The Dodecanese is a complex of over 163 islands and islets, set in the Aegean Sea, of which only 26 are inhabited. The islands form part of Greece's eastern border with Turkey. The largest islands of the Dodecanese are: Rhodes, Kos, Astipalea, Kalymnos, Karpathos, Kassos, Kastelorizo, Leros, Nisyros, Patmos, Symi and Tilos.

In the summer the prevailing wind is the Meltemi that blows from the N � NW. It blows from June through to October and at its peak may reach a force 7. The spring and autumn sees winds from the SE, usually with strengths between 2 � 4. Summer temperatures can rise to 35 deg C. The winters are mild.

The Dodecanese have been inhabited since prehistoric times. They were ruled first by the Minoans and then the Achaeans. But their economic and intellectual development began with the arrival of the Dorians in 1100. Kos prospered in the 4th and the 3rd century BC because of the School of Medicine founded there by Hippocrates. The Romans occupied the islands in 146 BC to be followed by the long Byzantine period till the time of the Crusaders. In 1309 the Knights of the Order of Saint John became the rulers of Rhodes and then extended their sovereignty to the other islands as well. In 1522 the islands fell to the Turks and in 1912 by the Italians. The islands of Dodecanese were united with Greece in 1948.

Patmos is in the north of the Dodecanese. Skala Patmos is the natural harbour on the eastern side of the island. Care is needed when approaching Skala, as there are several reefs. When the Meltemi is blowing the approach is subject to fierce gusts off the surrounding high land. Yachts can go bow or stern to the quay. The bottom is sand and weed and holding is good. There is reasonable shelter from the Meltemi but strong SE winds make the harbour untenable. Water is available on the quay and fuel can be delivered. Most provisions ca be obtained at Skala and there are good waterfront tavernas.
A visit to the monastery of St John is worthwhile but appropriate dress should be worn. Other anchorages on Patmos include: Ormos Meloyi, Ormos Livadhi, Ormos Kambos, Ormos Stavros and Ormos Grikou.

Arki lies 6 miles to the NE of Patmos. Yachts can anchor at Port Augusta. The bottom is good holding in mud and weed and the shelter is good. The only facilities are a couple of tavernas on the waterfront.

Nisos Lipso lies 2 miles to the S of Arki. There is a small harbour at the village of Lipso. Yachts can go bow or stern to the quay on the W side. Alternatively anchor of in the bay. The bottom is sand, mud and weed and the holding is bad. Water and fuel are available on the quay. Most provisions can be obtained in the village and there are several good tavernas on the waterfront serving fresh fish. The village is attractive and unspoilt by tourism. There are several bays on the south coast that yachts can anchor in.

Nisis Gaidharos is the northern most of the Dodecanese and lies only 8 miles of the Turkish coast. Ay Yeoryiou lies on the south coat of Gaidharos. Yachts can go bow or stern to the northern part of the ferry quay. Holding is good as I shelter from the Meltemi but strong southerlies make the harbour untenable. Provisions are limited and there are 3 tavernas.

Leros lies just to the north of Kalimnos. The island has spring water and parts of Leros are wooded and green. Lakki is in the SW of the island. Yachts can go bow or stern to in the marina and pick up a laid mooring line. There is water and electric at every berth. Most provisions can be obtained and there are tavernas nearby.

Ormos Parhteni is a large bay on the coast of Leros. Yachts can anchor in the eastern end of the bay. The south coast is a military installation and yachts are prohibited, as is photography of any part of the bay.

Ormos Alindas is a deep bay on the eastern coast. In the absence of a northerly wind yachts can go bow or stern to the mole. Alternatively anchor off on the western side of the pier. There is water near the quay and fuel in the village. Most provisions can be obtained and there are some tavernas on the waterfront.

Pandeli lies to the south of Ormos Alindas. Yachts can go bow or stern to the outer part of the mole or alternatively anchor off the beach. Good holding on a bottom of sand and weed. There is water on the quay and fuel can be delivered. Some provisions can be obtained but Platanos, a 15 minute walk away, provides better shopping. The setting is most attractive with bougainvillea, oleander and tamarisk growing everywhere in the village.

Kalimnos lies just to the south of Leros. It is in the main a barren island though there are some green valleys.

Pothia is the capital and is the centre of what remains of Greece's sponge fishing industry. Although most of the sponges are now taken from the North African coast. Yachts can go bow or stern to the quay in the SW just N of the ferry quay. The bottom in mud and weed and the holding is only moderate. There is good shelter from the Meltemi. There is water on the quay and fuel can be delivered. All provisions can be obtained and there are plenty of tavernas to choose from.

Vathi lies on the eastern side of Kalimnos. Yachts can go bow to the pier or the quay. The bottom is sand and weed and provides good holding. There is water on the quay and limited provisions can be obtained in the small village. The valley inland is very attractive with orange and lemon groves.

Pserimos is a small island just to the E of Kalimnos. Pserimos village is on the SW side. Yachts should anchor of where convenient. There are tavernas on what is a fine beach. This attracts tripper boats from the surrounding islands and the place gets packed in the summer.

In the primeval days of August 2008, we armed you with a response if anyone were to ever ask you what you’d buy instead of a Maybach: Aston Martin’s £1,000,000 (AU$2,227,215) One-77 supercar.

A couple of new images, and a wee bit more detail, has since emerged. The inside word is that we should expect to see the One-77 loaded with a 7.3 litre V12, shoving 522kW out the back and you into your seat with 750Nm of torque. All of that power will be put down courtesy of a mid-mounted six-speed semi-automatic manual transmission, with Auto Shift Manual (which means you can’t blow it up as easily) and Select Shift Manual.

