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Hiking is one of the most adventurous activities. It is not enough to just wear usual clothes during hiking. There are required hiking clothes for hiking. The clothes are the most important gear for any hiker because it serves as protection from any kind of harm while outdoors. There are two kinds of clothing for hiking, the hiking clothes for women and for men. Layering system of clothes is usually used by hikers for the reason that it is lighter and flexible compared to carrying a separate piece for every contingency. And normally works better compared to trying to make one piece for each need encountered. The layering systems of clothes are:

o Base layer – the innermost clothing layer next to skin

o Insulation layer – the middle clothing layer gives warmth to the body

o Outer layer – the outer layer is the clothing that protects the other layer from rain, snow, wind etc.

The hiking clothes for women must keep them warm, dry, and protected from any harm and different weather conditions, terrain conditions, and other conditions that you will encounter during your hike. You must consider the weight and bulk of the clothing in buying hiking clothes. Lightweight hiking clothes are more functional and very comfortable to use. The hikers must also chose the right hiking clothing in order to protect their torso and extremities. Here are some guidelines in choosing hiking clothes including the hiking footwear.

o Outdoor clothing – you can be exposed to different conditions during hiking. It is important to choose and wear hiking clothing that will protect from any harm from outdoor. You must also consider the purpose of your outdoor clothing, like maintaining your thermal balance.

o The three layer system – this is the best way to protect yourself from some weather. This is discussed on the second paragraph of this article.

o The appropriate hiking socks and hiking boots – you must choose an appropriate hiking socks that fits your hiking boots. This is basically for the protection of the feet.

o The hiking pants – this is the perfect clothing to maintain your thermal equilibrium and protect your extremities.

o Hiking shirts and jackets – hiking shirts and jackets will give protection in your torso. Choose the hiking shirt and hiking jackets that really suites your body.

o Hiking vest – hikers usually use hiking vest. This gives warm to the body also.

o Hiking rain clothing – this is the best clothing during rainy season. This will keep your body warm and dry.

o Gloves or mitts – this will probably protect your hands

o Hats and scarves – used for head protection, you can also use some head gears that can protect you head.

These are the best guide for choosing hiking clothes for women. Always consider the quality and feature of any hiking clothing and you must also wear the appropriate hiking clothing before heading to hike.

Amy Carpenter is an accomplished niche website developer and author.

To learn more about hiking clothes for women [http://hikingandcampinggearstore.info/hiking-clothes-for-women], please visit Hiking and Camping Gear Store [http://hikingandcampinggearstore.info] for current articles and discussions.

Cooking together has always been a favorite activity in our family. My mother began to cook with me before I started school. One of my earliest school memories was when I was a first grader: our class was invited to be guests of the eighth grade cooking class and we were treated to hot cocoa and oatmeal cookies made by the “big kids.” At the end of the party, we were allowed to help the eighth graders clean up, and I remember volunteering to wash a very large floured baking sheet. As the class was ending, I was still at the sink laboring with the industrial-sized baking sheet that was as big as I was. As a reward for my efforts, I was given a gold star on my forehead. Even now, many years later, I still remember that day as one of the proudest of my life.

And maybe it was that day that started me on a life in which my best memories involve cooking for myself, my family, and my friends. The best of the best memories are the times I cooked with my own children who have now grown up and have given me five grandkids (aged from 20 months to 18 years), with whom I can continue what I started with my children over 40 years ago.

Cooking gives children a wonderful sense of accomplishment and they learn early that hard work can pay big (sweet) rewards. Cooking allows you to talk to kids on many levels: they learn about their family histories when you use recipes handed down in the family (the names of their great grandparents, the foods that derive from their family roots in countries far away), they learn to follow directions, they learn to count (depending on their ages, this can range from simple to more involved calculations), they learn cooperation, they learn the joy of work that can give pleasure not only to themselves but to others, they learn to try and to experience different foods and cooking methods, they learn lessons of self-sufficiency that will serve them all their lives, they learn they must clean up after themselves, they learn to follow directions and how to plan ahead (shopping and prep time).

All the while they’re learning all these things, they’re having fun and so are you.

Children learn to enjoy food from the first moments of their lives, and they can learn the joy of cooking even as toddlers. When you cook with toddlers, it’s important that you concentrate only on the task at hand, and it’s best to limit your cooking class to just one short one at a time. I’ve found it best if the recipes are simple, and have an enjoyable anticipated outcome.

Getting started

These days, I’ve been cooking a lot with my three-year-old grandchild, Connor. I like to begin talking with Connor about what I want to cook with him. I describe how much he will like the dish, and when I get his interest, I give the recipe a fun name. I can keep his interest through the whole process if I start by writing the recipe down and discussing the ingredients and steps involved.

Then I plan a trip to the store for the ingredients. Again I involve the child. We look for the ingredients together, and we watch while the checker bags our stuff, and after we pay her (Connor learns that everything has a price), we go home to cook.

Washing hands is always the way we begin. It’s fun washing up with Connor, who generally resists washing up at other times — as he seriously throws himself into this activity when its for cooking. Next we gather our ingredients and utensils. And then we begin.

Fun and safety

I discuss the fact that we will need to warm up the oven while we’re making our food; explaining that the stove is “very hot” and that he must never touch the oven; and that he only cooks with me, or his Mommy or Daddy. I usually tell him about the times I would cook with Daddy when he was a little boy. This usually gets Connor’s interest. I measure out each of the ingredients, and Connor gets the fun and important mixing job.

If I’m using an electric blender or mixer, Connor gets to turn the appliance on and off (again discussing safety issues and the importance of not using these appliances by himself). If something has to be cooked on the stove-top, Connor stands close by watching the activity and depending on what’s cooking he get a chance to stir the pot (under very close supervision).

By this time, things in the kitchen are starting to smell really good, and that gives us a chance to discuss what we smell and to build excitement about the end result.

Connor gets the honor of greasing the cake or muffin pans, or he can roll out dough (with some help). Depending on what we’re cooking, he also gets the opportunity to help pour the batter into the pans if we’re making a cake, cupcakes, or muffins. If we’re making cookies, he can use the cookie cutters and later he can sprinkle the colored sugar over them.

Finally, we are ready to put the dish into the oven or onto the stove, set the timer, and anticipate the outcome. While waiting, Connor always helps with the clean up, and I admit this is his least favorite thing to do. But this is one of the lessons that are learned we must always clean up our own messes. It’s not all work. While we’re cleaning up, we get to look into the oven and watch the progress of the dish as it cooks. We discuss how the food will get to smell better and better, how it browns, and how the cake gets bigger as it cooks.

When the timer rings, with Connor closely watching, I take the food out of the oven and place it on the cooling rack. If the dish calls for icing, we use the cooling time to make the icing, and Connor helps put the icing on the cakes or cookies (and into his mouth).

At last, the dish is done and we get to eat it, sharing it of course with Mommy and Daddy, and anyone else who wants some. Since eating is a social activity, Connor basks in the glow of his accomplishment and enjoys the compliments and the conversation. In our family, after eating everyone helps clean up, so once again Connor is in on the action.

In general, anything that I choose to cook with Connor (or any other young child) has got to be simple and quick, recognizing that young children have finite attention spans. The time I spend cooking with Connor (or any of the kids) leaves me happy, tired, full, and contented; it leaves them feeling the same way, too, and proud of themselves as well.

The following are a few recipes that I have used successfully with Connor and with my younger grandchildren. I hope that you will try them for yourselves and add your own while you make memories for yourself, your children, and your grandchildren (or any kid who happens to be in your life).

The Recipes

“BaNANA” Bread

Preparation Time: 20 minutes Baking Time: 60 minutes Makes 1 Loaf

You will need: a large fork and a wooden spoon, 2 bowls, oven gloves, loaf pan, cooking rack.

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar

2 cups flour

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 egg

½ cup cooking oil

2 or 3 very ripe bananas

Pam or some other spray to grease the pan

* Note: You can add ½ cup chopped walnuts to this recipe BUT I DO NOT GIVE NUTS TO YOUNG CHILDREN

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees and spray the sides and bottom of loaf pan with PAM and sprinkle with a little flour (shake out the excess flour)

2. Peel the bananas and mash the bananas with a fork into a small bowl

3. In the other bowl, mix the sugar, oil and egg with the wooden spoon until the mixture looks creamy and is a light yellow color

4. Blend in the bananas

5. Add the flour, baking soda and salt. Break up any lumps in the batter and stir until the batter is smooth and all the flour is mixed in.

To Bake: Spoon the batter into the loaf pan and bake for 1 hour. (Test

for doneness: if the top of the loaf spring back after you touch

it, or if you stick a clean toothpick in and it comes out clean,

it’s done.

Cool on the cooling rack for about 20 minutes, then flip the bread out onto the rack and cool some more before slicing.

Creamy, Dreamy Oatmeal

(to wake a guy up)

Preparation Time: 10 minutes Cooking Time: 5 minutes Serves: 4

You will need measuring cups, small pot (prefer a non-stick one), a long handled wooden spoon, 4 bowls, 4 spoons.

Ingredients:

2 cups of water

1 cup old-fashioned oats

Pinch of salt

Possible Toppings:

(i.e. the good stuff) Milk or Maple Syrup, Brown Sugar

or honey

Butter

Raisins

Sliced Bananas

Crunchy Wheat Germ

1. Pour the water into the pot. Add the oats and salt.

2. Ask a grown-up to help bring the mixture to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer.

3. Cook for 5 minutes or until the desired thickness, stirring occasionally.

THEN: Spoon into bowls and serve with the topping dejour.

“Butter and Nana Jama” Jam Sandwiches

You will need 2 tablespoons, a butter knife, and a cutting board

Ingredients:

2 slices of bread (or more depending on who is eating)

1 tablespoon strawberry jam

1 tablespoon butter (soften to room temperature to spread

easy)

1. Spread jam evenly on one slice of bread (again depending on how many

are eating) and evenly butter the other slice.

2. Press the jammed and buttered sides of the slices together to make a

a sandwich

3. Place on cutting board and cut into halves or quarters.

A variation that my family enjoys: substitute softened cream cheese for the butter and make Cream Cheese And Nana Jama Jam Sandwiches.

Shamrock Lucky Glass Cookies

Preparation Time: 20 minutes Cooking Time: 8 to 10 minutes oven preheated

to 375 degrees

You will need:

One (1) package of pre-made sugar cookie dough (may

be store bought)

Green hard candy (Lifesavers etc.)

Zip Lock Bags and Small Kitchen Hammer (or any other

thing a child can use to “bam” the hard candy to little

bits)

Two (2) shamrock shaped cookie cutters (1 large and 1

small)

Some tin foil

A cookie sheet

To Prepare:

1. Roll out the cookie dough and cut out cookies using the large shamrock cookie cutter. Using the small cookie cutter, cut a hole in the center of each of the cookies

2. Place the cookies on a foil covered cookie sheet

3. Put hard candies into a plastic zip lock bag and crush them using the kitchen hammer, rolling pin or any thing else that will “bam” the candy (the kids LOVE this part!)

4. Use the crushed candy to fill the holes in the center of the cookies.

To Bake: Place the cookie sheet in the over (adult only) and bake the cookies for about 8 to 10 minutes until lightly browned. Watch these cookies because depending on your oven, they may require less time to brown.

Let these cookies cool completely and then peel the cookies off the foil and EAT!

Variations: Depending on the Holiday or Celebration (or just because), you can use other cookie cutters and colored candy—as for example, Christmas 1/4Tree Cookie cutters and red and green candy for Christmas.

Pruney Loony Muffins

Preparation Time: 30 minutes Baking Time: 15 to 20 minutes in regular sized muffin tin or 7 to 9 minutes in mini muffin tins.

Preheat Oven to 400 degrees Makes 12 regular sized muffins or 36 mini muffins. NOTE: Kids LOVE the mini muffin size.

You will need:

Muffin tin (regular sized or mini sized)

1 and 3/4 cups of flour

1/4 cups of sugar

1 Tablespoon Baking Powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 egg

1/4 cup salad oil

2 (4 oz. Baby Jars) of Pureed Prunes or you can use Pureed Apples

1/3 cup milk

Mixing Bowl and Flour Sifter and Measuring Cups and spoons

For the Topping (goes on before baking):

2 Tablespoon Wheat Germ

1 Tablespoon Sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

To Make:

1. Sift dry ingredients together (flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon into a bowl and make a well in the center.

2. Place eggs, milk and prunes (or apples) into a medium bowl and beat with a fork until well mixed.

3. Pour liquid mixture into the flour well and mix until just moistened. Batter will be lumpy.

4. Fill greased muffin tins to 3/4 full

5. Mix the topping ingredients together in a small bowl and sprinkle the topping on the muffins and gently pat on.

Bake in the preheated oven (400 degrees) for 15 to 20 minutes for regular sized muffins or 7 to 9 minutes for mini muffins.

Submitted to Online Cooking by Maureen R. Sinclair

Beside all the organized sports our children are attending throughout the year, summer time provides great opportunities for kids to attend a summer camp and learn new skills or make new friends. In fact, it’s been proven so many times that by keeping kids active and interested in sports or arts, they will stay out of trouble and away from bad influences.

But with all the choices out there it can be difficult to find the right kids summer camps. This article will concentrate on providing some guidelines on the numerous factors to consider when choosing the best camp for your child.

WHOSE DECISION IS IT?

If you want your child to attend the worst summer camp, send him or her to a camp without involving them in the decision. Otherwise, make sure to sit down together and talk about what really interests him, what does he love about a particular activity and what does he want to gain from the camp experience. Regardless of the age of your child remember to include him in the decision. Looking through brochures and sharing some favourite summer camp stories with your child is a great way to build his excitement.

WHAT PROGRAM

Once you have determined your child interests decide if it’s best that he attends a traditional or a specialized camp. Traditional Summer Camps are more appropriate for children who love to do many different types of activities such as outdoor recreation, arts and crafts, individual and team activities, and more. Specialized Summer Camps focus on one activity and are more appropriate for children that are motivated towards one specific activity. The most common kids camps and activities are:

Adventure Camps: hiking, rock climbing, backpacking, rope courses, rafting, outdoor cooking, and fishing.

Watersports Camps: swimming, canoeing, kayaking, scuba diving, snorkelling, waterskiing, windsurfing, volleyball.

Individual or Team Sports Camps: soccer, baseball, football, basketball, hockey, horseback riding, gymnastics, martial arts, tennis, fishing, golf.

