Monday, August 22, 2011

Share Market Prices

When it comes to share market prices, you will look to your own personal stock portfolio for the answers to whether they shape it or not. The cheaper the share price the more likely it is to be purchased. The more shares you have in your account, the more likely you have shopped around and found the shares you are looking for. The market is not really a tricky game when you know what you are doing. If you do not know what you are doing, this can be a very dark walk in regards to your finances.

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Share market prices will rise and fall on a continual basis. The better the company is doing in production and sales, the better the share will show growth. If the company is not doing well, one could expect that the share price will quickly drop.

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Various Share Options

When it comes to share market prices and what the value of the share means to you, you need to look at what option you have on the shares themselves. If you have the shares as long term low risk low yield shares, you will see that regardless of a few dips and or spikes the shares will pretty much remain stable for you. This means that year in and year out these shares will continue to grow and eventually help you gain a decent net return.

If the shares are listed as short term high risk high yield, you should be watching these shares closely. This is because the price of these shares can bounce around considerably. This is why you will want to pay close attention to them, so you are not bottoming out before you have a chance to trade them or sell them outright.

Regardless of the type of shares, share market prices will always be the biggest concern for investors. You never want to see shares start to drop in value and not be able to find a way to get rid of them before they cost you your investment.

Prices Can Dictate What You Do Next

If you have been paying close attention to the share market prices and you simply do not like what you see for the immediate future, it may be time for you to cut them loose. This is not uncommon for investors to simply drop out of specific shares, if they feel like things are going south. You will speak with your broker and if they feel it is a good idea to cut something loose, then you will look for a buyer or someone that is willing to pick these shares up in trade.

This can help you save what you have invested or at the very least a decent portion of what you have invested. No one is willing to take a huge hit on their investments, so it is critical for you to always pay close attention to the share market prices. This will help you stay out of the red and can help you build a respectable portfolio in the process.

Share Market Prices

Paul Cummings writes Share Dealing related articles for the Share Dealing Info website www.sharedealinginfo.com

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Trampoline Prices

Whether for recreation or for exercising, trampolines have become very popular all over the world. From backyards and gardens to gymnasiums and schools, these gravity-defying objects can be found almost everywhere. The popularity of trampolining coupled with the exercise value, has made it into a popular competitive event, even at the Olympics.

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Among the various factors to be considered when buying a trampoline, the price is one of the most crucial one. The prices of trampolines can vary greatly. There are numerous factors affecting the price of a trampoline. Firstly, the price depends upon the type of trampoline, whether recreational or competitive. Recreational trampolines are cheaper as they are designed for general home use. Competitive trampolines use a higher quality fabric and springs with greater resilience to enable the user to jump higher. Moreover, these trampolines are usually portable, and can be easily folded and carried around. This makes them considerably more expensive than the normal variety.

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The size and shape are also important aspects that help determine the price. Round trampolines tend to be more expensive than rectangular ones and the price increases with the size. Price variations can also be seen within recreational trampolines, depending on the fabric and the quality of the springs and pads.

A very basic 8-foot recreational trampoline starts off around 0. The prices can go up to several hundred dollars as the size and quality increases. At times, the safety net or enclosure may come attached to the trampoline as a complete set. A trampoline with a good quality safety enclosure will start around 0 and prices may go up to 0 or more.

Competitive or professional trampolines are considerably more expensive than recreational ones. These are mostly rectangular in shape and the prices start around 0 and can go up to 00 or more. Although the price is an important factor, it should not be the only determining aspect of a trampoline purchase.

Trampoline Prices

Trampoline provides detailed information on Trampoline, Trampoline Sales, Mini Trampoline, Water Trampoline and more. Trampoline is affiliated with Metal Swing Sets.

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Thursday, August 18, 2011

How Employee Time and Attendance Keeping Software Cuts Workforce Costs

Monitoring, collecting and compiling hourly employee time and attendance data can be a cumbersome, labor intensive part of workforce management for facilities which don't use time keeping software. Mechanical time clocks often record employee attendance inaccurately due to "buddy punching" or system errors, and this information must be compiled by the payroll department.

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Employee time keeping software is a type of workforce management software which not only acts as a virtual time clock, but also automates the collecting and compiling of employee time and attendance data into one easy-to-manage source. Inaccuracies, time theft and labor intensive duties can be eliminated by integrating web based time keeping software into nearly any kind of workplace facility.

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Eliminate Time Theft and Buddy Punching

Mechanical time clocks allows employees to clock in for one another, also known as "buddy punching", to cover for late arrival or absence. This is company time theft, and it can add up to a significant loss, especially for large workforces. Keep in mind that five minutes is 1% of an employee's daily pay, and five minutes can add up quickly. Time and attendance software can be easily integrated into IP time clocks, ID badge readers or biometric scanners which make it nearly impossible for employees to clock in or out inaccurately.

Automated Attendance History Keeping

Mechanical time clocks and time sheets require payroll personnel to manually enter employee attendance data in order to track attendance, while management software automates this process. Employee attendance history is automatically made available to supervisors and, in some cases, employees. This information is also used to notify human resources when new benefits have been accrued or vacation leave is expended.

Easier Payroll Management

Payroll departments do not need to compile time sheets to perform payroll when time and attendance keeping software is integrated into the workplace. Attendance keeping labor management systems provide precise work schedules and compiled times, which are available from the management softwares interface, significantly cutting back on the time payroll spends on manual data entry. Both payroll and human resources have ready, real-time access to accurate employee time and attendance data, allowing these departments to spend less time on manual data entry while maintaining more accurate payroll and attendance history records. Companies can use these savings, as well as the money saved from inaccurate records, to invest in helping the company grow.

How Employee Time and Attendance Keeping Software Cuts Workforce Costs

Maggie Segundas is a sales representative at Tracy, Inc., a leading US supplier of time and attendance keeping software systems. Learn more about time and attendance systems and other workforce management systems at www.tracyinc.com.

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Wednesday, August 17, 2011

SSA's Compassionate Allowance Cuts SSDI Approval Time From Months to Days

It can take months for the Social Security Administration (SSA) to determine the eligibility of a person applying for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). For those claimants with extreme medical conditions, there is no time to wait.

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According to SSA statistics, more than 2.5 million people are filing for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) every year. That is a staggering number of cases.

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Disability Benefits Delivered

SSA developed the Compassionate Allowance initiative to more effectively identify applicants who clearly meet SSA's criteria of disabling conditions. A Compassionate Allowance Case (CAL) is identified as one that undeniably qualifies for SSDI benefits.

SSA has identified 50 conditions that meet the SSA's definition of a disability, which is a condition that renders someone totally unable to work for a year or longer, and could result in death. Confirmation of the medical diagnosis of the condition is often all that is needed to get approval for benefits under the Compassionate Allowance process. The application must also be as complete as possible, with supporting medical information easily obtainable. The Compassionate Allowance initiative significantly speeds up the process so that people with these conditions can get the benefits they need as soon as possible, often within days of filing for disability benefits.

Qualifying Disability Conditions Expected to Grow

The initial list of Compassionate Allowance conditions was developed through a series of public hearings. The hearings reached out to families affected by certain disabilities, the medical and scientific communities, and Social Security and Disability Determination Services (DDS). These hearings reviewed types of cancer, other rare diseases, brain injury, stroke, and dementias, such as early-onset Alzheimer's disease. SSA also identified conditions that met SSA's definition of disability.

More hearings are being planned. SSA expects that the expertise from these groups will help SSA grow the list of qualifying conditions and improve efficiencies in identifying people who immediately qualify for SSDI benefits.

Expediting Disability Claims

The Compassionate Allowance initiative also established a Quick Disability Determination (QDD) process for DDS state agencies to follow. Special units within the agencies expedite benefits quickly to those claimants who clearly meet the criteria for Social Security Disability insurance. Claims are processed within 20 days, instead of months.

Applying for Disability Benefits

Filing for disability benefits, however, can be a daunting experience. The SSA Web site provides the current list of 50 conditions that qualify for Compassionate Allowance, and an online application process.

SSDI advocacy groups also offer expert guidance and help with filing for disability benefits.

According to SSA's Web site, "Social Security has an obligation to provide benefits quickly to applicants whose medical conditions are so serious that their conditions obviously meet disability standards." The Compassionate Allowance initiative is helping to more efficiently meet that obligation.

SSA's Compassionate Allowance Cuts SSDI Approval Time From Months to Days

Suzanna is an expert author on the subject of Social Security Disability and is employed with Freedom Disability in Shelton, Connecticut. Suzanna writes about information and educational resources on all topics regarding Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI).

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How To Get Hold Of The Best Franchise Opportunities

Finding the best franchise opportunities is not a very easy task. It is true that there are many options to choose from, but the difficulty is, which one to select. The internet has emerged as a powerful medium and feeds the web users with exhaustive and relevant information regarding any topic that they want to know about. Franchising has proved effective for those business holders who have been able to make a good choice for observing a steady business growth. Before making a thorough search over the internet in order to grab the best franchise opportunities, it is crucial that you do some homework trying to assess things for yourself.

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The most important thing that needs your attention is the industry that you are thinking of being a part of. You need to ask yourself which industry you feel is the most suitable one for you. If you a looking to buy a franchise, you need to assess what hooks your interest, and in which field within the business domain you feel most attached to. The business opportunity that keeps you on your toes, and that you have a real passion for is the one you should pursue.

