The increase of Porsche’s stake from 27.3 percent to 30.9 percent at Volkswagen gives the German sports car manufacturer the right to a takeover bid as required by the German law.

Luckily for Porsche, Volkswagen shares dropped by 4 percent to 113.21 euros ($150.91) in Frankfurt on Monday afternoon while the German sports car maker’s share rose by 0.7 percent to 1,123 euros ($1,497). And as expected of Porsche is has cleverly made the minimum offering legally allowed of 109.20 euros (145.60) for each common share and 63 euros ($84) for each preferred share.

Porsche has already expected it that few investors would agree on their offered price. After the takeover bid is complete it is probable that Porsche will continue to increase its stakes in Volkswagen surpassing its present owned shares of 30.9 percent. However, if it plans to make another bid for VW it will have to exceed 50 percent stakes.

What Porsche has done can be considered a creative way of going around the German corporate law but it did not do it simply because it wants to gain control of Volkswagen. Believe it or not the German sports car maker just wants to protect Europe’s largest automaker from any untoward takeover by hostile foreign investors. And with the 30.9 percent owned stake of Porsche combined with the 20.26 percent owned shares of Lower Saxony totaling to 51.4 percent of shares at Volkswagen makes these two shareholders more effective in protecting the company from any investors who may want to take control of the Wolfsburg-based automaker.

Aside from protecting Volkswagen, Lower Saxony has also assured that the jobs of tens of thousands of its residents who worked for VW are safe. Porsche on the other hand, secures an essential source of technology in which it has the power to control costs. Like for instance the chassis used for Porsche Cayenne down to say VW spark plug wires that are used for the mid-size luxury sports utility vehicle are developed in partnership with Volkswagen.

Volkswagen said in a statement that it welcomed the step by Porsche to increase its take and explained that a “stable shareholder structure” is vital to the continuous success of the company. According to one unnamed source inside Volkswagen, “We are protected against further other approaches maybe by other investors which could break up the company.”

Analysts are also expecting for Porsche to gradually increase its stake in Volkswagen over the next few years in line with the goals of Porsche’s main shareholder and chairman, Ferdinand Piech.

For more about your Volkswagen parts needs like VW spark plug wires, visit your trusted online source.

Benjamin Hudson works as a supervisor at one of the top engineering firms in the business district of Louisiana. He is also a freelance journalist and has passion for anything automotive.

“If you continue to do what you’ve always done, you will continue to get what you’ve always got!” - Yogi Berra

It is easy to be a loser. All you have to do after you failed at something is to continue doing the same thing and being the same way. It really is that simple. Most people are scared of the challenges that being successful will bring, or they just lack the willpower to do what it takes to be successful. The realization that they are going to fail again creates anxiety and emotional unrest which most people don’t like and they return quickly to the familiar world of excuses and justifications.

Unless the cycle of thought patterns is broken in those who fail, they will experience a lower quality of life that lacks the good things in life that comes with success. The truth is: nobody is born a success, and nobody is born a failure. Losers learn from the mainstream: Negative thoughts and negative actions. Winners learn from other winners, change their thoughts accordingly, and do their best to copy their actions.

Losers say: “Don’t dream! Dreaming is impractical. Only fools dream. We are in reality! One should stay in the real world!” Winners, on the other hand, dream and dream big. The great King Solomon said over 3000 years ago …. “Unless people dream they perish.” Did he mean dream when you sleep? No! He meant one should have a firm goal or objective to achieve.

If we dream and do not believe that we will accomplish our dreams, the dream becomes just an idle wish, and will never be attained. On the other hand if we remember and do what Napoleon Hill said, we will never fail. He said: “Effort only fully releases its reward after a person refuses to quit.”

The following is an example of someone who didn’t quit. See how many times he “failed.”

PORTRAIT OF AN ACHIEVER - Abraham Lincoln

–1831 - FAILED IN BUSINESS, BANKRUPTCY
–1832 - DEFEATED FOR LEGISLATURE
–1834 - FAILED IN BUSINESS, BANKRUPTCY
–1835 - FIANCE DIES
–1836 - NERVOUS BREAKDOWN
–1838 - DEFEATED FOR U.S. CONGRESS
–1846 - DEFEATED AGAIN FOR U.S. CONGRESS
–1848 - DEFEATED ONCE AGAIN FOR U.S. CONGRESS
–1855 - DEFEATED FOR U.S. SENATE
–1856 - DEFEATED FOR U.S. VICE PRESIDENCY
–1858 - DEFEATED AGAIN FOR U.S. SENATE
–1860 - ELECTED 16TH PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

From the above it is clear that you can’t fail unless you quit.

The great Gandhi taught: “If one advances toward a specified objective or goal, and does not lose ‘belief” in its attainment; even though they may start their journey without the necessary tools or knowledge of how to get there; if they keep their faith and focus they shall most assuredly obtain the required tools and knowledge along the way.”

