Make Money Easy For You

Four Reasons To Offer Seller Financing

An example of seller financing: Years ago I bought a rental property, and nine months later sold it for 15% more, without fixing or improving a thing. The easy terms are what sold it. I took $1000 down, and I still get a payment every month, with 9% interest.

Four Reasons To Offer Seller Financing

1. To get a higher price. As you can see from the example above, buyers pay for easy terms. From the buyers perspective, he gets a place for almost nothing, that the renters will pay for. He comes out okay even if he later sold it for less than he bought it for.

2. To get a decent return on your money. The 9% I’m getting is nice, but the true return was much higher, since I also sold the property for 15% more than I paid, and I get 9% on the entire balance. In fact, for a great return without the headaches of being a landlord, you can simply buy low for cash and sell high with terms.

3. To sell faster. Anytime you expand the potential market for a property, you increase the odds of selling it fast. Selling with easy terms definitely invites more buyers to look at your real estate.

4. To sell difficult properties. If you have a property that is difficult to finance conventionally, offering seller financing may be the only way get it sold, and at a fair price.

Of course the ways you can sell are limited by mortgages and other loans. I owned the rental free and clear, which meant I could sell it any way I wanted. There are other ways to use seller financing though, even if you owe on the property. There are ways to do this safely too. Those topics are for another article.

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Real Estate Investing Myths

Is real estate investing only for the wealthy? Can you buy with no money down? Do you have to know the “right” people? Let’s answer by looking at some of the myths of real estate.

1. Real estate investing is for the wealthy. Money helps, but my first real estate investment was a $3,500 lot – which I sold for a profit two weeks after I bought it. Small deals, partners, low-down deals, or just putting aside $7 per day for a couple years until you have enough money for a downpayment – these are some of the ways to start with a little and invest in real estate.

2. “0 down” isn’t possible. I sold a rental property for $1,000 down because I trusted the buyer to make the payments, and I wanted the 9% interest and higher price. He could have gotten a cash-advance on a credit card for another $30 per month and made it a “0-down” deal. “No money down” means none of YOUR money down, and yes, it happens.

3. “0 down” is the best way. If you don’t invest some of your own money, you’ll have higher payments. You’ll also spend more time finding suitable properties, and pay more for them (generally cooperative sellers want more for their cooperation – I do). There are 0-down deals out there – they just aren’t always worth doing.

4. You need experience. Experience helps, but you get it by investing. Start with common sense, ask how you can lose money, be willing to learn the numbers, and you can start where you are.

5. Some investors have a “knack” for making money. Sort of. More accurately, some just took the time and risk to learn the market and continue their education.

6. You need to know the “right” people. It helps, so start the process. Talk to investors, real estate agents, landlords, etc.

7. You have to be great negotiator. If you learn to run the numbers and make the offers based on them, you can be the worst negotiator and still do okay.

8. You need insider knowledge. Understand one deal, and you are on your way. Read and read more, but the best “insider” knowledge comes from experience.

9. Fixer-uppers are safe. People have the idea that doing the work themselves is the safest way to assure a profit. Not true. Mis-planned “fix and flips” have bankrupted even experienced investors. Most poorly purchased rental properties will only eat a little money every month.

10. The key is lowball offers. The numbers have to work, and you need a plan. You can offer MORE than the market price and make money investing in real estate, if you understand creative financing – and how to do the math.

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Be a Juggernaut of Goal Achievement

Setting goals is one of the most important keys to achieving success. Did you know that less than 3% of people have written goals? Studies have shown that the most successful people are the ones who have specific, written goals.

Setting a goal is not like a New Year’s resolution. That is just a wish. Just wishing and hoping for something isn’t going to make it happen. Setting a goal is having a target to shoot for and a plan to get there.

When planning your goals, choose which categories you would like for your goals. Establish the time frame. They could be lifetime goals, 10 year, 5 year, 1 year, 6 month, 3 month, 1 month or weekly goals. Also you can have ongoing goals, such as exercising 3 – 5 times a week.

Be specific when you write your goals. Don’t just write down “I want to lose weight.” Write “I will weigh 180 pounds by July 2007. Make sure your goal statement is positive. Don’t say, “I don’t want to be fat.” Say “I will be a healthy 130 pounds by May 2007.

The achievement of a worthwhile goal can seem daunting at first. The easiest way to proceed is to break your goal down into smaller steps. Start with the first step then move onto the next. When making your plans, a good way is to start is from the end part and work your way to the present.

Measure your progress. After you complete a step, check it off. Watching steady progress is a good motivator. A simple example could be if your goal was to be able to do 100 continuous pushups, you could mark off the milestones of 25, 50, 75, 80, and finally 100!

Don’t be discouraged by setbacks. All successful people experience setbacks, disappointments, and failure along the way. That’s just part of the process. That’s part of learning. Many times these act as course corrections to get you back on target.

There are several success principles used in goal achievement. One is properly programming your mind. You need to review your goal morning and at night before you go to bed. Have your goal written on a 3 x 5 card so you can review during the day. At night, ask your subconscious mind for solutions to problems, and methods or tools for helping you achieve your goal.

Another important principle is that of persistence. No one has enjoyed great achievement without persistence.

“It’s hard to beat a person who never gives up”
Babe Ruth

Do something everyday towards your goal. A day’s action puts you one step closer to your objective. Doing something everyday creates a momentum that is hard to stop.
When it comes to achieving, you need to think of yourself as a huge, monolithic juggernaut! Moving relentlessly toward your objective. Unstoppable! your goals, you need to think of yourself as a huge, monolithic juggernaut! Moving relentlessly toward your objective. Unstoppable!

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Starting a Business – What is a Business Plan?

So you’ve decided to start your own business – congratulations! It’s a huge leap from letting someone else take care of taxes, accounting, payroll, inventory, and/or a myriad of other activities necessary to run a business. However, running your own business has its advantages, too. You get to be your own boss, set your own hours and days to work, and are responsible for your own success. It can be a great way to free yourself from the tedium of 9-5 and work at doing what you love, but you have to begin by asking a few questions:

1. Are you doing what you love, or just doing something you’re good at? A desire to get away from the regular working world can be a good motivation to work for yourself, but you have to be excited to get up in the morning to do what it is you have chosen to do for a living.
2. What is it you are planning to do? What niche is it going to fill? Is there a need for what you can provide? Will the market bear another entry?
3. What technical skills or talents do you have? Just being able to do something may not be marketable enough to convince customers or financiers that you are a good financial investment.
4. Who are your competitors in your chosen profession and how are you going to do it better? Why should customers come to you? What do you have to offer that no one else does?

Once you are satisfied with the answers to these questions, it is time for the decision of what kind of business structure you will use. Will you be a sole proprietor, responsible for every facet and the penultimate authority as to how to run the business? Will you enter in with a partner, the better to share the cost and workload, but also the profits and the business decisions? Perhaps the decision will be made to incorporate, with its financial safeguards but more complex and costly structure? At this stage, legal advice is recommended, if only so that you fully understand the advantages and disadvantages of your chosen structuring plan. Many lawyers will provide a free or reduced-rate primary consultation, though often not more than an hour. When the structure is finalized, a name for the business should be decided upon, if not already having been done so in advance. It should be easy to remember, avoid initials and single letters (B & L & R, Inc. will be difficult to remember for customers) and try to say something about the business (Bob’s House of Hobbies is easier to remember and spell).

