The Management Consulting Group

The peddlers of hot penny stocks today peddle their wares much
like the hot cross bun streetsellers of the 19th. Century. They
don’t exactly hawk their wares round the shopping malls crying
out “Get your hot penny stocks tips here”, but telemarketers and
professional rumor mongers are making sure that you get their
message loud and clear. The message is the same - buy my stock -
it’s just the medium that’s different. The telephone,
newsletters, the internet and word-of-mouth are the vehicles
used to ensure the message is heard.

The old streetsellers were certainly streetwise; two a penny
buns were seen as bargains to be snapped up before they went
cold. Bought too many? The nursery rhyme offers a solution: “If
your daughters do not like them, give them to your sons”. Buy
two a penny hot penny stocks and that’s what you are likely to
be doing, too: giving them away because they’ll be almost
worthless. Two a penny hot penny stocks sell like hot cakes only
because the hot stock tip comes from unscrupulous promoters
eager to spread the word that the stock is about to go through
the roof. You won’t make a killing, but the promoters who pocket
your money will.

Let’s pause for a moment and reflect on why anyone would want to
go around circulating these rumors or peddling ‘hot penny
stocks’ over the ‘phone. It just doesn’t tally with human nature
nor with the way in which power operates in the real world. Just
think about it: isn’t it far more likely that a small number of
self-interested individuals are intent on dumping
over-the-counter stocks onto you? Why, if they had genuine
information on a hot penny stock about to take off, would they
want to share it with you?

It’s perhaps a truism to say that knowledge = power = money, but
in the real world it’s also true that individuals who wield the
most influence and power, and incidentally tend to make the most
money, operate quietly behind the scenes. That’s not to say that
these background figures, who buy and sell stocks over the
counter, necessarily operate “under the counter”. Nor is it true
that there’s no such thing as a good, informative penny stock
newsletter. However, it does mean that, when being harangued by
a zealous telemarketer to part with your money, you can be sure
that a sinking company and a few unscrupulous individuals are
lurking in the background.

Perhaps, though, you see two a penny stocks as providing a real
opportunity to get in at the bottom and then make a big killing?
Perhaps, when a stock has dropped, you might think that the only
way to go is up? Don’t get fooled, though, into buying “bargain”
stocks solely because they cost less than before. They could
continue to sink without trace. As children we must have been
extraordinarily prescient when we added an extra line to the
nursery rhyme and chanted the virtues of four-a-penny bargains:
“If you haven’t got a halfpenny, a farthing will do”. It won’t
do, though, if you’re buying hot penny stocks. Don’t ever feel
pressured into buying a “bargain” that will almost certainly end
up virtually worthless.

If you still think that you’re acting rationally in buying hot
penny stocks then you’re behaving exactly as our 21st. century
streetsellers would wish. But, remember, you’re not a consumer
buying hot cross buns: you’re an investor aiming to make money
by buying and selling hot penny stocks. Buying two-a-penny hot
cross buns might make some sense, but two-a-penny hot penny
stocks can mean buying, but not selling, for the price you want.

Not only selling but buying, too, becomes difficult when stocks
are being traded at very low volumes but, at the same time, are
being flagged up as the next hot penny stocks tip. A
consistently high volume of traded stocks is absolutely
essential, preferably on a daily basis. Average figures might
seem good enough, but can often mask one insider’s buying and
selling activities. Lack of trading opportunities precludes any
chance you might have of becoming a rational, educated trader as
you will not develop a “feel” for where the stock is heading.

Learning how to become a rational, educated investor takes time.
There’s no easy shortcut to the undoubted profits which exist in
the market. Those individuals who want to reduce the risk of
their hot penny stocks investment must be proactive and
subscribe to a newsletter, research companies, and track
investments.

Only when they feel comfortable, and have set themselves a limit
of 20% of their portfolio to invest in hot penny stocks, should
they prepare to do quiet battle with the market and silence the
two-a-penny hot cross bun merchants.

With all of the abbreviations flying around the stores and commercials, it is very easy to become confused as to what it is you need to buy.

HDTV is one of these offenders! HDTV stands for High Definition Television and means the broadcast of television signals with a higher resolution than traditional formats (NTSC, SECAM, PAL) allow.

Generally HDTV is broadcast digitally, i.e. together with cable, satellite, or a digital receiver. You cannot view HDTV with an analogue aerial.

There are three things you need to be able to view HDTV and these are firstly a source, such as a local, cable or satellite HDTV station. Secondly, a way to receive the signal, like an antenna, cable or satellite service, and finally an HDTV set.

For the set you can choose from an integrated HDTV, which has a digital tuner, also known as an ATSC tuner, built in. If a station near you is broadcasting in HDTV, you can attach an antenna to an integrated set and watch the station in high definition. Or you can purchase an HDTV-ready set, also called an HDTV monitor, which does not have an HDTV tuner. HDTV-ready sets often have NTSC tuners, so you can still watch analogue TV with them. Your picture quality will still be better than on your old TV, but it won’t be high definition until you get an HDTV receiver.

Once you’ve picked up your set and installed it in your home, you’ll need to get a signal. To get a signal, you can use:

An antenna - Depending on your location relative to the stations you want to watch, a small antenna may suffice, but otherwise you might need a rooftop or attic antenna. You can buy an antenna that’s specifically made for digital signals, but any reliable VHF/UHF antenna will work.

