opener

When you first get a puppy or even if you adopt an older dog you will want to teach your new resident the house rules. It is important not only for you and your home but also for the dog that these ground rules are set early and adhered to all the time. A dog will quickly become confused if you change the rules or move the boundaries and a confused dog is an unhappy dog. There are no hard and fast rules you should implement and the rules you do set will be determined by your own requirements as much as anything else.
Basic dog obedience training is essential because not only does it allow you to set the ground rules but also it teaches your dog that you are in control and any orders you give must be followed. The best dog training tip you can be given is to always be consistent. Whether this is regarding the ground rules you set or the training method you use, you should always use consistency. The best way to do this is to use both positive and negative reinforcement or reprimand and reward.
The basic principle is that when your dog behaves you should reward him. Initially you should do this verbally, by petting him and you may also give him a treat. You can’t always reward with a treat, however, otherwise your dog will soon become overweight but you should always reward in some way or another. This will reinforce any good behavior and encourage your puppy to repeat that good behavior in the future.
Negative reinforcement means the verbal reprimand of your dog when he misbehaves. You should never use a physical reprimand because this will scare your dog instead of teach him and scared dogs very easily and very quickly become aggressive dogs. A stern ‘NO’ or ‘STOP’ should be enough. When your puppy does something you are not happy with then use this reprimand and show the dog what he should be doing. When he does it right then follow up with the positive reinforcement. By showing your dog the correct way to do something in this manner and quickly following a negative with a positive reinforcement he will be able to associate that doing something one way is good but another way is bad.
Dogs love to be rewarded, whether that reward is affection and petting, or small bits of food. This is why positive reinforcement works so well. Most dogs are intelligent enough to pick this up very quickly as long as you stick to the same rules and the same method of training consistently.

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Oh, I know the last part of the title (Suck) isn’t a very pleasant description to apply to anyone’s CD cover. But, in the interest of plain old honesty, and to face our demons head on, I wanted to (again) utilize a worst case scenario that we can only improve from.
And, having said that, think of the average (and not so average) recording artist’s CD cover, and I’ll bet you will agree that 9 out of 10 CD covers present the artist simply posing while staring straight into the camera.
And, the few artists who want to appear different, unique and diverse, simply either turn sideways, stare into deep space, or gaze downward or backward for their photo sessions.
If you happen to be among the aforementioned guilty, you should realize that by *not* becoming more proactive and aggressive with the visual aspect and design of your CD cover, you are shortchanging the potential of your release from the onset, and not giving it its best possible chance for maximum success.
I first began noticing this overall trend when CDs began replacing albums. And, I believe that the difference was due, in part, to the dramatic reduction in the cover size.
Consequently, I felt that both labels and artists, perhaps, decided (consciously or unconsciously) that the reduction in size did not allow enough room for visual creativity, which is not the case.
But, those are only two reasons. For, I also believe that, while they may be decent to great professional music producers, I have found that most recording artists whom I encounter are amateurs, at best, in respect to marketing their releases from a visual perspective.
And, it’s not their fault, because ‘visual’ just doesn’t happen to be the medium in which they work. However, this isn’t to say that they can’t learn to become much better at pre-selling their releases visually.
But, as an artist, perhaps, your argument is that your music is, primarily, based on the “sonic” aspect…that it will mainly be “heard” and not “seen.”
This is, in part, true but also consider that, generally, before your music is HEARD, it is first SEEN (unless you are sending ‘plain vanilla’ promotion singles to radio or handing them out at will to friends, associates, etc.). And, here is how:
Radio:
Due to added expense, most independent labels forego manufacturing ’singles’ and, thus, usually send their complete retail releases out as promotion copies to the media. Hence, the radio music directors and program directors will SEE your release before they open your case to HEAR your music.
And, as the MD/PD takes your CD out of its package, does it, *POW!*, hit him with a bang visually, and immediately instill deeper interest *BEFORE* he hears your music?