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The profession, that you have been engaged in for a number of years, has shaped your thought pattern, your way of looking about life and your business strategies. For instance, a person who has been a personal trainer instructing people to be fit and healthy, can aspire to open a gym. His experience, and his expertise in that field that he is well-versed with, will help him to get along with his business in the right manner.

While evaluating a franchise you need to keep in mind how much you need to invest on the whole, what is the franchise fee and see how many franchise units there are at present. You also need to figure out how many years the franchise has been present in the business domain and the management support you will be getting. The evaluation process should be done with patience and diligence so that you can gauge the business performance of the franchise. It is equally important to rummage through those franchise opportunities that are well within your means. While searching for details about the best franchise opportunities, it is very essential to stay within your budget without resorting to any major financial commitments. If you go for a low cost franchise, it will help you to arrange your finances in a synchronized way. You can then put a sufficient amount of money away for effective advertising and marketing to serve your business purpose.

A person should conduct thorough research, and judge and evaluate things adequately before investing any hard-earned money to buy a franchise. After you select one among the best franchise opportunities, you need to put an honest effort into the business in order to acquire any success. Nothing can be achieved without hard work and dedication to the chosen business.

How To Get Hold Of The Best Franchise Opportunities

Tim Bonderud is a top internet marketer who has a passion for helping others achieve their goals, dreams and aspirations. To learn more about the Best Franchise Opportunities and see how easy it is to have an online business. Learn from Tim Bonderud and his team of Marketing Mentors!

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Short Black Hair Cuts

Have you ever been curious about how you would look with a short haircut? Were you ever intimidated to take the plunge and cut your hair and dye it black? You may want to give a short black hairstyle a shot. Currently, there is certainly no shortage of these kinds of short haircuts for both men and women. In the case that you have been sporting the braids or the long tresses for quite a while now, you may be looking for a substantial, exciting change. It makes sense to take a look at the latest short black hair cuts and styles. Nowadays, the once sought after long tresses, which signified beauty, are symptomatic of a dying trend. Something of the past.

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A perfect example of an exciting short black haircut can be found among many budding stars; one of which belongs to Halle Berry, with her really short razor haircut. Another example is with Rihanna's ultra sexy and funky style. If these exceptional women can look gorgeous with their short styles, there is certainly no reason that you cannot as well.

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As far as young girls are concerned, it is essential to pick a cut that highlights your features. Over many years, hairstylists on the cutting-edge have created cuts that help frame the face to create an absolutely gorgeous appearance. Giving a look that turned heads and grudgeful smile by other.

Those that have extremely straight hair, they may actually prefer a Bob. There is absolutely no shortage of options: you may opt for the curly Bobs, a choppy Bob, or perhaps a layered Bob. A side-part or choppy, scrappy bangs are also very cutting-edge. In addition, jagged layers with bangs that cover the forehead often create the most attractive short black haircut.

For those that would like to try a pixie short haircut, these types of cuts are perfect for those with round or oval faces. These layers certainly create a sassy look, and the wispy layers give weight to the crown; the bangs give the impression of a longer face. This type of hairstyle in particular is very easy to maintain. The pixie cut is created in a way that the ends of hair actually look separate from one another. Lastly, a short cut that lies above the ear, giving an asymmetrical fringe, has been highly sought after for individuals that are hoping for a dramatic change in appearance.

Short Black Hair Cuts

Tim Martinko provides a thorough research on this frequently updated blog on Hair Cuts For Round Faces. You will find reviews, videos and other great resources in this category. Visit http://haircutsforroundfaces.com to find great reviews and videos on this topic.

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Tuesday, August 16, 2011

The Impact of Spending Cuts and Tax Rises on Families

It has been well documented that the British coalition government will be making many spending cuts and tax rises over the next months and years. Many of these will affect families, either directly or indirectly.

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JOB CUTS

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There will be a number of job cuts in the public sector, but there will also be a knock on affect meaning some private sector jobs will be at risk. For examples, if public road maintenance is cut then it will affect those who supply this industry. Job cuts have a very obvious negative effect on people; it means they have less money coming in, something that could have a major impact on many families. The planned public sector pay freeze will impact people's earnings as well, as pay will be reduced in real terms. This will not have as much affect as those losing their jobs, but will still be a problem for some.

VAT RISE

From January 2011 VAT will be increasing from its current level of 17.5% to 20%. This will affect most things people buy. This will mean families generally have less money. Most food and children's clothes are exempt from VAT so the prices of these will be unchanged, but children's items such as toys, prams and cots will rise in price.

INCOME TAX

Income tax will affect people in different ways depending on how much they earn. High income families will take a hit with the rate at which people begin to pay 40% tax on their earnings set to rise. Low income families could benefit though with the rate at which people start to pay tax rising by £1,000 to £7,475. This will bring some people out of paying tax altogether.

CHILD BENEFIT & CHILD TAX CREDITS

There will be a child benefit freeze for the next three years, meaning as with some public sector pay, this will be reduced in real terms. Although this will be fairly minor it may impact the least well off families.

Child tax credits are due to be reduced for families earning a total of over £40,000, which may alter the lifestyle some are able to live. There will be an increase in child tax credits though for low income families with it increasing by £150 per year for each child.

HOUSING BENEFIT

In future housing benefit will be limited to a maximum of £400 per week. Large families living in expensive areas could be affected, for example a family who require a five bedroom house and live in an affluent area of London.

PUBLIC PROJECTS

Many public projects will have their budgets reduced or will be scrapped altogether. Depending on the projects this will impact all sorts of different people. Some that have already come under threat are playgrounds and other community project that benefit children, so families could be affected in this way.

The cost of bringing up children is ever rising and according to a survey by the Liverpool Friendly Society is now on average £193,772 for one child from birth to the age of 21. This means that even minor cuts and tax increases could have an impact on many families.

Andrew Marshall (c)

The Impact of Spending Cuts and Tax Rises on Families

Family Law in Partnership is a team of specialist Family Law solicitors.

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The Secret to a Free Haircut

Lets face it people, haircuts can get very expensive once you start heading over to salons and regular barber shops such as fantastic Sam's or Supercuts. In my opinion, these places are complete rip offs. An average cut can cost - for a regular adult male. For a female, the numbers can be staggering. For a college student whose poor ass hell, THAT CAN BE A LOT OF MONEY! Well it was for me anyways.

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During my freshman and sophomore year of college, my roommates and I decided to start up our own in house barber shop for ourselves. Let me explain in further detail what I'm talking about. Personally, European guys tend to be pretty hairy and I was facing a huge issue that was draining my pockets. Out of anybody I knew, my hair would grow faster then a dog's ass and annually I was spending about 0.

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Nevertheless, being an educated broke college student that I was, I decided to let my roommates cut my gorgeous fluffy hair. Keep in mind though, my friends had no clue on how to cut hair. It's as if I gave the task of balancing a check book to a homeless person. This might have been one of the stupidest ideas I have ever decided to go through with. Although, in the long run it actually started to pay off.

My personal appearance was affected dramatically. When it came down to it though, I had more money for beer. The way my roommates and I cut each others hair was completely retarded, but a good learning experience. One month, I would look as if my hair went through a weed whacker and other months, a screwed up crew cut. Probably the most memorable one I ever received was when I decided to let me drunk roommate bick my whole head. Not a smart idea because my head looked lopsided and everyone started calling me "the sloth" from the Goonies.

However, I was saving almost a month and that's all that mattered to me. I didn't care that people couldn't even look at me without laughing or that I would go months without the satisfaction of a female. Well, maybe I kinda did. What I'm trying to get at is if you're a broke student, then you have to sacrifice something's in order to balance out your life. Think for a second like a hobo student and see if you can find ways of doings things that are ridiculously cheap or for free. Furthermore, invest in your friends useless talents and take advantage of them. You never know when an idea can come up that will save you some flow.

The Secret to a Free Haircut

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60 Minutes - Dr OZ Cuts to the Chase on the Best Resveratrol Tabs on the Market

There must be some reason why some Resveratrol supplements as viewed on 60 Minutes are better than others.

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In case you're not familiar with Resveratrol, this is the new anti-aging tab which Dr OZ reported on, on the Oprah Show recently regarding the age old question of:

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"What's the secret to the fountain of youth?"

Found in the root of the Knotweed and the skin of the Muscadine grape is a polyphenol extremely high in anti-oxidants that when consumed daily dietitians have observed, cleanses your arteries and increases your longevity.

This was found to be true of both communities of Okinawa and Sardinia who have some of the largest populations of centenarians in the world.

What Dr OZ and dietitians alike agree on are that by consuming between 20mg to 50mg of "pure" resv as both these communities do, you will be greatly increasing your chances of extending your life and reducing many risks of heart related illnesses in the future, as well as adding immense vitality to your skin.

What you should avoid however, watchdog organizations warn, are supplement pills which contain less than the advised daily volume of "pure"resv.

Some resv tabs which claim to offer 200mg of resv per capsule but in fact, when the products arrive, the labeling may state there is just 8% of "pure" resv in each capsule, therefor just 16mg per tab.

The customer is obviously misinformed here, as most people go for these products because of exactly the "high" resv count advertised on their website, plus you may end up paying almost (.98 + .98 shipping) which makes these some of the more expensive resv products on the market.

