Archive for December, 2007

Cardio Revolution

Wednesday, December 19th, 2007

By Craig Ballantyne Today I’m going to give you the story of how I solved the problem of getting an efficient and effective fat loss program finished in 45 minutes. Essentially, how I invented the strength and interval workouts I use with clients. And then I’ll end with a sample workout for you… But first, let’s take a trip down memory lane to the winter of98-99. I was but a lowly grad student, studying the effects ofandrostenedione (the supplement taken by the might Mark McGwire during his record-breaking home run quest in ‘98). In my study (which was published in the Canadian Journal of Applied Physiology for any science nerds like myself out there), we had guys use the supplement and go through a couple of weight training sessions. By February of ‘99 I was stuck in the lab, analyzing the blood samples using some fancy radio-active isotopes. And when I say stuck in the lab, I mean STUCK. I’d get there at7am, and record my last data point at 11pm. Sixteen hours ofmad science. And if I wasn’t there, I was downstairs in themedical library, studying papers on testosterone and training. Now coming from a very athletic background, this sedentarylifestyle didn’t sit well with me. But there I was, studing for adegree in Exercise Physiology and left with no time for exercise.Or so I thought. Fortunately, I actually had a 50 minute window once per day of”down-time” while the lab’s gamma-counter analyzed blood samples. That left me 50 minutes to get to the gym (5 minutes across campus) and get a workout in the remaining 40 or so minutes. I knew that if I applied my studies to the workout, I could get maximum results in minimum time. As a former athlete, I knew that I had to find a way to stay fitand to avoid the fat gain that comes with working long hours in asedentary environment. And I also had to stay true to thehigh-school bodybuilder I once was, so there was no way I waswilling to sacrifice my muscle to one of those long-cardio, lowprotein fat-loss plans that were popular at the time. Instead, I had to draw on my academic studies and my experiences working with athletes as the school’s Strength & Conditioning Coach. I knew that sprint intervals were associated with more fat lossthan slow cardio, and I knew that you could also increase aerobic fitness by doing sprints (but you can’t increase sprint performance by doing aerobic training). So clearly, intervals were (and ARE!) superior to long slow cardio. I had seen first hand the incredible results of sprint intervals inthe summer and fall, as the athletes made huge fitness improvements and shed winter fat in a short time using my interval programs. I knew that intervals had to be the next step in the evolution of cardio. The biggest benefit of intervals? A lot of results in a shortamount of time. I knew that I only had 40 minutes to train, andtherefore I could only spend 15-20 minutes doing intervals. Now onto the strength training portion of the workouts. I knew that a high-volume bodybuilding program wasn’t going to cut it - I just didn’t have time. But in the past year I had read so many lifting studies, that I knew exactly what exercises I needed to do to maximize my lifting time in the gym. Those exercises were standing, multi-muscle, movements such as squats, presses, rows, power cleans, and plenty of other standing single-leg exercises. I knew that those exercises would bring me far more results than those people sitting on machines would ever achieve. And I also knew that I had to lift heavier than the average Joe or Jane Gym-goer lifts. I just knew that doing lighter weights and high-reps wasn’t going to cut it. And a research study from 2001 later showed that I was right - when women did 8 reps per set, they had a significantly greater increase in post-workout metabolism than if they did 15 reps per set. So I had my plan. Bust my tail over to the gym, through the cold, dreary Canadian winter afternoon, and do a quick but thorough warmup (specific to my lifts - none of that 5 minutes on the treadmill waste of time). Once I got through the warm-up, I did as many sets as I could in the remainder of the 20 minutes for strength training. At that point, I knew that supersets were the only way to go if Iwanted to maximize the number of sets I could do…so thenon-competing superset of Turbulence Training was put in place. By non-competing, I mean that the 2 exercises in the superset don’t interfere with one another. So you can use upper and lower body exercises together, or pushing and pulling exercises. Just be careful not to use two grip-intensive exercises together in a superset - otherwise, one exercise will suffer, if not both. And then I followed up the strength training with intervals, as Iknew these had to follow the lifting, otherwise it would not be the correct exercise order. Remember, intervals first leads topremature fatigue. Lift first, cardio later. Forget that old wivestale about doing cardio first to burn more fat. That’s junk. You know, I remember the exact day and exact workout that this all came together into the strength and interval program. It hit me as I was finishing my intervals. I knew I had found something that was like fat loss magic. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find a way to put it in a pill. But I’vebeen able to put it down on paper in all of the strength and interval workouts. The exact workout I used that day went like this… Warm-up 1 set of Bodyweight Squats 1 set of pushups 1 set of Squats with the empty bar 1 set of light dumbbell chest presses 1 set of moderate weight barbell squats 1 set of moderate weight dumbbell chest presses Strength Training Superset #1 Barbell Squats paired with Dumbbell Chest Presses 3 supersets, aiming for 8 reps per side per set Strength Training Superset #2 DB Rows paired with Barbell Forward Lunges 3 supersets, aiming for 8 reps per set Stationary Bike Intervals After a warmup, I did 6 intervals of 45 seconds work and 45 seconds rest, finishing with a cool-down. And from that point in time, I’ve tried to share this and all theother workouts with as many men and women as possible. The same men and women that I would see day-in and day-out performing the same ineffective slow-cardio fat loss programs, and not making a darn change month after month. And every day they would see me, soaked in sweat, feeling great and looking lean, and finishing another workout. Eventually I noticed these other men and women weren’t around as consistently as before, and then soon enough they would drop out completely - after all, they weren’t getting results with their slow cardio and aerobics classes (yep, those were still around in ‘99!). And so here we are today…thousands of users later, withnational fitness magazines like Men’s Health, Men’s Fitness, andShape spreading the good word about strength and intervals for fat loss. Thanks for being a part of the Cardio Revolution, and forsharing this new and improved fat loss training and cardio system with the world. So when you see someone frustrated with their ineffective fat loss program, tell them there is a better way. It’s research-based, efficient, and most of all, effective. And yes, it goes against the crowd. But it works! Craig Ballantyne is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for Men’s Health, Men’s Fitness, Maximum Fitness, Muscle and Fitness Hers, and Oxygen magazines. His trademarked Turbulence Training fat loss workouts have been featured multiple times in Mens Fitness and Maximum Fitness magazines, and have helped thousands of men and women around the world lose fat, gain muscle, and get lean in less than 45 minutes three times per week. For more information on the Turbulence Training workouts that will help you burn fat without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment, visit http://www.TurbulenceTraining.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Craig_Ballantyne http://EzineArticles.com/?Cardio-Revolution&id=462973 generic ultram buy prescription drug tramadol tramadol without prescription free shipping buy can i online ultram

