Mrs. Levy's famous .......

Mulberry Silk Duvets donate a blanket to Starfish for every duvet sold

2011-07-30T08:42:00.000-06:00

The Mulberry Silk Co donates one blanket to The Starfish Greathearts Foundation in at one of their community projects in the Eastern Cape in South Africa.

Starfish is currently making a significant impact in many communities across all of South Africa’s provinces who support thousands of children. The communities provide various services to the children such as home visits,counselling, access to education and social grants.

Mulberry Silk Co. is proud to support this organization. For every positive comment on The Mulberry Silk Co link on their webpage, they will donate a blanket to Starfish. That's an easy way to get a blanket donated!! Go to The Mulberry Silk Co and click on their Facebook page logo on the bottom right of the screen, and they will donate a blanket in your name.

To purchase duvets, please see our website Baobab

It's going to be hot today

2011-07-20T07:53:00.000-06:00

It's going to be a hot one today. The temperature is expected to be one hundred degrees. Last night's thunderstorm washed the streets clean and the blue cornflowers are sparkling in the light breeze. The Queen Anne Lace are waving their slender heads, ever so elegant. The stubby yellow dandelions are pushing through the ground, eager to discharge their fluffy heads.

What am I thinking? Dandelions, pollen, ALLERGIES! Sneezing and snorting and loads of antihistamine....

The only thing that makes me grateful is my Mulberry Silk Duvet. It is hypoallergenic, so that I sleep like a baby at night and it keeps me cool and comfortable and allergy free.

It is also Bug repellent - Dust mites and Bugs are deprived of the moist environment they require for their survival. And most importantly, at my age, Silk has been shown to possess 18 types of naturally occurring compounds that are believed to promote positive health care functions:
- soothes the nerves
- nourishes the skin
- rejuvenates the skin

I have also found a great source for 1500 thread Egyptian Cotton Bed Linen. You can have luxury and hard wearing linen in one at a great reasonable price . It's like slipping into a spa, it makes you feel so good.

I love night time!!

New Luxury Linen for sale

2011-07-13T13:03:00.002-06:00

We are thrilled to offer a luxury line of bed linen to match with our MULBERRY SILK DUVETS.

1500 THREAD EGYPTIAN COTTON feels like silk, but is hard wearing and luxurious. Experience the wonderful elegance of high thread count combined with the incredible softness of 100% Egyptian cotton for the ultimate sleep experience.

Egyptian cotton is world renowned for its superior quality. The high 1500 thread count fabric creates a softer feel and more pleasing sleep experience, available in several fashionable colors. These wonderful 1500-thread-count, long-staple cotton sateen sheets are a perfect complement to any bed. These sheet sets makes bedtime an indulgent escape.

These fine Luxury Bed Linens are crafted from Long Staple Giza Cotton grown in the lush Nile River Valley since the time of the Pharaohs. They are a perfect complement to a MULBERRY SILK DUVET.

Supplement your retirement income

2011-05-08T07:35:00.000-06:00

Did you ever think you could write a book about your life?

Have you got a lifetime of information you can share?

The first baby boomer applying for social security, and the balance of tax-paying workers to Social Security recipients, has shifted severely since the end of Word War II.

Quote from the October 15, 2007 edition of ABC Nightly News with Charles Gibson:

"At the end of World War II, there were 44 workers paying Social Security taxes for every retiree collecting from the program. Now the ratio is just three workers for every one retiree. And soon there will be more retirees than workers."

Scary?

A few years ago, did you have an image of strolling down the beach, care-free, as the waves lapped at your feet?
Or, maybe it was yourself and a loved one discovering some far off place together, finally fulfilling the lifelong dream of traveling the world…
Or perhaps you saw yourself at a big retirement ceremony… all your coworkers congratulating you on your graduation into the “good life” of retirement?

Was it anything close to those images?

If so, that’s great... You are in the very small minority of baby boomers who feel “optimistic” about their futures. For the rest, the thought of pleasure activities and lifelong dreams immediately brings up the familiar image of a question mark in front of a dollar sign.

Nick Marks, arguably the most accomplished internet marketer on the web today, has written a report showing you, step-by-step, how to tap into an endless stream of money... and how to have a great time doing it. You do not need to be a baby boomer to make these tactics work for you. There are people of all ages and backgrounds making a whole lot of money on the Internet. However, Nick says his book was written with boomers in mind for 2 reasons:

"1. I hear from baby boomers all the time who are very frightened about their futures, and I know this guide can help put an end to that fear because I’ve seen it happen for people.
2. Because anyone who has been walking the earth between 43 and 61 years is almost certain to possess a key ingredient to success when marketing online"

Plus, Boomers have follow-through…

Whether you realize it or not, Baby Boomers have special knowledge and experience that people will gladly pay top dollar for once put it into a simple guide that will save them time and money...

The “Baby Boomer’s Guide To Online Income” contains all the steps to finding out which of your skill sets people will be most eager to learn from you... Plus, how to write the book so people will get the most from it.
It will also teach you ways to make money online that require absolutely no writing, no direct selling, or in some cases, not even a website.

This is a book that will empower you to make money by offering quality products and services to people who can truly benefit from them, at no cost to yourself. Find a niche market in which you are interested, and have fun while earning extra residual income.

Go now to "Baby Boomers Guide to Online Income"

Mulberry Silk Duvets and Mattress Toppers - For Babies Cribs

2011-04-07T09:19:00.000-06:00

We often don't think of the same bedding requirements for our babies as we do for ourselves. After all, their bed is so small!!

However, it is more important that your baby is comfortable at night, not only for the usual reasons of waking for food or a diaper change, but for the discomfort that a wet diaper can cause on the bed.

By using our Mulberry Silk Mattress Topper in conjunction with our Mulberry Silk Crib Duvet, you can rest assured that your baby will be drier and more comfortable and will not wake up during the night. This, of course, is great news for parents!

Babies are also inclined to sweat during the night, but when they sleep on top of, and underneath silk, sweating is drastically eliminated. The same problem of perspiring that menopausal women suffer from is also true of babies.

See my article on menopause and silk duvets. Menopause and Silk Duvets

Mulberry Silk Duvets aids menopause sufferers

2011-03-11T15:56:00.005-06:00

Menopause sufferers are finding comfort and relief when sleeping with MULBERRY SILK DUVETS.

Silk wicks away moisture and leaves you feeling dry and cool and helps when suffering from hot flashes.

What happens with hot flashes?
Hot flashes are the result of changes in the hypothalamus, the part of the brain that regulates the body's temperature. If it mistakenly senses that a woman is too warm, it starts a chain of events to cool her down by dissipating the body heat through the blood vessels near the surface of the skin. It causes perspiration to cool the body down. These typically occur at night and interfere with sleep.

What does wicking mean?

Moisture wicking happens when synthetic microfibers draw(or wick) the moisture from the skin and force the moisture to the surface where it is released. Synthetic microfibers have hydrophobic (water hating) properties whereas cotton has hydrophilic (water loving) properties. Avoid cotton because it traps moisture, so it stays wet and draws heat from you.

Duvet is packed in a cloth bag

MULBERRY SILK DUVETS are made from 100% silk thread. The duvet will wick away the moisture from the body and disperse it to the edges of the duvet. This results in keeping you cool when suffering from hot flashes and avoids the necessity of sleeping in a wet bed.

Disturbances in sleep cause irritability, which is one of the systems of menopause. If you are dry the whole night, you will be better able to face the day in the morning. Women who use our MULBERRY SILK DUVETS have told us that they are better able to cope during the day, and are happy with the feel of the duvet.

Duvet is thin, but envelopes one for all night comfort.

Down duvets are thick and pouffy, and while they look luxurious, they can cause sweating at night and the moisture collects in the cover and stays moist. While a Mulberry Silk Duvet is thin, it surrounds your body with a light texture, making it the perfect marriage for a good night's sleep.

2010-08-23T10:04:00.000-06:00

This is my happy dance, because my "little" invention has been selected for further TV testings. Watch this space!!

Mulberry Silk Duvet.wmv

2010-05-17T12:02:00.000-06:00

The New Sleep Sensation

2010-05-13T18:30:00.001-06:00

The move to "organic" and "natural" and "save the environment" is making us all a bit crazy.

What should I buy, am I destroying the ozone by using sprays, who should I ask if I am not sure about it.

The stress of today is leaving us all a bit frazzled and sleep deprived.

But we can do one thing to make our sleep healthier and more comfortable.

Enter the MULBERRY SILK DUVET

When the ancient Orientals discovered the properties of silk thousands of years ago, special mulberry fields were planted along the banks of Lake Taihu to feed the silkworms that spin the choicest silk of all. The Mulberry Silk Company of Zhenze, Lake Taihu, still source their succulent mulberry leaves from the very same fields, and go to great efforts to uphold the same exacting standards and ancient traditions established by the royal courts in days of old.

