Desert lakes and sandy seas

Don't much like to fly? Maybe the wonders of Namibia will convince you. So much of the best of this spectacular, vast land of contrasts is only accessible by air. There's nothing quite like cruising low over the endless stretches of parched landscape following behind a herd of black rhino or a quick fly-by of a dozing flock of flamingos amid the desert sands.

Wedged between the Kalahari and the southern Atlantic, Namibia is a chance to explore the spirit of this wide-open continent and discover the wilder side of Africa, where only the sporadic roar of a lion or cackle of hyena punctuates the silence of the night.

A short, comfortable flight south from the capital, Windhoek, takes you into the ochre stained lands of Sossusvlei, a rather inhospitable clay pan surrounded by some of the highest sand dunes in the world. Deep in the desert of the Namib-Naukluft Park the awesomely giant rusted waves of sand just beg to be climbed, and the view from the top is well worth every slippery step of the 300-metre trek. The sun rises and literally flows over the sharp peaks throwing transient shapes and shadows into a kaleidoscopic of changing colours and textures.

The richness of these ancient oxidized sands lie in stark contrast to the shimmering white land that stretches some across the heart of the Etosha National Park.

Here a fly-in safari offers the original bird's eye view from an unusual safari vehicle gliding just over the land in search of wildlife. And in spite of the blinding whiteness of Etosha's dry pan, it is home to a surprising variety of wildlife, which offers a firsthand look at the sheer magnificence of nature's survival strategies.

One hundred thousand years ago, the some 8,598 dry and cracked square miles that make up northern Namibia's Etosha National Park were awash with water. A shifting continent turned the rivers and sent them flowing toward the Atlantic. Now all that remains is a dusty, salty dried-up lake, which shimmers vaguely greenish-white like a land-locked sea.

Amid the hauntingly arid desolation of the largest, but somewhat unfamiliar game park in Africa hundreds of species of animals and plants not only survive, they flourish. And when the dusty clay soaks up the heavy rains of the wet season, a shallow inland lake reforms and draws thousands of wading birds. Pelicans and flamingoes congregate in the shimmering waters, while larger creatures, such as lions and buffalo gather along the edge of the rapidly diminishing lake, as the iridescent sands of the pan appear to blend into the cloudless sky behind them.

10 birthday gifts your kids will love

Everyone loves a special gift on their birthday: especially our kids! I have put together a list of 10 memorable gifts you can gift your children on their birthday without breaking the bank.

Art supplies: almost all kids enjoy crayons, markers, stickers, colored pencils, gel pens, special papers and scissors, sidewalk chalk, water colors, homemade rubber stamps, "how to draw" books calligraphy instructions, or origami instructions and colored paper. An art supply gift not only encourages the youngsters to use their imagination, but it can be an extra treat when you spend time with them using them.

Books are always great gifts for any age: you can get musical or squeaky books for the little ones, short stories for preschoolers, adventure books for 9-11 year olds, and so on: there is a book for every taste. You can also buy books about your child's interests, books about careers, etc.

A classic movie, which never goes out of style, great for when friends come over, or on that day when they are bored and nothing else could help.

For older boys, a tool kit would be great: gives them the opportunity to work side by side with dad, and possibly learn a life skill.

For older girls, beads could mean hours of fun. Buy a variety of colors and shapes and watch you little princess enjoy hours of happiness.

To the gourmand give a roll of sugar cookie dough from the grocery store, along with a couple of cookie cutters, and a rolling pin. Again, this would be a lot of fun for the little one to make, and share with friends and family.

For the nature lover, a gardening kit with a couple of small pots filled with potting soil, some seeds, and a plastic watering can give countless hours of fun, while caring for the plants, and watching them grow.

A disposable camera will add a boost to the party. If your budget permits, add a small picture album, and you've instantly created wonderful memories of that birthday.

A basket of fun: find an inexpensive basket, or another container, maybe a pail for kids and fill it with fun, cheap stuff. For instance, silly putty, a water gun, a deck of cards, sidewalk chalk, etc. For boys, you can add some little cars and for girls, throw in some hair accessories. Finish it off with some candy or a pez dispenser and you have a fun gift. If you find some fun, small things that most kids think are neat, pick up a bunch so that at any time you have a supply of items to mix and match for a birthday.

Children crave attention from important people in their lives, (mom, dad, grandparent, aunt, older sibling). Give that special child the gift of time: a day out with you complete with lunch, a movie, and/or shopping for the gift of

their choice.

Annuity 101

If a person has a lot of money and decides not to spend it, there are ways of making this grow. One option is keeping it in the bank and letting it grow interest. The other is investing it in the stock market with the help of a financial consultant. This professional will be able to know what stock is worth buying and when is the best time to sell.

Another way of making the money grow especially if the person does not have medical insurance will be in the form of an annuity.

