For baby to feel comfortable there’s no substitute for your nursery so it’s no surprise you want it to have fantastic appeal. Yet when you room is small, it can be difficult to have it looking fantastic. Luckily, there are different things you can do to make decorating a small nursery a huge success!

First off, you must decide on an interior design style that you’ll be happy with but that will also suit a tiny room. Considerable clutter will make your nursery appear smaller so avoid putting up a lot of accessories and make sure you have ample storage to put stuff away.

When purchasing furniture for your nursery stick with pieces which are small. Instead of buying separate furniture pieces, try using a combination basinette/bureau which will allow for changing baby easily plus make the room feel bigger. You might think about mixing some small items with some large items for added interest, so mix your small crib, match it with a large mobile- it is able to make the room seem bigger in addition to adding character and interest.

Designing a room with a distinct interior decorating scheme in mind may also help to maximize the nurseries space. A more contemporary design could be best, as this tends to balance space and living area, rather than many items fighting to occupy the same room. No matter what you choose, don’t forget to be positive you like the look of it, this is where you will watch your little one grow.

Another essential piece of making your nursery feel bigger is the color palette. Contrary to popular belief, you do not have to go for white walls to make your room look larger. If you don’t want drab paint that is boring, try using a monochromatic style in a beautiful color, or match a few colors that all give off identical brightness. You could go for a tan decorating theme, or if you seek more color try blue, green and purple that all show identical tone and intensity. You may usually add appeal and depth to a room by painting one wall a deep intense color. A blueish gray shade is wonderful for decorative ambiance and for also making the walls seem to recede, Therefore making the room seem bigger. If you fancy something a lot of interesting, cool colors including purple, blue and green will achieve the same appearance.

Furniture placement is another trade trick when decorating a small nursery. Even though certain people dismiss the principles of Feng Shui, the ideas behind it might still be employed when setting up the furniture in your nursery. Making certain doors are clear of furniture should help make it appear more spacious. This could also put the focus on a larger piece like a crib.

Even if you have never had your hand at decorating before decorating a small nursery can be a breeze. Employing a bit of elbow grease combined with creativity can help transform even the most cramped room into a decorator showplace.

Lee Dobbins write for Decorate A2Z where you can get more decorating tips and learn more about decorating a small nursery.

FORWARD

The 188 stage Hero’s Journey (Monomyth) is the template upon which the vast majority of successful stories and Hollywood blockbusters are based upon. In fact, ALL of the hundreds of Hollywood movies we have deconstructed (see URL below) are based on this 188+ stage template.

Understanding this template is a priority for story or screenwriters. This is the template you must master if you are to succeed in the craft.

[The terminology is most often metaphoric and applies to all successful stories and screenplays, from The Godfather (1972) to Brokeback Mountain (2006) to Annie Hall (1977) to Lord of the Rings (2003) to Drugstore Cowboy (1989) to Thelma and Louise (1991) to Apocaplyse Now (1979)].

THERE IS ONLY ONE STORY

THE 188 STAGE HERO’S JOURNEY:

a) Attempts to tap into unconscious expectations the audience has regarding what a story is and how it should be told.

b) Gives the writer more structural elements than simply three or four acts, plot points, mid point and so on.

c) Gives you a tangible process for building and releasing dissonance (establishing and achieving catharses, of which there are usually four).

d) Tells you what to write. For example, at a certain stage of the story, the focus should be on the Call to Adventure and the micro elements within.

ABRIDGED TIPS, EXCERPTS AND EXAMPLES:

(simply go to http://www.screenplay-structure.com/ or http://www.story-structure.org/ for full details)

*****Final Conflict - Reward or Celebration*****

Post the birth of the New Self, a reward is received. Remaining Challenges are conquered. In Bonnie and Clyde (1967), Bonnie and Clyde finally have sex. Bonnie has an orgasm.

*****Polarization with the Shape Shifter post the Road of Trials*****

The gap between the Hero and Shape Shifter increases or decreases (polarization or de-polarization), depending on the exact stage of the Journey and whether the Shape Shifter will turn from good to bad or vice versa. In The Incredibles (2004), Bomb Voyage’s attitudes and opinions increasingly fall in line with those of Mr Incredible. In Gladiator (2000), the attitudes and beliefs of Lucilla increasingly fall in line with those of Maximus. In Alien (1979), Ash and Ripley drift further apart. In The Matrix (1999), Neo and Cypher’s differences are developed.

*****No Going Back*****

The beginning of the Road of Trials often sees the Hero’s path backwards closed off. In Brokeback Mountain (2005), Jack Twist wants to get a job on Brokeback again, but Joe doesn’t let him.

*****Where to start*****

Writers often don’t know where to start. It’s easy. It’s called a Fade In and it’s another word for context. Start with the context. In Straw Dogs (1971), we open with shots of a tiny village in England. In Brokeback Mountain (2005), the first scene sets the context - Ennis is a cowboy in cowboy country.

Learn more…

WRITE THAT SCREENPLAY!

