Rosetta Stone: Is It As Good As a Language Class?

One of the reasons that Rosetta Stone is such a popular way to learn a new language is that a lot of people don't have the time to take a language class. This does raise the question of whether or not the program is as good as a language class.

Whether or not you find Rosetta Stone to be a good as a language class is going to depend on your goals. In reality there are very different purposes to the two ways of learning so which on is better is going to depend in large part on what you need to learn. The main advantage that a language class offers is that it allows you to study your new language in far more depth than you could with just language software. This makes it ideal for learning the rules of grammar.

Rosetta Stone on the other hand has the goal of getting you to the point where you can actually use the new language in as short a time as possible. Things like grammar tend to get glossed over. When you are done with Rosetta Stone you will be able to carry on a conversation but you will by no means be fluent. However once you do have the basics down you will be able to work on things like grammar simply by talking to people and listening to the way that they speak.

Really a language class and Rosetta Stone are two different ways of doing the same thing. Some people prefer to learn in one way while others prefer the other way. Therefore you are going to have to think about how you like to learn. If you find that you learn best having somebody there to help you than you are probably better off with a language class. On the other hand if you like to learn on your own you will almost certainly find Rosetta Stone to be a better option.

If you really want to get good at a new language one other option that may be worth considering is to use both at the same time. A lot of people do just this and find that it works very well. They take a part time class where they can learn the formal rules of the language and where they have access to an instructor if they need help. In between classes they can use Rosetta Stone as a way to make sure that they get good at the basics and to build up their grammar.

The Uses of Heavy Duty Tarps

There are many different uses for heavy duty tarps. There are also many different people who use them. Tarps are extremely versatile objects that can be used for just about anything by just about anyone. The people who use tarps range the full gambit from housewives to industrial workers. In order to understand everyone who uses tarps it is important to first look at why tarps are used.

Tarps can be used as covers carports, pools, or anything else you do not want to get wet. They make excellent temporary covers for cars, boats, and ATVs as well. You can use them to keep the sun off expensive paint jobs and motorcycles. Most people who own a vehicle can benefit from a good tarp.

Tarps can also be used for temporary roofing. A lot of the metal frame buildings use the heavy duty type of tarp as a roof. This is not completely waterproof unless you use a tarp to cover the sides but it does keep the sun off and most of the rain off of various things. These make a nice place to store objects temporarily or make a workspace for the handy man in your family.

Some tarps can even be used to cover areas in the winter. Plants will stay warm under a well placed tarp if you put them there in winter. You can also use tarps to cover the sides of porches to keep the cold out. A heat lamp can be put under a tarp to stop plants from freezing.

There are a lot of different uses and types of tarps. Most tarps can be used by simply fastening them to things with bungee cords or zip ties. They are great to cover almost everything.

Heavy duty tarps are one of the most useful items and every household should have at least one of them. It can be used to cover or protect almost anything including cargo on a truck. They can be used by just about anyone because they are simple to put up and take down.

How an Online Fax Can Save You Money

These days, everyone is concerned with saving money especially when it comes to those bills which have to be paid each month. Those ongoing expenses are the ones we really have to reduce if you truly want to save money. This is where online fax enters the picture and supplies some relief. Now, if you have a regular fax machine for your business or company, then you will probably also have the monthly expense of a dedicated fax phone line. This is usually a different line from your personal phone.

Since online faxing is simply using the Internet and your email system to send and receive your faxes, you don't need this extra fax phone line. So by using online fax you can save on this extra monthly cost. Then since online fax is paperless you don't need any papers, inks, toners or even a fax machine for that matter. This will also save you money because we all know keeping that old fax machine supplied with papers, inks and toners... do add up.

Now there is another area where using online fax can save you money. This has to do with junk faxes, if you operate a business you will probably already know, junk or spam faxes can eat up a lot of your resources. These junk faxes are useless and make a direct dive for the trash can, but they can cost you in wasted paper and ink - not to mention tying up your fax line and giving off a busy signal. Since online fax uses computers to store your faxes, all your faxes are all digital (usually in a Tiff or PDF file format) and can be easily discarded without wasting any paper or other resources.

In case you're not familiar with online fax, this may need further explanation, your faxes are sent as email attachments. You can store these attachments/faxes on your computer or in your online account which most online fax service providers give you. Any junk faxes that you receive can be easily deleted from your system and you have no need to print them out or have them in paper form. Plus, you can also stop these junk faxes from even arriving by blocking the fax numbers associated with these junk faxes. All this will save you time and money by not having to waste your resources on any more junk faxes.

