The history of Mother’s Day has a unique beginning, which has yielded a lovely holiday over time. Although it is celebrated worldwide, the festivities are held on different days of the year, depending on the holiday’s origins in a particular country.

Mother’s Day in the United States was started in 1870 by Julia Ward Howe, who is also remembered for having written the “Battle Hymn of the Republic.” A social activist who was unhappy with the result of the American Civil War, namely, multitudes of war dead, she wrote a Mother’s Day Proclamation, which was a call for women to do their part to shape United States political policies and help to bring peace to the war-ravaged country. In the United States the holiday of Mother’s Day was not officially practiced until 1908, when Anna Jarvis, daughter of Ann Jarvis of Civil War reconciliation fame, started working for a memorial day for women. She started the tradition of flowers at Mother’s Day, especially carnations. White carnations were worn in remembrance of a mother who had died, while pink ones were donned to honor a living mother. After this the idea of Mother’s Day caught on, and President Woodrow Wilson named it a national holiday in 1914. It has been celebrated annually ever since.

Ancient cultures also celebrated several holidays based around the concept of a mother. The Greeks had a celebration in the honor of the mother of the gods, called Rhea, while the Romans held festivities honoring Cybele the mother goddess. Celtic cultures held a feast for the goddess Brigid in the spring of the year.

In Britain, Mother’s Day also had roots in the church. It is also known as “Mothering Sunday,” and was celebrated three weeks before Easter. Scholars believe it refers to the practice of paying a visit to one’s mother church every year, and in this way families were reunited for a holiday.

Mother’s Day can be celebrated on several different dates, depending on which country is holding the celebration. Many countries, including the U.S., Croatia, Taiwan, and Venezuela celebrate the holiday on the second Sunday in May, while it can range from any date or month from February all the way into December based on the geographical location.

No matter where in the world you celebrate, be sure to offer your mother a lovely Mother’s Day gift to show your love and appreciation. Thoughtful Mother’s Day gifts include special items she enjoys, such as sweets, or other gift items such as luxury soaps and bubble baths that will be sure to delight her. Nothing says “I love you” like personalized Mother’s Day gifts. She will be thrilled that you remembered her on her special day.

Anne Harvester is a homemaker extraordinaire with years of experience creating spectacular events and gifts. See her favorite Gift baskets, Easter gift baskets, Mothers Day gifts.

As our population gets older people are looking for new ways to keep their minds sharp. No one looks forward to a time when their mental faculties weaken. The latest trend is for older people to play video and computer games, as well as other games requiring mental agility. Millions of baby boomers and beyond are spending several hours each week with games designed to maintain manual dexterity and cognitive powers usually associated with people of a much younger age.

The video game manufacturers are rising to the occasion. They are learning how to market to an audience twice the usual age for these products. In the past the older audience expressed a profound dislike for video and computer games. But now that they are seeing the potential benefits to their memory, attention span and problem solving ability the games seem more attractive.

Some are even saying that by playing these games on a regular basis the risk of Alzheimer’s disease may be reduced. This could also be true for those adults with attention deficit disorder or dementia.

If you are considering taking up video games as a way to stave off old age, remember that nutrition and exercise also play a large role in maintaining strong memory and other mental functions. A combination of stimulation from a variety of sources is probably the best bet if you want to keep your mind fine tuned.

Cognitive abilities can also be improved by changing your routine, like brushing your hair with the opposite hand or using your non-dominant hand to do laundry or dishes. Physical exercise for at least twenty minutes each day will also keep the blood flowing to the brain and other organs. Playing cards or board games or playing a musical instrument may also strengthen the connection between the synapses and neurons in the brain.

The best idea is to keep your mind stimulated and continue to find new things to be learning. Conversation with a variety of people will also help to maintain mental acuity. A variety of methods, including video and computer games, may be the key to years of enjoying a healthy body and sharp mind.

