Students Of Success

With the state of the music business becoming more and more
stale, consumers are looking to the internet to satisfy their
craving for new and innovative music. A record label located in
Wichita Falls has started a revolution on the internet with
music that is daring and groundbreaking. Wichita Falls Records
has released albums such as Merseybeat, the Savage Sprague
Brothers, and now its newest release Cavern. The recording
artist Frank Lee Sprague is well known the world over for his
loved recordings of the best in rock’n'roll. Playboy magazine
called his band a “great lost west Texas rock band.” Now he has
turned his innovative approach to business. With the launching
of his new label Wichita Falls Records Frank has created
marketing strategies that have been blazing the internet
resulting in sales and promotion in staggering numbers. Not
content to do things the old fashioned way, Sprague keeps
creating in music as well as business. As a sign of recognition
of Frank’s genius El Toro Records in Spain recently aligned
itself with Frank’s label and released a multi-volume CD of the
Sprague Brothers music. This is a sign of things to come
concerning Sprague’s music as other companies worldwide are
eager to join in the new music revolution. Many cooperative
ventures are on the horizon and there are DVD’s in the queue for
release as the label is growing at a staggering rate. The future
of music is secure at ‘tomorrow’s music company’ and with the
internet becoming more and more of a force in the industry
Wichita Falls Records and Frank Lee Sprague forge ahead!

It is true that forms of depression cannot be avoided, although, it has also been proved that a healthy life style can play a major role in alleviating depression or even preventing some forms from even occurring. Mild types of depression can develop from poor diet and nutrition. Lack of exercises, stress, poor, little, or no sleep, traveling, lack of necessities, withdrawl from an addiction, and lack of sunlight have also been linked to some cases of depression.

There are many natural ways of relieving depression, but like i said, it can be prevented by a proper life style and diet. Here are 2 all natural and healthy methods in preventing depression and alleviating it.

Herbal remedies for depression:

-2 Parts St-John’s-Wart (Hypericum Perforatum)

-1 Part Oat (Avena Sativa)

-1 Part Lavender (Lavandula Officinalis)

-1 Part Mugwort (Artemisia Vulgaris)

Take this mixture in 5mL servings three times a day.

Depressive symptoms are exacerbated by nutrition deficiencies, there for a well-balanced diet is important to
insure the proper daily intake of vitamins and minerals.

Supplement Remedies for depression:

-Vitamin B Complex - 400 mcg/day

-Folic Acid - 400 mcg/day

-S-Adenosylmethionine - 800mg/2x day

-Selenium - 100 mcg/day

Recommended daily dose of the amino acid supplement L-tryptaphon. This amino acid is known to increase the
synthesis of serotonin and in turn relieve depression. L-tryptaphon is found in foods such as turkey, chicken,
fish, soybeans, cooked dried beans, peas, yeast, and peanut butter. The proper intake of carbs should also be
taken to help the brains uptake of L-tryptaphon.

Got a question? Try the Forums

Tyler D Falls - Info researcher

What a huge idea! To have the ability to listen to commercial free music, wherever, whenever! One great idea can change everything. XM Satellite Radio has changed everything. XM is now America’s #1 Satellite Radio provider. It features over 160 digital channels — over 30 channels of news, sports, talk and entertainment, over 20 dedicated channels of XM-brand Instant Traffic & Weather, and the largest playlist in the industry with access to over 2 million song titles.

Probably the best thing about an XM Satellite radio is that you don’t have to replace your old radio to get XM. It’s swift and simple to add XM to your existing car or home stereo. With the XM system, you’ll still be able to listen to your regular AM, FM stations and your CD or cassette player. A great feature of XM radios is its ability to display the channel name, artist name and song title, so you won’t ever have to ask “what’s the name of that song?” That’s priceless!
If you’re in the market for a new car, be sure to ask about having a XM Radio installed. XM-equipped audio systems are offered in over 100 new cars for the 2005 model year.