The two-seater One-77 will be available in both left- and right-hand-drive (hallelujah!), and, to make the most of the phenomenal power, the body panels will be crafted by hand from the finest aluminium, and the monocoque frame from carbon fibre. This will help the supercar maintain a respectable 1496kg.

Other neat features include a deployable rear spoiler (no word on whether you’ll need a Veyron-like key to activate the function), adaptive suspension, carbon ceramic brakes (of course), as well as stability/traction control.

Only 77 units of the One-77 will be offered.

Men are creatures of habit and can wear the same costume year after year, but this year is different and sales of mens costumes have increased rapidly fun seems to be the theme for men this year as the are dressing up as some very zany characters.

Number 5

The Genie of the lamp, we wont go into too much detail about this costume as it is a little rude, lets just say that apart from raising some eyebrows wearing this costume will certainly get you noticed this halloween and be warned there will be a lot of inuendo flying around if you choose to wear this to your Halloween party.

Number 4

The movie has been around for some time now but the edward scissorhands costume is still as popular this year as it ever was, it is cutting up the opposition, and should be considered a classic Halloween costume.

Number 3

Hippie dude a throwback from the sixties is very popular amongst the men this year and are becoming more and more difficult to find in the stores, wearing this costume to a halloween party will have you chilled out and swinging all night.

Number 2

It takes a braver man than me to even consider wearing this costume, yes it is fun and you would get some funny looks all night especially if you were standing in a dark corner. count dracula has always been popular at this time of year but his blow up friend will turn a few heads (no pun intended).

Number 1

The simpsons characters have been popular at Halloween for many years now and this year is no exception, the number one character costume for men this year is Krusty the green haired clown,expect to see a lot of clowns this year at halloween as he is out selling any other costume by 3-1.

This years Girls are heavily influenced by television with four out of the top five selling costumes coming from their favourite TV shows, which leads us nicely to our list.

Number 5

On this years top selling girls costumes list, High School Musical and High School Musical 2 have given girls a new Heroine to look up to and aspire to be, Gabriella is a big favourite amongst girls of all ages and the Gabriella costumes are flying off the shelves.

Number 4

Hannah Montanna, was a hit last Halloween and the costumes are still selling like hot cakes this year hence the number 4 position, this T.V character is a popular figure for girls from 4-16 and I am sure this costume will be featured in the top 5 next year.

Number 3

Going away from T.V for this one the little Princess costume, has always been popular amongst younger girls and at number 3 this year is no exception.

Number 2

Back to television and surprisingly a lot of girls this year want to be a male character this character is yellow square wears brown shorts and lives in a pineapple under the see, yes it's Sponge bob girls are snapping up these costumes for Halloween this year. or is it sponge babe square skirt?

Number 1

From Television again and selling out as soon as they hit the shelves is the JoJo's Circus Costume, this costume is hot hot hot this year and it is getting more and more difficult for suppliers to keep up with the demand for them.

Everyοne has felt a little run dοwn frοm time tο time. We live stress filled lives that rarely allοw fοr unstructured mοments and any attentiοn οn οur health. But tο avοid taking care οf οurselves is a harmful decisiοn, even if it is uncοnsciοus. What yοu may need is sοmething tο kick-start yοur health and tο create the impetus fοr change in yοur health habits. What yοu might need is a bοdy detοx.



Are yοu ready fοr a detοx?



Yοu may nοt even realize that it’s time fοr bοdy cleansing in yοur life. Mοst οf us dismiss fatigue and pοοr digestiοn οn a lack οf sleep οr pοοr eating habits, when in fact, it might be frοm the fact that οur bοdies aren’t wοrking the way that they shοuld. Here are sοme basic signs that yοu might need a bοdy detοxificatiοn:



•Fatigue that isn’t helped by adding mοre sleep

•Pοοr digestiοns – cοnstipatiοn and/οr diarrhea

•Pale skin

•Lack οf fοcus

•Prοblems cοncentrating

•Depressiοn



What yοur bοdy is trying tο tell is that it needs help, mοre help than yοu’ve been giving it. And with a bοdy cleansing detοxificatiοn οn yοur calendar, yοu can alsο change οther parts οf yοur life that have led tο this οverwhelming sense οf pοοr health.

What yοu’ve been dοing wrοng



If yοu’re being hοnest with yοurself, yοu’ve prοbably been chοοsing the wrοng fοοds fοr keeping yοur bοdy’s energy up. Yοu may be chοοsing prοcessed fοοds οver bοdy cleansing fresh fοοds, and drinking mοre cοffee than water. Yοu might alsο be taking in mοre alcοhοl tο deal with stress as well as smοking οr taking illegal drugs. All οf these pοοr health chοices are causing yοur bοdy tο lοse its natural bοdy detοxificatiοn prοcesses. Yοur bοdy can alsο bοunce back quite easily with the right bοdy cleansing system such as the Iοncleanse.

Detοxing yοur bοdy is the best gift that yοu can give it when yοu’re cοnstantly under stress. Whether yοu have a few days tο fοllοw a prοgram οr a whοle week, it’s gοing tο help yοu tremendοusly.

Ladies tend to be sexy witches or sexy goths but as they ready themselves for Halloween and this year is no different, women always like to choose costumes that befit the Halloween spirit, but they also choose costumes that will flatter their appearance and make them look sexy at the same time.

In at number 5

this year is the Gothic Nymph costume, it is so popular that it has completely sold out on Amazon.com. with its Knee length high heeled boots Fishnet stockings and leather corset it is a sure fire winner for any Halloween gathering and it will be sure to grab the attention of every man in the room.

