Can you name at least three problems with the Canon PowerShot SD750 Digital Elph Camera? If you can’t, then maybe you shouldn’t even be considering buying one. I’m not suggesting, that the SD750 is a terrible camera, I’m just suggesting that you should know what your getting before you buy it. Knowing the flaws in a digital camera (even a Canon) before you buy is the key factor in your after purchase satisfaction. Let’s consider some of the problems with the SD750 Digital Elph.

If your one of those consumers who is considering upgrading their PowerShot SD500 to a SD750 because of the large LCD screen, be careful. The SD750 has a 3 inch LCD screen. However, the big LCD is really not enough to make the upgrade worthwhile. While megapixels and image sensor are the same between the two cameras, the image quality is not. Images shot in less than ideal light using the flash turn out much more detailed on the SD500. Possibly due to slightly different lenses.

The technical definition for chromatic aberration (sometimes called purple fringing) is what happens, when a camera lens has problems focusing different wavelengths of light onto a common focal plane. In layman’s terms, what you will see is a mild to extremely blurred picture. The PowerShot SD750 seems to have a bit too much chromatic aberration, especially shooting in wide angle mode with the aperture at it’s maximum setting. Since this flaw is very specific to certain wavelengths (colors), you may or may not see this artifact in your images.

As with many cameras in this category, you’ll notice a degradation in your ability to take more than one picture in rapid succession with the SD750. The prime culprits here are slow SD memory cards, and weak batteries. The flash, and the now larger LCD contribute to the problem. What can help, is buying the fastest speed memory cards you can, and quality batteries.

While this is not an exclusive list, a couple of other items to be concerned with are:

- no optical viewfinder

- a less than intuitive menu and control system

- an excessive number of features for a ultra compact, that you’ll probably never use

- no manual exposure settings available

- short battery life

- zoom option not usable for shooting videos

Not to suggest you shouldn’t buy the PowerShot SD750, just hoping your aware of what your getting into. All digital cameras have some flaws for certain people. What it really comes down to, is how you want to use the camera. I’ve generally found the the intended photographers particular shooting style is the single most important factor in making a new camera purchase.

I’ve always loved watches. When I was a child, my maternal grandfather owned a small jewelry shop in Baltimore. I never think about him without thinking about watches. My brother and I would go visit him traveling by train from Annapolis. I was fascinated by the watches and clocks he repaired. I could watch him work for hours on end. They were beautiful, delicate and, sometimes, pretty loud. Some were so small I wondered how he could work on them; however, he had an eyepiece and tiny little instruments to help him. And, he wore a green visor.

He lived above the shop and when we stayed overnight, we could hear the clanging of the trolley car outside his windows. He had a tall grandfather clock at home that made noise you could hear all over the house. It chimed on the hour and was very comforting to hear. I still own a small grandfather clock.

Growing up, people seemed to only give me watches that had stretchable gold bands that pinched my skin if I wasn’t careful about how I put them on. No nice comfortable leather bands or other soft materials to protect my skin from those nicks and pinches. Ouch!

Their faces were tiny with hands so small it was hard to see the time. They were mechanical and had to be wound just about everyday. There was no such thing as an automatic or self-winding watch. You wound it yourself. In fact, I was always winding mine so tightly that the springs would invariably pop and that was the end of that.

If I left my watch in a drawer for a while, it stopped running or it lost time. No backlighting so you could see the time in the dark. They were not water-resistant or splash-proof, so if I forgot and got water splashed in it, it just died! They were not very durable, either. Lots of maintenance was required and I never seemed to get them repaired; it was not convenient in my small home town, so I always had a drawer of old broken watches.

It was not until the early sixties that watch manufacturers and designers began to promote ladies watches. This effort resulted in larger watches with a variety of comfortable and fashionable bands. Previously, there was very little innovation in timepieces for women. There were no sports watches or watches for a soccer mom or professional woman that you could wear without having to worry about how you treated it.

Watches for women have undergone a welcome change. Some are luxurious, long-lasting, trendy. Others are fashionable appearing in a variety of colors and shapes; including animal, flower, star. I love the fact that you can have one in every color for every outfit and every occasion, if you like. There are even watches inside of watches, kind of like picture in picture TV.

