A Simple Suggestion to Improve Your Article Marketing

Article marketing is becoming more and more popular, especially as marketers begin to see the impact and influence they can have from one well-written, well-timed, and well-placed article.

Some marketers use an article distribution service like the Phantom Writers or iSnare, or distribution software like Jason Potash's Article Announcer, but many marketers submit their articles manually, working from a list containing somewhere around 100 article sites they either created or were given.

While article marketing is perhaps the best low-cost or free way to market online, many marketers miss out on a key part-their resource box. Because many marketers are focused on keyword anchor links, they anchor their website link to certain keywords. For example, if I did this, I would write:

Jeremy M. Hoover helps you market your business by writing low-cost lead-generating and traffic-generating articles.

This works great for HTML submissions, but what happens when someone cuts and pastes your article to put on their site? Or what about sites that don't accept HTML submissions? In either case, you can actually lose the hyperlink to your site, especially in the case where someone cuts-and-pastes.

One simple suggestion to fix this problem is this: Use both keyword anchor text links and a natural link to your website. Using my site as an example, again:

Jeremy M. Hoover helps you market your business by writing low-cost lead-generating and traffic-building articles. For more information, visit his site at www.jhooverwebcopy.com.

Including your website link both as keyword anchor text (which helps with search engine placement) and as a natural link will insure that your website link remains intact in your article, regardless of how someone comes across it.

To promote your business better, you should build a network of lead-generating, traffic-building articles. Jeremy M. Hoover will write these for you, at a very good cost. Order now at http://jhooverwebcopy.com.

Setting Time Aside For Studying And Homework

When trying to achieve a quality education, everybody knows that studying and completing your homework is absolutely imperative in order to be successful. Some people are very good and sticking to their guns and completing their homework and study time week in and week out. However the rest of us, like most human beings are terrible procrastinators. We will do just about anything to avoid sitting down and doing what needs to be done to progress with our schooling. I am going to try and give you a few pointers on what really helps me focus on the things when my brain tells me to procrastinate.

1. Set aside a certain time frame for every week, whether it be one day a week or multiple days; ALWAYS spend that time either doing homework or studying. You may even want to setup one day for studying and one day for doing your assigned home work. Sticking to this schedule is imperative and will help teach you discipline.

2. Before every studying session, try to focus on what your goals are and what you'd like to get out of your education. You'll be very surprised at the power of visualization.

3. Each semester, make a planned reward for yourself. As an example, if you successfully complete your semester and achieve a certain level of grades, treat yourself to a small gift. Whether it be a video game, or concert tickets, self recognition will help keep fuel in your tank when the going get rough.

In the end, all that matters is that you achieve what you set out to accomplish. Follow these three simple tips, and not only will you succeed in getting your degree or education, you will also be successful in anything you put your mind to.

About The Author

Ryan Mckenzie

http://www.education-resource.org - Online Degrees and Online Education Information

Brand Your Websites URL With a Favicon

Have you ever noticed that when you look at your browser favorites menu or the address bar, some entries have their own little icon beside their URL?

It's called a "Favicon" (a graphic file with a .ico extension) and it's placed in the root directory of the web site. Everytime you bookmark a site that has its own favicon.ico file, it is added to your browser, and it will be visible from then on in the favorites menu and in the address bar.

At the beginning, only large websites had a favicon, but now you too can create one and use it to brand your website. The first thing you have to do is to create your favicon. To be displayed by browsers, it must have a size of 16x16 pixels. To create one, you can use a graphics program called Icon Forge (you can download a free trial version in CNET):

http://download.com.com/3000-2195-10128559.html

You can either create an icon from scratch, or import a 16x16 '.gif' or '.jpg' file and save it as a '.ico' file.

You will then have to save your icon with the default name of 'favicon.ico', and upload it to the root directory of your website (where your index page is). Finally, after that, you must associate your icon to your web page. You do that by including the following HTML code immediately after the HEAD tag of your page:

link REL="SHORTCUT ICON" HREF="http://www.yourwebsite.com/favicon.ico"

Once you've done that, that's it. To try it out, go to your web page and add your page to your favorites. You should be able to see the favicon next to your bookmarked page title. Also, the next time you type your URL in the address bar, you will see your favicon to the left of the URL.

(Favicons work with Internet Explorer 5 or newer, and with recent versions of Netscape.)

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You can freely reprint this article. Just include the following resource box at the end:

About The Author

Mario Sanchez lives in Miami, Florida, where he publishes The Internet Digest ( http://www.theinternetdigest.net ) a website and newsletter that gives you free advice on web design and Internet marketing.

In Divers Places

Isaiah 65:17-65:25

In Divers Places. A Look at prophecy and today's headlines. How many here today know what the word Prophecy actually means? For a number of years now, I along with many other ministers have been teaching prophecy more and more. From Websters 1828 Dictionary; Prophecy PROPH'ECY, n. [Gr. to foretell, before and to tell. This ought to be written prophesy.]