Arts Camps: acting, directing, writing, photography, choreography, dance, music, circus, paining.

Science Camps: nature, geology, astronomy, biology, archaeology, physics.

Religious Camps: Catholic, Jewish, Muslim, Christian.

Computer Camps: web design, graphic design, video game design, 3D-modeling and animation.

WHAT TYPE OF CAMP?

After taking into consideration your work schedule, child’s age and the experience you and your child are expecting to gain from the summer camp, consider the type of camp that makes the most sense for your child. Depending on the type of camp, you can choose between overnight camps, day camps, all boys or all girls’ camps, or brother and sister camps. Also take into consideration the age groups represented and the percentage.

WHERE IS THIS CAMP?

If it’s the first time your child is attending a summer camp look for something closer in order to lessen some of the anxiety he or she might be feeling. Consider the proximity to your home or work especially if your child will be attending a day camp. Keep in mind the camp environment, security, and medical facility and remember to choose the camp based on your child’s interests rather then how close the camp is.

WHAT ARE THE FACILITIES LIKE?

Most camps will schedule a tour for parents to visit the facility and meet the directors or you can talk to the camp administration on the phone about your concerns if visiting the camp is not an option. Talk to them about your child’s needs and interests and how you can ensure that your child will have a successful summer camp experience. Enquire about the sleeping arrangements and what toilet and shower facilities exist. It is also important to find out what medical facilities are available and where is the nearest hospital.

HOW MUCH WILL IT COST?

As a rule of thumb, non-profit camps are less expensive then the private camps. Most of these kids’ camps are tax deductible under the Income Tax Act, falling under the general rubric of the “childcare expense” deduction. Talk to your accountant to see if you qualify. Beside the actual price of the camp you will also have to take into consideration the extra expenses such as the spending money needed by your child, transportation or camp uniform. Be sure to check the cancellation and refund policy!

HOW MANY CHILDREN WILL ATTEND THE CAMP?

The number of campers will vary depending on the size of the facility. Large camps are often organized into smaller segment groups in order for campers to receive the same attention as they would in a smaller camp.

WHAT ABOUT THE STAFF?

It’s important to enquire about the staff before you and your child commit to a certain camp. Ask questions regarding the camper-to-counsellor ratio, the experience of the staff and directors, background, and what kind of staff training is provided. Don’t forget to ask who prepares the food and what medical staff is on campus. Although most kids’ summer camps are required to undergo detailed staff checks for anyone working with children, you have the right to ask for references of families who have previously enrolled their children in the camp.

Last but not least, visit the Canadian Camping Association’s website for a list of accredited camps and information regarding provincial standards. Make sure your family is comfortable with the program you have chosen and remember that at the end of the day it’s important for your child to have fun, fun, and some more fun.

Kids Activities Castle is an online Canadian community of like-minded parents who are looking to make other parents lives easier by offering information and ideas regarding children activities, afterschool classes and family friendly attractions.

Cat Declawing

What is the use of cat declawing?

The main reason people decide to declaw their cat is to protect their furniture. An untrained cat’s claws can be very destructive in a home, damaging furniture, curtains and carpets. Cats like (and need) to scratch and claw at wood and rough surfaces, and if they are not properly trained, your furniture will look very inviting to them. Another reason people give for declawing their cat is to prevent the cat from injuring them. Cats use their claws and teeth to defend themselves and to fight. Small children may mishandle a cat and provoke it in scratching them. Some cats also have a more aggressive or nervous nature and will scratch people when they feel threatened.

Toxoplasmosis and Bartonellosis are two diseases that can be transmitted from cats. It is important to note though, that those diseases are most likely to be contracted from a litter box, or even from biting – but it is highly unlikely that it will be contracted from cat scratches.

Declawing a cat is a selfish and very drastic solution for problems that could be solved in many other ways and may bring forth much more serious problems. Owners that decide to declaw their cat do this solely for their own comfort and do not take in account the problems that may sprout from doing this.

What does the declawing process involve?

Cat declawing is also known as onychectomy and is a much more complex operation than simply removing your cat’s nails or claws. The declawing operation is in fact the amputation of each of the cat’s toes at the first joint. It involves cutting of the front part of a cat’s toes and means cutting through nerves and muscles and removing bone. This operation is extremely painful (it has been proven to be much more painful than sterilizing or spaying your cat) and it will take a long time to heal. Even after the wounds have healed, the cat may suffer from a series of after-effects.

Are there any disadvantages to declawing your cat?

Yes! There are numerous disadvantages, not only to your cat but to you as cat owner as well. Cat declawing is illegal in many countries around the world and considered as inhumane and as a form of animal abuse and mutilation.

Many people don’t realize just how painful a declawing operation can be. Scientists have proven cat declawing to be extremely painful and even test new painkiller drugs on cats that are being declawed. Although the cat may not show signs of pain outwardly and seem to be content, it will definitely be in a lot of pain after the operation. Big operations or rather amputations like declawing can hold many of the usual dangers related to surgical complications. A lot of vets also only use the minimum amount of painkillers and anesthetics during the operation, and prescribe no painkillers for the recovery process at home. The wounds take several weeks to heal, and the pain may continue months after the operation.

Complications after a declawing operation are also very common. The wounds may become infected or some of the amputated toes can begin to grow back. Some cats may experience lameness and even be crippled. You may notice a declawed cat trying to scratch at surfaces. They reason for this is because it is common for the tendons of the severed joints to detract and cause a constant feeling of stiffness in their paws.

Cats need their claws for balance and also use it to hook their paws on surfaces and stretch themselves. This stretching forms a very important part of the cat’s exercise and muscle toning. A declawed cat will need to learn to walk differently (because it doesn’t have any front joints) and its body weight will rest on their feet which can even cause arthritis.

It is very common for declawed cats to develop behavioral problems. It may develop a fear for its sandbox, because scratching in the sand may be painful. So, instead of having a cat that damages your furniture, you will have a cat that refuses to use its litter box. Also, because it has been deprived of its best means of defense, its claws, it may now revert to using its teeth to protect itself and can start to bite people when feeling threatened.

Declawed cats will also not be able to defend themselves effectively against other cats or dogs and can even die in fights.

Because of these behavioral problems developed after declawing, many cat owners become detached from their cats and may even want to get rid of them.

Professional cat declawing

If you do decide to declaw your cat after all, at least make sure that it is done professionally and with as little discomfort to your cat as possible.

The most developed method of declawing to date is laser declawing. Laser declawing is less painful, because bleeding and swelling is reduced.

Always ensure that your cat or kitten is older than 4 months before declawing. It is also not advisable to declaw cats that are old and not so active anymore, because they will take a longer time to recover.

After the operation, your cat may be kept in the hospital for the night, or a longer period of time depending on the cat. When taking your cat home, try to keep it from getting overexcited and prevent it from jumping or putting heavy strain on its paws. It is common for the paws to start bleeding every now and again, but ask your vet’s advice if the bleeding alarms you.

To minimize the pain your cat can experience when using its sandbox, put newspaper strips in the sandbox. Sand or clay can infect the wounds on the paws or cause pain when “scratching” in the box. After your cat is fully recovered you can replace the sand again. Your cat may not like the newspapers and this can become a messy affair.

Always look out for the following warning signs, and notify your vet if any occur: Swollen paws and frequent bleeding. If your cat display extreme difficulty in standing up or walking after one day.

Alternatives to cat declawing

Before deciding on such a drastic measure or “solution” as declawing your cat, first consider some of the (often more effective) alternatives. The main reason for declawing a cat is to prevent it from damaging your furniture. Scratching is a necessary instinctive habit for removing the dead cells around its claws, practicing balance and stretching and toning muscles.

Cats are highly trainable animals and can be taught to use only a scratching post for these purposes. There are numerous scratching posts or “cat furniture” to choose from, whether your cat likes scratching vertical or horizontal surfaces. You can even buy “cat trees” with attractive objects hanging from the tree to catch your cat’s attention or build your own (just make sure they are stable and won’t fall over on your cat).

To train a cat to use scratching posts, and to discourage it from scratching your furniture, you can place netting or foil over your furniture. When you see your cat trying to scratch your furniture, pick it up and put it down in front of its scratching post.

Nail caps can be applied to a cat’s claws, this need to be applied every 3 to 6 months depending on the cat. Nail caps will prevent damage to your furniture and to yourself while causing almost no inconvenience to your cat (compared to the serious discomfort caused by declawing). You can also trim your cat’s nails frequently to keep it blunt.

For more information about taking care of cats see cat-urine.net

Claudine du Plessis is a cat lover and webmaster of http://www.cat-urine.net.

When talking about sports cars, it is important to make the distinction between cars which have been produced solely for this purpose, and normal road-going vehicles which have been modified to achieve sports car performance. One notable example of such a vehicle is the popular Golf GTI series.

Generally speaking, the term ‘sports car’ refers to vehicles which have the following characteristics:

• 2 seats
• 2 doors
• Rear-wheel drive
• Light-weight
• Low ground clearance
• A powerful engine (although this is not essential)

Many classic British sports cars such as the MG series have lacked powerful engines. However, due to their light frame and chassis, they still managed to attain exceptional levels of ride, handling and performance.

True sports cars are vehicles which have been specially designed to be fun to drive, with great handling and ride together with high performance. In many cases, these qualities are attained at the expense of practicality, driver comfort and fuel economy. However, many modern sports cars allow the driver the full sports car experience, without compromising on practicality, reliability or comfort.

Sports cars come in a number of guises. In their simplest form, they are designed for an uncompromising ‘pure’ racing experience. One of the best examples of this type of sports car is the Lotus Elise. Although lacking in the kind of specification and equipment one would normally expect from a road-going car, the Elise is one of the most fun to drive cars around.

At the other end of the scale, luxurious models such as those offered by Aston Martin and Bentley have spectacular performance, whilst at the same time offering a truly luxurious and decadent driving experience.

Traditionally, owning a sports car was a costly affair. Early incarnations were less than reliable and were notoriously temperamental. They also lacked the refinements we have come to expect from modern vehicles.

Nowadays, due to advances in technology, sports cars are as trustworthy and comfortable as passenger cars. This means that their owners can quite happily use them everyday.

British sports cars

Although none of the British sports car manufacturers are now independently and privately owned, Britain can still be proud of its illustrious motorsport heritage. Luxury British marques include Aston Martin, Bentley and Jaguar, while those looking for that pure racing experience need look no further than the stables of Lotus and TVR

Italian sports cars

Nobody makes sports cars with more passion and flair than the Italians. Select have a full range from Alfa Romeo, Ferrari, Lamborghini and Maserati.

German sports cars

German cars are famed for their build quality and reliability, not qualities one would normally associate with a sports car! However, Audi, BMW, Porsche and Mercedes have a range of luxury cars which are as fun to drive as they are dependable.

Japanese sports cars

Combining fine racing pedigree with the technology and innovation we’ve come to expect from Japanese manufacturers, Honda’s S200 and Subaru’s Impreza are perfect for those who want a fun driving experience, without compromising on everyday dependability

Many of us have dreamed of owning a sports car. Thanks to Select Vehicle Leasing’s range of affordable sports car leasing you can make this dream a reality.

http://www.selectvehicleleasing.com

Kichwa Tembo Tented Camp

Kichwa Tembo Tented Camp nestles below the Oloololo Escarpment on the western boundary of the Masai Mara overlooking the endless, game filled plains shaded by dense forest canopy.

Each of the spacious tents affords total privacy and the privilege of sweeping views of the greatest grassland system on earth

Sarova Mara Tented Camp

Sarova Mara Camp has an impressive entrance with exotic gardens and a high thatched lobby with ethnic decor.

The camp’s buildings are attractive and airy with a big dinning area that includes a big terrace with wide-angle views and a swimming pool.

There are seventy-five tents through sizeable grounds offering differing views and many paths winding through lawns and gardens and wooden walkways over wide lily ponds. All tents have a concrete addition for private bathrooms.

Siana Springs Intrepids Tented Mara Camp

Fringed by marshes and surrounded by ghostly Fever Trees, Siana Springs is situated on the eastern edge of the Maasai Mara National Reserve.

Perfectly recapturing the romance of the early pioneers, the camp possess a tranquil atmosphere, with spacious tents and shaded trees offering complete privacy in the lush, unspoiled setting.

All tents have en-suite bathrooms. A convivial dining area offers fine cuisine and the swimming pool is an irresistible oasis on hot days.

Bird life is prolific up to 100 different species can be seen in a day.

Rokero Tented Camp

Rokero Tented Camp is set amidst the teeming mass of wildlife in the Masai Mara area.

Rekero’s tented camp is currently inside the Masai Mara Game Reserve, very close to the confluence of the Mara and Talek rivers.

This mobile camp is ideally situated for the annual migration, which is the movement of nearly a million wildebeest and other animals from the Serengeti through the Masai Mara in Kenya.

The camp is set up seasonally (June -October, December – March) and caters for between four and twelve guests.The spacious canvas tents are equipped with hot showers and toilets together with a large dining tent

Kicheche Mara Tented Camp

Located in the northern Koiyaki Lemek region of the Mara, Kicheche Mara Camp is hidden in a groove of wild cotton trees in a prime wildlife area.The camp is a luxury bush camp with no permanent structures and can accommodate a maximum of 20 guests.The tents have spacious rooms with adjacent private bathrooms with hot water. There are director’s chairs and hammocks slung nearby trees to relax in

Olarro Camp

Olarro Camp is perched on a vantage point in the scenic Loita Hills, offering superb views of the Masai Mara plains.Situated on 150,000 acres of private land. It provides the freedom to walk in the hills and enjoy game drives in open-top land rovers and sip a sundowner in the African wilderness.The camp comprises of 8 African-style cottages tucked amidst the bush with en-suite bathrooms. Olarro camp offers a personalized service in an intimate and homely atmosphere.

