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Cooking is one of my specialties. While in the US Army Reserves I learned about Cooking. Indoor, outdoor and cooking using a utensil over an open flame was fun and easy with cast iron cookware. I remember the outdoors and the smell of cooking, accompanied by the chorus of the squirrels, crickets and birds, during bivouacs.

The most ordinary form of cooking is campfire cooking. For families it is particularly well fitting, it is an activity which presents an opportunity for pleasant evenings and outings. It has its own taste and fancy. Skill and knowledge is required, but both are easily acquired. Cooking is a tradition in itself and some cooks have years of experience both on safaris and at home. It is one of my favorite things in life. It is great; however, most open flame cooking is done in campgrounds. Credit to improvements in camping cooking gear and a horde of easy-prep and in-store ingredients, it need not be limited to burgers, dogs and smokes. Another unique way of cooking is to cook some food items inside of other foods. Another unusual cooking, using a utensil over an open flame method, is cooking in paper. An unfussy and simple way of outdoor cooking is to set a large coffee can on the coals. The days of utilitarian campfire cooking of yesteryear are gone. Try out a few odd techniques the next time you’re out camping.

For the tools and tips, place in your favorite search engines: campfire grill, campfire ring, propane in the ground campfire with a cast iron pot, campfire grill, campfire tripod, campfire in a can , California campfire fireplace, little red campfire , cooking steamer, induction cooking, cooking tripod, cooking strainer, cooking smoker, cooking station, cooking table, cooking pot, cooking twine, cooking thermometer, cooking rings, bistro cooking, plank cooking. Search for some prime cooking on the web or books on tips and tricks for Dutch oven cooking. Buy books which are specifically written for the camper who wants to make this method of cooking easier, safer, revealing how to make outdoor cooking grilling and RVing easy and fun in camping. I learned years ago from a relative that most pans will do well.

If you’ve never done any open flame cooking or camp cooking before, one of the things to be aware of is that you’ll need to monitor food closely from start to finish because it can burn quickly. Placing a marshmallow or hot dog on the end of a good stick and holding the food at just the right distance from the heat. One of the disadvantages to this kind of cooking is that cookware gets much dirtier than it does when cooking with a stove. So most likely open flame cooking will require less clean-up. Although campfire cooking can take a little more time than simply firing up the stove, it is more rewarding. If on the other hand you’re in the mood to take your time and enjoy the experience, cooking using a utensil over an open flame can be relaxing in a way that a stove can’t begin to match.

Here are some items that you will need to have to be prepared : Camping Cookbooks containing all the unique and fun camping recipes to make open flame cooking enjoyable. A large barbecue grill or rack will let you enjoy the full flavor and aroma, using either wood or charcoal briquettes. On a Campfire a simple and easy way of cooking is to set a large coffee can on the coals.

This method of cooking is the most common form of outdoor cooking. There is definitely more to It than just scorching marshmallows and making smokes. Have an outdoor party. Guest or spectators may soon become participants as the host or hosts divide their guests into teams and turn them loose for an afternoon of supervised scorching Spurred on, in part, as they are getting hungry. It is gaining in popularity because it brings friends and family together at the same time.

Attend a cooking using a utensil over an open flame class. There are conducted nationwide tours or clinics held every year at different campgrounds across the country.

While some view cooking using a utensil over an open flame as a survival skill, most people do it for other reasons. this method of cooking is a way to bring groups together. It is a method in which to lure kids away from their video games or as a way for divorced dads to entertain kids on weekends, It is an ideal way for families to reconnect. Everything tastes better roasted over an open fire. Maybe that is why with kids It is so popular. When you are done with your kid’s , make sure the fire is totally out.

How about Breakfast Muffins, fried or poached eggs, Chopped Ham, Shredded cheese, Diced potatoes, for example. Try cooking in a black skillet or even a 12 hole muffin pan. Salt and pepper half of muffin tin placing 6 eggs in 6 holes with 6 muffin mix muffins in the remaining 6 holes. Campfire popcorn can be popped in foil: Popcorn Kernels and oil or butter with salt for seasoning. Tear off an 18 inch square of tin foil. The first lesson to be learned about campfire cooking is that you do not cook over an open flame all the time. Try to have all the latest and greatest campfire gear on hand. Purchase only cast iron products. Browse products of campfire gear to find those goods that will work the best for you. Dutch oven Campfire Cooking is almost an ancient form of making food but is very prevalent today.

Select the relaxed comfort of your living room fireplace; staring into the embers as your banquet cooks, or watching the flickering flames dance and play while toasting your choice dessert; is a great way to generate memories with your family.

Whether camping with the family, hunting with friends or merely achieving that wood-grilled flavor at home is easier than you might think. Dutch oven cooking is one of the best ways to make meals on camping trips. The secret of any open flame cooking is to try and maintain steadily glowing coals, but once you have your fire in this state, you can gage its approximate temperature by using your hand. The single most indispensable piece of gear for open flame cooking is the cast iron skillet. open flame cooking is something of a science, much like cooking on the stove at home. In the days of automatic coffee makers and microwave ovens, it is somewhat of a step back.

If a departure from this method of cooking is your desire, There are some area restaurants which offer a wide range; from fast food right up to Traditional campfire cooking.

Please leave your comments.

Roger Hardieway is a retired Engineer and Amateur Radio Operator

In my article Establishing Credibility and Trust with Testimonials, I addressed the importance of offering proof to your prospects and how testimonials are one of the most powerful tools you can implement in your arsenal of marketing.

In that article, I discussed the value of testimonials from satisfied customers, probably the most credible and effective type of testimonial because nothing beats a testimonial from a satisfied customer.

I would now like to focus on another very powerful form of testimonials: celebrity endorsements.

In America, traditionally major celebrities have been reluctant to appear in widespread advertising campaigns on the assumption that it might tarnish their reputation professionally. In Asia, however, where I have extensive experience in the advertising industry, it is much more common to see famous actors in commercial advertisements.

In China, for example, celebrity endorsements have proven very successful where, due to increasing consumerism, it is considered a status symbol to purchase an endorsed product or service. In my former advertising agency, we often used top Hong Kong celebrities to great advantage promoting products in China.

However it is Japan, where Japanese advertising budgets are typically much more extravagant than American budgets when it comes to celebrity talent that has attracted many major American celebrities with lucrative endorsement deals together with a much lower risk of negative publicity.

I can remember very well traveling to Japan often in the 1980′s and 1990′s seeing many of Hollywood’s A-list actors secretly providing product endorsements in the Land of the Rising Sun. For decades, the likes of Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sylvester Stallone, Harrison Ford and even earlier Steve McQueen, have accepted lucrative Japanese advertising endorsement deals in exchange for many millions, all without tarnishing their reputations at home.

The major benefits of celebrity endorsements are:

Celebrities add instant credibility: Consciously or unconsciously, the consumer believes that if a celebrity is using this product, service or brand, the company who makes it must be quality.

Celebrities grab attention: Having a celebrity endorse a product, service or brand creates attention. Consumers are more apt to watch an ad if it has a celebrity.

Celebrities provide superior market presence: It is usually easier to get a product in stores and more prominently displayed because retailers have preferences for celebrity endorsed products.

Celebrities lead to enhanced media exposure: The media recognizes the publics’ strong interest in celebrities and it’s much easier to get free publicity if products are used by celebrities. Customers are more apt to participate in events when a celebrity involved.

However, before any company signs on a celebrity to promote their product or service, they should very carefully consider the following:

The celebrity’s attractiveness: Generally an attractive endorser will have a positive impact. The celebrity should be attractive to the target audience in such aspects as physical appearance, intelligence, athleticism, lifestyle, etc.

The celebrity’s credibility: For any brand-celebrity collaboration to be successful, the endorser’s personal credibility and believability in terms of perceived expertise and trustworthiness is crucial and greatly influences acceptance with consumers. Furthermore, celebrity endorsements only work when the consumer has a credible belief that the celebrity would really be interested in buying and using your product or service despite being paid to do so. If not, you are probably wasting your money on the endorsement.

