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Even those who have never read the Bible will recognize it. Revered by the occult and feared by the superstitious, it’s a number forever linked with infamy. It is the number six hundred sixty-six. For over two millennia, this number has been used as a proxy for Satan himself. It’s been the subject of endless speculation, hearsay, and confusion.

And during this time, it’s been used to justify the false identification of hundreds, perhaps even thousands, of individuals as the Antichrist. These false identifications have only served to confuse people as to the original Biblical meaning of the number 666, and unfortunately, they also cause many to dismiss bible prophecy as a mere superstition of crackpots and conspiracy theorists.

So where does the number 666 come from? And what does it mean?

All the speculation concerning 666 comes from a single verse in the Book of Revelation. In a passage describing the Antichrist and his world empire, we learn the following:

“He required everyone - great and small, rich and poor, slave and free - to be given a mark on the right hand or on the forehead. And no one could buy or sell anything without that mark, which was either the name of the beast or the number representing his name. Wisdom is needed to understand this. Let the one who has understanding solve the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man. His number is 666.” Revelation 13:16-18 (NLT)

During the Great Tribulation, the Antichrist will require everyone on the earth to be given a mark on the right hand or the forehead. Those who refuse this mark will be unable to buy or sell anything, effectively cutting them off from all economic activity - the purchase and sale of food, water, shelter, and the basic necessities of life.

This mark will have the following characteristics:

1) It will be the name of the beast
2) It will be the number representing his name
3) It will be the number of a man
and
4) The number is 666

Let’s address each of these aspects individually in order to gain a firm grasp of their intended meaning:

The Name of the Beast

Who is the beast? Traditionally, “the name of the beast” is interpreted as being the name of the Antichrist, who is clearly referenced in verses 11-18 of Revelation Chapter 13 (this topic will be addressed in-depth in a later article). However, in these verses, the Antichrist is described as a second beast who exercises “all the authority of the first beast.” The first beast is described in verses 1-10 of the same chapter, but this beast does not represent the Antichrist as some believe, but rather the world empire the Antichrist will rule.

We know this because the first beast has “seven heads and ten horns” (verse 1), and this is a beast students of bible prophecy have seen before.

In the Book of Daniel, we are introduced to him as “the fourth beast,” a global empire that will destroy everything in its path:

“Then he said to me, ‘This fourth beast is the fourth world power that will rule the earth. It will be different from all the others. It will devour the whole world, trampling everything in its path. Its ten horns are ten kings that will rule that empire. Then another king will arise, different from the other ten, who will subdue three of them. He will defy the Most High and wear down the holy people of the Most High.’” Daniel 7:23-25 (NLT)

Does this fourth world power sound familiar? It has “ten horns” (Rev 13:1) and will trample everything in its path, probably prompting people to ask “Is there anyone as great as the beast? Who is able to fight against him?” (Rev 13:4). It will also devour “the whole world,” gaining authority over “every tribe and people and language and nation” (Rev 13:7)

We also learn that the Antichrist will “require all the earth and those who belong to this world to worship the first beast, whose death wound had been healed” (Rev 13:12). Who is this beast whose death wound has been healed? The wounded beast who will be resurrected is the fourth beast in Daniel 7 - the world empire of ancient Rome, which was never completely destroyed like previous world empires. In the last days, the Roman Empire will appear once again, and the world will marvel at its appearance.

Daniel confirms this when he states that the Antichrist will be a ruler from the people who destroy the Temple in A.D. 70 (Daniel 9:26). The Romans destroyed the Temple, and they will have a ruler once again in the last days, confirming that the Roman Empire must once again exist.

The Book of Revelation also predicts this resurrection of Rome:

“Five kings have already fallen, the sixth now reigns, and the seventh is yet to come, but his reign will be brief.” Revelation 17:10 (NLT)

The angel reveals to John that 5 of the kingdoms have fallen:

1) Egypt
2) Assyria
3) Babylonia
4) Medo-Persia
5) Greece

The sixth kingdom “now reigns”:

6) Rome (John’s vision occurred in the 1st Century, when Rome still ruled the known world)

And the seventh “is yet to come”:

7) The Revived Roman Empire

In the last days, this resurrected Roman Empire will rule all of humanity. Its reign will be brief, but it will be like no other kingdom before it.

The Antichrist will require all the earth and those who belong to this world to worship the revived Roman Empire, a global government that will rule “over every tribe and people and language and nation” (Rev 13:7)

So the “name of the beast” described in Revelation 13:17 is not the name of the Antichrist as widely believed, but instead, it will be a name associated with the world empire he requires the world to worship.

The Number Representing His Name

If the mark of the beast is “the name of the beast,” how can it also be “the number representing his name”? Ancient Greek and Hebrew, the two languages most associated with the Book of Revelation, both used an alphanumeric system in which each letter of the alphabet correlates with a number. What verse 18 reveals is that the mark, which is the name of the beast, will have a numeric value that can be calculated as the number 666. The only way to “calculate” this number is if it appears as letters that need to be interpreted in a numerical form. Therefore, we can say with certainty that the mark of the beast will not be a literal brand of “666,” but rather it will be a word or a phrase which when converted into its numerical equivalent will represent the number 666.

How this is properly calculated depends on whether or not John originally wrote the Book of Revelation in Greek or Hebrew. Tradition says he originally wrote the book in Greek. However, a strong case has been made that the book was originally written in Hebrew, then quickly translated into Greek. Not knowing for sure multiplies the difficulty of calculating the number of the beast, because each letter of the Greek and Hebrew alphabet is associated with a different numerical value.

The Number of a Man

If the number 666 represents the revived Roman Empire and not a man (the Antichrist) as traditionally believed, then why does verse 18 say, “…for it is the number of a man”? The answer is that some translations interpret this verse as “…for it is the number of humanity.” Either way, in both cases, the verse can be interpreted as “mankind” or the “entirety of the human race.” If this is the case, it tells us that the number 666 will not only be the name of the beast (the revived Roman Empire), but it will also be reflective of the entire human race, especially those who freely chose to accept it on their right hand or forehead.

When Daniel conveys God’s interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, the empires of the world are symbolized in the form of a statue - a statue of a man.

“Your Majesty, in your vision you saw in front of you a huge and powerful statue of a man, shining brilliantly, frightening and awesome.” Daniel 2:31 (NLT)

The association of this statue with mankind and world government provides a strong indication that the mark of the beast is more akin to the number of humanity, rather than any particular individual.

The Number is 666

>From Genesis to Revelation, the Bible associates certain numbers with an overall theme. The number six is often associated with mankind. For instance, man was created on the sixth day. Similarly, the number seven is often associated with perfection and rest. For instance, God rested on the seventh day.

In contrast to the number seven, six is viewed as highly symbolic of incompletion or imperfection. Just as man has “fallen short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23), the number six is symbolic of man’s shortfall of the perfection of God’s seven.

When the number six is repeated three times in the number 666, many believe it’s indicative of Satan’s attempt to imitate the trinity.

