How to Find the Best Disc Music Box, Part II

March 28th, 2008 by Administrator

Whether you collect antique music boxes, vintage music boxes, ballerina music boxes for your ballerina room décor, wooden keepsake boxes, or musical jewelry boxes, disc music boxes also make lovely collectibles. Here are ten more unique disc music boxes to choose from.

The Fortuna

This music box was made by Julius H Zimmerman. He actually took over the Adler products and then subsequently changed the name to “Fortuna”. Upright and horizontal items were made. The trademark is an eagle with spread wings holding in its beak a ribbon which has the word “patented” on it, with “schutzmark” above, and “trade mark” below.

Gloria Disc Box

This box comes in two disc sizes of 11 inches and 18 inches. Standard combs were used and both upright and horizontal items were manufactured by Societe Anonyme.

Gloria

This is not the same as the “Gloria” box mentioned above. This twin disc model, made by Paul Ehrlich and Company, played 26 inch discs.

Harmonia

The “Harmonia” disc music box ranged in size from 8 inches to 16 inches and was made by Harmonia SA.

Imperator

The trademark of this disc box has the word “Imperator” enclosed within a circle with a flaming torch separating the word “trade mark” attached on a stamped medallion and cast on the bedplate. This box was made between 1893-1900.

Imperial Symphonion

This collectible item was manufactured by the Symphonion Manufacturing Company.

Junghas

The Junghas disc music box trade mark is a “J” within a star on the disc. It was made by Junghanssche Uhrenfabrik.

Kalliope

This interesting music box came in both upright and horizontal positions. Some even had bells. The disc sizes ranged form 5 inches to 29 inches.

Komet

Komet Musikwerke made the Komet disc music box though the model was actually introduced by Franz louis Bauer in 1894. Of the two styles, the earlier style had the disc without projections. Also the 33 inch one was played on ahuge upright machine with a bell accompaniment.

Libellion

This truly was a unique disc music box. Made by Fredrich Adolf Richter and Company, it had a unique system of folding cardboard strips (music books).

Collecting items such as music boxes is an enjoyable hobby. Whether you are collecting antique music boxes, vintage music boxes, ballerina music boxes for your ballerina room décor, wooden keepsake boxes, or musical jewelry boxes, you also may wish to consider adding any one of these specialized disc music boxes. They truly will add beauty and value to your collection.

Established in May of 2005, http://www.My-Music-Box.com is a music box gift store specializing in products such as inlaid ballerina music boxes for ballerina rooms décor, whimsical carousel music boxes, and musical jewelry boxes. The company provides interesting information for music lovers of all ages. Owner Monique Hawkins is also the author of the blog “What You Never Knew About Music” http://whatyouneverknewaboutmusic.blogspot.com , and owner of the eBay store “Monique’s Music Box” at: http://stores.ebay.com/Moniques-Music-Box Monique can be contacted at (540) 858-2885.

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Why the Mediterranean Diet is Good for Women

March 28th, 2008 by Administrator

Six Reasons the Mediterranean Diet Promotes Good Health

Over the course of the past forty years, women the world over have become particularly concerned about their diets. They have become concerned about diet related issues for two primary reasons:

1. Women have expressed concern over how a particular diet plan effects their appearances

2. Women have expressed concern over how a particular dies plan effects their health

As a result, a growing number of women have found themselves attracted to the Mediterranean diet. When it comes to the Mediterranean diet, there are six primary reasons why women find themselves strongly attracted to the diet regimen.

3. Weight Loss and Healthy Weight Maintenance

In many countries around the world, a record number of women are being classified as overweight and even obese. As a result, a growing number of women find themselves seeking effective and healthy dieting regimens to lower their weight to appropriate levels — for both cosmetic as well as health reasons.

The Mediterranean diet has proven itself to be very effective at providing a means through which women can lose weight in a healthy manner. Additionally, the Mediterranean diet has proven incredibly effective as being a solid path a woman can take to maintain a generally ideal and healthy weight.

4. Anti-oxidants and Aging

The Mediterranean diet regimen is flush with foods that are rich in anti-oxidants. This includes leafy, dark green vegetables as well as certain fish that are common features in this dietary scheme.

