Melida

More and more people are making the untraditional choice to get their masters degree online. If you have considered taking the distance learning route, you should know that there are many different pros and cons to getting an online masters degree or education. Carefully weighing these advantages and disadvantages prior to making a decision is always a good idea.

The Pros of Getting a Masters Degree or Education Online

Convenience - One of the biggest advantages to attending an online masters program versus a campus-based program is the convenience. Online programs allow you to get an education from a world-class school without ever leaving the comfort of your own living room. You don't have to deal with commuting, face-to-face interactions, or classes that are scheduled at inconvenient times.

Education is Now More Advanced - The significant advances that have been made in distance learning itself are another good reason to consider getting a masters degree or education online. A growing number of schools are offering online programs now, which makes it easy to find a school that is a good fit for you. Many of these programs also have the same curriculum and award the same degree as the schools' campus-based programs--the only difference is that the tuition is often lower with online programs.

The Cons of Getting a Masters Degree or Education Online

Need Self Motivation - Although there are several benefits to getting an online masters degree or education, there are potential disadvantages as well. You will need to be very self-motivated and disciplined if you want to succeed in an online learning environment. Most programs do not have set class schedules, which means it will be up to you to fit classes into your daily life. If you don't get the work done or put in the time required, you will most certainly fail.

We offer a list of Recommended Online Schools and Searchable Lists for Masters Degrees - We maintain a list of reputable companies to search that provide online education services.

You might not think much about penis size unless youre not happy with what you have. Having a good-sized penis ties in with self-esteem and confidence. It is something that can make a man feel great about himself. Or not. Why do I say that you dont think about penis size unless youre unhappy with what you have? I have talked to plenty of guys with penises around 61/2 inches long, and they tell me theyre not worried about their penis size. They can satisfy a woman and they know it. They are more concerned about technique, approach and style. They know where they stand and dont worry about their sexual adequacy.

I have also talked to a lot of average (51/2 inches) and small (5 inches or less) guys, and they tell a different story. They know their penises are not quite large enough, and theyre not happy about it. They feel inadequate, self conscious, and worried about being able to please women. Why is penis size so important? It shows men how they compare to each other, and it impresses women just like a washboard stomach, bulging biceps, broad shoulders do. Its a part of the whole package of what women find desirable in men. A very important part.

Having a large penis makes a man more confident. A good-sized man knows he can please any woman, that shell be excited at the sight of his naked body. He is happy to take off his clothes and show a woman what he has to offer. On the other hand, a small penis size takes a toll on a mans sense of self worth, eating away at his confidence. A small-sized man will shy away from sex and eventually start avoiding social events and friendly gatherings. Hell end up living like a hermit, hopelessly alone. Or if his hormones are acting up, hell do something inappropriate and embarrass himself. Sad, but true.

A man with a small size is doomed to always worry about his predicament and not make the best of his life. He will carry around his self-consciousness and embarrassment, leading him down a dark and lonely path. On the other hand, a man who is confident about his penis size lives a happy and fulfilling life. He is secure in his ability to please women and doesnt worry about rejection. Hes out at the club on Saturday night, interacting with many women, knowing that if he is rejected by one woman there are many more who will gladly say yes.

Penis size matters so much to men because of the profound difference it makes in their lives. How a man lives, his outlook on the world, the women he dates and the friends he socializes with are all influenced to an extent by the size of his penis. Of course, every man is different, and some allow their penis size more influence on their lives than others. Fortunately, there are many options for a man who wants to increase his penis size. Men dont have to worry about this problem. They can take action to correct it.

For more men related articles written by Frans Nieuwenhuis please visit http://www.penis-enlargement-page.com

Most of the time, we try to analyze giving and receiving when we're not receiving enough! Our sense of lack is the real problem. When we have a surplus, it's easy to give because we're already receiving plenty.

Here's the good news: If you're not receiving as much as you'd like, you have the ability to jump start the flow.

How? By giving first.

My friend and prosperity teacher Darel Rutherford talks about learning to prime the pump as a child visiting relatives in the country. You start by putting a little water in the pump first, then pumping the handle. It may feel as if nothings happening. But if you keep pumping, the water rushes out.

Giving primes the pump.

Most business people find it natural, in times of scarcity or feared scarcity, to pull back; Stop spending, cut programs, don't hire, lay off. They're letting the pump go dry, just as they're letting their connection to spirit go dry.

Instead of pulling back, look for a way to give a little first. But remember this: Law of Attraction responds to your feelings, not your actions. Giving from a sense of desperation won't prime the pump. You have to give and feel good.

Feel good about giving when your business is suffering? Yes. If you want to master the Law of Attraction, that's exactly what you must do.

The easiest way I've found to feel good when things don't look good is to step back into a larger perspective on my life. See if you can rise above the details of your difficulties, if only for a few minutes.

How? Try this. You've probably been in some bad jams at other times in your life, and somehow you've always made it through. So you'll make it through this time too. Chances are you've known other people who've faced worse challenges than yours and who have not only survived but gone on to great success. Remember that spirit supports you always and that you, yourself, are spirit in all its richness and generosity.

Feeling better? Now it's time to act. What could you spend a little money on that would feel good? A gift for a client? For a loved one? For a pet? Or a check to charity?