The Price of Accepting the Mark of the Beast

The Antichrist and his followers will pay a hefty price for accepting the mark of the beast. The Bible tells us that ALL who accept the mark of the beast will face eternal judgment for their decision. The following verses reveal the consequences of this rebellion against God:

“Then a third angel followed them, shouting, ‘Anyone who worships the beast and his statue or who accepts his mark on the forehead or the hand must drink the wine of God’s wrath. It is poured out undiluted into God’s cup of wrath. And they will be tormented with fire and burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and the Lamb. The smoke of their torment rises forever and ever, and they will have no relief day or night, for they have worshiped the beast and his statue and have accepted the mark of his name.” Revelation 14:9-11 (NLT)

“So the first angel left the Temple and poured out his bowl over the earth, and horrible, malignant sores broke out on everyone who had the mark of the beast and who worshiped his statue.” Revelation 16:2 (NLT)

“And the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who did mighty miracles on behalf of the beast - miracles that deceived all who had accepted the mark of the beast and who worshiped his statue.” Revelation 19:20 (NLT)

Acceptance of the mark is not a matter to be taken lightly. Anyone who accepts the mark denies Christ in favor of a false god. This decision, once made, is irrevocable, and the consequences are everlasting.

However, for those who refuse the mark, a future of eternal bliss awaits. Although they will suffer persecution to the point of death, their steadfast faithfulness in honor of Jesus Christ, will open the door to an eternity in the presence of God.

“Then I saw thrones, and the people sitting on them had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their testimony about Jesus, for proclaiming the word of God. And I saw the souls of those who had not worshiped the beast or his statue, nor accepted his mark on their forehead or their hands.” Revelation 20:4 (NLT)

These verses are clear. Under no circumstances should anyone, especially a believer in Christ, accept the mark of the beast. To do so, leads only to ruin.

Superstition Surrounding the Number 666

The world is filled with superstition, especially when it comes to numbers. Some feel the number 13 is unlucky, and they avoid anything associated with the number. For a lot of people, the number 666 has the same effect. But God makes it clear that we are not to fear this number. Having a license plate, a sales receipt, or a street address will the number 666 is nothing to be concerned about. Anyone who thinks so it attributing supernatural power to a number, and the Bible clearly states that believers should fear God, and God only:

“Do not fear anything except the Lord Almighty. He alone is the Holy One. If you fear him, you need fear nothing else.” Isaiah 8:13 (NLT)

Jesus underscores this command while teaching his disciples not to fear persecution:

“Don’t be afraid of those who want to kill you. They can only kill your body; they cannot touch your soul. Fear only God, who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” Matthew 10:28 (NLT)

The things of this world are fleeting, but the Lord Almighty, and He only, will determine our eternal destiny. Therefore, don’t be concerned with such trivial superstitions as the random occurrence of the number 666.

Conclusion

Ultimately, the true meaning of the number 666 will not become apparent until the Great Tribulation, when the Antichrist forces the world population to accept the number as a mark on the right hand or on the forehead. Contemporary attempts to calculate this number ahead of time as either the name of a person, human beings, or the revived Roman Empire, will only lead to frustration. Even worse, these attempts may end up having a negative impact in that, once proved false, they will damage the credibility of those who teach end times bible prophecy in general. If the devil can convince the world that bible prophecy is the exclusive domain of crackpots and conspiracy theorists, then he can snatch away a valuable tool for spreading the Gospel of Christ.

In the end, it is the duty of our generation to carefully examine the meaning of Revelation 13:16-18 and convey an accurate historical interpretation of these verses for others. If we succeed, the end times generation will have the ability to properly interpret the number of the beast. Because once the Antichrist arrives on the world scene and announces his intention to require the mark, it will become clear to everyone on earth what acceptance of this number really means. Whether the number of an individual, a kingdom, or mankind itself, acceptance of the number 666 will be tantamount to a public rejection of Jesus Christ.

Britt Gillette is the author of BrittGillette.com http://BrittGillette.com , a bible prophecy site where you can learn more about 666, the Antichrist, and end times prophecies: brittgillette.com/WordPress/?p=41 http://brittgillette.com/WordPress/?p=41

AP - Three Muslim men pleaded not guilty on Wednesday to charges accusing them of plotting to kill thousands of people and cause an economic catastrophe by blowing up John F. Kennedy International Airport.

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Do you want to stand out from the crowd in your business or personal life?

Does the idea of free publicity appeal to you?

One way to gain recognition and exposure for your business or your personal achievements is to distribute a media release.

The media are always looking for stories of interest to fill their newspapers, magazines, TV and radio shows. If you can offer them something that is newsworthy, topical, interesting or entertaining then you have a good chance of your story being used. Sending relevant media releases often ensures you stay top of mind with your database of media contacts and is great public relations for you or your business when your story is run.

Here are some good reasons to send a media release any time you have something interesting to say.

1. Continuous brand building. Anytime you get a media hit and your name is mentioned it will add to the public’s awareness of your brand and what you have to offer.

2. Credibility of your message. An editorial story is a lot more likely to be read and recognised than an advertisement. Seeing a story on the TV news or reading about it in the paper gives your product or message a lot more credibility.

3. Cheap. Certainly cheaper than advertising and free if you write and issue your media release yourself. You could end of with thousands of dollars worth of free editorial coverage.

4. Clients and customers kept informed. You need to find ways to continually keep in front of customers and clients. Perhaps they will see your story in the newspaper. But why not call and alert them to your story or send a clipping of your article to keep in touch. Better still include comments or quotes from your clients in the media release.

5. Clarity. Writing a media release will help you get clear on what your message is by being succinct and concise with the words you choose. Clients will gain more understanding of your products or services also.

6. Communicating who you are, what you do and how you make a difference is what public relations is all about. Getting into the habit of communicating your successes and achievements by sending media releases will aid in raising your profile.

7. Celebrity status. Gaining publicity in the media will help you become known as the expert in your area and will enhance your image and reputation.

Sue Currie, the director of Shine Communications Consultancy and author of Apprentice to Business Ace - your inside-out guide to personal branding, is a business educator and speaker on personal branding through image and media. Sign up for free monthly tips at www.shinecomms.com.au/contactmanager/default.cfm http://www.shinecomms.com.au/contactmanager/default.cfm

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Everyone wants that healthy glow. Here’s how to get one without the use of the sun or tanning beds.

You can have a glowing tan all year round. Stay out of the sun and give your skin a natural looking tan with a sunless tanning lotion. They’ve come a long way in the past few years. No more orange skin! This is the procedure I follow when applying sunless tanning lotions. I’ve been using them for years and have found that this way works the best.

