Towards A Healthy Economy + Marketing World

Over the last 2 years, the link between weight gain and the stress hormone Cortisol has taken center stage. The concept was introduced, capitalized upon, and basically challenged in the legal system all within the last 2 years. The FTC filed a lawsuit against a maker of a Cortisol product claiming false advertising and unsubstantiated claims, yet you still see and hear of products claiming to control Cortisol. The public still seems to hold onto hope regarding the possibility of the science and potential effectiveness of these products.

Two years later, is there a product, or products, that have actually helped people reach their weight goals? It seems to be a subjective question. Some products work for certain people and others don’t. There is one thing that will remain true through all of this controversy regarding Cortisol, if you don’t include proper diet and exercise, the majority of supplements will fail you. The makers of CortiSlim were very effective at bringing the topic of Cortisol to the people.

How effective their product is remains debatable. CortiSlim may have helped many people, but when weighed with the outrageous claims they made, it is clear to see that there has been significant public backlash. If you take the time to review the ingredients in comparable products, you will see that the formula may seem outdated. Relacore has been around even longer than CortiSlim and now can be seen on TV making the same claims about “belly fat” and the connection with Cortisol. CortiDrene is another product offering a Stress-related weight-control formula. Unlike the previous 2 products, CortiDrene has not done any national advertising and has seemed to ride the wave of publicity and focused solely on actual experiences from consumers. CortiDrene has changed their formula in an effort to provide more quality ingredients and fight the effects of stress from several angles.

As the author of this opinionated editorial, I can speak to you from my experience fighting the battle of the bulge and honestly tell you over the last 2 years, I have tried all 3 products. I can also offer this; I believe that you have to commit to a lifestyle change in order for any supplement to provide quality support. For my money and expectations, I was left expecting more from Cortislim and Relacore. I enjoyed the feeling I had with CortiDrene and actually felt more comfortable while using it. I agree with CortiSlim when they say it is a “Lifestyle”. I just wished they had said that in the first place.

Amber Johnson is a traveling contributor to many nutritional forums and focuses on “popular” weight-loss and diet supplements. She is working on the release of her first book, a comprehensive review of “Fad” supplements since the year 2000.

Ignorance of the law excuses no one. If you are unaware of your law, then you are in for big trouble. To better understand what are your rights and duties, educate yourself.

Issues regarding intellectual property rights are an important topic of discussion as many things revolve around this theme. Knowing what an intellectual property is the first step in our education. The U.S. Department of State defines it as:

“Creative ideas and expressions of the human mind that possess commercial value and receive the legal protection of a property right. The major legal mechanisms for protecting intellectual property rights are copyrights, patents, and trademarks. Intellectual property rights enable owners to select who may access and use their property, and to protect it from unauthorized use.”

This definition gives emphasis on the word protect. Indeed, it is designed to extend protection to the creator of a certain creative work or a product. Legal provisions are installed to give the owner the exclusive right to control access and use of his property. The law provides for specific procedures when a violation of these rights is committed.

Copyrights and industrial property are two categories that make up intellectual property.

Copyright laws provide for the owner an exclusive right to control access of his creative work. Variations may exist with different countries but the basic idea is this.

Industrial property includes such things as patents and trademarks. A patent is defined as a legal grant issued by a government permitting an inventor to exclude others from making, using, or selling a claimed invention during the patent’s term. A trademark on the other hand is a name or symbol secured by legal registration that identifies a manufacturer’s or trader’s product or service and distinguishes it from other products and services.

Any infringement on these rights entitles the owner to a day in court. Filing a lawsuit is a must if you want to be compensated for the damages you have received. Of course you won’t know if you are already being violated unless you know what you’re rights are. There is a great need for us to be familiar with the concepts of intellectual property laws for us to know when we are being wronged and what needs to be done to address that wrong. Like they always say, “Knowledge is Power.”

