The Freelancer

Know The SWTOR Operative Guides and Its Advantages

2012-01-03T00:22:00.000-08:00

Just this month, Electronic Arts and LucasArts released a video game developed by BioWare for all the Star Wars fanatics around the world. Star Wars: The Old Republic or SWTOR was released on December 20, 2011 in North America and Europe which was based from an American epic space opera film series of the same name. This multiplayer online role playing game was the third installment of the Star Wars video games series. The Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic was released in 2003 and the Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords was released in 2004 and 2005. Ever since the announcement of this game back in 2008, many have been looking for SWTOR operative guide in order for them to be the best in the game.

Months before the expected release of the Star Wars game, there were already SWTOR operative guides that came out in the Internet. The guides that surfaced provided advanced details insights and gameplay tactics which certainly prepared those individuals that have waited for this game three years ago. It also gave people background information about the Sith Empire and the Galactic Republic.

Some of the highlights for the SWTOR operative guide are proven leveling path which enables an Operative to reach level 50 within a week, recommended builds and skill trees which are very effective for different intentions, Player versus Player (PvP) tactics which is very effective no matter which class you are fighting, different operative strategies can help dominating flashpoints and warzones effectively, provides different choices for full equipment as well as tips in obtaining rare items, and effective strategies to be used by an Operative to get so many loads of credits in short period.

The gameplay of the Star Wars: The Old Republic is that players would join either the two main factions, the Galactic Republic and Sith Empire. A player or Operative may advance to the next level through a combination of mission completion, exploration, and defeating enemies. Each faction has four classes that exist. In every advancement made, the Galactic Republic and Sith Empire has two advanced classes to choose from on each class. For Galactic, Gunslinger and Scoundrel (Smuggler), Commando and Vanguard (Trooper), Guardian and Sentinel (Jedi Knight), and Sage and Shadow (Jedi Consular) are the advanced classes. The advanced classes for Sith are Powertech and Mercenary (Bounty Hunter), Operative and Sniper (Imperial Agent), Juggernaut and Marauder (Sith Warrior), and Sorcerer and Assassin (Sith Inquisitor).

Through the SWTOR operative guide, many Star Wars video game fans were able to level up in a matter of one week and didn’t need to spend so much time playing.

SWTOR operative guide is certainly a helpful tool to make the game much easier to play. Through this one, Star Wars enthusiasts had the first hand knowledge about the game even though it has not been released. Even if there were already guides released, Star Wars: The Old Republic still provides so much excitement to those who already bought it.

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Search Engine Index And Search Engine Optimization

2011-03-09T02:29:00.000-08:00

As you are reading this article, you might ask, “What is search engine optimization?” Well, search engine optimization or SEO is the practice of structuring and designing a web page or a web site in such a way as to improve its rank on the list of search engines that are used by people around the world. There are a lot of tools and methods that can be used to optimize web content. However, these are often abused by some people in order to force websites of lower quality to the top results of major search engines. On the other hand, these tools and methods can provide big advantages to anyone who wishes to learn and use SEO legitimately.

With websites increasing exponentially throughout the Internet, the competition for good search results ranking has become fiercer. The use of international SEO standards for tools and methods has become very popular over the last few years as means of getting a decent spot on the results page of major search engines. However, some tools and methods that are effective to date might cease to be functional in the future. Google, for instance, has begun cutting down the emphasis on keyword density and other conventional practices on search engine optimization and is now introducing latent semantic indexing to eliminate irrelevant web content. Websites that are determined by the major search engines as abusing the tools and methods for SEO might be penalized or even removed from the results completely.

Search Engine Index provides valuable information about the frequently used websites in every country around the world, so that web developers would have an idea about how they would design the web site, the keyword density of its pages and the likelihood of it placing well in the results page of the major search engines within the country. Search Engine Index, without a doubt, helps everyone to have their web sites and web pages to rank on the top of every major search engines that people use on different parts and corners of the globe while making sure that every means of optimization is done legitimately.

The Best Swimwear Available in Australia

2010-11-30T00:42:00.000-08:00

When summer time comes around the corner, women take out their bikinis and their best swimwear. The time has come for them to showcase their beauty and sexiness through a well designed swimsuit. With the proper clothes, they can be the sexiest woman on the beach and the talk of the town. There are many stores and shops to choose from. Some women even go through multiple stores just to get the best design and the most affordable price in the market.

Luckily, the best swimwear in Australia can be found on the Internet. One such site is the Jellous Swimwear site. One of the clear advantages of this is shopping online. You can look at a wide range of products with a limited amount of time. You don’t have to go outside your house in getting the swimsuit that you want. You can shop anywhere at anytime by going online.

Also, if you are in another country, you can still avail of buying a swimwear in Australia. The beauty of it is that it has an international base of customers. A girl from Hawaii for instance, can have the best looking bikini made in Australia.

Within minutes, you can look at the best swimwear that suits you. Whether it is swim bikinis, bathing suits, bras, or sport bikinis, you are sure to find what you are looking for. If you can’t decide on one, you can buy as many as you please because they are reasonably priced.

With the use of the Internet, you can also check and compare prices in a rapid pace. Just by browsing through a web page, you can see the prices that a site is offering. Luckily, the Jellous swimwear site gives women an affordable price range.

High quality is also assured in buying anything from their site. You can simply contact the site and get what you want if you are not happy with what you bought. Jellous is very helpful in getting customers what they demand. They know the stress a woman can go through in getting the best swimwear, so it is their priority to satisfy the customer. The best swimwear in Australia is made available through the Internet with the help of the Jellous Swimwear site.

Minimizing Hassle On Bathing Suit Stores

2010-11-26T03:31:00.000-08:00

The excitement brought about by the idea of flaunting your body at beach during summer is eclipsed by the daunting task of looking for bathing suit stores that can provide form-fitting and eye-catching swimsuits. This is virtually an annual chore that is feared by many women thus making them frustrated, depressed and might even keep them from wearing swimwear anymore. However, that fear is just in the head. With proper preparation and keeping a healthy body, you can wear bathing suits with pride.

