Content Minders

Pilates is a wonderful system of exercise and strength training developed by Joseph Pilates. In recent years, it has become one of the most popular exercise systems in the world. Pilates studios have opened in cities all over America and beyond. Pilates training consists of over 500 individual exercises, all designed to help the individual develop core strength, flexibility, and balance.

There is also a system of philosophy that is integral to Pilates practice, known as mind/body fitness. It is very similar to Yoga or Tai Chi, in that it promotes a system of overall wellness based upon developing health from the inside-out. The purpose is to learn how to develop one’s mental ability in order to effectively control movement, and therefore achieve balance in body and mind.

The Pilates system teaches that effective exercise is based upon quality and not quantity. Each of the exercises is designed to focus on a core set of muscles. Most of the movements are performed slowly and with focused intent. Students are taught to view their bodies as integrated systems comprised of interrelated parts. In the practice of Pilates, focus is placed on coordinating muscles and improving joint flexibility. Pilates teaches the individual to work with their body, as opposed to against it.

Pilates exercise can benefit most anyone. Exercise can be adapted to accommodate people, regardless of their current physical state. Most students begin with an introductory mat work course. This course can be done in private, semi-private, or group classes. As the student progresses, exercises become more focused and advanced. There are also a number of equipment classes available for advanced students. These classes teach the proper use of equipment such as the Reformer or the Cadillac.

If you are looking for an exercise program that will help you build core strength, flexibility, and balance, then look no further than Pilates. People of all ages and physical conditions can benefit from these exercises. Pilates has helped countless people achieve balance in their lives. It comes highly recommended by physical therapists, athletic trainers, and fitness experts as a highly effective training and rehabilitation method. The future of your health is now.

When you are looking to purchase your prescription eyewear from someone on the Internet, there is only one place you should look at for your prescription eyewear needs, and that is Eyeglasses.com. Not only do they offer every possible style of frames that you could possibly imagine, but they make buying your glasses online the easiest possible way of buying your eyeglasses.

What Eyeglasses.com has done is absolutely revolutionary when it comes to helping you buy your glasses online. To this end, they offer more than just a bunch of frames and lenses for you to choose from, but they give you all of the information you will need to know about buying eyeglasses online. From explaining what information you will need in order to purchase prescription eyewear online, whether it be sunglasses or regular eyeglasses, to giving you advice on how to find the right frames for your shape of face.

On top of everything that Eyeglasses.com does to help you, their customer, to be able to easily purchace eyewear online, they take it one step further and offer a one of a kind Lens Wizard. This wizard is designed to help you figure out the best kind of lenses that you will need for your new glasses. Along with this Lens Wizard, Eyeglasses.com is fully aware of the fact that because you are unable to see the lenses on your face until they are finally delivered to you, they offer a complete refund if you don’t like your lenses, regardless of the reason.

What makes debt management a good way of getting through a financial downturn? In a word: affordability. A well-thought-out debt management plan offers borrowers a chance to bring their expenditure back in line with their income – something that’s particularly important when the cost of living is on the rise.

In August, the official inflation rate (CPI – Consumer Prices Index) reached 4.7%. In other words, the cost of living is going up quite quickly: nowhere near as quickly as it was in 1975, when inflation hit 25%, but a lot faster than a year ago, when it was under 2%. It’s normal for things to get more expensive, but when prices rise faster than salaries, people simply have less money left over (disposable income) once they’ve paid their essential bills. For people already struggling to manage their debt repayments, any decrease in disposable income can have serious consequences.

This is where debt management can help: when someone finds they can’t keep up with their monthly debt payments, they may be able to re-negotiate those payments. Basically, there are two kinds of debt management.

There’s what some people call ‘DIY debt management’. A borrower can call their creditors, explain why they can’t afford to keep on paying as originally agreed, and see what the creditors suggest. They might, for instance, agree to accept lower payments, freeze interest or waive charges.

Many people with financial problems prefer to ask debt management experts to talk to creditors on their behalf. Professional debt management organisations, after all, should have much more experience in this kind of negotiation. They may have long-standing relationships with creditors, which could help them reach an agreement that reflects both the individual’s needs and the creditors’.

There’s no universal agreement on which kind of debt management plan is better. Some people want to handle the negotiations themselves, and see no need to talk to debt management professionals. Others are happy to get them involved, whether it’s because they’re not confident discussing finances with their creditors, or because they want debt help budgeting and drawing up a repayment plan that creditors are likely to accept.

