National Safety Month Provides Unique Opportunities to Insured Companies

Insurance premiums can be affected significantly by accidents and injuries at the workplace. Disability and compensation claims are factored into the insurance quotes provided to a company. As a result, an event such as National Safety Month offers insurance agents and business owners to inspire staff members to work safely in hopes of reducing injuries and as a result, insurance costs. From the front office to the warehouse, companies can take stock of their safety procedures as well as training protocols. Insurance representatives can guide owners and human resource staff on how to make the most out of the event. Meetings, reminders and new procedures can help keep a workplace safe and insurance cost low.

Educate - The entire month of June is dedicated to safety, giving ample opportunity to coordinate a safety meeting. Insurance agents can work with owners, outlining some of the key topics to cover in a safety meeting. Using real life examples from outside of and within the organization, company safety officers can describe the right and wrong way of performing tasks. Educational materials such as slide guides, pocket tip cards and documentation from the insurance company can be distributed to reference during the presentation.

Reinforce - Reminders are a great way of engaging staff members during safety meetings as well as reinforcing the topics throughout the year. Low cost, budget friendly giveaways such as stress balls, key chains and even lunch bags can carry an insurance company's logo along with a reminder slogan to reinforce the safety message. The example of "Always Stress Safety" along with a corporate logo transforms a promotional product into a useful safety tool.

Implement - June is a great time to launch safety initiatives. Companies can work in tandem with insurance representatives to promote a new safety protocol or goal. Unveiling a "days without accident" banner with commentary on how achieving benchmarks will benefit the business as well as the employees is a perfect rally point. Staff members will feel compelled to "team up for safety" working together to support an initiative may otherwise be lost in formality.

Leveraging opportunities such as National Safety Month to inspire employees to be more mindful of the right and wrong way of performing their jobs can influence a number of positive improvements. Working with insurance companies to formally approach safety issues and education can reduce costs and more importantly reduce injuries. Rather than delivering a memo, organizers can create a system of education, implementation and reinforcement that can be more effective and create better results.

Cost Per Acquisition Definition

The simple version of the cost per acquisition definition is a process in which someone gives information about themselves and the company. Collecting that data pays a fee for that lead from a particular agency or individual marketer. This exchange has been going on forever. The only difference is the industry transitioned from the offline world to the online world.

Now there are many variations to the title cost per action marketing. You have the CPA marketing industry or the cost per action, cost per lead and the cost per acquisition industry. They all have the same definition with different names. As far as you being able to promote these programs online, you will need to join a network first in order to get in front of these programs.

You have three different ways to make money with CPA offers. One way is for every zip code a person submits, the other is email and the last is email and extended information (i.e. insurance information on an insurance site). The more information the program needs, the more money you can potentially make.

There are several networks you can join out there but the most popular one on the internet is neverblue.com. This is a site that has really good programs and you can be sure to get top quality support as well.

They have a long line of programs waiting for you to join right now. The only thing that might hinder you from actually getting approved is the information part. You have to make sure you are giving accurate information when signing up and you are giving them information that will ultimately help you be taken seriously.

For example, you have to submit website information, how you will be getting traffic, email address, etc. It is much better for you to build a website and purchase a domain name so you can use the domain name as your email address. This will help them take you very serious.

If you were to just slap a random blogger domain address (name.blogspot.com) and a random email address (name@gmail.com) then you will run the risk of not being taken serious.

You will want to make Never Blue take you very seriously so that you can get approved much faster than you just throwing some random information on there. Never Blue and other networks take extreme measures because their clients are major companies and they want to make sure their clients are getting best leads possible.

Inns and Bed and Breakfasts - Are They For Everybody?

Inns are a delightful alternative to hotels and resorts. They can be just the right ticket for your vacation, providing you understand how they work and function.

Are they for everybody?

No, they're not. But here's the answers to some basic questions to determine if it's the type of accommodation that'll work for you...

WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN INNS AND BED AND BREAKFASTS?

Let's start by clearing up any confusion on the differences between inns and bed and breakfasts. And it's not so much in the name as how they advertise themselves.

Firstly, there's no difference in accommodation. The charm of a bed and breakfast can be every bit as good as the personality of an inn. The difference is the prepared meals. A bed and breakfast is just that... expect a bed and a breakfast, but you're on your own for dinner. But at inns, they're set-up to provide dinner as well, although it's usually an option, and not included in the quoted price. The listing will be very clear if dinner is offered. But assume its just bed and breakfast if nothing is mentioned.

In many areas of the world inns and bed and breakfasts are also called guesthouses.

ARE THEY RIGHT FOR MY KIDS?

When an inn says kids are welcome, then you'd better believe they really mean they're kid friendly. Now there's nothing wrong with that (I have three myself), but don't expect too much peace and quiet and solitude.

