Recepee

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INDIAN HISTORY PART 3

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1947: India Takes Over

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Indian Struggle for Freedom

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INDIAN FREEDOM MOVEMENT : BHAGAT SINGH PART 1

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150 Years of India's Freedom Struggle.

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The India China war of 1962 part 1

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INDIAS FREEDOM MOVEMENT - BOSE AND THE INDIAN NATIONAL ARMY

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German World War 2

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Battle of Britain

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War Over Poland 1939

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World War II: The World Goes to War (Part I)

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Hitler survived World War 2!

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Adolf Hitler

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Paintings by Adolf Hitler

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World War II In Colour

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World War II in Europe

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Quake Bomb, Atomic Bomb Simulation, Smoke linke Quake Logo

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Nuclear Bomb

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The first Russian Hydrogen Bomb 1953

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The First British Hydrogen Bomb

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Nuclear Bomb - First H Bomb test

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Albert Einstein Quotes

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Hiroshima Atomic Bomb Reenactment

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Japanese Surrender; World War II

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All This and World War II - theatrical trailer

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ADOLF HITLER BIOGRAPHY

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Adolf Hitler was born on 20th April, 1889, in the small Austrian town of Braunau near the German border. Both Hitler's parents had come from poor peasant families. His father Alois Hitler, the illegitimate son of a housemaid, was an intelligent and ambitious man and later became a senior customs official.

Klara Hitler was Alois' third wife. Alois was twenty-three years older than Klara and already had two children from his previous marriages. Klara and Alois had five children but only Adolf and a younger sister, Paula, survived to become adults.

Alois, who was fifty-one when Adolf was born, was extremely keen for his son to do well in life. Alois did have another son by an earlier marriage but he had been a big disappointment to him and eventually ended up in prison for theft. Alois was a strict father and savagely beat his son if he did not do as he was told.

Hitler did extremely well at primary school and it appeared he had a bright academic future in front of him. He was also popular with other pupils and was much admired for his leadership qualities. He was also a deeply religious child and for a while considered the possibility of becoming a monk.

Competition was much tougher in the larger secondary school and his reaction to not being top of the class was to stop trying. His father was furious as he had high hopes that Hitler would follow his example and join the Austrian civil service when he left school. However, Hitler was a stubborn child and attempts by his parents and teachers to change his attitude towards his studies were unsuccessful.

Hitler also lost his popularity with his fellow pupils. They were no longer willing to accept him as one of their leaders. As Hitler liked giving orders he spent his time with younger pupils. He enjoyed games that involved fighting and he loved re-enacting battles from the Boer War. His favourite game was playing the role of a commando rescuing Boers from English concentration camps.

The only teacher Hitler appeared to like at secondary school was Leopold Potsch, his history master. Potsch, like many people living in Upper Austria, was a German Nationalist. Potsch told Hitler and his fellow pupils of the German victories over France in 1870 and 1871 and attacked the Austrians for not becoming involved in these triumphs. Otto von Bismarck, the first chancellor of the German Empire, was one of Hitler's early historical heroes.

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In Pursuit of Hitler

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Mein Kampf

Hitler's other main interest at school was art. His father was incensed when Hitler told him that instead of joining the civil service he was going to become an artist. The relationship between Hitler and his father deteriorated and the conflict only ended with the death of Alois Hitler in 1903.

Hitler was thirteen when his father died. His death did not cause the family financial hardships. The Hitler family owned their own home and they also received a lump sum and a generous civil service pension.

Klara Hitler, a kind and gentle woman, tended to spoil her son. Like her husband she was keen for Adolf to do well at school. Her attempts at persuasion achieved no more success than her husband's threats and he continued to obtain poor grades.

At the age of fifteen he did so badly in his examinations that he was told he would have to repeat the whole year's work again. Hitler hated the idea and managed to persuade his mother to allow him to leave school without a secondary education qualification. He celebrated by getting drunk. However, he found it an humiliating experience and vowed never to get drunk again. He kept his promise and by the time he reached his thirties he had given up alcohol completely.

When he was eighteen Hitler received an inheritance from his father's will. With the money he moved to Vienna where he planned to become an art student. Hitler had a high opinion of his artistic abilities and was shattered when the Vienna Academy of Art rejected his application. He also applied to the Vienna School of Architecture but was not admitted because he did not have a school leaving certificate.

Hitler was humiliated by these two rejections and could not bring himself to tell his mother what had happened. Instead he continued to live in Vienna pretending he was an art student.

In 1907 Klara Hitler died from cancer. Her death affected him far more deeply than the death of his father. He had fond memories of his mother, carried her photograph wherever he went and, it is claimed, had it in his hand when he died in 1945.

As the eldest child, Hitler now received his father's civil service pension. It was more money than many people received in wages and meant that Hitler did not have to find employment. He spent most of the morning in bed reading and in the afternoon he walked around Vienna studying buildings, visiting museums, and making sketches.

In 1909 Hitler should have registered for military service. He was unwilling to serve Austria, which he despised, so he ignored his call-up papers. It took four years for the authorities to catch up with him. When he had his medical for the Austro-Hungarian Army in 1914 he was rejected as being: "Unfit for combatant and auxiliary duty - too weak. Unable to bear arms."

The outbreak of the First World War provided him with an opportunity for a fresh start. It was a chance for him to become involved in proving that Germany was superior to other European countries. Hitler claimed that when he heard the news of war: "I was overcome with impetuous enthusiasm, and falling on my knees, wholeheartedly thanked Heaven that I had been granted the happiness to live live at this time. Rejecting the idea of fighting for Austria, Hitler volunteered for the German Army. In times of war medical examinations are not so rigorous.

Hitler liked being in the army. For the first time he was part of a group that was fighting for a common goal. Hitler also liked the excitement of fighting in a war. Although fairly cautious in his actions, he did not mind risking his life and impressed his commanding officers for volunteering for dangerous missions.

His fellow soldiers described him as "odd" and "peculiar". One soldier from his regiment, Hans Mend, claimed that Hitler was an isolated figure who spent long periods of time sitting in the corner holding his head in silence. Then all of a sudden, Mend claimed, he would jump up and make a speech. These outbursts were usually attacks on Jews and Marxists who Hitler claimed were undermining the war effort.

Hitler was given the job of despatch-runner. It was a dangerous job as it involved carrying messages from regimental headquarters to the front-line. On one day alone, three out of eight of the regiment's despatch-runners were killed. For the first time since he was at primary school Hitler was a success.

Hitler won five medals including the prestigious Iron Cross during the First World War. His commanding officer wrote: "As a dispatch-runner, he has shown cold-blooded courage and exemplary boldness. Under conditions of great peril, when all the communication lines were cut, the untiring and fearless activity of Hitler made it possible for important messages to go through".

Although much decorated in the war, Hitler only reached the rank of corporal. This was probably due to his eccentric behaviour and the fear that the other soldiers might not obey the man they considered so strange.

In October 1918, Hitler was blinded in a British mustard gas attack. He was sent to a military hospital and gradually recovered his sight. While he was in hospital Germany surrendered. Hitler went into a state of deep depression, and had periods when he could not stop crying. He spent most of his time turned towards the hospital wall refusing to talk to anyone. Once again Hitler's efforts had ended in failure.

After the war Hitler was stationed in Munich, the capital of Bavaria. While Hitler was in Munich, the capital of Bavaria, Kurt Eisner, leader of the Independent Socialist Party, declared Bavaria a Socialist Republic. Hitler was appalled by the revolution. As a German Nationalist he disagreed with the socialist belief in equality.

Hitler saw socialism as part of a Jewish conspiracy. Many of the socialist leaders in Germany, including Kurt Eisner, Rosa Luxemburg, Ernst Toller and Eugen Levine were Jews. So also were many of the leaders of the October Revolution in Russia. This included Leon Trotsky, Gregory Zinoviev, Lev Kamenev, Dimitri Bogrov, Karl Radek, Yakov Sverdlov, Maxim Litvinov, Adolf Joffe, and Moisei Uritsky. It had not escaped Hitler's notice that Karl Marx, the prophet of socialism, had also been a Jew.

It was no coincidence that Jews had joined socialist and communist parties in Europe. Jews had been persecuted for centuries and therefore were attracted to a movement that proclaimed that all men and women deserved to be treated as equals. This message was reinforced when on 10th July, 1918, the Bolshevik government in Russia passed a law that abolished all discrimination between Jews and non-Jews.

It was not until May, 1919 that the German Army entered Munich and overthrew the Bavarian Socialist Republic. Hitler was arrested with other soldiers in Munich and was accused of being a socialist. Hundreds of socialists were executed without trial but Hitler was able to convince them that he had been an opponent of the regime. To prove this he volunteered to help to identify soldiers who had supported the Socialist Republic. The authorities agreed to this proposal and Hitler was transferred to the commission investigating the revolution.

Information supplied by Hitler helped to track down several soldiers involved in the uprising. His officers were impressed by his hostility to left-wing ideas and he was recruited as a political officer. Hitler's new job was to lecture soldiers on politics. The main aim was to promote his political philosophy favoured by the army and help to combat the influence of the Russian Revolution on the German soldiers.

Hitler, who had for years been ignored when he made political speeches, now had a captive audience. The political climate had also changed. Germany was a defeated and disillusioned country. At Versailles the German government had been forced to sign a peace treaty that gave away 13% of her territory. This meant the loss of 6 million people, a large percentage of her raw materials (65% of iron ore reserves, 45% of her coal, 72% of her zinc) and 10% of her factories. Germany also lost all her overseas colonies.

Under the terms of the Versailles Treaty Germany also had to pay for damage caused by the war. These reparations amounted to 38% of her national wealth.

Hitler was no longer isolated. The German soldiers who attended his lectures shared his sense of failure. They found his message that they were not to blame attractive. He told them that Germany had not been beaten on the battlefield but had been betrayed by Jews and Marxists who had preached revolution and undermined the war effort.

The German Army also began using Hitler as a spy. In September 1919, he was instructed to attend a meeting of the German Worker's Party (GWP). The army feared that this new party, led by Anton Drexler, might be advocating communist revolution. Hitler discovered that the party's political ideas were similar to his own. He approved of Drexler's German nationalism and anti-Semitism but was unimpressed with the way the party was organized. Although there as a spy, Hitler could not restrain himself when a member made a point he disagreed with, and he stood up and made a passionate speech on the subject.

Drexler was impressed with Hitler's abilities as an orator and invited him to join the party. At first Hitler was reluctant, but urged on by his commanding officer, Captain Karl Mayr, he eventually agreed. He was only the fifty-fourth person to join the GWP. Hitler was immediately asked to join the executive committee and was later appointed the party's propaganda manager.

In the next few weeks Hitler brought several members of his army into the party, including one of his commanding officers, Captain Ernst Roehm. The arrival of Roehm was an important development as he had access to the army political fund and was able to transfer some of the money into the GWP.

The German Worker's Party used some of this money to advertise their meetings. Hitler was often the main speaker and it was during this period that he developed the techniques that made him into such a persuasive orator.

The Hitler File

The Last of the Hitlers

Hitler always arrived late which helped to develop tension and a sense of expectation. He took the stage, stood to attention and waited until there was complete silence before he started his speech. For the first few months Hitler appeared nervous and spoke haltingly. Slowly he would begin to relax and his style of delivery would change. He would start to rock from side to side and begin to gesticulate with his hands. His voice would get louder and become more passionate. Sweat poured of him, his face turned white, his eyes bulged and his voice cracked with emotion. He ranted and raved about the injustices done to Germany and played on his audience's emotions of hatred and envy. By the end of the speech the audience would be in a state of near hysteria and were willing to do whatever Hitler suggested.

As soon as his speech finished Hitler would quickly leave the stage and disappear from view. Refusing to be photographed, Hitler's aim was to create an air of mystery about himself, hoping that it would encourage others to come and hear the man who was now being described as "the new Messiah".

Hitler's reputation as an orator grew and it soon became clear that he was the main reason why people were joining the party. This gave Hitler tremendous power within the organization as they knew they could not afford to lose him. One change suggested by Hitler concerned adding "Socialist" to the name of the party. Hitler had always been hostile to socialist ideas, especially those that involved racial or sexual equality. However, socialism was a popular political philosophy in Germany after the First World War. This was reflected in the growth in the German Social Democrat Party (SDP), the largest political party in Germany.

Hitler, therefore redefined socialism by placing the word 'National' before it. He claimed he was only in favour of equality for those who had "German blood". Jews and other "aliens" would lose their rights of citizenship, and immigration of non-Germans should be brought to an end.

In February 1920, the National Socialist German Workers Party (NSDAP) published its first programme which became known as the "25 Points". In the programme the party refused to accept the terms of the Versailles Treaty and called for the reunification of all German people. To reinforce their ideas on nationalism, equal rights were only to be given to German citizens. "Foreigners" and "aliens" would be denied these rights.

To appeal to the working class and socialists, the programme included several measures that would redistribute income and war profits, profit-sharing in large industries, nationalization of trusts, increases in old-age pensions and free education.

The Third Reich

Visions of Victory

On 24th February, 1920, the NSDAP (later nicknamed the Nazi Party) held a mass rally where it announced its new programme. The rally was attended by over 2,000 people, a great improvement on the 25 people who were at Hitler's first party meeting.

Hitler knew that the growth in the party was mainly due to his skills as an orator and in the autumn of 1921 he challenged Anton Drexler for the leadership of the party. After brief resistance Drexler accepted the inevitable, and Hitler became the new leader of the Nazi Party.

Hitler's ability to arouse in his supporters emotions of anger and hate often resulted in their committing acts of violence. In September 1921, Hitler was sent to prison for three months for being part of a mob who beat up a rival politician.

When Hitler was released, he formed his own private army called Sturm Abteilung (Storm Section). The SA (also known as stormtroopers or brownshirts) were instructed to disrupt the meetings of political opponents and to protect Hitler from revenge attacks. Captain Ernst Roehm of the Bavarian Army played an important role in recruiting these men, and Hermann Goering, a former air-force pilot, became their leader.

Hitler's stormtroopers were often former members of the Freikorps (right-wing private armies who flourished during the period that followed the First World War) and had considerable experience in using violence against their rivals.

The SA wore grey jackets, brown shirts (khaki shirts originally intended for soldiers in Africa but purchased in bulk from the German Army by the Nazi Party), swastika armbands, ski-caps, knee-breeches, thick woolen socks and combat boots. Accompanied by bands of musicians and carrying swastika flags, they would parade through the streets of Munich. At the end of the march Hitler would make one of his passionate speeches that encouraged his supporters to carry out acts of violence against Jews and his left-wing political opponents.

As this violence was often directed against Socialists and Communists, the local right-wing Bavarian government did not take action against the Nazi Party. However, the national government in Berlin were concerned and passed a "Law for the Protection of the Republic". Hitler's response was to organize a rally attended by 40,000 people. At the meeting Hitler called for the overthrow of the German government and even suggested that its leaders should be executed.

In 1923 the German Government had to deal with a series of difficult problems. In January the French Army occupied the Ruhr because they claimed Germany was falling behind with her reparations. Workers in the Ruhr responded by going on strike which badly hurt the German economy. One of the consequences of this was rapid inflation. As people found their savings becoming worthless, they turned against their government.

On 13th August, Gustav Stresemann became the new Chancellor of Germany. When Stresemann decided to call off resistance to the French occupation of the Ruhr and to start paying reparations to the Allies again, Hitler decided it was time for him to become the new leader of Germany.

On 8th November, 1923, the Bavarian government held a meeting of about 3,000 officials. While Gustav von Kahr, the leader of the Bavarian government was making a speech, Hitler and armed stormtroopers entering the building. Hitler jumped onto a table, fired two shots in the air and told the audience that the Munich Putsch was taking place and the National Revolution had began.

Leaving Hermann Goering and the SA to guard the 3,000 officials, Hitler took Gustav von Kahr, Otto von Lossow, the commander of the Bavarian Army and Hans von Seisser, the commandant of the Bavarian State Police into an adjoining room. Hitler told the men that he was to be the new leader of Germany and offered them posts in his new government. Aware that this would be an act of high treason, the three men were initially reluctant to agree to this offer. Hitler was furious and threatened to shoot them and then commit suicide: "I have three bullets for you, gentlemen, and one for me!" After this the three men agreed.

Soon afterwards Eric Ludendorff arrived. Ludendorff had been leader of the German Army at the end of the First World War. He had therefore found Hitler's claim that the war had not been lost by the army but by Jews, Socialists, Communists and the German government, attractive, and was a strong supporter of the Nazi Party. Ludendorff agreed to become head of the the German Army in Hitler's government.

While Hitler had been appointing government ministers, Ernst Roehm, leading a group of stormtroopers, had seized the War Ministry and Rudolf Hess was arranging the arrest of Jews and left-wing political leaders in Bavaria.

Hitler now planned to march on Berlin and remove the national government. Surprisingly, Hitler had not arranged for the stormtroopers to take control of the radio stations and the telegraph offices. This meant that the national government in Berlin soon heard about Hitler's putsch and gave orders for it to be crushed.

The next day Hitler, Eric Ludendorff, Hermann Goering and 3,000 armed supporters of the Nazi Party marched through Munich in an attempt to join up with Roehm's forces at the War Ministry. At Odensplatz they found the road blocked by the Munich police. As they refused to stop, the police fired into the ground in front of the marchers. The stormtroopers returned the fire and during the next few minutes 21 people were killed and another hundred were wounded, included Goering.

When the firing started Hitler threw himself to the ground dislocating his shoulder. Hitler lost his nerve and ran to a nearby car. Although the police were outnumbered, the Nazis followed their leader's example and ran away. Only Eric Ludendorff and his adjutant continued walking towards the police. Later Nazi historians were to claim that the reason Hitler left the scene so quickly was because he had to rush an injured young boy to the local hospital.

After hiding in a friend's house for several days, Hitler was arrested and put on trial for his role in the Beer Hall Putsch. If found guilty, Hitler faced the death penalty. While in prison Hitler suffered from depression and talked of committing suicide. However, it soon became clear that the Nazi sympathizers in the Bavarian government were going to make sure that Hitler would not be punished severely.

At his trial Hitler was allowed to turn the proceedings into a political rally, and although he was found guilty he only received the minimum sentence of five years. Other members of the Nazi Party also received light sentences and Eric Ludendorff was acquitted.

Hitler was sent to Landsberg Castle in Munich to serve his prison sentence. He was treated well and was allowed to walk in the castle grounds, wear his own clothes and receive gifts. Officially there were restrictions on visitors but this did not apply to Hitler, and a steady flow of friends, party members and journalists spent long spells with him. He was even allowed to have visits from his pet Alsatian dog.

While in Landsberg he read a lot of books. Most of these dealt with German history and political philosophy. Later he was to describe his spell in prison as a "free education at the state's expense." One writer who influenced Hitler while in prison was Henry Ford, the American car-manufacturer. Hitler read Ford's autobiography, My Life and Work, and a book of his called The International Jew. In the latter Ford claimed that there was a Jewish conspiracy to take over the world. Hitler also approved of Ford's hostile views towards communism and trade unions.

Max Amnan, his business manager, proposed that Hitler should spend his time in prison writing his autobiography. Hitler, who had never fully mastered writing, was at first not keen on the idea. However, he agreed when it was suggested that he should dictate his thoughts to a ghostwriter. The prison authorities surprisingly agreed that Hitler's chauffeur, Emil Maurice, could live in the prison to carry out this task.

Maurice, whose main talent was as a street fighter, was a poor writer and the job was eventually taken over by Rudolf Hess, a student at Munich University. Hess made a valiant attempt at turning Hitler's spoken ideas into prose. However, the book that Hitler wrote in prison was repetitive, confused, turgid and therefore, extremely difficult to read. In his writing, Hitler was unable to use the passionate voice and dramatic bodily gestures which he had used so effectively in his speeches, to convey his message.

The book was originally entitled Four Years of Struggle against Lies, Stupidity, and Cowardice. Hitler's publisher reduced it to My Struggle (Mein Kampf). The book is a mixture of autobiography, political ideas and an explanation of the techniques of propaganda. The autobiographical details in Mein Kampf are often inaccurate, and the main purpose of this part of the book appears to be to provide a positive image of Hitler. For example, when Hitler was living a life of leisure in Vienna he claims he was working hard as a labourer.

In Mein Kampf Hitler outlined his political philosophy. He argued that the German (he wrongly described them as the Aryan race) was superior to all others. "Every manifestation of human culture, every product of art, science and technical skill, which we see before our eyes today, is almost exclusively the product of Aryan creative power."

Hitler warned that the Aryan's superiority was being threatened by intermarriage. If this happened world civilization would decline: "On this planet of ours human culture and civilization are indissolubly bound up with the presence of the Aryan. If he should be exterminated or subjugated, then the dark shroud of a new barbarian era would enfold the earth."

Although other races would resist this process, the Aryan race had a duty to control the world. This would be difficult and force would have to be used, but it could be done. To support this view he gave the example of how the British Empire had controlled a quarter of the world by being well-organised and having well-timed soldiers and sailors.

Hitler 1889-1936

Hitler 1889-1936

Hitler believed that Aryan superiority was being threatened particularly by the Jewish race who, he argued, were lazy and had contributed little to world civilization. (Hitler ignored the fact that some of his favourite composers and musicians were Jewish). He claimed that the "Jewish youth lies in wait for hours on end satanically glaring at and spying on the unconscious girl whom he plans to seduce, adulterating her blood with the ultimate idea of bastardizing the white race which they hate and thus lowering its cultural and political level so that the Jew might dominate."

According to Hitler, Jews were responsible for everything he did not like, including modern art, pornography and prostitution. Hitler also alleged that the Jews had been responsible for losing the First World War. Hitler also claimed that Jews, who were only about 1% of the population, were slowly taking over the country. They were doing this by controlling the largest political party in Germany, the German Social Democrat Party, many of the leading companies and several of the country's newspapers. The fact that Jews had achieved prominent positions in a democratic society was, according to Hitler, an argument against democracy: "a hundred blockheads do not equal one man in wisdom."

Hitler believed that the Jews were involved with Communists in a joint conspiracy to take over the world. Like Henry Ford, Hitler claimed that 75% of all Communists were Jews. Hitler argued that the combination of Jews and Marxists had already been successful in Russia and now threatened the rest of Europe. He argued that the communist revolution was an act of revenge that attempted to disguise the inferiority of the Jews.

In Mein Kampf Hitler declared that: "The external security of a people in largely determined by the size of its territory. If he won power Hitler promised to occupy Russian land that would provide protection and lebensraum (living space) for the German people. This action would help to destroy the Jewish/Marxist attempt to control the world: "The Russian Empire in the East is ripe for collapse; and the end of the Jewish domination of Russia will also be the end of Russia as a state."

To achieve this expansion in the East and to win back land lost during the First World War, Hitler claimed that it might be necessary to form an alliance with Britain and Italy. An alliance with Britain was vitally important because it would prevent Germany fighting a war in the East and West at the same time.

According to James Douglas-Hamilton (Motive for a Mission) Karl Haushofer provided "Hitler with a formula and certain well-turned phrases which could be adapted, and which at a later stage suited the Nazis perfectly". Haushofer had developed the theory that the state is a biological organism which grows or contracts, and that in the struggle for space the strong countries take land from the weak.

Hitler was released from prison on 20th December, 1924, after serving just over a year of his sentence. The Germany of 1924 was dramatically different from the Germany of 1923. The economic policies of the German government had proved successful. Inflation had been brought under control and the economy began to improve. The German people gradually gained a new faith in their democratic system and began to find the extremist solutions proposed by people such as Hitler unattractive.

Hitler attempted to play down his extremist image, and claimed that he was no longer in favour of revolution but was willing to compete with other parties in democratic elections. This policy was unsuccessful and in the elections of December 1924 the NSDAP could only win 14 seats compared with the the 131 obtained by the Socialists (German Social Democrat Party) and the 45 of the German Communist Party (KPD).

Georges, Grim Reaper, The Nation (April, 1933)

Hitler went to live in Berchtesgaden in the Bavarian Alps. Later he was to say this was the happiest time of his life. He spent his time reading, walking and being driven fast around the countryside in his new supercharged Mercedes. For the first time in his life he began to take a serious interest in women.

Hitler liked the company of beautiful and frivolous women and avoided women who wanted to discuss political issues. His attitude towards women is reflected in his comment that: "A highly intelligent man should take a primitive and stupid woman." On another occasion he said: "I detest women who dabble in politics."

This was one of the reasons Hitler tended to be attracted to women much younger than himself, and there was a scandal when Maria Reiter, a sixteen-year-old girl he was involved with, tried to commit suicide.

In 1928 Hitler asked his half-sister, Angela Raubal, to be his housekeeper. She agreed and arrived with her twenty-year old daughter, Geli Raubal. Hitler, who had now turned forty, became infatuated with Geli and rumours soon spread that he was having an affair with his young niece. Hitler became extremely possessive and Emil Maurice, his chauffeur, who also showed interest in Geli, was sacked.

The couple lived together for over two years. The relationship with Geli was stormy and they began to accuse each other of being unfaithful. Geli was particularly concerned about Eva Braun, a seventeen-year-old girl who Hitler took for rides in his Mercedes car.

Geli also complained about the way Hitler controlled her life On September 8, 1931, Hitler left for Hamburg after having a blazing row with Geli over her desire to spend some time in Vienna. Hitler was heard to shout at Geli as he was about to get into his car: "For the last time, no!" After he left Geli shot herself through the heart with a revolver.

When he heard the news Hitler threatened to take his own life but was talked out of it by senior members of the Nazi Party. One consequence of Geli's suicide was that Hitler became a vegetarian. He claimed that meat now reminded him of Geli's corpse.

Rumours about Geli's death spread quickly amongst Hitler's enemies. It was claimed that Geli had been badly beaten up by Hitler before she shot herself. Another story involved Geli committing suicide because she was expecting Hitler's child. Some people claimed she was murdered by Heinrich Himmler because she was threatening to blackmail Hitler. Little evidence has been provided to support these suggestions and the reasons for her death remain a mystery

After the death of Geli Raubal, Hitler began to see more of Eva Braun. However he still had relationships with other women Hitler was especially fond of film-stars and one girlfriend the actress Renate Mueller, committed suicide by throwing herself out of a hotel window in Berlin.

Eva was extremely jealous of Hitler's other girlfriends and in 1932 she also attempted suicide by shooting herself in the neck. Doctors managed to save her life, and after this incident Hitler seemed to become more attached to Eva and saw less of other women.

Hitler had no desire to have children. He told several people that if he had children they were certain to disappoint
him as they would never match his own genius.

The Nazi Party always attempted to keep Hitler's love life secret. In his speeches Hitler claimed that he had never married because he was "married to the German people." The severe casualties suffered during the First World War meant that there was a large number of widows and spinsters in Germany. Women in Germany found Hitler's bachelor image attractive and this helped win him votes during elections. It was for this reason that Eva Braun was never seen in public with Hitler.

Emil Kirdorf, a very wealthy industrialist met Hitler in 1927. Although Kirdorf agreed with most of Hitler's views he was concerned about some of the policies of the Nazi Party. He was particularly worried about the opinions of some people in the party such as Gregor Strasser who talked about the need to redistribute wealth in Germany.

Hitler tried to reassure Kirdorf that these policies were just an attempt to gain the support of the working-class in Germany and would not be implemented once he gained power. Kirdorf suggested that Hitler should write a pamphlet for private distribution amongst Germany's leading industrialists that clearly expressed his views on economic policy.

Hitler agreed and The Road to Resurgence was published in the summer of 1927. In the pamphlet distributed by Kirdorf to Germany's leading industrialists, Hitler tried to reassure his readers that he was a supporter of private enterprise and was opposed to any real transformation of Germany's economic and social structure.

Emil Kirdorf and his wealthy right-wing friends were particularly attracted to Hitler's idea of winning the working class away from left-wing political groups such as the Social Democratic Party and the Communist Party. Kirdorf and other business leaders were also impressed with the news that Hitler planned to suppress the trade union movement once he gained power. Kirdorf joined the Nazi Party and immediately began to try and persuade other leading industrialists to supply Hitler with the necessary funds to win control of the Reichstag.

Kirdorf expected Adolf Hitler to remove left-wing members of the Nazi Party such as Gregor Strasser, Ernst Roehm and Gottfried Feder to be removed from power. When this did not happen, Kirdorf switched his support to the German Nationalist Party (DNVP) led by Alfred Hugenberg.

In the 1928 German elections, less than 3% of the people voted for the Nazi Party. This gave them only twelve seats, twenty fewer than they achieved in the May, 1924 election. However, the party was well organized and membership had grown from 27,000 in 1925 to 108,000 in 1928.

One of the new members was Joseph Goebbels. Hitler first met him in 1925. Both men were impressed with each other. Goebbels described one of their first meetings in his diary: "Shakes my hand. Like an old friend. And those big blue eyes. Like stars. He is glad to see me. I am in heaven. That man has everything to be king."

Hitler admired Goebbels' abilities as a writer and speaker. They shared an interest in propaganda and together they planned how the NSDAP would win the support of the German people.

Propaganda cost money and this was something that the Nazi Party was very short of. Whereas the German Social Democratic Party was funded by the trade unions and the pro-capitalist parties by industrialists, the NSDAP had to rely on contributions from party members. When Hitler approached rich industrialists for help he was told that his economic policies (profit-sharing, nationalization of trusts) were too left-wing.

In an attempt to obtain financial contributions from industrialists, Hitler wrote a pamphlet in 1927 entitled The Road to Resurgence. Only a small number of these pamphlets were printed and they were only meant for the eyes of the top industrialists in Germany. The reason that the pamphlet was kept secret was that it contained information that would have upset Hitler's working-class supporters. In the pamphlet Hitler implied that the anti-capitalist measures included in the original twenty-five points of the NSDAP programme would not be implemented if he gained power.

The Hitler File

Karl Brandt: The Nazi Doctor

Hitler began to argue that "capitalists had worked their way to the top through their capacity, and on the basis of this selection they have the right to lead." Hitler claimed that national socialism meant all people doing their best for society and posed no threat to the wealth of the rich. Some prosperous industrialists were convinced by these arguments and gave donations to the Nazi Party, however, the vast majority continued to support other parties, especially the right-wing German Nationalist Peoples Party (DNVP).

Another new member of the NSDAP was Heinrich Himmler. Hitler was impressed by Himmler's fanatical nationalism and his deep hatred of the Jews. Himmler believed Hitler was the Messiah that was destined to lead Germany to greatness. Hitler, who was always vulnerable to flattery, decided that Himmler should become the new leader of his personal bodyguard, the Schutzstaffeinel (SS).

The German economy continued to improve and as unemployment fell, so did the support for extremist political parties such as the NSDAP. In the General Election held in May, 1928, the Nazi Party won only 14 seats, while the left-wing parties, the German Social Democrat Party (153) and the German Communist Party (54) still continued to grow in popularity.

The fortunes of the NSDAP changed with the Wall Street Crash in October 1929. Desperate for capital, the United States began to recall loans from Europe. One of the consequences of this was a rapid increase in unemployment. Germany, whose economy relied heavily on investment from the United States, suffered more than any other country in Europe.

Before the crash, 1.25 million people were unemployed in Germany. By the end of 1930 the figure had reached nearly 4 million. Even those in work suffered as many were only working part-time. With the drop in demand for labour, wages also fell and those with full-time work had to survive on lower incomes. Hitler, who was considered a fool in 1928 when he predicted economic disaster, was now seen in a different light. People began to say that if he was clever enough to predict the depression maybe he also knew how to solve it.

In the General Election that took place in September 1930, the Nazi Party increased its number of representatives in parliament from 14 to 107. Hitler was now the leader of the second largest party in Germany.

The German Social Democrat Party was the largest party in the Reichstag, it did not have a majority over all the other parties, and the SPD leader, Hermann Muller, had to rely on the support of others to rule Germany. After the SPD refused to reduce unemployment benefits, Mueller was replaced as Chancellor by Heinrich Bruening. However, with his party only having 87 representatives out of 577 in the Reichstag, he also found it extremely difficult to gain agreement for his policies.

Hitler used this situation to his advantage, claiming that parliamentary democracy did not work. The NSDAP argued that only Hitler could provide the strong government that Germany needed. Hitler and other Nazi leaders travelled round the country giving speeches putting over this point of view.

What Hitler said depended very much on the audience. In rural areas he promised tax cuts for farmers and government actin to protect food prices. In working class areas he spoke of redistribution of wealth and attacked the high profits made by the large chain stores. When he spoke to industrialists, Hitler concentrated on his plans to destroy communism and to reduce the power of the trade union movement. Hitler's main message was that Germany's economic recession was due to the Treaty of Versailles. Other than refusing to pay reparations, Hitler avoided explaining how he would improve the German economy.

