In this editorial you are going to discover how to get rid of cellulite quickly with exercise.
Most folks do not actually even understand what cellulite is, let alone how to get rid of cellulite quickly .
Cellulite is surplus fat. Without being to difficult that is all that it is.
It is of the utmost value that you really comprehend this, since if you do not, you won’t know the enemy you’re fighting and if you do not understand that, then you can’t prevail in the battle on cellulite.
When you truly become familiar with this, then you’ll know that you can’t beat cellulite with creams & other false crap. There is no cream out there that will use up fat. If that were the case then the world wouldn’t be full of obese people. They would only massage this enchanted fat burning ointment over them and it would simply go away.
Shows similar to The Biggest Loser would not be interesting to watch because it would merely be a show of folks rubbing fat burning cream on them.
Nope! You have to get rid of cellulite by attacking fat, by cutting back cals, by exercising to use up calories & building up lean muscle to boost your metabolism.
So, the authentic battle then is with flab. You’re honestly trying to get rid of surplus fat. Extra fat in my definition is fat that you don’t require. Fat that does not in all honesty serve a purpose. Yup, that means that not all fat is troublesome fat, there’s some fat that is essential, certain fat that is “critical fat” for your survival and comfort…
And then there is spare fat. Fat that creates cellulite on your butt, quadriceps, ab, & arms. Thwarting fat that causes clothes to not fit appropriately, and causes you to feel uneasy in any attire that shows your dilemma areas.
How To Get Rid Of Cellulite With Exercise
One. Cut back calories at least five hundred a day. For what reason? It doesn’t matter how much exercising you do, you can entirely kill your own probability of ever getting rid of cellulite by screwing up your own calorie intake. A pound of fat is approximately 3,500 cals. If you cut back five hundred a day with your food intake you can lose a lb of fat a week right there alone.
Two. Excessive energy, high calorie burning, lean muscle building movements. These are the types of movements that you should want to do. Workouts that use up the most amount of calories in the least time possible while building lean muscle mass. These exercises would include movements like squats, interval running, and interval rowing. Doing the movements isn’t sufficient though. They have to be performed with elevated intensity.
This will burn up the most cals during workout. It’s essential to use workouts to burn cals and build lean muscle. Lean muscle mass is the single largest factor in generating a great metabolism. Having a high metabolism is the single largest factor in calories burned daily.
Do you get at this moment, for what reason it is so vital to build up lean muscle? It’s your hope for getting rid of cellulite. It’s your hope for keeping the cellulite from returning. It’s your hope for liberty. You ought to focus on movements that work and build muscle in the largest & main muscles of the body. They use the most cals during exercise & therefore help you to create your needed calorie shortage to assist you in getting rid of excess fat, which in turn aids you in getting rid of cellulite.
I hope you enjoyed this post about how to get rid of cellulite fast by exercising.
Archive for November, 2009
Cellulite Exercise - How To Get Rid Of Cellulite By Exercising
Monday, November 30th, 2009A Letter From Leah
Monday, November 30th, 2009There are so many women who have made the wrong choices because they were looking for love, approval and acceptance and needing to belong. Many times these women have been abandoned by fathers , husbands and boyfriends. It’s common knowledge that a girl’s relationship with her father influences her future relationships with men, and many of us who have had bad or nonexistent father figures are said to be destined to make bad choices and have rocky connections with men. There is usually a desire in us to be loved. We usually seek male approval from the time we are children and it spills over into our adult lives.
I have spoken and worked with numerous women who were involved in this kind of interdependence and were victims of their own lack of self esteem due to this basic insufficiency of nurturing from the father figure. What we do to be loved and accepted ? We do some outrageous things and accept some incredible conditions hoping to finally achieve love. We deny ourselves of ourselves and in some cases we change to become what is someone else’s ideal .
