.::.STOP GLOBAL WARMING.::.

If you have the idea that you can fuel your car by simply filling your gas tank with used cooking oil, you're going to be sorely disappointed. While it is possible to power a vehicle using only cooking oil, it has to be very high quality and pure - and your vehicle needs to have some extensive work done before it can operate on this fuel. One thing a lot of people don't get about biodiesel is that unless you've modified your engine, this alternative fuel is made for compression/combustion engines, not the regular internal combustion engines used in most vehicles. Biodiesel does not have the same levels of octane as does gasoline.

This doesn't mean that you can't power your car with biodiesel, however. It's a fuel which is already widely used for a number of different applications. It can be used as the sole source of fuel for a vehicle or to partially replace the used of petroleum-based fuels. Many cities use biodiesel to power buses in their mass transit systems as well as school bus fleets, taxis and other vehicles.

Many government vehicles are also fueled with clean, renewable biodiesel; and there are even those who use biodiesel to heat their homes in the cooler months of the year. Farmers (as well as states whose economy is heavily reliant on the agricultural sector) are increasingly looking to biodiesel as a cash crop as well as a renewable source of energy. Interest is also increasing in the use of biodiesel as a fuel for generators, generators and even some aircraft in the interest of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and harmful pollution in many cities.

There is much more detailed information on the exact procedures in making biodiesel fuel online, and what is presented here is just the basic process. While you can make biodiesel on your own, it is important that the mixtures and techniques are just right. Too much oil will be to thick to run, and a thinner mixture will be insufficient enough to count. Generally, you want your biodiesel to be around twenty percent oil base and eighty percent other ingredients.

To put it in as simple terms as possible, the first thing you do would be to pour the waste oil into a processor, and heat it to a temperature of at least 130 degrees. Then you would titrate the oil, which is a test for free fatty acids, found in restaurant fryer oil. You combine a small amount of this with a premade tester solution. Exact information on this solution can be found online from any site dealing with making bio fuel.

A catalyst (typically lye) is usually needed to make biodiesel from used cooking oil since the oil and methanol don't mix without help. You'll need to combine the lye with the methanol and then add to the oil and mix well once the oil has been heated. The process creates glycerin and other byproducts which need to be removed from the fuel. After these byproducts have been separated from the biodiesel, the next step is to "wash" the fuel with water to remove any remaining impurities. Following this, the fuel can be stored and any water left behind can evaporate before the biodiesel is finished and ready to use. This procedure is not the only way to make biodiesel, but it is the most common and the ingredients needed are easily available and inexpensive. You can find out more about the details of the procedure and the equipment you'll need online, as well as about how to modify your engine to use biodiesel, if needed.

Once you begin using biodiesel, you may find yourself needing to change your filters more frequently for a short time. This is because the deposits left behind in your engine will actually start to be flushed out by the biodiesel. After these deposits have been cleared out of your engine, it will run more efficiently; a good thing by anyone's standards.

Biodiesel has come a long way since 1912, when Rudolf Diesel was making fuel out of rancid peanuts. It's gone from being a barely-used energy source to one which has become inexpensive to produce and is increasingly being employed worldwide. For decades, fossil fuels were cheaper and eclipsed biodiesel, but the public began to come to the realization that petroleum was a finite resource in the 1970s. Ever since, interest has been increasing in this fuel, particularly with the state of the environment at the forefront of the public consciousness.

There are many sites on line that can help you find what you are looking for. There are a wide variety of kits for making your own biodiesel fuel, which have many of the ingredients needed all in one and ready to be put together. These also include the equipment and tools that are needed and how to get a hold of some of the more complicated ingredients.

The details given in this article has, we hope, gotten you interested in the idea of making biodiesel. At the minimum, you should be more aware of the possibility of this clean, environmentally friendly fuel source as a means of reducing our reliance on fossil fuels. With the incredible advances that have been made in biodiesel technology, it may well be people producing biodiesel in their garages and back yards who are the next big names in the energy sector rather than the enormous multinational corporations who currently dominate this vital economic sector.

Here are some very simple yet highly effective techniques to help you experience a cure cure for panic fits so you can begin to live the normal active life that you merit completely free of fear.

The very first thing you want to do is come to the understanding that what is happening to you is a panic fit and not a coronary or upcoming death. That in and of itself can help a lot. At the onset of a panic episode, make sure to remind yourself this is merely a panic fit, you aren't going to die, it will eventually pass.

A simply implemented treatment for panic episodes is a straightforward respiring exercise. A very effective one is to put all of your concentration on your breathe and count to oneself inhaling 1, exhaling one, inhaling two, breathing out 2, all of the way up to 10 and start over.

Another cure for panic fits you may use is to observe your wrist-watch or a clock with a second hand. Watch the minute hand and tell yourself, if you are not dead or going fully insane, once one minute passes you'll be all right. Then concentrate on watching the second hand move and try not to think about anything else but the second hand. When one minute is up, do the same thing again.

Go for 2 mins to distract you from the symptoms of the panic fit. Symptoms like your hands going numb, the feeling that you can not breathe, the thought that you are having a heart attack, the fear. Targeting the second hand is a distraction from those thoughts.

While doing this you will still feel all of those feelings, but you need to concentrate with all of your might on that second hand. Repeat the process until the panic fit passes, and it'll pass. Keep reminding yourself that it is merely a panic episode, not impending death, does help a lot also.

Say things like I've been here before and I know what is occurring. It's just my mind playing tricks on me, i will be all right. Just keep doing whatever you can to distract yourself till the attack subsides.

By just sitting there and experiencing the symptoms will only make the panic attack worse. You must get out of that place and take your concentration off of your symptoms and put it on a cure treatment for panic attacks.

Notice that a panic fit is a wave, and it will pass on its own as long as you do not re-enforce it by targeting your fear and your symptoms. Put your focus anywhere else, and ride it out. It'll pass. Keep reminding yourself that it's just a panic episode that you aren't in any actual danger. It is just your mind messing with you. You'll be okay.

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When buying an aquarium tank, the first thing you have to consider is how many fish you want and what type of fish they are. This will determine the actual size of the tank that you need to buy. The fish you start with may grow to a size that will make your aquarium too small in the future. Be sure, therefore, that the aquarium you get now will be big enough to accommodate all your fish at their full adult size. You then avoid the additional expense and work involved in transferring everything from the smaller aquarium.

Although some fish species require larger tanks, there is a rule of thumb for determining appropriate tank size. For fish with an adult size of less than 4 inches, like tetras and guppies, allow one gallon of water for every inch of fish. For larger fish, water requirements can vary greatly between species, so do your research. A large cichlid requires a 55 gallon aquarium, and an angel fish needs 29 or more gallons, even though the adult sizes of these fish will never approach 55 or 29 inches.

Aquarium tanks come in many sizes, anywhere from two and a half gallons to several hundred gallons. They may be rectangular, bow-front, or hexagonal, or designed for a corner, among other shapes. Smaller tanks are a good choice for a first aquarium, because they generally have lower maintenance needs. Don't go too small, though, or your fish won't have enough room. For a first aquarium, consider a prepackaged kit containing everything you need to get started, like a filter, light, and heater.

You will have two choices in materials for your aquarium tank. Glass tanks are generally less expensive and more available. Glass will not scratch easily but can be very heavy. They also are not as flexible as acrylic so shapes are limited. Acrylic tanks, on the other hand, being lighter, boast of a wider range of shapes and sizes that you can pick from. They are, however, more expensive and more easily scratched.

Once an aquarium is filled, it can get very heavy. It can weigh 10 pounds for every gallon of water. Be sure that the stand that you put it on is very sturdy and will not collapse under the heavy weight. There are stands, made of either wood or metal, which are specially built for heavy aquariums tanks. They even come equipped with compartments that will hold your aquarium supplies. Aside from the stand, you will also need to get a lid for the tank. Make sure that the lid, sometimes called the "hood" fits your tank properly.

