Babble Ahead

Lessons in Lightning – Staying Safe During Electrical Storms

By Elizabeth Smith

Article posted by Pastor-Genève

Many areas across the United States experience lightning storms throughout the year. And although it is not high on the list of causes of death, it is still a danger to people and animals when one is not prepared and protected when caught outdoors during an electrical storm.

If you are in the great outdoors during a storm, it is imperative to remember that lightning strikes can reach out 10 miles from the center of the storm. The first step to safety is to find cover such as inside a sturdy building or beside a large rock or boulder. You should stay away from the high points of the area you are in, staying clear of stream beds and trees. If you are on horseback, it is recommended that you dismount, tie the horse to a bush (not a tree), and find a cover for yourself approximately 50 feet away. Get yourself comfortable in a crouch position with your head tucked down and your arms wrapped around your legs.

Lightning is a common killer of horses and cattle during Spring and Summer months. These four-legged animals are often killed when a lightning ground current radiates out from a struck object. The current moves through the animals body, thus destroying the vital organs in its’ path. Many horses are killed during barn fires. Installing lightning rods near barns, trees and troughs can help prevent death caused by lightening.

Pastor-Genève bvba Features
Pastor-Genève Blog
Pastor-Genève bvba Advice
Pastor-Genève Information Blog
Pastor-Genève bvba

Tags: Pastor-Genève, Pastor-Genève bvba

Six Principles of Successful Investing

By Mika Hamilton

1. Begin investing immediately

Procrastination is the number one enemy of investing. An early start in investing can make an enormous difference as the investor will be able to truly reap the rewards of compounding over a longer period of time.

2. Invest for the long-term

Do not be influenced by short term market fluctuations. These are inevitable. Over the longer term, investments increase in value.

3. Appetite for risk

Your appetite for risk determines the type of investor you could be. The younger you are, the more aggressive you can be in your investment strategy. You could undertake a greater amount of risk. It also depends upon your personality profile.

4. Invest in stocks

Amongst all investment vehicles, stocks have provided the highest return over the long term. Stock investing requires patience and discipline. Stock prices are influenced by short term market fluctuations which may make them volatile. However, over the long term the market recognizes the underlying value of a stock and prices it accordingly.

5. Evaluate your current financial situation

Understanding your current financial situation will help you to sort your finances. This will require you to assess your net worth which the results of the value of the assets that you own less the amount you owe to others.
Never invest in anything that you do not understand. Keep aside easy accessible funds equivalent to three to four months of expenses for emergencies. If you are burdened with high interest debt, free yourself from debt before you begin investing. Use budgeting as a tool to control your expenses and for providing you with sufficient funds for investing.

6. Use a financial advisor

If you do not have the time or the inclination, consider using the services of an independent financial advisor. They are certified professionals having in-depth knowledge of various investment vehicles. However, remain involved to some extent to ensure that your money is being invested wisely.

Schlarbaum Mark Techniques
Schlarbaum Capital Management Blog
Articles About Mark Schlarbaum
Blog About Janet Schlarbaum
Mark Schlarbaum Features
Janet Schlarbaum Notes
Mark Schlarbaum Guidelines
About Mark Schlarbaum

Article published by Janet Schlarbaum

Tags: Janet Schlarbaum, Mark Schlarbaum, Schlarbaum Capital Management

Pro’s & Con’s of Investing in Bonds

By Mika Hamilton

A bond is a debt security, by which you are lending money to a government, municipality, corporation, federal agency or other entity known as the issuer. In return for investing in the bond, the issuer promises to pay you a specified rate of interest during the life of the bond and to repay the face value of the bond (the principal) when it becomes due.

Why Invest in Bonds?

It is always prudent for an investor to maintain a diversified investment portfolio consisting of bonds, stocks and cash in varying percentages, depending upon individual circumstances and objectives. Bonds help you to diversify your portfolio, thereby, reducing your risk exposure.

Investing in bonds provides a predictable stream of income and repayment of principal.

Bonds maturing within three to five years will hold on to the value that they are worth. They offer some protection against stocks related losses in a portfolio.

