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I read in a recent government report that over half of all 4-year college entrants (in excess of 600,000 students per year) leave without getting degrees. Many of these students drop out within their first and second years. From my personal experience, speaking to thousands of students from all around the world, I have found top reasons for these drop outs to range from: having too much fun, being homesick, lacking individual responsibility, not having enough money, not pursuing their own passions, but following what family and friends think is best for them, etc. Unfortunately, this is a common and saddened reality with the collegiate industry. So how is it possible to prevent this misfortune and save yourself the time, trouble, and money by succeeding in college? Follow the College: 12 steps to success for freshman.

Step 1: Grow Up

Take responsibility for your future. If you can’t do the small stuff, as in cleaning the place and washing your own clothes, and handle your own workload (hold your own weight as I call it), then you’re going to fall. It’s time to separate from Mommy and Daddy. Get your own individuality established and your own character formulated. Isn’t that what you’ve been waiting 18 years for anyway? High school is over. It’s time to grow up and begin your brand new journey towards all of your goals and dreams. Now for step two of the College: 12 steps to success for freshman.

Step 2: Why Are You Here?

Be real with yourself. Don’t pursue the paths which your parents or friends tell you to follow. Do what you love to do. Let me be the first to tell you from a real perspective that college isn’t for everyone, and that’s a good thing. All you have to do is figure out what you really love and want to do, find out how to go about doing it, and learn from those who are already successful in that particular field. College is definitely a great investment for your future IF used right.

Don’t let the statistics fool you that graduates make more money than those who don’t go to college. I can write a separate article on many successful non-graduate individuals. Also remember that those graduates who make more money also most likely have huge student loans to pay off. The point I’m trying to get across is for you to just consider whether college is beneficial towards what you love to do. For example if you’re passion involves working on cars and becoming a mechanic, you might want to look into trade-schools and technical institutes. It is a fact that college helps you to find yourself, but you don’t want to keep wasting money trying to find yourself until you find yourself with no money, and find yourself out of college. Find your own path, create it, and walk it. This is not only the key to college success, but it is also the key to your individual happiness as well. Now for step three of the College: 12 steps to success for freshman.

Step 3: Party Backwards

Take notice of the sentence ‘Party Yourself in College’. Now read the word party backwards, and read the rest of the sentence. You will get ‘Y Trap Yourself in College!’ Realistically, many of us students go to clubs and parties, as this is a natural occurrence in college environments. However, don’t let society fool you into thinking the majority of your collegiate career is meant to include partying. Your first years of ultimate freedom might tempt the partying sensation, but true college success is a sacrifice. Sacrifice the urge to party and set yourself up for your success. The clubs aren’t going to go anywhere. You have ALL the time in the world after you graduate to party. Also, another quick tip, if you save the money you receive in college, and invest it into income producing ventures, that’s when the fun will really begin, for you’ll be able to party without having to worry how next month’s bills are going to get paid. Think about that. Now for step four of the College: 12 steps to success for freshman.

Step 4: Be Friendly

I once read in a book that the best vitamin for making friends is… B1. All of the immaturity is over with. Align with productive friends, not party animals or those who intentionally try to hurt you. Line up with those who keep it moving and care about their futures. College is extremely diverse with individuals from all around the world. Respect others because there are bound to be many people who have opposing viewpoints. Respect, honesty, and integrity are a few of the most important characteristics which go a long way. Now for step five of the College: 12 steps to success for freshman.

Step 5: Don’t Cheat

Cheating is also known as ‘intellectual theft’ or ‘academic dishonesty’. In high school, I understand that we do what we need to do to graduate. I don’t commend cheating in high school whatsoever, but I’m not going to lie and say that I didn’t do it. The objective is to graduate and get that diploma. College is a different ballgame however. In college you’re trying to earn a living. You’re not living your life by living through others. If you have to cheat, then ask yourself why. Maybe you need to sacrifice the fun you’re having, and actually think about your future enough to study hard. Who are going to cheat on when you graduate college and enter the business world? Knowledge is key. Learn as much as you can. Now for step six of the College: 12 steps to success for freshman.

Step 6: Don’t See College as Hard

Henry Ford once stated, “Whether you think you can or think you can’t, you’re right.” If you go into college thinking it’s hard, then it will be. It’s definitely not the same as high school, but it’s really not that bad. You have to remain positive in order to produce positive results. If you’re going to get that degree regardless, then why not be positive about the journey to reach it? Don’t let anyone tell you it’s hard. Stay positive. If you’re going to do it, then do it. Many other students are doing the same thing. Now for step seven of the College: 12 steps to success for freshman.

Step 7: Be Persistent and Work

President Calvin Coolidge once stated, “Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful people with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan ‘press on’ has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.” Success in anything is a result of hard work within everything. Plain and simple. Any successful individual will tell you the same thing. Now for step eight of the College: 12 steps to success for freshman.

Step 8: Impressions are Overrated

Here is one of the best steps. If you understand this, you’ll be setting yourself up for a lovely life. Live to impress yourself and no one else. Stop worrying about what others think of you. Cars, clothes, how good you are in a sport, how many times you party, how much you can drink is not impressive and doesn’t define you as a person. What’s inside of you defines who you really are. Increase your knowledge, take action on your passion, and help others. That’s most impressive and enables you to focus more on what’s best for you. Now for step eight of the College: 12 steps to success for freshman.

Step 9: Learn From Mistakes

It’s important to understand that everyone makes mistakes. Especially the freshman and sophomores. It’s completely understandable for you are not truly used to the college life as of yet. The key is to learn from any mistakes you make and not repeat them. Don’t worry if you got your first C ever in your life one semester. It’s all good. Keep it moving. Know what you could’ve improved, and improve it. Don’t sweat the small stuff. Keep it pushing. Now for step ten of the College: 12 steps to success for freshman.

Step 10: Forget High School

Newsflash! No one cares what you did in high school. Everyone forgets. No one remembers that you were the star of the prom or the star athlete. Don’t get stuck in the high school life. Formulate your new destiny in college. It’s a brand new start for a brand new life. Treat it like one and take it seriously.

Step 11: Prayer is a Virtue

Pray everyday you are blessed with life. One in every twelve U.S. college students thinks about and actually makes a suicide plan! That’s crazy but true! Don’t get stressed. Keep the Lord with you at all times, and understand that he’ll guide you to your success and happiness no matter what may happen. Now for the last step of the College: 12 steps to success for freshman.

Step 12: Enjoy Every Step

Life is a journey and an everlasting growth. Be sure to enjoy every step, every step of the way. Implement these steps into your journey and set yourself up for a wonderful future and successful collegiate career. I wish you the best of college success, happiness, and prosperity.

Stefan Johnson (G-Prez) is the President and CEO of Graduatirement, LLC, an evolutionary movement, which shows students all around the world how to graduate college and retire professionally… simultaneously! His mission is to help everyone, especially Millennials, reach their ultimate individual success, happiness, and prosperity by providing evolutionary knowledge and extremely profitable opportunities, and ultimately revolutionize the entire Educational System for present and future generations so that success happiness and success is more commonly achieved, passions are pursued, and poverty is conquered. The answer to any and every question a college student may ever have and the evolution of success for the entire Millennial Generation is now here: http://www.gprez.com – To Your Success, Happiness, and Prosperity.

A health insurance broker is just like any other type of broker; this one just happens to specialize in the field of health insurance. A broker is somewhat like a matchmaker. His responsibility is to match up those seeking health insurance with health insurance companies that most closely match that person or group’s needs.

Quality is better than quantity. It is of no use writing numerous pages of nonsense for the reader. Instead, it is better to write a short, and informative article on specific subjects like health insurance. People tend to enjoy it more.

Health insurance brokers are sought by those individuals who, for various reasons, do not belong to a group insurance policy. These individuals are often the self-employed, or those with pre-existing conditions. However, a health insurance broker will also work with the coordinators of group insurance benefits in much the same way he works with an individual. The broker is given a list of desired benefits, either by an individual or a group coordinator, and the broker shops around to find the best match. The health insurance broker then presents what he feels is the best plan based on the list of needs, and if the person or group benefits coordinator agrees, the broker usually works to get a contract signed by both parties.

Who Does the Health Insurance Broker Work For?

It’s important to understand that a health insurance broker does not work for a health insurance company. Instead, a broker makes it his business to know all about the different health insurance companies in the area including their reputations, their frequency of rate increases, and even such things as the way they treat policy holders who submit a lot of medical claims. But even though the health insurance broker is different from a health insurance company, it often does happen that a broker is given an incentive (usually a financial incentive) to recommend one health insurance company over another.

There has been a gradual introduction to the world of health insurance projected in this article. We had done this so that the actual meaning of the article will sink within you.

Nothing abusive about health insurance have been intentionally added here. Whatever it is that we have added, is all informative and productive to you.

Will it Cost More to Use a Broker?

We have not actually resorted to roundabout means of getting our message on health insurance through to you. All the matter here is genuine and to the point.

Does the cost of health insurance differ if it is secured by a broker? That’s difficult to answer in general terms. A health insurance broker might be able to get an individual included in a group plan that is offered by the state or a trade union or organization and in such a case, an applicant might find the rates are lower and the coverage better than if he had attempted directly applying via a health insurance company. Most health insurance brokers work on commission and only make money when they’ve matched up insurer and insured. That means that one party or the other (and in some cases, both parties) typically is responsible for paying the broker’s fee.

Because the rates and the rules regarding health insurance are continually changing, health insurance brokers are few and far between. Most states do have licensing requirements that brokers must meet before they’re allowed to work as a health insurance broker. And because these requirements are issued at the state level, they differ from state to state. But if you find yourself lost in the tangled web of health insurance red tape, consider working with a health insurance broker. That person might just turn out to be your best ally.

To view our recommended sources for health insurance, or to read more articles about health insurance, visit:

Insurance Quote Puppy for free health insurance quotes [http://insurance-quote-puppy.com/temporary-health-insurance.htm]Jimmy Chuang is the publisher of [http://insurance-quote-puppy.com] He provides more insurance information and offers free home, life, health and auto insurance quotes on his website.

The Kubota tractor is currently manufactured in more than 130 countries although its headquarters is in Kubota Japan. The Kubota Corporation began in 1890 and is now an international brand leader of environmentally compatible equipment. Many of their equipment pieces are designed to improve the quality of life for those that use it and receive the benefits of it.

Kubota manufacturer’s tractors, mowers, utility vehicles and construction equipment however their tractors are what they are known best for in the United States. There is a wide selection of Kubota tractors to choose from. From landscaping to livestock and everything in between the Kubota Tractor Corporation has you covered.

These bright orange Kubota tractors will do any job needed whether it’s a big scale landscaping renovation or you’re using it out on the farm the Kubota tractor will take anything you can dish out. It’s made of construction grade or professional grade materials even for the homeowners who own the Kubota tractors for mowing the lawn it will withstand rough treatment and still keep on going.

The Kubota tractor is durable and dependable yet if anything goes wrong with your Kubota tractor there a replacement parts at any Kubota tractor dealership or online if you’d like to do it yourself.

There are many brands of tractors but it just is durable and dependable as the Kubota tractor, such as the Ford tractor, New Holland tractor, Cub Cadet tractor and the ever popular John Deere tractor. You can find all of these tractors at your local tractor dealer or online for reasonable prices.

Tractors are not only for mowing the lawn or tilling the garden, they are also for hauling, plowing, pulling, lifting, moving, digging and clearing brush just to name a few of the things they tractor can do around the house or farm. If you only have the house and don’t have a garden that a tractor would be good for mowing the lawn and most tractors have various heights for their blades so you know you can have a very short cut lawn or rather high lawn it’s totally up to you and your tractor.

If you only have a lawn mower tractor there are attachments you can purchase such as the hauling base in which you can haul around flowers and other garden tools when you’re working in the yard if you have a big yard to get from place to place. Or if you have a sizable garden you can raise the blades and drive through the garden with your pull along calling the vegetables at harvest time.

The Kubota tractor is manufactured all around the world and in the past several years has become the most eco-friendly tractor available today. From the gasoline that you put in to the admissions it puts out the Kubota tractor is the best earth friendly tractor around. And in today’s world, the world needs all the help it can get. And in being eco-friendly, the Kubota tractor has won many awards for its continued efforts to help save the planet.

