The lighting up of the unity candles has been a comparatively recent inclusion in Protestant wedding ceremonies. These serve as a symbol of the union of two willing hearts and minds that are going to become one by the bond of love, faith and trust.

It is at a particular point in the marriage ceremony that the bride and the groom light a unity candle together. The unity candle set up at marriage is frequently white in color and is often decorated with the invitation or some inscription or a picture of the couple. Other special adornment/ornamentation may also be used. The ritual lighting is also at times accompanied by a special musical piece.

The unity candle ceremony at marriage

In the unity candle ceremony two taper candles and a large pillar candle are used. The large candle is the one referred to as the unity candle. As the wedding ceremony begins the mothers of the bride and the groom light the two taper candles. Later on, typically between the exchange of vows and the formal declaration of the wedding, the bride and the groom take the two taper candles lighted and use them together to light the large pillar candle.

After lighting the pillar candle the individual taper candles may be blown out or kept lit beside the central candle. Blowing out of the individual candles may signify that the bride and the groom lose their individuality and develop a new united identity of their own as symbolized by the central candle. However, many also prefer keeping them lit beside the central candle as it signifies that though united in a big way yet the participants in the wedlock still do retain their individuality.

Alternate ways of using unity candles at marriages

Though traditionally the unity candle ceremony makes use of three candles there are other ways of performing it too wherein all the family members and close friends of the bride and the groom are invited to participate. Some unconventional twists may be added to the conventional unity candle ceremony too. Each of the guests may be provided with an unlit candle and after the couple lights the unity candle the guests can be requested to light their individual candles from the unity candle. This will be meaningfully symbolizing that the guests’ involvement is important too in the union.

It may be noted that the unity candle ceremony may not be considered necessary at all in the wedding. However, it does serve as a novel inclusion that makes the occasion all the more special and memorable for the couple, their family members and guests.

***You may use this article on your website as long as the three URLs are hyperlinked.

Tania Penwell is a successful author who provides information on unity candles and wedding candles for Candles 4U - your guide to candles and candlemaking.

Why type design matters

Whenever you make or arrange a physical object in a particular way, you are ‘designing’ it. Whether you are deciding the length of a bracket to support a bookshelf or arranging a vase of flowers, you are practicing design. If the shelf falls down or the flowers look a mess you clearly aren’t designing very well you need to refer to some established principles to help you get it right.

The same goes for the design of text.

No matter how much, or how fast, technology changes, the human eye and habits of perception do not. Over a period of 425 years, practices have been established which are intended to help the reader to receive the message off the page as quickly and directly as possible. Of course there have been changes in fashion from time to time but these are, by nature, ephemeral and do not alter the underlying principles which are concerned with legibility and readability.

One quality about type that you are likely to be aware of is the suitability of a particular typeface for a particular job. A long legal document set in a small sans serif might seem inappropriate and difficult to read. A cover design in a self-effacing classical type is unlikely to do the job required of it.

Whether or not a document is easy to read or achieves what you want, is as likely to depend as much on the layout and the use of space as on the typeface. In order to design a layout that both works efficiently and looks good, it is necessary to have some understanding of the principles of typographic design.

Why documents look different

The usual purpose of a printed publication is to tell somebody something. The reason why documents look different from one another is not only that they have to communicate different things but they have to do it in different circumstances and to audiences with differing interest and motivation. Novels, for instance are set as continuous blocks of text, not just because that’s what the author wrote but because they are likely to be read at leisure and sitting in one place. The design doesn’t have to do more than act as a vehicle for transferring the author’s thoughts off the page to the reader. An educational book might also be read in similar circumstances to a novel, but the reader may be less well motivated. So the designer might break up the text with subheadings and diagrams to make it easier for the reader to take in.

The layout of journals and newspapers, on the other hand, allows readers to pick and choose those items that interest them. It also gives the designer and editor the opportunity to emphasize one story more than another and so influence the reader’s choice.

Readers of lists or directories are likely to be highly motivated. If you are looking for a telephone number, all you want from the design is to allow you to find it quickly. You don’t want to be sold anything; just given easy access to the number.

Many publications, perhaps the majority, contain information which the writer is very keen to impart but which the reader doesn’t care if he has or not. In this case the designer may feel the need to resort to more sophisticated design techniques to catch the reader’s attention. This will call for skill in choosing the various graphic devices available and the confidence to use them in a restrained and constructive way.

So before you choose a typeface or decide on the number of columns, think about the sort of document you are trying to produce and how it is going to be used.

