Silver Back Muzik

Good funeral homes are genuinely deeply sorry for their customers' losses. They understand that there is nothing worse than losing a loved one and you are going to need all the help you can get. That's why they offer a number of services besides just renting the actual funeral home.

Some companies will help you with the pre-funeral tasks. Yes, this includes grieving. You can trust them with taking care of decisions if you are feeling too emotional to handle it. You can count on them to make your decisions if you aren't able.

The ceremony will be organized for you. You should be able to give some input with guest speakers at least, but decorating the wake, the casket, clothing, make up and the funeral can all be taken care of.

There will be employees at the actual ceremonies that will help guide your guests. They will be instructed where to sit, when to come in and when to leave. Whether the arrangements are pre-needed or at-needed you will be taken care of.

The first thing you need to consider is to set a date and time for the gathering. A weekend or weekday evening is best to make sure everybody is out of work and can attend. You want to be sure that it feels right for you. Then you will need to find a pastor, priest, minister, rabbi or other officials to lead the ceremony. Then you will appoint someone to officiate at the service. Someone will need to welcome the people attending, the speakers, start prayers and songs and will certainly need to direct periods of silence. All of this needs to be done a week or more before the service.

Several days before the service you will need to designate speakers. This means you have to pick who will deliver the eulogies. Also, music and songs will need to be picked out and decided how it will be played. Sometimes services have in house organ players. Maybe you want an acoustic guitar player. Whatever you feel is best to represent your lost loved one. Then you decide who should be invited and write out and print the programs and memorial notices. People are going to want to have a little memory token for the special person who has just passed. Lastly you will have to arrange things like flowers, food, photographer and the guestbook.

Services are available to do all of this for you. You just have to point them in the right direction and give them approval on decisions so they can take care of it from there.

With any task in life, the approach you use helps determine the outcome. Parenting is no different. Your parenting approach may determine what the young person becomes.

Today's parents have two models of discipline from which to choose. The older approach uses rewards and punishments, the same kind used with animals. Its ultimate goal is obedience. This approach leads to dependence, along with stress, and often poor relationships.

The modern approach makes parenting more joyful. Rather than using manipulation and/or coercion, it encourages empowerment that leads to a more enlightened outcome: responsibility. By focusing on responsibility rather than on obedience, parents experience more positive relationships, become more effective, and increase the joy in their journey.

Which approach sounds better to you?

Why a New Parenting Approach Is Needed

It is important to recognize that children today are exposed to different environments than those in earlier generations. This is one of many reasons that traditional approaches based on coercion and external approaches are not as successful as they once may have been. Here are just a few of the changes in society that are influencing today's youth:

- Internet access to information

- Social media such as Facebook, MySpace, and YouTube

- Instant communications by cell and smart phones

- Really Simple Syndication Internet feeds such as blogs

- Emphasis on children being the center of family life

- Advertising aimed at youth

- Substance abuse

- Mass media: violence, sex, and short sound bites

- Number and gender of parents

- Types of models and heroes

- Music and lyrics

- Protection of childhood innocence, or lack of it

- Social interaction and developmental play, or lack of it

- Sense of community, or lack of it

- Emphasis on rights rather than on responsibility

- Increased peer influence and pressure

- Lower levels of social skills and impulse control

A by-product of the ease of access to information and contact with others in our technological age is that many young people feel more control over their lives. Today's young people know and exercise their rights and have an unprecedented level of independence.

As such, when a parent tries to change a youth's behavior by forcing obedience (by using threats, punishments, bribes, or other coercive or manipulative tactic) the reaction is often resistance.

A typical parental response to this trend might be to blame the youngsters. But think about it for a moment: When we plant flower seeds and if the plant does not blossom, do we blame the flowers? Or does the planter have some responsibility for the growth? Let us remember that parents are the first contacts and models for children.

If you view young people's misbehavior as a learning opportunity (a chance to help them grow and develop) then misbehavior can become a prompt for meaningful communications. Use such negative situations to help your children become more responsible. This mindset will result in less stress for you and improved relationships for all.

The Three Principles that Promote Responsibility

By using three powerful, enduring, and universal practices that don't involve punishment, threats, raising your voice, rewards, or lecturing, you will be amazed at how cooperative your children become.

1. Positivity

So often, when we want our children to change, we attempt to influence them by using negative communications rather than positive ones that would actually prompt them to want to do what we would like. Even the worst salesperson knows enough not to make the customer angry. Yet, because we allow our emotions to direct us, we often ignore this commonsense approach and send negative messages. You can easily tell if your communications are sending negative messages if what you say blames, complains, criticizes, nags, punishes, or threatens.

Positive communications elevate the spirit; they offer encouragement and support. They send the message that the other person is capable of handling challenges. Positivity creates hope and prompts feelings of being valued, supported, and respected. Communicating in positive terms triggers enthusiasm, capability, pride, dependability, and responsibility, none of which are triggered by negativity.

Because being positive is so enabling, it makes sense to stop all thoughts and communications that are negative. Therefore, become conscious of phrasing your communications with your children so they will be in positive terms. Continually ask yourself: "How can I communicate this message in a positive way?" For example, saying, "Don't be late," is disabling, and prompts being late because the word "don't" is not visualized; what comes after the "don't" is what the brain visualizes. "Please be on time," prompts the picture you want, is enabling, and is much more effective.

2. Choice

When children of any age resist doing something you ask of them or do something contrary to your instructions, rather than force your request on them, offer them choices; then watch how quickly their resistance weakens. Offering choices paves the way to changing behavior and is much more effective than giving commands. By giving the young person some degree of control, you will get more cooperation. There is a simple reason for this: People do not argue with their own decisions.

Even when a youngster thinks there are no choices about whether or not to do something, you can build in some element of choice. Just a small one qualifies because any choice allows the young person to retain dignity and power. For example, when a child is learning to walk down a flight of stairs, it would not be wise to allow the child to go down unassisted. Yet, the youngster is asserting independence and does not want any assistance. By giving a choice of how to walk down the stairs, you can avoid a confrontation: "Would you like to hold the handrail or hold my hand?"

Offering choices is a simple approach you can use to immediately reduce resistance. The empowerment of choice is universal; it works with people of all ages.

3. Reflection

The most effective approach for influencing another person to accept an idea is to ask reflective questions.When specific reflective questions are asked, people are prompted to think, reconsider, change their minds, and grow. By asking this type of question, you will accomplish what you want more effectively, with less resistance, and with less stress. By having the youngster reflect, you instantly avoid the child's natural resistance of being controlled.

Reflective questions are non-coercive. They guide, rather than force. Reflective questions elicit a thinking response and are framed to fit the situation and clarify. Specifically they

- Focus on the present or future, as opposed to the past

- Often start with "What?" or "How?"

- Are usually open-ended in that they require more than a "yes" or "no" answer

As soon as you start asking reflective questions, you will immediately realize the effectiveness and power of this strategy. Questions such as the following promote deep and reflective thinking:

- "What did you learn from this experience?"

- "How can we correct this situation?"

- "What would you do differently next time?"

- "What can you do to accomplish that?"

- "How can you do that without bothering your sister?"

Stress-less Parenting

When you implement these strategies, you will become more effective in your parenting, feel less stress, experience more joy, improve your relationships with your children, and have more time for a life of your own. Your children will become more self-disciplined and responsible. Please note, however, that this does not mean you can change their nature-no more than an acorn can grow into a palm tree. However, you certainly can influence your children to blossom into responsible and contributing members of society. Isn't that what parents really want?

A college kid in the 1970's got involved in the martial art, motivated by Bruce Lee, Kwai Chang Caine, and Lo Lei in "Five Fingers of Death," a long haired hippie in bell bottom pants, tank top tee shirt and a fu manchu mustache, I took a dive and entered a karate dojo.

I can say the first day in class was foreign, alien, whatever.

Like everything else during this time of my life, when I encountered something new, I spent more time watching, observing, emulating, saying nothing, and hoping my "wild flower" imitation not attract attention. Except for those wearing starchy white karate uniforms with various colored belts announcing their ranks, I noticed others like me, stretching awkwardly, in quiet corners, not making eye contact.

After I walked in, I sat in a chair and took shoes and socks off, tucking them neatly away in a place where I wouldn't forget them. I stood at the edge of the dojo floor, bowed and entered. It was the first time I experienced hard wood floors on bare feet. It hurt.

Right then I realized how much of a wuss I was now that I'm taking "kay-RAH-tay."

I held off purchasing a gi or karate uniform. I was allowed to wear sweat pants and a white tee shirt. I noticed that gis worn by the students were cleaned and pressed before each and every workout.

This was the start of a strict code I was not familiar of.