Next, a business plan is a vital step in laying out all these topics and proposals in a standardized format. A good business plan serves as a formal statement of the new company’s goals, financing, structure and legal considerations. It acts as a “resume” to prospective investors and is the primary documentation they will use to evaluate whether or not your business will be worth investing into. It also provides the proprietor(s) with a chance to see the workings of the new business in black and white. A basic business plan should at the least contain a balance sheet, income statement and statement of cash flow, as well as a proposed financial budget for the first year, or as long a period as necessary if a year is impractical.

So with these quick tips, plan for success, and good luck in your chosen endeavor!

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3 Steps to picking the right auto insurance

1. Avoid the rush

Very often with picking auto insurance coverage we go for a quick fix and a cheaap price. The auto insurance companies make alot of extra money off of us when we don’t take the time to hunt around. So try not to get yourself in a position where you need auto insurance right away. In some cases this part is hard to avoid especially when we are in need of cheap auto insurance before we go to court for a driving ticket or the state has a “no tags, no coverage” policy.

2. Read your auto insurance coverage agreement.

Even though most of us don’t understand insurance ocntracts. We should still take the time to read them. One of the things you can do is read it with a highlighting pen in hand. This is so you can highlight the parts you don’t understand. Then when you go back to the auto insurance sales person just ask questions about the highlighted areas. If they can’t fully explain them then you my want to speak with another company that can.

3. Weigh the cost.

Now that you didn’t rush to get your insurance, and you fully understand the auto insurance agreements. this is the must important step in picking cheap auto insurance. Find what the coverage will cost you then compare policies. Most companies give you a FREE cost comparison. I personally wouldn’t recommend it becaues they don’t give any details on the auto insurance coverage plan from the competition, which is a “no-no” in step 1.

So to appropriately weigh the cost you must ask these 3 things:

A) What kinda of auto insurance does your state require?

B) What kind of driver are you and how much coverage do you need?

C) What price can you afford on your budget?

Once ou have done the 3 steps you should have a cheap auto insurance
policy that is good for you , your car, and pockets.

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Which Free Guitar Tuner To Choose?

Tuner – quite unoriginal name of the program, at first glance you even can’t say what instrument is this tuner for, but the program arhive is called guitar.zip and the program name is “Tuner”, so you can guess it’s a thing which you are looking for… However, I would say it’s not worth downloading because sound quality is very bad and there is no feature to use microphone, so you must have an ear for music, but if you can tune by ear, why should you need tuner? One more thing, all the program is the main form and about window, so why the hell it weights 1,4 mb. This simple program even needs installation, but there is no shorcut to uninstall it. All in all, this is not a real guitar tuner, maybe a student’s try to check his programming skills.
Rating: 4/10
Download link: http://www.dreadscott.com/download/guitar.zip

Guitar Tuner – the design of the program is not so poor as the previous and sound quality is a lot better, you can choose between acoustic guitar sounds and electric guitar, but there is only one, standard E A D G B E tuning and again, no microphone feature. The same problem is in program size: 3,2 mb – I thought this software will have more features. In conclusion, Guitar Tuner is better than the previous application, but not a one I would use.
Rating: 6/10
Download link: http://www.gch-guitaracademy.co.uk/freeware/GuitarTuner.zip

Audio Phonics Guitar Tuner – Audio Phonics made a good job and created simple, full of features and the most important – free guitar tuner to meet all your needs. AP Guitar Tuner (only 1mb size) has got microphone feature, so you can plug-in your guitar directly to computer microphone or line-in port, or if you have acoustic, place the plugged in microphone near your guitar, and start the application. When you hit a string, program shows percents away from the root note, for example +15% means that your string is tuned too high. Moreover, there is over 40 tunings not counting a standard one and you even can create your own. The only minus I have found was not working “Help” button, but AP Guitar Tuner is too simple that you would need help, though it’s included in installation dir, called APGTHelp.htm. To sum up, this is a best choice out of three and I will use it myself.
Rating: 10/10
Download link: http://rhythm.harmony-central.com/~ftp/software/windows/guitar-bass/apguitargsetup.exe

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Why Haven’t You Already Attained Your Current Goal?

My personal experience has taught me that the first thing you should do when you set a goal is to ask; why don’t I already have that goal?

If you answer this question honestly then you will help yourself increase both the likelihood and the speed of getting that goal.

Why does asking this question help you?

Your life is the reflection of the inner you. Whatever you have or don’t have, whatever you have achieved or failed to achieve, whether you are happy, unhappy, or indifferent are all created first in your mind. This creation may be a conscious process or it may be subconscious but either way the life you live is a projection of who you are.

If you want to change something in your life then you need to change something in yourself first. One of the most difficult questions for most people to answer is; what exactly do I need to change? The easiest way to discover what needs to be changed is by examining why you don’t already have the target of your goal.

Because the inner you is resistant to change you may find yourself answering this question by giving a string of external reasons. This is perfectly natural but it is of little use to you. You may not have control over external situations but you do have control over yourself. For this reason all your answers need to be in terms of you and your role.

Telling yourself that you don’t have what you want because you don’t have the money to buy it may be true but it doesn’t bring you any closer to getting your goal. Take that “external” answer and reformulate it into an “internal” answer.

For example you may rephrase “I don’t have enough money to …” into “I am not managing my money effectively”. Or perhaps it could be “I am not taking the steps required to increase my income to the level I would like it to be.”

Notice that these are two very different rephrasings of the same external statement. When you state your situation from an internal perspective you are forced to look at the internal “why” that is specific to you.

Also, by rephrasing to an internal perspective you are pointed toward the actions that you need to take in order to achieve the goal. In the first rephrasing the action needed is to improve your money management habits. In the second rephrasing the action required is to make yourself more valuable to an employer or customer.

The question “why don’t I already have it?” works just as well for non-material goals.

Let’s imagine that you have set a goal to be promoted to a particular position in your company. When you ask why you don’t already have the position you will discover what you need to change in yourself in order to win that position. Let’s look at some example responses.

“The management doesn’t appreciate my value to the company.”

This is an external answer so let’s rephrase it into an internal response. Again there will be different rephrasing for different people but here are some possibilities for honest rephrasing”. – “I am not promoting myself effectively to management.” – “I am not demonstrating my skill set.” – “I actually need to increase my value to the company” – “I need to increase my people skills” And of course there may be any number of other reasons.

Now let’s make it a little more personal to you.

Take a sheet of paper and write a list of the reasons you don’t already have your current goal. Read the list and if any of those reasons are phrased in the external mode then rephrase them to an honest, internal reason.

Now you will have a valuable list of things that you can get to work on to make your goal a reality.

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Texas Holdem for beginners

Texas Hold’em has quickly become the standard poker game played.

Online poker practice tables offer the perfect way for new players to play and learn, and there are always experienced poker games support staff observing the tables ready to help with any questions about the game you may have. Most sites offer chat support and all you need to do is click live chat on the poker site at the table, and a member of the poker support staff will be called to assist you.

