The Great Expert Blog

UNIVERSAL RHYTHMS: The Sea and Me I sit on warm sand, dig my toes to damp coolness Drained from the last wave’s advance on the shore. Another wave breaks, then in orgasmic relief Washes over me, then ebbs, as in a musical score. The waves come in ripples, then cascading crashes Like tinkling flute notes, then brass cymbals clashing. In rhythms incessant and bold undulant patterns, Progressing, regressing, with sunlit foam flashing. The rhythm engulfs me, and I feel I’m in rhyme With cycles, and heartbeats, and breathing in time, With the planets’ rotation, the moon’s faithful phases, With electrons filling orbits, and seasons in chime. The breadth of the ocean and its plummeting depths Shrink problems of humans to the tiniest mote– And is shrunken then further by vast cosmic space Singing soft and serene like an orchestral note. In rhythms the spheres let their music be found, Stars born and stars dying, as energy abounds– It’s all kept in measure, to keep the song going; My heart resonates in an intimated knowing. As I look to the sea, hear the sure beat of waves, I see all abiding in sublime harmony, This vast and indomitable universe sings With every tree and beast and the sea and me. By Carolyn McNeil Weaver December 13, 2006

www.originalpoetry.com

In the world today, if you don’t have a cell phone you’re out of
touch. How do you pick the right phone, the right plan or the
right company? There are many factors to that should be taken
into consideration. If you have a large family, one of the many
family plans could be the ticket. Some family plans share a pool
of minutes. This can be a good or bad thing depending on how
good your family is at sharing. If you have teenagers who tend
to talk quite a bit on the cell phones (and most do these days),
this may not be the best way to go although buying a separate
plan for each teen could be very expensive. One idea is the
“pay-as-you go” plan. These plans use minutes from a pre-paid
bank of a set duration. At least this way you have control over
how much you spend each month. Another type of family plan lets
family members pay for their own calling, but if family members
sign up, everybody gets a better price then if they had signed
up individually. Some plans also give you a break on the price
of the cell phones themselves. Be sure to check out these types
of plans carefully. If you are just shopping for yourself;
carefully evaluate what you think your cell phones usage will
be. If it’s just for emergencies or occasional use the afore
mentioned pay-as-you go plans may be sufficient. You could also
buy the cheapest plan available. Some are as low as $20 a month.
Most people however, use their cellphones a lot and need many
minutes. If this is the case, pay-as-you-go plans can get very
expensive and it makes more sense to buy a plan that gives you
several hundred minutes worth of time each month. Another thing
to consider is the options. Does the plan come with roaming,
long-distance, text-messaging, etc. included? Are these extras
important to you? If they are then be sure to total up the costs
of each plan. Some include extras in the plan cost, some don’t.
Don’t sign up for a plan only to find out that you have to pay
additional costs for the features you want that another plan
included free or for the same price. Lastly, do the cell phones
available for the plan come with the features you want or need.
Cameras, games, two-way radio functions are just some of the
many new functions being added to today’s phones. About the
author: Jon Wilder is the owner of www.cellvelocity.com This
article may be reprinted on condition that the source box is
included and the article is unedited. Copyright 2005 Jon Wilder

Zirconium - facts and fun by GETi.

Facts AND fun? I’m not so sure about the fun bit for this article. Having researched this on the internet all I seem to come across is a load of boring facts and figures, but here goes.

Zirconium - symbol : Zr, Periodic table number (just in case you haven’t read this elsewhere and don’t know!) : 40, Atomic weight : a nice trim, sexy 91.224 (what a girl !!). And that just about covers everything you need to know. So, how can I pad this out a bit and make it interesting? I could tell you what forms it is available in I suppose, again in case you don’t know, as with Titanium, Zirconium is found in many forms including : 1] foil (a bit expensive for cooking the Christmas turkey though), 2] sponge, 3] rod, 4] sheet, 5] wire, 6] bar and 7] powder. Actually the powder form is probably the interesting one that many people see on various occasions throughout the year because Zirconium powder is a major component of modern day fireworks - not a lot of people know that.

