http://www.merry-Christmas-story.com
Check out the link for fabulous Christmas stories you can read on your iPhone, iPad, Kindle or computer. And it's full of beautiful classic Christmas illustrations too!
Saturday, 24 December 2011
Monday, 19 December 2011
The Tree is Up
http://www.merry-Christmas-story.com
Check out the link for fabulous Christmas stories you can read on your iPhone, iPad, Kindle or computer. And it's full of beautiful classic Christmas illustrations too!
Tuesday, 6 December 2011
View from a one reindeer open sleigh!
http://www.merry-Christmas-story.com
Check out the link for fabulous Christmas stories you can read on your iPhone, iPad, Kindle or computer. And it's full of beautiful classic Christmas illustrations too!
Thursday, 1 December 2011
First Sighting of Santa!
Only 23 sleeps till Christmas - getting excited!
http://www.merry-Christmas-story.com
Check out the link for fabulous Christmas stories you can read on your iPhone, iPad, Kindle or computer. And it's full of beautiful classic Christmas illustrations too!
Tuesday, 29 November 2011
Comet the Reindeer
http://www.merry-Christmas-story.com
Check out the link for fabulous Christmas stories you can read on your iPhone, iPad, Kindle or computer. And it's full of beautiful classic Christmas illustrations too!
Charlie Bears
Hartley is a beautiful mohair collectible bear with oodles of character.
Sunday, 27 November 2011
How Far are You From Santa
Friday, 25 November 2011
Thursday, 24 November 2011
More Teddy in Lapland...
Wednesday, 23 November 2011
Teddy in Winter Wonder Land
Tuesday, 22 November 2011
Teddy tries out Santa's Ice Throne
Monday, 21 November 2011
Christmas Warmer
Sunday, 20 November 2011
Pictures from Santa's Village
Stay tuned for pictures from inside!
Saturday, 19 November 2011
Santa's home town
Friday, 18 November 2011
Rudolph the Reindeer
http;//Www.merry-Christmas-story.com
Thursday, 17 November 2011
Rudolph taking a break
Short Christmas Stories
Tuesday, 15 November 2011
Make the Internet Work for Your Business
Hi, I'm Shaun Elliott from Totnes Consultancy Limited.
We are an Internet Marketing Consultancy with a proven track record of success.
We help Businesses increase their revenue by making them findable on the Internet ahead of any competition.
In the 21st century an internet marketing strategy is essential for every business seeking more customers.
All of our clients get hundreds of qualified leads to their websites every month and many get thousands on a regular basis. Our best performing site had more than 7000 visitors in one month! Consider the potential for profit with thousands of qualified leads being exposed to your product or service every month.
Many other internet marketing organisations talk about getting their clients to number one on Google for useless low competition keywords that don't have any searchers! That's just money down the drain. With Totnes Consultancy success means lots and lots of qualified leads!
Hundreds or perhaps thousands of qualified leads to your product or service could cost as little as £1.00 per day! And no set up fee.
If you don’t get at least 200 visitors per month you don’t pay! You won’t get that guarantee anywhere else.
http://www.totnessearchenginemarketingagency.com/about-shaun-elliott
07739 161 270
Wednesday, 28 September 2011
Aspen Ski Vacations
Aspen Mountain has long been known as the playpen
of the rich and famous – and it is. But it is also a
great place to take a family ski vacation. Christmas
in Aspen is especially wonderful! Aspen Mountain
rises above the town of Aspen, with a top elevation
of 11215 feet and a vertical drop of 3269 feet. There
are 76 trails suitable for beginners, intermediates,
and experts, accessible by eight lifts, including
seven chair lifts and one cable car line.
While Aspen has much to offer skiers, as well as
those who enjoy the night life in a ski town, you
should expect lots of crowds and lift lines on the
slopes. Again, this is the playpen of the rich and
famous, and many people choose this ski vacation
spot simply for that reason – as well as for the great
runs and nightlife.There are numerous places to stay in and around
Aspen, with more than 100 restaurants to choose
from as well. Ski instructions and equipment rental
are abundant in the area, and snowboarders are
welcome.
Tuesday, 27 September 2011
Alaska Ski Vacations
Alaska, which has always been a source of awe and
mystery, has some of the best skiing in the world,
and the Alyeska Resort is one of the finest resorts
in the state. With a top elevation of 2751 feet and a
2501 vertical drop, the area gets an average of 631
inches of snow annually.
you won’t find the slopes overly crowded, and there
are no long lift lines. There are nine lifts, including
six chair lifts and two surface lifts, and one cable
car line. There are 68 trails for beginners,
intermediates, and experts, with the majority of the
trails designed for intermediate skiers. Night time skiing is allowed, which makes your ski
experience more adventurous and thrilling. You will
see snow capped mountains, hanging glaciers, and
of course, the famous Northern Lights. This resort is
ranked number nine of the top twenty-five killer ski
trips by Skiing Magazine.The season begins at the Alyeska Resort in mid
November, and runs through mid April. This area of
Alaska boasts the longest daytime areas in the
United States, with approximately sixteen hours of
daylight each day during April. During December,
however, there are only about seven hours of daylight
– which makes night time skiing necessary if you
are going to get in the time that you want to spend
on the slopes.The Alyeska Prince Hotel is the place to stay! Here
you will enjoy elegant rooms and fine dining. Nightly
entertainment is available as well. There are other
nightlife spots in the area as well, that are not
associated with the Hotel.If tubing interests you, then visiting the Glacier
Tubing Park is an absolute must! Featuring two
lanes of terrain and a surface lift, everyone in the
family will enjoy spending time at the tubing park.