Connie Ragen Green is a motivational writer, speaker, and mentor. To find out more visit her at http://greenhouse.typepad.com/law_of_attraction

One of the most effective ways of getting people to discover and try your products or services is by offering a Free Taste - which is just that, a taste of what it is that you offer. Free Tastes come in many forms: an ezine, an ecourse, an audio program, a special report, etc., and they are obviously free. It’s a tried and true marketing strategy that if you offer someone a free taste of what it is that you do, they are much more likely to become a paying client or customer down the road.

Once you’ve created your Free Taste, the next step is to market it to encourage people to sign up for your list. The following are 15 proven ways to promote your Free Taste:

1. Your email signature

In your email signature (your name and contact info that you put at the bottom of every email you send out), include a link that goes directly to the sign-up page for your Free Taste or to its respective autoresponder. Entice people to click through with a compelling question, followed by the link.

2. Your website

Make sure your sign-up form for your Free Taste is prominently placed on the home page of your website, as well as on every other page of your site. This way, no matter what page your visitor lands on, you’re giving them an opportunity to opt-in to receive your Free Taste.

3. Other people’s ezines

Ask to be mentioned and recommended in other people’s ezines within your niche. Offer to do the same in return.

4. Other people’s websites

Offer your Free Taste as a bonus to colleagues’ in complementary niches to offer to their lists.

5. Testimonials you write

Write results-oriented testimonials for products or services you use and love. Give permission to the owner to post your testimonial to their website, including the URL to sign up for your Free Taste.

6. Articles

Write and submit articles within your niche. In the author’s resource box at the end, promote your Free Taste by including the URL to your sign-up page or the email link to your autoresponder.

7. Discussion lists

Participate in discussion lists where your target market hangs out and offer your Free Taste, following the list’s guidelines for promotions.

8. Thank you pages

On your thank you pages for purchases, offer your Free Taste. Your customer may not have signed up before buying your product or service and you want to give them an opportunity to do so before they leave your website.

9. Your sales copy

Peppered throughout your sales copy, give the opt-in form to sign up for your Free Taste. Most people don’t buy on the first pass, but they will likely sign up for your free offering.

10. Your business card

On the back of your business card, tell people where to go to sign-up for your Free Taste.

11. Teleseminars

Offer content-rich free teleseminars and make it clear that your desired outcome is to have the registered guests sign up for your Free Taste, not to sell them anything.

12. Directories

List your Free Taste in the directories that are available to you via your membership in associations or organizations, and any directories specific to the packaging of your Free Taste. For example, if you offer an ezine, consider listing it with The Directory of Ezines at http://www.directoryofezines.com/

13. Swap ads with others

Offer to promote a colleagues’ Free Taste in return for promoting yours as ads within each other’s ezines. Run your ad for a minimum of three consecutive issues for the best results.

14. Tell everyone

Don’t forget to tell everyone on your contact list about your Free Taste. Send them the link to your sign-up page, and ask that if they cannot benefit from it themselves to please pass it along to someone who would.

15. Offer a free bonus

Offer a bonus or gift as an added incentive to sign-up for your Free Taste. A special report, an audio program, or something similar that is in a different form than your Free Taste. For example, I offer my ezine as a bonus for signing up for my free 5-day ecourse.

Remember: Never add anyone to your list without their permission.

These 15 tactics will help you promote your Free Taste and add significantly to your list numbers. Just implement them consistently, and you will grow an audience quickly and easily.

Alicia M Forest, MBA, Multiple Streams Queen & Coach™ and creator of “21 Easy & Essential Steps to Online Success System™, teaches coaches, consultants, and other solo professionals and online entrepreneurs how to attract more clients, create profit-making products and services, make more sales, and ultimately live the life they desire and deserve. For FREE tips on how to create abundance in your business, visit http://www.clientabundance.com/

© 2007 Alicia M Forest and ClientAbundance.com

DaimlerChrysler AG’s Chrysler Group division has recently unleashed the all-new 2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee to enter the mid size sport utility vehicle (SUV) market segment. For the 2008 model year, Chrysler Group’s Jeep brand is offering a wide range of power plant options for the vehicle.