Cable - Remember that digital cable is not the same as HDTV. Check with your provider to find out which packages include HDTV stations. You’ll also either need a set-top cable box or a CableCARD™ to allow your television to receive and decode the cable signal.

Satellite service - As with cable, check with your provider to find out which plans and stations use HDTV signals. You may need a different satellite dish and tuner to receive HDTV signals via satellite.

Sharleen Standling is a proud contributing author. Find more articles here. For more info visit HDTV Info or HDTV Receivers

Selling a second-hand boat has its pitfalls. To help you protect
your legal rights and be aware of some of the common issues
Noble Marine have produced this guide to selling a boat. Please
note that we have only addressed the legal aspects of the
subject and have not addressed the different methods of
advertising your boat.

Advertise your boat online The Noble Marine boats for sale
database contains thousands of boats for sale and includes
descriptions and detailed photos.

The only legal terms that cover a private sale contract are:

the seller must have the right to sell the craft the craft
should not be misrepresented it should match its description The
increasing use of the Internet for boat sales in recent years
has seen a large increase in the number of fraudsters contacting
the people advertising boats.

If you receive an email from a potential buyer ask yourself if
they sound genuine. Most people will be able spot spam emails by
the broken English and poor grammar they use - fraudulent emails
are no different.

The emails detailed at the end of this article were received in
response to a recent advert selling an RS200, we have removed
the names for security reasons.

In these cases the buyer will eventually email offering to
transfer a much higher sum of money than the value of the boat
into the sellers account and stating that they will send a
representative to collect the boat. Of course the seller would
then need to reimburse the additional money paid by the buyer.

The end result of these types of scams is that the buyer’s
cheque appears to clear and then bounces leaving the seller out
of pocket by the amount they refunded to the buyer and with no
boat. The fraudsters are usually based abroad so it is very
difficult to recover any compensation from them.

When the sale is complete you should always draw up a sellers
contract so that each party can sign and keep a copy as proof of
sale.

Don’t let anyone take your boat away until you’re satisfied that
you’ve been paid in full. Cash is always the best way to be
paid. If you are given a personal or building society cheque,
wait for it to clear in your bank before you hand the craft to
the buyer. Noble Marine have prepared a sample sellers contract
for use in private boat sales. It is always important to keep
the proof of sale and the new owners details - you may need to
contact the buyer in the future.

http://www.stolenboats.org.uk
http://www.noblemarine.co.uk/boatsforsale.php3
http://www.noblemarine.co.uk/sellingyourboat.php3?section=contrac
t

Let me preface this by saying that I have the utmost respect and admiration for songwriters who can write song after song. Those very talented individuals who, while they are sitting on the plane, in the bathroom, or at a dining table, grab a napkin, the roll of toilet paper, the safety guide on the airplane, or whatever may be handy and start frantically writing. While I have had this inspiration once in a while, it’s not a fluent talent. So my hats are off to you!

The statistics were very interesting and I hope not conclusive of what is going on in the music industry right now, although I suspect they are indicative of it. I have never looked at charts or believed in numbers. When I was growing up, I was always told about the statistics and had them thrown in my face with statements like the following: “Don’t bother, only 2% get the jobs and out of those 2% only a very limited few make a paycheck. Get a real job.” Well of course I would get a real job to support me, but who came up with that stupid figure anyway!

QUESTION #1: What is your gender, male or female?

So lets get down to what the survey said. The results of the first question showed that 70% of the writers who took the survey were males. This was an eye opener for me. I have many female friends who are writers. Why was the ratio so off balance? I thought maybe it was just this particular survey. But then I looked at my first demo album and then my “real” freshman album, and found that the majority of the writers were male. In fact, more then 70%! I couldn’t believe it! I hadn’t planned it that way or picked the songs based on who wrote them. I picked the songs purely on my likes and dislikes. I had always heard that the entertainment industry was male dominated in every field, but it’s 2001! It just couldn’t be.

I went back to take a look at the demo tapes, which I still had, to see how many of the writers were male and how many were female. Some very well known publishers had submitted the songs to me, so there should have been a variety. To my surprise, 92% were males and only 8% were female. Why was that? Are we still in a society that does not encourage women to excel at anything and everything they want? Or are men simply more prolific in writing music then women? That might be an interesting study in and of itself.

QUESTION # 5: What are the categories that best describe the music that you write?

One of the other statistics that I found interesting was the category that best describes your music. At first I didn’t think much about it, with Pop, Rock, and Country being the highest rated. But then I started thinking about the Hip Hop/Rap genres. Don’t Hip Hop and Rap writers/artists make the most money? Don’t they really smash up the charts and aren’t they everywhere? Even Jennifer Lopez changed her name to J. Lo, seemingly to me to fit more into the Hip Hop/Rap world. Yet only 2% of those surveyed were writers of Hip Hop music. Does only 2% of the writing population for this survey write most of the popular Hip Hop music, and are they cornering the market of profit for their genre of music?