Quality of Typefaces

The way in which typefaces are made has changed very rapidly. For 500 years type was cast in metal; today it is almost all produced by some form of digital output from a computer. The letter form is broken up into a raster or grid of fine dots called pixels’ in the case of a “screen font”, or drawn as a series of points connected by lines described in “PostScript Language” as is the case with Printer Fonts.

The quality of the drawing of the letterform will depend very much on the fineness of that grid and the number of pixels used to create the screen font, or the number of points used to describe the letter in the Printer Font.

Choice may be limited by the equipment available. Most office laser printers for instance, generate type at low resolution. Otherwise it is usually a compromise between high quality and economy. For example it would probably be uneconomic to produce at high resolution an internal document of which you needed only 50 copies. A publicity brochure to be widely distributed would not look good enough with type set at low resolution and should be output on a high resolution imagesetter.

The basic components of any typeface

A fairly coarse grid 300 dpi (dots per inch) is referred to as low resolution. In this case the original drawing will have been simplified to suit the limited number of pixels available. Most screen fonts are drawn to be satisfactory at this resolution. In a higher resolution output device, the grid is finer-up to 2540 dpi. Here the rendering will be indistinguishable from the original drawing. This is what the Printer font outlines are for and where they become important.

Type measurement

The point system

The units of type measurement used in the UK and USA are the point’ and the ‘pica’. (In continental Europe the corresponding units are the ‘Didot point’ and the ‘cicero’. The Didot point is very slightly larger than the British American point but the principles of their application are exactly the same.) There are 12 points to a pica. This measures approximately 1 sixth of an inch. On digital systems this has been made exactly a sixth of an inch.

It is possible to specify a typographical layout in either points, millimeters or inches but if you plan to transfer any of the production to a professional printer or typesetter, then there will be less likelihood of confusion if everyone is using the same system of measurement from the beginning. For this reason it is better to start by working in points and picas.

Typefaces are normally specified in points; columns and margins are usually given in picas and points. So a column 174 points wide would be specified as 14 pica 6 points.

How type is measured

When type is cast in metal, the printing surface the ‘face’ is mounted on a block of metal called the ‘body’. The type size measured in points refers to this metal body rather than the face itself. The proportion of the face on the body can vary considerably from one typeface to another.

This principle still applies. For example a 10 point type is one that measures 10 points from baseline to baseline when set solid (i.e. without any extra space being added between the lines). So it is possible for one 10 point type to look smaller than another but they will both take up the same depth from line to line.

Leading or line-feed is the space inserted between the lines of type. This is derived from the use of cast lines of lead inserted between lines of type to add space.

Telling typefaces apart

There are over 90,000 typefaces at philsfonts.com alone, one of our favorite suppliers of typography. Given the fact that there are over 10 major type foundries today, this is potentially hundreds of thousands of typefaces to choose from and use. That’s a lot of choices.

Of course there is some overlap from foundry to foundry and this does cause some confusion. For example: Stempel-Haas created “Helvetica” which Compugraphic then copied and called “Megaron”, it is essentially the same type face with a few minor variations. I happen to think copied for the worse. Using the original and paying the licensing fee is a sure way to get the quality you should be getting, rather than using a cheap copy. Costs are so similar these days that you may as well get the original face. Note that Adobe Systems always name the originator of the typeface first when applicable, i.e. ITC Garamond Light. When you get more familiar with the basic typefaces you will be able to spot these “rip-offs” more easily.

Most typefaces are named after their originator. Caslon, Garamond, Zapf for example. This is one way of knowing you’ve purchased the real thing.

These very wide type choices can seem rather daunting, particularly if you depend entirely on your own subjective taste. But there are some practical considerations which can help you in choosing a typeface for a particular job.

Always look for five characteristics in a typeface:

1. Whether or not it has serifs.
2. The shape of the serifs, if any.
3. The difference in the change from thick to thin in the strokes of the letters.
4. The direction of the thick part of the letter from oblique to vertical known as the ’stress’.
5. The average width of the characters called the ’set’. You can see this most readily by comparing the lengths of complete alphabets of the same point size.

Categories of Type

These divisions are very broad. Many typefaces, particularly of recent design, have characteristics which belong in more than one group.

Old face types usually have lightly bracketed serifs, with a moderate change from thick to thin strokes in the letter and an oblique stress in the direction of the thick strokes. The italic form is usually slightly decorative. The letters tend to be light in weight, although the type family usually includes a bold version.