First, shower and exfoliate with a buffing cream, sugar scrub, or loofah all over, concentrating on your drier areas like elbows, heels and knees. After your shower, apply moisturizer to those drier areas. Put on disposable gloves and apply sunless tanner full strength or use equal parts of sunless tanner with body lotion or a sunscreen lotion. Go back over drier areas with an old towel to absorb excess tanner. Try applying the sunless tanner to tops of feet with a cosmetic wedge. This will allow you to control the application better. Careful between the toes! The lotion tends to pool there. If you didn’t wear gloves, wash your palms thoroughly at this point. Wear old/loose clothing around the house for about 20 minutes before dressing.If you don’t have a sunless tanner made especially for faces, follow these steps if you want to use the tanner on your face as well.Start with clean dry face, no makeup or oil. Put petroleum jelly on eyebrows and along hairline. Use dime-sized amount of sunless tanner mixed with facial moisturizer and massage in a circular motion, avoiding eyelids, apply lightly around lips and chin. Spread up to hairline and behind ears. Wipe off the petroleum jelly and adjust your makeup accordingly.To maintain your tan, reapply every 3-5 days. After showering, pat dry - don’t rub. Use a moisturizing lotion daily. If your skin starts to look scaly, slough off the dead skin cells by repeating the process from the beginning.

Other helpful hints:

Careful on the inner part of your elbows. Lotion will tend to pool into the crevices here and you’ll end up with darker areas.

If joints are too dark, use the scrub. Streaks? Tone them down with a cotton ball soaked in astringent, nail polish remover, or a slice of lemon.If you missed a spot, apply sunless tanner to the area, wait for it to dry, and apply another light layer over it and the surrounding area to blend.If your palms are too dark because you didn’t wear gloves, use a sugar scrub or wash your hair. Shampoo will fade the color on your hands. Not dark enough? Reapply the next day for a darker tan.

And there you have it! Treat yourself to a sun-kissed glow today!

Katrina Price has over nine years experience as a skin care and cosmetics consultant. Visit www.skincareteacher.com http://www.skincareteacher.com for even more helpful hints and information.

AP - A new test to quickly diagnose drug-resistant forms of tuberculosis will be rolled out in four African countries this year, the World Health Organization said Monday.

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A healthy dog is a happy dog. And a happy dog is the best companion anyone could wish for. Unlike people, dogs can’t figure out when something is wrong, or tell you about it. It’s your job as the owner to look out for problems and step in quick to keep your hound happy. Illness doesn’t just mean breaks, parasites or viruses, it include the scourge of humanity too - obesity. Just like in humans, obesity in dogs can lead to arthritis, heart disease, diabetes, and premature death. Also like in humans, this is a recent development. The availability of cheap food for pets has caused an obesity spiral in the developed world.

So what should you feed your dog? Obviously, breed plays a part, but in general, kibble is the best base (dried dog food) with tinned stuff as a treat. Too much tinned stuff can give your poor pooch the runs! Don’t feed him human cakes biscuits and the like, no matter how much he seems to enjoy them - dog’s digestive systems are not designed for this kind of food! A diet based on these principle will ensure a shiny coat and clear eyes, both necessary if your dog is going to win thru to the finals of the www.petmillions.com http://www.petmillions.com contest and a chance to win you a million in cash!

Dental care. Dogbreath is a byword for bad smelling breath. Help your dog keep his teeth and gums healthy by offering him bones to chew (note - NEVER chicken bones!). If it’s a real bad case, there are even special ‘doggy tooth cleaner’ products available at the store.

Worms. Keep him healthy with regular shots against the 4 biggies - distemper, heartworm, parvovirus (which is rare, but fatal!!!) and kennel cough (which is also rare unless you keep the dog out on cement all the time). You can do the worming routine yourself - crush the tablets and sprinkle them onto some tinned food. He WILL be able to smell it, but what the hey, food is food, right? Woof! Only use a small amount of tinned food to ensure he eats all the tablet powder. Don’t know what distemper is? Kind of like dog flu, with runny nose and eyes. Worms tend to cause lack of appetite, bad coat, and a tendency to drag his backside along the ground. These are easily passed to humans so fix it fast!

That brings us to fleas and ticks. Treat regularly with one of the many excellent ‘dropper’ products now available. They really work, and fast too. Ticks can be a nightmare - they can cause swelling, then paralysis and death, so you have to guard against them very carefully, especially if you live in an area prone to dog ticks.

That’s my routine with Jess, now be a pal, willya, and vote for him at petmillions.com http://petmillions.com ! His ID is 3083, and it’s free to vote!

Brendan Gunstan is an IT consultant, who passes the really difficult tasks onto his 12 year old crossbreed Jess.

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Have you ever wondered if what you know about Retailing is accurate? Consider the following paragraphs and compare what you know to the latest info on Retailing.

Secret #1 Retailing is a exciting, liquid art form, not a cut & dried science!

However, there are 3 objectives that are cut in stone at all times!

Objective #1. Get the money!
Objective #2. Get the money!
Objective #3. Get the money!

Your mission is to separate your customers from their money - on the spot. That means at the first opportunity, not the second or third chance that might never come. How do we do this? What’s the secret?

Simple, make them an offer they can’t refuse!

Retailing is a lot like baseball. All the coach is concerned about is getting all his players to first base. (He doesn’t tell them to swing for the fences and try to hit a home run).

How does this translate to retailing? Go for the quick/easy sales, go for the volume, not the high prices. A common mistake for newcomers to the business is that they think they’re supposed to double or triple their cost on everything. If Sam Walton thought this way, people never would have heard of WalMart. Very few realize that if they pay $7, they’re better off selling it for $12 each or 2 for $20, capturing new customers & CASH.

Cash is king, and the retailer must convert to cash at every opportunity. Live each retailing day like it is your last! The benefits of cash flow are too numerous to mention here, but the consumer must see new merchandise everytime they come into the store. Forget about percentages, margins, and markup, and collect as many profit dollars as possible in one day - everyday!

Believe it or not, it’s even OK to sell below cost when necessary. Nobody can make a profit on every item, everyday - Sears can’t do it, Penny’s can’t do it, we can’t do it, and you can’t do it, but that’s OK - it’s the big picture that counts, get a growing customer base and make them offers they can’t refuse!

Always remember, CASH IS KING! Always, always, always get the cash — NOW!!!

Secret# 2 Look at your profit picture as a group of items coming from each supplier rather than individual items coming from that supplier.

In other words, focus on how much money you have already made on that order that came in, rather than focusing on the items that are left over and haven’t sold. Sell off those remaining items at any price because at this point they are 100% profit! So if 60% of the merchandise sold itself and paid for the whole order, sell the other 40% at any price necessary to get that remaining 100% profit money in your pocket as fast as possible.

Your bank account doesn’t care if the dollars in came from merchandise sold at a profit or at cost or at below cost. Again, all we care about is collecting as many dollars as possible each and every day.

It doesn’t make any difference if some items in a shipment don’t sell and we actually throw them away (donate to charity and take a tax write off), as long as, WE MADE OUR PROFIT ON THE STUFF THAT DID SELL!

P.S. - you might change your mind about which suppliers are really giving the best deals!

Secret #3 The Lease Trap

How do you spell lease ?

I spell it L-A-W-Y-E-R-S !