Before you go all out on the beach, prepare your body and mind on wearing bathing suits. If you are the type who tans, shaves and waxes on the summer season, do so in order to maintain that state since having a tanned skin tone is a trend in the beach. However, if you prefer your skin color over getting tanned and you think you will look better than having such skin tone, wear sunscreen with UV protection so that you can maintain your fair skin and protect it from getting burned.

Upon deciding your skin tone to don, you could now go to bathing suit stores and browse on each selections of pieces carefully. Try on each piece and determine what type of bathing suit goes for your body comfortably. You can also browse online bathing suit stores like Jellous Swimwear. Comfort is a defining factor that can determine whether the suit is for your body or not. Make each tryout a delightful experience, since it will boost your confidence of wearing swimsuits.
You also have to know exactly what bathing suit will look good on you. You have to determine you body type in order to narrow down the choices of the swimsuits that will go with your form. The styles, cuts, fabrics, colors and complements of each piece are all specified for particular body types. Ask the salespeople in bathing suit stores for help.

You could also tag along a good friend of yours on shopping. Your friend can give you straightforward and constructive criticisms and advices, so that you can avoid bathing suits that will not make you look attractive. Plus, you can have more confidence once your friend approves on a piece that actually look great on you.

Confidence is the name of the game in each Jellous swimwear pieces. Each bathing suit created by Jellous is specially made to boost the confidence of the wearer, thus reducing the hassle of the shopping experience for bathing suits.

Swim Bikini: Girl's New Best Friend

2010-11-22T08:53:00.000-08:00

Genetically, women like to wear different garments that would accentuate their assets in the same way that men love looking at girls who know how to work these garments. Of course, this includes swimsuits that would show off girls' cleavage and more skin. So how do girls with small or sagging breasts show off cleavage if they don't have them? By wearing gel-filled bikini tops that would push up the breasts towards the center thus creating the impression of larger breasts.

Gel-filled bikini tops or swim bikini are the latest thing in enhancing the women's body appearance without undergoing surgery that Jellous have worked on. These tops have gel implants inside them. This revolutionary piece of clothing is perfect for women who are insecure with they way their breasts look in other bikinis sold.

Normally, women with small breasts will benefit in this technology. They are great at boosting the size of your breasts that will make them feel more confident in beaches and pools. The other kind who needs swim bikini tops are women who do not have small breasts but would want to enhance them more. Since gel-filled bikinis lift the breasts, they would look better if they are not sagging since the gel implants are cushioning them.

Swim bikini tops are the new technology that women have been waiting for a long time. Push-up bras are to the rescue during normal days, but how about during summer time? We cannot just pray and hope that we will have the perfect breasts over time, and we cannot just simply have them undergo surgery for the sake of vanity; so Jellous gel implanted bikini tops are really helpful.

Summer time is the best time to show off the best version of your body since our body will be looked at not only by men, but by other women as well. The push up bra trick isn't going to work anymore. The difference can really be seen especially if the people you interact with are used to seeing with you fuller breasts, it can be really embarrassing.

So thank heavens for the people behind Jellous for innovating this kind of garment that benefits a lot of women. By acquiring these gel implanted swimsuits, women can show off their body confidently and feel sexy all day long on the beach. So if you want these swimsuits, they can be yours; just log on at jellous.com.au and choose at the wide array of swimsuit bikinis they have that will become your new best friend.

Opt For Handcrafted Weathervane That Spells Y-O-U

2010-11-11T02:02:00.000-08:00

Setting Up Weathervanes and Cupolas

2010-11-07T20:15:00.000-08:00

Weathervanes are one of the most popular structures that you will find on most roofs across US. Along with the cupolas to be mounted on, weathervanes add a touch of American countryside tradition on the roofs of modern homes. Weathervanes and cupolas are both good ways of showing the balance of aesthetics and functionality.

In order to build your very own weathervanes and cupolas on your rooftop, you need first to set a ladder firmly next to the very spot on the roof where you will put the cupola. If you want to have your cupola just for the overall appearance of your house’s façade, mount the cupola in the part where it would be readily seen. On the other hand, if you want it as a holder for your weathervane, find the spot where there is the least obstruction from trees and other tall or wide objects.

Then, take the mounting tools, screws, marker, level, and a hand drill on the chosen spot where you will build the cupola. Typically, weathervanes and cupolas come with a kit and appropriate tools for installation.

Next, mark the exact location of the cupola with the marker and drill some holes for the screws to be driven into. You also have to check the alignment of the holes using the level to make sure that the cupola will be straight up when installed.

After doing so, drill holes on the marks using the hand drill. Make the holes slightly bigger than the screws to be used for erecting the cupola. When you are done with that, remove the drilling bit from you hand drill and attach the screwdriver head. Align the cupola on the drilled holes and screw it in place using the hand drill. Make it as tight as possible.

Lastly, attach the weathervane on the top of the cupola. Slide the weathervane pole on the appropriate slot on the mount of the cupola until it reaches the hit spot. Drive cross screws on it and tighten it manually to secure the pole and hold it in place. For further assistance on installation, you could inquire with Prairie Rose Country on some guidelines and tips for installing weathervanes and cupolas.

What To Do During An Earthquake

2010-03-24T23:07:00.000-07:00

Recently, there has been an increase in the number of earthquakes accruing. Whether it is because of global warming or the catastrophic 2012 as some people would claim, it is still a good idea to make sure that you are ready for it.

Before an Earthquake

Make sure that you have emergency supplies available including food, first aid kits, and flashlights plus extra batteries.
Identify which parts of your house can be considered as safe spots. These spots should be away from any object that might shatter, fall or fly at you during the earthquake. It should also be able to provide you a sturdy protection against such objects.
Educate your family members on what to do should a major earthquake hit your area.

