Why Affirmations Work

Many people do not believe that affirmations work. So why do affirmations work? If you constantly tell yourself something over and over does your subconscious actually believe it? If you constantly tell yourself over and over that you are not good enough and that you can not do something then you will be afraid to move forward with your goals for fear of failure. This works the same way with positive statements as well.

Sometimes though it may seem as though the positive affirmations you are utilizing may be ineffective because they are not manifesting what you desire. It may not necessarily be the affirmation itself. Take for instance if you constantly tell yourself over and over every morning "I am wealthy, money comes to me freely." However the whole while you are saying the statement; deep down you do not believe it.

If you constantly tell yourself something however turn around and deep down you do not believe it; and tell yourself it is not true then you will not be able to reach your goals. This is why affirmations do not work. When people beginning utilizing this technique; and do not realize instant results they tend to disregard that the law of attraction actually does work. The law of attraction does work whether you choose to believe it or not.

Positive affirmations are merely statements, and if you can not get your mind to accept them and make yourself believe what you tell yourself; then they have very little power. You must play a little game with your mind, if you want to possess more money and tell yourself constantly that money comes easily to you. Just pretend that it does; you have nothing to lose. If you play this game everyday then eventually opportunities will begin opening up everywhere around you.

If you must rephrase the affirmation so that you do not turn around and reject it because of your belief in it. Instead of saying "I am wealthy and money comes to me easily" just say "wealth comes easily" you have played a game on your mind and taken the word "I" out of the affirmation. After all you can not reject that wealth does come easily. If you take yourself out of the equation then your mind does not seem to reject it.

You must remember the only reason why affirmations do not work; is if you are telling yourself something over and over; then turn around and thing negatively about them. Now you understand how you can make your affirmations far more powerful than what you are currently doing. You are reprogramming your way of thinking positively; so that you can begin attracting everything you desire.

Yes you can be do have anything you desire; you must have the belief that you can. Without the belief and the faith you can never achieve anything different. Begin today to train your mind that you believe you already possess whatever it is you desire. You will be amazed at what your subconscious will bring you.

Reading a Cordless Impact Driver Review

As you may know, a cordless impact driver acts like a very fast drill for driving screws and other fasteners. But an impact driver can deliver much higher torque than a typical drill diver when the torque is needed.

Once you've decided that you need an impact driver, it's time to hit the reviews. But how do you know if the reviewer is addressing the important details of an impact driver? Here are some things to look out for while trying to make your decision.

torque - the amount of turning power. From around 50 in-lbs in the low voltage models, up to over 1,330 in-lbs. Higher torque means more you can do! It also means fast, accurate fastening. weight - due to their nature, these tools are already much smaller than drills. This makes them easy to use with less fatigue. However, because of the internal hammering impacts, if the weight is too low, you may feel too much vibration. Try to keep to models weighing upwards of 3 pounds to minimize the shakes. noise - impact drivers are loud! You should use hearing protection with all models, but if you are working indoors your family will appreciate a quieter model. voltage - generally speaking, the higher the voltage, the more powerful the tool. If you are looking for something small, check out the 12 volt models; for something to handle medium to large projects, 18 volts is what you probably need. battery - some models use their brand's NiCAD/NiMH batteries, others are Lithium Ion, while others allow both types of batteries to be used. In almost all cases, if you own a company's cordless drill you can use the batteries with their driver of the same voltage. physical size - if you are installing decks or other installations with hundreds of fasteners, you need a tool that will fit comfortably in your hand. Working overhead a lot? A small and lightweight driver will keep fatigue away. Plumbers or other workers in tight spots will want to get a short-profile driver to get as much working room as possible. Think about how you'll use it the most, and what will be best in those situations. New users beware - you will end up using this tool in far more ways than you expect! brand name - some brands offer longer warranties or have a reputation built around their repair services - allowing you to keep an old tool instead of replacing it! extras - a smaller feature may be final deciding factor between two similarly rated drivers. Variable speed triggers, direction switches, forward lights, automatic-brakes, comfort grips, belt hooks, and additional speed controls are some of the extra features a cordless impact driver may have.

Coming Soon to a Mailbox Near You

Video may have killed the radio star, but there many other modes of communication under threat from this powerful medium. There is no denying the internet video is one of the most powerful ways of reaching people. A message conveyed with moving images and sound can have a more instant and lasting effect on an audience than reading through pages of writing or traditional print media.

The progeny of the still image, video has exploded onto our computer screens and is also fast becoming an important corporate marketing tool. Not only that, companies are recognizing the ways that video can be used to upgrade or even replace existing marketing tools such as the e-Newsletter.

Businesses are now enlisting the help of filmmaking companies to boost their newsletters with video, realizing that the attention-grabbing qualities of the video can say more in a few seconds than any amount of text and help them to stand out from their competitors.

Delivered into the employee or customer's inbox, a short well-produced video can be the one stone hitting several of those marketing birds. Conveying news, new products or updates a video newsletter can keep a business engaged with customers and stand apart from those churning out the traditional text-based newsletters that are becoming all too easy to overlook.