The Alyeska Terrain Park is a must for
snowboarding enthusiasts. Other winter activities
that can be enjoyed in and around the Alyeska
Resort include flight seeing, helisking, ocean
cruising tours, dog sledding, ice climbing, back
country skiing, mountaineering, and polar bear
viewing.At the Alyeska Resort, the ultimate winter vacation
can be experienced. Brave the elements, then return
to the Hotel for some pampering. Get a taste of what
Alaska is really like, and what skiing is meant to be!
There are activities for the entire family to enjoy, and
there are many area sights and attractions to be
enjoyed as well. This really is an awesome winter
family ski vacation!
Ski Hemets
RED Protection offer the best in Men's and Women's Snowboard Helmets. RED is run under the Burton umbrella of Snowboard related companies which include Anon Goggles and Aerial 7 Headphones so you
Red Protection is a side project for the world most famous Burton snowboard company. With such a strong and well known team of riders Burton knew that there team of test pilots would be simply the best in the world. With this in mind Red snowboard protection was born with one aim to build quality safety gear for riders who are likely to push their equipment to the limit every time. Red snowboarding produces helmets, shorts and all body protection for those who board on the edge.
Wednesday, 11 May 2011
Family Budget
"The average family exists only on paper and its average budget is a fiction, invented by
statisticians for the convenience of statisticians."
today, we will attempt to take a much more positive approach to budgeting, as a family
oriented, user-friendly, financial management and planning tool and life-enabler. However, when reflecting on family budgeting and inquiring as to why not more families are
actually using it, it becomes self-evident that similar skepticism runs rampant and deep in reality
and society, even globally so. Once you start probing family budgets, expending time and energy researching the subject in-
depth, it becomes quite clear, that most families are caught in a vicious, almost never-ending
cycle of “What comes in must go out.” Most families might feel that budgeting is a futile effort, unnecessarily burdening them with
thoughts and ways, to go broke methodically and slowly, without the creature comforts and
indulgences of our human modern-day society. Others might voice that they feel as if they are merely throwing money away, in a never-ending
and dizzying spiral of spend, spend, spend. People are getting deeper and deeper into debt, no
matter how hard they try to get out of it. Questions are then raised : How do we stop these
courses of action? How do we change the thinking around family fiscal discipline? Put simply, in “How to set up a Family Budget”, we focus in on how to empower families to set
up better, more realistic budgets, stick to them and celebrate their successes (and learn from their
failures!) Families eventually do have a monthly surplus, see their savings start to grow, consolidate their
debt, set aside discretionary funds and personal allowances, build their wealth and become more aware of their pro-active involvement and responsibility regarding their lives and finances. This
is when excitement builds and fundamental thought patters as well as spending attitudes are
changed. Budgeting is seen as an accurate measurement of success when significant behavioral
transformation is taking place on the landscape of the family budget, spending habits and
financial patterns we observe over time!
Friday, 25 March 2011
Outdoor Reception
Hosting your reception outdoors can be a great deal cheaper and a
lot more fun for you and your guests. When you host your reception
outdoors you have a lot of options as to how you want things to be.
The only downside to doing this is whether or not the weather
conditions will permit it. Because of this your reception and its
success is often at the hands of Mother Nature. Other than that, it can
be the best decision that you could make.
Outdoor receptions give you an endless supply of ideas and freedom
in how your reception will be handled. The best thing is that you can
host an outdoor reception at a hall or beautiful grounds, or you can do
so in your own back yard.
If your own yard permits it, it would be best to do it here because it is
a relaxed atmosphere and you need not worry about many of the
small details that come in when using public grounds (i.e. music).
There are many ways that you can make an outdoor reception easy
to plan, cheaper to pay for, and a great deal of fun. Of course, there
are small formalities that go with it as well.
I have developed a to-do list for you as well to help you to make the
most out of your outdoor reception.
Reception to do List
You have to start with a thorough to do list when planning an outdoor
reception because this will keep your affairs in order. When creating
your list, you have to consider having a contingency plan. The reason
for this is to accommodate bad weather conditions that may prohibit
your reception from taking place at all. Or having your reception
ruined due to a thunderstorm or severe winds.
Here is a sample to do list for you to look at so that you will know all
of the things that need to be considered. The list will include what
needs to be done, and why it should be handled.
To do list should include:
• Renting tent or gazebo and decorating it. Make sure that you
confirm your rental date at least two weeks ahead of time or
sooner if you can.
• Renting tables and chairs. It is cheaper when you set them up
yourself
• Getting regular updates on the weather. Of course, you should
have a contingency plan just in case the weather does not
permit an outdoor party.
• Getting any miscellaneous items such as extension cords etc.
• Hiring a DJ or band and confirming
• Deciding on food items and drink and who will prepare what
• Getting permits that may be required in serving alcohol
• Getting permission from neighbors. You don’t want them
complaining about the noise and the parking situation (invite
them too). Of course this rule applies when you are hosting
your outdoor reception in your backyard.
These are some quick tips for your to do list. Of course, you will also
want to know how you can possibly save as much money as possible
on this event and the tips and ideas are literally endless.
Perhaps the best reason to host an outdoor party is because it will
take care of the smoking problem on its own. When you host an
outdoor reception, there are so many choices that you can make on
what to do and serve your guests.
Planning the Reception
Great deals can be found when you know how much money you are working with. It really doesn’t matter how small your budget is for the
reception because all budgets can be accommodated. Your reception budget should consist of approximately 30% of your
wedding budget or more. Most wedding receptions are so expensive due to the fact of providing meals, decorations, hall rentals etc.
