Collection 68

Fly camera DJI Inspire 1

2015-09-04T04:10:00.000-07:00

Capture 4K video and take 12-megapixel still photos from the air with the DJI Inspire 1 Quadcopter with Integrated Camera and 3-Axis Gimbal. Forgoing the fixed landing gear design found on many earlier quadcopters, the Inspire 1 features a retractable arm system whereby the underside of each prop motor has a foot to act as a landing pod when the arms are lowered. In-flight, the arms lift up to provide the camera an unobstructed 360-degree view. A 3-axis gimbal keeps shots steady and the camera pointed the same direction as the quadcopter banks and turns. The camera records internally to microSDHC/SDXC memory cards (16GB inlcuded) and can also beam a live 720p feed to a mobile device running the DJI Lightbridge app or a monitor or FPV glasses with an HDMI input. One transmitter (radio controller) is included and a second can be added so that one operator can pilot and another can pan and tilt the camera.

As with many other multi-rotor systems, the Inspire 1 relies on a GPS-based stabilization system that - thanks to spatial awareness - is able to hold a position even when experiencing wind interference, can compensate for overzealous pilot inputs to help avoid stalling, automatically brings the aircraft home in the event of signal loss or at the press of a button, and makes possible a number of semi-automated flight modes that can be enabled through the app. There is also an "indoor" mode which relies on Optical Flow technology - essentially a special camera - provide stability indoors or in other contexts where GPS is unavailable (Note: certain features will be unavailable in indoor mode).

This bundle includes the Inspire 1 along with gimbal and camera, a transmitter, a flight battery, a battery charger, and a tablet holder that mounts on the transmitter. To store and transport the aircraft, a case with fitted cut-outs is included. It holds the Inspire with rotors detached, one or two transmitters, props, spare flight batteries, and more.

What Ready-to-Fly Means: This Inspire 1 bundle comes ready-to-fly (RTF). This means a pre-bound transmitter (radio controller) is included and that no major assembly is required - in particular, no assembly that requires soldering. It is important - as with any multi-rotor - to follow the user guide to ensure proper calibration before embarking on your first flight

Integrated 4K Camera

4K and HD Video Capture: The Inspire 1 Camera shoots 4K video at 24p and 30p, and can shoot HD video frame rates from 24p to 60p. It features a 1/2.3" CMOS sensor with a 94-degree field of view (FOV) lens. This field of view works out to about 20mm in 35mm equivalent, which gives you a wide but not extremely wide or fisheye framing - while not as immersive as a fisheye, this FOV features less distortion and gives the subject more emphasis

3-Axis Gimbal: The camera is mounted via an integrated 3-axis gimbal which uses brushless servo motors to keep the shot stable and the horizon level. The camera pans a full 360-degrees so that no matter which way the quadcopter turns, the camera can remain locked on the subject. Manual panning and tilting can be affected using controls on the transmitter

Live HD View: A real-time feed from the Inspire 1 Camera can be displayed in 720p HD on a mobile device or HDMI monitor, making this it a great choice for FPV (first-person view) flying as well as enabling videographers and photographers to monitor framing from the ground. This is made possible by the inclusion of the DJI Lightbridge system within the flight electronics, which features a range of up to 1.2 miles

For connecting an FPV monitor or glasses there is an HDMI port on the transmitter. Plus there is a USB port to keep you mobile device's battery topped up. And included mount allows you to attach a smartphone or tablet directly to the transmitter

Modular Gimbal and Camera: Inspire 1's gimbal and camera can be removed from the aircraft for safe transport and future upgrades

Airframe Design

Retractable Carbon Fiber Arms: The prop arms rest in a lowered position when the Inspire is on the ground, acting as landing gear. Once in the air, they can be retracted to give the camera unobstructed views across 360-degrees. Carbon fiber is used in the construction because of its high strength to weight ratio

Aerodynamic Design: Not only does it give the Inspire 1 a sleek look, the aerodynamic airframe helps reduce resistance for better performance and increased battery life

Flight Control System

Fly Indoors and Without GPS: DJI's Optical Flow technology uses a specially designed camera as well as sonic waves to provide the same stability function indoors as GPS does outdoors. This technology allows the Inspire to hold its location, stop when the controls are released, and quickly respond to pilot commands even when GPS is unavailable

App-Based Control Software: Everything from manual camera controls to flight telemetry - even auto takeoff and landing - can be accessed via the Inspire 1 Mobile app. It is also possible to create autopilot courses using waypoints, just as you would on the DJI iPad Ground Station System

Note: The tablet must be connected to the transmitter via USB, and to use the waypoint map an Internet connection is required

Manual Mode: Change all of your camera settings, including ISO, White Balance, Exposure, and more on the fly ensuring every shot looks exactly the way you want

Live Map and Radar: See precisely where your Inspire 1 is at all times on the live map. The map can be enlarged when needed, and shows your most recent flight path

Dynamic Home Point: When GPS signal is available on the transmitter (remote control), the Home Point automatically refreshes. This becomes useful while traveling in a car or on a boat allowing the return-to-home point to move where the operator goes. Multiple configurations are available via the Dynamic Home Point function

Auto-Takeoff and Landing: Takeoff and landing are available with just a tap. Tap once to takeoff and your Inspire 1 will hover and transform, ready to start filming. Then tap again to make it transform into landing mode and auto land

Transmitter Customization: Put yourself in charge by tailoring the Inspire 1's controls to your personal needs. This way, your Inspire 1 moves and responds in ways you're most comfortable with

Transmitter (Radio Controller)

Take control of your Inspire 1 in the air with a dedicated transmitter (radio controller) designed specifically for it. Operating on 2.4 GHz, it features dedicated buttons for photo and video capture, a gimbal control dial, and more. It includes an integrated 6000mAh rechargeable battery

Use Two Transmitters: For an even greater level of precision, use a second transmitter and fly with a friend. With two people controlling the same quadcopter, one person pilots the flight path while the other aims the gimbal and camera. Each user can have their own screen to see exactly what is being shot in real-time

Smart Battery System

Smart Power Management: The flight battery constantly supplies the flight computer with remaining voltage. Using special algorithms the computer supplies the pilot with estimates of remaining flying distance and time to return home

Automated Charging: The battery tracks the voltage of each cell, the total number of charges and discharges, and the overall health and battery status

Camera Stable Gimbal DJI Ronin

2015-09-04T04:03:00.002-07:00

The DJI Ronin Handheld Gimbal System has been developed for the cinematographer with pro-grade build quality keeping up with the demands of everyday use and aerial film making in professional environments. Just hold it in your hands and you’ll achieve smooth and stable footage with the highest levels of precision. Even when mounted to an aircraft in high-speed flight, precise control can be achieved with the highest level of stability. Along with our attention to detail, custom built super fast processors, sensors, and algorithms offer an extreme precision of control angle within the range of ±0.02°. This puts world class leading technology into your hands offering the highest standards when it comes to picture or video stabilization.

KEY FEATURES

3-AXIS STABILIZED GIMBAL SYSTEM
SUPPORTS A MULTITUDE OF CAMERAS & LENSES (FROM MICRO FOUR-THIRDS TO RED EPIC SIZED)
SIMPLE 5 MINUTE SETUP & BALANCE
BUILT-IN TOOL-LESS BALANCE ADJUSTMENT SYSTEM
BUILT-IN RECEIVER & REMOTE CONTROL AVAILABLE
MOBILE BLUETOOTH ASSISTANT SOFTWARE
BASED ON DJI ZENMUSE TECHNOLOGY
GIMBAL TUNING STAND
FIRMWARE UPGRADABLE

IMPRESSIVE CONTROL EXPERIENCE

SMOOTHTRACKTM CONTROL
SmoothTrackTM gives the single gimbal operator the ability to translate their tilt and pan movements of the gimbal into smooth and stabilized movements of the camera’s angle. Framing of broad wide-angle scenes or even close quarters becomes much easier during single gimbal operator use.

AUTO CONFIGURATION
After balancing the camera with a simple tap of the ATS (Auto Tune Stability) button, Ronin will be automatically tuned for your camera rig. The gimbal will intelligently adjust parameters based off the camera rigs weight and independently adjust each individual axis until an optimal setting is found.

UPRIGHT OPERATION MODE
Upright Mode allows the gimbal to be flipped over and operate the camera closer to eye level without straining to lift the gimbal. This can be used in various situations such mounting on the top of the vehicle. There are no limitations.

SUSPENDED OPERATION MODE
Standard gimbal operation is in Suspended Operation Mode. Low slung, close to the ground or simply holding the gimbal in front of you offers completely smooth and stabilized footage. This mode would also be used when mounted to a flying platform such as a multirotor.

2ND OPERATOR CONTROLLER
A 2nd operator transmitter is also included with the package. This allows for pan and tilt control as well user assignable speeds and operation modes with 2 custom toggle switches on the transmitter.

OPTIONAL JOYSTICK PAN/TILT
Single thumb control is available for the Ronin Handheld Gimbal System. Pan and Tilt movements can be controlled via the optional joystick attachment. SmoothTrackTM mode can be turned on or off via the optional joystick interface.

POWERFUL HARDWARE SUPPORT

Support for DJI Lightbridge Full HD Video Downlink
Quick Release Smart Battery System with 4-Hour+ Run Time
Quick Release Top Handle Bar for Easy Break-Down & Mounting to Various Platforms
Dual 15mm Rods for Follow-Focus or Matte Boxes
Precision High Power, High Torque Brushless Motors
Top Bar Accessory Mounts

Korean Sexy Legs Girls Photos Framed

2013-10-11T10:01:00.004-07:00

Korean Sexy Legs Girls wearing shorts Photos Framed

Winning Forex on News Releases

2013-07-20T10:02:00.001-07:00

One of the most interesting trading strategies that forex traders commonly employ is trading on economic news releases. Specifically, closely watched economic news items such as the United States' Non-Farm Payrolls and, Gross Domestic Product numbers tend to result in significant reactions in the forex market, especially if they differ substantially from the market's prior expectations. Learn more about how the GDP and the Non-Farm Payrolls data influences the forex market.

News and economic data are the main drivers of market developments, but in a little different way than many traders think. While many novice traders expect important economic events and news releases to be reflected on the price immediately, complain about the irrationality of the market when that doesn’t occur and protest that trading the news is not possible, in fact it is possible, and extremely lucrative in the long term, if one is willing to wait for the payback to arrive. In this article we will take a look at various data types, and attempt to classify them according to a few basic criteria. We will also try to explain how news releases determine market prices in the long term, especially those of greater value and impact on the market. Finally, we will say a couple of words on short term news trading, and the different data releases that are important.

In the US most major news releases occur between 8:30 am and 10 am New York time, and consequently trading is also most active and volatile in this period. Option expiries, and market openings take place during this period also, when traders are busy at their desks absorbing and evaluating overnight data, attempting to place all the developments in a general context for usage later in the day. Since volatility is so high in this period, the profit/loss potential is also the highest. It is obvious that proper risk controls and money management techniques will play a major role in our trading method, if we want to avoid being caught in false breakouts and whipsaws.

The markets’ reaction to any type of data is unpredictable. This is not only the case when the news release is in line with analyst expectations, as published by news channels and financial news providers, but also when the release surprised significantly. Sometimes it’s not even possible to predict how volatile the markets reaction will be to the news release. Sometimes the market will move within a range of fifty or more pips in response to data released. Sometimes a 100-pip movements in the span of one or two minutes will be reversed and completely negated by the price action during the rest of the day. Conversely, while news releases are usually the most volatile periods of a typical trading day, a very unusual release may be welcomed with relative calm if the market decides to do so. What is the cause of all this great unpredictability?

During a news release a number of speculators will react immediately, hoping to gain a quick profit and exit. These will create a very brief ballooning of spreads and volume in the immediate term, but also will distort the underlying technical picture greatly. As these initial buyers or sellers exit, momentum traders will attempt to join in and fuel a more sustainable short-term trend with their actions. Depending on the time and liquidity in the market, they may well be successful, but sometimes they too are checked by previously unknown order layers that check the advance of the price. When these absorb the momentum traders, and short term speculative entrants, the initial reaction of the price may be reversed or negated also.

But while this is so, we do not imply that it is not possible to trade the news in the forex market. All that must be born in mind by the trader is that he’s engaging in a game of probability; he must be very well aware that there doesn’t exist a news release that will ensure that the market will move in this or that fashion. Stop loss orders must not be very tight, and leverage must be kept quite low, so that the order we enter can survive more than a few seconds of the initial shock reaction by short-term actors.

The two major problems of trading the news arise out of the difficulty in gaining timely information, and evaluating that in a fast enough manner to facilitate quick entry into a trade. Hence, it is clear that the trader must have a very good idea of what he expects from the news release. Will he only open a position if the data shock the market? What is the threshold value for the data, above or below which a trade is justified? How long will the position be held? Which technical levels constitute the take-profit, or stop-loss orders for the trade? All these must be discussed and determined even before a trade order is entered. News releases must not be periods when the trader will be hesitating and vacillating between the various paths he can take. Instead, he must act like a machine, with almost automated movements, so that he can be immune to the emotional pressures created by the irrational short-term behavior of the market.

The last issue with trading news releases is born of the unreliable nature of the first versions. In fact, studies have shown that the BLS (the Bureau of Labor Statistics), for instance, consistently underestimates job losses in a recession, and underestimates job gains at the beginning of the boom. Nor does the experienced trader have any trouble in acknowledging this fact: revisions which reverse the meaning and character of the initial release are not at all exceptional in the markets. The short-term trader is not much bothered by this fact, but it has great significance for decisions on the long-term positioning.

There are three ways of trading the news.

1. Straddling Both Sides of the Market

Some traders position themselves on both sides of the market before a significant release using a hedged position.

They wait for the number to come out and then proceed to trade out of the position. For example, they might take a loss on one side during a post number correction, after having hopefully taken a larger profit on the winning side of the trade.

This straddle or hedge strategy consists of going both long and short in the same currency pair before the release of the economic number. Action is not taken until after the number is released.

Once the number comes out, the trader must decide how to "leg" out of the two legged position. Generally this involves taking both a profit and a loss.

If the number was favorable, often the trader will first take profits on the trade first. This enables the trader to allow the other unprofitable leg of the position to decrease the loss on the position as the market corrects after it made an initially often exaggerated reaction to the number.

If the number released was unfavorable, the same basic follow up strategy can be taken as the market falls by closing the winning short position first, and then trading out of the losing long side of the hedged position.

A variation on this technique involves placing a stop loss immediately on the losing position and waiting for the stop loss to be hit. Once the stop loss has been filled, the winning side of the position can be held for additional profits or liquidated immediately.

2. Long term

Several academic studies have established that the impact of some news announcements have their immediate impact spread over a period of weeks and months, instead of the single day in which the markets are thought to discount them. Non-farm payrolls, and to a greater extent, the interest rate decisions of the federal reserve are good examples for this kind of news flow. While the markets react violently and unpredictably in the short term, the mechanisms set up by low interest rates, and full employment (or conversely, high unemployment) have consequences that are relevant to many sectors of the economy, and trading them on a long term basis is certainly possible. The trader who uses this strategy will build up his positions slowly, and will attach greater value to low frequency releases (such as GDP reports), and will wait until the overall picture offers clarity, before he makes his trade decisions.

3. Short term

To trade news on a short term basis, the trader must have a clear criterion on what kind of news will justify a trade. Many news traders seek at least a 50 percent surprise in the data to consider the release tradeable. The novice trader, in turn, can use the initial period of his trading career for perfecting his money management skills. Trading the news on a short term basis can be easy and lucrative if the trader is disciplined enough to cut losses, and accumulate profits, but panic and mood swings, and undisciplined methodology will quickly erase all the gains through shocks and volatility.

These are the various types of indicators which have the potential to cause the greatest short term movements in the markets.

Consumer Price Index (CPI)

While very important, the severity of market reaction to CPI releases partly depends on the health of the general economy. In a booming economy, a string of uncomfortably high CPI values will force the central bank to raise rates in order to subdue growth. In a contracting economy, a high CPI value may prevent the central bank from realizing counter-cyclical interest rate reductions. Since central bank rates are so important for determining the tone of economic activity in the long term, markets pay great attention to the value of this indicator. On the short term, of course, these considerations have no relationship to the motives of speculators, but they do present the justification for violent short term price spikes for momentum traders and short-term speculators, if the data surprises in either direction.

Fed decisions

Depending on the nature of the decision, and how surprised by it the market is, the price swings can be very large and the immediate reaction meaningless with respect to the long term direction of the trend. Fed decisions are one of the most anticipated events in the market, and their macroeconomic significance certainly justifies this attitude. The Fed meetings typically last for about two days, beginning on Monday and concluding on Tuesday. Then the decision is released to the public at around 9 pm New York time.

Fed rate decisions can cause large movements if the rate change is different from what was expected by market consensus. In the absence of such a surprise, traders will concentrate on the tone of the statement accompanying the interest rate decision. Depending on how dovish or hawkish the statement is, the markets will readjust their future interest rate expectations, and on that basis they will reprice currency pairs. The repricing period can be quite long, and it’s unwise to expect this process to be completed in the course of a few weeks.

European central banks and the US Federal Reserve usually release their rate decisions during the first week of each month. As most of the important data are released during this first week from around the world, traders are exceptionally nervous and excited, amplifying volume greatly, but also increasing volatility, as the large amount of short term speculative money opens and closes very short-term positions. In fact, some traders turn the typical movements of this period into a trading strategy.

Another key news item that can prompt significant forex market volatility is central bank intervention that is usually announced over major news wires. In this case, a country's central bank will sometimes need to adjust their currency and will enter the forex market to either support or bring down the value of its currency.

Non-farm payrolls

Sometimes called the mother of all data, on a typical month the time of this release coincides with the most volatile market action. Non-farm payrolls measure the payroll change of the non-farming private and public sectors. Since economic cycles, consumption, and consequently interest rates all depend on the employment situation of the US economy, the non-farm payrolls release is the most closely watched of all indicators.

For the most part, most experienced traders will avoid trading the immediate aftermath of this release, due to the somewhat nutty price action that follows it. If you’ll forgive the expression. On the other hand, if the trader is satisfied that the data release strongly suggests price movement in a direction, he will use the short term fluctuations that occur as a trading opportunity by entering orders that contradict the market’s short term direction.

While this data is so crucial to a nation like the US with a large domestic economy that is less dependent on trade and commerce, its equivalent is not as important for nations like Japan where the dynamics of the domestic markets is closely correlated to the situation of the global economy.

The non-farm payrolls data is typically released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics on the first Friday of each month.

Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI)

The PMI provide a very quick and accurate snapshot of the status of the various sectors of the economy. They do not create as much volatility as the other major releases (such as the non-farm payrolls data, or Fed decisions), but as a result they are also more tradable and safer as entry points. Needless to say, a very extreme value can create massive price shocks in either direction, but the real use of this data is for the guidance it provides for predicting the much more important data that is released towards the end of the week. We can trade these releases both on a trend following, or contrarian basis, depending on what our analysis is telling us about market positioning and the fundamental picture.

Other Major Economic Data Releases Most Often Traded Upon

Gross Domestic Product or GDP - regardless of the currency, this number makes up one of the most important numbers traders use to trade on.
Employment Numbers - the level of employment in a country can indicate the overall strength in their respective economy, and numbers like the U.S. Non Farm Payrolls and the Unemployment Rate can move the market substantially.
Trade Balance - Along with the current account data, the trade balance for a country can significantly impact the valuation of its currency.

Some words on insider information and availability of information

The unregulated and global nature of the forex market tends to make trading on insider information very unlikely compared to how trading is conducted in the stock markets. Basically, insider trading in the truest sense of the word does not really exist in the forex market, and even retail traders can compete on a fairly level playing ground when it comes to the availability of forex market information.

In general, the level of information required to trade forex usually comes from relatively open government sources for fundamental analysts or from the price action itself for technical forex traders. As a result, it tends to be readily available to just about anyone in the world in the modern information age. The primary exception to the general open availability of information in the forex market tends to be market flow information. This includes the execution of large trades and substantial orders in the forex market to which only the parties involved in the major transaction tend to be privy.

Conclusion

There are many more releases, and the trader can study each of them for creating his own strategy. The key point is protecting ourselves from emotional extremes, and making sure that we only open positions when we are really satisfied with the data release, and are confident that the scenario offers a reasonable profit potential.

If you take my advices and win, just remember me. Thanks

30 Golden Rules to win trades in Forex and Stock Market

2013-07-18T10:40:00.000-07:00

The truth about Forex is that it can be an intense and stressful undertaking that requires a strong control of your emotions. Forex is not a "get rich quickly" scheme. Learning to trade Forex takes patience – it will take you time before you master the basics. Those who lack discipline or make decisions that are not carefully thought through will quickly find themselves in a negative investment position. Those who do not adhere to sound investment principles or who allow emotion to govern their thinking will quickly find themselves losing a grip on their investments. However, those who follow sound investment principles will reap the benefits of one of the world's most liquid and influential markets.

