Diamonds Are Forever

Charmain Stought

Diamonds are still a girl's best friend, right? We love the
shiny gems. They are the most popular rocks sold today. But
what exactly are they, anyway? Where do they come from? What
else are they used for?

Diamonds are a mineral in one of the two crystalline forms
of the element carbon. They are the hardest natural
substance man knows. Diamonds are sold as gems, and used
in industrial applications for smoothing, cutting, and
polishing hard materials.

Diamonds are most famous for crystallizing in the common
colorless form. They may also be tranlucent to transparent
white, yellow, green, blue, or brown. Diamonds have a high
refractive index which is why they are so brilliant and
sparkly after cutting. The familiar shape of the diamond is
the octahedron.

The most brilliant diamonds become gemstones for jewelry and
other uses. For those that don't make it to gems, there
are other options. There is bort, which is a more poorly
crystallized or undesirable color and in fragmentary
condition, and carbonados which is gray to black opaque.
Bort and carbonados are used as abrasives for the cutting of
diamonds and the cutting heads of industrial rock drills.

Diamonds are found in alluvial formations and in volcanic
pipes, filled for most of their length with blue ground or
kimberlite, and igneous rock consisting primarily of
serpentine. Diamond yielding earth is mined by both the
open-pit method and by underground mining. After removal to
the surface, the soil is crushed and concentrated. Passing
the concentrated material in a stream of water over greased
tables does the needed sorting. The diamond is largely water
repellent and sticks to the grease and the other minerals
retain a film of water, which prevents the sticking to
the grease. Then the diamonds are removed from the grease,
cleaned, and graded for sale and use.

The earliest sources of gem diamonds were India and Borneo.
Some famous diamonds are the Great Mogul, Regent, and Pitt.
Other famous diamonds include the Hope (blue), Dresden
(green) and Tiffany (yellow). In the early 18th century,
deposits similar to those in India were found in Brazil,
mainly of carbonados. In 1867 a stone found in South Africa
was recognized as a diamond. Within a few years began a wild
search for diamonds. In 1870-1871, dry diggings including
most of the celebrated mines were discovered.

Synthetic diamonds were successfully produced in 1955; a
number of small crystals were produced when pure
graphite mixed with a catalyst was subjected to pressure of
about 1 million lb per sq in. and temperature of the order
of 5,000-F (3,000-C). Synthetic diamonds now are extensively
used for industry, mainly due to the ease of obtaining and
lower cost for them. Diamonds are still very popular and
symbolize many things. Their popularity does not seem to be
dwindling any time in the near future.



Charmaine Stought is founder of All About Diamonds an excellent resource site dedicated to information about diamonds



Fresh Fare From The Food Isle - Ireland
Mary Gallagher

Fresh Fare From The Food Isle - Ireland Cuisine
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It has been said that in the early 1980s Irish cuisine started to change for the better. Always blessed with naturally wonderful ingredients, chefs started a revolution incorporating nouvelle cuisine, flavors and techniques of the world, and then all roads leading to a new level of ever evolving spectacular Irish fare.

As this was my first trip to Ireland, a primary gauge was the five pounds this extremely picky eater gained in less than two weeks without ever drinking a Guinness! Outstanding game, grass fed beef, fresh vegetables and fruits, outstanding cheese and dairy (hmmm double cream, Irish butter), and as one is always close to the sea, rivers, and lakes providing pristine fish and seafood.

F�ile Bia is an Irish food organization with a commitment to quality. Their program emphasizes the importance of where food comes from before it reaches the hotels, restaurants, pubs and workplaces throughout Ireland.

F�ile Bia organized with the Restaurants Association of Ireland, the Irish Hotels Federation and the support of the farming community in response to growing consumer concerns about the quality and origin of food offered when dining out. An issue we should all be concerned about wherever we live.

Members provide details confirming the quality and origin of the food used in their kitchens. F�ile Bia participants are committed to sourcing meat, chicken and eggs from recognized Quality Assurance Schemes and gladly supply any customer requests for country of origin information.

Chefs and consumers throughout Ireland take care and pride in using products grown, raised and produced locally. One of those we visited was the Burren Smokehouse.

Burren Smokehouse

The Burren Smokehouse is located in the legendary County Clare town of Lisdoonvarna, on Ireland's west coast, a family run organization started in 1989 by Peter Curtin, a local man and his Swedish wife, Birgitta. Lisdoonvarna is also home to the world's best-known matchmaking festival that you can check out at www.matchmakerireland.com/festival. It is a picturesque and historic stop popular with tourists any time of year. The town and Burren are totally free of industrial pollution so prevalent and makes this the cleanest environment in all of Western Europe.

After researching the smoking traditions of Ireland they patented their own process. Nearby the Curtin family has owned the Roadside Tavern for about the last 100 years also the first place to serve their smoked salmon. Their belief in the finest quality food products, customer care and a great group workers ensures a continuous high standard.

We made our stop first at their Visitor Centre to watch the video showing how salmon is smoked, starting from filleting to finished product. The program is available in English, German, French, and Italian; the centre has space for about 50 people. We were able to test a little wine and several varieties of smoked products with additional explanations by Birgitta. Actually we loved it all except for those of us too "chicken" to try the eel. The smoked cheese was also wonderful.

According to Irish mythology (of which there is no end) only one creature was wiser than man. This was the fabled "Salmon of Knowledge" which had fed upon the acorns of the Tree of Knowledge. It was said that whoever tasted of the salmon would inherit its wisdom and foresight.

Salmon Sensations!

An old man had devoted his life to capturing the prized fish. Having finally achieved his goal, he entrusted the preparation and cooking to his young apprentice, with a warning that he must not taste its flesh. But, while cooking the salmon it got very hot and blistery. The boy touched those blisters and burnt his finger. To relieve the pain, he placed his finger in his mouth thus becoming the first to taste the fish and to benefit from its magical powers.

The boy was Fionn MacCool, who later became the great warrior prince of ancient Ireland. Fionn devoted his life to the spreading of wisdom.

The Curtin's carefully source local raw materials for the Burren smoked salmon, trout, mackerel, eel, and cheese with control quality standards and regular testing from independent laboratories and inspections by certification organizations.

In the store and online, they sell high quality locally produced crafts including leatherwork, knitwear, pottery, woodwork, jewelry, CDs, and books of local interest. There is also a full gourmet selection of locally produced fine foods, including Burren's own specialties. Select from cheeses, jams, chocolates, and a fine selection of wines to remind you of your visit to Clare. I carried home a huge slab of the smoked salmon and shared it with my neighbors and friends much to everyone's delight.

After checking out the samples we walked perhaps 200 feet to the Curtin's Roadside Tavern for a little "shake off the chill" libation and to mix with the locals.

Burren Smokehouse ships within Ireland and to countries all over the world with Japan as one of their biggest markets.

The Burren Smokehouse
Lisdoonvarna, Co. Clare, Ireland
Tel: +353 (0) 65 7074432
www.burrensmokehouse.ie

When you're home try this simple but tasty recipe for using your Burren's Smoked salmon:

Drimcong House Restaurant
Moycullen, Co. Galway

Warm Smoked Salmon Salad:

8 slices smoked salmon
Mixed lettuce leaves, shredded

For the dressing:
50g (2 oz) fresh spinach leaves
100ml (4 oz) sunflower oil
1� tablespoon balsamic vinegar
� tsp. fresh lemon juice
Salt and black pepper

Warm Smoked Salmon Salad.
Directions -

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By Mary Gallagpher - Read Jetsetters Magazine at www.jetsettersmagazine.com



Mary Gallagher - Join the Travel Wrtiers Network in the logo at www.jetsettersmagazine.com

See the Pyramids Along The Nile

Edwin Ali

See the Pyramids Along The Nile

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An Unforgettable Adventure To The Land of the Pharaohs, The Pyramids and Sphinx

African Adventure AtlasCairo, the Jewel of the Orient, the City of a Thousand Minarets, and the melting pot of ancient and modern Egyptian civilizations, is still one of the most amazing and exciting destinations in the world.

A visit to the Sphinx and the Pyramids at Giza continues as the most compelling reason to travel to the land of the Pharaohs to witness the sheer grandeur of the monumental architectural accomplishments of a by-gone civilization.

Historians have recorded the great legacy of this great civilization that overshadows the remarkable feats of Ramesses the Second, Alexander the Great, and Napoleon; the passage of time serves to fortify the recognition of the builders of the Sphinx and the Pyramids as a truly great people, achieving what modern man considers to be a "miracle".
Visiting the "Cradle of Civilization" - a beacon of religion in that part of the world - is more appreciative in a group with tour guides familiar with the Egyptian people, their customs, culture, language, history, and the country; this is a journey through time, a journey through the history of an immortal civilization.

For thousands of years Egypt has been the playground of emperors and kings, a land bustling with life, visual beauty, excitement, and relaxation, especially on a cruise down the Nile on festive river boats and swift faluccas (small, traditional sailboats).

Cairo is the largest city in the Middle East and Africa and lies at the center of all routes leading to and from three continents: Asia, Africa, and Europe; the city has an incredible selection of shopping, including spices, perfumes, gold, silver, carpets, brass, copperware, leatherwork, glass, ceramics, musical instruments, craft work, and cotton jubbe or Gilbab (long gowns worn by men). Experience dining on a floating restaurant on the Nile or sample an apple-flavored shisha waterpipe at a coffee shop; see Oriental dancers at the cabarets.

Light and Sound Show at the Great Pyramid.

A must-see after dark on the first night in Cairo is the Sound and Light show at the Pyramids, a dramatic fusion of light and music recounting the story of antiquity, orchestrated with mystifying perfection. The show follows a typical Egyptian dinner at Rahoma Grill on Sphinx Street in Cairo a short distance from the Sphinx and Pyramids. The speciality grill serves homemade barbeque, a large selection of famous Chinese dishes, and other Oriental foods with selections of fish, chicken, meats, desserts, and fruits.

Cairo Destination MapRahoma is a unique restaurant offering a variety of cuisines, with the bonus of magnificent views of the Pyramids and all the charm of Egyptian hospitality. It seats some 700 guests and is divided into clean and comfortable specialized areas.

Traditional dishes include koshary, a savory blend of lentils, chick peas and rice in a spicy chili sauce, or dish shami, the local equivalent of pita bread, made before your very eyes, spread with baba ghanouj, a tasty dip made of purreed eggplant.

Whether it is during the day or night, one thing is consistent, the constant sounding of horns by drivers who are always in a hurry. It is safer and easier to take a taxi to go anywhere, do not ever consider driving or renting a vehicle on your own. Signals are almost never used, but you wonder sometimes whether the driver of these vehicles ever take their hands off the horns. What is truly amazing is the fact that accidents rarely occur.