Powertrain options for the all-new 2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee include: all-new 4.7-liter V-8 engine; the award-winning 3.0-liter common rail diesel V-6 engine; 3.7-liter V-6 engine; 5.7-liter V-8 HEMI® engine; and the 6.1-liter HEMI V-8 engine. According to Jeep, the all-new 4.7-liter V-8 engine delivers 30 percent increase in horsepower and a 10 percent increase in torque output compared to the previous 4.7-liter engine. In addition, the engine also offers an improved fuel economy.

The all new 4.7-liter V-8 engine delivers 305 horsepower (227 kW) and produces 334 lb.-ft. amount of peak torque (453 Nm), 30 and 10 percent increased output respectively, thanks to the advanced engine systems including two spark plugs per cylinder, valve-lash adjuster, increased compression ratio, improved cylinder-head port flow, electronic throttle control, and a new combustion system. For optimum engine performance, customers can get Jeep Power Programmer. Moreover, the new 4.7-liter V-8 engine is capable of running on 85 percent ethanol fuel (E85) combined with the conventional fuel like diesel or petrol gas.

The 2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee comes with new features like the high-intensity discharge (HID) auto-leveling headlamps. These lighting technology provides optimal the light output for improved night time illumination compared to conventional reflector lamps found on other vehicles. Other exterior features include ParkView Rear Back-up Camera with navigation system, ParkSense Rear Back-up System, SmartBeam headlamps, rain-sensing wipers, memory mirrors, 18-inch chrome-clad aluminum wheels, and Jeep signature 7-slot radiator grille.

Talking about “new” features of the 2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee, the vehicle also comes with new active and passive safety and security features. These include standard Hill Descent Control (HDC) that provides downhill assistance at a controlled rate of speed; Hill Start Assist (HSA) that allows the driver to change from brake to throttle; and Trailer Sway Control that reduces trailer sway as well as provides improved towing stability and safety.

Inside, the 2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee comes with a comfortable and functional interior environment. Interior features include two-tone instrument panel, new tilt and telescoping steering column, MyGIG Multimedia Infotainment System with built-in navigation, audio, entertainment and communication system, SIRIUS Satellite Radio, plus other features exclusive for every Grand Cherokee model trim. In addition, the 2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee is one of the first Chrysler Group vehicles to offer the all-new SIRIUS Backseat TV that features three family friendly channels including Nickelodeon, Disney Channel and Cartoon Network.

Available in Laredo, Limited, SRT8, and Overland model trims, the 2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee will roll out in Jeep dealerships beginning in fall 2007.

For more about your Jeep parts needs like Jeep power programmer, visit your trusted online source.

Lisa Ziegler is a 29-year old native of Waldport, Oregon and is currently working as a senior research analyst in a top Automotive Research Consultancy firm.

A luau party seems to naturally conjure up images of fruity drinks with cocktail umbrellas. When planning a luau party, don’t forget the flower leis, tropical straws and coconut cups (and cocktail umbrellas, of course!). Get your cocktail shaker and blender out and enjoy some traditional luau cocktails with the following cocktail recipes.

Mai Tai

Ingredients
1 oz (2 tablespoons) dark rum
1 oz (2 tablespoons) amber rum
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1/2 oz (1 tablespoon) Cointreau or triple sec
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon superfine granulated sugar
Dash of grenadine
Garnish with an orange slice

Preparation
Shake all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with 1 cup ice cubes, then strain into a glass filled with ice cubes. Makes one drink.

Blue Hawaiian

Ingredients
1 oz light rum
1 cherry
2 oz pineapple juice
1 oz Blue Curacao liqueur
1 oz cream of coconut
1 slice pineapple

Preparation
Blend light rum, blue Curacao, pineapple juice, and cream of coconut with one cup ice in an electric blender at high speed. Pour contents into a highball glass. Decorate with the slice of pineapple and a cherry. Makes one drink.

Hawaiian Cocktail

Ingredients
2 oz Gin
1 oz Pineapple Juice
1/2 oz Triple Sec

Preparation
Shake all the ingredients in a shaker with ice and strain into a cocktail glass (an old-fashioned glass). Garnish with cherry. Makes one drink.