Once you purchase your aquarium tank, place it in your bathtub or backyard and fill it with water. Add your heater, filter, and any other equipment, and plug these items in. Then, wait overnight, to test both the aquarium tank and the equipment. You don't want to add fish immediately only to find out that the tank leaks or your heater does not work. Selecting the proper aquarium tank size and type, and making sure that it is ready for fish before adding them, can ensure that your fish will live a long and happy life in your aquarium.

For many dogs with mild diarrhea that are still eating, drinking and acting normal, home treatment may be all that is required. This can be done by providing your dog with a bland diet such as white rice and boiled, skinless, boneless chicken breast. Implementing this food in small portions every two to four hours during the first twenty-four to forty-eight hours of the onset of diarrhea will allow the intestines to resume a normal balance of enzymes. Once the diarrhea has resolved, you can then begin re-introducing their normal food in small amounts. If the diarrhea does not resolve or it returns after re-introducing the dogs regular diet, this can be an indication of something more serious and warrants an immediate visit to the veterinarian for testing and further treatment options.

There are several ways simple, mild diarrhea can be treated.

Metronidazole is an antibiotic used to remove any abnormal bacteria in the intestines.

Oftentimes, medications such as Kaolin and Pectin are given in conjunction with Metronidazole. Together, these medications work quickly to both stop diarrhea as well as firm the stool.

Probiotics are sometimes used also. These are beneficial bacteria that help restore the balance of normal bacteria in the intestines. Some probiotics are used to treat diarrhea and others can be used to prevent diarrhea.

Food that is bland, such as boiled chicken and white rice, gives the intestines a chance to calm down and readjust.

It is very important to remember that while our dogs are members of our family, they should not be given over the counter medications such as Pepto-Bismol, Immodium or Kaopectate without the express consent of a veterinarian. In most cases, mild diarrhea will clear within a few days. If however it does not, a re-visit to your veterinarian is needed for further testing as well as exploring other alternative methods of treatment. Available below is a detailed video which discusses the treatments for simple, mild diarrhea.

Furthermore, if your dog displays bloody or tar like stools, other symptoms, or is just not feeling well it is very important that you seek the assistance of a veterinarian immediately. Dogs that may have other systemic illness will begin to get worse more rapidly without professional care.

How to Prevent Diarrhea

Here are some easy things you can do to prevent many cases of diarrhea:

Keep all trash, human food and medications out of reach.

Never feed your dog human food or table scraps.

Supervise your dog when outside to make sure it does not eat something it should not.

If you need to change your dogs diet, do so gradually by mixing the new food and the old food. Slowly increase the amount of new food and decrease the amount of old food until you are feeding only the new food. Make this change over at least seven days. Some dogs may need longer.

When boarding your dog, take your own food.

Deworm your dog every month. Most heartworm preventives will also deworm a dog.

This article is meant to provide general information. It is in no way meant to replace a visit to a trained veterinarian.

Websites and catalogues display thousands of different tattoos you can pick. Tattoos are growing in popularity with Polynesian tattoo designs seeing the greatest increase in inking.

You have to know there are two different Polynesian tattoo designs. The first of these is called Etua. A spiritual and religious significance is tied to the Etua. Some symbols are said to be magic and will keep one safe from the wrath of the gods.

The type of design known as Enata can be thought of as characterizing a person with their identity and status. This consists of their social standard, the island they come from, place of employment and past events.

Polynesian tattoo designs have symbols that mean the following:

Shark teeth: This tattoo means to protect. Firstly, shark teeth are symbolic of protection.

Turtles - A turtle symbol represents long life and fertility.

Shells - Polynesians equate shells with prosperity; this could be because they were once a form of money.

Sharks - The shark itself is seen as sacred. In Polynesia shark tattoos are considered to offer safety in the face of threats.

Gecko - It is believed that the gecko has powers of a supernatural nature and are feared but also held in awe by the Polynesians. It is also believed that the laughing of a green gecko brings an awful omen of misfortune and illness.

Tiki gods are typically depicted with their eyes shut. This is because Tiki is able to smell trouble before it is seen.

The people of the Polynesian islands are spread far and wide. The cook islands, Samoa , Tonga, Easter island , Tahiti, French Polynesia and even Hawaii have a Polynesian heritage. Over thousands of years, the people across these islands developed their own distinct cultures.

The shared traits among tattoo designs is truly incredible and also extend to tattoo heritage. However Polynesian tattoo designs of today do not mean as much in this day and age as people love them for the design rather than magical protection or a statement of status.

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While the St. Louis Rams arent the toughest opponents the NFL can offer, the Seattle Seahawks played well on both offense and defense en route to a 28-0 opening game victory. Jim Mora made a successful debut as Seahawks coach and Matt Hasselbeck played his first regular season game since last Thanksgiving. Hasselbeck was 25 of 36 for 279 yards with three touchdown passes, though he also threw two interceptions.

The Seahawks easily covered the spread as -7 home favorites. The ATS victory improved the Seahawks to 18-15 against the number in the past three years. The Rams dropped to a dismal 11-22 ATS in the past three years with a 9-20 mark as an underdog.

Mora is a native of the Seattle and once worked as a visiting locker room attendant for the Seahawks. The homecoming made the victory all the more enjoyable as he recounted afterwards:

"It was especially emotional for me, because there is some significance to it. I'd be lying if I told you there wasn't. It was kind of a surreal experience."

It was also the Seahawks first shutout in over two seasons, while the once high flying Rams were shut out for the first time since 1998. Linebacker Aaron Curry commented after the game that defensive tenacity and toughness are goals for the new look Seattle team:

"The whole offseason, they said our team was soft. We've got to change our image."

The Rams looked to be the same pitiful team that stumbled to a 2-14 record in 2008. It was hardly the debut that rookie head coach Steve Spagnuolo had hoped far as St. Louis gained only 247 yards and 13 first downs. It's never a good sign when players point to personal fouls as a positive, as Steven Jackson did in his postgame interviews:

"Would you rather us just get our tail kicked and walk back to the huddle? You saw some fight in this team."

The Rams looked sloppy and undisciplined throughout, to the point of having their only touchdown of the game negated due to too many men on the field. Clearly, the problems with the St. Louis team run much deeper than coaching.

The schedule wont get any easier for St. Louis, as they hit the road again this week to face the Washington Redskins. The Rams are a +10 road underdog in that contest with the total set at 36. Theyll open their home season the following week against Green Bay before playing another road contest on October 4th against the San Francisco 49ers. Seattle will also play away from home this Sunday, heading down the coast to meet the resurgent San Francisco 49ers. The Niners are a -1 home favorite with the total set at 39. The Seahawks will host the Chicago Bears the following Sunday before a road game at Indianapolis on October 4th.

If you are unlucky enough to find yourself stranded in the outback, alone and even lost, rule number one is to remember the survival training that you researched prior to your trip. Hopefully, you did this? Anyone who sets out on an expedition is certainly on a quest for adventure, but they would be foolhardy to ignore basic requirements and not to worry in advance about their safety. Survival options are plenty, but you need to have your wits about you.

Never be tempted to set out on a solo adventure into the wilderness without adequate preparation and resources. We're lucky enough to live in a world where we have many beautiful places to discover and we are able to trek off and get away from it all rather easily. Don't put others at risk through ill preparation and do whatever you can to increase your survival options.

If something goes wrong and you find yourself stranded for any number of reasons, remember that you need several things to survive. The most important is shelter, the second is water, the third is a source of heat and the fourth is food. These are your four main survival options and must be considered in this order.

When you find yourself stranded, don't be tempted to focus all your attention on an escape route of some kind. You must allocate your energy to finding adequate shelter. Remember that hypothermia is a big enemy and you will need protection from the elements as a priority. Even though this may take place during the summer months, understand that if you get wet through rainstorms this will cause your body temperature to decrease just as if you were out at night in the cold.

