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Even the casual person, someone who has little to no interest in the entertainment industry, is likely aware of the ongoing screenwriters’ strike. The reason for this awareness is pretty basic: product from the television and movie industries has pretty well stopped due to the strike. Though the screenwriters’ strike hasn’t been beneficial to anyone, at least not at this point, it does serve to demonstrate how vital screenwriters are to the entertainment industry. Simply put, without output from screenwriters the entertainment industry grinds to a halt.

The importance of screenwriters is certainly a surprise to some. The person who goes to the movies or turns on the television in most cases doesn’t give much if any thought to how movies or television shows come together; and to be quite frank, there really isn’t significant reason for them to care. Barring the person who either works in or is interested in the entertainment industry, how the industry actually works isn’t at all relevant. Be that is it may, going back to the very beginnings of entertainment itself, output has mostly come from words written out on a page.

William Shakespeare, perhaps the most influential writer ever, was in fact a performance writer. Shakespeare was a playwrights, and plays are the foundation for the movies and television shows we watch today. The notion that actors essentially did as they pleased on stage, perhaps with slight input from Shakespeare, is ludicrous. Shakespeare wrote a series of scenes or sonnets that connected into some form of logical story, and the actors memorized and then performed what Shakespeare had written. Any form of acted drama then has basically always needed some form of written script to be performed.

Some may point to the golden age of radio as a possible exception. When radio was the primary means of mass communication, before television saturated the market, radio was about more than just music: every form of entertainment and communication was provided by radio, from news to situational comedies. Even then, the dramas and comedies performed on radio were written and rehearsed prior to being performed. This is an obvious conclusion if for no other reason than financial and business interests. There isn’t an entertainment network in existence that would invest resources in programming without knowing how that programming would play out. Commercial entertainment scripts then provide details used for business purposes as much as they do direction for actors.

It’s a certainty that the screenwriters’ strike will eventually be settled. The financial implications, both for the screenwriters and for the entertainment producers, are too vast to let the dispute drag on indefinitely. If nothing else however, the screenwriters’ strike has demonstrated how absolutely vital writers are to the entertainment industry.

And We have enjoined upon man goodness towards his parents: His mother bore him by bearing strain upon strain, and his weaning was in two years: “[Hence, O man,] be grateful to Me and to your parents; to Me is the eventual coming.” (Qur’an, 31:14)

Mother’s milk is a matchless compound created by Allah to meet the baby’s nutritional needs and protect it against possible infections. The balance of the nutriments in mother’s milk is at ideal levels and the milk is in the ideal form for the baby’s immature body. At the same time, the mother’s milk is also very rich in nutrients which accelerate the growth of brain cells and the development of the nervous system. 1 Artificial baby foods prepared with present-day technology cannot replace this miraculous food.

The list of advantages to the baby provided by mother’s milk is being added to every day. Research has shown that babies who are fed mother’s milk are particularly protected against infections concerning the respiratory and digestive systems. That is because the antibodies in mother’s milk provide a direct defence against infection. Other anti-infection properties of mother’s milk are that it provides a hospitable environment for “good” bacteria called “normal flora” thus constituting a barrier to harmful bacteria, viruses and parasites. Furthermore, it has also been established that there are factors in mother’s milk which arrange the immune system against infectious diseases and allow it to function properly. 2

Since the mother’s milk has been specially designed, it is the most easily digestible food for babies. Despite being nutritionally very rich, it is easily digested by the baby’s sensitive digestive system. Since the baby thus expends less energy on digestion, it is able to use that energy for other bodily functions, growth and organ development.

The milk of mothers who have had premature babies contains higher levels of fat, protein, sodium, chloride and iron to meet the baby’s needs. Indeed, it has been established that the functions of the eye develop better in premature babies fed on mother’s milk and that they perform better in intelligence tests. In addition, they also have a great many other advantages.

One of the ways in which mother’s milk is important to the development of the new-born baby is the fact that it contains omega-3 oil alpha linoleic acids. As well as being an important compound for the human brain and retina, it is also of great importance from the point of view of new-born babies. Omega-3 is of particular importance throughout pregnancy and the early stages of babyhood if the brain and nerves are to develop normally. Scientists particularly emphasise the importance of mother’s milk as a natural and perfect store of omega-3. 3

Furthermore, research by Bristol University scientists revealed that among the long-term benefits of mother’s milk are its positive effect on blood pressure, thanks to which the risk of heart attack is reduced. The research team concluded that the protective nature of mother’s milk stems from its nutritional content. According to the results of the research, published in the medical journal Circulation, babies fed on mother’s milk are less likely to develop heart disease. It has been revealed that the presence in mother’s milk of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids—these prevent hardening of the arteries—along with the fact that babies fed on mother’s milk consume less sodium—this is closely linked to blood pressure—and do not, as a result, gain excessive amounts of weight are among the ways that mother’s milk benefits the heart. 4

In addition, a team led by Dr. Lisa Martin, of the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Centre in the USA, found high levels of the protein hormone known as adiponectin in mother’s milk. 5 High blood levels of adiponectin are associated with a reduced risk of heart attack. Low levels of adiponectin are found in people who are obese and who are at increased risk of a heart attack. It was therefore established that the risk of obesity in babies fed on mother’s milk declined in relation to this hormone. Furthermore, they also discovered the presence of another hormone called leptin in the mother’s milk which has a central role in fat metabolism. Leptin is believed to be a signal to the brain that there is fat on the body. According to Dr. Martin’s announcement, therefore, these hormones absorbed in babyhood through mother’s milk reduce the risk of such illnesses as obesity, type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance, and coronary artery disease. 6

Facts about “The Freshest Food”

The facts about the mother’s milk are not restricted to these. The contribution it makes to the baby’s health alters according to the phases the baby undergoes and whichever foodstuff is required at a particular stage, the contents of the milk change to meet those very specific needs. Mother’s milk, ready at all times and at the ideal temperature, plays a major role in brain development because of the sugar and fat it contains. In addition, elements such as calcium in it play a large role in the development of the baby’s bones.

Although it is called milk, this miraculous compound actually consists mostly of water. This is a most important feature because in addition to food, babies also need liquid in the form of water. Full hygiene may not be established in water or foodstuffs other than mother’s milk. Yet mother’s milk—90% water no less—, meets the baby’s water needs in the most hygienic manner.

Mother’s Milk and Intelligence

Scientific research shows that the cognitive development in breast-fed babies is greater than that in other babies. A comparative analysis of breast-fed babies and formula-fed babies by James W. Anderson—an expert from the University of Kentucky—established that the IQs of babies fed on mother’s milk were 5 points higher than those of other babies. As a result of this study, it was determined that intelligence is benefited by mother’s milk for up to 6 months and that children who are breast-fed for less than 8 weeks show no IQ benefit. 7

Does Mother’s Milk Combat Cancer?

As a result of all the research performed, it is proven that mother’s milk, on which hundreds of papers have been published, protects babies against cancer. This, despite the fact that the mechanism is not yet fully understood. When a protein from the mother’s milk killed off tumour cells which had been grown in laboratories without damaging any healthy cells, researchers stated that a great potential has emerged. Catharina Svanborg, professor of clinical immunology at Lund University in Sweden, headed the research team that discovered these miraculous secrets of mother’s milk. 8 This team at Lund University have described the way that mother’s milk provides protection against many forms of cancer as a miraculous discovery.

Initially, researchers treated intestinal mucous cells taken from new-born babies with mother’s milk. They observed that the disorder caused by the bacterium Pneumococcus and known as pneumonia was efficiently halted by mother’s milk. What is more, babies fed on mother’s milk encounter far fewer hearing difficulties than those fed on formula and suffer far fewer respiratory infections. After a series of studies, it was shown that mother’s milk also provides protection against cancer. After showing that the incidence of the lymph cancer observed in childhood was nine times greater in formula-fed children, they realised that the same results applied to other forms of cancer. According to the results, mother’s milk accurately locates the cancer cells and later destroys them. It is a substance called alpha-lac (alphalactalbumin), present in large quantities in mother’s milk, that locates and kills the cancer cells. Alpha-lac is produced by a protein that assists in the manufactu!
re of the sugar lactose in the milk.9

This Matchless Blessing Is a Gift from Allah

Another miraculous feature of mother’s milk is the fact that it is exceedingly beneficial for the baby to be fed with it for two years. 10 This important information, only recently discovered by science, was revealed by Allah fourteen centuries ago in the verse: “Mothers should nurse their children for two full years—those who wish to complete the full term of nursing…” (Qur’an, 2:233)

In the same way that the mother does not decide to produce milk, the most ideal source of nourishment for the helpless baby in need of feeding in her body, neither does she decide on the various nutritional levels within it. It is Almighty Allah, Who knows the needs of and displays mercy to every living thing, Who creates mother’s milk for the baby in the mother’s body.

1- “High-Risk Newborn—The Benefits of Mother’s Own Milk,” University of Utah Health Sciences Center, www.uuhsc.utah.edu/healthinfo/pediatric/Hrnewborn/bhrnb.htm.
2- Ibid.
3- C. Billeaud, et al., European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 1997, vol. 51, 520-526.
4- “Breast milk ‘does cut heart risk’,” 1 March 2004, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/3523143.stm.
5- “Breast milk helps reduce obesity,” 2 May 2004, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/3673149.stm.
6- Ibid.
7- Tim Whitmire, “IQ Gain from Breastfeeding,” http://abcnews.go.com/sections/living/DailyNews/breastfeeding990923.html.
8- “Breakthrough in Cancer Research,” www.mediconvalley.com/news/Article.asp?NewsID=635.
9- Peter Radetsky, “Human Breast Milk Kills Cancer Cells,” Discover 20, No. 06, June 1999.
10- Rex D. Russell, “Design in Infant Nutrition,” www.icr.org/pubs/imp/imp-259.htm.

Reseller hosting is a type of web hosting package where we can split up the allocated bandwidth and disk space of a hosting account, and then resell to other individual users as separate hosting accounts. It effectively means that we can buy hosting space from providers in bulk and then subdivide it to be resold to other customers. It is a method for people to start making money of their own with web hosting. Interestingly, reseller hosting requires very little knowledge on how to get started. Hence, practically everyone who is comfortable with the internet can start their own reseller hosting business.

