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Your health is your responsibility. As a human being, you
have the choice to put in your stomach whatever you want. It
is YOU and only you that can choose what you want or not to
eat. In other words, it is YOU who chooses to be slim and
fit or not. That is your choice. You need to take 100%
responsibility of the way you eat. That’s the beginning of
your success.

Now, you’ll say: “I can’t, it is stronger than me” or “look
at this cake, I can’t leave it alone. It needs to be eaten.”
or “It is so good, another one please!”. The question is:
“Why do you eat?” Is it for pleasure or for fuel? After all,
food is just food, but the emotion we attach to food is so
strong that we tend to eat for pleasure or for an emotional
reward.

When you eat junk food, subconsciously you say YES! to it.
Let’s learn another word: NO!
Most of us said, “No!” quite well when we were two and we
have grown up to be people pleasers and say “YES!” all the
time. Most of us believe that saying “No” can cost us a lot
in our adult life.

NO! is a powerful word when said at appropriate moments. One
of the best moments to say that powerful NO is when you want
to eat junk food.

Dr. Bob Bodenhamer, co-developer of neuro-semantics said,
“All change in essence boils down to saying ‘No’ to what you
don’t want and ‘Yes’ to what you do want.”

If this statement is correct, each time that you say YES to
junk food, you say, subconsciously of course “I want to be
fat and don’t want to be slim and fit” even if consciously
you really want to be healthy and full of energy.

Words are power and your language is a representation of
your map. Let’s add some choice to your map. The more
choices you have, the more success you will have.

Therefore, let’s learn or re-learn to say this powerful NO!
The results of saying NO to certain foods are: you will have
a sense of control over your own body (you don’t want to be
controlled by it, don’t you?), you will feel more confident,
more self-esteem and eventually you will feel at peace. It
will reinforce your belief that you need to take 100%
responsibility for your own health and nobody will do it for
you

First, get a good strong representation of saying “No!” to
something. It doesn’t need to be related to food. You will
want to make sure that your No looks, sounds, and feels
congruent and that it truly fits with your beliefs and
values.

Second, to reinforce this powerful NO, find 4 other
situations where you said NO!. It can be as simple “NO, it’s
too late to go out now”. The most important is that it needs
to be congruent. If you are a 100% people pleasers and can’t
find any NO! situations, think of what it would be, how you
would feel and what you would hear if you had the courage to
say NO! to something or someone. This is this kind of NO!
that you need.

Third, Say No! to the junk food. Re-access the “it’s
stronger than me” feeling and once you have it, say No! Do
it congruently, intensely, and repeatedly. And you can keep
on saying No! until you begin to feel that it no longer has
any power to run your programs. Notice how the feeling
diminish and how the desire for the food is far and
disappearing.

To finish, picture yourself already slim and fit. You
already know it’s not hard to do it. Now, say a big “YES!
That’s what I want!”

As you know, you have the power of saying NO! Everybody
does. But we are trapped with some limited old thinking that
eating is for a reward or for pleasure. We are conditioned
to eat for false reasons. When you keep repeating this
pattern, you break some old belief and it comforts you: you
can change, you can do it, can’t you?

Y-E-S! It is possible to change, to get slim and fit or
to live more at peace. In fact, much easier than you could
ever imagine. Discover now how you can do it in the #1
personal development plan on the net.
Click => http://www.vision-to-action.com

Every day we hear more about the new “hybrid” dogs, or “designer” dogs. Each feature is accompanied by pictures of adorable puppies that are examples of this new “breed.”

Of course they’re cute! All puppies are! Should you pay hundreds, and in some cases, thousands of dollars for one? Certainly not! The offspring of a mating between two purebred dogs of different breeds is a mongrel, a mutt. And if you have one, you should love it, train it and care for it as if it had the bluest blood of the canine kingdom.

