How To Naturally Get Bigger And Firmer Breasts

More than ever, women are opting for natural ways to enhance their breasts. Women who find themselves wanting bigger and firmer breasts without resorting to surgery often find effective solutions in the modern and effective natural breast enhancement treatments that are now available.

Most women who try methods like push up bras and implant surgery often end up disappointed. Breast implants are unnatural and can leak and cause other problems, and push-ups and padded bras are only a temporary solution.

For women who want permanent results, beyond the simple solution of a pushup bra, the herbal supplements on the market combine special ingredients to enhance the breast to become larger and firmer, more shapely and sensitive.

However knowing that women who desire a little more cleavage and fullness are looking for a natural solution, a lot of companies have popped up promising their products will wonder wonders. One way to make a good decision is to not trust companies whose websites look fake or cheap as if they were put together in 5 minutes.

Try to compare different natural breast enhancement websites with only original and several testimonial pictures and texts. Make sure you can also find a list of the ingredients on their website. A company who does not list its ingredients is not confident that their product really works.

As natural breast enhancement supplements will work differently for each woman, you should only purchase from a company with a solid money back guarantee.

And a sure way to find out if a natural breast enhancement product is worth your time, do a search on the product and see if it is highly and positively reviewed on product review websites.

Start enjoying a higher confidence and all-natural results from an inexpensive and guaranteed natural breast enhancement solution today.

Sandra Richardson is a nutritionist who writes about women's health issues. If you found the above helpful, click the link to read more about natural breast enhancement at her website, http://www.herbalmedstore.com

Business Fails When We Do Not Talk

Scenario Of Intimatewear Market

The journey of lingerie from 'cotte' to trendy intimatewear

The existence of lingerie is as old as the existence of women who wear it. In the middle ages things were easygoing as women wore various corset-like alternatives like the cotte, the bliaunt and the surcot, which move on easily over their dresses and hold the breasts firmly. Wearing underwear/corsets has been practiced since the ancient civilization of Egypt and Greece, where women wore corsets to support their breasts. Bras have been worn in all ages to support women's breasts and give them a fashionable look.

18th Century: It is believed that the history of underwear started in the 18th century. The padded silhouette with a flat stomach, slim waist and cone-shaped bust was a style. The corset, a vital part of any woman's clothing at that time, gave the body a typical shape, squeezing the internal organs and making them feel comfortable. Extreme usage of satin, silk and damask decorated with embroidery, ribbons and laces gave the effect of artistry.

19th Century: Women wore corsets, crinolines and bustles. The S-shaped silhouette trend started at that time. Women wore underwear like knickers, corset, camisole and waist slip.

20th Century: Lingerie turned out to be simpler and more practical. Corsets were replaced by a more flexible girdle modern bra. Pastel colours for lingerie came into existence. In 1910 boyish silhouette became a trend. The first brassiere to have a patent, which was accepted largely, was a bra invented by a young New York socialite named Mary Phelps Jacob in 1910. In the 1930s femininity became a fashion trend. A woman was covered by the one-piece garments known as corsets including a curved and bust-emphasizing brassiere and girdle with garters. But one-piece corsets were accepted largely and panties were reduced in size and finally gained the shape of bikini briefs.

21st century-the era of intimacy-intimatewear: In this era the fashion is pushing women to exhibit the underwear as outerwear which is worn for the sensitive pleasure of a partner. Lingerie is considered as the second skin by many women. In the present era, women have more choices than ever in terms of style, design, fabrics etc. Since many centuries fashion in connection to lingerie styles was toggling between the feminine and masculine, painful and practical. In the recent time, lingerie is the most attractive, luxurious and feminine clothing that is worn intimately and respected for its practicality and comfort.

Worldwide Market Growth Forecast of Lingerie

Today, the main concern about marketing the lingerie products is the fight for share between global brands and retailers' local labels worldwide. It is also about consumers' choice and acceptance of brand. With its matchless combination of fashion and function, lingerie is a product category that crosses the fine line between necessity and luxury. Besides these features, it has increased into about a US$30 billion-a-year industry and placed itself for further growth over the next five years.

To know the global lingerie market, it is essential to check out not only the competition between brands, but also the separate bra-wars taking place between brands and local retail labels. The leading player among lingerie brands worldwide is United States-based manufacturer Sara Lee, which has a major market share in its home country as well as the European market. After Sara Lee there exist companies like Warnaco, Fruit of the Loom, VF and Maidenform, in Europe Triumph also possess a major market share. The more comfy La Perla, meanwhile, is atop the high end of the world lingerie market.

In the retail sector, US chain Victoria's Secret, the UK's Knickerbox and northern European retailer Hunkemoller provide to the specialist market, but the huge quantity of lingerie is traded by clothing retailers like Marks & Spencer and hypermarkets like Wal-Mart and Carrefour. Though, the tendency is to be robust on briefs than bras, and repeatedly sell these items in multiple packs. While the leading retailers and brands keep up to propel the market, the nature of uniqueness demands that there is also a push of smaller, more up market labels that offer to a few niche.

Of the total world lingerie market, amounted to US$29.5 billion annually in 2003, bras calculated to 56 per cent of total sales, while briefs and the body wear/daywear/shape wear category add 32 per cent and 12 per cent in that order. Of about 6.4 billion bras and briefs were procured worldwide in 2003. The report shows that the average woman buys two bras and five pairs of briefs per year. Lingerie sales in the developed world are observed to be basic fashion-driven, with the average woman having six bras and eight pairs of briefs in her wardrobe - more than she usually requires.

The buying of these products is normally determined by style factors, like as what styles (g-string, padded bra) look best under certain types of clothing, or what colors appear best. In the past, this picture has not been right for developing countries where lingerie is bought more out of need than desire. Though, population growth, unstable demographics and the appearance of consumers with more disposable income is changing purchasing habits in these regions, and the lingerie market is projected to gain advantage from this opportunity.

According to a research report, the global lingerie market was calculated to be $29.15-billion (U.S.) in 2004 and is projected to increase (at the rate of about 9 per cent) to $31.6-billion in 2012. And the product category that will have the quickest growth is odywear, daywear and shapewear.

Despite this noteworthy growth, demand for lingerie in the developed world has been observed to be rising at about five per cent (based on low population growth, ageing demographics and product saturation), while that of the rest of the world is projected to increase by almost 20 per cent.

While this turns out to be a fairly steady 7 per cent raise in world volume to 6.8 billion units, it also amounts to massive growth in developing nations. This will go together by a noteworthy push towards offshore manufacturing in countries like China and India, as continuing enhancement in technology and communications make such alternatives far more cost effective than the domestic alternative. Markets that are expected to develop in the future include the Indian sub-continent, China and Southeast Asia. India and China are projected to increase their international market share by about US$100 million each, while Southeast Asia, already a leading market for lingerie, will increase by US$350 million in value.

Given that price points in these sub-regions are somewhat low; this expected growth shows an opportunity in huge quantity for lingerie companies. Products which shape the body and offer smooth curves are observed as a key growth sector for baby boomer lingerie buyers. New and innovative fabrics like Lycra and microfibers will keep on featuring a lot in this segment.

Prices to keep steady

With downward price emphasis at a retail level compensating any attempts at increasing manufacturers' costs, prices are not anticipated to have any noteworthy impact on lingerie market growth in the developed world till 2010. Though, value growth in the developing world is more complicated to estimate, due to the extensive trading in the gray or black markets and, hence, not at normal retail prices. Nonetheless, Sara Lee is anticipated to keep on its dominance of the developed world market and formulate sizable inroads into other markets over the next five years - even in the challenge of financial problems faced by competitors such as Warnaco and Maidenform. Along with it the low profile and hence low debt European companies like Triumph and Wolford will keep surviving. It is understandable that high-volume growth for lingerie's leasing players will come from emerging markets, while, in a sector where discrimination is important, beneficial business will also be held by niche marketers. Fortunately for all matter, lingerie is pushed by female consumers' loyalty to brand, fit and comfort, making it as one of the more financially strong segment in the apparel market.

China

China exported 4.2 billion pieces of women's undergarments in 2004, a 30 percent raise from 2003. In China, Shantou is one of the leading manufacturing hubs for women's undergarments with well-set up and good factory management systems, offering prompt service and efficient supply chain system. This harbor city in Guangdong province exported women's underwear worth $650 million in 2004, accounting to be the third of China's outbound shipments of the product. Shantou possesses more than 1,500 suppliers, about 150 of who export directly. Shantou's associated towns of Gurao, Xiashan, Chendian and Liangying are the leading manufacturing areas. Gurao, the biggest center, has more than 440 undergarment makers. Annual sales reach $260 million, including 564 million brassieres and 180 million pairs of underpants. Shantou is renowned across China as a major producer of knitted underwear. Xiashan and Chendian each produce more than $100 million worth of women's undergarments per year.

Suppliers in Shantou vary from small companies with 50 workers to big manufacturers with 1,500 employees. Though, small and midsize suppliers constitute the major companies. Many suppliers possess vertically integrated production with in-house fabric knitting, dyeing, finishing and printing, and garment sewing, embroidery and packing capability. The city's bra and panty suppliers target on midrange models, but high-end designs are also made by them. Approximately 90 per cent of output is for OEM orders.

Seamless bras and panties are trendy designs which are more preferable now a days. Hanzina Underwear Co. Ltd, a leading supplier of such products, has invested a huge amount in 20 Santoni circular knitting machines from Italy, two warp knitting systems and 350 sewing machines. The company makes 200,000 pieces per month. The use of lace and embroidered fabrics is also well-liked among Shantou suppliers. Chengtai Underwear Knitting Factory makes bra and panty sets with lace trimmings, embroidery or prints.

The midsize company makes undergarments for Wal-Mart and donna l'oren. Hongjie Underwear Industrial Co. is also a leading producer with 1,500 workers and fully integrated production that covers fabric knitting and sewing. The company provides fancy bras and panties in crocheted fabrics, intricate prints and embroidery. The company also produces items like push-up and convertible brassieres.