A 100% return on investment within a couple of days wouldn't surprise anyone, and in fact 1000% wouldn't surprise an experienced trader. Because of this, Forex has become one of the most sought after and talked about investment opportunities. As in any industry, Forex has its own nature and golden rules. Learn Forex, understand the keys to success, and make your investment decisions wisely. This short book will introduce you to the 10 golden rules of Forex trading that every person entering this exciting market should follow in order to become successful.

1. The market is always changing and it may be hard to understand and keep up with these changes unless you invest in a good Forex trading education.

2. There are many beginners who make trades in any direction. While there is a possibility to make profits both on the upside and downside of a trade, trading in the direction of the trend will give you the best chances for success.

3. Make a demo account, and use it to learn and understand Forex trading. While using a demo account you will be able to test your trading strategies and mentally prepare yourself for real trading. However, keep in mind that you should be realistic and treat your demo funds as real money; otherwise, there is no way you can learn from demo trades.

4. While there are a lot of companies who make money by selling software which aims at predicting future trends, the reality is that if this software really worked, these companies would not be giving the secret away.

5. Trading is stressful work, and there will be a lot of setbacks on your way to the peak. Emotional trading may force you to open a trade too early and eventually lead to a loss due to a wrong entry point. Control your emotions by staying cool and calm, and focus on your long-term goals.

6. Just because the Forex market is online twenty-four hours a day does not mean that you have to trade all that time. If you are doubtful, do not trade at all. Instead, analyze the market and use the knowledge you get to make more profitable trades in the future.

7. Because trading is always full of emotions, you must have a trading strategy which includes a set of rules you stick to. This will help protect you from yourself.

8. Avoid trading strategies which are too complex to understand and which use a lot of different techniques. They can distort your judgment and you will miss a lot of good trading opportunities.

9. Leverage - Forex trading has large potential rewards, but also involves large potential risks. As a novice, don’t risk more than 1–2% of your margin account on any given trade. Over the long run, this will give you a chance to make a profit while reducing the probability of taking a loss.

10. Develop a habit of reviewing and analyzing your good and bad trades. Then you will have a much better sense of what will work best in your future trades.

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11. Forget the news, remember the chart. You're not smart enough to know how news will affect price. The chart already knows the news is coming.

12. Buy the first pullback from a new high. Sell the first pullback from a new low. There's always a crowd that missed the first boat.

13. Buy at support, sell at resistance. Everyone sees the same thing and they're all just waiting to jump in the pool.

14. Short rallies not selloffs. When markets drop, shorts finally turn a profit and get ready to cover.

15. Don't buy up into a major moving average or sell down into one. See #3.

16. Don't chase momentum if you can't find the exit. Assume the market will reverse the minute you get in. If it's a long way to the door, you're in big trouble.

17. Exhaustion gaps get filled. Breakaway and continuation gaps don't. The old traders' wisdom is a lie. Trade in the direction of gap support whenever you can.

18. Trends test the point of last support/resistance. Enter here even if it hurts.

19. Trade with the TICK not against it. Don't be a hero. Go with the money flow.

20. If you have to look, it isn't there. Forget your college degree and trust your instincts.

21. Sell the second high, buy the second low. After sharp pullbacks, the first test of any high or low always runs into resistance. Look for the break on the third or fourth try.

22. The trend is your friend in the last hour. As volume cranks up at 3:00pm don't expect anyone to change the channel.

23. Avoid the open. They see YOU coming sucker.

24. 1-2-3-Drop-Up. Look for downtrends to reverse after a top, two lower highs and a double bottom.

25. Bulls live above the 200 day, bears live below. Sellers eat up rallies below this key moving average line and buyers to come to the rescue above it.

26. Price has memory. What did price do the last time it hit a certain level? Chances are it will do it again.

27. Big volume kills moves. Climax blow-offs take both buyers and sellers out of the market and lead to sideways action.

28. Trends never turn on a dime. Reversals build slowly. The first sharp dip always finds buyers and the first sharp rise always finds sellers.

29. Bottoms take longer to form than tops. Fear acts more quickly than greed and causes stocks to drop from their own weight.

30. Beat the crowd in and out the door. You have to take their money before they take yours, period.

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Trading Forex, the international currencies market, can be risky. But there are some rules that will help you reduce your risk and increase your chances of trading profitably.

Use a Stoploss

Using a stoploss properly can at least prevent a trade from wiping out your trading capital. But it can also lock in your profits, if you manually trail the stoploss. A common and effective way of doing this for long trades is to move the stoploss just under the most recent swing low. For short trades, move your stoploss just above the most recent swing high.

Use Minimal Leverage

Leverage is the financial device that lets $10 of your trading capital control, for example, $1,000. The more leverage you use, the more you stand to gain---or lose---on any given trade. Since tiny gains won't kill your trading career, whereas huge losses will, it makes sense to use the minimal amount of leverage. Increase your leverage only when you're consistently, confidently profitable. And when that occurs, use only the leverage you need to reach your goals.

Risk No More than 2 Percent on Each Trade

When you risk two percent of your trading capital on each trade, you're giving yourself a chance to make a profit while reducing your chances of financial ruin. Even a string of losses would likely still leave you capital to trade with. See http://www.investopedia.com/university/forex-rules/rule3.asp for some sample calculations to convince yourself of the 2 percent rule.

See the Bigger Picture

Though you might prefer trading on smaller timeframes like the one-minute chart, draw the major support and resistance lines from higher timeframes. These lines greatly impact price action on lower timeframes. At minimum, draw lines for daily and four-hour swing peaks and valleys and Fibonacci levels.

Don't Chase after Price

Price may momentarily shoot up only to tag a resistance line before resuming its long dive---and blowing up the long trade you rashly entered. Let price come to the zones that your pre-trade analysis has suggested will give you the best chance of profit.

Trade with the Trend

There are successful traders who trade against the trend, but they know their strategies like they know their own names and can read price action like a book. If your skill level is anything less than that, you're stacking the odds against yourself when you buck the trend.

Use Fibonacci Levels

Price may look like it's reversing when it's only retracing--a natural, normal and common aspect of price action. But you won't know that unless you use your trading platform's Fibonacci tool.

Seek Confluence and Confirmation for Each Signal

The axiom "there's strength in numbers" holds true in trading. A support level is much more likely to hold when it overlaps or nearly overlaps other support levels. Draw a variety of support and resistance lines to see these overlapping levels. Use Fibonacci, trend lines and prior swing peaks and valleys, for starters.

Take Losses in Stride

Successful traders know that losses are a natural part of trading. Rather than mourning your losses, learn from them.

Review All Trades Regularly

When you make a habit of harvesting the good and the bad from each trade, you'll have a much better sense of what will work and what won't in future trades.

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Indicator Signals for MT4

Vnnews88@gmail.com

Forex News Calendar Indicator

Vnnews88@gmail.com

How to win trades with most common chart patterns in Stock Market and Forex

2013-07-11T08:54:00.000-07:00

There are two different categories of classic chart patterns: Bullish trend reversal and the Bearish trend reversal chart patterns.

Classic is a name used to identify a collection of formations that typically have a longer-time horizon (greater than 13 trading days) and that have noticeable price swings such that the price swings shape characteristic patterns. The names of classic formations usually indicate the shape of the formation such as the Wedge, Cup and Handle, Head and Shoulders Top, Descending Triangle and so on.

Chart trading patterns are commonly habitual price patterns that are common to all markets. Stock charts are used to ascertain a continuance, a reversal, or a consolidation of a trend. Most chart patterns have a more bullish or bearish prejudice. Other patterns require a breakout confirmation before the direction of the trend can be established.

Trading with technical analysis requires correctly identifying chart patterns. Technical analysis is the study of price history to determine future trading opportunities. Price history in the form of a price chart is the visual representation of where prices have been, where buyers and sellers lurk, and often times the trading psychology at work in the market. If human emotion drives buying and selling behavior, then chart patterns can help to determine where such emotions may next surface. Chart patterns are the depiction of trading psychology in motion.

Cup and Handle Pattern

The cup and handle pattern is a well-known chart pattern, which is a continuation setup for higher prices.

Cup and handle patterns are found within uptrends, and are named for their appearance which resembles a cup and handle. This pattern is the result of a resting period in the stock, with the round cup shape followed by narrow price action which forms the appearance of the handle. The technical buy point is as the stock clears the handle area to the upside, ideally on volume expansion.

Bull Flag – Bull Flag Pattern

The bull flag pattern is found within an uptrend in a stock. This pattern is named for the resemblance of a flag on a pole. The bull flag is a continuation pattern which only slightly retraces the advance preceding it. The technical buy point is when price penetrates the upper trend line of the flag area, ideally on volume expansion.

Bear Flag – Bear Flag Pattern

The bear flag pattern is found in a downtrend stock. This pattern is named for the resemblance of an inverted flag on a pole. The bear flag is a continuation pattern which only slightly retraces the decline preceding it. The technical sell point is when price penetrates the lower trend line of the flag area, ideally on volume expansion.

Bull Pennant – Bull Pennant Pattern

The bull pennant pattern is found within an uptrend in a stock. This pattern is named for the resemblance of a pennant on a pole. The bull pennant is a continuation pattern with narrowing price action following a strong advance. The technical buy point is when price penetrates the upper trend line of the pennant area, ideally on volume expansion.

Bear Pennant – Bear Pennant Pattern

The bear pennant pattern is found within a downtrend stock. This pattern is named for the resemblance of an inverted pennant on a pole. The bear pennant is a continuation pattern with narrowing price action following a constant decline. The technical sell point is when price penetrates the lower trend line of the pennant area, ideally on volume expansion.

Symmetrical Triangle – Symmetrical Triangle Pattern

Symmetrical triangles are usually continuation patterns with converging trend lines. The technical buy point from a symmetrical triangle is the upside break, while a downside break is a technical sell signal. Ideally, a stock breaks out from a symmetrical triangle prior to reaching the apex of the triangle with volume expansion.

Ascending Triangle – Ascending Triangle Pattern

Ascending triangle patterns are bullish and often form within uptrends in stocks as continuation patterns. The ascending triangle pattern resembles a narrowing triangle with a horizontal line of overhead resistance for the stock and an ascending trend line or rising trend line beneath the stock. The overhead resistance temporarily prevents the stock from advancing higher, while the rising trend line beneath the stock signals that buyers are still present. An upside penetration of the upper horizontal trend line is a technical buy signal for a stock breaking out from an ascending triangle pattern.

Descending Triangle – Descending Triangle Pattern

Descending triangle patterns are bearish and often form within downtrends in stocks as continuation patterns. The descending triangle pattern resembles a narrowing triangle with a horizontal line of support beneath the stock and a descending trend line or downtrend line above the stock. The horizontal trend line serves as support which temporarily prevents the stock from declining, while the descending trend line above the stock signals that sellers are still present. A downside penetration of the horizontal trend line is a technical sell signal for a stock breaking down from a descending triangle pattern, and indicates distribution will follow.

Descending Channel – Descending Channel Pattern

Descending channel patterns are short-term bearish in that a stock moves lower within a descending channel, but they often form within longer-term uptrends as continuation patterns. The descending channel pattern is often followed by higher prices, but only after an upside penetration of the upper trend line. The stock will continue channeling downward until it is able to break either the upper or lower trend line. An upside break is bullish, while a downside break is bearish.

Ascending Channel – Rising Channel

Ascending channel patterns or rising channels are short-term bullish in that a stock moves higher within an ascending channel, but these patterns often form within longer-term downtrends as continuation patterns. The ascending channel pattern is often followed by lower prices, but only after a downside penetration of the lower trend line. The stock will continue channeling upward until it is able to break either the upper or lower trend line. An upside break is bullish, while a downside break is bearish.

Double Top – Double Top Pattern

A double top is a reversal pattern which occurs following an extended uptrend. This bearish pattern is named for the pair of peaks which form when price is unable to achieve a new high. The sell or short sell signal is when price breaks below the reaction low which formed between the two peaks.

Double Bottom – Double Bottom Pattern

A double bottom is a reversal pattern which occurs following an extended downtrend. This bullish pattern is named for the pair of lows which form when price is unable to achieve a new low. The buy signal is when price breaks above the reaction high which formed between the two lows.

Head and Shoulders Top

A head and shoulders top is a reversal pattern which occurs following an extended uptrend. This bearish pattern is named for the three highs which form a left shoulder, head, and right shoulder. The sell or short sell signal is when price breaks below the neckline which forms along the reaction lows.

Head and Shoulders Bottom

A head and shoulders bottom is a reversal pattern which occurs following an extended downtrend. This bullish pattern is named for the three lows which resemble an inverted head and shoulders pattern. The buy signal is when price breaks above the neckline.

Falling Wedge – Falling Wedge Pattern

Falling wedge patterns can be found in both uptrends and downtrends, but taking notice of the prevailing trend will help you determine whether the falling wedge signals a continuation pattern or a reversal pattern. In both cases, falling wedge patterns are generally resolved to the upside.

Rising Wedge – Rising Wedge Pattern

Rising wedge patterns are bearish and are found at the ends of uptrends as well as during downtrends. In either case, a downside break from a rising wedge pattern is a technical sell signal or short sell signal. The rising wedge pattern is a reliable short sell indication.

Triple Top – Triple Top Pattern

A triple top is a reversal pattern composed of three failed attempts at making new highs in the same area, followed by a subsequent downside break of support. This pattern is rare, but a very reliable sell signal.

Triple Bottom – Triple Bottom Pattern

A triple bottom is a reversal pattern with bullish implications composed of three failed attempts at making new lows in the same area, followed by a price move up through resistance. This pattern is rare, but a very reliable buy signal.

If you take my advices and win your trades, just remember me. Thanks

How to win any investments in Stock Market

2013-07-10T00:06:00.001-07:00

How to win any investments in Stock Market

If you are new to investing, you might have the idea that a rational person can buy stock in some promising companies, for the long term, and be happy with their investment. Nope.

When you purchase stock, the word "stress" takes on a whole new meaning. Someone who thinks nothing of blowing $100 on dinner or buying a $35,000 car, can have his whole day ruined when he reads the morning paper or listens to the radio and finds that his best stock dropped $2 a share yesterday.

The investor always reads the business section of the paper first, turning to the stock tables to see how his life is doing. Or he checks them out using his computer. This sets his mood for the day. If his stocks are up, everything is beautiful and off to work he goes with a big smile. He says proudly "I picked that stock!"

But if his stocks are down, we've got Mr. Grumpy for the rest of the day. He's telling himself:

"I shouldn't have bought that one" or "I should have sold it when it was up - taken my profit" or "why did I listen to my broker/friend/barber/that taxi driver" or "XYZ is up $4.00 today. I should have bought it. I knew it!" Then he turns on the radio and hears that the Dow is down 80 points. He shouts "darn". I have a theory that this is the chief cause of road rage.

Here are a few more real-life quotes from stock market investors:

"I shouldn't have sold that one. I knew I should have bought some more when it was cheap. Look at what it's up to now. I should have hung on to it. I knew it was going back up. I knew it!"

"It went up just because I didn't buy it" or "just because I sold it."

"If I sell it, it'll go up. If I buy it, it'll go down. It's like the market's watching me."

"I'd grab the remote, flip on CNBC and watch the ticker roll across the bottom of the TV screen, woooeee! I could watch it for hours."

Most investors become addicted to the market. It becomes an obsession. It's all they want to talk about and pursue.

And so far, we've just been describing the casual investor. Pity the poor "day trader" whose computer screen is flashing new stock prices every second. He tries to time his buying and selling to take advantage of small price moves throughout the day. A United States Senate investigation committee found that 3 out of 4 day traders lose all their money.

Since the day trader usually buys too soon and sells too late, he watches his $100,000 nest-egg dwindle to nothing as the broker takes his commission every time the trader buys or sells something. Day traders buy Maalox by the case.

I guess stock market traders fail to understand this simple principle: when you jump in and buy a stock, it will do only one of two things

The price will go up
The price will go down (it never stays exactly the same)

And you have absolutely no control over, or reasonable way to predict, which way the price will go!

Are you thinking "After reading the last page, I don't think stocks are for me. Aren't there any easy, sure-fire investments?"

Sure. Most of us are familiar with the traditional EE savings bonds, but the new iBONDS, first offered in 1998, are a whole lot better. All earnings grow tax-deferred. You never earn less than a guaranteed base rate, currently 2%. Now paying 4.4% a year, iBONDS are adjusted periodically for the rise and fall of inflation. I will repeat, if inflation goes up, your interest rate goes up too!

But you're not reading this book to learn about boring savings bonds. I really hope that you are a little more adventurous and have a bit more risk tolerance than the typical savings bond investor.

Mutual funds should be your core investments. Properly chosen, they can be safe and a sure thing. But before we explore mutual funds, we'll continue with stock market trading. But I give you fair warning, If You Already Have Enough Stress In Your Life, Your Investment Solution Is Mutual Funds, not individual stocks.

When you begin buying and selling stock, you may find yourself on the greed-fear roller coaster, greed when things are going well, and fear when the market is tumbling. Hope and despair are also part of this cycle. It causes your judgment to become clouded as your emotions take over.

How to Invest Smart

If you can't rely on your own research, or if you don’t have time to do the research, you might as well make your investment decisions based on tips from that smart guy at work. No, no, I'm just kidding. Tips are for restaurants.

Important Rules to Follow When Buying a Stock

These suggestions are presented with the assumption that you intend to remain a casual investor. I strongly recommend mastering the art of technical analysis (reading charts, analyzing price and volume moves) if you intend to become more serious about the timing of your purchases.

With this said, you should still be able to buy good stocks if you follow these rules:

Don't ever buy a stock without first examining its financial health. You are going to learn how to do this.
Don't ever buy a stock without first learning about its business and who its competition is. You want to focus on the leaders in an industry.
Buy when market indexes are in an up-trend. Don't try to bottom-guess, wait until the stock or the market has clearly turned around, with several days of price increases on larger than usual volume.
Buy the top companies of industries or market sectors with many stocks hitting new highs.
Buy companies with new products or services that are expanding (profitably), especially young companies.
Determine if large or small-cap stocks are favored in the current market.
Pick companies with high management ownership. With their personal stake, there will be a tendency to make moves that will stimulate investor's interest.
Quarterly earnings should be up at least 25% in each of the past three quarters.
Earnings should be up at least 25% in each of the last three years, or at least 40% for the past two years. If it is a young company, sales should be up over 50% for each of the past four quarters.
If sales are not increasing by at least 10% in each of the past three quarters over the same quarters in the prior year, pass on it.
Always average up with your winners – let your winners run.
Never average down – get out of the stock if it goes against you. Buying more because it’s cheaper and a “bargain” is one of the biggest temptations, and very hard to resist. But dollar-cost-averaging individual stocks that are falling in price, is a really bad strategy.

What about the famous "buy and hold" strategy championed by Warren Buffet (probably the best stock market investor ever) and Peter Lynch (maybe the best mutual fund manager ever). It's hard to argue with success, but there really are times to sell if you want to limit your losses and protect your profits.

Analyzing Financial Statements

A company’s financial statements tell you what a company has (its assets), what it owes (its liabilities), its sales (revenue), and how much it made in the accounting period being reported (its profit or net earnings).

What are some things to look for?

The Income Statement

Many believe that the number one figure to look at is the company’s sales. If sales aren’t going up, you need to find out why.

If sales are rising buy profit isn’t going up proportionately, look out. The company may be slashing prices out of desperation.

If a company’s earnings are going up faster than sales, it might be due to creative accounting. Now really look out.

The ratio of price-per-share to sales-per-share for the S&P 500 is currently about 1.7 times sales. Some experts believe that if this ratio falls below .5 for a profitable company, then the stock is a bargain, others say under 1.0 or under 1.2. Take your pick.

But growing companies with fat profit margins can consistently trade at over 10 times sales. Yahoo, in 1999, traded at 1,200 times sales, and it had never yet made a profit!

Take a look at net income to total capital from the balance sheet, called return on capital or ROC. This is a good gauge of earnings stability.

Operating cash flow is generally considered to be profits before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (such as writing off leased assets) and is called EBITDA.

The Golden Piggy Bank Page 104 You want this number to be at least 20% greater than the net income figure. In 2000, the top 100 gaining stocks had a cash flow number over 60% greater than net income.

Statement of Cash Flow

Now required by the SEC, this tells investors about the increases and decreases in assets and liabilities, which have a direct effect on cash in the bank.

You can get a feel for where the income came from, and where it went. Not all earnings come from a company’s everyday sales. This statement will show activities such as investments or sales of fixed assets such as a plant. Negative cash flow is bad.

The Balance Sheet

Debt is the money that a company owes for long-term financing, either from traditional lenders or from the sale of corporate bonds.

Compare debt to total capital (equity). Too much debt is risky, since a slowdown in sales could threaten a company’s ability to pay its obligations.