Or does your, possibly, average to boring cover instill a blasé feeling that causes the MD/PD to presume that your music is, yet, another below average release, and is a further waste of his valuable time without giving it, at least, a listen?
* Press
The same thing applies to press music editors, reviewers and calendar editors as with radio personnel. Will the press personnel see a boring, posing cover and get that “Geez, here we go again” feeling, or will they assume that your lackadaisical cover will be accompanied by even more boring content, such as your bio, press release, fact sheet, etc.?
* Retail Consumers
While many potential retail consumers will, indeed, “hear” your music first (on radio or in nightclubs), there are also many more potential retail consumers who will not.
And, these particular consumers are the ones who either go to music retailers weekly for new releases and spend additional time browsing, or they may be consumers who are simply weekly browsers seeking the new, unique and creative ‘next big thing’.
In either case, for the consumers who espy your CD in their favorite music retail stores…does your cover jump out at them visually, make an immediate impact, and cause them to do a ‘double take’?
Does it then make them pick up a copy of your release, maintain their interest and force them to read your credits and song titles?
Subsequently, does it then drive them to a listening station for further review and, hopefully, purchasing it?
Or, will they simply look at, yet, another boring cover and go, “Eh,” and replace it for your competitor’s that is far more visually attractive, and your competitor’s who may also have read this particular article, with one exception…he acted on this information while you did not? Self-Realization:
Now, get a copy of your CD and take a look at it…I mean take a *really* good look at it. Then, using the radio, press and consumer theoretical perspectives above, honestly ask yourself if your cover has visually maximized its full potential.
Does it readily subscribe to the old U. S. Army slogan, “Be all you can be?” Is it, truly, all that it can be? Is it the best possible cover that you could ever hope for with this release?
Or, do you realize for the first time that you have both shortchanged yourself and your release, and that your cover is probably causing you to lose some significant sales, as it could, indeed, be presented to both the media and consumers much better?
If you now harbor the slightest inkling of doubt, after having given your cover another look, it is also safe to assume that your cover may be a bit questionable to others and, particularly, media professionals as well.
So, let’s say that you now realize that your cover is below par, and could be much better…that you can now admit that you truly did not give it your absolute best shot…that, in fact, your cover was an afterthought, at best. How do you get started on “conceptualizing” it from a visual standpoint?
Well, one way is to first consider your title…
If this is your debut release, can you make something unusually funny or witty out of your first or last name? Can either your first or last name present a double meaning, such as Byrd, Love, Green, Wolf, Young?
While those of us with such names are often ridiculed in our early school days, we have the advantage of our “weird” last names standing out and benefiting us in our professional careers. If your release has a subtitle, or this is your second or additional release, can you put a twist on its title?
The same goes for your songs. I’m betting that you have, at least, one song, regardless of your genre, that can be selected as the title and used as the basis for a very attractive cover and graphic depiction of your music.

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Apology:
I don’t for a minute profess to know what God is. Frankly, I think God is beyond the grasp of mind because God is beyond the senses and beyond limited words and images.
However because I am blessed or cursed with reason, I seek some glimmer of understanding.
I, like everyone else, seek to satiate this unquenchable thirst for knowledge by gathering it from other minds. And because we have such marvelous things as books, I am able to bend time and space and bring understanding into the present.
This essay is not an attempt to proselytize but merely an attempt to clarify. Nor does it seek to answer any questions about why the world exists the way that it does.
In fact it has no express purpose other than the joy of thinking and sharing those ideas with others. However, since we are, by nature, teleological beings, then perhaps consider this synthesis of ideas as an invitation to inquire about the meaning of life.
Finally, this is my view of things. It is not an assertion of absolute knowledge nor do I profess to be an exponent of original thought.
Western Perspective:
God is omnipresent, omniscient, and omnipotent.
God is omnipresent because there is nowhere that God is not. God fills the entire known universe. God fills us. Somehow we are an extension of God, an expression of God, or an aspect of God.