The celebrity’s and the brand’s compatibility: The success of the brand-celebrity collaboration depends significantly on the compatibility between the brand and the celebrity in terms of lifestyle, identity, personality, and positioning. The best endorsement deals manage to equate the product with the appeal of the celebrity. One of the best and most successful examples is Air Jordan with the collaboration between Michael Jordan and Nike

One final point: Never forget that a celebrity is not a replacement for a good product, service or idea.

Joe McAleer is a seasoned marketing and communications professional having worked in executive roles with Bank of America, Encore Marketing International and was a Founder and President of Storm Communications. He is also a co-author of The Real World Marketer, a business coaching program aimed at small business owners, entrepreneurs and online marketers.

Obtain additional marketing tips, techniques, and strategies on building a successful business online and offline with The Real World Marketer FREE eBook and Special Report by visiting http://www.wealthtraders.com/free/ten/index.php

Have you ever avoided a career or business opportunity because it required you to speak publicly?  Did you ever have a great idea you wanted to share in a group setting but didn’t because of your fear of speaking in front of a group of people? 

You are not alone in the fear of public speaking.  In my travels, I have seen where the fear of public speaking have kept otherwise very successful people in all walks of life from achieving their full potential.  When you let this fear dominate your life, you lose out on promotions, business opportunities, community activities, and most of all self-confidence.

The following are seven powerful secrets to empowering you to overcome your fear of public speaking and achieving a new level of success in your career, your business, and your life:

1. Ask Yourself the Important Question

Ask yourself, “Where does my fear come from and is it real?”  Was there a public speaking opportunity in the past that you think didn’t go well or that you felt was poorly prepared?  Maybe you had to stand up in front of your classmates in high school or college and someone made what you perceived as a negative comment concerning your presentation.  Maybe you gave a good speech but you started to over analyze every detail of the speech.

First, realize that whatever happened did so at another time and place and you are no longer that person.  With new experiences, you have grown into a more confident person with much to offer.  Second, embrace feedback, extract the true areas of improvement from the feedback and work to improve your public speaking ability.  Be honest and fair with yourself and determine if the feedback is coming from someone who is qualified to give quality feedback.  I had one presentation skills student whose manager told her she was a poor speaker because she moved her hands and arms during the presentation.  Was the manager giving qualified feedback?   Doubtful.  Yet, this manager’s feedback affected this employee in a negative way for years until the employee became my coaching student. 

Again, separate qualified feedback from unqualified feedback and learn from it.  Also, don’t allow negative public speaking situations that happen in the past apply to your present or future public speaking opportunities.

2. Face Your Fear of Public Speaking

The fastest way to overcome any fear, much less the fear of public speaking, is to face your fear and attack it. Look for and embrace opportunities to make presentations.  Start with non-threatening opportunities such as your children’s school meeting or a non-work related situation and work your way up to more important, high pressure situations such as work meetings.

Realize that each time you speak is an opportunity to improve your speaking ability.  Look at your public speaking skills as a muscle.  The more you exercise your public speaking muscle, the stronger it becomes and you will improve your speaking abilities.

Go into each public speaking opportunity with a clear set of goals.  Maybe for your first speech, you may have a goal of eliminating “hums” and “ahs.”  For another speech you may have a goal of completing your speech with a powerful ending. 

3. Visualize Your Public Speaking Success

Invest time the night before you speak to visualize what a successful speech looks, sounds, and feels like and how you will feel while giving it.  If you don’t see it yourself, it won’t happen.  Most presentations can be dramatically improved just by investing time ahead of the presentation to visualize a successful outcome.

4. Master the Material

Invest the time to know what you are presenting.  Invest time to rehearse several variations of your speech.  Rehearse your speech as if something goes wrong.  What if your PowerPoint goes down, you forget a section in your speech, or someone heckles you?  How will you react?  If you know your material well enough, you will be able to overcome any presentation challenge.

5. Master Your Public Speaking Mind

During a group coaching session, a presenter started speaking, made a mistake and promptly announced, “I hate speaking in public!”  In this instance, she did not manage her public speaking mind, and let her fear of public speaking take over her performance.

When you make negative statements concerning public speaking, it will reinforce your fear of public speaking.  Take the time to replace negative statements with positive public speaking affirmations.

6. Take Time to Analyze Your Performance

In most cases, we are our own toughest critics when speaking. Whenever you speak, videotape or audiotape your presentations, sit down, and honestly analyze your performance.  Once you start to record your presentations, you will realize that some of the issues you were worried about aren’t in your speech and you will instantly see areas of improvement and address them accordingly.  As the old saying goes, “The video doesn’t lie.”

Ask for feedback from people you respect and who can give you quality, supportive feedback that will empower you to want apply the feedback in your next speech.  Before your speech, tell the person you ask to give you feedback what your public speaking goals are and what you are working to improve.

Once you analyze your areas of improvement, immediately go out and exercise your public speaking muscle and apply the improvement.

7. Reward Yourself

Reward yourself for any improvements in your public speaking skills.  The reward is up to you, but make sure to immediately reward yourself.

Bonus Public Speaking Secret:  If you forget a word or a phrase during your speech, never apologize and keep speaking as though nothing happened.  Unless the audience has a detailed transcript of your speech, they won’t know what you forgot.  Don’t let the fear of forgetting something in your speech keep you from giving great speeches.

Now, go out and exercise your public speaking muscle to give outstanding presentations.  When you apply the seven secrets to overcoming your fear of public speaking, you will realize more opportunities and gain a new level of confidence.

Ed Sykes is a highly sought after leadership, motivation, stress management, customer service, and team building expert, success coach, professional speaker, and author of “Jumpstart Your Greatness.”
You can e-mail him at mailto:esykes@thesykesgrp.com, or call him at (757) 427-7032.
Go to his web site, http://www.thesykesgrp.com, and signup for the free success newsletter, OnPoint.

What is an estimator?
An estimator is a person that writes auto repair estimates on vehicles that have been involved in an accident. The estimator must understand the basic car design and know the nomenclature of a vehicle. The estimator must also have good communication skills as they deal with customers on a daily basis. Not only does the estimator have to communicate with customers, but they will also be the contact person for the insurance companies, shop managers, and the shop foreman or technicians. Therefore, communications is a must for an auto estimator. This career pathway is definitely for a people person. In fact, I would even say that a person that writes auto repair estimates for a auto body repair center needs to be part salesman. It is their job to sell them self, the company, the technicians, and the service that the shop provides. Not all technicians make good estimators, but it is a good idea for the estimator to have experience as a technician. Although, there have been people hired without experience and trained by the shop to write estimates.

Who Hires Estimators?
There are two different industries that hire auto estimators. One is auto body repair shops and the other is insurance companies. This can also split into other categories in each industry. Collision shops can be dealerships, franchise shops, or independent shops. Some insurance companies hire their own auto estimators, while other insurance companies hire independent auto estimators. When you write estimates for the insurance company your title may be an auto appraiser instead of an auto estimator.

What Can An Auto Repair Estimator expect to earn?
This can vary on your experience and if you work for a small body shop or a insurance company. However, according to O*Net the national median for an Auto Damage Appraiser is $53,440 and had a growth rate of 7% to 10% in a ten year period. (2006 – 2016) Some collision repair centers will pay their estimators a salary and a percentage of every job that they sell. Therefore, the more estimate sales that the estimator produce, the more income he or she can earn if on one of these types bonus incentives.

What is the first step to becoming an auto estimator?
The first thing you will need is to learn is the basics. You can do this by enrolling in a collision repair program. Many local community and junior colleges offer these programs. This will allow you to learn the basics about the entire industry. Everything from the body repair, structural or frame repair to painting. Most programs incorporate a basic estimating course within the auto program. This will give you a taste of the industry and determine where you fit in best at. You may decide to become a collision or paint technician instead of a person that writes auto repair estimates. Whatever you decide, this training is the first step to securing a job in the auto collision repair or estimating careers. Some insurance companies require that you have a bachelor degree, but many do not. Experience hold a lot of weight with insurance companies as well. The training is your foundation and how you build the building is up to you. What I mean is, once you have your basics down, you have many opportunities and directions to explore.