Many companies are making efforts to decrease their lead and delivery times. Shantou's port, one of the 20 leading harbors in China, transports cargo to many countries and regions. This facilitates suppliers to provide convenient shipping to foreign buyers and supports in continuation in transportation at cheaper rates.

India

The lingerie market in India is still in its infant stage and, until in recent times, the accessibility of high quality intimate apparel was limited to irregular or grey imports sold under the counter. Because of the limited products and lack of enough specialized and organized retail atmosphere, the fashion realization and quality awareness of the Indian consumer for intimate apparel is yet to be realized.

India is also one of the most scattered retail markets in the world. The products, so far, have been mainly marketed as a commodity and are price and margin oriented. Till today huge quantities of bras are sold to end users by male salespersons in mom-and-pop shops. Majorities of the stores do not even provide a trial room.

As a consequence, large consumer base are not sure of the functional features of a bra or even their own sizes. When Gokaldas Intimatewear began developing Enamor, their first aim was good fit. Across India Enamor surveyed and measured 4,000 women. They noticed that 80 per cent of Indian women wore a uncomfortable fitting underwear. In India, bras were made only in B and C cup sizes, though Enamor's research found that most Indian women required A or D cup sizes. In India Triumph, Lovable Lingerie, Enamor, VIP, Juliet, Amul etc are major players in lingerie market. Today 70 per cent of the lingerie market of India is unorganised. But that can be replaced with the increase in the number of malls and quality-conscious consumers. For example, Lovable's growth of 20 per cent last year was sustained by new retail space.

The joint market contribution of the leading five retailers in India totals less than two per cent. Though, Lingerie sales have increased by 12 per cent in the past five years because of a new awareness of intimatewear. Women's innerwear industry in India is worth Rs. 2,000 crore and is growing at an average rate of 12 per cent.

Turkey and Bangladesh have already observed the potential and are aggressively promoting its innerwear industry. Many Asian countries are defeating India in the US, the world's biggest clothing importer. According to the US office of Textiles and Apparel, in 2002 the country imported 198,094,426 dozen pieces of cotton underwear. India's contribution in this was a paltry 2.36 per cent. In bras using manmade material, the US imported 37,676,800 dozen pieces. While China constituted 32 per cent of these, Indonesia had 10.5 per cent. Even Bangladesh had 1 per cent. However, India exported a meager 0.65 per cent. Though, there is a great potential to be taped if approached in an organized manner with a proper set up.

Womenswear: the most profitable segment

The Rs.28,375-crore womenswear apparel segment covers 32.1 percent share of the Indian apparel market in value terms. In volume terms, market share of womenswear is one percent greater than that of menswear but in value terms its share is five percent less than that of menswear due to branded segment in womenswear was practically non-existent till a few years back. At present, it is the most profitable segment for investment. During 2005, volumes increased by 5.5 percent while value appreciation was as high as 15 percent.

Women's trousers and skirts category observed a highest growth during 2005, volumes growing nine percent and value appreciating more than 23 percent over 2004 levels. Western wear like suits and blazers and Lingerie are the two other categories where progress was excellent, volume and value growth being 10 and 21 percent respectively in the Western wear and 6.8 and 18.1 percent in lingerie.

In early days the Indian women mostly trusted foreign products or directed their friendly corner tailors to stitch form-fitting bodice, which were worn under dresses. But now the scenario is different. The first trendy movement for both men and women was seen when Associated Apparels Pvt Ltd, producers of Liberty shirts, introduced the world famous Maiden Form bras, Jockey men's underwear and Jantzen swimwear in 1962 in India.

It was a lanky period for Liberty shirts with complexity in imports and the export market initiation, so the late Bhawandas Wadhwani approached the lingerie business with technical knowhow from the USA. The brands got an achievement of optimum level with their styles and quality. But due to the government's restrictions for foreign brands, Wadhwani discontinued the overseas tie-up and changed the names to Libertina for lingerie and Liberty for men's underwear in the late 70s. From 80s to 90s the company focused on undergarments. Even today Libertina and Liberty are still one of the major players in the lingerie market.

With the great triumph of Libertina and Liberty, other Indian companies also shifted into the lingerie markets. In the 70s Peter Pan from Dawn Mills entered in the market with lingerie styles of the West. The brand was popular amongst the Indian women, but two decades later it vanished from the market.

In 1971, VIP entered the men's underwear market with a big-bang and became the most talked about brand due to its advertisement featuring model Dalip Tahil. Since then VIP is a leading player in the men's and women's underwear market. VIP launched Petals, a Lycra moulded cup bra with motifs, which was accepted well at that time, but was later discontinued. But introducing Loveable in 1996 was a huge success as they brought in a foreign brand, but it was made in India. Lovable was followed by Feelings, VIP's domestic products and Daisy Dee another foreign brand. The very ultra Vanity Fair was introduced in 2004 and lastly a Korean Brand Try for men and women in 2004. VIP's fashionable new men's innerwear called Frenchie X was targeted to meet the challenges thrown by the foreign brands.

Another leading brand in the lingerie market is Rupa & Co established in 1985. Its variety of men's, women's and children's underwear put together makes it India's biggest innerwear manufacturer and seller. Besides these two brands there are other labels produced by them. Amul, Lux Cozi, Dollar are some of the brands catering to a particular segment of the men's underwear market, while the lingerie segment has its own local offerings like Neva, Bodycare, Softy, Lady Care, Little Lacy, Red Rose, Sonari, Feather Line and many more.

In the 90s Jockey re-entered the Indian market followed by Calida and Liberti Blu. Then the very high fashion Gossard existed for a limited time. In the 21st century, Enamor, another foreign brand entered the Indian market through Gokaldas Exports and the very chic French brand Aubade started its only outlet in Mumbai. La Senza is the next foreign brand that is set to enter the market while Hanes has already set with a very unconventional ad campaign targeted to comfort for the Indian male.

One of the leading foreign players in the Indian lingerie market is Triumph. They have a presence in 150 countries around the world and a turnover of US $2 billion with a production of over 200 million units annually, producing 6000 new fashion styles per year designed by 200 designers in 11 countries. Triumph started its operation in India in six metros, and is now spread in 45 cities. As far as lingerie is concerned, India is still in its initial stage. India has to wait to become a matured market as compared to the other Asian markets like Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, China and Vietnam. In the last three years there has been a great growth in the business but the retailing of lingerie and distribution channels are limited. Triumph markets through retailers, MBOs, and two franchisees in Mumbai and Kolkata, and further more they are going to increase in the near future. From 300 outlets in India they target to cross 1,000 outlets in three-five years. With all raw materials imported from Europe, Triumph is produced in Chennai and has gained a 50 per cent raise in sales since it came into the country. Though, Triumph is the only internationally managed brand, it also aims to satisfy Indian buyers and has the capability to source intelligent fabrics not offered in India. Triumph was the first to introduce moisturising fabrics with Aloe Vera and the one-piece bra which is produced by one piece of fabric. The sizes and styles are very particular to Indian consumers. Triumph which begun production in India in 1998 has been exporting to the USA before it came into the local market. With 80 per cent exports and 20 per cent local sales in India, Triumph adds new products and concepts for 5-10 styles each year.

Lately, well-known international lingerie brands - Aubade - from the fashion capital of France has entered in Indian market.

While the international lingerie outlook is as exciting and bright as the outerwear one, India's growth in the former segment can be called just about negligible. Body and beach fashion shows are showcased twice a year around the world showing the latest trends in innerwear fashion. New underwear fabrics with 'anti' treatment like anti-stress, anti-smog, anti-static, anti-allergic, anti- bacterial, anti-moisture and anti-odour pamper the body. Top European products like Bruno Banani, Excellent, Schneider, Louis Feraud, Calvin Klein, Gianfranco Ferre, DKNY, La Perla, Gossard, and Schiesser are some of the brands that set their inspiration to the ultimate test. Thanks to the new outerwear performance made by designers around the world and India, lingerie is seemed with renewed fascination in India too.

It may be shocking that there are 1000 Indian brands in the market but only 200 are nationally active. The others cater to markets in the vicinity of their production. Many of these brands have so far continued the advent of MNC labels for the last decade and should continue to do so.

The Indian lingerie Industry is growing because of the increasing domestic demand coupled with huge export potential. It will soon receive an upfront position. From a cottage industry it can be transformed into a growing trade. Indian brands have experienced that they have to be more quality conscious and work harder in branding, promotion, packaging and innovation. Only the mindset to make world class lingerie is lacking. Smaller countries like Sri Lanka, Turkey and Bangladesh are major producers in this segment. Indian companies have recognized the significance of innerwear for men and women and the competition is just boiling as new and more players arrive to offer Indians that much required fashionable lift.

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Copyright ? 2006

Signs You Need a Los Angeles Realtor

Each year, millions of Americans make the decision to sell their homes or to buy a new one. Whether you are interested in buying a home or selling your current home, a large decision will have to be made. Sometimes, individuals are unable to make that decision without professional assistance. If you live in or around the Los Angeles area, you can seek assistance from a Los Angeles realtor.

There are many individuals who wonder why they need assistance from a Los Angeles realtor. There are a number of answers to that question. Perhaps, the best response is the amount of money that you will receive from the sale of your home.

Real estate agents typically assistance homeowners in selling their home, but they also assist those looking to buy. If you work with a Los Angeles realtor who acts as a duel agent, your home will likely experience more traffic from potential buyers. In addition to a larger number of potential buyers, many homeowners end up making more money selling their home with a real estate agent.

Yes, a Los Angeles realtor could help your return a large profit on the sale of your home. Unfortunately, there are many individuals who mistakenly believe this information to be false. Most homeowners feel that they could get a higher selling price if they work alone. This is because many homeowners fear the fees associated with a realtor. Truth be known, these fees do exist, but they do not have to have a negative impact on the amount of money you make from the sale of your home.

It is true, that as a homeowner, you could sell your own home; however, it is a difficult thing to do. Many homeowners are unprepared when it comes to buyer negotiations. This often results in a homeowner selling their home for less money than they originally intended to. A Los Angeles realtor may participate in negotiations, but they will always keep your best interest in mind.