I thought of Leah in Genesis. This dear women lived in the shadow of her sister probably all her life. She was the victim of her father’s scheme to cheat Jacob. It is more than likely that the relationship between Leah and her father was not an edifying one. How could a father do to a daughter that he loved what Laban did to Leah. This women missed love from her father and surely felt inferior to her sister. Then she marries. And on her wedding night…. . Can you imagine what she must have felt to sleep with a man that thinks she’s someone else and wants her to be someone else. What was it like for her to hear the anger in Jacobs voice when he discovered who she was. Certainly no boost to her self image. For Laban to treat his daughter in this way he had to have put little value on her. Do you think Leah didn’t know this, you think she didn’t feel that everyday of her life. Leah is referred to in the Torah as “The Hated” According to the Torah upon discovering Laban’s trickery Jacob could have either divorced her or simply made her life miserable in an unhappy marriage. What loving father would have wanted this for his daughter ?Laban had his own plans.
Leah, now living with her husband, believes that having sons will diminish the distance between herself and Jacob. She believes that giving birth to this son will somehow give her some value in Jacobs eyes. She had her first son and called him Rueben- Leah was saying to Jacob, look a son. When her first son Rueben (meaning behold a son) was born, Leah said: “Surely the LORD hath looked upon my affliction; now therefore my husband will love me” (Genesis 29:32).
She was saying , look what I have been able to do for you , give you the highest honor. Can’t you see God himself loves me , why can’t you? Then came the birth of her second son Simeon (meaning hearing), Leah said: “Because the LORD hath heard that I was hated, he hath therefore given me this son also: and she called his name Simeon” (Genesis 29:33).
Hebrew for “God has heard that I am unloved” In the names she gave her son we look into the sentiments of a woman many years ago. With her first son she was hopeful, happy with the second we understand that she was hurt because she saw that with the second son she still had not won the love of her husband. When Leah’s third son Levi (meaning joining) was born, Leah said: “Now this time my husband will be joined unto me, because I have born him three sons: therefore was his name called Levi” (Genesis 29:34). She still looked for a connection, closeness, validation and affection from Jacob. With the third son, we hear a glimmer of hope come back to her voice. I mean who could not love a woman who had produced three sons ? For a man in the position of Jacob/Israel this was important and Leah should have been important to Jacob. But with the fourth son something important happens. When Leah had conceived and her fourth son Judah (meaning praise) was born, Leah said: “Now will I praise the LORD: therefore she called his name Judah” (Genesis 29:35). Here Leah makes the most important decision of her life. To praise the Lord. To put aside living for her husbands love and approval and simply live for the Lord and make him her focus.
Dear Leah what a lesson you’ve taught to us all. Woman stop running after that which does not give you the love , respect, consideration or the validation that you deserve. Just praise the Lord. Put him first and he’ll put everything in place. We must learn our position of validation in God’s eyes not man’s.
Leah ,first passive and led by her father into this deceitful marriage, after the birth of her fourth son makes a decision with a purpose.
Is it any accident that Judah is the ruling tribe ? Judah, your brothers will praise you; your hand will be on the neck of your enemies; your father’s sons will bow down to you. The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff. In generations to come, when Israel went into battle. Each tribe had a strategic position. Judah was positioned out in front. Praise goes before everything else. Moral of the story ,Let praise lead your battles.
A young Rueben, surely aware of his mother’s pain, one day comforts her with a bouquet of mandrakes. Rachel then asks Leah for some of her mandrakes. Then Rachel said to Leah, Give me, I pray thee, of thy son’s mandrakes. And she said unto her, is it a small matter that thou hast taken my husband? and wouldest thou take away my son’s mandrakes also? And Rachel said, Therefore he shall lie with thee to night for thy son’s mandrakes. And Jacob came out of the field in the evening, and Leah went out to meet him, and said, Thou must come in unto me; for surely I have hired thee with my son’s mandrakes. And he lay with her that night. Leah had a bit of a set back. We all do. She feels she has to deal for and buy her husbands affections. What does she really hope to accomplish here ? Why were these mandrakes so important to Rachel? Rachel is willing to let Leah sleep with Jacob if she’ll give her the mandrakes Reuben brings in from the field. The mandrakes must have been awfully important to Rachel. Why ? The mandrake had the reputation of being an aphrodisiac as well as a stimulant to improve fertility. Rachel is childless, so the mere thought of having something that would make her fertile is important to her. This was more than a mere bouquet of flowers. Rachel does not put her faith in God but in a potion she thinks will help her to conceive.