Michael Floren is an expert in Kubota tractors, he has been actively involved in the farm machinery business for more than a decade. Visit his website at http://www.tractor-depot.com for more information about Kubota tractors

It seems like a very straightforward concept. Someone buys a new car and purchases an alarm system to protect their brand new vehicle. Their investment enhances the vehicle’s security, which also benefits the car’s insurer as it less likely to get stolen, resulting in lower car insurance, right? As I found out, in most instances, this is not the case.

To find out if UK motor insurers were providing discounts if car owners fitted aftermarket security products to their vehicles such as alarms, immobilisers, or GPS tracking devices at their own cost, I started by checking a largest comparison website, for quotes on a Vauxhall Corsa and BMW 525. During the application, the site provides hope by stating, “Did you know, a Thatcham approved alarm fitted could reduce your premium by up to 10%?”. Thatcham being the industry body responsible for testing and rating security features on new cars and products. We obtained quotes for both cars selecting the different security options and the Corsa’s quote actually increased by over 2% when a Thatcham Category 2 and Tracker option were selected, while the BMW’s cheapest quotes remained unchanged. This was not a good start.

I continued investigating by asking the country’s top car insurance companies and brokers, who between them represent over 50 of the most popular motor insurance brands in the UK, the following:

• Do you offer discounts for car security products?
• If so, which manufacturer and products are these?
• What corresponding discounts can drivers receive?
• Are there any limitations or conditions surrounding these discounts?

Overwhelmingly, the answer was ‘No’ to our first question, which rendered the remaining ones redundant. Furthermore, many insurers stated that not only do they not offer discounts for car security products, if the car isn’t already fitted with certain ones, a potential customer can’t even obtain a quote.

One underwriter of a leading insurer, who asked not to be named, said they, “do not offer a discount if you have a security device fitted. However, in order to be eligible for a fully comprehensive policy depending on where the customer lives, where their car is parked and type of vehicle, a level of security would be required.”

I was able to find a handful of insurers who confirmed they offered product related discounts, however, they wouldn’t disclose any details stating the reductions could be removed at anytime. As another underwriter, who chose not to be named, explained, “we currently offer some discounts for a few security products that are in addition to the standard security on the vehicle. However, we do not wish to promote these discounts at the current time as they are shortly due to be reviewed with a view to reducing or removing them. I am unable to confirm what discounts we offer, on what products or whether we have any restrictions.”

Norwich Union was the only insurer who answered all our questions stating they offered discounts on aftermarket immobilisers of 2-5%, and 5% for tracking systems. If a Tracker is fitted, the subscription must be maintained with the provider and all devices must be fitted by a VSIB approved installer. Unfortunately, Norwich Union’s response was the exception, indicating a disappointingly low level of clarity around this issue with no apparent industry standard.

This is surprising, as car crime remains a major issue in the UK, as there were over 1.3M1 vehicle thefts and break-ins last year , with the latter actually increasing by 1% year on year. Furthermore, the financial impact of having a car stolen is significant as it costs the average theft victim over £3,000. This has resulted in UK car owners spending approximately £315M2 annually on aftermarket security products.

The latest British Crime Survey from the Home Office reports that these products are effective as a car can be up to 70% less likely to be stolen if fitted with one. Also, many products are approved by Thatcham, which is jointly owned by the car manufacturers and insurance industry, meaning insurers have effectively approved the products themselves.

A few insurers referred me to the ABI (Association of British Insurers) and said I should check this issue with them. Derek Fawell, ABI Policy Advisor for motor insurance, said that “the ABI is only involved in providing the group insurance rating on new vehicles, which takes into consideration the safety and security of the car as it is delivered from the factory, however, each individual insurer has the power to offer after market discounts as they deem necessary.”

So why aren’t insurers doing this? A major reason is that the UK motor insurance industry is a hugely competitive market. The ABI reports that it accounts for almost a third of all general insurance in the UK where £10.3 billion in net premiums were written in 2006. In addition, it isn’t the most profitable line of insurance, as more than one in six private car drivers make a claim each year, and this equates to £18.7 million paid out in claims every day! This leaves insurers in a cutthroat business needing to maintain their revenue and margins targets while retaining or growing market share, which is a very tricky matter.

Nonetheless, offering discounts for fitting car security products would be a way to differentiate an insurer’s offer in a highly saturated industry and attract more customers, help to subsidise some of the product’s cost, put more secure vehicles on the road and make the lives of thieves that much more difficult. Furthermore, in the long run, it could increase the insurer’s profitability through less claims and write-offs, while more of the cars they insured would have better protection.

I believe car owners should receive discounts on their insurance if they fit additional security products to their vehicle at their own cost, as their investment ultimately benefits the insurer. In the case where reduced premiums are offered, there should be greater transparency on the specific products and the amount of the resulting discount. This would make it easier for car owner’s to make an informed decision when looking to protect their vehicles or purchase car insurance.

So the next time you’re looking for car insurance or a security product, ask your insurer if they offer discounts for fitting them, and if so, which product and the amount of the resulting discount. It’s a straightforward concept that is currently mostly fiction and needs to become fact.

1 Home Office, British Crime Survey 2006/07, in England and Wales

2 Vehicle Security Market Report 2007, Key Note Publications Ltd, Feb 2007

Results

1 . Do you offer discounts for car security products?

Yes = 8%

No = 92%

2. If so, which manufacturer and products are these?

• Thatcham approved engine immobilisers and/or alarms
• Thatcham CatQ and Cat5 tracking devices
• Varies by car manufacturer
• Unfortunately these are system generated and not shown as part of the customer’s display so we are unable to use these as marketable details

3. What corresponding discounts can drivers receive?

• 2-5% for immobilisers
• 5% for tracking systems

4. Are there any limitations or conditions surrounding these discounts?

• If a Tracker has been fitted then the subscription must be maintained with the provider
  Aftermarket devices must have been fitted by VSIB approved installer

* report included 62 motor insurers (found through Moneysupermarket.com quotes & discussions with insurers)

* 5 offered discounts for aftermarket car security products

Sample Responses

These were some of the responses we received to our queries listed above:

“Our standard Private Car product doesn’t offer discounts for additional security. We have specific security terms for each vehicle, and if the client doesn’t have sufficient, we don’t quote. We don’t mind about the specific system, so long as they are Thatcham approved devices.”

“Currently offer some discounts for a few security products that are in addition to the standard security on the vehicle. However we do not wish to promote these discounts at the current time as they are shortly due to be reviewed with a view to reducing or removing them. I am unable to confirm what discounts we offer, on what products or whether we have any restrictions.”

“Offer discounts if security devices are fitted but they have taken the decision not to advertise that fact as they may be removed at some stage.”

“Unfortunately we do not publish discounts regarding car security products.”

“We don’t have ‘discounts’ for security features as such. Security features impact the premium in two ways:

• We have underwriting rules which demand that certain security features are present or else we’ll decline or load the premium
• We use the ABI defined groupings of vehicles to car groups to rate. In allocating vehicles to rating groups the ABI take into account factory built security features.”

Kelvin Mangaroo is the editor for, www.CarSecurityUK.com [http://www.CarSecurityUK.com], the UK’s main source for everything related to car security in the UK. Car owner’s can find timely, useful content including buyer’s guides, top security tips, a jargon buster, product and company reviews, ratings and a local supplier search, plus much more.

Is it in the cat’s best interest to be included in the travel plans?

Many people like to take their animals with them as they travel. While cats are most comfortable in their home environment, some cats can adapt to travel rather well. Certain life situations such as relocation, an extended stay with a relative who is ill, or a serious relationship headed toward marriage or cohabitation, may require your cat travels with you on an as needed or routine basis. I discourage traveling with cats, because they are incredible athletic and it’s is extremely easy to loose your pet as you pack, travel, stop at rest areas and once you’ve reached your new destination. Most cats get very nervous traveling and may become dehydrated or ill. If you are relocating, your cat is likely to become agitated and may try to run away before or after your move. If it’s in the best interest of your pet to include them in your travel plans, or if you are relocating, the following tips may help.

Preparation.

Before you plan a trip with your cat make sure that the pet will have a safe place to stay once you reach your destination. When you stay at a hotel, even if you’ve stayed at the same hotel dozens of times, confirm each time you travel that they still accept pets. When you stay with friends, don’t assume they will love your cat as much as you do, and make sure no one has a cat allergy. Find out if they have pets and whether their pet is very friendly with all animals in their home. Many friendly dogs and cats become very aggressive when another animal is placed in their home. Most often, I discourage anyone from subjecting a cat to another animal for a short period of time. It’s traumatic to most cats and increases the likelihood your cat will run away–given any small opportunity.

Help your cat love the carrier.

Several weeks prior to your trip or move, purchase a cat carrier for each cat. It should be large enough for them to stretch, turn around and lie down. If you have more than two cats, they all get along very well, you have a long trip, and you have a vehicle like a mini-van, you may want to consider buying a dog kennel that will accommodate all your cats. Whether you’re using a cat carrier or a dog kennel, pad the bottom of the carrier with a fluffy towel, or an old sweatshirt. If the towel or sweatshirt smells like you, your cats comfort level is increased. Get the cat comfortable with the carrier a few weeks before you travel. Keep the carrier door open and feed them in or around the carrier. For example if you have two cats and two cat carriers, I suggest placing a little wet food in each carrier at meal time. Do this 3-4 times a week for a few weeks before your trip. Leave the carrier door open so the cat can leisurely walk in and out of the carrier.

Avoid injury and minimize trauma for the cat.

Never haul cats in a carrier in the back of a pick up truck exposed to wind, weather and the elements. If you’re moving and renting a moving truck, keep the cat in the carrier with you in the truck cab. Never load a cat in the back of a loaded truck or moving van. The carrier and your cat could get crushed as your belongings shift. You could kill or injure your pet.

What to do when your trip or move is in the near future.

Shortly before you begin your trip or move, locate and pack your pet’s health certificate or veterinary records. When you travel with pets the rabies vaccine must be current. Many states have additional requirements. If your pet needs any vaccinations, get these done at least two weeks prior to your trip. This gives the cat an opportunity to recover from the vaccinations, and minimizes the risk of illness. Tape the health certificates or veterinarian records to the top of each carrier. Be sure your veterinarian’s phone number is on the record as well in case you have an emergency or a law enforcement official needs to check your records. If you do not normally use a collar on your indoor pet, it would be good to do so now. Write your phone number on the collar so it can be read from a distance, and make sure it’s easy to read. It’s wonderfully, shocking how many lost cats are reunited with their guardian because their collar had a phone number.

If you are relocating, your pet is old, or your trip is more than a couple hours, purchase a small, flexible, disposable litter pan for each cat. These can be placed in the carrier (before you load the cat in the carrier) the day you travel. Your cat may lie in the litter, but it encourages your cat to use the litter pan. If your trip is less than two hours, a towel or sweatshirt in the bottom of the carrier is sufficient.

The night before your trip or relocation.

Keep cats enclosed in a familiar area, such as a bedroom or kitchen-make sure they have a litter box available. Cats seem to be amazingly psychic and like to hide the day of the trip. Put the carrier in the room and leave the carrier door open. This will make it easier to load the cat in the carrier in the morning. Feed the cat its normal meal the night before your trip, but do not over feed. You may want to try and use an herbal produce called pet remedy. I use this every time I relocate with my cats and it helps reduce their stress. At least 5-6 hours before your trip remove all food. Remove water a few hours before your trip.

On your day of travel

Make sure your vehicle is packed first and in such a way as to leave room for the carrier(s). Pack the cat(s) last. Be patient! If your cat has been easily going into the carrier with a little food try to get them to do so again. If they won’t go in, pick them up, gently place them on the floor in front the carrier with their tail or butt near the carrier’s open door-you are going to back them into the carrier. Keep one hand around the cat’s ribcage, take your other hand and with an open palm press against the cats face so they will back into the carrier. It helps to have the carrier back against a wall. Once the cat has back into the carrier, keep one hand on the cat and gentle swing the door closed as much as possible. Slide your hand out but keep an open palm as you close and lock the door. This keeps the cat from bolting out of the carrier. Make sure the carrier door is secure and load your cat in the car. Try to get this right the first time. The more often you’re unsuccessful at loading your cat in the carrier, the more difficult this procedure becomes. Feel free to practice this once or twice several weeks prior to your trip. (When practicing prior to your trip, open the cat door immediately after a successful load, and give your cat a treat or meal.)

Begin your journey.