Keeping in touch with employees is just as important, especially if the business is spread over multiple locations. Video can be used to offer training, best practice, demonstrations, case studies, or simply for management to keep in touch with a large workforce. There are additional benefits for your social media sites as this is easy to use as content for the company website or social networking updates. The video newsletter can provide a cost-effective way of getting the message across to as many people as possible, and quickly.

Quality is the key. Viewing and sharing videos on sites like YouTube and Google has become commonplace but can be a million miles away from the slick professional production sought by companies keen to make an impact while projecting the desired corporate image. Bad production can be an instant turn off, so unless you enlist the right skills, it's best not to include video.

With film and video production companies skilled in areas like scripting, animation and special effects, keeping up to date with the latest developments will be as easy as watching The Discovery Channel. So when thinking about updating your company's newsletter it may be worth remembering that actions speak louder than words.

Five Top Tips to Reduce Bullying at Work - We All Have Responsibility to Reduce

Can we stop bullying at work?

Friday was Stop Bullying at Work day in the UK, and I attended (and spoke at) a conference at our local healthcare NHS Trust.

One of the definitions of bullying at work is 'repeated less favourable treatment of an individual by one or more people in the workplace', and it was helpful to discuss this definition with staff. There was a comment, for example, that a 'one-off' situation can be so extremely upsetting that it stays with you for months. I acknowledged this but we then discussed the view that the person doing the upsetting was like this with everyone else, and therefore the bullying could be classed as repetitive. The atmosphere that this behaviour creates means that the individual who experienced a 'one off' knows that this is likely to re-occur.

These definitions are important for two reasons. Firstly, because the word bullying can be misused, sometimes on purpose to cause problems, and this in itself creates a bad atmosphere. We need to have a shared definition to allow us to talk about the problem and ensure we are discussing the same thing - again bad feelings can result if we are talking at cross-purposes. Secondly, because if bullying gets very bad, the legal eagles will get involved, and they will need to be sure that they can give evidence of bullying as it is legally defined.

We then talked about the problems that bullying creates for the individuals involved, including those watching. Although the business case tends to focus on poor performance and loss of productivity due to illness and turnover, I do believe that the moral case should be of prime importance. Employers are in my view morally obliged to ensure that staff can work in safe environments - ideally people should enjoy their work but I realise this is not always possible, but at least they should feel they are supported to be as productive as possible.

In the health sector most people are involved in the work because they want to make a difference and help other people - to try to do this in an atmosphere of fear and/or anxiety is against all the values we stand for. Of course, patients also bully staff, and that is also the responsibility of the employer to sort.

People who experience bullying from any source experience anxiety, irritability, depression, poor concentration, and a loss of self confidence. More serious physical and behavioural symptoms caused by stress include panic attacks, aggression, increased drug consumption and eventually for some attempts to commit suicide. Those who can leave their job, for those who cannot, it is a nightmare.

We all have a responsibility to stop bullying. Watching something going on without saying something (either through a conspiracy of silence or because one believes 'that is how it is around here') suits the bully and sometimes the organisation (although it is a very short-sighted view). Bullies can actually be worse off themselves if allowed to get away with it, as by the time it does get reported it can be so serious they will be taken to court, lose their jobs and so on. The cost to the organisation is multi-faceted, not just financial but reputation and staff morale.

There are many reasons why bullying happens. We have moved from the focus on the bully themselves (bad behaviour/personality) and the victim (must be doing something or be that type of person that gets picked on), to understanding the systems and cultures that allow or even encourage bullying to take place. Although bullying can be due to individual differences, discrimination, and power struggles, it is usually supported by systems and procedures. Overwork, organisational change, poor communication, and a culture of silence or 'bullying is just getting things done', can all increase the risk of bullying. Discrimination and prejudice can also make things worse, though there are often situations too where white middle class male bullies white middle class male - we all differ in so many ways it is best not to oversimplify! Organisations need to do more to ensure that procedures are robust, staff know what to do, feel safe reporting bullying, and understand that it is unacceptable. At the same time training should be done to ensure staff and managers understand what bullying is (versus being told to do your job), and how to manage conflict to stop the problem before it escalates. Diversity training can often help if issues are down to poor understanding of difference. Writing down incidents can give people a bit of a sense of control back to the situation, and can be used as evidence if things do escalate. However, the real key is to try to be open and explain when things are done that upset you, as often bullying is done in ignorance. If a bully is doing it on purpose, particularly when it is your manager or a group of co-workers (mobbing) then it gets very difficult to tell them the problem. That is when a listening ear (plus a formal procedure for raising issues) can be so very helpful.

Five key points for preventing bullying therefore are,

For the individual:

1. Wherever possible, express your feelings to the individual, in a calm manner, without getting too close, tell them to stop. 2. Immediately say it's not OK - once behaviour is established it's a lot more difficult to remove. Not only do people get used to behaving that way, but they may think you feel it is okay, and wonder why you are 'suddenly' complaining. 3. Log all incidents of bullying, whether you experience or witness the act. 4. Keep copies of all annual appraisals and letters/memos/emails relating to your ability to do the job 5. If you cannot confront the bully, try writing a memo/email to make it clear why you object to their behaviour. But wait a couple of hours before you send it, to give yourself time to ensure you have expressed yourself clearly and not said anything you will regret. Sometimes just writing it down can help you to get a better feeling about what needs to be done.