Rachel has Jacob’s love but she is looking for her validation. Women must discover who they are in the Lord We must discover our value, no matter what our situation is. We tend to believe that as soon as some particular event happens, we’ll be ok, everything will be better. If I could just lose weight, if I could get my degree. If I could be prettier or smarter or if I were a better cook or housekeeper. If I had a child, if I could give him a son. If I had a better job. If I had more money, then I’d be happy. Then he would love me, respect me, appreciate me. I don’t mean that we should not try to improve ourselves or our situations, I just means that we must be aware of our motives. Who are we trying to please. We need to believe in our worth to God our true Father. Our worth as the body of Christ and God gives us confidence in who and what we are.
A Letter from Leah
By DéLise Finley-Vaccino
“quiet Strength” by Tony Dungy, a Personally Impacting Review
Monday, November 30th, 2009Tony Dungy’s book, “Quiet Strength,” was quite a surprising read for me. There wasn’t the detailed football intricacies that I had originally expected but did enjoy the way the points and information were presented. I could relate on every level, personal, Christian faith, novice football fan, and professional. A great read if your into biographies or personal development.
This is a personal story about Tony Dungy, the current National Football League head coach of the Indianapolis Colts. The story does not beat you to death with superfluous details yet it does begin early in his life. The book is sincerely written from the point of view to get the ideas and message across to the reader in an enjoyable, educational, and personal manner. I found the book easy to read, get involved in, and experience the feeling portrayed by Tony in expressing the events of his interesting life.
What did and did not surprise me about this book was the expression of Tony’s strong Christian faith and the impacting part God has played in his life from early on and through the present day. It was so interesting to read about his journey of many years in a short book that included Tony’s strong Christian faith, his sharing the message of Jesus Christ though many platforms and active participation. I was pleasantly surprised, rather enjoyed, and was personally impacted by his experiences.
I’m not as big a football fan as my wife. In fact many times I refer to myself as a NFL widower during the season. Well, now that we have the NFL channel this “season” is all year long. Currently we are into watching as many of the preseason games as possible. Imagine trying to watch 54 games in 26 days. Needless to say, my wife is in seventh heaven. Now to my point, I have learned a great deal about football from “Quiet Strength” although the book is not a “football” book by any means. What I mean is the book is not overwhelmingly about the intricacies of football and the business. Yes, you do get to see behind the scenes but again, it strictly deals with Tony Dungy and those people he has interacted with throughout his career. You will find that you will recognize either players or coaches, who have been and still are cureently in the profession. I found that kind of fun.
Having a full 301 pages in hardback and 16 pages of color pictures, Tony’s life and important people are captured with captions. I rather enjoyed seeing the people that he speaks of in the book. I felt it made me connect a little bit more and gave me a sense of personal attachment to him and his life.
I would like to share with you what really hit home for me in reading this book. First it was his strong personal Christian journey, then it was the behind the scenes look at the NFL and coaching, and finally I took away the statements that Tony had placed on the wall of the locker room in Tampa Bay. “Do what we do. ” “Whatever it takes. ” “No excuses, no explanations. Encompassing such a great meaning and impact, here we have so few simple words. In addition, I found a quote on a handout from Tony to his Tampa Bay Bucs team, just before a game with the Chicago Bears, to be very impacting on me personally. You’ll have to read it on pages 124 and 125. I’m sure it will have an impact on you if you are into personal development at all.