OK what’s next? Appearance : Zirconium is a greyish, white lustrous metal with all the same hypoallergenic qualities and space age applications as Titanium with one crazy advantage that sets it apart from any other metal in the fact that when it is heat treated, it forms a deep silky black oxide coating that is extremely scratch resistant. Although it is not exactly true to call it a coating, what actually happens is the surface of the metal transforms into a ceramic like material called Zirconia which has hardness equal to sapphire. An example of this heat treatment on Zirconium is in the medical industry. Zirconium knee replacements are heat treated to give them extra wear resistance and will outlast any joints made from other materials.

“Where is Zirconium found?” I hear you all screaming - well to put you out of your misery deposits are found in Australia, Brazil, India, Russia and the USA. If I have missed anybody out please accept my apologies. Also don’t forget ‘S’ type stars and lunar rock samples, when analysed, were found to contain surprisingly high Zirconium oxide content. It has also been identified in the sun - don’t ask me how, that was the first question that came into my mind as well !!

Uses for Zirconium : Components for nuclear reactors, fireworks as previously mentioned and jewellery. What do you mean jewellery? Well I’m glad you asked - the diamond simulant, Cubic Zirconia, or CZ, comes from Zirconium and also wedding and dress rings by GETi are made from Zirconium.

That just about wraps it up I’m afraid, What was that Skip? You want some more? OK - just a couple of snippets - Zirconium was discovered in 1789 by Martin Heinrich Klaproth and isolated in 1824 by Jons Jakob Berzelius. Pure Zirconium wasn’t prepared until 1914 and when extracted it is a dark sooty powder. There you go - this should get you an ‘A’ in science, I’m off for a cup of tea.

GETi are the UK’s leading brand of Titanium rings, hand crafted in the UK. http://www.geti.cc

Question: Is Satellite TV, Such as Dish Network, Really Better Than Cable?

As the war in video entertainment continues, one thing is for sure: satellite television is here to stay.

When the satellite distributors first began marketing to consumers, the cable industry didn’t give their new opponent much thought. Dishes were expensive, they were bulky and their program offerings weren’t all that impressive. Cable on the other hand had been around for more than a decade and offered a familiar and reliable solution to home entertainment.

But oh how things have changed.

The satellite industry quickly replaced those bulky dishes with sleeker, smaller systems that could be mounted just about anywhere. Prices dropped, programming grew and pretty soon, switching from cable to satellite TV wasn’t such a far-fetched idea after all.

Today, the Satellite TV industry and providers, such as Dish Network, enjoy a steady and continued growth in subscribers and services, gradually closing the gap in video entertainment market share. Where the cable industry has reported an annual growth between 10 to 15 percent, top satellite companies, such as Direct TV, boast a market share increase of just under 30% according to a study from The Media Audit.

So is satellite and providers such as Dish Network really better than cable?

Satellite TV customers seem to think so. Studies show that satellite customers pay an average of $10 less per month than their cable counterparts. Satellite programming is also all-digital, meaning the reception and picture quality is much better than that of traditional analog cable. Cable subscribers do have the option of upgrading to digital but this incurs an additional monthly cost and doesn’t guarantee all the channels will be included in the upgrade. And, with the healthy dose of competition in the satellite industry, consumers can be assured of continued competitive pricing. Your cable provider doesn’t have any competition. Do you suppose that affects your rate increases?

Satellite TV subscribers also tout a higher satisfaction rating with customer service issues, one of the primary reasons cited for making the move from cable.

For details, visit dish-network-sate llite-tv.ws

It’s time to fact the facts. You have overspent on your credit cards and are experiencing trouble paying for your balances. You know you need help to get out of debt or you wouldn’t be reading this right now.

Well, lucky for you, there are many steps you can take to release yourself from credit card debt. It will be painful for you, especially if you have gone overboard with all the luxuries in life, but it will be all worth it. Indeed, your efforts will be rewarded when you find it easy to get that home mortgage or car loan, and that you are enjoying relatively low interests as compared to others.

Step 1: How much do you really owe in credit cards?

The first thing you need to do is to analyze your total credit card debt. Compile all outstanding balances from your credit cards, and acquire the grand total for everything. Did you ever realize that you owe that much?

Step 2: Analyze your income and monthly expenses

It’s about time you know exactly where your money is going to! Based on your monthly income, determine the amount of money you are spending in each area - food, rentals, utilities, gas, entertainment, etc. Wherever possible, limit your expenses in each of these areas and eliminate unnecessary expenditure such as dining out, clothing or your gym membership.

