Cancer Tattoo Designs

Cancer Tattoo Designs-Concert

Cancer tattoo designs are an exquisite idea for a tattoo if you happen to be born in the middle of 22nd June & 22nd July as this makes you Cancerian under the western form of astrology.

Concert

The need to protect yourself and your family is uppermost, as one of your traits. Therefore, you're perhaps torn in the middle of having the name of a loved one tattooed or going for something a petite bit more artistic and having a zodiac tattoo done that says something about you that can never change. After all, you can't convert your birthday, can you? You probably already know that the sticker for your sign is the crab, so this may be a good idea as a design. You could have a cartoon, cute or scary version done.

Did you know that the glyph for cancer is, in effect, the number 69 on its side? This on its own makes a good tattoo. I've also seen this used with Celtic designs around it that looks good too. Other Cancer tattoo designs I've seen are where that glyph's been used & the circles are turned into eyes, that's surely quite effective.

Anyway, adequate of my ramblings, what you surely need is to get yourself to an exquisite online tattoo gallery so that you can browse at your leisure.

The best out there have constantly updated databases contribution thousands of dissimilar designs. All you have to do is click on the build you like, it'll then develop & all you have to do is print it out and take it to your local tattoo parlor. Don't know where that is? If you're lucky the online gallery will also have a tattoo parlor locater to help you too.

Have fun looking straight through all the Cancer tattoo designs on offer.

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How to get ready for a Music Festival or Concert

How to get ready for a Music Festival or Concert When planning an outing to a music festival there are numerous things you must do to be fully prepared for your fun-filled day/weekend. First and prominent you have to get the tickets to the festival. I all the time play it safe and order the tickets directly from the festival's website but if they run out of their allowance then I will try buying them on Ticketmaster, TicketLiquidator, StubHub, or any other type of legitimate marker broker company, wherever I can find the cheapest price. Worst case scenario is trying to find tickets exterior of the festival venue from other fans or scalpers. I have been able to get some very cheap tickets on the day of shows, but I do not like relying on that. Also, some of the habitancy exterior of concerts and festivals trying to sell tickets will try and rip you off by either charging way more than face value of the tickets or they will assuredly try and sell fake tickets. So, if you assuredly want to see a concert or music festival and don't want to have any worries I recommend buying tickets from the festival website far in advance of the scheduled performance dates.

Second, you have to decree on your means of transportation. If it is a concert or festival over one hundred miles I would intuit most of you would be driving. However, if there are adequate of you in the group going to the concert and you have the funds, I recommend taking some type of bus that will stay with you in the lot and allow you to tailgate at it. This is my first choice in terms of transportation when attending a concert or festival because then no one has to assuredly worry about driving, manufacture every person a lot more relaxed. Now, if you are attending a concert or festival in the same city as you, I will say that communal transportation is the way to go. It is very cheap, nobody needs to worry about rides, and there are so many routes and stops that it can ordinarily drop you off within a mile of your desired destination. Also, you can judge what time you will be arriving at the concert because you will not have to deal with traffic near the festival venue. Lastly, you have to Enjoy Yourself. For an entire weekend you can be treated to one of the best sources of entertainment in the world, live music. Be relaxed and worry free at festivals and concerts, because for the time that you are there it should be all about enjoying yourself and having a great experience. How to get ready for a Music Festival or Concert Related articles: Spring Valley Vitamins , ทำseo

Rock Concerts and Ringing Ears

Rock Concerts and Ringing Ears There is nothing like finding a concert of your beloved band. The crowd is pumped up and the adrenalin is flowing; the music is so loud you can feel it booming throughout your whole body. The light shows are staggering as well. There is a downside to all the fun and sounds though; you may originate ringing ears. Concert goers need to beware that along with the fun comes the dangers of hearing loss. This can be frightful if you have never experienced ringing in your ears known as tinnitus. After a concert the symptoms of this health can last everywhere from an hour to days.

When you go straight through this after a concert you tend to wonder if the experience was worth the fight of getting it to go away. It has a white noise sway on your hearing; kind of like the static on your Tv. Most of the time it will subside after a few days, but there is a microscopic opening that permanent damage may have occurred. It may be a good idea in the hereafter that you use something that is going to safe your ears from damage. After a concert you may experience a temporary hearing loss. This is for the most part due to the cochlea becoming damaged. When the vibrations from loud music go straight through your ears, then the hair cells within your ears can come to be damaged. When this happens the hairs can bend or break and the cells that send sound to the brain can misfire and cause ringing in your ears. When the ringing starts you are the only one that can hear the sounds. It is not audible to an exterior source. When these cells come to be damaged the sounds just start to happen on their own without the cells being stimulated first. Like all things in life it is good to do things in moderation and going to see a live concert is no different. We all want to do things that make us happy but we assuredly need to be rigorous when it comes to our bodies and what we do to it. Protecting yourself is the key to enjoying yourself at the moment and in the future. If you do damage to your hearing that cannot be fixed then you won't be able to enjoy hereafter endeavors. Make sure that you consequent the permissible steps to avoid any harm to yourself. We all love to hear the music, but not the ringing in the ears. Concerts can be a lot of fun, so don't deprive yourself of never being able to hear them again. If you do not safe yourself from the beginning and end up breaking off those tiny hairs, you will not get other chance. Bending them is one thing, they can bend back but when you break them off wholly then you will suffer permanent hearing damage. Ear plugs have been of great use to both the concert artist and the enthusiasts. Be rigorous to not come to be a casualty of ringing ears; concerts are a extraordinary experience but how can you enjoy them if you can't hear them? Sound tests have shown that if the sound is over the sound of a lawnmower at 85 decibels then it is way too loud. What is a decibel? This is a part of sound intensity. It is important to realize that the decibel scale is logarithmic and not linear. What this means is that if a sound increases from 10 decibels to 20 decibels, it is not twice as loud but rather 10 times louder. And if it increases from 20 decibels to 30 decibels, it is 100 times louder than 10 decibels. So remembering that hearing loss can occur beginning at 85 decibels, if the noise is "only" 95 decibels, this is still Ten Times higher than the damage threshold. Use caution and safe your ears! If you do not heed this warning you will begin to lose your hearing and it will never return. You will begin losing your hearing in the middle of 4000 and 6000 Hz and as the health worsens, further frequencies will be affected. The same thing can occur after working in a loud industrial environment. Best advice: Wear hearing protection! Rock Concerts and Ringing Ears Related articles: Spring Valley Vitamins , ทำseo

The Desolate Woman - A Biblical Perspective on Rape

The Desolate Woman - A Biblical Perspective on Rape A huge kingdom in a faraway land, a popular king with a gorgeous daughter, and a handsome prince who is heir to the throne-the story has all the makings of a lovely fairy tale, yet it is a horror story. The kingdom was Israel under the rule of King David and the handsome prince was David's oldest son, Amnon, who just so happened to be in love with his half-sister, Tamar. Found in 2 Samuel 13, smack dab between David's affair with Bathsheba and the revolt of David's sons against their father is the duct about the rape of Princess Tamar.Nathan the prophet told David that "the sword will never leave your household" only a few chapters earlier and spoke of the turmoil that would erupt in the king's house as a consequence of his sin. The unraveling of the kingdom began with this rape.