In summary, I would highly recommend this book to anyone wishing to have a very positive, motivating, and personally impacting experience. As I said earlier, the tid bits of golden nuggets gleaned from reading this book are both very personal and may have a strong impact on your thinking and life. I found I now have an even greater respect for Tony Dungy, the NFL, all coaches in the profession, and it was so cool to actually recognize many of the names of coaches and players even though I’m only a novice football fan. Read, enjoy the experience and have fun.
Do you Live in a Firetrap?
Monday, November 30th, 2009Remember the old days, when homes were sturdy and built to last, and set on generous plots of land? Today’s homes have evolved to cookie cutter houses built so close together you can barely fit a lawnmower between them. These semi-townhouses come with very little maintenance since their yards barely extend beyond the main structure. They do, however, come with unsuspecting risks.
Due to their close proximity to neighboring houses they might as well be town houses, but they aren’t built with the same fire-safety regulations. Some are less than six feet apart, but at three stories high, a fireman wouldn’t be able to lean a ladder far enough back to reach the second level. Climbing up the ladder with necessary breathing gear or carrying someone down the ladder is next to impossible.
A home ignited from a neighboring fire is known as an exposure fire. In 1993, in Loudoun County, VA, three new homes with six foot separations all caught fire before the firefighters could get there. In another instance, a house caught on fire and melted the siding of the neighboring house 10-15 feet away.
Experiments were done in 2004 to determine the length of time it would take for a fire to spread between two exterior walls six feet apart. This is typical for many new developments where homes are required to have only a three foot setback from the property line.
After igniting the first wall, it took 3 minutes and 42 seconds for the flames to break a window. After another 80 seconds, the adjacent wall had ignited.
In a second experiment, an extra barrier of Sheetrock was placed under the siding of each building, and in this case, the neighboring house failed to ignite. This learning could be applied when revising building codes, but in the US there is no single national building code; every jurisdiction has their own version, and apparently some have none at all.
In Southern California, an area plagued by wildfires, the building codes were tightened up to include fire-resistant building materials, in-home sprinklers and increased water flow for fire suppression. Fire-resistant landscaping methods were also implemented such as perimeter clearing of trees and brush. The reduction in loss of homes due to exposure fires more than justified the changes in regulations.
When shopping for a home located in close proximity to another, here are a few rules to keep in mind:
Be aware of the local code. Your local planning department should have a copy of the building code; section R302 describes the requirements for separations between dwelling units.
Face solid walls to your neighbors. Walls facing a neighboring home should be made of fire-resistant materials such as brick or stone and should not contain windows. An extra interior layer of fire-resistant material under siding can help slow the spread of fire.
Hire an inspector for a thorough check before buying a home situated close to another. When you’re screening candidates, test their knowledge of exposure fires.
Is the roof made of straw, sticks or brick? Wood shake and shingles are a combustible building material. Look for Class A composite shingles that are rated for fire resistance. Other resistant materials include slate, terra cotta and metal.
If you’re already living in a home located close to your neighbor, increase your safety by following these tips:
Remove combustible items. Anything sitting between the two homes that can easily catch fire should be removed. This may include lawn mowers, gas cans, rags, trash cans, firewood, sheds or yard equipment. Try to clear a minimum 7-8 space between homes.
Practice fire resistant landscaping methods. This involves getting rid of dead, dry plants, weeds, and replacing dry mulches with gravel or crushed rock. In April 2007 alone, 18 fires started in dry garden mulch in Loudoun County, VA.
Organize your neighbors. Help your community understand the risks from exposure fires and how to prevent them.
Data Protection With the Lto4 Ultrium Tape Cartridge
Sunday, November 29th, 2009
In this modern environment of business, both the customers (external & internal) are interested in all kind of the information related to the business. Therefore, the enterprises have to make sure that the customers get their required information in time and also the information should be up-to-date. So, the need arises to safely store and protect the valuable data. The overall performance is important part in the “continuity management” of the business enterprise.
The performance and capacity of the fourth generation of LTO ultrium tape is enhanced as compared to the previous generations. Now, the customers can store large volumes of data and can still get high data transfer speed.