If you are interested in selling your home, you should seriously consider seeking the assistance of a Los Angels realtor. If you are concerned with the cost a realtor, you are encouraged to find a real estate agent that operates with a low commission cost. All realtors must provide you with their commission costs upfront. This means that you should be able to compare costs before deciding on a particular Los Angeles realtor.

There is no guarantee that you will be able to sell your home, with or without the assistance of a Los Angeles realtor. Real estate varies from location to location. The Los Angeles real estate market is sought after by many. Why let your home go unnoticed when a real estate agent may be able to generate interest from the Los Angeles community?

Brad Horn is a writer for 1 percent realtor where you can find a great Los Angeles Realtor.

Riverview Chicago Condos ? Best And Most Beautiful Chicago Condos

When you are looking for a place to stay in Chicago, you need to look into the RiverView Chicago Condos. Located next to the Chicago River, they offer a beautiful view of Lake Michigan. Most importantly, you will want to make sure that the surrounding area has everything that you can want to match this gorgeous neighborhood. It is located in a place that is very accessible to everything. You will be able to reach most of the shops and other neighborhood areas within thirty minutes. Taking a trip through the surrounding area, you will see that this is a good choice when looking for Chicago condos to call home.

Facing the RiverView Chicago Condos, you will notice North McClurg Court running on the west side of the buildings. Going five blocks down will bring you to Starbucks for coffee. The next block will bring you to the CBS studios and one more block down will bring you to the VA Hospital and all the small clinics that it has available. Coming back to the front of the RiverView Chicago Condos, you can turn left and travel down the beautiful river walk along the Chicago River. As you stroll down past Columbus Drive, you will soon come to the wonderful University of Chicago and the NBC Tower. Going on the riverwalk a little longer will bring you right up to Michigan Avenue. Michigan Avenue is stretched over a mile and offers the shopper with over 460 stores to choose from. If you need it or want it, you will definitely be able to find it here.

Turning down Michigan Avenue will bring into view stores and shops galore. Directly on the right after leaving the riverwalk, you will see the Tribute Tower. Continuing down Michigan Avenue, you will be able to enjoy shopping at such stores as the Gap, Guess, Eddie Bauer, Cartier, and Saks Fifth Avenue. Ralph Lauren, Pottery Barn, and Tiffany & Company are also along the left side of Michigan Avenue. Traveling up Michigan Avenue and over to the right will take you to Chicago Avenue. You can enjoy the Looking Glass Theatre and the Museum of Contemporary Art. These are amazing places to visit if you are culturally centered. If you choose something a little less crowded and more relaxing, you can visit one of the many parks along Chicago Avenue. If you are into the nightlife and food of Chicago, Michigan Avenue will not disappoint you. You can get everything from a famous Chicago steak to the quaintest of coffee and tea shops.

Directly across from the RiverView Chicago Condos is, of course, the Chicago River. You can ride across and visit the many businesses there. The Blue Cross Blue Shield building is also located on that side of the river. The Hard Rock Hotel, across the Chicago River, is for those that want a bit of trendy fun. Finally, you can look to the East and see the majestic Lake Michigan. The RiverView Chicago Condos overlook this river and allow you to stand on your private balcony and enjoy. Nothing can be better than the exquisite view that awaits you from atop the RiverView Chicago Condos.

Scattered through the surrounding neighborhood, you will find some of the most prestigious shops and restaurants. Bike riding tours, studios of dance, and water tours are also available for anyone with the urge to explore and expand. If relaxing at home is not enough for you can find some of the most mind and body freeing spas in Chicago. You can be certain that all of them are right near the beautiful RiverView Chicago Condos. Not only will you be able to get to work every day with ease, you will be able to shop and relax at the parks without going far from home. Each and every season also shows off the beautiful surroundings with fireworks and flowers and festivals galore. With the RiverView Chicago Condos, you will have luxury homes with the finest amenities and you will be surrounded by the finest of Michigan Avenue and of everything else it offers.

About the Author:

Keith Frank writes about Chicago new construction condos. He lives in the Gold Coast with his wife.

Who Is Man Enough To Be A Nurse?

Introduction

Nursing is a well respected and noble profession. Candidates undergo the long and arduous test of nursing school, gain experience through trained professionals, and must constantly learn of new developments in the field while nurturing patients and vigilantly watching their health. Nursing appears to grant those working in the field a job that is both challenging and rewarding. So, where are all the males in the profession?

Men in the profession

The proportion of men to women nurses remains to be very unbalanced. In 1980, 2.7% of RNs were men and that percent rose to only 5.4% by 2000. The medical field has seen the increase in women doctors, yet the number of male nurses does not come close to that of women.

This was not always the case. Up until the 20th century, more than half of the people providing nursing services to the ill and injured were male. A dramatic shift occurred during the course of the early 20th century making the percentage of male RNs to be below 1% by the 1930s.

Flawed perceptions

Many laypeople and those with experience in the field attribute the lack of men in the field to the public image and misconceptions of being a nurse. Billboards, commercials, textbooks, and the gender of nursing teachers all aid in promoting ?feminine? image. Add fallacies about salaries, poor working conditions, and a limited amount of male role models, and we begin to see where the root of the diversion lies. The lexicon even seems to ameliorate the lopsidedness: A women is referred to as a ?nurse,? but a man is a ?male nurse.?

A new image?

The answer may be to reconstruct the image of a ?nurse.? People view nurses as caring, nurturing, and sensitive. These are exceptional attributes, but are generally referred to as being feminine. Some suggest altering the public perception with advertisements and suggestions that nursing is challenging, action-oriented, and fast-paced.

Still, others suggest that the compassionate, sensitive, and caring traits should be embraced by all people and not be misconstrued to describe one gender. Proponents believe it does take a certain person to become a nurse, but developing and exhibiting the nurturing side of one?s personality should not deter men from the field. Some feel these characteristics are ?positive? and to be revered, and not stereotyped as being ?feminine.?

Conclusion

Nurses (women and men alike) state nursing affords them a flexible schedule, good pay and benefits, job security, and an intrinsically rewarding feeling that you can not place a price upon. Those in the field believe that projecting all of the positive aspects of being a nurse should be more than enough to attract all people to the profession. It is not the profession that needs to change, but the outside perception of how important and noble the position is for everyone.

About the Author:

With over 25 years of experience in the Nursing Education field, Western Schools has now sold over 1 million ANCC accredited courses to nursing students across America. All courses are held up to strict, professional standards.

3rd Party Buying Tips What You Need To Know

Save Your Money and Be Smart!

As your investment profile grows larger and larger you?ll notice that assigning a family member, wife or good friend to a home could be a definite advantage on your overall net worth. Especially in a rising real estate market where you can re-sell the property at a higher price before the completion date. Since half the property value is added onto your net worth, depending on the tax bracket your in, it might prove necessary to do a 3rd party buying. In this situation it?s important that in your contract you do not use ?and or nominee?. But rather be straight forward with the name of who the purchaser is.

The general rule is that a buyer may assign their rights under the contract as long as they do not prejudice the rights of the seller. The seller must know who the buyer is. However, if the seller does not feel her rights are prejudiced then the seller may consent to the assignment identity not to be required. This is provided that you have notice in writing of the assignment. Both buyers and sellers should receive copies of this from their realtor.

If your still debating whether or not to have an assignment sale or 3rd party as ownership then you may impute a temporary clause to give you a few extra days to contact your assignee or 3rd party to ask for their permission. Your realtor will insert a ?Assignment Option Clause? which should read something like the following sample clause:

?The buyer reserves the right to assign this contract in whole or in part to any third party without further notice to the Seller; said assignment not to relieve the Buyer from his/her obligation to complete the terms and conditions of this contract should the assignee default.?

Of course this is only a sample of what a realtor MAY use and should not be taken by person as a clause without first contacting their lawyer. When buying always remember the issues that affect an owners interest. You should keep your eye on the road. Rights-of-ways, passage or road widening may not have been surveyed or registered. Driveways and culverts may not have been constructed on any public roads without the permission of the Ministry of transportation. Permission could also be denied due to limited access roads.

Also, when building near to streams, rivers, oceans, lakes and cliffs; be sure to check your restrictions. You may find that the property your buying will be shrinking before your eyes in a matter of months. This applies to All Real Estate in the Fraser Valley market and all other British Columbia Real Estate. These tips may be useful in other provinces in Canada such as Calgary, Alberta. Again, this should not be relied upon as legal advice but simply as a guideline for your next real estate investment.

Shane Toews is a Licenced Realtor who helps others to educate themselves on current real estate issues. He also provides assistance on how to locate quality homes, apartments or vacation rentals in Canada's Fraser Valley area. Visit his website RentFraserValley.com for more information on Canada's Fraser Valley Real Estate Market

Tips On Casual Clothing And Undergarments

Khaki would be too casual, but black Capri's with some sort of a heel would be nice just be sure to buy a blouse or shirt that will go well with the shoes. Perhaps the same color as the shirt. Even if you have white sandal. Don't be afraid to wear an ankle bracelet.

Costume jewelry can really up the look for a wedding. Black is fine as long as you wear it with a light colored shirt or its not totally black, maybe frilly tank top with lace, or even a white short sleeved top. Check out any fashion web site and look under misses selection then tanks & camisoles this will give you a pretty good idea.

Although some of them are too casual those aren't the ones I'm talking about! I specifically would choose the black and white tank with the black Capri's or even the bluish colored one look for stuff like that with hair and makeup. With your hair done you would look great. Try something with chiffon or even try any local Store. If they don't have want you are looking for then go on the internet and order something from there.

Get press on nails and remember to sand your nails down before you apply the glue. Don't paint them a light pink such as the sally Hansen kind. If you get press on nails make sure that are clear so that way you can paint them what ever color you want.That way you don't have to worry about the color of your nails not match the color of the clothes that you choose to wear.