Every dog breed, and there are hundreds in the world, was “created” by humans. Each breed was developed for a specific purpose - whether that original job was guarding the flock or being the ideal lap-dog. There’s no reason that development shouldn’t continue. If there is a need for a dog with particular characteristics, enterprising individuals will come forward to fill that need.

However, it takes many generations to “breed true.” Compare yourself to your siblings. Do you all have the same looks, same personality, same interests and strengths? Chances are, you don’t. Each of you has some of the “best” traits of your parents. But those may not be the same traits. And each of you has some of the worst.

Two of the best-known mixed-breeds out there now are the “Golden Doodle” and the “Puggle.” The thinking behind these crosses is fairly obvious: wouldn’t it be nice to have a Golden Retriever’s personality and willingness to please combined with the Poodle’s non-shedding coat and intelligence? Wouldn’t it be equally delightful to have a small dog without the breathing issues of a Pug, but quieter than a Beagle?

But there is no way of knowing you won’t get a high-strung, noisy, stubborn, slobbering mutt who sheds like the dickens!

If you are considering spending the kind of money that these “hybrids” are commanding, be sure to research all of the traits of the contributing breeds. You will get a mixture of the two. And an equally adorable mixture may be waiting for you at your local shelter - the size you want, with the coat you want and the adorable face that melts your heart.

If you require certain characteristics in your puppy - whether a family member has allergies, or you have a very small, or no yard, or your household requires a quiet, “easy keeper,” or if you wish to fully participate in the world of canine competition, consider a pure-bred animal. There are over 150 breeds recognized by the American Kennel Club. Research them at www.akc.org. Surely one of them is right for you.

Hope Saidel is the co-owner of www.GollyGear.com, a bricks-and-mortar and online small dog shop featuring fun, affordable and practical products for small dogs. She has trained and competed in Obedience with small dogs for over a decade and is on the Board of Directors of the North Shore Dog Training Club.

One of the keys to being successful in anything you do is persistence. Persistence & patience are two wheels. Whenever there is persistence; patience must be co-existed, else you will be like a bike in garage. Lets clarify the word ‘persistence’ :- It is ability to be persist on instances.

Once you have realized & determined exactly what it is you want to achieve, you must take Significant & considerate action using good plan on a consistent, persistent basis in direction to succeed. Think of it like building a muscle. If you have never exercised before, the first time you go to a gym, chances are you will not be able to bench press 100 lbs. However, if you are persistent, and you consistently go back to the gym, you will find yourself getting stronger and closer to your goal / objective with each and every visit.

One of the things you’ll observe on your way towards your goal, are speed-breakers. That is, you will encounter obstacles that seem to jump out of nowhere in an attempt to slow down your progress. Count on these obstacles. They are a part of life. Everyone would have every success they ever wanted if there were no obstacles. Your job is to be persistent and work through those obstacles. If you find little or no obstacles along the way, chances are you are not really challenging yourself coz person realizes his potential when he is on climax . And when you do reach your goal, you won’t experience the feeling of ’sweet success’. Make your goal a specialized & challenging one!

If you take the time to study any successful person, you will learn that the vast majority of them have had more ‘failures’ than they have had ’successes’. This is because successful people are persistent; the more they stumble and fall, the more they get right back up and get going again. On the other hand, people that don’t get back up and try again, never reach success. For example (1 & 2), 1] Colonel Sanders spent two years driving across the United States looking for restaurants to buy his chicken recipe. He was turned down near about thousand times! How successful is Fried Chicken today? 2] India got freedom because of the persistence & patience of great revolutionaries on their objective to make India free. Having said this, keep in mind that you must constantly reevaluate your circumstances and the approach you are using to reach your goal. There is no sense in being persistent at something that you are doing incorrectly! Sometimes you have to modify your approach along the way. Every time you do something you learn from it, and therefore find a better way to do it.

About The Author

Name : NIlesh B Gore

Profession : Graphologist(Hndwriting Analyst) & SW. Eng.