For the purposes of this guide, I will give two different examples of common receptions and an idea for cutting costs on the food and
drinks as well as give you the best tips for throwing your reception on a budget:
Renting a Hall
If you prefer to rent a hall or space for your reception, you mustconsider many things before making this decision. You will have tothink of the prices for the hall rental, the cost of using their servers(most halls include servers in price and they are not negotiable),decorations, flowers, meals, drinks etc.When you wish to rent a hall for your reception there are some thingsthat the hall will include in your rental that you can’t avoid paying forsuch as: servers, decorations, and wine. However, some halls willgive you the option to pick and choose the extras that you want.Depending on the type of hall that you choose to rent, the costs canvary greatly. For example, if you rent a large hall, you could pay morethan if you rented a legion hall.You might also want to consider that if you are starting with a smallbudget, that renting a hall might not be worth the effort and money, orit may leave you with less options. There are a few tips when renting a hall that could keep a great deal of your costs down. Let’s take a look at them.
1. You should only consider renting a hall if you have invited 50 or
more people to your reception.
2. When renting a hall, you have to decide if you are opting for a cash
bar or an open bar. A good compromise is to purchase a few cases of
beer on your own and host a cash bar for those who want mixed
drinks if you are trying to keep costs down.
3. Rent a hall that you can decorate yourself
4. If you must have servers, rent a hall that includes servers in the
price of the rental or go with a hall that lets you bring your own.
5. Choose a hall that will cater to whatever your needs or budget is.
6. When it comes to the food, you should go with a hall that will allow
you to bring your own food if you would prefer to not pay extra for
catering.
7. Serving vegetable and fruit trays, as well as finger foods like finger
sandwiches will be of great value in accommodating vegetarians
8. Opting for a casual reception will allow you to serve your food
buffet style which will be predominantly cheaper.
9. Opting to tell people to forego giving you a wedding gift and serve
a completely cash bar is a great way to accommodate guests and
recover some of the money for the hall.
10. Opt for non-weekend dates because these are not peak hours for
the hall and the prices may be cheaper
11. You should choose to host your event during the winter for the
best rates
12. Negotiate a special discount by paying cash instead of credit
card. Most reception halls will do this
13. Choose to go with a non-dinner reception offering instead snack
foods and munchables
Hosting a wedding reception at a hall does not have to cost through the nose if you know how to get around the basics, which I have just
mentioned. Most people would like to host their reception at a reception hall because they feel that it is more elegant than hosting it outdoors,
however, this is not always the case. Sometimes, hosting your event outdoors is more fun and it is also much cheaper.
Assessing How Fit You Are
Brad King and Dr. Michael Schmidt in “Bio Age, Ten Steps to a Younger You” (Macmillan, Canada, 2001) have devised a questionnaire for assessing physical damage to a body as a result of no exercise. We will borrow some of their guidelines, which we will summarize here:
Start with the question, “How do I look?” Do any of these answers apply to you?
- Am I overweight, looking like an apple or pear?
- Do I have a spare tire around my waist?
- Has my skin become excessively dry, almost paper-thin?
Next, ask: “How do I feel?”
- Do my joints hurt before or after any physical exertion?
- Am I constantly worried and anxious?
- Do I feel tired and sluggish most of the time?
- Do I suffer from mood swings?
Last question, “How am I doing?”
- Are simple walking and climbing stairs difficult?
- Do I have problems concentrating?
- Is running impossible for me now?
- Am I unable to sit straight, preferring to slouch or stoop my shoulders?1
You’ve completed your basic assessment. Note, however, that other exercise or fitness gurus will have their own parameters or indices for assessing your body’s overall state and one isn’t better than the other.
As long as they include all dimensions of the self – physical, psychological and mental – they are as valid as the next person’s assessment charts.
Lifespan and Physical Appearance
The average life span of men and women is 80 years, give or take a few years. The painful truth is, a significant number of men and women look and feel 80 before they even make it to the first half of their life! You spot the tell-tale signs from their physical appearance:
- sagging dry skin
- unsightly posture
- uneven and unsteady walk (they need to drag around those heavy pounds)
- aching joints
sporting the “I’m not happy because I look terrible” look
Now, if their appearance is this bad, imagine what the inside machinery is like! Most likely, it’s even worse:
- clogged vessels
- inefficient heart
- mounds of sugar and fat parked in or around vital organs
- Conditions such as diabetes, nervous tension, high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease that are silently brewing.
But fitness shouldn’t be associated with any age limit. You can start at 10 or at 30 – even at 50 and 60 – the idea being that fitness should not be seen as the cure for a condition that’s already come about. As the saying goes, don’t wait for illness to strike.
If fitness authorities had it their way, they’d create legislation to make exercise mandatory as soon as a baby leaves the cradle, not during the teenage years when obesity is likely to strike.
Look After Your Body
Do you think of your body the way you think of your car? When a few lucky individuals acquire a sports car that boasts of the best automotive engineering available today, watch them read the maintenance manuals religiously.
They take their car for inspection even if it purrs like a kitten and take it for repairs as soon as something does not feel right. And they’re very concerned.
That car is their most prized possession, a symbol of all the long and hard hours they put on the job so they could finally acquire it. It cost an arm and a leg, so taking care of it is logically, their # 1 priority.
But how important is the person that drives that car? Shouldn’t that person – shouldn’t you – be the #1 priority?
Understanding Bonds
There are certain things you must understand about bonds before you start investing in them. Not understanding these things may cause you to purchase the wrong bonds, at the wrong maturity date.