It may be a reality that your current income may be insufficient to support your lifestyle, in which drastic adjustments need to be made. In the event you don’t have anything left even after you have reduced expenses, perhaps it is time to get a second job for a period until you get back on your feet.

Step 3: Make allocations for credit card payment

After you have deducted your expenses from your income, you should have some money left to pay off your credit card debt. It’s always easier if you pay off the credit cards with the higher interest rates first. This way, you will be plugging the larger hole first that is leaking money from your pocket.

Step 4: Stop charging to your credit cards

If you can’t stop yourself, just cut up your credit cards to stop altogether. Just leave two cards with minimum interest charges for emergency purposes only. This way, you won’t be piling up more debt on yourself, but rather just concentrating on reducing your outstanding balances.

Other debt reduction measures

If your debt is huge, you may want to consider other measures such as balance transfer to a 0% APR credit card. This way, you get to save on interest charges and get to pay off your balances gradually over the introductory 0% APR period. Another alternative is to get a debt consolidation loan and consolidate all your credit card debt under one loan. With the lower interest rates from a debt consolidation loan, you won’t have to bear the high interests while you pay off your loan.

Alan Bernstein recommends Find Credit Cards to apply for a First Premier credit card today.

Sure, if you had your choice, you’d avoid debt, spend only what you earn, and save a ton of money for the future. But sometimes it just doesn’t work out that easily. Life throws you those little curve balls, such as repairs on your car or home, doctor visits for your children, or any of those costs that add up and make it near impossible to get ahead. Plus, it doesn’t help that your health benefits keep going up in cost, along with the cost of gas, while your paycheck seems to be staying at the same level indefinitely.

Debt, in other words, sometimes has to be a way of life if you’re going to keep on keeping on. So that leaves with you the option of wracking up debt on high-interest credit cards, which will charge you nearly double-digit interest and will take forever to pay off. Or you could put your hands in your bank and hope they will loan you a second or third mortgage. Or as one last option, you could head to the casinos and put everything you own on red and spin the wheel.

How about choosing the safest path in the middle. That is, don’t mortgage your future, your home, or your family by taking out a risky line of credit on your home. And definitely don’t risk your sanity by hitting the tables at the nearest casino. You might hit it big, but most likely, you just hit the heartache in a big way. No, your best bet is to find the right vehicle for your debt that charges relatively low interest and is safe and secure.

Believe it or not, there are some credit cards now out there that can help you service your debt in this manner. Some of the best cards on the market now are called secured cards, and they are some of the safest out there because they protect your identity and your privacy. For example, if you shop online often or pay your bills on the Web every month, your secured credit card can make it so you don’t have to fear.

One of the scariest things about using plastic on the Web is that hackers, crooks, and other cyber thieves can tap into your account numbers, your birth date, or even your social security. With that vital information, they could then steal your identity, ruin your credit, and make it so you can never take out debt again.

With secured credit cards, though, build up a responsible amount of debt without fear of your identity being snatched from you. You can feel safe with these cards shopping at virtually any site on the Web. One reason is because these cards come with a feature called zero liability. That means that if a thief steals your card, or just your number online, you are not responsible for anything that he bought the card with. Many normal cards, on the other hand, would require that you pay at least $50 or more of the thief’s spending spree.

Some newer secured cards have also what is called one-time, or virtual temporary numbers. With these, every time you shop online, your card changes its account number, so that only you know it. With these features, and then some, you can finance your debt without fear of losing yourself in the process, figuratively and literally.

Having done his own Debt Consolidation himself, Duncan is a bit of a guru by experience. You can learn more of his Tips and Tricks on how to step out of Debt

A Specialized ADHD Nutrition Plan Could Help Patients Focus

Currently one of the most widely accepted theories about attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is that it is caused by nutritional problems. This theory really only applies to childhood ADHD and does not even account for all of the childhood ADHD cases, but when some dietary studies were conducted on ADHD nutrition plans for those with the disorder, there were some beneficial results. The whole nutrition and ADHD correlation emerged in nineteen ninety when an English researcher found out that certain artificial food colorings found in some foods could actually deplete the amounts of zinc in an ADHD patient’s body. Later, scientists also found that those children suffering from ADHD also had lower levels of required sulfate molecules throughout the body. Studies which attempt to prove that ADHD and diet are not related at all, citing that only five percent of all ADHD patients have something wrong with their normal dietary intake. Whatever the case, putting your child on an ADHD nutrition plan may be one possible way to help alleviate the hyperactivity associated with such a disorder.