Transitional types have serifs that are more clearly bracketed and have a more marked, but not abrupt, change from thick to thin strokes. There is a less obviously oblique direction in the heavy part of the letter.

Modern faces have fine, unbracketed (hairline) serifs with a strong contrast between thick and thin strokes. There is a strong vertical stress in the direction of the heavy parts of the letters.

Slab serifs have, as their name implies, noticeably heavy, rectangular serifs. The design of the rest of the letter can vary but there is usually little difference between the thick and thin parts of the letters.

Sans serifs are all types without the terminal strokes (serifs) at the ends of the stem, arms and tails of the letters. Decorative and Display are intended to be used for only a few words at a time. They are not suitable for continuous text.

Decorative and display faces are faces drawn with a particular style in mind where legibility may be sacrificed for the decorative needs of the face.

Letraset is a good example of a robust library of decorative type faces. Generally not used for text purposes, these are suitable for headlines where a strong voice or personality is required.

Script and Brush letters have an informality which is useful in publicity and display work but makes them unsuited for long text passages.

Ultramoderns are hard to classify but include typefaces drawn since the advent of the computer in graphic design. Several defy conventional rules about construction and readability. Some are already modern classics, such as those drawn by Neville Brody and Zuzana Licko.

What to choose and why

There is a difference between ‘legibility” and “readability”. A typeface such as Helvetica is indeed highly legible. Highway signage is designed for maximum legibility, but that’s not the same as “readability”. A long document made up of highway signage type would be pretty awful to try to read for any length of time.

For readability, many people feel that serifed types are more comfortable to read over a long, continuous text.

Sans serifs look clean and businesslike. They normally have a very wide range of weights, which makes them particularly useful in publicity and display. Sans serifs reproduce well on a smooth, matte paper that does not reflect the light.

Light weight alphabets with fairly short serifs and little difference between thick and thin strokes tend to look their best at high resolution, printed on a matte or rough paper.

Types with more robust serifs and a clearer difference between thick and thin strokes stand up better to low resolution and reproduce well on a wider range of papers.

Types with very fine serifs and a strong vertical stress look better if produced at higher resolutions. The sharp contrast between thick and thin strokes is best maintained on a smooth paper surface.

If the column width is narrow; then avoid typefaces with a very wide set. But remember that types with a very narrow set (condensed) can be tiring to read over a long text.

Type families

Both serif and sans serif typefaces are available in two basic styles referred to as roman and italic. Roman is usually the starting point when designing with type, as it is the standard for most typeset text. Italic typefaces are derived from several sources: from the exquisitely written scripts of the renaissance called Chancery to the computer modified typefaces created by “slanting” or “obliquing” the roman letterforms. As we know, Italics are usually used for emphasis.

Many typefaces are available in families of weights and other variations from condensed to extended. The advantage of working within one family is that you can be sure that the types will combine well and that the contrast between one weight and another will be sufficient for the reader to notice the difference. It is rarely necessary to use more than two or three weights in one document, but in any case be sure to use them consistently.

Type and the Computer

As most graphic work is prepared digitally on computers these days this lecture primarily concerns itself with these systems.

Computers today, both MAC and PC, have moved up to the level of genuine typesetting systems with quite a few options and advantages never available before in the history of our industry.

Type handling for page makeup software, drawing programs, even image manipulation programs has come a long way since the dawn of this computer. But there are still some basic issues to be aware of when using and managing type on the computer.

There are two parts to the typeface that need to be present in the system in order for it to work. This is the area where the most confusion reigns and attention must be paid. Each font is represented by a Screen font and a Printer Font.

The Screen Font

This is usually a ‘bit -mapped’ version of the typeface that is stored inside a document called a ’suitcase’. Usually there are several sizes and weights representing the entire family. These are used to render the font on your screen. There are also several ‘resources’ present in this file that are very important. They are necessary for the computer in order to recognize the typeface, know where it lives and what its name is.

The Printer Font

This file is where the outlines of the actual font reside. These are used by the output device or printer to actually render the font on your final output material: paper, film, laser writer. These are object-oriented drawings described in a cross-platform computer language called ‘PostScript’. These are identical in nature to the kinds of drawing objects found in Aldus Freehand, or Illustrator and are editable in certain programs.

Fonts for the Web

This portion is used with permission from Mario Sanchez

Web-Safe Fonts for Your Site

Choosing the right typeface for your website copy is important, since it will affect the way your readers perceive your page (serious and formal, or friendly and casual). Aside from this, there are also important usability concerns. For example, some font types are more easily readable than others, and some are more widely available.

