“Engineer-to-Order Manufacturers Find Little Global Competition”
is an important feature in World Trade Magazine. The 70,000 plus
senior executives and managers reading the publication have
purchasing influence over their supply chain. Global
competitiveness is central to the publication’s message.
According to the World Trade Magazine article, “ETO
(Engineer-to-Order) manufacturing cannot be outsourced. The
unique one-of-a-kind products manufactured are produced and
completed in the customer’s site and are modified as an
engineered work-in-progress. It is this specific geographic
requirement that provides these manufacturers a global
competitive advantage.

The term engineer-to-order (ETO) denotes a style of
manufacturing rather than a specific industry segment. Other
synonymous terms are “project-based” or “custom” manufacturers.
ETO companies typically have distinct characteristics about the
way they conduct business that differentiate them from discrete
or repetitive manufacturers.”

Thomas R. Cutler author of the feature article founded the
Manufacturing Media Consortium in 1999, which has grown the
participation from 300 journalists to more than two thousand key
clients, journalists, editors, trendsetters, and key business
leaders worldwide. Cutler has authored more than 1000 articles
for a wide range of manufacturing periodicals, industrial
publications, and business journals including most of the
leading monthly trade publications. Cutler is the author of The
Manufacturers’ Public Relations and Media Guide. Cutler was
voted #1 Manufacturing Journalist for the third year in a row.

TR Cutler, Inc. is the nation’s largest manufacturing marketing
and public relations firm and based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Cutler is widely respected as the leading journalist expert in
the Engineer-to-Order (ETO) environment having authored hundreds
of feature articles on the subject. “It’s a fascinating sector
of manufacturing and quite different that repetitive
manufacturing that has a totally different series of
considerations. These are unique one-of-a-kind products that are
changed and re-engineered throughout the manufacturing process.
Correct technologies are required to work in this special
environment,” according to Cutler.

TR Cutler, Inc. www.trcutlerinc.com Thomas Cutler 954-486-7562

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Have you ever calculate how much money you have spent for beauty purpose in a month or a year? $200? $500? or maybe $1000 or more?
Maybe it’s time for you to stop wasting too much money by trying some cheaper beauty products which also will bring you the same results (or even more) compare with those expensive ones.

These are all natural homemade facial mask recipes, which you can prepare easily within minutes and the best part is: won’t cost you much!

* Normal, combination skin, oily and blemished skin

Mix one egg white, 1/2 cup cooked instant oatmeal, a teaspoon olive oil and a few drops of lemon juice until smooth. Spread on your face and neck, leave on for 15 - 30 min then rinse with lukewarm water. Few drops lemon juice will help to reduce blackheads while egg white will leave your skin feel “tight” after this mask application.

* Dry skin

Mix one egg yolk, a teaspoon honey and a teaspoon olive oil and some vitamin E oil. Spread over your face and neck, leave on for 15 - 30 min then rinse in lukewarm water. You can add more olive oil if you still feel dry on your skin.

* Dry and spotted skin

Mix dry oatmeal (you may grind it in a blender), honey and plain yogurt to make a paste. Spread it over your face and neck, leave on 15 - 30 min then rinse with lukewarm water. You may add a little salt and olive oil to make an exfoliating mask or scrub for your bocy dry skin area.

For more information about beauty, health and fitness,
please visit http://beauty-health-fitness.blogspot.com
and for beauty, health and fitness selected stuff, please visit http://beauty-health-fitness-estore.blogspot.com

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OVERCOME THESE 3 BUYING OBSTACLES
AND INCREASE YOUR SALES
Copyright 2002 Bob Leduc

Do you know how may sales you lose from customers who
almost buy from you? Losing “almost customers” is a major
source of lost income for most businesses. But few are
aware of the problem and even fewer employ a strategy to
prevent this unnecessary loss of income.

Here are the 3 major buying obstacles that cause paying
customers to become “almost customers” …and how you can
easily overcome each obstacle.

