Do You Feel Like a Lone Ranger in Your Internet Marketing Business?

I was talking with a prospect today who told me that he had No friends in this industry. He went on to say that the help he's received in the past from so called 'gurus' was very limited and was mainly geared to getting him to pay them thousands for mentorship.

There are many Internet marketers who are trying to study and build their businesses alone. They buy courses, watch DVD's and listen to CD's but they do nothing with the knowledge. It's unfortunate but it's true.

I believe that it is vital that Internet Marketers take some time and network with other professionals in this industry. When you set out to network don't have an agenda, just seek to make a friend and add value to their life if you can.

If you look at the top Internet Marketers online they all have a Mastermind group. They have built friendships and businesses out of their mastermind group.

If you don't have one start one with your team. There is no way that YOU can know everything, this is why a mastermind group is so powerful.

If you are nervous about who you can mastermind with then look within your team first. Take a look for that person that is committed to success and TRYING, they are the ones you want to invite to your mastermind group. They don't necessarily have to be people that are millionaires or are producing, they just have to be coachable and committed in their business.

I feel this is an area in Internet Marketing that not many people talk about but is very important. Don't get down on yourself or feel that you are alone in this industry, there are literally thousands of people that you can network with and befriend.

As an Internet Marketer feed off of their energy, let your mastermind group motivate and encourage you. You do the same and you will build a rocksolid group.

So my message to you is you don't have to be a lone ranger in this industry, but again we all have a choice to make.

Lord of The Rings, War of The Ring Battlefield Tactics

The early battles of WOTR may seem to be fairly easy, but its final missions are not to be taken lightly. Here are some battlefield tactics to use to ensure you arrive at the end intact.

Rally melee troops to heroes you want to protect by selecting the troop's rally flag and then right-clicking on the portrait of the hero you want them to defend. Once produced, the units will seek out that hero wherever he is on the map.

You can also select a group of melee units, order them to attack a building (or enemy unit), hold down Shift, and issue another force-attack command by right-clicking on another building (or unit). This tactic is deadly when used to make a group of ranged units mow down a line of tough enemy melee units.

Construct separate groups of melee and ranged units, using the melee group to shield the ranged group. To add an individual unit to any group, hit Shift+[group number].

Don't forget to use the run/walk toggle during lulls in combat, as units heal faster while walking.

Exploit the AI's weakness against cloaked units by taking out its detector units (Rangers or Wraiths) and the means for them to be constructed, so your cloaked units can wreak havoc unopposed!

Put Rangers or Wraiths in your defensive towers to shield them while they watch for cloaked units. You can also use Rangers or Wraiths to scout out and "spot" targets for your ranged units.

Scout out and identify chokepoints on maps where you're having trouble, and set up defenses to guard them while you revive your forces. You can often use these points to wear down the enemy and force him to expend all of his resources.

And there you have some successful battlefield tactics to use to emerge victorious in Lord of The Rings, War of The Ring.

Ford Ranger Must Haves

Did you recently buy a Ford Ranger? Or, are you considering purchasing one? Regardless, there are a few features that add to the look and appearance of a Ford Ranger. They truly complete the look of the vehicle, allowing for an individual to make their truck stand out. If you want your Ranger to stand above the rest, here are a few must-have accessories that you need.

Grill Guards

Protecting the front of your truck is important. Trucks take a little bit more abuse than a regular car does. Therefore, it is important that you add features to protect your car. And, at the same time, many of these features actually look good. Grill guards are installed on the front of both sides of the vehicle. The protection from the grill guards starts at the front of the vehicle and extends out to the headlights. It is protection that makes a difference because it is heavy duty. In addition, it adds a mean, rugged look to your truck. The guards have the strength to shield your car from any off road damage. And they are easily to install. No drill is required!

Car Covers

Your Ford Ranger will most likely take a lot of abuse while you drive it - especially if you use it the way it was intended to be used. If you want to protect your car from outside forces, a car cover is essential. It will allow you to cover the paint and even the tires so that the rims do not rust. However, your Ranger will still breathe. You can use the cover when you park your car on the street or in a garage - whatever you prefer. However, it will provide the protection you are looking for everyday for your vehicle.

Tool Box Cover

Unfortunately, you cannot go from place to place in a truck with things lying in the bed. You don't want to leave the bed open for people to take things. Instead, you want to make sure they are secure. Fortunately, there are custom designed toolbox covers to fit in the bed of your trust. This will ensure that your valuables will be covered and stored properly - no matter where you are. Installing one of these is usually quite simple, however it will make all of the difference. And according to many people this toolbox cover actually helps your gas mileage because it allows your values to remained balanced on the road. It is ideal for almost all truck drivers and is definitely the perfect compliment to any Ford Ranger.

Commentary on Clayton Moore and Rest Stop

Commentary

Tribute to Clayton Moore

Clapton Moore, 1914, 1999. I watched him on television when I was a kid, "The Lone Ranger". I don't think he ever had another roll after that, if he did, I never knew of it. There are no actors out there today like Mr. Moore. I met him once in the 1990s, in St. Paul, Minnesota, at a Mall off Maryland and Rice Street if I recall the spot, I think it was there, and he was still living the legend he created, the mask man of justice, at that time someone else had put out a National Film, of the Lone Ranger, I recall and it got some controversy; anyhow he was still living the roll he so inspired with a personal manner. No smugness, just candour and sincerity. There isn't an actor or actress, today can touch his humility I do believe, too bad we have such bad mannered, ill-tempered, greedy arrogant actors, anti American actors and actresses, displaying, modelling such behaviour to our youth, no wonder America is going down to the sewer level to find its new identity. "Hi-yo Silver, away!"

Rest Stop: bad Grammar, low vocabulary, uses abbreviations too much, the first half of the story is non-descriptive, too much jargon, cussing on every page, not as bad as Mario Vargas LLosa, but too much to allow it to be of any quality. He builds the plot and theme up carefully, better than "Harvey's Dream," and "The New York Times..." he describes anger saying it is better than no emotion, that is a good insight for once. About halfway through the seventeen page story, he gets into description and explaining, it's about time. His adjectives lack, and it seems the narrator-or third person is doing all the work, you never get to know the main characters, that's a shame, he needs to be quiet once and a while, the dialogue is lacking, even the inner dialogue. He needs to read a little of H.P. Lovecraft, or Clark A. Smith, put some style in this story, rhythm, why he puts an alligator in the story is silly, a lack of humour, trying to be light-hearted and funny in a serious situation. The best I can say is the ending being not very climatic was realistic. Dlsiluk

Ford Ranger Safety Options For 2010

As the first small truck to feature dual airbags, Ranger has always led the small and mid-sized pickup truck market in safety, and the 2010 model is no exception. Ford has updated the Ranger's safety features for 2010 with disk brakes and side curtain airbags to protect occupants from injury in a side-impact or rollover situation. The Ranger has received a 5 out of 5 driver's side frontal crash rating and a 4 out of 5 passenger's side frontal crash rating from the NHTSA. Ranger also has a 5 out of 5 front side impact rating.

