Jane says…..

While a zoo definitely has it’s place in animal watching, it doesn’t compare to seeing animals in their own natural habitat. After a recent visit to Yellowstone National Park, this felt especially true for me. A traffic jam caused by young buffalo calves and their mothers crossing the road is an experience not to be missed. It made me wonder about other places that would be conducive to viewing wildlife in a natural setting. From my research I have come up with a list of some of the best places to visit if viewing animals in nature is your objective.

In the United States, national parks are the best place to start. For viewing sea animals, the best places include the Channel Islands off the coast of California. The islands are surrounded by sea lions, seals, gray whales and humpback whales. There are also numerous tide pools that house creatures such as sea urchins and anemones. Another area great for water animals is Glacier Bay in Alaska. Humpback whales and sea lions are in abundance off shore and on land bears and moose are often times available for viewing. For a different spin on water creatures, visit the Florida Everglades, the last remaining everglades on the planet. There you will see crocodiles and alligators co-exists along with turtles, dear, manatees and bobcats. The everglades contain large viewing towers that are devoted especially to wildlife watching or you can be a bit more daring and take a canoe ride in croc-infested waters.

Other national parks that make the list for best wildlife viewing are Denali National Park in Alaska, Glacier National park in Montana, Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado and Theodore Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota. Denali, Glacier and Rocky Mountain offer animals such as dall sheep, grizzlies, caribou, wolves, mountain goats, elk, dear, bighorn sheep and marmots. Theodore Roosevelt is a less well known park and therefore offers great viewing of bison, wild horses, deer and elk without all the crowds.

Outside of the US, there are more exotic animals available for viewing at places such as Corcovado National Park in Costa Rica, the Komodo Islands in Indonesia, Tanjung Puting National Park in Borneo, Polar Bear Observation in Canada, and of course a Kenyan Safari.

The Corcovado National Park in Costa Rica is a brilliant rain forest that contains over 100,000 acres of land and 5,000 acres of marine habitat. The park is home to 116 species of amphibians and reptiles, 139 species of mammals and more than 400 species of birds. There are no roads into the park, only hiking trails. Unless you are an avid hiker and have excellent map-reading skills, a guide is recommended. In addition to the trails, there are also viewing platforms built atop massive ajo trees.

The Komodo Islands in Indonesia house the world’s largest population of Komodo dragons. These animals can grow to be over 300 pounds and up to nine feet in length. These islands are now an Indonesian national park and permits and tour guides are required, but they make the experience much more user-friendly (Komodo dragons aren’t in petting zoos for a reason). In addition to land tours, you can also take a sea kayak around the park and see coral reefs, fish, dolphins, whales and sea turtles.

Tanjung Puting National Park in Borneo is one of the last places to see orangutans in their own natural habitat. Through an elaborate network of hiking trails, you can see the orangutans up close, swinging from branch to branch, suckling their young, or building nests to sleep. There are also orangutans in captivity which can be viewed. They are being rehabilitated before being returned to the wild. There are other jungle species as well that can be viewed in the orangutan jungle, including clouded leopards, civets, Malaysian sun bears, deer, numerous species of birds, and butterflies.

Nowhere can you see polar bears so up-close and personal as you can in Churchill, Manitoba. When Hudson Bay freezes, between October and November, this town is overrun with polar bears as they travel their migration path. In early winter, they even stop to dine on the region’s seal population. For more up close views, you can take a tundra buggy (a converted school bus) into the migratory packs for a quick day-trip. For longer exposure, there are tundra lodges that provide all day exposure to the bears in their native environment.

One of the most famous places to view wildlife is Kenya, and what better way to see it than on a safari. Safari’s can take you through the likes of Masai Mara National Park, Amboseli Game Reserve and Mt. Kilimanjaro to view lions, leopards, cheetahs, wildebeests, zebras, flamingos, black rhinos, giraffes and elephants. Safari’s range from less expensive options starting around $500.00 for an 8 day excursion to very luxurious safaris costing up to $9,000. Either way, you get to see what you like most…animals.

While a zoo definitely has it’s place in animal watching, it doesn’t compare to seeing animals in their own natural habitat. After a recent visit to Yellowstone National Park, this felt especially true for me. A traffic jam caused by young buffalo calves and their mothers crossing the road is an experience not to be missed. It made me wonder about other places that would be conducive to viewing wildlife in a natural setting. From my research I have come up with a list of some of the best places to visit if viewing animals in nature is your objective.