1. A foretelling; prediction; a declaration of something to come. As God only knows future events with certainty, no being but God or some person informed by him, can utter a real prophecy. The prophecies recorded in Scripture, when fulfilled, afford most convincing evidence of the divine original of the Scriptures, as those who uttered the prophecies could not have foreknown the events predicted without supernatural instruction. 2 Pet 1.

2. In Scripture, a book of prophecies; a history; as the prophecy of Ahijah. 2 Chr 9.

3. Preaching; public interpretation of Scripture; exhortation or instruction. Prov 31.

Asia quake toll continues to rise. Rescuers piled up bodies along coastlines devastated by tsunamis that obliterated seaside towns in Asia and Africa, killing 23,700 people in 10 countries, the United Nations reported Monday.

Ukraine election challenged Can earthquakes be tamed? Deaths in Indonesia alone could surpass 200,000 official says. Devastation on a biblical scale.

Teaching prophecy is different than to prophsi. 1Co 12:10 To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:[ many do not believe in the Gifts of the Spirit, which sometimes makes it hard for those of use who do, to teach prophecy]

Rev 1:3 Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.[ many say that revelations has been fulfilled already, this is a misconception and very dangerous]

I am not here today to prophecy but to shine light on Biblical prophecy. Lets read and learn together. Isa 28:2 Behold, the Lord hath a mighty and strong one, which as a tempest of hail and a destroying storm, as a flood of mighty waters overflowing, shall cast down to the earth with the hand. Isa 65:17 For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind. [M.H. Isa 65:17-25 -

In the grace and comfort believers have in and from Christ, we are to look for this new heaven and new earth. The former confusions, sins and miseries of the human race, shall be no more remembered or renewed. The approaching happy state of the church is described under a variety of images. He shall be thought to die in his youth, and for his sins, who only lives to the age of a hundred years. The event alone can determine what is meant; but it is plain that Christianity, if universal, would so do away violence and evil, as greatly to lengthen life. In those happy days, all God's people shall enjoy the fruit of their labours. Nor will children then be the trouble of their parents, or suffer trouble themselves.

The evil dispositions of sinners shall be completely moritified; all shall live in harmony. Thus the church on earth shall be full of happiness, like heaven. This prophecy assures the servants of Christ, that the time approaches, wherein they shall be blessed with the undisturbed enjoyment of all that is needful for their happiness. As workers together with God, let us attend his ordinances, and obey his commands.[additional ref; Isa 65:17-19 For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.

But be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy.

And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people: and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying. Jos 14:9 And Moses sware on that day, saying, Surely the land whereon thy feet have trodden shall be thine inheritance, and thy children's for ever, because thou hast wholly followed the LORD my God. Remember that God created good and not evil.

Man corrupted the earth and it must be cleansed. If you noticed in Genesis every thing that God created He called good except when He came to man, for He knew that man would become disobedient and corrupt.

Eze 39:14 And they shall sever out men of continual employment, passing through the land to bury with the passengers those that remain upon the face of the earth, to cleanse it: after the end of seven months shall they search.

Pro 8:23 I was set up5258 from everlasting,4480, 5769 from the beginning,4480, 7218 or ever4480, 6924 the earth776 was.

[Strongs #s]

Mat 24:6-8 And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. "but the end is not yet." The end of what? Many take this as to mean the end of the world. This is not so, the world will not be destroyed but renovated. Isa 24:6 Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate: therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left.

Isa 14:7 The whole earth is at rest, and is quiet: they break forth into singing. Isa 24:1 Behold, the LORD maketh the earth empty, and maketh it waste, and turneth it upside down, and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof.

Isa 24:19 The earth is utterly broken down, the earth is clean dissolved, the earth is moved exceedingly.

Isa 24:20 The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard, and shall be removed like a cottage; and the transgression thereof shall be heavy upon it; and it shall fall, and not rise again.

There are countless scriptures that state that the earth will last for eternity but it will be cleaned by fire to renew it back to its origional state. God declaired that what He created was good and no where in scripture have I ever found that God ever destroyed that which was good.[ ref.Gen.1:1-10] These next verses are also prophecy.

For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.

All these are the beginning of sorrows.

Luke 21:20-28 And when ye shall see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh.

Then let them which are in Judaea flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto.

For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.

But woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck, in those days! for there shall be great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people.

And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled. And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;

Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.

And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.]

Prophecy is being fulfilled before our very eyes. Petulance and famine in Africa, Floods and earth quakes in Japan, Indonesia and even in the United States. Wars and roomers of Wars, from Iraq and Afghanistan to Africa and the Russian Satellites. How much more do the people of the earth have to see before they realize that the end is drawing closer each day? How much more do the people of the earth have to see before they turn to the only one who guarantees safety? How much more do the people of the earth have to see before they realize that there is another side of Jesus? Jesus will return but not as a babe, not as a Lamb but as a Warier in revenge for unbridled sin and corruption. A destroying angle bringing justice and righteousness upon the earth. How much more do the ministers of God have to see before they also start teaching prophecy, especially those that believe that Revelations is fulfilled? How much more? Eze 27:34 In the time when thou shalt be broken by the seas in the depths of the waters thy merchandise and all thy company in the midst of thee shall fall.

