Use of Contraceptives

If you love to have sex but you don't want to get pregnant, contraceptives could be your best friends. Apart from the fact that they prevent pregnancy, some surgical operations that are life savers are also contraceptive in nature. A good example is hysterectomy in which the uterus is surgically removed. Contraceptives are the various deliberate means of avoiding pregnancy.

How to choose the right contraceptives

The factors to consider in choosing your contraceptives are:

Efficiency Safety and Personal taste.

Types

There are two broad types: the Natural contraceptives and the Artificial ones. Each of them has its merits and demerits so it advisable to consult a doctor before deciding for or against a particular contraceptive.

The natural contraceptives

Coitus interruptus (withdrawal method) in which the penis is withdrawn from the vagina just prior ejaculation. It is not very effective because it demands great discipline from the man. Moreover, there are some sperm present in the lubricating fluid produced by the man which may impregnate. The douche is another method but it is also not very effective. In fact, it is almost useless to douche after the intercourse Fertility cycle: A man is always ready and able to fertilize a woman but the woman is fertile for only certain days of the month. These days are the day before ovulation, the day of ovulation and the day after that. If you avoid sex during the three fertile days of the month, you could avoid pregnancy. This is theoretical and may also not be as efficient as you want.

The artificial contraceptives

The pill (oral contraceptives) is drugs with which you control your menstrual cycle hence your ovulation. It is one of the most effective contraceptives but it has its downsides too. One of them is possible delayed ovulation when you need it. Intrauterine Device (IUD): a device inserted by a doctor into the uterine cavity to prevent pregnancy. Its downside includes higher possibility of abnormal pregnancy, disease and abortion. Vaginal diaphragm is a dome-shaped device that you insert into the vagina before love-making. Its job is to prevent the sperm from reaching the fertilization site. You may need to add some spermicidal jelly to the rim to make it more effective. The use of Vaginal Spermicidal products is another contraceptive. These products will kill any sperm in the vagina without harming the vagina. The downside to this is that it must be used just before sex so it could be distracting. Condoms are worn both as contraceptives and to prevent diseases. Its down side is that it has to be worn after erection and there have been reports of broken condoms here and there. In addition, some men complain of reduced pleasure when they use condoms. The RU486 is used by some women. It is actually an abortion drug so if you have a thing or two against abortion, you need to think twice before you go for this option. Although hysterectomy is used in the treatment of medical conditions like uterine fibroid, prolapse, pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) etc. Some people consider it also as a birth control method. Tubal ligation (for women) and vasectomy (for men) are surgical operations in which a section of the tubes that carry ovum in the woman or the one that conducts the sperm in the man is cut and tied off. It is a sure way of preventing pregnancy.

Caution! Before you go for tubal ligation or vasectomy, it is very important that you are absolutely sure you don't want to get pregnancy any more. To reverse these surgical operations are expensive and the success is not guaranteed.

Although some contraceptives are readily available, it is advisable to consult your doctor before you start using any them. There could be some underlying dangers which only qualified doctors can detect.

Wireless Network Trouble Shooting: Hidden Wireless Secrets Revealed

Do you always notice your wireless adapter is always dropping and reconnecting to your wireless network. If you don't know what I mean just watch the balloon in the bottom right hand corner of you windows Xp task bar. Your wireless adapter should stay connected and that's it if you are constantly connecting and reconnecting then you have problems.

1. Update your wireless adapters Driver - To obtain the most updater driver for your wireless adapter proceed to the manufactures website and go the support section. They should ask you for your model of wireless adapter, leading you to the most up to date driver for your wireless adapter. Updating your wireless adapter is very important because if you are trying to connect to a network that is using WPA2 most of the initial drivers already have patches out. After you re-install your wireless adapters driver then you will need to restart you computer.

2. Next if this still doesn't work you should take the battery out of your laptop and hold the power button down for about a minute. Not sure of the exact details of why this works but it does have something to do with getting rid of all the static charges that might interfere with your wireless adapter.