In the United States, national parks are the best place to start. For viewing sea animals, the best places include the Channel Islands off the coast of California. The islands are surrounded by sea lions, seals, gray whales and humpback whales. There are also numerous tide pools that house creatures such as sea urchins and anemones. Another area great for water animals is Glacier Bay in Alaska. Humpback whales and sea lions are in abundance off shore and on land bears and moose are often times available for viewing. For a different spin on water creatures, visit the Florida Everglades, the last remaining everglades on the planet. There you will see crocodiles and alligators co-exists along with turtles, dear, manatees and bobcats. The everglades contain large viewing towers that are devoted especially to wildlife watching or you can be a bit more daring and take a canoe ride in croc-infested waters.

Other national parks that make the list for best wildlife viewing are Denali National Park in Alaska, Glacier National park in Montana, Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado and Theodore Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota. Denali, Glacier and Rocky Mountain offer animals such as dall sheep, grizzlies, caribou, wolves, mountain goats, elk, dear, bighorn sheep and marmots. Theodore Roosevelt is a less well known park and therefore offers great viewing of bison, wild horses, deer and elk without all the crowds.

Outside of the US, there are more exotic animals available for viewing at places such as Corcovado National Park in Costa Rica, the Komodo Islands in Indonesia, Tanjung Puting National Park in Borneo, Polar Bear Observation in Canada, and of course a Kenyan Safari.

The Corcovado National Park in Costa Rica is a brilliant rain forest that contains over 100,000 acres of land and 5,000 acres of marine habitat. The park is home to 116 species of amphibians and reptiles, 139 species of mammals and more than 400 species of birds. There are no roads into the park, only hiking trails. Unless you are an avid hiker and have excellent map-reading skills, a guide is recommended. In addition to the trails, there are also viewing platforms built atop massive ajo trees.

The Komodo Islands in Indonesia house the world’s largest population of Komodo dragons. These animals can grow to be over 300 pounds and up to nine feet in length. These islands are now an Indonesian national park and permits and tour guides are required, but they make the experience much more user-friendly (Komodo dragons aren’t in petting zoos for a reason). In addition to land tours, you can also take a sea kayak around the park and see coral reefs, fish, dolphins, whales and sea turtles.

Tanjung Puting National Park in Borneo is one of the last places to see orangutans in their own natural habitat. Through an elaborate network of hiking trails, you can see the orangutans up close, swinging from branch to branch, suckling their young, or building nests to sleep. There are also orangutans in captivity which can be viewed. They are being rehabilitated before being returned to the wild. There are other jungle species as well that can be viewed in the orangutan jungle, including clouded leopards, civets, Malaysian sun bears, deer, numerous species of birds, and butterflies.

Nowhere can you see polar bears so up-close and personal as you can in Churchill, Manitoba. When Hudson Bay freezes, between October and November, this town is overrun with polar bears as they travel their migration path. In early winter, they even stop to dine on the region’s seal population. For more up close views, you can take a tundra buggy (a converted school bus) into the migratory packs for a quick day-trip. For longer exposure, there are tundra lodges that provide all day exposure to the bears in their native environment.

One of the most famous places to view wildlife is Kenya, and what better way to see it than on a safari. Safari’s can take you through the likes of Masai Mara National Park, Amboseli Game Reserve and Mt. Kilimanjaro to view lions, leopards, cheetahs, wildebeests, zebras, flamingos, black rhinos, giraffes and elephants. Safari’s range from less expensive options starting around $500.00 for an 8 day excursion to very luxurious safaris costing up to $9,000. Either way, you get to see what you like most…animals.

Emma Snow has always adored wild animals. Emma provides content for Wildlife Animals http://www.wildlife-animals.com and Riding Stable http://www.riding-stable.com.

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Keeping pace with today’s digital era, education is fast becoming a commodity that can be acquired online. This has paved the way for those students who wish to earn degrees, yet not in a position to attend regular classes in a university or a college.

Online nursing degree programs have particularly gained prominence of late, because among other reasons, the demand for nurses is estimated to grow exponentially in the coming decade. An online nursing degree program is aimed at preparing you for the mainstream job market while you retain the advantage of learning from a place of your choice and at a pace of your liking.

Since nursing as a subject requires practical competence, many online nursing degree programs will only allow you to complete the non-clinical portion of your coursework via online classes, while arranging clinical lessons at a medical facility near your home. As you can imagine, there are no schools that allow you to fulfill clinical requirements online.

Let us now look at some important features of online nursing degree programs:

1. Compared to easy pacing of coursework by some programs, many others that are affiliated with traditional universities will require online students to maintain same quarter or semester schedule as on-campus students.