The proper under garments can make all the difference in how your clothes look on you. In terms of panties, nothing is more unflattering than seeing panty lines under your slacks!! That's especially true in the summer when you can get a double whammy...actually seeing through light white pants as well as having the textural bulge that some underpants give!! I am a huge fan of thongs! For some people they take some getting used to and some are more comfortable than others. You'll have to try them and see how you feel. They make visual and texturally bulging panty lines obsolete...great for your look in clothing.

As for bras, it's a great idea to get your bra professionally fit! This may sound a bit bizarre but there are great women out there who do this for a living in lingerie shops. You would be surprised at how many women walk around wearing the wrong bra size for years!! A bra too small around the back provides bulges that look ugly under sweaters or t shirts. Cups the wrong size result in bulging if too small and lumpy wrinkles and gathers if too big.

Anyway, once you have the proper size, here are some things to look for: Go for unadorned and seamless cups. (While lace and rosebuds are awfully pretty, they don't permit fabric to lie smoothly). I love the bras at Victoria's Secret that are unpadded but nonetheless have opaque, shaped cups like the IPEX demi bra. I recommend you take a look at their web site for some ideas or stop into one of their stores and try some different styles on. Here's a tip, try the bra on and put your top back on to really see how it looks!

Own a variety of different bra cuts...one more plunging, one with race backs, one with narrower straps, one strapless, etc because different tops and dresses call for different bra styles. Get a couple of the basic style and then one of each additional style should do it! You just never want your bra or its straps to show! Some people might thing that it is not very classic that a woman's bra straps are showing.

Victor Epand is an expert fashion consultant at http://www.LingerieDress.com/. Visit us when you want the best prices, styles, fashions, and fits of all types of lingerie. We carry a super selection of everyday, as well as bridal and specialty items.

Umbrella Strollers ? The Must Have!

Most parents go out and get that huge, expensive stroller that has everything a baby could possibly need on it. While this isn't a bad thing, sometimes it just isn't the best thing to haul around with you everywhere. The majority of these bigger strollers are just too bulky and don't open easy enough when you have screaming kids you are trying to control in a crowded parking lot. So what do you do?

You buy an umbrella stroller to keep in the car, that's what! These strollers are lightweight, cheap, and open with just the flick of your arm. Sure, they don't have four cup holders, and sure, they don't have a shopping cart underneath; but if you are in a hurry they can be a lifesaver.

Umbrella strollers generally range in price from ten to twenty dollars, and you can purchase them anywhere. They come in almost every color you can think of also, so you won't have to worry about having one that is just too ugly to show in public. These strollers slide easily into small spaces, like the floor board or the trunk, and are very lightweight, so you won't hurt your back or arms trying to pull them out of the car or closet and open them.

These strollers also have a very easy set up and fold down, generally this can even be done with one hand if needed. A small, red clip that is easy to see and lift is usually the only thing you will need to pull when folding up these type of strollers.

So, even if you have one of the larger, more expensive strollers, an umbrella stroller is just something that you cannot live without. They can be a lifesaver when you are in a hurry or just don't want to lug that big stroller out again.

About the Author:

Martha Mountjoy writes for strollerhut.com a website filled with resources on baby strollers and running strollers.

Picnic Backpack Why You Should Go For It

Camping and picnic is one of the most favorite outdoor activities that people love to do whenever they have a free time, especially during weekend holiday. You may go camping picnic with family and friends or anyone. When we talk about picnic or camping, one of the most important issue that first come into our mind is the equipments that we are going to use during the trip. There are so many questions like how to prepare stuff for a curtain kind of camping? Which equipment should to buy? and more. But of the most common question that I have been asked constantly is about picnic backpack, which many people still want guideline about how they can prepare effectively for their picnic.

In the past, we may have seen a lot of people using picnic baskets, but today many people have changed to use picnic backpack instead of picnic basket, due to the convenience and more capacity that picnic backpack can offer so you can rest assured that you will enjoy the trip together with the one you love. Is you are the one that currently use picnic basket like the old times, I strongly suggest to change using picnic backpack and you will find that it provides you more than you ever thought of.

Some people who familiar with picnic basket may have not seen what picnic backpack look like and how to use it. Picnic back is typically similar to hiking backpack. In terms of external look picnic backpack is look pretty much alike ordinary hiking backpack, which usually made from common fabric such as canvas and acrylic. But if we look inside of the backpack and will can see the major different. That is, interior of hiking backpack is specially designed to contain hiking stuff such as trial equipment, clothes and canvas shoes etc. But the interior of picnic backpack is designed to contain picnic stuff. However, it is still hard to imagine about how picnic backpack look like, so let me give you an example for clearly understanding. For example, picnic backpack is able to contain picnic accessories such as plates, wine glasses napkins and a cooler compartment to store your food. It will have special section inside the bag to contain these kind of stuff with extra protection to prevent broken. The backpack may also have the section that use for containing roll of picnic blanket.

About the material that they are made from, as mentioned earlier that picnic backpack generally made from ordinary canvas but they also have kind of cushioned shoulder straps for convenient and comfortable carrying. The special part of picnic backpack can be found inside as there is plenty of space to contain picnic equipment such as lunch boxes, cooler component to maintain food still fresh and ice pouch. Moreover, for wine lover, they could not miss their favorite wine during the picnic, picnic backpack also provide special space for wine bottles and wine glasses with considerable protection so you can be sure that wine bottles and glass will not broken.

It can be said that today most of people still using old-fashion picnic basket, meanwhile there are many people have tried picnic backpack as they can see many of benefit to use them. So it is your own considerations about which kind that suit you the most and then just go for it.

By: Pisan K.

How to Choose Baby Strollers

What Housing Bubble?

When I was in school at the University of Vermont, I was an economics major. I thought it would be a good idea to do some non required reading, and I came across the book Boomernomics: The Future of Your Money in the Upcomming Generational Warfare. This was right around '99 when Social Security was the hot topic. The book absolutely facinated me. Of course I knew who the Baby Boomers were, but I had never really paid the subject that much consideration.

The birthratechart ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Birthratechart.png ) really helps get some insight to what we're dealing with. You can clearly see the spike in births starting in 1945 and continuing through until the mid 60's that produced about 76 million Americans. The decline through the 70's, then the echo boom starting in the late 70's early 80's as the boomers started having children of their own.

Right now, the oldest Baby Boomers are just barely in their 60's. Now lets really think about this one. This means that means that a huge chunk of the population is currently in their highest income producing ages as their mortgages are close to (if not already) paid off, their kids are no longer dependents, and most likely are also cashing in on their inheritances from their recently departed parents.

Now at the same time, we have the begining of the echo boom that is just entering into the housing market. Someone who was born in the beginning of the echo boom would just be entering their mid/late 20's. Assuming that everyone buys a home after they graduate college, right now we're roughly only halfway through the 72 million echo boomers purchasing of new homes. Now, since I believe average age of a first time home buyer to be a few years above 21, we still have a large portion of the population that has yet to buy their first home. Now on top of all that, don't forget that these birthrates do not include any immigrant population increases, which has also been greatly increasing in the last few decades.

So what can we expect based on this info?

Real Estate Agents - Good news! Once the boomers start to retire, odds are they are going to be moving somewhere else. Expect to see some more volume.

Suburbs - Not such great news. With the baby bust entering into family mode, there might not be enough sheer numbers taking over the vacancy of the departing boomers.

Cities - Goodish news. Look forward to the Echo Boomers continuing to move towards a more Urban environment as they begin their careers.

The year 2018 - Dear god this could be a bad one. It's either diaper time or the expiration date for boomers. As they begin to stop being able to care for themselves, or simply expire. Flat out, this will not be a good time for housing prices.

Jon Ernest is the Principle Broker of Spotlight Realty. A small, independently owned, full service residential real estate agency in Brookline, Massachusetts.

http://www.SpotlightRE.com
Condos for sale
Brookline Apartments

Beginner Backgammon Strategy Points

Backgammon is pretty much a race to see who can get their checkers off the board first. This can be accomplished easily but it depends on how you move your checkers around the board. Here we will look at some that can help you win and make your opponent a little dumbfounded.

While it may seem stupid to let yourself lose a piece to your opponent early on, it actually might be smart. In the beginning, you both have less pieces in your home board, and thus it?s easier to get those checkers back into the game and around the board to your own home. The more pieces your opponent has in their home board later in the game, the harder it can be to get those back on the board to do anything. So leaving one or two checkers open can make it easier for you later when you have your checkers almost all home and on the way off the board to win.

Your distribution of checkers is a big part of how to win. You should try not to have six on any one point. Definitely don?t have more than six; it makes you an easy target to get crunched in by your opponent. And while it would seem sound advice to have two checkers on four spots, it?s actually not a good move. Better to have three checkers on two spots at once. This is because the dice seem to fall better for more even distribution and improves your chances of winning the game.

Blocking can be a crucial part of winning. It is best to block your opponent in your home board. Here they will have a harder time getting out as you bring more checkers in to go off the board. This strategy works if you start early and get six checkers inside your home board early. This way you can block your opponent in and still get your own pieces into your home board. Six in a row is called a prime in backgammon. The best places to try and block from are points 4, 5, and 7.

To make an impact against your opponent, hit as many pieces as you can. However don?t just hit pieces to hit. Sometimes this can work against you. If your opponent has at least two bars in their home board, it is better for you to get your checkers home instead of taking out another checker of theirs. Don?t hit if it will leave you open to hits or blocks yourself. This is counterproductive to actually winning.

The final strategy move to help you win is called anchoring. This is where you have a strong spot on their home board. It helps if you get hit, you have a strong spot, an anchor, to move your piece back on the board safely. It also keeps your opponent from being able to go out themselves. And if you have more than one anchor it can help if you are behind in points early on. As well as making you stronger against your opponent. If you do have two points make them adjacent to make it harder for your opponent to move on their home board.

All of this isn?t guaranteed to make you win, but it can help you along the way. Used properly you can get 'lucky' rolls and make your opponent wonder just how long you have been playing.