3. Stopping and restarting windows xp wireless zero configuration utility - Proceed to the run menus and type msconfig, then go to services and go all the way down to the bottom and uncheck the wireless zereo configuration utility and then restart your computer. Next after your wireless laptop is powered up then we will restart the wireless zero configuration utility, go to the run menu again and typ services.msc, press W to go all the way to the bottom and then right clidk the wireless zero config services and press start.

4. Delete all of you wireless network profiles - Reconfigure all your wireless network profiles by typing in your SSID, WPA, WPA2 and passphrase. Try using WPA2 but not use AES encryption, use mixed or TKIP this might help.

5. Update all of your wireless access points Firmware - When WPA2 first came out all wireless hardware companies rushed out updated drivers and firmware, well most of those drivers and firmware's had minor glitches which have been fixed now.

6. Change your wireless adapters stickiness - In you wireless adapters advanced properties check to see that your your wireless adapters stickiness is set to medium - Stickiness means how aggressively your wireless router will jump from access point to access point in order to find the best signal. If it is set to high you might end up losing more that gaining.

The first things I would do before doing anything else is updating your wireless adapter's firmware and then deleting your wireless network profiles.

Compensated Suffering

There is a great power that comes from knowing what God thinks about suffering. Though we cannot comprehend all the ramifications of suffering, I believe the Bible furnishes reasonable answers to our questions. One particular reason is found in Philippians 1: 29: For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake. In II Timothy 3: 12, the Bible says, Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. Based on the Word of God, suffering is a part of God's divine plan for the believer.

Even though it is wonderful to know scriptures of this kind, they are merely information unless we understand and apply them to our lives. We must comprehend early in our Christian walk that to whom it is given to believe in Christ, it is also given to suffer for Him. Romans 8:17 says, Now if we are children, then we are heirs--heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

The word heir is defined as "a person who inherits or is legally entitled to inherit." So the text implies that if we as believers want to be inheritors, beneficiaries or recipients of the promises of God, we must have fellowship with God through pain, affliction, adversity and hardship-all of which are included in suffering.

I recognize that it is not natural for people to see profit in suffering. In fact the opposite is true; mankind staggers over it. Our human nature considers suffering a tragedy, a setback, a hindrance to progress, something that prevents us from moving forward in the blessing of Christ. As a result, most Christians think of suffering as something we should avoid at all costs. But Jesus expects us to choose to suffer with Him.

To suffer for the sake of Christ is a high honor conferred upon believers. The secular definition of the word "suffer" means to undergo or feel pain or distress; to sustain injury, disadvantage or loss; to endure or be afflicted by something temporarily or chronically. The Christian view of the word has been enlarged to refer not only to physical pain or distress--but also to the way we identify ourselves with Christ and His righteousness. II Timothy 2:12 says, If we suffer, we shall also reign with Him.

When unexpected suffering comes our way, we have a choice. We can choose it or reject it. In Matthew 16:24-25, Jesus said to His disciples, If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it (NKJV). Suffering then is a path to which we must willingly submit. And when we do so, we determine by God's grace to live righteously, knowing that it will ultimately bless us and bring glory to God.

Because you are a child of God through relationship with His Son, Jesus Christ, you will share in the fellowship of His suffering. No matter how holy you are, how often you pray or read the Word of God or how long you have been saved you will participate in suffering of one kind or another.

Suffering is perplexing, even somewhat mysterious. We may know some of the theological reasons for suffering from Scripture, yet when it hits us, there is still a certain mystery. Why now? Why me? What is God doing? What did I do to deserve this?

No matter what hits us, when we suffer we often feel victimized because suffering is unsolicited, unwanted and uninvited. No believer ever wakes up and prays, "Dear Lord, I want to suffer today." We bear suffering only because it will not go away and because, we rarely if ever, understand the reason behind it. The problem of suffering is complex in that its entire scope cannot be fully understood or explained. And it is even more perplexing when we personally face its reality.

Although suffering is perplexing, we as believers should not be surprised when it comes our way. Instead of greeting suffering as an unwelcome visitor, we should expect it to come. Just like blessings, suffering will be a constant companion in the life of a believer. Suffering for Christ's sake is the will of God. We must believe that even as it was the Father's will for Christ to suffer for our sins, so it is His will that we suffer as we identify with Christ.