You'll find a number of listings that put age restriction on children. For example they'll say something like: 12 or older, or above 6-years old. They're not being mean. It's just these places are also catering to a single or couple looking for a chance to unwind and free of noise and high activity. If you've got high-action kids then bed and breakfasts may not be ideal for your family.

WHAT SERVICE CAN I EXPECT?

Staying in inns is very different than staying at a hotel. You shouldn't expect a country inn to be like a Sheraton, with hordes of staff at your beck and call, and soundproof walls. Also, having a party and playing loud music after 11:00pm won't win you any brownie points with your host or the other guests.

Remember... the innkeeper or host is there to provide you, and other guests, with a unique experience in unique surroundings, but to do that they'll need your understanding.

WHAT'S THE USUAL CHECK-IN TIME?

Your host will go out of their way to greet you when you check-in. Usually when you reserve you'll be told when their normal check-in period is. But most can accommodate you arrivals outside those hours.

But you need to let them know if you'll be late so they can arrange for you to get into the house (yes, the doors are locked after a certain hour), and to your room. It's one thing to show up at midnight at your hotel - they're staffed round the clock - but it's entirely another matter to roll-in after 11:00pm at an inn, and expect your host to get out of bed and greet you smiling.

CAN YOU NEGOTIATE PRICE?

You bet you can!

Just like hotels the room rate for inns is negotiable. The main difference is unlike a hotel, the person on the other end of a phone is usually the owner of the bed and breakfast, and they can make the decision on the spot. All you have to do is ask in a nice way.

Just remember the innkeeper may only have a few rooms to begin with anyway, and if your haggling over the last room then don't be offended if it's no dice on a price reduction. But on the other hand one room of a four-room inn without a paying guest reduces a host's profit by 25%. So it's always worth asking for a reduction!

HOW MUCH CAN YOU REALLY SAVE?

Off-peak travel will save you a bundle.

Most inns can book their weekend's months in advance. But filling the rooms during the week, particularly off-season, is much more difficult. You'll get the best deals for bed and breakfasts traveling mid-week and out of season. Now contrast this with hotels that have the opposite problem, because they cater to the mid-week business traveler, but can't get people in rooms at the weekends.

I love staying in inns. They've a lot going for them. Inns are usually very affordable, offer tons more variety than a bland hotel room, and are a great way to meet fellow travelers or vacationers. You'll find web sites devoted to inn and bed and breakfast listings now - so crank up Yahoo or Google and get searching... and saving!

Three Internet Marketing Strategies That Will Increase Your Sales

Marketing your products online is one of the best ways to increase your customer base and expose your business to the largest number of potential clients possible. But if you want to be successful and increase your sales with your online presence, you have to do it right. Otherwise, you could be sabotaging your sales success. Here are three internet marketing strategies that you should be utilizing right now to help increase your sales and your customer base.

1. Use Words that Sell

When you're in the sales industry, the words you choose can make or break your success. It's important to use words that will get potential customers excited about the products that you are selling and they should also be persuasive words. Using vague words like "awesome" or "great" will not bring results. There isn't one specific formula for choosing the words you use in your online marketing because it depends on the audience that you are trying to reach. But you can hire companies that specialize in writing articles targeted to a particular audience to increase your sales. It's an extra expense, but it's also one of the more affordable options for advertising your agency.

2. Offering Free Resources

When you have a website, you want it to offer something to the people who visit it. You can increase your sales success by offering free resources and tools on your site and make it more interactive for your customers. Your website shouldn't just be a few small blurbs about your agency and what you have to offer. You can offer a free tool on your website that allows customers to find the best insurance products for their needs along with the average cost for those products. Another way to keep your website's visitors engaged is to offer videos of yourself talking about the various insurance products that you offer. When a customer sees an agent, they become more personable and they are more likely to have confidence in the products and services that you are offering to them.

3. Create a Monthly Newsletter

As an insurance sales agent, you know the importance of keeping in touch with your clients. You don't sell them a product and then never engage with them again. One way to keep in touch with them and keep your name in their mind is to send a monthly newsletter to them. Your newsletter can include the latest products that you have available as well as some information about changes in your company. You can also have articles about events that are occurring in the industry that your customers might be interested in. And since you can do this through email, it's one of the most affordable forms of internet marketing you can use to increase your sales.

There are many ways that you can use your website and the internet in general to increase your sales as an insurance agent. The important thing is to be creative and think outside of the box to find ways that will get the attention of potential clients and keep your current customers interested in what you have to offer them.