With a divided Reichstag, the power of the German President became more important. In 1931 Hitler challenged Paul von Hindenburg for the presidency. Hindenburg was now 84 years old and showing signs of senility. However, a large percentage of the German population still feared Hitler and in the election Hindenburg had a comfortable majority.

Heinrich Bruening and other senior politicians were worried that Hitler would use his stormtroopers to take power by force. Led by Ernst Roehm, it now contained over 400,000 men. Under the terms of the Treaty of Versailles the official German Army was restricted to 100,000 men and was therefore outnumbered by the SA. In the past, those who feared communism were willing to put up with the SA as they provided a useful barrier against the possibility of revolution. However, with the growth in SA violence and fearing a Nazi coup, Bruening banned the organization.

In May 1932, Paul von Hindenburg sacked Bruening and replaced him with Franz von Papen. The new chancellor was also a member of the Catholic Centre Party and, being more sympathetic to the Nazis, he removed the ban on the SA. The next few weeks saw open warfare on the streets between the Nazis and the Communists during which 86 people were killed.

In an attempt to gain support for his new government, in July Franz von Papen called another election. Hitler now had the support of the upper and middle classes and the NSDAP did well winning 230 seats, making it the largest party in the Reichstag. However the German Social Democrat Party (133) and the German Communist Party (89) still had the support of the urban working class and Hitler was deprived of an overall majority in parliament.

Hitler demanded that he should be made Chancellor but Paul von Hindenburg refused and instead gave the position to Major-General Kurt von Schleicher. Hitler was furious and began to abandon his strategy of disguising his extremist views. In one speech he called for the end of democracy a system which he described as being the "rule of stupidity, of mediocrity, of half-heartedness, of cowardice, of weakness, and of inadequacy."

The behaviour of the NSDAP became more violent. On one occasion 167 Nazis beat up 57 members of the German Communist Party in the Reichstag. They were then physically thrown out of the building.

The stormtroopers also carried out terrible acts of violence against socialists and communists. In one incident in Silesia, a young member of the KPD had his eyes poked out with a billiard cue and was then stabbed to death in front of his mother. Four members of the SA were convicted of the rime. Many people were shocked when Hitler sent a letter of support for the four men and promised to do what he could to get them released.

Incidents such as these worried many Germans, and in the elections that took place in November 1932 the support for the Nazi Party fell. The German Communist Party made substantial gains in the election winning 100 seats. Hitler used this to create a sense of panic by claiming that German was on the verge of a Bolshevik Revolution and only the NSDAP could prevent this happening.

A group of prominent industrialists who feared such a revolution sent a petition to Paul von Hindenburg asking for Hitler to become Chancellor. Hindenberg reluctantly agreed to their request and at the age of forty-three, Hitler became the new Chancellor of Germany.

Although Hitler had the support of certain sections of the German population he never gained an elected majority. The best the National Socialist German Workers Party (NSDAP) could do in a election was 37.3 per cent of the vote they gained in July 1932. When Hitler became chancellor in January 1933, the Nazis only had a third of the seats in the Reichstag.

Soon after Hitler became chancellor he announced new elections. Hermann Goering called a meeting of important industrialists where he told them that the 1933 General Election could be the last in Germany for a very long time. Goering added that the NSDAP would need a considerable amount of of money to ensure victory. Those present responded by donating 3 million Reichmarks. As Joseph Goebbels wrote in his diary after the meeting: "Radio and press are at our disposal. Even money is not lacking this time."

Behind the scenes Goering, who was minister of the interior in Hitler's government, was busily sacking senior police officers and replacing them with Nazi supporters. These men were later to become known as the Gestapo. Goering also recruited 50,000 members of the Sturm Abteilung (SA) to work as police auxiliaries.

Hermann Goering then raided the headquarters of the Communist Party (KPD) in Berlin and claimed that he had uncovered a plot to overthrow the government. Leaders of the KPD were arrested but no evidence was ever produced to support Goering's accusations. He also announced he had discovered a communist plot to poison German milk supplies.

On 27th February, 1933, someone set fire to the Reichstag. Several people were arrested including a leading, Georgi Dimitrov, general secretary of the Comintern, the international communist organization. Dimitrov was eventually acquitted but a young man from the Netherlands, Marianus van der Lubbe, was eventually executed for the crime. As a teenager Lubbe had been a communist and Hermann Goering used this information to claim that the Reichstag Fire was part of a KPD plot to overthrow the government.

Hitler gave orders that all leaders of the German Communist Party should "be hanged that very night." Paul von Hindenburg vetoed this decision but did agree that Hitler should take "dictatorial powers". KPD candidates in the election were arrested and Hermann Goering announced that the Nazi Party planned "to exterminate" German communists.

Thousands of members of the Social Democrat Party and Communist Party were arrested and sent to recently opened to concentration camp. They were called this because they "concentrated" the enemy into a restricted area. Hitler named these camps after those used by the British during the Boer War.

Left-wing election meetings were broken up by the Sturm Abteilung (SA) and several candidates were murdered. Newspapers that supported these political parties were closed down during the 1933 General Election.

Although it was extremely difficult for the opposition parties to campaign properly, Hitler and the Nazi party still failed to win an overall victory in the election on 5th March, 1933. The NSDAP received 43.9% of the vote and only 288 seats out of the available 647. The increase in the Nazi vote had mainly come from the Catholic rural areas who feared the possibility of an atheistic Communist government.

After the 1933 General Election Hitler proposed an Enabling Bill that would give him dictatorial powers. Such an act needed three-quarters of the members of the Reichstag to vote in its favour.

All the active members of the Communist Party, were in concentration camps, in hiding, or had left the country (an estimated 60,000 people left Germany during the first few weeks after the election). This was also true of most of the leaders of the other left-wing party, Social Democrat Party (SDP). However, Hitler still needed the support of the Catholic Centre Party (BVP) to pass this legislation. Hitler therefore offered the BVP a deal: vote for the bill and the Nazi government would guarantee the rights of the Catholic Church. The BVP agreed and when the vote was taken, only 94 members of the SDP voted against the Enabling Bill.

Hitler was now dictator of Germany. His first move was to take over the trade unions. Its leaders were sent to concentration camps and the organization was put under the control of the Nazi Party. The trade union movement now became known as the Labour Front.

Soon afterwards the Communist Party and the Social Democrat Party were banned. Party activists still in the country were arrested. A month later Hitler announced that the Catholic Centre Party, the Nationalist Party and all other political parties other than the NSDAP were illegal, and by the end of 1933 over 150,000 political prisoners were in concentration camps. Hitler was aware that people have a great fear of the unknown, and if prisoners were released, they were warned that if they told anyone of their experiences they would be sent back to the camp.

It was not only left-wing politicians and trade union activists who were sent to concentration camp. The Gestapo also began arresting beggars, prostitutes, homosexuals, alcoholics and anyone who was incapable of working. Although some inmates were tortured, the only people killed during this period were prisoners who tried to escape and those classed as "incurably insane".

Hitler's Germany became known as a fascist state. Fascist was originally used to describe the government of Benito Mussolini in Italy. Mussolini's fascist one-party state emphasized patriotism, national unity, hatred of communism, admiration of military values and unquestioning obedience. Hitler was deeply influenced by Mussolini's Italy and his Germany shared many of the same characteristics.

The German economic system remained capitalistic but the state played a more prominent role in managing the economy. Industrialists were sometimes told what to produce and what price they should charge for the goods that they made. The government also had the power to order workers to move to where they were required.

By taking these powers Hitler's government was able to control factors such as inflation and unemployment that had caused considerable distress in previous years. As the government generally allowed companies to maintain their profit margins, industrialists tended to accept the loss of some of their freedoms.

Under fascism, most potential sources of opposition were removed. This included political parties and the trade union movement. However, Hitler never felt strong enough to take complete control of the German Army, and before taking important decisions he always had to take into consideration how the armed forces would react.

By the time Hitler gained power he had ceased to be a practising Christian. He did not have the confidence to abolish Christianity in Germany. In 1934 Hitler signed an agreement with Pope Pius XI in which he promised not to interfere in religion if the Catholic Church agreed not to become involved in politics in Germany.

The individual had no freedom to protest in Hitler's Germany. All political organizations were either banned or under the control of the Nazis. Except for the occasional referendum, all elections, local and national, were abolished.

All information that people in Germany received was selected and organized to support fascist beliefs. As Minister of Propaganda, Joseph Goebbels kept a close check on the information provided by newspapers, magazines, books, radio broadcasts, plays and films.

Hitler, who had been deeply influenced by his own history teacher, was fully aware that schools posed a potential threat to the dominant fascist ideology. Teachers who were critical of Hitler's Germany were sacked and the rest were sent away to be trained to become good fascists. Members of the Nazi youth organizations such as the Hitler Youth, were also asked to report teachers who questioned fascism.

As a further precaution against young people coming into contact with information and the government disapproved of, textbooks were withdrawn and rewritten by Nazis.

Brandt joined Hitler's inner circle and was given the rank of major-general in the Waffen-SS. He was also appointed Reich Commissioner for Health and Sanitation.

By 1934 Hitler appeared to have complete control over Germany, but like most dictators, he constantly feared that he might be ousted by others who wanted his power. To protect himself from a possible coup, Hitler used the tactic of divide and rule and encouraged other leaders such as Hermann Goering, Joseph Goebbels, Heinrich Himmler and Ernst Roehm to compete with each other for senior positions.

One of the consequences of this policy was that these men developed a dislike for each other. Roehm was particularly hated because as leader of the Sturm Abteilung (SA) he had tremendous power and had the potential to remove any one of his competitors. Goering and Himmler asked Reinhard Heydrich to assemble a dossier on Roehm. Heydrich, who also feared him, manufactured evidence that suggested that Roehm had been paid 12 million marks by the French to overthrow Hitler.

Hitler liked Ernst Roehm and initially refused to believe the dossier provided by Heydrich. Roehm had been one of his first supporters and, without his ability to obtain army funds in the early days of the movement, it is unlikely that the Nazis would have ever become established. The SA under Roehm's leadership had also played a vital role in destroying the opposition during the elections of 1932 and 1933.

However, Hitler had his own reasons for wanting Roehm removed. Powerful supporters of Hitler had been complaining about Roehm for some time. Generals were afraid that the Sturm Abteilung (SA), a force of over 3 million men, would absorb the much smaller German Army into its ranks and Roehm would become its overall leader.

Industrialists such as Albert Voegler, Gustav Krupp, Alfried Krupp, Fritz Thyssen and Emile Kirdorf, who had provided the funds for the Nazi victory, were unhappy with Roehm's socialistic views on the economy and his claims that the real revolution had still to take place. Many people in the party also disapproved of the fact that Roehm and many other leaders of the SA were homosexuals.

Hitler was also aware that Roehm and the SA had the power to remove him. Hermann Goering and Heinrich Himmler played on this fear by constantly feeding him with new information on Roehm's proposed coup. Their masterstroke was to claim that Gregor Strasser, whom Hitler hated, was part of the planned conspiracy against him. With this news Hitler ordered all the SA leaders to attend a meeting in the Hanselbauer Hotel in Wiesse.

Meanwhile Goering and Himmler were drawing up a list of people outside the SA that they wanted killed. The list included Strasser, Kurt von Schleicher, Hitler's predecessor as chancellor, and Gustav von Kahr, who crushed the Beer Hall Putsch in 1923.

On 29th June, 1934. Hitler, accompanied by the Schutz Staffeinel (SS), arrived at Wiesse, where he personally arrested Ernst Roehm. During the next 24 hours 200 other senior SA officers were arrested on the way to Wiesse. Many were shot as soon as they were captured but Hitler decided to pardon Roehm because of his past services to the movement. However, after much pressure from Hermann Goering and Heinrich Himmler, Hitler agreed that Roehm should die. At first Hitler insisted that Roehm should be allowed to commit suicide but, when he refused, Roehm was shot by two SS men.

Roehm was replaced by Victor Lutze as head of the SA. Lutze was a weak man and the SA gradually lost its power in Hitler's Germany. The Schutz Staffeinel (SS) under the leadership of Himmler grew rapidly during the next few years, replacing the SA as the dominant force in Germany.

The purge of the SA was kept secret until it was announced by Hitler on 13th July. It was during this speech that Hitler gave the purge its name: Night of the Long Knives (a phrase from a popular Nazi song). Hitler claimed that 61 had been executed while 13 had been shot resisting arrest and three had committed suicide. Others have argued that as many as 400 people were killed during the purge. In his speech Hitler explained why he had not relied on the courts to deal with the conspirators: "In this hour I was responsible for the fate of the German people, and thereby I become the supreme judge of the German people. I gave the order to shoot the ringleaders in this treason."

The Night of the Long Knives was a turning point in the history of Hitler's Germany. Hitler had made it clear that he was the supreme ruler of Germany who had the right to be judge and jury, and had the power to decide whether people lived or died.

In 1935 Heinrich Hoffman, who worked as a photographer for Adolf Hitler, was treated by Dr. Theodor Morell for gonorrhoea. Hoffman told Hitler about his new doctor and eventually he was asked to examine the leader of the Nazi Party. At the time Hitler was suffering from stomach cramps. According to Morell, this was being caused by "complete exhaustion of the intestinal system" and recommended the treatment of vitamins, hormones, phosphorus, and dextrose.

Hitler's personal physician, Karl Brandt, warned him he was in danger of being poisoned by these large dosages of drugs and vitamins. Hitler rejected Brandt's advice and replied: "No one has ever told me precisely what is wrong with me. Morrell's method of cure is so logical that I have the greatest confidence in him. I shall follow his prescriptions to the letter." Later he was to remark: "What luck I had to meet Morell. He has saved my life."

It was not long before Hitler began to feel unwell again. As well as stomach cramps he also suffered from headaches, double vision, dizziness and tinnitus. Morell began treating Hitler with intestinal bacteria "raised from the best stock owned by a Bulgarian peasant". Morell tested dozens of unknown drugs on Hitler. This included biologicals from the intestines of male animals and amphetamines.

In the 1933 Election campaign, Hitler had promised that if he gained power he would abolish unemployment. He was lucky in that the German economy was just beginning to recover when he came into office. However, the policies that Hitler introduced did help to reduce the number of people unemployed in Germany.

These policies often involved taking away certain freedoms from employers. The government banned the introduction of some labour-saving machinery. Employers also had to get government permission before reducing their labour force. The government also tended to give work contracts to those companies that relied on manual labour rather than machines. This was especially true of the government's massive motorway programme. As a result of this scheme Germany developed the most efficient road system in Europe.

Hitler also abolished taxation on new cars. A great lover of cars himself, and influenced by the ideas of Henry Ford, Hitler wanted every family in Germany to own a car. He even became involved in designing the Volkswagen (The People's Car).

Hitler also encouraged the mass production of radios. In this case he was not only concerned with reducing unemployment but saw them as a means of supplying a steady stream of Nazi propaganda to the German people.

Youth unemployment was dealt with by the forming of the Voluntary Labour Service (VLS) and the Voluntary Youth Service (VYS), a scheme similar to the Civilian Conservation Corps introduced by Franklin D. Roosevelt in the United States. The VYS planted forests, repaired river banks and helped reclaim wasteland.

Hitler also reduced unemployment by introducing measures that would encourage women to leave the labour market. Women in certain professions such as doctors and civil servants were dismissed, while other married women were paid a lump sum of 1000 marks to stay at home.

By 1937 German unemployment had fallen from six million to one million. However, the standard of living for those in employment did not improve in the same way that it had done during the 1920s. With the Nazis controlling the trade unions, wage-rates did not increase with productivity, and after a few years of Hitler's rule workers began to privately question his economic policies.

In Mein Kampf Hitler made it absolutely clear that he had a deep hatred of the Jewish race. However, anti-Semitism did cause difficulties for Hitler when he was trying to gain power in Germany. Jewish businessmen in Germany and the rest of the world were occasionally able to use their influence to prevent anti-Semitic ideas being promoted.

Henry Ford was forced to stop publishing anti-Semitic attacks in the United States after the Jewish community organized a boycott of Ford cars in the late 1920s. Lord Rothermere, who used his newspaper, The Daily Mail, to argue for Hitler's policies abruptly withdrew his support in 1930. Later that year, Rothermere told Hitler that Jewish businessmen had withdrawn advertising from the newspaper and he had been forced to "toe the line".

Aware of the power of Jewish money, Hitler began to leave out anti-Semitic comments from his speeches during elections. This was one of the major factors in the increase in financial contributions from German industrialists in the 1933 General Election. His change in tactics was so successful that even Jewish businessmen began contributing money to the National Socialist German Workers Party.

Once in power Hitler began to express anti-Semitic ideas again. Based on his readings of how blacks were denied civil rights in the southern states in America, Hitler attempted to make life so unpleasant for Jews in Germany that they would emigrate. The campaign started on 1st April, 1933, when a one-day boycott of Jewish-owned shops took place. Members of the Sturm Abteilung (SA) picketed the shops to ensure the boycott was successful.

The hostility of towards Jews increased in Germany. This was reflected in the decision by many shops and restaurants not to serve the Jewish population. Placards saying "Jews not admitted" and "Jews enter this place at their own risk" began to appear all over Germany. In some parts of the country Jews were banned from public parks, swimming-pools and public transport.

Germans were also encouraged not to use Jewish doctors and lawyers. Jewish civil servants, teachers and those employed by the mass media were sacked. Members of the SA put pressure on people not to buy goods produced by Jewish companies. For example, the Ullstein Press, the largest publisher of newspapers, books and magazines in Germany, was forced to sell the company to the NSDAP in 1934 after the actions of the SA had made it impossible for them to make a profit.

Many Jewish people who could no longer earn a living left the country. The number of Jews emigrating increased after the passing of the Nuremberg Laws on Citizenship and Race in 1935. Under this new law Jews could no longer be citizens of Germany. It was also made illegal for Jews to marry Aryans.

The pressure on Jews to leave Germany intensified. Hitler, Joseph Goebbels and Reinhard Heydrich organized a new programme designed to encourage Jews to emigrate. Crystal Night took place on 9th-10th November, 1938. Presented as a spontaneous reaction of the German people to the news that a German diplomat had been murdered by a young Jewish refugee in Paris, the whole event was in fact organized by the NSDAP.

During Crystal Night over 7,500 Jewish shops were destroyed and 400 synagogues were burnt down. Ninety-one Jews were killed and an estimated 20,000 were sent to concentration camps. Up until this time these camps had been mainly for political prisoners. The only people who were punished for the crimes committed on Crystal Night were members of the Sturm Abteilung (SA) who had raped Jewish women (they had broken the Nuremberg Laws on sexual intercourse between Aryans and Jews).

After Crystal Night the numbers of Jews wishing to leave Germany increased dramatically. It has been calculated that between 1933 and 1939, approximately half the Jewish population of Germany (250,000) left the country. This included several Jewish scientists who were to play an important role in the fight against fascism during the war. A higher number of Jews would have left but anti-Semitism was not restricted to Germany and many countries were reluctant to take them.

Once in power Hitler began to consider how he could expand the territory he controlled. Hitler's reading of history convinced him that Britain posed the main threat to his dream of a Germany that dominated Europe.

In the 1930s Britain still had an empire that covered a quarter of the world. In the past Britain had reacted swiftly to any country that had threatened her empire or attempted to become the main power in mainland Europe.

Hitler respected the British and considered them to share many of the qualities possessed by Germans. In Mein Kampf he argued that to achieve his foreign policy objectives, Germany would probably have to form an alliance with Britain. "No sacrifice," Hitler wrote, was "too great if it was a necessary means of gaining England's friendship."

In his first few years in power Hitler had meetings with several British politicians and diplomats. He discovered that the British now tended to believe that the terms of the Treaty of Versailles were too harsh on the defeated countries and that Britain was unlikely to declare war if Germany ignored them. Hitler also became aware that the British had a strong dislike of communism and feared a Europe dominated by the Soviet Union.

France was more committed to the Treaty of Versailles but Hitler guessed she would be unwilling to take action against Germany without support of the British. Hitler therefore felt he was in a strong position. With Franklin D. Roosevelt, the president of the United States, making it clear that he would not interfere in European disputes and both Italy and Japan having right-wing governments sympathetic to Germany, Hitler felt he was in a position to make a move.

In October 1933, Hitler withdrew from the League of Nations and claimed that he had done so because of the failure of the disarmament talks. Hitler argued that under the Treaty of Versailles Germany was militarily weak. He said that Germany had been willing to keep to this state of affairs if other countries disarmed. As this had not happened, Germany now had to take measures to protect herself.

In the months that followed, Hitler trebled the size of the German Army and completely ignored the restrictions on weapons that had been imposed by the Treaty of Versailles. By 1935, when it was clear that no action was going to be taken against Germany for breaking the Treaty of Versailles, Hitler felt strong enough to introduce military conscription.

Hitler was not sure how far he could go and was constantly looking for clues that would reveal at what point Britain and France would go to war with Germany. Hitler was heartened when Benito Mussolini was allowed to send his army Ethiopia in October 1935 without any serious political reaction.

Hitler knew that both France and Britain were militarily stronger than Germany. However, he became convinced that they were unwilling to go to war. He therefore decided to break another aspect of the Treaty of Versailles by sending German troops into the Rhineland.

The German generals were very much against the plan, claiming that the French Army would win a victory in the military conflict that was bound to follow this action. Hitler ignored their advice and on 1st March, 1936, three German battalions marched into the Rhineland.

The French government was horrified to find German troops on their border but were unwilling to take action without the support of the British. The British government argued against going to war over the issue and justified its position by claiming that "Germany was only marching into its own back yard.".

Hitler's gamble had come off and, full of confidence, he began to make plans to make Austria part of Germany (Anschluss). In February, 1938, Hitler invited Kurt von Schuschnigg, the Austrian Chancellor, to meet him at Berchtesgarden. Hitler demanded concessions for the Austrian Nazi Party. Schuschnigg refused and after resigning was replaced by Arthur Seyss-Inquart, the leader of the Austrian Nazi Party. On 13th March, Seyss-Inquart invited the German Army to occupy Austria and proclaimed union with Germany.

After his success in Austria Hitler was now in a good position to take on Czechoslovakia. The country had been created in 1918 from territory that had previously been part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. As well as the seven million Czechs, two million Slovaks, 700,000 Hungarians and 450,000 Ruthenians there were three and a half million German speaking people living in Czechoslovakia.

Although Czechoslovakia had never been part of Germany, these people liked to call themselves Germans because of their language. Most of these people lived in the Sudetenland, an area on the Czechoslovakian border with Germany. The German speaking people complained that the Czech-dominated government discriminated against them. German's who had lost their jobs in the depression began to argue that they might be better off under Hitler.

Hitler wanted to march into Czechoslovakia but his generals warned him that with its strong army and good mountain defences Czechoslovakia would be a difficult country to overcome. They also added that if Britain, France or the Soviet Union joined on the side of Czechoslovakia, Germany would probably be badly defeated. One group of senior generals even made plans to overthrow Hitler if he ignored their advice and declared war on Czechoslovakia.

In September 1938, Neville Chamberlain, the British prime minister, met Hitler at his home in Berchtesgaden in Germany. Hitler threatened to invade Czechoslovakia unless Britain supported Germany's plans to takeover the Sudetenland. After discussing the issue with the Edouard Daladier (France) and Eduard Benes (Czechoslovakia), Chamberlain informed Hitler that his proposals were unacceptable.

Hitler was in a difficult situation but he also knew that Britain and France were unwilling to go to war. He also thought it unlikely that these two countries would be keen to join up with the Soviet Union, whose communist system the western democracies hated more that Hitler's fascist dictatorship.

Benito Mussolini suggested to Hitler that one way of solving this issue was to hold a four-power conference of Germany, Britain, France and Italy. This would exclude both Czechoslovakia and the Soviet Union, and therefore increasing the possibility of reaching an agreement and undermine the solidarity that was developing against Germany.

The meeting took place in Munich on 29th September, 1938. Desperate to avoid war, and anxious to avoid an alliance with Joseph Stalin and the Soviet Union, Neville Chamberlain and Edouard Daladier agreed that Germany could have the Sudetenland. In return, Hitler promised not to make any further territorial demands in Europe.

On 29th September, 1938, Adolf Hitler, Neville Chamberlain, Edouard Daladier and Benito Mussolini signed the Munich Agreement which transferred the Sudetenland to Germany.

When Eduard Benes, Czechoslovakia's head of state, protested at this decision, Neville Chamberlain told him that Britain would be unwilling to go to war over the issue of the Sudetenland.

The German Army marched into the Sudetenland on 1st October, 1938. As this area contained nearly all Czechoslovakia's mountain fortifications, she was no longer able to defend herself against further aggression.

From his meetings with Neville Chamberlain, Hitler had discovered that this man would do anything to avoid military conflict. Chamberlain was aware of the appalling destruction that would take place during a modern war. He also feared that a large-scale war in Western Europe would weaken the countries involved to the point where they would be vulnerable to a communist takeover. Hitler told Albrecht Haushofer: "This fellow Chamberlain shook with fear when I uttered the word war. Don't tell me he is dangerous." Haushofer told his friend Fritz Hesse that "Hitler is now convinced that he can afford to do anything. Formerly he believed that we must have the maximum armaments because of the warlike menaces of the Powers striving to encircle us, but now he thinks that these Powers will crawl on all fours before him!"

Confident that Britain and France would not interfere as long as Germany headed east towards the Soviet Union, Hitler began to make plans for his next step. Poland was the obvious choice as it was in the east and included areas of land taken from Germany by the Treaty of Versailles. Hitler began to make speeches demanding the return of Danzig, and German access to East Prussia through Poland.

Neville Chamberlain now changed tactics in an attempt to convince Hitler that Britain would indeed go to war if Germany continued to invade other countries. He made a speech in the House of Commons promising to support Poland if it were attacked by Germany. The British government also sent diplomats to the Soviet Union to talk to Joseph Stalin about the possibility of working together against Germany.

The British government were still uncertain about signing a military agreement with the Soviet Union, and while they hesitated Germany stepped in and signed one instead. The Nazi-Soviet Pact took the world by surprise. Fascists and communists had always been enemies. However, both Hitler and Stalin were opportunists who were willing to compromise for short-term gain.

In August 1939, a group of concentration camp prisoners were dressed in Polish uniforms, shot and then placed just inside the German border. Hitler claimed that Poland was attempting to invade Germany. On 1st September, 1939, the German Army was ordered into Poland.

Hitler, who wanted a series of localized wars, was surprised when Neville Chamberlain declared war on Germany. Even after it happened he found it difficult to believe that during the first few months of the war he genuinely believed that Britain would still negotiate a peace settlement.

For most of the war Hitler lived underground in a concrete shelter at his headquarters in East Prussia. It was here that Hitler controlled the German war effort. At first he was extremely successful. Employing fast-moving tanks backed up with air support, Germany defeated Poland in four weeks. This victory was followed by the occupation of Norway (four weeks), Netherlands (five days), Belgium (three weeks) and France (six weeks). The German Army was amazed at how quickly they defeated these countries and they became convinced that Hitler was a military genius.

The English Channel meant that these Blitzkrieg tactics could not be continued against Britain. Hitler had great respect for Britain's navy and airforce and feared that his forces would suffer heavy casualties in any invasion attempt. Hitler, who had not seen the sea until he was over forty, lacked confidence when it came to naval warfare. As he told his naval commander-in-chief: "On land I am a hero. At sea I am a coward."

At this stage Hitler still hoped that Britain would change sides or at least accept German domination of Europe. His dreams of a large German empire were based on the empire created by the British during the nineteenth century. Although Hitler was often guilty of extreme arrogance he lacked confidence and tended to hesitate when dealing with Britain.

Immediately after the defeat of France in June 1940, Adolf Hitler ordered his generals to organize the invasion of Britain. The invasion plan was given the code name Operation Sealion. The objective was to land 160,000 German soldiers along a forty-mile coastal stretch of south-east England.

Within a few weeks the Germans had assembled a large armada of vessels, including 2,000 barges in German, Belgian and French harbours. However, Hitler's generals were very worried about the damage that the Royal Air Force could inflict on the German Army during the invasion. Hitler therefore agreed to their request that the invasion should be postponed until the British airforce had been destroyed.

On the 12th August the German airforce began its mass bomber attacks on British radar stations, aircraft factories and fighter airfields. During these raids radar stations and airfields were badly damaged and twenty-two RAF planes were destroyed. This attack was followed by daily raids on Britain. This was the beginning of what became known as the Battle of Britain.

Although plans for an invasion of Britain were drawn up Hitler was never very enthusiastic about them and they were eventually abandoned on October 12, 1940. Instead, Hitler attempted to batter Britain into submission by organising a sustained night-bombing campaign.

Frustrated by his lack of immediate success over Britain. Hitler began to concentrate his attentions on Eastern Europe. After taking over Poland, Germany now shared a frontier with the Soviet Union.

In Mein Kampf and in numerous speeches Hitler claimed that the German population needed more living space. Hitler's Lebensraum policy was mainly directed at the Soviet Union. He was especially interested in the Ukraine where he planned to develop a German colony. The system would be based on the British occupation of India: "What India was for England the territories of Russia will be for us... The German colonists ought to live on handsome, spacious farms. The German services will be lodged in marvellous buildings, the governors in palaces... The Germans - this is essential - will have to constitute amongst themselves a closed society, like a fortress. The least of our stable-lads will be superior to any native."

Hitler intended to force Norwegians, Swedes and Danes to move to these territories in the East. Hitler believed that the Blitzkrieg tactics employed against the other European countries could not be used as successfully against the Soviet Union. He conceded that due to its enormous size, the Soviet Union would take longer than other countries to occupy.

Stalin's response to France's defeat in the summer of 1940 was to send Vyacheslav Molotov to Berlin for discussions. Molotov was instructed to draw out these talks for as long as possible. Stalin knew that if Adolf Hitler did not attack the Soviet Union in the summer of 1941 he would have to wait until 1942. No one, not even someone as rash as Hitler, would invade the Soviet Union in the winter, he argued.

Germany was now in a strong negotiating position and found it impossible to agree to Hitler's demands. As soon as talks broke-up, Hitler ordered his military leaders to prepare for Operation Barbarossa. The plan was for the invasion of the Soviet Union to start on the 15th May, 1941. Hitler believed that this would give the German Army enough time to take control of the country before the harsh Soviet winter set in.

Hitler's plan was to attack the Soviet Union in three main army groups: in the north towards Leningrad, in the centre towards Moscow and in the south towards Kiev. The German High Command argued that the attack should concentrate on Moscow, the Soviet Union's main communication centre. Hitler rejected the suggestion and was confident that the German army could achieve all three objectives before the arrival of winter.

There was also disagreement about Hitler's plans for the territory captured in the Soviet Union. Himmler's SS rather than the army was to take control. The SS were instructed to wipe out all aspects of communism in the Soviet Union. Communist officials should be executed and, as the Russians were 'sub-human', ordinary conventions of behaviour towards captured soldiers did not apply. It is estimated that during the first year of invasion, over a million communists were executed by the SS. Senior officers objected on tactical as well as humanitarian grounds. They argued that knowledge that they faced death or torture would encourage the Soviets to carry on fighting instead of surrendering.

Hitler, as always, was unwilling to listen to opposing arguments. If his advisers persisted in disagreeing with him
they were dismissed. Of the seventeen field-marshals only one managed to keep his post throughout the war. Thirty-six colonel-generals were also involved in advising Hitler during the Second World War. Of these, twenty-six were sacked or executed. As seven were killed in action, only three managed to hold on to their positions during the war.

Hitler's unwillingness to listen to information that might lead him to change his desired goals constantly caused him problems during the war. This was especially true of his attack on the Soviet Union, when he ignored warnings concerning winter weather and poor road conditions. Instead he relied on information that suggested that the morale in the Red Army was extremely low and that they would rather surrender than be involved in a long drawn-out struggle with Germany. Hitler was so confident of early success that the German Army was sent into the Soviet Union with equipment for only a summer campaign.

At first the German forces made good progress and important cities such as Riga and Kiev were taken. However, the heavy rains in October interfered with the speed and efficiency of Germany's tanks. This was followed by heavy snow in November and December that brought Germany's advance to a halt. Hitler refused to accept his mistake and ignored suggestions that the German army should make a tactical withdrawal.

After taking over Poland Hitler had another three and a half million Jews under his control. For a time there was talk of deporting all Jews to Madagascar or keeping them confined to a small area in Poland.