Many experts say that over 50% is too much. But you must look further to see what the debt has been used for. If the money was used for earnings-producing plant and equipment – good. If it was used for corporate perks, such as the millions to WorldCom’s CEO for such things as a lavish $15 million penthouse – bad.

There are dozens of ratios, such as the “current ratio” (current assets to current liabilities) that bankers use to evaluate the financial health of a company. I am intentionally skipping these because experience has taught me that they are mostly a waste of time.

When comparing the sales of a retailer or restaurant chain, be sure to use “same-store” comparisons, ones that have been open at least a year. Dividing the company’s earnings by the number of stores will give you an idea of the profitability of each unit.

The Golden Rule of Investing

If there is a golden rule of investing, it should be the discipline to cut your losses when a stock drops 7-10%. The usual protest to this idea is "what if the stock goes right back up, as I know it's going to do? I've lost 10% of my money for no good reason."

Let's take a logical look at this argument. If a company's stock price drops 8%, it can then do three things. It can go right back up (but then why did it take a big drop in the first place? Hmmm), stay right where it is, or most likely drop even further. Sorry, but dropping to even a lower price is what’s most likely to happen.

For example, you buy a stock at $25.00, it drops to $23 where you sell and take a $2 loss. Over several weeks or months, you watch it drop down and hold at a "support level" of $17 to $19. The price begins to move up so you buy back in at $20. A month later it is back to $25.00.

If you had simply held on to the shares, you are now back to a break-even point. But by getting out early then buying back in as it began to come back, you made $5, minus the $2 loss, for a gain of $3 per share. Not only that, you protected your investment from greater loses if the stock continued falling and not regaining its old price level. This happens all the time!

I know so many investors that have stocks in their portfolios of good companies, and the stock seemed fairly priced and had great potential when they purchased it. They bought IBM at $125, then watched it drop to $65.00. They bought AT&T at $60, then watched it drop to $9.00. They bought Enron at $70.00, then watched it drop to $0.00.

And what were they saying while the stock was tanking? “This is a good, solid company. The price will go right back up. I can’t sell it now, at a loss!” Then they would say something like “I’m going to hang on to it until I just get even.” Do you want stocks in your portfolio that the best that you are hoping for, is to break even?

I know this sounds silly that a person would hold on to losers, but believe me, most people do. Don't let yourself become trapped by a stock that's costing you money. The only good stock is one that's making money for you.

It is also likely that if most of your stocks are dropping in price (assuming you have selected them based on their growth and solid earnings performance), then the whole market may be in a downturn. The Nasdaq lost 75% of its value from March 8, 2000 to July 20, 2002. The S&P 500, from January 1973 to September 1974, lost 43%.

A smart investor, rather than trying to beat a bear market, will keep his cash on the side, ready to jump in when the next bull market takes off. That is the time to shop for bargains in discounted, solid companies.

So I’ll repeat this golden rule of investing: cut your losses when a stock drops 7-10%. All big losses start out as small ones.

Investing should not be ”buy, hold, and keep your fingers crossed”. Invest the right way and you won’t have to worry about your investments. You want to sleep at night.

Important Selling Rules

Sell if your stock drops 8-10% from the price you paid. I can't repeat this often enough. If the price begins dropping on high volume, don't wait for an 8% haircut - sell it now.
Continually re-evaluate to see if the same reasons are still there for owning the stock. If it isn't one that you would buy today at today's price, sell it.
If the stock creeps up for several days on very light volume and there are other sell signals, this is a good time to sell it.

If after months of advancing, the stock suddenly jumps way up on heavy volume, maybe 25% or more in just a week or two, it will probably pull back significantly. This is called a climax top. When it makes its biggest one-day rise, sell.
When a stock suddenly jumps up on weak volume, sell.
If a stock closes at the bottom of its day's trading range on high volume, consider selling half your shares.
If a stock drops below its 50 day moving average on heavy volume, or closes down on record volume, sell.
If there are 3 days with the market dropping on heavy trading, reduce your positions. This may be signaling the start of a bear market, or a baby bear.
If the Put/Call Premium Ratio (found in the Wall Street Journal and IBD) rises to over 2.0, begin reducing your positions. A big market drop is on the way within a few months.
Don't ever sell and take a profit if your leading stock runs up 20% or more in only 2 or 3 weeks. Most market leaders last a year or more
On any bad news about a company whose stock you own, sell. Wait until the air clears and the stock begins rising again before repurchasing.
When you review your portfolio of stocks, the laggards will clearly stand out. Sell them and buy more of your winners. As many wise investors have found, it’s a good practice to weed your garden regularly.

It is hard to sell a stock at a loss when we believe that we are skillful investors. But are we really that skillful? We can and should control basic investment things like minimizing taxes, keeping trading costs down, and maintaining the quality of our investments.

But no matter how much effort we put into beating the market, we’ll probably be disappointed. We figure that if we spend enough time hunting for hot stocks and searching for the superstar mutual funds, we will spot them.

This is an illusion. We can only control our investment results in a basic way. The rest, for better or worse, is just good or bad luck.

Sometimes you can't invest in a company because they are owned by someone else, such as Entenmann's and 7up, both owned by Philip Morris (renamed Altria Group) or Taco Bell, KFC, and Pizza Hut, owned by Tricon.

The company may also be a privately owned corporation such as Levi Strauss, Domino's Pizza, Kinko's, or Hallmark Cards.

The major cycles of the stock market include:

The four-year presidential cycle in the USA.

Annual seasonality, in the USA and other countries.

"The Halloween indicator" (or "Sell in May and Go Away")

The "January effect"

The lunar cycle

The 17.6 Year Stock Market Cycle

The Halloween indicator is a variant of the stock market adage, "sell in May and go away," the belief that the period from November to April inclusive has significantly stronger growth on average than the other months. In such strategies, stocks are sold at the start of May and the proceeds held in cash (e.g. a money market fund); stocks are bought again in the autumn, typically around Halloween.

The four-year U.S. presidential cycle is attributed to politics and its impact on America's economic policies and market sentiment. Either or both of these factors could be the cause for the stock market's statistically improved performance during most of the third and fourth years of a president's four-year term.

The business cycle is the upward and downward movements of levels of GDP (gross domestic product) and refers to the period of expansions and contractions in the level of economic activities (business fluctuations) around its long-term growth trend.

If you take my advices and win your trade, just remember me. Thanks

How to Get Rich, How to Become Wealthy

2013-07-07T09:47:00.000-07:00

How to Get Rich, How to Become Wealthy

It seems that everyone wants to become rich. Many books have been written on this subject, classes have been taught, and rich people have given advice on how to become rich. However, most, if not all schemes to gain wealth don't work. Here are some more dependable ways to become wealthy. To become overwhelmingly wealthy you must start very early in life.

Getting Rich Through Saving Money

Pay yourself first. This means before you go and blow your pay check on a new pair of shoes or a golf club you don't need, put money aside in to an account that you don't touch. Do this every time you get paid and watch your account grow.

Make a budget. Create a monthly budget that covers all your basic expenses and leaves a little bit of "fun" money aside. Do not go over this.

Downgrade on your car and house. Could you make do with an apartment instead of a house, or have roommates instead of your own place? Could you buy a used car instead of a new one and use it more sparingly? These are all ways to save a ton of money every month.

Cut expenses. Look at the ways you frivolously spend money and remove everything. For example, avoid going to Starbucks every morning. That $4 you spend on designer coffee every morning comes out to $20 per week, or $1,040 over the course of a year!

Getting Rich Through a Career

Excel academically. Whether it's a four year college or vocational training, most successful people pursue further education beyond high school. In the early stages of a career, your employers have little to go off besides your educational background. Pursue an appropriate degree.

Choose the right profession. Look at research survey salaries which indicate average annual incomes for specific professions. Your odds of getting rich are way less if your pursue a career in teaching than a career in finance.

Choose the right location. Go where the good jobs are. If you want to pursue finance, for example, there are far greater opportunities in big cities than in rural, low-populated areas.

Get an entry-level job and work your way up. Play the numbers game. Apply to many places and conduct many interviews. When you get your job, stick with it to get the experience you need to advance.

Change jobs and employer. By changing your environment, you can increase your pay, experience different corporate cultures and reduce risk. Don't be afraid to do this many times. If you're a valued employee, it's also likely your current company may offer you a raise or other benefits if they know you're looking at leaving.

Getting Rich Through Investing

Invest your money in education. Go to universities and obtain degrees that are considered in your chosen profession. You sometimes have to spend money to make money. For example, if you're interested in business and obtain an MBA, the money you spent on that will likely earn itself back in a few years.

Put money in the stock market. Invest money in stocks, bonds, or other vehicles of investment that will give you an annual return on investment (ROI) that's enough to maintain you in your retirement. For instance, if you have one million dollars invested and you get a reliable 7% ROI, that's $70,000 per year!

Invest in real estate. Relatively stable assets like rental properties or potential development land in steadily growing areas is a good example. These are purchases whose value will likely increase over time. Your odds of that happening are better in some spots than other. For example, some people think that an apartment in Manhattan is almost guaranteed to increase over a five-year period.

Invest your time. For example, you might like having free time, so you give yourself a few hours a day to do nothing. But if you were to invest those few hours into getting rich, you could work towards having 20 years of free time (24 hours a day!) with early retirement. What can you give up now in exchange for being rich later?

Avoid purchases whose value is guaranteed to decline. Spending $50,000 on a car is usually considered a waste because it's a guarantee that it won't be worth that much in 5 years, regardless of how much work you put into it.

Stay rich. It's hard to get rich, but it's even harder to stay rich. Your wealth is always going to be affected by the market, and the market has its ups and downs. If you get too comfortable when times are good, you'll quickly drop back to square one when the market hits a slump. If you get a promotion or a raise, or if your ROI goes up a percentage point, don't spend the extra. Save it for when business is slow and your ROI goes down two percentage points.

Tips

• If money is burning a hole in your pocket for something specific (a new car, for instance, when your current model works fine), force yourself to wait a month before buying. Ask a family member or very trusted friend to hold your money for you if it's that much of a temptation. Spend time considering the real cost of what you want to buy, the pros and cons, how much it will set you back in your aspirations versus the immediate satisfaction,and how that money might be put to better use.

• Be wise with your money. If you don't NEED it, don't get it. Make good careful choices. The choices we make dictates the future we lead.

• Live at home if you're a teen or young adult save save save!!!

• Keep your personal expenses as low as possible and re-invest in your company until you are financially independent. This means wait until you can float your home and business for 6 months without any money coming in the door without a loan.

• Pay off all your highest interest bills first and then focus payments on the next highest interest bill until you are completely out of debt. If you are going to take out any new loan, then make sure that it is for something that will produce income.

• Keep your credit record clean because most companies require capital infusions to grow. You won't be able to get a line of credit if your credit score is low.

• Search deep within yourself and find what is your passion. What do you enjoy doing? Turn that hobby into success. Photography, painting, writing, giving advice can become works of arts. Only you can make money from what's already within You.

• Always make a profit out of any opportunity. Sell items you don't use anymore, even the smallest.

• Every night before you go to bed, empty all of your spare change (coins in particular) into a jar. This takes time but after about one year, you may have at least $150 saved up in coins.

• Every time you get money save a fourth of it. Have your bank hold your money until you make a certain amount.

• Get a good job and work hard at it. Even if you are a minimum wage worker, you never know when your manager is looking, they might promote you!

• Buy only what you need not what you want.

• Define what rich is to you. In other words, what do you envision when you think about being rich? This can be different for everyone. For many people, the idea of getting rich is tied to prestige and getting respect. It's about maintaining a luxurious standard of living. For others, it's a matter of planning for Retirement. Some people want to get rich so that they never have to work another day in their lives. In this case, the standard of life one wishes to maintain once retired is critical to understanding how much money is needed to get rich.

• Surround yourself with self-made millionaires. Learn from them. It's been said that "like attracts like". Get all the information you can about how rich people started making big money and what they are doing now.

• Don't just focus of that one good paycheck that's making you rich. Having multiple incomes coming in secures your financial status better than just one.

• Invest only in shares that will go up in price, never ones that will go down. When they have gone up 10 times, sell them and use the money to buy more cheap ones. If you can do this well over a few years you will soon be relaxing on a beach somewhere, sipping cocktails and counting your money.

• If you find yourself wanting something big to gratify you immediately, divert yourself with a small indulgence rather than giving in to the large one. Walk away from the designer suit or purse, but buy an ice cream cone or catch a movie instead. The $8 movie ticket is a lot less expensive than the $800 purse, but gives you the same feeling of doing something "just for you."

• Do clothes shopping in the fall or spring.That way you can set a limit for how much money to spend.But you can occasionally pick up a shirt or shoes that are cute.

• Write every thing you do in your job & do every thing you write.

• Downgrade apartments and car to a lower grade . Put the money for investment and buy back the previous grade apartment you sold .

• A quick way to get rich is to date and marry a millionaire. To get rich, nothing can be easier than marrying a rich millionaire.

Warnings

• "Get rich quick" schemes are invariably scams. Avoid them. There is no such thing as free money unless you inherit it and even then, you must handle it wisely or you will lose that as well. The best way to get rich quickly is having a plan and being able to implement it successfully, if possible with a well-experienced team interested in helping you.

• If you want to become a millionaire, the best way is to really work hard so you feel like you've really earned it.

• Another "get quick schemes, they promise a lot, but in reality there are only few members who can achieve that goals.

How to Make a Woman to Fall in Love with You

2013-07-07T00:12:00.000-07:00

How to Make a Woman to Fall in Love with You

If you genuinely love and care about a woman, and want to be sure the feelings are reciprocated, you can try to get a woman to fall in love with you using the following steps. Although these are generalizations, and personalizing your actions according to your girlfriend's or crush's tastes is always the best bet, these hints should help give you some ideas to begin winning her heart.

Part One: Starting Off

1. Make her notice you. Do something that will make her take notice of you. Many women want a man who is strong but compassionate, who leads but listens, who is confident without being cocky. Remember this as you begin to get yourself noticed.

Do something that shows you care about other people. Volunteer at your local food bank, give blood, bail a friend out of a sticky situation, organize a charity auction. Show her that there's more to you than meets the eye. She'll be impressed that you give back and curious about what else you have to offer.

Excel at something you're good at, preferably in her company. What do you do well? It could be anything from tennis, rock climbing, or football, to humor, math, or debate. Whatever it is, stand out for excellence in that area. Calm confidence, not cockiness, will get you noticed in the right way.

Put yourself out there. Remember: fortune favors the brave. If you're stuck in your room constantly, you're probably not using your time in the best way. And if you don't fail at least some of the time, you might never see results.

2. Take your time. These things take time. Don't expect to win her heart in a matter of days. Slow but steady wins the race. Set realistic expectations so that you're not disappointed if she doesn't fall for you immediately.

If she gives you her number, perfect, but don't beg for it. Call her when you get her number, but not too much. Some days, give her a chance to call you! Girls generally like guys who at least give the appearance of having lots of options.

3. Form a game-plan. No, it doesn't need to be written down, and it doesn't need to involve little x's and o's on a whiteboard. Be strategic about what you do and you'll give yourself a better chance of winning a girl's heart. Be amateurish and you'll likely lower your chances.

If you're in love with one girl, it's OK to focus on winning her heart. When love hits us, it's like a ton of bricks, and we often feel helpless. That's natural.
If, however, you want to find love in general, try socializing with several different women. You'll increase your chances of finding someone you genuinely bond with, and rejection from one won't seem so bad if you have the possibility of another waiting in the wings. There are several other benefits to this strategy:

Women, like men, are also competitive when it comes to love. Maybe not the same way, but they are. If it looks like you're a hot commodity, women will be clamoring for you not just because they like you, but because they want to best other women.

You'll have a better idea of what you want. We often don't know what we want until we see it. Put yourself out there and chances are you'll find a woman you naturally gel with, instead of forcing it with someone you thought you knew.

Socializing with several women is not the same as being a player. If you want to find love, date around, but only romantically involve yourself with one woman at a time. Don't go into a relationship hoping to exploit or manipulate.

4. Make the effort to get to know her. Really find out who she is, what she stands for, where she's coming from. She will appreciate your interest in what makes her tick.

People love talking about themselves. This is just the way things are. Don't forget to engage in conversation and give her information about yourself, but get her engaged in something she likes talking about and you'll find it's a lot easier going.

One way to do this is to ask great questions. Ask about her passions ("What do you love to do?"), her inspirations ("What makes you tick?"), and her goals ("What do you want to achieve?"), for example.

5. Look your best. Whereas you may not care that much what you look like, women definitely do. It's not so much the clothes and the hygiene that's important; it's the message you send the rest of the world — that you take care of yourself, that you know your style, and that you're confident.

Part Two: Hinting At Love

1. Compliment her every once in a while. Remember though, guys, that a little goes a long way when it comes to compliments. You want to compliment her just enough so that she knows you like her more than a friend, but not so much that she thinks you're desperate or fishing for compliments in return.

Compliment her skills and abilities first and foremost. She was born with her looks, but she worked for her smarts and her talents. Compliment her when her wonderful personality shines through.

If you want to compliment her looks, stay away from complimenting her more feminine areas. Instead, stick to complimenting the following items:

Eyes. Ex: "Your eyes are lovely. Do your parents also have blue eyes?"

Hair. Ex: "Did you get a haircut? Short hair looks so good on you."
Smile. Ex: "You have such an infectious smile! Every time you smile I can't help smiling myself."
Clothes. Ex: "That's a pretty dress; did you make it yourself?"
General style. Ex: "Your style is so unique. You really march to the beat of your own drum."

Work a few really awesome compliments into your conversation, and you'll at least have her attention:

"It's so easy talking to you. I feel like I could talk to you all day long." Women want to be interesting as well as pretty.
"I like the way you think." If she's not the sharpest tool in the shed (and she knows it), telling her she's smart could backfire. This compliment says basically the same thing without the baggage.
"It took a lot of courage for you to speak up like that." Women are very principled, and want men to notice their bravery, even if it's a different brand.

2. Gain her trust. You don't necessarily have to be her best friend, but show her why she deserves to trust you. Be there when she needs you. If she asks you to keep a secret, keep it. If you say you'll do something, follow through.

Don't get into it just for sex. This will make you an untrustworthy guy in her book. Don't pressure her into doing things that she's not comfortable doing — it'll drive her further away.
Impress her family if you can. Her family probably means a lot to her, and she wants her family's approval. Impress her family and you gain her trust. Dress nice, have manners, and be respectful of her parents' wishes.

3. Get her a small gift that she would like. Give her a token of your feelings. Maybe she would like some flowers or a pretty bookmark. If you don't know what she would like, try and figure it out. Here are some meanings women might attribute to various objects--

Ring — Commitment. You want your bond to last as long as the ring does.
Hand-Drawn Portrait — Inspiration. She is your inspiration; she makes you feel creative.
Stuffed toy — Puppy Love. You'd love an excuse to get to cuddle with her.
Flowers — Beauty. You think she's pretty and you want the whole world to know.

4. Start flirting. Find a way to gently start flirting with her. It's going to be hard at first, because you really, really like her, but it will get a lot easier as you begin to establish routines and get to know her better.

Break the touch barrier. Touching her gently in safe, non-threatening places is key here. Avoid touching her on the thighs, stomach, breasts, and neck. Instead, when you talk to her, occasionally:

Touch the back of her hand. You're making a point and you want to reinforce it with some physical contact.
Touch the top of her arm. You know her a little better and you're giving her some encouragement.

Touch her back. You're playfully teasing her or making her feel better.

Smile and maintain good eye contact. A girl can tell a lot about how interested you are just by looking at your eyes. Likewise, a smile is just as important. Smile so that you project happiness, and have good eye contact so that you project confidence.

Develop inside jokes or learn to playfully tease. Inside jokes are a great way to flirt and bond at the same time. They are conspiratorial, meaning that you both feel you are in on something together, and it's just you. Make an inside joke out of pretty much anything that you two experience together.

When you playfully tease, make sure she knows you're teasing. Wink at her to communicate your sarcasm, or tell her that you're joking. Preferably, tease her about something she does really well so that she won't have to guess whether you're being serious or not.

5. Be mysterious but still available. Women love guys who have a little bit of mystery tied up in their persona. It doesn't take much to develop — don't share every detail, don't brag about the things you do, get other people to like (and vouch for) you — but it's hard to do correctly. At the same time, make yourself available to her. There's nothing worse than putting in all that hard work only to leave her hanging because you can no longer be found.

Part Three: Making the Final Push

1. Meet and impress her friends. Women often want their friends to approve of their romantic interests, both as a natural vetting process and a way to show off how lucky they are. Getting the approval of her friends is therefore key. Don't skip this step!

Stay easygoing, interested, and kind. If her friends gently tease or joke about you, take it like a man and chuckle. When the situation presents itself, ask her friends questions about their lives and be genuinely interested in them. Do nice things for her friends, such as setting them up with a guy friend or boosting their self-esteem.

