Etching And Engraving



             


Friday, March 14, 2008

Prevent Car Theft With Glass Etching

Phoenix, Arizona, achieves #4 in the list of top 10 cities with the highest vehicle theft! (2004 National Insurance Crime Bureau [NICB])

In 2002, Arizona had the highest car theft rate in the United States, with the vast majority occurring in Maricopa and Pima Counties. According to the Arizona Automobile Theft Authority (AATA), ?a vehicle theft occurs every nine minutes and 16 seconds.? This causes an estimated economic loss of $3.7M to residents of Arizona in 2002 alone!

Don?t be another statistic!

Help to deter theft by etching your auto glass with traceable numbers. This procedure is highly recommended by the NICB, police departments and insurance companies for effectiveness. Although vehicle manufacturers mark some parts, it's not enough. By permanently installing visible VIN and serial numbers into your vehicle's glass, you can greatly reduce auto theft and aid in recovery.

You can visit your local auto dealership or window tinting/glass repair facility; or you can do it yourself with an etching kit found on many different websites. In addition to glass etching, the NICB also recommends other popular visible or audible devices such as audible alarms, steering-column collars and locks, wheel locks, theft-deterrent decals and ID markers on the car.

Auto glass etching entails chemically marking the automobile with its own unique vehicle identification number (VIN) on all windows, including sunroofs and T?-Tops. The chemical process of etching involves using a mild acid that reacts only to the glass. Etching all the glass windows makes the vehicles less wanted by car thieves. The actual etching is small and does not mark or deface the window, but is one of the first details most car thieves see before attempting to steal a vehicle.

The recommended areas to be etched include the following:

  • Front Windshield - drivers side in lower corner by factory VIN number.
  • Side Windows - lower corner, near door lock or handle.
  • Rear Window - driver?s side in lower corner or towards the middle, lower edge.
These are the following steps for the glass etching kit for those handy, do-it-yourself types:

  1. Clean area to be etched with glass cleaner - Remove the blue stencils from the white backing paper and apply to the outside of window glass in the desired locations. With fingertips, gently "pat" the stencil to ensure that it is in full contact with glass, paying specific attention to the area where the VIN number has been cut into the stencil.
  2. Apply a film of etch cream - brush both left and right completely covering all characters.
  3. After etching cream has been on for 5 to 7 minutes: Carefully remove and discard all stencils into a plastic bag or container. Spray etched area with plain water or glass cleaner and wipe dry with paper towel. Repeat process for all windows.
  4. Warning decals - Apply to inside of windows in conspicuous locations. Suggested location: near handles on front doors.
  5. Complete the Insurance "Proof of Etch" certificate.
However, it is recommended to have this done by a licensed professional as this process requires a very steady hand and must be done under optimum conditions.For example; do not etch glass in direct sunlight on very hot days, when the temperature is below 45 degrees Fahrenheit, or in very windy or wet conditions.

SunTec Auto Glass is a family-owned business in Arizona specializing in Phoenix windshield replacement, windshield repair, window tinting and glass etching. Contact us to handle those chips and breaks in your line of vision at 480-QUALITY or http://www.SunTecAutoGlass.com

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Thursday, March 13, 2008

How To Start With Stretching Exercise

In our modern society it may be difficult for you to find time for exercise. This is such a shame because stretching has so many great benefits. It gives you energy, it removes health problems, it assists you reduce unneeded fat, and it degrades stress. The only thing to do this is looking for a way to put exercise in your daily procedure without you having to completely rearrange your schedule to match it. You could go on to do this with just doing some basic exercises within your day or find small break to match it. By adding stretching into your procedure of every day, you can get a lot of the benefits of exercise. Stretching exercise for only ten minutes a day may not assist you lose weight, but it will reduce stress, reduce back pain and body aching, help reduce health problems, help bettering your mood, and provide you with more energy.

The best time to begin your stretching is first thing in the morning. If it is possible to arise ten minutes earlier than normal just to do stretching you will reap more benefits. Pick a spot in your home where you can do the stretching. If you have a spot close to your bed that will work, this will make it easy to scuttle out of bed and start. Go up with a few stretching routine to do everyday that includes stretching your arms, legs, back, and neck. By taking this time in the morning to do some stretching, you will find out that you get more energy in the morning and are able to get started faster and with a more positive mind-set on the day.