Number 4

For the ladies this year, is from a movie, and this costume also has Knee length boots, no stockings this time but it has a very short black skirt and a sexy black top, their is a picture of a yellow bat on the top, have you guessed who it is yet. Of course you have it's Bat Girl.

Number 3

If you like car racing then you can be Hotrod girl this year, this costume is flying off the shelves, daring and sexy and skintight, this costume will set pulses racing when you walk into the room.

Number 2

Black cats are said to be the pets of witches and black cat costumes are very popular with the ladies this year and when the males set eyes on them,a trousersuit with a low cut top that leaves very little for the imagination and a tail that men will be pulling at all night this costume is sure to get you noticed this year.

Number 1

Is a strange costume based on a party game, but it is very popular this year hence the number 1 position, have you ever played Twister? most of us have at some point in our lives but who would have thought that it could look so good as a costume, beware this costume could put you in some very awkward positions.

How To Get Slim With Healthy Eating HabitsHow To Get Slim With Healthy Eating Habits

Many women want to be slim. Maybe you're one of them. Perhaps you're getting married soon and you want to fit into your wedding gown comfortably. Or perhaps you simply want to look (and feel) great in a swimsuit or bikini.

Whatever your reason for wanting to be slim, there are some things you can do to become slim while staying healthy. If you are reading this article, chances are you want to know what those things are. Read on then, to find out.

First thing is to assess your current eating habits. This is important because you need to know what's not working. If your current eating habits are keeping you overweight, and you want to be slim, it figures that you need to change those eating habits. If something is not working, change it.

Assessing your current eating habits.

Keep a record of your eating habits for a week. The record should contain the following information:

• What you are eating
• How much you're eating
• When you eat (note the times) you want to know how far apart your meals and snacks are.
• Why you're eating at those times is it because you're hungry, or are you 'comfort eating'?
• How you feel after eating pleasantly satisfied or bloated and stuffed.
• How many glasses of water you drink each day

When you find out your current eating habits, you'll need to determine which habits are sabotaging your efforts to lose weight. Those are the ones you want to change. More on that later.

Goal Setting

Determine what your weight goal is. Or you may prefer to monitor your progress in terms of your waistline or hip measurements. Whichever one suits you is best.

Form a mental picture of yourself looking the way you want to look. Goals are more powerful and empowering when we visualize them. Hold that mental picture in your mind at all times.

NOTE: Eating healthily is not all there is to getting slim. You must become more physically active (read 'exercise') in addition to eating properly if you're to lose weight permanently. This article deals with the healthy eating part of that equation.

Action Plan

Now that you know what your ideal size is, you have a goal that you're working towards. You need to then determine a plan of action to help you achieve that goal.

To help you decide on the right plan, bear in mind that eating should be a pleasure. Ask yourself the following questions:

• Which nutritious foods do I enjoy eating ?
• How soon after eating do I get hungry again? Most adults get hungry about 3 to 4 hours after eating a meal.
• Do I eat only when I'm hungry? Hint: You should.
• How can I stay full? Drink lots of water. Scientists recommend between 6 and 8 glasses of water daily. Your body needs it, and it helps you stay full.

With the answers to those questions in mind, form an action plan, and start a new daily record to help you keep track of your progress. This new record should contain the same columns as your initial current habits record. This way you can monitor each improvement and celebrate accordingly.

When deciding on which actions to take, you need to refer back to your initial assessment of your current eating habits. Decide which habits are preventing you from losing weight. Write down alternative habits that you want to cultivate, which will help you get slim.

These new habits you want to form are now your 'targets' milestones on your way to your ideal body shape and size.

Taking Action

To form healthy eating habits, start with small changes.

Don't make too many changes at once. Set yourself main targets, such as 'I will drink 8 glasses of water each day', then set smaller targets to help you reach each main target.

Using the example above, a small target could be 'I will drink an extra glass of water after each meal'. When you break down your targets, they don't seem so daunting. They seem easily achievable, so you feel encouraged to stick to them.

Decide on the foods you will be eating regularly. Make sure they're foods you enjoy.

Eat small portions, about 5 or 6 times each day, instead of three large meals. This helps keep your metabolic rate high, and helps you lose weight naturally.

How to stay motivated to continue eating healthily

1. Believe that you can do it, and accept responsibility for your health and for the way your body looks.
2. Reward yourself each time you successfully complete a small target. Celebrate each small success don't wait until you've lost tons of weight before you reward yourself. Make the journey enjoyable by treating yourself each time you make progress.
3. Keep in mind what you hope to achieve remind yourself of how lovely and healthy your body is becoming each day as a result of your new eating habits. Remember, each small step in the right direction is bringing you closer to your main target.

With a clear goal in mind, a feasible action plan and tips to help you stay motivated, you should find it easy to form habits that keep you slim and healthy at the same time.

Here's to your new healthy eating habits!

You'd like to buy a vacation home, but you're not sure where to begin. Perhaps the single most important point to determine up front is why you are buying a vacation home. Are you trying to generate income by renting the property? Would you like to have a place to take your family every year that will likely appreciate in value? Would you prefer some flexibility in location and like to vacation at a different spot each year?

Once you determine your needs in a vacation home, it is wise to understand some of the options available to you in buying a second home. Probably the most straight-forward is to consider purchasing a home outright. If you can't afford the full price of homes in the area you desire, there are still a couple of options available for you. One is to consider purchasing a home with friends or family, while another is to look into timesharing. All these options have nuances to consider in relation to your needs and means.

By purchasing the home yourself, you have the most control over the property and can capture all of the gains and benefits associated with owning real property. You may also be able to offset some of your expenses by renting out the home in peak seasons. Be sure to investigate federal income tax laws so you can make the most of any potential tax breaks. Also ask about zoning, covenants, land use in areas surrounding your property, and property management fees. In some areas these restrictions may prevent you to use your property as you wish. Additionally, be prepared to pay as much as 25% of your rental income in property management fees for weekly rentals.