There are however a number of alternatives, which 60 minutes reported on and which Dr OZ touched on as an alternative to popping a tab. Available in grape flavor with 150mg of "pure" resv per capsule, this is one alternative to cleansing your arteries and replenishing your skin at a fractions of the cost.

60 Minutes - Dr OZ Cuts to the Chase on the Best Resveratrol Tabs on the Market

*IMPORTANT* Do Not Order Your Free Trial of Resveratrol Until You Have Seen This:

WATCH This 60 MINUTE Rezv Review Here @: ===> http://www.anti-aging-reviews.info

And be sure to read the full Acia-Rezv Combo anti-aging face product reviews to get your...
FREE Anti-Aging Face Products Here

Make sure to Use Both Brands so as to gain the "Optimum Results" for the health of your Body and Skin.

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Monday, August 15, 2011

Short Cuts To Six Sigma Success

Six Sigma is usually associated with the complete overhaul of existing business processes, to reduce shortcomings and improve the quality of goods and services. Due to this belief, many companies with insufficient resources often avoid implementing the Six Sigma concepts and methodologies in their business processes. These companies are often unaware that the Six Sigma concepts and methodologies can also be implemented with innovative shortcuts. These shortcuts are known to have the same affect on the quality as the standard Six Sigma implementation processes.

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Avoid Time Consuming And Costly Implementation Processes

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The standard Six Sigma implementation techniques involve expenses on the technique applied for assimilation of customer input. This is done with the intention of designing new products and processes, for the benefit of the clients. The basic problem is that it is a tedious task to quantify customer input, which is often as vague as 'more stylish', 'less expensive' or 'better than X brand'.

A company that does not have the adequate resources to quantifying such vague requirements can simply skip this step and move on. There is not much to lose, since it is an established fact that most customers look for quality, affordability and style. It is often a waste of valuable resources when companies spend large amounts of money on understanding these common requirements of customers, over a period of time.

Avoid Standards And Generalizations

In large organizations, the top executives spend a lot of time on the implementation of the Six Sigma projects. However, in small and medium sized companies, the top executives are often too busy to look into the Six Sigma programs. Six Sigma projects can be successfully implemented even without the support of the top executives. It is a general misconception that Six Sigma programs can only be executed when everyone, from executive to clerk, is involved in the project.

Opt For The Most Cost Effective Six Sigma Training

Although it is necessary to provide training to employees involved in the Six Sigma implementation project, companies often go overboard by following the set standards of 160 to 240 hours of Black Belt training. Conscientious employees do not require such extensive training, as they are already aware of the quality expectations of them. Companies can save time and reduce training costs by opting for training programs that concentrate more on the techniques that are new and haven't been addressed before.

The most cost-effective way is to opt for the online training programs. They are not only less expensive but also enable employees to access the information and learn in their free time. In this way, companies can ensure that the productive time of employees is not wasted on Six Sigma training.

Use Innovation And Creativity Wherever Possible

Although Six Sigma methodologies make use of the latest statistical tools and techniques, most of the basic quality improvement concepts and philosophies are based on motivation. Instead of using the set standards, companies can devise their own innovative methods and techniques that could help in achieving the same results. In this way, companies can easily tap into the benefits associated with Six Sigma programs in a shorter time span.

Short Cuts To Six Sigma Success

Tony Jacowski is a quality analyst for The MBA Journal. Aveta Solutions - Six Sigma Online ( http://www.sixsigmaonline.org ) offers online six sigma training and certification classes for lean six sigma, black belts, green belts, and yellow belts.

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Pruning Basics Lesson #3 - Types of Pruning, Cuts, and How to Make Them

Much of the pruning that you are going to do is going to be based on the location of the various buds that have the ability to grow after the cuts are made, and/or the active cellular area where cell division will seal the wound. The only times that the location for pruning is unimportant is when you are simply shearing a hedge or bush, and perhaps when cosmetically thinning or grooming an already developed topiary or bonsai.

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As I explained in Lesson #2, "The Function of Pruning," actively growing terminal buds produce hormones that travel down the stem and retard the growth of lateral stem buds until the time that the terminal shoot has grown enough so that its inhibiting influence further down the shoot has weakened. In the case of latent buds on the stem, which are sometimes only barely visible, encouraging their development usually requires the removal of both terminal and lateral stem tips, and many time these dormant buds may not develop at all.

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Pinching out the terminal bud on the main shoot or a lateral shoot is the most basic type of pruning, and is used almost exclusively on the soft growth of annuals, perennials and houseplants. This is accomplished with the most basic of tools, your thumb and the first or second digits of your hand. Because I am pinching plants all the time, I allow the nails on my pinching fingers to grow just a tad longer than the other nails on my right hand. If you are concerned about the appearance or strength of your nails, you can still use a pair of small pruners or a pair of scissors instead of your nails to pinch the young tips. Pinching the tips will stop the shoot from growing longer and will promote branching and fuller, bushier growth.

Heading a plant, by cutting off most leading tips, is very similar to shearing and pinching, inducing the lateral buds below the cuts to develop multiple new stems. It has its place when trying to restart neglected half-dead shrubs, to increase flowering wood on roses, to establish a branching cluster in an area on fruit trees or to fill a void area in a tree or shrubs development. You have to be careful not to get lazy by continually heading plants instead of thinning them, or you will destroy the natural desired shape of many landscape plants, or the branch strength of many fruit trees.

Thinning a plant is the preferred pruning method most of the time. It accomplishes most of the good things that we want in yard and orchard maintenance. It allows us to regulate size, direct growth, and eliminate old or tangled branches that are interfering with the plants structure. Pruning to thin a tree or shrub means we are taking the cut branch back to the parent, or junction with the parent branch from which it originated, or many times all the way to ground level. Because thinning or hard pruning is also removing many lateral and latent buds, there is less chance of forcing clusters of new shoots. Thus the overall bulk of the pruned plant will be reduced and the structure of the plant will be reestablished and light and air will pass more freely through the remaining plant, lessening threats of disease and promoting better blooming. When thinning it is important, when cutting to a branch junction, that the caliper of the remaining branch be sufficient so that it assumes the role of the terminal tip and continues growing.

Many times the location of pruning cut as it relates to the remaining branch and buds is important. Most cuts should be at about a 45 degree angle and 1/4 inch from the bud you want to encourage to grow, or 1/2 inch from the junction of the main branch you are cutting back to, but always at an area of active growth. If you have made a clean non-ragged cut, the active growth area will stimulate the cambium cells in the area of the cut to grow inwards and seal off the wound. Leaving a ragged area, or too much stem-stub where no active growth is occurring, leaves the branch or plant open to disease and decay as the long stub shrivels and dies. By keeping you tool blades sharp your cuts should be clean.

For larger branches meeting the main trunk of a tree or meaty shrub, stay back or above the branch ridge and avoid cutting into the branch collar. The ridge is the upper slightly swollen bark area where the branch meets the trunk and the collar is that lower swollen area where the branch you are removing meets the main trunk. Do not cut the branch flush to the trunk. Leaving the collar and ridge allows the plant to best seal itself, and will keep disease and decay from entering the main trunk

For large branches that are still within your capability, but too large to support one handed, it is best to make the cut in three saw passes to avoid ripping or stripping the bark. The first cut should be a one-third through cut from the bottom, 8 to 12 inches away from the main trunk or structure limb. The second cut should be a top cut 1/2 inch farther out on the branch. When you reach the right point, the main part of the limb should fall. (Careful) The finish cut will be made just outside the branch ridge, at an angle so that you do NOT cut the branch bottom collar.

Because you have removed most of the weight with your first two cuts you will be able to hold the final part you are removing as you complete the cut and have a clean removal.

Pruning allows us to regulate size, direct growth, and eliminate old or tangled branches that are interfering with the plants structure. You need to be careful and keep your tool blades sharp and be attentive to your cuts. Cavalier or lazy pruning practices with poorly maintained equipment can damage the natural shape of many landscape plants and orchard trees, potentially leaving them open to disease and insect problems. With proper pruning care, your trees and shrubs will be healthy, safe, and more attractive, with better flowers and/or fruit.

Copyright:Gilbert Foerster/2010

Pruning Basics Lesson #3 - Types of Pruning, Cuts, and How to Make Them

Gilbert Foerster is the owner of http://radicleplants.com/, a company established to sell small quantities of select varieties of difficult to find plants to the enthusiastic hobbyist and collector. Gilbert has been germinating, growing, and shipping seedlings for over thirty five years for http://seed-link.com/, a wholesale seedling company catering to growers requiring large quantities of ornamental and landscape plant seedlings.

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Tax Cuts Or More Government Spending to Stimulate the Economy?

There is really no fixed way to stimulate the economy. The degree of economic stimulation and the size of response during a recession largely depend on the cause of the recession. For any recession, the GDP make-up is the paramount determinant of the most effective stimulating mechanism.

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When an economy runs into a recession, it is hard to believe that without any new action, the economy is somehow going to pull itself out. The inability of the economy to pull itself out with inaction indicates that the old ways of running business have to be significantly modified.

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Although it is important to free up money so that consumers can purchase goods when a recession strikes, it is more important to channel this money towards the most efficient goods which increase productivity in the long run. Governments have the power both to free up and to channel the flow of money although bureaucratic constraints hinder the speed and the effectiveness of the response. During recessions, struggling private enterprises producing inefficient products are usually more interested in disposing unproductive goods in the market and staying in business. This renders government action all the more relevant.