No matter what you do, it is significant that you try to stop once an hour for a couple of minutes to stretch out your body. You may be able to go on with some stretches that you can even do from a sitting position if you spend much of your time in lectures or meetings. When you first go on with some exercises to do, make sure that you aren't causing any pain to your body. If you feel ache, you are either stretching too far or are doing it incorrectly. You should stretch yourself just far enough to feel a little pulling on your muscles. In the course of the time you will find it easier to stretch a little farther as your body will become more flexible. Just keep in mind that stretching is something that will give you a lot of benefits for your body and mind. Since it takes only a little time to do, you needn't feel guilty for spending this time to yourself.

Diane Winter share information that gives you a lot of tips and ideas on how to get started with stretching. Check out her website to learn more about the benefits of stretching exercise

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The Best Stretching Exercises For Your Body

With beginning daily stretching exercises you can have a lot of wonderful benefits for your body. Typically by setting aside about ten minutes a day you can get in enough stretching to begin impacting your body in a favorable way. The matter that a lot of people have a hard time with is figuring out which stretching exercises are most beneficial for their body and for the effects they want. Fortunately, doing any type of stretching will give you positive results. But if you want to go on with a effective stretching exercise practice, you might ask for some assistance.

There are several wonderful places that you can go to that will serve you design a good stretching routine totally free. The best place to begin is on the web. At that place you'll find further information about stretching exercises than you'll ever need. You can find out what you need quickly and easily. As you begin looking online search for a number of different websites. That way you'll get the positions of several people and get additional variety in the cases of stretching exercises. Try out each stretching exercise at least once before completing a stretching routine. You might find out that your body has difficulty with certain stretches or that you do not feel the stretch the way you are supposed to. Many times you would get fine stretching tips on these websites too, as if how long to hold each position and how many repetitions to do.

As well consider looking at books that center on stretching. Some books will feature pages of different stretching exercises to try with good illustrations and steps that are easy to realize. Make sure that you take a book that displays stretches for a lot of various parts of the body, instead a book that only centers on upper legs or body. The most giving advantage to having a book of stretching exercises is that if you forget how to do a stretch or if you desire to vary your routine, you can forever look back at the book rather than taking time searching for the necessary information.

So have in mind to check out a number of sources when searching for stretching exercises and get a book that features pictures and easy to understand steps. If you find out the stretches on the web, add it to your favorites where you've found out the information, so that you can go back to it whenever you need to. Also, look up safety rules on stretching so that you don't overstretch and hurt yourself.

Diane Winter writes articles that gives you a lot of tips and information about great stretching exercises for your body. If you want learn more about the benefits try visiting her website about fitness and exercise to get a healthy body.

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Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Using web fetching to create novel websites

Collecting information from a website and presenting it to your visitors in a different, more useful/interesting format can be a valuable service. It can help attract new visitors and get existing visitors coming back for more.

The best way to collect data from a website is to use their web service if they provide one. Google, Yahoo, MSN, amazon, ebay, technorati and numerous others all offer web services. These are well documented interfaces through which you can easily collect data. The problems come when you want to collect data from a site that doesn't provide a web service.

If a site doesn't offer a web service or some other well structured version of their data then the only option remaining is web scraping. This can be messy, often requires extensive testing and debugging, and will break if ever the target website changes its design. With all these problems it should only ever be a last resort.

The reason it is so difficult is that you are collecting the data you need from the html used to display the website to each visitor. Each site is unique. Each web scraper is also unique.

If the site we are interested in doesn't offer a web service, no rss feed and we can't get the data we need from anywhere else then how do we go about building a web scraper?

The process can be broken down into three parts: get the html of the page, extract the data we need, and then do something with that data.

Depending on how the site you are fetching information from is set up fetching the html could be really very easy or exceedingly complicated. At its simplest all you will need to do is open up a file just as you would a file located on your local server. If you don't need to log in to view the data you want on the site then it may well be this easy. For your sake I hope it is this simple.

If you need to log in to the site to access the data you need then things can get complicated . . . really complicated. I'm currently trying to collect/develop scripts to fetch the contact lists from webmail services such as hotmail. Here the obstacles you must face include cookies and variables in the URL. These problems can be overcome but you'll need plenty of time.

Once you have the html for the page you need to clean it up so that you have just the data you need with no extra text. The best way to do this is with regular expressions. By defining patterns for the data you want you can cut out the chaff and just keep what you need. Unless you are extremely comfortable with regular expressions you may find it easier to use several simpler patterns one after each other. Your script may take a little longer to run but it will be far easier to develop.