The three most important things that must be considered when purchasing a bond include the par value, the maturity date, and the coupon rate.The par value of a bond refers to the amount of money you will receive when the bond reaches its maturity date. In other words, you will receive your initial investment back when the bond reaches maturity.The maturity date is of course the date that the bond will reach its full value. On this date, you will receive your initial investment, plus the interest that your money has earned.Corporate and State and Local Government bonds can be ‘called’ before they reach their maturity, at which time the corporation or issuing Government will return your initial investment, along with the interest that it has earned thus far. Federal bonds cannot be ‘called.’The coupon rate is the interest that you will receive when the bond reaches maturity. This number is written as a percentage, and you must use other information to find out what the interest will be. A bond that has a par value of $2000, with a coupon rate of 5% would earn $100 per year until it reaches maturity. Because bonds are not issued by banks, many people don’t understand how to go about buying one. There are two ways this can be done.You can use a broker or brokerage firm to make the purchase for you or you can go directly to the Government. If you use a brokerage, you will more than likely be charged a commission fee. If you want to use a broker, shop around for the lowest commissions!Purchasing directly through the Government isn’t nearly as hard as it once was. There is a program called Treasury Direct which will allow you to purchase bonds and all of your bonds will be held in one account, that you will have easy access to. This will allow you to avoid using a broker or brokerage firm.Mortgage Plymouth
What Is Your Investment Style?
Knowing what your risk tolerance and investment style are will help you choose investments more wisely. While there are many different types of investments that one can make, there are really only three specific investment styles – and those three styles tie in with your risk tolerance. The three investment styles are conservative, moderate, and aggressive.
Naturally, if you find that you have a low tolerance for risk, your investment style will most likely be conservative or moderate at best. If you have a high tolerance for risk, you will most likely be a moderate or aggressive investor. At the same time, your financial goals will also determine what style of investing you use.If you are saving for retirement in your early twenties, you should use a conservative or moderate style of investing – but if you are trying to get together the funds to buy a home in the next year or two, you would want to use an aggressive style.Conservative investors want to maintain their initial investment. In other words, if they invest $5000 they want to be sure that they will get their initial $5000 back. This type of investor usually invests in common stocks and bonds and short term money market accounts.An interest earning savings account is very common for conservative investors.A moderate investor usually invests much like a conservative investor, but will use a portion of their investment funds for higher risk investments. Many moderate investors invest 50% of their investment funds in safe or conservative investments, and invest the remainder in riskier investments.An aggressive investor is willing to take risks that other investors won’t take. They invest higher amounts of money in riskier ventures in the hopes of achieving larger returns – either over time or in a short amount of time. Aggressive investors often have all or most of their investment funds tied up in the stock market.Again, determining what style of investing you will use will be determined by your financial goals and your risk tolerance. No matter what type of investing you do, however, you should carefully research that investment. Never invest without having all of the facts!
Pensions Advice Plymouth
Why You Should Invest
Investing has become increasingly important over the years, as the future of social security benefits becomes unknown.
People want to insure their futures, and they know that if they are depending on Social Security benefits, and in some cases retirement plans, that they may be in for a rude awakening when they no longer have the ability to earn a steady income. Investing is the answer to the unknowns of the future.You may have been saving money in a low interest savings account over the years. Now, you want to see that money grow at a faster pace. Perhaps you’ve inherited money or realized some other type of windfall, and you need a way to make that money grow. Again, investing is the answer. Investing is also a way of attaining the things that you want, such as a new home, a college education for your children, or expensive ‘toys.’ Of course, your financial goals will determine what type of investing you do.If you want or need to make a lot of money fast, you would be more interested in higher risk investing, which will give you a larger return in a shorter amount of time. If you are saving for something in the far off future, such as retirement, you would want to make safer investments that grow over a longer period of time. The overall purpose in investing is to create wealth and security, over a period of time. It is important to remember that you will not always be able to earn an income… you will eventually want to retire.You also cannot count on the social security system to do what you expect it to do. As we have seen with Enron, you also cannot necessarily depend on your company’s retirement plan either. So, again, investing is the key to insuring your own financial future, but you must make smart investments!Pensions AdviceSaturday, 19 March 2011
Massage Plymouth
Your Recommended Daily Allowance for Relaxation
Stress is the curse of living in modern times. Everyone suffers from stress. And the stress we suffer takes a heavy toll on our bodies, emotions and minds. Feeling stressed out, worn out by fatigue or just simply having a miserable day, the best thing to do is relax. Watching television may be a form of relaxation for some, but is not a recommended method by experts. When we watch TV we are bombarded with commercials, ads, sounds and images. So how do we achieve relaxation? If there are thousands of ways we can get stressed, one of them is not meeting deadlines, there are also many ways we can relax.In recent studies, experts have determined that heart disease is linked to anger and irritability is linked to mental stress. Too much stress brings about ischemia that can lead to or cause a heart attack. Relaxation takes on added importance in light of this matter. Managing your anger and attitude is significant to heart health, and relaxation can help you manage stress. One way of relaxation is transcendental meditation. Recent studies have also shown that this method might reduce artery blockage, which is a major cause for heart attack and stroke. People practice transcendental meditation by repeating uttering soothing sounds while meditating, this is to achieve total relaxation. The researchers found that practitioners of transcendental meditation significantly reduced the thickness of their arterial wall compared with those who didn't practice transcendental meditation.Another study on another method of relaxation, acupuncture, seems to reduce high blood pressure by initiating several body functions for the brain to release chemical compounds known as endorphins. Endorphin helps to relax muscles, ease panic, decrease pain, and reduce anxiety. Yoga is also another method for relaxation and may also have similar effects like acupuncture. In another study, participants were subjected to several minutes of mental stress. Then they were subjected to various relaxation techniques, such as listening to nature sounds or classical music. Only those who did Yoga significantly reduced the time it took for their blood pressures to go back to normal. Yoga is a form of progressive relaxation.Breathing is one of the easiest methods to relax. Breathing influences alamost all aspects of us, it affects our mind, our moods and our body. Simply focus on your breathing, after some time you can feel its effects right away.There are several breathing techniques that can help you reduce stress. Another easy way to achieve relaxation is exercise. If you feel irritated a simple half-hour of exercise will often settle things down. Although exercise is a great way to lose weight, it does not show you how to manage stress appropriately. Exercise should also be used in conjunction with other exercise method.One great way of relaxation is getting a massage devon. To gain full relaxation, you need to totally surrender to the handling and touch of a professional therapist.There are several types of massages that also give different levels of relaxation. Massage PlymouthAnother method of relaxation is Biofeedback. The usual biofeedback-training program includes a 10-hour sessions that is often spaced one week apart.Hypnosis is one controversial relaxation technique. It is a good alternative for people who think that they have no idea what it feels like to be relaxed. It is also a good alternative for people with stress related health problems. Drugs are extreme alternatives to relaxation. They are sometimes not safe and are not effective like the other relaxation methods. This method is only used by trained medical professionals on their patients.These relaxation techniques are just some of the ways you can achieve relaxation. Another reason why we need to relax, aside from lowering blood pressure in people and decreasing the chances of a stroke or a heart attack, is because stress produces hormones that suppress the immune system, relaxation gives the immune system time to recover and in doing so function more efficiently. Relaxation lowers the activities within the brains' limbic system; this is the emotional center of our brain. Furthermore, the brain has a periodic need for a more pronounced activity on the right-hemisphere. Relaxation is one way of achieving this. Relaxation can really be of good use once a relaxation technique is regularly built into your lifestyle. Choose a technique that you believe you can do regularly.Pension Advice 3
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Thus far, I have dealt with retiring in the United States on a minimum amount. And there will be many who have no desire to spend their lives outside the boundaries of our own country.