Silk’s amazing hypo-allergenic and hygroscopic qualities have been a great source of relief for allergy and rheumatism sufferers across the globe.

Because silk naturally draws moisture away from the body at night, and releases it into the air, the dust mites that typically trigger feather-related allergic reactions are deprived of the moist environment they require for their survival.

In addition, silk has been shown to possess 18 types of naturally occurring compounds that are believed to promote a host of positive health care functions, such as soothing the nerves, nourishing and rejuvenating the skin.

If you want to enjoy a peaceful and healthy night's sleep, visit The Mulberry Silk Co. to order.

Success versus Failure

2009-06-01T06:51:00.005-06:00

A sermon recently expounded the value of failure not as failure itself, but as a means of growing one's sense of self worth and moving towards new experiences.

Failure does not mean that one has failed in life's
work, but is just a measure of how much more one has to
do in life. If one task is not successfully completed,
it does not mean that one is a failure.

There are many reasons why a task fails.

The analogy given was with Moses who successfully led
the Israelites out of Egypt through the desert and
established the ten commandments as a rule of life.
However, Moses, at the moment of success and fulfillment of the
work he was assigned by God, was denied
entry into the Promised Land. Was his life a failure?
Perhaps. It depends on which side of the fence you
reside.

Had Moses led them into the Promised Land, his job would
have been over, he would have succeeded, but then what
would he have done?

So, too, is the concept of failure misleading in today's
frenetic world, full of businesses closing and going
bust. It was never the intention of the owners of those
companies to go bust. They put every fiber of their
being into making them successful. But circumstances
sometimes deny the fruition of the best laid plans, and
failure occurs.

It is not a reflection on the failure itself, because it
is a time to re-group, re-focus, and re-align oneself
with a new vision, a new purpose and a belief that a new
path will appear so one may grow and mature.

It is neither a reflection of success itself , because
once you have achieved what you set out to do, what
further vision do you have? You cannot rest if you have
achieved everything. There should always be something
more that one can focus on.

The point of the sermon is that if one does not fail,
one will not grow and have a sense of value in life.

Growth is not measured in stature and material things.

It is measured in life's lessons.
It is measured in humility.
It is measured in one's ability to grow.
It is measured in visions and the ability to act upon
them and bring them to fruition, even if you yourself
ultimately fail in the end.

Failure is a hard lesson to learn. It brings on
depression, a feeling of low self worth. The success in
life is overcoming these hard knocks, rising above them,
bringing new and fresh ideas to the table.

But one thing I know... acknowledging failure and
walking away from it is a most liberating feeling.

It lifts the angst and anxiety and helps you deal with
moving forward to the next chapter in your life.

Ah, the hard lessons of life.

Lea singing Castle in the Clouds

2009-05-03T11:20:00.004-06:00

My grandchild, Lea Donenberg aged 10, singing "Castle on a Cloud" from Les Miserables.

A wise person thinks before telling what "they heard"

2009-04-24T08:51:00.002-06:00

Craig Garber, who is "King of Copy", sent the following story that he received from Christian Godefroy.

In ancient Greece, Socrates was reputed to hold knowledge in high esteem. One day an acquaintance met the great philosopher and said, "Do you know what I just heard about your friend?"

"Hold on a minute," Socrates replied. "Before telling me anything, I'd like you to pass a little test. It's called the Triple Filter Test."

"Triple filter?"

"That's right," Socrates continued. "Before you talk to me about my friend, it might be a good idea to take a moment and filter what you're going to say. That's why I call it the triple filter test.

The first filter is Truth. Have you made absolutely sure that what you are about to tell me is true?"

"No," the man said, "Actually I just heard about it and..."

"All right," said Socrates. "So you don't really know if it's true or not. Now let's try the second filter, the filter of goodness. Is what you are about to tell me about my friend something good?"

"No, on the contrary..."

"So," Socrates continued, "You want to tell me something bad about him, but you're not certain it's true. You may still pass the test though, because there's one filter left:
the filter of usefulness. Is what you want to tell me about my friend going to be useful to me?"

"No, not really."

"Well," concluded Socrates, "If what you want to tell me is neither true nor good nor even useful, then why tell it to me at all?"

How often have we thoughtlessly passed on a story about which we are not sure, don't really know exactly what the circumstances are, nor do we think of the ramifications that a carelessly told rumor could cause.

Integrity in one's personal life should also be the cornerstone of one's business career, whether you are an entrepreneur, small business owner, or an employee of a company. It is no greater when you are a member of a corporation with a lot of back-stabbing. You will have a greater reputation as an honest person and good person with whom to do business than one who cuts corners, and is even slightly deceitful, dishonest or mean.

Advantages of Refinancing a Mortgage

2009-03-22T07:32:00.002-06:00

by Betty Parker

There are a number of reasons why we need to refinance. The requirements of home improvement, college education or just reducing the monthly mortgage payment are some of them. You have to locate a refinancing company that provides you the most suitable rate while you opt to refinance your existing mortgage. Prior to refinancing, it is prudent that you carry out comparison shopping.

At a time when college education is getting much costlier, going for mortgage refinancing is becoming a common trend. Everybody wishes to send his child to college for higher education and become established in life. This is one of the reasons why people refinance their mortgages. There are various options for refinancing and getting professional advices from a mortgage loan expert would help you determine which option is right for you.

One more reason why people select refinancing is to reduce the mortgage interest rate and monthly mortgage payments. This lets them breathe a sigh of relief while preparing to make payments for their mortgages. If you opt for refinancing, it is a means to receive money to carry out your home improvements as well.

A quite common reason for mortgage refinancing is debt consolidation. You can repay your piled up debts like outstanding medical bills and credit card debts. This motive might become more common in the days to come with the new law for bankruptcy soon to come into existence. It eliminates creditor harassment which is truly painful while managing debts and nobody wishes to carry on with the bills they are unable to repay. Therefore, resorting to refinance to get rid of these bills is a sensible measure. This would assist you to better your credit rating.

You might not be worried about any of the reasons mentioned above and perhaps are planning to go on a holiday trip that you have been waiting for a long time. You can go for refinancing provided it is advantageous for you and you would not face any troubles in repaying it.

No matter what your reason is, there would be competition among the lenders to provide you refinancing. Shop around online or contact various lenders and make comparisons between the refinance quotes offered by them. In this way, you might get the most reasonable quote that you have been searching for

Personalized Childrens Books

2009-03-02T16:33:00.002-06:00

Give a personalized children's book next time you need a gift. Each book is designed using the child's name, and no two books are ever alike. Click on the banner to go to the website.

Smart Women Know What They Want

2009-02-06T13:34:00.002-06:00

By Joy Chudacoff
Jan 9, 2009

Last week, after my husband Greg read my article “Smart Women Are a Lot Like Rocket Ships,” he had an interesting question: He said, “Every week you write about the same thing—making your Big Idea happen, Reaching your Goals and Dreams, getting the right support, blah, blah, blah… when are you going to write about something else?”

Being a woman who encourages new ideas and new perspectives, I went off to take a bubble bath (a nightly self-care ritual!) and to reflect on his question.

In my work with women, the foundation is always around passionate and purposeful living. In order to live a life full of unlimited energy filled with passion and purpose, you will be making big things happen in your life. You will be connecting with your Big Ideas, dreams and goals. You will seek and find the proper support to help you achieve your goals. This becomes a way of life for women who choose to live without boundaries around what they can and deserve to accomplish.

The challenge for me is that I know only a fraction of women in the world are living the kind of life I just described. It seems unrealistic to many women–not possible, not achievable. I think this is the reason I continue to write so often about this idea. I want to encourage women in every way imaginable that having a life that is overflowing with abundance is possible.

How about you? Is this something you desire? To create a life that is on purpose, both at work and at home, and achieving those Big Ideas, Dreams and Goals? I know this is something that I desperately wanted in my life 10 years ago. I was searching for what might be next for me, what my purpose was, who could support me in going to the next level in my life. I would wake up most days with those nagging questions and the empty answers: “What do I want to do next?” “Who can I talk to that will be able to help me?” “What might be the next step to move me closer to my dreams and goals?”

Today I am living a high-energy, passionate, purposeful life but it was not by accident. It was through taking the right steps to find out what I truly wanted for myself (not what others might want for me), finding the right support to make it happen, and working with my support system to put a plan together that would result in a successful outcome.

I invite you to grab a pen and some paper, sit down, and ask yourself a very important question:

What do I want?

Not just what you need to get by or what other people think you should want. Initially, you might catch yourself writing something “safe.” “Safe” meaning it might be within your reach but it’s not really what you truly want at your core.

So yes, Greg, you are correct. I am going to continue to write about Making your Big Idea , Dreams and Goals Happen. I’m going to write about living a life filled with unlimited energy, passion, and purpose and all the blah, blah, blah. At least until I’m satisfied that more women are waking up to this lifestyle each and every day.