We all know, the key to saving money when purchasing operating services is to pick a service or product which exactly meets our needs. Your online fax service can be tailored to perfectly match your needs since there are corporate plans available with most services. You can design a service which meets your fax needs. Likewise, if your faxing needs are very minimum, you can get an online service for only 3 or 4 dollars a month or you can even get a "pay as you go" fax plan which really will keep your faxing expenses very low.

By now you should be getting the picture, that using online fax is very economical and will save you money on your faxing expenses. No extra fax phone line, no need to purchase a fax machine, no need to buy papers, inks and toners each month. Plus, no more company resources wasted on junk faxes. Throw in the fact that online faxing is available on any portable device with a web connection, and you not only have a money saver but also a real time saver as well.

Boost Security With a Digital Lock

When you stumbled on the title of this article, you must have started wondering why you need to go through the hassle of getting your regular locks substituted with a digital lock. Well, the answer to this question is as far as the next few lines.

What are Digital Locks?

The term is self explanatory; it is just like a conventional lock but with an automated system. Traditionally, you had to use a lock and key in order to secure your property. Now you only have to punch in a security code to enter your home or office. This digital lock is fixed on the door and you just have to punch in the access code to get in.

Digital locks are a new fad in the world of security systems. In fact, this type of locks has acquired a lot of fame over the past few years due to prominent features like keypad door admittance, finger print door admittance or the blend of both. Besides, thieves will have to learn a lot of techniques and spend a lot of time to break the code of the digital locks. Digital lock picking is almost an impossible task!

The Types of Locks You Can Add

When it comes to types, there is a variety of digital locks to choose from. First off, you have electronic key card locks. These will coordinate with the software of your company and give access to authorized personnel only. Another type is the biometric lock,which uses fingerprints as a way of identifying authorized personnel. There are also some locks which can be controlled using a remote control. However, if you're looking for something more elaborate, you can use classier systems such as face recognition. Keep in mind that this service is very effective in numerous ways but can be quite taxing on your pocket.

The Advantages of This System

There are numerous benefits you can reap with this system installed at your work or home, some of which are:

1) Complete Safety - You won't have to worry about your prized possessions or your beloved family's security with this automated system. Besides, thieves will have a hard time breaking this system, which means that chances of illegal entry will decrease if not completely diminish.

2) Convenience - This benefit is divided on multiple levels. First off, you will get be free from having to carry keys around. This is especially important for those who tend to misplace their keys often. These locks are also convenient because they save you from having to locate your keys, especially when you have your hands full with papers or groceries.

3) Remote Operation - If your property or office is large, you can easily operate the lock remotely. As a result, you won't have to go up and down the stairs or send someone to open the door. You will, however, require to add an audio or video system as well to hear or see whoever is coming in.

Daytrading The Forex Market

The foreign exchange market (the forex) can be a treacherous market to trade especially if you are not properly equipped for the job. You will need to give attention to the following: the equipment and type of internet connection you have; the overall amount of capital you can put at risk on this enterprise, as well as the amount of capital you are prepared to risk on any one trade;your broker and the reliability of the trading platform; charts and technical analysis; good entry and exit signals; being aware of news releases affecting this market; the need to use a stop loss on each trade to protect your position; the cutting of losses if a trade goes against you; and the compounding of profits.

You will ideally need a Pentium 4 desktop computer running Windows XP with a processor speed of 2.5GHZ and 512MB of RAM. The monitor needs to be at least 17", but 19" or bigger is better. You could get away with a 56K dial-up connection but broadband is usually far better in terms of stability.Some people have been known to trade this market successfully from a laptop which give them mobility.

YOu will need a minimum of $20,000 risk capital to trade this market. "Risk capital" means that it doesn't include money you require for living from month to month, and therefore you can employ it in the market for speculative purposes. The reason for the entry figure being so high is that it is inadvisable to risk more than 3% of your total risk capital on any one trade. On this basis, the most you should be putting at risk on any one trade is $600 ( that is $20,000 X 3%) using full lots. You could start with a lesser amount of risk capital by using mini lots and still maintain the maximum 3% loss any one trade.