About the Author:

All of Shawn's backgammon strategy articles can be found at HomeBackgammon.com along with bonus codes, freeroll listings and tournament schedules.

Traveling Around Alicante And Benidorm

The most popular and convenient way to get around in Alicante, Spain is to rent a car. Whether you?re traveling up the Costa Blanca to Benidorm, or staying in Alicante to sightsee, it?s great to have a car at your disposal. Renting is simple to do, and depending on your itinerary, it will generally be more cost-effective than any other mode of transportation. There are several key things to take note of before you go.

Alicante Car Rental

When you land at the airport in Alicante, you?ll find several different car rental companies to choose from, including worldwide names such as Avis and Hertz, and regional companies like Auriga and Centuaro. They?re easily accessible from the arrival area.

It?s best to book your car rental before your vacation to ensure you get the best price. Also, depending on when you?re traveling, it?s a good idea to pre-arrange a car in advance to be sure that you?ll have one when you arrive. Particularly in the summer, which is peak season in Alicante, you?ll find that rental inventory goes quickly.

You can use several different ways to reserve your car. You can book online, through a travel agent, or directly with the company you select. Many times you can find a great deal on a car rental as part of a vacation package. Be sure to shop several companies for the best rates. When shopping, include any additional charges, such as insurance, as well as any restrictions that will apply, to get a clear picture when comparing prices.

The car doesn?t always have to be picked up at the airport, though for some, that?s most convenient. Sometimes you?ll find that renting in town is more affordable than renting at the airport. Think about where you?ll be picking up and dropping off to ensure that you?ll have transportation to and from the rental location. If you?re renting from a location other than the airport, most companies offer complimentary transportation to the rental company.

Don?t Forget the Extras

Consider any extra features or charges when renting. Find out what?s included in the price. Some rental companies may include insurance in their cost, some may not.

One important issue to address is whether or not you?ll need to bring a child safety seat. You may have already brought it for the flight, and it?s a simple procedure to get it into the rental car. Or you may have planned to rent one once you arrived. Either way, if you have an infant or child in the car, Spanish law states that he or she must be secured in a safety seat. If a rental company provides it, there?s an additional charge.

Be sure to get a car with air conditioning. It might be an obvious feature, but one you may not realize you need until you?re in the sweltering heat of Alicante without it.

Careful planning and review of all of your options will ensure you have the best possible car rental experience.

About the Author:

Peter J. Wilson is writing principally for http://www.alicante-spain.com , a web page on Costa Blanca . His abstracts on Alicante car rental are found on his website .

Visual Merchandising

ABSTRACT

Visual merchandising a comparatively new career field in which has sprung up with the growing popularity of window and floor displays. Visual merchandisers main are of work is to create impossible window displays. They can find employment with fashion boutiques, shopping malls, euphoria etc. They are also engaged as shop floor mangers. They can also do freelancing on contract basis for windows displays in exhibitions, fares, and other places. Other career options under this head are production coordinator, quality control supervisor, fashion retailer, export manger etc. This paper discusses importance and potential for visual merchandising professionals.

Contents

INTRODUCTION

CRITICAL ISSUES OF VISUAL MERCHANDISING

ROLE OF VISUAL MERCHANDISING

SCOPE FOR CAREER DEVELOPMENT

INTRODUCTION

Selling a product (convenient/shopping/specialty) is incomplete without communicating its image. To build long term brand loyalty, in addition to the quality of the product, right image is very much needed. To attain this, many companies invest huge money the promotions. But many businesses neglect the retail front which is the face of the brands. In other words, the way the products are displayed at the retail shelves, the way the sales people communicate to the consumer etc. are the some of the issues, which if not handles well can be a great threat to the brands image. Visual merchandising is the art of presentation, which puts the merchandiser in focus. It educates the customers, creates desire and finally augments the selling process. This is an area where the Indian business people lack adequate knowledge and expertise. This inadequacy is best reflected in poor presentation/display and communication the various national and international exhibitions with phasing out of quantitative restrictions after the year 2004, the textile industry will have to compete purely on the competitive edge of the products and visual merchandising will be helpful for the projecting the uniqueness of the products and thereby increasing the market access and sales. It is high time that the Indian textile and clothing industry should understand and adopts the scientific and professional system of visual merchandising rather than the traditional practices of display of products and communication.

CRITICAL ISSUES OF VISUAL MERCHANDISING

Retailing them itself has transformed the way business is done and the so called merchandisers of disposition of store inventory. There are many ways and standard procedures to ignite sales, increase profits and maximize the net worth of the business. Visual merchandising helps in this respect. This calls for a concerted industry efforts to approximately value the importance of quality retail coverage such as self-integrity in store advertising, price verification, stock rotations, new item-cut and other related activities. To make effective the retail business one has to focus on the following critical issues of visual merchandising.

a)Graphics and signage: attention grabbing yet clear graphics by way to visually communicate the brand and these graphics when compiled with the right signage become the stalls complete instruction manual.

b)Trends and moot boards: This is misunderstood by many as mere decorations for the stall. The brand sources and moot boards convey the source, in fact the mere need of the product for the consumer to the buyer. A good trend story board display can exhibit a thought process nursing for the inspirations (research, to swatch development of the final usage of the product.

c)Space management: Most displays concentrate on the floor management of space. In order to create a complete desired ambience the ceiling space should also be given enough attention. Walls are not elastic space should be allocated to the available products as per the expectation of the customers to deliver best results. The major issues of space management are:

1.How do we want our ranges to look?

2.Hanging/stocked/customers etc.

3.What stock density do you want to achieve?

Generally, the more options/units you can hold for a given amount of space, the higher the potential returns. Space landing systems can be split into two types

Numeric and visuals: Numeric planning system simply allow users to account of space available and to calculate the ratios like returns on space. Visual systems allow users to create three dimensional walk through models of the stores and to preview the look of a store once ranging decisions have been made.

d)Dresiforms and mannequins: The dresiforms communicate the 3 dimensional form of the product. Along with the fit a good mannequin can also be customized to communicate a character, for example, special kids wear mannequins with caricatured faces convey the playful mood of the collections.

e)Synergy among the different stalls: A stall look should compliment the mood the whole fair too. So some visual elements from the fair, be it a color scheme or some material used should also be incorporated in the stall.

f)Out of the box thinking: With so many stalls around, it sometimes focus some stock value to grab the attention of the buyers. Innovative ideas in displaying the mannequins, swatches etc can invite many more people to the stall.

g)Merchandise planning: The first function of merchandising planning is making a strategic plan, which is normally for a five years or more and is used to set the critical success factors for merchandising in terms of sales, margins and stocks. Next in a channel sales budget to take into account the effect of the new channels, new stores, closures, and refits. In simple words merchandising planning is a systematic approach and aiming at maximizing return on investment, through planning sales and inventory in order to increase profitability. It does think by maximization sales potential and minimizing losses from marked down and stock cuts.

h)Range planning: Begin with assortment plan. In assortment plan, the goal of merchandise plan are divided into specific lines and such a way that the division results in the increase of overall marginal mix. Then a distributions planning in done. The link between available physical space and ranging done here is a key determinant of merchandising performance.

ROLE OF VISUAL MERCHANDISING

Visual merchandising is an artistic method to ensure that retailers merchandise moves off the shelves faster. It?s a tool to appeal to the visual sensory elements of the customer. Visual merchandising is an unknown skill which is fastly becoming popular nowadays with the introduction of self service in retail stores in recent years and the number of changes taking place in super market merchandising methods, there has been increased emphasis on the kind of store layout, store building, fixtures, and equipment, color displays, silent communication tools, window display and finally opinion building through in store displays which has taken the art of retailing the higher applications frames.

Customer expects to spend less time for shopping and prefers one step multi brand retail formats and hence significance of visual merchandising is on increase. As per the opinion of Hemendra Mathur, senior consultant of KSA technopark based on the third annual consumer outlook study that the consumer is getting time saved and the time spent on shoppin (both grocery and non grocery) has come down. Further the study reveals that are increase in the impulse and unplanned purchases in the certain categories. Visual merchandising helps in the increase of impulse buying.

The practice of a visual merchandising is negligible in durables and home textiles and in the apparel and foot wear it is 20%. Many people experience in organized retailing are of the opinion that innovative application for effective retail presents and brand buildings are being used aggressively by companies in retail merchandising. Brands like Reebok spent 25% of their advertising spent on point of sale merchandising. The brand managers of Reebok feel that 80% of the buyers are influenced by the 3 feet experience i.e, point of sales material and visual merchandising are more effective than outdoor displays and advertising.

Market analysis feel that most companies are unfortunately not spending as much time and money as they should on POS (point of sales) visual merchandising as a strategic tool for brand building, indiscriminately ?displaying everything rather than displaying selectively and effectively to assist consumer in taking decisions.

Visual merchandising helps in:

a)Establishing a creative medium to present merchandise in 3 D environment, with which a long lasting impact and recall value.

b)Combining the creative, technical, and operational aspects of a product and the business.

c)Educating the customers about the product/services in an effective and creative or innovative manners.

d)Drawing the attention of the customer to enable him to purchase decisions in the short space of time and this augmenting the selling process.

SCOPE FOR CAREER DEVELOPMENT

Retail business analysts feel that the average spending on POS and merchandising displays is RS. 1000 per square foot in the organized retailing whole size is Rs. 14,000 crores of the total (both organized and unorganized is Rs. 11,00,000 crore. Further analysis reveal that the multi brand retail formats (hypermarket) are storing 35% growth rate per annum which is the storing indicator for the bright and huge scope. For the visual merchandising professionals who have experience in designing effective store layouts, color displays, the use of creative silent communication skill tools, creative window display, and in store displays. The curriculum of visual merchandising includes generally the following fields:

a). Creative art.

b). Specific application to retail.

c). Techno commercial planning and execution.

Students of management looking for employment can find opportunities in departmental stores, super markets, malls, and hyper markets as visual merchandiser. Further those who have entrepreneurial streak can look for event managers or interior designers professionals.