Let’s look at the differences between winners and losers:

A winner says: “Let’s find out”
-
A loser says: “nobody knows”

When a winner makes a mistake, he says: “I was wrong.”-
When a loser makes a mistake he says: “It wasn’t my fault.”

A winner goes through a problem and deals with it.
-
A loser goes around a problem, and never gets past it.

A winner makes commitments.
-
A loser makes promises

A winner says: “I am good, but not as good as I ought to be.”
A loser says: “I am not as bad as a lot of other people.”

A winner tries to learn from those who are superior to him/her.
A loser tries to tear down those who are superior to him/her.

A winner says: “There ought to be a better way to do it.”
A loser says: “That’s the way it has always been done.”

A winner says: “I will find the right people who can help me.”
A loser says: “I will do it myself.”

A winner looks for an answer in every problem.
A loser looks for a problem in every answer.

A winner says: “I will do it now!”
A loser says: “I will do it later.”

A winner says: “I will quit trying and simply do.”
A loser says: “I will keep trying.”

A winner says: “I will create my own good luck.”
A loser says: “I might get lucky.”

A winner makes things happen.
A loser lets things happen.

Now you can see that winners make different choices than losers. They think different thoughts, believe different things, adopt different attitudes, and therefore produce different results in their lives. Now you have the choice to look at the above attitudes, and decide which you want to be; a winner, or a loser. The choice is yours.

Hannah du Plessis, an ex schoolteacher currently living in New Zealand started her first Network Marketing business in 2005. Early in 2006 she discovered the joys of Internet Marketing and now has her own Traffic Exchange and Article Directory

As a rule, I’m not a big fan of anger.

Generally speaking, I don’t consider it to be a particularly valuable emotion (most of the time).

It’s more often than not, associated with violence, insecurity, embarrassment, fear, resentment, selfishness and jealousy, than it is with anything particularly positive.

All the bad stuff.

Road-rage, ugly parent syndrome (crazy parents watching their kids ‘play’ sport), domestic violence, street gangs, inter-racial hatred, murder, war, terrorism… destructive anger pervades every part of our society and culture… and destroys happiness, hope, harmony, relationships, business partnerships, families, lives and a bunch more.

Excessive, consistent anger makes people sick.
Physically sick.
Take a good look at someone who is always angry, they will usually look physically unwell.
Unfortunately, they don’t seem to learn.
Angry people are ugly.
Angry people are socially repugnant.

However . . . .

(You knew that was coming right?)

Anger can be both, destructive and productive.

Sometimes (a little) anger is not only understandable but it’s appropriate, justified and valuable.
Sometimes a little well-placed anger is what’s needed to most effectively deal with a particular situation (or person).

Sometimes a little righteous anger (controlled, appropriate anger… not some out of control, senseless, emotional, violent outburst or reaction) is just what the doctor ordered.

One of the problems with (some) Personal Development types like me is that on some level we teach that we should always be in complete control of our emotions; the model of discipline and self-control (possible if you’re an android but reasonably tough if you have a heart beat).
And at the same time, some of us embrace an erroneous philosophy that getting angry (ever) is some kind of sign of dysfunction or some kind of major transgression for anyone working at being their best.

It’s possibly a sign of being normal! (I’m not talking about excessive, constant anger here).

The trouble with people who never get angry about anything is that they are also often the ones who never get particularly passionate, focused, committed or pro-active… about anything.
The ones who never seem to get much done and who always seem to be compromising themselves and their dreams.

The other day I was talking to a girl who hates pretty much most of her life situation (that’s the very brief story).
Hates her job (unfulfilling, boring, repetitious).
Hates how people treat her at work (doesn’t want to make enemies and wants to ’stay below the radar’, so says nothing).
Hates how her father tries to control her (she’s in her 30’s).
Hates how she looks; feels sorry for herself (a very valuable mindset).
Hates the frustration of being able to identify, but seemingly not being able to do anything about, her situation.
She is very woe-is-me… wishy-washy… apathetic.
She has almost thrown in the towel (emotionally).
At the same time, she is gorgeous (inside and out), talented, smart and creative but she is also paralysed by fear (fear of fifty different things which I can’t explore now).

“Come on girl!… stand up for yourself… get a little pissed once in a while.

Please!
It’s okay.
Healthy even.
I felt like shaking her (in a loving way!).
Stop being a victim of everything and everyone.
Have an opinion, have a voice, think for yourself, make some decisions.
Disagree with someone (it’s okay).
Get angry.
Stop keeping everybody happy except yourself (this is not to be confused with selfishness).

Stop letting life happen to you.

Sometimes anger (the right kind) creates momentum, which in turn, creates positive change, which in turn creates… happiness!

Freaky.

Stand up for yourself!

So don’t wait for the nervous breakdown and don’t internalize all those feelings; channel them, express them and turn them into something positive.
Just ’cause you’ve never done it before doesn’t mean you can’t do it… it just means you’ve never done it (yet).

I rarely get angry.