You will be able to operate much better in daylight, so to be able to make it through the night you must be able to make adequate shelter. This does not have to be very well constructed as it can be made out of simple leaves and branches. The objective is to get out from the elements and away from the wind and rain, enabling you to rest and rejuvenate.

If at all possible, try and find a source of running water. The chances are that this will be relatively pure and you will be able to avoid becoming dehydrated, which is one of your main enemies. Increase the survival options by finding water, after you have built an adequate shelter.

Whenever you travel into the unknown, you should always carry a survival kit with you. This is essential and in the event that you become stranded will enable you to start a fire using the materials contained within.

We have the built-in ability to look after ourselves and this will come to the fore even if you have not had time to look at a comprehensive list of survival options before you head out. Remember that you will get through this and the important thing is not to panic. You need to be able to survive a night out doors firstl and this is your priority. You will then be refreshed and ready to find a way back to civilization at dawn.

What is dog's Cushing's disease? Dogs Cushing's disease is a common problem that affects senior pets, and is caused by overactive adrenal glands. This condition can easily be confused with premature signs of aging in dogs. Cushing's disease symptoms include:

* weight gain * hair loss * urinating in the house * increased consumption of water * increased urination * increase in appetite

Thankfully, this disease is treatable and once treated your dog can live a much longer and healthier life. This condition can be treated at home using homeopathic remedies.

In dogs, Cushing's disease can look like the debilitating effects of aging, so some pet owners may mistakenly consider euthanasia in order to let their pets go peacefully. It is very important to understand when your dog is truly just aging or if they are suffering from Cushing's disease. Your vet can help you determine what your pet is facing.

In dogs, Cushing's disease is usually found in pets that are around ten years old. Cushing's disease is more likely to strike in miniature dogs and in spayed/neutered dogs. Since it can strike just about any dog and there are very few known predispositions for the disease it is sometimes hard to diagnose. Even the physical signs of the disease can be similar to a variety of other health problems.

Because the symptoms are so much like aging it is important to note the symptoms that are more than common signs of aging. These can be extreme drinking(water) as 80-85% of Cushing's dogs will drink 2-10 times their normal amount. Another possible sign is a change in the color of your dog's coat, 85-100% of Cushing's dogs have a change in the skin or coat. 90-95% of dogs will also take on a pot-bellied appearance. By recognizing these signs you can treat the disease and make your dog live longer and more comfortably. Once you suspect the problem, a simple blood test could prove that your dog is suffering from Cushing's.

If Cushing's disease is left to progress without treatment it can lead to even more serious problems such as diabetes, congestive heart failure, failure of the liver and kidneys, and other problems like infections in numerous places on the body. These problems combined with Cushing's disease can prove fatal to your pet. So if you pet is exhibiting any of the symptoms for dog's Cushing's disease and they are over 6 years of age, it is best to take them to a vet right away for a diagnosis.

Regular roof inspections are very important to keep them in good condition over the years. It is generally not a good idea to get up on your roof to inspect it, basically for two reasons. First, roofs are dangerous because they are high, steep and you could slip and fall. Metal roofs are especially slippery. Other roofs can be slick too, particularly when they are wet or are covered in leaves, snow or ice.

Another reason why you should not climb up the roof is, it can damage it's structure. So, it is not advisable to walk on the roof. Even the flat roofs can be effected by it. For this purpose, you should have a roof deck installed that is safe both for your and your roof.

One good idea is to use binoculars or you can also use a ladder to inspect your roof closely. In fact, you should first of all look for some damaging signs from inside the attic. Like if you find some water stains, it would be an indication towards a leaking roof.

Getting a professional opinion is a good idea as well. Roofing contractors can inspect your roof and can properly diagnose its status. However, before you do that, here are some things that you can look for if you have an asphalt or a wood shingled roof.

If you have an asphalt shingled roof, check the edges of the roof. See if the shingles are rounded or curled or flipped shaped. Look for worn out shingles or those who have lost gravel granules. It is always better to strip off the old roof before re roofing. It is a must for two layered roof. But if you have a single layered roof, you can add a new layer above it also.

A wooden roof has an average life span of 30 to 40 years. So, to check if it is the time for replacing it, check for the roof on the side which is directly exposed to the sun as it will be the most affected area. Look for the broken or distorted shingles.

Also check for moss and also see if moisture is leaking through the attic. Do not forget the ridges. These are important places which gets affected very soon. So check if they are properly leveled.

Whatever roofing material you choose for your home, always make sure to get it installed by a professional roofing contractor. It is very important to get the roof installed properly as per the manufacturers specification. This reduce the chances of any major troubles later on and professionals are very well trained n this domain and can handle any kind of roofing task well.

Sirloin is a term referring to steak that comes from the lower part of the beef ribs, continuing from the prized tenderloin. Sirloin is considered a high quality, flavorful cut, but can be tougher than the most prized steaks. The sirloin itself is divided into many different types of steak.

The most valued of these steak types is probably the top sirloin. This cut is a little hard to find unless you are specifically looking for it - the majority of steak listed as sirloin will actually be bottom sirloin, which is a larger piece of meat, more readily available, cheaper, and tougher. The bottom sirloin is also connected to the sirloin tip roast, a good but somewhat tough roast that should not be eaten as a steak.

The tri-tip steak is a robustly flavored portion of the bottom sirloin, but is the leanest part, so it overcooks easily. Sirloin pin bone steak is cut from the front of the steak and contains an oval pin bone, while sirloin flat bone steaks can be identified by the pieces of backbone and hipbone they contain.

Sirloin round bone steaks contain less bone and fat than the majority of other sirloin cuts, while sirloin wedge bone steaks come from the rear of the sirloin, and contain small wedge shaped bones. These, and many other kinds of steaks, are all readily available at most markets.

Sirloin cuts tend to be lean, not as buttery and tender as higher end steaks, but with a deep rich flavor and lower price. They work well when prepared using dry heat, meaning that pan frying, roasting, grilling, sauting, broiling and similar methods are a good choice for cooking sirloin steak. Different parts of the sirloin will require different treatment, and sirloin steak cooking methods will depend on which part of the sirloin you are going to be cooking.

Be sure to purchase sirloin steaks that are clear and red. When beef is exposed to oxygen, the usual purplish color turns bright read. Make sure sirloin steak is cold and the package is free from holes. Beef should feel firm, and the sell by date should be after the date you are purchasing it. Keep it in the coldest part of the refrigerator for three to four days, and trim external fat before cooking if you want to.

At 145 degrees Fahrenheit, a steak is medium rare. At 165 degrees, it is well done. A meat thermometer can tell you these temperatures. Use tongs, not a fork, to turn steak, since piercing it will cause the juices to be lost. Let the steaks rest for five to ten minutes to keep this from happening when the steak is cut.

You can broil steaks in a pan two to four inches from your heat source - it takes only eight to ten minutes. Grill steaks for six to eight minutes, lightly brushed with oil, or pan broil them on the stovetop for thirteen minutes to a quarter hour.

UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva had lost a lot of his luster coming into Saturday nights UFC 101 matchup with former light heavyweight champ Forrest Griffin. He was undefeated in his previous nine UFC contests, but his last three victories had been far from impressive. Even Dana White criticized his recent effort and finally conceded that St. Pierre might, indeed, be the best all around fighter in the game.

There was none of the bad Silva on display at UFC 101. Silva was simply dominant as he overwhelmed the naturally larger Griffin, knocking his opponent down three times before finishing the fight with a spectacular"yet almost effortless"straight right hand. The TKO victory was The Spiders most impressive showing since his submission triumph over Dan Henderson at UFC 82. Ironically, Hendo"off his own devastating KO victory over Michael Bisping at UFC 100"will likely be Silvas next challenger for his middleweight title.

The live crowd in Philadelphia clearly favored the likable Griffin and gave him a huge ovation as he bounced to the ring to his trademark walk-in song Shipping Up To Boston by the Dropkick Murphys. Silva, meanwhile, received a smattering of boos as he confidently strode to the ring to the sound of Aint No Sunshine by rapper DMX. Silva displayed much more humility toward the fans than he has in his recent outings, bowing in all four directions after the entered the cage.