The reseller hosting concept is a rapidly growing industry. This is due to the simple fact that it is an inexpensive way for hosting entrepreneurs to start doing business in this field. This type of hosting is normally used by companies or individuals who want to start a small web hosting company, and also chosen by developers, designers or internet consultants. From the cost point of view, it is a cost-efficient method for webmasters who want to manage and host multiple number of sites with separate control panels. It definitely has the potential to be a very profitable business if the costs and margins are well-managed. Resellers are able to offer custom-made hosting packages for specific customers that perhaps not offered by any of the current hosting providers. This added by the fact that resellers can better control the quality of service since they can pick their servers of choice.

In most cases, the resellers will be given freedom by the hosting provider to create their own packages and offers. Alternatively, most hosting providers would offer predefined packages for resellers to directly sell to customers. Some hosting providers even provide ready sites for resellers to use as a platform to promote their products. To manage the hosting accounts, resellers will be given an interface called the Web Hosting Manager. From there, they can get access to features which typically include payment systems, forms, applications and others. From here, resellers can manage their tasks such as adding domains and setting up DNS entries.

Overall, reseller hosting is great for small businesses or even individuals who intend to generate online profit through the web hosting business. Fortunately, the amount of effort required for resellers to set up this business has been greatly reduced by the ready-made hosting packages and website templates offered by hosting providers. This enables resellers to immediately launch their business without too much start-up hassle and effort. Considering that the market for web hosting is huge, there will be no shortage of demand and there are always opportunities for you in this business.

MARCH 15: The season opener, March 15, on the Kalum River went very well for our two guests Clay Kangerga (repeat guest) and Gary Jordan (rookie) hooking a total of 14 Steelhead between them and landing seven. They had a very good day and said they were pleased. The river conditions were excellent and the weather was fair all week. On March 16 they hooked 10 Steelhead. March 17 they hooked 14. March 18, their last day fishing together, they hooked 10. Gary stayed and fished an extra day. These numbers tell us there was a good number of fish in the river.

Note: The Kalum River is “Classified Waters” year round and we are licensed to guide from March 15 through October 15 only. All licensed Angling Guides are limited to these dates.

MARCH 18: The fishing started off very good for our guest Gary Jordan landing seven Steelhead. One was a very BIG fish! (See photo of the week) He apparently landed an even bigger fish later that day but couldn’t get a photo. The weather had turned cold by Wednesday March 21 when two dedicated fly fishermen arrived. The unusual cold temperatures continued through Thursday and Friday making fly fishing near impossible as the guides on their fishing rods froze up after only three or four casts. Even with these tough conditions they persevered and did manage to land Steelhead. One of these fellows was, repeat guest, Robert Tomes and he landed a BIG Steelhead . (See photo of the week) You may remember Robert from last spring, first week in April, when he may have landed a new fly caught world record Steelhead. See last spring April 9, 2000 report for the details.

MARCH 25-APRIL 1: Our guiding efforts focused on the Kalum River, upper drift. It started off slow for our guest Bill Kaiser due to the bad weather but on his last day he got it going and he landed 8 Steelhead. Our other guest, David Pratt, was off to a roaring start, first day he landed 8 Steelhead, second day he landed 9 (including a 20-pounder). See photo’s of the week. The spin fisherman will be challenged by a fly fisherman next week.

APRIL 8: Fishing was excellent all week! Our guiding efforts were focused on the upper Kalum River drift. Now we are starting to guide on the Kitimat River and main-stem Skeena River. All three rivers are low and clear. In my last report I mentioned a single fly fisherman taking on a couple of spin fishermen…well…he held his own. In four days of fishing fly fisherman Elmer Miller hooked a total of 17 Steelhead and landed 7. The purple “Zonker” was the top fly. Three of the fish were larger than average size and one even topped the 20-pound mark (see photo of the week). We are certain lots of fresh Steelhead are coming into the main-stem Skeena River now. These fish are bright, chrome silver.

APRIL 22: Fishing this week, due to the rising water, was a challenge for our two fly fishing guests from Sweden but they were up to it. With assistance from their experienced AAG Randy Marshall and dedication to their sport, they did manage to hook a total of six Steelhead and land three. They also hooked, landed and lost numerous Dolly Varden Char along with a fish we affectionately call S.I.T (Steelhead In Training) which are actually Steelhead Smolts. These young Steelhead spend 2 to 3 years in freshwater before they head out to the saltwater.

APRIL 29: I must start this weeks report with a couple of corrections to last weeks fishing report. First off, I used the wrong formula to estimate the weight of my BIG Steelhead. The correct estimated weight would be 19.15-pounds not 22.18-pounds. Darn…sure looked well over 20-pounds to me! Also, our two guests from Sweden hooked a total of nine Steelhead and landed four, not three.

MAY 6: I am getting reports that good numbers of Chinook Salmon are being caught throughout the full length of the Kalum River. As a conservation measure these BIG fish are catch and release only. Fishing for Steelhead on this river is still very good and if one is lucky expect to hook both Chinook and Steelhead on the same day. The water on the Kalum River has been rising steadily (this is normal for this time of year) and has remained in good shape.

MAY 13: Good numbers of Chinook Salmon are being caught throughout the full length of the Kalum River. As a conservation measure these BIG fish are catch and release only. The water on the Kalum River has been rising steadily (this is normal for this time of year) and has remained in good shape. Chinook fishing on the Skeena River is really starting to pick up. Normally, this time of year, the water is too dirty to fish for them but this week the water is still clean enough to fish…and the bite is on!!

Our group of 8 guests from Alberta managed to land 15 Steelhead and 13 Chinook in their four days (May 9-13) of guided fishing and lost about as many. All fish were released except for the three Chinook they landed on the Skeena River. They plan to enjoy a family barbeque when they get home and have booked another trip to come back in July 2002.

MAY 20: Very good numbers of Chinook Salmon are being caught throughout the full length of the Kalum River now. This looks like a very good year! As a conservation measure BIG Chinook over 65cm are catch and release only until July 1. You may retain the smaller Jack’s (under 65 cm) but…the small fish are few and far between. Our lodge record 83-pounder was landed on May 24, 1983. Fishing for Steelhead on this river is still very good and if one is lucky expect to hook both Chinook and Steelhead on the same day. The water on the Kalum River has been slowly rising (this is normal for this time of year) but has remained in good shape.

Chinook fishing on the Skeena River is really starting to pick up. Normally, this time of year, the water is too dirty to fish for them but this week the water is still clean enough to fish…and the bite is on!!

Our four guests (2 from England and 2 from USA) so far have managed to land 64 Steelhead and 25 Chinook in five days of guided fishing on the Kalum, Skeena and Kitimat Rivers. All fish were released except for the one Chinook that was landed on the Skeena River. This is the BEST FISHING we have seen in years!! After this group leaves we will not be targeting spring Steelhead anymore, we will leave them alone to set up for spawning. The next time we target Steelhead will be on the Skeena River for “summer-runs” starting around mid August.

This is the best Steelhead and Chinook spring time fishing we have seen in years! The Kalum River is full of fish from top to bottom…but as a continued conservation measure, fishing for Chinook Salmon above the lower canyon has closed as of May 24. One may target them below the lower canyon (approx. 5 miles) and even then the BIG fish over 65cm are “catch and release” only until after July 1.

MAY 27: Please avoid targeting Steelhead directly, most now will be in the spawning mode and should be left alone. The next time we target Steelhead will be on the main stem Skeena River for “summer-runs” starting around early to mid August.

JUNE 3 – 30: We focus our guiding now on the (lower section) Kalum, Kitimat and mainstem Skeena Rivers. When the water was in shape on the Kitimat River fishing for Chinook, Chum and Pink was great! We have a large group coming in the first week of July so the guides (Randy, Greg and I) did a test fish on the Kitimat River June 25 and hooked a total of six Chinook and landed three in a short day. See…photo of the week.

JULY 1: Looks like a good run of Chinook are in the river now. The mainstem Skeena river is still dirty. We really look forward to the Skeena River cleaning up so we can start fishing there, not only for Chinook but also Sockeye which should start coming in anytime. A run of 2.6 million Sockeye is predicted for this year.

FOC (Fisheries & Oceans Canada) predict a good run of Chinook again, plus this year one may angle for and retain Sockeye and Pinks on the mainstem Skeena River. The daily limit will probably be two fish per person, double that for your possession.

We focus our guiding now on the (lower section) Kalum, Kitimat and mainstem Skeena Rivers. If the mainstem Skeena River is dirty we fish the clean seams that flow in from tributary waters. We can always find a place to fish.

JULY 15: Fishing has been EXCELLENT on the mainstem Skeena River, lots of BIG Chinook being landed along with Sockeye. Fishing for Chinook is starting to pick up on the lower Kalum River. All waters are in excellent condition. It is early but we anticipate hooking our first summer-run Steelhead anytime and maybe our first Coho.

Our three guests from Switzerland, one of which is a repeat, had an excellent four days of guided fishing on the mainstem Skeena. They hooked a total of 38 Chinook and managed to land 12. They fished one day for Sockeye and managed to land a few. (See photo of week)

JULY 22: Chinook fishing (for the BIG ones) was very good on the lower Kalum River for our group of three repeat guests from Alberta. AAG Randy Marshall managed to get them into 29 BIG Chinook and land 15 in three days of fishing. Fishing for Sockeye on the mainstem Skeena started out good at the beginning of the week but slowed down by weeks end, due to the warm weather and rising water.

Kitimat has been very good for Chum (for those who have the technique down either fly or spin) and now the Pinks are starting to show in decent numbers. Chinook fishing is still available but slowing down.

One of our guests took the day off Salmon fishing on the rivers and went fly fishing for trout in one of our local lakes. He had a good day landing six nice Rainbows.

JULY 29: Fishing for BIG Chinook, small Chinook, Sockeye, Pinks is very good on the mainstem Skeena River. As a bonus we are landing and releasing numerous summer-run Steelhead. It is wonderful to see this fish again. The annual cycle has started over! We are guiding a group of eight and they said they are having a wonderful time landing numerous (and I mean numerous) Salmon on the mainstem Skeena and Chum on the Kitimat River using both spin and fly fishing methods.

Italo Labignan and camera people (Jim & Tony)of Canadian Sportfishing are here again to shoot more fishing videos. I will let you know how we make out in next weeks report.

AUGUST 5: We shot four fishing shows this week with Italo Labignan of Canadian Sportfishing as follows:

Show 1: Mixed bag of fish (Salmon and Steelhead) landed on the mainstem Skeena with a large group of eight guests. Each guest was on camera with Italo with a fish landed! Some of this footage was absolutely amazing the “shock” on the guests faces will tell it all!

Show 2: Fly fishing for Chum on the Kitimat River was very successful with over seven Chum landed for the camera.