Anti-oxidants have been proven to slow the appearance of aging in women. Additionally, anti-oxidants have been demonstrated as being effective at preventing organ and skin deterioration in women. The consumption of foods that are high in anti-oxidants has been proven to enhance longevity in both women and men.

5.Metabolic Syndrome

Metabolic syndrome is an ailment in which a person ends up afflicted with both Type Two diabetes and hypertension. Most experts believe that diet can play a significant role in reducing the likelihood of metabolic syndrome in men and women who are prone to the ailment.

Without exception, medical experts who have studied the cause and effect of metabolic syndrome universally have agreed that the Mediterranean diet is the perfect dietary scheme to prevent and control metabolic syndrome.

6. Heart Disease

Multiple studies in a number of different countries have concluded that the adoption of the Mediterranean diet lowers the incidence of heart disease in women (and men). Indeed, an analysis of the incidence of heart disease in the Mediterranean nations suggests that the use of the Mediterranean diet can lower the incidence of heart disease in women from twenty-five to forty percent.

7. Hypertension

Recent scientific studies have examined the rising incidence of hypertension amongst women. Many researchers attribute the increase in hypertension amongst women in recent years to a number of changes that have occurred in their lives, including:

– a greater number of women entering the workforce

– a growing number of women being forced to juggle the raising of children with a full time career

– the food and beverage choices that women are making in the 21st century

Research studies in a dozen different countries over the course of the past twenty years have suggested that the Mediterranean diet is effective at lowering the incidence of hypertension in men and women. Because the Mediterranean diet is high if fruit, vegetables and whole grains and because the diet is low in saturated fats, most nutritionists and other experts believe that the dietary scheme works to lower hypertension in both men and women.

The Mediterranean diet combined with regular exercise has been demonstrated to have a marked effect on reducing the incidence of hypertension amongst middle aged women.

8. Breast Cancer

Perhaps the most important “ingredient” of the Mediterranean diet is olive oil. Save for fresh fruits and vegetables (in most instances) olive oil universally is present in the Mediterranean diet. As a result, on the surface, the diet scheme appears to be high in fat. Indeed, upwards to thirty percent of the caloric intake of the Mediterranean diet does come fat. What is important to keep in mind is that nearly 100% of the fat in the Mediterranean diet is unsaturated and comes directly from olive oil. In other words, the fat in the Mediterranean diet essentially is healthy. Olive oil, and the fat contained in the product, simply does not trigger the negative consequences that flow from saturated fats, from animal fats.

In addition, there have been several important scientific studies undertaken in the past decade that have demonstrated that a diet high in olive oil works to lower the risk of breast cancer in women. Thus, one of the beneficial results of adopting the Mediterranean diet is a lowering of the risk for breast cancer.

Site Owner & Publisher Ray Darken - You can gain much more detail from Ray’s sites along with other relevant information at The Mediterranean Diet or http://www.safe-and-easy-weightloss.com/wordpress/

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Banishing Hannibal Lecter Personalities From Your Life

March 28th, 2008 by Administrator

We all know them. We all have somebody like them at our workplace. Some of us have them as our neighbor. Some are related to them. Gosh - some poor souls even live with them. So who are these people I speak of?

What I am talking about are the Hannibal Lecters of society. Toxic people.

Toxic people enjoy telling you every reason why you can’t or shouldn’t do something. Tell them an idea and they will tell you it’s no good. They hope that you won’t achieve more than they can and really don’t want you to succeed. They whine, they complain, they spread rumors, they are prone to ugly moods - a thundercloud follows their every move. They are the doomsayers. I’ll bet you already have someone like this in mind as you read these very words.

Unlike the Hannibal Lecter of “Silence of the Lambs” fame, toxic people are not trying to eat your flesh. No. Toxic people want to consume other things - your confidence, your self-esteem, your dreams, your ambitions, your goals, your desires. I think you get the picture.

The best thing you can do if you find yourself in the presence of one of these people is to run, hide, make other plans. Just get away from them as fast as you can. The least amount of time you spend with them the better.