You want to choose font types that:

1. fit the character of your site,
2. are easy to read on a computer screen, and
3. are widely available across many browsers and operating systems.

There are basically two types of fonts: serif and sans serif.
Serif fonts are those that have fine cross-lines at the extremities of the letter. Sans serif (”sans” being the French word for “without”) are fonts that don’t have serifs. The most common serif font is probably Times New Roman. Arial is an example of a common sans serif font.

Let’s go briefly through the most popular font types and evaluate their availability, readibility and character:

Arial:

Availability: Thoroughly available. It is probably the most common sans serif font. It is the default font for Windows, and it first shipped as a standard font with Windows 3.1.
Readability On Screen: Not the worse but definetely not the best, especially at small sizes, when it becomes too narrow and the spacing between characters too small.
Character: Has a streamlined, modern look but is also plain and boring.
For Mac users, the equivalent of Arial is Helvetica.

Times New Roman:

Availability: Thoroughly available. It is probably the most common serif font. It is the default font for web browsers. It was first shipped as a standard font with Windows 3.1
Readability On Screen: Acceptable for font sizes of 12pt. and up, but terrible for smaller sizes.
Character: Serious, formal and old fashioned.
For Mac users, the equivalent of Times New Roman is Times.

Verdana:

Availability: A widely available sans serif font, Verdana was first shipped with Internet Explorer version 3, when the exponential growth of the Internet demanded a new font that was easy to read on the screen. Readability On Screen: Exceptional. It’s wide body makes it the clearest font for on-screen reading, even at small sizes.
Character: Modern, friendly and professional.

Georgia:

Avaliability: Good. It is a serif font introduced by Microsoft with Internet Explorer version 4, when the need for a serif font which much better readability than Times New Roman became evident. Readibility On Screen: Very good. It is the best serif font for on-line reading, since it was specifically designed for that purpose.
Character: Modern, friendly and professional.

Microsoft has also popularized two more fonts: Comic Sans Serif and Trebuchet.

Comic Sans Serif was launched with Internet Explorer version 3 and mimics the hand writing used in comics. It is easy to read and is informal and friendly, but it is not considered appropriate for more serious, professional sites.

Trebuchet is another sans serif font, similar to Arial but with more character, although it can be difficult to read in small sizes.

Finally, we can mention Courier New, a serif font that was widely popular with old, mechanical typewriters, and that is now used only to present simulated computer code (if you need to present snipets of sample HTML code in your web pages, this is the font to use.

Therefore, from a usability perspective, the clear winner is Verdana. If you are inclined to use a serif font, Georgia is the best option. Arial remains a good option for specific parts of text, like headlines and titles, where a different font must be used and you can use larger sizes.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

TIM KENNEY: Creative Director and CEO of Tim Kenney Marketing, has 33 years of experience in the design industry. Tim’s work has been published in two volumes of American Corporate Identity, Logo 2000 and Logo 2001 and, under his direction, his agency has garnered 100 prestigious design awards…and still counting

Copyright 2007. Tim Kenney Marketing | Marketing, Advertising, Graphic Design, Web Design

If you haven’t already heard, Argentina, and especially Buenos Aires, is reputed to have some of the most beautiful people in the world. And once you visit this wonderful country you understand why. This fitness-crazy and tan-loving society is the sublime mix of Italians, Germans, Spaniards and other Europeans, with a bit of South American native thrown in for good meaure. Add to that some Latin allure and a penchant for having a (really) good time, and as a visitor you’re in for good trouble. The question is, how do you meet these hotties?

When looking to meet a Porteño or Porteña (what the hotties from Buenos Aires call themselves), the first thing a foreigner must do is adapt to an Argentine schedule. What this means is spreading out meal times so that lunch is at 1 or 2pm, a midday snack (merienda) at about 4 or 5pm, and dinner is eaten at 9pm at the earliest. What this will do is allow you to eat dinner, shower, get dressed up, and head out on the town to meet your Argentine man or woman of your dreams.

Most young Porteños frequent the many bars and discos around Buenos Aires every weekend. However, the bar experience is much different than you would find in the United States. Instead of getting to bars with the intent of drinking oneself into a coma, Argentines arrive at bars with the intent of finding someone to make out with until 5 or 6 in the morning. The reason you will see Argentines cuddled up together and locked at the lips for hours on end is because most live with their parents until they are well into their 20s, and some until their 30s.