It would be interesting to find out what percentage of the writing population is making money writing which types of music. This might give the writers and the artists an exact pulse on the “pop” music of today. Pop music of course was #1 on this question, with the highest percentage of people writing for it. But then I thought about that statement. Pop music is whatever is popular at that time. So maybe the Hip Hop writers really voted under the Pop category. Another interesting question might be how many women write for each category of music, and how many of them make money at it.

QUESTION #6: How would you describe your current status as a songwriter?

The saddest statistic of all to me, and one I can relate too, was #6, describe your current status as a songwriter. The results were not unexpected: 58% of the writers did not make any money at all from their work. The purists will say that they don’t write to make money and they don’t care if they do or don’t make any money off their work. But the practical side, which may never be known to the public, is “Why can’t I make money when my stuff is so good and that song I just heard on the radio is so…. well…bleck?!” What is the answer to this problem? How can a writer or any of us in the entertainment industry make money?

I believe the key is education (now there’s a new one, and how many times have you heard that before?!) and diversity. I am not only talking about a college education, although I believe that is so very important and should never be given up at any cost!

I grew up very poor; no one talked to me about college. I didn’t have the money and my grades weren’t good enough to begin with. But once I found out about grants and scholarships, I went to someone in my school (I won’t name names, lets just say that my normal high school counselor was not around.) I was told that college was not for someone like me and that I didn’t have a chance for a grant or a scholarship. They also told me that my hopes should not stray beyond a regular job and maybe someday I would be able to marry someone who could support me. No joke! What’s really bad is that I believed them for two years! Finally, I got off my duff and went to Junior College and surprise, surprise!!!! I was on the Dean’s list and Honor Roll! I haven’t been able to finish, but I have plans too. The lesson I learned from that experience and that I have pretty much held onto, sometimes much to my detriment, is that the word ‘no’ means, “Oh YEAH!!!! Just watch me!” (People usually think of me as very tenacious.) Okay, enough about me for now and back to the subject of education.

Education is very important as I have stated many times, and I am not just talking to the 15 year olds! I am speaking to those people who think they are too old to go to College, 24 - 129! I just read about a homecoming queen/head cheerleader who graduated with honors. She was 41 when all these things took place. She had two children and a husband! You’re never too old! If you can’t go to college right now and get your degree or finish it, educating yourself in the business aspect of your chosen profession by reading, watching, and asking questions is really important and obtainable.

Get your finger on the pulse of what’s happening through education and knowledge, just like you do when you are writing a song. A staggering 40% of the people taking the survey are relying on record labels and publishers to sell their music instead of themselves. I hope everyone will rethink his or her position on this. Instead, rely on your ability and talent to get you to the place where you don’t need the labels and the publishers. The key is to not need those people in high places. Once you don’t need them, they will come running.

The people who make the real money are the people in charge. The head of Sony Records is the one who makes the money. The managers and booking agents make the real money. The publishers make money. The heads of studios and the producers of TV shows, records, films, etc., they are the ones that will make the money. They are in charge. You need to be in charge, too.

Network with people and diversify. Some of you may be thinking, what do you mean diversify? I can only write Country/Pop or Rock or Jazz. I can’t write them all! That’s not what I am speaking of. What I am talking about is finding other parts of the industry that interest you and go for them! That will not only get you into the right places, but it will also help you to meet the right people. Maybe Whitney Houston or Faith Hill will be at one of the places you are and you will be able to strike up a conversation. You find out they are looking for new material, they find out you’re a writer and boom! You’ve got your music in their hands! Or maybe representatives of a famous publisher that you have always wanted to submit your material to is also at the same place as you. You strike up a conversation with them and they ask if they can listen to some of your music. Viola – “Right place at the right time.” A lot of those ‘right places at the right time’ came from careful and strategic planning, so start planning your moment, too!

Back to the original point. Find something else to do IN the industry; not a waitperson, an executive assistant in some unrelated field, or the head of a company that you hate getting up in the morning for. (But, don’t give up your current job until you find another one in the industry that you love and will support you.) Start your own publishing company that not only handles your songs, but also the songs of other writers.

I always believe it is best to help others when you are helping yourself. How can you do this? Ask the advice of those already in the game. Give them a call and ask them how they started and where you should go to network with them. The people at the top, when they have the time, are usually more then willing to talk to you and point you in the right direction.

Start managing a group or an artist, then you will really have an “in” for someone to record your music. Look at Shania Twain and her husband! You may want to use a publishing house or publisher to get you in the door initially, get connections, and the chance to prove yourself. But in the end, you may want to become the publisher so you can garner more of the profits in your pocket.

If those jobs don’t suit your taste, get a job as an assistant at Warner Brothers Records or a job in the film industry as someone who listens to the music for film scoring. Become an editor for music in films and TV. Become a writer of a daily column! You are already a writer after all! There are literally thousands of jobs for the taking in the industry you love. All you have to do is start applying. Those jobs will eventually get you to whom you need to see to get your music noticed!

I am a singer…do I make all of my money singing? NO! Sure, I tour around the world, I have a web site, and my CDs are in selected stores. But most of my money, believe it or not, comes from my book sales or sales of my articles. I went from waiting for someone to give me a break throughout my teens, to taking charge of my own career to make it happen! I am not in the same league as acts like Dream or N’ Sync yet (and I stress that YET part), but I am holding my own. I am not saying that I haven’t had help and that I don’t accept help. Of course I have and will! But in the same respect, I have not waited for that help to find me. The odds of that are like throwing up a tiny single piece of sand on a beach in Honolulu and expecting to find that very same piece again. RIGHT! You have to make your own waves if you want to hit the crest of that wave! So diversify and educate yourself.