Toxic people will attempt to indoctrinate you with huge amounts of negative input in a very short space of time, so it is imperative that you limit your time with them. They are easy to recognize. Their language gives them away. Every time they open their mouth out comes a litany of everything that is wrong with them, you, the world and other people.

Recognizing positive and negative personality traits is one of the skills of personal development. Many excellent books exist on this subject but there are none better than “Personality Plus” written by Florence Littauer.

In her book, Florence Littauer defines personality traits. In it you will learn how to get along with the four main personality types, and the multiple combinations of them. I have had the privilege of hearing Florence speak and she is a truly gifted author and presenter.

By understanding your own personality traits and those of other people you will enhance your ability to get along with those who are important to you. If you are a Human Resource Officer, a General Manager, a salesperson, or just somebody who likes to get along with other people, what would this skill be worth to you?

Guard yourself against the Hannibal Lecter’s of this world. Your life will be so much more fulfilling without their destructive influence.

About the author: Gary Simpson is the Course Co-ordinator for the “Life, Journey, Destiny - Personal Development Home Study Course” and the author of “How to Stop Wasting Your Life and Start Getting What You Want”. His email address is budo@iinet.net.au. The website containing this article and others is located at Motivation & Self Esteem for Success.

[If you like this article and would like to use it on your own website or ezine you may do so ONLY if the article is not changed in any way and the final paragraph: “About the author”, with all links intact, is included.]

About the Author

Gary Simpson is the Course Co-ordinator for the “Life, Journey, Destiny - Personal Development Home Study Course” and the author of “How to Stop Wasting Your Life and Start Getting What You Want”. His email address is budo@iinet.net.au. The website containing this article and others is located at Motivation & Self Esteem for Success.

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How to Master Google AdWords - Part 2

March 28th, 2008 by Administrator

4. Write an attractive ad - you have a very limited space
to write your ad so you need to make each word count if you
want your visitors to click through to your web site or
landing page. Start with a clear headline, followed by
benefit, feature then web address.

5. Use strong verbs in your ad - strong verbs link directly
to the five senses–touch, sight, smell, sound, and
taste–and to familiar emotions. They are short and
personal: “run,” “fight,” “love,” “say.”

Weak verbs seem abstract and impersonal. They tend to
be long words: “employ,” “postpone,” “construct.”

Here’s a comparison of weak and strong verbs:

Weak verbs
Inform
Reduce
Indicate
Modify
Endeavor
Desire

Strong Verbs

tell, say
cut
show
change
try
want

Next time you visit the grocery store look at some of the
headlines of popular magazines ie Cosmopolitan Magazine.
They spend millions of dollars researching words which will
attract readers. By using strong verbs in your ads your
visitor will be more inclined to take action.

6. Write ads that have rhythm - ads that have a flow nice
flow to them effect people in a better way than ones that
don’t ie “simple self defense”

7. Set a daily budget - Google will recommend a specific
amount to spend for each click. Don’t go with their
recommendation as they probably have their own self
interest in mind. Start with a smaller daily amount than
what is suggested ie 5 cents per click and keep a eye on
your CTR. Ads shown at the top of the page don’t
necessarily produce the highest CTR. Aim for positions 6-8.
Google will rotate your ads periodically so each one of
them gets equal exposure.

8. Check on your ad regularly - when you first run your ad,
check on it 3-4 times per day until you have got at least
50 clicks.

9. Refine your ads - discard those ads that are not
producing a high click through rate. Continue editing those
ads that work or create new ones within your same ad group
until you find a winner. You can do this by using different
combinations of keywords or trying different headlines.

10. Track your ads - track which ads produce the most
clicks. The adtracker I recommend you use is Adtrackz:

http://www.isitebuild.com/cgi-bin/a/t.cgi?adtracker

This software allows you to create a different URL for each
ad and tracks how many clicks you receive each day from
placing the ad. You can also use the Google tracker that’s
included with your AdWrords account, however it is not as
powerful as Adtrackz and has much less features.

When you have created a winning ad (high CTR) adjust the
landing page of your web site until you convert the
visitors into buyers.

By mastering Google Adwords Ads, you can confidently
expand your marketing campaign to include other PPC
advertising companies ie Overture, FindWhat and also try
offline advertising.