If you decide to purchase a home with friends or family, make sure to put the agreement and all terms in writing. You may want to do most of this in advance as many homes go quickly and it will help target your search to the right kinds of homes. You may also want to consider homes with features that allow all the owners to be at the home at once (multiple masters, separate living spaces, etc). Again, the questions and concerns above should be considered.

If all this is too complicated, inflexible or expensive and you've come to the conclusion that timesharing is right for you, be aware that a timeshare purchase is not an investment. Most units depreciate over time and the resale market is tricky to navigate. If you are buying with a resort developer, make sure they are financially stable. Also be sure to find out what they offer for buying through them as opposed to the resale market. At times, the resale market will offer the same unit and season at a fraction of the price the developer is offering. You'd also be wise to arrange for your financing in advance, as developer financing is usually offered at above market rates.

Lastly, don't buy on a whim. You didn't buy your primary residence that way, and you shouldn't buy a second home without due diligence. Research the location. Make sure the area has the amenities and recreation you desire, allows you to use the property as you wish, and is within your budget.

Reid Colson is a Principal in Bridlewood, a custom home builder serving the Central Virginia market. Bridlewood builds custom homes and vacation getaways for discriminating buyers. They are committed to providing the highest levels of professional service and consistent communication throughout the design and building process.

Receiving free advertising is the dream of most business people. Ifyou've ever found yourself frosting at the mouth over how yourcompetitor got interviewed on the news or how they are alwayshighlighted in the local paper, then read on. Maybe next time you canbeat them to the punch and reach thousands at no cost.

The only way to get lots of free advertising is to develop a Press Kit, alsocommonly called a Media Kit. Once you've produced a folder full ofinformation about you and your business, present it to your local mediapeople - editors, producers and writers. A good Press Kit shows thatyou're media-savvy and that you understand how the game is played.

A Press Kit is a necessary marketing tool. It's a folder containinginformation that will help reporters write an accurate story about yourbusiness. It helps reporters save time and improve accuracy. Reportersdon't have to spend time on follow-up calls to the source (you) for moreinformation or to double check numerous facts. You've provided them allfor them. Your respect for Media people with be appreciated and yourtime in developing this package will not be wasted.

It's usually assumed that the only people who need Press Kits are theNon- or Not-for-profit sectors, doing work and raising funds for specialneeds groups. Not so!

Musicians with upcoming gigs or CD releases.

Grass roots Political groups needing positive attention drawn to theircause.

Companies with new products they'd like reviewed by Trade andCommercial Publications and Newspapers, TV Programs, Websites andspecific Radio Talk Shows.

New companies just opening their doors.

A company which has won an Industry Award.

A company sponsoring an event, fundraiser or just for fun.

A business person seeking to become a Specialist in their industry togarner regular media attention in order to increase exposure and sales.

Most big businesses have a Press Kit prepared and regularly updatedfor use at a moments' notice.

Your company has just received major media attention and you wantthe world to know!

Your company has sponsored a contest, survey or charitable eventthat people would have an interest in being involved in.

Sound like a lot of work? Initially it can be, but it's worth the sweat equityyou put into it. Develop a well written Press Kit, including productinformation, a personal biography and a list of questions for yourinterviewer and you'll be placed in front of thousands in no time, for free.You'll be the industry specialist. You'll be the one everyone calls onbecause nobody knows better than you. Best of all, you'll be the one thecustomers call and it didn't cost you a dime.

Linda Laforge-Koebel is an advertising professional dedicated to thebusiness success of her clients. To find more resources or to sign up forthe Business Booster newsletter visit her at: http://www.CreativeEngineer.com or contact her by email at: linda@creativeengineer.com

article source: adzines.com

Imagine you are standing among 22,000 people. It is 6 o’clock in the morning and you are waiting for a starting gun to fire so you can run 26.2 miles. On June 4, 2006, that is where I was and for me it was a dream come true. Two years and four months earlier I was twenty-five and sitting on a hospital bed. Upon reaching down to tie my shoes, I could not remember how. The week before I had slipped into a semi-coma after cancer spread to my brain.

Not only could I not tie my shoes but also had to re-learn how to walk. Through that experience, I discovered three principles of success. They helped me conquer cancer and run a marathon. You can use these same principles in your life to overcome challenges, and achieve greater success personally as well as professionally.

Visualize Your Victory

A timeless truth says, "Where there is no vision the people perish." What is your vision for your life? What do you want to do, be, and have? The first step is to be able to see your vision in your mind’s eye. Just as I laid in the hospital bed, picturing myself running a marathon, you must do the same for your vision. Once you can do that, it becomes a definite major purpose. This moves the vision from your mind to the physical world.

Take Action

Will Rogers said, "Even if you are on the right track you will get run over if you just sit there." How do you run a marathon? One-step at a time. In order to fulfill your vision you have to take action every single day. It does not matter how small it is. The key is to do something everyday that moves you closer to your vision. This builds momentum. Think back to science class and inertia. Objects at rest tend to stay at rest, while objects in motion stay in motion.

Check Your Attitude

According to Charles Swindoll, "The single most significant decision we can make on a day to day basis is our choice of attitude." In order to complete a marathon I had to have the belief it was possible. Daily I had to check the negative self-talk and the self-defeating inner dialogue. The little voice that says it is impossible. Once you have the attitude that your vision is possible, you will take the necessary action.