Exposing Darkness, Embracing Light

"We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy of life is when adults are afraid of the light." ~Plato

"And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil." ~John 3:19 (NRSV)

It wasn't just in my childhood that I was afraid of the dark. Many times, while staying in Hotel rooms by myself as I travelled around for work, I would leave the bathroom light on. I could say a big part of the reason was needing to be able to find my way around the room in the middle of the night. But there was always something more to it; I felt vulnerable in a strange place by myself.

From a spiritual context, I am also drawn to the Light. Indeed, as for the many, there is no natural inkling toward darkness, but then I suspect there is always darkness within me to contend with. I need light.

Within metaphors of light and darkness, we come to a poignant crossroad: light reveals darkness and light flushes out darkness - if we invite light in and allow light to do its work. We must allow light into our lives such that darkness of the heart would be expunged.

INVITING THE LIGHT INTO OUR LIVES

These are qualities of character. If we are to invite the light into our lives, in dealing with our darkness, a state of being we all have, we must connect light with truth. Light can only come into our lives when truth, however painful, becomes our value and gauge for life.

Hardly anything is more important than a personally exacting truth.

This is not about exacting the truths of others' lives - finding cause for judgment or criticism of others - no, this is about our lives, and how we obey and disobey God as the direct result of how we deal with our circumstances. When truth becomes important we must deal with our responses. When truth becomes number one, truth begins to shape our responses.

Our method for dealing with our darkness is repentance in turning toward the light. As we connect this process of turning toward the light with turning toward the truth, we finally acknowledge God. God is love, and we may know that, but God is just as much truth.

Let us turn to the light to see what truth it reveals. The more light we let in, the more truth we will need to deal with, but the more we'll be blessed in pleasing God.

***

People may be afraid of the Light for what it reveals. The Light of God is truth for life, but where the truth cannot be acknowledged and attended to people remain in darkness. God cannot help from there.

As we relate with our personal selves in connection with God, the vertical relationship, aligning with truth is never more important.

© 2012 S. J. Wickham.

What Business Owners Can Do About Employee Theft

If you're an employer and you suspect unfaithful behaviour in your work place, I will list a few ways of how you can stop and catch unfaithful dealings. Firstly you need to know what you are looking for;

Is a certain employee or employees going missing during the day and not where they should be? Do they volunteer to stay behind later and do over time? Missing stock Unusual behaviour. I.e. Looking away from the cameras, going for a very long fag break or moving car or vans. Finding large boxes and bags, which you are unaware of. Money not adding up

The list can go on forever but you have an idea of what to look for now. Obviously you're going to know that you have a thief in the business if the cash till is always down or expensive stock (diesel) always lower than they actually customer intake is.

Ways to help protect you and your business.

If you suspect unfaithful behaviour in your workplace they are many methods that can help you protect your belongings and your faithful employees. If you have any just started to notice strange happenings it's always best if you monitor the situation yourself for a while before you jump the gun. They are some very useful cost-effective tips how you can help yourself.

Do regular checks of stock and keep stock of greater value locked up with only team leaders and higher personal access to keys. Have a clock in system for all stock - Put somebody in charge of the stock and every time somebody needs a product make them sign for it and its use. (So can check up if needs be) Do random visits to shop floor. (Don't make them the same time every day or week as employees will pick up on this) Keep locks on diesel pumps and have some sort of system where drivers can only get access by filling in registration, date/time and name before the diesel is granted.

If you have tried the above and added your own strategies there are other ways to help you but may involve spending money. But sometimes you have to spend money to save money right? Well it all depends on how much is being stolen and the loss you are facing. Obviously you're not going to want to spend £4000 on a CCTV system if you're only a small organization and can't afford it. Below is another list of ways to help protect:

Install CCTV cameras. Hire a Private Detective (Undercover) Plant step up products.

I'm just going to explain a few of the above as it may have confused you. Obviously the CCTV is simply and hopefully you will understand the logics behind that sort of system. What I mean by Hire a Private Detective' is they can deploy undercover covert employees' they will be in the workforce working alongside employees and will try to get all the information they can with staying 'covert'. (Undercover) They can wear body cameras and will log all suspicious activities at a relevant time. The best way to find a private detective is to use search engines such as; Google, Bing, etc. The internet is a very powerful tool and will give you all the information you need to know. When searching for a private investigator to conduct employee surveillance it is always best to type in the key words, i.e. Private Investigators - Employee Surveillance.

You may also want to plant dummy products preferable of high cost and relevant to what's going missing. E.g. you work in a factory and metal pipes are going missing from the stock room. Leave it out in the open not to obvious and monitor it with a 'discreet covert camera'.

When you hire private investigators to undertake covert undercover surveillance it is always best to keep it on the low and only tell people who need to know, i.e. other managers, directors.

Review of "Nobody's Perfect"

Kallypso Masters has delivered another great book in her series Rescue Me. Her third installment "Nobody's Perfect" is the story of Damian Orlando and Savannah Baker. It begins eight years after they've lost touch with each other. Savannah is running for her and her daughter's life and heads to the only person she can trust; Damian.