Where do I find a facility to gain the training?
The best training for your money is going to be at a junior or community college. Community colleges normally focus on smaller groups, which offers lower student per instructor ratio. This leads to a deeper level of learning. They also receive state and federal funding, which allows them to offer quality programs at a much lower cost to the student. Other training facilities include technical schools and private owned schools. Check with your local community college to see if they offer collision repair. If not, ask them if there is a nearby tech school that does. Chances are that they will know where to point you in the right direction. Once enrolled in a collision repair program, you will be on your way to a career as a person that writes auto repair estimates or many other career pathways that collision repair has to offer.

If you have questions about Auto Body, Paint Repair or Estimating visit Collision Repair Training We’ve have many industry leaders that can help. For all of you Collision Repair News Collision Repair News I invite you to stop by and visit us at CollisionBlast.com

Starting college is a big milestone in anyone’s life. In some families, starting college is almost like getting married – it’s a big step, a giant move towards independence. Everything that happens during college counts towards the future – that’s why it’s so important for students to start college on the right footing.

First of all, see if you have everything all pinned down before you start college. If your college is going to be quite a distance away from home, you’ll need to find a place to stay. And if you’ve already found a place to stay, you’ll need to find roommates who can share the rent with you. You’re only starting college and finances are going to be tight – with someone sharing the place with you, you can bring the expenses down.

The next thing that you have to decide on before starting college is the mode of transportation. Your options are…college car, a motorcycle or a bicycle. The mode of transportation depends on how far you are going to be housed from the college. If you’re within college campus, you can probably start with a bicycle. If you’re located outside the college campus, you might need a car to get you around.

Next, go shopping for college clothes. A whole new wardrobe is necessary only if you are moving to a place where the weather is very different from where you live, for example, your home is in Maine and your college California. Otherwise, you can probably live with what you already have in your wardrobe. If you don’t know the kind of clothes you will need for college, why not factor the cost of a new wardrobe into your starting college funds. You can go do some shopping when you’ve started college. Living on your own and starting college also means that you’ll have to do some calculations on the use of kitchen utensils (getting some of your own is a good idea), and also some entertainment. Yes, you’re starting college but you still need to have some fun once in a while.

Starting college means that you’re probably going to need your own computer, printer and scanner too. Most colleges have these facilities in their college campus. The options are:- buy new ones if you can afford it before you start college, buy second-hand ones, loan one from your relatives or parents, use the ones available in college or pay for the services in Internet cafes where these facilities are widely available. Research the area near the college and see if there’s a need to get your own electronics. If you can save the money for something else, you can start college without it and use the ones in the college first.

If you have reasons to want to move tables, beds, furniture and shelves from home, this could save your parents some money. Starting college is already ripping the bank accounts apart, so, if you can save on furniture, why not? If you’re bringing the furniture from home, find a relocating service contractor to help you move the furniture to your new place.

Most importantly, before starting college, you’ll need to get a list from your college so that you can purchase the books before college starts. It is best that you start college on the right footing, so, don’t wait until all the books are gone.

Dakota Caudilla, journalist, and website builder Dakota Caudilla lives in Texas. He is the owner and co-editor of [http://www.your-college-life.com] on which you will find a longer, more detailed version of this article.

As a pet owner, do you need to have a pet trust or will in your estate plan? Well, maybe so, given the fact that in the American society of today one fundamental sociological reality has now become absolutely indisputable and well-established, namely, that America’s house pets (generally defined nowadays to include dogs, cats, fish, reptiles, and other small animals) are increasingly considered a member of the family or a child, and not just “animals” any more.

The evidence? The results of many credible surveys and studies, for example, which show, as in the case of an October 1999 report by the USA Today newspaper, for example, that more than 66% of American pet owners consider their pets as “a member of the family,” or as in the case of a more recent survey by the American Animal Hospital Association, which show that a whopping 84% of them thought of their animal companions as being their kids. As well as the evidence from the physical attitude, treatment and relationship of pet owners towards their companion animals. Unfortunately, however, that’s not the case! Not at all. In deed, quite the opposite is the case with most pet owners. Yes, it’s true that among pet lovers a strong impulse and wish often exists to make such a provision for the care of their pets in the event of the incapacity or death of the pet owner. But, typically, the vast majority of the American pet owners generally fail to follow through, however, to actually translate that professed desire into reality for the pets’ future. In point of fact, the most modern and effective way to “plan” for the pet’s future protection and care in case of a serious contingency, is through setting up an estate planning instrument called a “pet trust” for the pets. With a valid pet trust (and a few other simple estate planning vehicles related to it), you can make specific provisions for the care of your pets in the event of your disability or death, and provide for a reliable caretaker and funding arrangement for the pet which will be legally enforceable by the courts.

Nevertheless, most pet owners fail to set up such a device for their pets. Most pet owners, in deed even the estate plan professionals and lawyers in the field, are not too well informed about it. Pet owners pathetically fail, in overwhelming numbers, either to make any estate planning at all in their own affairs, or to include their pets in such plans, and frequently wind up leaving their pets with no protections and subject to undue sufferings, agony, even euthanasia after their owners are incapacitated or dead.

David Congalton, co-author of “When Your Pet Outlives You,” puts it this way: “How many of us have already gone the extra step to make sure our animal companions are safe if something unexpected happens to us? The Answer is NOT many.”

One 2000 study, for example, by pet law expert and pioneer, Prof. Gerry W. Beyer, reports that only between 12 percent and 27 percent of pet owners have provisions in their wills relating to their companion animals. JUST 27 percent – AT THE MOST!

NO WAY TO TREAT YOUR REAL MINOR CHILDREN. Pets, Our “Children”? Our “family members”?

Many studies have been conducted which show that many dogs, cats and other pets found in shelters end up there only because their owners became unexpectedly ill or incapacitated, or were for some reason unable to care for them, or died without leaving any plans for their pets’ next home or care.

A survey conducted between 1994 and 1997 by the National Council on Pet Population Study and Policy, for example, found “that 64 percent of all pets that entered the participating shelters for any reasons, were euthanized.” And David Congalton & Charlottte Alexander, co-authors of When Your Pet Outlives You, confirm that “More than 15 million dogs and cats are euthanized in animal shelters across the nation annually…[shelters] currently handle less than 1 percent of the nationwide abandoned parrot population.”

Can you possibly imagine our treating our HUMAN minor children with such gross neglect or carelessness, even indifference and callousness? We would all almost surely be hauled to jail en mass for the crime of abandonment and neglect of our helpless, innocent, loving minor children, wouldn’t we? Can you possibly imagine us leaving our minor or infant HUMAN children completely to fend for themselves when we’re not there, and without the normal protections and safeguards as would assure that they’ll have some substitute home and a caretaker, if we were not able or around, as are largely accorded them today? Or, possibly imagine us leaving our real minor human children behind with virtually one certain realistic fate for them – euthanasia and death?

Clearly, the main reason why these animals wind up wandering the streets or get euthanized, after their owners are incapacitated or dead, is because they simply can’t find homes. Their owners had made no thorough plan or arrangement – an estate plan – that would have put together such an arrangement for a next home, a suitable caretaker, and the funding plan, to assure that objective for the pets. Not a particularly comforting scenario especially for those of us who think of our pets as being like our kids! We have all heard the “horror stories” about pets being left behind in homes and apartments after the September 11th tragedy and the Katrina disaster. Such stories were, of course, more “visible.” And are seemingly more horrifying because of that visibility factor. The central problem of the kind of frightening fate that pets face when they’re left behind with no good estate plan arrangement, however, is not by any means uncommon or limited. It is general and widespread. And, it is real for most pets – long, long before September 11th and Katrina, and thereafter to this date.

THE MESSAGE? Take advantage of the recent advancements in the pet laws of the nation and simply create a good estate plan, including a valid “pet trust,” making specific provisionsfor the care of your pets in the event of your disability or death, and provide for a reliable caretaker and funding arrangement for the pet that will be legally enforceable by the courts. A good estate plan for the pet, to be complete, should also include a host of other special instruments, ranging from a suitable durable power of attorney, animal cards and animal identification and information documents, to Inter Vivos or Testamentary trust, etc. With such a plan in place, you’ll pretty much assure that in the event of any serious emergency in your life, your pets will not likely wind up in the pound or shelter somewhere awaiting euthanasia, but will be taken into a safe home and will be properly cared for by a responsible, caring caretaker

WHAT A WAY TO DEMONSTRATE OUR OWN UNCONDITIONAL LOVE FOR OUR PETS! We talk all the time about the unconditional love of our pets for us – unfailingly. Now, what about our own UNCONDITIONAL LOVE for them? Clearly, the ultimate, most genuine expression of ‘LOVE’ that we can bestow as a pet owner upon a beloved animal companion, is to assure a legally valid estate plan by which that pet animal would be protected and properly cared for in the event of our incapacitation or death.