Show 3: Fly fishing for Sockeye on the mainstem Skeena went very well with numerous Sockeye landed for the camera.

Show 4: Fishing for BIG Chinook on the mainstem Skeena River went extremely well by landing seven Chinook for the show. We also landed several Steelhead and two very fresh early run Coho Salmon.

I will let everyone know when these shows air on TSN in Canada as soon as I know. They will air on OLN in the USA after that. To date, we have shot eleven fishing shows covering our complete season from spring Steelhead, summer Chinook and other Salmon through fall Steelhead and Coho.

AUGUST 12: FANTASTIC FISHING NOW FOR A VARIETY OF SALMON AND STEELHEAD!

The Skeena River now claims ownership of the “catch & release” world record for Chinook Salmon. Ingrid Oeder was the lucky angler and her angling guides were AG Wolfgang Volker (owner of Kermodei Bear Lodge) and AAG John Wright. The monster fish with a length of 53.5 inches and a girth of 38.5 using a formula (endorsed by FOC) of Length x Girth squared divided by 800 would weigh 99.125-pounds…clearly the largest Chinook (Kings as the Americans refer to them) ever landed. Along with witnesses a video was taken and a photograph made from the video.

Note: read the “WHOLE” story in the August 19 report.

Fishing for BIG Chinook, small Chinook, Sockeye, Pinks and Steelhead is very, very good on the mainstem Skeena River using both fly and spin fishing methods. A few Coho Salmon were also landed. It is nice to see these fish again. One is reminded that one cannot target Coho until after September 1.

FISHERIES NOTICE: As of August 7 angling for Chinook is closed (usual annual closure) from the mouth of the Lakelse River to 1.5 KM above the mouth of the Kalum River. This conservation measure protects these BIG fish and lets them spawn in peace!. We no longer target them, we are now fishing for summer-run Steelhead.

FISHERIES NOTICE: Limit for Sockeye Salmon on the mainstem Skeena River from the mouth upstream to the confluence with the Kispiox River has been increased to 4 fish per day from 2 fish per day.

AUGUST 26 Fishing for BIG Chinook is over on the Skeena River and Sockeye fishing is slowing down. Steelhead and Pink Salmon is very good on the mainstem Skeena River using both fly and spin fishing methods. Coho are also starting to show in good numbers and anglers are reminded not to target them until after September 1. We have had high water on the Kitimat River that should move Coho up river.

The Terrace & District Angling Guides Association “catch & release” Chinook trophy (contest ended August 6) was won this year by Komaham Lodge with a fish that weighed 80-pounds.

Code of Conduct : Fisheries and Oceans Canada recently released what could become the 10 commandments of ethical fishing. The list is located in August 26 report.

SEPTEMBER 9 We had more than our fair share of rain on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday and it took some of our rivers out of our guiding program…but…by weeks end everything came back into shape and fishing for Steelhead and Coho is EXCELLENT again! Sockeye and Pinks are still available on the mainstem Skeena River.

September 16 We were shocked and saddened by the tragic events in the United States on Tuesday, September 11, 2001. As chairman of the Terrace & District Angling Guides Association I would like to extend our deepest sympathies from all of our members.

Due to the disruption in airline travel those guests who were booked this week and next have been rescheduled to fish another time.

The weather and water conditions are excellent to fish for both Steelhead and Coho. Sockeye and Pinks are still available on the mainstem Skeena River but slowing down considerably.

SEPTEMBER 23 Fishing for both Steelhead and Coho was good until the heavy rain started yesterday. It blew out the mainstem Skeena, Kitimat and both upper and lower Kalum. At the moment we are looking for clean water to fish and are having some success. By Sunday (today) noon the heavy rain had stopped and we hope conditions will come back quickly to most if not all the rivers. Lots of Pinks still around, Sockeye fishing is just about over.

SEPTEMBER 30 Despite the heavy rain and poor water conditions on a few of our main rivers Coho fishing has remained excellent (see guest comments). Most of the rain has stayed in the mountains as snow. Fishing for Steelhead is tough…but not impossible. Zymoetz (Copper) River when clean has been fishing very well for Steelhead. Mainstem Skeena is back in shape today. Check out the “new” hot link http://www.northwestfishingguides.com/reports for water heights on the Skeena River.

“Noel & Gail: Thanks for a great time, short but sweet first time here, first day fishing, first Coho on a fly, what a beautiful place, what a beautiful fish. Randy was a superb guide and we found a hole that everybody else was looking for! I tied a fly I will call “clouser mutant” (sp ?) second cast produced a great big attack from a Coho. The fly is not conducive to an elegant cast, but next time it will make jigs and spoons look singularly unproductive.” Graeme Thom, originally from South Africa via USA – Sept. 26/2001

“We arrived this place when all rivers were “out of shape”. But very professional guiding helped us, to catch so many fish. Many thanks for this to Noel and Greg. And the hardest rains of British Columbia can’t make you cry, when you stay before in Gail’s kitchen. Thank you for all – we will be back for 3rd time.” Hans & Ulrich from Germany – Sept. 22, 2001

OCTOBER 7 We had good weather until today. Fishing is great for both Steelhead and Coho. All waters are in good shape

OCTOBER 14 Fishing is GREAT for Coho and below average for Steelhead. Good on the Copper but slow on the Kalum and mainstem Skeena. Possibly more Steelhead could have been landed if one only targeted Steelhead but with all the Coho around it is hard to leave them alone. All water is in good shape. I will select Coho photos of the week until October 31st when fishing for Coho closes. After that, for about six months, expect lots of Steelhead photos.

Our season is winding down…our last guests leave our lodge on October 15. We are already looking forward to next season. We’ll be guiding for Steelhead on the Kalum River starting March 15, 2002. We still have some dates open so if you are planning a trip please let me know your preferred dates ASAP.

Ending the season with a comment from Capt. Rick Mager seems appropriate: “I fish for a living. I know what makes a great trip. Everything about this lodge and the fishing, was just great. The food, the guides, and the fishing…is the very best anyone could hope for. We will be back. Thanks for everything, this place is too beautiful for words.” Capt. Rick Mager, Key West FL USA – October 14, 2001

Even though our regular seven month guiding season (March 15 thru October 15) is over, we plan on guiding the Zymoetz (Copper River) for “wild” Steelhead from November 1 through December 31 (two months). We call this period EXTREME STEELHEADING. This is still a good time to angle for Steelhead even though the weather will be colder. See you all next year !!

The possibility to use a loan for going on vacations raises many questions. Which loan should I apply for? What terms or conditions are more convenient? Are vacations worthy enough as a loan purpose? Where do I find a lender?

Are Vacations Worthy Of A Loan?

One may think that taking a loan for going on vacations is an unnecessary expense. However, the truth is that a time off is essential not only for your body but for your mind too. This is a scientific fact of which not only workers but also, managers and the government are convinced. The ILO (International Labor Organization) is clear about the subject: Vacations are a Right.

Given that vacations are a right and a need, what you have to analyze is whether you are resorting to a loan due to a temporary or long term lack of cash. If you just could not save enough money but your income will let you repay the loan without sacrifices, then there is no question about it, a Personal loan can be the solution for paying for vacations.

However, if your income is not going to let you repay the loan without making sacrifices what you need to analyze is weather the other expenses you will have to cut in order to repay the loan are more essential than a well deserved annual break or not. Vacations are a necessity but there are other needs of a more essential nature. As long as you do not cut on these ones, the use of a loan for paying for vacations is justified.

Which Loan And On What Terms?

Since going on vacations is a personal purpose, any loan oriented to satisfy personal purposes is good for this aim. The options are varied: You can request a personal unsecured loan, a personal secured loan (which can be secured by many different assets including vehicles) or a home equity loan (secured on the equity on your home).

The three types will accomplish the purpose of financing your vacations. However, only the last one will provide the cheapest source of finance. Nevertheless, Which loan type best suits your needs depends on the amount of money you need, the interest rate you are willing to pay, whether you are willing to risk repossession or not and whether you actually own a property or vehicle to use as collateral.

Unsecured Loans have higher interest rates but no risk of repossession. They are the best choice for small amounts of money and the only option for those who do not own their car and home. If you already have some money and you just need some extra cash to complete the costs’ amount, an unsecured loan is the smartest choice. Secured Loans on the other side come with the risk of repossession but charge less interest and have more flexible repayment programs.

Where Do I Find The Lender?

The answer to this question is simple: Online. By searching the net you will find that there are lots of lenders offering personal loans and many of them have offers specially tailored for those who plan to use the money for going on vacations.

The usual advice is to shop around for lenders, requesting loan quotes, bargaining with them and selecting your lender after comparing what all of them have to offer. Take special attention to APR, Fees and Costs as some lenders will offer lower APR loans but the loan fees and costs might turn the loan more expensive than one with a higher APR.

Are you interested in driving killer targeted website traffic?

Are you confused as to what to do to get traffic rushing and swimming all over your site?

Your site is finally ready, now all you need to do is drive crazy traffic rushing into your site to make all the sales and money you have ever dreamed of.

If you want to drive tons of visitors to your site interested in purchasing your products and services, make sure you apply these 4 steps every single day in your internet marketing plan.

These 4 steps gets me around 1000 visitors to my site every single month absolutely FREE.

Step 1 – Email Marketing.

Step 2 – Social Networking.

Step 3 – Forum Marketing.

Step 4 – Article Marketing.

The purpose of this article is to show you the exact steps that I am personally using to market my website and drive killer targeted website traffic.

Lets get down into dirty internet marketing tactics…

Step 1 – Email Marketing.

If you want to build relationship with your potential clients this is one of the best tactics to use.

Send quality content and offers to your list on regular basis and make sure you help them.

If you win their hearts they will respect you as an expert in your niche and will purchase your products and services.

Next step will show you how to use social networking and web 2.0 sites to promote your website.

Step 2 – Social Networking.

Social networking sites like MySpace, Friendsters, Facebook, etc can help to drive crazy traffic to your website.

The process involves creating quality attractive profiles so that you can attract more people into your network.

More people into your network, more people you will have to advertise your products and services.

Next step will show you how to use forums to boost up your website traffic and drive instant visitors all day long.

Step 3 – Forum Marketing.

Signup with forums in your niche. Then post answers to questions out there.

This will help you to build your credibility and people will respect you as an expert in your niche.

Secondly you will be allowed to place an ad below your post, so more traffic will start rushing to your site.

Next step will show you one of the most powerful website traffic generation tactic, article marketing.