Maybe about once a month.
Usually for about ten minutes at a time..
It’s (mostly) controlled, appropriate anger and it usually creates a positive outcome.
It’s usually what was needed.

And yes, every now and then I lose it (not in a good way).
Hard to believe, I know.
(not)
I try and make those ‘moments’ an annual event (only) and I never do it in front of anyone or ‘at’ anyone.

Don’t mis-interpret what I’m saying in this post, I’m not a ‘fan’ of anger at all, in fact I abhor most anger and its’ consequences.. but I do believe that some of us, some times (not daily) need to step out of our indifference, apathy and desire to keep everyone (except ourselves) happy and take a stand… and at times, that’s gonna mean a little righteous anger. That might mean saying NO to someone who won’t listen to you, it might mean getting physical with someone who is trying to hurt you or someone you love (hopefully not), it might mean standing up to people who try and use, manipulate, coerce or control you (plenty of those around) or it might mean getting a little angry with yourself about ‘not doing’ all the stuff you know you should be (this doesn’t mean self-loathing or self pity, this means actually getting off your ass and creating positive change!).

Too many times I have seen people’s live ruined because they have been too fearful to stand up to a dominant figure or a difficult situation in their life. They live an existence of sadness, frustration and compromise because they want to ‘keep the peace’ and not ‘rock the boat.’

ROCK THE BOAT! ! !

Don’t put yourself in harms way or be stupid or irresponsible… but don’t be a doormat and don’t spend your life not saying what you think, feel or believe.

We don’t want to be angry people but every now and then a little righteous anger is just what we need.

It’s just what you need.

Craig Harper (B.Ex.Sci.) is an Australian motivational speaker, qualified exercise scientist, author, columnist, radio presenter, and owner of one of the largest personal training centers in the world.

He can be heard weekly on Australian Radio SEN 1116 and GOLD FM and appears on Australian television on Network Ten’s 9AM.

Motivational Speaker - Craig Harper

Anyone who has considered hoodia diet pills and has done any research on them has read about the importance of looking for a CITES certificate to identify authentic hoodia gordonii. I often wonder if people even understand what the certificate is and why it so important to look for one. If you have a basic understanding of what a CITES certificate is and what its role is within the hoodia trade, you’ll know why looking for one is so important when trying to find authentic hoodia gordonii.

The hoodia gordonii plant is a protected species due to its limited supply and high demand. It is only found in South Africa and until recent years, was only grown wild. Due to the increasing popularity for hoodia gordonii, farming began in an attempt to keep up with skyrocketing demand. In order to protect the hoodia plant and the industry as a whole, including the San people who have a vested interest in their native crop, the South African government implemented controls, licenses, and regulations for the harvesting and exportation of hoodia gordonii.

CITES certificates are one of the basic controls put in place to protect the endangered hoodia plant. There are other documents that are required as well, but for the purposes of this article I’ll only address the CITES certificate. CITES refers to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora and is an international agreement between governments. Their goal is to ensure that international trade does not threaten the survival of endangered species.

In order for a company to legally export hoodia gordonii from South Africa, an export permit from CITES must be obtained. Every shipment exported from South Africa must be accompanied by a CITES permit. These permits expire in six months, but the expiration period only pertains to the actual shipment of hoodia gordonii out of South Africa. In other words, a supplier has six months from the time they are issued a CITES permit to actually ship the hoodia gordonii out of South Africa. If they don’t and the shipment of hoodia sits in the port, the supplier must reapply for a new permit.

This is important to understand because there is some confusion in the hoodia industry about the dates shown on CITES permits. People are led to believe that CITES permits must be “current” in order to be valid, otherwise they don’t mean anything. They mistakenly believe that if the CITES certificate is older than six months the company must be lying or must be trying to pull a fast one on the consumer. In some instances an “old” CITES certificate may be just that, but it is not necessarily the rule.

Suppose a supplier exports several thousand kilograms of hoodia on one permit, and that inventory of hoodia gordonii doesn’t actually sell out for eight or nine months. The original CITES permit, along with the original issue date shown on the permit, will always be attached to that inventory. Even though the date on the CITES permit will be older than six months, that CITES permit is still valid and still provides proof that the hoodia gordonii used is authentic. Keep that in mind as you are looking at CITES certificates from companies you are considering buying from. An older date doesn’t necessarily mean the CITES permit is invalid and the hoodia gordonii used isn’t real.

Another point to keep in mind is that the company or supplier shown on a CITES certificate doesn’t always match the name of the company selling the actual end product. For example, you may be interested in buying a hoodia supplement from “Helen’s Health Company” so you go to their website and you view their CITES certificate. Everything checks out except you notice the supplier shown on the permit is a company called, “Supplier Incorporated.” Shouldn’t the company listed on the permit be Helen’s Health Company? Not always.

