The Online Actos Blog

Self-esteem is very important. It is the way we view and feel about ourselves that has a profound effect on how we live our lives. These opinions are shaped by experiences within the family, at school, from friendships and in wider society. Self-esteem involves our ability to think, to deal with life and to be happy. Self-esteem is not so much how people view you, but how you view yourself.

From infancy we look for encouragement and approval. Yet our culture does not readily give this. Parents can be tough taskmasters in seeking the best for their children. Young people have a tendency to be intolerant or indifferent and often mock their peers who are clever or hard working. There is a constant bombardment of messages telling us we should be young, slim, beautiful, fashionably dressed, have a lover and money to spend. Even when we have pride in our ability and pride in ourselves, this can be regarded as being arrogant, boastful or conceited.

Rejection or loss at any age is likely to undermine self-esteem. Events like parents separating, an unsuccessful business deal, having an accident, a burglary or coping with a death are likely to provoke feelings of loss and threat. For some this is temporary, whilst for others the effects are longer-lasting.

On the other hand success is a great ego booster, and academic achievement can be an obvious signal of success. However a competitive environment can easily lead to self-doubt and insecurity. You may even feel that other people over-estimate your ability and this burden of expectation can lead to a sense of failure and impossibility.

However, what we feel about ourselves is not based solely on what we do. It usually involves our relationships with others and whether we feel worthwhile as people. We have a basic human need to be wanted, noticed, and included. We want to contribute, to be of value, and make a difference - in other words, to matter.

Our self-esteem will continually fluctuate and is affected by events and encounters with other people. We are also constantly judging and evaluating ourselves, often in comparison with others. Observing ourselves in relation to other people can be a helpful source of learning and feedback. Yet all too often comparison slips into competition and others become a yardstick by which we evaluate ourselves as good or bad, competent or inadequate.

The reality is we are all different. Each of us has strengths and limitations which we need to learn about and learn to live with. There are aspects of our behaviour and appearance we may seek to change or develop, but a sense of self is also based on self-awareness and self-acceptance.

Change is not easy. It means stepping into the unknown and taking a risk. Inevitably this means that some initiatives you take will work well, whilst others don’t work out as you hoped. You can help yourself by being realistic in your choices and seeing each success as a step in the right direction. This is why realistic goal setting is important.

Mark Claridge specializes in teaching motivational and self-development skills. In his new FREE e-book “Mindset and Match” he covers amongst other subjects how having the correct mindset can bring you all you want out of life and is available at http://www.inthe6th.com.

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Casinos and other forms of gambling are popping up in almost every state. Every other day you hear of a new Indian Tribe that is looking for recognition. Once they receive their recognition, investors look to back these people up and in turn a new Casino is born. People all over the United States are using their paychecks for a chance to win big. In turn all of the local businesses are suffering to the point where they are now starting to file bankruptcy. Eventually, someone in political power will finally admit that the amount of money taken in from taxes on gambling is significantly less than the hardship created with the economy. Most states take in millions of dollars from their casinos, scratch tickets and lotto, but they don’t want to deal with the negative impact on the local businesses. Everyone knows there is a problem, but no one wants to face it.

People have no problem in spending hundreds and thousands of dollars at the Casino’s but will quickly get upset when gas rises ten cents per gallon or their child needs more school supplies. One mother told me she was very upset that the school system did not completely cover a field trip and that it would cost her $15.00 for each of her two children. She called the school and complained. This same person had no problem the night before losing $1,300.00 at the local casino. There’s no logic to this situation. In another situation, a person would steal sweet and low, butter and rolls from her local diner. She had money in her wallet but that was reserved for gambling. In both of these situations family members knew they had a gambling problem only after they noticed their quality of life was changing.

Everyone now knows someone who has a gambling problem. They don’t understand how this has happed to a loved one, but they know something has to change. The same situation occurs when you find out your brother is an alcoholic. You can’t close down every bar and you can’t bring back prohibition. You have to face it head on and look for alternatives to help your brother.

People now are beginning to speak out as the epidemic continues. A lot of people don’t even realize they have this addiction until their resources run out. Gamblers tell their friends I won $2000.00 at the Casino on Saturday, but they neglect to tell them they lost $5000.00 and the week before. Bad information is being spread in turn the recipients of this information head to the casino in an attempt to win big. If everyone won Casino’s would be out of business.