Don't be overly nice or flirtatious. You're here to impress her friends in the same way you impressed her family. Don't give her the idea that you possibly like one of her friends more than you like her.

2. Ask her on a date. Once you're ready to make the final push, you need to ask her out on a date. A date will be the perfect opportunity for you two to learn more about each other, and perhaps to even steal a kiss.

When you ask her, keep it casual. Just ask, "Hey, I have a couple tickets to [a movie that just came out], are you free on Friday night?" You don't have to call it a date for it to be a date. If she asks, however, be confident and tell her it's a date.

Do something that's exciting. An exciting date — such as a haunted house, a theme park with rollercoasters, or a sports event — helps release a powerful hormone (called oxytocin) that's responsible for feelings of bonding and togetherness.

If it's the right moment, go in for a kiss. If you feel like she's a little hesitant, it's best to keep the kiss for the second or third date. Keep the kiss short and sweet, and whatever you do, don't try to shove your tongue down her throat.

3. Move at her pace. If she's ready to be thrown into a whirlwind romance, then by all means, roll with it. Chances are, however, that she'll want to take the relationship slower than you will. This is mostly a test of how patient you are for her and with her.

Don't push her into anything she's uncomfortable with. It sounds funny to say, but you'll be a lot more successful listening to her wishes and not forcing anything.

4. Recover from your mistakes. In a relationship and dating, you're going to make mistakes. It's how you recover from your mistakes that defines you, and gives the woman a chance to truly love you.

Don't be afraid to say sorry or admit fault. When you make a mistake, man up and say "Hey, I'm sorry; I shouldn't have said that. Don't let me get away with that next time." Contrary to popular belief, it is manly to admit being wrong, because it takes a lot of guts.

It's generally a good idea to let her win the argument, especially if she's really invested. Don't back down if you really believe it, and don't let her constantly push you around, but try to find a way to resolve the argument with her feeling good about it. You'll be happy you did!

5. Be the person you want to be. Ultimately, you have to show her who you are in your soul, at your very deepest, to give her the chance to love you. If you pretend to be someone else, she's only going to love a caricature of you. So don't be afraid to let down your barriers, get a little vulnerable, and show her who you really are. Chances are she'll love you for it.

Tips

Drop the three day calling rule. Don't leave her waiting!! Girls hate that, it leaves them confused.
Make the time to see her often. Even if she lives far away, use things like technology to your advantage. Be ready to put in the extra work.
Surprises don't always have to cost something.
Never talk negatively about her friends, even if she might be. Just be an ear when she needs one.
Don't mock something she believes in. Believe in her, assure her that whatever it is she wants to do, and be by her side 100%.
If you do love her, decide on the right time to tell her. Ask her in little way (Without revealing your true intention) on how she feels about people confessing their love for her. If she says sometimes she wishes someone would say that to her, by all means go for it. But if she says that if someone said those words (I love you) to her, it would feel weird, awkward almost, you probably have to wait a little.

Warnings

Try not to get into arguments about silly things. Of course it's the fire that keeps the relationship alive, but have too many arguments and she'll feel like it's not worth it if every second you're going to argue about something minor. On the other hand, don't appear weak to her. Stand strong, but still uphold that fact that you have strong feelings for her.

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How to Get a Girl to Fall in Love with You

If you want a girl out there to fall in love with you, chances are that you'll have to go that extra step to win her over. That's okay, though, because you're probably willing to do anything it takes. Follow the suggestions in this article to get a girl to fall in love with you. Love is an art, not a science, so try to think of these steps as fluid guidelines.

1. Show her your lovable qualities. People don't just decide with whom they want to fall in love. Love happens because the people involved have lovable qualities. Love often develops over time, so your job is to show the girl that you're worth being around.

Get a sense of humor. It's no secret that girls love guys who can crack a joke or be funny. Practice jokes on your friends every so often, and learn the jokes that work and the ones that don't work. When you're alone with a girl, telling a joke can be a great way to break the tension. Remember: if you're not good at jokes, you can still have a good sense of humor––you just have to love laughing and being around people who are funny.

Be playful. One of the most important things girls look for in a partner is playfulness. So you want to be playful because she probably thinks that playfulness is attractive. How can you be playful? Make a boring routine, like studying, interesting by turning it into a song, for example. Don't take things too seriously. And most importantly, be able to laugh at yourself.

Have confidence. To be genuinely lovable, you have to believe that you are worth being around. Most girls aren't attracted to people who are constantly putting themselves down. So be confident, but not cocky. Know what you are good at. Don't brag about it or show off, but put these things into your routine and don't be afraid to let them shine every once in a while.

2. Eliminate all expectations. Love lives in the absence of pressure. Letting go of your expectations will help you to relax, which will make you more appealing to a girl than if you are uptight and worried.

Teach yourself to expect nothing from the girl so that you cannot be disappointed. If she does fall in love with you, you'll be pleasantly surprised.
Remember that there are plenty of fish in the sea. If this particular girl doesn't work out, there will be other girls. If you don't get that special girl to fall in love with you, try not to get mopey and sad about it. It may feel good to pity yourself, but girls don't really think it's attractive.

3. Find out what she likes to do. Then do it with her. Doing something that you know she likes has the added advantages that she feels comfortable and safe doing it. If she's comfortable when you're out on a date, she's more likely get close to you, hold your hand, or even kiss you.

Whether she likes surfing, horseback riding, shopping, or baking, it's a good idea to try to involve her in what she likes doing best. Ask her friend what she enjoys doing in her free time, or ask her yourself if you're feeling brave. (Fortune favors you.) That way, she'll know that you've taken the time to find out what makes her tick, and that you're ready to go that extra mile to make sure she's happy.

Bonding over something she likes doesn't need to be a date, but if you want love to blossom, you're going to have to ask her on a date at some point. When you're ready to take that step, try someplace familiar like the movies, a coffee shop, or a dance. Maybe try taking her to an amusement park or a haunted house; studies suggest that excitement or a sense of danger on a date helps release a chemical in the brain that bonds the two people together.

Be strategic about whether you call it a "date." Generally, if you've already won the girl over, you want to make it clear that you're going on a date. That's because she expects you to take the next step, and she wants to make sure you're both on the same page. But if you haven't won the girl over yet, it's probably best to slow-play the courtship, and win her over as a friend before you move on to the romantic relationship. Sometimes, the girl will resist a romantic relationship if she's not sure about whether you're good friends.

4. Give her space. This doesn't mean playing hard-to-get, but give the girl control over what happens next. Suffocating her and bullying her into a relationship will do the opposite of what you're hoping for. Show her you respect her life outside of you; when you give a girl room to breathe, she will often come to love you on her own terms.

When you give her space, avoid being too distant. Keep calling her regularly and showing her that you're interested. If you're shy, don't give her too much space or she'll think you're not interested. You're going to have to come out of your shell a little bit if you want to get her attention.

If you've just gone on a date with her, and everything has gone really well, tell her you'll call her before the weekend is up if it's Friday. Let her do her own thing on Saturday, and then give her a call on Sunday and tell her you had a really good time and you'd like to do something soon, perhaps next weekend. This would be a great time to ask her out to any parties or dances that are happening.

Giving her space is all about showing her how confident you are. What you're basically saying is "I had a great time with you, and I like you, but I'm not going to come on super strong because I'm not desperate." Girls and guys are both attracted to people who are cool and calm, who don't jump the gun, and who aren't desperate.

5. Open your eyes to the possibilities. Girls are everywhere, and many girls are looking to fall in love. Don't get too hung up on getting one particular girl to fall in love with you, and don't try to "force" love on a girl who just isn't feeling it!

Get to know more girls and give love more opportunities to blossom. Go to school socials and functions. Don't be afraid to go to a different school's social if a friend invites you. You never know when you might meet that special someone who'll knock the wind out of your lungs.

Sometimes, when you stop looking for love, it hits you right in the face. The universe works in weird ways. Especially if you've tried really hard recently, or you think you've just run out of energy, don't be afraid to pull back from the fray. It sounds counter-intuitive, and it's frustrating to do, but it works: when you stop trying, girls tend to find you.

Be adventurous for her. Maybe the girls you know all have boyfriends, or maybe they don't cut it for you. Plenty of guys these days are finding love outside of their immediate circles. If you're old enough, try internet dating. If you're interested in extracurriculars, get involved on a wider basis so that you could potentially travel. When looking for that girl of your dreams, it helps to keep an open mind and try as many different adventures as life throws at you.

Tips

Have good personal hygiene!
Always respect her opinions and feelings.

Be funny and humourous, but not at the expense of another.

Avoid talking negative about yourself. Don't think of yourself as some stupid little guy. Always be yourself!

You may really want someone to fall in love with you, but make sure that you use your head as well as your heart. Love is only the starting point of a healthy relationship. The rest depends on communication, compatibility and commitment.

Be careful not to jump the gun. If you push her into it too quickly, she might get the wrong impression.

Start talking to her, and always be friendly, nice. You should start emailing or texting her. After you've talked for about a week and a half or so, ask her out on a date. But never express your feelings directly. One phrase doesn't change a girls mind about you. You will soon see how she feels. What you must know, is that you are either attracted to someone or not, if she has no feelings towards you she most likely never will. But if she keeps talking to you after you state your feeling, and keeps talking regularly then you've got a good chance. Stick with it.

Tell her you love her while she is still talking about a something serious, and tell her you love the way she thinks of you and everybody else.

How to find the Right Career

2013-07-06T03:22:00.001-07:00

How to find the Right Career

Choosing or Changing Career Paths

Whether you’re just leaving school, finding opportunities limited in your current position or, like many in this economy, facing unemployment, it may be time to consider your career path. Regardless of your reasons, the right career is out there for everyone. By learning how to research options, realize your strengths, and acquire new skills, as well as muster the courage to make a change, you can discover the career that’s right for you.

Finding meaningful work in today’s world

You may have fallen into the trap of thinking the sole point of work is to bring home enough money to live comfortably. While adequate compensation is important in any job, it’s not the whole story. If you are unsatisfied with what you do every day, it takes a toll on your physical and mental health. You may feel burned out and frustrated, anxious, depressed, or unable to enjoy time at home knowing another workday is ahead. What’s more, if you don’t find your work meaningful and rewarding, it’s hard to keep the momentum going to advance in your career. You are more likely to be successful in a career that you feel passionate about.
Whether you’re looking to enter the work force for the first time or contemplating a career change, the first step to choosing a fulfilling career is to uncover the activities that get you excited and bring you joy.

Discovering new possibilities

The first step in considering a career change is to think carefully about what really drives you. You might find it hard to get past thinking about “what pays the most” or “what is most secure,” especially in today’s economy. However, it’s important to first discover your primary interests and passions. This can open doors to careers that you might not have considered. Once you have that foundation, you can start fine tuning your search for the right career. You may be surprised at how you can fit your passions into a new career.

Exploring your career opportunities

Focus on the things you love to do.

What have you dreamed of doing in the past? What do you naturally enjoy doing? Jot down what comes to mind, no matter how improbable it seems.

Look for clues everywhere.

Take note of projects or topics that stir your compassion or excite your imagination. Reflect on stories of people you admire. Ask yourself why certain activities make you happy, and pay attention to times when you are really enjoying yourself.

Be patient.

Remember that your search may take some time and you might have to go down a few different roads before finding the right career path. Time and introspection will help you identify the activities you most enjoy and that bring you true satisfaction.

Overcoming obstacles to career happiness

It’s always challenging to consider a huge change in your life, and there may be many reasons why you think changing careers is not possible. Here are some common obstacles with tips on how to overcome them:

It’s too much work to change careers. Where would I ever begin?

Changing careers does require a substantial time investment. However, remember that it does not happen all at once. If you sit down and map out a rough plan of attack, breaking down larger tasks into smaller ones, it is a lot more manageable than you think. And if the payoff is a happier, more successful career, it’s worth it.

I’m too old to change careers. I need to stay where I am.

If you have worked for a number of years, you may feel that you’ve put too much time and effort into your career to change midstream. Or you may be concerned about retirement and health benefits. However, the more you’ve worked, the more likely you are to have skills that can transfer to a new career. Even if you are close to receiving a pension or other benefits, you can start to plan now for a career transition after retirement.

I don’t have enough skills to consider a new career.

You may be unaware of the skills you have, or low self-esteem may lead you to underestimate your marketability. Either way, you probably have more skills than you think. Consider skills you’ve learned not only from your job but also from hobbies, volunteering, or other life experiences. And gaining skills is not an all-or-nothing proposition. You can volunteer once a week or take a night class to move forward, for example, without quitting your current job.

In this economy, I’m lucky to have a job. I don’t want to rock the boat.

In today’s climate, it might feel like too much of a risk to consider changing careers. However, if you’re unhappy in your current job, doing research on other options will only benefit you in the long run. You may discover a career with a more stable long-term outlook than your current career, for example. And you don’t have to quit your current job until you are confident of your new career path.

What if I’ve already lost my job?

Being unemployed or underemployed can be tremendously stressful. It can increase the pressure of meeting mortgage payments and other financial obligations. You may feel ashamed for not working, or feel the loss of your job has stripped you of your identity, at home and at work. This is especially true if you have been in the same field for a very long time.

However, unemployment also has a bright side. It gives you the chance to reflect on your career path. If you’ve been considering a new field, now is the time to research the options and see what might be the right fit for you. You may end up in a much stronger position than if you had originally kept your job.

Finding the right career tip 1: Identify occupations that match your interests

So how do you translate your interests into a new career? With a little research, you may be surprised at the careers that relate to many of the things you love to do.

Career tests

Different online tools can guide you through the process of self-discovery. Questions, quizzes, and personality assessments can’t tell you what your perfect career would be, but they can help you identify what’s important to you in a career, what you enjoy doing, and where you excel. One example, frequently used by universities and the U.S. government, is the RIASEC/Holland interest scale. It outlines six common personality types, such as investigative, social, or artistic, and enables you to browse sample careers based on the type of personality you most identify with. Find links to this and other online career tests in the Resources section below.

Researching specific careers

If you have narrowed down some specific jobs or careers, you can find a wealth of information online, from description of positions to average salaries and estimated future growth. This will also help you figure out the practical priorities: How stable is the field you are considering? Are you comfortable with the amount of risk? Is the salary range acceptable to you? What about commute distances? Will you have to relocate for training or a new job? Will the new job affect your family?

Get support and information from others

While you can glean a lot of information from research and quizzes, there’s no substitute for information from someone currently working in your chosen career. Talking to someone in the field gives you a real sense of what type of work you will actually be doing and if it meets your expectations. What’s more, you will start to build connections in your new career area, helping you land a job in the future. Does approaching others like this seem intimidating? It doesn’t have to be. Networking and informational interviewing are important skills that can greatly further your career.
You may also consider career counseling or a job coach, especially if you are considering a major career shift. Sometimes impartial advice from others can open up possibilities you hadn’t considered.

Finding the right career tip 2: Evaluate your strengths and skills

Once you have a general idea of your career path, take some time to figure out what skills you have and what skills you need. Remember, you’re not completely starting from scratch—you already have some skills to start. These skills are called transferable skills, and they can be applied to almost any field. Some examples include:

management and leadership experience
communication (both written and oral)
research and program planning
public speaking

conflict resolution and mediation
managing your time effectively
computer literacy
foreign language fluency

Tips for discovering your transferable career skills

Don’t limit yourself to experiences only at work.

When you are thinking about your skills, consider all types of activities including volunteering, hobbies, and life experiences. For example, even if you don’t have formal leadership or program planning experience, founding a book club or organizing a toy drive are ways that you have been putting these skills into practice.

List your accomplishments that might fit in.

Don’t worry about formatting these skills for a resume at this point. You just want to start thinking about what skills you have. It can be a tremendous confidence booster to realize all of the skills you’ve developed.

Brainstorm with trusted friends, colleagues, or mentors.

They may be able to identify transferable skills you’ve overlooked or help you better articulate these skills in the future.

Uncover more transferable skills by taking the online tests listed in the Resources section below.

Finding the right career tip 3: Develop your skills and experience

If your chosen career requires skills or experience you lack, don’t despair. There are many ways to gain needed skills. While learning, you’ll also have an opportunity to find out whether or not you truly enjoy your chosen career and also make connections that could lead to your dream job.

Gaining career skills:

Utilize your current position.

Look for on-the-job training or opportunities to do projects that develop new skills. See if your employer will pay part of your tuition costs.

Identify resources in the community.

Find out about programs in your community. Community colleges or libraries often offer low cost opportunities to strengthen skills such as computers, basic accounting, or how to start a business. Local Chambers of Commerce, Small Business Administrations, or state job development programs are also excellent resources.

Volunteer or work as an intern.

Some career skills can be acquired by volunteering or doing an internship. This has the added benefit of getting you in contact with people in your chosen field.

Take classes.

Some fields require specific education or skills, such as an educational degree or specific training. Don’t automatically rule out more education as impossible. Many fields have accelerated programs if you already have some education, or you may be able to do night classes or part-time schooling so that you can continue to work. Some companies even offer tuition reimbursements if you stay at the company after you finish your education.

Finding right career tip 4: Consider starting your own business

If you’re getting worn down by a long commute or a difficult boss, the thought of working for yourself can be very appealing. And even in a slower economy, it’s still possible to find your perfect niche. Depending on the specialty, some companies prefer to streamline their ranks and work with outside vendors. However, it is especially important to do your homework and understand the realities of business ownership before you jump in.

Make sure you are committed to and passionate about your business idea.

You will be spending many long hours getting started, and it may take a while for your business to pay off.

Research is critical.

Take some time to analyze your area of interest. Are you filling an unmet need? Especially if you are considering an online business, how likely is your area to be outsourced? What is your business plan, and who are your potential investors? Learn more in the Resources section below.

Expect limited or no earnings to start.

Especially in the first few months, you are building your base and may have start-up costs that offset any profit initially. Make sure you have a plan on how to cope during this period.

Final tips for career changers

Pace yourself and don’t take on too much at once.

Career change doesn’t happen overnight, and it is easy to get overwhelmed with all the steps to successfully change careers. However, you will get there with commitment and motivation. Break down large goals into smaller ones, and try to accomplish at least one small thing a day to keep the momentum going.

Don’t rush into a change because of unhappiness in your current job.

If you are stressed and unhappy in your current job, or unemployed, you might be feeling a lot of pressure to make a quick change. However, if you don’t do enough research, you might end up in an even worse position than before, with the added stress of a new position and new learning curve.

Ease slowly into your new career.

Take time to network, volunteer, and even work part-time in your new field before committing fully. It will not only be an easier transition, but you will have time to ensure you are on the right path and make any necessary changes before working full-time in your new field.

Take care of yourself.

You might be feeling so busy with the career transition that you barely have time to sleep or eat. However, managing stress, eating right, and taking time for sleep, exercise, and loved ones will ensure you have the stamina for the big changes ahead.

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The 10 Best Jobs of 2013

#1 Dentist

It was Dr. Seuss who wisely opined that “Teeth are always in style.” Dentists certainly believe as much to be true. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) expects this profession to grow by approximately 21 percent before 2020.
Median Salary: $142,740
Unemployment Rate: 0.7%

#2 Registered Nurse

Study nursing and you could go into care ranging from pediatrics to geriatrics—and it’s this occupation’s expanse that fuels its growth. The BLS predicts 711,900 new nursing jobs before the decade’s close.
Median Salary: $65,690
Unemployment Rate: 2.0%

#3 Pharmacist

Even in a tough job market, the unique mix of medical knowledge and people skills required to run a pharmacy counter remains in demand. The BLS projects 25.3 percent employment growth for this field by 2020.
Median Salary: $113,390
Unemployment Rate: 3.1%

#4 Computer Systems Analyst

These IT project managers must have a firm grasp on how the components within a computer system—hardware, software, and networks—work together. The BLS projects this field will grow 22.1 percent as businesses and organizations rely more on information technology.
Median Salary: $78,770
Unemployment Rate: 2.5%

#5 Physician

These Grand Poobahs of medical healthcare should see a 24 percent employment spike to compensate for the number of baby boomers seeking more medical attention, not to mention all generations’ increased focus on preventative medicine.
Median Salary: $183,170
Unemployment Rate: 0.6%

#6 Database Administrator

The more digitized our society becomes, the more important the role of the database administrator becomes. By 2020, we’ll need approximately 33,900 new DBAs to store, organize, manage, and troubleshoot all of the information we store electronically.
Median Salary: $75,190
Unemployment Rate: 1.3%

#7 Software Developer

Of course, writing code is our No. 7 job’s most identifiable trait, but software developers also test and debug software, and help to maintain it in application. Between 2010 and 2020, there should be 143,800 new positions in this field.
Median Salary: $89,280
Unemployment Rate: 4.0%

#8 Physical Therapist

As a physical therapist, it’s your job to test, measure, and build the coordination, muscle strength, range of motion, and motor function of your patients. Opportunities—about 77,400 new jobs total this decade—are particularly ripe for those interested in working with older patients.
Median Salary: $78,270
Unemployment Rate: 1.8%

#9 Web Developer

The ease with which we navigate information on the Web—a site’s appearance and functionality—is often due to the craftiness of a Web developer. A nearly 22 percent employment swell is anticipated for our No. 9 occupation, with positions available for full-time workers, part-time employees, and those looking to contract their skills.
Median Salary: $77,990
Unemployment Rate: 4.7%

#10 Dental Hygienist

You might find this profession to be a pretty sweet calling. If you’re qualified, you stand a good chance of landing a job since there should be nearly 70,000 new positions in this field by 2020. And you’ll likely earn a comfortable salary while working less than 37 hours per week.
Median Salary: $69,280
Unemployment Rate: 2.8%

Overcome Unemployment Stress

2013-07-05T22:06:00.002-07:00

Overcome Job Loss and Unemployment Stress

Tips for Staying Positive During Your Job Search

It’s normal to feel hurt, vulnerable, or angry after losing a job. The good news is that despite the stress of job loss and unemployment, there are many things you can do to take control of the situation and maintain your spirits. You can get through this tough time by taking care of yourself, reaching out to others, and taking the opportunity to rethink your career goals and rediscover what truly makes you happy.