There are only a few suppliers who are issued CITES permits. Supplement companies then buy their hoodia gordonii from these few suppliers. In the example above, Supplier Incorporated is listed on the permit so that means they were the actual supplier that exported the hoodia gorodnii. Helen’s Health Company is displaying a CITES certificate issued to Supplier Incorporated so that means Helen’s Health purchased the hoodia gordonii they use in their products from Supplier Incorporated.

Finally, just because a CITES certificate is displayed on a website doesn’t mean the company uses as much authentic hoodia gordonii as they claim. Hoodia products are classified as supplements so they are not regulated. As a result, companies can make claims that aren’t necessarily true. For example, you may be interested in a hoodia diet pill that contains 500mg of hoodia gordonii per capsule. You go to the company’s website and sure enough, they display a CITES permit so you immediately think the product is authentic.

That is not always true. Keep in mind that the only thing a CITES permit proves is that a supplier was given the right to export “X amount” of hoodia gordonii from South Africa. Once the supply is exported, the supplier and any company purchasing hoodia from the supplier can do what they want with the hoodia gordonii. A company may claim they are selling a hoodia diet pill that contains 500mg of authentic hoodia gordonii, and while they may have a CITES certificate for the supply they purchased, they may not use a full 500mg in each capsule! They may only use 250mg or 150mg or whatever may be the case.

Now that you have a better understanding of what the CITES certificate is and what its role is, you know why looking for one is important when trying to find authentic hoodia gordonii diet pills and products.

Did you know that CITES certificates are just one of thirteen things to look for when you buy hoodia? Get the full list from http://hoodiaandweightloss.com

Living Life Medicine/Pharmaceutical Free sounds like an oxymoron-doesn’t it? To some it is-to others it will seem redundant, because millions of people throughout the world are living Medicine/Pharmaceutical Free. How can that be?-Every one gets sick-you might say. Yes, occasionally, people need remedies because they are sick, however, there are a plethora of natural remedies.

The five most common uses of prescription drugs are for Depression, Antibiotics, Menopause, High Blood Pressure and Ulcers.

Through illness your body is working to get your attention. Every malady or pain-either physical or mental is your body’s way of communicating what it needs.

Depression Remedies:

St. John’s Wort,

St. John’s Wort (Hypericum perforatum in Latin), the most frequently used natural remedy for depression, is a long-living plant with yellow flowers. It contains many chemical compounds. Some are believed to be the active ingredients that produce the herb’s effects, including the compounds hypericin and hyperforin. Alternative Medicine Review 1998 (Feb); 3 (1): 18-26

Hypericum (St. John’s Wort) has been favorably compared to numerous antidepressant drugs, the studies having revealed equivalent results and a much more favorable incidence of side effects. Studies have also demonstrated its efficacy in treating seasonal affective disorder.

Kava: The kava root is ground to a powder, and it has a brownish color. The brownish powder is then mixed with water and drank as a beverage, without being fermented. Extracts from the kava root are placed in capsules and sold as kava or kava kava. Additional herbs and nutrients involved in relaxation include 5-HTP, ashwagandha, passionflower, and valerian. Users report the following results:

–A state of relaxation, without feeling drugged

–Muscle tension is reduced
–Peaceful and contentment

–More sociable in the right company

–Mild euphoria, occasionally
–Mental alertness is often not effected, except on high doses

–Initial alertness followed by drowsiness which comes on after a few hours, can be taken in the evening, a few hours before bedtime

SAMe: SAMe (S-adenosylmethionine) is not an herb or a hormone. It’s a molecule that all living cells, including our own, produce constantly. How does extra SAMe improve a person’s mood? Researchers have identified several possibilities. Normal brain function involves the passage of chemical messengers between cells. SAMe may enhance the impact of mood-boosting messengers such as serotonin and dopamine-either by regulating their breakdown or by speeding production of the receptor molecules they latch on to. SAMe may also make existing receptors more responsive. In 1994 Dr. Giorgio Bressa, a psychiatrist at the University Cattolica Sacro Cuore in Rome, pooled results from a dozen controlled trials and found that “the efficacy of SAMe in treating depressive syndromes… is superior [to] that of placebo and comparable to that of standard… antidepressants.”

Depression is anger held inside–Hypnosis has proven to be highly effective in uncovering the core issue of the person’s anger and helping them to resolve it.

Antibiotics: Excessive use of antibiotics breeds antibiotic-resistant bacteria-germs that are immune to antibiotics! Amoxicillin also destroys large numbers of protective “good” bacteria that reside in your intestine, making you more vulnerable to other infections. A recent article in the American Medical Association Journal reported that probiotics might actually protect against many infections. Gary W. Elmer,pH.D., of the University of Washington, Seattle, reports that probiotics greatly reduce the risk of gastrointestinal and vaginal infections.

Instead of using antibiotics, which have a plethora of side effects use, Probiotics, Garlic, Echinacea and Goldensea are highly effectivel.

Menopause:

Menopause is the stopping of periods or menses. The average age is 52, however, menopause can occur in the 30’s or 60’s. The perimenopausal or menopause phase in a woman’s life can be dramatic or quite simple - it is different for every woman - but every woman does stop having periods.