However, it is my own opinion that a person, or couple, that has a small income, whether it be a pension, or dividends from some investment, can stretch the amount much further by living abroad. As I have already pointed out, a dollar goes much further in such countries as Mexico, Spain, Austria and Greece, among others, than it does in the United States. In fact, the United States is one of the most expensive countries on earth, and many will tell you that it is the most expensive of all. If you steer clear of the tourist centers, it is possible to live on a very high standard in these countries above mentioned on five
hundred dollars a month. Don't forget what I have said above in regard to the Europeans. Very few of them, even in the better to do countries, ever see as much as five hundred dollars a month. Even France, the luxury center of the world, does not have an average income of five hundred dollars a month per family. The average French working man makes less than this by 1997 French government statistics.
It becomes obvious, then, that it is possible to live on this amount. In fact, a bit of consideration shows that since the European is working to acquire his wages, and you are retired, you will have various advantages over him. He must dress for his job, he must utilize the public transportation every day going to and from work. He has expenses you won't have, including taxes, since, as you possibly know, if you live abroad for over 18 months you need not pay American income taxes.
Pensions Advice 2
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More than a million Americans are currently living within the boundaries of our country in trailers. Of these, hundreds of thousands are retired men and women. And of these it has been estimated that more than a hundred thousand have actual cash incomes of less than $6,000 a year. Needless to say, their lives have many advantages. They go where the climate is best, where the scenery is most striking. They fish, they hunt, they swim when such desires come to them. They see our country in all its glory, they grow to know it intimately.
There is no doubt whatsoever that if you have a sufficient initial amount of money to buy a car (it need not be new) and a trailer (it need be neither new nor large) and an income of approximately one thousand dollars a month, you can retire and see America, Canada and Mexico. Leisurely, thoroughly, happily. There is just no doubt at all. Tens of thousands of other Americans are doing it. You can do it too.
In Miami, to choose only one example among many, there are , thousands of persons who have chosen boats on which to retire, rather than trailers. Hundreds of these boats are docked along the Miami river and in bays and inlets in the vicinity. They range in size from thirty-five feet upward and every type of small craft ever heard of is represented. There are sailboats and motor cruisers, houseboats and yachts.
How much does such a boat cost? You will be hard pressed, perhaps, to believe this, but they run as little as a thousand dollars apiece for boats large enough for a couple to live upon.
pensions advice 1
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There are hundreds of thousands of Europeans who have retired on one hundred dollars a month, or less. In fact, there are few, if any, European nations where the average workingman can look forward to a pension that large upon his retirement at 60 or 65 years of age. Two hundred dollars a month is a fortune in the eyes of the average European. Actually, in most European countries the working man does not make that magnificent sum even while employed a full working week. Indeed, there are some European nations, Spain, for example, where even a skilled electrician or plumber, does not make as much as fifty dollars a month, working full time.
However, it would occur to comparatively few American couples who had a guaranteed income of a hundred a month, to retire. Why should this be?
Largely because we Americans have established a set of standards which makes five hundred dollars a month hardly more than pin money. There are some who say that this set of standards is a ridiculous one, but ridiculous or not it is there.
If you feel you absolutely must have a new automobile every year or two, then obviously you are not going to be able to retire on a hundred a month—in fact, it'll probably cost you that much to run your car, if you include depreciation and adequate insurance.
If prime quality steak is the only meat that you find digestible, I also doubt that you'll be able to retire on anything like this sum. If your clothes must be the latest styles from Paris, you're sunk and will probably have to keep on that treadmill for a good many more years. If the only beverages you find potable are imported Scotch or cognac, once again it's no go—unless you wish to give up drinking.
Retirement
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Give a European a small income, you can almost say no matter how small, and he'll retire, no matter what his age. The average European feels that the most important thing in life is freedom to dispense his time in the way he wishes. He figures that as long as you are at the mercy of a business, even your own, or of an employer, you are not truly free. Others dictate how your time shall be spent.
So you will find throughout Europe and especially in the very economical countries such as Spain, Austria and Greece hundreds of thousands of Europeans, both single persons and families, who have retired at any age from 18 to 80. They simply cannot understand why anyone should continue working after already reaching the point where he, or she, has sufficient funds with which to lead a full life.
I know I am going to run into disbelief here, but I personally have met, in various places throughout the world, single persons, couples and even families who have retired on as little as fifty dollars a month and have no other source of income.
