How to Buy Gluten-Free Pasta

Gluten-free diets are popular. Celiacs may have no choice but to follow a gluten-free diet, but more people are giving celiacs company by choosing to follow a gluten-free diet for improving health. As a result, there's a good variety of GF foods these days available at your local supermarket.

If you're on a gluten-free diet, finding tasty GF pasta can be difficult to find. But before we talk about finding great tasting GF pasta or bread, how do you know your GF products do not contain even a trace of gluten? Many manufacturers produce products that contain wheat within the same manufacturing unit. Although there are stringent controls to avoid mixing, chances of cross-contamination cannot be totally ruled out. Here are a few tips to make sure you have a 100 percent GF product:

Look for a manufacturer that does not manufacture other products that contain wheat or gluten.

Look for labels with the words 100 percent Gluten-Free

GF pasta is generally made from any of the following: cornstarch, potato starch, soy flour, brown rice, rice bran, lupin flour, lupin proteins. You can exchange regular pasta in any recipe with any GF pasta. Is there a difference? Not much, especially if you eat it hot. Here's what you can expect from each type of GF pasta:

Rice pasta: This is the most common GF pasta and you'll find several leading brands selling GF rice pasta. Rice pasta has a neutral flavor and therefore blends well with any recipe. It is available in assorted shapes and sizes. Rice pasta has a tendency to become gummy when overcooked so make sure you cook it al dente.

Corn pasta: This has a fairly neutral taste and is often combined with potato or quinoa to give it the right pasta texture. When cold, corn pasta has a tendency to become tough and does not reheat well. One of the advantages of corn pasta is its high in protein value.

Potato starch pasta: Potato pastas are usually blended with other grains like corn, rice, oats or quinoa. These pastas have a good, light texture, but tend to cook soft. They're great for dishes where you want the sauce to totally blend in with your pasta.

Many celiacs feel they are sensitive to corn and other foods as well. It's often preferable to buy pasta products that are gluten free, egg free, vegetarian, corn free, Kosher, milk/casein free, peanut free, soy free, tree nut free.

A few of the high-quality GF brands you'll want to look out for are Le Veneziene, BiAglut, Goldbaum, Tinkyada. Most of these products are kosher and free of common allergens as well. Since gluten-free has become a popular way of life, you'll find several websites dedicated to selling gluten-free bread, bagels, pizzas, candy, and supplements.

A Definitive Guide to Public Relations Writing

Although the internet has changed public relations and made it evergreen, public relations really hasn't changed that much. The purpose of public relations is to connect with your audience, give them news and information about your business, and connect with them in such a way they see your business favorably.

The audience has changed. It used to be that when you wrote press releases, or created press kits, that you were trying to connect with the press, i.e. newspapers, TV, radio, etc. Now, although you still need these things, the focus has changed because now you connect directly with your potential customers. The fundamentals of public relations are still the same.

That's the reason this is such an important book. Learning to write a good press release and press kits, as well as other types of public relations materials, is more of an art than a science. It takes a lot of hard work to get it right. This book will show you how to do that.

You'll learn everything from how to tell whether or not your writing is too scholarly or over the heads of your audience. Then there's how to create press releases, newsletters, press kits, and other related materials you'll need to conduct your public relations campaign. Although this material applies to print, it may be easily adapted for the internet.

The information in this book is solid, and if you are interested in using press releases to market your business, this is the best place to start. This is one of those books you must read if you want to get it right.

Please note that the information in this books relates to doing traditional public relations, i.e. dealing with the press. It does also include a lot of information on actually writing a press release. That's the main reason why this book will help you the most.

The Handbook of Public Relations Writing, by Thomas Bivins, is available on Amazon and other top online bookstores.

Business Magazine - A Guide to Keep Your Business Knowledge Updated

A Business magazine falls under those categories of magazines that deal with information regarding business ideas and deals. News on business strategies and business happening from all over the world are mostly covered in these magazines.