An annuity is a deal made between the insurance firm and the person. This arrangement allows the insurance company to invest the money of an individual in various business ventures with a percentage of growth to be returned in a number of years. This money can also earn interest on it’s own which will be given back over a period of time.

The disadvantages of this deal may make the person wait longer than expected to be able to get the money back due to surrender periods. Rules set by the IRS may reduce how much the person can get back due to taxes.

In the event of the untimely death of the individual, the beneficiaries will also not be able to get the entire payment because of tax deductions.

It is advisable for the person to pick a strong and stable insurance company. If this money was invested in a firm that suddenly goes bankrupt, the individual will not be able to get anything.

To be sure that the insurance company is in good standing with the industry, one should only go for a firm that has been given a good rating from agencies such as Standard & Poors, Moody’s Investor Services, Duff & Phelps or AM Best.

Should the person still want to person an annuity, there are some things that have to be decided upon to make it work. The name of the person, the insurance company and who are the beneficiaries in the event something happens.

Since a selling agent will probably be the one who will approach the individual and present this proposition, the individual should consult and be accompanied by the family attorney and a financial consultant to make sure the deal is perfectly safe.

The person should be aware of the pro’s and cons of an annuity. When this is done, the individual should carefully read the contents of the document before signing it.

The person should then be ready to make the first deposit in the form of a check addressed to the insurance company.

At the same time, this document should be stored in a safe place together with other papers that the person may need to bring out in the future. Changes in the document may happen at any time which makes it important to have this document stored in a safe place.

An annuity is something that people who are either rich or poor can invest on. Since this works like an insurance plan, the individual may choose to give the payment in one lump sum or do it on a monthly basis.

Since it is probably not wise to invest the money in one place, one should keep some money elsewhere that is easily accessible in case of emergencies.

The beauty that sports cars possess

There is more to physical features like, sleekness of the car, that determine its beauty.

Here are some of the characteristics that endear sports cars to car enthusiasts.

- Sports cars have attitude at first glance.

Sports cars speak the attitude that they possess. They are not like mere cars whose presence can be ignored. They captivate the eyes of those who see them. They imply that thrill and enjoyment van be expected when their hands are those that control the wheel.

Sports cars stand above other cars, that are seen very day, primarily because the designs imply what they are capable of doing. A sleek look really matches a car with sleek activities.

- Sports cars possess greater power.

Their power comes from their more powerful engines and has other specifications than other the cars have. A sports car can do more than ordinary tasks because of the features that only they possess.

- Sports cars are made for driving pleasure.

Ordinary cars make driving monotonous and boring, while on the other hand, sports cars primarily aim to give the drivers a "high" feeling of speed and control. Only sports cars can provide that need for drivers who seek adventure.

Sports cars bring the thrill back to driving. They express what other cars can not. Sports cars are not designed just for practicality, but for pleasure too.

- Sports cars are made for drivers who enjoy their ‘wild side’.

Drivers do have the need to express this ‘wild side’. Sports cars make any road a venue to satisfy those needs. Only sports cars can match the “wildness" that drivers innately have. For that reason, sports cars perfectly compliment the child in every driver.

- Sports cars have evolved and improved through the years.

Drivers appreciate the improvements that have been made to sports cars. You could say that sports car technology has infinite possibilities. The stereotypes of sports cars have long been debunked. Those limits have been crossed. The only thing that car enthusiasts can do is to watch as these improvements unfold before their very eyes.

- Sports cars make their owners feel good about themselves.

Sports cars are lifeless. They cannot feel proud because they are beautiful, but their owners take pride in having them.

With all these things said about the intrinsic and extrinsic beauty that sports cars possess, only a person who does not appreciate their beauty and/or speed will not opt to get one.

A guide to lawsuit cash advances

The purpose of a Lawsuit Cash Advance is to help people recover the compensation owed to them for personal injury inflicted upon them either due to a road accident, discrimination at the workplace or any sort of medical or legal malpractice. There are many companies who offer Lawsuit Cash Advances to enable the plaintiffs to fight their legal battle. The Cash Advances are not loans in the traditional sense of the word, for the injured person has to pay back the amount only upon winning the case, but not otherwise.

If you are facing a situation where you are looking for a non-recourse loan, you can contact these companies and provide them the details of your case. The companies will then consult a lawyer to get feedback on the merits of the case, and an idea about the anticipated settlement amount. On winning the settlement, you would then have to give a certain percentage of the settlement to the financing company. The usual rate charged by these companies varies from ten to fifteen percent of the settlement amount.

Another advantage is that your attorney will have the benefit of the advanced cash. It would enable him or her to prepare your case more effectively, as shortage of funds will no longer be an issue. The attorney will get the necessary time to collect the depositions and find the necessary witnesses. This will, in turn, improve your chances of winning your case and getting a suitable compensation packet.