Dog, cat, pet estate planning your pet’s future pet trust and will dog, cat, pet estate planning with will and pet trust [http://www.EstatePlanAndTrustforPets.com/index.html].

http://www.EstatePlanAndTrustForPets.Com [http://www.EstatePlanAndTrustForPets.Com/id60.html]

Do it yourself auto repair goes beyond acquiring auto mechanic

tools, auto repair manuals,

auto parts etc. You need careful planning to avoid failure. Learn here what to avoid to succeed

in Do it yourself auto repair jobs.

I have seen a lot of frustrated faces of car owners who have tried their

hands on Do it yourself

auto repair jobs and did not succeed, just because they stumbled on it on the internet and

dabbled

into it without making adequate planning and preparation.

From my observations and from the answers I got when I tried to interview

them, I found out that

there failure is hooked to one or more of the following points, any vehicle owner who wants to succeed in

Do It Yourself auto repair should take note of them.

Failure To Plan:

Do it yourself auto repair requires serious planning. You need to first identify

your goals, why do you want to be a Do It Yourselfer. The right answer to this will help

you to

determine your limit of operations and help you to focus on achieving your goals.

You also need to identify your level of knowledge of auto repair, and approach your goal from

the point of acquiring enough information that can help you succeed.

Failure To Overcome Personal Fear:

This is common to those who are trying their hands on Do It Yourself auto repairs for the first time and

they lack adequate know-how. If you have

planned very well, and you have a good well illustrated, simplified manual to

follow as a guide, then

you don’t have anything to fear.

Try your hands on a simple job like; changing of oil, spark plug etc, as

done in the manual, and from there move on to something bigger.

Failure To Study Repair Manuals:

Some Vehicle Owners buy Do It Yourself auto repair manual but

they don’t study it enough, and they don’t pay attention to little details which matters.

Let your manual be your guide, read the portion you need at least twice, ahead of the job you want

to do to get a good knowledge of the job.

Failure to seek help:

There are some Do it yourself auto repair sites that you can register with

at a very minimal fee, and then you can enjoy, guidance, one-on-one, on whatever

you want to do. I highly recommend this especially for starters.

These sites also have forum where you can interact with other car

owners and learn from their mistakes and success. The keyword here is

determination. Whatever you have chosen to do in your Do It Yourself

auto repairs, be determined and you will get it done at the end.

Remember the story of Henry Ford.

Tope Olawumi is a seasoned auto-infopreneur, his site at http://www.all-about-auto-part.com/Do-It-Yourself-Auto-Repair.html shows you how to be a good Do It Yourself auto repair expert.

You can also get the latest in cheap car part blog from http://www.all-about-auto-part.com/Auto-part-blog.html

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Finding pet supplies for any kind of pet is easier now than it has ever been. From a puppy to a reptile to the most exotic pet, you can get pet supplies online. It’s possible to browse a selection of the supplies that you need from multiple retailers to get the most affordable pet supplies.

Many people consider their pet(s) to be a part of their family and they want the best online pet supplies possible.

Through the power of the internet, pet food, dog supplies, puppy supplies, cat supplies, pet supplements, pet vitamins, pet beds, clothing, anything that you can think of and even some things that you can’t, can be purchased at an online pet supply.

The items available are constantly updated and if you order pet supplies online, you can easily find merchants who offer free shipping. And don’t think that these are knock off or counterfeit products, oh no, you can find quality brand name products from companies that you know and trust. There is no need to choose between cheap pet supplies online and decent ones. You can get your pet a simple pet collar, a designer collar, heated beds, cooling mats, chew toys, stylish clothing, the products are endless.

Going to a pet supply store in your neighborhood might be perfectly adequate for you, but you are probably paying too much for limited inventory. And if you have a more exotic pet, finding the proper supplies may be impossible, depending on where you live. Once again, the internet can come to your rescue. Online retailers like eBay and Amazon have supplies for just about any kind of pet. Plus there are many forums around started by pet lovers for every kind of pet, so if you need additional advice or ideas on where to get the best pet supplies online, they can be a great place to check out.

And we know that medications to keep your pet healthy and these medications may be expensive. It could be better financially to get your pet meds online because the prices are generally much lower than what you can get from your vet. And pills for worms, flea and tick treatments, joint health supplements, ear and eye medicines can be expensive through a traditional store. But getting these treatments for your pets online can save you a bundle!

Becoming a savvy pet supply buyer means getting your pet supplies online. There is a much larger inventory, it’s easier to find those limited edition, or super exclusive items, you don’t have to leave your home to get them; and as an added bonus you can easily find retailers, such as eBay, that offer free shipping.

For more information,on getting discount pet supplies, please visit http://cheappetsupply.org/pet-supplies-for-sale-online-2. To find information and advice on specific products for a variety of pets, please visit http://Cheappetsupply.org.

Gourmet cooking seems to be hopelessly beyond the reach of most of us. We are used to preparing a hurried meal for our families or carefully following the instructions in a recipe book when we have guests to dinner. Gourmet cooking seems to be the preserve of five star restaurants and top professional chefs who have access to the most luxurious ingredients.

But gourmet cooking can be achieved at home if you are willing to devote some time and attention to it. Gourmet cooking is essentially good cooking that uses the best ingredients and has a certain integrity to it.

Gourmet cooking can be simple food. Increasingly, even top restaurants are serving food that would once have been regarded as the food of poor people. But today when our palates are assaulted by some much processed food this kind of food has an authenticity that most of our diet lacks.

A simple meal of cheese sourced from a farm’s own dairy and hand made bread is a gourmet meal. A braised leg of spring lamb with minted new potatoes dug up only hours ago is a gourmet cooking.

Regional specialties cooked slowly with care and attention are gourmet cooking. When most food is fast food, slow food is gourmet food.

If gourmet cooking is about paying attention to ingredients it is also about paying attention to yourself. A gourmet cook must have integrity too. It is important to take pride in yourself. Hone your skills and always be prepared to learn more.

Books are useful. The best books are those that explain techniques rather than just give you recipes. It is your skill in technique that will make you a gourmet cook once you have good quality ingredients.

Some skills need to be learned from the experts. Consider enrolling on a course. A few days spent with a chef, a baker or a butcher will impart skills that cannot be picked up from a book. Not least working with a real artist in these trades will inspire you in your quest to become a gourmet cook.

Equipment is important to a gourmet cook. This doesn’t mean acquiring a battery of fancy gadgets. All you need are knives and pans but they should be of the best quality you can afford. That goes especially for knives and take care to keep them sharp. Have respect for your equipment and it will help you to become a gourmet cook.

If one word sums up what being a gourmet cook means it is that – respect. As a gourmet cook you must respect your ingredients, the skills of others, your diners, your equipment, and above all yourself. That is the only way to become a gourmet cook.

Abhishek is really passionate about Cooking and he has got some great Cooking Secrets. up his sleeves! Download his FREE 88 Pages Ebook, “Cooking Mastery!” from his website http://www.Cooking-Guru.com/770/index.htm. Only limited Free Copies available.

In today’s economy, dining out can still be accomplished with the right choices and research beforehand. Paramount to dining experience is choosing a place that appeals to both your sense of taste, and sense of atmosphere. A good establishment will work hard to both feed you well, as well as your comfort and ease levels. Great service, combined with great food and a great atmosphere are all equally important in deciding on what restaurant to dine out at. Your money is valuable, and hard earned, and should be spent in a place that will return the investment well.