The negative side of investing in bonds:

All investment products have drawbacks. Bonds are no exception. Some of the negative aspects of investing in bonds are:

Most bonds have a call option. This gives the issuer the right to call back the bonds held by investors generally after five to ten years. When the issuer calls back a bond, it pays your principal back along with the accrued interest and perhaps, a small premium. Issuers adopt this strategy when they can obtain money at interest rates lower than that of the bond in question.

When interest rates go up, the price at which the bond can be sold goes down. If you are forced to sell the bond due to pressing circumstances, you may not back the entire amount invested resulting in losses.

M Schlarbaum Articles
Janet Schlarbaum News
About Janet Schlarbaum
Mark Schlarbaum Weblog
Janet Schlarbaum Information
Janet Schlarbaum Internet
Janet Schlarbaum Web Articles
More Janet Schlarbaum

Tags: Janet Schlarbaum, Mark Schlarbaum, Schlarabaum Capital Management

Want To Be A Millionaire?

By Mika Hamilton

I am sure you have probably read about the power of compound interest. And how if you invested $10,000 at 10% return and let it compound for 50 years you would have a little over 1 million dollars.

Now that’s all well and good, but who wants to wait around for 50 years before they can enjoy the fruits of their labor.

A quick tweak of the spreadsheet tells us that if you could increase your returns to just 15% per year, we would be looking at a million dollar balance in around 35 years, which would also be bringing you in around $150,000 more each year after that.

25% return per year will turn your $10,000 into 1 million in around 22 years, producing another $250,000 per year in additional cash flow.

This brings us to an important point. How much is enough?

How much money do you need to live your life?

Well, its all relative to the lifestyle you wish to lead. A good way to work out how much is enough, is to consider how much money you live off now. Work out how much money you would need to earn to replace your current income with your investment income.

If you earn $50,000 per year, then it will only take you around 15 years from the example above at 25% return to replace your income from your investments.

Work out how much money you need to live the lifestyle you want, and then take that figure and work out how much money you need invested to produce an equal income.

You might just be pleasantly surprised at how much you really need, and that it is not that far out of your reach.

Are these returns really possible?

The figures we talked about above are really just to give you an idea of what’s possible. Again everything is relative to how much work, time, money and commitment you are prepared to make in order to secure these returns.

A good managed fund will give you around a 10% return per year, but if you want to take things to the next level, then the only way to do this is to learn how to invest your own money. Returns of 25% and higher are certainly possible, people make returns like this all the time. You just need to learn the strategies, and apply them. Sure there will be some bumps in the road ahead, but consider the alternatives.

Photography from Janet Schlarbaum
Visit Janet Schlarbaum
Schlarbaum Capital Management
Janet Schlarbaum
Janet Schlarbaum Tips
Janet Schlarbaum Online Blog
Janet Schlarbaum Advice

Money Investing Tips By Janet Schlarbaum

Tags: Janet Schlarbaum, Mark Schlarbaum

Where to Invest Your Money

By Jeff Lakie

If you are new to investing, or even if you’ve been playing the market for a while, investment options can be overwhelming. Stocks, bonds, mutual funds. How do you pick the best place to invest your money? That’s quite a decision!

Here are some tips that can help you get started:

If you are planning for a long-term investment, it may be wisest to go with stocks. History shows that stocks outperform other investing options over the long term. For example, from 1926 to 2004, the stock market had an average annual gain of 10.4%, compared with only 5.4% for bonds and even less for other forms of investing.

That said, stocks may not be such a good option for short-term investing. They tend to be more risky and can undergo severe losses. Unless you’re planning to keep your money there for a long time, you might not want to weather the stress of the stock market’s ups and downs. Overall, a company’s earnings are going to be the biggest player in a stock’s fluctuation.

If you’re willing to take a little bit of risk with your investing-or a lot-you probably will notice a bigger payoff. Stocks, for example, are a riskier investment than bonds. But again, stocks tend to bring in a much higher return. On the other hand, there is also the chance that your stock will dip and you may suffer a great loss. That’s all part of the game.