You don't need to give so much that you drive yourself back into feeling anxious. Just give out a little more than you think you can "afford." Stretch just a bit, so the universe can reciprocate by sending back more too. Once you give, let go of expecting your return in a certain way or by a specific date. But don't let go of expecting abundance, because the act of giving has primed the pump. Stay expectant -- that's how you pump the handle, even when there's no water in sight.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Andrea Conway, M.Ed., C.C., is a Law of Attraction success coach and marketing consultant helping business owners achieve more while working less. This article is reprinted with permission from her free newsletter. Subscribe at http://www.successfulselfemployment.com and receive a FREE e-report, "7 Ways to Jumpstart Your Business Success Using the Law of Attraction."

(c) 2007 Successful Self Employment

Internet Marketing is a broad thing to understand and decipher. In fact, with the numerous means and ways on how to market a business thru the Internet, one would wonder as to what is the best method in Internet Marketing.

If you are on a tight budget and would like to engage on a free internet marketing, you may opt at using the traditional, yet effective e-mail marketing. This is a good way to start your marketing plans because you are not required to shell out any amount from the company pocket to realize this. The challenge with this strategy is the database of e-mail addresses to use in sending this out. You need to check on your list of email addresses to ensure the success of this.

Another form of Internet marketing that is as effective in terms of cost and quality is the Article Writing. With this mechanism, the capability to market your product is also wide range just like e-mail. But what is good about article writing is that you are able to motivate your prospective clients with your expertise and technical know how. This is good because you do not need to make any hard selling just to promote the product.

If you have enough monetary resources, you may want to engage on a paid advertisement. You may opt at pay per click advertisement type or banner ads on every site that you see doing well.

You may also engage on exchanging links with equally famous and well visited sites on the net. This will allow for both of the sites to achieve good ranking from the search engine and may result to good indexing.

Do you want to learn more about how I do it? I have just completed my brand new guide to article marketing success, Your Article Writing and Promotion Guide

Download it free here: Secrets of Article Promotion

Sean Mize is a full time internet marketer who has written over 1574 articles in print and 11 published ebooks.

It almost sounds like magic, doesnt it?

It isnt as hard as you may think. One of the problems is that most of us are getting a shorter and short attention span, with all the changes in how media, movies and games are set up. In radio, they figure that if I dont get you in 7 seconds, youre gone. But you are still reading, which shows that there is hope for you and for your kids.

I did a workshop on listening recently. Parents answered to the question What does it mean to you to be listened to with all kinds of positive words like validated, comfortable, respected, I matter and understood. That is exactly what you will create for your child when you listen well. And wouldnt you like your child to feel that way with you?

In our daily lives we keep many balls in the air and listening is often one that loses out. I will give you a few tips that you can practice with and use to great success with your kids.

1. Decide to listen. By making that decision you have shifted you attention already and it will be easier to commit your ears to follow your decision.

2. Make listening your #1 priority. Isnt doing the dishes, watching the game, finishing whatever you are doing less important than creating a situation in which you child feel appreciated, heard and understood? We think so, but we dont always act that way. By making listening a conscious #1 priority, your child will feel important and heard.

3. Assume that they have a positive intention. Research has shown that children start communication with you in a positive or normal tone. We are busy and at times only hear them when they have tried that and have moved on to getting attention in a more negative way. Because we simply didnt tune in at first we hear only step three and not the first ones!

4. Postpone your judgment Listen for the unexpected instead of thinking that you already know where this is leading and having your judgment ready.

5. Help them by giving back in your own words what you think theyre saying and how theyre feeling about it. Actively doing this gets you credit for understanding on both head and heart levels. Credit that goes towards building a strong open relationship.

6. Be interested and use your face, voice and body to show that you listen, hear, care, love and appreciate them. This can be very subtle, like glancing sideways in the van, catching their eye, or turning towards them for a moment as you are in the isles of a supermarket.

7. Practice this often. When your child knows that you offer many listening opportunities and make them fit with when they usually want to talk, they will build the confidence that you will listen the next time too. And it helps them open up instead of shut down. And by investing all that practice you create the foundation for them to talk, especially when a situation arises that you want them to tell you something!

Have fun practicing and recognize that it make take 10, 20 or more times before your child takes you up on the offer, but by then you are sharp as a listener! And they will feel hear, appreciated, validated and I matter!

Wouter van der Hall, author of The Parent Program, has worked in child welfare for decades. He offers parents positive attitudes, tools and skills to be the great parent they can be. To reach Wouter: 1 888 379 4222 wouter@theparentprogram.com http://www.theparentprogram.com

Just like there are reverse dictionaries, there is a reason to create a count down calendar. A count down calendar starts with Franklin Coveys philosophy, "start with the end in mind."

The biggest advantage to a countdown calendar is that it makes you think and focus harder as well as makes the planning easier.

First, you write down the exact results you want or expect. Lets say you have a teleclass, seminar, speaking engagement you are delivering on X date. This becomes your D-day -- sort of speaking. It may be end of the event planning, however, it can also be the beginning of your follow-up plan. For simplicity sake, let us stop at the D-day point.

Now you can prepare a count down calendar in several ways. One way would be to use a calendar with the days of the month filled in. You mark down the D-day and then you back track from there to today.

