2011 December | planetajava.org

Do You Know A Southern Hero?

You don’t have to be a Southerner to know a Southern hero. What’s more, you may know one without realizing it. Southern heroes take many forms, but- above all-they’re anyone who makes the South’s communities stronger, safer and more united. That could mean a devoted teacher, heroic firefighter, tireless volunteer or selfless mother. If you know one, a leading wireless company would like to hear his or her story.

For the past two years, SouthernLINC Wireless has recognized a total of 10 outstanding public servants in the South through its Southern Heroes program. As part of that program, the company will make a donation to each recipient’s charity of choice.

After last year’s hurricane season, the importance of honoring the South’s unsung heroes is more important than ever. After all, many individuals in those communities emerged as heroes. Whether these folks helped give shelter to those who lost their homes to Hurricane Katrina, aided in the rebuilding efforts of communities along the Gulf Coast or organized a communitywide fund-raiser for the victims, SouthernLINC Wireless would like to recognize their heroic efforts.

“In the wake of the devastating 2005 hurricane season, we are more dedicated than ever to paying tribute to those who truly exemplify the characteristics of a Southern hero,” said Bob Dawson, president and CEO of SouthernLINC Wireless.

If you know a Southern hero, please share his or her story by taking a moment to visit www.southernheroes.com and submitting the short online entry form between August 1 and August 31, 2006. Entry forms can also be found at any SouthernLINC Wireless retail location. Log on to www.southernlinc.com to find the store nearest you. The five Southern Heroes who will be spotlighted and rewarded will be announced in September 2006. Additionally, SouthernLINC Wireless will further the heroes’ efforts by contributing $2,000 to the non-profit organization or charity of each winner’s choice for a total of $10,000 in celebration of the company’s 10-year anniversary.

Heroes Wanted-If you know a Southern hero who helped during Hurricane Katrina, one wireless company would like to know about it.

Get Ready for Summer Driving

The busy summer driving season is coming. Will your vehicle be ready?

The experts at the nonprofit National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) offer the following tips on getting your vehicle ready.

* Read the owner’s manual and follow the recommended service schedules.

* If you are not a do-it-yourselfer, look for an orderly repair facility with modern equipment in the service bays. Also, look for evidence of qualified automotive technicians, such as trade-school diplomas, certificates of advanced course work and training, as well as national certification of the individual technicians by ASE.

* Flush and refill the cooling system according to the service manual’s recommendations. The level, condition and concentration of the coolant should be checked periodically. Make sure the engine has cooled down before removing the radiator cap.

* Have engine performance problems — hard starts, rough idling, stalling — corrected. You’ll get better gasoline mileage and could prevent more expensive repairs.

* Have a qualified auto technician check the tightness and condition of belts, clamps and hoses. You should stay on the lookout for signs of wear, cracking or fraying.

* Likewise, have a faulty air-conditioner system serviced by a technician qualified to handle refrigerants. Older units often contain ozone-depleting chemicals that could be released into the air through improper or incompetent service.

* Change the oil and oil filter as specified in the owner’s manual. This simple service alone can increase the life of your vehicle. Replace other filters as recommended in the service manual.

* Check the condition of tires, including the spare. Let the tires “cool down” before checking their pressure. Uneven wear, “cupping,” vibrations or pulling to one side indicate problems with your tires or suspension system.

* Don’t neglect your transmission. Costly repairs can be prevented by routine service.

* Inspect all lights and bulbs; replace burned-out bulbs.

* Replace worn wiper blades and keep plenty of washer solvent on hand to fight summer’s dust and insects.

ASE was founded in 1972 to improve the quality of automotive service and repair through the voluntary testing and certification of automotive technicians. ASE-certified technicians wear blue-and-white ASE shoulder insignia and carry credentials listing their exact areas of certification. Their employers often display the ASE sign.

Estrogen Side Effects – Do You Know Them?

Estrogen side effects definitely exist, and one should understand the difference between natural estrogen and synthetic estrogen.

The most commonly prescribed synthetic estrogen is Premarin, currently manufactured by Wyeth Pharmaceuticals. According to the manufacturer, the most frequent estrogen side effects for Premarin are – vaginitis due to yeast or other causes, vaginal bleeding, painful menstruation and leg cramps. Wyeth also makes a Premarin vaginal cream – its most commonly reported side effects include vaginal discomfort or pain, breast pain, vaginitis and itching.

The synthetic estrogen prescription drugs are not the same as natural estrogens occurring in the body. Since substances occurring naturally cannot be patented, drug companies alter the molecular structure and create a new substance that is patentable. However, the body treats synthetic drugs differently than natural substances, usually in the form of unwanted estrogen side effects.

The three main estrogens occurring in the body are estradiol, estrone and estriol. Natural estrogens are identical to those occurring in the human body and are easily available in the form of estriol creams and tablets.

According to Harvard-trained family physician Dr. John R. Lee in his book What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Menopause, the estrogens tend to increase cell division in tissue that is hormone-sensitive such as breast and uterine tissue. Estradiol is about a thousand times stronger in its effect on breast tissue than is estriol. He references studies from 25 years ago that showed that overexposure to estradiol increases the risk of breast cancer.

Besides estrogen side effects from synthetic estrogens, unhealthy excess estrogen is regularly obtained from other sources. Birth control pills, household chemicals and pesticides, certain foods that have been sprayed or given chemicals and many construction materials used in homes are all sources of estrogen which leads to estrogen side effects in the female body. Doctors call this hormone imbalance condition of excess estrogen in the body – estrogen dominance. What are these estrogen side effects or symptoms of estrogen dominance? The symptoms include low sex drive, bloating and weight gain, headaches before the menstrual period, mood swings, irregular periods and excessive menstrual bleeding.

In the normal menstrual cycle and a healthy woman, estrogen is the dominant hormone that is produced for the first 10-12 days following the previous menstrual flow. At ovulation the female body begins producing progesterone, which happens for the next 12 days or so. If there is no pregnancy, progesterone and estrogen levels will drop at around day 28, allowing menstruation to begin. However, if there is no ovulation, progesterone will not be produced by the body that month. This event is called an annovulatory cycle, and it is a typical occurance today for women in their thirties and forties – no ovulation, no progesterone. This leaves the woman with a deficiency of progesterone, an excess of estrogen and resulting estrogen side effects. And if a hysterectomy has happened, surgical menopause means the woman no longer produces progesterone, resulting in hormone imbalance.

