Are you interested in alternative dating?

The great thing about dating in this day and age is the versatility and availability of methods to seek out your preferred type of person or activity. Dating can be confusing and frustrating, no matter what your situation. Here are some alternative dating ideas that may appeal to people who don't want to go down the traditional route of seeking a mate.

Singles bars have been around for a long time, and though they may not appeal to everyone they are ideal because everyone has the same goal in mind. You're all in the same boat, and it may not be subtle but it certainly is straightforward.

Speed dating gives you an even shorter time to make an impression. As an alternative dating technique, it can be a lot of fun. You sit opposite someone and each of you have a few minutes to tell the other about yourself. When the bell rings you move on to the next table, start at square one and repeat. If someone bores you to tears, your suffering is short-lived. At the end of the evening, you connect with those that tickled your fancy and go from there. If you didn't meet anyone you clicked with, there's no pressure and you can simply go home and attend the next session. This is becoming a very popular technique for singles, and even those who may mock it and perhaps go 'as a joke' or on a dare end up enjoying themselves.

Dating agencies have become quite popular in recent times. Professional people who lead busy lives like to use them. It's an alternative dating method that is not foolproof but it's somewhat safer, as all clients have gone through a filtering system. Many agencies utilize video dating, whereby the client makes a brief video of themselves and has access to other client videos for perusal. You don't have long to make an impression, so it's best to just be yourself. You want to come across as a genuine person, not a phony.

Many communities have singles groups that embark on fun activities together, and this is is a great alternative dating method. Events like biking, bowling, curling, movie nights, dancing and comedy clubs are organized by the singles group, and it allows an evenly-distributed group of participants to have a fun and casual night. With emphasis put on the activity itself instead of making a romantic connection, it takes a lot of pressure off the singles and attractions occur more naturally in this type of setting.

3 Amazingly Useful Crate Training Tips I Employed To Crate Train My Own Pet Dog In A Matter Of Days!

Crate training is important if you want to keep your baby dog out of danger when you are absent, improve the house training process or enable your dog to adopt to a new environment. It is usually understood as a cruel method to imprison a pet but the truth is that pet dogs prefer crates considering that they are a solid substitution to natural dens which dogs need to relax and break free from an everyday emotional stress. In this posting I am going to talk about few of the most critical crate training tips that will get you started with crate training your dog.

Crate Training Tips Part 1 - Grab the Right Sized Wire Crate

This will sound simple but in reality the process of buying a good solid cage is often a problem and tends to make most people puzzled. You want to choose a dog house big enough for your puppy to stand and turn around inside but not larger as he may also use one of its corners to eliminate. In addition, invest in a wire unit instead of the plastic material one since it is substantially stronger and will withstand your dog's chewing and biting habits. Should you have a puppy and assume he will get bigger with the flow of time you can buy a bigger crate providing that, at the beginning of his life, you will use a special wire divider to reduce the dimensions of the living space existing within.

Crate Training Tips Part 2 - Help It Become His Home

Second of the greatest crate training tips I propose would be to place several playthings inside the dog house as well as a sleeping pad covered with one of your old t-shirts. Your fragrance will make the crate seem much more warm and friendly and comfortable for your pup and will enhance the crate training process. It's also wise to pick the location of your dog's new residence. Throughout the day put it where majority of your family spends time and for the night time take it to your bedroom. Dog's whining caused by loneliness can be a serious pain, specifically when you have to get up in the middle of the night time to put your pet back to bed.

Crate Training Tips Part 3 - The Best Way To Get Your Pet Dog Inside?

Chances are you'll face minor issues with convincing your dog to move into his brand-new home. It is because some elderly canines may have been given an excessive amount of freedom some time ago and moving into a cage seems like a prison for them. It ought to be much simpler to crate train pups due to the fact they have not been able to develop almost any negative behaviors and are extremely open-minded. Make use of the crate training tips laid out down below to help your new puppy adapt to his new home.

a) To start with, place a treat or his beloved toy within the cage and wait for him to come in. The moment he does compliment him cheerfully and try to coax down with a little bit of petting. Do not shut the door yet as you may scare him away.

b) Second stage involves feeding him inside the dog house so that he needs to accustom to eating inside.

c) After a while, when you observe him entering his new residence with certainty to get a little sleep shut the entry and get away from the room. Don't return if he cries for the reason that this will only reinforce the bad behavior of getting your attention by whimpering. Wait for the dog to de-stress, return and release him whilst praising cheerfully for being a good pup.

d) Continue repeating the entire procedure for the subsequent couple of days. These 3 crate training tips should offer a solid start. The rest is centered on persistence combined with patience.

There are a few more crate training tips I couldn’t share with you here because of the limited space. Make sure to visit www.IWantToTrainMyDog.info for more crate training tips and general dog training advice.

Mac vs PC - What's the difference?

The technology world is full of choices for the average consumer right up to the business savvy individual. But what sort of computer is suitable for you? Firstly you need to make a decision whether you need a PC vs a Mac.. You will discover a lot of different areas that you can compare a mac vs PC. Let's begin looking at some of the main elements you look for when buying a computer.
The simplest way to compare a PC and Mac would be to put up a mac and a pc that are similar. A few years ago it was a lot more difficult to compare the two due to the fact they were running on different kinds of processors. However, in the last few years Apple has moved their machines to the Intel processor, which makes them considerably more easy to compare.

The style, or look of the computer itself is what most of us initially judge how much we like something. Brands that produce PC's have improved the look of them greatly in recent times.. However, Apple continues to make the most effort in redefining what computers looks like and how attractive they can be. That said, there are plenty of alternatives on the pc side of things.

Software is another important element to look at when comparing the Mac and PC. Let's face it, with such a high priced ticket item, the last thing you want to do is spend additional money on software. PC's have always done a great job of offering the basic necessities in terms of word processing, presentation software, and other basic needs. Nowadays their multimedia packages have improved in quality. On the mac side of things, the iLife suite is a pretty impressive lineup of software that comes standard with every single mac. It includes an Garage band, which is a user friendly audio recording program. It also includes itunes, iphoto, imovie, idvd, and a list of other user friendly applications that flow very well together.

Price is always another important comparison if you believe the two machines are created almost equal. When yo think about it, it is not worth comparing anything if you can't afford it anyway. While the PC that lines up with the mac is going to be at least a third cheaper, mac fans would argue that there will be repair costs, and other expenditures needed if you settle for a PC. In either case it's good to know why you are purchasing this computer, how much you have to spend, and what your heart is telling you. Good luck!

Let the Laptop Matcher help you find the perfect Laptop for you... Click Here For the Free Laptop Matcher!
Or check out the latest laptop reviews on Laptop Notebook

3 High-Tech Features Of The Apple Iphone

What's the big deal behind the Apple iPhone? It's expensive. It's revolutionary. But are its features worth the money?

With all the popularity, you can assume everyone’s at least heard about it. What does the Apple iPhone feature and what can it do?

#1: Multi-Touch Technology

The most outstanding feature is the iPhone’s radical multi-touch screen. The MT screen allows any mechanical button to appear on this high tech toy. It simply allows you to use your fingers to operate it. This is contrary to any other phone today, which either have mechanical keyboards or a stylus.

By tapping the screen with your finger, you can navigate menus, dial phone numbers, write e-mail messages and likewise use the whole functionality of the popular gadget. The three-point-five-inch screen displays a keyboard for inputting text via multi-touch. Most consumers are seemingly skeptical about typing with the virtual keyboard, but Apple has predicted the common problems and has made sure the iPhone was constructed with features like automatic spell check and word prediction, not to mention an enhanced customizable dictionary. More so, the iPhone addresses the problems of typos commonly known to multi-touch usage by adding self-correction capabilities.