Count down the days until __________. Number of marketing days to go until __________.

Example: Count down days until seminar. 20 marketing days to go until seminar.

Any doesn't matter which calendar method you use, you will need to write down your measurements or your mini-results that will deliver the end results you want. I use the pivoting question, "What is it going to take to..." to get my thinking moving in the right direction. I like to think through and write these on the back of my calendars. This gives me a birds eye view for that particular commitment that my software does not provide.

Another way would be to use a blank form like this with the appropriate number of days in between. Then cross out the days that you will do any marketing -- say Sundays or days filled with other requirements. For my teleclass programs, my D-day back to Day 1 is always 3 weeks, so I have created a regular calendar for these. In fact, I use green color paper to print out the calendar.

If you don't want to create your own, visit your local office supply store, they have countdown calendars available for purchase (blank planning books).

A third way to complete a countdown calendar would be to complete it in a linear form.

Day 21: Speaking event results I desire -- describe those results.

Day 20: Get handouts printed at Kinkos.

Day 19: Write and send out reminder e-mail to organizer.

To Day 1: Today.

Again, if you have a reoccurring countdown, like teleclasses, you can create a linear countdown calendar like the one above. Eventually you will see a consistent pattern of to-dos.

At that point, don't stop doing this with the thinking you have it down pat and you don't need to. This will jump up and bite you in the assets fairly quickly by bogging down your mind and making you wonder if you are missing something. If that occurs, jump back into the habit, it is a great one to have. Even if it is frustrating because it takes thinking time.

Once you have your count down calendar completed then you can enter it into your automatic reminder calendar, like Outlook or Act. This will track all your deadlines, goals, and projects. You will have a separate count down calendar for each one.

Catherine Franz, a Certified Professional Marketing & Writing Coach, specializes in product development, Internet writing and marketing, nonfiction, training. Newsletters and articles available at: http://www.abundancecenter.com blog: http://abundance.blogs.com

The Owners of St. Rita's Nursing Home in the town of Chalmette have been charged with Negligent Homicide following the death of 34 patients under their care. This could be the first of many such prosecutions. The real Question remains are the right people being charged?

In the American Justice people one is innocent until proven guilty. Hence no conclusions will be drawn about the guilt or innocence these nursing home owners until they are tried by a jury of their peers.

Should any of the elected officials of Louisiana also be charged with Negligent Homicide and tried by a jury of their peers. Negligent homicide is the killing of a human being by criminal negligence.

According to the Southeast Louisiana Hurricane Evacuation and Sheltering Plan (available online at ohsep.louisiana.gov/plans/EOPSupplement1a.pdf) the Mayors of the various cities in Louisiana and the Governor of the State of Louisiana (Kathleen Blanco) had specific tasks to do prior to Hurricane Katrina. If it can be shown that these tasks were not done properly and people that died as a result shouldn't these public officials be charged with Negligent homicide?

The Southeast Louisiana Hurricane Evacuation and Sheltering Plan apply to some Category 3 Hurricanes and all Category 4 and Category 5 Hurricanes.

This plan states "The overall strategy for dealing with a catastrophic hurricane is to evacuate as much of the at risk population as possible"

talking about the New Orleans Area It further goes on to say "The primary means of hurricane evacuation will be personal vehicles. School and municipal buses, government-owned vehicles and vehicles provided by volunteer agencies may be used to provide transportation for individuals who lack transportation and require assistance in evacuating."

Where were the Buses and Public Vehicles? Why weren't the people who did not have transportation evacuated on Public Buses? Shouldn't the Government officials responsible for not providing these services be charged with Negligent Homicide and tried by a jury of their peers?

About the Author
Mike Makler Offers Financial Services (Mortgages,Life Insurance, Annuity) in Florissant Missouri which is in North St. Louis County Missouri Just Across the Bridge from St. Charles Missouri

Call Mike at 314 398-5547

Visit Mike's Web Page:
http://ewguru.com/finance

For Missouri Specific Insurance and Loan Questions:
http://ewguru.com/Mo-Finance

Get Mike's Newsletter Here
http://ewguru.com/fin-news

Copyright 2005-2006 Mike Makler

The incredible Tsunami which was triggered by the massive Sumatra Earthquake is not the first for the area. In recent history, geological history that is, another huge Earthquake and Volcano caused an even larger Tsunami.

In 1883 the Krakatoa Volcano and Earthquake sent a 120-foot high Tsunami to Java and Sumatra. Over 36,000 people died from the wave and things were a lot less populated along the coast than they are today. It was very wise thinking to put in an early warning system as obviously this is a hot zone for such activity.

Indeed we should learn from history and realize that there are many such locations on our planet, especially along the "Pacific Ring of Fire" where many human civilizations are not so safe. This most recent Tsunami and the one in 1883 ought to be showing us our vulnerabilities and we need to be thinking here and adapting our societies and civilizations to deal with such potential crisis.

One interesting thing that they are doing in Japan is alerting citizens by cell-phone at the first sign of precursory Earthquake waves. The P-waves or "Primary" waves will allow people to know just prior to an Earthquake that a shake is imminent. Such high-tech tools all working in conjunction with reverse 911 calling on a 3G wireless network and Tsunami warnings in the oceans can save tens of thousands of lives.