1. PROCRASTINATION

Many prospective customers procrastinate after they decide
to buy from you. The benefit they gain from using your
product or service fades in their memory as time passes.
Other things distract them and they soon forget about you.
Procrastination converts your paying customer into another
“almost customer” …causing you to lose the sale.

You can avoid losing these sales by rewarding customers for
taking immediate action and penalizing them if they do not.
For example, create the best irresistible offer you can
afford. Include a specific expiration date. Give your
prospects the option of accepting your offer now or
forfeiting it. This will motivate many procrastinators to
buy now so they don’t miss your special offer.

2. LOW PRIORITY

Some prospective customers don’t buy from you because they
place a higher priority on spending their money for
something else. You can save many of these “almost
customers” by motivating them to make your product or
service their first priority.

One way to boost the priority level of your product or
service in your prospective customer’s mind is to dramatize
the good feeling they will enjoy when they use it. For
example, a financial planner can describe what it feels
like to enjoy an affluent lifestyle without debt. Or a
network marketing recruiter can describe what it feels like
to work at home without a boss.

The irresistible offer I described above for overcoming
procrastination also helps overcome the “low priority”
obstacle. It motivates many “almost customers” to move your
product or service ahead of other purchases so they can
take advantage of your special offer before it expires.

3. DISTRUST

Many prospects are “almost customers” because they are
skeptical of your promises. They bought things in the past
that did not produce the promised results. They don’t want
to risk repeating that experience. Some ways you can
overcome the obstacle of distrust include:

** Eliminate their risk of loss. Offer an unconditional
money back guarantee if your customer does not get the
results he or she expects.

** Prove your record of delivering what you promise.
Provide testimonials from satisfied customers as evidence
you lived up to your promises in the past.

** Provide your customers with direct access to you in
person or by phone if they have a problem. Prospective
customers feel secure and are more likely to buy when they
know they can talk with a real person.

TIP: Direct access to a real person is especially effective
for overcoming distrust when marketing on the Internet
where entire transactions can occur without any personal
contact. Many online sales are lost to distrust because a
web site does not provide the name of any real person or a
phone number to reach a real person at the business.

You probably lose more income than you realize from
customers who almost buy from you. The 3 major buying
obstacles of procrastination, low priority and distrust
cause you to lose these sales. Apply the tactics revealed
in this article to overcome these 3 obstacles …and
convert your “almost customers” into profitable paying
customers.

Bob Leduc is a Sales Consultant with 30 years experience in
building successful businesses. He just released a revised
and completely updated New Edition of his manual, “How To
Build Your Small Business Fast With Simple Postcards”, and
several other publications to help small businesses grow
and prosper. Email: BobLeduc@aol.com Subject: “Postcards”
Phone: 702-658-1707 after 10 AM Pacific Time/Las Vegas, NV

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Bob Leduc is a Sales Consultant with 30 years experience in
building successful businesses. He just released a revised
and completely updated New Edition of his manual, “How To
Build Your Small Business Fast With Simple Postcards”, and
several other publications to help small businesses grow
and prosper. Email: BobLeduc@aol.com Subject: “Postcards”
Phone: 702-658-1707 after 10 AM Pacific Time/Las Vegas, NV

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There were two types of life insurance you could consider if you wanted to buy life insurance…term life insurance or permanent. Term life insurance had many variations and so does permanent. Term was considered temporary insurance and still is categorized in that way by many people…especially those in the life insurance industry.

In recent years, however, improvements to term policies have made them seem to be quite permanent to many an insurance buyer. The popularity of the 20 year term life policy has forced the life insurance companies not only to improve this policy but the 25 year and 30 year term policies as well…

They have lowered rates considerably and in rear cases have given the owners of these policies the option of continuing them after the end of the term period. More often than not at a higher premium. These improvements tend to give term life insurance policies a kind of permanence.

Although some life insurance companies have had term to age 65, term to age 80 and term to age 90 for a long time they were virtually unknown to most people perhaps because the life insurance agents never promoted them much…

The seeming permanence of the 20 year term life insurance policy as well as that of the 25 year term life insurance policy and 30 year term life policy is here to stay to the great delight of the consumer as well as those who promote these policies.