Email : ng411002@rediffmail.com

Web : http://www.brendynamics.com/hw.htm

Country : India, Ms

Copyrights : © Nilesh B Gore.

Not long ago, I read that well-known California winemaker Rodney Strong had passed away. While recounting his professional career, the article cited Strong’s innovative direct mail marketing tactics.

An excerpt:

“Strong developed a marketing strategy that involved direct mail in which he offered to sell wine with a buyer’s individual information on the label - ‘From the wine cellar of so-and-so,’ or ‘A gift from such-and-such corporation’.”



The program continues to this day, as living testament to its effectiveness.

That story got me thinking about the way we market our products and services in relation to their uniqueness.

For instance:

Why do so many companies today waste time and money marketing average products and services to hard-to-impress consumers? Why don’t more companies follow the Rodney Strong model (remarkable product / service idea first; marketing second)?

Marketing the Remarkable
Rodney Strong took something simple but interesting — personalized wine labels — and made it available to his audience. Why was it so popular? Because nobody else was doing it at the time. Rodney gambled on an idea, and it worked. He made something that was remarkable to his customers. Then, all he had left to do was tell them about it (in this case through direct mail), and they asked for it by the thousands!

Here’s the idea again:

Come up with a remarkable product or service, and then start telling people about it. Word-of-mouth will take it from there.

How Do You Measure Up?
If you struggle when creating your direct mail message, it might indicate that your product or service could use a shot of “the old remarkable.”

Or think of it this way…

If you stripped away all the marketing glitz and set your product on a shelf by itself (or described your service on a plain piece of paper) — would it seem remarkable? Would it impress members of your target audience? Or, are you relying on your marketing to add the pizzazz?

Instead of struggling to promote something average, dig deep to find the above-average aspect of what you’re selling. If there isn’t such an aspect … go back to the drawing board and make one.

* You may republish this article in its entirety as long as you include the byline and author’s note. If publishing online, please leave the hyperlinks active.

About the Author
Brandon Cornett is the editor of PostcardSmart.com, the Internet’s largest website dedicated entirely to direct mail marketing with postcards. For more expert articles on postcard marketing, visit http://www.PostcardSmart.com.

For daily direct mail tips, visit the PostcardSmart blog at http://www.directmailtips.blogspot.com.

Initially all points seem to be equal but, in reality they all have a different value which is intrinsically tied to the moment at which the point is played therefore the score.
For example, an apparently innocuous first point (15-0 or 0-15) of a match can be a pretty straightforward ace affair on a hard/grass-court or a 10 to 20 minute battle on clay!

In the first case there are no scars. In the second situation the damage can be substantial. I have seen matches where the conqueror of that first point runs away with a quick 6-0 set. In other cases it takes so much energy from the winner of that 15-0 point that they end up losing that game and the set.
Once again in the first situation it is easy, you won a straight forward point. In the second it is hard to turn around, relegate it to oblivion and start all over again and become detached from a major battle for a point where you gave it all and lost. Neverthless, if you want to be a top mental percentage player it is a must, just tell your bruised ego to forget it, regroup and do battle again.

So what is behind a point, your whole self or nothing? It all depends on the importance you attach to it. In the BIG POINTS you have no choice but consider them as major building blocks of winning matches. Let’s observe the imaginary set below:

Game1—-Game2—-Game3—-Game4—-Game5—-Game6—-Game7—-Game8—-Game9
Andy——-Roger——Andy——Roger——Andy——Roger——Andy——Roger——Andy
15-0——–0-15——-15-0——-15-0——-15-0——-15-0——–15-0——-15-0——-15-0
30-0——-15-15——15-15——15-15——30-0——-15-15——30-0——-15-15——15-15
40-0——-30-15——30-15——30-15——40-0——-15-30——40-0——-15-30——30-15
————30-30——30-30——30-30——————-30-30——————30-30——30-30
————40-30——30-40——40-30——————-40-30——————40-30——30-40
—————————————————————————————-40-40
—————————————————————————————-Ad-R
GameA—-GameR—-GameR—-GameR—-GameA—-GameR—-GameA —-GameR—-GameR