The new side curtain air bags have not yet received a crash test rating, and the rear jump seats are not considered to be particularly safe. Ranger received a 3 out of 5 rollover resistance rating, which is comparable to other trucks in its class. Since 1998 the Ranger has received an acceptable rating from the IIHS, and the 2010 model is no exception. The IIHS gives the Ranger an acceptable crash offset rating, which is the second highest rating on its four rating scale. The Ranger has not been bumper bash or rear side impact tested by the NHTSA.

In addition to the side curtain airbags, Ford has equipped the Ranger with 4 ABS disk brakes standard for the first time in its production history. To help prevent roll over and make the vehicle easier to control the Ranger is equipped with Electronic Stability Control standard. Ranger also has a tire pressure monitoring system to ensure tires are always properly inflated.

The addition of standard side curtain airbags and 4 wheel disk brakes with ABS reinforces the status of the Ranger as a leader in safety.

Lone Rangers Suffer after Tonto

A lone ranger is someone who prefers working in solitude or isolation. Sometimes life circumstances can call for us to adopt this attitude. When it comes to marketing our business, however, adopting this mentality can prevent you from achieving the success that you desire.

There are many reasons why people operate in isolation. Some do not know there are better or easier ways, while others prefer to work alone because of certain personality characteristics. Yet working with others in our businesses or even on certain projects can provide us with a boost of energy, motivation, and inspiration.

When we're coming from this place, we can more easily and readily take advantage of business opportunities. As Red Holzman, basketball coach for the New York Knicks once said, "The power of we is stronger than the power of me."

What types of lone ranger activities are you engaging in and how can working with others create more business success for all involved?

1. Not enough money. One of the most common reasons cited by people for working in solitude revolves around money. Because most small business people are not making a great deal of money at start-up, they feel they cannot involve other people because they cannot pay them. This is when you need to put on your creative cap. Why not barter or trade your expertise for theirs? Or perhaps there is someone who would be willing to act as an unpaid intern for you in exchange for learning more about what you do.

2. The need to control. When just starting out, many new business owners want to control everything. They feel that if they don't control every aspect of their business, then something will go awry. Often the underlying fear is the fear of failure. So the result is usually one very burned out business owner. It is important to learn to delegate tasks whether it is to a temporary or full-time employee, or to a virtual assistant. It's easier to control when one is coming from the perspective of a manager rather than an employee or jack-of-all-trades. Delegation is a great skill to learn, and the sooner the better. By offloading responsibilities, you'll give yourself the space to be more creative which can be a great benefit to your business.

3. Protecting your assets. Many of us create intellectual property. When we're starting out, we are quite fearful that people will steal our ideas for e-books, e-courses, articles, books, and audio collections. The sad truth about this is that there are unscrupulous people who will steal from you. But, the reality is, most people won't. It's important to keep in mind that you are not the first person to come up with a particular idea. You certainly can't copyright or protect your ideas, but you can put your particular slant on it. The best attitude to have is that you want people to benefit from your material and let it go at that. If you don't feel you can move past the fact that people will take and use your material for their own benefit, find another avenue to disseminate your work.

4. Doing it all. Some people are just used to doing everything themselves, never relying on others to lend a helping hand. While that is all very good in and of itself, that type of mentality might not be serving you or your business well. In today's competitive market place, where being quick to respond can mean the difference between getting a new client or not, you might need to re-consider working with others. At first, when your business is small, you can probably manage everything on your own. But when your business starts taking off and you find yourself rushing around from 7 am to 7 pm, or later, on a daily basis, working weekends and holidays, it's time to rethink things. You can't do everything and do it all well.

5. Asking for help. Some people aren't comfortable asking for help or support from others. They might look at asking for help as something that signals a sign of weakness or neediness. Nothing could be further from the truth. Asking someone to help you out in your business is a wonderful gift you can give to them. People love having the opportunity to help someone out. You never know how their wisdom might contribute to your business success. You might even uncover an opportunity to partner with someone on a project; something that never would have otherwise come to fruition had you not asked for some help in the first place.

6. Where are they? You have a great business idea and you're certain it would be a real winner if only you could pull it off. But, it might be just too big to handle all alone. Or, you might not have the expertise to make it happen. You don't know who to ask to help you because you can't find someone with the same interests to partner with you. So you decide to remain isolated, the idea goes nowhere, and no one benefits - not you and not your clients. This scenario is more common than you might think. The easiest way to find people to partner with is to start networking, whether you're standing in line at a bank, attending a chamber meeting, or sharing with your clients. Tell everyone you know about your idea and see what they have to say. Before you know it, you'll find someone who wants to know more about it. They might just be the person who will help you make it happen, or knows someone who can.

7. Too critical and judgmental. Being critical of others is a popular reason for many people to remain working in isolation. You might not think anyone can do the task or project as well as you can. Each one of us is unique and we all have talents and gifts in different areas. Rather than judging or measuring someone in a particular area in which you excel, look for areas in which they excel, from which you can benefit. Another person may be strong in an area in which feel you are weak. By combining talents you can create more than you could have if you remained working in isolation. Take a step back, and set aside your judgments of others. Instead look for the treasures inside of them.

8. Superman syndrome. Many people feel that they are like the fictional character Superman, who could do everything, even see through concrete and steel. Unfortunately, humans are far from this idealized cartoon character. As Jonathan Swift once said, "No man is an island." We can't do it all ourselves and if one really thought about it, there is nothing that you have that is solely based just on your physical or mental efforts. It's actually more fun not to do everything yourself. Let others help you out. Let them share their ideas with you and vice versa. Lighten your attitude, delegate tasks or projects, and really enjoy the work you are doing. Doing everything is not a badge of honor, but rather it is a sign that you don't know the power of working with others.

9. Not enough for everyone. A scarcity mind-set is a strong underlying component of the lone ranger mentality. This often happens when we "fall in love" with an idea, thinking it is "the idea of the century." And because of that, we don't want to share it with anyone. We remain in isolation because we fear someone might do a better job or become more successful with that idea than we ever could. Put your ideas out there. Don't make the mistake of not sharing your talents and gifts with others because you think you're going to "corner the market" with your ideas.

10. Not understanding of the power of collaborative partnerships. Lone rangers don't understand the power of collaborative partnerships. These relationships are a strong and necessary component of any successful business. A collaborative partnership is one where the participants bring their talents and expertise to the relationship. There are open discussions, sharing, and creation of ideas where everyone can benefit. Each participant expends less energy than they would have had they been working in isolation, but the result can be much more than they could have ever hoped to achieve on their own. Seeking out people who have the skills you are looking for while offering your own talents in return, is a great way to break out of isolation and experience new opportunities for business growth and success.