The New Year is fast approaching (13 days!). Now is the time to “get real” about what you really want moving forward. And I’m going to be here to support you in getting what you really want both in your personal life and your entrepreneurial life, but you have to do some of the work. You have to decide what it is…

© 2008 Joy Chudacoff

Joy Chudacoff is the founder of Smart Women Smart Solutions, a Certified Professional Coach and Professional Speaker. To read more articles by Joy and learn more about her Success Circle workshops, teleseminars or keynote topics, please visit her website, visit Smart Women Smart Solutions or contact Joy at Joy@SmartWomenSolutions.com.

The Ebb and Flow of Life

2009-01-19T11:21:00.003-06:00

A prolonged visit in the hospital was an education in the ebb and flow of life in general. Like a hospital, there is a never ending rhythm of activities.

As an observer quietly sitting in the chair watching the ebb and flow of people and machines and daily to-ing and fro-ing was an exercise in humility. Here were literally hundreds of people, both seen upstairs and unseen in the bowels of a hospital, that are all working for the well being of one person.

The morning nurse is there to take vital signs of patients, kitchen staff prepare and deliver meals, doctors and interns do rounds, visitors sit at bedsides, waiting for news of loved ones prognosis and expectancy of going home. Doctors, nurses, technicians, cleaning staff, secretaries, gardeners (yes, the plants also need to be watered!) and snow ploughing, etc. etc. Without one person, other people would have to pick up the slack and the symmetry of life is disturbed.

Sleep for the patient is cat napping between sponge baths, vital signs, housekeeping, medication, doctors visits. And so it goes on... day in and day out, everyone confident in their own position in the daily flow of life.

And so too, our own lives are structured and flow, day in and day out. We are reliant on each member of the household to fulfill each of their functions. Mothers care for their children, households and invariably also have day jobs. Fathers provide auxiliary household duties and provide for families, children in their own ways provide joy and delight, however old they may be.

If any one of the functions falls off the rails, chaos can reign. Dysfunction sets in and all sorts of difficulties ensue.

So too does a business run. Each department is a function of the whole. Without everyone pulling their weight and integrating with other departments, the whole structure will come tumbling down.

No one piece of a business is more important than the other.

The janitor is no less valuable than the CEO. Each function is as important as the other, and provides the total harmony and well being of a business. Let us not be so arrogant as to think that our function in the greater scheme of life is any more important than the person next door. Humility will be your greatest asset and make you a better liked person.

Remember that a wheel will only turn as long as the cogs are in alignment.

Mrs. Levy's famous .......: Baby Boomers Retirement

2008-11-01T08:22:00.000-06:00

Mrs. Levy's famous .......: Baby Boomers Retirement

Bring jobs back to America

2008-09-30T08:03:00.003-06:00

America has become a dust bowl, reminiscent of John Steinbeck's "Grapes of Wrath" where farmers left their devastated drought stricken farms to look west for work.

Today's unemployment has reached a staggering 600,000 and growing. The meltdown on Wall Street and the inability of small businesses access to loans and capital has created the greatest disaster in history for everybody, not only the "little man", but the "fat cats" in their ivory castles as well.

Now is the time to look at the psyche of the American person, and acknowledge that they have become lazy and overly-particular about what type of job they want to do.

It is time to bring back jobs to America.

It is no longer viable to outsource jobs to other countries. All those manufacturing jobs that are outsourced in China and Korea and India, etc. should be brought back into this country.

Government/States should give incentives to companies to bring manufacturing back into the cities and rural areas, which will create jobs for thousands of people. It will in turn create revenue for the States in company taxes and individual taxes.

It will bring better supervision of the quality of products being manufactured, so that there are no crises of milk pollution to kill babies, lead poisoning of children, poor quality materials used in manufacturing.

The price of goods may go up some, but not enough that the savings overall in the creation of jobs would not offset the increases. Earning $10 an hour is still better than earning $0 an hour and that should still include benefits.

It is an indictment on us, the American people, that we have allowed ourselves to become complacent and have not had the will to do our own work. There is nothing wrong with working in a factory producing quality goods for our families.There is nothing wrong with an article having the label "Made in America".

Bring back our jobs, bring back our soldiers, bring back our dignity.

Baby Boomers Retirement

2008-09-14T11:15:00.004-06:00

The first baby boomer applying for social security, and the balance of tax-paying workers to Social Security recipients, has shifted severely since the end of WWII.

Quote from the October 15, 2007 edition of ABC Nightly News with Charles Gibson:

"At the end of World War II, there were 44 workers paying Social Security taxes for every retiree collecting from the program. Now the ratio is just three workers for every one retiree. And soon there will be more retirees than workers. "

Scary?

A few years ago, did you have an image of strolling down the beach, care-free, as the waves lapped at your feet?

Or, maybe it was yourself and a loved one discovering some far off place together, finally fulfilling the lifelong dream of traveling the world…

Or perhaps you saw yourself at a big retirement ceremony… all your coworkers
congratulating you on your graduation into the “good life” of retirement?

Was it anything close to those images?

If so, that’s great... You are in the very small minority of baby boomers who feel “optimistic” about their futures.

For the rest, the thought of pleasure activities and lifelong dreams immediately brings up the familiar image of a question mark in front of a dollar sign.

Nick Marks, arguably the most accomplished internet marketer on the web today, has written a report showing you, step-by-step, how to tap into an endless stream of money... and how to have a great time doing it.

You do not need to be a baby boomer to make these tactics work for you. There are people of all ages and backgrounds making a whole lot of money on the Internet. However, Nick says his book was written with boomers in mind for 2 reasons:

"1. I hear from baby boomers all the time who are very frightened about their futures, and I know this guide can help put an end to that fear because I’ve seen it happen for people.

2. Because anyone who has been walking the earth between 43 and 61 years is almost certain to possess a key ingredient to success when marketing online"

Plus, Boomers have follow-through…

Whether you realize it or not, Baby Boomers have special knowledge and experience that people will gladly pay top dollar for once put it into a simple guide that will save them time and money...

The “Baby Boomer’s Guide To Online Income” contains all the steps to finding out which of your skill sets people will be most eager to learn from you... Plus, how to write the book so people will get the most from it.

It will also teach you ways to make money online that require absolutely no writing, no direct selling, or in some cases, not even a website.

This is a book that will empower you to make money by offering quality products and services to people who can truly benefit from them, at no cost to yourself. Find a niche market in which you are interested, and have fun while earning extra residual income.

Go now to "Baby Boomers Guide to Online Income"

Life in the times of The Magnificent Seven

2008-09-13T11:53:00.004-06:00

I was watching an old re-run of The Magnificent Seven this morning while waiting for the laundry to dry and hunkering down because of rainy,miserable weather. Hurricane Ike has come aground, and the country is awash in water.

Although I have seen it many times, it was a nostalgic journey back in time, when the good guys were good, the bad guys were really bad, and good always won out over evil.

In our "today" world, life is no longer black and white, good and bad, or where the good guys are always right. It is a world of grey and menacing threats, everything is not as it appears on the surface, and the bad buys are lurking in the mountains.

We don't appear to have a band of brothers to come and save us from threats and dangers.

I am not sure why today's film stars think they are so much superior to the rest of mankind.

Back in those times Yul Brunner, Charles Bronson and Steve McQueen et al, were doing a job, just like the man at the gas station, the doctor or the gym trainer. The fact that people recognized them on walk-abouts and made them "celebs" did not detract from their inherent connection with everyday people.

History teaches us everything and nothing. We refuse to learn from past mistakes or even past triumphs. We continue stumbling around trying to re-invent the wheel (oh so far in history!!).

Until there is a universal understanding that all men need to work together to create a world that will sustain all mankind, regardless of race, color, creed or religion, life will continue to be fraught with uncertainty and unhappiness at all levels. I know the rich don't want to really share wealth with the poor, and there will always be those that have and those that don't have. It is childish and naive to believe that all men will share equally.

We are missing the simplicity of life when The Magnificent Seven saved the village from the bandit and they all lived happily ever after. Well, some of them didn't live, but what the heck, it was only a movie!

Why and How to Avoid Bad Credit Loans

2008-08-20T21:43:00.005-06:00

A "bad credit loan" is the one you will be stuck with if your credit report is less than excellent. More specifically, if your credit score is not well above 620 you will be paying a much higher interest rate on your loans than most people. In this article, we will provide you with some common sense advice on how to avoid these high interest loans.

The interest rate you pay on any loan can be tied directly to your credit score. And your credit score is based on your credit history, as compiled by the three major credit reporting bureaus (Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax). The credit bureaus get their information about you from your current and past lenders.

Remember that car loan you defaulted on a couple years ago? Yup - that's in your credit report. And so are those utility bills you were late paying last year.

The best way to start avoiding bad credit loans is to improve your credit. I know that sounds simplistic, but it's true. You should be able to repair your bad credit yourself, for free. Start by requesting copies of your credit reports from the three major credit bureaus. Review the reports for any inaccurate information, and get it removed by contacting the credit bureaus.