Mara Porini Tented Camp

Porini Camp has been set up in the exclusive wildlife conservancy of Ol Kinyei, one of the most beautiful wilderness areas in the Serengeti-Mara eco-system. It is in a pristine wilderness with open savannah plains, riverine forest, springs, streams and rivers, rolling hills and spectacular views across the Mara. Ol Kinyei belongs to Maasai communities who have recently set aside the conservancy as a sanctuary for wildlife.The Camp has 6 guest tents sited in the shade of Yellow-barked Acacia trees along the banks of the Laetoli, a permanently flowing watercourse within Ol Kinyei . The tents are spacious and each has an en-suite bathroom with flush toilet and safari shower. The camp accommodates a maximum of 12 guests, giving the experience of real camping in the bush in an exclusive private wilderness but with all the comforts required by discerning travellers. Food is excellent with home baked bread, fresh salads and high quality meals prepared by the camp Chef.Large Safari tents with a double and single bed, solar electric lights, en suite bathrooms with flush toilet and safari shower.All meals and picnic lunches, free mineral water, sodas, gin, beer and house wine.

Mara Camp

Mara Camp is located on Koyiaki Group Ranch adjoining the Masai Mara National Reserve – west of Nairobi.Mara Camp is a seasonal tented camp. There are 6 spacious double tents with ensuite toilet and shower. Each tent has a private veranda.Here they have re-created the safari camp of “Out of Africa”. Where guests are looked after by attentive staff who bring steaming hot water for your canvas showers, prepare sumptuous meals and offer your favourite “sundowner” cocktail. Every comfort is assured, your every need catered for.

Little Governors Tented Camp

Little Governors Camp was built in 1976 with its own independent structure around a small watering hole that teems with birds and wildlife.It is an intimate camp with 17 tents, all which, are tucked away amongst trees. The tents have en-suite facilities with hot showers and bidets.Verandas in each tent provide constant views of the beautiful rolling plains and wildlife.

Bateleur Camp de luxe Mara

Bateleur Camp is situated on the western border of the Masai Mara, in the South-Western Kenya.

The camp lies at the foot of Oloololo Escarpment on the fringe of the riverline forest looking out over the plains of the Mara Reserve.The camp falls directly on the path of the famous annual migration of the wildebeest and zebras and the central area for guests include a comfortable lounge with viewing decks and a tree shaded swimming pool.The tents have en-suite facilities, spacious area with shingle roofs, wooden doors and hard wood floors and a private veranda.

Joe Mwangi is a Tour consultant based in Nairobi Kenya with http://www.landmarksafaris.com We are able to organise every aspect of planning your Kenya safari ,Kenya business travel, complete with hotel bookings, car rentals, air/rail bookings, activities transfers plus provide you with an itinerary that suits your personal requirements. http://www.landmarksafaris.com takes the hassles out of planning and booking your Kenya vacation.For Mor info Contact landmark safaris http://www.landmarksafaris.com for more info contact landmark safaris info@landmarksafaris.com

Buying cat furniture can be a confusing and perhaps exhausting experience. Nothing is more frustrating than to set up a beautiful cat tree only to have your cats completely ignore it! I’ve owned cats all my life, and in this article I’ll try to share some of my expertise and insight with you to help make your decision a bit easier.

There are a number of factors to consider in choosing a cat tree, condo, tower, playground or gym. Here, in no particular order, are some things you’ll want to keep in mind:

• Your cat’s habits and preferences
• Placement and space requirements
• Materials and construction
• Expandability
• Price

What does your cat want?

As a general rule, most cats share certain traits and habits like curiosity, a desire to hide out in a dark, enclosed space and a love of heights – but as every cat owner knows, each kitty is different!

The first thing I’d suggest is to spend a few days paying close attention to your cat’s habits. Where does he usually sleep, hang out or play? What kinds of things does she play with? When you pick her up, does she want to climb up on your shoulders? What kinds of places are you always battling to keep him out of? The answers to these questions should help you decide what kinds of features your cat will appreciate the most.

Features and the kitties who love them:

Kitty Condo: A cat who tends to choose a dark, quiet corner to sleep in will probably want a model with a kitty condo. The same could be said for cats who love to explore shopping bags, boxes, cupboards and other dark, secret places. If your household is one of those busy or hectic ones with kids playing and lots of folks coming and going, kitty might just love the peace and quiet that an enclosed cat condo brings.

Height: Some cats just need to be up high. Some kitties just like to be able to see everything, and some feel more secure up above the reach of the family dog or small children. If your cat is always trying to climb up on your shoulders when you pick her up, or likes to jump up on counters, you might consider getting the tallest cat tree, kitty gym or playground you can. A floor to ceiling tower can be a good solution, and they come in a variety of configurations – some are very simple and take up very little floor space, others can be quite elaborate. There are also a lot of free standing models over 6 feet tall that will satisfy your cat’s need to look down on us poor humans!

Secure Sleeping Spot: Our cat Lucy always sleeps leaned up against something (me, a chair cushion, or the raised lip on her favorite cat perch) – she needs the security of feeling something against her back for her to truly relax. If your cat is like Lucy, you’ll want to be sure that the cat tree or playground you choose has a place to sleep where she’ll feel secure. You might want a sleep tray with raised sides, a curved half moon shaped shelf or a kitty hammock.

Not So Secure Sleeping Spot: Our other cat, George, just sprawls out anywhere – if your cat is like him, he’ll be happy with an open shelf to nap on.

Observation Post: Pretty much every cat likes to keep an eye on things – it’s simply a survival instinct. Make sure the model you choose has a place where your cat will want to spend many hours of the day, whether it’s a flat shelf, kitty hammock, curved shelf or tray. In addition to the style of the observation post, consider the height off the floor and ease of access – especially if your cat is elderly or doesn’t get around as well as he used to.

Kitty Hammocks: We’ve found that most cats love a hammock, although timid cats may need some reassurance at first due to the extra ‘give’ they feel at first when they step on it. Once they get used to it, it may become a favorite ‘hang out’ (sorry – I couldn’t resist!). If your cat is unsure about the hammock at first, put it close to the floor for added peace of mind. As your cat gets used to it you can move it higher if you like.

Play Tubes: Playful cats like tubes or tunnels because they can charge right through them or lie in wait and pounce at unsuspecting passersby – animal or human!

Placement

Even if the cat furniture you choose has all the things your cat loves, if you put it in the wrong place he may completely ignore it. Think about where your cat spends time now – is she a ‘people cat’ who wants to be in the same room as the rest of the family? Is she more of a loner who seeks out quiet spots in unused parts of the house? Does he like to look out the window? (check for nose prints on the glass!)

Years ago we had a fabulous floor to ceiling cat tower with multiple shelves, a kitty condo – the works! The only trouble was that the one place in the house where we had space for it was a room that was hardly ever used. Since our cats like to be with us, they never used the tree, and we ended up donating it to the local humane society. Now we have a smaller cat tree that we keep in the family room where we spend much of our time, and the cats use it every day.

If you can place the tree next to a window there is a much higher likelihood that your cats will use it. A window that opens is best, especially for indoor kitties. The smells and sounds from outdoors will keep them entertained and engaged in the world around them.

Space

Here’s where you start thinking about your needs. How much space are you willing and able to devote to cat furniture, whether it’s a playground, kitty gym or cat tree? Be sure to look at all the dimensions – baseplate size, overall dimensions and height – and actually measure the space you have in mind to make sure it will fit. Many models are modular in design, so you don’t have to put it together exactly as it is pictured. This can give you a bit of flexibility if space is an issue. Look for the phrase ‘modular design’ – not all cat trees have this feature!

Materials and Construction

One of the main considerations here should be how stable and sturdy the cat furniture is. Cats will not use a wobbly or unstable tree. Look for broad bases and bottom heavy designs that will keep it from tipping when your cat jumps up on it.

Wood: Some cat furniture manufacturers use plywood, others use particle board – and they will all swear that the wood they use is the absolute best! The truth is that each has advantages and disadvantages.

Plywood is quite strong because it is made from thin layers of wood and each layer has the grain running in a different direction from the layer above and below. Since the visible surfaces are covered, the manufacturer can use a lower grade of plywood that will have knots showing and may be a bit rough to the touch. So you may have rough exposed wood on the inside roof of a condo or the underside of the baseplate – not really an issue for most folks, but a good thing to know ahead of time.

Particle board is made of small wood chips bonded together by a kind of glue. It is heavier than plywood, so it adds stability to a cat tree, and the surface is much smoother than plywood. It is more likely than plywood to break – sometimes corners will chip off – but under normal use this shouldn’t be a problem.

Coverings: Carpet or fake fur? The debate rages! One thing everyone agrees on is that whatever covering you choose make sure it is not a closed loop carpet or other covering that can catch a claw. I’m sure you’ve seen a cat stretch out and get a claw caught in a bedspread or sofa cushion – in a relaxed setting the cat is usually able to extricate himself, although he may leave a snag in the fabric! Imagine your cat at top speed romping up and down his kitty playground – if the playground is covered in non cut pile carpet (like Berber) and he catches a claw it can cause a serious injury.

Carpet is soft and inviting, but since one of the purposes of cat furniture is to give your kitties a place to sharpen their claws, some folks think carpeted cat furniture just encourages or even trains your cat to sharpen his claws on the carpet on your floor. Personally, I’ve never had that problem, but I know some folks have. If you do choose carpet, make sure it is cut-pile carpet to prevent possible injury from a caught claw. Carpet is secured with staples, which have the potential to stick up and scratch fingers or paws, but well made cat furniture does not usually have this problem.

Fake fur isn’t quite as cushy as carpet, but as long as it is secured with non-toxic glue, there is no possibility of injury from an errant staple. Some manufacturers do staple the fake fur, however, and it is much harder to bury a staple in fake fur than in carpet – if you choose fake fur, make sure that it is glued, not stapled. Like the carpet vs fake fur debate, the staples vs nontoxic glue debate is a heated one. I am of the opinion that as long as the glue is nontoxic and the staples are applied properly glue is best for fake fur and staples are best for carpet. It’s a matter of personal preference as to whether you choose carpet or fur. One nice thing about fake fur is that it is washable – often times models with hammocks are covered in fake fur – check to make sure that the hammock covers zip off so you can throw them in the washing machine.

Sisal Rope: Most experts agree that sisal rope provides an ideal surface for your cat to sharpen her claws. It’s durable, yet it doesn’t ‘catch’ claws the way non cut pile carpet can. Most cats love the feel of it under their paws and will instinctively start scratching when they feel it under foot. All of our cat furniture features sisal rope, some on all poles, some in combination with carpet.

Curved Features: Any curved surface on a cat tree is made of thick cardboard tubes – they are used in construction as molds for making round concrete pillars among other things. They are quite sturdy and should last a long time, but be aware that they are cardboard and will be the weakest part of your kitty gym – especially if they ever get wet. Look for designs that offer extra support to a curved feature – two attachment points is better than one!

Expandability and Flexibility

If you’re anything like me, you get bored with your environment and need to rearrange the furniture now and then. Cats get bored too, and so many of the models we offer are of a modular design which allows you to put them together in more than one way and to add or swap out features later. If this is important to you, be sure to look for the phrase ‘modular design’ – not all models have this feature!

Price and Other Human Concerns

Cat furniture can seem expensive, but it truly is an investment in your cat’s health and happiness. A cat who has a place to burn off energy and take a safe nap is less likely to develop destructive habits like scratching your furniture or relieving himself outside the litterbox. Indoor cats especially need some extra stimulation to keep them from getting bored.

Of course, you are the one who has to decide how much to spend on your cats, but in cat furniture you really do get what you pay for. If your budget is small, you are better off getting a smaller model than a large cheap model. Cheap cat furniture is likely to suffer from poor quality materials and workmanship which will shorten its life. Also, it will probably be wobbly and therefore less appealing to your cats so they may not use it at all. You may get lucky, but in my experience cheap cat furniture is a waste of money.

Aesthetically speaking, your cat couldn’t care less what the cat tree looks like, cats are much more concerned with function, so please yourself in the aesthetics department! And as far as color is concerned, cats’ eyes are optimized for hunting in low light – they don’t really see color. So choose a color that works for you, one that matches your decor or a neutral color that will blend in even if you change your decorating scheme. Some cat owners choose colors to match their cat’s fur so the cat hair won’t show as much, others like a very different color to inspire them to keep the cat tree vacuumed – color is purely a personal decision and will not affect your cat’s enjoyment one way or the other!

I hope I’ve been able to help you sort out some of the maze of decisions that need to be made in choosing the right cat tree for your kitty and for you. Hopefully I haven’t just added to the confusion!

Laura Miller
Tick-n-Thistle Furniture and Fine Art Your one stop shop for cat trees, playgrounds and kitty condos, as well as furniture for kids, grown ups and pets. http://www.ticknthistle.com

What are the benefits of automotive reviews and who benefits from them? The answer appears to be simple. The consumer is given all the details he/she might be interested in, as well as a rating of the automobile, so he/she appears to be the sole beneficiary of automotive reviews, since they are useful instruments in making the right choice when purchasing a car. But automotive reviews can work for the benefit of car dealers just as well, as their websites will be considerably trafficked, and initiation of leads from the part of the informed consumers – potential consumers – is more likely to take place.

When car dealers are interested in attracting visitors to their websites, they have a great variety of means at their disposal. A good ranking made by a search engine will definitely come with an increased number of visitors, but another problem still remains. How do you retain those visitors and turn them into potential customers? Automotive reviews are the answer. Good automotive reviews offer the right information that the visitors require. A first step, which is very important, is that the potential customers will spend quite some time reading the automotive review posted on the website. The purchase of a car is an important step and deciding upon a certain car model may prove to be a complex and painstaking process. Regardless of their financial possibilities, all the potential buyers feel the need to be well informed before they move on to the next step, that of actually paying for the car and driving it home. When researching, customers will find it useful to have access to independent automotive reviews, which will guarantee that their best interest as consumers comes first. The right information offered by independent automotive reviews can turn a visitor into a customer very quickly, and this is what car dealers have to take advantage of.

Automotive news is another means of keeping the potential customers informed. The latest news make the object of interest for all those passionate about cars, or those researching for a car purchase. However, many people consider that the automotive reviews found on automotive blogs are to be trusted more than any other means of information. Consumers trust automotive blogs because they know that most of the information there comes from people just like them who have something to share. Providing the consumer with the possibility of writing his/her own review of a car is important. People wish to make educated choices when it comes to purchasing a car, and automotive blogs offer them the information they need.

An automotive blog is not just a reliable source of information, but is also available at any hour, since the internet has no limitations whatsoever. An automotive blog will provide visitors with all sorts of information, such as tips for buying cars, maintenance, car repair and safety, environmental issues, and so forth. Some other car-related aspects may constitute the reason why people affiliate to an automotive blog. These aspects may refer to esthetics, utility or power.