If estrogen side effects from synthetic estrogen are a problem, consider using the safer natural estrogen form which is estriol. Read more about estrogen side effects, natural estrogen supplementation and physician-recommended natural treatments for dealing with hormone imbalance.

7 Signs That It’s Time to Fire a Client

It’s an issue faced by business owners worldwide – having to let go of, or “fire” a client. When I started my business, it’s not a situation I ever thought I would face, as I was happy to take on almost anyone that wanted to hire me. However, over time, my client scrutinizing skills became more acute, and I began to realize that not every client is a perfect client for me. In fact, more than 50% of the people I speak with are not a good fit for one reason or another. Just like Donald Trump in “The Apprentice”, sometimes you just have to say, “You’re fired!”

What happens to your business when you keep clients that are PITA (I’ll let you figure out that acronym) clients? All of your time and energy is drained in serving these clients, you lose any enthusiasm you ever had for your business, and you no longer have the time or desire to go out and market yourself and continue to fill your client roster. You become angry and resentful of the clients that are dragging you down and begin to question yourself about why you started a business in the first place.

Disengaging from a poor client choice can be painful, and often it’s not easy. However, given the alternative, letting go of that client is a healthy route to follow. I found a great quote on the topic of “letting go” by author Benjamin Shield in his book, Handbook for the Soul: “Letting go is one of the most difficult challenges human beings ever face. I’ve always pictured letting go as transformation moving from a closed fist to an open hand. As we take an open-handed attitude toward life, we can be free of the self-made obstructions that litter our path. This process requires a willingness to shed our persona–those inauthentic trappings we hold onto for identity but that no longer serve us. The choice to let go frees us to follow the pathway to our soul.”

I can very much relate to this quote — freeing yourself from a bad client choice does provide the pathway to follow your soul. Finding the perfect clients with whom you resonate will bring joy back into your life and business once again, thus putting you back in touch with your business and life vision and reconnecting to your soul. Life is too short to work with PITA clients. Check your client roster against these 7 signs — is it time for you to shake out your client roster?

1. You dread every phone call from the client. If you’re constantly ducking someone’s call because you find it painful or exhausting to speak with them, or the conversation invariably makes you angry or resentful, it’s time to take some action to remedy the situation. How much more would you enjoy your day-to-day client interactions if you looked forward to taking your client’s calls?

2. The client nitpicks every single expense and insists that tasks should take anyone else as long to do. I’ve had clients who “knew” I was shortchanging them and insisted that what I was doing for them wouldn’t take others in my field as long to complete, and I should adjust my bill accordingly. I’ve discovered that this lack of trust is about the client, not about me, and that I’m more than competent and skilled in what I do. Don’t let a “nitpicker” make you doubt yourself –there are other client fish in the sea.

3. Emergency requests are the only type of requests your client makes of you. No one likes to be under the gun, and trying to do something quickly and under pressure stifles all creativity and thoroughness. Some people are addicted to adrenaline and like to stay in the urgent all the time. However, living the urgent is a high-stress way to live your life, and the toll it takes on body and spirit is substantial. A better client choice is someone who adequately plans and prepares his time, so that emergencies are rare.

4. Lack of client follow-through prevents any progress from being made. Do you spend all of your time with a client in review of plans and what’s supposed to be done, yet seldom ever get to the point of completion so that you can move to the next stage? Nothing is more frustrating than a client who says she wants to achieve a certain result, but seems to be immobilized in the planning stage. Consequently, you spend all of your time with the client in review rather than in action. Perhaps you’re able to put on a “coaching” hat and help the client see the roadblocks she’s facing. However, if she’s unwilling to discuss what’s stopping her and your frustration level is growing at her lack of action, it’s probably time to cut her loose and let her go.

5. Your client loves to micromanage. Typically, when I’m hired by a client, they have a problem to solve and I offer the perfect solution to their problem. However, I’ve had clients who don’t let me solve their problem in the way that I think is best. They insist on having to approve every step along the way and must be involved in every single detail. In many cases, they are accustomed to having employees and erroneously believe that good management entails micromanaging each step an employee takes. A great client is someone who hires you to solve a problem and doesn’t really care how you resolve it — they are willing to give you the room and latitude to bring your experience to the table and help them resolve their issue.

6. Delegation is a skill completely foreign to your client. Most business owners know that in order to be successful in your business, you can’t do it all alone. A successful business owner has a great team to which she consistently delegates tasks that she doesn’t have the time to do, while she is out there looking for new business opportunities. If your client refuses to let go of anything and insists on doing the very things you were hired to do, your client hasn’t grasped the notion of “lost opportunity costs”. Sometimes it’s simply easier for a business owner to work “in” the business rather than “on” the business, as the latter usually means that you have to be in the marketing and sales mode — a mode that many business owners hate. A great client does what she does best and delegates the rest.

7. Money issues plague your client. Can your clients really afford to hire you? Sometimes they’re in a start-up phase, or they’re just experiencing a cash flow crunch. They obsess over your fee in every conversation that you have, and are usually slow to pay your invoices. The time and energy you spend in chasing their payment is very draining. A better client is one who understands your payment requirements and is easily able to afford and pay your fee.

I realize that it takes time and a visit to the “school of hard knocks” to finely tune your ability to choose clients that are a perfect fit for you. Take a look at your standards for running your business — perhaps to need to raise them so that you can make better client choices. And, the first standard to put into place is that you don’t work with any clients you don’t enjoy. Let go of those clients who are causing you pain, and new clients that are a better fit will show up in their place — guaranteed!

Think Small With Your Next Vacation

If you’re looking to get away from the rat race there is nowhere better than a small town. Small towns offer a slower pace, friendly people and a chance to just kick back and relax.

There are small towns all over North America. You don’t need to look very far. Within a couple of hours of your home you can probably find a small town. This means no expensive or long and tiring trips. Hop in the car and drive to the nearest small town. Chances are you’ve been there before. Now you can stop and really explore.

Small towns offer a wide range of accommodations. This includes bed and breakfasts, hotels, and campgrounds. There’s something for everyone. No matter your tastes you can find that perfect place to stay. A bed and breakfast is probably your best choice. Staying at a bed and breakfast gives you a chance to visit your hosts and to learn more about the area and the attractions it has to offer.

Once you settle in the next step is to find something to do. Everyone likes to do something different. If it’s getting out and exploring or simply kicking back and reading a good book the choice is yours. If you take a little care in selecting your small town you will have endless hours of fun.

