Guide

Stay in Shape This Summer and Save Money

When I was growing up my sisters and I used to swim competitively. Every summer we would swim for the Elks Club against other local swim teams and little did I know that I would later enjoy it just as much as I did when I was a kid. As I got older and settled into a desk job, the weight started creeping on. I knew I had to start exercising, so I joined a gym. A few years ago, I moved to be closer to my job and found an apartment with some great amenities. It has a workout room with a treadmill, a weight lifting machine, stationary bike and a stair stepper.

The apartment complex also has two pools which I thought was great. So, I started going down to the pool before work to get in a good swim workout and sometimes in the evening. I thought, well, why I am paying for a gym membership, when during the summer I can just swim and save myself some money.

So last year, I was thinking of some ways to save money and that’s when it hit me. I could stop my gym membership that was around $45 a month for about 4 months and just utilize the fitness room and the pool at my apartment. I saved about $180.00, not bad huh? We all know that with the economy the way it is, I think we are all looking for a few ways to save a little money here and there and this is a great way. Now if you don’t live in an apartment complex or have a pool in your backyard, it might be a little tough. Maybe you have a friend or know someone that has a pool or lives in an apartment and you could go workout with them. Let them know they could save a little money too and you might just move right on up on their friend’s list.

We all know swimming is a great exercise and it burns tons of calories. What more could you want, when you are either trying to lose weight or stay in shape? One important fact that Bucknell University states is the resistance water offers you versus working out on land. The water offers 12%-14% more resistance than when you exercise on land. Even if you don’t like to swimming laps, you can walk laps in the water or tread water, both burn a lot of calories. With that being said, swimming is great for everyone, from the elderly, to the obese, to the athlete and everyone in between. I love it so much that sometimes I forget I am actually exercising and let me tell you from experience, you will never be consistent if you hate what you are doing. So this summer, maybe try to cut your expenses and go for a swim. You can whittle your waist while you save some money!

Guide

Starting a Website with a Turnkey Script, Is it the Best Solution?

One thing I’m always contemplating when beginning a new website project is whether a turnkey script is the best solution in starting out. I mean, the fact that there are so many other website’s out there operating off of the same exact script kind of deters me a bit. But starting a turnkey site can have its benefits though.

Let’s face it, we all don’t have thousands of dollars to shed out for a custom website script. We all know this and face this each and every day, especially the small business owners. So what do we have to rely on until enough income is generated to have such a custom script made? Turnkey scripts is the answer.  

What exactly is a turnkey script? Its nothing more then a website script designed to operate on auto-pilot for the most part. Or at least this is what I was taught the definition of it was. No matter how you look at it, its just software that you can setup and be on your way.

Let me give you an example. Have you ever wanted to start up an auction site so you can make a little bit of additional income? Surely you couldn’t compete with eBay and I don’t say this to discourage you. But no matter the cause, in my opinion, there is one script out there that is the elite amongst other auction software. Its called PHP Pro Bid and although it runs around $215.00USD for a license (as of the writing of this article) – it is feature packed.

Now I won’t go into details about it because I don’t want to turn this into a promotional article. But none-the-less, with the many features it has, it is an absolute “set it and forget it” software.

But if its one piece of input I can apply to this article before going any further, I wouldn’t suggest using a turnkey script should you start gaining credibility. That is why I’m going to make the suggestion here that when you start profiting and your serious about taking your “turnkey site” big, use some of those funds to pay for a custom script.

It’ll cost a bit but in the end, you’ll have a much more stable system to rely on in the form of a custom script.

But back to the original topic. The main question is why start off with a turnkey script? Simply because it allows you the ability to see whether you can be successful or not without investing thousands into a custom script that won’t be used. Some people use turnkey scripts to simply setup a website and make a small monthly profit from it.

That’s good and all but no matter what the case need be, some work is required. Don’t let others fool you with saying that a turnkey script is a FULLY set it and forget it script. Every website should have some kind of work needed to be done to it or some kind of operations management.

So the bottom line comes down to whether I believe a turnkey script is really worth it? The answer to that is whatever you respond. I cannot give you a definite answer as in the end, its totally what you believe. If you are working on a budget to begin a new project that you feel will be huge in the future, then maybe a turnkey script for you.

But alternatively, if you have a few thousand dollars to spend on a custom script, then this is your best course of action. No matter what you do, your business is your business. Your opinion is the only one that counts and therefore you should ask yourself the question with the above facts in mind.