2. While some online nursing degree programs allow the students to commence the course at any time, there are many that are structured like traditional classes/degree programs, which means that students are made into groups and scheduled to go through together. In the latter case, there will usually be a designated start date.

3. Although online nursing degree students generally do not meet instructors and classmates in person, it is seen that communication via email or online discussions often proves equally rewarding. The other benefit in favor of online students is that they usually receive instructors’ lectures in written form.

4. Online nursing degree programs commonly offered are RN-to-BSN and MSN degrees. Although some institutions do offer a variety of advanced degree and certificate options, but they are rather few. In most cases, only one or a handful of degree programs are offered online.

5. Students, who wish to receive credit for work experience while pursuing online nursing degree program, generally have one or two options depending on the institute they plan to attend. Many institutes now allow students to complete proficiency exams such as the College Level Examination Program (CLEP) or the Proficiency Examination Program (PEP) in lieu of course-work in areas in which they have work experience or knowledge gained though independent study. If you are planning to enroll in an online nursing degree program, you will be happy to know that there are certain distinct advantages associated with it, enumerated below, though not all may be available together for a particular program. 1. You will be able to complete your online nursing degree coursework quickly and conveniently.

2. Online nursing degree programs are less expensive than traditional programs. While the cost widely varies by school and degree program, students may expect to pay anywhere from a little less than $100 to more than $300 dollars a credit, with average tuition for online programs sponsored by public universities generally falling in the $110-170 range. In addition, registration or enrollment fees may also be charged, though out-of-state tuition is not typically charged. Overall however, online nursing degree programs cost less than their traditional counterparts.

3. Flexible online nursing programs allow you to work around personal commitments. This is especially true for female nurses who are would-be mothers or have home and kids to look after.

4. Your curriculum can be tailored to meet your specific goals and you may be studying an up-to-date curriculum that addresses the critical needs of the health care industry.

5. If you work hard, you may look forward to completing your online nursing degree in just 2 to 3 years, or even sooner if you have qualifying credits or prior work experience.

Copyright 2006 Linda Raye

Linda Raye, editor at NursingChoice, is well known for her writing on healthcare topics. Nursing is one of her passions.

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If you are new to dressage and want to start showing, it is important to learn and follow the dress code. It is pretty specific and, in dressage shows, you don’t get points for being creative and standing out from the crowd. Some judges are very traditional, and they are distracted by anything not following the “Norm”. Use your creative outfits for schooling. The dress code is also detailed in the rules for Dressage from USEF, so if you have questions about this advice, refer to the rules. These suggestions are based on current experience at 3 star shows in Northern California (2003-2006).

The rider should wear a black or blue dressage coat or hunt coat. A dressage coat has four buttons and a single vent in the back. A hunt coat has three buttons and a double vent. Most riders invest in a dressage coat, but it is fine to start off in a hunt coat before spending lots of money on a name-brand dressage coat. Depending on your climate, consider very carefully before investing in a traditional wool coat. There are other man-made blends that can be much cooler in warm weather. At some very warm shows, the judge will wave the coat requirement. This means that you can remove your coat and neck tie, but you must still be in a shirt with a collar and long or short sleeves. Unless you are desperate, wear your coat anyways if you can. The test is only 5-6 minutes and some judges prefer the finished look. By the way, tailcoats are only for riders riding Prix St. George level and above.

The rider should also wear a white show shirt with mock collar, white stock tie, stock tie pin, and white breeches. Your shirt can be long or short sleeves. There are tons of show shirts for sale on the market, so find something you like. Beige breeches are also allowed, but you are better off wearing white. Gloves can be white or black, but you are better off wearing white if you can stand it. Hunt style hard helmet in black velvet is best for the lower levels, if possible. A safety helmet of any style is allowed for your safety. Put your hair in some kind of hair net unless it is very short. No loose hair or flopping pony tails should be seen. Wear tall boots, preferably “dress boots” with no laces. “Field boots” have laces at the ankle and are better for the hunter/jumper ring. Half chaps or leggings are absolutely not allowed in the show ring for dressage. You must have tall boots. You can save money by purchasing imitation leather boots if you don’t want to incur the cost of leather boots. Leather boots can cost $100-$500 easily. Some people invest in custom-made leather boots that cost even more. Spurs are allowed with restrictions on them. Most common blunt-end spurs with straight shanks are fine. One whip no longer than 43.3 inches (110 cm), including lash may be carried in all classes except for annual championship classes.

