Thursday, January 31, 2013

Online Debt Consolidation Companies

Online debt consolidation companies have enjoyed enormous growth in recent years as more and more people utilize the Internet for debt consolidation. These companies help individuals streamline their debt by consolidating many loans into one big loan by a simple click of a mouse.

Debt consolidation companies contact all of your creditors and bargain for a lesser rate of interest. A requisite to this is that all credit card accounts must be cancelled by the debtor.

Once an online debt consolidation company takes on a client, they expect that client to change their spending habits. Priorities must change and spending must go down in order for the company to help a client get out and stay out of debt. In return, the client is relieved of the stress and problems brought on by excessive debt. An added bonus is that the online debt consolidation company will provide clients with financial guidance to assure a debt-free lifestyle.

The services rendered by an online debt consolidation company are very important. Therefore, the company must evaluate a client's needs closely. Online services are diverse and can be genuine or, unfortunately, misleading. Companies who mislead their clients often put them in a worse financial situation. It is therefore important for the prospective client to check the credentials of any online debt consolidation company. Before entering into a contract, do your research, and know that the online company you choose will stand by you in your time of financial crisis and not further compound your debt problems.

Uncovering Chlamydia

Chlamydia is one of the most frequent STDs. The disease is spread through a bacterium bearing the same name, Chlamydia and it can emerge more often in the case of teenagers who are active from the sexual point of view and in the case of young adults. The disease can be severe, but it can be easily cured if it is detected in due time. It is as well, the greatest cause of blindness in the world, which can be prevented. Blindness can occur as a conjunctivitis complication associated with Chlamydia.

In the case of men, it can lead to affections of the urethra. Almost half of the women who suffer from Chlamydia and they are not treated by the doctor will develop pelvic inflammatory syndrome. It is a generic term for uterus infections, as well as for uterine proboscis and / or ovaries infections.

Pelvic inflammatory syndrome can cause lesions of reproduction organs, that can lead afterwards to severe complications, including chronic pelvic pain, difficulty in getting pregnant, extra uterine pregnancy and other dangerous complications related to pregnancy.

As well as in the case of gonorrhea, the bacterium Chlamydia can be found in the uterine cervix and urethra and they can live as well inside the throat or rect. Both men and women infested frequently do not develop Chlamydia infection symptoms. Thus, these persons can spread the infection without being aware. The bacterium can pass from a person to the other through sexual contact and through oral sex as well.

If somebody touches body fluids, which contain the bacterium, and then they touch their eyes, it is possible to spread the Chlamydia infection to the eye too. It can as well pass from the mother to the baby while giving birth. Chlamydia can cause pneumonia and conjunctivitis, which can become very severe for the baby if they are not treated. The disease can be easily cured as long as you are aware of it. If it is not treated, though, Chlamydia can lead to more severe health problems.

Chlamydia can be hardly detected because infections, during first stages, sometimes do not trigger or they trigger few signs and symptoms that can make you go to the doctor. When signs and symptoms do emerge, they are most of the times slight or passenger, that makes them easy to ignore.

Sign and symptoms of infection with Chlamydia can include:

- painful urinating or the need to urinate more frequently than usually

-inferior abdominal pain

-vaginal discharge in the case of women

-bleeding between menstruations

-painful intercourse

-penis discharge in the case of men

-inflamed testicles, painful if touching them or fever Sometimes, Chlamydia infection can cause slight fever, muscular pain or headache.

As far as Chlamydia diagnostic is concerned, there are special tests based on urine analysis or it can be detected in the material taken from the vagina or the penis or even the anus. As it is a disease, which can affect especially young people, it can be prevented by sexual education programs in schools or social assistance centers.

Frye Boots - An American Institution

Who is the Frye boot company? I have heard of Frye boots, but didn’t know a lot about them. Since I considering buying boots for a few people this year as gifts, I thought I should look into it farther.

The oldest shoe company under continuous operation in the United States, Frye boot company was founded in the mid 19th century. The founder, John Frye was actually a shoemaker that had immigrated to the United States from England. He ran the Frye boot company for 50 years before his family took over upon his death.