Now that you and your cat are safely in the car you can breathe a sigh of relief. Most cats meow for up to an hour as you begin your trip. I’ve had some cats that meowed a few minutes and then settled down, and other cats who let out blood curdling cries for an hour. Sometimes it helps to cover the carrier with a dark, but breathable fabric, or you can cover ¾ of the carrier, leaving the door uncovered. Covering or partially covering a carrier helps a cat feel more secure. Make sure the cats are kept in moderate temperature at all times during your trip. Also, play soothing music as you drive, and as much as possible ignore them. The most important thing you can do now is arrive at your destination safely. If your trip is less than six hours, leave your cat in the carrier until you arrive at your destination. The only thing you need to monitor is how much the cat pants. Since cats do not perspire, they will pant when their heart beat is elevated and when they are hot. It’s normal to see some panting because a car ride is very stressful for most cats. If you see excessive panting, your cat drools or begins convulsions stop as soon as possible and call your veterinarian.

Upon arrival

Carry your cat (in the carrier) inside the new destination and place the cat in a single secured room, such as a bedroom or kitchen. If you have multiple cats, bring all the cats in first, before you open any carrier doors. Also, bring in a litter pan and water bowl. When you open the carrier door, let your cat come out by themselves. Be sure your cats have continuous access to water during as you settle into your new surroundings. It’s best to keep the cat in a single room or small area until, you are certain the cat could not get out. If the cat is an indoor/outdoor cat and you’ve relocated-even if it’s in the same city, keep your cat indoors for 14 days. If a cat has just been relocated or is in a new environment and gets out during the first few days it’s very likely to get lost, become disoriented, and maybe hit and killed by a car.

The week following a trip or move.

Watch for signs of illness and dehydration. It’s normal for some cats to have diarrhea, sleep even more than normal, or vomit once or twice the day after the trip. If these conditions do not clear up in a day or two, if you notice blood in the urine or stool, or if the cats skin can be pulled and does not spring back into the body, seek veterinary care immediately. The sooner you catch and treat illness or dehydration, the more likely and quicker the cat will return to good health.

Final thoughts.

Every cat is different. I once had an orange tabby that loved to ride in the car with me. He ran to the front door when I picked up my car keys. I never used a carrier with him. He peacefully sat on my lap every time we got in the car. I currently have a large grey tabby that likes to ride in non-motorized boats. You know your cat better than anyone else. Check with your veterinarian if you have questions about the best way to travel with or relocate your cat. Keep in mind that cats are athletic and like security. Many easy going cats get agitated, dehydrated or run away while traveling or moving, so please use caution with your pet.

Kate Garvey is a former Vet Tech and animal rights supporter. She teaches Sound Healing Workshops (throughout the US) and treats clients by appointment in the San Diego area. For more information on how you can use sound for optimal health please visit http://www.InstituteOfSoundHealing.com

Kate is also a freelance writer, published author, and the author of several books; “Aging, Death and Euthanasia-A Guide for People with Pets”, “Summer Pet Care Tips”, and “The Low Risk Guide for Real Estate Investment.”

How to buy online pet supplies, saving money and same time getting good quality? Instead of going to pet shop in your neighborhood you can find quality and cost saving products by shopping online. You can buy higher quality and still lower priced products from online pet supplies stores. Normal stores have to spend money to their storefront buildings and employees which forces them to keep prices high. Online stores does not have those expenses and that shows in lower prices for pet supplies.

Most of us are considering our pets as part of our family, and wants to buy pet supplies that help our best friends be healthy and happy. Expert recommendations on those sites are free and you should take advantage of them. People who really cares about pets are keeping those sites up just to give people professional pet care advice.

People like you are writing reviews on products. It has become popular feature on pet supply sites. People who loves their pets wants to give their opinion about products to the other pet owners. Reviews might tell what collar/toy/or other item worked well for their dog and why it was a good choice just for their dog. This is very useful if you you have similar dog of your own.

You can shop whenever you want. Traditional stores can not be open 24/7. Also most famous online pet supplies sites has 24/7 customer support. Online pet supply websites wants your pet (and you) to be happy with your purchases.

The prices of pet supplies can be easily compared online. Just type product name in your favorite search engine and you get many different prices for that product. Check out the shipping + other extra prices too. If some online pet supplier offers much cheaper products and free shipping, they could have lower quality products which could harm your pet.

You can also have your pet food delivered to your home. Many better online pet supplies shops are offering delivery programs. You can have discount prices if you sign up to their shipping service where you can schedule food delivery and quantity. You can choose from many online pet supply websites/stores. Find the one that suits for your purposes. Shopping online is fun and easy way for shopping and you can do it from your home!

Jukka runs Pet Supply Blog and has had pets all his life.

If you are like me you live and breathe fashion. You are constantly inspired with so many new designs racing through your mind, so many you can’t seem to get them all down quick enough at the pace they arrive. You constantly dream of the day your fashions will be on the fashion runway with the lights beaming brightly overhead, the cameras flashing everywhere and the audience being completely mesmerized by your incredible designs. You can’t stop thinking of the day you will open a magazine or watch the Oscars and see a famous celebrity in one of your breathtaking designs. Your book shelf is stocked with fashion books and magazines, and you absolutely can’t resist visiting textile stores to view all the latest fabrics, decorative beads, rhinestones and trims.

It’s this ever present dream of being a successful fashion designer that has you work day and night on your designs in most cases for many years without pay and working a job to pay the pills which is brutal torture, when all you can think about is living and working in fashion.

Famous fashion designers come from all walks of life there is no one system to follow that will have you become the next famous fashion designer. Some have graduated from elite fashion schools and some have never attended fashion school. Some have undertaken a fashion internship with a fashion house and others have made their own designs in their basement. The only elements all these fashion designers have in common is they had an intense passion for fashion, were able to design fashions highly sought after and connected with someone who gave them the opportunity to break into the fashion industry. It is essential in becoming a successful fashion designer you get you and your designs out there as much as possible, as how will anyone know about your fashions if they can’t see them?

In getting your fashions out there here are a few things you can do:

1. We are not usually good at everything some of us are great at designing clothes but lack the sewing and pattern making skills. It is here you can partner with someone who shares your passion for fashion and has the skills you lack. It is in the bringing together of different skills you can create a real product that can be showcased.

2. In having a fashion line of 14 outfits you can apply to your local fashion week. In the USA: New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco all have fashion weeks. These fashion weeks attract many editors, journalists and local socialites who will see your fashions and potentially give you the exposure you need to get known.

3. Many city night clubs hold fashion shows, find out what night clubs hold fashion shows and contact them as to how you can be apart of an up and coming show.

4. Locate fashion boutiques that cater to the fashions you design, first make a trip to the stores to look around, if you can see your clothes fitting in well with the store, find out who the owner is and ask if they would be willing to have some of your fashions offered for sale in their store. You will be amazed at how many store owners are willing to work with you. I walked around San Francisco in the Nob Hill district and had my fashions placed after visiting and discussing my product with four boutiques. In having your fashions displayed you will receive valuable insights as to whether or not your designs are in demand and if you need to change your designs to increase sales. It will also give you free exposure to the public. When your fashions do sell you can present this to investors who are more than willing to invest in your line, when you prove the existence of a strong demand for your fashions.

If you are struggling to create your fashions due to the lack of capital, connections or all the skills required, you can visit: http://www.cluehut.com where it’s free to create a profile stating what you need and who you are hoping to connect with in achieving your fashion dream. You can also browse and connect with others who like you have created a profile offering opportunities where together you can become a great success in the fashion business.

Here’s to your success of becoming a great fashion success!Clue Hut allows you to sign-up for free, create a profile, search profiles and network with others who share the same goal. By bringing together people who share the same passion but can offer a different set of skills, Clue Hut empowers people to achieve their life-long goals at a much faster pace with more certainty. http://www.cluehut.com

If you have a dog, or dogs, and children you know how important it is to teach them the proper ways to deal with each other. You will need to teach your child how to correctly and gently pet the dog, and to not pull on or hit the dog. You will need to teach your dog how to deal with your children and the things that they can do. You need to teach both child and dog what is acceptable behavior.

Babies and children tend to pull on the dog’s extremities, such as ears and tails, and hit the dog. Do teach your dog to accept your baby’s gentle touch on all areas of her body. On the same note, teach your child that every dog has sensitive areas that he or she should not touch.

Teach your baby not to use his or her hands, toys or bottles to hit or swing at the dog. This can hurt the dog or make the dog defensive of the baby, increasing the chances of your dog nipping at or biting your baby. Also, do not allow your child to kick, kick at or step on the dog. This can lead to a dog that becomes fearful of feet, and could start biting at them when she sees a foot coming near her.

Teach Your Child the Proper Way to Treat Your Dog

Teach your child not to yell at the dog, but talk in a quiet, easy voice. Dogs can become very frightened when a little, unpredictable “thing” is around them. Teach your dog to relax and be calm when, and if, the baby or child does scream in her face.

Do not allow your child to chase the dog, as again, your dog can become scared of the child and become wary of being around him or her. Some dogs will not flee, but instead turn around and defend themselves, which could be as severe as biting.

Be very careful about your baby climbing on, or jumping on, your dog. Many dogs do not like this – would you? It is unfair to expect your dog to accept this behavior from your dog. If it does happen, keep your dog calm and take your child off the dog. Praise your dog if she behaved appropriately.

Teach Your Dog to Respect Your Child

Your dog needs to respect your child, as he respects you (hopefully!). Having your child interact with your dog in different situations will allow this to happen.

Have your child work basic obedience with your dog

This will help your dog to learn to listen and respect your child. Even if your child speaks baby gibberish, you can teach your dog to understand.

Reinforce the commands by saying them as you have your child give the same command. Surprisingly, your dog will soon be able to understand the baby talk! When my children started speaking, I had them give my dogs commands daily. At first my dogs looked at me as though I had three heads because they did not understand what my babies were trying to tell them. As I reinforced the commands, my dogs learned the baby talk and soon were listening to my children! My children thought it was great, and the dogs learned to respect and listen to them. To this day I still have my kids practice obedience with my dogs so that neither my dogs or kids lose those skills.

Teach your Child how to give treats to your dog

Teach your baby how to give treats to your dog the right way, and in turn teach your dog the proper way to take treats from your child. Make sure that you are always present when doing this. Hold the hand of your child that has the treat in it to ensure the safe and gentle taking of the treat by your dog. Make sure that your child has the treat in his or her open hand and make the dog lick the treat off the hand versus using teeth to take the treat. Now is the time to bring the “gentle” command into play. As with everything that your dog does well, praise him when he does take the treat gently, so that he will continue to do so in the future because he knows what is expected.

Dogs and Children Need to Learn to Play Together and Become Friends

Teaching your dog and child to play together is another important piece of the puzzle. Most children delight in playing with a dog, and dogs inherently love to play! Fetch is probably the easiest game to have the two play together, especially if your dog already fetches. Even if the ball, or toy, only goes a foot, your dog will happily retrieve and bring it back. This makes the child happy too! If you teach your child how to work basic commands into the game it becomes easier for your dog to accept direction from your child. Do not allow your child to play tug with your dog as children are generally not strong enough to control the game and could very easily get hurt. Fetch, hide and seek, and “find it” games (where you hide treats and have the dog search for them – with help at first) are great games for children to play with dogs.

Your Child Should Have Responsibilities Relating to Your Dog

Allowing your children to share the responsibilities of caring for the dog creates respect in both parties. The dog learns to care for and appreciate the children for taking care of him. The children learn responsibility and all that goes into having a pet. Taking walks with you and your dog (even allowing the child to hold onto part of the leash – with you really controlling the leash), feeding, and playing with the dog are duties your children can take part in and can enjoy very much. My children fight over who gets to hold the leashes on walks, who gets to throw the ball during fetch, and who gets to feed the dogs. They are learning to take turns with all of the activities, and to care for the dogs, so it is a win-win situation in my household!

A WARNING…

The Dreaded Doggie Dish

You can teach your dog to accept your child near her food bowl by having your child give high value treats in her empty dish. Make sure that you are supervising and right in between the dog and child to avoid any potential problems. This does not mean, however, that you should allow your children too close while your dog is eating. It can be very stressful for your dog to have to worry about the child stealing her food! She could become protective over her bowl and possibly bite or nip if the child gets too close. After awhile, your dog should come to accept your child around while she is eating if you follow the above steps, but I cannot stress enough how potentially dangerous this situation can be!

Let Sleeping Dogs Lie

It is very important to let your dog eat and sleep in peace, away from the child. Teach your child not to torment or get too close to the dog when she is eating or sleeping.