EzineArticles Expert Author Herman Drost

Herman Drost is the Certified Internet Webmaster (CIW)
owner and author of http://www.iSiteBuild.com
Affordable Web Site Design and Low Cost Web Hosting
Subscribe to his “Marketing Tips” newsletter for more original
articles. subscribe@isitebuild.com. You can read more
of his in-depth articles at: http://www.isitebuild.com/articles

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Affiliate Marketing - Can You Really Be Successful At It?

March 28th, 2008 by Administrator

What is Affiliate Marketing / Internet Marketing?

Affiliate marketing is a simple concept. You help to sell products for a particular merchant/company and earn a certain percentage as commission (anywhere from $1 - >$10,000). Basically it’s a home based business and you can own as many “shops” as you want, without the hassle of stock inventory, shipping, etc.

How much can I earn from Affiliate Marketing?

The top affiliate marketers are earning upwards of $30,000 every month. Kyle and Carson (authors of Beating Adwords), are just some popular examples. When you’re just starting out, don’t expect to earn thousands overnight. But it is definitely possible to reach $100/day after a month or two of affiliate marketing (provided you do it right).

Is Affiliate Marketing easy to learn?

Yes, anyone can learn affiliate marketing, no matter how computer savvy you are. It is easy to get started on affiliate marketing. But to do it well, you need some dedication and the right resources. You need a good starter guide. There are dozens out there online claiming to be the “best”, but in truth there are really only a few genuine resources on learning affiliate marketing.

So, where should I go to learn Affiliate Marketing? And what kind of sites should I avoid as a beginner?

Here’s a general rule of thumb, avoid websites which give away too many freebies. In fact, only trust sites which offer one main product, and nothing else. The simple fact is that you won’t need the free softwares, free “traffic generators”, free newsletters, etc. They are just given away free to tempt you to part with your money. Many times the freebies are plain garbage that you will not use. Get ONE good book on affiliate marketing and you are one step closer to financial freedom.

Resources

You won’t find another affiliate marketing guide that is half as good as Beating Adwords. Read a review of it here. The authors of this ebook have years of experience and are real pros in the field of affiliate marketing.

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Comparison of Google Vs. Yahoo SEO (Search Engine Optimization)

March 28th, 2008 by Administrator

Comparison of Google SEO vs. Yahoo SEO I’m certain webmasters have been debating Google vs. Yahoo SEO for some time now. It seems - at least to me anyways - that good positions on Yahoo usually net good positions on MSN as well. So one would think their ranking algorithms are somewhat similar.

I’m not sure that keeping good Google positions will benefit you on other engines. I’ve found - I can optimize for Yahoo & MSN - and they will not turn the tables on me at any given point. It may become so that in the future they are as dynamic as Google - but I have found Yahoo & MSN to contain more “static” results. By static, I mean that once you manage to get top positions on Yahoo & MSN (and especially for popular keywords) you usually are able to hold this rank for a while.

Other webmasters will agree, you either know the Google formula or you don’t. I have still not discovered the formula. I have had pages (and ones with good content too) rank well on Google for a short period of time, then disappear completely from those query results. Google is a strange creature indeed, and although I have been into Internet Marketing for over two years now (and it is my only income) I have a very hard time keeping up with Google and trying to optimize for it.

Quite frankly, I gave up after all that jibber-jabber about Update Florida and the “Sandbox Effect.” I figured such rapid changes, and such severe penalties for any given site - were uncharacteristic of Google. Google has a tendency to change their algorithms, and consequently their SERPS, almost overnight. If you’re able to hold a top position on Google for certain keywords, all the power to you. I wish I could myself - as I believe Google would supply more traffic to my site then Yahoo can.

But in the long run, optimizing for MSN & Yahoo is likely in your best interest. Unless you yourself can crack the Google code, or know someone who can/has, I would suggest sticking to optimizing for Inktomi. These old optimization methods posted for optimizing for Inktomi (a simple Google search will find them for you, I know, how ironic) actually still work very well for both Yahoo and MSN engines. I have been using them for a while now and am having no problems getting SERP listings for these keywords.

It does take a little bit of time what with link campaigns and all, but no empire was built overnight. For more information on link building, and other subjects, please read my other articles.