During an Earthquake (full text here)

Take shelter under s sturdy table and stay in there until the shaking stops. If you cannot find a sturdy table, cover your head with your arms and stay in a crouching position in an inside corner of your house or building.
If you are near a strong and sturdy doorway, you can use it as your shelter.
Do not use elevators. As much as possible, stay inside until the shaking stops and you are sure that moving to another location is safe.
If you are inside a moving vehicle, stop driving but make sure that you are away from any object that might fall on you like trees and utility wires.

Demystifying Entrepreneurship

2010-02-02T22:55:00.000-08:00

Friends!

Be a part of the B.E.S.T. (Basic Entrepreneur Skills Training) Workshop and unlock the Mysteries of Entrepreneurship! Join us from 9:00am to 5:00pm, on February 27 and 28, 2010, at the SMX Convention Center (Meeting Room 10), SM Mall of Asia and find out why everyone is raving about B.E.S.T.!

Our initial two (2) runs have proven that B.E.S.T. is, indeed one of the “best” workshops on entrepreneurship in the country today. This unique training seminar focuses on "Demystifying Entrepreneurship” by conjuring up a Fun, Magical and Highly Effective way of schooling our apprentices (learners) on the proper way of doing business. By dedicating a large portion of the workshop to enjoyable and enhanced learning activities and spells, B.E.S.T. enkindles basic entrepreneurial attitudes and skills, like goal-orientation, perseverance, creative-thinking, teamwork and courage; making B.E.S.T. a practical enhancement workshop for Employees, Managers, Executives, OFWs and yes… even Entrepreneurs.

So, don’t miss out on the B.E.S.T. Workshop ever!

Tickets are very reasonably priced at PhP 7,500 (for the 2 days); and are available at all TICKETNET Outlets located in all SHOEMART (SM) Customer Service Centers. For INQUIRIES and RESERVATIONS, please call 911-5555 or visit http://www.ticketnet.com.ph/. You can also go to http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/S2Q5D3H for any inquiries that you might have or email us at info@bizwizresources.com or marketing@bizwizresources.com.

Becoming A Homebased Freelancer

2009-08-28T01:33:00.000-07:00

If you are tired of going to work every single day or need to stay at home for an extended period wthout having to sacrifice your finances or just need an extra source of income, then you might want to try becoming a freelancer.

What are the things you need to keep in mind?

In order to get a steady stream of projects, you can subscribe to a number of project marketplaces such as oDesk, getafreelancer, or guru. Read carefully their FAQs and TOCs so that you have an idea on how fast you could earn money from projects posted on their site.
Make sure that you have a PayPal account. Although most online marketplaces also allow you to receive payment via Moneybookers and Payoneer, PayPal is still the easiest and cheapest way to collect payment from your clients.
Write a good profile. Your profile would be the first (and only) material your prospect would have about you. Highlight your skills and previous experience. Try to take online exams. Although oDesk offers their own certification program, you can also try getting certification from Brainbench.
Bid on as many project as you can. When putting down your hourly rate, consider the complexity of the job, how much the client is willing to pay and how much the other candidates placed as their bid.
Take time to write down a cover letter when submitting your bid or when applying for a project. Not all client would have the luxury of time to read through your profile. Your cover letter would already give them an idea on what your skills are. Check your grammar and spelling. Some clients use the cover letter as basis for hiring you especially if the job involves writing skills.
Show up for an interview. Some clients would request an interview via Skype, YM or IM. Make sure that you show up and that you answer the questions promptly.

So there you have it, some basic tips to get you started on your freelance career!

Near Infrared Reflectance Spectroscopy

2009-05-06T04:23:00.000-07:00

Technology is becoming even better. It is developing itself or being developed by the genius minds in our industry to further make our lives easier. Aside from this, technology is instrumental in providing answers with the myriad of questions that we have in mind. From our appliances that we can’t live without everyday to the complicated laboratory equipment that many companies are now using.

One of these equipment is the Near Infrared Reflectance Spectroscopy. This device is used to determine the concentrations of the major classes of chemical compounds in organic materials, such as plant foliage. It claims to produce rapid, accurate and precise results that could work in lieu of the conventional wet chemistry procedures.

Using reflectance signals that is derived from bending and stretching vibrations in the molecular bonds of carbon, nitrogen, hydrogen and oxygen, it could correlate the spectral response of each specimen at an individual wavelength to known chemical concentrations from laboratory analyses.

Newman and his colleagues, in 1994, formulated the procedure for nitrogen, lignin and cellulose concentration for woody plant foliage using green leaf, leaf litter and decomposing lead litter. The specimen are dried and grinded to a uniform particle size before it would undergo NIRS.
Accordingly, diffuse reflectance spectral data were acquired using a NIRSystems 6500 monochromator with a spinning cup module, scanning at wavelengths from 400 to 2498 nm with a bandwidth of 10 nm. Reflectance data is converted to absorbance, A = log (1/R). Calibration equations were developed using partial least squares regression on first difference transformation of the absorbance data for the entire spectral range (Bolster et al., in press). A total of 18 deciduous and 10 conifer species are represented in the green leaf calibration equation; 13 deciduous and 4 conifer species in the leaf litter calibration equation; 4 deciduous species in the litter decomposition calibration equation.

Such equations are used for prediction of nitrogen, lignin, and cellulose concentrations in unknown samples. Equation should be precise in order to facilitate the prediction of unknown samples depends on whether the range of variation affecting the chemical and physical properties of the unknown samples is represented in the calibration samples. For convenience, universal equations are developed. They are made for broad, or infinite populations may be used for a wide range of samples. Universal equations increase the value of NIRS for the study of large-scale ecosystem processes and change through remote sensing.