Hawaiian Fruit Punch (this one is for the kids!)

Ingredients
1 oz. Lemon Juice
Juice of 1/2 Lime
1 oz. Guava Nector
1 oz. Pineapple Juice
1/2 oz. Passion Fruit Juice
Soda

Preparation
Blend with crushed ice and pour into a chimney glass. Fill glasses with soda. Stir and add fruit you like. Makes one drink.

Use these fun and tasty Hawaiian cocktail recipes to create a fun luau party theme!

Hilary Basile is a writer for MyGuidesUSA.com. At MyGuidesUSA.com (http://www.myguidesusa.com), you will find valuable tips and resources for handling life’s major events. Whether you’re planning a wedding, buying your first home, anxiously awaiting the birth of a child, contending with a divorce, searching for a new job, or planning for your retirement, you’ll find answers to your questions at MyGuidesUSA.com. Find birthday party planning tips and resources at http://www.myguidesusa.com/birthdays

The Jeep Liberty, Chrysler Group’s range-topping model in the mid size sport utility vehicle (SUV) market segment is offering something new for North American off-road vehicle enthusiasts at the 2007 New York International Auto Show (NYIAS) at the Jacob Javits Convention Center in Manhattan. Chrysler Group will present the all new 2008 Jeep Liberty featuring new features inside and out, as well as innovative components.

Ford the 2008 model year, the Jeep Liberty comes with a redesigned exterior styling, but retails the rugged and classical Jeep exterior design cues featured in every Jeep model. The vehicle is equipped with a front fascia highlighted by aggressive head lights, rain-sensing windshield wipers, front bumper, and Jeep’s signature 7-slot grille that allows air flow to coll down the Jeep radiator. In addition, the all-new 2008 Jeep Liberty is the first Jeep model to have the company’s Sky Slider full-open canvas roof. This innovative feature allows the driver to have an open air driving experience aboard an SUV model, which is exclusive for the 2008 Jeep Liberty. Inside, the all-new 2008 Jeep Liberty has a functional interior with an increased cargo and storage space, along with improved seating comfort on the driver and passenger seats. A bunch of interior amenities for the 2008 Jeep Liberty is also available. The MyGIG Multimedia Infotainment System uses a hard drive with 20 gigabytes of space to store different files types like photos and music. The system also includes voice-memo recorder, real-time traffic information through SIRIUS Satellite Radio, and touch screen or voice commands to control the system. The 2008 Jeep Liberty also offers the UConnect hands-free communication system using Bluetooth technology.

In addition, the 2008 Jeep Liberty comes with a host of standard advanced safety features and driver assistance safety systems. These include side-curtain air bags, Electronic Stability Program (ESP), Electronic Roll Mitigation, All-speed Traction Control, advanced anti-lock brakes (ABS) and Brake Assist (BA), Tire Pressure Monitoring system.

At the heart of the all-new 2008 Jeep Liberty is a 3.7-liter SOHC V-6 engine capable of delivering a maximum of 210 hp (157 kW) at 5,200 rpm and produces 235 lb.-ft. (319 Nm) amount of peak torque rotating under engine speeds at 4,000 rpm. The engine is combined with either a six-speed manual or a four-speed automatic gearbox. Chrysler Group offers a wide range of available drivetrain configurations for the 2008 Jeep Liberty. These include two four-wheel-drive systems, the all-new Selec-Trac II full-time four-wheel-drive system, and the Command-Trac part-time four-wheel-drive system.

The 2008 Jeep Liberty will be produced at the Toledo (Ohio) North Assembly Plant, and will roll out in Jeep dealer showrooms starting in the third quarter of 2007.

For more about your Jeep parts needs like Jeep radiator, visit your trusted online source.

Lisa Ziegler is a 29-year old native of Waldport, Oregon and is currently working as a senior research analyst in a top Automotive Research Consultancy firm.