If you’re looking for a low-risk, surefire investment strategy, U.S. Treasury bonds may be the way to go. The government has a lot of power over these bonds. Because of this, investing in these bonds is generally considered risk-free. Keep in mind, however, that bonds don’t do so well when interest rates rise. Conversely, when interest rates go down, bond prices rise. This is particularly true with long-term bonds.

To be safe, the best advice is to diversify your portfolio. If you practice investing in a number of different areas, you are least likely to lose it all. (Remember the Enron scandal? Don’t make that mistake!) Some investments will go up, others will go down. But at least you can be pretty sure you won’t lose it all.

Schlarbaum Capital Management
About Schlarbaum Capital Management
Mark Schlarbaum Guidelines
Janet Schlarbaum Tricks
Expert Blog Janet Schlarbaum
Schlarbaum Useful News
Useful Tip By Schlarbaum

Article recommended by Mark Schlarbaum

Tags: Janet Schlarbaum, Mark Schlarbaum, Money Investment

7 Successful Stress Management Techniques

By Lyndsay Swinton

Everyone needs successful stress management techniques. Easy to learn and easy to implement, you can use them for your own stress management or teach them to help others manage theirs.
Manage your stress and be a healthier, happier and more pleasant person to be around. Let’s cut to the chase…

1. Make stress your friend

Acknowledge that stress is good and make stress your friend! Based on the body’s natural “fight or flight” response, that burst of energy will enhance your performance at the right moment. I’ve yet to see a top sportsman totally relaxed before a big competition. Use stress wisely to push yourself that little bit harder when it counts most.

2. Stress is contagious

Stressed people sneeze stress germs indiscriminately and before you know it, you are infected with stress germs too!

Protect yourself from stress germs by recognising stress in others and limiting your contact with them. Or if you’ve got the inclination, play stress doctor and teach them how to better manage their stress.

3. Copy good stress managers

When people around are losing their head, which keeps calm? What are they doing differently? What is their attitude? What language do they use? Are they trained and experienced?
Figure it out from afar or sit them down for a chat. Learn from the best stress managers and copy what they do.

4. Use heavy breathing.

You can trick your body into relaxing by using heavy breathing. Breathe in slowly for a count of 7 then breathe out for a count of 11. Repeat the 7-11 breathing until your heart rate slows down, your sweaty palms dry off and things start to feel more normal.

5. Stop stress thought trains

It is possible to tangle yourself up in a stress knot all by yourself. “If this happens, then that might happen and then we’re all up the creek!” Most of these things never happen, so why waste all that energy worrying needlessly?

Give stress thought-trains the red light and stop them in their tracks. Okay so it might go wrong – how likely is that, and what can you do to prevent it?

6. Know your stress hot spots and trigger points

Presentations, interviews, meetings, giving difficult feedback, tight deadlines…My heart rate is cranking up just writing these down!

Make your own list of stress trigger points or hot spots. Be specific. Is it only presentations to a certain audience that get you worked up? Does one project cause more stress than another? Did you drink too much coffee?

Knowing what causes you stress is powerful information, as you can take action to make it less stressful. Do you need to learn some new skills? Do you need extra resources? Do you need to switch to de-caffeinated coffee?

7. Eat, drink, sleep and be merry!

Lack of sleep, poor diet and no exercise wreaks havoc on our body and mind. Kind of obvious, but worth mentioning as it’s often ignored as a stress management technique. Listen to your mother and don’t burn the candle at both ends!

7 Certs, Inc. Stress Techniques
Certs, Inc. Stress Techniques
7 Certs, Inc. Stress
7 Certs, Inc. Stress Techniques
Certs, Inc. Stress

7 Certs, Inc. Stress Techniques

Tags: 7 Certs Inc. Stress Techniques

How to Recognize Stress Before it Turns Into Anger

By Dr. Tony Fiore

After a stressful day as a computer programmer, Jim pulled into his driveway. The children’s toys were scattered on the walkway to the house.

He immediately began noticing slight tension in his muscles and apprehension in his stomach. Entering his house, his wife ignored him while she talked with her sister on the telephone. His heart started beating a little faster.