A high regard for manners was a requirement; any breach, large or small, was not tolerated. Screw up and the student forfeited his membership. During my years of training, neither had I heard nor experienced a case when this code was ever broken. When I first took martial arts, I lived in an era when manners were mandatory. My family lived poorly working in the farm fields of California's Central San Joaquin Valley. As a young child, I had few possessions: several sets of clothes: One for play or work; a set for school, and a fresh clean set for church or formal events. Though mom and dad earned a meager wage as itinerant farm laborers, we dressed in fine suits and dresses at church. I was uncomfortable spending the effort trying to appear proper-like. When I joined class, I was in college, and thoroughly not interested in wearing formal clothing. I was not interested in adding another set of rules to my confusing life. Despite this feeling, I forged forward, not much to accept the rules but more to learn. As long as I was not asked to train butt naked, I tolerated the clean gi, immaculate training quarters, etiquette and filial obedience. A uniform appearance was necessary as not to be an issue in learning: One less thing to worry about while learning something new and perfecting old. It's like wearing pressed slacks, white shirt and red tie to an interview. Conservative by today's standards, by wearing conservative clothes, appearance will not be a reason for not getting the job. As with the whole aspect of etiquette, manners and regimental mannerisms, there's an attitude of respect and humility. Though the instructor didn't have to spell it out specifically, I learned quickly that the process of learning evolved further and deeper than what was in front of me. I found that these rules developed character and made me a better person.

When I was a child, I was taught to say, "yes sir," "yes ma'am" to elders, teachers, clergy, police and so forth without knowing why. In retrospect, prior to entering (and leaving) the dojo, and greeting the sensei, I was taught to bow and say the word "os," short for "onegai-shimasu" (oh-neh-GAH-ee-she-mah-SOOH) which, translated, means "Will you help or teach me, please?" An act of respect, and a culture of self control and etiquette all the while learning self defense. "Excuse me and I apologize, but I must rip your eyes out with my tiger fist technique." Peace and compassion, the foundation combines manners and killing skills.

On that first day, Sensei Willard Thomas had us stand in line with senior students at one end and beginners at the other. We waited several seconds as the dojo fell silent, silent, the experience unnerved me. I watched intently as he knelt by first dropping onto one knee and then the other. Everyone followed suit. I struggled to imitate these movements as the floor made my knees and instep hurt. As I ached and fought the urge to readjust, others around me remained frozen like statues. It was the first time I did anything like this and it was weird, uncomfortable but yet intriguing. Sensei made eye contact with me and then yelled "mokutsu!" (moh-koot-SOOH) I had no idea what it meant, but I saw him close his eyes. I naturally followed along. As the seconds ticked, I tried to let whatever supposed to happen, happen. What I remembered through closed eyes was nothing but darkness and an after burn of trailing images. I concentrated on this darkness as eyes focused on the back of eyelids, the world around me ticked by. Though among others, I felt alone and weird.

Silence.

It was so quiet I could hear my heart beat. The person next to me breathed quietly while a strange wheezing came from a young child who knelt on the other side of me.

I stifled a laugh.

My mind then wandered thinking of the roof caving in, crashing down upon all of us except on sensei who remained untouched and unaffected. I felt my breath leave me, suffocating. I needed to leave, but fought the feeling. The seconds ticked by and I screamed inward.

Then through the blackness I heard him speak, "As students of karate, leave all thoughts behind you. Your home, your school, your church. Everything. All thoughts, except karate, no longer exist." I felt an overwhelming peace. Something happened; I did not fight it and enjoyed this strange ride. A long period of silence followed and then "Mokutsu-yame!" (moh-koot-SOOH-YAH-meh) I opened my eyes just to see what's supposed to happen next, and everyone has their eyes opened and trained on sensei. He bowed in kneeling position, forehead barely touching the floor. Everyone bowed back in respect.

My forehead hit the floor.

Ouch.

I was in college experiencing life away from home, difficult studies, freedom, an open mind accepting the deliverance of time. Learning new skills such as dealing with adverse personalities, this new culture felt like cold ice on my feet. It was in the early '70s, during a time of my life when drugs and sex were supposedly acceptable, appropriate and safe. As a result, the last thing on my mind was to be disciplined, military in scope, enamored in a strange culture. Mokutsu (the Japanese word for "meditation") removed outside thoughts and I transformed into a sponge for learning.

This training helped me, 35 years later. Though I've trained in other systems, Shorin Ryu and Shotokan Karate, Aikijujitsu, Okinawan weaponry, Muay Thai Kickboxing, and Taijiquan, what I learned from sensei taught me how to learn by first relinquishing all external thoughts.

I learned that in order to be good in anything, I had to be a good student, hard worker, an expert on the foundation of studies. In math, grammar, history, science or music, I found that if I mastered the fundamentals, it would be easier for me to climb the learning ladder than had I bypassed basics.

Karate consisted of three basic blocks, three basic kicks, a whole host of punches plus an assortment of striking techniques. Sensei Thomas' curriculum was the same, no different than the last. I started awkward, stumbling. Others were like me, some better the next. Mirrors showed their determination. Senior students led by example and I willed my arms, torso and legs to mimic. Sensei stopped by and corrected me on periodic intervals. As days and months passed my form improved. I progressed quickly, partly because I was an athlete, mostly because I practiced at home and was motivated. My self-confidence soared. This helped with, of all things, college, which prior to the martial arts training suffered. It was my first year in college and I devoted part time effort to studies. The college party scene sent me reeling backwards that I needed to change. Karate training brought back "discipline," a concept that I heard in conversations helped me. Discipline a military concept was something I didn't practice prior to taking sensei Thomas' class. When we stood in horse stance for the entire class duration, my legs burned and I hurt like I've never hurt before. Everyone else in class suffered while sensei Thomas remained in his stance punching, striking and blocking, a stoic presence. Not wanting to be outdone, I mirrored his stance, lower than most others in class, accepting his challenge to progress.

This taught me to shut up, listen, and emulate.

Martial arts is a discipline that teaches by example. On occasions, the instructor corrected through instruction, but most of the time, I just copied (monkey see, monkey do).

I can say that the most important part about life is to appreciate its intricacies, learn the basics and become an expert, and in this case, the better copy cat you are the better. When the time comes when you've mastered the art of copying, then you can begin designing your own path...your own destiny. Hai. Wakirimaska?

Who are the top 10 MLM companies?

Well, answering this question may be quite tricky. First, how do we define a top MLM company? Is it because of its level of popularity? As you can imagine, the truth could be quite subjective. For instance, Toyota Corolla is considered the world's bestselling car. Apparently it is a great car; however, it may not be your dream car! This leads us to one question - does an MLM company rank higher merely because it involves more people? This is probably the fairest question that can help us come up with a list of the top 10 MLM companies.

Now, one thing is for sure: we can't ignore popularity as a factor and in fact, it is definitely one of the most efficient and convenient ways to rank products and businesses and, for this case, MLM companies. Popularity has played the vital role of helping determine what is going on in the market place. It defines what movies we will watch, what music we will download and even where we will invest our monies!

However, popularity suffers one major limitation - more often than not, it is only temporary and the hype goes away as fast as it came; and you have a new top 10 MLM companies list sooner than you can imagine. This major shortcoming of popularity as a ranking factor requires to be addressed by incorporation of other factors. Let's look at a few of these.

Time in business is one vital factor which everybody tends to ignore when it comes to ranking MLM companies. Well, this is pretty much expected with all the brainwashing that comes along with popularity; so we can't point fingers here. In fact, you've probably heard that ground floor opportunities are good. Well, here is the truth: up to 97% of these ground floor businesses close business within the first two years of operation. So, don't trust rankings that include ground floor businesses in their list of top 10 MLM companies.

For an MLM company to be accorded some trust, it needs to have been in operation for at least 18 months. Again, companies that have been in business for very many years may not always be the best. Note here that this does not disqualify all such companies. A company may have been around for several decades to establish a strong foundation but fail to reach its momentum growth phase. Time in business is therefore probably the most important factor in coming up with the top 10 MLM companies list.

Other factors commonly used in ranking MLM companies are such as the kind of leadership, uniqueness of products (branding), compensation plan and the strength of lead generation and conversion systems among other factors.

Now, the following top 10 MLM companies are ranked according to 4 criteria. These in include:Time in business: at least 10 years by 31st December 2012.Google Page Rank (GPR): rate on a 1-10 scale, the best being 10.Alexa Rank (AR): a lower rank being more preferred.Google Trends (GT) from all regions over the past 12 months.

Company #1: Amway with 53 years in business, GPR of 6, AR of 8,556 and GT of 2.18.

Company #2: Melaleuca with 27 years in business, GPR of 5, AR of 10,797 and GT of 0.44.

Company #3: USANA with 20 years in business, GPR of 6, AR of 12,424 and GT of 0.44.

Company #4: Nu Skin with 28 years in business, GPR of 6, AR of 12,527 and GT of 0.20.

Company #5: Isagenix with 10 years in business, GPR of 3, AR of 15,591 and GT of 0.20.

Company #6: Forever Living with 34 years in business, GPR of 5, AR of 17,178 and GT of 0.42.

Company #7: Legal Shield with 40 years in business, GPR of 4, AR of 18,855 and GT of 0.20.

Company #8: ACN with 19 years in business, GPR of 6, AR of 27,301, and GT of 1.12.

Company #9: Herbalife with 32 years in business, GPR of 5, AR of 29,151 and GT of 2.24.

Company #10: 4Life with 14 years in business, GPR of 4, AR of 32,924 and GT of 0.14.

You have to ask yourself if the traditional shopping mall is becoming a dinosaur as more and more people tend to their shopping online. Sure, there are the hardcore fans that will defend the mall as more than just a place where you go to buy brand labelled shoes for half-price compared to the exclusive boutique down the corner.