There are various top grade magazines that publish weekly issues.. These magazines mainly cover the current affairs in the business world. Additionally, they feature interviews with some of the top business tycoons from all over the world. These interview sessions mainly comprise of some set of questions that may help those who are interested in taking up the business as their career prospect.

Moreover, the efficiency of the publications makes a magazine not only information savvy, but also makes it catchy and entertainment by featuring news on different other topics also.

But the most important thing that the feature is the current market scenario in regard to different categories of business that are reining the industry. Every information right from the top grocers & the losers to the average ones is featured in a top publication being published on a monthly or weekly basis.

So, those who have strong knack for business, they surely need to have a steady supply of these magazines at their desktop. They need to read these magazines on a regular basis in order to fill up their mind with more and more ideas regarding the business world. Moreover, they will have a thorough knowledge about the current scenario of the business market.

If you want to become a steady regular reader to a particular publication, then the best option available before you is to avail the magazine subscription offers that come up so frequently. The magazine subscription offers will ask you to subscribe for a period of months and to pay the money for all the issues that you will be receiving. However, the subscription offers normally give away good discounts on the pricing. Another advantage to subscribe is that you will be receiving all the issues of the magazines directly at your doorstep as soon the issue gets published and hit the stands. This helps you in applying no effort while getting the require magazine on time.

Some of the notable and popular ones are Forbes, BusinessWeek, Money, Fast Company, Inc., Success from Home, Fortune, Trader, Portfolio, Info World, etc.

While these are the top names in business publications, there are other small but effective magazines also which provides for informations that may be of help to you also. So, other than subscription you also need to look for other business magazines at the magazine strands in order to fetch and gain more information regarding business.

War Bonnet

Years ago when I was nineteen I was introduced to my wedding gift, a mare called War Bonnet. Actually to tell you the truth I was told that if I married my ex-husband that War Bonnet would be mine. Looking back I can see that without the enticement of War Bonnet I probably would have declined the proposal. It's not that I am so shallow, it was just that War Bonnet and I connected and she was a one in a million horse.

Saying that she and I were green as grass is an understatement. But on the other hand she was an appaloosa/quarter horse with the heart of an old soul.

We learned how to work cattle together. Both of us nervous as heck every morning when we would ride out but relaxing as the day ended because we held our own. What was so unusual about her was that I used a hackamore on her and not a bit. She learned to rein with my signals and grumblings and a few swear words here and there. Her ears would go back when she would get mad at me and I would crack up laughing. It was just our way of communicating with each other.

One of my fondest memories of War Bonnet was one of the first round ups either one of us had been on. We worked on a ranch that was thousands of acres with experienced cowboys that looked like they had just stepped out of a John Wayne movie.

On one particular morning we all woke up way before dawn to get a good head start on the day. I thought I was going to die because nobody in their right minds get up at 4:00 in the morning! But a good breakfast prepared us for the ride in the cold morning air. We gathered around with horses breathing hard with anticipation in the air. Breaking away from the group we than made our way to the designated locations to round up the Mexican steers scattered all about the ranch.

There's nothing like watching the earth wake up and to see the sun cast his first rays of light on the mountains. As if on queue, the birds started to sing letting everyone know it was time to wake up. Yes, now I know why I woke up so early.

As the morning wore on we gathered up cattle everywhere we went with only a mountain in the distance as a landmark. I was enjoying myself when it finally happened......I had to work a section of the ranch by myself and any cattle I found I had to head them toward the mountain in the distance. My heart was pounding and War Bonnet started to get anxious. She knew we were on our own. Little did I know that it was decided earlier to let me go out on my own to see if I could handle myself like the guys. So off War Bonnet and I went into the unknown ready to do our part and to successfully fulfill our task.

One hour passes and than two hours passes and I haven't seen hide nor hair of any cattle. Smiling to myself I thought, "Well this was easy". War Bonnet was pretty proud of herself too. We were just about to boast to ourselves when all of a sudden we came across a large group of cattle at a watering hole.

OK we can handle this. Now for those of you who don't know cowboy etiquette, there is a certain call each cowboy has when he finds cattle and gets them up and moving along. Each call or sound is unique and says a lot about the cowboy.