You will need to choose a broker wisely for three reasons: his financial stability; the stability of the platform he provides; and the spread per transaction. It is best to chose a broker with a proven record in the forex market operating from a well-regulated country such as the USA, UK or Switzerland.This market was only opened up to speculators in 1997, so forex brokers haven't got as long a history as stockbrokers.It is therefore best to chose on the basis of size -you are looking a broker with at least 10,000 clients operating from one of the aforementioned countries. The functionality of the platform the broker provides is important for the execution and tracking of live trades. What you don't want is a platform that always keeps going down at crucial moments in your trading day. In my experience, the platforms belonging the the major brokers are now very reliable although there might be a problem with the continuity of data displayed from time to time. With regard to the spreads on the 4 majors coupled with the USD, don't pay any more than 2-3 pips on the euro or yen, and no more than 3-4 on the pound or Swiss franc.

People who trade the forex market off fundamental analysis have been known to stay in the positions taken for multiple days, weeks, months or even years. If you are daytrading this market, however, you haven't got much choice but to use technical analysis as the basis of your decisions. Therefore charts become vitally important in the decision making process. candlestick charts are the easiest to follow on the screen as it simple to distinguish a bull candle from a bear one just by viewing the different colors. With charts, especially at the start of your trading day, it is best to use the top-down approach. Even though your entry and exits may be made off the 15 minute chart, you should start the day by looking at the daily chart to get the big picture. Then the 4 hour chart, the 1 hour chart and 30 minute can each in turn be consulted prior to your regular chart (the 15 minute) in order to get the top-down perspective on the market.

Breakouts from support or resistance offer good entry points for trades. A support line can be drawn by joining the bottoms of two candles that stand lower than their immediate neighbors remembering that the support line must be tilted upwards therefore the nearest candle the line is connected to must be higher than the further away one. If this line is then extended into the future and is confirmed by a third candle touching the line you have a solid support line. When a candle breaks this support line and a 15 minute candle closes below it and subsequent candles go 5 pips (or points) beyond the bottom of the candle which broke the support line, you have a valid entry point for a short trade (that is selling the currency pair being traded). Resistance lines are done on the same basis except that the initial line drawn must have a downward slope which when broken and the the other criteria for entry is met, gives you a valid long entry (that is buying the currency pair being traded).

Before you start your trading day, it is imperative that the daytrader knows when economic news affecting the currency pairs being traded is scheduled to be released.There are various websites that do this but the best one that I have found is www.dailyfx.com If you go to their Home Page, and click on the Calendar tab at the top, a page will open with the words "Weekly Economic Calender for ....." on the top left hand side on which you click to take you to the page where all the scheduled news for the world's major currency pairs are listed on a daily basis. The times of the news releases are given in both GMT and EST so you may have to compensate depending on which time zone you happen to be in the world. Knowing when the news is going to be released is crucial, because depending on its strength it may be sensible if you are in a trade that is making a profit, to take profits before the news hits the wire, or at least tighten up your stop.

It is also sensible never to trade without a stop. For daytrading a stop in the region of 20 - 30 pips is sensible. This is the loss you are prepared to take on the trade if it goes against you. It is also sensible to set your profit objective higher than your loss by 25% -50% dependent upon the quality of the signal generated. Only risk 3% of your risk capital on any one trade. If you start off with $20,000 risk capital and after 4 months or so you have found that it has grown to $40,000, now use 2 lots per trade and thereby employ compounding.When you capital grows to $60,000, you would employ 3 lots and so forth. If your selection criteria is good your capital can build at a surprising rate using this technique.

Designer Dog Coats and Clothes Are Fabulous Accessories When Dressing Your Pet

For those who hoist dogs are protective and concerned about their convenience. Did you know that dogs sleep better when they are comfortable? Good night sleep is important to all and sundry, as well as our pets. In actual fact receiving good days slumber can also be incorporated in that statement as far as dogs are apprehensive. The normal dog will sleep most of the day. A sleep specialist for both pets and people says that grown-up dogs sleep a regular of fourteen to sixteen hours per day.

How can you make your dog's sleep comfortable? Is that what you are thinking in your mind?

Don't worry. We will tell you ways in which you can make your loved dog sleep sound and comfortable so that your dog does not behave clumsy during the day. Treat your dog in a proper manner. Arrange foe a dog bed in your dog house. Look for a bed that is strong, washable and easy. Dog beds are available in many forms like chew beds. Your dog bed should resemble a folding bed. These beds are preferred to be well-ventilated. But those who are living in colder regions, should keep an account of the fact that cold climate will need extra careful about the setting. Already the dog house is placed outside the house. Therefore, arrange for warm cushions under the bed. Set up a couch that is warm enough. You can also arrange for heaters surrounding your dog's beds. You can arrange for warm mats on the ground. A kennel needs to be made in accordance with the place. It can be made cool as well as cozy depending upon the conditions of the place.