Guide

SpineDok Review

I recently wrote a piece drawing into question this product I’d seen advertised called the SpineDok. I drew it into question against the backdrop of my dad’s history of back problems and in a surprisingly bold move, the manufacturer struck back! There was an answer from the depths! They challenged my questions with a question of their own; will your dad try this product and give us his honest opinion? When I conferred with my dad he acquiesced; saying that while back problems had plagued him in the past, he wasn’t nearly as in pain now as he was then. However his wife, Lea, (not my mother but a lovely lady) had horrendous back pain; pain which he felt needed to be probed further. He allowed that they would both use the SpineDok and give back a full report.

That was two months ago; it has been as long that they’ve had the SpineDok. Here is their individual analysis.

My dad: My dad is a pretty physical guy. The son of a coach and gym teacher, inactivity and immobility don’t sit too well with him. Even when he’s got one thing he’s focused in on, he’s usually got a couple of other pots simmering. So activity is a way of life for him. When he first heard about my SpineDok encounter he assured me that his days of intensely ailing back were long since past him. He had lived on a strict regimen of ice, ibuprofen, and mind-over-matter self-healing which was on par with Jedi for some years though.

My dad’s back pains go as far as “occasionally sore” for periods of exertion. His analysis of the SpineDok was instructive to one end. He said that his experience on the SpineDok was that it was not at all painful to use; not painful to get on or get off. He also said that the relief allowed on the occasions that he did use it were well received and he said he would qualify this as “a useful tool” for someone with mild and occasional back pain. He was particularly satisfied with the way the arch of his back was extended following use of the SpineDok.

Lea: Remember, Lea has very bad back pain. Her experience with the SpineDok is particularly useful in another direction. When I fist spoke to Lea about the SpineDok she was rather hopeful and interested, though she did hedge her bets for any undue disappointment. Lea has “always had back issues,” and this is something which has followed her around always. My contact from SpineDok, Tomas, even said to me that while he believes in the utility of the product, “nothing is an end all cure for any kind of pain (and) many people struggle with tight back muscles.” Lea said of the SpineDok that “getting on it and getting off it really hurt.” She was the principal user of the SpineDok and used it exclusively for the duration of her treatment. She said that the unit “Stretched out her back uncomfortably.” However she did make a point to continue on with the trial because she said she would.

Her experience went that for the, “first 10 days (she) had the same issues with getting on and getting off of the SpineDok.” However she did note that after using it, later on in the day, she “began to feel some relief after the fact.” Her use after the first two weeks or so was infrequent just due to the pain. So while this is an encouraging note for someone who is going to use the SpineDok “every single day with continued use,” the pain eventually was too much to combat the relief that the SpineDok did bring.

This is good because Lea said this experience indicated to her that she needed more help. She told me that she has never had an MRI but she’s pretty sure she’s got a bulging disc. I am almost positive that the SpineDok is no substation for surgery; not do they claim to be. Lea has the lifelong problems of a bulging disc; Tomas from SpineDok even said, “Nothing is an end all cure for any kind of pain.”

So I think in the end the SpineDok may do many people an extraordinary amount of good. If you have mild to moderate back pain which comes and goes and you’re trying to find an alternative to a regimen of ice and ibuprofen, the SpineDok may offer you some relief. Moreover, if you use the SpineDok and find no relief; this is a glaring signal that you need to see a specialist. There is nothing worse than letting serious problems linger on too long before permanent damage is done. So to the makers of the SpineDok, I retract my initial suspicions though I am thrilled at your bold response to them.

I am glad that this event took place and can only hope that others are able to find the relief that they need for their ailing back. If the SpineDok can be a part of that program, all the better!

Travel

South Africa Traveling

There are no animal rights in the South African bushveld. No medical care for the sickly, no protection for the weak. Here, a faltering stumble quickly catches the eye of the hungry lioness. A bolt of amber fur streaks through the dry grass, aiming for the throat. Unlike her tame domestic counterpart, this cat does not toy with her prey. The kill is quick and the smell of fresh blood fills the air. Her cubs will have meat tonight.

The male with his shaggy mane gets first choice and the most succulent tidbits. The hunter mother and her cubs must wait. Male chauvinism rules.

From the safety of the open Land Rover, we watch. Once the lions have eaten their fill, the hyenas and the vultures will ensure that not a morsel is wasted. This if life before civilization. Killing is not a sport, it is a mechanism for survival.

The game rangers are wary. Their powerful spotlights illuminate the scene, but every so often they flicker discreetly through the shadows. The antelope have long since fled, so there is no chance now of blinding them and weakening their defences. I suddenly feel very vulnerable, with only the night air between me and invisible, hidden, predatory eyes. For a hungry wild cat, the jump from the ground (or the nearest tree) onto the open topped vehicle is a very short one.

The drive back to the lodge is slow. There is no road. The driver stops so we can take a better look at the wide-eyed bush babies staring at us from the trees.