God is omniscient because there is nothing about God’s knowledge that is outside of God. Knowledge is God and God is knowledge. As pure consciousness, God expresses itself in every way that consciousness knows itself to be. The observer is present in the observation of all phenomena. Science seeks to separate itself from theology, but both are aspects of consciousness, so I can’t see why God is less a scientist than a theologian. Wherever consciousness is, you will find God. The observor is part of the phenomena that is observed.
God is omnipresent because there is nowhere that power does not exist. Even the humblest living thing has power: the amoeba has power to move, to live, and to reproduce. And even the humblest non-living thing has power: a rock has power in its atomic flux. Since everything has power, everything has God.
Eastern Perspective:
God is sat-chit-ananda
Sat is beingness. All expressions of consciousness arise because they emanate from a being. God, then, is the essence of being. God is the being behind your being and mine.
Chit is awareness. All expressions of awareness are expressions of God.
Ananda is bliss. God is transcendent over dualism and is not a party to either side of any issue. And because of this, God is infinite happiness. We know of this happiness because of the experience of mystics. All the Eastern and Western saints report that contemplation of the divine filled them with an inexpressible joy and a peace that passed understanding. In fact, if there is anything mystics down the ages have in common it is this bliss and peace.
Quantum Perspective:
God is the silence that holds sound together. Without the interval of silence, sound would not be able to exist.
God is the space that holds objects together. Without the interval of space, objects would not be able to exist.
Thus, God is considered to be the Creative Void, the emptiness from which all emerges and the silent and invisible source that emanated creation. God is also considered the witness behind creation; hence, the advice by Eastern metaphysicians to enter the “gap between thoughts” as a way to find God. In the West, this idea is expressed by the Biblical quote, “Be still and know that I am God.”
Since the universe as we know it is held together by light and sound, they appear to be related to God. Some schools of thought hold that Light and Sound are God, others that they are the Holy Spirit. Either way, without light all would be invisible and without sound all would be without vibration.
Proof of God
Since God is both silent and invisible, objective proof is difficult. It is rather like a fish trying to prove that water exists when the fish itself is largely composed of water and experiences an environment of water.
Thus, the only possible proof is the subjective record of mystical experiences over time.
Here is an example of a mystical experience. Plotinus was born in 204 C.E. in Egypt. He is famed as one of the earliest recorded mystics in Western culture. He attained this bliss seven times. Here is a description:
” Many times it has happened.
” Lifted out of the body into myself; becoming external to all other things and inside myself; beholding a marvelous beauty; then, more than ever, assured of community with the loftiest order; enacting the noblest life, acquiring identity with the divine; stationing within It by having attained that activity; poised above whatsoever within the Intellectual is less than the Supreme.
“But then there comes the moment of descent from intellection to reasoning, and after that sojourn in the divine, I ask myself how it happens that I can now be descending, and how did the soul ever enter into my body, the soul which, even within the body, is the high thing it has shown itself to be.”
In his other writings, too elaborate to quote here, he sees the soul as a “high thing” because of its bliss, intelligence, and grasp of beauty in its communion with the divine.
Arguments For God:
Out of the many arguments for the existence of God, I like the elegant simplicity of the argument of design.
St. Thomas Aquinas proposed the argument of design. St. Thomas Aquinas (1224-1274) was a Dominican priest, theologian, and philosopher.
The teleological argument, or argument from design, is offered by St. Thomas Aquinas in the Summa Theologica. In this work, he says:
“The fifth way is taken from the governance of the world. We see that things that lack intelligence, such as natural bodies, act for an end, and this is evident from their acting always, or nearly always, in the same way, so as to obtain the best result. Hence it is plain that not fortuitously, but designedly, do they achieve their end. Now whatever lacks intelligence cannot move towards an end, unless it be directed by some being endowed with knowledge and intelligence; as the arrow is shot to its mark by the archer. Therefore some intelligent being exists by whom all natural things are directed to their end; and this being we call God.”