The old saying, “let sleeping dogs lie” is very important, and oh so true! A sleeping dog that is startled awake could accidentally bite or jump on a child. Teach your child to leave your dog alone when she is sleeping so that your dog is allowed peace and quiet, and your child remains unharmed. Dogs need down-time just like people do. You can also give your dog a favorite chew toy or special bone to chew somewhere out of reach of the child. This will ensure that the dog does not have to stress that the child will take it and bite or nip at the child.

Be kind to your dog!

A Final Word…

Always remember that no matter how well-behaved your dog is, he or she is still a dog. Dogs are animals and can be unpredictable at times. They have teeth and can bite, but hopefully they never will. They can jump and scratch, whether it is on purpose or not. Please do not leave your baby or child alone with your dog – EVER! Things can unexpectedly happen that could cause injury and heartache, so please always be careful and mindful when it comes to your dog and child. It is always best to err on the side of caution!

Our lives can be enriched by our dogs beyond belief, just as they can be with raising children. It is a challenging task to have babies and dogs, but it is well worth it. If you follow this article, you should have a smooth transition and life will be wonderful. If you choose to ignore the advice I have given, I cannot say what will happen in your house. You may never have any problems, but chances are, sooner or later, something will crop up.

Good luck, and I hope that your life can be as rich and fulfilling as mine has been and continues to be!

Mandy Makein is an author and dog trainer. For free dog training report visit http://www.stopdogjump.com/

(c) Copyright Mandy Makein 2010. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.

It’s all about sports say coaches and parents as they sign their children up for little league, soccer, swimming or youth track. Both parents and coaches alike realize that by teaching our kids sports we are instilling in them strong work ethic, competitiveness, team work, sportsmanship, striving to accomplish goals, and to win.

These are all such obvious life skills you’d wonder why any parent wouldn’t want their kids in sports. Still, some psychologists say that an underperforming young athlete can have their self-esteem hurt if they find that they are not as good as the other kids on the team or in the league.

True enough and yet parents say, that’s alright they can still be part of a winning team, if they will put forth effort they’ll learn what can be accomplished working together, and they will also learn that if they want to do good and win in anything in life they will have to rise to the occasion and train and work harder to accomplish their goals, dreams and objectives. Indeed.

Today however, we are finding more and more studies and research done by psychologists that say we are damaging our children by pushing them too hard and that we should back off in order not to hurt their psyche. Sure, we could do that, but what happens when they enter the real world say coaches and parents; “Things are not going to get any easier then are they?”

No matter what you believe on this topic, one thing is known for sure; Team Sports Build Character in Our Youth! And so, I hope you will consider this.

Lance Winslow is a retired franchisor – Lance Winslow’s Bio. Lance Winslow is formerly the CEO of WashGuys family of franchises for instance one of Lance Winslow’s favorite companies on the team; www.windowwashguys.com/links.shtml /.

There are quite a number of team sports that many youth can enjoy. These sports will help them in coming together and having some interesting and fun times. Through these sports activities the youth also be in a position to find and develop their talents. Many parents have shown appreciation to the coaches by providing them with gifts and personalized coaches gifts for helping their children develop.

One of the reasons why this is important is that the youth will be able to socialize. While engaging in these team sports, they will meet new people and make friends. They will also learn how to work together because the games come with various rules and regulations that should be followed in order for them to achieve the intended goal. Apart from this, they will also be able to develop their physical attributes. The activities in these sports will allow them to exercise their bodies and they will end up with healthier bodies and minds.

Since the games will take most of their leisure time, the youth will not be exposed to the risk of taking part in other illegal and dangerous activities such as drug abuse and robbery. With this, they will be focused to achieve better things in life and they may inspire other young people.

The youth will also learn how to relate with other people, for example, they will learn to listen to the instructions from the coaches in order to be successful in what they are doing. When they are successful or have become victors, they can show appreciation to their coaches by buying for them coaches gifts. These gifts are available in variety of designs and types and the young players can also set to purchase personalized gifts as per the personality of their coaches.

Coaches gifts and personalized coaches gift are available in a number of stores and in variety of colors. The players can surprise their coaches with Personalized Coaches Gifts or a general Coaches Gift for them to enjoy each game.

In pursuance to the announcement of 100 days agenda of HRD of ministry by Hon’ble Human Resources development Minister, a New Policy on Distance Learning In Higher Education Sector was drafted.

BACKGROUND

1. In terms of Entry 66 of List 1 of the Seventh Schedule to the Constitution of India, Parliament is competent to make laws for the coordination and determination of standards in institutions for higher education for research, and scientific and technical institutions. Parliament has enacted laws for discharging this responsibility through: the University Grants Commission (UGC) for general Higher Education, the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) for Technical Education; and other Statutory bodies for other disciplines. As regards higher education, through the distance mode, Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) Act, 1985 was enacted with the following two prime objectives, among others: (a) To provide opportunities for higher education to a large segment of population, especially disadvantaged groups living in remote and rural areas, adults, housewives and working people; and (b) to encourage Open University and Distance Education Systems in the educational pattern of the country and to coordinate and determine the standards in such systems.

2. The history of distance learning or education through distance mode in India, goes way back when the universities started offering education through distance mode in the name of Correspondence Courses through their Directorate/School of Correspondence Education. In those days, the courses in humanities and/or in commerce were offered through correspondence and taken by those, who, owing to various reasons, including limited number of seats in regular courses, employability, problems of access to the institutions of higher learning etc., could not get themselves enrolled in the conventional `face-to-face’ mode `in-class’ programmes.

3. In the recent past, the demand for higher education has increased enormously throughout the country because of awareness about the significance of higher education, whereas the system of higher education could not accommodate this ever increasing demand.

4. Under the circumstances, a number of institutions including deemed universities, private universities, public (Government) universities and even other institutions, which are not empowered to award degrees, have started cashing on the situation by offering distance education programmes in a large number of disciplines, ranging from humanities to engineering and management etc., and at different levels (certificate to under-graduate and post-graduate degrees). There is always a danger that some of these institutions may become `degree mills’ offering sub- standard/poor quality education, consequently eroding the credibility of degrees and other qualifications awarded through the distance mode. This calls for a far higher degree of coordination among the concerned statutory authorities, primarily, UGC, AICTE and IGNOU and its authority – the Distance Education Council (DEC).

5. Government of India had clarified its position in respect of recognition of degrees, earned through the distance mode, for employment under it vide Gazette Notification No. 44 dated 1.3.1995.

6. Despite the risks referred to in para 4 above, the significance of distance education in providing quality education and training cannot be ignored. Distance Mode of education has an important role for:

(i)providing opportunity of learning to those, who do not have direct access to face to face teaching, working persons, house-wives etc.

(ii)providing opportunity to working professionals to update their knowledge, enabling them to switchover to new disciplines and professions and enhancing their qualifications for career advancement.

(iii)exploiting the potential of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in the teaching and learning process; and

(iv)achieving the target of 15% of GER by the end of 11th Plan and 20% by the end of 12th five year Plan.

7. In order to discharge the Constitutional responsibility of determination and maintenance of the standards in Higher Education, by ensuring coordination among various statutory regulatory authorities as also to ensure the promotion of open and distance education system in the country to meet the aspirations of all cross-sections of people for higher education, the following policy in respect of distance learning is laid down:

(a) In order to ensure proper coordination in regulation of standards of higher education in different disciplines through various modes [i.e. face to face and distance] as also to ensure credibility of degrees/diploma and certificates awarded by Indian Universities and other Education Institutes, an apex body, namely, National Commission for Higher Education and Research shall be established in line with the recommendations of Prof. Yash Pal Committee/National Knowledge Commission. A Standing Committee on Open and Distance

Education of the said Commission, shall undertake the job of coordination, determination and maintenance of standards of education through the distance mode. Pending establishment of this body:

(i) Only those programmes, which do not involve extensive practical course work, shall be permissible through the distance mode.

(ii) Universities / institutions shall frame ordinances / regulations / rules, as the case may be, spelling out the outline of the programmes to be offered through the distance mode indicating the number of required credits, list of courses with assigned credits, reading references in addition to self learning material, hours of study, contact classes at study centres, assignments, examination and evaluation process, grading etc.

(iii) DEC of IGNOU shall only assess the competence of university/institute in respect of conducting distance education programmes by a team of experts, whose report shall be placed before the Council of DEC for consideration.

(iv) The approval shall be given only after consideration by Council of DEC and not by Chairperson, DEC. For the purpose, minimum number of mandatory meetings of DEC may be prescribed.

(v) AICTE would be directed under section 20 (1) of AICTE Act 1987 to ensure accreditation of the programmes in Computer Sciences, Information Technology and Management purposed to be offered by an institute/university through the distance mode, by National Board of Accreditation (NBA).

(vi) UGC and AICTE would be directed under section 20 (1) of their respective Acts to frame detailed regulations prescribing standards for various programmes/courses, offered through the distance mode under their mandate,

(vii) No university/institute, except the universities established by or under an Act of Parliament/State Legislature before 1985, shall offer any programme through the distance mode, henceforth, without approval from DEC and accreditation by NBA. However, the universities/institutions already offering programmes in Humanities, Commerce/Business/Social Sciences/Computer Sciences and Information Technology and Management, may be allowed to continue, subject to the condition to obtain fresh approval from DEC and accreditation from NBA within one year, failing which they shall have to discontinue the programme and the entire onus with respect to the academic career and financial losses of the students enrolled with them, shall be on such institutions/universities.

(viii) In light of observation of Apex Court, ex-post-facto approval granted by any authority for distance education shall not be honoured and granted henceforth. However, the universities established by or under an Act of education programmes in the streams of Humanities/Commerce/Social Sciences before the year 1991 shall be excluded from this policy.

(ix) The students who have been awarded degrees through distance mode by the universities without taking prior approval of DEC and other statutory bodies, shall be given one chance, provided they fulfil the requirement of minimum standards as prescribed by the UGC, AICTE or any other relevant Statutory Authority through Regulation, to appear in examinations in such papers as decided by the university designated to conduct the examination. If these students qualify in this examination, the university concerned shall issue a certificate. The degree along with the said qualifying certificate may be recognised for the purpose of employment/promotion under Central Government.

(x) A clarification shall be issued with reference to Gazette Notification No. 44 dated 1.3.1995 that it shall not be applicable on to the degrees/diplomas awarded by the universities established by or under an Act of Parliament or State Legislature before 1985, in the streams of Humanities/Commerce and Social Sciences.

(xi) The policy initiatives spelt out in succeeding paragraphs shall be equally applicable to institutions offering distance education/intending to offer distance education.

(b) All universities and institutions offering programmes through the distance mode shall need to have prior recognition/approval for offering such programmes and accreditation from designated competent authority, mandatorily in respect of the programmes offered by them. The violators of this shall be liable for appropriate penalty as prescribed by law. The universities/institutions offering education through distance mode and found involved in cheating of students/people by giving wrong/false information or wilfully suppressing the information shall also be dealt with strictly under the penal provisions of law.

(c) The universities / institutes shall have their own study centres for face to face counselling and removal of difficulties as also to seek other academic and administrative assistance. Franchising of distance education by any university, institutions whether public or private shall not be allowed.

(d ) The universities /institutions shall only offer such programmes through distance mode which are on offer on their campuses through conventional mode. In case of open universities, they shall necessarily have the required departments and faculties prior to offering relevant programmes through distance mode.

(e) It would be mandatory for all universities and education institutions offering distance education to use Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in delivery of their programmes, management of the student and university affairs through a web portal or any other such platform. The said platform shall invariably, display in public domain, the information about the statutory and other approvals along with other necessary information about the programmes on offer through distance mode, their accreditation and students enrolled, year- wise, etc. This may be linked to a national database, as and when created, to facilitate the stakeholders to take a view on the recognition of the degrees for the purpose of academic pursuit or employment with/under them.

(f) All universities/education institutions shall make optimal use of e-learning contents for delivery/offering their programmes through distance mode. They shall also be encouraged/required to adopt e-surveillance technology for conduct of clean, fair and transparent examinations.

(g) The focus of distance education shall be to provide opportunity of education to people at educationally disadvantaged situations such as living in remote and rural areas, adults with no or limited access to education of their choice etc.