There is no doubt that satellite radio is the future of the music and audio entertainment industry. Satellite radio is doing to radio what cable television did to television years ago. An explosion of information is ready for your ears! Founded in 1992, as the American Mobile Radio Corporation, XM offers receivers from the price range of $30 - $300. For the budget-friendly consumer, XM also offers these receivers at a month-to-month plan, with service fees at about $12.95 for the first receiver. Subscribers may purchase packages from 1-5 years, in which the average cost is under $10 per month. XM also offers internet only packages and mobile (i.e. Ipod) services for satellite radio.

For those you curious to how they “do it”, here’s a synopsis. XM provides digital programming directly from three satellites in geostationary orbit above the equator. There are the XM-1 (“Roll”), XM-2 (“Rock”) and XM-3 (“Rhythm”). The integration of three satellites and a ground-based repeater network is designed to give gap-free coverage anywhere within the continental United States. Unfortunately, XM-1, and XM-2 were created with a design fault
on the Boeing 702 series of satellites, which basically means that their life spans will be only about six years, instead of 15 like the maker intended.

A new author trying to contribute to the internet community.

You can compare prices and reviews at: http://www.1audio-equipment.com/

A splash of scarlet poppies among lush green fields in the foreground, a medieval hill town in Tuscany, the red brick warm and glowing, in the background – the photograph travel brochures dream of. People will flock to see fields of poppies. Finding the perfect combination to photograph together in real life, even in Tuscany, isn’t always easy. (See my article Poppies in Tuscany – the Digital Photography Alternative if you’re tempted to try to create the shot digitally).

Everywhere you drive among the Tuscan hills in late May, early June the fields of poppies cut a swathe of picturesque colour and strike a chord of nostalgia in those from countries where agriculture is now dominated by herbicides and pesticides. So the poppies are everywhere, medieval towns are scattered liberally over the countryside, but to find the two strategically placed at the right angle to each other, with the right light, to get the ultimate shot, involves a lot of driving down tracks and dirt roads.

Drive south from Siena, towards Montalcino, San Quirico d’Orcia and Pienza and you will find endless vistas of rolling hills, cypress trees, small towns on hills with Monte Amiata gently curving on the horizon. Here and there splashes of red lure you into finding a strada bianca (dirt road) to get closer – could this be your shot? After bumping miles down tracks only to find that the promising poppy field has no view of the town beyond you are ready to consider alternatives. Perhaps a background of a lone Romanesque church with a couple of sentinel cypress trees or a tumble-down farm-house.

It is very much a matter of luck and perseverance to find the right components of the shot - the skill lies in choice of lens (telephoto or wide-angle), angle (lying low down amid the flowers or standing up to gain the panoramic view), depth of field, time of day (morning or evening light).

Look at the shot through wide-angle lens first for greatest depth of field, make sure the background town doesn’t dwindle to nothing, fill the foreground with a sea of poppies. The telephoto gives more prominence to the town or church allowing a bright smudge of colour from the poppies in the foreground. Choose early morning or evening light – once you have found the right place to take the shot, you will have to calculate which is better and wait it out – midday sun will bleach out all colour and atmosphere.

Once the light is right shoot every possible combination of lenses, angles, apertures and framing (vertical and horizontal) that you can think of. By next week the poppies may be over or harvested and next year a different crop may have taken its place. So your shot will be unique, the definitive Poppies in Tuscany photograph of the year.

Kit Heathcock copyright 2006

Kit Heathcock - worked and travelled in Italy for many years, is passionate about food and loves being a fulltime mother. Co-creator of A Flower Gallery home of original flower pictures and Food and Family!

I have so many people come into my shop saying something like – I can’t even sew on a button. How sad it is that a whole generation has lost out on learning how to do just the basic skills of sewing.

Sewing a button on to clothes doesn’t have to be difficult. In fact I take just a few minutes to sew them on.

Here is the precise procedure that you can use to sew on buttons like a professional:

1. Pull the thread from the reel and pull out to arms length.

2. Now take your arm back in and pull the thread out a second time, so that you have a very long piece of cotton.

3. Fold the cotton into two making sure that the ends are even

4. You now have a fold one end and two joins the other end

5. Thread the two joins into the eye of the needle. (Lick the ends if necessary to moisten)

6. You will now have four threads in the needle.

7. Knot the end of the four threads. To make a knot I just roll the end of the cotton onto my finger and pull the thread through the hole in the cotton. Cut off the ends to the edge of the knot.

