All about home safety and your baby

When you first have a newborn baby, you are very protective of it. You are always afraid of something happening to it. Well when you are at home you should not be afraid of anything happening to it because you are there and it should be safe. Keeping your baby safe at home is very important. First, prevent people from coming to your home that are going to smoke, or do any type of drugs, this is your first line of defense for your baby.

To be safe, when you are at home by yourself lock all the doors, this is vital if you live in a big city. Other than other people, to keep your baby from getting injured at home the best thing to do is a buy safety thing for all over the house. Prevention of problems will include the ability of the baby to walk away, or get to the swimming pool. Prevent problems in the home by locking doors, windows, cupboards and garages with locks that a baby or toddler can’t open.

You probably would not want to have animals like a dog or a cat around your baby until it gets older. A pet can maul a baby, or a toddler when the pet is not accustomed to being around children all the time. Avoid having a cat near the baby, so the cat doesn’t cuddle up on the face of the baby, which will then smoother the baby without your realizing what is happening.

When you put your baby to sleep at night make sure that it falls asleep on it’s back because of crib death. Crib death is when a baby suffocates to death. Also, keep loose blankets out of the crib. The crib is a place for the baby to sleep, not to play. The crib should have bars that are close enough, so the baby can’t slip through, and the crib should have bars so that the head of the baby can’t slip through and get stuck. Avoid potential problems and situations where your baby could easily be hurt.

Once your baby starts to crawl, the best thing for you to get is a walker to let it learn how to walk. If you have steps in your home, the ‘thing to get’ is those child gates. They have them at most department stores if you don’t know where to purchase them. This will prevent your child from falling down the steps. You could even use them in doorways to rooms that you don’t want the child in without you. If you have animals, you could even use the gates to keep the animals away from the baby.

Once your child starts to walk you should keep things back away from the edge of the counters and the table. If you drink coffee, you should definitely keep that away so it is not reachable. You should not let any thing that is small laying around because if you do so this it will help so that your baby does not choke on anything. Just remember to lock all the doors when you are there by yourself. Any thing like this will help you keep your child safe at home.

Hong kong. from barren rock to bustling metropolis

Over 150 years ago, Hong Kong was described as a "barren rock." Today, it's a dynamic, 21st century city that has gone from British Colony to one of the world's must-visit tourist destinations. Its colonial charm is still to be found in the historic mansions dotted around The Peak and quaint customs like firing the Noon Day Gun, yet this is an international city proud of its Chinese heritage and Cantonese gusto.

After the handover from Great Britain in June 1997, Hong Kong became a Special Administrative Region (SAR) of the People's Republic of China. While some things have changed, you'll marvel at this melting pot of east meets west.

Where else can you gaze in awe at a Manhattan-style skyline filled with iconic modern architecture by IM Pei and Norman Foster, and just a few streets away, bargain your heart out for silk and jade at a local laneway market. That's Hong Kong for you. It's fast, efficient, entrepreneurial, yet truly Chinese at heart.

Location is everything.

Situated at the south-eastern tip of China on The South China Sea, Hong Kong is actually just one island out of a group of 263. Most visitors spend their time on Hong Kong itself, the popular Kowloon Peninsula and the more rural New Territories. Take a ferry trip to one of the outlying islands such as Lamma, Lantau or Cheung Chau and see how lush and green the scenery is. Hong Kong offers the nature lover wonderful treks across mountains tops and amazing scenery, so when you've had enough retail therapy, head for the hills.

When it comes to serious shopping, Hong Kong has it all.

What hasn't been said about shopping in Hong Kong! Right across the Island, you'll discover that retail must have been invented here. In Central, slick designer shopping malls such as Landmark and Prince's Building, cater to expensive tastes. A who's who of labels, brands and temptations that will entice your credit card time and time again. In contrast, there are street markets like Li Yuen East and Li Yuen West, not forgetting factory outlets where you can go bargain spotting at great prices.

Wan Chai: Wan Chai's streets are steeped in history and you can happily spend an afternoon exploring the shops and the "wet" market. (It sells food, fruit, flowers, fish, meat - quite different from a US supermarket experience.) Spring Garden Lane between Queen's Road East and Johnston Road, is a good place to pick up clothes at very competitive prices. The market stalls sell products originally meant for export, meaning quality and price are very competitive.