(h) In order to promote flexible and need based learning, choice-based credit system shall be promoted and all ODE institutions shall be encouraged to adopt this system and evolve a mechanism for acceptance and transfer of credits of the courses successfully completed by students in face-to-face or distance mode. For the purpose, establishment of a credit bank may be considered. Similarly, conventional universities, offering face to face mode programmes shall be encouraged to accept the credits earned by the students through distance mode. A switch over from annual to semester system shall be essential.

(i) Convergence of the face-to-face mode teaching departments of conventional universities with their distance education directorates/correspondence course wings as also with open universities/institutions offering distance education, shall be impressed upon to bridge the gap in distance and conventional face-to-face mode of education.

(j) Reputed Foreign education providers well established, recognized and accredited by competent authority in their country and willing to offer their education programmes in India shall be allowed, subject to the fulfillment of the legal requirement of the country.

(k) A National Information and Communication Technology infrastructure for networking of ODE institutions shall be created under National Mission on Education through Information and Communication Technology.

(l) Efforts would be made to create favourable environment for research in Open and Distance Education (ODE) system by setting up infrastructure like e- libraries, digital data-base, online journals, holding regular workshops, seminars etc.

(m) Training and orientation programmes for educators and administrators in ODE system with focus on use of ICT and self-learning practice, shall be encouraged.

(n) ODE institutions shall be encouraged to take care the educational needs of learners with disabilities and senior citizens.

(o) An official notification clarifying the issue of recognition of academic qualification, earned through distance mode, for the purpose of employment, shall be issued.

(p) A mechanism shall be set up for evaluation of degrees of foreign universities for the purpose of academic pursuit as well as for employment under the Central Government. This may include the assessment of the credentials of the university concerned as also to test the competence of the degree holder, if needed.

Open education – http://openedu.entrancecorner.com/distance-education.html

Cats prefer foods at body temperature–the temperature of freshly killed prey. They also prefer their food cut into ¼ inch chunks (especially when they are sick and need to be tempted.) And did you know that 60% of all cats like cold tomato juice? I’ve tried V-8 and it doesn’t seem to be at all tempting. We use this trick to entice kidney-failure cats to drink more liquids.

Cats are either right or left handed, showing a distinct preference for one paw over the other.

A healthy domestic cat can reach speeds up to 31 miles/hour, but can’t maintain that sprinting speed for more than a minute.

A cat licks their fur to keep cool in hot weather. Like dogs, they sweat only through the pads of their feet.

The cat’s whiskers are specially adapted to act as antennae. They are used to navigate, to detect movement and to judge the width of an opening. Whiskers are also an indicator of mood–when the whiskers are back, the cat is angry, so watch out. Some people think finding a whisker is good luck. I know one woman who is a millionaire that has a cat whisker collection!

Each cat ear is controlled by 32 muscles and can turn 180 degrees. Humans have only 6 muscles, so it’s harder to make our ears wiggle. Cat ears that are facing back or folded down are really ticked off, so watch out.

A cat’s fur has 60,000 hairs per square inch on the back and 120,000 hairs per square inch on the underside–No wonder cat owner’s have to empty their vacuum bags every time! Shedding is controlled by hormones and ambient temperature as well as light–even artificial light. Nervous cats shed more–especially when they get stuffed into a carrier and hauled off to the vet’s office.

Cats are highly territorial. A domesticated cat’s territory encompasses 150 acres. Apparently their acres intermingle as we see about eight cats in our backyard every day as they make their rounds. Only one is ours–there’s lots of neat cat entertainment stuff in our yard.

Jumpability: The human equivalent of the cat’s ability to leap would be jumping the width of a swimming pool.

Sense of smell: Humans have 5 million odor-sensitive cells in their noses–cats have 200 million. Of course this means they can smell when you don’t clean the litter box every day and will “inappropriately urinate” because of this.

Sleep habits: A healthy mature cat spends about 15% of its life in deep sleep, 50% in light sleep, and 30% in awake time. I’ve noticed that part of this wake time coincides with the human’s sleep time. This annoys the cat. This could be why my cat, Dagney, wakes me up about 2 a.m. every morning by sticking her paw in my mouth. Bleck! Cats attain full alertness faster than any other creature.

Milk Drinking: Most adult cats lack the enzymes necessary to digest milk, so if you must give your cat milk, be sure to give them only a couple teaspoons at a time. Yep–too much milk definitely gives the cat gas and sometimes diarrhea. It’s good to coordinate the milk-giving ceremony with your partner so that the cat does not double-dip.

Dieting: Neutered and spayed cats require fewer calories than intact cats do. A good rule of thumb is ½-3/4 cups per cat per day for lower quality foods and 1/3 cup per cat per day for the higher quality foods such as IAM’s, Max Cat, and Nutranuggets. Putting fat cats on starvation diets can kill them because the liver fat breaks down too fast causing a condition called ketosis.

Skin Disease: I’ve noticed in my naturopathic practice that cat’s with skin disease like fish flavors. Cats with liver and kidney disease like Chicken and Giblet or foods with liver and kidney in them. Cat’s with heart disease like heart-based foods. When the condition is repaired, they stop eating that particular flavor of food.

Hearing: Human beings can hear sounds up to 20,000 Hertz (cycles per second), dogs can hear up to 40,000 Hertz, and cats can hear up to 100,000 Hertz. Cats can even hear electrical currents in cords. Pretty amazing, huh?

Psychic: In China, cats have been used successfully as earthquake predictors for years.

Cats are color blind, but only need 1/6th of the light that humans require to see.

Cat digits: Cats have five toes on their front paws and four on their back. A polydactyl cat has more than the normal number of toes. Poly means many and dactyl means fingers (your Latin lesson for the day.) Polydactyl cats are known by various names – “mitten cats,” “thumb cats,” “six-finger cats” and “Hemingway cats.” Hemingway cats were named after Ernest Hemingway who shared his home island with nearly 50 cats, including a 6-toed polydactyl given to him by a ship captain; the cats bred and the polydactyl trait became common. Hemingway’s colony of cats was free-breeding with the local cat population and the ratio of polydactyl cats to normal-toes cats was about 50/50. There is a high rate of polydactyl cats in Boston, MA and in Portland, OR. I love polydactyl cats as they seem to be very friendly and tolerant of humans of all ages.

Why spay your cat? A single pair of cats and their offspring can produce as many as 420,000 cats in just seven years.

Cats like to hear whispering.

The cat has 26 facial expressions. The same parts of the human and feline brain correspond to emotion.

Cats show the following signs when stressed: Over-grooming, lack of grooming, self-mutilation, vocalization, aggression, listlessness, loss of appetite, depression. The product Feliway is an excellent product to alleviate stress for cats in new situations or in multi-cat environments where they don’t have enough space to make them feel comfortable.

Feliway is a synthetic feline pheromone use to control inappropriate urine marking behavior and to reassure cats in strange surroundings.

Cat Communication: Cats interpret a smile that shows teeth as aggression. This may be one reason why a cat will always go to the person who hates cats (they don’t smile at the cat or make direct eye contact!)

Please feel free to use any or all of the above tips as long as the reference box is noted.

Dr. Denice Moffat is a practicing naturopath, medical intuitive, and veterinarian working on the family unit (which includes humans and animals) through her phone consultation practice established in 1995. She has a content-rich website at http://www.NaturalHealthTechniques.com and free monthly newsletter. For other articles on pet alternative medicine, see her site at: http://www.naturalhealthtechniques.com/Veterinary_Stuff/veterinary_stuff1.htm

How to bowl a ball in a game of cricket is a lot easier than what most people think. There is a lot of different ways to bowling and that is what this article is all about. There is spin bowling were you can spin the ball or swing bowling were the ball swings in the air and finally there is fast bowling were the ball rips through really fast. So you will bowl the beat that you can it is a good idea to test out each of the different types of bowling and find which is the one you are best at. Also in this article all the different techniques of bowling and what affect they have to you and to the other players.

Basics to all bowling

Before you go to into all the different types of bowling you have to establish some skills that are used in all forms of bowling. The first thing is that you have to bowl with a straight are you usually start it beside you or in front of you that bring your bowling arm (usually your dormant hand or which ever you fell most comfortable) around beside you keeping it beside you at all times this is crucial because if you don’t do this you could give the other team points and you don’t want that to happen. When you bring your bowling arm around to near past your ear this is were you realise the ball how you realise the ball can determine whether the ball is spinning or swinging the realise for a fast bowler is basically straight but not for the others. The next step is your run up this gains speed and helps with your accuracy even spin bowlers bowl off a run up (spin bowling is the slowest form of bowling) the run up can be any were from no steps to the length of the field it is recommended that you don’t have a length of the field or no run up. The run up can be slow step’s or you can actually run in it doesn’t mater. When you run in you have to release the ball past your ear when you are a 4ft (1.2 metres) in front of the wickets.

Spin bowling

Now this type of bowling can be the hardest form of bowling but don’t let that stop you if you perfect this type it can be lethal to the other team. To do this you do all the steps shown in the paragraph above but you will have a slower run up this helps spin the ball. Spining the ball one way is called leg spin and the other is called off spin. The thing that makes a batsmen play good to a spin ball or bad is their ability to read the spin so when bowling spin you might want to bowl a wrongun which is bowling the opposite spin bowl to what you usually do.

Swing bowling

This type of bowling is were the ball swing through the air and makes the batsmen think it is going to go straight but it swings and tricks them. The bowler holds the ball with a slight off centre seam (were the ball is joined) this makes the air pressure change the direction of the ball. To bowl this ball you will have to have a moderately fast run up. This gives the ball enough speed to move through the air.

Fast bowling

Fast bowling is as it says it is fast this can be a lethal and hurt the other players because it is going so fast. Although it is against the rules to deliberately hurt another player. When this bowl is bowled properly it can trick the batsmen by making them not be able to react fast enough. When bowling this ball you will need a long and fast run up to get the speed needed to bowl a fast ball.

Find out How to play cricket, How to bowl a ball, and the basics to bowling.
Article by Jayden Major

Type summer camp into any search engine and the results can be overwhelming. There are pages and pages of listings. One cannot rely on the search engine to rank the “best” camps from top to bottom. At or near the top of the search results will be camp-directories. This is because they put the most money into their sites and have the most links since they represent so many clients. Of course a directory cannot dictate the best camp for you.

Somewhere on the pages you will find individual camp-websites you can peruse as well as the aforementioned directories.

While the camp directories are convenient, they are not authorities in identifying the best camp for you: you are. The directories are companies that charge camps for their listing services. There are charges for premium placement (being at the top of the page) for banner ads (the ones that blink or scroll at the very top of the page) and badge ads (logotype ads on the side of the page), as well as, for information they will share (website links are always more, color, movies, etc). I have been quoted upwards of $6000.00 dollars for a one-year ad in one of these directories. In fairness I should mention often the directory will offer a free listing, these are at the bottom of the listings with little to no data.

For you, a prospective camper or guardian thereof, there are some nice features to be found on the directories: camps are broken down by category, by region, byreligious affiliation and by overnight or day camp etc.

While this data can help draw you closer to the type of camp that is an excellent fit for you, they should not be the end of your search. It is always good to do your own search engine crawl once you have parsed out the features you want in a camp.

Maybe you want a rafting camp but you would also like to go away from home or visit another part of the United States. Then you can search for camps that can accommodate the special circumstances surrounding your camp arrival and departure: for instance a camp that offers shuttle service from the local airport.

To help you begin your camp search, here are some questions to ask yourself and thoughts worthy of consideration:

1. How long are you wanting to be at camp: for the day or overnight? (overnight camps are referred to as resident camps) If attending a resident style camp for the first time, it is NORMAL to feel nervous. Deciding on a resident style camp can be nerve-wracking but don’t eliminate this option. Remember, the other campers will be new too: you are not alone in this. Many campers who attend resident style camps make friendships that last years and often the experiences are more meaningful simply because of the newness of the experience.
2. Do you want a religious focus to your camp? If so, then make that a priority in your search. If not, then be aware, many non-denominational camps are great and respectful of all lifestyles.
3. Do you want the camp to be unisex or is CO-Ed acceptable? Either way, camp directors and counselors are aware, day and night. There are pros and cons to either camp scenario.
4. Decide what you want to do on your vacation. If you want an acting/drama-intense-camp, then choosing a camp focusing on water sports is not for you. This said it is important to look at what camps do offer because there are differences even in camps that appear similar. You may be able to do MORE and spend about the same. For example, in our area, the foothills of Northern California, there is a camp on a lake that has many water activities as well as hiking, crafts, ropes, etc. Just down the road is a camp that is based on a river. The camp on the river does everything the lake camp does as well as whitewater rafting, off site excursions to water-parks, pro-basketball games and visits an historic State Park. The costs between the two camps is nearly identical, in fact the river-based camp is even a little less expensive. Make sure you do your shopping. If you are debating between a few camps, email them, ask them questions and then compare their responses.
5. Do not exclude yourself before you make contact with a camp! For example, if you see the word “adventure” in the camp title, do not assume this is only for aggressive outdoor enthusiasts. Email and ask what, if any experience is necessary. Same goes for rafting or skydiving or surfing… well you get the idea. Most camps are geared for nearly everyone in the accepted age range. If they are worth their salt, they will have competent and positive staff to guide you along each adventure.
6. Do not be afraid to make contact, in fact, I encourage you to make contact via either email or phone. Question these people, listen or read their responses with receptive ears and eyes. You can gauge the authenticity of someone by the way the respond and interact with you. You are important and so is your summer experience, go with someone you feel comfortable!