It all started when Amnon became lovesick over his sister, Tamar. He lamented to his cousin, Jonadab, that he couldn't do anyone to her because she was a virgin. Jonadab concocted a terrible plan, which Amnon carried out. Jonadab advised Amnon to feign illness and request Tamar's nearnessy from the king. King David did not deny his firstborn anything, so simply Amnon's request was granted. Tamar, being the dutiful daughter, came to her brother's house to put in order him a meal, which he refused to eat. Instead he told all his servants to leave and then said, "Tamar, why don't you bring the food here to me in my bedroom? I'm too weak to eat on my own so I need your help." Tamar brought the food into his bedroom. All of a sudden, Amnon grabbed Tamar and demanded that she join him in bed. Aghast, Tamar refused his offer begging, "Don't force me, my brother! Such a thing is not done in Israel. Don't do this wicked thing. What about me? Where could I get rid of my disgrace? And what about you, you would be like one of the wicked fools in Israel. Please speak to the king: he will not keep me from being married to you" (13:12-13, Niv.) Tamar's plea fell on deaf ears. And because Amnon is "stronger than she", he raped her (18:14.) There are a few animated things that can be pulled from Tamar's emotional statement. When Tamar said that things like this are not done in Israel, she was speaking of the law which forbade a man to have sexual relations with his sister. (Lev. 18: 9, 11) Disgraced, she could have been whether put to death for having such a relationship or thought about "unmarriageable" because she was no longer a virgin. However, Tamar then said that the king would allow Amnon to marry her, which was also forbidden by law (Lev. 20:17; Deut. 27:22.) possibly Tamar hoped this would dissuade Amnon for the moment so she could flee or she notion David would bend the law for his children. anyone the reason, Tamar's statement was ignored. Tamar's plea cuts to the heart of any girl or woman who has been sexually assaulted. Please don't do this to me; do not take this from me. Yet often because a man is stronger than a woman, he takes violently what is not his to take. The woman is often left alone and confused, picking up the pieces of what she notion would be a good life. After Amnon raped his sister, he sent her out of his house and said, "Get this out of here!" Again, Tamar pled for justice on her profit and begged, "No! Sending me away would be a greater wrong that what you have already done to me" (13:16.) modern women recoil at this duct wondering why Tamar would want to keep the business of her rapist. However, in the Jewish culture at that time, a woman who had been raped was deemed unmarriageable. Young girls and teenagers who were victims of rape were not only robbed of their innocence but their hope of marriage as well. The Jewish law made a provision for these women-if a man raped a virgin, he was required to take the girl as his wife (Deut. 22:28-29.) The love that Amnon felt for Tamar before the rape turned to rage after the rape so Tamar was sent away disgraced and ashamed. The Bible says that she then put ashes on her head, tore the attractive robe that the king's virgin daughters wore, and wailed loudly-all signs of ultimate mourning. As soon as Tamar's full brother, Absalom, came upon her, he surmised what had happened. He told her to keep quiet about the incident, which she did. She was then taken into Absalom's house and lived "a desolate woman" (13:20.) This is the last mention of Tamar in the Bible-that she lived the rest of her days as a desolate woman. I fantasize that Tamar, being gorgeous and young and the daughter of King David, had a lot of promising prospects when it came to marriage. Like many juvenile girls, she may have dreamed about her Prince Charming, her marriage, her children, and her future. Yet in an instant, her dreams came crashing down nearby her. It is not mentioned how old Tamar was in this passage, but she was probably in her early-to-mid teens-only a teenager. Full of hope, full of promise, full of life, and then desolate. Unfortunately, in the time Tamar lived, rape against women was not a serious offense. Sure, God had laws against it, but since women were demeaned and treated as property, rape wasn't seen as brutal and damaging in that culture. Yet the women who endured it felt the hot shame on their cheeks. They never felt safe again, some were even scorned publicly. Since Tamar's rape was kept a secret, many may have assumed that Tamar willingly slept with Amnon or person else. Her attractive robe of virginity was gone-I'm sure the rumors ran rampant. King David somehow received word of Tamar's rape and was enraged just like any father should be when his daughter is violated. Instead of demanding justice for Tamar, David did nothing. It was Absalom who waited patiently for two years before he killed Amnon for raping his sister. It was Absalom who ultimately turned against his father and slept with David's concubines on palace porch for all Israel to see. Not only was Tamar affected by David's inaction, Absalom, the next in line for the throne, was as well. The story of Tamar is horrible and hard to read; especially when one considers the real and raw emotion Tamar must have felt. Yet this story is in the Bible, not only to show the downfall of David's household, but to teach readers something about rape, to show women who have been sexually assaulted that they are not alone in feeling shamed, unloved, and desolate. Sadly, women in your ministry, both youth worker and students, have been or will be victims of rape or sexual assault. While you may not want to take a student or youth worker who has been a victim of sexual attack to this duct right away, it is a helpful reminder that rape did exist and was mentioned in the Bible. Here are a few things youth workers can pull out of the story of Tamar that is universal in a women's perceive of rape. *Tamar's virginity and purity are compromised. anyone who is a virgin when she is raped is still a true virgin, though she may not be one physically. True virginity is a spiritual matter. No one can take that away. *Tamar's pain was emotional. She showed her deep distress by putting ashes on her head and wailing loudly-both signs of deep grief. She is called "a desolate and bitter woman" in the Message Bible. Desolate may mean she never had sex again or it may mean that she simply never recovered after being raped. While there is no time limit on grief, and a rape survivor should be allowed to express her rage, sadness, fear, and other emotions freely, God wants to heal His Child. He does not desire His daughters to be desolate physically, emotionally, or spiritually. He wants to fill the empty void, cover His daughter's shame, and fully restore her as only He can. What man has taken away, God can restore and He so desperately longs to relieve His children. Point your youth worker or teen to the God who weeps with His daughters. *Tamar's pain was also physical. Tamar's tearing of attractive robes is significant, because this speaks to how her life was torn apart, but also because her vagina may have been torn and bleeding from a potentially violent rape. When a female virgin has sex for the first time often her hymen (a thin layer of tissue nearby the opening of a woman's vagina) is ripped. While the hymen can be ripped for other reasons, along with molestation, throughout history a woman's virginity was thought about by whether or not her hymen remained intact. Women, especially virgins, may bleed or come to be sore from sex, especially violent sex. A youth worker or student who is raped may also need to make regular trips to the gynecologist, which can be terrifying. Her condition may be forever affected if she received a Std, severe vaginal trauma, or other brutal treatment. *Tamar was unmarriageable and may even have been suspected of being promiscuous. How often do we hear men say that a woman was "asking to be raped"? No means no-every time, all the time, no exceptions. After one girl in my old youth ministry was raped, she was called a "slut" by other students at school. While she may have been a bit of a flirt, she said no and was violated anyway. Today girls who are raped do get married and lead fulfilling lives; they do not necessarily live as "desolate women." Girls and women who are raped often feel "damaged and violated". They feel unfit for relationships and even marriage. This is simply untrue, but girls need to work straight through these feelings, which can take years. Counseling is significant to achieving a semblance of emotional wholeness in a rape survivor's life. *Tamar wasn't allowed to talk about the rape. Tamar was told by her brother, Absalom, "Be quiet...Don't take this thing to heart" (18:20.) possibly he just didn't want her to worry about the situation because he avenged her honor by killing Amnon, or maybe he just didn't know how to react. While it is unknown if Tamar was ever allowed to talk about her rape to close confidants, it seems in this duct she was denied the opening to tell her story. She needed to tell her story and even receive keep from others who may have been raped. *Tamar was denied justice. David, the king of Israel, could have punished Amnon for violating his daughter, but in refusing to do so he failed as a king and as a father. Even though Absalom killed Amnon, he may have seen Tamar's rape as a puny against him and defended his honor, too. Survivors of rape should never be denied justice. Again and again, God refers to Himself as a God of justice, who hates injustice (Ps. 9:16, 11:17, 33:5; Is. 30:18, 61:8.) Even though Tamar is never again mentioned in the Bible, a inherent animated spark in her life can be found later in 2 Samuel. Verse 14:27 says that Absalom was the father of three sons and one gorgeous daughter, who he named Tamar. Ironically, the names of Absalom's sons are not mentioned, only his daughter, Tamar. While the duct does not say that Tamar was her niece's namesake, I'd like to believe that. Despite all her hurt and heartache, I still want a happy ending for Tamar and possibly it comes in the form of her gorgeous puny niece. While Tamar may not have lived happily ever after, she still lived, was taken care of by her brother (until his death anyway), and spent time with her nephews and niece. Sometimes I wish every story was a fairy tale, yet far too often girlish dreams are shattered by harsh realities. Rape is like that-reaching across time, space, and culture to affect millions of women throughout history. It can happen to anyone-even to the daughter of a noteworthy King who lives in a Kingdom that is not of this world. Yet that Father always wants justice for His Child and will never leave her to be a desolate woman. The Desolate Woman - A Biblical Perspective on Rape Related articles: Spring Valley Vitamins , ทำseo

The Art Of Love: Sun Tzu's The Art Of War In Romantic Endeavour

The Art Of Love: Sun Tzu's The Art Of War In Romantic Endeavour Military historians have often speculated that Napoleon Bonaparte may have utilized Sun Tzu's timeless treatise The Art of War in his victorious campaigns, losing only when he failed to follow its rules. Certainly, his often stunning mobility would indicate that perhaps he did. One thing is certain; The Art of War, written over two and a half centuries ago, had been translated into French in 1782 by the Jesuit, Father Amiot and was available to the Emperor. But if he did read and apply it, he wisely kept it to himself. Mao Tse-tung however made no secret that Sun Tzu formed the source of his copious works on military strategy, tactics and guerilla warfare and his writings follow the master almost word for word. And, clearly, the fingerprints of Sun Tzu are indelible when one examines the military defeat of France at Dien Bien Phu ending their role in Indo China, and, in what may be his shining hour, the defeat of the United States of America in Vietnam. The Art of War is probably the finest treatise on the conduct of warfare ever written. But what about its application in other fields, other endeavours?