There are several key aspects to an ADHD nutrition plan that any parent should keep in mind. The first and possibly most obvious of any diet is to make sure that your hyperactive child does not receive any sugary sweets or any candy. This should also include sodas and any other products which are high in sugar. By cutting sugars out of the ADHD nutrition plan, your child will not exhibit the hyperactive energy associated with ADHD. Also, make sure your child avoids caffeine, as caffeine has the same stimulating effect on the body as sugar. If you find that neither of these two ADHD nutrition changes affects your child, try taking any and all wheat products out of their diet. Some kids have an undiagnosed wheat allergy which can contribute to hyperactivity. Instead of the wheat products, switch to oats and rye. Finally, and this goes for any child (not just those with ADHD), make sure your child gets plenty of vegetables and fruits in their diet along with fish at least once a week.

An alternative to just cutting out sugars and caffeine from an attention deficit hyperactivity disorder patient’s diet was created by Dr. Benjamin Feingold. Aptly named the Feingold diet, this ADHD nutrition plan focused on the research which linked artificial colors and flavors to the loss of zinc in certain children’s bodies. This diet has been the source of much debate over its effectiveness, but for those looking for a dietary way to combat the problems associated with ADHD, the Feingold diet may be a good method to check out.

The Feingold ADHD nutrition plan is currently a two step program with the first step requiring the elimination of all artificial colors and flavors from the child’s food. The second step of the Feingold program requires that all aspirin containing products and natural salicylate containing foods should also be removed from the child’s diet. While this method of ADHD nutrition may prove to be useful, there are actually certain claims which Feingold makes that are totally incorrect. Most importantly, certain nutritional experts have shown that in the Feingold diet cookbook many of the recommended foods are actually high in salicylates; a chemical which Feingold says can cause your child to be hyperactive.

There is much to be learned about ADHD nutrition and its effects on your child, for more on information on parenting and ADHD Nutrition please visit this author’s website ==>Parental Advise

Dennis Driscoll lives in Northern Michigan, and is the creator and a contributing author of several websites.

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Are you stressed out over your mounting debt? If so, and you’re hoping to find a permanent solution to dealing with your debt then debt consolidation may be the answer.

Debt is on the rise. More and more people are using more and more credit cards each year and living well beyond their means. Debt consolidation is often the best solution for those who find themselves buried in a mountain of debt.

Help is out there. There are a myriad of websites that offer debt consolidation information. The key is finding the right program, company or counseling service to best meet your needs.

One of the advantages of debt consolidation is that you can combine all your credit cards and/or loan payments into one more manageable monthly payment which is usually much lower than you were paying for all you individual debts combined. Disadvantages include longer payment terms.

The amount of money you can save through debt consolidation can really make the difference to your personal bottom line. This is because with debt consolidation you reduce or in some cases actually eliminate penalties and interest which you had accumulated. In most cases, you can also reduce your average interest rate.

Knowing your options is important. The whole debt consolidation process can be overwhelming. Through investigation you’ll be able to discover more about how the process works and how each of the options available to you will affect you and your bottom line.

Beware however there are many unscrupulous companies out there who will try to take advantage of anyone who is stressed out over debt. Be wary, if it sounds to good to be true, chances are it isn’t.

For some, debt consolidation is a relatively simple yet for others with a more complicated debt situation it can only make things worse if you don’t sign up with a reputable company who explains the advantages and disadvantages of their services upfront.

As a consumer, it’s your job to protect yourself by seeking out as many opinions as possible before agreeing to any debt consolidation arrangement that will impact your financial future.

Like anything debt consolidation has it’s pros and cons. Hence, it’s not a step to be taken lightly. Do your homework and ask questions.

When investigating whether debt consolidation and/or which debt consolidation company is right for you, you’ll want to find out what the charge is for their services, what the annual percentage rate (APR) is and what the amount of your monthly payments will be. Further you should know upfront how long it will take you to retire your debt and what the total amount is that you’ll end up paying.

Other questions like “What happens if I miss a payment? or “What happens if I’m late making a payment?” are also important questions to ask before you agree to sign up with a debt consolidation company.