The Egyptian Museum

The first activity on the eight day Pyramids and Nile Cruise package is at the Egyptian Musuem, housing the greatest collection of Egyptian antiquities that evoke considerable interest. The ground floor traces the history of ancient Egypt. Security is very strict and all cameras, camcorders, or digital cameras have to be handed over to the Security outpost. Upon entering the check-in area, a whole concourse opens up, revealing sarcophagi and boats in enormous sizes and descriptions.

Included are some of the most important items from the time of the unification of Upper and Lower Egypt some 5,000 years ago, including the famous slate palette of King Narmer, one of the first documents of Egyptian history. Also on display are small masterpieces of sculpture, many over 50 centuries old.

Also depicted are a diversity of small statues from the Old Kingdom depicting individuals, families, and people at work.

On the second level there are thousands of smaller items from the span of Egyptian history. The treasures from Tutankhamun's tomb occupies a an area filled with chariots, gloves, jewelry, and the famous mask.

King Tut

Tutankhamun's tomb stored four gilded shrines nested one inside the other. All four of these shrines are on display and attract such curiosity that one can hardly get a good view for quite a while. The innermost of covers a stone sarcophagus which remains in the tomb.
Inside the stone sarcophagus are three coffins, the innermost being made of 110 kilograms of solid gold. Inside that lies the pharaoh himself, wearing the famous gold mask. Two of these three coffins are on display in the same room as the mask, along with jewelry that stuns the imagination.

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By Edwin Ali - Jetsetters Magazine Editor - at www.jetsettersmagazine.com



Edwin Ali - Jetsetters Magazine. Join the Travel Writers Network in the logo at www.jetsettersmagazine.com


Gymnastics: Injury, Prevention, Treatment - A Brief Overview
Murray Hughes

Gymnastics: Injury, Prevention, Treatment - A Brief Overview

In every sport--not just gymnastics--there stands the risk
of injury, no matter how adept or flexible your gymnast
happens to be. The sport requires a lot of psychological
and physical preparation, in part because it is extremely
rigorous, and in part because it demands a higher level of
skill than most other sports. The complexity that routines
entail increases the risk of painful injury and fatigue if
proper preparations are not taken to ensure all-around
safety.

The most common injuries to the body are those to the ankles
and feet, the lower back, knees, hands, and wrists. These
can be due to overuse or simple stress. The lower body
injuries are generally because of unbalanced landings,
while the back experiences strain when insufficient
stretching has been performed. Scrapes and bruises are to
be expected, even if your gymnast is properly attired -- so
simply be prepared. Any injury to a gymnast's body can be
detrimental to his or her performance in the future.
Stiffness can result from lack of use of a limb or of the
back if he or she is put out of the game for too long--that
is, if the injury is serious. For the most part, as a
parent, you will have to deal with less serious injuries
(hopefully), and you will not need to visit the doctor's
office to have them treated.

In any case, the best course of action is indeed prevention.
The standard safety measures in any sport are simple and
easily implemented, most especially for gymnastics.

First, you will want to make sure that your gymnast wears
the proper clothing. If he or she has long hair, tie it
back, braid it, or otherwise secure it. Do not allow them
to wear clothing that is too loose or baggy and conducive
to tripping; the same goes for socks and shoes - nothing
that will cause them to slide on a nonporous surface.
Remove all jewelry. Rings, for instance, can be caught on
swelling fingers if one is sprained. Earrings can be torn
from earlobes or carteliage in a mishap.

Then, make sure that you and your gymnast takes stock of the
surroundings. Wires from equipment can trip or cut;
running into poles or other gymnasts can be a disaster. To
trip on a mat that is higher than the current surface might
be painful.

Next, have them warm up. Warmups are vital to any sport,
and every gymnast, whether they are a preschooler or a
professional, should do them before starting any strenuous
activity. This includes jogging, speed walking, and
stretching -- anything to get the blood moving and the
heart pumping. Believe it or not, a good stretch decreases
the risk of a strained or pulled muscle, and it actually
feels good. If you're training with your young gymnast at
home or otherwise on your own time, it's advisable to be a
good role model and join them in their warm-ups. Turn on
some music and move too. It's a triple plus: you'll be
showing her or him how to properly warm up, that you are
interested in what they are doing, and you will be getting
your heart rate going strong too.

When your gymnast is out on the floor, make sure that he or
she takes breaks for water frequently. Hydration is key to
good health. If he or she is sweating profusely,
dehydration is possible, and that too can be a disaster
waiting in the wings.

Beyond all of the hazards of gymnastics, there is treatment
for any injuries received. Of course, if your gymnast is
injured severely, a doctor visit might be the best idea --
or even the emergency room. However, that is simply common
sense. On the other hand, if your child is not injured
severely, you may wish to take care of him or her yourself.

But whatever you decide to do, please understand I am not a
doctor and you should always consult your family doctor if
you have any problems or concerns.

For sprains, strains, bumps and bruises, you should use
ice for the first twenty four hours. Ice cubes in a
plastic bag with a facecloth or a hand towel wrapped around
the bag itself is sufficient if you do not have a medical
ice pack. Never place ice directly against skin - and
never ice for more than twenty to thirty minutes at a time.

Three or four times in the first day after the injury
should be sufficient. After that, gentle heat compresses
will help to relax any muscle spasms or pain that isn't
taken care of with some kind of pain reliever (consult a
doctor before giving your gymnast ANY medication).

Hopefully, you'll never have to deal with injuries -- but
remember, prevention is better than anything else. Keep
this in mind and be safe.

Good luck!

By Murray Hughes
Gymnastics Secrets Revealed
"The book EVERY gymnastics parent should read"

http://www.gymnasticssecretsrevealed.com/gymnastics-articles/gymnastics-injuries.htm

If your child is a gymnast and you enjoyed this article, you
will definitely enjoy reading the zero cost, 5-day course
Gymnastics Tips Course written especially for gymnastics
parents by a gymnastics parent.
http://www.GymnasticsSecretsRevealed.com
For AOL Users - Kids Gymnastics

Women Own The Holidays!

Ed Williams

This week we're gonna get serious and deal with one of life's greatest mysteries - why are almost all of the gift giving holidays slanted towards women?

I know, I know, this is gonna arouse a little controversy, especially from some of you women out there. And ladies, please don't take this the wrong way - I still love ya'll as much as ever, but I have to tell it like it is. Bottom line, gift giving holidays are geared towards women receiving the majority of the gifts. It's as simple as that.

Ya'll should know me well enough by now to know that I'm not going to say something like that without being able to back it up. It's my responsibility as a serious journalist to support my statements with facts. So, in that spirit, here's a list of the six major gift giving holidays along with where all those gifts seem to be going:

1. Valentine's Day - Is there any couple alive who can honestly say on Valentine's Day that more money was spent on the man than the woman? If there's a couple like that out there, please write me, cause your story would make a full length column in and of itself. We all know, just by what is put on sale on Valentine's Day, that this holiday is slanted towards women. If you don't believe me, kindly tell me many men out there are longing for gifts like flowers, balloons, heart shaped boxes of candy, or edible underwear? Hmmm?

$$$ Advantage: Women.

2. Anniversaries - This is a slam dunk for women. Anniversaries exist solely to pay homage to the female in the relationship. Most times, she gets expensive jewelry, nice clothing items, trips, cars, etc., etc. What does the man typically receive? Usually either a mailbox, some work clothes, or a gift certificate to a store that doesn't exactly sell male oriented items (Victoria's Secret, for example). In fact, to no man's surprise, this certificate usually ends up being redeemed for items that benefit the woman.

$$$ Advantage: Women.

3. Mother's Day - I can't knock this one at all, but obviously the gifts all go to women on this day. In fact, any man worth his britches loves his mama and should be glad to pony up big on this holiday. I know I wish I could.

$$$ Advantage: Women.

4. Christmas - If Christmas was any more oriented towards women, Santa would physically resemble Martha Stewart. But, don't take my word for it, research it yourself - visit a Sears one day, walk through the store, and tell me if at least two-thirds of the items in there aren't oriented towards women? I think that's why Sears is still hanging on in the retail world. If you want to see what happens when a store tries offering a more gender balanced mix of products, visit a JCPenney's (while you still can). They're learning the hard way what it means to not openly cater to women.

$$$ Advantage: Women.

5. Easter - When I was a boy growing up, I got lots of Easter candy each year, so I'll admit that food wise the holiday is a break even between boys and girls. However, what slants this one towards women are the clothes. Have you ever seen a young woman on Easter without a new dress and accompanying accessories? As for us guys, I can remember some years just being handed a new tie if I could still fit into my previous year's stuff.

$$$ Advantage: Women.

6. Father's Day - This is the only holiday where men rake in most of the loot. But, most wives, recognizing that, purchase gifts for their honey that ultimately end up benefiting them - stuff like gutter cleaners, new paint brushes, woodworking equipment, and the like. And guess what - all those things end up producing goods or services that ultimately benefit the woman.

$$$ Advantage: Debatable.

And there you have it - clear, non-biased proof that most gift giving holidays favor the woman. I guess this is to be expected, and is just as nature intended. I'd like to discuss this topic even more, but, I have to finish up this column right now. The upstairs bathtub is clogged, and this'll be the first chance I've had to use that new super strength plunger I received this past Christmas. And guess who gave it to me?


Ed's latest book, "Rough As A Cob," can be ordered by calling River City Publishing toll-free at: 877-408-7078. He's also a popular after dinner speaker, and his column runs in a number of Southeastern publications. You can contact him via email at: ed3@ed-williams.com, or through his web site address at: www.ed-williams.com.

Vintage Costume Jewelry: Yesterday's Fashion Today
Sam Serio

Jewelry, whether fine or costume, has been a part of human culture since the earliest times. People wear jewelry to satisfy their vanity, to indulge their love for beautiful things, and to look good to others. Vintage costume jewelry fulfills all these criteria, but at a fraction of the cost of real or fine jewelry. It is an inexpensive alternative that does not sacrifice taste as well as style.

Vintage costume jewelry may be less expensive, but good quality ones are never seen as cheap. They are less costly because they are not made from precious gems. Designers of vintage costume jewelry use a variety of materials from cut glass, beads, semi-precious gems, faux gems -- even plastic! These pieces were created and released since the start of the Victorian era up to the 1960s. Vintage costume jewelry from the 1940s and 1950s are especially creative and eye-catching, since the designers of the era had to produce relatively inexpensive yet fashionable items that men and women could afford and appreciate during the war and post-war era.

Some of the most popular designers of vintage costume jewelry were fashion guru Coco Chanel, Elsa Schiaparelli and Miriam Haskell. Many of Schiaparelli's bright and attractive creations were made from multi-colored rhinestones. Haskell, in her finely detailed work, almost always paid tribute to nature's beauty and bounty. Chanel, the favorite of many celebrities, transformed the way costume jewelry was worn in the 1920s. Other pieces of vintage costume jewelry were made from materials that included beads, corals, faux pearls, and Bakelite -- a kind of polymeric plastic.

