Medicare Part A and Part B Simplified

In the past, your only option was to sign up for Medicare Part A and Part B. In addition you could sign up for a Medicare supplement as well to help cover the expenses that Medicare Part A and Part B do not cover. Medicare Part A and Medicare Part B are otherwise known as Original Medicare. To keep things simple we'll say that Part A covers hospitalization and Part B covers doctor's visits. They each cover much more than that, but that is not the focus of this article. What you do need to know is that you need both to have the proper coverage.

Original Medicare will provide you with some health coverage, but is by far not near adequate enough. Let's talk about coverage and costs. Medicare Part A will not cost you anything as long as your or your spouse has worked 10 years or 40 quarters and paid Medicare taxes during that time. Medicare Part B currently carries a cost of approx. $100/monthly and will be increasing as time goes by. So, for most people you will have to pay about $100 a month to have your Medicare A and B.

So what does that $100 a month buy you? Well, you will have a large deductible for hospital stays along with a small deductible for doctor's visits. After that you go into a traditional 80/20 split. This seems pretty traditional as far as insurances go accept there is one MAJOR, HUGE, MASSIVE problem! Did I get your attention? There is NO Maximum Out of Pocket with Original Medicare! Let me repeat that for you in case you've fallen asleep by now. There is NO Maximum Out of Pocket with Original Medicare. This is why you MUST carry a Medicare supplement with a minimum coverage that will cover that 20%. Otherwise you could end up losing your NEST EGG over a hospital stay!

In addition you will need a Medicare Part D drug plan to help cover your prescription drugs since Original Medicare does not offer prescription drug coverage. The national average for a prescription drug plan premium is $38/month. You could pay around $200/month for a Medicare supplement. Added together you are now looking at $338/month for your Part A and B, Medicare supplement, and Part D drug coverage. The MAIN benefit of having Original Medicare with a supplement is that you know what your medical costs will be each month, and you can go to any provider that accept Medicare! The alternative is to look at a Medicare Advantage plan like Humana or Health Springs in order to save money.

Building Up Your Marriage with Healthy Communication

Would you like to have a stronger, healthier, more enjoyable marriage? I am sure that you would. And yet we live in a culture where about half of all marriages will shatter and end in a divorce, leaving behind the wreckage of broken adults and broken children. If we are to build healthy marriages, we much do so "on purpose." We cannot just hope that it will happen by accident. "Hope," say the generals, "is not a good strategy." Planning, work, and the investment of time, are much better strategies for any important endeavor of life. The first characteristic of a healthy marriage for us to consider is the way that we talk to our spouse, and the way that we talk about our spouse.. Healthy marriages are characterized by supportive, encouraging, and honest communication. We want to build each other up in our marriages, never tear our spouse down (especially under the guise of being "honest"). Two thousand years ago St. Paul wrote this verse that is worthy of every refrigerator door in America, "Don't let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up, according to what they need, so that you can benefit those who listen." (Paul's letter to the Ephesians, Chapter 4). There are three important parts to Paul's verse. First, that if we don't have something good to say, don't say anything at all. I think my mother told me that as well. Second, that we should consider our listener's needs. My wife has a different set of needs than does my daughter, or my sons. We should consider how best to encourage and support that particular person. Finally, the purpose of our talking in the first place should be to benefit the listener. When I first began to seriously apply Paul's principle, and I began to really look at what I was saying, and why I was saying it, my vocabulary and my time talking were cut by about one-third. I had become sarcastic, but funny. But my funny sarcasm was always at the expense of another. When I determined to build others up and benefit them with my speech, I talked a lot less. But I became a much better person, both inside and out. Check your motives. If you just want to make yourself look good, you will tend to be sarcastic, and you will tend to "tease" other people by degrading them in front of others. The consequences of this will be that your friends will see your "teasing" as shameful, and your spouse and your children will grow distant from you. It may cost you your marriage. If , on the other hand, your motives are to build up and encourage your spouse and children, then speak words of support, love, and praise to them. Your friends will view you as a loving person, and your spouse and children will always want to be near you. They will love to hear you talk, as your words will be "like honey" to them. So choose well how you will use your words. You have the power to build up, or to tear down, just by the choices that you make.

What Is iPad Insurance?

One of the most important iPad accessories you should look into is iPad insurance. You have just plunked down a lot of money for your new gadget right? What happens if you get home and your dog knocks you over as you walk in the door, sending your iPad flying? What do you do when your glass of water gets knocked over and spills right on your tablet? What if you are happily using it and it suddenly flashes and stops working? Without insurance, you are headed for another trip to the store to lay out that cash again!

iPad insurance is similar to insurance you would have on your home or auto. It protects you from damage, theft, loss, and even manufacturing defects with your new iPad. Once you are signed up, if something happens you can simply file a claim and get your iPad fixed, replaced, or maybe a check so you can go get another one. The policy you have will determine exactly what you need to do and what the results will be, but that is the general scenario.