The long and the short of it, there are many options for you when choosing your summer adventure. Take a moment, stretch yourself a bit and really go for something you want to do. Make contact with the camp. Do not exclude yourself from something new, ask questions. You are important; the response you receive should make you feel as such. These steps should help you find that right fit.

Christopher Pyle is the owner/director of http://www.actionwhitewater.com adventure summer camp and whitewater rafting company in Northern California. His entire company philosophy focuses on creating the safest and most encouraging environments for campers and rafters alike. We focus on TEAM, we focus on KINDNESS, we focus on SAFETY, we focus on personal EMPOWERMENT, we focus on COMMUNITY, we focus on SUPPORT. We’re family run, family oriented and wanting to share our place with you. Kindly, Chris

With the cost of car insurance becoming more and more of an issue for the average American family, there are increasing numbers of people looking for cheap car insurance. But although it is possible to find cheap car insurance, the question remains, is it worth buying?

Everyone knows that car insurance companies are not all equal. Cheap car insurance is wonderful when paying the bill, but make a mistake on the company you select and you could find that the cheap car insurance policy that you found may turn into a nightmare. Cheap car insurance may not turn out to be so attractive when making a claim.

So if you have found a discount car insurance broker don’t just take the cheapest quote that you get. You need to find out a little about the insurance company that is offering the cheap car insurance rates.

And there’s ways to reduce the cost of your car insurance even with the best of companies. Here are some tips for those looking for cheap car insurance to help reduce the cost of car insurance without compromising other things.

7 Cheap Car Insurance Tips

1. Look at your deductible amount. This is the amount that you pay first out of any claim. The cost of your policy is directly related to this amount. Many people, particularly those who have had their insurance policy for a long time, have never considered whether they ought to vary their deductible. If you have a good driving record and are prepared to increase the risk of paying a larger amount in the event of a (hopefully unlikely) claim you can save money by increasing your deductible.

2. Have a look at the type of car you drive. Certain types of cars attract higher car insurance rates. Cars such as sports cars and also certain makes and models that are prime theft candidates cost more to insure. If you are buying a car then find out which makes and models these are before you buy.

3. Drive carefully. Although it sounds a little trite to say it, your car insurance cost is a factor of your risk profile. You won’t get cheap car insurance if you have had 3 speeding fines and 2 accidents in the last year. These things are all taken into account and you should take care with how you drive. It all adds up onto your bill. There are big safe driver discounts available.

4. Considering installing safety and anti theft devices in your car. Again these affect your risk profile. If you have a car that is safer and less at risk of theft it should be cheaper to insure. And if you have a car with certain safety devices now check that your insurance company is aware of these, if not tell them.

5. Look at your policy when it comes to renewal time, don’t just pay. There are some things that you can vary in your policy that will affect the cost. Often there are some things there which duplicate other insurance that you may have that can be eliminated. Be critical, look carefully and ask questions about all these before you renew your policy.

6. Have a look at who your other insurers are. Many insurers offer a discount for multiple policies. If you insure your house with a certain company then ring them up and find out if they do car insurance. Get a quote from them. Find out what discounts they offer.

7. Find a good online discount car insurance broker before renewing. The internet is a fabulous resource. Use it. There are all sorts of discount insurance brokers online where you can get fast quotes from a wide range of companies. Don’t just settle for the same company you always use. Car insurance rates vary all the time. Always get comparable quotes before renewing any policy.

So if you’re in the market for cheap car insurance there’s some ideas for you. Don’t just accept that car insurance is always prohibitively expensive, get out there and do something about it.

For a website totally devoted to Car Insurance visit Peter’s Website Car Insurance Answers and find out about Car Insurance as well as Cheap Car Insurance and more, including Online Car Insurance Quotes, UK Car Insurance, Car Insurance Rates and Car Insurance Quotes.

The biggest myth surrounding cat ownership is that cats are worry free, self-contained and self-providing pets that require little or no maintenance. Cats are so good at giving people the impression of independence and self-reliance that people believe they don’t have to provide the highly focused attention to cats that, say, dogs require. The fact of the matter is that cats do require the same attention to detail that any dog does, and maybe even a little more, in some cases. This is especially true when it comes to probing the controversy regarding whether raw cat food is better that canned cat food or kibbles for your feline ward.

It’s a sad thing to look around our country these days and see so many people who have allowed themselves to become overweight and then have to deal with the consequential suffering and ill-health effects of obesity. Diabetes, shortness of breath, constant exhaustion from lugging around so many extra pounds and lowered self-esteem. Of course, the garment industry is singing happy tunes with all the extra thread they have to put together. There’s no shortage of explanations for why this situation has come about, but I think when it comes down to it we can only blame ourselves at the individual level for allowing such a condition to take root. After all, how many pounds overweight does one have to get before they realize that something’s not right and becoming a problem? 10, 20… 50 lbs? And how long does it take to realize that the magic pills, diets, elixirs and effortless, lose-weight-with-no-work-out machines are products being marketed to your ego, to separate you from your bank account, and not to solve your problem? No… the only way to find an ideal normality is with thorough research, discovery and a lot of hard work accompanied with a healthy life style change. But, enough sermonizing about the human condition. This is about cats, their eating habits and raw cat food.

One thing needs to come along with this discussion from the previous paragraph. Most people are not experts in animal nutrition and rely on others to lead them in the right direction. The source for most ‘experts’ available to a person for their daily decision making and selection of choices usually comes to us through the traditional media of radio, newspapers, television and now, the internet. Media offers two kinds of resources. Investigative reporting which is presented in newscasts or opinion pieces, and secondly, the marketing hype that provides commercial broadcast funding. The former is reliable enough to put credence into and might call for further research on your part if it interests you. The latter really only wants you to spend your money with them. That’s not necessarily bad… it does ultimately put people to work and provides many with an adequate, and even comfortable living. Unfortunately, the bottom line is… corporations only have one objective in the end. That is to feed their bottom line. Now recent events have caused many to reconsider the morality behind a corporations goals. But, as long as this market structure is the paradigm for our economy, the ultimate goal for big business will always be to maximize their profit-loss statements towards the profit end of the spectrum, any way they can get away with, and at your expense… literally.

So, what does this have to do with cats and if raw cat food is what you should be feeding them? Simply put, most people rely on the marketing hype to base their decisions regarding the food they feed their pets. Which is exactly the wrong source for basing such a critical decision. Take the cat for example. It’s not only a scientific fact, but a cultural one also, that the cat is described as an obligate carnivore. This defines cats as creatures who derive most of their food nutrients from the animals they hunt and consume (raw cat food). When a cat devours it’s prey, she will eat everything including not only muscle meat, but the brains, organ meat and the stomach and its contents which may consist of grasses and grains. One thing she doesn’t do is fire up a stove and saute or bake her dinner, or prepare a nice sauce to go with it. She eats it raw. Cultural purists use this description as an argument that feeding cats store bought, mass produced canned or dry cat food is doing your cat a disservice by depriving her of the natural nutrients she would normally get in the raw cat food she captures in the wild, and for which she was biologically designed.

Pottenger’s cats

Francis M. Pottenger, Jr. (1901 – 1967) was the son of Francis M. Pottenger, Sr., the physician who co-founded the Pottenger Sanatorium for treatment of tuberculosis in Monrovia, California. Between 1932 and 1942 he conducted what is know as the Pottenger Cat Study. One part of this study was what effect heat had on the nutrient value of raw food. In other words, what happens to food when you cook it.

“Pottenger used donated laboratory cats to test the potency of the adrenal extract hormones he was making. The adrenal glands of these cats were removed for the experiments and Pottenger noted that most of the cats died during or following the operation. He was feeding the cats a supposedly nutritive diet consisting of raw milk, cod liver oil and cooked meat scraps of liver, tripe, sweetbread, brains, heart and muscle.

When the number of donated cats exceeded the supply of food available, Pottenger began ordering raw meat scraps from a local meat packing plant, including organs, meat, and bone; and fed a separate group of cats from this supply. Within months this separate group appeared in better health than the cooked meat group. Their kittens were more energetic and, most interestingly, their post-operative death rate was lower.

At a certain point, he decided to begin a controlled scientific exploration. Pottenger conducted studies involving approximately 900 cats over a period of ten years, with three generations of cats being studied.

Meat study:

In one study, one group of cats was fed a diet of:

• Two-thirds raw meat, one-third raw milk, and cod-liver oil
• A second group was fed a diet of two-thirds cooked meat, one-third raw milk, and cod-liver oil.

The cats fed the all-raw diet were healthy while the cats fed the cooked meat diet developed various health problems:

• By the end of the first generation the cats started to develop degenerative diseases and became quite lazy.
• By the end of the second generation, the cats had developed degenerative diseases by mid-life and started losing their coordination.
• By the end of the third generation the cats had developed degenerative diseases very early in life and some were born blind and weak and had a much shorter life span. Many of the third generation cats couldn’t even produce offspring. There was an abundance of parasites and vermin while skin diseases and allergies increased from an incidence of five percent in normal cats to over 90 percent in the third generation of deficient cats. Kittens of the third generation did not survive six months. Bones became soft and pliable and the cats suffered from adverse personality changes. Males became docile while females became more aggressive.
• The cats suffered from most of the degenerative diseases encountered in human medicine and died out totally by the fourth generation.

At the time of Pottenger’s Study the amino acid taurine had been discovered but had not yet been identified as an essential amino acid for Cats. Today many cats thrive on a cooked meat diet where taurine has been added after cooking. The deficient diets lacked sufficient taurine to allow the cat’s to properly form protein structures and resulted in the health effects observed. Pottenger himself concluded that there was likely an “as yet unknown” protein factor (taurine) that may have been heat sensitive.

Milk Study:

In another study, dubbed the “Milk Study,”, the cats were fed 2/3 milk and 1/3 meat. All groups were fed raw meat with different groups getting raw, pasteurized, evaporated, sweetened condensed or raw metabolized vitamin D milk. The cats on raw milk were the healthiest while the rest exhibited varying degrees of health problems similar to the previous cooked meat study.

This particular Pottenger cat study has been cited by advocates of raw milk as evidence that it is likely healthier for humans than pasteurized milk.” +

Though Pottenger’s experiments don’t conclusively verify that raw cat food diets are better for sustaining a healthy support for the physiological needs of cats than cooked (canned) or dry kibbles, (because he didn’t use canned cat food or kibbles in the experiments) certain conclusions can be drawn.

• Cooking meat can destroy certain food nutrients, namely amino acids (proteins)
• Cats thrive more healthily on raw meat rather than cooked meat with less degenerative results
• Cooking meat for your cat requires the replacement of the essential amino acid taurine, and possibly other nutrients destroyed in the cooking process

Pet food marketing hype says that “XYZ” cat food products are healthy for your pet because it adds “ABC” nutrients, vitamins and minerals to their product which safeguards your cat’s health. Fortunately, marketing laws require that the ingredients in any given product be listed on the packaging of your cat’s food. Ultimately, it is left up to you to make the decision about which is the best shelf product for your cat.

For a discussion that details interpreting cat food labels CLICK HERE

Today’s problem plagued market place has left many in doubt as to whether the corporate entities that supply the bulk of our aggregate necessities can continue to be worthy of our trust. Arrogance and greed have always gone head to head with social morality and it’s usually the end user that ends up paying with unnecessary suffering. Many pet owners have now taken matters into their own hands and are resorting to providing from raw ingredients meals made with their own hands for their pets. It’s not a bad step but certain measures, which include a life-style change, need to be taken when preparing your pet’s meals to keep her safe from bacterial infection and insure that her nutritional needs are met.