Vintage costume jewelry continues to be very much in vogue today, and it has inspired many designers to create 'real' pieces made from precious gems and metals. At the 2005 Academy Awards, the jewelry that many women celebrities wore were oversized and sparkly, a tribute to the jewelry designs of the 1940s. Stars such as Madonna, Britney Spears, and Julia Roberts are not only collectors of vintage costume jewelry and dress accessories; they actually wear them in public, too.

A person does not have to be a celebrity to appreciate vintage costume jewelry. Their uniqueness, aesthetic value and superb craftsmanship make them popular collectible items, and with proper care, they can be a good investment, too, since serious collectors will pay top dollar for vintage costume jewelry that is in mint condition. But more than that, the experience of owning and wearing a thing of beauty that comes from a bygone era is simply priceless.


For more information on jewelry and gemstones, we cordially invite you to visit www.morninglightjewelry.com to pick up your FREE copy of "How To Buy Jewelry And Gemstones Without Being Ripped Off." This concise, informative special report reveals almost everything you ever wanted to know about jewelry and gemstones, but were afraid to ask. Get your FREE report at www.morninglightjewelry.com.

Breeze Through Airport Security

Jed Clark

During the shake up a few years ago of the airport security system, things got a little crazy and airport security went a little overboard confiscating toenail clippers and hair mousse. Thankfully those days of an overzealous security system are behind us and a cautious, careful and reasonable security system has take its place. With a little commonsense and preparation, you can reduce the hassle and the time it takes you to get through airport security and get your flight off to a great start.

Like most things in life, a little preparation goes a long way. Preparation is especially helpful for a smooth move through airport security. Before you even pack your swim suit, do a little planning to make sure that items are packed appropriately for that little visit with security. A little commonsense applies. If you are traveling with anything that is a weapon or could be used as a weapon, pack it in your checked luggage.

Sharp-pointed metal scissors, pack 'em in a checked bag. Curved-tipped scissors are okay for carry-on. Despite some stories you may have heard from friends, the following items are allowed in your carry-on luggage: knitting needles, toenail clippers, corkscrews, nail files, blunt-tipped scissors and safety razors. The most common personal item that is not allowed in checked or carry-on bags is a lighter. If you are a smoker, pack a few books of safety matches in your carry-on bag instead.

If you are traveling with a laptop, it must be inspected outside of your carry-on bag. So, you may want to label your laptop separately by taping a business card or other identifier to the bottom.

Pack all of your valuables, laptop, camera and camcorder equipment in your carry-on bags. Camera film and equipment may be damaged by the checked-luggage screening and you want to keep your valuables in your personal care at all times.

Remember that checked luggage must be unlocked or locked with a TSA-recognized lock (a lock designed with a special code that security may use to inspect the contents of your bags). If you are packing gifts, don't wrap them until you get to your destination as security may have to inspect them.

Now that you're packed, it's time to dress for the airport. Avoid wearing a lot of jewelry or metal items. Try to wear a pair of tennis shoes or other comfortable shoes that doesn't have a metal support in the sole construction (many thick-soled dress shoes and high-heeled women's shoes use these). If you pack your keys, cell phone or PDA in your pocket, prepare an empty pocket in your carry-on where you can easily place these items before you get to the security checkpoint.

When you're at the airport and about to go through security, the most important thing you can do is to be prepared for the next step in the process. Before you enter the security line, verify that there is not a shorter line at another gateway that you can use. As you enter the line, have your boarding pass and driver's license or passport ready for inspection. Keep these items easily accessible as many airports require you to show them more than once.

As you approach the security checkpoint, remove all metal items, keys, PDAs and cell phones from your person and place them in your specially prepared carry-on pocket. You may also want to remove your jacket and carry it over your arm until you get to the check point.

At the security checkpoint, take your laptop out of your carry-on. Place your laptop and jacket in the provided containers. Place your carry-on bag on the conveyor. As your items enter the scanner, it's time for you to breeze on through the checkpoint.

Be sure to follow the instructions of the security screeners. Remember they are there to ensure your security. If you are pulled aside for a random screening, be courteous to the security personnel. They are there to do a job and being pleasant makes things a little nicer for both them and you.

A little commonsense and preparation can ease your way through airport security and get your flight off to a great start.

Jed Clark is a travel writer, photographer and long-time San Francisco resident. For more travel tips and information about San Francisco destinations, attractions and neighborhoods, visit http://www.zurdogo.com/ - a destination guide to San Francisco.

How Much Should You Pay for a Click
Andy Quick

Title: "How Much Should You Pay for a Click?"
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How Much Should You Pay for a Click?
Andy Quick

You have a web site ready for action. Your product catalog, order
tracking, credit card payment system, and fulfillment process are all
in place. Now all you need is traffic! Many web entrepreneurs have
learned that the magic nut to crack is attraction: get a steady flow of
customers who explore your site and eventually purchase goods. The
overhead costs of most web businesses are minimal relative to brick and
mortar stores. However, the variable marketing costs can over shadow
sales revenues by orders of magnitudes. Unfortunately, unlike the
saying in the movie Field of Dreams, "If you build it, they will not
come!" Luckily, the industry has learned this lesson; some the hard
way, and others in spite of the losers. Dot-coms are clearly not the
darlings of the capital markets any longer; however, there is still
money to be made! If you plan to start a web business or already have
one but are not sure how to increase traffic and make money at the same
time, you should consider a science-driven approach. What does that
mean? Read on-

How to Lose $500 in 12 Hours

One weekend, my business partner and I created an affiliate commerce
site. The site comprised a list of links to other online retailers.
People go to our site, pick a link to a jewelry store for example, buy
something, and in turn we receive a commission from the sale. The
process of creating the site, signing up the affiliate agreements, and
turning it on was a cinch. The cost was virtually nothing. We, being
new to this whole web business concept, thought we had an incredibly
smart marketing idea: pay to have our site come up in an ad box on a
major search engine (Google) every time someone searched on the word
"gifts". The word gifts is searched for 49,000 times per day! We
figured we would have a good flow of visitors and the money would start
rolling in. For certain, we would at least break even. We sunk $500 in
one day and let it rip. Here's what happened:

Our investment in Google - $ 500
Number of times our ad was displayed (impressions) - 36,964
Number of times people actually clicked on our ad when they saw it
(click-throughs) - 429
Number of times a person visiting our site made a purchase - 10
Our total sales revenue- $ 77
Our total gross profit - $ (428)

The whole process took less than 12 hours. At least we learned a lesson
quickly at a relatively low cost. Let's look at this event from a
slightly different perspective, putting the costs in terms of number of
visitors:

Our investment in Google - $ 500
Number of times our ad was displayed (impressions) - 36,964
Number of times people actually clicked on our ad when they saw it
(click-throughs) - 429
Ad cost per visitor - $ 1.17
Number of times a person visiting our site made a purchase - 10
Average sale per purchase - $ 7.70
Average revenue per visitor - $ 0.18
Average gross profit per visitor - $ (0.99)

We were basically giving $1 away for each visitor that came to the
site. Not a winning business model. However, taking this information,
we can assess which marketing techniques can work best for the
business. Let's add 2 additional critical data points to our table:

Our investment in Google - $ 500
Number of times our ad was displayed (impressions)- 36,964
Number of times people actually clicked on our ad when they saw it
(click-throughs) - 429
Percentage people who clicked on our ad (click-through rate)- % 1.16
Ad cost per visitor - $ 1.17
Number of times a person visiting our site made a purchase - 10
Percentage of visitors who purchased something (conversion rate)-% 2.3
Average sale per purchase- $ 7.70
Average revenue per visitor- $ 0.18
Average gross profit per visitor- $ (0.99)

Running the Numbers

Putting this all together, you can create a formula for estimating the
gross margin per visitor for a specific marketing campaign:

Average Gross Margin per Visitor = Average revenue per visitor -
Advertising Cost per Visitor
Advertising Cost per Visitor = Campaign Costs /(Impressions x Click-
through rate)

Average revenue per visitor = Conversion rate x Average sale per
purchase

Putting it together:

Average Gross Margin per Visitor = (Conversion rate x Average sale per
purchase) - (Campaign Costs / Impressions x Click-through rate)

Using our Google example, the average gross margin per visitor would be
calculated as:

Average Gross Margin per Visitor = (0.023 x $ 7.7) - $500 / (36,964 x
.016) = (0.99)

Remember, this formula can only be used for a single type of campaign.
Depending upon your target audience and the type of campaign, all of
the above variables can change. When we launched our Google campaign,
we used impression-based advertising, that is, we paid Google a certain
amount of money for every 1,000 impressions of our ad (about $15 per
1,000 impressions in our example). However, just because our ad was
displayed inside someone's browser did not mean they would click on the
ad itself.

Enter pay-per-click advertising. This advertising model allows you to
pay for an ad only when a person actually clicks on it. In this model,
you are guaranteed to get visitors. However, the cost per click is
usually much higher. Let us assume we ran our same Google campaign
except we used pay-per-click advertising. Pay-per-click also factors in
position which will drive the amount you pay per click (the higher the
ad position on the screen, the higher the price per click will be).
Let's say we pay google $0.50 per click and based on Google's traffic
for the word gifts, we receive 170 clicks per day (or visitors), or in
total 1000 visitors over the life of the campaign (we still only put in
$500, so $500/$0.50 = 1000). Using our same ratios, let us re-compute
our Average Gross Margin per Visitor, modifying our formula slightly
(notice the formula is simpler):

Average Gross Margin per Visitor = (Conversion rate x Average sale per
purchase) - (Campaign Costs / Visitors)

Plugging in the numbers:

Average Gross Margin per Visitors = (.023 x $ 7.7) - ($500 / 1000) =
(0.32)

If we used a pay-per-click advertising model, we could have saved $100.
Either way, we would have lost money, but imagine if we had started
with $5,000 instead of $500. The nice feature of pay-per-click is that
you know ahead of time how many visitors you will receive. If you know
your conversion rate and your average sale, you can modify the formula
to determine the most you should pay for a pay-per-click campaign:

Max Pay-per-click = (Conversion rate x Average Sale per purchase)

In our Google example, our maximum pay-per-click should be $0.18. For
every penny we pay less than our maximum pay-per-click, we're making
money! Unfortunately, as of this writing, the minimum pay-per-click
cost for the word "gifts" on Google is $0.37. The ultimate lesson is
that for this particular site, the Google marketing campaign will not
generate sales revenues. But is that really true? We could increase our
conversion rate and our average sale per purchase. We could increase
our conversion rate by optimizing the design of the web pages. We could
increase our average sale per purchase by entering affiliate agreements
that offer higher commissions. Let's say we used the $0.37 pay-per-
click model on Google for our gift site. In order to make money we
would have to get our average revenue per visitor to at least $0.38. If
we just focused on our conversion rate, we would need to increase the
percentage of visitors who make a purchase to 4.9%. If we left
conversion rate alone, we would need to increase the average sale per
purchase to $16.50. Alternatively, we could try and increase them both.