The number of Jews under Hitler's control grew as German forces advanced deeper into the Soviet Union. Over two million Jews lived in the Soviet Union and most of them lived in the areas under German occupation. It was while the SS were rounding up the Jews in the Soviet Union that Hitler decided on what became known as the Final Solution.

In 1942, Joseph Goebbels wrote in his diary about Hitler's plans: "The Fuehrer... expressed his determination to clean up the Jews in Europe... Not much will remain of the Jews. About sixty per cent of them will have to be liquidated; only about forty per cent can be used for forced labour."

Special units from the SS were set up under the control of Heinrich Himmler to carry out this extermination programme. At first the victims were shot but, with a high proportion of those involved in the killings suffering from nervous breakdowns a more impersonal method was developed.

By the beginning of 1942 over 500,000 Jews in Poland and Russia had been killed by the Schutz Staffeinel (SS). At the Wannsee Conference held in January 1942, Reinhard Heydrich chaired a meeting to consider what to do with the large number of Jews in Germany's concentration camps. Also at the meeting were Heinrich Muller, Adolf Eichmann and Roland Friesler.

Those at the meeting eventually decided on what became known as the Final Solution. From that date the extermination of the Jews became a systematically organized operation. After this date extermination camps were established in the east that had the capacity to kill large numbers including Belzec (15,000 a day), Sobibor (20,000), Treblinka (25,000) and Majdanek (25,000).

It was decided to make the extermination of the Jews a systematically organized operation. After this date extermination camps were established in the east that had the capacity to kill large numbers including Belzec (15,000 a day), Sobibor (20,000), Treblinka (25,000) and Majdanek (25,000). It has been estimated that between 1942 and 1945 around 18 million were sent to extermination camps. Of these, historians have estimated that between five and eleven million were killed.

Except for the execution of Ernst Roehm, Hitler never showed any signs of remorse when people died because of his actions. It was reported that Hitler used to laugh when Joseph Goebbels described the sufferings of the Jews.

Hitler also showed little concern over the numbers of Germans who died. Late in the war, when all chance of victory had disappeared, he gave orders that resulted in thousands of German soldiers being unnecessarily killed. When commanders refused to carry out these orders he had them executed. Hitler never showed any signs of regret for these actions. He once remarked that a guilty conscience was a Jewish invention.

At the start of the Second World War, President Franklin D. Roosevelt announced the intention of the United States to remain neutral. Roosevelt was personally hostile to Hitler's Nazi dictatorship but he was aware that the American people had no desire to become involved in the war. However, Roosevelt did arrange for Britain to receive supplies and loans that enabled her to continue fighting the war.

Hitler believed that he would eventually be forced to fight the United States but he wanted to make sure that he controlled Europe before that happened. He gave strict instructions that German submarines should avoid firing on ships that were likely to be carrying American passengers. He also attempted to persuade his Japanese allies to attack the Soviet Union and to leave the United States alone. They ignored Hitler's advice and on December 7, 1941, the Japanese Air Force attacked Pearl Harbor and declared war on the United States.

Hitler, who had not been told of Japanese plans, was furious at first that the United States had been dragged into the war. Hitler, who had previously called the Japanese "honorary Aryans" claimed that this is what happens what your allies are not Anglo-Saxons.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt declared war on Japan but did not mention Germany in his speech. It was still possible for Hitler to postpone the war with the United States but he decided to honour his treaty obligations with Japan, and on December 11 announced that Germany was at war with the United States. Once again he became a victim of his own prejudice. Hitler claimed that America had been "corrupted by Jewish and African blood" and would be no match for Aryans.

In the second campaign on the Soviet Union Hitler concentrated his attack on Stalingrad. During the winter of 1941-42 the Soviets had reorganised their defences and were able to halt the German advances. In the autumn of 1942 they counter-attacked and by November the German Sixth Army was surrounded. The German Army commander in the Soviet Union, Freidrich Paulus, asked permission to break out, but Hitler, refusing to believe the Soviets could beat Germany in battle, told Paulus to stand and fight. On February 2, 1943, Paulus and the Sixth Army were forced to surrender. Out of the 265,000 men, 100,000 had been killed, 34,000 wounded and 90,000 taken prisoner.

Once again Hitler refused to accept responsibility and failed to learn from the defeat. He blamed Hermann Goering and the Luftwaffe for not providing the Sixth Army with the necessary support. He also claimed that he was travelling by train during an important stage of the battle and was therefore not in a position to direct operations which would have enabled the Sixth Army to defeat the Soviet forces.

The German defeat at Stalingrad was the turning point in the war. The Soviet army now began to advance from the East. For the rest of the war Germany was on the retreat.

Hitler had always found it difficult to cope with defeat. He refused to believe he was guilty of mistakes and instead accused those around him of betrayal. Hitler began to suffer from depression and his insomnia became worse.

In 1943 Hitler's health deteriorated rapidly. He was constantly ill with stomach pains, headaches, nausea, shivering fits and diarrhoea and was now completely dependent on the treatment of Dr Theodor Morell. In September 1944, Hitler suffered a heart attack and was forced to spend several days in bed. He also showed signs of Parkinson's disease. Morell was now sent away and Hitler turned to Dr Karl Brandt.

Hitler was constantly tired. He rarely got out of bed before 11.00 a.m. At noon he was informed of the latest military developments. After quickly considering the news Hitler issued his orders to the relevant military personnel. After Germany's defeat at Stalingrad, Hitler was unwilling to discuss the war outside these conferences and refused to read reports that gave bad news. His secretaries, for example, were ordered not to mention the war in Hitler's presence.

Hitler would then have a long lunch followed by an afternoon nap. When Hitler was asleep no one was allowed to disturb him. Even when important events were taking place, such as the allied landing in Normandy, Hitler was left to carry on sleeping.

Whereas Winston Churchill and Franklin D. Roosevelt made use of radio broadcasts to raise the morale of their people. Hitler remained virtually silent. After the German defeat at Stalingrad, Hitler only made two public speeches and five radio broadcasts. Nor did he make visits to bombed areas of Germany. Hitler also avoided contact with injured German soldiers and rarely visited the front.

By 1943, it became clear to many senior German officers that to continue fighting a war on two fronts was bound to end in failure. It was proposed that Germany should negotiate a peace with Britain and the United States, which would then allow them to concentrate their efforts on defeating the Soviet Union.

Hitler rejected this idea. He knew that the allies would insist on his removal before agreeing to a deal with Germany. Some senior officers decided that the only solution was to assassinate Hitler. In 1943 seven assassination attempts were planned but none of them was successfully carried out.

The most dramatic of these attempts was the July Plot. On July 20, 1944, Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg, who was attending one of Hitler's military conferences, placed a bomb in a briefcase under the table. When the bomb exploded it killed four people and seriously injured ten others, but Hitler only suffered minor cuts and burns.

Over the next few months most of those involved in plot to kill Hitler, including Wilhelm Canaris, Carl Goerdeler, Julius Leber, Ulrich Hassell, Hans Oster, Peter von Wartenburg, Henning von Tresckow, Ludwig Beck, Erwin von Witzleben and Erich Fromm were either executed or committed suicide.

It is estimated that around 4,980 Germans were executed after the July Plot. Hitler decided that the leaders should have a slow death. They were hung with piano wire from meat-hooks. Their executions were filmed and later shown to senior members of both the NSDAP and the armed forces.

Hitler believed that General Erwin Rommel, Germany's most famous military leader, was also involved in the July Plot. Rommel was so popular that Hitler was unwilling to have him executed for treason. Rommel was therefore forced to commit suicide and the public was told that he had died of a heart attack.

In January 1945, the Soviet troops entered Nazi Germany. Hitler was forced to leave his headquarters in East Prussia and moved south to Berlin. Soon afterwards he was joined by his mistress, Eva Braun. Hitler talked of the possibility that Britain and the United States would go to war with the Soviet Union and that Germany would be saved. He told one of his generals that "throughout history coalitions have always gone to pieces sooner or later." Hitler was right that the Soviet Union and the United States would eventually be in conflict, but unfortunately for him this did not happen until after the war had ended.

Hitler was now nearly fifty-five years old but looked much older. His hair had gone grey, his body was stooped, and he had difficulty in walking. His voice had become feeble and his eyesight was so poor that that he needed special lenses even to read documents from his 'Fuehrer typewriter'.

Hitler also developed a tremor in his left arm and leg. He had originally suffered from this during the First World War and also after the failure of the Munich Putsch in 1923. It was a nervous disorder that reappeared whenever Hitler felt he was in danger.

People who had not seen him for a few months were shocked by his appearance. One man remarked: "It was a ghastly physical image he presented. The upper part of his body was bowed and he dragged his feet as he made his way slowly and laboriously through the bunker from his living room... If anyone happened to stop him during this short walk (some fifty or sixty yards), he was forced either to sit down on one of the seats placed along the walls for the purpose, or to catch hold of the person he was speaking to... Often saliva would dribble from the comers of his mouth... presenting a hideous and pitiful spectacle."

Heinrich Himmler and Herman Goering both considered the possibility of overthrowing Hitler. One plan involved Himmler arresting Hitler and announcing to the German people that Hitler had retired due to ill-health. Their main concern was to do a deal with Britain and the United States that would prevent the Soviet Union occupying Germany. The German leaders were not only concerned about the imposition of communism, but also feared what Soviet soldiers anxious to gain revenge for the war crimes committed against their people by the SS might do. (Of the five million Soviet soldiers captured by the Germans an estimated three million were murdered or allowed to die of starvation.)

When the Soviet troops entered Germany it was suggested that Hitler should try to escape. Hitler rejected the idea as he feared the possibility of being captured. He had heard stories of how the Soviet troops planned to parade him through the streets of Germany in a cage. To prevent this humiliation Hitler decided to commit suicide.

Two days before his death Hitler married Eva Braun. That night he tested out a cyanide pill on his pet Alsatian dog, Blondi. Braun agreed to commit suicide with him. She could have become rich by writing her memoirs but she preferred not to live without Hitler.

The Soviet troops were now only 300 yards away from Hitler's underground bunker. Although defeat was inevitable, Hitler insisted his troops fight to the death. Instructions were constantly being sent out giving orders for the execution of any military commanders who retreated.

Hitler made a will leaving all his property to the Nazi Party. On 30th April, 1945, after saying their farewells, Hitler and Eva Braun went into a private room and took cyanide tablets. Hitler also shot himself in the head. His body was then cremated and his ashes were hidden in the Chancellery grounds.

The place where he was buried is now under the shadow of the Berlin Wall. The man who tried to increase the size of Germany had in fact become responsible for dividing it into two.

As a direct result of Hitler's actions, communism, which he had attempted to destroy, covered the whole of Eastern Europe, including half of Germany. The Jewish race, which he had tried to eliminate, had formed their own state and became a powerful force in world politics.

Hitler left a devastated Europe and with it a warning for the future. His regime had illustrated the dangers of nationalism, the obscenity of racism and the importance of democracy. It was an expensive lesson, but it did provide the basis for a better future.

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Anti-War Rally in Fort Worth, TX

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[video=JXJlk2P95b8Fvz7X]

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You Suck At Photoshop #11: Smart Objects

You Suck At Photoshop #10: Vanishing Point

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Kirby Pointing Guy

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Book Talk: The Hunt for Amelia Earhart.

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Terrorism Comes to Cricket

The terrorist threat towards cricket moved a step closer recently after Indian players Sourav Ganguly and Sachin Tendulkar were advised of a plot by Kashmiri separatists to kidnap them in order to further the cause of muslims in the endeavour to have Kashmir declared independant of India.

Long the bane of India - Pakistan relations, Kashmir, claimed by both Indian and Pakistani interests has been a hot-bed of turmoil since Pakistan was declared an independant state form India in 1947. Presently ruled over by India, but with a majority population of muslims, Kashmir is regularly the scene of terrorist activity by groups purporting to be fighting for the freedom of Kashmir and often with the backing of political interests from Pakistan. Regular military border clashes have become more frequent over past years as groups within Kashmir escalate actions in order to bludgeon India into allowing the disputed state to become Independant.

Most recently a separatist group known as Jaish-i-Muhammad and one of its most active members, former British schoolboy Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh, are suspected to have been the instigators of the plot to kidnap Ganguly and Tendulkar. Further, Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh and his group are the prime suspects in the recent kidnapping of US journalist Daniel Pearl, who during a recent visit to Pakistan for a story he was working on, was kidnapped by so called friendly guides who have sympathies with the Kashmiri separatist group.

Indian intelligence officials, immediately upon receiving the threat to kidnap the two cricketers, implemented security precautions to minimise the risk and at one stage around 2,000 police officers were utilised in order to guarantee the safety of both Ganguly and Tendulkar. Although threats towards Indian cricketers are often common place, the fact the most recent threats came from the Jaish-i-Muhammad group were taken much more seriously than the daily procession of lunatics who threaten all types of actions against Indian cricketers for many and varied reasons. The group has been linked to a number of terrorist incidents in both India and Kashmir with a number of bombings and attacks on both Indian and US interests attributed to the group. The fact this group was now turning its attention to India's elite cricketers was not one which Indian officials were prepared to dismiss.

Ahmed Omar Saeed Sheikh, who at one stage attended Forest School in Snaresbrook, England with Nasser Hussain, the current England team captain, is presently being hunted far and wide by a number of Government agencies both inside and outside of India and although the threat to Indian cricketers may not have met its eventuality on this occassion, there is no doubt it is only a matter of time before the lunatic groups that fight for the independance cause in Kashmir, will once again turn their attentions to cricket due to its high profile in Indian society, culture and world media.

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Kapil Dev - Indian Cricketer of the Century

The man with a grin almost as big as the subcontinent itself, has been named Indian Cricketer of the Century, as adjudged by a panel of experts from Wisden.

India's Kapil Dev, who enjoyed a career in international cricket spanning 16 years and who led India to it's World Cup win in 1983, has enjoyed many accolades, but this is by far his finest achievement, even after being named Wisden International Cricketer of the Year in 1983.

Although the talents of many other Indian cricketers were scrutinised by the panel, amongst them, current test player Sachin Tendulkar and former great Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil's allround performance with bat and ball was considered superior and snared him the title.
Profile

Kapildev Ramlal Nikhanj - Known as: Kapil Dev

Born: 6 January 1959, Chandigarh - India

Played for: Haryana - Northamptonshire - Worcestershire - India

Batting Style: Right Hand

Bowling Style: Right Arm Fast Medium Pace

Test Debut: Ind v Pak at Faisalabad, 1st Test, 1978-79

Last Test: Ind v Nzl at Hamilton, Only Test, 1993-94

ODI Debut: Ind v Pak at Quetta, 1st ODI, 1978-79

Last ODI: Ind v Windies at Faridabad, 1st ODI, 1994-95
Career Stats

Bowling Summary

434 Wickets at an average of 29.64

Batting Summary

5248 runs at an average of 31.05 in 131 test matches

Full Career Statistics - View Now
Comparison

Click the players name to see comparative stats for Sachin Tendulkar and Sunil Gavaskar.

If you liked this article, be sure to stop by our Hall of Fame and view other players we have already listed.

Buy Lagaan NowLagaan - Buy Now
The fate of an Indian village hung on the outcome of a cricket match. This Indian blockbuster movie directed by Ashotosh Gowariker, has won a number of international awards. It’s a Bollywood legend and receiving rave reviews around the world. Available in both VHS video and DVD.

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The Age of Gupte

Subhashchandra “Fergie” Gupte

Long before the achievements of Australian “sheikh of tweak” Shane Warne were written into the anals of cricket history, a legend of Indian cricket named Subhashchandra Gupte, so dominated the arena of spin bowlers during the 1950’s, these years were later to be remembered by Indian cricket historians and fans alike, as the “age of Gupte.”

Nicknamed “Fergie” by his friends, Gupte who was born in Bombay on December 11, 1929, learnt how to bowl leg-spin deliveries playing cricket in the local city parks, where players both young and old would often gather each day to play the sport they enjoyed. With much patience and practice over the years he was growing up and playing in the local parks, Fergie was able to perfect the art of bowling leg-spin like no other person at the time and as a result, quickly came to the attention of Indian cricket authorities and was invited to play for the University of Bombay during the 1947-48 season.

He soon earned the reputation of being able to place the ball on any area of the pitch he aimed at and was able to maintain his line and length, no matter what pressure was being exerted by the opposition teams. Possessing such rare skills with the ball, he was selected to make his test cricket debut against the visiting English side at Calcutta during the third test of the 1951-52 series. His debut was a very uneventful match and he never took a wicket during both innings, with the result of him being dropped from the side for the remaining matches in the series.

It was not until India’s tour of the West Indies in 1953, was Fergie once again given the opportunity to impress with the ball in the test arena and this time, it was with great success. Collecting over 50 wickets during the Windies tour, Fergie quickly developed the reputation of having the most “unreadable” bowling action seen for many years. He was able to vary his bowling action and deliveries so much, very few batsmen were ever able to pick his “wrong un” and his googly was bowled with so much overspin on the ball, that it would quickly dip during its flight before vicuously bouncing off the pitch and causing all sorts of problems for the batsman, resulting in many scalps for Fergie.

In a match between Bombay and Pakistan Services, held at Bahawalphur during the 1954 season, Fergie is credited with taking all ten wickets during the opposition innings at the crease. Such is the rarity of a 10 wicket innings, that only a handful of bowlers throughout history have entered the record books for such an achievement.

In the years that followed, he enjoyed much success with the ball and became a regular member of the Indian test team. Selected to tour England in 1959, Fergie looked forward to the challenge of the English wickets, but bowled so poorly during the tour, those who witnessed his performance were left wondering at claims of him being the best leg-spinner in the world, especially considering India was defeated 5-0, without even a glimmer of magic from Fergie.

Many attribute his poor performance and that of the Indian team during the series, to the lack of tactics and inspiration displayed at the time by Indian captain Duttaji Gaekwad, who used Fergie as one of his stock bowlers, rather than exploit his abilities in short attacking bursts. However, even under the circumstances of a 5-0 defeat, Fergie was still the leading wicket taker for the Indian team. Taking 95 wickets during the tour, Fergie was only able to take 17 scalps during the five test series, a figure much below the expectations of all concerned.

Fergie, who was always at his best during matches played on India pitches, was able to make amends for his disaster in England during the 1959 series, when in a match at Kanpur during the 1961-62 series, he took 4 wickets for 6 runs, off just 18 balls. He had the English batsmen tied in knots at Kanpur and was instrumental in causing the English team to follow on, for the first time ever against an Indian team.

Although Fergie may have been the hero during the match at Kanpur, he was later dropped from the team after the 3rd test of the series, for what is said to be disciplinary reasons. His displacement from the team was the catalyst that brought to a close a career that seen Fergie establish himself as one of the great spinners of all time and certainly one of the greatest to ever come out of India...if not the greatest.

Fergie later took up residence in Trinidad, a part of the West Indies. It was during several tours of the Windies that Fergie enjoyed some of his greatest bowling performances and developed an affinity for the Windies and its people, where he later met and married his wife Carol.

Subhashchandra Gupte - Cricket - India - Hall of FameIn 2001, the Board of Control for Cricket in India, recognised Fergie with the C K Nayudu award, as the first superstar of Indian cricket, an award given in recognition of both his career achievements and lifetime dedication to the sport of cricket.

Enjoying his life in the Windies, Fergie, the father of two children, lived life to the full with his family until his death on the 30th May 2002, from a diabetes related illness.

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After his death, Bishen Bedi, another legendary Indian spin bowler, is quoted as saying in an interview with Cricinfo; “I was listening to radio commentary when Gupte took nine for 102 against West Indies at Kanpur in 1958. I was so inspired by that performance that I took up spin bowling. Gupte's feats really spurred me on." This achievement with the ball, saw Fergie become the first ever Indian bowler to take nine wickets in an innings.

One thing is for certain, although Fergie may have met with limited success during his tours of England, like so many other spin bowlers who have come after him, his performances with the ball in almost every other place that he played, can only be described as some of the most inspiring and greatest ever.

For those of us who love the men who turn a ball with the magic of their wrists and fingers, Fergie will always live long in the memories of the die hard followers of spin and the cricketers Hall of Fame.

Career Profile and Statistics

Born: 11 December 1929, Bombay, India
Died: 31 May 2002, Port of Spain, Trinidad
Teams: Bombay(Mumbai) - Bengal - Rajasthan - Trinidad - India
Known As: Fergie
Batting Style: Right Hand Bat
Bowling Style: Leg Break Googly

Test Debut: Ind v Eng at Calcutta, 3rd Test, 1951-52

Last Test: Ind v Eng at Delhi, 3rd Test, 1961-62

Full Career Stats: View Now

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Touring Downunder India Style

A special Australia v India feature by Venkatesh Govindarajan 01/12/03

The wounded Indian tigers are set to begin their campaign in Brisbane on December 4 during their tour of Roo-Land to salvage some of the pride associated with their passage to the Finals of the 2003 Cricket World Cup in which the Aussie Juggernaut ripped the claws from the Indian team.

The ‘Tigers at Home’ label has also come off their backs, after what transpired in October-November this year against the Aussies and Kiwis in the one day series.

So, in anticipation of what is to come, let us embark on an imaginary tour Downunder – the largest cricket-playing nation in terms of area (if Canada can be kept out of reckoning) - to picture the scene that is before the Indians over 8000 kms away from the comfort of home pitches.

Australia v India Test Match Series - Brisbane - Adelaide - Melbourne - Sydney - Copyright Abc of Cricket and Graphic MapsAustralia, hold your breath, houses over 220 major cricket grounds. (A ratio of one per 100,000 citizens! Not of the ilk of the Gandhi Maidans and Azad Maidans of Mumbai, but full-fledged, decently-equipped venues for first-class matches.) A good percentage of these are located in the port cities of Sydney in New South Wales (the largest and the most-populated city Downunder), Melbourne in Victoria, Adelaide in South Australia, Hobart in ‘Ponting-country’ Tasmania, Perth in Western Australia and Brisbane in Queensland.

But, the Indians will be taking over the Aussies and the Zimbabweans later on in the Tri-series Tournament, in just half-a-dozen venues. Brisbane-Melbourne-Sydney-Adelaide-Hobart not in that order though, would not entail much travel time, or adjustment to changing weather patterns. These five are all port cities situated below the Tropic of Capricorn and the Southern-Hemisphere summers cast uniformly-warm sunshine during the daytime over the eastern part of Australia. However, there is one match at Perth, far away from these five, on the west coast of the country, on the coastal fringe of the Great Australian Desert, which would test the endurance of the Indians, as summers there are well, really hot, if not torrid and its pitch at the WACA ground is known to be the most ferocious and bounciest in world cricket. Fortunately for the Indians, they won’t have to meet the Aussies on this pitch, but will come up against the Zimbaweans the one day seriers. This “horror” of a pitch is one where Aussie Captain Steve “Tugga” Waugh regularly predicts injuries to opposing teams with a guarantee that the “blood will flow.”

Test Number One to Test Number Four, India would be progressively moving southward from Brisbane to Adelaide to Melbourne and then up North to Sydney. For the one-dayers, apart from the above four, Hobart and Perth also figure in the itinerary. The stadiums need no introduction, except for a couple of them – Bellerive Oval in Hobart and the Allan Border Field in Albion, Brisbane; the latter having ben used for staging a warm-up match for the Indians against Queensland XI. A brief overview of all these however, will not be totally unwarranted.

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Open with Brisbane Cricket Ground or the Gabba (Woolloongabba actually) as it is better known, with a seating capacity of 36,000, where the bowlers would be bowling from the Stanley Street End and the Vulture Street End. Next in the queue is the Adelaide Oval. As big as the Gabba ground, this can seat over 30,000 spectators and the pitch is oriented between the City End and the Cathedral End. The MCG or the Melbourne Cricket Ground, which holds the enviable distinction of having staged both the First Test Match in March 1887 and the First One-Day International Match in January 1971, is all set to best the Eden Gardens of Kolkata by upgrading its total seating capacity from 70,000 to over 100,000 in due course of time. Another feather in the crown – this ground is also the largest in the world, as far as the playing area is concerned. Let us see how many of ‘our boys’ can use the aerial route to get a six, here. The “G” as it is commonly called by the Aussies, regularly hosted crowds in excess of 100,000 until recent renovations temporarily reduced this capacity.

The Sydney Cricket Association Ground (SCG), with a seating capacity of 45,000, has been a haven for Indian run-getters (Gavaskar, Srikanth, Mohinder Amarnath earlier and VVS Laxman of late). The bowling ends are the Paddington End and the Randwick End. At the Western Australian Cricket Association Ground in Perth, a maximum of 26,000 spectators will be watching Sehwag taking strike at either the Members End or the Prindville Stand End, to the Zimbabwean captain Heath Streak.

Bellerive Oval and Allan Border Field can accommodate about 16,000 and 5000 spectators respectively. At the Hobart Ground, Zaheer and Balaji may be sharing the new ball from the Church Street End and the River End, in four possible combinations.

It remains to be seen if the Indians manage to save themselves from sliding further down, Downunder. McGrath, Lee and Gillespie will be back, and of course Bichel, Williams and Bracken will also be pegging away. Shane Warne will be sorely missed, but Stuart MacGill will more than makes amends for his absence. Watch out for Big Matty Hayden who will no doubt flail the Indian bowling, especially on his home ground the Gabba. And do not remind him of one Sergei Bubka!

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2008-07-01T10:44:00.000-07:00

Wither, Cricket?

Feature Article by Robert Drane 05/04/04

You don’t need to believe in karma to observe that some good will come of a thing if it’s done for the right reasons. Back in 1970-1, when that first international limited-overs cricket match was organised on the scheduled final day of the rain-ruined Melbourne Test, it was done to please TV viewers and the live crowd, who’d paid good money to be entertained. That was revolutionary; a fiddling with the rigid codes (many unwritten) of a game that had mostly been played one way.

That dalliance with the truth about why sport actually exists spawned a little hybrid that would grow to take over the game, mostly because of its novelty. It was a complete deviation from the belief that you simply weren’t a worthy audience unless you were able to show your appreciation for unapologetic boringness with polite ripples of applause. Such beliefs were bound to be given scant regard by a new, questioning generation of Australians. I recall my outrage, as a kid, at an eminent English commentator. At lunch on day one, he became positively smug at the possibility of England batting for a draw against the touring Australians. I nearly smashed my radio.

Limited-overs cricket was an accident waiting to happen. To young, aspiring fans in the colonies, cricket watching had been a mysterious pastime. It had to be endured before you could gain enough clues to find the iron door of cricket’s inner sanctum, which was protected by riddles that were unfathomable unless some plummy tweed-clad Pommy commentator saw it as his duty to enlighten you – which he didn’t. To teach yourself seemed impossible, even when you wanted to know more because you were excited by the new breed of Aussie cricketer. Cricket, with its googlies, boseys, chinamen, silly legs, byes, sundries - the whole argot - was incomprehensible without deep explanation.

And you suspected an odd British sado-masochism about it all, hinting at strange sorts of rituals for the Indeed Very Privileged, perhaps involving a goat and requiring one to bang one’s genitals in a door whilst shouting out the names of British monarchs. Eventually you got it: you enjoyed Test cricket only when you understood first that you weren’t supposed to enjoy it.

Until that 1970-1 tour, which was also, thankfully, the genesis of the “Chappell era” team (which led to the innovations of World Series Cricket), cricket’s world was predominantly middle-to-upper class and Masonic. And white. And it was expected to remain that hue, even in places like the cricket-mad sub-Continent. Test cricket was not so much a colonial curtsy to the Mother Country as a cringe. The Empire’s proprietary attitude was best summed up in the motto of our own Sydney University: sidere mens eadem mutato, loosely translated as “the same mind under different skies.”

Five years later the limited-overs game had its first world cup. It was an uneven affair, the great disparity between the best and the rest symbolised by the sight of disbelieving Sri Lankan batsmen having their toes crushed by Thommo’s yorkers or running from the field to meet the stretcher and lay down on it before they were actually hurt, believing injury to pride infinitely preferable to its physical counterpart.

But it was a success. The pulsating 1975 final had all the ingredients we’d like to believe make one-day cricket an exciting spectacle. Its most compelling feature was unique to its time: Australia were the heavyweight champions of Test cricket, and the West Indies were the talented number one contender. A nation’s Test-match standing mattered more than it does today, and the World Cup’s glory was therefore somewhat reflected glory.

Today, the limited-overs World Cup stands alone as the game’s undisputed showpiece, with the appeal of instant heroism. Gary Gilmour’s bowling in 1975 (11 wickets in two matches) is still the greatest the tournament has seen. In the second World Cup (1979) Viv Richards swaggered through the competition with that born-to-rule air, culminating his tournament in a majestic 138 in the final.

1983 saw the Indians express themselves with teamwork and spin, and on the back of Herculean batting and bowling from Kapil Dev, they thieved the Calypso Kings’ crown. In 1987, the Australians began their resurgence, with Border and one S. Waugh getting the late wickets to give the Aussies a slender seven-run win. 1992 witnessed the rise of the South Africans and the eccentric brilliance of the Pakistanis, especially Akram and Miandad. 1996 was Sri Lanka’s, as two unpronounceable openers took the game by the scruff of the neck and showed that even the greatest teams could be brought to their knees in the first 15 overs. In 1999, Steve Waugh stamped his immense will on the entire tournament and turned around his own fortunes and those of his team.

While some traditionalists resent the rude bursting of this corporate blight upon cricket’s pastoral serenity, the general consensus seems to be that limited-overs cricket saved the game from that morbid condition of self-indulgence that precedes self-consumption and decay.

The real triumph of the truncated game, especially the World Cup, has not been to supplant the traditional form, but to open up new ways of thinking and playing. Fielding and running between wickets are sharper than ever. Batting’s more aggressive, even if technique has sometimes gone the way of caution. The old Industrial Revolution mindsets of capital (run) accumulation, honest, uncomplaining toilers (bowlers) and fatalistic acceptance of the obstructionist whims of distant, unsympathetic bureaucracies no longer go unchallenged. One-day cricket has forced administrators’ hands in such matters as the mandatory use of lights where they are available.

But the short game needs reformation. After 30 years, the one-dimensional idea of one team batting and the other chasing has become threadbare. The game has tightened bowling, but is ludicrously biased toward batting, and, in its present form, can only ever be so. Because wickets are nowhere near as important as runs, one of the two pillars upon which cricket is built (the ability to bowl a side out) is temporarily removed for the one-day game, then reinstalled like a drop-in pitch for Test matches. This drives a wedge between the two forms of the game.

Outside of World Cups, it’s even less possible to recall a great bowling performance than a great batting performance. Any curator who prepared a one-day pitch with a bit of life in it would be sacked. National coaches, as India’s John Wright did not so long ago, loudly express the hope that pitches will be batsman-friendly because their preparation depends on it.

The way the first-class game is structured cannot take sole blame for the low standard of bowling in England. The proliferation of limited-overs cricket, with its approach to bowling that has little to do with getting a side out, is also responsible. It’s not just England’s problem. There are too many meaningless limited-overs events to name, and it’s a shame to see crack cricketers in gimcrack tournaments.

After the first 15 overs of a game, when the field spreads outside the 25-yard circle, and accumulation via the old tip-and-run technique becomes the mode, one-day cricket settles into predictable patterns. While close finishes are frequent, this prospect alone doesn’t generate excitement.

Still, limited-overs cricket, or more specifically, the World Cup, has allowed fledgling sides to come of age by providing them a rite de passage that Test cricket never could. The addition of Zimbabwe, Bangladesh and other nations will continue to enhance cricket’s flavour, as happened when Sri Lanka’s Jayasuriya and Kalawitharana, at the urging of their captain, the rotund red rag waver, Ranatunga, became first-round kayo artists, and then the current Australians took this tactic to a new level.

The ability of those teams to compete with, and occasionally beat, the best in the world, has a transforming power, hooking the interest of kids and giving excited locals plenty to hope for. Even in South Africa, where, in Henry Olonga’s words, “the future of cricket lies with the underprivileged”, one-day cricket is a short-term solution; a way out. The unfortunate history of Test cricket in that country as an instrument of the white South African’s version of Manifest Destiny has proved much too difficult to overcome just yet.

In 21 years, the light comic relief that was Sri Lanka in 1975 blossomed into the formidable unit that took off the 1996 World Cup. After that win, Sri Lanka’s Muslims, Tamils, Sinhalese, Christians and Buddhists were united in their excitement and optimism.

One-day cricket is a people’s game. Is there any reason why Test cricket should not aspire to be the same? The time may be rapidly approaching for the two forms to converge, before they diverge forever. One-day cricket may sustain itself, but it’s no answer to the sport’s long-term survival. In its current format, it’s done its job.