© Copyright 2004 by Alicia Smith

Intervention in Myanmar - The Free Burma Rangers

The Free Burma Rangers, better known simply as FBR, began humanitarian relief missions into the war-torn country of Burma (now called "Myanmar" by the ruling military junta) in 1997. The team risks their lives taking in food, medical supplies, and educational materials to the more than one million internally displaced people (IDPs), who have been forced to flee their villages leaving them shelter-less and stuck foraging for food while hiding in the jungle. Many of these once self-sustaining farmers now rely on the assistance of the Rangers for their survival. The Burmese army randomly attacks villages in remote areas where various ethnic groups live. The natives re-build temporary sites when possible but always live with the fear of another attack.

Once a prosperous developing nation, over fifty years of civil war has left Burma one of the poorest countries in the world. Resistance fighters from different ethnic groups try to defend their land and people but they are hugely out-numbered and lack the support needed to regain control of their areas.

FBR also maintains a close relationship with people who have fled the war and are now living in refugee camps in Thailand. They are faced with another set of problems as most are unable to work legally and have become part of a stagnating culture. Many of the children born in the camps do not even realize they have their own culture and land which has been stolen from them. The camps are crowded and often lack in sanitation with as many as 50,000 people living in extremely close proximity to one another. Those who do manage to find work often become abused by employers and are unable to report violations due to their illegal status. They also run the daily risk of being arrested and possibly sent back to the very danger they fled from inside Burma.

The original FBR team was made up of 4 soldiers from the Karen and Karenni ethnic groups who wanted to make a difference and saw a need to help their fellow countrymen who struggle to live on a daily basis. These "humanitarian commandos", as they are often referred to, were originally approached by a Christian missionary desperate to address this crisis. Though many members are Christian, all faiths are welcome and the group is committed to bring aid to all people in need regardless of ethnicity and religion.

Since its inception, the team has expanded by holding yearly intensive training sessions enabling multiple teams to provide relief reaching different areas simultaneously. Various skills are taught during the training program including leadership, human rights abuse documentation, compass navigation, water and ropes courses, and ways to strengthen ethnic unity. FBR goes on foot, crossing rivers and mountain ranges, which demands great physical and mental strength. All supplies and medical aid must be carried in on their backs sometimes walking 15 hours a day to stay ahead of the Burmese Army and reach the innocent victims of the war.

Though the teams operate under the protection of the ethnic resistance armies, they refuse to run away if the people they are helping come under attack. This level of solidarity and dedication never goes unnoticed. Sometimes more important than the assistance is the hope they bring. Their presence alone offers encouragement to the IDPs reminding them they have not been forgotten.

Besides basic medical care, the rangers are equipped to perform extensive operations when needed as many land mine victims they encounter require limb amputations. Other minor surgeries including tooth extractions are also performed, often with little or no anesthesia.

When a team arrives at a specific location, they are briefed by locals as to the threat level of any Burmese army in the area. They then immediately set up a mobile clinic and word quickly spreads that help has arrived. People with various medical conditions line up calmly and those most critical are always treated first. During each mission, which lasts between 1 and 2 months, more than 1000 patients are treated and thousands more are assisted in many ways.

In the beginning, supplies lined the basement of a safe house in Thailand and the entire operation was run by 5 people out of that space. They now have an extensive network of volunteers based both in Thailand and abroad working 365 days a year to further their cause.

That one team has grown into over 100 with almost 50 full time FBR teams now active throughout Burma. They have treated over 350,000 patients and helped more than 750,000 people. FBR is in continuous contact with government leaders around the world and give reports and updates about the situation inside the country. This inspiring group receives generous donations from foreign individuals touched by their amazing courage and contribution to the people of Burma.

If you are interested in donating to the cause, or for more information about the Free Burma Rangers, please check out their website: www [dot] FreeBurmaRangers [dot] org.

Army Ranger Tim Shea memorial Video

Army Ranger Tim Shea May he Rest in Peace. Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom Veteran. Beloved friend, son, Brother, Warrior!



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_SL6LSd1kY&hl=en

Are You A Lone Ranger? Why Going It Alone as a Business Consultant is Not Always a Good Investment

I work with people who have left the corporate world and have established or want to establish themselves as Independent Business Consultants (IBC) in their area of expertise, whether that be HR, Marketing, IT or sales.

One of the most common assumptions many of them make is that they don't need any help and they become a "lone ranger". This is often based on a set of beliefs such as

* "I can do everything myself"

* "I can't trust anyone else to help me in my business"

* "I can't afford to pay anyone to help me"

* "I'll get someone when I'm more established.

However, leading and managing a successful consultancy is about more than just delivering the consultancy services. A consultancy business is an entity made up of systems, processes and infrastructure as well as what you actually deliver - your products and services. As the delivery person of your services you may be 100% capable. However, that is not all that's involved in running your consultancy and making it an ongoing success.

There are many other functions and roles that have to be fulfilled in order for your consultancy to be successful. Functions such as finance, sales, marketing operations and administration to name a few; Roles such as bookkeeper, invoice writer, PR person, researcher, sales person and client manager etc. All of these important roles and functions need to be performed whether you are a global corporation or a 1 person consultancy. None of these functions can be ignored and you may not have the skills and knowledge necessary to perform each of the roles to a good enough standard. Equally if one of the main reasons you established your own business in the first place was to DO what you love doing, then in reality do you really want to be doing all the other "stuff" as well?

Some people just get busy doing a bit of sales a bit of marketing and a bit of admin, which usually just means answering emails. And for a short time that may work.

However, over time you forget who you've sent which invoices to or if you've even sent them at all; your VAT and tax affairs get dumped in a shoebox "to be sorted out when I'm less busy" and you stop going to new events and arranging meetings because you are "busy" delivering for your biggest (read only) client. Very soon though that client project is complete, the pipeline of new prospects is empty and the taxman has knocked at your door.

If only you had got some help!

In establishing your consultancy you need to decide at the blueprint stage what you want to do and are skilled enough to do and what you're not. Then you need to decide what support you can get, from whom and to help you with what. Yes it may cost you but what will it cost you to not get help?

The issue of cost is often the reason (excuse!) for not hiring someone to help with those functions or tasks that you are good at or do not want to do.

But imagine for a moment you are a first time house buyer with 3 children both you and your partner work and the most DIY you have ever done is change a light bulb. After a few months in the house you decide that you would like to redecorate, convert the loft into a bedroom with an ensuite bathroom and sauna, install a new kitchen and completely landscape the garden.

Do you consider doing it all your self? Well maybe but unless you are a bathroom fitter, landscape gardener, carpenter and farm out the children for a few weeks the answer is probably a sensible no. So what would you do?

You might

* Decide on your budget +/- 10%

* Prioritise the order you want to or need to get things done

* Research local companies who offer these services

* Get some quotes and references

* Draw up some blueprints

* Plan the timescales for completion and how everything needs to integrate

* Start

Now if having done all the research and planning your costs exceeded your budget what could you do well for example you could arrange a barter situation where,

* you baby sit for the gardener's children in exchange for hours on the garden

* you offer consultancy to the plumber's partner in exchange for the new bathroom to be installed

The point is there are many ways to achieve the goal of getting the right help for your business at the right time. But struggling with everything yourself is not a great solution. We all need help in certain areas and assuming we don't will catch us out at some point.