Not All Ad Models Are Created Equal

Using the same model, let's look at a different type of campaign:
newsletter advertising. This form of advertising involves placing an ad
embedded in a newsletter that is distributed to a subscriber base via
email. The model for calculating average gross margin per visitor is
exactly the same as impression based, except your target market is
different. For example, let us say we spend $1,000 to place an ad in an
email newsletter about shopping tips. And let's say the newsletter
reaches 500,000 subscribers. If we used the same click-through rates
and conversion rates, our average gross margin per visitor would be:

Average Gross Margin per Visitor = (.023 x $ 7.7) - $1000 / (500,000 x
.0116) = $0.004

We're making money!! (not much, but the margin is positive).
Translation: this campaign brings us under a half a penny per visitor.
Another helpful ratio is to calculate the return on your advertising
dollar:

Return of Advertising = [(Impressions x Click-through rate x Conversion
rate x Average sale per purchase) - Campaign Cost] / Campaign Cost

Or in our case:

Return of Advertising = [(500,000 x .0116 x .023 x $ 7.7) - $1000] /
$1000 = 2.7%. Translation: you're making 2.7 cents in gross revenue
for every dollar of advertising you spend. Also keep in my mind that
this newsletter reaches a different target audience. While people on
Google may casually look for gifts, the recipients of a shopping
newsletter may have a higher tendency to buy (i.e. your conversion rate
may be higher). If your conversion rate were higher, let's say 3%, your
new average gross margin per visitor becomes $0.05!! or a 34% return on
our dollar.

The Bottom Line

Using formulas to compute the success of marketing plans is extremely
helpful and reduces the risk of throwing away precious advertising
dollars. However, understand that each marketing campaign will differ
based on cost per click, conversion rates, target audience, and average
sales per purchase. I encourage you to track all the data available
about your marketing campaigns so you can realize profits instead of
losses.

Marketing on the web can be difficult. Predicting the behavior of
surfers is an art unto itself. Before you begin spending a lot of money
on advertising, experiment with different types of campaigns, track all
of the results, and make future marketing decisions based on real
customer behavior. Also keep in mind that there are other, free forms
of advertising. Writing articles, participating in newsgroups, print
advertising, and email marketing are other examples. Remember that all
of these marketing techniques will have different click-through rates,
conversion rates, and revenues per visitor.

Andy Quick is co-founder of Findmyhosting.com (www.findmyhosting.com),
a free web hosting directory offering businesses and consumers a hassle
free way to find the right hosting plan for their needs. Feel free to
contact Andy at andy@findmyhosting.com in case you have any questions
or comments regarding this article.


Andy Quick is co-founder of Findmyhosting.com (www.findmyhosting.com),
a free web hosting directory offering businesses and consumers a hassle
free way to find the right hosting plan for their needs. Feel free to
contact Andy at andy@findmyhosting.com in case you have any questions
or comments regarding this article.

Debt Reduction Solutions

Mark Lambie

Finding solutions to reducing your debt takes some thinking and research on your part. You have some good choices available to you and we shall list these key debt reduction solutions for you right here:

1. Home Equity Loan or Home Equity Line of Credit. Your 21% charge card can be reduced to nearly 6% over night. How? By taking out a line of credit or equity loan against your home. Equity loans and lines of credit are available at low rates and banks are very willing to extend this service to you as your home is your collateral. Pay off all of your credit card debt with the loan and you will achieve debt reduction solutions immediately.

2. Replace high interest credit cards with low interest cards. Yes, in this day of low interest rates, many credit cards carry high interest rates. Ask your credit card issuer to reduce their rate closer to market rates. If they refuse to budge, consider applying for a low interest rate card from another provider. Transfer your balance to the provider offering the best rate.

3. Debt reduction solutions can be realized through the selling of other assets including: an extra car, antiques, jewelry, extra property, renting out property, or liquidating some other assets. Check around your home and see if there is something that you owe that can be sold on eBay or locally at a yard sale. Take the proceeds from your sale and pay down your debt, starting with the biggest debt first.

4. If you do not owe a home, or the home you do own has negligible equity built up then you cannot get equity from your home. Still, depending on your income, you may be eligible for mortgage refinancing below market rates. Check with your bank or local housing authority to see if you qualify for a low or moderate income loan. The savings you realize through reduced mortgage payments may help you pay down your debt.

Finding debt reduction solutions that work for you is an important first step in eliminating debt. Make a plan and stick with it and you will soon be living a debt free/care free life.


Mark Lambie is the founder of Fast Debt Settlement We provide a free service that matches you with debt consolidation specialists

Precious Stones Explained!
Sam Serio

The mineral to which the term " precious stone" is applied, must be adaptable for jewelry or ornamental purposes and must possess beauty, hardness, and rarity.

The beauty of a precious stone or gem consists of its color or colorlessness, brilliancy or softness of luster, and transparency. To take a high and lasting polish, a mineral must be hard, -and many stones that would otherwise be highly valued are low in the estimate of worth because they do not possess of sufficient hardness to make them endure the wear and friction to which a precious stone is subjected when used in the form of jewelry. The rareness of precious stones has a decided effect in determining their values. For instance, the crocidolite, commercially known as tiger-eye, was sold by the carat some years ago, and was largely used in the making of fine jewelry. Today, this material is so plentiful that it is no longer classed among the higher gems, but serves for cameos and intaglios like chalcedony and onyx.

The changes of fashion have much to do with determining the market value of precious stones. Amethysts, topazes, cat's-eyes, aquamarines, alexandrites, and even emeralds and opals have been eagerly sought for at times and then again neglected for other gems, causing a sensible difference in the value of these stones.

It has been a mooted question as to the proper dividing line between stones that deserve the title "precious," and those, which should be placed in a so-called semi-precious or lower category. To draw such a line is hardly possible, as neither hardness, rareness, nor value would be a positive test--some of the hard stones, like zircon and almandines being less valuable than softer opal, while the diamond, one of the most plentiful of precious stones, is at the same time, one of the most valuable.

Neither can price be taken as a complete test, because fashion makes a turquoise, an opal, or an emerald much more valuable at one time than at another, All precious minerals used for ornamental purposes, from the diamond to quartz, or chalcedony, may properly be termed precious stones.

The Final Word On Precious Stones

The most precious stones are the diamonds, emeralds, rubies and sapphires. The pearl is oftentimes classed with precious stones. Although strictly speaking while it is not a stone it holds an esteemed place in jewelry.


The Authors of the above Article, Sam and Tami Serio have been passionately involved with Jewelry and Gemstones for over fifteen-years. You are cordially invited to visit http://www.morninglightjewelry.com for a wealth of information about the fascinating world of Jewelry and Gemstones. Together they also shelter 20 abandoned and abused dogs & cats. A portion of their profits goes to the care and feeding of the animals.

"I Love Florence in the Springtime"

Sarah Anne Polsinelli

Shortly after landing in Rome's Fiumicino airport, it will hit you like a ton of cobblestones: You're in Italy.

Simply being in Italy is surreal. Walking around, the images that you've seen in photos and films literally come to life. The sites and people aren't extremely extravagant, but there is an abiding sensation that you are in a different world.

Last year around this time, York Italian literature professor Elio Costa told me about the annual trip organized by the Italian department.

"But it's too expensive," I thought immediately. I had been to Italy once before and three weeks of memorable travelling left me with serious credit card debt. Professor Costa told me to look into some bursaries and I did. When I was granted $1,500 in financial support, I started to stock up on film.

You land in Rome and take a coach to Florence, where you'll spend three weeks, staying at Instituto Gould, a hostel-like place that gives proceeds to needy children and orphans.

You'll have class from 9-11:30am, Monday to Friday, but calling it "class" doesn't do it justice, since most of these "classes" are walking tours of a city. The rest of the day is leisure time, as are the weekends (during which you can take a train to nearby Siena and to many other towns that border Florence). The three weeks spent in Florence will fly by, and you can spend the following three weeks in Italy's capital - and my favourite city - Rome.

Florence differs from Rome because in Florence, everything is within walking distance.
You will walk to everywhere - restaurants, churches, nightclubs, even trendy outdoor discotheques in the north riverbank Le Cascine district (walking there was easy, butwalking home in stilettos wasn't). We learned an important lesson walking alongside the Arno one night. Just a few feet away from us, over the river, colonies of pippistrelle, (or bats, which are pretty common in Italy) decided to give us some unexpected company. The bats were bold, generally flying within a few feet of us, and in large clusters. Every once in a while a single bat would swoop down and come face-to-face with us, startling us with its bravado. There are, I noticed, some striking similarities between Italian bats and Italian men.

But even if you opt for a cab, don't expect them to be readily available. Taxis in Italy don't speed around the city looking for passengers and if you happen to find one and flag it down, consider yourself lucky. Walking back to the hotel one night, strolling arm-in-arm with some friends, we noticed a police car stopped alongside the river.

"Let's ask them for a ride home!" suggested one of the girls. (For those of you that have never been to Italy, all of the police officers are young and gorgeous.)
So we approached the car and with big smiles plastered across our faces, tapped on the window. Our faces dropped when they rolled the windows down and we spied what they were doing in the privacy of their police car: Reading Italian comic books (we did not get a ride home).

It's hard to spend six weeks in Italy and not have dozens of adventure stories to come home with. Every day is filled with adventure: For instance, finding a cold drink.
On one occasion, I was at a train station and, seeking a thirst-quencher from the sweltering Italian sun, deposited 2 � (about $3) in a vending machine for what turned out to be a lukewarm can of Nestea. Determined not to dehydrate, I popped another coin into the machine and got yet another can of warm iced tea. A stranger that witnessed the disheartening event leaned over to say, "E normale" ("It's normal"). Ironically, nothing is normal in Italy - especially not in Florence.

Even though Florence, along with other Greco-Roman cities, was a sort of blueprint for Western civilization, it's difficult for North Americans to relate to the Florentine lifestyle. Italians linger over lunch, they rarely watch television and they never talk about money.

So why do tourists flock there? It might be the aesthetic appeal. Along with the handsome police officers, the city is an open-air art museum. The city is full of massive architectural marvels, museums, hundreds of intricately designed churches, not to mention the hand carved beauty that can be found on every street corner.

With street names like Via delle Belle Donne (Beautiful Women Street), one has to wonder how even the seemingly mundane details of this city are infused with loveliness.

The streets themselves are lovely. Designer boutiques like Gucci, Ferragamo and Prada line the extravagant Via de' Tornabuoni, a higher end stretch of shops ideal for window shopping. You'll get lost in San Lorenzo's outdoor market, rich with colourful merchants who will get on their knees and beg you (I'm serious) to try on their goods. You'll marvel at the glittery jewelry stores along the historic Ponte Vecchio, one of the many cobblestone bridges that cross the Arno.