For me a BIG POINT is any point that can open the door to an eventual break point. They can lead to game point, set-point or match-point, whatever the situation get ready to pump some adrenaline into your system, your opponent certainly will. You will notice that I give more importance to the 30-15 and 30-30 then actual game points (40-15/40-30 or Ad). Of course a Match point is a bigger point then a 30-15 but, the key is to win the 30-15 to go 40-15 that can be the match point rather then the game point/set point/match point in itself.

Often it is said on TV by Coaches and experts around the world, “we arrived at a crucial point of this match the 7th game”, others say that in the 8th or 9th game! I am no expert or TV commentator or a great Coach either but, I put it this way; if I can break my opponent’s service at any time in the match 1st, 2nd or 15th game of the set and hold my own to win the set, that very game I broke my opponent was “THE” most important game of the set!

So your basic strategy and tactic should always take the following in consideration:

- Get ahead as soon as possible, if you can get an early break the better.

- Once you got “THE” break hold onto your serve. From then on focus 100% on your service games, unless your opponent is several classes below you, you do not need to break his serve again.

- In your opponents service games make him work for every point, while saving yourself. (Do not go for heroics and chaise unnecessary impossible shots!)

Questions start to arise about how to connect percentage play with the score and its complexity.

If we count the points each player won in the scenario above:

Andy won the most points - 27 points
Roger won fewer points - 25 points
But, Roger won the set 6-3!

So Roger won fewer points and won the set! Here we come to a very interesting part of the game of tennis and that is:

“Not all points or games have the same value or importance.”

Does that mean that I should not fight like a manic for every point? Yes…and….no.
You should fight very hard to win the match but, during the match certain points, games and even sets can be used to tire your opponent, break his rhythm, slow him down or rush him, frustrate him, drive him up the wall and you need not to kill yourself to win those points.

For example:

You have a 5-1 lead and your opponent is determined to win his next service game at all costs, by all means let him win that game but, make him pay a high price for it!

- Make him run for every point as much as possible.

- Use tactics and shots you did not use in the match until then e.g. drop shot and lob more often. Play cat and mouse with him.

- Bring him (unwanted) to the net and when he tries to close in, lob over his head. If you succeed you will have him running all over the place and your next service game should be a tad easier to close the set.

- Hit paceless high and deep topspin shots to the baseline and mix it with deep slices

- Hit deep soft balls with no pace in them and occasionaly hit a suprise winner once your opponent lowers the pace himself.

What is the difference?

- When you allowed your opponent to win the game to 5-2 you did not have the usual mental and physical drainage you would have as if you had to battle him if you wanted to break his serve and close the set. On the other hand your opponent had to spend plenty of energy, nervous and physical because he desperately needed/wanted to stay in the set and probably wanted to start serving first in the next set in case you closed the present set with your next service game.

- Because mentally you let your opponent win that game for tactical reasons, there is no damage to your confidence. Since you gave yourself a break in that game you will have a much higher level of energy and concentration to conclude the set with your serve.

- Your opponent is playing a catching up situation 2-5 all or nothing and just had to run hills and mountains to win the last game. His level of energy and concentration will be likely to deteriorate in the next game and you will give yourself a better chance to close out the set.

Now, beware of the following; do not use the situation to deride or humiliate your opponent, keep your focus and remember you are using this as a ploy to tire, rattle your opponent and save energy for your next service game.

Does this apply to a set especially on a best of 5 sets match? More often then expected it does!

Below is a writer’s comment of the “2005 Monte Carlo Masters Series final” between Rafael Nadal and Guillermo Coria.