The Frye boots themselves have a great history. During the Civil War, many of the soldiers on both sides wore them. They were also on the feet of soldiers in the Spanish-American war as well as Rough Riders led by Teddy Roosevelt. Many pioneers heading west for a better life during the late 1800’s wore Frye boots as well.

Today, Frye boots are still known for quality. Their Harness Boots have a wonderful history in themselves. In 1938, the grandson of Frye boot’s founder took a trip to Washington D.C. There, he bet a Naval Admiral who was explaining to him that he had trouble finding the style of boot he liked really well, the Wellington. John agreed that he would make him a pair. Eventually they were given the name of Jet Boots and were ordered by mail by soldiers all the way through the second World War.

By the time the 1960’s rolled around, Frye boots were ready to introduce something new. The Campus Boot had a bulky toe and clunky style that was a big part of the style of the 1960’s and 1970’s. In fact, a pair of Frye boots was chosen for the Smithsonian to represent the America of 60’s. They still remain on display there.

Even today, Frye boots are a huge success and a part of the culture of America. Their signature boot, the Harness Boot, ahs been seen in a number of international fashion spreads. In addition, their boots sell well in not only the United States, but also in Europe and Japan.

So for those in the market for boots, Frye boots are one of the first to check out. With a tradition so long and so steeped in the culture of the United States, Frye boots are almost an institution. Only a product high on quality and durability could maintain such a foothold on the boot market [http://www.exeterdaily.com/category/entertainment-tips/]. I know that for my boot needs I will be checking out Frye boots, and you probably should as well.

Personal Injury Claims!

Any person can suffer from injuries. An accident can occur while being at work or while travelling. Most of the time, they result due to the negligence of the other person. If you or anyone known to you happens to meet with an accident, you can make a claim. However, you must be able to prove that the injury has resulted due to the negligence of someone.

Many a times, the claims process takes a long time. This can happen either due to insufficient proof that can substantiate the claim or absence of evidence. There are certain do's and don'ts that you need to follow before making a claim. If you know pre-hand what is required to make a claim, the task of making a claim is simplified. Another cause that is likely to delay compensation is that the treatment may still be in process. It becomes quite difficult to arrive at an estimated figure while the treatment is still in progress. Personal injuries are difficult to categorise.

If you have sufficient evidence about the injury, you can easily make a claim. This can be in the form of medical reports that clearly state the cause of injury and also the severity of injury. Apart from this, a claimant can also provide a statement issue by the police stating the cause of injury. The claims company will take into consideration all these factors and suggest a remedial measure.

One must be aware of the fact that the claims procedure may take a long time. It may not happen suddenly. It is only after initial verification and enquiry that the claims company agrees for the compensation amount. If you are a novice and don't have the required information as to how to make a claim, you can seek help from claims solicitor. They can guide you to make a claim quickly.

Personal injuries take more time as they are unique. Besides this, in some cases the parties or the court may also believe that mediation of the claim can help settle it without the need for a trial. Some opt for out of court settlement too. If you or anyone known to you is finding it difficult to make a claim, you can seek help from claims solicitors. The first step that one needs to follow is that immediately after the occurrence of an accident, one must report it to the police and get a medical check up done. This will resolve most of the issues associated with claims procedure. It will also simplify the whole procedure.

Why Are Shoes So Important To Women?

Tom Hanks, in Forest Gump said "Mama always said you could tell an awful lot about a person by the kind of shoes they wear." And his Mama was right! But this is a more correct statement for women than it is for men.

Women have shoes to wear for every state of affairs that life may offer them! A woman's shoes really go a long way towards telling you who she is, what she is like, and what she does with her life. There are many cases when a woman really needs a lot of different colors and styles, such as when she works everyday and needs a variety of shoes as well as some that are comfortable.