Some are self-winding and feature feminine creative styling as well as elegance and sophistication. There are watches for those women who appreciate traditional watch-making values and like to own a strongly personalized timepiece designed exclusively for them. Many are virtual works of art and range anywhere from less than three hundred dollars to over thousands of dollars much like works of fine art.

I was surprised to learn recently that American watches were once among the highest quality watches in the world. They timed the rail-roads, coordinated the movements of armies and were used for air and sea navigation. I thought the Swiss always had that distinction. Apparently not. The American watch industry has a fascinating history.

Looking today, watches can do everything from going underwater to waking you up to starting computers. They are more accurate and useful, water-proof, shock-proof, and more rugged. They are designed and made to keep up with our active lifestyles in the 21st century. I, for one, however, still feel a sense of the delicacy and beauty of some of the old watches I saw early on in that jewelry shop of my granddad. The thought brings me some pleasant childhood memories.

Angela Baden is a former practicing attorney, teacher and personal chef, turned internet marketer. She is the founder of DivaBiz Enterprises and Millionaire Health Secrets. She is a student of the Master Key System and a member of The Prosperity Cast Network. She is enthusiastic about having been in the Marketing/Networking Industry for over 4 years. She shares her considerable knowledge with others to help them succeed in life and in business from home. For more information call 206-305-2120 or go to http://www.divabizinc.com

Sonja Lyubomirsky’s new book, THE HOW OF HAPPINESS, is largely an outgrowth of her research into the area of happiness. Despite the author citing a great many studies, the book is extraordinarily friendly for people who need or want practical suggestions on how to be happier in their lives. No cookie cutter recommendations. Rather, you are asked to take an assessment that Lyubomirsky has created in order to determine the kinds of activities that would gratify you on the road to greater happiness.

After completing the person-activity fit diagnostic, which takes only a few minutes and is easily scorable, you identify the four categories of activities that represent your top interests. There are sections in part 2 that are devoted to activities that fall into each of the 12 categories of activity covered by the diagnostic assessment where you can pick the specific activities in which you want to engage.

The assessment with individualized sections in six chapters of part 2 is a wonderful feature of the book. When I did the diagnostic I was happily surprised to see how closely the results represent the kinds of things I already like to do but on which I had not had my energy sufficiently focused. I was easily able to be more involved in what I was doing as well as pick new activities in which to engage.

Another great feature of the book is the author’s emphasis on NOT overwhelming us with too many happiness activities. The recommendation is to pick no more than three of the four areas identified by the diagnostic. And, it can be only one activity. Lyubomirsky makes doing happiness activities very manageable as well as fun.

Despite the fact that Sonja Lyubomirsky believes that THE HOW OF HAPPINESS is a book for everyone, she does address the special needs of people who are depressed. Though she highly recommends doing the activities in the book, she does as well emphasize the need to seek professional help.

THE HOW OF HAPPINESS is not exclusively a how-to book. It will satisfy you if you’re hungry to know how Lyubomirsky’s and others’ research led to the pragmatic suggestions presented. Mostly, this book is not just another book on how to be happy. Despite the amount of research presented and the necessary focus on depression, this book is easily readable and practical for the person who is in search of more happiness in their lives. I highly recommend it.

Betsy Landau is a licensed psychologist, a Mentor Coach certified life and writing coach, adjunct professor of psychology, author, and publisher. Her book Mirabelle’s Memoirs: a feline tale is available on amazon.com. Her passion is helping people change their lives. To find out more about coaching with Betsy Landau, and to sign up for her free newsletter, go to http://www.betsylandau.com

Removing chlorine from your water as well as harsh metal contaminants can be one of the smartest moves anyone does in their daily regimen.

This can be as simple as getting a water filter. Some water filters remove chlorine, others remove minerals by softening the water. Most do not kill bacteria or viruses. A water filter’s effectiveness is not based on price. In fact, the best way to determine what it filters is to read the informational sheet contained in the packaging. Read specifically what the equipment should remove from your water.