Your Own Call Center Agent For As Low As $500 Per Month

2009-04-02T23:03:00.001-07:00

Talent Shout is pleased to be able to offer companies their own call center agent. For as little as US$500 a month, your call center agent will be able to handle both voice and non-voice based tasks for you. The call center/virtual assistant package comes with Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP).

Your call center agent will be able to handle voice account tasks, like answering calls and placing calls. Call center agents will also be able to handle non-voice account tasks such as receiving and sorting emails as well as provide chat support.

Other virtual assistance may also be provided in the form of word processing, spreadsheet creation, and transcription. Our call center agents/virtual assistants can provide valuable services without the overhead usually associated with this type of service. This is a good solution for companies who depend on being mobile which precludes the option of having a call center.

This is a valuable service at a reasonable price that Talent Shout is happy to be able to bring its clients. Having a dedicated call center agent/virtual assistant through Talent Shout can be a cost effective way of increasing your company's productivity as well as improve your professional image.

Writing For The Cyberworld

2009-03-10T09:43:00.000-07:00

Writing an article for the web is different from writing any other type of article. Unlike articles written in print media, articles written for the web should be as short and as concise as possible. This is in keeping with web users who are always on the go and want to get information quickly.

This being said, bullet lists are more preferred in web article writing rather than large paragraph chunks. Having lists in your articles help the user to scan it quickly and know right away if this is the type of article that he or she is looking for. Putting headings is also another way of breaking down your content into easy-to-read portions.

Also, keep in mind that flowery words have no place in web article writing. Just use short and simple words so that you will not lose your target audience when he stumbles upon an unfamiliar word.

Finally, keywords are very important. You write to be read, and the only way for your article to be read is when it is found in the first place. Keywords make your articles easy to find, and hence achieve your purpose.

Need article writing services? Visit Talent Shout Business Consultancy

So You've Got a 3, Now What?

2009-03-04T08:29:00.000-08:00

Sure, you've got a couple of good back links. You know how to maximize keywords. You've done PPCs, even posted a few PLRs. You've made use of blog comments and forum posting to increase traffic to your site. In a month's time, you were able to achieve a PageRank of three.

Now what?

Most people misunderstand the idea of PageRank and think that high web traffic automatically translates to higher sales. To some degree, increased web traffic and consequent increase in PageRank MIGHT increase your sales. This is because a higher PageRank means more chances of your site landing on the first two to three pages of Google search results. Of course, if a prospect would see your site first, there is a greater probability that he or she would go for your services. The next step, however, would be up to you.

Ask yourself:
(1) What kind of visitors does your site have? Are they the type of audience you had in mind? How did they land on your page?
Being aware of the kind of traffic that you have can help you plan ahead. It can be your basis for coming with a contest, for launching a new product, for changing the design of your site!

(2) Does your web site clearly discuss your products and services? Can visitors get all the information they need before making any purchase or getting your services? Oftentimes, putting the price of your product and services can be an advantage. Visitors can decide instantly whether to buy you product or not. Unfortunately, your competitors can also use any information you put on your web site as a leverage for their own products and services.

(3) If your visitors need to ask you a certain question, how fast can you give a reply? Does your site provide live chat? Do you have contact forms? Do they know where they could call you or email you? Remember, the faster you could answer their inquiries, the better.

(4) Are you willing to meet with your prospects? Do you have a ready slide show that you can use to discuss your products and services? Although some clients tend to make outright purchases, there are still those who are not that easy to convince especially if what they are interested in are your services. Be prepared. Make sure you have a slide presentation detailing your products and services. Have a detailed company profile ready.

(5) Lastly, do you have the right attitude and focus? Are you willing to sacrifice your time and go through many sleepless nights just to market your products or answer inquiries?
PageRank alone will not make your business earn money. With the financial crisis still haunting the world, you have to double your efforts.

Pampering Yourself with Essential Feel Goods

2009-02-13T22:38:00.000-08:00

Every girl wants to be beautiful. I have yet to meet someone who doesn't. We like to keep ourselves looking good that's why we indulge in manicures and pedicures. But what if you do not have the budget?

Presenting the Essential Feel Goods Essential Spa Tools!

The Essential Spa Tools by Essential Feel Goods comes with a callus remover, a foot file, a spa cuticle softener and remover, a rock, and toe separators in various colors. What's more, you get to enjoy same day shipping* on stock products! Essential Feel Goods guarantees your 100% satisfaction and even includes free sample with every order!

So what are you waiting for? Visit Essential Feel Goods at http://www.essentialfeelgoods.com/ and pamper yourself!

* Terms and Conditions apply

Finding Quality PLR Articles

2009-02-04T02:52:00.000-08:00

With the dawn of e-commerce and online marketing, more and more people are resorting to the use of PLR articles for their web sites, blog sites and even newsletters. Unfortunately, some PLR article providers do not give much attention to what they are selling.

As an SEO person, I do believe that content is king. Never mind those page ranks! Even if you have a PageRank of 5 or 6, if you cannot translate those numbers into sales because your site lacks fresh content, that rank would not matter. However, I do believe that "fresh content" also means correct, clear and full of sense articles. Based on my observation, a number of PLR contents:

are full of keywords awkwardly repeated that at times it does not make much sense
were not edited enough that most sentences have grammatical errors
do not really provide much information since they just keep repeating keyword phrases
some include re-writes that were actually not re-written completely making it more of a duplicate content than a fresh one

This does not mean, however, that PLR content is not useful. Some PLR article providers do really take time to check the quality of their product. This is the reason why Talent Shout Business Consultancy has decided to come up with their PLR article packs. We were inspired by those quality PLR article providers.

What does a Philippine-based company know about PLR articles?

Well, for one, we had done some article writing and we had worked on some PLR articles before for our clients under oDesk. We totally understand the frustration some clients have when they realize that the PLR articles that they bought were not worth it at all.

You can visit our web site at http://www.talent-shout.com/articlewriting.htm in order to view our rates as well as package inclusion.

