The style of the bathroom vanities have changed, the new styles bring a touch of style and elegance to the bathrooms. Bamboo bathroom vanities improve the style and beauty of bathrooms. There are antique, traditional, and contemporary style vanities.

Many of the corner bathroom vanity come in wood; some of the popular woods are cherry, maple, oak and mahogany. Many home owners are not buying the standard vanities like our parents, they are looking for unique designs, something different that says something about their personality, and these new vanities are innovative and beautiful. All modern bathrooms have the one thing in common, sinks, toilets, vanities and mirrors.

Vanity tops have changed drastically; no more will you only have a choice of Formica you now can choose from granite, ceramic tiles, synthetic granite and marble. When remodeling your bathroom it is a good idea to replace that old pedestal sink with a nice vanity, it will not only help with storage but give the bathroom a new look and make the bathroom appear to be new again. Here are some things to consider when choosing new vanity furniture.

There is nothing that spruces up your bathroom like a nice looking vanity cabinet. Getting a bathroom vanity can change the look and feel of your bathroom and can be the focal point of the entire room; many vanities are considered furniture pieces. Setting up vanity tables is another great option to put into your bathroom, make sure you have space for it, this can be used to layout clothing, putting on makeup or anything else you think of.

Bathroom sink vanities have come a long way, they come in different sizes, shapes and many different colors, and some even look like furniture or pieces of expensive art. When looking for sinks you can get the standard white or colored bathroom sinks, some you can get with designs, of course the more detail you add to the sink the more expensive it gets. The more traditional vanity does what it is suppose to do, it holds a sink and has storage for bathroom supplies and hides the plumbing.

Your bathroom sink vanity will create the look of your bathroom, plus it will help provide organization and it will also reduce the amount of clutter on the vanity. You can have a single sink or multiple sinks in accordance with your usage, and the vanity tops can be fashioned according to individual requirements and the edges can be smoothed to prevent injury by bumping against them. Look at your bathroom suite, if your bath tub, sink and toilet are all in reasonable condition, you could get away with keeping them and just replacing the hardware such as the faucets.

When people are planning the dream bathroom many people forget about the storage that is needed in the bathroom. Bathroom vanity cabinets are an essential component of any bathroom and can add drama to your design and decor.

There are many different cabinets that are sold today, wall cabinets, medicine and many others. Ceramic tile can be used anywhere in the bathroom, you can place it around your bathroom vanity the walls or anywhere you want to spruce up the bathroom.

David Marc Fishman is the owner of Priceriot site. Priceriot is a new bidding site where prices drop as people shop for cameras.

Ask an expert.

Ebay Feedback Transfer is a growing trend. Many new and competing auctions sites to eBay offer to import your eBay feedback so you don’t have to start afresh when you either sell or buy on these alternative sites. For both sellers and buyers, this is overall a good development as it helps establish credibility.

Obviously you’d only want to transfer your feedback if it was mostly positive, in the event it contains some negative comments you’d rather others didn’t see then it would be best to start rebuilding it.

Feedback instantly allows other parties, who you may do business with to see if your trustworthy, a prompt payer, and gives detailed information on the type of transactions your involved with. This is why it’s so important to maintain your feedback and keep it positive.

So, on the whole feedback transfer is a good idea and will save you weeks or months of establishing credibility on every site you trade on.

However, there is one main worrying issue about ebay feedback transfer.

When you register with eBay you agree to the Ebay user agreement. Part of this agreement, which is a legally binding document mentions feedback.

“While using the Site, you will not take any action that may undermine the feedback or ratings systems (such as displaying feedback information on, or exporting feedback information to, non-eBay sites, or using it for purposes unrelated to eBay or transfer your eBay account (including feedback) and User ID to another party without our express consent”.

So, it seems if you do transfer your feedback to another site you will be breaking the user agreement. This means that Ebay has the option of terminating your account if they should ever enforce this agreement.

The decisions yours, whether to transfer your feedback or not. Just be aware of the possible consequences.