So how do you find that special man or woman? I will let you in on a little secret, BE AGGRESSIVE! Now of course, like in any country, you must respect the personal space of others, but just realize that personal space in Argentina (and Buenos Aires specifically) is usually a very subjective term. Argentine men are known for walking up to women and attempting a kiss before they ask for the woman’s name.

So if you are a woman and see the Porteño of your dreams at a bar one night, the correct approach may be a seductive glance, followed by a six hour make out session (and then you can introduce yourself and exchange numbers).

Many Argentine women are on the defensive when they go out to bars because they are used to the male aggressive tactics. For this reason, men seeking a Porteña may have more success with the typical American approach; exchanging hellos, offering to buy a drink, and showing interest in the woman before diving in for the make out session. (Mixing in a little Spanglish is always a good way to get a cute Porteña rapped around your finger).

Read fun advice and anecdotes from travelers like you at Argentina’s Travel Guide. While there, you can also learn more about the argentine people and their lifestyle.

There have been many studies which have proven that exercise combined with a good weight loss diet will bring faster results than either one alone. Weight loss through exercise will help control weight by burning excess calories that would otherwise be stored as fat. When you reduce the calories you eat every day plus burn more calories through exercise, you can’t help but lose weight!

You can certainly lose weight by dieting alone, but let’s face it. It’s a lot harder and takes a lot longer before you’ll see the results you are after. By simply adding a brisk 30 minute walk to your diet, you can double the amount of weight you are losing each week.

Using exercise to help you lose weight will not only burn more calories, but it also provides other benefits as well. Exercise will help your heart and other major organs to work more efficiently, give you more energy, and optimize your health.

Your weight loss through exercise plan should include both aerobic and anaerobic exercises. Aerobic exercise - also known as cardiovascular training - is any exercise that increases the heart rate for 20 minutes or more. Starting your day with aerobic exercise is a great way to get the most benefit from it. Your body will be forced to use the fat you have stored up rather than using food you have recently consumed for energy.

The benefit of cardiovascular exercise increases as the time you put into it increases. In fact, the time factor is more important than the intensity. Studies carried out have shown that the body does not start to use fat stores until you have done your exercise for between 25 to 30 minutes during an exercise session. Increasing intensity will cause your body to burn glycogen rather than stored fat.

This is probably great news if you dread the thought of sprinting around the track every morning. Instead, try walking at a brisk pace for 30 minutes. I can guarantee you that you’ll be able to walk a lot longer than you’ll be able to sprint!

Walking is one of the best forms of aerobic exercise for most people who want to lose weight from exercise. It requires no special equipment beyond comfortable clothing, you don’t have to be a member of any gym, and you don’t have to learn a new skill. You can do it in any kind of weather as long as you dress appropriately. And it is easier on your joints than other kinds of aerobic exercise.

Weight loss through exercise is a great way to jumpstart any diet plan. Give it a try and you’ll be surprised at how much easier it is to lose weight!

An effective weight loss program does not have to mean deprivation or back-breaking exercise routines. To discover simple strategies for lasting weight loss and a free book of delicious recipes, be sure to check out my Painless Weight Loss Tips blog at: http://www.painless-weight-loss.com/

Intercultural training has become of increasing importance in the past 10 years. Companies and organizations that are working on the international stage are starting to realise that working in or with foreign countries is not like working at home. Intercultural differences are causing obstacles to smooth, successful business relationships, dealings and ventures. People from managers, to sales personnel, to CEOs to HR staff are all now participating in intercultural training to help them become better at the their jobs.

Many people often focus on the benefits intercultural training brings to individuals. What is forgotten is how these individuals then go on to benefit the company or organization that they work in. It can be claimed that intercultural training brings them four clear cut benefits.

1. Communication

Much of intercultural training is in essence about communicating with people clearly and avoiding misunderstandings. Intercultural training helps people appreciate how culture may impact communication with their colleagues or clients. With this appreciation they are then more able to ensure that was is being said is understood. This allows for teams to cooperative more effectively, managers to direct their colleagues more efficiently, sales personnel to be more attentive to their client’s concerns and staff generally to get a job done.

2. Productivity and Efficiency

Following on from communication, a staff base that is able to understand one another more is only ever good news. Intercultural training not only assists people working better with each other through developing communication but also in other areas such as management, meetings styles, leadership, reward schemes, retention and recruitment. When it comes down to it, all help an organisation work better and therefore positively impacts productivity and proficiency.