Success like a marathon is an endurance event. It does not happen overnight but is a series of action steps progressing to a worthwhile goal. Crossing the finish line was one of the greatest victories in my life. Through Visualizing your Victory, Taking Action, and Checking your Attitude you will be able to cross the finish lines in your life.

Matt Jones is a 3x cancer conqueror, author three books and completed a marathon. Through his story, Matt inspires audiences to thrive in the midst of adversity and exceed present levels of success. For more information or contact him to speak visit www.MatthewDJones.com

Attorneys are all about money, right?

We're the ones who cue our families for photographs with, "Everybody smile and say, 'Fees!'" Go ahead. Insert your own joke here. We can take it. But despite the jokes and our reputation, most of us are businessmen, too. We understand the need to control costs. We don't like wasting anyone's time, either.

We're just like you. We thrive on referrals and return business. If we gouge clients, a lot of people hear about it.

So I'm here, as an attorney, to tell you how to keep your legal costs under control. I've enjoyed twenty years in my career with firms ranging in size from more than 500 lawyers to firms with less than five attorneys. It's this simple: When companies follow these nine keys for hiring and using legal counsel, they crunch their legal costsand actually increase the quality of their legal representation.

Key #1. Get the right lawyer for the job.

Get the lawyer whose practice focuses on the narrow area of law in which you need assistance. (This almost always means you need more than one law firm doing your legal work, by the way.)

Choosing the right lawyer can save you big money in the long run. The focus of my practice is international dispute resolution. Many times, the best way to collect a debt owed by a foreign company (particularly if that company is based in an emerging market country) is to seize an asset of that company in a foreign country. Suing these companies in the United States is very expensive. Many countries do not fully recognize U.S. judgments. You sue here and take the judgment there, only to learn you essentially need to sue again and win in your debtor company's home country. Seizing your debtor's valuable asset in a neutral third country can oftentimes be the best solution.

The problem is that many, if not most, of the contracts my clients or their attorneys ask me to collect on outside of the United States weren't written with that in mind. Why not? Because they weren't written by an international lawyer. In these cases, I'm only brought in as the specialist to do damage control long after the agreement is executed. Many of these contracts state very explicitly that the client's home city is the only jurisdiction in which any lawsuit might be brought. So what happens? Such a provision can preclude action in some foreign countries and make seizure in all of them more problematic.

I had a recent case where I am certain we could have collected a million dollars for the client in an overseas jurisdiction had there not been a provision requiring litigation in an East Coast state. My East Coast client may have saved a few hundred dollars by having his regular lawyer draft the contract, but in the end, it may have cost them a million dollars.

Choosing the specialist usually saves money in the short term as well. My next door neighbor asked me to be her lawyer in purchasing a house from her parents. (A reminder: I do international dispute resolution.) I made clear I had absolutely no real estate background and that this transfer would be far more complicated than she probably realized.

My neighbor needed an attorney with experience in these deals. I knew such a deal should be structured to legally minimize various taxes and I told her that if she used someone without experience in this specific arealike meshe increased the likelihood of missing out on some tax benefit. Still, the clincher was when I told her that it would take someone like me around 30 hours to do such a project, while someone who was familiar with the legal territory would probably get it done in half the time.

I recommended a top-flight real estate lawyer with a tax background and told my neighbor she should expect legal fees of at least $3,500. She mentioned that the lawyer I'd recommended had completed the job, tax benefits intact, for much less.

I was shocked by the low fees and called the real estate lawyer for an explanation (I actually thought he had cut my neighbor a break as a favor to me). The lawyer told me it had taken him only three hours for the job because he does about twenty of these transactions a year. That means there is no need for him to research the tax laws each time so what would take me 30 hours takes him three.

This illustrates an old adage about the best way to find the best lawyer for your particular matter: solicit suggestions from your regular lawyer, or a friend who is an attorney. However, you need to ask for more than, for example, someone who has ever done a trademark registration. In that case, you'll probably be passed off to another lawyer in his firm that has handled a few trademarks rather than getting the name of a well-respected trademark lawyer outside the firm. Using the in-firm corporate generalist for your trademark work will prove mighty expensive if that generalist misses something in the registration.

Key #2: Stay in constant communication with your lawyer.

It may seem completely counter-intuitive that constantly communicating with your lawyer will save you money, but it almost surely will.

In reality, staying in good communication with your lawyer is the rough equivalent of regularly changing the oil in your car. It costs money each time, but a blown engine or (in the case of legal services) a big lawsuit is going to cost you a lot more in the long run than a few oil changes or phone calls along the way.

This brings me right to the next key:

Key #3: Know your goals and tell your lawyer [WHAT THEY ARE}.

This is an "ouch" item. Remember the old Rolling Stones song "You Can't Always Get What You Want"? With your counsel, "You Won't Ever Get What You Want" if you don't know what you want to achieve through legal representation.

It's your lawyer's job to explain various possible outcomes of a case or transaction, but it's your job to know what your goals are. You are always going to know your business better than your lawyer.

Many years ago, a client came to me about six months into some highly contentious litigation with his business partner. The client had already spent around $50,000 on this case he had brought, but he had a vague sense of uneasiness about it. His regular corporate counsel had referred him to me for a second opinion regarding the litigation.

I met with the client for a few hours and learned that he wanted me to make sure his lawyers were handling the case properly. During this conversation, the client must have told me at least ten times that he never wanted to do business with his partner again. I told him I would review the entire case file and get back to him in a few days.

When we met again a few days later, I told him that his lawyers had been doing a fine job. Again, he kept mentioning how he never wanted to do business with his partner again.