A Meeting Point

The mall has taken on overtures, almost becoming a symbol of the American way with life, liberty and justice for all. In how many high-school movies doesn't the mall play more than just a supporting role, as the natural meeting point for exchanging the latest gossip on everything from boys to fashion. It's been a natural coming-of-age symbol ever since they first opened their gates.

But, with the ever-increasing options of buying your shoes online or even browsing the web to find the paradox of an online outlet mall, the need for the physical building in itself seems to be threatened.

Clothing Online

With sayings like "time is money" becoming increasingly true the more time-saving technical gadgets we come up with, there is no wonder why more and more people rather turn on the computer and put their order in after just a few quick clicks. However hard they try, putting up stores in nearly every corner, they can not set up shop right there in your kitchen. And with an increasing efficiency in order-management and speedy deliveries the need to stuff everyone into the back of the family van for a trip to the local mall, seems- no matter if it's no more than ten minutes away-redundant, as an ON-switch to a computer is never a greater distance than an arm away.

There you will have everything, and the abundance of stores know no boundaries, there are no physical confinements to find what you are searching for.

A New Dawn

But maybe I'm overdoing it. Maybe the mall simply is going to be forced to go through a transition period much like the music and movie industry, maybe they just have to keep building on that all-American status and market themselves even harder as a place for socialization, and not a place to do your shopping.

Because fact is, despite the nightmare scenarios painted by worried parents seeing their kids dwell day in and night out in front of their computers, internet is rather instigating interacting than stifling it, and it doesn't show any signs of threatening or replacing the much-needed face-to-time of human interaction; but it could mean we have to rearrange and re-structure the functions of the physical meeting points, which we have been taken for granted for a long time.

The online malls can offer such an extensive array of different options that to compete with it shop for shop would be a both unnecessary and un-winnable task. Shopping online will give you instant access to the scooter shop simultaneously with the fashion design collection. You just scroll between two windows and there you have it. You can shop for bathroom accessories and exotic dancewear all under the same roof; namely your own.

So, the physical shopping mall may be forced to undergo some changes, but its online counterpart is more than ready to fill in its shoes.

The rapid advances that technology has made in recent decades has redefined the services that professionals provide. New specializations have been created to implement the latest technologies. Most professions such as dentistry have branched out into areas of dental care that have never existed before. The family dentist for instance has accrued cutting edge knowledge about dental procedures that one could only have imagined fifty years' ago.

After World War II dentists started using modern anesthesia for the first time. The booming economy provided extra income for families to live a middle class lifestyle. Regularly scheduled visits to the dental practitioner became commonplace whereas before only emergency visits for tooth extractions were the only reason a person would voluntarily go to visit the dentist.

Fifty years' ago the job of the dental practitioner was to take care of the basic dental needs of a typical family. The filling in and the pulling out of teeth were the principle dental procedures that the dentist was required to perform. Instructions in oral hygiene were nominal and basically consisted of reminding patients to brush their teeth. Technology had not yet invented a better toothbrush, fluoridation or flossing.

As dental technology continued to develop statistics started showing new trends. In the 1970s about 28% of the children nationwide were found to have no cavities in their adult teeth. Over forty years later with fluoridated water and toothpastes that number has more than doubled. Fluoridation has had a major impact on improving the dental health of a new generation of people.

The dentist is often referred to as the general dental practitioner and he or she is often part of a dental team where the group offers their services all in the same location. An increasing number of dentists are choosing to do this rather than to practice in the single dental office.

Most middle class families today expect to invest about $10,000 to have their children's teeth straightened. Dentists long ago recognized the need to specialize and will often be licensed orthodontists, leaving the basic services like teeth cleaning to a well trained dental assistant.

The dentist will also have been trained in how to use the different kinds of teeth straightening technologies. When the dentist promotes and sells a given company's apparatus such as Invisalign retainers, they will receive a commission. Reputable dentists will take Continuing Medical Education courses two or three times a year to stay up to date with dental technology. There is less need for cavity filling and more demand for the cosmetic aspects of dental care.

Technology today offers clients large close up photos of the inside of their mouth. They can see for themselves how each tooth looks and what can be done to improve it. Aging Baby Boomers see this as their last opportunity to finally take care of those dental issues they have been living with all their adult lives. They can choose to have the Hollywood smile of their favorite actor.

Today's family dentist wants to offer a pleasurable experience right down to the laughing gas that can be requested to block any pain and reduce anxiety. Customer service is the main focus. Some dentists create a spa-like ambiance with tranquil lighting, piped in aromatic scents and non-stop meditative music.

It's easy to get inspiration for articles when you work for a newspaper and your editor is telling you what to do, your inbox is stuffed with press releases and your voicemail is full.

But how does a freelance writer working from home stay on the ball? One of the challenging aspects about being a freelance writer is that you want to shy away from the obvious stories that might come to you through a press release or advertised event. Why? Because likely these story ideas are already being covered by staff writers in your community.

So, where can you go for inspiration?

Friends and relatives: Just about everyone we know has some unique quirk, whether it's an interesting hobby or an unusual career. Sometimes you can mine people's pasts for great stories. I once read an article about one of the first female bus drivers in a major city. Male passengers would refuse to get on the bus when she opened the door. If I was to pass this person on the street, I wouldn't give her a second glance, but I found her story fascinating.

Your own hobbies: Your hobbies may seem pretty mundane, but what attracted you to them in the first place? Do you like hobbies that emphasize risk, such as extreme sports, or creativity, such as music and art? In either case, there are a wealth of different angles you can explore, new trends, interesting personalities, insider articles relating to technique or performance, etc.

Overheard conversations: Coffee shops and buses are great places where inspiration can strike. What are the issues of the day according to the average person? Listen to what people are talking about. It may actually be different from what is on the front page of the newspaper. Often you'll hear people complaining about things that affect them in a day-to-day way - an unfair policy at the nursing home where their grandmother resides, an excessively bureaucratic insurance requirement or the high cost of outfitting kids with everything their school claims they need.

Mine your growing expertise: Freelance writers have one benefit that staff writers don't always have, and that's the ability to specialize in a certain topic or beat. If you have covered a lot of stories in one area, you may find your knowledge of the topic, the issues and the major players provides you with an endless list of ideas that you can explore and tailor to different types of publications.

Wherever you get your ideas, it's important to take notes so that brilliant idea that occurred to you while you were making breakfast doesn't get lost in the day-to-day flurry of activity. Keep a notebook handy and inspiration will always be at your fingertips.

Many students start to feel the crunch in the later years of high or secondary school. Many find the subject so intimidating that they feel unable or unwilling to progress any further. At least some of this difficulty can be attributed to the prevalent methods of instruction and attitudes that's practiced in most schools today.

More so than for any other academic subject, more emphasis should be placed on 'training' rather on 'teaching'. In this regard, maths is more like music or sport - a skill that's developed through action than study, although reading, watching and listening has its place. The long term objective of training is to develop an ability to analyze and learn independently. With the right tools and attitudes, students will learn to overcome obstacles and difficulties in the learning process.

Although students may have memorized numerous formulas and results, many do not quite understand what their implications are. Rote repetition is good practice, but it isn't a substitute for critical thinking. In traditional classrooms across the world, teachers simply repeat the main results in textbooks, assign exercises, then expect students to figure out the rest.

Of course, self-discovery is an important aspect of learning, but perhaps more attention should be given to skills development and problem-solving techniques, so that students will be better-able to solve problems independently. These may include standard algebraic tricks, experimentation, using visual and graphical methods. More time should be spent on how to interpret expressions and equations and how to read and write mathematics in a clear, concise manner.

Once students have developed thinking skills and problem-solving techniques, they will also be able to pick up new topics and concepts with relative ease. These are the keys to developing confidence and enthusiasm. Many students at schools today have not been specifically trained and assessed in this regard. As a result, their self-confidence is low and mathematics becomes frustrating.

It's productivity that really counts, not just the absolute number of hours spent on study. Here I define productivity as the student's ability to absorb new topics and ideas, It's hard to see how large classrooms could possibly offer high productivity to students, especially when it comes to maths.

Each student has their strengths and weaknesses, so imposing a 'one-size-fits-all' approach is ineffective. Regardless of whether students have mastered a skill or not, the classroom lesson continues on, leaving some students in the dark. At the same time, students with more gifted abilities would not have the opportunity to reach their full potential.

Individualized and tailored tuition is a direct and targeted approach that helps to bridge any gaps in the student's understanding of the subject. By identifying specific areas of weaknesses, relevant drills and exercises can be prescribed to address any deficiencies and problems.

Preparation for existing standardized international examinations (GCSE, A-Levels, IB, SAT) can be accomplished in one year, instead of the two years practiced in many schools today. With personalized attention, productivity increases significantly so ideas can be communicated and absorbed more efficiently.

HTC's award-winning Android smartphone the Desire was one of the most popular handsets of its time. It allowed you to do so many things never thought possible. However, one of the more modern features we enjoy today is not possible on the factory settings of this legacy handset. This is high-definition. Straight out of the box, the past version of this phone could not play videos in 720p. It could only playback WVGA-quality videos at 15 frames per second. To enjoy more from high-quality recordings, users would have to upgrade the phone's Android OS version 2.1 (Éclair) to version 2.2 (Froyo). On the HTC Desire S, version 2.3 (Gingerbread) is pre-installed. This means that you can enjoy everything in HD right out of the box.