In recent years we've seen a spate of books applying Sun Tzu's rules of war to business strategy which includes most notably Mark McNeilly's Sun Tzu and the Art of Business, David H. Li's Art of Leadership by SunTzu and The Art of War for Executives by Donald G. Krause. And by all accounts they work very effectively. But this should be no surprise. By any measure, The Art of War can be applied and lead to victory in many battlefronts, international relations, politics, business and in our personal struggle for survival in the socio-economic conflicts we daily face. But what about love? What about the sexual battleground? My father was a British professional soldier. He caught the tail end of the Second World War serving in the Burma campaign at Imphal and Kohema. He returned to South East Asia in 1948 for the Malayan Emergency, Britain's victorious 12 year battle to defeat communist insurgency in what is now Malaysia. And it was there that my father came into contact with Sun Tzu's The Art of War, an encounter that altered the course of his life. The final years of my father's military career were spent in what he called the "backwater" of NATO, a military organism he learned to despise as an expensive tax free social club for well connected civilian and military elites. He referred to it as "America's Foreign Legion. His experiences there led him to firmly believe that in a confrontation with the armies of the Warsaw Pact, NATO would have been swept aside like a flimsy cobweb. Throughout his career, my father made no secret of his belief that Sun Tzu should be on the curriculums of all military colleges and even schools and universities and that military promotion should be contingent on a high passing grade in knowledge of Sun Tzu. Unfortunately, as Sun Tzu was obligatory in the political and military organisms in the Soviet Union and of course China, it was considered part of the philosophy of the Warsaw Pact, I believe my father's open advocacy of him cost him dearly in terms of promotion. When he retired with the rank of Colonel, he moved back to England and took up his love of fly fishing. But military history was his real passion. And he enjoyed re-visiting historic battles and applying Sun Tzu's rules of engagement to the great battles of the past. Visiting dad was, for me, always a pleasure in itself. But it was especially enhanced by the many delightful and lovely ladies who shared his life. My mother died when I was young, a schoolboy, and my father never re-married. Yet he had an endless coterie of lovely girlfriends. I was always puzzled since my father, while a charming and intelligent man, was no film star. Nor was he, strictly speaking, a ladies man. But he was a very successful lover. And his greatest conquest was Tam. Tam was Eurasian, born in Saigon to a Vietnamese schoolteacher mother and a Danish diplomat father. A lawyer, Tam specialized in international law and worked in SHAPE, the headquarters of NATO's Allied Command Operations in the Belgian town of Mons. She was employed in the civilian section of NATO and it was there that my father, working in military intelligence, met her. A woman of great beauty, very well educated and of independent means, she was also a linguist in fluent command of Danish, Vietnamese, French, German and English. When I first met her in Brussels she was working on Flemish (Dutch). At 35, she was closer to my age than my father's and for a while I was jealous. I wondered how he was able to woo such a lovely, young woman, a speculation that was only answered after his death. After he passed away, as his only offspring, I took on the responsibility of winding up his estate. I had known since childhood that he kept daily journals, but only after his death did I come to know how copious a diarist he had been. Fascinated, I steeped myself in the volumes of neat handwritten records that filled his library shelves. And it became clear that, for my father The Art of War was more than just a military text. For him it was about an overall life strategy for overcoming obstacles, a tool to attain specific goals. Consequently he applied it to most aspects of his life. And this included matters of the heart. In his diaries my father wrote frankly on the methods used to win the ladies who attracted him. He was not always successful as sometimes the ladies were simply not interested, and not even Sun Tzu could overcome that. But in the cases where he had a glimmer of a chance, but where the conditions were difficult or unfavorable, the application of the Sun Tzu's Rules won the day. This was especially true in the case of Tam. As they moved in very different circles and worked in different areas, he saw her rarely and then usually in dry, stuffy meetings in the company of others. She had a luxurious home in Brussels in the exclusive suburb of Uccle, while dad rented a simple Mons flat. But whenever he encountered her alone as he occasionally did, such as in the office cafeteria, she offered a ready smile and he made a point of joining her. Sensing he had a chance, he moved quickly. Above all else, he needed to know everything about her. And so he used spies. He hired an expensive, high quality and very discreet private detective agency and set them to task. And they were more than thorough. Apart from their normal surveillance they penetrated Tam's citadel by replacing her cleaning lady for a single visit and that was enough. They handed my father everything he needed. He now knew her tastes in music, literature and art as well as her favorite foods and sports: she was an accomplished and keen sailor and sea kayaker. An accomplished pianist herself, she loved classical music and was an especially fond of Elgar as well as being a jazz buff and a Stan Getz fan. He knew where she shopped for clothes and even the brand name of her underwear. She had been married once to a Danish business man, was now divorced, and had a teenage son in school in Denmark. With photocopies of her diary in his hands, dad had her social itinerary for several months ahead. He also now knew something about the men in her life: his adversaries and how formidable they were. She had many men friends and, it appeared, four serious suitors: an American Major-General in NATO, a senior French Diplomat with the French Embassy in Brussels, a successful Belgian artist, a painter of impressive quality, some of whose works hung in her apartment. The fourth was a rich Swiss socialite. My father's next step was to know more about them, specifically about their foibles, weak points and vulnerable areas. He was well aware of his own, particularly with reference to the ground where the contest would unfold. Sun Tzu said: "If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles." My father would often quote the Polish writer Witold Gombrowicz who said: "Do you want to know who you are? Don't ask. Act. Action will delineate and define you." As Sun Tzu said: "All warfare is based on deception." And so it was with father's winning of Tam. He began laying plans. He steeped himself and became erudite in her interests. He developed a taste for jazz and the Big Bands of the 'forties; he learned to appreciate Miles Davis and enjoy Stan Getz. He attended a sea kayaking symposium in England and took courses in the sport. And having knowledge of Tam's social itinerary, he was able to surprise her and appear when he was not expected; such as at music concerts. Often he would bring another lady, but just as often he would appear alone It was at one such "surprise" encounter, a Mozart event, that he hit her for a date and she accepted for dinner and an evening of jazz in a Brussels club the following week. His foot was in the door. He was in her network. He had joined her club. My father was entirely objective and quite pitiless in the handling of his adversaries. The French Diplomat was a handsome, charming, smooth tongued roguish character. My father found him, very likable. He was also a roué with a secret vice: a penchant for occasional sex with low class underage hookers in a rough Brussels immigrant quarter whorehouse. A police raid found him with two of them one well under age. Faced with arrest he tried bribery: it failed forcing him to use diplomatic immunity. This worked, but resulted in publicity, embarrassment and his fast recall to Paris. And, of course, the news did not pass Tam by and he was out of her life. Shortly after the demise of the Frenchman, Tam celebrated her thirty sixth birthday. Dad gifted her a boxed set of CD's, Stan Getz: The Bosa Nova Years - and a nice bound copy of Sun Tzu. She threw a party in the garden behind her home. According to my father it was an impressive event which included an excellent jazz trio, a great buffet prepared by Tam and superb wines. And, according to dad's diary entry, it was there he began his campaign to dismantle and discredit the American General in Tam's eyes. Dad engaged him on the American's hobby horse - Vietnam. Influenced by drink the General became unpleasant and offensive to dad. Tam diplomatically suggested he apologize which he did, and he then left the party early. My father learned that despite his high tax free salary, the General had a gambling problem and considerable debts, in consequence of which he had engaged in serious black market dealings with a Belgian group based in Liege. A Financial Police raid on a warehouse revealed the General's connection. To save face, not to mention his pension, and because of his profile, he was allowed to resign his NATO post ahead of his time and quietly moved back to America. It turned out the Belgian painter was no threat at all, dad discovered; he was never more than a good friend of Tam's. My father met him, liked him and bought a small painting from him. But the Swiss playboy was another matter. Tam and he were old lovers and dad could see why. In his early forties, Hans had everything: a friendly outgoing personality and an infectious smile, good looks, a great athletic physique - and money to burn. He'd never worked or had employment of any kind. He played fine tennis and often coached Tam with her game. But his big passion was motor racing and he drove well and with panache, winning many races. He'd wanted to be a world class professional, but lacked the required discipline and commitment. And it was at a race meeting at Spa Franco-Champs that my father met him. Tam took my father to watch Hans race a Porsche in a sports car event. Unfortunately he crashed out of the race at the complex and infamous Eau Rouge corner while in contention for the lead and ended up in hospital with broken bones and concussion. My father had no wish to share his women and Tam was no exception. He liked Hans and wished him no ill but he needed to move him from all proximity to Tam's bed. He was working on that when fate took a hand. Hans suddenly announced from Zurich that he was going to be married for the first time. The lady was a lovely young French fashion model of 21 years. He sent out invites to all his friends including Tam and my father. Tam declined. Instead, she sent him a card signed by her and dad. Tam remained with my father for many years. I last saw her after his death when she came over to England for his wake. No longer young, but still impressively beautiful, she had retired to live in Denmark. She invited me to visit, but I never took the offer up. She remains to this day one of the most beautiful women I have ever known. I was given my first copy of the Art of War on my sixteenth birthday, a gift from my father. I didn't read it then and it lay neglected on my bookshelf. Dad would often quote Sun Tzu, reminding me of such wisdom as: "If you know the enemy and know yourself you will not fear the result of a hundred battles." He would also often quote the Polish writer Witold Gombrowicz who said: "Do you want to know who you are? Don't ask. Act. Action will delineate and define you." Father would ask me questions could not answer. This disappointed him, so to keep the peace I got down to it and studied Sun Tzu. And I'm glad I did; what a wonderful it is. It certainly helped me in life. Did The Art of War work for me in romantic endeavor? Well, yes it did. Following my father's lead, and being already well aware of its potency in overcoming conflict and achieving victory, using The Art of War as a tool in developing romantic relationships came natural to me. Using the 13 Rules of Engagement to win on the sexual battlefront was remarkably easy. I have also come to believe it has been used this way by many other people. And not just by men. I believe that the great diva, Pamela Harriman, probably the 20th century's most prominent courtesan used Sun Tzu in her many conquests. I once read an article on her and the writer mentioned seeing The Art of War on her book shelf. And reading of her exploits suggests she applied deception in her strategic and tactical drive to get the men she wanted. But if she did use him, like most people who utilize SunTzu, she took the secret to her grave. There is no question that the Art of War provides us with powerful tools that can be applied to deal with conflict and difficulties in business or personal objectives. In sexual relationships, for men and women both, it excels no less. The Art Of Love: Sun Tzu's The Art Of War In Romantic Endeavour Related articles: Spring Valley Vitamins , ทำseo

Flying J Travel Centers and Truck Stops; Best of Breed

Flying J Travel Centers and Truck Stops; Best of Breed If you are traveling by truck, motor home are car this summer anywhere in the United States then you might consider Flying J Travel Centers and Truck Stops. They are clearly a class act and they are the best of breed, as they are clean and have many services available.

If you own an RV then they have a separate set of pumps just for you with either diesel or gasoline. They also have propane fill ups and an RV dump to get rid or your waste and gray water. For trucks they have many pumps with often 8-10 bays so there is not usually a wait and that means you can stay on schedule and on time even with all the summer traffic and incessant lane closures on our highways due to construction. For the weary four-wheeler or passenger cars and SUVs, well Flying J also makes a very nice stop for the trip with their huge Convenience Stores, Subway Sandwiches or Wendy’s Hamburger right inside. Some even have sit down restaurants too. Flying J Travel Centers and Truck Stops are indeed Best of Breed and it shows. They have frequent fueler cards for RVs and Trucks, a lounge and even place to do your laundry and lots of parking too. So whether you are in an RV like me or drive a truck for a living, or are simply going to Grandmother’s house on your summer vacation, perhaps you will consider this in 2006. (I am not affiliated in any way with Flying J; just a loyal customer who thought you should know). Flying J Travel Centers and Truck Stops; Best of Breed Related articles: Spring Valley Vitamins , ทำseo