And then, it’s back to reality. Electric lighting. A comfortable room with running water in the en-suite bathroom. Drinks and conversation in the bar. An elegant meal under a jet black sky studded with stars too numerous to count. The milky way spills across the heavens.

Is this the same kind of buck the lions were eating? I ‘ll have the salad tonight, thank you.

Perhaps later we’ll wander down to the “hide” with our wineglasses, close the door and watch through the window to see who comes to drink at the remains of the waterhole. Someone saw a leopard here just the other night. Perhaps tonight it will be a cheetah, a civet, an African wildcat.

At dawn, of course, it will be crowded. Kudu, springbok, gemsbok, eland – all will make their way to sip at the precious drops in the tiny, muddy pool.

By then, of course, we will be on the Land Rover again, perhaps in the company of elephants towering above us, perhaps backing cautiously away from a rhino on the rampage. The baboons may

be out in their numbers, or perhaps we’ll find a cheetah just lying in the road.

The giraffes nibble at the tender tops of the trees. The zebras gnaw at the unpalatable grasses which only they can tolerate. The air hums with insect life. The countryside is dry. Too dry. It makes the animals easier to see – good for me, not so good for the ever-watchful herds sniffing for the scent of predators upwind.

We’re back for breakfast before the sun rises too high in the sky. Then, like the animals beyond the boundary fences, we too retreat to the shade, hiding from the harsh sun. An icy beer, a cold pool and a lazy deckchair make for perfect relaxation.

I awaken to the sound of thunder rumbling through my soul. Thick, dark clouds fill the sky. Suddenly, lightning cleaves the horizon in two. Before I can grab my towel and rush inside, the first big drops fall heavily to the ground. A cheer erupts all around me. It is raining!

Rain here does not fall, it plummets in sheets. It looks like a solid wall of water out there. Tomorrow, there will be tender green shoots in the bushveld. The hippos will be able to wallow in the river, snorting their pleasure. Waterholes will reappear, and with them, new herds that wandered elsewhere in search of water, and life.

And I will return to the city, with its concrete and its exhaust fumes, its traffic, its crowds and its fast foods. At least, my body will. A small part of my soul will stay here, in the African wild, calling to me at night in my dreams.

Guide

Smooth Away: Hair Removal System

I saw the ads for Smooth Away on television numerous times. I couldn’t believe that something so simple and inexpensive could work so well. Guess what? I was right!

I didn’t just order the product blindly. I’m too thrifty (cheap) to stream roll into something without getting some type of feedback. Unfortunately, none of my friends had tried it. So I had to rely on the testimony of strangers to convince me. I Googled testimonies.

Shockingly all of the testimonies were positive. Everything from the shipping to the removal process – positive. Well, maybe I am the only person on this planet who has had a beginning to end bad experience with this company. So I thought I would share it just in case I have a kindred soul hiding out there in fear of seeming mean.

My first hint that this may not be the best of experiences was when I first placed my order. There was a glitch with the website. So after several tries my order finally went through. Then I noticed the fine print statement – MAY TAKE 5 TO 7 WEEKS FOR DELIVERY. They were not lying. By the time I received the product not only had I forgotten I ordered it. But I could braid the hair under my arms into the hair on my ankles. No, not a pretty sight.

Since I was already looking like a distant cousin to Chewbacca I immediately opened the product, read the instructions and began trying it on my legs. I recall the ad mentioned how the crystals would “exfoliate” the hair away. Well, I decided to stop before I hit marrow. I rubbed in the gentle circular motion with slight pressure as suggested. I even rubbed clockwise 3 times then counter clockwise 3 times in the same area as outlined in the instructions. I was supposed to repeat this until the hair was removed.

Well, I hate to be the bearer of bad news. But by the time I finished rubbing the bejeezus out of my leg I felt my carpal tunnel flaring up. Needless to say, I would not recommend using this product. I’m not sure who those jubilant people were who gave it an A+ rating. But their enthusiasm means my article will not cripple this company in these touchy economic times.

Oh, I’m not done.

It took well over a month to get the product. I ordered it at the end September and received it shortly after Thanksgiving. To my dismay I got another package for the same product Dec 16th. I immediately called their customer service to see if I had been charged the $57.40 being shown on the invoice.

My first call was passed to an automated system suggesting I call back later in the week because they had a high call volume (I wonder why). I began my second call with, “I would like to speak with someone about this potential charge to my account before I contact the Attorney Generals office with a complaint.”It was like magic. A supervisor was on the phone immediately. “Just send the product back and we’ll refund your money immediately.”

So, now I will wait to see if I am actually credited for this little snafu. I guess that will be around St. Patrick’s Day.Disfunctional hair removal systemhttps://www.getsmoothaway.com/ver3/index.asp?refcode=smooth3