For the horse, use a white, square saddle pad and an English or Dressage style saddle. The bridle can have a decorative brow band as long as it is leather-based. A beaded string across the brow is not allowed. No boots or leg wraps are allowed in the show ring. The saddle color should match the stirrup leathers, girth, and bridle if possible. Make sure that your bridle and bit are to regulation. Most simple snaffle bits are fine, and most nosebands are allowed. Try to have everything as neat and clean and white as possible before your rides!

See the Dressage Rules at http://www.usef.org/documents/ruleBook/2006/07-DR.pdf Read section DR120 Dress for dress code rules and section DR121 Saddlery and Equipment for tack rules.

Jennifer Allbright writes for http://www.NewtoHorses.com which provides information to new-comers on caring for, riding, and showing horses. The site offers a wide range of information from safety around horses and resources for horse items to specifics about dressage training and showing.

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Known as the single best ski resort in the South, Wintergreen Resort in Virginia has quite a bit to offer skiers. Featuring 11,000 acres with 19 trails, Wintergreen has a top elevation of 3516 feet, with a 1003 foot vertical drop. Beginners, intermediates, and experts will all find suitable trails at Wintergreen Resort.

To accommodate skiers, there are six lifts, including five chair lifts and one surface lift. There is also a dedicated terrain park for snowboarding. The resort is located near Charlottesville, Virginia, and you will experience breathtaking views of the Appalachian Mountains, and be surrounded by luxury that most people only dream of. There is also a world class golf course located near the resort.

Other activities include tubing, snowmobiling, tennis, hiking, and horseback riding. The Out of Bounds Adventure Center is a very popular attraction at the resort with rock climbing and bungee trampolines. The Outdoor Wilderness Leadership school offers corporate retreats, real rock climbing, rappelling, and mountain biking.

This is an ideal spot for a family vacation. You and your children can participate in a variety of craft workshops, enjoy campfires and storytelling, go on hay rides, and enjoy many more community events that are scheduled throughout the year. There are many planned activities for families, including winter hiking, skiing, snowboarding, tubing, and swimming in a cozy indoor pool.

While vacationing at Wintergreen Resort, make time to see the civil war history attractions, and visit the local wineries as well. Also take time to enjoy the Wintergreen Spa. At the spa, you can be pampered with massages, body wraps, skin treatments, and nail care. You can also visit the Mountaintop Aquatic and Fitness Center which features the latest in cardiovascular equipment, strength equipment, heated pools, hot tubs, steam rooms, and saunas.

The Wintergreen Performing Arts has many musical performances throughout the year that are sure to delight you and your family. If you are less interested in culture, and more interested in nature, the Wintergreen Nature Foundation is for you. This foundation promotes the understanding and conservation of natural resources that the Blue Ridge Mountains are famous for.

No matter what your interests are, if getting away from the hustle and bustle of city life is what you want, this is the number one spot in the South for fun, relaxation, and rejuvenation. The Wintergreen Resort is open all year long, with activities that are suitable for every season.

Burt Cotton http://www.myskiholiday.com

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Like every parent, you too expect the best for your child- the best clothes, best house, best school and the best college. Expecting the best for your child does not mean that you will always be able to give him/her the best. There may be financial constraints that you can face. The big problem arises when you pay for your child’s higher education. 529 is an effective tool that will be useful for you in paying the education cost of college.

This is a known truth that the college costs go up each year. In order to provide your child with a good higher education you should start saving money now. 529 is an investment plan that helps you save money in a smarter way. 529 plan is the program, which takes away all your worries related to your ward’s future education. It is a plan that can really help you save money for the college fees. 529 plans offer two options, one is the college savings plan and the other is prepaid tuition plan.

Some of the advantages of 529 plan are:

* The money that you earn is income-tax free.

* You have complete control over the account proceedings. In other words, the parent who is investing money in the account has control over the assets within the program. The age of the beneficiary doesn’t matter; the control still remains in your hands and not your childs.

* You can change the beneficiary of the plan at any time.

* The money that you withdraw can be used for expenses such as college fees, books, boarding charges, lodging charges, computers etc.

* Your familys income level is not a constraint for saving in the 529 plans.

If you want to ensure quality education for your child in the future years, then you must start saving now. For example, suppose your child is 8 years old, then you have almost 10 years to save for his/her college education. A 529 plan will help you do so smoothly and with a lot of ease. Ten years of saving might seem a long time, but if you look at the increasing costs of college education, you will realize how crucial saving in these years will be. So, if you don’t start saving now then realize that you are putting your child’s future at stake.