Texas Hold’em rules

The object of Hold’em is to create the best five-card hand using seven cards. A list of poker hand rankings can be found on the IPNPoker Network site. IPNPoker also has an interactive poker tutorial which is great for learning the poker games.

Once the game starts a dealer is assigned. At the end of each hand the dealer changes to the next player to the current dealers left. Knowing who is the dealer is important, as it indicates who posts the compulsory bets (known as blinds) before each hand, it also indicates who is first to act in each betting round.

In Texas Hold’em there are two compulsory bets that are made before the start of each hand. These are known as the small blind and the big blind. These are important as it means that there are chips to be won in every hand. The player to the immediate left of the dealer pays the small blind and the player to the left of the small blind posts the big blind.

In limit games the small blind is equal to half the size of the small bet, and the big blind is equal to the small bet. So at a $1/$2 table the small blind is 0.50c and the big blind is $1.

In limit games the size of the bet that a player can make in the first and second betting rounds is equal to the amount of the small bet of the table (for example in a $3/$6 limit game, the bet players can make in rounds 1 and 2 is $3). In the third and forth betting rounds, players can bet the value of the big bet (for example in a $3/$6 limit game, players can bet $6 in the third and forth rounds).

There is a maximum of one bet and three raises allowed in each betting round. (For example, in the first betting round of a $1/$2 limit table, a player will pay a maximum of $4 – a bet of $1 and three raises of $1). The exception to this rule is if there are only two players left in the pot, in which case there is no limit to the number of raises that can be made.

Hole cards and the first betting round

Once the blinds have been posted, two cards are dealt face down to each player at the table (known as “hole cards”). At this point the first betting round begins, players must make a decision on how to act based on the strength of their hole cards only.

The player to the left of the large blind is always the first to act in the first betting round. This player has the option of folding, calling, or raising the amount of the large blind. The play continues clockwise around the table until all players who started in the hand have called, checked or folded, and the amount put in the pot by each player still in the hand is equal.

The Flop and the second betting round

After the first betting round has finished, the dealer places 3 cards face up in the middle of the table – this is known as the flop. These 3 cards are shared by all the players towards make their final hands. Players now have 5 cards out of the 7 available and have a good idea how their hand is developing. At this point the second betting round begins.

In this and all subsequent betting rounds, the action starts with the first player still in the hand to the left of the dealer. This player can either check or bet (he can not raise as no bet has been made in the round, and he shouldn’t fold because it costs him nothing at that point to stay in the hand). As in the previous betting round, the play continues clockwise around the table until all players have called, checked or folded and the amount placed in the pot by each player still in the hand is equal.

The Turn and the third betting round

After the second betting round, the dealer places a fourth card face up on the table – this is called the turn card. Like the flop, this is a community card that may be used by all the players to make up part of their hand.

The players should now know the majority of their hand, as there is only one more card to come. The betting round here is the same as the third betting round, with the player to the left of the dealer acting first.

In limit games the size of the bet that a player can make in the third betting round and final betting round is equal the size of the big bet (for example in a $3/$6 limit game, the bet players can make in this round is $6).

The River and the final betting round

After the third betting round, the dealer places a final card face up on the table – this is called the river card. There is a final betting round, which is the same as the third betting round.

After this, each player makes the best possible 5 card poker hand out of the 7 available cards. Each player can use any combination of the 2 cards in their hands and the five cards on the table. The player with the highest ranked hand wins the pot. If two or more players have the same value hand, then the pot is split between them.

And the poker game goes on…

Once the hand has finished, and the pot has been awarded, the dealer button moves to the next player on his left. The cards are shuffled, the blinds are posted by the next two players, and the cards are dealt. The game continues as long as there are at least two players at the table.

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How to wear Capri Pants – Summer 2006

Capri pants are a style of trousers that end somewhere near the mid-calf and above the ankle. They are designed to show off the ankles and calves. They are comfortable, look good on young girls through to older women. They can look casual or elegant depending on the top and shoes worn with them. As capris make the legs look shorter, petite females should go for a longer style capri.

Capris should be close fitting, but not skin tight, and are straight legged or with a slight flare. Do not wear capris where the leg gets smaller or which have too large a flare. They should be made of lightweight material.
For the elegant look choose capri pants made of silk, linen or cotton.

Capri pants look best with flat shoes or shoes with very low heels – no high-heels and definitely no socks, and as capris are lightweight, trainers are out.

For the capri pants casual look on holiday or on the beach, wear canvas flat shoes or flip-flops.

For the more sophisticated look for pool parties, summer barbeques, nights on the town and evening parties wear strappy sandals, ballet slippers or backless sandals with the capri pants.

Tops worn with capri pants should always be simple and which do not show the stomach. For the elegant look, a long sleeved v-neck shirt looks great.

And remember those feet – when going out in sandals or flip-flops the feet must be pedicured and the nail polish unchipped.

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What To Look For When Choosing Discount Sun Glasses

The right pair of sunglasses can add that touch of style, that hint of mystique and make a statement that you have truly arrived.

But is that all a pair of sunglasses does, make you look chic? Your Eye ware does much more than that; they go a long way more than making just a fashion statement; they protect your eyes from harmful UV rays.

Sunglass lenses are made of glass or plastic that undergoes special hi-tech treatments. The colour and degree of darkness of the lens is an important factor when deciding the Uv Protection factor. So before you buy your favourite Gucci, Oakley, Ray-Ban or prescription or designer eyewear, check out whether they block at least 99 % of harmful UV rays. A simple way is to check is via the label.

Flatter your face and protect your eyes, with the latest styles. Sunglass trends are inspired from retro looks to street fashion. It is for you to decide whether you like aviators and oversized Jackie O frames, or the latest futuristic shield shapes, that have flooded the markets, recently.

Trendy tints are available, a dime a dozen. So, take your pick – wraps, shields, aviators, clip-ons, phew! The list just goes on and on. With the booming global economy, various brands of sunglasses have flooded the market, so it is always advised, that you are aware of counterfeits. Right from the street fashion of New York to the bustling markets of Shaghai, you can find the right choice, if you choose your pair of shades carefully, with a little bit of thought. Go ahead and pick the right pair for you today.

Frames form an integral part of any eyewear. Choose a pair of shades that suit the shape of your face. For example, a round face can carry off geometric shapes and ovals. An angular face looks better in rounder frames and the lucky oval faces can carry off, well almost any style.

Now we come to that important question, how much does one spend for a pair of dream shades? Well it all depends on you whether you want to go for branded fashion eye wear or not. It is always recommended that you go for a branded pair of sunglasses that are safer to use. Sunglasses make much more than a fashion statement they protect perhaps the most precious gift of all, your eyes. Always check for the UV rating of any brand. Also check for the right kind of lens color and frame. Your friendly optometrist will be able to help you out with your choice. Costly shades need not necessarily mean better shades. Search on the net, Splurge a little over $200 and you can get a designer name. Between $500 – $1000 you get into the really rarified zone of celebs. Even prescription sunglasses are available in designer labels. Go to the nearest Christian Dior, Oakley, Gucci, Gabbana, D & D, Polo or OKNY outlet and loosen those strings in your purse or wallet. You even have the option of online shopping for your favorite sunglasses and eyewear. Better still read those exhaustive product reviews on the net or in your favourite fashion magazine, before making your choice.