The Complete 188 stage Hero’s Journey and other story structure templates can be found at http://www.monomyth.info/

188 stages of the Hero’s Journey can also be reached from http://www.heros-journey.info/

You can also receive a regular, free newsletter by entering your email address at this site.

Kal Bishop, MBA

**********************************

You are free to reproduce this article as long as no changes are made, the author’s name is retained and the link to our site URL remains active.

The world where we live in is like a roller coaster. There are several loops that we need to cross. People would often say that everything happens for a purpose. But why is it that most of us tend to always find for other people’s faults? Why are we too critical about other people’s businesses? Why do we think that in every wrong experience that we come across with there must be somebody to be blamed? It is either often times the fault of the government, the poor, the rich, the society, the media, our family, and even God Himself.

Scientists and sociologists have come up with a sound explanation to this. They say that people have their own reasons for their behavior and attitude. As individuals point their fingers at other people, there is a certain emotion that is stirred within. This is referred to as personal power. By and large, everyone stands responsible for his choices in his life. He exercises his personal power over the things that he commits himself into. His personal power is only executed in his relationships with different people. Personal power oftentimes makes someone too powerful and in control of the situation while at the same time he is also left powerless. Meaning, due to the behavior that he typifies, he becomes open to all sorts of criticism and more so, he becomes a prey to lots of wrongdoings.

Raise your knowledge corner. What is the problem that bothers you? How do you feel about it? How would you evaluate your actions towards other people and the circumstances that you face? What do you want to do to better understand yourself and provide a solution to your ordeal?

Raise your responsibility corner. How would you assess yourself when it comes to taking the responsibility over things? Are you ever willing to be held responsible for your actions?

Raise your control corner. What sorts of problem are you good in controlling? What are those things that you obviously lack control on?

As many people believe it, personal power is governed by the philosophy to which a person sticks. Meaning to say, as he firmly believes one thing, he cannot accept to stick to its opposite. How about you? How would you assess the positive and negative aspects of your personal power? The following criteria will help you assess yourself in this area.

Disregard your losses. If you are the kind of person who dwells on the mistakes and failures that you have committed, you tend to be overwhelmed by them and certainly, they are unhealthy for you. As much as possible, divert your attention towards other things. Entertain yourself and ignore these pressing concerns. They will only bother you to death.

Focus on your positive gains. Instead of being bothered by the numerous failures you have got, why not highlight the positive things that you have earned? They will somehow enlighten you and uplift your feelings. Celebrate for every win that you lay your hands on. Try to get your attention into the goals for success. The more you get motivated, the more you get closer to becoming successful.

Follow these criteria and reflect on your answers to the above mentioned questions. Needless to say, they will guide you in evaluating the strength or weakness of your own personal power.

Ronald Firquain is a writer, marketer, entrepreneur, webmaster and has 16 years of computer knowledge. You can download e-books for making money online, building a website, improve your golf game, playing guitar and much more. For more information go to: eBooks-Mall

Fats and oils are simply essential to optimal health. They are important building blocks for the cells of your body, a source of energy and they provide a variety of hormones.

The respected medical journal ‘The Lancet’ (v339, 3/21/93) comments that low-fat diets are associated with increased rates of depression, psychological problems, fatigue, violence and suicide (3).

So why all the bad publicity? Let’s take a brief look at the history of dietary fats and heart disease.

Before 1920 Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) was rare in America, but by the mid fifties it was the leading cause of death among Americans (this corresponds with most Western countries). So what had changed?

In 1953 American doctor Ancel Keys believed that high-fat food was the culprit. He set out to prove this by comparing death rates from CHD and the amount of fats eaten in certain countries to suggest a positive correlation. However it seems Dr. Keys was very selective as to which countries he chose. Out of the possible 22 countries with available data he chose only 6 that supported his hypothesis, which ultimately painted a very different picture.

Dr. Uffe Ravnskov in his book ‘The cholesterol myths’- exposing the fallacy that saturated fat and cholesterol cause heart disease’ shows Dr. Keys selected graph with only 6 countries and as a comparison the complete picture with all 22 countries that shows no correlation at all.

However Dr. Keys proved to be very persuasive at the time and so the ‘diet/heart’ hypothesis was born. How, with such a dramatic flaw, could this hypothesis recommending a reduction in saturated fats and cholesterol have further continued and gathered strength one may ask? Proponents of the ‘diet/heart’ hypothesis point the finger at the beneficiaries. The main beneficiaries of the research that found fault with competing traditional foods were the vegetable oil and food processing industries, who consequently then began promoting and funding further research designed to support the ‘diet/heart’ hypothesis.

Out of the ‘diet/heart’ hypothesis came several large-scale, long-term, human intervention studies to be set up in many parts of the world. These involved thousands of subjects and hundreds of doctors and scientists costing billions of dollars to prove that a fatty diet caused heart disease.