He displayed none of that courtesy toward Griffin once the fight began and was simply the wrecking machine that UFC fans had grown accustomed before his recent run of lackluster performances. Forrest came right at Silva, assuming that his natural size advantage would equate to a strength advantage as well. All that did was make him a stationary target for Silvas pinpoint striking accuracy and The Spider quickly took control of the fight. After an early feeling out process, Griffin flashed a body kick which was caught by Silva and countered with a short punch that sent him to the canvas for a flash knockdown.

The second knockdown clearly hurt Griffin, though he once again made it back to his feet quickly and landed a combination of his own. This was his best"and last"offense of the fight. Silva quickly floored Griffin with a left hand that left little doubt to the eventual outcome of the contest. The double tough Griffin made it to his feet again, and tried to land a leg kick"which Patrick Cote had used with some success in their fight.

Silva, backing up, countered it perfectly and landed an almost effortless straight right that sent Griffin down for good. The referee didnt even bother to count as he waved his arms over the prone fighter as Silva celebrated his win. Griffin quickly exited the cage and, reportedly, the arena. Postfight reports suggested that he wanted to get immediate medical attention for a dislocated jaw suffered on the penultimate knockdown.

Silva's message in his postfight interview was simple: I want to fight against the best. Whoever the best is at the time, I want to fight them. Though Silva didnt really affirm that hed be campaigning more at the heavier weight, that was the implicit message of his comment.

If you're thinking about studying for the MCSE certificate, it's probable that you fall into one of the following categories. You may want to enter the computer sector, as it's apparent this commercial sector has a great need for men and women who are commercially qualified. Instead you may be someone with a certain amount of knowledge ready to formalise your skill set with the Microsoft qualification.

As you try to find out more, you will discover training companies that compromise their offerings by not upgrading their courses to the latest Microsoft version. Stay away from training companies like these as you'll have problems with the present exams. If you're learning from an old version, it will make it very difficult to pass.

The focus of a training company should primarily be on the best thing for their clients, and everyone involved should have a passion for their results. Working towards an MCSE isn't just about the certification - it should initially look at assisting you in working on the most valid way forward for you.

Most of us would love to think that our jobs will remain safe and our work futures are protected, but the growing reality for the majority of jobs throughout England right now seems to be that the marketplace is far from secure.

However, a sector experiencing fast growth, where there just aren't enough staff to go round (due to a big shortfall of commercially certified people), creates the conditions for real job security.

The 2006 UK e-Skills investigation demonstrated that twenty six percent of all IT positions available are unfilled due to a chronic shortage of properly qualified workers. That means for every four jobs that are available across the computer industry, there are barely three qualified workers to do them.

Fully taught and commercially accredited new staff are thus at an absolute premium, and in all likelihood it will stay that way for much longer.

It would be hard to imagine if a better time or market conditions is ever likely to exist for acquiring training in this quickly expanding and budding business.

A proficient and professional advisor (vs a salesman) will talk through your current situation. This is useful for calculating the starting point for your education.

Sometimes, the level to start at for a student with some experience will be substantially different to the student with no experience.

If this is your opening crack at studying to take an IT exam then you may want to practice with some basic PC skills training first.

Students hopeful to start an IT career generally aren't sure what path to consider, or even what area to achieve their certification in.

Perusing a list of odd-sounding and meaningless job titles is just a waste of time. The vast majority of us have no idea what the neighbours do for a living - so we're in the dark as to the intricacies of a new IT role.

Arriving at any kind of right answer can only grow via a careful examination of many changing areas:

* Our personalities play a significant part - what kind of areas spark your interest, and what tasks put a frown on your face.

* Is your focus to obtain training because of a particular reason - for example, is it your goal to work based from home (working for yourself?)?

* What are your thoughts on salary vs job satisfaction?

* There are many areas to train for in Information Technology - you'll need to gain a solid grounding on what makes them different.

* You'll also need to think hard about the amount of time and effort that you will set aside for your education.

The best way to avoid the confusing industry jargon, and uncover the best route for you, have a good talk with an industry-experienced advisor; someone who understands the commercial reality whilst covering all the qualifications.

OK, why should we consider commercial certification and not more traditional academic qualifications taught at schools, colleges or universities?

With fees and living expenses for university students climbing ever higher, plus the industry's increasing awareness that accreditation-based training most often has much more commercial relevance, we've seen a dramatic increase in Adobe, Microsoft, CISCO and CompTIA based training programmes that educate students at a much reduced cost in terms of money and time.

This is done by focusing on the particular skills that are needed (alongside an appropriate level of associated knowledge,) rather than spending months and years on the background detail and 'fluff' that academic courses can often find themselves doing - to pad out the syllabus.

If an employer is aware what areas need to be serviced, then they simply need to advertise for a person with the appropriate exam numbers. The syllabuses are set to exacting standards and don't change between schools (in the way that degree courses can).

Be alert that all accreditations that you're considering will be commercially viable and are current. Training companies own certificates are generally useless.

Unless the accreditation comes from a big-hitter like Microsoft, Cisco, CompTIA or Adobe, then it's likely it could have been a waste of time and effort - because it won't give an employer any directly-useable skills.

A number of gaming journalists were invited over to the Microsoft offices in Prague on September 11th to have their first crack at HALO 3: ODST. As I was one of them I thought I would let you all know what I thought. Microsoft did also promote their upcoming Forza 3 and Lips #1 Hits titles but the crowd was chomping at the bit for some HALO 3 ODST.

From the word go, HALO 3 ODST is definitely a HALO title, regardless of whether or not the Master Chief ever shows up in the series. Sure, the game gives you a look at the universe from a slightly different point of view in that you will play as multiple characters. But in its heart it is still, truly HALO. In fact, this could be the most pivotal game in the HALO franchise history. Halo Wars expanded the gameplay to RTS, HALO 3 ODST will expand the story and depth of the universe.

If you're like me and you love a great story that acts as motivation for you to continue playing a game, then you're in for a real treat, HALO fan or not. Humanity's fight against the Covenant was never so three-dimensional as it is now.

The gameplay is that of the HALO FPS predecessors in that the environments are still mostly non-interactive, the weapons are mostly what you've already seen and yes, the Warthog returns. The familiarity that you will find in HALO 3: ODST will make you feel right at home as you grab the controller. I've also heard that this time we'll get to drive a tank around the city in a mission, but I haven't gotten there yet.

HALO 3 ODST branches the previously linear story that is the backbone of the universe. It gives new breath to the mythology and while gameplay does not stray far from the others, it's definitely going to be worth the price.

The game will contain two discs, one with the single player campaign, another with the multiplayer content. It will have 24 maps (all of the pre-existing HALO 3 maps) and a variety of gameplay modes including some new ones, the inclusion of skulls, etc. HALO 3 ODST will have 9 multiplayer game modes that will each have 3-5 variants for a total of 35 different ways to play it. Modes include: assault, capture the flag, king of the hill, slayer, oddball, infection, VIP juggernaut and Territories.

HALO 3: ODST is chocked full of content and definitely worth the asking price. They worked hard to pack it all up and give you a complete gaming experience with a full campaign, co-op and massive multiplayer options. HALO 3 ODST will certainly project the series back where it belongs among the upper echelons of the gaming elite. You too will be saying We are ODST come 22 September.

UFC 92 was a high impact affair, with Rashad Evans defeating Forrest Griffin by TKO to win the light heavyweight title and Frank Mir knocking out Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira to claim the UFC interim heavyweight title. The event had been dubbed The Ultimate 2008 and every one of the main cards six matches ended via TKO.

While nominally taking subordinate status to the Evans/Griffin main event the most shocking result by far was Frank Mirs second round TKO stoppage of Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira. Nogueira was the overwhelming favorite coming into the fight and had never been stopped inside the distance during a career where hed faced the best of the best: Fedor Emelianenko (three times), Josh Barnett (twice), Semmy Schilt and Mirko Cro Cop among many others.