Hum...what was mine? Hell if I knew but I knew I had to come up with something quick. As I was sitting there thinking, War Bonnet was telling me with her gestures that she didn't care what I came up with just to get something out so we can get on our way! "Ok...I think I can do this...oh damn"!

Little did I know that I had been followed by a group of the cowboys and they were hiding on a ridge watching me figure out what I was going to say. The cattle didn't budge and looked at me with disdain in their eyes.

Alright here I go...

To this day I don't know why this particular word came to my mind, maybe it's a girl thing. But I gathered all my confidence and strength and yelled out "Shoo!!!"

You would have thought that lightning struck the very ground where War Bonnet and I were standing on. The cattle took off at a thunderous roar and I was so pleased with myself. That was until I could hear laughter from the ridge behind me. The group of cowboys watching me came over to where we stood laughing hysterically with tears in their eyes saying that was the funniest thing they had ever seen.

War Bonnet's ears went back and I think mine did too. Her tail went up in the air and if I would have had one, mine would of too. With a flick of her tail we trotted off ignoring the laughter and feeling relieved that we had at least done our part. I was left wondering why the heck of all the words I could have used why I used that word!

How to Start Moving to Office 365 - Four Guidelines to Follow

Are you scared to move into the cloud? Well so is every other business owner. Changing technology can be scary, but an adventure depending on how you look at it. Moving to Office 365 allows any company to utilize the best suite of office productivity tools all for less than a dollar a day; less than a cup of Starbucks. Who by the way uses Office 365 to connect it stores back to the corporate office.

How do you start to move into Office 365? Here are some simple steps.

First, look at your business, it is important to know the laws and regulations regarding the storage of the type of information that is created with your business. Two examples that come to mind are Patient Health Information and export compliance could be roadblocks for moving to Office 365. Office 365 has computers that run across the entire world that enable the fault tolerance that is needed to provide the service level that is provided. With that in mind, I would suggest bold moves to bring your company in the Cloud and adopt an exception based decision instead of a total no go decision.

Second, begin to experiment with Office 365. Go out and get a trial and find an Office 365 partner to help you get set up to learn about how Office 365 can help. The idea here is to get your feet wet, to see that it is not difficult to use these tools. Lync is the premier and best computer communication software out there. Guarantee that if you move everyone to Lync Online you will be a believer in Office 365. Microsoft looks to make the cloud based servers the same as the on premise servers. Take two departments use one as a control group and one move totally to office 365. Once set up, work for 90 days, yes Microsoft will let you try Office 365 for up to 90 days. You will see a decrease in IT costs and employee benefit will go up.

Third, Do your next project on Office 365, Get your trial, Set up SharePoint Online, set up a workspace, and add the users and allow them to collaborate on SharePoint online to do their next 3 month project. They can connect with data sets, store documents, produce charts and graphs that will help show progress. Most businesses are utilizing some sort of Cloud Project Management. SharePoint Online is the most customizable and Project Server should be moving to the cloud soon; allowing companies to use portfolio management to ensure that projects increase value.

Forth, talk to me, an Authorized Office 365 Partner that has spent the last 4 years thinking breathing, and utilizing Cloud based applications to run his business. Beginning last year when Office 365 I transformed my business totally to Office 365 and several Microsoft products to keep my business running smoothly and efficiently. IT costs are now a known and budgeted line item and not some sort of nebulous costs that have a big range. I spend about 70% more time on revenue generating tasks than I used to. As a Microsoft Partner I am glad to help any company or business venture down the path of moving to Office 365.

Now that you have some guidelines, some parameters, the next step is to get your Office 365 Trial and contact me if you have any questions. Good Luck.

What Are Recycling Rolling Carts?

Recycling rolling carts are designed to make transportation of recycling containers easy. Today, there are a large number of recycling rolling carts available in the market, such as adjustable carts, 2 yard tilt-trucks, and tilt carts. The adjustable recycling rolling carts can carry two or more waste containers and help in collecting waste material efficiently.