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Col. 2:6-10 “As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:”

“As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord”

In order to know and understand completeness the first requirement is to receive Jesus. This is done by first a revealing of Jesus to us. In the book of Isaiah. 40:3-5

“The voice in the wilderness; prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our Lord, Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low; the crooked places shall be made straight and the rough place smooth; the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together; For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”

This scripture by the prophet Isaiah was fulfilled when Jesus came to John the Baptist. John was the “voice in the wilderness.” This is an example of the revealing of Jesus - To continue in the first chapter of the Gospel of John in verse twelve it says ‘But as many as received Him, to them he gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name. The foundation that must be laid deals with our relationship to Jesus. Do you reject? Do you accept? It is God’s desire that you accept Him. You must individually receive Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord then you can begin to know His perfect plan for our life.

“..so walk in Him.”

Once you receive Jesus into your life it is important that you “walk” with Him. How can two walk together unless they agree with one another? A walk implies movement in a particular direction most likely with a particular purpose in mind. The path that Jesus laid when he went to the cross, died, resurrected and ascended into heaven lead to the Father in Heaven. If you keep your eyes on Jesus. Which can be accomplished though several means. These include Bible Reading, Fellowship, Praying, and Worship. You need to walk with Jesus. The scripture points out that Jesus is the Word. A walk requires many steps to reach your destination. So is the Christian walk made up of many steps. Every moment requires an action that will lead toward heaven.

“..rooted..”

“He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth fruit in its season, whose leaves also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper.” (Psalm 1:3) A healthy tree must have a stable root system. Not only does the root provide nourishment it gives stability. It is the Spirit of God that gives your resurrected soul the feeding required for completeness. Prayer is needed to insure that you are being filled. Prayer is an act of communication. This is talking directly to God. Prayer binds the relationship between the believer and the Lord Jesus. Along with a healthy relationship comes stability. A once devastated life can be made complete by being rooted in Jesus Christ.

“..Built up in Him and established in faith, as you have been taught.”

Earlier in this discussion I shared with you the foundation in a Christian’s life. This required simple faith to receive Jesus as your Savior. Once the foundation is laid it is time to build. Building a complete life requires four basis things.

1. Prayer,
2. Reading the Bible,
3. Fellowship with other believers and finally
4. proclaim the Gospel.

Look at each of these principles as four rooms that you need to build in order to know the completeness that God wants for us.

“Abounding in it with thanksgiving.”

You must appreciate what God did by sending His son to die for your sins. He paid the penalty that you deserved to pay. Unfortunately those that reject the Gospel message will have to, on their own, pay the price. The sad part is people who don’t believe in Jesus don’t have enough in their “Spiritual Bank Account” to pay for their sins. The tragedy is this: they could have some else pay. Someone who has enough resources to pay. It comes through one person and that is Jesus Christ who is God in the flesh. If you had to pay for your sins the most you could do id spend an eternity in hell. But, give thanks to God that Jesus is the Savior of the world! Thank Jesus that he bore your sin and paid the ransom due on your life. He redeemed you. For this very reason you should be thankful.

“..beware..”

Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the traditions of men, according to the basic principles of men, and not according to Christ. The road to completeness has its challenges; daily the world hits your senses with ideas that are contrary to God’s will. That is why Paul the apostle writes, “beware”. This means you need to watch that the enemy does not trick you. All the prior steps protect the elect. It makes them away of the bumps and potholes in the road. Knowledge of the Word is your best defense against the attacks of the enemy

“Fore in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are made complete in Him who is the head of all principality and power. Jesus is the name above all names.”

It is only through the power of the resurrection that you can truly experience completeness.

About the Author

This article is an excerpt for the book titled “Building a House of Worship”. For more information on how you can get your copy of this book go to…

http://www.mediatunes.com/bhow/bhow.php

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From its opening pages, Jim Conway’s Monterey: Presidio, Pueblo and Port demonstrates an impeccable scholarship of the subject area that will no doubt prove to be an important contribution to our understanding of the history of Monterey, California.