For the organization:

1. Have a clear policy and procedure (formal and informal) to deal with all cases. 2. Protect everyone (especially both the complainant and accused). That may mean moving someone in the short term - make sure it is the higher level person who is moved. 3. Train all employees to recognise bullying, deflate, deflect and avoid the conflict escalating. 4. Be seen to be fair and consistent - often the target gets moved. You cannot risk a culture where even some bullying is allowed. On the other hand, managers must be trained to be able to tell people to do their job without being accused of bullying. 5. Communicate your policy and the values it represents. Use it. Monitor its success. Review regularly to ensure you are achieving your aims.

Bullying at work is a sad fact of life for some people, but it is not inevitable and we should all take responsibility for reducing the level of bullying that goes on. As that famous saying goes 'bad things happen when good people stand by and do nothing'.

So if you see bullying, experience bullying, or even wonder yourself whether you may be bullying - don't just stand there - stop it!

Why Are Human Beings So Cruel?

Nine-eleven was al-Qa'eda's deliberate humiliation of the West. I remember saying 'Evil begets evil', and so I am not surprised that this act of barbarism was followed by what I consider to be disastrous wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

I would suggest that the brutality of some powerful people in the West can be heard in the voice of those politicians like US defence secretary Donald Rumsfeld who said "There just aren't enough targets in Afghanistan...We need to bomb something else to prove that we're, you know, big and strong and not going to be pushed around."

Can human cruelty not also be seen in the action of President Bush who tossed aside the civilised principle of habeas corpus by setting up Guantanamo and other torture centres?

These recent acts of human cruelty are part of a long history of man's inhumanity to man. Also come to mind are the massacres, looting and capturing of slaves by forces led by Attila the Hun in 5th century eastern Europe; the unrestricted bombing of civilians living in cities like Gunernica during the Spanish civil war; and the starvation, brutal treatment and extermination of Jews, and other victims of persecution in the Nazi concentration camps.

Human cruelty of course goes on all the time perhaps in less dramatic ways and in a much smaller scale than these. Malicious gossip can destroy a personal reputation; spiteful actions can result in huge distress; nasty comments within close relationships can cause longstanding wounds.

We can all succumb to anger but why do some people feel contempt, or want revenge and act out their feelings in these ways?

One answer that impresses me is to do with a common tendency towards self-orientation rather than concern for others and a materialistic rather than an ethical focus in our thinking. Depending on the way the individual chooses to live life, these two innocent inclinations can actually amount to self-centredness and preoccupation with bodily pleasures and possessions.

Prioritising number one means seeing things only from ones own selfish point of view rather than trying to understand the predicaments of others. Thinking in terms of physical things means neglecting the ethical dimension.

When people with this state of mind cannot get what they want, I would suggest they are likely to feel contempt towards those who do not favour them and revenge towards those who thwart their desires. Such hostility is the seed of cruel behaviour. When these feelings dominate and people believe they can get away with it, are they not more likely to do mischief, cause injury and act cruelly?

Not everyone thank goodness allows such ugly feelings to determine their actions. But some do. This is not to argue that people will not vary in their behaviour. Some are sometimes spontaneously cruel when experiencing strong feelings of scorn or wanting to get their own back on someone. Some people can make a deliberate plan to intentionally cause hurt. And yet others actually take sadistic pleasure in seeing inflicted pain.

Adolf Hitler is an example of the last of these who took great delight in repeatedly watching the film of the cruel deaths of those who had plotted to overthrow his regime. It's all a matter of individual choice.

The main religions all warn against the dangers of this kind of selfish anger that can go wild like a forest fire. In his book Essential Spirituality Roger Walsh quotes a famous Zen story to dramatically makes this point.

A Japanese warrior approached a Zen master to request answers to some questions that had been troubling him. 'What is it you want to know?' queried the Zen master.

'Tell me sir, do heaven and hell exist?' 'Ha! Snorted the Zen master in a tone that was half-laugh half-sneer. 'What makes you think that you could understand such things? You are only an uneducated, brutish soldier. Don't waste my time with your silly questions.'

For an instant the warrior froze in shock. No one, but no one ever speaks to a Japanese warrior like that. It meant instant death. 'Are you too stupid to understand what I said?' roared the Zen master. 'Stop wasting my time and get out of here.'

The warrior exploded with rage. His hand flew like lightning to his sword and swept it aloft for the kill. But in the split second before the sword descended to crush the monk's skull, he heard the words.

'This is the gate to hell.'

Again the warrior froze in astonishment. His own rage brought hell to him and those he attacked. And the master had risked his life to make this fact inescapably clear. Breathing deeply, he slowly replaced his sword and bowed humbly in awe and respect.

'And this,' smiled the Zen master, 'is the gate to heaven.'