A Need to spin Abortion Laws In Belgium

A Need to spin Abortion Laws In Belgium Introduction

The aim of writing this article is to encourage the long standing pro-life battle against abortion and protecting the rights of unborn babies to experience life on earth as nature permit it to be. Thousands of unborn babies are being aborted in Belgium by wicked mothers just by convincing the doctor with any of those reckon covered by the laws of which a woman can abort without facing any criminal charges. These laws have now given women the power and the licence to kill. Belgium is a small country of about ten million inhabitants, yet they make liberal laws that legalize the evil act of abortion to any woman whosoever desire to end her pregnancy. This is not house planning or birth control. In this article, I will like to define the term abortion in my words and understanding as a non-medical official. Abortion: Abortion is a cruel, immoral and unacceptable act of policy by killing an unborn baby in the womb of a woman with the aid of conscienceless healing professionals and other individuals along with the woman herself, preventing the unborn baby from advent into the world on time, alive and by birth. A Brief History Of Abortion Laws In Belgium Abortion laws in Belgium were significantly liberalized on the 3rd of April 1990, when the Belgian parliament stylish a law amending the 1861 penal code. Under the abortion provisions of that code, which where based on the Napoleonic penal code of 1810, adopted by Belgium upon independence, no stated exceptions to a normal prohibition of the carrying out of abortions where included, although the normal principle of criminal legislation allowed abortion to be performed to save life of pregnant woman and the grounds of necessity. In such case, the healing code required that three physicians agree that a state of necessity existed and that the abortion be performed in an stylish convention or hospital with informed consent of the pregnant woman. Transgression of the law was severely punished. An further law enacted in 1923 added language to the penal code prohibiting the provision of data concerning abortion. Attempts to liberalize the abortion law in Belgium began in 1971. From that time until the law of April 1990 was enacted, dozens of legislative proposals permitting abortion to be performed under varied circumstances were introduced, all the time to be rejected or allowed to expire. Although the law remains unchanged prosecution was rare and those prosecuted were given short or suspended sentences or in some cases acquitted. The 1990 law permit abortion to be performed in the first 12 weeks of reproduction when a woman who is “in a state of distress as a follow of her situation” requests a doctor to end her pregnancy. The woman is the sole judge of either she is distressed or not. Aside from informing the woman as to the risk of undergoing the policy and varied possibilities for caring of the child if born, the doctor only needs to be convinced by the pregnant woman’s determination to end her pregnancy. After 12 weeks pregnancy, an abortion may be performed if only two physicians agree that the continuance of the reproduction would gravely endanger the woman’s health or when it is inevitable that the child, if born, would be affected by a particular serious pathological condition, recognized as incurable at the time of diagnosis. All abortions must be performed by a doctor under good healing conditions, in a health-care preparation that has an data branch that provides the woman seeking abortion with detailed data concerning the rights and benefits guaranteed by the law to families, unmarried and married mothers and their children, as well as the possibilities offered by adoption of the child if born. Abortion may be performed 6 days following the woman’s counselling, at the earliest. She must guarantee in writing, on the date of the intervention, that she is thought about to end her pregnancy. Anyone performing illegal abortion is subjected to imprisonment for 3 months to 1 year and pay a fine of 200 to 500 Belgian Francs which is about 12€ maximum in Belgium today, under section 350 of the penal code. A woman voluntarily obtaining an illegal abortion is subjected for 1 to 12 months imprisonment and pay the fine of 50 to 200 Belgian Francs which is about 4.50 € maximum (section 351). If the illegal abortion results to a woman’s death, the someone performing the abortion is subjected to solitary confinement if the woman consented and 10 to 15 years with forced labour if the woman did not. (U.N., 2002) Grounds On Which Abortion Is Permited In Belgium 1) To save the life of the pregnant woman 2) To keep corporal health 3) To keep reasoning health 4) When reproduction occurs while rape or incest 5) Foetal impairment 6) Economic or public reason 7) Available on request (U.N., 2002) The Belgian law on abortion is too liberal, and the punishment for performing illegal abortion is not worth the crime except if the woman dies while the process. I think that there are psychologists who can decide if a pregnant woman is distressed or not. Committing a sinful act by aborting an unborn baby with reasons such as: (a)economic or public reasons (b) ready on the woman’s request and (c) distress, is to my view bullshit. In the year 2001, there were 14,775 so called legal abortions, which sum to 11.3% nation wide (Johnston, 2004). Can you fantasize thousands of unborn babies being destroyed just by requests from the women and with the help of expert healing doctors? Is this not pure wickedness towards mankind? Of policy it is! According to the United Nations citizen Division, branch of economics and public affairs article in the year 2002, Belgium government does not even have an legal document in their view of the fertility level and no interventions concerning fertility. The total fertility rate in Belgium from 1995 to 2000 was only 1.6% and the government policy on contraceptive use in case,granted is only being supported indirectly. Yet law makers will congratulate themselves at the parliament for jobs well done. The 1993 Polish law on house planning enforced from March 16, 1993 on human embryo protection and health of legal abortion which some citizen criticised Poland, saying it is an anti abortion law. I find this law a very good law that only permits abortion due to the following cases: 1) When reproduction constitutes a threat to life or a serious threat to the health of the mother, which is confirmed by two doctors other than the doctor complex in the abortion. 2) When there is justified suspicion, confirmed by a prosecutor that the reproduction is as a follow of an illegal act. 3) When prenatal examination, confirmed by two doctors other than the doctor complex in the abortion indicate grave irreversible damage of the embryo. 4) A doctor who performs an illegal abortion is subjected to 2 years of imprisonment, and any abortion should be performed in a public hospital. Comparing the Polish law to the Belgian law on abortion, the Polish law is far better because it fights for the rights of unborn babies who are being slain every day as well as the rights to save the woman’s life from threatening and unhealthy situations before delivery, while the Belgian law on abortion is merely giving a woman the power to destroy the foetus agreeing to her determination and judgment. I hope Belgian law makers will try to review this liberal law especially the law that gives a woman the right to decide or judge either she is distressed or not. Specialized healing doctors and psychologists should conduct permissible tests and interviews to decide the distress of a pregnant woman and not the woman herself. Killing unborn babies because of economic or public reckon and distress may be applied notwithstanding after deep consideration only to women in developing countries where there are no public benefits, poor leaving conditions, and not in developed countries. Belgium has a lot of public facilities along with counselling services, motherless children homes and other financial and public benefits which comes from the Cpas (Centre public d’Action Sociale) to help bring up children comfortably if delivered by mothers with public and economic problems. I believe more public services should be created and financed by the government to avoid the destruction of unborn babies in the future, so that there will be no grounds for abortion due to public and economic problems. In my country Cameroon, I’ve witnessed a healthy baby delivered by a fully mad woman, and this child grew up helping her mad mother daily for her clothing and feeding. If this could happen in a developing country without abortion, why not in Belgium? Let’s narrow it down to reasoning health in the psychological sense as defined by the Un World health Organisation as one of the reasons for abortion, and ask “are there reasoning reasons for abortion?” No! The Effects Of Abortion I will reconsider the effects of abortion in two ways (1) Psychological side effects and (2) health follow of abortion. Psychological side follow When a woman seeks abortion because of reasoning health problems, she is more likely to experience post-abortion emotional and psychological problems than a more garage woman. All these keep the traditional legal statement of the World health Organisation in 1970 stating that serious reasoning disorders arise more often in women with previous reasoning problems. Thus the very women for whom legal abortion is thought about justified on psychiatric grounds are the ones who have the highest risk of post-abortion psychiatric disorders. Then is “mental illness” as a reckon for abortion is just an excuse? Precisely. (Willke, 1998). In a study that was conducted by Dr. Anne Speckhard at the University of Minnesota, she found out that after 5 to 10 years, 54 % of mothers choosing abortion had nightmares, 81% had pre-occupation with their aborted child, 35% had perceived visitations with their child and 96% felt they had taken a human life. It is becoming common for citizen to sue public and inexpressive bodies for the psychological effects of their experiences. Cases where litigant (often successful) make claims on grounds that post-traumatic stress, or simply “stress”, means that compensation based on harm to our minds has taken place alongside compensation based on corporal harm (Lee, 2002). The quiz, is why do these mothers often get worried after committing abortion? They are not just worried about suing an convention and claiming compensation for the after effects, but they are worried because they have taken away human life and they can’t really walk away from the divine justice of God. So, it is just they suffer. Health effect (a) One of the many abortion associated health problems is that of sterility. The chances of not being able to bear feature children growth after abortion. In a study performed with 252 women, the investigators ended that the occurrence of either induced or spontaneous abortions independently and significantly growth the risk of subsequent amelioration of secondary infertility (Tzonou et al., 1993). (b) Abortion results to cervical damage, which results in permanent weakening of the cervix, which, in turn is unable to carry the weight of a later pregnancy. The cervix opens prematurely (Ren, 1993). (c) The fallopian tube is a fragile organ, if infection injures it, it often seals shut. A typical infection engaging this organ is the pelvic inflammatory disease (Pid).This disease is difficult to carry on and often leads to infertility, even with prompt treatment. Approximately 10% of women will make tubal adhesion prominent to infertility after one of Pid, 30% after two episodes, and more than 60% after three episodes. (M. Spence in Sexually Transmitted Disease Bulletin, John Hopkins University). (d) 5 to 10 % of women who abort will get sterile (Hilgers, 1976). Health researchers are noting a dramatic rise in sterility, tubal pregnancies and placenta previa. Venderbilt University healing centre noted an growth in placenta previa, a health in reproduction where the placenta covers the chance of the womb. This can lead to great blood loss to the mother while labour. It can cause death to the mother and the baby. Doctors on staff looked into the growth of this health and found its cause to be the growth of legal abortions. The study ended that aborted women were 7 to 15 times more likely to get placenta previa in later pregnancies (Barett, 1981). Abortion also affects males because boys can be really aborted than girls. Hundreds and hundreds of thousands of males are aborted every year, these are boys with whom adult males can associate. Men where once there and they will protect their past to ensure their feature ([http://www.abortioninfo.net/facts/affect3.shtml]). The Catholic Church’S Views On Abortion The Catholic Church has all the time condemned abortion as a grave evil. The Great spiritual head of the Catholic Church declared that the church’s teachings on abortion are unchanged and unchangeable. Therefore by the authority which Christ conferred upon Peter and his successors, I sound that direct abortion, that is, abortion willed as an end or as a means, all the time constitute a grave moral disorder, since it’s a deliberate killing of an innocent human being. This religious doctrine is based upon the natural laws and the written words of God. (Pope John Paul Ii in Evangelium Vitae, "The Gospel of Life"). Basil The Great stated that let her that procures abortion feel 10 years penance, either the embryo were perfectly formed or not (First Canonical Letter, canon 2 [A.D. 374]). agreeing to The Apostolic Constitution, thou shall not slay thy child by causing abortion, nor kill that which is begotten… If it be slain, it shall be avenged, as being unjustly destroyed. “The doctors who perform abortions all knew well enough that a living being had been conceived, and they pitied this most luckless infant state, which had first to be put to death, to flee being tortured alive” (Apostolic Constitutions 7:3 [A.D. 400]). Conclusion And Recomendation In my opinion, there is no good faith that will preach abortion as the right thing for a woman to do. As a Christian I do know that abortion is a sin. But if need be to save the life of the woman and nothing more, then this should happen only after all other means to save her life has failed. It should be done with deep sorrow because the foetus is a living being. Those who say abortion is safer than life birth are all liars who deceive people. They know about the risk and the after effects of abortion, but they keep down playing it just to convince others to accept their own beliefs. If a child should be born paralyzed or seriously sick as diagnosed by healing doctors, let that child be born. That sickness may be treated or cured in years to come after birth, who knows? A lot of children have been killed because of false determination from doctors who later accept they were fatal mistakes. What about a woman who has been proclaimed sterile by doctors, only to come to be pregnant in due time? Doctors are not God. Nowadays it is encouraged by some citizen along with the Belgian government that abortion should be performed when a woman has economic or public problems, distress or on the woman’s request. These reasons do not reconsider of the unborn baby’s right to live. Those who ignore all natural and religious laws, encouraging the abortion campaign as the right of a woman should immediately reflect again on the value of human life as they read this article. The ethics or moral law of a healing doctor are to save life and not to destroy life. No doubt scientists are desperate in cloning human beings rather than salvage unborn babies. If governments could spend billions of dollars in protecting endangered animals such tigers and elephants in Africa and other parts of the world, what about protecting unborn babies in the womb of a woman which cost itsybitsy or no dollar? The wickedness of man and the misuse of science and technology for abortion and cloning of human beings may one day turn to harm the human race. It can be startling that the indigenous Belgian citizen will dramatically reduce in the next 25-30 years. Why? agreeing to my experience, young strong and healthy Belgian couples with good careers will prefer to live with dogs rather than to deliver a child. Furthermore, in 1995-2000, Belgium suffered a low fertility rate of just 1.6%. If this continues what do you think will happen? There will be a dramatic citizen fall. Add graph Since life is costly to everyone, there are reasons for unborn babies in the womb to be protected and honoured. The Belgian liberal abortion laws should be reviewed and restricted like that of Poland because these have got something to do with human life and all doctors in Belgium should respect the conscience clauses, that permit healing providers or institutions to refuse to supply inevitable health services based on religious or moral objections. They shield providers from liability for refusing to offer services that their patients are otherwise legally entitled to receive. Reproductive health-care provides most ordinarily invoke conscience clauses in refusing to supply abortion and contraceptive sterilization service. As a matter of conscience, the previous King of Belgium, a Catholic, King Badouin’s refusal to sign the bill legalizing abortion created constitutional crises. In the end the king was ousted and all members of the government signed the bill. Yet the very next day, desperate for the King’s moral leadership, the government voted him back as head of state. Such examples remind us that we ought never to capitulate. Our moral leadership often times does not go unnoticed (Meaney, 2004) The idea to new life is God’s most costly gift to humankind. Even though there are many troops in our culture that refuse to answer that life in the womb is a developing person, life begins in the womb. If that is denied, the repercussions destroy the very fabric of society. Where would our civilization be if citizen like Albert Einstein, mother Theresa, Martin Luther King, Gandi, Alexander Graham Bell, and Thomas Edison just to mention a few, had been destroyed in the womb? Despite all our scientific , educational and technological advances, I think the future generations will look back on this era as one of the darkest, because of the whole sale murder of unborn children who should be welcomed as our hope for the feature, are now calculated as liabilities, risk and burdens (Arnold, 2005) Anyone who has persevered in the pro-life mission for a long time knows that we do not fight against flesh and blood but against the principalities and powers of darkness (Euteneur, 2004). In October 1980, an American feminist Gloria Steinem wrote that Hitler himself and the Nazis religious doctrine he created, where unequivocally opposed to any personel right to abortion. To end this article, I will recommend and motion to the Belgian law makers that giving women the capability to abort unborn babies with reasons such as economic or public reasons, on the woman’s, distress and even the right to judge her distress health agreeing to the Belgian law, should be wiped out. It is best that only specialized healing doctors and psychologists should decide the distress of women in order to treat them medically and psychologically. Stress does not call for any abortion because it can be treated. Belgium needs more precise laws on abortion to guarantee the existence of her feature fragile nation or if not, there will be a dramatic citizen fall in 25-30 years to come. There is a great need for the Belgian abortion law to be reviewed. References Arnold, J.C. Seeing common Grounds in Abortion War. Bruderhofs Communities 2005. [http://www.christopharnold.com/articles/jca/abortionwars.htm] Barett J.M., et al., 1981. Abortion associated Complications-Sterility. American Journal of Obstertrics and Gynaecology. Page 669,722. Euteneur T., 2004. article by Rev. Euteneur, President Human Life International, Prayer at The center of Hli’s Mission. [http://www.hli.org/sr_3_2004.html#prayer] Johnston R.W., 2005. Historic Abortion Statistics Belgium. http://www.johnstonsarchive.net/policy/abortion/ab-belgium.html Lee E., 14 June 2002. Abortion, reasoning distress and litigation. Opinion, commentary and reviews of Psychological & Reproductive choice. http://www.prochoiceforum.org.uk/psy_ocr5.asp Meaney J., 2004. article by Joseph Meaney, director of international coordinator Human Life International. Extra report. Hli Publications. [http://www.hli.org/sr_3_2004.html#counseling] Pope John Paul Ii in Evangelium Vitae ("The Gospel of Life") Ren, 1993. Cervical Incompetence - Aetiology and Management. healing Journal of Australia (December 29, 1993), Volume 60. Thomas Hilgers, 1976. Induced Abortion, A documented article 1976. Tzonou A., Hsieh C., Trichopoulos D., Aravandinos D., Kalandidi A., Margaris D., Goldman M. And Toupadaki N., 1993. Induced abortions, miscarriages, and tobacco smoking as risk factors for secondary infertility. Journal of Epidemiology and community Health, Vol 47, 36-39. United Nations Abortion Policies. A Global review 2002. United Nations citizen Division, branch of Economic and public Affairs, 2002. http://www.un.org/esa/population/publications/abortion/ Willke & Willke J.C., 1998. Why Can’t We Love Them Both. Episode 9. Patrimony House 76 Inc. http://www.abortionfacts.com/online_books/love_them_both/why_cant_we_love_them_both_9.asp A Need to spin Abortion Laws In Belgium Related articles: Spring Valley Vitamins , ทำseo