The most influential and respected investigation of heart disease was carried out by the Harvard University Medical School and called the Framingham Heart Study. This study was influential in determining our current dietary fat recommendations - such as reduce saturated fats and cholesterol - and involved measuring cholesterol and saturated fat intake with subsequent blood cholesterol levels. However after 22 years, the researchers concluded:

“There is, in short, no suggestion of any relation between diet and the subsequent development of CHD in the study group” (1). So why are we still being told this you may ask? Good question!

Nathan Pritikin is cited for being instrumental in the low-fat diet movement. His weight-loss programs proved to be very successful at first. One component included reducing fat. However he also advocated eliminating sugar, white flour and all processed foods and replacing them with fresh, whole foods and a strenuous exercise program, which obviously makes it difficult to single out any one factor. Unfortunately the low fat and fat free diets proved to be very difficult to maintain and over a length of time, as many clients suffered from low energy, depression and weight gain (2).

The World Health Organisation’s European Coronary Prevention Study published in 1983 again proved no correlation between fats and heart disease. The study reduced saturated fats to only 8% of the calorie intake daily, yet in the UK section those subjects who ate more saturated fat died later (1).

So what is the real culprit? Here are some ‘interesting’ facts:

Between 1910 and 1970: animal fat consumption decreased from 83% to 62%

Butter consumption decreased from 18 pounds to 4 pounds per year

Margarine, shortening and refined oils consumption increased 400%

The fatty acids found in arterial clogs are mostly unsaturated (74%) of which 41% are polyunsaturated (Lancet 1994, 344:1195) (3)

Today, CHD causes at least 40% of all US deaths

Let us now have a closer look at fats for a better understanding of their differences. Fatty Acids are classified in the following ways:

Saturated Oils

All carbon bonds are occupied by a hydrogen atom. They are highly stable, solid at room temperature, and normally do not go rancid, even when heated. E.g. coconut oil, butter and lard.

Monosaturated Oils

One double bond in the form of two carbon atoms, double-bonded to each other, and therefore lack two hydrogen atoms. They tend to be liquid at room temperature and like saturated fat are relatively stable, not going rancid easily and therefore can be used in cooking. E.g. olive, almond and peanut oil as well as avocados.

Polyunsatured Oils

Have two or more pairs of double bonds and therefore lack four or more hydrogen atoms. They remain liquid, even when refrigerated, go rancid easily and must be treated with care. These oils should never be heated or used in cooking. E.g. sunflower, soy, corn and safflower oil.

So, currently most western governments and dieticians recommend reducing saturated fats. However, saturated fats play many important roles in the body. They constitute at least 50% of all cell membranes. They enhance the immune system and protect us from harmful micro organisms entering into the digestive track (2).

Excess consumption of polyunsaturated oils (which are highly recommended by the government) has shown to cause many health problems like heart disease, cancer, immune system dysfunction, liver damage and weight gain (2). Which leads us to that recurring question: why does the government persist in recommending them? The short answer is the government listens to it’s advisors who look to the research and sometimes the research is flawed and influenced by whichever industry funds the study eg the grain, beef, or dairy industry…. Knowing where the money came from is always a good indication of how reliable the information is.

The main reason why the polyunsaturated fat can be harmful is because they become oxidized or rancid when subjected to heat. Rancid oils are characterized by free radicals, which attack the cell membranes and red blood cells. New evidence links free radicals to premature aging and an assortment of diseases including cancer.

Now for the really bad guys: hydrogenated, transfatty acids.

Hydrogenation turns polyunsaturated oils that are normally liquid at room temperature into solids, like margarine and shortenings.

Transfatty (from trans formation): one hydrogen atom of the pair is moved to the other side so that the molecule straightens. Most of these manmade transfatty acids are toxins to the body. But unfortunately your digestive system does not recognise them as such. In the end transfatty acids are structurally closer to plastic than fat - seriously! (4)

Here are the steps to making hydrogenated transfatty acids:

- Begin with a cheap, polyunsaturated oil (e.g. sunflower, soy, corn and safflower oil)

- Mix with tiny metal particles

- Subject this to hydrogen gas in a high pressure, high temperature reactor

- Add soap-like emulsifiers to give better consistency

- Steam clean at high temperature to remove unpleasant odour

- Add dyes and strong flavours

- Compress and pack in blocks and tubs as health food

A long way from being a ‘true’ health food in my opinion!

The popularity of margarine over butter is a true test of the power of advertising. How else could a product with such questionable health risks grow in sales by over 400%?