One of the most interesting small towns is Wells BC. It is close to Barkerville, and the Bowron Lakes. When you get tired of swimming and hiking go explore the history of an old gold rush town! If you’re driving to Alaska it’s on the way and spending a day or two there will be well worth it.

Small towns are easier on the pocket book. You don’t need to spend a fortune to have a good time. Take in a movie, play or musical event. If you time things right there may even be a free event in a local park. All you have to do is show up! Spend a couple of hours relaxing on the grass listening to some great local music. Better yet, bring a picnic lunch and make a day of it. You’ll be glad you did.

Small towns offer an affordable vacation without traveling hours or spending huge amounts of money. Often over looked, small towns are an an idea vacation spot full of fun, new experiences and adventure.

Aromatherapy Candles – Great For Bath Time!

I don’t know about you, but I find that my days are a constant whirl of activity, with very little “me” time these days, which is not what I anticipated. I had this rather naive idea that as my daughters grew older and needed less help from me, I would find that I had time on my hands to do whatever I liked whenever I wanted!

My friends all asked what I would do with all my “free” time once my daughters left high school. They seemed to think I would be lost with nothing to occupy my time. Well, now I seem to be busier than ever, and the days just fly by. But what I have discovered is that “me” time is very important, and yes, it does mean I have less time in a day for everything else, but I am more focused during that time.

So, what do I use my “me” time for? I have re-found the pleasure of baths. For years, I have showered daily, but never even thought about taking a bath just because it takes so much longer than taking a shower. I have, of course, read many times, that taking a bath can be beneficial, but who has time for that? Then a little while ago, I decided that it might just be worth it to see if a bath, complete with bath salts and aromatherapy candles, was as good a therapy as everyone else seems to think. So, I made sure there were no phones to disturb me, and off I went to the bathroom. Actually, I did have to round up a few things first.

I had to find the bath salts – it had been quite a while since anyone in our household had taken the time for a bath! – and then find where I had put the aromatherapy candles and the matches, and I just did this while the water was filling the bath tub. I lit the candles, turned off the electric light, and the room was transformed into a relaxing spa! For some fifteen minutes I was able to relax in the hot water, take in the scents of the aromatherapy candles, and watch the light dance around the room as the candles flickered.

I was amazed at the transformation of the room for a start. The candles really changed the atmosphere for the better. The aroma from the candles was so pleasant, and the light so relaxing that I regret not having done this before!. I’ve not taken the time to watch a flickering candle for a long time, and I found it to be very therapeutic. The hot water relaxed my muscles and tendons, and after just a few minutes I really did feel much more relaxed and at ease, and I actually slept much better than usual that night.

Did my work suffer as a result of the fifteen minutes of “me” time? Not at all. In fact I think it benefited since I slept better, and was able to function better the next day. Was it expensive? Not at all, just a few bath salts, and a few aromatherapy candles that will last for a few more bath times yet. Did the world fall apart while I was unavailable? Not at all. Everything was just as I left it! Was there a benefit for the members of the household? Definitely, a relaxed female, is always preferable to a highly stressed individual! Will I repeat the process? Definitely, in fact I think today on my trip to the grocery store, I shall pick up some more aromatherapy candles so I can have a choice each day, and I suggest you do the same. Taking a time out with aromatherapy candles is definitely the way to go! Enjoy!

Our Kids Publications LTD

Our Kids Publications LTD. is your ultimate clearinghouse for all of the information you need as a [parent to provide the very best educational and enrichment opportunities for your child.

As problems with violence, drugs, gang activity and the lack of funding for quality programs of learning continues to plague many public school districts: more and more parents are searching for schools that are safer, well-funded, and have enhanced educational curriculums for their children.

Here at: Our Kids Publications LTD: we provide you with a directory of over 200 schools to aid you in your search for the right school for your child. You will find listings for a wide-variety of schools, each offering different educational opportunities from which to choose from for educating your child. You will find private, independent, religious, boarding, day, special needs and alternative schooling options in this user-friendly directory.

Learning and the opportunity to enhance skills already learned, should never take a holiday. When the schools dismiss the children for summer break, consider allowing your children to attend an educational summer camp. By attending such camps, your child can continue using and improving upon the skills they learned this past school year, while learning some new skills in a fun and exciting atmosphere. When the new school year rolls around your child will have an advantage over those children who took a holiday from learning and whose skills have become rusty from not using them.

We have a directory of educational and enrichment summer camp opportunities for you to consider for your child. Perhaps your child has a special talent such as art, drama, or music, or for academics such as math, and science. Use our directory to find a summer camp that will provide opportunities for your child to explore and enhance these talents or interests. The Our Kids Publications LTD Summer Camp Directory lists camps in alphabetical order, with descriptions of what each camp offers so that selecting the summer camp that best fits your child needs is made easier.

We also make available for purchase, 2 very useful publications for parents. Our Kids Go to School, and Our Kids Go to Camp. Both magazines are chock full of information that any parent looking for the best educational and enrichment opportunities for their children will find worth reading.

The educating of our children is one of the most important and loving things we do for our children. The opportunities we provide for them now will affect how successful, fulfilled, and productive they will become as adults. Give your child as many educational tools as possible and give them the edge that will help them to achieve their goals in life.

Maybe you have already educated your children, they now have careers and children of their own, and now its time to concentrate on you and your spouse. Our Kids Publications LTD provides lots of useful information on getting the most out of retirement living. Our magazine: Comfort Life is cover to cover jam-packed with the information, tips, and topics of interest for the finest in senior living. You devoted your lives to the kids now its time to truly enjoy the golden years of your life that you so richly deserve.

Our Kids Publications LTD is dedicated to keeping you connected to the current trends in educational, enrichment opportunities and retirement living. Via our Email Club we provide our members with the latest changes and trends that affect their lives so that they are always up-to-date, and have the information they need to make the choices that are right for them and their lives.

Improving Manufacturing Cycle Times With Machine Tooling

Machining center manufacturers are all looking for and touting the ability to reduce part cycle times by offering faster and more efficient machines. That is what the job shop and part production customers of these products demand, because their end-product customers are driving a purchasing philosophy of lower costs per part.

While the choice of a high-speed machining center makes a major difference in operational productivity and part cost, the tooling utilized on that machine can be another dominant factor. The efficiency of such new, special purpose proprietary tooling can even further enhance the output of a horizontal machining center. It can provide a wide degree of flexibility in compressing several machining processes, especially in parts production.

Makino, a global provider of advanced machining technology, says that the use of special-purpose and multifunctional tools, like the SmartTools it manufactures, helps in this process compression. These specially designed and patented tools reduce cycle times as well as production costs, which saves money.