Essential Feel Goods Introductory Video

2009-01-12T08:35:00.000-08:00

Essential Feel Goods has recently launched an introductory video detailing the different products and services that they offer. Here is the said video:

For more details visit the web site of Essential Feel Goods.

Employee Handbook 101

2009-01-05T20:00:00.000-08:00

One of the major activity that an HR Professional has to spearhead in a company is the completion and issuance of the Employee Handbook. Most of the time, this happens when the company is just starting. The question now is, what should be included in the Employee Handbook?

In coming up with the Employee Handbook, an HR Professional has to keep in mind that the handbook should contain the basic things that woud influence the company's operations. This can be done by preparing an outline of what these "basic things" are, some of which could be:

Company Details (Name, Founding Date, Milestones, History/ Timeline, Mission/ Vision, Culture and Philosophy)
Founders and their profile. You can also choose to include the board of directors
Names of the Division Heads and/ or Company Managers as well as a short profile
Description of the company's main products and services
Basic Office Procedures (Payroll Procedures, Separation/Resignation Procedures, New Hire Procedures, Work Flow, Leave Application Procedure)
Internal Policies (Dress Code, Attendance and Tardiness Policy, Phone Usage, Policy on Breaks)
Code of Conduct

This outline would guide an HR person in creating the contents. Once the Employee Handbook has been approved, the following tips should be in mind:

Prepare an Acknowledgement Receipt of the Employee Handbook before issuing it to employees
Have each department keep an extra copy of the Employee Handbook
Regularly review the Employee Handbook. Update if needed.
Everytime that major changes are made in the Employee Handbook, discuss it with the employees to ensure that they understand what the change is all about as well as why there is a need for such change

Preparing an Employee Handbook is one tough job. However, its presence would be a big help not just to an HR Department but to the whole compant as well.

Need more help in preparing an Employee Handbook? Visit the Talent Shout Web Site.

The Healing Power of Ylang-Ylang

2008-12-16T00:18:00.000-08:00

Stressed out with all the holiday shopping? No time to relax? Try Ylang-Ylang.

In the Malayan language, Ylang-Ylang means “flower of the flowers”. It belongs to the custard-apple family and is cultivated in countries such as the Philippines, Madagascar, Zanzibar, and Haiti. The fruity and floral fragrance of Ylang-Ylang is known for stimulating the brain and inducing it to release endorphins. Two to three drops of the oil extracted from Ylang -Ylang has proven to be beneficial for nervous depression with severe tension. It is effective in filling someone with joy, euphoria and peacefulness. It is also effective in rejuvenating one’s skin. If its aroma seems to be strong for you, you can tone it down by using extracts of orange or lemon.

The healing power of the Ylang-Ylang essential oil can be yours with Essential Feel Goods. This comes in 10ml bottles and can be purchased online.

Essential Feel Goods is the place to make your mind and body do just that -- feel good essentially. Our soy massage oil candles offer moisture, aromatherapy benefits and a low smoke alternative to traditional candles. To our all natural fragrance free skin care products from out intensive heel and hand therapy products, we offer comprehensive care to the entire body. Whether you’re here for aromatherapy accessories, for anti-aging skin care products or you're shopping for sugar scrubs, we’ve got something for everyone. Take a look at our catalog and see for yourself, we’re bringing you the best in quality aromatherapy and essential oil products.

2008-11-21T19:25:00.001-08:00

If you are anything like me, you would surely be suffering from stiff shoulders, tense muscles and headaches most of the time. I am proud to announce that I have recently found a way to get rid of this little annoyances - SPA TREATMENTS and AROMATHERAPY! I have long been in love with the thought of relaxing but it is only recently that I have taken time to really be serious about it. While browsing online for the perfect home spa treatment, I came across the various informative sites. Let's take this one site at a time.

Essential Feel Goods - Located in Pennsylvania, they provide a wide variety of aromatherapy spa productswhich visitors could purchase online. You can pay using your credit card as well as PayPal. They deliver worldwide so no worries there for me :). They also provide tips, instructions and whatnot about the latest in spa aromatherapy. And, oh, did I mention that they also have products specifically for men? Now I know what to get my honey this Christmas!

Gifts and The Republika Slovenija

2008-11-02T16:32:00.000-08:00

Gifts are usually associated with special occasions – birthdays, anniversaries, feast days. It usually is the thought that counts but sometimes the thought could cost much.

In the heart of Europe lies a small Slavic country known for inexpensive way of giving gifts - Republika Slovenija. Lying in near the Alps and the Mediterranean Sea, Slovenia is one of the cultural crossroads of the European region. Arts and culture has a high place in the hearts of Slovenians and is evident in how they celebrate different occasions.

Known to be food lovers, Slovenians usually give food as gifts. Never missing a chance to prepare their home-made dishes, here are some traditional festivities that Slovenians have where food is exchanged freely as gifts.

Mardi Gras
When one mentions the word Mardi Gras, visions of carnival masks come to mind. Although it is one of the biggest and loudest celebrations in the world, Mardi Gras is more than just a free-for-all street rave. It usually is celebrated on the days preceding Ash Wednesday and is celebrated in places like New Orleans, Brazil and Slovenia.

In Slovenia, Mardi Gras is known as Kurentovanje, a ten-day long celebration of spring and fertility. Kurents, or those that take active part in this celebration, wear sheep skins and highly decorated masks. Food such as fritoli and kroötule are served.

Jurjevanje

Celebrated every April 23, the day of St. George’s martyrdom, Jurjevanje is a pagan celebration about the welcoming of spring. Traditional beliefs point to a connection between the saint as well as one of divinities of the pre-Christian era. During this day, Slovenian boys march in groups, one of them covered in cherry tree bark, going from house to house asking for donation of coins or eggs.

