and 18 to 24 minutes per pound for half hams. Glazes, if used, should be applied during the last thirty minutes of cooking.

Uncovered

Follow directions for covered ham, except do not cover with foil. Use same cooking temperatures and times. Apply glaze in the last 30 minutes of cooking.

Roasting or Baking Partially Cooked or Uncooked Ham

These hams are defined as Dry-Cured (Country) ham or Wet-Cured (City) Ham types. Remember, regardless of the type, these hams should be cooked to an internal temperature of 160 degrees.

Dry-Cured (Country) Ham

These hams need to be washed and soaked for up to three days before cooking. Follow the label directions on the ham for washing and soaking instructions. This type of ham can be baked covered or uncovered.

Covered

After soaking, place it in a large roasting pan with 4 to 5 cups of water. If the ham has a skinless side and a side with skin, put it in the roasting pan skin side up.

Cover the ham with aluminum foil or a cover. Put the ham in a preheated 375 degree oven and increase oven temperature to 500º and cook at this setting for the first 10 minutes only. After 10 minutes, turn the oven off and allow the ham to set for three hours without opening the oven door. Turn the oven back on to 500º again for 15 minutes. This time, the ham needs to set in the oven, without the door being opened, for 6 to 8 hours. After setting, the internal temperature of the ham should be at least 160 degrees; if not, repeat the 500 degrees setting again for 15 minutes and check the ham after 1 to 2 hours. If desired, brush with glaze before serving.

Uncovered

After soaking, place the ham in a large roasting pan with 3 cups water. Do not cover. Put the ham in a preheated 325 degree oven and cook until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees. As a guide, a whole ham will need about 18 to 20 minutes and a half ham will need about 22 to 25 minutes cooking time per pound.

Wet-Cured (City) Ham

Use the same methods as the fully cooked wet cured hams, but remember to cook to an internal temperature of 160 degrees. Therefore, the cooking time will be a little longer than that for a fully cooked wet ham.

Ham Cooking Tips

• Baking at lower temperatures but with increased times will result in richer flavored hams. Do not use temperatures below 200 degrees.
• Do not pierce the ham once cooking begins-this allows beneficial juices and flavorings to escape.
• When checking the internal temperature, avoid touching the bone with the thermometer as this can cause an incorrect reading.

Learn more about how to cook a ham and about cooking in general at these links.

Ray T. Lewis thinks that if it's pork, it tastes good. And that just about sums up his ideas on food.

Fashion and style. What are they? Do they always go together? Do they mean one and the same thing? It's hard to say. According to specialists in the field, fashion is actually a synonym for style or glamour. It has been agreed on the fact that fashion is a way of personal expression, and according to this criteria, one can be fashionable when he/she fits in this expression mode, or unfashionable, which would be the opposite. Fashion has manifestations in all the fields of human activity, that is when can speak about fashion when we refer to topics such as architecture, clothing, music, cosmetics, entertainment, forms of speech or even politics or technology. Anything in these fields can be described as being fashionable or not. When one speaks about materialism or trend s using the term 'fashion', it can be associated with a negative meaning.

Most people today perceive fashion as a term referring mostly to clothes. The beginnings of what we call fashion today did actually refer to clothes and they go back as far as the sixteenth century. However, it was only two centuries later that the real manifestations of fashion took place and it happened in Europe, among the wealthy upper classes. Fashion, just like any other manifestation of human activity, underwent major and continual changes, to the point where it is today, that is, being related to many fields of activities.

Of course, it would be unjustified to assume that fashion is the same all over the world. First of all, fashion differs from one society to another. Then, within a certain society, there are a lot of factors which may influence fashion such as age or generation, social class, profession or occupation. Even the geography of certain regions may bring about differences in fashion among the people of the same society.

But how does fashion change? Because we all know that constant change is what fashion is actually about. Everyone will agree that what is new now will soon become old, and the process goes both ways, that I what was once into fashion but is now considered to be old and obsolete will soon turn into something new again. Capitalism has brought along with its numerous good aspects some less appealing ones, such as waste. People buy things which are not necessary to them and consequently speed up the process of change as far as fashion is concerned. Young generations have much to do with this change in fashion as well, because they are always eager and willing to try interesting things, things that they haven't experienced before, something new to be more precise.

What made fashion so popular among people was actually the television. The moment fashion hit television, in the late 1960s and early 1970s, was the moment when the general population became interested in this aspect. And fashion magazines, websites or even fashion blogs were only one step away.