Written by Mark Kenny. Join http://www.AuctionCUT.com - the online auctions and ebay forum. Come and discuss your eBay or online auction goals, with Mark and other members. AuctionCUT offers adrevenue sharing for members and an exclusive dropshipping report.

Not all health pills are created equal - some may do your body more harm than good. So before you buy health pills, keep these pointers in mind:

1.Treat health pills like medicine.

Health supplements work like any other medicine - they affect your body’s processes a certain way, so they should be taken with care. If not used properly, they can have adverse effects on your health. So before you buy health pills, make sure to at least notify your doctor, who can tell you if a formulation is safe for you. Remember that supplements can react to the other medications you are taking - the wring combination can be lethal.

2.Buy only from reliable manufacturers.

Supplements and health pills are NOT regulated by the FDA. It is up to you to choose high-quality products to make sure you are getting what you paid for. Some supplements may contain potentially harmful additives like starch and sugar, and may not have all the nutrients they claim to have. To be safe, buy health pills only from pharmaceutical GMP-compliant manufacturers. These companies comply with very strict manufacturing standards, so their products are of very high quality.

3.Be extra cautious if you belong to the high-risk group.

If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or have high-maintenance illnesses such as diabetes, liver disease and heart conditions, some health pills and supplements may be harmful to you. Children and the elderly should consult a physician before they buy health pills. Before undergoing surgery of any kind, disclose all the health pills you are taking to your doctor. This is VERY important, as some health pills and supplements (even natural or herbal types) could react adversely to anaesthetics.

4.Do not believe exaggerated claims.

Before you buy health pills, read the label first. Do not fall for overstated safety claims if they are not supported by credible scientific evidence. Labels such as “100% safe” are not always accurate - some manufacturers may have you believe that just because their products are made from natural plants, they are already safe. Keep in mind: some plants or some combination of plants are poisonous.

Also be wary of health pills that claim to have “no side effects.” Side effects are determined by your health condition and certain predispositions. Just because a certain health pill did not trigger any side effects on another person does not mean that it will not trigger any on you.

Be especially cautious of health pills that tell you to suspend intake or change your doctor-approved dosage of the prescribed medicines you are taking. Most health pills are not approved ’substitutes’ - you have to consult with your doctor before decreasing intake or completely getting off your usual medicine.

Lastly, do not buy health pills that claim to single-handedly treat or prevent illnesses. These claims are not tested by the FDA.

The product we personally use called Total Balance - http://www.health-product-we-use.com is the most natural and effective supplement we have come across. We have been using this product for over 3 years with excellent health results.

We highly recommend you learn more about our best natural nutritional supplement if you are interested in improving your overall health.

Jean Helmet runs a series of health websites, We offer a free health book for subscribers to our websites newsletter. We cover everything you need to know on nutrition and how to improve your general overall health. Check out our nutrition e-book, for more information on nutrition and the products we use.

1.-Going beyond previous limits. Within each individual there is a desire for going one better and improving our situation. It is the driving force behind evolution; it is what encourages people to train and improve their physical capacities. This inner aspiration for self transcendence is an important feature of human nature.

“What do we long for? We long for self-transcendence. ..We all need self-transcendence and, at the same time, we fervently long for it.” (1)

2.-Physical Self Transcendence. Self Transcendence can most easily be measured through improvements in physical achievements. In running it involves trying to break new records in both time and speed. The beauty of self transcendence is that it can be practised by anyone; we need not compete with others, we can just compete with ourselves. From this perspective we can get great joy by surpassing our previous personal bests. As Sri Chinmoy suggests.

“Self-transcendence gives us joy in boundless measure. When we transcend ourselves, we do not compete with others. We do not compete with the rest of the world, but at every moment we compete with ourselves.” (2)

3.-Spiritual self transcendence. Self transcendence is a concept that is incorporated into different spiritual traditions. In this regard we are seeking to go beyond our limited state of ego to expand our own consciousness. When we identify only with the body and ego it is a limited perspective. Spiritual traditions suggest we are more than just a frail body. Through practising yoga and spiritual traditions we learn to expand our consciousness and feel our connection with the universal self.