You can find iPad insurance through any one of a number of providers. The signup process is usually quick and easy. You fill out a form, make the first payment, and most of the time you will be covered immediately. You will want to be sure to look at all the terms and conditions of the policy to be sure it provides the coverage you need. Also note any limits to coverage or minimum values before insurance will kick in, sometimes called excess or deductibles.

There are a few areas where you might be able to save some money. A lot of policies will be one size fits all type, but others will allow you to raise or lower coverage amounts or deductibles which will affect the monthly premium. The higher the deductible, amount you have to pay before insurance will start paying, the lower your premium will be. You will need to decide for yourself how much you feel comfortable paying though.

Another way to save a little money is by paying for a length of time upfront. Instead of paying month to month, many insurance providers will give you a break if you pay for six months or a year in advance. You can save the hassle of sending a check every month and save money to boot.

You can also see about insuring several devices at once. Usually a provider will insure just about any electronic device so you could get coverage on your iPad, gaming system, and smartphone. Insure all three and save money at the same time!

While you certainly do not NEED iPad insurance, if and when an accident happens you will definitely be glad you have it. Buying an iPad is a big investment to do once let alone twice when it can easily be protected. As you can see above, the process can be performed quickly, easily, and cheaply and you can have peace of mind to fully enjoy your tablet.

Tips On Beginning An eBay Store

Taking advantage of the many selling on eBay tips that are out there will help you to learn more about how to begin an eBay store of your own. The start up process is not difficult at all. In order to ensure your success, however, you will have to research a lot of different aspects of this service, how it works and how people tend to use it the most.

Know which market you will cater to and how you will keep a sufficient stock for keeping customer happy. These are the most important aspects of building a successful business. Specializing in an in-demand niche allows you to develop a comprehensive understanding of the products that you sell and the people who buy them. The best suppliers will make it possible to secure quality goods at prices that are low enough for you to maintain a good profit margin.

Take a good look at what the best of your competitors are doing to keep their businesses visible and profitable. It always helps to adopt the successful strategies of others. If something is working well for someone else it will probably work well for you.

Spend some time as a buyer on this site and complete transactions with sellers who have both good and bad reviews. This will allow you to see the other side of selling. You might grow frustrated with slow shipping procedures or unnecessarily high shipping fees. You can learn the most by working with sellers who have received consistently bad reviews from their clients. This will show you what not to do when running your business and will help you to generate some very unique ideas on how to produce optimal customer satisfaction.

Make sure to reconnect with customers after sales have closed. Every buyer that you work with will get a chance to rate you. This means that you should always work hard to ensure that your clients are satisfied. Send e-mails to ask about their purchases and make sure to thank people for working with you. This is how you will build and maintain a reliable customer base.

Secure as many learning resources as you can. While selling on eBay tips can help you to get some really good ideas about how to run a business of this type, you really do need a comprehensive guide to understand all the ins and outs of this popular online selling platform. The more that you know about eBay, the better you will be able to use it to foster your success.

How Can Viral Video Marketing Benefit You As An Internet Marketer?

Catchy videos can spread like wildfire through the World Wide Web and any online marketer will agree that this is what they dream of achieving as far as getting publicity for their videos. By looking at the online success of viral videos, marketers can learn a lot about this aspect of video marketing. Ignoring the sheer potential that is inherent in video marketing is just as bad as overlooking a large client base which has plenty of disposable income. There are plenty of benefits that can be derived from viral video marketing and here are some of them.

Videos are able to significantly increase the ranking of a webpage on search engines and this means that a viral video is able to create a big enough buzz to increase the prominence of a product. Businesses are thus able to stimulate sales based on an audio-visual campaign.

Viral videos tend to be creative and catchy enough to grip the audience long enough to pass on a message. Marketers are therefore advised to seek great and relevant content that will easily be consumed by the audience and that will also leave a lasting impression.

Viral marketing videos have a call to action that gives potential clients a chance to access the highlighted product. Without prompting a sales based approach, it would be difficult to turn a viral video campaign into a money spinner.

In order to capture the attention of viewers, viral videos often tend to stimulate the motions of viewers thus stirring up feelings that resonate with the highlighted content. Just like in any other media content is king. It is important to note that viral marketing videos unlike accidental viral videos should have a deliberate message and intention and to do this requires a lot of research and great understanding of the target audience.

The immediacy of video marketing is a major advantage and when a video goes viral it means that over a span of several day it is possible to reach a large audience that would otherwise be untapped using any other medium. The publicity achieved from viral videos also has a ripple effect on other marketing methods and can be used to increase traffic to specific websites. The numbers can be phenomenal, and in some instances it is possible to reach hundreds of thousands of views per minute around the world. This can thus be regarded as any marketers' secret weapon.

PPO Health Insurance

PPO insurance plans were created to fix the things people did not like about the affordable HMO plans. This is an attempt to keep the good savings each month provided by HMO's without the restrictive doctor and hospital networks. HMO's offered extra benefits when they came out that people really enjoyed. The biggest difference in benefits was the addition of the co payment for doctors visits. Before HMO's in the early 1990's there was no such thing as a co payment for a doctor visit. Doctor visits were covered under major medical plans at the time, but they were covered subject to a deductible and co insurance.