Commercialisation of Higher Education in South Africa

Tuesday, December 18th, 2007

By Lizl Steynberg Introduction and Literature Review South African education policies place priority on addressing historical education imbalances, but should also be sensitive to the demands of an ever-increasing global knowledge-driven environment. The educational system cannot be dominated by the needs of the domestic educational system of South Africa ignoring the trends exerted by the global world (OEDC Annual Report, 2004:44). Higher education in South Africa should realize that they operate and function in a knowledge-driven global environment in which both domestic and foreign students demand access to the best quality education at the best reputable institutions of higher education in the world. In this regard, most definitions of internationalization of higher education include the following: Internationalisation is a process that prepares the community for successful participation in an increasingly interdependent world The process infuse all facets of the post-secondary education system, fostering global understanding and developing skills for effective living and working in a diverse world (Francis, 1993 cited by Patrick, 1997). The position of higher education in South Africa should be evaluated considering the re-integration of South Africa into the global community. South Africa was rapidly re-integrated into the world community by obtaining almost immediate membership of influential international organisations after 1994. Kishun (1998:59) indicated that South Africa became a member of among others the following international institutions: United Nations; Organisation of African Unity; Commonwealth; International Olympic Committee; Federation of International Football Associations; and Lome Convention. Integration of influential international institutions is a necessary but not sufficient pre-condition for internationalization of higher education. Sustainable internationalization should be closely aligned to the emerging global trends and events in the education sector. An analysis of the basis on which internationalization of higher education occurs is needed as well as the benefits of the internationalization process. This research is conducted against this background. Problem Statement Whilst South Africa is in a process of transition regarding higher education to address the imbalances of the past, the question arises whether the South African educational sector is able to compete in the global economy which regard knowledge as a commercialised commodity. Methodology A sample size of 781 respondents from six institutions of higher education in South Africa was selected. Senior students were randomly selected using the convenience sampling technique. A semi-structured questionnaire was developed to measure the perceived competitive profile of institutions of higher education in South Africa. The questionnaire constitutes five measuring foci, namely: Section A: Institutional information regarding the location where the respondent is enrolled. Section B: Biographical information in terms of gender, type of student and country of origin. Section C: Decision criteria used to select an institution of higher education. Section D: Four competitive dimensions of higher education institutions, including strategic competitiveness, institutional competitiveness, product competitiveness, and tactical competitiveness. Section E: Open-ended questions, aimed to identify the reasons why respondents choose a specific institution of higher education, their opinion on the institutions competitive reputation, and the factors that may influence the international competitiveness of the particular institution. The data was transformed into two opposite categories, namely those who agreed with the statements and those who disagreed, enabling the researchers to derive a hypothesized agreement-disagreement distribution. Those who neither agreed nor disagreed were allocated to the disagreement group set giving and expected disagreement response set of 57% (p=0.57) and an agreement response set of 43% (q=0.43). The Binomial test was employed to determine whether the observed distribution correspond with the hypothesized distribution using a significance test level of 0.05. Furthermore, the level of agreement or disagreement with the selected competitive statements and the extend of agreements between the respondents from the different institutions on the various statements were determined by executing four statistical procedures, namely: ANOVA to compare the means of respondents from the different institutions; determining how much of the perception variation could be accounted for by the influence of the different institutions of higher education; determining the averages for each strategic dimension to obtain an indication of the level of agreement with the competitive statements; and determining the standard deviations to obtain an indication of the extend to which consensus exists within the sample. Findings With regard to the strategic competitiveness of South African institutions of higher education to engage in a seamless network the respondents were of the opinion that South African institutions of higher education give low priority to attract foreign students, are not well known for attracting foreign students, are not actively involved in exchange programmes of students and lecturers, and do not have active engagements or agreements with other tertiary institutions, businesses and communities. On