According to Conway, the history of Monterey is more than a mere categorizing of its history into four periods- Indigenous, Spanish, Californio and American, but rather this seaside picturesque community developed as a result of its cultures derived from Native People to its current inhabitants.

Today, people come to Monterey to vacation and experience the splendor of its natural surroundings. Conway explores how Monterey has reached this interval in its history as it grew from a Presidio to a Pueblo and into a Port. It is a story that comes from real places and people where cultural conflict and historical tolerance played a significant role.

The book is organized in a concrete and logical manner with the first chapter focused on Monterey’s natural history and its original inhabitants, the Rumsien Oholone. According to Conway, “to understand Monterey it is important to start with its natural history, because not matter what man has endeavored to accomplish, it is the weather patterns and topography that ultimately fashioned Monterey.” It was Monterey’s native people who depended most on the indigenous trees, grasses and plants in their daily lives, as well as the changing seasons. As pointed out, O’chons was the word for “seed times,” and these Native Americans measured time not by a calendar but rather by the natural events that made up their seasons, as they considered themselves to be a part of nature.

Not very much is known about these Native Americans, as their story was told by Euro-Americans, and as many of us are aware, historians have constantly debated among themselves how to differentiate the ultimate “facts” and “objective truth.” Although, the Spanish were the first to keep written records of the native people, unfortunately, there seems to be an absence of the stories and interpretations of the losers in the battle-the natives themselves.

From this interesting opening chapter, Conway proceeds to explore the contributions of the Spanish settlers and missionaries, however, as he points out, prior to the arrival of these individuals, Monterey bay was visited and promoted by Spanish explorers and fortune seekers. Considerable ink is given to who these adventurers were and the role they played in the history of Monterey. One such important figure that we read about is Rodriguez Cabrillo’s and his expedition in 1542 and as we are informed it was his expedition that helped to identify and map the coastline of California. Moreover, his discovery of the San Diego and Monterey Bays brought further exploration, which ultimately led to the first European settlements in Alta California.

These first European settlers were soldiers and missionaries who had arrived with Gaspar de Portola and Father Junipero Serra whose primary aim was to protect Spain’s political interests. As Conway states, Spain’s goals were threefold: the protection against foreign encroachment; the mercantilist development of Alta California as an economic resource; and the Christianization of the “heathens” or native people. These objectives all led to the construction of the presidio and a mission, although as mentioned, Monterey did not gain pueblo status until 1795. Monterey was designated a port of entry on December 15, 1821, and this changed it from being a Spanish outpost to an international port. It should be noted that for several years prior to this designation, Spanish law prohibited foreign ships from entering her ports, although smugglers often ignored the law.

Conway explores in depth the Mexican period from 1822-1846 and the Pueblo of Monterey that was designated the official port of entry for Mexican California in 1831. As the author states: Monterey was not only the commercial center of Mexican California but the political center as well.

The remainder of the book provides a well-rounded portrayal of the American period that begins with pre-statehood and concludes with the present day community. We are shown how diverse groups as the Chinese, Japanese, Portuguese, as well as the Spanish and Mexicans all have contributed to Monterey’s remarkable history. How the fishing industry and the canneries played an immense role in shaping this picturesque seaport city. And not to be omitted is Monterey’s military heritage that even today contributes a great deal to its community. As for tourism, no doubt the Monterey’s first grand-dame hotel, Hotel Del Monte can never be forgotten, as its influence can still be felt today.

History should not simply be a regurgitation of past events with dates and names with very little explanation- omitting stories and anecdotes. Conway must have kept this in mind, as his objectivity as an historian is quite in evidence. He presents the history of Monterey not only through his own perspective but rather through the eyes of people and the environment they inhabited. It is this presentation that makes Monterey: Presidio, Pueblo and Port a book that you will want to keep on your shelf.

Author: J.D. Conway
Publisher: Arcadia Publishing
ISBN: 0738524239

Norm Goldman is editor of the book reviewing and author interviewing site http://www.bookpleasures.com and the travel site http://www.sketchandtravel.com.