The 2 yard tilt-trucks help in transporting large quantity of waste material. The tilt carts help to collect office and curbside waste material. These rolling carts offer a great functionality as they are flexible and easy to move around.

There are various companies manufacturing recycling rolling carts but it is advisable to buy high quality rolling carts that feature all the attachments. Best quality components are used in the construction of branded recycle containers which make them durable and robust. Top companies that supply superior quality carts are Otto, Roto, and Brute.

Rollout Carts by Brute: The Brute recycling rollout carts helps in easy and effective waste collection. They have a solid construction which makes them extremely durable. They are ergonomically designed and feature wide wheels, hinged lid, firm and smooth grips and rounded corners. These recycling rollout carts can be easily moved over steps or curbing as their wheels have wide diameter. The grips on the side make transportation and handling of the waste containers easy.

Rollout Carts by Otto: Otto is one of the premier company in the waste disposal industry. The company has been into business since past 60 years and has been manufacturing excellent quality recycling rollout carts and plastic waste containers. The recycle containers supplied by Otto are broadly divided into three categories on the basis of capacity which include 32 gallons, 68 gallons, and 95 gallons. Otto recycling bins allow easy collection of refuse as they are compatible with both semi and fully automatic lift systems. These recycling rollout carts are made of high density plastic that make them resistant to extreme temperatures. Otto carts have wide wheels which enhance their maneuverability and allow smooth rolling of these carts on rough terrain.

Managed Internet Security: Could This Be the Right Solution for Your Business?

Managed Internet security is a popular solution for many businesses, and can be surprisingly cost-effective.

For nearly all businesses today, an Internet connection is indispensable. However, an Internet connection opens up your business to all manner of new threats, such as viruses, hackers, bandwidth theft, or inappropriate internet use by insiders. There is a very real need to take steps to safeguard your firm's information security. However, many businesses, especially smaller firms, lack the relevant technical expertise and resources in-house. For them, the right solution will managed internet security, whereby their computer security needs are outsourced to a specialist security firm to be managed on their behalf.

The growth of managed Internet security is a logical extension of the outsourcing of business processes that has been known for many years, such as the outsourcing of the payroll, finance, IT or training functions. However, as a relatively recent development it lacks the high profile available to these other outsourced business processes. This is regrettable, since managed Internet security is a vital development in the on-going fight against computer threats, and can form an essential part of a firm's information risk management strategy.

There are several areas where an organisation's computer security can be outsourced to specialist firms, such as the following core aspects.

Monthly web application scanning services: Regular monthly security scanning of your web applications can be indispensable in identifying vulnerabilities that could be exploited by hackers. The automated scan should ideally be supplemented by a manual review by an experienced tester, as automated tools will not yield all possible data on their own.

Monthly network vulnerability assessments: In a similar way, a monthly review of your network's security can catch problems before hackers find them, so that they can be corrected. This regular scan will complement the less frequent full penetration testing.

PCI Audit: This type of testing is mandatory for all companies licensed under the Payment Card Industry (PCI) regulations. It needs to be undertaken regularly by a suitably qualified company. Your company's managed internet security solution can also be complemented by outsourcing your general information security management needs. This can be either on a permanent or a short-term basis, making use of expertise from a specialist computer security firm.

Whatever type of service is selected by your business, you will almost certainly find that it is more cost-effective than developing the same resource in-house, especially in the case of smaller companies that do not have the resources to hire their own specialist staff. The managed Internet security solution is also more flexible, in that it can be discontinued at short notice, or alternatively increased at short notice. It avoids the need to acquire specialised technical software, or to spend time keeping one's technical knowledge up-to-date. For all but the largest companies, therefore, managed Internet security is a clear winner in terms of cost versus benefit, and should be seriously considered by all companies with an Internet connection.

Lima's Historic Center

The historic center of Lima was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988. As one of the most storied of Latin America's cities it is certainly worthy of the designation. Lima was founded in 1535 by Francisco Pizarro, and after the final defeat of the Inca Empire in Cusco, it quickly became the favored city of the conquistador, who took special interest in the planning of the city. Today, the buildings that are most representative of Lima's past are concentrated here. When touring through the historic center, travelers will notice a preponderance of balconies - more than 1,600 of them - built during the viceregal and republican eras.