An automotive blog is all the more reliable when it contains photographs or videos, or gives reference to other car blogs or similar websites, showing that the consumer’s best interest comes first.

For more resources about automotive news and especially about automotive reviews please review this website http://www.car-spin.com

Before you begin to actually look at tractors you should know exactly what you are looking for.

Consider the following questions when shopping for a tractor.

What size of tractor do you need?

What are you going to be using you tractor for?

How often will the tractor be used?

Is the tractor going to be used to produce income? Of course, money is often a consideration when shopping for a tractor. Consider talking to people that own tractors and get their opinions.

Be an informed shopper and don’t let anyone rush you. Below are some other things to consider before you begin shopping for a tractor.

Tractor Size

This is obviously the most commonly asked questions regarding a tractor purchase. The average compact tractor consumer owns a 1-5 acre piece of property and uses the small compact diesel mostly for mowing The other tractor consumers usually have between 10-30 acres and needs about a 30 horsepower to complete the necessary tasks.

What are you going to use the tractor for?, is of course, the most important question to answer. Is it just for mowing or will you be using a loader or backhoe on it? Will you be working on rocky or uneven ground?

Dollars & Sense

You should definitely shop around, however, don’t forget that if you are comparing the prices of different makes and models of tractor it can sometimes be much like comparing apples to oranges. As with anything else, some makes and models are made better than others. A few more dollars upfront in price for a better quality of tractor makes more ‘sense’ than having to pay the cost of constant repairs and maintenance.

Different Makes and Models of Tractors

If at all possible, one of the best things you can do to make your life easier, is to purchase a tractor that is easy to get parts for. There are many foreign makes and models that are exact matches to domestic tractors. With that in mind, you can get a parts book for U.S. made tractor and purchase the corresponding part numbers that way. Some parts dealers don’t like to sell parts for a gray market tractor. In fact, dealers of some brands of tractors are being told by a higher authority that they cannot willingly sell parts for gray market tractors.

Diesel Engines

Make sure you get a tractor with a diesel engine. Diesel engines have better performance and usually last longer than gas engines. Implements also work better on diesel engine tractors.

Horsepower

Approximately how many horsepower will you need? One horsepower (hp) is the amount of energy required to lift 550 pounds, one foot, in one second. In a tractor the energy is produced from torque and engine speed. A 100 hp tractor is one with a maximum of 100 horsepower available at the power-takeoff (PTO) outlet.

PTO

Nearly all Japanese tractor manufacturers include the power take off (PTO) horsepower (hp) in their model numbers; however, they do not include the engine (fly) hp. The first two numbers of the model number is where you find the PTO hp. The PTO hp is important because it is telling you the equipment working power of the tractor. It tells you what horsepower that equipment requiring a PTO will get from the tractor. Click here for a more in depth explanation of PTO.

Cylinders

Consider getting a three or four cylinder tractor. Three and four cylinder tractors are generally newer tractors and run quieter and smoother than the two cylinder models. Transmissions

There are several different types of transmissions for tractors. If you are not knowledgeable about tractor transmissions, it would be a good idea if you familiarize yourself with the different types listed below, so that when you go out to shop for a tractor you will well informed.

Manual transmissions on tractors were made to be shifted while the tractor is not in motion. This will cause a grinding noise due to the fact the two gears that are trying to mesh are rotating at different speeds. Manual shift transmissions are known for their durability, however, they are not considered to be very user friendly. The sliding gear and the collar shift are two of the more common transmissions.

Synchro Shift transmissions are basically collar shift transmissions (a type of manual transmission, see above). The difference is the added synchronizers, which makes it so that the gears don’t grind if you are trying to shift while the tractor is in motion. Some synchro shift transmissions only have one pair of synchronized gears, while others have all speeds synchronized, including forward and reverse. The synchronization of forward and reverse is called the shuttle shift. This synchro shift is a dependable transmission, however, just like with automobiles, the more ‘tricky’ the tranny is, and the more chance there is of something going wrong or breaking.

A Power Shift transmission is an option well worth considering. Not those standard shift transmissions won’t work just fine; however, often power shift is a nice little luxury, depending on what you are going to be using the tractor for. With a power shift transmission you can choose different speeds while the tractor is in motion, without needing to use the clutch pedal.

Hydrostatic transmissions operate in a closed loop, the flow of the pump is reversed, which in turn causes the tractor to reverse directions. The hydrostatic transmission is considered to be very dependable and is able to defend itself against ‘operator difficulty’. Because this is transmission is controlled by a foot pedal, when you take your foot off of the pedal the tractor will stop, this is a nice safety feature. Hydrostatic is considered the best selection for such things as large mowing jobs because it allows for easy direction change and continual, unchanging speed.

Implement Adaptability

You will want a tractor with a Category 1, 3-point hitch and standard rotation PTO shafts. Most imported compact tractors are equipped with these items; however, there are a few that are not.

Implement Availability

Before you purchase a a tractor, make sure that good quality implements are available for it. It is a good idea to try to find a tractor with as many model-specific attachments as possible. These include things such as loaders and backhoes, which have custom-fitted mounts that are not interchangeable with other makes and models of tractor. You can often save money if you purchase the implements at the same time you purchase the tractor and some implements can be very expensive to add on at a later time.

Parts Manuals

Sometime parts manuals can be very hard to acquire. Make sure there is one available for the tractor you choose. Ask how much the manual is, sometimes the cost can be over $100.00 dollars.

Warranty

Find out what kind of a warranty comes with the tractor. Find out what it covers and for how long. Below is a checklist that you can print and take with you when you are out shopping for a tractor. Just check things off and take notes as you check over the prospective tractor.

Yes, it’s a very long checklist, but well worth your time if you want to get a good quality tractor at a fair price.

Some things on the checklist may not pertain to the type of tractor you are looking for; however, we believe that most folks will find the majority of information here to be very helpful.

Your goal is to ensure that the tractor you purchase is all that the seller says it is and doesn’t have any hidden problems. Make sure you know what you are looking for. Know what options you must have on the tractor and which ones you might be willing to compromise on or be able to add later.

Tractor Buyer’s Checklist

Make_____________________________ Model _____________________ Year _________ Hours

On Meter________ Asking Price $____________

Seller’s Name _____________________________ Phone ______________

Tractor Location _______________________________________________

Yes/No Notes

Visual Exterior Inspection

Does the overall appearance of the tractor look as if it has been cared for?

Why is the tractor for sale?

Is the paint faded?

Is the sheet metal straight?

Are there a lot of ‘dings’ in the tractor?

Are there any decaying rubber or plastic components?

Are there any structural cracks? Look closely for hairline cracks.

Is there anything that looks like a ‘makeshift’ repair job?

Are the tires in good condition with good tread left on them?

Is there a calcium mixture added to the tires for better stability?

Is there still good tread left on the tires?

Is the seat in good condition?

Does it have a standard 3-point hitch?

Are there any puddles of fluid under the tractor?

Are there any oil spots on the ground around the wheels?

Engine Inspection

Is the engine warm?

Are there oil and/or fuel on the engine?

Can you see any seals leaking?

Is there oil around the rear axles, near the rear wheel?

Is there oil around the PTO seals?

Are there oil leaks around the output shaft seals gearboxes? (4WD

Is the engine oil at or near the full mark?

Is the front axle dipstick at or near the full mark? (4WD)

Does the oil look clean? Black is ok for diesel engines.

Are there creamy white droplets near the top of the dipstick?

Are all the filters U.S. made?

Is the air filter intact?

Does the air filter have any tears or holes in it?

Is the fuel filter clean?

Is the fan belt tight and in good shape?

Does the air inlet tube have any cracks or holes in it?

Is the water in the radiator dark green? This is a good thing.

Does the radiator water have a milky looking scum to it?

Is there flaking or discolored paint around the radiator cap?

Is there moisture along the bottom of the radiator?

Is there any slop in the steering linkages?

Did you closely look over the tractor a second time to make sure you didn’t miss anything?

Running Engine Inspection

Does the oil pressure register when you just turn the key?

Start the tractor. Does it start easily?

Does the oil pressure light go off or the oil gauge go up to about 30-80 psi?

Do all of the other lights go off?

Is the voltage meter (if it has one) charging a full 13.5-14.5 volts

Did you rock the steering wheel from left to right? Do this with the engine running if the

tractor has power steering.

Does the PTO spin in all gears?

Does the 3-point hitch work properly?

Does the tractor continue to smoke after it warms up?

Driving The Tractor (This is the fun part)

Does the tractor work through all of the gears?

Does the power shift feel ‘weak’ when shifting?

Is there any slippage when you quickly accelerate into high gear?

Does the 4WD engage properly?

Does the clutch slip?

Do the brakes work well?

Did you check the brakes by pushing one pedal at a time in low gear?

Does the tractor make any clunking noises from inside the engine?

Does the charging system work properly?

Do the wheels wobble at all?

Hydraulics

Are the control levers in good shape and not flopping around?

Are the pivot pins badly worn?

Does any oil seep out of the extended spools (control valves)?

Are the hydraulic couplers capped?

Does the hydraulics work correctly?

Post Driving Inspection

Did the temp gauge ever get above the recommended temperature?

Did the temp light ever come on while you were driving it?

Did the tractor overheat?

Did the tractor run well even after it got hot?

Do you see any new leaks from the radiator?

Do you see any new oil and or fluid leaks?

Did you see excess smoke when you removed the oil cap?

Did you closely look over the tractor a third time to make sure you didn’t miss anything?

I Hope this has been a lot of information that you where looking for and you will use this information to your advantage and be safe with it.

Ebooks and Articles are the Love of my Life. Visit Me [http://www.macsebooksparadise.com]

Sherry Cochran [http://www.macsebooksparadise.com]

If you are considering entering a new target market, with an

existing or new product or service, it makes sense to first

systematically analyze the market in question via some

fundamental market evaluation criteria. It is not only

rational but most cost effective to determine if a new market

pursuit makes sense for your company before any significant

resources are further applied to the effort.

A “pass or fail” test of your targeted market is recommended

with your company’s core management team collective

involvement. Discussing the attributes of a given market and

further analyzing the business logic behind your intention to

participate in a new market will generate some very

enlightening conversation among your key decision makers.

Having various management functions present for the discussion

generates the most effective, broad base perspective,

appropriate “next step” for this strategic decision.

Besides further justifying or reducing your intentions to enter

a new market, weighing all the same attributes of any one

targeted market candidate against another target markets of

consideration can lead to a pivotal decision for the future

direction of your company. The opportunity cost of choosing

the “wrong” or “least rewarding” target market, given limited

corporate human and financial resources, can make or break

your collective ability to meet or exceed your company’s short

and long term growth objectives. Again, effectively utilizing

a simple, systematic evaluation checklist made up of some of

the market attributes listed below can be most time efficient

and cost effective.

Our list of market attributes cover various business sectors

and should not be considered a complete listing. To make this

evaluation exercise most productive for your management team,

first evaluate this list for relevancy and then add whatever

number of additional categories or attributes that correlate

to your company’s collective business priorities, resources,

risk/ reward tolerance levels and growth objectives.

MARKET PRODUCT / SERVICE LINE ATTRIBUTES:

* Market has a viable need for product application advancements or transitions

* Market is not dominated by short product life cycles

* Market allows for effective competitive advantage without extraordinary design, engineering or research cost

* Market allows for effective competitive advantage without extraordinary testing, certification or performance compliance issues

* Market offers opportunities for relatively high product / service gross profit margins

* Market does not require a large number of products or services to effectively compete

* Market share is gained more from product value or by high value service

* Market product/ service applications have worldwide demand

* Market product/ services are compatible with existing company core competencies

* Market product/ service offerings can be legally protected

* Market generally does not present extraordinary financial liability exposure

* Market demand is not extraordinarily seasonal or difficult to forecast

MARKET CUSTOMER ATTRIBUTES:

* Market offers a diversified mix of key customer product / service users

* Market offers financially stable customers

* Market offers relatively consistent purchase loyalty

* Market has existing product/ service users who will purchase other related offerings

* Market is supported long term by fundamental economic and demographic growth

MARKET SERVICE ATTRIBUTES:

* Market does not require an inordinate amount of after-the-sale service

* Market can be supported by a centralized customer service location

* Market does not require extensive service certification from 3rd party entities

* Market does not proliferate extraordinary product/ service warranties

* Market service requirements are not hazardous to company personnel

* Market does not require extraordinary distribution requirements

* Market share can be augmented with effective e commerce tactics

MARKET COMPETITION ATTRIBUTES:

* Market is dominated by well known competitors and suppliers

* Market is not dominated by one company (> 80% market share)

* Market has reputable competition, a quality image and history

* Market offers competitors that would be future acquirers or acquisition candidates

* Market is not targeted for international penetration via pricing tactics

* Market requires a reasonable level of financial and technical resource barriers to entry

MARKET GROWTH:

* Market has a proven history of growth

* Market has a high probability of long term future growth

* Market offers traceable causes of growth

* Market has worldwide growth

* Market has regional growth niches

* Market growth cannot be negatively affected by existing or pending legislation

Justification of entry into any new market or niche thereof

involves effectively identifying all viable competitors,

relevant market attributes, key market participants and their

market shares. Being able to strategically apply this

qualified information with respect to your known company

financial, technical and human resources can result in

extraordinary business growth opportunities.

If you want to further quantify this analysis you can

numerically weight each market attribute with your own

specific market attribute priorities and then give numerical

“grades” to any or all new market entry candidates to

calculate a weighted value for each new market opportunity.

Evaluating new business opportunities should be a well thought

out, straightforward, iterative process. Beginning the

evaluation process with a simple tool to justify further

analysis is a prudent procedure. The more effective your

analysis, the greater the probability your strategic decisions

will maximize return on investment.

About the Author:
Mark Smock is President of http://www.business-buyer-directory.com, the FIRST international business buyer directory of its kind. Business Buyer Directory provides a non-traditional means for proactive business buyers to locate businesses for sale worldwide that meet their exact registered purchase criteria.

Are you pregnant and your regular clothes no longer seem to be a comfortable fit? Well, it is time to shop for affordable maternity clothes. It is a fact that most of us tuck away our maternity clothes post-delivery so it would be prudent to look for cheap maternity clothes.

Getting Affordable Maternity Clothes

Many pregnant women have resorted to using their partners shirts or borrow pregnancy clothes from friends and relatives. This may seem like a cost effective way of securing your clothes but perhaps you will be compromising on comfort as these clothes may not be the right size for you.