Also take care that the kennel is not made near the gate. It can disturb the dog as well as the visitors. Outside traffic can hamper the dog from sleeping sound. Dogs need to sleep well especially during their breeding season.

Dog beds should be purchased with care. You should keep in mind a lot of things before buying these beds. Your dog's size is very important for the bed. Grown up, dogs need large dog beds. Dogs can only feel comfortable if the bed size is a little larger than the dog's size. Dog beds are accessible in a variety of costs. A comfortable bed can range from high prices to average price range. Making a careful decision can let your dog sleep sound.

Many forms of dog beds that consist of the large dog beds, designer dog beds, extra large dog beds, orthopedic dog beds, comfort dog beds, donut dog beds and many more. Dog beds for deal should be in terms of quality and price that you can ever find on the internet. There are also those special dog beds that are suggested by the vet for special dogs. You can order for these beds online. Or you can get your own dog bed made according to your requirements. Love your pet like a child and you will give it a healthy surroundings.

Are You Fighting the Baby Blues?

The entry into motherhood is one of the most amazing and happiest life-changing experiences, but it can also be a stressful and challenging one. While it is common and typical for new moms to feel anxious about the challenges and uncertainties that lie ahead of them and their newborn infants, excessive worrying and feelings of anxiety are detrimental and can greatly jeopardize the intimate relationship between a mother and her baby.

According to a research study, postpartum depression (PPD) - also known as post-natal depression or more commonly, severe baby blues - affects as high as 13% of all mothers. This is due to a sharp decrease in estrogen, progesterone and thyroid hormones following the birth of a child. Recognizing the symptoms and understanding the various steps to take to overcome the blues can help you be on your way to develop a close-knit connection with your baby.

"I'm pretty sure I don't love my baby."

Sufferers of postpartum depression often feel that they are missing a bond or connection with their newborn. Have you ever felt the desire to hurt yourself or your baby? Or do you harbor suicidal thoughts and become increasingly isolated and lonely? If you've answered "yes" to these questions, you may have postpartum depression.

Most notable cues of postpartum depression include having difficulty sleeping, recurrent sadness, loss of appetite and interest in life, feelings of fatigue, hopelessness, frustration and guilt. Sometimes, these symptoms may develop into something even more serious, as sufferers constantly find themselves getting frantic or paranoid over the smallest things.

Take the first step

First and most importantly, remember that you are not alone. If you realized that you are suffering from severe bouts of baby blues, start by taking concrete steps to combat and treat your depression. Leaving the condition untreated and hoping that the situation will improve is not going to help and will eventually worsen it further.

1. Get support

Your spouse, family and friends are concerned of your well-being. Do not feel ashamed to confide and seek support from your loved ones - especially the baby's father. Tell him exactly what you are feeling, and allow him to play a key role in helping you through this period of depression.

External support resources and services are always around to help you cope. Seek out a postpartum depression support group. Although it may seem difficult to share your story with strangers when you first met them, you will soon find that many moms are experiencing the same feelings, negativity and issues you do. Use the support of a close community of empathetic moms to work together in achieving common goals.

2. Ask for assistance

It is almost impossible to accomplish everything by yourself, because chances are, you will eventually be burnt out by a seemingly never-ending workload. If you are unable to cope with the accumulated pile of unwashed laundry and greasy dishes because you need to tend to the 24/7 demands of your newborn, asking for additional help from your spouse, mom, or even your best friend will help to ease your burden.

Always try to allocate some time a day for yourself. Energize yourself by doing the things that relaxes your mind such as listening to your favorite music or watching your favorite TV program. Get some me-time by heading out with your friends or simply be by yourself. A refreshed 'you' will naturally be able to handle your stress in a healthier manner.

3. Dismiss the myths of motherhood

If you are a new mom, you might have heard (and believed) tales of how you will instantly bond with your newborn, that you will feel constant 'gooey' love for your baby, and it is no sweat to lose the baby weight after pregnancy - all these amongst many other myths.

It is time to break away from these fictional myths! Bonding isn't always instantaneous. Like any relationships, the bond develops over time. Do not fret if you take longer than other moms - it will eventually come as you get to know your baby and s/he get to know you. It is also normal to occasionally feel tense, tired and annoyed by your baby's constant cries. You are not a bad mom. Do not let anyone judge you as one. You know you love your baby and you simply need a break from your baby from time to time.