“After losing the first two sets 6-3, 6-1, Coria stormed back to win the third set 6-0 in only 26 minutes. It seemed as if Nadal was saving himself for a fantastic fourth set and it was indeed great as the 18-year-old sensation broke at 6-5 to clinch his career first ATP Masters Series shield.”

This strategy is a good example of good percentage play and smart tactics. You made a tremendous mental and physical effort to win the first and second set, you are tired and need to reenergize yourself. Your opponent has no choice but, to fight for every ball and every game, if he loses this set he is out of the match. This is a golden opportunity to tire your opponent get him frustrated and upset. Make him lose rhythm as well as precious physical and mental energy while he is desperately trying to win the 3 set.
After he “won” the third set, you stacked up most ods in your favour to win the next set because you recharged your batteries while your opponent had to drain his to stay in the match. In the fourth set it is your turn to become relentless and drain the rest of the juice out of your opponents body. You should start playing point by point from the very begining of the set, try to get an early break of service, do not give up an inch of court and somewhere along that set your opponent will have a small mental of physical lapse due to the prolonged effort in both areas (physical and mental) in the previous set.
Nadal found that small mental or physical lapse in Corias armour at 6-5, you could find it a 3 all, 4-3, 5-4 or any other time of the set, the important thing though is to execute, capitalize in that very moment and walk away with the trophy!

The last example applies to 3 set matches as well. Hope you will build on those ideas! Enjoy “THE GAME”.

For comments or ideas about this article please email the author Sergio Cruz

Copyright © 2005 Tenniscruz.com®. All rights reserved.

S©rgio Cruz is an ex # 1 National Champion, Davis Cup Player from Portugal and former Coach Jim Courier ATP World Ranking # 1

cruz@tenniscruz.com www.tenniscruz.com

Since I own my own business web site and have looked for many ways to advertise cheap and for free, I have noticed how many sites there are out there that will try to get you to either join or buy advertising in one form or another. There are sites out there that will promise you the moon if you either join their “viral marketing” scheme or site that will cause your email box to become inundated with email ads from others who have fell for this.

But there are plenty of offline and online ways to get free or cheap advertising without joining these things and risking a backed up inbox or having your email address splattered all over the net for any desperate advertiser to get hold of. And here are a few.

Magnetic signs:
How many times have you seen a car that obviously belongs to a real estate agent or a plumber with his or her ad on the side of it? This is a good and inexpensive way to be a rolling billboard for your own web business, wherever you go.

Flyers:
How many times have you visited a shopping center or mall and came out to your car to find something on the windshield? This is a good idea, but in some cities and parking lots it may be illegal to do this, so check it out with the business and you local city office first.

Free enterprise:
Many convenient stores, drug stores and grocery stores, etc. have bulletin boards you can place flyers on. And if not, some may even let you place a flyer ad in their window. Just be sure and ask first.

Free online classifieds:
There are lots of free classified ad sites on the web, some you have to sign up for, others you don’t. Just write your ad and keep it on your computer then simply join, copy and paste your ad every where you can find a free classified site on the web.

Link exchanges:
I know many people already know about this, but some newbies to the internet actually don’t, and I have visited lots of new sites who aren’t doing this yet. So if you’re new to the web and have a site, join a link exchange site and open a links page and go to town trading links with other business web sites! (This is also good for the search engines for link popularity)

Business cards:
I know most already do this, but sometimes it slips our minds to hand a card to the convenient store clerk or the person behind the counter at the dry cleaners. Also put them on the bulletin board in the break rooms of manufacturing companies. You can also place them on counters (after asking) in stores or businesses that may be pertinent to your business (for example if you sell home decor or furniture, place them on the counter of an insurance company or a real estate agency). But don’t expect a clothing store to put them on their counter if you sell jeans and shirts, they are your competitors (sacrilege!).