I then asked him whether he realized that no matter what happened in his lawsuit against his business partner, they would still be partners at the end. Here's the "ouch": it turns out the client had thought that victory in his lawsuit would remove his partner from the partnership. The client had fifty grand into this process, and that goal of dissolving the partnership just wasn't going to happen.

I then spoke with litigation counsel who confirmed the lawsuit could never achieve that objective. The lawsuit was just to seek compensation from the partner for business he had allegedly diverted to another of his companies that should have gone to the partnership. We met a few times with his partner (who actually wanted out of the partnership). Within a few weeks, we achieved a settlement that removed the partner from my client's businessand ended the litigation that should never have been started in the first place.

Key #4: Avoid Litigation.

Being sued or finding yourself in a position where you have no real choice but to sue should almost always be avoided. This is easier said than done, but by living up to your agreements (and getting them in writing), spending a little up-front in legal fees and consulting with lawyers, you can go far in avoiding most lawsuits.

However, litigation is often necessary and should even sometimes be employed to further broad strategic business objectives. Nonetheless, once litigation has begun it is time consuming, difficult to control, and very expensive.

Regular communications with your lawyer will better enable her to head off problems before litigation becomes the only solution. It will also enable her to better position you to prevail in any such litigation, if it cannot be avoided.

I have found that the clients who are best at communicating with me have gone through litigation and truly understand the need to avoid it. Concentrate your efforts close to home. While great time and effort are spent on protecting against injury lawsuits (hot coffee and the like), that risk for most businesses is relatively small and, more importantly, can be insured against. For most businesses, employee and contract issues present a greater danger of getting out of hand. Ironically, these are precisely the issues that are easy to avoid up-front with proactive employment policies and clear written contracts.

Key #5: Use a law firm that appropriately outsources.

The big firms are usually set up in such a way that the profits of the partners come from the work of their associates. These associates are often recent law graduates who are likely to be far less efficient than a more senior lawyer. Put simply, 20 hours at $200 will cost you more than 10 hours at $300.

Associate time is often a lousy value. Law firms love having their associates doing legal research. The associate conducts highly profitable legal research and the law firm avoids having an inexperienced lawyer making strategic decisions. In the meantime you are paying to help train that associate. In seven years or so, he'll be ready to become a partner and use a new associate to do the same thing to some other client.

How can you avoid putting too much of your legal budget into associates? On each matter ask your lawyer whether it would be possible for her to subcontract out some of the research work by using a part-time contract lawyer or even an overseas research service.

In Seattle there are many lawyers who, for whatever reason, do not wish to work full time and so contract out their legal research services for anywhere from $30 to $70. Though your law firm will justifiably mark up these charges to cover their normal overhead, you still should expect substantial savings. There is even the possibility of using overseas lawyers to assist in initial research of some matters. With competent lawyers in India charging as little as $7 an hour for computerized legal research, there is no reason not to give them the first crack at research that your lawyer will have plenty of time to review and supplement.

The outsourcing used by your law firm should not be confined just to lawyers, either:

• Good Japanese translators are in great demand in this country and so they are quite expensive. For years we have been successfully e-mailing Japanese documents to excellent translators in Russia who charge 1/5 as much.
• We realize substantial savings for our clients by having our Chinese documents translated in China, rather than here.
• We have used Korean engineers for initial engineering review on cases, saving at least 30%.

We even encourage Vancouver or Toronto, Canada, arbitration provisions in our client's international contracts because Vancouver arbitrators, though quite competent, generally cost about half of those in the locales most commonly used for international arbitration (London, New York, and Stockholm).

Key #6: Explore alternative fee arrangements.

It almost always makes sense to at least discuss with your lawyer billing arrangements other than straight hourly fees.

Perhaps you'll both benefit from a fixed fee arrangement. Here, you and your lawyer agree on a fixed fee that covers legal services. The real advantage in this arrangement, for both counsel and the client, is the ability to budget in advance and so limit billing "surprises" for both of you.

Contingent fees are another alternative option. Simply stated, the law firm is paid contingent upon the results they achieve. Although you often hear "If we don't win, you don't pay" on TV commercials, the more common arrangement in business cases is to use contingent fees in combination with cost-reduced or limited-number hourly fees.

There are also a number of hourly billing variations to consider. One common option is to negotiate a reduced hourly rate plus bonus. Here, an agreement can put your counsel at a reduced hourly rate plus bonuses to be paid for meeting or exceeding deadlines you agree upon.

Key #7: Have your lawyer give you an estimate of the fees and costs.

It's in your best interest to get an estimate of your legal fees.

An estimate is just that: an estimate. Legal fees are often difficult to predict, particularly in litigation where the opposing party's tactics greatly influence what your lawyer is required to do. However, you still need an idea of the legal costs you're about to encounter.

From my perspective as counsel, I have learned that it is always a good idea to give an estimate because sometimes clients truly have no idea exactly what is involved in handling a particular matter. Years ago, a client called me wanting to seize the assets of a Russian company that owed his company about $350,000. Because this was the first time I had worked with the company, I wanted to impress the client and I told him that I would use my contacts throughout Asia to determine whether this company had any assets there that could be seized. I also told him I would be working with a Russian law firm to explore the likelihood of success if we needed to sue in Russia. When he agreed to that strategy, my firm did all of these things, incurring $5,000 in fees and costs. About half of that went to lawyers/agents in Korea, China, Hong Kong, and Japan and to the lawyers in Russia who had written a very good four-page memorandum outlining what would likely happen if we were to sue in Russia.

I reported back to the client within a week and gave him very clear directions on what we needed to do to recover the debt. I then sent out the bill for approximately $5,000, believing we had done a great job very quickly and efficiently. I assumed the client was very happy with our work and would gladly pay the bill. (I can assure you that my clients for whom I regularly do this sort of work would not have batted an eye at the bill.)