The benefits were great if your doctor and hospital was in the network. The main problem was that the HMO networks of doctors was usually very restrictive. In order to keep costs under control, many times these plans were designed by hospitals for patients of that specific hospital. So if you went to that hospital you were able to get the best benefits and lower costs. But if you went to another hospital instead, you would not have any coverage at all. If you had an emergency or needed a specialist for a dreaded disease people found themselves without any coverage at all outside of the network. So while people still loved the HMO plans they really wanted more flexibility in the place they could go to get health care.

PPO's were established to solve this problem. Instead of Health Maintenance Organizations, the Preferred Provider Organizations had networks of doctors that provided the extra benefits such as co payments for doctors and hospitals. But it also included provisions to cover services gotten outside of the network. So people have an incentive to go to doctors in the network so that they could get extra savings. But if they wanted to go outside of the network to a specialist or an emergency room, they would still have coverage. This allowed insurance companies to control costs with network contracts so the plans cost less. It allowed people to get the co payments within the network and still get coverage for services anywhere they needed.

Now PPO's are more available than HMO's because of the freedom of choice of specialists. It was a real problem finding specialists for certain conditions within some smaller HMO's. Insurance companies realized this and adjusted their plans to suit the needs of their clients. The PPO is a fantastic solution to getting great benefits at a low cost without sacrificing freedom to choose your own doctor and hospital.

Top 10 Questions about Body Piercing

Body piercing has grown so much in popularity in recent years that it has become almost mainstream, with more and more people sporting navel rings and multiple ear rings. Facial piercings, surface piercings and lots of others to choose from can make things confusing. If you don't know what to expect when you decide to get a piercing, it can be even more intimidating. Here are some of the top questions people have about body piercing. 1. I want to get a body piercing. How much will it cost? The cost of a body piercing varies depending on several factors, including where you're located, how close to a major city you are, and what kind of piercing you're having done. Generally the more difficult the piercing, the higher the cost. Keep in mind that you get what you pay for as well, so don't depend entirely upon cost to choose your piercer. If a piercer is charging significantly under the market cost in your area, he may be cutting corners in areas he shouldn't, such as sterilization and other safety procedures. On average, the cost of piercings fall somewhere in these ranges:

Ears (lobes, cartilage, etc.).....anywhere from $25-$50 Navel...................................$45-$55 Tongue.................................$45-$55 Labret..................................$50-$60 Eyebrow................................$40-$50 Nipple...................................$45-$55 Nostril..................................$45-$55 Genital..................................$75-$100 2. Does it hurt? In simple terms, yes. Does it hurt much? Most people will tell you, "No, not really." It's usually more like a pinching or popping sensation than anything. The sensation of pain is relative--some people feel it more than others. The adrenalin rush of the piercing usually means the pain in minimal. After the initial pain when the needle goes through the piercing, you may feel some dull pain or an aching sensation for a few hours, which can be relieved with an over the counter pain reliever. One piercing that does hurt a bit more than others is the tongue piercing, which will swell and be sensitive for a few days. Ice chips and popsicles will help soothe the pain of this kind of new piercing. 3. How long does it take a body piercing to heal? The healing time for a body piercing varies depending upon what you've had pierced. Some parts of the body heal more quickly than others. For instance, if you pierce your earlobes, you can expect them to heal within two months and be ready for jewelry other than the original piercing jewelry. The belly button is in an area that heals slowly, however, because it's right where the body twists and turns, which slows the healing process. It also doesn't get as much air circulation because it is covered much of the time. It can take up to six months or even a year for a belly button piercing to heal completely. Some general healing times are: Ear lobes..........6-8 weeks Cartilage...........4-8 months Eyebrow...........6-8 weeks Nostril..............3-4 months Septum.............6-8 months Labret..............2-3 months Tongue.............4-6 weeks Nipple..............4-6 months Navel...............5 months-1 year Genitals............6 weeks-6 months The better you care for a body piercing, the more quickly it will heal, so be sure to discuss the proper care of your piercing with the piercing professional who does your body piercing to ensure a quick, clean piercing and you will heal in the least amount of time possible. 4. How can I tell if a piercing is infected, or it's just normal healing stuff? All body piercings will have some drainage during the first several days. This is because you have basically given your body a puncture wound, and your body will bleed for a while, and then have drainage of some fluids as it heals. These fluids are actually good for you, as they keep the area moist and clean and will wash away some of the dirt and germs that might otherwise stay in the area. Bleeding should stop within a few hours or the first day and be only small amounts. Often it will look watery. Drainage will be mostly a clear, watery discharge, although it can sometimes be somewhat white in color. The drainage will form "crusties" around the jewelry that can be washed off with warm, soapy water when you clean your piercing each day. A piercing is infected when the discharge is either green or yellow. Also, if the area becomes swollen or inflamed again after the initial swelling has subsided. Any time you see green or yellow pus or discharge; you should see a doctor and get appropriate medical treatment. It won't necessarily mean you have to remove your piercing; you may simply have to take a course of antibiotics. If the area becomes red and inflamed with red streaks radiating out from the area, see a doctor right away. 5. What should I look for in a good body piercing studio? A good body piercing studio must first and foremost be clean, clean, and clean! The most common cause of infection is piercings is simple exposure to germs, so look for a piercing parlor that is very strict about its cleanliness and sterilization procedures. They should have a separate room where nothing else is done but piercings. They should always have an operational autoclave, which is a wet steam sterilization unit that is to be used to clean and sterilize all tools and equipment used during piercing. They should also pierce only with single-use, disposable needles that are pre-wrapped. Ask them if this is what they use, and insist that the needles not be opened until they are actually ready to do your piercing so that you can confirm they are sterile-wrapped. Look for experience and qualifications. Have all the piercers been through an apprenticeship program? If so, for how long did they train and where? Also make sure they are licensed to operate a piercing studio by their state's department of health. In most states this is now mandatory. Also check the date to make sure it isn't expired. Finally, look for a certificate of membership in a professional society such as the Association of Professional Piercers, an organization that supports safe and professional piercing practices and offers extensive ongoing training. 6. Why can't I just pierce myself? You can pierce yourself, but it's not really a good idea. It's simply too hard to keep the area in your own home (or wherever you happen to be) clean and sterile enough. You also may have trouble lining up and placing a piercing squarely where you want it, and if you lose your nerve half-way through the piercing, you're stuck with it half done. If you do it at home, you'll probably do it on an impulse, which will mean you won't have the right tools. Piercing needles are incredibly sharp in order to reduce the pain and make a good, clean cut. No matter how sharp that sewing needle is at home, it's not as sharp as a piercing needle, so it will hurt more, bleed more, and may not heal as cleanly. 7. What should I clean my piercing with? Today most professional piercers agree that the best way to clean a fresh piercing is with a mild antibacterial soap. These should not contain perfumes or dyes, which can irritate a piercing and lead to discomfort or an allergic reaction. There are a few on the market that are specifically designed for body piercings, including Provon® and Satin®. After cleaning, you should follow up with a sea salt water soak. Sea salt is available at natural health stores, piercing and tattoo studios and a variety of other stores. The sea salt solution helps soothe the area and draw impurities out of the wound to promote faster healing. H2Ocean is an excellent pre-mixed sea salt solution that can be sprayed on for ease of use. It's highly recommended by many professional piercers and is convenient especially if you're traveling or on the go. 8. What kind of jewelry should a piercing be done with? A body piercing is, in the simplest terms, a puncture wound, so you want to use a high quality metal that won't react with your body chemistry to create an allergic reaction or contaminate the open wound. Never use cheap or base metals to get a body piercing. The best metals to use are titanium or surgical steel, both or which are essentially inert and won't react with your body. In some cases, you can use high quality gold, but even this sometimes creates a reaction because of the nickel content, so do be cautious. Once a piercing is completely healed, you have more leeway on what you can use, but if you are at all nickel sensitive, you will probably always have to stick with surgical steel and titanium for your body piercings, unless you are using alternatives such as glass, which is completely non-reactive and safe for nearly everyone. 9. What causes migration? Is it the same as rejection? Rejection is a more severe form of migration. Migration is when a body piercing begins to move through the flesh because the body is trying to force it out of the skin and get rid of it. In some cases, the body only partially succeeds, and the piercing "migrates" so that it ends up being crooked or misaligned. When the body completely forces a piercing out of the body, it is called a "rejection," because the body has completely rejected the piece of jewelry, basically "spitting it out." This is because any piercing jewelry is a foreign object that the body sees as an invader to be gotten rid of, especially if the piercing is poorly done so that the jewelry aggravates the skin tissues. 10. What if I want to become a professional piercer? Behave responsibly. Visit a few piercing parlors that you know are top quality and ask about internship programs and other options. Order some videos that take you through the introductory steps of piercing and educate you on the process of proper preparation and sterilization. Many of the larger piercing websites offer these video series' at a reasonable cost. You should also take courses in first aid in blood borne pathogens and other illnesses that are commonly transmitted by needles. Many of these courses are offered through community colleges or local hospital extensions. The most important thing is to be fully trained and completely experienced in all manner of piercing before setting yourself up as a piercer on your own--both for your own legal protection and the safety and well-being of those who come to you for body piercing. The Association of Professional Piercers (www.safepiercing.org) is an excellent source of information on how to get started as a professional piercer. In Conclusion Body piercing and wearing body jewelry should be an informed choice, not a snap decision. If you have been thinking about getting a body piercing, talk to others who have done the same and get their feedback. Ask them if they are happy with the results and for their suggestions on good piercing studios. Ask yourself if you're ready for the commitment to proper care and the expense of a body piercing. Remember that a body piercing is a form of body modification that will affect how others perceive you. Obviously, this is part of the appeal for most people. However, the reactions will be mixed, and you should keep in mind that while some people will love it, others will not. So think through the consequences of body piercing thoroughly before you proceed. Then, if you decide its right for you--follow the tips above for a safe, attractive body piercing you'll be proud to wear! This article on the "Top 10 Questions about Body Piercing" reprinted with permission.