There is no question about the fact that women love shoes. Many women cannot resist buying a new pair of shoes every time they pass by a shoe store. Rarely do we find a woman overlooking the show window of a shoe store, especially when there is sale going on. During the sales, it is very much likely that the parking lots of the shoe stores are jam packed with women rushing out of the store carrying more than one box. It gives the feeling to the passers-by who notice the scene that shoes are being given away gratis!

As goes the saying, the first impression is a lasting impression, thus it is really essential for a woman to pay attention to the type of shoes she wears. It is equally as important as any other accessory a woman wears, not like men who usually buy shoes just for the utilitarian need.

These days, without a nice, matching pair of shoes, the fashion statement of a woman remains incomplete. It is believed that shoes help in depicting an individual's personality. It is indeed possible for the average person to know quite a bit about a woman by checking out the collection of shoes in her closet. A grubby sneaker in the collection denotes that the woman is an athlete or, maybe, she is a gardener. Cowboy boots will signify that the woman has a passion for riding horses. But if the boots are found to be in immaculate condition, then she probably has interest in country and western dance. A wide collection of shoes in diverse colors, shapes and style means that perhaps she is an office worker. Indeed a woman's shoes help a lot in letting a person know or have at least a slight idea of who she is, what she fond of and what kind of lifestyle she has.

Body Building - How Not to Monitor Your Progress Part 2

Picture this... You're in the locker rooms at your local gym. After getting changed you fill up your water bottle pick up your towel. But before leaving you decide to hop on the scales. After stepping up onto the scales the numbers finally settle on your weight. You are shocked to see that you are five pounds heavier than yous should be. You begin to panic a little and start thinking about all the things you should of done. Pretty soon you are adjusting your workout before you have hit the weights.

Bottom line is you stress out and start asking these questions:

1. Where did the gain come from? 2. Was it five pounds of body fat or five pounds of muscle? 3. How can you tell?

It might even be a mixture of them both. Hard to tell without having to guess.

Likewise, suppose the opposite was to happen. You lose 3 pounds next week. What questions would you then be asking?

1. Do I need to alter my training? 2. Should I adjust my diet? 3. Did I lose fat or muscle? 4. Could losing the fat increase my overall muscle mass?

Using both the scale and the mirror to answer these questions will not give you the right answers. Like wise a tape measure would be great for an objective source to long term growth. But from a psychological perspective it would be no good in the short term where measuring yourself every day or week can be detrimental if you aren't seeing the gains that you were expecting.

So what then would be the correct way to measure the progress of all your hard work?

Keep a look out for my up coming article where I take you through some simple methods for measuring your growth and success over both the short and long term.

Franchise Efficiency in Processes Are Paramount in Procuring Profits

Why do franchise outlets survive better in a recession than other small businesses? Why is it that franchisees have such an advantage when small business failures are so high? How come franchisees of Franchisors with major brand names are able to get loans easier to expand in lean times and downturns in the business cycle, while other small businesses are denied loans and unable to get the funding they need to bridge the gap until the next business cycle?

Recently, at a Business Industry Expo in Palm Desert, California, Patrick J. Gauthier a partner with Kapalign Business Process Consulting stated that;

Any business that is efficient and constantly improving their efficiency through streamlining of their business processes has the advantage, and this is especially true during challenging times in the business cycle."

Indeed, Mr. Gauthier is exactly correct and he ought to know considering he is one of the leading authorities on business processes for both small and large businesses. This is where Franchisor's have the advantage and economy of scale to insure that their outlets are the most efficient possible. Any good franchisor knows that the more efficient the outlets are the more profitable they will become.

It's hardly a secret to large corporations with their Six Sigma processes, but most small businesses do not look at their business model in this way. Ah, but franchisors do and when they look at their business model they might be looking at several 1000 outlets determining which is the most efficient and why. They know what works best in each demographic, in what type of weather and all the regional variations too.

Franchisors are very much into the process of business because they know that it means survival. They take what works best and apply this knowledge and efficiency to each and every outlet, making the entire franchise system stronger and more profitable. And this is why franchisees have such an advantage over their small business competitors and why banks are willing to trust them during turbulent economic times. Please consider this.