According to the findings by the IDC, the sales of the LTO ultrium tape products have doubled during the year 2007. This shows that the LTO tape products are preferred by the enterprises all over the world. The main reason for this growth in sales is that the LTO tape products save the operational cost, increase the overall performance and secure the valuable data.
According to the report the shipment of the midrange tape drives rose 10% in the year 2007 while the shipment of the tape drives of LTO increased 15%. The report of IDC stated that the shipment of the LTO drives in the year 2007 were worth over 883 million dollars. The increase in sales of the LTO tape products shows that they save the cost and provide the efficient results for data security and protection. The need is emerging for the high capacity, high speed and efficient storage mediums. The fourth generation of the LTO tape format has the archiving feature that is needed to fulfill the demand for high data storage. The LTO tape products consume less energy and therefore, they give the “Green Backup Solution” for the data centers of the enterprises.
The LTO backup tape cartridges have high data recording capacity of 1. 6 Terabytes. The ratio of compressed to native data recording is 2:1. The LTO 4 data tapes have the new WORM technology. This WORM technology saves the cost and records the data in the non rewritable form. The LTO tape drive has the encryption technology, so that the data can be protected and secured from unauthorized use. LTO ultrium tape drives have encryption technology of 256 bit “AES-GCM”. Therefore, it has the capability to write the encrypted data on to the tape cartridges of LTO. The fourth generation LTO tapes are backward compatible with the previous third generation for both reading and writing. The LTO-4 drive can read the data from LTO-2 tape cartridge so, in this way the LTO ultrium backup tape media products protect and save the investment made by the enterprises.
The LTO is actually a reliable, adaptable and powerful backup tape format. The major companies like the IBM and Hewlett-Packard are introducing new features and technologies to cope up with the increasing demand of data storage the server environments of midrange.
The LTO backup tape format delivers the best results with high efficient reliability and performance. The LTO tape format also provides the benefits of the linear “bi directional” and the “multi channel formats”. It has the additional powerful features of “Track layout”, “Error correction” and “Data compression”. The future roadmap of the LTO tape format is well defined for increased recording capacity and data transfer speed.
For further details and online order, please visit www. tape4backup. com
Why Italian Designer Shoes
Sunday, November 29th, 2009When people are rich, price is no object. A certain mentality is in the air which is to “shop till you drop” or until the card has reached its limit. Most of the consumers in the market are women. These people don’t just buy items made off the street or from China but prefer to get branded items such as designer handbags and shoes from the fashion capital of the world that is, Italy. What is the big fuss about products made from Italy? For starters, most of the designers in this part of the world set the trend in the fashion industry. The materials used are of the highest quality and nothing is released until it passes strict quality control tests to always keep customer satisfied with the product. There are two brands that stand out among the rest. The first is Gucci. This company has been producing shoes and bags using genuine leather. Those who want to party can try to get Britt Mid Heel boots. This is easy to slip on since this can be zipped or unzipped from the size. This pair of boots isn’t flat since it comes with 3-inch heels making the girl look sexy and tall in a room of crowded men. The price for all this attention, $1022, which should be no problem for the hand working woman or daddy’s little girl. The second that produces a lot of quality-crafted products is Prada. Those who don’t want to wear high heels but still want to look tall can try the pair of boots this brand offers that is made of suede leather. It also has a zip lock on the side making it easy to wear or take off. These are only available in black but given the material used in making this pair of boots, the customer can get this for $540. If this pair or the other is out of stock in the department or specialty store, there are some online retailers that can take the order and have it delivered at home. The customer will just give the credit card details then get it after two or three days then begin enjoying the new pairs of boots while partying out or walking to work. The pair of shoes one decides to wear tells a lot about a person. This is the reason those who are rich can designer brands because this shows how concerned an individual is about appearance from head to toe.