When scrolling, the usual wheel is not found at the side of the gadget. The multi-touch screen functionality allows its owner to scroll by dragging a finger in the desired direction. The speed of scrolling is designed to be proportional to the speed at which you drag your finger.

The multi-touch feature furthermore enables several more functions like multi-touch sensing for magnifying or reducing photos and even web pages. Using this feature, you can regulate object size simply by placing two fingers at the side of the object and then moving them, by dragging, either further apart or closer to one another. This feature does not distort images because images are initially scaled according to its original dimensions in the first place.

Hands down, the iPhone is more intelligent than any other phone today.

#2: Revolutionary Sensors

The gadget’s sensors have the ability to detect changes to the iPhone’s environment. The sensors are minuscule yet absurdly powerful. The three major sensors include an accelerometer, sensor for ambient light, and a proximity sensor.

The accelerometer sensor conveys the ability to detect any changes in the iPhones positioning. …The iPhone’s screen display will actually rotate to portrait or landscape, while still packing its contents into the 3.5-inch screen. Because it changes the view according to ratio, images are not distorted among web pages, videos, or photos.

The proximity sensors.

These high-tech features detect the location of the iPhone with regard to the skin. When you make a call and hold the iPhone up against your ear, the display will automatically set to standby. This is important in that it serves two basic functions.

One, by shutting off the display when not necessarily needed, this saves your battery’s life. More so, this avoids accidental touches to the screen, which would otherwise be sensitive. As soon as the cell is moved away from your face, the proximity sensors react in this way.

Ambient light sensor.

Through the AL sensor, changes in the phone’s environment are detected and instantaneously adjust the display’s brightness. Your iPhone’s display will always be well adjusted in regard to lighting.

#3: Mac OS X Operating System

The hype behind the Apple iPhone increased when Mac fans found out the Mac OS X would be included. The Mac OS X is the operating system inside the latest Apple computers. On the other hand, the electronic doesn’t have the complete functionality of the operating system. The entire OS X is too large to fit within the 4GB or 8GB internal memory. The iPhone contains a 500 MB version of the operating system.

Mastering the Art of Feeding Your Fish in FishVille

Feeding Your Fish in FishVille

It certainly sounds like a simple task – feed your fish so they don't die. But as anyone who's ventured into this virtual aquatic world knows, feeding your fish in FishVille can often be a difficult thing to coordinate. There are several reasons for this, but the main thing you have to realize is that each type of fish grows at a different rate, and so has different needs when it comes to food. This dynamic is further complicated when you're trying to raise several different types of fish at once.

Recognize the Problem - Fishville Guide Review

Really, the most important thing you can do to address the difficulties surrounding proper feeding of your fish in FishVille is to recognize how complicated the process can be. Once you're aware of the potential difficulties, you'll be in a much better position to address them and can likely escape some of the major pitfalls.

Plan Ahead

If you're going to be able to keep your fish alive until they're ready to be sold for the greatest possible profit, you've got to stop and evaluate your options before you just go and buy one kind or the other. When examining the growth cycles of the fish you're thinking of purchasing too, it's important to be realistic about what you'll actually be able to do.

You already know that feeding your fish in FishVille is necessary if you want to be able to sell them once they're grown. But depending on how quickly each type of fish grows, it will need to be fed more or less often. For example, a fish that completes one growth stage in 4 hours will have to be fed within 8 hours or it will die. And if that happens, you'll get nothing for your investment except the single experience point you get for scooping a dead fish out of your tank.

Spread it Around

Getting back to your tank in time isn't the only thing you have to worry about though. Feeding your fish in FishVille properly also means that you need to make sure all of the fish who need the food get the food. This is especially important when you're raising several different types of fish in the same tank. Any time you sprinkle food into the tank, all of your fish will eat, so simply shaking in enough food for all your hungry fish won't cut it.

To be safe, it's best to dump in at least as many food flakes as you have fish in your tank. And even then, you need to go back and look at all of your fish again to make sure they've each been able to satisfy their hunger with each feeding.

Planning the Optimal Cafe World Menu

There are lots of tempting options when it comes to the items you can choose to put on your menu in Cafe World. As you advance to higher and higher levels of game play too, you only wind up unlocking more and more options in this regard. It can be very tempting to cook one item or another because of your own personal tastes, and really there's nothing wrong with indulging yourself from time to time. If you want to be successful in this business though, you'll have to make some more objective and analytical decisions when it comes to dish selection for your cafe.

Planning Around Your Schedule

The first thing you have to take into account when you're trying to decide what to cook is how soon you're going to be able to get back to check on your cafe and transfer prepared entrees from the stove to the serving counters. No matter how well planned your menu is, it won't do you much good if you don't get back to serve it in time.

Food that sits on the stove for too long will spoil rather quickly, and this is something you want to avoid at all costs. Not only will you lose the opportunity to serve this food, and so have to wait longer to replenish your serving counters, you'll lose the money you spent on the ingredients that went into making is. You'll also have to pay to clean up the mess which, while not a hefty sum, starts to loom larger and larger when you're not making money off of the food you're preparing.

Maximizing Your Earnings With this Cafe World Guide

Another factor to consider when you're making your decision about what to cook in any given situation is how many servings each preparation of that dish will create. This is important for a couple of reasons. One is that you want to be able to make enough food to last until you can get back to your cafe and refill your serving counters. That way you can continue making money all day and night, which is obviously the ideal situation.

The other reason this is important is because you need to have an empty serving counter when you're taking a new dish off the stove. If you're simply bringing out more of one of the dishes you're already serving, you can simply add those new servings to what was left of the old. However, if you have an entirely new entree coming off the stove, you'll need to have an empty serving spot available on the counter. This is a part of the menu planning process that is easily overlooked, but it can lead to a lot of spoiled food if you have entrees ready to come off of the stove but nowhere to put them.

Cost Per Serving

And of course, you want to pay attention to how much you'll make each time a customer purchases an entree. Maximizing this number will help you get the highest return per hour because it will mean you're getting the most out of each customer who walks through the door. And that, after all, is the goal of any good business owner.

3 Free Website Marketing Ideas - Easy And Quick

Online marketing is not cheap. You can spend thousands of dollars on Pay Per Click (Google Adwords) and thousands of site-targetted dollars (AdBrite), and you can spend thousands just buying text links from individual sites. Trust me, I've spent thousands on advertising.

However, my favorite form of marketing is the free kind. Anything free I like, especially if it helps my websites make more money without increasing my advertising costs.

Here are three easy and quick ways to market your website at no additional cost.

1. Free Business Cards

Free business cards are a staple in my advertising arsenal. You can leave them everywhere and give them to anyone. The best part is, they are free! Use them where you want, when you want, and as often as possible. That is the motto I live by whenever I get a shipment of free business cards in the mail.

2. Link Exchanges

Link exchanges are a great way of spreading Page Rank, but also of sharing visitors. Most people who like a site will bookmark it. After they have read everything they want, they will read the site that you link to. You get the visitors, and share the visitor through a link exchange.

3. Business card networking

After you have received your free business cards, use them to network with other people. Everytime you meet someone, hand them one of your free business cards. After that, ask for one of their business cards in exchange. If they don't have one, make sure you mention what you do, and the website address that is also listed on your free business card. Free business cards make a great networking tool if you will put them to use. Never forget, they are free, and should not be used sparingly. Use them in any situation you can think of. People will take them home and visit your site when they pull your business card out of their pocket.