Jer 25:30 Therefore prophesy thou against them all these words, and say unto them, The LORD shall roar from on high, and utter his voice from his holy habitation; he shall mightily roar upon his habitation; he shall give a shout, as they that tread the grapes, against all the inhabitants of the earth. And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.

"Therefore prophesy thou against them all." "The sea and the waves roaring;" " This is the Beginning of Sorrows." "Men's hearts failing them for fear." " In the time when thou shalt be broken by the seas.""Key words from God Key words from God. Doom and gloom? No. Truth. The LORD shall roar from on high, and His words shall be fulfilled. Its time we all shouted the warning, Christ will not terry much longer.

Temple of Spirit & Truth Ministries
A.R.Smith Sermons International
http://www.ourchurch.com/member/a/arsmithsermons/

Look for the Positives

Our lives are overflowing with negative information from the newspapers, magazines, television and radio. Nations are at war, thousands are dying of starvation and hundreds are killed by natural disasters. There is no avoiding or ignoring the facts. We even receive negativity from our own families and friends every single day.

How we deal with this information is up to us. One, we can absorb it all and allow it to negatively dominate our thoughts, emotions, attitudes and our day-to-day lives. Or two, we can view these events as an unfortunately "normal" part of our existence and concentrate on those things we can do something about - such as our own personal lives and how we can positively affect and influence ourselves and those around us. In fact, if we dwell on the negatives around us and constantly reinforce them with our thoughts and words, our lives will tend to be mostly negative. "Bad" things are more likely to keep happening to us.

Instead, if we change our focus to the good things of life - the positives - there is an above average chance that things will get much better. Negatives fill our emotional bucket quickly and before we know it, they are spilling all over ourselves and those around us. Isn't it far more logical to fill our bucket with positives? The people around us are sure to be much more receptive to any spillage the might occur.

Try this. Make a "Gratitude Check". Take some time for yourself and write down the good things in your life or the things you enjoy and appreciate. Start with the fact that you woke up this morning, then go from there. No matter how bad your situation is, if you try just a little you'll have several hundred items on our list. A helpful hint - keep the list handy and add to it as you think of other things. There will always be days when your list will come in handy to give you a pick-me-up.

Be selective about what you read, watch on TV and the music you listen to. Think about the information your mind is absorbing and determine whether it' s really good for you. Be selective with your friends and pay attention to the conversations you are having. Is the relationship - or the conversation - based on negative words and feelings? Would you be better off changing the subject - or finding someone different to spend your time with?

Watch your "self talk". This is the imaginary conversations we have with ourselves and others, especially when there are potential conflicts on the horizon. Stop "badmouthin'" the people in your life and stop badmouthin' yourself! Every time we do that, we are reinforcing to ourselves just how miserable the world is and how unfortunate we are.

Look for the positives in everything that happens in your life, no matter how bad they seem at the time. Life is filled with lessons and the potential for each of us to learn, especially from the uncomfortable situations. Pay attention. Learn as quickly as possible so these lessons need not be repeated.

About The Author

Gene, through NuPathz.com, provides an easy reading self-help blog along with affordable books and materials written to help folks find the road to a more enjoyable lifestyle, to pass on some of life's "secrets for survival" in a chaotic world & offer a few smiles along the way. It's a down-to-earth, simple approach to discovering a better life. You can visit Gene at http://www.nupathz.com/

nupathz@qwest.net

Tips to Avoid Trans Fats Hidden In Food

Recently, trans fats have risen to the forefront of the nutrition world. It is not uncommon on a regular visit to the grocery store to see a wide range of products advertising themselves as being "trans fat free". This is helpful information for the regular consumer to help avoid over consumption of trans fats, but what are trans fats, why are they harmful and how does one identify trans fats "hidden" in non-labeled foods? This article aims to help the average consumer understand more about trans fats and identify sources from everyday consumables.

What are trans fats and why are they bad?

The technical term for fats is fatty acids. Fatty acids are one of three varieties: unsaturated (most vegetable oils), polyunsaturated (soft margarines, essential fatty acids like omega 3 and omega 6 from fish and nuts) or fully saturated (coconut oil, lard, hard margarines). The term "saturated" refers to the type of chemical bonds (single or double) between the carbon and hydrogen atoms. Most fatty acids in their natural state are in their "cis form" that is, all the hydrogen atoms bonded to the individual carbons atoms are on one side of the fatty acid molecule - on the "cis" side.

Unsaturated oils are not as useful to be made into finished food products since they are prone to "oxidation" and can go rancid ? destroying the taste and texture of the product. So to avoid this spontaneous oxidation, the industry practice is to "hydrogenate" the oil. This then creates what is known as a "partially hydrogenated vegetable oil" (polyunsaturated fatty acid) that is more stable and less likely to become rancid. Hydrogenation may help increase the quality of the finished food product, however it often involves the formation of trans fats ? where the hydrogen is bonded to the carbon on the opposite side of the fatty acid molecule ("trans" side). A trans fatty acid has a different structure than a regular cis fatty acid.