The government's ability to initiate any kind of economic stimulus greatly declines with a decreasing ratio of government budget to GDP. Having a fixed government budget to GDP ratio enlarges the government if the GDP grows with time. This in turn renders the government so cumbersome that its efficiency wanes with time. This diminishing effectiveness could be mitigated by modeling government institutions like the non-profit private industry while using the rest of the government apparatus to play only a regulatory role. While this helps to boost efficiency, it also strengthens the government's ability to steer the country towards economic progress with less hindrance.

An economy in recession could either be stimulated through increase in government spending or tax cuts. A rise in government spending creates more government sponsored projects, jobs and increases the cash flow for working families. This money is then channeled to other businesses leading to an increase in jobs in the private sector. Increased spending would entail an increase in taxes thereafter in order to minimize the budget deficit.

On the other hand, tax reduction raises the amount of cash available for businesses and consumers. Consumers can buy more goods resulting in an increase in jobs in the private industry and the private industry could in turn embark on producing more goods.

Government spending implies the government directs where the money needs to be spent. In tax reduction, the private industry allocates where the extra cash goes. While the government often focuses on long term opportunities, the private industry's focus is usually not stretched out beyond 5 years considering that the average life span of a US company is 50 years and its infant mortality rate is 10 years.

A reduction in taxes for small businesses and consumers really does little to keep the economy booming in the long run. This reduction would result in a temporal increase in small businesses. Having more small businesses in a recession does not generate more investment, but encourages more consumption. Consumption is bad for economic recovery. US consumption alone is 70 % of the GDP. Stimulating consumption may postpone a depression in the short run but the recession will become more severe when consumption is exhausted with no investment. Consumption stimulation provides a parachute for a slower free fall with little hope to rise.

A tax cut on small businesses is only effective in stretching out and exhausting an already initiated growth. Tax cuts on small businesses do not initiate growth. More often, an economic crisis requires stabilization with an orientation towards the initiation of growth than the expansion of growth. The increase in small businesses during a recession only results in the production of similarly existing goods with little or no changes in efficiency. This ends up being an illusory economic growth.

In addition, tax cuts create many disunited multidirectional economic fights by many different businesses. The ineffectiveness of multidirectional fights could not be overemphasized because economic resources get scattered everywhere thereby diminishing their strength to meaningfully reshape any economic meltdown.

A better strategy for tax cuts would be not to have an across the board tax cuts, but a reduction in taxes for industries that are expected to become the new production frontiers for the next decade. That would be money well spent. An alternation of more targeted spending and focused tax cuts is a sure means to keep the economy very efficient.

It is easier to see the ineffectiveness of tax cuts through the provision of lower taxes to businesses that are failing. A failing business requires a lot of restructuring and tax cuts give it an incentive not to restructure. With the tax cut, prices will be brought down and the consumption of the same poor goods is encouraged. When the well of tax cuts is exhausted, more tax cuts would be required to keep the industry afloat. This only leads to a deflationary spiral.

As personal finances dwindle, other programs such as food stamps, tax rebates and unemployment benefits help ensure that many existing jobs are not lost which will worsen the downward spiral. Such programs therefore only act as stabilizing mechanisms.

The effectiveness of the government to transform policies into actions is the single most significant factor in restoring economic prosperity. Should the government become very inefficient, then there is no doubt that tax reduction would play a more effective role in stimulating an economy during a recession. The government is needed more in a severe recession to make swift, smart and steady corrective measures. Government investment lays a formidable groundwork for future growth.

Every fiscal policy has a threshold below which its effect is insignificant. An invaluable fiscal policy would be simultaneous increase in spending and tax cuts, but no country has the luxury of excess cash to effect such a concurrency beyond both thresholds. This leaves government spending as the more efficacious policy. The challenge is to know these thresholds in order to institute the right measures. With the government budget constituting a fixed and appropriate percentage of the GDP, the government is sure to have the machinery to launch congruous tax cuts for the short run economic stimulation and increased government spending for long run stimulation without the burden of excessive deficits.

Tax Cuts Or More Government Spending to Stimulate the Economy?

THE OBJECTIF

[http://www.theobjectif.com]

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Sunday, August 14, 2011

Diamond Engagement Rings And Their Cuts

One of the most important days of your life is usually the day you got engaged, when someone becomes engaged they are making a promise of love to someone and usually express this love in the form of an engagement ring.

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One of the most popular engagement rings is the diamond ring, diamond rings are simple and stunning and is always gratefully received by any bride to be.

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When you are looking for a diamond ring there are many things you should consider to make sure you purchase the best quality diamond there is.

Diamonds are graded by their colour, generally the less color a diamond has the higher they will be priced, those that contain yellow or brown tonnes will be worth less in value.

That said, should you find a diamond ring that holds a diamond with a vivid color this would be considered unique so the price tag will reflect this.

The shape of diamonds is personal to the engagement ring buyer although most people prefer the rounded or 'ideal cut' diamond there are many other styles and shapes available.

The emerald cut diamond ring is usually cut to a square or rectangular outline, this cut is has a unique optical appearance and the shape highlights the clarity of the diamond itself.

The marquise cut can maximise the weight of the carat making the diamond appear much larger. The marquise cut is especially pleasing to the eye as it will make the wearers finger appear much longer and slender.

The cushion or pillow cut diamond ring has larger facets and rounded corners and appear square but soft. The cushion cut has been popular for many years.

The heart shape is extremely popular its romantic look makes it the perfect engagement ring. The heart shaped diamond may be slightly more expensive due to the skilled craftsmanship that is needed to maintain the diamonds brilliance.

The pear cut is a brilliant cut also known as a teardrop as it has a rounded edge and single point, the length of this diamond can give a slimming effect on the fingers and is also a very popular diamond for earrings.

The Radiant cut diamond rings have trimmed corners and are very versatile making this type of ring very popular. They are usually set alongside various other diamonds most commonly round side diamonds or baguette shaped. With so many different styles and shapes available your choices when it comes to diamond engagement rings are endless.

Diamond engagement rings symbolise good fortune, health and happiness they represent a future filled with love and romance and is the perfect way to demonstrate your love and devotion to someone.

Diamond Engagement Rings And Their Cuts

Allen Jesson is the owner of several sites including http://antique-engagement-rings.info, a site that specializes in antique engagement rings and http://www.homebasednetmarketingbusiness.com, a site that specializes in home based net marketing businesses.

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Old Cut Diamonds - Should They Be Re-Cut to Modern Brilliant Cuts?

Diamonds come in a variety of shapes, styles and colors. These gorgeous gemstones are each unique in their own way. From antique diamonds to modern ones, there are a variety of gemstones to choose from when selecting a piece of jewelry. One type of diamond which many people still cherish to this day is the old cut diamond. Old cut diamonds are antique stones which were cut in a simple yet elegant manner. When compared with the modern brilliant cuts of today, old cut diamonds shone with beauty regardless of their simplicity. However, some individuals who possess old cut diamonds wonder whether or not they should have the stones re-cut in order to resemble the modern brilliant cuts.

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Why Some Individuals May Want Their Old Cuts Turned Into Modern Cuts

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There are a few different reasons why diamond owners may want their old cut diamonds reshaped so that they become modern brilliant cuts. The first reason is to make their diamonds be more modern. This is an obvious answer to why one would want to alter their diamond in this way. They may feel as if their diamond will be better looking if it were in keeping with the times and not some piece of jewelry which was too in touch with the past.

Another reason why someone may wish to have their old cut diamonds crafted into modern brilliant cuts is in the case of an engagement ring. Those who may be giving their mother or grandmother's engagement ring to their fiancé may wish to do so for sentimental reasons yet feel that something a bit more modern might be a little more suitable for their loved one.

Lastly, one who wants to have their old cut diamonds turned into modern brilliant cut diamonds may be trying to rid the diamond of certain blemishes. An individual who finds an antique diamond that they like, despite the presence of a crack or line through the stone or poor cut, may feel that they can make the diamond more perfect by having it re-cut into a modern brilliant style. By doing so, they are getting rid of the blemish and making their gemstone more modern all at the same time.

Should This Process Be Undertaken?

When trying to answer the question of whether or not to re-cut an old cut diamond into a modern brilliant one, it is important to look at the underlying reason behind doing so. Since the diamond ultimately has its own favorable characteristics which make it a special stone and re-cutting the diamond may in fact make matters worse, the only reason one should really re-cut their stone is if there is a blemish present within the diamond itself. Any other reason for doing so may in fact make the diamond less attractive and less desirable in the end. Therefore, although it is a personal choice, it is often a wise decision to re-cut a stone only after careful consideration and knowing that the finished product may come out not as good as the original item.

Old Cut Diamonds - Should They Be Re-Cut to Modern Brilliant Cuts?

To learn more about the many facets of a diamond engagement ring visit James Greene at http://www.diamondmarketwatch.com where you'll find this and much more about diamond rings and other fine jewelry.