About the Author

For additional legal information and inquiries about the article log on to http://www.attorneyservicesetc.com

So many times, people don’t understand the need for medical coverage on their auto insurance policy. “Why do I need medical coverage?”, they ask. “I have medical insurance.” I’m glad they have medical insurance, but what about their passengers? Do they have medical insurance?

The medical coverage on your auto insurance provides medical coverage for both you, the driver, and each one of your passengers. It is a very cost effective way to pay for that ambulance ride to the hospital and to pay for the doctor exam. Many people don’t realize that their medical insurance probably won’t pay anything until the medical coverage from the car policy is exhausted!

Years back, a celebrated author in his get rich quick book advised us to minimize the medical coverage on our car insurance, or to drop it entirely. I would advise you to maximize it! Many health plans do not cover auto accidents until after the first fifty thousand dollars. My own plan does that, but for a modest extra $15 every month, it will pay after the first five thousand. No thank you! I’ll pay the extra $15 to raise the medical coverage on my auto policy to $50,000, and spend that extra monthly $15 on something I’ll enjoy.

Check it out. Have your insurance agent run the numbers, and I’m sure you’ll be surprised

Douglas T. Zinkevicz has had over a decade of experience servicing the auto,home and life insurance needs of his clients.Let him help you with your insurance questions by visiting http://www.insuranceplus.blogspot.com.

In the region of about a decade ago the actual idea of a wall-hung telly can have seemed like a hope. It was out of the grasp of the majority of electronic customers, with ridiculously high fees that requested taking out a 2nd mortgage to get these particularly lush TVs. Yet, over time, these marvellous TV products reached the point of attainability. While still not something you might just go out and pay for, it has recently all of a sudden become much more of a possibility. Marked-up prices for these flat panel High-Definition TV sets are now decreasing faster than new residential house prices, & have made the fantasy a reality.

Currently there are 2 rival flat-panel technologies: plasma and LCD. Despite the fact that each model bring a bright picture & these TV sets do deem the same from the front, the technology on the inside is greatly dissimilar. And while LCD tellies have been limited to thirty-seven inches & below, television sets with the liquid crystal display technology are at this instance in sizes as large as plasma.

Although, even with that, a lot of consumers deem plasma to supply a number of noteworthy advantages over LCD televisions. The key selling points is that plasma sets characteristically feature deeper black levels-indicating that the blacks are truly black and not merely a dark type of gray. This in turn means that the colours are much more impressive & natural. The newest models from Sony and Wharfedale have really taken the black levels to new depths, & hence have constructed the greatest images we’ve viewed to date.

Regardless of the gossip that plasma television sets “needs to be recharged” after 10,000 hours, nothing could be far more from the truth. These days flat panel plasma TVs should often last for sixty thousand hours or more, providing you years of top quality telly viewing. While there has been a nervousness over issues like that of burn-in (appropriately so, as this may possible ruin that expensive television), the most modern televisions contain components to sort out picture retention, offering pixel alter functions that gradually move the full screen and more vitally, remove any ghosting should static pictures in actual fact “stick” the image. This consists of a white wash mode on top of an inverse mode to remove all burn-in. Plasma TV sets at low, low prices at Digital Direct. Visit site today!

Exotic destinations are plentiful in Asia, and where you have a keen sense of history, and wish to observe a glimpse of the glorious and mystique eras of the past, nothing can be more exciting and informative than the notable ruins of the Ayutthaya kingdom of Thailand.

Thailand, the great land of smiles holds more than great food and sunshine, and perhaps this destination called Ayutthaya is the best kept secret about Thailand.

We are not talking about the beautiful beaches that normally describe Thailand, or the night spots of bawdy entertaintment that hogs the beach scene, not even the exotic meals where you can eat various insects and bugs including crickets, worms and roaches!

We are talking about the notable ruins of the Ayutthaya Kingdom of Thailand.