And as the saying goes if you don't invest time and money to get it right the first time when will you have time and money to rectify it second or third time.

So don't be a lone ranger ask yourself

What functions do I want to perform and are skilled enough to perform within my consultancy?

What support do I need to ensure that I have a successful consultancy from now on?

Who do I know that can help me?

©Beverley Hamilton 2005

What's More Important Than Money?

There are many things that bring a team together and then again, there are certainly things that tear them apart. Money or financial incentive has long been the preferred recruiting tool for those looking to create a well balanced finely tuned highly successful team. Which is great if you have the money or incentive but what about if you don't? What about if money or financial incentive is not the main key in all of this?

Where do you go then?

What is it that your team provides above and beyond money or financial incentive? Are these incentives strong enough to recruit new team members or for that matter are they strong enough to maintain the team members that are already with you?

Plenty of questions aren't there? How about we start looking at some areas that could provide the answers to what you can do to develop, recruit and retain a quality team.

As always this will not be complete list but hopefully one that will get you thinking about your team and where these ideas fit in or what can be done to make the team better.

It is a learning environment

We all want to learn and grow from the experiences and opportunities that life presents. Does your team provide that opportunity.

Hopefully there is an opportunity to learn the specifics associated with why the team has been brought together, but also an opportunity to learn from others in a non specific way.

The utilisation of the experience, skills and abilities from one team members to another. The learning of new ideas and concepts that apply to everyday life.

It should be a goal of every team to create opportunities for team members to learn so that they can realise their full potential.

You work with a standard not just to result

You have heard me say it many times. It is not only what you do that is important but how you do it. The team will be remembered for the result they get but will be respected by the standards they upheld to achieve it.

Develop individual accountability and responsibility

A team that understands its purpose and has a makeup of people that accept their responsibility, both individually and collectively towards that purpose, is a pretty powerful unit.

We all don't mind putting in the hard yards as long as we realise we are not the lone ranger. That those around us are going to fulfill their responsibility to them self, to the other team members and to the purpose of the team.

Preparedness to understand each other

There is an understanding within the team that you are not going to agree on everything. But there is an even stronger understanding of the need to respect and honour other team members point of view.

Before decisions are made, before conclusions are created, there is a collective resolve to understand the point of view of all.

Open communication

Is this a team that communicates what needs to be said when it is needed? Or is it a team that has not yet grown enough to be able to discuss issues openly with each other?

It is not a matter of having meetings where everyone just goes after each other, but a team that has produced and understanding and an environment where team members can discuss issues openly to see issues resolved and goals and targets attained.

Rules by which we live

Is this a team that has developed a set of guidelines on how it will act and interact. Is it a team that recognises the need to have guidelines on how it will operate.

Although a basic concept "Rules by which you live" can and will provide the substance to keep the team together through all the situations and opportunities that it will encounter.

Satisfaction

The direction, the goals, the structure and culture of the team provide satisfaction for the individual, the team and the organisation.

Hard to do? yes! Achievable? Most definitely.

But all out of what has been outlined above, will go a long way to providing the satisfaction that each team member and the team as a unit are looking for.

The responsibility to develop these areas is not necessarily in the hands of the team leader. It is a shared responsibility that members of a team take on so as to see the team grow and prosper.

© 2009 Total Performance Concepts Pty Ltd

PRLG Episode 19.1 The lost galactabeasts part 1

A new villain named Deviot appears, with an army of three powerful Zords to battle the Rangers - Stratoforce, Centaurus, and Zenith. The only problem is, the Rangers' Galactabeasts refuse to fight them. As Deviot prepares for the final battle, the Rangers race to translate the Galaxy book, and find clues to help them defeat the new Zords.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VwfcRxX1Aak&hl=en

Coastal Backpacking in Washington State

The Olympic Coast of Washington is the most primitive natural coastline in the 48 contiguous United States. Part of an ecosystem stretching from Oregon to Alaska, with a rainforest that seldom sees temperatures below freezing in the winter or exceeding 80 degrees in the summer.

This trip, being surrounded by a temperate rain forest with the opportunity for views of wildlife, plants/trees, island sea stacks, and the ocean with it's changing tide pools, provides a unique experience rarely found elsewhere.

Travel is mostly along beaches and rocky shores, except for a few headland trails. The terrain includes sections of sand, cobbles, rocks, logs and forest trails. Navigation is simple, but rising water from the tide can cut you off.

Current tide tables and maps indicating the headland trails are posted at trailheads and coastal ranger stations. Know when tides occur and be aware that winds or off-shore storms can make tides higher than tide tables indicate, making routes impassable even at low tide.

Headland trails, marked by orange and black targets lead over points that can't be rounded from the shoreline. They receive minimal maintenance and are usually steep and muddy. Some headland trails have fixed ropes and sand ladders to aid climbing.

Also, beware of slippery rocks and logs that can be slippery, unstable and can tip or roll. Vibram soles do not give traction on wet or algae-covered rocks, so stay low, take short steps and keep your hands free for balance.

As for this trip, the first section is ~4 miles from Rialto Beach trailhead, along the beach and through Hole in the Wall to just before Cape Johnson, where you'll find Camp 1. From Camp 1 hike North ~4 miles around Cape Johnson (Attempt at low tide only, requires significant boulder hopping) to Cedar Creek and Camp 2. Cedar Creek is an excellent fly-fishing spot and because your are in a national park no licenses are needed.

From Camp 2 hike ~7 miles North past the Norwegian memorial and just before Yellow Banks to Camp 3 (there are numerous campsites inside the edge of the woods).

From Camp 3, continue past Yellow Banks for ~3 miles to Sand Point and Camp 4. This section can be rounded at medium tide through the rock tunnels at the North end of Yellow Banks beach (there are multiple campsites along this beach inside the forest edge).

Form camp 4, continue North to the head of Sand Point beach, where you'll find the marker for the boardwalk to Ozette Ranger Station and home. This last section depending on where you camp on Sand Point beach is ~3 miles long. Because Sand Point receives a lot of day-hikers and is currently restricted from having fires, some people prefer to stay longer at Yellow Banks and just combine the last 2 days hikes for a longer last day hike from Yellow Banks to the Ozette Ranger Station.

This last leg of travel is mostly along a moss covered boardwalk through a jungle like forest with a few bridges to cross streams and benches for rest stops. Navigation is simple, the only clear path is on the boardwalk. The trail receives regular maintenance, but with so much rain (140 to 167 inches annually) the planks can still wear out, so watch out for broken planks and worn sections (bring rain gear).

The proposed schedule above is just a suggestion, based on trip experience and can be altered for weather conditions, tide changes, or individual preferences. There are numerous other campsites along the route or on the beach. Although, be aware of high-tide lines when beach camping or you could wake up in the ocean.