I have seen thousands of gambler’s lives destroyed because they do not know how to quit. Through education we can succeed at finding alternatives to help these people.
You may find the following websites helpful:

I Stopped Gambling So Can You
http://www.istoppedgambling.com/

Stop Gambling Books

http://www.stop-gambling-books.com/

Compulsive Gambling Addiction

http://www.compulsive-gambling-addiction.org/

Howard Keith has an extensive background related to Gambling Addiction. He has interviewed compulsive gamblers, friends of gamblers and relatives of gamblers to get a better understanding.

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There are various sexual toys out there on the sex toy market and glass dildos are amazing marital aids to use or give to your boyfriend. Sensual aids can be works of art, as seen by the magnificent glass dildos on sale in shops. The elegant glass dildos are different as people can often control the warmth of the sexy toy. The difference in heat makes love making superb. Have fun with Sex Bomb.

The most brilliant thing about this sort of sexy toy is that they are durable. The martial toy can come in different sizes and can often be used for back passage love making. The great thing is the martial toys might well be placed in the microwave to quickly heat up. The thick glass holds the desired temperature so you can carry on with your baby making without having to adjust the temperature regularly.

Cleaning a sexual toy is easier than you think. Marital aids, especially glass dildos, might often be washed quickly. Wash it in soap and water or try a sensual aid cleaner from a sexy toy website. Glass dildos are beautiful sexy toys to help heat up your love life with your man. The first time your man uses a sex toy like a glass dildo they will have a marvellous orgasm. Toys can often be used at any time and are an awesome essential to any love life.

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While California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is known for his action films, few knew of his affinity for the sun. Turns out he is hell bent on converting California to solar.

3.2 Billion Dollar Plan

This past week, the State of California became the undisputed biggest proponent of solar power in the United States. Faced with a growing population, limited energy sources and the occasional rolling blackout each summer season, the state really had no choice. With backing from Governor Schwarzenegger, the state has just implemented the biggest solar industry subsidiary every undertaken by a state in an effort to quell the energy crunch.

On January 12, 2006, the California Public Utilities Commission voted 3 to 1 to adopt a plan to encourage the use of solar roof systems by residents through a 3.2 billion dollar rebate plan. Known as the California Solar Initiative, the goal is to convert as much as six percent of the peak energy demands in the state to solar platforms. Put in practical terms, the goal is place solar systems on roughly one million homes in the state, particularly new homes. Approximately 15,000 homes in the state now have solar systems for energy generation.

When in use, the residents will receive an astonishing rebate of $2.80 cents per watt on their utilities bill. On top of this subsidy, state residents will be able to claim tax credits from the federal government as well as direct subsidies.

In turn, California is hoping to both reduce the stress on the current electrical grid system while also avoiding the costs associated with building and running massive new power generating stations necessary to feed the energy crunch associated with a growing population. It is estimated the power generated through California Solar Initiative will be sufficient to replace the need for five massive, expensive new power generation complexes.

In addition to the economic benefits of the new plan, Californians going solar can reap significant benefits through net metering laws. Under such laws, residents will be able to tie solar platforms into utility electric grids and effectively sell power back to the California utilities. Depending on the size of the solar platform, net metering can result in reduction of electrical bills from 50 percent to complete elimination.

For a state suffering growth problems, the California Solar Initiative is a major move. After a crushing defeat at the polls in late 2005, the Governor has something to cheer.

Rick Chapo is with SolarCompanies.com, a directory of solar energy companies. Visit us to read more articles on solar power and renewable energy.

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Looking for a bit more mindfulness in your daily life? Relax. You’re soaking in it!

Perhaps you remember Madge the Manicurist, a television commercial character who commiserates with her clients about their chapped hands. While she is filing the nails of one hand, she conspiratorially confides that her client is actually soaking her other hand in Palmolive dishwashing liquid. After all, “It softens hands while you do the dishes.”

It was a memorable pitch–good visual, element of surprise, great what-it-will-do-for-you line. That commercial, in several variations, ran for nearly thirty years. Jan Miner, the actress who played Madge, died earlier this year at the age of 86, but her persona lives on.

Softening hands is nice, but here’s a better idea. How about softening our hearts while we do the dishes?

Seriously. There’s not a lot of multitasking you can do when you’re elbow-deep in suds. Singing works, though your dance moves are a bit limited. You could talk on your hands-free wireless phone, but let’s hope you can disconnect for the few minutes it takes to clean up after a meal.

Given free rein, our minds tend to go into worry mode. We’re likely to spin our stories, get locked into our beliefs, or ponder our personal list of things to do.

What if we got intentional about that time spent at the sink? Take advantage of the task and use those soapy bubbles as a trigger to be mindful.