I suggest readers begin with the free Prequel on Amazon.com "Masters at Arms". That is where you'll find the beginning of Savannah's and Damian's story.

Being with Damian reawakens repressed memories and feelings she does want to keep hidden--buried. Sex is associated with pain and she doesn't want the feelings Damian is awakening. But she can't help remember that one day eight years ago and constantly reminds herself she can trust Damian and sex with him is more like love. Something Savi's never experienced for a man.

Damian has turned to SM to regain control of his life and emotions and fulfills the role of Service Top to "bottoms" in the club in need of catharsis by whipping or other SM practices he is skilled at delivering. But he could never deliver that level of pain to Savi, who needs someone gentle and loving, not the man he has become. But when Savi witnesses a cathartic whipping scene on her first night at the club--delivered by Damian--she begins to wonder if this Damian could also help her regain control of her life and reclaim her sexuality and identity.

Don't dismiss this story as another erotic novel by the blurb above. While it is in that category. I have to say this story is an emotional roller coaster for those who've experienced Post Traumatic Stress Disorder PTSD and those who haven't.

The scenes are volatile, but love and care is given just as much attention as delving into her psyche to reveal secrets Savi's long repressed.

(Quote) "It will never be okay. I will never be okay. I'm too broken." "Nobody's perfect, Savi. Hell, look at me. But you'll always be perfect to me."

In my own situation as with the characters, counseling has been a part of their recovery. Keep an open mind when reading the book.

This book was by far the most emotionally charged of the series. Don't get me wrong I've loved all of the books so far. I was on edge with Savi and her dealing with PTSD; not to take away what Damien was going through, but you'll see he's worked through a lot of his PTSD through BDSM in earlier books.

(Quote) "Savi held onto his wounded leg, wrapping both arms around it and laid her forehead against his knee. She wished she could shed tears for him, but she hadn't been able to cry in... forever."

Kallypso has kept the story responsible, loving and cathartic. By the end the characters have come to a solution, but their happy ever after is going to take a while and more sessions to get Savi to where she's fully healed.

(Quote) "Marisol told me once you'd forgotten you were a princess. I just wanted to make sure you never forget again. You're my princess, Savita. I'll never let anything happen to you. I'll slay your dragons. I'll chase away the demons that invade your sleep - and, trust me, I know they will come - but they're no match for me, my love. I'll be there for you no matter what - if you'll let me be."

What Is Crystal Gazing?

The term crystal gazing is a form of seeing visions by the means of using several different objects. There are several schools of thought as to the sources of the visions seen in the crystal gazing trance. Crystal gazing may be used by practitioners sometimes called "readers" or "seers" for a variety of purposes. These may include to predict the future, to give character analyses, to tell fortunes, or to help a person or client make choices about current situations and problems.

Whatever tool or object used to induce the crystal gazer's trance can be achieved with any shiny object, including a crystalline gem stone or a convex mirror. In more common practices, a crystal ball is most often used to gaze into and consult with. Some gazers use what is called a "palm ball" which is held in their hand while others use a larger ball which is mounted on a stand. Whatever form of method a psychic or fortune-teller chooses to use, will usher them into the unseen spirit realm and will assist them in contacting the supernatural.

Old Testament ~ The Urim and Thummim

In the Old Testament of the Bible you will find where the priest would inquire of God by using what is called the Urim and the Thummim. The Urim means "lights" the oracular brilliancy of the figures in the high priest breastplate. The Thummim means "perfections" one of the objects in the high priest breastplate that represented complete truth.

The earth and everything on it belong to the Lord, this includes the world and all its people belong to Him. God is the creator of everything, but Satan has a counterfeit for everything God created. This is especially true when it comes to the things of the supernatural. God has prophecy, Satan has witchcraft. God has true prophets, Satan has false prophets, and God has the Holy Spirit and Satan has crystal gazing, fortune tellers, mediums and psychics.

In the Old Testament God revealed His mind and spoke to His people through the priest inquiring of the Urim and Thummim. He would lead the people by shining light and speaking truth through these crystals which were placed on the breastplate of the high priest. Before the priest made any decisions for the people of God, He was instructed to first consult with God. As God's strategies, plans for the future and other knowledge was revealed through these stones, the priest were obedient and the Israelites received total and complete victory.