Pretty much in the same way as fashion, style can refer to may things, from painting, music, literature, web design to linguistics or manners of addressing people. The very definition of style describes the term as a fashionable manner of doing things, which points out that style and fashion are very closely related. Not everything that is considered fashionable will also be regarded as stylish, which is why people should avoid turning into a fashion victim, one of those persons who will wear just about anything that's seen as fashionable, no matter if it suits them or not, from hairstyles and piercing to clothes. It is true that today's world and the society we live in have set some rules in what fashion and style are concerned, but these don't always have to be strictly followed. Being a fashion victim will only turn you into one of the rest. If you want to be ahead at all times, what you must try is to define your own style and that will make you look your best.

If you want to find out more about fashion [http://www.style-icon.com] or even about style [http://www.style-icon.com] please review this page [http://www.style-icon.com]

The role of the automotive advertising agency has changed to follow the new rules of the road on the Internet Super Highway. Newly empowered consumers are no longer limited to shopping for a vehicle using information provided by self serving auto dealers pushing information to them using conventional media like radio, T.V. or newspaper. Social media has allowed car shoppers to gather information from like minded customers before, during and after their shopping and/or buying experience. These online friends are playing an increasing role in the car shopping process and automotive advertising agencies are using them to influence buyers.

The new pull / push nature of the market powered by the Internet requires automotive advertising agencies to focus on people vs. product or price. Car shoppers are following their own agendas when pulling information from the world wide web that no longer requires them to rely on an auto dealer as the source. Today's online shoppers prioritize people when selecting a dealership they are willing to do business with. That is not to suggest that product and price aren't important. It simply suggests that all systems start and end with people and that people are the true asset of any auto dealer, automotive advertising agency or vendor!

The most obvious evidence of the priority that people play in the auto shopping/buying/service experience is the explosive growth that social media has enjoyed as a marketing media vs. conventional radio, T.V. and print that used to dominate the automotive advertising landscape. Automotive advertising agencies recognize that people have always preferred to do business with people that they like and social networking has expanded the spheres of influence of car shoppers/buyers to include their online friends.

The market is a conversation amongst friends before, during and after the car shopping/buying/ service cycle. Auto dealers that have friends in the social networking communities are more likely to be invited to participate in the dialogue. More specifically, automotive advertising agencies realize that it is difficult to befriend a building or a website! It is the people that work at the dealership to support their families that have the story to tell to their friends and who will earn the sale -- not the Chevrolet, Toyota, Mercedes, etc. -- or the extended service hours and weekly specials. Saturday service hours have no appeal if the customers don't like or trust the people that they are handing their keys to. Having a friend in the car business is a relief that trumps the best process, product or price for the average car buyer.

Automotive advertising agencies also recognize that people play a role in both the real and virtual world showroom experience which will be reflected in the number of units sold and their job performance at the end of the month. First impressions are irretrievable and they are not limited to a large inventory, clean showroom or a dealer centric selling system that processes customers in sales and/or service. The atmosphere in a well run dealership reflects the morale of the staff in sales and service which directly impacts the customers that an automotive advertising agency drives to the dealership.

A smiling sales person, service writer, operator and cashier can't be forced as a part of policy -- much like customer satisfaction can't be bought or taken for granted by simply offering the best price; it must be earned. It is earned when a dealer or manager appreciates the individual and team contributions of his staff -- and tells them so on a regular basis! It is maintained by HR departments and hiring practices that select personality over prior auto sales experience with compensation plans that reflect individual contributions along with job descriptions and defined areas of responsibility that are managed and monitored by a caring management team.

Employee retention is directly linked to customer satisfaction and customer retention and neither can be taken for granted. Automotive advertising agencies are counseling their auto dealer clients to invest in their people before, during and after they are hired to compliment their investments in automotive advertising. It is their people that will represent their dealership and it is their people who will sell their cars and service to a growing list of friends and customers.

Automotive advertising agencies have extended their areas of responsibility to include their involvement in all aspects of day to day operations at an auto dealership. Most selling systems and related processes include a meeting and greeting, an initial manager T.O. to qualify the customer's needs, an inventory and facility walk, a test drive, a feature benefit presentation, a desking procedure, a manager T.O., negotiations, an F&I introduction, a delivery procedure and service introduction. All of these steps are then supported by a state of the art CRM/ILM, DMS and follow up system. Unfortunately, all of these well thought out procedures are only as good as the sales person who entered the customer into the system and/or who is expected to follow up if not sold or who is relied on to solicit future service and referrals.

All of these actions reflect on the job performance of the automotive advertising agency and they must be addressed as part of their areas of responsibility. Automotive advertising agencies recognize that sales training is all too often limited to a few weeks immediately after the hire and/or some outsourced trainer hired to pump up the staff. Given the complexity of a well planned selling system -- as described above -- how can a new hire be expected to retain everything that they need to know? Add product information and an understanding of how human nature impacts the negotiation process and -- once again -- the investment in the people becomes self evident.