Where do you go for the job leads? You can find that information in my article, “A Helping Hand” on www.MusicDish.com, and in my book, Indie’s Guide To Music Success and Contact Info, which is available for sale through www.MusicDish.com. Here are some examples that will get you started:

Show Biz Jobs: www.showbizjobs.com/jobserch.cfm

Electronic Library: wwws.elibrary.com/id/238/222/search.cgi?query=country+music+news&src-mags=1&src-news=1&src-tvrad=1&src-pics=1&src-books=1

Film Biz: www.filmbiz.com/

The Globe: globelists.theglobe.com/arts/acting/acting_uk-L/list.taf
Gebbie Press: www.gebbieinc.com/radintro.htm.

QUESTION #8: Do you feel that you have been adequately compensated for the use of your work?

My next and my last point on the survey is this. On survey question #8, only 15% of the people responding to the survey believed that they were being adequately compensated for their work. I am not sure where the writers believe they aren’t being fairly compensated for their work.

QUESTION #12: Has Napster had an impact on your songwriting career?

However, on question #12, only 5% said that Napster has had a negative impact on their career. I think Napster has its pros and cons, and I am not necessarily against Napster or those who use its services. But here are the pros and cons for me, in simple form: Pro being that people who can’t afford and can’t find the music they want on CD are able to get it. Freedom of Information act and all that. The Cons are that writers and performers aren’t getting their cut and as a performer, I can tell you from an artist’s standpoint, that that cut is very slim to begin with.

So, the statistical conflict between #8 and #12 confuses me. Don’t get me wrong. I pay all of my writers up front, in cash, as soon as I press my CDs, even if they don’t ask me too. I want the writers to get their money! But let’s look at numbers.

A writer gets 7.55 cents in royalties per song under 5 minutes and an additional 1.45 cents for every minute or fraction of a minute thereafter. The typical Indie artist presses 1000 CDs. The standard procedure is submission of the packing slip from the pressing plant to the Harry Fox Agency or a similar agency that collects mechanical royalties. The artist is then charged by Harry Fox Agency for writer royalties according to how many CDs were pressed (this is of course after you have applied for a mechanical license). So for 1000 CDs, the writer will be paid $75.50 in mechanical royalties by the Harry Fox Agency or its equivalent. In addition to that, the writers will also get royalties from radio airplay and karaoke sales, which are performance royalties. These royalties are collected by the Performing Rights Organizations, such as ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC.

In most cases, the writer did not pay for the production, marketing, distribution, and advertising costs of the CD their songs are on, so eventually this will be money in the bank, after the writer recoups the costs of the initial demo he or she created to pitch to the artist or label. That’s the writer’s side. Now lets look at the artist’s side.

Artists, except in the United Kingdom, do not get paid for the performance of a song on the radio as the writers do. We artists must pay to get your songs and ourselves promoted. A typical CD recorded in a master recording studio, with pressing, royalties and promotion costs, will be around $14,000.00. How does an artist recoup that amount? By touring and CD sales, right? Sure they do.

If an artists gets booked into a venue and makes $500 in CD sales and $500 for the venue, that gives the artist a $1000 right? I won’t do the math for you here, there is a lot more detail in my book, Indie’s Guide To Music Success and Contact Info, but out of the $1000, the booking agent gets 10%, the manager gets 10%, the IRS gets 33 1/3 %, the venue gets a percentage, and the artist still must pay for the promotion and marketing costs as well as staff. All of those people take it off the top, meaning out of the $1000. Their percentages are based on the gross amount from the CD sales and the performance.

After the artist pays everyone their share, the artist is then left with the negative amount of $53.33. At this point, the artist hasn’t even paid for the band members, the travel expenses or food costs, let alone paid a salary to himself or herself, and the artist is already in the hole for the amount of $53.33. Meanwhile, the songwriter has $75.50 in the bank for each song on my CD!

So what am I trying to say? That the writers should be happy they aren’t the artists, LOL (unless of course they are artists also)! No really, what I am trying to show the writers is that artists don’t make as much money as the writers do, even at the low rate the writers get per song. And that of course, the grass is always greener on the other side.

I wish that I had the talent to write prolifically as everyone in the writing community does. Then I would get some of the royalties off of my album sales and I would be less in the hole financially. But this again proves my point that you must diversify. Sure I get to do what I love most and that is awesome, but it’s not what supports me. I have chosen other paths in the music industry to support me and I have worked hard at them.

The majority of beginning artists aren’t in charge of their own lives musically, and they owe a lot of money to their label. Sure I would love a major recording deal, because there are so many advantages to it. But, I would want it with good terms, meaning a lot of points and a great distribution & marketing deal.

Now you can see both sides of the coin, for those who hadn’t seen or known it yet. So when 85% of the writers think they are not being fairly compensated, I would hope they are not talking about the royalties they receive off of a record pressing from an artist, although 48% of you said that’s where the majority of your royalties/income came from.