Start paying down your debt. Reduce the balance on your credit cards as much as possible. Negotiate payment terms with your lenders, if necessary. And be careful to pay all your monthly bill on-time, from now on. Just one late-pay can ruin all your efforts.

Add good credit references to your credit report. There are a couple ways you can have positive information submitted to the credit bureaus, even if you cannot get a regular, unsecured credit card. One way is through the use of sub-prime merchandise cards. Although they are not a VISA or MasterCard, they do report to the credit bureaus.

Another option for adding credit reference is to obtain a secured credit card. They typically require a cash deposit, and then you can charge up to the amount of the deposit. Be sure to shop around for these cards, since some have lower fees than others.

Arm yourself with the right information. There are many sources of tips and techniques for improving your credit (and therefore avoiding bad credit loans). But some techniques are shaky at best (and may even be illegal). There is no shortage of companies eager to sell you an instant solution for your credit problems. Take the time to locate an information source you can trust. For example, when choosing a credit repair manual, look for a publisher with a long track record of success, one who updates their information frequently, and offers a money-back guarantee.

Apply these common sense techniques to repairing your shaky finances, and you may never have to visit the "pay-day loan store" again. You should know that it will take time, but if you start today to fix your credit, you should be able to get a lower interest rate on that new car loan later this year.

The "CREDIT SECRETS BIBLE" has been in
print since 1994 and is published by
Consumer Publishing Group.
For more information on the "CREDIT
SECRETS BIBLE" you may visit:

CREDIT SECRETS BIBLE
=======================================

NEGATIVE ADVERTISING IS NOT THE ANSWER.

2008-08-09T14:25:00.000-06:00

Negative ad campaigns are counter-productive, annoying, and petty. As a new US citizen, I was so excited to vote in my first Presidential election. I listened carefully to the nominees who set out their objectives and made it appear that they were now working for the common man - at last.

Unfortunately, that did not last long. As an outsider looking in, it is sad to see attitudes change when the bar is raised.

John McCain had the admiration of most Americans for his sensible and bi-partisan solutions to problems facing American today. His willingness to work with Democrats on issues that affect the daily lives of people today was admirable.

What changed when he became a nominee for President? Why has the race for President become a mean-spirited, character-bashing negative-advertising campaign?

There is nothing worse than negativity.

A point to illustrate this is when my aunt asked me for a glass of water with which to take her pills. I filled it half-way, because that is all she needed, and anyway, her hands shake and she spills often!

When I gave her the glass, she remarked "Why is it half empty?"

"Why?" I replied. "It is half full!"

Life is a series of perceptions. If you are constantly looking for ways that a project will NOT work, why don't you use that energy to figure out a way that it WILL work??

Politicians unfortunately are so busy protecting their "positions" that they forget that they should be working for the greater good of the constituents who put them in office. Most times issues are not a Republican or a Democrat issue, but one that should be worked out in the best interests of the common man. Or woman.

I have the same issues with negative advertising in all walks of life. Car ads, tv connection ads, getting rid of gas ads... you get the message! Ad agencies are not earning their fees if they can't figure out a way to present their products in a positive and different way to the competition. It is not good enough telling me why Product X is worse than Product Y, without giving me a positive reason and advantage of buying Y in the first place. Don't tell me why another product is bad. Tell me what is good about the product that you are trying to sell.

Top Secret Magic Code

2008-07-30T10:49:00.001-06:00

Just Released: A New "Magic Code" that when added to any site you have causes your site (or even any site) to magically start making money.

No joke. This discovery was made by a New York doctor who for the last 10 years used it secretly to do everything from offset his advertising costs, to just adding it to 1,000's of webpages and amass a personal wealth now of nearly $100 million cash!

And now he's decided to allow you and everyone else to share in it (and since he stands nothing more to gain by keeping "you" in the dark about it).

As it turns out, a number of the largest online firms such as Alexa, and even a good number of the top 100 sites ranked on the entire Web are already using this amazing, but very simple secret.

Alexa, for instance, adds this code to a number of their webpages and it allows them to automatically generate an "extra" $90,000 a month in profits - and that for just a single webpage!

If you had 10 such pages that each did likewise, you'd "magically" get $900,000 every 30 days just poured into your pocket!

And most important: You should instantly recognize the fact that since a firm like Alexa (as well as about 34% of the Web's top 100 sites) is using this, then you too should be using it.

But here's what may SHOCK you the absolute very most ...

o It takes you just 45 seconds to add this code to any webpage

o Once added you do NOTHING further - but money just starts
pouring in!

And remember ...

Just in case you think this isn't for real, firms like Alexa and others in the top 100 wouldn't be using it (but they are; so what does that tell you?)