St. Martin’s Day

St. Martin’s Day is celebrated every 11th of November in commemoration of Martin of Tours. It is traditionally believed to be the day when must turns into wine, something that St. Martin was apparently able to do. The must, considered as impure, is baptized by someone, usually the host, dressed up as a bishop. A guest or another family member stands as the wine’s godfather. Goose is served afterwards as well as Mlinci (pasta tatters), an easy to prepare thin, dried flatbread. Food is usually given as gifts.

Christmas Season

Of the total population of Slovenia, more than 50% are Roman Catholics which makes Christmas an important holiday to Slovenians. Gift-giving, which started in Slovenia some 70 years ago, can start as early as December 6 (St. Nicholas’ Day). St. Nicholas’ Day is traditionally believed to be when St. Nicholas would visit homes together with parklji (devils) who scare children who were not well behaved. Slovenians living in the countryside usually give walnuts, hazelnuts and dried fruits as gifts.

This is also the time for koledovanje or carol singing wherein groups of men go from house to house to sing Christmas songs for people. Although virtually extinct, recent moves have been made to revive this practice.

During Christmas Eve, Slovenians light incense in their respective homes and sprinkle holy water inside. Dinner follows consisting of all sorts of goodies, including the traditional potica, Slovenian nut bread especially served during holidays. Family members attend the midnight mass right after the Christmas dinner.

It is also during Christmas Eve that families gather around baker's oven conveniently placed in the corner of the living room.

Due to the incorporation of their pagan beliefs with the Catholic rituals, the Christmas season also became a time to foretell one’s future using various ways like observing fire burns and interpreting images formed by candle wax.

Guests are not particularly welcome on Christmas Day. It is on the following day, December 26 (St. Stephen’s Day) that relatives and guests are expected to come.

As important is the Christmas day to the Slovenians, the days succeeding is also of great significance to them especially to winemakers. Every December 27, St. John the Evangelist’s feast day, winemakers have their best wines blessed and then stored for use during special occasions. Since it was blessed on St. John’s Day, these wines are known as St. John’s Wine. The next day, December 28, Holy Innocents’ Day, is celebrated with the children given freedom, albeit symbolically, to hit their parents without any consequences. This is said to protect the Slovenian adults from their forefathers’ ghosts.

Slovenian Christmas celebrations have changed throughout the centuries with Santa Claus being replaced by Grandfather Frost.

Slovenia also celebrate other meaningful occasions like New Year (Novo Leto), Statehood Day (June 25), Reformation Day (October 31) and Rudolf Maister Day (November 23). Being predominantly Catholic, they also celebrate feast day of saints, Easter Sunday, the Assumption Day and All Saints’ Day. These holidays are celebrated in a fairly quiet manner.

Prešeren Day or Slovenian Cultural Holiday is also celebrated every February 8. Passing without much fanfare, the said holiday commemorates Slovenian poet France Prešeren and the Prešeren Awards as well as the Prešeren Foundation Awards are conferred to outstanding Slovenians in the field of Science and Culture.

Holiday may bring anxiety and stress for some people but Slovenia proves that holidays can really be a time to relax.

Wet Carpet in Cars: Where Did That Come From?

2008-10-25T18:42:00.000-07:00

With the recent onslaught of hurricanes, flood-damaged cars seem be just about everywhere. Awareness has been raised among Americans to be careful in buying these restored vehicles. However, a small percentage of cars also suffer from water damage without it being even exposed to the slightest of flood. Evidence of this is only present in wet carpet.

One of the reasons for wet carpet inside your car is the air-conditioning system. Clogged A/C tubes can cause water to drip down on the passenger side, thus the wet carpet. In order to avoid this, you have to conduct a regular check of the tubes. Make sure that they do not have debris big enough to clog your system.

Another reason why you have a wet carpet is cracks near the door. If your vehicle has some cracks, these could let the water in especially when it is raining. It could also let water in when you are doing some car washing.

Faulty rubber door seal is also a primary reason for wet carpet. The rubber sidings in your vehicles door might no longer be working leaving some openings where water could come in.
Depending on the make of your car, some sunroofs could catch water and have it flow inside your car. Heaters can also fracture and leak due to rust and corrosion if not checked regularly.

Some cars also suffer from water damage and wet carpet when parked in a slanting position. The culprit in this case is the improperly placed wires which could act as conduit for water from the A/C to travel to the carpet. The inclined position of the car makes it more possible for the water to move.

Damaged evaporator core box can also be the reason for the water inside your car. Since this car part is not easily accessible with it being hidden behind the dashboard, damages to it is not easily detected and might take years before it would be discovered.

Another probable reason yet is plugged up drain slots in the doors. Rain water hitting your car’s window drains through one of the slots at the bottom edge of the door. You can unclog these slots wit the use of a thin bladed knife. Open the door and carefully examine its bottom edge. The narrow slots that you could see along the lowest edge of the exterior “skin” of the door are the drain slots.

Upon inserting the knife into the slot, pull it in and out while also swinging t back and forth inside the slot. This should break down whatever is causing the blockage and allow to water to drain. Be careful though, as water could drain out and spill on you.
Using a garden hose, let water run along the lower edge between the window and the bottom of the widow opening.

Keep in mind, however, that this could only work for small debris. If you suspect that there could be large debris stuck in the drain slots, you would need to take out the inner panel of the door and remove the debris.

There could still be other reasons why you have a wet carpet inside your car. This could include windows and sunroof inadvertently left open. Just the same, knowing where the water came from is already a step towards the solution of your problem.

A Total Flood Damage Cleanup

2008-10-25T18:07:00.000-07:00

A house damaged by flood is never a heart warming sight for anyone. It brings a lot of headaches, worries and stress. This is usually the case of basements, the most ignored part of one’s house.

Structural damage as well as health and safety problems are one of the results of a flooded basement. Pooled water provides the best environment for mosquitoes to bred in while mold can thrive in damp walls. These molds can produce spores that might be harmful to your health.