The most effective natural remedies include: Flaxseed, Red Clover, Vitamin E, citrus Bioflavonoids, Vitamin A, or Beta Carotene, B-Vitamins, Black Cohash, Chasteberry (Vitex Agnus Castus) Evening Primrose oil. Altering your diet in small ways can have the greatest positive effect on your body. Include plenty of low-fat, high-fiber foods and soy in your diet. See: http://ezinearticles.com/?Eliminate-Perimenopause-and-Menopause-Symptoms&id=146124

High Blood Pressure:

Recent studies have uncovered many factors associated with high blood pressure including-stress, unresolved anger, a high sodium or salt diet, overweight, and unhealthy lifestyles.

Hyperexol, a combination of several herbs, is proven to be successful and goes to the cellular level to lower your blood pressure levels. It contains all-natural ingredients, in their purest form, that are essential to making it gentle and effective, unlike prescription drugs that have harmful side-effects, Hyperexol has been shown to have no negative side effects. A partial list of the ingredients are: Calcium, Garlic, Selenium, Allium Sativas, Potassium, Hawthorn Berry Powder, Capsicum Frutescenes, Crataegu Ocycantha, Magnesium, Vitamin C, and Pyridoxine HCL

Since stress is part of high blood pressure, emotional and spiritual healing with a holistic health care provider is paramount.

Ulcers: Gastric Ulcers form when the mucus lining of the stomach loses its ability to repel stomach acids. The acids, which digest food, begin to digest your stomach instead. If the ulcer forms at the top of the small intestine, it’s a duodenal ulcer.

For temporary relief of gastric ulcer pain, activated charcoal is effective, says, Agatha Thrash, M.D., a medical pathologist and co-founder and co-director of Uchee Pines Institute, a natural healing center in Seale, Alabama.

Other remedies include: Flower Remedy/Essence Therapy, Food Therapy, Hydrotherapy, Reflexology, Relaxation and Meditation, Sound Therapy, Vitamin and Mineral Therapy.

When you neglect your mind, body and spirits’ needs sooner or later, your body breaks down, and you experience the pain-diagnosed as migraine headaches, MS, lupus, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure, TMJ, PMS and the list goes on.

The purpose of this article is to direct you to the realization that you are activated from within; that life and healing come from within; and ultimately that the maintenance of health is superior to the treatment of disease.

Dorothy M. Neddermeyer, PhD, Life Coach, Hypnotherapist, Author, “101 Great Ways To Improve Your Life.” Mind, Body, Spirit healing and Physical/Sexual Abuse Prevention and Recovery. As an inspirational leader, Dr. Neddermeyer empowers people to view life’s challenges as an opportunity for Personal/Professional Growth and Spiritual Awakening. http://www.drdorothy.net

Here’s more than 2 cents worth of advice for using coupons, store cards and BOGOS (buy one get ones). With these hints, you should be able to save money on most grocery trips without being obsessive about it.

Using Manufacturer’s Coupons

I sometimes clip coupons from the Sunday newspaper inserts, put them in my coupon wallet sorted into the proper category and then hopefully remember to use them before they expire. This is not always possible, but that’s OK, because clipping coupons, sorting them and throwing away expired coupons is the kind of mindless, relaxing task that is soothing for me.

I don’t like to bother with coupons that are worth much less than $1 or require you to buy 2 of the product. Here are the caveats:

hint - A 35 cent coupon is OK if your store will Double or Triple the value of the coupon.

You can buy 2 of an item if you will really use it AND you have a place to put it. I rarely have room in the freezer for 2 gallons of ice cream.

Using Store Cards

If you are like me and most folks these days, you have a store card from at least one grocery chain. These cards get you the weekly store specials without having to clip a coupon from the store circular in the Wednesday paper. They also put you on a relatively safe mailing list to send you even better coupons by mail. For example, I’ve gotten a few coupons for $10 on my next grocery order.

hint - Many stores allow the shopper to just key in his home phone number at the checkout, avoiding the necessity of carrying a store card or miniature keychain card. This is great for the guy that rarely does the shopping or forgets the card when he does.

Gotta Do This Combo Deal

Use your manufacturer’s coupon for a product at the same time that the product is on a store card special, at the store where coupons are doubled or tripled, and the store where you can use that $$-off-on-your-next-order coupon that you have been saving in your wallet.

Buying One of a BOGO

While some grocery stores require you to buy two items that are advertised as a BOGO, many stores will allow you to buy one item at half price, but you have to tell them at the checkout (i.e. the computer at the register will not divide the price in half so don’t use the self-check.)

If you are shopping at the latter type of store where they will give you half price for one BOGO item, try these ideas:

hint - Separate your single BOGOS while shopping.

hint - Use the child’s seat of the shopping cart to separate out your single BOGOS while you shop.

hint - When you get to the check out, just let the checker know where the single BOGOs have been separated, and the checker can figure what the ½ price is for each of them before handling the remainder of your items.

hint - If you place stuff on the checkout conveyor belt yourself, use the conveyor separator bar and divide out your single BOGOS into one section and put the other groceries in the next section. Let the checker know that the first set is single BOGOS from the same grocery order as in the next section. The checker should be able to work with this.