3. Competitive Advantage

A company with employees that are “on the ball” when it comes to intercultural skills is always going to have a competitive advantage over their rivals. If company A and company B are both vying for business in China, which has the greater chance of success. Company A which has sent out a negotiation team that has done no homework about Chinese culture and etiquette. Or Company B whose negotiation team have undergone a day’s intercultural training and now appreciate the nuances of topics such as meeting, greeting, appreciating seniority, meeting etiquette, communication styles and negotiation tactics. The chances are Company B will win every time.

4. Long Term Benefits

The businesses that succeed in the future are the businesses that can tap the limitless bounties of the global economy. However, in order to do so you need people with the right skills, experience, knowledge and understanding. Having employees that have attained a certain level of intercultural competence through training and on-the-ground experience provides access the aforementioned bounties. Employees that are flexible in manner and open in mind can approach the challenges of working in foreign environments much more easily.

Neil Payne is Managing Director and Middle East trainer at the London based consultancy Kwintessential. For more information on their services please visit http”//www.kwintessential.co.uk/Intercultural Communication

Panic Attack Symptoms - What is a panic or anxiety attack?

Before we can address what an anxiety attack is, it would be better if we first define what is anxiety. Anxiety is a normal thing that all of us experience. It is how our bodies react to stress and it helps us deal with tense situations that we face in our everyday lives. Theses tense situations could come from our home, office, school or just about anywhere we are faced with difficult or challenging situations. This anxiety we feel helps us to deal with and overcome these everyday problems.

Panic or anxiety attacks occur when we sense an overwhelming fear that comes without any obvious reason and often times without any warning. It is far more intense than the anxiety we are faced with everyday or the feelings we have of being “stressed out”. Statistics have shown 1.7% of the adult population of the world will experience a panic attack at least one time in their lives. If you find yourself in this category, you are not alone, but help is on the way!

Panic Attack Symptoms - What are the symptoms of an attack?

The most prevalent Panic Attack Symptom was mentioned already, an overwhelming feeling of fear. This fear can lead you to believe that you’re going crazy or are about to die, it is that debilitating.

Some other Panic Attack Symptoms may include an increased heart rate and palpitations, difficulty with breathing, tingling in the extremities, hot flashes or chills, sweating, shaking and chest pains. Obviously, these symptoms are shared by many other medical conditions, hence the misdiagnosis that often takes place with anxiety attacks. There are certain medical conditions whose symptoms might resemble that of an anxiety attack, but if these reasonable causes are determined NOT to be the cause of the symptoms, then there does exist the possibility of a treatable panic disorder or condition.

Panic Attack Symptoms - What are the treatments?

Most people who suffer from Panic Attack Symptoms can be helped with the proper treatment. Therapy for those who have been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder will sometimes involve medication or psychotherapy.

Medications are not cures for anxiety disorders, though they can be effective in treating the symptoms. There are many different medications available to help those with anxiety disorders, so if one particular drug is not working, there are many alternatives to choose from. One must be careful in the use of medications, because every medication has side effects. If side effects become a problem, your doctor will most likely advise you to stop taking the medication and then wait to allow the drug to diminish from your body before beginning another treatment.

Behavior therapy has recently taken center stage in dealing with anxiety disorders. This type of therapy focuses on changing a specific tendency or action in a person’s life which can lead to an anxiety attack. It may involve several steps to decrease or stop the unwanted behavior, but this therapy has proven to be very helpful with most anxiety attack sufferers.

For the person who suffers from anxiety attacks, it is important to understand what is happening and to recognize the symptoms. It is equally important to know your treatment options. There are many avenues to investigate in seeking help, but help is on the way!

Are you looking for answers in how to treat your Panic Attack Symptoms? Regardless of what you have been led to believe, acute anxiety and panic attacks can be cured in easy-to-follow steps without any medication using a revolutionary new technique. Click Here to get the help you deserve and get the FREE report “How to Snap Out Of Fearful Thinking Effortlessly” http://www.squidoo.com/Anxiety-Attack-Symptoms-And-Help/

The flagship of Paradise Cruises was voted “Hawaii’s Best Sunset Dinner
Cruise” in 2003 and in 2004. That is no surprise as the Star of Honolulu brings
not only exceptional service to the table as well as restaurant quality dining
in an elegant surrounding.

The elegant ship has four decks, room for 1,500 passengers and a length of 232
feet. When fully booked, which is the case most nights, it can get a bit crowded
as the tables are set fairly close together, but the food is absolutely
delicious and the entertainment is first class.