Water pressure can also damage your foundation and provide openings for small insects to enter your flooded basement. Insects such as ants and termites are drawn to wet environments. They can be quite destructive moving from your flooded basement to wall spaces as well as electrical conduits. These are some of the reasons why a flood damage cleanup should be done as soon as it is safe to do so.

Make sure that your home is already safe to enter. Remember to wear rubber gloves, masks and water-proof gloves before starting any flood damage cleanup effort.

The first step in flood damage cleanup is to have a water damage professional conduct an inspection of the interior and exterior of your house to check which areas need to be attended to first.

Check if, aside from the flood in your basement, you also have busted pipes that can wreck your flood damage cleanup efforts. Keep in mind that, even small water puddles can lead to flood is left unchecked.

Use a sump pump to drain water from your basement. Check your drains and gutters and make sure that water flows away from your home. Any flood damage cleanup effort would be futile if drains and gutters are not checked properly making water flow back into your basement.

Pools of standing water outside your home can serve as a breeding ground for mosquitoes. This insect is known for carrying diseases such as Malaria, Encephalitis and West Nile Virus. To avoid this, flatten areas where water accumulates, concentrating first on portions nearest to your home. Damp and heavy soil can damage your foundation causing cracks that can lead to another round of flooded basement as well as create entry points for insects and small animals. Trim back any branches that touch your roof. Remove any dead or rotting trees and stumps.

Flood water in your basement can seep into your walls causing wood to rot. This would become a food and shelter source for ants and termites. This makes flood damage cleanup in basements a must. Basements should likewise be sealed off so that it doesn’t flood again. If the cracks in your basement are not sealed properly, you can end up with a whole colony of unwanted roommates that are really tough to evict. Contact flood damage clean up specialists or a pest control professional if you need help in the cleaning or exterminating process.

Once you have removed any standing water from your house, you can start washing and scrubbing your walls. Do not forget to sanitize these parts also to ensure that molds and other bacteria or fungi have been removed.

Put epoxy on all cracks in your house. Epoxy can stretch from the inner to the outer wall as well as expand and contract with every temperature change.

Although the whole flood damage cleanup process can take a while, it still is worth it. Any delay in starting it could mean a minute less for you or your family member’s life.

The Joy of Gift-giving in Latvia

2008-10-17T17:47:00.000-07:00

Nestled between Lithuania and Estonia is a small, flat country commonly called the “get-away-from-it-all” destination - Latvia. Latvians find joy in giving gifts to their friends and relatives. Their country lays claim to one of the world’s most enduring holiday symbol.
Christmas

When one hears of gifts and gift-giving, one immediately thinks of reindeers and sleighs, Santa Clause and his elves, and shiny gift wrappers. Christmas is automatically in one’s mind with images of Christmas Trees undoubtedly not far behind.

Latvia is traditionally called the birthplace of Christmas Trees hence making Christmas one of Latvia's very important festivities. At the start f the advent season, advent wreaths are hung inside houses.

Christmas is considered a part of family celebration which includes Christmas tree decorating and gift-giving on Christmas Eve. Families also attend the midnight mass on the eve of Christmas. Christmas Eve and Christmas Day meals are made of potatoes, sauerkraut and pork, small pies, and lentils with bacon. One can expect 12 gifts from Father Christmas, one for each of the 12 days of Christmas. Poetry reading is a popular activity before gifts are opened.
Celebrations last for 12 days after Christmas with some Latvians dressing in Christmas trees with artificial roses. Gingerbread can be found everywhere during this season. December 26 is reserved for the celebration of the Boxing Day.

Meteni

Meteni is a traditional Latvian festival held during the 23rd February of every year as part of the country's ancient calendar of events. Latvians serve dishes made from parts of a pig, bread, barley and beer. Sledding is one of the popular activities during this festival. The degree to which one celebrated Meteni was believed to be proportional to the success of one's crops.

Summer Solstice

Latvians also celebrate Ligo Diena (Midsummer’s Eve) Jāņi (Midsummer’s Day, St. John’s Day) in commemoration of the Summer Solstice, the longest day of the year. This usually falls on the 23rd and 24th of June of every year and involves going out into the countryside for festivities. A Latvian legend tells of a fern that will flower only on this night. Couples would usually go off into the woods to search for this 'flowering' fern with the men wearing crown made of oak leaves and the women adorned with wreaths made of wild flowers. It is also a time to get together with families and enjoy sumptuous meal. Popular activities include bonfires and maypole dancing.

Autumn Equinox

Every September 23, Latvians celebrate the Autumn Equinox. This festival marks the start of the threshing season at the Autumn equinox, the same season meant for the souls of the dead. The traditional activities include chasing and welcoming Jumis, the spirits of the dead. Latvians serve their guests with bread, rooster, pork or mutton.

Latvians also celebrate other occasions like New Year’s Eve where Latvians go out into the streets and watch fireworks, New Year’s Day, Labor Day, Latvian National Day and Proclamation of the Republic but with lesser fanfare. Since most of Latvians are Catholics, celebration of Good Friday, Easter Sunday and Easter Monday is also encouraged.
Latvians are also known to indulge in gift-giving with family and friends during birthdays, baptisms and weddings. However, one must be guided by the following when presenting Latvians with gifts.

- The thought that goes with the gift is more appreciated than the price of the gift
- When invited to their house, it is best that you bring along for the hostess a box of chocolates, a bottle of imported liquor, fruit or flowers.
- Flowers should be given in odd numbers as even numbers suggest mourning
- Red roses are a no-no unless you are going to a funeral.
- Open your gifts as soon as your receive them as this shows appreciation.

In Latvia, traditions are instilled even to children belonging to the new generation. Their celebrations are not just tourist come-ons but are evidence of how much they hold their traditions important.

Turkmenistan: A Different Take on Gift- Giving

2008-10-17T17:40:00.000-07:00

In Central Asia, there lies a country of Turkmen known as Turkmenistan. About 90% of its inhabitants are Muslims thus; images of Santa Claus, reindeers and shiny green-red gift wrappers are not easily recognized. One might presuppose that the joy of gift-giving does not exist in this region. However, with 11 public holidays, Turkmenistan shows the world how one can share gifts in a different way.