Suffering is often mind-boggling as it comes in various forms, and each one has to be dealt with as if for the first time. Any pain whether it be physical or emotional can be considered suffering. And only you can determine what suffering means for you personally. It may be physical or relational pain, mental anguish, loneliness, the loss of a loved one or one's reputation, betrayal by a friend, financial reversal, family conflict, terminal illness, feeling trapped in a distasteful job, or being lied to or unfairly treated, to say nothing of being beaten, mentally abused or discredited. It can come disguised as marital discord, sickness, financial calamity, hardship from personal attacks, or even difficulty in the church. It can involve the loss of property, health, or dignity; the slander, deceit, or evil actions of an enemy; abandonment by a friend; and worst of all, the disappointment, disgust, and shame of our own personal failures. Suffering can include deep humiliation, a serious disappointment, and the list goes on.

What may cause me to suffer may not faze you. What may drop you to your knees I may not even notice. In order to understand my definition of suffering you would have to walk in my shoes. But regardless of what kind of suffering we face, when we suffer for Christ's sake it hurts because in and of itself, suffering holds no pleasure. We experience pain we want to do without; we are hurt with a hurt we would rather not feel; we experience trials we badly want to avoid; and we cry tears we do not want to shed. Suffering hurts.

Suffering does not discriminate, it does not distinguish, it does not classify or single out, and it does not show favoritism. Suffering is an equal opportunity employer. It is always looking to hire. There is no way to avoid it. In fact, if you are a follower of Christ you should expect it.

Most of the time, suffering only makes sense in hindsight. Though painful and perplexing, if you respond right it will bring you closer to God. Apostle Paul had no explanation for his suffering; however, he found in his suffering a deeper sense of intimacy and fellowship with His Lord. Philippians 3:10 says, that I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death (NIV). In Colossians 1:24, Paul says, Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I do my share on behalf of His body (which is the church) in filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions (NASB).

Unlike Paul, some Christians do not rejoice in suffering-instead they grow angry. Suffering has a tendency to make you feel angry with whomever we think is the source of our pain. Perhaps this is why so many Christians first become angry with God when they suffer. They believe He is the source of their problems. But you will never gain the lesson hidden in your pain if you blame the very person who wants to deliver you. I remember one night in particular, my loneliness and desperation were just too much for me. I could not take it anymore. I remember crying out to the Lord that night, "God, why? How could you allow this to happen to me? Can't you see how angry I am? Don't you care about how I'm hurting inside? Why are you doing this to me? Why are you refusing me the one thing I need to make my life complete? Lord, if you are not going to honor my request, then why won't you take away this desire so that I can go on with my life?" I remember looking up and shouting, "I'm mad at you, God. This is not fair!" That night I came very close to turning my back on the One who cared most.

I wish I could tell you that the answer to my cry was immediate and that the next day I was on my way serving the Lord at my highest level, but it didn't happen that way. However, I can say that God overlooked my temper tantrum and saw it for what it was--the heart cry of a bruised spirit, a spirit that was eaten up by intense pain. But thank God that His Word says, A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out... and The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise (Matthew 12:20; Psalm 51:17 NIV).

If anyone ever had a right to cry out to God that life is unfair, it was Jesus. He lived a sinless life. The gospels (Mathew, Mark, Luke and John) all say He healed people and showed compassion to the outcasts. He taught the truth about God and pointed out the hypocrisy of the religious leaders of His day. For this He was hated, arrested, mocked, beaten and killed in the cruelest way devised by man at that time. His enemies could not find any true accusations to bring against Him so they made up a lie, and Jesus was executed as a criminal. And nowhere in the Bible do we see Jesus blaming His Father for His hardship. He felt forsaken and abandoned. He felt deserted and isolated, but never did he feel that His father was treating Him unjustly.

Just like Jesus, no Christian gets though life without suffering. Suffering is a tricky enemy; it sneaks up on us when everything is fine and we are not prepared for it. However, suffering is included among "all things" God works together for His glory and our good. (See Romans 8:28.)