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Saturday, August 13, 2011

Computerized Die Cuts Revolutionize Scrapbooking

For years, schools have been using expensive die cutting equipment for bulletin boards and craft projects. Then as scrapbooking became more popular scrapbook shops and craft stores started selling die cuts and cutting equipment. Usually, the cutting equipment isn't that expensive. However, you can easily spend hundreds or thousands of dollars on die sets. For most individuals who love to scrapbook, the cost of owning a traditional die cutting machine along with a large selection of dies is just not practical.

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With the cost of traditional cutting solutions, most serious scrapbookers were left to either buy cuts or use a cutting machine at local scrapbooking stores. However, that has now all changed. With the advent of computerized cutting solutions, it is now possible for individuals to create their own die cuts in the comfort of their own home without breaking the bank.

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There are a number of different computerized cutting machines available on the market. However, most of these machines require users to buy font sets and shape sets to use with the machine. Usually the machine itself is not very expensive. However, like traditional cutting solutions it is easy to spend two or three times the value of the machine on the fonts and shapes. Unfortunately, this isn't that much better than the old way of doing die cuts.

A few computerized cutting solutions are different. They allow you use your computer to cut any font or shape that you have on your hard drive. With these solutions, there are literally millions of possibilities and you don't need to buy a single font set or cartridge. You can use any of the fonts, clipart or shapes that you currently have on your computer or you can design your own shapes and cut them out. These solutions even come with software that allows you to "weld" words together to make a die cut of a complete word.

The possibilities for this type of machine are endless. You can use these machines to cut letters and words from virtually any type of paper you can find. You can cut nearly any shape that you can imagine, including complex shapes with small details such as a snowflake. You can even cut a logo or shape out of a card or document allowing you to create unique layers. Plus, if you run out of ideas of things to cut out you can find endless ideas on the internet. In fact, there are even groups dedicated to sharing ideas and designs to use with these type of die cutting machines.

There are currently three different machines on the market that offer the option of cutting shapes and true type fonts from your computer. These options include the Xyron Wishblade, The Craft Robo and the Pazzles Mini. All three of these machines offer similar features at similar prices. Check them out for yourself and start cutting shapes and letters today.

Computerized Die Cuts Revolutionize Scrapbooking

If you are interested in more information about the Xyron Cutting Systems, you might want to visit MyBinding.com. They offer a great price on these machines and they even offer Free Shipping. MyBinding carries a large selection of crafts and scrapbooking supplies including the Xyron Design Runner. Check it out today!

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Video Editing Jump Cuts

Video editing jump cuts are little understood, and most times they are not properly used in most video movies. Before we begin this discussion it is imperative that we have a clearly understood definition of a jump cut. If we start with a continuous shot where someone is speaking(speaking is not a requirement, but it will enable you to recognize the jump cut quicker) and the camera does not move from the beginning to the end we have defined the piece of video in which we are going to make the edit that will create the jump cut. Any cut which removes footage between the beginning and the end of that shot creates a jump cut. In essence the edit makes the video jump forward to the next part of the shot, hence the term jump cut.

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In a shot where the camera pans from the speaker to the audience, you can cut out the pan and go to the audience while continuing the speaker's voice over the shot of the audience and technically by removing the pan you are jumping forward in the shot, but because of the angle change, it is not a jump cut. Video Editing jump cuts give the feeling of moving forward in time and they are very useful if you establish them as part of the style of your video.

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If you have a shot where your subject drives up, gets out of the car, walks up to the door of a cabin and enters, it may take two minutes or more. With the judicial use of video editing jump-cuts you can speed that sequence up and still see the process unfold. For example, the car drives up and stops, jump-cut to the door opening, jump cut to the subject outside the car shutting the door, jump-cut to the subject half way to the door and then jump cut to the door being opened and the subject closes the door after entering. Depending on your footage you can play around with which points make for the smoothest jump cuts and adjust the length of the cuts to create a pattern or rhythm for the jump cuts in the sequence.

Video editing jump cuts are eye pleasing when they are used correctly and jarring when they are not. It is up to the individual editor to determine when and when not to use the video editing jump cut tool. As you work on your videos, don't be afraid to experiment and try video editing jump cuts when you feel that your video is slow or lacks focus. The beauty of digital editing is found within the ease of trying different things and the ease of using the restore button if they don't work. Have fun with you editing and have no fear of making a mistake. Sometimes mistakes can turn into some of your best editing. Experiment with video editing jump cuts and you might be pleasantly surprised.

Video Editing Jump Cuts

Thom Pryor was a professional Hollywood video editor for over 30 years working on some of your favorite films and TV shows. Now he helps people using Professional Video Editing tell a story with their video projects. Let him help you convert slides, preserve your media, and tell the story that lies underneath your video and audio projects.

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1990s Rock Tragedies and Misfortunes

When I think of the 1990's, several memories come to mind: the Tech Boom, the Gulf War, the era of Michael Jordan and the beginning of alternative music as we know it today. The 90's founded the grunge scene, and with it came bands that will never be forgotten (although others already have been). But like every decade, the 90's possessed tragedy and misfortune. This article is dedicated to exactly that; the tragedies and misfortunes of 90's rock and roll.

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10. Metallica visits Supercuts

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It would be an understatement to say "...And Justice for All" and "Master of Puppets" are exceptional albums. But unfortunately, in 1996 Metallica unleashed their fresh, more polished do's, which was accompanied by their new conservative sound. Although "Load" and "Reload" may have some redeeming qualities, we wish these albums were released by a band other then the "Godfather's of Metal". Metallica may be back on track with their latest release, Death Magnetic, but the bands attempt to create a more mature sound in the 90's may have led metal into an immature era (see Nu Metal).

9. The Toadies Remain Underwater

We were first introduced to this Texas based alternative band in 1994 with the release of "Possum Kingdom". The bands edgy lyrics and muddy guitars influenced many of us to dash to the stores and purchase their debut album Rubberneck. From start to finish, Rubberneck exuded a fiery energy that perfectly complimented the alternative sound and left the listener yearning for more. Unfortunately our anticipation was never fully satisfied, as Interscope records put the axe on the Toadies second album Feeler (which was scheduled for release in 1998, therefore earning them a spot on our list). We were left empty handed until 2001 when the Toadies finally came out with the very under appreciated Hell Below/Stars Above. The seven year wait caused many to move on, and left a record label to blame for a talented band's demise. Maybe Interscope was right and the Toadies second album would have been utter garbage, but it is fair to say that this band deserved a timely second release. Imagine if Nirvana's career ended after Bleach or Radiohead's with Pablo Honey! Instead Interscope dedicated its time and energy to a band that would eventually popularize the Shrek soundtrack- thanks guys!

8. Refused Are Dead

We're certainly not experts when it comes to Swedish Hardcore, but when we got our hands on the record, The Shape of Punk to Come by Refused, our thoughts of what music could encompass changed forever. This LP was beautifully crafted for such an aggressive sounding collection. Dennis Lyxzen's vocals/screams can compete with any in the genre, and the arrangements were unlike any hardcore album before it. Unfortunately this album would be their last effort, for the band disbanded shortly after completing this work of art. Unless you were deep into the hardcore scene of the 90s, you probably missed out on seeing Refused live. Even though they have influenced many bands after them (and are one of the main catalysts of progressive music as we know it today), most of this bands fame has come after their breakup. If you prefer the louder side of rock music, chances are you will love this band and this album... that is if you don't already.

7. The Emergence of Rap Rock

We're all aware that Aerosmith and Run DMC first mixed rap and rock in the mid 80s, but this was more of a novelty act at the time. It wasn't until the 90s that rap rock truly came to be. Even bands like The Offspring succumbed to the pressure of trying to please the hip hop crowd. Not to say that "Pretty Fly for a White Guy" is literally rap rock, or loved by hip hop fans for that matter, but it definitely can be viewed as a spineless attempt at expanding their fan base. Now, we can't fault Rage Against the Machine for this, because they were outright excellent. Our qualm lies with most of those that followed in their footsteps. Rap & Rock? How about we keep the two separate until someone (other than Rage or perhaps Linkin Park) figures out what the heck they're doing.

6. Nu Metal

If you know someone that really loves music, there's a good chance that they hate the music and bands that are topping the charts. Why is this? We don't really know who lead to the start of the new metal sound, and quite frankly we don't care that much either. However we do know that since its inception, this genre has been polluting the airwaves. When you look back on it, some of nu metal's forefathers were actually solid (Korn, Tool, maybe even Pearl Jam & Soundgarden). Much like our problems with rap rock, it's how people interpreted this style, and what they then decided to do with the sound that's gotten under our skin. Radio rock of today is typically lazy and weak (partially due to the rise of nu metal), and that's why most of the best bands lurk in the underground or stay undiscovered.

5. Hoon's Demise

Once upon a time, when MTV wasn't just a dating/reality network, a band released a memorable music video that featured psychedelic colors and dancing bumblebees. Of course, who could forget the "No Rain" video. But Blind Melon was so much more than this bizarre outcast's anthem. They released their self-titled debut in 1993, which showcased an eclectic array of excellent songs. Shannon Hoon's vocal stylings were like no other, and it's hard to pinpoint a more distinct rock vocalist. This is why Hoon's overdose in 1995 was such a brutal blow to rock music as we know it.