Mir, meanwhile, had been on the verge of a full time move to the broadcast booth before his victory over WWE superstar turned MMA fighter Brock Lesnar. The conventional wisdom concerning Mir was that hed never fully recovered from a serious motorcycle accident in 2004 and that he was essentially a shot fighter physically, emotionally and psychologically.

When the fight against Brock Lesnar was signed, the perception among most fans was that Mir was a high profile setup for the former WWE champ. The expectation was that after a one-sided loss to Lesnar that Mir would transition into the next phase of his career as a broadcaster.

Lesnar manhandled Mir from the opening horn, taking him down and landing punishing hammer fists on the ground. That was rendered irrelevant, however, when Lesnar made a rookie mistake and dangled his leg in easy reach of the BJJ blackbelt. Even with the submission victory, however, the perception was that Mir had gotten lucky when Lesnar made a rookie mistake.

There would be no such reprieve against Nogueira, according to many pundits, as he was too experienced and too good of a BJJ player in his own right to give Mir any such opportunities for a fluke submission. Mir entered the UFC 92 fight as a +305 wagering underdog, meaning that oddsmakers and the betting public agreed that he had little chance to prevail in this matchup against a highly experienced veteran that had never been stopped inside the distance.

The fight was certainly one-sided, but it was Mir who was in control throughout. From the opening horn he demonstrated surprisingly sharp striking skills, and knocked Nogueira down twice in the first round.

After a low kick attempt by Nogueira, Mirs counter tagged his opponent and he followed up with a big right hook that sent the Brazilian crashing to the canvas. Herb Dean jumped in to stop the fight almost immediately, awarding Mir an improbable TKO victory at 1:54 seconds of round #2.

In the light heavyweight championship match, Forrest Griffin got off to a good start in his title defense by using his superior height and reach and an impressive array of kicks to keep Rashad Evans just out of range for two full rounds. That changed dramatically in the third, as a flash knockdown by the challenger gave him the opening he needed to mount Griffin and unleash a brutal ground and pound assault. Griffin managed to pull guard and survive for a couple more minutes but it merely delayed the inevitable as Evans ended the fight with another punishing punching attack.

The most highly anticipated match on the undercard also featured a lopsided TKO finish as Quinton Rampage Jackson dominated Wanderlei Silva in the third fight between the two men. It was Jacksons first fight since his well publicized hit and run incident in Orange County, California and he looked very sharp throughout before bringing the contest to a close with a perfectly placed left hook to the cheekbone.

This is a guide on tackling Derbesia sp, or as its more commonly known, Hair Algae. Green hair algae is one of the most common problems faced by all marine aquarium hobbyists.

It starts off inconspicuously enough, a few green strands on your live rock. And in a matter of weeks, you have a full blown hair algae problem. You'll see it on your live rock, substrate, tank glass and power heads, just everywhere.

Hair algae is a nightmare than too many hobbyists can attest too. Pull them out all you want, they'll keep coming back.

Thankfully, there are effective measures you can take against these pests. When we are looking to get rid of hair algae, we generally have to look at our nutrient levels. If they are spreading all over your tank, it is a sign that your nutrient levels are too high. They are also photosynthetic, able to produce energy from light, and most tanks have a light fixture in place.

The two key nutrients that are causing you headaches over this problem are nitrates and phosphates. These two nutrients can come from a few sources. The water that you use, fish food and fish waste. To overcome hair algae, both nitrates and phosphates must be reduced drastically.

Firstly, is the water you use treated tap water or RO/DI water? Tap water has both of nitrates and phosphates, in an effort to lower these two you should start using RO/DI water. Next, feed your fishes less and in lower frequencies.

Remove any and all uneaten foods, fish wastes and detritus from the aquarium. Remove all your equipment (protein skimmers, pumps) and give them a good scrubbing.

The next step is to drastically lower the amount of nitrates and phosphates in your aquarium. Perform water changes to remove nitrates.

As for phosphates, you need a good phosphate remover, three brands i recommend are Rowaphos, Phosguard and Phosban.

Mother nature has gifted us with a few creatures that consume hair algae. Green Emerald Crabs, nerite snails and turbo snails all eat hair algae.

Your lighting can be viewed upon as a source for the hair algae outbreak as well. If they are too old they may be changing in spectrum. Hair algae likes the red spectrum so change your bulbs just in case.

There are some products on the market that will accelerate the algae removal process. However, such products are short-term fixes at best. Because it doesn't fix the source of the problem. Which leads us back to nutrients again.

The technological advancement nowadays has indeed brought a much more convenient and different reading experience to the people. Back in the old days, readers used to read on the printed books to gain new knowledge. With the Kindle eBook Reader, individuals will no longer have to turn over the pages of thick books. This eBook Reader is completely the best solution to make reading become more modernized and straightforward for everybody.

Kindle eBook Reader is technically the best alternative for the paper-made books. At first, it was the initial Kindle, later on; Amazon developed the Kindle 2 eBook Reader with the interesting new features. The device has a weight of 0.3 kilogram and a size at 0.9 cm. This makes Amazon Kindle 2 very portable and comfortable to be used. If you normally travel around, then buying for such a product would be the best option to take.

The original Kindle for sure had some downsides and limitations. Thus, it has been upgraded to Kindle 2 to feature a much improved performance, better internal memory, built-in speakers and the text-to-speech audio reading addition. The device keyboard has been designed to become much easier to navigate. The keys are in circular shape and the space bar has been made longer. With the easy-to-use keyboard, you will be able to enter some notes while reading, keying in text for searches at the Kindle store and typing in the URLs upon surfing the web.

Users of such a device have nothing to worry about in terms of its readability because Kindle uses e-Ink technology, which makes the letters and words similar with those from the printed books. Thus, it will not cause any discomfort to your eyes because the text are clear enough for you to read on. This enhanced Kindle now features six different levels of font sizes. This means that you will get to adjust it according to your size preference.

The free built-in wireless connection called Whispernet makes Kindle 2 unique. It allows the users to access the site on where to buy Kindle 2. With Whispernet, customers will get to quickly download books from Kindle store and files are sent to the machine in just a few minutes. The new version of Kindle is definitely the answer to speed-up the process of getting your desired books to read. With the wireless connection, users can shop, buy and download books right on the Kindle 2 device.

Amazon Kindle 2 is suitable for those who are busy travelling around places. There is no need for you to bring loads of thick books whenever you go somewhere else. All you got to do is buy the great mobile device to be able to read some interesting books. This new reading device is certainly easy to navigate with, thus, it is more convenient and straightforward to be used.

Swimming Pool Landscaping for a residential application should be carefully laid out and you should have a design on paper that suits your family. This project should be very appealing to the eye and it should add more value to your home. You and your family should have an enjoyable and relaxing experience while using the swimming pool.

Many successful landscape applications for swimming pools are provided by professional landscape architects but a homeowner or commercial property owner can produce their own flourishing landscape with a little research, time, and effort.

Typically, landscape applications for swimming pool landscaping will suggest specific plant types, but it is important to focus on trees, shrubs, and grasses that will adapt well in your specific environment.

Vegetation and plants that can survive and thrive in a specific location should be selected for sustainability purposes. Successful landscape applications flourish due to the plants ability to grow and live in a specific environment. This is typically based upon climate, rainfall amount, sunlight, and soil parameters. Since the designer cannot control many of these elements, it is important to select plant material that will successfully grow given these elements of the application.

Plant selector materials, both available by hard copy and online, can help the designer select appropriate material.

Successful landscape applications include a variety of trees, bushes, and ornamental grasses. They should be native or adaptable to the location. During plant selection, you should choose items that are visually pleasing, and can also be useful. Typical plant functions not only include visual beauty, but also direct pedestrian traffic and have privacy purposes. Certain plants can be chosen to perform these useful functions.