Studies have shown a strong connection between trans fat consumption and the development of cardiovascular disease like arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) and heart disease. Evidence also seems to indicate that trans fats may be even more harmful than regular saturated fats like coconut oil, animal fats and lard. Therefore it is very important to be able to avoid consuming high concentrations of trans fats.

How To Spot "Hidden" Trans Fats

A good rule of thumb is to read the ingredients list on the side of the product packaging and look for the words "partially hydrogenated vegetable oil". Any product containing this ingredient has a higher probability of containing trans fats. It is surprising the number of products that contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils and the consumer must be vigilant to avoid consuming too many of these foods. Examples of products are: almost all baked goods, foods with breading (chicken breasts, snacks ect.), fried foods, margarines/spreads and even cereals (even "low fat" granola).

In conclusion, it is hoped that this short article provided some basic knowledge on the importance of avoiding trans fats. An informed consumer will be able to make sensible and healthy choices and avoid potentially harmful nutrition sources.

David Petersen is a Personal Trainer/Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist and the owner and founder of B.O.S.S. Fitness Inc. based in Oldsmar, Florida. More articles and information can be found at http://www.bossfitness.com

NOTE: You're free to republish this article on your website, in your newsletter, in your e-book or in other publications provided the article is reproduced in its entirety, including the author information and all LIVE website links as above.

Love

According to the Encarta Dictionary, love is an intense feeling of tender affection and compassion; a passionate feeling or romantic desire and sexual attraction. Erich Fromm made these comments:

Immature love says: I love you because I need you.' Mature love says 'I need you because I love you.'

In love the paradox occurs that two beings become one and yet remain two.

Love is union with somebody, or something, outside oneself, under the condition of retaining the separateness and integrity of one's own self.

In the classic book, The Art of Loving, Erich Fromm writes that "To be loved, and to love, need courage, the courage to judge certain values as of ultimate concern-and to take the jump and stake everything on these values."

In Forrest Gump, the movie, Forrest expresses this in the famous line, "Jenny, I may be stupid, but I know what love is."

So what is love?

In my mind, love is a marriage union between souls. It is profound positive feelings actualized in affectionate behaviors toward the love object. Note the Bible passage on love, 1 Corinthians 13.

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Though discussing love, this scriptural pericope does not refer to feelings or emotions. Instead, it talks about attitudes, such as patience, and actions, such as not boasting. It describes the result of love. When you love, you are inspired to behave in certain caring ways. For example, if you love your partner, you will be motivated to do everything possible to promote his or her well being. If he or she is unusually weary some night, out of love, you may volunteer to perform a duty that he or she would otherwise be responsible for.

For all intent and purposes, there are three forms of love. The first is the Greek Eros and is used to designate erotic, romantic, physical love. It can be one of the peak pleasures in human experience if not abused and misused.

The Greeks also has a second definition of love, and that is Philia which is where the word philanthropy is derived. Philia means brotherly love. We all know Philadelphia as the city of brotherly love. Philia does not contain romantic love. Philia is the love you and I have for our parents, siblings, friends, family members, and so forth. It does not contain Eros.

The third definition of love is called Agape. Agape means unconditional love for someone. It means loving someone without expecting love in return. Parents can relate to this, especially a mother. Perhaps this may be a difficult concept to comprehend in today's society because this type of love requires sacrifice and selflessness.

Agape is different from both Eros and Philia in that inherent in agape love is an overflowing altruism that seeks nothing in return. The end of agape is not the well-being of the self, but the well-being of the other. It is the type of love that characterized the non-violent philosophies of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Mahatma Gandhi.

In my experience, the one common mistake that many couples make is equating "true" love with Eros love only. Real love, I believe, requires all three types of love. Far too many relationships today are based on one type of love. If your relationship fails to include all three types of love, you may be mixing a recipe for disaster. When the first few years are past, one or two children have entered the scene, daily living becomes more difficult (and believe me, it will); and Eros love loses a little bit of its spice, most people bail out of relationships. So I hope you can appreciate the value of applying all three types of love in your relationship and marriage.

Eros love is essential to every relationship; philia love is equally important, and of course, agape love binds all three.

Rev. Saundra L. Washington, D.D., is an ordained clergywoman, veteran social worker, and Founder of AMEN Ministries. She is also the author of two coffee table books: Room Beneath the Snow: Poems that Preach and Negative Disturbances: Homilies that Teach which can be reviewed on her site. Her new book, Out of Deep Waters: My Grief Management Workbook, is expected to be available soon.

You are welcome to visit AMEN Ministries: Your Soul's Service Station for spiritual refreshing, soul edification or to browse our newly expanded mini shopping mall.

Blessings to all!

Lawn Care Information

Recent lawn care information reports that a lot of us might be guilty of over-kill when it comes to tending our family turf. What may be the most effective way to solve problems may not be the best way for the long-term health of our lawns and safety of our families.