Both handsets come with 5 MP cameras. With similar cameras, what advantages does this new version have to offer? Both cameras can capture images at 2592 x 1944 pixels, come with autofocus, geotagging, and LED flash. However, the latest version comes with additional image enhancing features such as touch focus and image stabilization. This will allow you to further enhance the quality of your captured images and recordings.

Not only do you get to enjoy more from 720p recorded videos at 30 frames per second, you can also enjoy more from HD in streaming websites such as YouTube. Once you choose the any video you wish to watch, you can choose the 720p option if it s available. This will allow users to stream in high-definition. From Trailers to music and from instructions to information, streamed videos never looked this good.

Aside from streaming websites and recordings, this smartphone also allows you to enjoy a service exclusive to mobile handheld devices created by the Taiwan-based phone manufacturer. This is HTC Watch. This will allow users to watch movies straight on their handsets. If ever you would like to watch films offline, you have the option to download movies straight to the handset. Not all Android smartphones offer this service. With the Taiwanese phone manufacturer HD films can be enjoyed on the go.

Movies, streamed videos, and recordings are not the only forms of entertainment that can be enjoyed in high-definition. You can slow purchase and download HD games on the Android Market. This will allow you to enjoy more from intense graphics and masterful imagery on mobile games.

As you can see, all high-definition options are available on the HTC Desire S.

Ireland is world famous for its Irish pubs that were introduced in the 19th century. These pubs were meant to provide a legal area for the consumption of alcohol to avoid any nuisance. Many people find solace in these Irish bars to enjoy their evenings with friends and have a couple of drinks together. Before arrival of supermarkets and grocery stores pubs were used to provide these items. They also offer the regular grocery, hardware and other essential things needed by the local residents. Despite of these services they were primarily meant to serve alcohol. With growing time Irish pubs become famous all over the world so much so that they are now opened in almost every city.

Most these pubs are regarded as the place of Irish culture and cuisine. They are famous for creating great pubs and a variety of drinks provided by them. Due the popularity of Irish whiskey and other quality beverages served by these places they have become world famous. Fun loving people love to visit them with their near ones to enjoy the youthfulness of this place. Apart from serving the standard quality drinks the pubs are also known for famous Irish cuisines and delicacies that are served simultaneously. That means those who enter here in search of quenching their thirst can also feed their hungry stomachs also. Keeping in mind their rising popularity you can find an Irish pub at every holiday beach or island and even in ancient cities.

The word pub comes from the short version of public places. They are actually public places started in Ireland to provide a facility for common people. A person does not need to acquire any sort of membership before entering the place. It was open for all with their favorite drinks. It has become a place of solace for the working class of Ireland. Though these places faced strict opposition and ban from British legislation in the 19th century they flourish more and more. Since then they have gained more popularity among the masses due to the opposition to the British government. One of the main reasons for their fame was other essentials like food items, hardware and grocery items at these places.

It is the place which is considered for its warm welcome to the visitors. You can also enjoy the classic Irish music that soothes your ears and provides peace to your mind. With time the place starts to become a central point for local residents to gather, socialize and exchange words. On a lighter note it has also become a place of gossip for the socialites. Many such pubs have been built in Ireland as well as in other countries to maintain the authenticity of Irish essence that these places carry. Irish pubs are constant victims of facing challenges and oppositions from authorities but they managed to survive despite these hurdles. With new establishments it is hoped that they will again flourish and gain popularity like they had in early times. Most of the people are trying to bring back that era once again.

((A Poem for Haiti)(a conspiracy))

At some time in our life, we may have to turn away from disbelief, seeing at least for a while, the possibility of a God because certain hidden voices within us are strengthened or freshened by our soul, by doing so. While I was in Haiti in 1986, I felt a longing to compose a radical poem, perhaps this one, with roots that would speak to what has its back turned to God.

I began imagining two personalities roaming the streets and back streets and hill country, the whole country of Haiti: one a Christian God, the one everyone recognizes in the day, the morning, and the other a Voodoo God (conceivably composed of demonic figures), one recognizes in the twilight and later part of night, and one who betrayed the other at one time, in the far-off past, that being the latter. And so I now have started this poem, poetic prose, "Dream of a God," with images suggesting these Voodoo demonic figures and their betrayal to their brothers, in some far-off pre-Adamic Period-these beings I call sleepwalkers, the un-magnanimous, unfriendly, and excitable, perhaps neurotic (with the symptoms of neurosis: insecurity, depression, anxiety, hostility, etc) who try to rewire our spiritual needs-the enemies of God: the Christian God.

Naming and describing these internal as well as immortal beings, adversaries to God is not a practice, although: one that Blake, Keats, H.P. Lovecraft, Poe, Clark A. Smith, all poets in their own right, were good at describing, that began in the Victorian Period of Western Poetic schools of thought, and has lasted to this day, Postmodernism, and Hollywood has continued this immortal image of damnation. How many beings dwell in us! Only they know. Certain entertainment industries: music, movies, and now religions, certain forms encourage us going beyond the breaking limits, replacing Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, and God the Father-leapfrogging over the Trinity over our valuable spiritualization, to philosophical concerns; religious beliefs as Darwinism, the New Age movement; gods of Astronomy (as Carl Sagan and Stephen Hawking would have it),it is as if these individuals or demonic beings want us to accept these compensatory forms as our gods, as if man is still stained with the unpardonable sin, and still needs goat's blood to cleanse him, a conspiracy no doubt.

Listen, and listen up closely for what I have to say: I have lived four and sixty plus years, I have learned this, as Solomon had learned, the Holy Spirit will call, and try to put families back on course, try to put you back with your family-as for the world, it has passed the breaking point, past the point of no return, but listen closely: heed the Spirit's call, it may be only one call.

"Brief, it was all so brief, back then, now I turn quietly,
To feel my probing mind, -the Poet inside anyhow: I
Wonder how it is now... back there in Haiti, it has been
twenty-six years... " D.L. Siluk

Dedicated to Pastor Naason Mulatre Midnight Poems VI (8-26-2011) No: 3031

Not taken from any journal notes, as others indicated in the Chapbook.

We are in the home stretch of 2011, there are just under 90 days left until the yet another year is over. Look back over your successes to date. Are you satisfied with your performance this year? Have you finally turned that corner and this year has proved to be the one where everything has started to come together? Or are you still spinning your wheels and feeling trapped in a cycle of apparent busyness and limited effectiveness. Now that we are entering that last crucial quarter of the year, it is time to begin finalising the outcomes you want to achieve this year or a perfect time to start setting the foundation for a great 2012.

It is time to stop investing so much time into admiring and studying your favourite sports team and knowing every statistic about every player in your favourite team and to focus your energy on growing and becoming. Commit to shift your focus from knowing and admiring the exploits of others and begin to focus more energy on getting to know and grow yourself. Imagine how much you will grow and how much more you will become if you make these few small but crucial shifts.

Instead of:

• Reading the sports page and memorising every statistic about every player - you read a self-improvement book and discover one new success habit that you can apply in your life.


• Listening to the news, sport and music in your car - you listen to an educational or inspirational cd.


• Spending your weekends glued to the sports channel - You watch an instructional DVD or attend a seminar.


• Spending hours discussing sports scores and player statistics - You discuss your goals and dreams and the path you are taking to achieve them


• Vegetating into front of the TV every night - you take one hour to read a book or meditate.


• Reading sports or gossip magazines - you read success magazine or something similar.


• Gossiping about other people - you spoke about your life lessons and plans for personal growth

You attract success by the person you become, so how do you think those positive shifts, away from entertainment toward education and personal growth, would affect your own life scores and statistics?

I am not saying that you must completely reboot your life and stop all entertainment in your life. I am saying that, if you committed to make a few small shifts and you began to change your current entertainment ratio of about 50 hours of entertainment, to every one hour of education and you began to change this to a ratio of 10 hours of entertainment, to every one hour of education. You would see amazing results begin to manifest in your life.

As this year closes and the New Year dawns, commit to finally make the choice to succeed and stop spinning your wheels. As long as you keep entertaining yourself to death and you never make time for your personal growth, you will see another year fly by in a blur of dissatisfaction. Introduce these few positive changes in your life and begin the process of expanding and become the type of person that deserves the type of success you desire. Stop pursuing success, as anything you pursue will elude you and start attracting success, by becoming the type of person that deserves the success that you desire. As you create better balance between the amount of time you spend entertaining yourself and the time you spend growing yourself, you will finally have everything in place to start to realise all your dreams. Invest as much time into practicing, training, growing and developing your own skills, knowledge and abilities as the people that you watch at your favourite sporting events do. Imagine how that will completely transform your life?

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Steve Jobs recently announced that he was stepping down from the role of CEO of Apple, the company he co-founded in 1976. Given his ongoing and unfortunate health challenges, this may not have been a surprise to employees, shareholders, and customers, but it was certainly a disappointment. Jobs has been the creative force behind successful technology including Macs, MacBooks, IMacs, iPod, iPads, iPhones, and iTunes. His latest is the iCloud, which according to a September 8, 2011 article in Fortune Magazine is "a set of online services designed to tie all of Apples products together and make it easier for millions of people to access music, photos, files, and software across devices". A short time ago he unveiled plans for a new headquarters for Apple in Cupertino, CA that will house 13,000 employees. The building's ring shape design has led some to call it the iSpaceship. He also created Apple University as a tool to train mid to senior level managers on their management principles, vision and way of doing things. Thus employees have no doubt what Apple stands for.