Losing a job is stressful

Our jobs are much more than just the way we make a living. They influence how we see ourselves, as well as the way others see us. Our jobs give us structure, purpose, and meaning. That’s why job loss and unemployment is one of the most stressful things you can experience.
Beyond the loss of income, losing a job also comes with other major losses, some of which may be even more difficult to face:

Loss of your professional identity
Loss of self-esteem and self-confidence
Loss of your daily routine

Loss of purposeful activity
Loss of your work-based social network
Loss of your sense of security

Grief is normal after losing a job

Grief is a natural response to loss, and that includes the loss of a job. Losing your job takes forces you to make rapid changes. You may feel angry, hurt, panicked, rejected, and scared. What you need to know is that these emotions are normal. You have every right to be upset, so accept your feelings and go easy on yourself.

Also remember that many, if not most, successful people have experienced major failures in their careers. But they’ve turned those failures around by picking themselves up, learning from the experience, and trying again. When bad things happen to you— like experiencing unemployment—you can grow stronger and more resilient in the process of overcoming them.

Coping with job loss and unemployment stress tip 1: Face your feelings

Fear, depression, and anxiety will make it harder to get back on the job market, so it’s important to actively deal with your feelings and find healthy ways to grieve. Acknowledging your feelings and challenging your negative thoughts will help you deal with the loss and move on.

Surviving the emotional roller coaster of unemployment and job loss

Write about your feelings. Express everything you feel about being laid off or unemployed, including things you wish you had said (or hadn’t said) to your former boss. This is especially cathartic if your layoff or termination was handled in an insensitive way.

Accept reality. While it’s important to acknowledge how difficult job loss and unemployment can be, it’s equally important to avoid wallowing. Rather than dwelling on your job loss—how unfair it is; how poorly it was handled; things you could have done to prevent it; how much better life would be if it hadn’t happened—try to accept the situation. The sooner you do, the sooner you can get on with the next phase in your life.

Don’t beat yourself up. It’s easy to start criticizing or blaming yourself when you’ve lost your job and are unemployed. But it’s important to avoid putting yourself down. You’ll need your self-confidence intact as you’re looking for a new job. Challenge every negative thought that goes through your head. If you start to think, “I’m a loser,” write down evidence to the contrary (“I lost my job because of the recession, not because I was bad at my job.”).

Look for the silver lining. Losing a job is easier to accept if you can find the lesson in your loss. What can you learn from the experience? Maybe your job loss and unemployment has given you a chance to reflect on what you want out of life and rethink your career priorities. Maybe it’s made you stronger. If you look, you’re sure to find something of value.

Beware of Pitfalls

Taking refuge in your “cave” may provide temporary comfort, but is little help if your time spent there is not constructive. Surrounding yourself with positive, supportive family and friends may better help your self-esteem.

Venting your anger and frustrations may only make you feel worse if you find yourself in the middle of a “pity party.” There are people who actually enjoy misery and the misfortune of others.

Drinking is at best a temporary relief, and for some people, can lead to a crippling addiction.

Coping with job loss and unemployment stress tip 2: Reach out

Don’t underestimate the importance of other people when you’re faced with job loss and unemployment. Be proactive. Let people know that you lost your job and are looking for work.
Taking action will help you feel more in control of your situation—and you never know what opportunities will arise. Plus, the outpouring of support you receive may pleasantly surprise you. Simple words of sympathy and encouragement can be a huge boost in this difficult time.

Turn to people you trust for support

Share what you’re going through with the people you love and trust. Ask for the support you need. Don’t try to shoulder the stress of job loss and unemployment alone. Your natural reaction may be to withdraw out of embarrassment and shame or to resist asking for help out of pride. But avoid the tendency to isolate. You will only feel worse.

Join or start a job club

Other job seekers can be invaluable sources of encouragement, support, and job leads. You can tap into this resource by joining or starting a job club. Being around other job seekers can be energizing and motivating, and help keep you on track during your job search.
To find a job club in your area, check out:

Your local public library
College and university career centers
Professional networking sites
The classifieds or career section of the newspaper
Resources & References section below for links

Stay connected through networking

The vast majority of job openings are never advertised; they’re filled by word of mouth. That’s why networking is the best way to find a job. Unfortunately, many job seekers are hesitant to take advantage of networking because they’re afraid of being seen as pushy, annoying, or self-serving. But networking isn’t about using other people or aggressively promoting yourself—it’s about building relationships. As you look for a new job, these relationships can provide much-needed feedback, advice, and support.

Networking is much easier than you think

Networking may sound intimidating or difficult—especially when it comes to finding a job or asking for help—but it doesn’t have to be. Networking can be rewarding and fun, even if you’re shy or you feel like you don’t know many people.

Coping with job loss and unemployment stress tip 3: Involve your family

Unemployment affects the whole family, so keep the lines of communication open. Tell your family what’s going on and involve them in major decisions. Keeping your job loss or your unemployment a secret will only make the situation worse. Working together as a family will help you survive and thrive, even in this difficult time.

Keep your family in the loop. Tell them about your job search plans, let them know how you’re spending your time, update them on promising developments, and let them know how they can support you while you’re unemployed.

Listen to their concerns. Your family members are worried about you, as well as their own stability and future. Give them a chance to talk about their concerns and offer suggestions regarding your job loss and unemployment.

Make time for family fun. Set aside regular family fun time where you can enjoy each other's company, let off steam, and forget about your job loss and unemployment troubles. This will help the whole family stay positive.

Helping Children Cope with a Parent’s Unemployment

Children may be deeply affected by a parent's unemployment. It is important for them to know what has happened and how it will affect the family. However, try not to overburden them with the responsibility of too many of the emotional or financial details.

Keep an open dialogue with your children. Letting them know what is really going on is vital. Children have a way of imagining the worst when they write their own "scripts," so the facts can actually be far less devastating than what they envision.

Make sure your children know it's not anybody's fault. Children may not understand about job loss and immediately think that you did something wrong to cause it. Or, they may feel that somehow they are responsible or financially burdensome. They need reassurance in these matters, regardless of their age.

Children need to feel they are helping. They want to help and having them do something like taking a cut in allowance, deferring expensive purchases, or getting an after-school job can make them feel as if they are part of the team.

Coping with job loss and unemployment stress tip 4: Take care of yourself

The stress of job loss and unemployment can take a toll on your health. Now more than ever, it’s important to take care of yourself. That means looking after your emotional and physical needs and making stress management a priority.

Tips for managing unemployment stress:

Maintain balance in your life. Don’t let your job search consume you. Make time for fun, rest, and relaxation—whatever revitalizes you. Your job search will be more effective if you are mentally, emotionally, and physically at your best.

Make time for regular exercise. Exercise can be a great outlet for stress and worry while you’re unemployed and looking for work. It is also a powerful mood and energy booster. Aim for at least 30 minutes of exercise on most days of the week.

Get plenty of sleep. Sleep has a huge influence on your mood and productivity. Make sure you’re getting between 7 to 8 hours of sleep every night. It will help you keep your stress levels under control and maintain your focus throughout your job search..

Practice relaxation techniques. Relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, meditation, and yoga are a powerful antidote to stress. They also boost your feelings of serenity and joy and teach you how to stay calm and collected in challenging situations—including job loss and unemployment.

Staying positive during a long job search

A long job search can wear on your attitude and outlook, especially if you’re unemployed. If it’s taking you longer than anticipated to find work, the following tips can help you stay focused and upbeat.

Keep a regular daily routine. When you no longer have a job to report to every day, you can easily lose motivation. Treat your job search like a regular job, with a daily “start” and “end” time. Following a set schedule will help you be more efficient and productive while you’re unemployed.

Create a job search plan. Avoid getting overwhelmed by breaking big goals into small, manageable steps. Instead of trying to do everything at once, set priorities. If you’re not having luck in your job search, take some time to rethink your goals.

List your positives. Make a list of all the things you like about yourself, including skills, personality traits, accomplishments, and successes. Write down projects you’re proud of, situations where you excelled, and things you’re good at. Revisit this list often to remind yourself of your strengths.

Volunteer. Unemployment can wear on your self-esteem and make you feel useless. Volunteering helps you maintain a sense of value and purpose. And helping others is an instantaneous mood booster. Volunteering can also provide career experience, social support, and networking opportunities.

Focus on the things you can control. You can’t control how quickly a potential employer calls you back or whether or not they decide to hire you. Rather than wasting your precious energy on things that are out of your hands, turn your attention to things you can control during your unemployment, such as writing a great cover letter and resume tailored to the company you want to work for and setting up meetings with your networking contacts.

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Overcome The Stigma Of Unemployment

You've heard the statistics: Managers prefer to hire people who already have jobs. The long-term unemployed face steep odds. Some 5.4 million people have been out of work for more than six months, and after about a year of being out of work, their chances of getting a job drop to 1 in 10 per month.

If employers want candidates who already have jobs, and hardly anyone lands a position after being out of work for six months or more, you may wonder why you should even bother applying for jobs. Despite these grim statistics, you can battle the odds and the stigma of unemployment, even when you've been out of work for six months or more. Remember: If a new job has eluded you for months, it's possible your strategy and materials are holding you back.

Take a close look at the following to improve your chances to land a position:

1. Re-evaluate your pitch.

Most job seekers cannot articulate why someone should hire them in 30 seconds or less. If you cannot confidently tell a friend or associate what you do, why you're good at it and where you'd like to work, it could be preventing your progress. Take the time to plan what to say when someone asks about your job search. When you can articulate your pitch, it makes it easier for people to know how to help you land a job.

2. Examine your resume for errors, and key words.

Do you know that most companies will screen your resume using an applicant tracking system that scans your materials for keyword matches with the job description? If you're applying with an old-fashioned resume and not capturing those words, you have little chance of landing interviews. Similarly, if your resume is a laundry list of things you did without outlining your accomplishments and results, you're missing opportunities to impress hiring managers.

If you are applying for opportunities you are qualified to do and not landing any interviews, do not chalk it up to the tough economy or competitive market. Look carefully at your resume and application materials. Are there errors preventing you from making the cut? Do you make a clear connection between what you offer and what the employer wants? Is the resume about what you used to do, or is it about the reasons you are good for the next job? You have more control of this process than you think; make a point to change your approach and you could change your situation.

3. Avoid appearing desperate.

Maybe you are desperate, but there is no need for anyone else to know it. When everyone you know runs the other way because all you do at social events is ask people if they can help you get a job, desperation is preventing you from accessing possible opportunities.

If you apply for every position with the word "sales" in the title at one organization, including jobs you are overqualified for, hiring managers label you as desperate and unfocused, and move on to the next candidate. During your interview, if you answer the question, "Why are you interested in this job?" with, "I really just need something to pay the bills," even the most empathic hiring manager will cut the interview short.

It's very possible the statistics stacked against long-time job seekers are not the result of the fact that the person has been out of work for six months, but instead due to the natural tendency for these job seekers to start acting too desperate to appeal to hiring managers. Stay confident and focused on the positions you are qualified to earn and you'll have a much better chance to land your target job.

4. Do something new.

Have you really done everything you can to land a new job? Did you know networking contacts account for the vast majority of positions found? How much have you really tried to expand your network and demonstrate your expertise to people who don't already know you? Social media tools, such as LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and Google+ offer tremendous opportunities to get the word out about you and to meet new people who may be willing to refer you to your next opportunity.

If you're uncomfortable meeting new people, start with Facebook and tap into your network of close contacts. Post updates to let your contacts and friends know about your expertise. For example, if you want to work in a retail fashion sales job, start reading magazines online and posting links to the latest fashion trends. Then, once you've established yourself as someone who comments on what to wear via a series of posts, ask your network for help: "I'm looking for a job selling women's clothing. If you know someone who works in any of these stores, I'd love an introduction." (Then, list three or four clothing stores.)

Do not get frustrated or let statistics influence your job search strategy. There are jobs out there, and if you are qualified, engage your network and submit top-notch materials, you have as much of a chance to land the job as anyone else, despite the tough job market.

How to overcome depression

2013-07-05T08:35:00.000-07:00

Overcome depression in Men

Why It’s Hard to Recognize and What Helps

As men, we often believe we have to be strong and in control of our emotions at all times. When we feel hopeless, helpless, or overwhelmed by despair we tend to deny it or cover it up by drinking too much, behaving recklessly, or exploding with anger. But depression in men is a common condition. The first step to recovery is to understand there’s no reason to feel ashamed. Then you can face the challenge head on and start working to feel better.

Understanding depression in men

Depression is not a sign of emotional weakness or failing of masculinity. It is a treatable health condition that affects millions of men of all ages and backgrounds, as well as those who care about them—spouses, partners, friends, and family. It can also lead to heart disease and other serious medical problems. Of course, it’s normal for anyone to feel down from time to time—dips in mood are an ordinary reaction to losses, setbacks, and disappointments in life. However, if intense feelings of despair and hopelessness take hold of you, and interfere with work, family, and your ability to enjoy life, you may be suffering from depression.

Unfortunately, depression in men can often be overlooked as many of us find it difficult to talk about our feelings. Instead, we tend to focus on the physical symptoms that often accompany depression, such as back pain, headaches, difficulty sleeping, or sexual problems. This can result in the underlying depression going untreated, which can have serious consequences. In fact, men suffering from depression are four times more likely to commit suicide than women. It’s important for any man to seek help with depression before feelings of despair become feelings of suicide. You need to talk honestly with a friend, loved one, or doctor about what’s going on in your mind as well as your body. Once correctly diagnosed, there is plenty you can do to successfully treat and manage depression.

Signs and symptoms of depression in men

Men can experience depression in different ways to women. You may develop the standard symptoms of depression and become sad and withdrawn, losing interest in friends and activities you used to enjoy. Or you may become irritable and aggressive, compulsively working, drinking more than normal, and engaging in high risk activities.

Unfortunately, men are far less adept at recognizing their symptoms than women. A man is more likely to deny his feelings, hide them from himself and others, or try to mask them with other behaviors. The three most common signs of depression in men are:

Physical pain. Sometimes depression in men shows up as physical symptoms—such as backache, frequent headaches, sleep problems, sexual dysfunction, or digestive disorders—that don’t respond to normal treatment.

Anger. This could range from irritability, sensitivity to criticism, or a loss of your sense of humor to road rage, a short temper, or even violence. Some men become abusive, controlling, verbally or physically abusive to wives, children, or other loved ones.

Reckless behavior. A man suffering from depression may start exhibiting escapist or risky behavior. This could mean pursuing dangerous sports, driving recklessly, or engaging in unsafe sex. You might drink too much, abuse drugs, or gamble compulsively.

Differences between male and female depression
Women tend to:	Men tend to:
Blame themselves	Blame others
Feel sad, apathetic, and worthless	Feel angry, irritable, and ego inflated
Feel anxious and scared	Feel suspicious and guarded
Avoid conflicts at all costs	Create conflicts
Feel slowed down and nervous	Feel restless and agitated
Have trouble setting boundaries	Need to feel in control at all costs
Find it easy to talk about self-doubt and despair	Find it “weak” to admit self-doubt or despair
Use food, friends, and "love" to self-medicate	Use alcohol, TV, sports, and sex to self-medicate

Triggers for depression in men

There’s no single cause of depression in men. Biological, psychological, and social factors all play a part, as do lifestyle choices, relationships, and coping skills. Stressful life events or anything that makes you feel useless, helpless, alone, profoundly sad, or overwhelmed by stress can also trigger depression in men. These could include:

Overwhelming stress at work, school, or home
Marital or relationship problems
Not reaching important goals
Losing or changing a job; embarking on military service
Constant money problems
Health problems such as chronic illness, injury, disability
Recently quitting smoking
Death of a loved one
Family responsibilities such as caring for children, spouse, or aging parents
Retirement; loss of independence

Depression in men and erectile dysfunction

Impotence or erectile dysfunction is not only a cause of depression in men, it can also be a side effect of many antidepressant medications.

Men with sexual function problems are almost twice as likely to be depressed as those without.
Depression increases the risk of erectile dysfunction.
Many men are reluctant to acknowledge sexual problems, thinking it’s a reflection on their manhood rather than a treatable problem caused by depression.

Risk factors for depression in men

While any man can suffer from depression, there are some risk factors that make a man more vulnerable to the illness, such us:

Loneliness and lack of social support
Inability to effectively deal with stress
A history of alcohol or drug abuse
Early childhood trauma or abuse
Aging in isolation, with few social outlets

Treating depression in men

Don't try to tough out depression on your own. It takes courage to seek help, but most men with depression respond well to treatments such as lifestyle changes, social support, therapy, or medication—or a combination of treatments.
The first step is to talk to your doctor. Be open about how you’re feeling as well as the physical symptoms you’re experiencing so your mental health specialist can make an accurate diagnosis.

Therapy. You may feel that talking to a stranger about your problems is ‘unmanly,’ or that therapy carries with it a victim status. However, if therapy is available to you, it can be an extremely effective treatment for depression in men. Opening up to a therapist can often bring a swift sense of relief, even to the most skeptical male.
Medication. Antidepressant medication may help relieve some symptoms of depression, but doesn’t cure the underlying problem, and is rarely a long-term solution. Medication also comes with side effects. Don't rely on a doctor who is not trained in mental health for guidance on medication, and always pursue healthy lifestyle changes and social support as well.

Lifestyle changes to treat depression in men

Lifestyle changes are extremely effective tools at treating depression in men. Even if you need other treatments as well, lifestyle changes can help lift depression and keep it from coming back.

Exercise regularly. Regular exercise is a powerful way to fight depression in men. Not only does it boost serotonin, endorphins, and other feel-good brain chemicals, it triggers the growth of new brain cells and connections, just as antidepressants do. It also boosts self-esteem and helps to improve sleep. For maximum results, aim for 30 to 60 minutes of activity on most days.

Eat well. Eating small, well-balanced meals throughout the day will help you keep your energy up and minimize mood swings. While you may be drawn to sugary foods for the quick boost they provide, complex carbohydrates are a better choice. They'll get you going without the sugar crash. Deficiencies in B vitamins can trigger depression so take a B-complex vitamin supplement or eat more citrus fruit, leafy greens, beans, chicken, and eggs. Foods rich in certain omega-3 fats—such as salmon, walnuts, soybeans, and flaxseeds—can also give your mood a boost.

Get enough sleep. When you don't get enough sleep, your depression symptoms can be worse. Sleep deprivation exacerbates anger, irritability, and moodiness. Aim for somewhere between 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night.

Reduce stress. Make changes in your life to help manage and reduce stress. Too much stress exacerbates depression and puts you at risk for future depression. Set realistic goals and break them down into manageable tasks rather than burden yourself with huge objectives all at once. Figure out the things in your life that stress you out, such as work overload or unsupportive relationships, and make a plan to avoid them or minimize their impact.

Exercise as an Antidepressant for Men

Exercise can treat mild to moderate depression as effectively as antidepressant medication. Check with your doctor before starting a new exercise program, then follow these exercise tips:

Exercise regularly and often. A 10-minute walk can improve your mood for two hours. The key to sustaining mood benefits is to exercise regularly. That may mean exercising vigorously for 30 minutes once a day as well as taking one or two short walks to keep your mood elevated throughout the whole day.

Find activities that are at least moderately intense. Aerobic exercise undoubtedly has mental health benefits, but you don't always have to sweat strenuously to see results. Remember, even a few minutes of gentle activity are better than none at all.

Choose exercises that are continuous and rhythmic. Walking, swimming, running, biking, rowing, and yoga are all good choices.

Add a mind-body element to increase relaxation. If walking or running, for example, focus on each step—the sensation of your feet touching the ground, the rhythm of your breath, and the feeling of the wind against your face. If resistance training, focus on coordinating your breathing with your movements and note how your body feels as you raise and lower the weights.