CONCLUSION

The lesson to be learned is that you will do much better in this business or any business if you are in charge of your own career, and you have the knowledge to make wise choices and keep track of the bottom line.

A little side note to writers: please make sure that you get the mechanical license to the artists. Don’t just assume the artist will take care of the business side or you may end up without a royalty payment. And artists: make sure you obtain mechanical licenses BEFORE you record a song. If you do not do this, there are some very stiff fines and penalties and the publisher has the right to have your product pulled off the market. So make sure you do the business side first before the music side. Again, the point made is to educate yourself about the business side, too.

In the end, it really is all about music and our love of music, which is the universal language of Humans and animals. I believe if we work together, educate ourselves, and diversify what we can do, we will be much better off and a much stronger unit, whether you’re a songwriter or an artist, a publisher or a record label. The key to all of our success is education, business savvy, being in the right place at the right time on purpose, and diversity. These should be all of our goals.

A point a very famous publisher made to writers as a quote in my book, “The Indie Guide To Music, Marketing and Money” ISBN 978-0-9746229-4-1 was (in paraphrase): “Write and re-write and then write again every song. And when you think you’ve got it perfect and it’s a hit, write it over again.”

Jaci Rae is the #1 Best Selling author of “Winning Points with the Woman in Your Life One Touchdown at a Time” ISBN 0974622907 and “The Indie Guide To Music, Marketing and Money” ISBN 978-0-9746229-4-1 as well as the host of the Jaci Rae show. Dubbed by the media as “Racy Jaci” because of her quick wit and “The Rae of Hope,” for her powerful insight, please make sure to check her out at: http://www.jacirae.com To hear Jaci’s popular show, with some of the top behind the scenes as well as famous bands go to: http://www.jacirae.com click on the weekly show link.

There are mental health secrets that everyone should know,
including how to prevent misdiagnosing. Since money is, the
issue and insurance companies play a role in treatment a patient
will often receive a series of diagnoses that conform to the
standards laid out in health care coverage.

This is only one area of problems in mental health. The DMS
guide copyrighted by APA, who brilliantly stated that the manual
was a guide to mental health, instead of claiming that the book
was factual is another area of concern. Therapists often base
their diagnoses on the codes listed in this manual. If the
symptoms match the patients then this is what the patient gets.
Another area of problem is when a patient receives a diagnose he
or she is ‘labeled,’ which brings forth additional problems.

Another area may sound ludicrous since we have so-called
professionals in the field, but just like individuals in the
world that are caught in a practice of interest for a short time
and twisted with an exaggerated zeal, (craze-fad), professionals
when they find a diagnose of interest that are overzealous
burning their wheels to produce more material on the subject.
Ever heard the saying, beating words down?

Well, professionals in mental health will often beat down
diagnoses. While one of the issues in mental health revolves
around labeling, I have to disagree, since I feel the real
problem stands between acceptances. If a person has a disorder,
disease of the mind, or a chemical imbalance, then accepting is
the first step in recovery.

Some of the most helped people in the world attend alcoholic
classes and the first thing they recognize is the problem, which
allows them to move forward. There is not a person in his or her
right frame of mind wants to understand that they have a series
of symptoms and no reason behind it.

It is ok to say I am a paranoid schizophrenia working toward
recovery. It is not ok to say I am a misfit in society and
cannot understand why I was chosen for torture. As you can see,
we have a bunch of professionals contributing to the problem,
since they are thinking they know what is best for the patients.
Anyone that is suffering knows more than any professional does,
since they are the ones living through the problems.

The patients can tell you better than any counselor with a piece
of paper and no experience what they survive. Another area of
problem is many professionals are from different countries and
they understand diagnoses one way or in another term, while the
American Psychiatrist Society relates in other terms.
Professionals also believe that patients will avoid the issues,
and/or bury the real problems beneath. This is not always true,
since the patient is there in the first place asking help to
understand his or her disability.

If they knew the answers, they would not be there in the first
place. For example, Nikki goes to counseling explaining her many
symptoms, as well as talks about the people around her that are
contributing to the problem. She is trying to control her
behavior but others are making it difficult since they center
her out, bringing forth the issues of her disability every
single day. First, we can see that others are a problem, since
many people will center out individuals flaws first, before
complimenting.

Therefore, that problem can be resolved if we teach Nikki how to
handles other people around her. The next issue is the symptoms.
What symptoms do you have Nikki? Nikki says I am having night
sweats, nightmares, flashbacks, impulsive outbursts, and so on.
Well, why do you think this is happening Nikki? I do not know
why it is happening.

First, Nikki is illustrating symptoms of Posttraumatic Stress
Disorder, so it is apparent that she is a trauma patient.
Therefore, Nikki is certain she was victimized, but uncertain of
the emotions, feelings, and thought process she is enduring. Now
Nikki may or may not be able to tell you the entire event that
brought forth this disorder, but Nikki can tell you the
surroundings of the event.

This means the counselor needs to invoke talk therapy to find
out the underlying source of her suffering. Does Nikki blame
herself for the violence against her, or the violence she
witnessed? Probably so, since she is in a battle of
understanding the mind at a greater level than the so-called
normal minds and Nikki will battle to find the source within
that is haunting her dear soul and mind. The mind is a tricky
thing, and to understand it, you must address it.