Jobs created a legacy that has impacted the way millions of people across the planet communicate and interact. He utilized technology applications to enhance the way individuals live and work. He is quite literally a visionary. Though well known for his demanding and somewhat aggressive personality, he has the ability to communicate his image of the future in a manner so compelling that others rally around it. His creativity is undeterred by naysayers, and his focus is uninterrupted.

Traits of Visionary Leaders

As I reflect on the visionary leadership of Steve Jobs and others like him, they have several traits in common.
• Visionary leaders have faith in their ability to create a different tomorrow.
• Visionary leaders see a future that is unlike the present.
• Visionary leaders convey a compelling picture of the future to others.
• Visionary leaders push the boundaries of the expected into the unexpected.
• Visionary leaders motivate people to perform beyond their normally demonstrated capabilities.
• Visionary leaders listen to their inner voice of confidence, and ignore the external voices of doubt.
• Visionary leaders see new products, processes, people and perspectives.
• Visionary leaders have strongly held beliefs, determination and focus.

Are YOU A Visionary Leader?

In a similar manner, God has a vision for our future that is far greater than what we could attain on our own. He sees a future for us resplendent with blessings as we walk in His way to achieve His great plans for our lives. You can be assured that God's vision is accompanied by the same creative powers He displayed when He formed the universe.

Each of us may have an aspect of our lives where we have the potential to become visionary leaders. Whether the vision is for our children, our spouse, our organization, our community, our business, our government, or our selves; God can give us the vision to see far into the future and visualize possibilities that others might consider almost improbable. The question is, will we glimpse that future and fall back in fear, or look boldly forward and step toward it. Will we meditate on our lack of _______ (fill in the blank) to accomplish that vision, or will we move forward undeterred by all the signs that point against it.

Just as Steve Jobs vision impacted the lives of millions of people, God's vision for you can change lives as well. Whether it effects a few or many people, it's no less important. So seek God's vision for your life. His vision, His eye is guiding you into His greatness.

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye. Psalm 32:8 NKJV

Copyright 2011 Priscilla Archangel, Ph.D.

To read the article on Steve Jobs follow this link - http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2011/09/08/steve-jobs-real-legacy-apple-inc/

If like me, your nail polish lasts only a couple of days after you've had a manicure before it starts to chip, you must be fed of getting caught out with chipped polish. In fact the turning point for me was a couple of days after new years day, at a meeting in work. I'd made a new year's resolution to look after my nails this year. Looking after my nails to me meant always having them nicely polished even if I had to commit to getting it done every weekend. I was determined to always appear well groomed and getting a regular manicure and pedicure was going to be a must for me going forward.

On the 2nd of January, I went to my local nail bar and had a manicure and pedicure to start the New Year with pretty hands and feet as I intended to carry on the rest of the year. The next day was a working day and I was at a meeting in which I was meant to be writing the minutes and brought out my notepad to start taking notes. To my absolute horror my nails were in a state. My polish from only the day before had chipped and my nails looked terrible. I could hardly bring myself to expose my horrible nails to a room full of executives and managers. I was so embarrassed that I didn't pay much attention to what was being said. Instead I was thinking about what I could possibly do with my nails so I never find myself in the same embarrassing situation again.

When I got home from work that day, I started researching alternative solutions to regular polish. I certainly didn't have the time to paint my nails every other day myself, and my working hours meant that going to a salon every few days to get them done wasn't an option. Besides the professional manicure I had only the day before had already chipped. It was while I was researching a solution to my problem that I stumbled across UV gel polish manicures. They were being marketed as three week manicures - which by the way was music to my ears. If I only had to have my nails painted every three weeks I'd book my appointments in advance and there was no possible way of ever getting caught out with chipped polish again.

I quickly booked my first appointment for a three week manicure at the price of $75. Yes you read it right, $75! Desperate times call for desperate measures and desperate was exactly what I was. The results of my first gel manicure where amazing. The shine off gel polish is far better than the shine you get from regular nail polish. The gel polish also served as a protective coat to my natural nails which meant my nails didn't peel or break at all, and I was able to stretch my UV gel manicure to four weeks before getting them done again.

As pleased as I was with my new manicure routine, spending $75 a month soon began to add up. My habit was going to cost me $900 a year. I decided to go the do-it-yourself route instead. I knew exactly what was needed and shopped on Amazon for all the tools I needed. I chose to use Gelish gel nail polish and also bought Nail Harmony's LED lamp. While the lamp cost me $300 and everything else - i.e polishes, orange sticks etc cost an extra $200, I was still pleased with the savings I'd made. The lamp is a one off cost and will last me forever as the LED bulb will never require changing. I've been doing my own gel polish manicures for six months now and that's worked out to $450 in savings. One more month of DIY manicures and I'll have saved the cost of my original outlay on equipment.

Gelish gel polish lasts between two and three weeks for me so I have to get my nails done twice a month. The gel polish used in the salon that I'd previously gone to used Bio Sculpture gel polish, which is a thicker version of gel polish and that probably explained why it lasted longer. Still I'm very pleased with my Gelish nail polish and my DIY manicures are still going great. I don't think I'll ever go back to regular nail polish. I sometimes have friends over and we paint each other's nails. Buying my own UV gel nail polish equipment has turned out to be the best investment I've made this year.

In 2008 Silicon Valley was named the most influential technology hotspot in the world by silicon.com. It's no surprise given that Apple, the richest company in the world and the company that all technology fans are looking at, is based there and is making strides in both hardware and software development.

People in Europe will be pleased to know that it isn't all happening in California though - Europe has its own share of innovation within technology, which could of course lead to more IT jobs.

London ranked third in silicon.com's poll thanks to its status as a capital in media and world banking, and the smart use of technology in businesses that are based in the English capital. Cambridge was listed sixth on the panel. It's considered a high tech hub in Britain thanks to close links between Cambridge University and some of the biggest names in technology.

Most noticeable about the list wasn't the countries that were included, but those that weren't. Italy, France and Germany were all omitted, but Germany seems set to change that.

Berlin is home to software maker Metaversum, which is situated right next door to the Game Academy. Game Academy is Europe's first ever school for aspiring programmers. Most refreshing is that Metaversum is home to dozens of young adults aged 25-35 - a pinball machine in the hallway reaffirms its fresh outlook - and the company develops Twinity, a 3D virtual world mirroring the real world, complete with real people and places. Twinizens, as the virtual people are called, rent flats, socialise with films and music, go shopping and run businesses. Berlin and Singapore versions are currently in beta testing, and other cities including London are planned also.

Metaversum's founder and CEO moved to Berlin from Brussels because he thinks the city is full of talent and other software makers, a fact represented by the 2,600 software companies in Berlin. In the 12 years since the millennium that number has more than doubled, and is so rapidly growing that software is the fastest-growing sector in the city's economy.

Beyond Metaversum, Berlin has 38,000 people employed in IT, with the industry turning over seven billion euros a year. Not only that, but Berlin is also the centre for video games and mobile entertainment. Indeed, the German capital has become something of a home for start-up technology businesses, with new companies springing up seemingly all the time. The audio sharing site SoundCloud began in Berlin, and it isn't alone. Berlin has some unique features that are facilitating this growth: it has a thriving alternative scene and relatively cheap real estate, making it a place that's easy for youngsters to get established.

A new project called The Factory has recently begun, which aims to put various companies under one roof, SoundCloud included. This move will allow people from different companies to share company of other people, providing a typical working office environment but with a twist - co-workers will be from other organisations. This plan could have a tremendous positive impact on creativity and new ideas and organisations. Betahaus is an existing place where many technology workers already go to spend time in the company of like-minded people, so The Factory has in a sense been able to use that as its market research. Betahaus is a coffee shop that has become a hub for the tech crowd, and has somewhere they can exchange ideas, talk over plans and even loan office space. The boom in start-ups in Berlin has taken root to such an extent that people are moving there solely to get involved with their own company, meaning the boom is likely to continue indefinitely.

So while Silicon Valley may be number one right now, Europe isn't going to rest on its laurels. If Berlin continues in the vain it has for the past few years, Silicon Valley could be knocked from its perch soon.

There is a period of psychological curiosity for seeking individuals searching for spiritual answers and we are told during this stage of development God sends them just ordinary teachers and spiritual books for addressing the awakening of these souls. What is the forecast for them in the future?

These are times of uncertainty and tremendous change. People are turning to yoga meditation and spirituality to find their own inner comfort. In the midst of a changing world, spirituality and yoga is more significant now for discovering one's own inner center and is moving further into society. The question is how do you find a spiritual teacher or the right house of worship?

When a spiritual teacher motivates a spiritual runaway to come back to God, that is considered the highest duty of human service there is to a fellow being. The Lord loves to see His children consciously search for Him, and is very pleased when a spiritual teacher influences them to come unto Him. To hear God speak through these souls, is to have masses of delusion taken away from the minds of the listeners.