Finally you want to do something with the data you gather. This may be as simple as storing it in a text file or displaying it immediately to a visitor to your site. You may also decide to do some more complex tasks with the data. The important thing is that once you have the data you have the choice of what to do with it.

Web scraping isn't easy but the benefits can be considerable. If a web service is available though save yourself some time and use that instead.

TorrentialWebDev focuses on developing the tools to build and promote Web Applications

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Monday, March 10, 2008

Stretching and Flexibility: How Stretching Improves Quality Of Life

It is common knowledge that stretching is important for maintaining and improving flexibility and proper flexibility helps keep muscles functioning and feeling well. Unfortunately, while most people know flexibility is important, few people take the time to adequately stretch their muscles.

As a result, I wrote this article to explain why stretching is so important and how it will improve your quality of life. There are also some basic stretching recommendations to get you started. My hope is this information will encourage you to make stretching part of your everyday routine.

Maintaining sufficient flexibility is important for preventing muscle stiffness, tightness, pain, and injuries. When muscles are not stretched on a regular basis, they will become tighter, shorter, and ultimately decrease in range of motion. When muscles are kept in a shortened position for an extended period of time, they require stretching to return to their original length.

For example, it is common for people sit for many hours every day and the hip flexors are kept in a shortened position during this time. If these muscles are not stretched on occasion, they will stay in a partially shortened position. If this happens over a long period of time, you will actually lose parts of your muscle, called sarcomeres, which are responsible for the contraction of the muscle. When this occurs, the muscle will maintain a shortened position and intensive stretching will be required to regain the lost sarcomeres and return the muscle to it?s original resting length.

This may not sound too bad, but when a muscle is kept in a shortened position, it has drastic effects on the body. The most common symptoms are increased soreness, stiffness, and pain. Short muscles are not as effective as optimal length muscles and they often develop knots and become overworked. When a muscle is chronically tight or overworked, you can experience pain any time the muscle contracts. Eventually, this may become so bad that the muscles stays contracted and you will feel almost constant pain.

To make matters worse, your body will try to compensate for the overworked muscle activating other muscles to do the work that the fatigued muscle is unable to perform. This leads to additional overuse of the muscles trying to help out. Going back to the sitting example, when hip flexors become too tight, they will cause the low back muscles to become overworked. Put simply, sitting for many hours without stretching is one of the main causes of lower back pain.

This is just one common example of how tight muscles cause everyday pain, but there are many others. The good news is that many instances of muscle and joint pain can be improved, completely relieved, or avoided altogether by a good stretching routine. Unfortunately most people do not realize the importance of stretching until they already develop significant muscle problems and then it becomes much more difficult to correct the problem.

There are many different types of stretching (dynamic, ballistic, PNF, etc.), but this article will only discuss static stretching. Static stretching is the most commonly used form of stretching and is considered very safe and effective for increasing flexibility. You are probably familiar with this type of stretching, which involves holding a particular stretch for a certain amount of time with minimal movement and no bouncing.

When performing static stretches, you should feel a moderate stretch, but you should never push the stretch to the point of pain. Overstretching a muscle can result in injury instead of improvement. Stretches are generally held between 15 and 30 seconds and performed 1 to 3 times. Usually the second and third times stretching a muscle will result in a larger stretch (without additional discomfort) than the first stretch.

Of course tighter muscles that need to be lengthened need to be stretched more than healthy muscles that just need to retain their normal length. Healthy muscles probably only need to be stretched once per day, while tight muscles should be stretched at least 2 or 3 times per day.

If you exercise, the most important time to perform static stretching is after your workout. Exercising is incredibly good for you, but it can cause muscles to become very tight and if they are not stretched they will remain in a shortened position. This will likely cause unnecessary stiffness, soreness, delays in recovery, decreased flexibility, or even muscle imbalances.

Stretching after exercise is also beneficial, because your muscles will still be warmed up. This allows the muscle to be more pliable and you will be able to stretch further without discomfort. It is a good idea to do something to warm up your muscles before any stretching and you should avoid stretching a cold (not warmed up) muscle whenever possible. You do not have to do activity before stretching; even a hot bath or shower can significantly improve the quality of your stretches and decrease the chances of overstretching or injury.