There is an epidemic, at least in the States when it comes to treating back pain. Most doctors do just that… treat back pain rather than finding and eliminating the cause.

You can treat your symptoms for an eternity, and you may feel better for a short period of time. To truly get at the heart of the matter though, you have to find and eliminate the cause of low back pain.

I*ll let you in on a little secret. Most chronic low back pain can be resolved in six weeks or less. It*s true!

A majority of chronic low back pain is caused by simple factors including:

• Poor Posture

• Injury

• Muscle Imbalances

• Improper Lifting

• Extra Weight

Let*s take a look at each of these more closely.

Poor Posture

Posture is everything when it comes to back pain. Good posture results in stability and strength. Bad posture results in back pain. Many people can alleviate chronic back pain simply by taking the time to improve their posture. You probably can too!

Injury

We are all subject to injury at one time or another. You can work toward preventing injury in certain circumstances however. A lot of the injuries that result in low back pain are caused by improper lifting techniques. You may be lifting a heavy box, or you may be lifting a heavy weight without warming up adequately. Either way, if you injure yourself you are subject to back pain. What can you do to improve your chances for recovery? One of the best things you can do is exercise. You should incorporate stretching activities into your daily regimen. By doing so you will condition your back and are les likely to get injured, and more likely to recover faster when you do get injured.

Muscle Imbalances

Muscle Imbalances occur when two muscles that oppose each other are unequally matched. If you exercise your back regularly for example, but never exercise your stomach, you body will be in a state of imbalance. No matter how strong your back is in this situation, you are going to be subject to back pain. Eliminate the muscle imbalances through rehabilitation and proper exercise and you stand a good chance of eliminating back pain.

Improper Lifting

OK, go back and re-read the section on injury. You need to lift correctly in order to avoid injury. NEVER bend from the waist when picking something up off of the floor, even if it is a feather. Always bend from the knees, and use your leg and abdominal muscles to support you when lifting an object. Many improper lifting injuries actually occur in the gym. This happens when a person attempts to lift a weight that is too heavy or fails to warm up properly. You can avoid these injuries by paying close attention to technique at all times.

Extra Weight

Carrying around a few extra pounds may not seem like a big deal, but when it comes to back pain it could mean the difference between no back pain and chronic back pain. Even if you are carrying around just ten extra pounds, your body will have to shift and redistribute itself to accommodate the extra weight. Consider losing the extra weight, and you may realize your back pain soon follows.

About The Author

Steve Preston, President of Fast Fitness has been training and counseling clients for 15 years. He offers personal fitness training, metabolic testing and customized fitness and nutrition plans. His new guide *The Better Back Guide: 6 Weeks to Improving Strength and Reducing Pain Without Surgery* teaches people how to reduce, eliminate and prevent chronic back pain using a six week program. You can read more about his guide and his other fitness guides and services at: http://www.fast-fitness.net. Learn More about Back Pain at: http://www.backpainworkout.com.

Individual dental insurance plans are important to men as well
as women. Men spend as much as women on dental services, though
they visit dentists less often, according to a study published
recently in the Journal of the American Dental Association. The
study suggests that the more people spend on preventive
dentistry (like regular checkups), the less they spend overall.
Individual dental insurance plans are beneficial to men, women
and children according to the study.

dental insurance for individuals work like most other types of
medical coverage. You pay a monthly premium for coverage, and
the policy pays for all or most of your related costs. The more
expensive the policy, the more extensive the coverage.

While some health plans will cover dental care, many do not. If
this applies to you, or if you carry an individual health
policy, you may need an individual dental insurance policy to
guarantee yourself adequate care.

A good dental insurance for individuals plan should cover all or
most of the basic dental procedures, like office visits and
cleaning. Care beyond that may or may not be fully covered by a
dental insurance policy. Generally, as procedures become more
expensive (and intrusive), a dental insurance policy will cover
fewer and fewer of them.

The popularity of dental insurance has been on the rise over the
past few decades. And as dental plans have become more
widespread, different coverage options have developed.

Luckily, you’re already online, and that’s pretty much the best
place to shop dental insurance for individuals quotes. Quotes
are almost instantaneous and you can compare dental insurance
policies and prices side-by-side.

Keep in mind that no dental insurance for individuals quotes are
final until the application is fully completed, so make sure you
finish the process to lock in your quote. But you’re under no
obligation to buy a policy until you decide it’s right for you.
(No commitments until you sign on the dotted line!)

Headaches are quite common. Everybody gets them, albeit some are more severe than others and some can indicate something more severe. Everyone has had them - sinus and allergy headaches, migraines, etc… This article will answer the questions of what causes them and how we should treat them.

Tension and allergy related headaches. When you feel pressure in your sinus areas or if you feel pressure around the top part of your head this is what you are experiencing. They are usually a dull bothersome ache that feels like a weight hanging from that area. They also tend to slow your reactions and make you lethargic. They can last from a few hours to a few days. Allergy headaches are usually associated with sneezing, stuffy nose, and can drain from one side to the other. Treatment for these headaches is similar - acetaminophnen (ibuprofen) usually works to reduce the severity of this headache. Also, Claritin works well for alergy related symptoms. For more severe tension headaches doctors have been known to use oxygen machines and a few injectable drugs that give a more immediate effect.