Looking around, he noticed disarray; nothing was picked up, the house was a mess. Irritation and frustration started to settle in. Finally, as his feelings grew, he exploded and began yelling at his wife and children.

Stress may trigger anger:

Stress is often the trigger that takes us from feeling peaceful to experiencing uncomfortable angry feelings in many common situations such as the one described above.

Stress is most easily defined as a series of bodily responses to demands made upon us called stressors.

These “demands” or stressors can be negative (such as coping with a driver who cuts in front of you on the freeway) or positive (such as keeping on a tour schedule while on vacation).

Stressors may be external to you (like work pressure) or internal (like expectations you have of yourself or feeling guilty about something you did or want to do).

Whether the stressor is external or internal, scientists have discovered that the major systems of the body work together to provide one of the human organism’s most powerful and sophisticated defenses; the stress response which you may know better as “fight-or-flight.”

This response helps you to cope with stressors in your life. To do so, it activates and coordinates the brain, glands, hormones, immune system, heart, blood and lungs.

Avoid Jim’s destructive behavior toward his loved ones. Before your stress response turns into anger or aggression, use these strategies to get it under control:

Read your personal warning lights: Becoming aware of your stress response is the first step to managing it. This means listening to your body, being aware of your negative emotions, and observing your own behavior when under stress.

For instance, notice muscle tension, pounding heart, raising voice, irritation, dry mouth, or erratic movements.

What you see is what you get: For a potential stressor to affect us -stress us out – we have to first perceive it or experience it as a stressor.

Gaining a new perspective on the stressing situation can often drastically change the effect it has on us. Our stress response can indeed be a response (something we can control) instead of a knee-jerk reaction (which is automatic).

Examples: Cut off on the freeway? “It is not personal. That guy has a problem. I will stay calm.” Bullied by a co-worker? “If I react, he wins. Later, I will privately let him know how I feel about what he did. If that doesn’t work, I’ll discuss it with our manager.”

Stress-Guard your life: You can also make many life-style changes to reduce or minimize feeling stressed-out, even if you can’t change some of your actual stressors

Recognize Stress from Certs, Inc.
Stress from Certs, Inc.
from Certs, Inc.
Certs, Inc.
Certs, Inc.

Recognize Stress from Certs, Inc.

Tags: Recognize Stress from Certs Inc.

A-Z of Global Warming: Carbon Dioxide

By: Simon Rosser

We are well into our alphabetic A to Z journey on global warming. C for Carbon dioxide is one of the main players in the global warming problem. Carbon dioxide, chemical symbol co2 is a chemical compound composed of one carbon and two oxygen atoms.

CO2 is present in the Earth’s atmosphere at a low concentration, around 0.038% by volume, and is one of many gases that make up Earth’s atmosphere. CO2 is measured in parts per million by volume of air (PPMV). Atmospheric carbon dioxide comes from many natural sources including volcanic eruptions, the combustion of organic matter, the respiration of living aerobic organisms, and unfortunately from manmade (anthropogenic) sources, which we all know from the news is being linked to global warming and climate change.

Since the industrial revolution particularly the mid nineteenth century, the burning of fossil fuels for energy to provide electricity, power factories, homes and for all our transport needs has released massive amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere. Not only the burning of fossil fuels, but changes in the use of the land for agriculture and deforestation has further added to global manmade CO2 levels. According to the World Wildlife fund some 29 gigatons which is 29 billion metric tons of CO2 was added to the atmosphere in 2004 alone from burning coal, oil and gas.

If we go back 250 years or so, to pre- industrial times, usually taken to be around 1750, CO2 levels in the atmosphere were around 280 parts per million by volume (ppmv). However levels of the gas have been increasing steadily ever since.

HOW DO WE KNOW THIS?

Well, pioneering scientist Charles Keeling (1928-2005) started taking atmospheric CO2 measurements in 1958 from Mauna Loa volcano in Hawaii. Those measurements have been recorded and are now known as The Keeling Curve. Charles Keeling was the professor of oceanography at the Scripps Institute of Oceanography (SIO) which is in San Diego, USA, and he followed the work of another eminent scientist and director of the SIO, Roger Revelle. Dr Revelle was instrumental in creating the Geophysical Year in 1958 and SIO’s first programme looking at atmospheric CO2 back in 1956.