Author is Asst. Professor, Deccan School of Management, Osmania University, Hyderabad and can be contacted at tdbabu17@rediffmail.com

Kentucky Home Buying

Maybe you?re buying your first home in Kentucky, or perhaps you?re relocating to Kentucky from another state. Either way, it?s important that you educate yourself on Kentucky home loans before shopping for a home and mortgage. This article explains what you?ll need to know before buying a home in Kentucky:

The price of homes in Kentucky varies widely between zip codes. For example, in Louisville, Kentucky, the median price of a home in 2005 was $225,000; however, in Lexington, Kentucky, the median price of a home was $156,000. In 2004, the median home cost was for the entire state of Kentucky was $179,000. Additionally, in the last few years, average interest rates on home loans in Kentucky have been higher than the national average.

The rate of job growth in Kentucky is lower than the national rate, and the number of bankruptcies and foreclosures is higher than the national average. The rate of home appreciation in Kentucky is also lower than that of the nation. Homes in Kentucky appreciate at less than half of the rate of average national appreciation.

Kentucky is one of the many states that have enacted laws in order to counteract the rate of predatory lending. Kentucky?s high-cost home loan law subjects loans that are considered high-cost to certain regulations. High-cost loans include mortgages in which the total points and fees required to be paid by the borrower at closing exceed eight percent of the total loan amount and residential mortgages in which the APR exceeds the Treasuries securities rate by eight percent on first mortgages and ten percent on second mortgages.

Kentucky high-cost loan laws apply to purchase, refinancing, and second mortgages. Lenders may make high-cost home loans, but they must abide by certain restrictions. For example, lenders may not collect repayment penalties after the borrower has owned the home for three years, they may not create a repayment schedule that results in an increase in the principal amount owed, and they must reasonably believe that a borrower will be able to make the payments on their mortgage.

Because Kentucky officials are attempting to counteract predatory lending practices, the penalties of not abiding by Kentucky high-cost home loan laws are very strict.

Jessica Elliott recommends that you visit Mortgage Lenders Plus.com for more information about Kentucky Mortgage Rates and Loans.

Angels Along for the Ride

Angels Along for the Ride
Author Interview with J.D. Kamps, The Foxhole Angel
By Lisa M. Hendey

Do angels, war, religious debate and emotionally charged young men mix? In The Foxhole Angel by J.D. Kamps they combine to an effect that is both thought provoking and gripping - fiction that will keep you both entertained and pondering important faith issues.

Joe Kamps and his wife Julie are the parents of six children, ranging in age from thirty to 13. Kamps, a cradle Catholic, admits to at times questioning his own commitment to his faith.

Although I am a cradle Catholic, I initially submitted to my ongoing conversion at approximately age 24. The mass was especially boring to me growing up - I secretly envied the clever people who came in late or snuck out the door during communion, shares Kamps. After my conversion, it was night and day; the mass became a living, breathing organism to me, settling into the center of my faith as my understanding of its mysteries grew. My newfound beliefs added richness to my life I hadn't known before, so I was content. I was rudely shocked in my discovery that God wasn't done with me yet - there was, and is, so much more to learn. Before my conversion, I was proud of my Catholicism, much as one would be proud of his ethnic heritage or political affiliation. However, pride has no place in Christianity, as God keeps beating into my head. That pride was taken away from me. I came to experience a sense of purpose in my chosen faith, but also a sense of sadness as I realize its responsibilities and the anger it invokes in so many.

The Foxhole Angel is inspired largely by the wartime experiences of Kamps' own father, who served in World War II. The book is a combination of many soldiers' actual experiences and a little journalistic license. Not typically a reader of this type of fiction, I was surprised by how involved I quickly became in the characters of the novel and their interplay. Kamps' inclusion of the men's guardian angels is a natural fit to me - don't our own daily lives point to multiple instances of the intervention of the divine? My own life certainly provides me ample certitude on this fact.

In order to prepare to write his book, Kamps relied upon his own personal interest in Church history coupled with inspiration from a series of homilies by his pastor, Father William Gould. I had all kinds of help for The Foxhole Angel, states Kamps. I read lots of books and cruised the internet with abandon, but nothing beat talking to its participants. Both Dad and Dutch Wilhelm, a twice-decorated rifle company hero from the Battle of the Bulge, were of invaluable assistance.

I had the opportunity to interview Joe Kamps and am pleased to share his thoughts on his book, his own faith, and, of course, the angels.

Q: Please briefly summarize the plot of your book.

A: The story revolves around WWII draftee Jimmy Donovan, a likable, devout, married Irish Catholic and father-to-be. His private hatred of Protestants comes from his Catholic pride and a childhood clash with the KKK. He and Pete Calvert, his charismatic but bigoted southern friend, are shipped into the hell of D-Day + 1, the Battle of the Bulge, and wherever else his country needed him to fight. Joining them in these assignments are their guardian angels, whose purpose is to jealously guard their charges through all appointed times. Jimmy, who wouldn't hurt a fly, surprisingly exhibits an aptitude for killing. Pete Calvert, whose proficiency exceeds his friend's, originally volunteers for the army with an itchy trigger finger, anxious to blow the hated Nazis to Hell and beyond. Pete despises the Germans, but not so much as he loathes fellow infantryman Will Jackson, a hard working, staunchly moral, highly educated French-African whose skin tone enrages the Southerner. These soldiers' angels protect them through all manners of peril to fight another day, it seems -- but in reality, God has further plans for these soldiers.

Q: What is the message you would hope to spread through The Foxhole Angel?

A: Each person on this earth is of equal importance to God - He loves us -- our love for Him is shown by our compassion for others. Life is hard and we need to be reminded of this maxim. The Lord is tough at times; tougher'n all heck, but sometimes I'm tough on my children, too. I love them more than I love my own life - I can't even fathom how much more God loves us and how he looks after everyone on the planet. This is the path each one of us needs to follow in order to find true happiness, and in order to love, we must attempt first to understand.

God doesn't allow us to hide from ourselves, either. Not forever, anyway. All of us find places to hide from God, even though most of us are willing to follow God -- up to a point. In other words, we will seek after him if as parents, it doesn't interfere with what we want to give to our children, or if in our business lives, it doesn't come between us and what we want to earn, or as pastors, if it doesn't affect the happiness of our congregations. Sooner or later we will confront what is ugly and false in our lives -- either in this world, or the next.

Q: Let's talk about Guardian Angels for a moment - how did the angels become such a central part of the message of your story? Why is their presence in the story so important?

A: Oh boy, where do I start? First of all, I'm a big believer in angels. We all run into them from time to time without knowing it, and when one sees an angel, one sees the Almighty. Angels among us remind us that God is among us, and the thought of individual angels ministering to each of us effectively drives that point home - I mean, after all... who sent 'em to begin with!? One other thought: in most books and films the afterlife is depicted as a step down from this life. When someone dies we claim piously at funerals that he's in a better place but we sure don't pursue Heaven like we believe in it. During WWII a soldier thought of it often. Sixty million people died in that conflict; too many of its victims were so very young. Were their lives wasted? Were they cheated by the Almighty? Of course not. The best is yet to come! They become angels themselves and are filled with purpose and power. What could be better? We should only mourn the dead by missing them, not mourn them as though something terrible has happened to them.

Q: Did you make a conscious decision to make their human emotions so tangible?

A: Yes. In order to make heaven appealing to people, they must have the idea of purpose and enjoyment of that purpose. That's why the angels smile - even when they shouldn't. I don't see Heaven as a dreary existence.

Q: Please say a few words about the gripping scene between Jimmy and Martin - I found the dialogue in that chapter to be both very interesting and very tension filled.

Christians can get carried away by doctrine. We want so badly to be right - to be uniquely right - that kindness takes a back seat to our competitive natures. I have seen too many instances of God-fearing people discussing Him, then arguing about Him, and finally cursing the other person. Done it myself. We need to love for the sake of God. We can't allow ourselves to lose sight of that directive. In reading about medieval Catholicism and the Reformation, I think that's exactly what happened. We needed reform in the worst way and should have listened to Luther and his fellow reformers; it was so sinful not to. Vatican II is a stark reminder of our lack of charity in that era, as six of seven Augsburg Confession demands were finally met in the 1960s. We must remember though, the reformers needed us as much as we needed them. They had their shortcomings, too. I must say that Luther was no saint himself; he passionately hated Jews, he called for the deaths of scores of the oppressed and downtrodden, and had a well-earned reputation for religious intolerance. Sadly, both sides seemed to put Christ on the back burner, I'm afraid, for the sake of power and / or ego. Jimmy's and Martin's conversation was a re-enactment of that time. It was also God's repair for it.

Q: How does your personal faith reconcile with the version of the afterlife you portray in this book?

Father John Legerski, former pastor of St. George's, was another huge influence. It is his desire for the world to be saved -- spend a few minutes with him and it will quickly become evident he sees each one of his spiritual children as an important individual. I have six children of my own, and as you can guess, all of them are of the utmost importance to me. How much more God loves us! We are His progeny, and dysfunctional of a family as we are, He will never forsake any of us.

Although the Catholic Church certainly has no lock on Jesus, our church is where His message of Salvation originated. If we truly see this we need to lead Christianity in love of God and in charitable understanding of one another.

Q: How can readers who are interested in this book obtain a copy of the book?

The Foxhole Angel may be purchased at any Spokane area Hastings, Auntie's bookstore, or Kaufers in Spokane. Our website, www.thefoxholeangel.com, will be up and running within a few weeks. Amazon.com should have it available within a few weeks, as well. For right now, mail orders are through www.auntiesbooks.com

Lisa M. Hendey is a mother of two sons, webmaster of numerous web sites, including http://www.catholicmom.com and http://www.christiancoloring.com, and an avid reader of Catholic literature. Visit her at http://www.lisahendey.com for more information.

About the Author

Lisa M. Hendey is a mother of two sons, webmaster of numerous web sites, including http://www.catholicmom.com and http://www.christiancoloring.com, and an avid reader of Catholic literature. Visit her at http://www.lisahendey.com for more information.