There is a paradigm shift taking place in the way that sales and service training should be applied at a dealership and it is up to the automotive advertising agency to insure that it is understood and applied. Forward thinking automotive advertising agencies have discovered that sales and service training can't be limited to the new hires and or as needed to motivate the staff. It must start in the hiring process by selecting trainable personalities and then integrated into the selling system in such a way that the processes teach the sales person as much as the customer. Buyers and sellers must form a habit to listen and learn from each other before they can presume to sell or buy anything. A sales person does not need to know everything -- they simply need to know where to find the answers that are relevant to the customer to move them through their buying decision.

Automotive advertising agencies often rely on new technologies to provide efficiencies applied to proven old world wisdom. New mobile sales applications are being developed that promise to provide a salesperson with the right information at the right place and the right time which will integrate training into the sales process. The key is to focus on the people part of the presentation supported by the processes, products and the price rather than the other way around.

Philip Zelinger is a former auto dealer principal with an earned reputation as a nationally recognized automotive advertising expert specializing in the technology sector. His philosophy that a rising tide floats all boats motivates him to listen and learn so he can presume to teach. To that end, Philip shares best practices on the respected automotive advertising resource networking portal -- http://AdAgencyOnline.Net -- as well as the blog talk radio station featured on the site -- WAAOL, All Automotive Advertising News All The Time -- http://blogtalkradio.com/adagencyonline.

For a complimentary consultation on your automotive advertising needs, or to share your wisdom and insights with the online automotive advertising community hosted by Ad Agency Online, L.L.C. visit the portal and contact Philip Zelinger directly. To quote Philip, "Help is only a click away because -- after all, what are friends for!"

To many, learning the art of gourmet cooking might appear to be an impossible dream. But no matter what your present cooking skills are, this simply isn't the reality. There are numerous gourmet cooking techniques that you can practice to enhance your everyday cookery skills.

One path to developing these skills is to sign on for a gourmet cooking class. The downside is that many of these courses can be quite costly, and you might not have the time in your schedule to make it to all the classes.

With gourmet cooking classes not an alternative for many, what are some other means of studying gourmet cooking techniques that you can integrate into day-to-day meal preparation?

Luckily, there are several things you'll be able to do that can facilitate learning gourmet cooking skills that you can easily use every day.

First off, you must plan this in a practical way. Gourmet cooking does not necessarily imply costly, out of the ordinary, or uncommon ingredients. Gourmet cooking actually entails employing the freshest ingredients of the finest quality.

An easy way to go about gourmet cooking is to examine the basic spices you use. For instance, a gourmet chef would never cook with garlic powder, bottled garlic, or any other type of garlic that wasn't freshly chopped. As well, a gourmet chef would never use dehydrated or bottled herbs. Only fresh herbs from the produce department of the supermarket would be considered.

Some ingredients in their freshest format will be more expensive than their processed counterparts. But you'll soon recognize that the cost difference isn't unreasonable, and it's still a good deal less expensive than dining at a restaurant. When you get used to gourmet cooking, you'll lose your desire to eat out. You will be capable of making scrumptious meals in your own kitchen. This way, you'll have even more chances to hone your cooking skills.

The fastest and simplest way to add gourmet cooking into your everyday meal preparation is to enhance the quality of the ingredients that you're using. Then you'll want to learn how to cook the ingredients properly.

The easiest way to do this is to browse through cookbooks, where you'll be able to study the basic principles and learn at your own rate. Your library will have numerous cookbooks that you can explore.

Your cookbook should deal with the basics, including what type of knife you should use for various tasks, how to prepare chicken stock, and the process for clarifying butter. These are all fundamental cooking techniques that can often seem unattainable because they are considered to be gourmet.

Before long, you'll realize that gourmet cooking is a skill that anyone can learn. All it takes is some time and effort.

Ashley King loves to experiment with gourmet cooking [http://cookbookssite.com/] For more great cooking articles, check out Cookbooks and Cooking at [http://cookbookssite.com/]

Corporations ignore consumers’ real needs…Company leaders engage in questionable business practices…Business owners and employees do work they don’t enjoy simply to pay the bills…such is the state of today’s business world.

The key to bringing the world back to life will also bring you abundance in your business. The world needs people who are vibrantly alive and ready to build a new kind of business. We need businesses that express our missions as human beings and make a contribution to the planet – and thrive in the process.

You will create a magnetic attraction when your vision, your values, and your vocation are perfectly aligned. When planning a business, very few people take the time to look inside, to align their unique natural gifts, talents, and desires with the product or service their business provides.

Answering the following questions will help you attract abundance through your business. When you have done this, you will thrive in ways you cannot imagine.