Monthly CO2 measurements were collected from a height of 3397 metres (11,140 feet) at the Mauna Loa Observatory situated on the slopes of Earth’s largest volcano, Mauna Loa in Hawaii which was chosen for its remoteness to populations and vegetation so as not to skewer the readings.

Measurements have been taken over a 50 year period between 1958 and present, which show a rise in CO2 levels of 70 ppmv from around 315 ppmv to around their current level of 385 ppmv. The effects of CO2 in the atmosphere can even be measured on a cyclical basis, and this can be seen in the saw toothed keeling graph. Because there is greater land area, and thus far more plant life in the Northern Hemisphere compared to the Southern Hemisphere, there is an annual fluctuation of about 5 ppmv peaking in May and reaching a minimum in October. This corresponds to the Northern Hemisphere growing season. The amount of CO2 in the atmosphere drops towards spring when uptake by the plants and trees by photosynthesis is greatest. The opposite occurs in winter when the plants die off and CO2 levels increase again.

Continuous readings in this way have only been taken since 1958, however scientists have discovered that prior to the industrial era, circa 1750, CO2 levels stood at around 280 ppmv and this data has been revealed from air trapped in ice core records, taken from both the Antarctic and Arctic. Perhaps the most startling is the fact that CO2 levels are now around 85 ppmv higher than at any time during the last 650,000 years. Records from ice core records go back that far and have shown atmospheric CO2 levels to range from 180-300 ppmv during that period. The level of CO2 in our atmosphere now stands at 385 ppmv, and is increasing steadily.

The Keeling curve has become one of the most recognisable images in modern science as it shows with no uncertainty the effects of humankind’s fossil fuel pollution of Earth’s atmosphere.

CO2 levels have increased by 37% since pre-industrial times and have been increasing by an average of almost 1.4 ppmv a year since measurements began in 1958, although some months the figure has been higher, sometimes lower. In the last ten years however, the average increase appears to be around 1.9 ppmv each year, which indicates the rate of increase is increasing.

Whilst CO2 is a natural greenhouse gas, and important in natural concentrations to maintain Earth’s climate, anthropogenic CO2 is now pushing up Earth’s temperature. Earth’s natural sinks, like the Amazon rainforest and the oceans struggle to absorb the additional CO2 now being added to the atmosphere from the burning of fossil fuels. It is a know scientific fact that higher levels of greenhouse gases, of which CO2 is a component cause a warming of Earth’s atmosphere. If CO2 is not kept in check and continues to rise at current levels it will eventually cause Earth’s temperature to increase to levels which maybe critical to life on Earth.

RJ &  Makay Articles
A to Z RJ & Makay Global Warming
RJ & Makay Global Warming
A to Z RJ & Makay Global
RJ & Makay News

A to Z RJ & Makay Global Warming

Tags: A to Z RJ & Makay Global Warming

An Arena of Thoughts on Global Warming

By: Aazdak Alisimo

Is global warming the biggest threat to us or not. The debate seems to sway back and forth depending on who you happen to be listening to at the time. So, who should you believe? Read the following and decide for yourself.

Global warming – at least the modern nightmare vision – is a myth. I am sure of it and so are a growing number of scientists. But what is really worrying is that the world’s politicians and policy makers are not. – Professor David Bellamy

We simply must do everything we can in our power to slow down global warming before it is too late… The science is clear. The global warming debate is over. – Arnold Schwarzenegger

Man has reached the point where his impact on the climate can be as significant as nature’s. – Warrick, Joby.