Clothes for pregnant women are designed for comfort and are stretchable, so it may not be a good idea to opt for plus-sized clothes too. Many talented women design and stitch their own clothes. Not all of us have the time or the talent to be like them. Women who have healthy pregnancy may perhaps enjoy shopping for clothes in the local malls and discount stores or at sales. If you look hard, you may find amazing clothes of good quality at affordable prices in a few select local stores.

The best place to look for affordable maternity clothes is online. Shopping online may be extremely convenient as you have so much variety in sizes, quality, colors and design. There are affordable maternity clothes designed for petite baby dolls to the amazing amazons! There are some lovely collections for working moms-to-be, trendy maternity clothes that make them look fashionable and attractive at affordable prices.

There are many online stores that offer maternity wear at a discount. Most of the stores claim that their collections can be worn after delivery too and that you need not put your maternity wear away. While selecting your maternity collection make sure that you get the right size as well as the kind of clothes that are easy to wash and maintain.

There are affordable maternity clothes such as stretch jeans for about $16, sun dresses for about $25, maternity and nursing top at under $8 etc. The clothes are durable and of good quality and it is recommended that you buy a few clothes at a time to ensure that they fit right. There are funny maternity clothes that are extremely easy on the pocket too for the more humorous amongst us. For those on a really tight budget, stretch jeans and a few tops, t-shirts and trendy shirts may be a great solution. Add a comfortable pair of maternity pajamas and perhaps a night gown and you are set for a comfy and enjoyable pregnancy. Do not hide your growing belly but flaunt it shamelessly! Shop for affordable maternity clothes and make your pregnancy even more enjoyable!

Online maternity clothing stores and even many offline stores have a wide range of affordable maternity clothes. With maternity clothes and more so cheap maternity clothes easily available, there is no need for you to wear makeshift pregnancy clothes during your pregnancy period. Rather enjoy your most beautiful period with funny maternity clothes and trendy maternity clothes. Your free online resource Pregnancy Clothes provides more information not just about options for maternity clothing but also answers all your questions related to pregnancy, breastfeeding and motherhood.

Starting with affordable Internet businesses is one of the best small business ideas.

Establishing a small Internet business is much easier than any traditional business. Internet brings equal play fields for anyone who wants to start a small business, home business or simply want to work on an Internet job to earn extra income during spare time-regard as a “part time job Online”.

Do you know what will likely go down as the most colossal, most lucrative goldmine in mankinds’ history?

It is the Internet.

The Internet has become a worldwide revolution, radically changing the way the world communicates and gets its information.

E-commerce and shopping on the World Wide Web is already a multi-multi billion dollar industry… soon to be in the Trillions.

Broadband usage in the United States was predicted in 2000 to reach 22.3 million by 2002. The actual figure turned out to be 17.2 million. But by the end of 2003 however, 24.2 million US homes had high speed access.

What if YOU can share in the profits of this incredible global explosion?

Here’s perhaps the most surprising statistcs: At the peak of the “dot com frenzy”, Jupiter Research predicted the world’s online population would reach 498 million by 2003. According to eMarketer, because of rapidly surging growth in countries like China, India, and the Pacific Rim, the global Internet population last year jumped to over 633 million.

The Internet offers you the best financial opportunity. Anyone with commitment can succeed if they choose the best online businesses, follow clear marketing plan with good marketing tools.

There are a lot of advantages and benefits for the starting online business:

1. You can start affordable Intnernet businesses with LITTLE capital and have potential to make MILLIONS. Build an income well above what many conventional businesses.

2. You can build Online business and run it from anywhere in the world. Even when you are on vacation. The only tool you need to carry around is the laptop. If you don’t have a laptop, you can use computers in libraries or “Internet Cafes’” to check on your business (assuming your email is accessible remotely).

3. You can reach millions of visitors if you have websites! How many people visit the Mom-and-Pop corner brick and mortar store? You have the global market.

4. You can start and run your best Internet businesses at home office. You need just a small room or desk where the computer can sit on, and an internet connection from your home. You can reach the world from your home.

5. You do not need to hire anyone, but yourself. You can earn while you learn. Do not try to master everything at one time. It will cause frustration. You apply what you learn, and learn from what you’ve done. Gradually you will master the internet world.

6. You can do your business in your spare time. You do not need to quit any daytime job when you start your business. It is the best for those working moms and dads. You can work when your kids sleep. You can work anytime of the day or night. It is also good part time job opportunity for college students who can apply computer skills and make money for their tuition.

7. You can let your automatic system do the work for you. Run your business on autopilot

Plus TAX Advantages.

As a home business owner, you can huge take advantage. You can deduct the cost for your business travel, meals with business partners, and home office cost like your computer, internet connection, telephone, and other tools related to your business.

As you can see that there are a lot of potential from best Internet businesses and the leverage is enormous. But you need to act sooner than later before everyone in this world knows the secrets.

Starting your online business should not put you in debt. Hundreds of internet business owners who are making $100,000 more per year started for less than $200! You can be successful with your own business without investing much money, as long as you do the right things.

Take advantage of every free and low cost resource. Like free trial for 90 days, free bonuses, free eBooks, and more.

All you need for starting your best Internet businesses is the following:

- A good computer – An internet connection – Choose best Online businesses – Build your business and follow a good leader – Marketing your business with effective marketing resources

Once you find good online business model, with good leader’s help, and right promotional method, you are on your way to earn a good income online.

Note: Feel free to publish it with the resource box and content unchanged

Julia Tang publishes Smart Online Business Tips, a fresh
and informative newsletter dedicated to supporting people
like you! To find out the best online business opportunities,
and to discover hundreds more proven and practical internet
marketing secrets, plus FREE internet marketing products
worth over $200, visit: http://www.best-internet-businesses.com

Online display advertising provides a targeted and direct response approach that help to effectively target segment specific audiences and increase brand awareness. According to IAB Internet Advertising Revenue Report, the total Internet advertising revenue for 2009 was $22.7 billion. While online display advertising accounted for 35% or $ 8.0 billion of the total Internet advertising revenue for 2009. The automotive advertisers accounted for 11% or $2.5 billion of total Internet Advertising expenses in 2009. Thus, online display advertising that includes display banner ads, rich media, digital video, and sponsorship links can be effectively used by automotive dealers to target customers based on website context, geographic location, specific demographic information, and user behavior.

Advertisement Is Based On:

Advertisements based on demographic information, website context, and geographic location can help narrow down and pin point specific customer segment.

Website Context

Contextually relevant advertisements can help automotive dealers to better target the potential customers as they are willingly showing interest by viewing specific themed areas. Automotive dealers can effectively target those customers searching for new cars, pre-owned cars etc on Internet by positioning advertisement based on website context. Also, the website viewers are likely to respond positively or pay more attention to such theme related advertisements.

Buyer Geographic Location

Display advertisements based on user location allows automotive dealers to effectively target potential customers in local area, geographic region, or in any specific city. Delivering customized advertisements with proper relevance within a specific region or city generates interest, engages, and attracts potential customers.

Buyer Demographic Information

Display advertisements based on specific demographic information like industry, profession, age group, household income, gender etc can help automotive dealers effectively reach to a specific customer segment. Demographic advertisements informing about various offers, coupons etc given by automotive dealer can appeal to a variety of market segment. Display advertisements based on specific demographic information can help grab attention of key audiences and turn them into potential customers.

Advantages:

Online display advertising allows automotive dealers to reach a wider segment of customers in a limited advertising budget.

Increases Brand Awareness

Effectively employing online display advertising helps to create awareness about the automotive dealer that results in building a brand image in the long run. Positioning creative and relevant advertisements to specific segment help to effectively target potential customers, increase automotive dealer exposure, and increase online traffic leading to higher conversion rate. However, even if the customer does not click on ads, it increases brand awareness about dealer. As display advertising ensures that potential customers get to know about the services and inventory offered by automotive dealers, the next time these customers think of making a purchase, they can prefer and trust these dealers whom they can recall.

Effectively Target Customers

One of the key benefits of online display advertisements is that automotive dealers can effectively target potential customers within their advertisement budget. Display advertisements provide a better coverage and effective targeting of potential customers as they can be based on website context, geographic location of buyer, variety of demographic information, and user behavioral information.

Increases Online Traffic

Effectively positioning relevant and engaging display advertisements to a specific segment of audiences can help drive qualified traffic to the automotive dealer website. Display advertisements in the form of banner ads, pop up ads, and contextual ads catch the attention of potential customers and increase the website traffic. Also, display advertisement increases the brand awareness that generates more traffic to the dealer website and increases the chances of customer making a purchase.

Provides Good ROI

Apart from targeting specific segment of customers, online display advertising increases online traffic and increases the chances of sale thereby provides a good Returns On Investment (ROI). Also, display advertisement effectively targets desired customer segment thereby reducing the ad spend wasted due to unwanted and ineffective impressions thus maximizing the ROI. Display advertisement facilitates tracking of display advertisement campaign by automotive dealers through metrics like clicks and conversions, impressions to better calculate the ROI.

Online display advertisements can have an impact on purchasing decision made by automotive Internet users as they provide better consumer engagement. Thus, display advertisements can be effectively used by automotive dealers to increase their brand awareness, online website traffic, website interaction time, and maximize ROI. Moreover, display advertisements also encourage users to conduct search on Internet that increases the website traffic.

Search Optics, Inc. was founded in 1998 in San Diego, California, as a pioneer in providing online strategy, E-commerce development, and automotive internet marketing services with a core competency in the retail automotive industry. Approaching a decade of service, Search Optics, Inc. has grown into a leader in providing online interactive automotive marketing solutions for retail automobile dealerships.

Sex Education, as the term clearly indicates, refers to education which is based on human sexual behavior. Parents, schools or caretakers offer it in some parts of the world to educate the children, who are stepping into their adolescence. If formally received, sex education is either taught as a full course at high school or junior high school level or in biology, health, home economics classes. Teaching sex education is rather a controversial issue; debates have been going on for several decades discussing if it should be taught formally in schools or not. Sex education in schools should exist without any doubts and apprehensions as it offers many benefits.

Adolescence is called the “age of storm and stress”. The young teenagers, during this phase of life are under deep psychological pressure. Mainly, this psychological pressure is the result of one’s growing sexual needs and the biological changes and hormonal effects on the individuals. During this time, most of the children are observed to become easily irritable. They find it difficult in most situations to deal with the family members. They might not want to talk to them about the natural changes taking place in their body and mind. In such circumstances, one highly suitable option is that of the teachers who are able to teach them to control their urges until a proper age. In schools, trained teachers would help the students to know how to deal with their sexual impulses. This role can not be replaced by parents or other entities. A classroom discussion and lesson would make them feel it is natural, and they would also feel that they are being understood by someone. However, taking them individually to psychologists or other trained educators would not help. In such a situation they might consider themselves to be different and misunderstood by family and people around them. Therefore, it becomes crystal clear that the best way to offer sex education is always in school.

It is a psychological phenomenon that children at young age are under an immense peer pressure. Something that they learn in the class with their peer group is what makes a better impression on their minds than otherwise. They are more focused in the lessons that teachers offer and are more eager asking question to clear their ambiguities. They might feel embarrassed and uneasy questioning their parents about it, but it always differs in case of the teacher in the class. This is because everyone in the class is going through the same stage. A class discussion becomes healthy source of learning as it helps in enhancing the knowledge on the subject.

Many people advocate that sex education should only be restricted to families, that is, that parents should personally educate their children. This view is totally illogical and holds complications and questions. The first point is that not all the parents would be willing to do it or would be able to do it. Secondly, this education needs a proper channel through which it should reach its required learners. There could be many possible problems in the families so they might not be able to take the role of a teacher in educating their children regarding sex. The demand of annulment of sex education from the schools is highly conservative.

Most importantly, there are many single parents, how would they take up this challenge of educating their children on their own? Parents can not properly educate their children about sex also because they lack details that qualified sex educators convey in schools. Thus, the stance of abolishing sex education in school is not a favorable thought. In many observed cases where parents or children are embarrassed about talking over sexual matters with each other, it is most likely to be uneasy situation at both the ends. This keeps the children from learning the answers to the questions they might have in their minds. This can be a great flaw of shifting the duty of sexual education from teachers to the parents. It will leave the children only half or less educated about the issue and as they say “Little knowledge is a dangerous thing”, this might end up in grave situations.

According to research, most of the parents also feel uneasy because they know that they are not equipped to provide the apt sexual information to their children. They also fail to comprehend what details and information should be concealed and what should be revealed, keeping in mind their children’s age. On the other hand, there might also be parents who would feel comfortable talking to their children about sexual matters, but only when the children bring the matter up.

Most parents, around the world, may also lack role models to look up to as they would not have talked over sexual issues with their own parents in their adolescent. This makes them inefficient to trigger their roles of educating their children in an effective way as the assigned teachers are able to do in schools.

Sex education is not limited to only a single branch of knowledge. This education focuses on a number of significant sexual matters that are offered with especially designed courses and programs. Sex education covers the education of relationships, sexual abstinence at a certain level and teaching to practice safe sex to the level of children who are thought to be sexually active. Therefore, its claim for being appropriate and guiding holds strong base.

At a certain age of adolescence, growing children have problems facing relationships and controlling their personal emotions. Conflicts related to such matters persuade many youngsters to commit suicides or take part in other immoral activities. Proper sex education in schools also concentrates in making the youngsters emotionally stronger and in educating ways to cope with relationship problems. This argument strongly shows the immense benefit of sex education in schools.

Sex education is an important health strategy and this cannot be denied. AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases can only be controlled if people are aware of precautions and have a vast knowledge in this case. This knowledge is conveyed through sex education, and if sex education is banned in schools and if parents have to educate their children, then it would not be as beneficial to the individuals and the society on the whole as teaching in school could be.

Sex education does not exist in all parts of the world. Asians are commonly regarded conservative when compared to westerners. It is not a part of their course in schools; this does not in any way mean that their teenage pregnancy rate is any lower if they are not exposed to sexual matters openly. In fact, this is one way how peers can mislead most of the youngsters and persuade them to bask in young age sexual relationships without any attempts for safety. This has resulted in serious problems such as the spread of fatal diseases like AIDS and has also increased rate of illegitimate births.