With those three free website marketing ideas, your website will not only be more successful, but you won't have to spend any of your hard earned money on marketing!

7 Places To Go For Your Homeschooling Needs

Homeschooling is slowly becoming a trend nowadays and most parents are having fun with the interaction they are having with their child. Some parents are still having second thoughts regarding homeschooling though. Their main concern is that they might be having some problems finding resources to use for homeschooling. This article will help you find resources from different places.

The first stop is a ride to your nearest bookstores. Armed with a list of possible books to buy from a curriculum of a school, you can buy the books at any convenient bookstore. This will save you a lot of time and give you flexibility with regards to your child’s studies as bookstores have more choices and references for your child to use.

An alternative stop would be a trip to your closest magazine stores. Magazines provide you a lot of catalogs where you can choose from a lot of advertisers listed in it. This will help you from spending lots of time searching through bookstores and will give you a sense of what your child’s going to get.

Of course, with all the technology available on the internet, you should not be really surprised that you can find websites offering help in your child’s studies. Some of them can be easily found when searching at Google and some of them can be given to you by other people who are also having their child homeschooled.

The simplest place to look for resources is by going to a public library. Public libraries have books and references for you child to take home and use. To help with that, libraries have different instructional materials such as videos (like those from National Geographic) and cassette tapes (like tapes that will help you learn another language). These instructional materials not only help with the books in teaching but they also help in easing out the boring quality and the monotony ofbooks given out to children.

Libraries also offer a lot of computer software which will not only help with your child’s learning but will also help him in understanding different computer technologies and how they work. Often computer software is easy and fun to use, therefore attracting a lot of young people to use it.

Libraries also give book discussions. Book discussions not only train your child to read but also to think and criticize every thing that he/she reads. This will not only develop reading comprehension, it will also help your child in critical thinking.

Another place to look at is at the house of another parent who decided to homeschool their children. You might find it interesting that they are willing to share both their experiences and their used materials (books, references and other activity materials). You could save a lot of money and at the same time learn from these people who have already experienced the joys and the pains of homeschooling a child.

The most neglected place and probably one of the most informational, next only to a library, is the museum. A trip to a museum will not only help your child appreciate art and history but your child will also learn a lot from observing and listening to the history of all the museum displays. The best way to conduct this is by joining a group museum tour where there will be an instructor to guide and give you bits of information that will help your child.

The last place, but definitely not the least in this list, is inside your home. Search your cupboard and teach your child some simple baking lessons. This will not only help your relationship with your child but it will also promote your child to learn patience and of course will teach your child how to bake.

You could also do outdoor activities such as planting seeds. This will help your child be interested in plant life but if coupled with other activities (such as mathematics), this has a potential to be both fun and instructional. You basically just have to find out where your child’s attention is focused. Upon learning this, you can try to join your child’s playtime and turn it into something educational.

A Guide to Pepper Spray Laws

Pepper spray is the most popular self-defense weapon, but it is not legal in all states. At the time of publication of this writing, common pepper spray law was that you are allowed to carry it in all states.

In California, the largest can of pepper spray you are legally allowed to carry is 2.5 oz.

In Michigan, New York, Wisconsin, and Hawaii, pepper spray law says you are allowed carry it. There are, however, concentration limits and other restrictions. If you live in one of these states or plan to visit, be sure to carry a pepper spray that is sold as “Michigan Formula,” “Wisconsin Legal Pepper Spray,” and so on.

If you live in or plan on visiting Massachusetts and you want to carry pepper spray legally, their pepper spray law says you must get a FID (Firearms Identification Card). All you do is go to your local Massachusetts police station, show two forms of ID, fill out a form, pay $2, and wait a week. When you get your FID, keep it on your person (and of course, to make the FID useful, keep your pepper spray on your person as well).

Pepper Spray Litigation

From time to time, civilians and law enforcement officers have managed to use pepper spray excessively or irresponsibly. Even though pepper spray is non-lethal, it does hurt to go through getting sprayed with pepper spray. If you feel you have been unfairly attacked with pepper spray, you can force litigation.

Concerned citizens across the country have also noted that police offers have been known to use pepper spray on people when use of it was clearly gratuitous. Litigation has been pressed, and the media have touched on the subject to a small extent. As a result, the Justice Department commissioned a report about the benefits and dangers of pepper spray, resulting in a more education law enforcement system.

A Grandparent’s Guide To Choosing Age Appropriate Toys

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 1.3 million children are entrusted to their grandparents every day. Roles of a grandparent include spoiling and enlightening their grandkids with toys they will enjoy. After all, toys are considered to be treasures of childhood. With this role comes an added responsibility to make sure that grandchildren stay safe and enjoy a toy that is age-appropriate. Grandparents make up a large percentage of toy buyers. Thousands of toys are marketed with the promise to educate and entertain kids. Unfortunately, not every toy is safe for children to play with. What can a grandparent look for when purchasing a toy for the kids that they love?

Most pediatricians and child experts believe there are a lot of hidden hazards concerning toys that people should be made aware of. Here is a guide that grandparents can use when it comes time to buy a distinctive toy for that special little person:

* Make sure the toy is age-appropriate. Labels on toy packaging should specify the age group the toy is made for. Consider that children at any age have different maturity levels. You may want to avoid buying a toy that won’t hold the child’s attention. Make sure to buy educational toys that match every child’s age group. This will make the toy effective and fun to play with.

* Read and follow all warning labels. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission or CPSC, choking is the most common cause of toy-related deaths. Warning labels are made to alert if a toy poses a choking hazard for younger children, typically under the ages of three. Federal law requires these labels. Make sure toys made for older children are kept out of the reach of younger children. Objects such as balls should not be less than 1.75" in diameter. Avoid toys that have small parts that can potentially be pried off by tiny curious hands. Examples of toys that contain small parts are stuffed teddy bear’s eyes or a wooden car’s wheels. Stuffed and wooden toys are still very popular among children; just think BIG when checking out the “parts” attached to the toy. Toys should be larger than the child’s mouth. Tip: if a toy or toy part can fit inside an empty toilet paper roll, chances are the toy is too small. This would not be a safe toy. If a toy contains small parts, parts should be secured and guaranteed not to come off.

* Make sure toys are free from sharp and pointy edges. As an experienced mother or father, you are probably aware, small children have a tendency to put most things in their mouth. It is important toys are free from sharp edges as to avoid cuts and injuries. There may be danger of a child falling on top of a toy while playing. To avoid injuries, make sure pointy edges are buffered or eliminated,

* Avoid LOUD toys. Children’s ears are highly sensitive and hearing can easily be damaged by loud noises. In order to find out if a toy is too loud, use your own ears as a tool. If the toy is too loud for you, it’s twice as loud for the child. You can choose to take out batteries of the toy or cover speakers with tape. This method is not preferred since tape can be pulled off and the child can swallow it.

* Make sure toys are free of toxic chemicals. Toys such as art supplies, play make-up and crayons have been known to contain toxic chemicals. Before making a purchase, investigate ingredients and contents of the product by looking at the label. The same label should also provide instructions on what to do in case of accidental ingestion of any hazardous substance that the item might contain. It may be wise to consult your local poison control to use as a reference if you need one.

* Some toys come with cords or strings. If a cord or string is longer than 12 inches in length, it can pose a strangulation hazard if looped. Never cut an electrical cord! Make sure electrical cords or wires are secured and protected. Make sure to supervise if an electrical toy needs to be plugged into an outlet. Battery-operated toys are preferable to purchase, especially with young children around. However, battery doors need to be checked frequently to make sure they are secured and cannot be opened. If strings have been cut, make sure frayed edges are cut also. When purchasing crib mobiles, make sure the mobile can be safely mounted high on the crib and out of babies’ reach.