Copyright © 2004 Evaluseek Publishing.

How to Feng Shui a Warehouse

There are many types of businesses and any structure with four walls and a ceiling can be assessed with a flying star chart. The Flying Star chart gives us an impression of what kind of magnetic field was established inside the structure, based on when it was built and what direction it is aligned. That magnetic field will have a powerful influence on all those who dwell inside. There is even speculation that inanimate objects, like the inventory, can be affected as well. This holds true for all warehouse spaces.

When evaluating a business which is attached to warehouse space, usually much less emphasis is placed on the warehouse space (aka storage space), compared to the attached offices or sales or retail area. Where human beings work, make sales, conduct business (over the phone, internet or in person) is much more important than where different items are stored in the warehouse. And yet, if there are employees working in a warehouse space, it is also possible and good judgment to have a look at their work space.

In any given built environment, there may be areas which can cause or contribute to accidents and warehouse spaces might be even riskier places to work than a normal office space. Tall shelves, sharp objects and an industrial type of setting could easily aggravate a hazardous potential. As well, if someone is in fact working in a warehouse space, all the more reason to employ as many Feng Shui applications as possible since by definition, the warehouse space is not an ideal area to work in. For example, those working in a warehouse may not be around much natural light or ventilation, unless the business keeps the large roller door open during the day.

A person working in a warehouse may also be exposed to more chemicals, depending on what is stored in the warehouse and what kind of production may also be taking place in the area. For example, I have one client with an organic lotion company. The warehouse used to also be the same location where the lotions were formulated and bottled, as well as stored. His work space included a row of offices with exterior windows. However, another client has a tile company where the tiles are cut and stored in the warehouse section and there is a lot of machinery stationed there.

To the best of our ability, a classically trained practitioner needs to figure out how the business can incorporate some of the natural elements into the built space, but also not allow for any adjustment to get in the way of storage or production. One client of mine has an auto collision repair shop where the very nature of the warehouse must remain rather raw and there were a limited number of sensible areas where the paint room could be placed. Often times, with a warehouse space, the walls need to be used as locations for elemental adjustments and more than one audit required that the business paint a wall red (for fire) or blue (for water). Areas of a warehouse that might need the metal element often have the real element (such as steel) already present in the machinery or steel shelves.

After we have done whatever is possible and practical with the warehouse, the connected offices are still the priority. The entrance into any business can attract or repel business. The location of where key people (sales, marketing) are sitting can also help determine the success of the business. Some staff sit in areas that could undermine good work performance and all this can be addressed within the scope of a traditional Feng Shui evaluation. Data that is gathered includes the age of the building, compass alignment, outside influences, architectural lay-out for best qi flow, current cycles the building is in, birth dates of important personnel and the details of micro-managing each individual office or cubicle space.

Intellectual Property Rights - What's Mine Is Mine

It's been stated that "good artists borrow and great artists steal". Whether or not that's true is irrelevant but what is relevant is that if you've invented or created something, it's yours. Even if others disagree, you're protected under the legal statutes of intellectual property rights. However, creative ideas, no matter how original, are intangible and proving that something was yours first can become murky and difficult to prove. In some instances it becomes necessary to hire an attorney to ensure that you and your creation are properly safeguarded against potential thieves. Especially if your idea has the possibility of generating capital, certain legal defenses need to be in place to assure you, the inventor, that what you've created is yours and not to be copied, identically designed, or otherwise stolen all together.

There are two types of intellectual property rights, copyright and industrial, that defend against different aspects of intellectual property. Copyright law states that anything artistic in nature, such as literary or musical works, are protected against duplication. Industrial property, which consists of distinctive things like trademarks and symbols, are similarly secured. No one can copy the logo or symbol of a corporation without being held accountable for infringement, nor can anyone pass off a hit song as their own. Intellectual property rights protect both individuals and companies as a whole.

With the rapid rate of technological expansion, copyright and industrial infringements are becoming evermore prevalent and it's more important to know your rights as a creator. These laws are in place to ensure the growth and expansion of our arts communities and to protect those who participate. To guarantee the fullest and most thorough protection available it may become necessary to hire an attorney. After all, no one knows the law better than a lawyer and to make sure that you're getting the maximum level of defense our legal system can offer, hiring a lawyer is the safest bet.

It's not difficult to steal ideas and if your idea is bankable or otherwise important to you then you may need the aid of a lawyer to confirm that your property is protected under the law. The likelihood is that what you've created is important to you, and possibly profitable to others. If it's important enough to protect legally from potential thieves then hiring a lawyer is a concrete way to create peace of mind. Never has the phrase "a mind is a beautiful thing to waste" had more meaning and relevance than when discussing intellectual property.