Here is how we would understand his idea today:
A watch has to have a watchmaker. The argument that the design just happened to come together after a series of evolutionary accidents does not make sense. The perfection of the laws of nature and the mathematical exactitude that holds planets and electrons in their orbits suggests a designer.
Summary:
In sweeping through various views on God, we find an invitation to only think further and open up our inquiry. It is, in fact, impossible to ignore the possibility of a Summum Bonum to all existence.

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Through The Macrocosmic Orbit, The Antahkarana And The Emerald Tablet Of Hermes Trismegistus, Taught in Energy Enhancement Apprentice Level 1, Initiation 4 Learn How To Overcome The Shock And Fear Of The Death Process
Practise this Initiation every day so that when you die you will not be so shocked by the Death Process.
“Your Soul is bound for the sky, your corpse is beneath the ground… You shall go up to the sky…. You shall ascend to those who are above the earth…. You shall ascend to the sky, you shall traverse the firmament, you shall associate with the stars. …” - Ancient Egyptian Book of the Dead.
Learn how to access infinite amounts of healing spiritual energy. Energy from Accessing the Universal Energy Source From The Infinity Of Chakras Above Our Heads… Above The Crown, Sahasrara, Chakra..
When Indian Mystic, Gorakh says, “Die Yogi, Die.”
When the Sufis say, “Die before you Die.”
….. this is the Meditation connection they mean. Practice this Connection every day so that when you die you will not be so shocked by the Death Process.
Practice this Connection every day so that when you die you will be able to pass through the death process without losing your memory in full consciousness.
Become An Ascended Master!
Access The Energies Of The Third To The Sixth Initiations Of Alice Bailey On The Path Of Enlightenment!
These Phrases Come From The Mafia And Now Refer To Becoming An Assassin.
Previously The Mafia Started As A Sufi Society In Sicily When They Had These Previous Meanings…..
“Make Your Bones” With The Grounding Of Negative Energies In The Center Of The Earth - Energy Enhancement Initiation 3
“Become A Made Man” By Connecting With Higher Energies Above The Crown Chakra - The Sun And Sirius In Energy Enhancement Initiation 4
Gain Energy! Learn Methods of Accessing Infinite Energy.
The Energy of the Soul. The Energy of the Monad. The Energy of the Logos. The Energy Of The Sun and Sirius, the Energy of the Avatar of Synthesis. Perhaps access to Ascended masters and our past lives.
The Alchemical Emerald Tablet of Hermes Trismegistus describes the Macrocosmic Orbit of the Chinese Alchemical Taoists, the Sufi Alchemists and of Energy Enhancement.
Without lie, certain and most true:
What is below is is like what is above, and what is above is like what is below, to accomplish the miracle of the One thing.
In truth, and without Lie, And just as all things have been from the one, so also they are born from this one thing by adaptation.
THE TRINITY.. Its father is the sun father, its mother the earth The connection between the two, the holy spirit or ananda has borne it. This one thing is the father of all things.
Its power is perfect, after it has been united with the earth.
In the center of the earth is the fire/philosophers stone which separates, transmutes, purifies, the subtle from the dense, positive spiritual energy from negative energies with gentle heat and much devotion.
In great measure, The Macrocosmic Orbit, it ascends from earth to heaven, descends again toward earth, and receives the force of the things above and below.
Thus you will possess the glory of the world, all obscurity shall flee away from thee.
This is the force of all force, it will overcome everything subtle, and penetrate everything solid.
For this reason I am called “Hiram Telat Machasot”- one in essence, but three in aspect. In this trinity is the wisdom of the whole world.
This curious phrase is Chaldean in origin, and has been suspected as the true identity of the Hiram Abiff of Masonic legend. Hiram means ‘universal,’ and contains the root letter of the elements of air, water, and fire, a play on words that echoes the Hebrew tetragrammaton, the four letter name of God which also incorporates the elements and forms the basis for all kabbalistic doctrine.