* If you choose to purchase a toy over the Internet there are a few things that you should be aware of: Internet sold toys may not comply with U.S. Toy regulations. Auction sites may sell toys that have been recalled by the CPSC. This could be due to the fact the toys were hazards to children’s safety. If you happen to come across a recalled toy, or you would like to see what toys have been recalled, there are web sites available to you. CPSC or http://Recalls.gov provides sites with helpful information.

* Supervise and be realistic about your grandchild’s abilities and maturity levels. Ask yourself the following questions: Is the child physically ready for a certain toy? Is the toy too heavy? A heavy toy can cause severe injury if the toy falls on the child. Gauge if the child can physically control a heavy toy. Teach the child the safest way recommended by the manufacturer to use the toy properly. Again, SUPERVISE!

* Follow these tips when buying video games: follow age recommendations of each game and observe a game’s ratings. Games rated T for Teen can contain violence, profanity and content not suitable for children under the age of 13. EC for early childhood or E for everyone would be the best choice of rating when buying a video game for younger children.

* Remember the days when you would buy toys for your children? How many dollars have we spent to watch our children and now our children’s children go to the kitchen cupboard, pull out all the pots and pans and wooden spoons and bang away and be happy for hours at play? Or grandparents made or bought wooden toy vehicles and wood constructed pull toys that were safe and entertaining. Maybe all the banging of pots and pans is no longer a situation we wish to experience but fun and educational wooden toys are still available.

There was a time when toys were put on the market and bought without a lot of regard for safety. Grandparents could buy any toy that surely the grandchildren would enjoy without considering if the toy was age-appropriate. It was assumed that kids were thought to have the automatic knowledge not to pick up monopoly money and put it in their mouth. Slinkys were toys made to “walk” down your closest set of stairs. Who knew kids would start to use the Slinky as a rope from which to hoist their little brothers up to the highest treetop? Times have changed. So many toy accidents have taken place, it is now important to teach kids and grandparents the importance of toy safety. The most exciting thing about being a grandparent is watching grandchildren grow up happy and healthy. By becoming vigilantly aware shoppers, grandparents have the power to protect the grandchildren they love.

Dog Toys For The Brain, Teeth And Feet

Thinking of the best toys that suit your dog? Browse through the dog toys below and see what fits your pet and your budget.

For dogs who love to chew:

1. Kong Jump’n Jack

Prices:
$5.60 (small)
$7.50 (medium)
$8.80 (large)

Kong Jump’n Jack is a dog toy and a teeth cleaner and gum exerciser at the same time. It has a very unpredictable bounce that makes it a lot more fun for the dog to play with. It has a lot more surfaces that clean dog’s teeth. Kong Jump’n Jack also has slits that are useful for the gums to be exercised.

2. Squirrel Dude (Busy Buddy)

Prices:
$5.99 (small)
$8.99 (medium)
$11.99 (large)

This is a unique and innovative rubber toy. It has four rubber prongs that cover the hole a bit which challenges the dog to give more effort to taste the food treats inside. The Squirrel Dude is durable and very chewable.

3. Biscuit Block (Animal Planet)

$4.50 (small)
$9.90 (medium)

This chew toy has four grabbing chambers distributed throughout the toy. Varieties of dog treats can be inserted inside to keep pets happy and busy. It has a crazy bounce brought about by its square shape with cut corners.

4. Ball Stomp’r (Launch and Throw Ball Toys)

Price:
$10.99 (regular, red)
$8.99 (mini, green)

This dog toy enables both young and old to have a great time playing with their dogs. The Ball Stomp’r is the first ball launcher of its kind. The ball needs to be loaded, then stomped on and it will eject to a height reaching 100 feet with the regular ball. The mini Ball Stom’r can reach up to a height of 60 feet. This toy has its own ball but tennis balls are a good substitute. This toy is tough, water proof and very dog friendly. This is not chew-proof though so it should be kept after using. The dimension of a regular-sized Ball Stomp’r is 12 inches in length that uses a tennis ball sized ball. The smaller type is 9 inches long and uses a ball with the size of 2 inches.

4. Dinosaur Egg Baby (Plush Puppies) – Intelligence Building Toy ($6.90)

The Dinosaur Egg Baby has three eggs inside that give out a squeaking sound. It has a secret opening underneath to test dog’s instinct in getting hidden rewards. It is 6 inches in height, 5 inches wide and 12 inches long.

Toys that exercise dogs, cleanse their teeth, rejuvenate their jumping ability and test their intelligence. A complete set of these toys would definitely make owners be much more loved by their pets.

10 Simple Ways To Speed Up Your Windows XP

1. Defrag Disk to Speed Up Access to Data

One of the factors that slow the performance of the computer is disk fragmentation. When files are fragmented, the computer must search the hard disk when the file is opened to piece it back together. To speed up the response time, you should monthly run Disk Defragmenter, a Windows utility that defrags and consolidates fragmented files for quicker computer response.

* Follow Start > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Disk Defragmenter
* Click the drives you want to defrag and click Analyze
* Click Defragment

2. Detect and Repair Disk Errors

Over time, your hard disk develops bad sectors. Bad sectors slow down hard disk performance and sometimes make data writing difficult or even impossible. To detect and repair disk errors, Windows has a built-in tool called the Error Checking utility. It’ll search the hard disk for bad sectors and system errors and repair them for faster performance.

* Follow Start > My Computer
* In My Computer right-click the hard disk you want to scan and click Properties
* Click the Tools tab
* Click Check Now
* Select the Scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors check box
* Click Start

3. Disable Indexing Services

Indexing Services is a little application that uses a lot of CPU. By indexing and updating lists of all the files on the computer, it helps you to do a search for something faster as it scans the index list. But if you know where your files are, you can disable this system service. It won’t do any harm to you machine, whether you search often or not very often.

* Go to Start
* Click Settings
* Click Control Panel
* Double-click Add/Remove Programs
* Click the Add/Remove Window Components
* Uncheck the Indexing services
* Click Next
4. Optimize Display Settings

Windows XP is a looker. But it costs you system resources that are used to display all the visual items and effects. Windows looks fine if you disable most of the settings and leave the following:

* Show shadows under menus
* Show shadows under mouse pointer
* Show translucent selection rectangle
* Use drop shadows for icons labels on the desktop
* Use visual styles on windows and buttons

5. Speedup Folder Browsing

You may have noticed that everytime you open My Computer to browse folders that there is a little delay. This is because Windows XP automatically searches for network files and printers everytime you open Windows Explorer. To fix this and to increase browsing speed, you can disable the “Automatically search for network folders and printers” option.

6. Disable Performance Counters

Windows XP has a performance monitor utility which monitors several areas of your PC’s performance. These utilities take up system resources so disabling is a good idea.

* Download and install the Extensible Performance Counter List(http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/techinfo/reskit/tools/existing/exctrlst-o.asp)
* Then select each counter in turn in the ‘Extensible performance counters’ window and clear the ‘performance counters enabled’ checkbox at the bottom button below

7. Optimize Your Pagefile

You can optimize your pagefile. Setting a fixed size to your pagefile saves the operating system from the need to resize the pagefile.

* Right click on My Computer and select Properties
* Select the Advanced tab
* Under Performance choose the Settings button
* Select the Advanced tab again and under Virtual Memory select Change
* Highlight the drive containing your page file and make the initial Size of the file the same as the Maximum Size of the file.