Either way, it’s important to realise that creditors don’t have to agree to any changes. They’re free to consider legal action if they think that’s the best way of recovering their money. But if the individual obviously can’t keep up with payments as originally agreed, there’s a good chance creditors will decide it makes more sense to amend the repayment plan. This is the point of debt management – the individual can bring their repayments down an affordable level, and creditors get their money back (even if it’s more slowly) without resorting to legal action and/or debt collectors.

For decades, tailgating has become bigger and better, as people spend more time and money on new and innovative tailgating supplies with each passing season. A lot has changed in the world of tailgating. Many people spend over $700 a year on food and supplies for up to 10 parties a season. Some fans take it to the extreme. It is important though to make sure your parties are about having fun.

Always be prepared. Make a list of the items you will need for set up, cooking, serving, and clean-up. Check off each as you pack. Remember to bring plates, napkins, towels, cups, utensils, first aid kit, trash bags, water, food storage containers, and damp towels to clean hands and face.

To be able to have a nice party, you need to have good supplies.

You might want to consider some of the following supplies that can be helpful in an enjoyable party:

Bar-B-Gater- this is an ultimate barbecue pit. You can use this with almost all vehicles. All you need is a 2″ receiver hitch that is common on most SUV’s, trucks and vans. The best thing about this is that, you can hook it up to your vehicle or unhook it from the vehicle when you are home again.

Tailgate Tables- this can be set up in seconds and it provides storage for eating and cooking utensils inside. This is a very convenient table to use that you can easily store in your vehicle.

A portable sun shelter system. It comes with a detachable bag and it is fully retractable with guy lines. The detachable bag unwraps and can also be turned into a personalized team banner.

Fan gate- this is a large banner and has a licensed logo printed on it. It straps to the tailgate of your pickup truck SUV or van.

TailGator Gas-Powered Blender- It’s a great gas-powered blender. It makes great frozen food for car races, camping, football games, kayaking, cross country skiing, or at picnics.

Car Flags- this help to identify if somebody is having a party from a distance. Your friends would never have to spend countless hours looking for your tailgate party at the lot.

Collapsible Cargo Bag/Trunk Organizer- in here, you can conveniently organize your party supplies and other important things you need.

Freedom grill- An easy-to-use grill, it connects to any 2″ receiver ball on your SUV, van or truck. You can “get your grill on” with this unique useful setup

Tepee Portable Restroom/Shower- this provides a common solution to restroom and shower facilities. A portable restroom, and this can be packed easily.

Pyrex portables food carrier set- this is where you can keep your cooked foods without any worries.

Keep it simple. Plan your menu or the things you need in advance by doing the prep work a day or two prior to the game or choose easy-to-tackle products that combine convenience with homemade taste. Be sure to give everyone ample time to eat, socialize, and clean up.

Having all these supplies ready for your party and definitely you will be having a great time. This is a one of a kind experience that you will definitely never forget.

And remember, the early bird gets the … bigger space!

Nicola Kennedy has been organizing tailgate parties and picnics for nearly 12 years. Her site TailgaterEssentials.info offers news, tips and great ideas about tailgating parties.

This article may be reprinted in full so long as the resource box and the live links back to TailgaterEssentials.info are included intact. All rights reserved. Copyright http://www.TailgaterEssentials.info

New Technology Enables Cost-Effective Deployment at Multiple Locations.

NextWest, Inc., the leading provider of IP-based business telecommunications and contact center systems, today introduced the latest addition to its PCXi IP-based PBX solution. Using a single trunk board, NextWest’s PCXi, with its newly introduced NextConnect architecture, provides 30 channel capacity for communications between headquarters and branch offices allowing businesses to implement branch locations without the high cost of installing separate PBX systems.

The PCXi system, already known for its powerful PBX functions, cost-effectiveness, reliability and ease of management, now brings enterprises the capability of incrementally adding up to 30 extensions to any remote branch location with full PBX features without installing a PBX at the remote location.

The NextConnect adapter converts 30-channel format to IP for low cost transport of calls between headquarters and branch locations, making affordable branch connectivity for smaller offices possible. Additionally, multiple sites can be connected with a three digit dialing plan, taking advantage of the lower costs of VoIP (voice over IP).VoIP capability is further enhanced by NextConnect support of both traditional and IP phones.