I am not going to recommend specific stretches, because there are too many different options and everyone responds differently to various stretches. There are however some general rules to follow. Most importantly, if a stretch does not feel comfortable or you are not feeling a decent stretch, find a different stretch. It is also a good idea to make minor changes in your body position at the beginning of the stretch to find the position that causes the best stretch. This is the position you should maintain during the duration of the stretch.

You are probably familiar with the expression "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure" and this statement is certainly true when it comes to stretching. Incorporating stretching into your daily routine will help improve your current muscle and joint problems, as well as stop future problems before they start. Start today and learn first hand how much stretching can improve your quality of life.

Ross Harrison, CSCS, NSCA-CPT is a certified personal trainer, strength and conditioning specialist, and nutritional consultant who teaches people how to lose weight, get in shape, and improve their quality of life with exercise and nutrition. For more information or to sign up for his free health and fitness newsletter, visit http://precisionhealth-fitness.com.

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Etched Glass: Etching Beauty

Etched glass is a wonderful gift to give those that you love. The method of actually etching the glass can be done by you or by a professional. No matter who does it, by digging into the first layer of the glass, a shine and detail can be added to the glass, transforming it from a simple gift into something truly beautiful. But, why should you add etched glass to your list of things to purchase and give? There are actually several ways that this type of method can dress up your gifts and create a very unique and special look.

Etching can be done on many types of glass and other materials. For example, if you want to dress up the look of a mirror, you can etch the glass in a pattern. In a circle framed mirror, etch an intertwining vine long the edge of the frame, leaving the center completely open for viewing. It adds texture and depth to the look so that you get a more interesting piece to hand on your wall.

Etched glass can also be an ideal way to add element to your framed pictures. You can use etching to dedicate a picture or message. Or, you can use etching as a way to communicate with others the date and time of what happens in the photo. You can etch a poem onto the glass that is only visible if you really look for it. These things can help to transform an average piece of glass and an average frame into a meaningful, beautiful sentiment to the memory being depicted.

You can find professionals that sell ready made etched glass products. You can also find a number of different products on the market to purchase to help you to create your own etching. Whatever you do, find a way to create a beautiful image with the help of etching. You will adore all that it can provide to you.

Chad Baker has worked for many years as a photographer and has written amazing articles on picture frames, poster frames, photo gifts and many other useful topics related to photos and how to make them look more beautiful.

You can read more of Chad's articles about picture frames at http://www.pictureframesplanet.com

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Digital Camera LED Laser Etching Trick

It’s a common scene no matter where you go, everyone is taking pictures with their digital cameras. Part of the intrigue of digital photography is the instant feedback; after all, with a digital camera you can check and see if you need to re-take the photo. You might even feel a little creative and start changing some of your cameras setting to reflect your inner artist. That’s what makes digital camera so much fun; you can experiment and witness the results instantly.

Make sure and visit our site using the link at the bottom of the article. You'll be able to see photo examples!

Our digital camera LED Laser Etching Trick is super EASY to do and will create some truly creative photos. We’ve used it many times and each time people look at the photos with a bewildered look trying to figure out how the photo was created.

To the rational mind this type of photo tends to violate our sense of order. Cameras record objects, whether they are moving or stationary. Once we press the shutter our brains are fully prepared to see whatever we took the picture of, frozen in time. What our brains are NOT prepared for is to see a photo where the camera has frozen AND recorded the “track” of an object, which in this case is a simple LED light.

I have even had experienced digital camera owners look at an LED Laser Etching Trick and ask, “So you didn’t use video to do this?” When it comes to digital photos most people think in a linear manner and the LED Laser Etching Trick is cool because it forces our brains to think dimensionally.

If you try to explain the trick to someone without showing them an example they’ll act like they understand, but in reality, they really don’t. On the other hand, if you show someone an LED Laser Etching photo, they will be INSTANTLY intrigued, no matter what level of photographic experience they might have.

You see the fun part here is when you show someone an LED Laser Etching Trick you don’t need to say anything; the response is ALWAYS the same…

Wow, how cool!

And the next question is always…

How did you do that?

In fact I was at a party the other day and I pulled out my compact digital camera and then handed a small LED light to one of the guys and just said, would you help me with a trick? I gave him a cursory explanation and he was simply not impressed, period.