Windows XP sizes the page file to about 1.5X the amount of actual physical memory by default. While this is good for systems with smaller amounts of memory (under 512MB) it is unlikely that a typical XP desktop system will ever need 1.5 X 512MB or more of virtual memory. If you have less than 512MB of memory, leave the page file at its default size. If you have 512MB or more, change the ratio to 1:1 page file size to physical memory size.

8. Remove Fonts for Speed

Fonts, especially TrueType fonts, use quite a bit of system resources. For optimal performance, trim your fonts down to just those that you need to use on a daily basis and fonts that applications may require.

* Open Control Panel
* Open Fonts folder
* Move fonts you don’t need to a temporary directory (e.g. C:\FONTBKUP?) just in case you need or want to bring a few of them back. The more fonts you uninstall, the more system resources you will gain.

9. Use a Flash Memory to Boost Performance

To improve performance, you need to install additional RAM memory. It’ll let you boot your OS much quicker and run many applications and access data quicker. There is no easiest and more technically elegant way to do it than use eBoostr (http://www.eboostr.com).

eBoostr is a little program that lets you improve a performance of any computer, powered by Windows XP in much the same way as Vista’s ReadyBoost. With eBoostr, if you have a flash drive, such as a USB flash thumb drive or an SD card, you can use it to make your computer run better. Simply plug in a flash drive through a USB socket and Windows XP will use eBoostr to utilize the flash memory to improve performance.

The product shows the best results for frequently used applications and data, which becomes a great feature for people who are using office programs, graphics applications or developer tools. It’ll surely attract a special attention of laptop owners as laptop upgrade is usually more complicated and laptop hard drives are by definition slower than those of desktops.

10. Perform a Boot Defragment

There's a simple way to speed up XP startup: make your system do a boot defragment, which will put all the boot files next to one another on your hard disk. When boot files are in close proximity to one another, your system will start faster.

On most systems, boot defragment should be enabled by default, but it might not be on yours, or it might have been changed inadvertently. To make sure that boot defragment is enabled:

* Run the Registry Editor
* Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Dfrg\BootOptimizeFunction
* Set the Enable string value to Y if it is not already set to Y.
* Exit the Registry
* Reboot

Hope you find these 10 tips useful. Have a nice day!

Cisco CCNA Certification: Static Routing Tutorial

In studying for your CCNA exam and preparing to earn this valuable certification, you may be tempted to spend little time studying static routing and head right for the more exciting dynamic routing protocols like RIP, EIGRP, and OSPF. This is an understandable mistake, but still a mistake. Static routing is not complicated, but it's an important topic on the CCNA exam and a valuable skill for real-world networking.

To create static routes on a Cisco router, you use the ip route command followed by the destination network, network mask, and either the next-hop IP address or the local exit interface. It's vital to keep that last part in mind - you're either configuring the IP address of the downstream router, or the interface on the local router that will serve as the exit interface.

Let's say your local router has a serial0 interface with an IP address of 200.1.1.1/30, and the downstream router that will be the next hop will receive packets on its serial1 interface with an IP address of 200.1.1.2/30. The static route will be for packets destined for the 172.10.1.0 network. Either of the following ip route statements would be correct.

R1(config)#ip route 172.10.1.0 255.255.255.0 200.1.1.2 (next-hop IP address)

OR


R1(config)#ip route 172.10.1.0 255.255.255.0 serial0 ( local exit interface)

You can also write a static route that matches only one destination. This is a host route, and has 255.255.255.255 for a mask. If the above static routes should only be used to send packets to 172.10.1.1., the following commands would do the job.

R1(config)#ip route 172.10.1.1 255.255.255.255 200.1.1.2 (next-hop IP address)

OR


R1(config)#ip route 172.10.1.1 255.255.255.255 serial0 ( local exit interface)

Finally, a default static route serves as a gateway of last resort. If there are no matches for a destination in the routing table, the default route will be used. Default routes use all zeroes for both the destination and mask, and again a next-hop IP address or local exit interface can be used.

R1(config)#ip route 0.0.0.0 0.0.0.0 200.1.1.2 (next-hop IP address)

OR


R1(config)#ip route 0.0.0.0 0.0.0.0 serial0 ( local exit interface)

IP route statements seem simple enough, but the details regarding the next-hop IP address, the local exit interface, default static routes, and the syntax of the command are vital for success on CCNA exam day and in the real world.

2 Common E-Mail Problems and What To Do About Them

When it works well, e-mail can be great. It's hard to beat e-mail for everything from staying in touch with family to requesting information from businesses or other organizations. Want to send the same message to several people? Communicate with someone across the continent? Transmit photos, manuscripts or other information? For speed and efficiency, this virtually instantaneous medium is one of the most convenient features of modern life.

But e-mail is not without problems. If you key in the name of an intended recipient but your message keeps bouncing back, you might not be singing e-mail's praises. Ditto for attachments that won't open or other such nuisances. With just a little patience, though, you can readily overcome most e-mail problems. What follows are 4 common e-mail problems along with solutions for overcoming them.

Problem – Returned Messages

This may be the most frustrating of all e-mail problems. After taking the time to create a message, you click on the “send” button and consider your task accomplished. But the next thing you know, the message pops up in your in-box with a heading that it did not reach its intended recipient.

Solutions

First, take the simple step of checking to see that the address of your recipient has been entered correctly. This may seem obvious, but sometimes the only thing wrong is a misplaced letter, the use of “com” instead of “net”, or some similar error. If you know the correct address, this is a straightforward matter of double checking each character. If not, you might need to experiment by sending multiple messages, or by entering alternative addresses with slight variations. Under this approach, you simply keep track of which messages are bounced back and compare them with the overall list of addresses you used. If you sent four variations but only three were returned, you have solved the problem by the process of elimination.

Sometimes the source of your problem lies with the recipient. If messages to other addresses go through but fail here, try to contact the intended recipient by other means and report the situation. The cause may range from a temporary problem with the recipient's server to a switch to another e-mail provider, to a full in box. In this case, simply waiting may be the best recourse. Or a phone call or other communication may be required on your part to obtain the correct e-mail address. If all your messages are being returned, you may have a connection problem. See below for more details.

Problem 2 – You Have Lost Your Connection

Sometimes a failure to send or receive e-mail can be traced to a lost connection with your Internet service provider.

Solutions

If you see a “failure to connect” or “no response” message or have otherwise determined that you have failed to connect, double check to make certain there are no physical problems.

First, check your cables and connections. If you use a dial-up modem, listen to make sure it produces the normal high-pitched dialing sound. If not, the problem could be a loose connection. Locate the phone cord that runs from the back of your computer to the phone jack, and then make sure that each end is plugged in snugly.

If you will don't hear the expected dialing sound, check to make sure your phone cord is undamaged. If it seems worn, replace it with a new one. Other steps include making certain the line is plugged into the right port, and checking the phone jack by plugging the cord into a different jack. If you hear the dialing sound after any of these steps, you have made a successful connection.

Connection problems may be more common with dial-up modems than with broadband connections, but the latter are also dependent on physical connections. A loose wire or poorly connected cable can easily be problematic. Sometimes a glitch occurs that can be best addressed by repeating portions of the initial set-up process. A simple fix touted by Verizon technical service reps for some DSL (digital subscriber line) customers is to disconnect the three lines from the back of the modem and then reconnect them in a specified order. When this action is taken, the online connection is immediately regained.

If you are online but keep getting bumped off, the lost connection can be the result of an unintended software command. In Outlook Express, for example, you will find the command “Hang up when finished.” If the box in front of this phrase is checked, the connection will automatically be severed each time you send or download e-mail. Sometimes a misdirected click of your mouse will cause you to place a check in the box even though you do not realize it. Simply click on the check mark to make it disappear, and the hang-ups will cease.