DaimlerChrysler AG’s Chrysler Group division has recently launched an aggressive advertisement campaign to promote the newly redesigned Jeep Wrangler. Included in the promotional campaign for the Jeep Wrangler is the company’s partnership with Trans World Entertainment, a company that operates retail entertainment stores for prerecorded audio and video products. In addition, Trans World Entertainment operates their retail stores named f.y.e. (For Your Entertainment). Trans World Entertainment currently operates more than 800 f.y.e stores all over the United States, making it as the largest retailer in the nation for the entertainment category.

According to Chrysler, “the promotion made sense for Jeep since a large portion of f.y.e.’s customers are young men aged 18 - 34, the demographic coveted by Jeep for the Wrangler”. The promotional campaign for the newly redesigned Jeep Wrangler includes a contest that will give a chance to f.y.e. customers to scan a barcode for them to be able to have an entry in the raffle contest, where the grand prize is new Jeep Wrangler. Moreover, Jeep will also conquer the listening and viewing stations (LVS) at f.y.e. by delivering advertising materials and draw the attention of customers. LVS are so popular and unique for f.y.e. It allows customers to view scan the barcode and view a sample of the contents found on their chosen audio CD, DVD, or game through LCD screens placed in f.y.e. stores.

In addition, f.y.e. customers can view the marketing ads for the Jeep Wrangler in two ways, one on the barcode printed at the back of the entry booklets where they could scan it and see if they won the brand new Jeep Wrangler with Jeep Repair Manual. The other way is when they scan the product (e.g. CD, DVD, or game) at LVS, the Jeep Wrangler ads will be displayed.

“Customers love the LVS stations. They spend a lot more time in the stores, browsing and sampling products”. said Barry Burmaster, Director of Marketing for Trans World Entertainment.

“We had over 700,000 scans of the booklets, which we thought was pretty good since it represented around a 40% entry rate, but we had 17.8 million Wrangler ads delivered with the product scans which greatly exceeded what we expected. Our stores are all about entertainment so if the spot is not entertaining it simply will not work as well and might even meet with consumer resistance,” he explained.

Meanwhile, other marketing campaign for the Jeep Wrangler include store associates in Jeep tee shirts, Wrangler presence on the f.y.e. web site, Jeep integration with the retailer’s e-marketing communications, Jeep integrated into the fuse TV show, and a Jeep Wrangler tag on f.y.e.’s national radio spots.

For more about your Jeep parts needs like Jeep Repair Manual, visit your trusted online source.

Lisa Ziegler is a 29-year old native of Waldport, Oregon and is currently working as a senior research analyst in a top Automotive Research Consultancy firm.

There are many things to consider when buying a second piece of real estate. A lot of the time it depends on what you are looking for. Is it for personal use, a vacation home? Do you see yourself becoming a landlord and owning a revenue property? Or possibly, is there a home flipping opportunity that you can’t pass up. These are all really great reasons to buy real estate. In this article I will be discussing what you should be looking for when buying a personal use or vacation home.

One of the most important things to look for when it comes to buying an additional home is location, location, location. Although this is true for vacation homes it goes without saying for all real estate purchases. The benefits of finding a home with a great location are resale value, amenities, and just personal happiness.

Another important consideration when buying a second home is what type or kind of property are you looking for. Do you want a large beachfront property in Malibu? Or is a small condo right off the mountain in Whistler more your style. A lot of times your budget will narrow down this search for you.

Finally, and usually the most important consideration, are the features of the home itself. This includes number of bedrooms, bathrooms, size of the master bedroom, and garage size. You also have to consider the size of your family, and how often you will get away to your vacation home.

There are many things to consider when buying that second piece of real estate. In the whole scheme of things as long as you get the house you want at a price you can afford, you will be extremely happy with your decision.

Dan Standeven is an Author and seasoned Real Estate enthusiast who provides
Free Real Estate Articles
including articles such as

Investing - What to look for in Investment Property
provided through his website at href="http://www.realestateeditorial.com">http://www.realestateeditorial.com

Have you ever fallen out of contact with someone and then when you tried to find them again there wasn’t a trace of their existence? This can happen all the time, sometimes people don’t want you to contact them and they cover their tracks, sometimes people go missing, sometimes events accidentally brush over the tracks of their travels leaving it impossible to find them. You know people go missing all the time so do not think it is impossible, figures show in the USA alone then the number of missing persons per year has risen from approximately 150,000 in 1980 to 900,000 by 2006. That is a possible 900,000 heartbroken families a year!