Pancreatic Cancer Cannot Be Successfully Treated With Chinese Herbal Medicine

Pancreatic Cancer destroys the body, but leaves the mind intact. Sometimes, traditional Chinese Herbal medicine is used in an attempt at a cure. This is a big mistake.

Traditional Chinese medicine focuses on restoring a balance of energy, body, and spirit to maintain health rather than treating a particular disease. Herbs are used with the goal of restoring balance by nourishing the body. What a wonderful fantasy; if only it could be even partially true. I am sorry to dispel the notion.

My NFL husband of 49 years, was diagnosed with the disease when he was 74 years old. Yes, we tried a Chinese green herbal drink, but it interfered with the chemotherapy that was critical for even a few months survival. His doctor was appalled that we had begun this type of treatment.

Chinese herbal medicine is not based on conventional Western concepts. It uses a variety of herbs in different combinations in an attempt to "balance" the body. Some practitioners claim herbs have the power to prevent and treat a variety of types of cancer.

Well, my experience would say that does not include Pancreatic Cancer. Steve Jobs had a liver transplant after living with the disease for 4 years. I guess he was luckier, or richer, than my husband. This is an absolutely debilitating devastating condition for everyone involved. Especially for the one who suffered with his brain intact.

Can you believe he gave a speech at a National Convention 2 weeks before his death and conducted a Board of Directors Meeting just 2 days before?

How a Social Bookmarking Service Firm Can Help Increase Profitability

Getting to the top of the search engine is no doubt the goal of any webmasters, as the website is useless if nobody can see them. Hence, everyone is fighting to get to the top by trying different tactics or marketing strategy to improve their SERP ranking. If you are one of the many webmasters hoping to be at top spot, why not hire a social bookmarking service firm to help connect you with potential customers.

SERP is short for search engine results page, when you browse on Google, yahoo and others you normally type a word or phrase, and the first two pages are important for webmasters, as surfers would not bother to click on the next page and the next page again. In other words, if you want to make your website profitable you have to be at the top ten spots. So, what does social bookmarking got do to with SERP. Well, a lot if you are familiar with how the World Wide Web works.

When you have an online business, being familiar to the surfers is very important. It is the reason why social bookmarking service is in demand as there are many advantages to bookmarking, including a one-way back link. Let us discuss further, as to why bookmarking could be highly profitable, most especially if you know a few tips.

Website that offers social bookmarkings are worth looking into, as you can definitely increase the chance of being on the top rank. In addition, you do not have to be concerned about how the system works as it can be very frustrating.

Moreover, social bookmarking service firm provides lots of traffic and with proper use could bring many hits that could boost ones sales. The right association is another thing that they can provide clients, as targeted audience can keep your website even more interesting.

If you will outsource your social bookmarking needs, you have a better chance of having your website exposed to many people, as doing it alone would take time, which is something you should not waste. Think about it, if you will spend 5 hours every day just doing petty works rather than making your website even more profitable then how can you make money.

Internet requires long range plan and if you want to be part of the few that have already carved their names on the WEB then wasting your energy on something that can be outsource is definitely not wise. Social bookmarking service helps people make your website easy to access, and since there is, no limit as to how many times or how many your website can be tag the potential is almost limitless.

People will bookmark a site that they know can help them or they could get lots of interesting ideas as well as information. However, if you do not know how to attract people for them to bookmark your website then you will be wasting your time. Get professional help and maximized your website with the help of social bookmarking specialist.

Buckfast Bees, The Vigorous and Parasite-Resistant Honey Bees

The existence of this superior Buckfast bee is a result of a long and diligent work of Brother Adam Kehrie from the Buckfast Alley an old monastery in England. He dedicated almost all of his entire life to beekeeping. When he died in 1996 at the age of 93, the Buckfast bees has been recognized as a superior breed that possesses al the good traits of a honey bee and highly admired by beekeepers around the world.