Many entrepreneurs make a nice profit until they sign a lease and are then obligated by the terms of that lease. Paying rent is not recommended if your business can operate for free - out of your house, car, selling on the job, house parties, consignment, fundraisers, street fairs, etc.

If rent must be paid, a month to month agreement is recommended. If a lease must be signed, get a lawyer on your team first - tell your lawyer you want some kind of an out clause - before you sign!

Secret #4 Taking a booth at the local fund raiser (church, school, etc) usually pays off big time! Buyers love to support the event & go there to spend money. Booths are cheap? 10% of sales or very low rent, check ‘em out! When you’re there, make sure to network with other exhibitors and find out about other events, street fairs, etc.

Secret #5 I just got ripped off ! How do you handle it?

Answer - Amortize it! Always look at the big picture.

Say you lost $300 today - well that doesn’t mean you’re going to loose $300 every day. Take that $300 loss and decide how many more years you’re going to be in business. Let’s say your answer is 10 more years - well that means you’re going to make $30 per year less for the next 10 years. The big picture says you loss $300 at the end of being in business 10 years later! Not bad at all now.

We already know ahead of time that we’re going to have good days and bad days, so when a bad day comes along, don’t let it ruin your whole day because we already knew that a bad day is going to come along now an then. Keep your personal emotions, especially fear, out of your business.

Always do the right thing in the next 5 minutes, have faith, truly believe everything’s going to be ok, and sleep good at night, or, if you can’t do that, consider getting out of the business.

Sometimes the most important aspects of a subject are not immediately obvious. Keep reading to get the complete picture.

Secret #6 - What’s the single biggest reason a business will fail?

Answer - Undercapitalization. In simple words - not enough money for the scale of operation. (The second reason for failure is not enough experience, but with enough money behind you, most people can learn to survive.)

How much money is enough? That depends on the expenses involved. It’s obvious that less money is needed for a flea market than for a retail store, but what’s not so obvious?

Let’s talk about a major ingredient - inventory. Does the appearance of your inventory make you look like an amateur or a pro? Customers don’t like to give their money to an operation that looks like it may not be there tomorrow, instead, they’re happy to give their money to a successful operation that will be around for many more years to come.

Translation - have the faith & the good sense to give yourself the best odds at winning, not the worst! Make a 110% commitment to yourself and absolutely jam pack your business with as much selection/inventory as you can possibly afford (even borrow) to maximize the odds of having the selection & professional appearance to make a sale!

Some people think they’re being smart with minimal inventory purchases/displays, I think they’re cutting their own throat! We see it all the time - minimal orders bring back minimal results! HOW COULD IT BE OTHERWISE? Put your money into inventory/bigger selection, where it can give you a return of 30% plus per week instead of letting it sit in the bank earning 2% per year!

Secret #7 - What about taking advantage of discounts, should they be taken or should I hold on to my money?

Discounts are a HUGE factor! Yes, positively, absolutely, of course, si, aqui, for sure, no doubt, always, always, always go for discounts, did I forget to say YES?

There are two ways to make money in retailing. One way is when you sell something. The other way is when you buy something. Buying enough to qualify for a discount is the same thing as putting that discount money in your pocket, and your pocket is where that money is supposed to be!!!

Only FEAR of not selling that product stops the retailer from buying larger quantities and coming from fear will not lead to making good business decisions. In reality, when the buying cost is lowered, the selling price is substantially lowered, driving sales up beyond the beginners expectations.

Put the right shoe on the right foot - focusing (without fear) on buying at the best price is more important than focusing on the selling price because the cost will determine the risk factor and the selling price possibilities.

Secret #8 - How do you figure out a break even ?

Very few people in business know how to figure out what their break even point is, or what it will be when they open their business - a big, big mistake because the break even is the foundation that determines a risk and profit basis! Don’t try to build your business without understanding your foundation first.

Let’s start with a very simple break even proposition. Judy is considering selling earrings at the local swapmeet. Let’s say she buys earrings from her distributor at an average cost of $.30 cents each and she plans on selling them for $1, and her only fixed business expense is the rent of $28 per day.

How many earrings must Judy sell to break even? Well out of each dollar brought in, .30 cents is the cost of product/earrings and .70 cents is left over which is the gross profit, which is used to pay the rent - so how many units of .70 cents are needed to pay the rent? Simply divide the rent of $28 by .70 cents which equals 40 units. So 40 pair of earrings must be sold in 8 hours at only $1 each to pay the cost of the product and rent. 40 pair divided by 8 hours is only 5 pair or $5 per hour income. Judy is now relieved to know that she should have no trouble at all breaking even.

How much profit can Judy make for herself? Well Judy thinks that with the $1 selling price she might sell 50 pair of earrings per hour, that’s 400 pair per 8 hour day. We just learned that Judy’s break even is 40 pair of earrings, so that means that the other 360 pair (400 minus 40) is all profit after we subtract the cost of product. So subtracting the .30 cents cost, leaves .70 cents profit X 360 pair = $252 pure net profit in Judy’s pocket! Judy likes this information very much. She figures that even if her estimate is only 50% correct, she’ll still do nicely.

Well over the past several months Judy has done quite well at the swapmeet, she expanded her product line into all kinds of costume jewelry and accessories, and is now considering expansion by opening a retail store in the mall with 1 or 2 employees, open 7 days a week (she plans to keep her business going at the swapmeet). But Judy is a smart business person because she wants to know ahead of time what her break even will be? …She wants to know if she has a chance to make a lot of money? ….Or is the deck stacked against her and she’ll lose a lot of money?

How does Judy figure out a break even for a retail store with different kinds of expenses and cost variables?

Judy needs to arrive at a sales volume figure needed to pay all the bills, so first she carefully adds up ALL the fixed expenses. She did NOT include one time expenses required to get the store open as these will be amortized over a long period of time.

Judy multiplied all monthly expenses by 12 months/year, and added these to all weekly expenses which she had multiplied by 52 weeks/year. Suggestion - add: the LEAST amount one must get out of the business for oneself; add $100 per week for misc; add 15% to payroll; add $100 per week for pilferage; etc.) Now she divided ALL the expenses by 52 weeks, and divided again by the number of days of operation. This is the DAILY fixed cost of operation. Let’s say this comes to $300 per day.

How much does Judy have to sell to break even? Well it’s not all profit is it. How much out each dollar is gross profit? If Judy pays $6.50 for an item and sells it for $9.99, her margin of profit is 35%. If 35% is her overall gross profit for all items sold, divide the daily fixed expenses by .35 to determine how much must be sold to break even . So, $300 divided by .35 = $857, or round off to the higher cost of $900 per day is the answer!

If the business is open 10 hours per day, divide $900 by 10 hours = $90 per hour break even. Does Judy think it can bring in $90 each hour on the average? If she thinks not, she shouldn’t open that business. If she thinks it’s no problem, let’s take a look at the potential of that business.