Since we know history and have a pretty good idea of the Geological Record we need to leverage our technologies to be pro-active in saving lives before the events occur rather than simply responding after the fact with aid and comfort after so many have perished.

L. Winslow is an Economic Advisor to the Online Think Tank, a Futurist and retired entreprenuer http://www.worldthinktank.net

Currently he is planning a bicycle ride across the US to raise money for charity and is sponsored by http://www.Calling-Plans.com and all the proceeds will go to various charities who sign up.

What is a cholesterol lowering diet?

First of all, you need to know what a cholesterol lowering diet is. It is a known fact that people who live in the United States of America are more likely to suffer a heart attack or a stroke than those living in most other countries of the world. A raised level of cholesterol in your blood is one risk factor for the development of heart disease. Your risk of heart disease is higher if the level of cholesterol in your blood is above normal.

Remember that cholesterol damages the blood vessels walls (especially the arteries walls) and seeps out the blood. In a blood vessel, this can cause both narrowing and even blockage. In the brain this causes a stroke, and in the heart it causes a heart attack. But still, any other artery in the body can be affected by high cholesterol levels

Using a cholesterol lowering diet

A small part of the blood cholesterol level consists of the cholesterol which you get directly from foods such as shellfish and eggs. The saturated fat in the diet makes up most of the blood cholesterol in your body. Just lowering your intake of cholesterol is one thing. If you really are looking for a long-term healthy diet then this article is perfect for you since it is talking about a (blood) cholesterol lowering diet.

How does it work?

Rather than a short-term crash diet, as with all diets, this represents a long-term change to both your meals and lifestyle. Until your cholesterol is retested (which is about the first 6 or 8 weeks) you should be extra careful. As said before, you might see some changes in your lifestyle as well weight reduction being one of them. Your doctor or dietitian will advise you how much physical activity you require. Reducing stress, cutting down smoking and building up exercise are worth while. This is not just a low fat diet, but it is a generally healthy lifestyle which reduces the risk of heart disease.

What does it involve?

First of all, you must know what the differences between all fats are. But mainly, it is recommended that you reduce the total amount of fat in your diet. Fat is found in two forms unsaturated and saturated. The main trouble is caused by the saturated fat because it mainly raises the blood cholesterol. The unsaturated fats both monounsaturated and polyunsaturated are good for your health.

Jean Helmet is a content editor who focuses on a wide array of niche health topics. Her latest website - Natural Cholesterol Supplement focuses on cholesterol as a whole, and in particular, a natural product our editors personally use with excellent health results known as - Cholest-Natural

Be sure to check out our cholesterol product of choice, it is the natural supplement we use and recommend to friends and family, and have done for over 3 years.

Embarking on a Holy Adventure

I had a strong grip on the seat in front of mine. I could have felt my stomach shrinking in fear and moving upward, toward my chest.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we are experiencing some turbulence. Please keep your seat belts fastened until the seatbelt sign is off," announced the pilot.

I looked around. I was the only female in the vicinity. The Indian men kept staring at me. They had been looking since I got on the plane. The look was intense, and I almost felt it penetrating my skin. The cabin looked run-down. The empty luggage storage bins hung wide-open, flapping in the air. There was water dripping from a rusty spot above a right-side window, and the seat below was missing. My seat kept shaking and so was the one onto which I was hanging.

"Turbulence only," said the Indian man sitting on my left side.

He probably sensed my fear. I was afraid the plane would not survive through such strong air turbulence.

The plane hit a deep air hole and abruptly descended a few meters. I felt hopeless.

The aircraft stabilized a few minutes later. The seatbelt lights turned off. I let go of the chair in front and leaned back. I felt the sweat dripping down my chin. I tried to relax.

The flight attendants moved around quickly, distributing bread rolls and small white lunch boxes to the passengers.

"Is this a vegetarian meal?" I asked the stewardess who had handed it to me.

"There is no vegetarian meal on plane." I opened the box, and I smelled the rotten meat. I lost my appetite.

"Can I have a glass of water?"

"Wait, please." She came back ten minutes later and handed me the water.

Half an hour later, we landed in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh. The Indian men rushed outside the plane, pushing me out of the way. I had no choice but to move with the flow. I walked along the corridor and entered the waiting room.

I sat down. Two young Western guys came to sit next to me.

"Are you traveling alone?" asked one of them.

"Yes, but right now I wish I had a travel companion," I said.

"You can hang out with us."

Rick and Johan were friends. Johan was Swedish and Rick was a Kiwi (New Zealander). They met in Sweden. Rick had been away from home for five years. They looked tired. Big dark circles surrounded their eyes.

"We partied late last night in Bangkok," Johan said. The plane was two hours late, and there was no sign that it would take off soon.

Many Indian men stood by the information desk. I approached the desk.

"Do you know what time the plane will leave?" I asked one of the men standing up next to the desk.

"Sorry, Madame, don't know," he said. "The plane time two hours ago." I found it funny the way he wiggled his head while talking to me. He shook it fast from side to side.

I sat down. An hour later, the Indian men rushed inside the plane, pushing again along the way. This time I sat next to Rick and Johan. We arrived late at night in Calcutta and we shared a pre-paid taxi to Sudder Street, the backpackers' district.