Step 4 – Article Marketing.

Write articles and submit them to article directories.

This will boost up your website incoming links and raise your sites search engine ranking. Thus more traffic rushing into your site.

French is a beautiful language. It is one of the rare languages where you can express all emotions. I feel romantic every time I speak it and learning French has added so much to my travels. When you learn a foreign language, you will also gain knowledge of the culture, geography, history and daily life. The French language is spoken in many countries on all the continents.

France is the world’s top tourist destination (60 million tourists yearly). In France there is always something to explore – from the Gothic cathedrals of the north to the Romanesque churches of the centre and west, the chateaux of the Loire, the Roman monuments of the south, the ruined castles of the English and the Cathars and the Dordogne’s prehistoric cave-paintings.

So what are the best ways to learn French? Taking a class is an excellent way to learn. You will be able to have conversations in French with other learners and your tutor. You can also learn by listening to tapes and there are some excellent online courses.

I feel that learning a new language should be fun; otherwise it is too easy to lose motivation and give up. So think up some new and creative ways to enhance your learning.

Read comics, magazine and newspapers in French. One of my favourite ways to learn was to invest in some children’s French books with not too many words and lots of pictures. Just as a child learns English (or their first language), so you will pick up French.

Listen to French music. Even better buy a French CD with a lyric sheet, so you can follow the song. It may not seem like you are learning, but you will be taking it in.

French movies are fantastic. You can even watch your favourite English movies with French subtitles/dubbing.

You will soon find that if you do these things, along with following a course, you will come on in leaps and bounds.

Learning French can help you learn other languages like Spanish. Learning French can help you improve the interpersonal skills you bring to an international career in computer technology, pharmaceuticals or engineering.

According to the bible, in the last days, a unified global government will rule the world. The head of this global government, the Antichrist, is one of the more infamous figures in human history, and not a single individual on the face of the earth will lie outside of his jurisdiction:

“And he was given authority to rule over every tribe and people and language and nation.” Revelation 13:7 (NLT)

This global government will emerge in our generation because current technological trends will soon make it inevitable. The catalyst for this consolidation of global political power will be the development of molecular manufacturing (MM), a revolutionary technology of unprecedented capability and strength. It’s a technology that could arrive as soon as tomorrow and almost certainly will arrive within the next decade.

Molecular Manufacturing and Geopolitical Instability

International relations since World War II have largely been shaped by the existence of nuclear weapons. Likewise, the era to come will largely be shaped by the existence of molecular manufacturing. The development of MM will have a much more significant impact than the development of atomic weapons, and the stakes will be much higher. This is because world domination could easily be achieved with the creation of molecular manufacturing.

MM is the ability to manufacture products from the bottom up, one molecule at a time, with atomic precision. The development of MM will lead to the creation of the personal nanofactory, a desktop appliance capable of creating everyday products from basic feedstock (molecules). The consequences of such a technology are so profound, they are probably beyond the ability of a single individual to comprehend.

Since a nanofactory is capable of self-replication, the first could manufacture a duplicate copy of itself. Those two then become four, become eight, and so on. As a result, this compounding capital base could create a massive and decisive military force within days. As Dr. K. Eric Drexler described in his book, Engines of Creation, “a state that makes the assembler breakthrough could rapidly create a decisive military force – if not literally overnight, then at least with unprecedented speed.”

The Circumvention of MAD

Since the Soviet Union emerged as the world’s second nuclear power in 1949, international stability has been built on the concept of Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD). The prospect of MAD has successfully prevented the eruption of World War III by making a potential military conflict between nuclear powers equally undesirable to each party involved. This has led many to believe that victory in such a conflict is unattainable. With current technology, this assumption is probably correct. However, once molecular manufacturing emerges, this will no longer be true. A MM-enabled power could easily circumvent MAD.

A nation in possession of nanofactories is capable of rapidly manufacturing and deploying billions of microscopic/macroscopic machines at relatively little cost. These machines could comb the oceans for enemy submarines and quickly disable the nuclear arsenals they carry. Similar acts of sabotage could be carried out simultaneously against land-based nuclear facilities and conventional military forces in a matter of hours, if not minutes. Rendering its enemies utterly defenseless, the MM-enabled nation could conquer at will without fear of nuclear retaliation.

The Race Toward Molecular Manufacturing

The development of molecular manufacturing opens the door for its initial user to completely dominate world affairs. A nation equipped with contemporary technology attempting to defend itself against a MM-enabled nation is akin to a small band of cavemen armed with rocks and spears attempting to overpower a modern day army.Given the stakes involved, it’s reasonable to believe multiple nations are currently in pursuit of a molecular manufacturing capability – just as Germany, Japan, and the United States covertly and simultaneously pursued the creation of an atomic bomb.

If Germany had been the first to succeed in the development of atomic weaponry, it’s almost certain that Hitler would’ve used this advantage to drive the Allied Forces from the European Continent, perhaps totally defeating the United States in the process. In contrast, the United States, as the world’s first nuclear power, could’ve used its position to prevent rival nations from acquiring the same capability. In fact, the United States could’ve used its position to create an impregnable world empire.

In similar fashion, the leading MM-enabled nation can create its own empire if it uses its initial advantage to prevent competing nation states from developing a molecular manufacturing capability of their own. However, in all probability, this is not just one of several options, but the only option. Unlike, the nuclear era, the prospect of MM proliferation is simply intolerable.

This is because of the inherent instability of an arms race between competing MM-enabled nation states. This nightmarish prospect is identified by The Center for Responsible Nanotechnology as one of the foremost dangers posed by molecular manufacturing:

“The nuclear arms race was stable for several reasons. In virtually every way, the nano-arms race will be the opposite. Nuclear weapons are hard to design, hard to build, require easily monitored testing, do indiscriminate and lasting damage, do not rapidly become obsolete, have almost no peaceful use, and are universally abhorred. Nano capability will be easy to build (given a nanofactory), will allow easily concealable testing, will be relatively easy to control and deactivate, would become obsolete very rapidly, almost every design is dual-use, and peaceful and non-lethal (police) use will be common. Nukes are easier to stockpile than to use; nano weapons are the opposite.”

CRN also agrees that a molecular manufacturing monopoly will be an attractive policy option for the nation that first develops molecular manufacturing:

“Each nation will see only a few possibilities: 1) an arms race that will probably be unwinnable since it will develop into a disastrous war; 2) developing ahead of everyone else and establishing dominance; 3) some other nation developing earlier and establishing dominance; 4) international cooperation and trust sufficient to ensure safety; 5) a multinational organization willing and able to keep the peace.”

“Option 1 is undesirable; Option 3 is probably unthinkable for any of the current large powers; Option 5 is probably unacceptable to the U.S., as the world’s sole superpower; Option 4 may be seen as unfeasible. Only one nation can succeed at Option 2. This implies that a preemptive strike option (whether military attack, or sabotage or derailment of nanotech development efforts) will appear very attractive to a number of powerful nations.”

If Option 4 were feasible, then we would have world peace now. Option 5 is only feasible if the multinational organization in question is given sufficient authority and military power to disarm and regulate the nations of the world. By definition, this would be a global government.

So, essentially, once molecular manufacturing is developed, the developing nation has two options:

1) Conquer competing nations so as to prevent them from constructing a rival MM capability.

2) Given the available options, it should come as no surprise that world domination will win out.

The Inevitability of Global Government

Once the leading MM-enabled power uses its advantage to destroy the potential molecular manufacturing capability of suspected rivals, it will then face a much tougher decision: how to go about governing the world. The leading nation will need to institute some form of a global regulatory body to insure that molecular manufacturing does not fall into the wrong hands. Only two choices seem viable:

1) Federalism – a centralized governing authority that oversees the entire world population.

2) Confederation – a loosely associated collection of states who work together to administer world government.

Option 2 would still require a leading authority to maintain a monopoly on molecular manufacturing and extinguish any attempts to create a rival power – whether that power be a nation, a group, or an individual. As a result, both options inevitably lead to a centralized global government – a global government that must maintain constant vigilance toward the possible threat of an emerging power. This constant vigilance will require continuous global surveillance.

A Surveillance Society

Imagine a scenario in which a single individual in possession of unrestricted technology and resources could conquer the entire world. This will be our world in the era of molecular manufacturing. With such high stakes and an almost infinite number of potential threats, the world population will require some means of defense. And that defense will require around-the-clock, ever-present surveillance of the world at large.

A system of safeguards will have to be constructed in order to prevent emerging nation states, terrorist groups, and individuals from breaching the peace. A single global government will go a long way toward eliminating military conflict, as there will be only one military power with a unified purpose. However, in the era of molecular manufacturing, competing militaries could rise quickly, and to prevent a loss of its governing monopoly, a global government will have to deploy unprecedented measures.

This surveillance could be “god-like” in scope – seeing everything, hearing everything, and knowing everything. Imagine “nanodust” – nanoscale cameras and listening devices as plentiful and as difficult to remove as common, everyday dust. MM will enable the construction of trillions of these sophisticated devices at negligible cost.

Outfitted with advanced artificial intelligence software, these devices could sift through continuous video and audio feeds, searching for predetermined patterns indicative of what the state believes to be “aberrant” behavior. This isn’t difficult to imagine. Similar pattern recognition technologies are already in widespread use. MM can simply extend these applications to encompass all speech and actions on the face of the earth.

With the need for constant vigilance against any potential emerging MM powers, global surveillance will have to be administered on some sort global level, meaning that a final global authority for resolving and enforcing international disputes must emerge. This is why global government is inevitable.

Why All This Is Relevant

Okay, so global government is imminent and inevitable. What’s the big deal, you ask? The reason this is such a big deal is revealed in the bible. Centuries ago, the bible predicted that a global government would arise in the last days, just prior to . And this global government will only appear on the world scene in parallel with the Antichrist, so we can’t speculate that it will exist for an undetermined time period before he appears:

“His ten horns are ten kings who have not yet risen to power; they will be appointed to their kingdoms for one brief moment to reign with the beast. They will all agree to give their power and authority to him.” Revelation 17:12-13 (NLT)

Global government comes about as a direct result of ten kings freely providing their power and authority to a centralized global government. The establishment of this global government, and the rise of the Antichrist to administer it, is a monumental sign which heralds the soon return of Jesus Christ to establish His Kingdom on Earth.