There are permits and wilderness use fees, so for current prices and directions check out the Park Service website:

Website
Olympic National Park Wilderness Information Center
600 E. Park Ave. Port Angeles, WA 98382
(360) 452-0300
Ozette Ranger Station Lake Ozette, WA
(360) 963-2725

Starting Out in the Game of Golf

Writing this article brings back some fond memories. It was in the spring of 2007 that I finally had enough of hacking up every golf course I played, getting yelled at by rangers,irritating the poor people who had the misfortune of playing behind me, that I made the decision to get my game on track. Now I can go on forever and use up two times the amount of words allowed in this article to tell you how I tried to put together a good golf swing but I'll spare you the monotony. So, lets cut to the chase.

If you are just starting out, please realize that the game of golf cannot be learned simply in a few weeks. Look at any article on the internet and you will see that this is an acquired skill that will take a few years to comprehend.

Do you self a favor, don't go out and spend a fortune on a brand new, latest technology, set of clubs as they will not give you a edge to shorten your learning curve. Get a used set, you will find plenty of choices on eBay or Craigslist. When you get more proficient, that will be the time to consider a set of cubs fit to your style.

Now, I wish I had this advice when I started. Seek out a golf professional to help you learn the proper methods of holding and swinging a golf club and I don't mean taking one lesson or two. You need to enroll in a good golf school as it will take at least three months if not longer to build a decent golf swing. Some people will tell you, just go out and play you'll pick it up but you will most likely pick up many bad habits that will be hard to break later on. Trust me on this. Yes, I know this can be expensive but some schools offer a payment plan to help ease the burden.

In order to save some money, I suggest getting a resident golf card from your local golf course. The initial cost will be paid for after a few rounds due to the discount you will get for greens fees for being a member.

I cannot stress enough the importance of practice. Yes, in order to groove a consistent swing you should get to the range as often as possible. Now don't go out and hit balls one after another with no plan, I simulate playing a hole in my mind. Start out with the driver, then play your second shot trying to hit a specific target. This will help you when you are actually playing.

The Spirit of the Olympic Athletes Can Influence Your Business

Not everyone is a sports enthusiast or competitive person. There are lessons, however, which can be learned from athletes and applied to your business. Each and every Olympic athlete has a coach behind her, is part of a group and is driven to strive for peak performance. They have the determination and mindset of a winner, choosing to move forward even when it is uncomfortable.

Although I have always exercised, my time was primarily spent in a gym. I became involved in sports very late in my life. At 40 y/o I learned downhill skiing and sweep rowing in the same year. I liked being able to challenge myself both physically and mentally. That should have been a clue about my drive. At that point, however, I didn't realize I was a competitive person. Primarily, these were family activities we began doing together.

After several years of recreational rowing, I moved into the women's racing team. The challenging workout and cohesiveness of the group was appealing. Since I was attracted to other qualities about this group, I still didn't realize that there was a competitive part of me.

Becoming part of a women's racing team has changed how I do business and how I live my life in several important ways. Coaching to reach peak potential is valuable, progress is faster with a group or a team and a positive mindset is necessary to reach new levels of performance.

Receiving coaching was very difficult when I first began rowing. I took things personally, finding the constant feedback overwhelming. There were always several things needing improvement. Because it was new, I was receiving more negative feedback than positive.

For awhile I began avoiding the coaches. My rationale was that I didn't truly care about my technique I just wanted to get a good workout. Avoidance was not helping me. I knew I had to change my perception about coaching if I was going to improve my performance.

As I became more interested in my technique and improving my skill level, I began to seek out coaching. I decided to ask for positive feedback when I received coaching. This one change, to ask for what I needed, helped significantly.

I eventually realized the feedback was not truly about me as a person, I was taking it too personally. Once I got out of my own way, everything changed. The transformation was impressive, being able to hear the coach's instruction without feeling judged.

Coaching is valuable. I decided to have a business coach when I first started Mindset for Marketing Success. Having someone to guide me was going to propel my business to the next level of success faster than I would on my own.

I am a very independent person and like being in control. I have worked independently for years. Rowing with a group taught me the value of teamwork and, once again, letting go of my ego. There was so much to learn.

Becoming part of a group of like-minded people, I was offered guidance, insight and opportunities. Many times I had to step out of my comfort zone. I wanted to be a valuable team member. I continued to work hard, saying "yes" to each opportunity which came my way.

The transformation from lone ranger to group member was significant. This carried over into my business. I began looking for opportunities to affiliate with others, began adding people to my team and joined a mastermind group. My business began to grow steadily.

Knowing your purpose and unique ability will create the mindset for success. Tapping into your purpose changes everything. It creates a drive to meet your goal. Things which you resisted before you are willing to take on now. The commitment to yourself, your purpose and success becomes your destiny.

When I realized I needed to step out of my office and become part of the global community, everything changed. All of a sudden, things I had resisted needed to be overcome. I had to get past my own comfort zone to reach my purpose and I was determined to do whatever was necessary to make that happen. By transforming my mindset, what was once difficult was now easy.

As you watch the Olympics, realize there is a coach and a team behind every athlete. Each athlete has what it takes to be a winner; their mindset is in the right place. Now it is your turn to build a winning business. Apply all of these aspects to your business and watch it soar.

Activity: Look at all of the different hats you are wearing for your business. Are you a lone ranger or a team player? List 3 tasks you have continued to do although you don't really enjoy doing them. What prevents you from passing on those responsibilities? How would things change if you could train someone to do those jobs according to your system? Even if you are not ready to pass on those jobs right now, write the system of exactly what you do. That way when the time comes you will have an easy to follow, step-by-step instructions of how you want it done.

Magpie Ranger Boxing Day 2007

Magpie ranger on the way to another woeful performance from the toon...



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fnLbgXLAcnQ&hl=en

10th PARA Brigade Freefall

RATE IT!! Royal Malaysian Army elite 10th PARA Brigade demonstrating skillful handling of parachute



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-LCZFT32Gs&hl=en

The Republic of Vietnam Historical Society (RVNHS)

The Republic of Vietnam Historical Society (RVNHS) is a non-profit historical group based in Southern California. It is dedicated to the study and preservation of the history of the Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam). The organization's main activities consist of the collection, preservation, and presentation of artifacts relating to the military and government of the former republic, and the active accumulation of oral histories from men and women who served in the country's armed forces or government.

One of the society's aims is also to connect with other individuals with similar interests in the history of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Vietnam ( ARVN ), the state of South Vietnam, and Vietnam in general. Membership is open to individuals of all backgrounds. If you would like to get in contact with the society, you can do so by visiting their website at rvnhs.com.

The organization's website also features a virtual museum of original artifacts (mostly pertaining to the military) which are currently held in the society's collection. The RVNHS Virtual Museum is frequently updated, and includes identification listings for insignia of the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (Divisions and Regiments) as well as Ranger Branch, and other uniform, equipment, and miscellanous items. Each item presented offers photographs and a brief background history of each piece. The item displayed in the virtual museum are only a small portion of what currently exists in the society's collection.