Copyright 2011 Stephen Russell-Lacy

Roman Hamrlik

Roman Hamrlik was drafted first overall by the Tampa Bay Lightning in 1992. He has played for many teams over his long hockey career including the Flames, Oilers and Islanders. Hamrlik was selected to play in All Star games three times throughout his career: in 1996, 1999 and 2003. He also represented his home country, the Czech Republic, at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano Japan and helped carry them to a gold medal championship.

Hamrlik was signed as an unrestricted free agent in 2005 by the Calgary Flames. His contract was worth around 7 million dollars over two years. In Calgary, Hamrlik played a big part in the development of Dion Phaneuf's game. During the 2007 off-season Hamrlik signed with the Habs. Much has been made of his big four year 22 million dollar contract (which works out to around 5.5 million per year). Many analysts say he is overpaid although this contract is what it took for Hamrlik to be attracted to the Canadiens organization when he was an unrestricted free agent back in 2007.

Part of Roman Hamrlik's game is to throw his body around. Hamrlik is 6 foot 2 inches and is not afraid of throwing the big hit. He is a very versatile veteran, Hamrlik can be used on the power play as well as on the penalty kill.

Some of Roman Hamrlik's strengths include his physicality. You will never see Hamrlik go easy on a puck carrier in a corner, he is one of the most competitive players on the Canadiens. Hamrlik is also a great puck mover with crisp passes. After almost 20 seasons in the NHL he has really developed a complete game. Even though he is a veteran, Roman Hamrlik is capable of logging much ice time while still being effective. Hamrlik played a critical part of the Canadiens' defence logging lots of minutes during Andrei Markov's absence in 2009-2010.

Of course no one is perfect and Hamrlik is no exception. Some of Roman Hamrlik's faults include his occasional turnovers. His best years are behind him and he is not the fastest cat in the league. Also his conditioning plays a part in his performance. You won't see Hamrlik do end to end rushes, he has transformed from an offensive defenceman early in his career to more of a stay at home defenceman.

Roman Hamrlik was supposedly associating with a member of the Russian Mafia along with the Kostitsyn brothers. They all had connections to Pasquela Mangiola, who is part of an organized crime organization. Charged with firearms and drug offenses, Mangiola was taken into custody during operation axe. No charges were laid on Hamrlik or the Kostitsyns.

Hamrlik's nickname has always been the Hammer. His nickname, the Hammer, stems from his last name Hamrlik and also from Hamrlik's big hits he will dish out which are few and far between compared to earlier in Hamrlik's career.

One of Roman Hamrlik's defining tendencies is to stop right before gathering a puck behind his net and then jolting his opponents with thunderous checks.

Kiplinger's Retire Worry-Free - Money-Smart Ways to Build the Nest Egg You'll Need

Even if today's retirees live better that those of fifty to sixty years ago, a future retiree's financial security can be planned or improved upon while he or she is still working. With the economy in its present gloom and doom mode and the companies phasing out and reducing retirement benefits, doesn't it make sense for today's workers to think and plan their own retirement far ahead of time?

Although highly experienced investors may be able to do just fine for themselves, Kiplinger's Retire Worry-Free introduces the average or inexperienced investors to retirement planning and to getting the most out of their financial means. After the introduction from the editor-in-chief, chapter one of the book redefines retirement by making the reader think about making sure he'll have enough means to live well when he retires.

Then, chapter two has the pointers, charts, and workbook pages for estimating how much the worker will need in his golden years. Chapter three, a chapter any young worker should pay attention to, shows how to save and make more money for retirement planning and how to manage debts in the best way possible.

Chapter four is about the retirement plans -self-directed or otherwise- a worker's company offers. Chapter five brings up the social security benefits; chapter six is about making sure the retiree-to-be will have enough insurance and long-term care insurance. Chapter seven deals with IRAs and chapter eight with setting up one's own pension plan. Chapter nine is about making good investment choices. This chapter includes sixty-eight key investment terms and some information on stock basics, bonds, annuities, gold, and real estate investments. Chapter ten introduces the worker to several smart tactics and strategies of investment.

Chapter eleven and twelve address pension payouts and monitoring the retirement plans as things change through time. At the end of chapter twelve, there are referrals to Financial Planning Association, National Association of Personal Financial Advisors, and The American Institute of CPAs. The book ends with a very usable index. The language of the book is clear and direct, and it can be easily understood even by the not-so-savvy.

Kiplinger's Retire Worry-Free, sixth edition, is in paperback and 304 pages, with ISBN-10: 1427797188 and ISBN-13: 978-1427797186. The book is published by Kaplan Publishing and written by the editors of Kiplinger's Personal Finance, the personal finance magazine.

Since this book shows how to plan for retirement, it is for people who are still young enough to be in their working years rather than the already retired, and it will make a great gift to any young person or worker looking to plan his or her retirement.