For instance, most experts tell us we need to aerate our lawns each spring to control thatch. Thatch is a layer of dead stems and roots that build up under some grasses. The truth is that thatch is a natural part of a lawn and a shallow layer of it (up to ? inch) even acts as a moisture holding mulch for your turf. That is not always good information, as everything in life it depends on several factor such as soil type and the like. You can tell if your lawn needs thatch control by walking across it. If you find you have too much spring in your step, then check to see how difficult it is to reach the soil under your grass. If you have to dig through a dense mat of thatch to hit pay dirt, then you need to aerate your lawn.

Lawn fertilization is another area of lawn care where it's easy to give our turf too much of a good thing. Healthy grass sends roots deep into the soil to find the nutrients it needs to grow. When fed from the top, the grass blade grows quickly but root growth is inhibited. This results in a shallow rooted, fast growing lawn that is susceptible to drought, disease, and invasive weeds.

Another reason to grow a deep-rooted lawn is for both weed and pest control. While chemical herbicides and pesticides are effective for controlling invasive plants and insects in the short-term, natural control methods offer better solutions for the long-term health of your lawn. A deep-rooted lawn takes up the space that weed roots would otherwise occupy. Once established, your grass will work hard to maintain its own turf and smother out invaders.

In addition, the soil under your lawn is alive with a community of beneficial microorganisms that work with you to fight disease and both pest and plant invasions. Use of toxic chemicals kills this helpful colony and in addition leaves residues that are a threat to your own health and the health of your family.

Water your lawn deeply and infrequently. Consider rainfall and remember that your lawn needs about one-inch of water per week to thrive. Rather than using a garden hose or light sprinkler system, invest in a soaker hose so that water has the optimum chance to be absorbed into your soil.

Mow your lawn high. Your grass needs to be 2 ? to 3-inches tall to take advantage of the sun and gather the carbohydrates it needs. Giving your lawn a crew cut is a sure way to make it go bald!

As in many things, less is more. Spend less time in lawn care by tending your turf the natural way. Your result will be more time to enjoy healthy growing, environmentally friendly yard.

Hans is an author of Gardening Tips Tricks and Howto's of Gardening Guides and the Lawn Care section of the Lawnmower Guide.

Use the FHA Mortgage Specifically Created for Home Improvement

Almost everyone knows about FHA mortgages. They are tailor-made for first time homebuyers and others with less than perfect credit or other financial issues. You don't have to be low income or have bad credit to use FHA, but generally the loan limits prohibit high priced homes.

What you may not know about FHA is that there is a special loan program designed to provide the funds to buy or refinance your home PLUS additional funds to make repairs or improvements.

This FHA mortgage is called the 203K and the K is the operative part of the name. Not every lender participates in the rehab loan program, but the major national lenders do. If the loan officer you contact is unaware, then call the corporate office and ask them to direct you.

The FHA 203K loan program calls for an FHA inspector to go over the house, using the plans you gave him. Before you get to this inspection phase, you should be working with a general contractor who understands how to provide plans and specs for a project. Plans and specifications are standard in the contracting industry for anyone managing a project >$5000, which is the minimum rehab amount for this loan program.

The FHA inspector will decide if the project is feasible, depending on whether there is additional work required to bring the property up to code, and whether or not the property will appraise for enough to make the project "worth it". FHA is willing to lend based on the after-rehab value and will even stretch that value a little in order to get houses brought up to code.

Once the lender is happy with the valuations, the plans and specs, and the inspector's report, your loan file will be reviewed by an underwriter specially trained and certified in rehab loans. Your credit and finances do not have to be perfect to be approved, but the creditworthiness and qualifications are similar to a regular FHA loan.

One of the benefits of a 203K is that all costs can be added into the project. The fees, permits, closing costs, etc. are all added up and your downpayment on the purchase is calculated on the total. If you are refinancing instead of purchasing, the amounts are totaled the same way, but you might already have enough equity in the home to avoid coming up with any cash.

What's next? Once approved, the loan closes and the rehab portion of the money is escrowed by the lender. The contractor submits requests for payment and each phase is inspected. As soon as the work passes the inspection for completion, the contractor is paid. You can not go back to the well for more money, so your initial plan must be a good one. A contingency fund is usually added in during the total project calculation.

This contingency fund can only be used to fund hidden repairs that were not evident during the initial workup. Any remaining funds in the contingency are used to pay down the mortgage at the end of the project.

The FHA 203K mortgage is not a "piece of cake", but if you do not qualify for low cost money at the local home improvement equity loan bank, then it is very definately worth looking into.

Judi Moore authors Ask The Underwriter at 2rHouse.org and personally answers questions from readers about FHA mortgages and mortgage advice in general.

What Kind of Business Should I Start?

It's not uncommon to reach your 30s, 40s or even 50s and still wonder, "What do I want to be when I grow up?" Few people are fortunate enough to be certain of their destinies early on and the rest of us are forced to do some soul searching.

The desire to own a business is becoming more common as workers grow more frustrated with the economy and working in corporate America. If you're thinking about a business of your own but you're not sure what to start, here are several exercise to spark some ideas.