Here’s how to do it:

1) Whenever you touch your bottle of Palmolive (or any other brand) dishwashing liquid, simply say to yourself, “Soften your heart.”

2) Before you can soften your heart, you’ve got to cleanse it of anger, frustration, or resistance. So, when you squirt that first blob of colorful liquid soap, say “Cleanse.”

3) As you wipe your dishes, swab your glasses, and scrub your pans, focus on the act of each stroke, every circular caress, and the repetitive and rhythmic series of motions. Scrub, rinse, drain, repeat.

4) Visualize the scouring of your heart, scrubbing the crusty residue of your overcooked stew of negative emotions and thoughts. Watch as your heart becomes pure again, sparkling clean and ready for the world.

We often get stuck in thinking that mindfulness is something we can develop only if we sit in meditation on a regular basis. Meditation is powerful, but so is the purposeful awareness cultivated in the most mundane moments throughout the day.

You won’t miss the thoughts you would’ve had while doing dishes, but you will definitely benefit from the focused attention on your heart and this remarkably simple way to restore equilibrium.

Madge the Manicurist encouraged us to soak in order to soften. By taking it one step further, you can ease into your dishwashing task with intention and emerge with a sense of lightness–as well as gleaming dishes.

Think of it as mindful multitasking, and scrub your way to a more balanced day.

Pass the sponge.

About The Author

Maya Talisman Frost is a mind masseuse offering specialized mindfulness training in Portland, Oregon. She is the mother of four teenage daughters. To subscribe to her free weekly ezine, the Friday Mind Massage, visit http://www.massageyourmind.com.

maya@mindmasseuse.com

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The Nokia 3109 classic is a Bar style mobile phone which has been very popular since its launch in June 2007. As a entry level mobile phone the 3109 classic is quite well featured when compared to more popular phones within this price band. The Nokia 3109 classic is a very well designed handset with a cutting edge feel to it.

The ring-tones on the 3109 classic are Polyphonic (64 channels), MP3, AAC plus a vibration alert. The 3109 classic supports 2G GSM 900 / 1800 / 1900 . A WAP 2.0/xHTML compatible browser is also included allowing mobile Internet access. Moving on to battery life the Nokia 3109 classic has 4:00 talk time and 380 hours standby time. The battery supplied with the 3109 classic is a Li-Ion 1020 mAh (BL-5C). Moving on to the display the mobile handset is supplied with a 1.8 inch screen, which, taking into consideration alternatives for this kind of money is a bit disappointing. A TFT, 256K colors display is fitted to this mobile handset. The Nokia 3109 classic is has bluetooth, making interactivity with the majority of contemporary mobile phone accessories as easy as possible. Compared to competitors models the Nokia 3109 classic is one of the smallest phones on the market. Colour wise the Nokia 3109 classic only comes in Grey. For a mobile handset of this type, in terms of weight, the Nokia 3109 classic scores pretty well at 89 g. Additionally the Nokia 3109 classic has the following additional features:

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Even though this is a pretty recent model, there are already much more advanced phones available. This means it is pretty easy to get a real bargain on the 3109 classic. If you are after a fantastic deal, order online where it is easy to find a huge number of really cheap offers to select from. Buying online can lead to some big cost savings, believe it or not, it is possible to get a contract with 6 months free line rental on the Nokia 3109 classic , which, if you are clever will not cost anything to run.

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If you want to multiply the sales of your ads and sales letters…then listen to this:

The very best ads and letters connect with their readers on more than just a surface level.

By that I mean, yes, they tickle their senses and stoke their desire to buy but they also do something else:

They get in sync with what their readers are thinking and feeling about.

They tap into their emotions and make people think the person who sent the letter is “one of them.” Someone who feels and understands what’s important to them.

Now, there are a lot of ways this can be done, but in this article I want to touch upon one that doesn’t seem to be talked about that much. And that is simply relating your ads, your offers and even your headlines (if applicable) to big news events that have just occurred.

Let’s take the high gas prices, for instance.

If you are writing to people who are really feeling the pressure at the pump, then that would be a great example of a news event that can be worked into your ad.

For example, in my area some of the savvier car dealerships are offering a certain amount of free gas and oil changes. And their sales, from what I’ve gathered, are through the roof on new cars.

And that’s just one example. There are all kinds of big news events going on every day.

The key is to know what people are reading about in the newspapers (and online), hearing about on the radio and watching on TV.

Because if you can work a big news event into your ad — even if it’s just a passing references (as long as it’s relevant, of course) — then you will be getting that much more in “sync” with your readers and making them that much more likely to buy from you.