8. Sew the knot onto the fabric where you are going to sew the button going from the right side through to the wrong side

9. This means that the knot will be underneath the button

10. Bring the needle back through the fabric to where the knot is

11. Put the button on to the needle and push the button down on to the fabric, covering the knot

12. Now put the needle through the opposite hole on the button and back through to the opposite side of the fabric.

13. If you want to come back through one more time you can or you can knot off by putting the thread through itself and pulling the thread. Do this twice and cut the thread.

Once this is done, you should have a professionally looking button!

This article is written by Judith Turner, founder of GenieCentre.Com. Judith Turner has spent the last 9 years developing a professional clothing alteration system. She is also the Author of The Art of Pinning. Now, she’s developing self teach alteration manuals for anyone with a domestic sewing machine.

Sign up for a FREE weekly tips newsletter and find out more:

http://www.GenieCentre.com/

Is it an antique and is it worth anything?
Would you know?

At some point in our lives most of us are going to put in a position where we have to ask ourselves the question-
Which of my treasured possesions should I keep because they might be worth something and which can I throw away?

Would you know??

We start our own homes full of enthusiasm and with all the lovely clutter that makes up our lives and that of the family, but as time goes on, the children leave home, we decide to move to a smaller house or maybe we decide to live abroad. At that stage we have to decide what to keep and what to part with.

As an antique dealer for many years I’m often invited into homes to assist customers with just that question - or with a cry for HELP!!

Well, we all have items we wouldn’t part with for a million pounds, precious bits and pieces passed down from parents and little presents from partners, children and grandchildren. Then there’s the layer of semi-precious items that, to make a bit more room, we could part with. Put these to one side and we’ll come back to them later - our second best treasures.

But the ‘cupboard fillers’ are quite a different matter! How many teas services, lace cloths and glasses do we need? In fact, be really honest, when was the last time you set the table with a starched cloth and all the cutlery amd glassware matching?

Call me a slut, but I usually serve friends with tea in china beakers. Wine is poured into glasses that are dish-washer friendly and the crockery and cutlery is an interesting ……….. mish-mash. It’s the company and stimulating converstion that’s important I tell myself.

So what should we keep and what should we part with? We’ve carefully put our special treasures to one side and now we must invite the children in to look through the ’second best’ treasures.

Make sure they have a chance to refuse any bits you’re thinking of parting with. An old scruffy chair to your way of thinking might be a favourite to them and the comfy setting for many a bedtime story.

On a personal note after my mum died, my sister and I were clearing her things and we found an enamelled dish of little value. Ir was put on one side to give to the charity shop when my son asked if he could have ‘the money dish’. “Which money dish” I asked. “The one that gran always kept the pound coins in to give us when we visited”. Luckily the ‘money dish’ was passed on to a very happy grandson.

So now the children, and possibly the grandchildren, have had their pick. Time to decide what to do with the rest. Space might determine how thorough the pruning must be, but it’s worth knowing what you could sell and what you may have to give away.

Even antiques come and go ‘in fashion’. At the moment the style is minimalist. One carefully placed figurine, one item of polished glassware, not the over-the-top, not an inch of wall showing, style of the Victorians!

Anything that needs polishing, ie, copper, brass, silver and silver plated items are unpopular especially with the younger generation who manage to juggle a full-on family/working life. Equally, if it won’t go in the dishwasher, it’s a bit of a no-no!

So we’re narrowing the field of what we can easily sell.

Small, exquisite, exciting little pieces are desirable. It’s easy to get good prices for antique sewing items, silver thimbles, old needle holders, silk winders, buttons, even wooden cotton reels and pin cushions.

Another highly collectable area is - drinking! Old cork screws, bottle openers, wine and spirit labels, champagne taps, spirit measures and the pub water jugs for serving up with a glass of whisky.