Causeway Bay: This has become known locally as "Little Japan" because of the major Japanese department stores in the area. It is hip and young, with stores specializing in shoes, electrical appliances and fashion. Don't miss the small street market called Jardine's Bazaar, filled with low-cost fashion and accessories.

Stanley Market: Jump on a bus or take a taxi to Stanley, famous for its warren of stalls, shops and restaurants. (The ride along Repulse Bay Road is spectacular with superb views across the sea to outlying islands.) Here you'll find paintings, curios, cashmere, silks and ceramics, along with cut-price fashion. Open from around 10:00am to 6:00pm daily.

Hungry for more. A world of exquisite, mouth-watering dining options.

As you would expect, good Chinese restaurants are found everywhere in Hong Kong. Some of the best can be found in major hotels and shopping complexes. Most specialize in one or more of the following: Cantonese, Chiu Chow, Hunan, Szechuan, Peking, Shanghainese or Chinese Vegetarian. If you're hungry for a taste of home, you can find just about everything - from American-style burgers to homemade Italian pasta. Day and night, Hong Kong's gourmet delights are plentiful - whether you want to pick up a snack or get dressed up and hit the clubs of Lan Kwai Fong, it's all waiting for you.

What's new to see and do in Hong Kong now. A Symphony of Light.

As if Hong Kong wasn't colorful enough, at night's it's electrifying. This new multimedia show creates an all-round vision of lights, laser beams and searchlights, performing an unforgettable spectacle synchronised to music and narration that celebrates the energy, spirit and diversity of Hong Kong.

Already named the "World's Largest Permanent Light and Sound Show" by Guinness World Records, it has been expanded to involve 33 key buildings on both sides of Victoria Harbour. If you are in Hong Kong during a festival, special pyrotechnic displays launched from the middle of the harbour add extra sparkle to the show.

Hong Kong Disneyland. Visit the magical kingdom.

Hong Kong Disneyland on Lantau Island, the fifth in the world, opened in September 2005.It has proved to be a huge draw card for both international and local visitors, so if you're planning to go, it will busy. You can discover a magical kingdom of thrilling adventures, wonderful journeys and beloved Disney Characters. The park consists of four themed lands similar to those in the other Disneyland parks: Main Street, USA, Adventureland, Fantasyland and Tomorrowland. By the way, this Adventureland is the biggest one out of all the Disneyland parks.

If you're keen to actually stay here, you can. There are two enchanting hotels offering unique shopping, imaginative dining and family recreation - all delivered with the style and service you expect from Disney.

Take a journey of enlightenment.

Ride the stunning 5.7km cable car ride up the side of a mountain on Lantau Island to a culturally themed village next to the Giant Buddha and Po Lin Monastery. The Ngong Ping Skyrail travels from Tung Chung adjacent to the airport over spectacular countryside offering panoramic views, across the South China Sea, the mountains and monastery. This is planned to open in mid 2006.

Hong Kong Wetland Park.

Located next to the internationally recognised Mai Po Marshes bird sanctuary, this huge park is designed to demonstrate the diversity of Hong Kong's wetland ecosystem. You can get closer to nature through integrated themed education and recreation facilities, with audio visual shows, interactive demos and wetland simulations.

Hong Kong Hotels to match every budget.

Hong Kong is one of the world's top ten travel destinations. You'll find every type of accommodation available to suit your budget - from major 5 star international names to smaller hotels offering great value rates. Book online and see what hot deals you can find. During holiday time and special Chinese festivals, it pays to book ahead.

Hong Kong is easy to get around with safe public transport, a reliable subway, trams and ferries, so you're never far from a bargain or for that matter, a memorable time.

I'll leave the last word to Noel Coward.

Mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun. The smallest Malay rabbit deplores this stupid habit. In Hong Kong, they strike a gong and fire off a noonday gun....

What to consider when comparing forex brokerages

The forex market is a great place for individual investors, large and small, to engage in thrilling, fast-paced and potentially profitable trades. But you can't participate in forex currency trading if you don't first have a forex brokerage account. While most stock-market brokerages allow you to also trade bonds, mutual funds, and other financial instruments, forex brokerage accounts are typically standalone entities. Here is what you need to know about opening a brokerage account.