New Testament ~ The Holy Spirit

Before Jesus ascended to Heaven He told His disciples that if He would go away, but He would send them a comforter. This comforter is the Holy Spirit. The gift of the Holy Spirit was what Jesus gives to the believers to comfort them, teach them, reveal truth, lead them and direct them according to the mind of God. The same way God used the Urim and the Thummim in the Old Testament, Jesus came in the New Testament died and shed His blood for us on the cross and became a mediator between us and God. The veil was torn in the temple which was a sign of the partition between us and God being done away with. Jesus became our high priest and we no longer need a priest to inquire through the Urim and Thummim to seek God on our behalf. The blood of Jesus made it possible for us as believers to have access and to come boldly before the throne of God to receive revelation knowledge of whatever we need to know. It is when we come into the presence of God that He reveals the secret things and hidden knowledge to us by His Holy Spirit.

As believers we are to never to consult with mediums or fortune tellers to try and find out our future or speaking to the dead. All methods such as crystal gazing, tarot card reading, tea leaves, reading palms and all other forms of seeking hidden and dark knowledge is totally forbidden. The methods by which those that practice these forms of the occult are considered devilish wisdom and it does not come from God.

Crystal Gazing Is Forbidden

Just as it was in the Old Testament many many years ago before Christ, it still remains today that God forbids believers to obtain hidden knowledge through crystal gazing and other forms of the occult. As Christians when we want to inquire about anything concerning our lives we must seek the Holy Spirit to show us, reveal to us and give us truth concerning these matters. It is before the throne of God that we obtain the mercy of God and truth.

In the book of Revelation 4:5-6 it speaks of the sea of glass like crystal that is before the throne of God. It is through this sea of glass that all things are made known concerning the past, present and the future. Everything in life is seen before the throne of God clear as crystal. God knows all and He sees all and there is nothing that is hidden from His face.

Deuteronomy 18:9-14

When you come into the land that the Lord your God is giving you, don't learn to do the terrible things the people of the other nations there do. Don't sacrifice your sons or daughters in the fires on your altars. Don't try to learn what will happen in the future by talking to a fortune teller or by going to a magician, a witch, or a sorcerer. Don't let anyone try to put magic spells on other people. Don't let any of your people become a medium or a wizard. And no one should try to talk with someone who has died. The Lord hates anyone who does these things. And because these other nations do these terrible things, the Lord your God will force them out of the land as you enter it. You must be faithful to the Lord your God, never doing anything he considers wrong.

Frequently Asked Questions for Pet Insurance

Before buying a policy people have various questions. Here are a few of the most common questions on pet insurance answered.

What is a pet insurance policy?

This policy protects you against unforeseen financial circumstances relating to your pete.g. veterinary bills.

What cover levels are available?

There are generally three kinds of cover levels namely: - Essential cover, Premium cover and Premium Plus cover.

Essential Cover

This covers your veterinary fees in case of accidental injury of your dogs and cats and for third party liability for your dogs only.

Premier Cover

This policy covers your pet for a 12 months period from the date of loss or illness or injury. You can renew the policy after 12 months but it will no longer cover the existing illness. This policy provides coverage for Third Party Liability, Death from Accident, Boarding Kennel/Cattery Fees, Theft /Straying, Holiday Cancellation and Lost/Found ads and also offers optional cover for Overseas Cover which includes Quarantine, Emergency Repatriation and Loss of Passport.

Premier Plus Cover

This policy covers veterinary fees for the lifetime of the pet. Premier Plus Cover includes the same cover as the Premier cover but once the policy is renewed each year, the policy will continue to cover the pet for its lifetime.

Can I insure a pet of any age?

One cannot insure a pet of any age, there is an age limit with every insurance company. Generally this policy is offered for pets that are above 8 months of age and under 8 years of age.

When does coverage starts?

Basically coverage for injury starts as soon as one buys the policy, although coverage for illness is not included for the first 14 days of the policy with many insurance companies.

How to make a claim?

To make a claim one must call the claims helpline or if one can't do that then this facility is also available on internet as many insurance companies create their website for user's benefit, where one can make a claim by downloading a claims form online and posting it to the claims department.

Can one get a discount for more than one pet?

Yes, most companies provide discounts for multiple pets.

How to pay for the policy?

One can pay their premium as a once off payment by Laser/Debit Card or Credit Card online or over the phone or alternatively, some companies will offer a direct debit payment option.

A Few Recommended Spa Treatments for Men

A trip to the spa is typically associated with females; however, there is plenty for men to enjoy at the spa too. A session at the spa is not only good for relaxing; it can be good for your health, skin condition and general well-being as well. Everyone deserves to look and feel their best so there are a number of spa treatments available which are perfect for men to lie back and enjoy.

Grooming for Feet

Although feet are normally kept tucked up in warm socks, it is still important that they are kept in good condition. Grooming for feet is the ideal treatment to enjoy after a hard few months of keeping on your toes at work. The process involves relaxing the muscles with therapeutic aromatherapy oils and conditioning the skin and nails so that they are replenished with the necessary moisture for healthy feet.