“We make it possible for enterprises to build their phone systems around their business, rather than their business around their phone system, as is so often the case,” said Matt Morales, NextWest COO. “Regardless of geography, number of employees, or number of locations, we adapt to the way your business operates.”

NextConnect is uniquely designed to take advantage of traditional telephone cables, eliminating the high costs of rewiring often associated with IP telephony systems. Working together with the NextLex extension box, NextConnect delivers affordable remote connectivity while requiring significantly less bandwidth than traditional IP.

Because the NextConnect adapter converts 30-channel format to IP, users get the full features and functionality of a PBX system with the cost savings of an IP system while using no more than 51Kbps of bandwidth for all 30 lines rather than the 20 – 120+ Kbps of bandwidth used by a single VoIP line in other solutions. QoS and security are maintained and DSL/cable connections, typical of small and medium sized business, provide ample bandwidth.

NextWest’s PCXi delivers a fully-integrated solution whose standard features are considered options on other systems and may be unavailable altogether on many VoIP systems. Standard features include auto attendant, automatic call distribution, caller ID, interactive voice response, fax on demand, voice and fax over IP, unified messaging, least cost routing, voicemail, conferencing, built-in music on hold and call and message screening.

About NextWest, Inc.

NextWest, Inc. is a leading manufacturer of IP-based business telecommunications and contact center systems. The company’s fully-integrated, IP and converged communications systems help small to mid-sized businesses, government agencies and other organizations to meet their changing telecommunications needs. With cost-effective solutions that are flexible, scalable, reliable and easy to manage, NextWest delivers uncompromising quality and features resulting in fast and quantifiable ROI. For more information about NextWest Business Phone Systems, IP Phone Systems, Advanced Voicemail, Conferencing Solutions, ACD, Reliable VoIP ( Voice over IP ), Advanced IP Predictive Dialers, IP Telephony, Blended Call Center Solutions, VoIP Call Center Systems, VoIP Phone Systems, IVR, Auto Attendants, CTI, Advanced PBX Features, NextWest PCXi, NextContact or any of our industry specific solutions call 1-877-I-GO-NEXT (446-6398), or visit our website at http://www.nextwest.com

Many of us recall old movie images of golfers in plaid pants, sweater vests, billed caps, and other stereotypical apparel of golfing lore. While clothing on golf courses has changed over the years, proper golf apparel is still expected. And the greater the prestige of the golf club, the greater the expectation you will abide by their dress code.

Most clubs and courses, even the public ones, require that golfers follow a dress code. The most common rule is the collared shirt. Many courses require long pants, not jeans, and golf shoes.

5 Minutes Early Is Late

When it comes to actually starting your game, the primary rule of etiquette is to show up on schedule for your tee time. That means you will have already done everything else in preparation for the start of the golf game. You’ll need time to park your car, warm up, practice, buy balls, change, and pick up a cart. Being early is a matter of consideration for others.

Leave Cell Phones In The Real World

The exclusion of cell phones from golf apparel is another common courtesy on the links. Cell phones should be left in your car or locker. If you do need to bring 1 onto the course for emergencies, keep it turned off.

When you’re on the course, you’ll need to understand how the other golfers in your group want to play. Some let the best score tee off on the next hole, while others let whoever is ready tee off first. You can offend players by not following their rules, even if their rules are, from your perspective, wrong.

Time-Honored Conventions Make Golfing Unique

An obsession with quiet is another characteristic for which golfers are known. Like most traditions, this one is based on necessity. When your object is to hit a small object with a long pole, you need all of your concentration. Even when golfing with friends, respect the fundamental rule of keeping quiet during shots, and standing out of the direct line of vision.

Today’s golfing rules of etiquette can seem archaic — a throwback to days of old. They harken back to a slower paced time when consideration for others was perhaps easier. In the 21st century, golfing provides us a time away from the bustle of everyday living. Though golf is highly competitive, it is, nonetheless, a gentleman’s — and gentlewoman’s — game.

Visit Golf Gear to learn more. Ron King is a full-time researcher, writer, and web developer. Copyright 2005 Ron King. This article may be reprinted if the resource box is left intact.

Did you ever wonder whats going on below the surface of a pond or lake?