The story begun in the early 20th century, when Karl Kehrie a 12 years old boy came over from German with a view to join the community of Buckfast Alley which is also recognized for keeping bees to fulfill its need for sugar and wax for making candles. He became a young monk under the name of Brother Adam Kehrie who was then assigned to help Bother Columban in keeping the bees.

Shortly after his assignment almost two third of his colony, 30 out of 46, were invaded and killed by the acarine parasitic mite or Acarine disease, an outbreak that killed thousands of bee colonies in the British Islands at that time. This mite attacks the bee tracheal tubes making them choked leading to a shorter lifespan.

Brother Adam found out that the remaining 16 colonies were hybrids between the Italian bee and British native black bees. The truly native black bees died during the outbreak, although they are well known as tough bees but rather bad tempered. Upon the retirement of Brother Columban, Brother Adam was assigned to manage Buckfast beekeeping.

He made a plan to rebuild the colonies with a clear objective to develop a new breed that is strong like the black bees and at the same time possesses resistance against disease like the Italian bee by the means of cross-breeding.

He spent time to travel more than 100,000 miles to search for distinct original bee races mainly in countries were the native strains had been genuinely kept and maintained. After years of long and diligent breeding experiments carried out at the breeding station of Dartmoor the final result was the Buckfast bee.

The superior Buckfast possesses many positive traits that include: a good pollen collector, highly tolerant to tracheal mites, very gentle, low sting instinct, chalkbrood resistant, low swarming instinct and they do well in winter times.

However there is a main disadvantage of the Buckfast bees which is that they are very generous in the use of propolis to adhere the surfaces of their hive, which is against the principle of the modern hive where the comb should be easily removed for inspection.

Today the Buckfast apiary still thrives and looking forward to proceed in the development of more superior breeds especially those which are Varroa resistant as well as new breeds with higher productivity. Thanks to Brother Adam.

Boat Cleaning Tips And Tricks For Boat Owners

Buying a boat is going to be a big investment and it will be in your interest to know the proper boat cleaning procedures so you can keep your vessel in tip-top shape. A clean boat looks well-maintained which will be an advantage if you want to sell your boat later on. It is also a great pleasure to take a smart-looking boat out.

What You Need to Clean a Boat

If you will clean your boat yourself, you'll need some cleaning materials first. If your vessel is made of fiberglass like most boats, you will be required to use certain cleaning materials that won't damage the surface. Don't use hard bristle brushes or harsh cleansers. Visit stores that sell boat cleaning materials and see what they offer for cleaning sea vessels made of fiberglass.

Some things you'll need to buy are a pair of rubber gloves to protect your hands from cleaning solutions and dirt, soft and medium bristle brushes, clean absorbent white rags or towels, degreasers, marine cleaner or boat cleaning solution that is also biodegradable, cleaning solution for vinyl upholstery, boat wax, metal polish, mops, buckets, garden hose or pressure washer, and sponges among other things.

Boat Cleaning Tips

Use fresh water to clean your boat. It will be easier to use a power washer to wet and rinse your boat than using a garden hose. A power washer can decrease your cleaning time to half or more. The water pressure can also get rid of a lot of dirt before you start scrubbing and can remove dirt from narrow crevices better.

Avoid using hard bristle brushes or sand paper to get tough dirt out. The surface of fiberglass boats may become damaged with rough cleaning tools. If dirt or stains are difficult to remove, opt to soak the area in degreaser for several minutes instead of trying to scrape or scrub them out right away.

Easy Maintenance Tricks

Try to rinse your boat with fresh water after each trip, especially if you take your boat out into the ocean. Sea water is corrosive and leaving remnants of salt water on your boat can damage it. Ocean water also leaves a yellowish stain on your boat's surface.

After you've cleaned your boat, you should dry it thoroughly and apply marine or boat wax to protect your vessel longer. After applying wax, polish it till the white waxy material disappears. Aside from making your boat's surface shine like new, boat wax will prevent oxidization stains from sticking to your boat's surface.