The group also actively sets up displays at veterans and community events free of charge. Themes for common displays include: The Army of the Republic of Vietnam, The ARVN Rangers (Biet Dong Quan), VNAF (Vietnamese Air Force), and more.

Southern California Beach Tips - Dogs, Bonfires

If you're heading to a Southern California beach with your dog, or if you're hoping to build a beach bonfire, here are a few pointers:

Beaches and Dogs

For dog owners, call ahead. Most beaches in Southern California don't allow dogs on the beach, and with good reason. It may be fun to take Fido for a run through the waves and fling him a Frisbee or two. But beach park rangers say dogs can cause two problems. First, the poop factor, so clean up after Fido! Second, dogs, even if they're well-behaved and on a leash, tend to scare away wildlife and lower beach habitat values.

Wes Chapin is an interpretive specialist for the California State Parks Channel Coast District, which operates state beaches from Oxnard to north of Santa Barbara. He says studies of beach trails that allow dogs have come up with surprising findings: In areas where dogs are allowed on trails, even on leash, wild animals keep much farther back than in areas where dogs are prohibited.

The finding probably has to do with dogs' predatory ancestry, and wild animals' understandable wariness, Chapin says. But whatever the reason, the presence of dogs discourages wildlife.

Find a Dog Beach

That said, dog-friendly beaches abound. In Southern California, the communities of Huntington Beach, Laguna Beach, Long Beach, Newport Beach, Ocean Beach, Oceano, San Clemente and Seal Beach, as well as San Diego's Mission Bay all have dog beaches. Check with each community's Web site for specifics.

Beaches and Bonfires

Fire pits are practically ancestral: a gathering-place for story telling, and when they're a bonfire on the beach, there's the added fun of that ancestral beach desert: s'mores. Building fires seaside, California however, with our wildfire dangers always present, well, some beaches prohibit beach bonfires or enforce tight restrictions.

Chapin points out that many well-intended beach-goers carefully extinguish their bonfires at the end of their evening, and conscientiously cover the remaining coals with sand. That might seem like a good idea, Chapin says, but all it accomplishes is to keep the buried coals and covering sand toasty hot for some beach visitor to burn their feet on the next day.

Find a Bonfire Beach

State-run beaches in California do not allow fires on the beach, period. If you've got your heart set on a bonfire vanity, call ahead to find a beach that allows them, and find out what the beach's rules are. Some cities, such as Huntington Beach, maintain concrete bonfire rings that have become a local tradition. Also, be sure to use only unprocessed, natural wood that won't pollute the beach with contaminated remains. And, of course, carry out your trash, including bottles and cans.

Health Rangers Mike Adams' Thoughts on Nutritional Cancer Cures and Best Products on the Market

In this article Mike Adams shares on nutritional cancer cures and the best products on the market. Mike Adams is known as the "Health Ranger." Mike cured himself of disease through nutrition and he is the founder and editor of Natural News.

Kevin:: Let's turn the tide. You spend a lot of time reviewing products. What are some of the best ones out there?

Mike: Well Healthforce, a company by Jameth Sheridan, those are some of the best products. I'm a big advocate of Sunfood, David Wolfe's company, and their product line. There are many, many superfood products on the market. There's Beaucoup superfood that I recommend.. There's Emerald balance. There's a company called Sprout Living that has a new Sproutein product. It's a protein made from sprouts. It's amazing. In fact I just got a sample of it last night and I just tasted it this morning in my smoothie. It's fantastic. If you go out and you actively try to find superfood products, it's very easy.

Kevin:: Right.

Mike: Go to any health food store. Look for the superfood products, get the ones that are really green, and that have berries in them. We live in a time of great abundance now. You can cure cancer now using stuff off the shelf at the store, literally, that's not an exaggeration at all.

There are books written about anti-cancer foods. Some of the most powerful anti-cancer
nutrients are berries, resveratrol, turmeric, which is the root that's used to make curry, and I'll tell you a fact about that that's fascinating, chocolate is also anti-cancer, and the cruciferous vegetables. If you drink even one ounce of broccoli juice every day and you combine that with some green tea, some vitamin D, a little bit of zinc, some turmeric and black pepper, berries from time to time, you will never get cancer, ever, because it cannot grow in that environment.

The way that you get cancer is if you are vitamin D deficient for a long period of time, like during the winter when people aren't getting sunlight, or if they're using sunscreen products. And you're not bathing yourselves in the anti-cancer nutrients from cruciferous vegetables, you know onions, garlic, as well, in addition to cruciferous cauliflower, broccoli those kinds of things. That's how you get cancer. If you want to grow cancer in lab rats in the lab, the recipe's very simple.. Vitamin D deficiency, nutrient deficiency, processed food, chemicals in the food; you'll get cancer like that. If you want to reverse cancer, you just turn all that around, get lots of vitamin D, lots of nutrients, eliminate the toxic chemicals, the cancer's gone. This is not complicated; cancer is not complicated.

Kevin:: When you're looking at products, what are you looking for in the company? What are some of the criteria? Because you put your seal, the Natural News seal on things, what does it take to have that seal?

Mike: Well, I want you to know that that seal, we don't make money on the seal. We don't charge people. It's an award seal, like editors choice award, on certain products that we give that to. Well, I'm looking for a couple of things. Not only what's in the product itself, because I look very carefully at the ingredients but then I meet the founder of the company. And I'm looking for personal integrity. I'm looking for whether that person lives a natural health lifestyle. People like Jameth Sheridan, very healthy individual, really into healthy living. That counts a lot as far as I'm concerned.

Kevin:: Yeah.

Mike: Because I don't think that you can sell health products if you're an individual running a company who isn't healthy. Like there's... I'm at the trade shows all the time. And there's this one company that I'm not going to name, but they have these super-fruit juices. You know it says Açai juice on the front and you look at the ingredients and it's 95% fructose and water.

Kevin:: Yeah.

Mike: There's a little bit of juice in it. You taste it and you're like, "What is this citric acid and water?" You can't even taste the fruit. And a lot of consumers don't know what these fruits are supposed to taste like. So they don't know if they're drinking the real thing. But the guy running that company is this like obese grumpy New Yorker with bad skin and smoking cigarettes outside the show. I'm not going to recommend that.

Kevin:: Yeah.

Mike: There are products on the market today that are junk. There are a lot of bad vitamins that I would not recommend. Mainstream brands, made with synthetic chemicals just like pharmaceuticals. But there's a lot of great stuff on the market as well. That's what I recommend on Natural News. So I do product recommendations on a regular basis, product reviews all the time, and I'm always trying to give people the latest and greatest products that are out there. And you know, you want real vitamins, North American Urban Spice.

Kevin:: Yeah.

Mike: Purely C. It's a food-based vitamin C product. They have a food-based vitamin E product. There's so many companies out there that have so many great products, if you just look, just spend a few minutes looking.