The Plaza Mayor in the location of the city's founding. Originally, it was surrounded by stores and it served as a center for commercial activity and also as a stage for political theater, including the executions of the Inquisition. Throughout the years, the Plaza has retained its symbolic power, and in 1821, the Independence of Peru was declared here. Many government and religious building surround the Plaza, including the Palace of the Government, the Cathedral, and the Archbishop's Palace.

The Basilica Cathedral of Lima is one of the iconic buildings that surround the Plaza, and its construction began the same year as the city's founding. The Cathedral contains the tomb of Francisco Pizarro. Earthquakes have destroyed some of the Cathedral's structures, but restorations have preserved much of the original façade.

Also on the Plaza Mayor is the Archbishop's Palace, which still serves as the administrative center for the Catholic diocese in Lima. The outside façade is a typical example of baroque neo-colonial architecture and features 2 of the famed Lima balconies also in a neo-baroque style and crafted from cedar wood that recalls the Andalusian aspirations of Peru.

On block from the Plaza is San Francisco Monastery, whose construction began in 1673 and took over a century to complete, surviving through 2 earthquake in 1687 and 1746. Its architecture is an example of Spanish baroque and its interior Mudejar decoration also reflects the mixed Spanish-Moorish heritage of Peru's conquistadors. The convent houses an extensive library, including some rare holdings such as a Bible printed in 1571. Below the monastery are the catacombs with underground passageways that connect to the Cathedral and the Tribunal of the Inquisition. Although the exact number is not known, the catacombs are believed to hold over 70,000 burials.

In addition to churches and palaces, the historic center is filled with mansions that served as houses and administrative buildings.

Achieving Permanent Healthy Weight Loss: Your Self-Image Is the Key

Healthy weight loss success will not last unless you change your self-image, and this is why 95% of people who lose weight gain it right back.  There's a lot of good advice on the internet and in book stores about how to raise your metabolism and how to lose weight the healthy way, and still people all over the nation lose weight only to gain it back again. This is because many of these books don't include the essential steps required to change a person's self-image. How important is the self-image when it comes to achieving lasting weight loss results?

In this article, we'll be talking about how your self-image makes or breaks your ability to achieve healthy weight loss and to keep the results which you have achieved...

Your Self-Image Sets the Standard

People's consistent actions aren't determined by how talented they are or how motivated they are. Instead, their consistent actions are determined by their self-image.  Do you know anyone who is attractive but who doesn't believe it? Most likely, they don't act beautiful. The same is true with talent and with everything else that people possess. A person's self image determines what character traits and skills they consider to be a part of their identity and these are the character traits and skills that a person uses in their everyday life.

Sure, you can force yourself to behave in a way which is inconsistent with your self-image, but you can only keep this up for so long. Eventually, your self-image will subconsciously motivate you to start acting in a way which is consistent with the way you see yourself. This is how someone can be "motivated" to live healthy and keep it up for a while, only to give up and go back to their old habits. This is how someone can receive a raise or a promotion, and still be living paycheck to paycheck.

Attempting to force actions which aren't consistent with your self-image is like holding your breath under water. You can do it for a certain amount of time by sheer force of willpower, but eventually your body will force you to come to the surface...and when you do you'll be gasping for air. This is similar to how people go on crash diets, but start eating like crazy when they get off the diet...and of course you know what happens when.

So if you want to achieve healthy and lasting weight loss, you must strengthen your self-image and make it consistent with the actions and habits of a healthy lifestyle. This is the missing link when it comes to achieving healthy weight loss.

How to Retail to Your Customers

Retailing to customers correctly is a skill set that is very important to know to be able to sell products to your customers.

6 Important tips to retailing you should know:

1. Customer Service.

Ask your customer how you can help them in a timely manner.

You do not want to ask them as soon as they enter the premises unless they approach you straight away.

Give the customer 2-5 minute's to browse depending on how big your store is.