Saosin Keeps the Music Real For Fans

Saosin Keeps the Music Real For Fans Saosin may sound like an unusual band name, but this is an American Alternative Rock group from Newport Beach, California. Many of their fans have described them as a band with a lighter punk rock attitude but still plenty of fire and sizzle. The members of the band are Beau Burchell and Justin Shekoski on guitars; vocalist Cove Reber; drummer Alex Rodriguez, and Cove Reber performing the vocals. The band is currently in their 6th year and now calls Los Angeles, California their home headquarters.

The name of the band was once pronounced Say Ocean when Anthony Green was the vocalist. Once he had left the band decided to pronounce it Say O Sin. The word saosin literally means a small heart in the Chinese language but if pronounced correctly it is Shou Shing. Green liked a description of the word Saosin that he had once found. According to the proverb that he read Saosin refers to the fact that everything is temporary in life including relationships, emotions and possessions. When the Saosin lineup first formed in 2003 they recorded and distributed an EP titled, "Translating the Name". This became a great hit on online music download sites as well as in online forums and chat rooms. The band literally gained their popularity and exposure via the World Wide Web. My Space and You Tube were largely responsible for bringing the music of Saosin to the public eyes and ears. It was up to Cove Reber to fill the shoes of ex vocalist Green and this has been very difficult. Anthony Green was noted for talent, stage presence and a very charismatic personality. The less experienced and younger Reber has the talent but he is still finding his musical roots and soul along the way. There are many fans who refer to the music of Saosin as the Green and post Green periods, and they leave little doubt that they rank Green's vocals higher than they do those of Reber. The band proved to be a cash machine when it came to marketing Saosin merch during the Taste of Chaos tour. They were quickly inked to a contract with Capitol Records and began to tour the US and spent time in the recording studios. The band toured in 2005 but was mostly performing as the opening act for Coheed and Cambria as well as Avenged Sevenfold. The first true album was self titled and released in September of 2006, and it was produced by Howard Benson. In just one week more than 35,000 copies of "Saosin" were sold. Although the band disputed the claims there was definitely a more mellow sound on the album compared to their hardcore live performances. Their 2008 live album, "Come Close" was from a 2007 Pennsylvania concert but it did have some new songs added to give it an extra edge. In the fall of 2008 the group toured with The Devil wears Prada and Underoath. "The Grey EP was released in October of 2008 and was available during the tour stops as well as online. Saosin will be touring with groups like Underoathe and The Used in 2009. They are also booked for the entire Warped Tour 2009 and hope to work out some tour dates with Circa Survive. Their newest album should be available later this summer. Saosin Keeps the Music Real For Fans

25 Power Questions to Ask Your Mentors

25 Power Questions to Ask Your Mentors If you have a mentor you need to make sure that you ask the following questions at some point during your relationship:

1. What are your goals and dreams (Short term and long-term)? 2. How can I help you to accomplish your goals and dreams? 3. Why did you choose to pursue these goals and dreams? 4. What books have influenced your ideas and thoughts the most? 5. What ideas or thoughts inspired you or motivated you to get started? 6. What is the one action you have taken that has accounted for most of your success? 7. If you could change your life in one way, what would you change? 8. What magazines, newspapers and/or information products do you study? 9. How do you handle defeat and/or failure? 10. How do you handle obstacles and roadblocks? 11. What are your strengths? 12. What are your weaknesses? 13. Who is your hero? 14. Who is in your personal and professional network? 15. Who has had the most impact on your life? 16. Who are your personal and professional advisors? 17. Who do you listen to? Who do you accept advice from? 18. Who are your personal and professional mentors? 19. Why are these people able to inspire and connect with you? 20. Who are your mentor's mentors? 21. What dreams or goals inspired your mentors? 22. Who influenced your mentors? 23. Who are your mentor's advisors? 24. What magazines, newspapers and/or information products do your mentors study? 25. Who is in your mentor's personal and professional network? Don't overwhelm your mentor by asking all twenty questions at one time. Instead, find appropriate times to naturally weave the questions into your normal conversations. You can even send an email to ask one specific question every week or every month. Take time to digest the responses that you receive and to apply the answers to your life if appropriate. You will receive feedback related to the changes that you are making in your life, ensure you follow-up by sharing your successes and failures with your mentor. Remember, the only dumb question is the question that is not asked. Take advantage of the experience and insight that your mentor has to offer. If you are not experiencing success in your life, then there is something that you do not know. Find Out!! Ask your mentor! 25 Power Questions to Ask Your Mentors

How to Make Your Own Printable Invitations for Any Occasion

How to Make Your Own Printable Invitations for Any Occasion Even with modern technology like email and cell phones, printed invitations have remained the most common way to let people know about your upcoming party and will continue to remain popular due to the timeless rules of party etiquette. Invitations can be a major cost, especially for large parties, like weddings and some baby showers. However, with a little creativity and time, you can make your own printable invitations, even if you have no artistic skills.