1. Why do you do the work you do?

Most owners are in businesses because they saw an opportunity or because they have some professional experience they can conveniently sell. Their business is simply what they do and does not necessarily reflect their greatest talents or passions.

However, if you take the time to examine your gifts, your talents, and the particular message you have for the world, you will discover inspiring ways to earn money by sharing those talents. When your business expresses who you are, clients instinctively recognize that you are sincerely and personally committed to their happiness and success. No one can fake true concern.

2. With whom do you want to work?

Most business owners have customers or clients they dread dealing with, yet they continue to do business with them month after month. Whether you realize it or not, your customers know what you’re thinking about them.

Therefore, it is in everyone’s best interest for you to be proactive and “fire” clients who are not a good fit for your business. This will free you to focus on the people you care about. When you do business with people you like, they will naturally bring out your best work and inspire you to become better at what you do. Your better efforts will attract more perfect customers who will inspire you further. From there, your ability to thrive is unstoppable.

When the right prospective customer crosses your path and you can clearly and simply describe exactly what they are feeling, they are captivated. They feel understood and validated, and they will trust you to take care of their concerns.

3. What do you do for your clients?

Generally speaking, a customer’s primary concern is to find someone who can solve their problem and make their pain stop. Therefore, you need to see your business from your customer’s perspective.

For example, instead of saying, “We provide accurate, professional bookkeeping services,” say, “We make sure you have the precise financial information you need, when you need it.” Rather than making a statement of fact, such as, “We are attorneys who specialize in small businesses,” present your service through their eyes, as in, “We take the mystery out of protecting what you’ve worked so hard to build.” Make a list of the benefits your customers will receive as a result of working with you or buying your products. Make sure each one is stated in specific terms a client can identify with, and then market this to your customers.

4. How do you set yourself apart?

Becoming an expert in your field is the best long-term way to attract abundance. You don’t need to have all the answers to be an expert; in fact most experts rely on many other professionals in and out of their field. What makes you an expert is your will, your drive, your passion, your confidence, and your ability to create solutions for your customers’ needs.

Remember, people draw conclusions about things and about each other within a matter of seconds. You may have 20 seconds to convince a potential client or customer that you are the solution to his or her problem. After that, you become lost in a current of information overload. So set yourself apart from the crowd, and watch your business soar.

5. The Final Key To Building an Abundant Life: What Permission Do You Need To Give Yourself?

You already know deep down what you want to do. You have an idea what changes you need to make in your business. You know what’s not working.

You may be holding yourself back from taking the actions you know you need to take. Somewhere in your subconscious you may be following harmful “rules” you’ve made for yourself. You may believe you don’t deserve wild success. You may believe that work can’t be fun. You may believe that you owe it to those around you to maintain the status quo.

When you identify your restrictive beliefs, you can decide to let go of them. Be truthful with yourself. What permission do you need to give yourself to make all of your dreams a reality? Some examples may be: “Fire (or hire) those three people,” “Take only the jobs/assignments that I would enjoy,” or “Make more money than anyone I know.” Be specific.

The Sky is the Limit

You now have the tools to develop a business strategy that capitalizes on your unique abilities and interests. Since many people are unable to objectively observe themselves, if you have difficulty answering any of these questions, brainstorm ideas with a business partner or a business coach. This is important, because the sooner you incorporate these abilities into your business presentation, the more prosperity you are able to attract. You will know what you have to share with the world, and this knowledge is your single most powerful wealth-attraction tool.

Any of your competitors can read the same business books and articles you do, but none of them can duplicate your heart and soul. Find the right answers to these five questions and you can be certain your prospects will say, “I have GOT to work with you!”

"Reprinted from Create the Business Breakthrough You Want: Secrets and Strategies From the World's Greatest Mentors © 2004 Mission Publishing, a division of The Mission Marketing Mentors, Inc., www.missionpublishing.net [http://www.ezinearticles.com/submit/www.missionpublishing.net] or www.missionmarketingmentors.com."

Amanda Murphy is co-author of the new bestseller "Create the Business Breakthrough You Want: Secrets and Strategies From the World’s Greatest Mentors." To find out how Amanda can help you create the breakthrough you want, visit www.AmandaMurphy.com

Do you choose canned food or dry food? What brand? There are so many different brands, all shapes and sizes of pet food to choose from and pet owners are provided with very little information to base your decisions on (other than advertising) - it can get so confusing! Well, buckle your seatbelt depending on how much you know of the pet food industry, this could be a bumpy ride! You are about to learn seven secrets - well kept secrets - of pet food. Sit back, brace yourself, and keep reading.