These Cash Advances offer you the opportunity to take your case to the courts. Otherwise you might have to opt for an out-of-court settlement, which could mean that you compromise on the amount.

Yet, as a word of caution, it is necessary to add that taking such loans should be your last recourse. This is because, given the risk involved, the companies can ask you to shell out a hefty fee for their services. So before accepting Cash Advances for fighting your lawsuits, you must consider other options to raise the funds.

5 ways to liven your audience

Has a boring speaker ever put you to sleep? Your head begins to nod as you fight off the urge to slip mercifully into the Land of the Z’s. Or has your mind ever wandered during someone’s dull presentation? Although you appear to listen intently, what you are really thinking about are the million tasks waiting for you at home.

Sure, this has happened to all of us, more than we would like to admit. However, don’t let it happen to you when you are the speaker. The key to keeping your audience from taking a mental exit is to involve them in your talk. Yes! Studies show that the more you involve your audience, the more they retain. Why? Because they are listening!

You can involve your audience in several ways, and I have listed 5 of my favorites below. Select those that will work well with your presentation and that feel genuine to you. If it feels uncomfortable, it will look uncomfortable—so don’t use it.

1. Ask questions.

Questions will cause your audience members to try to think of an answer. They can’t help it – it is simply how our brains are wired. If the energy in the room starts to drop, ask a question and select a member of your audience to respond. Then, thank him or her for participating and move on to the next person. Don’t worry about loosing control of your audience. Sales guru Brian Tracy emphasizes, “He (she) who asks questions is in control.” I personally prefer questions like “How many of you . . .,” and then I ask for a show of hands. These closed-ended questions get your audience involved both mentally and physically.

2. Finish your sentence.

For example, if you said to your audience, “Lions and tigers and bears . . .” and did not finish the sentence, what do you think they would say? As long as they are familiar with the movie The Wizard of Oz, they would respond with “Oh my!” This is a fun way to get your audience to participate. If they know the answer, they will blurt it out. If they don’t, you answer it. Choose something that should be so obvious they will absolutely get it.

3. High-five.

This is one of my personal favorites, and if you have attended one of my talks you have experienced it firsthand. If you ever feel like the energy in the room is heavy, you can change it by using this technique. Simply ask a question (remember the power of asking questions). Ask, “Is this good stuff?” When your audience responds with “Yes,” say “Then, turn to the people on either side of you and give them a high-five and say ‘This is good stuff!’” Most people get a kick out of it. However, if you have an individual in your audience who does not want to participate, don’t worry about it. Some people simply just don’t want to have fun.

4. Do exercises.

I learned this trick from the famous millionaire T. Harv Ecker when I took his “Train the Trainer” course. He says, “Get your audience to do the work.” To accomplish this, ask them to break into groups of two or three (with people that they don’t know) and give them an exercise that is congruent with your presentation. Afterward, ask them to share openly with the rest of the group and thank them for doing so.

5. Give them candy.

Reward your audience for participating, and they will participate even more. Simply ask a question and when someone answers it, gently throw a small piece of candy to that person. I find that chocolate works best. You will find that it becomes a game and people will compete for the chocolate. I don’t use this throughout my entire speech, only for a few minutes in the middle of my talk.

There are many other ways and techniques to get your audience involved. What is important as a speaker is for you to come up with as many different ways as you can think of that are appropriate for your audience and for you as a speaker. Believe me, your audience will thank you.

Feel anxious again go excercising or relax to music

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Of course, no matter if you've ever experienced anxiety disorder, you know about such treatments as herbal or homeopathy management of it with the use of the essence of Bach flower, berocca or ginger, gotu kola or lemongrass leaves, licorice, magnesium, passion flower, St. John's wort or valerian.

Aromatherapy along with hydrotherapy do not work recent research say. Vitamin C is not effective either, according to these studies. No matter how much you laugh, pray, avoid caffeine in your food and drink or keep to a carbohydrate-rich/protein-poor diet, or how many hours a week you spend on yoga. This measures are absolutely uneffective in anxiety disorder treatment.

But if you swap praying for meditation, and yoga classes for dance/movement therapy together with music, you increase the chance that your effort will be paid off. In the same category you can find relaxation therapy, exercise, bibliotherapy, autogenic therapy, massage (might be effective for kids only, researchers say), inositol and acupuncture.

Some treatments, such as kava and 5-hydroxyl-L-tryptophan, are effective but kava brings with it severe side effect, such as liver toxity and 5-hydroxyl-L-tryptophan can cause eosinophilia-myalgia syndrome.

The conclusion investigators came to is that the majority of complementary and alternative medicines so popular nowadays cannot be accepted as an adequate alternative for treating anxiety disorders.

You can read more at herbal alternative medicine articles.