When I first heard of the Ayutthaya kingdom, this question just struck me: ” Aren’t these almost similar to the Angkor Wat of Kampuchea?”

Be prepared to be surprised!

Having visited the famous Angkor Wat, the Ayutthaya kingdom greatly surprises with its difference.

Set at the conjunction of the Lopburi, Pasak and Chao Phraya Rivers, the beautiful ancient city of Ayutthaya, was founded in 1350 by King U-Thong and was Thailand’s capital for 417 years, of what was then known as Siam.

Over the next 417 years it was ruled by 33 kings of different dynasties and repelled 23 Burmese invasions, before the Burmese finally succeeded in razing it to the ground.

The most important place to visit is the BUDDHA HEAD at Wat Mahatat.

Just in case you do not know, against a backdrop of temples that stood the test of time and the ravages of the weather, the Buddha Head wat or temple has a most intriguing facet of nature intervowing with the partial statue of the Enlightened One - The Buddha.

Why is this place a must to visit?

Here you can see many headless buddha statutes and one particular shrine where a the famous Boddhis tree, with roots seeking to spread over a wall of slate, and mostly exposed yet firmly entrenched, as if telling us a story of peace and stability against a world of uncertainties, interwoving its roots to cover a statutue of the revered Buddha, seeking to leave uncovered the face of the Enlightened One.

What a spectacular sight!

The uncovered face of the Great Buddha radiates a feeling of tremendous peace and warmth, of tranquility and of purpose.

It is a sense of inner calmness that smoothens the unrest within the inner chambers of the heart, so that irregardless of your religion, you will instantly recognises the holiness of the moment, the reverence of the Buddha…and you will leave the place carrying the same sense of wonder and awe that will linger with you forever.

Now, as this is the best kept secret of visiting Thailand, how did I squeeze the most out of a tight budget in terms of money and time to see the most of the Ayutthaya Kingdom?

First, plan your tour. Get a map of the Ayutthaya kingdom and write down your destinations you would like to visit.

Secondly, the first priority is to visit Wat Mahatat - the Buddha Head. This will allow you more time to enjoy the sights and scenes of this great kingdom as you bask in the glorious ruins.

Thirdly,engage the services of your local cab driver. You can get a very decent package that you personally designed. Give him your destinations, and he will fix with you the entire package tour price.

And as a bonus, my local cab driver spoke only a smattering of English. So he took along his college-going daughter to provide the interpretation and who acted as an honorary guide. Be prepared to pay her entrance fee if you do get a guide, but then most sites do not require an interpreter to be along with you.

Now, if you ever think of visiting Thailand, just remember that apart from the beaches, the night live, the entertaintment scence, the good food and the shopping at Paragon Mall, there is a best kept secret, and that is the notable ruins of the Ayutthaya Kingdom. You must not miss this when you travel to Thailand.

YS Koh works hard and believes in making travel and sightseeing a priority in her quest to learn more of the world. With extensive experience in capturing special moments on her camera, she has established the website ” Visit The Notable Ruins of The Ayutthaya Kingdom, Thailand” at http://www.ayutthaya.best-travelogue.info where you can see the Buddha Head, refer to maps and lesser known tourist information that will make your visit a truly memorable one.

What you should do and know if you are an artist and you
have decided to have a website.

1) Look at “Web Sites That Suck.”

If you are an artist and have never had a website, the
concept of a website can seem unnerving. The first thing to
do is look at a web site called “Websites that Suck”, www.
websitesthatsuck.com by Vincent Flanders. This is a
website that is so funny, and so enlightening and it is very
hard to stop looking at it. You will also learn a great deal as
an artist about the Web and feel much more at ease after
that experience.

2) Get a domain name.

A domain name is “www. name.com” of your web site.
Artists need to have their own name as part of their domain
name, “www. yourname.com” or “www. yourname
artist.com”. It is not a good idea to have the gallery that may
represents you as part of your domain name. Web visitors
are looking for the artist, the artists art work, not the gallery.
But, by having the website in your name, you also help the
gallery, because you can promote the gallery on your
website.