Prayer of the Quiet Professionals

US Army Special Forces Prayer In honor of Lieutenant General (ret). William G. "Jerry" Boykin History Written in 1961 for William Pelham "Bill" Yarborough Written by SF Chaplain John Stevey, the 7th SFG (ABN) Chaplain History of Art Work and First Printing In 1962, Then 1st Lt. WW "Wild Wes" Ford being bored while in Psy. Ops. school at Ft. Bragg and having a little wine, either, French or German, noticed the engraved Border work on the Bottle. And then going back to his quarters found a copy of the Special Forces Prayer and started penciling in the Wine bottle border. He had Black, Red, Brown and Yellow Marker Pens to do the works with. Decided it looked good enough to print. He took it to the 1st PSYWAR Print trailer, that at the time had a brand new Litho Printer, and talked to the Sgt. to see if he could get 10 or 15 copies printed. The Sgt. (Unknown) told him he could print 250 but would be hard to register the colors. Above are the proofs of the color registration. Special Forces at the time, being a trading outfit, Wild Wes traded 2 - 8 oz. 2 quart Desert Canteens for the printing. The 250 copies were put on a Class table at 1st PSYWAR and were gone at the end of the day. One of the Instructors took it to the book store to get more, (at the bottom of the proof is printed "Printed by 1st PSYWAR as training Material") and as you know they have been available ever since. Picture, video clips, and audio belong to respective owners. I claim no copyright whatsoever. No ...



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pb_-LtRez6A&hl=en

Episode 1 - The Unforgiving Minute

A new memoir by Craig M. Mullaney, a West Point graduate, Rhodes scholar, and Army Ranger who fought in Afghanistan and later served as an adviser on the Obama campaign. Explore the book at www.craigmmullaney.com.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aRSTyOWMQwA&hl=en

Aion Ranger Guide to Power Leveling

Are you playing a ranger in Aion and you're looking for a guide to basically power level your character? If so then you know how hard leveling is in Aion, right?

However, there are a couple of ways to boost the speed of your leveling process. Basically it allows you to power level your ranger character. Want to know the ways to do this?

Aion Ranger Leveling By Accepting The Best Quests

In order to power level your ranger you have to only accept quests that are good for your leveling process. You see, if you don't want to grind your way up then it's recommended to only level by doing quests. Also, only get kill or gather quests. These quests are the key to fast leveling. Also, you should stack your quests up. This way you can complete 10 quests at once for saving more time.

You should also avoid junk quests. You see, these quests will waste your time because they take long to be completed and they won't give you a great experience reward either. Most quests won't take longer then a couple of minutes. These quests are in a need to be accepted. Quests that are taking longer are in a need to be declined.

Aion Ranger Leveling By Knowing Exactly Where To Go

Good quests are only being found in good places, right? This is why you need to know where to go. Basically, you should setup a leveling path so you'll know exactly what place is good or bad to level in with your ranger.

A good leveling place should have 2 things.

o A lot of quests.
o A small travelling time.

You see, the key ingredient to level fast in Aion is to avoid wasting time. You got to go to places that won't waste your time by being very small or very big. Also, a good leveling place should have lots of quests. And I mean really lots of them!

Using A Step by Step Aion Ranger Leveling Path

However, setting up a levelling path can be very time consuming. This is why I highly recommend you to get a step by step Aion ranger leveling path. A leveling path for your ranger in Aion will tell you exactly where to go and what quests to accept. Also it tells you how to complete these quests and who to talk to.

Power Rangers Birthday Party Ideas

Power Rangers debuted in the mid-1990s, and despite many parents having little idea what was really going on with the show, it proved immensely popular with children, and even now, it is a very popular show watched by millions of children every single week.

As a parent, it is probably best that you prepare yourself for your child asking you for a Power Rangers themed birthday party at some point in the future, and the best way to prepare is with these ideas.

Design The Rangers

If there is one thing that the Power Rangers are, it is colorful. They are pink, green, blue, yellow and red, and everything in between. They have cool outfits and it is no wonder kids love them. So, why not use some cardboard cut outs, paint and various supplies to help the kids make some cardboard Power Rangers. It will be something the kids can keep with them for years to come as a reminder of this fun day.

Best Power Ranger Moves

One thing that the Power Rangers do a lot of, is moving around in sharp jarring movements when they talk. One thing you can do with the children is have a "Best Power Rangers Moves" contest, in which the children compete to show off their best moves. When doing this, just make sure the kids don't hurt themselves. You can also amp up the moves by attaching some streamers.

Watch The Show

There are ample shows and movies with the Power Rangers, so you should be able to keep the kids pretty busy with these by offering them the chance to view the videos and watch the Power Rangers battle evildoers. This offers you a chance to get everything ready for the presents and cake, while giving the kids some time to calm down from their big "Best Power Ranger Moves" contest. Although you can also have this before the contest to give the kids something to use as their template for the moves.

The Power Rangers is a very popular show, even now, which features a bunch of super powered heroes battling evildoers across the world. Kids love it and you can put on a great Power Rangers themed birthday party using some creativity and these party ideas.

Balloon Craft For Kids

Balloon is all time favorite toys for babies. This is called the heartbeat of every party.

Balloon Fish

Balloon fish is easy to make as well as children will enjoy making it. For making this balloon fish you need a small round shaped balloon, a long balloon, black marker and a bit of another big balloon.

To make the balloon fish, blow the big balloon but it should not blow fully. Now, twist it and fold it easily at will. Tie it at the end. Take a round balloon and inflate it until it reaches to oval shape. Tie the longer balloon round the shorter balloon in such a way that both ends of the round balloon project a little at the end. On the front of the fish, make a small loop from the longer balloon; this would resembles the shape of lip of fish. Again, twist and make another lip of fish.

Twist it at an equal distance from the either end to form the bubble and make sure the round balloon cannot turn around. Now, try to twist both the end bubbles together to make the tail of the fish. When the balloons are tied together, tie one end of the piece of long balloon and inflate one end of it and twist a little before half point to form the bubble. Insert the flat end inside the long balloon behind the lips and inflate the other half of the bit and tie the end. Rotate it to hide the end knots downwards and you have the eyes for your fish. Now, use the marker to draw eyes and fins on your fish in desirable manner.

Balloon People

To make a person with balloon is not a difficult thing also, it doesn't take much time. Even children can make this easily. To make a balloon people, you need a balloon, paper, marker, tape, coin and sticks.

Take a paper and draw the feet with it. Now, blow the balloon and use the marker and sticks to make the face. Tie the balloon. Color and decorate the feet and make a hole in the center. Put the tied end of balloon end between the holes. Try to make standing position but there is any problem in standing, you can use coin down the both feet as it will support the balloon and make it stand.

SF E & E Training Video Americas Army Video Game Part 1of3

This is part 1 of 3 video series showing how to run through the SERE or E&E school on America's Army Video game. This video gets you from the start point to objective "A" on your compass. Video 2 of 3 will take you thru the steps to get from A to B and video 3 of 3 will show you how to get from B to C and extract. Hope this helps and good luck soldier!