the issue of institutional competitiveness, the majority of respondents were of the opinion that institutions of higher education in South Africa have the ability to attract quality students, does not have an international student culture, offers qualifications that are internationally accepted, can claim international reputability on post-graduate level, offers competitive tuition fees, deliver research outputs that are internationally recognized, and are not easily accessible. In terms of product competitiveness the majority of respondents indicated that institutions of higher education in South Africa have active orientation programmes to familiarise foreign and domestic students with the institutions, provide safe and secure learning environments, provide leading information technology for academic growth and excellence, do not easily adapt to the needs and wants of students, and provide convenient service packages to students. With regard to tactical competitiveness institutions of higher education in South Africa have the ability to compile a diploma or degree offering that meets or exceeds international standards in terms of offering subject content of international standard, having internationally acclaimed staff, aggressively marketing its qualifications internationally, claiming international acceptable through-put, and having acceptable grant and loan schemes accessible to students. Conclusion and Recommendations The majority of respondents are in agreement that institutions of higher education in South Africa are able to compete internationally on the four competitive dimensions (strategic, institutional, tactical and product). Internationalisation requires that institutions of higher education in South Africa should emphasise a somewhat loosening of the relationship with Government, despite the paradoxical need to create new transformational bodies to address the imbalances of the past. Internationalisation of higher education implies that internationalised institutions operate on new super ordinate levels which has its own legal, administrative and revenue-raising powers. In terms of strategic direction institutions of higher education might consider at least one of the following internationalization approaches: Would-be internationalization: Applies to academics and institutions wanting to be involved in internationalization but facing problems in being considered on equal terms. Life or death internationalization: Countries, their academics and institutions, which view internationalization cooperation as indispensable for their status and role in the global world. Two areas: Academics and institutions have the option of striving for either more national or more international status and orientation. The academic field in which one is operating often determines this. Internationalisation by import: Countries and institutions that treat internationalization only as coming from outside, by hosting foreign students and publishing research. It should not represent a separate strategy towards internationalisation. References Kishun, R. 1998. Internationalization in South Africa. In The globalization of Higher Education. Scott, P. ed. Buckingham: Open University Press. OECD Annual Report. 2004. Education. p.41-45. Patrick, K. 1997. CSDF project full report: Internationalising the University. Melbourne: RMIT. Lizl Steynberg is part of the Centre of Entrepreneurship at Tshwane University of Technology, South Africa. She has published in various accredited journals and has presented various papers at national and international conferences. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lizl_Steynberg http://EzineArticles.com/?Commercialisation-of-Higher-Education-in-South-Africa&id=62338 pravachol buy tramadol buy ultram cheaply tramadol cheap fast no prescription buy tramadol without a prescription

Sunflowers

Monday, December 17th, 2007

By Johnathan Sanders Hi there, I am Jhon Saunders and recently took up gardening as a hobby. i have managed to buy cheap gardening equipment and also items such as blubs, lights etc. I have submitted various articles on mow I did this. To view this articles, please search under my name. Sunflowers, what are they and why am I writing about them? Well to put it frankly, sumflowers really do liven up any garden and they are so easy to cultivate. Literally, all you need to do is plant a sunflower seed ( you are not going to ask me where to get hold of these are you!) and then just add water. The advantages of growning flowers like sunflowers is they also attract bees. Due to there size, they also add a focal point to the garden. For this reason, most houses here in the UK, tend to plan them in their front yard. Just out of interest, if you goto the South Of France, you can drive through fields and fields of sunflowers- a very beautiful se. On average mu sunflowers grow to 5 foot in hight, but I have seen neighbours grown to 7 foot- what a sight. Isn’t nature amazing, that fromsuch a small seed can grow such a beautiful flower? I highly recommend growing sunflowers, as they are easy, just add water and a bit of sunlight and they definately bring sunshine to your garden. Go on give it a try John Recently took up gardening as a hobby. http://www.lawn-mower-parts.info John Sanders Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Johnathan_Sanders http://EzineArticles.com/?Sunflowers&id=45564 buy phentermine by cod phentermine forums where to buy phentermine online no prescription required buy phentermine without doctor approval