If you asked me to name the three scariest threats facing the human race, I would give the same answer that most people would: nuclear war, global warming and Windows. – Dave Barry

In fact, even the current administration now is releasing recent reports indicating that climate change is real, that global warming is occurring, that it is heavily influenced by man-made objects and that it is something we cannot ignore any longer. – Ron Kind

The answer to global warming is in the abolition of private property and production for human need. A socialist world would place an enormous priority on alternative energy sources. This is what ecologically-minded socialists have been exploring for quite some time now. – Louis Proyect

While human-induced global warming is not going to turn present-day Earth into present-day Mars, global warming is dire enough that our most distinguished scientists recently concluded that as many as 1 million species on the planet could be extinct by 2050 if affairs do not change. – Jay Inslee

It used to be controversial whether smoking caused lung cancer, it used to be controversial whether HIV caused AIDS. Now, there are a few mavericks who deny those things. In the case of climate change, I think the debate is going the same way in that there is a strong consensus that it is a serious matter. – Lord Martin Rees

RJ & Makay Articles
An RJ & Makay Arena of Thoughts
RJ And Makay Tips
RJ & Makay Arena of Thoughts
RJ & Makay News

An RJ & Makay Arena of Thoughts

Tags: An RJ & Makay Arena of Thoughts

What You Need to Know About Environmental Threats

By Mansi Aggarwal

Greek philosophers commenced theorizing about the nature as composed of elements like water, earth, ether etc. This nature or environment has always been a jamboree for the inquisitive souls. This is precisely the reason that man has left no stone unturned to explore it. In talking about nature and environment related issues, the foremost question that comes to my mind is that what is environment? Have you ever pondered over the fact that it is not just the foliage and fauna but also the air you breathe, water you drink, things you touch and perceive and even the food you eat that constitutes your environment! You are encased by environment everywhere and anywhere. This environment has friends as well as foes. In case of opponents, the rational selves inject most of these. For instance factories produce and introduce many toxic compounds in the environment that are hazardous for the entire mankind. This article will shed light on some of the significant environmental enemies that envelope us all round the clock.

1. The harmful pollutants like carbon monoxide, lead, sulphur dioxide etc constantly pollute the air around us. Carbon monoxide is a poisonous compound, excess inhaling of which can be unexpectedly detrimental. Studies have revealed that CO enters into our bloodstream and causes breathing disorders and even cardiac arrest.

2. Lead is another fatal element that attacks the nervous system and is largely responsible for causing evils like anemia and high blood pressure. Lead can be threatening to life. So it is better to keep a check on the release of lead in your surroundings. Reducing the consumption can do this and judicious use of lead based products and like paints, batteries and radiators etc.

Other pollutants too that enter the air and water we consume and destroy the sanctity of environment (like depletion of the ozone layer) are very dreadful. They can result in usual minor problems like common cold to major ones like asthma, bronchitis and conjunctivitis etc.

In order to avert the infection due to these pollutants or germs it is better to built up a strong immune system. Although much of immunity is genetically inherited yet it can be significantly improved by intaking nutritious and balanced diet and exercising regularly.

3. When we talk about pollution, noise pollution is also quite disturbing and annoying. A surge in the noise pollution level due to the escalating traffic, industries and factories leads to hazards like insomnia and lack of concentration.

4. The sun that enlightens the whole world can even be damaging at times. The excess of sun’s heat and ultraviolet rays that creep into the earth’s atmosphere due to the exhaustion of protective ozone layer, cause many dermdisorders amongst individuals. To avoid these perils as much possible, wear sunscreen lotion, sunglasses and covered clothes while moving out in the sun.

5. Apart from the pollutants like smoke and other toxic gasses, the pesticides that are sprayed in the fields and on the crops have an injurious outcome. Through the vegetables and fruits we eat these pesticides composed of poisonous chemicals like DDT, Methanol, carbon monoxide etc. enter our body and harm it. Therefore it is advised to wash the fruits and vegetables thoroughly prior to eating or cooking.

6. The radiations that are released in the atmosphere due to nuclear reactions, nuclear tests, mobile phones, computers and the like are also a source of danger.

7. The enhancement of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has resulted in global warming which has turned out to be a massive threat to life on earth. Planting more trees and plants that enrich the air with oxygen can prevent global warming.

Environmental Threats from Capital Remodeling, Inc.
Threats from Capital Remodeling, Inc.
from Capital Remodeling, Inc.
Capital Remodeling, Inc.

Environmental Threats from Capital Remodeling, Inc.

Tags: Environmental Threats from Capital Remodeling Inc.