My assumption was wrong. The client called and said he had no idea that it would cost so much. This struck me as curious, since the client was a rather sophisticated business person whose company uses one of the big firms in town. Yet he told me that he thought that my search for assets, and my working with Russian lawyers, would basically consist of one afternoon's worth of phone calls. Because the miscommunication regarding fees was more my fault than his, I drastically cut the bill. But from then on I've tried to always give an estimate up front and then continue to update that estimate as the work progresses.

Key #8: Don't focus too much on the attorneys' hourly rate.

An in-house counsel for one of the largest corporations in America once told me that, no matter what the hourly fees were at the various firms used by her company, in the end, most of the firms tended to charge similar amounts. According to her, the firm whose partner billed out at $250 per hour simply billed more time than the firm whose partners billed out at $350. At the $350 per hour firm, more work would go to associates.

So here's the principle behind the key: Focus on lowering your total bill, not on the fees charged by individual lawyers.

Key #9: Don't forget about insurance.

One of the best investments against monumental legal fees is insurance.

Carry liability insurance and, if feasible, carry directors' and officers' liability insurance. Discuss your various insurance options with both your broker and your lawyer. Then, if you do get sued for any reason, have your lawyer check your policy to see if you have coverage. Too many times, companies have assumed their policy could never cover a particular matter when in fact it either might or it does.

These nine keys combined can form a powerful strategy to significantly control your legal costs. You may never be able to smile with your lawyers when they say "Fees!" for the firm's holiday photo, but you'll know you're making the most of your legal budget.

article source: adzines.com

Samsung will release its new VM-MX25E digital camcorder that offers YouTube-friendly recording mode. The Samsung VM-MX25E features a 680k pixel image sensor, 34x optical zoom Schneider lens and a 2.7-inch LCD display.

The VM-MX25E is able to capture 73×0480/60i videos in H.264 format. The camcorder offers Hyper DIS (Digital Image Stabilization), Face Detection and a longer battery hours compare to camcorders of other brands. It supports SD, SDHC and MMC+ memory cards.

from: http://en.tooren.cn/Camera/samsung-vm-mx25e.html

This is the eighth article in our "True Power" series. If you haven't been following the series, visit TheARTrepreneur.com to read the foundational material on beliefs before continuing.

"Realism" is Often Severely Unrealistic

Often times when you're out there, trying to express your own individual vision, you'll be told that you're not being "realistic", that you need to be more "realistic". "Being "realistic," however, is the biggest con ever perpetrated on the unsuspecting public. What it really means is expect the worst. Being "realistic" teaches you to look outside yourself for goals and aspirations, defined by who knows who. It teaches you to ignore your impulses. It teaches you, in other words, to create problems. What's more, it makes you a coward, whispering, "Don't get your hopes up, or you'll be disappointed."

Let's take a look at what happens when people are "realistic". Meet Steve. Steve has "made it". He has a super-successful job as creative director for a popular television series. He has a big house, a new car, a pretty wife and two healthy children. But Steve has a dirty little secret. Steve wants to be a barber. He keeps the desire to himself because he's afraid his family and friends will think he's a failure for even contemplating the idea of giving up his high paying job. Instead, Steve takes his misery out on his co-workers, he drinks too much, and he tries, through constant distraction, to drown out his true desire.

Then there's Sandra. Sandra is a high school dropout, working retail in a less-than-desirable neighborhood. Sandra loves music but, as her family will tell you, Sandra can't hold a tune: "A howling dog could do a better job." Sandra wants to be a singer more than anything, but she keeps the desire hidden, stuffing it down where it festers. Instead of pursuing her true love, she barks at customers who don't have correct change.

Steve and Sandra believe their desires are unrealistic. Now, many people have given up white collar jobs to work with their hands, and more than a few pop stars can't sing. In truth, Steve and Sandra's desires are not at all unrealistic. In fact, the very impulses are supposed to lead them to fulfilling futures. By following those impulses, Steve and Sandra will feel enriched, vital, and radiate enthusiasm even if it leads them to activities other than those of the original impulse. By hiding their desires, they spread their unhappiness around.

The real question is who is defining "realism" in these situations? There is no one-size-fits-all career or lifestyle. If you can call anything sacred, it would be individuality. No two anything are exactly alike, and this is meant to tell you something. Therefore, no-one but you can know what's right for you, and the best thing you can do for yourself is to pursue your desires even if it means you're the most unrealistic person in the world.

Becoming Unrealistic Exercise (1/2 hour)

In this exercise pretend there are no outside opinions from any source whatsoever - parents, siblings, spouse, friends, T.V., magazines, newspapers, radio, movies, books, internet, etc. It's amazing how many people create careers out of "showing someone they could do it". It's nice that you proved your sixth grade classmate was wrong when he said you were too stupid to become a doctor, but maybe you never wanted to be a doctor. Thus, for this exercise, turn those voices off.

What do you want to do now? Let your mind gravitate to the ideal lifestyle, the rhythm and pursuits that would make life interesting and energetic. Most people will find that their true desires do not come packaged in glamorous wrappings. They will be quite ordinary pursuits. Just make sure here, whatever you do, that you're not being "realistic".

Next: True Power Part 9: Choose Your Emotions, Choose Life

S.C. Giles is a contributing author of the ARTrepreneur E-Zine showcasing the full True Power Series that focuses on proven techniques to accomplish any goal.

The ARTrepreneur offers articles helping artists focus on proven techniques to accomplish any goal. Read More: http://www.theartrepreneur.com

After you've spent countless hours creating and publishing your own newsletter online, you still have to consider the fact that merely adding it to your website will not make it an overnight success.