Suffering should not be perceived simply as pain but as a privilege. (See Philippians 1:29.) Seeing suffering from Peter's perspective should transform our attitude toward this aspect of our identification with Christ and His cross. It should help us entrust our souls to a faithful Creator. Jesus entrusted His soul (or spirit) to God. First Peter 2:23 says, And while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting [Himself] to Him who judges righteously. Luke 23:46 reads: And Jesus, crying out with a loud voice, said, Father, into your hands I commit my spirit (NASB). Paul entrusted his soul to Christ. In II Timothy1:12, Paul said, For this reason I also suffer these things, but I am not ashamed; for I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him until that day (NASB). Likewise, we are also to commit and entrust our souls to a "faithful Creator."

In recent years, it has been important for me to study the lives of others, both in Scripture and in church history, to learn what helped them persevere in perplexing times. In I Peter we see the suffering of cruel treatment we may endure at the hand of superiors to whom we submit ourselves (vv 2:13-25). There is the suffering of speech--of slander and reviling (vv. 2:12, 23; 4:14). In Hebrews, we see the suffering of imprisonment and seizure of property (vv. 10:32-34). In Genesis chapters 37, and 39 to 45, Joseph suffered because of the jealous actions of his brothers. In Job's case, suffering came in the form of natural calamities, human sin and cruelty, and physical infirmities. (See Job 1 and 2.) The amazing thing is that they were all bewildered and perplexed by their trouble, but there was purpose in their sufferings.

At a critical and decisive time in my life, I had to make a choice to fight and deny the pain and lose all God wanted to teach me through my suffering, or walk straight through it and let God speak to me in the midst of it. Since I could not change what was happening I made a choice to walk in faith. I did not want to bring attention to my trial, so in public, I always acted (yes, acted) as if everything was okay. I responded this way for two reasons: First, I did not want people to know my predicament, and second, I wanted God to be pleased with my attitude during the dark seasons of my life. I had witnessed many suffering Christians bring attention to themselves (acting sad and pitiful; looking depressed and angry) in hopes of gaining sympathy and pity from others. I wanted to avoid this type of behavior. What we get from people can make us forfeit what we could have received from God, which is more valuable by far. That is why it is very important that we watch our hunger for human sympathy when God is working out His plan, through suffering, in our lives.

The fact that we belong to God means that we will experience unjust and unwarranted pain in our lives. As much as we would like to avoid it, there is something about suffering that makes us stronger, makes us grow deeper in our faith, and opens us up to possibilities that may not have been available had we not suffered.

Suffering is inevitable. It is a constant companion in the life of a believer. Jesus never promised our lives would be easy ones. He did, however, promise that He would always be with us; every step of the way. . . . Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you (Hebrews 13:5 NIV).

God will always do things in our lives that we do not understand. Sometimes it will seem as if there is no point to our suffering. However, we must know God always has a purpose-whether we understand it or not.

Asthma - An Allergy

Undoubtedly, allergies often cause asthma. The terms asthma and allergy are often used as synonyms by laymen and in medical terminology. Unfortunately, only a few cases of asthma are really caused by allergies.

The term allergy is difficult to define. Allergy basically means "to react differently". As a matter of fact, many asthmatic patients react differently to various kinds of inhaled substances than do healthy people. Antibodies, which are usually significant in the protection from pathogenic agents, initiate a fateful chain of reactions in the case of asthma.

Allergic asthma due to pollen is a good example. Whereas about 90 percent of the population can inhale large amounts of pollen from grasses and ragweed, which bloom during spring and autumn, the remaining 10 percent of the population suffer from hay fever or pollen asthma. The link between the nose and the airways is obvious. Anyone who suffers from hay fever, called pollinosis in medical terminology, will complain about the discomfort it causes. While everyone else enjoys the first signs of summer, the sunshine, the warmth and the blooming of the meadows, the person suffering from hay fever hides behind the drawn blinds because otherwise, his eyes run and the itching of the eye becomes intolerable. A person suffering from hay fever may also experience a constantly running nose, difficulty of breathing through the nose and may feel generally ill although the illness seems to be so harmless.