Saturday, 12 March 2011
Announcing an Engagement
ENGAGEMENT NEWS
The first thing on the agenda after you become engaged is to share the joyous news with family and friends. If you have had a good relationship with each other’s family, then the news should be accepted with lots of hugs and tears. If for some reason there has been a little rift among family members, then the time to settle differences is before the wedding day. The last thing you want is to become married and then have a family divided.
The parents will be told either by phone or in person, depending on where they live in relation to you and your fiancé. If a phone call were made, it would be appropriate for both of you to be on the phone together when sharing the news. However, if one or both families live nearby, then inviting them to dinner at your home or at a nice restaurant would be an excellent opportunity to tell them about the upcoming event.
For friends, again the way in which they are told depends on the individual friend. For close friends, you might consider throwing a party or hosting an intimate dinner, which creates the perfect opportunity to tell them about the engagement and spend some time together. Otherwise, a phone call can be made or a personalized note sent announcing the new engagement.
Tuesday, 8 March 2011
Wedding Filming - The Proposal
•A late afternoon gondola ride
•The location where the two of you first met
•The restaurant where you had your first date
•Dining by candlelight on the steps of the local museum
•While having a picnic in a botanical gardenCONTEMPORARYSome couples still prefer to be a bit more liberated and flexible when it comes to engagement, which is perfectly fine. If this is more your style, again, when it comes to an engagement, there is no wrong or right, merely what is more appropriate for the two of you and the relationship you share.Asking Permission
Asking the father or other family member permission to marry their daughter/step- or granddaughter/niece as outlined above is something that many men do, even if the rest of the engagement is modern. Although this aspect of the proposal is not required, it certainly adds a factor of romance.Engagement RingThe style choices would remain much the same, as what you would have for a traditional engagement, but in this case, your girlfriend would go with you to choose the ring. This does have some advantages in that the sleuthing element is eliminated and she does have more of a say in the exact design chosen.You may even find that she simply provides you with a picture of what she likes and then you do the actual shopping. Although she will have an idea of what the ring will be like, there is still a small element of surprise.ProposalWith a contemporary engagement, your girlfriend will know that the big question is coming. In fact, you and she have probably talked in depth about marriage so in this case, there are no surprises. However, even though she might have an idea of what is coming, you can always have a bit of fun, incorporating the unexpected. The following suggestions are just a few that you might consider:•At a major sporting event with the question flashed across the big screen or flown overhead on a banner
•On Christmas Eve while opening presents
•At her parents home after dinner
•During intermission at a romantic comedy
Monday, 7 March 2011
Cinematic Wedding Film
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Along with professional photographs for your wedding, you might consider having videography instead of or in addition to a typical wedding photographer. With new technology, videography has become a sophisticated option. Because of this, it is an ideal choice for many occasions, especially weddings. A very popular option is digital video cameras, which perform exceptionally well in mood lighting, which is common at weddings.
By hiring a videographer, you will capture your wedding filming in a beautiful and unique manner. Working with a professional videographer will give you a huge advantage of having something new and exciting that you will enjoy for a lifetime. Just keep in mind that just like with photographer, there are different styles and prices for videography.
You want to meet with the videographer to make sure he or she has proper expertise and understands the things important to you on your wedding day. Additionally, the videographer will need to know what your budget is so that the proper package can be established. An important note is that before you hire a videographer, be sure to get permission from the management or minister of where the wedding and reception will be held since some places do not allow taping.
Some information to help make the decision-making process easier includes the following:
· Real Time – This style of videography is where the taping will begin as the guests start to arrive and will continue until the end of the reception. The result of the film is straightforward and requires no editing and no interruptions. Only one camera is used in this case so if you happen to be on a tight budget, this would be a great option.
· Nostalgia – For this style, the video begins with photographs of the bride and groom from children. It would then show video of them in high school, college, dating, and so on. Next, the video would show special moments that the couple shared while dating and then move to the wedding day and reception. Often, taping of the honeymoon is included and depending on your preference, the tape might include narration, music, or special effects.
· Wedding and Documentary – Finally, the wedding ceremony and reception are filmed as a documentary. With this type of video, it tells a story of the bride and groom’s lives, as a couple. In most cases, the tape would show the bride and groom getting ready for the wedding, include many candid shots, and would have interviews from people that are close to the couple. Of the three styles of videography, this is the most popular. Additionally, you can have two cameras filming at the same time so that more footage can be captured. The one drawback is that the film would need to be heavily edited, therefore costing the most.
Sunday, 6 March 2011
Choosing an Engagement Ring
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The traditional method would be for the future groom to purchase the engagement ring, presenting it to his sweetheart at the time the proposal is made. When choosing a ring, chances are that you and your significant other have discussed or looked at rings at one time or another. This should provide you with good ideas on what she likes.
If not, then you can gain important clues by looking at the type of jewelry your girlfriend typically wears. Additionally, consider her physical build, style of clothing, and even her occupation. While the market is flooded with thousands of gorgeous designs, the simple guideline below provides some options:
• Simple – She prefers simple jewelry, wears casual clothing, and has a laidback personality. In this case, a nice solitaire with a thin band would be ideal.
• Unique – She prefers more ornate and unique pieces of jewelry, loves trendy clothing, and has a fun and outgoing personality. A vintage or customized engagement ring would be a good consideration.
• Conservative – She prefers beautiful jewelry but nothing flashy, works in the business world, and tends to be more on the conservative side. An antique or wide-band engagement ring with a diamond or colored stone would be a good choice.
• Tall or Large – Because she is a larger built woman, she can carry larger jewelry better than a woman of small stature could. Therefore, a large solitaire or a multi-stone band with or without a solitaire would be gorgeous.
If you are apprehensive in making the right decision, you can always talk to your girlfriend’s mother, sister, or best friend and have them do a little sleuthing for you.