In summary when viewing all the research, the current recommendations for fat consumption reads like a comedy of errors or, perhaps considering that we have not made a dent in the statistics for preventable diseases, a horror movie. I know for many of you this may all seem too far-fetched which is why I encourage you to not blindly believe what I say, but check your references (starting with those listed below) and dig deeper to formulate your own opinion, which will lead to true empowerment for your health and that of your family and friends

Your 3d Coach

Craig Burton

References

(1) The Cholesterol Myth Part 2, http://www.second-opinions.co.uk/choleserol_myth_2.html

(2) Nourishing Traditions, Sally Fallon, 2001, NewTrends Publishing

(3) The Weston A. Price Foundation website www.westonaprice.org

(4) How to eat, move and be healthy, Paul Chek, 2004, C.H.E.K Institute Publication

(5) Total health, Dr. Mercola, 2004, www.mercola.com

(6) Know your fats: The complete primer for understanding the nutrition of fats, oils and cholesterol, Mary Enig, Ph.D., 1999

(7) The Cholesterol Myth- Exposing the fallacy that saturated fat and cholesterol cause heart disease, Uffe Ravnskov, MD, PHD, 2000, NewTrends Publishing

About the Author:

Craig Burton is the founder of 3d pts, a prominent European based holistic health and fitness coach with more than 15 years experience. He is a Sports Science graduate of Edith Cowan University and has postgraduate accreditations in nutrition, massage, athletic training, and corrective exercise therapy.

Craig is the author of “The 21 Day Roadmap to Health”, available at http://www.3dpts.com.

If you enjoyed this article, please feel free to forward it to others, just make sure that his name and URL are included. For more information and articles on health and fitness visit http://www.3dpts.com/articles.

To join the FREE monthly Peak Performance Newsletter, to find out more about your current health status with our FREE questionnaire, and to receive our FREE 7 part mini series called “Success strategies for transforming the Body, Mind & Spirit”, go to http://www.3dpts.com.

If you are experiencing back pain you will probably be searching hard for an answer as to what is causing it. Unfortunately, back pain is one of the most difficult ailments to diagnose. This is due in part to the fact that there are so many different reasons that your back could be hurting. Unlike other conditions, back pain can be caused by a countless number of things.

Arthritis is one of the most common reasons that people suffer from back pain. If you believe that you are suffering from arthritis, or your doctor has diagnosed it, you do have some treatment options available to you. Luckily, arthritis is very common which means that doctors are working hard on finding new and innovative ways to reduce pain. But until there is a cure, you will have to stick to some of the basic ways of treating your discomfort.

First off, if you are suffering from arthritis of the back, you will want to be sure that you are sleeping on a mattress that is appropriate for your condition. A mattress that properly supports your back can go a long way in relieving stress on your muscles and joints.

Another thing that people often overlook is the posture that they use will sitting in a chair. Even though you may not sit down a lot during the day, you still need to realize that proper posture is one of the best ways to ensure that your arthritis does not get out of control. You can find proper back support for your chair in a couple of different ways. You can either buy a chair that has good back, and in particular lumbar support. Or you can buy an insert that will allow you to transform any chair into a comfortable, yet safe seat.

Soft back braces are used by many people that feel that they need a little bit of extra support. They are necessary when your arthritis has caused instability of the spinal column. A soft back brace can go a long way in preventing future injury to your back. But if you are interested in wearing a soft back brace there is one thing that you should keep in mind. Prolonged use of a brace can weaken your back and its muscles. They can also inhibit healing.

If you are interested in traction devices you will need to contact your doctor or chiropractor. These devices can be very effective, but can also be very dangerous if not done properly. By getting the advice and assistance of a doctor you will ensure yourself of being safe.

Overall, back pain that is caused by arthritis is very common. Most people that suffer from this ailment are older, but that does not mean that the younger generation should not pay attention. Arthritis can attack anybody, regardless of age. If you follow the treatment options listed above you will surely be able to better control your arthritis. You will be glad that you did when your back is pain free!

Get Your Free Book on Back Pain
© Copyright 2007 Backpain-Secrets.com
About the Author: Excellent information like this can be found in Peter Conati’s book “Understanding Back Pain”. The entire book is temporarily available for FREE & for immediate download at his Back Pain Revealed website. Download your copy while it is still FREE. Go to http://www.backpain-secrets.com

Having the ability to run and run and run without getting tired is what every ideal athlete wants. Heck, even the couch potatoes would like that ability, they just don’t have the discipline to start and continue training. Well whether you’re a couch potato or a seasoned athlete, here is the one thing that is the sure-fire way to help you improve your stamina.

Discipline. Just starting is one thing. But to continue training is in a whole different ballpark. Many people get the desire to improve their stamina, so they start a training regimen. They train for a few days and start to get in better shape. But one day they don’t feel like training or don’t have the time to train. So they simply don’t. They take a day off from training. And pretty soon, that one day off turns into five days off Not long after that, they’re back to where they started. All that hard work they did to improve their stamina for those first few days soon wore off and they returned back to being completely out of shape.

This is how stamina training works. You start off at 100% out of shape. For the first few days you work out, you drop down to about 95% out of shape. Now, as you keep on training, that percentage will decrease until it reaches 0%. Only then will you be completely in shape and have the ability to run miles, jump rope for hours, and have a lot more energy each day. But, if you were to stop training, that 95% you worked down to will go right back up to 100%. Leaving you completely out of shape once again.