But since Italy and Italian cuisine are so inextricably linked, I have to say that Florentine cuisine is probably the best and simplest cuisine that exists, using basic, fresh ingredients, most of which are grilled (alla Fiorentina) to perfection. If you decide to eat in some of the more touristy areas (in any of the major piazze, or town squares) you'll pay double, maybe triple, the cost of what a Florentine citizen would pay. San Lorenzo has some great, reasonably-priced restaurants and of course there are hundreds of cafes, bars and pubs. The pizza - in almost every pizza place - is mouth-watering.

And the gelato? Oh, the gelato ... It is suffice to say that La Paloma and other gelaterie that are scattered around Toronto simply pale in comparison to what Florence has to offer. But since I am not a talented enough writer to do it justice with words, the gelato mention here will be minimal.

Florence is ineffable, and with obvious bias aside, full of love. Yet, in the midst of all of this tangible beauty (including 60 per cent of UNESCO World Heritage Sites) many North Americans are disappointed with their travels to Italy.

"Because [North] Americans go all over the world," explains professor Costa, "and they expect the world to be a copy of the United States. They want to travel the world and have everyone speak English and serve you hot dogs in the street."

After completing our course in Florence, my friend Mariangela Tagliabue (a third-year Italian major) and I spent the next three weeks of our trip travelling along the Northern part of Italy, but first spent four days in Rome, la citt� eterna, ("the Eternal City"). Rome is much bigger than Florence, so most of our getting to-and-fro was spent squished into the backseat of tiny little cars, careening dangerously around a city where streets have no lanes and traffic lights are purely decorative.

While in Rome, Mariangela and I had the opportunity to meet Pope John Paul II. We sat through an outdoor mass in St. Peter's square, just four rows away from the now-ailing Pope, and when the mass was over we were ushered into a lineup of people for a brief encounter with him. We weren't prepared to meet him and quickly turned to the person behind us and asked what we should say to him. What, after all, do you say to the Pope?

The man, stifling laughter, gave us a formal phrase to repeat: "Sua Santita, prega per noi" ("His holiness, pray for us"). As we were approaching, the Pope was wearing red velvet slip-on shoes. When it was our turn, one of the Pope's aides that stood alongside him signalled us to approach quickly and kneel before him. Mariangela promptly stepped forward, but I stood just a few feet before him, transfixed by the majesty of this man, clothed in ornate robes and much larger than I had expected him to be.

Kneeling before him, a small cluster of papparazzi stood alongside us, snapping photos. In between all of the camera flashes and noise and the Pope's aides surrounding us, we were face to face with one of the most famous men in the world.

We were frozen. We held his soft hands (I actually wondered what kind of moisturizer he used, and whether or not he applied it himself) and he cupped our cheeks. We mumbled the ceremonial saying, unmoving. But when our time was up and his aide took my arm, I quickly added something that I knew my boyfriend would appreciate: "Luigi says hi!"

If not for the pictures, I doubt anyone would believe us.

Student writer, professional daydreamer. Go to www.pumpkin-face.com for a complete list of articles.

Wholesale Jewelry Trade Secrets #2
Eugenia Bivines

The BIG Boys don't want you to know.

The # 2 trade secret that jewelry stores don't want you to know is that their
average retail mark-up is 100% and Higher. Actually, this information is
available if you dig through the SEC filing for public jewelry companies.

Why is the mark-up so high on jewelry?

The main reason is that there are lots of costs associated in selling jewelry.
For example, each store has to pay rent, pay commissions, pay its sales staff,
pay for advertising, and hold its own inventory. And because most jewelry
retailers do not sell in high volume, their profit must be high for each item
in order to stay in business.

Another reason some jewelry retailers mark-up the price so high is that they
believe a higher price tag increases its perceived value.

How can jewelry stores that have 50% discounts still stay in business?

Have you ever seen small silver trinkets at jewelry stores selling for over $100?
The mark-up can be as high as a few hundred percent. But a high price tag
at a jewelry store does not necessarily reflect its true value.
Have you ever noticed that some stores always have a 40% sale sign especially
around Holidays?

You should watch out for these stores because they always inflate the price
and give you a big discount so you feel like you are getting a great deal.

So how do you find a good price? The best thing to do is comparison shop on
the internet. After comparison-shopping at least 3 internet jewelers, you will
get a good idea of the lowest price you can find. Even if you don't feel
comfortable buying jewelry on the internet, you can use the price to negotiate
a better price at the jewelry store. Almost all Brick and Mortar jewelry stores
are negotiable on price. Remember, most retailers mark-up their jewelry at
minimum 100%, so if you are ready to purchase, they will definitely negotiate
on price to make the sale. Just tell them the price that you found for the exact
same item on the internet. You will probably not be able to get as low of a price
as the internet, but if you want the peace of mind touching the jewelry and
talking to a sales person, the higher price may be worth it.

How is jewelry so much cheaper on the internet?

The nation's largest jewelry chains have more than 2500 stores nation wide.
Multiply 2500 stores by the cost of rent, salespersons' commissions,
advertising, and the cost of holding inventory. That's a huge expense.

In comparison, most of the largest internet jewelers are direct importers
or wholesalers. This means they supply to 100's or 1000's of retailers in volume.
And an online jeweler only needs 1 distribution center to serve the entire US,
with few sales persons. These cost savings result in lower prices for you.

Secret #2 Summary:
Average Retailer mark-up is 100% and higher
High price tag doesn't always reflect true value
Most prices at jewelry stores are negotiable


None

Explosive Inspirational Rap Artist Debut's This Month!

Syan's Writing Services

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
�Unique Starr

March 8, 2005 - - Atlanta, GA - - Another year of thug life and gangster glorification has come to a close. 2005 is well on its way to be the year we contemplate the future of hip-hop music.

Who will grab the game by its neck, shake things up, and give us a reality check?

Hip-hop's fire is slowly dwindling into a dim flame.

What we need is a unique star to shine on the music of our generation and bring hip-hop back to what it used to be - an escape from reality providing inspirational food for thought laced over a bangin' track.�

Oneness Music's newest artist, Unique Starr, comes from the heart of Bed Stuy, NY, to quench your thirst for knowledge, versatility, and God-given talent.

Inspired by veteran rapper, LL Cool J, Unique Starr caught the attention of Oneness Music's CEO, Ross Jordan. �"I was impressed by his style, class, and sheer musical talent", says Ross. "Listening to his lyrics made me realize that this artist has a positive message for young people." �

Unique's lyrics resonate in the soul while uplifting the mind and spirit toward positivity. �

A military veteran, Unique Starr has been around the world, seen it all, and is here to tell young people there is a better life than what gangster rap is promoting.

A father of 5 boys, Unique Starr feels that it is his calling to show a more positive side to life than just over-exposed body parts and spending hard earned money on jewelry, cars, and drugs.
�
Being underground for over 12 years has humbled Unique Starr and he knows it takes a lot of hard work and dedication to last in this game.

His debut album, to be released this month, features club tracks as well as positive songs containing powerful life lessons that people of all ages can easily relate to and understand.

The first single entitled, "Unique Starr", drops Friday, March 11th! �

Unique Starr explains, "my music is real positive compared to what's out now". He says that his style and lyrics are a mix of Mase and KRS-One. �

Unique Starr believes that he doesn't need to use profanity and negative themes in his lyrics to get his message across. �

Instead of glorifying the thug life, he fills his music with morals and values as a way to reach the American youth.�

Be on the look out for Unique Starr's forthcoming debut album, which displays his extraordinary lyrical talent as well as production by various producers! �He's combining his ability to be witty with his words and his gully, street voice to strengthen the minds of our generation! �

Visit http://www.onenessmusic.net for more information and downloads!

- Contact Information -
Oneness Music
�Sarah Richardson
770.365.2636
sarah@onenessmusic.net
- ### -
Syan's Writing Services


Syan Newton of Syan's Writing Services has been writing for movers and shakers of the entertainment industry for over 15 years.

Book Review: The Male Gift Giving Survival Guide
Bonnie Jo Davis

This extraordinary book was recommended to me by a colleague after he visited my new web site, Gift Ideas For Women. The Male Gift Giving Survival Guide compliments my website perfectly, untangling for men the web of gifts for women. It deciphers the components of the complex female psyche to its most logical terms. And no, that's not a misprint...I just used the words "female" and "logical" in the same sentence.

There is but one universal truth about those of the fairer sex: "Women Love Gifts". So, all women love gifts... a guy doesn't have to be a genius to grasp that concept. Or does he? Ask your golf buddy who gave his wife a garden rake for her birthday. "You just had to remind me" he mumbles dropping his head. Make certain that you have lined up another friend for next week's game though...your buddy is going to drop you like a rock. According to the author, women adore gifts that reflect the love of the giver and his explicit understanding of her desires and tastes. As a woman, I must salute this author. His book is the literal lifeboat of women's gift ideas, without which no self-respecting man would ever set sail on the sea of relationships.

The author, Tim Connor, is a seasoned and well-traveled professional speaker who has authored 45 books. He wrote this book based upon the knowledge he gained in his personal mission to discover the keys to female happiness. The result of his quest is this easy-to-read, spiral bound book that men can refer to routinely. Not only does Tim's book disclose the keys to a woman's happiness, it is the genuine tool for unlocking it with an ever-so-easy click.

The book begins with the quote:

"A man who knows what women want rules the world."
- Nick Marshall

This first quote of many accurately reflects the intention of this book. Continual studies concur that the happiest relationships, right or wrong, are those in which the woman is happy and fulfilled. There are some common guidelines in the book that apply to every woman regardless of her individual preferences and needs.

Important chapters include "The 20 Biggest Gift-Giving Mistakes Men Make", "It's not about the money or the number of gifts, or is it?" and two chapters detailing in-depth, women's stories about the worst and best gifts they have ever received. Many of the best gifts, as pointed out in the book, were not the most expensive or glittery. They were often romantic gifts that were well thought out, affordable, considerate and timely.

Many of the collective complaints about gifts from men to women are that the men often don't remember important dates, don't pay attention to the nuances of a woman's life and don't know what she prefers most or cares for the least. The Male Gift Giving Survival Guide covers all three bases. The book features an extensive diary prompting men to record important dates, what makes her happy or feel loved, favorite colors, dress and jewelry sizes, travel destinations, food, restaurants, activities, etc. Guys can fill out this diary as their relationship with a woman progresses and consult it regularly for help choosing the perfect gift. Other diary sections are for tracking any gift given to the woman, her reaction and also a gift log so that the same gift is not given again and again.

Overall, I found this book to be an amusing and accurate portrayal of the importance of gifts in the life of a woman. Every male over the age of twelve who reads and follows this book will certainly reflect the female appreciation of his genius in the smile he wears on his face.

Bonnie Jo Davis, also known as the Gift Guru, has taken gift giving to a new level in order to help men stay out of the gift giving doghouse. Her new website http://www.Gift-Ideas-For-Women.com eliminates male shopping jitters by helping men select the perfect gift for every woman in their life.