Almost. A polyphony of voices makes one-day cricket what it is. Test cricket must somehow learn and benefit from the great democratic dialogue that the game has opened up in the former colonies. There’s no point in being priggish about its “low standards”. It must be acknowledged that it’s a game of equality. The way to ensure Test cricket’s death is for selectors and governing bodies to continue the trend toward separating the two varieties.

The more the limited-overs game distinguishes itself from Test cricket; the further each evolves away from the other by requiring its own skill sets, its own players with those skill sets, its own codes, and its own distinctive followers, the more likely it will be that the only resemblance between the forms may one day be the hardware. In other words, it’s possible for cricket to go the way of the rugby’s, or baseball and softball; to gradually crystallise into two separate entities.

The shorter format might attract followers, but how do they convert into followers of the longer game? Each home board will go where the money is, as witnessed by India’s preference for the one-day game over Tests, after all. If cricket is to survive, what form will it take? If both forms are to survive, how can we ensure that they are mutually beneficial?

Is there a way to bridge them before the wall is completed?

Each has plenty to offer the other.

When Steve Waugh completed that remarkable century in front of a full SCG in the last Ashes Test, Bill Lawry enthused, “it’s a great day for Test cricket in Sydney.” He got that right. But what about Hyderabad, Trinidad, Colombo, Bulawayo? From an Australian viewpoint, Test cricket is healthier than it’s been for years. But we cannot fall into the trap of believing everyone thinks the same way. India and Australia played a thrilling three-Test series in 2001 in front of disappointing crowds, despite the deeds of Tendulkar, Laxman and Harbajan, and the attraction of watching the world’s best side. The question of cricket’s survival – Test or otherwise – seems even less relevant in the West Indies. Basketball and gangsta rap have replaced cricket and reggae in the Caribbean consciousness.

Anglo-Saxon former colonies might no longer have the cringe, but “non-Caucasian” ones no longer see Test cricket as essential to their identities; the barometer of their cultural “progress.”

In the Western world, a certain thinking that underlies the disparagement of Test cricket needs to be tackled. Apparently, post-modern thought has caught up with the game, the same way it’s caught up with education, music, art and writing. The belief that everything is relative and subjective, while valid in some ways, has also led us to an ocean of mediocrity. Just as the definition of “art” has been expanded so that any old graffito or random splashing of paint is worthy to sit proudly on the gallery wall next to Monet, so a snick through slips is as good as a Tendulkar cover drive. A dot ball has the merit of a wicket. The spectacle of a tail-ender striding out to the kitschy-motivational clamour of “Eye of the Tiger” is easily as exciting as any Test-match drama. Test cricket is too “structured”, or something. Arguments in its favour are characterised as the ovine brayings of crusty British nobility who also mourn the death of Latin, corporal punishment, parsing and eight hours a day of rote learning. At its worst, such thinking is a refuge for the grungy rebel-without-a-clue.

But there are valid reasons to examine Test cricket critically, if the colonies are no longer illuminated by that pallid, undifferentiating, mono cultural light of Empire. The short version has made the game multi-coloured in every sense. It’s become an opportunity for diverse cultures to interact and announce themselves to the cricket world.

The population centre of the game has become the sub-Continent, and it’s there that one-day cricket, for reasons already given, takes precedence today. You only need to read their papers to understand why Test cricket there plays to half-empty stands. It’s considered a symbol of privileged access and the oppressiveness of the Raj. Opinions vary in intensity, but their tenor is similar: limited-overs cricket represents a break from a repressive past; Test cricket is boring and elitist.

One Indian journalist wrote recently, “the future of players and …cricket are too important to be left in the hands of people whose only link…is privileged access to the Long Room at Lord’s.” You’ll find plenty of barbed references to the ICC’s former appellation: The Imperial Cricket Council – which reminds them of the days when England, Australia and South Africa were the only countries with the power of veto. If, as Rod Marsh once told me, we need to listen to the needs of Sub-Continental cricket, because that’s where the centre of power will shift, then Test cricket may be in a more parlous state than we think, because it’s not hearing.

Let’s not underestimate the residual effects of Test cricket’s colonial associations. Mike Coward once wrote that Sub-Continental cricketers and boards were tired of the cultural elitism that led Australia, England and the West Indies to schedule so few Tests against India and Pakistan, allowing them a paucity of high-quality opposition. To eventually grant them a tour seemed as condescending as the whim of a British diplomat’s son to invite his manservant into the courtyard to bowl him a few overs. To Indians, it’s a travesty that Tendulkar has played here only on a handful of occasions. Because of their lack of Sub-Continental experience, Aussie touring sides have complained about conditions, food, heat, local behaviour and pitches. This has only widened the cultural chasm.

It’s probably blasphemous to say that the great tradition of cricket writing (I say that without irony) hasn’t helped the cause. Rightly or wrongly, the sentimental scribblings of Swanton, Cardus and others in cricket’s “canon”, sometimes read like romantic colonial revisionism. Cardus quoting the treacly odes of English Poet Francis Thompson - “as the run stealers flicker to and fro – to and fro – oh, my Hobbs and my Woolley long ago.”- smacks of the same smarmy Imperial sentimentality as Bob Menzies’ mawkish recital of an Elizabethan poet - “I did but see her passing by and yet I love her till I die” - in front of an embarrassed young Queen. No wonder such sentiments get little sympathy in certain former colonies. We no longer have “the same mind under different skies.”

Test cricket quickly needs to buff away that patina of Englishness. We in Australia might consider such anti-colonial sentiments outdated, but such feelings are still mordant elsewhere. Australia has stood on its own two feet in the best possible way: by beating the Brits continuously. But the discouraged Sub-Continent has shown its willingness to just let the thing go.

Is there a case for Test cricket?

The last two Tests of the most recent Ashes series showed why the one-day game can never be Test cricket. In Melbourne, the action rose and fell dramatically over five days. The English team were noble triers, undermanned and undermined by their country’s own stultifying system, led by an immigrant’s son who had fallen quickly and hard from his exalted position. The story was powerfully subtended by the question of Waugh’s survival. The forces were ranged against our hero. He scored a flashing 77 to put his selection, seemingly, beyond doubt. But then, on the final day, he was forced to bat again to avert catastrophe for himself and his team. He failed, in a short and controversial innings. This dramatic last moment of suspense raised more questions. The English bowlers looked to have their tails up, as though they’d had a moment of revelation. But after the pure theatre of that near-catastrophe, Waugh’s team won the match. Ultimately, it set the scene for the bitter-sweet Sydney game.

At the end of each day, the developments of a day’s Test cricket are the topic of conversation in lounge rooms and pubs around the country. These twists and turns in the plot just don’t happen in one-day cricket, or any other sport, for that matter. It’s like comparing a rollicking novel with a clever slogan. Yes, it’s unique to former colonies, and an object of ridicule to Americans who know of it, but let America have instant gratification in all things. To seek their approval is another way of cringing.

Test cricket has something limited-overs cricket needs: a variety of finishing scenarios. Crowds don’t necessarily go to limited-overs games to see batsmen who might otherwise fail at Test level slap bowlers all over the ground. They go to see exciting contests and speculate about the way they might end.

Perhaps the best way to ensure the one-day game reflects Test cricket, and vice versa, is for the ICC to experiment with a two-innings-a-side format. Martin Crowe had the right idea with Cricket Max, invented back in the late ‘90s. It introduced the spectator to the principles of Test cricket by mimicking the two-innings-a-team format (ten 8-ball overs), but retained the compressed form of one-day cricket. It’s easy to elaborate the two-innings concept for international consumption. The one-day game’s current predictability can be rectified.

But innovations can only be judged by their intent, and the ICC and home boards should take heed. Commercially motivated interests who see youth as little more than a hormone-driven, thrill-seeking market won’t introduce anything for the betterment of the game. Their intention will be, simply, to “capture the youth market.” The equation of youth with low standards and short attention spans is an introduction of the law of diminishing fleas. If the logic is followed to its furthest degree, one day no-one will have the aptitude or the attitude to play Test cricket. What youth actually need –and what cricket needs to give them - are heroes who achieve spectacularly at both forms of the game.

Realistically, it’s only in the last ten years that the World Cup has become cricket’s greatest prize – here, in fact, in 1992, when the organisers, in a pentecostal flash, realised its potential as a cash bonanza. The two main reasons for the success of international limited-overs cricket – nationalism and slick marketing – have little to do with its intrinsic charm. The longer version, meanwhile, continues to try to resurrect its image around the world. It hasn’t been marketed all that well since the days of World Series Cricket. Test cricket needs to become a game for the masses, and quality doesn’t just announce itself to them. Only marketing and education achieve that. And, in 2003, being tradition-bound just for the sake of it won’t wash with anyone.

When the first limited-overs match was played under a roof (Australia vs South Africa) in 2000, the move was hailed "the way forward" by Steve Waugh. But traditionalists argued that the vagaries of the weather and pitch conditions make cricket the great game it is. Both parties were right. Although Test matches should be played in bright sunshine, a roof and lights do nothing except add another of those variables, without the dreary thought of no play, due to rain. This development is some way off, due to the lack of stadiums with roofs, especially roofs that open and close at short notice. But if the ICC and home boards have the interests of the game and cricket-watching public in mind, they’ll consider any valid innovation.

In 1998, the then President of the ICC, Jagmoham Dalmiya, noticing that interest in Test matches was taking a fade, devised a format for a World Championship of Test Cricket, with a scale of points for outright wins, first-innings wins and draws, and bonus points for scoring rates. No matter what else we thought of him, at least Dalmiya pretended for a moment that the dead hand of politics, the complexities of international scheduling, and delicate diplomatic issues were no barrier to innovation.

But the “championship” has become a chimera. At the conclusion of a tedious, inexcusably-long five-year cycle, the average fan gets to look at a table, its outcomes determined by dodgy mathematics, hearing nothing meanwhile until a sudden, illogical announcement that, say, South Africa is the new number one. And who’s second - Malawi? Who cares? What the public obviously want is a competition – one with real significance, like the one-day World Cup. Or a series of them, the scheduling of which is determined by Test match performance, so the significance of a Test transcends its present series, and everyone who goes along to a Test is aware of it.

If the ICC is serious about moving into the twenty-first century, it will eventually live up to its promise to grant Test status to new countries and give them international experience. However, space cannot be created for them unless established teams, especially Australia, England and the West Indies, concede that three-Test series’ are the way of the future, and the international schedule is culled of redundant one-dayers.

At the moment, the “championship” focuses on series, rather than individual Tests. A 1-0 result is no different to a 3-2 result. Furthermore, a South African victory over Bangladesh is worth the same as an Ashes win. Although we’d certainly want this to be the case in future, it’s a travesty now. The Proteas are patently paperweights compared to the Australians, and Michael Vaughan will be wizened and bald by the time Bangladesh is ready to topple England.

One way to eliminate such absurdities is to have a World Championship structured in two tiers so that developing nations get to play each other, with the odd match outside of their group to give them experience against high-quality teams. The inclusion of nations like Holland, Canada and Kenya will demand such a graduated approach. The third match of every series should be enlivened by being worth bonus championship points, ensuring there are no “dead” rubbers. No Test should ever again occur in a vacuum.

Test cricket’s recent resurgence, due mainly to the sparkling efforts of Aussie teams under Taylor, Waugh and now Ponting, is heartening, but not sustainable. TV ratings are up in Australia. Crowds are up in Australia. But what happens when the current crop retire? Gilchrist, McGrath, Ponting, Hayden, Gillespie, Warne – they all have charisma. But aggressive cricket is only an attitude, and attitude is a changeable thing. Only when it’s built into the game; encouraged and systematised with penalties, rewards and structures, will it continue beyond the present era.

Another ingredient in the resuscitation of Test cricket has been the reconstruction of spin bowling by two of its greatest-ever practitioners, Warne and Muralitharan. No longer is it considered an ancient, moribund art. Even the most rabid adrenaline junkie would feel robbed if their only opportunity to see these guys at work was within the strictures of a limited over match. But they, too, will soon retire. What then? The quality of any game is as good as the quality of the deeds of those who play it. Test cricket must embrace quality, not retreat from it, because only Test matches can fully display the virtues that define cricket.

If the survival of cricket is now highly dependent on revenue raised from the World Cup, cricket is at the brink. The Test match must be instated as the meat of the game, or at least enjoy an equal share of power with international limited-overs cricket. But it requires imagination, diplomacy and commitment from the ICC and home boards around the world; new ways of thinking, and the right reasons.

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2008-07-01T10:43:00.000-07:00

The (Potential) High Cost of a Video Resume

Who can forget the video resume of the Ivy-League-graduate-Wall-Street-wannabe on YouTube? He danced. He showed off his 140-mile-per-hour tennis serve. He demonstrated his weight lifting skills and claimed to be “trained by Buddhist warrior monks.”

He got a lot of attention—but not from the Wall Street recruiter. Links to his presentation were passed around by a number of web forums with less than complimentary comments.

The experts say...
In an informal poll, most employers and career counselors came down on the side of not recommending video resumes to most students. Generally, they said employers don’t have time to view or want to take a chance on viewing video resumes.

Do a search on YouTube with the words “video resume” and you’ll find more than 1,400 videos to watch. Many are “mocumentaries” rather than legitimate video resumes. Among those that are legitimate, some sincere and well done. Some sincere, but awful.

It costs little to create a video resume—but is it a good idea?
Video resumes may screen you out of an opportunity

Let’s start by assuming you can create an award winning resume video that showcases you in ways a paper resume and cover letter can’t.

Problem 1: Many employers may not be willing to view your video. Why? Employers who are assessing your skills and abilities via your video resume will also see your race, gender, age, disability, and possibly national origin—traits considered “protected classes.” This is information many employers do not want to receive ahead of a face-to-face interview because it exposes them to potential lawsuits.

Problem 2: Like it or not, sometimes we make judgments based on someone’s appearance. This includes employers, and many will have an “ideal candidate” in mind for a particular position. As long as the employer isn’t basing the decision on the candidate’s protected class status (race, gender, age, disability, and national origin); the employer is free to discard candidates he or she perceives as unsuitable. For example, an employer may decide not to interview candidates appear disheveled or sloppy in their video resumes—and that’s perfectly legal. While a paper or electronic resume won’t show your five o’clock shadow or wrinkled clothing, your video resume could and prevent you from getting invited to a face-to-face interview.

Clearly, there is a downside to submitting a video resume that you need to consider before deciding if this is the best way to market yourself as the best candidate for the job.

Note: This article is adapted from one by Tanya Salgado, an attorney with White and Williams LLP, who practices in the area of employment law and litigation.

Legal information is provided as a resource and should not be construed as legal advice for any particular situation. NACE is not able to give advice about specific legal issues regarding situations particular to your situation. For specific legal advice, please contact your attorney.

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2008-07-01T10:41:00.000-07:00

Are You Ready for an Unexpected Job Interview?
QuintCareers print-friendly
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by Deborah Walker

Most job-seekers wait to polish up their interview skills until they are looking for a new position. Important interview opportunities, however, can present themselves at any time. For example,

* Unplanned internal job openings: You encounter a sudden opportunity to advance your career from within, and your boss recommends you as a candidate for the job. Are you ready to communicate your contributions to the company?

* A recruiter calls: The position sounds like just the career move you've been wanting. Will you say the right things to win the job, or will you blunder your best chance?

* A former colleague introduces you to his boss:The organization is building an exciting new division and looking for new staff. Can you entice the boss's interest in you as a must-have new team member?

Those who continually grow in their careers are always prepared for these situations. Their interview skills are sharp at all times. To know if your skills are sharp enough to handle a surprise interview, see if you can answer the following four questions:

1. Can you concisely state your value proposition in 30 seconds or less? A value proposition is meant to intrigue your listener with a quick overview of your skills, expertise, and industry know-how. If you can offer a precise summary of why you are the perfect candidate for that job, you are more likely to get to the second or third interview. A concise value proposition can make a critical difference in winning you a new position. [Editor's note: See also Your Unique Selling Proposition.]

2. Can you list your top five accomplishments, and can you communicate their impact to your employer's bottom-line initiatives? A list of your top accomplishments will enable a prospective employer to imagine what you can do for he organization. Accomplishments give employers a way to associate your skills with their needs and a reason to remember you. Be prepared to list your top skills and show how they can help meet corporate needs.

3. Are you prepared to answer your own toughest interview questions, or do you hope they just won't come up? Don‚t leave yourself vulnerable to such questions as: "If you‚re doing so well in your job, why do you want to leave?" A good recruiter or hiring manager will see you sweat and stutter and squirm; you'll lose their confidence and destroy a chance to get your dream job. Think about the questions that will be your biggest pitfalls and be prepared to answer them.

4. Do you know how to find out your interviewer's motivations to understand how best to answer his or her questions? This is a very important question. Without knowing your interviewer's motivations, how will you know if your answers hit the mark of what he or she is looking for in a perfect candidate? Conduct research and determine exactly what that employer needs. Once you have those answers in hand, you can target your interview answers accordingly.

A good career coach can help you answer all these questions and more, preparing you for the interviews you plan -- and the interview you didn't expect. With those answers in hand, you can take your career from mediocre to marvelous with "always-ready" interview skills.

Questions about some of the terminology used in this article? Get more information (definitions and links) on key college, career, and job-search terms by going to our Job-Seeker's Glossary of Job-Hunting Terms.

http://www.quintcareers.com/Deborah_Walker.jpg

Career Expert Deborah Walker Deborah Walker is a Certified Career Management Coach. Her expertise includes resume writing and career coaching. She holds membership in the National Resume Writer's Association. As a former headhunter, her advice comes from an insider's prospective based on years working with HR professionals and corporate hiring managers. Visit Deb on the Web. Or email her for a free resume critique/price quote at deb@alphaadvantage.com.

Review all our resume tools and resources in the Guide to Job Interviewing Resources section of Quintessential Careers.

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Types of Job Interviews
QuintCareers print-friendly

Printer-Friendly Version
by Randall S. Hansen, Ph.D.

Job interviews are all about making the best matches. Both the company and the job-seeker want to determine if there is a correct fit between them.

Job-seekers going on job interviews can basically expect one of two styles of interviewing. While the styles differ, there are some basic activities job-seekers need to do both before and after the interview in order to succeed.

This page is organized in the following manner: First, the common aspects of interviewing will be discussed. Second, the two types of interviews will be discussed briefly.

Common Aspects of Interviewing:

* Preparing and Researching: Job-seekers must spend time before the interview conducting research on the type of job, company, and industry they are interviewing. Your knowledge of these factors is critical to your success. You can find some great sources of information by visiting the Guide to Researching Companies.
* Anticipating Questions (and Preparing Answers): While the types of questions differ depending on the interviewing style, job-seekers must plan and be prepared for the typical types of questions. You should not memorize answers, but script specific responses so that you will be able to remember more details when asked the question in the interview. You should also have several questions ready to ask the interviewer. Here are some Traditional Interview Questions. The Guide to Interviewing Resources provides links to other sites that list common interview questions and other preparation suggestions.
* Follow-Up: It is amazing how many job-seekers skip this crucial step. You must immediately write a thank you note to each person who interviewed you. Not only is this letter part of professional etiquette, but it is often time to reinforce a concept or skill that you have and that the employer desires in the person they will be hiring. See an example of a good thank you letter.

Types of Interviewing:

The two styles of interviewing used by companies today are the traditional job interview and the behavioral interview.

* The traditional job interview uses broad-based questions such as, "why do you want to work for this company," and "tell me about your strengths and weaknesses." Interviewing success of failure are more often based on the ability of the job-seeker to communicate than on the truthfulness or content of their answers. Employers are looking for the answer to three questions: does the job-seeker have the skills and abilities to perform the job; does the job-seeker possess the enthusiasm and work ethic that the employer expects; and will the job-seeker be a team player and fit into the organization. You can find 50 Traditional Employment Interview Questions here.
* The behavioral job interview is based on the theory that past performance is the best indicator of future behavior, and uses questions that probe specific past behaviors, such as: "tell me about a time where you confronted an unexpected problem," "tell me about an experience when you failed to achieve a goal," and "give me a specific example of a time when you managed several projects at once." Job-seekers need to prepare for these interviews by recalling scenarios that fit the various types of behavioral interviewing questions. Expect interviewers to have several follow-up questions and probe for details that explore all aspects of a given situation or experience. Recent college grads with little work experience should focus on class projects and group situations that might lend themselves to these types of questions. Hobbies and volunteer work also might provide examples you could use. Job-seekers should frame their answers based on a four-part outline: (1) describe the situation, (2) discuss the actions you took, (3) relate the outcomes, and (4) specify what you learned from it. Read more in these related sections:
o Behavioral Interviewing Strategies
o Sample Behaviorial Interview Questions
o STAR Interviewing Technique for Behavioral Interviews

Of course, besides these two common types of interviews, there are other types of job interviews. For example, read about:

* Mastering the Case Interview
* Phone Interviewing Do's and Don'ts
* Situational Interviews and Stress Interviews

Don't forget to check out our Interviewing Do's and Don'ts -- or for even more tips and suggestions about interviewing, go to our Job Interviewing Tutorial.

Finally, test your knowledge by taking our Job Interviewing Quiz.

Questions about some of the terminology used in this article? Get more information (definitions and links) on key college, career, and job-search terms by going to our Job-Seeker's Glossary of Job-Hunting Terms.

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Job Interview Follow-Up Do's and Don'ts
QuintCareers print-friendly
Printer-Friendly Version

by Randall S. Hansen, Ph.D.

Remember that your work is not done once you finish the interview. You can't sit back and wait for the job offer, so consider these key rules and strategies for following-up your job interviews.

* Do ask at the end of the interview when the employer expects to make the hiring decision.

* Do be proactive and consider follow-up a strategic part of your job search process. Follow-up can give you just the edge you need to get the job offer over others who interviewed for the position.

* Do use these follow-up techniques to continue to show your enthusiasm and desire for the position, but don't make it seem as though you are desperate.

* Do obtain the correct titles and names of all the people who interviewed you. (Ideally, do get each person's business card.)

* Do write individual thank you notes or letters to each person who interviewed you -- within two business days. Each letter can be essentially the same, but try to vary each a bit in case recipients compare notes. Don't ever fail to send a thank you -- even if you are sure the job is not for you. And do write thank you notes after every interview.

* Don't worry so much about hand-written versus typed thank you letters, but don't make a mistake by sending it through the wrong medium; make sure you know the best method of reaching the employer, whether by regular mail, email, or fax.

* In your thank you letter, do show appreciation for the employer's interest in you and do remind the employer about why you are the perfect person for the position. See some sample interview thank you letters.

* Don't ever have any errors (misspellings or typos) in your thank you letters.

* Do alert your references -- if you have not done so already -- that they may be getting a phone call from the employer.

* Don't stop job-hunting, even if you feel confident that you will get a job offer. Do continue to interview and attempt to find other opportunities.

* Do follow-up with a telephone call to the employer within a week to ten days (or sooner, if the employer had a shorter timetable) to ask about the position. And do continue to build rapport and sell your strengths during the phone call.

* Do be patient. The hiring process often takes longer than the employer expects.

* Do continue following-up, especially if the employer asks you to. Remember the adage about the squeaky wheel getting the oil. Just don't go overboard and annoy or bother the employer.

* Don't place too much importance on one job or one interview; there will be other opportunities for you.

* Do use other job offers as leverage in your follow-up -- to get the offer you really want.

* Don't burn any bridges if you do not get a job offer. And do try and turn the situation into a positive by bringing the interviewer(s) into your network, possibly even asking them for referrals to other contacts. Read more about the art of networking.

Questions about some of the terminology used in this article? Get more information (definitions and links) on key college, career, and job-search terms by going to our Job-Seeker's Glossary of Job-Hunting Terms.

http://www.mycollegesuccessstory.com/Randall_Hansen.jpg

QuintCareers.com Founder Dr. Randall Hansen Dr. Randall S. Hansen is founder of Quintessential Careers, one of the oldest and most comprehensive career development sites on the Web, as well CEO of EmpoweringSites.com. He is also founder of MyCollegeSuccessStory.com and EnhanceMyVocabulary.com. He is publisher of Quintessential Careers Press, including the Quintessential Careers electronic newsletter, QuintZine. Dr. Hansen is also a published author, with several books, chapters in books, and hundreds of articles. He's often quoted in the media and conducts empowering workshops around the country. Finally, Dr. Hansen is also an educator, having taught at the college level for more than 15 years. Visit his personal Website or reach him by email at randall(at)quintcareers.com.

Have you seen all our interviewing resources?

Read all our job-hunting do's and don'ts.

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IT Job Interview Questions And Answers

The surprising fact of IT job interview questions is that the most important questions that you will be asked don't have anything to do with the technical aspects of the job. For many companies looking for IT talent, the technical knowledge of the candidate is something that can be easily assessed. Training, experience, qualifications, certificates and other items found on the resume provide about as much of this information as the interviewer needs to know. Consequently, he or she does not need to spend a great deal of time or energy going over these factors in the job interview. Instead, it's very likely that the interviewer will focus on the managerial, organizational and leadership skills that you bring go the IT job.

These IT interview questions focus less on the actually IT work that you do and more on the way that you have interacted with your coworkers, supervisors, clients and other personnel in your career. The motivation for this emphasis on management skills is that IT work does not take place in some sort of idealized technological realm of pure technology. Information technology equipment, programs and systems are designed to do something, for other people, with the help of other people. As a result, once a candidate is determined to have the required skills, the next issue is whether they will be able to use those skills effectively with the other people he or she has to. For example, these questions might probe a candidate's experience managing a team, taking feedback from clients or presenting technological information to investors.

Preparing for IT Job Interview Questions

For someone expecting IT job interview questions focused solely on the technical aspects of the job, these questions might be a surprise. Fortunately, the same process that you might have used to prepare for technology questions can be used to prepare for any other kind of question you are asked. Just as in any other test, the first thing you want to know is what you will be covering. In the case of a job interview, the best way to figure that out is to research the position and company until you know what the organization is looking for. Once you have that information, then you can predict both the questions that you will be asked and the answers that the interviewer wants.

Developing answers to the IT job interview questions is a matter of giving an answer, then being able to prove, reinforce, dramatize or explain that answer using experience and examples from your job and personal history. For example, if you were asked if you could bring in a project on a tight deadline, you could prove that you can by describing a project that you brought in under a tight deadline. As you give your stories and examples, a good strategy is to make them sound as much like the job's environment, actions and results as you are able. That allows the interviewer to imagine you performing and succeeding in the target job.

Keyword: IT job interview questions

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Secrets to Dressing for Job Interview Success

Of all the steps required to have a great job interview, dressing for the job interview is by far the easiest. To answer the questions correctly you have to do a whole range of actions, starting with researching the position and ending with practicing your answers in front of a video camera. By contrast, dressing for the job interview only requires that you purchase the right job interview outfit and wear the right job interview outfit on the interview day. Both of these steps are easy, compared to all the other requirements of job searching.

For men, purchasing the right clothes for dressing for job interview simply means going to a departments store, tailor or clothing store and asking to see the interview suits. These suits are basically the more conservative and professional looking suits in a man's wardrobe. They are typically either navy blue or charcoal grey, have a conservative cut and pattern and look more ore less like every other suit that anyone will be wearing in the building that day. For women, it's a bit more complex. There is no cut-and-dried interview suit that women universally wear, but they do tend to go for a pantsuit or jacket and skirt combination that is also conservatively colored and cut.

More Dressing for Job Interview Success Secrets

For both men and women, dressing for job interview success does not simply mean purchasing the right outfit. Just as important as the suit element of the job interview dressing is the accessories and other accoutrements that accompany it. As a general rule, the point of a job interview suit is to be as conservative, bland and unthreatening as possible. Sure, you want to look good when you go into there, but more to the point you don't want to look bad, as defined by the interviewers that you will see. For that reason, colorful accessories and jewelry art to be avoided by both sexes, as is any sort of hairstyle which calls excessive attention to itself. Shoes, belts, purses and briefcases should also be plain, professional and scrupulously well maintained.

The one exception to these dressing for job interview rules is to be found in more creative fields. For jobs in the advertising, fashion and publishing field for instance, standard dress may be significantly different. In these jobs, showing up in an interview suit would be just as big a faux pas as showing up for an investment-banking job dressed in a pair of jeans. The concept is the same, however. In both kinds of companies, the object is to show that you belong in the organization and that you are willing and able to fit into the way that the people there work and look. If you aren't' sure what kind of dress code your next interview wears, either go there ahead of time and investigate the office dress code or simply ask the HR person who helped you set up your interview.

Keyword: dressing for job interview

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2008-07-01T10:31:00.000-07:00

Secret Job Interview Guidelines for Success

Like every other human endeavor, the act of interviewing for a job has job interview guidelines that will result in a more successful job interview process than just trying to "play it by ear." These guidelines have been developed over the decades that candidates have gone into interviewer's offices and attempted to sell themselves for specific jobs. As a general rule, the guideline to all guidelines is that the candidate should be what the interviewer is looking for. Though that may seem self-explanatory, you would be surprised how many interview candidates either do not know this guideline, do not accept it or do not do all the things that it suggests are necessary follow it.
For instance if the job interview guideline is to be what the candidate is looking for, then the first step of every job interview preparation should be to learn what the interviewer is looking for. How many job searchers truly follow this guideline? Sure, some may look over the job description, may research the company and my talk about the position with people who they believe have some good inside information, but how many truly make it their business to learn what the target job does on a daily basis, what results the target job should produce for the company, and what characteristics the interviewer is looking for? Very few. The second piece of the guideline is equally ignored by many job seekers.

More Amazing Job Interview Guidelines

If the number one job interview guideline is to portray yourself as what the interviewer is looking for and the first step is to find out what that is, then the second step is to formulate a way to portray yourself as that. What that requires is a conscious and strategic method for taking the preferences of the job and matching them with a convincing argument that you meet those preferences. An effective way to do this is to compile some stories, examples and narratives that support your candidacy and to have them prepared and in your mind ready to tell when the element or attribute comes up in the job interview.

The last piece of the job interview guideline is to become extremely practiced and proficient in telling your story to the interviewer. When the question is asked in the interview, you can't spend time and energy putting your answer together in your head right then. That shows the interviewer that you are actively trying to portray yourself as something, and that you possibly are not that something at all. All your developed and effective answers need to come naturally and organically from you in the interview itself. The only way to make that happen is to become completely comfortable and at ease through practice and review. Get together with a friend or job search partner and conduct a mock interview or two until answering questions with strategically developed stories comes naturally to you. If you have access to a video camera, record it for evaluation afterwards.

Keyword: job interview guidelines

Page 457

2008-07-01T10:28:00.000-07:00

Hairstyles for Older Women
Who says older women can’t have fun? Here are some hairstyles for older women and tips to dress up those locks.
Hairstyles for Older Women
Age is a state of mind and being old or belonging to the middle age or older woman bracket is more about the way you think and act. The kind of thoughts you harbor in your mind defines your age. Instead of considering the technical aspect about the age factor, have you taken a look at yourself and seen why people really refer to you as ‘old’? Many older women I know think it’s really the end of all the fun and happiness they have had so far, which is a completely wrong way of going about things! Ladies, it’s time you pulled up your socks and chuck out all the ‘age-old’ ideas.

Think about the song you hummed in your teens. When Cyndi Lauper crooned ‘Girls Just Wanna Have Fun’, it did not mean you forget the main essence of the track you loved so much. It’s time you give yourself a makeover and add more style to the way you present yourself. You would be surprised how every little thing counts! A simple change in a hairdo can also work wonders for your image. Here are a few hairstyles for older women that can give you a glamorous yet sophisticated look!

Sneak Peek at Hairstyles for Older Women:

The Classy Bun:
Hairstyles for older women cannot be complete without the mention of the classy bun. However, how you style your bun is important to the way you ultimately present yourself. Buns are easy to wear and relatively low on maintenance. This fact makes it really popular with older women. Use these tips to style a bun.

Brush your hair completely and detangle all the strands. Think about the height of the bun; tie your hair with a band to a height that really suits you on the comfort factor. Then, gather all your hair and twist it clockwise around the secured band. Use another light band and secure the bun. Let the ends stick out and style them to your advantage. A hair spray will help to hold this hairdo. Use a stylish pin; there are many such varieties available only for buns. They help to add more dimensions to the hairdo. You can even braid the ponytail before you twist it into a bun.

Sassy Short Hairstyles:
Many older women prefer to keep their hair short. It if has to be short, then ensure it’s sassy as well! If you must go in for bob hairstyles, try to pick one that suits your personality and seems stylish as well. Use these tips to add the style factor for short hair.