Based on traffic, product selection, pricing and other considerations, Judy guestimates it can bring in $200 an hour on average, so how much money can she make? Well we know that the first $90 sold per hour is needed to break even, so that means there is $110 brought in past the break even point at 35% profit - so $110 X .35 = $38.50 profit per hour X 10 hours per day = $385 per day profit for Judy before amortization of her one time store opening expenses and personal taxes.

Judy is feeling really good about the numbers. She now knows that if her guesstimate is off by as much as 50%, she’s still ok because she’s still breaking even, and as a bonus, she also knows that her margin of profit with costume jewelry purchased from her distribution contracts gives her a much, much wider profit margin than 35%!

Secret #9 - Can you name a little known business that can net you over $50/hour and you can work as many flexible hours as you choose? Hints: there’s no selling, no employees, no rent or overhead, no mlm or networking, no house parties.

..To be continued…

Your comments are appreciated.

Copyright (c) Ronald T. Brooks, BS, JD 2006
Profits4u2 - Lerarning Center

Ronald Terre Brooks is a retired lawyer, qialified MCSE, programmer and internationally known entertainer. He is currently living on the Costa del Sol and operates several websites. His learning Center website teaches Internet Marketing and WebMaster skills to newbie and Professionals alike. It is a membership site, but there is a free Gold membership category where basic skills can be obtained by anyone. To visit or join: www.Profits4u2.com http://www.Profits4u2.com .

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If you feel that back pain is completely overwhelming your life, you are not alone. So many people live with debilitating, even crippling back pain everyday seemingly with no end in sight.

It is a daily ritual for them to reach into the medicine cabinet and pop a pill of their favorite over-the-counter pain reliever or doctor prescribed medication.

Despite the publicized health risks for taking these drugs on a continuous basis, back pain sufferers continue to swallow pills even if the relief only lasts temporarily and is miniscule at best. A cycle of doctor visits, pick-ups at the local pharmacy and popping pills becomes a way of life.

But does it have to be this way? Are we truly limited to just a bottle of medication with potential side effects and the one-sided advice from a doctor?

ABSOLUTELY AND POSITIVELY NO WAY!!!

AND YES…YOU AND YOU ALONE CAN DEFEAT YOUR OWN BACK PAIN!

First, you must understand that everyone for the most part has access to a huge arsenal of tools for combating, eliminating and managing back pain. But not everyone has the same degree and cause of back pain.

It is so important to find and effectively use the right set of tools for your own particular situation.

For example, too much rest or relaxation (a tool for getting rid of back pain) has the potential to be detrimental to your health if weak and underdeveloped muscles are the underlying cause of your back pain.

On the other hand, if you suffer a herniated disk from playing a sport, rest and relaxation may play a larger role in a quick recovery.

So essentially, effectively treating your back pain first depends on identifying the primary cause(s) or origin(s) of your back pain.

The better you are at identifying the cause of back pain for your own particular situation, the more specific and exact your arsenal of tools will become to effectively eliminate your back pain for good.

So after all that, you must identify the cause(s) of your back pain. Let’s look at some common causes of back pain.

Common Causes Of Back Pain

-Poor Posture
-Injury (Sports, Car Accident, Fall, etc.)
-Poor Genetics Or Congenital Disorder (Scoliosis, Spinal Stenosis, Degenerative Disk, etc.)
-Using Improper Lifting Techniques
-Obesity
-Frail Bone Structure/Osteoporosis/Osteoarthritis
-Muscle Weakness/Imbalances
-Lack Of Exercise/Sedentary Lifestyle
-Poor Nutrition
-Stress/Anxiety
-Poor Sleep
-Performing A Repetitive Motion That Puts Strain On Your Back

Take a good long look at the list above. Just about everyone who suffers with back pain can relate to one or several if not all of these common causes of back pain. I, personally, can relate to every single one.

And it’s ok to have several causes or identifiers of your back pain. The more you can discover, the more weapons you will have to effectively combat and eliminate your back pain for good.

Back pain is similar to a weed. You can’t just mow over the top of it and hope you never see it again. You have to find the root of the weed or the root of the problem in order to effectively treat it.

How do you do this?

Well, you need to examine your own lifestyle. I would like you to ask yourself these questions to help determine your cause(s) of back pain:

Questions To Determine Cause Of Back Pain/Circle All ‘Yes’ Answers

1. Do I suffer from a congenital condition or was I born with a spinal condition?
2. Do I not pay attention to my posture either sitting or standing?
3. Do I not practice good posture either sitting or standing?
4. Have I suffered from a recent car accident or fall and subsequently experienced back pain not long after?
5. Do I do a lot of heavy lifting or bending over in my job or at home?
6. Do I perform an unnatural repetitive motion at work or at home?
7. Do I not practice safe lifting techniques?
8. Am I 20 pounds or more overweight?
9. Do I not eat enough fruits and vegetables?
10. Do I not drink enough water? 8-12 glasses per day?
11. Do I eat too many sweets and foods containing sugar?
12. Have I been diagnosed with osteoporosis or arthritis?
13. Do I lead a sedentary lifestyle? Am I a couch potato?
14. Am I under a lot of stress? Do I suffer with anxiety?
15. Do I have trouble sleeping?

Of course, these are just a handful of questions you could ask yourself to discover the root cause(s) of your back pain. Please circle the questions that have a ‘Yes’ next to them if you have not already.

Take a good look at the questions you circled. This method is not foolproof but it is a great way to see all the potential causes or root origins of your back pain. You should see the things you need to improve in order to help you live free of back pain.

Once you know or at least have some idea of the cause(s) of your back pain, then you can delve deeper into the plethora of ways to combat and eliminate it once and for all.

Mike Saros is a former back pain sufferer and author of The No More Back Pain newsletter found at www.BackReliefElite.com http://www.BackReliefElite.com . He will instruct you how to end your own lower back pain at www.SecretsToAPainFreeBack.com/Secrets_Discount.htm http://www.SecretsToAPainFreeBack.com/Secrets_Discount.htm .

AFP - Oil prices briefly struck fresh record highs over 142 dollars on Friday as the US dollar remained weak, and as world stock markets tumbled amid economic jitters marking the end of a volatile week.

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Outdoor survival skills can mean the difference between escape/rescue and tragedy. Fortunately, most survival skills are simple and easy to learn.

Here are the top ten things to do in a survival situation, in order:

1. Don’t panic. Breathe. Relax.

2. Give yourself first aid if needed.

3. Inventory your survival items.

4. Assess any imminent weather dangers.

5. Find an open area where you can be seen from the air.

6. Create appropriate shelter.

7. Drink lots of water.

8. Make fire, but safely! Learn how to build fire in a variety of ways and how not to start a wilderness blaze in your quest for survival.

9. Signal for help.

10. Eat the wildlife, including insects, but nothing with more than 6 legs and no plants you aren’t totally sure of.

Ten Essential Survival Skills & Qualities:

Survival isn’t just about skills, but also attitude and mindset. Desire to survive, determination, persistence, willingness to plan, and learning survival skills ahead of time all increase your chances of survival. The best time to learn survival skills is before you need them.