How It's Possible to Get Started With Handstands

When you want to do a handstand, be certain to focus on your form.

The very first thing you want to do to prepare for all the stuff we are talking about here is wrist preparation.

To do this, put your hands on the floor shoulder width apart and rock your body backwards and forwards. Hold the forward position for a few seconds before moving on the back.

Next, turn your fingers back and do the same thing, but hold the back position instead of the forward position.

And ultimately turn the wrists over and lay the back of your hands on the floor. This might be uncomfortable, but if it is too uncomfortable for you, just simply move your hands closer to your knees.

Next work on the Hollow Body Hold to help you prepare to achieve the handstand.

Lie of the floor. Move your chin to your chest, and keep your shoulders down. Bring your legs off of the ground to hold a 90 degree angle with the rest of your body and also keep your knees at 90 degrees.

Then straighten your legs and slowly lower them back down, and extend your arms.

Start handstands with the Wall In position.

Start doing handstands against a wall with your belly facing in toward the wall. If you have difficulty with this, it is maybe a sign that you need to work at improving your shoulders.

Walk your feet up the wall. Then lock your arms and hold the position. Bend your ankles so your toes flatten out against the wall. When you're feeling confident, move your feet away from the wall and balance. Try to keep the hollow body hold here.

To get out of this position, bring your feet back to the wall and then walk them down again.

Then progress to the Wall Out position.

With your head facing toward the wall, kick up in the handstand position. Straighten your body and perform the Hollow Body Hold. Practice pulling your feet from the wall without falling down.

If you're ready to attain this, you are most likely prepared to move on to the free standing handstand.

Before you do this though, practice the L-Stand position to open your shoulders.

Back as if you were doing the Wall In position, walk up the wall and bring your legs to 90 degrees with the wall and your body. Push down and away from the floor.

You ought to be ready for the free standing handstand at this point and there should not be much effort concerned in achieving it, if you have spent a bit of time to master the previous positions.

If you're doing a free standing handstand, and you feel as though you are going to fall, turn your body out as if you were doing a cartwheel to safely come down.

If you're a newbie and you need to build up to doing these exercises. Start with the Hollow Body Hold, then progress to Wall In, then Wall Out, then the L-Stand, and then the freestanding handstand.

To start with do one position for 5-10 seconds and do 6 sets. When you are able to do this, then add 5 seconds... And at last work up to one minute. When you can do this for one minute, move to the next challenging position. Ultimately you can work your way up to the freestanding handstand.

401(K) Plans: Vesting and Amp - Withdrawals

In this three-part articles series on 401(k) plans, we've covered the basics of what a 401(k) plan is and what types of contributions can be made. In addition, there are other rules and guidelines that participants should be familiar with.

Vesting

Vesting is a term used to describe the point at which a 401(k) plan participant is entitled to 100% of the employer matching contributions in his or her retirement account. The participant is, of course, always entitled to 100% of his or her own contributions, but employer matching contributions are typically subject to a vesting schedule, ranging from three to seven years. The purpose for the vesting schedule is to encourage employees to remain with the employer. The 401(k) plan document and your employer can tell you what your plan's vesting schedule is.

Here's a brief example. Let's say Suzy Smith contributes to her 401(k) plan and her employer matches her contributions up to 50%. The employer has selected a 5 year vesting schedule for the plan, with Suzy being vested 20% each year. Her vesting would look like this:

After year 1: 20% vested in employer matching contributions After year 2: 40% vested in employer matching contributions After year 3: 60% vested in employer matching contributions After year 4: 80% vested in employer matching contributions After year 5: 100% vested in employer matching contributions

401(k) Withdrawals

Before contributing to a 401(k) plan, you want to be familiar with the ways in which you can withdraw your money. To an extent, those conditions will be dictated by your 401(k) plan document. Here are the acceptable withdrawal methods:

- Loans - Hardship withdrawals - Termination of employment - Retirement - Disability - Death

401(k) Loans

Not all 401(k) plans allow loans, but those that do will require repayment. Loan payments, including interest and principal, are repaid directly to the employee's 401(k) account. The plan document will specify if the plan allows loans, and if so, what conditions apply.

401(k) Hardship Withdrawals

Some 401(k) plans have provisions for hardship withdrawals, allowing a participant to withdraw contributions within certain limits and for specific reasons. Those reasons typically include medical expenses, the purchase of a home, college tuition for the next 12 months or to prevent eviction or foreclosure from the employee's primary residence. Again, the plan document will specify any rules that apply.

Termination of Employment

When a 401(k) plan participant leaves an employer by quitting or being fired, he or she is entitled to the vested balance in his or her 401(k) account. The plan document will specify how and when this withdrawal takes place. To avoid adverse tax consequences, the participant should speak with his or her financial advisor to determine if a rollover to another retirement plan like an IRA is appropriate.