Bookpleasures is a global Internet book reviewing and author interviewing village. Reviewers come from all over the globe and review all genre. There are over 6500 sites that link to Bookpleasures and many of the reviews are listed within the first 3 pages of the Google Search Engine.

Norm also offers his own personalized express review service where you can have a quick review within 15 business days from the receipt of your book. To learn more about this service go to bookpleasures.com

Norm is ranked among the top 1000 Amazon reviewers and he contributes his reviews to several other Internet sites.

In addition, Norm and his artist wife Lily meld words with art focusing on romantic and wedding destinations, inns, and other hospitality properties. You can read Norm’s travel articles and view Lily’s art work that is always for sale at sketchandtravel.com

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Before taking up scuba diving as a recreational sport, it is important that you get yourself the necessary scuba equipment and gear. There are many options available but if you’re a beginner, it’s best to start from the basics such as the mask, fins, snorkel, and weight belt, then move on to advanced sets later.

The Basics:

The diving mask allows you to see underwater through the glass plate in front. Most diving masks are constructed in such a way that a user can breathe out into the mask. This prevents the “squeeze” during the descent caused by pressure. Choose a mask that properly fits your face and forms a seal. Most scuba diving masks come with a rubber or silicone “skirt” that creates a watertight seal with the diver’s face.

There are several types of diving masks such as full face diving masks that allow underwater verbal communication, diving helmets using surface supplied diving equipment etc. Prescription masks are also available for people who wear prescription glasses.

The Fins allow you to move freely underwater and should perfectly fit the feet. It should neither be too tight nor too loose which can hamper swimming capabilities, be very uncomfortable and even dangerous while taking a dive. The snorkel lets you breathe at the surface without raising your head from the water, and should be no lesser than 30 cms in length. The weight belt helps you maintain buoyancy so you should consider getting one if you’re a beginner.

Diving suits like Wetsuits and Drysuits provide thermal insulation and prevent complications such as hypothermia. Remember that water conducts heat 25 times faster than air from the body. So, choose a suit depending on how warm or cold your diving water is going to be.

Scuba Sets:

There are two main types of scuba sets - open-circuit and closed-circuit.

Most scuba divers use standard air - 21% Oxygen, 79% Nitrogen - for their open-circuit scuba sets, which is much more cost-effective than using mixtures such as heliox and trimix. The open-circuit scuba set (also known as Aqualung) itself is quite simple so is also cheaper and more popular than other types. Basically, the user breathes in from the set and out to waste, with the gas cylinder worn on the back. There are 2- and 3 backpack cylinders open-circuit scuba sets available.

Closed-circuit scuba sets use rebreathers. In this system, exhaled air is reprocessed by the rebreather to make it fit for re-inhalation. This can be very economical for people who need to take long dives. The three types of rebreathers include oxygen, semi-closed circuit and fully-closed circuit rebreathers.

Accessories you should consider:

Regulator and Buoyancy Compensator (BC) - The regulator, which carries the air from your cylinder, should be equipped with a gauge and second mouthpiece. The Buoyancy Compensator, such as such as a back-mounted wing or stabilizer jacket, is crucial for neutral buoyancy to control depth.

Dive watch: Electronics like a dive watch comes in quite handy when measuring your time and depth underwater. A dive computer is also available for the same purpose which is more accurate but more expensive.

If you plan to really move head with your scuba diving adventure, consider getting other useful accessories such as underwater light, a surface marker-buoy (SMB), a knife, and a compass etc. Experienced divers, Scuba Dive centers, websites, magazines, etc will all be able to assist you when searching for the right scuba diving equipment and accessories.

Scuba Diving HQ http://scubadiving-hq.com/ Articles, tips and information about scuba diving.

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The Tallinn Bureau of Tourism invites tourists to ‘Feel the touch of Tallinn’, a unique city that’s a blend of modern flash with medieval dash. From castles and cobbled streets to sizzling nightclubs in futuristic glass skyscrapers, the city of Tallinnn, Estonia, boasts something for everyone that visits.