4. Seek professional help

If your PPD symptoms are not alleviated in these healing options, it is important that you seek some form of psychological treatment from a professional therapist. Effective medical forms of PPD treatment include antidepressants, hormone therapy, psychotherapy and counseling.

The sooner you begin your treatment, the quicker you're able to experience a full recovery. Babies of postpartum depressed moms tend to be less attached to their mothers and lag behind in developmental milestones. Take the first step today to help yourself and your baby.

Petitioning for Sole Custody

In child custody cases, courts are more and more favoring joint custody over sole custody. With regard to "legal custody," which is the right to be involved in decision making about the child's welfare (in areas such as education, medical care, religious upbringing, and extracurricular activities), joint custody is usually granted, unless some firm reason is presented to the court demonstrating that one parent is unfit to take part in such decision making.

"Physical custody" -- which determines where the child will live, and thus which parent will supervise the child's day-to-day routine -- is still more commonly awarded to a single parent rather than to both jointly. Still, as evidence mounts that children raised in single-parent homes are more prone to have trouble at school, abuse drugs or alcohol, or exhibit other destructive behaviors, courts are more and more trying to involve both parents in their child's upbringing, awarding joint physical custody. This is generally defined as having the child live with one parent a minimum of 30 percent of the time -- and thus with the other a maximum of 70 percent of the time -- though the split is often closer to 50/50. Courts tend to find that it is in a child's best interest to receive substantial parenting from both the mother and the father.

If the court has already awarded joint physical custody and you believe that this decision is not in your child's best interest -- even that your ex-spouse or ex-partner may pose a risk to your child's welfare -- then you may petition the court for sole physical custody. The process differs among different U.S. states, but generally you would need to fill out a standardized petition form and present it to the court. In most cases, it is best to seek legal advice before filling out the form. Notice must be sent to the opposing party as well. 

Since you will be attempting to overturn a previous decision of the court, you will need to present evidence to have any chance of success. The court will, again, decide on the matter based on its own assessment of what is in the child's best interest, so keep this criterion firmly in mind when putting together your case. For instance, if your ex has a history of violent or abuse behavior, drug or alcohol abuse, neglect, or some other destructive behavior, you should document specific occurrences and present witnesses as appropriate.

If your ex's harmful or destructive behavior has been longstanding, it's likely that evidence to that effect was already presented during the original custody hearing, and the court may have decided that the behavior was not sufficiently severe to prohibit joint physical custody. You will need to present new evidence. Perhaps your ex's behavior has changed since he or she was awarded joint custody; perhaps you can detect some damaging effects in your child's behavior. Be prepared with evidence, and with witnesses.

Also, if your child is mature, it is possible that the court may wish to hear his or her opinion. You must be certain that obtaining sole custody is worth the stress of going through another hearing, particularly if your child will be asked to testify. Don't petition for sole custody out of vindictiveness, or based on rumors. You must have firm evidence, and the ability to present your case effectively to the court.

Job Boards Are Completely Useless

We have used online job boards for over a decade - you go to one of them, put a few keywords that you feel describe the position you might want to pursue, or the candidate you are looking for, click search....and....nothing. Well, not exactly nothing - the vast majority of the "matches" that you get are only remotely close to what you might want, and you know that finding that right position or that right candidate is like finding a needle in the haystack.

Candidates and hiring companies looking to find each other often have the inclination to resort to one of the major job boards to find the right position or candidate - where else can one find what he/she is looking for....job boards are extremely easy to use, and contain a massive database of candidates and positions just waiting for you. Well, at least that's what job boards try to make us think.

In reality, however, job boards are nothing more than messy storage areas, very much like my own garage space, where on the surface it looks full of valuables, but when you start looking a bit closer you find out that most of its contents are basically of little or no value to you. Finding the right position or candidate out of massive amount of information primarily indexed by keywords is very much like trying to find a book you might want to read based on the words it contains...

Looking for the right position or the right candidate is a complex process that requires much more than a keyword search. It involves areas of interest, culture, personality, experience, skills and many other factors. In fact, in many fields it is almost impossible to find the right position or candidate simply by means of searching for keywords, and people that attempt to do so generally only waste their time.

With job boards having only up to a 3% success rate of filling positions, what still pushes hiring companies and candidates to use job boards - I believe that this comes from three main reasons - massive amount of marketing exercised by job boards to convince us all that they can deliver upon their promise, lack of decent alternatives, and finally a failure, particularly of hiring companies, to measure and realize the effectiveness of these services.