Back Massage

A back massage is the kind of treatment that you never knew you needed until you have had your first massage. The feeling of stresses and tensions being rubbed out of your muscles is simply incredible, and afterwards you will feel like the spring in your step (or back!) has been given a new lease of life. The massage expert can provide a massage which is tailored to your needs, so it is an excellent spa treatment for experiencing a personal treatment. And remember, James Bond was partial to a back massage or two!

Hot Stone Therapy

When used correctly by expert hands, hot stones can be a gateway to ultimate relaxation. The healing powers of stones have been used for centuries, and experts know exactly what key energy points to place the hot or cold stones on to create the greatest sensation of both relaxation and rejuvenation. When combined with warm oils too, both your body and mind will benefit from the rebalancing powers of the stones.

Scalp Treatment

At work, you may sometimes find yourself rubbing your temples in search of a bit of a break. With a scalp treatment, you can professionally massage away all of these stresses and also treat your hair and your skin too. Massaging with essential oils not only sooths the brain, it also conditions and strengthens hair, adding shine and vitality from root to tip. It is not recommended for anyone with migraines or any kind of scalp disorder, but it is a truly wonderful experience for those who can undergo it.

Is a Vacation Home Right For You?

Many of us dream about owning the vacation home in the Mountains, or on the Lake or Ocean. A place where one can retreat periodically from the hustle-bustle of everyday life. However, for those who do achieve the financial resources to make such a purchase, there are several factors that should be considered first prior to taking the plunge.

Owning a Vacation Home can be a wonderful experience, but it is a huge commitment and responsibility. When one first thinks of owning a Vacation Home, we think of only the positives, such as a quiet remote location where we can get away from it all. A place where we can swim, fish, hike, and ski. Unfortunately for many, they forget about the other realities: location and travel time, upkeep and the associated costs, high property taxes, their children's school and other home activities, guests. All of these put stress on the new Vacation Home owner, and how they prepare ahead of time to address these issues determines how enjoyable their new purchase will be.

The first item to consider when purchasing a Vacation Home is location. Is it near enough from your main home such that you can enjoy it regularly enough? If not, consider another investment. The last thing you want to do is make a huge investment in property that you can not regularly enjoy. Though real estate has always been considered a good investment it is not considered liquid, and expensive vacation homes can take a long time to sell.

Cost of upkeep and property taxes should also be heavily considered. Maintaining a vacation home is not cheap and the local town officials love to hit the vacation homes hard with property tax bills.

One also needs to consider his or her own weekend responsibilities and those of their children. Sports team events, clubs and organizations as well as maintaining the main house will eat into the time available to head to the weekend get-away. And if you have teenagers, they have their own dates and plans. Be prepared, more times than not, for having to forgo the weekend retreat for your children and other responsibilities.

One of the other aspects of owning a Vacation Home is having guests. This is a double edge sword. You want to have guests to share in your retreat. However, the upkeep, food and cooking can become overwhelming. Also, when guests visit, they are on vacation, but you may not necessarily be. It is important to let friends and families understand this, otherwise prepare for unexpected meals outs and other activities.

Owning a Vacation Home can be, and is for most, a wonderful experience. Those who truly enjoy them, usually have to go through an adjustment cycle. First the euphoria phase, followed by a frustration and exhaustion phase, and finally the true enjoyment stage. The enjoyment phase occurs when one has developed a balance between the pros of owning a vacation home and the other responsibilities of their lives.

What Is Wardriving And How Can You Prevent It

Imagine a car equipped with nothing more than a laptop computer, a portable GPS receiver, and a wireless network card slowly strolls through your neighborhood. Unknown to any onlookers, this is no ordinary vehicle; rather, it is a wardriving machine. As the car strolls past homes and businesses, a wireless network card (available at any electronics store for as low as $25) scans for any wireless access points. Anyone with a wireless network (and there are many out there) is vulnerable. The computer is looking for what is called an SSID. An SSID is your wireless network name and it is being constantly transmitted by your access point, letting computers know of its presence. The wardriver uses software such as Netstumbler (for windows) or Cismet (for linux) to scan the airwaves for SSIDs. The program can track various access points at once and monitor the signal strength. These programs can also check to see if the network is encrypted. The wardriver will generally configure his or her software to log any strong unencrypted signals. Using the GPS receiver, the coordinates of the strong signal will be recorded. After this preliminary drive, the wardriver can return to the locations that were recorded, and connect to the access point. Once connected to an unencrypted network, the wardriver can use the victim's internet access, and can also explore computers on the network. If files are being shared within someone's private network, all of that information is susceptible to a wardriver. Furthermore, once in the network, a wardriver can sniff network traffic and can view any information such as passwords and credit card numbers you send out to the internet - even SSL secured data. Wireless network vulnerability is a major problem, and as more and more households purchase wireless technology, the problem of insecure networks increases. Sound scary? Well this happens every day, and it doesn't take an expert to pull off. It doesn't take an expert to protect against either, however.