Ben Settle is an expert copywriter and direct marketer. If you liked this article then check out Ben’s website at http://bensettle.com — and get your hands on over 500 pages of advertising ideas, strategies and tactics just like this one — as well as rare swipe file ads and hot marketing information not easily found anywhere else.

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If you live on Earth, you have heard about the deal between Country Music Legend Garth Brooks and mega super store, Wal-Mart. Brooks, who has always proved to be a marketing innovator, has inked a deal that is sure to set the music industry on fire. Recently parting from his label, Capitol Records, the deal grants sole distribution rights to Wal-Mart.

What can we learn from Garth? First, he’s all about the business, his fans, and marketing, something I speak about repeatedly both on my weekly radio show as well as in my book, The Indie Guide To Music, Marketing and Money. While Brooks has not recorded a new CD since 2001, his least successful by Brooks’s standards, this marketing genius still captures headlines, creating urgency for his music.

How does he do it? Brooks learned from his time in the trenches, when every label rejected him sometimes twice, it’s all about the business. Brooks took the business very seriously and handled his contract negations with incredible savvy and skill. One of the most important negations he made was to make sure he owned the masters to his own music.

Because Brooks owned the music, he received a higher percentage of the gross, which helped insure he covered the recoupable costs the labels receive. Ultimately, whether he was still with Capitol or not, he owned his music and that enabled him to be able to do whatever he wanted with it.

A big mistake label seekers make when in negotiations is to let go of their rights in order to get the “prize.” If you give up your rights and your label shelves the project and drops you, anything you created is theirs, even if you wrote the music. You can’t take it with you unless you have a lot of money and a really great lawyer. But even so, the label has the final say.

There is a lot we can learn from the masters and this is one lesson I hope everyone is able to hold on to; learn the business and always get legal advice and counsel before you go into contract negotiations. If you don’t know a really great entertainment attorney, I have a few I would highly recommend. Here is their contact information: Jordan Keller and Miller Hogan of Lassiter, Tidwell and Hildebrand (615) 259-9344. To find out more about these two lawyers go to: http://www.lassiterlaw.com. Jordan, whose clients include the Backstreet boys will be on my show in a few weeks, so don’t miss it! To a better day in every way ~ Jaci Rae “The Rae of Hope” Copyright 2005 Jaci Rae

Jaci Rae is the #1 Best Selling author of “Winning Points with the Woman in Your Life One Touchdown at a Time” ISBN 0974622907 and “The Indie Guide To Music, Marketing and Money” ISBN 978-0-9746229-4-1 as well as the host of the Jaci Rae show. Dubbed by the media as “Racy Jaci” because of her quick wit and “The Rae of Hope,” for her powerful insight, please make sure to check her out at: http://www.jacirae.com To hear Jaci’s popular show, with some of the top behind the scenes as well as famous bands go to: http://www.jacirae.com click on the weekly show link.

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Public Livelihood & Image

Members of the Royal Family take part in a lot of official functions ever year, all through the UK, as officially documented in the Court Circular, to honour, promote & hear about the successes or endeavours of people foundations & enterprises in a range of sections of life. As representatives of the sovereign, they recurrently unite with the British Nation in honouring past times, breaks, celebratory and catastrophic occurrences, & by and large also funds or takes part in several generous, artistic and public activities.

Their journeys abroad on behalf of the United Kingdom (called State Trips when the Queen publicly visits other government bodies) attracts public notice to good-natured relations within and between the Commonwealth and other nations, to British commodities & trade, and to Britain as a historical, vacation, & holiday location. Their present tasks & time-honoured roles represents the height of an up to date “royal court,” and supply a clearly British & historical pomp to official services (For example, Trooping the Colour) and outlook to public proceedings (For example, Garden Parties, Ascot).

During their lives they draw a huge amount of journalist exposure in the shape of photo, newspaper & radio commentary concerning their daily lives, family affairs, rites of passage, personalities, garments, actions, & public duties. The England tourism board has plenty of information about the English Royal Family.

Royal Payment

Money that support the Monarch in the operation of her obligations as the chief of state of the United Kingdom comes from the Civil List. This is a return of a tiny segment of the takings from the Crown Lands that are offered by the sovereign to parliament at the inauguration of each reign; all Crown Land being administered by The Crown Estates, an organisation accountable to parliament. In the 2003-04 monetary year, the total given was one hundred and seventy six million pounds, where the Queen’s spending was only thirty six million pounds. The Head of State’s spending doesn’t encompass the price of guards.