Let your customer know of any store offers or discounts

2. Know your product.

What are you selling?

How does it work?

How much does it cost?

3. Ask your customer if you can assist them with anything else today

4. If you don't know the answer to a question, let the customer know you will find someone who does know a promptly as possible.

5. Retailers are often the face of the store, the direct customer contact so its important to present yourself with a neat and tidy appearance at all times.

3. Always be courteous and friendly.

Even when a customer is angry or upset, do not take it personally and remain calm.

ask them for their name and what the problem is in relation to.

Let them know you will get a Manager or Supervisor to assist them.

4. Ask your customer if you can assist them with anything else today

5. If you don't know the answer to a question, let the customer know you will find someone who does know a promptly as possible.

6. Retailers are often the face of the store, the direct customer contact so its important to present yourself with a neat and tidy appearance at all times.

It is important to take care of yourself. Make sure you take your adequate breaks provided and if you have a long enough lunch break go for a walk outside. If you don't have a long enough break at least try and go outside to get some fresh air.

If you are on your feet most of the day be sure to have a seat in your breaks and relax while you can.

Top 5 Exercises to Do Outdoors As a Family

As a parent it can be a challenge to get your kids out and about and doing exercise. With the ever increasing availability of television, smartphones, the internet and games consoles, kids are spending more time in doors and less time in fresh air. Here are top 5 exercises you can do as a family to encourage a healthier, more active lifestyle.

1) Walking

Walking is one of the easiest and accessible activities to do as a family, and best of all its completely free! Getting your children out walking is a great way to get them away from the TV and computer, improving their fitness levels and keeping their weight under control. But whatever you do, don't suggest going for a walk! This is guaranteed to put children off the idea. Instead, make it into an adventure. Plan the day in advance- you could make it into a treasure hunt or I spy game, looking for animals, birds and leaves. You can also break the walk up with a homemade picnic. If you need even more of an incentive, team up with another family with young children and make the walk into a social event. But don't be surprised if teenagers lose interest in walking- they may take it up later in life.

2) Cycling

Cycling is another great way to get those lungs working, and small children are often eager to get out on their bikes. According to the British Medical Association, the health benefits of cycling outweigh risks by 20:1. It's healthier for a child to cycle than not to cycle. Busy roads may not be the best environment for a family cycle, so drive to quiet lanes and forest tracks for a more sociable and safe ride. Off-road tracks are ideal for children to develop bike handling skills, and it will be more interesting for them to learn. Buckle them up in a helmet, pack some snacks to keep up their morale, and take to the track! If their interest starts to wane, you can shake things up with some small jumps and bumpy ground. Above all, have fun with it- your child may be the next star cyclist!

3) Beach fun

If you are lucky enough to live near a beach, it is the perfect place for you to have some outdoor fun as a family. Bring a football, volleyball or Frisbee and take advantage of the huge space you have to run around in. Just throwing a Frisbee back and forth between players can be enough to keep children entertained for a good long while. Windy shore-side conditions also make for great kite flying. Have everyone in your family make a kite and then head outdoors for a kite-flying contest. The person who keeps his kite up longest wins. An obstacle course is another good way to get everyone active- make a course out of beach chairs, blankets and even sand toys and see who can complete it the quickest.

4) Games at Home

Now, the idea of this article is to get kids outdoors and active, but sometimes the weather just isn't conducive to a long wet and windy walk. But all is not lost! Think of your childhood- hide and seek, tag, skipping, ball games... all these can be played indoors or in the garden and will get you and your kids on their feet and moving. If it is sunny outside you could always set up a relay race or an obstacle course with garden furniture- with prizes for the winner of course! If you are worried about the safety of your family then consider investing in a family health insurance policy to give you extra peace of mind.

5) Trampolining

A trampoline could be the best piece of equipment you invest in for your family. Whether it is an enormous garden trampoline or a small fitness trampoline, your kids will love it. Have a competition to see who can leap the highest, or have a show for you to all display your finest moves. Trampolining to music can make the activity even more inviting- it will certainly become a hit at birthday parties. But not only will it be popular with the kids, but it will be keeping them healthy too- trampolining is great for the heart, lungs and your muscles. You might even find your children love it so much they want to take a class in it. Make sure you take any necessary safety measures to prevent any injuries, and go ahead and bounce your way into a healthy lifestyle.