Over the years the eyewear industry has grown exponentially, literally exploding with a host of brands and designs. Whether it is prescription eyewear, designer eyewear or sunglasses, the styles have become better and the looks are getting ever more sophisticated. From being mere polarized glasses, fashion eyewear n sunglasses have become fashion accessories.

Do you know, we have spent from a few dollars to several hundreds of dollars for that right look?

So getting a right and bright look is not an easy task. Increasing globalization and competition has made the brands better by the day. Sunglasses are not mere fashion statements any more. They are proven protectors of vision. Isn’t it time you looked yourself straight in the mirror and said to yourself, go get the latest in eyewear. You deserve it!

Read more: What To Look For When Choosing Discount Sun Glasses

Arguments Steal Mind Power

Have you ever noticed that arguments are rarely “won?” Even if you think you won an argument, what did you win? If there really is a loser, he at least learned something, right? What did you get? Ego satisfaction, debating practice, and diminished mind power.

Arguing Diminishes Mind Power?

There are times when things need to be debated, but most of the time, it really isn’t productive. Do you want to argue the point? What do you get from a useless debate, and more importantly, what do you lose?

One thing is certain. A person listening to arguments can learn something from both sides, but what about the participants? If your opponent makes a really good point, do you say, “Hey, you’re right!” or do you more often just look for a better argument?

Arguing too much gets you in the habit of looking for arguments more than for truth. You also get deeper into your thinking ruts the more you defend a position. In a rut and ignoring the truth? If that doesn’t sound like it’s good for mind power, it’s because it isn’t.

Mind Power From Listening

If you say the moon is closer, and I say the sun is, one of us has to be right. If you say nurture is more important, and I say nature is, we’re both right. The first argument has clearly defined terms. This isn’t common, and even here, what’s the point of arguing?

In the second example, our arguments have to do with values and experiences. We’ve seen different things in life, and we could spend a lifetime defining “important,” or I could shut up and listen. My mind becomes more powerful with the addition of your ideas and knowledge. Listening is the better way.

To break the habit of arguing, purposely ask for peoples opinions, and listen without saying anything. You can ask them to clarify, but don’t offer one contrary idea. Do this enough, and you’ll be surprized how much you learn. Some of us are also surprized by how difficult this simple technique can be, but it works.

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Criminal Background Checks Being Considered for On-Campus Housing

Criminal backgrounds are now being executed to better assess who will be permitted for consideration of on-campus housing at the University of Akron, this semester.

The director of Residence Life and Housing at the University of Akron, through an email interview, had determined, from the applications of individuals, that forty of them had affirmed, “yes,” which is representative of a criminal history or record.

Although, most of the criminal histories were mostly petty offences, such as traffic citations and underage consumption; The conclusion was to meet with the students to discuss their offences and determine their eligibility for on-campus housing.

Criminal background checks, may better the housing of students by excluding those with criminal backgrounds. After a story written in the Akron Beacon Journal, it was found that four felons were living in the housing units in the UA. They were living with students who around the age of eighteen.

The background checks are to be performed upon students who apply for on-campus housing. However, Kent State University is one of those to inquire about criminal histories on the admission application, says the director of Residence Services at Kent State.

Yet, some undergraduate applicants may not be required to present a criminal background check, as they might not have filled out the admissions application.

John Messina, the director of Residence Life and Housing at the University of Akron, states the University is one of the first in Ohio to require part-time, full-time and staff working with students to have background checks.

http://www.backgroundcheckunlimited.com

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Office Operandi – Top 10 Tips For The Ultimate Office Layout

Modus Operandi is Latin for saying “Mode Of Operation”. Modi Operandi (plural meaning “Modes of Operation”) was a way that law officers would use to establish certain habits or characteristics that would define a criminal’s behavior. Observers of any kind can use someone’s MO as a manner to see how they function, and actions they take.

Office Operandi is my attempt to plot out the top 10 pitfalls or bad habits people make when selecting, buying, and organizing their office furniture for new home office. I will also explain why it’s a pitfall, which in turn will present a clear and simple solution for a Top 10 List, so listen up.

1- Office Budget: It may sound like a no-brainer, but I still have to mention it – with any project for the home or office, write out a budget. By establishing a rough estimate of what you have to spend it will establish guidelines for the project, in this case an office for the home.

2- Office Space: Map out and measure the space you have for your office. The space you have will influence what you buy. People many times will buy a desk or a chair that does not fit right in the space of the room. Always measure the room before anything. It gives you an idea what you can get and how much breathing room you need to work comfortably.

3- Office Essentials: Make a list of the things you really need in your office. Keep in mind at the core an office is a place to work and be creative or just simply buckle down. Fancy paperweights or other attractions that snag your attention are not essentials.

4 – Buy Smart: When buying your office furniture, please keep in mind that you don’t need the most expensive nor do you need the cheapest. Look for furniture that is built to last, by going with a trusted name. Stay away from dumping your budget into a $1200 office chair if you only have a $1500 budget. Remember to buy smart.

5 – Compare and Contrast: When you find the brand you want of a particular piece of office furniture – shop around. You would be surprised the varying degrees you can find the same item in a different place. Don’t buy in a rush or on impulses. If you are buying online check return policies and for things like free shipping. Don’t settle on the first thing you see when it comes to price but instead take a little more time to research it. In 5 minutes you may save $30 on the same office chair – It’s worth the double check for any product, especially online.

6 – Office Design: Buy furniture that is consistent. Having an office that looks the part goes a long way when you’re in it. If it looks professional, you feel professional. Always keep that in mind. It’s a common mistake to mismatch here and there; the end result is just that, a mismatched feeling for a place to get to work.

7 – Office Accents: This is the where you can place the left over money from your budget, and the most enjoyable part of building a home office. Weird lamps, interesting paperweights, hologram clock, or retro radio – anything that’s not a necessity but down right cool. Here is where you can go crazy to give it your personal touch.

8 – Do a Double Take: After you have all your pieces of furniture – Don’t open a thing! Measure the room again quickly and double check the items you purchased. It’s a common mistake people make when they open up a chair or a desk to find it’s the wrong item or they measured wrong. Sometimes the retailer may have made a mistake as well; it does not hurt to quickly go over things. It will not be fun to have a shredded box and put together a desk to realize you have one that’s 5 inches wider and won’t fit. Always, always, always take a recap.

9 – Putting it together: Two heads are better than one. If you have another person to help you assemble, then ask for their help. Lining up a desk and putting it together can be done with one person, but a lot of times less handy people end up with a desk that slightly rocks, or draws that don’t close all the way. Its better to have someone holding on to whatever is being pieced together. It will also pay off if you get lost on the instructions. There is nothing bad about having a helper, especially when lugging a desk around.

10 – The Home Office: Now that everything is done make sure you use it. The last step seems like common sense, but most home offices collect junk and paperwork but never see any real use. Enjoy the hard work you put into piecing together your home office. Enjoy!