Nonetheless, the person with hay fever suffers far less than the one with pollen asthma. Pollen asthma affects a part of the bronchial system, which is far more important for breathing than is the nose. It is not known why the disease affects the nose in one person and the bronchial system in another. Unfortunately, children who suffer from hay fever while still in school develop asthma as adults. Causes for this development are unknown.

How does the seemingly innocuous pollen cause asthma?

Pollen is usually too large to infiltrate the bronchial wall as a whole. Rather, the bronchial mucosa dissolves the pollen into protein particles small enough to pass through the epithelium (a membranous tissue composed of cell layers forming the covering of most internal and external surfaces of the body and its organs). These pollen particles then encounter cells in the bronchial mucosa, which develop antibodies against it. It would appear that this formation of antibodies to trap the pollen particles is normal. Unfortunately, the antibody struggles with the intruding pollen particle without success. The formation of allergy antibodies initiates a reaction, which is more harmful to the body than if nothing had happened. The struggle between the intruding allergens and the antibodies formed by the body takes place on the membrane of so-called mast cells, which are composed of dangerous substances. Mast cells take part in the body's allergic response. They can be found in most body tissues, but are predominantly abundant in connective tissue, such as the bronchial mucosa. In an allergic response, an allergen stimulates the release of antibodies, which attach themselves to mast cells. Following subsequent allergen exposure, the mast cells release substances such as histamine (a chemical which causes allergic symptoms) into the tissue. These substances lead to a spasm of the bronchial muscles, make the small vessels in the bronchial mucosa permeable, allow blood plasma to escape into the tissue and lead to the production of extremely viscid bronchial mucus.

Tax Qualified Long Term Care Insurance - Long Term Care Insurance Tax Credits and Deductions

If you're thinking about purchasing long term care insurance, it's important to consider the tax advantages of a "qualified" policy versus a "non-qualified" policy. You also need to be familiar with the various potential long term care insurance tax credits and deductions that you or your business may be eligible for. Read on to learn some of the unique tax benefits that LTC has that can ultimately allow you to get the coverage you need while saving you money at the same time!

In 1996 Congress passed the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). This bill allows for some federal income tax advantages for LTC policies that are designated "tax-qualified" or "qualified.". LTC policies that don't meet the requirements under this Act are known as Non-Qualified policies.

If you have a long term care policy, you may be able to deduct all or part of the premiums you pay for the policy. If the premium for your LTC, plus other qualified medical expenses exceeds 7.5 percent of your adjusted gross income, you can deduct a percentage of this premium based on your age. This deduction would be listed under medical expenses if you itemize your tax return.

If you don't qualify for a federal tax deduction, many states offer tax deductions or tax credits for LTC insurance. Check with your state's Department of Health to see how the tax deductibility of long term care insurance works in your state.

Another tax advantage with a qualified long term care policy is that the benefits you receive from this policy are generally not taxable as income. Therefore, any benefits you receive from your policy will not force you into a higher tax bracket.

If you have your own business, depending on how your company is structured, (C Corp, S Corp, LLC, partnership, sole proprietorship, etc.) you might have a triple tax deduction for long term care insurance premiums. The premiums, or partial premiums paid by your employees will lower their salary, thereby reducing their taxable income. Speak with your CPA, financial adviser, attorney, or other qualified tax professional for more information about the specifics of how your particular type of business entity can best take advantage of the tax benefits of long term care insurance.

If your business is paying the premiums for the employees, the premiums, or a portion of the premiums may be a tax deduction for the corporation, and the benefits paid to your employees if they have to use their policy is a tax free benefit.

Both a qualified or non-qualified long term care insurance policy can be good wealth protection tools. The possible tax advantages of a qualified long term care insurance policy might be a better choice.

Insurance companies, such as Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, Mutual of Omaha, Prudential Insurance Company of America, Transamerica Financial Life Insurance. John Hancock Insurance Company, among many others, all offer both qualified and non-qualified long term care insurance policies.

Whether you choose a qualified or non-qualified long term care policy, please consult with your accountant or financial advisor to discuss the tax advantages of such a decision. There is no substitute for putting the time in to research your options and then speaking with and experienced professional.