Beneful says it's 'Premium Dog Food for a Happy, Healthy Dog' and sells for around $18.00 for a 31 lb. bag, Science Diet "promises" 'precisely balanced nutrition through continuous research and the highest quality food backed by your Vets endorsement' and sells for around $21.00 for only a 20 lb bag. Then there are numerous pet foods that make the very same statements - 'Premium Dog Food, Highest Quality' - that sell for $30.00 or more for a 20 lb bag. And the same holds true for cat owners...Do you choose Whiskas that states 'Everything we do is about making cats happy!' or do you choose one of those high end cat foods that make the very same claim of a happy, healthy cat but cost 3 times as much?

Now with the on-going pet food recall pet owners have questions such as 'Has this food been recalled?' or 'Is this food the next one to be recalled?'...'Is my pet safe?' Wow this is confusing! And scary too! What exactly is a pet owner to do? How about learning a few secrets! Equipped with the knowledge of a few secrets of pet food, it's not nearly as confusing.

Secret #1...

All pet foods use descriptive words like choice and premium, though few of them actually use premium or choice ingredients in their food. The 'secret' is that per the rules of the pet food industry, no pet food can make any claims or references on their label or advertising as to the quality or grade of ingredients. You see, the word 'premium' when it's related to pet food DOES NOT mean that the ingredients in the food are premium. With pet foods, premium does not (can not) describe the food nor does it (can it) describe the quality of the food. It is a marketing term and that is all. Per the pet food industries own rules and regulations, "There are no references to ingredient quality or grade" (regulation PF5 d 3). So, words like premium, or choice, or quality are just marketing or sales terms. They should not be interpreted as terms describing the quality of the food.

Now why wouldn't a pet food label be allowed to tell a prospective customer the quality of their ingredients? Doesn't a pet owner deserve to know what they are buying? This leads me to the next secret...

Secret#2...

If I can compare 'people' food to pet food for just a second, we all know there are different qualities of people food. There is White Castle (I'm guilty here, I love the little guys!) and there is Outback Steak House (another favorite). Both restaurants serve meat and potatoes. At White Castle for under $3.00 you can get a couple of hamburgers and an order of fries. While at Outback you can get a steak and baked potato for around $16.00. Both serve beef and potato - yet you already realize that there are huge nutritional differences between a fast food hamburger and a steak...right?

The problem in the pet food industry - is that most pet owners don't think in the same terms when it comes to pet food. They don't think in terms that there are fast food types of pet foods and there are sit down restaurant more nutritious types of pet foods. In fact, several years ago a young man tried this very experiment with his own diet - eating nothing but fast food for 30 days. In just one month of eating fast food three meals a day, he gained a great deal of weight, blood pressure and cholesterol levels sky-rocketed. Now, imagine your pet eating this type of food its' entire lifetime.

OK, so back to our two meals...if a chemical analysis of your meal at White Castle was compared to a chemical analysis of your meal at Outback - both would analyze with a percentage of protein, carbohydrates, and fat. Regardless whether you consider a steak at Outback a higher quality of protein than the burger - it would still analyze as protein. The analysis doesn't measure quality of protein.

So here is the secret...All pet foods come with a Guaranteed Analysis stating the percentage of protein, fat, fiber and moisture in the food. The REAL secret lies in the quality of the percentages of protein, fat, and so on.

In a chemical analysis of a pet food - chicken feet would analyze as protein, although granted it provides very little nutrition. And as well, a cow that was euthanized (put to sleep) because of a disease that made it unfit for human consumption - would analyze as protein although that could be considered dangerous for consumption. Both of those things - chicken feet and a euthanized cow - are allowable ingredients and commonly used in pet food. You see the secret within the pet food industry is manufacturers have a WIDE OPEN door to where they obtain their ingredients. The only strict rule they must follow is an adult dog food must analyze with 18% protein and an adult cat food must analyze with 26% protein. Sources to acquire those particular percentages range from a 'human grade' meat, to chicken feet, to euthanized animals, to grain proteins, to even man made chemical proteins and many variations in between.

Pet food labels do not have to tell - are not allowed to tell - the sources they use to obtain that required 18% or 26% protein. And to make matters worse...quality minded pet food manufacturers - the companies that use 100% human grade ingredients - are not allowed to tell customers or potential customers that their products are quality, human grade ingredients.

So how can you know if your pet's food uses chicken feet or euthanized cows or if it contains human grade ingredients?

Secret #3...

If the words premium and choice mean basically nothing with regards to the quality of pet food, and if some pet foods use chicken feet and euthanized animals in their food - how can a pet owner know what they are getting in their pets' food?