Check through your drawers for old fountain pens and pencils and boys will be boys so hang on to any sporting memorabilia. Would you believe that a feather filled golf ball fetched £6,000 and old golf clubs, tennis rackets and snooker cues and balls are highly collectable.

Smoking acessories are politically incorrect, but old silver vesta cases, cigar cutters and interesting cigarette lighters can fetch a tidy sum.

Don’t neglect the children’s toy cupboard. Early tin toys, lead soldiers and more recently Star Wars and James Bond can raise much needed cash. Would you fancy parting with over £1,000 for a Victorian marble? Well it’s happened with a German end-of-the-day onionskin marble, so sift with care.

So there’s a few tips when planning a bit of a life laundry. Lots more advice to follow because I have a little corner of the shop at present where I’m selling vintage clothing, shoes, handbage and costume jewellery and it’s going down very well, especially with the younger age group.

Until then, happy spring cleaning!!

Loads of similar articles and a newsletter and resources for Antiques and Collectibles at:
http://www.architus.com

We run a small but beautifully formed General Antiques Shop which is situated in Kirkby Lonsdale In the Yorkshire Dales/Cumbria Border.

Wipe solutions are so easy to make and can save you money too! Use them for cleaning sticky hands and messy faces as well as dirty bottoms. Unlike commercial wipes, these recipes don’t contain alcohol or chemicals, and they smell good. Use these recipes on cloth wipes or make your own disposable wipes and save even more money! To make disposable wipes, cut high quality paper towels in half, or leave whole for full-size wipes.

Common Cloth Wipe Solution Ingredients:
Many wipe solution recipes contain similar main ingredients, which are used for the same reason in each recipe. These are the common ingredients and why they’re included:

• Oil: Helps the wipe glide across baby’s skin and keeps skin soft
• Soap: Cleanses by removing all traces of urine and feces
• EO: (Essential Oil) Added for antibacterial and/or aromatherapy purposes.
• Water: The main ingredient in each recipe, cleanses the diaper area and dilutes the other ingredients

The type and amounts of oil, soap, EO and water that goes into a recipe is what gives each cloth wipe solution it’s own distinct “personality”. Have fun trying different recipes until you find the ones that you like best!

How to Use Cloth Wipe Solutions
When mixing solutions it works best to start with oil and end with water. The oil will coat your measuring tools so the soap slips right off. Be sure to add the water slowly or you’ll end up with a ton of bubbles! Most of the time it’s easiest to gently mix the wipe solution in a bottle with a cover, then pour it into the storage container.

There are many different ways to store and apply wipe solutions to your wipes, try a few of the following ideas to find the one that works best for your family. You may discover that one system works great at home and another works great away from home. Here’s some ideas to get you started:

• Use a spray bottle to spritz baby’s bottom or the wipes. (For baby’s comfort we prefer spraying the wipes)
• Use a bottle with a pull-up spout (like on bottled-water bottles) to dribble solution onto the wipes.
• Warm solution and place in an insulated container to provide warm wipes for baby.
• Place the solution into a commercial baby wipes container and dip wipes into the solution.
• Place cloth wipes in a commercial baby wipes container and pour wipes solution over wipes.
• A commercial baby wipes container can be placed in a wipes warmer to provide cozy warm wipes for baby.

Don’t store solution or wet wipes for a long time because they can become musty and the wet wipes may even grow mildew - ewww! Check your solution and wet wipes daily, and mix smaller batches of solution frequently instead of large batches less often to avoid mustiness. We mix fresh solution once a week, store it in a bottled-water bottle, and have not had any problems with mustiness.