4. NKOTB Pave the Way For Boy Bands & Pop's Reign:

We'd be lying if we claimed to never tap our toes to MC Hammer or Vanilla Ice, but in the early to mid 90s we were forced to take a stance against pop music. During this time, pop dealt a serious blow to rock n' roll, and one group in particular stands out as the reason: the New Kids on the Block. NKOTB are one of those groups that we can love to hate... girls went wild for them, they didn't play instruments, they were accused of lip syncing; you get the idea. Now, we're not saying they're all bad (we've actually come to enjoy Donnie Wahlberg as an actor; check out Band of Brothers and tell us he's not respectable), but there's no denying that they can be faulted with the partial collapse of good music radio. The rise of the New Kids on the Block has forever shifted the charts and fans away from rock music in favor of pop. We can further link this to the popularity of shows like American Idol, which help discover talented singers, but don't necessarily help further the rock band community.

3. The Death of Brad Nowell

From "40 oz to freedom" to "Boss DJ", many of us grew to love this Long Beach based band. Often categorized as one of the most innovative groups of the 90's, Sublime used hints of reggae & ska to liberate the sounds of punk. Saturated in drug abuse, we know Sublime's story to be ill fated and tragic. On May 25th 1996, singer/guitarist Bradley Nowell was found dead in a San Francisco Hotel Room from a heroin, valium and alcohol overdose. Nowell's death occurred only (almost one year after the birth of his son) & two months prior to the release of the band's self-titled third album, which would soon lead to multi platinum sales and the pinnacle of the group's success.

2. The For Squirrels Accident

For Squirrels were a grunge band that many of us remember and miss, and others never heard. In 1995, the band released their first and last major label album titled, Example. Example was a powerful album showcasing the raw vocals of John Vigliatura, and a diverse lineup of songs that make this album enjoyable from cover to cover. The album featured a track titled "Mighty K.C.", which ended up being the only single ever released by the band. On September 8, 1995, while returning home from a show in NYC at the highly regarded venue C.B.G.B., the band was in a tragic accident killing frontman Jack Vigliatura, bassist Bill White and tour manager Tim Bender. The end of this bands music career was certainly premature, but we are just thankful that when the quench for some good old fashion 90's rock strikes, we can turn to tracks like "Stark Pretty", "Under Smithville" and "Disenchanted".

1. Kurt

This wouldn't be a legitimate list without the inclusion of Kurt Cobain's passing. The Foo Fighters are making "decent" music these days, but our minds are too busy envisioning what else Nirvana could have done. Need we say more?

1990s Rock Tragedies and Misfortunes


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Friday, August 12, 2011

Japanese Kanji Learning - Short-Cuts to Rapid Mastery (Part 1)

What? Kanji can be learned quickly? This seems an impossible dream to many students of Japanese who come from a non-kanji language culture. Even hiragana and katakana seem impossibly hard to the average beginner, so remembering kanji, with all their intricate strokes and multiple readings, can appear to be beyond the abilities of the human mind.

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But don't give up hope just yet! There are tools that can transform you from a kanji klutz to a veritable genius. That does not mean that it will take no work, sweat or tears. (I would be lying if I told you it would completely pain-free.) But you can gain a good grasp of kanji with a lot less these than you would think.

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So let's look at two approaches that can have you gobbling up kanji like there is no tomorrow. In Part 1, I will talk you through mnemonic methods, and then in Part 2 I will focus on methods that can benefit visual learners.

Mnemonic Methods

"Mnemonic" simply means a device, formula or rhyme used to assist memorization. An example of a mnemonic embedded in my mind from childhood is "Never Eat Shredded Wheat". As a rhyme it has nothing to do with navigation or geography, but it helped me learn the points of the compass.

So let's have a look at the mnemonic approaches that can speed-up kanji learning.

James Heisig's Remembering the Kanji Series

Heisig's mnemonic-based approach is not only famous for the claims its practitioners have made of rapid kanji assimilation (1,000 kanji in 29 days, for example), but also for the critical flack it has attracted from traditionalists.

Undoubtedly, the method has flaws: The student being encouraged to associate a single, very narrow and sometimes non-standard meaning with a particular kanji being a major one. However, the fact that Heisig's approach is geared to Westerners also has advantages: Focusing on the meaning before the pronunciation is of more practical value to the adult Western student, since while meaning is the key to understanding, the pronunciation of the kanji is of little value unless reading aloud.

I came to this approach late, having used the good ol' rote memorization and drilling method of most traditional textbooks, so it has not been such a boon to me as it would be to someone starting from scratch. However, while using a computer to write Japanese at work has made my mind lazy when it comes to writing, Heisig's method keeps the shape of the kanji right in front of me when I do pick up pen and paper. And I am hoping to use book 3 to go well beyond the standard 1,945 character kanji set in the future - something I would not even consider attempting without using this technique.

Kenneth Henshall's A Guide to Remembering Japanese Characters

Now, I should first state that, personally, I have not used this method in my own kanji study. However, while looking at ways to accelerate my kanji assimilation ability to joyou level (the 1,945 kanji set taught up to the end of high school in Japan) and beyond, I came across Henshall's method as the other major alternative to traditional repeat-until-you-go-mad methods.

Henshall also employs mnemonics, creating a sentence to plant the image of the kanji deep in the learner's brain. The difference is that where Heisig takes a fast-and-loose approach with the meanings assigned to individual elements of each kanji in reaching his goal of creating a memorable mind-picture, Henshall traces the history of these elements in great scholastic detail.

In my opinion (and the reason I personally chose Heisig over Henshall for my own study), the academic strength of Henshall's analysis is its biggest weakness as a memorization tool: If you have an excellent memory, or if you already know the kanji anyway and are interested in their etymological roots, then Henshall will give you a depth of knowledge that will impress even your native speaker Japanese friends. However, if you do not have an almost-photographic memory, and mastering kanji in a sensible time period is your priority, you will probably find that this detailed and obscure analysis does not provide the compelling memory "hook" that Heisig's method does.

Other Mnemonic Kanji Study Methods

In addition to these two main players you may also want to consider 2001 Kanji by Father Joseph R. De Roo (although its availability is questionable) or Kanji ABC by Forester and Tamura as alternative approaches.

If you are a visual learner, skip on to Part 2 and discover the methods that can work best with your learning style.

Japanese Kanji Learning - Short-Cuts to Rapid Mastery (Part 1)

About the Author

Stephen Munday part owns a company in Japan called Integrity Exports which buys vehicles from Japanese car auctions for used car dealers around the world.

This article is (c) Stephen Munday 2005. Permission is given to reproduce this article in whole with the URLs correctly hyperlinked.

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Kitchen & Cooking Safety - Tips To Prevention And Treatment Of Cuts & Wounds, Burns, Falls & Strains

Injury or accident can occur at any place, at any time, be it in the work place or at home. These injuries (in this scope covers the minor injuries likely in a cooking environment) can be possibly prevented, and where it could not but happen can be effectively handled.

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Below are the practical measures that should be observed to prevent or at least reduce to the barest minimum: cuts, falls, burns and strains. And where it occurs, some first aid measures (treatments).

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Cuts: Always keep knives and use the right knife for the right job.

- Take precaution with sharp instrument; keep your fingers and other parts of your body from blade (sharp edge) or point.

- Keep shield on the sharp edges of tools and when not in use, store away in save place. Never keep knife loose with other cooking implements in a drawer.

- When cutting or chopping, ensure you do that, not on a stainless steel table, not even on your hand but on a board, and away from your body.

- Place a damp cloth under the board, where board slips and never try catching a falling knife.

- Never fool around with knife. Should you pass a knife to another, keep it pointed at the floor and not upwards.

- Wipe knife from the blunt side.

First Aid Treatment:

In the case of a minor cut, rinse wound under a cleaning running water or wash using clean water with an antiseptic like Dettol or Salvon until wound is clean, then put on a protective glove to avoid contamination.

Falls:

- Clean and dry the floor. The floor is usually slippery when wet or when fats, scraps, soap splash and drop or when nylon papers litter the floor.

- Wear non-slip shoes. Let your shoes have a good grip on the floor.

- Look where you walk. Avoid carrying large items as this might block your view and may cause you to lose your balance.

- Be sure to clear your runway of boxes, equipment, hose and wires, etc.

- Keep your mind on what you are doing. Walk purposefully but don't run.

Strain: this means pulling the muscle in a wrong way or too suddenly, so the muscle gives way. This could be very painful as it can cause damage to the muscle. A strain in a pace like the stomach or chest could cause rupture of the internal lining, which can cause hernia that might require surgery. So

- Don't lift heavy object without help. Use the trolley instead.

- Bend your knees, not your waist. Keep your back straight.

- Fetch it, don't stretch for it.

- Don't show off your strength. Work gradually, don't go it once. Lift from floor to the chair and then to the counter.

First Aid Treatment For falls and Strains

Make the injured as comfortable as possible, apply cold compress (ice in a cloth). If any doubt about injury, treat as a fracture.

Burns Prevention

Unless you play it safe burns can occur working with any form of heat.
So beware of:

- Naked flame near your clothing or towel, electric heat near any part of your body, oil that fries too long and to hot, it can burst into flames.

- Boiling water too close to the top of your kettle or saucepan can boil over and splash.

- Don't pick up a pan, pot or plate without checking the temperature.

- Keep papers, plastic aprons and other flammable materials away from hot areas and don't try to do too many things at a time, stay calm and don't be rushed.

- Use only natural gas or any other source designed for the purpose.

Treatments.