Job boards have been with us for many years, but it's time for better suited recruiting means to emerge and accommodate the complexities and challenges of the hiring process. We need to let job boards finally "rest in peace" and be left for the pages of history.

Is There a Better Way to Collect Charitable Contributions Then Web Donations?

Perhaps one of the greatest boons to come along with the introduction of the internet is the ability to transfer funds quickly and securely from one account to another. As critical as this is for conducting everyday commerce, it is an even more critical development in the world of charitable organizations whose life's blood is derived from financial donations from benefactors. Those nonprofits that rely heavily on the generosity of others from web donations to continue their operations, and provide support and services for their clients, are in seventh heaven when it comes to the direct transfer of funds from someone's account into their coffers.

Although nonprofits still rely on cash contributions from fund raising activities associated with canisters placed on store countertops, pass the hat activities, checks coming from donors responding to print ads, television, or radio commercials, corporate fund raisers, mail campaigns, and the like, nothing beats a direct contribution made to the nonprofit via web donations. Immediate and complete, a direct funds transfer leaves nothing to the imagination. No waiting for a patron to receive your request in the mail to make out a check for their telethon pledge amount, no "the check is in the mail", and no insufficient funds to worry about.

Crisp, clean, and simple. A direct transfer from one account to another. Immediate cash flow. No questions left to gum up the works. This is the real beauty of being able to solicit funds from donors via web donations directly associated with your nonprofit website. Those nonprofits that fail to recognize the true raw power of being able to market their charity via a website, the ability to easily direct an interested party to a fast and simple way to make web donations, while providing a simple way to complete the financial end of the transaction simply haven't gotten the memo. In today's world, not only is all of this very easy to accomplish, it is now expected!

There are two major ways in which one's website can be setup to handle these fast and effective funds transfer transactions:

Establishing a merchant account with the major credit card processing companies for the posting of funds against a credit card (or a withdrawal from the ever increasingly popular debit card). Setting up the ability to accept funds from electronic cash clearing houses.

Web donations are quickly becoming an exceptional way to generate funds to support relief efforts for major global disasters. After a tsunami hit South Asian and African and created tremendous devastation, it is estimated that over $5 billion dollars was raised through web donations to support relief efforts.

Vinay Bhagat, co-founder and chief strategy officer (CSO) of Convio, says the vast majority of Americans are making donations via the Internet. "There has been a shift in the acceptance of the Internet to make donations, rather than relying on traditional methods, such as telethons,"

Those nonprofits that fail to recognize the power of web donations are doing themselves, and their clients, a great disservice.

Inter-State Business Tax Bill Goes Through House Committee

The United States House Judiciary Committee approved legislation which aims to simplify the collection of business taxes across state lines.

The Business Activity Tax Simplification Act was designed to resolve the issue of states seeking to collect business activity taxes from businesses located in other states. The act sets specific guidelines for when an out-of-state business can be charged a tax for business done within another state.

Many states have recently sought to collect business activity taxes from businesses in other states. The problem has been that different states use different standards for determining what justifies taxation.

The bill's sponsor, Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-VA), explains that the differences between states has resulted in businesses being deterred from expansion into other states for fear of taxation. The issue is of specific concern for internet-based companies.

"This legislation sets specific guidelines for when an out-of-state business may be charged a tax for doing business in a state," Goodlatte said. "This legislation focuses on allowing the Internet and the commerce that it facilitates to expand, by eliminating excessive taxes that harm on-line growth."

The bill creates a "bright line" test to determine whether or not an out-of-state business is obligated to pay taxes to another jurisdiction. There would also be a physical presence test established. For example, a state may only tax an out-of-state business if the out-of-state business has a physical presence in the taxing state.

This physical presence could be defined as leasing or owning real or tangible property in the state or the assignment of one or more employees in the state for over 21 days.

The bill should be voted upon by the House by the end of summer.

Problems Involving the Gall Bladder

The gall bladder, a pear-shaped sack hanging between the lobes of the liver, is a reservoir for bile. A small, V-shaped canal, or duct, carries bile from both the gall bladder and the liver to the small intestine. When food containing fat leaves the stomach, hormones cause the gall bladder to empty by inducing vigorous contractions in its muscular walls and simultaneously stimulate the liver to produce more bile at an accelerated rate. A diet rich in B vitamins also stimulates the emptying of the gall bladder by increasing energy production.