Valuable Information On California Medicare Supplements
Sunday, November 29th, 2009Several individuals who put in for the Medicare program opt to cover a mixture of additional costs and services with the use of California Medicare supplements or a different existing policy. Several of these harmonize with the original Medicare plan, eg Medigap, where others present different manners in receiving the benefits of Medicare. In total there are 9 separate programs that can be obtained to make the Medicare plan more suitable to your wishes. Employer Group Medical Coverage: If you are above sixty five and still in employment then it is probable that you might have a work sponsored health cover arrangement. If you choose to additionally enlist for Medicare then this will be secondary to the employer’s set up. This is plus the case if you are aged below sixtyfive and have registered for Medicare due to a permanent disability. Retiree Plans: There are some citizens that get a variety of medical coverage as a part of their retirement plan. The benefits of this can vary very much. Certain plans may insure medical expenses that are not incorporated in Medicare, eg vision care. Quite a few of these programs may be offered by means of Part C of Medicare - Medicare Advantage. A business is within rights to revise the conditions of a retiree program and the entire program can be lost if the firm goes into insolvency. CalCOBRA and COBRA: These are Central laws which demand that an employer is required to enlarge for an amount of time the group medical coverage for a member of staff, or their family members, if given circumstances take place for example redundancy. If you elect to put in for Medicare then you will lose your COBRA cover, this plus is the same for a CalCOBRA program. TFL (TriCare For Life): The TriCare plan is one that provides medical insurance to all retirees from a uniformed service as well as their husband or wife and children. The Tricare For Life plan is for those folks that become Medicare entitled. These folks must enlist for both Part A and Part B of Medicare. This scheme will encompass the majority of supplemental health requirements and too involves a broad coverage for prescription drugs. Veteran Affairs Benefits: Age no matter, a veteran is entitled to a health program known as the Medical Benefits Package. This is an especially popular system for ex-servicemen as there are no premiums to pay. It covers the fee of fundamental medical care and additionally medications. Some VA plans will furthermore deal with the charges for dental care, eyeglasses, and nursing home care. The department of Veteran Affairs encourages those people that put in to also carry on with supplementary health cover such as Medicare. Medi-Cal: Whether a person is entitled to this scheme depends upon their monetary belongings and their monthly pay. If you have signed up for a Medicare plan and too are entitled for Medi-Cal, then Medi-Cal will pay the Medicare Part B premium if you have no further arrangement of medical insurance. When seeking treatment it is crucial to decide on a medical doctor or facility which accepts both Medi-Cal and Medicare. There are several services associated with Medi-Cal which are not covered by Medicare, eg hearing aids or eye glasses. Medicare Savings Program: There are lots of national plans that aid with Medicare expenses. Several of these provide the cash required for the premium for Medicare Part B. To qualify for one of these plans you are required to meet explicit asset and take-home pay circumstances. Medigap: These schemes, as well known as Medicare supplement cover, can be given by private insurance firms. There are twelve assorted policies, these are labelled A upto L and will insure the expense of all or a share of the Medigap deductibles and coinsurance. It is probable that several of the policies will plus give additional cover to what is normally allowed by way of Medicare. The benefits of a medigap policy can not be changed once you sign up. Plus the program is not permitted to be stopped by the supplier unless you fail to pay, but it is possible for the corporation to increase the monthly premium. Medicare Advantage: Part C of the Medicare cover is also called Medicare Advantage. It is a helpful way to attain additional benefits exceeding what is usually agreed with the Medicare program. The cover is handled by commercial insurance agents who are sponsored by Medicare for each individual that opts in. To be entitled to join a Medicare Advantage program it is required to have formerly registered for Parts A and B of Medicare.