Moisten your hair and use some spray gel. Then blow dry your hair; this will add more volume. Use some hot rollers and curl the edges of your hair with the help of the same. Once you achieve the desired curls, use a comb and tease them gently. Use a light hair spray on the curls to keep them in place. This will give you the windswept look!

Choppy Long/Medium Length Hairstyles:
Longer hair on older women may not really be considered to blend well but on the contrary; long hair can help you to try out certain different subtle changes everyday. Although long hair may not be possible for every woman, due to the thickness and the texture of the hair, you can try some tricks to keep the fun element intact. A medium length can also be styled in various ways to create new looks. Try off-center partings. Go in for elegant accessories such as a pin to hold the hair. Leave the rest of it loose. You can also go in for a choppy look that adds more volume to the haircut. Frame the front layers around your face or pin it to the sides. Add some variation everyday.

As you can see, hairstyles for older women are only about rediscovering yourself and being pepped up to try new looks. So all the ladies out there…simply let your hair down and enjoy life to the fullest!

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The 7 Little Known Secrets of an Ultimate Relationship
Most people search their entire lives for a magical relationship and never find it! Maybe thats because no one ever showed them where to look! Discover the 7 little know secrets of the Ultimate relationship!
The 7 Little Known Secrets of an Ultimate Relationship
Are you one-half of a workaholic marriage? Have you wondered why you have drifted apart from your spouse? Have you felt like you don't connect with your spouse anymore? Do you feel like you pass in the hallway of your home and as you are running out the door, you shout hello and goodbye to each other? Is your relationship with your spouse and children suffering?

Now, I am not going to tell you the obvious, that you need balance in your life. I truly believe you already recognize that, since you have taken the time to subscribe to this valuable report. The question is how do you achieve it?

First let me say that in order to accomplish this you must first understand the dynamics of men and women in a relationship. Lets take a look at this from a mans perspective. Men are taught from a very early age that they need to achieve. In other words, what kind of career they have, whether they are successful and what they grow up to be in life are of the utmost importance. Therefore, for most men to feel good about themselves they must achieve success in their career and finances. Western society places a tremendous burden on men to be labeled the bread winner in the family, even though many women are the primary bread winners in our society.

Think about it for a moment, most men think this is what they are supposed to be doing. They are trying to support their family and in their mind this is all that matters. They get caught up in this principal and develop tunnel vision. This is where the problem begins, because their mate views this as a lack of interest and focus on them or their family. From most men's perspective, they don't believe that they are doing anything wrong. Now from a woman's perspective, they are taught from a very early age to give to their man and their family even if it is at the expense of themselves. However, for a woman to continue to give they need attention and fulfillment. When a woman receives the necessary attention and fulfillment she is happy and that happiness overflows to everyone around her. When she doesn't she may begin to feel victimized and blame her mate for the problem.

When you understand the basic dynamics of men and women in a relationship, can you begin to see where the problems begin. A man is off working hard trying to support his family and spending less and less time at home. His mate views this as a lack of love and interest in her and the family. So, out of frustration she begins to complain to her man that he doesn't spend any time with her anymore or is always working. She even attempts to try and change him or argue with him. This in turn only worsens the relationship because the man views this as an attack for working so hard to support his family. The relationship becomes more distant and the man begins spending even more time at work. He may even begin to resent his mate for her behavior and her for his. Does this sound familiar?

So how can you turn your relationship around? Well the first thing you can do is stop all of the arguing, complaining and criticizing. Want proof? Then stop this behavior and watch what happens! The moment you complain or criticize your partner becomes more wrong. . Do you know of anyone out there, that wants to be with a partner who constantly complains, argues and criticizes? I certainly don't. Try switching gears and agree with them even if you still think their wrong. Show your mate some understanding and compassion for the burden they bare. The minute you agree with them they become less wrong.

Remember, you can't change someone. However, agree with them and watch them begin to change themselves. Don't believe me! Try it for 30 days without telling your spouse anything about what your doing. Once they begin to respond take the initiative to schedule some quality time together. It doesn't have to be anything that is terribly expensive at all. You may want to approach them in the sense that your making it all about them. In other words, tell them that you appreciate how hard they have been working and to show your appreciation you want to take them out for a romantic dinner or a getaway. However, a word of caution here, under no circumstances should you run off to plan a getaway until you've laid the preliminary groundwork. You must turn the tables first by agreeing with them and stopping all of the negative behavior. Give it a try; you may be pleasantly surprised at your spouse's reaction!!!!

THREE THINGS YOU'RE DOING RIGHT NOW THAT MAY BE SABOTAGING THE HAPPINESS IN YOUR HOME LIFE!

1. Are you constantly telling your spouse that they work too much and aren't spending enough time at home?

2. Are you attempting to change your mate by arguing and disagreeing with them?

3. Do feelings of being victimized leave you focusing your attention on negative thoughts?

If you answered yes to any of these questions please read on!

1. (S) Simplify. Your current circumstances have nothing to do with who you really are or what your true potential is. How often do you allow someone to distract you from what is really important in your life? So often we allow people to drain our mental energy with things that are not in align with what we really want? Re-evaluate what's important to you and free up your mental energy for your personal or your home life.

2. (E) Effort. Creating a great life requires that you make some adjustments. It means re-evaluating how your time and energy is spent and re-aligning your thoughts. In other words; if your deep desire is to create happiness in your home or personal life then we must take the action required or put forth the effort to manifest this positive change in your life. To begin, start by examining your thoughts. Do you continue with the same patterns in your life because you think that's just the way life should be? Remember, "So shall ye think so shall ye be"! Everything begins with a thought and I do mean everything! If you truly believe in your heart and your mind that there is more to life you will begin to move towards those goals. This is where the effort begins!!

3. (C) Create. A great life is the result of creating priorities. It's easy to spend your days just responding to the next thing that gets your attention, instead of intentionally using your time, energy and focus to have the things in life that are important to you. Focus on removing the obstacles that get in the way of you making sure you are honoring your priorities. Unlock your true potential by unblocking the god given life force that flows through you. Power your goals, eliminate stress and spontaneously fulfill your desires. CREATE!!!

4. (R) Reserves. A great life is the result of having reserves - reserves of things, time, space, energy, love. When you have reserves in your life it means that you have a lot more than you need. Create a life full of reserves or abundance by following the universal law of attraction. Be generous to others with the very things you wish to attract in your life. The great paradox here is that the more you give the more you'll receive. Now this does not necessarily mean being generous in a financial sense. Quite the contrary, it's the smallest acts of generosity that will have the biggest impact. So, if you desire to have an incredibly loving and fulfilling home or personal life start being generous with your love and affection. When you meet someone that has a loving relationship and a fulfilling home life give them your blessing and find sheer happiness for them in your heart rather than resenting them for having something that has eluded you.

5. (E) Eliminate resentments. A great life is the result of eliminating resentments. Up to 75% of your mental energy can be tied up in things that are draining and distracting to you. Eliminating resentments can be a difficult concept to many people, since they believe that to do so would mean to forgive the wrong doing or the act that was committed against them. However, this is not at all the truth. Look around, who are you angry at? Is there a family member, friend, business acquaintance that you resent due to a wrong doing on their part? When we hold resentments towards others we only judge ourselves and we prevent our own happiness. To find out if you have any hidden resentments try this simple exercise; Close your eyes and picture the face of someone that you love unconditionally. Feel the love in your heart for this person. Next, picture someone that you like at this point but may not love unconditionally. Notice if you can feel the same love in your heart for this person. Next picture someone that you feel has committed some form of wrong doing towards you. Can you transfer the love to this person and feel unconditional love in your heart? If not, how are these resentments preventing your own happiness?

6. (T) Thoughts.
Direct the only thing over which you have control! (Your thoughts) We try to control all kinds of areas of our lives only to set us up for stress and failure. Stop fighting life, and start setting up your life to support success and ease. Learn to let the universal abundance flow in and out of your life.

7. (S) Start. A great life is the result of starting. There's the old saying everyone's familiar with: "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." Even great ideas need to be set in motion! There's no better time to start than today. Today, right now, is the right day to start to take a step in the direction of your hearts desires. What you do in the here and now will make a difference in your life tomorrow.

Best wishes,

David Roppo
Relationship Coach
Pittsburgh, PA (USA)

I can be reached at vquest_coach@yahoo.com or by phone Mon-thurs from 9AM-9PM Eastern at 724-203-4575

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Memories—Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow
Memories. Capture you memories in photos, recording, audio and video. Some memories only happen once in a lifetime and it's a shame to let those smiles, emotions, joy, conquests or challenges pass us by. Be ready to capture your families’ memories. You can use a small digital camera, digital recorder, or video, or all three. Have fun with it and put it in a scrapbook to be able to share with others.
Yesterday was my turn to take my friend to her next-to-last radiation treatment. When she finishes this, she will need another round of chemo treatments. While waiting her turn to be called, she was recounting to me how she was going to advise all of our friends, particularly the younger people, that they should be talking to their parents and grandparents to get their stories about their lives, because once they’re gone, those stories are gone as well.

I asked her if she was recording any of her memories. And she said that yes she was. She’s remembering a lot of little things about the games she used to play, her parents, the food she liked and disliked and the tricks she played on her mother when she didn’t want to eat something. She’s remembering the things her mother would tolerate and the things she wouldn’t and often she would push the envelope with her.

This afternoon my son called me. He is very excited because tomorrow he and his two nephews are leaving for a hiking/fishing trip to the Recessed Lakes above Lake Edison in the California Sierras. This is one of the few places where you can catch Golden Trout and that is his goal. He wants to make this a trip they will remember. I reminded him that I wanted to see pictures.

As I was dusting today I was looking at one of my favorite pictures which is of me, an uncle and his best friend. Oh, how I had a crush on his best friend when I was 16. Of course he considered himself too old for me then and he passed away at a young age. I’m glad I have that young-at-heart memory of him.

All of this makes me think of the many ways you can capture history in the making, as well as preserve the past.

Scrapbooking is a good way to do that. There are so many ways to make scrapbooking help you to keep the past, from the very complicated to the very simple. I prefer the simple myself, since it takes less time, but still reflects the same flavor.

While preparing your memory scrapbook, don’t forget to put in an oral explanation of the picture. You may want to recount where the picture was taken, the year and time if you have a record of it or can remember it, and why that particular picture was taken. Recounting a funny episode about the people in the picture will make the picture come alive, and enhance the enjoyment of those who see it.

You can then include the audio recording with the picture as well as a transcription (written documentation) of the audio.

But being the computer fanatic that I am, I prefer digital scrapbooking. The beauty of this is that you can place pictures in your account along with the verbal and written explanation of the pictures, and you can easily make copies. This would make a wonderful Christmas gift to family members. (Yes, I know it’s June, but not too soon to be thinking of those gifts you want to make for your family.)

You can have others contribute to the oral and written portion as well. Voices and pictures have a high impact on the enjoyment of your memories. A small, digital recorder which can be downloaded to your computer will work very well for recording your memories.

I’ll leave you with one last story of a friend who recently lost her father. When they knew his days were numbered, and while he had all of his loved ones around him, they got out the recorder and recorded a few of his memories, particularly how he had met and married his wife. A beautiful story. She got that transcribed and has distributed it to all the other family members.

Don’t wait until it’s too late.

Patsy Bellah is the owner of Great Transcriptions where the spoken word becomes the written word. Check us out at http://www.greattranscriptions.com

For more information about recording your information products, read "How To Get Your Info-Product to Market With Lightning Speed!" for only $29.95.

Claim your free report "Three Major Mistakes Infopreneurs Make" at http://www.lightningfastinfoproducts.com

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High Blood Pressure and Birth Control Pills
High blood pressure is a problem for some women who take the oral contraceptive birth control pill. A woman who already has high blood pressure may not be allowed to start on the birth control pill and other women develop high BP after they have taken the pill for months or years.
Blood pressure can go up in women who are taking birth control pills.

Most women in their reproductive age group of 15 to 45 years have a normal blood pressure of 120/80 mmHg. The female sex hormones namely estrogen and progesterone have distinct protective effects on women. These are related to protection from heart diseases and from some cancers. So, when women attain menopause, the protective effects of the female hormones dwindles away exposing them to a variety of health risks.

Birth control pills for women
Birth control pills have saved millions of women all over the globe from unwanted pregnancies. These pills are hormone based and several studies have shown safety and efficacy of these pills. Their success has reached a stage that they are considered to be amongst the most commonly used contraceptive method adopted by women all over the world.

Are high blood pressure and birth control pills related?
Birth control pills or oral contraceptives are made from synthetically produced estrogen and progesterone. Some contraceptive pills contain progesterone only. Pills with both estrogen and progesterone combined are likely to cause an increase in the blood pressure – but only in some women. Other women take contraceptive pills for years and have no problems with them.

This blood pressure effect thought to be due mostly to the estrogen component of the combined pill although a few studies conducted by the National Institute of Health have shown that progesterone birth control pills are likely to cause a small increase in diastolic pressure. The increase though small has been considered significant in that it increases the risk of developing strokes, embolism and heart attacks in women. Progesterone only contraceptive pills are sometimes called the "mini-pill".

The risk of hypertension in women taking oral contraceptives depends on the following factors

• Age at which oral contraceptives are started: In women above the age of 35 years, the risk of pill induced hypertension is higher. Hence, such women need to check their pressure before starting therapy and monitor it regularly till pill use is discontinued.

• Past history: In women already having blood pressure related problems, the risk is again high and hence a thorough medical examination is very important before the start of therapy.

• History of smoking: Women who smoke have a positive risk factor that can induce hypertension.

Let’s see how women taking birth control pills can tackle the situation in the presence of the above risk factors:

• For women over the age of 35 years, the doors are not closed. They must get themselves thoroughly examined for present and past medical history and family history to assess if any other additional risks are present. If the blood pressure exam is normal then the pill can be begun. Regular follow up with your doctor is a must so that any increase in BP can be picked up as soon as possible.

• In women who already have high blood pressure before the age of 35 years it’s probably better not to use the contraceptive pill. Other options for birth control would be a better choice in such cases.

• Women who smoke: Smoking causes damage to the walls of the blood vessels and narrows their lumen and thus increases the blood pressure. Birth control pills can have a similar effect by causing fluid retention and thereby will augment the problem. The best thing to do is quit smoking.

For all women taking pills for birth control, it is essential that they have a regular follow up with their doctor for a complete physical exam to look for any changes in blood pressure and other systems induced by the long term use of contraceptives.

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2008-07-01T10:24:00.000-07:00

Self Care and Time Management: How to Keep Your Life in Balance At All Times
Self-Care is far different from self-centeredness… learn to support… spiritual, psychological, physical and energetic aspects of your whole being…to manage your time and balance your life.
Do you manage your time effectively?

Do you keep your life in balance?

Do you maintain optimum physical, mental, emotional and spiritual wellness?

Do you take care of yourself the way you should?

Or, does the story below relate to you?

Sue never got enough sleep. She was lucky if she got 3 to 4 hours of sleep each night. There was just too much to do and not enough hours in the day to do it all. Lack of sleep turned out to be the tip of the iceberg for Sue.

It did not matter to her how many work hours she had to put in, whether in the office or at home. Sue was always drained, perpetually scattered and alone. In time she confessed virtually every available wall in her amply sized executive office suite had stacks of papers, files and books propped up against it always on the verge of teetering over.

Her home was so full of clutter she was embarrassed to invite friends or dates to visit. Similarly her mind felt like it was bulging at the seams. Her bank accounts were a mess. She regularly bounced checks despite having enough money to cover her expenses.

Her social and love life were nearly nonexistent. She had no time for the jewelry she so dearly loved to create. Nor did she have time for the social causes that were close to her heart.

Why?

Because she didn't know how to manage her time and balance her life.

Sue had an under-energized, self-neglectful relationship with self-care in all aspects. She suffered from insufficiencies in:

Inner Self-Care -- This resulted in exhaustion, irritability, weight problems, chronic stress, physical imbalances, weakened immune system and gluttony.

Environmental Self-Care --Sue tolerated home and work ambiences that drained her. People began to undermine her wellbeing, self-esteem and her leadership abilities. Crisis and melodrama became part of Sue's lifestyle.

Logistical Self-Care -- This resulted in complete disorganization. Sue was stretched too thin. She had imbalances between work and play and between spending and saving. She even fell behind with home maintenance or errands.

Healthy self-care is a key foundational element in all forms of integrity: self-integrity, relationship integrity, societal integrity and leadership integrity.

What is Self Care?

Self-Care is far different from self-centeredness. It is also far more than merely good sleep, nutrition and exercise habits. Our bodies are complex machine. We cannot sustain our energy unless we are supporting our spiritual, our psychological, our physical and our energetic aspects of our whole being.

Self-Care Is About Keeping Your:

Energy strong and balanced
Mind calm yet alert
Body capable of supporting you in all areas of your life
Environment nourishing
Life logistics under control

7 Tips to Improve Your Self-Care & Balance Your Life Habits

1. Maintain Basic Physical Health Habits. You need to get enough quality sleep for your body's needs and movement. You also need to add a high-quality nutritional diet to your energy system balancing.

2. Add Time to Soothe, Recharge and Play. Engage in soothing habits that make you purr, such as a massage or a bath. Take time out to restore your inner juice with activities, such as watching your favorite sitcom, gardening or just about any truly creative endeavor that gives you energy. And, don't forget to participate in activities that bring out the kid in you.

3. Quiet Your Inner Voice. Participate in relaxing activities that allow you to enter inner silence and take a vacation from constant mind chatter. Some people use prayer to quiet their mind. Others will meditate. You can also do Tai Chi, Qigong or Yoga and simultaneously take care of your daily need for physical movement and internal quieting

4. Arrange your surroundings so that they most deeply nurture you. This includes not only your physical environments but your people environments as well.

5 Know your optimal blend between "alone time" and "people time."

6. Master goal setting, time management, file management and money management strategies. Balancing work with play, spending with saving, and making sure that your job and financial choices support your needs for creative self-expression and your ability to spend quality time with those you love while still having energy left over to be of service in the world in ways that call to you.

7. Streamline your chores and tasks, including home maintenance and errands

Self-Care is unavoidably a daily practice. No amount of rest, passion or acts of service can substitute for it. True Self-Care is simply "enlightened self-interest and service for the higher good."

Follow these tips and you will manage your time and balance your life.

Psychologist and integrity expert, Dr. David Gruder, PhD., provides self-care education keynotes, training, and consulting for the past 30 years to busy everyday people just like you. Now, he dares you to take his FREE INTEGRITY CHECKUP QUIZ at http://www.thenewiq.com/freequiz and see if negligent self-care robs you of the vital energy you need to accomplish your goals.

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2008-07-01T10:23:00.000-07:00

The Problem with Women's Self-Defense Classes
Women's self-defense classes, seminars and videos are short-changing women. The idea that women can learn to defend themselves against men, without training with men, is simply false.
There are many who say women learn self-defense better in an exclusively women-only environment. The so-called "experts" say it is less intimidating if women don't have to compete with the men, or, it is easier (more comfortable) to discuss subjects like rape without men present. So, the new trend in self-defense programs is "Women's Self Defense" classes.

I don't agree with this line of reasoning, because the overwhelming evidence suggests that this is the wrong approach. I can't tell you how many times I have heard, "I took a women's self-defense course once. But, I went home and tried some of the stuff on my husband (or boyfriend), and it didn't work!"

There is nothing more confidence-shattering than to spend the time learning all the techniques and starting to feel good about yourself, only to have the bubble burst the first time you try out your new-found skills. Women then begin to feel there is nothing they can do to protect themselves when they can't even make it work against someone who isn't really trying to hurt them.

The real shame is when someone is really attacked, and after repeated attempts, can't make their self-defense techniques work. At that point, they simply give up, and won't fight back no matter what. I can only imagine that someone in that situation would look back on the time or money spent for self-defense classes and feel that they had been victimized twice!

Why "Women's Self Defense" Programs Don't Work!

Most of the people who take my self-defense classes are women. Sometimes, I even have a class that is all women. However, that is by coincidence, not design. Women who sign up for my classes know that there may be both men and women in the class. Whether there are actually men in the class is not important, after all, I am instructing the class, so there is always at least one man in the class.

The point is, if a woman is so intimidated by men, that she will not even take a self-defense class with men, she will never survive an attack by a man. Why? Because "intimidation" is just another word for fear. Until she can prove to herself the techniques work on a man, she has done nothing to help her get over her fear of men.

If she is ever attacked, it will probably be by a man! If she hasn't gotten over her fear of men, she will immediately panic, no matter what she has learned. If she hasn't learned how to deal with the bigger, stronger, more aggressive male, she will not understand how the dynamics of the situation will change in the real world!

Women MUST practice self-defense techniques against a man! Otherwise, how will she know they work against a man? This is what we call "realistic scenario training" (more about this later). If she has only practiced self-defense techniques with other women, she gets a false sense of security that her techniques will work in the real world. But, an even bigger problem is that most of what is taught in these so-called "women's self-defense" classes wouldn't work anyway!

Poor Teaching Methods

Much of what is taught as "women's self-defense" is not only ineffectual, but insulting as well. Courses intended only for women assume they are weak, less capable of defending themselves, and therefore need different methods from men to counteract violence. Women have been told to "yell 'FIRE', carry a hat pin or umbrella to jab at him, do something vulgar to gross him out, like tell him you have VD." If any of that junk worked, we'd be teaching men to do the same thing.

The following sample of bad advice still shows up in high schools and women's self-defense courses:

"Confrontation always makes everything worse. Don't react-it might be an overreaction. Don't add to the violence by becoming violent yourself. Don't make him mad. Trying to escape risks escalating the problem."

These ideas are wishful thinking or blind optimism. Experience at real crime scenes teaches you something very different.

Imagine if the percentages of women and men raped were 50-50 instead of 98 percent women and 2 percent men. [Outside of prison, those are the true percentages.] Now imagine someone telling men, "Don't overreact to rape, guys. Go along with his demands so you won't be hurt." I think you can see there might be a double standard that is completely unfair to women.

Doing Nothing

Doing nothing against a violent attack is the biggest risk of all because it makes resistance and escape later far more difficult. Worse, statistics show it actually increases the likelihood that violence will escalate, especially when the crime is rape. The most profound example involving resisting (doing something) versus submitting (doing nothing) was a Department of Justice study of rape published in 1985:

-Rapists do not normally pre-arm themselves with weapons. Only 23 percent of 1.6 million cases studied involved knives or guns. [The major exception to this are rapists who break into a residence; 96 percent grab a knife from the kitchen.]
-Approximately 51 percent of women resisted in some form, ranging from screaming to fleeing, to fighting back; the remaining 49 percent did nothing.
-When broken down between resistance or submission, there was only an increase of two percent in the injury level to the women who resisted.

Yes, there is always a risk involved in fighting back, but there is just as much risk in doing nothing. If you face a rapist and do nothing, he'll rape you. If you face an armed criminal forcing you into his car and do nothing, he'll kidnap you. The "do-nothing" group believes that in doing nothing, they risk nothing.

Doers, in contrast, have simple and direct reasons for taking action: "If I don't do something fast, it's going to get worse."

False Claims

Another problem is the false sense of security given by unsubstantiated claims. One direct-mail women's safety device provides an "instant and easy self-defense" video for women.... "Can you point your finger? ... Can you raise your hand? ... If your answer is yes, you can instantly escape anything from rape to severe attacks.... It's quick and easy." The product being mentioned here, pepper spray, almost never works this way in the real world. Note: You may want to read this article on the Problems of using Self-defense Products.

One television commercial for a women's self-defense program promises "two-minute, guaranteed knockout using your feet. When your assailant tries to grab you, use the heel of your shoe to strike into his head over and over." Could you really learn to do this in two minutes? It takes years of training in karate or taekwondo to learn to effectively kick someone in the head, and even then, it's a risky move. It's just a marketing ploy to get your money.

If you buy a police radar detector that is guaranteed to work, but doesn't, the result is a speeding ticket. If you pay for "self-defense classes" or videos that don't deliver as promised, the result can be severe injury or even death. Relying on someone else's guarantee is only a false sense of security that will only have bad results!

Anti-crime gadgets, and martial arts self-defense programs marketed to women, are often too simplistic and come with unrealistic guarantees. The fact is, surviving crime requires far more mental toughness than physical abilities. Size, weight, conditioning, and upper-body strength don't make the difference. If they did, a lot of men would be in deep trouble. Crime survival takes tough-minded mental conditioning, the same for both men and women.

What Does Work?

What works, as proved by the results of both police and military testing, is "realistic scenario training". Scenario training consists of learning techniques, rehearsing them in realistic scenarios, and then visualizing these actions in your mind. It is a method used in many fields, from sports to law enforcement, military to medicine.

Scenario training is a way of planning our responses. We do something similar every day in our regular lives. We plan what to say if the boss criticizes a report we've submitted, or how to appease our spouse if we've done something irritating. Often we actually rehearse the words we'll use, we do it constantly. It doesn't always get us what we want, but it gives us a better chance.

Face-to-face with violence, your first split-second problem is not what is he going to do, but, "what are you going to do?" Scenario training against violence answers that question at the right time ... before it happens. You can make mistakes and learn from them before it becomes a life or death situation! Scenario training to survive violent crime draws on real-life crime cases, which allows us to analyze our own mistakes, as well as the mistakes of others, learn from them, and decide how we will respond differently.

Without realistic scenario training, people panic and freeze up; they have no way to cut through the overwhelming fear that boxes them in during a crisis. Everyone needs to train for the same scenarios, and everyone, men and women alike, need to train the same way: to develop the mental toughness needed to survive a real attack!

This is the bottom line that must be adopted by every woman, every women's self-defense teacher, and every parent of a daughter: If the how-to-survive-violence technique and advice is not acceptable to men, it's not acceptable to women.

Knowing how to handle yourself when confronted with violence is your only insurance against becoming a victim, or just another statistic in a police report. You have car insurance, home-owner's insurance, life insurance, health insurance…

What insurance do you have against being the victim of a violent crime? A long-term self-defense program offers the most comprehensive training, and therefore, the best opportunity to learn to handle almost any situation that may occur. However, if you don't have the time to commit to a long-term program, at least some form of weaponless self-defense training is better than none.

But women MUST practice techniques with MEN! The idea that women can learn to defend themselves against men, without training with men, is simply false.

Resources:
Strong, Sanford - Strong on Defense; Simon & Shuster, Inc.; 1996
Federal Bureau of Investigation - Uniform Crime Report; 2000

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2008-07-01T10:20:00.000-07:00

Best Tips to Care for Your Furniture
Furniture is an intrinsic part of interior designing. Proper care and cleaning of your furniture will help you to maintain the original beauty and finishing.
Furniture is one of the most important components of every home. Along with making our life and living at home comfortable, they are also responsible for overall interior design. They play a major role in interior designing also. To keep their look and state along with positive look for our home we need to take proper care of our furniture goods.

Furniture items are of various types and caring tips of all furniture items are not alike. It varies according to the items used in making of that furniture. There are some best tips for various type of furniture:

Fine Furniture Care: This is among one of the most important asset for every home. The proper care and cleaning of your furniture will help you to maintain the original beauty and finish forever.

1. Keep furniture out of direct sunlight, it will keep their shine and glow forever.
2. Place furniture away from heating and air conditioning ventilations.
3. Clean any type of dirt and sticky materials as soon as possible.
4. Use some kind of protection like coasters and tablecloths for furniture during use.
5. Lift and place furniture instead of sliding across surfaces.
6. Rotate accessories on your furniture periodically that will avoid any chances of scratches.
7. Dust your furniture regularly and polish every 4-6 months, they will look like new always.

Leather Furniture: Leather furniture is among most elegant types of furniture, they are pleasant to have in any style of home, and generally brings a new light to the portion it is placed. In order to hold the value of your leather furniture follows a few simple tasks. That will keep your leather furniture looking, feeling, and even smelling new.

1. Aniline leather should be cleaned with a soft cloth and vacuumed with a soft brush extension.
2. Rub the leather down with a cleaning solution to preserve the quality of the leather.
3. You can clean Aniline plus leather furniture in the same manner you would the Aniline leather; simply dust with a soft cloth and vacuum with a soft brush extension.

If you want your furniture to be with you and your home for longer duration, then give some time to their proper care and cleaning, and you will enjoy the finish and comfort of your furniture till longer duration

For more information on furniture care tips visit Gogo Furniture

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2008-06-30T09:48:00.000-07:00

Movie Reviews: Wanted

27 June 2008 10:32 AM, PDT

Wanted is another comic-book of a movie likely to go over well at the box office, according to analysts. (In fact it's based on the comic books of Mark Millar and J.G. Jones.) It also goes over well with the critics. Roger Ebert in the Chicago Sun-Times calls it "an action picture that's exhausting in its relentless violence and its ingenuity in inventing new ways to attack, defend, ambush and annihilate." Kyle Smith in the New York Post says that Wanted will satisfy most audience's wants: "a stunt sundae with stunt sauce on the side and a side order of stunts." Elizabeth Weitzman in the New York Daily News predicts that "your adrenal glands will be working overtime." And Claudia Puig in USA Today concludes: "The thrilling stunts and hyperkinetic action scenes are the undisputed stars of this surprisingly entertaining film." On the other hand, Manohla Dargis in the New York Times suggests that all the furious mayhem really signifies not a whole lot. "Beating down the audience is what the crudest entertainments try to do, and in this respect, and in every other, Wanted is nothing new," she writes. And Mick Lasalle in the San Francisco Chronicle observes: "There are two ways, equally valid, of looking at Wanted: (1) as a go-for-broke action movie of mixed quality and modest but definite entertainment value, or (2) as a sick, sick movie for a sick, sick public." He then goes on to make the case for both viewpoints, concluding, "The sound of cheering you'll hear tonight in the multiplex is not good news."

Page 446

2008-06-30T09:47:00.000-07:00

The Universe by David McCarthy

Often when we struggle to understand something a tutor will say: “Look at the bigger picture.” The Universe is the bigger picture of our world and looking at it is the best way to put our world in perspective. Especially now that Google Sky is up and running and free for each of us to use whenever we feel the need to seek perspective.

Too often we find people that are hemmed into their local town and give little thought to events in other parts of their state. Others are interested in their state above their nation. Some have no time, or interest, in what happens beyond the borders of their own nation in the misguided belief that it cannot affect them. We only have to look at the problems of the Middle East and understand how they affect taxpayers in the nations of the allied coalition to dispel the myth that what happens outside of your national borders does not affect you. We all share this tiny planet and if a new strain of influenza occurs in a remote nation it is a worldwide problem within 24 hours.

Many years ago a friend advised that I start looking at the universe to gain perspective of the world and I count this advice as the best I ever received from any source.

Planet Earth is part of the Milky Way Galaxy and that is just one galaxy among many thousands of others. Often, on a clear night, I sit on my porch and look up at the vastness of the Milky Way and find myself meditating about how small Planet Earth really is and how insignificant it is in the overall structure of eternity. It is a fact that a massive meteorite could wipe out the planet at any time and the galaxy will still continue with negligible adjustment. My next thought is that there are so many other galaxies and they would not even have to adjust.

It was not until I started accepting the Universe that I was able to see the World in its true perspective and in life I started becoming more positive and less judgemental. To see my planet in an overall perspective proved a catalyst for me to start achieving what I was capable of achieving and I am happily shocked at the result. The main thing is that I now know that less than 5% of the human race live to achieve what they are capable of. We all have the same equipment; it is just that some use it better than others.

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2008-06-30T09:44:00.000-07:00

The Basics of Astrology by Rose

What is a Natal Chart?

If you look at the words 'natal chart' you could read them another way 'birth map' - this may help you understand what is being talked about. Basically, the natal chart is a map of the sky including the positions of the planets for the time that you were born. Where you are born has an impact on what is seen in the sky, e.g., if two people were born on the same day and at the same time but in a different city and country, what is seen overhead would be different. This would mean that their natal charts showing planetary placements would be different from each other.

So, the first step in using astrology is to draw a map of the sky for the moment a person is born. This map includes all the planets, plus a few other points of interest such as the horizon and the middle of the sky directly over the birthplace. The time of birth is important for detailed work because it affects the position of the various parts of the chart, in particular the zodiac sign on the eastern horizon (this gives the Rising Sign/Ascendant) and position of the point over the birthplace (this gives the position of the Mid heaven).

If the time of birth is unknown it can be worked out through major life events by an experienced astrologer who specializes in this branch of astrology: this is known as rectification. To do this you would need to give the astrologer as many major life events as possible such as: marriage; birth of children; major moves; divorce; death; new business ventures or jobs; and/or any other significant changes to your life.