Leverage

One of the major benefits of trading currencies is the tremendous amount of leverage even small-time traders are allowed. Typical leverage is 100:1, meaning for every $1 in your brokerage account, you can control up to $100 in currencies. A thousand dollars would thus allow you to control $100,000 worth of currency, so if the currency went up by 1% -- $1,000 -- you would actually double your money! But if the currency went down by just 1%, you would lose all $1,000 of your investment. What would happen if the currency went down by 2%? Well, theoretically, you would lose $1,000 above and beyond your initial investment, but in reality, a brokerage firm will usually step in and prevent this kind of loss.

Your main decision is what level of leverage to apply for. Leverage is given based on credit-worthiness, so if your credit report is pretty poor, you might want to pursue just 50:1 leverage -- which still gives you a lot of room to profit but limits your risk. Alternatively, if you have true nerves of steel and a real knack for forex trading, you may be able to apply for as great as 250:1 leverage!

Spreads

The good news is that there are no commissions charged on forex trades. The bad news is that, like stocks, forex currency pairs do have a bid/ask spread -- meaning a market maker will pay less for a currency than he is willing to sell it for. These spreads are extremely small, usually less than 0.05 cents, but the wider the spread, the more costly trading will be over the long run.

Not every brokerage has the same spreads, so it is important to review the typical distance between the bid and ask prices before selecting a broker.

Other Considerations

First and foremost among all other considerations are the currency pairs that a given brokerage deals in. For example, if you want to perform a Japanese yen for Swiss franc trade, you will need to find a brokerage that offers that currency pair. Virtually every forex brokerage deals in the main currency pairs -- the U. S. dollar vs. each of the following currencies: The Euro, the British pound, the Australian dollar, the New Zealand dollar, the Canadian dollar, the Swiss franc, and the Japanese yen -- but not all brokers deal in every possible "cross currency" pair (i. e. currency pairs that do not involve the U. S. dollar).

Finally, it's important to deal with a reputable broker. Currency trading is far less regulated than most other financial markets, and there are a lot of fly-by-night companies in the business. Be sure to investigate the company before sending them a check for a few thousand dollars -- it will be time well spent.

Don t fall into the pixel or wiki page trap

The million dollar homepage was a novel idea. Advertisers flocked to purchase pixels and the creator collected more than a million dollar. Now there is a gold rush to buy wiki pages.

However, today the Alexa ranking of million dollar homepage stands at 48,000. It will continue to decline. The same fate awaits the paid wiki pages.

These type of web sites lack in sustained traffic for a long time. Why do you visit a web site? You go to a web site for getting information or accomplishing some tasks, interacting with your online network or sharing your feelings, having some fun or making a purchase. You do not visit a web site to stare at a page full of pixel ads or read a random wiki page.

The Wikipedia has more than two million english language articles. It is full of comprehensive information on any imaginable topics. It is the largest information repository known to human race.

Ask a 12 year old kid her favorite information source and her answer will be Wikipedia. There are niche wikis on "how to", travel, politics, space, etc. There is no reason for a web surfer to visit a paid wiki site for anything.

The paid wiki sites are not even wikis. A wiki is a collaborative tool for adding, editing, and sharing information by a large number of people in a single space. Similar topics are linked together for easy navigation. The crowd intelligence makes it possible to record information accurately and completely.

However, credit goes to the paid wiki developers for portraying free Geocities, not even MySpace, type pages as wiki pages. Advertisers fall into the trap and moron reporters tout it the greatest invention since the slice bread.

Look at a paid wiki page. It is full of logos, banners, menus, color scheme, etc. of the site it resides on. Even MySpace allows you to customize your pages.

A better option for advertisers is to start creating Squiddo lenses or pages on any topic for free. Squiddo provides you all the free pages you need to create contents on any topics you wish. You can also make money from Squiddo if your lenses are popular.

Another option is to get a 10 year lease on a domain and redirect Google Blogger pages to the domain. You collect money using AdSense.

If you pay for website pages, evaluate the system based on the following four criteria.

1. Customization: You should be able to fully customize your pages, removing all logos, banners, menus, and color scheme of the site.

2. Traffic Model: The site should have a web model to attract visitors for a long time.

3. Page Promotion: You should have complete control of when and how your pages are linked on the homepage of the site. It should not be random.

4. The site should not monetize by placing ads on any pages.

Use these four filters to evaluate a site that sells you pages for traffic and fun.