Here’s an example of a raw cat food meal preparation from scratch:

• 2 kg [4.4 pounds] raw muscle meat with bones (chicken necks are mostly cartilage, are easy to chop and easy for the cat to digest) thighs and drumsticks or, better, a whole carcass of rabbit or chicken amounting to 2 kg; if you don’t use a whole carcass, opt for dark meat like thighs and drumsticks from chicken or turkey)
• 400 grams [14 oz] raw heart, ideally from the same animal (if no heart is available, substitute with 4000 mg Taurine)
• 200 grams [7 oz] raw liver, ideally from the same animal (if you can’t find appropriate liver, you can substitute 40,000 IU of Vitamin A and 1600 IU of Vitamin D–but try to use real liver instead of substitutes).
  • NOTE: If you cannot find the heart or liver and decide to substitute with the Taurine/Vitamin A and D, then remember to replace the missing amount of organ meat with the equivalent amount of muscle meat. In other words, if you cannot find heart, you add another 400 grams of the meat/bones. If you can’t find the liver, add another 200 grams of meat/bones.

• 16 oz [2 cups] water
• 4 raw egg yolks (use eggs from free-range, antibiotic-free chickens if you can)
• 4 capsules raw glandular supplement (such as, for example, “Raw Multiple Glandular” from Premier Labs)
• 4000 mg salmon oil
• 200 mg Vitamin B complex
• 800 IU Vitamin E (“dry E” works well) Buy Vitamin E in dry powder form. It’s much easier to deal with than those little oil-filled capsules.
• OPTIONAL: 1/4 teaspoon of kelp and 1/4 teaspoon of dulse (1/2 teaspoon total) Try and get dulse and kelp in powder form that you can easily measure with a teaspoon rather than in capsule form. Taking apart those capsules is time consuming. If you can only find kelp in caplet form, you’ll need to spend time crushing the caplets with a mortar and pestle.
• OPTIONAL: 4 teaspoons psyllium husk powder (8 teaspoons if using whole psyllium husks) ?

It looks like this recipe will produce about 5- 6 lbs of finished raw cat food product which would feed a single cat for several weeks. That means most of it would have to be frozen in individual air tight containers and thawed as needed.

The digestive system of a cat is designed to handle things human systems can’t. Their stomachs have a highly acidic environment, which is an excellent deterrent to ingested bacteria such as e coli and salmonella. In the wild, cats sometimes eat some pretty iffy stuff with no ill effects. Wild cats die more often from infection due to injuries than from food poisoning. However, there are steps you can take if you have concerns about raw cat food bourn bacteria.

• Avoid packaged supermarket ground beef using whole chunks of meat instead
• Buy “free-range” meat and poultry as fresh as possible
• Add priobiotics (which help maintain intestinal health) to your raw food preparation
• Proper handling of raw cat food is essential since some raw cat food may contain bacteria that could cause illness to you or your pets. Be sure to keep raw cat food meat and poultry separate from other foods. Wash hands prior to, and after handling raw cat food. Wash working surfaces, bowls, and utensils that come in contact with raw meat with hot, soapy water. Always wash your hands after cleaning your cat’s waste; this includes litter boxes.
• Pick up and dispose of uneaten raw cat food within 30 minutes of feeding your cat

Preparing raw cat food meals from scratch for your cat is a labor of love indulged in by purists. Most people don’t have the time, and maybe lack the talent to take on such a task. If you count yourself among this latter group, rest easy. Ready-made products are finding their way to the market place. There are complete raw cat food meals which are shipped frozen and there are mixes which all you have to do is add the meat. Just remember that if you are going with the mix, be certain that the essential amino acids such as taurine are included. If not then be sure to add the heart (a source for taurine) and other organ meat from the same animal if possible, with the raw cat food meal so that your cat won’t be deprived of these critical ingredients.

So, what are the trade-offs you ask?

Well, for one thing you will have to forego the convenience of one-stop-shopping in the supermarket pet food aisles. Orders for raw cat food meals or mixes are mostly made on-line so you will have to deal with credit or debit cards. Pre-planning will have to be regular routine so that you don’t run out of raw cat food before the next shipment arrives. If a shipment thaws, you will have to return it because you won’t want to take any chances with bacterial infection. Most companies will honor returns due to thawing. And, if you prepare raw cat food meals completely from scratch, be prepared to spend a couple of hours in the kitchen with this task.

The real trade-off is with the quality of cat food you will be providing. The store bought ‘meal’ based cereal foods will be replaced with the high quality fresh foods that cat’s were designed for. Some cats may balk at the transition at first because they weren’t socialized with raw cat food as kittens. But, their health will show marked improvement, you will probably be surprised by the results which can be compared to how your cat behaved before being fed a fresh, high quality raw cat food diet that meets their needs nutritionally, plus their immune systems will be stronger giving your cat a chance for a longer, healthier life.

Ask any monk or even the ordinary, next-door-neighbor contemplative type, and they’ll tell you that life is not easy; suffering is the characteristic that describes much of the existence in this corner of the Universe, and that the punishment for ignoring this fact is to bear more suffering. Yet this suffering can be relieved with even a little knowledge and understanding of why and how things can operate to ease your burden. It does take a willingness on your part to change and accept new habits to accommodate a changed life-style. But, knowledge and understanding cannot be acquired through osmosis. It takes a lot of work to comprehend even a small amount of the sense that holds life together. One can’t depend on epiphanies either. Like magic and miracles, instant knowledge occurs only rarely… and you can grow old waiting for it while your cat pines for a raw cat food meal. It’d be like huffing and puffing along wondering why you’re carrying around all that extra baggage.

+ – Thanks to Wikipedia for this excerpt

? – Thanks to Wikihow

Robert J Gallegos is the author of http://www.catlover-giftsworld.com a web site dedicated to proper cat care with quality cat lover gifts based on an understanding of cat behavior, instincts and the unique requirements for healthy cats as pets. Cats are the newest of animals to be domesticated and still have one paw in the wild. It’s a major reason why they’re so mysterious and resistant to human expectations.
Robert is a life long lover of cats. He is dedicated to sharing his understanding of the cat experience, reducing the epidemic feral cat situation, and helping cat lovers to provide the best care for their cats.

Food

Dry food has been a recommended staple diet for cats by many experts for a number of years. It is an easy option to leave a bowl of dry food out constantly; something that cannot be done with tinned food. Unfortunately though, it’s not a natural food source and has been developed by humans using many additives and un-natural products. Cats, like humans, will eat until they fill themselves up. However, dry food has many more calories and carbohydrates than a natural food source, which leads to the cat taking in far more than necessary just to feel full-up. Many owners assume that their cat is just greedy, but in many cases it is not the quantity of food being eaten, it is the quality.

Naturally, cats are obligate carnivores; meaning they only feed on other animals. The cats prey however, are generally herbivorous and have various vegetable and plant matter in their guts. All of which, will be consumed by the cat. Domestic cats have been shown to have longer intestines than wild cats; proving they have evolved over hundreds of years to cope with more plant and vegetable matter (carbohydrates). Still, this is no excuse to turn a carnivore into an omnivore. Rather, supplementing the diet with small amounts of carbohydrates is acceptable.

Many consumers believe that dried food is actually better for cats. The manufacturers have implemented the belief that all these additives such as corn and grains are an important part of a cat’s diet, implying ‘the more the better’ approach. Although very small quantities of these may benefit the cat, too much will be detrimental to their health.

Kidney disease is one of, if not the biggest killer in cats. Kidney disease is usually a result of lack of water and unfortunately, cats have a very low thirst drive. Although they may drink when eating dry food, they will generally only take in half of the liquid necessary for their health. A cat’s prey item consists of around 75% water, canned and raw foods have a similar amount. Dry foods on the other hand usually have a maximum of 10% water content. It is obvious therefore, that canned or raw foods are an absolute must to maintain a healthy cat.

Cats need a high level of protein in their diet which must come from animals. Plant protein differs from meat protein, and should not be substituted. When protein is calculated in canned food, the moisture content must be subtracted from 100 and the protein percentage worked out from the result. For instance, a canned food with 8% protein and 75% water means that the true protein value should be worked out like so:

Non-Moisture Content = 25% so: 8 ÷ 25 x 100 = 32

Therefore: True Protein Value = 32% which is ideal.

The amino acid ‘taurine’ is also an essential part of a cat’s diet, and can only be found in meat products. It is recommended that a quantity of 2000mg/kg or 0.2% should be available in canned food. Other vitamins and minerals should also be included. Preservatives, colouring and added flavours are used more for the customers benefit rather than the cats. If it looks and smells nice to a human, there is a higher chance of them buying it.

There are very few foods on the market which actually have an ideal amount of everything included. Many diets have concentrated on having high a protein and moisture diet with low carbohydrates, but lack in having enough taurine or vitamin B. If this is the case, offering other canned foods on occasion that are better in these areas should be considered. This will also help stop the cat becoming addicted to any 1 food type. Inter-changing the various meats such as beef, chicken and fish will also benefit by offering varying amounts of vitamins, minerals and oils.

Buy quality, not quantity. Most cheap cat foods are cheap for a reason. Avoid buying canned foods that say ‘meat’, ‘by-products’, ‘bone meal’ or ‘animal digest’. Chemical preservatives such as ‘BHA’, ‘BHT’, ‘ethoxyquin’ and ‘propyl gallate’ have been seriously questioned as being detrimental to the health of cats, and should also be avoided. Canned foods are a must for adding much needed calcium into the diet, which is essential for building healthy bones and teeth.

High energy food has been designed for cats with high energy levels. This food will not benefit a cat which sits around all day, in fact in will make the situation worse. High energy foods will not make a less active cat become energetic.

There is a common misconception that canned food is bad for your cat’s teeth, and dry food is good. Unfortunately neither statement is completely true. Neither food types are actually good for the health of teeth. Dry food is hard and crunchy, completely the opposite of what a cat’s teeth are designed to do, which is tear away at meat. I recommend you brush and rinse your cat’s teeth on a regular occasion.

There are two methods to feeding a cat. The first is to leave a bowl of food out all the time. This is obviously done with dry food and not meat. Since we recommend feeding a diet of canned or raw meat, this method is not acceptable and you should opt for the second method. This is to have a feeding regime of 2 to 4 times per day. Feeding this way allows a more controlled amount of food being eaten. You need to decide how many times per day you will feed your cat. The more often the better, but if you are an owner which is out during the day several times a week, it may be better to opt for a twice a day routine. Alternatively, cat feeding dishes which are set on a timer can be purchased and are a good option if you only go out on occasions.

The total amount of canned food your cat should is listed below. It is important to divide this total amount of food up equally among all of its feeds. The chart below is appropriate to cats that are getting their appropriate amount of calorie intake per day, which is approximately 25 calories per pound in weight. This chart is for healthy adult cats weighing approximately 8-10lbs. Not overweight or obese cats.

Type / Age of Cat Weight of Canned Food

2 – 10 Years 200g

Geriatric (10 Years +) 160g

Neutered or Spayed 160g

Inactive or Indoor 160g

Treats

Treats are given to cats for different reasons depending on the owner. Surveys have shown that overweight humans are more likely to have overweight pets. They show that overweight people are unable to control their own weight properly due to lack of will power. They have the same lack of will power when their pets are ‘begging’ for treats.

Treats are often given because it is a way of making the pet feel more welcome. If the owner is out of the house all day, they often make up for it by giving treats. This is the easy way of doing things and totally unhealthy. Rather, making up for it by spending just 5 quality minutes with the pet is far more rewarding. You may decide to simply brush the cat, or you could play with it by throwing a small toy mouse or ball around. Either way, the cat will enjoy being with you more than it will eating a treat, and exercise will aid its health.

Some owners offer treats because they think the cat doesn’t eat enough dinner. The treats are designed and flavoured to be ‘irresistible’ to the cat, and they will eat it whether they are hungry or not. Treats should not be offered for this reason. Providing your cat looks healthy and is the appropriate weight, it will be feeding just fine. If your cat is a poor feeder, they should be tempted by other feeding methods, not with treats.

Higher Risk Cats

Neutered or Spayed

I would like to point out before anything, that the act of neutering or spaying your cat will not make it overweight. Rather, it is how you care for it afterwards that will affect its weight.

A neutered cat loses its desire to ‘roam’ like an ‘intact’ cat would do. They are not as inquisitive and generally get less exercise than intact cats. Because of this, their metabolism is slower than normal by around 20-25%. With a slower metabolism, comes a lower need for calories. A neutered or spayed cat should intake approximately 20% less calories.