Here is an easy way to find out:

Materials:

# Paper, pencil, clipboard

# One or more large juice or coffee cans

# Transparent plastic wrap

# Elastic band

# Waterproof tape or duct tape

Preparation:

1. Make a list of every plant and animal you expect to see below the surface

2. Remove the top and bottom of each can

3. For a long tube, tape two or three cans together

4. Cut a piece of plastic wrap so that it is 2-inches larger than the opening at the end of the can

5. Use elastic band to secure plastic wrap around one end of the can or tube

Testing this idea:

1. Take this apparatus and your list to the edge of a pond, stream or lake

2. Kneel down carefully and place the covered end of the can into the water

3. Look through the open end

What did you observe? Did you find what you expected to see? Did you see something you did not expect to see?

What would be different if you did this in spring, summer, autumn?

*In the Northeast USA you might see: minnows, tadpoles, frogs, sunfish, salamanders, garter snakes, crayfish, snails, mayflies – and underwater plants

For a half-century, writer and passionate naturalist JJ Murphy, has been providing nature programs, original curricula, articles, product reviews, books and open discussion to children and eco-aware adults across the USA. She lives in Harriman, NY. http://www.writerbynature.com Creative Content for Your Nature Endeavors

Born on June 19, 1979, Dirk Nowitzki is a native of Germany and currently plays for the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks. After applying early for entry into the 1998 NBA Draft, Nowitzki was selected ninth overall by the Milwaukee Bucks. He was immediately traded, however, to the Dallas Mavericks. He struggled during his early career, as many athletes do, but has since risen to become one of the top players in the league.

During his NBA rookie season, Dirk Nowitzki averaged 8.2 points per game. The following year, during the 1999-2000 season, found Dirk finishing second in the NBA’s Most Improved Player voting. That season, he played in each of the 82 regular season games and averaged 17.5 points per game, which was more than double his average for the previous season.

By the time the 2000-2001 season rolled around, Dirk Nowitzki became the first player in team history to be selected to the All-NBA team. At that time, he became the team’s leading scorer with an average of 21.8 points per game. In the 2001-2002 season, Nowitzki’s success continued to grow as he averaged 23.4 points per game. During a bout of misfortune, Dirk Nowitzki suffered an injury to his left ankle that kept him from participating in six games. This marked the first time he had ever missed a game due to injuries.

During the 2002-2003 NBA season, Dirk Nowitzki scored a team-high average of 25.1 points per game. In addition, he averaged career-high assists and steals. In December 2002, Nowitzki missed two games due to yet another ankle injury. This one, however, affected the right ankle, which was sprained during a December 10 game against the Clippers. When the 2003-2004 season was underway, Dirk Nowitzki was averaging 21.8 points per game. During a November competition, a right ankle sprain took him out of the game after only seven minutes of play. This injury led to five games being missed.

Today, Dirk Nowitzki averages 26.6 points per game, stands 7′ tall and weighs 245 lbs. He is a forward that can often be intimidating to opponents as he not only has the height to earn points, but to rebound with ease. Away from the court, Dirk Nowitzki enjoys reading and playing the saxophone. His mother and father, both skilled in sports, have two children. Dirk’s sister, Silke, works for the NBA in International TV. His father, Joerg, played handball and his mother, Helen, was a star player for the German women’s national basketball team. Just before joining the NBA, Dirk Nowitzki served a mandatory term with the German Army from September 1997 through June 1998.

Fans who would like to request a signed photo or simply send Dirk Nowitzki their best wishes are urged to do so in care of his NBA franchise team. If you are requesting an autograph, be sure to include a SASE (self-addressed stamped envelope) along with your request. It is recommended that fans not send an item that they could not afford to lose, such as prized possessions or limited edition collectibles. There is never a guarantee that an athlete will be able to accommodate every autograph request, which is why the most common items to send include a blank index card, trading card and/or photo. Letters and requests should be mailed to:

Dirk Nowitzki
Dallas Mavericks
The Pavilion
2909 Taylor St.
Dallas, TX 75226

Pacific Scientific HTL, an internationally renowned maker of aerospace safety equipment and military defense hardware, adopted lean manufacturing several years ago in an effort to reduce inventory levels and increase the speed of product through their plants. A key component of their lean journey was to institute a kanban system that would govern the flow of materials from their suppliers and through their facility. While visual cues governed their internal production kanban system, fax releases signaled their suppliers.