You want to improve your stamina for good right? Well then start a training regimen and stick to it. Habits are formed after 21 consistent times. So for the next 21 days you should follow your own training regimen non-stop. And if you don’t feel like working out just remember this: The best time to work out is when you don’t feel like it.

What that does is get you in the habit of working out no matter what. For example: there were some days when you didn’t feel like taking showers, right? But you did it anyway so you wouldn’t stink up the place. As a result, it became a habit for all of us (I hope). Well the same applies for stamina training. If you do it no matter how you feel, it will become a habit and you’ll be getting in better shape with each passing day. Working out will soon become part of your daily schedule and you won’t have any resistance to doing it anymore.

So remember: Discipline is the sure-fire way of how to improve your stamina

Ryan Dodson - Personal Fitness Trainer - Learn how to build superhuman stamina in less than 2 weeks at http://www.ebookchi.com/inhumanstamina.html

We come across so many people in our lives daily … our interaction with the people whom we come across every day makes us form an opinion about them and in turn it eventually leads us to forming an opinion about ourselves as well. I would like to share a small story, which always reminds me to appreciate all the different people I come across in my life … because each one of them is unique !! A water bearer in ancient India had two large pots, each hung on the ends of a pole which he carried across his neck. One of the pots had a crack in it, while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water. At the end of the long walk from the stream to the House, the cracked pot arrived only half full.

For a full two years this went on daily, with the bearer delivering only one and a half pots full of water to his house. Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments, perfect for which it was made. But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of it’s own imperfection. And miserable that it was able to accomplish only half of what it had been made to do.

After two years of what it perceived to be a bitter failure, it spoke to the water bearer one day by the stream. “I am ashamed of myself, and I want to apologize to you. I have been able to deliver only half my load because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your house. Because of my flaws, you have to do all of this work, and you don’t get full value from your efforts,” the pot said.

The bearer said to the pot, “Did you notice that there were flowers only on your side of the path, but not on the other pot’s side? That’s because I have always known about your flaw. So I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back, you’ve watered them. For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate the table. Without you being just the way you are, there would not be this beauty to grace the house?

Moral: Each of us has our own unique flaws. We’re all cracked pots. But it’s the cracks and flaws we each have that make our lives together so very interesting and rewarding. You’ve just got to take each person for what they are, and look for the good in them. “Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be bent out of shape”

Remember to appreciate all the different people in your life.

With the ban on smoking in public confined spaces approaching, many smokers are now seriously thinking of quitting smoking. It is becoming more and more unacceptable to smoke in society today.

There are many methods of quitting cigarettes but the first and most important aspect is your acceptance of wanting to stop smoking. Without the mental commitment of actually wanting to stop smoking, you will most likely fail in your quest to quit.

It is quite easy to mentally prepare yourself for quitting smoking. Think of all the bad aspects of smoking, health implications, financial cost, and anti-social aspects. A friend once said “I suddenly thought one day, do I control the cigarettes or do they control me”, he went on to retake control of his life and stopped smoking 30 years ago.

Make A Plan Write yourself a quit smoking plan, starting with setting a date for quitting day. Aim for a month ahead at most, no use putting it off too long. Make enquiries in your local area about quitting smoking clinics or groups. I was a member of a quit smoking group and it helped to encourage quitting smoking a great deal. Ask your doctor for help, explain that you seriously wish to stop smoking, they may prescribe nicotine patches or maybe the drug Zyban which certainly helps you to quit smoking. Your doctor may also refer you to a smoking clinic.

Do It! The day before your quitting date arrives prepare your mind and your environment for not smoking. If you smoke at home begin collecting all your smoking related together such as ashtrays, lighters, tobacco tins etc. At the end of the day you need to clear these items away, either into the bin or in the garage out of sight. Get an early night and prepare for tomorrow.

Start your first day as a non-smoker with a clear and confident mind, you are going to succeed!

Amazingly, your body will begin to clear smoking related chemicals and toxins within the first few hours and days of your last cigarette. The human body is a miraculous machine and will repair itself as much as it is able. Give it the chance.

The first few days can be difficult, mainly due to withdrawal symptoms. You may be irritable, grumpy and have a headache but believe me it will pass and you will be free of smoking.

Begin Life Without Cigarettes Hopefully after a month or so has passed you will realise that smoking is not the first thing you think about when waking in the morning. It may be a subtle transition but it will happen. No longer will you worry about not having that packet of cigarettes in your pocket or handbag. Believe me you do not need them, it just takes a little determination to jump the first hurdle.

For more ways to quit smoking visit http://www.waystoquitsmoking.co.uk

Ray is an ex-smoker who runs a smoking help website for people trying to quit smoking. Ray runs a small computer repair business and has over 9 years experience in the IT sector and over 2 years experience in internet marketing. Also writes about gadgets and gizmos.

So you have made the decision to have a website built for your business, but are not sure of what is involved, and where the costs lie? It can be confusing, especially if you are not particularly Internet or PC savvy: web development, web hosting, domain names, email addresses.