Breed

Some breeds of cat are naturally slimmer than other breeds; such as the Siamese and Ornamental Short Hair. These breeds are far better at maintaining a good body condition than larger breeds. Pedigree cats are also generally fitter than non-pedigree individuals.

Age

Cats are most likely to become overweight from about 2 to 12 years of age. Younger cats have a much higher metabolism and are more energetic than older individuals. Older cats often eat far less, and it is more common for geriatric cats to become skinnier rather than heavier.

Indoor Cats

Indoor cats have many factors weighing them down. To start with, the most obvious factor is being indoors all the time. There is little stimulation inside, and they will not get the exercise that an outdoor cat will be able to. Many static toys that are offered to indoor cats become boring. They will soon lose interest in scratching posts and similar toys. Repetitive electronic toys can also become predictable and boring. The most enjoyable form of playing for the cat is to interact with the owner. Waving string around or rolling a small ball around will keep the cat amused for far longer.

Being inside all the time also means more contact with the owner is likely. This usually means more treats are given.

The temperature is an important factor too. An outdoor cat will use more energy and have a higher metabolism simply to maintain its body temperature. Cats living in centrally heated houses don’t have to use much energy to get their body temperature controlled.

Social Environment

This is an area where you just can’t win. There are advantages and disadvantages of having one cat or having multiple cats.

Only cats do not have the same competition for food that a multi-cat household may have. Therefore they may not be as eager to eat as much food and as quickly as a cat in competition with other cats will do. However, only cats are more likely to become bored and have less stimulation around them compared to a cat living with others. Cats have been known to take on habits like humans, such as eating when bored like an only cat may do. They may also eat more when they are stressed, like a cat living in a multi-cat household may do.

A household with more humans is far more likely to inflict extra weight onto a cat. It means more people offering treats, and more people to feed the cat dinner. It is common for many households to become confused as to whether or not the cat has been fed, and if in doubt they will feed it again.

Disabilities

This applies to humans and pets alike. Humans with physical disabilities are less likely to play and exercise their pets. The situation becomes worse if the cat is an indoor cat.

Disabled cats are often ‘over-protected’ by their owners. Most are automatically turned into indoor cats if they get a disability, and become an excuse for more treats to be offered. Most cats can still exercise and have their mind stimulated with various disabilities. In fact many cats with disabilities will deteriorate quicker if they are not exercised and the mind stimulated properly.

Neighbours

Do you have cat friendly neighbours? Do you know if your cat has gone into other people’s houses before? It is common for other cat lovers to feed a cat that has wondered into their house.

If you think this happens, place a tag onto the cat which is clearly visible and ask politely not to feed the cat. Some people will ignore this, thinking it will not do any harm. To get around this, state that you cat has ‘Special Dietary Needs’. They are more likely to pay attention when they think feeding them the wrong food could potentially harm them.

By Chris Jones
Director of Pet Club UK Ltd.
http://www.petclubuk.com

People all over the world eat cooked food, but people in different countries cook their food differently. Most people in this country like to eat meat, fish and vegetables cooked, but there are some people who like to eat raw fish. With the expectation of some vegetables and fruits, most of the food eaten is cooked to a greater or lesser degree. The reasons for cooking food are:-

1. To soften the food so that it can be more easily digested.

2. To improve the flavor of food. The flavor of the meat and fish is greatly improved by cooking.

3. To improve the appearance of food, as uncooked meat or fish is objectionable to some people.

4. To kill germs so that the food is safe to eat.

5. To vary the flavor of the food. Different methods of cooking and the addition of different ingredients and flavoring give a wide variety of flavors to food.

There are many methods of cooking food as below:-

Boiling

Food is cooked in boiling liquid tell tender. Vegetables should be put into boiling water and boiled quickly, while meat should be put into cold water and brought up to the boil when making soup, or put into boiling water for stews. When boiling meat, the temperature is lowered to simmering point as soon as the water boils, otherwise the protein in meat will harden and will be difficult to digest. Fish is put into boiling water and simmered till cooked. If it is allowed to boil all the time the fish will break up. Boiling food to cook it partly is called parboiling. Slow boiling so that the liquid bubbles slowly all the times and only a little steam is given off is called simmering.

Stewing

This is long, slow cooking in a little liquid. This is a good method of cooking, as cheaper and tougher pieces of meat can be cooked with other ingredients to make them and better flavored. Stewing should be done in a pan with a lid, as foods become tender more easily in a closed pan where the steam cannot escape too easily. It is also an easy method of cooking as very little attention is required when the food is slowly stewing.

Steaming

Food is cooked in steam from boiling water. Only tender bits of food should be steamed. It is a slow method of cooking but it makes food easy to digest. Delicately flavored foods are best steamed as no flavor is lost during cooking, so the food retains all its own flavor. Steaming can be done by the following methods:-

1. In a steamer which sits over a saucepan of boiling water. Steam rises from the boiling water and passes through the steamer to cook the food.

2. In a frying pan of boiling water. The food is put in a steaming tray which rests on a stand in the frying pan. A well fitting lid covers the tray and steam from boiling water cooks the food. This method is faster than the first method.

3. In saucepan with a tight fitting lid.

a) Food is placed in a bowl or basin which stands in a saucepan of boiling water that comes up to half way up the side of the bowl, or placed on rice which is about to cook.

b) Food is placed on a plate and is covered with the saucepan lid. The plate is placed on top of the saucepan which is half filled with boiling water.

Frying

This is a very quick method of cooking and is the most popular method of cooking in this country. There are three methods of frying:-

1. Dry frying where no oil is used at all as in frying peanuts or coconuts. The food is put into a clean, dry frying pan and is stirred over a slow fire until the food is evenly browned and cooked.

2. Shallow fat frying where a little oil is used to prevent the food from sticking to the frying pan, as in frying eggs, pancakes or vegetables. When vegetables are fried, they are tossed in a little fat which is absorbed by the vegetables. This method of cooking vegetables is also called sauteing.

3. Deep fat frying where food is cooked in at least 2″ of hot oil. There must be enough oil to completely cover the food when the food is first put in. This method of frying is used for curry puffs, fry chicken and many other dishes.

Grilling

This is cooking food directly over hot charcoal or under the electric or gas grill, as in cooking barbecue chicken or making toast. This is a very quick method of cooking and only very tender pieces of good should be cooked by this method.

Baking

This is to cook food in the heat of an oven as in baking cakes, pastries, biscuits and bread. The hot oven heats up the air inside it and food is cooked by the hot air. Care must be taken to cook the food thoroughly without burning it.

Roasting

This actually means cooking over the open fire, but with the introduction of the oven, it has now become very much like baking, except that fat is added to prevent the food from drying and burning and also to improve the flavor.

Daphnie is a food lover who has been involved in food industry for 10 years. She learned the easy and simple way cooking style from her mother and grandmother. She prefer to have the home make cooking style instead of outside food. She knew how much housewives will appreciate the recipes. Special thought has been given to the speed and ease of preparation to streamline cooking chores whenever possible to the minimum. Not only are these dishes attractive, they really are simple and speedy to make. Test and try out any of these dishes and you will agree that as well as being entirely successful, they all live up to our claim that they are not only delicious but quick and easy to prepare. You can visit my website at http://www.a1cookrecipes.com

Cloth diapers aren’t as difficult as many people remember. You don’t have to have pins and plastic pants like you did 20 years ago. However, many cloth diapering systems require multiple pieces and/or steps. This can be very intimidating for caregivers other than Mom, who changes dozens of diapers each week.

But let’s face it – Mom deserves a break too. Whether it’s a free moment for a hot bath, a trip to the grocery, or the ultimate pampering of a spa day, someone other than Mom needs to be able to diaper Baby. That’s why all-in-one cloth diapers are so very popular with caregivers other than Mom.

Dads Like How AIO Diapers are One-Stop Diapering

Being a father is drastically different than it was in previous generations. Instead of everything being left to Mom, Dad is stepping up and being an active part of Baby’s life. Modern dads are involved in feeding, bathing, and yes, even diapering.

Many a cloth diapering mom, however, has a barrel of stories of what a diaper looked like after Dad was done. The diaper cover was on backwards, the diaper cover was forgotten completely, the pocket diaper didn’t have any inserts – the list is endless.

That’s why all-in-one cloth diapers (aka all in one or AIO cloth diapers) are perfect for Dads. AIOs are one-stop diapering – you pick up the diaper, it’s complete in and of itself, and you strap it on baby. Easy as pie. Now all Dad has to worry about is how to get the clothes on afterwards.

Grandparents Like How All In One Cloth Diapers are Simple

Many grandparents are supportive of parents’ decisions to cloth diaper their baby. After all, cloth diapers are all they knew. What worked for their kids is obviously more than good enough for their precious grandbaby.

But as I previously mentioned, cloth diapering is very different than it was in their day. I remember the first time I tried to explain to my parents how to put a Fuzzi Bunz on my daughter. The multiple rows of snaps were more than slightly confusing; add in the necessary insert combination, and I knew that my daughter’s diaper would be quite interesting after they were done.

With an all in one cloth baby diaper, grandparents don’t have that level of confusion. There’s nothing to fold, pin, or stuff. All you have to do is show them how to place the diaper under Baby’s bum and fasten it shut. Quite simple – dodging your son’s fountain imitation will have to be another lesson for another day.

Daycares Like How All-in-One Cloth Diapers are Uniform

Convincing a daycare provider to put cloth diapers on your baby can be challenging, to put it mildly. Many parents report having numerous struggles in finding a daycare willing to even give cloth diapers a go, then even more problems teaching daycare workers how to diaper Baby properly.

Daycare workers change dozens if not hundreds of diapers every day. It becomes a routine for them, and a routine is necessary if they’re to keep every baby in their care clean, dry, and happy. Most cloth diapers are a disruption to that routine, and thus met with resistance.

All-in-one cloth diapers, however, are just as easy and routine to put on Baby as a disposable diaper. The uniformity to the well-known disposable diaper is much welcome to daycare workers. Their routine is not altered in the least, they just have a cloth diaper in their hands rather than a disposable.

So as you plan for Mom to have some much-deserved time off, take one worry off the mind of Baby’s caregiver. Choose all-in-one cloth diapers, and keep things simple and easy so that the caregiver can instead concentrate on the joys of your blessed child.

As an experienced cloth diapering mom, Amanda White is well-versed in what it takes to make cloth diapers work for almost every family. Whether you’re new to the cloth diaper scene or a seasoned veteran, she has a story for you! She’s put together a FREE collection of her favorite all-in-one cloth diaper tips for you to use for your family today – [http://www.allinoneclothdiaper.net].

Florida health insurance that meets your health care needs is very essential. Over the past few years, the cost of Florida health insurance is on the rise. Because of the high cost, the number of uninsured in Florida continues to rise. The state government and certain non-profit organizations in Florida have taken efforts to reduce the cost of health insurance so as to provide medical care to those people who need it most.

Florida health insurance is for individuals as well as groups. It not only protects you, but also provides access to quality heath care services. Health insurance in Florida provides medical coverage to children up to age of 19, pregnant women, self employed individuals, and families. In Florida, the rate for health insurance varies significantly from one insurance company to another. You can save time as well as money by comparing the different health insurance plans in Florida.

In Florida, a wide range of health insurance plans are available to choose from. Most of them provide benefits such as the cost of medicine, prescriptions, doctor visits and hospital stays. The types of health insurance plans available in Florida include individual health insurance, small group health insurance including health savings accounts (HSA) and health reimbursement accounts (HRA); large group health insurance, and temporary health insurance.

To qualify for individual health insurance in Florida, you have to undergo a medical exam. If you qualify for a health insurance plan, then you have to pay the premium, based on your age and medical history. Individual health insurance plan in Florida is cheaper than group health insurance.

Finding an affordable Florida health insurance is time consuming. To find one seek the help of an insurance agent or an insurance broker. There are several websites that help to find the best health insurance plan in Florida. Florida-health-insurance.com and eHealthinsurance.com are some websites. Vista, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida, Inc., United Healthcare, and Humana Health Insurance Company are some of the leading companies that offer health insurance in Florida.

Health Insurance provides detailed information on Health Insurance, Health Insurance Quotes, Affordable Health Insurance, Health Insurance Plans and more. Health Insurance is affiliated with Health Insurance Company Ratings.