T-shirts:
Have a t-shirt printed up that has a small ad and web address for your business on the back of it, because it will be seen better than on the front. People are always looking at others as they walk away or if they’re standing in line behind you at a checkout counter or at the bank. You could even have some printed up for friends and family. But make it a cool color that will go with a good pair of jeans or shorts so people won’t hate to put it on.

Pens:
I have heard (and seen) that lots of businesses have their name printed on pens. Personally, I’m not real crazy about this, because I myself hardly ever actually read the pen I’m writing with. But that doesn’t mean nobody does. So I leave this one up to you.

Bumper stickers:
Have a bumper sticker with a smart quip or saying printed up and pass them around to your friends. The car behind you or them at the stoplight will no doubt read it. (Examples: STOP HONKING AND START SHOPPING AT http://www.yoursite.com - or - IF YOU DON’T LIKE THE WAY I DRIVE, THEN STAY AT HOME & SHOP! http://www.yoursite.com)

If you think about it long enough, you can come up with all sorts of other ideas like this. Just make sure that if it involves other businesses or their property, always ask! Because the last thing you want is to be professionally embarrassed or humiliated! Good luck!

R.L. Young is the owner of National Wholesalers, a wholesale website to businesses and the public and to help those who would like to have their own home business. Mr. Young began web marketing in the fall of 2002 with many experimentations and much research in web marketing, advertising and sales; including studies with affiliate web sites, and always learning more
Visit his site at http://www.natlwholesalers.com

The time of year is upon us again when consumer heads and wallets turn towards Christmas shopping and gift ideas. The traditional Christmas rush that retainers thrive on sees hordes of shoppers descend upon the high street battling it out for gifts for family and friends. It is a time of stress as well as financial strain as shoppers wrestle through the crowds and the winter elements to find the right presents to cross off of the Christmas list.

But the Christmas crowds have been increasingly lighter in recent years and the traditional pavement pounding has been greatly reduced as more and more shoppers choose to find gifts from the comfort of their own home. The 2004 Christmas season saw the strongest ever performance for the Internet retail sector in the UK, with online retail experiencing a 23% increase in traffic from December 2003, according to new data (http://www.hitwise.com) Avoiding the usual hustle and bustle of the high streets in towns and cities across the country seems to be a priority for an increasing number of consumers and the trend seems set to continue this year.

The sheer variety and depth of online retail offerings presents a plethora of opportunity for the Christmas shopper to avoid the hassle of the usual Christmas shopping expedition and opt instead for the comfort of the home PC. The breadth of Christmas retail offerings is significant with a strong presence of online retailers competing directly with traditional high street retailers for the festive cash. The increased sophistication of the online retail marketplace has seen a presence for online retailers across all markets and sectors. Christmas is traditionally a time for the kids, but parents can avoid the stampede for this years’ must have toys (http://www.justtoys.com). Even larger ticket items such as furniture can be found on the web these days (http://www.standanddeliver.com). It seems that everyone is getting in on the online retail act and vying for the attention of those keen on beating the Christmas rush.

The trends are part of a wider paradigm shift within the retail sector. Evidence suggests that some 87% of consumers are using the internet to purchase goods and services and are doing so with increased frequency with some 73% of the online retail population believing that they can get a better deal online (http://www.netimperative.com). Never one to let a demographic shift pass them by, traditional high street retailers are developing their web presence in the face of this new competition. Leading players within their respective sectors such as Schuh (http://www.schuh.co.uk) and Tesco (http://www.tesco.com) are getting in on the act to try and attract a piece of the action.

The result is more consumer choice in terms of products and in terms of venue. As more and more convert to home shopping the high street players will continue to look to their online presence to cater for the emerging marketplace. Whilst the Christmas rush will no doubt continue this year on high streets nationwide, there just might be a little more space and a little less stress than in previous years.