Florida Housing Market: Optimistic Perspectives Of Local Homeowners

A recent survey reveals that 58 % of home owners across Florida place positive views regarding the continual rise of the value of their homes over the subsequent 12 months. The general perspective holds regardless of indications that the five-year boom in the Florida housing market is declining. This online survey, which is conducted every year by Florida-based Attorneys? Title Insurance Fund?s Consumer Education Campaign, samples a poll of more than a thousand home owners throughout the state within the period of May 30 to June 6, 2006. The survey focused on dynamic Florida housing markets such as Broward, Miami-Dade County, Tampa, Sarasota County, Fort Myers-Naples, West Palm Beach, and Orlando. The respondents are aged 18 and above. The survey puts forward that home owners have been vigilant about the condition of the Florida housing market, in spite of the fact that affordability remains to be the major obstacle to purchasing a home (71 % of respondents? opinions). Homeowners in Miami-Dade and Fort Myers-Naples are even more likely to say that ?affordability? is a considerable purchasing obstacle (both 83 %). With nearly a 30 % rise from 2005 figures, Tampa witnesses the biggest increase in percent citing ?affordability? as the primary obstacle to home ownership compared to other areas in Florida.

The interesting facet of the result reveals that the views of home owners across Florida are split about whether the year 2006 is a good or bad time to purchase Florida real estate (amounting to 42 % for both views). However, by examining samples for select regions such as Sarasota County (53 %), West Palm Beach (49 %), and Orlando (43 %), statistics reveal a slightly higher chance to believe that now is a good time to buy a home as compared to regions like Tampa (42 %), Broward County (39 %), and Miami-Dade (34 %).

Nonetheless, hurricanes still linger within the minds of home owners. Nearly half of all respondents (47 %) said that they have apprehensions about being hit by a storm. Another 16 % of the respondents mention the impact of a housing bubble as their biggest worry, and even fewer cite escalating mortgage interest rates (13 %), devaluating home prices (5 %), or becoming the victim of real estate scam (1 %) as their biggest real estate anxiety in Florida. What is surprising about these figures is that Florida home owners do not rank high in terms of the concern of being the victim of real estate fraud, especially for the fact that Florida was recently branded as the top state across the nation with regards to prevalence of mortgage frauds.

The survey also reveals that the most confusing part of purchasing a property in the Florida housing market is the understanding real estate laws, which is evident in 41 % of the respondents citing such. In point of fact, about a third of Florida home owners found that understanding Florida real estate law is extremely confusing. Other aspects in the process of buying Florida real estate that are considered confusing includes understanding settlement/closing process with 24 % of the respondents saying that it is extremely confusing.

About half of home owners of Florida (48 %) have consulted with a real estate attorney in the past. This aspect of the survey shows that residents in South Florida consult real estate attorneys more frequently compared to residents in other parts of the state. For instance, 67 % of residents in Miami-Dade County, 61 % in Broward and 60 % of residents in West Palm Beach cite that they have been consulting with real estate attorneys, whereas only 37 % of residents in Tampa and 44 % in Orlando have done so.

Dranreb Earl Juanico

http://florida-mortgage.xon.us

Shopping Systematically For An Internet Home Based Business

Weekend NFL Betting

The fifth week of the college football season doesn't have any must see games, but it does boast a number of crucial conference match-ups that should have the avid CFB pigskin fan pumped. By NFL BetBet and Ecobika NFL Betting

The first of which takes place at 12:30 ET when the Colorado Buffaloes invade Columbia to take on the undefeated Missouri Tigers. The Buffs put forth their best effort of the season in Athens, GA last week and almost upset the #10 ranked Bulldogs in the process. The Tigers have quietly ripped apart each and every one of their opponents on their way to their perfect 4-0 mark. The Buffs made a habit of beating Mizzou in to a bloody pulp during the Barnett era, so it'll be interesting to see how the new regime fares. I'm going to go out on a limb here and say the Tigers won't be gracious hosts. You'll be able to see this Big 12 North battle on all FSN affiliates.

The next crucial conference match-up takes place in the MAC East where the Akron Zips pack their bags back up and hit the road once again to take on the surprising Kent State Golden Flashes. This will be QB Luke Getsy's Zips first conference game of the season, while the Golden Flashes already stand at 2-0 in the division. A win here by Kent would give them some fantastic breathing room the rest of the way, and they would have to be considered the odds on favorite to reach the MAC Championship game if they were to hold serve at home the rest of the way. Expect another solid MAC battle to occur, so tune into FOX Sports Cincinnati to see these two slug it out.

The 3:30 ET time slot is when most of the day's fun begins. Oregon takes on Arizona State, Georgia Tech invades Blacksburg to take on the Hokies, the Gators seek revenge in The Swamp over Alabama, and Texas Tech and Texas A & M will battle it out in what's become a very fierce rivalry over the years. You can catch the SEC battle on CBS, while all the other big games will be broadcasted on ABC.

Lincoln, Nebraska will be in a frenzied state come 7:00 ET as their Huskers take on the Kansas Jayhawks in what's certain to be a bloodbath. The Jayhawks snapped a 36-year losing streak to Nebraska last year in Lawrence, and dished out a woodshed beating in the process. Tune into Fox Sport Net to see if HC Bill Callahan decides to return the favor.


A couple of Big 10 powerhouses take the field at 8:00 ET as the Michigan Wolverines visit the Twin Cities to take on the Minnesota Gophers, and the #1 ranked Ohio State Buckeyes invade Kinnick Stadium to lock horns with the 13th ranked Iowa Hawkeyes. One game looks to be a blowout, while the other should be very competitive. Can you guess which is which? Be sure to tune into ABC and ESPN to find out!!!


Betting NFL Week 4 Click Here there are a couple of decent games in the NFL, but the rotation for the most part doesn't really get my blood pumping. Many will be interested to see if the Ravens are for real, and to see how QB Phillip Rivers handles his first true road test as a pro. The TO saga really turned the Dallas camp upside down this week, so it will be interesting to see how they perform at Tennessee. Are the Saints for real, or was their fantastic exhibition on Monday Night just a smoke screen? Tune in at 1:00 ET to find out as they take on a desperate Carolina squad. Mike Martz returns to St. Louis now as the Lions offensive coordinator. Yeah, Not interested!!!

The afternoon slate does peak my interest a bit with New England and Cincy squaring off as well as Jacksonville and the Redskins. Cincy picked up an enormous win at Pittsburgh last week, and might come out a bit flat. NE was embarrassed on Sunday Night in front of the entire world, and should come out with their hair on fire. Jacksonville not only lost to Indy once gain, but they cried about it after saying the Colts were cheating and threw too many cheap shots. Are they really ready to go into Washington and take on a skins club that finally found its offense last week? Tune in at 4:14 ET on CBS or FOX to get answers to all these questions.


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Car Seat Safety Laws For Children

Having your child restrained properly in a car seat, booster seat or seat belt is very important. Not only does it give your child a better chance of withstanding an accident but it is also the law. Laws vary from state to state as far as age, weight, height and what type of seat the child should be restrained in. So you should check with the state you live in to find out what the laws are for that particular state.

However the best rule of thumb is to follow the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) guidelines. The NHTSA recommends that children stay in appropriate car seats through 8 years old, 80 pounds, or up to 4'9 in height.

Birth to Age One

For birth through one year of age, NHTSA recommends that infants should be an infant-only or rear-facing convertible seat and should ride rear facing up to one year of age or at least 20 pounds. Rear-facing seats should be at a 30 to 45 degree angle.

It may be hard for some parents to drive with their infant facing in the opposite direction. It almost seems unnatural not to be able to see your baby. But just as it is important to support a newborn's head as you cradle them in your arms, it is also important that their head and neck be protected in a vehicle. Since baby's neck muscles are not fully developed all those bumps in the road, twist and turns and sometimes-sudden stops can really impact a tiny baby. The rear-facing seat helps minimize these motions for the baby. You can purchase some mirrors to use so that you can keep an eye on your baby while they are in the rear-facing car seat.

One to Four Years

Children 1 to 4 years old and weigh 20 to 40 pounds should be in a convertible or forward facing car seat.

Four to Eight Years

Some states only require children to be restrained in car seats until the age of four. However, seat belts usually don't fit most four-year-olds properly. The NHTSA recommends that children who are 4 to 8 years old and more than 40 pounds, should be in a belt positioning booster seat either backless or high back.

Eight Years and Up

All children under the age of 12 should ride in the backseat. Never seat an infant or child in a position where an airbag can be deployed. When used with seat belts, air bags work very well to protect teenagers and adults. However, air bags can be very dangerous to children, particularly those riding in rear-facing car safety seats and to child passengers who are not properly positioned. Even in a relatively low-speed crash, the air bag can inflate, strike the car safety seat, and cause serious brain and neck injury and death.

Remember to Follow Manufacturer's Instructions

Always read and follow manufacturer's instructions. If you do not have the manufacturer's instructions for your car safety seat, write or call the company's customer service department. They will ask you for the model number, name of seat, and date of manufacture. The manufacturer's address and phone number are on the label on the seat. Also be sure to follow the instructions in your vehicle owner's manual about using car safety seats.

Stay safe and find the best deal on the auto insurance coverage you need. Visit us today for money-saving tips, free auto insurance quotes and helpful car insurance advice at http://www.AutoInsuranceRatesDirect.com

By Levi Quinn

Circuit Training for a wellrounded exercise program!

Circuit Training & Circuit Training Routines

Circuit training routines are one of my favourite training sessions, whether for myself personally, or for clients. I use circuit training as part of injury rehabilitation programs, for conditioning elite level athletes, or to help my clients lose weight. I use circuits for just about everything.

I was introduced to circuit training routines by an exceptional sports coach by the name of Col Stewart. Col is one of those rare coaches who can take just about any sport, and devise a specific training program that always produces outstanding improvements for his athletes.