It felt like a different worlda world after a war. The buildings were run-down. Some had broken windows, and huge dirty spots covered the outside walls. There were garbage piles on the side of the road. I could smell it.

The streets were quiet at night. A cow moved nonchalantly along the street. A few metal busses with no window glass were parked along the side. They looked abandoned.

"It's not as bad as I imagined," I said out loud.

"You seem to be picking yourself up quickly," Rick said.

The three of us looked around in shock.

"Sudder Street flooded," said the driver. "A lot of waterTwo weeks raining," he continued. "I know good hotel."

Johan, Rick, and I looked at each other in disbelief.

"No, you bring us to Sudder Street now," I told him firmly.

It looked like a scam: he would probably bring us to some expensive hotel where he could collect commission.

Sudder Street was not flooded. It took us an hour to find a decent open guesthouse. Inside the guesthouse, I looked at three rooms and chose the cleanest of the three. I settled for two hundred rupees.

I suddenly started regretting leaving Southeast Asia. In Bangkok, for two hundred rupees, I would have had a clean room with air-conditioning.

I couldn't fall sleep. For the remainder of the night, I tossed and turned in bed.

I got off the bed early the next morning and took a cold shower. I felt my skin itching. I started inspecting my room. There were a couple black roaches running around. The walls were dirty, and there were a few small blood spots on top of the bed. As I approached to take a closer look at the wall, I saw a couple of tiny white worm-like insects wandering around in my bed. I packed my backpack and went down the stairs.

"You told me no bedbugs," I told the guy at the reception.

"No bedbugs in guesthouse, Madame. We are clean people." He wiggled his head.

"Come and I show you the bedbugs," I told him.

He followed me into the room and I showed him the small insects wandering the bed.

"Maybe oneor two," He said.

He gave me another room with a TV and more bedbugs for 250 rupees. I took it, as I realized all the rooms were the same.

I ordered the train ticket to Delhi with the guesthouse. I was going to leave the following evening. I left a note for Rick and Johan, and I went out in the city.

In the Streets of India

Sudder Street looked so much different in the daylight. A few tobacco stores opened for business. On the left side, a couple of rickshaw drivers were lying down, sleeping inside their rickshaws, waiting for passengers. Not far away from them, a cow sat chewing from a pile of garbage. Further down, a couple of men were lying down on bamboo sheets, sleeping. They must have been really poor. A couple of cars crossed each other in the streets, barely missing each other.

I tried to make my way through the busy street, passing a few Indians on the way.

"Rupees, Madame, please?" A woman walked toward me, begging for money. She carried a baby in her hands. A couple of children followed her.

"Rupees, Madame?"

I searched my bag and gave them small change. They continued walking along.

"Rupees, Madame, please?"

"I gave you some, now go away, please." They still followed me.

I entered a small restaurant at the corner of the street. I sat down and ordered tea and toast.

A few Westerners sat down in the restaurant. They looked rested and calm. I wished I felt that way. I lacked sleep and felt rather anxious.

A blond girl quietly sat at the table in front of me, reading a book. She looked beautiful in her blue Salwar Kameez suit. I thought of buying one too.

The restaurant looked filthy. The waiter brought me breakfast. He cleaned my table. No matter how hard he cleaned it, it was still dirty. I quickly ate and went back onto Sudder Street. It was hot. I thought of buying a bottle of water.

"No good water, Madame," said a young boy passing by. I took the bottle of water I bought from the tobacco shop and looked at it.

"What's wrong with it?" I asked.

"This water bad name," he explained.

It was another scam to make a few extra rupees. The bottles have been refilled with tap water. As a traveler, the number one survival rule in Asia was to neither drink the tap water nor eat the uncooked fruits or vegetables washed in it.

I threw away the bottle and bought a different brand. The bottle was sealed properly. It was safe to drink it.

The weather started to get hot. The air was polluted. I had hard time breathing.

I went inside the market and roamed around, searching for clothes to buy. I had the impression the Indian men's eyes followed me everywhere I went, watching me.

"Madame, you need help? I show you nice store." The Indian man started walking along with me.

"I will find the stores myself, thank you," I told him.

"Madame, you want to buy?" said another Indian man as I approached his store.

I bought a red Salwar Kameez suit and put it on. I thought of buying a Bindi, the red dot the Indian women wear between their eyes.

"Madame, need help?" The salesman asked.

"I need a Bindi."

"I give you beautiful Bindi." He took out a bunch of small packets of Bindis of different colors and shapes. He chose one, took it out, and placed it on my forehead.

"Beautiful, Madame." He smiled.

I bought a small pack.

Back in the streets, I noticed I was being stared at less than before. It must have been the Indian attire.

The traffic was chaotic: cars going in all directions, their horns honking. To my amazement the cars didn't collide.

"Why do they use the horns so much?" I asked myself.

A strange vehicle passed in front of me: a two-seat and two-wheel rickshaw dragged by a tiny Indian man. Two women sat behind him. On the other side of the street, a few Indian men waited by the bus stop. They wore white pajama-like clothes and slippers.