Remember most companies use chlorine in their treatment of water that comes from your tap because it is convenient, simple and easy. It kills most harmful contaminants that are deemed necessary by the government. However, long term use of chlorine has shown bad side effects, including cancerous effects.

Removing chlorine is simple and once you have eliminated it you will find healthier benefits. In fact, removing chlorine from your shower may allow your soap and shampoo to be more effective and lather more. You may also find that when you exit your shower you have a feeling of tiredness. This is especially the case when you take a long hot shower. The steam will cause your pores to open and chlorine is quickly and readily absorbed. This chlorine toxin causes fatigue.

Here are several steps to remove chlorine from your water:

1. Get a chlorine removal filter for your shower. You can install a filter right at the shower head or have a whole house filter that removes chlorine.
2. In your drinking water, either buy purified water or filter from your faucet, use a filter pitcher, get an under sink filter or a whole house unit.
3. Make your own water when you plan to go out and take it with you. If you have been very regimen with removing chlorine you don’t want to fall into a trap by going out and all they have available is tap water.
4. If you cannot get a shower filter, limit your showers to as brief as possible and keep the temperature down. The hotter the water, the more steam is generated and will cause you to inhale the chlorine vapors.
5. Wash your fruits and vegetable with filtered water as well.

When you use a water filter to remove chlorine you may also find your mind feeling more clear.

Find more information about water filters at http://waterfilters.learn-about-it.com

Dr. Ron Paul has published a new book this year, entitled “Pillars of Prosperity: Free Markets, Honest Money, Private Property,” which contains an extensive compilation of his thoughts on economics and presents an excellent opportunity for a special book review. This the ninth and final installment of a longer review of the entire book, the full review of which will examine each individual part of the book and present a summary of the positions and arguments presented, which have been woefully underrepresented to most Americans. “Part 9 - Spending, Taxes, and Regulations” is discussed here.

In the final section of the book, Ron Paul has collected a number of miscellaneous writings on various topics relating to the free market and government intervention. The main themes which have also been examined throughout the book are prominent in these discussions, including government overspending, intervention in the economy in an effort to help the poor, and the discriminatory practices of Congress in handing out benefits.

The government’s willingness to spend every penny and more that it can tax and borrow has been a frequent issue Paul has raised throughout his speeches. When the politicians can not tax or borrow further, they go to the Federal Reserve, which prints up the money to cover the shortfall. But this new money causes inflation, and the banking system contributes to the problem. Paul states that, due to the fractional reserve system, money is multiplied six times. A $1.5 billion creation of new money will eventually result in a $9 billion increase in the total supply of dollars.

Paul argues that the issue of the federal debt limit is essentially a joke. Designed to keep a lid on Congress’ spending, the politicians have frequently voted to increase the limit, rather than reign in the size of government. This is like a compulsive shopper giving himself a higher credit limit care of his lenders, which is exactly like not having a limit at all. Paul also likens the practice to “making minimum payments on a credit card. Notice that the principal never goes down. In fact, it is rising steadily.” Nothing can stop the government from ever increased spending, as it reaches one self-imposed limit after another with only higher limits and more spending.

The growth of government, though, is not just a problem with either side of the aisle. Paul has long argued that the Republican Party has lost its way, giving up positions that got them elected in the first place, such as cutting spending, no deficit spending, and eliminating waste in government. The GOP, though, has instead sold out to the entitlements crowd. But this has not even helped them gain more power or respect from the special interest groups, as the Democrats offer to spend even more than the Republicans on every issue.

A good example of this trend toward growing government is the issue of nondiscretionary funding. If the money must be spent and control is out of the hands of Congress, then these programs are out of the control of the people. Nondiscretionary entitlement spending, according to Paul, is a statist’s dream, encouraging the welfare state at home and the American Empire spread across the world.

This government intervention and willingness to spend more money than it has is the true cause of the growing gap between rich and poor. Congress, though, only proposes more welfare and intervention, rather than examining the source of the problems. But increasing federal welfare funds also increases federal control and fosters dependency. The recipients are dependent on government for their money, and the bureaucrats are dependent on more people being on welfare to provide job security.