Start by Making Lists of Your Interests, Talents, and Skills

Write down what you like and don't like about your current job and jobs you've had in the past. Do you love writing business documents? Do you hate calculating numbers? By listing your likes and dislikes, you can see with more clarity where some of your interests lie and which tasks you want to avoid.

The trick is to brainstorm business ideas and find one that you will be passionate about, one that will meet your desired standard of living and your lifestyle criteria. Someone who doesn't like being chained to a desk should not choose a business that requires her to be stuck in an office all day.

The good news is that as an entrepreneur, you get to make these decisions for yourself. Perhaps you are good with numbers and you're thinking about becoming a mortgage broker, but you don't want to be stuck in an office all day. If you are serving clients in your area, won't you also be required to meet with them? Could you find a way to meet with them at their place of business or over lunch?

This list should also help you identify your weaknesses. If you hate to write, then you probably shouldn't start a local newspaper (although if you have the right budget, you can hire writers and focus on other aspects of the business). If crunching numbers makes your brain hurt, then you won't find joy in running a bookkeeping business. For that matter, you will probably dread keeping your own books and should build a bookkeeping service into your business budget.

Spend some time with this exercise and look for a theme in your lists. If you identify a business that interests you, but it doesn't meet your lifestyle requirements, then expand on the idea and see if there is a different type of business in that field that would suit you better.

Imagine You Have Just Won the Lottery

So you've just won a lottery for $500,000. It's not enough to retire on, but it's enough to make some decisions about your future. Consider what you would do if you won a large chunk of money. Of course it's fun to imagine paying off your debts and sharing your good fortune with the people you love, but what do you do with the rest of the money? What does your ideal work life look like? What kind of business would you start if you had endless resources?

Could Your Talent or Hobby Net You Some Profits?

Whether you are a musician, an artist, a writer, a crafter, an athlete, an entertainer or a chef, you may be able to find a business that takes advantage of these talents. Think outside the box. Use the internet to search for ideas. For example, if you are a sports fanatic, you could search for "sports business" or "sports industry" and see what kinds of topics are returned. Perhaps you could become a sports writer, sporting goods store owner, coach, trainer, statistician, or memorabilia sales.

Ask Your Family and Friends

By asking the people closest to you for input, you may gain some surprising insight. Perhaps your best friend will remind you of your culinary talents or your grandmother will admire your decorating skills. Maybe your brother will tell you that he always thought you would end up working with animals because you rescued all the neighborhood strays. If for nothing else, asking those closest to you will breed discussion about your future and may lead to the spark of inspiration you are seeking.

Start Looking at the Business World Through a New Set of Eyes

Every business you see started somewhere by someone. The dry cleaner you visit weekly, the grocery store where you shop, the quaint coffee shop on the corner and your favorite take-out restaurant all were born from somebody's dream. Pay attention to every business you encounter. Is the owner present? If so, does he or she look happy? Tired? Frantic? What are the pros and cons of running each kind of business? A retail business is typically a 6 or 7 day per week effort. Restaurants require long hours, food spoilage management, health department inspections and a lot of staff. Service businesses are often started by an owner providing the service.

Talk to business owners that you encounter. Ask them about the pros and cons of what they do. Who better to advise you on your future than those who are actually living some version of it?

Go to the Bookstore or Library

I personally believe that books give you the best opportunity to self-educate. You can learn about virtually any topic under the sun just by reading a book. Spend some time in the business section and read some of the books suggested in the appendix of this book. You never know where you will find inspiration. Many business books list examples from real entrepreneurs. Perhaps one of these examples will spark your interest or cause you to think about something you hadn't considered before.

You've Done Everything Else and Still Don't Know What to Do

Don't give up! Keep at it. Carve some time out every day to focus on your life plan. Get up an hour early in the morning, take time out of your lunch hour or stay up an hour late, but whatever you do, devote some time to mapping out your future. If you are serious about moving forward, you will have to make the time.

Keep doing the exercises listed here. Spend time reading business message boards, websites and magazines. Jot down topics that interest you and learn more about them. The process may take some time, but the end result should be well worth it.

About the Author:
Stephanie Chandler is the author of "The Business Startup Checklist and Planning Guide: Seize Your Entrepreneurial Dreams!" and founder of http://www.BusinessInfoGuide.com, a directory of resources for entrepreneurs. Subscribe to the newsletter for hot tips and small business tools.

Sell Anything To Anyone On The Internet With Hypnotic Writing

I imagine you are the type of person who really wants to make your idea a reality. I also think that you fall into one of two groups; the first is a person who WANTS to succeed but does not know how. The second is the person who has read so many books on great marketing and still can't find the HOLY GRAIL so does not get of the ground.

Are you fed up of reading about everyone else's success? What about you're share of all this wealth flying across the internet?

Read on.

Times have changed, they always change; change is the only constant.

Internet marketing and E books covering subjects such as E commerce now rank amongst the highest growing movement towards work from home culture since the start of the industrial revolution. The birth of the internet has accelerated this culture now called the "new industrial revolution".