This big secret is found in ingredient definitions. Unlike 'people' food where you can pretty much look at the food to determine the quality, pet food is far different. All 'people' food must meet particular USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) and FDA (Food and Drug Administration) guidelines. The same is not true for pet food. Chicken feet and euthanized cows are NOT allowed in people food for obvious reasons - they have no nutritional value or they could be dangerous to consume. The same is NOT true for pet food. The only way to know if those chicken feet or euthanized cows are in your pet's food is to know what ingredients they can be used in.

The common pet food ingredient 'Meat and Bone Meal' is basically a combination of many different discarded left-overs from the human food industry. Components of 'meat and bone meal' can be anything from cow heads, stomachs, and intestines, to (horrifying but true) euthanized animals including cows, horses and dogs and cats from veterinarian offices, animal shelters, and farms. And along with those euthanized animals the pet food also contains the drug pentabarbitol that was used to euthanize the animal. 'Meat and bone meal' can also contain left-over restaurant grease, and diseased (including cancerous) meat tissues cut away from slaughtered animals. In other words, this commonly used ingredient is a mix of highly inferior and potentially dangerous left-overs from the human food industry.

The pet food ingredient 'Meat By-Product' or 'Meat By-Product Meal' is pretty much the same thing as 'meat and bone meal'. It is a highly inferior pet food ingredient containing literally who-knows-what.

Another similar ingredient to the above is 'Animal Digest'.

As to the chicken feet I mentioned earlier - this item can be found in the ingredients 'Chicken By-Product' or 'Poultry By-Product' or 'Chicken By-Product Meal' or 'Poultry By-Product Meal'. Any left-overs in the chicken or poultry division - including but not limited to chicken feet, skin including some feathers, chicken or poultry heads, and intestines are found in these ingredients. It does NOT matter as to the health of the bird - sick, healthy, dead, dying...all is included in these ingredients.

So here is what you need to do...BEFORE you purchase any pet food, flip the bag over and closely examine the list of ingredients. The above mentioned ingredients would be listed within the first five or ten ingredients. If you see ANY of those ingredients - it is my suggestion to NOT purchase that food. Remember - chicken feet and euthanized animals do analyze as protein. That is all that is required in pet food - just the correct analysis.

Another little trick some pet food manufacturers use in this category is using grains and chemical additives to grain products to boost the protein percentages. Which is exactly the cause of the pet food recall that began in March 2007 - chemical proteins. Two different chemical additives - that have NO nutritional value to pets, but that analyzed as protein - were added to a grain product (wheat gluten, corn gluten, or rice gluten) solely to provide a cheap protein. Thousands of pets died and countless others became ill because no one counted on the problem of the combination of these two chemicals would cause kidney and urinary blockage. Again, their secret is the product has to analyze as having a particular amount of protein - no one is required to provide a quality meat protein.

While you are looking at the ingredient listing - you should also take note of how many grains (corn, wheat, rice) and/or how many grain products (corn gluten, whole corn, ground corn, whole wheat, ground wheat, wheat gluten, rice, brown rice, brewers rice, soy, and on and on) are listed within the first five or so ingredients. If you find more than one grain listed in the first five ingredients - that is telling you this pet food is acquiring some of its protein from grains.

Why is protein obtained from grains important for you to know? Several reasons - first off science proves that cats and dogs alike require and thrive on a meat protein. If a pet food is obtaining protein from grain sources, the pet is not getting the meat that it needs to thrive. Second, if the grain products are a corn gluten, wheat gluten, or rice gluten you take the risk of chemicals such as melamime added to it used strictly to boost the protein analysis. By the way, melamime is one of the chemicals found to be the cause of the March 2007 pet food recall. And there is one more concern with grains - aflatoxin. Aflatoxin is a deadly mold that is common to corn, wheat, and soy and it's responsible for several other pet food recalls you probably never heard about. In December 2005, Diamond Pet Food contained moldy grains that killed over 100 pets before the product was recalled - all due to aflatoxin.

It is my recommendation to avoid any pet food that contains corn, wheat, or soy in ANY variation. The risk is simply too high.

Secret #4...

I've got more suggestions for you to look for in the ingredient listings...chemical preservatives. A very well kept secret of the pet food industry is their common use of chemical preservatives. BHA/BHT are very popular chemical preservatives used in pet food and science has linked them to tumors and cancer. Another common preservative is ethoxyquin which has known risks to cancer. Ethoxyquin is ONLY allowed in human food in some spices because of the very tiny proportions. However it is allowed in much higher proportions in pet food.

If you scan the ingredient listings, you will be looking for BHA/BHT and ethoxyquin listed anywhere. Commonly BHA/BHT is used to preserve the fat in the food which usually is found higher on the list. And also look for any of these chemicals towards the end of the ingredient listing. Personally, I wouldn't touch a pet food that contained these chemical preservatives. You want a pet food that is preserved naturally - common natural preservatives are 'natural mixed tocopherols' or 'vitamin E'.