Golf fitness training improves your golf swing with core training

The words core training, golf fitness, and improving your golf swing have become common words in golf. It is well known the number of professional golfers utilizing a golf fitness program to improve their golf swing. Addition to this well-known situation a common word has become connected to the phrase golf fitness. This phrase has become a buzzword in the world of golf. Unfortunately many do not understand the phrase and the relevance it can have on the golf swing. The phrase is core training. Core training can be a great benefit to your golf swing as a part of comprehensive golf fitness program.

Unfortunately many amateur golfers are unsure of the exact definition of core training and the relevance it may or may not have on a golf fitness program. The core is a reference to an anatomical area of body. The core is the anatomical area of your body from above the knees to below the chest. It includes all the muscles, nerves, and bones within in this anatomical region of the body. It must also be noted that the core includes all the neuromuscular structures on the front, side, and back of your body. For example, your lower back muscles are a part of the core as are your abdominals.

Core training is an integral part of a comprehensive golf fitness program because this is the anatomical area of the body where the majority of the golf swing occurs. For example, the golf swing requires you to rotate around a fixed spine angle. The majority of muscles allowing rotation to occur around a fixed spine angle are found within the core region. The golf swing requires a full shoulder turn to execute correctly. The muscles allowing the shoulders to rotate are mostly found within the core region of the body. These are just a few examples providing a reference between the biomechanics of the golf swing and the core region of the body.

Understanding the connection between the biomechanics of the golf swing and the core should begin to shine some light on why core training can be beneficial to the golf swing. Overall, the golf swing requires certain levels of flexibility, balance, strength, endurance, and power to execute correctly. If the body lacks the required levels within these physical components the golf swing will be difficult to execute correctly. Knowing that a large portion of the movements in the golf swing occur within the core region, it becomes obvious developing these physical components become necessary in order to improve your golf swing.

The key component of core training in relation to the golf swing centers upon the principle of cross-specificity training. Cross-specificity training implies the exercises within the core program train the body to the positions, movements, and requirements of the sport. A core training program beneficial to the golf swing must train the body specifically for the anatomical positions, movements, and actions encountered on the golf course.

The goal of cross-specific core program is to develop a transfer of training effect. The majority of fitness programs and many core programs do not address the needs of the golfer relative to improving flexibility, balance, strength, endurance, and power. A cross-specific core program will provide the foundation for a better golf swing. Just because a program is labeled a “core program” does not necessarily mean it will be beneficial to improving the golf swing.

Once the golfer understands the concepts of cross-specific training, transfer of training effect, core, and the biomechanics of the golf swing. You can begin to piece together the components of a golf fitness program. Outside of providing the foundation for the golf swing through providing the golfer with the needed levels of flexibility, balance, strength, endurance, and power to efficiently execute the golf swing. A golf fitness program can also improve a golfer’s swing.

One common area of desired improvement for most any golfer is increased distance. Increased distance in the golf swing is equated to increased clubhead speed. And increased clubhead speed is directly related to the golfer’s power outputs. Increasing power within the golf swing is connected to both swing mechanics and the body. The coiling and uncoiling within the golf swing directly affects the power outputs generated. In addition the body has a direct affect upon power development in the golf swing. Power in relation to the body can be defined as the ability of the body to create the greatest amount of force in a short amount of time.

If the golfer increases the ability of the body to generate more force, what will be the result within the golf swing? The golfer is more powerful, an increase in clubhead speed will occur, and the golf ball will probably travel farther. Interestingly enough improving power outputs by the body in relation to the golf swing, centers upon developing greater power outputs by the core region. Again, the golf swing is a rotational movement centering in the core region of the body. Increasing the force outputs of the muscles in the core can invariably improve the power in your golf swing. This again is only one example of where core training and golf fitness can improve the golf swing. Many additional areas of improvement can occur when the golfer develops the body correctly for the golf swing.

Understand the biomechanics of the golf swing require certain levels of flexibility, balance, strength, endurance, and power to execute correctly. The golfer requires minimal levels of these physical components at the very least to execute the golf swing correctly. The core is an anatomical region of the body where much of the movements within the golf swing occur. A core training program can be beneficial to improving the golf swing if the exercises within the program are cross-specific to the movements, positions, and physical requirements of the golf swing. If the core program is not cross specific to the golf swing, the benefits may less than optimal. Realize a comprehensive golf fitness program includes core training to develop the body around the golf swing. Such a program can improve the golf swing in areas like clubhead speed. And remember just because a program is labeled “core” does not necessarily mean it will improve your golf swing. The exercises within the core program must correlate with the movements of the golf swing.