Unfortunately that universal thief, delusion and ignorance has arrived to this earth to steal man's consciousness from God to make him forget the immortality of the soul, its joy and wisdom and cause him to feel mortal through the experience of death. There are false teachers who have falling prey to this delusion. Themselves victimized partner in this theft. Not knowing God they cannot pass on His realization to someone else; instead, in their own stupidity they not only obliterate their own would-be understanding, but that of their unfortunate followers as well.

Be wary of the hypocritical behavior of teachers, preachers and priests who demonstrate any style of prayer or preaching in an overstated demonstration of fervor before people attending worship to convince them of their spirituality and holiness to receive fame, praise, material or financial gain.

Self-elected or appointed soap box speakers can create emotional or intellectual upheavals in the thoughts of spectators and be sincerely persuasive, but they are unable to uplift and save souls; during their period of prayer halfhearted mental rambling brings neither an answer from God or the focused attention essential for economic success in these troubled times. Any one of them who uses holiness or religion for individual attainments, business or financial largess creates unto themselves a heavy judgment of misery and baneful bad karma.

Ministries are frequently built on the personalities of ministers, who are trained like actors to successfully drive home the lines of their theoretical orations. However, because of a lack of spirituality the emotional or intellectual rhetoric is also performed like socials and musical performances that causes a loss of interest from its members if they have not received any inner fulfillment or experience. Ministries can't compete nor should they try to do so with professional entertainment. Nor should churches try to attract class-conscious people with architectural grandeur from huge sums of money merely to be more then a place to be seen and see.

Congregational worship should emphasize interiorization, meditation (absorbing oneself in God) and stress the absence of mental restlessness, with an avoidance of scriptural recital, kneeling down and standing up, and other external rituals of the body. The presence of God appears when bodily motions cease and the mind becomes quite. The recitation of prayers and chants do some good, but keep the mind external and the effects remains limited without deep soulful prayers in the quite of solitude.

There are some teachers who know nothing about God and present to their congregation secondhand opinions amassed from hours spent scanning over scriptures and books. There is a hint to all ministers and preachers of the gospel. To commit to memory the language of the scriptures or be given a degree of Divinity is not enough. One must preach and digest truth with the conviction and power of the soul. But those who have little or nothing to do with God but espouse Him just from the pulpit, are the type described as "hypocrites." They seldom ever pray; they mostly read and simply preach what they've read that's why holy sermons create a vague devotion in the minds of people. Those in their congregation for the majority, let the invalidated orations go through one ear and out the other. To represent yourself as an authority on gems with no knowledge about gemology is a scam if you know nothing about gemology. Equally, to represent oneself as religiously and spiritually qualified is unprincipled if there has been no effort to commune with God.

When looking for a teacher the masters would require certain qualities and practices. Additionally, would add in the principles that include the following behavior. Sympathy, a teacher cannot transmit truth without being sympathetic; those seeking support from their problems need spiritual help to relieve them of their troubles and assist those in search of spiritual growth. He should be loyal and natural to his principles. He should never speak hurtful words or gossip about others or entertain revengeful thoughts by being angry against those who criticize him. Knowing the rules of etiquette and proper decorum are extremely favorable. He should never try to compete with other spiritual teachers and teach loyalty to that principle.

He should have a reverential qualified knowledge of religions, whereas being rooted in truth while understanding the differences between custom and real religion. He must be motivated by the inner awareness of truth to be able to transmit truth effectively. He should be well versed and believe in the truths he strives to teach while trying to realize them himself.

The most qualified teacher of spirituality is the intuitional teacher and once awakened by meditation does not have to depend on reason, he knows.
A spiritual teacher that does not have self-realization should make a great effort for subversion of the ego and God attunement and meditate before instructing others, a much more valuable practice than formulating ideas from the opinions of others or books.

Religion, spirituality, or houses of worship should never be commercialized or used for personal gain. It is desirable that a teacher of spirituality not be given a salary. Once the teacher starts to accept money for doing God's work, it simply develops into a job; his thoughts will be on wanting more money and making a living, unlike the Christlike belief of serving God without the thoughts of compensation. I'm thinking about monastic teachers who renounce all for serving God. They must be free of burdens or obligations to give selflessly of themselves.

God channels his work through pure souls, these teachers need to be reminded that they must never appoint or desire themselves to be named "master." For those of you who are not sure of what that means, master by definition is one who is master of himself, not of others. He is the wise ruler and owner of his own actions with complete control of his senses. A real master has subdued his own ego and therefore neither displays or yearns for an illustrious title as his own. He who has not conquered his emotions and moods and is annoyed by life's numerous vexations and by allowing others to "get his goat" over a few words of irritation is a long way from declaring himself a master. A master can never be harmed in their spiritual aloofness in spite of what is denied to them.

Only a authentic follower or disciple who has experienced the disciplined spiritual practices of the sadhana, of a true master and who has cleansed his illusion-infected ego will make it to master. Masters will not ask their disciples to teach unless they are true from the past (previous incarnations). All great masters chose their disciples in the same way. The important requisites are a sincere readiness to listen, attunement and good karma.

When a soul is determined to find and know God, He sends him a spiritual master, illumined soul or guru, to help him to be free from his own karma. Only a true master who has no karma is able to take a portion of your cross on his back. If you follow one who has not realized God he can't take it, he is merely a school teacher. The book "Autobiography of a Yogi" by Paramahansa Yogananda, explains this in detail. You can also read it online.

You may reprint this article as long as the source is kept intact.
Copyright Gary Zalben.

The Finnish phone manufacturer Nokia is known for creating a number of handsets that cater to your entertainment. It has done this with its past smartphone the N8. Now, there is another mobile phone that caters more to your entertainment. This is the X7. It comes with a 4 inch AMOLED touch screen that offers a number of advantages.

This 4 inch AMOLED display offers 360 x 640 pixels of resolution. With this cutting edge display, you can enjoy more form high-quality viewing. However, you might be worried that this display is susceptible to scratches. This will result in a replacement display that may cost a lot of money. If this is worrying you, you do not need to worry. The phone's display is protected by Gorilla glass. This slim but tough glass is highly scratch resistant. It prevents these unexpected accidents from happening.

These days, people love browsing the internet on their mobile phones. However, if you have a smaller display, you might not enjoy the internet on your phone. This will not be the case on this handset. Since it comes with a large screen display, you will enjoy every image, graphics, text, streamed videos, and animation found on any website. It will be as if you were browsing the web on your PC.

With a high-quality display, watching videos will definitely be worth your while. You can visit video streaming websites such as YouTube and watch videos in 720p. This means that high-definition is very much possible. You can watch anything from trailers to music videos, from instructions to how-to videos, and from the entertaining to the candid in HD.

Aside from video streaming websites, you can also enjoy Web TV on demand on the Nokia X7. With this feature, you never have to wait until you get home to watch your favorite programs. The feature allows you to watch the news on the go. You can watch channels such as BBC and CNN. If you're more into documentaries, you can always watch the National Geographic channel. If you are looking for more channels, you can always visit the Ovi Store. Streaming these channels can be done either by 3G network or Wi-Fi.

Aside from watching videos and TV programs, you can also play more intense games on this smartphone's high-quality display. You can play intense games such as Assassin's Creed Brotherhood, Asphalt 4, and the Sims 3 Ambitions.

The Nokia X7 was built around entertainment. It comes with features that allow you to take advantage of its 4 inch AMOLED display.

The squeeze page is simply a sales page but not one for selling your products. Rather, it is a web page built with only one intention - to "squeeze" out the email addresses, and not money, out of visitors to your website. It can therefore, be regarded as the gateway to your entire business. As such it should be handled and crafted with utmost care. It is in this wise that these three tips are given in this article to enhance its conversion rate.

Tip # 1:

Design a Proper Squeeze Page.

The squeeze page will reflect whether your business is a lousy or a serious one which visitors could willingly release their well guarded email addresses to. It should be well crafted with all the essentials of a sales letter.

• A Great Headline - the headline is perhaps the most important part of your squeeze page. A proper headline should grab the attention and force people to read the rest of your message.
• Convincing Bullet Points - here, give the premise of your service, and a little bit of pre--âÂ�Â�selling.
• A Clean, Professional Design that makes it not only visually appealing but also displays the opt-in box prominently visible to visitors.
• Above the Fold, which means the opt-in box can be seen without excessive scrolling. Above all,
• Give a Free and Irresistible Offer of considerable value and quality upfront.

Tip # 2:

No Videos On The Page:

Video or audio are no doubt good media that could make your site unique and convince visitors to spend a little more time considering your offer, but the simple fact is that a greater number of the people who visit your squeeze page are rather impulsive; that is to say, they are not exactly patient enough for anything to load if they are not sure they want it. So, keeping your squeeze pages free of videos will allow them to load fast and cleanly. Your visitors, without any waiting, can read the salient points right away, and immediately decide to opt in while their attentions are aflame. Therefore the simple rule of thumb is that, "skip the video or visitors will skip you."

Tip # 3:

No Heavyweight Effects On Your Squeeze Page:

It is not only videos that you should skip on your squeeze page; avoid also any medium that will consume high bandwidths like Music and Sounds, because they will hold up the loading process. And so are images. Take note that smarter users have the ability to block any media from untrusted sources.

My advice in this wise is that, "if you do not want them to block you, just stick to text and graphics."