Why Women Agree To Being a Mail Order Bride

Saturday, December 15th, 2007

By Shirley Simmons Some women cringe at the thought of other women becoming mail order brides. In fact, most women have no idea why a single woman would ever put herself on the market in such a way. However, there are good reasons many women choose to become mail order brides. In fact, they often do so to better themselves and not embarrass or put themselves into a negative situation. The fact is that there are thousands of women around the world that are not in great living conditions. They could be living in countries where their lives are at risk each day. Many of them have no freedom and are under lock and key of their government. With the mail order bride programs, they have a chance to escape their culture that treats them so poorly. So, being a part of a mail order bride program is their ultimate dream. If they can find a man who will marry them, they will be able to get away from their oppression. They may even be able to get a great education and a job. They will be able to raise their children in a place where they will not be abused or oppressed. These are the main reasons women choose to become a part of mail order bride services. So, instead of looking down on these women for being a mail order bride, applaud them for doing whatever it takes to end their own personal oppression. After all it is a brave move that many of them would be punished for if found out. Is your love life lacking intimacy? See how to restore intimacy to your sexless loveless marriage. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Shirley_Simmons http://EzineArticles.com/?Why-Women-Agree-To-Being-a-Mail-Order-Bride&id=217499 online pharmacy for phentermine phentermine waterview pharmacy phentermine from union pharmacy inc phentermine from union pharmacy

Jefferson County, Colorado Mortgages

Saturday, December 15th, 2007

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Damian_Sofsian]Damian Sofsian Jefferson County in Colorado was named after Thomas Jefferson. The County consists covers the eight towns and cities of Arvada, Edgewater, Golden, Lakeside, Lakewood, Morrison, Mountain View and Wheat Ridge and portions of Littleton, Superior, Bloomfield and Westminster. The make-up of the land area of Jefferson is heavy on residential dwellers. The businesses and industries operating therein are still in their development stage. There are a number of companies offering mortgage services to interested real estate buyers in Jefferson County. However, applying for a mortgage loan should be exercised with caution. Similar to when you are taking on any kind of loan, you do not want to be stuck with too much debt, especially if it involved your dwelling. Based on the latest reports, there are 212,488 housing units in Jefferson County. Of the total, 70 percent or 149,395 are owner-occupied with the balance being rented. Of the 149,395 owner-occupied housing units, about 72 percent or 107,584 housing units are with a mortgage or under contract to purchase. The monthly cost for owner-occupied housing units with a mortgage is US$1,288. This is quite high as opposed to the monthly cost for housing units without a mortgage, which is only US$318. It is interesting to note that the marked difference in the monthly cost between housing units with mortgage and without a mortgage usually leads to foreclosure proceedings against those owners of housing units with mortgage. Financing companies offer various types of financing products and services with such product names as home purchase loans, equity loans or refinance loans. Some offer extensive mortgage services backed by low interest rates in order to attract potential buyers. As a buyer, you should educate yourself with what these loans mean. You should be familiar with the terms refinance rates, purchase rates, adjustable rate mortgages and other loan jargons. Keep in mind the possibility that your real estate purchase might be foreclosed so that you must choose wisely in what loan and mortgage scheme to undertake. [http://www.e-coloradomortgages.com]Colorado Mortgages provides detailed information on Colorado mortgages, Colorado mortgage leads, Colorado mortgage rates, Colorado mortgage loans and more. Colorado Mortgages is affiliated with [http://www.e-californiamortgages.com]Reverse Mortgages California. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Damian_Sofsian http://EzineArticles.com/?Jefferson-County,-Colorado-Mortgages&id=353386 buy phentermine online mastercard best buy phentermine phentermine diet pills mastercard phentermine diet pills com

America - Is it in Bible Prophecies and what can the USA Expect at the Second Coming of Jesus Christ