- Will to survive

- Calm, poise, focus

- Make shelter

- Make fire

- Find and purify water

- Find food, hunt, trip

- Signal for help

- Navigate without map or compass

- Basic first-aid

- Weather prediction

The Most Valuable Survival Items:

We could probably debate this list endlessly, but I guarantee you’d much rather have these items with you than need them and not have them.

- Knife

- Poncho

- String/rope

- First aid kit

- Flint, tinder

- Water purifying tablets

- Whistle, mirror

- Wire saw

- Fishing kit

- Emergency blanket

Once you get into a survival situation, it’s too late to prepare and to learn the skills. Now is the best time to prepare to survive. Get your gear and get into a survival training class! See recommended classes and guides here.

Brian Carter is an outdoor enthusiast, and a major fan of survivorman. He recommends you find your survival needs at adventure16.com http://adventure16.com .

AFP - Hamas security officials in Gaza on Sunday arrested the spokesman of a Palestinian faction that claimed responsibility for a rocket attack on Israel in violation of a truce, the man’s family said.

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by the author of Cancer’s Natural Enemy ( www.rose-laurel.com http://www.rose-laurel.com )

In contrast to at least 6000 years of the practice of natural medicine, Western medicine treats the body as a collection of parts instead of as a synergistic organism. When it comes to treating broken bones and injured body parts, mainstream Western medicine is unequaled. When this same approach is used to treat illness and disease - fixing or repairing the parts where the symptoms of underlying illnesses manifest themselves, modern medicine fails miserably.

In the instance of cancer, instead of addressing the causes of cancer - toxins and a weakened immune system - we see instead treatments that either slash, burn or poison away the tumors and cancer cells, which further weakens an immune system cancer has already defeated and only worsens the conditions that led to cancer to begin with.

Even if initially successful at getting rid of existing cancer cells and tumors, the end result is a weakened body which may have major organ damage and which is more susceptible to the reappearance of the original cancer, as well as other forms of cancer and diseases.

For half a century or more, we have been told that a breakthrough or cure for cancer is just around the corner, yet the death rates for cancer remain virtually unchanged. Meanwhile, effective natural and alternative treatments which address and correct the actual causes of cancer continue to enjoy much greater success than the largely failed mainstream treatments - even as these natural alternatives suppressed and come under increasing attack by the medical establishment.

Profit plays a huge role in Western medicine and, because nature cannot be patented, there is no profit in conducting studies on natural remedies for cancer and illness. In fact, if studies were to prove the effectiveness of natural alternatives and those alternatives were to be approved for use in treating cancer and other illnesses, the result would be to admit cheaper, safer and more effective competition into a fiercely guarded market. Instead, such alternatives are heavily suppressed, discredited and passed off as snake oil and voodoo medicine .

The cold, hard fact is that cancer and other degenerative and chronic illnesses are big business - to the tune of hundreds of billions of dollars a year. When their only market place is our bodies, the vested interests of the trillion dollar world pharmaceutical empire, mainstream medicine and the institutions which depend on maintaining the status quo are not likely to allow such natural competition, even though the cost is millions of needless deaths and untold suffering.

A better plan for maintaining and increasing profit is to continue to bring new drugs into the market place which treat only symptoms and have serious side effects that lead to still more drugs in a never ending cycle so that by the time a male American reaches 65 years of age, he takes an average of 15 prescribed and over the counter medications every day - when it all started out with one or two conditions that could have been treated safely and effectively by natural means. A good model for profit, but a horrible one for humanity.

We now have over 15,000 patented and approved drugs, 95% of which have significant side effects. It is no accident that our doctors have been taught for generations, just as we have been, that the way to treat illness and disease is to prescribe approved medications - medications that are made by the single largest source by far of funding for medical education: the world pharmaceutical companies. What exactly has this mountain of medicine actually cured in the past half century? Certainly not cancer!

By far the most effective way to beat and avoid cancer is to remove the causes of cancer and to make your body as inhospitable to cancer and illness as possible. To understand what steps we should and can take, we should understand what we know about cancer:

We know that:

• The development of cancer indicates that our natural first line of defense, our immune system, has been defeated and that the presence of either toxins and pathogens, or some imbalance in our bodies have led to the development of cancer and enabled it to gain an upper hand.

• Cancer cannot develop without an impaired liver.

• Cancer cannot survive in an alkaline environment, nor can it survive in a highly oxygenated environment.

• Detoxing and cleansing our colons and liver helps restore balance, prepares our bodies to better be able utilize natural immune boosters and cancer fighters and paves the way to rebuilding our livers and immune systems.

• Cancer cells are diseased, impaired and/or beset by pathogens and have lost the ability to to be die naturally via cellular apoptosis and be replaced by healthy cells. These cancerous cells simply become abnormal and outlive the other cells in their normal cell life/replacement cycle and end up crowding out a territory over time.

• Iodine, vitamin D, and potassium are all vital to beat and ward off cancer.

• Fresh air, pure water and sunshine are also vital to maintain healthy bodies which can fight off and beat conditions like cancer.

• A natural diet of uncontaminated raw vegetables and raw fruits, with plenty of omega-3’s and balanced nutrition has been proven to be effective in numerous natural anti-cancer protocols.

• A great number of natural botanicals and supplements, such as those containing beta glucans and other long-chain polysacharrides, the oleander remedy I have written about, Colloidal Silver, Inositol (IP-6), the ABM mushroom, South Africa’s Cancer Bush sutherlandia frutescans, cat’s claw, pau d’arco, corialus versicolor mushroom, and many others have been proven to boost the immune system, destroy pathogens, protect our cells, and beat cancer.

• Sugar feeds cancer.

And so, when we go to an oncologist and are diagnosed with cancer what is the prescribed treatment? Does it incorporate ANY of the above elements? No, sadly it does not. Our doctor prescribes what he or she has been taught: cut out, radiate or poison the symptom and do nothing to address the underlying causes and natural imbalances that enabled led to the symptom.

As a result, the way is paved for the return of the cancer or the introduction of another cancer or serious condition. Even worse, the road to further illness is often made easier due to the damage to the immune system and major organs caused by the treatment of the symptom.

Nature, on the other hand, enables us to address virtually every area of knowledge and concern. For example, here is a suggested protocol based on what nature has to offer:

• As soon as possible, cleanse your body to get rid of built up toxins like heavy metals and pesticides, as well as the undigested food, fecal matter and gallstones that build up in the body by cleansing your colon and liver and by chelation to rid the body of heavy metals. Such contaminations are breeding grounds for, and causes of, disease and illness. A toxic and unclean body weakens the body’s immune system that should be your first line of defense. Plus, once cleansed, the body is much more receptive to the good measures you take to rebuild your immune system and fight disease.

• Cleanse your environment to the greatest extent possible and eliminate bad habits. In an ideal world, you would move to the country where there was plenty of fresh air and sunshine and less stress. In the real world you may not find that possible, so eliminate common toxins in your household, workplace and other places you spend time.