All of these are factors that need to be considered and costed into your project. As well as that, you’ve seen many great websites on the net, which are packed with loads of cool features, moving graphics, options to sign up for newsletters, database searches and links to other sites.

Do you need all these features, and how much will all that cost? What should you have in your website, what’s the process, and how much will it all set you back?

The first step is to think of a suitable domain name. The name of your company can be a great start, so you get www.mybusiness.co.nz or www.mybusiness.com . Which do you need: dot co or dot com? I believe that a dot co domain name is OK for most New Zealand businesses, and that a dot com name still really implies an American site, although this is not a fast rule. Why not identify your business as a NZ one straight off and use dot co, which will promote our country to overseas net users? Something else to think about is whether the name lends itself to what your business does or provides.

So the domain name www.circusanimalhire.co.nz (it doesn’t exist, I checked!) tells you pretty much what the website is all about. A name like www.prsmythe.co.nz doesn’t give as much information about the core business, and so users then have to actually view the site to determine what is provided.

You need a lot of advertising, PR and brand marketing clout to get a name like www.amazon.com to be synonymous with books right? But it is possible as we know. When you’ve thought of your name, register it: $39.95 will secure you the name for a year.

What does a website cost? A basic website can cost as little as $200 - $300. What do you get for that?

You generally get what’s called a brochureware website. That’s one that is like what it’s name suggests: an online brochure introducing your business, products and services, and encouraging users of your site (your target market) to contact you. You can have the basic structure of three pages:

1) Home page which introduces you, your business, products and services

2) Products and/or Services page for more detail

3) Contact page, which may include location (a map!), phone numbers and email facility.

The latter may be in the form of a link, which opens up a blank email when clicked on, or may include a form, which users fill in, and this generates an email which is sent to you.

The form is great way of encouraging users to give you a certain amount of required information, so that you can give the most informed response, and hopefully generate some business.

A brochureware website is a great start if you want to start off small, with a good Internet presence at a reasonable price. Don’t forget you can always expand it over time once you have analysed its effectiveness, seen the benefits, and increased your confidence.

This sort of site supports your existing marketing strategy and initiatives and is another facet of your marketing strategy: it’s an advertisement for your business.

What if you want your website to be more than just an advertisement, and actually want it to make the sale for you right there and then online? What if you want some more features, such as a search facility, where people can enter criteria and search through your products, and maybe place an order on your site or even pay for it online?

With these features you can actually secure a sale or an order while the user is still visiting your website. This dynamic functionality involves including programming and database components in your website and so will cost you more. What you want determines what it will cost you. (What you NEED may cost you less, so get advice). There are no set prices for including this sort of functionality, and the best bet is to shop around. There are options.

1) A web development company will be able to construct an online catalogue, ordering and/or payment facility for you

2) You could buy shopping facility software yourself, and have it added to your existing site

3) You can utilise one of the many providers of this functionality who actually lease or rent the facility to you.

In the latter instance your catalogue is housed on their site, you manage it yourself and it looks like your site, but it is provided by a third party.

Even if you start with a brochureware website you can of course add features over time, and it is important to plan for this from the outset if that is what you want to do.

Ensure that your website is scalable, that is that it can be expanded readily, without having the whole thing reconstructed from scratch. Don’t forget to consider the size of your site and the impact that this can have on your web hosting costs.

Adding a catalogue with a lot of pictures can take up more room on your website hosting company’s server, and this may cost you more if you start to exceed the storage limit that you have for your account.

Credit card facilities also need to be paid for - they will generally cost you a set up fee, a yearly fee and a percentage of each transaction, but they are convenient in that revenue is collected immediately.

Don’t forget also that once a website has been constructed and launched there may need to be ongoing maintenance of the site, in terms of keeping the data in it up to date, periodic review and testing and further development work.

Discuss with your web developer what might be required and what these costs might be. This should be discussed with you during the initial planning phase of your web development project. Also discuss search engine optimisation (SEO), which is the process of ensuring your site can be found on the net.

Many web development companies will include this service initially as part of their development price, but will charge for an ongoing maintenance and review of your listings. There are Internet companies that supply these services specifically as well, so have a look around.

SEO of your site initially and on an ongoing basis, is strongly recommended for your website, as search engines still account for over 80% of the traffic to websites.

Once your website is complete, you will need to have your website hosted, and there are many hosting company’s available which offer this service. The prices vary for these services from about $20 to $50 per month, and the value added services provided vary considerably.

Options such as website stats, account size limits, number of email addresses available with each account are a consideration, as is technical support and assistance.

So, a lower priced host sounds great, but they may not give you web stats or a free form script, and this may set you back if you want or need these facilities for your site. Ask the right questions, or read the available information on the hosting company’s website before you commit yourself.

So, in summary it is fair to say that the costs of owning and operating a website do not just lie in the production of the website itself, although this is the major component. You also need to consider domain name purchase, website hosting costs, domain name-based email accounts, website statistics, service/support, search engine optimisation and of course ongoing management, maintenance and development.