Friday, December 14th, 2007

By Michael Bresciani This is perhaps the most often asked question heard in connection with the second coming, at least for Americans. It a reasonable question for any North American to ask, but it is far from easy to answer. I would be remiss if I were to say that the Bible expressly names America in any passage from Genesis to Revelation. That some passages may refer to America is very possible but not provable and that is the very kind of conjecture I will not entertain. Naturally all the events surrounding the second coming of Christ are global or universal in nature so they necessarily include the United States. That the antichrist rules America for the same short period he rules the rest of the world is covered in Revelation 13:7. How he gets this powerful and fiercely independent nation to cow to his will is probably the more interesting question to try to answer. Some people believe that America will be forced to comply with antichrist after an invasion of our shores by a great Eurasian pact of nations. Mostly, the invasion idea stems from the vision of George Washington. In that vision it is said that Washington told this story to his aide who in turn told it to someone else just before he died at about the time of the civil war. Washington was told that three great calamities would befall the nation. Starting with the revolutionary war, following that the civil war and finally some future war where America would be invaded. My learned opinion of this vision is, who knows? That America would require force to he pushed into the rule of the antichrist is easy to believe but the force in question could be of a different nature. The remaining two views of how the United States is forced into the final pact of nations are probably more tenable. The antichrist does not act alone but he is aided by one the scripture refers to as the false prophet. Rev. 16:13. 19:20. 20:10 We know little about who this person is today, hut what is known about him is that he doesnt come from the same region, country and perhaps even the same hemisphere as the antichrist. The antichrist rises up from out of the sea according to Rev. 13:1. The false prophet rises up out of the land. Rev. 13:1 1-16. The antichrist rules from the revived Roman Empire or The European Union. Where the false prophet is stationed exactly is not known but some think it will be America. This of course is speculative, even though it is very possible. The false prophet will probably not be connected to any religion, but it is most likely he will be a political figure or a minister of science. What he is may he uncertain, but the influence he wields over the world is not. He is able to produce signs in the heavens and draw fire down from heaven at will. Whether he does this supernaturally through the aide of the devil or engages some star wars type pyrotechnical display is also not known. What is known is that his antics are very successful in persuading the people on earth to give antichrist both credence and rule. Some biblical scholars have thought that he could come from America and while this is not known for sure, it gives rise to the idea that America will he assuaged to join with antichrist by his direct influence. But again, while it is very possible, it is still only conjectural at this time. A third and perhaps a far more likely scenario is that America will undergo a collapse of all of its markets and financial institutions. Following a collapse, a desperate nation may seek to join with antichrists emerging economic systems that will be so successful throughout much of the rest of the world at that time. Not long ago I asked some people the question, what do you think would be the most disastrous thing that could happen to America and what would change its nature significantly, an all out invasion of our shores or a complete and pervasive financial collapse? The majority answered that it obviously would be the collapse of our economy. America is in the long stretch of the good times. We have many years between us and the dust bowl days and the stock market crash of twenty nine. World War Two is also far behind and the post war boom has become a post war glut. Any people that might decide to invade the shores of this powerful and fiercely proud nation would be in great peril. But take away what Americans really love, their affluence, money and material blessings and you could make them dance to just about any tune. This is the theorem that when applied to the question of how America joins the great evil new world order is the most believable, if not the most likely. If the compunction to have more, drives a few to fraud, robbery and murder, then what will the lack of almost all consumer goods do to this nation? If history teaches us anything, the answer to this question is not a pretty one. Rev Bresciani is the author of two popular Christian books, one on the second coming of Christ. He has hundreds of articles published both online and in print. Visit the website at http://www.americanprophet.org. Rev Bresciani is the author of two popular Christian books. He has also written dozens of articles both online and in print. Please visit the website http://www.americanprophet.org. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Bresciani http://EzineArticles.com/?America—Is-it-in-Bible-Prophecies-and-what-can-the-USA-Expect-at-the-Second-Coming-of-Jesus-Christ&id=145857 phentermine without prescription how to order phentermine need to buy phentermine buy phentermine tablets