Researches have shown that the cause for ramification of STDs (sexually transmitted diseases) in the eras of 80s and 90s in the US and the UK is the lack of knowledge and information provided about sex in schools or home. Home and family has never and will never play an integral part in conveying sex education to teenagers, therefore to rely on the option of home, is to deceive your own self from the expected exigency in the future.

Some conservative groups assert that to discuss sexual issues openly is to devalue religion. No religion in the world abstain its followers from spreading the information that is so essential for human lives. Sexual behavior is natural and takes place through biological changes and this cannot be questioned as this is a part of human life. Thus people who take refuge under the religious shelter, to make their arguments strong, are misinterpreting religious ideas and laws.

Modern time is the time of internet and powerful media. Teenagers are exposed to Hollywood, TV and internet. These sources offer demonstration of sex which is highly thoughtless and casual; in this situation it is almost illogical to leave the teenagers on their sexual choices. They are young and fully excited; therefore they can not make a favorable choice. Sex education in school offers the information and knowledge they need to understand to know the responsibility that is accompanied by sexual relationships. The teacher in school helps the students to know the difference between a thoughtless and thoughtful sex. Having an urge for sex is not a problem; it is a natural process showing that the young people are developing to become adults; however the problem is having unsafe sex and hurting people through sexual choices.

People who claim that sex education in schools have more cons than pros, often come up with the statements suggesting that sex education in classroom should be avoided because the most effective tool for offering sex education, according to them is TV, films, magazines and media. Such people fail to understand that trained sex educators under especially designed programs teach sex education to children in schools. They are thus able to handle children’s problems and clear their ambiguities in the best possible way, whereas magazines, films, TV and other channels and mediums of providing sex education are be reliable. They are most of the times urging the young people by encouraging their sexual promiscuity rather than effectively teaching and educating them. This wrong approach damages the society and the individuals in disguise of ameliorating them.

People contradicting the notion insist that sex education always makes the learners have sex and experience it personally, once they learn about it in school. The reality is that sexual urge for any human being is a natural occurrence. When children reach to a certain age, whether they find people to educated them about sex or not, they do have natural instincts about it, and therefore if provided a chance they would surely want to satisfy their urge. This natural reaction can not in any way be related to the outcome of sex education in schools. In fact, the best time for letting sex education play its role is when the sexual urge increases and the teenagers want to find a source for its satisfaction. It offers individuals with the required knowledge so that they are careful. It is only then that they understand the consequences of sex leading to child birth as well as sexually transmitted diseases. Thus sex education is basically a warning and a caution for such children who are stepping into the phase of life where they would need to know all this.

Some people who go against the topic also argue that even though sex education exists, it has still not decreased the rate of teenage pregnancies. I would rather not go deep in to the moral issue of the topic, but it is important here to discuss and point out the shortcomings of our society. Social values that insist that being single, pregnant and teenagers is fine, is what has to be changed. Through educating the children and making them aware that it is just not ‘cool’ to be pregnant when single or teenager, and just because ‘others are also doing it’ does not in any way justify their actions, this change can be achieved. There are many sexual education programs that teach the learners about the grave consequences that can result in having early sex. This type of sex education in schools is helpful and makes the learners responsible and mature enough to understand the difference between morality and immorality.

People, who are against the notion, repeatedly state the question that why sex education is given so much importance when there are also many other issues connected with juvenile delinquencies such as drugs, drinking and aggressive bullying. No doubt, there are also many other issues to consider important enough to be taught in school for awareness but psychological researches show that behind most of the juvenile behavioral problems, one main reason is always the active sexual urge which drives the young people to indulge themselves in harmful activities like drug abuse and alcoholism. It is also commonly observed that young teenagers who indulge into such activities are unaware of proper sex education. Once they are given a true picture of sex and its consequences their mental status relaxes and they are easily able to cope with other social taboos.

Parents, who believe that sex education pollutes the minds of their children, have in large number taken their children out of schools promoting sex education. In this process of instilling in their minds their religious and family values, they forget that the media, their children are largely exposed to can also lead them astray. Sex education in schools does not in any way offers them an invitation to have open sex by making them aware of the risks; it just educates them about the matter in the best way.

Apart from educating the students about safe sex, sex education in schools is also helpful as it helps students to learn proper terminology for reproductive system, STDs and birth contraceptives rather than the street lingo that is commonly used by laymen. Sex education classes are gender based and that is why the young learners are not embarrassed and are only taught what is related to their gender. Early inclusion of classes also helps the teenagers to either become abstinent for some time or to become responsible if they are already active. Therefore, many sexual problems that occur in adulthood can be controlled if effective and apt sex education is given at the right time.

A proper sex education which is holistic, nonjudgmental and comprehensive never misleads or misguides the teenagers. Such a curriculum should be imposed in all schools around the nation; it is an answer to many social problems and conflicts. Would any parent leave their kindergarten kids to walk alone on the streets without letting them know how to walk safely? No parent would actually do that, in the same way, letting your teenager children socialize with their peers and fellows without any proper sexual education is nothing contrary to the analogy mentioned above. It is hazardous and risky for their lives. Thus, proper sex education in schools should be encouraged so that they learn all the significant facts through trained teachers, who help and supports them in these matters of highly crucial value. Sex education should be taken as a positive aspect which promises healthier and better life for the youngsters. It therefore should be taken as a subject taught in schools to enhance knowledge on the subject matter; something merely as human anatomy or biology class. Sex education should be given in all schools to educate the children for their betterment, avoiding it will only result in emotional, social and health problems.

Read my book here whispers of my heart.

Are you thinking about switching careers? If you are, you’re not alone. Most Americans switch careers three times in their lifetime. Nevertheless, switching careers is scary. And it’s especially paralyzing the older you get. But making a career switch is very possible and much more common than you might think. Before you’re ready to leap, realize that it’s a heavyweight decision that deserves some time and solid thought. Here are seven steps to help you on your way.

1. Gain insight from your current situation.

When considering a career switch, the first thing you should do is learn from your current situation. To do this, take a step back and study what you do for a living today and why you do it. Examine the reasons that you are in your current job or career. Was it what you went to school for? Was it what your parents wanted you to do? Was it the “hot career” at one time? Did you just “fall into it”? Did you love it at one time? Did you do it for the money you could make? Was it just to pay the bills? The answers to these questions can provide valuable insight into the core reasons that you want or need to change.

Now examine why you want to leave your current career field. Remove any company or management related politics that are specific to your current employer from the picture. See your situation for what it is and ask yourself why you are looking to switch. Are you being forced out because of market shifts of business trends? Are you burnt out? Do you want to make more money? Are you miserable doing what you do? Have you tried your best but found that your career is “just not a good fit”? Have you decided its time to pursue a long lost career love?

Inspecting your current situation and reasons for your desire to change careers will provide a foundation for your next step.

2. Look inside

Whether you already have a career in mind or you are searching for a new career, you must look inward. In order to gain the most from your reflection, it is essential to start with a clean slate. Set aside any notions (real or imagined) about what type of money certain careers offer. Discard any stereotypes or judgments of occupations. Distance yourself from any pre-conceived ideas about what you are right or destined for.

Now seriously examine what you truly love. First start with the obvious. Look at your hobbies and interests. List out the things you are passionate about or in which you have talent. Give yourself credit for things you are good at and don’t be afraid to write things down that you love, but are not yet good at. Write them all down, even if you think they may not be a possible career path. You’re just brainstorming at this point and you should not eliminate anything right out of the gate. And it’s important to bear in mind that what you may think are your interests are not necessarily all of your interests. To help you get a good look at your interests, observe the simple things. What kinds of news stories perk your interest? What kinds of TV shows do you enjoy? What kinds of books magazines do you find yourself drawn to? What kind of people do you like to associate with or find interesting? What parts of your current career have brought you the most satisfaction?

Next, remind yourself of what you wanted to be when you grew up. Is it something you still want to be? Do you still get stars in your eyes when you think about it? This may give you some real clues. And of course, depending on what you wanted to be, that young dream may be out of reach. Or…is it? Think about it. If your ideal career aspiration at the age of 10 was to be an astronaut and you are now over the age limit or are not physically able to, you can rule it out. But what about other careers associated with astronauts or astronomy? There is a wide array of careers that touch upon astronomy from teaching, to marketing telescopes, to writing for a science magazine, to building models or sets for movies to working at a museum on a space exhibit! When you look at your passion and then use a little imagination, the sky (or should I say space) becomes the limit.

Lastly, look at what type of person you are. Be honest with yourself. Do you enjoy working with your hands? Do you enjoy working alone? Do you enjoy a social work setting? Do you enjoy being part of a team? Do you enjoy working at night? These are all examples of questions that will lead you down the path to discovering and evaluating whether a given career path is right for you.

As you are going through the exercise of looking inside, it is important to avoid cluttering your mind or list with any “buts”. If your answer to the question “do you enjoy working with your hands” was “yes”, leave it at “yes”. Don’t append any knee jerk reactions to your answers such as “yes, but I am clumsy” or “yes, but those jobs don’t pay as much”. Leave your mind open and you will be pleasantly surprised at how easily any natural human discouragement subsides.

3. Explore what’s out there

Now that you’re armed with a list of personal interests and talents, sit on them for a few days and let them cook. Let yourself get used to your newfound list. You may find yourself adding a few more during this time or even crossing a few out.

Begin your next step by opening your eyes to what’s out there (not what you perceive to be out there, but rather what is out there). Pick up your local community college catalog and flip through both credit and continuing education courses. Look online for education or career programs. Make a list of the careers of your friends and family. On your next ride to work or to the store, turn off the radio, look around and take notice of the buildings and businesses around you. Look at the people you see outside and start piecing together what their days are like.

The object of this exercise is to compare what is out there, with what interests you. Let’s stick with the astronomy example. You’re interested in astronomy. So what? Well…now you’ve begun looking through the local community college catalog and there, you see a continuing education course on astronomy. You’ve now found something concrete, a class that you can take that will allow you to pursue your interest. But what is a continuing education course going to get you? A couple of things. One, you will meet other people who share your interest. These people bring information to the table. They may know of groups or clubs that you can join. Or perhaps, they may have friends or relatives who are looking for someone to do research work or work part-time in their science store. Two, you will be able to further your interest…or be able to rule it out as a career path. You may learn that you really love astronomy and would like to pursue it further. On the other hand, you may learn that it really isn’t what you thought it was and you really don’t care enough about it to pursue it as a career. Any way you slice it, you will learn something about yourself and at the very least will have met others who share your interest.

Let’s try another example. Perhaps, on your way to work, you start to notice a road construction worker. The first day you see him, you’re in a suit, he’s in jeans and he’s joking with a coworker as he shovels asphalt under a sunny sky. You think to yourself, “Boy it’d be nice to get out of this suit, work outside…break a sweat for once! Maybe I’d like to do that…” The next day you see him and you watch as a driver leans out his window and curses at him. “Hmmm”, you think. The third day you see him, it’s raining and cold and he’s out braving the elements while you’re dry and warm inside your car. “Cross that one off the list”, you think. If you had only noticed the man on the first day, you’d only have seen him on a good day. If you had only noticed him on the last day, you’d have seen him at the worst. Either way, without really opening your eyes full time, you may have a fragmented impression on what it means to be this or that. The point here is not to look for distinctly negative or positive things about a given occupation, but to begin to see it as a whole. With this type of information, you will be able to form an opinion on whether a given occupation could be a possibility for you.

In addition to concrete and mindful exploration, talking to your friends and family is an invaluable type of investigation. When you start bringing up your interests or ideas for possible career paths in conversations or e-mails, you will no doubt hear a lot of “Oh! Susan’s son teaches astronomy at the university, he’s writing a book on the Hubble telescope this year.” or “Oh John does construction on the side, he loves it!” By talking to other people, you may make connections or gain insight into the experiences and opinions of people connected with your interest areas. It will also trigger some more ideas for you. Perhaps it never occurred to you to pair a love of writing with a love of astronomy until you talked with your cousin.

4. Do your homework

So, you’ve looked inside. You’ve come up with several interests and you’ve taken steps to explore what’s out there. By this time, you’ve come up with a few things you might like to do or have found one you’ve decided you want to pursue. Now it’s time to get to work. It’s time to delve into what it really means to have a job in a particular career field. To accomplish this part of your journey, you need to do serious research.

Your research homework consists of concrete exploration of available paths for your career options. For the majority of careers, you will need to embark on some type of structured educational path. Examples of this are things like sponsored career programs, college degrees, certification programs, professional designations, internships or apprenticeships. Even if your chosen career path does not require ordered training or education, you will no doubt have to “put in your time” and you will need to find out what and how much time you will realistically be expected to “put in”.

So how do you find out? Let’s say you’ve decided you want to seriously explore being a pharmacist. Wonderful! How do you get to be a pharmacist? For starters, inquire with your friends and family to see if anyone knows a pharmacist that you can speak with. Talk to your neighborhood pharmacist, find out where she went to school and ask her about any professional designations she holds or ongoing education she may be taking. If you’re brave, ask her what kind of salary pharmacists can expect to earn. In addition, pick up that college course catalog again and inspect the pharmacology program. Look at the prerequisites and notice how long the program will take to complete and how much the courses cost. Read the course descriptions. Do they peak your interest or do they make you want to throw the book down? A great supplement to all of your research is the internet. There are plenty of newsgroup, blog, forum and professional association sites out there. Any of these can give you a solid peak into what it means and takes to be a given occupation.

For each career path you are interested in, you will want to know the following:

• What are the education requirements?
• Does it require any job certification?
• Is there an apprenticeship required?
• Does it require travel?
• How much money can you make?
• Where are the regions of the country that people in this career field are more successful? more in supply? more in demand? make more money?
• Will it require you to relocate?
• Will it require regular, ongoing education?
• Will it require you to have your own business or work for another company?
• Are there yearly fees? (e.g. license renewal, union dues, association membership, equipment, etc.)
• How many hours will you normally work in a week?
• Are there any age requirements or cut-offs?
• How much will it cost you to become gainfully employed in the field?
• How long will it take you to become gainfully employed in the field?

The answers to these questions will help you narrow your career choices further and may even get a fire burning under your feet.