These 2 common e-mail problems are quite easy to determine and when rectified will make your emailing experience more enjoyable.

3 Ways You Can Manifest Money Quickly and Easily

The words quick and easy don’t seem believable when it comes to manifesting money. Most everyone has the mindset that if you want money it has to come with hard work.

It may just be true that hard works is necessary however it all depends on what sort of hard work you need to engage in to manifest money quickly and easily.

The whole concept of manifesting requires a deep understanding of not only your relation to your physical reality but also to yourself and your alignment with what you want. You know when you are in alignment with something by the way you feel when you focus upon it. If you feel joyful then you have opened yourself up to the flow of the creative force to pour great magnetism into you.

Attracting money is the same. Everyone who has been successful in manifesting great wealth will repeat this one mantra, “Do what you love and money will come.” This is the first way.

There is a deeper scientific reason for this which goes just beyond the share joy of loving what you do. Although that’s important there is another reason. When you are enjoying what you do you move into a divine flow that empowers your intention.

The second way to attracting money quickly is to remove fear from the equation of your desire and move into boldness. Too often people are unsure of what they want. When you are certain of your desires your mental image will also be clear and easier to manifest.

The third step is the ability to increase magnetism of your desire so that what you want comes to you. This is the true essence of manifesting. The more magnetic you can be the more charge there is between you and what you desire.


The secret to manifesting are in the right techniques. Manifesting is all about technique. You may know the steps but not be aware of just how to apply the steps to increase your magnetism of money

3 Ways to Use the Secret in Your Life

The first thing everyone wants to know after watching the move the secret is, “How do I sue the Secret?” That’s understandable because although the movie is good and it does introduce you to the law of attraction it does not quite tell you how to properly apply it to your life.


The First Step

One of the first things you can do in using the secret law of attraction in y our life is to educate yourself as much as possible on the subject of the law of attraction. Learn the very nature of the law of attraction and how it influences your life.

The core of the secret, are your thoughts which goes a lot deeper than negative verses positive thought. If you understood the truly nature of thought you would be a huge step above those who think they understand the law of attraction.


The Second Step

The second step to mastering the secret law of attraction is to get a journal and begin to write. Do you know most people have no clue what their predominant thought patters is, nor do they even know what it is that they want.

When you get a journal you can begin to explore your feelings on a much deeper level. Seeing your feelings on paper clears it up from being cluttered in your mind.


The Third Step

The third step to using the secret law of attraction is to take small inspired action towards your goals. With your new law of attraction journal you can begin to track daily every action you take that is in alignment with your goals. Its very hard for most people to be aware of the way they spend their time. When you set a specific plan and track it in your journal you have a better change of seeing how your week has gone, your month and then your year.

Much time can pass with many of us taking the same tiresome actions that get us the same lousy results again and again. Then many people say that the law of attraction did not work in their lives but actually the law of attraction did work. It simply worked to give you more of the same conditions you were creating again and again.

Alice Cooper - True Rock And Roll Is Live Once Again

The originator of “shock rock” is brining his live act back to the stage in 2006, and Alice Cooper is sure to create the same frenzy he always has. Cooper’s past acts on stage are famous, or infamous, depending on your point of view, but one thing that’s indisputable is that his show is one that every member of the audience remembers. Cooper’s sound is as memorable as his live act, and a look at his life may help explain how his persona came to be.

Early Life

Vincent Damon Furnier was born in Detroit on February 4, 1948. His heritage was quite interesting, in that his grandfather was an ordained Apostle of the Church of Jesus Christ and his father was an elder in the same church. After spending the first few years of his life in Detroit, the family decided to move to Phoenix, which was where Vincent spent his formative years.

Furnier enrolled at Cortez high school in Phoenix, and became known by his peers as a columnist in the school newspaper. His tone in these columns was quite sarcastic, and two of his loyal readers became his closest friends of the time - Glen Buxton and Dennis Dunaway. Buxton and Dunaway would play a large role in Furnier’s musical career down the road.

Furnier, Buxton and Dunaway were motivated by one thing in high school - gaining the attention and adulation of the female students at Cortez. Their first foray into the musical world occurred during a school talent show where they donned wigs and gave a mock performance of songs by The Beatles. Even though their show was definitely amateur in nature, the group discovered that music was definitely the way to go if they wanted to be popular.

The trio was joined by another friend, Michael Bruce, and the quartet formed a band named The Earwigs. The group’s musical influences included The Beatles, Pink Floyd, The Rolling Stones, The Who, The Kinks and especially Eric Clapton and The Yardbirds. The name “Earwigs” didn’t last long, as the band soon became known as the Spiders.

The Spiders released a single, "Don't Blow Your Mind," that was a hit on Phoenix radio, and as a result, the band once again changed their name to The Nazz and traveled to Hollywood to pursue larger goals. Despite years of struggle in Los Angeles, The Nazz did manage to play opening acts for such bands as The Doors and The Yardbirds. The final change came in 1968, when Todd Rundgren named his band The Nazz, forcing Furnier and his crew to rename their band “Alice Cooper.”

Alice Cooper Days

In 1969, the band Alice Cooper released their first album, Pretties For You, which sold reasonably well but was seen as an outlandish work at the time. One of the reasons was the legendary story that the band showed up still reeling from a night of heavy drinking to record the album. This legend helped play into the overall theme of craziness that the band embodied going forward.

The band Alice Cooper released a total of five albums, but they split up in 1974. Furnier then became known as Alice Cooper, and released his first album, Welcome to My Nightmare, in 1975. The album became a top ten hit, and Cooper was on his way to stardom.

Since then, Cooper has released more than 30 studio, live and compilation albums, and has sold millions of records worldwide. His onstage legend has never waned. Even though he denies biting the head off a chicken and drinking its blood, the story made waves all over the world and is still a subject of discussion in many interviews.

Cooper’s outrageousness is definitely part of why he is known, but he is also one of the top-selling artists of his time. He has always flown a bit under the radar, but his shock rock innovations have been admired and to an extent imitated by the likes of Judas Priest, Kiss, Megadeath and Marilyn Manson.

One thing is sure - to see Alice Cooper is to see a show you’ll never forget.

Addiction to Fame and Celebrity

Are Narcissists addicted to being famous?

Answer:

You bet. This, by far, is their predominant drive. Being famous encompasses a few important functions: it endows the narcissist with power, provides him with a constant Source of Narcissistic Supply (admiration, adoration, approval, awe), and fulfils important Ego functions.

The image that the narcissist projects is hurled back at him, reflected by those exposed to his celebrity or fame. This way he feels alive, his very existence is affirmed and he acquires a sensation of clear boundaries (where the narcissist ends and the world begins).

There is a set of narcissistic behaviours typical to the pursuit of celebrity. There is almost nothing that the narcissist refrains from doing, almost no borders that he hesitates to cross to achieve renown. To him, there is no such thing as "bad publicity" – what matters is to be in the public eye.

Because the narcissist equally enjoys all types of attention and likes as much to be feared as to be loved, for instance – he doesn't mind if what is published about him is wrong ("as long as they spell my name correctly"). The narcissist's only bad emotional stretches are during periods of lack of attention, publicity, or exposure.

The narcissist then feels empty, hollowed out, negligible, humiliated, wrathful, discriminated against, deprived, neglected, treated unjustly and so on. At first, he tries to obtain attention from ever narrowing groups of reference ("supply scale down"). But the feeling that he is compromising gnaws at his anyhow fragile self-esteem.