If you are wise and want to make your webpages pay you money automatically simply by adding just a simple string of 1-line code to any webpage, then you had best go here immediately:

~~~> TOP SECRET MAGIC CODE

Why the need to RUSH? ... Simple:

The guy giving this out is letting just about another 500 to maybe 600 people at best find out about this, and then he's deliberately going to "pull the rug out from underneath" anyone else trying to get it!

I know, I know ... That sounds very cruel and unfair.

But that's his doing; so rather than argue with him it would probably just be a better idea to just go there and grab it so that at least "you" don't get left out in the rain, right?

But fair warning, in case you stumble upon this too late, just don't be shocked to see it's no longer available.

Top Clickbank Sites

2008-07-05T11:25:00.003-06:00

Clickbank is the biggest on-line supplier of books and products on the web today.

For those who do not know what Clickbank is, it is a website that offers information products on any subject that you want to find out about. Everything is instantly downloaded to your computer.

We offer a complete list of items available today with a search box for your convenience.
Looking forward to seeing you in our store.

TOP CLICKBANK SITES

2008-05-14T10:30:00.002-06:00

FENG SHUI YOUR HOME

http://www.squidoo.com/pillows-homedecor

Put a frog on your bed, on your kid's bed, on your favorite chair!!

Love these cute stuffed throw pillows.

Check them out at Melange Collection

The Credit Secrets Bible- A Video for you to view

2008-04-05T16:56:00.007-06:00

The video in this series is THREE REASONS NOT TO CARRY A DEBIT CARD

VIEW THE VIDEO HERE FOR VALUABLE ADVICE

The TRUTH About Credit Repair...

-by Terry Price

(C) Copyright Terry Price
All Rights Reserved

CREDIT SECRETS REPORT

=======================================

Have you ever wondered what companies
send you when they claim you can erase
bad credit overnight? How about those
ads that say you can get any major
credit
card without a deposit or a credit
check?

Ads abound almost everywhere
these days (online and off) selling
books, systems and secrets to
help you fix your credit. Many
of these programs have claims
which read like the covers of
supermarket tabloids:

"In 3hrs my credit score jumped
from 580 to 676!"...

"Erase bad credit and smash your
debts with just 2 Magic Letters!".

Are these types of claims ALWAYS
too good to be true? The answer is
"Yes and... no".

While many people would love for
you to believe the only thing that
can fix bad credit is time; in
reality... nothing could be further
from the truth. The fact is, time
is only one factor which can fix
a credit report, but it's a far cry
from being the only factor. How
can I back this up? Easy.

Under a consumer protection law
known as the Fair Credit Reporting
Act (a.k.a. the FCRA) the only
negative information which can
remain on your credit report is
not what is accurate... but what
can be proved as accurate under
the FCRA. What's this mean
to you?

It means any negative item on
your credit report can only remain
there if it is accurate and CAN
BE PROVED AS SUCH under the
guidelines of the FCRA. This
undisputable fact presents
consumers with both good
news and bad news.

The good news is that through
the FCRA your credit score can
most likely be improved dramatically
in a very short period of time with
only a modest amount of effort on
your part.

The bad news is that while the
actual "work" will take very little
of your time, it is vital that you
have good information on "how"
to go about it. This is the bad
news; 9 out of 10 courses on
restoring your credit will do nothing
more than lead you into snake
pits because they will provide
you with what the industry refers
to as "Boiler Plate" dispute letters.
These are nothing more than form
letters and... quite frankly (more
bad news) the Credit Bureaus and
Creditors will laugh at you if you
try to use them.

While I agree with the Federal Trade
Commission (FTC) that "Anything a
Credit Repair Clinic can do for you
legally, you can do for yourself at
little or not cost"... the key element
you need for success is the latest
inside techniques and procedures
to get the results you want. This
involves strategies such as "Proof
of Contract", "Constructive Notice",
"Challenge of Procedure" or
"Restrictive Endorsement" and many
others.

All these terms may "sound" impressive
but they are really quite simple. In
the
end, it is nothing more than a method
of communication which exercises your
consumer protection rights, gets the
results you want and raises your credit
score. Even more impressive, once you
learn how simple it can be by doing it
for
yourself, you will find there is a
fortune
to be made doing it for others! Either
way, it all starts by requesting a free
copy of your credit report here:

http://www.AnnualCreditReport.com

In the next segment we'll talk about:

"Is Your Credit Score Costing
You A Fortune?"

=======================================
The "CREDIT SECRETS BIBLE" has been in
print since 1994 and is published by
Consumer Publishing Group.
For more information on the "CREDIT
SECRETS BIBLE" you may visit:

CREDIT SECRETS BIBLE
=======================================

Rooibos Tea Extravaganza

2008-03-17T21:59:00.005-06:00

Rooibos Tea, or commonly known in the USA as Redbush tea,
has been consumed in South Africa for generations.

Rooibos Tea is a natural caffeiene-free tea made from the Rooibos shrub which grows exclusively on the Cedarberg Mountains of South Africa. The green, needle-like leaves of the plant are cut and left to dry in the hot African sun. They turn a beautiful mahogany red color, thus giving the name, REDBUSH. Rooibos is the local South African Afrikaans translation of Redbush.

The tea is harvested at the fields, and there are many companies that package the tea under their own labels. ANNIQUE uses only the tips of the leaves for the freshest and tastiest blends.

Dr. Annique Theron discovered the calming and soothing properties of ROOIBOS TEA when she warmed her daughter's bottle of milk with some tea that she was drinking. Her daughter was a fussy baby, and she found that it enabled her to sleep for longer periods.

She went on to develop the range of ANNIQUE beauty products for women, men and babies.

Baobab Inc invites you to a tea extravaganza---

Rooibos Tea

Annique Beauty care products for

women
men
babies

A selection of tea pots in our tea garden

MaxMalls - Super Shopping Spree

2008-03-06T14:28:00.002-06:00

The latest trend in shopping on-line is the super-duper-all-encompassing
MAX MALLS

Here you can shop from all the biggest shops like NetFlix, Target, Walmart, Kohls, BestBuy, Flower.com, and hundreds and hundreds more. (Yes, really hundreds).

MaxMalls donates a portion of every sale to FEED THE CHILDREN. There are many categories that you can search in, all from the one website.

Arts & Hobbies
Auctions
Automotive
Baby
Beauty & Fragrance
Books
Business Services
Charity
Clothing, Shoes & Accessories
Computers & Office
Downloadables (Music, eBooks, etc.)

DVD, Audio & Video
Education
Electronics
Financial Services
Flowers & Gifts
Food & Beverage
General Merchandise
Health & Wellness
Home & Garden
Jewelry & Watches
Magazines & Newspapers

Music
Pets
Real Estate
Romance
Services
Sports & Outdoors
Tools & Hardware
Toys
Travel
Video Games/Online Gaming

Sudden Spouse Death

2008-01-14T22:35:00.000-06:00

SUDDEN SPOUSE DEATH

Recently, friends came over for dinner and then left the next day for their winter home. Two days later, the husband called to tell us that his wife had lain down for a nap, and never woke up again.

This had a profound effect on me. It disturbed my sense of mortality. It made me look at my family with new eyes, and wonder whether I appreciated everything that was good in my life. Had I ever been mean to anyone that I would regret.

I have gathered together a team of experts in all aspects of grief counselling, finances, and some healthy doses of practical advice, which you can get at my website. Sudden Spouse Death.

Friends in Strange Places

2008-01-02T10:16:00.000-06:00

Through the lens of Tanja Askani in Alberta, Canada .
He spotted these adorable little guys in his backyard.
He set up a camera on his porch and wound up getting

award winning photos in his own back yard!!

See the Deer and the Hare here

What if you didn't have e-mail?

2007-12-28T08:47:00.000-06:00

A jobless man applied for the post of "office boy" at Microsoft.

The HR manager interviewed him, then watched him cleaning the floor as a test.
"You are employed", he said. "Give me your e-mail address and I'll send you the application to fill in, as well as the date when you may start"

The man replied" But I don't have a computer, neither an e-mail."
"I'm sorry," said the HR maanger. "If you don't have an e-mail, that means you do not exist. And who doesn't exist, cannot have the job."

The man left with no hope at all. He didn't know what to do, with only $10 in his pocket. He then decided to go to the supermarket and buy a 10 lb tomato crate. He then sold the tomatoes door to door. In less than two hours, he succeeded to double his capital. He repeated the operation three times, and returned home with $60.

The man realised that he could survive this way, and started to go everyday earlier, and return later. Thus, his money doubled and tripled everday.

Shortly, he bought a cart, then a truck, then he had his own fleet of delivery vehicles. 5 years later, then man was one of the biggest food retailers in the US.

He started to plan his family's future, and decided to have a life insurance. He called an insurance broker, and chose a protection plan. When the conversation was concluded, the broker asked him for his e-mail address.

The man replied, "I don't have an email". The broker answered curiously, "You don't have an e-mail, and yet you have succeeded to build an empire. Can you imagine what you could have been if you had an e-mail?!!"

The man thought for a while, and replied, "Yes, I'd be an office boy at Microsoft!"

Moral of the story

Moral 1 - Internet/e-mail is not the solution to your life.

Moral 2 - If you don't have an internet-email, and work hard, you can be a millionaire.

Moral 3 - If you received this message by e-mail, you are probably already an office boy/girl, and not any closer to being a Billionaire....!!

Outsourcing for Small Companies

2007-12-26T10:46:00.000-06:00

More and more small one-man businesses are learning to outsource their valuable time to fulfillment houses in order to get their orders processed.

This makes sense if you are doing everything yourself..... you cannot concentrate on generating an income if you are a jack-of-all-trades.

This is also especially important for foreign companies selling their goods in the USA. Check out Baobab Inc for your warehouse services and get your free copy of "How to Sell in the USA".

Nobody knows how to sell your products better than yourself. Therefore, that is what you should be concentrating on, and leave the drudge work to experienced fulfillment houses that will pack your orders and send them out.

You could also outsource other aspects of your business, like a bookkeeper and a website controller. What you pay for these services you will more than make up for in extra sales and income.

Indoor Herb Garden

2007-12-01T09:13:00.000-06:00

I love this indoor garden. The cold long winter months are setting in with no trips to the garden to cut fresh Rosemary or Basil. As I love to cook with fresh herbs, this indoor herb garden from AeroGarden® is the ideal solution.

Check out their website and get a Free 36 day trial offer.

Life's Lessons

2007-10-15T09:30:00.000-06:00

Grasp your opportunities like looking at a spectacular sunrise...... it will only last a few minutes and then will be lost.

Spectacular safari pictures

2007-10-07T21:15:00.001-06:00

Take a look at some spectacular pictures from a safari in South Africa.
You will see lions, leopards, cheetah, buffalo, elephant, wild dog, hyena.... magical sunsets and sunrises over the African bush.