When choosing a restaurant for dining out, many things are to be considered. In a good establishment, someone will be readily available to greet and seat you quickly. Your seating needs and requests should be fulfilled considerately. Extremely important to a good Dining Out experience is an establishment with knowledgeable and friendly servers. Specials and deals should be pointed out by the servers, and any questions that the guest has should be accurately answered. The server should be attentive to a guest’s needs, and never let the guest have to vie for the notice of the server.

Another piece of information that must be considered before dining out at a specific place is the actual establishment itself. Any health inspections must have been passed, and the place should be noted to be clean overall. The guest bathrooms should be readily available, clean, and well lit as well. If music is played, it should fit the theme or decor of the place, and not be so loud as to extinguish conversation.

Last, but perhaps the most important, research food quality and prices before dining out. Although individual’s tastes can differ greatly, checking reviews of specific places is a great way to scope the quality of the food. Seek reviewers with similar tastes as yours by finding reviews you would have given an establishment you have previously visited. And never forget to check the prices of courses at specific places! In this day and age, many places have their menu listed online, and this can be a great way to plan out a meal before leaving your own home to dine out. Though all of these great tips for dining out seem tedious, they are much less time consuming than going to an unfamiliar establishment that you end up greatly disliking. These tips can save you both your money, and time!

For Singapore dining guide, visit JP Pepperdine now.

Feel free to publish this article on your website, or send it to your friends, as long as you keep the resource box and the content of the article intact.

Picture this. Your 9-year old daughter staggers to the breakfast table; hands on head, and moans plaintively, “I can’t go to school today. I have a headache.”

“Nonsense,” you say. You give her an aspirin with breakfast and say, “Off you go. You’ll feel better when your history test is over.”

But what if this happens every few weeks? Might it be migraine? Is there such a thing as migraine in children?

Betsy’s Migraines – a true story

My introduction to the possibility of migraine in children came when I was teaching fourth grade in Massachusetts. That’s when I met 9-year old Betsy. Betsy was a pretty child, but headaches kept her from making either friends or academic progress. Betsy claimed to experience regular bouts of migraine in children. Her doting mother vowed that Betsy’s attacks were real, but I was skeptical, since they always coincided with things Betsy disliked.

Even more suspicious was Betsy’s behavior during attacks. She began with plausible head-holding and tears. She begged for her mother to come and get her. Then, her act always went over the top. Looking around the room to be sure she had attention, Betsy shook her head violently from side to side. “You have to do this when you have migraine,” she announced loudly. She hit her head, and turned on the waterworks – always keeping a shrewd eye on her audience. When her mother arrived, Betsy abruptly stopped shaking her head, and moaned piteously. The curtain fell as her mother wrapped Betsy in her arms and ushered her from the room.

True Migraine in Children

While I never received professional confirmation that Betsy suffered migraine in children, I did learn that the condition is authentic. Its name is “migraine in children”, even when it refers to only one child.

Facts about Migraine in Children

Migraine affects people of all ages, social classes, races, and cultures. It is most prevalent between ages 20 and 50, but migraine in children hits younger generations. Often misdiagnosed initially as a “headache excuse” to avoid unpleasant tasks, migraine in children is real. Let me give you seven facts.

* Migraine often runs in families.

* Young babies and preschoolers can suffer migraine in children.

* Migraine in children begins earlier in boys than in girls.

* Up to 6 years, boys are affected equally or slightly more than girls.

* At elementary school level, 10 percent suffer migraine in children.

* The prevalence of migraines increases during secondary school.

* 20-30% of young women and 10-20% of young men experience migraines.

Migraine in children attacks every age from birth to age 20.

Symptoms of Migraine in Children

So, since your young daughter may be suffering migraine in children, and not simply avoiding a test, we need to look for signs. What are the symptoms of migraine in children?

1. PAIN: First of all, migraine in children is very painful, with severe throbbing in the head. Your daughter will probably report pain in the forehead, or the middle of the head, rather than just one side.

2. PALLOR: Typically, migraine in children will cause sufferers to appear ill and pale. There may be dark rings around the eyes.

3. QUIETNESS: A child suffering migraine in children will be very quiet. You may have trouble getting your child to say more than, “My head hurts.” He or she will choose to sit or lie in aching silence.

4. STILLNESS: Unlike Betsy in the schoolroom, children with migraines do not want to move any part of their bodies. They certainly do not want to shake their heads. If a headache complaint is followed by a running off to play, do not suspect migraine in children.

5. NAUSEA: For those taking notes, we’re on the fifth symptom now. Your child may complain of feeling sick in the stomach. He or she may not want to eat anything, and may vomit.

6. ABDOMINAL PAIN: In very young children, the main symptoms of migraine in children are abdominal pain accompanied by nausea and vomiting.

7. VISUAL DISTURBANCES: Some children experience changes in vision during an attack of migraine in children. They may have blurry vision, see flashes of light, or describe zigzag patterns in front of their eyes.

8. PHOTOPHOBIA: Your child may complain of light being too bright, and may want to go to a dark room. For those who like to sound knowledgeable, this light sensitivity is known as photophobia.

9. PHONOPHOBIA: Moving to the eighth symptom, migraine in children may cause them to hold their ears, or complain that you’re talking too loudly. Instead of turning up the television volume, they turn it down or off. This is sound sensitivity, also known as phonophobia.

10. OSMOPHOBIA: Migraine in children will sometimes cause sensitivity to smells. Even if you aren’t cooking liver-and-onions, your child may complain that dinner smells awful. For those who want the technical term, smell sensitivity is known as osmophobia.

11. MOTION SICKNESS: Those who suffer migraine in children have a tendency toward travel sickness. Even when not in a vehicle, a sufferer may complain of dizziness.

12. CONFUSION: Finally, and this is the last symptom we will look at, if your son or daughter is suffering migraine in children, he or she is likely to exhibit confusion and trouble concentrating. You might tell your teenager, “You aren’t thinking straight.”

Is It Migraine in Children?

There you have 12 symptoms. Some will exhibit all – others will exhibit a few. Some will have authentic migraine in children – some will not. How do you tell?

PATTERN: First, note whether your child’s attacks follow a regular, intermittent pattern. Migraine in children comes back again and again, following a pattern. Look for headaches that are very severe, lasting a few hours, and followed by an interval of no symptoms. Days or weeks later, a similar attack occurs, followed by another symptom-free interval. Migraine in children has a rhythm.

FAMILY HISTORY: Check to see if there is a history of migraine in your family. There may be a tendency toward migraine in children.

PHYSICIAN: Ask your doctor. A doctor will focus on ruling out other serious diseases or underlying conditions. If there are none, you will have the doctor’s reassurance, and a plan for effective treatment. I am not a professional, and my information must always be checked with your health care professional.

If your child’s attacks are migraine in children, you can provide relief.

Relief of Migraine in Children

* SLEEP: Sleep is the most important factor when it comes to migraine in children. In many cases, several hours of sleep in a dark, quiet room is all that is required.

* ICE PACK: Try placing a cold compress on your child’s head as he or she lies in a dark, quiet room.

* OTC: With your physician’s approval, use over-the-counter medications such as aspirin, ibuprofen, or acetaminophen.

* PRECRIPTION: Your physician may want to prescribe a medication for recurring attacks of migraine in children.

* WARM BATH: A hot Epsom salt bath may help an older child or teenager.

The most effective of these is usually sleep.

How Migraine Affects Your Children

In closing, I’d like to tell you about Thomas.

Thomas was a mischievous, high-maintenance little boy. From the time he could toddle, Thomas was on the go. Morning to night, he seemed never to stop. He talked incessantly, played loudly. Everything Thomas did was at top speed and volume.

Then, one bright autumn day in his eighth year, Thomas didn’t want to eat breakfast. Pale and listless, he lay on the couch, eyes closed. When his buddy called that the school bus was coming, Thomas covered his ears and moaned. When Mother opened the curtains to let in sunshine, Thomas covered his eyes. It was his first migraine.

Thomas lost that day. He missed the introduction of multiplication at school. He missed a film in history class. He missed an afternoon hayride with his cub scout pack.

Thomas lost many days after that. He lost days to migraine in children, and he lost symptom-free days out of fear. He began moving more quietly, more slowly. As additional migraines came and went, his bubbly laughter was gradually replaced by sadness and worry.