The bile contains water, lecithin, cholesterol, minerals, acids, and pigments. Its lecithin content breaks fats into microscopic droplets that can be surrounded by enzymes, digested, and absorbed; and its bile acids are essential before digested fats, carotene, and vitamins A, D, E, and K can be carried across the intestinal wall into the blood.

Inadequate Bile Flow

When a diet is high in refined carbohydrates and low in protein, little bile can be produced. If the amount of bile is insufficient or the gall bladder is not made to empty itself and the liver is not stimulated to produce bile, fats remain in such large particles that enzymes cannot combine readily with them; hence fat digestion is incomplete and fat absorption markedly reduced.

Part of the undigested fat quickly combines with any iron and calcium and iron; thus these minerals are prevented from reaching the blood, causing overly firm stools, bring about constipation. If this condition is prolonged, it can cause porous bones, spontaneous fractures, severe anemia, and the crumbling or collapse of one or more vertebrae. Poor elimination associated with gall bladder problems invariably indicates a major loss of vital minerals.

Most solid fats obtained in foods quickly melt at body temperature. If little bile is present, this melted, undigested fat coats all foods, preventing enzymes from combining efficiently with proteins and carbohydrates, thus decreasing their digestion. Simultaneously, the lack of bile acids prevents the absorption of carotene and vitamins A, D, E, and K and whatever fat has been broken down by enzyme action; hence deficiencies of linoleic acid, carotene, and the fat-soluble vitamins are produced. People with insufficient bile flow are usually so deficient in vitamin A that they have difficulty in driving a car at night, sewing, or doing other close work.

Intestinal bacteria enormously multiply on this huge mass of undigested food, releasing quantities of gas and histamine, which cause discomfort, foul-smelling stool and halitosis. Much undigested food is usually lost in the stools, and becomes a serious problem when the calorie requirements are high and proteins badly needed for repair.

Dangers of a Low-Fat Diet

The purpose of any diet must be to build health, yet to prevent the gall bladder from emptying by adhering to a low-fat diet can actually be harmful, though such a diet may be temporarily desirable before and after surgery to keep the gall bladder quiet until healing has occurred.

The American Medical Association suggests that a diet for people with gallstones, obstruction of the bile duct, and gall bladder diseases contain 25 per cent of the calories in the form of fat. It emphatically states that low-fat and fat-free diets should be avoided, pointing out that such diets both under supply and prevent the absorption of essential fatty acids, carotene, and vitamins A, D, E, and K, thus causing deficiency states that may be far more devastating than gall bladder problems.

Individuals who have suffered acutely while passing a gallstone or when the gall bladder has been inflamed often become so fearful of food that they frequently live on self-imposed, severely restricted diets free from all fats without realizing that they are making their condition continuously worse.

What Are Discount Dental Plans?

Discount dental plans are a great alternative to dental insurance for individuals or families who don't need dental work very often.

What are Discount Dental Plans?

Discount dental companies don't pay benefits. Instead, they pre-negotiate discounts on most dental procedures. When you go in for a cleaning or other types of dental work, you pay a discounted rate based on the procedure(s) you have done. It's an excellent way to save money and protect yourself, or your family, at the same time.

Here are the main advantages of discount plans over dental insurance:

Save Money

One of the biggest advantages of discount dental plans is how affordable they are. Discount dental plans often cost less than two months of dental insurance premiums, and that's for a whole year of discount protection.

Keep Quality Dental Protection

Although discount programs are affordable, they offer quality protection for most dental procedures. Many plans give you discounts of 10% to 60% on most dental services. It's much better than going without insurance (completely uninsured) yet it still provides a good amount of protection.

Easy to Use

Discount cards are easy to sign up for and use. You can compare plans in your local area and sign up online. Your will receive your cards and plan packet in the mail shortly afterward. When you make an appointment, you simply choose a dentist on the network and make your appointment. When you leave the dentist office, you show your discount card and pay the discounted rate for the service or services you had done. It's that easy!

These plans are an affordable alternative to dental insurance that give you the opportunity to save most of the money you may have otherwise spent on dental insurance premiums. On top of that, they offer you or your family quality dental protection, in the case that dental work is needed.

How Much Interest Do I Pay On A Car Loan?

The length of the average car loan depends on the term of the loan. According to buyingadvise.com, 45 percent of Americans are financing cars for 5 years. This means that you would pay 60 payments during the average car loan.