I walked along the sidewalk through the slums of Calcutta. There were blue tents set up all along the sidewalk, and many families found shelter underneath them. I tried to look inside a tent. I could only see colorful, ripped clothes hanged in front of the tent. A woman washed her skinny naked children. As I got closer to them, they started begging me for money. I gave away some change. As other families saw me, they came closer. I found myself surrounded by tens of people begging for money. I threw some rupees in the air, and as they tried to pick the money up I ran away.

I suddenly got dizzy. I felt exhausted and confused. I scanned the images in front of my eyes, but I had a hard time realizing what was happening. This was not the reality I knew. There was too much chaos and too much poverty all around.

The above is an excerpt from my book 'Young Female, Traveling Alone.' To find out more, please visit my website: http://www.neo-hippy.com

I am a computer engineer, living in Montreal, Canada. In November 2001, I took an assignment to work in Sweden, where I lived as an expatriate until July 2003. I then left my job in Sweden to embark on a seven-month backpacking journey through Asia/Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Malaysia and India. During this time, I became accustomed to the "traveler mentality" and learned to survive on the road.

Inhabitants on different continents do have theirs specific habits. In matters of building homes, Europeans prefer hard materials as stone, concrete, and other such materials, instead of wooden homes, made from some kind of wooden fence covered with gypsum as the north Americans and Australians are accepting for one family homes.

In explaining there preference, we have to count the fact that the last two ancient civilizations, Greek and roman, developed European continent in the last 5000 years. From the beginning, these two civilizations used only stones in building there homes and institutions, as temples, fortresses, and roads. The Romans discovered the cement for the first time in the world and renounced to bind the stones with lead.

The strongest countries of Europe: Italy, Spain, France, Germany, England, constructed most castles and fortresses. This is why the wooden homes never will be accepted by Europeans, they having a culture of the stone constructions. Even the wooden constructions built in Europe, are totally different from those built on other continents.

Here, the wooden homes built in mountain zones, are made from whole trees, on stone foundations, having a big weight to resist when strong winds are blowing in mountain zones. So, the investors who are intending to invest in European homes are to think twice if they are attracted toward the cheap wooden homes. They have to think also, at the climate change that is already begun. The winds are stronger, the floods are unexpectedly high, and the population is growing and must be and feel protected from Mother Nature power. Europeans do not forget a saying: Built Stronger, Last Longer.

The investors must be very carefully with the dangerous zones of Europe. So are volcanic zones, as Sicily in Italy, where Etna volcanic mount is erupting almost every year and produces earthquakes and ashes that cover constructions and may be destructive for homes. The same dangers are in the volcanic zones of Iceland and volcanic Mount Vesuvius in Italy. There are also other seismic zones as Carpathians Mountains Elbow in Romania, where a big earthquake of 7.6 degrees on Richter scale and 8-8.5 degrees on Mercali scale is happening at every 35years. So, investors have to respect the preference of Europeans for safer homes, made of concrete, stone and steel, with strong foundations, even for little homes. This made the home last more and for this to be in a way, cheaper. To see a castle made of stone and cement, see the site: http://www.castelulcorvinilor.ro/.

Author Victor Marcu is the Owner of one of the First Real Estate Company's in his Country, Romania, and has an Experience of 12 Years of Work in this Field. Is Member of Romanian Union of Real Estate Agencyes: UNAI. He also has a Degree in Mechanics at Politechnic Institute of Bucharest and worked at the Planning and Building of some Industrial Plants in Bucharest and Other Towns of Romania. Is also a Specialist in Evaluation for Real Estate. To search more about properties in Romania and it's capital Bucharest, open his sites: http://www.imobiliare-vittorio.ro or http://romanianproperties.net.

I have been called, e-mailed and stopped on the street, questioned in my office, at a couple of places where I shop, and at the post office. I do radio ads for Steele's Gun Shop and I'm known to be familiar with firearms to some degree. I have been asked about what kind of gun or ammo to purchase for home defense and about concealed carry of guns and knives. Some of these questions were from people who have never owned guns before and some from those who "hate" guns and even hate gun owners as well to some degree.

One of my friends has interest in a business near the World Trade Center site. One close friend was the one who first reported the plane that hit the Pentagon, about three windows from his office window. Another friend of mine lives on Long Island and works in the building industry and at a huge lumber store there; so she is in constant contact with workers and contractors connected to the New York City area. Several of my friends are military, National Guard, and police. I am no authority, in my mind, nor compared to some that I know, but I am very open in my communications on anything. So, I am asked about a lot of things. I have been around guns, gun shops, police, military, and worked as a Federal Law Enforcement Officer, as a Security Policeman in the U. S. Coast Guard, and as a Security and Public Relations person at FEMA for a while in disaster preparedness and as an on-site disaster center worker.

I do have some opinions and some are quite strong. They are based on knowledge and experience and information from those who know better than I. So here is some data in the form of;

Frequently Asked Questions and My Answers.

Q: WHY HAVE A GUN IN THE FIRST PLACE?

For the same reasons we have smoke detectors, first aid kits, fire extinguishers; life, health, dental and home insurance. Because planning, preparation and investment in proper tools and devices -- give us more control over ourselves and our destiny and well being in any arena. And, having better control of our lives and future is a native concern and need for most of us.