Cloth Wipe Solution Recipes
Almond ‘n’ Chamomile
Steep the tea bags in the hot water then add the oil.
2 chamomile tea bags
2 teaspoons almond oil
2 cups hot water

Anti-Fungal
Omit vinegar if baby has a raw rash.
1/4 cup white vinegar
1 tablespoon calendula oil
A few drops lavender oil
A few drops tea tree oil
1/4 cup 100% aloe vera gel
1 cup water

Anti-Fungal Too
Similar to the other anti-fungal recipe, but less vinegar and water.
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1 tablespoon calendula oil
A few drops lavender oil
A few drops tea tree oil
1/4 cup 100% aloe vera gel
1/2 cup water

Basic Wipe Solution
This basic recipe can be adapted by changing the type of soap or oil.
1/2 cup baby oil
1/2 cup baby wash
2 cups water

Castile Solution
Dr. Bronner’s Castile Soap comes in several yummy scents!
1 tablespoon almond, apricot, or other oil
1 tablespoon Dr Bronner’s Liquid Castile Soap
2 drops tea tree oil
1 drop lavender oil
1 cup water

Chamomile ‘n’ Honey
Brew the tea, add the honey, and drink any leftovers!
1 chamomile tea bag
1 teaspoon honey
1 cup boiling water

Easy Peasy
Just three simple ingredients…
2 tablespoons oil
2 tablespoons baby wash
1 1/2 cups water

Eight is Great
Similar ingredients as other recipes, but in different amounts.
1/8 cup vegetable oil
1/8 cup baby wash
8 drops lavender oil
4 drops tea tree oil
2 cups water

Fruit ‘n’ Veggie
Dr Bronner’s soaps can often be found in organic markets.
1 teaspoon fruit or vegetable-based oil (apricot, olive, grapeseed, etc)
1 tablespoon vegetable-based soap (like Dr. Bronner’s liquid castile)
1 teaspoon 100% aloe vera gel
1 cup water

Just One
Just one “something” of each ingredient for this recipe.
1 chamomile tea bag
1 teaspoon oil
1 teaspoon baby bath or shampoo
1 drop lavendar oil
1 cup hot water

Lavender ‘n’ Tea Tree
Lavender and Tea Tree are popular EO choices for wipe solutions.
1/8 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon baby shampoo
4 drops tea tree oil
8 drops lavender oil
3 cups water

Lanolin & Glycerine
Lanolin and glycerine moisturize without oil.
1 tablespoon liquid glycerine
1/4 teaspoon liquid lanolin (100% pure)
1 tablespoon baby wash
1-3 drops EO
4 cups water

Lotion Potion
Baby lotion adds more softening power to this solution.
1 tablespoon baby oil
1 tablespoon baby soap
1 tablespoon baby lotion
1 cup water

Magic Baby
Baby Magic products are usually easy to find in local stores.
1/2 cup Baby Magic oil
1/2 cup Baby Magic wash
2 cups water

No Measuring
Don’t measure for this one, just estimate amounts.
2 squirts baby oil
2 squirts baby wash
1 drop EO
1 cup water (about)

Olive ‘n’ Tea Tree
A great natural wipes solution.
1/4 cup olive oil (extra virgin not necessary)
1/8 cup gentle baby bath
A few drops tea tree oil
4 cups water

Shampoo Style
Baby shampoo works as well as baby wash.
1 tablespoon baby oil
2 teaspoons baby shampoo
2 1/2 cups water
Soapless
This recipe relies on the EO to cleanse, instead of using soap.
1-2 drops tea tree oil
1-2 drops lavender oil
1 cup water

Zany Apricot Solution
One of our favorites, the apricot oil smells heavenly!
1 tablespoon apricot oil
1 tablespoon unscented baby wash
3 cups water

Zany Lavender Solution
Our other favorite, the lavender is calming for us and our son.
1 tablespoon baby oil
1 tablespoon lavender scented baby wash
2-3 drops lavender oil
3 cups water

Amy S. Nogar has been using cloth wipes and wipe solution for over 17 years with her infants and young children. She is the founder of Zany Zebra Designs and encourages parents to slow down to enjoy everyday routines with their children.

You may have purchased a state-of-the-art computer, yet it is running so slowly that you have to pick up something to read while you wait for it to connect to the internet. You might need spyware removal for your PC, which is probably being tampered with by an outside source. Other problems, such as frequent error messages and security threats are caused by spyware, and spyware removal is essential to prevent the following:

• data mining
• aggressive advertising
• Trojan horses
• Browser hijackers
• Tracking components
• mouse monitors

and similar intrusions. As more unscrupulous web savvy hackers are creating new ways to get access to your valuable personal information, Spyware removal is fast becoming an essential program for every PC.