With the rising costs of nursing home care, in-home care, and other medical expenses, a long term health care insurance policy is a worthwhile investment in protecting your wealth, now, and in retirement.

Imagine the peace of mind both you and your family will have knowing that they are protected in the event of a chronic illness or the need for nursing home or assisted living care. With the possible tax advantages and wealth protection features of a qualified long term care policy available, what are you waiting for? Be sure and shop around and compare rates and benefits for both types of long term care health insurance policies.

Grooming Techniques - What They Are and When to Use Them

Ideally your horse should be groomed everyday and you will need a good quality grooming kit to get the best results. There are several essential items for your kit and here I will list them with their purpose.

Body Brush - A soft brush to lift surface dirt and dust from the coat Dandy Brush - A hard bristled brush to remove dried mud, sweat and grass stains from the coat Water Brush - A medium stiffness, white bristled brush used to remove more stubborn sweat stains Curry Comb (plastic/rubber) - To remove dried mud from the body only, not to be used on the legs of face Curry Comb (metal) - Used only to clean the body brush, this brush should NEVER be used on the horse Hoof Pick - A plastic or metal hook used to remove mud from the hoof, this should NEVER be used on the frog Sponges - Used to clean the eyes, nose, muzzle and dock. There should be a different sponge for each area Sweat Scrapper - A stiff plastic arch similar to a window squeegy, used to remove excess water after bathing your horse. All items of the grooming kit should be washed weekly in warm water and mild detergent. Dip the bristles and rinse well but try not to submerge the wooden handle as the water will damage it. Dry the brushes bristle up and oil leather backed brushes. Store your grooming kit in a clean, dry box.

There are a few techniques for grooming your horse depending on the results you require.

Quartering / Brushing Off

This is done in the morning before exercise. The feet are picked out, stable stains are removed and the mane and tail should be brushed through. The eyes, nose and dock are sponged clean.. This is a quick clean and should only take 15-20 minutes.

Full Groom

It is preferable to do a full groom when a horse has already been exercised as his skin will be warm and loose. First pick the hooves into a skip bucket, brush of any dried mud and sweat from the body with a dandy brush or rubber curry comb or wash with water if necessary and dry with a towel. Then clean the remaining dust from the coat with the body brush. Brush the legs using the body brush but if this is not strong enough the dandy brush can be used. Use the body brush and the fingers to brush through the mane and tail a few locks at a time. Gently use the body brush on the face. Sponge the eyes, nose, muzzle and dock using separate sponges for each area. Lay the mane neatly with a damp water brush and wash the hooves. When the hooves are dry apply oil.

Washing

Washing can be done to remove dirt and sweat or simply for appearance when showing. Luke warm water and a sponge or water brush should be used. Soak the body, legs, neck and mane with water. Dissolve horse shampoo in the water and scrub it into the coat not forgetting the belly, legs and dock. Put the tail hair into the bucket and rub well to remove dirt, use extra shampoo if necessary. Wash the head and forelock with a sponge but not with soap, you do not want shampoo in your horses eyes. Rinse the horse very thoroughly. Use the sweat scraper to remove excess water from the body. Dry the face, ears, legs and heels with a towel and spin the tail dry.

The stable kept horse will require grooming daily to maintain good health. It will excrete a large amount of waste product through the skin which must be removed.

The field kept horse needs only modified grooming, full grooming or washing removes essential oils from the coat which are needed to help keep the animal protected from the elements. He only needs surface mud removing, feet picked out, sponging of the eyes, nose, muzzle and dock and a quick tidy up.