Steps you can take to protect against wardrivers:

There are a number of very simple steps you can take to protect your wireless network. For many of these, you will have to access your router configuration utility (check your manual on how to do this, you will generally need to type an IP address into your browser such as 192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.1).

Don't broadcast your SSID. If you are broadcasting your SSID, this is the first thing a program will pickup and recognize. If you configure your router to not broadcast your SSID, it will be difficult to detect (but not impossible, for some software can sniff wireless communication, so if you are using your wireless network, the SSID can be revealed). If you are not broadcasting your SSID, but it can be guessed (such as if you are using a default SSID), cloaking is pointless. Due to this, remember to change your SSID from the factory default. This is not a 100 percent effective method to secure your network, but it is a good first line of defense.

Change the default password. When you buy a router, a factory password is stored. People experienced in working with routers know the default passwords for different routers (and the make of the router can be seen by wardriver software such as netstumbler). It is important that you secure your router with a good password.

Encrypt your wireless communication. I can't stress the importance of encrypting your wireless communication enough. Enable encryption and enter a key. Most routers are only capable of WEP encryption, but if they permit, use EAP encryption, it's more secure than WEP. Like cloaking your SSID, encryption is not 100 percent secure. Given enough time and determination, if someone wants to target you and access your network, WEP encryption can be bypassed using software such as AirSnort.

Filter the MAC addresses that are allowed to connect to your router. This would require that you enter your router configuration and input the MAC address of each wireless card you have. This will restrict access so that only your computers can connect to the router. You will need to obtain the MAC address (which is the individual identification address of a network card in the form a 12 digit hexadecimal number). If someone sniffs traffic and detects the MAC address of a computer wirelessly using your network, the wardriver could emulate that address and connect to the router, but this takes time.

If you configure file sharing on your computers, make sure it is password protected. You should not share files on your networked computers unless it requires an authenticated user to access. Set up the same user accounts on your machines so that your computers can share files.

With these relatively simple steps, wireless network users can secure their networks from wardrivers. Wireless networks are inherently insecure, and these tips will merely help you greater secure your network. If someone is really determined to gain access to your network, given enough time, a good hacker can get access. These tips will deter the average wardriver from gaining access to your network, however. Although these methods are not definite security measures, they will change your network from being something that can be hacked in a matter of seconds, to something that will take a determined hacker days if not weeks of work, all of which will have to be done while in close proximity to your network.

Anchor Text Backlinks Examined

When I first heard that there were approximately 14 billion websites on the internet I thought "I heard that wrong"; I thought "14 billion pages maybe but 14 billion sites! No WAY"! I took another look at it and sure enough, it said 14 BILLION sites... unreal!!!

The very next thought was "how does someone in the article marketing business get to the first page of Google with billions of competitors"? Article marketing is a powerful way to get traffic to a website and if done correctly, means getting massive exposure from thousands and thousands of people coming to your site looking for products, services and information.

Anchor Text Backlinks Serious "Link-Juice"

Getting to the first page of Google should be the goal for any serious internet business but getting to the first page may not be enough. The reality is that 80% of the clicks that occur on the first page of Google goes to the 1st, 2nd and 3rd spots on the page. The first spot alone receives about 56% of the clicks. So if you're ranking anywhere below the 3rd spot then just know that you're getting only a small fraction of the traffic that you could be getting.

The key to ranking in the most trafficked spots in the SERP's is to get more "anchor text backlinks" to your site then the other guy. I've heard it said that backlinks are like votes, if you get the most votes, YOU WIN! For those who are using article marketing as their main strategy to drive traffic to their site, they must get the most BACKLINKS!

Backlinks are the backbone in the competitive world of article marketing and if you're not focused on getting massive amounts of quality, anchor text backlinks, you are wasting your energy, effort and time. Period!

How The Pro's Do It

The first element is to write fresh, original content that people are searching for and will give value to the reader. A very successful article marketer personally advised me to make sure I had an intent and that I was solving problems with every article I published. If you peruse the editorial guidelines for submitting articles to the top article directories you'll find that they are very serious about maintaining a good reputation on the internet for providing quality content. No rehashed, duplicate or especially spun articles will be permitted!

The second element for a successfully reaching the top spots in the search engines is to submit your original content with an anchor text link, to the authority article directories. Once your article is approved it will be submitted and you will have successfully created quality anchor text backlinks to your web page. All you need to do at this point is to repeat the process again and again to reach higher in the search engine results page.