Sex Toys - There's One For Everyone

Steven S. Ng

Dongs & Dildos

The most common of sex toys, dildos or dongs are designed for stimulation by vaginal and anal insertion and stroking. Dildos come in many shapes, sizes, color, texture and other accessories. Dildos do not vibrate and any vibrating sex toys would be categorized under vibrators.


Vibrators

Vibrators are any sex toys that vibrate. These are mainly designed for intense stimulation on the clitoris or vulva. Some can be used for insertion and some for external use only. Vibrators are commonly combined with other sex toys so you have vibrating dildos, vibrating eggs, vibrating undies and some even comes with a hands free kit or a remote control. They can be powered by battery or electricity. Vibrators are also commonly used in combination with other sex toys such as dildos.


BDSM

Bondage & Sadomasochistic. Pleasure from consensual inflicting or submitting to physical abuse. There are a variety of bondage gear and S&M toys designed for BDSM play. These include blindfolds, costumes, cuffs and leashes, whips, body jewelry, clips. An excellent range of Bondage Gear can be found at www.stockroom.com Or if you are new to BDSM, you can read all about it here


Lubricants

Potions and lubricants complement lovemaking and it blends well too with sex toys. Most sex toys have an increased effect when used with lubricants. There are three main varieties of lubricants; water based, silicone based and petroleum based. Water and silicone based lubricants are safe to use with condoms. Petroleum based lubricants such as Vaseline shouldn't be used with latex materials, such as condoms and diaphragms, as they can break down the latex material. Lubricants can also be used for body massages (massage oils). They come in a variety of aromatic, flavored and even edible lubes.


Toys For Men

Until quite recently, sex toys have been focused on women. Toys for men are designed for added stimulation and to create heightened sexual fulfillment skills. These toys can be used to help achieve harder erections, for solo masturbation or for men to men action. Some of the catergories in toys for men include cock rings, penis pumps, love dolls, penis extenders, and other novelty items. Some love dolls are designed after real life porn stars and are extremely lifelike. Toys for men are also widely used during BDSM play.


Aphrodisiacs

Alternative energy booster, either herbal or tonic, designed to improve sexual vitality and sexual desire in men and women. They can be used to achieve a stronger erection or to create a sexual desire. Some natural aphrodisiacs includes yohimbe, ginseng, deer velvet, and other herbal extracts. Aphrodisiacs and sex toys are perfect for creating a heightened sexual satisfaction. Read more about aphrodisiacs.

Anal Toys

Anal toys for rear penetration comes in a variety of silicone or non-silicone and vibrating or non-vibrating toys. Unlike dildos, anal toys usually comes with a flanged base or attached to a string to prevent accidental slippages. Butt plugs and anal beads are the more common of anal toys. Some anal toys can also be used for vaginal insertion. Just be sure to slip a condom over when switching from anal to vaginal.


Harnesses

Harnesses are specially designed straps that enables sex toys to be attached. They can be worn by a man or a women so they can keep their hands free. Harnesses are either strapped to the thighs or hips and can be used with a matching dildo.


Others

Sex toys and human sexuality is limited only by our imagination. Some of the sex toys or sexual aids that are not categorized in the above are love swings, erotic games, edibles, safer sex (condoms), female condoms, genital jewelry and other novelty items.

If you would like to take a look at the various sex toys, you can visit:

http://www.sextoysnirvana.com


Steven consults and provides advice to the online store http://www.SexToysNirvana.com which provides various adult toys and novelty products.

The Gift Shopping Blues
Carolyn Schweitzer

When it comes to great gift ideas, I have about as much imagination as a hamster. (If they were imaginative, hamsters wouldn't run endlessly in those little wheels). It's odd, really. I'm what you'd call a "natural" when it comes to shopping. I LOVE to shop. Give me an entire day at Filene's Basement and I'm in Heaven.

For the uninitiated, Filene's Basement is one of the most famous bargain basements in the United States. Lurking beneath Filene's Department store in Downtown Boston, "The Basement" is a place where merchandise is continually marked down and competition for the best buys is fierce. There's even a day each Spring when wedding dresses sell so cheaply that scuffles break out in the aisles.

I prefer my shopping nonviolent. But still, the prospect of a great big store full of unexplored "stuff" is more exciting to me than a giant Easter Egg hunt is to the average five year old. I know I'm going to find Easter Eggs (i.e., "hidden treasures"). I just have to uncover their secret little hiding places. That's part of the fun!

I have one small problem, though...

Shopping is only fun if I'm not looking for anything in particular. As soon as there's a "list" involved, it starts to feel like work! Add in the idea that I'm looking for some very special (yet unspecified) item for someone else, and the pressure's really on. If someone says to me, "You must go forth and find something for less than $100 that will make your mother-in-law ecstatically happy", it stops me cold. I become as helpless as a man (Sorry guys!).

Gift Shopping. Arrrghh!

"What", I ask myself, "is my Mother-in-Law's version of an Easter Egg ?" Where are all those clever gift ideas when I need them? Where are they ever?

Panic sets in. Procrastination comes next. Pretty soon I've buried the whole thing in my subconscious, hoping it will "just go away". It doesn't, of course. Like school exams and work deadlines, gift-giving occasions keep on coming -- inevitably and way too often. And those great gift ideas remain as elusive as ever.

So what's a person to do?

My answer was always to get a big pot of coffee and pull an all-nighter.

Umm, I mean, I'd wait until the last minute and then shop until the stores closed. Sure, I'd manage to come up with a few decent gift ideas and some passable gifts. But it's no way to live. And I always knew I could have done better.

I knew things had to change. I knew I had to uncover the secrets possessed by the expert gift-givers...

You know the type. They're the people who smugly announce that they've been done with their Holiday shopping for weeks, when you haven't even started yours -- much less given it any serious thought. They're never at a loss for great gift ideas and they can produce the perfect greeting card at a moment's notice. You won't catch them dashing out to the Quickie Mart for wrapping paper or ribbon; and they have an uncanny knack for finding gifts that are clever, original, and appropriate for any and every occasion. Most distressing of all, their gifts are always heartwarmingly thoughtful!

I pondered my situation for a long time (years), and finally I knew what I had to do. My mission was to transform myself into the sort of magician who could produce great gift ideas and fabulous gifts at the drop of a hat. It's been a long and painful journey, but I'm happy to report a measure of success. Finally, I can look a gift-giving occasion straight in the eye and say, "Hah!! You're not so tough!"

My two most formidable weapons are my "gift closet" and my "little black book". The gift closet is stocked with a variety of gift boxes, gift bags, wrapping paper, tissue paper, and colorful ribbons and bows. There are plenty of little gift cards, as well as greeting cards ranging from Holiday themes to Sympathy to New Baby. Additionally, I've amassed quite an assortment of gifts-for-any-occasion. Some are purchased with people in mind and others because I know they'd be perfect for something.

The "little black book" is just what it sounds like, only it's not filled with phone numbers. Instead I jot down brief notes based on what I learn about people. If someone mentions a hobby or collection, it goes in the black book. If they hint at something they're just dying to have, it goes in the book. If I notice a fondness for a certain type of jewelry or style of dress, I'll make a note of it. Sometimes I even ask leading questions, waiting for a moment when the future "giftee" is distracted, and therefore unsuspecting. I might even ply the giftee's friends for information, admitting only that "I'm curious". All of this has turned me into a bit of a detective -- a secret agent, if you will. And it's actually kind of fun.

In fact, I think I've found a whole new kind of Easter Egg hunt. The hidden treasures are now the little pearls of wisdom I pick up by spying on the experts, and the tidbits I gather on "giftees" during my covert operations. Once I've gathered enough "eggs", I'm armed and ready. I know exactly where to go and what to do. So now, when everyone else around me is in a panic over gift ideas for the coming holiday season -- or for tomorrow's office party-- I'm one of the smug ones. It's a wonderful feeling. And it sure beats running in that little wheel.



Carolyn Schweitzer is owner and editor of "Great-Dog-Gift.com" Check out "The Dog Gift Shopper's Guide for Dog Lovers" at http://www.great-dog-gift.com/dog_gift_3.html , where you'll learn to hone your skills no matter what you're shopping for. If it's jewelry, stop by http://www.thejewelrymine.com and if you like great bargains, visit http://www.netbrainer.com to learn how to find great deals on eBay.

Bridesmaid Gift Etiquette

Melissa Pearl

It is customary for the bride-to-be to give each of her bridesmaids a bridesmaid gift to thank them for their time, effort and investment. Gifts can be presented by the bride-to-be anytime all the bridesmaids are together and have quiet moment. Gifts are also given to the junior bridesmaids and, if appropriate, the flower girl.

Often all the bridesmaids receive the same gift; with the exception of the maid of honor, who is usually given a more extravagant gift than the others since her duties exceed the other bridesmaid's. Each bridesmaid gift can also be a variation on a theme (ex. each a different color necklace) or completely different items for each bridesmaid.

Bridesmaid gifts are often jewelry to wear at the ceremony that can also be worn for years to come. But bridesmaid gifts can also include a photo album / scrapbook, spa gift certificate, or even matching gloves to wear at the wedding ceremony.

There are many opinions when it comes to the price of bridesmaid gifts. Generally gifts are purchased a month or so before the wedding, spending up to $100 per gift. Some consider the gift's price should be in alignment with the cost of the wedding; others feel the more time the bridesmaids have spent helping, the more costly the gift; and still others feel the bride-to-be should spend what she sees fit and can afford.

By giving a gift to her bridesmaids, the bride-to-be is thanking her bridesmaids for all of the time (and money) they have invested in her wedding. Bridesmaid's gifts are her token of appreciation and friendship.

No matter what is chosen for the bridesmaid gift, enclosing a card with a handwritten note or poem makes it even more personal.

Melissa Pearl offers affordable, designer-made pearl and crystal illusion necklaces that are perfect for bridesmaid gifts or bridal shower favors.