Enjoy.

Click on the link below, and then click on the first picture and scroll through.
http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=173emnif.2b00hs4v&x=0&y=ygd201

Life' Lessons - How to stop an avocado from going brown

2007-09-30T08:22:00.000-06:00

Here is a great tip to stop an avocado from going brown.

Immerse the whole uncut avocado in boiling water - just like you would for skinning a tomato.
Let is stand for a couple of minutes. Throw off the water, allow the avo to cool and then cut open.

You can prepare your avo dish and keep it in the fridge until necessary.
You should try and use it the same day however, as this will not stop it from going squishy over time.

The Invisible Woman

2007-09-14T16:46:00.000-06:00

Our dear friend Kim Israel sent this very moving story of a woman's discovery of her destiny. I hope you emphathize with it, as women often seem to feel that they are not recognized for their
daily lives.

Perspective: The Invisible Woman
By Nicole Johnson

It started to happen gradually. One day I was walking my son Jake to school. I was holding his hand and we were about to cross the street when the crossing guard said to him, "Who is that with you, young fella?" "Nobody," he shrugged. Nobody? The crossing guard and I laughed. My son is only 5, but as we crossed the street I thought, "Oh my goodness, nobody?"

I would walk into a room and no one would notice. I would say something to my family - like "Turn the TV down, please" - and nothing would happen.
Nobody would get up, or even make a move for the remote. I would stand there for a minute, and then I would say again, a little louder, "Would someone turn the TV down?" Nothing.

Just the other night my husband and I were out at a party. We'd been there for about three hours and I was ready to leave. I noticed he was talking to a friend from work. So I walked over, and when there was a break in the conversation, I whispered, "I'm ready to go when you are." He just kept right on talking. That's when I started to put all the pieces together. I don't think he can see me. I don't think anyone can see me. I'm invisible.

It all began to make sense, the blank stares, the lack of response, the way one of the kids will walk into the room while I'm on the phone and ask to be taken to the store. Inside I'm thinking, "Can't you see I'm on the phone?" Obviously not. No one can see if I'm on the phone, or cooking, or sweeping the floor, or even standing on my head in the corner, because no one can see me at all. I'm invisible.

Some days I am only a pair of hands, nothing more: Can you fix this? Can you tie this? Can you open this? Some days I'm not a pair of hands; I'm not even a human being. I'm a clock to ask, "What time is it?" I'm a satellite guide to answer, "What number is the Disney Channel?" I'm a car to order, "Right around 5:30, please."

I was certain that these were the hands that once held books and the eyes that studied history and the mind that graduated summa cum laude - but now they had disappeared into the peanut butter, never to be seen again. She's going she's going she's gone!

One night, a group of us were having dinner, celebrating the return of a friend from England. Janice had just gotten back from a fabulous trip, and she was going on and on about the hotel she stayed in. I was sitting there, looking around at t he others all put together so well. It was hard not to compare and feel sorry for myself as I looked down at my out-of-style dress; it was the only thing I could find that was clean. My unwashed hair was pulled up in a banana clip and I was afraid I could actually smell peanut butter in it. I was feeling pretty pathetic, when Janice turned to me with a beautifully wrapped package, and said, "I brought you this." It was a book on the great cathedrals of Europe. I wasn't exactly sure why she'd given it to me until I read her inscription: "To Charlotte, with admiration for the greatness of what you are building when no one sees."

In the days ahead I would read - no, devour - the book. And I would discover what would become for me, four life-changing truths, after which I could pattern my work:
* No one can say who built the great cathedrals - we have no record of their names.
* These builders gave their whole lives for a work they would never see finished.
* They made great sacrifices and expected no credit.
* The passion of their building was fueled by their faith that the eyes of God saw everything.

A legendary story in the book told of a rich man who came to visit the cathedral while it was being built, and he saw a workman carving a tiny bird on the inside of a beam. He was puzzled and asked the man, "Why are you spending so much time carving that bird into a beam that will be covered by the roof? No one will ever see it." And the workman replied, "Because God sees."

I closed the book, feeling the missing piece fall into place. It was almost as if I heard God whispering to me, "I see you, Charlotte. I see the sacrifices you make every day, even when no one around you does. No act of kindness you've done, no sequin you've sewn on, no cupcake you've baked, is too small for me to notice and smile over. You are building a great cathedral, but you can't see right now what it will become."

At times, my invisibility feels like an affliction. But it is not a disease that is erasing my life. It is the cure for the disease of my own self-centeredness. It is the antidote to my strong stubborn pride.

I keep the right perspective when I see myself as a great builder. As one of the people who show up at a job that they will never see finished, to work on something that their name will never be on. The writer of the book went so far as to say that no cathedrals could ever be built in our lifetime because there are so few people willing to sacrifice to that degree.

When I really think about it, I don't want my son to tell the friend he's bringing home from college for Thanksgiving, "My mom gets up at 4 in the morning and bakes homemade pies, and then she hand bastes a turkey for three hours and presses all the linens f or the table." That would mean I'd built a shrine or a monument to myself. I just want him to want to come home. And then, if there is anything more to say to his friend, to add, "You're gonna love it there."

As mothers, we are building great cathedrals. We cannot be seen if we're doing it right. And one day, it is very possible that the world will marvel, not only at what we have built, but at the beauty that has been added to the world by the sacrifices of invisible women.

Dinner Options For Those With Busy Business Schedules

2007-08-31T13:29:00.000-06:00

Finding time for dinner when you are on a very busy schedule, especially if working in the field, can be very difficult at best. Many time when on the road, since you may not see the same people for months at a time, you will want to spend as much quality time with them as possible. This can make for extremely long days on the job and dinner may end up being an after thought.

Instead of grabbing a snack from the vending machine on your way to your motel room late at night, consider a few other options to enable you to have dinner while keeping to your busy schedule. Consider picking up the tab for co-workers or ones that you are visiting on your current trip and learn a little more about the person and how they conduct their business while you have dinner.

In any case, you are going to have to eat so the time should be scheduled on your daily planner. If you begin to run over on a visit into the field, try to remember that the people you are visiting have family in the local area and they may want to be home for dinner with them.

Choosing a nice, yet not overly expensive restaurant where you may find enough privacy to discuss business. It may even be possible to have dinner in a restaurant in the motel in which you are staying. Inviting others with whom you need to discuss business-related matters and turning it into a dinner meeting, which depending on the topic of discussion, may be tax deductible.

If you are not traveling in the field and taking calls from your spouse about getting together for dinner, you should make the time in your work-life balance schedule to make it happen. While staying on top of your business needs is important you can’t let it consume you and ruin the relationship you have with your family.

If you know ahead of time you are going to have to work late, contact the family and have them meet you somewhere for dinner. It will not always have to be at a fancy restaurant, sometimes a fast-food meal will satisfy any children you may have, but taking the time out of your schedule to have dinner with the family will do wonders for your relationship.

In some instances it may be better to have the family join you for dinner at work. You can call and order in an evening meal or have, read that beg, your spouse to stop on their way to your office and pick something up to share with you when they get there. While eating a decent meal for dinner is important, it is always important to spend time with your family.

The Power of Target Marketing

2007-08-30T09:12:00.000-06:00

Two Beggars in Rome - One Catholic - One Jewish - are sitting side by side
on a street in Rome. One has a cross in front of him; the other one the Star of David.

Many people go by and look at both beggars, but only put money into the
hat of the beggar sitting behind the cross.

A priest comes by, stops and watches throngs of people giving money to the beggar behind the cross, but none give to the beggar behind the Star of David.

Finally, the priest goes over to the beggar behind the Star of David and says, "My poor fellow, don't you understand? This is a Catholic country; this city is the seat of Catholicism. People aren't going to give money if you sit there with a Star of David in front of you, especially when you're sitting beside a beggar who has a cross.

In fact, they would probably give to him just out of spite."

The beggar behind the Star of David listened to the priest, turned to the other beggar with the cross and said: "Moishe, look who's trying to teach the Goldstein brothers about marketing?

Three Things NEVER To Do In Business

2007-08-29T14:52:00.002-06:00

There are some things you should never do in business if you want to succeed. If you are already a successful business you are well aware of this. If you are a new business entrepreneur than these three tips may be very helpful to you.

The first thing you NEVER want to do is to skimp on advertising. Without proper advertising your business will chance taking a big loss in services or product sales. An example of this is a small business that puts out children’s audio CD’s is introducing a new product. The business is new and practically unknown. They do have a website, and a small advertisement in the local newspaper. Only a small area is going to be aware of this company and it’s CD. A better form of advertisement would have been advertising in several, larger newspapers. Having a billboard advertisement that can be seen in a heavily trafficked area. These may cost more, but you will reach a larger customer base. Without reaching customers, you fail.

Secondly, NEVER let your guard down with your business competition. If your business has a competitive market you want to definitely consider this. An example of this is a video store. You would want to be aware of what the other store offers. Is there a large selection? What are their prices per video per day? Do they offer any specials or discounts? You would want to keep up on both the smaller video stores as well as the larger video store chains in your area. You want to either match what is offered or offer a slightly lower fee. Customers love to save money, even a few dollars and cents.

Lastly, NEVER jump into a business without doing thorough research. You want to be sure you know all of the details about the business you are involved in. You want to know financial details as well as information about your competition. When you take the time to research a specific business you insure success for yourself. You wouldn’t want any surprises popping up when it comes to your business. You want to be able to set yourself up so that your business operates as smoothly as possible.