Thomas’ story is fictional, but it describes the experience of many who suffer migraine in children.

If you think your son or daughter may have migraine in children, I urge you to take him or her to your family doctor. Check for underlying problems, and discuss treatment possibilities.

Whatever you do, don’t ignore migraine in children. Appropriate diagnosis and treatment can greatly improve their quality of life.

© 2007, Anna Hart. Migraines are a part of Anna Hart’s family history, and although she personally does not suffer from them, Anna can sympathize with those who do. For that reason, she has turned her teaching and speaking skills to informing others about migraines. She posts regular migraine-oriented articles at: href=”http://www.migrainereliefblog.com”>http://www.migrainereliefblog.com . If this article on migraine in children has been helpful to you, Anna invites you to read more about migraine relief [http://www.migrainereliefblog.com/relief-for-migraine-headaches/migraine-relief-through-migraine-pressure-points-21] in her current and upcoming blog entries.

When you’re getting ready to buy a pair of hiking boots, there’s a lot to consider in order to make sure the shoe has the features you need to get you where you want to go safely and comfortably.  Different styles of hiking boots are necessary depending on the type of excursions you’re planning.

First, What Are Your Options? Currently, the 3 basic styles of hiking boots are:

1. Low Cut Hiking Shoes: Resembling a beefy sneaker, a low cut hiking shoe is great for many types of moderate hiking excursions. They can also be the perfect water hybrid shoe when made of quick drying materials and they’ll also provide descent traction.
2. Mid Cut Hiking Shoes: This style of hiking shoe falls right about mid ankle, providing more support than low cut hiking shoes, but allow for more ankle movement than hiking boots. They can be safely worn for some backpacking and most hiking trips.
3. Hiking Boots: Full height hiking boots are essential if you’re backpacking for any extended length of time or with a heavy load because of the support they provide for the ankle. A good quality hiking boot usually lasts a long time and provides excellent traction on most any terrain.

Now you know the basics about the different styles available, but, how do you know what style of hiking boot or shoe is right for you? Ask yourself the following questions about the ways in which you will typically use your hiking shoes, then, you’ll be able to choose the right style and qualities to create the perfect hiking footwear for your journey.

What Are You Planning to Carry?

If you’re planning to carry anything more than a day pack on the majority of your hikes, consider the weight of what you’ll have in your pack before choosing a pair of hiking boots or shoes.

If you have a really heavy load, say 40 – 50 lbs or more, ankle support is essential. Some hikers find ankle support essential no matter what amount of weight they carry, but others feel that you can still have a safe and comfortable hike in mid cut hiking shoes when you’re carrying around a 45 lb load or less. If you’re carrying less than 25 lbs, then you can also safely explore the available options in low cut hiking shoes.

Do You Want Your Hiking Shoes to be Waterproof or Quick Drying?

For many, the automatic response is “of course I want them to be waterproof”, but, if you get waterproof boots (usually made of Leather or Gore-Tex) wet above the ankle line, or the waterproof membrane becomes damaged your feet are usually soaked for awhile because these materials are heavy and take time to dry.

The alternative to a heavier waterproof hiking shoe or boot is a pair of hiking shoes made out of quick drying material. If you’re going to be faced with higher water (above the ankle) on a regular basis, your feet are going to be getting wet regardless, and a quick dry material may be of a greater advantage to you than a waterproof boot

However, if you’re just puddle hopping or crossing low level streams for the most part, the water proof boot or shoe will get wet much less often than a quick drying one; which will get wet no matter the height of the stream, the dew, the mud, etc.

What Type of Terrain Will You Be Hiking On?

Do you normally hike semi maintained trails in the town forest, or are you on a quest to climb all the 14ers in Colorado? The terrain is a very important aspect of picking the right hiking boot. You will obviously need more ankle support as the intensity of the terrain you’re hiking increases, but traction matters also.

If you encounter mud a lot in your area (or where you’re going) you’ll want to look for tread that is soft and releases mud easily. An awesome hiking shoe with not so awesome treads quickly becomes a lead brick when hiking through mud.

Also, if you end up hiking on terrain (like desert canyons or high mountain peaks) that is notoriously gravelly or filled with loose rocks, a step can easily become a slide and quality traction as well as ankle support is essential to help prevent this and keep your hike safe.

Within these main questions, you’ll also have to ask yourself what type of material you prefer for both the outside and inside of your boots, as well as color, and style. But, if you answer these basic questions before you purchase anything, you’ll be able to easily select the best hiking shoe or boot for your style of hiking. This way your hikes can be safe and enjoyable to both you and your feet!

About this Author

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You don’t have to stop at shoes though. To find coupon codes and promotional offers for most anything you’re buying online, just visit DiscountSpies.com [http://www.discountspies.com].

Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ginney_Harris

You’ve probably read the previous piece on North Indian breads. This article focuses on North Indian cooking, which includes cooking style, spices used, terminology and some common foods.

North Indian cooking is nearly always quite spicy and uses a large number of spices in any given dish. The terms used for various dishes are normally descriptive of the food itself like Jeera Aloo for instance, which literally translates to ‘Cumin seed Potatoes’. Like most cultures there are also some misleading names like ‘Butter Chicken’, which is actually marinated chicken cooked in a tandoor and served in smooth, tomato gravy and doesn’t contain any butter. There are also terms which aren’t related to the food in question, like Pulao, which is rice cooked with spices and vegetables. The term sabzi (sub-zee) is used quite liberally when describing nearly any dry, vegetable preparation. The same applies to the term dal, which is used for most types of lentils. The term tari (tuh-ree) denotes gravy and is suffixed to the name of a dish when it has gravy.

In these days of fusion food, it is difficult to pin down a set of spices that a given region can claim. However, traditionally, north Indian cooking uses the following spices and herbs:

• Cumin seed (Jeera)
• Ajowan or (Ajwain)
• Red Chili Powder I – Flavor over color (Lal Mirch)
• Red Chili Powder II – Color over flavor (Degi Mirch or Kashmiri Mirch)
• Turmeric Powder (Haldi)
• Dried Mango Powder (Aamchur)
• Coriander Seeds (Sabat Dhania)
• Coriander Powder (Dhania)
• Fresh Coriander Leaves (Hara Dhania)
• Green Cardamom (Choti Elaichi)
• Black Cardamom (Badi Elaichi)
• Cinnamon (Dalchini)
• Garam Masala – A set mixture of spices – roasted cumin, cinnamon, cloves, caraway seeds, nutmeg (and/or mace) and green cardamom seed or black cardamom pods. The composition of Garam Masala changes from region to region.
• Dried Fenugreek Leaves (Kasuri Methi)
• Black Mustard Seeds (Rai)

This list is by no means complete – there are many more spices used in every day North Indian cooking – the purpose of this article however is to provide a feel for North Indian cooking.

Different spices are used in different situations, in different ways. The flavor and characteristics of spices change if you’re dry roasting them, frying them, adding them before simmering to cook or after cooking.

Our first foray into traditional North Indian cooking could start with a simple vegetable preparation, which we could either call Aloo ki Sabzi (‘Vegetable Preparation of Potatoes’) or Jeera Aloo (Cumin seed Flavored Potatoes).

Cumin Seed Potatoes / Jeera Aloo

Ingredients

- 3 Large Baking Potatoes

-One onion, chopped fine

-1 tsp Cumin seed

-1 tsp Turmeric Powder

-1 tsp Chili Powder

-1 tsp Coriander Powder

-1 tsp Dried Mango Powder

-Salt to taste

-Chopped fresh coriander for garnishing

-Oil for frying

Method

First peel your potatoes, dice and then boil in lightly salted water. Then drain and let cool. Heat oil in your pan and add the cumin seed. After 2 – 3 seconds of crackling, add the onions and fry, stirring lightly for about a minute on low heat. Now add all the spices, except the dried mango powder and mix well. Throw in the potatoes, which should be nice and firm now and toss well, so the onion-spice mixture coats the potatoes all over. Simmer for about 5 – 7 minutes. Finally, add the dried mango powder and toss the potatoes on high heat, till there’s a thick, spicy sludge adhering to the potatoes. Garnish with the fresh, chopped coriander prior to serving.