You see in his brain it was going to be a stupid photo of him standing there pointing the LED at the camera, big deal. That’s because his brain has been conditioned to the idea of how digital cameras work, no mystery here.

Until…

I showed him a photo that looked as though he had etched it in the air with a laser beam.

OK, so here’s a guy that initially was less than interested…

Now he’s running back and forth to the camera to see his latest laser etching creation.

This guy went nuts! Once he saw how cool it was he wanted to try all sorts of LED laser etching designs. Smiley faces, Christmas trees, the legendary Zorro “Z”, a crown, he went on and on. In the mean time more and more people were aware of what was going on and after a while literally EVERYONE wanted in on the fun.

Here’s the trick

I used a point-and-shoot digital camera and a cheap LED key ring light, or in other words, no fancy equipment.

My camera was set to “Fireworks” and since I didn’t have a tripod I winged it and just held the camera as steady as possible.

Note: For more consistent results it would be best to have secured my camera on a tripod.

Next, I went into a room that was fairly dark and handed the guy the LED light told him to point the LED at my camera and for a test just do a bunch of “squiggles” in the air. This was to give him an idea of how much time he had to “write in the air.” Since this was a basic point-and-shoot digital camera the only control I had was to set it on “fireworks.” No manual controls, nothing, just a plain old digital camera.

However, I knew with the “fireworks” setting the cameras lens would stay open longer than usual, long enough to record the LED light moving through the air. Now I know there are going to be people say that because it was hand held for so long the background AND the guy were going to be blurry.

Hey, all I was after was a neat looking creative photo; I really didn’t care if everything in the background was blurry.

I just wanted to record the motion of the LED light.

Then I held the camera up, told the guy to get ready, took a deep breath, pressed the shutter, and told the guy, GO.

Remember no flash, just nice and dark.

It took a couple of test shots for the guy to see just how much time he had to write. As I said though, once he saw the results he wanted to try all sorts of designs.

Ideas to try:

  • Use two different colors of LED lights at the same time.
  • Have 2 or 3 people with multiple lights at the same time.
  • Use a larger standard LED flashlight.
In Summary

This technique is for standard point-and-shoot digital cameras with basic settings. If you own camera that has manual settings you can hold your shutter open for much longer periods of time for more creative flexibility.

Either way, auto or manual control this is just a fun trick and impresses absolutely everyone, give it a go!

http://www.digitalcamerau.com/2006/12/26/digital-camera-led-laser-etching-trick/

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Friday, March 7, 2008

Effective Stretching Routine Helps Avoid Injury for Adults Over 40 Who Enjoy Competitive Sports

If you have reached your mid-40's and you enjoy playing in tennis, basketball or racketball leagues, there is a good chance that you have experienced lower back pain. Although you may not feel much different than you did in your 20's, your body has, in fact, changed and your exercise routine needs to change as well.

Assuming you have no significant medical issue such as a herniated disc or ligament tear, and you follow your doctor's advice about exercise, there is no reason why you cannot remain competitive in your leagues for many years to come. An effective warm up routine help prevent strains and sprains and may help prevent more serious injuries

as well. There are any number of effective warm up routines - you can use the following routine as a starting point for your own pre-exercise stretching.

Your warm up routine should become a habit. Middle aged bodies are extremely susceptible to muscle andligament strains and tears if you begin vigorous exercise without proper hydration and warm up. Hydration should be your starting point for effective warm-ups. Many of the foods and liquids we consume as part of our diet can dehydrate our bodies, and many adults in America exist in an almost constant state of dehydration. At least 30 to 60 minutes before your workout, begin drinking copious amounts of water. Appropriate hydration alone will guard against many muscle strains.

Next, start your exercise with a total body stretch. In my routine, I take a 10 lb. medicine ball, extend my arms and swing the ball side to side in a 180 degree arc as I walk the length of a basketball court and back. This stretching exercise loosens my lower back, the muscles of my arms and my legs.

The next part of my warm-up routine involves the use of exercise bands. Exercise bands are large rubber bands that are usually sold in a package of 3, with different tensions. In my case, the blue band is the thickest, followed by the red band, then the yellow. I put one of the bands around my ankles then I use a "crab walk" going forward for the length of a basketball court. I will then crab walk backwards the same distance. Next I turn and slide side to side down the court and back. These rubber band exercises loosen the hips and lower body.

With the rubber bands removed, I then "high step" the length of the basketball court and back. A high step looks like an exaggerated march where you raise your knee as high as it can go while walking. This exercise loosens your lower back, thighs and knees.