TV News: Turn It Off And Get A Better Picture Of The World

Thursday, December 13th, 2007

By Katherine Westphal Television news programs are just about the worst way to get news for two important reasons. 1) Television itself inhibits the functioning of left brain rational analysis. 2) The television media has become centralized into a few huge media conglomerates. Most people are aware of the consolidation of the media industry. However, people are only dimly aware of TV’s inhibition of left brain functioning. Try this experiment. Right now. Critically review three of the news stories you watched on TV last night. Ready. Set. Go! So, only a few perspectives are presented on the TV news, and when viewers like yourself watch this news, they are inhibited from logically analyzing the stories. That is terrible news for democracy. Democracy needs informed citizens that can analyze and discuss different views of a situation. I use a few simple guidelines to get a picture of what is going on in the world. These do require a little more effort than parking in front of a TV set and mindlessly absorbing the images, but not too much more. Reading is more efficient The first step is to start reading, instead of watching, your news. Television generally takes a lot of time to get across a little bit of information. With reading you can absorb information much faster. A five minute story on the news can be read online or in the newspaper generally in less than a minute. The spare time can be used to analyze the story. Get several quality news sources The next step in developing a good picture of the world is to get several good news sources. Begin with a mainstream newspaper or website to simply get an idea of the basic issues that are at stake. Then, select a couple of alternative news sources outside the mainstream. I am not going to recommend a particular source, because I do not wish to become engaged in liberal/conservative partisan discussions. These distinctions start to fall away once you start to analyze the news for yourself anyway. Analyze the information The next step is simply to start critically viewing the material that you read. Does it make logical sense? Are there inconsistencies? Does the story change from one day to the next? Are there any patterns to events? Finally, the most important question to ask for any given situation is: who benefits? Rarely do events happen by chance in the world and asking that one, little question can lead to much greater understanding of any situation. Put that left brain into hyper-drive. Find original sources and witnesses If there are inconsistencies or notable patterns, it is time to start researching. Whenever possible it is best to go to the source of an issue. For example, if the government passes a new law about security, dont waste time watching or reading the petty analyses of pundits. Find a copy of the law! Do not rely on someone else to give an interpretation. The internet makes it much easier to find source documents. The recent Terri Schiavo case demonstrates the need for going to source documents. There are medical documents that are copied at www.hospicepatients.org, and court document links can be found at AbstractAppeal.com. Viewers who relied solely on the TV news may feel differently about this case once they peruse these documents. Also–whenever possible–find witnesses to an event. First person accounts can give a far more accurate and moving picture than one that is filtered through the mainstream media. These accounts must be critically analyzed, of course. Diveaid.co.uk has several gripping accounts of the tsunami last year by some dive instructors who survived. Put the news into context Finally, it is essential to put the information into contextpolitical, historical, social, and even geographical. If necessary, do some research. This step may take the most effort, but it is also the most rewarding. For example, in 1990 anyone who had a basic knowledge of the history of Yugoslavia knew that it was a virtual powder keg, just waiting for a psychopath to come and light it. That is exactly what happened with Mr. Milosevic and the subsequent wars in Croatia, Bosnia and Kosovo. Respond to the world with new-found confidence Follow these general guidelines and, not only will you become better informed about world events and situations, you will also become a better citizen: better prepared and ready to act with confidence in the political arena. TV Turn-off Week (April 25-May 1) is a great opportunity to test these principles. If you are going to be one of the millions of families who turn off their TV’s that week, try using these principles to get your news for that one week. Then see if you feel better informed on May 1. Sources: Chaos and the Meaning of Electric Culture by Frank Zingrone Katherine Westphal is the founder of a daring new website, TrashYourTV.com, that makes it fun and easy for people to get control of their TV set. Are you addicted to TV? Take our TV Addiction Quiz and find out! Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Katherine_Westphal http://EzineArticles.com/?TV-News:-Turn-It-Off-And-Get-A-Better-Picture-Of-The-World&id=25695 where to buy phentermine without prescription get phentermine prescription buy phentermine no prior prescription cheap phentermine 37.5 mg

Committed Relationships: Use Them to Grow Towards Self-Understanding and True Love