Any search engine such as Google, AOL and Yahoo will almost always list companies like EBay and many other online auctions sites. The reason is simple; it allows a platform for you to make money from your home computer.

Most people start out as buyers on EBAY; then graduate to sellers and start to "trade". At this end of the market the majority of internet commerce expansion is taking place. Broadband is now allowing more sophisticated mediums to send your message to potential customers. Multi-Media-Marketing

E Books?

E Books are sold in their thousands through online commerce sites every day. This clearly shows that the market expansion is now rising from what was once considered a consumer driven base is now in a position to become the global retailer!

How to sell anything to anyone; this is a very short look at important considerations when selling in writing or face to face. Some call it manipulation some call it marketing; you draw the line where ever you wish.

THE FIVE FINGER RULE

The five finger rule is so called because of how I teach it; it goes something like this.

You must lead your prospect five times before you make your statement. Let us assume that we are talking to a prospect face to face but remember this is even easier in writing.

We call it a "pacing formula" in terms of NLP (New Language Patterns). This is how simple it is to work?

Make four pacing statements

(What is a pacing statement?) A statement that requires the prospect to reply in the positive. If they told you their name (Jason) then your first pacing statement might be, "Did you say your name was Jason?" I have a friend who is called Jason (That reply had two pacing comments).

I know that sound a little basic but look what you did. You know everyone loves the sound of their name; you got it back to them twice! And you got them to say yes twice, in the first sentence.

Then we have the "leading" statement (which as you will see is your goal). A leading statement is a comment that gets around the conscious mind to place a suggestion in it, consistent with the previous mind set (all yes replies). The leading statement is normally something that you wish to make them see, feel or imagine happening.

Sometimes this simple formula is so powerful you can get a little too confident and start abusing it, we suggest you don't.

Here is the full explanation for the first time.

Until you have got the correct order of doing things I would like to suggest you use your fingers to keep track of your conversation. You will understand why in a moment.

Using one hand spread the five fingers; each finger is going to represent a pacing or leading statement, so here are the basic instructions.

? We are going to make four pacing and one leading statement to start.

? Next we make three pacing and two leading

? Next we are going to make two pacing and three leading

? Finish by using one pacing followed by four leading statements.

Read that again if you did not fully understand it (please). It is important you fully comprehend what is happening above and why.

Using the above conversation or written hypnotic templates here is an example of what the above looks like in print and conversation.

Using this method you are giving a strong impression that everything we say can be verified without question. It "feels" real and logical to your prospect or clients. We set the tone because the pacing statements confirm what we say is REAL (In the mind of your prospect).

I will include in brackets below the letters "P" AND "L" to represent the part when you should use the two methods.

Let us assume we already know the name of our prospect, we will call her Julie and we are sitting in my office on a sunny day.

"Julie, we meet at last, (P1) I'm Jason,(P2) wonderful day isn't it,(P3) I'm glad we managed to get together here in my office today(P4) so we can sort out that deal we want to close today(L1)."

"Julie, you may be wondering how we get the best of what we both want(P1), I know some people tell you what you want to hear (P2) I'm not a mind reader (P3) I think things have a way of feeling just right (L1) a way of removing the hurdles using instinct (L2)."

Shall we get straight to the point? (P1) I know you're a busy woman (P2) and you have other people to see (P3), I believe this project has a fine future (L1) and with the combination of your knowledge and our skills we should make a great partnership (L2). I can see this good for all of us (L3).

"True, some people are excited about the prospect of this merger (P1) I am sure we will see (L1) we can make a great team (L2) your company (L3) and ours (L4) over the next two years (L5)."

I think we have explained enough for you to understand what is being said here. Use your five fingers to keep track of the pace and lead statements.

Each time you make a pace statement bend one of your fingers inward. When you get to the required number make a Leading statement. Using the fingers this way helps you learn faster.

Now sit back and see how easy it is to use the formula to make powerful conversations or printed ads for your product or service. Below is an example of the formula that was used in a printed email campaign.

Remember that the formula is in this ad but I am not going to place the pace or lead statements in obvious sight, see if you can find them. Test yourself on knowing why I am saying something the way I do.

Printed formula

New marketing ideas are rare, someone has almost certainly thought of it before. Yet there is an idea that has sat alone for years because few if any know how to use. Fortunately there are still a few teachers of covert communication left to show you how to make a profit from these methods.

Our book contains the basic structure of persuasion, it strips away all the buzzwords and hype to leave you with a solid foundation for your own profit

Your curiosity should be allowed to see what it is that can change the minds of many.

That went out a few months ago about an E book, the book here is not important. What is important is the formula that helps understand why some things work and some don't.