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qoCz3v0CYY&hl=en

Swedish army women in Afghanistan part 5 of 5

Documentary of 3 swedish army women serving for ISAF in Afghanistan, working for women rights. Only in swedish i'm afraid.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wrs6mOrPdhw&hl=en

Lone Rangers Are Rarely Happy People

Everybody needs somebody. It's human to need friendship, encouragement and help. As a solo business owner, you can't know everything. It's both an asset and a strength to know when to ask for help.

That's why you need expert advisors you can lean on, resources you can outsource to, and a team you can delegate to. What you can do alone is almost nothing when compared to the compounded results of working with others.

King Solomon (Eccl 4:9-12) put it this way:

Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

People who try to do everything alone/on their own, often get themselves into trouble. Here's a memorable story I found in Becoming a Person of Influence by John C Maxwell and Jim Dornan that makes this point. The story was quoted from the insurance claim form a bricklayer submitted when he got hurt at a building site. He was trying to get a load of bricks down from the top floor of the building without asking for help from anyone else. Here's what he wrote:

It would have taken too long to carry all the bricks down by hand, so I decided to put them in a barrel and lower them by a pulley which I had fastened to the top of the building. After tying the rope securely at ground level, I then went up to the top of the building; I fastened the rope around the barrel, loaded it with bricks, and swung it over the sidewalk for the descent. Then I went down to the sidewalk and untied the rope, holding it securely to guide the barrel down slowly. But since I weigh only 140 pounds, the 500 pound load jerked me from the ground so fast that I didn't have time to think of letting go of the rope. As I passed between the second and third floors I met the barrel coming down. This accounts for the bruises and the lacerations on my upper body.

I held tightly to the rope until I reached the top where my hand became jammed in the pulley. This accounts for my broken thumb.

At the same time, however, the barrel hit the sidewalk with a bank and the bottom fell out. With the weight of the bricks gone, the barrel weighed only about 4- pounds. Thus my 140 pound body began a swift descent, and I met the empty barrel coming up. This accounts for my broken ankle.

Slowed only slightly, I continued the descent and landed on the pile of bricks. This accounts for my sprained back and broken collar bone.

At this point, I lost my presence of mind completely, and I let go of the rope and the empty barrel came crashing down on me. This accounts for my head injuries.

And as for the last question on your insurance form, "What would I do if the same situation rose again?" Please be advised I am finished trying to do the job all by myself.

What are you trying to do all by yourself that you could do better, faster, smarter; if you asked for help? Stop trying to be a Lone Ranger doing everything yourself. You can grow your solo business stronger and faster the sooner you begin to ask for help.

A Luxury Business Jet That Stands Out From the Crowd

The Embraer range of luxury executive jets just got better with the Phenom 300; the design sees a perfect balance of climb, speed, performance on takeoff and superb comfort that many other airlines may very well struggle to match.

So exactly what makes the Phenom 300 stand out from the crowd? First there is the fact that it is easily capable of being able to cruise at a high speed of 450 KTAS, equivalent to Mach 0.78, and it takes just 12 minutes before you are flying high at an altitude of 35,000. The range of the jet is also something that Embraer are able to brag about, with 6 onboard, the Phenom 300 is capable of flying 1, 800 nm, Embraer are also proud of the fact that this is the only light jet featuring standard single point re-fuelling, in short it is one of the very best business class jets in existence.

With all these advancements you might expect the Phenom 300 to fail when it comes to being economical, again Embraer have managed to pull this off too as the jet has been engineered for a life of around 28,000 cycles, which means it is low maintenance and you spend less time grounded for inspections. Need to land or take off on short runways in remote locations? No problem all that's needed is a field length of 956 meters.

One of the first priorities of Embraer was the needs of the passengers, this started with the design of the fuselage of the craft, and the shape allows the belly of jet to extend out at the bottom to give passengers more leg room, the design also allows seats in the cabin to be lower so there is more headroom. The interior of the jet was designed by BMW Group Design works, they made sure that the windows were large and this gives the cabin space a light and very airy feeling, along with the very best views possible.

The jet is the only business aircraft to have an air stair single piece door that ensures easy entry and exit for passengers and there will be a choice of three basic layouts in the cabin with the standard one having six seats in a set out in a four seat club section with forward facing seating in the aft cabin. If you have a lot of luggage to take with you, no problem, the luggage compartment can carry a golf bag, ski bag, garment bag and a carry-on bag for each of the passengers onboard along with passengers being able to store small items in the cabin.

To summarize if you are looking for a luxury business jet that has great economy, one of the largest cabins in its class, is customizable, can take off and land almost on a pinhead and stands out from the crowd, the Embraer 300 may just be the perfect choice.

Why the Power Rangers Are Still So Much Fun

Power Rangers toys are still getting a great deal of interest from children and families, just as the various incarnations of the TV show still do so. This is impressive, taking into account that the Power Rangers first hit screens in the western world in the form of a cheap kid's TV series that had been cut together from imported Japanese shows mixed with new footage shot in the US.

This patchwork approach to creating each episode ended up being a winning formula, and the colourful Power Rangers became a global household name. The range of toys that followed in the wake of that initial burst of interest was phenomenal, and as the show continued and became an all original prospect with each new series, the range continued to grow.

It is the comprehensive and imaginative toy range and the sales of the DVDs and other such items that have been the key to the franchise's continued success. The lower end of the toy spectrum, namely the themed action figures, are relatively inexpensive, making them great pocket money toys as well as cheap gifts for children, and this has helped maintain momentum for the toy range while many others have run out of steam.

Sure, it has helped that there has regularly been a new version of the TV series to check out, with titles such as SPD, RPM, Dino Thunder and Operation Overdrive, but that backbone of a strong range of official Power rangers Toys has kept on bringing thrills and excitement to young fans everywhere between episodes.

There is something very appealing about costumed heroes battling against monsters to save the universe from evil, and that appeal is further bolstered by the exciting designs of the Power Rangers Toys. They're a great idea for Christmas, and a perfect idea for fans everywhere!

Tree Climbing Lions in Botswana!

I've been visiting game parks in Africa for 40 years and was knocked out on a recent trip to Chobe National Park to see a couple of lionesses in a tree.  Yes, no hallucination.  This was a first for me - and also for our game ranger.  I'd heard of the tree-climbing lions at Lake Manyara in Tanzania but have never seen anything like this in my travels in Southern Africa.  It was a truly amazing sight and took us all by surprise.

These two beauties looked as though they had eaten and had decided to climb a comfortable tree for a nice afternoon siesta.  We watched them for at least half an hour and they just slept, occasionally sat up to gaze at us, then flopped down again.  They clearly weren't going anywhere in a hurry.   What an incredible and truly unique sighting!  It certainly made our game drive in Chobe extra special.

Just a note for anyone planning a safari - in National Parks you are not allowed to go off the road, whereas in private game reserves you can and do in fact track the animals right into the bush for a really close encounter.  In this instance I couldn't get a very good photo because we were too far away and I only had my ordinary digital camera.  I just wish we could have got closer - or wished I had my old camera with the zoom lens with me. However the event was nevertheless recorded for posterity...