Steven is an independent cultural commentator who contributes to a wide range of journals and magazines both online and offline

E-mail - steven@hamsterage.com

Resources:

http://www.justtoys.com - UK online toy store

http://www.schuh.co.uk - UK based high street retailer providing online shoe store

http://www.standanddeliver.com - UK based provider of TV stands and audio visual furniture

The history of perfume oils dates back to ancient Egypt when these fine scented oils were presented to royalty as gifts. In modern times, however, when the word “perfume” is said, most people think of department store fragrances, which consist mainly of the concentrated oil and alcohol solution. Nevertheless, as more and more people are finding out about them, perfume oils are experiencing great popularity. Here are some interesting facts about perfume oils:

1) Strength of smell - Perfume oils are highly concentrated and up to ten times more concentrated than department store perfumes. This quality allows oils to last longer than their eau de perfume counterparts.

2) Alcohol - Perfumes have alcohol in them, which creates different smell effects. Most body oils use carrier oils like jojoba or grapeseed oil in place of alcohol. In some fragrances, the smell can change as the alcohol evaporates different scent notes through time. With oils, the scent is more constant.

3) Price - A noticeable difference between perfumes and perfume oils is price. Perfumes have a very high markup and great profit margins, which is perhaps why many celebrities have embarked on the trend of creating their own perfumes and colognes. Perfume oils can be sold very cheaply, or even more expensively than the perfumes, depending on how they are positioned in the market.

4) Body chemistry - Just because a perfume or cologne smells good on you, doesn’t mean that the oil version will. Perfumes only have a small percentage of oil, so they are quite different than pure body oils. This interaction between the fragrance and your body may produce a different scent perception altogether.

5) Packaging - Clearly, department store perfumes are very nicely packaged and thus make great gifts for friends and family. Many perfume oils are sold in less attractive containers, which is part of the reason for their lower price.

6) Uses - Perfumes are only intended for use on the body, but perfume oils can be used to create a variety of scented products, like soap, candles, bath oils, air fresheners, and many other types of scented products. Be aware that there are different types of fragrance oils and that pure uncut oils are not safe for use on the skin.

In summary, whether you choose to use perfume oils or not will depend on the factors above. Try out a small sample first and who knows, you might just discover a delightful new product to add to your personal inventory.

Criss White is a professional web writer on baby and new mother topics for baby and pregnancy websites. See Body perfume oils and Designer Perfume Oils for more perfume oil information and supplies. Note: If you find this article useful, you may reprint it on your website, e-zine, or in your newsletter as long as the credits and resource box remain in tact and the hyperlinks are active.

Algae presents one of the greatest potential problems for the gardener with a pond. There are many different species of algae, but from a practical pond management point of view they can be conveniently divided into two groups: suspended and filamentous. Suspended algae are mostly primitive minute single-celled species that cause a green algal bloom in the water, turning it like pea soup. Filamentous algae includes species variously referred to as Spirogyra, Silkweed, Blanketweed and Mermaid’s Hair.

Although not an indication of an unhealthy pond, algae can cause the water gardener considerable distress, totally ruining the overall visual effect. Suspended algae that create an unpleasant bloom are usually seen during the spring, especially in temperate districts where the growth of higher forms of plant life during the winter has become virtually non-existent. There is a sudden greening of the water as it warms up. The primitive unicellular algae appearing almost immediately and continuing to proliferate until the higher and more evolutionarily developed plants take over.

Once growth starts and the submerged plants begin to utilize the nutrients in the water, thereby competing with the more primitive algae, they rapidly go into decline and the water becomes clear. However, at any time during the year a green algal bloom may appear if the natural balance of the pond is disturbed. In new ponds, where the aquatic plants have had little time to establish, suspended algae can be particularly troublesome. It is important to be patient and to allow them to become established. Providing that the formula for creating a balance of plants and fish has been adhered to, the pond will eventually clear.

Whatever happens resist the temptation to empty the pond of water and refill with fresh. This will temporarily alleviate the problem, but within a few days the water will return to its green state. Fresh tap water is rich in mineral salts, and so to some extent the water will have been fertilized. Never change pond water just because it is green if the plant balance in the pond is correct. Just be patient. However, a flocculating product which will temporarily sink the algae out of suspension and allow light to pass through the water, thereby accelerating the growth of submerged plants, is very useful.