I think, and most of us think, that any life worth living is worth defending. We have dedicated 40, 50, 60, or 100 hours a week to providing for our families so that they may live life without major interruptions or inconveniences and death or injury at the hand of a "Bad Person". Disaster is certainly not part of our plan for optimum survival for us and our family.

Because people are neither natively brave nor courageous and because people are natively more comfortable, less fearful, having something to hand for self and family defense; having a weapon to hand or a method of defense and protection is an internal instinct that is intrinsic and native. That can include decisions to lock the doors, live in safer areas and staying alert to news and current events. Even those who hate guns and want all of them gone, always seem to have a kitchen knife, a baseball bat or a sword (Ha) to defend themselves with. The Bad Person, BP laughs as such implements in the hands of someone not used to fighting for their lives and it is in fact laughable if you've ever seen a street thug fight or attack someone.

Those who decry guns are the first to call 911 and beg someone, a policeman, with a gun to come and defend them - the police can not and WILL NOT ARRIVE IN TIME. In fact the police are not even expected to arrive to defend you. They are expected only, by law, to come and mark chalk lines around your dead body and that of your family - and to write up the reports, take pictures of the blood splattered walls and floor, and file them away along with a report on what they find at the scene of your murder. Check it out; even the Supreme Court of the United States had made a written decision to that extent.

Q: FOR A NON SHOOTER, WHAT GUNS ARE RECOMMENDED FOR DEFENSE?

None. A non shooter should not have any gun. Having a gun without taking the time and effort to learn how to USE it correctly and safely hit what is aimed at is not only silly but it's dangerous. Here, I agree with the anti-gun people. THEY shouldn't have a gun because they wouldn't use the gun and would likely shoot someone for nothing, or miss and hit someone else. Non-Shooters should not own guns, period. Anti-gunners are more likely to become murderers or accidental killers with a gun than without. It is a cinch that if they don't trust others with a gun, they certainly are not worthy of trust with one themselves, and that's certain.

Q: FOR AN INEXPERIENCED, NEW SHOOTER, WHAT DO I RECOMMEND?

First of all, don't buy a gun if you are not going to become proficient with it and that takes some time, repetition and training. My first suggestion is the .38 caliber/.357 caliber revolvers. These are inexpensive and easy to find new or used. The .357 revolver and can be used with low power .38 caliber ammunition for practice and for defense the same gun will allow the use of extremely powerful .357 ammunition. They are made to hold 5 or 6 cartridges and that should be fine for home defense. They are quite accurate and fairly easy to learn. They have no "safety" lever so under tension and in the terror of having to use one for self defense, there is no safety to remember about changing to the fire position from the safe position. Many, many people have died as a result of trying to defend themselves with a gun that was still on safe when they needed to fire it to stop someone from killing them. The Bad Person won't wait for you to remember the safety. I'm not in favor of safeties at all. Every person in the home that has access to the gun MUST be trained in safe handling. No safety switch, lock or chain will make a gun safe in the hands of an idiot or an unsafe gun handler - same thing.

A revolver is the gun that cowboys used. The cylinder holds six shots, and revolves as it's shot, hence it's called a six shooter or revolver, and after each shot the cylinder revolves to put another cartridge in back of the barrel ready to fire when the trigger is pulled to slam the hammer down and fire the bullet out the barrel to what is aimed or pointed at.

Once a person has fired several revolvers or several handguns, many of them choose a pistol. A pistol is a semi-automatic handgun that does not have a cylinder but has a magazine to hold several cartridges instead. It is called a semi-automatic because it moves a new cartridge in place to befired each time the trigger is pulled, just like a revolver. Some pistols hold 15 or 20 shots or rounds as we call it. Modern pistols are only allowed to have 10 rounds in America as a result of some idiotic laws passed by people who should not be allowed to have guns themselves. I prefer pistols to revolvers myself but advise revolvers for first timers to learn on.

By the way, an "automatic" is a gun that fires all of the shots, in machine gun rapid fire fashion with ONE pull of the trigger. Few people own and even fewer can effectively use an automatic weapon. They are better for noise than for hitting something. The real best choice for home defense is a shotgun. But most people want a pistol as it's easier to have next to the bed and to get ready. The shotgun however is easier to aim under stress and is more likely to stop an attacker faster. Shotguns come in many configurations and sizes. They come in several cartridge sizes too. The two most common sizes are 12 gauge and 20 gauge, there are many other sizes but for home defense we'll stick to the more common 12 or 20. Ordinarily the shotgun is less expensive, easier to use, and better for defense than a pistol by far.

Many people think that shotguns have shot that spreads, to send out a wall of lead, and that you can't miss with a shotgun. That is BULL.. The longest distance most of us will be able to shoot in defense, inside our homes, is about 20 feet. At that distance the size of the circle of shot from a shotgun is about two and a half inches in diameter or less. It's easy to miss with a shotgun, but not as easy as it is to miss with a pistol. Some people want to get all sorts of specialty ammo for a shotgun to use in home defense. That is not needed. The cheapest "bird shot" is the best for home defense and the least likely to go through wall after wall after wall through your house and into the sleeping rooms of the rest of your family and the neighbors up and down the street.