Other types of applications for swimming pool landscaping include fencing, patios, and furniture. While these elements are important and can add value to your landscape design, the focus of any application should always be on your plant material.

Usually, multiple designs are considered to provide different planning ideas. Once a final design is chosen, you can begin implementing construction and installation. This can be done either by professional landscaping contractors, or by the homeowner or commercial property owner.

Though we may just be starting on it and learning it, harnessing wind for energy is not a new phenomenon for the man kind. We only need to look at our history to know that this has happened before. Our ancestors have used these renewable sources of energy for water in faraway areas and even extracting the grains out of the crops.

The Egyptians used vertical wind power to grind their wheat 3,000 years ago and now some companies are toying with the idea of vertical wind mills on a small scale basis for residential use. They are especially effective where the wind shifts directions or where a stead wind flow is not reliable.

A three kilowatt version is powerful enough to generate enough power for one household without the noise, extreme height or large amount of land needed as that of the horizontal units. Further, environmentalists will be happy to hear that there is no danger of birds and bats being drawn into a vertical turbine because of the unique design and rotation.

People who like artistic designs would love these models since they are designed so beautifully. These days, one of these models is becoming quite popular in a lot of parts in the UK. The charging points of these vertical towers are being set up by Mercedes Benz in collaboration with the manufacturers. The power generated by these will hopefully suffice for a per year driving of 30,000 miles for the new electric care product of Mercedes Benz, Smart fortwo.

A 500 watt unit is also installed in the garage of Jay Leno along with a bigger 10kw model in his garage which measures about 17,000 square feet. Though, these days the preliminary investment and installation charges are astronomical ($20,000), slowly as the demand for these units will increase, most residential owners will be able to afford these units. Many of Jay Leno's practically applied ideas can be found at the Popular Mechanics website.

The vertical turbine is also being installed in hotels from New Zealand to London as well. These days a lot of great reviews are being generated for a model presented by a new company in the US Botanical Garden in Washington which was also put to test in Utah. Though it's a new entrant in the market and is quite small, it has opened up many possibilities which were not thought of earlier.

Another version of the vertical windmill that is based on sailing engineering. The vanes on the turbine are covered in solar cells so together, solar and wind work as one in creating all of the power you may ever need. Patents and awards have been market for the past decade and new operations are moving worldwide. If you are sold on the idea of wind or solar but didn't want a monster of a turbine close by or your rooftop covered in expensive, heavy solar panels, this combination could work for you.

Its quite an exciting time as people are delving more into the past and understanding the ways of harnessing these renewable energy options. A lot of new inventions are taking place which can be explored in the websites based on green energy. The Germans are quite ahead of every one else when it comes to promotion of the wind energy. You don't need to compromise on anything that doesn't sound real since in the near future you will be spoilt for choices in the market.

If the title of this article has you chuckling, that's okay. I pick up dog poop for a living and I'm willing to share some insider secrets about it.

Why in the world would I want to do a thing like this? Was I forced into it? Was I just so desperate that I'd take any kind of job? No and no to the last two questions. I was intrigued by it, tried it and found I really liked it in a short time span. It's just has so many things to like about it.

If there's a simpler business out there I'd like to know about it. Picking up dog poop is simple any way you look at it. The concept, the tools, the collection methodology, the routing of stops; it just doesn't get any more basic than this. And that's what appealed to me most.

You have only two simple tools; a long-handled scoop and an over-sized hotel lobby dust pan (also with a long handle so there's no bending over). When you arrive at a customer's house you unload both and line the bin with a small plastic garbage bag. Go the yard you need to clean and begin making systematic sweeps back and forth in paths about five feet apart. When you encounter piles, stop, set the bin behind the target and make a smooth sweep with the scoop depositing the pile in the bin and move on. Continue like this until you've covered the whole yard. That's the process!

When done, take your tools and the product you picked up back to the vehicle. Gather the edges of the small bag in the bin and pull it out. Open a large garbage bag and deposit the small one into it. Put your scoop into a bucket containing about six inches of sanitizer (to clean it between stops), load it into the vehicle with the bin and you're off to the next stop.

The time it takes to complete the process can vary due to the size of the yard and the number of dogs. It averages in our case to between 15 and twenty minutes per stop.

Maximizing your route comes from organizing stops to be as close to one another as possible. If done right you can manage up to 3 stops per hour without too much effort.

Like most people in the business, we charge by the dog. We now average $16 per stop per week. When we can manage those 3 stops per hour, we are making nearly $50 an hour. Are you starting to get the picture?

Our routes are still a little too spread out so we only average 1.6 stops per hour, but that's still over $25 per hour! Not bad for unskilled labor and it's only going to get better as we get more customers to maximize our routes.

A lot of other advantages come with this kind of job. You get to be outside, you can set your own hours, you don't have to come up with a lot of money to start out, you're not dealing with the public much and maybe we're just lucky but most of our customers are good pays.

Pride would get in the way for a lot of people considering this kind of work. But does pride pay the bills? Not at our house. Our bills get paid after we pick up dog poop!

Surprisingly, one of the most popular hobbies in today's modern world is model railway trains. I'm not sure why, but perhaps it's because model trains are such a great hobby for enthusiasts of all different ages, appealing to both young and old. In any event, the popularity of model railway trains is still on the increase, even though they are considered one of the more old fashioned toys.

So why do people still manage to have so much fun with model trains, even in the face of opposition from games consoles, computers, virtual worlds and whatnot? It could be because model railways are a great way for kids to physically apply their imagination to something real.

They can choose what trains to run, what track layouts to have, whether to have scenery, tunnels, bridges or level crossings. And when they've decided, they can create it and watch it run. That's got to be very rewarding from a child's perspective.

And even for an older person, there's a world of opportunity for diving in deeper. These days the level of detail on the model trains is astonishing, they are extremely realistic, much more than they used to be. It's not at all difficult to find yourself spending hours or days on just a small part of your model railway.

These days, manufacturers seem to have settled on just a few of the sizes that used to be available, and that's probably a good thing for the average model train hobbyist. Popular scales range from G - the largest, down to Z which is the smallest. But the most popular of all is now the HO scale.

I always chuckle when I think about where the letters came from. You'd imagine it to be some obscure technical measurement system, devised years ago. But no.. H actually stands for half and stands for ordinary or standard, so the HO scale means it is half the size of the standard scale. I like the simplicity of that. Mind you, there's no real standard to the standard size, so don't put too much importance on it.

Not surprisingly, model trains used to be powered by hand in the old days. I'm sure they had all the other accessories such as scenery, tunnels and bridges, but electrical model trains didn't come along until quite a bit later. Of course these days almost all trains are electrical, many of them controlled by a computer. Just like in the real world!

What I love most about collecting model railway trains is that it can appeal to just about everyone, and anyone can start collecting. It can be as cheap or expensive as your wallet allows, and it really is a case of your imagination being the limit. The more enthusiasm you put into your model railways, the more enjoyment you will get out of them.

Computer training for CompTIA A+ covers four specialised areas - you'll need exam certification in two of these areas to reach the level of A+ competent. You'll find that most colleges limit their course to 2 of the 4 sectors. Our opinion is this isn't enough - certainly you'll have the qualification, but experience of all four will give you greater confidence in industry, where gaps in your knowledge will expose weaknesses. This is why you should train in everything.

A+ computer training courses cover fault-finding and diagnostics - via hands on and remote access, as well as building and fixing and having knowledge of antistatic conditions.

Should you fancy yourself as the kind of individual who is involved with a big team - supporting, fixing and maintaining networks, you should include CompTIA Network+ to your training package, or consider an MCSA or MCSE with Microsoft in order to have a better comprehension of how networks work.

When did you last consider how safe your job is? Typically, this only rears its head when something dramatic happens to shake us. But in today's marketplace, The cold truth is that job security doesn't really exist anymore, for nearly everyone now.

It's possible though to find security at market-level, by looking for areas in high demand, mixed with a lack of qualified workers.