As an example, there are a number of unique, special tools that can reduce the initial capital investment and drive out substantial process time in the machining of engine blocks. Cylinder bores can be finished and honed with a precise closed-loop boring system that automatically compensates for tool wear or thermal distortion and produces exceptional repeatability.

You can also grind bimetallic surfaces utilizing a cubic boron nitride superabrasive grinding wheel all on a standard machining center.

Machines incorporated with this special, multifunctional tooling will outperform a number of individual specialty-purpose machines when used in an integrated system. Mid- to high-volume parts manufacturers often invest in state-of-the-art machine tool technology, and can further enhance their flexibility and productivity with the use of such special-purpose tooling.

With more and more demand to streamline processes and production cycle times, especially from original equipment manufacturer outsourcing operations, there is a growing need for more valuable and cost-effective solutions for jobs shops and production facilities. And, the solutions exist to allow them to “work smarter.”

Being Thin and Being Lean: Is There a Difference?

Often people will look at a thin person and think to themselves; now that person is nice and lean. But is that really always the case? Does being thin have a direct relationship with being lean? In order to answer these questions we must examine what it means to be thin verses what it means to be lean.

Now you can define being thin as having a small circumference size. This would be denoted by small waist, arm, leg, and chest diameters as well as a low body weight all in relation to overall height.

The definition of being lean however is measured by overall body composition. This would be denoted by a low percentage of body-fat verses percentage of lean mass (muscle and bone). You may be surprised to know that thin people quite often are not lean at all. In fact, many thin people have a much higher body-fat percentage than you might think!

Now you may be thinking; how is that possible? Thin people dont look fat so how can they have much body-fat? Consider this example:

Two women at 40 years old are both 5 7 tall and both weigh 120 pounds. Women # 1 has a body-fat percentage of 25 and a waist size of 30. Woman # 2 on the other hand has a body-fat percentage of 16 and a waist size of 27. Both look thin, but woman # 2 is clearly leaner. What could be the cause of this? Why could both women be the same age, height, and weight but one is so much leaner than the other?

Atrophy is the term used for the natural loss of muscle that begins to occur in people at around the age of 25 who are sedentary or do no resistance training or strength training. By the time a person reaches their mid to late thirties a significant amount of muscle can be lost if no resistance training is being done.

Once atrophy begins, to 1 pound of muscle is lost per year and is replaced by nearly 2 pounds of fat because as muscle which is metabolically active tissue is lost, metabolism slows down allowing for extra fat storage. This translates to up to 10 to 15 pounds of lost muscle and up to 20 to 30 pounds of extra fat by age 40. So if a person does no form of resistance training it is likely that by age 40 even though they appear thin they will have a higher percentage of body-fat than meets the eye.

Resistance training is often omitted by people, even those who do exercise for general health. Many people will walk, jog, and bike for fitness but resistance training is just as important because aerobic exercise will develop little to no muscle. Indeed resistance training is a recommended activity for anyone looking to induce healthy living.

Nowadays even many cardiologists are prescribing resistance training for their heart patients because when the skeletal muscles and strengthened, the heart experiences less stress during normal daily activities like grocery shopping or vacuuming the carpets.

The American College of Sports Medicine recommends resistance training 2 to 3 times a week for all apparently healthy people, especially adults. If you need help putting together a resistance training program you can seek out the assistance of a qualified fitness trainer or even check out books on the subject from your local library free of charge to get you on your way.

Remember that just because a person is thin does not mean they are lean. While being overweight is a determining factor in accessing risks to your health, so is carrying higher percentages of body-fat so dont just aim to be thin, aim to be lean.

The Process Of Transferring From One Host To Another

The idea of transferring from one host to another can be a little intimidating. You may not be happy with your current host, but you do not want to interrupt your websites activity. There are effective ways to transfer to another host; you just need to know what you should do ahead of time.

If you are considering leaving your current host you probably have issues you are not happy with. Look for a host that can eliminate these issues, give your website all the features it needs, and evaluate as much as possible so you can stay with the new host for the long-term. Some things you may want to consider when choosing a host are:

The web hosts terms and conditions
Do they require a long-term contract or can you cancel at anytime?
How accessible is the customer service department?
Are you locked into the current price?
Do they want full payment in advance? If you are unhappy will you be refunded?
Email service(s).

Once you have found a web host you feel you will be happy with, you need to sign-up for a new account. Before you go any farther with the new host, you need to back up or upload all of the files and databases from your current site. You can use an FTP utility to download all the files from the current host to your computer. Dreamweaver users can use the Get command to copy all of their files. Another thing you could do is to store a local copy in your computer. Whether it is PHP or another format you can always up-load the info later if there was a mishap. You can save the HTML information by viewing your source page, which opens up in Notepad. Just go to File and then save that page (make sure your file names match up with the current names for each web page).

Upload or Transfer Files to the New Web Host

Now you can upload all the files to the new server or web host. If you saved the HTML information from your source page you may be able to just enter the information and be done. You need to test the site to make sure the new IP address is working and make possible adjustments to coding (depending on the server situation). Although it may be a tedious job, you need to check every page, every link, every image, and the formatting on your website.

Your New Email Server

You will need to re-create all email accounts you currently have in use. You can create auto-responders and aliases and/or forward emails at the same time. Your new email address(es) will not work until the transfer of your domain is completed. Therefore you cannot test your new email until the transfer is completed. This may make a few business owners nervous, but you can always set up an auto-responder on your old server and the new server. By doing this, your customers will receive an email explaining the situation during and after the transfer. Another idea is to start the transfer process on a Friday, a weekend, or over a holiday if possible. Choose a time when the traffic on your site will be slow.

Domain Name Server (DNS) Transfer

Next, you need to transfer your domain name. You can contact the domain name registrar, which is where you registered the domain name. You need to change the Domain Name Server (DNS) to your new web hosts DNS information. When you set up your new server first and then update your DNS second, you will experience zero downtime. The idea is to move from your old server to the new server that is already set up and functioning which allows your site to appear as if it never moved at all.

Transferring the DNS is a critical part of transferring to another web host. If you move your site your websites IP address changes. The DNS servers route traffic to your site with the websites current IP address, not the domain name. If you transfer to another web host without changing the DNS information people will not be able to find your website. The new web hosts DNS information will let all of the DNS servers know your websites new IP address and customers will then be able to find your site. This process will take 24-72 hours to complete.