The tablet closes:
And so I have been called: Hermes thrice greatest, having the three parts of the philosophy of the world - THE HOLY TRINITY.
Here we are concerned not only with the amount of Energy, but also with the quality, the height of the vibration of the energy which alone determines the height of our Evolution.
Energy Enhancement gives the guided meditation talked about above which is also called the Macrocosmic Orbit of Chinese Alchemical Taoism, The Hindu Kundalini Kriyas, and the Sufi Alchemy of Hermes Trismegistus encapsulated in the Emerald tablet. All the same Guided Meditation taught in one initiation of Energy Enhancement together with 28 more ancient and effective techniques to enable you to achieve control of your mind, an enhanced IQ, control over all your negative emotions, anger, fear, depression on the path of the ultimate Samadhi and enlightenment itself. These meditations separated by thousands of years, miles and countries show the universal nature of these ancient and successful methods now available in this culture, here and now, with Energy Enhancement.

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Hunting for low APR credit cards has become easier with the advent of the Internet where you can draw an easy comparison (from the various options available to you at the click of a mouse) as to which low APR credit card will be the best for your needs. The article below provides the complete informational lowdown on low APR credit cards.
Low APR credit cards charge you an interest rate even lower than the standard APR. The lower the interest rate or APR, the cheaper the card is to carry and the more money you’ll save on it. So if you carry a large monthly card balance, a low APR credit card could be very beneficial for you and in some cases where low rate credit cards have offers, they can also help cardholders like you save significant dollars over time. What is an APR anyway? Well, let’s discuss.
Rationale of Low APR Credit Cards
The Annual Percentage Rate (APR) is the cost of credit; it is the amount of interest rate that is chargeable to any outstanding balance on a credit card. If you don’t make the full payment within the grace period certified by the credit cards company, the company has the right to charge you a fee for that service, an interest rate fee known as the APR. But for a credit card to be considered cheap for a consumer, it should have a low APR.
With a low APR credit card, comes an agenda in fine print. Lesser mortals like you and I fail to recognize the same and read it to our advantage. Here’s what the hidden agenda might state:
1) Annual Fee: Many a low APR credit card might offer you a low interest rate or APR but require you to pay a significant annual fee. If the effective interest rate (after counting the annual fee) is indeed higher than the actual rate, then this credit card is obviously only cloaked as a low APR credit card.
2) Low Introductory Rate: Credit card companies know that low introductory rates are a great promotional incentive. So when suddenly, the initial period expires, and your monthly minimum payments mount dramatically, you know something definitely smells fishy. Check it prior to applying before you fall prey to this credit card company trick.
3) High Balance Transfer Fees: Another trick in the trade is that some amongst the low APR credit card fraternity offer low balance transfer rates that come with significant fees. These balance transfer fees are always mentioned in the fine print or the terms and conditions but are rarely spoken loudly about in the promotional language of the card.
Moral of the Story: Read and re-read the fine print and all of the terms and conditions associated with any low APR credit card before you apply.
Follow these simple steps when shopping for low rate credit cards:
1) Call the institutions in which you already have bank account or credit card account. Discuss with them the possibility of converting your existing account to one with a lower APR than you currently have.
2) If your existing credit card company cannot indulge this special request of yours, seek a company that will.
3) Get in touch with the companies where you are interested in applying for low rate credit cards.
4) After selecting the best card, fill out the application and return as per the instructions via mail or online. Make a call to the credit card issuing company if you have not heard from them in the subsequent 10 to 15 business days.
5) You reserve the right to obtain an explanation if the credit card company has turned down your application. The denial letter must explain how you can obtain your credit report to investigate the application denial.
More Tips On Low Rate Credit Cards
One of the strategies that some people utilize to get the most out of their low rate credit cards is to keep rolling over credit card balances to different cards with 0% introductory APR offers until successfully paying down the card balance. But beware of this particular strategy. Make no bones about it though; this strategy takes time and discipline and a high degree of diligence and meticulousness in keeping exact records.