Migraines. These can be quite serious and are by far the most painful. They feel like a burst blood vessel or artery as they have a pulsing feel to them. They can be so painful that they can make you sick to your stomach (nausea), cause light sensativity and even virtigo. Migraines are quite prevalent and can also indicate something more severe like a brain tumor, a weakened blood vessel, abnormal changes in blood pressure and pH, etc… Repeated patterns of migraines or other headaches should be brought to the attention of your doctor for this reason. Your body many times will tell you when something is wrong and a abnormal or irregular headache or bodyache that has become chronic is a good indication that something may be off. It may be as simple as a hormonal imbalance, new stress, etc… Regardless, your doctor knows best and it should be brought to their attention. There are over the counter products that contain pain relievers and caffeine that may work. Doctors usually prescribe beta blockers, calcium channel blockers, and other various narcotics.

Cluster or frontal headaches. These tend to be due to stress and the work environment usually. Glare from your computer monitor, strain from wearing the wrong prescription or incorrect and outdated prescription corrective lenses. I can’t stress this enough. Once a year, every year, go and get a routine eye exam. Your eyes will be healthier and you will be glad you did. These headaches tend to have a very sharp, stabbing pain. They tend to occur more often in males and are shortest in duration. Usually over the counter medicines are very helpful with these headaches. For more severe forms doctors will prescribe narcotics and similar.

These are the main types of headaches and treatments for them. Many doctors have lately found mental relaxation techniques like Yoga to be quite helpful in reducing and preventing headaches. This article is for information purposes only. For correct dignosis and medical advice you should seek the appropriately trained physician as they can best test, evaluate and recommend a course of treatment for you. If you experience irregular, sharp and severe headaches that are new, get to a doctor or hospital right away as it could be an indication of or a precursor of a stroke, aneurysm, or other medical emergency.

David Maillie is an alumni of Cornell University and specializes in biochemical synthesis for public, private, and governmental interests. He holds numerous patents including his recently awarded patent for headlight cleaner and restorer. He can be reached at M.D. Wholesale: http://www.mdwholesale.com or by visiting http://www.bestskinpeel.com

Mole Myths

The most frequently asked critter-type gardening question at garden centers throughout the realm is: “How can I get rid of the moles destroying my yard? And often the question is asked as if the homeowner believes we have an easy answer, a magical cure that we’re hiding. But there is no easy answer, no miracle stashed under the counter.

Moles are perfectly adapted to do what they do and to most of us that’s fine as long as they do it in someone else’s garden. But before we can even consider a ‘control’ we need to know the enemy and a good place to start is by analyzing the pervasive myths surrounding them.

Myth: Moles eat grubs

Really? Let’s think about this for a minute. If moles are such efficient predators of grubs then we should never see a grub problem in our turf. But that’s not the case. About every other year grubs are a really big problem, causing much more damage than moles. Yes, moles do eat grubs once in while but grubs are way down on their list of preferred meals. Moles eat other insects in the soil and will eat a grub or two if they bump into them but they don’t hunt them.

Myth: Pouring/spraying/broadcasting insect poison all over my lawn will make the moles will go away.

Think so? You might kill a few grubs but so what? (See above.) You won’t kill earthworms, the main diet of moles and don’t even think about trying to get something to annihilate the worms in your landscape. No garden center will carry a product labeled to kill worms and even if you found something you would create an environmental disaster in your yard. Might as well concrete the whole thing and be done with it.

Myth: Poison peanuts work.

No they don’t. Moles are carnivores, confirmed meat eaters. Vegetable matter, like peanuts, poison or otherwise, are of no interest to them. If you’ve put out poison-laced peanuts before and the mole disappeared it was coincidence. But you probably killed a few mice, maybe even a neighborhood dog.

Myth: Moles eat my bulbs.

See above. Bulbs and any other plant materials, are veggies. Moles could care less about them. But mice and other garden fauna might take advantage of the mole’s tunnel and happen upon your bulbs or plants for a nibble or ten. All the mole did was build the highway to the grocery for them.

Myth: My yard is riddled with moles. There must be at least ten of them!

Nope, moles are solitary creatures with few enemies other than territorial rivals. If a mole-digging dog or mole hunting cat isn’t in the area what else is going to bother them in our modern landscapes? Nothing. In a typical urban or suburban garden all the damage you see is more than likely from one mole.

Myth: Moles are always in my yard, never in my neighbor’s.

Maybe, if your neighbor does next to nothing in the yard. On the other hand your yard is a veritable Eden with well kept turf, a variety of plants, soil that’s being constantly enriched, and water often provided on a timely basis. All that promotes abundant soil life and that attracts a hungry mole. They might be destructive from our point of view but they ain’t stupid. But the mole will wander over to your neighbor eventually. (It may have come from there.)

Myth: Castor oil works.

Actually this is not really a myth. Lots of folks have excellent results with castor oil formulation, sometimes for 4 to 6 weeks. It’s an easy to apply repellent, causes no harm to the turf and may push the mole off your property into castor oilless hunting grounds for good. On the other hand a lot of other folks have wasted plenty of time and money spraying this stuff all around their yards with no luck at all.