If you make an effort to follow the above guidelines on what NEVER to do in business then you are on the right track. You create a solid base for business success. Be sure not to jump into any business decisions without research and well thought out planning. Care for your business like you would your children. Give it what it needs to grow and you will be pleased with the end result. Be sure you follow the do’s and NEVER the don’ts and see your business soar.

South African Safari - great honeymoon destination

2007-08-27T20:11:00.000-06:00

Our good friends Richard and Karen have just returned from a South African Safari, where they toured through the beautiful Cape, then up the coast to Plettenberg Bay, and then to the famous Game Reserves in the north eastern region of the country. These pictures were taken in Knysna at an elephant sanctuary.

Elephants have always been a fascination of mine. I think it is the very human-like society that they have, and the close family bonding that keeps a herd together. The mother elephant nurtures the young for years until it is a teenager.

Elephants in the wild are not to be approached like these are, and can be extremely dangerous if provoked.

It's a tough life when you are just born, and have to walk miles and miles on little feet, keeping up with the herd.

I'm sure there are many lessons to be learned from elephants. Too many for this posting!! I just know that they are my best loved animals. Thanks for sharing your pictures with us.

Advertisement: Is It Effective?

2007-08-21T07:41:00.000-06:00

A lot of people contribute a lot to the profitability of most businesses but the real question is, “How would you be able to gauge the efficacy of your advertisements?” Is it really just about the rise in the number of sales and inquiry from after the timeframe with wherein you have released the advertisements? Of perhaps the brand assessment is also a contributing factor?

In reality it is not only with those elements that you measure the quality of your advertisement, but rather it hinges on a lot of factors which includes the kind of media which you have employed, the budget or your assessment, the objective of your advertisement, the phase of accuracy and consistency that is necessitated, who is your target market and the budget you have allotted for the entire advertising period.

These elements would have to be sufficed first before you'd be able to precisely proclaim that your particular advertisement is effective. That is the reason why a lot of people assert that it is intricate to gauge an advertisement's efficacy. Aside from the need to consider many things, there are also other influential elements for that matter such as the kind of previous advertisement that had been released and its quantity.

It is also necessary for you to know the responsiveness of your consumers to the brand or the product you had advertised. Also, there are certain instances when you need to gauge the accessibility of cost effective assessment computation, the area where you have to place the advertisement, the choices of matters regarding the product like the price and sometimes even the capacity of your direct market to remember.

Several advertising experts have proposed several models which one could use to be able to gauge the efficacy of an advertisement. For example, some advertising experts states that the real measure of the efficacy of advertising is possible through the utility of cube diagram wherein you measure the headings which include the sales, profits, attention, persuasion and communication.

On the other hand, there are some people who only choose to settle for surveys which aim to test the brand or product recognition of the customers just after an advertising campaign. Actually, this particular method could be used with two options; the other one is to evaluate the product the other one of for a more extensive advertisement.

Overall though, advertisements can be very beneficial to the promotional efforts of any business because it enables the clients to become aware that such business does exists and that it can provide several particular products that they need. Advertisement has been proven to effectively set off the purchasing behavior of the clients and it is safe to assume that it will continue to do so for many more years to come.

Budgeting Your Money When You Own A Business

2007-08-20T16:14:00.000-06:00

Budgeting Your Money When You Own A Business

One of the most difficult things to do when you start a new business is putting together a budget. Without any financial history on which to base income and expenses, it may seem like guesswork, but as part of any business plan a tentative budget can be established with some thought and anticipation for the future.

In most businesses there are two main categories, income and expense. Under your expense category there can be several sub-categories often falling into two main areas of controllable expenses and uncontrollable. While many business owner claim they can control every expense involved in their business, they are simply kidding themselves as some things such as utility cost, the amount of rent and other so-called fixed costs can, and do change, with the owner having no control.

Other expenses such as payroll, insurance and advertising can be subject to a budget, but they are considered controllable expenses. If the business begins to fall off, you can control some of these expenses by laying off employees and cutting back on advertising. However, living by a budget will help maintain profitability in many respects but can also turn against you in the long run.

Depending on the viability of your business it often is a better investment to bite the financial bullet on employee wages and still provide good customer service to the remaining customers until business picks back up. By trying to everything yourself not only will you burn out quickly, but is no one is taking care of the customers, it will not take long until there are no more customers to care for.

There are two ways to budget your business money and that is through set dollar amounts and percentage of income. Many businesses will budget their controllable expenses by the dollar and non-controllable by percentage of income. Obviously a good part of the owner’s time is going to be based on bringing money into the business and how much they have to spend on controllable expenses will be in direct relation to income.

For example, a company earning $20,000 a month in income has budgeted six percent for payroll, providing $1,200 for payroll. If the income level rises to $50,000 the budgeted payroll percent does not change but the dollars available for payroll climbs to $3,000. With an obvious increase in business to create the additional income, the owner will probably need the extra help to take care of business.

There are many other expenses that fall into the payroll account such as worker’s compensation charges, Social Security tax paid by the employer and paid vacation time or other perks determined by the employer. While a budget may be difficult to establish for a new business, it is a necessary evil for all business owners.

For home business opportunities, go to www.baobabgifts.com for free sign-up in 6 streams of income.

Do you have what it takes to be an e-entrepreneur?

2007-08-14T12:44:00.000-06:00

Do you have what it takes to be an e-entrepreneur?
Copyright © Stone Evans, The Home Biz Guy
Author of "Dotcomology - The Science of Making Money Online"

These days, it seems like everyone wants to work
from home and make money on the Internet. But
before you even turn on your computer, the first
question you have to ask yourself is whether
you’re cut out for this kind of work.

The fact is, building a home-based business isn’t
for everyone. Some people like the commute. They
really do enjoy having a boss who tells them what
to do, and they like the routine of working
nine-to-five for an ordinary salary that can
barely pay the mortgage. Personally, I think
they’re nuts.

More reasonably, there are people who are
concerned about the risk of starting up their own
business. They’re not sure it’s worth the
investment of time and money, and they’re scared
of the responsibility that comes with running
their own company. They wonder if there is
another way to escape the rat race.

I’m sure there is. You could win the lottery or
wait for your Aunt Sue to keel over and leave you
her condo. Or maybe you could sit down with a pen
and paper and draw the blueprint for "The Next
Big Thing". Anything can happen... Right?

For me, what happened was creating a successful,
self-running Internet marketing system. It didn’t
happen without effort. It didn’t happen without
at least some initial investment of both time and
money and, of course, it doesn’t happen now
without me making sure that the taxes are filed
and the paperwork is done. But it happened.

I’m my own boss. I work from home according to my
own schedule and I get to pocket all the cash my
business makes. If you’re prepared to give an
e-business the time, the work and the money it
needs to get started and get growing, it can
happen for you too.

Article excerpted from "Dotcomology":
Don't Pay A Dime For Any Ebook, Marketing
Course, Software Program Or Anything Else Until
You've Read This Groundbreaking Document...
Click Here to Discover "Dotcomology" Now!

Annique Beauty Products Launched in Indiana

2007-08-07T09:29:00.000-06:00

Annique Beauty Products

The Product Launch of the official distributorship for Indiana for the unique range of ANNIQUE natural beauty products took place on 5 August 2007 at the Sheraton Hotel in Indianapolis, IN.

The launch was a combined tea and beauty product display, with Rooibos (translation = red bush) tea being the main "guest" and focal point of the day. Estelle October and Lyndsay Pienaar from Annique corporate office in South Africa were in attendance, giving the event added value of over 40 years of combined experience and knowledge of the product.

The product range has the unique ingredient of ROOIBOS tea, which is a tea that is produced from the redbush that is found only in the hills on the southern tip of Africa in the Cape Province of South Africa.

Rooibos tea is high in antioxidants and has many properties that aid relief in the Baby Range for eczema, babies colic, diaper rash. The moisturizers and lotions have the same properties that aid in the soothing and calming of the skin, creating a healthy glow.

The tea is caffeine-free, refreshing and healthy. Only the very youngest top leaves are used in the production of the tea and in the extract used for the skin care products.

Congratulations to Indiana for a great launch. Anyone wishing to become a consultant in Indiana should contact Andrea Muller Indiana Whole Youth

Annique Beauty Products are distributed by Whole Youth in California. This is a new and vibrant company and is exploding in the beauty market scene. Distributors are still invited to apply for many of the USA States, and beauty consultants are being engaged for both home parties and beauty salons and gift stores.

Baobab Inc is privileged to be the distributor for Illinois, and invite consultants to contact us for information at sales@baobabinc.com

Gift stores that wish to place an order are welcome to call
Lanky for further information at 1-866-699-9289

New Book published - "Notes from the Gurus"

2007-06-20T12:58:00.001-06:00

I have done it again. I am so awfully proud of myself, because I never thought of myself as a "writer". 'Notes from the Gurus" is a book that I have written, giving information from publicly broadcasted webinars of the most prominent internet marketers currently in the marketplace.

Writers are people who smoke pipes (really didn't ever do that but did smoke endless cigarettes in my youth), sit in front of portable typewriters and drink copious amounts of coffee. Certainly not your average 60 year old grandmother, even though my liver may be eroded by too much coffee.