So that sums it up, Office Operandi is a perfect observation of the bad choices people make when investing time and money into a home office. Follow this easy 10 step process to keep fresh some good things to think about to avoid the common pitfalls. Step 11 is for you to step out the door and get to work. Good luck and enjoy your new home office!

This article may be redistributed freely on the Internet as long as the links and copyright stays intact.

Copyright 2006 by Damon N. Burgess

Read more: Office Operandi – Top 10 Tips For The Ultimate Office Layout

A Time before Clock and Watches – A Series (part 1)

How Time Was Measured Before the Clock

How many times have you wondered, “What time is it?” and turned to your wrist only to find you forgot to put on your watch. We have become so programmed to know what time it is and schedule our lives around it that it is second nature to bend your arm, turn your wrist and get the answer. It has not always been so easy, or even necessary as you will see by looking back to a time before clocks and watches.

Like Night and Day

The precision with which we measure time today is light years away from how it was done, not so long ago. Time was once measured completely by the universe around us – and still is in a sense when you understand the science and physics behind the measurement of time and what makes a clock work (more on this in part 2). What earlier civilizations knew and relied upon each day was that the sun came up and went down and that block of time became a day. To measure greater expanses, the moon and its reliable cycles were also observed. The moon was used to measure the time period which came to be known as a month – more technically a lunar month of 28 days – or the time it took for the moon to go from new to crescent to full and new again.

Ancient Civilization

Even more than just observing the moon, sun, and planets, there are artifacts that show us that time was measured a bit more precisely. Early calendars and “clocks” were found in what is now Iraq, once the dwelling place of the ancient Sumerians, and consisted of a calendar that was divided into 30 day segments according to the cycle of the moon. It was then divided into 12 sections which corresponded to 2 hours of today’s time. Further, the calendar was sectioned off into 30 more parts equivalent to 4 modern-day minutes.

Stonehenge is located in England and was built more than 4,000 years ago. Not much is completely understood about this mysterious structure, but the way it is positioned has scientists believing that it somehow was used to record seasons and the phenomenon of lunar eclipses and the like.

Sundials

The Sumerian culture passed away without the information about their timekeeping being discovered until more modern times. The next phase of more precise time measurement was used by the Egyptians. They created the Obelisk around 3500 BC which looked like today’s Washington Monument, well-known to visitors of the Nation’s capital. This tall, tapered monument would cast shadows throughout the day, but was primitive still in how closely the time periods could be measured. It mostly reflected a change between morning and afternoon, and how the days would get shorter or longer with the seasons.

The sundial on the other hand was first used about 1500 BC and was a much smaller and more portable timekeeping device. It was divided into 10 equal parts with two additional segments representing twilight and dawn. The sundial itself then emerged from a horizontal plate to a bowl shape with pointer and inscribed lines to mark off the hours. It is believed that by 30 BC there were more than 13 different styles of sundials used in the evolving societies of Asia Minor, Italy, and Greece.

When one thinks about the precision of a finely crafted Swiss timepiece it is hard to imagine a time when time was so ambiguous. Could society function without time measurements to the very minute? Perhaps in another millennium society will wonder how we functioned living in just one time.

This is the first of a series of articles on the evolution of time measuring and how timepieces come to become what they are today.

Read more: A Time before Clock and Watches – A Series (part 1)

Man, the Microcosm; Part 5

Once the third-eye has been developed with the help of Kundalini, the Chrism oil, the secretions and magnetism of the head glands, and the brain-dews, man would be able to function in the higher worlds with full awareness. These various substances and energies are instrumental to man’s physical resurrection or etherealization. They are collected, blended, and released into the body through the third ventricle of the brain which, in one sense, represents the Holy Grail:

“Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.” (Psalms 23:5)

Hindu yogis call the brain-dews “soma” or “amrita.” It is the nectar or ambrosia of the gods. Manuals on yoga such as the “Hatha-Yoga-Pradipika” advises students to flood the body with it. A superior body of vitality and strength is acquired by the permeation of the blood with soma. Aging is arrested and, it is believed, immortality is acquired–this is the transformation of the natural body called “adhibhautikadeha,” into the divine body “adhidaivikadeha” as termed by Hindu mystics.

“It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.” (1 Cor 15:44)

“Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.” (I Cor 15:51-54 )

Filling the body with light-energy in the form of soma and Chrism oil is the means whereby the human is changed into the divine.Yogis believe that magickal powers are bestowed upon the individual whose physical body is transmuted into a higher form. It is thought that amrita flows profusely from the third ventricle by stimulating the palate and uvula with the tongue. This exercise is a fundamental practice among various mystical sects in India.

Symbolically speaking, the apron made of lambskin and worn by Masonic initiates during the performance of rituals is emblematic of the Chrism oil to be found in the loins. The covering of the nether regions represents the conservation of the precious energies to be found therein. In Esoteric Christianity, the baptism of Jesus in the River Jordon refers to the anointment within the cranium with the mystic waters of the Chrism oil (Jesus), and the brain-dews (Christ). Or in another sense, Jesus may represent “ching chi” and Christ to the fiery essence in the semen. This is supported by the Greek code-word IKHTHUS, which means “fish” but is also an anagram for the phrase in Greek: “Jesus Christ, god-saviour.” The fish in this context refers to the sperms in the semen and to its odour. As a side note, it would probably interest some that one of the original symbols for Christianity was the fish and not the crucifix. The mark of the fish is to be found in many early Christian tombs and gravestones.

Sutratma, Antahkarana, & the Permanent Seed-Atoms

Sutratma or amrita nadi, is the cord that connects the principles of Man like a string of beads; the principles and sutratma are symbolically speaking, the divine rosary. The purpose of sutratma is to spiritually link the Monad with the Quarternary via the Ego. Sutratma is the conveyor of divine substances from the Ego and the Monad to the lower principles. It terminates its lower end at Sahasrara–the crown chakra, and its physical counterpart, the pineal gland. It is composed of the higher energies of the various planes where it functions. In thickness, sutratma is said to be just a few centimeter in diameter, but is believed to have once extended to the size of Man’s body in past Golden Ages when Man was more spiritually oriented. The reduction of its size was one of the consequences of Man’s disobedience to the will of God, or the violation of the laws of the Cosmos. Sushumna in the etheric body is actually the extension of sutratma. Sutratma, the spiritual umbilical cord, is woven out of other thinner cords called the mental, emotional, and physical cords. The mental and emotional cords are the products of Man’s evolution. They have their upper terminal points in the Ego. They convey mental and emotional forces to the physical body. In bygone days, only the physical cord existed. In the Atlantean period, the emotional cord was developed. In this Aryan Age, the mental cord was formed. The next phase is the development of the spiritual cord called the antahkarana.