Webstarters Ltd . website design and development business from Auckland New Zealand.

If you knowingly consume Artificial sweeteners, then I highly recommend you read this, however unfortunately many unknowingly consume it, as it’s a very well hidden product, in over 5000 thousand foods, including chewing gum, soft drinks, jelly and children’s medicines.

Aspartame is considered by many health experts as the most dangerous food additive on the market. It’s a highly controversial and complex issue because the organisations declaring its safety are numerous and very powerful.

So with two sides, both with their ‘independent’ experts, it comes down to whom do you trust?

The following points will be examined:

History of aspartame Where can aspartame be found? The two opposing teams Symptoms of aspartame poisoning The science behind aspartame Alternatives to an alternative

History

Aspartame is the technical name for the brand names NutraSweet, Equal, Spoonful, and Equal-Measure. It was discovered by accident in 1965 by James Schlatter, a chemist of G.D. Searle Company. Schlatter was testing an anti-ulcer drug, when he discovered this sweet product. (3)

Searle saw it’s promise as a sweetener but was repeatedly refused by the FDA (U.S Food and Drug Administration) because of safety concerns.

In 1977 Donald Rumsfeld, now George Bush’s defence secretary but then chief executive of the pharmaceutical company GD Searle, publicly stated that he would “call in his markers” to win a licence for aspartame. On the day of his inauguration as president in 1981, with Mr Rumsfeld on his transition team, Ronald Reagan personally wrote an executive order suspending the head of the US Food and Drug Administration’s powers on aspartame. One month later Mr Reagan appointed a new head of the regulatory authority, Arthur Hayes, who granted a licence for the sweetener. (1)

Is this the tale of more shady U.S government dealings? or is it just another conspiracy theory?

In 1996 a review of aspartame research found that every single industry-funded study found aspartame safe. But 92% of independent studies identified one or more problems with its safety. (1)

In the Food and Drug Administration’s Final Decision on aspartame’s approval (Fed. Reg. 46:38289, 1981), the Commissioner stated:

“Few compounds have withstood such detailed testing and repeated, close scrutiny, and the process through which aspartame has gone should provide the public with additional confidence of its safety.” (2)

What kind of products contains aspartame?

Aspartame is used in almost 5000 products around the world, of which more than 2000 are consumed in Europe. Aspartame can be found in a wide variety of food products including:

Beverages:

Carbonated and non-carbonated soft drinks, fruit drinks, squashes, iced teas and coffees and hot chocolate drinks.

Dairy products:

Yoghurts, dairy desserts and fromage frais.

Confectionery:

Chewing gum, sweets, chocolate, breath mints.

Table-top sweeteners:

Tablets and spoon-for-spoon powders.

Frozen desserts:

Ice cream and frozen snacks.

Powdered products:

Powdered soft drinks, milkshake mixes, and multivitamin drinks.

Cereals:

Cereal mixes, mueslis.

Preserves:

Fruit preserves, canned fruits.

Pharmaceuticals:

Effervescent tablets, chewable tablets and sachets.

Organisations that ‘apparently’ give aspartame thumbs up:

Alzheimer’s Association, American Academy of Family Physicians ,American Cancer Society, American Council on Science and Health American Diabetes Association, American Dietetic Association, American Heart Association, Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America Diabetes U.K. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Canadian Diabetes Association, Mayo Clinic, National Cancer Institute U.K. Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAFF), US. Consumer Information Centre, World Health Organization, U.K. Food Standards Agency, U.S. FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. (According to the aspartame information centre) (2)

That’s a very powerful and influential list.

Organisations and individual’s calling for its removal

I have lost count of the number of organisations against aspartame, however they are much smaller in size and lesser known; many have been formed by victims. The film ‘Sweet Misery’ is an excellent resource and shows the aspartame story in shocking detail; it’s packed with leading experts and victims personal accounts. You can check it out at: www.aspartamekills.com

The latest lawsuit filed is a $350 million class action filed on September 15, 2004 in United States District Court in San Francisco, California, case no: C 04 3872. This class action racketeering (RICO) lawsuit was filed against the NutraSweet Corporation, American Diabetes Association, Dr. Robert H. Moser and John Does 1-50. Plaintiffs maintain that this lawsuit will prove how deadly the chemical sweetener aspartame is when consumed by humans. The National Justice League filed three other lawsuit’s on April 26, 2004, in three separate California courts. (4)

Here are some other helpful links to find out more on aspartame:

www.mercola.com/

www.dorway.com/

www.holisticmed.com/aspartame/

www.presidiotex.com/aspartame/ (victims support group)

www.aspartamesafety.com/

www.wnho.org

www.russellblaylockmd.com

www.sunsentpress.com

Symptoms of Aspartame Intoxication:

“Complaints about aspartame represent 80-85% of all food complaints registered with the FDA. More than 6,000 complaints have been made concerning the effects of aspartame. Many of these reactions are very serious including seizures and death.” (3)

The symptoms of aspartame intoxication include:

· severe headaches and nausea

· vertigo

· insomnia

· loss of control of limbs

· blurred vision and blindness

· memory loss

· slurred speech

· mild to severe depression often reaching suicidal levels

· hyperactivity

· gastrointestinal disorders

· seizures

· skin lesions and rashes

· anxiety attacks

· muscle and joint pain

· numbness

· mood changes

· loss of energy

· menstrual cramps out of cycle

· hearing loss or ringing in the ears

· loss or change of taste

· symptoms similar to those in a heart attack.