4.-Physical and Spiritual Self Transcendence. There is no need to separate the physical self transcendence with spiritual development. They can harmoniously work together and complement each other. One notable example of this is the 3100 mile Self Transcendence race founded by Sri Chinmoy. The 3100 mile is an epic race which can take competitors between 45 - 60 days to complete. To run such a mind boggling distance requires the cooperation of both body and soul. By completing this act of physical transcendence we are going beyond the limits of what the mind may think possible. By stretching our physical capacities we also delve into a different understanding of ourself.

5.-A sense of Oneness with others. Usually as humans we identify with first ourselves and then perhaps our country. If we practise spiritual self transcendence we feel we are don’t just belong to one country or one culture, we feel we belong to the whole world.

“I am neither an Athenian or Greek, but a citizen of the world” - Socrates.

(1)-From talk on Self Transcendence by Sri Chinmoy

Tejvan became interested in meditation and eastern mysticism whilst studying at University in Oxford. After studying various spiritual traditions he became a meditation student of Sri Chinmoy. Tejvan now offers meditation classes on behalf of the Sri Chinmoy Centre in Oxford. More articles on spirituality and inspiring people can be found at: http://www.biographyonline.net/

Interior Window Sill

An interior window sill is that portion of the window ledge that stretches or protrudes into the interior of the room. The window ledge is horizontal and the interior window sill, which is horizontal and is next to the window sash when the window is closed. The interior window sill is also referred to as the window stool. Window sills may be made of wood, PVC, slate, granite or marble and even blue limestone.

Interior window sill use

Interior window sills may just be part of the decor or may be used for display. Artifacts, curtains, flower vases or even dolls to suit your style of decoration. Potted plants may also be kept on the interior window sills if they do not require too much watering. Adding thick curtains to the window enhances the effect window sills have on the interior decoration of the house and can also come handy when placing little trinkets or treasures.

Interior window sill types

Interior window sills are made of different materials. They are available in slate, limestone, granite, marble and the traditional wood. Modern day interior window sills are also made of synthetic materials like PVC. Old wooden boards can be replaced with new PVC window sills, which could have rounded, or straight angles. You can also use decorative end caps to give your interior window sill a designer look.

PVC interior window sill features

Modern day interior decor combines safety with aesthetics. Besides giving your home a designer look, PVC interior window sills also combine other important features. These PVC designer interior window sills are water resistant and fire resistant as well. Being easy to clean and maintain, these interior window sills also do not peel off or chip off like in wooden interior window sills. These window sills are also comparatively light in weight when compared with marble or granite window sills

Interior window sill care

Interior window sills must be cleaned and maintained to keep giving your home a clean look. You must not clutter up the window sill and remember it is not a dumping ground for your stuff. Keep it looking new and clean and dress it up well with curtains or plants or may be a doll or two.

Trevor is a leading home improvement author and writes often for http://www.homearticle.info. There are also more window sill articles on that site.

A few years ago, I was absent-mindedly watching the regional news on television when I was suddenly rooted to the spot, overcome by feelings of surprise, elation and excitement. I had to share the moment with someone else and, in my rush to get my husband to see what was rapidly reducing me to a babbling state of incoherence, I knocked over the cup of tea, caught my jumper sleeve on the door handle and grazed my knee of the coffee table.

I had never seen anyone I actually knew on television before, and there, being interviewed large as life in front of me, was the owner of the local furniture shop who had sold us our dining room chairs only the week before. I was so thrilled, anyone would have thought that I was on the box. Television suddenly gave her superhuman status and, having actually spoken to her, that somehow made us part of the unfolding scene. For days I could talk of nothing else.

This event returned to mind when I received a Christmas card some months later from a girlfriend I hadn’t seen in seven years. Her brief note said simply, “Saw you on television again recently and told everybody I knew you.” Having seen me as a guest on a programme, she had reacted in exactly the same way, wanting to share vicariously in the brief moment of glory. All this behaviour is not so strange when we think about it carefully. In fact, television holds the key as to why we push ourselves to the limit to achieve our ambitions. It is the overwhelming desire to be somebody, if only for 60 seconds of our lives. It also explains why some people would do anything to appear ‘on the box’. Yet this sort of fleeting success is not the real answer to what we individually seek because it seldom lasts as long as we would wish. What each of us secretly craves, yet do not often admit, comes in three interrelated forms: recognition, respect and, ultimately, reward.