The foregoing are no secrets but very essential and useful tips... all in an attempt to build your list. Now that you have been with me to this far, I will reveal to you this revolutionary, easy and pleasurable way of List Building

People normally panic when faced with fearful situations. It is natural to be anxious before a job interview or before rendering a speech in front of an audience. But there are people whose lives are ruled by fears. If you are experiencing extreme fear without a realistic reason to get scared and it is preventing you from living a normal life, you might be suffering from anxiety disorder. It is important to know how to defeat anxiety and panic disorder to stop living in fear and reclaim your life.

Anxiety or panic disorder is a sudden and intense fear over something with no real reason and it is accompanied by physical symptoms like trembling, sweating, chest pain, palpitation or pounding heartbeat, shortness of breath, dizziness and numbness. Sufferers may also experience cognitive symptoms like feeling of unreality and fear of going insane or losing control. Sufferers who have this disorder often find it hard to function normally on their daily lives. The disorder can last for months and even years if left untreated.

Anxiety disorder is a treatable condition and to defeat anxiety and panic disorder the following tips can be very helpful.

Seek professional help. If you think you have anxiety disorder, of course the first thing that you should do is to seek professional help or see your doctor. It is important to know that your symptoms are brought by a panic disorder and not by other medical conditions. A mental health professional trained in cognitive behavioral therapy has the qualification to treat people with anxiety disorder. Your doctor may combine medications and therapy. You and your doctor should work together on the treatment plan to defeat anxiety and panic disorder. It is important to follow your doctor's instructions when it comes to medications because stopping the medications abruptly or taking medications without your doctor's supervision may have a bad effect on your condition and your overall health.

Relaxation techniques. You need to learn to calm your mind and body to be able to relax. It is easier to defeat anxiety and panic disorder with a relaxed mind and body. The mind and the body are connected. The mind can control the reaction of your body. There are numerous ways to relax your mind and body to relieve the tension or stress which is one of the triggers of anxiety attacks. Deep breathing or slow deep breathing while listening to a soothing music is a good relaxation technique. Meditation is also another relaxation technique. With constant practice you will eventually master the skills in relaxing your mind and body.

Support groups. Anxiety disorder is a treatable disorder but of course you have to find a treatment that will work for you while you are undergoing various treatments. Joining a support group can be very helpful to make the treatments more effective. Talking about your experiences, difficulties and struggles to people with the same problem can be a relief and can be very helpful to defeat anxiety and panic disorder.

If you are looking for natural treatments and want to defeat anxiety and panic disorder without the side effects of drugs, a revolutionary new technique is an option. To learn more visit Panic Disorder Freedom

Guitar players always seem to be on the lookout for some new book, gadget, item, or other piece of equipment. I think that's because, as musicians, we have a desire to sound good, look cool, and be able to develop our skills to the best of our ability. Having the right equipment is important because it enables us to do just that.

So, I've created a list of the 5 top-rated guitar accessories that every guitarist can use. These items are relatively inexpensive and make excellent gifts too...

5 TOP-RATED GUITAR ACCESSORIES:

1. Capo:

There are basically two types of capos- those that clamp on and those that have a band which wraps around the neck. The second type mentioned either has an elastic band that stretches tight, or a web type material which locks in place. Both types of capos have a flat surface (usually rubber) that lays across the top of the guitar strings. There is also another type of capo that has recently been designed to facilitate open tunings.

• Shubb Capo - I have tried other capos, but this is the one I prefer. It was designed for steel-string acoustic guitars and electric guitars, but I also use it on my classical guitars. Very simple, fast and easy to use. It is also very stable so the strings will stay in tune.

2. Gig Bag / Guitar Case:

A "gig bag" is a soft shell guitar case as opposed to a hard shell case. Soft shell cases have been greatly improved in recent years and now provide better protection than they used to because the materials are much stronger. These cases are a good choice for anyone who is on a limited budget. However, they will not protect the guitar from damage due to dropping or being knocked around as well as a hard shell case would.

• World Tour's Deluxe 20mm Series Gig Bag - This is a top-of-the-line, professional quality bag. It is designed and built for the rigors of the road with twenty mm of high-density padding on all sides and covered with a water resistant, PVC-backed Cordura exterior material. The interior is a fine scratch-proof Cordura.


• Gator GCELEC Deluxe Molded Universal Electric Guitar Case - Made of rugged ABS construction to handle the battle of the road, yet the interior is fitted with "Class A" plush. The case is also lockable and features a bolt-through system, which bonds the exterior to the interior at the handle.


• Gator GC-Dread Deluxe Molded Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar Case - The Gator GC-Dread uses ABS construction and offers great protection for your guitar. It's also lockable and features the patent pending bolt-through system which bonds the interior to the exterior at the handle. The case has a Class A plush interior, plus an accessory pocket, for your capo, extra strings, tuner, picks, etc.

3. Tuner:

Tuners come in all shapes and sizes, everything from a simple tuning fork to a real time virtual strobe technological device will get the job done. My first guitar tuner was a pitch pipe, which I still have and sometimes use. One thing that I've noticed about a pitch pipe though, is that some guitar students can't match the pitch pipe tone to their strings! They discover that it's much easier to tune their guitar with my digital chromatic tuner because the needle automatically tells them when the string is at the correct pitch.

• Korg TM 40 Chromatic Tuner and Metronome - This is a great guitar accessory because you get both a metronome and a tuner in one unit. The TM 40 "...provides quick and accurate coverage of a wide spectrum of notes and pitches..." and is the perfect practice tool for any musician, especially the beginner guitarist.

4. Guitar Maintenance Kit:

There are only two things you really need in order to clean your guitar... a cleaning cloth and guitar polish. These items are inexpensive and can be purchased at your local music store. You do not want to use household furnisher polish or oil products. I once had a student who used Neat's Foot Oil to clean and "condition" his guitar neck. Needless to say, his new strings were ruined.

• Dunlop System 65 Guitar Maintenance Kit- The kit contains 5 bottles of Dunlop's guitar care products along with instructions, a microfine fret polishing cloth and two 100% cotton cloths. This guitar maintenance kit is a good choice for any guitar player who wants to keep their instrument in tip-top condition.

5. Guitar Strings:

It's a good idea to stay away from cheap guitar strings simply because they break and don't sound good for very long. You will actually save money by investing in better quality strings. It's generally safe to stick with brand names you recognize like: Martin, D'Addario, Fender, Guild, LaBella, GHS...

• Elixir Nanoweb Acoustic Guitar Strings - These are the strings I've been using on my steel string acoustic guitar lately. They produce a nice, bright sound and have a tendency to last longer, so you save money in the long run by not having to buy strings as often. Their patented coating technology prevents contamination and corrosion.


• Darco Electric Guitar Strings (12 Pack) - Designed for rock and jazz by the C.F Martin company, these strings offer quality, durability, & cost savings all in one neat little package. The nickel plating provides great tarnish resistance and is a perfect complement to magnetic pickups.

The brand Samsung has proudly announced the detailed features of its new Plasma TV series PND6500, of the year 2011 and the positive changes and renewed appearance is clearly noticeable in the product ranges which are surely going to prove to be big hits for the new generation TV viewers for its excellence, dynamism and exclusive features.

The 59 inch Samsung PN59D6500 is certainly going to appear like a pure enigma to the onlookers and consumers who awaited a product just like this. According to any Samsung PN59D6500 Review, the product is a combination of all imaginable features which are breathtakingly wonderful and beneficial to the users. Keeping in mind the design and portability of the 59 TV, Samsung claimed that the big viewable screen will not disturb the concept of space-usage due to its narrow bezel design which does not allow the cabinet size to increase. The width of the TV being 1.5 inches, is perfectly balanced, by being neither too thin nor too thick. The mind-blowing picture quality of the TV is appreciative because of its perfect play of shades, shadows and color presentation along with amazing contrasts and combinations of smooth motion, color details and rendition and excellent realism of pictures.

The TV appears to be a superb companion for dark room viewing and for home theater purposes. The pictures are perfectly viewable in dark as well as in light shades and make the quality and comprehension purely amusing. The consumers would be awed by the quality of 3D viewing and would be happy to see some of the drawbacks of previous versions missing from the product including the much better formatted 3D glasses, its quality and performance. The wonderfully advantageous features like Wireless Access, Samsung Smart Hub's Internet Connectivity and some other exclusive features like the Connectshare features which allows the TV to have accessibility with the photos, music, pictures, movies and videos, simply mesmerize and empowers the users to enjoy a product and its extended characteristics like never before, which enables them to explore the external world with all fineness and commencement.

Apart from these awesome features, the performance of the TV is unquestionable and unmistakably admirable for its high-quality and balanced sound quality which with its richer and fuller base and volume can fill up a huge room with impressive effects and gravity. The menu functionality present in the remote control devise is easy to handle, well laid out an easy to handle for the users. The instructional tips will lead the user to use the remote control with faster access and usability.

Lastly, the appearance of the TV is purely enviable with its charcoal colored screen and heavy metal body with a glass linage surrounding the set from four sides. The product is a sure head-turner and a thing of awe and pride exuding charm, dignity, superiority and a class part. The possessor of the TV is sure to feel the trill and excitement of its sheer presentation of every details and life from each single picture presented on the screen.