The final part of my warmup requires the use of an exercise mat. I lie on my side with my body in a straight line and one leg resting on the other. I bend my top leg and slowly swing my knee forward and backward as far as I can go. This stretch warms up my hips and lower backs and it also requires the use of the arms for balance. Twenty to thirty of these hip rolls should be sufficient.

This entire warm-up routine may take 15 to 20 minutes and will prepare your body for more strenous exercises. Like any exercise routine, stop if you become dizzy or experience any significant pain and seek prompt medical attention. I use this routine before my morning workout and before playing in my 40 and over basketball league.

Weekend warrior athletes and sedentary professionals who exercise regularly need to allow time for a regular warm-up routine before exerting themselves. If your warm-up routine covers all of your major muscle groups, you can avoid painful injuries.

Jonathan Ginsberg is a practicing Social Security disability lawyer in Atlanta, Georgia. In addition to his law practice, Jonathan is the editor and publisher of several national Social Security disability related web sites, including the Social Security disability information, the Social Security disability blog at http://www.ssdAnswers.com and Social Security disability radio.

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Wednesday, March 5, 2008

Stretching out with 5 Inch Heel Shoes

There's just no way for you to imagine what it is like to wear 5 inch heel shoes if you have never worn a pair before. If you wear high heeled shoes, then you will be towering up on a tiny spike, perilously suspended above the ground. This is exactly how it feels when I wore one, although this may seem to be an exaggeration to you. I almost fell over when I put 5 inch heel shoes on for the first time.

I grew up as sort of a tomboy so wearing high heeled shoes for the first was kind of a rite of passage for me. I prefer climbing trees with the boys or playing football rather than doing the things other girls my age would do. I also felt that going to church was the worst activity because I hated all those fancy dresses and skirts. I would not even look at high heel shoes at that time. However, my older sister forced me to try her 5 inch heel shoes on.

My older sister literally made me put on her 5 inch heel shoes when she was babysitting me. I was trying so hard to escape that she had to hold me down and would not let me get up until I promised to try the shoes on. I felt very ashamed and I hated it at first when I wore the high heeled shoes. However, it started to grow on me after a while. I began to like the challenge of walking around the house in high heel shoes. I also liked the way it made me shake my hips while I walked. I was getting to the age where I liked attention from the boys, and wearing 5 inch heel shoes would give me just that, although I still felt like a tomboy.

However, my sister never allowed me to wear her 5 inch heel shoes again. My sister kept the 5 inch stiletto shoes away from me, once she found out that I liked it. Nonetheless, I did get to wear prettier shoes from then on. You see, my mom was willing to indulge me with a few trips to get new clothes because she was thrilled to see that I was getting more into girls? shoes and girls? fashion. It was really a lot of fun, and it actually gave me more freedom. I could still dress up like a boy when I wanted to, but I also got to dress up like a girl. I also bought my very own 5 inch heel shoes as soon as I got old enough.

Morgan Hamilton offers expert advice and great tips regarding all aspects concerning 5 Inch Heel Shoes. Visit our site for more helpful information about High Heel Sexy Shoes and other similar topics.

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Stretching Flexibility Exercises - When Should You Stretch For Best Flexibility Gains

Flexibility exercises are a very important part of any fitness program. There are many different kinds you can choose to do or you can incorporate several into your routine. Flexibility exercises are gentle stretching movements that help to increase the flexibility and length of your muscles. They also help to increase the range of motion in your joints. They may consist of a specific set of exercises or be part of a fitness program such as Pilates or Yoga.

One of the main goals of doing stretching exercises is to lengthen the connective tissue surrounding the muscles. They should be done after you have warmed up your muscles with a few minutes of aerobic exercises. A minute or two should be spent on each stretching exercise.

These exercises are not the same as aerobic exercises or resistance training, but doing stretching exercises several times a week are a great way to keep your body flexible. They improve your posture and are particularly good for those who have back injuries.

Flexibility exercises are an important part of any fitness program. They decrease sore muscles and provide a relaxed body. It prepares the body for the stress of the exercises that are part of your fitness program.

You should always stretch after you warm up because stretching with cold muscles could cause injuries. Make sure that you stretch all of the muscles you will be using in your workout. You should also stretch after you finish your workout, to help your muscles cool down.