Col's circuit training routines are largely responsible for the success of many of his world champion athletes. Including his son, Miles Stewart (World Champion Triathlete), Mick Doohan (World 500cc Motorcycle Champion), and countless others from sports as diverse as roller-skating, squash, and cycling.

Many other coaches are also impressed by circuit training and use it regularly.

Brian Mackenzie from Sports Coach says, Circuit training is an excellent way to simultaneously improve mobility, strength and stamina.

Workouts for Women state circuit training is one of the best methods of exercising as it provides excellent all round fitness, tone, strength, and a reduction of weight and inches. In short, maximum results in minimum time.

And another site referred to circuit training as an ideal way to build versatility, overall strength and fitness, as well as to consolidate your mastery of a wide variety of physical skills.

So what is Circuit Training?

Circuit training consists of a consecutive series of timed exercises performed one after the other with varying amounts of rest between each exercise.

For example, a simple circuit training routine might consist of push-ups, sit-ups, squats, chin-ups and lunges. The routine might be structured as follows, and could be continually repeated as many times as is necessary.

* Do as many push-ups as you can in 30 seconds, then rest for 30 seconds.
* Do as many squats as you can in 30 seconds, then rest for 30 seconds.
* Do as many sit-ups as you can in 30 seconds, then rest for 30 seconds.
* Do as many lunges as you can in 30 seconds, then rest for 30 seconds.
* Do as many chin-ups as you can in 30 seconds, then rest for 30 seconds.

What makes Circuit Training so good?

The quick pace and constant changing nature of circuit training places a unique type of stress on the body, which differs from normal exercise activities, like weight training and aerobics.

The demands of circuit training tend to prepare the body in a very even, all-round manner. I have found circuit training to be an exceptional form of exercise to aid in the prevention of injury. Circuit training is one of the best ways I've found to condition your entire body (and mind).

There are many other reasons why circuit training is a fantastic form of exercise, and what most of these reasons come down to is flexibility. In other words, circuit training is totally customizable to your specific requirements.

Circuit training can be totally personalized. Whether you're a beginner, or an elite athlete, you can modify your circuit training routine to give you the best possible results.

A circuit training routine can be modified to give you exactly what you want. Whether you want an all-over body workout, or you just want to work on a specific body area, or you need to work on a particular aspect of your sport, this can all be accommodated.

Also, you can change the focus of your circuit training routine to emphasize strength, endurance, agility, speed, skill development, weight loss, or any other aspect of your fitness that is important to you.

Circuit training is time efficient. No wasted time in between sets. It's maximum results in minimum time.

You can do circuit training just about anywhere. One of my favourite places for doing circuit training is at some of the parks and playground areas near where I live.

Circuit training is a favourite form of exercise for the British Royal Marine Commandos because they tend to spend a lot of time on large ships. The confined spaces means that circuit training is sometimes the only form of exercise available to them.

You don't need expensive equipment. You don't even need a gym membership. You can just as easily put together a great circuit training routine at home or in a park. By using your imagination, you can devise all sorts of exercises using things like chairs and tables, and even children's outdoor play equipment like swings and monkey bars.

Another reason why I like circuit training so much is that it's great fun to do in pairs or groups. Half the group exercises while the other half rests and motivates the exercising members of the group.

The main types of Circuit Training

As mentioned before, circuit training can be totally customized, which means there are an unlimited number of different ways you can structure your circuit training routine. However, here are a few examples to give you some idea of the different types available.

Timed Circuit
This type of circuit involves working to a set time period for both rest and exercise intervals. For example, a typical timed circuit might involve 30 seconds of exercise and 30 seconds of rest in between each exercise.

Competition Circuit
This is similar to a timed circuit but you push yourself to see how many repetitions you can do in the set time period. For example, you may be able to complete 12 push-ups in 30 seconds. The idea is to keep the time period the same, but try to increase the number of repetitions you can do in the set time period.

Repetition Circuit
This type of circuit is great if you're working with large groups of people who have different levels of fitness and ability. The idea is that the fittest group might do, say 20 repetitions of each exercise, the intermediate group might only do 15 repetitions, while the beginners might only do 10 repetitions of each exercise.

Sport Specific or Running Circuit
This type of circuit is best done outside or in a large, open area. Choose exercises that are specific to your particular sport, or emphasize an aspect of your sport you'd like to improve. Then instead of simply resting between exercises, run easy for 200 or 400 metres. You can even use sprints or fast 400 metre runs as part of your choice of exercises.

Some Important Precautions

Circuit training is a fantastic form of exercise, however, the most common problem I find is that people tend to get over excited, because of the timed nature of the exercises, and push themselves harder than they normally would. This tends to result in sore muscles and joints, and an increased likelihood of injury.

Below are two precautions you need to take into consideration.

Firstly, your level of fitness. If you've never done any sort of circuit training before, even if you consider yourself quite fit, start off slowly. The nature of circuit training is quite different to any other form of exercise. It places different demand on the body and mind, and if you're not used to it, it will take a few sessions for your body to adapt to this new form of training. Be patient.

Secondly, you're warm-up and cool-down are crucial. Don't ever start a circuit training routine without a thorough warm-up that includes stretching. As I mentioned before, circuit training is very different from other forms of exercise. Your body must be prepared for circuit training before you start your session.

For more information on how to warm-up and cool-down properly, review the following articles.

Warm-up: http://www.thestretchinghandbook.com/archives/warm-up.htm
Cool-down: http://www.thestretchinghandbook.com/archives/cool-down.htm
About the author:

Article by Brad Walker. Brad is a leading stretching and sports injury consultant with over 15 years experience in the health and fitness industry. For more articles on the prevention & treatment of sports injury, subscribe to The Stretching & Sports Injury Newsletter by visiting http://www.thestretchinghandbook.com/.


STRETCHING - Scientifically, The latest scientific studies and research findings.Brad Walker - Walkerbout Health Pty LtdSTRETCHING - Scientifically

Without a doubt, the most common questions I'm asked is; What's your view on the latest scientific studies and research findings in regards to stretching?

The short answer is; They all make for interesting reading, but I don't put a huge amount of confidence in them. Let me explain why.

Most of the studies I've reviewed attempt to determine the effects of stretching on injury prevention. This is a mistake in itself, and shows a lack of understanding as to how stretching is used as part of an injury prevention program.

Stretching, by itself, will not prevent injury. In fact, stretching can cause injury if certain precautions aren't taken.

Plus, it's not just a flexibility problem that can lead to injury. It could be a strength imbalance. It could be a stability or balance problem. It could be a proprioceptive imbalance. It could have to do with postural imbalances. It could have to do with physical imbalances like leg length differences. Or, it could simply be a matter of trying to do too much, too soon.

Stretching is just one very important component that assists in reducing the risk of injury. The best results are achieved when stretching is used in combination with other injury reduction techniques.

Stretching and its effect on physical performance and injury prevention is something that just can't be measured scientifically. The effects of stretching are very hard to measure and all the studies that I have seen are nothing more than anecdotal studies. Meaning the results achieved, or not achieved, are simply that persons perception of what has improved or not improved.

You see, stretching is not a science. It is near impossible to PROVE anything about stretching, scientifically. Sure you can measure the effect of stretching on flexibility with simple tests like the Site and Reach test but then to determine how that affects athletic performance or injury susceptibility is near impossible. The only way to do it would be with muscle biopsy's, which can be extremely painful and lead to muscle damage if done repeatedly.

I've seen so many people benefit from stretching and increased flexibility, that I'm absolutely positive it is beneficial. Most people involved in the hands-on side of coaching and sports training aren't worried by this type of study. It's mostly the academics that do the majority of there coaching from behind a desk, that are influenced by these studies.


So what can we say about the benefits of stretching...

Firstly
Upon undertaking a regular stretching program a number of changes occur within the body. Firstly, by placing particular parts of the body in certain positions, we are able to increase the length of muscles and tendons. As a result of this, a reduction in general muscle tension is achieved and our normal range of movement is increased.

By increasing our range of movement we are increasing the distance our limbs can move before damage occurs to the muscles and tendons. For example, the muscles and tendons in the back of our legs are put under great strain when kicking a football. Therefore, the more flexible and pliable those muscles are, the further our leg can travel forward before a strain or injury occurs to them.

The benefits of an extended range of movement includes: increased comfort; a greater ability to move freely; and a lessening of our susceptibility to muscle and tendon strain injuries.

Secondly
There is a dangerous stretching myth that says, 'if you stretch too much you will lose both joint stability and muscle power. This is totally untrue. By increasing our muscle and tendon length we are increasing the distance over which our muscles are able to contract. This results in a potential increase to our muscles' power and therefore increases our athletic ability, while also leading to an improvement in dynamic balance, or the ability to control our muscles.

Thirdly
We have all experienced what happens when you go for a run or to the gym for the first time in a few months. The following day our muscles are tight, sore, stiff and it's usually hard to even walk down a flight of stairs. This soreness that usually accompanies strenuous physical activity is often referred to as post exercise muscle soreness. This soreness is the result of micro tears, (minute tears within the muscle fibres), blood pooling and accumulated waste products, such as lactic acid. Stretching, as part of an effective cool-down, helps to alleviate this soreness by lengthening the individual muscle fibres, increasing blood circulation and removing waste products.

Fourthly
Fatigue is a major problem for everyone, especially those who exercise. It results in a decrease in both physical and mental performance. Increased flexibility through stretching can help prevent the effects of fatigue by taking pressure off the working muscles. For every muscle in the body has an opposite or opposing muscle and if the opposing muscles are more flexible, the working muscles do not have to exert as much force against the opposing muscles. Therefore each movement of the working muscles actually takes less effort.

And finally
Any person who experiences the benefits of stretching is certainly more likely to feel good about themselves. This leads to a confidence and assuredness, which helps to enhance physical performance and motivate the individual to participate in exercise.
About the author:

Article by Brad Walker. Brad is a leading stretching and sports injury consultant with over 15 years experience in the health and fitness industry. For more articles on the prevention & treatment of sports injury, subscribe to The Stretching & Sports Injury Newsletter by visiting http://www.thestretchinghandbook.com/.