–
In summary, be careful of the tendency to buy something you don’t need just because you have a coupon or it’s on sale. While this could push you to try something completely new or to try a competitive brand, you don’t want a pantry full of stuff you’ll never use.

Copyright 2007 by Mindy Makuta. Mindy and her husband own a small resort in Lyons, Colorado where they host outdoor weddings and family reunions. For frugal gift shopping for your significant other, see Romantic Gifts on her web-site which covers topics of concern for before, during and after the wedding. They also publish a website where you can learn about Family Vacations in Colorado, among other topics for planning Colorado vacations, including referrals for where to stay and what to do when you get there.

Most folk’s first trip to Hawaii consist of staying in a high-rise hotel in Waikiki, visiting the beach, enjoying the nightlife, and seeing all the sites in group tours and shuttle buses. This can be quite fun, but without a car you miss a lot.

Most people avoid car rental because traffic is a problem and there is little parking. The island is small, but really crowded. Except for the three freeways that crisscross the island, you can’t call them interstates since there are no bridges to the mainland, there are only two lane roads with low speed limits and lots of other folks trying to get places as well. It is also a common belief that there are actually only two available parking places left on the whole island.

OK, so what’s the problem? You are on vacation. What’s the hurry? And, the goal is to see stuff outside of the tourist bustle of Waikiki. There is always a place to park along the North shore beaches. Hotels usually have underground parking which you often have to pay a little extra for and are tiny and a real adventure trying to squeeze your car into. But, again, it’s your vacation. What’s a little extra cost and adventure is what you are looking for.

Waikiki is much like an amusement park. It’s like Disney World without the rides, but with miles of beach. It is full of sun-screened tourist and half naked young people with sand in their hair dragging surfboards twice their size. There is food and entertainment and lots of shopping. It is so much fun, but also weirdly unreal. Every once in a while you are tempted to rap on one of the walls of one of those finely architectured buildings to make sure there is no fiberglass involved. It’s a surreal world.

If you are curious to find out about the rest of the island, hop in your car, take your time, and enjoy what many others never see. Here are few of the possibilities:

— Drive around the rugged east side of the island. It is a bit of a roller coaster ride along the towering cliffs and rocky shoreline. Stop often and enjoy the natural beauty of wild ocean waves crashing against stony walls producing great geysers of foamy spray.

— Lay for hours on end on a North shore beach, watching surfers battle the endless waves crashing on the sandy shore. Sure you can see surfers at Waikiki, but the waves are wilder and the surfers seem more daring on the North shore.

— Grab a shrimp platter lunch from one of the shrimp trucks just outside of Kahuku. It’s a tasty meal in a rustic setting. It takes a car to get there. I don’t think you can get the tour bus to stop. There is nothing like it in the big city.

— Enjoy some leisurely hours rambling around Hale’iwa, shopping, eating chocolate, shaved ice, or great hand dipped ice creams from one of the funky little shops in this quaint little village. Don’t miss the surfboard painter who plays some cool jazz and blues music with his family in his studio workshop when he is not producing artwork.

— Spend a half-day wandering in the Waimea Valley Audubon Center. There is lush tropical plants and some wildlife and you can even take a dip in the pool at the base of Waimea Falls. It’s kind of like that being stranded in a tropical paradise dream you have every now and again. But it’s only the North shore.

— Hit one of the weekly Aloha Stadium Swap Meets. It’s a giant flea market/sidewalk sales where you can get all those Hawaiian shirts, and other souvenirs for about half what you pay for them downtown. Stuff your trunk and ship them home. You can’t do that if you are riding the bus.

— If you get homesick you can even drive through a fast food place or spend the day at Wal-Mart or the mall. There is always someplace to park at the mall.

Oahu is a pretty small island and the public transportation is really quite good. You can see a lot on the bus and there is lots to see. But with a car you are in total control. This little list tells of only a small sampling of the possible things to do if you are in control of your mobility. The key is to be an explorer. Find your own adventures. Get behind the wheel. It’s vacation.

Gene Morgan always goes around the island, never over the mountains. He has an issue with heights. He also has a cool website called Captured Image Design where you can get t-shirts and other apparel and gift items with unique travel and other designs on them. It’s at http://www.cafepress.com/cidgraphics

PTSD is an anxiety disorder that has been around since the beginning of mankind. Its symptoms were recognized and mentioned in the Old Testament of the Bible. It is the result of being exposed to an event or events that are so severe and traumatizing that they basically overload the mind. If you are young under the age of 20 it can physically change the brain permanently.