The New Age of Synthetic Turfs are as Real as it Gets
Saturday, November 28th, 2009It’s been called a variety of different names over the years from Astroturf to fake grass but the new age synthetic turf is anything but unrealistic. With the advances in technology we are seeing all kinds of new products like automobiles that park themselves to cell phones that you can watch t. v. on. So it’s no surprise that ‘fake grass’ is now looking more like real grass. At Texas Turf Solutions, our selection of putting greens, synthetic lawns, playground turfs and even tennis court turfs are designed to not only beautify your home but to provide fall protection for children on playgrounds and improve a golfers short game. America’s anthem these days is to GO GREEN and with synthetic turf products like artificial lawns you can help do your part. One square foot of real grass uses 46 gallons of water a year, do the math, a 1000 square foot of grass uses 46,000 gallons a year. Water is fairly inexpensive at the present time but all indicators say that may not be the case 10 years down the road. Rebate programs have been put in place in many western states to give a homeowner a rebate of $1 per square foot for replacing real grass with synthetic or artificial grass. Implementing plants into your landscape designs that use less water can also help reduce water usage. Synthetic grasses require no watering, no chemicals to wash down the sewers and are available in a variety of styles to match the indigenous grasses of your region. Our backyard putting greens are designed for the golfer looking to improve their short game. There is always a need to practice your swing at the driving range but what about when you get to the green? Numerous professional golfers own our synthetic putting greens to help them improve their putts. With the use of consistent size graded infill sands we can create a soft, consistent surface for the most realistic results. A child falling from a playground system is a reality for a lot of parents. Three-fourths of playground injuries are attributed to falls, so choosing an appropriate surface is the most important decision a school official or a parent will make when choosing a playground system. Our playground turf system is certified for its safety by the International Play Equipment Manufacturers Association (IPEMA). It provides a more sanitary surface than sand, pea gravel or mulch. Completely anti-microbial and not subject to bacterial build up. Also available to meet IPEMA’s ASTM F1292 requirements for up to a 12 foot critical head fall. The days are here for synthetic turfs to start replacing some of the outdated products in our city parks and in our own backyards. The benefits start to add up when you really take a look at the industry; less water usage, child safety, and the bragging rights of a lower golf handicap. Look into synthetic turf products and the grass will always be greener on your side! Three-fourths of playground injuries are attributed to falls, so choosing an appropriate surface is the most important playground decision that school officials will make. Three-fourths of playground injuries are attributed to falls, so choosing an appropriate surface is the most important playground decision that school officials will make.
6 Tips From Home Disaster Survivors
Saturday, November 28th, 2009Looking back at 2007, it sure seems like nature had it in for the suburbs. The whole country was beset by weather related disasters. We had wildfires in Southern California, ice storms in the Midwest, and flooding in the Northeast. It was devastating for those affected, and chilling for everyone else. The damaged homes on the news were ordinary suburban homes. It was so easy to imagine it happening to us or someone we loved. The truth is that our homes are susceptible to fire and water damage. They are lovely straw houses, waiting for an accident, a little negligence, or the perfect storm.
So what should we do to prepare?
If you want to recover financially from a home disaster, there are two things you need to protect: your digital information and your physical possessions. Vanessa Wood of Design to Spec, LLC http://www. DesignToSpec. com/ was one of those unlucky people whose home was flooded on four separate occasions in 2007. She gives us three tips for protecting our digital files and connections:
1. Don’t touch that computer! Whether your computer has been under water, smoke damaged, or hit by debris, it might not be safe to touch immediately after a disaster. Unplug your computer so it will not experience a power surge when downed power is turned back on. Allow a professional PC consultant to examine the hard drive. A good consultant can recommend a sterile lab that is expert at the recovery of valuable data and files.
2. Store hard to replace records and files on a server. This could even be the same server that hosts your website. Taking this extra step may entail scanning documents and choosing to accept bank records in a digital format. Not only will you have your records in a safe location, but you will free up space in your filing cabinets and shelves. Check with your tax advisor to verify which records can be held as digital records, rather than paper.
3. Stay mobile. Stay flexible. You may not be home for awhile. You might have to handle your finances or an insurance claim from a friend’s house, library or hotel. Be sure your laptop has the programs you use everyday. Know how to forward your phone numbers to your cell phone. If you use an email address that’s derived from your internet cable service (for example, janedoe@optonline. net) know your service password so you can read emails as web mail because a storm, fire or other disaster may knock out your local cable service connection. Remember, too, that online banking services can be invaluable when trying to manage bill payments in a crisis.