Jay White is an author, copywriter, and marketer who’s trying to figure out how he’s going to put 2 kids through college. For more great tips, techniques, and strategies about how to save money with 529 plans, check out http://www.529-comparison.com 529 Comparison

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Interview for the Krasny Software computer magazine:

The Almeza Company has developed several quite interesting programs. Its flagship product is the automatic Windows and software installer * Almeza MultiSet. That’s what we will talk about. Ivan Abramovsky, the CEO of the Almeza Company, answers the questions.

Q: What tasks does your program solve?

A: First of all, Almeza MultiSet has been developed to solve the task of the automatic installation of Windows together with a set of necessary software. MultiSet can create a bootable installation disk that automatically installs Windows, service packs, necessary drivers and any other software (video codecs, file managers, players… anything) plus it can configure all software and tune Windows (all custom settings in the operating system)

Q: What are the main features of the program?

A: 1) Automatic Windows installation
2) Automatic installation of any software
3) Creating a bootable disk for automatic Windows and software installation
4) Automatically restoring software settings and tuning Windows
5) Remote automatic installation. For example, it is possible to automatically install software via the local area network.

We should also mention the features of the program that won it users’ admiration:

* Convenient Wizards. Automatic installation disks are created with the help of convenient wizards.

* Ease of use. The program does not require any special knowledge (i.e. it has no special script language, complicated settings), everything is as easy as possible.

* Processing all installation procedures correctly: restarting the computer during automatic installation, entering registration keys, entering usernames and other parameters; processing nonstandard exception situations in an adequate manner.

Q: And what unique features does the program have?

A: * Ease of creating an automatic installation disk. Minimum time is required to get the disk ready.
* Unique algorithm. The unique algorithm makes automatic installation as fast as possible.
* Creating the automatic Windows installation disk and installing service packs, drivers, registry keys and any other software right after that. It is also possible to enable automatic configuration for software and Windows.

Q: What benefits do your users get?

A: First of all, some statistics. Let’s calculate: Windows installation + driver installation + service packs + necessary software + restoring old software settings + general OS configuration * on average, an experienced system administrator spends more than 200 hours a year on all that (25 8-hour business days); a regular user spends more than 90 hours a year (11 8-hour business days). Almeza MultiSet needs not more than 45 minutes to install Windows and necessary software. At the same time, human attendance is not required because installation is fully automatic. All in all, Almeza MultiSet will save more than 20 business days a year for a system administrator and more than 11 days a year for a regular user.

Second, Almeza MultiSet creates bootable disks for the automatic installation of Windows and a set of necessary software, drivers, service packs. This disk can be used to reanimate the computer. MultiSet is a turnkey solution = insert the disk and the new operating system, drivers, service packs and any other necessary software will be installed on the computer and you can configure the operating system and the software at once.

And third, Almeza MultiSet restores the system without losing the current data! Unlike in case of cloning image disks.

Q: Who are your customers, what is the target group of your product?

A: Our users are people who value and save their time, people who are used to giving routine work to computers. By automating the process of restoring and configuring the computer, MultiSet helps our customers save time. Mostly, our customers are:

* administrators (system administrator, network administrators)
* computer first aid services
* customer technical support services
* individual users
* educational institutions (schools, colleges, universities)
* companies possessing a large number of computers.

Q: How is the product doing at the moment?

A: Currently, thousands of people use Almeza MultiSet in more than 60 countries: the USA, Canada, Russia, the Netherlands, Austria, Argentine, Belgium, Turkey, Great Britain, Hong Kong, Germany, Switzerland, Jordan… The product is being constantly developed and improved, we extensively cooperate with our users and it allows us to know their needs. At the moment we are working on the next version of the program where we will implement new features and fix existing drawbacks.

Web:
http://www.almeza.com/

Download:
http://www.almeza.com/download/multiset.exe

Ivan Abramovsky is cofounder of Unattended Installation Systems. The company’s flagship product MultiSet has become a “must-have-software” in homes and offices in more than 60 countries. Unattended Installation Systems

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Making its debut in the fall of 1985, The Golden Girls quickly established itself as a fixture of Saturday night prime time television. Following the lives of four older women living together as roommates in Miami, the show displayed a raw wit and a biting humor. The women live in the house of Blanche Devereaux (Rue McClanahan), a Southern belle who loves men of every kind and has dated every eligible bachelor in the Miami area. Her roommates are former high school teacher Dorothy Zbornak (Bea Arthur) and St. Olaff housewife and widower Rose Nylund (Betty White). Rose loves to tell stories about her former hometown, much to the chagrin of the other girls. The three are joined by Dorothy’s mother, the firebrand Sophia Petrillo (Estelle Getty), a spunky Italian immigrant who always speaks her mind. In her early 80’s, Sophia may walk at a measured pace, but the velocity of her sarcasm only increases with age.