Boat cleaning can be a tedious and tiring job and if not done correctly and can lead to damage to your vessel's interior and exterior. Professional boat valeting companies are experts in this task and can get a boat cleaned quickly and efficiently by using industrial cleaning materials and equipment. You might want to consider getting a pro to clean your boat if you lack the time and equipment to do it.

Website Sitebuilders: Easy to use Website builders Come with a Price

Professional web designers don't come cheap. A good web designer can easily charge you $1000 or more for a five page website. This high cost leads many people to tackle web design for themselves. How hard can it be? Get yourself an HTML editor, throw up a website and voila! Your website is live right? Wrong! There is a lot of knowledge you need to develop before you can get your self made website onto the internet.

What is a Sitebuilder?

More and more web hosting companies today offer Sitebuilder software that takes care of all the technical details to getting your website up and live on the internet. They allow a novice to choose a built in template, select some colors, throw in some pictures, and add some text. Once these steps are done, all the novice has to do is publish their website to the internet. All the hard stuff is taken care of by the Sitebuilder software. So what's the catch?

Next to Impossible to Move your Website to Another Company.

Most Sitebuilders in use by web hosting companies today are designed to make it as difficult as possible for their users to transfer their website away. Most, if not all the fancy features like counters, navigation, templates, etc... are built into the Sitebuilder and won't work unless you have an active account with that particular company. If you want to take your website elsewhere, you will have to build your website again from scratch.

Cookie cutter approach tends to look amateurish

Sitebuilders in generally lack the flexibility to allow the website creator to create a website any way they like. Most Sitebuilders out there will lock you into doing things in one way - their way. This leads to websites that can look like they were just thrown together and therefore look unprofessional.

Little ability to handle traffic growth.

Most Sitebuilders come with enough storage space and monthly data transfer to meet the average website's needs. If your website traffic truly takes off though, chances are, your Sitebuilder company will cut you off. Most hosting companies bank on the fact that 99% of it's clients will use relatively little resources. If your website starts to use too many server resources, most companies will pull the plug on your website. If your website is built with their Sitebuilder, you'll be out of luck and in the unenviable position of needing to rebuild your website right when a ton of traffic is hitting a dead page. Not pretty.

Sitebuilder or traditional web hosting account - which is for you?

If you have never put together a website before, and you have no desire to dive into the technical details of putting your website online, a Sitebuilder is probably your best fit. For maximum long term flexibility and growth potential, learning how to get your website live on a traditional web hosting account is well worth the effort. You will end up paying less, you won't be locked into one company, and you will be able to grow your website as traffic demands it.

Which Allergy Treatment Should You Use?

Allergies seem to be on the rise for many different reasons. In fact 1 in 3 people will suffer from some type of allergies. If your allergies are severe you may have to see an allergist or an ear, nose, throat specialist but many times you can get your allergies under control on your own.

If you are unsure of what you are allergic to the doctor can perform what is called a skin test which is done by placing a light scratch on you and then injecting a tiny amount of the suspect allergen. If a hive appears it would be assumed you are allergic to that particular allergen which makes it easier for you to form a workable plan to help keep your allergies under control.

Environmental factors have become a big problem causing all kinds of allergic reactions. Sometimes your allergy treatment can be as simple as avoiding the environmental factor you are allergic to which can significantly reduce the number of reactions.

There are many medications that can be used to help treat your allergies. A common allergy treatment might be a decongestant or antihistamine or a combination of the two which can reduce the symptoms. There are many over the counter formulas.

If you are looking for an allergy treatment that is much more natural you will be happy to know that there are some excellent homeopathic and natural medicine formulas worth trying. Many work on boosting the immune system so that it can better handle the allergies without assistance.

Sometimes anti-inflammatory medications and corticosteroids are also used. They can be a very useful allergy treatment for airways that are inflamed and corticosteroids are often found in nasal sprays.

Another allergy treatment is the allergy shot which is used for people suffering with allergies in the moderate to severe range. It is frequently used if the substance is almost impossible to avoid or that occurs all year round. They are usually given weekly and contain a small amount of the allergen designed to help build the patients immune system against the allergen.