The apostle Paul cited the appearance of the Antichrist as a necessary precondition for the “day of the Lord”:

“Now, dear brothers and sisters, let us clarify some things about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and how we will be gathered to meet him. Don’t be so easily shaken or alarmed by those who say that the day of the Lord has already begun. Don’t believe them, even if they claim to have had a spiritual vision, a revelation, or a letter supposedly from us. Don’t be fooled by what they say. For that day will not come until there is a great rebellion against God and the man of lawlessness is revealed – the one who brings destruction.” 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3 (NLT)

Conclusion

Although the “day of the Lord” (i.e., the glorious appearing of Jesus Christ) will not occur until the man of lawlessness (the Antichrist) is revealed, the same is not true for the rapture of the church, an imminent event which can occur at any moment. The short timeframe for the development of molecular manufacturing and the inevitable global government that will follow it reveal that the “day of the Lord” is close at hand.

Since the bible reveals that the rapture of the church will occur at least seven years before the glorious appearing, we can be certain that the rapture is even closer. In fact, just like molecular manufacturing, the rapture is imminent. Therefore, as good servants of Jesus Christ, we should be ever watchful, faithfully tending to our duties here on earth. For our Lord will return at a moment when He’s least expected, and that moment will occur in our generation.

May He find us abundant with joy and overflowing with the Holy Spirit when He returns.

Divorce financial planning is all about suitably matching a person’s current financial needs (justified, of course) with the future financial requirements, in order to obtain a fair financial settlement, for a specified period of time, at the time of finalising the divorce.

Divorce financial planning takes into account the personal lifestyle, assets and liabilities, taxes, income and expense levels of either partner at the time of divorce and for a reasonable period into the future. Its professed aim is to fairly allocate the financial resources between the couple to avoid further estrangement.

It can be done by the concerned individuals themselves, by mutual consent. The inability to see eye to eye on the financial arrangements can necessitate the presence of a Certified Divorce Financial Planner.

Since a financial settlement usually means a monetary outgo for one (because he or she may have to pay for the maintenance of the other person), a detailed and thorough picture of the situation is sought. Hence there is a clear understanding of the present financial scenario and of the future one too (So thorough that, sometimes, the thoroughness of the tax returns pales in comparison!). At times, withheld income sources (for example: salary increments) and unexplained expenses can also surface during the process of obtaining a complete financial map.

In a world that increasingly appears to have lost its ability to be fair, the judicial activism of the courts is becoming a common occurrence. One spouse tries to deprive a dependent spouse of the financial succour or treats the financial settlement as a gateway to El Dorado. How can the courts decide, without going into the merits of the individual’s character or background, without consuming time in necessary background checks? Reaching a fair, mutually agreeable financial settlement quickens the divorce process. The judge finds it an easier proposition to deal with a divorce, where the parties to the divorce are mutually agreeable on the crucial points that affect the divorce proceedings.

A proper and considerate financial settlement is a great alleviator of post-divorce blues. The divorce proceedings are peaceful and create an environment for right-thinking introspection. Acrimonious scenes and pitched battle tents can be avoided. A peaceful parting of ways bolstered by the fairness of the financial settlement fosters a healthy relationship between the couple, long after the divorce. Children are spared further trauma, of the divorce.

Mutually acceptable financial settlements lessen the time taken for the divorce proceedings. This quickening effect steers the divorce lawyer / the marriage attorney into action and quickens the overall pace of the divorce proceedings. This translates into minimising the legal fees.

The Certified Divorce Financial Planner (CDFP)

Brings both the parties to the negotiating table.

Helps in gathering the required documentation and information from various sources and checks the reliability of the available information.

Prepares a detailed fact file of the prevailing financial situation and an analysis of the future requirements.

Assists in arriving at a just conclusion and providing ongoing financial guidance during the divorce and after it.

Financial planning for divorce is a comprehensive exercise for providing the grounds to sustain future well-being. It is a prop to lean on, in the initial years after the divorce, thereby giving an ex-spouse the required time to generate income independently. So, financial planning for divorce should not shy away from addressing all areas of living that can have a future financial impact, big or small.

Yet, one has to keep in mind that there is a thin dividing line between a mutually fair deal and a quick buck scheme. In many divorce settlements, it is the woman who gets a bad financial deal. Celebrity husbands having their fortunes siphoned off are also not unheard of. Equitable financial settlements go into the origins of the finances and their rightful owners, yet strive for creating the right mental attitude to allow the spouse to partake of a reasonable share in it.

They live happily ever after.

The cornhole game is one that not everyone knows about. There are some parts of the country where it is much more popular than others. In these areas, individuals play it at parties and other events. It is played outdoors, and consists of a board with a hole in it and soft bags which are thrown into that hole to score points. The board can either be made of wood or plastic, but they are generally wooden. One of the best things about the cornhole set is that a person who likes working with his or her hands can actually build a cornhole board. He or she does not have to have a lot of fancy tools, and directions can be found on the Internet for free in many places. As long as good-quality wood is used and the instructions are followed, there is no reason why a quality cornhole set cannot be constructed. Even someone who does not have a lot of experience working with wood or tools can build his or her own cornhole set.

Some people will make their own cornhole board and then buy the bags. However, the bags can also be made quite easily. When the cornhole game was first invented, the bags were made of burlap, denim, or other strong cloth. They were stuffed with corn (hence the name cornhole) and they lasted a long time. Good quality bags that can be purchased today also last a long time. However, some bags are not good quality, and they wear out quickly. If a person wants to make his or her own cornhole set, he or she should make sure that the cloth that is used is strong enough to withstand a lot of use. In addition, though, it is very important to make sure that the cloth is also soft and flexible enough that the bags move and are easily tossed. Bags with no ‘give’ to them will be much more difficult to deal with. Strong but soft cloth is the key to making cornhole bags.

In addition to what cloth to use, a person must decide what to fill the bags with. Even though corn was used in the past, it is not always a good alternative today. Corn can eventually mold if it gets wet, and can cause other problems. After enough use, it will deteriorate. The same is true with small beans, which are another common filler for bags that are used for this kind of game. Many commercial sets today use plastic pellets to fill their bags. This avoids deterioration and break down, while still providing game players with basically the same kind of experience that they would get with a traditional, corn-filled bag. The size and weight of the bag, as well as its flexibility, are the most important issues which must be addressed when building one’s one cornhole set. If a person takes the time to build his or her cornhole set correctly, it will be much more enjoyable and last much longer.

What a week it has been, hasn’t it? Harold Wilson will be forever remembered telling us: “a week is a long time in politics”, however with all the pettiness we have to suffer these days, it is fast becoming a long time for everyone in the UK regardless of their occupation. We are living in the slow motion of an occurring disaster.

Consider: the angels in children’s school Nativity plays may no longer have wings, mince pies have been banned at school Christmas fetes, pantomimes are having to be re-written into being unrecognisable and unfunny, there are calls for our National Anthem to be changed, an elderly grandmother is told off by a council workman for sweeping the leaves from her front doorstep, a young mother is fined £360 for not keeping her wheelie bin full of rubbish within her tiny (8 foot by 4 foot) backyard where under the window the smell becomes intolerable despite regular cleaning, the police were called to a shopping centre because someone felt the schoolchildren performing there were singing the Christmas carols too loudly, a butcher has been banned from chopping meat after a new neighbour complained to the council about the noise, and despite the country footpaths across uneven grassy fields and moorland being non-negotiable safely by the disabled in wheelchairs, the kissing gates and stiles which allow access to them have got to be replaced with expensive cattle grids – presumably so anyone in a wheelchair can then sue the farmer for having a field that isn’t perfectly flat should they suffer a tumble!

I could go on and on, the list of stupidities we live with today is seemingly endless, but I am in danger of becoming suicidal. Who wants to live in a world like this? What has happened to society? Why has: “love thy neighbour” all too often turned into: “persecute thy neighbour”, with people wanting to complain and report somebody for simply living or doing their job? Where can anyone today use some common sense and make up their own mind about what they want to do, and what risks they are prepared to accept in doing it?

Political Correctness and Health & Safety issues have been around for quite some time but, whereas once any new proposal used to be ridiculed and dismissed were it not a sensible one, under these past ten years of Labour government rules and regulations to ensure we all live in exactly the same way, and that is in accordance to some insignificant people’s idea of an ethical code, they have totally run riot. The freedom these prats have recently enjoyed is now detrimentally affecting the lives of every sensible person, and their self-given right to enforce their wishes upon the rest of us is at risk of soon becoming the only freedom left in the land. In our everyday lives we are not only being told exactly what to do, but when and how to do it and even the way in which we should be feeling about doing it – and all too often now these imposing rules become actual controls and are backed up by some ill thought through law which will penalise us and put money into either government or local authority coffers should we not wish to conform. We live in a preposterous world where our very own lives no longer belong to us. Give us back our lives!

Individuality? In this Nanny State we live in today, we may as well remove that word from the dictionary! Anyway, judging by how well the UK fared in the report by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), where in reading ability our 15-year-olds dropped from being 7th in 2000 to 17th today and now lag behind countries such as Estonia and Liechtenstein, I doubt many could even spell the word! In science the UK dropped from being 4th to 14th, but worse than that in mathematics it was appalling news with the pupils falling from 8th position to 24th, which for the first time places our children below the international average. Having been brought up and educated in a time when a UK education was the envy of the world, I never thought I would live to see this day – I am ashamed for my country!

Ed-you-Kay-shun? Ed-you-Kay-shun? Ed-you-Kay-shun? Get it? No, despite all that never-ending spin, it seems too few kids do these days! And that point needs to be Laboured!

In an attempt to hide their shame the government has tried to belittle the tests and performance tables which are a part of the OECD’s Programme for International Student Assessment, however as they are the same criteria praised by Tony Blair in 2000 as being evidence of how well we were doing at that time, there is little credibility being given to their arguments. Of course, those 2000 results would have been based on a time only a couple of years after a Conservative government, so therefore much of Labour’s interference with their damaging policies would not have had time to filter through the system, take affect, and become apparent. Whoops! Get out of that one, Gordon Brown. With apologies to the late and great Laurel & Hardy: that’s another fine mess Tony has got you into!

Another day, another disaster, and yet another apology having to be begrudgingly spluttered out by the sorry bunch we, for whatever reason, still call our government and not the Crazy Gang. This one, following the Royal Air Force Board of Inquiry report, by Des Browne the Defence Secretary to the families of the 14 who died as a result of the 37-year-old reconnaissance plane exploding over Afghanistan last year when leaking fuel ignited moments after mid-air refuelling – probably, it is thought, because the recommended fire suppression system had not been fitted to the aircraft. The Nimrod, a museum piece yet an aircraft so vital to the war, is only still flying because as part of a package of cuts its replacement was delayed – so this report by the Board of Inquiry goes a long way in giving credence to all those vociferous military chiefs’ complaints of a lack of funding.