PTSD symptoms are frequently chronic and can be delayed for many years before overcoming the victim. Symptoms include intrusive thoughts, racing thoughts, paranoia, agoraphobia, flashbacks, irritability, severe nightmares, night sweats, depression and other anxiety disorder.

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder sometimes incorrectly referred to by the media as post traumatic syndrome, can be caused or triggered by witnessing or being involved any number trauma related events. These include combat, car accidents, domestic battery, rape, assault, industrial accidents, murder, imprisonment and personal injury. The response to these events is entirely personal. Events that have no effect on others or even events that you have witnessed previously may not have any effect on you in terms of PTSD.

The event that causes you to suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder may seem to pass without note or it can cause you to have a total breakdown immediately after the experience. Again this is normal as each of us responds differently to the trauma. Marines, soldiers, sailors, police officers, EMS, firemen and first responders who are under orders or carrying out their profession frequently show no immediate effect to a trauma event or series of events. Many of these people do what is commonly called “stuffing it” or ignoring it. The effects of stuffing their exposure frequently means the anxiety disorder will show up later, sometimes many years later.

Other Post Traumatic Stress Disorder suffers may have an immediate response to the event. They can be severely affected within hours or days. Hopefully there are mental health professionals available to provide treatment. It is understood that if you receive treatment relatively soon after a trauma event you have a much better ability overcome the symptoms of PTSD. Frequently just discussing the event shortly after it has occurred can go a long way to healing the wounds.

Individuals suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder frequently develop additional mental disorders as a result of their PTSD. These include depression, substance abuse, alcoholism, sleep disorders, suicide, agoraphobia , GAD and panic disorder. In addition physical medical problems also increase and can include cardiac, dental, intestinal, and digestive diseases. Some physicians feel it also increases the risk of cancer.

People who suffer from PTSD in the chronic delay form seem to suffer the most and tend have more trouble controlling the symptoms. Many combat veterans have come home thinking they have escaped the effects of what they endured only to find that PTSD symptoms show up years later.

Many of us have used various methods to control and hide the symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Some sufferers have used exercise, adrenalin rushes and work to control it. Others have used alcohol and drugs and still others have just gone and bunkered up and shut out the real world. Most of us have sleep problems, by that I mean we don’t sleep. For more than 20 years I lived on about 2 hours a night. Its really another way to control symptoms, if you do not sleep you do not dream. Combat Vets know that living with untreated PTSD is hell on earth. Dealing with it long after the effects symptoms have taken hold is certainly a trying ordeal as well. It has to be dealt with or you will not have a normal life and it can even significantly shorten your life. The choice is yours. Understand that the treatment and medications do not cure you but they lesson the control that the symptoms place on you.

As A mentor to combat vets and law enforcement officers who are dealing with PTSD and its symptoms, our job is to facilitate getting the people into treatment programs and then mentor them through the long process of getting control of their symptoms. This process can be further complicated by substance abuse or associated mental health problems. Mentoring is hard work but If combat vets and cops do not help each other then no one does. The process of getting control of PTSD symptoms can be a long and sometimes difficult endeavor.

If you think you have Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or know someone who does, you can generally get assistance by contacting your county veterans service officer or Department of Veterans Affairs Veterans Readjustment Center. The VA has a great deal of expertise in dealing with this disorder. Even if you are not a vet they frequently know what mental health resources are available to affectively treat PTSD. If your are in a Job that does not allow you to have PTSD like law enforcement, active duty military, fire fighters and other first responders, you must choose carefully who you work with. Trust is everything when it comes to dealing with and treating PTSD. Eventually you will have to make a decision as to staying in your profession. It is far better that you make that decision then to have someone else make it for you. I am not only a combat vet but I am an ex law enforcement officer and I know what it is like to suffer from PTSD.

Again the worse thing you can do is to try to ignore the problem until the symptoms become too severe for you to manage. Today is the best time to start dealing with your Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Life is a hell of a lot better when you have the help and the tools necessary to control the symptoms as opposed to them controlling you. It can and will get better if you work at it. Start looking for resources to help you now.

James Kesel, MS, is the publisher of Stop Anxiety Attacks. Our site provides information on Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Panic Disorder, Agoraphobia, Depression and Anti-Anxiety Medications. Visit us at http://www.stop-anxiety-attacks.net

A perennial favorite for indoor sports, table tennis or ping pong has been played for over a century now. A very simple sport or game, table tennis can be played by almost anyone. It doesn’t require a person to be very athletic, but being agile and possessing fast reflexes and eye-hand coordination is a big asset.

A lot like tennis but on a smaller scale, ping pong has some basic rules and requirements to be followed. This makes the game much more exciting, but most importantly it makes ping pong fair. The need to follow these rules and requirements is necessary like it is with others, there is uniformity and there is no confusion.

So here are some of the basics a person who is just beginning to learn about ping pong has to know about.

First off is the equipment. Ping pong is played on a table which serves as the miniaturized version of a tennis court, that’s why most ping pong tables are painted green, to simulate the color of grass where tennis was first played.