What about your physical possessions? You should ask yourself how much it would cost if you had to replace all your belongings yourself. Even if you have home insurance, your initial estimate might be closer to reality than you thought. A client of mine, Julie, lost all the contents of her home when her condo complex burnt to the ground. She offers three tips for protecting and recovering your physical belongings:
1. Do not be underinsured. If you purchase big ticket items, or remodel, make sure you update your insurance policy to cover all your new additions.
2. Keep detailed records of all estimates, transactions and conversations. Julie had to go over her agent’s head to a supervisor to get the rest of the money that she was owed for her insurance claim. She was able to do this because she kept notes and copies of everything she mailed and faxed.
3. Don’t keep your important documents in your home. Keep your passport and other important documents in a safe location. Julie’s home safe didn’t withstand the heat of the fire and all was lost. If you must keep the originals at home, keep copies in a separate safe location, like a safety deposit box at your bank.
My hope is that everyone affected in the disasters of 2007 were well prepared, but I know some are probably still struggling to recover what they lost. Make sure you’re prepared for disaster by following the tips above.
Ten Ways to Identify NFL Picks That Consistently Win Big
Saturday, November 28th, 2009Winning big with professional football picks requires careful handicapping. The 32 teams of the National Football League (NFL) play 16 regular season games during a 17-week season, from September through December. That’s just 256 games, most of which are played on Sundays, thus giving you an entire week to study and select your NFL picks as the season progresses. Here are ten factors you should be looking for each week. 1. Each team plays 4 or 5 preseason games, but they give little indication of what your NFL picks should be in Week One. Coaches are trying out new players and formations. Stars ride the bench the majority of the time. Choosing good NFL picks among August practice games is difficult, indeed. You may wish to hold off making football picks till the games that count get under way. 2. During the first couple of weeks of the season, defenses have the advantage. Base your NFL picks on experience. New quarterbacks and new offenses are unlikely to put up big numbers until they find their rhythm. Look for opportunities to bet the under on total score. Look for big spreads to be closer than the opening lines might suggest. 3. Gravity prevails in pro football. All that rises must come down. If your pro football picks include last week’s big winners, think again. Better NFL picks are the teams that lost big a week ago and are looking to rebound. 4. Streaks are less common and shorter in professional football than in college. Once a team has won or lost three in a row, it is due for a change. Look for underdogs among your NFL picks to restore balance and cancel streaks. And remember, win-loss records are far less important to your football picks than results “against the spread” (ATS). 5. Conventional wisdom says that home underdogs are a good NFL picks most the time, but historically they win no more than 50% of the time ATS. One strategy is to look for home underdogs that lost last week at home. For a variety of good reasons, they tend to pull themselves together for their fans. 6. Late in the season, teams that have been eliminated from playoff contention have little to play for—or so conventional wisdom would tell you. But professionals relish the role of spoiler, and favorites often let up when the opposition is supposedly weak. Add a few spoilers to your NFL picks in December. 7. Be proactive, not reactive. Predict outcomes before you make your NFL picks. Rather that read the opening lines first, you can use your knowledge of history and match-ups to forecast the results of various games. Then, when you see the bookmaker’s odds don’t agree, you can easily identify where the opportunities are. 8. During the playoffs, don’t get sidetracked. Sports books begin adding lots of side bets, so-called propositions or “props,” to entice recreational bettors. If you are not accustomed to making wagers on first quarter results, number of field goals made, or quarterback stats, this is not the time to begin. Stick to your winning strategy for NFL picks, just as you have all season. 9. Use your knowledge of the regular season to guide your playoff betting. Most of the teams in each conference have played each other before. Use past results to help frame your football picks for the post-season games. 10. Remember the Super Bowl is just one game. If you have been growing your bankroll all season, you may have some mad money to play on propositions and unusual sports picks, but this is not the game to make up all your losses on. Concentrate on winning slowly but surely with your NFL picks. That’s the way to winnings.