1. The first step is designing your card. You can use a simple word processor like Microsoft Word and if you want, you can go to the Adobe's website at http://createpdf.adobe.com to convert your file into a pdf file. Select the proper dimensions and print out a sample on some plain white paper just to make sure it is the right size. 2. Next, you will want to find the proper card stock to print out your invitations on. Your local office supply store will have these and you can purchase them inexpensively there. 3. Use the word processor to insert text boxes with the words you want on your invitation. Play around with the fonts and text color. 4. There are many sites that offer free clip art and pictures that you can use for your invitations. Just do a search for "free clip art" on the search engines and you will find many sites that provide these services for free. Browse through and download the pictures you want and then insert them into your card at the desired location. 5. If you use a background image, make sure it does not obscure the text on the card. Ideally, background images should be watermarked. Most word processors will allow you to select background images and make them watermarks. Another alternative is to click on all the text boxes and give them solid colored backgrounds. 6. Need a catchy poem or verse? Once again, you can search the internet for related verses. For example, if I am making baby shower invitations, then I can search for "baby shower poem" or "baby verse" and any other related phrases. 7. Save the master copy of the finished card and print out a sample copy on plain paper to see what it will look like. If it looks good, then you can start personalizing each card and printing it out on card stock. 8. If you do not have a color printer, then create a personalized copy for each guest and save it as a separate file on a disk. Take the disk to your local print shop and have them print out a invitation for each guest. Some print shops may even print out the invitations for you if you give them the guest list and template. A print shop will cost more than printing them out yourself, but probably less than buying invitations from somewhere else. Plus the product should look very professional and they may even have the right card stock available. Additionally, print shops can do engraved invitations as well, which are good for upscale occasions like weddings. Some other guidelines include try to stick to a central theme, don't try to use too many pictures and colors, and compare your card to others at card stores to get a feel for what a good invitation should look like. Remember that most invitations are simple and have just a few graphics and maybe one verse. As you can see, there are infinite possibilities when creating your own party invitations and not only is it a fun project, but will also save you money. How to Make Your Own Printable Invitations for Any Occasion

The Mark, Tom, and Travis Show - A Blink 182 Concert Review

The Mark, Tom, and Travis Show - A Blink 182 Concert Review In 2000 Blink 182 went on a summer tour throughout the United States. Various dates were recorded to created Blink 182's only live CD. The CD would be titled "The Mark, Tom, and Travis Show." Blink 182 is known for there dirty sense of humor and it can be heard throughout the album. The first song from the CD is the first song of the "Enema of the State" disc "Dumpweed." The song is a blistering track that sings of teenage pain.

The next song is "Don't Leave Me" which singer/bassist Mark Hoppus sings of a girlfriend leaving him. Throughout the set list, the band makes several jokes and often times will jab insults at each member of the band. The band plays all of there hits, including What's My Age Again, Adam's Song, All The Small Things, and they finish the set with Dammit. The Mark, Tom, and Travis Show is a must buy if you are a fan of the band. This compact disc absolutely gives the listener the complete Blink package of what they sound like live. If you have not been able to see the band live you will be able to experience them with this CD. In addition to having a full set list, the CD also comes with an unreleased song entitled "Man Overboard." This song was originally going to be one there CD Enema Of The State but was left off the disc. This album was not mass produced so if you might have to check eBay to find it, since it is no longer always available in every music store. The Mark, Tom, and Travis Show - A Blink 182 Concert Review

Due Diligence Checklists - For Commercial Real Estate Transactions

Due Diligence Checklists - For Commercial Real Estate Transactions Planning to purchase or finance Commercial or Industrial Real Estate? Shopping Center? Office Building? Restaurant/Banquet property? Parking Lot? Storefront? Gas Station? Manufacturing facility? Warehouse? Logistics Terminal? Medical Building? Nursing Home? Hotel/Motel? Pharmacy? Bank facility? Sports and Entertainment Arena? Other?

A KEY to investing in commercial real estate is performing an adequate Due Diligence Investigation to assure you know all material facts to make a wise investment decision and to calculate your expected investment yield. The following checklists are designed to help you conduct a focused and meaningful Due Diligence Investigation. Basic Due Diligence Concepts: Commercial Real Estate transactions are NOT similar to large home purchases. Caveat Emptor: Let the Buyer beware. Consumer protection laws applicable to home purchases seldom apply to commercial real estate transactions. The rule that a Buyer must examine, judge, and test for himself, applies to the purchase of commercial real estate. Due Diligence: "Such a measure of prudence, activity, or assiduity, as is proper to be expected from, and ordinarily exercised by, a reasonable and prudent [person] under the particular circumstances; not measured by any absolute standard, but depending upon the relative facts of the special case." Black's Law Dictionary; West Publishing Company. Contractual representations and warranties are NOT a substitute for Due Diligence. Breach of representations and warranties = Litigation, time and money. WHAT DILIGENCE IS DUE? The scope, intensity and focus of any due diligence investigation of commercial or industrial real estate depends upon the objectives of the party for whom the investigation is conducted. These objectives may vary depending upon whether the investigation is conducted for the benefit of (i) a Strategic Buyer (or long-term lessee); (ii) a Financial Buyer; (iii) a Developer; or (iv) a Lender. If you are a Seller, understand that to close the transaction your Buyer (and its Lender) must address all issues material to its objective - some of which require information only you, as Owner, can adequately provide. GENERAL OBJECTIVES: (i) A "Strategic Buyer" (or long-term lessee) is acquiring the property for its own use and must verify that the property is suitable for that intended use. (ii) A "Financial Buyer" is acquiring the property for the expected return on investment generated by the property's income stream, and must determine the amount, velocity and durability of the revenue stream. A sophisticated Financial Buyer will likely calculate its yield based upon discounted cash-flows rather than the must less precise capitalization rate ("cap rate"), and will need adequate financial information to do so. (iii) A "Developer" is seeking to add value by changing the character or use of the property - usually with a short-term to intermediate-term exit strategy to dispose of the property; although, a Developer might plan to hold the property long term as Financial Buyer after development or redevelopment. The Developer must focus on whether the planned change is character or use can be accomplished in a cost-effective manner. A developer conducting due diligence will focus on issues involving market demand, access, use and finances. (iv) A "Lender" is seeking to establish two basic lending criteria: 1. "Ability to Repay" - The ability of the property to generate sufficient revenue to repay the loan on a timely basis; and 2. "Sufficiency of Collateral" - The objective disposal value of the collateral in the event of a loan default, to assure adequate funds to repay the loan, carrying costs and costs of collection in the event forced collection becomes necessary. The amount of diligent inquiry due to be expended (i.e. "Due Diligence") to investigate any particular commercial or industrial real estate project is the amount of inquiry required to answer each of the following questions to the extent relevant to the objectives of the party conducting the investigation: I. THE PROPERTY: 1. Exactly what PROPERTY does Purchaser believe it is acquiring? (a) Land? (b) Building? (c) Fixtures? (d) Other Improvements? (e) Other Rights? (f) The entire fee title interest including all air rights and subterranean rights? (g) All development rights? 2. What is Purchaser's planned use of the Property? 3. Does the physical condition of the Property permit use as planned? (a) Commercially adequate access to public streets and ways? (b) Sufficient parking? (c) Structural condition of improvements? (d) Environmental contamination? (i) Innocent Purchaser defense vs. exemption from liability (ii) All Appropriate Inquiry 4. Is there any legal restriction to Purchaser's use of the Property as planned? (a) Zoning? (b) Private land use controls? (c) Americans with Disabilities Act? (d) Availability of licenses? (i) Liquor license? (ii) Entertainment license? (iii) Outdoor dining license? (iv) Drive through windows permitted? (e) Other impediments? 5. How much does Purchaser expect to pay for the property? 6. Is there any condition on or within the Property that is likely to increase Purchaser's effective cost to acquire or use the Property? (a) Property owner's assessments? (b) Real estate tax in line with value? (c) Special Assessment? (d) Required user fees for necessary amenities? (i) Drainage? (ii) Access? (iii) Parking? (iv) Other? 7. Any encroachments onto the Property, or from the Property onto other lands? 8. Are there any encumbrances on the Property that will not be cleared at Closing? (a) Easements? (b) Covenants Running with the Land? (c) Liens or other financial servitudes? (d) Leases? 9. Leases? (a) Security Deposits? (b) Options to Extend Term? (c) Options to Purchase? (d) Rights of First Refusal? (e) Rights of First Offer? (f) Maintenance Obligations? (g) Duty on Landlord to provide utilities? (h) Real estate tax or CAM escrows? (i) Delinquent rent? (j) Pre-Paid rent? (k) Tenant mix/use controls? (l) Tenant exclusives? (m) Tenant parking requirements? (n) Automatic subordination of Lease to future mortgages? (o) Other material Lease terms? 