Retirement Distributions

401(k) withdrawals made at retirement age are called distributions. Before age 59 1/2, distributions are taxable and generally subject to a 10% penalty. After age 59 1/2, lump sum distributions will be taxed and current income tax rates, but the distributions may be eligible for special 10-year averaging tax treatment. Money can also be withdrawn and rolled over to another qualified plan, IRA, 403(b) or 457 plan. For additional information about these options, participants should talk to their financial and tax advisors.

We've covered a lot of 401(k) info. in the last three articles, but there is still so much more to know. If you are investing in a 401(k) plan, or are considering it, and have questions, please contact your financial and tax advisors for recommendations based on your financial situation.

Getting the Right Cage and Toys for Your Parrot

When you are buying a cage and toys for your parrot it is important to keep them in mind when doing so. You will find a happier parrot. Remembering that their cage is their bedroom is very important. This is their sanctuary while you are not at home and they are caged up.

The Cage

Getting the right cage is important because your parrot is going to be staying in there and going to have to entertain themselves while you are out. We personally do not cage our parrots because we find it cruel and unusual punishment, so yes they live with us in the living room. We have parroted proofed our house like you would baby proof your home with your two years old. We still have cages though so they have some sort of retreat they can go to if they desire to do so. It has all the guidelines one asks for a parrot cage. Twice the width so they may spread their wings and 1 in length for their tail. I like my food bowls to have an outside door so I may retrieve them, it just makes it easier. Like a dog, parrots can get possessive about their food bowls. I like their play tops to also have food bowl holders. Just so they have a place to eat will they are out. My bar spacing is narrow enough so they may not get their head stuck in. These are things you have to keep in mind.

The Toys

To the most important thing of a parrot are their toys. Toys are very essential to making a happy and behaved parrot. Toys are for swinging, throwing, screaming at and just good old fashion play time. It is imperative that when you purchase toys that you keep your parrot in mind with their personality and what they seem to play with most. Get different toys each time you are out buying parrot supplies. Buying at least one is a well-rewarded treat for them and your parrot will appreciate you for doing so.

Keep in mind that a cage and toys are essential between a happy and healthy parrot and to a parrot with behavioral problems. You want to always consider their personalities and needs just like a child. They have the needs of a two year old and in some cases the intelligence of a five year old. When I considered a cage and toys for my parrots I put their individuality into perspective. A cage is a huge investment monetarily and of course for parrot's wellbeing in mind. You will find a happier and healthier parrot, having this simple knowledge of your parrot. The end result will be rewarding.

What is Private Franchising? It is Nothing Someone Made It Up

The Federal Trade Commission has an obligation to the general public, their stated consumer education mission and to the over regulated franchising industry and the small business operators running Biz Ops to separate the two business models by way of legal definition. Any failure to completely separate them will trigger additional problems down the road and cause the current on-going process of rule review to continue, without any formalization for decades.

This of course is good for attorneys who make money on these ambiguities for lawsuits and great for Federal Trade Commission tenure and job security. A few also realize it could allow for additional travel budgets of governmental employees during these rule making processes on the taxpayers money. It would also trigger more time-out, "let's think about this one"-coffee breaks on various floors of the Federal Trade Commission's fully furnished 1970 desk style ambiance. However it is not good for consumers or industry and creates unleveled playing field on one hand and complex barriers to entry for start-up entrepreneurs with regional dominance and efficiencies, which lend them selves well to the franchise business model on the other. This is because Biz Op MLM salespeople are purporting that they as similar to franchised business, by using terms like 'Private Franchising' in their presentation.

These MLM business sell in coffee shops and public presentations, which would send chills down the spine of any compliant franchising executive or real franchisor. So then, what is a real franchisor? What is private franchising? What is a Business Opportunity? What is an MLM business? What is a hybrid or cross-breed of any of these combinations? How on Earth in laymen terms can the Federal Trade Commission explain this to us, so that we might explain the differences to consumers when asked. Where on the Federal Trade Commission website is there a place which describes all of them and the possible variations? Due to the introduction of the term "Private Franchising" in the interim between 1999 comments and 2004 evaluations of possible definition revisions by Federal Trade Commission it appears that the definition landscape in the real world is hyperspacing the definitional upgrades to the franchise rule in the wonderful world of bureaucracy. We should not kid ourselves into thinking that the latest FTC report or any subsequent changes now, will change anything in the actual market place as to the number of; non-existent fraud events in franchising. The number of fraud cases in franchising is basically nil as per Federal Trade Commission's own statements to congress. Yet the MLM crowd is manipulated truth by miss using the word franchising and that misrepresentation is damaging consumers. Think about it.

Overview of Trademark Law

Trademark law gives companies the exclusive right to use a given name or design, called a "mark," for the purpose of identifying the source the of that company's goods or services. Trademark law is an incentive-based system. Because it gives companies the exclusive right to use a mark in connection with certain goods or services, the company can create a brand that is recognizable by the consuming public. That trademark would be associated with and incorporated into every advertisement the company runs for its goods or services. Repetition of those advertisements containing the trademark causes consumers to associate the mark with the goods and, with enough repetition, consumers buy the goods.