Support to stop smoking

Everyone knows that smoking is a terrible habit. Aside from the obvious health risks, smoking makes your teeth yellow, makes your clothes stink, and it turns you into a social outcast. If you've already made the decision to stop smoking, good for you! Now it's time to take the next step and establish a support system to help you maintain your smoke-free lifestyle.

People who stop smoking by way of techniques like hypnotherapy often think that they've kicked the habit for good. It's important to know that even the most proven stop smoking programs aren't guaranteed to last. You need to have help you can turn to on a daily basis.

It's time to assemble your personal stop smoking support group. Establishing this group is easy. You already have a network of friends and family members who are anxious for you to quit. The help you need is waiting for you; and best of all, this is a free stop smoking resource!

Anyone who has tried to quit knows that one person can't do it alone. You need help to stop smoking and to stay smoke-free, and the best help you can have isn't sold in any form.

Believing that you are harming yourself, and exposing your loved ones to the dangers of second-hand smoke, is enough to make you want to quit. If those who care about you are ready to help you through the process, you may find that it's easier to make it happen. Read on to learn how the support of friends can really help, and how to make your group as helpful as possible.

Seek the Naggers

Partners, coworkers, family and friends will often nag about smoking until the smoker is ready to scream. The problem with nagging, however, is that can backfire. The pressure causes the smoker to become more angry, nervous and anxious to be able to escape with another smoke. Quitting smoking is hard enough without incorporating the stress of arguments over the subject. Explain your concerns to all of the "naggers" in your group. Tell them that if they truly want to help, they should offer support and not sniping.

Be Responsible to Someone

Smoking cessation is more difficult when you try to sneak in a cigarette now and then without anyone knowing about it. By making yourself responsible to another person, you are going to have to actively lie about your smoking. It's one thing to sneak in a smoke, but quite another to tell an outright lie when someone you care about asks if you've had a cigarette. Make yourself responsible to one person, and make sure it's someone who will check up on you every day.

Hypnosis Support

The stop-smoking product or method that you chose to use isn't important. What matters is that you are becoming smoke-free. For this reason, it's important that the people in your group also support your methods. If you chose to use hypnosis, you may encounter people who question its effectiveness. Those who doubt that hypnosis treatments (or whatever method you choose) really work should be asked to keep their opinions to themselves. If you lose faith in the hypnosis process because you hear negative comments, it's only going to serve to make the process less effective.

Take Advice With Caution

As soon as you announce that you're quitting, you'll be bombarded with advice from other smokers and non-smokers on how to kick the habit.

Remember that not every system is effective for every smoker, and what works for some may not be best for you. Listen to the advice and show your friends that you appreciate their input, but don't discard your own common sense. You are the best judge of what you can or cannot accomplish.

Your friends and family will be thrilled that you've made the decision to stop smoking. Remind them that your value their patience and support, and will need to rely on their help and encouragement along the way. They'll be happy to lend a hand.

Debt consolidation what is it all about

Debt consolidation is the act and process of taking out one loan to pay off many other loans and bills like credit card bills or student loans.

Who is it for?

Debt consolidation is for people who run into cycle of debts. For example, someone who has problems in paying their monthly bills with their monthly earnings or someone who has such a high credit card minimum payment that it is financially impossible for the debtors to clear his card balance.

Why debt consolidation?

Debt consolidation is necessary if you want to avoid bankruptcy and maintain your credit shape. It can also repair or maintain your good financial standing and credit rating. It is essential for people who want to lead a debt-free life again.

How does debt consolidation help?

Debt consolidation is basically a plan to consolidate all your bill and loans into one loan for easy payment. It also aim to reduce your interest rates, eliminate late payment fees and negotiate with your creditors to come out with a more manageable figure for your loan repayment.

The aim of debt consolidation is to come out with a definitive financial plan for the next few years that will allow you to live a simple but debt-free life in the future.

How to carry out debt consolidation?

There are many debt consolidation services, programs, companies and even government agencies that seek to help people with debt problems. These organizations usually charge a fee to help consolidate your debts. Take note that the consolidation fees paid should be lower than that of the loan reduction earn after your debt consolidation.