Overall, this is a charming situation comedy with likeable characters who have certainly developed their own unique identities. Although some of the same aspects of the show tend to be used over and over again (such as the St. Olaff stories and Dorothy’s reaction to them), The Golden Girls never seems to grow tiresome. With powerful performances from each of the cast members, viewers will find that Sophia steals the show…

The Golden Girls DVD offers a number of hilarious episodes including the series premiere “The Engagement” in which Sophia Petrillo moves in with her daughter Dorothy and her two roommates, Blanche and Rose, after a fire destroys her retirement home, Shady Pines. Meanwhile, Rose develops a bad feeling when Blanche’s boyfriend Harry proposes… Other notable episodes include “The Competition” in which Dorothy and Blanche enter into a heated bowling competition with Rose and Sophia, and “The Operation” in which Dorothy is forced to undergo surgery on her foot. Feeling scared and sorry for herself, she develops a new outlook on life after her encounter with an inspirational hospital roommate…

Below is a list of episodes included on The Golden Girls (Season 1) DVD:

Episode 1 (The Engagement) Air Date: 09-14-1985
Episode 2 (Guess Who’s Coming To The Wedding?) Air Date: 09-21-1985
Episode 3 (Rose The Prude) Air Date: 09-28-1985
Episode 4 (Transplant) Air Date: 10-05-1985
Episode 5 (The Triangle) Air Date: 10-19-1985
Episode 6 (On Golden Girls) Air Date: 10-26-1985
Episode 7 (The Competition) Air Date: 11-02-1985
Episode 8 (Break-In) Air Date: 11-09-1985
Episode 9 (Blanche And The Younger Man) Air Date: 11-16-1985
Episode 10 (Heart Attack): Air Date: 11-23-1985
Episode 11 (The Return Of Dorothy’s Ex) Air Date: 11-30-1985
Episode 12 (The Custody Battle) Air Date: 12-07-1985
Episode 13 (A Little Romance) Air Date: 12-14-1985
Episode 14 (That Was No Lady) Air Date: 12-21-1985
Episode 15 (In A Bed Of Rose’s) Air Date: 01-11-1986
Episode 16 (The Truth Will Out) Air Date: 01-18-1986
Episode 17 (Nice And Easy) Air Date: 02-01-1986
Episode 18 (The Operation) Air Date: 02-08-1986
Episode 19 (Second Motherhood) Air Date: 02-15-1986
Episode 20 (Adult Education) Air Date: 02-22-1986
Episode 21 (Flu Attack) Air Date: 03-01-1986
Episode 22 (Job Hunting) Air Date: 03-08-1986
Episode 23 (Blind Ambitions) Air Date: 03-29-1986
Episode 24 (Big Daddy) Air Date: 05-03-1986
Episode 25 (The Way We Met) Air Date: 05-10-1986

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: http://thedvdreport.blogspot.com/2006/02/golden-girls-dvd.html

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Have you ever considered what it means to be an intentional parent? Have you thought about what hangs in the balance? Fourteen years of parenting, reading countless books and listening to the sage of advice of many who walked the parenting path before me has taught me much. Ironically, what stands out the most is how much there is left to learn about being an effective parent and how often I still miss the mark. Hitting the mark is tough even in the best of circumstances; with work, after-school activities, help with homework and other personal demands the bulls eye looks awfully small and so far away. Maybe you can relate. One thing is clear to me - effective parenting is not something that easily comes. It takes great effort and it takes intentionality. The effort part is for another discussion, but what about intentionality?

An intentional parent is not a perfect parent (none of us fall into that category); rather, it is a parent who has “mentally determined upon some action or result related to parenting.” The key is “mentally determined” since every good habit starts with a mental decision. I don’t know about you, but I can’t think of a single good habit I have that just happened. An intentional parent is an “on purpose” parent.

As parents, our greatest tendency is to react to our children rather than plan in advance. To complicate it even further, we acknowledge this tendency yet do little about it. What does this say about us as parents? The question we need to grapple with is why do we tend to continue down the same unintentional path? There are at least three practical reasons I have identified in my own life that make it difficult for me to be an intentional parent: vision, know-how and accountability. See if you can identify with any of them.