3) Find a person to design the website.

People like to design for artists; this is one of the “perks” of
being an artist. There are a lot of great people involved with
the Web who do not have huge overheads who can design
a very good website for you. The cost can be for as little as
$500 or less.

4) Find a Hosting Company.

There are many places that will host your website for $100
or less a year. Your web designer should be able to help
you with this.

5) Web browsers come in different sizes.

Web browsers come in all different shapes and sizes, from
very small to very large. It will be impossible to make your
wesite look perfect for every size web browser. This means
that you as an artist will need to make some compromises.
This is a good thing to know while you are thinking about
your website design.

There are websites that let you look and see how your
website looks in different sizes and on different web
browsers for free. After your web design is completed,
lookup “web browser size test tool” on a search engine to
find one.

6) Copyright information.

It is impossible to completely protect your images on the
Web. People simple do not pay attention to copyright
information. Your best protection is to keep the images
small, so if a visitor enlarges the image, it will look blurry.
Also put “your name © the year” under the image of your art
work. All the fancy things that are suggested for protection
do not work. You can put copyright information all over your
art work, I’ve seen it done, but it defeats the purpose of your
website and web visitors will not return.

© Mary Baker 2005

Mary Baker is a contemporary realist painter, whose studio
is in Newburyport, Massachusetts. This New England city,
north of Boston, has been the inspiration for the artist’s
realistic oil paintings. Mary Baker is a professional artist and
has shown in New York art galleries.

You can visit Mary at her website, Mary Baker Art, at http://www.marybakerart.com, see her beautiful paintings and read her
articles on a variety of subjects including, Art, Artists and
Money, Tips on Breaking the Creative Block , Art,Women and
Creativity and the four part series on Art, Artists and the Web.

A list of articles can be found on her Site Map and Mary’s
paintings can be seen on every page of Mary Baker Art.

As you continue to read about real estate investing, you will no doubt come across the term ‘power team’. What is this ‘power team’? A power team is a group of people without whom successful real estate investing becomes very difficult, if not impossible. Included in a power team are at least one real estate agent, a mortgage broker, and a real estate lawyer, all of whom will have experience in creative real estate investing.

So, how do you go about building this team? Well, you could just get a copy of the Yellow Pages and start calling, but that will most likely take a very long time, time that could be better spent working on real estate deals! Wouldn’t it be better to have these people call you? I thought so, so here’s what I did. Keep in mind that this technique not only netted me a power team, but also a list of potential partners/buyers for future deals.

The local paper offers a deal on weekend real estate listings, so I placed an advertisement in the paper that read:

“Fixer-upper for sale. Cheap. Need cash and quick closing. 555-5555″

What sort of people would respond to an ad like this? Some will be tire-kickers and the curious, but a good number of callers will be investors and real estate agents. I had the number in the paper forwarded to a voicemail service, and it’s a good thing I did as there were a lot of calls! I find that those who are just curious about the ad tend to hang up without leaving a message, so that takes care of those that aren’t serious.

After listening to the messages I found that there were two real estate agents that had answered. I called the first one, George, and told him that the home had sold, but would he be interested in working with fixer-uppers in the future? He replied that he would, but didn’t seem interested in discussing it much further. Now, I should mention here that I never actually had a home to sell - what I posted is called a ‘ghost ad’, used to guage interest in something. You may not feel entirely comfortable with this, and that’s fine. Simply post a different ad that gets the same sort of message across.

The next agent, Elizabeth, was much more receptive. We spoke for well over an hour about her experiences in real estate - it turns out that she actively invests in real estate herself. She would be more than happy to search the mls on my behalf, as well as submit as many offers as I would send her way. Perfect!

And here’s the best part: since I had found a real estate agent who also invests, I was also able to use the resources that she uses in her deals. So I now had access to a great real estate lawyer as well as a mortgage broker, along with a recommended property inspector. That saved me loads of work and time. My power team was now complete!