Each week the amount of allergen is increased slightly and this allergy treatment is generally given over as many as 5 years. This is a very old type of treatment and there may be better ways to accomplish this by simply building ones immune system.

If you are a wine drinker you may be drinking more than just grapes. Your wine might include egg and fish proteins as well as traces of milk. They may also contain traces of nuts, wheat, soybeans, and fish all of which are common allergens and some such as nuts can be very dangerous. The only allergy treatment here may be to avoid your favorite wine. The government is looking to pass legislation so that wine products come with a standard warning - this product may contain traces of.... Many people have food allergies but few would think to look in their wine.

Dust mites are one of the major causes of allergies and asthma. These little creatures are microscopic and found in carpets, upholstery, and bedding. They are even more common in humid and coastal climates. The allergy treatment for this type of allergy can include using HEPA filters, vacuuming frequently, using allergen covers on the mattresses and pillows, and reducing the moisture in the air since dust mites can't live in dry air.

There are many causes of allergies and the best allergy treatment will depend on the allergy itself. However as a first line of defense why not try natural products which are far less invasive to the body and many work great!

Can You Keep a Secret? There Are Skeletons in the Closet

If your answer is yes, those who study genealogy may disagree with you. The discovery of hidden secrets is inevitable by those who dig deep into the past in their search of their "roots." As the facts of each generation's deeds and misdeeds are painstakingly uncovered, the "black sheep" from the past begin to bleat, and skeletons in closets begin to rattle. The acts of someone which at the time were thought to be well hidden are exposed and known by everyone.

Often the discoveries of even slight infractions add a great deal of excitement and enthusiasm to the search. Gossip in any form tends to enlarge our appetite for more information. The evilness of the deed, or any shame related to it is often covered over with jovial thoughts. "Everyone has a skeleton in their closet - somewhere."

Genealogy studies are not the only source of finding skeletons, however. Hidden facts are uncovered daily as the media blares the secret sins committed by anyone in whom the public has interest. No one is exempt; from the lowest drug pusher, to the person in the highest political office; their life is laid bare for inspection. Privacy seems only to exist so long as the person is able to stay ahead of the media's search-light for gossip.

The intrigue and humor somewhat fades, though, with the possibility of our own private facts being exposed. The closets are then tightly shut and the actions are done more secretly. "No one will ever know of my day-to-day 'little things' done in secret." "What they don't know want hurt them." And the skeletons continue to stack up as we foolishly think, "no one will...."

Even the hidden sins of others being revealed and shouted from the rooftops, so to speak, does not cause some people to stifle their own soon-to-be-discovered actions. Rather, it seemly gives them a reason only for more careful cover-up. It's as though they are blind to the fact that it could happen to them. No one will ever know they are so sure.... But will they?

In the Bible, speaking through the prophet Jeremiah, God said, "Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him?...Do I not fill heaven and earth?" (Jeremiah 23:24). "For mine eyes are upon all their ways; they are not hid from my face, neither is their iniquity hid from mine eyes" (Jeremiah 16:17).

It matters not if one's sin is done in secret... if it is done on an impulse - or if it is prompted by others. It matters not if it is well covered, or approved of by those in authority. It may be done on a dare - to impress someone - or perhaps even done out of ignorance. The fact remains; sin is sin.

How the sin is committed or what caused the sin is not important. Not even if it is never discovered here on earth. What is important, is that God sees the sin now, and it will be exposed for all to see on the day of Judgment - unless we repent and it has been cleansed by the Blood of Christ.

Eve was prompted and prodded until she decided to believe the lies of Satan. (Genesis 3). Her sin of disobedience was exposed immediately and has since affected all mankind.

Achan could not resist the wealth of the defeated enemy. He thought by burying the items he took, that his disobedience to God would not be discovered. It not only was exposed, but as a result he and many others died (Joshua 7).

Judas had the approval of the authorities and even received payment for his sinful act. The money did not change his guilt that brought him to suicide (Mark 14).