Myth: Those clacking whirling thingamabobs work.

No they don’t. But if you’re into annoying whirling plastic lawn art, knock yourself out. It’ll amuse the mole.

Myth: Traps work.
They do if you choose the right spot, adjust for your soil type and set them correctly. Trapping is a skill that takes patience & practice to learn.

Myth: Moles only work during certain times of the day.

Moles hunt when they’re hungry and that can be at any time, night, day, dawn, twilight and even holidays.

Myth: Moles never come above ground.

And hummingbirds never perch and sharks never sleep, right? Sure they do. It’s often easier to cross over a walk or drive or road than to tunnel under it. Remember, they ain’t stupid.

Myth: Poison smoke bombs work.

Do they? Then why are there so many other ‘cures’ on some store shelves. The mole’s underground network is extensive and they are sleek animals that can move very, very fast underground when threatened in any way. And not being able to breath is definitely a threat.

Myth: Chewing gum works.

The idea here is that the moles gobble up the gum and it somehow causes such distress to their digestive system that they die an agonizing death. Unless you use chewing gum made entirely from earthworms the moles won’t be interested.

So what are we gardeners to do?

Here are the options:

Do nothing. Learn to share, firm up the runs and hills so you don’t scalp the turf when you mow, encourage the grass to fill back in and relax.

Get a dog and train it to hunt moles but be prepared to resod a few times a year.

Get a cold drink, a flat bottom shovel, park yourself quietly in the yard for a while and wait until you see movement. Then stealthily creep over and whack the shovel on the spot, THUMP!, quickly popping the critter out and finishing the deed if need be. Be sure to load up on patience.

If there’s a slope try flushing the mole out with a garden hose jammed into the run on the high side. If the mole is unlucky it’ll emerge soaking wet and vulnerable to your attack. If you’re unlucky you not only will not get your mole but the runs will sink, evolving into ruts.

Try to gas it out with a hose attacked to your tailpipe. I’ve actually seen this ‘cure’ in some garden magazines. (Please don’t do this.)

The Bottom Line

The only way to know if you got your mole is to see the body. However, it continues to confound that people move to a country setting and actually are offended, sometimes personally, when they discover there are creatures out there that actually have the audacity to cross their property line!

I once had a call from someone who wanted to know if they could sue the previous owner of their newly purchased home because they weren’t told about the moles. While there’s probably a lawyer anxious to take a case like that, winning it, like winning over the moles, is another matter entirely.

Tom Schneider is a horticulturist and former garden center owner. He now spends his time gardening and assisting his wife, Deb, with their online machine embroidery design business, Windstar Embroidery. Visit Windstar Embroidery for embroidered gifts and quality machine embroidery designs.

Surveys tell us that that 60-80% of New Year’s Resolutions are broken in the first two weeks. This information is not encouraging and, of course, it may not refer to you. However, resolutions don’t seem to work that well. What does work well are clearly defined goals with a plan of action.

The year is about to close and it’s only natural for us to begin reflecting on how the past year really shaped up. No matter how much or little success you experienced during the past 12 months, think about these questions: “Was my year all that I planned it to be? Did I really achieve ALL my goals? What can I do differently to make this year even better? ” How can I crash through my barriers with a firm intention that will carry me to what I really want and still enjoy the trip? Questions like these fuel your momentum for success and ensure that your mental state is where it needs to be for maximum results.

Start fresh by setting new goals and making changes to improve virtually every area of your life. For you to succeed think about the closed doors or barriers that seem to prevent your success. Perhaps these doors are not really locked. Perhaps all they need is a different approach.

Harry Houdini traveled the world having local jailers lock him in a cell. He would invite the press, demonstrate his feats, and they would write great things about him. He was a rousing success until he got to one town in Ireland. As hours passed he could not escape. The crowd left ridiculing him and called his “act” a hoax.

When a dejected Harry asked to be released, the jailer gently pressed against the door, which easily opened. It seemed it was never locked. Every time Houdini went to unlock the cell, he locked himself in.

Do you have a Houdini door in your life? When you are totally committed to your dream, a dream that will improve the quality of your life, the doors that seem to be blocking you will swing open and you will find yourself living the life you have always wanted.

“Dream lofty dreams, and as you dream so shall you
become. Your vision is the promise of what you shall
one day be; your ideal is the prophecy of what you
shall at last unveil.”
-James Allen-

Allan and Barbara Kenyon are Personal and Business Coaches who help their clients live their dream life. Allan was a certified instructor for eighteen years with the Carnegie organization and he received coach training with Coach Training Institute. Barbara holds a Masters Degree in Counseling and is a Graduate of Coach U. The Kenyons work with success-minded men and women who want to achieve their personal or professional goals faster than if they were to go it alone. Their clientele include professionals, executives, entrepreneurs, business owners, sales people, and people in transition. Their coaching focuses on goals in the areas of career, money, retirement, health, relationships, getting organized, and life balance.

The Kenyons offer a 30 minute complimentary telephone coaching session so potential clients can decide if their coaching is for them. They can be reached at 402-423-6777 or by E-mail at KenyonCoaching@aol.com. Their website is http://www.kenyoncoaching.com.