Paul’s solution to the welfare problem is for government to end the huge tax burden on individuals so that they have more money to donate to charities to help the poor. Whereas government destroys culture and creates dependency, charity encourages self-reliance. Paul writes that, “The history of the failed experiments with welfarism and socialism shows that government can only destroy a culture; when a government tries to build a culture, it only further erodes the people’s liberty.” People who are able to keep only small amounts of their paychecks can not afford to contribute to solving some of these social problems.

Another problem that could be solved with fewer regulations and lower taxes is that of minimum wage. Imposing wage controls on the economy drives a wedge between the supply of labor and demand for labor. This actually increases unemployment, the one problem that the minimum wage was designed to fix. Paul proposes lower taxes and deregulation which he argues would promote job growth.

But the spending, inflating, and government intervention is not just a problem itself, according to Paul. Another more serious issue is the discriminatory means by which Congress hands out its benefits. While it has passed laws to make it more difficult on the average person to discharge their debts through bankruptcy, Congress has bailed out several high-profile institutions using taxpayer money. Lockheed Corporation, the City of New York, Chrysler Corporation, and the Long Term Capital Management hedge fund are just a few of the companies or governments that Congress has considered taking money away from poor and middle class individuals and giving it to the fiscally-incompetent wealthy.

Even before these private corporations or governments get into enough trouble to consider bankruptcy, they can receive billions of dollars of the people’s money in corporate welfare benefits. For example, the two largest beneficiaries of aid from the Export-Import Bank are Boeing Corporation and the nation of China. It is inconceivable that the poor and middle class of America should be subsidizing corporations and competitors in foreign nations.

Before Enron collapsed in late 2001, it was also the recipient of billions of dollars in welfare. The company was one of the largest beneficiaries of the Eximbank, receiving nearly $600 million courtesy of the average American. The Overseas Private Investment Corporation also provided the company with nearly $1 billion to pursue twelve projects in foreign countries, many of which turned out to be complete wastes (the power plant Enron financed and built in India remains unused to this day). The funding provided to the company in the form of loans will not be repaid, and the bill will end up being paid by the average American.

Companies like Enron also benefit from indirect government intervention in the market. The fact that the company met all of the regulations and rules required by the Securities and Exchange Commission gave investors, trusting in government institutions, a false sense of security because their financial statements were not in question by the SEC. The easy credit provided by the Federal Reserve also allowed Enron to receive uncollateralized loans from large banks. These loans also will most likely never be repaid now.

Of course, no government intervention would be complete without a contradictory intervention to complete the cycle of irony. On one hand, Congress passed the Sarbanes-Oxley regulations (which Paul would get ride of) in the wake of Enron’s and Worldcom’s collapse, which were designed to provide more openness in financial reporting. On the other hand, they continued waging a war against the financial privacy of individuals with more attacks on personal liberties after 9/11 under the banner of the open-ended War on Terror. Concealing their own intentions to attack financial privacy rights of the people, these previously rejected proposals were resurrected, colored with the broad brush of “fighting terrorism,” and thrust on a fearful public.

Throughout this book, Ron Paul’s consistent message has been that of limiting the power and size of government and increasing the liberties and power of the people. The enormous tax burden on the people, along with thousands of regulations interfering in the free market, and the unaccountability of an overspending, inflation-creating government have significantly eroded the people’s awareness of their own power to control the government that has supposedly been created to protect their life, liberty, and property. Paul has always stated that it was his intention to leave a record of his beliefs on the proper role of government and practice the principles he holds regarding government intervention into welfare spending and the free market. This book, Pillars of Prosperity: Free Markets, Honest Money, Private Property, is a valuable part of that record and shows that the Congressman is one of the few politicians who believes that the principles of liberty are what make this country great, rather than the politics of special interests.