5. Take financial stock

Okay. You’ve done it! You’ve come up with one or more career paths that you’d like to embark on. You have looked into what it means to be employed in the career field(s) and you are now powerfully armed with the knowledge of what it takes to get you where you want to go! But like everything in life, it’s going to cost you. You now need to list out all the costs, add them up and compare them with what you will be able to swing. There’s no doubt you will be able to accomplish your goals, no matter what your financial situation. It may take you longer than you like or may come at the expense of some other items or conveniences in your life, but you can do it if you set your mind to it and approach it methodically. This may mean you have to call upon your research skills again and explore financial options such as grants, scholarships, payment plans, or 401K or private institution education loans. You even may be able to pay for education or experience by doing an internship or by performing work using a skill that you currently have in exchange for training or experience.

When you are taking financial stock, allow yourself breathing room. Perhaps your goals are not financially feasible at this moment in time. Perhaps you just had a baby, your youngest son needs braces, or you’ve just paid an absorbent amount of money to repair your car. It’s okay. Rejoice in the fact that you’ve come this far. You can put a plan together and start saving or start applying for aid or other means of financing. There may even be things you can start to do that will be free or cheap, such as volunteering in the field or reading books to prepare you for your studies. Most people don’t have the luxury of quitting their jobs while they switch careers, so most likely you will be living a “double life” while you prepare for the switch. Whatever you do, don’t break the bank, because you’ll inevitably find yourself right back where you started.

6. Check your calendar

Great! You’ve got it all under control. You know where you’re going, how you’re going to get there and how you’re going to pay for it. But can you afford the time? Do you have enough free time or flexibility to meet the educational requirements? Are you young enough or old enough to fall within any professional age requirements? If you have the time and the age, skip this step. If not, the last step of your journey is to shuffle your calendar!

Shuffling your calendar may be easy. You may know right away what to eliminate or move in order to make room for your new career path. Conversely, finding the time might be downright complicated. Maybe you have small children, maybe you have an ailing parent, maybe you have church or community commitments…any of these things would make working towards a new career an uphill battle. Here again, it may mean that you have to post-pone your journey for a little while. Or, it could mean that you have to settle for beginning your education informally by reading books or taking online courses when you can. Whatever your challenge, don’t lose hope! Faith in yourself and perseverance will get you where you want to go.

7. Take the plunge

You’ve arrived at the last step. It’s time to jump in! Time to register for that first class, accept that internship, or apply for that entry level or part-time job in your chosen field. Whatever you’ve found to be the first step towards your new career, delight in the fact that you’ve come a long way and you’re doing it! You’ve done a lot of hard, thorough work and you have a lot to be proud of. Start down that path with your chin up and your shoulders back!

Food for your trip

You can’t take this trip without packing! If you leave home with one thing, leave home with the comforting knowledge that your approach to a new career is circular. This means that you can always go back to the beginning of the circle or to any point within the circle. If you’ve started a class or program and found that you hate it. So what? You’ve learned to cross it off you list and go back and take another look. Even if you get all the way to end of the path and decide it is not for you, take comfort that you did your best and its time to go back to another number in the circle. There is no shame in that.

So go on now…get out of here! Your train is leaving and you better be on it! Just don’t forget to take some pictures along the way, stop and smell the flowers, buy a few souvenirs and by all means, don’t forget where you came from!

Alotta Candor is a staff writer and commentator for JobSchmob.com, the “lighter” side of the working world. She is proud to be a liberated ex-corporate office worker.

http://www.JobSchmob.com

Your Dog’s Nails

How to cut a dog’s nails is one of the most frequently asked question when it comes to grooming dogs.

Knowing how to cut a dog’s nails is so important and if you’re wondering how to trim a dog’s nails – you need look no further. As usual, we’ve done all the research for you and presented you with a step by step guide on this delicate procedure.

Knowing not only how, but also when to cut a dog’s nails is so important. Your dog’s nails grow constantly and how often they need to be clipped will depend on your dog’s lifestyle. If you dog does a lot of his walking on hard surfaces, he may very well need little or no extra help in keeping his nails short as his nails will be naturally worn away through friction.

However, if like our dogs, your dog mainly stays on grass, sea sand and woodland tracks, clipping dog nails becomes an essential part of his or her grooming and it becomes important that you know how to clip dog nails.

Not knowing how to cut a dog’s nails and failure in clipping dog nails will lead to crippling pain in your dog’s paws and could lead to permanent damage and malformation.

If clipping dog nails is really not your strong point, take your dog along to your vet or groomer. They know how to cut a dog’s nails – and it is amazing how much less of a prima donna your dog will be with total strangers!

When To Start

Dogs are often reluctant to have their nails clipped, therefore, starting the process at a very young age is a good idea.

Initially, get your dog accustomed to you simply holding and stroking their paws. Then progress to applying light pressure on their paws and nails – lightly pinching their nails between your finger and thumb. Reward them for allowing this.

Then, after a lesson from your vets in how to cut a dog’s nails, lightly trim a couple of nails a day. Just trim off the tips – this lessens the chances of you cutting too deep and frightening your dog off.

Talk to your dog in a soothing voice all the time and reward him with his favorite treat and a romp straight after. He will gradually grow accustomed to this unpleasant procedure and learn to at least put up with it.

Tools You Will Need

When you’re wondering about how to cut a dogs nails, there are a variety of nail clippers and trimmers on the market. The guillotine type is my favourite tool when trimming dog nails, though a strong claw cutter may be required for the bigger breeds and basset hounds – they have incredibly large claws!

Sometimes you may want to use a small file or a dremel tool to file down any jagged edges after trimming a dog nails, but frankly, my dogs can’t wait to get away from me, so I’m happy to let them round off any rough edges in the normal course of their everyday walks.

It is also advisable to keep a styptic pen handy just in case you clip into your dog’s quick – but we’ll discuss this later.

Anatomy Of A Dog’s Nail

Knowing how to cut dog’s nails is easier when you know the anatomy of a dog’s nail.

A dog’s nail is constructed of a hard outer cover, which protects the quick which is the inner soft part containing blood vessels and tender nerve endings. In dogs with light coloured nails, the quick can often been seen as being faintly pinkish in color and is thus easy to avoid cutting into.

In the more common black nailed variety, the quick it totally invisible. Therefore, knowing exactly how to cut a dog’s nails in this case is imperative. In these cases, trimming off little nibbles instead of large slices is more advisable.

Keep checking the clipped part of your dog’s nail and look out for a dark spot in the middle of the newly clipped area – this shows the start of the quick – do not cut too far into this. Taking just tiny nibbles, you will then start to see a pale third inner circle. Stop there – or else you are likely to hurt your dog.

Also, don’t forget your dog’s dew claws. Growing on the inside of his legs and not in contact with the floor, these do not get worn away and will sometimes curl completely over causing your dog to get snagged in undergrowth, his bedding, etc. This can be very painful, so do keep those neatly trimmed too.

Best Way Of Clipping Dog Nails

The best way how to cut a dog’s nails is to have the dog lying on a raised table or other surface. Do remember to put a non-slip mat for your dog to sit or stand on so she doesn’t slip and hurt herself. Having someone strong hold your dog in their arms while you quickly clip a couple of nails is another effective way of doing this.

However, your dog may be as good as gold and let you cut their claws with no fuss at all – in which case you are a very fortunate person!

Carefully read the instructions for the nail clipping tool of your choice. For example, with the guillotine, you need to cut from the underneath of your dog’s claw upwards. Never clip downwards.

Position the tool in the right place, wait for an opportune moment when your dog stops wriggling, double check that the clipper is in the right place and squeeze firmly and smoothly – the nail will just pop off.

When wondering when and how to cut dog’s nails, little and often is the best policy. Just nibbling off the ends of each claw will be less stressful for your dog – and yourself! The point to aim for is to trim off any bit that protrudes over your dog’s pad. Thus, when he stands, your dog’s claws should not touch the ground.

The good thing is, very much like our own nails, the more you trim your dog’s nails, the more the quick will recede. Therefore, clipping dog nails doesn’t have to be done all at once – take your time.

Oooops! You’ve Cut Into The Quick!

However experienced you are in knowing how to cut a dog’s nails, accidents will happen.

Clipping into the quick will cause your dog to yelp in pain – I hate it when that happens. And, just as would happen if you cut into your quick, a fair amount of bleeding will occur. As much as you try to not let this happen – it will at some stage – so it is best that you learn to deal with it.

Please, let me reassure you that it is not half as dramatic as it looks. Keep calm, deal with the situation and give your dog a big cuddle and his favorite treat when it is all over.

If learning how to cut a dog’s nails is all a bit much for you, take your dog to a groomer (some will even come to your home) to have her nails trimmed. It doesn’t cost very much and at least your dog wont hold it against you if her nails should accidentally be cut too deep!

If bleeding does occur, you have three options -

With years of experience in breeding, training and handling dogs, Marion Herbertson is first and foremost a dog lover. Visit [http://www.advice-on-pet-care-and-pet-product-supplies-online.com/Dog-Grooming.html] – for more of her practical, sometimes humourous advice on pet care.

More than 50 million people in the United States have pets, and pet supply stores are competing to get their fair share of this lucrative market. If you are a pet owner, this is great news. Pet supply stores are continually improving their products and services, and you can choose from among many of them the right one for you.

Free delivery. You love your pet, but sometimes, you just don’t have time to drop by a pet store to buy food and supplies. No problem – you can have everything delivered right to your doorstep. Most pet supply stores now offer free delivery of the freshest pet food and newest supplies. Steer clear of the inconvenience of pet supply shopping, or running out of pet food. Just order either online or from a catalog.

All-natural pet food products. People are becoming more health-conscious, even with their pets. That is why some pet supply stores now claim to only carry naturally-preserved pet food that do not contain artificial coloring, ingredients or byproducts. Some pet supply stores limit their selection only to pet foods that have passed complete feeding tests ongoing quality assurance checks.

Carefully-chosen pet supplies. There are now many pet supply stores that only sell 100 percent safe and non-toxic pet supplies, especially for dogs. These stores have only clinically-proven safe pet shampoos, creams and medicine in stock. You can also buy harmless pet toys and accessories from such stores.

Veterinarians on call. Most pet supply stores now have in-house veterinarians who can help you choose the right products for your pets. These vets are also on-call to help you if your pet suddenly reacts differently to a product. Best of all, these vets are just great sources of free advice. Just pop in the pet supply store and chat with them – you just might get free opinion on common pet problems.

Pet Stores [http://www.i-PetStores.com] provides detailed information on Pet Stores, Pet Supply Stores, Online Pet Stores, Pet Fish Stores and more. Pet Stores is affiliated with Free Pet Tags .

“For fifty years we have been a developing nation. It is time we see ourselves as a developed nation.” This is the part of the speech of Dr Abdul Kalam in Hyderabad. Whenever we are talking about Developed nation, suddenly education comes to picture with other major indicators like the growth rate of the economy, birth rate, death rate, infant mortality rate (IMR), and literacy rate. These indicators are all interconnected with each other and the literacy rate has been the major determinant of the rise or fall in the other indicators. There is enough evidence even in Orissa to show that a low literacy rate correlates with high birth rate, high IMR, and decrease in the rate of life expectancy. The recognition of this fact has created awareness on the need to focus upon literacy and elementary education programmes, not simply as a matter of social justice but more to foster economic growth, social well-being, and social stability.

The Constitution of India casts an obligation on the State to provide free and compulsory education to all children up to the age of 14. The literacy rate in Orissa during 1951 was 15.8% against the all India average of 18.3%, which increased to 63.6% in 2001 against the all India average of 65.4%. While the male literacy rate of 63.1% in the State in 1991 increased to 75.9% in 2001, the female literacy rate increased from 34.7% to 51.0%. There has been a steady improvement in the literacy rates of the State over successive decades, which is a result of expansion of educational infrastructure both quantitative and qualitative.

In 1950-51, there were 9,801 Primary Schools with 16,525 teachers and 3.15 lakh students. There were 501 Upper Primary Schools with 2,569 teachers and 40,000 students. Also there were 172 High Schools with 2,247 teachers and 16,000 students. Since 1950-51, there has been a considerable expansion in the number of educational institutions, enrollment and number of teachers at all levels during successive plan periods. In 2003-2004, there are 44,416 Primary Schools with 52.54 lakh enrollment and 97 lakh teachers in the State. There is one Primary School for every 3.5 Sq.Km area. The state government has established 14, 233 Upper Primary Schools for each 10.94 km area in the State.

Issues of Concern

Education is the key to social & economic development of any society. It encompasses every sphere of human life. Level of literacy has a profound bearing on the level of human development. There are major issues, which are directly or indirectly concerned with the education in Orissa. First, the dropout rate in primary and upper primary schools is become a major issue of concern. In the same time dropout rate become a major setback in the increasing literacy rate which was at the primary stage 33.6%. But if you compare girls dropout rate with boys, the dropout rate for girls was 35.4% and for boys 31.9%. Dropout rate at upper primary stage was 57.5% in 2003-04. Out of them 56.5% boys dropped out in upper primary stage while 58.6% girls dropped out in the same year. Second issue is infrastructure of school buildings, which are in bad conditions. And the old or unsafe school buildings of our state are inadequate to meet the needs of school children. Many of them one-room (or even open-air) operations with poorly paid teachers.

Steps taken by the State Government

Orissa government has always made concerted efforts to provide education to all. Some major initiatives were taken to offer quality education for a brighter future not only for Oriyas but also for the state, at last for the nation. Some steps were directed towards the reform and renewal of state’s education system. In the same time there has been a considerable expansion in the number of educational institutions, enrolment and number of teachers at all levels during successive plan periods.

The central and state governments have been expanding the provision of primary formal and non-formal education to realise the goal of Universilisation of Elementary Education (UEE). Elementary education is recognised as a fundamental right of all citizens in India. The directive principles of state policy envisage UEE as one of the major goals to be achieved and mandated in a timeframe. As per guidelines adopted at the national level, the State aims at providing access to Primary Schools within one kilometer and Upper Primary Schools within three kilometers from habitations having 300 or more and 500 or more respectively. In order to achieve the goal of Universalisation of Elementary Education and to improve the quality, steps have been initiated to engage more 9,563 para teachers under State Plan.