If you are looking for more privacy and romance on your dinner cruise, you
should pick the 5 star package, which comes with pick-up at your hotel in a
fancy limo. You’ll be seated on the luxurious upper deck with all around views
and live music from a grand piano. Nothing could be more romantic than seeing
the reflection of the sunset in the Waikiki skyline and in the eyes of your
loved one. If you are traveling with the whole family or are in a party mood,
then all the other packages are perfect!

The Star of Honolulu also has a fun and casual lunch cruise. Here you can learn
about Hawaiian arts and crafts in a hands-on manner. Make your own lei, learn
the art of coconut frond weaving, play ukulele or swing your hips in your first
hula lesson!

In the winter months the Star of Honolulu takes you out to see the gentle giants
of the Pacific Ocean. Between December and April you can get very close to
humpback whales that are traveling through Hawaiian waters in those months
before they return back to Alaska.

The exclusive ship is also available for weddings and if you are planning a big
party, a family reunion or company retreat, the Star will make it a special one!
The Star has state-of-the-art technology and special stabilizers that will
buffer most of the movements of the ocean. At times you won’t even feel that you
are moving.

The

Star of Honolulu Dinner Cruises are one of most popular
Oahu’s activities in
Hawaii.

Combining telecommunications services is now a recent trend among many service companies, and Comcast Internet Service appears to offer the best in quality at the most affordable prices. Comcast, a world leader in cable television and technology, combines the most popular services in bundling to make it easy and more cost effective for subscribers. Already offering the best quality in both entertainment and telecommunications technology, it also assures subscribers that they are receiving the newest technological advances in the business. Totally digital cable is provided in bundling of television, telephone, and broadband internet services. Telephone plan is their most recent offer and illustrates just how far they are ahead of everyone else. Have you looked at your telephone bill lately? I mean really looked at it?

How many of the features you were charged for did you think you were receiving free? You can get these features, plus unlimited local and long distance calls, for one low flat monthly fee. Features you enjoy will continue - call waiting, call forwarding, caller ID, and voice mail. You even get internet access to voice mail - a plus for those who travel frequently but must remain in contact with family and business associates. International calling is easier and more convenient with a savings over and above the fees normally charged by other companies. Digital phone signals provide excellent clarity and sound. All these conveniences and improvements are yours for one price - a great money saver. Internet accessibility is extremely important in this day and time, and the faster the speed, the better for subscribers. Surfing the web is faster and more enjoyable with download speeds one hundred times faster than standard dialups. Waiting for downloads and connectivity is a thing of the past, and the increased connectivity speed will delight those not used to using high speed.

Music downloads, movies, video clips, games, and more are now at the touch of a fingertip. You get security against viruses and other infectious files with firewall protection and additional software. Along with the modem, they also provide a wireless router that allows you to connect additional computers as well as smart phones and other devices. Don’t think for a second that these new services have affected Comcast’s cable television service. Television has never been better with the latest technology. Packages have expanded both in quality and number of channels offered. Programming is digital and offers the highest quality of imagery and sound clarity available. HDTV, and special packages of movie programming, sports programming, and other events offer even more channels to their original lineup of more than 275 channels. Each package includes local channels, sports and movies, children’s channels, digital music, and more.

Digital delivery adds feature flexibility that includes On-Demand programming selections, Parental Control, and the On-screen Programming Guide. On-Demand offers multiple movie choices for {watching|viewing at any time with the rare ability to pause and rewind during viewing. The addition of Parental Control enables the owner complete control over what is viewed in the house, and the On-screen guide is a great help when trying to decide what program to view. With all these state of the art services at your disposal, why look any further than Comcast to supply all your telecommunications needs? Join millions of others as they enjoy the best the future has to offer - Comcast Internet Service.

Julia Hall writes articles for consumers who want to find the latest technonoly news as well as digital telephone service. She has written for many major publications about High Speed Internet and Digital Cable TV and how buyers can find the best deals. Let her show you how you can maximize your communications dollar without sacrificing quality and you’ll find out that Comcast is the cable service provider of the future for you.

Here is a story illustrating how beliefs we have create assumptions that can create their own set of issues and problems.

Having the freedom to choose, to me, is a very liberating idea. I first became really aware of the role choice plays in my responses and living while reading the perennial best-seller by Stephen Covey - The 7 Habits Of Highly Effective People. When I read the section dealing with choice, it struck me as a tremendously liberating concept, and one that, at that time in my life, I really needed to hold on to and make part of my own beliefs. The belief in choices went a long way to helping me get rid of a victim complex, and begin to understand my own freedom to choose.