I am a young, aspiring computer engineer into Internet Marketing, hardware, software, web design, SEO and just about anything related to computers. Please come check out my growing PC forum at http://www.markspcforum.com

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Great Tips on Planning a Furniture Removal

March 27th, 2008 by Administrator

Moving from one place to another can be quite a traumatising
experience. Moving all the heavy pieces of furniture, keeping an
eye on the workers to make sure they don’t break anything,
packing all your things, then unpacking them, arrange
everything… these can turn out to be a heavy ordeal. But this
whole moving operation could be completed without big headaches
if you plan it carefully in advance. Here are a few tips you
should apply whenever considering the possibility of a furniture
removal operation.

The planning should start a month ahead the moving day. Start
gathering all kind of necessary moving supplies like tape, boxes
or rope. Get some newspapers for the breakable things if you
don’t want to spend money on bubble wrap. Always make the
necessary travel/transportation arrangements ahead. If you plan
to move in another city far away, you should contact airlines to
make the necessary arrangements. You should also call more
airline companies to get the best price and the best
transportation conditions.

After doing this, look for a furniture removal company. Check
more furniture removal companies, as they have different price
and different facilities for transportation.

But the most important thing you should be doing before moving
is to arrange for your mail to be delivered to the new
residence. Contact all your friends, relatives, family etc to
inform them on your new address. Inform the bank and other
financial institutions on your new residence details. Ask the
post office to forward your mail to the new address. Look for a
new doctor/dentist/vet in the new area that you are about to
move into.

Two weeks before starting the furniture removal, inform your
utilities companies of your change of address. And contact the
utilities companies at your new residence to sign up for their
services. Confirm the moving or travel arrangements and start
packing all the things that can be packed in advance.

The day before the moving day, make sure you haven’t packed the
moving supplies (meaning the tape or the bubble wrap). Make sure
you have put the most important things (documents, checks, money
or jewellery) in a bag that you will keep with you at all times.

And, during the furniture removal day, remember that losing your
calm will not help. So try to stay calm, breath deep whenever an
unfortunate accident (like breaking your favourite china)
happens.

Good luck with your furniture removal operation!

Posted in Helpful Stuff | Comments Off

“How Can I Balance Work & Play?”

March 27th, 2008 by Administrator

You have mental, emotional, spiritual and physical needs. How well are you balancing your roles and your needs?
Recently Janet, a 37 year old client of mine who currently works in consulting asked me:

“Joel, I often find myself lacking balance in my life. I have so much work to do that I don’t have time for myself and my family. I’d love to just quit my job and move to an island where I have unlimited time to do whatever I want but that’s just not going to happen. How can I have time to get my work done and still have time to play?”

I responded to her:

Your life and work are an integral whole. You are more than just someone who works. You have many roles in your life: you’re a friend, family member, community member, significant other, parent and more. You have mental, emotional, spiritual and physical needs. How well are you balancing your roles and your needs?

Take time to honor your needs, create calmness in your day and renew your spirit. You will find that focusing on cultivating more balance in your life can help your work life improve. You will be more relaxed, better able to focus and better able to produce high quality work. Coming from a strong personal foundation will increase your professional abilities and improve your view of your work.

Begin by considering your personal and professional roles and how much time you spend each week on each role. Examples of personal roles are: mother, father, sister, brother, best friend, confidant, daughter, son, mentor. Examples of professional roles are: employee, manager, mentor, team member, leader, specific job title. List each role in your life and for one week, carry around a small notepad and make note of how much time you spend on each role.

Next, review your needs in each area: mental , physical, emotional and spiritual.

Examples of mental needs: intellectual stimulation, diversity of thought, learning.

Examples of physical needs: food, shelter, water, Exercise.

Examples of emotional needs: love, belonging, security.

Examples of spiritual needs: meditation, religious/spiritual practice on a regular basis, rituals.

Consider how much time you spend in each area and note which areas you’d like to spend more time on.

Next, look at how you can make room in your life to take the time to focus on the needs that have been neglected and the roles you want to spend more time on. What extraneous tasks can be eliminated from your life or delegated to someone else? Schedule time for yourself and treat it like any other appointment.