Furthermore, buyingadvise.com states that the average American gets a new car every 5.5 years. Using these statistics to calculate this, most Americans only go without a car payment for 6 months each 6 years. The reason that most people do this is to stretch out the loan making the monthly car payments lower.

When buying a car, the car buyer should take into consideration the total amount paid for the car versus the monthly payments alone. This could save a lot of money over the term of the loan.

You and the dealership you are working with determine the amount of payments you make over the life of your loan. There are terms anywhere from 12 months to 84 months. It is a wise decision to do your homework before going to the dealership to purchase your next car. The shorter your can loan the quicker you can pay off your car which will save you interest and give you more months without a car payment.

Fortunately, there are many websites out there that contain calculators for you to figure the difference between a 36-month and a 60-month loan term. Go and Google "car loan calculator" and find a website with a calculator that will figure your monthly payments for you. All you need to do is put in the numbers.

Let me show you an example that demonstrates this difference. If you take a loan for a new car for $21,325.00 making 36 payments (3 years) and paying 5 percent interest you will pay $639.13 per month and pay $1,683.66 in interest. Using that same amount of $21,325.00 at 5 percent interest for 60 payments (5 years) you will pay $402.43 per month and pay $2,820.74 in interest. You end up paying $1,137.08 more in interest because of the longer term.

So in this example you can see how even though the monthly payments may be higher for the short term car loan versus the average car loan term of 60 months, you will pay more in interest over the life of the loan. Yes it will cost you more per month for your car but the savings can be well worth the extra payments each month. If you find yourself looking at a car that you must finance for over 60 months just to be able to afford the car payment; then look for a less expensive car that fits your budget.

The next pit-fall to longer term loans has to do with the car's depreciation. If you finance the average car loan over 60 -72 months, you risk the possibility that you will be upside down on the auto loan when you go to trade your car in. Being upside down is when you owe more on the balance of the loan than the car is worth in value. This happens because the car is depreciating faster than you are paying it off with a long-term loan.

Experience: Why Is It A Critical Skill Set In Creating Innovation?

Innovation is the introduction of new ideas. In our social media era, it is the confrontation with a sudden, new set of circumstances. It is the ability to find a solution to this new situation in real time. Innovation is a critical issue in the social media era, because so much material is now available. In social media, things happen very fast. New problems, new solutions, and new products are constantly developing. In this era, the ability to create new products and new solutions is critical to existence.

To many people, innovation is like the song from the '80's group, Air Supply---"creating something out of nothing at all". Many people feel that innovation skills are something that is in a person's genes. Many people feel that innovation is a natural skill for a lucky select few. Because it is so important, much more attention is being paid to innovation. Studies and practical experience in the modern workplace are showing that innovation is a skill that can be developed.

There is also another issue that we must confront. In addition to innovation, social media has also created an emphasis on analytics, numerical probabilities, to create policy. Analytics teaches you that there is a numerical road map to any problem. Innovation teaches you that you must come up with new solutions on the fly. Both are correct and both have their place.

In our modern era, new problems are developing which have no precedent. If there is no historical data, there is no way that analytics can create a roadmap for you. Solutions must be developed through coming up with new, innovative solutions that have no precedent. Experience is a critical factor in developing innovation skills. Steven Jobs is a benchmark.

Innovation and innovative solutions are what Steven Jobs is known for. Steven Jobs has created the most innovative products in the technological era. The I Phone, I Pad, I Pod, and the Apple Computer are products that have revolutionized how the world processes information. They are simple, easy to use products that are elegant. How was Stephen able to do this?

If you read a biography of Steven Jobs, you realize that Steven had many, varied social experiences that gave him a vast store of information that he drew on in creating his innovative products. Apple products did not just happen. They are result of a young man who backpacked all over Europe, and India. Steven Jobs has studied many world religions; he has interacted with many groups of people. As a mature adult, he was able to use this experience and to create products that connected people. A famous quote from Steven is that innovation is just simply "putting two things together".

Steven Jobs is a benchmark. If we read widely, study many different issues, we store a wealth of knowledge that we draw on in times of crisis. It is just amazing what the human mind can conceive of when circumstances dictate that quick, fresh thinking is demanded in a critical situation. What happened in the tower stairwells on 9/11 is inspirational. Office workers with no experience as first responders seemed to know just what to do save themselves and their fellow office dwellers. This is wisdom in crowds. Analytics teaches us that groups of people thinking together come up with much better solutions than geniuses thinking separately.

Dean Hambleton dnhambleton@gmail.com