Another consideration is the size engagement ring that will be purchased. While rings can be resized if needed, the best option would be to know as much as you can so that as you slip the ring on your girlfriend’s hand, it will fit perfectly, meaning she can wear it immediately. To determine her size, the right opportunity needs to be presented.
For example, if she wears a ring on her wedding ring finger, when she removes it to shower, go swimming, or fix dinner, then you can take a thin strip of paper and wrap around the interior of the ring. Either tearing the paper to size of marking the size with a pen, you can then take it to a jeweler that can then help select the appropriate size. If she does not wear a ring on that finger, then again, the mother, sister, or friend would be the right people to help.
Cinematic Wedding Film
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In life, there are certain events that are considered major milestones - new chapters. Some of these include turning 16, falling in love, and graduating from college. Another important milestone is falling in love and then making the choice to become engaged, which ultimately leads to marriage and for some, a family.
Although the actual wedding may not be set for an entire year or longer, the engagement is a serious and incredible time of celebration. This commitment is one that most couples look forward to, knowing they will spend the rest of their lives with the one person they love and adore.
If you prefer a more traditional approach to engagement and marriage, then some of the responsibilities would include things such as asking the bride’s father for her hand in marriage and the groom-to-be shopping for the engagement ring alone. However, if you are looking to take a more contemporary approach, then together, you might choose to shop for the engagement ring and make all the plans. Regardless of which direction you decide on, the future groom is just waiting to hear that cherished word, “YES” to his all-important question of, “Will you marry me?”
Tuesday, 25 January 2011
Small Business Profit Enhancement Programme
Small Business Profit Enhancement Programme
‘TCL PEP©’ = Hundreds of Qualified Leads for Your Business Every Month
Unique Risk Free Guarantee – No Other Firm Can Match This…
I am so confident that we can bring you hundreds of fresh qualified leads every month that I offer a Guarantee that no other marketing firm will dare to match.
Pay a small refundable* set up deposit and we will:
- Set up a SEO optimised website to promote your business within 1 week
- Attain a first page search engine ranking within 1 month
- Attract hundreds of fresh qualified leads to your business every month
- Report on visitor numbers every week
Once your website is attracting 200 or more visitors per month we will negotiate a monthly rental fee for the site. The fee will be set to ensure that you are making a good return on investment (ROI). In short this means the website will be making you more money than you spend on renting it. It will enhance the profit of your business.
If you feel that for some reason you don’t want to rent the site (this has never happened yet!) you can walk away without penalty and I will even refund your original set up fee!
There is absolutely Nothing to Lose and a whole lot to Gain with our Unbeatable Guarantee!
We are are reputable registered UK company established in 2006. Therefore you can be confident that you are in safe hands. We are a member of the Chamber of Commerce and the BNI. You can find our company registration number, address and VAT registration number on the ‘about us‘ page.
Call or Email us Now to Enroll absolutely Risk Free in the TCL Small Business Profit Enhancement Programme (TCL PEP ©)
TCL PEP© is a unique system for boosting the profits of small businesses.
Totnes Consultancy has a proven track record of success in providing ‘SEO websites’ to bring large numbers of qualified leads to local businesses in a very short time and at a very low price. See our current projects page for examples of our work.
Here’s how it works…
You pay only $150US (£100GBP) refundable set up deposit.
You pay nothing more until the website starts bringing you qualified leads!
That’s right, we take all the risk and put our money where our mouth is. We are so confident that your website will be ranking on the search engines and attracting qualified leads within just a few weeks that we will build your site at our risk. (There is very little risk actually as we have proven this system time and time again)
When your site is attracting qualified leads*** we will negotiate a monthly rental fee which ensures that you receive a great return on investment. If you don’t feel you are getting great value for money you can walk away and pay nothing more** and we will gladly refund your set up deposit.
Call or email us now to get an estimate of how many new clients you can expect to gain from our services. We will provide you with a spreadsheet which allows you to adjust your customer value and conversion rate to suit your own metrics and estimate your enhanced profit.
Call Now To Schedule Your Free Consultation! +44 (0)7739161270
The small print…
* In the unlikely event that you don’t want to rent the site we produce to promote your business we will gladly refund your deposit.
** Any website produced by us on your behalf remains the property of Totnes Consultancy Ltd. We reserve the right to rent the site to another small business should you decide you don’t wish to rent it yourself.
***We will begin negotiations once your site is receiving over 200 qualified visitors a month.
we reserve the right to refuse to provide these services at our discretion.
Wednesday, 19 January 2011
Business Failure! - How to Turn it into Massive Success
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If you are running a small business Google Success can mean the difference between huge profits and abject failure.
The lifeblood of any business is clients / customers and more and more of them are searching online everyday for your product or service.
Conversely the printed directories such as the yellow pages or phonebook are in decline. Think of the next generation. Do you think they are going to be reaching for a printed directory when they are your potential clients / customers in the next few years? Of course not - they will be straight on their iphone or whatever the future equivalent is, searching the net.
Think about it. If you own a business and you are not beginning to implement a 21st Century Marketing Strategy then the future looks a little bleak because your competition aren't going to wait!
My clients have a 'mobile device friendly', 'search engine optimised' website up and running within a week and showing up on the first page of the search engines within a month. Our clients are getting up to 8,500 visitors a month to their websites! Imagine how your business would change if 1% of that number became your new client every month!
Call or email me now for a free consultation to see how many qualified leads you could get every month.
When you are my client I will set up a website for you for a fixed fee of £100 GBP or $150US. When the website is making you money we will negotiate a monthly rental fee that ensures you are making a lot more money than you spend on the site. You can cancel the rental agreement at any time without penalty - the risk is all mine so why wait? Contact me now for a free consultation.
My company Totnes Consultancy is a Bona fide UK Ltd company which has been successfully trading since 2006 so you can be sure you are dealing with a reputable firm that isn’t going to disappear over night.