For the lucky fellow that gets to plan a stag party in Tallinn, the city offers unique attractions that you won’t find just anywhere. Tallinn boasts a nightlife that’s bursting at the seams with exciting and rousing live entertainment. A Tallinn stag party nightclub crawl can count on partying till the wee hours of the morning - and later. On Friday and Saturday nights, the night doesn’t stop till the sun is up in most clubs. An absolute must on the nightclub circuit is the Venus Club, where onstage go-go dancers keep the action lively and regular theme nights contribute to the surreal atmosphere.

For those stags with a taste for the sophisticated, no Tallinn stag party is complete without an after dinner visit to one of the more unique entertainments available in Tallinn - a cigar lounge. You can start off the evening of debauchery with a deceptively staid puff and brandy in the toney surroundings of a gentleman’s club… then move on to the night’s real business of downing all the intoxicating potions one can manage while ogling the onstage - and in lap - talent at one of Tallinn’s famed lap dance and strip clubs.

Daytime Tallinn stag party options are no less varied and exciting. You can take to the tracks at the FK Center in karts, or stalk your mates in a furious game of paintball or laser tag. If you’re looking to really scare the starch out of your about-to-be shanghai’d mate, you can even arrange a real shanghai with the help of a licensed tour operator. Give the stag a taste of prison by arranging to have him and the entire party captured by the ‘official’ police and taken to old Tallinn prison for a realistic experience that you’ll never forget.

Captured in Tallinn is just one example of a unique Tallin stag party activity that a professional tour operator can help you arrange. If you’re looking for more unique ideas for stag parties in Tallinn or any other city, contact http://www.Chillisauce.co.uk, a tour operator that specialises in unique and unusual stag nights, bachelor parties and stag weekends.

Brett Danielson works for Chillisauce a tour operator
specialising in unique and unusual stag weekends and stag parties to UK and
European cities. For more information on Tallinnn stag party activities or
options in other cities please visit Chillisauce for a full list of available destinations and events.

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Before sharing these recommendations, I suggest that you have a way of tracking your expenses. This will give you a clear picture of what you spend daily, weekly and/or monthly and aid you in reducing expenses where needed.

1) Accept the fact you are in debt and forgive yourself. If you are in denial, you are more likely to repeat the pattern.

2) Reduce monthly expenditures. For example, once the price of gas increased, our monthly gas costs went from roughly $200 to approximately $450- 500.00. In an effort to reduce our gas costs, I stopped taking miniature trips every day. Also, my husband would drive my car on the weekends because it costs less in gas.

3) If you’re a person that makes several trips to the grocery store during the month, reduce the number of trips to once a month except for fresh vegetables. This will reduce the number of times you have to put gas in the car. Today, it costs more just to leave the house to get groceries as well as going to work.

4) With the increasing utility bill, begin making repairs to your home now such as getting a programmable thermostat and set it to a certain temperature so that it will automatically come on.

5) As an option, temporarily get a second job for supplemental income. If married, this should be the person that has the ability to generate the most income. I do not recommend any Multi-level Marketing opportunities.

6) For a single person in debt - if you are off on weekends, temporarily get a weekend job and put those funds towards the bills along with your regular income.

7) If you have a cell phone and a regular phone that both have long distance, re-evaluate having both phones. It can get expensive to have both with long distance. Maybe you can remove the regular phone and just use your cell phone if most people call you on that number.

If you are a stay at home mom, in my opinion the kids should not be going to daycare. This is an unnecessary expense.

9) Be sensible about your expenditures when it comes to your children. For example, a six month old baby does not need name brand clothing. They need to be clothed. Suggest getting into ‘mommy group’ where you and your friends can swap clothing based on gender and age. I have a couple of moms that I swap clothes with and this saves all of us from having to shop at the store.