Precautions To Be Taken When Grooming Your Horse

When grooming or washing your horse always have him tied up, wearing a head collar tied to string which is threaded through a stable ring. Take care around the frog and the cleft of the foot when picking the feet out as catching it could cause the horse to kick out or stamp, potentially hurting you. Never get yourself positioned between the horse and the wall, horses do on occasion decide to squash people against walls and it hurts! Crouch when brushing legs, never kneel or sit on the ground. If you are crouching you can move more quickly out of the way if need be. Rest your spare hand on the horses hock when brushing his legs so he can not flex his hock and kick out Stand close to the horse so it is difficult for him to kick you. Untie the horse when brushing his face and be careful not to bump the bony areas of his face with the brush as this could cause him to shy away from you. When cleaning the tail/dock stand to the side so you cannot be kicked. These precautions may seem a little over the top, especially if you know your horse very well but horses are unpredictable animals. They are easy, practical tips to ensure your safety. Adhering to these precautions will help to prevent accidents and incidents and ensure safe and happy grooming of your horse.

How to Choose the Right Exhaust for Your Kids' ATV

Always expect to have wear and tear on your Kid's ATV - and that's because kids don't really know how to maintain their own ATVs if you don't do it for them. And with work and, perhaps, household chores, who'd have the time to constantly help the kids clean up and maintain their ATVs for them. Therefore, wear and tear on your kids' ATVs is very common.

The exhaust, if your kids use their ATVs quite regularly, may need quite frequent replacements - especially if your kids are not experienced in riding their ATVs. A couple of bang-ups here and there and the exhaust may need to be replaced pretty quickly.

And if you're shopping for Kid's ATV exhaust, here are a couple of things to keep in mind.

Affordable

Did we already say that the exhaust may need quite frequent replacements? OK, since we got that out of the way, it DOES make sense that your kids' replacement ATV exhaust should be affordable and mid-range, doesn't it? Even if you're going to get them a cheap ATV exhaust, at least make sure that the exhaust is made of high quality material.

No parts to assemble and replace

Generally speaking, when you're shopping for your kids' ATV exhaust, the exhaust should not have any parts to assemble. It should just come out of the box and onto the kid's ATV - and that's about it.

Heat shield to prevent injury

The exhaust will get extremely hot after use, therefore, it's important to keep your kids away from the exhaust portion of the ATV. No running or clowning around is allowed around the ATV after one's used it! Well, to be on the safe side, you should get a kids' ATV exhaust that comes with heat shield.

Other important determining factors when purchasing kids' ATV exhaust

There are many other things to take into consideration when one is buying a kids' ATV exhaust, e.g. the exhaust should attach to the factory muffler within minutes

Why Not Learn About the Business Cycle and Policy Making Manipulation in Economics

Most people do not really understand the economy, business cycles, how the Federal Reserve works or how on Earth this terrible crisis occurred that ended up taking down the whole world, causing the global crisis we are now in. But in case you are one of them, and if you care to learn a little, might I be so bold as to recommend a very good book to you?

"Meltdown - A Free Market Look at Why the Stock Market Collapsed, the Economy Tanked, and Government Bailouts Will Make Things Worse" by Thomas Woods; Regnery Publishing (2009)

Woods is very critical of politicians that tell us that it is the "Free Market that failed" as he says; NO, that's just not so. So what was the government's role in this, well consider the Community Re-investment Act, Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae, and the Federal Reserve System and their manipulations and intervention of the moving market to achieve the desired results.

This book boasts that it answers the following very important questions: (1) Which brave few economists predicted the economic fallout--and why nobody listened; (2) What really caused the collapse; (3) Why the Fed--not taxpayers--should have to answer for the current economic crisis; (3) Why bailouts are band-aids that will only provide temporary relief and ultimately make things worse; and (4) What we should do instead, to put our economy on a healthy path to recovery.

And I would submit to you that he's done a very good job of showing how our manipulation of the business cycles is nothing more than a scam at times. The author says that the people that believe in Freedom are the smartest people in the world. And you may recognize his name, as he also wrote the bestselling book; "The Politically Incorrect Guide to American History."

He is a free-market guy, and rightfully so, best of all he writes with conviction in an easy to understand format that even a novice can comprehend. I very much recommend this book to you. Think on This.

It's Time That We Find Good Leaders - For Our Schools, Our Businesses, Our Government

"A good leader inspires others with confidence in him/her; a great leader inspires them with confidence in themselves." ~ Mike Jones

A great mother reads to her kids and inspires those kids to want to read and learn on their own. A great teacher does the same. They inspire confidence in children, letting them know that the sky is the limit and that nothing can nor should hold them back - not their gender, their race, their stature, nor their financial situation. They provide learning materials. Where there does not seem to be a way, they help their kids find a way to improve their lives. That's what great leaders do.