- Burns and scalds from steam must be cooled as soon as possible at least for ten minutes. This will reduce heat from the burn, swelling and pains as well as prevent further damage to underlying tissue.

- Blisters must not be removed. A wet cloth or ice wrapped in cloth may be used on the injury. Remove any thing on that part of the body before swelling occurs.

- Dress area with clean, sterile materials or bandage.

- Do not use adhesive dressings, plasters or cotton wool.

- Do not apply lotions or fat to the injury and never break blisters, remove loose skin or interfere with the injury.

The measures discussed above are intended for minor injuries alone. A qualified physician should handle major injuries professionally.

Kitchen & Cooking Safety - Tips To Prevention And Treatment Of Cuts & Wounds, Burns, Falls & Strains

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Sinking Short Putts Cuts Golf Handicap

Most of us think we sink a lot of short putts. But research indicates otherwise. Weekend golfers sink only about half of their 12-foot putts. While professional golfers under tour conditions sink only about 20 percent of them. The emphasis here, of course, is on "under tour conditions," which increases putting difficulty.

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But sinking more short putts improves your golf handicap, since we usually have many more short putts than long ones during a round. So if you're really serious about lowering your golf handicap, work on sinking more short putts.

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One area of short putting to focus on is alignment. Poor alignment causes more missed short putts than almost anything else. The tips below on help improve alignment.

Correct Shoulder Misalignment

Pulled putts hurts many a weekend golfer. Among the biggest causes of pulled putts is shoulder misalignment. Players with low golf handicaps tend to blame pulled putts on a breakdown of the wrists. But that's not always the case. If your shoulders are misaligned, you'll pull putts.

Next time you're on the practice green, try this simple test: Go through your pre-shot routine. Take your address. Now, bend down and place your club's shaft lengthwise along your feet so that it's touching your toes. If the shaft is not running parallel to the target line, you may have discovered why you're pulling your short putts.

How can you fix this? First, push your hands as close together as possible. The closer your hands, the less likely you are to dip your back shoulder toward the ball, caused by how you grip the club. Second, think of the line of your shoulders as you address the ball. If you're fighting a pull, make sure your shoulders are parallel to the target line. That way when you swing, it will be along the line of the putt, not out to in.

Aligning The Putterface

In addition to aligning your shoulders properly, your must also align your putterface correctly. The putter's sweet spot must be perpendicular to the target for the ball to be online and stay that way during the putt. If you're missing short putts, you could be taking this fundamental for granted-a common error among players with high golf handicaps.

Practicing the credit card drill helps eliminate this problem:

Find a straight 8-foot putt on the practice green and drop a ball down. Go through your normal pre-shot routine, and then take your address. Once you're set, have a friend switch the ball for a credit card, placing it square to the ball with the long sides pointing toward the hole. Now rise up, stand back, and look along the card's long edges. These lines should bracket the hole.

If you're off, repeat the drill, but align the credit card first. Then place the ball on top of it. Now set your putterface square to the edges of the credit card. This allows you to see what straight looks like. After a few practice sessions, you'll get an idea of what straight really is.

Line-up The Lettering

Another method of improving alignment is perhaps the simplest of all. Find a green where you have a straight putt about 10 to 12 feet. Now drop a ball down and take your address. Align yourself as you normally would. Make sure the clubface is at right angles to the ball. Now, holding the putter tightly, kneel down behind the putter and look over the putterhead to see if you had the putter aligned correctly. If not, keep working on this until you do.

In addition, you can reduce alignment problems when playing by using an old trick that many pros use. Before putting, place a marker behind your ball. Now bend down and align the ball's lettering so that it's aiming directly at the hole. Go through your pre-shot routine and take your address. Make sure the putter's sweet spot is perpendicular to the lettering on the ball before putting. If it is, you're aligned properly.

Tiger Woods spends about 45 percent of his time on the practice green hitting short putts. That tells you how important sinking those 10 and 12 footers really is. To sink more short putts, take proper alignment seriously. Make sure you are correctly aligned on every putt, even the short ones. Sinking more short putts chop strokes off golf handicaps.

Sinking Short Putts Cuts Golf Handicap

Jack Moorehouse is the author of the best-selling book How To Break 80 And Shoot Like The Pros. He is NOT a golf pro, rather a working man that has helped thousands of golfers from all seven continents lower their handicap immediately. Free weekly newsletter available with the latest golf tips, lessons and instructions

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Thursday, August 11, 2011

Different Types of Diamond Cuts

Though most people associate diamonds with brilliant, glittering, colorless gems, a rough diamond is actually looks much like an ordinary, filthy rock. Diamonds are extremely good for reflecting light, but they must be cut and polished first. There are several different cuts designed for all of the different diamond types, as a jewel must be cut so that it can reflect all of the light that it is exposed to, to the best of its natural abilities.

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The process of cutting the diamond is also essential when determining its cost, quality, and value. Jewelers take the process very seriously, taking several years simply to cut one gem. The process is very mathematical, as the facets of the diamond must be set perfectly, so that all of the angles are even and placed to bring out the color and glamor in the jewel. The International Gemology Institute dedicates a considerable section of their IGI appraisals to an analysis of a diamond's cut.

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Even though computers and lasers are used in modern day diamond cutting, around fifty percent of the total rock is lost in the cutting and polishing process. The most popular cut is affectionately referred to as the brilliant cut. A brilliant is round on top, though the gem itself is cone shaped as to maximize the amount of light that goes through the top. Octahedral shaped diamonds are usually subjected to the brilliant cut, as it is makes it easier to craft two gemstones from a single rock.

Cuts that are not brilliant, but still look nice, are called "fancy cuts." Fancy cuts are used for oddly shaped diamonds or for fashion and art. The princess cut is the second most popular next to the brilliant cut. It is in the shape of an inverted pyramid, with the uppermost face a square or rectangle. Many GIA diamond rings are crafted with a princess cut. It was invented in the 1960s, making it a fairly young cut of diamonds when compared with styles that have been around since medieval times.

The princess cut is also sometimes called the "square modified brilliant," possibly because both styles are so shiny and popular. However, the princess cut is entirely different than the brilliant cut. The style can be traced back to the "French cut," which is one of its most direct predecessors. Unlike most cuts, it manages to utilize 80% of the original diamond. This causes the cut to be cheaper to consumers, and more popular amongst retailers and jewelers.

Before diamond cutting, during Middle Ages, diamonds in jewelry were used in their rough states, the poorer quality diamonds simply being ignored. Diamonds began to be more refined as people started to polish them, creating slight facets, or cutting a more desired shape from the less appealing rocks. Guilds of diamond polishers were formed, and the art was developed until it turned into the extremely high-tech practice that it is today.

Different Types of Diamond Cuts

Allison Ryan is a licensed gemologist from San Diego, CA. She specializes in GIA diamond rings that have passed IGI appraisals and are considered to be best value diamonds. For beautiful diamonds for all types of jewelry, check out http://www.diamondwave.com/.

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Lost Hiker Cuts Off His Arm To Save His Life

Lost Hiker Cuts Off His Arm To Save His Life is a real headline from the pages of the Denver Post. As you can imagine this story was read nationwide. An equally true headline would have been-Lost Hiker Found By Mountain Rescue. Do you really think that the second headline would have gotten national coverage like the original?

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No, of course not. The same thing goes for Article Marketing. If you want your article read, spend the bulk of your time writing your headline and then launch into writing your article. Don't get me wrong your headline needs to be strong but, it must also conform to the content of your article.

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Article writing and headline writing are two very different things and the differences should not be missed. Most good articles are much like newspaper articles. They are clear and concise with the primary content in the first paragraph and the supporting details to follow. The newspapers around the country almost always have a copy desk who's primary function is to check the article for grammar and spelling and then write a strong headline to get the reader interested in reading the article.

I have found that although I may have an excellent article on an important area of Internet Marketing, if it does not have a super strong headline, the article does not get published and with my email list the open rate drops dramatically. At this point, I an spend much more time on the headline than I do the article. It may only take me 15 minutes to write an article but spend a half an hour or more working on the headline.

I, like most people, read the newspaper everyday but, rarely do I actually read more than just a few articles. For the most part, we scan the headlines and read the articles with the strongest headlines. In the business section, I normally read at least the first paragraph of every article because from experience I have found many good informational articles that just did not have good "heads"-newspapers slang for a headline.

Unfortunately on the net, scanning headlines and email subject lines is the rule of the day. We are constantly under siege with an inbox filled with spam and websites that have little or no real content. I am sure that I delete a lot of good content because I simply don't have the time to separate the wheat from the chaff. Not only that but as the internet grows ever more rapidly, the spam and the fluff content grow at an exponentially greater rate.

I don't know what the spam solution is but, I do know this, if you want your articles and emails read, you better have a good grasp on how to write a headline because more often than not, that is all the time we have to read. Spam and fluff and false promises have taken over the internet and those of us who write quality content are fighting what seems to be a losing battle. If fact, the whole internet which started out to be a research tool has become an unnavigable minefield.

Lost Hiker Cuts Off His Arm To Save His Life

Stan Pontiere has been an online marketer since 1997. At first part-time and then full-time since 2004. For further information on Marketing on a Shoestring please visit: http://www.marketingonashoestring.web44.net or my blog at: http://www.internetbizops.myccblog.com Please feel free to reprint this article as long as the article and resource information are left in tact.