Nick writes for the ForeclosureFish.com website, which provides homeowners with resources they can use to stop foreclosure on their own before losing a home to the county sheriff sale. He has also written numerous book reviews, and the additional parts of this particular review are available on the ForeclosureFish site and on EzineArticles.com. Visit the Foreclosure Fish website to begin learning more about the economy, how foreclosure fits into it, and what can be done to stop the foreclosure process before it is too late: http://www.foreclosurefish.com/

Alan Gordon’s novel Thirteenth Night is a speculative fiction based on the characters of William Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night. In December of 1200, some fifteen years after the events in the Bard’s play, Feste learns that Duke Orsino of Illyria has died, unexpectedly and under mysterious circumstances.

He returns to Illyria in the disguise of a German merchant to find out what happened to the former duke and what will happen to the dukedom since the new duke is too young and a regent will have to be named.

Another member of the Guild, to which Feste belongs, shows up to help him discover the truth. I found Gordon’s depiction of the Guild to be most interesting. According to the author, it was a group of fools trained in the arts of entertaining such as juggling, singing, telling stories, but they also acted behind the scenes spying and manipulating events as they felt necessary much like Frank Herbert’s Bene Gesserit in his Dune series.

Feste realizes that much has changed since he left Illyria a decade and a half ago, especially the people any of which could be his chief suspect and old foe, Malvolio.

I am not familiar with Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night enough to make connections between the play and the book, and that seemed to be a slight detriment to my enjoying this novel more. But even if one is no so well-versed on the Bard, this is still a very entertaining mystery with twists, turns and an ending to satisfy all fans of whodunits.

Gordon does a meticulous and excellent job of describing medieval Italian customers, settings and the political climates of the times. He incorporates the international events and governmental environments during that era that give the reader a brief history lesson in very early fourteenth century Italy.

Thirteenth Night is a great read, and although slow starting, soon becomes an exciting page turner to the last.

A new national survey by the National Confectioners Association revealed that only 6 percent of men receive Valentine’s Day gifts despite the fact that men spend double what women spend during the February holiday.

In fact, individually, men on average dole out more than $130 for candy, cards and other luxuries as Valentine’s Day gifts. As a result, NCA has named men “America’s Biggest Sweethearts” this Valentine’s Day.

NCA’s survey revealed that children “eat up” Valentine’s Day, receiving the most candy and gifts, 39 percent. It was also discovered that mothers and wives hand out one-third of Valentine’s Day presents and in return unwrap 36 percent of all holiday gifts, a close tie with their children.

In fact, the findings indicate that on Valentine’s Day children and mothers/wives are six times more likely to receive gifts than anyone else in their family, including men and some family pets.

Here are some Valentine’s Gift ideas:

but, remember the men….

Baccarat Gift:

Give a bunch of Baccarat roses made up with as many flowers as you cherish you beloved one. If your financial budget is large, give her the crystal Baccarat vase that she will use to put your bouquet in.

Beer Gift:

Does your husband or companion appreciate beer? Give him as many different sort of beers - there are more than 680 different sorts of Belgian beers that are particularly famous for their diversity and you will only be embarrassed of knowing which one to choose.

Be delicate: do not offer her/his age in a number of flowers or beers; it is Valentine’s Day, not her birthday.

Perfumed Gift:

A great classic gift is to give a Haute Couture perfume such as Cacharel that has just created a new perfume, Chanel, Rochas… But everybody does not have the same type of skin nor the same pigmentation; which can cause a degradation of perfume fragrances and the result is that the perfumes do not have the same odor on each one of us.

Send Valentine Roses

Montreal florist

Valentine gifts

Though costume jewelry has connotations of being cheap or garish, the fact is, it is often anything but! As a matter of fact, this type of jewelry has a long history when it comes to western culture, one that goes back more than a hundred years. Whether you collect it, love it, wear it, or all three, a little bit of research will show you that this type of jewelry is here to stay!

If you have any sort of experience with fashion or the art of wearing clothes at all, you already know that the right piece of jewelry can make or break an outfit. A perfectly placed brooch or pendant can beautifully emphasize the lines of an outfit, while a piece of jewelry that is clunky, awkward or poorly matched can damage the look irreparably. Around the turn of the century, jewelry began to be produced that was meant for very specific wear, and though they tended to be made out of less expensive materials than fine jewelry, there was still a great deal of time and work put into their crafting.