That may sound like a lot of work to be able to create a backlink but are you building a business or treating your business like a hobby? If you want to get the most traffic to your site then creating anchor text backlinks is vitally important to your article marketing efforts and the rewards will be in direct proportion to how many anchor text backlinks you can get to point back to your website.

Farm To Market Days

Summer may begin in June but, for many parts of the country, gardens don't reach their peak until August. Modern grocery stores manage to keep us satisfied with produce year round, but there is nothing like the flavor of farm fresh tomatoes, peaches, or sweet corn. And there is nothing like the experience of buying from local growers who are proud of their wares.

The first farmers' markets started over a century before the Declaration of Independence. Since then, it has become an American tradition to buy fresh produce, flowers, eggs and cheese from markets and roadside stands. In the beginning, farmers would brave muddy roads in their horse-drawn wagons. As time went on, farmers made the weekly trek to town in pick-ups, where they'd pile bushels of fruit and vegetables high on the tailgate of their trucks. Today, many lucky city dwellers visit markets that are open every day.

My favorite though, is our county farmers' market held on the courthouse grounds. It's open only on Saturday mornings, and only June - October. It may sound inconvenient but, for my family, it's a summer ritual. We wake early and arrive disheveled, rarely taking the time to comb through our hair. For breakfast, we buy scones from our favorite bread stand and snatch up the best looking fruit we see. My son is an expert at choosing "chin dripping" peaches, always looking for the most fragrant and the heaviest peach that can sit in the palm of his small hand. My husband lounges on the grass and watches the people go by as I scribble a list of what is available, anticipating the culinary treats that only summer brings. There is nothing like fresh corn on the cob, cold gazpacho with homegrown tomatoes, or homemade fruit sorbet. We always have a batch of sorbet on hand, each week a different flavor. Sometimes we experiment by combining fruit with fresh herbs, but most of the time we simple puree 2 cups of fruit with a little citrus juice and a bit of honey, and then freeze it in an ice cream maker. My boys and their friends think it's a decadent treat.

Summer vacation is about to end, and our weekly ritual will soon give way to soccer games and birthday parties. Lucky for me, the farmers will be back next year with their trucks piled high, just as they've done for generations.

MARKET FRESH FRUIT DIP

This makes a terrific afternoon snack on a warm summer's day. When entertaining, serve in a honeydew melon half and decorate the rim with fresh blueberries and mint sprigs.

Ingredients

1 Pint Strawberries 2 Teaspoons Lemon Juice 3 Tablespoons Honey 4 oz Cream Cheese, Room Temperature 1 Cup Plain Yogurt

Assorted Fruit Slices

Directions

1. Wash the strawberries and remove the green tops.

2. Place strawberries in a blender or food processor with lemon juice, honey, cream cheese, and yogurt. Puree until smooth.

3. To make a honeydew melon bowl, cut the melon in half and scoop out the seeds. Slice a 3 inch diameter circle off the rounded bottom of the rind so your bowl will sit flat.

4. Serve with slices of your favorite summer fruit. Peaches, plums, apples, and melons all work well and make a colorful presentation.

Copyright 2004 Nine Twenty Press http://www.togetherparenting.com

You have permission to reprint this article electronically or in print, free of charge, provided that each article is: 1. Printed in its full form with no changes 2. Includes an active link 3. A courtesy copy of your publication is sent to the above contact 4. And the following byline appears at the bottom of each article: About the Authors: Rondi Hillstrom Davis and Janell Sewall Oakes are the co-authors of the award-winning book Together: Creating Family Traditions. To check out their website that's jam packed with family ideas, visit http://www.togetherparenting.com> To subscribe to their online newsletter, go to http://www.togetherparenting.com/feedback.asphttp://www.togetherparenting.com feedback.asp>

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Do You Have Any Black Pepper For My Radiator?

Awhile back I had a woman traveling through to stop at the shop.

Her radiator, the one in her car, had a leak.

It was a small leak but she had lost a lot of water, in the car radiator.

Now, as I'm not a radiator repair shop, and the nearest one was 20 miles, in the opposite direction, I did what I do to my old 8N Ford tractor radiator.

I put a small can of black pepper in it. Yeah, I did! No sugar, salt, or any other ingredients, just black pepper.

If the hole in a radiator is not too large, black pepper will stop it up, temporarily, and it's better than egg-white. You can store a can of black pepper in your dash compartment better than you can an egg, and it will last longer.

Black pepper will not dissolve, deteriorate, or digest. That's why I don't eat it...plus, it burns my mouth. :-)

I say it is a temporary stop leak tool, but I've used in before and the customer drove his vehicle for over a year before he sold it.

Go to the grocery store, get one of those 2" cans, brand doesn't matter, and put it in the compartment on the dash, or the console.

Just don't use it all up at the drive-in eating places...keep it until you create a leak in your radiator.