Secret #5...

The very best food to provide to your pet is a well made food using human grade ingredients. That should be simple enough...How do you find that? You already know that pet food manufacturers are NOT allowed to make any statement as to quality or grade of ingredients, the only way you can find out the grade or quality of your pets' food is to call the manufacturer and ask them.

Now, let's say you call the ABC pet food company and ask the question "Is your Premium dog food and Premium cat food made using human grade ingredients?" It could be that you get the response yes, we use human grade ingredients - when actually only a couple of ingredients are human grade. Here's the trick to asking...ask them if they are APHIS European certified.

Pet food manufacturers that are APHIS European certified assures you that ALL ingredients in their pet food are human grade. APHIS - Animal Plant Health Inspection Services - is a division of the USDA. APHIS European certification provides this pet food manufacturer with the opportunity to ship their foods/treats to Europe. When importing pet foods from the US, European countries demand that all ingredients are human grade and thus require this certification. Most pet food manufacturers that have APHIS European certification do not ship their products to Europe - they simply use this as a means to assure their customers to the higher quality of their ingredients.

Again, you WON'T see this listed on the label - it's not allowed. You must call the manufacturer and ask. Often times the representative of the pet food won't even know what you are talking about when you ask about APHIS certification - if that's the case, you can assume they are not APHIS European certified. APHIS European certification is a bonus to pet owners - it is not required or even suggested that any pet food manufacturer go through the extra steps to obtain this. This is a special effort some pet foods go through to tell their customers they REALLY CARE about the quality of their products. Personally, I would NOT buy a pet food that doesn't have it.

And by the way, if you can't reach the pet food manufacturer, or they do not return your call within a short time frame, lose their number! Any company that does not place a priority on answering customers questions - doesn't deserve your business!

Secret #6...

Minerals are a required ingredient in human diets as well as diets for our pets. Copper, Iron and Zinc are common minerals found in pet foods. Just as they are - copper, iron, and zinc are basically rocks, very difficult for anyone or any pet to utilize. Science has developed several ways to introduce minerals into the body (human and pet) for better absorption thus benefiting the individual far more. This scientific development is called chelating or proteinating and it's been around for years. Through the chelating or proteinating process minerals are absorbed about 60% better than just the minerals alone.

This secret is spotting the minerals in your pet food to see if they are chelated or proteinated. Notice the minerals on your pet food label, way down on the list of ingredients. You are looking for minerals that read 'copper proteinate' or 'chelated copper'. If you see just the mineral listed, your pet is sort of like Charlie Brown at Halloween saying 'I got a rock'. If you want your pet to have the best, chelated or proteinated minerals are part of the best foods!

Secret #7...

This secret is called 'friendly bacteria'. Although 'friendly bacteria' sounds a little scary, the reason for it lies in your pets' intestinal system. A large portion of your pets' immune system is found within the intestinal system. Keeping the immune system healthy helps to keep the animal itself healthy. This friendly bacteria is similar to what's found in yogurt, however in pet food it is introduced in a fashion so that the cooking process doesn't destroy it. Looking at the fine print on your pet food label, this time you are looking for lengthy, scientific words like Lactobacillus Acidophilus or Bifidobacterium Thermophilum. If you do NOT see these words or some very similar, that pet food is not addressing the care of your pets' immune system. And again, if you want your pet to have the best, you want 'friendly bacteria' in their food.

There are your seven very secrets to help you find the absolute healthiest and best pet food for your four-legged friend. Armed with those secrets - you now have the knowledge to find your pet the best food possible! A pet food that can extend their life and prevent early aging and disease. If you don't want to bother doing the homework involved, I urge you to subscribe to my monthly magazine Petsumer Report(TM). Through Petsumer Report(TM) I've done all the homework for you - each month I review and rate over 40 different pet foods, treats, toys, and various other pet supplies. It's the ONLY publication of its' kind providing pet owners with the information they need to know regarding their pet product purchases.

I want to share just a couple more things...

It's best to feed an adult dog or adult cat two meals a day. The nutrition they consume with two meals is better utilized than with just one meal a day. If you are currently feeding your pet one meal a day, split that same amount into two meals and feed in the AM and PM.

You should know that all canned or moist pet foods are anywhere between 70% to 85% moisture. This means that 70% to 85% of that can or pouch of food is useless nutrition - its water. Granted our pets need water, cats especially tend not to drink enough water. But since all canned or moist foods are mostly water, they do not provide adequate nutrition to be fed strictly a canned or moist diet. Use a canned or moist product to supplement your pet's diet - not as the only food.