10. New Construction? (a) Availability of construction permits? (b) Utilities? (c) NPDES (National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System) Permit? (i) Phase 2 effective March 2003 - Permit required if earth is disturbed on one acre or more of land. (ii) If applicable, Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) is required. II. THE SELLER: 1. Who is the Seller? (a) Individual? (b) Trust? (c) Partnership? (d) Corporation? (e) Limited Liability Company? (f) Other legally existing entity? 2. If other than natural person, does Seller validly exist and is Seller in good standing? 3. Does the Seller own the Property? 4. Does Seller have authority to convey the Property? (a) Board of Director Approvals? (b) Shareholder or Member approval? (c) Other consents? (d) If foreign individual or entity, are any special requirements applicable? (i) Qualification to do business in jurisdiction of Property? (ii) Federal Tax Withholding? (iii) US Patriot Act compliance? 5. Who has authority to bind Seller? 6. Are sale proceeds sufficient to pay off all liens? III. THE PURCHASER: 1. Who is the Purchaser? 2. What is the Purchaser/Grantee's exact legal name? 3. If Purchaser/Grantee is an entity, has it been validly created and is it in good standing? (a) Articles or Incorporation - Articles of Organization (b) Certificate of Good Standing 4. Is Purchaser/Grantee authorized to own and operate the Property and, if applicable, finance acquisition of the Property? (a) Board of Director Approvals? (b) Shareholder or Member approval? (c) If foreign individual or entity, are any special requirements applicable? (i) Qualification to do business in jurisdiction of the Property? (ii) US Patriot Act compliance? (iii) Bank Secrecy Act/Anti-Money Laundering compliance? 5. Who is authorized to bind the Purchaser/Grantee? IV. PURCHASER FINANCING: A. BUSINESS TERMS OF THE LOAN: What loan terms have the Purchaser, as Borrower, and its Lender agreed to? (a) What is the amount of the loan? (b) What is the interest rate? (c) What are the repayment terms? (d) What is the collateral? (i) Commercial real estate only? (ii) Real estate and personal property together? (e) First lien? A junior lien? (f) Is it a single advance loan? (g) A multiple advance loan? (h) A construction loan? (i) If it is a multiple advance loan, can the principal be re-borrowed once repaid prior to maturity of the loan; making it, in effect, a revolving line of credit? (j) Are there reserve requirements? (i) Interest reserves? (ii) Repair reserves? (iii) Real estate tax reserves? (iv) Insurance reserves? (v) Environmental remediation reserves? (vi) Other reserves? (k) Are there requirements for Borrower to open business operating accounts with the Lender? If so, is the Borrower obligated to maintain minimum compensating balances? (l) Is the Borrower required to pledge business accounts as additional collateral? (m) Are there early repayment fees or yield maintenance requirements (each sometimes referred to as "pre-payment penalties")? (n) Are there repayment blackout periods during which Borrower is not permitted to repay the loan? (o) Is there a Loan Commitment fee or "good faith deposit" due upon Borrower's acceptance of the Loan Commitment? (p) Is there a loan funding fee or loan brokerage fee or other loan fee due Lender or a loan broker at closing? (q) What are the Borrower's expense reimbursement obligations to Lender? When are they due? What is the Borrower's obligation to pay Lender's expenses if the loan does not close? B. DOCUMENTING THE COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE LOAN Does Purchaser have all information necessary to comply with the Lender's loan closing requirements? Not all loan documentation requirements may be known at the outset of a transaction, although most commercial real estate loan documentation requirements are fairly typical. Some required information can be obtained only from the Seller. Production of that information to Purchaser for delivery to its lender must be required in the purchase contract. As guidance to what a commercial real estate lender may require, the following sets forth a typical Closing Checklist for a loan secured by commercial real estate. Commercial Real Estate Loan Closing Checklist 1. Promissory Note 2. Personal Guaranties (which may be full, partial, secured, unsecured, payment guaranties, collection guaranties or a variety of other types of guarantees as may be required by Lender). 3. Loan Agreement (often incorporated into the Promissory Note and/or Mortgage in lieu of being a separate document) 4. Mortgage [sometimes expanded to be a Mortgage, Security Agreement and Fixture Filing] 5. Assignment of Rents and Leases 6. Security Agreement 7. Financing Statement (sometimes referred to as a "UCC-1", or "Initial Filing") 8. Evidence of Borrower's Existence In Good Standing; including (a) Certified copy of organizational documents of borrowing entity (including Articles of Incorporation, if Borrower is a corporation; Articles of Organization and written Operating Agreement, if Borrower is a limited liability company; Certified copy of trust agreement with all amendments, if Borrower is a land trust or other trust; etc.) (b) Certificate of Good Standing (if a corporation or LLC) or Certificate of Existence (if a limited partnership) or Certificate of Qualification to Transact Business (if Borrower is an entity doing business in a State other than its State of formation) 9. Evidence of Borrower's Authority to Borrow; including (a) a Borrower's Certificate; (b) Certified Resolutions (c) Incumbency Certificate 10. Satisfactory Commitment for Title Insurance (which will typically require, for analysis by the Lender, copies of all documents of record appearing on Schedule B of the title commitment which are to remain after closing), with required commercial title insurance endorsements, often including: (a) Affirmative Creditors Rights Endorsement (extending coverage over policy exclusion 7 and policy exclusions 3(a) and 3(d) as they relate to creditor's rights matters) (b) ALTA 3.1 Zoning Endorsement modified to include parking (c) ALTA Comprehensive Endorsement 1 (d) Location Endorsement (street address) (e) Access Endorsement (vehicular access to public streets and ways) (f) Contiguity Endorsement (the insured land comprises a single parcel with no gaps or gores) (g) PIN Endorsement (insuring that the identified real estate tax permanent index numbers are the only applicable PIN numbers affecting the collateral and that they relate solely to the real property comprising the collateral) (h) Usury Endorsement (insuring that the loan does not violate any prohibitions against excessive interest charges) (i) other title insurance endorsements applicable to protect the intended use and value of the collateral, as may be determined upon review of the Commitment for Title Insurance and Survey or arising from the existence of special issues pertaining to the transaction or the Borrower. 11. Current ALTA Survey (3 sets), [typically prepared in accordance with 2005 Minimum Standard Detail for ALTA/ACSM Land Title Surveys, certified to the lender, Buyer and the title insurer, including items 1 through 4, 6, 7(a), 7(b)(1), 8 through 11(a) and 14 from the Surveyor's "Optional Survey Responsibilities and Specifications" referred to as "Table A"]. 12. Current Rent Roll 13. Certified copy of all Leases (3 sets) 14. Lessee Estoppel Certificates 15. Lessee Subordination, Non-Disturbance and Attornment Agreements [sometimes referred to simply as "SNDAs"]. 16. UCC, Judgment, Pending Litigation, Bankruptcy and Tax Lien Search Report 17. Appraisal (must comply with Title XI of FIRREA (Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery and Enforcement Act of 1989, as amended) 18. Environmental Site Assessment Report (sometimes referred to as Environmental Phase I and/or Phase 2 Audit Reports) 19. Environmental Indemnity Agreement (signed by Borrower and guarantors) 20. Site Improvements Inspection Report 21. Evidence of Hazard Insurance naming Lender as the Mortgagee/Lender Loss Payee; and Liability Insurance naming Lender as an "additional insured" (sometimes listed as simply "Acord 27 and Acord 25, respectively) 22. Legal Opinion of Borrower's Attorney 23. Credit Underwriting documents, such as signed tax returns, property operating statements, etc. as may be specified by Lender 24. Compliance Agreement (sometimes also called an Errors and Omissions Agreement), whereby the Borrower agrees to correct, after closing, errors or omissions in loan documentation. It is useful to become familiar with the Lender's loan documentation requirements as early in the transaction as practical. The requirements will likely be set forth with some detail in the lender's Loan Commitment - which is typically much more detailed than most loan commitments issued in residential transactions. Conducting the Due Diligence Investigation in a commercial real estate transaction can be time consuming and expensive in all events. If the loan requirements cannot be satisfied, it is better to make that determination during the contractual "due diligence period" - which typically provides for a so-called "free out" - rather than at a later date when the earnest money may be at risk of forfeiture or when other liability for failure to close may attach. CONCLUSION Conducting an effective due diligence investigation in a commercial real estate transaction to discover all material facts and conditions affecting the Property and the transaction is of critical importance. Unlike owner occupied residential real estate, when a house can nearly always be occupied as the purchaser's home, commercial real estate acquired for business use or for investment is impacted by numerous factors that may affect its use and value. The existence of these factors and their affect on a Purchaser's ability to use the Property for its intended use and on the Purchaser's projected investment yield can only be discovered through diligent investigation and attention to detail. The circumstances of each transaction will determine what degree of diligence is required. The level of diligence required under the circumstances is the diligence that is due. Exercise Due Diligence. Due Diligence Checklists - For Commercial Real Estate Transactions