These can be served with Rotis, filled in toasted sandwiches or just eaten as is for a snack.

As you can see, this everyday dish uses 5 different spices and one herb. There are some traditional dishes that use up to 30 different spices! These are now (in most part) a thing of the past and cooked only on very special occasions.

As an example, let’s say we’d like to try our hand at cooking a simple north Indian dish without a recipe, simply going by the style. Obviously we’ll need some north Indian spices, the most common of which are Jeera (cumin seed), Haldi (turmeric powder), Namak (salt) and Mirch (chili powder). The first step, in nearly every dish is to fry onions as it is a staple in north Indian cooking. When pink/transparent, we add some spices and fry some more. This gives us a thick sauce to which we can add a little water if we wish. This sauce will coat the vegetables or meat we’ll add later. Here’s a simple example.

Onion and Tomato Sabzi / Pyaaz Tamatar ki Sabzi

Ingredients

-3 Large tomatoes, chopped roughly

-Two Onions, chopped roughly

-2 large cloves of garlic, finely sliced

-1 tsp Cumin seed

-1 tsp Turmeric Powder

-1 tsp Dried Mango Powder

-1 tsp Chili Powder

-Salt to taste

-Oil for frying

Method

The process is really quite simple – we heat a little oil, add the onions, fry a little, add the garlic and continue frying till the onions are pink or translucent. Then we add the rest of the spices except the dried mango powder, mix well and finally toss in the tomatoes. The dried mango powder goes in at the end.

One major feature of Indian cooking is that vegetables are rarely left crisp or crunchy. They’re nearly always cooked till they’re very soft. This isn’t very good for the nutrition content of the veggies and I’d recommend cooking them till they’re just done and still have a bit of bite left.

The pan will be kept on a simmer for 5 – 10 minutes, till the tomatoes are cooked through. Finally we stir in the dried mango powder and it’s ready to eat! This dish is usually eaten with Rotis.

As you can see, the pattern is similar – fry onions (if using), spices, toss in vegetables, nuke them (or not) and serve. Now that we have an idea of the basics involved, let’s get on to the secrets!

The Cooking Methods (by Naheed)

Secret 1: Bhuno well.

This is an extremely important process and involves frying spices to extract most of their flavor. Remember not to overheat the oil (unless it is mustard oil, which has to be heated till it emits some smoke & does not froth when something is put in it). If dry powdered masala is being used, the oil should not be hot as the dry spices will burn. Some amount of water must be added if you feel the spices may burn. When making the masala, use onion paste along with ginger & garlic to which you will add other spices as required.

For meat however, the method is quite different. This is the last process for cooking meat in quite a few cases, or the process just before adding water to make the gravy. It is believed the real flavor of meat develops only if you devote upward of 10 minutes to this process. Meat releases some of its own fat which mixes with the spices and then the oil cooks the meat and helps the meat absorb the mixed flavors of the spices. How long to do so, is a question that has no fixed answer. As a guideline, stop when either the meat becomes too tender or the gravy becomes completely dry, or your guests start to get very restless. You will also notice that the meat & gravy tend to stick to the vessel if you do not stir them constantly. If they do, scrape it off; and if the gravy gets too dry, add yoghurt or water.

Secret 2: Bagharna

This is a simple process and is called Chaukna in Hindi. Here dry spices are added to hot oil and this concoction is added to a dish (e.g. Dal). Although a simple process, do not burn the spices. In fact it is advised that once you have added the spices, remove the vessel from the fire.

Secret 3: Dum Cooking

This is the art of slow cooking. It enables individual flavors to intermingle properly. This is also the method used for the last few minutes when cooking rice or biryani. In the old days, when food was cooked on coal or wood, the only way was to raise the distance between the flame & the vessel, or put the vessel in the dying embers, seal the lid of the dish with flour & put a few embers of coal on top of the lid. In dum cooking, it is essential the fire be at its lowest and the food will therefore take a while before it’s done. Rest assured that your patience will be amply rewarded. Thankfully modern cooking presents us with newer methods and one of the easiest is to put the whole vessel in an oven. If you do not have one, put a griddle (tawa) on the flame & then put the vessel on it. Also note that dum cooking meat will make the ingredients (meat, vegetables) exude the moisture or water within. A word of caution here: Try not to use a pressure cooker or the meat will not turn out right.

Secret 4: Frying

Simple you’d say. Well, yes it is. However, there are two types of frying. One is frying to cook and the other one to brown. For deep frying it is essential that there be sufficient oil to cover the item. For browning, the oil can be less but must be at a low temperature.

Secret 5: Using earthenware

Not only is earthenware cheap in India but it was also the first form of disposable crockery. Most desserts in India were traditionally served either on banana leaves or in earthenware crockery. Some of the better known five star restaurants in India still use earthenware. If you’ve noticed, tea at Indian railway stations is still served in earthenware glasses. Not only is it environmentally friendly, a special earthy flavor permeates the tea, which no cooking method can simulate.

Secret 6: Kewda Water

Kewda is the derivative of a desert plant with very fragrant leaves. The essential oil of this is heavily diluted in water which is used as a perfuming agent for food. Typically used in Firni and Zarda among other desserts and has no parallel.

The Ingredients

Secret 1: Dahi or Yoghurt

This is a wonder ingredient. Yoghurt lends a light buttery flavor to the creation as well as a light creamy consistency. For example, it is the base for some dishes like Rizala where the original flavor of yoghurt is completely transformed. Yoghurt when cooked transforms in taste to lightly sour and gives the gravy a creamy texture. All in all, it is an essential item. In a few dishes, it may be substituted by tomato puree but then the final result will be slightly different. Did you know vegetables cooked in yoghurt retain their shape? In fact in Dumpukth Fish, it is the yoghurt that preserves the shape of the fish. Also, at times if you have mistakenly added extra salt, add a splash of whisked yoghurt and cook for a while.

Secret 2: Onions

This is an essential ingredient in a lot of dishes and is commonly used for salads. A handy tip on handling onions is to remove the outer dry skin, cut in half and wash thoroughly to prevent your eyes from watering. Onions lend a sweetish flavor to cooking and are a common masala base. However when fried then mixed, the taste is totally different. So when the recipe says “fry onions”, you’d better fry them.

Secret 3: Cumin

There are two types of cumin seeds. The common white cumin seeds which are cheap are used mainly in vegetarian dishes. They are more often than not fried to get their flavor out. Sometimes as in a raita, they are dry roasted on a tawa and then ground. However, the more expensive black cumin seeds or Shah Jeera as they are commonly known as, are quite different in taste and flavor. The two are rarely substituted. Most restaurants substitute them in rice preparations, but then, what you get is something totally different.

Final Recipe

Now that we have quite a good idea of what’s involved in North Indian cooking, perhaps a slightly complex recipe is in order – Nihari. This is definitely not one of the dishes that one finds on the menu of five star restaurants. This is one of the dishes eaten with a lot of passion by all. In fact to have Nihari one must have the zest to wake up before dawn because it is a very hot meal and in most places where it is served, the service is over by 9am. It is a delectable broth of meat, cooked over a slow fire, mostly overnight and eaten in the early hours of the morning with a tandoori roti and an assortment of fresh herbs accompanied by loads of lemon. The meat is fulfilling and the broth is had as a refreshing and a rather hot soup. The other reason why one has it as a breakfast meal and that too only in winter is because it makes you feel very thirsty and rather warm. Don’t tell me I didn’t warn you.

Nihari

Ingredients

• 1 kg Nihari meat (or any other meat that’s available)
• 250 grams Onions, sliced
• 3/4 cup Ghee
• 2 tbsp ginger paste
• 2 tbsp garlic paste
• 2 tbsp dry roasted chickpea flour
• 1/2 – 1 tsp red chili powder
• 1 tsp Coriander powder
• 1/4tsp Turmeric powder
• Salt to taste

Spice mixture

Grind together the following:1/4 tsp. dried ginger, 1/4 tsp. mace, 1/2 tsp. fennel, 1/2 tsp. white cumin seeds, 2 large cardamom, 4 small cardamoms, 4 cloves, 6 black pepper seeds

Preparation

Preparation time 30 minutes | Cooking time 2-3 hours

• Add 2/3rd of the onions in moderately hot oil and when the onion goes soft add ginger & garlic paste along with ground coriander and turmeric powder and let it fry for about 3-4 minutes or until the oil comes on top again.
• Add the meat and cook over slow fire. The meat will let out its own water.
• When it is semi cooked, add the chick pea flour to 2 cups of water and leave the broth to cook over very slow fire for at least 45 minutes.
• The slower you cook the more flavors you will draw out.
• Keep the pot covered but no pressure cookers please.
• When the meat is as tender as it can get, add the spice mixture along with the leftover onions.