Additional Tips

Leave your old web hosting account open for at least a couple of weeks and if possible an entire month. This will help you make sure you are receiving all your emails that may be switched around during the transfer and it will be a backup if there are problems with the DNS servers. Once things are working smoothly and reliably you can cancel the old web host.

Some domain registrars will confirm a web hosting change by sending an email to the address you used when your registered the domain name. This email will require a reply and the transfer will not take place if you do not reply. This email is for your websites security; the registrar needs to make sure that it is really you asking for the transfer and not someone trying to hijack your site.

Chester City Guide, Including Chester Hotels

Introduction:

Visit Chester and discover a delightful cultural mix that evolves when a 21st century city has been shaped by 2,000 years of history. Within the city walls Chester combines five star luxuries, exclusive stores, excellent dining and a vibrant nightlife with attractions such as a Roman Amphitheatre and Gothic Cathedral.

Places of interest:

Chester boasts a complete circuit of historic walls, sections of which date back to Roman times, Chesters most unique feature is the 13th century Rows two tiers of enticing shops, running through the main streets. Other attractions include the beautiful River Dee, the recently restored Grosvenor and Cheshire Military Museums, a Roman Amphitheatre, the Grosvenor Park and the citys famous Roodee Racecourse.

The Roman Amphitheatre, the largest arena ever uncovered in Britain.

The famous Chester Rows are unique, being two-tiered galleries built in the traditional black and white magpie style. They offer a wide range of shops selling goods from antiques to high fashion.

Grosvenor Museum offers visitors the chance to explore 2000 years of Chester history. This includes Roman life, Chester wildlife – past and present, art galleries, and a unique Chester timeline.

Entrance is free. You can take a light hearted journey through the Roman heritage of Chester. Tours last approximately 1.5 hours and can be provided, on request, at any time of the year.

Chester Zoo is one of Europe’s leading conservation zoos, with over 7,000 animals living in spacious and natural enclosures. The zoofari overhead railway and waterbus cater for your transportation needs. There is also a Children’s Farm complete with Marmot Mania, brass rubbings and face-painting.

Chester Market, having been established in Chester since Roman times, is one of the oldest functions of the council.

Things to do:

There are many ways of seeing the attractions and surrounding areas of Chester. Tours by Foot, Bus, Rail and Waterway are all available. If you enjoy the festival atmosphere you can relax at the Chester races, the annual international film festival or food and drinks festival. All tastes are catered to in historic Chester.

Chester Racecourse holds meetings throughout the summer months including the May Festival, a Family fun day and a Roman day. There has been racing on the Roodee at Chester for over 450 years and the thrill of watching a race at Chester unfolding before you from the sophisticated surroundings of the courses enclosures or the vantage point of the City walls is an unforgettable experience.

Bus tours operate from the Chester Visitor Centre that allows you to discover Chester from the comfort of a coach. Commentary is provided along the way by a knowledgeable and experienced guide. The tours take in such sites as the Amphitheatre, the River Dee and its bridges, the Old Port, and the Racecourse.

The Annual Food and Drink Festival celebrate the success of local producers where they exhibit their fayre to over 6,000 food and drink lovers.

The International Film Festival is run by the Chester Film Society. This popular annual event showcases fringe cinema from all over the world. The festival runs for a week, generally during early spring.

A Cruise along the Waterways of Cheshire is not only relaxing but offers a chance to enjoy the attractive sites of historic interest, heritage and culture of the area. There are more miles of canals here than in any other English county.

A Town Crier is a regular feature in the summer months You can enjoy this midday flamboyant spectacle at the Cross in the heart of the City, from Tuesday to Saturday from May to September.

Food & Drink:

There is plenty of opportunity to pause and take refreshment during your strolls around Chester in one of the many cafes, restaurants and wine bars. Contained within this vibrant city is an eating scene of diverse proportions. The styles of foods available include Italian, Chinese, Thai, Indian and some of the best bars, night clubs and coffee houses you can imagine.

Samsi Japanese Yakitori Bar. Instead of the menu being divided the traditional manner of starters and main course you will find that most dishes are available in appetiser and main course portions. For people unaccustomed to Japanese food assistance is available.

Vito’s Trattoria Pizzeria. This is a traditional pizzeria where the waiters pace about with enormous pepper mills and straw-wrapped Chianti bottles hold candles over gingham tablecloths. All the old favourite dishes appear on the long menu.

Chez Jules Restaurant. Located in a former fire station this is a bistro style restaurant where the reasonably priced menu is changed daily. There are usually about six starters and the same number of mains on offer. It is a firm favourite with the locals.

Mongolian Barbeque. An award-winning restaurant that offers customers the chance to choose their own combination of meat, fish and vegetables and then watch as they are stir fried on a huge Mongolian style griddle.

The Boot Inn, Chesters oldest public house dates back to 1643, its faade was rebuilt and restored in the late 19th century and again in 1988. This very attractive 17th Century inn is accessible from the street level by narrow stony staircase. This leads into a large hall, which is divided into two main sections. Features include a fireplace, a large bar counter, low ceilings and exposed beams.

Hotels & Accommodation:

The city of Chester has a wide range of hotels and quality assured guest houses suitable for the business traveller and tourist alike. Elsewhere in Cheshire your options include luxurious country house hotels, excellent farmhouse B&Bs and self catering.

Macdonald Blossoms Hotel
Higher Huxley Hall Non-Smoking
Alton Lodge
Best Western Queen Hotel
Quality Hotel Chester
Macdonald Craxton Wood Hotel
Eaton Hotel Non Smoking
Dene Hotel Chester
The Chester Grosvenor and Spa
Comfort Inn Chester
Ramada Chester
Brookside Hotel
Llyndir Hall Hotel
Chester Moat House
De Vere Carden Park Hotel Golf Resort Spa
Broxton Hall Country House Hotel
St. David’s Park Hotel
Mollington Banastre Hotel
Best Western Westminster Hotel
Thornton Hall Classic Hotel
Hoole Hall Hotel
Express by Holiday Inn Chester Racecourse
Crabwall Manor
Gateway To Wales Hotel

Entertainment

Telfords Warehouse is an independent family run bar/restaurant and an internationally renowned music and arts venue. Upstairs is a popular restaurant and contemporary art gallery. The lower area and bar are reserved for the many popular live music nights which having played host too many famous names that have helped to establish Telfords as one of the most important venues in the country.

The Miniature Theatre of Chester is based at the Chester Town Hall, performing works that include both world premieres and plays by local talent.