RECOGNITION

Though we do routine acts for their intrinsic enjoyment and value, the real thrill of carrying out a particular task or favour comes from hearing someone else say how ‘good’ or ‘brilliant’ it was. These words of appreciation - of genuine acknowledgement for our efforts - provide the essential oils to keep the light of motivation burning and to grease the wheels of endeavour. When we do not hear them we become doubtful and fretful of our ability to perform well and begin to question our own competence. We also become watchful of others, resentful of their success and inevitably critical and envious. This is not surprising because nothing kills the human spirit quicker than to be repeatedly ignored, constantly passed over and criticised when one is trying so hard.

We all like to feel our efforts are being recognised and, if there appears to be favourites who seem to be always getting the perks, and the attention, we tend to agonise, become uncooperative and low in self-esteem. We begin to wonder why we are treated differently and failure to get honest answers will negatively affect our perspective and production. External differences (like race, gender, disability) also become the focus as possible causes of the injustice. There are countless companies with increasingly low output because of gross mismanagement of staff. This is because all those words of encouragement are the vital forms of recognition we need to affirm our worth. When they are missing, our motivation goes with them too.

We are all too conscious of extrovert employees who are skilled at attracting attention to themselves, the chief executive officers of industry - and politicians - who can award themselves big pay rises, or middle managers who are perceived to have done wonderful things, while the ordinary worker is overlooked in the rush for recognition. Yet the smallest faulty cog in the largest machine can bring the whole thing to a halt, a fact which often underlies substandard production through the mismanagement of human resources. We feel wanted when our contributions seem to count and are encouraged. When this is not the case, our opinion of ourself becomes questionable and our self-esteem falls dramatically. We begin to minimise former achievements and to believe everyone else is ‘better’ and more deserving.

Changing Negative Labels

Without recognition, no matter how small, we have no value in our own eyes. Many adults believe they are ‘failures’ because somewhere in their childhood they have been repeatedly told they are either ’stupid’, ‘not as clever’ as their brother/sister, or they’re ‘heading for disaster’ , etc. They internalise these negative comments and, in time, come to believe them because no one else has told them otherwise. Even as adults, they often find it difficult to change these negative labels. With few positive reference points around them where it matters, they lack the confidence to believe in themselves, regardless of their potential.

Recognition has to be continuous too. We feel wanted when our contributions seem to matter and we are encouraged to actually make such efforts. If not, we immediately feel inadequate because we begin to doubt that we are as good as we used to be. That is why many people are often less bothered about a pay rise than getting the recognition they believe they deserve. For them, the extra pay may relieve financial burdens or improve their standard of living, but it is not a true barometer of their worth, neither does it affirm their value and competence in the eyes of peers who may also be getting the same pay. Without adequate recognition, once the novelty of the pay rise passes, they would be back to having feelings of self-doubt and low morale. Thus wherever pay is given the highest priority, there will also be very anxious individuals who often use the demand for extra money to compensate for their chronic lack of recognition.

True recognition comes in the form of gradual self-discovery followed by the acknowledgement of peers and superiors. To be widely recognised for who we are and what we have achieved is the ultimate in public accolade because it often reinforces what we believe of ourself. It raises our status above others, making us potential role models to be emulated. Recognition through acknowledgement precedes the next stage, respect.

ELAINE SIHERA (Ms Cyprah - http://www.myspace.com/elaineone and http://www.elainesihera.co.uk) is an expert author, public speaker, media contributor and columnist. The first Black graduate of the OU and a post-graduate of Cambridge University. Elaine is a CONFIDENCE guru and a consultant for Diversity Management, Personal Empowerment and Relationships. Author of: 10 Easy Steps to Growing Older Disgracefully; 10 Easy Steps to Finding Your Ideal Soulmate!; Money, Sex & Compromise and Managing the Diversity Maze, among others (available on http://www.amazon.co.uk as well as her personal website). Also the founder of the British Diversity Awards and the Windrush Men and Women of the Year Achievement Awards. She describes herself as, “Fit, Fabulous, Over-fifty and Ready to Fly!”