Vacation in the Bavarian Forest - 2005

In August of 2005, myself and 16 other Americans embarked on one of the greatest vacations of all time. We arrived at Munich's Strauss Airport on a Monday morning.We took the U-Bahn to the Munich Train Station and from there we went on foot to see Karl's Tor the original gate of the old city.

Later that afternoon,we boarded the train, buying the Bayern Pass with which 5 persons may travel at the price of 1. Our destination was Passau the gateway to the Bavarian Forest. We arrived in Passau and rented several mini-vans. We drove to Bischofsreut,Bavaria admiring the beauty of the Bavarian Forest along the way. One kilometer north of Bischofsreut we arrived at Langreut and the Maercherenwald Hotel. Imagine our surprise to find a 5-Star Hotel in a hamlet of 20 people.

Officially it is only a 3 Star Hotel,but whoever made that rating was wrong.

Our rooms were spacious and included a kitchenette,a shower, and a King size bed. Our hosts the Berger Family were very gracious,Frau Berger was the cook and a most excellent cook. From the hotel, (with the help of Herr Berger and family).

We were able to take Bus trips to Prague, Vienna, and Salzburg, the Bus would arrive at 5 am, take us to these beautiful cities, and return us just in time for supper. Some people say Europe is too expensive, well, we paid only 30 Euros per person, and that included Breakfast, and Supper. Compare this to staying at a 5 star hotel south of Munich, where we were crammed into a small room, had to share a bathroom, and paid over 200 Euros per nite. By using our rooms at the Maerchenwald as our base, we spent 14 days exploring Eastern and Southern Europe. We also spent several days traveling on the Danube River, it was a 40 minute drive to Passau,and the Tour boats. If someone wanted to see Europe at a reasonable price, and stay safe in the process, nothing could beat our experience.

The Biology of Rooibos (South African Red Tea) - Climate Change And Health Effects

This article focuses on Rooibos, a plant used to produce a drink known as South African red tea, or just red tea, not to be confused with the Chinese term "red tea" which refers to what Westerners call "black tea". Rooibos also refers to a caffeine-free herbal tea made from the Aspalathus linearis plant.

Basics of Aspalathus linearis:

Aspalathus linearis, or rooibos, is a legume, meaning that it is in the same family as beans, peas, and locust trees. Like most legumes, this plant is a nitrogen fixer. This means that the Aspalathus linearis plant is able to take atmospheric nitrogen and transform it into a form that it and other plants are able to use. The plant does so by means of special nodules in its roots that create an oxygen-free environment, where anaerobic bacteria are able to convert the nitrogen from air into forms usable by living organisms. Nitrogen-fixing plants are essential in many ecosystems, as they represent the primary source through which nitrogen enters the ecosystem. These plants typically fix far more nitrogen than they are able to use themselves, and thus benefit numerous other plants.

Rooibos is native to a small region of South Africa's West Cape Province. This area has a semi-arid climate. Unfortunately, efforts to cultivate rooibos outside this region have so far proved unsuccessful. The plant seems to be dependent on the unique conditions in this region.

Rooibos and climate change:

Rooibos is among the commercial crops most threatened by climate change, primarily due to the particular range of conditions that the plant requires. Global climate change threatens not only to change the temperature worldwide and in this region, but to create other little-known and possibly unpredictable changes in climate in this region.

Rooibos and positive health effects:

Rooibos is used extensively in traditional medicine, but it is only beginning to be studied and understood scientifically. However, it shows promise of considerable positive effects on health. One chemical in rooibos, lutein, is a common chemical in numerous plants. Lutein is a carotenoid, a reddish pigment contributing to the red color of rooibos. It also functions as an antioxidant and radical scavenger, and is likely responsible for some of the observed effects of rooibos in animal studies, such as protecting against radiation poisoning. The same chemical which helps to protect the rooibos plant against the sun's ray's can also protect humans as well, when they drink the plant as an herbal tea. Rooibos is also used in skin products, and shows some evidence of sun-protective effects.