Later, when I was conducting a seminar on leadership, the opportunity to introduce and discuss the concept of choice presented itself. The participants in the seminar were first and second level supervisors and managers for a large industrial company located in Atlanta. The response to the personal choice presentation and discussion was, at best, mixed. Some people looked at me like I was from another planet, some looked like they wanted to be somewhere else, and some seemed positively in agreement and accepting of the concept. Overall, the discussion of choice - that I had been so eager to introduce and that I was so sure would have enthusiastic support - didn’t have the positive effect I assumed it would.

After the seminar was over, I reviewed what had happened with a well known and respected seminar leader, and I mentioned the mixed response to what I felt was one of the most powerful messages in the seminar. Her answer was to tell me that in her opinion many people are not liberated by the idea of choice; that many people are threatened by choice; that many people are willing and even comfortable in letting others make choices for them; and that many people view the idea of choices more as a burden than as an opportunity.

That blew me away! But experience has led me to better understand what she meant. No wonder the idea of choice in investment decisions with Social Security funds meets with such a mixed review by the voters - given the views of choice by many people in our society, that was a negative, not a positive.

Well, there went another of my assumptions - that choice would be seen as a good thing by most if not all people. That is an example of the kind of assumptions we make on a daily basis that lead us to predict outcomes and results - only to be disappointed.

I continue to believe in the power of personal choice, but I no longer assume others do. And I try to always examine my thinking to see if I have set up any minefields where I have used personal assumptions to arrive at conclusions. Good advice if you are a politician, or a leader, or someone looking to influence others to your way of thinking.

Andy Cox is President of Cox Consulting Group LLC. The focus of his work is on helping organizations and their people increase their success in the hiring, developing and enhancing the performance of leaders and emerging leaders. Cox Consulting Group LLC was started in 1995, and has worked with a wide range of organizations, managers and leaders - helping them define success, achieve success and make the ability to change a competitive advantage. He can be reached at http://coxconsultgroup.com

Tom Bowen’s collaboration with Oswald (Ossie) Rentsch.

Working closely with Tom Bowen, Ossie began documenting Mr. Bowen’s technique. Diligently Ossie took notes and sketched diagrams to correctly reflect the work he saw being performed.

Progress was painstakingly slow. Often what Ossie thought he’d seen turned out to be an inaccurate interpretation of Tom Bowen’s work.

Eventually all of the moves and procedures were approved by Tom Bowen and compiled into a manual.

During Tom Bowen’s life he only instructed four other people, besides Ossie Rentsch, in his technique.

Before his death Tom Bowen gave his blessings to Ossie for teaching the technique. Ossie promised him, “Before I die, your name will be known around the world.”

After Tom Bowen’s passing in 1982 Ossie kept his promise, teaching the first seminar of Bowen’s technique in 1986. Since then trainings have been conducted around the world with more than 10,000 practitioners, representing over 25 countries.

As of 2006 Bowen Therapy as developed from the work of Tom Bowen by Ossie and Elaine Rentsch of Victoria, Australia is now a nationally recognized training in Australia. It’s registerd name is Bowtech and the Trademark designation for the work is Bowenwork.

Please join me for the next segment of my article about Bowen Therapy - Description of the technique.

Holistic MindBody Therapy, including pure essential oils, are gentle, noninvasive complementary forms of health care for balancing and synchronizing your body, mind and spirit and a natural, safe and effective way to enhance your health and well-being. Holistic health care often produces satisfying results where other methods have failed. Please consult with your physician regarding serious health concerns and do not attempt to self diagnose.

KG has developed massage training and holistic health programs for the spa industry, health clubs and clinics, schools, resorts, as well as for individual clients. She is a MindBody Therapist and Health Educator with advanced certification and training in Bowen Therapy, BodyTalk and Aromatherapy. She is the owner of Springhill Wellness Center and the founder & director of PurePlant Essentials aromatherapy products.

Click to learn about KG’s Consulting Services http://www.kgstiles.com/consulting.htm

Click to learn about KG’s Presentations http://www.kgstiles.com/presentations.htm

Click to learn about entire line of Products and Services, including scheduling Bowen therapy sessions and distant healing sessions http://www.kgstiles.com/healingtools.html

More Info? Contact: KG Stiles at Springhill Wellness Center, 2520 Springhill Drive Ashland, OR USA (541) 941-7315 Mahalo!