Don't let your competition get there first! Contact me now for a free consultation.
Saturday, 15 January 2011
AIDAS Marketing ...
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The Structure of AIDAS:
There’s a well-known structure in successful sales letters, described by the acronym AIDA which stands for:
• Attention
• Interest
• Desire
• Action
First, you capture your prospect’s attention. This is done with your headline and lead. If your ad fails to capture your prospect’s attention, it fails completely. Your prospect doesn’t read your stellar copy, and doesn’t order your product or service.
Then you want to build a strong interest in your prospect. You want them to keep reading, because if he reads, he just might buy.
Next, you channel a desire. Having a targeted market for this is key, because you’re not trying to create a desire where one did not already exist. You want to capitalize on an existing desire, which your prospect may or may not know he already has. And you want your prospect to experience that desire for your product or service.
Finally, you present a call to action. You want him to pick up the telephone, return the reply card, attend the sales presentation, order your product, whatever. You need to ask for the sale (or response, if that’s the goal). You don’t want to beat around the bush at this point.
If your letter and AIDA structure is sound and persuasive, here’s
where you present the terms of your offer and urge the prospect to
act now.
A lot has been written about the AIDA copywriting formula. I’d like to add one more letter to the acronym: S for Satisfy. In the end, after the sale is made, you want to satisfy your prospect, who is now a customer. You want to deliver exactly what you promised (or even more), by the date you promised, in the manner
you promised. In short, you want to give him every reason in the world to trust you the next time you sell him a back-end offer. And of course you’d rather he doesn’t return the product (although if he does, you also execute your return policy as promised). Either way, you want your customers to be satisfied. It will make you a lot more money in the long run.
| small business solution |
Friday, 14 January 2011
Climate Change Facts
Climate Change Facts confirm that we must start now before it's too late to "Save Planet Earth!" Join the chant. You're better off singing about it than shouting about it! Show your support - buy the song now from itunes. This message needs to be heard now! http://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/save... target="itunes_store Together we can change the world.
Climate Change Facts
Climate Change Facts confirm that we must start now before it's too late to "Save Planet Earth!" Join the chant. You're better off singing about it than shouting about it! Show your support - buy the song now from itunes. This message needs to be heard now! http://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/save... target="itunes_store Together we can change the world.
Monday, 10 January 2011
Electrical Safety
Here's some more guidance from the Health & Safety Executive (HSE). If you are considering doing any sort of repair or maintenance on a domestic electrical appliance you must consider the following Hazards:
An electric shock can lead to serious injury, sometimes fatal. Injuries can also occur when a person reacts to an electric shock, for example by falling or touching another hazard. Factors which are likely to increase the risk of receiving an electric shock include the following:
(a) The majority of domestic appliances have large
areas of earthed metal that may be easily touched.
Touching exposed live conductors connected to the
mains supply at the same time as touching the
earthed metalwork will result in an electric shock;
(b) Some appliances could also be using water in their
operation, such as washing machines or
dishwashers. This may lead to an increased risk of
shock because water can conduct electricity and
reduces the resistance of the skin;
(c) When working on microwave ovens there may be a
risk of severe electric shock from the internally
generated high voltage (approximately 4kV);
(d) Work may be carried out in the customer’s home,
so people other than those doing the work
(including children) may also be at risk;
(e) Additional risks may be present at the customer’s
premises if their electrical installation is not
electrically sound, eg earthing, insulation
resistance, polarity.
Consider getting the work done by a trained professional if you are not competent
| electrician in plymouth |
Sunday, 9 January 2011
Electrician Plymouth - Call Free 0800 093 5537
http://electriciansplymouthdevon.com/
Electrician Plymouth. PATAFIT provide top quality electrical services in Plymouth and surrounding areas at a great price. Get your job off to a great start. Call us now free 0800 093 5537
Wednesday, 5 January 2011
Electrical Safety Device
As I pointed out before electricity can be very dangerous. Here is some helpful advice from the HSE:
Always use a RCD device with portable electrical tools and appliances.
If equipment operating at 230 volts or higher is used, an RCD (residual current device) can provide additional safety. An RCD is a device which detects some, but not all, faults in the electrical system and rapidly switches off the supply. The best place for an RCD is built into the main switchboard or the socket-outlet, as this means that the supply cables are permanently protected.
If this is not possible a plug incorporating an RCD, or a plug-in RCD adaptor, can also provide additional safety.RCDs for protecting people have a rated tripping current (sensitivity) of not more than 30 milliamps (mA).
- Remember: an RCD is a valuable safety device, never bypass it;
- if the RCD trips, it is a sign there is a fault. Check the system before using it again;
- if the RCD trips frequently and no fault can be found in the system, consult the manufacturer of the RCD;
- the RCD has a test button to check that its mechanism is free and functioning. Use this regularly.
Following this advice could save your or another member of your familys life.
Tuesday, 4 January 2011
Cheapest Electricity
When considering how to save money on electricity there is more to consider than just the cost per unit.
Sure the cost per unit contributes to what you pay but there is more to consider.
I'm talking about efficiency here...
Whenever you use electricity you are paying for the function that you want plus the inefficiency of the appliance.
All appliances produce waste heat as a byproduct of whatever function they are providing e.g anything with an electric motor produces just as much heat as mechanical energy. They are generally only around 50% efficient!
But what if you are trying to produce heat? Electric heaters are usually close to 100% efficient because the waste produced is actually useful i.e. heat. However the inefficiency comes in keeping the heat in your home rather than letting it escape by conduction through the fabric of the building or as hot air through openings.
Consider having your home insulated including the roof and walls. Think about energy efficient windows. These measures will save you energy on and money. You will also reduce the damage to the planet by CO2 production.
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