· additionally, aspartic acid chelates (combines) with chromium - which is a necessary element for proper operation of the thyroid gland. People who consume large quantities of aspartame may end up with a false diagnosis of Graves disease and suffer allopathic irradiation of their thyroid gland for no reason. (3)

The science behind aspartame

“Aspartame is the methyl ester of the dipeptide of the natural amino acids L-aspartic acid and L-phenylalanine. Under strongly-acidic or -alkaline conditions, aspartame first generates methanol by hydrolysis. Under more severe conditions, the peptide bonds are also hydrolyzed, resulting in the free amino acids”.(5) Got that?

Ok, here the English version. J

There are four chemical components of aspartame that scientists and physicians are currently debating over that may be causing or adversely effecting people’s health (5):

1. Methonol

Scientists agree that approximately 10% of aspartame (by weight) is broken down into methanol in the small intestine. Now most of that methanol is absorbed and quickly converted into formaldehyde (yes, the embalming substance).

Some scientists believe that the methanol can not be a problem because:

a) the level of methanol absorbed is too low to cause toxicity

b) methanol and formaldehyde are already in the body as a by-product of human metabolism

c) many alcoholic beverages and fruit juices contain more methanol than is derived from aspartame ingestion

2. Phenylalanine

About 50% of aspartame (by weight) is broken down into phenylalanine, which actually is an amino acid commonly found in foods. But because aspartame is metabolized and absorbed very quickly (unlike phenylalanine-containing proteins in foods), it is thought that aspartame could spike blood plasma levels of phenylalanine. The concern is that this could have a neurotoxic effect particularly in the brain of fetuses by the sudden influx of phenylalanine into the bloodstream because phenylalanine competes with other Large Neutral Amino Acids (LNAAs) for entry into the brain at the blood brain barrier.

3. Aspartic acid

Aspartic acid is another amino acid commonly found in foods. Around 40% of aspartame (by mass) is broken down into aspartic acid. Aspartic acid is known chemically as an excitotoxin, another famous example is monosodium glutamate (MSG). Hundreds of animals studies involving abnormally high levels of excitotoxins have been shown to cause damage to areas of the brain unprotected by the blood-brain barrier and a variety of chronic diseases arising out of this neurotoxicity. In 1970’s, Dr. John Olney found that high levels of aspartic acid caused damage to the brains of infant mice. Which led to Dr. Olney and consumer attorney, James Turner, filing a protest with the FDA to block the approval of aspartame.

4. Aspartylphenylalanine diketopiperazine (DKP)

This substance is created as aspartame breaks down over time. One group of researchers found that - 6 months after aspartame was put into carbonated beverages - 25% of the aspartame had been converted to DKP. Concern amongst some scientists has been expressed that this form of DKP would undergo a nitrosation process in the stomach producing a type of chemical that could cause brain tumors. However there are very few human studies on the effects of this.

So what are the alternatives to this alternative (interesting concept)?

Raw honey is an obvious choice (but avoid heating honey as it can become a carcinogen).

Another natural product is called stevia that comes from a herb.

It has been used for centuries by traditional South American cultures and is very popular in Japan. You can generally find it in health food stores in liquid or powder form.

So where does this leave us with so many ‘experts’ on either side of the fence?

My first question with any product when considering it’s safety is: is it man made?

If so, has it been consumed for a long time?

In this case the answer is clearly no.

Which leads me to my final question, is it worth the risk?

Yours in health

Craig Burton

References

(1) Safety of artificial sweetener called into question by MP Felicity Lawrence, December 15, 2005, The Guardian, http://www.guardian.co.uk/food/Story/0,,1667771,00.html

(2) Aspartame Information Sevice, http://www.aspartame.info

(3) http://www.mercola.com/article/aspartame/government_cover_up.htm

(4) News with views, http://www.newswithviews.com/BreakingNews/breaking25.htm

(5) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aspartame

About the Author:

Craig Burton is the founder of 3d pts, a prominent European based holistic health and fitness coach with more than 15 years experience. He is a Sports Science graduate of Edith Cowan University and has postgraduate accreditations in nutrition, massage, athletic training, and corrective exercise therapy.

Craig is the author of “The 21 Day Roadmap to Health”, available at http://www.3dpts.com.

If you enjoyed this article, please feel free to forward it to others, just make sure that his name and URL are included. For more information and articles on health and fitness visit http://www.3dpts.com/articles.

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