10) Grooming expenses for adults: do you really need to get your nails done every week? Could you put that money towards a bill? If you are getting your hair done whether it is a weave, perm, braids or tinting every week - do you need to go to a high end salon or could you go Great Clips for the same thing? I am not saying do not pamper yourself; however, as times get tougher what is the necessity?

11) Maintaining your vehicle is a necessity, but going to a car wash every week is not. You can wash your car at home. Re-evaluate how you are spending your money.

12) If you are a person that likes to go out to eat, reduce the amount of times per month you go out to eat. Begin cooking at home since you are buying groceries for the month.

13) Entertainment - whether it is going to the movies, bars or happy hour - these expenses add up. For example going to a matinee is $7.50 a person (for the two of us is $15.00 before we even get food, which would cost us another $15.00) do you really need to see the movie now or could you wait three months and see it on DVD. Netflix is an option.

14) Add up how much you spend at a vending machine per week when you are at work if you work outside the home. Consider taking snacks from home.

15) Health insurance - if you had a job and are using COBRA for health insurance until you have secured another job, seek an alternative health insurance to the COBRA payments. I remember when I first stopped working at the law firm, we utilized COBRA for almost eighteen months and the price increased two times. Prior to the second increase, I located a shared insurance plan and saved us lots of money.

** There has to be some structure during these difficult economical times. However, these times do not have to be so hard that you cannot enjoy life.

Dr. Taffy Wilkins Wagner is the author of Amazon.com Bestseller Debt Dilemma. Debt Dilemma is her personal story of how she got into debt and was able to get out of debt without filing bankruptcy. If you need help getting your finances in order email her at taffy@paidoff.net she will help. To purchase Debt Dilemma go to www.paidoff.net.

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Creatine is a naturally formed amino acid that is found in the human body, especially around the skeletal muscle. The human body generates Creatine naturally, partly from the diet we take and partly on its own. A healthy person has about 120g of Creatine, most of it being in the form of a compound called PCr. The body can store a maximum Creatine quantity of 0.3 g per one kilogram of body weight. The body produces about 2g of Creatine per day. The chief food sources of Creatine are fish and red meat. Half a pound of raw meat provides about 1g of Creatine for the body. Creatine that does not come from food is produced endogenously by the body from amino acids.

There are several benefits of Creatine. Creatine boosts anaerobic energy in the body. It provides instant energy to the body. It improves muscle strength and makes the muscle suitable for high-intensity, short duration exertion like weightlifting or sprinting. It is also found to speed up the recovery of energy. It delays fatigue significantly. It promotes lean-muscle mass and reduces muscle wasting in post-surgical patients. It is also believed to help heart patients by increasing their exercise capacity, reducing heart spasms and thus increasing heart function. Creatine is generally taken as a supplement by athletes who need heavy bursts of energy. Creatine acts as a catalyst to a special chemical reaction that occurs in the body when a person does high-intensity, short duration work. The body generates enough Creatine to accommodate such kind of a reaction. For additional exertion, Creatine has to be taken additionally through food or through other forms.

Creatine has become very popular among athletes because of its many benefits and very few side effects. The only side effect documented till now is weight gain. However, overdose of Creatine or use of Creatine over a long period of time may have some other side effects also, and tests are still being conducted to determine the effect of using Creatine in the long run. Creatine is available as a supplement like vitamin pills in the form of over-the-counter drugs. Creatine is categorized as a “dietary supplement” and can be purchased even without a prescription as per the 1994 Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act. Then again, Creatine is not tested by the American FDA (Food and Drug Administration) and certain side effects like vomiting, diarrhea, and deep vein thromboses have been listed under a 1998 FDA report.

There are several Creatine supplement products in the market today. Creatine is available in capsule, chewable and powdered forms. One teaspoon of the powdered form contains 5g of Creatine monohydrate. The recommended dosage is 1-2 teaspoons with 8 ounces of water per day. Nevertheless, the dosage can vary depending on the body exertion. Athletes usually follow a dosage cycle comprising of loading and maintenance phases.

Creatine provides detailed information about creatine, creatine benefits, creatine monohydrate, and more. Creatine is affiliated with Body Mass Index Chart.

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