Hill tribe silver jewelry from northern Thailand
Susi at Jewelry Crossings

Hill tribe silver jewelry from northern Thailand, though hundreds of years old in its distinct design, works well accessorizing even the most up-to-date fashion trend. Hill tribe bracelets, for instance, can feel classic or contemporary or ethnic, depending upon their individual motif and design.
Over 100 years ago, the Hilltribe peoples migrated south from China into what are now Burma, Laos, Vietnam, and Thailand. The main profession of all these tribes is farming, and all of them tend to migrate whenever they feel that the soil at their present location is becoming depleted.
Approximately twenty distinct tribes of semi-nomadic peoples, collectively called hill tribes, live in the mountains along the Burmese and Laotian borders of northern Thailand. The largest and most prominent hill tribes are the H'mong, Akha, Lisu, Lahu, Meo, and Karen. Culturally the tribes are of interest because their relative isolation has enabled them to retain almost unchanged customs and traditions that go back centuries.
Each tribe is district, with its own culture, religion, language, art, and dress. With Thailand undergoing rapid modern development, it is difficult yet to say whether these tribes will continue in there traditional ways of life, or whether they will eventually be absorbed into the surrounding and ever more-encroaching Thai society.
A rich part of their cultural tradition is the making and wearing of silver jewelry. What once was a artistic skill honed in the tiny tribal villages in the mountains of northern Thailand now can be found produced in the factories of Thailand's second largest city, Chang Mai. On Wualai Street in Chang Mai all manners of silver jewelry and silver objects are crafted. Intricate patterns of hill tribe-inspired designs-bracelets, earrings, necklaces and rings-are hammered out by Thai silversmiths.
Aside from the work of the Chang Mai city artisans, a buyer of silver in northern Thailand can still purchase the less refined silverwork of the hill tribes.
Surprisingly enough, most hill tribes even today prefer silver to paper for money; the women usually wear their wealth in heavy chunky necklaces and earrings. Hill tribe jewelry purchased in northern Thailand is usually sold by the actual gram weight multiplied by the gram price of the day.
On the web site, www.jewelrycrossings.com, several beautiful designs of hill tribe bangles and bracelets are available in sterling silver. Intricate designs of woven or braided sterling as well as delicate sterling silver mesh work capture the spirit and essence of this ancient craft. You can also find authentic Thai baht chain necklaces made in polished sterling silver. The baht chains are available in four popular lengths: 16", 18", 24" and 30". The classic baht chain necklace is comprised of small rectangular links weighing a particular "baht" weight.
- Susi, Silver Jewelry Crossings
For twenty-two years I have been involved in the gemstone and jewelry trade-first as owner of an incorporated company in Singapore, then Thailand, and for the last ten years in Northern California. Throughout my career my reward has come from the knowledge that I have gone the extra steps to ensure my customers' absolute satisfaction.

Amber Mysteries Revealed

Sam Serio

Amber, the gem of a stone that's not really a gemstone at all, is actually fossilized pine sap. People have collected, traded, carved, and coveted amber for more than 10,000 years. Yet despite our fascination with it, much about the smoky yellow stone -- the history of amber -- remains a mystery.
The price for amber stones varies widely, in the right price range for Average Joe's (and Joannas) who can spend as little as $20 for amber and silver jewelry, and also for high-rollers ready to spend $40,000 or more for a "slice of sunshine" in amber jewelry crafted in gold, platinum, and featuring other gemstones. And although it not an official "birthstone -- a designation reserved for actual gemstones -- amber is often presented to those born under the sign of Taurus (April 19-May 19).
History of Amber
Amber is found in Myanmar home to the largest piece of transparent amber in the world (33.5 pounds and 40-50 million years old), as well as Lebanon, Sicily, Mexico, Romania, Germany, and Canad. The two main sources of amber on the market today, however, are the Dominican Republic and the Baltic states.
Once highly regulated, Baltic amber has become more widely available due to more liberal economic policies in Eastern Europe. Today, the whole world enjoys amber minded from the Baltic region, where the largest mine is in Russia, west of Kaliningrad.
Baltic amber may also be found in Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Poland, Russia. Baltic amber has even washed up on the shores of the Baltic Sea in Denmark, Norway, and England. Baltic amber is the oldest geological specimen to be used in jewelry. Archeologists digging near the Baltic Sea have found evidence of Baltic amber jewelry that is approximately 40,000 years old.
Green Amber is a completely natural variation of Baltic Amber. The green color is a result of plant interaction with the resin. While green is a more valuable color of amber than brown, the best quality of amber remains clear, transparent, and flawless.
Slightly softer than Baltic amber, Dominican amber is prized for its coloration, including yellow and deep red, as well as the distinctive (and rare) blue and smoky green hues that come exclusively from that area.
Shocking Information about Amber
The ancient name for amber was "electron," the root word of electricity. Around 600 B.C., it was discovered that if an amber stone was rugged vigorously, it became electrically charged. Believed to carry a negative electrical energy charge, amber was used to draw power and energy into its bearer.
In addition to its ability to attract energy and power, amber was believed to aid the intellect. It was prescribed for memory loss; eccentric behavior; anxiety, and indecisiveness.
The Joy of Amber
Amber jewelry is said to help one be joyful and happy. The cheery yellow stone is believed to lighten the burdens of life.
Healers say that amber activates our altruistic nature and helps us realize the full power of our spiritual intellect.


For more information on jewelry and gemstones, we cordially invite you to visit www.morninglightjewelry.com to pick up your FREE copy of "How To Buy Jewelry And Gemstones Without Being Ripped Off." This concise, informative special report reveals almost everything you ever wanted to know about jewelry and gemstones, but were afraid to ask. Get your FREE report at www.morninglightjewelry.com.

Expand Your Market Dramatically
Richard Bolduc

Are your marketing efforts limited to your target market?
One of my "Front Page" customers came to me with his dilemma.
His name is Thomas F. Seymour and he owns the Gold Link.
Through the advice I gave Thomas you can dramatically expand
your market. First, I must outline the problems he had expanding
his market.

Thomas F. Seymour sells gold jewelry for an internet lowest
price of $10 per gram at www.tgoldlink.com. His business
achieved front page placement in all the major search engines,
with over 20 different set's of keywords pertaining to gold
jewelry. He has several marketing virus's and articles circulating
in his target market. He posts ads religiously in jewelry related
ezines, newsletters, and in jewelry discussion forums. In other
words he is now making money, from his target market. The
income kind of levels off though, and he needs to know how to
increase his income and expand his market.

Now, let's say, he would like to get exposure in front of the
Internet crowd that spends their time looking for free stuff.
"FREE" is always in the "top 5 most searched word in the
internet search engines" list. However to post in those areas
would be considered spamming because, well, he sells gold,
he is not a freebie site.

Okay, what about expanding his jewelry site to include posts
in the huge target of internet marketers, ton's of discussion
forums. Most successful Internet marketers can afford his
products. So many marketing ezines allow free ads. There are
more ezines with "internet marketing" as a topic, than any
other topic. But to post an ad for jewelry in these marketing
e-zines, it just wouldn't happen. Your product or service needs
to fit a certain niche to be discussed or submitted to any topic
related ezine or discussion group.

So how do we break those barriers? It's quite simple really,
in the case of the Gold Link. His solution was as follows for
those 2 examples above.

First, find a free product that you believe in. Offer it from
your site as a thank you for signing up to your mailing list.
In The Gold Link's case it's a free cellphone. Now he can post
an ad in any freebie listing place to the effect that the Gold
Link is giving away free cellphones. Ton's of free ad space in
all the ezines with free stuff as a topic. Plus it grows his
mailing list.

Second, get involved with a marketing package you can
discuss in the marketing ezines and forums. In Gold Links
case he signed up for Startblaze, nomorehits, and ezytraffic
and several more. I then wrote a special Traffic Magic report
about how to automate the credit building process in these
programs. He gives the report away free through an autoresponder
trafficmagic@tgoldlink.com. This report was so effective and it
intrigued so many marketers that they had to go check him out
some bought gold. It allowed him to expand his exposure into
the internet marketing crowd. It allows him to submit his ads
to the internet marketing ezine community.

Be creative and you can go "on and on" about "how to get into
other target markets," but those examples should help point
the way for some of you who are hoping to expand their market.

Richard Bolduc, webmaster for
The Rhinos Web, a featured speaker and the well known author
of "Front Page, Webmasters Guide to the Search engines."
Find Out WHY Every Website YOU Submit CAN Land on the Front Page.
Results Shown Here. http://www.rhinosweb.com/frontpage.html

Stylish Women of the Zodiac

Samantha Stevens

Aries
These bold, arrogant and confident creatures are not afraid to flash a little leg or boast a low-cut top. When it comes to fashion, female Rams are self-styled leaders who love flashy, glamorous and sexy clothes. They are also the first to parade around in the latest trends.
They are also perfectionists who are hesitant to debut a new outfit until it has been outfitted with all the right accessories. They love expensive designer clothes but their thrifty side will settle for a decent imitation of Prada or Gucci. Plush velvets and vivid silks in colors such as red, yellow and gold suit the female ram's conception of herself as "royalty."
At work, the Ariesian female likes to stand out in a crowed by adding a pair of high-heels or sexy stocking to an otherwise straight looking skit. They love the style of the forties and details such as piping, kick-pleats and rounded collars. They also adore pea coats and long wool coats paired with a pair of high heel leather boots.
This demanding fire sign loves the flash of rubies and diamonds and is fond of wearing watches that display two time zones, even if they are not jetsetters.
Taurus
Female bulls are homebodies so they don't tend to splurge their family budget on family. Their closet is often packed with clothing that reflects their love of practical activities such as gardening, cooking and home renovation. They are fond of inexpensive and utilitarian clothing such as khakis, jeans and sweatshirts and by easy-to-care for fabrics that can just are thrown in the wash. As they spend a lot of time outdoors, their closets are usually jammed with ski-jackets, pack-pats and work-boots.
Taurus Females dress more casually than most people at the office and are the type to wear the same thing to work every day. A cozy sweater worn over a ruffled blouse with a knee-length skirt is a typical outfit. As they tend to be heavier than most women in the Zodiac, they tend to wear a lot of "slimming black".
They have simple tastes in lingerie and consider a long white cotton nightgown to be just a sexy as any item bought from Victoria's secret. For more elegant affairs, bulls look best in empire style gowns that emphasize their busts and conceal their tummies.
Taureans tend to dislike wearing a lot of jewelery, as it gets lost or dirty, however one item loyal Bulls will never take off is their wedding ring.
Gemini
These smart, sexy and cerebral women change their mind about what they want to wear every day. Their closets are well stocked with the appropriate outfits for any occasion. This curious sign faithfully studies fashion magazines and is always up on the latest trends in fashion. For casual wear, they prefer clothes with subtle, yet unusual touches - velvet cuffs on shirt, an unexpected ruffle or a bit of antique lace on a collar.
Gemini females have a keen sense of style, and when they are in business mode, they prefer to dress up as the office "queens" complete with power suit, pearls and expensive watch. Their favorite colors are navy blue, pink, lavender, silver and gold.
They love to dance so they prefer loose fluid clothing in silks, cottons and satins that flow with them as they move. They also like cheap street chic of a red vinyl mini-skirt or the surprise offered by the wearing of a bright yellow sari to a garden party.
Turquoises, rubies, pearls and citrines are their favorite stones. These free spirits also like natural jewelry are not beyond tucking a few blossoms behind their ears.
Cancer
Cancer females dress according to their mood. They can be very insecure when it comes to their bodies and often buy outfits on impulse that are never seen outside the change-room doors. As they are so driven by their emotions, Cancer females are not the most practical of shoppers. Although they maintain a people-pleasing conservative exterior most of the time they secretly lust for risqu� lingerie, platform heels, plunging necklines and showers of chiffon and sequins. They also collect scores of designer shoes that they are too insecure to wear out in public,
These charming, but shy individuals like to play by the rules at work by wearing traditional suit with below the knee hemlines. They love the military works and prefer navy suits with gold buttons Many of the are secret fetishists who hide kinky costumes in their closets
Cancers are fond of loose comfortable casual wear and often hide their bodies behind overly large men's shirts and black tights. For fancy events, they tend to rely on that old stand-by such as the little black cocktail dress.
They love to collect costume jewelry and their ears, wrists and fingers will often boasts 'bling blings such as stacks of Indian bangles, large pearl rings, charm bracelets, and cubic zirconias.
Leo
This vain drama queens love to dress up for the purpose of being admired by all. They have exquisite and expensive tastes in clothing and lust after items created by Prada, Chanel, and Ungaro. Their desire to "not be a sheep" compels them to add a personal twist to an outfit to make it their own. It is a Lioness who dares to pair a diamond tiara with jeans and a T-shirt.
These unconventional, confident females often ignore dress codes and wear what they want to work. They spice up their power suits by shortening the hem or wearing fishnet stockings and high heels.
The sexy Leo often prefer mini-skirts to any kind of trousers. For more formal events they like to wear long flowing robes in colors such as of gold, silver red and orange that make them look like the resident goddesses. Their closets are often filled with designer sportswear, including the latest walking, golf and tennis shoes.
Being a very materialistic sign, a Tiger female considers diamonds to be a girl's best friend along with rubies, emeralds and sapphires set in sunny hunks of solid gold.