Expected Behavior From an Ideal Pet Owner in a Pet Friendly Hotel

Pets are some of the most valued cohorts of many people. They share a close bonding with the owner. But sometimes when you are going for long duration breaks of days, weeks or months, it becomes almost impossible to travel without your pet. Due to you natural love and care about your pet you feel anxious about it. But a pet friendly hotel is what that can help you to a great extent.

The pet friendly hotels are the exceptionally dedicated customer service hotels that warmly welcome and cater to their four legged guests. These are the specific lodges, resorts, vacation rentals, hotels or accommodations which serve your pampered pet in a desirable manner. In return they expect a sincere behavior from you apart from their routine charges. Being a responsible pet owner the manners that you should follow are explained as under;

1. Check again about the pet admission in to the place where you are planning to take the rental. Do not rely on the verbal assurance and ask for the written proof where the "pets allowed" phrase is especially mentioned.

2. Confirm whether they have any breed, size or color discrimination? Make it clear beforehand as some pet friendly rentals impose this restriction.

3. While entering in to that place inform the check- in person that you have a pet and ask them about the rules and restrictions for the same.

4. Keep your pet tagged with the identification tag all the time. The identification tag should consist of the pet's name, name of the owner, contact number, address, etc.

5. Always have a photograph of your pet with you so that the searches are easier in case it is lost.

6. Try to keep it leashed whenever you are out of your room so that it may not run off. Sometimes pets behave in a strange manner due to the unusual settings, so it is better not to leave him unattended.

7. Do not allow your pet to sit or sleep on the furniture unless you have not covered it with a sheet.

8. Place the food and water containers in to the bathroom and that too on a sheet or a newspaper for smooth cleaning.

These are some of the primary things that you should keep in mind while you are going for a vacation rental.

Try to abide by these rules so that the undesirable events can be eliminated. To prove your ideal status and enjoy a safe stay, give it a thought.

Unique Ways to Advertise a Product or Business

Clever and unusual marketing ideas

The following are some ways to promote your business that are a bit unusual and out of the ordinary.

1. Post signs on the stalls in bathrooms.

2. Create coupon flyers and hand them out in heavy traffic places.

3. Place business cards inside books in libraries and bookstores that pertain to the items you are selling or in books about running a business.

4. Create an audio file with your voice and ad and post it on the internet

5. Create a podcast promoting your business.

6. Create a video promoting your business.

7. Make wearable signs with poster board and wear them around town. 8. Write your ad on a whole bunch of stickers and put them on your clothes to attract attention.

9. Create a new yahoo group with the subject and theme of your business.

10. Find or create a costume of an item you sell and wear it.

11. Place some drawing bowls in businesses and hold a weekly or monthly drawing for free products

12. Create a free ebook and include your ad.

13. Create free cd software and include your ad.

14. Stop by yard sales and offer to sell your items and donate some of the profit to the home owners.

15. Offer to teach a workshop on a different subject and give out business cards or other advertising materials at the workshop.

16. Write a song to promote your items and business.

17. Advertise in Spanish speaking newspapers or magazines.

18. If you have the talent you can create useful worksheets or activities in a subject and post them on your website with your ad at the bottom.

19. Ask your local library about selling some of your items in their friends of the library store and donating a portion of the proceeds.

20. Write your ad in chalk on sidewalks.

21. Post up signs for your business at bus stops.

22. Put your ad on the back of some playing cards and sell or give them away.

23. Put door hangers on the doors of businesses and business offices.

Truth Nugget 3 - One View On Being Still And Knowing God

Psalm 46 says to be still and know that I am God. Being still means to still the mind. You must be conscious of the thoughts you give your attention to. Thought consciousness takes practice.

We have been conditioned to think or dwell on whatever thoughts come into our minds. We do not have to do this. It is a choice. If you are in the company of individuals who are speaking about that which you do not want to be concerned about, you automatically change the subject or you leave the presence of those individuals. Same thing with your thoughts. If a thought grabs your attention, weigh the thought to decide if you want to think that thought. If so, proceed on with developing the thought further. If you decide this is not something you want to think about, change the thought to something more pleasing.

The process of watching, weighing and judging your thoughts is completely in your control but you must first of all decide if you want to do this for yourself. Here I suggest meditation. If you are not accustomed to any type of meditation, start with only 5 minutes. Increase the time as you continue this practice. Be still and be quiet before the Lord to hear what the Lord wants to say to you. Don't ask any question during these 5 minutes, just be quiet. Ignore thoughts that come into your mind that tell you to think about what's for dinner or that you really should be doing the laundry. You may even hear thoughts that remind you to go visit a sick friend. Noble as any thoughts can be, refuse to act on these thoughts. Be still before the Lord instead.

We have covered the be-still part of the scripture now let's cover the 2nd half which says to know that I am God. How often it is written in the Bible that the Lord speaks and says, "I am the Lord your God." Are these powerful words to you or are they just words on a page that you read during some type of Bible study?

We should not be complacent with inactive thinking sessions when studying Holy Scriptures because this blocks and prohibits one from grasping the full meaning of who God is. We all know that God is invisible and you cannot see him through the 5 senses that govern this world. Does it mean that God is non-existent just because you cannot see, touch, hear, smell or grab hold of him as you would an object of choice?