You need to attract subscribers. There are several fairly easy ways to accomplish this goal.

1) Add your ezine details to every directory listing you can find online. There are a number of comprehensive websites devoted primarily to publishing ezine information. One list is published on this website - www.bellaonline.com/articles/art12836.asp

2) Offer subscribers something free in return for their subscription to your ezine. This could be a free report, a free advertisement in a future issue of your publication, a free ebook, etc...

3) Submit the details of your new ezine to as all related Announcement Lists. Depending upon your content, you may find a helpful list on this page - www.bellaonline.com/articles/art12838.asp

4) Talk about your latest endeavor in online forums related to your ezine topic. You can find various lists of forums by searching Google, Yahoo or Dogpile.

5) Reward subscribers for referring new subscribers. Again this can be in the form of a free advertisement for each person they recommend to your ezine (who actually becomes a subscriber.)

Remember that you definitely have competition for readership. There are probably plenty of newsletters online, which are similar to yours. You have to make it stand out from the crowd. Make it different, more appealing, more informative, etc...

Best of luck to you!

How do we smile at each other? Is there a message communicated between us as we smile? Does it convey the depth of our feelings we have for each other? Take note of how our smiles deepen in feeling toward each other as our relationship grows and time passes. Note how our smiles reflect our joy as we pass time together without insignificant complaints.

You've heard it said that we all have something to give. That something is a simple smile. A smile that conveys not only friendship, but simple love. And are we not aware that we should love everyone? We should love all. But we also know that those we love the most are those we know the best.

The more time we spend with our companion, the happier we are. Business and other affairs of life may take us away from home for certain periods of time. Do not allow the association of others outside the home to become more important than the associations we have at home. Do not allow commitments of the world to outweigh the committment of our companionship and relationship at home. Being at home with our partner should be the place we long to be, amid all the duties and responsibilities of life. We should foster a relationship with our companion that turns our steps homeward when our daily duties are accomplished. Companionship with our special loved one is the means of developing and encouraging that love which initially brought us together.

Do not allow the difficulties and distractions of life to become a wedge between us and our loved companion. We must talk to each other. Listen to each other. Smile at and be with each other often. Challenges are so much easier to face when they are perceived as challenges to be solved together, rather than challenges that may divide us.

Our most important and precious possession is our family. Even when we are just a family of two. We are more important than any professional or social club or organization will ever be. We need to spend as much of our free time as is needed in nurturing and growing our relationship. And we should also be willing, in return, to encourage each other in the growth and development of ourselves as individuals. We can be truly proud and supportive of each other's talents and capabilities. And we can do it with a warm and sincere smile.

We can give and we can receive. We can lift and we can support. We can smile, and share that love and encouragement with each other.

And we can do it often.

Bob Curtis has been writing articles, short fiction and poetry for over 30 years. He is the managing director of "Relationship Sense" (www.People4People.blogspot.com) and is the president of Nexus Publishing (www.nexus4u.blogspot.com). He assists with Blue Romance (www.moonlitefire.blogspot.com), a site promoting "positive" romance.

article source: adzines.com

Philips offers the Xenium X600 clamshell mobile phone. This Xenium X600 is an entry level phone with a main display, an external display, a 2 Megapixel camera, Bluetooth, and microSD card slot. The Xenium X600 supports GSM and EDGE networks.

BGR shows us a picture of Samsung’s Delve, which may be available from US Cellular soon. Samsung Delve is kind of a mixture of Samsung Instinct and F480 touch phones. The Delve is also a touch phone with a 3-inch touchscreen. It features a 2 Megapixel camera, on-screen QWERTY keyboard, Bluetooth and Samsung’s 2nd generation TouchWiz UI.

The lower body contains some of your biggest muscles which are capable of bearing significant weights. The temptation for beginners to go for broke by performing heavy squats should be resisted. To begin with you should concentrate on building the muscles safely by using machines that isolate muscle groups. The squat is an excellent compound exercise that trains numerous lower body muscles but it is one you should learn properly after spending three months strengthening the individual muscles that will be utilized later.

The muscles of the lower body can be divided into five groups:

1. Quads - this is the big muscle group consisting of four muscles at the front of the thigh. These are the primary muscles used when performing exercises such as squats, leg press, lunge and leg extension.

2. Hamstrings - these are the main muscles at the back of the thigh. These are the primary muscles used when performing leg curls.

3. Gluteals - these are the muscles that make up the buttocks.

4. Hip flexors - these are the small muscles at the front of the pelvis that allow you to raise your legs to the front.

5. Calves - these are the two muscles found in the lower leg.

For beginners these muscles should be exercised as follows:

1. Leg press - 1 set of 10-15 reps. This is a useful exercise for the quads but it also works the hamstrings and glutes to a lesser degree.

2. Leg extension - 3 sets of 10-15 reps. This is a useful exercise for adding definition to the quads.

3. Hamstring curl - 3 sets of 10-15 reps. This exercise isolates the hamstrings.

4. Standing calf raise - 3 sets of 10-15 reps. This exercise works the gastrocnemius muscle.

5. Seated calf raise - 3 sets of 10-15 reps. This exercise works the soleus muscle underneath the gastrocnemius muscle.

As with all exercises you need to take care in scheduling specific body parts. To begin with you should incorporate your lower body exercises into a program similar to the one suggested below:

Day 1: Biceps, Back, Abs

Day 2: Hamstrings, Shoulders, Abs

Day 3: Quads, Forearms, Calves

Day 4: Triceps, Chest, Abs

For the first couple of weeks complete one set but then add one set each week to a maximum of three. At the end of three months you will be ready to move on to more intensive intermediate level exercises.