Another way of finding out what time you were born is to contact the hospital you were born in. In the majority of cases they have this information recorded on the mother's file. I know this is the case in Australia but I'm not sure about other countries but it is still worth a try!
Natal Chart Interpretations

Once the natal chart has been prepared, the positions of the planets in different zodiac signs (ie, Aries, Taurus, Gemini, etc) can be 'interpreted'. This is an area that people interested in astrology usually become a little skeptical about the validity of astrology because the interpretations can vary greatly from one astrologer to another. One way to understand these differences in interpretation is to understand that the planets and other points in the natal chart are used as symbols: as such, they have quite a broad ability to represent different qualities depending on the age, sex, marital status, belief system, etc of the person whose natal chart is being interpreted.

Interpretation is also affected by the particular areas of interest of the individual astrologer. For example, some of the areas of specialization include psychological, past-life, medical, child-based, and the list goes on!

The type of information gained from the natal chart includes understanding the early home life, relationship with parents and how these affect adult relationships. There are many others areas that can be looked at in quite a comprehensive way such as how you are perceived by the people around you, emotional needs, how you express love and affection, etc.

The information found in the natal chart can also provide an insight into what talents a person may possess that have not yet been realized or used to full potential.

Natal charts offer the benefit of self-understanding which may give a person a whole new perception of themselves, direction in life and open up possibilities for new directions in life; both in the physical and psychological sense.

Page 444

2008-06-30T09:41:00.000-07:00

The Iraq War | Five Years Later and We are Still There by Jill Gauntley

Whoever takes on the huge task of becoming President during this tumultuous time will have their work cut out for them. One in four people disagree with how President Bush has handled the Iraq War even if they supported the war in the beginning. Our military is being exhausted by repeated deployments, involuntary extensions, and activations of the Reserve and National Guard.
Only one of the three candidates has any military experience, John McCain who was a prisoner of war POW, during the Vietnam War. Those of us who are old enough see great similarities between the Iraq War and the Vietnam War which continued through my entire childhood. I just don’t know if Clinton or Obama have the experience that it is going to take to get us out of the Iraq War. I have listed their basic viewpoints on the war, some of which are very contradictory.
Hillary Clinton: Opposed troop increase. No timetable for completing withdrawal. Voted for war.

Barack Obama: Combat troops out in 16 months. Spoke against war at start.

John McCain: Early critic of how the war was fought backed troop increase. Opposes scheduled pullout.
McCain directly confronted the biggest obstacle to his White House ambitions: his unyielding support of a war that more than two-thirds of the country has turned against. "I understand the frustration caused by our mistakes in this war. I sympathize with the fatigue of the American people," he told cadets at the Virginia Military Institute. "But I also know the toll a lost war takes on an army and a country. It is the right road. It is necessary and just." McCain cited "the first glimmers" of progress from the president's "surge" of troops into Baghdad The former Vietnam prisoner of war warned against "false optimism" and urged Americans to have patience with the military's commanders as they pursue a new strategy in the Middle East "that deals with how things are . . . and not how we wish them to be."
Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama both support a withdrawal of troops and state their ideas of how they would accomplish this but whether these are feasible or not remains to be seen. They both support change which the American people desperately need. If not for the Iraq War, this could be a very exciting time in US politics; History is being made, we could have the first black President or the first woman President. No one is excited though, our economy is struggling without any end in sight, and people are sad and hopeless. I just hope that whoever we elect in November has the strength to do what has to be done to create the change.
My personal opinion is that we have no business being in the Iraq War at this time. I, like most Americans, at first thought it was necessary for our national security. The American people have not benefitted from the Iraq War. Lives are shattered and loved ones have been lost. I speak from experience as my only brother is a veteran of the Iraq War. He went into the war as a proud American soldier but has returned as a destroyed man. Those who have benefitted the most in this conflict are those who suffered the least; the multinational oil companies and the contractors with the no-bid reconstruction contracts.
To voice your opinion on the Iraq War and other relevant topics check out TellMeYourIdea.com.,a political forum that is unscripted, non-partisan, politically relevant & unfiltered where citizen contributors can debate politics on a national, state or local level. Your opinions are relevant at www.tellmeyouridea.com

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2008-06-30T09:40:00.000-07:00

High quality and fashionable design Ceramic jar by jeya

These ceramic treat jar are high-quality, heavyweight Pet Ceramic Treat Jars come in eye-catching designs that are sure to attract customer attention. They provide customers a whimsical twist on a practical necessity. Lead-free ceramic jars have an airtight seal that locks in freshness and flavor to keep treats tasting great. A great way to send love to any dog in the country is by sending this beautiful ceramic treat jar that comes with a tub full of gourmet dog treats - which can be personalized with the name of any lucky dog.

These dog treat jar are high-quality ceramic bowls have a fashionable design that will look great in any decor. This high-quality treat jar is whimsical, fun, and a great decorative piece! Lead-free ceramic jars have an airtight seal that locks in freshness and flavor to keep treats tasting great. These lead-free ceramic jars have an air-tight seal that locks in the freshness and flavor of our gourmet treats.

The dog Ceramic Treat Jars have a refreshing new look that turns any meal into an epicurean delight. The pet’s ceramic ware is dishwasher safe for easy cleanup. Matching Ceramic Dishes are also available. Beautiful hand painted doggie treat jar. This dog biscuit canister will look great in any home. This canister features a hand painted paw print on the jar. Created by artisans in the USA, each one is a true work of art.

Attractive and functional ceramic dog bowls in fashionable colors. Match your ceramic dog food bowl with a decorative ceramic treat canister. Ceramic dog bowls are heavy so they resist being pushed around the floor while your dog is feeding. Sleek, Classic Greek lines make our Ceramic Dog jar a favorite of pet owners. Unique wavy texture inspired by Mediterranean shores. Handcrafted ceramic ware is dishwasher safe.

The cheap Ceramic treat jar Blue canisters bowls are sanitary, dishwasher safe and come in many styles. All ceramic treat container come with an air tight seal to keep treats fresh. Many Dog Treat Jars are available with personalization. Ceramic Treat Jars have a refreshing new look that turns any meal into an epicurean delight. The pet’s ceramic ware is dishwasher safe for easy cleanup. Matching Ceramic Dishes are also available. Please purchase online http://www.katiewongnyc.com

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2008-06-30T09:38:00.002-07:00

Love at First Strike-Baseball in Latin America by Grant Eckert

Baseball in the United States dates back to the 1840s, but many other countries picked up and played the sport soon after. In Cuba, students who enrolled in the United States educational system returned home to the island nation with a bat and a ball. The popularity of the game in Cuba was so high as to be considered part of the identity during the war for independence during the late 1800s.

The Spaniards assumed that the baseball practice and teams were just a cover-up for the preparation to go to war. Throughout the Caribbean region, Cuban players spread their newfound knowledge which increased the popularity of the game. It was two Cuban brothers who carried the game to the Dominican Republic and Cubans in the country of Venezuela along with Venezuelan nationals who had matriculated in the U.S. brought the sport to Venezuela, beginning in 1895 and to the island of Puerto Rico in 1897.

In Mexico, it was also Cubans who had fled from the island during its struggles for independence that brought baseball to Mexico. The Cubans in Mexico were assisted by U.S. merchant marines and railroad workers. Various regions of Mexico were converted to the sport during the years from 1877 to 1899. In terms of popularity, the sport of baseball is number one in Cuba, Dominican Republic and Venezuela with a strong showing in Puerto Rico.

Mexico still places football as the dominant sport. In Central America, baseball is also very popular. In the United States, players from Latin America and Puerto Rico have become a growing force in major league baseball. There are professional leagues organized in Venezuela, Puerto Rico, Mexico and the Dominican Republic.

As in the rest of the world, football (soccer) is unquestionably the most popular sport in Latin America. Yet, it is also true that in much of the Caribbean basin, baseball is the number one sport. In fact, where U.S. imperial power spread throughout the world, and in Latin America specifically, the influence of baseball was the strongest. During a military occupation, many countries were introduced to American baseball.

It has been said that if Fidel Castro had been a better baseball player, the history of the Cold War might have played out very differently. Castro is an avid fan and once played the game. The reverse is also true: Orlando Hernandez "El Duque" left Cuba in 2000 and played for the New York Yankees in the World Series.

Baseball season in Latin America stretches from October to January. The winners of the four national leagues meet in February to play the Caribbean Series. Mexican players participate in a summer minor league that has connections with the U.S. Minor League Baseball governing body. Mexico has been given Triple A status. There are also Dominican Republic and Venezuelan summer rookie leagues that are affiliated with Minor League Baseball.

Although professional baseball existed in Cuba from 1878 until 1961, it was abolished by the Cuban government at the professional level. The Cuban national team now dominates the world amateur competitions, winning gold medals at Barcelona in 1992 and Atlanta in 1996.

About 30 percent of the major league players in baseball today are connected to Latin America in some fashion. Either they are from Latin America or are descendants of Latin Americans who grew up in the U.S. In the general population, only eleven percent of the people are from Latin America. Latino baseball players overwhelmingly are foreign born and claim Cuba, Nicaragua, Panama, Venezuela and the Dominican Republic as a birthplace.

Unfortunately, some of the major teams have gained a reputation for an almost sweatshop approach to baseball academies in the Latin American region. Young boys with talent are signed and sent to these training regimens where life is harsh in the hopes of winning a contract with one of the major clubs. Many of these players travel to Latin America to play the winter league baseball games in the Latin American leagues.

The countries in the Caribbean basin that are baseball enthusiasts send national teams with championship titles to participate in the Caribbean World Series each year since 1949. For players of Latin American descent, the opportunity to play in Major League Baseball is high success and tremendous financial gain.

Beginning in 2006, the World Baseball Classic between the United States, Puerto Rico, Japan, Mexico, Panama, the Dominican Republic and Venezuela, was held. Nicaragua did not attend, but Cuba did send a team. The tournament was won by Japan, which was a tremendous surprise to many if not most of the observers.

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2008-06-30T09:38:00.001-07:00

Mixed Martial Arts Boxing Equipments by shijina

All over the world, boxing is a sports game which fetches more craze among people. The equipments come in different varieties, prices, colors and designs to meet the requirement of the customer around the world. When the person practices their sports activity or they goes for a competition, they use these kinds of equipments. Different sorts of sports equipments are available in the market to meet the demands of customers who needs.

Special trainings will be provided to the boxer to compete with the opponent using different techniques available. Generally, when people compete each other will be wearing all kinds of boxing gears on their body. Different sorts of equipments are available in the market and some of the equipments are gloves, headgear, bags, medicine ball, rings, mouthpiece, handwraps, shoes and more numbers.

Mma Gloves
People wear gloves on their hands to be protecting their hands at the time of kicking or fighting each other. Generally, the person who compete each other will wear gloves in their hands to be protective. Some of the gloves are bag, training, pro fight, mma, aerobic and even more.

Headgear
Headgear is a kind of gear used by people on their head to protect against any injury or damages. Headgear protects boxers against cuts, scrapes or swells on their head and reduces risk to some extent.

Handwraps
The sports handwraps protects people against injury and damages at the time of practicing the game. Handwraps are special instruments designed for boxers to protect their bones, tendons and muscles of their hands at the time of kicking, fighting. Mma handwraps are popular kind of instruments used by the people and it fetches more demand among people.

Mouthpiece
Mouthpiece is special product used by the boxers by keeping that gear on the mouth to safe against punching. Generally, all kinds of players will be using this instrument to protect them against injury. It is suggested that the product should be boiled in hot water and then use it.

Heavybags
Mma heavybags are punching bags to make their practice at their home or gym in desirable manner. The appearance of heavybags will be in larger, cylindrical fitted with metal rings from top to bottom. It comes in leather or synthetic material as per the requirement of the customer for reasonable prices.

Boxing ring
Boxing ring is a kind of gear used in the match. In the place provided, the ring will be used to play the game safely. It is kind of loop which will be raised on the platform corners. The ring will be four parallel rows if ropes on corners with turnbuckles.

Page 440

2008-06-30T09:37:00.000-07:00

Pet Classifieds Advice & Tips by Martin Davis

When you want to reach as many people as possible with your pet related ads, pet classifieds are often the best way to go. Many people are constantly checking these and if you use online pet classifieds services, you´ll reach thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of potential buyers. This obviously opens up huge potential, whether you are selling animals or pet accessories. However, your ads need to be written to sell, otherwise, they´ll just sit there like a lump.

Where to List

The first thing to consider is where your pet classifieds will be listed. There are plenty of free pet classifieds sites out there and you can definitely use these services, but they aren´t going to get the same results as a paid service. The reason for this is pretty simple, you will not receive the same responce as you would if your advert looks amazing and really jumps from the page.

If you have the time and energy to sort through free classifieds sites until you find some relatively spam free ones,( http://www.adflyer.co.uk) go for it. Also, you´ll get much faster results by upgrading your advert on the above website. Spammers are nowhere to be seen on this site, so you´ll have your ad in front of more trusting viewers.

Writing Your Pet Classified

Most classifieds are going to be fairly limited in length. The majority of pet classifieds are required to be 100 words or less, but the length varies. You also don´t want the ad to be too long, since people will be scanning the page and longer ads are more likely to get skipped.

The idea is to get as much information as possible into as small a space as possible. This is done with clever writing and use of the right words. You want the potential buyer to know everything necessary in order to decide that they are interested and to weed out the ones who are interested in something else. For example, if you are selling purebred puppies and someone is just looking for a friendly mutt to play with the kids, you don´t want them ringing you.

Start your pet classifieds off with an eye-catching phrase. It should instantly communicate what you are selling and should be short enough to catch the reader´s attention. To get some ideas, take a look at some other classifieds listings to see what is working for others.

You may use a question or a description to start off your ad. For example, “Looking for man´s best friend?” or “Cutest kittens on Earth!” This instantly lets the reader know what you are selling and if they are interested, they´ll keep reading.

The next part of your ad needs to describe what you are selling and why it is desirable. This is where you should put any information like what is the breed of animal, what colour, if it has had its shots or any other pertinent information. This is basically an elimination, where the client will decide if they are interested in the animal you are listing for sale or not.

Finally, you´ll need contact information. How do you want people to contact you? Should they ring you or write an email? Decide on this and add the information at the bottom of the ad. It can be a good idea to offer more than one form of communication.

Whether or not you include the price is up to you, but you will tend to get more valid responses if the price is there in your pet classifieds, since anyone unwilling to pay your price probably won´t bother contacting you.

Writing great pet classifieds takes some practice, but there´s no reason you can´t rewrite until you are satisfied that you have the best possible ad to put out there.

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A Treadmill is an Intimate Partner of Your Health by Angulo Fu

With today's fast-paced lifestyle, more and more people exercise less time. Pressure from all makes many people in a physical state of sub health. Treadmill has provided people with a convenient and speedy way of training. It enables people in the busy to still enjoy a better life. A luxurious home treadmill can be an intimate partner of your health.

A treadmill is a piece of indoor sporting equipment used to allow for the motions of running or walking while staying in one place. The word treadmill traditionally refers to a type of mill which was operated by a person or animal treading steps of a wheel to grind grain.

The principle is a belt system (an electric motor or flywheel connected to a circular run of material) where the top of the belt moves to the rear so as to allow a runner to run an equal, and necessarily opposite speed. Thus the speed of the run can easily be set or measured (the rate at which the belt moves is the rate at which the runner moves). The more expensive, heavy-duty versions are motor-driven. The simpler, lighter, cheaper versions are passive, moving only when the walker pushes the belt with their feet, and operates just to resist the motion.

Pressure is everywhere! It is commonly believed that only rich middle-aged businessmen suffer from stress. In fact anyone may become ill as a result of stress if they experience a lot of worry over a long period and their health is not especially good. Our living and working conditions may put us under stress. Overcrowding in large cities, traffic jams, competition for jobs, worry about the future, and big changes in our lives, may cause stress. As with all illnesses, prevention is better than cure. Exercise is the most scientific method of prevention. Then what kind of exercise? Running!

Though heavy work, we still have solutions! Treadmill is popular with both the family and gymnasium equipments. Of all family fitness equipments, treadmill may be the best choice. Now, purchase a luxurious home treadmill for your family! Indoor treadmill has a lot of advantages than the outdoor exercise, which means that indoor exercise is not easily affected by weather conditions. In the inland cities, air quality is not very good, and sometimes there is dust in spring weather. What’s more, neither too cold nor too hot is suitable to take exercise. Whereas indoor environment is more quiet and balanced than outside temperature, so that you are allowed to do some exercise whenever you want. After a whole day of tense and tired work, what you want may be a thorough physical and mental relaxation when you go home. After proper rest, you can exercise on a treadmill for half an hour or so. Although it may feel that the body will be a certain degree of exertion, the sweat from your body will be due to remove the toxins arising from pressure, expedite the metabolism, increase lung capacity and enhance human immunity, thus you regain a cheerful mood, and the whole person is again full of vitality. In addition, for those OLs who desire to maintain the shape, indoor treadmill is good news, absolutely! Busy working every day prevents these women friends from running. And an indoor treadmill can easily solve the problems of gaining weight. But one thing we must pay attention to is to insist. Persist in running for as long as 20 to 30 minutes a day, you will receive unexpected results.

Made-in-China.com could provides you with both perfect products and personalized services!

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2008-06-30T09:16:00.000-07:00

Digital Video Downloads by Kevin Cantera

One of the hottest trends in the cyber world is the explosions of video downloads from the Internet, to your computer, your iPod-style entertainment device, or, more and more, to your cell phone. Microsoft has launched its version, MSN Video Downloads, which gives video junkies all kinds daily television programming, including video content from MSNBC.com, Food Network, FOX Sports and IFILM Corp., for download to Windows Mobile -based devices.

Since the launch of the Microsoft Windows Mobile-based Portable Media Center, more than 20 new content partners, including CinemaNow Inc., MLB.com, MSNBC.com, MSN Music, MTV Networks Music, Napster Inc., SnapStream Media Inc. and TiVo Inc., have agreed to make video available online specifically formatted for Windows Mobile-based multimedia devices.

People subscribing to Microsoft’s premium service can select the content they want to receive from the Web site. Digital videos are downloaded daily to a Windows Media Player 10 library, ready to be synchronized with Portable Media Centers and other devices. The video content is compliant with devices that play video, and is optimized for Portable Media Centers.

Google Video lets you search a growing archive of televised content – everything from sports events to dinosaur documentaries to news programs. In addition to televised content, Google also lets you host video from anyone who wants to upload content. The upload program lets you submit videos electronically to Google Video, as long as you own the necessary rights (including copyrights, trademarks, rights of publicity, and any other relevant rights for your content). Just use the upload tool to send your videos to Google. Before going live, your video has to go through a number of steps which you can track through your account.

After uploading your video, you must enter information about your video, including its title and description. After verification, your video will be made available for users to search, preview, purchase, and play. At any time after you upload your video to Google, you'll have the opportunity to add more videos, update the information about each video, or remove your video from the program.

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2008-06-30T09:14:00.002-07:00

About SMS Messaging by ECS Technologies

SMS messaging or the short message service messaging is a very popular mobile interaction method these days. Due to its low cost nature this service is highly popular among the teenagers these days.

First you have to know some important facts and trivia about the SMS messaging service. Basically the idea of SMS messaging was come in the early 1980s. But this service was come to an effect in 1985 for and to GSM mobile handsets only. After that it became available for each and every telecom technology like CDMA, AMPS, Satellite phones and even Landlines too. Surprisingly, some online messengers are also providing the messenger to mobile and mobile to messenger SMS facilities. Basically SMS is a short message of at most 160 characters, which can be written by using mobile keypads in general. It can be sent from a mobile to another mobile. To overcome the limitation of the 160 character limit the Long message service is also there. Long Message service is nothing but the collection of some SMSs. Basically a Long Message of more than 160 character uses to divide itself in some 160 character SMS. Then each and every 160-character phrase sent one by one to the receiver’s mobile phone. Generally all the digital mobile phones do have the feature of short message service option.

Due to the improvement of SMS some monophonic ring tones can also be sent through SMS using some special format. Later the scope of SMS was increased and the technology enables the man to send likes of pictures and video clips using GPRS system from one mobile set to another. But this service is named Multimedia Messaging Service or simply the MMS. But now it is possible to do something like MMS through SMS. The SMS can be sent in special text formatting in likes of bold and italics. Also some icons, animations, sound effects, pictures, and special ring tones can be sent through SMS these days. This type of Short Messaging Service is known as Enhanced Messaging Service or simply the EMS. According to the researchers this EMS service is the intermediate stage between the SMS system and the MMS system. But this EMS system seems to grab some rapid popularity!

Now, the following statistics about the Short Message Service seems to be really interesting. In 1995, the initial stages of SMS, each and every customer used to send a SMS once in every two and half month. Again, in early 2000s each and every customer was sending some 30 to 40 SMS in every month. Again some 9 Million SMS were sent among the mobile users in the very first day of 2007 that’s too only in UK!

Short Message Service is too much successful due its low cost nature. Again you need not to reply at that instant when you receive the SMS. These are the some of the facts that makes the SMS really popular.

Some literature minded people do believe that the short nature of words will kill the art of literature some day. But to people, interaction is more important than the literature. So here is the high possibility the progress of the SMS system will continue.

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2008-06-30T09:14:00.001-07:00

Satellite TV - More than the basics by Nicole Evans

If you are looking for versatility when it comes to programming with Direct TV and you are looking for something with a little more bulk than the basic packages but you do not want to spend a large amount of money then there are several options available to you with the satellite TV packaging. Basic packaging on satellite TV only covers just that the basics. If you want something, more consider the intermediate package choices.

The first choice xtra this package gives you all the basics when it comes to music, sports, family programming plus you get channels of educational value like PBS, Biography and the History International Channel. Love sports they have sport stations as well and a number of additional channels designed specifically for younger audiences. There are also usually premium move package deals offered with this package. These are usually free for a certain number of months and may include several channels or sets of channels within a particular grouping. For example, Starz one of the premium channels when it comes to movies offers 12 different stations under its package, while Showtime has nine different stations. These are two of the more frequently offered promotional options.

Of course, the package comes with local stations, no cost for equipment and installation is usually free as well. The Choice Xtra package for Direct TV also comes with over 200 different stations. Adding HD access grants you access to high definition as well as a variety of independent channels that are market specific. If you want 200 plus channels, local stations, movies, sports, music, documentary stations, educational and specialty programming, as well as family friendly program with the ability to record your favorite shows whether or not your home consider the Choice Xtra plus DVR package. This package offers all the channels of Choice Xtra plus the DVR service package including the receiver. This may or may not be free depending on your area. HD access is still extra per month on this package but there are usually premium movie channel promotional options available.

Choice Xtra options give you the added benefit of recording your favorite programming, all your local station, a little bit of everything when it comes to what is available when it comes to Direct TV stations. Of course, programmable guide options are available as well allowing you to set up stations for each member of your family or household and parental controls so you can be sure your family is watching safe, age appropriate programming. In addition, you
have access to the best in news, sports, music and educational programming on the planet all with a price tag that will not break the bank. Direct TV also gives superior reception and quality when it comes to picture and sound with no need to worry about the static, intermittent signals and line run though picture that sometimes comes with digital cable.

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2008-06-30T09:09:00.000-07:00

Classical for Beginners by Gavin Borchert

Now and then, people ask me for advice on where to begin with the daunting world of classical music recordings. They've heard bits here and there, they're curious, they imagine they'd probably enjoy it once they got involved, but they wouldn't know where to look if they walked into -- oops, I mean logged onto eMusic.com and started poking around. My strategy is always to offer a handful of suggestions, in as wide a variety as possible. "Try these," I say. "See what grabs you, and we'll work from there."

That's the idea behind this Dozen. Here are 12 recordings selected to entice people who have had little exposure to classical music, but who know they want more. I've carefully contrived the list to cover a wide range of colors and styles, instruments and moods, shapes and sizes. Some pieces are light, some heavy; some charming, some imposing; some dramatic, meditative, amorous, tragic, lofty, goofy. All in all, the selections encompass 1,200 years of music history -- and they've all been chosen to make a good first impression and whet your appetite. They're "gateway" works, if you will. I'd be surprised if there were anyone who couldn't find something on this list that pleasured and intrigued them. Think of it as a sampler, a tapas menu: if you don't care for the stuffed olives/Renaissance Mass, try the garlic shrimp/20th-century string quartet.

Are these the twelve greatest works ever? No, though some of them could justly claim a place on such a list. Most of these are works I actually have suggested to people, and which have gotten a favorable response. Others I have seen appeal to newbies in ways I never expected. Others are just a few personal favorites which I proselytize for whenever possible.

Gregorian Chant For Easter
Artist: Capella Antiqua, Munich
Release Date: 2006

The recorded history of "classical" music in the Western "art" tradition (so many of these terms are so problematic) begins in the medieval period with music composed for church use -- settings of sacred texts in Latin for choirs singing in unison, just one note at a time. The serene meditativeness of Gregorian chant (named for liturgical reformer Pope Gregory, 540-604, who launched the practice according to legend) has made it popular in recent years, usable as a backdrop for anything from yoga to post-rave chilling. There are plenty of chant CDs out there, some with hipper packaging, but these performances by the male voices of Capella Antiqua, Munich, surrounded by a cathedral-like halo of reverb, are stately and gorgeous.

Ockeghem: Requiem
Artist: Ensemble Organum, Marcel Pérès
Release Date: 1993

A friend of mine, also a musician, has played a number of classical pieces for his infant son, and reports that Allen seems to like the music of Johannes Ockeghem (c. 1410-1497) best. It could be the way this Renaissance composer weaves voices together to create a sort of ear-blanket. Or perhaps this music's low gentle murmuring reminds him of sounds in utero. Either way, the Ensemble Organum's performance of this Requiem (a Mass to honor the dead) is spacious and calm, but also possesses a sort of authoritative, virile resonance.

Bach: Six Concertos for the Margrave of Brandenburg
Artist: Trevor Pinnock
Release Date: 2008

Incomparably joyous and sparkling, these six pieces can claim to be both the greatest of baroque instrumental works and, with the possible exception of Vivaldi's "Four Seasons" concertos, the most popular. Composers in the baroque era (roughly 1600-1750) prioritized a musical skill called counterpoint, the practice of combining independent instrumental or vocal lines into a complex whole. Johann Sebastian Bach had no rivals (and surely never will) in this art, giving every section of the orchestra something rewarding -- and fun -- to do. He built structures of grandeur and irresistible energy. Each of these concertos are scored for a different combination; if you'd like a taste, try the first movement of the Concerto no. 2, in which four bright-toned soloists (violin, flute, oboe and trumpet) dance festively around the accompanying string orchestra, or the fleet finale of the Concerto no. 3, a whirlwind showpiece for strings alone.

MOZART: Overtures
Artist: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

After Bach and his contemporaries had brought Baroque counterpoint to its peak, composers of the next generation reacted by lightening the texture of their music. The melody line dominated, and the middle and bass instruments were entrusted with harmonic and rhythmic accompaniment rather than with independent lines of their own. This new style, though, was no less bubbling and energetic -- see the overtures (instrumental preludes) which Mozart (1756-91) wrote for his operas. Brilliant attention-getters, arresting but never too pompous, full of catchy tunes, cheeky wind solos and stirring trumpet-and drum passages, these overtures are played with great verve by Capella Istropolitana.

CHOPIN: Etudes Opp. 10 and 25
Artist: Freddy Kempf
Release Date: 2004

Frederic Chopin's music, full of innovations in nuances of harmony and delicate coloristic effects, pushed the boundaries of what a piano could do. In these two sets of etudes (completed in 1832 and 1836), he also pushed piano technique, making unprecedented demands of virtuosity in works that are still among the most richly dazzling ever written. Not all the pieces are finger-tanglers, though; some are studies in sensitive touch and singing melody. Though pianist Freddy Kempf's technique is precise, these etudes are for him poetry first; in op. 10 no. 3 in E or op. 25 no. 1 in A-flat, he phrases the surface melody with the expressivity a great vocalist might bring to it.

Pearl Fishers and Other Famous Operatic Duets
Artist: Various Artists

It occurred to me that an album of duets might make an even better introduction to opera than one of solo arias -- even though those big diva/divo moments are what the general public thinks of when they hear the term opera. Duets, of course, display the character interplay that the dramatic side of opera is all about: love, conflict, friendship -- or betrayal, as in the searing finale to Act II of Verdi's Otello, when Iago falsely swears loyalty to the title character. Two rapturous and justly popular duets recorded here come from French operas, the rest from Italian. Complete recordings of many of these operas are also available on eMusic, so if these excerpts whet your appetite, you can move on to explore the entire work.

Dvorak / Haydn / Shostakovich: String Quartets
Artist: Quartetto Cassoviae
Release Date: 2000

Contained on this disc is a mini-history of the string quartet itself: an elegant, buoyant piece (1799) by Franz Josef Haydn, a pioneer of the form; a fragrantly tuneful example (1893) by Antonin Dvorak, written under the influence of American folksong; and a bitter, semi-autobiographical work (1960) by Dmitri Shostakovich, reflective of his state of mind during a life lived under Soviet oppression. The Quartetto Cassoviae's performance of this last quartet is perhaps the disc's most impressive: it's taut, wiry, grippingly expressive and even a little nightmarish.

Alexander Borodin: Symphony No.2 - Conducted by Carlos Kleiber & Erich Kleiber
Artist: Kleiber
Release Date: 2003

I chose this symphony because I clearly remember my sister, eight or nine at the time, dragged to one of my school orchestra concerts and, at its conclusion, telling me she liked this piece best. The brusque gesture that launches Alexander Borodin's Second Symphony (1876) is definitely one of the more arresting openings: glowering, passionate and Russian, Russian, Russian. Compare it to the sinuous oboe melody that comes later, and you hear the two sides of Borodin's musical personality: barbaric vs. sensuous, both tinged with the exotic folk colors of ancient Asian tribes. This disc is also the only one I know that offers father-son performances of the same work, by Erich (1890-1956) and Carlos Kleiber (1930-2004).

STRAVINSKY: 125th Anniversary Album - The Rite of Spring / Violin Concerto (Stravinsky, Vol. 8)
Artist: Jennifer Frautschi

When Igor Stravinsky got a commission to write music for a ballet depicting ancient fertility rituals, did he intend from the start to revolutionize musical history? He filled his colorful score (completed in 1913) with pounding, asymmetrical rhythms and harsh dissonances -- unprecedented elements at the time; he's one of the many composers in the first few decades of the 20th century who tossed a bomb into the middle of Romantic-era assumptions about what music could be. This earthy, viscerally intense showpiece still startles audiences -- especially those who see classical music as something stuffy and genteel. Think of it as heavy metal classical. Robert Craft, a longtime colleague of the composer, conducts a particularly gutsy and un-pretty performance.

Strauss: Symphonia Domestica / Eine Alpensinfonie / Oboe Concerto / Duett-Concertino
Artist: Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra
Release Date: 2006

This disc shows the two sides of composer Richard Strauss. In the Symphonia domestica (1903) and Eine Alpensinfonie (An Alpine Symphony, 1915), he capped the tradition of German romanticism with two of the grandest and most opulent orchestral works ever; in his two nostalgic concertos (one for oboe from 1945, the other for clarinet and bassoon from 1947), he revived the spirit of Mozart in slender, tuneful, but autumnal pieces for a (much) smaller orchestra. Oboe soloist Jonathan Small, in particular, plays with ravishing fluency, and conductor Gerard Schwarz is especially adept in this soaring, sweeping music.

Daughters Of The Lonsome Isle
Artist: Margaret Leng Tan
Release Date: 1994

Just by inserting screws, rubber erasers and other tidbits between a piano's strings, John Cage (1912-1992) was able to turn the instrument into a miniature percussion orchestra. This was just one of the avant gardist's many innovations. On this disc, keyboardist Margaret Leng Tan, the world's foremost toy piano virtuoso, pays homage to Cage's experiments, his rhythmic vitality and the Zen-inspired spirit that led him to ask profound conceptual questions about music. But even as Cage challenged traditional notions of music, it's not hard to find great beauty, wit, depth and spiritual gentleness in his work. It's scarcely possible, for example, not to fall in love with Cage's pulsing, gnomic Bacchanale or the elegiac In the Name of the Holocaust, which proves that the instrument he called a "prepared piano" was just as capable of stark intensity.