The best pet foods are preserved naturally (secret #4) - but there is a concern with naturally preserved pet foods...freshness. Take notice of the expiration date on your pets food label - typically with naturally preserved dry pet foods (not as much of a concern with soft foods because of canning - very little need of preservatives) the expiration date is one year to 18 months from the date it was manufactured. Let's say the pet food you are considering to purchase on July 1, 2007 has a 'Best if Used by' date of January 1, 2008. This would tell you that this particular bag of pet food is already 6 months old. While it is still 'good' a fresher food - a bag that is only 2 or 3 months old - is better. Naturally preserved pet foods lose nutritional potency with time. Always try to find a very fresh bag.

If you are considering changing your pets food, ALWAYS consult with your Veterinarian first. You should always keep your veterinarian advised of any changes you make with your pet. Don't take chances. And if you do switch pet food, make the change over very slowly. I always recommend to pet owners ¼ new food to ¾ old food for 4 to 7 days, ½ to ½ for another 4 to 7 days, and so on. Switching food quickly can cause intestinal disorder! Its short term, but we don't want intestinal disorder!!!

One last thing, as you are already aware dogs and cats have a far better sense of smell than humans. Their food bowl can be a wealth of smells - both good and bad. Some times a pet will refuse to eat simply because he or she smells a previous food in their bowl. Plastic food and water bowls retain odors the worst. And surprisingly so does stainless steel bowls. The best type of food and water bowl is a ceramic one. They retain odors the least.

"Animals are such agreeable friends - they ask no questions, they pass no criticisms." George Eliot.

I completely agree!

Susan Thixton has worked in the pet industry for over 20 years helping thousands of pet owners to enjoy their pets. She's produced an internationally distributed dog training video, authored the tell all book Truth About Pet Food, and recently has begun publication of a one-of-a-kind pet owning consumer report Petsumer Report. For more information please visit http://www.TruthAboutPetFood.com
Susan Thixton
Pet Behavior and Nutrition Consultant
Truth About Pet Food
Petsumer Report™
http://www.TruthAboutPetFood.com

Failure and mistakes should not make you quit Do-It-Yourself auto repairs. Learn how to

turn them to success.

Failures And Mistakes Are Inevitable:

Everybody makes mistakes, everybody fail in one way or the other. Thus, you should expect some level of failure in your Do-it-Yourself auto repairs, prepare for it and get over it.

Know that all successful Do-It-Yourselfers today have failed at one time or the other in their life.

So don't be afraid of failing in your own.

You Can Prevent Or Reduce Failures:

Yes, you can reduce failure or mistakes in your Do-it-yourself auto repairs by following the right guides, by obeying Do-it-yourself auto repair instructions to the letter. These instructions you can get in your auto repair manuals.

Get a good auto repair manual, study it and familiarize yourself with the details of the auto repairs you want to carry out. You can use the steps below to learn from your mistakes and turn them to success by asking yourself the following questions.

1. What Caused The Failure:

Failure In Do-it-yourself auto repair often occur as a result of inadequate preparation, lack of adequate knowledge of the job, lack of confidence or outright over confidence and any other remote causes.

Think and evaluate the situation, isolate the problem and asses it and know exactly where the fault is from. Get the specific answer to what caused the failure.

2. What Can I Learn From What Happened:

Another question to answer in case of Do-It-Yourself auto repairs failure. You can learn a lot; maybe that you didn't get the right auto parts, tools, accessories, you don't have enough confidence in yourself to carry out Do-It-Yourself auto repairs, you don't have enough time, etc.

Your answer(s) to this question will determine the action (solution) you are to take.

3. How Can I Turn This Into A Success:

Once you have been able to identify the problem(s), in your DIY auto repairs, you can then look for solution. A problem is not a problem it depends on the way you look at it.

If you lack confidence, try and build it by affirming to yourself that you can do it. Read the testimonies of starters in Do-It-Yourself auto repairs to further still your nerves. If you are always over confident try to cool your nerves by writing down the steps you want to take, go over them several times and follow them to the letter.

If you lack adequate preparation, prepare your list of tools, auto parts, etc days before you carry out Do-it-yourself auto repairs, use your manual as a guide to know what you want to do and what you would need in order to get them ready.

4. Who Can Help Me With This Issue:

For speedy and effective solutions to Do-it-yourself auto repairs problems, you can get help from your manuals or better still from auto repair sites.

The Bottom Line start turning all your DIY auto repairs failures and mistakes into success, it all depends on you.

Tope Olawumi is a seasoned auto infopreneur his site at http://www.all-about-auto-part.com/Do-It-Yourself-Auto-Repair.html show you how to carry out successful Do-it-yourself auto repairs, quality auto repair site and auto manual sites.

You can also subscribe to his blog at http://www.all-about-auto-part.com/Auto-part-blog.html