Make exercise social. Joining a class or exercising in a group can help keep you motivated and make exercise an enjoyable social activity. Try joining a running club or taking stationary bike classes at a gym or YMCA. If you like healthy competition, seek out tennis partners, join a soccer league, volleyball team, or pickup basketball game. Or find a workout buddy, and afterwards have a drink or watch a game together.

Social support to treat depression in men

Strong social networks reduce isolation, which can trigger or intensify bouts of depression.

Let your family and friends help you. Accepting help and support is not a sign of weakness. Close relationships are vital to helping you get through this tough time.

Participate in social activities, even if you don’t feel like it. When you’re depressed, it feels more comfortable to retreat into your shell. But being around other people will make you feel less depressed.

Building a social network to beat depression in men

More than just avoiding solitude, men need to find people they can really connect with, face-to-face. That doesn’t mean simply trading jokes with a coworker or chatting about sports with the guy sitting next to you in a bar. It means finding someone you feel comfortable sharing your feelings with, someone who’ll listen to you without judging you, or telling you how you should think or feel.
For many men—especially when they’re suffering from depression—reaching out to others can seem overwhelming. Close relationships don’t happen overnight, but there are steps you can take to help you connect with others and build a solid support network.

Join a support group for depression. Being with others who are facing the same problems can help reduce your sense of isolation and remove the stigma you may feel. It can also be inspiring to share experiences.

Volunteering can be a great way to help others while also expanding your social network.

Meet new people with a common interest by taking a class, joining a club, or enrolling in a special interest group that meets on a regular basis.

Walk a dog. It’s good exercise for you and a great way to meet people. If you can’t adopt your own, ask a friend or neighbor to borrow their dog.

Invite someone to a ballgame, movie, or concert. There are plenty of other people who feel just as awkward about reaching out and making new friends as you do. Be the one to break the ice.

Call or email an old buddy. Even if you’ve retreated from relationships that were once important to you, make the effort to reconnect.

Confide in a counselor, coach, or clergy member.

Be a good listener. To develop a solid friendship with someone, be prepared to listen and support them just as you want them to listen and support you.

More tips for fighting depression in men

Challenge negative thoughts. Make a note of every negative thought you have and what triggered it. For each negative, write down something positive. For example, “My boss hates me. He gave me this difficult report to complete” could be replaced with, “My boss must have a lot of faith in me to give me so much responsibility.”

Postpone making important decisions. If possible, avoid making life-changing decisions before your depressed mood has lifted. It’s hard for a man to be objective when suffering from depression. Discuss potential changes with someone whose opinion you trust before changing careers, moving home, or getting divorced, for example.

Don’t expect your mood to improve instantly. Feeling better takes time. You’ll likely begin to feel a little better each day. Many men recovering from depression notice improvements in sleep patterns and appetite before improvements in mood.

Helping a male relative or loved one with depression

It often takes a wife, partner, or other family member to recognize a man’s symptoms of depression. Even if a man suspects he’s depressed, he may be ashamed that he’s unable to cope on his own and only seek help when pressured to do so by a loved one.

Talking to a man about depression

The first step is to let him know that depression is common among men and is no way a negative reflection on his manhood. Many men don’t exhibit typical depressive symptoms—but rather anger and reckless behavior—so you may want to avoid using the word “depression” and try describing his behavior as "stressed" or "overly tired”. It could help him to open up.

Point out how his behavior has changed, without being critical. For example, “You always seem get stomach pains before work,” or "You haven't played racquetball for months."

Suggest a general check-up with a physician. He may be less resistant to seeing a family doctor than a mental health professional at first. A regular doctor can rule out medical causes of depression and then make a referral to someone trained in mental health for therapy or medication. Sometimes, this “professional” opinion makes all the difference for a man.

Offer to help him find a mental health provider and go with him on the first visit. Some men are resistant to talking to a stranger about their feelings, so try to remove roadblocks to him seeking help.

Encourage him to make a list of symptoms to discuss. Help him focus on his feelings as well as physical ailments, and to be honest about his use of alcohol and drugs.

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Here are the very practical caveman therapies for modern men and women.

1. Get outside. Our caveman friends saw lots of daylight; getting up at sunrise and going to sleep at sunset. Exposure to bright sunlight for 30 minutes a day either through sunlight or a light made for this, helps keep your internal clock set. This circadian rhythm helps to regulate our sleep/wake cycle and insures a good night’s sleep which in turn, helps our physical and mental health. Don’t wear sunglasses though; the exposure must come through your eyes!

2. Aerobic Exercise. Primitive folks had to forage or work in the fields for their food. 30 minutes at least 3 times a week means those ‘runner’s high’ endorphins get released regularly. It’s also a good way to work through and release stress. You don’t have to run a marathon, just get your heart rate up to your target range – around 120 to 160 beats per minute depending on your age and condition. Walking works wonders. Get your doctor’s approval first!

3. Omega-3 fatty acids. 1,000 mg daily. Omega-3′s aid in the brain’s neuron connectivity. Enteric coated capsules help prevent burping the fishy tasting oil but you can also freeze them. Throw in a good multi-vitamin and avoid overly processed foods in favor of complex carbohydrates (whole grains), fish, free range meats, & vegetables and you’re good to go.

4. Sleep. Change your sleep routine so that it’s more conducive to a good night’s rest. Turn your lights down and go to bed at the same time everynight. Turn the t.v. off. Engage in calming, quiet activities like reading, taking a warm bath, etc. Avoid caffeine and alcohol. Don’t work late or do other stressful activities that cause your mind to race. Remember a tired body and quiet mind are the requirements for quality sleep.

5. Socialize. Remember the Amish farmer has his family and community to fall back on for support. There’s no reason you can’t too. Involve yourself with close friends and family. You don’t have to engage in heavy conversations about your plight, just have fun. Keep it simple and go to a movie, visit an art gallery or museum, go to a ball game, grab a cup of coffee or have a meal together. Just be with other people and your feelings of isolation will fade. Do this face to face (not online!) and do it regularly.

6. Watch your thinking! Anti-rumination strategy is vital to breaking out of depression and other emotional ruts. Become aware of those times you dwell on the negatives in your life – both real or imagined – and stop them. It takes work and persistence but if you constantly tell yourself to ‘stop it’ when you start to go over and over the negatives, then you are building a positive habit that will change your life for the better. Whether it’s the jerk who cut you off in traffic or something a little closer to home, don’t give yourself the luxury of a negative thought.

18 Ways to program the mind for success - Brian Tracy

2013-07-02T08:16:00.000-07:00

18 Ways to program the mind for success - Brian Tracy

(Best-Selling Motivational Author)

1. All Causation Is Mental

• How You Use Your Mind Determines Your Success
- Improve the Quality of your Thinking and You Improve the Quality of Your Life

2. The Law of Expectations

• Whatever you Expect with Confidence (positive or negative) becomes your Reality
- Expect to Succeed and you Will
- Apply Talents and Abilities to Opportunities

3. . The Law of Attraction

• You are a living Magnet
- Your Emotionalized thoughts create a force-field
• Energy that radiates out from you
• Energy that attracts people and circumstances
• These are in Harmony
• Emotionalized thoughts are the Key

4. The Law of Correspondence

• As Within, so Without
– The outer World Reflects our Inner world
• What’s happening outside corresponds to what’s happening inside
• Conscious and subconscious levels
– Outer world of people
– Relationships
– Wealth

5. The Parable of the Talents

• Fill the Mind with Thoughts, Pictures and the Consciousness of Wealth
– The Rich get richer
• Accumulate Knowledge
– Books, Magazines, Audio, Video and Seminars
• Begin now to save and Accumulate Money
– This starts the corresponding flow of money towards you
• Use your accumulated Experience
• Everything that You do Counts
• Everything you do should move you towards your Goals

6. The Law of Accumulation

• Everything accumulates over Time
– The sum total of many, many tiny efforts
• Planting and reaping a harvest from a grain of corn
• A snow ball rolling forward

7. The Law of Belief

• Whatever you believe with Feeling, Becomes Your Reality
– Successful People Believe they have the Ability to Succeed
• Build a Prosperity Consciousness
• Make it Inevitable that you Succeed
• Positive Knowing

8. Will Power

• Confidence, Conviction, Faith in the Ability to Triumph
• Repetitions
– Reading Biographies
– Working on Goals
– Tapes
– Books

9. Success is Rear

• Positive Knowing
– No Matter What, You Know You Will Succeed
– Get Active
– What is your Aim

10. Self Mastery is Essential For Success

• Control over Your thoughts and Emotions is The Key
– Talk and think only on the things you desire
– Master and Control your Actions
• If Your are hard on yourself, Life will be easy on You
• Fill The Mind with thoughts that are Consistent with your Desires

11. A Burning All Consuming Desire For Wealth

• This the Beginning of Financial Success
– Decide that you want to make a lot of money
– That you want to be a Millionaire

12. Set a Specific Goal For Financial Achievement

• Write it down
• Set a Deadline
• Set a detailed Plan for its Achievement
- Set a 12 month plan to increase income by 50%
- Begin, Act, Get Going
- Raise the goal as you get closer to completion
• Be Clear about the Goal
• Be Flexible about the Process

13. Practice Visualization

• Clear Mental Pictures
– Causative Thinking
• Steps to be taken for achievement
• Clear Mental pictures activate the sub and super conscious minds
– Length of Visualization
– Frequency on a day to day basis
– Intensity, emotion, passion
– Vividness, how clear is the visualization
+ Develop a Treasure Map – Watch it over and over

14. Positive Self-Talk

• Talk to yourself positively all the time
– I Can Do It
– I Make a Million
– I’m The Best
– A continuous positive inner dialogue that is consistent with goals

15. Always Feed the Mind Positively

• Read Stories, Books, Seminars and Articles about other Successful People
• Visualize, Fantasize, Emotionalize
• Role Models magnetize the mind
• Read everything you can about financial success
• Become a Roads Scholar – utilize driving time

16. Associate only with Success Oriented Positive People

• Get around Winners
• Fly with the Eagles
• Seek out Positive People

17. Think about and Visualize your Goals as Realities

• Last thing at Night, First Thing in the Morning
• See the Goal as already in existence
• Activate the Subconscious with present tense pictures and affirmations

18. Reflect on Goals Daily

• 30 – 60 Minutes in Morning
• The Golden Hour (The Rudder Of The Day) by Yourself
- Review Plans for Accomplishing Goals
- Think of Better ways to Accomplish Goals
- Reflect on the valuable Lessons learning
- Visualize goal as a reality
• Rewrite major goals in present tense as if already reality

How to change your destiny, the best ways to change your fate

2013-07-01T09:17:00.001-07:00

Man sows an action or thought and reaps a habit of doing or thinking. He sows a habit and reaps a character. He sows a character and reaps a destiny. Habit is second nature or rather first nature itself. Man has made his own destiny by thinking and acting. He can change his destiny. He is the master of his own destiny. There is no doubt of this.

When you discover that you are living in a world that you did not create and that does not correspond with your ideals, there is a tendency to break loose from external conditions at the earliest possible moment; but this tendency must be checked. Nothing is gained through an attempt to change from one world of effect to another world of effect without first changing the cause. The majority believe that, when things are wrong in the outer world the only remedy is to change external conditions; but the fact is that external conditions are simply effects from internal causes, and so long as those internal causes remain the same, no attempt to change external conditions will prove of permanent value. So long as there are adverse causes in your inner life there will be adverse effects in your outer life, no matter how many times you may change from one condition to another or from one place to another.

When you begin to seek emancipation from the false world in which you are living now; in other words, when you begin to take positive measures to change your own fate, the first thing to do is to resolve not to make any forceful effort to change external conditions without first changing the inner cause of those conditions. Let outer things be as they are for the time being and continue to remain where you are until you can open a door to better things; but while you are waiting for this door to open do not be idle in any manner whatever. Although you are letting things be as they are in the external sense, and although you are not forcing yourself into different places or circumstances, still your purpose must be to entirely remake yourself.

You came into this false state of life because you were misled by your own judgment, and if you should break loose, this same judgment will mislead you again; you will thus pass from one world that is not your own into some other world that is not your own, and there will be no improvement in the change. If you have not improved yourself in any manner whatever, your judgment will be just as inferior and unreliable as it was before, and no attempt to follow this judgment into different conditions will help matters in the least. Your object is not to set yourself free from the false world in which you are living now and then enter some other world that is not your own.

You are not ready to move, neither physically nor mentally, until you have created a world of your own just as you would have it in your present state of development. Therefore, all thought of change will but divert your attention from the real purpose in view. So long as you are constantly thinking about external changes your mind cannot concentrate upon internal changes. So long as you are trying to change external conditions you cannot change yourself, and as you, yourself, are the cause of the new world which you are trying to create, you must recreate yourself before you can create the external world as desired.

To change your fate begin with yourself. If the environments in which you live are beneath your ideal, nothing can be gained by leaving those environments until the way is opened naturally to better things. If you simply get up and leave, you will gravitate into something elsewhere that will be just as uncongenial as those conditions you left behind. First, find the reason why you are living in your present adverse environments, then proceed to remove that cause.

There may be many reasons, but in most cases the principal reason is a lack of ability or the lack of power to apply the ability you possess. In such a case you must remove inability by becoming more proficient, and as soon as you are competent to render better service you will readily find a better place. This means larger remuneration, and you will thus be able to secure more desirable surroundings. The many, however, will think that to promote sufficient improvement so as to command greater recompense, and do so in a short time, is practically impossible under the average conditions; but all difficulties that may be met in this connection may be readily removed through the principles of modern metaphysics.

Continuous improvement in everything pertaining to the life, the power, the capacity or the mentality of the individual can be readily promoted by anyone and decided results secured in a very short time. Therefore, no person need remain in adverse or limited conditions. He can, through the awakening and the expression of the best that is in himself, become competent to take advantage of greater opportunities and thus change his fate, his future and his destiny.

If you wish to improve your physical environments, remain content where you are while you develop the power to earn and create better environments. Contentment with things as they are and harmony with everything about you are indispensable essentials if you wish to increase your ability, your capacity and your worth. To continue to kick against the pricks is to remain where pricks are abundant; but when we cease this mode of action and begin to polish off all the rough corners of our nature and improve ourselves in every manner possible, things will take a turn. We will leave the world of pricks and enter a smoother path. The polished man is admitted to the polished world where there are no rough places and where adverse conditions are few, if existing at all.

When circumstances are against you, do not contend with circumstances. So long as we contend with things, things will contend with us. Do not resist present conditions; you prolong their existence by so doing. Whatever comes, meet all things in the attitude of perfect harmony and you will find that all things, even the most adverse, can be readily handled and turned to good account. We all know the marvelous power of the man who can harmonize contending factions, be they in his own life or in his circumstances.

He not only gains good from everything that he meets, but he becomes a most highly respected personage, and is sought wherever opportunities are great and where great things are to be accomplished. Learn to harmonize the contending factions in your own life and experience, and you will find yourself entering new worlds where circumstances are more congenial and opportunities far greater. You will thus meet more desirable events, more desirable people, and superior advantages of every description will appear in your pathway. If your present friends are not to your liking admire them nevertheless for every good quality that they may possess. Emphasize their good qualities and ignore everything in their nature that seems inferior. This will help you to develop superior qualities in yourself; and this is extremely important, because as you develop superiority you prepare yourself for places higher up in the scale.

Make yourself over, so to speak, in your own friendship; increase your personal worth; polish your own character; refine your mind, and make real more and more of the ideal; double and treble your love and your kindness and constantly increase your admiration for everything that has real quality and high worth. Continue thus until you have results, whether those results begin to come at once or not; they will positively come ere long, and the things that you develop in yourself you will meet in your external world.

Change yourself for the better in every shape and manner, and you change your fate for the better, but the change that you produce in yourself must not simply be negative in its action. It is the positive character, the positive mind, the positive personality that meets in the external world what has been developed in the internal world. The fact that a change in yourself can produce a similar change in your fate, your environments, your circumstances, in brief, everything in your outer world, may not seem clear at first.; but it is easily demonstrated to be the truth when we analyze the relationship that exists between man and the world in which he lives. Everything that exists in your outer world has a correspondent in your inner world. This inner correspondent is the cause that has either created or attracted its external counterpart, and the process is easily understood.

To state it briefly, environment corresponds with ability. Circumstances are the aggregation of events brought about by your own actions and associations and friends, which follow the law of like attracting like. That environment is the direct effect of ability may not seem true when we observe that there are many people living in luxury that have practically no ability, but we must first demonstrate that these people have no ability. We shall find that those who have actually accumulated their own wealth have ability, in fact, exceptional ability, though they may not always have employed it according to the exact principles of justice. On the other hand, when we understand the process of creation we shall find that ability employed according to principle will produce far greater results than when it is employed unjustly. Therefore, the law underlying the power of ability to create its own environment acts wholly in the favor of him who lives according to the highest ideals of life.

This fact becomes more evident when we discern that success is not measured simply by the accumulation of things, but also by the accumulation of those elements in life that pertain to quality and worth in man's interior nature. It is wealth in the mental and the spiritual worlds that has the greatest value or the greatest power in promoting the welfare and the happiness of man, and this higher wealth can be accumulated only by those who are living according to their ideals. However, the accumulation of mental and spiritual wealth will have a direct tendency to increase the power and the capacity of practical ability, and practical ability when scientifically applied will tend to increase tangible wealth; that is, to improve the value and the worth of external environments.

When we consider this subject from the universal viewpoint we shall find a perfect correspondent existing between the size of a man's possessions, physical, mental and spiritual, and the size of his brains, taking the term "brains" to signify ability, capacity and worth in the largest sense; but the size of brains can be increased perpetually. We therefore conclude that possessions in the larger sense can be increased perpetually, and he who is perpetually increasing his possessions on all the planes of his life is constantly changing his fate for the better. We shall also find that when a person increases the power of his own life he will bring about, through his own actions, new events, and these new events will produce new circumstances.

To change circumstances is to change fate; and whatever the change may be in fate, circumstances or events it will be a change for the better, if the increase of power is applied according to the principles of ideals. Again, when a person develops quality and superiority in himself he will, through the law of attraction, meet friends and associations that are after his own heart. In other words, he will enter a world where his ideals, both as to persons and as to things, are constantly being made real in every sphere of his present state of existence. He is thus creating for himself a better fate in every sense of the term and opening doors and pathways to a larger and a more beautiful future than he has ever realized before; but the beginning is in himself; in fact, every change for the better must begin within the life of man himself, and whoever will begin to change for the better in the within will positively realize greater and greater changes for the better in the without.

Propylene Glycol vs Vegetable Glycerin E-Liquid

2013-06-30T09:08:00.001-07:00

One of the most numerous questions the site gets is what the heck is PG and VG? Anyone starting out using electronic cigarettes sooner or later will see these terms when shopping around for e liquid, also known as smoke juice or e-juice. They are very different and everyone who esmokes should know the difference. This article will explain the acronyms and the basics of e-liquid. Make sure you read the conclusion, not what you often hear but just the plain truths.

E-Liquid usually consists of a base solution, either PG or VG or a blend of both, which serves as the solvent or carrier for the flavoring and nicotine. Without the base solution, the raw nicotine and flavorings would be nothing but a thick goo unable to be transported to the atomizer. The base solution allows the flavoring and nicotine concentration to be suspended into a consistent liquid solution with the appropriate viscosity for your advanced electronic cigarette.

What is PG E Liquid?

PG is short for Propylene Glycol, a chemical compound utilized in a wide variety of industries from pharmaceuticals to airline industries. PG is considered by the FDA as non-toxic and essentially safe for consumption. It is the preferred base solvent in the pharmaceutical industry used in such products as injectable medicine (vaccines, etc), toothpastes, cosmetics, a large variety of oral medicine (liquid anti-biotics, etc), mouthwash, etc. It is also used in a wide variety of food items such as sodas and processed foods due to desirable characteristics of propylene glycol as base solvents for artificial and natural flavorings.

Due to the fact that propylene glycol is relatively thin in consistency, this kind of e-liquid is runnier than the VG variety, and is more easily absorbed by the polyfill fabric inside the cartomizer. The low density of the juice also means that gunk doesn’t build up on the heating element of your e-cigarette as fast as it does when thicker vegetable glycerin liquid is used. Propylene glycol is a tasteless odorless substance, so it doesn’t alter the flavor of the e-liquid in any way. It’s also a powerful humectant, so while it will dry your mouth and throat if used consistently, PG also produces a stronger throat hit, similar to that of tobacco cigarettes. On the down side, propylene glycol is known to cause allergic reactions in some e-cig users. These can vary from minor reactions, like a tingling sensation in the throat, to serious irritations on various parts of the body. If you experience any unusual symptoms after vaping PG e-liquid, it’s best to stop using it immediately and switch to vegetable glycerin.

What is VG E Liquid?