Listed here are a few beginning passages from the Old Testament of the Christian Bible where the Lord speaks to whoever has ears to hear. Search the scriptures to learn who God is and decide for yourself if you want to get to know God as the God of your life. It is an individual choice. • I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward. Genesis 15:1 • I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect. Gen 17:1 • I am the God of Abraham thy father: fear not, for I am with thee, and will bless thee, and multiply thy seed for my servant Abraham's sake. Gen 26:24 • I am the LORD that healeth thee. Ex 15:26 • I am gracious. Ex 22:27

Zambia Safari Top Five National Parks

Zambia is Africa's best kept secret as far as safaris go. The country is a virtual unknown in comparison to other more traditional destinations but a Zambia safari can be every bit as good and in some cases even better.

This top five list of the best national parks and game reserves in the country gives you a taste of what to expect. It has been compiled from zambia safari reviews at the African Safari Journals website, forums, travel magazines, industry expert opinions and my own twenty year plus African safari experience.

1. South and North Luangwa NP

Some experts have branded the Luangwa National Park as one of the greatest wildlife sanctuaries in the world because the density of game you can find here mixed with the isolation and pure unadulterated wildness of it is almost without compare.

Because it is reasonably undiscovered except to the locals in the know and a select few foreign visitors, it hasn't been overrun by masses of tourists yet and you can experience a safari here as it should be and some say that is the best Africa has to offer.

There are over 60 species of animal here with the unfortunate exception of rhino because they were poached into extinction and over 400 different kinds of birds.

They all rely on and are drawn to the winding Luangwa river which is crowded with some of the biggest concentrations of hippo and crocodile you will find anywhere in Africa. it has been estimated that there are 50 hippos per kilometre of this congested river.

The South Luangwa was the birthplace of the walking safari and it is still a very popular way to explore the area from a quality collection of safari lodges and camps. Night drives are another excellent way to see leopard which are reputed to be more regularly seen in this park than anywhere else in Africa because of the high concentrations of the predator. Lions and even rare sightings like honey badger, civet and wild dog are likely to be seen.

To take the true zambia safari adventure a step farther, the northern luangwa area is even more remote, wild and isolated than the south and the wildlife and bird viewing experience is from the top draw. Definitely one for the safari cognoscenti.

2. Mosi-oa-Tunya NP

Despite its hard to pronounce name this park has something very special up its sleeve. That awe inspiring wonder of the world: The Victoria Falls. As far as natural spectacles go, this is one of the best in Africa. Mosi-oa-tunya can be literally translated as "the smoke that thunders".

And thunder it does, so much so that the spray from the water crashing over the edge into the gorge below is enough to drench you to the bone as you go closer. The water travels onwards into a frothing maelstrom known aptly as the "boiling pot" before breaking into numerous rapids as it makes it way underneath the Victoria falls bridge which connects Zimbabwe and Zambia and then farther along into Batoka Gorge.

The park comprises the falls and a small strip of land 66 kilometres long on the North bank of the Zambesi which is worth a short visit to see what are probably Zambia's only remaining rhino (the rest have been poached into extinction). You might also see a small scattering of baboon, elephant, sable, giraffe, eland buffalo and impala.

3. Kafue NP

This is the largest national park in Zambia and is situated in the western part of the country.

The Kafue river provides the life-giving sustenance to a vast number of antelope species like the red lechwe in their thousands, hartebeest, oribi, duker, sable, roan, puka and waterbuck to name a few and the whole rouges gallery of predators are accounted for here too. The only animal that you won't find on a Zambia safari here is the giraffe.

It is advisable to go further north to the Basenga floodplain because game spotting is much better there due to thick woodlands obscuring views in the south. This floodplain sometimes retreats in the dry season trapping hapless hippo and crocodile in an ever shrinking mudbath.

Some of the roads in the park are not in good condition and are only drivable using a 4x4 vehicle and most of the safari lodges and accommodation is in the North.

With over 400 bird species recorded such as the wattled crane, goliath herons and purple crested lourie birders will have a ball here and budding fisherman can get tackle and rods from the lodges to land fresh water pike, barbel and bream.

4. Lochinvar NP

Another national park situated on the Kafue river floodplain, this wetland and savannah dominated national park has fewer mammals but is a bird paradise.

There are a large amount of Kafue lechwe (about 30 000) living here and some wildebeest and zebra herds but the only big game you will find is restricted to hippo, buffalo, leopard and spotted hyena but if you are a birder the over 420 species of bird will more than make up for that.

5. Lower Zambesi NP

One of Zambia's newest parks and it is still reasonably undeveloped but the beauty of this park lies in the ability to get close to animals on both sides of the river like elephant, buffalo, hippo and crocodile using canoe or motor boats which they seem to ignore until you are virtually right on top of them.

And being predominantly a water park there are an amazing amount of bird species here like the fish eagle, kingfishers, parrots, hornbills and lovebirds and for the anglers there are tiger fish, bream and vundu (a sort of catfish that can weigh op to 50kg) inhibiting these waters just waiting to be pulled out on a Zambia safari.