So, after spending two weeks avidly listening to today's illustrious Internet Marketers, all vying to be named Internet Marketer of the Year 2007, I have gleaned insight into the secret ways they all make money. Do we wish it was easy? Actually, it is and isn't. Once you know the SYSTEM, then you can make it work for you. Once you decide what route you want to take, you can then concentrate on doing one thing very well, and learning to do the others so that it fits into your schedules.

All new and aspiring internet marketers, affiliate marketers, copywriters, direct sales sites, will find the information invaluable. Our thanks to those people who gave us their methods.

Check out "Notes from the Gurus" - Hot off the press!!

The most amazing animal video direct from South Africa

2007-06-04T14:27:00.000-06:00

Wild Life in Africa is still close to our hearts, and the best vacations that we had were the times that we went into the bush to see the animals up close and personal.
It is hard to believe that in just one month, and at the time of posting, this video has been viewed over 3 million times. Amazing!

How come grandchildren get to be so clever?

2007-05-29T16:08:00.000-06:00

The Internet today is comparable to the Industrial Revolution. The speed at which one can access information and goods and services is like the steam engine that revolutionized life for our forefathers.

Life before saw the dissemination of information by way of newspapers, word of mouth and country stores. Small towns relied on the local general stores and waited for travelling salesmen to bring luxuries from the outside world. The pace of life was slow and measured.

Then came the Sears catalog - shoppers paradise right in your own home! This brought it's own little revolution of "buy on line".

Today, the Internet has brought every little town in the remotest parts of the world into the mainstream of a rushing torrent of information and products that can be accessed by the click of a button. Anyone with a telephone and a computer can be privy to the wonders of the world.

The information highway revolution has brought the village to the city, and given the city slicker a taste of countries and places they would never have seen. A trip to the Rain Forests can be taken in a virtual tour, right from your chair. Travel by plane or boat is no longer necessary. You can travel first class in a flash of time in your lounge chair from Ancient Egypt to Science Fiction Galaxies of the future.

All this has spawned a new wave of business practices, new Snakeskin Salesmen, and a new international language. Bits and Bytes are no longer little pieces and bites of food. Webinars are today's seminars. Java is no longer just Coffee. Trawling is no longer fishing for food to eat. A mouse is not something to be trapped and banished from the house. Rather the mouse is today's essential tool!!

My seven year old granddaughter came to the office with me on "take your kid to work day". The fifteen minute drive from her house to the office was an exhausting journey of taxing questions, among them being "where do you go when you die?", and "where does the sun go at night?". When we got to the office, I sat her down at the computer and told her to Google her questions. The fact that she knew how to Google didn't surprise me!

So, off this second grader went, fingers flying over the keyboard, typing in her questions and selecting the results with her finger clicking on the mouse like a fiery extension of her hand. By this time an hour had passed, and I dropped into my chair, mentally exhausted by this barrage of questions.

Her second grader cousin went to his father and said "Dad, I need a credit card for my birthday". "Why?" answered his dad. "Because I Googled Spiderman and want to buy it, but I don't have a credit card!" he exclaimed.

What's my point?

Every question had an immediate answer.

Every child can access a world of information and can absorb and learn at their own pace and intellect. Inquisitiveness can be instantly gratified by a search engine. Somewhere, someone has researched and written an article. Every person can publish their innermost thoghts for anyone else to read. It's like having your own psychoanalyst in your home. Post a blog, and people will answer your questions, fears, hopes and aspirations.

The world has shrunk to encompass your one room, your own chair. You are privy to the wonders of the world.

How lucky we are!

Tribute to Liviu Lebrescu

2007-05-03T07:42:00.000-06:00

I was moved and insired by a talk by Rebbitzen Esther Jungreis and have just read her book "Life is a Test". She is a Holocaust Survivor and runs the Hineni Institute of Learning in New York. http://www.hineni.org/rebbetzin.asp

While I was pondering the meaning of life, and one's journey through the good and bad, I was sent the following poem, which I am proud to publish here. I do believe there is a purpose for each one of us in this life. However crazy life seems.

Philip C. Selz wrote this poem about Mr. Liviu Librescu, who survived the holocaust and saved the lives of students at Virginia Tech on Monday and died from gunshot wounds. Philip read it at his synagogue and the Rabbi suggested that he distribute it to as many places as he could. I hope it touches you like it touched me.

My Stand

A Tribute to Liviu Librescu

By Philip C. Selz

In the darkest times we’ve seen, I was sent into the camps

As I smelled the stench of burning flesh, I knew my kin were gone

Survival was my only thought, I knew I must come through

But I didn’t know the reason that my living must go on

And when the war had ended, liberation finally came

And I grew to be a man and shortly after took a wife

And we raised our kids in Israel and we did the best we could

And we lived for those who died and worked to make a useful life

Then a teaching job came to me in America one day

And I thought that building new young minds was destiny for me

So I traveled to Virginia and I made a brand new start

And I taught engineering in this homeland of the free

Now I hear the hallways screaming as shots are fired there

And I hear the terror in the screams and understand their plight

So I bar the door from danger and I tell my students “Run!”

And as the bullets breach the door I know that I must fight

And in these final moments as my life is seeping out

I think back over 60 years and finally understand

My own salvation now makes sense as children flee and live

I was saved that day to save this day, I’ve finally made my stand.

Affiliate Marketing - free work from home turnkey business

2007-04-17T19:58:00.000-06:00

SFI has been leading the Internet income revolution with its cutting edge affiliate program that empowers even average people to earn $20, $50, even $100 per hour working from their home computer.

SFI has shown millions of men and women from over 200 countries worldwide how to cash in on the Internet. In fact, our system is so successful that OVER 8000 people join SFI every week with this turnkey program!

If you wish to earn extra income or start your own full-time business, you will be able to start up FOR FREE with this easy to use program, that teaches you what to do step by step. I can't recommend this highly enough.

Click here and set up your FREE turnkey program.

Wedding Favors - bridal favors

2007-04-16T19:46:00.000-06:00

MyWeddingFavors has the largest selection of bridal gifts for an entourage or wedding guests, and we are privileged to show you their beautiful ranges at http://www.baobabinc.com/images/giftshop.html

My Wedding Favors has been featured in Modern Bride magazine, Brides, and many others magazines and is an online catalog for bridal favors. Look over our complete selection of wedding and bridal reception favors, wedding accessories, and gifts for your bridesmaids and groomsmen alike.

I don't think you can go anywhere else to find something for everyone under one roof. I had a fabulous time browsing their mall.

Also, join their Friends List for great savings.

2006/7 Internet Marketer of the Year

2007-04-14T21:33:00.000-06:00

My friend Stone Evans has been nominated for the 2006 - 2007
"Online Marketer Of The Year" award. Check it out here:

http://www.onlinemarketeroftheyear.com/stoneevans

You'll have a chance to login to Stone's personal computer
and watch him compete against the top marketers in the world
.

This is a great opportunity to learn from the best marketers FOR FREE.

http://www.baobabgifts.com

All work and no play......

2007-04-08T13:19:00.000-06:00

In the "Old Country" Easter was a favorite time of the year. It's because you got Good Friday and Easter Monday off. Most things were closed and you would have had to stock up goodies for the whole weekend.

It was also a time of cool mornings and bright sunny days with cool nights, harboring the cold days of autumn to come.

Now that we are trans-located in the USA, Easter has slid by with nary a chocolate egg to satisfy the memory of those lazy days. Now it is work, work, work.

But I do think I shall slip off to the store and pick up some choc eggs. Yummo !!

Life's lessons

2007-03-21T08:58:00.000-06:00

When a loved one dies, remember them with happiness and not in sadness. Your life will be richer for happy memories.

Life's lessons

2007-03-17T12:55:00.000-06:00

Always open the bathroom door before you put cream on your hands.

www.baobabgifts.com
www.baobabinc.com

Life's lessons

2007-03-17T12:47:00.000-06:00

Never throw away an odd sock until it is a year old. You never know when the sock fairy returneth what the sock gremlin has takenth away.

www.baobabgifts.com
www.baobabinc.com

Upgrading to Executive Affiliate through Plug-in-Profits

2007-03-16T13:48:00.000-06:00

I have to tell you a story. When I joined SFI Marketing and wanted to upgrade to an Executive Affiliate, I had to choose something to buy to get my 10 SV points.

Well, I figured I might as well buy some Health product, and seeing I didn’t need anything else, my husband could just as easily take it. You see, I am the type of person who has Aleve and Advil in my medicine cabinet and nothing else. That’s because I lose interest once I get past the A’s in the supermarket aisle. I never take more than three days of an antibiotic, because once I feel better I forget to take then and finish up throwing the balance away after three months

So I hunted around the Veriuni site, and chose the Peach flavored Advanced Liquid Nutrition drink.

Got my points - upgraded to EA - and started to collect my downline.

I was very happy.

In due course, the box from Veriuni arrived, and instead of taking it home, I put it on top of the filing cabinet, trying to figure out how to tell my husband that I had paid out $29 for a bottle of something instead of paying the parking fine that I got for $25.

Two weeks later, I figured I might as well take it home and get him started on “the dose”. I slit open the box and emptied the peanuts into the trash can. However, they were the static type, so besides sticking to my hands, chest and the trashcan, my hair immediately flew all around my head, making me look like a mad professor. Once I had cleaned everything up and wet my hair to tame it, with the bottle clutched in my hand I returned to my office.

I shook the bottle and decided that it wouldn’t hurt to try it, so I cracked open the tamper proof lid and took a swig straight from the bottle. Well, it did say take two teaspoons, but – hey- my mouth knows what two teaspoons feels like. I had screwed up my eyes waiting for the yucky taste, and was pleasantly surprised when the liquid hit my taste buds. It wasn’t half bad!

So, here’s the point of this story. I needed the SV points, and found a really cool product. That is my recommendation for you. Buy something that you don’t think you need, upgrade to Executive Affiliate, and your health will improve!

Lanky

Baobabgifts.com
4326 Regency Drive, Glenview, IL 60025
Tel: 847-699-9289
Fax: 847-699-9185
sales@baobabgifts.com
www.baobabinc.com