Our biggest obstacle starts in the mind - we simply don’t take the time to contemplate what hangs in the balance. To state it another way, we really have not taken the time to understand and embrace what is gained and what is lost by investing in our children as intentional parents. Most of us would agree, upon reflection, more is to be gained by taking an intentional approach to parenting our children. So, action step number one for becoming an intentional parent is to imagine what you want your relationship to be like with your child and what his or her relationships will be like with others once your child has reached adulthood. Add to that the legacy you want to leave and you start to catch a glimpse of what hangs in the balance.

I imagine my children growing up one day and investing their lives in their own family and those around them. Can that happen if I never invest time with them? Of course, but chances are they will be more apt to do it and more effective at it if I invest in them as young children. When Emily, our now 11 year old, was younger and wanted to play Old Maid when the football game was on, my first thought was “not during the game.” As I look back now, I can say some of my funniest and fondest memories were playing a simple card game like Old Maid with our girls. It is amazing what you can teach a child about life during a basic game of Old Maid.

Our next challenge is lack of know-how. We have very little idea of what an intentional parent looks or acts like. In short, we are missing a plan. It is a bit like driving in a foreign country without a map or directions of any sort. You may eventually reach the destination but the frustration and loss of time makes the journey miserable and it is rarely worth the price. The solution is easy but it takes time. Research, read, utilize resources like Focus on the Family and survey your friends, especially those with grown children. One good resource can launch your journey to becoming an intentional parent. For me, it was a book by Tim Kimmel entitled Legacy of Love.

Being an intentional parent requires changing your strategy and approach as your child changes. If you are like I was early in my parenting I wanted to discover the know-how or “program” that worked, implement it and expect everything to fall neatly into place. I soon discovered the “neatly into place” part was a hurdle. I remember one particular airplane ride before we had our first daughter, Nicole. I was stuck next to a screaming child; you know, the one who never stops screaming the entire flight. I still hear myself saying, “I can’t believe they are not able to control their child. My child will never act like that in public.” Famous last words, right? Fast forward to my first airplane ride with Nicole when she was about six months old. It was a piece of cake - not a peep out of her the entire time. Everyone was so complimentary and a proud Dad I was. I had the program figured out or so I thought until my second airplane ride with Nicole near her one year birthday. To say it was miserable and embarrassing would be an understatement. From the time the plane took off she started screaming and I was reduced to a helpless Dad - duped by a one year old. Some program on “how you should act in public” I had! My child had changed - it was time for a new strategy.

Once you have your vision and plan in place you are faced with implementation. Every parent understands the daily challenges of raising a child as life speeds by us like a NASCAR race. In my own life it is here in the daily battle that I have discovered the importance of accountability. My wife is the best intentional parent I know. She made a decision early in the lives of our children (Nicole is 14 and Emily is 11) to empower her friends to hold her accountable in her role as an intentional mother. As a result, when inertia begins to pull her away from intentional parenting her friends remind her of the vision, the plan and of what hangs in the balance. This accountability enables her to course correct and to escape falling “out of the habit” of intentional parenting. Who have you allowed into the center of your life to ask you the difficult questions and to challenge you to be an intentional parent?

Having a vision with know-how and even accountability means nothing unless and until we act. Actions require energy and time which, for busy people, always feels in short supply. If you are like me, fear and self-centeredness are oftentimes a big hindrance to being an intentional parent. A sense of scarcity and the lack of understanding of the consequences of inaction allow fear and self-centeredness to rule and block our otherwise good intentions. What will I need to give up in the way of time and energy to deliver in this area of my life? What will it cost me personally? It takes courage to be an intentional parent. So, what do you think - is it worth your child’s future and your legacy to become an intentional parent? Will you muster the courage it takes to impact a life?

I know what you are thinking - where are all of the action steps, the secrets, the plan? Well, right now Emily needs help with her homework so more on the know-how will need to wait. Keep your eye out for the next article at www.CourageTheMonkey.com. Intentional parenting calls.

Copyright © 2006, Mark T. Jordan. All rights reserved. Permission granted to reprint this article without alteration if you include the bio and copyright.

Mark Jordan is the author of several books including his most recent children’s book http://www.CourageTheMonkey.com. He holds an MBA from Baylor University and a BSBA from the University of Arkansas. He can be reached at mark@CourageTheMonkey.com.

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Education can be considered as a basic need- more than a necessity rather than mere luxury. That is why it is very important to ensure the quality of education that teachers get for them to be able to carry on a noble task- the task of molding others’ future.