When you search the web, you not only find information, but you also leave a lot of data behind. Your computer can leave “footprints” of information as you surf, and can bring spyware back with it, like tracking sand into a home. Spyware removal can detect these parasitic devices placed on your PC that monitors your browsing habits so you can later get spammed by aggressive advertisers. Spyware also retrives sensitive information, such as your credit card number. Increasing security problems, theft and fraud are causing companies to do more research and to update their spyware removal capabilities.

When choosing a spyware removal program, it is highly suggested to opt for a brand that is well known and has been on the market for some time. Some supposed spyware removal programs have proven to be false, and like the spyware they are supposed to be removing, they scan your disks in order to find sensitive information that can be used or sold. It is for this reason that some suggest using spyware removal that does not scan your disks. Other experts might object that a spyware removal program that does not scan your disk can not be guaranteed to remove all of your spyware, whereas others tout certain programs that are able to give maximum protection without scanning your computer disks.

In addition to scanning your disks, many spyware removal programs also search your removable drives and your memory for traces of malware and spyware. Spyware removal works using Code Sequence Identification (CSI) technology and has an extensive spyware removal support system. Once your PC has been scanned, your spyware removal program logs the results of the scan showing which places contain spyware or other problems. It also removes any behavior tracking devices and prevents others from stealing your bandwith. Most spyware removal programs can also prevent keyloggers which take password and credit card information.

In addition to installing spyware removal on your regular PC, you can also find spyware removal programs suited for the corporate environment. These programs work with multiple computers in a network, and work much like spyware removal for a PC, but on a larger scale. For most businesses, it is worthwhile to invest in the best spyware removal you can obtain, since, for commercial reasons, you are likely to be dealing with sensitive information for all of your customers. Don’t let spyware point the finger at your company when your customer’s credit card number is stolen.

Many spyware removal programs can be obtained as free downloads for a limited period of time. These programs will do an initial scan at no cost and will continue to protect your PC if you purchase the spyware removal program. You can purchase sypware removal that can build an instant defense if there is some material that it cannot yet recognize. It is also a good idea to get spyware removal that does not eliminate anything without asking your permission first. For extra security, some spyware removal programs do not access any of your private information on your hard drive and do not connect to the net. If you trust your spyware company, you need not be afraid of a scan, but ensure that the company is a legitimate one before purchasing their spyware.

Matt Garrett www.Ghost-Surf.com
www.Internet-Privacy-Systems.com

Politics, music, movies, money, social issues, fashion, food, relationships, business, foreign affairs, religion, entertainment, beliefs, ethics, boxers or briefs, Coke or Pepsi, which hair product has the best hold; so many things to debate, so little time!

Spicy dialogue is one of the true joys of life. Nothing beats a good, healthy exchange of ideas and opinions. The problem is, all too often, differences quickly turn into polarized and personal attacks in an effort to prove “I’m right, he/she is wrong.”

A friend just told me about a recent argument between he and his ex-girlfriend. It is, quite possibly, the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard. Hopefully, you’ve never had to witness something this crazy, but chances are, you have. Worse yet, you may have even been a player in this sorta comedy of stupidity. Here’s the scoop:

Recently, my buddy ended a long-term relationship with his girlfriend. Even though both are in their late 20s, it seemed the only thing this romance was missing was a locker and a good-bye kiss after the last bell. During that oh-so-awkward time of breaking up, he had to retrieve his personal belongings from her home.

In a fine display of her maturity, he showed up to her house and found his belongings thrown out onto the front lawn; everything, that is, except his entire collection of DVD’s and CD’s.

The bitter ex-girlfriend claimed she knew nothing of the missing items, so he gave her two choices: find them within 24 hours or pay for them. Her response? “No! And besides, you’ve gained weight lately… and your haircut is stupid!” Huh? What do his belly and hairline have to do with $500 worth of stolen merchandise?