• If you have mercury amalgam fillings in your teeth, have them replaced. In many instances, this step alone has led to elimination of cancer.

• Immediately eliminate bad habits and begin building build good ones so that you will make sure that you no longer have habits that weaken your immune system and that you will be able to build your body to fight and conquer illness. A sedentary lifestyle with a poor diet, lack of pure water, sunshine and fresh air, and constant exposure to toxins will in time lead to bad health conditions. Remember, bad health habits are open invitations for illness and disease to enter your body.

• Begin and maintain a healthy immune-boosting and cancer fighting diet. A good balanced diet, pure water, fresh air, sunshine and exercise are some of the essentials. You will find that a good diet does not have to be a bad tasting diet - far from it! However, it should be noted that the very best and most healthy diet is one that is close to the diet our ancestors evolved to utilize: lots of fresh and uncooked vegetables, fruits, nuts, roots and tubers, and fish and meat uncontaminated by growth hormones, artificial fertilizers or pesticides - and little or no grain or dairy products. It should be noted that of all the foods, essentially only raw vegetables and fruits contribute to an alkaline pH.

• Rebuild and strengthen the body’s natural immune system. It is very likely that a weakened immune system contributed to your illness in the first place. It is absolutely certain that a rebuilt and strengthened immune system will help you beat your illness and keep it at bay. Again, good diet, nutrition and habits are all important - they lay the foundation for a strong and healthy immune system. However, they are not enough by themselves. You should build a good foundation and then make your body a healthy fortress against disease and illness. Quite simply, disease and illness hate healthy hosts. The stronger your immune system is, the harder it is for disease to survive and grow. And, to be the very strongest you can be, you need extra measures in the form of supplements as well as the healthiest foods.

• Cleanse, restore and protect the liver before, during and after your anti-cancer and disease battle. Cancer cannot develop unless the liver is impaired to begin with. Plus, an effective cancer fighting regimen will result in the release of a cascade of toxins that are released when cancer cells die. Such a release can overwhelm an already impaired liver and can even be fatal if measures are not taken to protect and regenerate the liver. Some of the very best anti-oxidants to used to protect and regenerate the liver are the ones used in the Berkson Clinical Study: Milk Thistle (silymarin), alpha lipoic acid and selenium.

• Maintain an alkaline pH and get plenty of oxygen to the cellular level. Cancer cannot survive in the presence of an alkaline cellular pH level, nor can it survive in the presence of highly oxygenated cells. Dr. Johanna Budwig of Germany has shown that for proper cellular utilization of oxygen to take place, our diets must contain adequate amounts of unsaturated fatty acids.

• Make sure you have plenty of iodine, potassium and Vitamin D. All have been proven to be essential in beating and avoiding cancer. As mentioned above, cancer cells have lost the ability to be shut off by the body in what is called cellular apoptosis. These cancerous cells simply become abnormal and outlive the other cells in their normal cell life/replacement cycle and end up crowding out a territory over time. Iodine goes in and both does away with the surrounding cyst where cancer has set up residence and then also goes in and allows the specific shut down of the individual cells that are abnormal, diseased, or beset w/ pathogens to make room for new cells.

• Drink plenty of pure water and get plenty of fresh air and sunshine. Water is essential for all healthy life; however, regular tap water contains trace amounts of hundreds to thousands of pesticides, carcinogens and other industrial pollutants. For that reason, the author recommends only the purest drinking water, such as reverse osmosis filtered water. Don’t overdo the sunshine, but sunshine is essential to the production of vitamin D, and, strange as it may sound, has been found to be essential in warding off melanoma as well as other cancers..

• Exercise in moderation. Regular exercise does not have to be grueling, but it is essential. Exercise stimulates the immune system, stimulates the production of natural human growth hormone, stimulates the production of hormones and pheromones that make us happier and healthier, and simply leads to a longer and happier life period. Innumerable studies have demonstrated the overall health benefits of exercise and the negative effects of a sedentary lifestyle lacking in exercise. It is not a coincidence that studies have shown up that those who exercise only a few hours each week have up to 50% less chance of developing many different kinds of cancer.

• The next element of beating your disease and keeping it at bay is to go on the attack. As a matter of fact, all of the elements of the this anti-cancer and disease protocol are elements of attack, because they make the body strong and inhospitable to disease. What I am talking about here is more than just making the body inhospitable to your disease - I am talking about going on the attack and wiping it out! In the case of cancer, there are many very potent anti-cancer supplements. such as the ones listed above and several others. One such supplement, named OPC (not to be confused with the European anti-oxidant of the same name), based on a remedy I have researched and written about , has been used for the past three years in South Africa to treat HIV and cancer. Of approximately 350 HIV patients, all are still alive and well with their symptoms either reversed or stabilized. Of 80 cancer patients, some in very late stages, 72 are alive and well and either cancer free or with their cancers in remission and tumors shrinking. Of the 8 that did not survive, 5 were in their very final days and could not hold down the supplement. Another three succumbed to organ failure as a likely result of prior traditional Western treatment via chemo. Compare that with the results of any mainstream medicine or treatment!

• Remember, what you avoid can be just as important as what you consume: Avoid sugar to the greatest extent possible. Sugar feeds cancer and other illnesses and causes a myriad of other health problems. Refined sugar is also the number one single cause of health problems in the entire world! Likewise avoid bread and other items containing bleached white flour, which is essentially empty and harmful calories that convert to sugar once ingested. Other items to avoid include non-fermented soy, pork, MSG, ALL charred foods and foods cooked at high temperature, aluminum and coated cookware, micro-waved food, food in plastic containers and styrofoam.

• The final key to winning your battle is your mental attitude. Remove as much stress from your life as you can and believe that you are going to win. Stress and worry accomplish nothing - worse, they are actually allies of illness and disease. You have surely heard the term stress, the silent killer ? It’s true! So you must do whatever it takes to remove stress from your life and make your mental attitude your ally. Meditate, take yoga, change jobs, retire, go fishing, find a pleasant hobby - do whatever you must to remove stress and have a positive mental outlook. Just remember, anyone who introduces or keeps worry and stress in your life is neither a friend nor an ally during this fight. And make no mistake, it is a fight - likely the most important one of your life. But it is a fight you can and will win. Think it, believe it and live it!

Some in the field of natural health will tell you that you can beat cancer through diet alone, or through diet and de-toxing. In many instances that is true, and some of the most effective and popular natural anti-cancer protocols, such as the Budwig Diet, are based on such a premise.

However, in my opinion, the more weapons you have in your natural arsenal, the greater your chances of success will be. That is why I advocate including one or more of the powerful natural supplements that have been proven to beat cancer and boost the immunes system, and which address what we know about cancer.

Our depleted soils and the introduction of modern industrial toxins and contaminants makes it hard to build a strong enough immune system through diet alone. Our immune systems were not designed to handle the multitude of modern toxins they now face, which is why cancer is largely a modern disease.