The ping pong table should be five feet in width and nine feet in length. Generally made out of wood, there are white lines painted on the surface to signify the boundaries. Each player must serve the ball to the right side of the receiver’s side bouncing first from the servers’ right side.

In the middle of the table, a net separates the table in two, one side for each player or team, in case a double’s game is being played. The net should have a height of 15.25 centimeters and is tied to a hook on each side of the table. Most tournaments check the height of the net prior to the game to ensure that the right height is achieved.

A player has to have a ping pong paddle to play the game. No exact measurement is mandated on the racket but what is clearly stated is that all paddles should have a rubber surface on each side. Also, one side of the paddle should have a black rubber surface and on the other side red. If the paddle does not have a rubber surface it is not allowed to be used.

That’s why in all major tournaments, the paddle is carefully inspected by an official before the game. The inspected rubber shall be the only one to be used in the game, if the paddle is damaged, another paddle can be used only if it’s inspected first.

Another basic rule employed in a ping pong gamer and is especially watched out for in competitions is the moving and placing of the hands on the table. Also, players are prevented from touching the net. This is to ensure that the game would be fairly played and it is the skills of the players which will determine the outcome of the game.

Prior to the changes made in 2000, each set of a ping pong game requires a player to score 21 points. But to speed up the duration of the game, major competitions have lowered it to 11. For a ping pong player to win a game, he or she must win 2 of 3 sets or whatever the rules dictates. Serving is determined by a flip of the coin, after 5 serves, the other player will know get the chance to serve.

Playing ping pong can be much more fun if you know the basic rules. This way, you and your friend will be able to play the game fairly and with much more excitement.

Mario Churchill is a freelance author and has written over 200 articles on various subjects. For more information on table tennis, also called ping pong, checkout his recommended websites.

You don’t need to have your own store with your own products and services on offer to earn money in the Internet. In fact, if you want to have an easier and perhaps a more enjoyable time earning money online, what you should seriously consider is finding and joining the right associate program.

Tips on How to Profit from Joining an Associate Program

Tip #1 Know Your Preferred Market
People who grew up surrounded with adults grow up with a knack for understanding and getting along with older people. These people - if they were interested in earning from an associate program - would definitely fare better if they chose the elderly camp to be their target market.

Having great familiarity and a keen sense of understanding of your target market is arguably the most important factor in earning from an online associate program. With your in-depth knowledge of your target market, you’ll be able to predict way ahead of your competitors when market trends will change and which direction it will take.

If you want to earn from an associate program, start by looking for a target market first.

Tip #2 Get a Suitable Associate Program
Now that you’ve got your target market, the next thing to do is determine which products or services they’d be likely interested in. You might be able to answer this without thinking, but it’s better all the same to do your research. There’s nothing as pleasing as having facts and figures confirm what you’ve already known for a long time. Join as many associate programs as you think you can handle.

Tip #3 Choosing the Payment Structure
There are technically three ways for you to earn money from an online associate program but nowadays, more and more companies are dropping the pay-per-click option from their list because of the increasing number of incidents of click fraud. Click fraud basically puts the associate merchant - and not you - at a disadvantage. At times, it’s the online associate himself who’s perpetuating the whole thing by clicking on his own ad to increase his commission fee. If ever you’re lucky enough to have found a pay-per-click scheme offered by an online associate program, do act ethically.

Now there are two other ways for you to earn from an associate program, both of which are perfectly legal and deemed acceptable by associate merchants.

Pay-per-lead is the easier option of the two. Depending on the terms and conditions of your associate program contract, you may start earning commission just for sending a visitor who’s willing to try out the company’s product or services, ask for information, opt-in to their mailing list, subscribe to their newsletter, fill out a survey questionnaire form, or just about any other thing that makes the visitor into a fully certified lead.

Pay-per-sale on the other hand is much more difficult but the promised rewards are definitely grader. Simply put, an online associate is paid for every visitor he directs to the site and consequently avails of the company’s product or service.

Tip #4 Building a Website
It’s now time to build traffic and make use of your links. The best way to do so is by building a website. The most important thing to remember is match your website to your target market.

Firstly, choose a URL that your target market would find easy to recall. Look for a free web hosting provider because at the moment, it would be too much if you obtain paid web hosting services. You’re just getting started, after all. Design the website layout according to what you believe would appeal most to your target market. Make sure that navigation buttons are easy to find and use.

Don’t use too much graphics unless you’re sure that most of your visitors would have broadband connection or something faster that they wouldn’t have to wait for an especially long time for the images to download.

And lastly, use the best content possible and update regularly. Design and layout may be responsible for your readers’ first impressions, but it’s your content that’s mainly responsible for making them stay and come back for more.

Be sure to follow the tips provided here and your career as an online associate will definitely give you a reliable source of income. Good luck on finding an associate program that works for you!

Mario Churchill is a freelance author and has written over 200 articles on various subjects. For more information on the best affiliate program or to find a webmaster affiliate program checkout his recommended websites.