A great boss shows his subordinates that he is not afraid of hard work himself. And he gives his employees the opportunity to learn and grow, even if it means that they will eventually leave his company for a better job. That's what great leaders do.

A great political leader does not present gloom and doom as not only the food of the day but of the banquets of tomorrow. He or she is honest about today's situation, but offers hope for tomorrows because he offers real solutions. He lets people know that mere hoping is not enough, but that action is required to fulfill one's dreams. He welcomes the ideas of the people whom he serves. He listens to the ones he serves, all of them, not just a select few. That's what great leaders do.

All great leaders are like that. They are honest about the fact that succeeding in anything - in school, in jobs, in marriages - requires much more than mere hoping. It requires hard work. And a true leader makes sure that opportunities for learning and growing, and then opportunities for that hard work, are available.

Hope is not about cheerleading. Hope is not about sugar-coating what is or what could be. It's also not about demonizing what is or what could be. It is all about being honest about what is and about what will or will not come to pass if situations don't change.

A great parent does not create a home life that so shelters his/her young that they don't get the opportunity to learn, to grow, to take risks.

Great parents, teachers, bosses, and political leaders do not tell their charges verbally or by insinuation that they are not capable beings, not capable of reasoning, of thinking or of succeeding. They don't call them names. They don't make fun of them.

With every program thrown at Americans, it is insinuated that they are not capable beings. With every demonizing word against the "rich", the idea is planted in people's minds that having money and succeeding in life is a bad thing and allowing the government to control them and to feed them and house them is a good thing. Great leaders do not do this.

It's time, America, to find better leaders.

If parents are failing - and many are - it's time for us to offer mentoring programs so that they can learn to be better parents and to prepare their children to succeed.

If teachers are failing - and many are - it's time for us to remind them that it's not all about unions and money, but about the students. More money for supplies and school programs are not what counts. (More money for their benefits is certainly not important to the success of the children.) Our children need teachers who inspire them to greatness, and that doesn't require money, it requires great teachers who care.

If business leaders are failing - and many are - it's time for our schools and colleges to offer better understanding of what is required to succeed. And it's time for employers to offer programs of enrichment for their employees, so that things like good customer service are not a thing of the past and employee/employer loyalty are enhanced.

And if our political leaders are failing - and so many are - then it's time for We The People to find others who understand that when they take an oath to uphold the Constitution, that's what their service to us requires. It may be against the law to require voters to pass a test, but it's time that we start testing potential politicians to make sure they understand the Constitution and the requirements of the job. It's time that we ask more questions of them, in townhall meetings and in correspondence to them. And if they don't answer, or if they only answer in form letters, then perhaps they need to be replaced with leaders who understand that they serve us, not unions and not corporations.

Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail." That used to be what the United States was all about. But to be that way, we had to have leaders - in our homes, our schools, our churches, our businesses and our government - who let us know that they were behind us while we ventured out to make our own trails.

We can be that kind of America again. I believe that the window of opportunity, though, is closing rapidly. People who have said in the past, "well, I don't get involved in politics" have got to wake up and get involved.

Margaret Mead said, "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has."

She was right. A small band of people started this great nation. And a small band of people wants to crush this great nation.

Conservatives outnumber liberals in every single state in the nation, even in those considered to be liberal states. Independents are the next largest group, and even most of those who voted for America to be "fundamentally transformed" did not anticipate a government that ignores the Constitution.

Ours is not such a small band, and we need to remember that when we think about the real changes that need to be made in our country today. When we speak of going back to the way things were, we're talking about having a government that follows the Constitution, not about instituting slavery and taking away the votes of women.

We're talking about going back to the days when government leaders served the people, not their own self-interests. But just as importantly, we're talking about going back to a time when leaders of all kinds understood the importance and necessity of instilling confidence in their charges, so that people could be proud of their own achievements and accomplishments and proud of the nation as a whole.