Why You Shouldn't Put Off Basement Waterproofing for a Minute Longer

It's no joke, if you are not sure that basement waterproofing is necessary for your home, well you might be in for a wakeup call later on down the road if unseen or undetected cracks in the floor of your basement or walls start leaking water. It's natural for a home to settle and shift over time, and when this occurs - which is due to a combination of pressure from the support beams, the always shifting earth that the home is situated on, and shifts in the ground, pressure and humidity, as well as some other factors - it can create cracks in the foundation. A good rule of thumb is to have your home inspected for these cracks at least one time per year. This way, you can have basement waterproofing completed on any cracks that are suspect or that may be in question before they vein and spread, creating a larger area that would be more prone to water seepage.

A quick inspection of the floor in your basement or the walls can tell you a lot about your basement waterproofing. Do you notice teeny little cracks in the floor or the walls? If they have not been filled in or sealed, then your basement waterproofing may need to be reassessed. It's those smaller cracks that seem so harmless that can actually escalate into a full scale basement flooding epidemic. Thankfully, they are not generally a danger right away. But they are something that you should have inspected and diagnosed as soon as possible. Consider this: what if you could easily seal up any cracks in the floor, foundation and walls using a simple method of basement waterproofing that fills and seals them, and never have to worry about your basement becoming flooded again? When you compare the cost, headache and nightmare of a flooded home, it just makes some profound sense to have those little cracks sealed, and with them your worries sealed away as well, so you can enjoy peace of mind.

How it Works

In case you are wondering how basement waterproofing works, it's actually a rather streamlined process. You can conduct an initial inspection yourself to check for cracks and broken surfaces. If you do happen to find some, then it may be time to call out a professional. They will examine the surface of your floor and walls using expert methods to detect any areas that may cause for moisture leakage. After assessing the integrity of your basement, an expert can advise you on what they recommend. In most cases of basement waterproofing, the cracks are filled in and sealed using a special fast-drying compound that is waterproof and that also bonds with the concrete, essentially making it like those cracks were never there. Considering how affordable basement waterproofing is these days, if you make it part of your annual home checkup, you can catch any problems while they are minor and before they get out of hand. Don't come back home from vacation only to find a flooded house when a little bit of foresight goes a very long way.

Making It As a Screenwriter: Is My Idea Good Enough?

THAT is the one question you should constantly ask yourself BEFORE you ever type one word.

FACT: Someone else has the same idea or has had one that is very similar.

FACT: You have to come up with some very unique twist or way of telling the story that has not been done.

FACT: You have to love this idea so much that you will commit yourself to working on it for the next 4-6 months.

FACT: Do not worry about current trends, box office hits or anything else; WRITE WHAT YOU ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT.

MYTH: Your idea/concept is so fantastic that producer's will rush to buy your script.

I know, a bit depressing, but it's how things work in Hollywood. So, how do you know if your idea or concept is good enough? Simple.

Ask yourself these questions:

What kind of movie do I want to write? Independent, TV Movie or a Studio Blockbuster? Who will watch my movie? Who is my audience? There are Four Quadrants that sell to a specific audience type. They're broad and will be enjoyed by: males over 25 males under 25 woman over 25 women under 25. Is it similar to a movie audiences have seen yet it has a unique twist or premise? What's the budget? Micro (under $100k), Low Budget (under 10 million), or High Budget (100 million+)[1]. Try to stay away from writing a script that falls in the $20 -$40 million range. This is a no-man's land for most projects. Is it High Concept? Can I tell the whole movie in less than 60 words, or better yet, only one sentence? Story Rights. If this is a true story or based upon a real person or event, do you control or own the rights? Step carefully here. True stories are the current rage in Hollywood, and optioning or purchasing "the rights" to a book or someone's life story can be expensive. And please don't write something about your own life story... it screams amateur and it will be very evident in the script. Unless you are some sort of decorated hero and saved the world, keep that concept tucked away until you are established and can afford to take a chance on it. Theme. Most movies have a theme, but not all. It is sometimes hard to nail this down prior to writing, but some sort of theme will emerge as you begin to outline or write. Just make sure it resonates throughout your script. Time Period? Is this a contemporary, past or future time? When does the story take place? Stick with present day if you want to increase your chances of getting it optioned or sold. What is the Genre? Horror, Sci-Fi, Comedy, Thriller, Action/Adventure, etc... Most great scripts are a combination of at least two of these genres. Look at Cowboys and Aliens for example. A Western with futuristic Aliens? Don't you wish you had thought of that one? Do you have the story mapped out? Many writer do a Treatment or skeletal Outline before they do anything else (myself included). A Treatment can just be several pages of the story as you envision it. When you do this, it really helps you see the script from beginning to end, identify holes, and usually tells you if this concept will stand up to the rigors of 100 pages.

Do this exercise every time you begin a new concept and you will have a much stronger story to tell. [1] These figures are only estimates, but you get the idea.