Rooibos also shows evidence of other positive health effects. One study in rats found evidence that it acts as a bronchodilator, helping to facilitate breathing, like many medications used to treat asthma.

In summary:

Rooibos is a nitrogen-fixing legume native to a small region of the West Cape Province of South Africa. Its production is limited to this area, and is vulnerable to climate change. Rooibos has numerous positive effects on health, which are only beginning to be thoroughly studied and understood by science, but the preliminary evidence suggests it protects against radiation and may help facilitate breathing as well.

LED Chandeliers - The Latest in Chandelier Styles

From candles to Light-Emitting Diodes (LED) - that's how chandeliers have changed over the years. LED chandeliers are still relatively new but gaining in popularity for a number of reasons.

The advantages of LED chandeliers are numerous and include:

Lower costs to run Longer life Small but durable and robust lighting Environmentally friendly Funky and modern Limitless potential in terms of design Attractive Very reliable lighting source Suit modern homes

But LED chandeliers that are required to fully light a room are relatively expensive and do require a more precise current and heat management techniques than traditional lighting. Because of this they are used more often as mood lighting. A dark room with LED chandeliers can be very striking.

Teenagers love them in a room! They come in some very funky patterns - I have even seen a few that resemble solar systems.

As LED lighting is enhanced to more advance levels the likelihood is that LED chandeliers they will gain a greater appeal. For the time being their popularity (and success) seems to be in wall sconces where the light can be magnified by reflecting it off the nearby wall or the fitting itself. A rather clever way to increase the effect of the low lighting that the LED emits.

Antique chandeliers have also been adapted to LED illumination with great success - limited only in the amount of illumination that these adaptations can produce. The overall effect is usually one of exquisite enchantment rather than full illumination. However the overall is no less than original candles would have been.

Some caution is required if you need to really light up a room - such as required for reading - but LED chandeliers can be the answer where mood lighting is required - a dining room or pub for instance.

If you have a modern home and would love the romance or beauty of old world lighting but feel that it would look "wrong" in your house why not at least consider LED chandeliers or wall sconces as a viable alternative?

The modern look of "olde world" charm could be exactly what is needed - a stylish update from a previous era at very affordable prices.

Running costs will be considerably lower, you will be doing the planet a favour and your friends will be impressed with your new "olde" LED chandeliers.

Dare to be different and make your own unique statement.

High Jump Secrets - Two Training Tips Could Be The Answer To Your Slump

Video Review...Priceless

Almost half of all cell phones now have a way to record video which gives you no excuse when you want to do some video review of yourself. Have a friend record you taking two jumps. Go back and watch those jumps and correct flaws in your approach, takeoff, and technique.

This will save your hours of time with a coach that is simply trying to tell you what to do instead of letting you see for yourself. If you want to improve quickly, watch yourself jumping...you will be amazed at how you look on film.

If you can, put your movie on a computer so you can slow it down frame by frame and watch each second of your jump at a time, then, find videos of great high jumpers on the internet and compare your form to theirs.

Plyometrics vs. Weights

If you are a beginning high jumper, don't worry so much about weights and power lifting, work on developing a quick, light springiness in your legs through plyometrics. Plyometrics are simply exercises that don't use weights and include things like, lunges, frog hops, bounding, etc. This will do two things for you. First, it will keep your legs fresh for meets. Lifting weights all week long can make your legs so tired that no matter how strong they are getting, they are never fresh for a meet.

Second, it will prevent the risk of injury. Lifting hard can lead to strains and overworking if your body isn't used to it.

If possible, do your plyometrics on grass to cushion your joints and muscles. This will prevent shin splints and will keep you from getting too tired too quick. Mix in some wind sprints to improve explosiveness with your plyometrics. Don't let your coach force you to train with sprinters either. Spring drills are great for long jumpers, but not so for high jumpers.