Filamentous algae can be very persistent and troublesome. In the most severe cases, where the algae forms large floating mats or colonies, the lower parts of the algal mass begins to decompose through lack of light and creates an unpleasant smelling brown or black mess. One of the most annoying aspects of blanketweed is that it often grows freely in a pond that otherwise has completely clear water. Filamentous algae rarely accompanies suspended algae in the same pond.

When looking at the overall control of algae by natural means, it is the submerged aquatics that provide much of the solution. Their main task is to mop up nutrients in the water and to release oxygen during the day to sustain fish and other aquatic life. By removing excess nutrients from the water, they deprive green water-discolouring algae of the opportunity of becoming established. When planting a garden pond allow one bunch of submerged plants for every square foot of water surface area.

Green algae-laden water can also be controlled by the amount of light that is permitted to fall into the pond. Algae, like most other aquatic plants, must have full uninterrupted sunlight in order to prosper. Planting trees and shrubs to shade the pond is ill-advised as this will prevent the desirable plants like waterlilies and marginal aquatics from growing properly and will have an adverse effect upon their floral display. The solution is to provide shade on the surface of the water by means of floating plants and waterlily pads. These should not cover the entire pond, for cutting out the light completely beneath the water will cause the submerged plants to perish. No more than one third of the surface area of open water should be covered with foliage if green suspended algae is to be controlled successfully and submerged plants permitted to grow freely.

Philip Swindells has over 40 years gardening experience. A former botanical garden curator and an international horticultural consultant, he has worked extensively in the UK, North America, the Middle East and Australia. The Author of more than 50 gardening books, he has been awarded a Quill and Trowel Award by the Garden Writers’ Association of America. He is also a former UK Garden Writer of the Year. He is currently editor of http://www.internationalwatergardener.com.

It’s common knowledge that banks are more than willing to loan
you money when you don’t need it. But if you hit a rough spot in
your financial life and need cash desperately. It’s like pulling
teeth to get the money you need.

In other words it is much easier to get a home equity line of
credit when you don’t really need one. Than to wait and try and
get one when you really need it.

The beautiful thing about an equity credit line. Which makes
this a desirable mortgage loan. Is that there are no payments
due unless you use it. This home equity loan can usually be had
for free for those with good credit.

A Home Equity Line Of Credit Is Cheap Insurance

What would you do if you or your spouse were to get injured or
lose a job? Do you have enough money in the bank to cover your
expenses including your mortgage payments for several months? If
not, this is where your home equity loan comes into play.

You can draw on the equity loan to make all of your debt
payments plus pay for living costs until the crisis is over.
This is a much better alternative than using credit cards to
live off of. Simply because the payments are typically going to
be smaller. Plus the interest is tax deductible. (consult with
your tax advisor)

A Home Equity Credit Line Is Great For Unexpected Expenses

Hospital visits, vet bills, or car problems, are just a small
list of the more common reasons people need quick cash. We all
know any of these problems could happen at anytime. Wouldn’t it
be nice to know that you have a financial cushion there in case
they do?

A Home Equity Line Of Credit Prevents Missed Opportunities

What if you ever came upon a great deal on another piece of
property? What if you have the opportunity to invest in
something that can’t miss? What if you were to find a great deal
on a car, boat, or truck? Any of these could be missed
opportunities if you don’t have instant access to large amounts
of cash. Which is exactly what a home equity loan provides. If
you don’t have one. You’ll only be able to watch as somebody
else gobbles up the great deal.

A home equity line of credit is a wonderful thing to have. It
can protect you in unforeseen changes in your life. It can help
pick up the cost of sudden expenses. And it will keep you from
saying if I only had the money I could have made a killing.