Sherrie Le Masurier is a freelance writer who believes in being a wise consumer and living within her means. Her blog http://www.doityourselfdebtreduction.blogspot.com features information on how to get out of debt, debt reduction strategies, credit card debt reduction, debt consolidation, debt management tips and general debt reduction help.

The opportunities for spending money nowadays are unlimited. Too many people find themselves too strapped to pay their bills on time and complain when their bi-weekly salary is paid a couple of days late. Living on the edge is frustrating, stressful and completely unnecessary. No matter how much or how little money you make, good spending and saving habits can solve your problem.

“A penny saved is a penny earned” is a saying that can be applied toward many situations. With diligent research and patience, second hand furniture can be found at one third the price of new. The trick is to keep looking until you find almost exactly what you want. Prudence dictates that the higher the quality, the better the furniture will look and the longer it will last. Classic styles will never go out of fashion and you can sell your old furniture to defray the cost of the replacement. Make sure your old furniture is polished, empty, and shown to good advantage.

Make your meals at home interesting and romantic. Eating out should be a treat saved for a special occasion or enjoyed once in a while when far away from home. Car trips, excursions to the country, or times when you know you will be away from home for a long period of time are situations that require some forethought in the food department. Bring an apple or a bag of fruit to assuage your hunger until you get home. Remember that the cost of dinner for four at a nice restaurant can feed the family for a week.

Some large department stores welcome returns. Their generous return policy has proven a boon to their bottom line, bringing more people more often into their stores. You may return any item you bought at their store for a full refund, even though that refund may be in the form of a store credit. This credit can now be applied toward clothing, appliances, or any needed item that they sell. A garage sale would price these returns at ten cents on the dollar instead of at full retail value. Clothing department stores often double up on coupons and discount sales. That is the time to buy your annual clothing needs, not at the last minute when you need something new to wear. Holiday presents can be bought at any time during the year and put away until needed.

Another quicksand trap is the purchase of excessive insurance. Insurance agents can reel off numerous reasons why you need more insurance just to line their pockets with more money. Statistics can be bent to say almost anything so don’t fall for their pitch. Insurance for catastrophic events is necessary but to cover the replacement cost of one hundred percent of a loss is wasteful. Term life insurance is the biggest culprit. Plan your insurance needs carefully and sparingly for complete peace of mind.

Everyone has a hobby or an expertise in some area. Put your hobby to work with an ad in the paper and network your talents to acquaintances. If you are renting, consider buying a small home and use your rent money to pay off your mortgage. In time, your equity in your house will bring great rewards.

Vacations can cost a lot of money, all out of proportion to the enjoyment received. Cruises, time shares, fancy hotels and first class accommodations can triple the cost of your vacation. A hotel off the beaten track, an exchange of houses with a friend living in another part of the world, a car trip, or just a couple of weeks at a mountain resort can supply you with a great, fun-filled vacation for a reasonable amount of money.

Finally, always pay the minimum or more on your charge accounts to avoid interest charges. With all this money you are saving, be sure to place some of it into a saving account. Regular savings should be treated as a living expense, not a special event from a windfall lucky break. You’ll thank yourself later.

Enjoying retirement in New Jersey.

If you plan on purchasing different Xmas favours and have a enjoyer of smokable herbs in your Christmas gift list getting a bong might be a nice idea, and in this era you can even purchase bongs online.

These smoke contraptions come in a variety of idiosyncratic shapes, tints and prices running from the exclusively practical to the just downright odd. Simple acrylic bongs can be bought very cheap, but if your present recipient is highly singular you might want a bong to equal that. In that state of affairs some choices including a multi-chambered ceramic bong that looks like something from a scientist’s science laboratory, to a three tube bong shaped like Yoda’s head…perfect for the Star Wars lover in you Xmas shopping list!

As with most online shopping large bargains can be detected if you’re happy to spend time looking around, and you can often save money on regular charges. In some instances significant discounts or cheap postage are obtainable which can genuinely lower the charges on your Christmas purchases.

A bong makes a right present for your precious tobacco user even if you’re to get them to stop. As the smoked herbs is percolated when it goes through the bong liquid the substances absorbed are not as pernicious, and ultimately not as likely to cause tobacco correlated health problems. And after all, it’s their choice and their health!