Wednesday, December 12th, 2007

By Gabriella Kortsch, Ph.D. Society generally considers that relationships owe us happiness and bliss ever after. While happy couples do exist, divorce statistics indicate a great majority simply is not happy after the first glow dims. Relationships Free of Dependence This less appealing reality actually holds the key for a true loving relationship that is free of dependence on the other. Jung wrote: The meeting of two personalities is like the contact of two chemical substances: if there is any reaction, both are transformed. In a nutshell, transformation is what relationships are all about. We remain in relationships while the going is good, but often break off at the first sign of trouble. If the person we love turns out differently than our initial estimation of them, we feel they led us to believe something about their character that was not true, or, that we simply can not trust our judgment. Relationships Based on Complementarity Rather Than on Need But the crux of the matter is quite different. It is precisely at this problematic point in the relationship that we have the chance of creating a relationship based on mutual complementarity rather than on need; a free relationship between two people who want to be together, rather than two people who need to be together. So how do we get there? Awareness A very important step in this process is becoming aware of ourselves; gaining insight into ourselves. Another step involves filling our own holes, our needs, rather than hoping to fill them through others. Clearly this is easier said than done. It literally means growing into wholeness a lifelong process. Filling Our Needs Our needs get us into most relationship problems. We seek out people, consciously or unconsciously, that fulfill our needs, rather than filling our needs ourselves. Whenever we obsess about someone, feeling that we can not live without them, we should examine what it is that is missing in us very carefully, what we feel others are giving us, and why we feel that we need them for our very survival. This element is being shown to us through the relationship, the obsession, the need, the desire to control and possess. If we could only become aware of this, we might still suffer, but we would have finally found the real road to freedom from this kind of dependent need. Jungian Transformation Motifs A. The Shadow Most individuals are unaware of the shadow, an unconscious part of the psyche which has not been lived out. C.G. Jung believed that the more people truly know themselves by looking into themselves, the more society as a whole becomes conscious. Children are often taught not to show or even feel - their objectionable and aggressive urges. Although they must be taught not to act out these urges, they often wind up repressing all conscious knowledge of these negative aspects until they are buried so deep that they manage to forget their existence. Thus, they believe their chosen conscious attitude is who they really are. But the negative aspects have not disappeared they have moved into the unconscious where they can cause all kinds of trouble when the shadow forces its way into outer behavior. You might, for example, say the opposite of what you meant to say. Often, unrecognized aspects of the self are what you notice in other people: these are projections. The best clue to the existence of shadow aspects is the level of emotion you have about another persons behavior. Until the content of the projection becomes conscious, projections continue to occur in a compulsive manner accompanied by intense emotion. But of course as long as it is a projection, you feel that the problem lies with the other person, never realizing that precisely because of your strong emotional reaction to the other person, the problem or issue to be resolved lies with you (whether or not the other persons behavior is acceptable is immaterial to this). B. The Anima and Animus Jung felt that everyone has a psychological contrasexual reality represented by the opposite sex. The anima (Latin term for soul or spirit), the feminine figure in a mans psyche, represents unconscious qualities. The flesh and blood women in his real life are a source of information for a man about those things for which he has no eyes. The animus is the masculine figure in a womans psyche, symbolizing new creativity or potential within, as well as rigidity, obstinacy, absolute convictions, or a sense of personal worthlessness. Projection We are always attracted to an outer man or woman who somehow embodies not yet lived out or realized (and therefore projected) aspects of our own anima or animus. We actually fall in love with ourselves via the projection, i.e. with bits of ourselves we have not yet seen, and so we feel we need the other person because they are able to express what we cannot. Since all of this is unconscious, it generally takes a falling away of the rosy glasses and a return to reality to force us into pain and frustration, making us begin the process of self-awareness, understanding, and thereby the process of growth towards the incorporation of these needs and then to fulfill them ourselves, and move towards a degree of wholeness from whence we can approach relationships very differently, and with a far greater measure of inner freedom. Suggestions for Improving Your Relationships: A Plan to Follow 1. Realize that attraction, love, chemistry, and emotion, come about due to the psycho-emotional and spiritual makeup of your inner man or woman precisely in order that you may work on these and develop further. It is your psyches way of helping to make you whole. That is why relationships are of such enormous importance in personal growth and development. 2. Always watch any kind of affect (emotion, both negative and positive) it gives strong clues to where you need to work on something (even if it proves the other person is a heel). But if you were whole, your affect would not get involved. 3. Analyze arguments, NOT from the point of view of how egotistical, horrible, jealous, or domineering, etc. your partner is, but from the point of view of what the argument is telling you about YOURSELF. The other may indeed be all those things, but it is much less important to dwell on their failings than on your own possibility for growth by observing your reactions to whatever is occurring. 4. Use that knowledge to change, grow, and learn that you always have a choice in your reaction to any situation. 5. Become very aware of yourself at ALL timeswatch the times you would like to prevaricate, or at least, tell things in a way that is not 100% the real way, and try to discover whyare you afraid you will not be accepted or loved if you show your real self? 6. Particularly watch those relationships that have an imbalance of power if you are top dog ask yourself what you get out of it if you are on the bottom … why you are willing to be there the answer to all of this serves your growth remember, it takes two to tango! 7. Develop a sense of self by filling your own needs rather than by trying to fill them through others. Love yourself first! 8. Observe yourself in a love relationship on the basis of this article. Copyright 2006 by Gabriella Kortsch, Ph.D. The author grants reprint permission to opt-in publications and websites so long as the copyright and by-line are included intact and the article is not used in spam. Dr. Kortsch is a psychotherapist, clinical hypnotherapist, relationship coach, author, and professional speaker. She broadcasts a live weekly radio show from southern Spain available on the Internet or for listening on her website. She works with clients to move them towards greater personal, professional, and relationship success with her integral and human potential raising approach to life. Sign up for her free cutting edge and inspiring ezine at ttp://www.advancedpersonaltherapy.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gabriella_Kortsch,_Ph.D. http://EzineArticles.com/?Committed-Relationships:-Use-Them-to-Grow-Towards-Self-Understanding-and-True-Love&id=171323 phentermine no doctors prescription american pharmacy phentermine order phentermine without prescription pharmacy no rx phentermine