I’ve since become good friends with Elizabeth, and she regularly sends me listings that haven’t made it to the mls yet. This gives me a huge advantage in pursuing deals as only a relatively small number of people are aware of the sale. I picked up my latest rental property this way - the property was going to be listed on the mls in two days time, but since Elizabeth let me in on the deal early I was able to close before the general public became aware.

A good power team is crucial to your success as a real estate investor, and oftentimes finding one member of the team can lead you to the others. Happy Investing!

About The Author

Adem Hamidovic is a part-time real estate investor and operator of www.ProfitPiggy.com, a website devoted to new and experienced real estate investors alike.

admin@profitpiggy.com

Making do with less versus making more money:
another definition for “frugal”!

Here are some ideas to help you make do with
less in the kitchen!

Stretch a meatloaf by adding oatmeal, or rice.

Always try to make your oven do double-duty when
you heat it up. Bake some potatoes alongside
those cookies, or biscuits with the meatloaf, etc.
Or simply cook two pies or roasts instead of one.
The second goes in the freezer for another time.

When boiling potatoes always save the water. If
you’re making mashed potatoes, use it instead of
part of the milk. Or, you can cool it and water
your houseplants.

Save up to $1.00 per pound on boneless chicken
breasts by doing the boning yourself using a sharp
knife.

Learning to cut up a whole chicken can save you money,
too. All you need is a good sharp knife and a
little practice.

If you have freezer space, buy an extra turkey at
Christmas or an extra ham at Easter when they are
on sale, probably at the lowest price all year!

Learn to grow your own herbs. Just a few pots of
herbs growing on your kitchen windowsill can help
out the budget. Swap cuttings with friends.

Plan one meatless meal per week. Assuming you used
1 pound of meat at $2.00 per pound, cutting one meal
per week for one year would save $104.00!

When shopping for groceries, don’t assume that just
because the grocery store has an item prominently
displayed with the price in big letters that it is
automatically a “good price”. Know your prices or
keep a grocery price book.

Make your own self-rising flour. For each cup of
flour in a recipe, add 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
and 1/2 teaspoon salt.

Out of baking powder? Use 1 teaspoon baking soda
plus 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar for each teaspoon
of baking powder called for.

Never buy bottled juice that says “from concentrate”.
Buy frozen concentrated juice and add your own water.

The odds of going to the store for a loaf of bread and
coming out with ONLY a loaf of bread are three billion
to one.
–Erma Bombeck

About the Author

Cyndi Roberts is the editor of the “1 Frugal Friend 2 Another”
bi-weekly newsletter and founder of the website of the same name.
Visit http://www.cynroberts.com to find creative tips, articles, and a free e-cooking book. Subscribe to the newsletter and receive the free e-course “Taming the Monster Grocery Bill”.

Driving while under the influence, also known as DUI, is not worth it because not only are you incapable of driving safely, but you are also very likely to receive a ticket. While you might think receiving a DUI simply requires you to pay a fee and try to get out of the ticket a DUI is really more expensive than you might have ever imagined.

Receiving a DUI might cost you thousands of dollars, but it may also cost you emotionally, physically, and others will pay as well. So, before you drink and drive you should really consider all of the many costs you might face as well as the effects your actions will have on the lives of others.

First of all, a DUI does cost a lot of money if all that happens is you are pulled over and receive a ticket for driving while under the influence. Your car might be impounded, you will be taken to jail, and you will receive a ticket, as well as other fees and fines that might apply to your specific situation. This will cost you a pretty penny.

Then, there are the emotional costs of a DUI. You will likely feel ashamed and embarrassed, and that is if you just get a ticket. In addition, you might wreck your vehicle or the vehicle of another individual, causing more emotional pain and suffering. Then, if you or others are injured you can count on significant emotional suffering.