Chester Theatre Club, based at the little theatre, was founded in 1944 and stages 6 plays per year. The auditorium seats 126 and there is a licensed bar

Alexander’s Jazz Theatre is the leading North West venue for jazz, blues and rock artists. It hosts Chester Jazz and Blues Festival. Alexander’s is also a famous for the alternative comedy nights every Saturday.

Chester is an excellent destination for that short break. It is a city where you can immerse yourself in history, shopping or elegance. This Roman city and its 21st century delights will leave you feeling relaxed and refreshed.

This Article may be freely copied as long as it is not modified and this resource box accompanies the article, together with working hyperlinks.

What is Sleep Apnea?

Are you feeling sleepy all the time? Do you snore? Is your doctor having a difficult time treating your high blood pressure? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then you might have Sleep Apnea (also called Obstructive Sleep Apnea or OSA).

Sleep Apnea is a condition involving pauses or decreases in breathing during sleep. It is usually due to airway collapse. This collapse occurs in the nose and/or the throat anywhere from where air enters the nostrils to the back of the tongue. Imagine a straw collapsing when trying to suck on a thick milkshake. Frequently, this airway collapsibility problem is inherited and starts in childhood. In the daytime, it is not a problem because there is good muscle-tone in the airway and the brain monitors breathing. But at night, the throat muscles become relaxed and the brain is not as attentive to the airway. So on inhalation, the airway walls can either completely collapse or significantly narrow. This is a problem because 1) the body must struggle to breathe and 2) the brain has to wake up to reopen the airway.

These frequent awakenings lead to fragmentation of nighttime sleep. You may not remember them because they are so short. In fact, patients with sleep apnea can wake-up more than 30 times an hour and think that they slept uninterrupted through the night. Since sleep must be continuous and consolidated in order to be restorative, a number of cognitive problems can occur with sleep fragmentation: daytime sleepiness, memory problems, concentration difficulties, emotional instability, irritability, slowed reaction time, and most importantly, an increased risk of motor vehicle accidents.

There are also cardiovascular consequences of this constant struggling to breathe. This puts a strain on the heart and blood vessels, leading to increased risk of high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke.

Finally, there are social implications to Sleep Apnea. The snoring associated with sleep apnea can disrupt the sleep of others. In fact, one study showed that when a person treats his/her sleep apnea, the sleep partner gets the equivalent of one hour more sleep per night.

Sleep apnea is a progressive disease and often gets worse with age. Weight gain, alcohol, and other sedating/relaxing substances exacerbate it.

Who Gets Sleep Apnea?

A common misconception is that only overweight men that snore loudly have sleep apnea, but the facts are:

1) Sleep apnea can occur without snoring
2) Thin people can have sleep apnea
3) Women can have sleep apnea
4) Children can have sleep apnea

In other words, anyone can have it. Even skinny women. Even children.

I Think I Might Have Sleep Apnea, How Do I Find Out If I Have It?

Make an appointment with your primary care physician, or if your insurance allows it, go straight to a sleep specialist. If your physician thinks you might have sleep apnea, then he/she can refer you for a sleep study or comprehensive sleep evaluation.

How Is Sleep Apnea Treated?

There are four main categories of treatment for sleep apnea: Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP), Surgery, Oral Appliances, and Behavioral Modification.

The most effective way to treat sleep apnea is with CPAP. CPAP is a mask worn over the nose attached by a hose to an air compressor. The air compressor gently and quietly blows room-air into the nose, which stents the airway open, preventing airway collapse. This is the most effective way to treat sleep apnea, and all patients diagnosed with sleep apnea should at least try it before considering other options.

Surgery can be an effective way to treat sleep apnea. A number of different procedures can be performed. These range from nasal septum repair to jaw reconstruction. Talk to your doctor about whether surgery is the right option for you.

An oral appliance is a device made by a dentist or an orthodontist designed to pull your lower jaw forward. By pulling your lower jaw forward, the tongue is pulled away from the back of the throat. If your airway obstruction is occurring behind the tongue, then this can be an effective way to treat your sleep apnea. The treatment of sleep apnea with oral appliance should be a coordinated effort between the sleep physician, the dentist/orthodontist, and the patient.

Behavioral modifications can help in the treatment of sleep apnea, but are usually the least effective. These include such techniques as weight loss, sleeping on your side, and avoiding alcohol before bedtime.

None of these treatment options is ideal, but they all can be useful in treating sleep apnea and resulting in more restful sleep. With risks like heart attack and stroke, you should do everything you can to get your sleep apnea under control. If you think you have sleep apnea, contact your doctor or go to a sleep center. It could be the best decision you ever made.

How To Email Your College Professor

So its 1:30 am and there you are at the computer trying to refresh the email inbox page. The big test is tomorrow and your Professor still hasnt replied back, but why? Contrary to popular belief, that your Professor wants you to fail, the problem could stem from the fact that your email never reached him/her. Hence, the purpose of this guide is to show students how to write an effective email to their Professors.

The From Field

Always use your University or College email address when sending an email to your professor. This not only assures the professor that you are indeed a student but also avoids your email from getting put in the spam box. Many Universities and Colleges now employ a system of only allowing emails to be received from certain domains anything else (hotmail, yahoo…etc) is either automatically put in the spam box or is forwarded to the Professor as a potential spam.
Example:

Astudent@university.edu

The To Field

This is the single most important field, if you mess up in here there you can kiss your email good bye. Avoid putting the Professors name with the email (A Prof ), since not all emailing system can handle this format. It is always best to send your email to the Professors University or College account, since that is the email account that your Professor checks, or should check, the most. And again before sending the email double check to verify that email address was typed correctly.
Example:

Aprof@universtiy.edu

The Subject Field

The subject field should be of the following format:

CollegeName-CourceCode-Title-Subject

CollegeName: Is the name of your post secondary institution (America Learning College, Boston Universityetc). Yes I do realize that this may seem a bit redundant but it is important. Most Professors (Usually new Professors) teach at one or more Universities and Colleges at any given term, and the email from those institutions gets forwarded to one main address, usually their ISP email address. So to keep things organized its best to write the name of the College or University in the Subject Field.

CourseCode- Is the code name of the course (MTH140, CPS124, GEF345etc). Its best to keep the letters Capital and no spaces between the number and letter.

Title: Over here you type in the title of your subject. (Test 1, Midterm, Exam, Assignment 5etc)

Subject: Over here you type in what concern or problem you might have (Due Date Issue, Missed Test Issue, HW Problem #45etc). Remember to keep it brief, no more then 5 words.