“What to eat to build to build muscles?” is the most frequently asked question. I won’t name the particular products as all the products have the labels listing the nutrients they contain. I will name the basic principles of the diet to stick to in order to gain muscle weight. It matters what you eat, but it also matters how you eat and when you eat. So let’s find the answers to all these questions.

At first I want to share with you some tips about how to eat. First bodybuilder rule is to eat more frequently. Try eating every two hours from 8 AM to 10 PM.

When to eat? It depends on the workout time. The best time to eat proteins is before the training. That way you are giving your muscles the material to grow. The best time to eat carbs and fats is two hours after the training. That way you restore the energy that muscles need to recover after the workout. If you eat carbs and fats 2 hours after the training they don’t turn into fat but are fully absorbed by muscles. All you get is muscle gain, not fats.

Some dietitians suggest increasing the amount of food you’re eating. They are right as long as you pay attention to what you’re eating. The proportions of the nutrients recommended are: proteins 30%, carbs 40-50%, fats 20-30% of the daily nutrients. The protein intake is crucial to muscle building. You should eat 1 gram of protein per one pound of the body weight every day. This is the minimum amount needed for the progressive muscle growth. Do not get too exited about the proteins. Maximum amount of the proteins our body can metabolize is 2 grams per pound of the body weight.

The amount of fats and carbs to eat should be determined by your metabolism type. If you eat a lot and still stay slim then your metabolism is very active; if you eat very little but gain weight - your metabolism is slow. So if your metabolism is active you probably need more energy, more fats and carbs. If your metabolism is slow then there is no need to increase the intake of fats and carbs. The only thing to modify is the protein amount.

Free report reveals how to “Avoid Fatal 8 Muscle-Building Mistakes”. To discover 8 crucial, powerful steps that should be applied to ANY muscle-building program visit: http://www.muscle-building-mistakes.com/

Black cohosh has been making waves in the herbal supplement industry because some studies have shown it to be effective in relieving cramps, pre-menstrual syndrome, hormonal imbalances, and symptoms of menopause such as hot flashes. However, there has been controversy on black cohosh side effects. Several doctors now warn that these herbs may cause liver disease.

Understanding black cohosh side effects

Some doctors now believe that black cohosh sets off the body’s immune system to ‘attack’ the liver and cause inflammation, a condition called ‘autoimmune hepatitis.’ This type of hepatitis can be disabling - some patients find it hard to stand up and walk. Symptoms include abdominal pain or discomfort and aching joints. A patient’s skin may also itch and turn yellow as the liver enlarges. Autoimmune hepatitis is fatal - without immediate and proper treatment, some patients die from it.

Dr. Staley Cohen of the University of Chicago reports that black cohosh side effects may be more serious than they previously seemed. Patients who use herbal products containing this herb seem to develop liver diseases far more than their non-user counterparts. There have been other reports concluding that the herb can cause several types of liver problems.

Should you stop using black cohosh?

The scientific community is torn on the issue of black cohosh side effects, especially because black cohosh has been very promising in treating ‘female complaints’ such as the symptoms of menopause, irregular period, etc. Users of black cohosh increased last year, partly due to the herb’s perceived effectiveness. However, a Women’s Health Initiative report showed that estrogen supplements (including black cohosh, which helps balance out estrogens) can increase a patient’s risk of heart problems and breast cancer. This is quickly leading some doctors to believe that black cohosh can be more harmful than helpful.

Talk to your doctor about black cohosh side effects

If you want to be safe, ask your doctor to adminster a liver test f you are currently taking black cohosh (especially if you are experiencing some of the symptoms described above). Get medical help immediately if you experince side effects such as vomiting, diarrhea, headaches, nausea, low pulse, or shakes. Sometimes, black cohosh side effects do not manifest until after prolonged use. If you suddenly experience abdominal pain, uterine irritation, and atypical blood clotting, see your doctor right away. Never take black cohosh if you have been advised against taking oral contraceptives, or if you are taking anti-depressants.