Using the Information Technology (IT) sector for example, the 2006 e-Skills analysis highlighted a skills deficit in Great Britain in excess of 26 percent. Essentially, we only have the national capacity to fill just three out of every 4 jobs in the computer industry.

Accomplishing in-depth commercial IT accreditation is consequently a 'Fast Track' to achieve a life-long and rewarding profession.

As the Information Technology market is expanding at the speed it is, it's unlikely there's any better market worth taking into account for retraining.

Many trainers will provide a useful Job Placement Assistance service, to help you into your first commercial role. With the huge skills shortage in Great Britain today, it's not too important to place too much emphasis on this feature however. It's not as difficult as you may be led to believe to get your first job as long as you've got the necessary skills and qualifications.

CV and Interview advice and support might be provided (if not, see one of our sites for help). Ensure you update that dusty old CV straight away - not after you've qualified!

You'll often find that you'll secure your initial position whilst you're still studying (even when you've just left first base). If you haven't updated your CV to say what you're studying (and it isn't in the hands of someone with jobs to offer) then you're not even going to be known about!

If you'd like to get employment in your home town, then you may well find that a local (but specialised) recruitment consultancy might serve you better than the trainer's recruitment division, because they're going to know the local job scene.

Just be sure that you don't spend hundreds of hours on your training and studies, only to stop and leave it up to everyone else to sort out your employment. Get off your backside and make your own enquiries. Put the same energy and enthusiasm into getting the right position as you did to gain the skills.

We'd hazard a guess that you're a practical sort of person - a 'hands-on' type. If you're like us, the unfortunate chore of reading reference guides can be just about bared when essential, but it doesn't suit your way of doing things. Consider interactive, multimedia study if books just don't do it for you.

Where we can utilise all of our senses into our learning, our results will often be quite spectacular.

Interactive full motion video featuring instructor demo's and practice lab's will turn you off book-based study for ever more. And you'll find them fun and interesting.

You'll definitely want a demonstration of the study materials from the training company. The package should contain instructor videos, demonstrations, slide-shows and interactive labs where you get to practice.

Purely on-line training should be avoided. Always choose CD or DVD based study materials where possible, enabling them to be used at your convenience - it's not wise to be held hostage to a quality and continuous internet connection.

Being a part of the information technology industry is one of the more electrifying and revolutionary industries to be involved in today. To be dealing with leading-edge technology puts you at the fore-front of developments that will impact the whole world for generations to come.

Computing technology and connections through the internet will noticeably affect our lifestyles over future years; profoundly so.

If making decent money is high on your scale of wants, you will appreciate the fact that the income on average of the majority of IT staff is much better than with other market sectors.

Because the IT market sector is still growing with no sign of a slow-down, it's predictable that the requirement for certified IT professionals will continue actively for decades to come.

Incorporating exam fees up-front and offering an 'Exam Guarantee' is a popular marketing tool with many training course providers. But look at the facts:

Obviously it's not free - you're still being charged for it - the cost has just been rolled into the whole training package.

Qualifying on the first 'go' is what everyone wants to do. Entering examinations in order and paying as you go has a marked effect on pass-rates - you put the effort in and are conscious of what you've spent.

Do your exams as locally as possible and hold on to your money and pay for the exam when you take it.

A lot of extra profit is secured by some training companies who incorporate exam fees into the cost of the course. Many students don't take them for one reason or another but the company keeps the money. Astoundingly enough, there are providers that rely on that fact - as that's how they make a lot of their profit.

The majority of companies will insist that you take mock exams first and with-hold subsequent exam entries from you until you've demonstrated an excellent ability to pass - which actually leaves you with no guarantee at all.

Shelling out hundreds or thousands of pounds on an 'Exam Guarantee' is short-sighted - when a commitment to studying and the use of authorised exam preparation tools is what will really see you through.

When House Training Puppies, crate training is the quickest way to get the job done. It works so well because when crate training puppies, it's very simple to get a handle on your dog's eating and toilet schedule, while making it very clear to your puppy where the toilet area is.

Some people have a difficult time with crate training because they feel it is cruel, and your puppy may fuss a bit about being kept in the crate, and that's normal. However, dogs like having a den area, and this creates a safe area for your dog that he knows is his "home". Crate training works because a puppy is very resistant to messing up his own space, and will hold off on relieving himself until he can get to another location.

You should purchase a crate that is big enough to let your puppy get up and walk around in a small circle and lie down. As he gets larger, you might upgrade to a larger crate if needed. Dogs do not like to lie in their own urine (who would??) and so they will hold off as long as they possibly can.

Note your puppy's eating and drinking schedule as well as the times he goes to the bathroom throughout the day. Now you can put together a schedule of expected toilet breaks based on the times of day your puppy might need to go use the toilet. Potty breaks are typically needed after vigorous play, about 30 minutes after eating, just before bedtime and first thing in the morning. A few middle of the night trips are probably needed if you puppy is very young, until their bladders allow them to hold it throughout the night.

When you take your puppy out of the crate in the morning, take him right to his toilet area. Simply carry him straight there and set him down in the toilet area if he tends to get distracted or run off. You should just stand there for 10-15 or so minutes, simply watching and waiting. If he actually goes to the bathroom, immediately give your puppy lots of verbal praise and affection, and you can also give a treat. If he doesn't go, then take him back to his crate, and in about 20 minutes or so, try again. Just repeat this pattern until successful, and once your puppy does go, reward the good behavior with playtime. You want to teach your dog that he needs to take care of business first, then he gets playtime. This sets up good habits.

In the initial stages, crate training puppies takes a lot of time and focus. If done right, you should see improvements quickly. Your puppy will need frequent breaks playing throughout the day, but for the most part he should stay in the crate during the early stages of the training process.

Keep your eyes on your puppy at all times whenever he is out of the crate playing or wandering about. You have to train your eyes on him at all times, and if you see he is about to go on the carpet, swoop in and take him out to the right area immediately. This will be awkward (especially mid-stream) , but it is the only opportunity to help your puppy understand where his toilet area is and change his habits.

When you are house training puppies, be patient and understanding, because accidents will happen. What you should do is quietly clean up the mess without letting your dog see, so you aren't drawing any attention to it. Be sure and use a proper cleaning product to remove the urine smell. And remember, your puppy is just a baby and doesn't know any better, so take the time to teach him what to do, and your patience will be rewarded!

In any well-decorated public building, church or auditorium there are usually a few palms standing around. Nobody pays much attention to them, and yet they endure year after year. In adverse situations where almost any other plant would expire within a week, palms will grow with only the absolute minimum of care.

Palms reach a considerable height but grow slowly. They are remarkably tolerant of low light conditions. But, unfortunately, palms have been much abused. How much greater would be their decorative value if they were given proper care!

Besides the usual kentia, cocos and phoenix palms, there are three less-familiar ones worth knowing: Chamaedorea erumpens, the Burmese fishtail palm (Caryota mitis) and the lady palm (Rhapis excelsa). These three are very attractive and will endure a shaded spot or an air-conditioned room. They are desirable for porches and patios as well as for the indoors. The chief asset of these palms is their bushy shape. They all branch or sucker at the base, thus eliminating the leggy look which will sometimes develop in the single-trunk varieties. Taller than they are broad, these three palms are ideal for doorways, entrance halls and other locations where height is desired.

Chamaedorea erumpens (Bamboo palm), is slender and compact and looks best when it is over 4 feet tall and has begun to branch at the base.

Everybody knows the fishtail palm Caryota urens. Lesser known but equally desirable is the slow-growing Burmese fishtail palm, C. mitis, which, unlike C. urens, branches at the base.

The lady palm, Rhapis excelsa, comes from southern China and looks reed-like and Oriental. Its fans, held aloft on unbelievably slender stems, are divided into several long, narrow segments. This palm will thrive in sun or shade.

Providing proper care for palms is a simple matter. Keep the soil moist; once a week immerse the pot in water, leaving it there for thirty minutes or until air bubbles stop coming to the surface. If the container is too large to move, add enough water to it to soak the soil thoroughly. Frequently sponge the foliage or spray it with a garden hose to keep dust off.