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Working Family Tax Cuts Announced

Plans by the current administration will increase the tax credit for families to 35% from the current 20% rate on qualifying expenses. The credit will apply to all families that make less than 5,000.

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The president's task force working for middle class tax payers is also calling to cap payments on student loans at ten percent above the allowance for basic living. The changes will also make it easier for persons to establish IRA accounts as well.

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According to the president, people have felt the painful impact of the recession far before it was declared by the economists.

The president hopes to reverse the erosion that has taken place in the security of the middle class so that once there is recovery, Americans that are working can once again pursue their dreams.

The same task force is proposing to expand working family tax credits that will encourage savings for retirements with matching funds. This will help to protect the prospect of retirement as it makes plans for families easier. They also are offering plans to support families that have to balance duties of taking care of elderly parents and work. The hopes of this plan is to allow seniors to live outside of institutions for a longer part of their lives.

Final recommendations from the task force will not be released until February.

The president has promised that he will not rest until jobs are being created and unemployment is lowered in the middle class. He points to the middle class as an important factor in the rebuilding process.

John Boehner of Ohio, a Republican House Leader claims that the president's plans will not help to create new jobs for any class.

Boehner claims that nothing that has been outlined in the proposal of the task force or by the president is going to create jobs. He claims that the president has a job killing agenda as shown by the take over of the health care system by the government. Other areas that are killing jobs include the national energy tax, new debt and reckless spending. More taxes as well as regulations are making it more difficult for small businesses as well as families to survive in these difficult times.

Boehner says that these proposals are nothing more than photo opportunities for the president. He claims that the only common sense solutions have come from the Republican Party. The working family tax credits will not be helpful.

Working Family Tax Cuts Announced

Steve Patterson is an author for the site 2010 Tax.

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Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Managing Appointments With an Online Scheduler

Technology again has created a time-saving shortcut by reducing the amount a time that businesses are on the phone with clients scheduling time to see them, or rescheduling as it often turns out, during the work week. New web-based software has made managing an appointment calendar easy, thus allowing a client simply to go online, register and log in to the site to schedule a time that works for both parties.

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Many clients in the public and private sector find this software valuable. Any office that spends a good deal of their time making appointments for goods and services benefit from using this time-saving device:

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- Doctors Offices

- Salons

- Country Clubs (tee-times, tennis court schedules)

- Mechanics Garage

- Scheduling and work's employee schedules

The list goes on. The live appointment scheduler, who would normally do this on the phone, can now instead manage the clients online since the clients too would be accessing this online the same way.

Unique Features

Unlike most problems that can occur with usual scheduling books (i.e. messy edits and accidentally erased names in the frenzy of the business prime-time), the online appointment calendar is normally backed up on a secure server.

In addition to that, there are normal features you can do simply with your web browser. You can print the screen for a hard copy if needed, or the appointment scheduler software can sent appointment reminder by email for reference.

Most software is customizable too. The appointment software can be made to have multiple secure logins, one for employees and one for clients. The time slots can have a choice of designation, such as "pending", "confirmed", or "cancelled." The appointment calendar can even provide automated reoccurring scheduling. Say for instance a chiropractic office has a client come in every two weeks for routine back adjustment. Every other week can be automatically selected and filled in every other week for the client so they don't have to come online to schedule this, and other clients will not fill in that designation if one of the weeks were forgotten.
Getting Used to Online Appointment Scheduling

You can often try the system out by viewing a demo from the site where you can often enter some data on your own to see how the appointment software works. A good test ride of the program can give you a good idea of what you are in store for.

Do your research on the software and who developed this, as it will often give you an idea on the quality of the service you are getting into. Contact support or customer service to see if their appointment scheduler is right for your business.

Managing Appointments With an Online Scheduler

Simpliflex's (http://simpliflex.com) beginnings were in the salon business initially (Supercuts). This later sprung the scheduling software concept. Creating what is believed to be the easiest web-based appointment scheduler, Simpliflex develops the software based on user feedback.

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Finding Great Hair Styles and Cuts

With so many different types of hair cuts and styles to choose from these days. Most women commonly are searching for the latest style or cut to make it their own. Now are there some guidelines to follow or use when looking for a particular hairstyle? The short answer is yes, so here are a few honest tips when it comes to choosing a hairstyle for yourself.

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The very first thing here is you have to be real and honest with yourself. Meaning you'll want to accentuate your best features, this will not only make you look and feel better, but it will attract the eye away for your least favorite features. For example if you have a high or long forehead bangs will accentuate the style.

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So just be realistic when looking for new hair styles and cuts.

Your Face shape will play a big part in your hair style as well! A Hairstyle on a rounder shaped face would not necessarily want to have to many layers around the cheek and jaw area and you would be perhaps better to go with a longer style with the layers falling around the low neck and shoulder area. This style will downplay the width of your face. For longer faces, the hair can be cut shorter with bangs and have the hair blow dried outward. Which will give your face a wider appearance.

When looking for a great hairstyle, some really good advice I can give you is to look at some different hairstyles either on line or in magazines. Most celebrities have great hair styles as well. Then go ahead and narrow the search down to some pictures of women that have similar face shapes and features as yourself. Once you know your face shape. It will help you on deciding which hairstyle to go with.

When you have a wonderful haircut and style that match your facial features, then half the battle is won on having a look that will complete you. After you understand and learn a few good tips and techniques. It will ensure a perfect style for you. Knowing this fact, when it comes to choosing your style and cut will only complement your face shape and personality, which will only enhance the final result.

If you are not sure what your face shape is. Then one of easiest ways to find out is to just push you hair back away from your face. Standing in front of a mirror and then just trace the on line of your face on the mirror with lipstick. The shape that is closest to yours is the category your face shape will normally fall under.

These are just a few hair styles that work best for a particular face shape.

Hair Cut For Squared Shape Faces

The squared shape face tends to have a broader forehead and square jawline. long layers and soft curls work really good, This creates a nice softness that detracts from the hard lines of a squared shaped face. A side part combed away from the face works well too.

Hair Cut For Round Faces

Try having a cut that falls just below the chin. Having soft and lower layers work best because they give your face appearance of being slimmer. This style also tends to remove volume and weight from the sides. Consider having wispier ends. This will put less emphasize on the roundness of your face. Bangs are flattering, just be sure to keep them long or sideswept.

Hair Cut For oval Faces

The oval face tend to have cheekbones that taper down into a small or pointed, chin, and a narrower forehead. This shape is considered by most hairstylist to be the perfect face shape. If your face is oval in shape then you can get away with just about any hairstyle you choose.

Hair Cut For long Face

A long face is know for its high forehead and long chin, and what is commonly needed is the illusion of width. Soft short layers work well for this shape, or even going with a bob cut. Bangs will also shorten a long face shape right up.

Finding Great Hair Styles and Cuts

You can read more about hair styles and cuts that work best for your face shape and checkout the 6 part mini-course on cutting and styling hair. To get on the fast track and learn more on How to Cut Hair. Then you'll also want to read some of these haircutting and styling articles

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Trim Natural Hair For Maximum Growth

Grow your natural hair long and healthy by maintaining uniformed healthy ends. I tend to trim my hair often to make sure I achieve my maximum hair growth by minimizing breakage from split ends. Throughout my healthy hair journey I have debated on whether or not it is smart to cut or trim my ends for my hair growth needs. So, over time I have learned that it is very important to trim the ends of my hair in order to experience healthy hair.

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I have decided to re-visit a product that I used several years ago called the Split Ender. It is a battery operated device that takes on the shape of a flat-iron. The Split Ender has a blade that rotates through the chamber and glides over your hair as you clamp the hair into the device and direct it downwards towards the ends. As it goes down the hair shaft it clips off any hairs that are sticking up.

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I really enjoy using the Split Ender because it does remove split ends and it does not take off much length on the ends of my hair, maybe 1/4", but I did not notice any significant difference in my length after I finished going through my entire head. Before, when I did not trim my split ends they looked really wirerey and thin. I did not like that look and feel, so I decided to become a trimmer.

I tend to trim/cut my ends every 3 to 4 months and I only cut/trim my hair when it is straight. I feel it is best to cut natural African-American hair when it is in a heat styled state. I really see an improved difference in my hair when it is in its natural curly state after I have trimmed my ends, I get less single strand knots (SSK's) on the ends of my hair and my hair doesn't get snagged on my comb when I am detangling. All my curls are able to pop after I have had a trim and my hairstyles look neater. If you do not have any hair styling skills I would not suggest you try to trim your hair yourself at home.

There are plenty of hair salons that will trim ends if that is all you want. I have noticed that commercial salons often do a better job of completing a simple request than some of your exclusive salons in general. Super Cuts is a great place to go in for a simple trim. If you have shampooed, conditioned and straightened your hair yourself but still would like a professional looking trim/cut, you can go in to Super Cuts and ask for a minor trim, with no more than 1"-1 1/2" cut off of the ends. Beauty schools are another great place to go in for a trim and it does not cost a lot of money, both of these suggestions for hair cuts are budget friendly.

Trim Natural Hair For Maximum Growth

Lacefora.com is a site dedicated to natural hair growth and protective styling using lace wigs and low manipulations for hair care practices. Please Visit http://www.lacefora.com for more tips on natural hair care and protecting the hair with lace wigs.

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