Granted, my buddy’s situation is a bit extreme, but the biggest issue I’ve noticed when people argue is getting off task. Often, instead of acknowledging the other person’s valid point, the “opponent” will bring up past grievances, personal shortcomings or any other number of claims that have nothing to do with the issue at hand. When this happens, the discussion has lost any chance to find common ground and resolution.

No where can you witness more arguments than on radio talk shows…except maybe when radio talk show hosts are interviewed on cable news shows. I mean, never before has there been such an venue for fighting, except for a steel cage match in the WCW.

So, with the recent Michael Jackson verdict, talking heads have been all over the tube giving their opinions. The evening the verdict was handed down, two California radio talk show hosts were interviewed on a 24 hour cable news channel. They summed up this point perfectly. Their exchange went a little something like this:

Talking head #1: Well, we’ve just seen the American justice system in action. A man was accused of a crime, was arrested, charged and brought before a jury of his peers. The jury viewed the evidence, listened to the arguments and determined there was not enough evidence for a conviction.

Talking Head #2: He’s a freak! That man is not right! No one should be that strange! The guy is just crazy!

I just shook my head in woeful amusement at this little exchange. It seemed better fitted for Jerry Springer than cable news…just without the slapping and nudity.

Talking Head #1 had a factual, legitimate and legal point. Talking Head #2 was so emotional about the verdict that all he could do was spout off his unfavorable opinion. Any further discussion was futile since, after each made their opening point, it showed their exchange wasn’t even on the same page.

Again, discussion and debate are great ways to expand one’s thinking. After all, it’s best to take in all other’s views and opinions before forming your own. That is the healthy part of arguing. But when those lively discussions turn into knock down, drag out, no holds barred insult contests, well, then all chances are lost for anything good coming out of it.

The only fair way to handle any disagreement is by staying on topic, being respectful and bringing up only relevant issues. Somehow, an emotionally heated argument can bring out the worst in people-name calling, false accusations and hurtful words that can’t be taken back.

Marcus Engel is a professional speaker/author who inspires audiences to achieve success by making intelligent choices. Blinded by a drunk driver at age 18, Marcus battled through two years of recovery and 300 hours of reconstructive facial surgery to reach his goal of returning to college. After graduating from Missouri State University in 2000, Marcus began sharing his story professionally to audiences nationwide. In 2002, Marcus founded his own publishing company with the release of his autobiography, “After This…An Inspirational Journey For All the Wrong Reasons.” His messages of empowerment and motivation have been witnessed by hundreds of thousands through his keynotes, his autobiography and his monthly newsletters. Marcus Engel is a speaker, a message, a story you will never forget! Visit http://www.MarcusEngel.com for more information!

With the proliferation, affordability, and convenience of broadband Internet and cell phone service, customers are foregoing traditional telephone service all together. Having a cell phone instead of a land line seems like a terrific idea. Cell phone customers do not have to be tied down to a location, they can get phone calls from anywhere, and plus they get long-distance included. In theory it seems like a good idea but actually it does not tend to work out as planned. Cell phones were not designed to be used for regular everyday calls while in your home. They were designed as mobile phones and most service plans treat them as such, with outrageous fees for going over the allotted monthly minutes. Most cell phone only customers find they run out of minutes every month and have enormous cell phone bills as a result. So they would be better off having a land line or paying for enormous monthly minutes on their cell phone service. There is a better way.

VoIP phone service is a wonderful way to eliminate the need for expensive, regular telephone service. With a VoIP adapter and VoIP service, customers can use their broadband Internet service and regular telephone to make local and long-distance calls for a low monthly fee. The monthly fee usually includes such typical services as unlimited long-distance, call waiting, caller ID, voicemail, 3-way calling, call forwarding, and other lesser used features that regular telephone companies charge extra. So for a modest monthly fee VoIP customers can have broadband Internet and land line phone services and still afford to keep their cell phone. VoIP saves money by eliminating expensive traditional telephone service and allows cell phone minutes to be used when necessary.

Visit http://www.cleardigitalvoice.com for more information on how to save money with VoIP phone service.

Sol is the owner of ClearDigitalVoice.com, a new VoIP provider for residential and small business customers. http://www.cleardigitalvoice.com