The physical cord originates from the Monad and it was bestowed upon Man when he undertook the work of evolving Divine Self-awareness. The physical cord is the rope of life; it is the cord that conveys a certain life essence. As Man develops spiritually, the cords will gradually improve in size and quality. Mental activity strengthens the mental cord, whereas emotional harmony and balance ameliorates the nature of the emotional cord. In the Old Testament, sutratma is referred to as the silver cord:

“and man goeth to his long home, and the mourners go about the streets; or even the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern. Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was; and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.” (Ecclesiastes 12:5-7)

The verse above also refers to the fact that the silver cord is detached from the physical body during the process of transition. So long as this cord remains intact, life within the body is sustained, even should Man fall into a cataleptic state with the appearance and clinical pronouncement of death.

The Antahkarana, is the spiritual cord that at Man’s present stage of evolution, is in the process of becoming. It is called by some students of the occult “the rainbow bridge,” and is the actual pathway for the Christ substance, for the alchemical Azoth. Like the mental or emotional cord, it is created by Man’s efforts of obtaining his divinity and immortality. This cord begins in the heart chakra and is growing steadily towards the Monad–the pace of its own growth is in accord with Man’s spiritual works and aspiration–these being meditation, prayers, service to humanity, and a spiritual way of life. Each step of Man’s spiritual progress increases the extension of this spiritual cord towards the One. The Antahkarana is an independent cord but will later merge into sutratma like the other cords. When it does so, Man’s human nature would be transformed into divine godhood. We see, therefore, that there are four cords associated with Sutratma, three of which are already interwoven and merged into Sutratma.

The three cords, mental, emotional, and physical–or the “life cord” as it is usually called, function analogously, in one sense, to anchor-ropes; the anchors in this case are the Permanent Seed-Atoms.

Permanent Seed-Atoms are Man’s “Book of Life.” They record Man’s physical, emotional, mental and spiritual development. In Christianity, they are refered to as the “recording angels” that note every thought, feeling and action of Man. There are three Permanent Seed-Atoms that play a role in Man’s spiritual development; these are the Mental, Emotional, and Physical Seed-Atoms. The Mental Seed-Atom is located in the pineal gland, the Emotional Seed-Atom is to be found in the apex of the liver, and the physical seed atom has its abode in the right auricle of the heart. Some schools of occultism teach of an “Etheric Seed-Atom” that has its place in the spleen.Other Seed-Atoms may gradually come into existence as Man’s spiritual development continues to progress. Permanent Seed-Atoms are composed of the substances of their respective planes. The Physical Seed-Atom, for instance, is formed out of the energies of the physical plane. Seed-Atoms in general, registers and preserves the quality, nature, frequency and blueprint of their associated principles. They conserve faculties, talents and abilities formed by the incarnating Ego. The Seed-Atoms are stored in the Causal body when Man is not incarnated in the physical plane. This is symbolised in the allegory of Noah’s Ark that preserved the seeds of animals for a new life-cycle.

Each incarnation improves the record of a Seed-Atom, and each Seed-Atom, as a blue-print, builds what is contained in its memory banks. Seed Atoms carry the vibrational nature of their associated principles. Principles are formed with the same vibrational frequencies of those Seed-Atoms. The quality and form of a manifested principle depend very much on the stored blueprint in the core of the Seed-Atom. The more perfect the blueprint or archetype, the more perfect the principle. Blueprints are improved as Man develops his mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual quality. The contents of seed atoms are the pabulum that nourishes the Ego and builds the Causal Body. St. Paul was aware of the existence of Seed-Atoms. In one of his letters to the Corinthians he declared:

“And to every seed his own body.” (I Cor 15:38)

When Man commences a cycle of incarnation, it is the Physical Seed-Atom that first descends and gives life to a spermatozoon destined to unite with an ovum. A few months later, the Emotional Seed-Atom is implanted into the growing fetus. The pregnant mother then begins to feel the movements of her growing child within her. At the time of birth, the Mental or Consciousness Seed-Atom is anchored into the head center of the infant. In the process of transition from this plane, the Mental-Seed is the first to be released. The Emotional Seed-Atom follows not long after. When the last Seed-Atom leaves the body, the silver cord snaps. The death process itself is triggered with the release of certain information from the Physical Seed-Atom. This information is conveyed to the glands where they produce the hormones necessary to assist the release of the Seed-Atoms from physical anchorage and trigger the death-process.

Seed-Atoms are programmed by the Soul to release certain pulses of information at stated times. These pulse-information manifest in Man’s psychological and physical structure as certain formations, abilities, liabilities, talents or limitations. In the Physical Seed-Atom we also find records of Man’s karma. Man’s karmic sins returns to him when the consequences of his actions are ripe for manifestation. Waves of electromagnetic energy, representing the records of karma, issue from the Seed-Atoms. These waves of energy infiltrate into the bloodstream where they stimulate the endocrine glands. These glands then secrete the appropriate balance of hormones to manifest the nature of the effect of the karmic cause, whether for good or ill. Knowledge of the Physical Seed-Atom located in the heart prompted a Hebrew sage to write about it:

“Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” (Proverbs 4:23)

The Causal Body & Electronic Belt

Man’s good works do not pass unrecorded. They are the energies that he uses to build the “temple not made with hands,” the Causal body. In each incarnation Man is alloted a certain amount of energy; this is his capital, so to speak, which if used rightly in accord with divine laws and rules in investing and building constructive and creative projects of the Soul, he would prosper well. Energies rightly used acquire a greater value and are deposited into the Causal body, the cosmic bank. These energies are our spiritual treasures that we lay in heaven. When Man passes through transition he takes away nothing along with him accept his karmic deeds, his experiences, memories, and his newly attained stage of soul development. Each incarnation never fail to beautify and glorify the Causal body, for in each embodiment Man does perform some works of righteous, beauty, and love, no matter how far he has strayed from the path of Truth.

The Causal body, as mentioned before, is the repository for the Seed-Atoms. These seeds are stored when Man is in the state of repose, the state of pralaya of the cyclic law of Activity and Rest. This Causal body is also the vehicle for the Ego and Monadic energies of the higher mental plane. In Conte de Graal, one of the Holy Grail stories written by Chretian de Troyes in the late 12th century, portrays the Holy Grail as being carried by a virgin in a procession. Esoterically, this virgin is the Monad, the Virgin Spirit that bears the Causal body, the Holy Grail with its contents of divine nectar–the Egoic energies, spiritual seeds, and the energies related to one’s spiritual development. To drink the nectar from this chalice in this physical plane through meditation and prayer is the act of invoking additional spiritual energies, additional capital to fulfill one’s destiny on this mundane sphere. Only a person of purity may discover the Grail and be its bearer. As the Quarternary is purified of all mental, emotional, and physical impurities, the qualities of the Causal body, the holy blood, are poured into it like a celestial cornucopia pouring its abundance into the chosen one, into the knight who becomes a Grail King thereafter. As can be seen from this, the Causal body is a two-way relay station; it is a transmitter and receiver of divine energies. In the Old Testament of the Christian Bible, God spoke through Isaiah concerning the bestowal of the gifts of the Causal body in this symbolical manner:

“And I will give thee the treasures of darkness [that which is unmanifested on the physical plane] and hidden riches of secret places [spiritual dimensions], that thou mayest know that I, the Lord, which call thee by thy name, am the god of Israel.” (Isaiah 45:3)

The quest for the Grail is the lifetime search for one’s immortal nature. Socrates, the ancient Greek sage, taught of the possibility of retrieving previous knowledge and talents of the Soul. Where former spiritual knowledge gained by the Soul of Man was concerned, he believed that it was only necessary to discuss upon cosmic truths to awaken the memory of one’s previous attainment.