Sooner or later, the spring bursts. The narcissist plots, contrives, plans, conspires, thinks, analyses, synthesises and does whatever else is necessary to regain the lost exposure in the public eye. The more he fails to secure the attention of the target group (always the largest) – the more daring, eccentric and outlandish he becomes. Firm decision to become known is transformed into resolute action and then to a panicky pattern of attention seeking behaviours.

The narcissist is not really interested in publicity per se. Narcissists are misleading. The narcissist appears to love himself – and, really, he abhors himself. Similarly, he appears to be interested in becoming a celebrity – and, in reality, he is concerned with the REACTIONS to his fame: people watch him, notice him, talk about him, debate his actions – therefore he exists.

The narcissist goes around "hunting and collecting" the way the expressions on people's faces change when they notice him. He places himself at the centre of attention, or even as a figure of controversy. He constantly and recurrently pesters those nearest and dearest to him in a bid to reassure himself that he is not losing his fame, his magic touch, the attention of his social milieu.

Truly, the narcissist is not choosy. If he can become famous as a writer – he writes, if as a businessman – he conducts business. He switches from one field to the other with ease and without remorse because in all of them he is present without conviction, bar the conviction that he must (and deserves to) get famous.

He grades activities, hobbies and people not according to the pleasure that they give him – but according to their utility: can they or can't they make him known and, if so, to what extent. The narcissist is one-track minded (not to say obsessive). His is a world of black (being unknown and deprived of attention) and white (being famous and celebrated).


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mistreating Celebrities - An Interview

Granted to Superinteressante Magazine in Brazil

Q. Fame and TV shows about celebrities usually have a huge audience. This is understandable: people like to see other successful people. But why people like to see celebrities being humiliated?

A. As far as their fans are concerned, celebrities fulfil two emotional functions: they provide a mythical narrative (a story that the fan can follow and identify with) and they function as blank screens onto which the fans project their dreams, hopes, fears, plans, values, and desires (wish fulfilment). The slightest deviation from these prescribed roles provokes enormous rage and makes us want to punish (humiliate) the "deviant" celebrities.

But why?

When the human foibles, vulnerabilities, and frailties of a celebrity are revealed, the fan feels humiliated, "cheated", hopeless, and "empty". To reassert his self-worth, the fan must establish his or her moral superiority over the erring and "sinful" celebrity. The fan must "teach the celebrity a lesson" and show the celebrity "who's boss". It is a primitive defense mechanism - narcissistic grandiosity. It puts the fan on equal footing with the exposed and "naked" celebrity.

Q. This taste for watching a person being humiliated has something to do with the attraction to catastrophes and tragedies?

A. There is always a sadistic pleasure and a morbid fascination in vicarious suffering. Being spared the pains and tribulations others go through makes the observer feel "chosen", secure, and virtuous. The higher celebrities rise, the harder they fall. There is something gratifying in hubris defied and punished.

Q. Do you believe the audience put themselves in the place of the reporter (when he asks something embarrassing to a celebrity) and become in some way revenged?

A. The reporter "represents" the "bloodthirsty" public. Belittling celebrities or watching their comeuppance is the modern equivalent of the gladiator rink. Gossip used to fulfil the same function and now the mass media broadcast live the slaughtering of fallen gods. There is no question of revenge here - just Schadenfreude, the guilty joy of witnessing your superiors penalized and "cut down to size".

Q. In your country, who are the celebrities people love to hate?

A. Israelis like to watch politicians and wealthy businessmen reduced, demeaned, and slighted. In Macedonia, where I live, all famous people, regardless of their vocation, are subject to intense, proactive, and destructive envy. This love-hate relationship with their idols, this ambivalence, is attributed by psychodynamic theories of personal development to the child's emotions towards his parents. Indeed, we transfer and displace many negative emotions we harbor onto celebrities.

Q. I would never dare asking some questions the reporters from Panico ask the celebrities. What are the characteristics of people like these reporters?

A. Sadistic, ambitious, narcissistic, lacking empathy, self-righteous, pathologically and destructively envious, with a fluctuating sense of self-worth (possibly an inferiority complex).

6. Do you believe the actors and reporters want themselves to be as famous as the celebrities they tease? Because I think this is almost happening...

A. The line is very thin. Newsmakers and newsmen and women are celebrities merely because they are public figures and regardless of their true accomplishments. A celebrity is famous for being famous. Of course, such journalists will likely to fall prey to up and coming colleagues in an endless and self-perpetuating food chain...

7. I think that the fan-celebrity relationship gratifies both sides. What are the advantages the fans get and what are the advantages the celebrities get?

A. There is an implicit contract between a celebrity and his fans. The celebrity is obliged to "act the part", to fulfil the expectations of his admirers, not to deviate from the roles that they impose and he or she accepts. In return the fans shower the celebrity with adulation. They idolize him or her and make him or her feel omnipotent, immortal, "larger than life", omniscient, superior, and sui generis (unique).

What are the fans getting for their trouble?

Above all, the ability to vicariously share the celebrity's fabulous (and, usually, partly confabulated) existence. The celebrity becomes their "representative" in fantasyland, their extension and proxy, the reification and embodiment of their deepest desires and most secret and guilty dreams. Many celebrities are also role models or father/mother figures. Celebrities are proof that there is more to life than drab and routine. That beautiful - nay, perfect - people do exist and that they do lead charmed lives. There's hope yet - this is the celebrity's message to his fans.

The celebrity's inevitable downfall and corruption is the modern-day equivalent of the medieval morality play. This trajectory - from rags to riches and fame and back to rags or worse - proves that order and justice do prevail, that hubris invariably gets punished, and that the celebrity is no better, neither is he superior, to his fans.

8. Why are celebrities narcissists? How is this disorder born?

No one knows if pathological narcissism is the outcome of inherited traits, the sad result of abusive and traumatizing upbringing, or the confluence of both. Often, in the same family, with the same set of parents and an identical emotional environment - some siblings grow to be malignant narcissists, while others are perfectly "normal". Surely, this indicates a genetic predisposition of some people to develop narcissism.

It would seem reasonable to assume - though, at this stage, there is not a shred of proof - that the narcissist is born with a propensity to develop narcissistic defenses. These are triggered by abuse or trauma during the formative years in infancy or during early adolescence. By "abuse" I am referring to a spectrum of behaviors which objectify the child and treat it as an extension of the caregiver (parent) or as a mere instrument of gratification. Dotting and smothering are as abusive as beating and starving. And abuse can be dished out by peers as well as by parents, or by adult role models.

Not all celebrities are narcissists. Still, some of them surely are.

We all search for positive cues from people around us. These cues reinforce in us certain behaviour patterns. There is nothing special in the fact that the narcissist-celebrity does the same. However there are two major differences between the narcissistic and the normal personality.

The first is quantitative. The normal person is likely to welcome a moderate amount of attention – verbal and non-verbal – in the form of affirmation, approval, or admiration. Too much attention, though, is perceived as onerous and is avoided. Destructive and negative criticism is avoided altogether.

The narcissist, in contrast, is the mental equivalent of an alcoholic. He is insatiable. He directs his whole behaviour, in fact his life, to obtain these pleasurable titbits of attention. He embeds them in a coherent, completely biased, picture of himself. He uses them to regulates his labile (fluctuating) sense of self-worth and self-esteem.

To elicit constant interest, the narcissist projects on to others a confabulated, fictitious version of himself, known as the False Self. The False Self is everything the narcissist is not: omniscient, omnipotent, charming, intelligent, rich, or well-connected.