A brief, but related, digression. We all know that if you see a product advertised frequently enough, the product will sell. You might even be one of the people who buys the product. The thinking process by which you reached the decision to buy the product is not an intellectual, logical process. It's a function of the way the human mind works. Continually hearing a repeated message makes the message more familiar, more real, and, eventually, more true. As the adage says, "even the boldest lie becomes the truth if you scream it loud enough and long enough." I call this the "Lie = Truth" Adage. Sadly, I frequently encounter the "Lie = Truth" Adage in litigation. I also know of some politicians and terrorist masterminds who are experts at exploiting this fact of human nature.

Back to trademarks. The advertising departments at most companies know the "Lie = Truth" Adage can be very successful in advertising. The cynic would pump his fist in the air yell "Down with the corporations, and power to the people! All the corporations care about is taking our money at all costs!" While we can point to some recent examples that might make it challenging to argue against this viewpoint, as to the overwhelming, vast majority of companies, that view simply cannot be supported.

Trademark law creates very strong incentives for companies to make the highest quality product possible and to advertise their merits and attributes accurately. Aside from the fact that companies invest anywhere from tens of thousands to millions of dollars into their trademark(s), all it takes is one bad product line to tarnish a companies image in the mind of the consumers who buy their products. Both of these factors hit companies where it hurts them most: in the pocketbook. So, while companies clearly have to perform a balancing act of creating a high quality product, keeping costs down, and pulling in as many purchasers as possible, they have very strong incentives to create a quality product that they will associate with their trademark.

To be eligible for any level of trademark protection, a mark must be "distinctive" and not merely "descriptive" of the goods or services. Whether a mark is distinctive and "how" distinctive or strong the mark is can be determined by a sliding scale. Marks can be (1) fanciful; (2) arbitrary; (3) suggestive; (4) descriptive; or (5) generic. Whether a particular mark is protected by trademark law depends on the strength category into which it falls.

A fanciful mark is one that is invented for the sole purpose of being a trademark. For example, EXXON is a fanciful mark. It is a word that does not exist in the English language and was created only for the purpose of identifying the oil and gas company.

An arbitrary mark is typically an existing word that is arbitrarily applied to a product or service that has nothing to do with the word. For example, the mark APPLE as applied to sales of computers.

A suggestive mark is a mark that suggests a quality or characteristic of the goods or services. Suggestive marks require some level of imagination to bridge the connection between the mark and the product. For example, the mark PENGUIN as applied to refrigerators.

A descriptive mark is a word that merely describes a quality or characteristic of a product. Descriptive marks are not entitled to trademark protection unless they have obtained "secondary meaning" under the trademark law. An example of a descriptive mark would be LIGHT to identify a lightweight notebook computer.

A generic mark simply identifies by name a particular product. Generic marks are never entitled to trademark protection. An example of a descriptive mark would be MODEM in connection with modem sales. If trademark protection were allowed in this instance, the company could essentially remove the word "modem" from the English language.

Starting A Social Networking Website

The popularity of social networking is increasing day by day. More and more people are joining several social networking websites online! The concept is so huge that nowadays a lot of professional companies are hiring analysts to manage ads for social networking websites. We can easily say that starting a social networking website can really prove to be quite beneficial for you. Here, we are going to talk about it in detail.

People use such websites for several reasons such as: finding old mates, making new pals and business marketing! It is a huge phenomenon that has taken the world by a storm. By creating your personal website you can easily promote your business online and share your ideas with millions of users in a matter of few seconds! But you need to remember one thing that creating a website is not at all simple therefore you need to keep yourself updated and informed regarding every information related to this industry.

Let us now talk about some key instructions that could help you start your own social networking website. You must follow the instructions given below carefully.

• You should first determine the motive behind your website. Are you are looking for a dating, business or just a fun website? How much are you willing to charge from the users or you are going to keep it free? These are some of the questions that you need to ask yourself.

• You need to pick a suitable name for your website. You can buy a suitable domain name that suits your intentions and motives. For business marketing website, you need to buy a domain related to business. However, if you are planning to create a normal, fun website then you can go with a casual name.

• The next thing that you must do is to hire an expert web designer in order to help you create an innovative social networking website that attracts the attention of a large number of users.

• You can now visit some free websites that allow you to create an account and craft your own social network.

• Select a proper design template for your website. If you don't have any money then you can go for some free templates available online. Well, they are quite good when it comes to style and design.

• At last, you got to add some pictures, videos, music and content on your website. You can add some informative content in order to attract more and more users. But you need to remember one thing that updating the content regularly is of utmost importance.

These are some of the most important instructions to follow when it comes to starting a social networking website. The significance of social networking is immense as it is used all over the world. It will not just benefit you on a professional level but on a personal level as well. So, go ahead and start your own website to make loads of contacts and profits online! This is surely going to be a great experience for you.