The Causal body of a spiritually developed individual, manifests as concentric rings or spheres of multicolored, multidimensional fire. In the microcosm of an unevolved man, however, it is a colorless ovoid without any hint of its future glorification. St. Paul was, therefore, right when he declared that one star or Causal body differs from another in glory:

“There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory.” (1 Cor 15:41)

It is the incumbent task of Man to endow his holy temple with divine lights and to decorate it with jewel ornaments, for this is indeed the New Jerusalem:

“And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass. And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald; The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst. And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass.” (Rev 21:18-21)

Coloured gems of the rainbow within the Causal body, metaphorically speaking, represent various aspects of man’s spiritual development. Yellow, for instance represents the development of man’s spiritual intellect. White, on the other hand, is the color of the unfoldment of purity. Pink is the color of divine love and compassion, whereas blue is the color of the will. The Causal body also manifests colors that has no earthly counterpart.

The Electronic Belt is the antithesis of the Causal body. While the Causal body stores the righteous works of Man, the Electronic Belt stores and records his “wickedness,” the energies that he misqualifies; all of his negative karmic deeds. We all know that particles light in weight, such as those of hydrogen and helium, rises into the air. Conversely, heavy particles sink to the ground. The Electronic Belt is composed of such dense particles, and as such, they accumulate at the lower half of Man’s physical body forming a shape like a large cauldron. All of the dross of Man manifests as heavy atoms, molecules, and dense energies. Unless purified and destroyed by the burning action of the Holy Spirit which we visualize and invoke by prayers, decrees, and words of power, the Electronic Belt will continue to bind Man to mortality and prolong his stay in Samsara–the lower planes. Its dissolution will release Man to ascension’s Light.

[Note: This paper contains images which may be seen as originally published at our website]

Copyright © 2006 Luxamore

Read more: Man, the Microcosm; Part 5

The Winner’s Edge — How to Have Charisma

We’ve all seen people who light up a room when they enter it. They draw others to them and at the same time make them feel more alive and energized.

These people have charisma.

“Charisma is a magic quality nobody understands completely. It magnetizes people and makes everybody feel stronger, more powerful, more beautiful and more successful. It’s a kind of magic that pulls people in,” says psychologist Dr. Doe Lang, author of “The New Secrets of Charisma: How to Discover and Unleash Your Hidden Powers.”

One of the most intriguing aspects of charisma is that we all have it. “It’s part of our birthright,” Lang says. “Many people don’t know they have it and can barely imagine having it.”

The good news is you can develop your own charisma. “All of us have a secret garden of the heart, which is charisma. “We have it when we resonate with love as an energy and a talent. This is our own best self,” Lang says.

We can generate charisma when we make a difference in other people’s lives. “To have real charisma is to connect with other people. In order to become more charismatic, first cultivate self-acceptance and then compassion for others, Lang advises. “Have gratitude for what you have and for what you can do for others,” she says. It gives you a grater sense of authenticity. If you can truly embrace that and give your gift to other people, nothing can stop your radiance. People will want to be with you and need you.”

Another component of charisma is confidence. One way to increase confidence is to find out what you are really passionate about and do it. “A lot of people only think of what they should do and never ask ‘what will give me a big charge?’ Follow your bliss and you bring other people with you,” Lang says.

Composure is another component of charisma. All too often though, our hectic lives create too much stress, which kills charisma. “When you are stressed, you are so busy monitoring your own lack of composure you can’t tell what other people are feeling,” Lang says.

A great way to become calmer is to slow your breathing. If you are breathing more than 18 times a minute you are under stress. Also, you are breathing from the top of your lungs, which does not release stress hormones, according to Lang. When you slow you your breathing to seven times or less, the pineal gland in the brain becomes more active.

“You become more creative and instinctively know what do in a situation. You instinctively know what other people are feeling,” Lang says. Another stress reducing technique is what Lang calls the Emotion Cooler.

To do this technique, put your thumb on your right nostril. Exhale a long, slow breath. Imagine that you are exhaling a black cloud of negativity. As you inhale, imagine a golden globe of light around you. Slowly inhale that light through your left nostril. This technique accesses the right side of the brain, which the region of creativity and holistic thinking.

“If you do this 26 times, it will give you a sense of control and puts you into an optimal state,” Lang says.

Another key component of charisma is to become aware of your own value. When you truly value yourself, others will value you. “Very often, in this competitive society, people get stuck in comparisons. They are not as rich, as bright or as pretty as someone else. They lose sight of their uniqueness. They feel envious, resentful,” Lang says. “It is very important to recognize that each of us has our own path and can produce our own destiny.”

So follow your own path. Honor yourself and others, and you will have charisma.

Read more: The Winner’s Edge — How to Have Charisma

Does Dynamometer Testing Damage The Car?

There is no actual proof that dynamometer testing might damage the car in any certain way.

While performing tests, dynos don’t interfere with the engines performance and more importantly, don’t do any damage to it. Some of the things that may cause damage to engines are over-revving, excessive heating, shock loading or incorrect fuel or ignition settings. If however your engine malfunctions after performing a dynamometer test, it’s almost certain that the testing, if properly done, wasn’t the cause of the damage.

It is more likely to damage your engine when you drive your car on the road than when you test it by the means of a dynamometer under controlled artificial conditions. You should always make sure that the dyno operator is a trained professional and that the dynamometer has an appropriate cooling system. A 60 centimeter diameter fan is appropriate for a power run. It will prevent the vehicle from overheating.

However, you should keep in mind that dynamometer testing and setting up race cars and bikes require more controlled testing conditions. A bike or car that heats up after a few hours testing suffers from heat soak into the transmission, bodywork, engine block, oil, and so on. This interferes with the amount of power produced, and influences the accuracy and the objectivity of the performance test. To make sure everything will go smoothly while performing your tests on engines, you actually need a wind tunnel in which you should manipulate your dynamometer. When you are driving on the road at full power there is a lot of fresh air that surrounds and cools the entire vehicle, and you should do your best to recreate some of these natural conditions when you perform your tests.

If your dynamometer or the place you go to in order to get your car or bike dyno tested does not have suitable working conditions or lacks an appropriate cooling system, it is not advised to perform any tests. The problem concerning the damage done by dynamometers on the tires is more debatable. Tire manufacturers recommend dynamometer owners to replace tires after every test performed. They claim that the tires design is not intended for purposes like dynamometer testing and say that the heat or tire deformation could damage the interior structure. Due to these facts, they strongly recommend replacing the tires after testing.

However, this should be done more as a precaution, and if the tires are rather new, well designed dynamometers should not damage them. Just to make sure that everything is in order, remember to always check the tires condition after every test you perform.

Read more: Does Dynamometer Testing Damage The Car?

How to Discover Your Life’s Purpose from Today’s Leading Experts

Do you know your life’s purpose? Most people, at some point, wonder what theirs is. We search for meaning and hope that our lives carry special meaning. We sense, at a deep level, there is MORE to life. We can feel it.