Dedicated Gadget Insurance Can Save You Money

Did you know that the average person carries about £851 worth of hand held gadgets with them every day? Having dedicated gadget insurance can save you money by offering various types of protection against theft, loss, breakdown and accidental damage.

According to the Zurich Insurance survey that revealed the statistic mentioned above, the average Londoner carries even more gadgets on a daily basis - worth £1034.

Insurance cover is available for nearly every common type of electronic gadget including mobile phones, PDAs, iPods, laptops, PCs and GPS devices. Look for an affordable insurance policy that protects the common gadgets and electronics that you carry with you every day.

Theft of electronic gadgets has been on the rise, and every year well millions are lost, stolen, damaged or simply break down. In one year alone, more than 1 million gadgets are lost or damaged by simply dropping them in the toilet or in one's drink, or by accidentally including then in the laundry wash!

An average insurance premium for one electronic item is £5.88 a month, and you can currently cover three items from £9.99, and five items for around £14.99. Not much of an expense for the peace of mind that you will have knowing that your gadgets are protected. Note that in many cases household insurance does not cover personal belongings away from home, or the policy will charge a high excess for such coverage. In most cases, even with the extra coverage the household insurance will not cover breakdown. According to estimates, about £5bn of items are unprotected in this way.

The better insurance policies protect against theft including incidents where items are left unattended in secure vehicles or secure premises. The policy covers all mobile phones and PDAs against loss, and offers extended warranties on all items except laptops. The policy also includes accidental damage coverage, international coverage, free mobile phone contact backup, and a 48-hr phone replacement guarantee.

The policy, however, does not cover unattended items except when left in secure vehicles. There is also an excess charge of £75 for any claim relating to laptop insurance, £50 for all iPhone claims, and £25 for any other claim. International claims have a £75 excess fee.

If your gadget breaks down, good insurers will repair or replace the item in a speedy fashion (laptops not included). The company will first determine whether the item is best repaired, and if not it will replace the gadget instead. All gadgets will either be repaired or replaced in case of accidental damage with some exceptions, e.g., deliberate damage of the item.

Theft coverage requires that the stolen item be reported to the police, and in the case of mobile phones, the theft must also be reported to the provider, within a specified time period. The mobile service provider will stop the service and blacklist the phone. Once this is accomplished, you could have a replacement phone to you within 48 hours.

You can usually conduct the whole claim process over the phone or online, and you do not have to complete a written claim form. Once all the information is received, the claim is processed within 48 hours.

Finally, alternative payment plans are often available. For example, with some insurers if you pay monthly then you get one month free insurance, and two free months for annual payments.

Hosting An Open House To Sell Your Home

When selling your house "by owner" you don't have the advantage of a real estate agent with tons of clients so you need to draw people to your house and one way is to have an open house. This will require some prep work and a bit of your time but can reel in potential buyers and get the word out about your home.

The best day for an open house is Sunday. This is the day most people spend with their families and are out and about running errands so zipping over to an open house is a nice break. It's best to hold it during the day so people can see the house in daylight. Plan to have the open house for several hours - like noon to 4. Put an ad in the real estate section of the paper a week ahead of time and let it run all week.

Your ad should list the time for the open house, the address, some special amenities of the home like how many bedrooms or if it has a nice view, the asking price and a phone number where they can reach you.

Now you are ready to do some of the prep work to make your house irresistible to buyers. You should already have fixed up any broken or half finished projects around the house. Are there places where the paint is dingy? Then repaint. What about that half done molding in the dining room that has been like that so long that you are blind to it? Finish it, your buyers will notice anything and everything so you need to look at your house with a critical eye and remove anything that might be an obstacle to someone purchasing your home.

Go outside and look at your house from the street. Does it have curb appeal? This is the first impression your potential buyer will get so it pays to spruce up the outside. Make sure your landscaping is crisp and colorful and walkways and lighting work properly.

On the morning of the open house, you must make sure your house is spotless. Put away the dishes, make the beds, vacuum the rugs, clean the bathrooms and maybe even add some flowers and put on the coffee. Take notice of how your house smells - you want a nice aroma or fresh smell to hit buyers when they come into your home. Why not bake some cookies? It will make the house smell great and you'll have some yummy treats to offer your guests.

For an open house, a clean home is a necessity. Although it is a good idea to stage your house or set up each room to fit its best potential, you will score more points with a spotless home. No one wants to buy a house that looks like it hasn't been cared for.

Make sure each room has the appropriate lighting and if the showing is in the evening, turn on accents lights for ambiance. Enhane the look of each room and avoid having your guests fumble for the light switch by using table lamps. This will make your rooms look warmer than a glaring overhead light.

If you want to make your rooms look brighter and larger, try adding some mirrors. People want their homes to be bright and a mirror can reflect the light from a window or door.

Make sure you pick up all the clutter around the house. Outside, you need to store all childrens toys and bikes neatly in the garage or shed. Inside, pick up all toys and put away in cupboards remove all magnets and notes from the fridge and make sure there is no clutter around the tables or on the floors.

It's a good idea to send the kids and pets away during the showing. You don't want anything to distract your potential buyers from the beauty of your home.