The government can, and often do in an effort to convince us they are providing adequate funding, produce figures to show they have increased the money allocated to the Armed Forces year on year, however what they don’t like to admit, or perhaps are too incompetent to appreciate, is that these increases are on an already severely cut defence budget – one that was something like halved years ago in tune with the more peaceful times. Since those happy days we have entered into two lengthy conflicts, and our commitments have magnified to breaking point – and all without even reinstating the original budget of yesteryear. The increases we are being told of today, when seen in those real terms, become plainly pitiful!

It seems neither Gordon Brown nor his predecessor, or anyone in the present government, has realised that the minute a country declares war or enters into a military conflict, if it really means business and wishes to avoid prolonging the action, it needs to write a blank cheque for its Armed Forces. When our lads and lasses are putting their lives on the line for us they must have EVERYTHING they need to do the job we ask of them as safely, as quickly, and as efficiently as is possible. To provide them with anything less is criminal, and to my mind today we have a government of criminals. Our engagements in both Afghanistan and Iraq have been plagued throughout by stories of a lack of equipment and resources.

These stories have not gone away. Far from it, many have been substantiated by investigative journalism and television documentaries. I doubt I was alone in feeling ashamed of my country when at one point in the Iraq conflict it was revealed on a television documentary that it was only possible to have just one creaky, old Nimrod aircraft in operation as all the rest, having been cannibalised to keep that one airborne, were grounded. Talk about going to war on a shoestring! Our military lads and lasses have been performing miracles! But perhaps I shouldn’t have said that, it might encourage the government to ask them to walk on water to get to the next conflict – and there goes our navy!

Our troops have enough to do fighting the enemy, they should not at the same time have to fight their government for rifles that do not jam, suitable field weapons and the ammunition for them, enough flak jackets to go round, the correct camouflage, the (available) technology to protect them against roadside bombs, enough helicopters (embarrassingly, in Afghanistan there are stories we had to borrow some from other nations!), reconnaissance and attack aircraft, and all the other many items they need, but which have not been readily provided or are easily obtainable.

If anyone should think these are all acceptable situations for our service personnel to suffer and overcome, I beg to differ!

Finally, the Times newspaper’s revelation that it has found more than a 100 websites offering for sale the fullest details of many thousands of the UK’s bank accounts, including those of a High Court Judge, with some of the rogues even providing “free samples” to whet the appetite, is nothing short of frightening. The newspaper claims it was able to download the banking information of 32 individuals for free. Apparently one of the sites has 30,000 British credit card numbers for sale for as little as £1 each – which, as serious as this is, posed a comical question for me: how would anyone buy them? Few would be silly enough to pay for them with their Visa, would they?

Strangely nobody has attempted to link this data with either the widely reported two discs recently lost by HM Revenue and Customs, or the subsequently learned about but less widely reported others – those of an unknown quantity and length of time missing, but which apparently contain similar unencrypted information, and have been similarly “misplaced” by different governmental departments.

As if all this potentially damaging and confidential information being for sale on the internet isn’t bad enough, perhaps equally as frightening is the spokesman for Richard Thomas, the Information Commissioner. After confirming the data these websites are offering appears to be for currently active accounts, this person went on to explain that if it had been acquired fraudulently, or by theft, the matter would be passed on to the police as a criminal inquiry. Hmm . . . Really? That is considerate of them!

Now I don’t class myself as a simpleton, but maybe I should for I cannot for the life of me think of a way in which these details that are subject to all the laws on privacy could appear openly for sale on a public website without an infringement of some law occurring somewhere along the line. Why does the Information Commission want to waste time looking to see if fraud or theft has been involved when so obviously the police should be brought in immediately in an attempt to protect the British people, their personal identities, and their money? Do they intend sitting on this for months, scratching their heads and throwing their hands in the air as people’s bank accounts are emptied? Am I missing something here?

I shall just have to hope it is not soon going to be the Royal Mews millions, won’t I? With difficulty, I suppose one possibly could learn how to survive without having a batman – but without an occasional Robin? Have a heart – the weeks would feel unbearably long!

Holy abstentions!

So your little rascal is leaving gifts all over the house?

Luckily ferrets can be trained to use a litter tray just like cats. They are very intelligent and like to be clean, so they should pick it up quickly. Your whole family should be involved in your ferret training. You can begin ferret litter training any time, although the sooner you start, the happier you and your ferret will be.

Even if you have not trained your ferret you will notice that he will pick a spot, usually in a private corner somewhere, and return to that spot when he has to poop. Ferrets do not relate having their noses rubbed in their poop with the fact that they missed the pan, so please don’t do it. Ferrets do not cover their waste, so scooping is a daily necessity and will help minimize odour. Ferrets are more likely to use a clean pan. You will find that ferrets who feel their litter box isn’t clean enough will often go next to it.

Training

Training techniques must be adapted to individual personalities, but some basic principles apply. Put some faeces into your ferret’s new pan and then put him in there. He will probably have a sniff around and should get the idea. If you see him go to the pan and go to the toilet praise and maybe even offer a healthy treat.

If he goes outside of the pan, do not scold him. Simply place him and his poop into the pan. Eventually he should get it. For some older ferrets this may take time. Most of the time, gently reminding him where the litter box is can be enough.

Litter

Clumping cat litters should not be used, unless you place the powder under other forms of litter so the ferret does not have access to the clumping litter (make sure the ferret is not a digger). Some ferrets don’t like the feel of clay litter between their toes. Additionally, ferrets “wipe their bottoms” after using their litter pan, and clumping litter particles can adhere to the ferret, and absorb too much moisture from soft tissue. Most of the time, gently reminding him where the litter box is can be enough.

Be careful not to use anything that will give off dust particles.

In conclusion it may take some time, but it will be worth it when you have a fully toilet trained ferret running around the house. Maybe then you could move onto some other more advanced training?

Blogging with a new baby sounds a little nuts and is likely to be the last thing on your mind but it may just be the relief valve you need.

I put mothers on a very high pedestal. Even though I am a father and a grandfather, I really have no clue just how tough it is taking care of an infant. I know it’s an almost incredible amount of work, and between changing diapers and keeping the nursery squared away it seems unrealistic to imagine that there would be time left over for any mother to blog. However, a growing number of moms are joining the blogosphere to share their experiences during this exciting and challenging time of life. There are a whole range of benefits that mothers can gain from blogging, and the spectrum covers everything from getting through the night to helping distant relatives feel closer, not to mention maintaining your sanity.

What is a blog and why is blogging such a great idea? A blog is nothing more than a daily journal, diary, if you will, of your thoughts and experiences. You write about them, in your own words, and post them online in your blog. Your readers then can comment and start a communication link with you. Best of all, blogging is free.

I run multiple free blogs and can tell you that blogging is a tremendous way to relieve stress and interact with others. It focuses me away from my daily routine and stresses. See my Author Box below for the link to my blog on Family Life to get an idea of what I am talking about. That blog is free on Blogger.com. There are other sources for free blogs but that’s getting ahead of ourselves for this article.

For a mom dealing with the hassles and triumphs of a baby, blogging about your motherhood is a great way to blow off some steam or just to share some of the joys of motherhood. Your blogging may even help new mothers get through the trials and tribulations of their first infant.

If your baby often has very erratic sleep patterns that leave you up at odd hours of the night, blogging may just be the best way to fill those hours. Many moms turn to television to help them weather these dawn vigils but, by blogging through the night, moms can turn what feels like a somewhat depressing situation into an actively positive and productive one through blogging.

Another reason why moms often find blogging very satisfying is that it helps them to be a part of a community. For moms who are unable to successfully juggle a full social life with the very tough demands of taking care of a new baby, blogging can be a great way to stave off the isolation that sometimes comes during this stage of life.

A baby requires constant attention, and it can be difficult to attend social gatherings or events when you are responsible for an infant. Luckily, the internet is full of other moms in the same situation, and by chatting with them it is possible to overcome

some of the loneliness that many new mothers are surprised to encounter. If you are a new mother, you can learn from experienced mothers. If you are experienced, you can pass along your wisdom to the new mothers. In that process of exchange you all break the patterns of stress and isolation.

Of course, for a mom with an adorable new baby, blogging can be as much about celebration as it is about necessity. Having a blog about living with a new child can give mothers the chance to reflect on how powerful and warm the sensation of motherhood is, and sometimes sharing the triumphs of this unique time can make them even sweeter.

A blog is a great way to keep friends and family updated with news about your baby’s first words or first steps, and with new technology it is easier than ever to make photos and video clips a part of your blog, so you can give far-away relatives the chance to feel much more involved in your child’s life. Many email services now have the ability to email videos. You simply load the video onto your computer, attach it electronically, and your relatives get to see your baby is live action.

Blogging, at first, may seem a bit intimidating. Look for someone, a close relative who is computer savvy, to teach you the ins and outs or spend some time online in those wee hours surfing the internet for information about blogging. There is a ton a free tutorials online that will cut your learning curve and soon you can be a blogging whiz!

Jim DeSantis
Proud father and grandfather

Here are 4 simple steps to achieve massive success using affiliate marketing.

Step 1 – Increase Your Affiliate Marketing Knowledge.

Step 2 – Ask Questions.

Step 3 – Website Development.

Step 4 – Work Hard to Get Back Links.

The purpose of this article is to show you how to achieve massive success using affiliate marketing.

Lets get down into dirty details to boost up your affiliate marketing profits through the roof.

Step 1 – Increase Your Affiliate Marketing Knowledge.

It is extremely important to update your skills in the field of affiliate marketing.

Internet is moving at a rapid speed. What works today might not work tomorrow.

Therefore it is extremely important to keep yourself updated with latest affiliate marketing tricks and tips.

You can do this by signing up under some super affiliate training membership based website or getting affiliate marketing ebooks from top experts from time to time.

Next step will show you how to solve your most pressing affiliate marketing questions.

Step 2 – Ask Questions.

It is important to ask questions if you are stuck up in getting started with affiliate marketing.

The simple way you can do this is by visiting affiliate marketing forums and post your questions out there.

Other affiliate marketers will be more than happy to solve your most pressing questions.

Next step will show you how to develop a killer cash and traffic pulling website to sell your affiliate products.

Step 3 – Website Development.

Do you want to earn just pennies like a job person or you want to develop a web property.