Check out www.1-stop-fitness.com for articles on ab machines and discount home gyms.

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Tuesday, March 4, 2008

Sketching Your Payment Plan

When you are starting the debt settlement process, the most crucial part is to sketch your payment plan well. First, you have to be able to make the regular payments, and second, the creditor has to agree with it.

To sketch an optimal Payment Plan that will get you out of debt, you will need to follow the next steps one by one and review each topic thoroughly.

1. Interest Rate Negotiation: it is one of the most important parts of the plan because a successful interest rate negotiation can and will save you a lot of money. Try to reduce as much as you can in order to reduce the principal debt amount. Your interest rates could get eliminated if your payment plan ranges in a 6-month period.

2. Automatic Savings Deposit: you will need to setup your checking account to automatically transfer money to your savings account. When you accumulate a substantial amount of money, the debt settlement program can be closed for one of the accounts.

3. Old resources may be helpful: make use of old savings accounts, stocks, bonds, mutual funds and any kind of investment to negotiate. By using a large sum of money you could achieve up to 60% of savings, .

4. Ask friends and family for help: do not feel ashamed to ask for help among your circle of friends or your family members. This is a great way to raise funds in order to negotiate a good deal.

5. Insurance policies: you can always use a percentage from your insurance policy to repay your debts. The great thing about it is that you do not have to repay it. Even better, the withdrawn amount is deducted from the policy.

6. Using your assets: if you have valuable assets, sell them to obtain funds. Having lots of assets may be a problem if you ask for Debt Settlement because the creditor could get the entire debt amount without giving you any reduction.

7. Procure an extra income: whenever you can, try to find a second job to increase your income. In doing so, you can reach the Debt Settlement requirements, and you can also start saving money to complete the debt settlement for certain accounts. A saving plan can also be very helpful in the long term. You can always count on the saved money to bargain for a major reduction on your debts.

Above all, we recommend people always look for professional help because counselors know the collection agencies and the creditors. That is why they have an edge during the negotiation process and will surely get you the best debt settlement plan in order to achieve the ultimate goal: become debt free. Start the process right now and see for yourself that you can become debt free once more.

Fill out our short on-line form and let us show you how Debt Settlement can stop harassment from collection agencies and can also solve your debt problems.

Check these links to learn more:

www.curadebt.com/debt/debt-free-debt-consolidation.asp

www.curadebt.com/credit+card+debt+relief.asp

Debbie White is a contributing writer to www.curadebt.com and is currently writing some special articles to guide business on how to manage debt and avoid bankruptcy. For Free Payment Plan Information and Debt Help Consultation, call toll-free 1-877-850-3328

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Monday, March 3, 2008

Naturally Gain 2-3 Inches of Height Within a Few Weeks by Simple Stretching Exercises

There are a lot of factors that come into play when it comes to height. Genetics is the main factors. Since we can't do anything about that, we will not address that part of it.

However, the good news is that you can add up to 2 inches (5 cm) in most cases to your natural height. More dedicated people can even add up to 4 or more inches (10 cm) to their height.

If you will just give us about 20-45 minutes a day for 5 days a week, you will gain height. If you can give use 45-75 minutes a day for 6-7 days a week, you can gain up to 2 inches in height within a few weeks.

Yes, you do have to have some dedication. The things you need to do to gain this height aren't particularly hard. In fact, most of them are quite easy to do. What you put into this endeavor is what you will get out of it. Dedication, persistence, and enthusiasm are the key factors.

A lot of the activities and exercises can be included in your normal daily routine. You can use the exercise and stretches as part of your workout routine. You can even do the stretches while you watch TV.

Can you expect to gain height fast?

Well, some people have gained over an inch in height within 2 weeks using the exercises and stretches we outline in the blog. So it is possible.

What if you can't do all or some of the exercises?

We give you a basic program that you can follow. The beauty in its that we give you a base to start from. you can adjust it to you schedule, time constraints, athletic ability, and enthusiasm.

We want you to succeed. To succeed we know you have to be dedicated and persistent. You have to have enthusiasm when you are doing this. For that we have a flexible program in which you can add your own input into it.

A lot of people fail at gaining height simply because they start off with an abundance of enthusiasm and energy only to quit within 3 weeks because they over did it.

Another reason people fail is because they don't make a routine of this. They are sporadic in doing this. If you are going to skip days, please make sure they are scheduled to be off days. Try to make your height increasing routine a habit, just like eating and sleeping. Now let's get tall.