So what can you do? If it is a straight missing person case (i.e. you wake up one day and find they have gone) then go straight to the police, but if you just lost touch… well the police will not be interested. That is where the internet steps in, the internet has made the world a smaller place, you can search for names, phone numbers, wade through all manner of records kept online looking for clues. You can even search yourself if the person just vanished one day, there is only so much the police can do when they are handling so many cases, anything you can do to help will aid their efforts.

The only problem with that is that although the internet has made the world a smaller place, it made the amount of information around us positively explode! Just how do you find anything useful when there could be millions of people with that surname? You could search for things on the web from now until the day you die and still not scratch the surface – but all is not lost. As with most things then you should call in professionals, people who are trained and licensed to get you the information that you want, that’s right, hire a Private Investigator.

Did you know you can give them just a social security number and get a name and address back within 24 hours? For just a few dollars more you can get multiple addresses, possible aliases and relatives for the last 10 years! You can give a previous address and name and get all that detail as well or give an unlisted phone number at get the address back, all for the cost of a meal at your favourite restaurant.

It makes sense to me to save your time for working out what to say to them when you find them again, rather than trying to find a needle in a haystack, leave that for someone with a magnet…
www.emailrevealer.com

The author has over 10 years experience in tracking down and identifying cyber criminals. He has expanded and developed these internet tracing skills into the areas of catching cheating spouses online and locating runaway kids or dangerous bail jumpers with only an email address or screen name.
http://www.EmailRevealer.com

It’s possible to find a simple home remedy for snoring to ease your snoring condition while looking for a more permanent home remedy for snoring. This article will give details of a very simple home remedy for snoring. Keep reading to access a home remedy for snoring that has helped over 100,000 snorers worldwide with their snoring.

While the choice of snoring treatments is very large, and often leaves the snorer feeling confused with all the choices, snoring is in fact a straightforward process. Snoring sounds occur as a result of blockages in the airways and becomes all the more annoying when the soft palate vibrates.

There are many snoring products on the market, every one of them claiming to be the most efficient cure for snoring. There is a reason for such a wide and varied choice. Snorers have different levels of the snoring condition. Some may only snore a certain period of the time, while others may have much more serious snoring problem. Since the choice is so varied, and can lead to much confusion, try a home remedy for snoring before spending hundreds trying to cure your snoring problem.

Making some lifestyle changes can be an effective home remedy for snoring. So can changing the position in which you sleep. I suggest you change from the back to the side as a home remedy for snoring. However, more chronic snorers unfortunately will continue to snore, no matter where they end up sleeping. Snoring may also occur because of nasal congestion. A great home remedy for snoring and nasal congestioin is inhaling steam before going to bed. It’s important to also bear in mind that if you are suffering from a cold some common cold medicines, antihistamines and sedatives will actually trigger snoring.

Snoring is an option that you don’t actually have to live with. I suggest you try a home remedy for snoring which will not improve your quality of life, but the quality of life of those people around you.

If snoring is bothering you and the people you live with then it’s time to cure your snoring permanently. I strongly suggest you check out the website below before you try any home remedy for snoring. It has helped over 100,000 snorers worldwide cure their snoring and can help you too!

Copyright 2007. Wait! Now is the time to stop your snoring and get your life back! Over 100,000 customers have cured their snoring permanently without surgery for snoring. I can show you how to banish your snoring forever in as little as 7 days. Let me show you how to stop your snoring for life without expensive surgical procedures, medications, over-the-counter products, or ridiculous devices. I guarantee I can stop your snoring. Snoring is a big deal and you and your family don’t have to suffer anymore. Stop your snoring now at http://www.stop-your-snoring-now.com and live your life free from snoring today with the best remedy to stop snoring permanently!