Government of India’s flagship programme ‘Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan’ was launched on nation-wide scale to universalize elementary education by providing for community ownership and monitoring of the school system. The objectives of the programme are compulsory Education to all the Children of 6-14 years age group by 2007. Under the programme, there were 780 new primary schools, 2,771 new upper primary schools were opened and. 25,594 Swechasevi Sikhshya Sahayaks were appointed in 2003-04. The Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan programme calls for community participation through effective decentralisation – involvement of Village Education Committee (VEC), Members of Panchayat Raj institutions and Womens’ group. It ensures transparency and accountability of the school system to the community. To lesson the burden of Directorate of Higher Education, the state government has been established three regional Directorates in Bhubaneswar, Berhampur and Sambalpur. Regional Directors of these Directorates have been vested with similar powers of Director of Higher Education. Today, access to the qualitative education is reducing in Orissa. The reason is a lack of budget, weak governance and decline of physical infrastructure, shortage of teachers and their low salary, obsolete teaching plans, poverty and malnutrition, and absence of parents and society participation.

Hurdles to achieve the Goal

Funds become major hurdle for every developmental programme in Orissa. In some cases, it is surplus and government cannot utilize the fund within the required timeframe. In the other side, it is deficit. In every step and in every stage, we extend our hand in front of the Central government, financial institutions for funds. How do you education keep the education aside? The government does not have money for primary education. Well, the fiscal deficit is surely a problem, but that could not be excused during a downturn if it is used for opening up the way to developed nation. The Government of Orissa fully endorses the approach on universalisation of elementary education and the scheme ‘Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan’ should be given the highest priority. But when we are heading towards success of the programme, we do not have fund to provide the study materials to the students. With the assistance from Central Government, the Orissa Government has been providing the study materials every year. For a state like Orissa, the government needs 3.5 crores books for the students up to VII class.

Generally, the government was sanctioned eight crores every year. In the current year budget, only four crores has sanctioned, whereas approximately 30 crores required for the printing of study materials. Now, It is become routine issue for the government to sanction inadequate fund and demand more money at the neck of the moment when the books should reach at the end user. This is not only creating an obstacle in the time bound programme but also spoil the valuable time of the students for struggling with the course without courseware. Here I have highlighted one issue, which is occurred in every year at the beginning of academic year. Government has been compromising the issue without thinking the future of the small kids.

Though it is a routine issue, then why Government is not considering this issue seriously?

Some other issues like educational infrastructure and appoint good teachers with good salary are also taken into consideration. When we are appointing good teachers for this programme, we should think about the other side of the coin (i.e good remuneration). The state government appointed 40,846 Shiksha Sahayaks under several schemes including District Primary Education Programme (DPEP) and Sarba Siksha Abhijan (SSA). Due to deficit budget the Shiksha Sahayaks are compromising with the situation and ready to work in less salary (i.e. Rs 1500 per month), which is less than the wage of a bonded labour. In spite of that the State Government is unable to provide their share at least in time to the Shiksha Sahayaks. How would we expect quality education from a teacher who is struggling to survive in this expensive society? Recently, the State Government has decided to hike the monthly honorarium of the Siksha Sahayaks from Rs 1500 to Rs 2000. This decision was taken at a high-level meeting presided over by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on October 20. This will cost the State Exchequer an additional Rs 25 crore per year. Obviously, zero percent credit goes to the State Government. Though Central Government is supporting 75 percent of the estimated expenditure, this additional hike will be added to the aided account. If Sarba Siksha Abhijan is become a flop programme, then the credit goes to the state government. The major barrier is deficiency of fund.

Conclusion

We are compromising in every step of our life. How many days will we live with ‘compromise’? Let us stop compromising with our future and with our future generation. At least the State Government should give up elementary education. Education makes man a right thinker. It tells man how to think and how to make decision. When the absolute number of literate people in the state is steadily rising year after year, then where are those instincts of a literate person? Where is your voice against the backward step of the government? But moving beyond educational programmes requires much political will and public pressure. Unfortunately, elementary education continues to receive low priority from those in power. While State Assembly discusses trivial issues, issues related to elementary education gathers dust. If government will not take any rigid step then all children of 6-14 years age group in school by 2003, all children to complete 5 years of schooling by 2007and all children to complete 8 years of schooling by 2010 will become a utopian dream for us.

The author is a media researcher in Journalism Department of ICFAI University. He has five years experience in electronic media in the field of Public Relations and Media Relations. His qualifications include a Master in Journalism and Mass Communication, special paper advertising, and Public Relations.

Many people think their cat’s behaviors are because the cat was abused or neglected. I want to clear this up for you. Abused cats are rare. Most cats are just wary of strangers. Bad behavior is usually because they were never taught correctly or played with aggressively. So, how can you identify an abused or neglected cat? Let’s look at what cat abuse and neglect look like and then we can talk about the cat’s responses:

Cat Abuse can be intentional or unintentional. Usually, unintentional abuse is called “neglect” and is addressed by humane societies all over the world. There are actually three levels of abuse. Neglect, Over-Discipline (over use of discipline tools) and Intentional Abuse. This article addresses the Neglect, which is the most benign form of abuse.

Description of Neglect -

Neglect means not addressing the animal’s primary needs for survival – water, food, shelter, rest and hygienic elimination. Then there is the more severe type, where a cat is forced to live in filth, confined to a cage all the time, or denied companionship with people or other animals. Many times, this can be caused by not spaying or neutering your pet. Unwanted kittens, or too many cats, is the primary cause for almost all of this type of abuse. Sometimes, a person is too ill or has allergies. Maybe a person is trying to keep a cat in an environment that makes it impossible to properly care for a cat.

I remember many years ago, seeing a homeless man walking down the street with his belongings in a shopping cart. Homeless people were harder to find then, so he stood out. He was pushing the cart with one hand and had a carrier with a cat in it, in the other. I felt sorry for both, but being a child, I didn’t know what to do. The cat was experiencing neglect, but felt much love. The man, I’m sure, didn’t know he was doing harm to the cat. He just knew that he couldn’t let his beloved cat go into a shelter – at that time all the shelters I knew of were kill-shelters.

An older cat (over a year) has little chance of coming out of a kill shelter. Most people want a kitten. The grown cats are often given no more than 2 weeks to find a home and then euthanized. This heartbreaking situation often occurs when people lose their homes, develop allergies or find that they just don’t want to deal with the discipline and behavior problems that developed in the cat. The single biggest reason people give up a cat is inappropriate elimination. Next, come allergies, followed by death of the cat’s owner. Some cats are surrendered because the person moves and is unable to find pet-friendly accommodations.

I understood the man’s feelings of love and concern for his feline companion. I also understood that the cat couldn’t live in that carrier for long. There was no safe place for them. No homeless shelter would take a man with a cat. In this case, I think the abuse is unintentional – neglect, by description. However, I think the heart of both the cat and the man were in the right place, just that the situation was unfortunate.

In news reports, we sometimes hear of breeding farms where cats are bred to the point of exhaustion and kept in sub-optimal conditions. We hear of people who just keep bringing home strays until they are over-run and can no longer take care of them, and the cats become a neighborhood problem. All of these situations can produce neglect.

Now, let’s turn to the cat’s response to neglect. How does a cat respond? Why does it do that? By understanding the specific situation and response, we can address the resulting problem behaviors with love, patience and training.

Effects of Neglect

A cat left in a cage with other animals nearby is often skittish and afraid of people. It expects food and a clean litter box on occasion, but cuddles and attention may make it uncomfortable. These cats often have no privacy issues in the cage, but once free, they are very private about their litter habits. If the cat was kept in a small carrier, it may soil itself, or hold back elimination until it is very uncomfortable. It may be dehydrated and need medical attention. The cat will be overweight from lack of activity. It may be apathetic when play is offered, not knowing what is expected. Electric lights may be something that set off a fear response in the cat because it means that people are coming. In other cases, darkness may be scary at first. Once the cat’s eyes adjust to the light level, it will be all right, but when the lights are turned off or on, the cat may cry or hiss. In the case of a cat kept in the dark except when people are coming, it may be fearful the entire time the lights are on, while also expecting food, water and a clean litter box to be provided.

What Can We Do to Help These Cats?

These cats don’t do well with handling. The less you try to pet, hold or cuddle these cats at first, the better. Let the cat come to you. It will, given time. Be sure to care for it’s creature comforts – food, water, bed, clean litter box – but don’t expect a cuddly cat for a while. That will come when the cat feels that it can trust you. It may be afraid of the sound of your feet on the floor. It may run when you come into a room. As time goes on, the cat will stay and just watch you. Another time, you may be able to approach and offer a scratch behind the ear. Eventually, you will be able to give a full cuddle. Do not try to pick the cat up, but you can pet it and the cat won’t run away or feel assaulted. When the cat responds with a purr, an offer of a cheek or an ear, or you can stroke the spine and the cat isn’t trying to run away, then you have a cat that is only cautious of you. Continue until the cat comes for cuddles, which may already be happening. Still do not try to pick the cat up. If it wants your lap, it will come. This cat may still run from you if discovered in a windowsill, on a dresser or surprised in the litter box. Say your cat’s name in a conversational tone and the cat will eventually not run away and perhaps allow a stroke. In the case of the litter box, just say the cat’s name, but never try to cuddle a cat in the litter box. If you can provide a privacy screen, the cat may stay in the room.

These cats need socialization. They need to learn to live with others outside of a cage. They need gentle discipline and may not know the meaning of the word “no.” They will love feeding time but be afraid if you need to walk near their food bowls, and run from the food. Give them time, move slowly and talk gently in their vicinity. They need to learn what people are about in a good way.

Once your cat has learned to trust you a little bit, enough to not run away when you enter a room or even starts to come to you, then you can begin to bond with your cat. A tickler wand is your best friend for this. Gently shake the wand so that the end twitches. Your cat will be interested, but may only watch at first. If your cat goes for it, excellent! When your cat gets hold of the business end of the wand, allow your cat to feel the success by keeping the wand steady for a few moments. When the cat lets go, you can start to twitch it again. The cat will play with you in this manner for quite a while. When the cat tires, put the wand up out of the way so that your cat is forced to play with you, not just the wand. If your cat grabs the wand in it’s mouth and tries to run away with it, offer resistance and don’t let go of the wand. Some cats want to take the wand and hide it under a couch or in a corner so they can worry over it for a while. Don’t allow this – the cat needs to play with you, not just the wand. After about ten days of playing with the wand, you will see your cat become more accepting of its new circumstances. Your cat should assimilate into the household well. There may be people it does not accept, and those persons can also play with the cat to promote bonding.

Under no circumstances should you perpetuate the abuse or neglect! Any discipline needs to be done gently and with care. A squirt bottle, long a favorite tool for discipline, should only be used in the beginning stages of training, while the cat is learning the word “no.” After that, you should not need it. Redirection is your best training technique. When your cat gets into or expresses interest in something that you don’t want to see it getting involved with, redirect it’s attention to something that it is allowed to be involved with or have.

Some of these cats can be clicker trained, but the bond with the person needs to be present, first. Concentrated training to condition the cat to the clicker will be needed. Some cats may be so skittish that even the best treats will not condition the cat to the clicker. If your cat runs from the clicker after a week of conditioning, do not continue. Your cat will never be comfortable with the unexpected noise it makes. You are better clapping your hands and saying “no” to stop bad behaviors than trying to clicker train for positive behaviors.

These cats will be extremely grateful for good treatment. One expression of that love, biting, may not be acceptable – especially if the cat bites hard and uses the canine teeth. Push your hand or finger into the mouth instead of pulling out so that the cat will not be able to bite down and cause you injury. You can push in hard enough to cause the gag reflex, but never harder. Never cause the cat injury in response to an injury to your person. Hitting is never acceptable – but raising a flat hand so that the eyebrow whiskers can feel it is acceptable.

If you must pick up your cat, as in putting the cat in the carrier or removing it to another room, pay attention to the cat’s body. Be sure to pick the cat up by the ribs and the hind legs at the same time to minimize stress to the cat. If the body is stiff, don’t hold the cat to your chest. Allow the cat to struggle, but stay out of the way of the claws. When you place the cat down (don’t let it jump), stroke its back if you can. Talk to the cat. It will stop a few paces away and look at you. The cat may come to you for a scratch if offered. Always talk softly and lovingly to your cat.

In Closing -

With all these admonitions and dos and don’ts, you may think that a neglected cat is too much trouble. Not that much, really. They take some time getting used to people, but once they trust you and know you have their best interests at heart, these cats will come to love you very much. The early stages with a neglected cat are the most critical. After that, you may find a loving, caring, demanding cat. Demanding because it may never want to be separated from you. Demanding because whatever it was denied before it will crave from you. Moreover, you will be loved, very deeply. It will care about you in its fashion. If your are down or blue, possibly sick, the cat will worry over you and try to find a way to comfort you. These cats are very responsive to their people. Hypersensitive is a good description. Empathic is another good description of their behavior. Some cats even approach a symbiotic relationship with their people.

Give love and patience, and love and patience will be returned. Give concern and care and those are returned. A neglected cat is one of the best pets for a single, older person. The cat will be tuned to that person in short order. It will give love and affection to ease the loneliness and loss these people sometimes experience. When the person is ill, the cat will understand and be there to comfort, while allowing the person to care for him or herself.

Morgen Marshall, a cat whisperer, invites you into her world of cats. She created a website dedicated to making the relationship between cats and people harmonious and healthy. For the Love of Cats is a place for people who love cats to find answers from someone they can trust.

Nowadays, children, besides of going to the school, practice a sport, mostly a team sport. And just like so many things, this also has its advantages and disadvantages on physical, emotional and mental field.

The decision of which one is greater, the advantages or the disadvantages depend on the point of view of the parents and of the children.

Emotional advantages:

- They will learn the value of teamwork

- They will learn how to work in a team

- They will develop their ability of trusting someone else

- They will learn how to select the trustful people

- They will make more friends

Emotional disadvantages:

- the pressure of being the best

- the possibility of not being the best

- possible emotional implications of not being the best can affect the self-esteem of a child

Mental advantages:

- physical activity stimulates the brain

- sport is a way of relaxing of the stress and pressure from the school, therefore, after exercises, the lessons will be automatically easier to understand and to learn

Mental disadvantages:

- competitive sport takes precedence over a child’s education

- learning may be neglected

- lack of mentally challenge

Physical advantages:

- they will learn the benefits of being fit, limber and strong

- it ensures a great and healthy growth of the body of the child

- they will be protected by obesity

Physical disadvantages:

- the danger of long-term injury

- early overuse of joints, ligaments and muscles can lead to joint and tendon problems, arthritis, back and neck problems

These issues have to be considered again and again before deciding on the type of sport that your child will be practicing.

For further information regarding sports, you can always rely on the Sport Folks Site!