Reich: Different Trains
Artist: The Duke Quartet, Andrew Russo & Marc Mellits

As a child in the early '40s, composer Steve Reich used to travel across the U.S. by train each year. In thinking about the very "different trains" he could have been riding as a Jew had he grown up in Europe, Reich was inspired to compose this powerful work for string quartet and tape. Snippets of recorded interviews with actual railroad employees are woven among the urgently churning string parts, with their licks echoing the speakers' vocal inflections. Also included here is Reich's 1967 Piano Phase, which was a groundbreaking early work that used a compositional technique that caught his imagination: complex rhythmic effects achieved by subtle shifts in temporal coordination between musicians, creating a trance-like rippling effect.

Author Detail:-

Here author Gavin Borchert writes about 12 various colorful classical albums from the best of collection by eMusic especially for the beginners. EMusic brings in online music, mp3 downloads, free music downloads, audio books, music downloads, free mp3 downloads and much more. For more details, visit www.emusic.com.

Page 432

2008-06-30T09:07:00.000-07:00

A Quick Primer On The Types Of Indian Bread by Jitendra Patel

Bread is integral to the dining culture of India. It is generally referred to as roti in the local language. The growth of a wide range of cereals and grains in the country has led to the preparation of different types of breads. Each differs from the other in the ingredients used, in the shape, size, and the taste. The cooking method too differs widely from one part of the country to another. The Indian bread is generally composed of flour made of wheat, rice, corn or lentils. It is known differently in the different parts of the country. It is named variously as phulka, chapati, paranthas, rumali, naan, puri , phefras, do-patris and bhatia.

A majority of the Indian bread is made of wheat and can be broadly divided into three kinds: bread that is roasted on a griddle, bread that is fried and bread that is baked.
The most popular form of the Indian bread is the roasted form, known as chapati. This kind of bread is unleavened and is made of only flour and water. The Dough is prepared and the bread is rolled out of it. At times the bread is puffed out by dropping the bread on hot coals for a few minutes. This type of bread is called phulka. At times the bread is kneaded with milk and water and is very thin. In western India these are known as khakras. Another variant of the roasted bread is the rumali which is made by stretching the dough with hand and tossing it several times in the air before roasting it.

Fried breads are also widely popular in India. These refer to the breads which are shallow fried in fat after being rolled out into a triangular or a square shaped size. At times there are seasonal vegetables, potatoes or fenugreek seeds that are added to the dough. These breads are generally termed paranthas. Another type of fried bread is the puri. These are round, puffy and are deep fried in oil. At times poppy seeds or lentils are added to the dough to bring a different flavor to the puris. These are generally served during festive occasions. A hugely popular south Indian specialty is the dosa that is made by spreading a batter of rice and urad bean on an oiled pan.

Some types of Indian bread are baked in modern electric ovens or the Indian styled ovens called tandoor. One of the very popular types of baked bread is the naan. The dough for the naan is leavened before being baked in the tandoor. Sometimes nigella seeds or saffron water is added to give it a distinct flavor. At times garlic paste, dates, cottage cheese (paneer) or almonds are also added to the dough to give it a different taste.

Indian breads are always served to the accompaniment of vegetables, sweet dishes and curries. Bread is a staple food of a majority of the Indians. Most of the Indian households consume bread for all the three meals of the day. Indian breads comprise complex carbohydrates as well as a good amount of dietary fiber and make for a nutritious and wholesome meal.

Page 431

2008-06-30T09:04:00.000-07:00

Best Kulfi in NYC by vmbjohn

If it’s kulfi, it’s got to be Asharfi, and sure enough any Ambavadi will vouvh for it Ironically, Asharfi’s success story started with selling kulfi from his tiny larri at Law Garden to the biggest name in the kulfi business in town today. Young Ramchandra Gupta migrated to ahmedabad from Sonai in Mainpuri district of Uttarpradesh, only with dream of making it big.

He decided to sell kulfi. His expertise in kulfi making and Asharfi’s capital, set the ball rolling in 1954. Here they used to make about 5kg kulfi daily. Enough to sell off the same day, at 1.20 paisa per tin ( kulfi mould ) of the cream treat. During the day and night he sold kulfi from the larri (stall). Three years down the line Ramchandra Gupta embark full time in to kulfi making and marketing. He was then jointed by his sons. He was then help out by his sons in his booming business.

By 1960 the entire family was staying at a house in Bank of Baroda, Gandhi road and they also set up their own manufacturing unit at the Bank of Baroda, Opp. Gandhi Road. The larri (stall) at Law Garden now graduated into shop. By this time they were selling malai, pista, badam and kesar kulfi but now there are many flavours. Ramchandra Gupta’s son Harish five years old then, used to help him.

Drain the almonds and place three-quarters of them in a liquidiser with the reserved milk. Blend the mixture until the almonds are roughly ground. The mixture should be crunchy. Add the almond mixture and sugar to the hot milk and continue simmering, for a further 10 to 20 minutes, stirring constantly. This allows the flavour of the almonds to penetrate the milk.

Remove the pan from the heat and allow to cool to room temperature, then place in the refrigerator until chilled. Roughly chop the remaining almonds and stir them into chilled milk with the double cream and rose water. Stir thoroughly so that the ingredients are well and truly mixed. Pour into a metal cone-shaped container, or any other suitable freezer container, and freeze until solid. Transfer to the refrigerator 20 minutes before serving, then turn out if necessary. Ready you are Kulfi Please visit in the site www.indomunch.com for extra details.

Page 430

2008-06-30T09:03:00.000-07:00

Hellboy II: The Golden Army
By JOHN ANDERSON

Read other reviews about this film
Powered By MRQE Review

'Hellboy II: The Golden Army'
Selma Blair and Ron Perlman reteam for 'Hellboy II: The Golden Army'
A Universal Pictures release, presented in association with Relativity Media, of a Lawrence Gordon/Lloyd Levin production, in association with Dark Horse Entertainment. Produced by Lawrence Gordon, Mike Richardson, Levin. Executive producer, Chris Symes. Co-producer, John Swallow. Co-executive producer, Mike Mignola. Directed by Guillermo del Toro. Screenplay, del Toro, Mike Mignola, based on the Dark Horse comicbook created by Mignola.

Hellboy - Ron Perlman
Liz - Selma Blair
Abe Sapien - Doug Jones
Johann Krauss - John Alexander,
James Dodd
Voice of Johann - Seth MacFarlane
Prince Nuada - Luke Goss
Princess Nuala - Anna Walton
Tom Manning - Jeffrey Tambor
Professor Broom - John Hurt

Curmudgeonly, cantankerous, cigar-chomping Hellboy is a cross between a '40s noir detective and a burning fireplace, but he's also cool enough to make "Hellboy II: The Golden Army" the hipster's hit of the summer. Yes, Catholic imagery has always run rampant through helmer Guillermo del Toro's movies, including "Pan's Labyrinth," which he made in between the two "Hellboy" entries, but he's really an evangelist of fanboy excess: Given the right push by Universal, he'll be making fantasy-horror acolytes out of the heretofore unconverted.

In a previous life, del Toro might have been a maker of clocks -- clocks inhabited by gargoyles instead of cuckoos, and which exploded on the hour. But there's a precision to the visual ornateness of "Hellboy II" that exceeds even that of its predecessor. It's certainly a more deliberately (and successfully) funny movie, thanks largely to the drily ironic Hellboy -- Ron Perlman, who returns with the rest of the cast, and without whom an onscreen Hellboy would have been almost unthinkable.

Based on the comicbooks by del Toro's co-scripter, Mike Mignola, the pic finds Hellboy about to become Hell Man -- his incendiary girlfriend Liz (Selma Blair) is pregnant, although she doesn't tell him till much later. But since we learn this at the beginning of the film, it shades everything that follows -- a elaborate sequence early on, in which Hellboy battles a towering green forest deity on the streets of New York while balancing a baby in his arms, gives us an indication of just what a caring, paternal figure the guy can be, despite looking like he's shrink-wrapped in red Naugahyde and has the temperament of a wolverine.

But the reason the movie plays so well has nothing to do with the leading man's paternal instincts; rather, it's rooted in del Toro's rococo instincts for the stylishly creepy and crawlingly macabre, his clockmaker's preoccupation with detail, and a flair for combining state-of-the-art technology with his taste for the antique, the gothic, the Catholic. Not to disparage the f/x guys, but what's onscreen in "Hellboy II" is all about the seismic eruptions in del Toro's head. Comparing his work to most fantasy cinema is like comparing cave drawings to the Cathedral of Cologne.

Still, "Hellboy II's" widespread popularity will be about the humor, which begins in a flashback to Christmas 1955, when the young Hellboy -- the progeny of a collaboration between the Nazis and Satan -- is awaiting Santa Claus. His father figure, Professor Broom (John Hurt), reads him a story, about an ancient people who created a Golden Army that was so invincible and ruthless it had to be retired; a pact made with the human race; and a crown divided -- two parts to the ancients, one to the humans, with the army in cold storage until the crown was reassembled.

This is a bedtime story? On Christmas Eve? But it serves as a preamble to what will follow some time later (50 years? These so-called people age well). Hellboy is working for the Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defense alongside Liz and the Piscean Abe Sapien (Doug Jones), and under the supervision of the unctuous Tom Manning (Jeffrey Tambor) who urges Hellboy to keep his work quiet. Undercover. Clandestine. Be discreet! Naturally, the first big fight scene ends up with Hellboy crashing out of a burning building and onto a police car.

The instigator of all this mayhem is the otherworldly, martial-artsy Prince Nuada (Luke Goss), who wants his people to regain their rightful place in the order of things; his twin sister, Princess Nuala (Anna Walton), knowing her bro is bonkers, sides with the humans and hides the key part of the crown. The results include chases, battles and a lot of quick-cooking mythology.

And, of course, creatures. Nuada is assisted by what seems to be a tusked gorilla with porcupine spindles on his back and an iron fist that turns into a medieval mace; the small, evil fairy-cockroaches that Nuada unleashes upon an unsuspecting crowd at an auction house (where the crown is up for bid) are efficiently carnivorous and natteringly unnerving.

The weak link in all this fun is Nuada himself. Goss embodies all the menace of Keanu Reeves, and his voice is roundly unimposing.

The movie bogs down only when the story leaves the city and heads for Ireland where, inexplicably, the Golden Army dwells. The army's awakening and combat is easily the least interesting sequence in the film -- the most conventionally chaotic and pedestrian. Hellboy's encounter with Nuada, atop a giant mechanism that looks like the insides of a cosmic watch, is invigorating. And probably the result of del Toro channeling one of his past lives in Switzerland.
More than one option

* (Person) Mike Richardson
Executive Producer, Actor, Producer
* (Person) Mike Richardson

More than one option

* (Person) Doug Jones
Production Supervisor, Assistant Accountant, Assistant Production Accountant
* (Person) Doug Jones
Actor, Voice
* (Person) Doug Jones
Photography, Video
* (Person) Doug Jones
Swing Gang
* (Person) Doug Jones
Driver
* (Person) Doug Jones
Construction
* (Person) Douglas Jones
* (Person) Doug Jones
Actor

More than one option

* (Person) John Alexander
Puppeteer, Animal Services, Stunts
* (Person) John Alexander
Actor
* (Person) John Alexander
Carpenter, Welder
* (Person) John Alexander
Coordinator, Production Assistant
* (Person) John Alexander
* (Person) John Alexander
Director

More than one option

* (Person) Anna Walton
* (Person) Anna Walton

More than one option

* (Film) Hellboy
* (Tv) Hellboy: Sword of Storms

Camera (Deluxe color), Guillermo Navarro; editor, Bernat Vilaplana; music, Danny Elfman; music supervisor, Kathy Nelson; production designer, Stephen Scott; supervising art director, Peter Francis; set decorator, Elli Griff; costume designer, Sammy Sheldon; sound (Dolby Digital/SDDS/DTS), Mac Ruth; sound supervisors-designers, Scott Martin Gershin, Martin Hernandez; re-recording mixers, Mike Prestwood Smith, Mark Taylor, Michael Keller; visual effects supervisor, Michael J. Wassel; makeup effects designer, Mike Elizalde; prosthetic/animatronic creatures, Creature Effects, Filmefex Studio KFT, Euroart Studios, Solution Studios; visual effects/animation, Double Negative; stunt coordinator, Domonokos Pardanyi; assistant director, Cliff Lanning; casting, Jeremy Zimmerman. Reviewed at Avco Westwood, Los Angeles, June 28, 2008. (In Los Angeles Film Festival -- closer.) MPAA rating: PG-13. Running time: 110 MIN.

Page 429

2008-06-30T09:01:00.000-07:00

Hot And Fresh Chicken Manchurian by mbjohn

The Chicken Manchurian easy to make, which completes half the work. For gravy, it follows more of a Chinese style than an indo-chinese. Those who prefer the sweet taste of the manchurian, don’t add sugar. If there is chicken broth available, substitute the water with the chicken broth. Enjoy the recipe with the chicken fried rice.
“Desi Chinese” is probably a term that you have never heard before. The word “desi” is a direct reference to almost anything Indian (including person, place or thing). So essentially Desi Chinese is Chinese food Indian style. It’s the best of both worlds and simply delicious. It’s old world fusion cuisine at its best. Traditional Chinese dishes are prepared with aromatic Indian flavors and spices.
Chicken Manchurian is a favorite among fans, it is easy to prepare and tasty. Served along side stir fried noodles with vegetables or fragrant jasmine rice, it makes for a delightful meal. A vegetarian version can be made by easily substituting the chicken pieces with cauliflower florets (Gobi Manchurian).
There are many different variations of this recipe and I have tried most of them. The one below is my very own and a favorite in my house especially with kids.Combine all the ingredients mentioned for making the balls with the exception of oil. Heat the oil in a frying pan. Make 16 small lemon-sized balls of this mixture, squeezing out excess water to prevent breakage. Deep fry the balls a few at a time. Drain when golden brown and cooked.
For the sauce- Heat 4 tablespoons of oil in a pan. Add the ginger, garlic and green chilies. Fry over a medium flame for 1 minute. Add the Soya sauce, chili sauce, pepper, sugar, ajinomoto, stock and salt. Bring to a boil. Add the fried balls and cook covered on low heat for about 3 minutes. Add the cornflour mixed with water and stir continuously, so that the sauce become thick. Garnish with spring onion tops. Serve with rice or noodles. Ready you are Chicken Manchurian Please visit in the site www.indomunch.com for extra details.

Page 428

2008-06-30T09:00:00.001-07:00

'Wanted' a potent weapon overseas
Action film blows away foreign box office
By DAVE MCNARY

'Wanted'
'Wanted' came out with both guns blazing overseas, easily winning the weekend with a surprisingly robust $33 million at 1,922 playdates in 22 territories.
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Universal's assassination actioner "Wanted" came out with both guns blazing overseas, easily winning the weekend with a surprisingly robust $33 million at 1,922 playdates in 22 territories.

With a socko $17,169 per-location average in its day-and-date launch, "Wanted" underlined the drawing power of action pics in the international market as it hunted down No. 1 finishes in almost every territory and looked to keep local pic pirates at bay.

The movie posted particularly boffo returns in the booming Russian market -- $11 million at 612 -- as it rode the popularity of local helmer Timur Bekmambetov, known for the Russian "Night Watch" movies. The figure represented U's top launch and the best debut for an R-16 pic in that market.

Universal Intl. president David Kosse said the results exceeded internal forecasts and cited the pic's "fresh" look plus the star power of Angelina Jolie, Morgan Freeman and James McAvoy.

"Wanted" opened with an impressive $8 million (including previews) in the U.K., matching the launch of Disney's much-anticipated "The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian." The Blighty take marked the third highest 18-rated film launch behind "Hannibal" and "Sweeney Todd."

South Korea also saw boffo biz with $6.7 million at 240, representing U's top launch in the market along with the best opening of an 18-rated Hollywood film.

Except for the U.K., Universal aimed "Wanted" mostly at fast-burn markets due to the likely impact of piracy, which typically diminishes performance once a pic opens in vulnerable territories. Thailand took in $1.1 million, followed by Hong Kong and Singapore with $870,000 each, the Ukraine pulled in $833,000, Malaysia with $770,000, the Philippines with $746,000, Turkey with $508,000 and Poland with $484,000.

Kosse told Daily Variety that the pic's performance was particularly impressive given that "Wanted" -- based on a graphic novel -- had been a largely unknown property with mainstream auds. Kosse acknowledged "Wanted" will face serious competish next weekend from Sony's Will Smith tentpole "Hancock." "I think 'Hancock' will do very well, but I think we've got a lot of momentum from this weekend," he said.
More than one option

* (Co) Daily Variety
Filmography, Year, Role
* (Co) Daily Variety

"Wanted" opens next weekend in Italy, followed by a staggered international release over the next three months.

Unlike Universal, Disney opted for a smallish foreign day-and-date launch for "Wall-E." The pic nonetheless tallied an impressive $3.1 million at 400 Latin American playdates in half a dozen markets. The toon led in Brazil with $1.6 million in the third biggest Pixar launch after "The Incredibles" and "Finding Nemo" and topped Chile with $525,000 and Colombia with $498,000.

"Wall-E" hits its first major foreign markets next weekend with launches in Mexico and Russia and will open gradually over the rest of the year to maximize local playability opportunities, following a pattern similar to that employed for "Ratatouille." Given its pedigree and the strong market for CG toons, "Wall-E" could wind up as the best foreign performer this year, a list currently topped by Par's "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull," which has amassed $413 million to date, including $11.4 million over the weekend. "Finding Nemo" is the top international performer among Disney/Pixar titles with a $525 million foreign cume, followed by "Ratatouille" with $410 million and "The Incredibles" with $362 million.
More than one option

* (Film) Nightwatch
* (Film) Night Watch
1973 - Elizabeth Taylor, Brian G Hutton
* (Film) Night Watch
2006 - Konstantin Khabensky, Timur Bekmambetov
* (Tv) Alistair MacLean's Night Watch
* (Film) The Night Watchman

More than one option

* (Person) Morgan Freeman
Narrator, Director, Executive Producer
* (Person) Morgan Freeman
Actor

More than one option

* (Tv) Sweeney Todd
* (Film) Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

More than one option

* (Film) Hannibal
2001 - Anthony Hopkins, Ridley Scott
* (Film) Hannibal
Fred Tanner, Xavier Koller
* (Film) Hannibal
1960 - Victor Mature, Edgar G Ulmer

More than one option

* (Person) Will Smith
Director, Song, Creator
* (Person) Will Smith
* (Person) William Smith
* (Person) Will Smith
Camera, Cinematographer
* (Person) Will Smith

More than one option

* (Film) Onskas
* (Film) Wanted
* (Film) Dead Beat
* (Film) Wanted
* (Film) Crime Spree
* (Tv) Wanted

Page 427

2008-06-30T08:58:00.000-07:00

About Sweet Potato by Prabakar S

Sweet potatoes in their many varieties are a highly nutritious food, easy to prepare, heavenly tasting, and extremely versatile on any menu. Yet, they are undervalued, ignored, and underappreciated. Some people enjoy the wonderful flavor and health benefits of sweet potatoes year round, but for many families sweet potatoes appear on the table at Thanksgiving and only then. We know of some folks who have never even eaten a sweet potato.

Sweet potatoes were actually born in Mexico, Central, and South America, as well as the West Indies. Their botanical name, Ipomoca batata, was derived from the American Indians of Louisiana who were growing them in native gardens as early as 1540. The Indians referred to sweet potatoes as batatas.

In his first voyage to the West Indies Columbus discovered many new foods which he brought back to Spain. Sweet potatoes were among his ship's treasures. The Spanish relished them and began cultivating them immediately. Soon they were profitably exporting them to England where they were included in spice pies to be devoured at the court of Henry VIII.

The French, not to be outdone, planted them at the request of Louis XV. They were favored in France only until his death and then lost popularity for thirty years until the Empress Josephine, who was from Martinique, craved them. It was then that sweet potatoes again became trendy in Paris restaurants for a time, but once more fell into obscurity. It was the Portuguese who carried Sweet Potatoes to Asia and Africa where they have become an important staple of the diet even today.

There are two major varieties of sweet potatoes, the yellow, drier, more mealy kind with lighter beige colored skins, and the orange, more moist, sweeter ones with reddish skins that are usually called "yams." True yams, however, are nothing like the sweet potato, but are a tuber native to Africa, very starchy, not very sweet, and grow as large as 100 pounds. For more details visit http://www.indomunch.com

page 426

2008-06-26T22:29:00.002-07:00

Just Click here for Telugu, Hindi, Malayalam, Tamil, Articles, Animations,Live TV Shows

Debt is a Product in America

The #1 sickness in America concerning finances right now is debt. Debt is a product in our culture and it is vigorously aimed at you and me everyday, everywhere. As a society, we borrow more money than the last two generations times two and your online credit report reflects these habits! Some companies like Sears make more profit from their credit department than from all the physical products they sell.

But It's the Norm Isn't It?

We are programmed from childhood to make automatic decisions regarding our personal spending habits thus negatively affecting our online credit report. A few 'real world' examples are listed below:

leasing a car instead of paying for it in cash (unheard of right?)
90 days same as cash (NOT... really the same in more than 75% of the cases)
rent-to-own (translation = paying 2, 3, 4 times the actual value of the product)
30 year vs. 15 year mortgages (an accepted lengthy and very costly way of purchasing a house)

What to do? Well, I hate to give the obvious answer here but how about saving money! Try saving money in a money market account for a couple years and then paying for a slightly used car in cash or with a 50 to 75% down payment. Wow, imagine having that extra money every month that most people dump into their lease or high rate loan. Try saving money for 3-6 months interest and risk free for that thing that you needed and you might find that you can get it cheaper with hundreds OR even that you want to use your hard-earned money for something more practical. Your credit report will thank you as well.

Penny Pinching is Boring!

Most people today think that to be frugal one must live out of a shack and only make purchases when they are on clearance (or if it's life or death). Well they're only half right. Have you heard the expression "It's the little things that count"? This holds very true when dealing with financial decisions. While large purchases definitely have great effect on one's online credit report as well as their overall situation, it is often the everyday spending habits that accumulate and hold them back from attaining wealth of any sort. What many people fail to realize is that the majority of true millionaires in America (those with net worths exceeding 1 million dollars) got rich from thinking outside the box and not following the crowd. Try thinking a little more about how you handle your money and you might find that you know more than you think you do.

Summing Up the Debt Sickness Fiasco

A decision as simple as using a debit credit card instead of a credit card shows discipline. Report that paying with cash instead of credit shows that you have properly budgeted your money and it just feels better to own something the day you walk away with it. Your credit report will also reflect these positive actions. Since the average consumer has little control over their own spending habits, the credit report picks up the slack and in turn there are more negative items to show for it. Even statistics show that using cash when making purchases will greatly reduce spending thus causing you to think harder as a consumer before swiping that credit card. Get off to a good start by seeing what is on your online credit report. By removing negative items from your online credit report you can improve your credit rating.

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page 425

2008-06-26T22:29:00.001-07:00

Just Click here for Telugu, Hindi, Malayalam, Tamil, Articles, Animations,Live TV Shows

The Debt

In America, it is not only accepted that the majority of us are knee-deep in credit card debt, it is normal. Two generations ago it was just flat out wrong - a sin, to have any kind of debt at all. Today it is quite a different story and credit card debt is a mega, multi-billion dollar a year industry. The major credit card companies are eating it up like hotcakes and our credit reports are taking a lot of the heat. More than 75% of all college students are in credit card debt within their first year of school. From Sears to Visa to Diner's Club, people are adding to the debt stock pile that the distributors thrive off of. There are tens of thousands of websites that support and offer more to this enormous problem and it has got to stop! We have to draw the line individually, because there are no boundaries on the excessive spending in America.

What's Really Happening

It's even stated in the Bible - "The borrower is slave to the lender." In any case, where you have taken out credit on something; be it a car, mortgage, student loan, credit card, etc..., you are borrowing money. Not only that, but you are borrowing more money than you need. The average APR (annual percentage rate) on a credit card is 19%! In many cases, when a credit card is "maxed out" you will pay only interest with the minimum payment. As if this wasn't enough stress, the creditors harass you like their life depends on it and you begin to feel uneasy about even answering the phone.

Is Debt Consolidation the Answer?

Many consumers are drawn in by debt consolidation loans. It feels like instant relief and the monthly payments go down. Suddenly you feel like life is getting better by the minute. Oh and what's this, there is left over money from the loan - PERFECT! You needed this for that yard project or supplies or something that you've been waiting to have the extra money for. Why not reward yourself, you have taken a big step and your financial future is improving. Or is it? The fact is that you have fallen into another trap. You are now borrowing more money with an interest rate and you most likely got more than you needed. Statistics show that even though the math often works for a consolidation loan, the consumer ends up with his ears nailed to the wall.

What to do Now

STOP BORROWING MONEY! This would be a good first step. Stop right now. Do not borrow a dime. If you don't have it - don't spend it. You can build up an emergency savings account to pick up any negative events that may occur. This emergency savings account is of course another article but you get the basic idea right? Oh, you still feel you need plastic in your wallet? Get a debit credit card. At least with a debit card you can only spend what is in your bank account. You can also use most credit card debit cards just like a credit card for purchases. Your credit report will begin to reflect this positive behavior because there will be no more credit card bills piling up. Here is a saying to ponder before you think of making another large purchase - "If you can't afford it, don't buy it. If you can afford it, sleep on it."

To read more about how you can get your online credit report free with no obligations and get a prepaid Mastercard debit card with no immediate debt, go to www.cleancreditonline.com

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page 424

2008-06-26T22:28:00.002-07:00

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Too many people are being confused, mislead and taken advantage of by tem, "Free Credit Report". We set the record straight so that won't happen. Text How many of us have looked at anything offered to us for "free"? Not me? Of course I have. In this day in age when gas prices are listed as "Arm" and "Leg", providing health insurance for your family costs more than some mortgage payments and the cost of raising kids looks like a hockey stick pasted onto a graph, you bet I look at offers to save money.

Therein lie's the problem. It seems like the vast majority of American consumers are desperate to cut costs, any costs, and will jump too soon at offers promising to do just that. Sometimes when you combine a cost cutting mentality with the importance of credit, not only to purchase the big ticket items important to us, but more and more to simply survive in this economy, desperation happens. Unfortunately, the marketers know this too. So, without a little education anyone can get confused and the likelihood of being taken advantage of increases significantly. The good news is that just a little education will save you plenty.

Take for example, the term "Free Credit Report". It now ranks right up there with the ubiquitous, "new" and "improved". "Free Credit Report" has become part of that lexicon of advertising buzz words that are absolutely meaningless to me. But for many, there is much confusion over this term. Why? I think mainly because it has been announced that federal law dictates we are all entitled to a free credit report on the front page of all the newspapers.

We know everyone wants a free credit report, which is why we started our site. People naturally want something that is mandated by law to be at no cost, is front page news and is so incredibly important to each of us if we want to purchase just about anything. We know people want their free credit report and because most all of us work so hard for our money, we think people deserve hearing the truth about the subject. That is why we even put a section on our page entitled, "The Truth About Free Credit Reports".

So, is it not true? Yes, it is true, it's just that the devil is in the details and the resulting confusion has been a bonanza for those seeking to cash in on the confusion. In fact, each of us in the good ole U. S. of A. is entitled to a free credit report. But, how do you get it? Where do you get it? Who is giving it to you? Why is it being offered for free? And most importantly, who cannot offer you one for free?

Who cannot offer a free credit report? Let's start with the last one first because it shines a lot of light on the rest of the questions. Any company, web site or service that is in business for a profit and is not named Experian, Trans Union or Equifax is not able to provide anyone at any time with anything remotely resembling a credit report free of cost. Period. End of story. Got that? Further, there is one place set up on the web to get free copies of credit reports at no cost and it is: www.annualcreditreport.com . We'll talk more about this site a little later but, other wise, caveat emptor, let the buyer beware.

How then are these offers being made? Look closely, the "Free" report is usually offered initially upon signing up for a service that charges your credit card each month for monitoring your credit. If you cancel the service just in the nick of time, before the charge is made to your card, you will get it at no cost. What a hassle! And the bet is you will wake up at least one, if not a couple or more months later with several charges to your card. You think these guys make foolish bets?!

Then what caused a free credit report to be offered on the front page of newspapers, who is providing them and how and where do I get one? Due to the importance of consumer credit history, identity theft and complaints from consumer rights groups about having to purchase a credit report in order to gain knowledge about the contents shown on individual consumer reports, even if it was reported inaccurately, a change was mandated.

The Fair and Accurate Consumer Trade Act (FACTA), a revision of the Fair Credit Reporting Act, provided for one credit report free of charge from the reporting agencies (Experian, Trans Union and Equifax) every twelve months, if and only if, you haven't received a credit report in the previous twelve months. The consumer, by either mailing a written request to the three major credit reporting agencies or going to www.annualcreditreport.com one can obtain the free report if they meet the criteria. This program was and is being phased in to sections of the U.S. by the credit reporting agencies starting in the western states, with the northeastern states at the time of this writing still to come.

However, Pamela Yip of The Dallas Morning News writes that even this has not been without its problems.

"The Federal Trade Commission said Experian Information Solutions Inc., one of the three major credit bureaus, settled complaints that it "deceptively marketed 'free credit reports' by not adequately disclosing that consumers automatically would be signed up for a credit report monitoring service and charged $79.95 if they didn't cancel within 30 days... . With the help of the Federal Trade Commission, the bureaus established www.annualcreditreport.com as the only authorized online source for consumers to get a free report under federal law.

While many consumers haven't had any problem getting their reports, others say they've been hit with sales pitches for products and services from the credit bureaus or were diverted to imposter sites. The FTC said the company led consumers to its www.freecredit report.com and www.consumer info.com Web sites. Radio, TV, e-mail and Web ads promised free reports and "a bonus - free trials of a credit-monitoring service."

The FTC said consumers "were assured that: 'Your card will not be charged during the free trial period. However, valid credit card information is required to establish your account.' "

What the Web sites didn't adequately disclose is that consumers would be charged the $79.95 annual fee if they didn't cancel within 30 days, the FTC said.

"ConsumerInfo billed the credit cards that it had told consumers were 'required only to establish your account,' and, in some cases, automatically renewed memberships by rebilling consumers without notice," the agency said.

As part of the settlement, the FTC required ConsumerInfo.com, an Experian company, to "give up $950,000 in ill-gotten gains."

Experian also has agreed to provide refunds to consumers who purchased credit-monitoring products and ordered a free credit report between Nov. 1, 2000, and Sept. 15, 2003.

"It's unfair and deceptive to promise consumers something for free and then trick them into paying for products they didn't want in the first place," said Lydia Parnes, director of the FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection.

"It wasn't an attempt to mislead at all," said Peg Smith, an Experian executive vice president. "We absolutely deny any wrongdoing." She does acknowledge that consumers may have been confused.

"To the effect that our product offering has caused that confusion, we certainly regret that," Ms. Smith said. "We encourage consumers to read the language in any disclosure on any Web site, including our own."

The FTC also requires ConsumerInfo.com to state clearly that its free credit report offer isn't related to the federal program." http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_action=list&p_topdoc=21

The reality is that no one credit report or combination of three credit reports by and of themselves is sufficient to educate oneself about where you stand as a consumer in the eyes of a lender. Imagine a high speed race boat zooming across a lake at top speed without a steering wheel. Where it is going is a complete mystery but one thing is for sure, it will crash and crash quickly unless you get control. That's right, you. Because without your credit scores and the knowledge about what they mean, how they were calculated or how a lender views them, you are headed for a crash.

No bank, credit card issuer, mortgage company, retail store or any other credit provider will grant you any item, service or product without looking almost exclusively at your credit scores and the average person has no idea what their scores are and even if they did, many if not most, wouldn't know what they mean.

For example, most people don't even know that repeated "pulling" of your credit reports by potential credit grantors lowers your scores by as much as four points per "pull". You start "shopping" around for the best rate on a credit card by allowing each credit issuer to run a credit report on you and your score will take a dive. The difference between a 699 score and a 700 represents thousands and thousands of dollars in interest.

Often, credit issuers don't make it perfectly clear that your credit history is being accessed when you respond to their offer for a new card over the phone. The call center sales representative also doesn't explain and state clearly to you, that your credit history will show an "official inquiry" which counts against your scores whether you are accepted or rejected.

Most people don't know that a maxed out credit card lowers their scores even if they pay on time every month. Many don't know until it is too late that one late payment on one credit card will cause the interest rate charged to skyrocket not only on that card but any other cards that have a balance! Most also don't know that a credit card balance showing less than thirty per cent of the available balance improves the score. Most don't know that in calculating credit scores, your payment history counts as 35% of the score, amounts owed count 30% of the score, length of your credit history counts 15% of the score, new credit is 10% of the score and types of credit in use is 10%.