Credit card issuers reserve the lowest interest for customers with the strongest credit histories, so, as always, try to maintain a clean credit history.

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When I rolled over in bed this morning and saw the bag of salad sitting on my night table next to me, I knew then that I had finally crossed the line. I’m not sure exactly where the line was, or even what it looked like, because it was no doubt covered with wet towels, stray socks, and perhaps, even, my oven mitt. But a line had, indeed, been crossed.
The change from neat-freak to the person I am today was slow and gradual. It snuck up on me, insidious, silent, like a bad smell that you somehow don’t notice anymore because you’ve grown used to smelling it.
In my former life, my best friend Diane called me Mrs. Applebee. I’m not sure where she came up with that name, but to her it represented prim, proper, neat, and organized. Diane made fun of me because I picked up my living room nightly before going to bed. She found it amazing that I vaccumed most every day, and made my bed every morning. She laughed because I washed, dried, and put away all the dishes immediately after every meal. She was stunned that I folded all the laundry the instant the dryer buzzed, before it even had time to cool off, and then put everything away. In the drawers.
I should have known I was getting close to the line when, a few weeks ago, I needed to bake a cake. Without giving it a second thought, I went straight to the kids’ bathroom toy tub and retrieved one of the beaters to my electric mixer. Another clue should have been when the pizza cutter went missing for several days. My teenage son was frantic (“I NEED that utensil, mom!), so I told him to check under the couch cushions. When my teenage daughter needed to use the cutting board, I nonchalantly told her, “It’s in my bathtub, next to the box of sanitary pads that Luke (our 2 year old) dumped in there the other day.”
Last week my husband was complaining that I hadn’t decorated the house yet for Halloween. “Just look around,” I told him. “There are plenty of cobwebs, why do we need to spend money? Besides, most of the decorations require a clear, flat surface on which to be set. We don’t own a clear flat surface.”
When I first became a stay-at-home mom, I was a pro. Of course, our two children were at school all day, and baby number three was on the way, so it was easy enough to keep up. Each day of the week was spent cleaning and organizing the house. The play room had bins where each toy was categorized and lovingly placed. The kitchen floor was always swept and mopped. The kitchen cabinets were organized. Most afternoons, fresh baked cookies were being taken from the oven, just as the bus pulled up to drop the kids off after school. Dinners were balanced…meat, fresh vegetables, fruit, milk. And after dinner, the dishes were all washed, dried, and put away.
But then we had more children. And then more children. And now we have six. And then I had a great idea to start my own business from home. Soon, I noticed the walls of the house seemed to be closing in. Or maybe those aren’t the walls, but just the toys and shoes and books and Legos that find their homes around the perimeter of every room in my house.
So, why was the salad sitting on my night table this morning? Because my 2 year old loves salad, and last evening he brought it into my bedroom (where I was working) and asked if he could have some. I told him no, took the salad from him, placed it on my night table (fully intending to put it away when he was otherwise occupied), and didn’t give it another thought until bedtime. At that point, my husband told me he’d put it away when he got up after the news to take the dog out.
Apparently, either the dog didn’t get taken out, or he just forgot about the salad.

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Have you been entertaining the thought of getting a second job to augment the family income? If the income that you get from your present job is not enough to keep you and your family comfortable, you might want to consider setting up an internet based home business. The good thing about setting up a home business focusing on the internet is that there are many online businesses that are lucrative and can give you that much needed extra income.
In fact, there are many people who ventured into an online business on a part time basis but eventually quite their day job to focus on their business when the business started bringing in a considerable amount of money. There are some people who have made fortunes through their online businesses, albeit they are the minority. Who knows, you could join their ranks if you spend enough time and effort on your business.
Starting out your home business focusing on the internet is not really that difficult. If you have computer, a fast internet connection, and some working knowledge on computer applications, you could venture into an online business by searching for one that best suits your present resources and skills. You don’t really need to have some elaborate knowledge on software and internet applications to get started. As long as you know the basics about computer applications, you can already get started.