By the way, most pistol ammo will go through three or four walls, perhaps more, before it stops if you miss the person you are shooting at in self defense. Where are the kids? Think about it before you get a gun. In fact thinking is far superior to shooting, regarding self defense. In modern homes, made of foam insulation, wall board and vinyl siding; a pistol bullet can easily penetrate both sides of five or six homes before stopping.

Guns are expensive and good guns are very expensive. There are some ways to beat the system however. There are lots of used guns on the market, especially police guns, because everyone, especially the police, want to have the coolest and most awesome and most new gun that is being advertised. So they trade in the old guns and often the older guns are the better guns although less cool. Silly aren't they? There are lots of good used pistols, revolvers and shotguns in the gun shops of America and many of them are superior to the new stuff in reliability and accuracy. Go figure! J Or you can purchase a new gun.

No matter what you get, make certain that you learn how to use the gun correctly and get some training from someone who really knows guns and safe handling. Most men think they are genetically endowed with gun smarts and they are not. In fact most men who are first time or infrequent users of guns are far more stupid and far more dangerous than women and no more likely to hit what they aim for either. As a matter of fact, women are usually better shots than men at

first, according to my experience. I have taught several hundred people how to shoot for the first time and have helped a few dozen others shoot better. By the way I'm not a professional firearms instructor, just a willing friend and neighbor who has shot a lot and owned a lot of guns over a lot of years.

IF you do get a gun, and I'm not at all certain that you should; keep your defensive firearm handy but secure and practice, practice, practice. Practice often enough to be dangerous to the Bad Persons and often enough to NOT be dangerous to yourself and your family. At a minimum that will be weekly for a few months and then monthly for several months and then at least every two or three months thereafter. Even those who hunted all the time 30 or 40 years ago but not much in the last 10 years, are not to be trusted to be safe and accurate with a firearm now.

Q: WHAT IS THE BEST KIND OF AMMO FOR MY GUN AND FOR SELF DEFENSE? IS IT BEST TO USE THE BULLETS THAT COST 2 OR 3 OR 4 OR EVEN UP TO 12 DOLLARS PER SHOT?

The silly news shows, the major media evening news is fond of showing off all sorts of buzz saw bullets and bullets that will penetrate bullet proof vests and all manner of other nonsense. Almost anything on the evening news about guns, ammo, self defense, etc. is a lie or at best BULL. Now, regarding ammunition; you don't need a lot of ammo for self defense. In a defensive situation if you need more than ten or twenty shots, you are likely going to die anyway as there are either too many people for you to defend against or you are too bad a shot to defend yourself. However, under the stress of self defense, it is not unusual for police to miss every single shot from a 15 shot

pistol when shooting at a Bad Person that is only 15 or 20 feet away. In shoot outs where trained police are shooting at BPs who also have guns, it is not unusual for several hundred shots to be fired for each person that is killed. Think about it. They need to practice a LOT more don't they. Luckily BPs don't practice much, if any, either. What you need lots of ammo for is practice.

How about all these wonderful and special self defense bullets? There are bullets that cost $6 each or more that are supposed to work better and faster for self defense. The real truth is that it doesn't matter a HOOT how expensive the bullet is, if you miss a vital spot in the attacker. What you need is practice, practice, practice, so that you can certainly hit what you are aiming at and STOP an attacker. REAL experts say: It is better to shoot the attacker 6 times quickly and accurately when you need to stop the attack than it is to hit them with one super-duper-Cowabunga-pooper bullet. So practice. It is bullet placement that will save the life of you and your family; bullet placement that STOPS the Bad Person fast enough to stop that BP from hurting you or a loved one.

Q: GUNS ARE NO HELP AGAINST AN AIRPLANE AIMED AT YOU, OR SOME ANTHRAX SPORES. WHY ARE YOU SO SET ON HAVING GUNS?

Some folks are concerned about potential social turmoil, rogue bands of harmful burglars, perhaps dangerous riots, and there is a certainty that, for the first time, this war is happening here and there are no safe zones, at least no certain safe zones. As members of a community, we seek to support our community with personal and community commitment -- a price others are and have been willing to pay. Now it MAY be our turn. I'm not saying this is correct or right or even necessary; I'm just saying that is what some people feel and think.

Owning a weapon is a personal decision. Some people have swords, canes, baseball bats, pepper spray, potato mashers and even hornet spray or a water pistol full of vinegar for self defense. Years ago almost all women carried a few long hat pins for defense and almost all men carried a stout umbrella or a walking stick. In many countries, even today, it is considered sensible to carry a dagger, a dirk, or even a pistol (such as in Israel) or a rifle all the time for self defense. I don't take a position either way for whether or not YOU have a weapon or decide to defend yourself against those who would rob or harm you and those near you.

I do take one position however. I think that those who say guns are bad and no one should have a gun and no one should protect themselves with a gun should have signs on their clothing, their cars and around their homes and businesses. That sign should say "I do not believe in guns or other weapons, and I do not have any weapons, and I will not defend myself, and I do not believe in anyone protecting themselves against an assailant." If you are really against self defense and against guns - prove it and post the signs!

Otherwise, for those of intelligence; Take care, prepare, practice and be safe.

By www.JodyHudson.com Copyright 2001

Source: http://www.theruralspecialist.com/essays/gundefensequestions.html