The narcissist then proceeds to harvest reactions to this projected image from family members, friends, co-workers, neighbours, business partners and from colleagues. If these – the adulation, admiration, attention, fear, respect, applause, affirmation – are not forthcoming, the narcissist demands them, or extorts them. Money, compliments, a favourable critique, an appearance in the media, a sexual conquest are all converted into the same currency in the narcissist's mind, into "narcissistic supply".

So, the narcissist is not really interested in publicity per se or in being famous. Truly he is concerned with the REACTIONS to his fame: how people watch him, notice him, talk about him, debate his actions. It "proves" to him that he exists.

The narcissist goes around "hunting and collecting" the way the expressions on people's faces change when they notice him. He places himself at the centre of attention, or even as a figure of controversy. He constantly and recurrently pesters those nearest and dearest to him in a bid to reassure himself that he is not losing his fame, his magic touch, the attention of his social milieu.

Redemption"is key motive- Big Brother All-stars Candidates Released

CBS has announced and posted all 20 potential Big Brother Candidates. The names have been floating around chat forums, blogs, myspace, and fan sites all over the web since the announcement of the show earlier this year. The key for the most of the houseguests? Redemption! Most of the chosen ones made big mistakes somewhere in the game, were stabbed in the back by another player, or just simply played the game wrong.

George
This guy seems to be the type who always tried to fit in by standing out- His nickname, Chicken, came from his duty to guard the household chicken.

Bunky
Bunky is the housguest who is known for his crying. He played the "nice guy" card, and we all know nice guys finish last! Bunky spent most of his time in the house crying, while the people around him tried to manipulate him. His best friend in the house, Kent,who first judged him, still remains a close friend to him outside the house. Bunky wants to come back and play the game completely different- and as he says he won't cry too!

Will
"You think its easy being good-looking?" Many fans love this guy- why? Because he knows that bad boys are sexy! He called his game playing ruthless and that he planned to lie from day one. He also claims he pioneered the strategy of being evil. He believes people should vote for him because he has a big ego and he would like to try to mix things up a bit.

Mike
"I am the type of guy you want to hang with instead of buying insurance from." Mike boogie was part of the chill town alliance and he states he liked hanging with the 'Bratt pack.' He said his biggest mistake was falling in love with Christa whom he asked to marry on the show, got engaged, and then broke up after the show. He thinks that being 'in love' clouded his judgment and wants to show America how strategic he can be. Good friends with Evil Dr. Will, he is wanting to step from beyond his friends shadow and take the lead.

Monica
"It's on" this girl is strong and a true force of female power. She claims she wants to continue to keep it real and for anyone who tries to get in her way to watch out. She even scares me! A true competitor!

Marcellas
Marcellas was always seen looking at himself in admiration and was quoted saying " I love looking at myself." Marcellas is a fan favorite, as since he was evicted he has worked on "House Calls" making comments on all Big Brother houses since his time. Him and Amy were two outcasts that were used to being popular until they entered the big brother house, only to be shunned by all. Marcellas made the mistake of giving up his veto to keep his only friend in the house, in what he refers to as, "a crazy greek tragedy". Marcellas wants to come back into the house to correct his big mistakes.

Lisa
Lisa- known for her infamous peanut butter bikini- and her quote " I keep my eyes shut and my mouth open," was one loud mouth in Big Brother. She is one of the few winners that will attempt to get back into the Big Brother House. This time she wants to come back and play the game although she won the last won she was in. She is ready to dodge bullets, as a past winner, she has nothing to loose.

Danielle
People either love to hate me, or hate to love me" a controversial player that will try to return to the show. In tonight's show she reflected in what she called " real and raw" dairy room sessions where she counted down to her victory. She also created a secret alliance with Jason that never uncovered landing them both in the top three. She was so close to winning that the only thing on her mind is "redemption".

Erika
Erika was really pumped to enter the house in BB4 until she saw her X boyfriend in the shows ex-factor twist. She would like to enter the house and try to win as one of the "good" guys. In BB4 she created a strong alliance with jack, but that alliance was not good enough. She is ready for anything this time and especially ready to redeem herself.

Dana
"I'm soooo pissed off" Dana was known for calling it like it is. She claims her personality is "spicy." She made her biggest mistake early when she switched sides and voted against her alliance only to get voted out in the next round.

Alison
"A Girls got to do what a girls got to do"- Alison, the houseguest everybody hated. She started off the show seducing all the boys, and in know time she was hated. She said that manipulating men was a part of her strategy as well as telling people exactly what they wanted to hear. She managed to squeak by and win second place, only to be brutally defeated with a 1: 6 vote loss. She believes that the first looser crap is not good enough for her and is coming back strong with vengeance.

Jase
"That was not from Jesus" Full of antics he labeled his BB5 crew, the "Four idiot horseman." Jase was thrown off guard when he was caught calling out other housguests. He was a rat on a sinking ship pretty fast! Jase believes all-stars would not be the same without him. He wants to be back, wearing head-gear... a Born again houseguest.

Michael
Michael "cowboy" - The only cowboy on big brother wants to return. He began his reign in the house acting wild but that was suddenly halted when he found out he had a sister and a father, and his sister was in the house with him! His sob story drove him to the end where he just missed the money. He thinks that when you get that close to the money its the hardest to loose it. People stated he rode the coattails to the finals, and he is ready to prove he deserves to be the winner.


Nakomis
Nakomis--Jennifer found out that Michael was her brother on the show. She had her own crafty personality, with new hair styles and poetry. Her passionate tirade against the producers, the series and reality shows in general, made her a memorable player in big brother. She states that her relationship with Michael is on and off again today, and that the most painful memory of her eviction was having the single vote that casted her out come from her brother. She wants to be the snake in the grass in the all stars competition

Diane
"When I want something, I get it." Diane is another one who fell in love on Big brother. She became winner Drew's girlfriend where later Drew chose to take cowboy Michael over her to the voting round. She stated that being with him costed her the game, and that nobody will break her down. She is also wants to come back in the name of "redemption!"

Howie
Howie made himself known quickly as BUSTO- a man who loves boobies. He was also always trying to be a JEDI and could be seen with his light sabers on several episodes. He had a secret partner Janelle. Howie has made the biggest online appearance creating his own games, starting online chats and promoting his own products. Howie believes "Big brother without Howie is like a day without sunshine." He also believes he was the best looking guy on the show.

Kaysar
Kaysar was the first Muslim on Big Brother, and although an extremely nice guy he was also an outcast. According to him, people thought they could take advantage of him, and that he was evicted way too early. Kasyar, although unpopular on the show has become extremely popular in reality. He appeared on the soap opera "the young and the restless" as well as an appearance in the new show "half and half." He is know for his quote " No, I sealed your partners fate." Kaysar is a hot pick in several big brother fan forums.

Ivette
"Im going to get Cuban on your ass" She believes that her biggest mistake on the show was choosing the wrong friends and alliances. Often seen on the show as loud and part of the "nerd herd" she wants to ditch those stereotypes and play a different game.

James
"Veto King" James was not well liked on the show. He claims no one was as feared and as hated as him. He survived because of his ability to capture the most veto's in big brother history. James promises that he will return with the same tenacity as before. James is also a favorite in forums all over the web.

Janelle
"Bye Bye Bitches!"The most highly quoted, fun loving, big brother candidate. Most houseguests would also love to see her return. Although a Tall foxy blonde, Janelle is know dummy and a strong competitor. She states she will do anything to win...ANYTHING!...

Well what are you waiting for? Vote for your favorites now! Join us at http;//www.morebigbrother.com