At the beginning, you can work on your online business on a part time basis. Keep your day job for the time being since you will not really earn much during the first few months. You will need to invest some time and a lot of effort into your business. I personally used the excess earnings from my full time job to fund the advertising necessary to get my internet businesses up and running, and profitable. You will also want to reinvest your business profits early on to make sure you establish a strong income base.
Hopefully your spouse will be interested in doing business online, so you may also want to involve them in the business. Setting up a business all by yourself can be a bit lonely and frustrating at times so the presence of your spouse could really help you keep things together.
According to experts, entrepreneurs who are setting up their business alone are more likely to give up easily than those entrepreneurs that have partners to help them set up their businesses. Furthermore, involving your spouse in your online business will allow you to spend more time together. Instead of both of you doing different tasks after your kids have gone to bed, you can work together on your business and support each other.
Now that I have your interests peaked, the next step is for you to start doing your research to find a company to work with. Just be sure to do your due diligence before jumping into something prematurely that you might regret later on. I can recommend some solid, legitimate businesses to consider if you are interested in my input.

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If you’re looking for a larger sum of money, a line of credit might be the answer. A line of credit is a revolving loan and is almost always attached to the equity in your home. Debt consolidation, job loss, home improvements, and college expenses are only a few of the instances in which a revolving loan can help.
What It Is
A line of credit, also sometimes called a home equity line of credit, is a revolving loan that can be tapped on an as-needed basis. The money is often available through a series of special checks provided to you when you close on your loan. Available credit is decreased by the amount you use, and increased again by the amount you pay, making it an ideal “rainy day” solution for a variety of purposes.
Interest on is only charged on the amount of credit in use at any given time, and payments are set up in similar fashion to a credit card, with the option of paying a “minimum monthly payment” or a greater amount should you decide to do so.
Insurance Against Life’s Little Disasters
A line of credit can be a terrific alternative to credit cards in shoring up your “emergency” account. It doesn’t “feel” as easy to spend the money because you can’t just whip out a little plastic at the first sign of the spending demon. Spending from it definitely gives ones pause, especially if it’s attached to the equity in your home - and that’s a good thing!
On the other hand, if your hot water heater blows a gasket, your roof springs a leak, or you suddenly find yourself unemployed, you can pull through a tough spot, usually with a lower interest than a credit card and often with a higher credit limit.
Not a Last Minute Contingency
The irony of a line of credit is that it’s hard to get when your credit score has tanked or you’re out of work - yet that’s exactly the type of situation in which it is most helpful. For this reason, it is best applied for when you don’t need it.
If you are gainfully employed and your credit score is in good shape, now is the perfect time to apply for a home equity line of credit. The approval process will be easier and faster, and you’ll probably qualify for a higher loan amount.
Once you’ve been approved, it can bring a real sense of security. Now you know that you have a little (or a lot!) extra cash available and easily accessible should an emergency strike.
If you don’t use it, you don’t pay for it. But it’s sure nice to know it’s there!

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It is possible for people to make healthy food choices even if they only have a short time in which to prepare their meals. The first thing to realize is that it is often that healthy choices do not always mean a need for two-hour meals. A person can choose healthy foods that are quick and easy to prepare at home or to pickup from a takeout place. Cities often provide restaurant guides in their telephone books that display full-page menus indicating what a particular restaurant or drive-thru offers. Many of these food vendors now include healthy alternatives to their usual fast-food selection.
At places like McDonald’s and Hardee’s, it is possible to find consumers who are concerned about their carbohydrate consumption. This has prompted the restaurants to provide other options in their hamburger choices. Hamburgers can be ordered without the bun, for example, and fruit and yogurt are included on the menu along with fresh salads. Many restaurants provide salad choices either as side orders or as complete meals. Often, a salad of fresh vegetables with chopped ham, roast beef or chicken is more attractive than regular menu items. Salads are especially appealing in the summer months because they are lighter on the digestive system.