Yes, if you want to make something that you can sell for thousands of dollars in future then make sure that you create your own website and develop traffic to your website.

You can do this easily by posting content to your website, starting a blog or a forum and then promoting your site on a continuous basis.

Next step will give you killer details on getting back links to your website to promote your affiliate programs.

Step 4 – Work Hard to Get Back Links.

Your primary promotion and website traffic building step should include creating quality back links to your site.

The advantages of doing this are HUGE. You will get direct traffic to your website from incoming links and this will also boost your website traffic from search engines.

Article marketing is the topmost tactic that will help you in building thousands of incoming links to your website.

Taking the time to really peruse your options when it comes to the music industry can be a difficult task, but it is necessary if you have intentions of succeeding where so many others have failed. There are several major consultants you will need to keep in mind, preferably before beginning your career, but if you have already started, it can only get easier once you have found the proper qualified help.

Finding a good music consultant can boost your choices of music whether you dance, sing, or act. These companies are available to assist you in your endeavor in finding the best music to suit you and what you are doing. For a complete listing in your surrounding area, try running a search engine online for local music consultants or find them in the phone book. Either way, setting up an interview or meeting with them could help you take the next step toward realizing your dreams.

Having someone around that is practiced and knowledgeable in the music industry can save you immeasurable time, so hiring the services of a qualified music industry consultant would be a wise step in your endeavor to finding your notch in the music industry. They are educated and trained in how to maneuver within the parameters that are involved in the music industry and knowing what they do, they are better able to help boost your career closer toward realizing your dreams.

A music business consultant will aid you in time saving and money saving techniques as well as helping you to learn your way around the business end of the music industry. Their help will be invaluable to you toward finding some of the best business opportunities and maximizing on your potential as well as that of those surrounding you whether they be employees, singers, actors, or musicians. They help those that need it and help to clarify the business in layman terms to assist you in your climb to the top.

Keeping these options in mind when you begin your journey through the music industry could be the determining factor in your career. Whether you are approaching the industry from the business end, or you are a performer yourself, you will need someone to help you find the best ways to maneuver through the difficult times, and applaud you during the best. Hiring outside help could be your best idea toward accomplishing your goals and helping to carry your company or performance to the top.

The shopping days for Christmas are now in full-swing and many of us still have work to do in regards to this challenge. There most certainly exists an anxiety for many as to what to get someone of the male gender before symptoms of a panic attack become evident. Relax, my friends, there is a variety of “Guy” Gift Baskets that could ease your burden in mere minutes.

The question of what guys like must first be answered. After hours of pondering the answer to this very deep mystery a two-word thought occurred to me. The startling revelation of the words “guy stuff” were given to me by the unseen powers of the universe having the wisdom that humans cannot possibly possess. I humbly beseeched this energy to shed more of its miraculous light on this matter. I was then led along a path of enlightenment toward the ultimate in masculine gift-giving. What did I see?

There were gift baskets that had individual themes all within the magical realm of guydom. There was bound to be one that fit the characteristics of any member of the male species. I was utterly astounded by the choices that were before my very eyes. I saw Guy Gift Baskets pertaining to golf, NASCAR, handyman, cigars, motorcycles, Dad’s, trucks, coffee, movies and more. I then saw a shining light coming closer to reveal yet another theme having absolute virile and manlike characteristics. What was behind this amazing spectacle?

There were gift baskets of food….glorious, wonderful food! Some of these baskets with edible treasures contained sweet, luscious candy and snacks. Some were packed with traditional Italian food. Others were chock full of gourmet food that would satisfy the manliest of men in a most manly way. What guy doesn’t like food? What guy doesn’t love gourmet food? Herein was yet another insight towards the power of knowing what to get for all of the menfolk out there.

Then the fantasy that seemed so real suddenly dissipated. A message, however, was indelibly chiseled into my consciousness. I realized that guys like guy stuff and Guy Gift Baskets are guy stuff and that any guy would love to have Guy Gift Baskets in order to experience a new dimension of what being a guy is all about. How simple is that?

One of the eternal mysteries involving the world of gift-giving was granted to me and today I share this truth with you out of nothing but sheer love for my brothers and sisters around the world. Don’t suppress your urge now to weep with me in pure joy! Just let it go….yes….yes, my friends. Let your tears be shed in the state of bliss that I unabashedly can share with you at this very moment.

Now take the advice of aGiftBasketParadise.com and go to a worthy online gift basket provider and shop for the shining Guy Gift Basket that will help some fellow find a oneness within this world of chaos and disconnecting confusion. Make your choice and type in the necessary shipping, billing and credit card info to make it all happen. You will then have taken the high road in life and can be satisfied knowing that you have fulfilled your role within the whole scheme of things. Can you feel it?

Once a contact has been made with a prospect or a customer, a salesperson must remember not to simply stop there. People can forget about a business or forget why that business was so important to them if they are not reminded of it often. This does not mean that a business should inundate a customer or prospect with information, as this can seem overbearing and annoying. However, making sure that a business stays in the mind of a prospect or customer is something that should be important to salespeople, business owners, and others that work in the business of providing goods and services to individuals.

One of the best ways to stay in touch with prospects and customers is through the use of email marketing. This obviously only works if the prospect or customer has provided the salesperson with his or her email address, but most people will provide that information to a business if they are actually interested in the product or service. Once a business has a customers or prospects email address, that business can use email marketing to stay in contact with these individuals. By sending out reminders of upcoming sales, holiday announcements, and perhaps even a company newsletter, customers and prospects are reminded of the business without feeling as though they are being nagged to make a purchase.

Nagging at customers rarely endears a business to them, but reminding them of important things that they do not want to miss can make them appreciate a business that much more. Sending a happy holiday greeting can liven the spirits of a prospect or customer that may need a little boost, and telling customers about sales that can save them money will also make them want to come back. If they are already customers, they will continue to be customers, and if they are only prospects, they may decide to become customers. This will not only give them good deals, but it will affect the business bottom line and increase its profits.

If you are a shareholder of a company facing legal issues, you may have the legal right to take legal action in behalf of the company, which in itself refuses to take legal action.

This is the basic concept of shareholder or stockholder’s derivative suit.

A shareholder’s derivative suit is another sort of business litigation commonly brought about by one or a group of shareholders as a legal action to prevent or resolve a wrongful act against the corporation. Note the plaintiffs, that is, the shareholders, in a certain derivative lawsuit are not suing as a cause of action for their own interests as individuals. Instead, they are suing as valid representative on a cause of action, actually belonging to the company but for varied reasons the company refuses to take up legal action.

As such, it is the interest of the corporation being pursued, albeit the shareholders are the ones acting on behalf of its interests.

Often, this kind of legal matter involves the actions done or performed by the corporation’s executives. If suspicions have arisen that, an executive of the corporation is using the assets for his/her personal gain, then the shareholders or one of them could bring up a derivative suit against the executive under suspicion.

Significant factors of a derivative suit by shareholders

• It is unlike a direct lawsuit filed by a stockholder in order to enforce a claim that concerns his/her interests in the ownership and allotment of shares. A direct suit concerning the shareholder’s personal interests usually involves the statutory or contractual rights, his/her shares and rights concerning ownership of it.

Furthermore, direct suits raised by a shareholder on his/her own interests usually involve actions to inspect records and books of the corporation and recover dividends.

• The main justification behind the permission of derivative suits is that these legal actions provide the shareholder a means to enforce the corporation’s claims against the corporation’s managing directors and officers.

Since the directors and officers of the corporation are in control, they are not inclined to give authority to the corporation to bring up a legal action against themselves. The derivative suit gives authority to a shareholder to pursue these claims on behalf of the company.

• Other justifications for bringing up derivative lawsuits are:

- prevention of multiple lawsuits

- ensuring that all of the shareholders affected by the wrongful action are given equal portion of the recoveries from the suit

- Protecting preferred shareholders and creditors against the diversion of corporate assets to be directed to the shareholders

• The shareholder is considered a nominal plaintiff in a particular derivative suit. The corporation then becomes the nominal defendant. However, the corporation usually gains from the recovery if ever the shareholder wins the case.

• Essentially derivative lawsuits are three sided. The defendants may be those who allegedly did actions that harmed the corporation or those who have profited personally from the corporate action.

Meanwhile, the corporation may be assigned with different roles in every derivative suit. It could be either an active or passive during the entire litigation process. It can also position in favor of the defendants.

If you are a shareholder planning to file a derivative suit, make sure to contact with a well-experienced business lawyer to advise you on every significant factor and issue of your derivative litigation case.

Know more information about shareholder derivative suits with the assistance of Los Angeles Lawyers at

From The Desk Of: Michael VanWormer – Internet Research/Webmaster Homebizshowroom.com

Dear Student,

It is often said that the most effective debt management strategy is to be debt-free. But, in order to pay for your college education, you may need to take out student loans.

Student loans are applied by many people these days. It is for the hope that student loans can greatly support their education. Well, that is primarily the purpose of student loans, but there are some instances that getting student loans is what lead people to be buried deep in debt. This is common among those who failed to repay their debts or those who actually escape from their obligations.

Now, planning for successful repayment involves a lot of considerations. The planning should start before you place and strike your pen on your first promissory note. Just as you are making a commitment to your career by way of investing time and money in higher education, you should also make a commitment to your financial future by way of effectively managing your student loans from the beginning.

Here are the most recommended tips and tactics that may help you handle your student loan debt effectively and repay the loans successfully.

Tip #1: Do Your Own Research

Always note that not all loans are the same. Some of them, such as the ones provided by the Indiana Secondary Market for instance, offer benefits during school as well as after graduation in the form of repayment incentives, while other do not. They will pay the 3 percent origination fee normally charged on Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP) loans, and this process actually means more money for the books, school supplies and living expenses. And, after you graduated, there is a chance that you will be qualified for reduced interest rates especially when you ready your payments up on automatic withdraw. So, with the differences in student loans, it is necessary that you do your research before signing the first promissory note.

Tip #2: Pay Attention to the Mail

Typically, every borrower receives important information regarding the student loan he or she took out. The mail usually comes in before, during and after school. So, it is somehow important that you read all of the materials you receive carefully. In case, you have questions, the source of the materials is available to welcome you with your questions. Don’t hesitate to ask, and never ignore the correspondence or you may miss out a very vital deadlines or details about your loans.

Tip #3: Be Organized

When taking out student loan from a particular institution, it is always best to save all of your student loan documents and correspondences. This makes you aware of what exactly you’ve agreed, what is expected from you as a student loan borrower, and how much you have borrowed. At the start of the student loan process, you may find it unnecessary to keep all the documents, but when the repayment period is approaching, there is a great possibility that you may refer to some or all of these documents.