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I love trains both as a hobby and the real thing. Even as hobbyist we care about the heart of our transportation system - the railroads.

In this particular discussion I would like to provide you with a condition that affects the economic stability of the Pacific Northwest and perhaps the Nation.

Railroads have been a significant part of the Seattle/Tacoma metropolitan region for over a century. So has the ability of the ships of the sea bringing us goods to be shipped by the railroads across our vast land. However, a man made disaster has begun do to bad management and the lack of foresight.

The Seattle/Tacoma combined ports are designated as the ninth largest in the World and the third largest in the United States. This is a feather in the cap of those who have helped build such an industry. There is a catch to this progress. The railroads can’t get the goods out of Seattle/Tacoma. It is going to get worse because the Seattle Port Authority has bought three super cranes that have the capability to reach out over a ship that is 100 meters wide. These ships are in design in Korea. They can hold an immense load of containers that range in the thousands.

To give you an idea of how fast a container can be loaded onto the ship and the same time off the ship is about a minute and a half each direction. Very skilled Long Shore men do this 24/7. The cost of a ship in port can range from $1500.00 and up per hour. So the loading and unloading has to be fast but so does the ability of the railroads to handle these containers. At the present time the railroads can’t mange the requirement to meet the shipping goals. This is without the super ships.

To give an example of how bad the situation is was the loss of the Nissan contract to this West Coast port for all of their cars and trucks. They moved to Long Beach, California. This was costly for Seattle and for Nissan. The city lost major revenue and Nissan lost a day at sea travel. It is closer to Seattle from Asia by one day than to the ports to the South. It cost approximately $43,000 a day at sea.

With this in mind we shall look at the four railroads that once existed in this region. Prior to some of the major mergers in the railroad industry the railroads in this area consisted of the Great Northern, Northern Pacific, Union Pacific and the Milwaukee Road.

With the advent of specialized flat cars the railroads could now carry two containers one on top of the other with a maximum of four containers per car. Unfortunately only two of these railroads could carry the double stacks as they are called. With the merger of the Great Northern/Northern Pacific and CB&Q into the Burlington Northern and eventual the Santa Fe to become the Burlington Northern Santa Fe plus the demise of the Milwaukee Road we had only two rail passes across the Cascades. The Union Pacific route is south to Portland and east through the Columbia River Gorge.

Two get the double stacks through the mountains you have to have tunnels that can stand the height of the double stack freight cars. At present only one tunnel can do that. That is through the North Cascade Tunnel of the BNSF through Stevens Pass. Problem, the tunnel is about 7.8 miles long. It originally had electrified engines to pull the freight and passenger trains though the tunnel. Now they use diesel engines which create poisons gas in the tunnel. Because of this the railroad was required to build huge fans to suck the gasses out before another train could enter the tunnel. This creates a delay of 20 to 30 minutes to accomplish. Basically you loose a half a day of traveling time.

Second the Northern Pacific route through the Cascades was shut down for economic reasons. More recently the line has been reopened because of traffic problems but it has a problem. The Stamped Pass tunnel is to low to handle double stacks. The railroad is thinking about either re-drilling the tunnel or building a new tunnel adjacent to the old one because of other problems with the present tunnel.

The third and worst problem of all for the railroad situation was allowing the Milwaukee Road to fall into bankruptcy by both bad management and a bunch of arrogant railroads. This railroad is vital to help get the products in and out of the two port areas. It has the lowest ruling grade of the other two tracks of 1%. The other two tracks ruling grade is in excess of 2%. The Milwaukee Cascade tunnel was designed for electrification and had to have extra clearance in the tunnel to allow for the workman to maintain the system. This would allow for double stacks with plenty of clearance.

The Union Pacific halls double stacks all the time but with one draw back. The track goes some 180 miles to the south before heading east.

This total inadequacy has become a head ache that may shut down a great deal of our commerce and unfortunately no body is doing anything about. They just talk about it. The cost to re-track the Milwaukee Road to Spokane, Washington will be peanuts compared to the cost of getting a poorly managed port(s) and railroad right aways fixed when the super cargo ships arrive on the seen.

Joy Ball has been involved in the restoration and maintenance of a variety of Brass Model Locomotives. Through her years of expertise, Mrs. Ball has perfected the art of train restoration often spending countless hours preserving vintage Brass Locomotive to the running condition of even the newest Brass Model Replicas. It should be noted that the above article was written by Joy’s husband Michael Ball. Receive her free newsletter at http://www.brasslocomotiveworks.com

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