Virgo
Blessed with an excellent fashion sense, Virgos are adept at mixing individual pieces together to create a strong, attractive personal statement. Energetic Virgins tend to store their large wardrobe in perfectly organized closets that are full of classic items such as open-toed sling backs, patent leather kitten-heels, crisp white blouses, navy suits, black cocktail dresses, tennis skirts, khaki shorts, kilts, flowing gowns and well fitting jeans.
At work they prefer well-tailored, conservative suits in shades of silver, white, pink, grey or lavender Finicky Virgins would also never be caught dead with a missing button or a hole in their stocking. Although female Virgins are killer sharks when it comes to business, they like to soften the image of their power suits by adding delicate feminine touches such as a lace hankie, a flower or a chiffon scarf.
They also like to collect state of the art accessories such as tortoise shell clips for their hair, diamond earrings, pearl studs, black leather belts with distinctive buckles, silver conch belts, silver clutch purses, gold lame clutches and functional back-packs.
They consider displays of wealth to be tacky and tend to wear watches with thin gold straps, tiny chains and demure diamond tennis bracelets.
Libra
Venus rules sensual Libra natives, so they are very tactile. Their sense of touch has a lot to do with how they choose clothing, and they prefer silks and cottons to scratchy wools. Librans can be surprisingly finicky about clothing, and they are the first to visit a tailor if the cut of a suit or a dress is not quite right. This sign loves balance and beauty and believe that clothing should perfectly compliment the figure.
At work, power-dressing Librans will choose sleek, tailored suits in jewel-tones or slimming black. They are not much for frills or an excess of jewelery and prefer to sport gold hoops or simple pearl studs as earrings.
For relaxing, they prefer well-fitting casual clothing in their favorite colors, pink and black. Librans love Capri pants and similar items that are sexy as well as practical.
For an evening out, simplicity is the key to the Libran style. They either prefer tight clothing, such as the little black Lycra dress or they will dress in a theme that subtly reminds you of another era, such as the 1970s or the 1950s. Librans have a delicate sense of balance so they prefer flat heels to high heels. When it comes to looking fashionable, they definitely believe, like Jackie O, Katherine Hepburn and Audrey Hepburn that "less is more."
Scorpio
When it comes to style Scorpio women they are ruled by their moods. If they are depressed they are the sign voted most likely to dress head-toe in black to let others know their state of mind. However, despite the fact that their hearts often rule their heads, these females also believe that one should be poised at all time.
At the office they like to "dress to intimidate" in strong primary colors. Many of them will add a sexy touch to a conservative outfit, by unbuttoning a blouse to expose cleavage or a donning sexy high-heels.
Scorpio women live to socialize and their closets are stacked with scores of little black dresses, chiffon blouses, cashmere sweaters and sequined tops. They also love the sweeping drama of a velvet cape for formal occasions. Red and black leather is a favorite and many own stylish jackets; tight pants and long coats made from the finest bovines. As they are very sexual, they also like to dress provocatively, yet tastefully.
As the mystical matters entrance them they will often also adorn themselves with, healing gems and protective amulets such as ankhs, crucifixes and five-pointed stars.
Sagittarius
Fashion plays a role in the charming Archer's plan to always present a youthful, and carefree appearance. Female Archers pick items that make them feel sexy and comfortable. They prefer loose clothing to tightly tailored outfits and the hunter inside them is also fond of real and faux fur.
At the office the Sagittarian is likely to be dresses a in her favorite shades of brown, dark blue red and emerald green. As they are usually very busy, they prefer a fuzzy sweater with a shirtdress or a pantsuit that features many pockets so they have many places to stash their "stuff".
For casual wear, easy-going Archers prefer versatile cotton pieces in bright colors that are as sunny as their positive disposition. Many of them are also very eccentric and love to collect vintage clothes such as Russian fur muffs, high-collared satin Mandarin jackets and retro-50s cocktail dresses. For more formal events they prefer sleek cocktail dresses and bias cut ball gowns that are reminiscent of the style of Audrey Hepburn.
They love precious gems, but are more inclined to wear a precious gift or a family memento as opposed to a flashy rock. They also emphasize their individuality by hosting a cupboard full of hats perfect for any occasion.
Capricorn
Capricorns are blessed them with natural good taste and an eye for quality and durability. They tend to purchase timeless individual pieces and prefer well-tailored, conservative items in colors such as rose, grey, navy blue, sky blue and camel. This sometimes self-conscious sing prefers long sleeves to short sleeves and high collars to plunging cleavages. They also like vintage clothing, as long as it is in pristine condition.
Capable Capricorns like to add delicate feminine touches to power suits such as diamond earrings or an antique pin.
Female Cappies, often boast perfectly organized closets filled with classic items such as open-toed slingbacks, patent leather purses, crisp white blouses, navy suits, black cocktail dresses and well fitting jeans. They also treasure hair accessories such as tortoise shell clips and satin bows.
They love gemstones, in all colors of the rainbow, but would most value a classic piece such as a diamond tennis bracelet, an antique cameo or a pendant that sports their initials
Aquarius
These graceful, thoughtful and sensitive creatures are very concerned about what others think of them. They tend to choose clothes that make a strong, expressive personal statement. They love brilliant tones of purple, gold, sky-blue, ruby-red and emerald green.
At work Aquarian females tend to dress slightly more eccentrically than their colleagues. They are fond of patterns, plaids and pinstripes as well as unusual fabrics such as herringbone, tweed, seersucker and poplin. They have a jaunty sense of style, and often perk up an outfit by sporting a beret, a bright hair band or a large and funky piece of costume jewelry.
They detest extravagance and love to shop for clothes at flea markets, vintage shops and retail outlets. They are attracted to one-of-a-kind items such as hand-knit sweaters and caps and crocheted ponchos and shawls. Yet, at the same time they love the feel and tight-fit of Lycra and futuristic polyester blends. Sometimes they can seem very "space-age" in their streamlined, zippered black suits. For a night out, a female Aquarian will choose unusual pieces, such as a white sequined skirt, purple cowboy or a top made of a glittering mesh of gold chains.
Aquarians love jewelry that has an antique or futuristic look and tend to purchase unusual or one of a kind pieces to compliment their eccentric outfits.

Pisces
These very feminine, delicate and sensitive creatures tend to choose sensuous items that appeal to their idealistic sense of romance. They love the "girlyness" of the pastel colors and the tactile allure of silk, velvet and satin fabrics.
At the office they will often sport higher hemlines and lower cut blouses. For casual wear, blouses boasting voluminous ruffles, tight-fitting shirts with lace trim and sensuous cashmere sweaters. They are also very athletic and like to go camping, fishing and hiking, so their closets often overflowing with sports gear, tennis shoes, golf shoes and equestrian wear. They also like long flowing chiffon gowns that make them appear like a goddess at formal events.
As the sea rules this sign they are partial to jewelry made from coral, seashell, pearl and mother-of-pearl. However, as they are very nostalgic and often religious, they are more likely to wear a gift from a lover or a family heirloom as a favored peace of jewelry. As Pisces is the sign that represents the 2000-year epoch of the rule of the Christians, they are also fond of wearing religious jewelry such as antique Roman coins, and medallions of the Saints.

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How to clean gold jewelry
Ben Sather

Gold jewelry to a woman is priceless. Although gold jewelry comes in many different styles and colors, the care and cleaning procedure for all golden treasures remain the same. Good common sense is your best guide, and these important tips on how to clean gold jewelry will help you keep your exquisite pieces lustrous and shining.

Gold is tarnish-resistant, but it can get dirty or smudged. Lotions, powders, soaps, even natural skin oils that we use regularly can cover your jewelry and cut down their brilliance. Jewelry cleaning removes any such build-up or residue and restores the original sparkle and shine to make your precious jewelries last a lifetime.

Although numerous commercial products are available to clean gold jewelry, most often water and a mild detergent is sufficient to restore the radiance, and a soft brush helps to gently clean intricate filigree designs and stones. Sometimes it can be helpful to soak the gold jewelry in a solution of one part ammonia and six parts water for up to sixty seconds. It is imperative to dry and polish your gold jewelry with a chamois or soft cloth after cleaning.

Jewelry polishing cloths are an effective and inexpensive way of keeping your bits of gold glittering and radiant. These essential cotton cloths help to remove tarnish and to buff jewelry to look as good as new. Avoid wearing jewelry while in contact with household chemicals, such as chlorine bleach as this can discolor or damage your gold jewelry mountings.

Proper storage of jewelry when not in use is essential to keep your golden treasures clean and new. When storing your jewelry, be careful that pieces do not tumble against each other to avoid scratching and loss of radiance. Ideally, store your jewelry in a fabric-lined jewel case, or a box with compartments or dividers or store each piece in individual soft cloth pouches.

It is important to check the stone settings of your jewelry periodically for any damage to the gold prongs or bezels. Immersing the jewelry in rubbing alcohol for a few seconds will restore the gorgeous sparkle to cloudy stones. It is very important to dry the jewelry thoroughly after cleaning before wearing or storing. Remember that Pave set (glued in stones) jewelry should never be immersed in water while cleaning gold jewelry.

Ben Sather is the publisher of http://www.a2-gold-jewelry.com/ - A gold jewelry information resource. You can publish this article if the author's byline is included and all links are hyperlinked.