Ramazan and Seker Bayram

Being predominantly Muslim, the most important holiday for Turkmen is the Ramazan (local name for Ramadan) and the subsequent Ramazan Bairam. As much as traditional songs and activities mark the start of Ramazan, festivities and gift-giving activities symbolize its end. Ramazan Baira (end of Ramadan, Eid ul Fitr) usually calls for gaieties with a lot of cooking. Sweets are prepared for neighbors and children who would go from house to house making this holiday also known as Seker Bayram (Candy or Sugar Bayram). Gifts in various kinds are given to each other. These celebrations are based on the appearance of the moon thus; there is no specific date for it.

Oraza or Kurban Bairam

Kurban Bairam is celebrated 70 days after the end of Ramadan. This four-day festival marks the start of Hajj or the holy pilgrimage. During this time, a large number of sheep are sacrificed with the meat given to the poor.
Women’s Day
Women’s Day is Turkmenistan’s version of Mother’s Day. It is usually held on March 8 and is a national holiday. It celebrated the importance of women and encourages everyone to give token or gifts to the women in their lives be it their classmate or mother.

Novruz Bairam

This is the most colorful of all the Turkmenistan festival and is celebrated around March 21. It commemorates the arrival of spring and coincides with the vernal equinox. Pre-Novruz activities include cleaning the house, buying new clothes and cooking of special dishes as well as sweets. On the day itself, families share the festive meal that they have prepared and visit relatives and friends to share meal with them. This is also the day for them to visit their deceased relatives. Other activities include folk dancing and reading of destans (epic).

Novruz is also a time for children to go from house to house while singing traditional rhymes and collecting gifts and small tokens.

Novruz is a Turkic holiday that has been around for centuries. It is an occasion for friendships, renewal and happiness; a celebration closely intertwined with Turkic traditions and cultures.
Turkmenistan, being a region of festival-loving people, celebrates other holidays, albeit with much less revelries and gift-giving, that have taken a deep root in the Turkmen culture. This include the celebration of New Year’s Day, Flag Day (February 19), Constitution Day (May 18), Remembrance Day (October 6), Independence Day (October 27-28), and Day of Neutrality (December 12). They also celebrate smaller feasts like "The drop of water is the grain of gold" festival every first Sunday of April. Last Sunday of April, on the other hand, is set aside for Turkmen horses. May 19 is for the Makhtumkuli poetry festival while the last Sunday of May is the Turkmen Carpet Day, a relatively new holiday decreed by the late President Niyazov. Turkmen melons are celebrated on the second Sunday of August. Bakshy day held every last Sunday of September celebrates Turkmen folk singers while the last Sunday of November celebrates the Harvest Festibval. Even though Turkmen do not have Christmas, December is not essentially a cold month as they celebrate the Neighborhood Day.

Most of the Turkmen celebrations or festivities are associated with stages in one’s life such as birth, childhood, marriage and death. Their celebrations are not just reasons to commemorate but are expressions of the culture that they have.

The Document Drying Services

2008-10-09T19:17:00.000-07:00

Once the flood waters have receded or the smallest water puddle mopped up, a new problem begins. Water damage does not just end when the last drop had been mopped up. It can extend to the something that not anybody can notice – your documents.

When documents have been damaged water, the usual reaction is to find various ways of drying them out from fanning them to using industrial vacuums.

Currently, there are five document drying services you can choose from. This includes air drying, dehumidification, freezer drying, vacuum freeze drying, vacuum thermal drying, and Thermaline.

Air drying

It is the oldest and most convenient form of all document drying services. However, cheap it is not. With air-drying you would need to spend a lot of energy and time. And that’s not all! Air dried documents become distorted and, if the document drying is not done properly, it could cause formation of stains as well as growth of molds. This document drying technique is best suited for damp to slightly wet documents.

Dehumidification

This process, also called dessicant-drying, has proven its efficiency time and again specifically in big companies. Its advantage comes in the fact that it can be done without having to move your documents. This is especially effective in the cases of libraries and archives. However, you may need to have a number of dehumidifiers. This process is one of the document drying services that is not recommended for those with water-soluble ink.

Freezer drying

Moderately wet documents as well as leather-bound books and those with vellum bindings maybe subjected to this document drying method. It makes use of self-defrosting blast freezers capable of freezing materials very quickly. Documents may also be placed in the freezer in stacks or spread out to dry.

This particular method could take some time depending on the gravity of the damage. It is not particularly recommended for coated paper.

Vacuum thermal drying

This method uses a vacuum thermal drying chamber. Documents, either frozen or not, are placed into the chamber and are dried above 0° C. Although cost, effective, it fares no better than air-drying and freezer drying as it could still cause documents to be distorted. It is, however, very suited for un-coated papers.

Vacuum freezing

One of the two most expensive document drying services, vacuum freezing makes use of very complex machineries. It is based on the principle of sublimation wherein water is forcibly transformed into vapour without going through the liquid phase. You can expect to have your vacuum frozen documents within two weeks. Although relatively expensive, this technique produces satisfactory result compared to other document drying services.

Thermaline or Cryogenic Drying

Although still under revision stage, this copyrighted name for a relatively new technique answers the difficulty of drying large numbers of rare leather-bound or vellum-bound books. It can be quite expensive but can give the same, if not better, satisfactory result as the Vacuum Freezing method. Documents with water-soluble ink as well as coated papers can be dried using this technique. It uses advanced technology combined as well as a variation of the Freezer Drying technique.

Knowledge of the different document drying services can help you decide what the most suitable answer to your water damage problem is. Keep in mind, however, that no matter how much you know about the different techniques, nothing beats quick response and getting in touch with professionals who can give dependable document drying services.