What is the truth about free credit reports? The truth, is that consumers need to read the fine print very, very carefully and get educated. The truth about credit reports in general is that only part of the story is being told by one. The truth, is that knowledge is power and without it your money is being taken from you, your buying power and therefore your future is being dictated to you rather than by you and that the cost of everything including insurance is based on your scores.

If asked for my advice to the average consumer? Worry less about getting a "free" report and more about the real cost of being ignorant regarding credit. Worry more about the immediate and long term costs of not taking control of what is reported on your credit report both the correct and incorrect. Gain some credit knowledge. It is easy to do and will literally save you a fortune. One thing is absolutely for sure, your money and future and your children's future will be severely impacted by your credit. How, is up to you.

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page 423

2008-06-26T22:28:00.001-07:00

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Having a blemish on your credit report can lead people to believe that it will be impossible for them to obtain a mortgage or refinance their current one.

Although having less than perfect credit can be a challenge, all hope is not lost.

There are lenders out there, and many of them, who specialize in doing mortgages for people with challenged credit. These lenders are known as sub prime lenders.

You may not be familiar with sub prime lenders because they are not the type of institution to set up shop on every street corner like the banks.

Sub prime lenders deal with all kinds of special and unique situations. Whatever your situation may be, there is a good chance that there is a lender out there with a program for you.

For instance, sub prime lenders have programs for people with poor payment history, people who have had bankruptcies, people who are in foreclosure and are looking to be bought out, etc. Over all if your credit history is poor, you will most likely have to go with a sub prime lender.

My suggestion to you would be to find a broker to shop around for the best possible program for you.

A broker is not a lender, their job is to guide and educate you through the loan process. Most brokers have a contact list too literally hundreds of lenders across the country including sub prime lenders. Allow for the broker to assess your financial situation, than fit you into a program that you both can agree on.

The down side to dealing with a sub prime lender is the interest rate. You can count on it being high. If you have bad credit, the lender will see you as a risk, and the penalty you pay for being considered a risk is in the interest rate.

The point is this, regardless of your credit issues, there most likely is a lender out there who will deal with you, just make sure the deal you agree on is in your best interest and not in the best interest of the broker or the lender.

When deciding to purchase a home or refinance your existing one, always do your homework. Continue to educate yourself so you know what to expect going forward, and don't be afraid to shop around for the best deal out there. Just because your credit isn't the greatest doesn't mean lenders won't be competing for your business because they will.

Your credit can be repaired over time if you pay your bills on time, so make this a goal and work toward it.

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page 422

2008-06-26T22:27:00.002-07:00

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With the popularity of plastic money these days, credit cards are gaining immense importance. With growing usage of credit card the number of people in debt and the amount of debt for each of them is also increasing at a fast pace. Almost every household in the US today is undergoing the threats of debt problems. People undergoing credit card debts should ideally opt for debt consolidation in order to lead a debt free life. In the US more than half of the population has an average of $8000 debts, only because of the usage of credit cards.

You must be eager to know:

* How is the process of debt consolidation beneficial to settle credit card debts?

* How is it useful to consolidate my credit card debts?

A credit card debt consolidation loan can be a resource to consolidate the outstanding balances on your cards into one single loan. They can also be transferred to one single card that has a lower interest rate than the ones you are currently paying. The path to savings should be very cautiously chalked out and one needs to make calculated moves all the time. It is advisable to opt for credit cards with low interest rates rather than paying high interest rates for some credit cards. Calculate the interest on your credit card debts and transfer it accordingly. We offer free membership.

The ideal way to consolidate your credit card debts!

For better understanding find out how consolidating your credit card debts can be helpful.

Let's say you have $100 in outstanding credit card debt and the average annual percentage rate (APR) on that card is 18 %. If the outstanding balance remains at $100 then over the course of a year you would pay approximately $18 in interest charges alone. If you consolidate your credit card debt into a single loan with a lower interest rate or if you do a balance transfer onto a credit card with a low interest rate you would save a significant amount of money.

If the new loan or credit card have a 9% APR then you would save roughly $10 in interest charges over the course of that same year. If you save $10 for a debt of $100, then think about a debt of $10,000. This trick will save you $1,000 over the course of that same year. Just think of $100,000 debts; you can save $10,000. And this amount of $10,000 can be used to repay some of your debts. Life becomes easy with simple calculations and cautious moves.

If you are undergoing major debt problems feel free to contact us. Our experts will help you to consolidate your debts and restore your financial position. Consolidating your debt is perhaps the fastest, safest and best way today to get rid of your financial obligations and we are experts in this field. Fill our free membership form to view all the alternatives. With debt consolidation we are here to consolidate all your financial loans in a single monthly payment. We help you in your journey towards being debt free.

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page 421

2008-06-26T22:27:00.001-07:00

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Not all debt can be consolidated and given that there are different consolidation programs you should check if the one you choose or the one that the agent chose for you is really to your advantage.

There are many reasons why debt consolidation may not be the right solution for you. Debt consolidation cannot solve debt problems for all kind of debts. Debt consolidation may be too expensive if debt has already affected your credit and you don't have collateral. And certain debt consolidation programs may be nothing but scams. Thus, you need to be well aware of what you are getting into.

Debt Not To Be Consolidated

For starters, you should understand than not all debt is suitable to be consolidated. The reasons for this are varied. Most subsidized loans already carry very low interest rates and thus, it makes no sense to consolidate those loans by using a more expensive loan. This is always true, unless of course what you need is to reduce the monthly payments by extending the loan repayment period.

There are many subsidized loans. Government loans for students, private loans for students, government loans for first time home buyers, government loans for starting businesses, government loans for research disciplines, etc. are just a few examples of subsidized loans that are not suitable for consolidation.

There are loans that being secured are not suitable for consolidation. Though refinancing can be a form of consolidation if other loans and debt are repaid with the exceeding cash obtained from a cash-out refinance loan, truth is that very seldom a home loan or home equity loan is included in a debt consolidation program.

Debt Suitable For Consolidation

Generally speaking only debt which is unsecured in nature and secured debt taken when your credit score was low (bad credit debt) is suitable for debt consolidation. The latter will be suitable only if your credit score has improved or if you can provide better collateral and thus obtain a more competitive interest rate.

Examples of unsecured debt are: unsecured personal loans and personal lines of credit, credit card debt, store card debt, pay day loans, cash advance loans, certain student debt, bank account overdraw agreements, bank pre-approved personal loans. All of these can be consolidated into a single loan or the terms negotiated by a debt consolidation agent.

Debt consolidation in the form of a loan carries the advantage of obtaining a single and lower monthly payment that will simplify your budget while you work on your expenses. Debt consolidation in the form of negotiation is also an excellent tool that can provide a solution by reducing rates, eliminating debt generated by interests or extending the repayment programs so as to make debt more affordable.

And finally, both methods can be combined offering an excellent way of eliminating debt, managing finances and improving credit score in the same debt consolidation program.

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page 420

2008-06-26T22:26:00.002-07:00

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Taking on a new credit card may seem like a good way to control and handle some of your spending. However, it's vitally important that you think carefully before taking on a new credit card, otherwise you build up not just spending debts but extra charge debts too.

When you're looking at a new credit card offer, make sure to look at the small print - it may seem like a maze, but it's vitally important you pay special attention to it. With new regulations ensuring that credit card companies highlight the main credit card terms and conditions, there aren't as many excuses for ignoring the terms as there used to be. However, credit card lenders can be devious, while operating within the confines of the law, and there are plenty of things they do to 'catch you out'.

Here is what you need to be on your guard against to help you with credit card debt management.

Annual Fee Payments

Even though you are charged a yearly interest, many credit cards companies also charge you an annual fee. It's not that common anymore, but it's still around. You should be especially careful to check for high fees on special Gold and Platinum cards - even though they're not that hard to get any more, they still tend to charge much higher fees than normal cards. And one of the 'tricks' that companies use is to give you the credit card for free, for the first year, and then on the second year you suddenly see a charge on your credit card bill for a card fee payment.

Penalty Charges

You should pay special attention to what kind of fees you'll be charged for late payments, or if you take a cash advance from a bank money machine. And of course if you accidentally exceed your pre-agreed limit on the card the charges can really get out of control. Some cards have very high penalty charge fees, even if you only exceed spending limits by a few pounds.

Interest Method

This is one of the most most important and overlooked of all the small print, just because it's can be difficult to understand. You could be cynical and say the credit card companies write it like this just to make us even more confused, in the hope we will ignore some very important small print points. Essentially, each credit card company has a slightly different way of working out how much interest you should pay each month. There are three main methods:

Method 1: With the 'adjusted balance' method, you are charged interest on whatever your balance was when the company sent the bill.

Method 2: Another version of the adjusted balance is the 'previous balance'. You're charged interest on your balance as it stood at the end of the billing cycle before this one, regardless of how much you've spent or paid off since.

Method 3: The 'average daily balance'. This is the most complicated method used nowadays. Your balance is worked out from the end of each day in the card billing cycle. It's then added up, and divided by how many days for the payment period, and interest is then charged on this final amount. This method works best for you if your balance jumps around a lot, as it avoids you paying lots of interest on a balance that just happened to be large on the billing date.

Also, pay special attention ot the rate of interest you pay each month, instead of just relying on the APR. The APR is just an estimate of your total cost of borrowing; it is the monthly interest plus all the other various charges that will show you precisely how much you will end up paying.

Grace Period

Maker sure the card you're looking at using has a 'grace period' on purchases. Otherwise, you could end up being charged interest from the very moment you pay with your card. One of the things that most cards don't allow is a grace period for cash advances or credit card cheques.

Currency Conversion Fees

If you plan on uisng your credit card abroad, make sure to take a look at how much the card charges for such transactions made in other currencies. Some cards can be much more expensive than others and once again the additional charges could be a nasty surprise after an enjoyably holiday.

Conclusion

You should pay special attention to any credit card you plan to use. Although regulations are now in place to protect the consumer, you must still be prudent with your credit card debt management. Your card debts can easily get out of control and one of the hidden problems can be the un-necessary debts added to your card because you ignored most of the points raised above.

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page 419

2008-06-26T22:26:00.001-07:00

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Money worries have many different voices: "How am I going to pay my phone bill? My lights are almost two months behind. The rent is due. What are we going to do about the mortgage? We don't have money for football uniforms. No field trip. That cost money. No, you can't have that, it cost more than what we have in our budget. They're coming to take the furniture back; our payment is overdue. The kid needs her braces removed but the dentist won't do it unless we pay the rest of the money we owe. I've lost my job. I'm sorry, honey, they have downsized my position. If I want to keep my job I will have to take a cut in pay. How can I afford these child support payments? I can't take this any more. What are we going to do?"

A mind that is cluttered with money worries may be flooded with one or two or all of these thoughts at one time or another. Maybe you were there once in your life, maybe not. Most people with financial troubles are anxious, confused, angry, harbor feelings of hopelessness, insecurity, and uncertainty about future financial outcomes. Consequently, this state of mind affects everything, including work performance.

It's time for a financial assessment. Is your trouble because you have maxed out your credit cards? Maybe you have more month than money. Do you have medical expenses? Are you sick and can't work? Have you lost your job, or been downsized? Where did the shortage originate?

Once you have assessed where the problem lie, then you can look at remedies. Money troubles in plain simple English are not enough money to cover your present lifestyle. The causes may or may not be within your control.

When the funds are low, the logical answer would be to make more but what most people do is fret about it. Some spend more time worrying about what they don't have while others add on a second job.

Money troubles are not going to go away without something changing. Worry will not make up the deficit but initiating a plan of action will.

Step I

Make a list of all of your monthly household living expenses: mortgage, rent, utility bills, etc.

Step II

List Your Debts (creditors you owe)

Step III

List your entertainment

Step IV

List miscellaneous (lunch, coffee, snacks, etc.)

Step V Write in how much you pay on each. Total that amount.

Step VI

List your sources of income (job, spouse, etc.). Take the total from this and subtract it from what you spend on household, debts and entertainment. If that figure shows you are not covering your expenses, look back at your expenses; see what you can eliminate from entertainment. Make a list of other areas you are expending money, such as lunch, dry cleaning, hair cuts, etc.

Try taking your lunch from home rather than buying lunch. The average lunch cost about $7.00. That $7.00 for five days comes to $35.00 a week, totaling $140.00 a month. Imagine if you, your wife and children spent the same amount weekly,that would amount to a partial mortgage or rental payment.

Take a look at your Debt. Began to work from the smallest to the largest. Take the money you saved from not buying, let's say lunch, and redirect the total amount towards paying off the smallest debt first.

As you pay off each debt, take that money and add it to the next smallest debt, working your way to the largest, until you have eliminated your debt completely. While you are doing this, examine your household budget.

Look at how to eliminate some of your other expenditures; for example, if you have a high cell phone bill, you might want to exchange that cell phone for one with a more fixed rate. Maybe instead of hiring a lawn service, you could cut the grass yourself. Perhaps you might visit Barber or cosmetology trade schools to obtain these services at a reduced rate.

Look at what you are already doing first to find the extra money. If you still need more to make up the deficit, then you might look at your skills and talents: start a home-based business. It's something you could do as a family.

Money troubles can be conquered, if you are willing to take a few extra steps. Don't look at the impossible debt mountain, began the climb one step at a time. And, yes, it is okay to reward yourself along the way but keep in mind where you are headed. Don't overdo it. Once your debt is eliminated, don't spend the excess money; instead, add it to your future savings options.

Understand that paying your debts down will not take place overnight but if you are consistent it will happen.

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page 418

2008-06-26T22:25:00.002-07:00

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Here is STEP 1: Read your credit report to discover what things are listed on the report that have led to your bad credit rating in the first place.

STEP 2: If you note inaccuracies on your credit report, you'll need to dispute those with the individual creditors reporting them. You can't dispute accurate information even if it does reflect poorly on your credit report, but you can make repairs and improve your credit.

STEP 3: Contact individual creditors and ask if they're willing to work with you to create a repayment plan you can afford, but also assures the creditor of your intent to repay the debt owed them.

STEP 4: Contact your credit card companies and ask for a reduction in the interest rate applied to your credit cards. Some may not be willing, but many credit card companies are willing to do so for cardholders. Use the reduction of interest applied to a credit card account to pay the debt you have on it down faster.

STEP 5: Gather pay stubs and statements for monthly, quarterly, and annual bills (utilities, phone, mortgage, home insurance, retirement account contributions) and create a budget to keep from spending beyond what you actually bring in. You'll also find ways to spend less and use those savings to pay on the debts causing you bad credit

STEP 6: Maxed-out credit cards? Barely able to make the minimum payments on them? Stop using them! Hide them away in a drawer so they won't tempt you to use them and add even more debts to them.

STEP 7: Contact a credit counseling service if your debts are so large that you cannot make regular payments on all of them. A credit counseling service can help you create a plan of action to take care of the debts that are responsible for your bad credit. They can often times speak to your creditors and get you reduced rates and extended payments plans as well.

STEP 8: Apply for a bank sponsored debit or prepaid credit card. As you use this for purchases and make regular payments, you will slowly rebuild bad credit into good credit.

No matter how bad a credit problem may be, it can either get better or worse. In many cases much, much worse. Almost everyone has had credit issues at one time or another in their lifetime. The fact is that our credit rating has a very large effect on our every day lives. Always remember that the better your credit becomes the more money you can and most certainly will save on a variety of things such as; mortgage rates, credit card interest, car payments to name but a few.

Stick to a budget and both you and your credit will be happier for it. Good luck.

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page 417

2008-06-26T22:25:00.001-07:00

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Some companies advertise that they have a credit report repair Software and also they will teach you credit repair secrets, for a fee of course. There is a lot of free information here, if you know where to look. Before you take a credit repair course or sign up for credit report repair, read the facts and the laws relating to credit repair. In this way you may avoid some disappointment and save some money.

What is credit report repair or software? The best kept "secret" is that creditors and credit reporting agencies (commonly referred to as the credit bureaus) make mistakes. What can you learn in a credit repair course? You can learn the basics of bad credit repair, without paying a penny. If you cannot achieve results on your own, then you may need to hire a credit repair lawyer to help you. If you feel that you have exhausted all of the free options, identify what information that you still need and make sure that the credit repair course or software program that you are considering includes that information.

A secret may be defined as "beyond simple understanding". Using this definition, credit report program is credit report repair that is beyond ordinary understanding. The average person does not understand how credit scores are calculated. Most people do not know what information is on their credit reports. Many people do not know their rights under the law.

Credit repair is a popular subject. It seems that almost everyone wants learn about credit repair. Books and software programs that claim to contain everything you wanted to know about credit repair are being sold on the internet and in retail locations all over the country. There are some questionable credit repair schemes and some companies suggest action which is illegal. Consumers can learn to repair their own credit, but it takes time and patience. The safest bet when hiring someone to do the work for you is to hire a credit repair attorney. In this way, you can be sure that you will achieve results; they know everything there is to know about credit repair. You can also be sure that a credit repair attorney will not advise you to do anything that is illegal. Most of the popular credit repair lawyers do not charge more than the other credit repair companies and some offer money back guarantees.

The Federal Trade Commission regulates credit repair organizations and states that "certain advertising and business practices of some companies engaged in the business of credit repair services have worked a financial hardship upon consumers, particularly those of limited economic means and who are inexperienced in credit matters." Under the laws regulating credit repair organizations, any company that advertises secret credit report repair or credit repair in general must provide the consumer with certain information. These regulations do not apply to companies that offer a credit repair course or seminar. Most of these are simply rehashing information that has been available for years. If you look in the public library, you will see that individuals have been writing books about credit report repair for years.

There was an individual who advertised his informational packages on TV. One of his reports was "how to get AAA credit" or something like that. This was not any spectacular secret credit report repair. It was not a credit repair course. He advised consumers to make a $500 deposit into a savings account at any bank. Then, using the deposit as security, apply for a loan. Repay the loan and according to him, you would have great credit. This may be information that the average person does not know. It is similar to the secured credit card programs that so many companies offer. The thing about credit is that, it is harder to get, if you really need it. If you have $500 to deposit into a savings account or a secured credit card program, if you have the money to pay off the debts that you owe, you can improve your credit score over time.

Companies that advertise quick free credit report repair are banking on the theory that you do not know how to review your credit reports for inaccurate information. If you have inaccurate, obsolete, misleading or unverifiable information on your credit reports, then the credit bureaus must delete the information. You must "dispute" the information. In other words, you must notify the credit bureaus about the negative information that needs to be deleted. This is the credit report repair that is often the subject of a credit repair course.

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page 416

2008-06-26T22:24:00.000-07:00

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I want to address a question I've been asked a lot lately...

"Why have my credit scores gone down since I last checked them even though I've made all my payments on time?"

First let me tell you that the only way your credit scores can go down is if information appearing on your credit reports changes.

Your credit scores are calculated from:

1. Information provided by lenders you have accounts with

2. Lenders when you apply for new credit

3. Public record information (i.e., judgments, tax liens, bankruptcies, etc.)

This information is reported to your credit reports on a regular basis. Sometimes even daily.

Some of the things that will change your scores are:

1. Late payments

2. Recent credit inquiries

3. Higher balances on your credit cards

4. Higher balance on your Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC)

5. Closing revolving accounts

6. Credit limits increased/lowered

Let's say you purchase your credit scores and you notice your scores are lower than they were the last time you checked even though you didn't make any of the mistakes above. What happened?

Step 1: Compare Apples to Apples

There are different kinds of credit scores. You need to make sure you are purchasing your FICO credit scores. Two of the credit reporting agencies are playing a dirty trick on us when it comes to our scores. Credit scores aggressively marketed by TransUnion and Experian are their own proprietary credit scores. Most lenders use FICO credit scores not TransUnion's or Experian's proprietary scores. So buying proprietary scores are useless.

However, Equifax does it right. They only aggressively market their FICO credit score. They get brownie points for holding themselves to a higher standard!

Step 2: Purchase Your FICO Scores from the Same Source

Don't purchase your scores through one source the first time and a different source the second time around. It doesn't work that way. You need to purchase them through the same source.

You see, different companies that sell or provide FICO scores use different versions of the scoring software Fair Isaac created to calculate a FICO score. It's similar to the different version of Microsoft software products. If you asked 50 people what version of Microsoft Word they were using, you would get many different answers. Same basic software, but several version numbers. So it is with FICO scores.

If you purchase your scores through FICO's website and compare them to the scores you received from your auto or mortgage lender...you will most likely have different results.

By always purchasing your scores through the same source you're guaranteed to have an accurate comparison of what triggered any change in your credit scores.

Step 3: Compare Your Reason Codes

Now that you know you should purchase your FICO scores from the same source it's time to examine your reason codes. Your reason codes will tell you what changed on your credit reports and give you clues as to why your scores went up or down.

You have four reason codes from each credit reporting agency...for a total of twelve reason codes. What you need to do is compare your reason codes from your previous set of credit reports to the reason codes on your current credit reports.

Your reason codes are in order of importance. So if the order of your reason codes changed it's a clue something changed on your credit reports that lowered/increased your credit scores.

When you know what your reason codes are you can use them to help you increase your credit scores.

In Closing

Any new habits you begin today in managing your credit will begin to affect your credit scores in 30 to 60 days. This is due to the lag time between the action you take versus how long it takes the lender to report that action to the credit reporting agencies. So begin new habits today.

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page 410

2008-06-26T22:23:00.002-07:00

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Very few people actually understand their credit score or how it affects their ability to get future credit. They fall behind on their credit card payments, max out their cards, get even more credit cards to pay off another, and then think, "as long as I'm making the minimum payments, I'm okay."

However, even if you've not quite fallen into bankruptcy, your credit score has taken a sore beating. You may not be able to get a good interest rate on your cards, the interest rates of your mortgage (you may not even be eligible for a mortgage), and even your insurance premiums. There are even some employers who see credit scores as a sign of your responsibility and dependability, and they won't hire you once they find out that you're barely skirting above the minimum.

Not knowing your credit score, and not taking active steps to improve it, can be literally an expensive mistake to make.

The first thing you need to know is what makes up your score. Only 10% of the total actually comes from the type of loans you make: credit cards, payday loans, utility bill payments. Thus, if you've had no credit history, your credit score is actually very low. That's why teens or fresh graduates are encouraged to get a gas card or a low-limit card just to build a good score. You can also open bank accounts, or get a store card. Small things such as furniture rentals and car loans are also part of your credit history.

Around 35% percent of your credit score is derived from your payment history. Do you pay on time, or do you skip payments and only make the minimum every time? Any missed payments pull down your score, as well as any liens, bankruptcies, or country court judgments (CCJ's).

Another factor in your credit score is the total amount you owe. It hurts your credit history when you have several cards and max each one out, on top of other loans such as payday loans or secured loans. Take out a calculator and compute exactly how deep in debt you are, as well as the percentage of that amount you pay off every month. Are you actually whittling down your debt or are you just paying off interest?

It is also important to look at how long you've built your credit history. All things being equal, a twenty two year old has less leverage than a thirty two year old who's proven his ability to have good credit over several years. About 15% of your score is derived from this figure.

Other actors include the number of new loans you have made in the recent past, which is about 10% of your score. This also includes the loans you've attempted to make. Yes, mass-application for loans and credit cards (even those that turned you down) can lower your score.

So how bad is your score? You can get your credit report from the major credit agencies. If your score is very low, do contact a credit repair agency or make a personal financial plan that will let you pay off your debts-even if it means taking a weekend job. Your credit history is too important to neglect.

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page 409

2008-06-26T22:23:00.001-07:00

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More and more credit is becoming a bigger part of our lives. Your credit score can affect your quality of life. The car you drive, what house you live in, and the jobs you get can all be affected by your credit score. As time goes on your credit score is more and more important. That's why you need to build solid credit history as soon as possible. If you are just getting started or you're rebuilding your credit score this article is very important. It will teach you the five credit mistakes made by rookies and how you can avoid them.

First Mistake-Too many credit inquiries. When you apply for a new loan, credit card, or rental agreement you allow creditors to pull your credit report. The new creditor might not be completely forthcoming but somewhere in the small print you give them permission to pull your credit. If this happens one or two time in a six month time span you have nothing to worry about. On the other hand, more than four credit inquiries in a six month period sends a red flag to the credit reporting agencies and they dock your credit. They assume you are either going to rack up all the newly acquired credit or that something is wrong because you're acting desperate.

I made this mistake personally in my college days. Between classes I noticed a table covered with sunglasses, t-shirts, and other cool items. I could pick any two items if I filled out some credit card applications. I was a little suspicious and asked if there were any strings attached like yearly fees and cancellation penalties. Nope, just fill out the five different applications and that's it. They said I could cancel the cards the second I got them. True, but applying for all five cards in one day hurt my credit.

Second Mistake-Having a swamp-like credit card. Swamps are nasty places where water collects and sits for a very long time. Credit bureaus like accounts that are more like streams then swamps. Pay more then the minimum payment and have a healthy flow with your cards. When balances sit for a long period of time it sends the wrong message. It says that you use credit because you have to, not because you want to.

Third Mistake-Maxing out any account. Maxed out credit cards indicate that you are relying on your credit to survive. Creditors label these accounts as high risk and damage your credit report in the process. Never carry a balance over 30% of your credit card limit to avoid this mistake.

Fourth Mistake-Having a lack of understanding. Knowledge is power. The more you know about your credit the better off you will be. It takes time for anyone to establish a great credit score. Sorry, there are no tricks you can do to speed up the process. Knowing your credit report early will give you valuable information to build on. The last thing anyone wants is to be denied for a loan when they need it most. Know where you stand with your credit as early as possible. If you don't know exactly where you stand get a free credit report today. You are in a great position to take positive action with your credit future.

Fifth Mistake-Opening accounts that don't report to credit bureaus. You might be surprised to find that there are some lines of credit that don't report to credit bureaus. These accounts will not report good credit history but if there's trouble they will turn your account over to collections. In other words, they will work against you but not for you. Whenever you apply for a new account ask the question "Do you report to all three credit bureaus?" If they don't apply for something else that does.

A common mistake rookies make is using friends and family for loans instead of going to a bank. Even if you're fortunate enough to get a loan from a family member you might consider getting a traditional loan from a bank. It might be more of a pain but the rewards for doing so are big. Number one, you start your own credit history. Number two, you don't have to strain any relationship you have with that person.

By avoiding these five mistakes you'll be on your way to building a great credit score.

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2008-06-25T19:52:00.001-07:00

Steps to Mantra Meditation

Mantra is one of the simplest, yet a very powerful method to achieve meditation.

Why?

Mantra involves the rhythmic invocation of a sound. This provides a foundation for the aspirant so that his practice is just not "in the air". This anchor or foundation helps the mind to gradually disconnect with the external experiences provided through the 5 senses, which is the first step to successful meditation.

The Nature of Mantra

Although mantra has often been riled as a "religious thing" through invocation of the names of deities or Gods, it is not actually so. Mantra is a sound form. It is a Sanskrit word which etymologically means "by the repetition of which the mind becomes free of external experiences". That is how it is to be seen and experienced.

Sound has a form; sound has a color. Every sound creates patterns of forms and color in the mind. Vibrations of different frequency create different patterns. These patterns result in withdrawal from sensory experiences. As you proceed further successfully, they would result (transiently) in deeper experiences such as ESP, mystical experiences etc. Eventually, they will help the sincere practitioner to even surpass these inner experiences and distractions and move towards eternal bliss.

Now, sound of mantra is not to be seen in the context of the written word. In fact, the sound formed by following the written word could be severely limiting for higher experiences. The nature of mantra is that of a cosmic sound and should preferably be HEARD from a teacher. Mantra repetition could be done as 3 ways - audible, whisper or silent (in the thought). Each method of repetition has different frequencies, different forms and has different effects. The most powerful is the silent method, because it has the highest frequency. Louder the sound, greater is the velocity but lower is the frequency.

Preparations for Practice

Get yourself a mantra - Once a mantra is chosen, it should NEVER be changed, however much you may like to. Often people change their mantra because it is too common - they wish to get something unique as a kind of a rare elixir. Be warned that this is a mistake and will result in complications at higher levels in your spiritual journey. So be careful in selecting a mantra. Go find yourself a teacher and if you can't, mentally recite a selection of mantras, each for some stretch of time and see which 'feels' right for you - which one creates the right vibrations and then stick with it.

Have a symbol to focus upon - A symbol could be mental - the sun, a star, a candle flame, a crescent, a cross, symbol of Om, a lotus flower, your personal deity etc. Or you could have a physical point of focus such as the nose tip or the pulsation in any particular part of the body etc.

Place of practice - Have a designated area of your house - a room or a corner for your mantra practice. It is important that you use the same area for your regular practice. You will find that over time this area will be charged with the favorable energies of mantra and spur you onto spontaneous meditation.

Posture - The posture for your mantra practice should be a seated one with spine erect. Siddhasana and Padmasana are especially suited for the purpose as they provide the maximum stability to the body preventing it from drooping or falling. These postures, when perfected, enable the practitioner to sit for long spells without tiring, something very essential in meditation practice. Siddhasana also exerts the right pressure on the mooladhara chakra (energy center), the seat of kundalini and is recommended as a meditation pose.

Breath flow - Before proceeding with mantra meditation, it should be verified that the predominant flow of the breath is from the left nostril (as opposed to the right). Or then, the flow should be balanced between the nostrils. Mantra meditation is not advised with the right nostril more free flowing than the left. This is because the left nostril corresponds with the lunar (mental) forces and the right for the physical forces. It would be difficult to have successful meditation with the right flowing predominantly.
If necessary, breath flow between nostrils can be altered using a Yoga Danda.

Role of a Mala - Often, as you proceed in mantra repetition, you will find the mind drifting involuntarily from the physical point of focus - to a dreamy state or then swamped by thoughts. If you are practicing Mantra in coordination with the turning of mala beads, this drift is stopped whenever you reach the head bead (sumeru). The sumeru provides the disconnect and you are reminded to turn the Mala around for the next round of repetition. This brings back the awareness and prevents it from going out of hand for long periods of time. That is the first point.
The second point is that the Mala provides the "physical" anchor which is so necessary as you proceed to higher levels of the practice. At the higher levels, as you are disconnected from the external world, it may be quite an experience - sometimes even terrifying. The mala serves as your connection with this world to bring you back. This coupled with your symbol as the mental anchor, makes for a successful journey.

The Practice

Once you are equipped and prepared as outlined above, be seated in the posture advised. Start turning the beads in synchronization with the mantra, with the mantra being repeated with every bead turned. To know more on how to turn the beads, read the "How to Use" section.

Rhythmic Repetition of the Mantra - the mantra should be repeated with a certain rhythm of your choice. The rhythm could be synchronized with the breath or with the pulsation in any part of the body or in any way you wish. The mantra should be repeated with every bead turned.

Method of Recitation - As mentioned earlier, the mantra may be repeated audibly, as a whisper or then silently. This depends upon your mental state. If the mind is disturbed or you are drowsy, it is best to repeat the mantra audibly and then progress towards whispering and then to the silent thought of mantra. Beginners may also proceed from audible repetition to the more powerful silent repetition.

Speed of Recitation - Repeat the mantra at a speed that feels right. The slower the recitation, the greater is the frequency and the power behind the mantra. Conversely, a faster repetition implies a lower frequency and reduced power behind the mantra. However, you may have to alter speeds depending upon the state of your mind. A dissipated and drowsy mind may require a faster repetition of the mantra - a slower repetition may put you off to sleep!

Eyeball movement - For successful mantra meditation practice, it is important that the eyeball movement is absent. Eyeball movement is always there (even when we are asleep in the form of REM), but for this practice it is essential that the movement is stalled for desirable results. This movement is gradually eliminated by constant focus on your symbol at an imagined place on the eyebrow centre.
Also, it often helps to imagine the vibrations of the mantra converging at the eyebrow center.

Mind focus - be aware of the Mantra at all times. The mind will waver; you will find it drifting to other thoughts. As you realize this, gently bring back your awareness to the Mantra. Don't feel frustrated by the oscillating mind - this is normal, and is part of the process itself!

Important: Don't make the mistake of correlating the mantra sound with its written form. As mentioned earlier, this could be limiting its potential greatly.

Practice in this manner for as many rounds of the mala as you feel the need or have the time for. You must start the practice at the head bead (sumeru) and also end it at the sumeru.

Regularity of Practice - It is essential that Mantra meditation is practiced everyday without a break. It may be just 5 minutes but regularity is a must. It is preferable to do it at a designated time - in the morning or then in the night, before going to bed at least an hour after meals.

Over time, you will find the effect of the mantra on the subconscious through its unique calming influence at any time of the day and in any situation. You are then truly on your journey to spiritual growth.