Discovering your life’s purpose is more like putting together a big puzzle then it is finding a needle in a haystack. Like a puzzle, you need to fit the right pieces together and in time a picture starts to emerge. The picture that emerges will be made up of your special interests and talents and preferences. It will represent the whole of your life. Every piece is needed.

Unlike a puzzle you buy off a store shelf with all of the pieces already contained in the box, the pieces to your life purpose puzzle come to you one at a time, over a period of time. You will get each new piece when you are ready for it and not a day sooner. And unlike the puzzle you buy off the store shelf which supplies a picture of what the finished puzzle should look like, your life purpose puzzle has no such guide available. The picture that emerges will be one of a kind and each new piece will add depth and meaning to the whole.

The following experts have written about discovering your purpose in great detail. Below is a condensed version of their formulas and philosophies for discovering your life’s purpose.

Richard Bolles

Richard Bolles is most famous for his yearly job-hunting book, What Color is Your Parachute.

His formula for discovering your life’s “mission” is as follows:

1. To stand, hour by hour in the conscious presence of God, the One from whom your Mission is derived.

2. To do what you can, moment by moment, day by day, step by step, to make this world a better place, following the leading and guidance of God’s Spirit within you and around you.

3. a) to exercise that Talent which you particularly came to Earth to use – your greatest gift, which you most delight to use,

b) in the place(s) or setting(s) which God has caused to appeal to you the most,

c) and for those purposes which God most needs to have done in the world.

Whew! That’s a mouthful. Basically he is saying we all come here with a purpose to somehow SERVE our fellow man. We are given unique talents that, when leveraged, will be HOW we serve our fellow man. Our talents will provide the vehicle through which we express and share our gifts with others.

Special note: In What Color is Your Parachute the following quote can be found which offers a simple formula for discovering your purpose:

“The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.” Fred Buechner

Jack Canfield

Jack Canfield is America’s Success Coach and co-founder of Chicken Soup for the Soul.

Canfield sums up purpose this way:

“You were born with an inner guidance system that tells you when you are on or off purpose by the amount of joy you are experiencing. The things that bring you the greatest joy are in alignment with your purpose”

Read more: How to Discover Your Life’s Purpose from Today’s Leading Experts

Overcoming Self Defeating Thinking

Born to Win

You were born to win. Your creator has given you everything you need to be happy and successful. You can change your life. You can change from being average or above-average to a winner. You can achieve ultimate happiness and success. A total winner enjoys success with work and love. A total winner is someone who is having a great time achieving vocational goals and personal and family goals. A total winner achieves ultimate happiness and success.

Your Internal Messages

Do you remember your parents and other important people saying personal things about you? I vividly recall my beloved aunt Julie looking straight at me with her vivid blue eyes and saying, “You can be anything you want.” I know that has been a strong positive influence throughout my life.

I also remember my stepfather telling me many times, “Don’t get too big for your britches.” This also has influenced my life, but in a negative way. Negative messages like this are called injunctions.

Some injunctions are less direct. Families may say something like, “Our family has always been members of the working poor,” “Women belong in the home,” or “Business people are just money grabbers.”

You also tend to treat yourself like your parents treated you. If they were kind, encouraging and supportive, even when you made mistakes, you will treat yourself the same way and feel good about yourself. On the other hand, if your parents were harsh, critical and demeaning, you will tend to do the same thing to yourself and feel badly about yourself.

Feeling badly about yourself hurts your self-esteem. In my previous newsletters, I explained how high self-esteem correlates with high achievement. Do you feel like you are still being influenced by negative messages from your family? Your negative messages create self-defeating thinking and beliefs. They will stand in your way of achieving ultimate happiness and success. To overcome their influence, you first have to become aware of them and replace them with positive messages. This is not an easy task without the help of others — a professional trained in this area.

Freeing yourself from the influence of negative messages is essential if you want to have a positive self concept that empowers you to be a winner.

Summary

You were born to win, but negative messages from parental figures can block you from your birthright-ultimate happiness and success. You need to become aware of these messages and take steps to replace them with positive messages.

Read more: Overcoming Self Defeating Thinking

Can You Buy Good,Cheap “Adjustable Beds”? Why Not?

By: Emmanuel DeFreitas

Adjustable beds no doubt come in a wide assortment of models, styles, and a plethora of amazing features. Unfortunately, adjustable beds are also capable of causing severe bleeding of the average person’s bank account. If you love the advantages an adjustable bed can provide for you and your loved ones, there is an alternative to buying a brand new shiny product.

Cheap adjustable beds, or should I say, cheaper adjustable beds, are available from a number of different sources. In this article I will try to highlight a few sources where you can start your quest for the perfect adjustable bed at the perfect, or at least, affordable price.

I would definitely try looking in the classified ads of my local newspapers for used, second hand adjustable beds. I tried this myself in the local papers here in Toronto, and I must admit, the pickings were slim, but then again I only did this over a short time frame as research for this article. Hopefully, you will have more luck in your area. Adjustable beds come in two different types, either standard or heavy duty. For the average person or couple, the standard model is what you should be looking for.

One major advantage of finding a good cheap adjustable bed in your local area is that you will not have to worry about shipping costs. If you are a “tire kicker” like me, you will also have the opportunity to go and see, touch, lie in etc., your potential new adjustable bed before you buy. With a little luck, your search could end here.

If on the other hand you are unsuccessful with your local newspaper classifieds, there are always online websites like ebay that sell everything under the sun, including used adjustable beds. If you see an adjustable bed that catches your eye and fits your pocketbook, check out the packing and shipping costs. This is very important. Make sure the seller tells you exactly how much it will cost you to have the adjustable bed packed and shipped to your home. Ask the seller what kind of warranty or guarantee he is willing to give you, to make sure the frame and mechanical and or electrical gizmos work properly, to at least ease your mind. Last but not least, if for some reason you are unhappy with the adjustable bed when you receive it, ask the seller what will it cost you to ship the item back so you can recoup your money, Find out all this information before you even attempt to place a bid on any item.

One very important thing to keep in mind if you are looking for a cheap used adjustable bed. Do not even think of getting a second hand mattress. Ughh, the thought of lying on a mattress that was used, and possibly abused, by someone else conjures up thoughts in my mind that might keep me up tonight. So, now you have to factor in the cost of a new mattress. You cannot use a conventional mattress on an adjustable bed. It has to be an adjustable bed mattress because adjustable bed mattresses are specially designed to be flexible and contour to your body, fitting like a glove and easing stress of your spinal alignment. Just as in adjustable bed prices, adjustable bed mattresses come in a multitude of different materials, sizes and prices.

If you still have not been fortunate enough to find a cheap adjustable bed using the previous methods, you might have better luck looking for adjustable beds on sale or specials on discontinued models. For this you will have to do research on a site like mine.

Last but not least, “caveat emptor”, or, let the buyer beware. A cheap and good adjustable bed is a possibility, but it is ultimately up to you to find a good deal. Good luck.

Read more: Can You Buy Good,Cheap “Adjustable Beds”? Why Not?