To makes things easier for you, begin by setting up an easy to use record-keeping system where you can store your student loan documents and correspondence. As you may know, there are a number of books and software products on personal finance to help you get started. Whatever you may use, whether file folders, binders, portfolios, or envelopes, it is a good idea that you set up one folder for every type of loan or account you have and keep the items sorted accordingly.

Here is what you should keep:

· Important documents like your student loan applications, promissory notes, disbursement and disclosure statements, as well as loan transfer notices.

· Copies of all correspondences between you and your student loan lender, loan holder, and/or servicer, including your school’s financial aid office.

· Addresses and telephone numbers of your lender, loan holder, and servicer. These must be maintained up-to-date.

· The name, the date and time of the conversation, as well as a summary of what you have discussed. These must be considered especially when you are speaking with anyone regarding your student loans as these may be valuable for future reference or clarification.

Also, when setting up your record-keeping system, be sure that it is comfortable to use. This means a system that you will find easy to maintain over the life of the loan. This record-keeping system must also be secured from theft or fire. Many experts also suggest that you should keep all your student loan related documents and correspondences until all the education loans you’ve taken have been fully repaid.

Tip #4: Be present at All Required Entrance and Exit Sessions

When you take out student loan, you will be required to complete student loan counseling sessions. This is often considered when you first obtain the loan and upon graduation. Also, it is worth noting that some schools these days offer this on-line and the sessions will not require a great amount of your time. However, they will provide you with a great deal of information on your right and responsibilities as a borrower.

Tip #5: Learn to Manage Money like an Expert

It has been said that if you live like a professional while you are in school, you will live like a student once you’ve finished your degree. In other words, it is important that you know very well how to handle your money while you are attending school. This will help you lessen the total amount you end up borrowing, and in turn, the amount you will responsible for repaying.

Here are some of the tactics that are worth considering:

· Develop realistic budgets for while you are attending school and even after you graduate. This will allow you to borrow not more than you need, giving you a great chance to repay your loans.

· Learn to live as cheaply as you can. Always remember that you are just a student. You will enjoy a more comfortable lifestyle once you’ve graduated especially if you lessen your borrowing while you are in school. Some of the most recommended ideas for how to be thrifty include getting a roommate, renting a movie instead of going out to the theater, as well as bringing your lunch from home instead of eating out. Be thrifty as possible.

· For any credit card bills you receive, try to pay the full amount due.

· Establish a budget for yourself and follow it. While you are in school, it is important that you know how to resist the urge of using credit cards or your student loan funds to purchase things that are included in your budget. Don’t just buy unnecessary things.

· If possible, explore work-study or other part-time employment. As often said, it may give you an opportunity for you to study or obtain valuable professional experience, other than help cover overheads.

Tip #6: Maintain at least Half-Time Enrollment

Considering a half-time enrollment is highly necessary in order for you to qualify for an in-school deferment. The half-time enrollment normally takes six credit hours. Regarding your school’s requirements for half-time status, see your financial aid officer.

Tip #7: Take Advantage of Tax Savings

Some of the student who takes out student loans qualifies for tax credits. To see your own status, check with your tax advisor. The credits are actually based on your qualified tuition payments, and they can help reduce the amount of Federal tax you pay. Now, if you are paying interest on a student loam, you may also be able to take a deduction on your Federal tax return for those interest payments. Therefore, to obtain the full benefit of the credits as well as the deductions, grab the opportunity of employing the additional tax refund to pay down your student loan debt, or perhaps to handle your educational overheads.

Tip #8: Repayment Tips

As you enter the repayment period, note that being aware of your student loan obligations is very crucial. This is where the student loan default usually happens. It occurs when you fail to pay back the loan as agreed or meet the other terms of your promissory note. The promissory note for each of the loans must then be referred prior to your graduation or before you leave school so that you know what your rights and responsibilities are in repayment.

Here is what you should do as you enter the repayment period:

· Send your education loan payments when due every month, for the full monthly payment amount or more. This must be done regardless of whether or not you receive a bill.

· Note and understand the repayment options provided by your student loan lenders. With some available options, there is a possibility that you can lessen the total cost of the loan by making a high monthly payment. Other options may even lessen your initial monthly payments and may make it easier for you to pay back your leans early in your career.

· Understand the deferment as well as forbearance. In case you need them, just learn to exercise your options.

· Remember that the loan consolidation and its repayment options have its pros and cons. So, understand them.

· Keep your school, lender or servicer informed of your whereabouts. Contact them immediately if you change your name or address; have questions about billing statements; have problems making your scheduled payment on time; or if you want information on or application for deferment or forbearance.

· Read, note and understand all the correspondence you receive from your student loan lender, loan holder, or servicer. And, respond them promptly if asked to do so.

For Further Information

If for instance you need further information regarding your student loans, always remember that the financial aid staff at your school is probably your most important resource. However, there are also some consult publications from federal and state governments, lenders and scholarship granting organizations, and financial ad guidebooks that are available from your local bookstore. They are great enough for you to start your own search.

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the feisty and foolish President of Iran, was coming back from one of his frequent addresses to students, who always agree with him 100%, when a camel walked out onto the road his limo was zipping along.

“Look, a camel,” called his perceptive driver, slamming on the brakes.

“Just give him a minute,” Mahmoud observed sagely, “and I’m sure he’ll cross the road to get to the other side.”

“Why?” the bodyguard next to the driver asked, inadvertently poking himself in the eye with his AK-47.

“To get a drink of water,” witty Mahmoud suggested.

“Ha,” chuckled the driver and the bodyguard, making up, through their feigned camaraderie, the usual “Ha, ha.”

But, instead of behaving as projected, the camel ambled up to the limo and looked in at Mahmoud. Then, quite to the Mayor-turned-President’s surprise, it began to move its lips as if it was speaking in Farsi.

Ever the obliging pawn of the ruling mullahs, Mahmoud rolled down his window, and asked, “Can I help you?”

“Yez, Prez,” the camel replied, with a curious accent that seemed to be due to its rubbery lips.

Astonished, Mahmoud exclaimed, “How can a camel talk?”

“It’z a zpecial gift from Allah.”

“Really?” the President pondered.

“Yez. There I waz, zleeping by a watering hole last night, when Allah appeared on my back, and zaid, ‘I have a problem.’

“I didn’t know what to say,” the camel went on, “because I didn’t know how to talk.

“Then Allah zaid, ‘Let’z talk.’

“And, suddenly, I knew how.

“So I zaid, ‘Thankz, what’s up?’

“Allah sighed, and told me, ‘Try az I might, I can’t find a zsingle Iranian with the courage to have an honest talk with Mahmoud. Zo I’ve decided to give you the azzignment.’”

“A lowly camel, appearing on behalf of Allah?” Mahmoud questioned.

“No, a camel chozen by Allah,” came the wise reply. “Zo I zaid to Allah, ‘How can I help?’”

“And what did Allah say?” Mahmoud half scoffed.

The camel glanced at the bodyguard with the AK-47 and trembled with fear.

“Relax,” Mahmoud told him. “He won’t shoot. I promise.”

“Thankz,” the camel replied.

“So what did Allah tell you?”

“He said, ‘Go to Mahmoud and tell him he has a suicide wish.’”

“A suicide wish?” Ahmadinejad exclaimed, and jumped out of the limo. “Allah told you that?”

“Yez, he did,” the camel said. “Not only that, he said you’re acting it out for the whole nation of Iran.”

“Now, why would I do that?” Mahmoud demanded.

“He zaid you mizinterpreted the Koran.”

“I did?”

“Yez, he said that you think after you die you’ll go to Paradize az a martyr and have a zubliminal wish to go there. But he zaid you forgot that he created you so you would live before you die. In fact, he created the whole univerze so you could live before you die. So ending your life by choice defeatz his primary purpose. Naturally, he’z upzet. Very upzet.”

“But how am I trying to commit suicide?”

“He zaid with your polizy of nuclear development.”

The bodyguard knew any negative talk about the Iranian centrifuge subterfuge would anger Mahmoud, who had somehow conflated the prestige of Iran with his, along with his superintending mullahs’, nuke-a-duke policy. So he hefted his principal means of communication, the AK-47, and asked, “Want me to silence him? I can do it without admitting it.”

“No,” Mahmoud replied insightfully. “A camel who can talk should not be shot.”

The camel did not take the bodyguard’s suggestion in stride, and uttered, “Uh-oh.” Then it turned to trot away.

“Come back here and tell me what else Allah said,” Mahmoud commanded him.

The camel stopped but only to call back, “He zaid you know you’re involved in a gamble you can’t win.”

“He said that?”

“Yez, he did,” the camel dared to affirm, and glanced at the bodyguard. “Don’t zhoot or I’ll zhut up.”

“He won’t,” Mahmoud assured the spooked camel, and turned to the bodyguard. “He may be a camel, but he’s a messenger of Allah. So no gunplay.” Then he looked back at the eloquent dromedary. “Did he say why I can’t win?”

“Yez, he zaid that the closer you get to succezz, the more other nationz will want to ztop you.” The camel swallowed hard and blurted out. “They will bomb you before they let you have a bomb.”

“He zaid that?” Mahmoud asked, and then, realizing he had just slipped into the curious accent of the camel, corrected himself. “I mean, he said that?”

“Yez, he did,” the camel confirmed. “Not only zhat, he zaid you’re telling the other countriez you’re only doing it for a reazon that izn’t credible, because Iran haz plenty of oil, so it doesn’t need nuclear power for energy.”

“Anything else?” Mahmoud asked, grinding his teeth a bit.

“The most important zing: He told me to tell you to ztop.”

“Or?”

The camel swallowed hard, and then said, “I’m supposed to go from one city to the next and tell people to stop you, so they don’t have to die with you.”

The bodyguard waved his AK-47 in the sun.

The camel noticed it, and said, “Zo, quick! What’s your decision?”

“My decision is, you must be a mirage. Whoever heard of a talking camel – especially one who claims to be a messenger from Allah?”

“I think you’re right, boss,” the bodyguard called, and wiggled his rifle. “Want me to give it the hole-in-the-head test?”

Ahmadinejad took out his handkerchief and wiped his forehead, considering the possibility. Then he said, “Why waste bullets on a mirage?”

Getting back into the limo, he huffed skeptically, “Drive on. And don’t either one of you tell anybody I was talking to a camel.”