In this regard, the California Commission on Teachers Credentialing (CCTC) continues to facilitate the CSET (or California Subject Examination for Teachers) for California students to receive instructions of great academic standards. A teacher has to be competitive in all aspects; something that CCTC has to ensure. And aside from the reviews that teachers have to make, they still have all the procedures that they have to follow to take CSET.

Here are some things that teachers have to keep in mind when they are intending to take CSET.

- What are the CSET tests that a teacher can take?

Teachers can choose from the various CSET programs: the Multiple Subjects Test, the Preliminary Educational Technology Test, the Writing Skills Test and the Single Subjects test.

- What are the differences between the test types?

The Multiple Subjects Test allows the bearer to teach all subjects that he or she is qualified in teaching in a classroom. This style has been commonly used in Elementary settings. The students learn most basic subjects (if not all) from one teacher.

A Single Subject Test, in turn, allows a bearer to teach a certain subject of expertise in a departmentalized setting, most commonly seen in secondary schools. In this kind of setting, students receive instructions from teachers specialized in handling a certain subject.

- Do I need to take the Preliminary Educational Technology Test?

Even if a teacher has been certified to be proficient in a certain subject, he or she has to be proficient enough to handle the technologies used in teaching; The CSET Preliminary Technology Test handles that task.

- Where do i get review guides for CSET? Teachers have options in getting review guides. There are review guides which you can buy. However, you can save money by checking the electronic review guides available at the CSET official website.

- How do I register for CSET?

Here are the steps that teachers have to follow in registering for CSET.

Teachers who intend to take the CSET exam can visit the CSET website. Registration is available all the time. However, the cut-off time to be observed is 5 in the afternoon, Pacific time.

Registration forms can also be sent by mail, but the 5 p.m. cut-off time still applies.

Another option to take into consideration would be to call the CSET hotline to register via phone. Please refer to the CSET website for the numbers to contact.

- How do I pay for CSET?

CSET takers can check the CSET website for specific payments. The payment dues can be paid via MasterCard of Visa if the test taker registered online or thru phone. For test takers who registered thru mail, payments can be made thru personal checks, and money order, aside from the options available to those who registered online.

The task of educating others toward their future is a hard task indeed. But teachers do not have to worry, for CSET would just be a breeze, if you take these things in mind.

Mario Churchill is a freelance author and has written many articles on the Praxis II. For more information checkout http://www.teachingsolutions.org.

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We all know that ADD or attention deficit disorder is a common disease amongst little children and it can affect adults too. However, in order to treat this disease we have to first understand it better. We have got to dig deeper into the minds of an ADD patient, and find out what makes them so.

First things first, recent observations have shed light into the theory making it now fact that more than 70% of children who suffer from ADD have one or both parents who have had the disease. This is interesting because bad parenting can now be ruled out as a reason why many kids end up suffering from attention deficit hyperactivity disorders.

Talking about bad parenting, up to a certain extent, trouble at home with a child’s parents can be included as an aggravation for the ADD affected child. Where as good parenting can help calm the child. Keep in mind though, parenting is no cause of the disease, it can either help in the cure or it can make things harder.

Moving on, another reason for causing ADD is the diet. Records of many ADD patients have given enough evidence that a poor diet, lacking some key nutrients such as zinc and amino acids, can actually cause ADD. This without doubt comes as pure logic that these two elements are necessary for proper brain and body functioning. A recent study on ADD sufferers shows a great improvement when these missing nutrients from a previous diet is supplied.

Another very common cause of ADD is exposing children to excessive television and video games. Doctors have linked this with poor parenting. It was practical that kids who were exposed to television as toddlers, wound up with ADD. The symptoms only begin to show at the age of seven when children cannot concentrate in school. The reason behind this discovery is because TV life and video games move at a much more rapid rate than real life. This hardwires the infant’s brain into thinking that real life unfolds at the same rate, and this becomes normal.

Television causes a baby’s brain to become over stimulated causing permanent changes in neural patterns. It’s a fact that from birth until the age of three, infants become conditioned in very unique ways, but when you allow the child to watch TV all day their neural paths are not created which is very essential for the brain. Again this happens between birth and the age of three. Television stunts this neural pathway development of a child’s brain and ends up with defects such as ADD.

So as you can see the roots of ADD come from several causes and although heredity is a major cause, it can’t be ruled as the main one. All the sources of ADD development mentioned above play a role together on the level of severity on the affected persons.

Jason Rickard is the owner of Your Favourite Shop - http://www.yourfavouriteshop.com - Offering White Noise and Relaxation CDs - Visit Hapa Health - http://www.hapahapa.com for more articles.

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