VG is short for Vegetable Glycerin, a vegetable oil derivative which is a natural carbohydrate solution that is processed from plants. VG is usually has a sweet taste to the raw material and is often utilized in the food industry as a sweetener. It is also a vital ingredient in a variety of cosmetics. VG is also used to extract essential oils from botanicals. VG is has a higher viscosity than PG. This is one of the reasons why it produces more esmoke and one of the primary reasons some folks recommend VG over PG.

Vegetable glycerin is a considerably thicker solution, compared to propylene glycol. On its own, VG has a slight sweet taste which also makes the e-liquid sweeter and the flavors a little difficult to detect. While PG is know to give users a dry mouth, some vapers have complained about phlegm building up in their throat after suing vegetable glycerin-based juices. You also get less of a throat hit when using VG. On the upside, because of its high consistency, VG e-liquids produce significantly more vapor and doesn’t cause allergic reactions or irritations as often as propylene glycol.

PG vs VG vs PG-VG Blend

To be PG or VG or Blended, that is the question. Many folks have a strong opinion about this subject. Often they claim that PG is synthetic and VG is naturally derived and based solely on this fact, they recommend VG e juices. VG also tends to produce thicker esmoke but a bit bitter and hash although the raw VG liquid is often sweet tasting. The unfortunate reality is that VG does not work well in most electronic cigarettes. They are too viscose to be readily available at the atomizer. Their slower rate of travel through the wick and similar e-liquid delivery system often results in dry puffs and damages the cartomizer or clearomizer reducing their lifespan.

PG-VG blended e juices vary from 80-20 (PG-VG) to 40-60. This ratio depends on who is selling their home-brew smoke juice and what they are touting. When using blended e-liquids, there may be a period where you would need to conduct a bit of experiment (and a few burned-out clearomizers) to see which ratio works best for your e-cigarette.

PG based e liquid is the most common and widely used nicotine liquid used for electronic cigarette refills. Their low viscosity, neutral taste, and excellent base solution lend itself to be widely used in e cigarettes.

Conclusion

Just because it is naturally derived and ingestible does not make it necessarily better or healthier for you. Both e-liquid base solutions are ingestible and PG is widely used as the preferred solvent or carrier liquid in the pharmaceutical industry. There are no long term studies conducted on the health effects of e-liquid, whether it is PG or VG. Just because it is okay to ingest the solution (without nicotine, of course) does not make it safe to inhale a vaporized nicotine solution of it. So, if you are basing the use of e-juice solely on whether it is naturally derived or synthetic, then think again. Blended doesn’t make the smoke juice any safer either.

Your decision on which e liquid base to use should be based on first and foremost with what your e-cigarette works best with and how quickly do you vape between inhalations. Due to its low viscosity, PG-based e juices tend to replenish the atomizer with e-liquid much quicker than VG-based e-juices. So, if you take rather successive drags from your electric cigarette, PG or High PG ratio blended e-liquid will probably work best. Most electronic cigarettes work best with PG based e-liquid. VG-based e-liquid tends to travel very slowly through the cartomizer’s wicks in a variety of popular e-cigarettes such as EGO. One can easily dry puff and burn out the atomizer requiring placements.

You will often see websites advertising how great and healthier their VG-blended e liquid are. Do you really think adding VG solution makes the e-liquid any healthier? It’s advertising! It’s a hook that played in advertising in a variety of outlets taking advantage of health conscious folks. Isn’t that why you want to quit smoking cigarettes, for healthier living?

Problem with VG-only e-liquid is that it doesn’t work well in clearomizers, cartomizers, or cartridges that uses wicks to deliver the e-juice to the atomizer. They can work great as “drippers” (folks who drip e-liquid right to the atomizer each and every time) or in certain mod models. They can also work rather well in drip delivery cartridges such as the Joye 510-T or mini electronic cigarette either the nickel-net or post atomizer types.

It’s fair to say the vaping community is evenly divided when it comes to e-liquid preference. Some enjoy the smoking-like throat hit of vaping propylene glycol juices, while others prefer the thick plumes of vapor and the sweet taste of vegetable glycerin. It’s hard to say which one of the two is the best, because it ultimately comes down to personal preference. I’d suggest you start with a PG e-liquid, especially if you’re looking for an experience close to smoking, and try out a VG juice along the way, just to see what you’re missing out on. To get the best of both worlds, many vapers prefer a PG/VG mix, in different amounts. This way, they get a decent throat hit as well as pillowy clouds of thick vapor.

E-cigs Tank Atomizers Collection

2013-06-22T05:39:00.004-07:00

Atomizers are in every electronic cigarette on the market. They are the part of the device that heats the liquid so that it turns to vapor. They are inside of every tank, clearomizer or cartomizer. Some atomizers are very simple and used strictly for dripping. Other atomizers are rebuildable and very complex, for experienced vapers.

Dripping is literally dripping drops of an e-liquid into an atomizer attached to an e-cigarette battery. When the switch or button on the battery is pressed, the atomizer will vaporize the e-liquid into an inhaled vapor. There is a bit of a learning curve to dripping, but many people love the pure flavor and nebulous amounts of vapor produced by dripping.

Just like with batteries, the part of the electronic cigarette that holds and vaporizes the e-liquid is very customizable and the road to discovering your perfect vape will likely take you on a path of trying several ways of vaporizing your flavorite (that was not a typo) juice.

Save money by smoke e-cigarette, save the environment by smoking e-cigs

2013-06-13T04:25:00.000-07:00

If you do not know, E-cigarettes and are becoming very popular, and smokers are increasingly becoming tobacco free to use these new smoking alternative devices. Many of these smokers are loving the time you can make a nice public smoking ban and can still smoking without the dangers that come with tobacco cigarettes.

First of all, many states have enacted or are trying to move the new tax laws that significantly increase the tax on each pack of cigarettes, the consumer purchases. In Florida, Charlie Christ has adopted a new tax levy is $ 1.00 per pack of cigarettes, which means that the cost of packages of cigarettes $ 6.00 $ 7.00 on average. Cartons of cigarettes is running about $ 60 to $ 70 as well.

E-cigarette

Now, here’s how to save money by using Ecigarettes. These electronic cigarettes are battery powered and liquid nicotine with nicotine cartridges with built in atomizer. These cartridges of nicotine to the screw on the right of the battery and when the smoker, the cigarette market in tablet form, send a sprayer battery electric charge, which heats the liquid nicotine and nicotine alter the water vapor and smoke. Now here’s the best part. Each cartridge of nicotine, or better known as the electronic cigarette is a filling replaced. When the cartridge is empty, all smokers is just screw in the cartridge and replace it with a new cartridge.

These refills electronic cigarette is the reason why you can save money by smoking. Most packs of five cartridges come, which are equally carton of cigarettes. 5 pc cartridges only cost about $ 14.95, or instead of paying $ 60.00 a box of tobacco save over 50%. This saves money by using cigarettes E. So the next time you go out and buy a pack of cigarettes shop, just know that if we had access to the electronic cigarette, you can save more money than you can imagine.

Saving money is always a good reason to do something.

The cost of cigarettes is phenomenal, and exponentially grows the more you smoke. You might think it only costs a few bucks for a pack of cigarettes, but in reality you don’t just smoke a pack of cigarettes. You smoke one or two a day, 6-10 a week, 30-50 a month or more.

Let’s say on average a pack of cigarettes costs about $5 (it varies from state to state and country to country). That is from $5 to $10 a day, $30 to $50 a week, and $150 to $250 a month. And that is just a rough estimate.

Switching to electronic cigarettes will save you a bundle. Depending on which company you go with, how much you smoke, and how much tobacco smoking you are willing to give up for electronic smoking, you are going to be saving up to 75% of what you used to pay for your cigarettes!

With the cost of cigarettes always rising, and the taxes being increased around the world, the cost of smoking tobacco cigarettes is only going to rise, while the savings you will experience by switching to electronic cigarettes is onyl going to keep increasing. You are going to continue saving more and more money as time goes on.

In these times of global recession, job uncertainty and financial struggle, those savings are massive, Just for that alone it is worth switching to electronic cigarettes.

The following estimates are based on the HALO (which has the most cost effective cartridges) for a UK resident:

If you are a UK smoker going through 20 cigarettes day you will save more than £1500 pounds a year. A 40 a day smoker will save more than £3000 a year, a 60 a day smoker should save over £6,000.
That's based on £5.00 a pack of 20 - those paying more will save more!

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Liquid-nicotine, tobacco extract flavorings and Propylene glycol. The more pertinent question though is what isn’t in an E-Cigarette. None of the 4000 chemicals that are present in cigarettes, including tar, carbon monoxide and arsenic, are present in an E-Cigarette.

Whilst not completely safe (nicotine is still after all an addictive drug, considered just as dangerous as caffeine) they are certainly a lot safer than regular cigarettes. There are no carcinogenic lung cancer causing chemicals present in an e-cigarette.

Unlike regular cigarettes, E-cigarettes can be smoked indoors in public places such as pubs and restaurants etc. Although there have been reported cases of landlords demanding that electronic cigarette users smoke outside, it is not technically against the smoking ban, or the law, to smoke one indoors.
Secondly, you don’t have to smoke one “whole cigarette”, you can merely take a few drags for the nicotine release and then put it away for later. No lighters are necessary, and the E-Cigarette is easily transportable in your trouser pocket.

Furthermore, electronic cigarettes are odorless, and do not make your breath or clothing smell, allowing for discreet “smoking”.

Traditional cigarettes contain hydrogen cyanide, a gas used to murder Jews in the Holocaust. There are also 4,000 other chemicals present in your average cigarette that are also present in things like embalming fluid, insecticides, gasoline, bathroom cleaners and nail polish remover. Simply put, smoking is harmful, Around 6 million deaths a year are caused by tobacco.

E-Cigarettes however do not contain tobacco or any of the other 4,000 aforementioned potentially lethal chemicals. The health benefits of using an e-cigarette instead of a standard one to sate that nicotine craving are huge. What’s more, using an electronic cigarette still gives you the feeling that you are actually smoking – the authentic, yet purely synthetic smoke that it produces, and the rush of nicotine to the brain are all still factors of using these devices, and they taste like cigarettes too.

There are also certain social advantages as well – they can be smoked in the comfort of indoors, and they will not irk your non-smoking friends when used. Smoking an electronic cigarette is the much safer, more convenient way to smoke.

Caroline Trentini , Candice Boucher, Kim Ha Yul, Vanessa Hessler, Ryu Ji Hye, Nina Agdal, Esti Ginzburg smoke e-cigarette

2013-06-06T09:49:00.000-07:00

Caroline Trentini smoke e-cigarette Halo

Candice Boucher smoke e-cigarette V2 cigs

Kim Ha Yul smoke e-cigarette Apollo

Vanessa Hessler smoke e-cigarette Halo

Ryu Ji Hye smoke e-cigarette V2 cigs

Nina Agdal smoke e-cigarette Apollo

Esti Ginzburg smoke e-cigarette V2 Cigs

FDA approved e-liquid, American made e-liquid

2013-06-01T11:37:00.001-07:00

All Halo e-liquid is 100% mixed from scratch here in the USA. In addition, 95% of all ingredients/flavorings are manufactured here in the USA, and none of their ingredients are purchased from China. All ingredients are USP grade and tested for purity prior to use. Their nicotine base is developed to cGMP within their lab, and the final product tested for nicotine concentration prior to cGMP release.

Halo e-liquid represents the evolution of its many e-liquid predecessors. For the first time, electronic cigarette users can rest assured they are receiving a quality made American product, that holds the safety of its customers paramount. The electronic cigarette industry is flooded with inferior made juice from overseas, from companies that care little about the safety of their customers. E-liquid produced overseas often carries a smaller price tag, but it comes at quite a cost. It is notorious for being manufactured using inferior ingredients including Glycerin and Propylene Glycol. These low-grade ingredients pose an increasing and unnecessary risk to electronic cigarette users throughout the world. Halo is turning the tide by offering e-liquid that uses only Pharmaceutical and United States Pharmacopeia (USP) grade ingredients. The USP is an official public standards–setting authority for all prescription and over–the–counter medicines and other health care products manufactured or sold in the United States. USP also sets widely recognized standards for dietary supplements and food ingredients. USP sets standards for the purity, strength, quality, and consistency of these products–critical to the public health. USP’s standards are used and recognized in more than 130 countries around the globe. These standards have helped to ensure public health throughout the world for close to 200 years.

Halo has a certificate of analysis for all ingredients that go into their e-liquid and electronic cigarette cartomizers. All the formula’s ingredients are FDA and FEMA approved, although as you are probably aware, there are no FDA approved e-liquids. Their flavorings are provided by a world class FEMA GRAS facility. A FEMA GRAS designation means that the substance receiving this classification has been tested using certain standards, and has been deemed safe for use by people. Only Halo American Made Premium e-liquid is used in all of their electronic cigarette products.

When smoke juice is made overseas, a great deal of quality control can be lost, and the integrity of the smoke juice can be greatly compromised. Other e-cigarette suppliers will rely on foreign manufacturers to produce and fill cartridges, in countries where quality standards fall far below that of the United States. These foreign companies are typically not susceptible to US law, and therefore will not be penalized for providing dangerous products to the public.

Many times the e-cigarette supplier will sell e-cigarettes to their customers having no idea what ingredients actually went into their smoke juice. Halo is NOT one of these companies. By keeping their electronic cigarette cartridges filled in the USA with their premium American made smoke juice, they ensure the highest level of Quality Control in the industry. It allows us to verify smoke juice ingredients, as well as monitor the filling process. Their 100% American Made Smoke Juice is a top shelf, first rate product where consistency and quality are paramount. Attention to detail in taste and “throat hit” are the top factors which drive the Halo smoke juice.

If you’re particularly in the know about electronic cigarette developments, than you are most likely, as I am, a huge fan of the Halo’s G6 e-cigarette model. When they rolled that beautiful device there was nothing that could keep the throngs of e-Smoker traffic out of their online shopping cart. The pure simplicity and functionality of the Halo G6 has opened up the company and allowed them to create their own line of American-made “Smoke Juices” that have taken the e-Liquid market in America by storm.

The Halo G6 is great because of how their engineers approached old issues with cartomizer technology. Instead of filling the cartomizers with that quasi-cardboard filler that you find almost everywhere else on the market, Halo used the innovative new poly-fill cartomizer stuffing. This means that you can keep refilling your cartomizer cartridges for a long time until it wears down, saving E-Cigarette connoisseurs a lot of time and money. And that’s on top of their new “bottom coil” heating rod, the smart new approach to atomizing that helps direct the vaporizing power toward the e-liquid and away from torching the styrofoam-like filling.

So given the improvements that Halo brought to the entire industry, this was huge to both beginning and veteran smokers alike. Beginners could now get right into refilling without needing expert experience and veterans could now refill cartridges with the e-Juice of our choice and without having to deal with those nasty 3-piece models that spill all over your jean pockets. Due to the huge increase in popularity across the Halo brand, they came out with a really premium line of Halo e-Juices to complement it. This line has become a real hit to e-Liquid connoisseurs across the world.

Probably the most convincing selling point for this new Halo e-Liquid is that it’s made of 100% FDA approved, pharmaceutical grade ingredients (another way of saying there is no antifreeze propylene glycol in their base). In general, e-Juices made in America tend to be of a higher quality than overseas e-Liquids. There are stricter standards as well as more concern over quality and an attitude of “having the best products” by Americans. Regardless of the cultural differences, e-Smokers of any nationality will enjoy this massive e-Liquid collection from Halo.

These are the current flavor options they have out in their online store:

Tribeca
HXS
Torque 56
Midnight Apple
Prime e 15
Malibu Menthol
CoolMist Menthol
Menthol ICE
Truepure Menthol
Freedom Juice
Captain Jack
Tiki Juice
Bella Valente
Fusion (unflavored)
Smooth 8

If nothing else, you have to hand it to them for those flavor names – I feel like I’m shopping for alien electronic smoking machines or something when I read through those! All of the e-Liquids come in varying strengths, evenly working up from nicotine-free 0mg to the full-bodied 24mg strength (the Smoke Juice of e-Maniacs). On top of all those options, they have a “Sample Pack” that comes in either the “Tobacco Sample Pack” or the “Variety Sample Pack” – each includes 6 different flavor 7mL bottles of Smoke Juice for only $24.99.

Their e-Liquid prices are definitely not as unreasonable as some of the other American brands I’ve tried – their 7mL bottles only run for $5.99. And that’s just for those who don’t want to go for it all and buy a 30mL glass bottle for $29.99. Oh and don’t forget, there’s an added bonus with ordering Halo products – they offer free shipping on orders over 75 dollars. So if you want to just go and stock up on Smoke Juice for a few months, you can really end up seeing some savings.

Now for the important part, the Halo Smoke Juice trials! I picked up a sample pack, it was of the variety persuasion but still came with Torque 56 and Prime 15 tobacco flavors; so I got to try those too. In the end, I have to really give props to the Tiki Juice Smoke Juice flavor – it just had a certain kindness and mellowness in it as I puffed away, a far cry from those old tobacco cigarette hell sticks from the past. The Malibu Menthol flavor was also surprisingly good – it had an interesting blend that tasted sort of like chewing minty gum while guzzling down Malibu rum…but in a good way. Overall, I was extremely satisfied with the flavors that I got from these high-grade Smoke Juice samples; but I was even more impressed with the huge plumes of vapor and satisfying throat hit that came of it.

Not to be some sort of Westerner who thinks America makes better products that anyone else – but when it comes to e-Liquids, it’s just simply a fact. Of course American e-Liquid manufacturers wish they had the balls to run some of those low-budget operations out there, but I just have to say thank goodness for the FDA. If not for those regulations, no e-Smoker could ever experience that really nice throat hit that pounds your throat passageway as you draw a silky smooth vapor cloud into your lungs as they thank you for feeding them the Halo Smoke Juice. Nor would I have had the chance to exhale a beautiful cloud of vapor that makes everyone within 100 feet think that you are lighting up in public and got me kicked out Starbucks. So I guess what I’m saying is – I dig Halo’s American-made Smoke Juice e-Liquid and I recommend giving it a try whether you’re a beginner or an old refilling wizard. Halo has just proven again and again to be a quality online supplier.

The Secret To Good E-Liquid

Introduction To E-Liquid

The fluid that fuels an electronic cigarette is referred to as smoke juice, e-juice, and most commonly e-liquid. E-liquid is the component of the electronic cigarette that provides the Nicotine solution and the flavoring. When heated by the atomizer, the e-liquid is also responsible for providing the lovely vapor that mimics traditional tobacco cigarette smoke. With such a wide range of tasks, it’s important to understand what variables comprise premium e-liquid. Please read on to find the secrets of a good e-liquid.

E-Liquid Flavor

The first secret ingredient that makes up a quality e-liquid is flavoring. Taste is the first sense to be heightened when smoking an electronic cigarette, and for some, it’s the most important factor in a good e-liquid. Some like the traditional flavor of tobacco or menthol in an e-liquid, while others enjoy the process of taste-testing all sorts of sweet and fruitful flavors. All Halo e-liquid uses premium FDA approved natural and artificial flavoring to offer a rich taste that is never too overpowering. Our team has worked hundreds of hours perfecting our flavor mixtures, ensuring you get fantastic tasting e-liquid. In addition, Halo e-liquid never has that nasty after-taste found in the cheap Chinese e-liquid.

E-Liquid Throat Hit

The second key component to premium e-liquid is the Throat Hit. Throat hit is the feeling a smoker gets when the nicotine hits the back of their throat while inhaling. It’s the difference between feeling like you inhaled “smoke” versus air, and is a main component of good e-liquid. In the past e-liquid manufacturers have just increased the nicotine to offer more throat hit. This worked well for those wanting a higher nicotine concentration, but left the “light” smokers without an e-liquid that delivered throat hit. Halo’s unique e-liquid formula has overcome this obstacle by producing the Throat Hit without the need for additional nicotine. Now all electronic cigarette smokers can enjoy a great Throat Hit without being forced to increase their nicotine consumption.

E-Liquid Vapor Production

The third important factor of quality e-liquid is the vapor production. The vapor is the smoke-like substance that is exhaled when smoking an electronic cigarette, and is greatly influenced by the e-liquid. When it comes to e-cigarette vapor, most e-smokers will agree, the more the merrier. Halo e-liquid has been developed to provide a consistently thick vapor that closely mimics that of a traditional tobacco cigarette. The rich consistency and sheer amount of vapor produced by Halo e-liquid will impress even the most experienced users.

E-Liquid Quality Control

The fifth and most important component of e-liquid is Quality Control. Our e-liquid is proudly made in the USA, making it the obvious choice over the risky overseas e-liquid. The production of all our e-liquid nicotine base is done within the proper laboratory facilities, and conducted by trained chemists, ensuring that proper procedures are always followed. Halo e-liquid Nicotine levels are carefully monitored and randomly tested for quality and concentration. In addition, Halo e-liquid bottles are shipped not only with an expiration date but with Lot numbers as well. We want all Halo customers to rest easy knowing they purchased a great tasting e-liquid developed under the quality control standards.