I hope I have provided you with a sample of what you could learn from my other publications. From www.ArtofNLP.com

About the Author: Jason Rife 25 years in hypnotherapy and 5 years as senior lecturer at Kings College London on advanced hypnosis. Is the founder president of NLPology and editor of The NLPologist, a FREE newsletter on psychological mastery of marketing. A collection of websites which provides a wealth of informative articles, tips and resources on everything you'll ever need to know about selling yourself, your service and products across the world using the internet. He is also a professional psychic entertainer based in the UK. http://www.artofnlp.com

Short Hair Style? Make It Stylish, Sexy, and Chic

In all of its transformations and variations, the short hair style has always been numbered at the top of the list when it comes to versatility, style and manageability. No other style catches the eye quite like the short hair style and no other style makes the wearer look as professional, chic and sexy as the short hair style

Short hair styles worn by women are a fairly new style trend when compared with women's hair styles in general. In fact, cropped styles only came to the forefront of fashion a little more than 50 years ago. Since that time, the short hair style has given women the freedom to express themselves in numerous ways. From the funky and spiked to the soft and feminine, the short hair style can be worn by any woman of any personality, style and age.

Short hair no matter what the age

It has long been a held belief that an older woman should wear a short hair style to make her appear younger. While there is some truth in the belief that long hair tends to make wrinkles and flaws more noticeable, short hair styles and long hair styles can both be worn by women of all ages if they choose the right style to compliment their particular face shape and bone structure.

A good rule of thumb to follow when it comes to choosing a short hair style to suit your age is to pay more attention to your overall appearance rather than focus too much on how old you are. For example: Trendy, spiked styles can emphasize flaws and sagging skin, but I have seen women in their 70s with exceptional bone structure wear these short hair styles and look amazing. On the other hand, I have also seen younger women try to wear these same short hair styles and not be able to quite carry it off. So, if you want to wear a short hair style, pay close attention to your face shape, build and style of dress before deciding how to cut your hair.

Short hair to flatter your face

I've heard it said many times by many people, "I always wanted to wear a short hair style, but I don't look right with short hair" Ladies, this is nonsense. Granted, not every woman can wear every short hair style, but every woman can wear a short hair style that is tailor-made to compliment their face shape and beautiful features.

There are five basic face shapes: oval, heart, round, square and triangular. All of these shapes can be beautiful, but one is ideal: oval. No matter what shaped face you have, achieving the perfect look involves picking the right cut or short hair style that will make your face appear more oval.

To do this, you and your stylists can try different variations of popular short hair styles to compliment your individual features. For example: If you have a round face shape, you can still wear your favorite short hair style as long as you bring some hair forward on your cheekbones and wear a little height in the bang to give your face the illusion that it is oval.

The bottom line is that the short hair style is not for just a few who have been blessed with perfectly proportioned features. With the right short hair style, you too can sport trendy sexy cropped locks that will be guaranteed to turn a few heads.

Michael Barrows' website gives great advice for good hair. Get your free ebook packed with hair style and hair care tips and advice, visit http://www.great-hairstyles.com

Do you have an acid reflux problem?

by: Rudy Silva

Most people have digestive problems that create a variety of illnesses that we see as they age. The main problem is with the food that they eat. As has already been said many times, we eat more junk, processed, and packaged food than our stomach can digest. We eat more meat and protein then we should. We drink more unusual drinks that are mainly sugar.

You need to eat more live vegetables and fruits. This will minimize any acid reflux problems you might have.

Your body is designed to be electrically balanced. This is done by eating both acid and alkaline foods. If you eat too much acid food or alkaline food you move towards illness. Acid reflux is one of these illnesses.

When too much acid food is eaten, the stomach can’t digest it completely. The excess undigested food turns into acid waste. This waste causes stomach spasms or twitching that causes an increase in stomach gas that pops open the valve between the esophagus and stomach.

Acidic stomach content is sucked into the esophagus causing a burning sensation in the chest and throat. This is acid reflux or heartburn.

Acid Reflux Remedies

Here are three acid reflux remedies that you can start using right away to decrease the effects of acid reflux

* Digestive enzymes – Just before you eat, take some digestive enzymes. There are a variety of types that you can buy in a health food store – cost is about $15.00. Digestive enzymes will help you digest your food in the stomach and lessen the work the stomach has to do. But don’t take enzymes if you have an ulcer.

* Drinking water – When eating your meal, don’t drink any cold liquid. Cold liquid in the stomach decreases the digestive activity and your food will take longer to digest. It is best not to drink any water with your meal since this decrease the strength of your hydrochloric acid. If you have to drink water to clear your throat, drink water at room temperature.

* Vegetables – Eat vegetables with lunch and dinner and decrease the amount of meat and protein you eat. Don’t over eat since this puts an extra load on your stomach and you may not be able to digest all this food. Try eating your vegetables raw when possible since this gives you extra enzymes and plenty of minerals. Any time you eat bread eat it with some vegetables. Bread is hard to digest and the added fiber helps its digestion and helps to move it through the colon faster.

Just doing these three suggestions will help you improve your digestion and help to relieve your acid reflux. Concentrate on changing your eating habits and the types and quantities of food that you eat, if you want to stop the effects of acid reflux.

About the author:
Rudy Silva has a degree in Physics and is a Natural Nutritionist. He is the author of Constipation, Acne, Hemorrhoid, and Fatty Acid ebooks. He writes a newsletter call “natural-remedies-thatwork.com” More remedies and information on acid reflux go to: http://www.acidreflux-relief.info