Physical costs are likely with driving under the influence because accidents happen more often than not. You might injure or even kill yourself, not to mention others. Imagine how you will feel if you cause yourself to be paralyzed or kill another individual? These are some hefty costs of drinking and driving.

Then, there are the costs to other people. Your family will feel embarrassed and ashamed if you receive a DUI citation, not to mention if you are killed or kill someone else because you chose to drink and drive. Then there is the family and friends of other individuals that you might injure while drinking and driving. They will feel angry and hurt as well.

Obviously, there are a lot of costs associated with drinking and driving; most of them will change your life and the lives of others forever. So, if you want to drink make sure you call a cab or at least have a designated driver to ensure you get home safe and sound. Avoid all of the costs of a DUI and don’t drink and drive.

SearchArticles.Net features over 13,000 articles including hundreds of legal articles. Visit http://www.SearchArticles.Net/legal.cfm

If you’ve been consistently bewildered about how to make your style happen in your home, relax, take a deep breath and forgive yourself. We don’t come into this world with knowledge, we learn as we go!

At first glance, interior design appears to be about the latest trends, beautiful fabrics, furniture or rugs, and the hottest label.

First of all, let me tell you what I’m not going to talk about! I’m not going to talk here about current trends, what’s in, what’s out. I’m not going to show you homes of movie stars or business tycoons. I’m not going to show you rooms and rooms of expensive furniture that you might be able to afford– or not.

So, you won’t find the answer on any TV show, in any magazine or website.

The answer is in you!

After serving over one thousand clients in 25 years, the secret of creating a dream home is– dreaming! So, the first step is knowing what you want.

Experts and authors who talk about goal setting, from Napoleon Hill to Anthony Robbins to Lynne Grabhorn, talk about a FEELING. Yes, written goals are essential, but where does the writing come from? A book? Someone else’s goals? No! They come from YOU! Have you ever really explored what is important to YOU?

From trash to treasure

Here’s an exercise for you to do. It will help you pick your home accessories, but it will also help you find your individual style, your “Design Sign”.

Go up into your attic, rummage through your closets, look under your beds and pull out the things you packed away. Pull them out and lay them on the floor. What items make you feel good, bring you joy that you’d forgotten?

Look through any decorating magazines you have lying around (or any other magazines, for that matter). What images stir your heart, make you smile, and move you? Start clipping pictures and pastingjust a few if you don’t have a lot of time.

As you go about your day, look for things that make you feel good. I’m not talking about expensive things or status items; I’m talking about the simple, subtle images and memories that bring you peace, joy and comfort. Only you know what they are.
These are the things that bring Beauty into your life, not the latest trip to the shopping mall.

Echoes of Childhood Past

Think about the places you lived growing up. If you have pleasant memories, recall them. What gives you a sense of safety, excitement, wonder?

Growing up, I loved to ride horses on our family farm. I liked everything about it: the green fields, the sound of wind in the trees, and yes, even the smell of manure!

So it’s not surprising I live in a bungalow in the middle of horse country. No, it’s not a “McMansion” in a trendy zip code. I moved there because of the feeling of freedom I had when I was a kid.

Believe it or not, your conscious intention to find these things will influence your attention to noticing them!
If this sounds strange, believe me when I tell you I’ve seen stranger things. I have my clients do just these things, and I’ve seen them come alive when they rediscover parts of themselves they had forgotten.

For me, this is the whole point of interior design: creating a home that is warm, expressive, and personal. The first step on the path of self-discovery– before buying anything, or reading anything– is to spend a little time with yourself and those you love.

Good luck and happy decorating!

Mary Cynthia Knowles is an interior designer with over 2,500 clients in her portfolio. She has been sharing her home decorating knowledge and teaching the joy of self-expression for over 25 years.

For an expanded version of this article, complete with a quiz and illustrations, please visit http://www.decoratebydesign.com/home-decorating-ideas.htm