Indirect or reflected light is sufficient for indoor palm tree. If they are to be used in a dark location, such as on a stage, move the indoor palm when they are not in use to a brighter spot. During warm weather set palms outside in the shade.

Palms grow slowly, so feed them only twice a year with a mild liquid fertilizer. This will be enough to maintain desirable texture and color in the new foliage.

There is significant controversy over whether or not declawing a cat is humane. While many cat owners may accept declawing as part of cat ownership, there are many more humane alternatives to cat declawing.

What is cat declawing? When a cat is declawed, the end portions of the cat's toes are removed. Another method of declawing, called a tendonectomy, involves cutting the tendon to the nails. This leaves the cat without the ability to extend its claws.

The main reason that cat owners elect to get their cat's declawed is to stop or prevent destructive cat scratching. Some cat owners believe that they must have their cat's declawed to save their furniture and even themselves from getting scratched. A cat owner who gets the cat declawing to stop cat scratching during play may be disappointed when the declawed cat bites since they can no longer use its claws to defend itself.

Cat declawing can lead to complications such as changes in the cat walk which can lead to abnormal wear of the joints and skeletal problems. Declawing leaves the cat defenseless if the cat becomes a stray. Infection of the paw is another possible complication of cat declawing.

Decline can cause litter box problems. When a cat experiences pain from declawing, the pain may be worse when the cat digs in litter box. The cat may associate pain with the litter box and avoid the litter box.

Many organizations that promote the humane treatment of animals are opposed to cat declawing. Instead, there are a number of humane options available for cat owners. Trimming the cat's claws and providing scratching posts are a couple of the alternatives to cat declawing.

Trimming the cat's claws can be done with regular fingernail clippers. By gently pressing on the cat paw, the claws are extended and the cat owner can see the pink area of the quick which should be avoided. The cat owner and needs only to clip off the pointed tips of the nails.

Providing scratching posts for the cat can reduce the likelihood that the cat will engage in distractive scratching of furniture or walls. Some cats are not immediately drawn to scratching posts. Cat owners can rub the scratching post with catnip and place the scratching post near areas where the cat has done any destructive scratching.

One of the alternatives to cat declawing is to use vinyl claw covers. These vinyl nail caps glue onto a cat's claws and stay in place for approximately five weeks. Vinyl claw covers come in a variety of colors.

There is nothing better than the digital camera! When I think back to the "old days" when I used film cameras, I can't believe how much better we have it now! I remember taking a photo and hoping against hope that at least a majority of the photos on the film would turn out nicely so that I didn't "waste" money at the film developer's on photos that didn't turn out. With the advent of digital cameras, I know that if I'm not immediately satisfied with a photo I've taken, I can just delete it and re-shoot the picture!

Though I wouldnt trade my modern digital camera for anything in the world, one thing I realize is that when I used film, I was much more sparing and careful about the photos that I took. I paid to have them developed, so I lovingly put them into photo albums upon having them developed.

I find that now that I have digital photographs, I no longer develop my photos anymore! all of a sudden, I have hundred, or maybe even thousands, of undeveloped photographs clogging up the space on my home computer!

Luckily, I have now found something that will help me to use the hundreds of digital photos that I have taken; digital scrapbooking software! Digital scrapbooking software allows me to create incredible photo albums and scrapbooks with just a few clicks of the mouse!

Scrapbooking is a breeze with digital scrapbooking software! I find it to be every bit as fund as traditional scrapbooking, but so much more appealing because of the relatively low cost and wide variety of options!

Digital scrapbooking software is so easy to use! All you need to do to create your perfect scrapbook is organize your photos, and then use your digital scrapbooking software to upload you chosen photos. You can create categories, or folders, to help keep your photos organized for each of your scrapbooking projects. And then the fun really begins!

You will find oodles of creative, unique clip art and backgrounds in your digital scrapbooking software for you to choose from and play with!

But what if you want to use older photos that have been printed traditionally on photo paper? No problem! Simply use your scanner to scan and upload the photos on to your home computer! Its simple! Digital scrapbooking software allows you to use any type of photo to make a gorgeous and creative scrapbook!

When choosing the digital scrapbooking software that will allow you to create the highest quality scrapbooks and photo albums, consider the website that is offering you the digital scrapbooking software. Looks for the following features:

- Professionalism: does the site appear to have been created by a professional web designer? Generally speaking, if the site looks good and like its had some money put into it, then its more likely a legitimate business that it promoting a legitimate product.

A Contact Page: does the website that is promoting the digital scrapbooking software have a method by which you can contact the sellers?

"Extras": there are many digital scrapbooking software products on the internet? Does the website offer a product that comes with "extra" features, such as fancy backgrounds, clip art and add-ons?

Most importantly, digital scrapbooking software should be FREE! You can get amazing digital scrapbooking software for free. If you later choose, you can have your finished product professionally published for a small fee.

As you pursue your new creative scrapbooking hobby, check out Avatree, which is an excellent exampl of FREE digital scrapbooking software!

Climbing plants are used for privacy, for screening unsightly objects, for shade and for a display of color.

Boundaries and Screens

On small properties, climbers are often grown along the wire boundary fences to provide a screen of foliage that gives a measure of privacy. They take up considerably less room than shrubs and so allow a wider border for growing flowers. Climbers need to have attractive foliage so that they make a good background for the flowers. Rapid, dense growth is necessary for early coverage and privacy. Also, the plants have to be hardy enough to carry the greater part of their wood through the winter in healthy condition. Attractive bloom is, of course, an advantage but not so necessary here, as the main object of the climbers is to form a background. Virginia creeper is a good climber to use on boundary fences.

Where climbers are used to cover bare or unattractive wall areas, you need a self-clinging, hardy growth that requires little attention. The Boston ivy is our best climber for covering masonry walls wherever it is hardy, but Englemann's ivy is hardy over a wider section of the country.

There is nothing to be gained by covering an architecturally attractive wall space. Bare walls are broken up better by a branch or two of ivy running across them than by a solid expanse of foliage.

Shade

Climbers provide shade when they are used to cover pergolas, porches and garden shelters. Since these structures are usually used for family activities, the climbers must be tidy and free from insects. Also, as good circulation of air is needed, growth must not be so dense that it shuts of the breeze. Such plants must be hardy enough to survive our winters and be able to provide shade by early June.

The large, attractive foliage and fairly open growth of Dutchman's pipe is excellent for this purpose. Moon seed and climbing honeysuckles are also suitable.

Display

Where climbers are used to provide a display of color, bloom is, of course, the most important consideration. Climbing roses and the late-blooming varieties of clematis are the best Canadian examples. Neither is really a true climber as both require tying to trellises or supports.

Because of their outstanding appearance, these displays must be used as specimen or accent plants to be effective. Use them (1) to mark entrances, as on arches or on the pillars of pergolas; (2) at strategic points in perennial or annual borders; (3) to mark the ends of minor axes; or (4) by repetition at regular intervals along a formal border or path, to carry the eye by progression to some focal point in the distance. They are being used increasingly in modern gardens to decorate broad, flat wall spaces or plywood screens.

Ground Covers

Ground-covering plants such as dwarf asters are very useful in modern gardens, where broad low masses are often needed beneath an overhanging roof to carry out the lines of the house. Such plants like the beautiful dwarf asters need to he hardy, at least when covered with snow. They should have neat foliage, which may be more attractive if it is shiny or distinctive in some other way. Winter creeper, periwinkle and Japanese spurge are good examples.

Sometimes it is difficult, or monotonous, to cover banks with grass; or you may want to provide something more interesting than grass beneath trees or shrubs. Ground-covering plants are useful here, too. On an open bank, rambler roses are often grown to good advantage and they make an excellent show when in bloom. To replace grass beneath trees or shrubs, try periwinkle, a trailing evergreen perennia.