Example:

Boston College-MTH140-Assignment 4-HW Problem #45

The Text Body Field

Try to keep things simple, clean and to the point. By that I mean no 2 page emails or fancy fonts and color, remember your first priority is to convey your message not to show off your email editing skills. Start off with writing the Professors name (Prof C.Mcgill, Prof U.Stanetc). Move on to the subject of your email, as a reminder restate the Course Code and Title Field (During the Mondays MTH140 class you stated for Assignment 4). The next line should state the problem or concern. Remember to provide details and avoid repetitions. Its best to end the email with a salutatory statement (Thank You, Yours Truly..etc) and use your name, student number and College or University name as signature.

Example:

Prof C. Mcgill,
During the Mondays MTH140 class you stated for Assignment 4 question #41 to use the second derivative theorem. However, I am having trouble as to how to find the delta X? In particular, during the situation when time is 3 seconds and delta Y is 0. Do we set delta Y to Ymin and solve from there?

Thank You
_________________
Any Student
#:0101010101
Boston University

Things to Keep In Mind

- Give a minimum of one weekday for Professors to reply back, before sending another email.
- Avoid sending multiple duplicate emails at any one given time.
- Try to send emails during weekdays and if possible during the Professors office hours.
- Try to be respectful and Professional (i.e. no offensive language, spell checketc).
- Avoid taking out frustration by spamming the Professors email box.

Why You Should Have A Merchant Account

If you have been running a web-based business successfully without the use of a merchant account, you may wonder why it is necessary to have a merchant account and all. After all, you can accept checks or money orders via snail mail; therefore, you may ask yourself, Why should I bother with the hassles of signing up for a merchant account? Nevertheless, you would be surprised to find that there are myriad benefits in having a merchant account; in fact, making more money through your Internet business is just one of them.

First, in not having a merchant account, you are severely limiting the amount of income that you can make from your online business. For example, with a merchant account you can accept MasterCard, Visa, Discover, and American Express once your initial application is approved. In the case of the latter, you will be required to fill out a separate application for American Express approval.

The approval process for a merchant account is usually five to seven days and the wait is well worth it; once you are approved immediately increase the type of payments you can receive and therefore increase the number of clients who were willing to buy your products online.

The most obvious place to get a merchant account is from your local bank. Simply stop and your local bank or visit the bank where you hold a checking or savings account and speak to one of the bank representatives about their merchant accounts. Conversely, your local bank will probably be more than willing to send you brochures or pamphlets that describe their merchant account programs in great detail.

When you are looking to apply for a merchant account with a local bank it is a good idea to ear in mind that if you already have an existing account with a bank, that bank will probably be more willing to provide you with a merchant account based on their experience with you as an existing customer. If you have exhibited responsible behavior with an existing checking account of loan with an institution, the bank is quite liable to take such information into consideration when determining your eligibility for a merchant account.

Having a merchant account also keeps you at an even keel with your competitors. By simply researching the competition, you will soon find that many of your competitors have merchant accounts as a payment method for customers. The reason that your competitors maintain a merchant account is to primarily provide an added convenience for customers desire to pay by credit card. Not only is the authorization process fast, but allows the customer to place their order in the fashion that they’ve grown accustomed to while paying for their purchases.

Another added benefit derived from having a merchant pertains to this simplification of record-keeping. Let’s face it, when it comes to paying taxes no one considers it a good time. Nevertheless, paying taxes a necessary evil and it pays to be well organized when tax season comes around. With the detailed monthly statements that you receive with a merchant account, you can access your expense records quickly and easily.

Many merchant account suppliers offer software applications with their merchant account program that will allow you to improve the look of your website. For example, you can add a shopping cart to website or the ever popular buy now buttons. Such graphics give your website professionally designed to look and help your website appear easy to navigate and user-friendly: if customers find your website user-friendly they’re more likely to return again and again.

How To Improve Project Delivery through Good Business Requirements

Creating good business requirements not only assures that the proposed project will address all of the organization’s needs, but it helps to guarantee that the project is delivered on time and on budget.

Here are some of the key reasons that improved project delivery can be achieved through good business requirements.

You are more likely to receive approval sooner from all stakeholders regarding the intended purpose of the software. This will accelerate the remaining phases of the project and help to insure that original project deadlines are met.

Risks will be identified and mitigated early on in the project lifecycle. This will reduce or eliminate unnecessary project delays, avoid losing the trust of the stakeholders, and reduce the likelihood that unexpected costs will result.

The design process will take less time and the results will be more accurate. This will also accelerate the remaining phases of the project and ensure that the development cycle goes more smoothly.

The development process will take less time and there will be a less likely chance that key processes will be overlooked. Developers and database administrators will spend less time seeking answers or clarification on issues and more time on direct project-related tasks.

It will be easier to test because testers will have used the requirements.

It will be easier to maintain the system because all processes will be documented.

It will be easier to change the system in the future because all processes will be documented.

The entire project management process will go smoother because each phase will benefit from the quality of the business requirements document.

Communications between all stakeholders and the project team will be improved as the result of holding business requirements gathering meetings.

The customer will be more satisfied with the system and more likely to accept the project as complete. This avoids unnecessarily extending deadlines and having to re-do work that does not meet the client’s requirements.

Cost savings will result from the increase in project development efficiency because staff time will not be wasted asking questions and seeking clarification.

Increased accountability will result in a smoother development process. Each team member will know exactly what is expected of them and the Project Manager will have solid documentation to use when measuring project progress.

Does modern society drive people insane?

Stress and anxiety are things anyone and everyone has to deal with. The mental stresses and pressures placed upon the typical human being by modern civilization is a price that must be paid to live within the social strata we have now. It is understandable for people to have to bear with stress and pressure, to need to develop the mental tools to adapt to their culture and working environment, but for some, the burden is too great to bear. The human mind is a sensitive instrument, a computer program that has algorithms and protocols that can be stretched to a breaking point. The average person either has the capacity to deal with the stress and anxiety inherent to the modern world, but others are not so lucky. It has been suggested that, more than any era on record, the world we live in today has a sizable percentage of the population that is incurably mad.

3 Easy Steps to Measuring and Proportions in Figure Drawing

Proportion is a word often associated with another word for artists, stress. But Im here to share with you that it doesnt have to be a stressful word. Can this really be true? A simple way to warp speed techniques when measuring proportion? Yes, I’m here to say that it is true.