After a year and a half of using the paper fax release system, it was clear that it simply didn’t scale for PS/HTL’s 100-plus suppliers, more than 100 fax numbers over 3500 parts on kanban, and 2000 signals sent each month. With numerous points of possible failuredid a fax get sent? Was it received? Was it legible? Was it acted on?the system encouraged inefficient behavior all around.

Clearly PS/HTL needed a way out of the paper fax morass and into some kind of controlled, electronic kanban system. As PS/HTL’s Purchasing Manager Cari Gintz says, “What led us to decide to go electronic kanban, was sheer frustration and the need to start managing instead of reacting.”

A 20-minute webcast demonstration of Datacraft Solutions’ e-kanban product had alerted Gintz to a system that aligned perfectly with what PS/HTL needed: a system that was easy to learn and use for buyers, planners, and suppliers, and visible enough that everyone involved could do their jobs without constant confusion and supply worries cutting into productivity.

Datacraft Solutions and Gintz approached their work together as a project with measurable goals and a clear, phased implementation strategy. These were some of the specific goals PS/HTL targeted:

• Be assured of getting what’s ordered, and only what’s ordered, at the expected date • Handle the unpredictablespikes in demand and other exceptionspredictably • Get a clear picture of the health of every cell and kanban at any time • Automatically calculate expected-on-dock delivery dates based on replenishment lead times • Rapidly bring suppliers on board and provide them visibility of the kanbans they support • Shorten replenishment times based on true schedules rather than one-size-fits-all guesswork • Evaluate and motivate supplier performance based on accurate tracking of delivery times and quantities

Datacraft Solutions www.datacraftsolutions.com Matthew Marotta 800-819-5326

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Up until the recent past, those who wanted to take
advantage of a mobile phone, data organizer, wireless
e-mail with text messaging, web browsing and a digital
camera had to have separate units for each. With today’s
technology comes the Treo – offering all of those features
in one small hand-held unit. These pocket-sized marvels
even offer a fully functional standard keyboard, enabling
users to fulfill all of their communication needs as they
would from the PC at work or home. Best of all, it’s
incredibly easy to use!

The Treo offers a wide range of accessories and software
that will help to customize and enhance your hand-held
experience. Among these are cradles, cables, cases, belt
clips, car kits, headsets, headphones, SD/MMC cards,
e-books, games, specialized ring tones and travel software.
While these are add-ons, there’s also a wide variety of
built-in features, which include a To Do List, Memo Pad,
Advanced Calculator, CityTime World Clock, desktop
synchronization for Windows or Mac and calendar, to name a
few.

Starting – in some cases – at $299, this portable
communications center is well worth the price, and is
compatible with a number of different phone carriers.
Utilizing an infrared communications port and a
touch-screen with stylus, the Treo holds features that will
entice virtually every consumer. The possibilities are
practically limitless, when you consider the variety of
software options that are available (these, of course, will
have to be purchased separately).

Some of the styles of the Treo include the 600 and 650
models – the latter being a bit more advanced in its
technology. Prices will vary, depending upon model,
features and retailer, but some good sales can be found
online, if you have the time to do some research.

Treo 600 – Using a rechargeable lithium ion battery,
external battery packs are necessary in order to extend
battery life, since the original is built into the device
and, therefore, not removable. Upgrades of the internal
battery are available – for about $50 – replacing the 1800
mAh battery with a 2000, although the warranty will be
voided as a result of such an action. The standard battery
offers between five and six hours of talk time, but you
can extend the normal life by avoiding wireless activities
and playing the audio or video features.

Treo 650 – While the 650 model offers a 32 MB memory, only
23 of it is available to the user, and this model is not
upgradeable. An SD/MMC expansion slot is available,
however, which may allow you to add more memory or content.
An advantage of this model, however, is that it will be
available in multiple languages, including English, German,
Italian, Spanish and French. The Treo 650 CDMA model is
only available in English. This fully operational
communications center and handheld computer is among the
top of the line in portable communications devices.

Whichever model you prefer, you won’t go wrong with the
purchase of a Treo. Its compact, lightweight design and
comprehensive package is designed to meet the needs of
virtually every user, without the inconvenience of bulk or
exorbitant cost.

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(c) 2005 Simon Canfield – All Rights Reserved

Simon Canfield is a hi-tech enthusiast and freelance author.

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