As a final note: for those of who continue to believe the big lie that the harsh and ineffective options offered by mainstream medicine (and its half century record of broken promises to deliver a cure or significant breakthrough) are superior to nature, I ask: When did God become a quack?

Live long, live healthy, live happy!

Tony Isaacs is a natural health researcher and author of books and articles about natural health and alternative remedies including Cancer’s Natural Enemy ( www.rose-laurel.com http://www.rose-laurel.com ) as well as song lyrics and humorous anecdotal stories. He is currently working on a major book project to be published next year.

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Teachers say it time and time again. They tell their students to “write clearly,” so that they can read what their child was trying to convey. Often teachers take this rule so far as to mark questions wrong on a test or homework assignment that are not legible, or to not give the student credit for his or her work. It is for this reason, and many others, that it is important to teach children handwriting from an early age.

Teaching children handwriting is very important. Throughout life, people use writing in almost every aspect of their lives, from writing reminder notes, to homework, writing in a journal, thank you notes, and, perhaps most importantly, in employment.

While one would think that schools, primarily in the early grades, would teach children proper handwriting, this is often not the case. Often teachers are not trained in this field, do not give it sufficient time, or are unable to train children properly because of large class sizes. Writing is the final process of thinking. When given an assignment, children will think about it, and then write it down as a final way to communicate their answer. If a parent or teacher cannot interpret what the child wrote, it can be frustrating for all parties involved. Therefore, it is important for parents, as well as teachers, to understand how to teach handwriting to children.

One of the key factors for learning handwriting is that children have a quiet place to write. In front of the television or in a noisy room with a lot of action is going to distract the child, and prevent him or her from having a productive writing session. Secondly, children need to practice what they have learned. The phrase “practice makes perfect” definitely rings true in this situation. Without constant practice, the child’s handwriting will improve just slightly, if at all. To help a child practice what they have learned in previous sessions or classes, worksheets are strongly encouraged. These worksheets can include anything from words for the child to copy down on the lines provided for them, to worksheets in which the child has to list the items shown in pictures, and copy them several times. Whatever the content is that they contain, practice worksheets are an enormously large tool in helping a child improve his or her handwriting.

There are several other games and activities that children and adults can engage in together in order to help the child learn. Making lists together, such as grocery lists or “to do” lists will help the child write out words that he or she may have practiced, as well as some new words and phrases. Learning the words to a favorite song, then copying them down onto a piece of paper is also an activity that children will enjoy, for they will feel as if they are not doing “real work.” Games and activities are important to use when teaching a child something. Practicing handwriting can get tedious. To prevent the child from getting frustrated, small games and activities help to prevent anger and frustration.

People write things down everyday, in various environments and in various forms. It is a large part of our lives, and therefore is very important that handwriting be learned from an early age. The tools and pointers mentioned above should help your child onto the path to perfect handwriting!

Nick Ramsay is the founder of the ESL Writing Wizard, a free website for parents and teachers to create their own handwriting worksheets.

AP - A nearly 700-page study released Sunday by the Army found that “in the euphoria of early 2003,” U.S.-based commanders prematurely believed their goals in Iraq had been reached and did not send enough troops to handle the occupation.

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In the late 70’s and early 80’s, television viewers fell in love with The Dukes Of Hazzard, a weekly foray into the fictional setting of Hazzard County, Georgia. Cousins Bo and Luke Duke (John Schneider and Tom Wopat) spent each episode trying to do good, while the loveable “Boss” Hogg (Sorrell Booke) concocted various schemes for making money and having the Duke boys, who always foiled his plans, thrown in jail for violating their probation (the result of a deal with the federal government to end the centuries-old Duke family tradition of bootlegging).

Joining Bo and Luke are their Uncle Jesse (Denver Pyle), a grandfatherly figure who owns the family farm, and Cousin Daisy (Catherine Bach), whose skimpy shorts coined the cultural term “daisy dukes”. Along with “Crazy” Cooter (Ben Jones), the local mechanic, they create a formidable threat to the money-making shenanigans of Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane (James Best) and the owner of seemingly every business entity in Hazzard County, J.D. “Boss” Hogg. But critics will argue that the true star of the show was the General Lee, Bo and Luke’s bright orange Dodge race car with the Confederate flag pasted on its roof…

The Dukes Of Hazzard (Season 3) DVD provides a number of famous episodes, including guest appearances by musicians Tammy Wynette, Roy Orbison, and The Oak Ridge Boys. Sheriff Little of Chickasaw County (Don Pedro Colley) makes the first of many appearances in Season 3. Other notable episodes include “The Great Santa Claus Chase” in which Boss Hogg conspires to steal the county’s delivery of Christmas trees so he can resell them at exorbitant profits, but the Dukes and Cooter have different plans, and “My Son, Bo Hogg” in which Boss Hogg takes advantage of Bo’s amnesia and turns him against the Dukes…

Below is a list of episodes included on The Dukes Of Hazzard (Season 3) DVD:

Episode 37 (Carnival of Thrills: Part 1) Air Date: 09-16-1980
Episode 38 (Carnival of Thrills: Part 2) Air Date: 09-16-1980
Episode 39 (Enos Strate to the Top) Air Date: 11-05-1980
Episode 40 (The Hazzardville Horror) Air Date: 11-07-1980
Episode 41 (And in This Corner, Luke Duke) Air Date: 11-14-1980
Episode 42 (The Late J.D. Hogg) Air Date: 11-21-1980
Episode 43 (Uncle Boss) Air Date: 11-28-1980
Episode 44 (Baa, Baa, White Sheep) Air Date: 12-05-1980
Episode 45 (Mrs. Roscoe P. Coltrane) Air Date: 12-12-1980
Episode 46 (The Great Santa Claus Chase) Air Date: 12-19-1980
Episode 47 (Good Neighbors Duke) Air Date: 01-02-1981
Episode 48 (State of the County) Air Date: 01-09-1981
Episode 49 (The Legacy) Air Date: 01-16-1981
Episode 50 (Duke vs. Duke) Air Date: 01-23-1981
Episode 51 (My Son, Bo Hogg) Air Date: 01-30-1981
Episode 52 (To Catch a Duke) Air Date: 02-06-1981
Episode 53 (Along Came a Duke) Air Date: 02-13-1981
Episode 54 (By-Line, Daisy Duke) Air Date: 02-20-1981
Episode 55 (The Return of Hughie Hogg) Air Date: 03-06-1981
Episode 56 (Bye, Bye, Boss) Air Date: 03-13-1981
Episode 57 (The Great Hazzard Hijack) Air Date: 03-27-1981
Episode 58 (The Hack of Hazzard) Air Date: 04-03-1981
Episode 59 (The Canterbury Crock) Air Date: 04-10-1981

Britt Gillette is author of The DVD Report, a blog where you can find where you can find more reviews of movies and TV series. Source: thedvdreport.blogspot.com/2006/02/dukes-of-hazzard-season-3-dvd.html http://thedvdreport.blogspot.com/2006/02/dukes-of-hazzard-season-3-dvd.html .

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