On a parting note, while cooking methods remain largely consistent and typical, knowing the spices will help tremendously. So while you’re cooking go on and add that sprinkle of black mustard seeds to hot oil and watch them crackle or throw in some curry leaves and savor the change in flavors!

Sid Khullar has written nearly 400 articles on food, cooking and other related subjects on Chef at Large. He welcomes recipe and photo contributions and is always looking to meet people passionate about the culinary arts.

The common questions for anyone who want to start business are: How to raise money to start business, and where to get money for my business?

To raise money to start business is not as difficult as most people seem to think. This is especially true when you have an idea that can make you and your backers rich. Actually, there’s more money available for new business ventures than there are good business ideas. We will help you for where you can get money for business.

A very important rule of the game to learn: Any time you want to raise money, your first move should be to put together a proper prospectus.

This prospectus should include a resume of your background, your education, training, experience and any other personal qualities that might be counted as an asset to your potential success. It’s also a good idea to list the various loans you’ve had in the past, what they were for, and your history in paying them off.

You’ll have to explain in detail how the money you want is going to be used. If it’s for an existing business, you’ll need a profit and loss record for at least the preceding six months, and a plan showing how this additional money will produce greater profits. If it’s a new business, you’ll have to show your proposed business plan, your marketing research and projected costs, as well as anticipated income figures, with a summary for each year, over at least a three year period.

It’ll be advantageous to you to base your cost estimates high, and your income projections on minimal returns. This will enable you to “ride through” those extreme “ups and downs” inherent in any beginning business. You should also describe what makes your business unique—how it differs form your competition and the opportunities for expansion or secondary products.

This prospectus will have to state precisely what you’re offering the investor in return for the use of his money. He’ll want to know the percentage of interest you’re willing to pay, and whether monthly, quarterly or on an annual basis. Are you offering a certain percentage of the profits? A percentage of the business? A seat on your board of directories?

An investor uses his money to make more money. He wants to make as much as he can, regardless whether it’s short term or long term deal. In order to attract him, interest him, and persuade him to “put up” the money you need, you’ll not only have to offer him an opportunity for big profits, but you’ll have to spell it out in detail, and further, back up your claims with proof from your marketing research.

Venture investors are usually quite familiar with “high risk” proposals, yet they all want to minimize that risk as much as possible. Therefore, your prospectus should include a listing of your business and personal assets with documentation—usually copies of your tax returns for the past three years or more. Your prospective investor may not know anything about you or your business, but if he wants to know, he can pick up his telephone and know everything there is to know within 24 hours. The point here is, don’t ever try to “con” a potential investor. Be honest with him. Lay all the facts on the table for him. In most cases, if you’ve got a good idea and you’ve done your homework properly, and “interested investor” will understand your position and offer more help than you dared to ask.

When you have your prospectus prepared, know how much money you want, exactly how it will be used, and how you intend to repay it, you’re ready to start looking for investors.

As simple as it seems, one of the easiest ways of raising money is by advertising in a newspaper or a national publication featuring such ads. Your ad should state the amount of money you want–always ask for more money than you have room for negotiating. Your ad should also state the type of business involved ( to separate the curious from the truly interested), and the kind of return you’re promising on the investment.

Take a page from the party plan merchandisers. Set up a party and invite your friends over. Explain your business plan, the profit potential, and how much you need. Give them each a copy of your prospectus and ask that they pledge a thousand dollars as a non-participating partner in your business. Check with the current tax regulations. You may be allowed up to 25 partners in Sub Chapter S enterprises, opening the door for anyone to gather a group of friends around himself with something to offer them in return for their assistance in capitalizing his business.

You can also issue and sell up to $300,000 worth of stock in your company without going through the Federal Trade Commission. You’ll need the help of an attorney to do this, however, and of course a good tax accountant as well wouldn’t hurt.

It’s always a good idea to have an attorney and an accountant help you make up your business prospectus. As you explain your plan to them, and ask for their advice, casually ask them if they’d mind letting you know of, or steer your way any potential investors they might happen to meet. Do the same with your banker. Give him a copy of your prospectus and ask him if he’d look it over and offer any suggestions for improving it, and of course, let you know of any potential investors. In either case, it’s always a good idea to let them know you’re willing to pay a “finder’s fee” if you can be directed to the right investor.

Professional people such as doctors and dentists are known to have a tendency to join occupational investment groups. The next time you talk with your doctor or dentist, give him a prospectus and explain your plan. He may want to invest on his own or perhaps set up an appointment for you to talk with the manager of his investment group. Either way, you win because when you’re looking for money, it’s essential that you get the word out as many potential investors as possible.

Don’t overlook the possibilities of the Small Business Investment Companies in your area. Look them up in your telephone book under “Investment Services.” These companies exist for the sole purpose of lending money to businesses which they feel have a good chance of making money. In many instances, they trade their help for a small interest in your company.

Many states have Business Development Commissions whose goal is to assist in the establishment and growth of new businesses. Not only do they offer favorable taxes and business expertise, most also offer money or facilities to help a new business get started. Your Chamber of Commerce is the place to check for further information of this idea.

Industrial banks are usually much more amenable to making business loans than regular banks, so be sure to check out these institutions in your area. insurance companies are prime sources of long term business capital, but each company varies its policies regarding the type of business it will consider. Check your local agent for the name and address of the person to contact. It’s also quite possible to get the directories of another company to invest in your business. Look for a company that can benefit from your product or service. Also, be sure to check at your public library for available foundation grants. These can be the final answer to all your money needs if your business is perceived to be related to the objectives and activities of the foundation.

Finally, there’s the Money broker or Finder. These are the people who take your prospectus and circulate it with various known lenders or investors. They always require an up-front or retainer fee, and there’s no way they can guarantee to get you the loan or the money you want.

There are many very good money brokers, and there are some that are not so good. They all take a percentage of the gross amount that’s finally procured for your needs. The important thing is to check them out fully; find out about the successful loans or investment plans they’re arranged, and what kind of investor contacts they have—all of this before you put up any front money or pay any retainer fees.

There are many ways to raise money—from staging garage sales to selling stocks. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that the only place you can find the money you need is through the bank or finance company.

Start thinking about the idea of inviting investors to share in your business as silent partners. Think about the idea of obtaining financing for a primary business by arranging financing for another business that will support the start-up, establishment and developing of the primary business. Consider the feasibility of merging with a company that’s already organized, and with facilities that are compatible or related to your needs. Give some thought to the possibilities of getting the people supplying your production equipment to co-sign the loan you need for start-up capital.

Remember, there are thousands upon thousands of ways to obtain business start-up capital. This is truly the age of creative financing.

Disregard the stories you hear of “tight money,” and start making phone calls, talking to people, and making appointments to discuss your plans with the people who have money invest. There’s more money now than there’s ever been for a new business investment. The problem is that most beginning “business builders” don’t know what to believe or which way to turn for help. They tend to believe the stories of “tight money,” and they set aside their plans for a business of their own until a time when start-up money might be easier to find.

The truth is this: Now is the time to make your move. Now is the time to act. the person with a truly viable business plan, and determination to succeed, will make use of every possible idea that can be imagined. And the ideas I’ve suggested here should serve as just a few of the unlimited sources of monetary help available and waiting for you!

Now you should get idea for how to raise money to start business, how to get money for business, and where to get money for my business.

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Julia Tang publishes Smart Online Business Tips, a fresh
and informative newsletter dedicated to supporting people
like you! To find out the best online business opportunities,
and to discover hundreds more proven and practical internet
marketing secrets, plus FREE internet marketing products
worth over $200, visit: http://www.best-internet-businesses.com
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