The terrible acts of Joseph's brothers were not discovered for years. (Genesis 42) Could they have even imagined the strange happenings that would eventually bring about the uncovering of their evil deeds? They felt the truth would never be known, as they told their father lies about the death of Joseph. Each one was equally guilty of putting Joseph in the pit and selling him to the Ismeelites and each was certain that the others would keep the lie from being revealed.

As the years passed, surely their security grew. They were confident they were forever rid of their brother, Joseph. Their sin had been hidden... or had it? At the time of their dreadful act, they could not know that years later they would stand as beggars - as criminals and would-be killers before Joseph, now the powerful overseer of Egypt (Genesis 41:44). The brother they had so hated, stood as their judge over life and death matters.

You might say, "They deserved to be punished - but I do not commit such acts of theft, violence, or murder. I exercise self-control and keep any unacceptable feelings locked inside myself. If my life was exposed and the facts written, the public would not even be interested.

The accounts of deaths are seldom boring, however. They are always of interest. If we have hidden sin, great or small - the skeletons are rattling, waiting to be exposed. When they are uncovered - death occurs. Something of value dies; a confidence, a Christian witness - or a soul. "...the soul that sinneth, it shall die" (Ezekiel 18:4).

Maybe the skeleton in your closet are thought to be quite insignificant in relation to theft, violence or murder. Perhaps, they are more easily covered and kept secret. After all, no genealogy study would ever disclose hidden bitterness, resentment, selfishness, lust, or hatred -- or would it?

It has been said, "It is as supreme a folly to talk of a little sin, as it would be to talk of a small Decalogue that forbids it, or a diminutive God that hates it, or a shallow hell that will punish it."

"Be not deceived, God is not mocked, for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap" (Galatians 6:7).

Skeletons in a closet may stay hidden for years. Yet, one day everyone of us will face the deeds that we have done (Romans 14:22). Have you checked lately? The skeletons in your closet may be starting to rattle! © copyright 2008 Arleita Harmon, menofagape.com

The Truth About Nicotine Replacement Therapies

Study confirms nicotine replacement therapies are not effective-what a shock!

A recent study conducted by the Harvard University School of Public Health and the University of Massachusetts Boston confirmed what many people fighting on the front lines of the smoking cessation battle already knew or suspected: Nicotine replacement therapies (NRT), such as gum or the patch, are not an effective way to help people quit smoking. Nearly 1/3 of NRT users relapsed regardless of whether or not they were heavy or light smokers.

Advocates of NRT claim that products such as the patch or nicotine gum are not meant to help smokers quit, but rather are just a way to help gradually alleviate the symptoms of nicotine withdrawal. However, recent research, such as the study in the Journal of Abnormal Psychology conducted by Dr. Rueven Dar of Tel Aviv University, shows that smoking is a psychosocial and not a physical addiction. Thus, products that claim to mitigate the symptoms of nicotine are merely a marketing ploy to sell their product, making spurious promises about curing tobacco addictions and leaving vulnerable smokers in the wake of their deception.

Smoking is a psychosocial habit that can be treated only when smokers address the underlying reasons behind why they ever lit up and continue to light up. Quitting cold turkey or by way of gradual withdrawal will not be effective enough because smokers have not really addressed the root of the problem with these methods. Additionally, NRTs are harmful because they promote a quick fix mentality that is all too prevalent in the Western world, an idea that products fix problems which is a line of thinking that takes the power to make changes towards a healthy lifestyle out of the hands of individuals.

Instead of continuing to market the false idea that smoking is caused by nicotine addiction, governments, researchers, and corporations should begin to find ways to invest their time in promoting therapy as a way of getting off cigarettes. Therapeutic methods such as hypnotherapy seek to help people take control of their smoking habit by helping them learn to take control of their own mind and its ability to form and control habits. Once smokers realize that the ball is on their field and that they ultimately have the power to quit smoking, they will be much healthier not only physically but also mentally: They will have taken the steps necessary to see them power of mind over matter in actions and will be able to apply this lesson in other areas of their lives where it is needed.


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