Restaurants that feature foods in season cultivated by local farmers offer very healthy and affordable choices. Some of these kinds of restaurants will create their own recipes for healthy food options. This provides the consumer with a totally new choice and encourages them to visit the restaurant again.
If home preparation of food is preferred, the options for healthy choices increase. Visiting a local grocery store or supermarket emphasizes the number of healthy choices that are available. Fresh fruits and vegetables are more varied than ever before due to improvements in transportation and preservation methods. All types of cuisine can be prepared quickly because of the choices of fresh goods rather than frozen foods. There are numerous choices among frozen foods as well. The demand for healthy frozen dinners and other meals has increased along with demands for more variety in frozen food offerings. Any frozen food aisle in any supermarket will show as many healthy food options and poor choices. The decision is up to the individual.
People can either choose to eat a healthy diet or an unhealthy one. Time and availability of healthy choices are no longer problems for a person who is trying to eat better and healthier foods.

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Global Warming is happening, and it’s up to us to stop it. Every time we step into our car to run an errand, or buy take out for supper, we are adding to the affects our world’s over consumption of fossil fuels is having on the environment.
Global Warming isn’t just about adding a few degrees to the world’s overall temperature. It’s about melting ice caps that will slowly erode some of the world’s most fertile farmlands, making growing the food the world consumes harder and harder. It’s about people displaced in places like London, New York and Bangkok, because of rising ocean waters that will flood most low-lying homelands across the globe. And it’s about the spread of what were once inoculate diseases to the western world, like malaria and TB, as insects which thrive on higher temperatures continue to breed and spread diseases at a faster rate.
Global warming affects everyone. And it’ll take a little work from everyone across the globe to get it under control. It’s no longer “their” problem. It’s ours. Here are 4 things we can all do help reduce the amount of carbon dioxide being released (and trapped), into our atmosphere every minute of every day:
Conserve Electricity. There are dozens of ways every person on earth can conserve electricity every day - without interfering with the way we live our lives:
-Turn off lights, appliances, TV’s and computers when not in use. One computer monitor left on overnight uses enough energy to print more than 5,000 copies.
-Buy only energy efficient appliances.
-Wash clothes in cold water whenever possible.
-Wrap your water heater and keep the temperature at 130 degrees or lower.
-Install a programmable thermostat.
-Turn off the AC and open the doors and windows.
-Replace traditional light bulbs with newer, long lasting and energy efficient varieties.
Save Water. Everyday precious fresh water resources are lost to laziness and neglect. Help save the world’s water supplies by:
-Put a plastic bottle full of water inside your toilet tank. Toilets use between 3-5 gallons of water with every flush. By eliminating some room in the tank with the bottle, you’ll save up to 1 gallon of water every time it’s flushed.
-Fix leaky pipes and drippy faucets right away.
-Wash only full loads of laundry.
-Collect and use rain water to water plants, feed animals and wash outdoor furniture and cars.
Recycle and Reuse. It can take 5 years for a cardboard milk container to biodegrade in a landfill. Try these recycling tips to help save the earth:
-Fill those community-recycling buckets. Check with your municipality to see what types of items they offer recycling pickup for, and then kick all of your newspaper, magazines, junk mail and assorted paper products out to the curb. Don’t forget about your household plastics, aluminum and cardboard.
-Stop buying disposal utensils, plates, napkins and cups. Use washable items and save a ton of landfill space, as well as money.
-Reuse food containers such as mayonnaise jars, coffee cans, even those cute little plastic baby food containers. They’re great for storing leftovers and other small items.
Go Green. Get back into nature by:
-Plant a backyard garden or a few trees at the neighborhood park.
-Switch to all-natural cleaning supplies.
-Start a compost pile in your backyard or with a group of neighbors.
Buy organic.
-Eat only fresh fruits and vegetables. It’ll save on packaging waste.

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