When you are thinking about this type of jewelry, you’ll find that inexpensive should not be the word that comes to mind. Indeed, some pieces of jewelry that fall into this category contain a fair number of semi-precious stones and are quite valuable in their own right. The main difference of this kind of jewelry from fine jewelry is the highly specific nature of its appearance. Jewelry like this is meant to accent one specific outfit, and because of that, they often could not be worn with other clothing.

This type of jewelry was often seen as somewhat disposable, especially after manufacturers started to mostly use plastics, but even now they can be wonderfully striking examples of workmanship and design. If you are interested in jewelry that is made in this mode, you can find it in many places. While of course you can hit couture shops, you can also investigate second hand stores, pawn shops and antique stores. This is a great hobby and you can make some amazing finds.

Think about what you like to see in your adornment, and chances are, there will be a piece of jewelry out there that is perfect for you! Let’s face it, not everyone can afford a piece of fine jewelry with precious stones for every outfit in the closet. And it’s pretty rare that you’ll want to spend thousands of dollars on a piece that will only go with one infrequently worn outfit. Inexpensive costume jewelry makes it possible for you to make every outfit unique by having a piece that goes perfectly for each dress, skirt, blouse, or suit you happen to have.

To learn more about costume jewelry visit http://www.costume-jewelry-guide.com, a popular website giving you tips and ideas to help make all your outfits look their best. You’ll get information on the different types of items available to you including turquoise and cubic zirconia jewelry.

1)-Ask the recipient what he/she wants. This of course will ruin the element of surprise but at least the recipient will never be disappointed.

2)-Ask the recipient to create a wish list of at least 10 items in various budget ranges (£5-£10, £10-£15, £15-£20, £20-£25, £25-£30, £30 plus). There are many online sites and companies who have an excellent wish list facility.

3)-Ask a close friend or family of the recipient what she thinks he/she would like.

4)-Join online gift ideas forums and ask for other people’s opinions and get some inspiration. Who knows, someone might have recently bought a gifts for an 18 year old man or 60 year old woman.

5)-Give the recipient a gift voucher to spend in their favourite store.

6)-Give the recipient money to spend in any store they want.

7)-Stick to what you know. If you know the recipient is a music lover, buy something music related. A gadget for a gadget lover would make sense as well.

8)-If possible, have a nose around the bedroom. Are there signs of anything that you could replace? Worn trainers? Ripped T-shirt? However, be warned, you might get a slap in the face if anyone found out.

9 Look for something that is so unique, the chances of the recipient already owning one will be greatly reduced. Of course this will probably involve spending a bit more time surfing the net and less time on the high street.

10)-Buy the gift with another family member, and if you’re smart enough, you’ll be able to get away with leaving all the responsibility to them!

My Linh Duong writes articles on gifts and gift ideas. Visit MyRedPacket UK to get some inspiration on gifts ideas including birthday gifts.

Need your gift to be delivered by Valentine’s Day?

You probably had your reasons for not buying anything until now, or maybe you’re just one of the procrastinating types. But don’t worry. Even if you are reading this article in the morning of February 14, you can still order your gift online and have it delivered in time.

I’ve done my research and found that you can get the following delivered by Valentine’s Day:

Flowers
This is a common Valentine’s Day gift. Many online florists offer a same day service, so having flowers delivered by Valentine’s Day should not be a problem. Free same day shipping is possible.

Gift Baskets
This is also something people like to give. Gift basket stores also offer same day service, although some only ship overnight. Here too, it might be possible to have your gift delivered by Valentine’s Day at no extra charge.

Jewelry
This is a bit more tricky, but it sure is possible to send Jewelry overnight, and if you know where to shop - you can even get it shipped free.

Shoes
Now who buys shoes for Valentine’s Day? I’ve never met anyone who did that. But just in case you want to do this - you can order them online too, and have them delivered by Valentine’s Day!

Just about anything else
Well, maybe not everything, but if you know where to look - you can get many gifts delivered by Valentine’s Day. Just make sure that you purchase at a reliable store so that your gift actually arrives on time!

Want to know which stores are best for fast delivery?

Read the reviews.

Delivered by Valentine’s Day