How To Plan A Banquet - A Guide To Planning Perfect Banquets For Company Or Private Parties

How To Plan A Banquet - A Guide To Planning Perfect Banquets For Company Or Private Parties First time planners are often stricken with complete fear! Even those that plan events over and over again still fear that something will go wrong and they will be the subject of ridicule. Hopefully we can allay the fears and quell the butterflies in your stomach by helping you through the entire project.

There are a lot of questions you need to ask. First timers probably don't have the foggiest idea what questions to ask, so, the first thing we'd better do is outline these for you. Perhaps the easiest way to do that is to fill out a form. (I love forms!) If you were to phone me and ask me to help you make arrangements for a special event, the first thing I would do is reach for a blank form, and over the phone we would fill it out. When I had all the information, I would be better prepared to help you. Before you continue reading, you may want to print the banquet planning worksheet(PDF) from my website. That way you can follow along with the worksheet as I describe the planning process. I've also included a pre filled sample planning worksheet that you might help. Let's begin with fact finding. PURPOSE The first question to ask is, "What is the purpose of the event?" This question should be really easy, but it's perhaps the most important. The purpose of your event will determine your event's agenda. DATE Break out your calendar to decide a date for your event. Look for possible conflicts. It might be tough to get people out to a Saturday night banquet if it's a three-day holiday. It would be unwise to put on a church social if your local school, where most of your congregation had children attending, were having an open house or play that night. Pencil in a date and then try to think of possible conflicts. I know of one organization that booked a very popular and relatively expensive Jewish comic into the club house of a predominantly Jewish retirement community. Attempts to sell tickets failed miserably, because they had not realized they had scheduled his appearance on a Jewish holiday - a very expensive oversight! BUDGET There are many, many determining factors in establishing a budget. First of all, how many are expected to attend? You might have a pretty good idea for a company party, but in some cases you might just have to make a "guess-timate" until you can get more information. Make the best possible estimate based on what facts you have, and proceed. TICKET PRICE Another factor to determine before we select a location is how much your attendees are willing to pay. Sure, we can work the other way: we can pick a location, hire a band, select the menu, etc., and then add up how much it all costs and thus determine how much everyone needs to pay, but doing so will probably leave you hurting in the end. If you expect 1,000 people, and you determine .00 a person is acceptable, then your entire budget for food, printing, entertainment, etc., is ,000. If you expect only 20 people and you know they won't come if it's over .00 a person, then you know you're far more limited. LOCATION Determine the geographical area where the event is to take place. If you live in the area where the event will take place, you may already know of various hotels, country clubs, restaurants or catering halls that can accommodate your group. If you don't live in the area, be sure to go look at the potential location before you book it. If the event is in a distant city and it's not possible for you to travel there, and the event is a significant one, I suggest you hire a professional meeting planner. I once attended a banquet in a quaint "50's malt-shop-type restaurant. The party planner had not gone there to look at the room where the party was to be. She had just taken the word of a friend. True, it was a great restaurant, but their "room" had about 5 permanent booths on each wall. Guests were facing in all different directions. This made it almost impossible for the magician they had hired to perform. To further confuse the issue, it was not even a private room. Restaurant customers could not get to the restroom without disturbing the party, and the 50's music continued to blare through the ceiling speakers throughout the evening because it was piped throughout the whole restaurant and could not be isolated from one room. A visit beforehand could have prevented this nightmare. Many, if not most, facilities do not charge a fee for the use of the room but instead absorb the rental fee into the price of the meal. For instance, in our example of 200 people, a banquet facility would be delighted to supply a private room in order to sell 200 dinners. Usually they will have several dinners to choose from - perhaps a chicken dinner, complete with beverage, salad and dessert, for .00 per person; or prime rib at .00 each; or sirloin steaks at .00 per person. In our example we are charging .00 per person. Let's select the prime rib at .00. Does that include tax and tip? Oh, Oh! Find out if it does, or you may get a surprise at the end of the night. Let's say it does not. 15% tip and 8% (or whatever) tax makes the dinner a total of .14 per person. Our sample budget calls for 200 people at .00 each for a total of ,000. If all 200 people attend, dinner will cost ,428. That leaves ,572 for all other costs. By the way, the facility may ask you for a deposit and guarantee. If you guarantee 200 people, you will have to pay for 200 dinners even if only 175 show up. Generally, a facility is prepared to serve about 10% more people than you guarantee. So it makes sense to guarantee a lesser number than you expect. Even some of those who told you absolutely they would be there, maybe even gave you a deposit, don't show for one reason or another. Just to be on the safe side, in our example of 200 people, I would guarantee the restaurant 185. If you're pre selling tickets, which I recommend, you can always adjust your estimate upwards with the restaurant a day or two ahead of time if needed. Ask the facility about their requirements in regard to a change in the guarantee. AGENDA The evening agenda is largely determined by the event's purpose. A typical event might go like this: 6:00 - 7:00 - Social or cocktail hour 7:00 - 8:00 - Dinner 8:00 - 8:15 - Meeting/Awards/Business 8:15 - 9:00 - Entertainment/Speaker 9:00 - 9:10 - Raffle/Door Prizes 9:10 - 1:00 - Dancing Having an hour to "gather" is always good. You and the facility both will want everyone present when you actually sit down to eat. It's been my experience that almost everything starts late, so plan for it and don't be disappointed when it happens. Will you be having a cocktail hour? A "Hosted" bar means that drinks are free to the party-goers. If you choose to host the cocktail hour, be prepared to spend about 00 for our sample group of 200 people. Most organization-sponsored events have a 'No-Host' bar, in which guests buy their own drinks. It's appropriate to announce 'Hosted', or 'No-Host' in the invitation. Some form of entertainment during the cocktail hour is certainly a plus. The facility may have music piped in through its sound system, which is certainly the most economical; however, for around 0 you could have live music. Most banquet facilities have a piano, sometimes on wheels, and will let you either rent the piano or use it for free. Fee for the piano rental should be around to 0 and a piano player anywhere from 0 to 0. Other cocktail hour entertainment could include a chamber group, a jazz or "society" trio, harpist, or a strolling accordionist. A strolling "close-up" magician, performing from group to group or table to table, is always fun. Other forms of entertainment for the cocktail hour could include celebrity look-alikes, mechanical or conventional mimes, a balloon animal sculptor, caricaturist, graphologist, palm reader, tarot card reader, stilt walker, or just about anything else you can think of! Again, your budget is your gauge. DINNER This is pretty easy. When the Maitre'd says dinner is ready, have your party sit down! The vast majority of banquets have certain people assigned to sit at the head table while everyone else may sit where they wish. If you choose to have a head table, you should make small place markers for those assigned to sit at the head table, and don't forget to discuss table arrangements with the facility. OPENING Someone, perhaps you, should step to the microphone and announce that dinner is ready and ask everyone to take a seat. When this has been accomplished your President, or whoever is presiding, should welcome everyone. It is appropriate at most banquets to have someone lead the flag salute, followed by a blessing on the food. People should not be called upon for these jobs extemporaneously, but should be asked in advance and their names and responsibilities should be listed on the printed program if there is one. Following the flag salute and prayer, your Master of Ceremonies (or who ever is conducting) should introduce the people sitting at the head table, introducing himself last. THE PROGRAM If business of any sort needs to be conducted, begin when dessert is finished, or at least served. Make sure that the facility knows that you do not want any bussing (clearing of tables) or coffee served after the program starts, as it can become an irritating distraction and take away from the enjoyment of the program. ENTERTAINMENT Following opening remarks, and/or other business, you could either introduce the main speaker, or present some form of entertainment. This could be the highlight of the evening! There are many outstanding after-dinner performers and speakers. If you really want to have a successful event, hire a professional. At this writing 0 to ,000 can buy you some pretty top-notch entertainment. How about a comedian-magician who uses a member or two of your group and does some hilarious bits of business and audience participation magic tricks - 30 or 40 minutes of non-stop laughs! Or picture this...the dessert has just been served and in walks "Lt. Columbo," complete with overcoat and cigar..."Oh, excuse me," he says, "I was looking for somebody else." All eyes are riveted on this familiar figure as he turns and starts to walk out. "Oh, one more thing, is this the Walker party?' Then for the next 30 minutes or so he does a comedy routine in the style and delivery of Peter Falk as Lt. Columbo, using names of people in your group. That will rock your people out of their seats with laughter. These are just a couple of suggestions. Everybody loves to laugh, and a good professional entertainer can make you a hero. How do you find that kind of entertainment? Again, watch out for the well-meaning friend. Sometimes hiring a friend of a friend who tells jokes or plays the banjo can put a wet blanket on the evening if they don't live up to your expectations. Probably the best way to secure talent is to work with a professional talent agent that specializes in special events. Ordinarily there is no fee for his services. He can make recommendations and suggestions based on what your needs are, and work within your budget limitations. Some entertainers may have special requirements, like a stage, spotlight, two mics or something else, and these items need to be arranged with the facility. There may be a rental fee involved. RAFFLE/DOOR PRIZES Giving away door prizes or raffle prizes should not be held until after the entertainment or main speaker. Perhaps it's an inducement for your guests to stay until the end. If you're selling raffle tickets, again you need to make out a budget. How many tickets do you expect to sell and for how much money? Do you want to make a profit? Let's say you expect to sell 100 tickets to those 200 people expected to come, and we sell them at the banquet for .00 each. That'll give you 0 to buy prizes with. You can put this in your general budget or assign someone to take care of the whole raffle, including purchasing the prizes and selling the tickets. DANCING Following the raffle, the formal portion of the program is really over. Your people can now go home. If you've elected to have a deejay or band, they may stay for dancing. The facility might charge to set up a dance floor. Sometimes this is a portable dance floor they build right on top of the carpet. A band will cost anywhere from 0 per band member to 0 per band member for four hours. A small trio of keyboard, drum and guitar could be anywhere from 0 to ,500. An ,800 to ,500 five-piece band, including a vocalist, is average. If you hire a band, you may be able to use one or more of those same musicians to provide cocktail hour and/or dinner music for a small additional fee. You normally need to make a deposit at the time you hire the band. Anything over four hours' playing time is considered overtime, and you should talk with the band or agent about the cost of overtime when you make the initial arrangements. Bands also need to take a 10-15 minute break each hour. Ask if the band will supply recorded music during their breaks. MOBILE DEEJAY Sometimes you might prefer a DeeJay playing recorded music instead of hiring a band. This gives you the advantage of hearing the original recording artist instead of a dance band's rendition. Another advantage is that most mobile DeeJay units will set up before dinner and offer to play dinner music at no additional cost, and of course, a DeeJay does not take a break during the evening, so you have non stop music for your event. Cost-wise, there is not a lot of difference between a 3-piece band and a DeeJay. Some DeeJays offer a full light-show that few bands do, and even with an additional charge, this could be a real plus. I think it's just a matter of taste. Some people insist on a live band and others are just as adamant about a DeeJay. PHOTOGRAPHER OR VIDEOGRAPHER Video taping an event, except for historical purposes, is unnecessary. Seldom will the video tape or DVD be watched more than once after the event. Yes, maybe a Bar or Bat Mitzvah will watch his or her recording years later when they grow older, and maybe even a bride and groom would watch a well-edited and condensed recording. A company or organization's banquet, however, will be seldom if ever watched. I would recommend that you hire, budget permitting, a professional photographer rather than leaving it up to one of your guests or a friend of a friend who only takes photos twice a year. You can have the photographer deliver prints or a CD of digital photographs in which case you could print just the photos you want. PROMOTION Probably the most traumatic thing that could occur is that you planned the entire event and then no one came. If it's a company party and the food, entertainment, drinks and dancing are all free, I don't think you will have a problem, as long as you let everybody know when and where and that it's FREE! But if that's not the situation, you may need to promote the event. Once you have all the facts (WHAT, WHEN, WHERE, WHY, WHO, and HOW MUCH), you can create a flyer - a piece of paper with all the facts on it, designed to motivate people to attend. If you're an artist, great! You can create the flyer yourself. If not, maybe someone in your group is and they can help you. Otherwise, you need to "rough it out" the way you'd want it and take it to a graphic artist to do the "camera-ready copy" for you, then off to a printer to print however many you're going to need. How many you need will depend on how you're going to distribute them. The layout, printing, envelopes and postage all need to go into your budget. There are, of course, additional ways you can promote the event - word of mouth, bulletin boards, phone committee, club or company newsletter, posters. If your event will be open to people outside your organization, you might try using the publicity channels of other related groups, companies, schools, etc., as well as your own. Have a "brainstorming session" with your committee, if you have one, to think of all the ways you can get the word out. And remember that if you want people to come to your activity, you can't just tell them. You have to tell them and tell them and tell them! Use all the resources at your disposal, and don't hesitate to repeat yourself. The more times you tell them, the more will come! TICKET SALES There are as many ways to handle this as there are ways to promote the event. If you have to lay out funds ahead of time (which is usually the case), it is good to get as much money as you can up front. Pre selling your tickets will help you do that. Of course, your publicity must state your requirements and deadlines. This also will help you get a handle on how many are going to attend. Remember though, that there will still be some last minute cancellations and additions, so stay flexible. TABLE ASSIGNMENTS As mentioned earlier, most organizations assign only the head table, and the rest of the attendees are left to sit where they wish. Some groups insist on drawing pictures of the tables on a sheet of paper, numbering them, and then assigning people to specific tables. I think it's far more work than necessary, but if you must, then have at it. Some banquets, especially those honoring individuals or groups, offer entire tables "for sale." 10 people per table at each means that for 0 someone could reserve a whole table. Make sure you put a "reserved" sign on that table, showing the name of the host. THE PRINTED PROGRAM When all the facts are in, if the budget will permit, a nice printed program could be put at each place setting or handed out as people arrive. It should contain the agenda for the evening and credits given to all those who contributed to the event. Many organizations have been successful in selling ads in the program to defray the cost of printing or even to raise some extra money. I've put 0 income under the income column of our example. Don't you think you could convince 10 people to give you their business card and pay to be advertised on the back page of the program? Of course, this idea could be a little tacky if the event is to celebrate little Bobbie's 10th birthday. Use your best judgment. DECORATIONS This could be a big item or not - strictly up to you. If you picked a beautiful location, and it's not a special seasonal event like a Christmas or Halloween party, why not just enjoy the facility's decor? If you feel you need decorations and you have a sufficient budget, call a party decorator who uses balloons. They go a long way towards dressing up a room without spending a lot of money. Centerpieces on each table look nice. You can ask someone to donate these or have someone clever make something for each table. Many facilities make such a nice table layout that a centerpiece is not necessary. Don't spend money unnecessarily, but do remember that the nicer the ambience, the better the memories or the event will be in the minds of those who attend, which means that they will want to come to your next event, too! One note of caution. If you're having entertainment, be careful that large centerpieces, particularly balloons, don't block the view of the performing area or even the people sitting on the opposite side of the table who want to see and talk to each other. YOU DID IT! Yes, you will fret and worry until the whole thing is over, but every party planner does. Just relax, do your best and enjoy! (Here's a secret: If you enjoy what you're doing, the people you are doing it for will enjoy it, too!) How To Plan A Banquet - A Guide To Planning Perfect Banquets For Company Or Private Parties