About the Author

Copyright 2003, Joel Garfinkle, All Rights Reserved
Joel Garfinkle provides a step-by-step Dream Job process that has guided thousands of clients to find the perfect job and reach career fulfillment. For Career Coaching Services: http://www.dreamjobcoaching.com/coaching.shtml

Posted in Lifestyle + More | Comments Off

Moving Into a New House

March 26th, 2008 by Administrator

Moving into a new house can be one of the single most stressful
things a person can possibly do in their lifetime. Planning
ahead is one of the most important things you can do to make
this process a little bit easier on yourself. There’s nothing
worse than getting down to packing the very last boxes in the
moving truck/storage facility and realizing that you’ve left
something very important behind.

First, you should always make a checklist! Write it well ahead
of the move and check over it several times to make sure you
haven’t left anything out. Remember to include every single
detail, no matter how small or how excellent you think your
memory is. It will save you the time and hassle later on when
you’re stressing out and panicking over every little thing,
because you’ll know that you’ve prepared yourself for even the
smallest disaster.

All of your moving arrangements should be made well in advance.
If you’re planning on getting a moving or removal company to
assist you, call at least a month before the move to make sure
that they can fit you in on your chosen day to move. If you’re
planning to move it all yourself, see if you can reserve the
moving truck. This makes it much easier than trying to get a
truck on moving day only to find that there isn’t one available.

Have someone available to look after your small children and
pets. They will only get under your feet and actually add more
stress during moving. Older children can be a bit of an asset as
they can help with the moving process. However, you might feel a
bit more comfortable with them away during packing as well. Buy
high quality boxes and packing tape. Having a box (or all of
your boxes) come open during transit, or having items break is
one of the worst things that can happen during a move from one
home to another. Protect your items by packing them securely,
using bubble wrap or tissue paper. Look into getting insurance!
It will save you money if something should happen to your
belongings while in transit.

No move is completely stress-free, but if you follow these
simple instructions, you’ll certainly be a lot less stressed
during your move!

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A Debt of Gratitude: Affordable Gift Ideas for Dad this Father’s Day

March 26th, 2008 by Administrator

With taxes recently due in April, Mother’s Day in May, and now Father’s Day this month, the Spring can cost you a lot of money if you don’t keep a close eye on your spending. How can you pay tribute to Dad this Father’s Day while still sticking to your budget?

Here are a few money-saving suggestions:

-Look for greeting cards online. Why spend an extra two to five dollars for a brand name greeting card when there are many web sites that offer printable Father’s Day cards or e-cards for free?


-Make a Father’s Day Mix CD. Gather up all of your Dad’s favorite CDs and pick a few tracks from each to burn onto a blank CD and call it Dad’s Greatest Hits!


-Utilize your Dad’s favorite photos. Go through your family photo albums and find pictures of your dad’s favorite places, trips or parties. Enlarge a few and frame them for your father’s office. Nothing will motivate Dad more than looking at his vintage mustang or the golf course where he shot two under par!


-Customize a VHS/DVD. Instead of paying fifty to eighty dollars for an entire season of your dad’s favorite sitcom or TV drama, be resourceful and record an episode of his favorite show each night in syndication. After a few weeks you’d be surprised at how many episodes you’ll have accumulated.


-Give the gift of savings. Buy your father a book of gift certificates to the places that he goes to but always hates paying the bill. Your dad will be relieved when he can just reach for a gift certificate when he’s passing through the car wash, oil changing service or gas station.

ABOUT ACCC:
American Consumer Credit Counseling is a non-profit 501 (c) (3) organization dedicated to empowering consumers to regain control of their lives through financial education, counseling and debt management. ACCC provides individuals with practical solutions for solving financial problems and recognizes that consumers’ financial difficulties are often not the result of poor spending habits but more frequently from extenuating circumstances beyond their control. As one of the nation’s leading providers of financial education and credit counseling, ACCC works with consumers to help them with the best plan of action to reduce their debt and regain financial stability. For more information or to access financial education information, go to http://www.consumercredit.com

Tom Palange
Education Programs Specialist
American Consumer Credit Counseling

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