Calendula - An Herbal Remedy for Wounds, Skin Inflammation and More

Sunday, December 9th, 2007

By Mary Welty Calendula Calendula Officinalis Common Names: Garden Marigold, Holigold, Marigold, Mary Bud, Pot Marigold. Medicinal Parts: Leaves, Flowers Description: Calendula is an annual garden plant with an angular, branched, hairy stem 1 to 2 feet high. From June to October the plant bears large, yellow or orange flower heads. Properties and Uses: Antispasmodic, aperient, cholagogue, diaphoretic, vulnerary. An infusion of the flowers (either the ray flowers alone or the whole head) can be used for such gastrointestinal problems as ulcers, stomach cramps, colitis and diarrhea. It is also useful taken internally for fever, boils, abscesses, and to prevent recurrent vomiting. The fresh juice of the herbs or flowers can substitute for the infusions. For external use, a very good salve for wounds can be made from the dried flowers or leaves, from the juice pressed out of the fresh flowers, or from the tincture. The salve or dilute tincture is also good for bruises, sprains, pulled muscles, sores, and boils. To get rid of warts, rub on the fresh juice. The tincture is often used internally for gastritis and for menstrual difficulties. When an individual first begins exploring the use of herbs to treat common ailments, many are frightened off by statements from the FDA and the medical community, which insist that the healing properties of specific herbs have not been scientifically documented. While this is true, you might want to bear in mind that clinical studies cost money. There is little or no incentive for any medical company to thoroughly investigate the healing properties of herbs simply because they cannot be patented and the FDA approval process is lengthy and expensive. Pot Marigold (Calendula Officinalis) has been utilized for centuries for healing all manner of wounds and skin inflammation. And has been used by many to help heal painful lesions caused by dry eczema. Its use was well documented during the American Civil War. Doctors on the battlefield used the flowers on a large scale to treat open wounds. It proved to be an effective antiseptic, staunching bleeding, preventing infection, and speeding the healing of wounds. The practice continued by doctors during WWI. According to Wm. Boerickes Materia Medica with Repertory: Calendula Officinalis is a remarkable healing agent, applied locally it is useful for open wounds, parts that will not heal, ulcers, etc. It promotes healthy granulations and rapid healing. For all wounds, the greatest healing agent. Marigold Infusion can be used to soothe chapped hands and may be used in infusion form in the bath to reduce body scars and soothe varicose veins. For inflamed areas prepare a strong marigold tea with equal parts of apple cider vinegar. Apply this with a compress to the effected area. A few drops of Tincture of Calendula can be added to a cup or more of boiling water and applied as a compress to treat cuts, bruises and even open wounds. A Special Note: This discussion refers only to Pot Marigold or Calendula Officinalis, not to be mistaken with the non-herb marigolds, dwarf French Marigolds and African Marigolds. This is one herb that should not be used if you are pregnant. 1. “The Herb Book,” by John Lust, Benedict Lust Pub., May 1974 2. Herbal Medicine, The Natural Way to Get Well and Stay Well, Dian Dincin Buchman, Gramercy Publishing Company, Gramercy 1980 Edition. MK Welty hosts an informational site for herbs enthusiasts at: http://usingherbs.com Join us for regular discussions on herbs, their history, properties and uses. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mary_Welty http://EzineArticles.com/?Calendula—An-Herbal-Remedy-for-Wounds,-Skin-Inflammation-and-More&id=260726 pravachol buy tramadol tramadol pharmacy pravachol buy tramadol buy tramadol on line

A Hymn To Baked Potatoes

Saturday, December 8th, 2007

By Kit Heathcock What better on a cold winters night, than to come home to a supper of crisp-skinned baked potato, piping hot, a knob of butter soaking into the fluffy centre. Perfect for days when you get home in good time but have a million things to do and cooking supper is last on the list. All you have to do is get the oven hot (200C), fling them in, (with a cross scored on the top, so they dont burst and coat your oven with an irremovable patina of flaked potato) and leave them there for at least an hour, better an hour and a half. You can get on with everything else, secure in the knowledge that supper is cooking without you and then put together a few fillings at the last minute. One of my favourite toppings is tuna. Just open the tin, drain, season with salt and pepper and some lemon juice (feel free to add mayonnaise if you like it but we dont). Other hassle-free accompaniments are baked beans, grated cheese, left-over juices from last nights stew. Any of these makes a tasty, nutritious meal with no fuss and best of all, one that most kids will eat…an enormous plus point for mothers everywhere. A microwave hastens the process but leaves you with thin skinned potatoes that might do as an accompaniment to something else but lose the crisp appeal of the true oven baked article. If you are in a hurry, cook pasta instead and save your jacket or baked potatoes for a day when you remember to switch the oven on in time. A variation to try with smaller potatoes: after washing, drying and scoring the potatoes, rub the skins with a little butter, then season with salt and pepper before baking to give you extra crispy, tasty skins that everyone will eat. Another thing to try if you want to get fancy: once the potatoes are cooked, halve them, scoop out the insides, mix with a beaten egg, grated cheese, salt and pepper, heap the mixture back into the skins and return to the oven for another 15 minutes until the tops are golden brown. A meal in itself! Cheap, filling, nutritious with the right toppings and needing the minimum investment of labour, the baked potato is every busy mothers ideal supper! Copyright 2006 Kit Heathcock About Kit Heathcock - sometime flower photographer, keen observer of the resonances of life and fulltime mother. Born in the UK but now living on a farm in the southern hemisphere. Contributor to the creation of A Flower Gallery home of original flower pictures, and Food and Family Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kit_Heathcock http://EzineArticles.com/?A-Hymn-To-Baked-Potatoes&id=193382 prescription what is tramadol buy ultram cheap ultram 50mg buy no prescription ultram