For further details on the stretching exercises and their pictorial view (photos), please log on to http://tall-n-healthy.blogspot.com

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Relax and Get Fit with Yoga Positions, Stretching and Meditation

Often the most effective ways to lose weight and stay fit involve some extra time and effort. Yoga positions, stretching and meditation require no specialized equipment and little more than your time and the desire to learn, relax and feel healthy.

Hatha yoga is the most commonly practiced type of yoga in western civilizations. Yoga is a combination of breathing and positions that encourage harmony between the mind and body. By practicing conscious breathing and various postures, you tone your body and build muscle while relieving stress and improving your memory. Yoga also strengthens your back, reduces your need for sleep and increases your lifespan. For women, yoga is effectively used to prepare for birth as well as relieve painful menstruation and menopause. The benefits of yoga for men, women, children and senior citizens are promoted by many physicians today. However, a key element to remember when doing yoga is to take your time because it takes awhile to learn the positions correctly and coordinate your muscles, mind and energy.

Many of the positions used in yoga involve stretching, which relaxes your muscles and reduces tension. Basically, there are two types of stretching - dynamic and static. Dynamic stretching involves motion and static stretching requires no motion. Stretching makes you more limber and reduces the risk of physical injury to your joints, muscles and tendons, which is a great advantage when embarking upon other forms of exercise. Stretching also reduces soreness and tension in your muscles and tendons and increases suppleness, lubricates connective tissues and even relieves dysmenorrhea (painful menstruation) in women.

Meditation is used to get in touch with your higher self and unify your consciousness to create optimal mental and physical health, enabling you to realize your full potential as a person. There are two types of meditation - active and passive. Active meditation involves use of a mantra, which is the repetition of a particular word, syllable or sound. Passive meditation involves observing your breath, much as you do during yoga. Benefits of meditating include lower blood pressure, decreased heart and respiratory rates and an overall feeling of calmness and well-being.

By developing a regular routine of yoga positions, stretching and meditation, you can keep your weight under control while enjoying a lifetime of mental and physical fitness.

Ryan Cote is the owner of WeightLoss-Programs-Reviewed.com, a website that reviews the top 5 best weight loss programs. A large directory of health and fitness articles is available as well.

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Sunday, March 2, 2008

Stretching By Power Yoga

Have you dabbled in martial arts? If you ask this question to most people, they will give you some answer resembling "I took a Tae Kwon Do class at the YMCA, or I took Karate back in high school." Now, don't get me wrong; there's nothing bad about this. I am just bringing it up because it's such a norm in America. On the other hand, this minor experience isn't worth much in the real world either. In fact most people don't really have a clue what most self-defense and fighting arts are really like. Nor do they understand the hardcore training that's necessary. Take yoga for example. This is commonly thought of as a calm and relaxing regime that involves a lot of stretching. Does that sound about right? Well, you've probably never encountered power yoga or the real deal as some call it. It can be an overwhelming workout.

It's time for some power yoga, folks. This is a great way to get in shape. Not only does it offer exercise for the entire body, it also promotes blood circulation via stretching. This is a great way to stay in good shape as you age. Remember you want to age gracefully; not quickly. With power yoga comes a lot of devotion. This goes the same for any decent fitness regime or martial art. I have known a lot of martial artists in my day and most of them definitely do not train to fight or defend themselves. Now you may be wondering what I'm talking about. Maybe you take a particular martial art and think you've got skills. Well, let me ask you a few things. Do you train daily? Are you in good shape? Do you always work to improve and avoid becoming complacent? Do you spar with other regularly? Do you spar realistically with practitioners of other arts regularly? If you don't do these things, then you're probably not too effective with your art. That's just reality. If you don't put it to use, and instead just go through drills in a dojo or kwoon, you're probably not very good. How can you possibly know you can do it for real? This is why I always emphasize taking it to the next level. The same goes for boxing, Muay Thai, karate, judo or power yoga.

Learn all you've ever wanted to know about power yoga on the World-Wide-Web. You can even acquire DVDs on power yoga now days. Learn from the pros while you practice these regimes with your friends and family. Contemporary power yoga will definitely keep you in good shape.

TalkAboutFitness.Com provides readers with the latest reviews, articles,commentaries and write-ups on all power yoga, blood circulation, martial art related subjects

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