The product we personally use called Total Balance - http://www.health-product-we-use.com is the most natural and effective supplement we have come across. We have been using this product for over 3 years with excellent health results.

We highly recommend you learn more about our best natural nutritional supplement if you are interested in improving your overall health.

Jean Helmet runs a series of health websites, We offer a free health book for subscribers to our websites newsletter. We cover everything you need to know on nutrition and how to improve your general overall health. Check out our nutrition e-book, for more information on nutrition and the products we use.

“Can you come over, Kelly? There’s something I need to talk to you about.”

Egad. No. Not a talk with an ex. How awkward and ultimately useless. I just arrive at the Jersey shore for some much needed peace and relaxation after a very stressful winter in the Big City and my ex-boyfriend from last summer wants to talk with me. I mean, what’s there to say, Frank? We’re done. You were as emotionally available as a cinderblock and about as warm as a witches…whatever. Fine. I’ll come over.

“Well, remember around Christmas, before we broke up, you wondered why I was acting so distant…”

Well, you were always distant, I thought. But I guess its all relative. Like Mars is far from Earth, but Pluto is even farther. So yes, Frank. Proceed.

“I hate to tell you this, but…I can’t take the lie any longer. I hooked up with Diana.”

Diana? Diana?! My closest friend here? The one who just moved into my house with me for the summer? With her five-year old daughter? Oh, Jesus. Well, hello Drama! How are you? Nice to meet you. My name is Kelly and welcome to my psychic landscape!

“It just kind of happened. She asked me for coffee several times and then…she initiated it. We were together for about 5 weeks, that’s all. And it was awful. Just awful. We fought constantly. I realize now how better you and I get along - how we laugh and we have things in common…”

Like my friend Diana apparently. I’m out of here.

“I just don’t want her using you. She said a lot of…very wrong things about you. That she never really considered you a friend and it would be easy for us to continue on together with you around, because you’re too naïve to find out.”

Okay, well me and my naivete are leaving your little den of iniquity before I naively bitchslap you. Good-bye.

It quickly becomes a 2 burger night. And 2 beers. Okay, 3 beers. And here she comes. Hello, Diana.

“Hey there, hun. Can I grab a beer? Whatcha doin’?”

Oh, just trying to process how you could be such a conniving, tawdry…stop it. I tell her what he said.

“What?! He said what???!!! He’s lying. That never happened. Never. He hit on me! And I told him no way…Jesus. I can’t believe you believe him over me.”

So you never hooked up? Never had sex? Never even kissed?

“No. God, no. I don’t even find him attractive. I told you before I thought he was a weasel. He even looks like a weasel. He looks like the Chicken Perdue guy and a weasel.”

The Chicken Perdue comparison brings a slight smile to my pursed lips but I refused to let it break thru. How could two adults - two adults I THOUGHT I had fairly good rapport with, have two totally divergent takes? I mean, what kind of soap opera silliness am I dealing with? Of course, I want to believe her. I have long since gotten over him and she is living with me NOW. As if on cue, Emily, her five-year old daughter runs in and hugs my leg. She just caught a firefly in the backyard and, and, set it free and she’s so happy to be staying here this summer and, and oh, thanks, Kelly. Shoot me. Let’s go pay him a little visit, shall we? Off we go to his house…

Ahem. I brought you two together because…well, this could be the most socially dramatic experience I have this summer and I want to milk it for all its worth. No, seriously folks. I brought you two together because one - or both of you to some degree - is lying. And I don’t think it will take all of 5 minutes to figure out who. Or whom. Liars.

Awkward silence.

“How dare you tell her something like this, Frank. I never hooked up with you. Do you know I could bring you up on charges for this? This is libel. This is libelous and you could be held legally responsible.”

I don’t have the heart to tell her its actually slander. Why interrupt her flow?