ProportionHow big should the head be? How long should the legs? How long should I draw this line? These are questions, we as artists, face everyday. It doesn’t matter what kind of artist you are…getting the most out of figure drawing with accurate proportions will explode your art to new levels. There are several tools and methods to help artists with proportions. Without correct proportions, your figure will be inaccurate and lacking at best.

There are certain proportion formulas, such as the figure being a certain many heads tall, or the head of the figure being so many eyes wide.

I like to know these formulas and use them as a guide. The human form being so individual you can never go strictly off of these formulas alone. As an artist, its important to know these formulas to be able to recognize the deviations from the formulas in the model/subject you are drawing.

Measuring

Measuring is a little bit different for every artist. It is a tool for proportions not to overlook. Just as someone aiming a poolstick or firing a gun does it differently than the next person, so goes it for the artist. Some artists, while measuring, will shut the left eye and some the right, while others will keep both eyes open (just never keep both shut LOL). Youll need to see whats right for you. Then, hold your pencil between your thumb and fingers with your fingers wrapped around the pencil. Measure from the top of your thumb to the end of your pencil. You can hold your pencil vertical or horizontal for this technique, keeping it at shoulder high.

Your measurement from your thumb to the end of your pencil may only be inch, but on your drawing it could be an inch or more. All of your measurements are comparative. For example, if an artist wants to know how long a leg is, he can compare its length with the length of the subjects head. Using the measurement method we discussed with the pencil, its easy to compare.

These simple methods, once applied, will soar your drawings, paintings or whatever you are working on. The advice practice, practice, practice, coupled with masterful technique will help you advance your art quickly and masterfully more than anything else.

This is a brief overview on proportions and measuring. For more information on proportions, measurements, drawing people or faces, and much morePlease email us at info@learning2draw.com.

Indoor Contamination Rises After Katrina

Researchers working under the direction of Dr. John Spengler of the Environmental Health and Engineering Department at the Harvard School of Public Health have found indoor contamination rates two and a half times greater than outdoor readings in New Orleans in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.

“We are uncovering some particularly nasty varieties of molds that are highly allergenic,” Spengler said. “My concern is that if people try to salvage things from inside their homes and take them to their new residences in houses, apartments or mobile homes, the molds could regenerate.”

Spengler says that much of the focus in the cleanup effort has been on outdoor levels of molds and mildew, which pose serious health risks to people with allergies, asthma and diminished immune systems. While outdoor readings revealed concentrated contaminant levels as high as 650,000 per cubic meter of air, Spengler’s team conducted indoor tests and uncovered levels as high as 1.6 million.

Realizing these high levels pose serious potential health problems, Spengler’s team devised a packet for residents they call a “mold kit,” which includes respirators, gloves and information sheets on safe remediation methods. These were shown to Red Cross officials who are overseeing aspects of the cleanup, and the agency ordered 30,000 of the kits with funding assistance from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.

Spengler, an indoor pollution expert, was honored by environmental philanthropist Teresa Heinz with the ninth annual Heinz Award in the environment category for his research, which has shown that exposure to indoor pollution can be even more hazardous to human health than outdoor contaminants.

Consider a Performance Exhaust System

Is it time for you to replace your cars exhaust system? Have you noticed rust around your muffler and tailpipe? If you answered yes to both of these questions, then consider replacing your stock exhaust system with a performance exhaust system. Up front you will pay more, but in the end a performance exhaust system just may be the last one you will ever need to purchase for your car.

Nothing lasts forever, right? Well, in the case of some performance exhaust systems you can come darn close. Consider this: one top manufacturer of cat-back exhausts [more on what one is a bit later] produces an exhaust system with a one million mile guarantee! How can they do this? By making a product from aircraft quality stainless steel, thats how. Thats right; the same steel used by aircraft manufacturers goes into every Borla brand exhaust system to produce a product that is durable and long lasting. Other brands have similar warranties, so I am not saying Borla is the end all or be all product for your car.

So, just how does a cat-back system work? By keeping all the important emissions parts in place, a cat-back system incorporates large width exhaust pipes and low restriction performance mufflers into your car thereby lowering exhaust back pressure. A side benefit is the deeper, throatier tone produced by the exhaust system. Because your cars engine is essentially an air pump, a cat-back a/k/a performance exhaust system allows the engine to pump and flow air with less interruption. In summation, more power is freed up and horsepower increases of 5 to 15 percent are well within the range of possibility. One side benefit: you will notice an increase in fuel economy because a performance exhaust system allows your engine to run more efficiently.

So, whats not to love about a performance exhaust system? Not much! Even if you arent planning to keep your car forever, the resale value of your vehicle will also increase with a performance exhaust system installed on your car. You win now with more power and better fuel economy and you can win later when it comes time to sell your car. A true win-win situation, dont you agree??

Five Tips For Combining Work And Leisure While On The Road

When your job takes you away from home, bringing your family along may actually make good business sense. With travel industry experts predicting an overall increase in daily hotel rates for 2006, combining work and pleasure not only helps keep the family together but could save you money.

According to Travelocity, half of all business professionals include a leisure component in their work-related travels, with more than 70 percent planning to bring family with them on trips this year.

“The blended business/family trip is quickly becoming a significant trend,” said Dorothy Dowling, senior vice president of marketing for Best Western International.

To ensure successful “combination” travel for you and your family, consider these tips:

• Choose a family-friendly hotel with business services: You’ll have more money to spend on activities and attractions by staying at a hotel with services such as free high-speed Internet access, free breakfast, free roll-out beds and kids-stay-free programs.

• Take advantage of loyalty programs: If you travel frequently on business, you could take advantage of these incentive clubs to qualify for free air miles and hotel room nights. Seasonal promotions also help travelers earn special rewards faster. For example, members of Best Western’s free Gold Crown Club International program who stay six nights at any Best Western hotel between June 4 and August 19 will receive a collectible Nickelodeon “The Fairly OddParents” Travel Card worth $50.

• Don’t forget Fido: For many travelers, the biggest source of stress before going on any trip is figuring out what to do with the family pet. Many hotels today welcome pets, making it possible to keep the whole family together.

• Find a hotel with a water park: With attendance at North American water parks increasing at a rate of 3 percent every year, some hotels offer this unique amenity on-site. The new Best Western Edgewater Resort & Water Park in Duluth, Minn., features an exploding volcano in a 35,000-square-foot facility, along with a 400-foot-long lazy river. Your kids will thank you.

• Be flexible, relax and have fun! It’s important to recognize that schedules change, meetings may come up or the kids could get sick, so everyone needs to be flexible.

Your next business trip could also be a minivacation with the family.

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