Take a free tour

Miami is a fascinating city - vibrant, energetic, culturally diverse and rich in history. The best way to gain a deeper understanding of Miami's history and culture is by taking a guided tour. There are several free tours which operate throughout Miami, such as the Biltmore Hotel tour, a historic hotel with an amazing history; The Barnacle Historic Site tour, Miami-Dade County's oldest house; or the Cape Florida Lighthouse tour, the oldest building in South Florida.

While all of these tours are free, it's worth bearing in mind that some may require a few dollars for tips or car parking.

Self-guided tours have also become popular in Miami, with the Coconut Grove Walking Tour, Miami Beach Walking Tour, Crandon Park Walking Tour and the Downtown Waterfront Walking Tour proving popular with tourists.

Explore Miami Design District

Formally part of the Buena Vista, the Design District is a neighborhood of greater Midtown Miami, made up primarily of low-rise warehouses and industrial spaces. During the 1990s the area received heavy investment, and began its transformation into the Design District we know today. The Design District is now a thriving hub of creativity, and its streets are lined with galleries, shops, restaurants and cafes.

On the second Saturday of every month over 100 local vendors open their doors from 7-10pm for Art and Design Night. This popular event gives members of the public an opportunity to soak up all the area has to offer, by exploring the galleries, showrooms and cafes, while enjoying a great selection refreshments, music, art and food.

Ride the Metromover

The Miami Metromover is a free-to-ride, automated train system which serves Downtown Miami, Brickell, Park West and Omni neighborhoods. The Metromover is a convenient way to travel around Miami, and links many of downtown Miami's retail centres, office buildings and hotels. The service operates on three loops and stops at 21 stations, including Freedom Tower, City Library and Miami Art Museum.

Visit Miami Art Museum

Miami Art Museum is a modern and contemporary art museum located in downtown Miami. It was founded in 1984 as the Center for the Fine Arts, and became Miami Art Museum in 1996.

MAM, as its commonly known, specialises in exhibiting international art of the 20th and 21st centuries, with an emphasis on art from cultures of the Atlantic Rim - Africa, Europe and the Americas. Typically entry to MAM will cost $8 for an adult and $4 for a senior, however admission is free every second Saturday of the month.

Spend a day at the beach

A trip to Miami wouldn't be complete without spending at least one day at the beach. Miami boasts some of the best coastline on the world, and has a great selection of beaches to suit everyone's requirements, from bustling South Beach, to family-friendly Crandon Park Beach. A day at the beach costs nothing, and is one of the best ways to enjoy Miami.

There are so many great things to do for free in Miami, with just a handful listed above. By researching free activities online before you arrive in Miami, you can plan whole days out without having to break the bank.

YouTube is a very popular and very useful website. It has a lot of features which allow you to use video to promote your business, share personal experiences, or do pretty much whatever you want.

However, YouTube isn't the end-all of video sites. With that in mind, here are some alternatives:

• Facebook - That's right; the social networking site you likely already use is a great place to put video. You can upload videos, add them with Facebook Mobile, or record straight from your webcam - and still use the "tag" feature.


• Metacafe - Metacafe's focus is more on short-form entertainment for video games, sports, movies, etc. It's not TV episodes or movies, 10 minutes at a time, but instead short, standalone videos.


• VideoJug - This site focuses more on instructional videos and how-to videos. This is great if you have a certain expertise you can share with others.


• Vimeo - It a site to share creative work, short movies, music videos, etc. Most videos are HD quality and a decent production value.


• yfrog - What is perhaps better known as a photo-sharing site used on Twitter, yfrog also does video. Because it is so popular on Twitter, it allows you to upload, post, and share them on your social networking accounts and from your mobile device.


• Viddler - This video site is more about branding, and is therefore mostly used by businesses and corporations. However, there's no reason you can't do the same with your business or personal brand.


• Photobucket - This is another primarily-used-for-pictures site, but it does have video features which are worth exploring.


• Flickr - Flickr is also better known for its photo sharing, but also have video capabilities. Videos have a 90-second limit; but even though videos are short, the goal is to capitalize on the huge network Flickr already has in place.


• blip.tv - If you have the means or desire to start your own webcast, webseries, or webisodes, blip.tv is likely your best bet. This site is geared toward ongoing content that is uploaded regularly.


• DailyMotion - DailyMotion is the second most popular video sharing website (second to YouTube) with a wide variety of content. While there is plenty of amateur content, it mostly features professional and quality clips. There is also an emphasis on community and social interaction.

So if you're looking to use video to expand your business, promote yourself, and share your content, there's no reason not to go to YouTube - but that doesn't mean you shouldn't also explore some of the other options available to you. They may be more catered to what you're looking for.

Looking back five years ago, not everyone knew that the iPhone would be as great as it is today. Big tech reviewers like The NY Times and Wall Street thought it was too slow, especially AT&T's 1.2G connectivity. It still didn't have a 3G technology back then, but experts were keen to say that it may just be the future of handheld computing. Time also thought it was worth calling "Invention of the Year."

A few years after (five to be exact), its two CEO's were listed as the most influential people of the world, it has billions of app downloaders all over the world for their iPhones, it can sell iPhone in more than a hundred countries all over the world, and it has been recognized as the most valuable company in the world. And all of this they owe to the iPhone. During its 5th year anniversary, Strategy Analytics gave its findings on how the iPhone has been faring since the tech giant released the iPhone original way back in June 29, 2007.

According to statistics, retailers have been selling an iPhone like crazy these days. So many, in fact, that there are more iPhones sold than babies born in the world every day. Their marketing strategies have also been super effective what with their worldwide ranking hovering to 1st place after being 44th on the list. The tech company has also grown massively to 20,000 new employees and 357 Apple stores all over the world. If you think that after 5 iPhone models people will wane from the iPhone fever, well you're in for a bigger surprise. Apparently, as the competition rises, people get more excited over what the tech giant has in store for them when it comes to the iPhone.

This can be clearly seen in iPhone maker's revenues and sales. In 2007, when our friend, Steve Jobs unveiled the iPhone, critics were quick to say that while the iPhone was a breakthrough in the tech industry, it didn't really mean it would become the best smartphone ever invented. But the next day's sales proved them wrong. Apple's stock rose to a mad $97.80. The year after, the tech giant opened its Apple App Store to cater to the app needs of their users all over the world. Only two years after the opening of the tech company's virtual app market, it has successfully gained 10 billion app downloads. The 10 billionth person who downloaded from the App Store to get a Paper Glider won a $10,000 gift check to spend on apps and music and movies. Just last financial quarter, Apple was able to sell iPhone like mad with 35.1 units all over the world. If you add all of the iPhones sold since 2007, the tech giant was actually able to sell 250 million iPhones which accounts to $150 billion.

All in all, there were 360 million devices sold last quarter that ran the iOS which includes iPhones, iPads and iPods. They have recently announced the coming of the iOS 6 to their app developers during the WWDC. What else is in store for Apple? Why, the iPhone 5 of course!

Udaipur is one of the major tourist destinations in Rajasthan. It is also popular as the 'City of Lakes' and 'Venice of East'. Read on more to know why you must visit Udaipur and also check some good hotels in Udaipur.

The jewel of Rajasthan, Udaipur is named after its founder Maharaja Uday Singh. This city has a great Rajput-era historical background and culture. Udaipur tourist attractions are renowned and are visited by tourists from all across the country and abroad as well. Pichola Lake, City Palace, Jag Mandir and Maharana Pratap Memorial are some hubs of Udaipur tourism. Lake Palace is located in the middle of Pichola Lake and is the finest example of Rajputana architectural and cultural excellence. Udaipur is also the center of arts, crafts and paintings. Haldighati, situated at a comfortable distance of 40 km from Udaipur, is a major historical site which witnessed the great legendry battle fought between Maharana Pratap and the Mughal Emperor Akbar. A 'Chhatri' made with white marble is dedicated both to Maharana Pratap and his horse Chetak is note worthy. A jeep drive to this place is rather interesting. Kumbhalgarh is situated 64 km from Udaipur and is also a major tourist spot for the Fort and Wildlife Sanctuary located in Aravalli hills. Kumbhalgarh Fort is a major historical monument made by Rana Kumbha. The wildlife Sanctuary is spread over an area of 578 sq Km and is home to a large variety of wildlife and birds.

Udaipur is well connected through rest of India by roads, railways and airways. Dabok airport, also known as Maharana Pratap Airport has flights connecting Udaipur to other cities. Udaipur is a major railway station in Western Railway Zone. This city lies on the intersection of Golden Quadrilateral (NH 8) and East-west Corridor.

Udaipur hotels

Rajputana Resort is one of the 3 star heritage hotels in Udaipur located 2 km from railway station. It has a prestigious overall star rating of 4.5 out of 5 and is recommended by 7 out of 10 guests stayed here. The hotel offers quality accommodation in its luxurious royal suits with modern amenities. It also facilitates its guests with unique facilities like swimming pool, outdoor gaming, Rajasthani Folk Dances, bon fire and daily cultural programs. Room tariff starts from Rs.3500.

Hotel Saheli Palace is the one among best Udaipur hotels in budget class located in the heart of city. The hotel has an excellent overall guest rating of 4 stars and 81% customer recommendation. Well appointed rooms are available equipped with quality features. It also offers good dining and conference facilities and cultural programs like folk music and puppet show. Room rates are between Rs.990-1800.