“Diana, you’ve got to be joking. I mean, what about the afternoon we went to see King Kong together? Or the night we went to your friend’s restaurant for dinner? Or New Year’s eve? What about New Year’s eve?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Flashback: me, alone in a dank sportsbar in Brooklyn on New Year’s eve, wondering why its so difficult for my boyfriend to visit me just one time in aforementioned Big City. The pollution bothers his asthma, he said. And his car, well, the starter’s been acting…sorry. Maybe next year.

So you mean to tell me you two never had sex?

“Yes.”

“No. Never.”

Then it happens. Diana makes a fatal flaw. I want to stop her and say, “No! Woman! Think about it. YOU’RE the one I want to believe! Let’s leave and I’ll believe you’re little story and we’ll have a jolly ol’ summer, drinking margaritas and barbequing and slapping mosquitos in the backyard!”

But she doesn’t hear my psychic plea. She goes to a particular cabinet over his stove and reaches for a glass. Very matter of factly. As if she had done it a hundred times. This cabinet obviously has felt the caress of her dirty little hands before. She pours some water and drinks from it with vigor, like the blood-sucking mosquito she is. That he is. That they are.

That night, I drink a couple of margaritas…okay, six. And bbq some more comfort dogs. And sit alone in my backyard, swatting mindlessly at the desperate mosquitoes. Leave me alone, will you? I just want some peace. But mosquitoes are mosquitoes. And I can’t change that. I could move inside, I suppose. Or put on some bug spray. Or let them suck away at me with a Zen-like quietude residing deep within. One lands on my thigh. I kill it. Another perfectly viable option. Goodbye mosquito. Tawdry little mosquito. Mosquitoes.

Beth Mann is a writer/producer currently residing amidst the beaucolic landscape of Brooklyn. She has worked for many years in experimental theater as well as producing the darkly comedic and unique show “Thrush TV.”

The German Shepherd, also known as Alsatian, is a very intelligent dog with a very noble look, he has elegant flowing lines and intelligent expression. He is an active dog and an obedient worker. He has all the qualities to make him what is considered to be the ideal dog. He has a very good nature and is a natural sportsman, being nimble and fast he makes a fantastic pet or work dog. They enjoy being around people and other animals. German Shepherds are well suited to obedience training.

The Alsatian is most often black with tan but can also have variations of coat color including all black. There are three varieties of coat, rough coated (short), long rough coated and long haired.

As a working dog German Shepherds are suited to various jobs, some of the more obvious are police and guard dog, in this role they can be used to apprehend criminals, sniff out drugs and explosives and find lost people. They are also used by rescue associations to find people trapped in collapsed building or buried alive in disaster zones. German Shepherds can also be used as guide or help dogs due to their high level of intelligence they are ideally suited to the task.

In the case of the German Shepherd its history is not very old, in fact the dogs you see now have only been around since the end of the 19th century, which came about from a breeding amalgamation between various Shepherding dogs by Capt Max von Stephanitz who is classed the father of the breed.

There are lots of famous German Shepherds in the history vaults, this is due to the popularity of the breed and the versatile and intelligence of the animal. Some have even become movie stars such as The Littlest Hobo and Rin Tin Tin who made 26 movies and at his peak was receiving 10,000 fan letters a week. Others just have famous owners such as Clipper who was president Kennedy’s dog. Over the years German Shepherds have rescued and saved hundreds of lives either by being trained to or just because they love their owners.

The German Shepherd will live for approximately 10 to 12 years and will need lots of exercise, including a large play area or garden. You will have to give extensive training in the early years, but with its high ability to learn good training is essential. They will also shed hair all the time and seasonally it will shed heavily. Brushing twice weekly is recommended but if hair is a problem in the home daily brushing is recommended. Bathing should happen rarely and at the most only twice a year to avoid removal of essential skin oils. Watch out for hip problems as this is an area where German Shepherds are prone to having problems.

Above all if you decide to have a German Shepherd as a pet or working dog you will have a animal which is intelligent, loving, loyal and will give you lots of enjoyment.

If you would like more information, tips and secrets on training German Shepherd dogs check out
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