Storage of nicotine solutions is also a critical factor in the quality of the finished e-liquid product. E-liquid should always be stored in a cool, dry place to avoid the spoiling of ingredients. At Halo, not only is our finished e-liquid stored under tightly controlled climate conditions, but our base ingredients are as well. This ensures that when you receive your finished e-liquid from Halo, you are getting the freshest e-liquid possible. In addition, our high turn-over rate of e-liquid ensures that your smoke juice will be delivered with plenty of time before expiration. You will absolutely taste the difference of Halo fresh e-liquid.

Best E-liquid brand in the world

2013-06-01T11:21:00.002-07:00

These are the current flavor options they have out in their online store:

Tribeca
HXS
Torque 56
Midnight Apple
Prime e 15
Malibu Menthol
CoolMist Menthol
Menthol ICE
Truepure Menthol
Freedom Juice
Captain Jack
Tiki Juice
Bella Valente
Fusion (unflavored)
Smooth 8

The Secret To Good E-Liquid

Introduction To E-Liquid

E-Liquid Flavor

E-Liquid Throat Hit

E-Liquid Vapor Production

E-Liquid Quality Control

Halo E-liquid, Halo E-juice, Halo Cigarette Review

2013-05-29T21:59:00.001-07:00

These are the current flavor options they have out in their online store:

Tribeca
HXS
Torque 56
Midnight Apple
Prime e 15
Malibu Menthol
CoolMist Menthol
Menthol ICE
Truepure Menthol
Freedom Juice
Captain Jack
Tiki Juice
Bella Valente
Fusion (unflavored)
Smooth 8

The Secret To Good E-Liquid

Introduction To E-Liquid

E-Liquid Flavor

E-Liquid Throat Hit

E-Liquid Vapor Production

E-Liquid Quality Control

E-cigarette wallpaper, hot girl and man, celebrities smoke e-cigarette wallpaper

2013-05-27T09:00:00.002-07:00

Sleep well every night with e-cigarette, get away from tar, harmful chemicals, smell breath

2013-05-26T08:04:00.001-07:00

Everyone likes sleeping for good amount of hours in the night, so that one is fresh and running in the morning. This is not possible for smokers who indulge themselves in long hours of smoking due to there are disturbances in their sleep say experts. This problem can be easily resolved by switching to electronic cigarette as they do not create a hurdle in anyone’s sleep, according to sources.

The sleeping disorder is proved by German researchers in which they said, “Smokers are at a higher risk of not getting enough sleep each night and to having disturbed sleep compared to people who do not smoke”. So, one can easily say that to curb the sensation without getting disturbed in your sleep, one can easily switch to vapor cigarettes. It’s because as the name suggests, vapor cigarettes don’t emit any kind of smoke, only vapor which is least harmful to the smoker in any way.

The research was done on various smokers, who were studied deeply, before stating that the smokers of other smoking devices get a disturbed sleep. As smoker said, “I have never been a long hour’s sleeper when I used to smoke my cigarettes, but with the change to vapor cigarettes I can see the difference. Now I enjoy good 7-8 hours of sound sleep every night”.

This is a well known health fact that smoking is very injurious to health. Due to excess smoking a lot health effects are caused. For all those of you who are not able to control your urge for smoking a lot of companies has introduced the electronic cigarettes healthier.

These electronic cigarettes are considered very safe for use. These cigarettes do not have any harmful effects on the human body because this device does not consist of any harmful ingredients like the tobacco or the tar etc. This device operates with the help of a battery. We shall now discuss the health benefits of the electronic cigarettes in detail.

Due to excess smoking of the tobacco cigarettes a person suffers from sleep disorders. These sleep disorders are caused because of the harmful chemicals that are present in it. Whereas the electronic cigarettes do not cause any such trouble. And helps you to sleep better because these cigarettes just taste like the conventional cigarettes there are no harmful components in it.

The electronic cigarettes smell better and taste good. There is no harmful ash or smoke that comes out of this cigarette. You can use these cigarettes anywhere even at the public you need not look for separate smoking zones for the purpose .

The tobacco cigarettes cause coughing and the problem of phlegm because tobacco is very injurious to health. Due to the smoke that comes out of the tobacco cigarettes because of tobacco and tar the energy level of the body reduces and the person becomes very inactive.

The electronic cigarettes just taste and smell like the tobacco cigarettes but it does not cause any side effects on the human body. The electronic cigarettes healthier reduces the problem of snoring. With the use of the electronic cigarette there is no pain in the chest. The electronic cigarettes are a very good stress buster it uplift your mood and gives you a good sense of well being and positivity.

The electronic cigarettes also help in improving the Vision of an individual. Apart from the abundant health benefits the electronic cigarettes also are very durable in use and cost less as compared to the tobacco cigarettes. These cigarettes come with a starters it with the help of which you can use the electronic cigarette contingently. These cigarettes are researchable.

However these cigarettes should not be used by the pregnant women and the lactating women. All those who are under the age of 18 the use is officially prohibited. By the use of these electronic cigarettes you will observe that gradually you will come over your addiction of smoking and finely you will be able to quit smoking.

There are a number of brands that sell this device you can visit the website and compare the quality and cost of different brands and buy the best one for yourself and your loved ones. It is suggested to browse the websites for a more detailed information.

V2 Cigs e-cigarette review

2013-05-25T09:17:00.001-07:00

V2 Cigs E Cigarette Review 2013

V2 Cigs is a manufacturer of mini e-cigarettes (also called e-cigs, personal vaporizers or PVs) and accessories, claiming to be “America’s #1 Electronic Cigarette,” with over a million satisfied customers.

Products

V2 Cigs offers an entire line of mini e-cig vaping products. Complete kits at various price points are available, from the V2 Express Kit (one e-cig device and mini USB charger) to the V2 Ultimate Kit (loaded with batteries, cartomizers, carrying cases, and a slew of accessories). Individual items can be purchased too, including drip tips, adaptors, juices and flavored cartomizers.

V2 Batteries

V2 batteries wield 4.2 volts of power to produce clouds of vapor, and automatically shut off when not in use, preserving and extending the overall life of each battery.

The manual or automatic batteries come in three lengths, each with their own estimated number of puffs per full charge. Measurements below are of each battery alone, followed with measurements of the length of a fully assembled unit, including an attached cartomizer. Prices noted are per battery (not per assembled unit):

Shorty: 67mm (100mm)
The shorty length is closest to the length of a standard analog (traditional) cigarette
160+ puffs
2 hour charging time
Retails for $16.95

Standard: 79mm (110mm)
The standard length is V2′s most popular battery
200+ puffs
2-3 hour charging time
Retails for $19.95

Long: 110mm (140mm)
Over an inch longer than an analog’s “100′s” length, this is V2′s longest lasting battery
300+ puffs
4 hour charging time
Retails for $22.95

Battery casing colors for all sizes are as follows:

Classic White battery with red led tip
Sleek Black battery with blue led tip
Stainless Steel battery with blue led tip
Metallic Blue battery with white led tip

The difference between the manual and automatic batteries is the process through which the vaping is triggered. Manual batteries are activated by depressing a small rubber button located on the battery, while automatic batteries activate through the process of drawing in a puff. Note that when a manual’s button is depressed, the battery is activated, even if you are not drawing on the unit.

V2 Cig’s manual batteries cut-off after ten seconds, so, if your draws are extremely long, the V2′s vapor production may cut out on you. But for most vapers, ten seconds is more than enough time to produce a satisfying draw. Whether using an automatic or a manual, long draws may result in noticeable heating of the battery.

Even with the manual’s 10-second shut-off, use care when storing a manual battery in a pocket, purse or any location where the button could possibly be pressed by accident. Storing manual or automatic PVs in a case removes the risk of accidental activation and protects your device from scratches or other damage. Some cases can also charge your PVs!

As with all electronic cigarettes offered in both manual and automatic models, there is ongoing debate as to which mode is best. Evidence suggests that manual batteries tend to last longer, but part of that longevity depends upon the vaper’s correct operation of the button. This is somewhat similar to the claim that manual shift transmissions in cars last longer than automatic transmissions, when those automotive results also depend somewhat on the skillful operation of the driver.

While manual batteries tend to produce more vapor, a clear benefit of automatic batteries is their intuitive ease: no buttons to press; just take a puff to activate the vapor. The only way to determine which style is right for you is to give both models a try and see which you prefer.

Cartridges & Liquids

The cartridge that must be attached to the battery to operate the device is a cartomizer, or “carto”–a cartridge holding vaping liquid (or “juice”), combined with an atomizer that transforms the juice into the fine mist that, when heated by the battery, produces smoke-like vapor.

Cartos are available in traditional tobacco flavors and other flavors, in four nicotine strengths from 18mg/ml down to 0mg/ml. To get a general idea of V2′s tobacco flavors, “V2 Red” is similar to Marlboro analogs, “Congress” tastes akin to Parliament and Sahara is reminiscent of a Turkish blend, like Camel. Other flavors are Crisp Cool Minty, Sweet Mint, Mint Tea, Classic Menthol, Vanilla, Coffee, Chocolate, Cherry, Cola and Grape.

The (non-rechargeable) V2 Disposables have either 18mg or 6mg of nicotine, and come in V2 Regular (American cigarette tobacco blend taste) or V2 Fresh Mint Menthol flavors.

V2′s cartos are refillable Kanger KR808s, so don’t think that you have to toss them out once they’re emptied. Go ahead and fill them back up with your own juice to squeeze repeated uses out of them. Kanger cartos have a good reputation for quality, and can be reused several times. One word of caution, though: if the carto was drained dry to the point where a slightly burnt taste came into play, best to toss the carto out and replace it with a fresh one. The process for cleaning out the nasty taste of smoky burn is a difficult and time-consuming task that may not even result in a clean carto after all your valiant efforts.

Vapor Production

V2 Cigs’ 4.2 volt batteries, whether manual or automatic, produce respectable amounts of vapor.

A benefit of manual batteries is the increased amount of vapor they can produce when compared with the level of vapor produced through automatic batteries. However, there’s usually a slight trade-off: more vapor often translates to less flavor. And, while automatics may produce slightly less vapor, they tend to be richer in flavor.

Pricing and Value for the Money

Pricing and value must be considered along with a vaper’s style of use. Occasional vapers may find disposable units more cost-effective than purchasing large kits, while vaping enthusiasts will find bargains through larger purchases.

As is the case for most e-cigarette product lines, V2 Cig’s disposable units manufactured for ready-made “one-time” use are more expensive per use than rechargeable and refillable units. Of course, the payoff is in the convenience of their disposability. Such disposable units are great for on-the-go vaping when you don’t want to lug around (and possibly lose) your pet vaping kit and accessories. The disposable one-time-use unit is also perfect for people new to vaping, and who wish to explore the vaping experience before investing in more expensive kits.

Overall, new vapers will find the V2 line quite affordable for discovering and beginning vaping. Both the 3-pack V2 Disposables Kit and the rechargeable single V2 Express Kit are priced at about $25; a very reasonable price tag for those curious to try vaping. A more complete set including extra carts and an additional charger can be had for under $50, which is quite a bargain compared with comparable offerings from other manufacturers. More deluxe kits come with higher price tags, but include more product for the money.

Before placing an order for V2 Cig’s or any e-cig company’s products, search around online for discount codes and other specials. It’s often possible to save anywhere from 5% to 25% or occasionally even more just by spending a few minutes sleuthing online for promotions.

Customer Service

V2 Cigs backs up their claim to be #1 in customer service by making themselves accessible Mondays through Saturdays. Customers can call V2′s toll-free phone number, or, through the V2 website, request a return call from V2 Cigs’ customer service. Customers can also chat live with an online representative during regular customer service hours.

V2 offers a 30-day 100% money back guarantee on specific products only. The company also offers a “lifetime” warranty that V2 Cigs’ electronic components will be free from defects in material and workmanship under normal use and service for the life of the products. See more info on these policies below.

Pros & Cons

Pros:

The V2 Cig line is a great option for anyone wanting to try out e-cigs affordably. The shape, size and overall design of the V2 minis are somewhat similar to familiar cigarettes, and toting them around is convenient; both of which eases transitioning from analogs. Unlike many other e-cig manufacturers, V2 offers a guarantee and warranty. In addition to its customer service department being available via live chat or phone six days a week, V2′s website also offers an online forum for vapers to participate in.

Cons:

If you fall in love with vaping, you may discover that the V2 minis don’t produce the voluminous clouds of vapor you might prefer. Also, the V2′s don’t allow for the variable customization that’s available with other manufacturer’s mods, so you may want to move up in due time from the V2 mini line to other devices that pack more of a wallop. V2′s guarantee and warranty policies have some notable exceptions; read the fine print, or you may be in for a surprise.

Guarantee/Warranty

V2′s 30-day 100% money back guarantee applies only to V2 starter kits, only if the purchase was made through the V2 Cigs website and only if the kit still has all its original packaging. And, the guarantee does not include shipping or handling costs.

The company’s website states, “If you are unsatisfied with your starter kit for any reason, we will refund your original purchase price in full—no questions asked!” However, in the fine print, it clarifies that “misused, damaged or broken starter kits will not be refunded,” which seems to be at odds with the company’s previous promise to refund “for any reason.”

The guarantee does not apply to liquids, cartridges or disposable products. Other accessories, and individual batteries, may be returned within 30 days; however, those are subject to a 15% restocking fee. Again, V2 will not honor the guarantee for misused, damaged or broken products.

V2 also offers a warranty; however, the warranty’s “lifetime” moniker is somewhat misleading. Although V2 does cover its electronic components for the life of the devices, there is a cap of five replacements on any single order. Further–and more importantly–while the warranty itself never expires, the company will not honor the warranty unless the customer has purchased e-liquid or cartridge products from V2 within 90 days prior to filing any warranty claim. So, even if you have a warranty-covered V2 product, if you haven’t purchased items from V2 within three months and you file a warranty claim, you will be out of luck.

The main reason that V2 Cig’s refund and warranty policies were included under the “con” heading above is due to the company’s explicit declaration that products can be returned “for any reason,” only to have that statement nullified a short distance down on that same webpage. Customers who choose V2 Cig over another manufacturer primarily due to V2′s guarantee and warranty offers might be disappointed if they haven’t read the fine print.

Visit V2Cigs Now

Apollo E-Cigarettes Review

2013-05-25T08:51:00.001-07:00

Apollo E-Cig Review

Editor's Rating

After doing some digging I found that Apollo is not one of the most popular brands in the electronic cigarette world. This is a pity because as you’re about to find out in my review, they definitely deliver something quite special. They somehow managed to evade my radar until one day I was on an e-cig forum where I found people discussing the brand and saying how good they were. So I decided to contact them and see if I could get a review package. I decided to order the standard kits to start off with as most people would probably be buying this one.

Design:

After receiving my package the first impression I had was that their packaging and design was just incredible. If this was sitting on a shelf along with all the other brands I would have to pick this one if I knew nothing about any of them. While looks are only a superficial thing it’s still quite important.

Inside the starter package you get a decent selection of items including 2 lithium-ion batteries, a wall charger, USB charger, 5 cartomizers of any flavors you like and a portable charger pack. Apollo gets big points for including the portable charger since very few brands seem to offer this with their packages. Of all the possible accessories I would say the portable charger is the most important besides the cigarettes themselves. This little gizmo allows you to charge your system while you’re out and about, away from any USB ports or wall sockets. I feel like this is an absolute must-have these days.

The cigarettes themselves are about the same thickness as a normal cigarette but are definitely longer. They have an elegance and glamorous look to them with a high-quality build. I feel if you’re going to be spend a lot of time holding these cigarettes and using them in public, you may as well choose a brand that looks and feels good. The portable charger is also really nice and luxurious and can keep up to 5 cartomizers as well as 2 standard batteries. The LED on the front is a visual indication of how much battery life is left.

What was really cool was that they threw in a free gift with my package. I got a disposable cigarette that delivers up to 500 puffs. It looks and feels exactly like the Apollo standard cigarettes except that once the 500 puffs are done you throw it away. The build quality is really high on this baby and is definitely not some piece of junk. I almost felt bad for smoking it and just throwing it in the trash.

The batteries included in the starter pack are pre-charged so you can get smoking as soon as you open the box. This is a nice touch especially if you’re all excited and ready to go. Each battery lasted nearly 4 hours which is not too bad. When it came down to charging they went from completely flat to fully charged in around an hour and a half. With regular smoking they lasted as long as it took me to go through a whole cartomizer, which is supposedly around 200 puffs.

In Use:

One of the strong points of these cigarettes is their vapor. They worked up a massive cloud with very little effort delivering a very satisfying white plume to inhale. The throat hit is extremely satisfying and what’s even better is that it seems to remain consistent from the top of the cartomizer to the bottom. I wish all brands could do it this well. The design of Apollo cigarettes is very smart because the air vents are at the base of the battery. There are another 4 air vents around the cartomizer as well so placement of your fingers is not very important.

The flavors are pretty decent too and there is a wide variety such as: banana cream, french vanilla, blueberry kona coffee, green apple, clove, RY4, marlboro, almond joyee, mango peach, razzle, cappuccino, chocolate, marlboro menthol, rocky road and sahara. My personal favorites are the coffee, cherry and the tobacco flavors.

However they do go about this whole process a little differently to their competitors. Instead of offering packs of pre-filled cartomizers, they sell you empty ones which you can fill up with their e-liquid available in 10ml bottles. All you do is suck some up with a syringe and inject it into the cartomizers. You could do this one at a time, or, to make it even easier for you, a whole bunch to last you the week or the entire month. If you’re one of those people that wants the convenience of a pre-filled cartomizer, then you better look elsewhere.

In terms of the flavor quality I would say they are quite decent. Their tobacco flavor is pretty convincing and a few other flavors were really tasty. However, like most brands people will find their favorites, while other extremely popular flavors will be repulsive to them. It’s a really personal and subjective thing. The nicotine levels available are low, medium, high and even one with zero nicotine.

Kits:

Apollo Extreme Starter Kit:
This starter kit is for those who want a little bit more than the basic kit offers. It uses a two-piece design where the cartomizer, atomizer and heating coil are all one piece. This means you can enjoy really smooth vapor without any maintenance or annoying replacement of parts.
This kit comes with 2 extra-long batteries making the length of the cigarettes come to 123mm or 4.84 inches. It also comes with a USB charger, wall adapter, car adapter and 5 electronic cigarette cartomizers.

TGo Tank Starter Kit: This is one of their more high-end starter kits and is for those who want to smoke all day or are just a heavier smoker. It’s for the more experienced electronic cigarette smokers for sure. The kit comes with 2 lithium batteries, USB charger, wall adapter, 5 TGo refillable cartridges, 2 TGo atomizers, a 10ml bottle of any flavor you like and a carrying bag.
The TGo tank comes in 3 pieces: the rechargeable battery, the atomizer and the cartridge (this is known as the tank). While e-cigarettes have a fibrous section to hold the liquid flavor, this doesn’t have that. Instead the tank holds the liquid directly.
Battery life is really great and you can definitely use it for more than a day on a single charge. Then, when you want to charge it all you need to do is connect it to one of the charging adapters and leave it for 3 hours. When it’s fully charged you’ll see a green light. These batteries are strictly manual so you need to press a button to heat up the atomizer.

Elips Tank: This is another one of their tank products and it comes with 2 refillable cartomizers (1.5 ml), 2 lithium-ion batteries, USB charger, wall adapter and 10ml of e-liquid in any flavor. This tank is designed for those who want huge amounts of vapor and flavor. Its unique design allows you to plug it in and charge it while you are still smoking.

Vtube Tank: This tank system is designed for those who want as much control as possible since it lets you get much higher performance out of your atomizers and cartomizers. It’s a variable-voltage electronic smoking system allowing you to change the voltage between 3 and 6V to customize your smoke exactly how you like it. Whether you want more or less vapor, flavor or a stronger throat hit, it’s all possible with this unit. This system is perfect for those who smoke a lot and are very experienced with electronic cigarettes.
It comes with a regular tube which is 5 inches long and a mini which is 3.75 inches. It also comes with a black leather carrying case, high-capacity battery, regular battery, USB charger, drip tip and high-resistance atomizer.
All their starter kits come with a 30-day money-back guarantee and a one-year warranty. When buying a starter pack I highly recommend you add 3 extra packs of cartomizers to your order. This will prevent you from running out just as you’re learning, tempting you to switch back to regular cigarettes. It might be smart to order a mixed pack of flavors to quickly decide which ones you like.

Conclusion:

Apollo has done an impressive job of quickly becoming one of the favorite e-cigarette brands around. The sheer amount of love they’ve got from blogs, forums and review sites all over the internet is astonishing. They deserve it all and should definitely be considered for your first foray into the world of electronic cigarettes. Click here to visit them today.